Category: GOLF

Golf instruction, and tips for Beginners.  Golf equipment reviews.  Golf course reviews.  My personal Golf experiences, and stories.

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GOLF

TAYLORMADE PROJECT A VS SRIXON Q-STAR TOUR

Srixon Q-Star Tour Golf Balls

About halfway through this golf season I switched from the Taylormade Project A golf ball to the Srixon Q-Star Tour ball. After a few months of play with the Q-Star Tour it’s time for a comparison.

Both balls are specifically designed for golfers that swing their Drivers at a little less than 100mph. Both balls have a 3 layer design with a Urethane cover. In other words they should be perfect for me.

The Project A has a 322 dimple pattern, and 70 compression.

The Q-Star Tour has a 338 dimple pattern, and a 72 compression.

COMPARISONS

DRIVER

Neither of these balls have proven to be the longest balls off the Tee for me. That Award belongs to the Nike RZN Red unfortunately. A ball that’s no longer in production. That being said the Srixon Q-Star Tour is slightly longer off the Tee than the Project A. Both fly relatively straight, but like any 3 piece ball will slice or hook if you hit it poorly. Both balls promote a mid to high ball flight but don’t sail too high.

Taylormade Project A 3.5 out of 5

Srixon Q-Star Tour 4 out of 5

WOODS AND HYBRIDS

Both balls performed great off my 3 Wood and Hybrid clubs. Once again the dimple patterns and ball compression promoted a high ball flight. That made long approaches into Greens less daunting. 2 piece balls rarely hold the Green off my Hybrids, but these 3 piece balls landed soft enough to attack Pins. There was almost no difference in Hybrid distance, but the Srixon Q-Star Tour did travel further off the 3 Wood. The Project A generated a little more spin so it held Greens slightly better. I was able to hold Greens with my 4 Hybrid from 180 yards out with the Project A. That’s ridiculous!

Taylormade Project A 4.5 out of 5

Srixon Q-Star Tour 4 out of 5

IRONS

Once again both balls performed great off the Irons. When attacking Greens with an Iron in hand it’s hard not to smile. I used to club down and aim for the front of Greens with 2 piece balls expecting about 5 yards of roll out. With the Taylormade Project A, and Srixon Q-Star Tour I can take aim at the flag and stick it. In fact if I opened the club face just slightly I could spin the ball back a couple yards. This allowed me to play shots to the back of Greens for the first time. The opportunities this provided me in certain situations was amazing. If ever there was an argument to switch to a premium 3 piece ball that would be it.

Taylormade Project A 5 out of 5

Srixon Q-Star Tour 5 out of 5

SHORT GAME WEDGES AND PUTTER

My Short game is very consistent. I don’t have that many different shots that I use around the Greens. I prefer to use Chip and Runs whenever I can. I hit flop shots when necessary, and I occasionally hit a one hop Pitch shot. Chip and Runs are actually a little more difficult with 3 piece Urethane covered balls because they want to check up. As a result of that I was forced to hit them a little harder than what felt natural. Hitting flops over hazards or out of bunkers was a blast. Even out of the Rough I could generate a fair amount of spin. The Srixon Q-Star Tour was a little more durable which surprised me. The newest Spinskin is far more durable than the original version. Off the Putter I found the Project A to be a little more responsive. It felt a little hotter off the face which is great for me because I have a tendency to leave putts short.

Taylormade Project A 4 out of 5

Srixon Q-Star Tour 4 out of 5

CONCLUSION

Obviously I was impressed with both balls. If you add up the scores it’s a tie, but the numbers don’t tell you everything. For me there is an obvious winner, and that’s the Srixon Q-Star Tour. If I was a naturally longer hitter than I would have chosen the Taylormade Project A. I love the amount of control, and Spin that I can generate with that ball. It’s also a pleasure to putt. The additional distance I get with the Srixon Q-Star Tour is impossible to ignore though. An extra 10 yards can make a world of difference on some doglegs, and it Spins well enough to attack Greens. In other words it’s the better ball for me.

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GOLF

CAN YOU PLAY TOO MUCH GOLF?

Yes and No

Golfing has obviously become a large part of what I do. Whether it’s researching new equipment, new technology, keeping up with the PGA & LPGA, practicing, or playing. Every day I’m doing something golf related. When it comes to playing, I play a lot. Sounds like heaven to some of you I’m sure. Well over the last couple of years I’ve realized something. It is possible to play too much golf. I’ve personally experienced what it can do, and seen the affects of too much golf on others.

There needs to be a Balance

Before I get into the explanation of things, this really only applies to people who are serious about improving at golf. If your goal is just to go out with friends and have fun? Then playing as much as possible if you enjoy it is fine. Now if you are more like me, and are serious about improving your game then there needs to be a balance.

The balance that I’m referring to is between the amount you play, and the amount you practice. There are a number of ways to improve your game, but the most effective means is through practice. Don’t get me wrong, playing does help you improve as well. For the most part though improving while playing requires success. Hitting a great Bunker shot is a perfect example. Generally speaking the majority of golfers take a little extra time to prepare for a bunker shot. You make sure your stance is perfect, and you aren’t allowed to ground your club so you take extra time to insure your setup is right. Then when you are sure everything is perfect you take your shot. When it works you know exactly why. What happens when things don’t work out on the course? You have done everything you believed you were supposed to do, and the end result is a total failure. Do you elect to do things differently the next time? Of course not! You convince yourself that maybe your timing was a little off, or you were a tad too close to the ball, or you lifted your head just before impact, or any number of excuses. The reality is that unless you get really lucky, you probably won’t fix the issue before the end of the Round. You know where you could have fixed it though? You could have fixed it out on the Range, or at your favourite practice area.

Where failure is fine

It doesn’t really bother me all that much when I hit a terrible shot during practice. It’s not going to affect my handicap. It isn’t that embarrassing. It provides me with a sense of what not to do. The last two Rounds of golf I played I was slicing quite a few of my drives. This is nothing new for me, but earlier in the season I had almost completely fixed my slice. Unfortunately after the first Round of golf I wasn’t able to get out to the Practice Range. I knew at the beginning of the second Round of golf that I was probably going to struggle with my driver, and struggle I did. I hit about 7 drives that Round, and not one of them found the fairway. You know why they didn’t? They didn’t because nobody wants to try something totally different during a Round. I’d rather miss the fairway by 5 yards, than completely shank my drive to the middle of nowhere, or even worse hit it 5 yards total by almost whiffing. If I was at the Range I would just try different setups, and swings until I figured out what was working. Then once I hit a few consecutively good shots I could go play my next Round with confidence.

Confidence is key

You have probably heard me say that confidence is the most important thing in golf so many times that you’re sick of it. Well it is! When people ask me how far I hit my Driver I give them two answers. I hit it around 250 yards at the Range, and around 220 yards on the course. Why two answers you ask? It’s simple. At the Range there’s nothing to worry about except how far you hit it, so you swing freely. Out on the course there’s hazards, rough, your score, strangers watching, and the understanding that if you hit a bad shot that you can’t just hit another one. So when I’m out on the course I generally don’t swing as hard, and that goes for most beginners. In fact I generally hit every club in my bag about 5 to 10 yards shorter out on the course.

So what’s the right amount?

Play as much as you would like, provided you practice at least half as often as you play. If something is off with your game then practice more often until you get it right. That way you won’t develop bad habits that are hard to break. Personally I try to practice more than I play, but with the Canadian golf season being so short it’s difficult at times. There are plenty of ways to make practice fun, so find what works for you and stick to it.

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GOLF

GOLF ONGOING REVIEW UPDATES 2019

The value of ongoing reviews

When I started the ongoing review format last season I wasn’t sure how effective it would be. The results were staggering to say the least. Products I originally assumed wouldn’t stand the test of time actually did. In fact I am still using some of them. I also learned that first impressions are more about personal bias, or effective marketing than actual fact. Kudos to the successful marketing departments out there.

This season has been no different. Some of my early impressions haven’t been correct, and time has shown the occasional flaw I wouldn’t have noticed in a traditional review. So after four months of testing, which is around the halfway mark for my ongoing reviews. Here are a few updates on the products I’ve been putting to the test.

Taylormade Project A Golf balls

If you would like a complete review on the Project A golf balls check my previous blog post. The ongoing review of the Taylormade Project A golf balls has come to an end because I actually began testing them last October. Simply put the Taylormade Project A isn’t for me. I’m not saying it’s a bad golf ball. Quite the contrary actually. It Spins well off the Irons, and Wedges. It is one of the best balls I’ve ever tested on the greens to putt with. Where the Project A is lacking is distance. In the simulator it constantly came up with slower ball speeds than other balls I had tested. It was obvious on the course as well where I would be short off the tee or on long approach shots. If I was a naturally long hitter than the Project A would be perfect but I’m not.

My first impressions of the Project A were great! I loved the Spin I was seeing in the simulator, and it felt so good off the Putter. It’s why I chose to do an ongoing review in the firsat place. It took a couple of months out on the course to realize that distance was going to be a serious issue for me.

Swing Caddie SC200

I can tell you that my initial impressions of the Swing Caddie SC200 were fueled by excitement for the product. First and foremost the Swing Caddie SC200 does what it’s supposed to do. It is an accurate portable launch monitor. I’ve tested it right alongside a brand new GC Hawk by foresight and it was within a yard in acuuracy. Now I will say that the accuracy was poor on total miss hits. The Swing Caddie is much better at reading swing speed and ball speed, but fails at trajectory. Of course total miss hits are easy for almost any golfer to notice so just ignore those numbers and move on. Where the Swing Caddie SC200 really shines is in the hitting bay. Hitting into a net gets boring real quick without some sort of launch monitor tech. I’ve spent up to 4 hours swinging in a hitting bay with the Swing Caddie. The more swings you take, the more data it compiles. This is a feature I wasn’t originally interested in, but have come to rely on as the season progresses. The SC200 tracks your average swing distance with each club. As you improve the numbers will improve. You will also become aware of weaknesses in your game that you maybe weren’t aware of.

There have been a few flaws with the Swing Caddie SC200 that you should be aware of. The SC200 needs to be positioned on a surface that’s level with the hitting surface. Sounds simple but it can be a pain at times. Most of the Ranges in Canada only have mats to hit off of early in the season. This means that I have to bring something for the Swing Caddie to sit on in order to raise it up to the correct level. If it isn’t just right it can provide you with incorrect distances. The remote that comes with it is relatively easy to use, but I have found myself having to be within a foot of the screen to get it to work sometimes. Otherwise I have enjoyed my time with the Swing Caddie SC200 thus far.

Arccos 360

The Arccos 360 Golf Performance Tracking system might be the product we were most excited to test. Manny a Cobe Life contributor installed it on to his complete set of clubs, and we couldn’t wait to see how it worked.

The first impressions were poor because 4 of the sensors that came with the kit were faulty. Fortunately Arccos replaced them quickly through their customer service department. Out on the course the Arccos 360 system does what it’s supposed to do most of the time. You need to keep monitoring what the Arccos 360 system is successfully registering. Now at first we thought it was entirely the Arccos 360 system’s fault but there is a certain amount of user error you should be aware of. We noticed after a few rounds that some of the shots weren’t being recorded. Well the Arccos 360 system doesn’t know when you’ve duffed one. If you completely flub a shot and end up walking only a few feet forward to take your next shot. The Arccos 360 assumes the previous shot was just a practice swing. Even shots that you might have considered successful chips can be missed if they traveled more upwards than outwards, and your next shot is with the same club. So you need to be aware of these situations. Another habit you need to develop is remembering to hit your gimme putts. Something Manny wasn’t used to, and it’s best to hit them firmly to ensure that they register.

What we have been most impressed with is the club suggestion system when out on the course. The Arccos 360 doesn’t just suggest the appropriate club based on distance. It factors in your successful shot percentage with each club as well. In a situation where you would normally choose to hit Driver off the tee, it might suggest you choose a 4 Hybrid instead because your chances of finding the fairway are greatly increased with that club, and your approach percentages are almost the same with either your wedge or 7 iron.

Ping G SFT Driver

When it came to selecting which Driver I would be doing an ongoing review of, first impressions were important. I did some extensive testing in the simulator of a number of different Drivers before selecting the Ping G SFT.

So did I choose correctly? The jury is still out on that one. The first question on everyone’s mind is, does the Straight Flight Technology actually work? I can confidently say that it does. Will it straighten out a swing that’s way over the top with a club face totally open to path? Hell no. What it will do is make closing the club face easier, and create a sweet spot slightly closer to the heel of the club where most Beginners tend to hit it. There are times when my swing is just atrocious, and I can’t blame the club for that. When my swing is working though I’ve never hit it that straight with any other Driver.

One issue I’ve had is generating a decent smash factor to increase ball speed. Now I know that part of the issue has been the balls I was using, but even with practice balls in the simulator my Smash Factor has been relatively low. I’m sure part of it has been me, but so far the Ping G SFT does not appear to have a Hot face.

Winn JumboLite Grip

If you follow me on cobesports on Instagram then you will know how excited I was when I first tested the Winn JumboLite grip on my putting mat at home. It felt like sinking putts was going to be automatic when I hit the course. I will say that my putting has improved. It just hasn’t improved as much as I expected it would. Brand new the grip felt absolutely perfect, but after a few months it’s already lost some of it’s cushion in the hands. It’s obvious that this grip has some durability issues because already the rubber on the butt end is beginning to peel, and the grip itself is getting a touch hard in spots. For someone who golfs maybe once a month it’s fine but for an addict like myself durability is a concern. This is the first “jumbo grip” I’ve used, and I won’t be going back to regular sized grips. The next grip I choose won’t be as large, but it will be made of a more durable material. A soft grip is nice in the hands, but as the wear sets in the feel changes. That is something you don’t want to have to deal with when putting.

I don’t mind the look.

Acer XK Chipper

The Acer XK Chipper, or Flipper as they call it because of the increased loft didn’t impress me much out of the box. Be honest would you be impressed? First of all it’s made by Acer. This is a company known for making inexpensive computers, not golf equipment. I’d Tag them on social media but it appears as though they don’t have a golfing social media account. It’s not particularly impressive to look at, and the build quality is about as plain as can be. Still after last season I felt it was time to test a Chipper, and quite frankly I’m glad I did. Using the Acer XK took a bit of practice, but so does any new club. Once I got a feel for it, my results with it have constantly improved. Would I suggest it to anyone having troubles around the greens? Yes, a resounding yes, but it does have a few limitations.

Keep in mind that this is a $60 club so you shouldn’t expect it to be perfect. What the Acer XK lacks the most is Feel. It doesn’t have a Milled face, or a special insert that took years of R&D to design. It’s just plain old steel with 5 horizontal lines across the face. The reason I’m constantly improving with this club is because it takes a lot of use to get used to how hard you need to hit it. Correct weight is achieved through muscle memory not feel. If Spin is your goal then this isn’t the right club for you. I’ve managed to make the odd Chip check up a bit, but for the most part using a Chipper is about rolling it all the way to the hole. It’s so easy to use that I honestly don’t care if I miss the green. In fact sometimes it’s better to come up short than leave myself a long putt with lots of break. With the Acer XK chipper I can fly some of the break and leave myself an easier roll to the hole.

Ongoing Reviews are the best indication

I can tell you that if I only spent a day with some of these products my conclusions would be very different. Even a week would have yielded different results. The only reviews that genuinely inform you of a products worth are ongoing reviews. Anyone who says different is flat out lying, ignorant to the fact, or biased through marketing.

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GOLF

TAYLORMADE PROJECT A GOLF BALL REVIEW

What I have learned in 8 months

When I review a product I don’t just spend an hour or two in the simulator, at the range, or play a Round of golf on the course. I continue to test the product through my ongoing reviews until there is no doubt left in my mind about my conclusions. There are so many variables that come into play when you evaluate a product with a very small sample size. I don’t care if you are a 20+ Handicap golfer or Rory McIlroy. Every golfer has good days and bad days with their swing. If I tested a Driver one time in the Simulator on a good swing day. I might conclude that particular Driver is the best I’ve ever tested. The same is true for a Ball test. Without testing products on an ongoing basis it’s impossible to differentiate between what the product is responsible for and what your swing is responsible for. Tour

I’ve spent the last 8 months playing the Project A ball which theoretically should be the right ball for me. The A in Project A stands for Amateur. The ball has a Tour ball type of design with 3 layers including a Urethane cover. What separates it from the ProV1, TP5, and Tour B balls is the Compression. The Taylormade Project A has a lower Compression than the top Tour balls so slower swing speed Players can properly compress the ball at impact. According to Taylormade the Project A’s design should “combine to increase Driver and Long Iron distance while maintaining excellent greenside control and feel”.

Do I agree with Taylormade’s claims about the Poject A? Well to be honest I do and I don’t.

DRIVER RESULTS

Over the last 8 months I’ve switched from the Cobra Fly-Z Driver to the Ping G SFT Driver so my results are derived from a combination of shots taken with both. Having a slightly lower compression than the top Tour balls had me excited about the distances I should expect to see off the tee. My swing speed with the Driver fluctuates between 92 and 98 mph. I don’t consistently make center face contact so smash factor and ball speed can vary. There is one thing I’m very good at with both Drivers, and that’s knowing when I hit one perfectly. fortunately both Drivers provide a lot of feedback. Whether it was in the Simulator, at the Range, or on the course when I really smashed one the results were the same. The Smash Factor was a little bit lower than expected resulting in a slightly lower ball speed than what I’ve seen with some other balls I’ve tested. Carry and Total distances were an average of 5 to 8 yards shorter than the longest balls I’ve tested. Off center hits resulted in an even greater drop off.

Unfortunately for a Beginner like myself the Project A didn’t provide me with an advantage Off the Tee with the Driver. It isn’t the shortest ball by any means but it wasn’t particularly long either. Dispersion was decent. I have a tendency to hit a Fade to a Slice and I was able to find the Fairway the majority of the time. Of course the lack of distance is partially responsible for allowing me to hold some of those Fairways.

WOOD & HYBRID RESULTS

i play more Hybrid clubs in my bag than the majority of golfers. I have a 3, 4, 5, and 6 Hybrid. I also play with a 3 Wood. How well I score on the course has a lot to do with how well I hit my Hybrids that day. The 3 Wood doesn’t get used much except occasionally off the tee or as the set up shot on a long Par 5. The 3 Wood is more about total distance whereas the Hybrids are about accuracy.

My results with the Project A provided excellent accuracy with my Hybrids, but not much distance with the 3 Wood. This was an acceptable compromise for me because it meant that even long approaches into Greens could find the dance floor and have me putting for Birdie. I was impressed with the amount of Spin I could generate with my Hybrids. The Project A was easy to control, and did a good job of cutting through the wind on those very gusty days.

IRON & WEDGE RESULTS

If you haven’t already done the math my longest Iron is a 7 so these are the scoring clubs in my bag. I also play with a 52 degree Attack Wedge, 56 degree Sand Wedge, and a 60 degree Lob Wedge or Chipper. These are the clubs in my bag that I really expected the Project A ball to shine. With a Urethane outer shell you would expect the Project A to spin like crazy.

Well, I was not disappointed! I used to be really impressed with 2 yards of roll out when I attacked the Pin with my Pitching Wedge. Now I fully expect to stick it on the Carry number. Just last week I used my 9 Iron to attack a 105 yard Par 3 that was about 30 feet downhill. Normally that would be far too much club for me. Pin was in the front of the Green, and the Green runs downhill from back to front. I gripped down about an inch on the grip which would add a little bit of Spin and took aim at the center of the Green. I struck the Project A clean and hit my target. the Spin quickly brought the ball back toward the Pin almost 4 yards and left me with a 5 footer for Birdie.

You know I sunk it. Otherwise why even tell the story. The real beauty of that shot is that I called it before I made it. My cousin Greg was there and questioned my 9 Iron choice. With total confidence I told him that I was going to aim at the center of the Green and Spin it back. 8 months playing with the Taylormade Project A ball taught me that I could do it. Something I’ve never done with any other ball.

Wedge control can be too good at times. My Wedge game consists of three shots. I can hit a Flop shot from 25 to 50 yards out. I can Chip and Run from 15 yards and in. I can hit a decent Chipper shot from 25 yards and in. With the Project A my Flop shots are beautiful to watch. My Chip and Runs have a tendency to come up short because the check up to much. The Chipper shots are fairly accurate because the Project A rolls quite well on Greens. I used to hit the majority of my greenside shots as Chip and Runs but the Project A made that a little too difficult. As a result my Putting has had to improve because my distance to the hole has increased.

PUTTER RESULTS

Last but not least the flat stick. I’ve said it many times, if I can’t accurately Putt a ball it doesn’t matter how great it is at everything else, I can’t play it. Fortunately I can Putt a Project A or I would have never done an ongoing review on it.

I’ve putted balls with Surlyn, Lothane, and Urethane covers. I can confidently say that there is a difference. The advantage goes to the Urethane cover if, and only if you are confident with your putting stroke. I’ve noticed that the energy you put into the stroke is proportionate to the result you get from most Urethane balls. This might sound like a generalization that you could say about any golf ball, but I promise you that it isn’t. I’m sure that you’ve come across reviews of balls that others have said “felt like putting a marshmallow”. I’ve experienced it, and maybe some of you have as well. Those balls reduce the the energy transferred from your putt. Some balls have been described as “clicky or hot off the face”. Those balls increase the energy transferred from your putt. These shouldn’t be seen as negatives because depending on your stroke it might be perfect for you. When I first began playing seriously I wasn’t very confident on the Greens. I favoured a “hot off the face” ball because I tended to decelerate during the putting stroke. I’ve spent a lot of time working on my putting stroke since then. I know have a very pure stroke , and want a ball that travels at exactly the same pace of my swing. I’m happ to say that the Project A does exactly that.

It ranks at the very top of accurate balls I’ve putted . There are other balls that I’ve putted just as well, but none better. On the Greens the Project A is a perfect fit for me, and probably anyone with a confident putting stroke.

DURABILITY

The Taylormade Project A is a relatively durable ball. The outer layer does get noticeably scuffed from full Wedge shots, but I’ve found this to be the case for most second tier (just below tour level) golf balls. Considering that this ball is aimed at Beginners looking to improve their games, it’s unlikely that you will go through a full Round with one ball anyways. On average I go through a sleeve of balls each round on a full size golf course so a few minor cuts or scuff marks won’t bother me too much. On a short course where you expect to hit a lot of Wedges or short Irons it can be an issue which is too bad. Those are the courses where the Taylormade Project A’s abilities would shine but you would require quite a few balls to get through the round.

CONCLUSION

Obviously the good outweighs the bad when it comes to the Taylormade Project A golf ball, but will it be my ball of choice going forward…

No it won’t

You are probably wondering why. Especially after that spin back birdie story I told. The answer is simpler than you may have thought. The Taylormade Project A retails at $45 Canadian. I have routinely seen it go on sale for between $35 and $40 over the last year. At $40 Canadian for a dozen I honestly expect more from a golf ball. As great as the control may be off the Irons, and how pleasurable it is to Putt. It’s difficult to justify the price when I routinely find myself as the shortest off the tee. If the Taylormade Project A was $30 per dozen it would have stayed in the bag. Although I have played quite well with it. I can’t help but think a ball with a little more distance, and little less spin would benefit me more.

If you already hit a relatively long ball, than switching to the Project A might be the right move for you. For shorter hitters like myself it just magnifies that particular weakness. At the price, it just isn’t worth it for me.

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GOLF

ACER XK FLIPPER CHIPPER – ON THE COURSE FIRST IMPRESSIONS – ONGOING REVIEW

Have I seen a difference?

First of all it’s important to note why the Acer XK Flipper Chipper is in my bag in the first place. I am a strong believer in high percentage golf. What I mean by that is hitting the shots that you are most likely to succeed in executing. These are not necessarily the shots that could lead to you shooting the lowest score. They are the shots that will prevent you from having massive numbers on your scorecard though. In simpler terms I would rather hit the shot that guarantees me a Par or Bogey, than the shot that could get me Birdie but makes Triple Bogey a possibility.

You got it? I hope so. Now lets move on.

Last season I hit a lot of low percentage shots with my 60 degree Lob Wedge. Quite often what should have been an easy Par turned into a Double Bogey because of a bladed or duffed 60 Degree Wedge. One of my last Rounds of the year had an additional 6 strokes due to poorly struck Lob wedges. That was enough for me. If I’m going to successfully break 90 on a regular basis I would need to take that club out of the bag. So I did and the opportunity to test a Chipper style club arose. Why I chose the Acer XK Flipper is simple. It had the most loft and with the 60 degree gone I would need a club that I could pop over hazards short distances.

To answer my original question, YES I have seen a difference!

Overall utility

Lets begin with the number of poor shots. I’ve easily used the Chipper around 50 times on the course at this point and I’ve hit four poor shots. I’m not talking about shots that sent the ball into a hazard or skipping across the green to no man’s land. This is just poor contact where it didn’t travel nearly as far as I had hoped, or I clipped it and it went left instead of straight. Four out of fifty, so 8%. My poor contact rate with the 60 degree Lob Wedge was greater than 30%. Keep in mind that a bladed Lob Wedge usually meant serious trouble. Poor contact with the Acer XK just means you will have to hit it again. To be fair at least two of those poor shots with the Acer XK Flipper happened because I was testing to see what’s possible with the club.

Which brings me to how versatile the club has proven to be thus far. I’ve used it successfully from up to 35 yards out, and stuck it to within 8 feet of the Pin. I’ve used it to not only clear greenside bunkers, but to get out of them as well. One area the Acer XK Chipper has really excelled that I hadn’t considered before is punching out of the woods. A sliced or hooked Tee shot into the woods can leave you with some really awkward lies. The tight putting stroke you use with a Chipper makes dealing with some of those lies much easier. The heavy head goes right through the assorted rough you will find in the woods. Distance control is also far easier in those situations. Something I did expect the Acer XK to be great at is chipping from just off the green no matter the lie. I haven’t sunk one yet but I’ve come within inches of doing so multiple times. Instead of trying to land it close with a Wedge. Now I’m trying to sink it with the Chipper.

Control and Feel

I wish everything I had to say about the Acer XK Flipper Chipper was positive but alas it isn’t. When it comes to control and feel there are some negatives. It’s not all negative mind you but there is one particular area that’s lacking. SPIN. If you were wondering if you can generate spin with a Chipper. Well the answer is yes you can. You just can’t generate much of it. I have been able to generate enough spin to make a couple of the shots I’ve made with the Acer XK Chipper check up a bit. Would I rely on its ability to do so? No way! This brings up my first real concern. If you are chipping to a Pin that’s downhill than don’t expect to slow down the ball with backspin. Hopefully you hole it, or be prepared to watch it roll on by. Now fortunately controlling the height of your chip, or the speed of your chip is very easy. If you can lag putt than you can control distance with a Chipper. I control the height of my chip by simply changing the position of the ball in my stance. It took me one hour at the practice area at Centennial Park Golf Club to get a feel for it.

So sure there are some shots that you definitely can’t manufacture with a Chipper, but do yourself a favour and don’t try to hit them. Focus on what the Chipper can do, and you’ll probably shave strokes off your Round if you are a Beginner.

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GOLF

TIGER WINS THE MASTERS

What does this really mean?

Of course the first thing that every single golf fan thinks is Tiger Woods is back. Well the truth of the matter is that Tiger has been back for around 18 months now. I predicted that he would win last season, and he did. He waited until the final event of the year, the Tour Championship to do it, but he had come close many times. Entering this season I was asked if I thought he could win another Major. My answer was yes. Did I expect it to be at this Masters? No I didn’t. Actually I thought his best chance this year would be at the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. In other words it wouldn’t surprise me if Tiger won another Major this year, and potentially finishes the Season as the Player of the Year at the age of 43. How unbelievable and surprising would that be to most people? It should be extremely surprising when you consider what he went through to get here.

Sports injuries can be overcome.

Tiger has had injuries to his left knee ACL and MCL. He has had injuries to both Achilles tendons. He has had a left elbow injury. Of course there were the multiple surgeries to his neck and back. The final of which was a Spinal Fusion that most believed meant the end of his competitive career.

I can remember when a Torn ACL meant the end of a NFL football Player’s career. Now it means one year off from football to recover from the surgery and go through rehabilitation. Adrian Peterson is probably the best example of what’s possible in that regard. In golf a back injury was the equivalent. Tiger Woods has proven that with the right surgeon, and willpower to return. Any sports injury can be overcome.

Technology isn’t everything.

I have said on many occasions that modern technology has shortened the golf learning curve significantly. This is true for both Beginners and Professionals. The greatest advantage came in the form of the Launch Monitor. Golf Simulators have made it much easier for Golf Instructors, and Golf Equipment Fitters to provide the best possible advice to their clients. What used to take repeated trips to a Golf Instructor, or years of developing a swing can be accomplished in a few hours in a Golf Simulator. Professionals can make minute adjustments to their equipment to specifically tailor their ball flight and shot shape to a particular course. It seems like every season on the PGA and LPGA tours a rookie comes out of no where and competes for Major titles immediately. There has never been this many Players playing at such a high level on the PGA, and yet Tiger won. So how did he do it? In the end it was simple. He had a plan in place, took full advantage of his greatest skill, and relied on his acquired knowledge of Augusta National to minimize his mistakes. You could say that Tiger Woods won The Masters. You could also say that Brooks Koepka, and maybe even Francesco Molinari lost the Masters on the infamous 12th hole. What may surprise you is that Tiger Woods won without even putting all too well. He finished 41rst in the field in Putting. Tiger won, and it wasn’t because he played exceptionally well. He just played the Course better than anyone else did, and that’s my point. I watched every Round of The Masters this year, and one thing became very obvious to me. While Tiger played each and every Round against the Course. His opponents weren’t playing against Augusta. They were playing against Tiger. As great a Player as Tiger Woods is, you shouldn’t ignore what an incredible test of Gold Augusta National is. Let your guard down for even a minute, and Augusta will knock you out. Many have found out the hard way over the years. You can add Koepka and Molinari to that list.

Spend as much time in a Simulator as you would like. Nothing compares to real world experience on a Course like Augusta National.

Records will fall

Sorry Sam Snead. It’s pretty obvious that your time at the top is rapidly coming to a close. Tiger Woods is only 2 wins away from passing you, and it’s beginning to feel like it will happen sooner rather than later. Realistically Tiger has been nice enough to avoid some of the weaker field tournaments where he would surely dominate. If push came to shove I wouldn’t put it past him to eventually play one though. I believe his real target is Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 Majors. When people debate who the greatest golfer of all time is. There are only two names that are seriously considered, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. At this point it’s difficult to argue against Woods being number 1 were it not for one thing. Jack’s 18 Majors. For me the 18 Majors simply aren’t enough. Woods is simply the more dominant Golfer, and his achievements outweigh Jack’s 18 Majors. Still there are those that disagree. What if Woods wins 3 more Majors? The argument would be finished. Woods would undeniably be the best Golfer ever.

You think he isn’t thinking about that right now? You think he hasn’t been thinking about that for years? In order to come back from everything he’s been through, and succeed at the highest level requires some serious motivation. Becoming the number 1 golfer of all time is part of his motivation. Having his kids witness first hand what he is capable of is the other part. Look out Jack, the Tiger is loose.

Categories
GOLF

QUICK START GUIDE FOR BEGINNER GOLFERS

First things first

I’m not going to get into choosing the right equipment, or how much time you should spend at the Range. I’m not going to tell you what part of your game you should focus on in the beginning, or how to develop a repeatable swing. I’m not going to tell you these things because I have written previous articles, and have a whole series of videos dedicated to those things already on my Cobe Life YouTube channel. What I’m actually going to do is provide you with a flowchart of sorts. A step by step guide that should help you progress as a Golfer, and minimize the number of setbacks most Beginner Golfers experience. So lets assume that you have purchased your first set of clubs, have a halfway decent swing, and can get through 18 holes on a course without losing your mind and a case of balls. Now what… 

Time to get Fit? NOPE!

Practice Putting until sinking 5 footers becomes so easy that it’s boring

Notice the emphasis on short putts. Trust me, there’s nothing worse when you start golfing at actual courses, and feel like you are 3 putting every hole. Putting is like Running. First you need to know how to crawl, then learn to walk, before you can run. It won’t help you to hit a long lag putt to within 5 feet, or chip it close from off the green, If it then takes you two putts to sink it. Lag putting will become easier over time. It takes a lot of actual playing time to become decent at reading greens and getting a feel for the speed required to cover assorted distances. Once you have learned to control your putts. Knowing that you can drain anything that gets remotely close really helps your confidence, and frees you up to try and sink long putts more often.

Fall in love with your Hybrid

If you have read my previous posts on assembling your first golf set, or seen my YouTube videos on buying golf clubs. You will already know that I’m a huge fan of Hybrid clubs. Recently popular YouTuber Rick Shiels posted a video on 5 different ways to use your Hybrid clubs. That alone should tell you how versatile they are. The versatility isn’t why I believe you should quickly make your Hybrid clubs your favourites. What makes Hybrid clubs so important for the majority of Beginner Golfers is the ability to hit them a relatively long distance out of any lie. It doesn’t matter if it’s off a Tee, from the fairway, in a bunker, or out of the rough. Hybrid clubs seem to have no problem hitting a golf ball from anywhere. Once you’ve realized this, you’ll have the confidence to take a full swing off the Tee, or attack greens from a distance. If you happen to miss the Fairway or Green so be it. The Hybrid club is there to help get you out of trouble.

Pick your Favourite Wedge

As a Beginner Golfer you are going to miss a lot of Greens. If you want to continue to lower your scores you will have to get good at Chipping. The first step is finding a Wedge you feel confident with. Any Wedge will do. Actually it doesn’t even have to be a Wedge. It could be your 9 Iron if that’s what suits you. What’s most important is that you choose one club and stick to it! Sure PGA professionals have around four different Wedges in their bag, and they use all of them. The thing is, and I’m sorry to be the one telling you this but. You are not a PGA professional. Practice chipping out of trouble with one club from around 30 yards and in. Get in the habit of using the same exact stroke for every chip. Just control the distance by limiting your backswing. If you stick to it, then eventually chipping will feel as natural as putting. Once you’ve reached that level of confidence you will take dead aim at greens with very little worry. If you end up 5 to 10 yards off the green. Your goal will be to get up and down for Par, not to hopefully make Bogey.

Now it’s time to get Fit right? NOPE!

Let the Big Dog eat

Now that you can putt like Jason Day, hit your Hybrids from anywhere like Jordan Spieth, and chip to within inches of the hole like Phil Mickelson. It’s time to learn how to bomb it down the Fairway like Dustin Johnson. If you can’t achieve both distance and accuracy, well at least develop accuracy. Not everyone is going to be able to hit their Driver 250 yards or more, but we can all learn to develop some accuracy. As a Beginner Golfer 2 out of every 3 Fairways hit is a pretty good average. The Driver can be the most difficult club to control for a lot of new golfers. If you are really struggling then it may be time to enlist some outside help.

So this is when we get Fit! NOPE!

Find a Coach and get some lessons

Coaches come in many forms. Could be your local Course Pro, the Golf Trainer at your local golf store, or a friend who has been playing a lot longer than you have. Whoever it may be you might find yourself pleasantly surprised what a couple of golf lessons can do for your game. Golf is a game of minor adjustments, but it can be difficult to assess what adjustments you require. A good coach should be able to recognize simple setup or swing faults rather quickly. For some Beginners it only takes one or two lessons to see a major improvement. Once you’ve spent enough time with your coach to eliminate your bad habits, and get everything in order. There’s just one last thing to do.

GET FIT!

Finally it’s time to get properly fit. This doesn’t mean that you need to go out, and buy a whole new set of clubs. Getting fit can simply be about getting your current set adjusted for Length, Lie Angle, and Loft. When it comes to your Driver, and Fairway Woods you might opt for a Shaft Change. Whatever you decide that fits your budget will help at this point. Some of you are probably wondering why getting Fit was left till last? These steps aren’t meant to be taken until you begin playing Golf Courses and actually keeping score. For most Beginners that’s around the six month mark. At this point your swing is far from polished, and quite honestly will probably change drastically over the next six months to a year. Getting Fit too early will in some cases benefit you for a short amount of time, and then become a hindrance to your progress. If I had gotten Fit after six months the Lie Angle on my Irons would have been way off the mark they are at now. It is my opinion that most Beginner Golfers shouldn’t add a Driver to their bag until they have played a full Season. It is also been my experience that the Driver is the most important club in the bag to get Fit. There are benefits to being Fit for every club in your bag, but some are negligible. Putter and Wedge fittings can help improve your game but most true Beginners won’t see a difference. The Lie Angle on a Hybrid isn’t nearly as important as the Lie Angle on an Iron so getting used to one off the rack is far easier. That’s why I suggest mastering those clubs first. By the time you feel confident in those areas of your game. The benefits of a Fitting will be far greater.

Good Luck, and hopefully you won’t be Beginner Golfers much longer!

Categories
GOLF

WHO IS THE REAL #1

Recent Success, Wins, or Overall Ability

As of the writing of this article Dustin Johnson is the current #1. A couple weeks ago it was Justin Rose, but he fell to second place without even playing because of how the PGA point system works. By the way Dustin Johnson didn’t play either, and became the world #1. Rory McIlroy deserves to be in the conversation as well. In 2019 he has been in contention to win every event he has entered. Both Rose and Johnson have a win this year but Rory has a 2nd place finish, two 4th place finishes, and finished top 10 in every other event he has entered. So which one of these Players would you put your money on in the next big event?

The Players Championship

It’s the final day of the Players Championship and last Wednesday I checked the Bet 365 website to see what the Group Golf bets looked like. In Group A they had Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, and Justin Thomas. Most would consider these four golfers to be the Top 4 golfers in the world right now. Most people wouldn’t consider placing a bet on any of them because to win your Player must finish higher than the other three. So once again I’ll ask you, who would you pick?

I didn’t hesitate and selected Rory McIlroy immediately. In my opinion he is the true #1 Player in the world right now. I will take Recent Success over Wins, or Overall Ability every time. The fact of the matter is that he hasn’t missed a cut, or even had a bad Round of golf this year. Dustin Johnson is currently ranked number 1 because of his achievements more than a year ago. He’s an amazing player but what he did in 2017 has very little bearing on what I expect from him this week. Rose has already won this year but he also looked mediocre last week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Thomas can go on a tear at any moment, but they call it gambling for a reason. Nothing is certain, especially in golf, but I trust players that are playing well NOW.

Did I choose correctly?

Well that remains to be seen. Beginning the final day of the Players Championship Rory McIlroy is 4 strokes ahead of Dustin Johnson, 6 strokes ahead of Justin Rose, and 11 strokes ahead of Justin Thomas. Sounds like the celebration can begin but this is golf, and it is The Players Championship. Any fan of the game can tell you that when it comes to TPC Sawgrass, winners and losers can be decided on the 17th hole. That famous island green where one ball in the water can spell disaster. Lets just hope that isn’t Rory McIlroy’s fate.

Categories
COBE LIFE CUP Cobe Life Cup

The Ontario Cobe Life Cup Golf Tour

I’ve had a few people ask me if the Cobe Life Cup is right for them. I’ve realized that the easiest way to answer this question is by asking them to answer a few questions first. Their answers would determine if the Cobe Life Cup is right for them.

These are the questions I would ask.

1 – Do you play golf at least once a month between the months of May and September?

2 – Do you usually play golf with at least one other person?

3 – Do you usually keep track of your score so you know if you’re improving?

4 – Are you interested in winning Golf Equipment?

5 – Are you interested in knowing how your game compares to others of a similar handicap?

If you answered Yes more times than No? Then the Cobe Life Cup is probably right for you.

The only thing I would add is that the four Major Tournaments are held at courses in Michigan, Ohio, New York, and Ontario, Canada. So if you are really interested in getting the most out of this competition. It would benefit you to live in one of those areas, or close by.

What are the benefits of the Cobe Life Cup as compared to other Amateur Golf Tours?

I specifically designed the Cobe Life Cup to be an easy, accessible, and fun Tour that anyone could participate in. The events aren’t scheduled on any particular day. Once a week you can play against another Registered Player or Players, and post the results. Lets say that you and a friend from work are both Registered Players. If you celebrate the end of the work week with a twilight 9 Hole Round. Then you could use the Match Play Rules and Post the result. Your Tournament record and Cobe Life Cup Ranking will be updated by the next Monday. If you would like to organize a Foursome, you could post a Round challenge for a couple additional Players to join you. The beauty of it is, is that it’s entirely up to you.
As long as you post one tournament Round of Golf per month you qualify for the Monthly giveaways. For those of you that love to Win stuff here’s the best part! The only people that are eligible to win are Registered Players. This being the first Season of the Cobe Life Cup, there won’t be a lot of Players. Your chances of winning a Driver, or Putter are very good. We have all signed up to win a Driver through Social Media from Accounts that have thousands of Subscribers. The majority of those contests aren’t even open to Canadians. You can see why I wanted to start something that’s includes Canadians.

I have even made the four Majors as easy to attend as possible. Instead of holding it on a particular day. The final 7 days of the month will have a specific course that you can play to Post your score. You pick which day, at whatever time suits you to play against at least one other Registered Player and then Post your score as normal. The following week the full results will be revealed.

It should be obvious at this point that you don’t have to be a Scratch Golfer to be competitive in the Cobe Life Cup. A High Handicapper has just as much opportunity to be at the top of the Rankings as somebody in the single digits. Just do your best to beat your buddies. Especially if they have a lower Handicap than you. With the bonus Mulligan system you could find yourself winning more often than you expected.

Before you know it, this fun competition will not only motivate you to play more. It will slowly but surely help you improve your game, and ultimately lower your handicap.

In the end that’s what the Cobe Life Cup is all about.

REGISTRATION FEE

$65 per person : To Register Subscribe to this website then use the contact us page to send us your Name, Handicap, Course you play most often, and preferred contact email. If you would like to register multiple players then send us everyone’s information. Four Players get the Foursome Registration price of $200. You will receive a bill payable through PayPal shortly after.


HAVING FUN
IMPROVING YOUR GAME
GROWING THE GOLF COMMUNITY
WINNING PRIZES

Categories
COBE LIFE CUP GOLF

Cobe Life Cup F.A.Q.

How long is the Season?

The season runs from May 1rst until the end of September. The Tour Championship will be held in October.

Do you have to play specific golf courses?

No, you can play the courses you regularly play. All you need to play a Cobe Life Cup tournament Round of Golf is another Registered opponent.

Do you need to play Full length 18 hole courses?

No, you can play a 9 hole Match Play against another Registered opponent. You can use any of the scoring systems on any 18 hole golf course. Even Par 3 only Executive Courses.

What if I don’t know my Handicap?

Not a problem. You will need to provide us with your best score from last year, and which course you shot it on. We will send you a starting Handicap from that information, and also a few suggestions on how to calculate your Handicap from then on.

Do I need to be a high ranking Player to qualify for prizes?

No, just being registered qualifies you for the monthly giveaways. Of course if you want to win the Tour Championship Trophy you will have to win.

I’m a total Beginner, so is this Tournament right for me?  

Yes, you are exactly the type of golfer we are hoping will join. Playing with other golfers of better ability will help you learn the game faster. Also our Mulligan system will help eliminate the brutal Blow Up Holes that kill Beginner’s scores.

I live a few hours out of Toronto.  Is that too far?

Absolutely not. As long as there are Registered Opponents in your area to play against you are fine. In fact the Cobe Life Cup Tour Open Majors will be taking place in Michigan, New York, Ohio, and Southern Ontario. There will be one in the West, one in the North, one in the East, and one in the Greater Toronto area.

Will Rounds I play outside of Ontario count?

Yes, provided they are played against a Registered opponent. Have a trip planned to Myrtle Beach with a few friends and plan on playing a few Rounds of golf. As long as they are registered you can get in a Tour Round of Golf.

How will you prevent people from cheating?

Every Round of Golf you play towards the Tour Rankings must be against a Registered Opponent, and you keep each other’s scores during the Round. This Tour is really about having fun, building a strong golfing community in Southern Ontario, and the neighbouring states. Then seeing how you stack up against other golfers of your skill level. Cheating is basically pointless.

I don’t play very often.  How will I keep up?

You can only play a maximum of 5 Ranked Rounds of Golf per month. Registered Players are allowed to report one Round of Golf each week, and an additional Round of Golf the final week of each month. Remember that you can lose points with a loss so playing the maximum number of Rounds can work against you also. You gain additional points for beating a Player of a Higher Rank so it’s possible to catch up quickly if you defeat the right opponents.

Where will I be able to track my current Ranking?

Every Monday the Ranks will be fully updated and posted on this website, and on the Cobe Life Golf Facebook Page. If you shoot any videos of your Round, or take pictures. they can be shared at your request on both Forums.

I’m having trouble finding opponents?

If you are looking for an opponent you can use the Cobe Life Facebook Page to find one in your area. I will create a Opponent request Post for anyone to use each week.

REGISTRATION FEE

$65 per person : To Register Subscribe to this website then use the contact us page to send us your Name, Handicap, Course you play most often, and preferred contact email. If you would like to register multiple players then send us everyone’s information. Four or more registrants receive the group entry discount. You will receive a bill payable through PayPal shortly after.