Author: Erik J. Barzeski

Nike SasQuatch Tour Driver Review

The Nike SasQuatch has found its way into the bags of Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie. Will it find its way into yours, too?

Nike Sasquatch Tour Driver HeroWhen we first scheduled our Nike SasQuatch (SQ) review back in May for August 4, we did not know Tiger Woods would have won the Open Championship at Royal Liverpool less than two weeks prior after pulling his SQ only once in competitive play.

Only a few years after being dissed by Phil Mickelson as “inferior equipment,” Nike has built some incredibly well performing golf balls and clubs as well as a large stable of PGA Tour pros to use them.

During the SasQuatch’s development, many believed “SasQuatch was merely a code name and that “SQ” or some other product name would be used upon release. Of course, the average person knows only that Michelle Wie and Tiger Woods play the SasQuatch, and “Woods” and “Wie” carry a lot more weight than any individual product.

I’m no Tiger Woods (or Michelle Wie), but I’ve given the SQ a thorough test. Read on to see what I thought of the driver that wasn’t used to win the 2006 Open Championship.

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A Wie Little Tweak to the Rolex Women’s World Rankings

Michelle Wie will likely drop from second to seventh due to a tweak to the Rolex Women’s World Rankings.

Michelle WieThe Rolex Women’s World Rankings (or “The Rolex Rankings”) were unveiled in February to the amusement of many – Michelle Wie was ranked third (and quickly moved up to second) ahead of four-time winner Paula Creamer, consistent performer Natalie Gulbis, multiple winner Lorena Ochoa, and others.

Since then, Michelle has finished in the top five in every LPGA event she’s played in 2006, including all three women’s majors played so far. Many feel this validates her spot below Annika Sorenstam in the rankings.

But that all changed yesterday when the Rolex Rankings announced a tweak to the system that will likely drop the 16-year-old phenom from second to seventh. The new rankings will be unveiled after this week’s Women’s British Open.

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Golf Talk ‘Moving’ Episode

Our “moving” special is here, and it’s live and uncut.

PodcastAs we announced last week, the Golf Talk Podcast will move next Monday (August 7) to recording on Mondays with publication on Wednesdays. As part of the “move” – and to help pass the “short week” from our prior release date (Saturdays) to this Wednesday, we’ve come up with a special “moving” edition of the podcast.

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Nickent 3DX Pro Irons Review

Nickent, long known for their hybrids, has leapt into the iron-making game with one of the biggest names in iron design. Does John Hoeflich’s first effort live up to the “Pro” title?

Nickent 3Dx Pro Irons HeroNickent, long renowned for their hybrids, took a big step forward when it hired John B. Hoeflich as senior vice president of product development. Hoeflich’s design credits include the Tommy Armour 845 irons, the original Titleist DCIs, and recently the TaylorMade RAC irons and wedges. A while ago, Donald MacKenzie wrote “Look for new Hoeflich-designed clubs to debut by year’s end under the Nickent name.”

Those clubs are here, and they’re the Nickent 3DX Pro irons. Though one may wonder why any iron labeled “pro” features such a game improvement look to them, with cavity backs and low weights, one only needs to consider that the TaylorMade LT2, the Titleist 755, and the Callaway Fusions and X-Tours all see a lot of play on the PGA Tour and all are far from muscleback irons.

I currently play the Titleist 735.CM or the TaylorMade RAC MB TP. Do these Nickent 3DX Pros kick them out of my bag? Read on to find out…

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Golf Talk ‘Moving’ Special Edition

We’re putting together a special podcast, and we want you to be involved.

Site NewsStarting this week, the Golf Talk Podcast will be moving to Monday/Tuesday recording sessions with publication on Wednesdays. To make up for the short week (from earlier today until Monday or Tuesday), we’re going to put together another “Special Edition” podcast with your help.

To get in this Special Edition podcast, you simply have to record yourself talking about a golf-related subject and send the file to us by Tuesday, August 1. Record in the highest quality you can (16 bit, 44.1 kHz, AIFF or WAV preferred) and send your podcast to podcast@thesandtrap.com. We’ll cobble together the best of what’s submitted and roll it together into our special edition.

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Golf Talk [Episode 031]

We text messaged Annika Sorenstam to say “we’ve produced our 31st podcast.” Tiger text messaged her with something a tad more impressive.

PodcastTiger Woods has captured his 11th major at the Open Championship at Hoylake. We discuss all the ramifications: Phil’s British misery, Sergio Garcia’s collapse and putting woes, and more. Also this week, Natalie Gulbis, Corey Pavin, Erin Hills, Carolyn Bivens, and Geoff Ogivly at the PGA Championship. Tune in to this episode of Golf Talk for more.

You can subscribe to the RSS feed for our podcasts here or download Episode 031 as an MP4 file. For those who want to subscribe to us in iTunes, click here.

For this week’s Show Notes – links to articles we discuss in the show and additional information – just read on.

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Subscribe to Comments

Gone are the days of having to remember to check back to read new comments. Now you can be notified automatically!

Site NewsA few days ago, we implemented a new feature here at The Sand Trap: “subscribe to comments.”

Next to the “Post Comment” button at the bottom of every article here at TST, you’ll see a checkbox that says “Subscribe to Comments.” If you check it, you’ll be sent an email every time someone else responds to the same article. They may be responding to you. If you wish to unsubscribe, each email contains a link that allows you to do so.

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Tweety Bird at the Open

Sergio Garcia’s all-yellow outfit earned him plenty of nicknames, but “Champion Golfer of the Year” was not one of them.

Sergio Garcia Yellow 2006 OpenI never thought to call Sergio Garcia “Tweety Bird” in my final-round coverage of The Open Championship, but reader Dave Miles wrote to me with one of the best jokes I’ve heard this weekend.

Overheard in the final pairing on the first tee at Hoylake yesterday: “I Tawt I Taw a Puddy Tat!”

While Sergio continues his search for a power color to rival Tiger’s red (or, lately, his pinks, maroons, wines, and mauves, and scarlets), many in the golf world are asking themselves today “when will Sergio win a major?” He’s only 26, but he’s also played in nearly 33 majors already. When does “it’s only a matter of time” turn into “he sure is taking his time,” and when does that turn into “he’s running out of time?”

Sergio, I tawt I taw a puddy tat too. And, like at Medinah 1999, you were once again his lunch.

Photo Credit: © Getty Images.

Live Blogging the 2006 British Open

We’re live blogging the final round of the British Open. Almost all eight hours of it!

Tiger Woods13:21 – Tiger Woods taps in for par and is the Champion Golfer of the Year for 2006. His margin of victory? A holed 4-iron from the fairway on the 14th hole Friday: two shots. One month after missing the cut at Winged Foot, Tiger claims a win on a course he’d never even seen a picture of before early July. He cries, hugs Stevie, and and gives Elin a big hug. Earl is not here to see Tiger win a major for the first time in his life.

13:18 – Tirico gives us a lesson on Nicklaus’ 20 vs. 18 majors (counting U.S. Amateurs) and Tiger’s soon-to-be 14 and compares them to the records of Hogan and Jones. Tiger putts to about eight feet. It seems I may have exactly predicted the winner and the score, unless he rolls this one in.

13:16 – They show the engraver, and Tirico says “I swear he started to carve Jean van de Velde’s name in there. There’s a little smudge where Paul Lawrie’s name is. I look at it every time.”

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