New Shoes From TRUE Linkswear

The TRUE sensei are the newest shoes from TRUE Linkswear, and are great for golf, running or just around town.

Bag DropBack in 2010, The Sand Trap started covering a small golf shoe company by the name of TRUE Linkswear and the release of their original shoe the TRUE tour. This shoe was unique in the sense that it was spikeless (there were very few at the time), and even more so because it promoted the foot to work naturally. The shoe was also lighter than pretty much anything else available. Since that time, a few things have happened; TRUE has grown and has released a few more models including the TRUE stealth (and then updates to the tour and stealth) and the TRUE phx as well as a women’s shoe, the TRUE isis.  In addition to that, the market for lightweight, natural motion golf shoes has boomed with nearly every major manufacturer having a shoe in this catagory. At the beginning of the month, TRUE released the next shoe in their lineup, the TRUE sensei, which in addition to being a great golf shoe also doubles as a running shoe. In fact, Ryan Moore won last month in Las Vegas wearing these on the same day that the TRUE Linkswear president, Robert Rigg, ran the Portland Marathon in them.

Volume Three Hundred Thirty Four

One more season in the books.

Hittin' the LinksBizarre as it was to watch on Friday, I have to give props to Charlie Beljan for getting it together over the weekend and winning at Disney. I saw him play a couple times in college as he and I both attended the same University. Good for him, from second stage of Q-School to two-year exemption in two tournaments.

In this edition of HtL we begin with a look at another golfer making a painful but correct decision, check out one great season for Rory McIlroy, and take a peek at the final PGA Tour Money List. Also we say goodbye to Jim Flick, investigate a golf tax, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read on!

Nine Holes with the Golfing Presidents

We take a look at the most famous presidential golfers.

ProfilesIt’s political season, and if you thought you could get away from it even in the golf world, think again. There’s a long history, stemming back to the early days of golf in this country, of U.S. Presidents spending their down time on the links.

As the business community has shown us, the golf course is a great way to schmooze clients and get business done on the go, and at the very worst it’s five hours of walking and staring at your phone.

From President Clinton’s “footwedge” to the Eisenhower Tree, let’s take a look at the most notable White House golfers.

Volume Three Hundred Thirty Three

Rory signs with Nike.

Hittin' the Links$200 million dollars, people! That is what Nike is reportedly paying Rory McIlroy to become a member of their staff. For that kind of money I imagine they could get him to go back to hickory and gutta percha. I can hardly wait for the first commercial where he tries to convince all of us he switched to Nike for the better equipment, yeah right!

In this edition of HtL we begin with a look at Rory’s big move, then check out the youngest Masters qualifier ever, and find out why people were resentful to Adam Scott. Also, we investigate Nike’s new red driver, look into the 5 easiest golf shots, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read on!

Odyssey Metal X #7 Belly Putter Review

Like them or not we take at Odyssey’s Metal X #7 Belly Putter

odyssey_metalx_7_belly_sole.jpg Nothing brings about a heated discussion in the world of golf today quite like the long putter debate. Although the long putter made its debut on the PGA Tour way back in 1980; the controversy really did not heat up until the last few years when the belly putter started becoming more prevalent, and started winning big golf tournaments. I, myself, have been using a belly putter for two years now. Because of this I was the lucky enough to be chosen to try out the Metal X #7 Belly Putter by Odyssey. Lets see how it went.

How to Improve at Golf by Using a Camera

Lasting improvement in golf can be really hard, I explain how I did it by using a simple video camera.

Thrash TalkIn the last few years there has been an explosion of Internet golf instruction. It started as a small movement mostly on forums, and now has grown to a point where individual instructors now have their own sites and forums dedicated to instruction. What has sparked this wildfire you say? Simple answer? The slow motion video camera.

When I was growing up, I was quite lucky to essentially live on a range. I worked at the course washing carts so I would get free range balls. Many of the pros who worked in the shop would come out and give me some lessons. During this period, the pro would watch your swing a few times, give you a few pointers and then be on his way.

I would go on hitting hundreds of balls and after a while I would go back to having many of the same problems. I could never understand why. Today I know, without a camera to track my improvement I would slip back into all the bad habits I developed and never really improve.

Callaway Rolls Out New Irons, Odyssey Expands Putter Line-up

New, premium putters are now available from Odyssey, while Callaway has new utility clubs and irons on the way.

Bag DropIn the coming months, Callaway Golf will be releasing two new products to the golfing world. The first, which will be available in December, are the X Utility Prototype Irons. Towards the end of January, Callaway will release the new version of the X Forged irons. Both clubs were designed by Callaway Chief Designer Roger Cleveland. In addition to the new irons, Odyssey (Callaway’s putter division), recently released a new premium line, the ProType Black Putters.

Volume Three Hundred Thirty Two

The top 25 get their cards.

Hittin' the LinksThere are 25 very happy guys tonight after they received their 2013 PGA Tour cards following the completion of the Web.com Tour Championship. Now we sit around and wait to see who makes the top 125, then watch how Q-School shakes out to find out who we will watch do this whole thing over again in 2013.

In this edition of Hittin’ the Links we begin with a look at the top 25, then find out why Nick Watney needs to send flowers to his wife, and check out the cash Tiger and Rory got in China. Also, we look into Graeme’s dilemma, check out some Jesper style, and do a wrap-up of the weeks events. Read on!

Golfing Scotland with Go Ahead Tours

A “do-it-all” tour of the birthplace of golf that’s suitable for golfers of all levels and, if they so desire, their spouses as well.

Go Ahead ToursEvery hard-core golfer dreams of playing golf where the sport was born, and as I discovered over a glorious nine-day span in September, 2012, Go Ahead Tours Golf Vacations can make your dreams come true.

On September 22 I traveled from Buffalo, NY to Newark, NJ before leaving on an overnight flight for Glasgow, Scotland. Over the next six days I’d play seven rounds of golf on the links courses at Western Gailes, Turnberry’s Ailsa Course, North Berwick, and the Castle, New, Jubilee, and Old Courses at St. Andrews. I’d run on the very beach made famous by the movie Chariots of Fire and tour castles once visited by Robert the Bruce and William Wallace (yes, that’s Braveheart).

The trip, dubbed “Highlights of Scotland Golf Vacation” by Go Ahead, certainly lived up to the billing. Join me as I recap my trip, talk of some of my own highlights, and share as many pictures as I can reasonably fit in one article.

Who am I? A long-time avid golfer turned golf instructor. I’ve got a busy schedule, and though I could have arranged a golf trip myself, I chose Go Ahead’s Golf Vacations division because they handled everything and did it at a price that was likely lower than I could have arranged on my own or with another tour company.