Author: Erik J. Barzeski

Bunker Rakes: In or Out?

There may not be a rule regarding bunker rakes, but there is some common sense.

Bunker RakeWhen you’re done raking a bunker, should you place the rake inside or outside the bunker?

That simple question has long perplexed individuals. We hear it’s even been the cause of at least one divorce! What do the rules say about bunker rakes – they sure are a mystery. Let’s get an answer.

In either position – in or out – the bunker can affect a player’s ball. Outside it could knock a ball into a bunker (or prevent it from falling into one), and inside it could keep a ball in a bunker or bury under the rake.

Continue reading “Bunker Rakes: In or Out?”

Light a Match in Bunkers

Light a match to light up your bunker play.

Gary Player is widely recognized as one of the best bunker players in the world. In his “Playing Lessons from the Pros” (on the Golf Channel), Player gives an interesting tip for playing out of the sand:

When you light a match, you don’t just slowly drag the match along the box. You flick it – fast – kkkkshhhhhhttttt! You do the same thing when you play out of the bunker. Don’t try to slide the club slowly through the sand – it won’t come out! Instead, flick it through the sand, accelerating rapidly. The ball will pop out with lots of spin.

There you have it. Light a match to light up your bunker play.

Top Ten Golfers of 2004

“The Top 10 Golfers of 2004” according to about.com. How would you rank them?

About.com’s Golf section has a list of the Top 10 Golfers of 2004. We’ll post the list here, but we’ll leave the discussion to you. Post a comment!

10. Michelle Wie
 9. Kevin Stadler
 8. Retief Goosen
 7. Tiger Woods
 6. Meg Mallon
 5. Phil Mickelson
 4. Ernie Els
 3. Ryan Moore
 2. Annika Sorenstam
 1. Vijay Singh

How would you have ranked them? What additions or removals would you have made?

Bass Ackwards: Singh and Sorenstam

Blatant sexism? Whatever you call it, The Golf Channel and other reporters need to get it right.

AnnikaThe Golf Channel, and much of the golf journalism world, has been going ga ga over Vijay Singh’s season. He had a great year – we grant you this – but headlines like “Sorenstam Having a Vijay-Like Year” are despicable. The headline should read “Singh having a Sorenstam-Like Year.”

“Sorenstam has won nine times around the world this year, same as Vijay Singh.” Annika Sorenstam has won at least five events each of the past five years. Neither Tiger Woods nor Vijay Singh can say that, nor could they ever.

Blatant sexism? Whatever you call it, I don’t understand what’s so difficult about understanding that some players are better in their respective arenas than others, and Annika stands above all men in that regard.

Dick’s: Titleist on Sale

Get to Dick’s if you like Titleist irons – they’re having a sale.

Titleist IronsDick’s Sporting Goods (store locator) is having a sale on sets of Titleist’s popular DCI 990 and DCI 762 series. Originally $699 and $899 respectively, both sets now sell for $399 and are available with R300 flex shafts.

The DCI 762 features a large volume cavity, progressive offset, and dual hosel lengths to provide for exact weight distribution and careful CG management; a thin face design allows for a larger club face area for increased confidence and playability, and a larger cavity for enhanced forgiveness; multi-piece carbon and metalized mylar cavity insert provide improved feel, increased playability, and modern flight characteristics.

The DCI 990 is designed with the better player in mind; a high performance blade design that features a variable muscle back cavity that provides traditional, solid feel, enhanced workability and consistent performance.

Tiger Pissed about Ryder Cup Captain Lehman

Tiger feels Mark O’Meara should have been chosen for the 2006 Ryder Cup, and he isn’t shy about sharing his feelings.

Tiger Woods and Mark O'MearaTom Lehman is the next US Ryder Cup captain, as we told you here on The Sand Trap .com, and Tiger Woods ain’t happy about it. Tiger slammed the PGA of America for not choosing his good buddy Mark O’Meara, saying:

I thought he should have been captain, because of the heritage of where he’s from. He’s Irish, so it would have been a perfect fit for Mark O’Meara to be the Ryder Cup captain in Ireland, especially as he goes to the K Club every summer to fish.

O’Meara was in the running, and has better career stats than Lehman: 16 wins and two majors to 5 wins and one major. “He’s obviously very disappointed he didn’t get it,” Woods said. “He feels this was probably his only chance, because of his age. He’ll be 51 by the time the next one comes around and more than likely that one looks like it’ll be Azinger’s.”

Continue reading “Tiger Pissed about Ryder Cup Captain Lehman”

LPGA Endorsements

Annika Sorenstam has endorsement deals, but does anyone else on the LPGA Tour? Why the disparity?

LPGA LogoThe Sun-Sentinel says that “Annika Sorenstam distorts the picture in women’s golf.” Quality of play? Tenacity? Training? Ability to close out opponents with a 54-hole lead? No – ad dollars.

Replete in Callaway visors and sleeves, Mercedez-Benz/Cutter & Buck shirt fronts, Kraft collars, ADT bags, and Oakley sunglasses, Sorenstam “…looks like a NASCAR driver,” LPGA Commissioner Ty Votaw declares proudly.

The article then mentions Hall-of-Famer Beth Daniel, logo-free. Daniel, 48, has won 33 events and is 10th on the money list this year. “I buy… hats myself,” Daniel said. “I buy… shirts.”

Continue reading “LPGA Endorsements”

The Best $4 You’ll Ever Spend (on Your Golf Game)

Buy a swing weight donut and you won’t regret it.

Swing Weight DonutLooking to boost your swing speed? Looking to quickly warm up before a round? Looking to hurl something hard at someone after they hole out from the fairway to win their press and your $20?

The swing weight donut is the best $4 you’ll ever spent. Swing weight donuts are small and fit easily in your bag or shoe. They’re easier to use as warmup devices than swinging two or three clubs at once. Donuts can serve as targets on chipping greens or your “office putting green.” Donuts can keep your towel from blowing away in a breeze. Use them on your putter to help ingrain a smooth stroke. They’re versatile, they’re lead, and they’re red!

Spend the $4. You won’t regret it.

International Invasion

Foreign-born players captured more than half of 2004’s PGA Tour and LPGA Tour victories. Will the trend continue?

World MapForeign-born players captured more than half of 2004’s PGA Tour tournaments (26 of 48), thanks in large part to Vijay Singh’s nine wins. Meg Mallon pointed out that, in this, the men have long trailed the women: “We’re already there. There are good tours in Europe and Japan, but they send their best to the United States. We’ve been international for over 10 years.”

Heading into this weekend’s ADT Championship 20 of 31 LGPA events have been won by international players. Annika Sorenstam is responsible for seven of those, and the remaining wins were split among players from South Korea, England, Scotland, Mexico, Australia, and the Philippines.

Continue reading “International Invasion”