Golf Talk [Episode 119]

I promise you, all the stuff at the end is said purely tongue in cheek. Really. Ask our wives.

Golf Talk PodcastCristie Kerr blows a U.S. Women’s Open, a – shock – South Korean player wins, and Steve Stricker closes out the John Deere. Also this week, Open predictions, changing par at the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, wimpy Brett Quigley, and a whole lot more in this episode of Golf Talk.

You can subscribe to the RSS feed for our podcasts here or download Episode 119 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.

Adams Golf Introduces Idea A7 Hybrids and Irons

As summer heats up, Adams Golf introduces their innovative A7 hybrids and irons.

Bag DropThough the 2009 golf season has been in full swing for a few months now, it doesn’t mean that there is no new gear to check out. From Adams Golf, an industry leader in Hybrid technology, come the Idea A7 Hybrids and A7 Hybrid Iron set, labeled by Adams as “the Future of Iron sets.” Continuing the Adams tradition of innovation, these new clubs are loaded with new technology that comes packaged in the familiar styling of the Idea line.

Volume One Hundred Ninety Seven

It’s British Open week, and here are your news and notes as we get ready for the only non-HD golf we’ll watch all year.

Hittin' the LinksWell hello again and welcome to Hittin’ the Links. It’s British Open week again: is everyone out there ready to awaken at the crack of dawn to watch golf? At least those of us in the U.S. will have to unless you want to catch the highlight reel on Golf Central. Thank goodness for DVRs: I will just have to get my Open fix on tape delay.

In this Open Week edition of HTL we have a strong British feel. First we look at who gets in and who decided to take the week off, next we discover who Tiger will be playing his first two rounds with, and finally get that link to the British Open site firmly planted in our favorites. Also on tap we investigate Tiger’s wardrobe for the week, see what Inkster thinks about the LPGA’s problems, and do a complete wrap-up of the week’s tour winners. Read on!

The Cat Fight’s Out of the Bag

Not content to wait until they no longer have a Tour to play on, LPGA players call for the resignation of Commissioner Carolyn Bivens. Good move.

Thrash TalkThe following news, as reported by a variety of outlets, but quoted here as it appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, has worked its way through the system of the of the golfing media, both formal and informal, over the past few days:

“A group of 15 players, including world No. 1 Lorena Ochoa, Suzann Pettersen, and top American stars Cristie Kerr, Paula Creamer, and Morgan Pressel, signed a letter demanding the resignation of commissioner Carolyn Bivens.”

Good for them. Far from looking like rebellious children, the LPGA’s stars look, now, like they give a damn about the fact that their Tour is coming apart at the seams.

Golf Talk [Episode 118]

Carolyn Bivens is updating her résumé as we speak.

Golf Talk PodcastKenny Perry and Tiger Woods win, the LPGA mutinies against Carolyn Bivens, Michelle Wie shoots 64, the PGA Tour will have new grooves next year, no performance enhancing drugs found, and a whole lot more in this episode of Golf Talk.

You can subscribe to the RSS feed for our podcasts here or download Episode 118 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.

Here V Go Again: The Truth About the Groove Rule Change

Case in point: This isn’t a return to “V” grooves as is widely being reported.

Bag DropLast August the USGA, golf’s governing body in the United States since 1894, announced that they were enacting new regulations for grooves in golf clubs effective January 1, 2010. This change came after a fairly exhaustive study that was spurred on by the lack of correlation between driving accuracy and success on the professional tours of the world. In other words, the USGA didn’t think “bomb and gouge” was the way golf should be played.

The rule applies only to certain clubs in the hands of certain players at and at certain times, so there is a lot of misinformation out there about what is really going on with this rule. This week, we take a look at it and set the record straight.

Volume One Hundred Ninety Six

Tiger likes kids, helps out a buddy, and then wins own event…another busy week!

Hittin' the LinksHello and good morning golf fans, welcome to Hittin’ the Links. Hey what more could you want in a final round of a PGA Tour event. Anthony Kim now knows what its like to go to school at The Woods Institute of Winning. Tiger just doesn’t relinquish 54-hole leads.

In this edition of HTL we find out what the President wished for, see whats happening on the LPGA Tour, and investigate the subtle differences in certain player’s travel arrangements. Also we look into Tiger’s feats of the week, see who else got into the British Open, and do a full recap of the week’s tour winners. Read on!

TaylorMade Rescue ’09 Review

TaylorMade has continued their line of excellent woods and hybrids with the new Rescue 09.

Bobby JonesA TaylorMade Rescue has been in my bag for the past three years and I haven’t found one to replace it during that time. I’ve tried nearly half a dozen that all had decent results but none could beat the overall performance of the TaylorMade.

When the chance came to review the latest offering from TaylorMade, I jumped on it. My older-generation Rescue has been in the bag since 2005 and has seen better days. While I’ve admired Mizuno and Titleist in the iron area, I’ve had a TaylorMade driver and Rescue or fairway metal in my bag for many years. Their dominance in this area has been the result of superior products, not just marketing.

The TaylorMade Rescue ’09 offers some improvements that are hard to pass up, especially if you’re like me and have skipped a few generations. The question is, though, will this new version be good enough and retain the qualities that I’ve come to love and appreciate about my old Rescue? Read on to find out.

Is Jim Brown Right about Tiger?

Brown has a reputation for incendiary remarks. Does he have a point this time?

Thrash Talk If you missed Jim Brown’s appearance on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumble, then you missed the Hall of Fame running back declaring the following about Tiger Woods, “He is a killer, he will run over you, he will kick your ass. But as an individual for social change? Terrible. Terrible. Because he can get away with teaching kids to play golf, and that’s his contribution.”