After a couple decades of using nothing but a carry bag, I succumbed to the reality that I was riding more than walking. So I added a staff bag to my arsenal of equipment. It’s great. It’s much easier to pull and replace clubs and best of all it holds a ton of stuff. But I still use my Hoofer when I do walk, when I have a caddie, and when I’m playing in a competition (the staff bag just makes too much of a commercial statement in an amateur event to my way of thinking).
I quickly grew tired of transferring stuff back and forth between the bags so I resolved to stock each one independently. In the process I realized that my carry bag was not as lean and mean as it could have been. I also realized that the cart bag would allow me to hold some things that could occasionally come in quite handy. Here’s what I finally decided on…
You know what to expect from Hittin’ the Links by now. A whole bunch of links, quite unrelated, except for the fact that I found them interesting enough to throw them together in the same pile. This week: The Worst Lie Ever, Erica Blasberg, Range Mat Rant, Aaron Baddelly, Vijay, and more! Enjoy.
Michelle Wie’s historic bid to qualify for the U.S. Open failed due to a faulty flatstick. We have in-depth coverage and opinion on Michelle’s latest media grab (and great play), as well as talk of Tiger and Phil, Carolyn Bivens, the Ryder Cup’s fresher face, Carl Pettersson the Swedish Hick, and a whole lot more in this week’s episode of Golf Talk.
Calvin Peete stalked fairways long before Tiger Woods became the face of the PGA Tour. According to a cursory look at PGA Tour history, Peete was one of the best players during the 80s.
“Strong enough for a man. But made for a woman.” The classic slogan for Secret deodorant may also apply to the new HX Pearl golf balls from Callaway Golf. The company has a long history of making clubs for women under the Ladies’ Gems umbrella, and recently marketed the ultra-game improvement GES set toward women.
Let’s face it: we are the beneficiaries of significant advances in club technology. No longer does one need to fear the 1-iron, the 2-iron, the 3-iron, or even the 4-iron. Sweet-spots the size of neutrons are but a vague and unpleasant memory. Thanks to companies like Nickent, a recent and significant manufacturer of hybrid clubs, our confidence from about 170 to 230 yards has been restored.
A popular sports radio host says “if you take the time to email me, I’ll take the time to read it.” The same goes for me. Of course, he probably gets tens of thousands more emails than me. Still, I do read and think about the emails I receive, and I encourage you to send me more. Our email addresses can be found on the 
Candywood Golf Club is a public course just across the Ohio border from Sharon, PA in a town called Vienna. The region boasts a lot of fine, affordable golf courses ranging from Tam O’Shanter to Yankee Run and Oak Tree Country Club (reviewed