Five Reasons to Play Nine

We don’t always have the time to play eighteen. Here are the top five reasons why you should consider playing nine-hole courses.

Trap Five LogoNine hole golf course are an endangered species, except in smaller towns where the quaint venues are the only game in the area.

Studies of golf operations suggest the most efficient set-ups cover 36 holes The additional maintenance equipment you need for 36 holes vs. 18 is negligible; a few additional workers is all you need. This assumes you can get enough green fees to keep both 18s busy. So, nine-hole operations fall on the wrong end of economies of scale.

Also, nine-hole tracks are often family operations. When the owners get ready to retire, the children often got enough of working at the course during high school and don’t want to take over. A 60-acre tract with rolling hills and trees can make a nice subdivision plot, and pave the way for nice retirement for the couple. Among municipal courses, most of the closures in southwest Illinois the past three years have been nine-hole operations. Too much work for too little revenue if larger venues exist in the area.

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I’ve Got an Addiction, and the Blisters Simply Confirm It

With the first tee (and my car) buried under two feet of snow, I’m left to the Internet to fill my golf needs. It’s not scratching that itch, and everyone around me is paying the price.

Thrash TalkFor years it’s been clear that I love golf. Love playing it, love reading about it, love watching it on TV. But it’s finally time to admit my passion has crossed the fine line into obsession. The snowiest winter the Northeast has seen in years and a dip into the deep, never-ending world of golf message boards has sunken me to new lows.

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Nike Adds SQ MachSpeed Drivers, Fairway Woods to 2010 Lineup

Following hot on the heels of the Victory Red drivers and fairway woods is the SQ MachSpeed drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, and irons, which aim to increase distance by optimizing aerodynamics.

Bag DropAs the new year progresses, the new equipment comes out in full force. The problem is that more often than not, we see what’s being dubbed as the latest and greatest really ends up being just a few improvements over last year’s models. Not that there is anything wrong with that! By all means, if a clubmaker has a good thing going, why mess with it? Nike, on the other hand has been known to push the technological limits with every release and this year is no different.

Sometimes, though, we see a company change their lineup dramatically in terms of both aesthetics and function. Out with the old and in with the new. It looks like Nike has done just that this year with their new drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids. First we saw the Victory Red drivers, which I called the most traditional looking driver Nike (who has been known to make quite a bit of not-exactly-traditional-looking stuff) has ever produced. At the opposite end of the spectrum, we now have their new MachSpeed line. As we all know, appearances can be deceiving though, so lets take a look at these new, aerodynamically enhanced clubs from Nike.

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Volume Two Hundred Twenty Five

Nervous PGA Tour wives, Tiger-ade no more, and Poulter uses nonverbal communication

Hittin' the LinksGood day golf fans and welcome again to Hittin’ the Links. I was quite a weekend on the PGA Tour. Things are never boring at the Phoenix Open. If you have never had a chance to witness the 16th live in person I urge you to try it at least once in your life.

In this newest volume of HTL we begin by investigating why PGA Tour wives are a little on edge, find out who dropped Tiger this time, and see who is the next Solheim Cup Captain. Also this week, we check out Ian Poulter’s 16th hole reaction, examine the PETA-Tiger Woods connection, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read on!

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Mizuno MX-300 Iron Review

Whether you’re a better player looking for a little bit of extra forgiveness, or an improving player who’s not quite sure blades are the next step, Mizuno’s new MX-300 offers an ideal mix of game improvement and game enhancement.

Mizuno MX-300 HeroI’ll be honest with you, I feel like I really need to throw everything I believed about irons in the “game improvement” category out the window. Quickly. The Mizuno MX-300s changed my mind about what a game improvement iron should be and how a game improvement iron should feel. And this is coming from someone who thinks the constant Mizuno praise gets a little old sometimes.

Don’t get me wrong, there is no doubt that Mizuno is one of the top iron makers on the market, and has been so for a while. Every time I tried a set, I walked away impressed with the looks, the feel, and the performance. It’s just that Mizuno has a somewhat rabid fan base, and though their love for the forged iron maker undeniably justified, I’m the kind of person that’s maybe best described as “anti-hype” and therefore, I tend to stay away from the things everyone hypes too much. I guess I like to be different. Still, when I was given the opportunity to review the newest irons in Mizuno’s MX series, I was more than happy to oblige. I knew that I was in for a treat, especially since I remembered thinking their intention to blur the line between player’s iron and GI iron was pretty interesting back in October, when I covered their release.

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Volume Two Hundred Twenty Four

Tiger’s sorry, Poulter’s pretty in pink, and Stevie is ready to kick butt!

Hittin' the LinksHello again golf fans and welcome to Hittin’ the Links. It was quite a weekend for the golf fan, plenty to see and listen to, and some of it actually included hitting golf balls.

In this edition of HTL we start off looking again at the Tiger Situation, the speech, the circus that was Sawgrass, and Stevie’s warning. Then we turn our attention to drunk cart driving, find out who the Dalai Lama has never heard of, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read on!

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A Little Bit About Geoff Ogilvy

What is up with the 2006 U.S. Open Champion?

ProfilesWhat has the 2006 U.S. Open champion been up to lately? Aside from taking the SBS Championship by the throat and the birth of his son, Ogilvy has switched his club sponsor (from Cobra to Titleist) and apparel sponsor (from Puma to FootJoy), been busy on twitter (over 10,000 followers), and playing some kick ass golf. I did a little searching around and wanted to find out more about him. Take a peek and see about his family life, the clubs he’s using and some other odd ball facts.

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It’s the Tiger Woods Way: Manipulation and Revenge

More of the same from the greatest golfer – and philanderer – most of us have ever seen.

Thrash TalkWoods will speak Friday, and to the surprise of no one, the rules ensure nothing can go wrong. Plus, in true Tiger fashion, he gets vengeance on the first sponsor to drop him.

As always, it’s on Tiger Woods’ terms.

Woods has yet to lace up his Nikes, so we can’t tell about his driving distance off the tee, his precision into the greens, or his ability to make clutch putts. But we already know two of his most defining characteristics are back in fine form: manipulation and vindictiveness.

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Callaway Adds to Diablo Brand with Diablo Edge and Diablo Forged Irons

Want to play with an edge? Or are you looking for the forged iron with the rest of us in mind? Either way, Callaway has what you need with the new Diablo Edge and Diablo Forged irons.

Bag DropCallaway Golf extends their Diablo brand, which up until this year only consisted of drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids. New for 2010 are the Diablo Edge and Diablo Forged irons, each of which is geared towards specific types of players.

Both models take a number of features previously seen on Callaway’s X-22 and X-22 Tour irons, and builds on them for this new release. The Diablo Edge was designed with the player looking for more consistency and distance in mind, while the Diablo Forged caters more towards the better player. Which of these has the qualities you’re looking for? Follow along to find out!

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