Categories
GOLF

MY TOP 8 NO REGRETS GOLF PRODUCTS

Golf is one of the sports that the equipment you use can make a major difference in your development, and subsequently your performance. Which training aids you choose to employ can accelerate your learning curve. The actual equipment you use can increase the distance you hit the ball, or adjust the way it flys through the air. Modern technology can eliminate the guesswork other sports contend with. The implementation of GPS for instance can tell you the distance to target within a yard, or exactly how far you have to hit the ball in order to clear a hazard. According to the rules each golfer is allowed 14 clubs in the bag. There are so many different combinations that I’ve never played with anyone who has the same combination of clubs that I do. Our goal to score as low as possible is the same. By playing a different combination of clubs our path to that goal is different. In essence we aren’t playing the same game. Each golfer is playing their own game. The only thing we share with others is the course.

My initial goal when I decided to take up golf was to become a Bogey golfer. I am not a patient person so I immediately looked for as much information on what products could help me reach my goal. I tried a great number of things. Some of which helped, while others might actually have hindered my progress. There are very few perfect products in golf. I’m not saying that my Top 8 products are perfect. What I’m saying is that they had a major influence on my progression to becoming a Bogey Golfer.

8 – Rapsodo R-Motion Golf Swing Analyzer and Golf Simulator

-The most inexpensive golf simulator on the market.
-Includes a copy of The Golf Club Lite simulator software
-Enables you to practice at home
-Advanced swing analysis includes Angle of attack, Club Path, Face Angle, Tempo, and Swing Speed.

7 – SKLZ Accelerator Pro putting mat

-Builds confidence putting up to 7 feet from the hole
-Doesn’t require much space
-Rolls similar to most public course greens
-rolls up for easy storage when not in use

6 – Acer XK Flipper

-As easy to use as any other Chipper
-Great for escaping terrible lies
-Increased loft of 45 degrees is good for clearing obstacles

5 – Zepp ball marker

-Lines up perfectly with my putter
-Simple alignment aid with a few options of how to mark the ball
-Significantly improved my aim

4 – Ping G SFT Driver

-Dramatically helps correct my slice
-Very easy to hit
-Appealing design with visual cues to line up the ball

3 – Taylormade Spider X Putter

-Great alignment aid
-Relatively hot face
-Great weight feels balanced throughout swing

2 – Shot Scope V2 Shot Tracking System

-Doesn’t require a cellphone during use
-Very simple to use
-Doubles as a Golf GPS
-Provides detailed putting stats

1 – Adams Idea Tech V4 Hybrids

-Super easy to hit
-Very durable
-Easy to launch
-There are multiple lofts available. I play 3 through 6.

What products have had the greatest affect on your golf game? Have you tried any of my favourites? Let me know in the comments.

Categories
Uncategorized

NFL AFC WINNERS AND LOSERS IN THE 2020 OFF SEASON

OLD NAMES NEW HOMES

Since the modern free agency era in the NFL began back in 1993. The addition of unrestricted free agents has allowed talented “mercs” to switch teams every Season. They were either looking for a bigger pay day, or the possibility of signing with a Superbowl bound team. The 2020 off season has had it’s share off NFL stars sign with new squads.

High profile signings in the AFC

Philip Rivers – signed to a 1 year deal with the Indianapolis Colts

Stefon Diggs – acquired by the Buffalo Bills via trade with 4 years remaining on his contract

Melvin Gordon – signed with the Denver Broncos for 2 years

Brandin Cooks – acquired by the Houston Texans via trade with 4 years remaining on his contract

David Johnson – acquired by the Houston Texans via trade with 1 year remaining on his contract

Jordan Howard – signed with the Miami Dolphins for 2 years

Austin Hooper – signed with the Cleveland Browns for 4 years

Byron Jones – signed with the Miami Dolphins for 5 years

Chris Harris Jr – signed with the Los Angeles Chargers for 2 years

Kyle Van Noy – signed with the Miami Dolphins for 4 years

Shaq Lawson – signed with the Miami Dolphins for 3 years

Linval Joseph – signed with the Los Angeles Chargers for 2 years

Vic Beasley – signed with the Tennessee Titans for 1 year

Mario Addison – signed with the Buffalo Bills for 3 years

Derek Wolfe – signed with the Baltimore Ravens for 1 year

Calais Campbell – acquired by the Baltimore Ravens via trade with 1 year remaining plus a 1 year extension

WINNERS AND LOSERS OF EACH DIVISION

https://youtu.be/15k6Jbv4Dps
https://youtu.be/V2xmyXVa7cY
https://youtu.be/jYtWzJYjmCM
https://youtu.be/-69T-C4jCq8

The biggest winner

If I had to select one team in the AFC that had the most successful off season. It would have to be the Miami Dolphins. They made some of the absolute best Free Agent signings in the entire league. They had a tonne of Cap room space and spent it wisely. They have the makings of an all star Defense in place with their new acquisitions. They then followed that up by convincing the league they weren’t interested in the most dynamic player in the draft Tua Tagovailoa. Allowing them to patiently sit at their fifth pick draft position and take him there. Keeping all of that additional draft capital to spend on key positional players. The Miami Dolphins might take a Season or two to properly develop. They should be seen as a legitimate challenger to the AFC East crown.

The biggest loser

This shouldn’t come as a surprise. It ends up being a team from my winner’s division the AFC East. It’s of course the New England Patriots. The dynasty has come to an unfortunate end. Tom Brady has decided to finish his career elsewhere. Leaving the New England Patriots with a total unknown at Quarterback. Their Offense was abysmal with Brady at Quarterback last season. Try to imagine how it will be now. They have one of the oldest teams in the league by average age. To add insult to injury former star Tight End Rob Gronkowski agreed to come out of retirement. Only if the Patriots agreed to trade him to Tampa Bay so he can play with Brady. The New England Patriots didn’t make any key acquisitions in Free Agency. They also had a very uninspiring draft. Looks like they are hoping to find their Quarterback of the future next season or the season after.

Categories
FANTASY

HOW WILL THE NFL REACT TO COVID-19?

Free Agency

Covid-19 has already affected the NFL in Free Agency. Some of the top players on the market have found themselves unsigned, or accepting less money because teams are unable to perform a physical. Quite a few players have signed short 1 or 2 year contracts with this Season in jeopardy. Players that have moved to a new organization won’t have nearly as much time to practice with their teammates, and learn a new offensive or defensive system. Teams with new coaches could find themselves completely lost.

NFL Draft

We now know that the NFL will have a virtual draft beginning as scheduled on April 23rd. Whenever established systems are changed problems can occur. Especially in cases like this one where the changes are precipitated by an emergency, and forced into implementation. Does that mean more picks won’t get in, or trades will become far more difficult to complete? We will to wait for the draft to find out.

What will the NFL Draft look like? Players obviously won’t be walking out on to a virtual stage, and giving Roger Goodell a hug. We won’t see whole families celebrate together when their relatives name gets called. How many front office executives will be in each team’s war room? The draft selections for each team could ultimately be decided by the fewest number of people ever. Instead of a group of people debating about their next pick. Their might be only a couple of key executives from each organization that decides this is our guy. If they get it right then they get all the credit. What if they get it wrong? It’s hard to pass the buck when there’s no one else to blame.

Preseason

What will become of preseason? Those of you that follow my social media accounts, and this blog know I follow Golf as well. Well the PGA has decided to reschedule some events beginning in August. At least that’s the current plan. Honestly that sounds a bit optimistic to me. The Covid-19 crisis is currently out of control in the United States of America. The number of infections per day is higher there than anywhere else. Assuming that things will be under control by August is optimistic to put it mildly. Keep in mind that’s golf. A game that can be played in small groups, and quite frankly without an audience. NFL football is an entirely different animal. The NFL is first and foremost a money making machine. Preseason does make them some money, but it’s more about assessing the condition, and skill of the Players. Teams can figure that out for themselves without playing preseason games. Owners would rather not risk their highest paid stars in games that essentially mean nothing anyways. For those reasons I don’t expect to see any preseason games being played this year.

Regular Season

When will the regular season begin? Will there be a full schedule of games played? Will fans be present for the games? These are all questions that are currently impossible to answer. As the beginning of the Regular Season approaches I will update you on what is most likely to happen. For now I will continue to post NFL news, predictions, and Fantasy Football advice on my social media accounts as though there will be NFL football. Lets all hope that those future posts are relevant, and this current crisis is quickly under control.

Categories
GOLF

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR GOLF SWING

HOW TO IMPROVE

There are a lot of theories on the internet about how to improve as a Beginner Golfer. The manufacturers would like you to believe that the right equipment will make the difference. Golf coaches will tell you that lessons are the fastest route to improvement. The majority of Social media Influencers will claim to have the correct tips to accelerate your game. With so many options which one is right for you?

Figuring it out without having any real direction can be an expensive process. There are a few things you can do for free to provide you with a decent starting point. The first of which is to spend a little time at your local golf store, and test a few clubs. I would highly suggest you use that time to figure out which long shot clubs suit your natural swing. Test a 5 Wood, 4 Hybrid, and 4 Iron to see which you hit best. This will help you determine how to design your golf set. Also test how well you hit Hybrid Irons vs Traditional Irons. A lot of Beginners ignore Hybrid Iron sets like the Cobra T Rail, or Wilson Launch Pad sets. They can seriously help some golfers get started depending on your natural swing. When testing clubs pay attention to your natural ball flight, and what the majority of your miss hits are. Do you hit a lot of chunks or thins? Do you hook the ball or slice it? If you are able use your cellphone camera to film some of your test swings. This takes us to the second thing you can do. Go on YouTube and look up tips to help you with your swing problems. There are a lot of “experts” on YouTube but I’ve found a few that can offer solid advice. Start with Larry Cheung golf, Mr Shortgame, Me and My Golf, and Mark Crossfield. Between those channels you’ll probably find some helpful hints. For me personally Mark Crossfield helped me with my grip. Larry Cheung helped me improve my Back swing, and Mr Shortgame helped me limit my chunky shots. Me and My Golf have provided me with helpful drills to continuously improve. Spend time at the Range utilizing their tips for at least 8 hours of total Range time. That should improve your swing some. It won’t be perfect. Far from it actually, but at least you will have a very good idea of what you need to work on. At this point you might decide to invest in lessons, or a Swing Analyzer device. There is one more thing you can do before that though. Try swinging your clubs while choking down on the grip. Move your hands as far down the grip as possible without having any fingers on the actual shaft. The shorter a club is, the easier it is to hit. If suddenly your strike and ball flight is significantly better. Then a fitting might be the answer to gain some additional improvement. If things don’t look much different. Then it’s time to get lessons.

Of course everything I suggest is dependent on your budget. For instance I didn’t get my first, and only lesson until my third Season. I quickly realized that the same information is available on Larry Cheung’s YouTube channel. Provided you know enough about the basics of a golf swing to interpret his advice.

I hope this helps you accelerate your improvement. For more helpful tips for Beginners. Check out the Cobe Life YouTube channel.

Categories
FANTASY

NFL WILD CARD WEEKEND 2020

Houston Texans vs Buffalo Bills

This game required overtime to finally decide the winner. In the end the Home team Houston Texans won. I picked the Texans to win, but with Will Fuller out I knew it could be close. Without Will Fuller the Texans aren’t able to attack down field. When they are unable to stretch the field the intermediate routes get taken away by the safeties. This forced the Texans to play a very conservative short pass offense. Their running game is mediocre so play action wasn’t much of an option either. They would have to grind it out to win.

The Buffalo Bills were the lucky recipients of one of the easiest schedules in the NFL this Season. In order to finish with a 10-6 regular season record. They only had to beat 1 team with a winning record. This was the biggest factor that contributed to my pick of the Houston Texans. Their inexperience against quality opponents had me thinking that costly mistakes would be made. If the Texans play like that next week they will get thumped.

New England Patriots vs Tennessee Titans

As soon as I saw this match up I knew what would happen. The Patriots were the recipient of the absolute easiest schedule in football. They were also coming off a loss to the Miami Dolphins! Vegas still had them as the favourite which was ridiculous. I predicted that Derrick Henry was going to run all over them, and he did. The Patriots Defense was so ineffective against the run, that the Titans continued to run the ball during the 2 minute offense at the end of the first half. Vrabel even used a Belichick trick, and took multiple delay of game penalties to burn the clock. The Patriots won’t have the benefit of such an easy schedule next Season. It remains to be seen if this was Tom Brady’s last game as a New England Patriot.

New Orleans Saints vs Minnesota Vikings

The Saints were my pick to win the Superbowl so obviously I got this one wrong. This was a game decided by mistakes. It required overtime to decide the winner, but in my opinion it was over before that. Most people, myself included probably expected the Minnesota Vikings to be the team that made the big mistakes. Kirk Cousins record in big games is far from exemplary. Drew Brees on the other hand generally plays his best on a big stage. Not in this game. Drew Brees made one of the ugliest fumbles I’ve seen in quite some time. Generally speaking a Quarterback shouldn’t fumble the ball when they are fully aware of where the pressure is coming from. With the New Orleans Saints in scoring position Drew Brees fumbled the ball, and that was pretty much the game.

Seattle Seahawks vs Philadelphia Eagles

I am a huge Seahawks fan so that factored into my pick of them to win a little bit. Really though it was the injury depleted Eagles that gave me confidence. I didn’t expect Carson Wentz to get knocked out of the game at the end of the first quarter though. That pretty much spelled the end of them. Honestly if Carson Wentz had come back after half time I think the Seahawks would have lost. Josh McCown couldn’t convert two fourth down attempts. I’m certain Carson Wentz would have converted at least one. The real standout in this game was rookie DK Metcalf. He finished with 7 receptions for 160 yards, and a touchdown. Not bad for a Wide Receiver that every team passed on.

All in all it was a great Wild Card Weekend. The real games begin next week.

Categories
GOLF

ARE HYBRID IRONS A NEW THING?

GOLF ANALYSTS ARE ACTING LIKE HYBRID IRONS ARE A NEW THING. TRUST ME THEY AREN’T!

Adams golf was one of the first major brands to jump into the Super Game Improvement Iron space. The Idea Tech A12 OS were released in 2012! Taylormade released the the M CGB hybrid Iron set in 2017. I’ve seen a number of guys on YouTube acting like the Cleveland Launcher HB, Cobra T Rail, and Wilson Launch Pad are revolutionary designs. Well they aren’t. They are just a return to the Super Game Improvement category.

As someone who has played Hybrid Irons before. I played the Adams Idea Tech V4 set. In fact I still play the 3, 4, and 5 Hybrids from that set. I occasionally still play the 6 Hybrid as well. I can offer a word of caution that I haven’t heard from any other analyst. Thick soled Hybrid Irons can be very difficult to hit off of hard surfaces. Most Beginners make ground first contact quite often. The thick soles won’t bite into the turf if the ground is very hard. The Iron ends up bouncing upward and causing Thin shots. In Canada that generally means that Hybrid Irons aren’t suitable in the fall, or during dry spells in the summer.

All you ever hear is that chunky Hybrid Irons are CONFIDENCE INSPIRING, EASY TO HIT, EASY TO LAUNCH, and GREAT FROM ANY LIE. They are easy to hit off medium to soft ground. They do inspire confidence. They do launch well. You don’t want to hit a Hybrid Iron out of a Deep bunker. A lot of these sets will go down to Sand Wedge. Do yourself a favour and invest in a traditional Wedge if you invest in a Hybrid Iron set. The soles of a Hybrid Iron Gap Wedge, or Sand Wedge are so thick it’s almost impossible to open the face to add loft. Even if the Sand is soft it can be difficult to get enough of the club down behind the ball because the club will bounce, or slide across it, and cause you to catch the ball thin. Definitely not the result you are looking for in a bunker. Now if you are a very skilled player you can play almost any club out of a bunker so the majority of golf analysts won’t be aware of these shortcomings.

The target market for these clubs are generally Beginners. For the most part Beginners aren’t great ball strikers. Beginners generally need all the help they can get out of a bunker. Beginners need to have a decent amount of control from shorter distances. For these reasons it is my belief that most Beginners won’t require Super Game Improvement Hybrid Irons unless they are very slow swingers that need a lot of help getting the ball in the air. In that case a set of Super Game Improvement Hybrid Irons fitted with Graphite Shafts would be ideal. Provided they invest in a more traditional Sand Wedge as well.

Categories
GOLF

THE GOLF EXPERTS ARE MISLEADING YOU!!!

YOU ARE BEING MISINFORMED!

Almost every day I see YouTube videos, Blog Posts, or Instagram Posts that make claims that mislead the Average Golfer. I get a little upset every time I see one because those same Posts mislead me a few years ago. I wasted money, time, and energy on equipment that just didn’t suit a High Handicapper like me.

Every year almost every golf blogger releases their Top # of every type of club. These lists are just infuriating. First of all they are misrepresented from the very beginning. They should be called Favourite Lists not Top Lists. Saying that one particular Iron is just better than another similar Iron for them, and anyone else is just ludicrous. Every golfer is different. Every swing is different. I might hit a Cobra Game Improvement Iron long and straight, but you might have difficulty hitting that same Iron long at all. If I released a list of the Best Game Improvement Irons on a budget the Cobra King series would be on it. Imagine you read that post, and decided to buy a set based on that information. You would be disappointed with the results, and be mad at me or upset with yourself. Now I’m still a Beginner, and 18 Handicap golfer. You might see that as a negative, and decide that’s why my assessment of the Irons were incorrect. In fact I am sure a lot of people see it that way. That’s why accomplished professionals like Rick Shiels, Peter Finch, James Robinson, Today’s Golfer, and others have so many followers. You make the incorrect assumption that because they are such great golfers their opinion has more value to you. IT DOESN’T! In fact it means less. Who do you believe you share more in common with as an average golfer? Would it be me, the 18 Handicap, with an Average 95mph Driver swing speed, who hits the occasional slice? Would it be Rick Shiels, the scratch golfer, with an Average 113mph Driver swing speed, who makes perfect center face contact about 90% of the time? According to the statistical averages, close to 75% of golfers are much closer to me in skill level. Only about 5% of golfers are within 5 strokes of Rick Shiels. How a club performs in his hands has little to no bearing on close to 80% of the golfers out there. Yet the golfing community takes a lot of what he says as gospel. In actuality you should be paying more attention to what golfers like me are saying about equipment. So will I start releasing Top clubs lists? No I won’t. I understand that what makes me a Bogey Golfer isn’t necessarily what makes you one, and that my swing is different than yours. What I will do is tell you what has worked for me specifically, and why. Then you can make your own assumptions based on your swing and skill level.

MY GOLF SPY MOST WANTED

Most Wanted by who? Now I am guilty of putting far to much stock in the My Golf Spy Most Wanted lists in the past. It wasn’t until I really looked at how they arrive at their data, and more importantly what information they leave out. It made me realize that interpreting their results was next to impossible. First of all their final results are calculated using an average of all the shot data they collect. Which means everything from Scratch Golfers to possibly very high Handicappers is included. How does that help you, the individual Golfer make a decision that’s best for you? The simple answer is that it doesn’t! What’s worse is that they use Strokes Gained as a key metric when determining the final rankings. Personally I’ll take Accuracy over Strokes Gained every single time. At least they’ve started to add additional awards to specific categories for some clubs like Distance, and Forgiveness. Should you then try to make a buying decision based on their data? Once again the answer is NO! To illustrate why I’ll use their most recent Most Wanted Driver results as an example. I have personally tested a number of the Drivers that are in that test. The first thing I can tell you is that their winner the Callaway Epic Flash Sub Zero driver does not work for me. At my swing speed and average launch angle I need more Spin not less. What is even more telling that their results could have no relevance to me whatsoever, is the Average Spin numbers for each Driver. I average close to 3000rpm in backspin with most Drivers. Not one of their Drivers have anything close to 3000rpm on average. I’ve personally tested 9 of the Drivers on their test and only 2 of those did I average under 2500rpm. In other words my results have almost nothing in common with their results. The only statistic that was very close to theirs was ball speed. Carry Distance, Total Distance, Launch angle, Apex, and everything else was different. I am certain that I’m not the only one their results don’t apply to because I’ve had friends test some of those Drivers as well. Their numbers didn’t match either. Of course why should they? We aren’t an average of a bunch of people. We are individuals!

ARE HANDICAP SPECIFIC LISTS THE ANSWER?

What if My Golf Spy and Other Golf equipment rating websites tested each club with specific Handicap groups? Would a golf club test that only included golfers with a Handicap of 17 to 20 be more relevant to me? Of course it would, but it can still be misleading. To help you understand why I’ll use myself, and two of my golfing buddies as an example. Oliver, Manny, and I are all 18 Handicap Golfers. How we achieve that 18 Handicap is completely different though. Manny is a long hitter off the Tee, and very accurate with his 3 and 4 Hybrid. He is definitely the best of the three of us for Distance. Oliver has the slowest swing speed with the Driver so doesn’t hit it very long off the Tee. He is very accurate with his Irons though, and actually hits them longer than both Manny and I. His Iron play is key to reducing his scores. I have the best Short Game of the three of us. I definitely save a few strokes Putting, and am very accurate when Chipping. It’s my skill in the Short Game that gets me to an 18 Handicap. If the three of us tested the same club, our results could be completely different. Even though we are the same Handicap, our ability with any particular club could be totally different. Just because you group golfers by Handicap, doesn’t guarantee that the results will apply to you even if you are the same Handicap.

THEN WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

The answer is to go out and test the equipment yourself. I began golfing by listening to the “Experts” and I got burned. It wasn’t until I started testing equipment myself that my game was given a chance to improve through having the correct equipment. I still review equipment, but unlike the majority of experts my reviews are ongoing. I don’t just hit a club a few times in a Simulator, and take it out on the course once to make my decision. I use that piece of golf equipment continuously for months, and update you along the way. I inform you about what I like, or don’t like about it. Why it works, or doesn’t work for me. I’ll go as far as recommending it if it fills a particular need that you might have. For Instance I suggest that Beginners who Slice their Driver due to an Open Face at impact buy a Draw biased Driver that helps close the face. I arrived at this conclusion during my Ongoing Review of the Ping G SFT. Keep in mind that a Draw biased Driver won’t correct a severe out to in swing path. So if that’s why you slice your Driver you’ll need to get a lesson. What I’m trying to say is that I will do my best to provide you with relevant information. I won’t mislead you. I actually am unbiased, have no paid sponsorships, and receive zero incentives from Golf industry manufacturers.

IF YOU WANT REAL ADVICE – THIS IS WHERE TO GET IT!

YouTube channel
http://youtube.com/c/CobeLife

Instagram
http://instagram.com/cobesports

and Twitter
http://twitter.com/cobeness

Categories
FANTASY

The NFL Collapse

What has happened?

As you all know, I am a huge fan of the NFL. Football is easily the greatest spectator sport. Whether you are watching it on television, or live at the stadium. It is an amazing experience.

As a dedicated fan of a couple teams. Part of what makes football so special is the parity created by the Salary Cap, and NFL draft. Even if your team finishes last in a Season. It might only take a couple of Seasons to be back in the Playoffs if you have a smart General Manager. Some teams have suffered due to poor management, or just a poor situation that prevents them from improving. Fortunately for me my two favourite teams have always been relevant.

Generally each Season there are about four teams that lack the necessary talent to compete. This happens for a number of reasons. Some teams are in a rebuilding phase with a number of rookie Players at key positions. Some teams suffer due to injuries to key players. Some teams have issues adjusting to a new coaches scheme. Whatever it might be the reason is obvious and understood by both the fans, and the rest of the league.

This Season there are much more than the usual three or four teams that can’t cut it. In no particular order they are the New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins, Cleveland Browns, Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, New York Giants, and Chicago Bears. That’s right 10 teams in the NFL are basically irrelevant. Keep in mind that there are only 32 teams in the entire league. So what has happened this Season?

A few of the 10 teams were expected to be bad. The Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals, and Washington Redskins began the Season with very little expectations for success. The Arizona Cardinals started the Season with a new Head Coach, and Rookie Quarterback so they are doing about as well as can be expected. I think everyone expected Daniel Jones to take over from Eli Manning at some point, so the New York Giants are rebuilding as well. That makes 5 teams everyone can accept are uncompetitive. What about the other 5? The Cleveland Browns were supposed to finally compete. The addition of Odell Beckham Jr., to an already strong receiving corps. Nick Chubb at Running Back, and of course cocky Baker Mayfield at Quarterback. People were picking the to win their division. Not anymore! I honestly feel bad for the Browns fans. This was finally going to be their time to shine. The New York Jets looked like they might actually challenge the Patriots with the off season addition of Le’Veon Bell, and CJ Mosley. Well that’s not happening. The Denver Broncos thought they could resurrect Joe Flacco’s career. To be honest as a Broncos fan I didn’t think it was possible. Turns out I was right. The Atlanta Falcons look like a solid team on paper. Too bad for them this game isn’t played on paper, because on the field they have been horrible. The Chicago Bears were 12-4 last season, and won their division. To be fair I felt their record was a bit deceiving last season. They won a few games through incredibly strong Defensive play. The NFL has done all it can to limit Defenses. You can’t expect a team to continue to get by on great Defense alone. The Chicago Offense is garbage. Watch any of their games and I am sure you’ll agree. In today’s NFL that isn’t a recipe for success. Defensive coaches should take notice.

What can be done?

First of all bet against any of the 10 teams I mentioned above, unless they are playing against each other. Strike while the iron is hot. Another side effect of such lopsided divisions is the reduced number of games worth watching. I have never skipped watching this many NFL games before. Maybe if we all ignore the truly horrendous mismatches the NFL will take notice. Nobody wants to say it but for at least a decade the NY Jets, Miami Dolphins, and Buffalo Bills have been tanking it. Why, because they don’t want to invest in players while Belichick and Brady are in their division. It’s not coincidental that both the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets are developing their Quarterbacks of the future now. Most people would predict that Brady is maybe two years from retirement. In fact one more Superbowl could be enough for him to call it quits. When he leaves the division is there for the taking. They are finally beginning to build a team that would stand a chance. The Collective Bargaining Agreement is coming to an end. Hopefully the league will address some of the current issues, and make changes that will prevent non competitive seasons like this in the future.

Categories
GOLF

A GOLF BEGINNER’S WITB

This is what a purpose built Beginner Golfer set looks like. Each club is specifically selected to make the game easier. Whether it’s designed to increase Forgiveness, Straighten out my shot, hit out of the Rough, or increase the peak height and descent angle. Together this set has helped me become a Bogey Golfer in my fourth Season.

Driver
Ping G SFT
10.6 degrees
Ping Alta S 55gram

  • The straight flight technology has really helped me straighten out my Fade, and added 15 yards to my average Drive.

3 Wood
Adams Blue
15 degrees
Aldila Slimtech S 55gram

  • Quite simply the easiest 3 Wood to hit Off the Tee, and relatively easy to launch Off the Deck.

3 Hybrid
Adams Idea Tech V4
19 degrees
Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara R 60gram

  • Super easy to hit high launching Hybrid out of any lie.

4 Hybrid
Adams Idea Tech V4
22 degrees
Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara R 60gram

  • Super easy to hit high launching Hybrid out of any lie.

5 Hybrid *
Adams Idea Tech V4
25 degrees
Mitsubishi Rayon Bassara R 60gram

  • Super easy to hit high launching Hybrid out of any lie.

6 Iron *
Cobra F7
26 degrees
True Temper F7 R 107gram

  • Easy launch distance Iron that still has a really pleasing look at address which inspires confidence.

7 Iron
Cobra F7
30 degrees
True Temper F7 R 107gram

  • Easy launch distance Iron that still has a really pleasing look at address which inspires confidence.

8 Iron
Cobra F7
35 degrees
True Temper F7 R 107gram

  • High launching Iron designed to help hold Greens.

9 Iron
Cobra F7
40 degrees
True Temper F7 R 107gram

  • High launching Iron designed to help hold Greens.

Pitching Wedge
Cobra F7
45 degrees
True Temper F7 R 107gram

  • High launching Iron designed to help hold Greens.

Attack Wedge
Cobra F7
50 degrees
True Temper F7 R 107gram

  • High bounce Wedge perfect for Approach shots out of any lie.

Gap Wedge *
Cleveland RTX 2.0 Cavity Back
52 degrees 10 bounce
True Temper Dynamic Gold W

  • Mid bounce Approach Wedge that just cuts through the Rough.

Sand Wedge
Cleveland RTX 2.0 Cavity Back
56 degrees 14 bounce
True Temper Dynamic Gold W

  • Total utility Wedge that’s great out of any lie, and easy to manipulate for touch shots around the Greens.

Chipper
Acer XK
45 degrees
Apollo Wedge W

  • fantastic for Chip and Runs, short Pitches over hazards, and for punching out of awkward lies.

Putter
Taylormade Spider X
KBS CT Tour shaft

  • High MOI Putter with exceptional feel.
  • Clubs marked with an asterisk are cycled in and out of the set depending on the Course. I am a huge believer in having the right tool for the job. The 5 Hybrid and 6 Iron fly a similar distance but with completely different trajectories, and are effective from different lies. The Gap Wedge has significantly less bounce than the Attack Wedge, and is great for hitting out of Deep Rough. I also fly it around 10 yards shorter on average. For shorter courses with small Greens it’s beneficial to have every Wedge in the bag.
Categories
GOLF

FINDING YOUR PROPER GOLF SWING

THE BEGINNING

In 2015 a friend of mine invited me out to the Docks Golf Driving Range in Toronto, Ontario. I hadn’t swung a Golf club since the 90s but I went along anyways. Golf wasn’t high on my list of preferred sports, but a collapsed arch in my left foot limited which sports I could still play. Both my friend and I are lefties so I could borrow his clubs. If you have been to the Docks Driving Range you’ll know that there is a target roughly 110 yards out. After about 10 swings at it I hit the bullseye with a 5 Iron and I was hooked.

INFORMATION OVERLOAD

I am the type of guy that needs to know everything about whatever interests me. So before I purchased any equipment I read every review, beginner’s guide, and company website. I knew more about Golf Equipment than the majority of Sales people I spoke with at stores. It would be another year before I’d realize that the majority of information on the internet was coming from the wrong people, or marketing biased. It was at this point that I decided to start the Cobe Life Golf Social Media accounts. It was time for a dedicated Beginner Golfer to help other Beginners develop their game faster. I would provide the correct information, useful tips, and point them towards the right equipment.

THE RIGHT BALANCE

How many clubs should you start with? Super Game Improvement or Game Improvement? Forged or Cast? What Flex should I use? Which ball is best? Should I get lessons? Should I get fit? There are so many questions facing a Beginner. If you have watched my videos on my Cobe Life YouTube channel, and follow me @cobesports on Instagram then you will have the answers to all of these questions. I can’t tell you what the perfect combination is for you, but I can point you in the right direction. If you have a question that needs answering, just ask.

REALITY CHECK

Today was a real eye opener for me. I didn’t expect the realization that I am no longer a true Beginner to be so abrupt. What happened today made me realize that some of my previous conclusions were flawed. The advice I provided to my Followers was good, but there is room for a little adjustment. Every major manufacturer in golf produces their equipment based on one major assumption. That the customer has a proper golf swing. I have been playing golf since 2015, and I just realized today that I didn’t have a real golf swing up until about a month ago. Keep in mind that I have broke 90 a few times without a proper golf swing. How is that possible? It’s comparable to other sports that require swings. Most people can hit a baseball, but very few could hit a Home Run. That requires a proper baseball swing. Almost anyone can make a wrist shot in hockey, but might have trouble hitting a slap shot. That requires a proper Hockey swing. Hitting a golf ball down the Fairway isn’t exceptionally hard. Making that ball compress at impact, and Spin the way it’s supposed to is much harder. For three years I had just been hitting a ball down the Fairway. All of the modern technology that goes into today’s golf equipment is almost useless without a proper golf swing. Multilayer Golf Balls might as well be Range Balls. CG placement doesn’t effect much when you hit all over the clubface. Feel doesn’t help when you are unsure what a proper shot feels like.

THE NEXT STEP

Now that I’ve developed a proper golf swing. I’m going to give two perspectives on all the equipment I review. Whether it is beneficial for a total Beginner before they’ve developed a proper swing, and how beneficial it is for a Beginner that has developed a proper golf swing. I can say with absolute certainty that there is very little difference between Super Game Improvement and Game Improvement Irons for a total Beginner before they’ve developed a proper golf swing. A Super Game Improvement Iron can inspire confidence so that might be the difference maker for some of you.

How do you know if you have developed a proper golf swing?

STAY TUNED!