The world is both separated and unified in the fight against a common enemy. Covid-19 has forced us to rethink our priorities. This year has completely changed everything I had planned. Some things have been put on hold. A few things I had planned may never happen. Not all is lost though. The Lock Down forced me to improvise, and I found new avenues to explore. Nobody knows how long this situation will last. When it does finally subside, and things return to something that loosely resembles normal. I will be ready to provide my faithful followers with a wealth of information.
I apologize for the lengthy hiatus. For a while discussing golf or fantasy football just felt so trivial compared to what’s going on in the world. It took me going out on the course completely alone to play 18 Holes to realize how necessary these trivial distractions are. So I won’t let a week pass without a post. During my absence I’ve studied Golf club fitting, and now offer a casual Driver Fitting for Beginners looking to improve their game off the Tee. If you haven’t seen it yet I encourage you to watch the highlight video on my welcome page. It will go into further detail about the Fitting process. I have also noticed that my reviews of products specifically aimed at Beginner Golfers have been well received. I plan on doing many more in the near future.
For awhile it was unknown if the NFL would have a 2020 season. Now that it is underway I will begin to provide short term Fantasy Football advice. Things can change so much week to week that long term advice seems foolhardy. My first piece of advice for 2020 is to stockpile Running Back depth. Players are still trying to get into game shape, and as a result injuries are far more likely. Running Backs get injured at a greater rate than the other skill positions so make sure you have a couple extras on your bench.
Hopefully I haven’t let things slide for too long, and this post finds those of you that have been loyal from the beginning. There are some great things to come, and I don’t want any of you to miss out!
Let me know if there are any things you would like me to cover in the upcoming posts. Remember this Blog isn’t for me. It is really for you. So let me know what you are most interested in right now.
Take care, and stay safe during these troubling times.
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.
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.
The Offseason hype always begins with the most valuable Free Agents, and the projected Top Quarterbacks in the NFL Draft. This year that includes Kyler Murray, Dwayne Haskins, Drew Lock, Le’Veon Bell, Earl Thomas III, and Nick Foles. Two of these Players will most likely land in predictable spots. Kyler Murray has become the obvious number 1 pick of the draft as determined by the poll of popular opinion. Nick Foles will most likely be starting for the Jacksonville Jaguars this season. It’s an obvious fit, and Jacksonville is already begun the process of clearing some Cap room. The remaining Players on the list have some uncertain landing spots. Before I get into that I’ll begin with the single most talked about Player right now …
KYLER MURRAY
Will Kyler Murray go number 1 overall in the draft? I’d say that there is about a 90% chance of that happening. The real question is which team will select him? As of the writing of this article the Arizona Cardinals have the first pick of the NFL Draft. Some NFL insiders have gone on record proclaiming that the Cardinals have already decided to take him with the first pick. There are plenty of reasons to doubt it though. The Arizona Cardinals selected Josh Rosen with the 10th pick overall in the 2018 NFL Draft. Last Season wasn’t a success but that can’t be attributed to Josh Rosen’s play. The first half of the season was a total failure because of poor decisions made by the coaching staff. It took an overhaul of the coaching staff to actually open up the playbook, and provide Josh Rosen with an opportunity to showcase his skills. The Arizona Cardinals looked like a much better team the second half of the season. Josh Rosen wasn’t considered as a reach at the 10th pick either. He was touted by most analysts as the most NFL ready Quarterback. In that same draft people expected the Cleveland Browns to select Sam Darnold with the first pick. I didn’t mind you. I had Baker Mayfield as my number 1 and the Cleveland Browns agreed with me. So just because the masses have chosen Kyler Murray as the top Quarterback, doesn’t necessarily make it so. Another reason there is reason to believe the Arizona Cardinals might pass on Kyler Murray is the plethora of other needs they currently have. Keep in mind that unless you see Josh Rosen as a total bust, then Quarterback isn’t one of their most pressing needs. If I was Steve Keim (General Manager of the Arizona Cardinals) I would be looking to trade down and acquire more picks. Theoretically the more darts you throw in the draft, the better your chances are of hitting the bullseye. Steve Keim’s most recent acquisitions haven’t been very successful. That could be why he might give up on Josh Rosen after only one season, and stake his reputation on what appears to be a safe bet in Kyler Murray. How would it look if he traded down and acquired another four picks, and missed on all of those? Trust me a lot of the decisions being made by General Managers and Coaches in the NFL are motivated by fear.
Is Kyler Murray a safe bet? What constitutes a safe bet at Quarterback in the NFL these days? I really liked Baker Mayfield last year, but did I consider him a safe bet? The answer would be no. I can tell you that I was more secure about Baker Mayfield being the first pick in the NFL Draft in 2018, than I am about Kyler Murray as the first pick this year. You know who entered the league as safe bets? Peyton Manning, Eli Manning, John Elway, Cam Newton, and Troy Aikman. Everyone was certain that those five Quarterbacks would make a significant impact. Obviously they were right because they have 9 Superbowl rings as Quarterbacks between them. The only one that hasn’t won a Superbowl is Cam Newton. Which brings up an important point. Cam is at his best when he can threaten opposing defenses as a runner with the ball as well as a passer. As the league has implemented additional rules to protect Quarterbacks. Those rules become moot when they are running with the ball. Cam Newton might be the most physically imposing Quarterback in the league, but he is also one of the most often injured. There have been some incredibly dynamic Running Quarterbacks, but all of them have had mostly limited success due to injury. Much has been said about Kyler Murray’s lack of size. At only 5’10” tall he has made use of his mobility to create angles to passing lanes, and buy himself extra time in the pocket. That’s fine at the college level but in the NFL it only takes one full shot from a 275 pound linebacker to significantly reduce a Quarterback’s mobility. Look what Von Miller did to Cam Newton in Superbowl 50. Cam Newton wanted the game to be over by the third quarter. Cam Newton is 6’5″ 245 pounds and he had enough. How would 5’10” 195 pound Kyler Murray handle it? Is he a safe bet? I don’t think so.
WHERE WILL LE’VEON BELL BE?
People have been asking this question since November of last year. We still aren’t any closer to figuring it out. The first obstacle to overcome is the cost of acquiring him. Le’Veon Bell is asking for 25 million dollars a year. That’s a hefty price for a Running Back. That’s a high price for a Quarterback. If you look at his numbers and judge his worth based solely on that, then yes he is worth every penny. Unfortunately there is a lot more to it. He just sat out an entire season of football. Which means he could be a problem if he ever disagrees with your Head Coach. He has had some injuries in the past, and plays in one of the most precarious positions in football. There’s no guarantee that he won’t get injured after just a few games. His numbers were excellent with the Pittsburgh Steelers. How much of that was his own ability, and how much of it was attributed to being on one of the most dynamic offenses in football?
Which teams would be the best fit for Le’Veon Bell? He would prefer to go to a contender so that really limits the possible teams. Of course he might just go wherever the money is. Lets begin with the win win scenarios. Maybe the best possible landing spot for Le’Veon Bell is the Indianapolis Colts. Andrew Luck is a Superbowl quality Quarterback. T.Y. Hilton can keep Defenses from stacking the box. The Colts Defense is better than most people give them credit for. They also have a tonne of Cap Space so they could actually afford him. Do they actually want him though? The early indications are that they don’t. A number of teams have looked into Le’Veon Bell already and the Colts aren’t one of them. The Houston Texans are an up and coming team that could benefit from acquiring Le’Veon Bell. They would probably be interested but not at the amount he’s looking for. They just don’t have the Cap Space with quite a few key Players approaching Free Agency. The Baltimore Ravens would be an interesting place for Bell to move to because of the long standing rivalry with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Ozzie Newsome isn’t in the habit of taking on high cost risky Free Agents. He generally builds teams through the draft and develops players. So that appears to be a no go as well. Washington could sign him but they have Derrius Guice coming back from injury at quite a bargain in comparison. You would assume that they would want to see what they have there first. Are you beginning to see a pattern emerge? If Le’Veon Bell wants to be the highest paid Running Back in the NFL. He will probably have to do it with a team that’s currently rebuilding.
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.
TRUEGolfFit is the first service in the golf industry to use a scientific compatibility matching system to find the best equipment configuration for your unique swing
We compare your swing information with our database of over 45,000 swings and 10,000,000 data points to find your TRUE Fit.
Longer. Straighter. Lower. Guaranteed. Know the clubs that perform best for you BEFORE you buy. TRUEGolfFit the world leader in golf club fit prediction.
DOES IT WORK?
I decided to put the My Golf Spy True Golf Fit system to the test. First of all I love the idea of taking all of the data that My Golf Spy has collected and making it relevant to the individual golfer. Unlike their Most Wanted tests that determine which clubs are best for the majority of golfers. The True Golf Fit system is designed to predict what works for you specifically.
In order for their system to determine what’s right for you. You must answer a few questions first so that their software can match you up with club testers of a similar ability. It begins with your Handicap, then your Swing Speed, then your Angle of Attack, and lastly your Swing Tempo. Based on these parameters it will match you to the two best clubs they’ve tested.
I already knew going in that their software wouldn’t work for me. In order to achieve a correct Driver fitting for a golfer like myself there’s one more question that should have been asked. WHAT IS YOUR SHOT SHAPE? If you follow me on my Cobe Life YouTube channel. You would already know that my natural shot shape is a heavy Draw. A bad shot becomes a slice. Having tested many Drivers over the last three years I already knew that anything other than a specifically Draw biased Driver wouldn’t perform as well. Even an adjustable Driver with movable weights, and a Draw biased hosel setting won’t work as well. It only costs $7 to see their results so I did it anyway.
MY RESULTS
TOP PICK BY TRUE GOLF FITSECOND BEST PICK BY TRUE GOLF FIT
ON TO THE SIMULATOR
In order to be totally fair about my presumptions I headed straight to my local Golf Town and had them tape up those two Drivers. I also had them tape up a couple of specifically Draw biased Drivers as well. Can you guess which Drivers consistenyly performed better for me? If you guessed the Draw biased Drivers then you would be correct.
I hit an average of 18 yards further with the Draw biased Drivers, and was an average of 14 yards closer to center with a far tighter dispersion. Something else that isn’t factored into their equation is the set up of your current gamer. Although it wouldn’t have affected my fitting process. A friend of mine tried out their True Golf Fit system as well, and it definitely affected his results.
He currently games a Callaway XR16 Driver with a Regular Flex Fujikura Speeder Evolution 565 shaft that has been cut down an inch. He routinely swings that particular Driver at around 96mph. This places him in the Medium Swing Speed category. He also generates far more Spin than he would like because he has a Downward Attack Angle. The True Fit System selected the Ping G400 LST as his number 1 choice. The idea of testing a Low Spin Driver had never occured to him before because I don’t suggest Low Spin Drivers to anyone who swings below 105mph. We were still intrigued by the idea because we figured that the Low Spin might counteract his high Spin swing, the way a Draw biased Driver counters my Fade. Well that just wasn’t the case. He was unable to swing that particular club at anything more than 92mph. At that speed the ball just falls out of the sky with the LST. He tried a few other Drivers including a Taylormade M2 and was able to swing those at 97mph quite easily.
CONCLUSION
Obviously the My Golf Spy True Golf Fit system isn’t for everyone. If you hit your drives anything but straight your results won’t be precise. If you have been professionally Fit for your current Driver than your numbers might tell an inaccurate story to the My Golf Spy True Golf Fit software. I’m hoping that over time their software will be updated and appeal to a larger number of golfers. I’m a fan of what My Golf Spy is about, and their goal to get the best equipment for you in to your bag. A lot of what I do is for that exact same reason, only I am more focused on the Beginner Golfer. For that reason the True Golf Fit system isn’t something I would suggest you put your trust in until you have a typically straight and consistently repeatable swing.
So there are some of you that believe that simulators are only good for testing the distance and spin of golf clubs. The only time you even use a simulator is when you are at your local golf store testing to see if the newest Driver will help you hit longer off the tee. Now for those of you that are lucky enough to live where golf can be played year round. Well I can understand why you might not be interested in simulator play. Although there are benefits to using one every now and then.
I’ll begin with the obvious, which is to figure out your distances with each club. What many beginner golfers might not realize is that it’s important to know two distances with each club. If I were to ask you how far you hit your 7 Iron. Your answer might be, roughly 140 yards. What your answer should be is, I carry it about 135 yards, and average 140 yards total distance. It’s just as important to know your carry distance. On the course it isn’t enough to know the total distance to the Pin. What if the total distance is 175 yards, and that’s how far you hit your 4 Hybrid. In order to get there though you have to carry a pond that’s 165 yards to the opposite edge. Sounds doable right? It would be except your actual carry distance with your 4 Hybrid is only 163 yards. So unless you hit it perfect you are likely to end up in the water. The great thing about Simulators is that they are better at measuring Carry distance than total distance. While playing on the course it’s easy for you to figure out total distance if you use a GPS or Rangefinder. Carry distance, not so much.
How often do you find yourself on the course with a difficult to execute shot, and decide against trying it because it could result in a lost ball, and big number on the scorecard? Then of course you wonder later if you could have made it. Well those are exactly the type of shots you can learn to make in a simulator. Punch shots, high flops, controlled draws or fades. You can try them out during a simulated round of golf and see if you are able to make them. Pretty soon shots you might have been nervous about will begin to seem relatively easy. That confidence will then carry over on to the course. There is nothing more important than your degree of confidence when standing over a shot. Simulators can help give you that.
THE BAD
Is playing a round of golf in a simulator comparable to real world golf? In a word NO. In the real world I’m a 22 handicap. If I actually calculated my Simulator handicap I would be about a 11 handicap. How often do you get a perfect lie on the course, on perfectly even ground? The correct answer is never, with the odd tee box as an exception. Fatigue plays a role in every round of golf as well. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t experience a bit of fatigue while playing a simulated round. It’s nothing compared to the level of fatigue I experience over the course of a real round of golf though. On an actual course I usually find myself clubbing up over the last few holes because I am unable to swing as hard accurately. In a simulator I play the appropriate club all the way until the end.
Another thing a simulator can’t recreate is weather conditions. Now this could also be considered a bonus because nobody enjoys playing in the rain or high winds. Sure you can simulate how it will affect ball flight, but it doesn’t affect how your swing would change if you were wet and the grips on your clubs had become slippery.
LETS NOT FORGET FUN
The problem most golfers have with Simulators is that they instinctively compare the experience to actual golf. What you should really be doing is seeing it as an entirely different thing. Consider it to be more of an extremely high tech video game. You don’t see football players complaining about the lack of realism in Madden. Car buffs can’t wait to get a video gaming race seat to play Gran Turismo in. Both of those examples aren’t remotely close to the level of realism golfers get to experience in a Simulator. Maybe it’s because the current technology has come so close to feeling like the real thing that we forget that deep down it’s still just a game. A game that fortunately for us can help us improve our ability to play the real thing.
For those of you that follow my blog. First of all Thank you. I know it’s been a bit since my last post, and I apologize for making you wait. Things have been a bit hectic lately. On top of all the usual things life burdens you with, there have been a few extra issues to deal with as well as a new edition to the Cobe Life family. Before some of you get too excited, no we didn’t have a baby. We did however bring a puppy home. I don’t know how many of you have raised a puppy before but for those of you that haven’t it means getting up around four times a night to take him out to do his business. Sleep has become a distant memory. I look like an extra on the Walking Dead these days.
So it probably wouldn’t surprise you when I say that I haven’t done anything of particular note lately. Instead I will take this opportunity to evaluate how my season went. What goals I managed to achieve, and where I fell short. Plus a few moments that really stood out to me.
Why goals are important in golf
Unlike many other sports, setting goals in golf is critical to improving your game. Having said that I’m sure a number of you are already thinking that goals are important in all sports. Of course they are. It’s just that in golf there are so many different aspects to the game, that without setting specific goals you won’t actually know how you are improving. If you still think what I’m saying is nonsense. It might help you understand what my goals were.
Average less than 2 putts per hole.
GOAL ACHIEVED! I finished the season with an average of 1.7 putts per hole. This is actually better than I had hoped. Essentially what this means is that I rarely 3 putt, and quite often I require only one putt to hole out. What it doesn’t tell you is how long my average putt was. This brings up an important aspect of understanding your progress in Golf. Quite a number of your statistics can be affected by other aspects of your game. Which brings me to my next goal.
Average less than 1 chip per hole.
GOAL FAILED! I finished the season with an average of 1.3 chips per hole. This tells me two things. First of all I’m not hitting too many greens on approach shots so my accuracy is off with my Irons. Secondly if I’m forced to chip that often, and I know that my chipping ability is quite good. Then I’m probably leaving myself a lot of easy putts. That’s partially why my putting numbers are so good. Which leads me to my next goal.
33% or better Green in Regulation average.
GOAL FAILED! Verifying what I safely assumed was the case. I didn’t hit too many greens with my approach shots this season. My average was a paltry 13.3%. Obviously my accuracy with my Irons needs major improvement. Of course that might not be the only concern. It’s possible to be deadly accurate at the Golf Range, then trouble taking aim on the course. Hitting your targets becomes a lot more difficult when you aren’t hitting off a perfect surface. Which brings me to my next goal.
50% or better in Fairways Hit.
GOAL ACHIEVED! Coming into this season my fairways hit percentage was around 50%. I was hoping to maintain that average while choosing to play more aggressively off the tee. I finished the season with a 65.5% average. Far better than what I had hoped for, and proof that all the practice I put in with my Driver is working. What this also tells me is that my accuracy with my Irons are an issue because the majority of my approach shots are from the Fairway. Which brings me to my final goal.
Lower my handicap to 18 or better.
GOAL FAILED! I was really hoping to finish the season as a bogey golfer but unfortunately that didn’t happen. My current handicap is 21.9. Close but no celebratory cigar. My handicap did go down by 7 strokes so that should be seen as a success. More importantly I have a good understanding of what I need to work on to lower my handicap next Season. First and foremost is my Iron accuracy. A few trips to the Simulator practicing in closest to the pin mode should help. With that goal in mind I should probably work on my longer putts because I should hit more greens. In order to make my approach shots easier I should probably work on my Driver distance as well.
Possible goals for next season
Less than 1.9 putts per hole
Less than 1 chip per hole
33% or better Greens in Regulation
66% Fairways Hit
16 or better handicap
Understanding where my game is at, and what specifically needs improvement makes those goals realistic. Most other sports aren’t like that. For the most part you just practice in order to get better. You don’t necessarily isolate one particular part of your game that will end up improving your overall performance.
I’m already excited for next year, and hope you continue to enjoy the journey right along with me.
By now most golfers are familiar with Launch Monitors. The majority of golf equipment stores have a high end simulator bay for customers to test clubs, or take swing lessons. The Launch Monitors those simulator bays use cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $20,000.00
For most of us a simulator bay in the basement or den is far from realistic. What if there was a product that could provide you with the same capabilities for a fraction of the cost, and is as portable as a cellular phone? Every golfer would just have to have one right! Well unfortunately there isn’t a product on the market that can do everything a high end launch monitor can. The Swing Caddie SC200 is about as close as you can get, but is close good enough?
SC200 Capabilities
The Swing Caddie SC200 uses Doppler Radar to read your swing speed, ball speed, and approximate trajectory. With these measurements it can provide you with your smash factor, and carry distance. It also keeps track of the amount of time you were using it and the number of balls you’ve hit. At first I wasn’t interested in how long I had used it or how many balls I had hit, but after a week of use those numbers began to take on an increased importance. Is Smash factor important to me? It never used to be. Well that isn’t entirely true. I’ve looked at what my smash factor was before when testing Drivers at Golf Town. After my first week of using the Swing Caddie SC200 I now pay close attention to my smash factor when working on improving my club face contact point. At first glance you might think that your Swing Speed, and Carry Distance are the only important measurements. That’s what I thought, and it only took a week for me to realize that I was wrong.
A few additional things you should know about the Swing Caddie SC200 that add to it’s appeal are the Voice capability, Remote Control, and battery life. The Swing Caddie SC200 has a very good screen that I found easy to read in most lighting conditions. There are times that reading the screen could be difficult. Thankfully the Swing Caddie SC200 has an audible announcement after each swing that informs you of the distance hit. You will still have to look at the screen if you are interested in knowing your Swing Speed or Smash Factor. I found the distance announcement quite useful. It takes a moment before it informs you so you have just long enough to make your own guess before the SC200 provides you with the answer. This feature has helped me identify what perfect contact actually feels like and sounds like. In some cases I’ve learned that louder isn’t necessarily better. The included Remote is such a welcome addition. It’s about as simple as can be. There’s a button for each club, and it’s a breeze to switch between modes. I like to switch from club to club when practicing at the Range. Quite often I’ll play a mock Par 4. I imagine a 350 yard Par 4 then tee off. I then estimate the distance left, and choose the appropriate club. The Swing Caddie SC200 removes the guess work, and is a snap to switch between clubs with the included remote. The SC200 is powered by four AAA batteries. For me that’s far better than an included rechargeable battery. I have devices that require constant charging. I’m thankful to not have another one. According to the manual you should expect around 20 hours of use. If your average Range session is around an hour that’s 20 times out! More than enough in my opinion.
First Impressions
By the time you read this the Swing Caddie SC200 has been out for over a year. Chances are you’ve already read other reviews, or seen unboxing videos of the product. What you probably haven’t come across till now is a Golf Beginner’s opinion of the Swing Caddie SC200. Unlike the majority of reviewers out there I’m not a professional golfer. I’m not affiliated with a recognized Golf publication, or Association. The Swing Caddie wasn’t supplied to me by the company for review purposes. I actually had to buy it! So I guess the real question is; for a beginner golfer like me, is the Swing Caddie SC200 actually worth it?
For me that’s a resounding YES! I’ve read some mixed reviews about the Swing Caddie SC200, from essential practice tool to novelty Range tech. The reviews were so mixed that it took quite the sale price for me to even consider the purchase. Having spent a considerable amount of time with the product the wide spectrum of conclusions I’ve come across make total sense. The Swing Caddie SC200’s usefulness is directly related to the user’s golfing ability. For a high handicapper like me, the Swing Caddie SC200 has already improved my game after one week of use. Now if I was somebody with a single digit handicap the Swing Caddie SC200 would only confirm what I already know. In fact it might even read some of my more intricate shots incorrectly because it’s configured for swings made with the club face in a neutral position. This is definitely not a product for a wedge wizard like Phil Mickelson. In fact the most lofted Wedge a Swing Caddie SC200 can read is a 59 degree. My Lob Wedge is 60 degrees so when I use it with the SC200 I have to accept a little bit of distance discrepancy, and the occasional missed swing. I mentioned earlier that the shot count feature became more important to me. What I realized is that it takes about 15 swings for me to loosen up. I also found out that I start to be affected by fatigue at around 85 swings. The difference between my optimum swings made while warmed up or fatigued is 10 to 15 yards depending on the club. This means that depending on how my Round of Golf is going I should be using a stronger club than I would expect towards the end of a Round. I’ve also learned that I should use a stronger club for the first 3 or 4 holes in a Round if I’m unable to warm up first. I also know that I only need 15 to 20 balls to hit before stepping up to the first tee. I’m sure veteran golfers have figured these things out over time. Well I’m in my third Season and I hadn’t figured it out until I practiced with the Swing Caddie SC200. Do you know your approximate distance with each club? You probably think you do. I know that I did. Well I was wrong about half the clubs in my bag. Not way wrong mind you, but wrong enough that my low Green in Regulation percentage makes total sense now. I’m certain that by the time the first set of batteries are dead in my Swing Caddie SC200; I’ll have such a good understanding of my game that hoping to break 100 will become a thing of the past. I should expect to break 100 every time out. Now will continued use help me to consistently break 90? Only time will tell. When that time comes I’ll definitely let you know.
I’ve come across many Guides for Beginner Golfers. The majority will include ways to begin lowering your score. They will go into detail about how to develop a one way miss, play to your skills, and spend a lot of time working on your putting. I agree with all of these but they don’t address the real requirements necessary to lowering your score. There are three keys to lowering your score that will work for every Beginner Golfer.
Hazard Avoidance
This seems quite obvious right! Well think about how many times on the course that you have found yourself in hazards. How many times have you failed to clear a pond, found yourself in a sand trap, or had to hit a difficult pitch out of the woods? Some of you are going to blame these situations on poor strikes. That’s a poor excuse. I recently played a course with a friend of mine. On the way there he mentioned how difficult the sand traps were at this course. I told him that ssnd traps wouldn’t be a problem for me. He had a puzzled look on his face, and asked why? I told him that I rarely land in sand traps. Most Rounds I don’t land in a single one. He asked how is that possible? My answer was straight and to the point, I avoid them. My game out of the sand is weak. I know that if I land in a bunker it’s going to cost me a stroke. It could take me two strokes to get out of the bunker, or even if I get out with my first swing, it’s going to take another stroke to get back into position. The smart play for me is to hit away from the bunker, or short of it. In order to do this effectively you need to know your average distance with each club, and even more importantly the maximum distance with each club. This is a statistic that you should be aware of that none of the “experts” talk about. As an “expert” they never need to worry about hitting their clubs exceptionally long. For example my average distance with my 7 Iron is 138 yards. I have on occasion caught it a little thin and hit it close to 150 yards. Both of these numbers come into play during a Round. If I’m attacking a Green that’s 134 yards away with a Bunker on the left. I will choose 7 Iron and aim for the right side of the Green. In case you were wondering where the Pin is placed. Well it doesn’t matter. I would prefer to attempt a long putt than having to potentially hit out of a bunker. Now lets add one additional feature to that same situation. Along with the left side bunker there’s also thick woods and fescue at the back. The distance to the back of the green is 146 yards. Now the maximum distance also comes into play. If I catch my 7 Iron too thin I could skip out the back and into the woods where losing the ball is definitely a possibility. In this case I would club down to my 8 Iron. On average I hit my 8 Iron around 125 yards. I have hit it as long as 135 yards at times though. This would give me a slim chance to get my shot as far as the pin, and a decent chance to find the front fringe. It totally takes both hazards out of play though. Once again I would prefer a long putt, or short chip than end up in a hazard. I probably save 5 strokes a Round by playing this way.
Just because it’s a Par 4 doesn’t mean you have to play it like one!
Something I realized after a full Season of playing courses, is that some Par 4s are specifically designed to challenge low handicappers. As a Beginner these holes can totally obliterate what could have been a great Round of Golf. The reason for this is how we are mentally conditioned to play a long Par 4. Hit it as long as possible off the Tee, and then use whichever club is necessary to reach the Green. Recently I played a 448 yard Par 4 dogleg right. I chose Driver off the Tee. Recently I’ve been hitting my Driver with great consistency. You should choose whichever club you can hit long and find the Fairway consistently, after taking Hazard Avoidance into consideration first. I was left with 210 yards to the Pin. Now I could potentially get there with my 3 Wood. In my first couple of Seasons playing golf, that’s exactly what I would have tried. Now what I chose to do instead was treat this long Par 4 like a Par 5. I chose 5 Hybrid which totally took any of the Hazards around the Green out of play. It left me only 50 yards to the Pin which is a very easy distance for me. Choosing to play long Par 4s this way makes Birdie almost impossible, Par difficult, and Bogey very easy. This may sound counterproductive to lowering your scores but in actuality it isn’t. My Par 5 average score has gone from almost 8 to 6 strokes. If the course I’m playing has 4 Par 5s that’s 8 strokes saved on average! The reason for the dramatic change in scoring is because the longer you hit a club, the greater the possibility for error if you hit it poorly. A sliced 3 Wood could put me in brutal trouble. A sliced 5 Hybrid isn’t anywhere close to as bad. Even if I hit the 3 Wood well in the aforementioned situation. I could end up in a greenside bunker, or roll through the back into fescue. A well struck 5 Hybrid can only end up in the Fairway. So I can’t get a birdie. Well so what! As a Beginner Golfer I only aversge 1 birdie per Round anyways.
Play to the Front of Par 3s
I’m guessing that nobody has ever suggested this before. Whenever you are in doubt of how to play a Par 3, just aim for the front of the Green. The only time that I would suggest against this is if you have to clear a hazard. In that case I would suggest aiming for the back. Aiming for the front is all about being logical. Many Beginners know their average total distance, but aren’t aware of their carry distances. Balls that land on the Green will usually roll out further than usual because of the firmness of the surface. But what about Spin, you ask? You are a Beginner (news flash) you don’t really have any. As a result your total average distance is actually increased. Another reason to aim for the front is that you aren’t punished for hitting it thin. You might actually end up on the Green, or roll through the back. At least you won’t be so far out the back that getting back onto the Green will be easy. Last but not least, you generally take hazards on the left, right, or back mostly out of play.
If you take these three tips into consideration the next time you play. I promise you that your final score will be lower than if you didn’t. Good luck, and keep working to improve your game. I’ll see you on the course.
