Author: Guest Author

A Callaway Christmas

Callaway brings out the new stuff – the Big Bertha 454 Titanium Driver and X-18 Series irons.

callaway_454_back.jpgCallaway Golf rushed into the holiday season this year by bringing out all kinds of new stuff. First off, as previously noted, the Big Bertha© Titanium 454 Driver (right) has already made a splash by winning the Re/Max World Long Drive Championship televised earlier today. Sticking to the Callaway’s Big Bertha maxim of “when properly engineered, Bigger is Better”, the 454 Driver (that’s 454cc) is Callaway’s largest driver to date, yet by using subtle design curves, gives a surprisingly compact look at address. It is designed to reach the maximum allowable level for springlike effect as measured by the USGA’s new characteristic time (CT) test, and conforms to all USGA Rules.

That may be some good press release rhetoric, but I’m quite anxious to get this puppy on to the driving range.

The next stop on the product tour is the iron department.

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Bridgestone Challenges Golf Ball Market

Bridgestonge Golf introduces a new line of golf balls and clubs early in 2005 starting with its high end Tour B330 ball.

Bridgestone B330Bridgestone Golf has already grown to become one of the most dominant golf companies in Japan. The company now has its eyes set on the American market and is ready to unveil a new line of golf clubs and balls early in 2005. First to roll off the Bridgestone line is a new top of the line golf ball, the Tour B330. The ball will compete against Titleist’s Pro V1 and V1X golf balls targeted at professionals and better amateurs. Bridgestone claims the ball, “will provide unparalleled distance and accuracy to better players and is less affected by wind than its competitors but does not sacrifice distance and feel.” The Tour B330 has already seen action on tour, Fred Couples used it to win the 2004 Skins Game and has signed on with the company as a pitch man. Couples has agreed to use both the Tour B330 and the company’s soon-to-be introduced J irons.

Hal Sutton and Post Ryder Cup Blues

In the wake of the 2004 Ryder Cup, captain Hal Sutton admits to losing interest in the 2005 PGA season.

Hal SuttonAfter leading the United States Ryder Cup team into a trouncing by the Europeans, captain Hal Sutton admits to having lost some desire to compete on the PGA tour in 2005. The last event Sutton competed in was the Chrysler Championship in October where he failed to make the cut. At the time, Sutton expressed a desire to leave the turmoil of the Ryder Cup behind him and get back to playing golf. However, he recently said, “It’s tough to get back. I’ll be honest with you I’ve lost a little desire.” Sutton is not the first Ryder Cup captain to experience such feelings. Of the five captains that preceded Sutton, only Tom Watson was able to finish in the top 150 on the PGA tour’s money list.

Sutton’s two years of time consuming captaincy in the years preceding the Ryder Cup certainly contributed to his diminished focus. However, Sutton also dealt with a nagging injury in his left palm which required surgery earlier this month. There are also off course distractions tugging at Sutton such as his burgeoning golf course design business and charity work with the Hal Sutton Foundation which just approved plans to build a children’s hospital in Shreveport, Louisiana. While playing golf used to be Sutton’s number one priority, he now says: “One thing I learned by not playing as much this year as I normally do is that I can live with that… But right now, I’m content with the things I’m working on.”

People vs. Pros: Daly and Hoch Triumph

At the 2004 Duff Challenge, partners John Daly and Scott Hoch beat the amateur team of Mark Booher and Jerry Mangus.

John DalyIn the 2004 Dunkin Donuts Duff Challenge 800 two-man teams from across the nation competed against each other in an attempt to qualify for the chance to play against PGA pros John Daly and Scott Hoch. When the dust settled, Mark Booher and Jerry Mangus of Salt Lake City, Utah had beaten 180 other teams for the chance to battle the pros at Casa Blanca golf club in Mesquite, Nevada for the chance to win $50,000.

Mangus, a sixth grade teacher, has played seriously for the past 12 years and carries a 10 handicap. Booher, the longer hitter of the two, is a mortgage broker, has played for 7 years, and carries a handicap of 6.

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Board Your Way to Better Wedge Play

Practice with a 2-by-4 to improve your short game.

Eighty percent of the shots in golf occur inside of 100 yards. In order to score well, golfers need to be accurate with their wedges. The key to accuracy is proper contact in the sweet spot (the area which wastes the least amount of energy when struck). Many golfers hit the ball too far to the toe or hozel of the club due to either an outside-to-in swing plane or a swing that is over the top. Improper contact leads to twisting of the club head and offline shots.

In order to learn how to make consistent contact with your wedges, lay a 2-by-4 on its long side and place a ball on the ground an inch away. Start out hitting small chips without making any contact with the board. Both out to in swings and over the top motions will result in contact with the board and immediate feedback.

Once you are proficient, move on to pitches, and finally full swings. As your contact improves you’ll see your scores drop. Both out to in swings and over the top motions will result in contact with the board and immediate feedback.

Keep practicing and eventually you will groove an inside out swing with your wedges.

Tiger’s 2000 Season Still the Best

Tiger and Vijay may have both won nine times in a season, but Tiger’s 2000 campaign continues to set the standard for greatness.

Tiger and VijayVijay Singh became the PGA tour’s first ten million dollar man in 2004, setting a new record for winnings in a season and becoming only the fourth player since 1960 to win at least eight tournaments in a year. Few can dispute the fact that his 2004 season was great, but it still pales in comparison with Tiger Woods’ 2000 season.

Singh himself said in a story on PGA.com, “Tiger won three majors in 2000. You can’t beat three majors. It’s so much more difficult to win major events than normal tournaments. I’m just going to try to enjoy my own good season.”

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Monty Sidesteps Ryder Cup Captaincy

Colin Montgomerie says he’s too young to be the 2006 European Ryder Cup captain.

Colin MontgomerieIn a surprising move, Colin Montgomerie has pulled his name from consideration for the 2006 European Ryder Cup captaincy. Citing age as his primary reason, though not old age, but rather that he’s too young, Monty has declared that it is time to step up his game and get back into the top 25 of the world rankings. After slipping from 41st to 80th in the rankings just this past year, it’s hard not to agree with him. He needs a new spark and his shining performance this past year at Oakland Hills, as he sank the winning putt, may just be what the doctor ordered.

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Callaway Initiates CEO Search

Bill Baker, CEO of Callaway Golf, will lead the search to find his replacement.

callaway_logo.jpgCallaway Golf has announced that they will begin the search process to find a Chief Executive Officer to replace Bill Baker, who has served in the position only since August 2nd. No mention was given for how long it would take to name a new CEO, but Callaway said that its Board has determined “this is the appropriate time” to start the search. Bill Baker will head the process.

Mr. Baker stated, “As the current CEO, one of my most important responsibilities is the identification and training of my successor. With the overall review of the Company’s business and strategic plans well underway, I believe that now is the time to begin this search.”

What’s interesting to note here is that all successors to Ely Callaway, the company’s founder, have been forced out. They include Donald Dye, who had been Callaway’s legal counsel, former TaylorMade President Chuck Yash and Ron Drapeau. So is Baker on his way out on his own accord or is he being pushed?

Know Your Etiquette

Knowing how to handle yourself on and around the golf course is very important.

Especially worthy for beginners, but helpful for review by those that play often, the etiquette of golf is an important topic. The last day of a six week “Golf 1” course I took at my local course a while back involved going on the course for the first time as a class. Before that, however, we all sat down and were shown a short golf etiquette film. Admittedly, a lot of what was shown was common sense, but worthwhile none the less. A great primer of golf etiquette is here. Do yourself and others a favor and take a refresher course.