Author: Dave Koster

Sophomore Slump

Sean O’Hair and Lucas Glover came straight out of Q-School last year and not only won, but had superb years as well. This year it is more of the same for Glover but a different story for O’Hair.

The Numbers GameLast year we had a couple of rookies that burst onto the scene. Sean O’Hair and Lucas Glover both got onto the Tour last year by going through and surviving the rigors of Q-School. Both won over $2 million and made the Tour Championship in 2005… not too bad in your first year.

So, how are they faring this year? Looking at how they performed last year, one would think that they are going to have nothing but more success. Read on to find out who is struggling and who is continuing their great play.

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MacGregor Fat Lady Swings Putter Review

Bobby Grace has redesigned the famous Fat Lady Swings. The new putter provides balance, high MOI and best of all, a wonderful experience on the putting surface.

Macgregor Fat Lady Swings AngleBobby Grace has been at the heart of putter design for many years and his designs have been a hit for all that time. The original design of The Fat Lady Swings was in the bag of Nick Price when he went on a tear and won the 1994 PGA Championship with it on August 14. On August 15, Bobby Grace had 25,000 orders and a legacy to uphold.

Grace then took the momentum from The Fat Lady Swings and parlayed it into a deal with Cobra to design putters. Now with MacGregor, he has taken the famous putter and given it a totally new look and feel. The result is a better looking and feeling version of the classic that some touring pros may find in their bag.

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Post-Masters Numbers Crunch

You always think about some things while watching a golf tournament. I jotted a few things down that I wanted to look at after the Masters about Tiger, Phil, Freddy and the course.

The Numbers GameLike a lot of golf fans, I took in quite a bit of golf this weekend. What was shaping up to be a tight finish with a group of golfers, including the Big Five, within a few shots of the lead turned out to be a leisurely walk for Phil up the 18th.

This week in The Numbers Game, I’ll break down a few of the stats and numbers from this year’s Masters and throw out a few extra numbers for you to chew on.

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My Masters Moments

Every true golf fan loves the Masters. Some of my favorite golf moments are from watching the events unfolding in Augusta.

The Numbers GameThere are a lot of great Masters moments. When I was growing up and starting to play and appreciate the game a bit, the scenes at Augusta were the ones that stood out. I wanted to take some time this week to look at the moments I remember most vividly… and some of the numbers behind them.

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Masters, Big Five Style

The Big 5 are preparing for the Masters in a couple weeks. The numbers give us a bit of insight into what to expect… and don’t think it will be Tiger going low early or Phil finishing like a thoroughbred.

The Numbers GameTiger, Phil, Retief, Vijay, and Ernie. They will all be in Georgia in less than one week, ready to tackle the new and (cough, ahem) “improved” Augusta. While you’re busy contemplating your fantasy team rosters, I’ve compiled a few statistics on these “big five” that may interest you.

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TaylorMade r7 425/460 Drivers Review

TaylorMade has been one of the leaders year over year in drivers on tour. This year they have revised their R7 line with the new 425 and 460 models. For current TaylorMade fans, this is a newer, more stylish version of driver that is not only appealing to the eye, but the golf game as well.

Taylormade R7 425 SoleWhen it comes to the tee ball, TaylorMade leads, it does not follow. The 300 series driver was #1 on tour in 2000 and 2001 and TaylorMade followed with the successful r500. More recently the r5 and the r7 quad have been found worldwide in the bags of Tour professionals and amateurs alike.

While it is rare to see a new driver accepted so quickly by tour players, the new r7 425 was in the bag of nine players at the season-opening Mercedes Championship. Even with the new Nike SasQuatch and the highly anticipated rollout of the Titleist 905R, the new r7 still seems to be the talk of the industry.

I’ve been using a Titleist 983K and then a 905S for years, and I’ve come to appreciate the traditional pear-shaped design and playability in the Titleist drivers. I’ve spent a few months with the r7 425 as well as the larger r7 460. For $399 a pop, one would expect a solid club with excellent performance. Read on to find out if that’s what we found.

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Masters Numbers

The Masters is right around the corner. Here’s a little warmup for some numbers to watch while you watch.

The Numbers GameIt’s that time of year again. The Masters is right around the corner and it is never too early to start talking about the greatest golf tournament in the world.

This week in The Numbers Game, I’m going to share a few numbers from Augusta National, The Masters, and all that it entails. See if you can guess what these numbers mean: 7,445, 73.97, 74, and 32.13. The first two are easy. The second two may test your brain a little. Read on for the answers…

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What’s in the Bag? Volume 2

There are some surprises and some non-surprises in the second volume of “What’s in the Bag?”

The Numbers GameWelcome to the second ever “What’s in the Bag?” here in The Numbers Game. I thought it was time to check the bags of the winners on the PGA Tour again and see where we stand. Last year TaylorMade dominated the clubs when I looked, Odyssey was the putter champion, Cleveland in wedges, and Titleist had grips on the ball category. Read on to see if there have been any changes.

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Pound for Pound and Other Light Facts

You expect big guys to hit it a long way, but sometimes there are some little guys that show a bit of pop. This week we find out who is the longest hitter pound-for-pound on the PGA Tour this year.

The Numbers GameThere are long drivers and there are short drivers of the ball. We had a recent forum discussion about this topic. Fellow staff member Jeff Gladchun was helpful in doing a bit of research and we both thought it might be interesting to share the results.

So who is the longest player pound for pound? What other interesting information did I see when doing this research? Read on to find out…

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