tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30660412094110693262024-03-05T12:41:53.909-08:00Better Golf Begins At Puetz GolfEverything golfLarry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-52219054394075652172011-11-10T15:24:00.001-08:002011-11-10T15:36:44.421-08:00Winter Lesson Special at Puetz Golf<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Winter is a
good time to work on your golf swing whether it is a complete swing overhaul,
or just tuning up on the fundamentals.
Since you are not playing as regularly, you have the chance to work on
swing changes without the pressure of trying to post a score. You can work on your swing yourself, but it
is much easier if you have a trained eye that can provide you with valuable
feedback. This will get you on the right
track sooner and you will be able to implement changes that will feel
second-nature to you once the golf season starts back up. The seeds that you plant during the winter
will bear juicy fruit once the spring rolls around.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Puetz Golf </span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">is here to help you when it comes to
working on your swing. From now through
February, you can get three lessons for the price of two. Lessons must be used by the end of February. You can choose from one of the three teaching
pros at Puetz: Jim Barnum, PGA Professional and Director of Instruction at
Puetz Golf, Val Patrick, LPGA Teaching Pro, or Brandon Dickerson, Apprentice
PGA Teaching Professional. Each of these
professionals will be able to analyze your swing and identify areas where you
can improve. They will help put you on a
practice regime that will help you incorporate swing changes that will improve
your game and lower your scores.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Don’t let your golf game hibernate during the
winter months. It is the perfect time to
hone your swing and work on your game.
This work will pay off big dividends come golf season. Check out the Winter Lesson Special <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Puetz-Golf-Winter-Lesson-Special/PUE01_705_Puetz_Golf_Winter_Lesson_Special/Product">here</a>. You can also book your lesson online <a href="http://puetzgolf.uschedule.com/OnlineAppointments.aspx">here</a>.
There’s no need to pay online, simply book your first lesson and pay for the
Winter Lesson Special when you show up for your first lesson.<a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_966056984"><span id="goog_966056985"></span> </a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <span id="goog_966056978"></span><span id="goog_966056979"></span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_966056980"></span><span id="goog_966056981"></span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a><span id="goog_966056982"></span><span id="goog_966056983"></span><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/"></a></span></div>Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-36558900209748476832011-10-21T10:52:00.000-07:002011-10-21T10:58:12.843-07:00Course Review - Salish Cliffs Golf Club<br />
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We played a new course that you are going to hear a lot
about – Salish Cliffs Golf Club at the Little Creek Casino just outside Shelton.
The opening of this course was delayed for months due to weather and
drainage issues and during the delay, the Squaxin Island
tribe decided to finish the Native-American inspired clubhouse. The clubhouse is beautiful and it was nice to
visit a brand-new course that wasn’t operating out of a trailer.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSCDo4ES5l0YIQTWEnCbNXxMf5D83c63WjY98ttl9ahrfFpB-IElL1DHleyKvVq99mgX_WoQlOu5YHYXrU-meDonEjYguIYPQad_FjwqqgpxqBBNLNolIwpQvNN7Af0J54s1d4IcAXF9X/s1600/sc_logo_rough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHSCDo4ES5l0YIQTWEnCbNXxMf5D83c63WjY98ttl9ahrfFpB-IElL1DHleyKvVq99mgX_WoQlOu5YHYXrU-meDonEjYguIYPQad_FjwqqgpxqBBNLNolIwpQvNN7Af0J54s1d4IcAXF9X/s1600/sc_logo_rough.jpg" /></a></div>
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The course finally opened for public play in the middle of
September and has been receiving rave reviews ever since. Designed by award-winning architect Gene
Bates, who also designed Circling Raven in Worley, Idaho,
Salish Cliffs is a joy to play. It is
incredibly manicured and the routing and flow of the holes holds your interest.</div>
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Carved out of hilly forest land, Bates gave golfers wide
driving areas but the course is very penal if you can’t hit the generous
fairway. Fairways are manicured bent grass while the rough is a sturdy and
ball-eating rye grass that makes you think of escaping the rough more than
hitting the green. Wander past the rye
grass rough and you are now into knee-high fescue and heavy underbrush and tree
growth. Balls are hard enough to find in
the rye grass and impossible to locate in the fescue. Even if you could find your ball in the
fescue, you would find it very difficult to hit your ball out of it. Bring a lot of balls.</div>
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Since this is a resort-style course, I had the feeling that
the tough rough may not last too long.
Just as at Highlander, who opened the course with knee-high fescue only
to chop it down for pace of play issues, I can see the same thing happening at
Salish Cliffs. We played all the
knee-high grass as hazards to keep the “re-tee, hit three” situations down to a
minimum. On many of the holes there are
red stakes to make the junk a hazard and this should probably be done on every
hole (yes, there is junk on every hole).</div>
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With no houses, or plans for building houses around the
course, you can enjoy the serenity of the setting while taking in the wonderful
views of the surrounding Kamilche
Valley. Although the course is hilly making a riding
cart mandatory, the holes utilize the hills in an unobtrusive way but it does
make club selection challenging.</div>
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The course can be stretched out to nearly 7,300 yards from
the back tees (75.4 rating, 137 slope), but there are five tees to choose
from. Choose wisely as this is a course
to be enjoyed and being a “macho man” insisting on playing the tips could
impede on your level of enjoyment. We
played the Tournament Tees (red) that measures 6,776 yards with a rating of
72.6 and a slope of 132. The Players
Tees play 6,312 yards and carries a 70.5 rating and a 126 slope. There is something for everyone with all the
tee choices.</div>
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The greens are very well manicured resulting in a smooth
surface and the player must keep speed in mind when reading a putt. Heading towards the water (east/southeast),
putts will tend to roll out more than anticipated while putts away from the
water (west/northwest) will be much slower than they appear. Typical of a brand-new course, the greens are
a little hard but not so much that your ball will bounce over the green. I actually had a couple of balls back up
after hitting the putting surface.
Chipping and pitching to the hard greens takes some getting accustomed
to before you get the feel for them. As
the course matures, I am sure the greens will become more receptive.</div>
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From the welcoming hand shake of the first two holes to the
challenge of the back nine, the course provides a variety that makes the round
fly by. You are on the 18<sup>th</sup>
tee before you know it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ro8KOH6PfxY2U5c17xeZgrsg7gNMcnH8CeCqL_CMymAmXvUxrtA6488DFf5efDYo77Hc2hU8p8_BHM7wtFRukGUADQevLd9iFkYq4e4ObLuCtHqkLogaDTMDLszkufJNe93sVwapZV7n/s1600/first_salish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0Ro8KOH6PfxY2U5c17xeZgrsg7gNMcnH8CeCqL_CMymAmXvUxrtA6488DFf5efDYo77Hc2hU8p8_BHM7wtFRukGUADQevLd9iFkYq4e4ObLuCtHqkLogaDTMDLszkufJNe93sVwapZV7n/s320/first_salish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The first hole
is a reachable par-5 that unfolds before you from an elevated tee while the 2<sup>nd</sup>
hole is a reachable par-4 for big hitters.
It’s a nice welcoming but the player is soon slapped up against the side
of the head when they arrive at the visually stunning 3<sup>rd</sup> hole, a
233-yard (291 from the tips!) downhill par-3.
The variety of the holes is what makes this course special. A drivable par-4 will be followed a few holes
later by a par-4 that requires a hybrid or fairway wood to reach. Two long,
three-shot par-5s are offset by two par-5s that are reachable in two
shots. Two long par-3s, over 200-yards,
are offset by two that play around 160-yards.
Chipping areas around the greens add to the resort level of enjoyment.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PRdyOd15f7o4O4wXTBWp5S3IHhwtxHsBO5CFeodBt2_xVbEqYOlfnMy_pXhNMLSWNwdOUAu2SH_wcltT9BxNNBV6TCmjBdAdKn4Ei0KI1A1Di51LNlGbZ5cMgDOxjWSN8NQ6yBjx0bf7/s1600/salish_2nd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_PRdyOd15f7o4O4wXTBWp5S3IHhwtxHsBO5CFeodBt2_xVbEqYOlfnMy_pXhNMLSWNwdOUAu2SH_wcltT9BxNNBV6TCmjBdAdKn4Ei0KI1A1Di51LNlGbZ5cMgDOxjWSN8NQ6yBjx0bf7/s320/salish_2nd.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDSBgdRyBG-cdGJyswu-JJlaw5SoLmigigemgdflpqQ0CZDX3FKXU3CV5yOWw-wSjCEBsvjSacWxrCMMY8J8Dtb8YFVhinnM9swR8dLd4TY802mVLzhtiPhdMZS3OWxsNOCzfZQmWmPb3/s1600/15th_salish.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLDSBgdRyBG-cdGJyswu-JJlaw5SoLmigigemgdflpqQ0CZDX3FKXU3CV5yOWw-wSjCEBsvjSacWxrCMMY8J8Dtb8YFVhinnM9swR8dLd4TY802mVLzhtiPhdMZS3OWxsNOCzfZQmWmPb3/s320/15th_salish.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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The carts (remember, they are mandatory – no walking this
course) are state of the art. Equipped
with the most accurate GPS system I’ve ever seen (checked it against my laser
rangefinder), the cart will slow down for bridges and notify you that you are
getting too close to the green. Ignore
the warning and the cart shuts down. The
GPS features a flyover of each hole complete with a soothing female voice
describing the hole and the best way to play it.</div>
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If you like to gamble, the Little Creek casino is just down
the hill from the clubhouse and also features a very nice Las Vegas style hotel
(spa coming soon). With the casino,
hotel and quality golf course, Little Creek and Salish Cliffs makes for a
perfect weekend getaway.</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Salish Cliffs Golf Club</b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">91 W State Route</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"> 108</b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Shelton</b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">, WA 98584</b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">360 462 3673</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="color: lime; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.salish-cliffs.com/">www.salish-cliffs.com</a></b></div>
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</div>Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-30118234940736726972011-10-18T16:18:00.000-07:002011-10-18T16:18:26.431-07:00The Debate About Long Putters<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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The current debate raging around the golf world concerns
long putters – either belly putters that you anchor in your belly or long
putters anchored against your chest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Many pundits are calling for the ruling bodies in golf to outlaw these
putters as they feel that they provide too much of an advantage to the player
that chooses to use them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What a load of
hogwash.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The horse has left the barn on
this one and the ruling bodies are not likely to address the issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have just been in play for too
long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The outcry didn’t really gain much
momentum until long putters started winning on the TOUR including the PGA
Championship – the first major won by a player using a long putter. </div>
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Have you ever experimented with a long putter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you have, what you probably discovered
quite quickly was that how easy they are to use depends entirely on the type of
putting stroke you use.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For a straight
back and straight through pendulum stroke, anchoring the end of the putter
against your body makes a lot of sense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For those of us who employ an arc or slight arc stroke, the long putter
proves to be unwieldy and difficult to use.</div>
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You couldn’t imagine Ben Crenshaw using a long putter
because he uses a classic gate opening/gate closing stroke with the gate
perfectly square at impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A long
putter or belly putter will not help this type of stroke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The long putter and belly putter only works
for the player who is trying to swing the putter straight back and straight
through to their target line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crenshaw
relies on feel (and a great deal of practice) to deliver his putter face square
at impact.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The long putter would negate
the advantage that his great feel provides for Crenshaw.</div>
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It amuses me that many refer to using the long putters as
“cheating.”</div>
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“As long as it’s legal, I’ll keep cheating like the rest of
them,” Ernie Els recently said at the Frys.com Open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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Els, a long-time critic of the long putter, recently went to
a belly putter in an effort to solve his putting problems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can see the inner conflict he went
through by the contradiction of terms in the above quote.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something can’t be cheating if there is no
rule against it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, many writers and
on-air commentators agree with Els that it is “cheating.”</div>
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Where were these protectors of the game when oversize
drivers completely took over golf?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or
the new modern ball?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Both of these
equipment developments helped make the game easier for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As stated
above, I believe the long putter is an advantage to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">some</i> players.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To me, that makes
it no different than game-improvement irons or hybrids.</div>
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I’ve fooled around with long putters and find them very
difficult to putt with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a slight
arc stroke trying to bring the putter inside the line and then deliver it to
the ball and down the line square.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
long putter is too mechanical for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, I see a place for it in the game.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many players can benefit from anchoring the
end of the putter to their body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They
may need a bit of practice to become accustomed to the new stroke, but I don’t
see how that makes it any different from any other radical new equipment design.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yet most radical new equipment designs don’t
garner as much negative commentary or are labeled as “cheating.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a Tour Edge Exotic CB4 Tour 3-wood
packed with numerous technological manufacturing techniques that make this club
longer than any other 3-wood I’ve hit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
often tell playing partners who inquire about the club that it should be
illegal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the same technology was used
in a driver, it probably would be illegal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Do I feel like I’m cheating when I use it?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nosireebob.</div>
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If you’ve been itching to try a long putter, come on out to
the Seattle Puetz location and we’ll set you up on our putting green so that
you can experiment with one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have a
few different models to choose from: the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Odyssey-Golf-White-Ice-2-Ball-Long-Putter/ODY01_125_Odyssey_Golf_White_Ice_2_Ball_Long_Putter/Product" style="color: lime;" target="_blank">Odyssey White Ice 2-Ball Long Putter</a>, the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Odyssey-White-Ice-DART-Long-Putter/ODY01_126_Odyssey_White_Ice_DART_Long_Putter/Product" style="color: lime;" target="_blank">Odyssey White Ice D.A.R.T. Long Putter</a>, the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Odyssey-White-Ice-DART-Mid-Belly-Putter/ODY01_126_Odyssey_White_Ice_DART_Mid_Belly_Putter/Product" style="color: lime;" target="_blank">Odyssey White Ice D.A.R.T. Mid (Belly) Putter</a>, the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/PING-Scottsdale-Pickemup-B-Belly-Putter/KAR01_125_PING_Scottsdale_Pickemup_B_Putter/Product" style="color: lime;" target="_blank">PING Scottsdale Pickemup Belly Putter</a> and the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/TaylorMade-Golf-Ghost-Spider-Putter/TAY01_125_TaylorMade_Golf_Ghost_Spider_Putter/Product" style="color: lime;" target="_blank">TaylorMade Ghost Spider Belly Putter</a>.</div>
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<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Odyssey-Golf-White-Ice-2-Ball-Long-Putter/ODY01_125_Odyssey_Golf_White_Ice_2_Ball_Long_Putter/Product"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7hd67ZqpgNXj7zyOXpDXnFUr10GVPbgZJXqsvZgKDnsqC_3wDTPPINrNV-0lGl2UZgDWOjs75YKaBwUqtsvME8cVjJcGT92GB4cbP4bwXWKqaBFLIz_RFBrqPlgH1fzYsMQ6O8cFdGAw/s320/white_ice_2_ball_long_lge.jpg" width="320" /></a> </div>
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Give one a try, you might end up putting it in the bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if you do, don’t feel like a cheater.
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<br /></div>Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-55951423823131223062011-10-10T13:03:00.000-07:002011-10-11T15:33:20.537-07:00Are You Ready For Some Winter Golf?<br />
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I’m in a state of denial.
With the beautiful weather we’ve been having this year at the end of summer and
start of fall, I want to believe that it will last forever. Alas, I know it can’t and soon rainpants,
rain gloves, and hand warmers will replace shorts and sunglasses as standard
equipment on my rounds.</div>
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We are lucky here in the Pacific
Northwest in that we can play golf year around. Granted, you need to be a bit stout of heart,
but if you’re willing to brave occasional rain, temperatures in the high 40s and
low 50s, and a brisk wind at times, you can play right through most of the
dreary winter months.</div>
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The key to winter golf in the Northwest is proper seasonal
equipment. I have just moved from a
course where everybody rides in carts to one where less than half the players ride in
carts and I have embraced a return to walking the golf course. Because of this, I have had to re-address my
winter equipment. No longer able to take
refuge in my heater-equipped cart which I could load up with every conceivable piece of winter equipment , I need to be prepared to spend four hours in
sometimes unpleasant atmospheric conditions. I need to be prepared without adding a lot of weight to the bag. If a piece of equipment is going to be put in my bag, it better get used. If it is really raining, I will use one of the push carts (with umbrella holder) provided at my course.
</div>
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Having the proper winter equipment can help maintain a focus on the golf
game and not on the weather.</div>
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Start with your hands.
It is important to keep them warm and to be able to get a firm grip when
conditions are wet. <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/FootJoy-Rain-Grip-Gloves/FOO01_210_Rain_Grip_Gloves/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FootJoy Rain Grip Gloves</b></a> provide a good grip under the wettest of
conditions. Sold in pairs, these gloves
do not get slippery when wet – in fact, they grip better when wet. <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/FootJoy-WinterSof-Golf-Gloves/FOO01_210_FootJoy_WinterSof_Golf_Gloves/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">FootJoy WinterSof Golf Gloves</b></a>, also sold in pairs, provide warmth and a good grip on the club in dry conditions
as do the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Merchants-of-Golf-Kodiak-Winter-Golf-Gloves-Pair/MER01_210_Kodiak_Winter_Golf_Gloves_Pair/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Kodiak Winter Golf Gloves</b>.</a> </div>
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<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Clicgear-Golf-Cart-Mitts/PRO02_380_Clicgear_Golf_Cart_Mitts/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Clicgear Golf Cart Mitts</b></a> attach to the handle of your push cart and give you a nice warm place
to put your hands between shots.<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/PING-Mens-Winter-Mittens/KAR01_380_PING_Mens_Winter_Mittens/Product" style="color: lime;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PING Mens Winter Mittens</b> </a>and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Titleist-Smart-Silver-Fleece-Mitts/TIT01_380_Titleist_Smart_Silver_Fleece_Mitts/Product" style="color: lime;">Titleist Smart Fleece Mitts</a> </b>also are
designed to keep you hands warm between shots.
Add the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Grabber-Hand-Warmers/ROS01_380_Grabber_Mycoal_Hand_Warmers/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Grabber Hand Warmers</b></a>,
air activated disposal hand warmers, placed inside the mitt, and your hands
won’t even notice the foul weather conditions.</div>
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If you ride in a cart, you just can’t beat the feeling of
climbing back in to be greeted by the warmth of a cart heater. The <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Texsport-Sportmate-Propane-Cart-Heater/ROS01_380_Texsport_Sportmate_Propane_Cart_Heater/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Texsport Sportmate Propane Cart Heater</b></a> delivers up to 30,000 BTUs of warmth at a
very affordable price. The unit comes
with a cup holder stand and a four legged stand so you can move it from cart to
cart making it perfect for the player who rents carts. The <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/ProActive-Lava-Buns-Seat-Warmer/PRO02_380_ProActive_Lava_Buns_Seat_Warmer/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ProActive Lava Buns</b></a>, a seat cushion with an insert that pops into the microwave oven,
will also help keep your cart toasty and comfortable.<br />
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<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Texsport-Sportmate-Propane-Cart-Heater/ROS01_380_Texsport_Sportmate_Propane_Cart_Heater/Product" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_6_fa1Sb4COSrrrZSYI_MyiwO6vFXgEurUeddGa9Clp_su9ISt3RS5wpcgGmiPeSvl6n5rff9Lb4MnXnG3sANgFYrBK68ZN9fNJO6FFnpwea0njGQl9zQS7TvQU2kritcSBbp0LwCP4x/s1600/sportmate_propane_heater.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Texsport-Sportmate-Propane-Cart-Heater/ROS01_380_Texsport_Sportmate_Propane_Cart_Heater/Product" target="_blank">Texsport Sportmate Propane Cart Heater</a></b></span></div>
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You can keep your feet warm and dry in the muddiest of
conditions with the new <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Adidas-Climawarm-Winter-Golf-Boots/ADI01_205_Adidas_Climawarm_Winter_Golf_Boots/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Adidas Climawarm Winter Golf Boots</b></a> or the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Nike-Zoom-Bandon-Shoes/NIK01_205_Nike_Zoom_Bandon_Shoes/Product" style="color: lime;">Nike Zoom Bandon Boots</a>.</b> For extra boggy
conditions, the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Oregon-Mudder-6-Boot/ORE02_205_Oregon_Mudder_6_Inch_Mens_Boot/Product" style="color: lime;">Oregon Mudder Golf Boots</a>
</b>will keep you comfortable.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Adidas-Climawarm-Winter-Golf-Boots/ADI01_205_Adidas_Climawarm_Winter_Golf_Boots/Product" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggKHz0zuyBceUAJuZqU1CI14Di1bvYj1cJRjmZvcw5WcIVMTawlnbX-FxvxAHgbkFO28F9gBGSAQI-LiVZ6eMTEF2sDZM-lvOzl1Ie_mFSwRCLlTmVdIZ5HrEEFgaAto5UK_lYRvXZ49af/s1600/climawarm_shoes_lge.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span id="goog_1047357548"></span><span id="goog_1047357566"></span><span id="goog_1047357549"><span id="goog_1047357558"></span></span></div>
<span class="MsoHyperlink"></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Adidas-Climawarm-Winter-Golf-Boots/ADI01_205_Adidas_Climawarm_Winter_Golf_Boots/Product" target="_blank">Adidas Climawarm Golf Boots<span id="goog_1047357554"></span></a></b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Nike-Zoom-Bandon-Shoes/NIK01_205_Nike_Zoom_Bandon_Shoes/Product" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span id="goog_1047357579"><span id="goog_694634038"></span></span><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZuMGRO0e7Oav9mLSRTeDb0SxXFqSbd6OEAzGqW1o1EVd456WK29-WBwehWT1gCAqm1O22a_c7x7rOO5ORpi_K23e7B1_nG5wph5HXCw2Eh3hqRQ0LS5w5rl-Efy645ICj5xXMwDaDSORm/s1600/nike_bandon_boots_lge.jpg" /><span id="goog_694634039"></span><span id="goog_1047357580"></span></a></div>
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<span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Adidas-Climawarm-Winter-Golf-Boots/ADI01_205_Adidas_Climawarm_Winter_Golf_Boots/Product" target="_blank"><br /></a></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Nike-Zoom-Bandon-Shoes/NIK01_205_Nike_Zoom_Bandon_Shoes/Product"><b>NIKE Golf Bandon Zoom Golf Boots</b></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://draft.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=3066041209411069326" target="_blank"><br /></a></b></div>
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If you are a walker who packs your clubs on your back, like
me, the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/DrySack-Stand-Bag-Poncho/CON03_380_DrySack_Stand_Bag_Poncho/Product" style="color: lime;">DrySack Stand Bag Poncho</a> </b>will
help you keep your carry bag, the contents of the pockets and your clubs
dry. This poncho adds very little weight
to your load and quickly unwraps to product your equipment. Players who use a push cart can keep
everything dry with the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/ProActive-Golf-RainTek-Full-Bag-Rain-Cover/PRO02_380_ProActive_RainTek_Full_Bag_Rain_Cover/Product" style="color: lime;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">ProActive Golf Rain Tek Full Bag Cover</b></a>. </div>
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<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/DrySack-Stand-Bag-Poncho/CON03_380_DrySack_Stand_Bag_Poncho/Product" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span id="goog_694634041"></span><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7aoHlFOKD1c790Pof_bzuUnb2Aw0JBYBLdROVvGI_DBsZG7ucm0P51YJZF5AJbx81MzV19zgKWHvKNFQOvti3HbOv4eVf9pF4fiiFcMAStfvHkH65KOGRt4VPrBarF4uwu13Xit5TUADc/s1600/Stand_Bag_Poncho_lg.jpg" /><span id="goog_694634042"></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/DrySack-Stand-Bag-Poncho/CON03_380_DrySack_Stand_Bag_Poncho/Product"><b>DrySack Stand Bag Poncho</b></a> </div>
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Last, but not least, is a good set of rain gear. When it comes to rain pants and a rain jacket, you want to get the best your budget can afford. After all, you are going to be living in this suit, in adverse conditions, for up to four hours. How big a budge do you have? Can you afford a $700 rain jacket? It's worth every penny. Check out the new <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/FootJoy-RainJoy-Premiere-Rain-Jacket/FOO01_240_Footjoy_Dryjoys_Premiere_Rain_Jacket/Product" style="color: lime;">FootJoy DryJoys Premiere Rain Jacket</a> to see what I mean. For those of us who can't quite see our way to paying $700 for a rain jacket, check out the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/adidas-ClimaProof-Storm-Soft-Shell-Mens-Rain-Jacket/ADI01_240_Adidas_ClimaProof_Storm_Mens_Rain_Jacket/Product" style="color: lime;">Adidas ClimaProof Storm Soft Shell Rain Jacket</a> and the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Adidas-ClimaProof-Storm-Soft-Shell-Rain-Pants/ADI01_245_Adidas_ClimaProof_Storm_Soft_Shell_Rain_Pants/Product" style="color: lime;">Adidas ClimaProof Storm Soft Shell Rainpants</a>. This is a great rainsuit at a very affordable price.<br />
<br />
Don’t let the cold and rain keep you away from the game you
love. Get yourself equipped for winter
golf and you won’t even notice the elements.
You will learn how to play in less than perfect conditions giving you a
competitive advantage over the wimps who put their sticks away for the winter. Face one of these guys in a competition
during the summer when it is raining and you have him beat before the first tee
balls are in the air.</div>
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In the winter, you will have the golf course to yourself and
play rounds in well under four hours.
You and your playing partners will relax over a pint at the 19<sup>th</sup>
hole with a nice feeling that you have just survived some sort of character
building exercise. You will discover
aspects of your home course that aren’t evident in the summer months when
things are running fast and firm. And at
least once during your round, you will shake your head and feel pity for those
golfers living in most parts of the country who can’t play all 12 months of the
year.</div>
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Check out all the winter gear available from Puetz Golf <span style="color: #339966;"><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/Winter-Season-Gear/82/dept?page=1" target="_blank"><span style="color: #339966;">here.</span></a></span></div>
</div>Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com011762 Aurora Ave N Seattle, WA 9813347.989921667414166 -122.3437530.556516167414166 -162.7734375 65.423327167414158 -81.9140625tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-38040718496788606522011-09-21T11:08:00.000-07:002011-09-21T11:08:43.092-07:00Time to Fill a Gapping Hole in The World Golf Hall of Fame<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The ballots for the World
Golf Hall of Fame are out and mailed to the voters who consist of Hall of Fame
members, golf journalists, historians and dignitaries from around the
globe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These voters will return their ballots
in October and the class of 2012 will be announced later this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Excited?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">The World Golf Hall of Fame
does not garner the same type of attention or excitement as the Pro Football
Hall of Fame or the National Baseball Hall of Fame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It could and it should.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The problem is that the Pro Football Hall of
Fame and the National Baseball Hall of Fame, by their requirements for
induction, pay homage to history better than the World Golf Hall of Fame.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">To be elected to the
Football Hall of Fame, a player or coach must be retired for five years, the
same requirement for induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Players from the world of golf are eligible
once they reach the age of 40 regardless of their current playing schedule.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">While it is true that the
career spans of professional golfers are much longer than either professional
football or baseball players, the age of 40 seems to be an arbitrary milestone
on which to base eligibility for election into the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Especially now when professional golfers are
not only competing on the regular tour up to age 50, but many contend and win
titles well into their 40s.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Vijay Singh
(Class of 2006) and Ernie Els (Class of 2011) are the biggest examples of
players elected to the hall while still very competitive on the regular PGA
TOUR.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">This year, Phil Mickelson
and Jim Furyk, both winners and contenders on the PGA TOUR, are on the
ballot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you argue that Mickelson is
not a bona fide first-ballot shoe-in?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course he is and deserves to be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furyk,
with his major title (U.S. Open) and 15 additional PGA TOUR victories, three
international victories and a FedEx Cup winner last year, also deserves to be
elected on the first ballot that he is eligible for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My argument is not that these two players
don’t deserve induction into the Hall of Fame; it is more the timing of their
induction and what it does to the relevancy and historical aspects of the hall.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">As a fan, would I make the
trek to the Hall of Fame to pay homage to the careers of Mickelson, Furyk and
the other members of the Hall, or would I rather make a trip and watch
Mickelson and Furyk try to add to their list of victories?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Personally, I would go watch them play.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">What would attract me to
plan a visit to the World Golf Hall of Fame is the chance to delve into the
history of the sport and the PGA TOUR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And to give the Hall credit, they have done a good job, historically
speaking, by including players from the very early years of the PGA Tour
including Walter Hagen, Sam Snead, Paul Runyan, Byron Nelson and Ben
Hogan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Great historical media types like
Herbert Warren Wind, Bernard Darwin and Frank Chirkinian are deservedly inducted
in the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hall features great architects
such as Charles Blair McDonald, Alister MacKenzie and Donald Ross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All of these add to the historical appeal of
the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But still, I feel the World
Golf Hall of Fame is lacking when it comes to stars of the mid-sixties to
mid-seventies.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwhlKAJY7bZxx1EVAOzk7b9baM2Ju6Yuzbpfbz3lz2SOwEpX9CAqvrcE8o3UBfmkCnD9fvefCTBRRVjvc0WrhSfDt_AjFQr4rR2Yn9XdJgamre9ITyo7VDPF_RsHP6NYnY27l_jIC7g1T/s1600/tony_arnie_ss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSwhlKAJY7bZxx1EVAOzk7b9baM2Ju6Yuzbpfbz3lz2SOwEpX9CAqvrcE8o3UBfmkCnD9fvefCTBRRVjvc0WrhSfDt_AjFQr4rR2Yn9XdJgamre9ITyo7VDPF_RsHP6NYnY27l_jIC7g1T/s320/tony_arnie_ss.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">There are the obvious
inductees of Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player and Billy Casper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But there are so many more that would add
color and distinction to the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This
era of players did not have The Players Championship, a tournament that carries
the same weight as a major in the hall’s ballot criteria, to help them get
elected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wins in the Crosby and World
Golf Hall of Fame, both unofficial but very important tournaments of the era,
don’t count towards the hall’s criteria.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">Here is where I really think
the hall is hurting itself by inducting current players in their forties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are voters not going to vote for Mickelson
and Furyk and instead cast their votes for Ken Venturi and Tony Lema?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not a chance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Yet the hall needs members like Venturi and Lema.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxh3KnkFYLtbPd2CdbANytA6x0jwXJ4LdeZ4LqkRMjaBmnJEqwQlBTSrSMsynIkEXVnfZt1uDrIOhA3b8a6TSm5MNUwfOfFNq150gC5cUbrASRdOpku55CUpelpE4o6xZ7OyDSVzHZgk6/s1600/Venturi_usopen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguxh3KnkFYLtbPd2CdbANytA6x0jwXJ4LdeZ4LqkRMjaBmnJEqwQlBTSrSMsynIkEXVnfZt1uDrIOhA3b8a6TSm5MNUwfOfFNq150gC5cUbrASRdOpku55CUpelpE4o6xZ7OyDSVzHZgk6/s320/Venturi_usopen.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">These players come from the
era when the TOUR was in transition from black and white television to color
and from car travel to jet plane travel. Prize money was exploding with the
advent of television revenue and corporate sponsorship.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today’s TOUR was built on the foundation set
in the early to mid-sixties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was one
of the most colorful times on TOUR and these two players were at the
vanguard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their records qualify them for
nomination year after year, but they cannot garner enough votes when current
stars are on the same ballot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stars from
golf’s golden age get lost on the ballot with stars of today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This robs the hall of historical relevance.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial;">How can the Hall of Fame fix
this problem?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Make the minimum age 50
instead of 40.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At 50, players are
eligible for the Champions Tour and the prize money is so great on this tour,
and more within reach, that players opt to play this tour over grinding against
guys half their age or younger on the regular tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be much more fitting to elect them
into the Hall of Fame as they leave the regular tour behind and head to the
Champions Tour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would make a fitting
tribute to their careers on the regular TOUR.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Players would be honored after their chances of winning on the PGA TOUR
are greatly diminished, not while they are still contending for titles.</span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Full Discloser:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have written a biography on Tony Lema and interviewed Ken
Venturi.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For more information, check out
<a href="http://www.uncorkedbylarrybaush.com/">www.uncorkedbylarrybaush.com</a>
. </span></i></div>
Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-82137705113906313552011-01-17T17:04:00.000-08:002011-01-17T17:04:09.970-08:00The Great White WayKeep an eye peeled at the upcoming <a href="http://www.pgatour.com/tournaments/r004/">Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines (Jan. 27 – 30)</a> and keep a count on how many white drivers you see in play. Word is that around 50 <strong><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=8040&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">TaylorMade</a></strong> staff members will have the new white <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=TaylorMade+Golf+R11+Driver&pf_id=TAY01_121_TaylorMade_Golf_R11_Driver&dept_id=8040&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">R11 driver</a> in play. This new <strong>TaylorMade</strong> driver, as well as the new <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=TaylorMade+Golf+Burner+Superfast+2%2E0+Driver&pf_id=TAY01_121_TaylorMade_Golf_Burner_Superfast_2_Driver&dept_id=8040&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">TaylorMade Burner Superfast 2.0 driver</a>, another white driver, are causing quite the buzz among golf equipment junkies.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpnp5Y3v9s6HWPsOUqG94uRmLeObcLoC4yDal_DhOQzZW7io2WA05haI9UYH52fk7Ov3JBK5e5iCV6BMS9-a4pUWyLE_wdbdD5UmxgP3efuX1V3QZ3nGuTM806uPmSKXWuZItr9d6Hd_K/s1600/tm_r11_dr_sole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="294" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLpnp5Y3v9s6HWPsOUqG94uRmLeObcLoC4yDal_DhOQzZW7io2WA05haI9UYH52fk7Ov3JBK5e5iCV6BMS9-a4pUWyLE_wdbdD5UmxgP3efuX1V3QZ3nGuTM806uPmSKXWuZItr9d6Hd_K/s320/tm_r11_dr_sole.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<strong>TaylorMade</strong> chose white as the color for the new R11 crown and body, but stayed with a black face and sole. It is a non-glare white that will not chip or show “pop-up” marks.<br />
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“The satin white finish, along with the black face, creates the maximum contrast between face and crown to help you align the club more easily,” says Tom Olsavsky, TaylorMade’s director of product creation (metal woods). <br />
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While the white finish will catch your eye, it is the technology that really sets this driver apart from the competition. You can adjust the loft and face angle independently of each other. The R11 features eight settings to increase or decrease the effective loft by as much as one degree. A red triangular plate on the sole allows adjustment into a closed, neutral or open clubface and range from 4 degrees closed to 4 degrees open.<br />
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The Moveable Weight Technology, a feature that has been a stalwart of <strong><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=8040&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">TaylorMade </a></strong>drivers, is present in the R11 allowing adjustment to help fade or draw the ball. The club comes equipped with a 10-gram screw and a 1-gram screw. With the 10-gram screw weight in the heel the club has a draw bias while positioning the 10-gram weight in the toe will promote a fade. According to TaylorMade, the movable weights provide up to 25 yards of right-and-left adjustability.<br />
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Because of all the adjustability options, the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=TaylorMade+Golf+R11+Driver&pf_id=TAY01_121_TaylorMade_Golf_R11_Driver&dept_id=8040&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">R11</a> is available in only two lofts – 9 degrees and 10.5 degrees. Olsavsky maintains that that’s all the options that are required, even for Tour pros. Set a 9 degree R11 to open and position the weights to the draw bias and you have an effective loft of 10 degrees. The same club adjusted to closed-face with a fade bias will have 8 degrees of playing loft.<br />
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So check out the <strong>TaylorMade</strong> Tour Staff at the Farmers and see just how many are going the “white” way.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-8690008616318757942011-01-13T09:43:00.000-08:002011-01-13T09:44:28.966-08:00Puetz Golf Superstores Receives Fitting Awards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-stEEQDUrBJxq3EThMxqKnwxEZKv4QF33RMCehwOJC-IrR7zcR24E2em51zagpw7Tvvm46eIIVja3EMvB69llkl2bDF33y0szf93gI3u-JRbscTzS6j6cXMdwk_6riSiEkqsHe0aJ69mr/s1600/puetz_100BestClubFitters_20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-stEEQDUrBJxq3EThMxqKnwxEZKv4QF33RMCehwOJC-IrR7zcR24E2em51zagpw7Tvvm46eIIVja3EMvB69llkl2bDF33y0szf93gI3u-JRbscTzS6j6cXMdwk_6riSiEkqsHe0aJ69mr/s320/puetz_100BestClubFitters_20.jpg" width="314" /></a></div>It is award season and <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/">Puetz Golf</a> is extremely proud of two awards that we have garnered. The first came when <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/dept.asp?s_id=0&dept_id=7890&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">PING</a> announced that Ryan Christensen of the <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/text_3.asp?s_id=0&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">Seattle Store and Range</a> earned the Regional Fitter of the Year award. The second award came with the naming of <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/">Puetz Golf Superstores</a> to the 100 Best Clubfitters in America by <em><a href="http://www.golfdigest.com/golf-equipment/2011-02/clubfitters-listing-top-100">Golf Digest</a></em> in the February issue.<br />
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Experts agree that the single most beneficial thing that a player can do for their game is to get custom fit for all their clubs in the bag. A good club fitting not only takes into consideration a player’s physical build, but his swing as well. Equipped with clubs that are properly fit, a player can improve his shotmaking, and his score, considerably.<br />
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A proper fitting for all the clubs in your bag takes between a half hour and an hour. <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/">Puetz Golf</a> fitters take static measurements (a golfer’s build) and dynamic measurements (a player’s swing). Utilizing fitting carts provided by the major manufacturers, we have the player hit clubs with different lies and lofts equipped with impact tape on the bottom of the club. Using a strike pad, the player will leave an impression on the impact tape providing feedback for how the clubhead is interacting with the ground. In this way, a fitter can determine the proper lie angle.<br />
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Drop by one of our <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/text_3.asp?s_id=0&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">four stores (Seattle, Bellevue, Tukwila or Tacoma)</a> or schedule an appointment today for a fitting session. What you will learn from that session could help your game more than constantly beating balls on the range with clubs that are not properly fit for you. Remember; <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/default.asp?s_id=0&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">Better Golf Begins At Puetz</a>.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-58759382524154233522011-01-07T16:29:00.000-08:002011-01-07T16:29:11.123-08:00Two Great Books To Get You Through WinterUp here in the Northwest, winter has gotten off to a rough start as the weather has kept us off the golf course. How can we feed our golf bug when we’re stuck indoors? The PGA Tour is kicking off so we can watch some golf on TV, but what else can you do for a golf fix? You can swing a club, especially a weighted club, indoors to keep your swing grooved, but you can only do that for so long before becoming bored. Here’s a suggestion; read about golf. Reading options include instructional books, golf course books and my favorite, history books.<br />
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I am particularly interested in golf history books that cover the era of the PGA Tour as it slowly transitioned from the car caravan days of travel on the tour to the age of flight. This dates roughly from the 1950s up to the late 1970s. I’ve recently read two great books from around this time period that are great reads, and share a common thread in Ben Hogan.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVut63I5TusB5oOeaLWvStgclAMlRhCcLRpVhLsY1tGpwqyA1TXr_L5hMwKeJ84rvMHlGhPEWf7qdVxS9GOus-VBGJ03fQf51SRL-dfm2Ein7Ren3pmSc0bHauy6IgFScjBc8MvsfsnCg/s1600/miracle_merion_lge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVVut63I5TusB5oOeaLWvStgclAMlRhCcLRpVhLsY1tGpwqyA1TXr_L5hMwKeJ84rvMHlGhPEWf7qdVxS9GOus-VBGJ03fQf51SRL-dfm2Ein7Ren3pmSc0bHauy6IgFScjBc8MvsfsnCg/s1600/miracle_merion_lge.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The first, <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=Miracle+At+Merion+Book+By+David+Barrett&pf_id=BOO01_320_Miracle_At_Merion_Book&dept_id=500&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6"><em>Miracle at Merion</em> by David Barrett</a>, is the inspiring story of Ben Hogan’s comeback from a near fatal car accident to win the 1950 U.S. Open. The book documents Hogan’s struggle to make it on tour before the devastating car accident. Hogan’s single-minded determination to overcome his injuries and return to championship level golf is one of the finest comeback stories in all of sports.<br />
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Barrett also does a good job of transporting the reader back to a time before corporate tents, huge ticket sales and massive multi-media coverage that are part of the modern day U.S. Open. The drama as events unfolded at Merion, as well as the unique features of the golf course itself, is expertly told. It is a fun and fast read and I highly recommend it for anybody interested in the history of the game or the PGA Tour.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fnKGk6LPZ9Ulu2Pi3vc9B-AJiY_k0tG2CJTAmCswaJcLGA9fm7m33fJPkypT_iP-CYAmTClNLXGVQuHKBwu7T0CFXpnJapAQnmJBn9hflM9-GB0KVcSLIlBN-W_ZhlfHJ-QByHwxvowN/s1600/the_match_lge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0fnKGk6LPZ9Ulu2Pi3vc9B-AJiY_k0tG2CJTAmCswaJcLGA9fm7m33fJPkypT_iP-CYAmTClNLXGVQuHKBwu7T0CFXpnJapAQnmJBn9hflM9-GB0KVcSLIlBN-W_ZhlfHJ-QByHwxvowN/s320/the_match_lge.jpg" width="210" /></a></div><br />
The other book, one that I re-read, is <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=The+Match+by+Mark+Frost+Book&pf_id=BOO01_320_Booklegger_The_Match_Book&dept_id=500&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6"><em>The Match</em> by Mark Frost</a>. This is a story about the clash between the old guard generation of Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan against two players looking to take their places at the highest realms of the game, Harvie Ward and Ken Venturi. It was also a battle between the professionals (Nelson and Hogan) against amateurs Ward and Venturi.<br />
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At a pre-tournament dinner party before The Crosby, golf insider Eddie Lowery (who caddied for Francis Ouimet for his historic victory at the 1913 U.S. Open) challenged George Coleman, a wealthy businessman whose business interests included Pennzoil. Lowery boasted that he had two amateurs that could beat anybody, including professionals. Coleman, who was good friends with Ben Hogan, took him up on the challenge after a quick telephone call to Hogan, and the match was set for 10 am the next morning at Cypress Point.<br />
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Coleman and Lowery, who were both members of Cypress Point, Augusta and Seminole, placed a wager on the outcome of the match and both men, as well as the contestants, tried to keep the whole affair quiet because Hogan did not want a big gallery present. He didn’t want to risk losing to amateurs in front of a large crowd.<br />
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The match starts in typical Monterey Peninsula morning weather as the foursome heads out to the course with only their caddies, Coleman and Lowery following. The level of golf that was played in their four-ball match that day was simply incredible. Frost does a great job of dramatizing the match as one good shot after another was answered by a player on the opposing team.<br />
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Frost, who won a Writers Guild Award and an Emmy nomination for his work on the television series Hill Street Blues does a fantastic job of pacing the book. Chapters on the major players in the story are alternated with chapters on the action in the match. It is a riveting read and one that will keep you entertained. It is also a great glimpse into the life of Harvie Ward, the last career amateur who could go toe-to-toe with the professionals in major golf tournaments including the U.S. Open. If you are not familiar with Ward, you need to read this book for that reason alone as he was a very interesting character.<br />
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So throw another log on the fire, pour yourself a couple fingers of your favorite winter warmer, snuggle up under the blankets and immerse yourself in these two great stories as you wait for the weather to turn. Then we can get back out on the course!Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-32762673906000688702010-11-12T16:02:00.000-08:002010-11-12T16:02:12.081-08:00Leading Candidate For Product of the YearWell, I have a leading candidate for Product of the Year, and it only costs $1.99. It’s the <strong><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=DBRUSH+Golf+Club+Cleaner&pf_id=PEO02_380_DBRUSH_Golf_Club_Cleaner&dept_id=69&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">DBRUSH</a></strong>, a golf club brush to clean your grooves (you didn’t think those grooves were there to take soil samples did you?) that fits in your pocket. I’ve never been one to hang a brush on my bag because I don’t really like having things hanging on my bag; no bag tags, no bottle openers, no brushes and no groupies. At this time of year, when it is cart paths only, I’m cleaning my club on the way back to the cart. I don’t want to fish around my bag looking for a brush to clean the grooves. I’ve always used the old caddy trick of using a tee to clean my grooves.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpNx24LIGXMjIMLW7GBxeiMnIbeM9vXFTDHId7SGwUoymI-O8ZQPeqMTmTlYDYjFOKZQhz5XYgVS83MGhZR45J0CebBa2NJhEmjw5MllwYP8hsLo3ui7bIJFj42RrNsegEnaIybd3oh6z/s1600/dbrush-lge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="259" px="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwpNx24LIGXMjIMLW7GBxeiMnIbeM9vXFTDHId7SGwUoymI-O8ZQPeqMTmTlYDYjFOKZQhz5XYgVS83MGhZR45J0CebBa2NJhEmjw5MllwYP8hsLo3ui7bIJFj42RrNsegEnaIybd3oh6z/s320/dbrush-lge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
That is, until the <strong><a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=DBRUSH+Golf+Club+Cleaner&pf_id=PEO02_380_DBRUSH_Golf_Club_Cleaner&dept_id=69&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">DBRUSH</a></strong> came along. This little guy is a little bit bigger than a quarter, and fits easily into your pocket. The short nylon brushes are sturdy and clean the grooves in a jiffy and the dirt falls right of them so you are not filling your pocket with dirt.<br />
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The <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=DBRUSH+Golf+Club+Cleaner&pf_id=PEO02_380_DBRUSH_Golf_Club_Cleaner&dept_id=69&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">DBRUSH</a> was named the Best New Product at the PGA Show. The <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=DBRUSH+Golf+Club+Cleaner&pf_id=PEO02_380_DBRUSH_Golf_Club_Cleaner&dept_id=69&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">DBRUSH</a> is available in a 3-pack or as a single. The 3-pack sells for $5.99 and the singles sell for $1.99. The <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=DBRUSH+Golf+Club+Cleaner&pf_id=PEO02_380_DBRUSH_Golf_Club_Cleaner&dept_id=69&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">DBRUSH</a> is available at all four <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/">Puetz Superstores (Seattle – 11762 Aurora Ave N, Bellevue – 1645 140th Ave NE, Tukwila – 402 Strander Blvd and Tacoma – 6409 Tacoma Mall Blvd.) or online at www.puetzgolf.com.</a>Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-87357593589929855542010-10-26T09:16:00.000-07:002010-10-26T09:16:12.719-07:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5LYFqEAcAPkNEI8YS21thRB4B4KJ0FOKD3mLfB8FFw2rGcGlS69bJLOzkUBx1sCcoKV_W2EtaGRPIch0gZNYmfKKYMcmCHlAcOSqUSlwQxUeH_jHID_L4Frh6zBLn7_ZRS0yh-3zs8u1/s1600/titleist_test_prov1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu5LYFqEAcAPkNEI8YS21thRB4B4KJ0FOKD3mLfB8FFw2rGcGlS69bJLOzkUBx1sCcoKV_W2EtaGRPIch0gZNYmfKKYMcmCHlAcOSqUSlwQxUeH_jHID_L4Frh6zBLn7_ZRS0yh-3zs8u1/s320/titleist_test_prov1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I had the opportunity to play a test <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/product.asp?s_id=0&prod_name=Titleist+Pro+V1+2010+Golf+Balls&pf_id=TIT01_305_09_Titleist_%20PROV1_Golf_Balls&dept_id=8050&mscssid=6K8CW90NU4LS9GJDHV9XG50E1DMC99F6">Titleist ball (for the new Pro V1 and Pro V1x)</a> last Wednesday, and I was impressed. The new ball features a new dimple pattern and I noticed that it stayed in the air longer resulting in more distance.<br />
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The test ball also seemed to spin less off the driver. Another feature I noticed was that the cover is much more durable. I hit a number of wedge shots that did not leave ugly scars on the ball, an improvement over the current Pro V1 and Pro V1x. Even after I hit a cart path, hard, there was very little scarring.<br />
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The ball seemed more responsive off the club, a feeling of explosion off the driver and I did notice 5 – 10 yards more distance. The spin into the greens was acceptable, not too much spin (which I get off the Pro V1x this time of year when the greens are soft). The ball came to rest within a foot or two of its pitch mark on greens that are known to be hard.<br />
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The test ball also felt great off the putter. All in all, the Pro V1 and Pro V1x that will be introduced in 2011 is an improvement over what most players consider to be the number one ball in golf. Look for it online at <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/">http://www.puetzgolf.com/puetzgolf/</a>or at one of our four retail outlets (Seattle, Bellevue, Tukwila and Tacoma) early in 2011.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-34895745458380179022010-08-17T12:15:00.000-07:002010-08-17T12:15:01.658-07:00Dustin Johnson at the PGA Championship<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjBIUf4iDoW1CiMciefb6LhiUEFJt41OS55oxASxjKfa6NpJaXH026iVifki3N-f6jgkrqhRQ3gVSOIPj9_B-YNS9wUfZSeWtFD3wzhUwkh9YgmPXZbVqXLsKbWzw6HD38R4jH1co6BnE/s1600/dustin-johnson-pga-championship-golf_t640.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="188" ox="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHjBIUf4iDoW1CiMciefb6LhiUEFJt41OS55oxASxjKfa6NpJaXH026iVifki3N-f6jgkrqhRQ3gVSOIPj9_B-YNS9wUfZSeWtFD3wzhUwkh9YgmPXZbVqXLsKbWzw6HD38R4jH1co6BnE/s320/dustin-johnson-pga-championship-golf_t640.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Wow. What a finish to the PGA Championship. What’s your take on it? Here’s mine.<br />
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Dustin Johnson was pumped up. He had just made a birdie putt on the 17th hole to forge his way into the lead by himself. A par on the difficult final hole would not only garner the Wanamaker Trophy, but it would also exorcize any demons that may have remained from his final round in the U.S. Open. He looks down the fairway, sees horrible trouble on the left and proceeds to block his shot <i>way</i> right.<br />
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“No, God!” he exclaims as he watches the flight of his ball.<br />
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His ball lands amidst a huge throng of spectators, probably numbering between 500 and 1000. And now the fun starts.<br />
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Johnson and his caddy arrived in the general vicinity of his ball and walked up a corridor that the marshals created in the crowd. The ground was littered with plastic bottles and other assorted pieces of the crowd’s detritus. He surveyed his lie, a sandy lie in what he assumed was a bare patch of ground worn down by the crowd. I remember thinking while I was watching the broadcast that it was an extremely sandy lie. I noticed what could pass as a bunker lip, although it was very low, and then noticed that there was grass growing just to the right of his ball position. There were footprints and dead grass around his ball, but he had a decent lie. I did not give it a second thought concerning whether he was in a bunker, or not. Apparently, Johnson did not give it even a first thought.<br />
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Facing a narrow corridor of fans, Johnson approached his ball to prepare for his shot. There is a mob of fans and you can hear Johnson say something and the fans react with laughter. He seemed pretty loose. There are so many fans to the right of him that his ball rests in their shadows. That is except for one fan’s shadow that moves back and forth distracting Johnson. He backed off his ball and asked that whoever’s shadow it was if they could hold it steady creating total shade. While he does this he rests his club next to his ball. Once the fans are settled he re-addresses his ball grounding his club.<br />
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From his sandy lie he made good contact – too good – and the ball flew over the green into a gnarly lie in the deep grass. He made a great pitch shot from the long grass leaving him seven feet from an apparent victory. He came out of the putt and missed it to the right. Still, he would be in a playoff with Bubba Watson and Martin Kaymer.<br />
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But wait. Rules Official David Price approached Johnson and informed him that there may be a problem. He informed Johnson that he might have grounded his club in the bunker.<br />
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“What bunker?” was Johnson’s reply. The idea that he was ever in a bunker never crossed his mind until this moment.<br />
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Johnson and Price made their way to the scorer’s shack where the PGA made low resolution video available to help determine whether he grounded his club. Even before he saw the video he knew he was in trouble. He acknowledged that he had, indeed grounded his club. Not once, but twice. As far as administering the penalty, he is penalized two strokes for the first infraction but cannot accumulate more penalty strokes for additional infractions of the same rule. Thus, he was assesed a two stroke penalty and he missed the playoff by two strokes. It was heartbreaking and sad.<br />
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Let’s go back and give the whole episode closer scrutiny. After Johnson hit his drive, CBS went to the high tech Shot Trax which shows a detailed aerial view of the hole complete with the myriad of bunkers. The technology also gives a graphic for where the individual player’s shots have ended up.<br />
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“That’s in one of the thousand or so bunkers on the course,” Jim Nance announced. After this initial comment, no commentator mentioned the fact that Johnson was in a bunker. They commented on the lie, but not on the fact that he was in a bunker.<br />
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The thought that the ball might be in a bunker never crossed Johnson’s or his caddy’s mind. But Price, the rules official walking with the group knew that Johnson’s ball was in the proximity of many bunkers. Rules officials were PGA members, not PGA Tour officials. Why did he not warn Johnson as they left the tee? He went up to Johnson while he was surveying his lie and asked him if there was anything he needed. This would have been a good time to warn Johnson that he was in a bunker. What about the marshals and other officials that were around the bunker? Why didn’t they warn Johnson that he may be in a bunker and to request a ruling?<br />
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An anonymous USGA official was quoted saying that their walking officials will cross the line that separates the official from being a mere observer and actually warn a player when there may be a danger of an obscure rules infraction. This should have been done in this case, as well.<br />
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We all hear fan’s comments over the air during a broadcast. It is amazing that not one fan chimed in with a warning to Johnson that he was in a bunker. There were so many fans around his lie. In fact, I think the PGA could be criticized for their crowd control even taking into consideration that Johnson hit his shot onto a part of the course few would have predicted would ever come into play. Still, if the crowd had been moved a little further away, the contour of the bunker lip would have become more apparent.<br />
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In the end, it is Johnson’s responsibility, along with his caddy, to make sure he does not make any rules infraction. Rules infractions on the PGA Tour are always inadvertent, nobody is breaking the rules on purpose. Price says that Johnson asked him ruling questions a couple of times earlier in the round, once when he was in the bunker and wanted to move loose stones (he could) and the other when he was near a bunker. He wanted to take a practice swing and asked Price if he could (he was allowed to take the practice swing because he was not in the bunker).<br />
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Even though the ultimate responsibility was Johnson’s, the unique nature of this course made it imperative that the PGA step in to avoid the championship being decided by a rules decision. The PGA could have done a better job regarding this aspect of this sad ending to their showcase event.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-38427213882047366742010-08-06T15:04:00.000-07:002010-08-06T15:04:49.147-07:00How To Choose A BallOkay, you’ve been on a launch monitor for a driver fitting, and you’ve been custom fit for irons. You have even been fit for your putter. But what about getting custom fit for your ball? Your ball is the one piece of equipment that you use on every shot during the round so you should find a ball that will perform in the way you expect it to. Rarely will this be the ball you just fished out of the water hazard.<br />
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You can find a ball that will enhance different aspects of your game, but will you be sacrificing in other areas? If you play a distance ball are you willing to forsake performance around the green? Are you dismayed by the amount of spin, or lack thereof, when you hit a short iron into the green? Do you hit wild curving shots off the tee? As you can see, what you are looking for in a ball can be quite different from what your buddies are looking for from their ball. I’m going to try to leave brands out of this discussion and give you a few tips on how to test balls so that you can find the one that will help your game the most.<br />
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Everybody loves distance and you can get a ball that will give you the maximum distance off the tee. However, you will sacrifice performance with your short irons, pitches, chips and putts. Ever play a two-piece ball and felt that it was too “clicky” when you putted it? The way a golf ball is designed and constructed affects the way the ball performs off the tee as well as around and on the green.<br />
A soft cover will produce the spin you need around the green while getting a ball that you can compress the core with your current swing speed will get you distance off the tee. So evaluate your game and ask yourself what you are looking for in a golf ball that will help you become better.<br />
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It is vital to know a few analytic things about your golf swing. Your club head speed is crucial. You will then know what brands of balls you will be able to compress the core. A person who swings at 110 mph needs a far different ball from someone who swings at 85 mph. If you haven’t done so, schedule a launch monitor session. This will give you information on your club head speed, ball speed, ball spin, swing path and angle of attack. You will find out if you have a low launch and high spin off your driver and be able to choose a ball that will mitigate these. Now you have some idea of what balls will help you off the tee and it is time to do some field research.<br />
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Choose a few brands and models of balls that fit your profile that you learned about with the launch monitor. Now take them out to a golf course with an adequate short game practice area. Hit some pitch shots and chip shots with the different balls and take note of how they react off your club face and once they land on the green. How do they feel as the club face makes contact? Next, putt with the different balls and again pay particular attention to how the ball feels as it comes off the putter. For me, this is where a lot of balls fail to pass the test. I want a ball that will provide me with feedback after the stroke so how it feels coming off the putter is important to me. You are putting on every hole (unless you have managed to get a house call from everyone’s favorite doctor – Dr. Chipinski) so choose a ball that performs for you on and around the greens.<br />
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Next, move your field research out to the course. If you belong to a private club where you can go out in the evenings and play a few balls from different locations, this is easy. If you don’t belong to a club, choose a round for your research and switch balls every couple of holes. The idea here is to see how that ball is going to react when you hit a full wedge shot and on through your short to medium irons. Are you getting enough spin when the ball hits the green? If not, you may want to experiment with a ball that has a softer cover. Too much spin? Try a model with a harder or thicker cover.<br />
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Do your field research with a view towards finding a ball that will perform for you in the “scoring zone” from 125-yards and closer to the green. This is where you will lower your scores. I don’t know about you, but I would gladly trade five yards of distance for a ball that performs the way I am expecting around the greens. When choosing a ball, work from the green back towards the tee.<br />
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To begin your ball research, visit any of the four Puetz Golf locations where a sales associate can help you get started.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-47616998892921844312010-07-22T16:15:00.000-07:002010-07-22T16:34:19.052-07:00How Does Your Glove Wear Out?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07VJ9n3MnPjNr6SPjpijL3TisbJBXiB6bHrtSXB8KLVovfrSimHslqbN8TWKcLQLr9LBhlPuUETI-yJWOX8IdfUh4jTKyI0XsB4O8XodS8QamQJyK60JDGTwnxesb9EgcIs4A4KCiat_J/s1600/glove-001.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 277px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07VJ9n3MnPjNr6SPjpijL3TisbJBXiB6bHrtSXB8KLVovfrSimHslqbN8TWKcLQLr9LBhlPuUETI-yJWOX8IdfUh4jTKyI0XsB4O8XodS8QamQJyK60JDGTwnxesb9EgcIs4A4KCiat_J/s320/glove-001.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5496877501507755154" /></a><br />How does your glove wear out? Do you develop worn spots, even holes, on the same part of the glove each time you wear one out? Or does it simply become an ugly piece of used leather because of the trauma of going through the wet and dry stages from sweat? We’ll look at the locations of wear on your glove and tell you what they mean as far as your grip and swing. We’ll also give you some tips on how to avoid the perils of sweat to your glove and other ways to lengthen the life span of your gloves.<br /><br />Of course, some wear on the glove is going to be inevitable. Whether it is top-priced Cabretta leather or a manmade synthetic, a glove is going to wear out. Players opt for Cabretta because of the thinness of the material and these will wear out the quickest. Synthetics may last longer, but some players feel there is too much of a tradeoff when it comes to feel.<br /><br />Myself, I prefer the feel of Cabretta and the thinner the better. I also wear the glove out in the same two locations every time. First, I will wear a hole in the thumb right at the crease of the palm side of the knuckle. It will start with the leather getting scuffed before advancing to a full blown hole. The area around the fat part of the palm, near the base will also show signs of wear, but this is usually minimal and will not result in a hole developing.<br /><br /><br /><br />What does this tell me about my grip and/or swing? The thumb hole tells me that I could be re-gripping at the top of my backswing. The location of the hole, right on the knuckle crease is better than if the hole developed up near the tip of the thumb, or lower toward the base of the thumb. The base of the thumb hole means your grip needs some work. You are trying to elongate your thumb which just gets in the way of placing your right hand on the club correctly. A hole closer to the tip of the thumb is a clear indication of re-gripping and a grip pressure that is too tight.<br /><br />The wear on the fat part of the palm, since it is slight, is not so worrisome. However, if you are wearing a hole in that part of the glove, then you are gripping the club too far up the grip. You should have the butt of the grip clear of your hand when you assume your grip.<br /><br />If you have experienced the tips of the fingers of your gloves wearing out, or even ripping off, then you are buying the wrong size when you purchase gloves. This indicates the fingers are too long. Try the same size - only get it in a cadet size. Cadet size gloves feature shorter fingers. Anytime you are trying on gloves for size, look for one that fits like a “second skin.” You don’t want any extra looseness in the glove and remember that the glove will stretch through use.<br /><br />There are a few tricks you can do to keep your glove looking fresh. Buy two gloves and rotate them from round to round or even from front nine to back nine. When you are done with your round, flatten and smooth out your glove and return it to the package it came in, or a Ziploc bag. This will help keep it soft and it won’t get that baked leathery look. I use a zippered bank bag. Always slide your glove onto your hand and gently work it on – don’t pull from the cuff. Pulling from the cuff stretches the glove out and you run the risk of pulling the cuff right off.<br /><br />And here is the best tip yet for extending the life of your glove, especially if you wear them out on the thumb as I do. At the first signs of wear, put a light coat of a liquid bandage over the worn spot. Apply the liquid bandage to the glove while you are wearing the glove. The liquid bandage does not affect the feel of the glove, at least for me. This little trick has extended the life of my gloves at least threefold. <br /><br />We’ve got plenty of gloves available online at <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com">www.puetzgolf.com</a>.<br /><br /><em>Thanks to Brandon Dickenson, teaching pro at Puetz Golf in Seattle for his help with this post.</em>Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-42919905513546560382010-07-16T16:34:00.000-07:002010-07-16T16:36:53.487-07:00There's No Such Thing As Luck In GolfMany people think that there is luck involved in golf. Outside of getting on the good side of the draw in The Open at St. Andrews (and other sites on the Rota), or other matters concerning the weather, there is no such thing as luck in golf.<br /><br />When your ball ricochets off a small branch across the fairway and out-of-bounds, it is not an unlucky break. Conversely, when a shot travels through the thickest part of tree without touching a thing, you did not get lucky.<br /><br />Dictionary.com defines luck thus:<br /> <br />–noun <br />1. <br />The force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities: With my luck I'll probably get pneumonia. <br />2. <br />Good fortune; advantage or success, considered as the result of chance: He had no luck finding work. <br />3. <br />A combination of circumstances, events, etc., operating by chance to bring good or ill to a person: She's had nothing but bad luck all year. <br />4. <br />Some object on which good fortune is supposed to depend: This rabbit's foot is my luck. <br /><br />Notice that “force” or “chance” is implicit in the definition of luck. That’s why weather is really the only part of golf which could be influenced by luck. We may be able to predict the weather, but we are not always correct in our prediction. If the forecast calls for rain, but you get your round in without any precipitation, you got lucky. The whims of the weather, or “chance” kept you dry.<br /><br />With your golf shot, however, there is not an outside “force” or “chance” that will influence the result of your shot. If you could duplicate, exactly, including the weather, the circumstances of your shot, the result would be the same 100% of the time. The result of the shot is a matter of physics. The angle of the clubface produces the flight of the ball. The angle at which your ball hit the branch results in the ricochet that sends your ball out-of-bounds. It will happen every time, if you could duplicate all of the circumstances, which of course you can’t and that is why we believe that luck has something to do with the result.<br /><br />You could be hurting your golf game if you believe in luck on the golf course. When you get what you perceive as an “unlucky break” it can unnerve you, change what had been up to that point a positive mental approach and may even cause you to become angry. All these reactions will hurt your golf game. So, the next time you get a “bad break”, don’t blame it on luck – you caused the ball to react the way it did once it left your club. Go find it or take your penalty strokes and start preparing for the next shot. That way, you won’t let an “unlucky break” unravel your whole round. Still, remember to rub that rabbit’s foot on the first tee – hey, it can’t hurt!<br /><br />Thanks to Paul Gibson from our Bellevue Store for giving me this idea.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-91498662673361469132010-06-24T17:10:00.000-07:002010-06-24T17:15:28.167-07:00U.S. Open RecapI’ve heard some people complain that this was not a very exciting Open. The dynamics of our national championship combined with the character of Pebble Beach, including the U.S.G.A. setup of the course made it difficult for somebody to come from off the lead to challenge for the title. At Pebble you must make hay during the first seven holes and then hold on for dear life for the rest of your round. Somebody playing the back nine on Sunday the way Tiger did on Saturday was as improbable as the eventual winner, Graeme McDowell, toasting his victory with Guinness Light.<br /><br />Dustin Johnson’s caddy described him as a “flat liner” when it came to falling victim to nerves, but he did just that in the first holes Sunday. The pressures of the U.S. Open were at play as well as his inexperience being in the crucible of leading a major championship going into the final round. You must be there to learn what goes on inside your mind and body. As things began to tumble out of control, your sense of time gets all out of whack. Events seem to unfold in the type of slow motion that occurs when you are involved in an auto accident, yet the mind is racing with all sorts of negative thoughts. It may be difficult for him to understand right now, but the experience he gained going through his collapse will pay off the next time he finds himself in the same position – and he will find himself in that position again. He’s just too talented, too athletic and despite his early fourth round collapse, too mentally tough not to contend in another major soon.<br /><br />Graeme McDowell will prove to be a very popular U.S. Open champion. He has marketable looks, stylishly brought back the cardigan sweater and is very articulate when speaking with the media. He played a very steady final round and never let the magnitude of the situation get to him.<br /><br />Tiger showed us some of the old magic during his second nine in the third round. He made putts and hit the ball as well as we can remember, especially since November. Alas, Sunday he was back to struggling with his shots, missing putts we expect him to make and failed to mount a charge on the leader. St. Andrews should fit his style better when he tees it up for the British Open in July. Let’s hope his game is in shape for a run at that title.<br /><br />Mickelson again experienced heartbreak at a U.S. Open. His play on Friday was phenomenal giving rise to the hopes that he could finally capture the championship he desires the most. However his putter turned cold over the weekend and he started making those goofy kinds of decisions that only Phil can make. Hitting a shot off of television wires because he liked the lie? Does any other player on tour come to mind that would even envision that shot let alone attempt it?<br /><br />Ernie Els looked like he was going to be the man who would apply the pressure to McDowell until he went brain dead on the tenth hole. He made his charge during the first seven holes scoring three birdies to get to 3-under par, but followed a bogey on the ninth hole with a double bogey on the tenth hole where he hit over the cliff twice. He finished two strokes behind McDowell.<br /><br />The biggest surprise was the man from France, Gregory Havret, who had to go through qualifying to get to the Open. Playing with Tiger, he never showed the nerves that he must have felt. But for two bogeys on the back nine, one at ten and one seventeen, he would have been in a playoff with McDowell. It was an excellent first time showing for the player who entered the tournament ranked 391st in the world.<br /><br />For the equipment manufacturers the big winner was Callaway. Of the top ten finishers, four are on staff with Callaway (McDowell, Els, Mickelson and Cejka). Titleist had two top ten finishers on their staff – Love, and Kaymer. Havret is on the PING staff, Woods on the Nike staff and Kuchar and Snedeker play for Bridgestone.<br /><br />This Open may not have created a lot of excitement, and may have been frustrating to some of the fans of the major stars on tour, but it was because of the character, and set-up, of Pebble Beach.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-80763700294998228422010-06-18T11:24:00.000-07:002010-06-18T11:29:19.271-07:00U.S. Open - Day TwoUpdating yesterday’s blog entry, “Unknown Leads the Open,” we have a couple of names to add to the mix. Morgan Hoffman, an amateur who plays for the golf powerhouse Oklahoma State University, made a bid to be near the top of the leader board before he bogeyed seventeen and then disaster struck at the eighteenth where he took a quadruple bogey. Even though we have heard of Shaun Micheel, winner of the PGA Championship in 2003 it is still a surprise to see him at the top of the leader board. Micheel is playing with a heavy heart as his mother is battling cancer. Micheel’s game fell off after his PGA victory and it is nice to see him back in the mix.<br /><br />There was not much excitement during the first round as the player warily made their way around Pebble. The firm and fast conditions made the course dangerous and the main goal was to avoid a big number like Hoffman’s nine on the final hole. In the first round, the course was the star.<br /><br />The game’s biggest stars, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, fell victim to their own emotions as both struggled against frustration, and lost. Mickelson, playing in the morning, but starting on the tenth tee, grew frustrated with his poor putting and the pace of play. He began to make poor decisions (second shot at eighteen, his ninth hole of the day, and his drive at the fourth where he used a fairway wood instead of the more widely used long iron), but it was his putting woes that really cost him.<br /><br />“I just putted horrific,” he admitted after his round.<br /><br />With players starting off both the first and the tenth tees, it is the players playing the back nine first that are at a disadvantage. The way to score at Pebble is to get through the first six holes under par and then hang on through the next four holes that play along the ocean and the cliffs. A player who starts on the tenth must navigate some very difficult holes before facing the daunting seventeenth and eighteenth holes. He could be well over par before facing the birdie opportunities on holes one through six. Mickelson never was able to get things going on the back nine, his front nine.<br /><br />Woods, on the other hand, had to deal with the differences on the course between a morning tee time and an afternoon tee time. Teeing off in the afternoon, from the first tee, he had to deal with conditions that were firmer and faster than the morning wave faced. He played his first fifteen holes very patiently, but soon grew frustrated with the condition of the poa annua greens. Greens that are made up of poa contain many different strands of poa and as the day wears on, the different strands grow at different rates producing a bumpy surface. Some putts I saw in the afternoon surprised me by how far off-line they were. With the greens so fast and the bumpy poa, a putt that was not struck solidly, or started off-line, would just track further and further away from the hole.<br /><br />“These greens are just awful,” Tiger said after his round. “They’re moving every which way.”<br /><br />It is interesting to note that Phil blamed himself for his poor putting while Tiger blamed the greens.<br /><br />Tiger succumbed to his frustrations with the greens at the sixteenth hole where he bogeyed and followed up with another bogey at the finishing hole. Tossed (not thrown) clubs, muttering and looks of exasperation followed. He was even heckled by a fan although he was quick to say after the round that the fans were great. He was on track to be in a fine position, at one-over par at the worst, before his two late bogeys. Both he and Mickelson will have to play the next three rounds with minimal mistakes to have a chance to win. Tiger seems to be doing just that midway through his second round. Starting on the tenth tee, he made the turn in even par.<br /><br />Pebble Beach is putting up a stern challenge for the players. It should only get firmer and faster. The greens are fast and it is imperative to leave your approach shot below the hole. This means hitting the narrow, firm fairways to set up your approach shot. The U.S.G.A. is walking the tightrope between a firm and fast course and one that could get out of hand if they are surprised by unexpected wind. Watch the tee shots on eight and nine as both fairways are sloped towards the cliff and tee shots are running a great distance down the slope. Excitement should grow as the tournament progresses, but expect to see the players exhibit a great deal of caution. The winner will be the player who can control his shots, control his emotions and navigate the dangers of Pebble. Don’t expect a swashbuckling attacking style of play to triumph this year.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-84311204579786545092010-06-17T13:54:00.000-07:002010-06-17T13:58:15.224-07:00Unknown First Round Leaders of the U.S. OpenDue to the open nature of the U.S. Open, complete with qualifying rounds, a serendipitous tradition has evolved; the “unknown first round leader.” At the completion of the first round, an unknown name sits atop, or near the top of the leader board.<br /><br />Just look at the full field of this year’s Open at Pebble Beach. I follow golf avidly. I watch the Nationwide Tour, the European Tour and the PGA Tour. Heck, I even watch “The Big Break” on The Golf Channel. Yet out of a field of 156 I have never heard of 40 of the players in this year’s field. It’s not that I can’t place a name to a face; it’s that I’ve flat out never heard of these 40 players. That’s almost a quarter of the field. It is not hard to imagine one of these players putting together a hot round and winding up at the top of the leader board after round one.<br /><br />It has been this way throughout the history of the U.S. Open. In 1950 Lee Mackey Jr. toured Merion in the first round of the Open in 64 strokes and sat atop the leader board. In 1963 it was Bob Gadja with a 69 at The Country Club in Brookline. In 1966, at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, it was Al Mengert in the lead after a first round 67. Last year at Bethpage, Peter Hanson, who is not well known outside of the European Tour circles, shot a 66 in the first round to place him on the first page of the leader board. It seems to happen every year.<br /><br />What also seems to happen every year is that this “unknown leader of the first round” usually succumbs to the pressure and spotlight of leading the Open and falls rapidly down the leader board as the tournament progresses.<br /><br />So, who will be this year’s “unknown leader of the first round?” Early action points to R. Cabrera-Bello of Spain. His 1-under score of 70 is tied for the lead as the morning wave of players completed their rounds. Let’s see what happens this afternoon and what other “unknowns” will find themselves in contention after the first round. Should be exciting to watch.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-28653919869260803632010-05-25T15:31:00.000-07:002010-05-25T15:42:28.977-07:00Why We Wear Logo Hats and White GlovesLook back at clips of the PGA players during the ‘50s and ‘60s and you will notice that very few wore hats. If they did, you would find the English driving cap (Hogan), visors (Palmer), bucket hats and baseball hats. These hats were not adorned with logos like the hats worn by today’s stars. Today, it is the bareheaded pro that stands out in the crowd as most players wear baseball-style hats, although you do see the occasional visor or bucket hat (both of which are adorned with logos).<br /><br />Money is at the source of why so many of the pros today wear hats. It is part of their equipment endorsement package that often extends all the way to the caddy. Who knew that hats were such a great place to advertise a brand? Amana, an appliance company based in Middle Amana, Iowa, did. Julius Boros was friends with George Forstner of Amana and he suggested that getting tournament winners and contenders wearing hats with the Amana logo would be a great way to advertise.<br /><br />Amana offered the pros free hats, $50 for wearing the hat during all four rounds of a tournament and the pros jumped at the opportunity to earn a little extra pocket money. Boros was soon followed by Frank Beard, Orville Moody, Al Geiberger, Gene Littler, J.C. Snead along with many others who began sporting the hats. In the days before touring pros were covered by a health care program, Amana made each of its hat endorsers an employee of the company and covered them and their families on the company health plan.<br /><br />As the sixties and seventies evolved into the eighties, the golf equipment manufacturers got into the mix by having their tour staffs wear hats with the company, or specific club or ball, logo. They made it part of the endorsement deal and stipulated that the hats must be worn whenever the player was on the course, or interviewed on television.<br /><br />We’ve gotten so used to seeing PGA pros in their logo hats, and wanting to emulate them, we started wearing the same hats. Now the manufacturers enjoy the benefit of having us pay full retail for the privilege of advertising for them. Sounds ludicrous, I know, but I, for one, wouldn’t be caught dead on the golf course without my Titleist hat.<br /><br />Looking back at those old pictures and videos, one notices that the touring pros wore gloves of many different colors. Black being one of the most popular, but red, brown, baby blue and green can also be found. Today, almost everybody except J.B. Holmes wears a white glove. The only other color glove you can find in most golf retail outlets is the black rain, or winter gloves. Why the move to white?<br /><br />While doing research for a project I am involved in, I had the opportunity to interview Bobby Nichols, winner of the 1964 PGA Championship. He told me about Frank Chirkinian, of CBS Television, who had the idea to paint the inside of the cups white to help make them more visible on television.<br /> <br />“We all started picking up smudges of white paint on our colored gloves,” he explained.<br /><br />So, the players started wearing white gloves so that the paint smudges would not show. We don’t play on many courses with the white paint on the inside (sometimes cups have a white plastic liner, though), yet we all wear white gloves so that we can look like our heroes on the PGA Tour.<br /><br />There, in a nutshell, you have the reason why we wear logo hats and white gloves. Choose from a wide selection of both at <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com">www.puetzgolf.com.</a>Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-29523301250437759602010-04-13T15:56:00.000-07:002010-04-13T16:00:54.678-07:00<strong>Puetz, Where Everybody Knows Your Name</strong><br /><br />Just like Cheers, the bar with all the regulars, and everyone knows your name, the <strong>Puetz Driving Range</strong> is a second home to many. Each morning, the regulars, mostly retired, arrive with donut boxes under their arms, a warm cup of coffee in their hands and greet each other before getting down to the business of hitting balls. They meander around the store to see what’s new, sometimes choosing something to test hit, or scrutinize the used rack for a hot buy. When they are through hitting balls, it’s off to the golf course for a round. <br /><br />The regulars include Don, retired from real estate, James, a banker during his working years and Neal, a college professor. They meet up with Dicky, Ron and Tom to warm up before heading out to one of the many daily fee courses in the area. With skill levels spanning the mid-handicap range they make a competitive group.<br /><br />The Dew Sweepers, who meet every Wednesday morning for group lessons contain a great many regulars and is great way to meet other golfers. The group meets between 9am and 10am and receives instruction from the resident L.P.G.A. pro at Puetz, Val Patrick. The cost is just $20 and the tips you pick up from Val, along with the friends you will meet, are worth much more than the cost. Dew Sweepers is open to anyone.<br /><br />Women have their own group lesson opportunities on Tuesdays between 6pm and 7pm for beginning golfers and on Wednesday between 6pm and 7pm for intermediates. Val provides the instruction and the cost is $20. Juniors are not left out of the mix as they can receive instruction on Saturdays with beginner classes for ages 6 - 16 between 9:30am and 10:30 am, and intermediate classes for ages 12 – 17 between 11:30am and 12:30pm. Brandon Dickerson and Jim Barnum help out Val with the instruction and the cost is $20.<br /><br />The <strong>Puetz Driving Range</strong> also makes a great venue for groups to meet and work on their golf game. One such group is the Golf Club at UW Bothell. The club has over 40 members and meets every other Monday. The school subsidizes the cost of the balls and Val, along with Brandon, offer tips. Once a month, they schedule a golf outing at one of the local courses. Each outing features its own theme and professors will often show up to play with the students. The group includes all skill levels, from raw beginners to expert players. The meetings are family friendly and open to the public.<br /><br />The driving range at <strong>Puetz</strong> is not just a place to beat balls, but to meet people. If you are looking for playing partners, new friends or some personal instruction, check out one of our group lessons. If your group is looking for a unique meeting place, you cannot go wrong meeting at the Puetz Driving Range…where everyone will know your name.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-65153728948954199432010-03-09T11:01:00.000-08:002010-03-09T11:21:02.845-08:00Every expert agrees; the first step in improving your game is getting properly fit for your equipment. Over the next two months, <strong>Puetz Golf</strong> is focusing on fitting you into the right clubs for your game. An expert fitter can tell you not only which clubs are right for you (super game improvement, game improvement or player’s club), but, which shaft flex, length and lie are right for your game. All of the <strong>Puetz</strong> Sales Associates are trained in club fitting and can fit you in less than an hour.<br /><br />Equipment manufacturers also know the importance of a correct fit and are working with <strong>Puetz</strong> to find the perfect set of clubs for our customers. On March 20th and 21st, we will be conducting our semi-annual Demo Days where technicians from all the leading manufacturers will be on hand at the Seattle Range to measure golfers. They will have the latest equipment for demo and can show you the difference between different models, lengths and lie angles. Manufacturer reps will be on site from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm both days.<br /><br />The fitting process begins with static measurements that provide a wrist to floor measurement. This gives the fitter an idea of how long the shaft should be. Combined with a height measurement, the wrist to floor measurement provides an indicator for shaft length. Utilizing a fitting cart equipped with clubs of different lengths and lie angles, the fitter will then have the golfer hit balls from an impact board with impact tape on the sole of the club. This provides feedback on how the club head is interacting with the turf. The fitter is looking for the impact mark to be in the center of the sole whereas a mark towards the toe will indicate a need for a more upright lie angle while a mark towards the heel is evidence of a club that is too upright.<br /><br />Impact tape on the clubface also provides valuable information to the club fitter. Impact towards the toe will indicate clubs that are too short while impact near the hosel is proof of a club that is too long. How the club head interacts with the turf and where on the clubface impact occurs influences the flight of the ball. An iron that is too upright will cause balls to fly to the left of the target and the opposite, a club that is too flat, will result in balls flying to the right of the target. Research by <strong>Titleist</strong> indicates that a club with a lie angle that is two degrees off will result in a shot 20 feet off line.<br /><br />Once the length and lie angle of your irons have been determined, the fitter will begin to help you choose the proper club type for your game. After determining whether a super game improvement, game improvement or player’s iron is best for your game and skill level, he will begin the process of selecting the correct shaft. The proper shaft flex allows the player to load the shaft properly and will maximize the energy transfer to the ball resulting in maximum distance. Quicker tempo swings generally require a heavier shaft with a firmer flex while the opposite is true for a smoother tempo swing. Shafts come in extra-stiff, stiff, regular, senior and women’s flexes with the shaft getting lighter as you move down into the shafts with more flex. The shaft type is determined through feel and ball flight. Graphite shafts provide a shock absorbent quality, as well as being lighter than steel providing the best conditions for seniors, women and players with a slow swing speed. There are a wide variety of graphite shaft options available as well as different steel shafts. Finding the proper weight and flex of your iron shafts plays a vital role in getting properly fit.<br /><br /><strong>Mizuno</strong> introduced their revolutionary Shaft Optimizer to aid in selecting the perfect shaft. A device mounted on the shaft records five data points that make up your swing DNA: club head speed, swing tempo, release factor, shaft toe down and shaft kick angle. This data will identify the components that perfectly fit your swing profile leading to better ball striking. All four <strong>Puetz Golf</strong> stores are equipped with the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer.<br /><br />Most of the above (with the exception of the Shaft Optimizer) concerns fitting irons. The new drivers are all so long that length is not as important when fitting a golfer into a driver. Shaft type and flex is one of the more important aspects of driver fittings, in addition to loft. Utilizing a launch monitor, a fitter will receive feedback on launch angle, backspin, sidespin, ball speed and club head speed. Experimenting with different shaft flexes and weights, as well as different kick point locations in the shaft and lofts, a fitter can zero in on the exact specifications that will produce the optimum launch for you. A launch monitor will also provide feedback on your angle of attack with an up attack providing much more distance than a down attack. Using a launch monitor to select your next driver will remove all the emotions from your selection because you can simply rely on the numbers and choose a driver that gets you the optimum launch conditions for your swing.<br /><br />In addition to our Demo Days (March 20th and 21st), <strong>Puetz</strong> will have <strong>PING</strong> technicians at our four stores to answer questions and provide club fitting during the month of April. The <strong>PING</strong> team will be at the Seattle range on April 1st and 29th, the Bellevue store on April 8th, the Tukwila store on April 15th and the Tacoma store on April 22nd. There is no charge to demo the new <strong>PING</strong> equipment, or to have PING technicians fit you.<br /><br />Also in April, <strong>Cleveland Golf</strong> will have staff fitting experts at our Seattle range every Friday through Sunday. Utilizing TrackMan launch monitor technology <strong>Cleveland’s</strong> experts will provide custom fittings. Contact <strong>Puetz</strong> at 1-866-362-2441 to make an appointment with the <strong>Cleveland</strong> technicians.<br /><br />Whether it is a new driver or a new set of irons, your game will benefit from getting custom fit. Stop by one of our four retail stores (Seattle, Bellevue, Tukwila and Tacoma) to get fit by our expert sales staff today.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-38644286709836739252010-01-19T15:48:00.000-08:002010-01-19T15:55:29.640-08:00Wedges and the New Groove RuleIn my last blog, I wrote about how <strong>TaylorMade</strong> is introducing a new ball, the <strong>TaylorMade Penta TP</strong>, as an antidote to the new groove rule. What are some of the other ways that club manufacturers and PGA Tour pros are dealing with the new groove rule? Remember, the new rule defines parameters for the volume of groove dimension per inch of face.<br /><br />John Daly and Dean Wilson, in the Sony Open, found a way around the new rule. Both players used <strong>PING Eye2</strong> wedges, wedges that have been grandfathered, by virtue of the 1990 settlement of the lawsuit filed by <strong>PING</strong> against the USGA. <strong>PING Eye2</strong> wedges feature square grooves. Some other PGA pros are contemplating the same strategy making <strong>PING Eye2</strong> wedges a hot commodity on eBay.<br /><br /><strong>Cleveland Golf</strong>, a long-time innovator in wedge designs, introduced the <strong>CG15 with Laser Milled™</strong> faces as its answer to the new groove rule. Using the precision accuracy of a laser, four perfectly calibrated texture lines are milled between each groove exactly to the conforming roughness limit. These texture lines optimize ball-to-face friction and maximize spin under the rules of golf. While the current in-stock offerings from <strong>Cleveland</strong> do not conform to the new groove rules, and will not until 2011, you can special order conforming grooves from the factory.<br /><br /><strong>Titleist Vokey Design® Spin Milled</strong> wedges are now available in two different groove configurations; one conforming to the new rules, the other non-conforming. Both designs feature grooves milled by a CNC machine with a special circular saw style cutting tool that creates precise grooves with maximum allowable draft angles and edge radii. The conforming <strong>Vokey Spin Milled</strong> wedges are stamped with a “cc” for Condition of Competition.<br /><br /><strong>Callaway Golf’s</strong> new <strong>X Series Jaws </strong>wedge features the “Mack Daddy Grooves” that do not meet the new Condition of Competition rules, but a “Tour Authentic” version is available by special order.<br /><br />Many of the manufacturers are following this same path. Since 99% of golfers are not affected by the new groove rule (and won’t be until 2024), these companies are continuing to produce their wedges as they have for the past few years. Once this year is over, though, they will have to produce wedges that conform to the Condition of Competition rule.<br /><br />Whether you want to stock up on the non-conforming wedges before 2011, or you want to try one of the new conforming wedges, <strong>Puetz</strong> has the selection to fit you. Ask a <strong>Puetz</strong> Sales Representative, or email me at larryb@puetzgolf.com if you have any questions about the new groove rule, or if you are in the market for a new wedge.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-28014490656916450832010-01-15T12:37:00.000-08:002010-01-15T12:54:22.067-08:00The New Groove Rule and the TaylorMade Penta TP Golf BallBack in the early seventies, when Saturday Night Light was brand-new, they introduced us to their spoofs on commercials. The dual razor had just been introduced, and SNL spoofed the concept with a commercial for a razor with three blades. “If two is better than one, then three must be better than two,” went the tagline as closely as I can remember it. It was hilarious. Of course, we now have three blade razors available on the shelves of stores, making Chevy Chase, et al, some sort of prescience marketers. <br /><br />The memory of this spoof commercial came to mind when I heard that <strong>TaylorMade</strong> was introducing a new 5-layer golf ball, the <strong>Penta TP</strong>. First we were introduced to a 3-layer ball, and if three layers were better than two, then four must be better than three, and of course, five layers would be better than four. However, in the case of the golf ball, five layers <em>do</em> make sense, especially when you factor in the new USGA rules concerning grooves.<br /><br />In an effort to protect the game from the “bomb and gouge” method of play, the USGA introduced new rules governing the grooves on wedges. With wedges that have grooves with a great deal of volume in relation to the size of the face, they can channel more debris and moisture away from the face resulting in more spin. Add in the fact that the grooves on wedges had a nice sharp edge and you wind up with a wedge that adds even more spin. With these types of wedges, and the advanced technology in drivers that have added distance, elite players could bomb it off the tee with little regard for hitting the fairway because they would be able to gouge it out of the rough and still impart spin on the ball to stop it on the green.<br /><br />The new rules that went into effect for the PGA, and other tours around the world, at the start of 2010, regulate the volume of groove dimension per inch of face. Secondly, the new rule stipulates that the grooves must have a slight radius to them as opposed to the sharp edges that pre-2010 wedges featured. Contrary to popular opinion, the new rule does not outlaw “U” or square grooves, as long as they conform to the dimension requirements, and have a slight radius at the top.<br /> <br />The new rules will result in a return of the importance of hitting the fairway, as well as adding back in the need to factor in how far a pro wants to hit a shot that will leave him the correct distance to allow him to spin his approach shot into the green. A shot from 100-yards is much easier to spin than a shot from 40-yards. The USGA, and the PGA, hope the new rule will return shot-making to the game on an elite level.<br /><br />For us amateurs, most of us, anyway, the new rules have little or no effect. The new rule is really a “condition of competition.” It is in effect for professional golfers as of January 1st, 2010, for all major tours. It is also in effect for the “elite” USGA amateur tournaments beginning in 2014. For the rest of us, we don’t have to worry about the new rule until 2024.<br /><br />The problem, though, is that the manufacturers are allowed to make wedges with the older, non-conforming grooves through 2010 only. All of the inventory, on the manufacturing level, must be exhausted by the end of 2010. Inventory on a retail level has until 2024 before it needs to be exhausted. Love those milled square grooves on your wedges? Then stock up on them late this year or early next year. Get plenty of them, because the grooves wear out quickly, due to the softer metal wedges are made from and the fact that they go through the turf (and sand) more than your other irons.<br /><br />So, it is primarily the pros on the PGA Tour, as well as other major tours around the world, that need to be concerned with the new rules. This brings us back to the <strong>TaylorMade Penta TP</strong> ball. Since grooves are being regulated to produce less spin, players and manufacturers are looking for other ways to achieve the same end. The golf ball is the logical place to make up for lost spin from the new groove rule. It is easy to produce a ball that will spin more off the wedge. The trick is to produce one that spins more off the wedge without increasing the spin off the other clubs in the bag. The wedge is swung with far less speed than the other clubs, and in most cases, speed equals spin.<br /><br />The <strong>TaylorMade Penta TP </strong>promises optimum performance in five key areas; feel, spin, control, launch and distance. The Urethane cover (layer #1) delivers a soft feel plus a higher spin-rate with a lower launch angle on wedge shots. The outer mantle (layer #2) promotes optimum spin off short-irons, as well as a higher ball speed and increased distance on the other clubs. The middle mantle (layer #3) gives more control on mid-irons preventing up-shooting, or ballooning of the shot resulting in the shot falling short of the green. The inner mantle (layer #4) delivers soft feel, high-launch and low spin off the long irons. The core (layer #5) promotes high launch with low spin off the driver for maximum carry and distance, as well as more ball speed for the high clubhead speeds of long-hitters.<br /><br />Keep in mind that you have a different swing speed with the different clubs due to the length of the club, and the shot you are trying to hit. With the driver you will achieve your fastest clubhead speed producing the maximum compression possible (for your swing speed) of the ball. This compression activates the core of the ball. On short iron shots, you will not compress the ball as much, or activate the core, but you will engage the cover and outer mantle more than you do with the driver. The new <strong>TaylorMade Penta TP </strong>ball is designed to optimize the performance of the ball in regards to how the ball reacts from the different clubs in your bag.<br /><br />Expect to see other ball manufacturers to follow this same strategy of building in characteristics that will help elite players offset some of the effects of the new groove rule. Even for us amateurs, these new performance balls can add to our game. Whether you want more distance, or more spin, you can find a ball to help you. Email me at larryb@puetzgolf.com, or ask a Puetz salesperson to help you find the ball that is perfect for your game.<br /><br />The new <strong>TaylorMade Penta TP</strong> ball should be in Puetz stores by the middle of March.<br /><br />Next Post: New Conforming Wedges Designed To Offset The Effects Of The New Groove Rule.Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3066041209411069326.post-7466918982461425582009-10-23T10:48:00.000-07:002009-10-23T13:28:47.564-07:00Winter Golf<div><font face="arial">Those that can get away to the desert during the winter months have no problem keeping their game in shape. Those of us who live in the northern half of the country are challenged to keep our games sharp. Here in Seattle, we must deal with rainy conditions, and sometimes cold temperatures. However, we can keep playing through the winter as long as the greens remain playable, meaning they do not have standing water on them. Most Northwest greens drain fairly quickly. With the proper equipment, we can play through the rain and fight off cold temperatures and keep our games sharp.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial">Those that live in regions that get covered with snow have a much more difficult time keeping their golf game in shape. With a little creativity, and some fortitude, these golfers can work on their games so that they may hit the ground running come spring. If you have a driving range in your area, visit it a few times a week and keep your swing grooved. Swing a weighted club, such as the Momentus Swing Trainer. Weighted clubs are great for improving your timing and fixing common swing flaws such as "coming over the top." The Medicus training club will also help you identify problems in your swing. The shaft is hinged and the club "breaks down" if you snatch it back on the takeaway, cast at the top of the swing, or flip your hands through at impact. These clubs can be used indoors (with enough ceiling clearance in the case of the Medicus). The Medicus can also be used to hit balls at the range. If you have room to set up a hitting net, then this is a great way to also keep your swing grooved.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial">Here in the Northwest, we are lucky enough to keep playing through the winter. It takes some special equipment and determination, but golfers in this neck of the woods are a hardy type. We may have to put up with frost delays and showers, but we can still get our rounds in. Some special equipment needs include: rain gloves, waterproof rain wear, rain hat, fleece mittens, disposable hand warmers, umbrella, club/bag rain poncho, compression undergarments, fleece hat. Let's touch on some of these.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Rain Gloves</strong> FootJoy makes a great rain glove that helps you retain your grip under the wettest conditions. These microfiber gloves are sold in pairs and are a must for playing in rainy weather.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Waterproof Rain Wear</strong> This is one area where you get what you pay for. Don't scrimp when it comes to buying rain wear. This is a long-term investment. A good set of rain wear should last you a number of seasons if properly taken care of. The higher priced, quality, rainwear will keep you dryer for a longer period of time. Newer high-quality rain wear will breath and feature extras like adjustable length pants and convertable sleeves.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Rain Hat</strong> A good quality bucket hat may look goofy, but it will keep you dry and eliminate the drip, drip, drip from the bill of a standard ball cap. It will also keep your head dry.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Fleece Mittens</strong> Wear these between shots to keep your hands warm. Many models now feature a pocket where you can insert a disposable hand warmer for further warmth. Some models are made especially for mounting on a 3-wheel speed cart.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Disposable Hand Warmers</strong> Air activated pouches filled with coal provide up to 10 hours of warmth for your hands. Also available for you feet.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Umbrella</strong> Okay, I know an umbrella can be a pain in the butt. Sometimes it feels as if it isn't worth the effort, but if you are caught in a downpour that lasts the whole round it can provide you with your only shelter from the storm.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Club/Bag Waterproof Poncho</strong> Products such as the Rainwedge or a double-sided towel club cover will keep your clubs and grips dry. A waterproof bag poncho will keep not only your clubs dry, but your bag, as well.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Compression Undergarments</strong> Made by most of the leading clothing manufacturers, these lightweight garments make a solid, and warm, first layer. The compression qualities help retain body heat.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"><strong>Fleece Hat</strong> A must for those frosty morning rounds in the winter. They help your body retain heat and the fleece contains some water repellent qualities so they also work well in the rain.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial">This is also a good time to re-spike your golf shoes (which need to be waterproof). You should change your spikes twice a year and right before winter play is a good time to do it. You will not have to worry about slipping and sliding in the muck with brand-new spikes. Change out your spikes again once winter is over as they take quite a beating during the rainy season.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial">Many players change the type of ball they play for the winter. I play a Titleist Pro V1x in the summer, but change to a Pro V1 for the winter. The Pro V1x spins too much on the soft, soaked greens. The Pro V1 is slightly softer in compression, which helps retain distance in cold temperatures. The cover of the Pro V1 is slightly more durable than the V1x, which helps when playing in muddy conditions. Players who use a Pro V1 in the summer could switch to the Titleist NXT Tour and not notice any drop in performance. As a general rule, switch to a ball with lower compression and less spin characterisitcs.</font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial">Don't put your sticks away just because it is winter. Keep your game in shape by getting in as many rounds as you possibly can. You can improve your game while your handicap is frozen and enter the spring competitions with a couple of strokes of legal sand in your pocket (at least for one posting period). If you would like more information on the winter gear mentioned here, visit <a href="http://www.puetzgolf.com/">www.puetzgolf.com</a> or email me at <a href="mailto:larryb@puetzgolf.com">larryb@puetzgolf.com</a></font></div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div><br /><div><font face="Arial"></font> </div>Larry Baushhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01480179468874233436noreply@blogger.com0