First were the bushes planted at 150 yards. Then came the 150-yard stakes. Then the yardages engraved on sprinkler heads. Then colored circles and lines painted on cart paths. And of course, finally, detailed yardage books. Now technology has come to the rescue with amazingly accurate laser range finders and GPS systems.
With the “information age” of golf yardages decidedly upon us, the USGA and R&A relented last year and agreed to make modern distance finders legal for handicapping and tournament play subject to the enactment of local rules permitting them. Huzzah! But wait… they quickly followed up with an “Oh, by the way…”
The explosion of youth in the golf world has done wonders for the game. Golf is now cool. Thanks to the young guns, golfers are now athletes and golf is considered a sport. This newfound level of awesome is unprecedented in our realm and we can all try to look the part, no matter our handicaps. This week is dedicated to cool equipment, cool apparel, and cool accessories.
The Masters and the LPGA’s first major are in the books. We discuss Phil Mickelson’s victory, Karrie Webb’s win, Michelle Wie’s mistakes, Fred Couples’s inability to putt, Tiger Woods’ “spazzy” putting, comments from Ernie Els regarding Phil and David Toms regarding Augusta National security. It’s a very rousing week on the Golf Talk Podcast, so join us for this and a whole lot more.
There is so much attention given to those who can hit the golf ball a country mile that guys like Corey Pavin are largely left in the dust. Pavin was one of the best players on Tour through the 80s and 90s after having quickly established himself as a contender by winning a PGA Tour event only two years after turning professional. 
Bobby 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.
Like 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.
For amateurs, putting makes up between half and one-third of all strokes on a golf course. If you can lower the amount of putts you take by only 10%, that’s a three- to four-shot improvement.
Phil Mickelson won a few events with two drivers in his bag. Since winning the Masters on Sunday, I’ve received no less than four or five emails from Edwin Watts, TGW, and other online golf retail stores urging me to buy a second driver.