Golf Short Game Tip: Use No-Chipping Sign as Target When Practicing Chipping

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, March 16th, 2015
Categories: Boneheads • Golf • Hackers • How Not To • Instruction
Tags: Short Game

Use No-Chipping Sign as Target When Practicing Chipping

While at the practice putting green last week I found a golfer there practicing his chipping. After watching him for a few minutes I realized the brilliance of what he was doing. He was using the “no chipping” sign as part of his chipping practice. He positioned his landing spot to be just over the no-chipping sign, and he would try to chip in such a way that the ball would land just over it, then release nicely to the hole.

I highly recommend using the no-chipping sign as a golf training aid when working on chipping. I’ve used the no-chipping sign for my short game drills ever since and I’ve noticed quite an improvement in my short game stats.

First Look: $121 ScoreBand Golf GPS Watch

Written by: Tony Korologos | Thursday, March 12th, 2015
Categories: Golf • Golf Accessories • Golf Equipment • Golf For Women • Golf Gear
Tags: Golf GPS • ScoreBand

Along with my testing of a reasonably priced $173 golf laser rangefinder by ScoreBand, I’m testing the ScoreBand Golf GPS Watch and Scorecard. This unit runs $129 at retail (very reasonably priced) and serves as a golf GPS and wrist mounted golf scorekeeper. I found this golf GPS watch for $121 on Amazon.

ScoreBand Golf GPS Watch – click to buy

I’m not big on wearing watches and GPS watches tend to be bigger than normal watches. I just mount the unit to my bag most of the time. With the unit conveniently located on my golf bag I can look at the numbers and grab a club quickly and easily.

Features Courtesy of the ScoreBand Website

Auto-detects nearest course
Yardage to Front, Back and Center of Green
Yardage to hazards
Quick-Score scorecard for each course
Stores up to 10 rounds
Shot distance measurement
Easy software upgrades
Long-life rechargeable battery 8-10 hours in GPS mode / up to 4 weeks in power-save mode
2 hours to fully recharge (DC)
3ATM Water Resistance
Screen 90 x 90 pixels for easy viewing
GPS accurate time and date
Uses industry leading u-blox GPS chipset

Pre-Loaded Course Database

NORTH AMERICA + BRAZIL
UK/EUROPE/AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND/SOUTH AFRICA

I have a few more testing rounds to go, but so far so good on the ScoreBand GPS watch. Solid so far. Stay tuned for my full review.

I Propose a New Golf Iron Naming Scheme Which Golf Marketers and Some Manufacturers Will Hate

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, March 11th, 2015
Categories: Boneheads • Golf • Golf Clubs • Golf Equipment • Golf Gear
Tags: golf clubs • Golf Marketing

Why is your brand new shiny pitching wedge as long as your old 8-iron? Because it IS an 8-iron.

Hot off the presses is the announcement that TaylorMade just came out with a new set of irons. Kind of a bummer really. I hadn’t even taken off the plastic off the set I bought yesterday and now they’re already obsolete, due to these new LONGER ones which came out today. Now the question is, do I buy the new ones from today knowing that tomorrow’s model will be even better and longer? I poke fun, but that’s the sad state of the golf equipment industry.

Comparing mid 1990’s iron specs to the new TaylorMade Aeroburner 2015 irons.

Golf marketing has completely bastardized the equipment world. Marketers will go to great “lengths” to sell clubs. Most of the manufacturers and their marketing firms are guilty of falling into the trap of promising more and more distance, not just TaylorMade. Marketing will continue this practice so long as the consumer believes he/she will gain more distance.

Take a look at the photo above. It compares iron specifications up to the mid 1990’s with the new TaylorMade “Aeroburner” irons.

Some golfers seem to be aware that the lofts are getting stronger year after year, but most don’t seem to notice shaft length. In the photo above look at the old pitching wedge as an example. The 1990’s model PW was 52 degrees, and had a 35 inch shaft. The Aeroburner 2015 pitching wedge is 43 degrees! NINE degrees stronger. But that’s not all. Look at the shaft length. The new PW is the same length as what an 8-iron used to be.

A good friend of mine was so excited when he bought his RocketBalls irons a while back. “I hit my 7-iron as far as my old 5-iron,” he excitedly told me. Once I explained that his new 7-iron and old 5-iron were the almost the same specs he wasn’t as excited. In fact, he was mad.

Name Irons By Lofts/Lengths

The new Ben Hogan has started doing this a bit, though I’ve had this concept in my mind for years. Either the numbers representing irons should have a fixed area in the spec table, or the numbers should be removed from the club and replaced with the loft and shaft length. That way when comparing clubs, one could only claim to be longer against other clubs with the same specs.

“Hand me the 46!”

So, the TaylorMade 5-iron above would be called a “22” for 22 degrees in loft. Perhaps add a 38.75 to the name: 22-38.75. The closest club in the 1990’s chart above would be between a 2-3-iron, but the shaft length closer to a 1-iron.

Limit Loft/Length Ranges for Iron Numbers

As an alternative there should be limits as to what numbers can be put on what clubs should be put in place. In another 5-10 years at the pace we are on, a pitching wedge will be 20 degrees, and we will all be hitting them 200+ yards.

It would be a good idea to have rules in place stating something like “A 7-iron is a club which features a loft between (pick your numbers) 34-37 degrees and would include a shaft length between (once again, pick your numbers) 36-37 inches.”

Why the Gap Wedge Appeared and Why We Will Need More of Them

Of course, neither of my ideas above will happen. So irons will get stronger and stronger. The distance between a lob wedge, usually a 60 degree club, and a pitching wedge will increase. That’s why the “gap” wedge was invented. The gap wedge filled the growing gap between pitching wedges and sand wedges and gave golf club manufacturers another club to sell.

We are going to need another gap wedge. Let’s call it a gap gap wedge.

First Look: $173 Golf Laser Rangefinder by ScoreBand

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, March 11th, 2015
Categories: Golf • Golf Accessories • Golf Equipment • Golf For Women • Golf Gear • Miscellaneous • Site News
Tags: Golf Laser Range Finder • Leupold • ScoreBand

Here’s a first look at a new $189 (retail) $173 (street) golf laser rangefinder by the company ScoreBand. I reviewed a ScoreBand product a couple of years ago, a small wrist watch style golf score keeper. Yesterday I did my first round of testing the new ScoreBand PULSE Compact Golf Laser Rangefinder and I was quite impressed.

ScoreBand Laser Rangefinder – click to buy

Though it was only my first round with the unit, I found it to be nice and compact and easy to use. The yardages locked in quickly and were consistent, unlike other lasers I’ve tested. A friend in my group was using a Leupold laser rangefinder and the yardages from the Pulse were always within one yard of that unit, which cost him $499.

I’m still testing but so far I dig this unit. Stay tuned for my full review soon.

Golf Is Right Where I Left It

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, March 10th, 2015
Categories: Golf • Hackers • Miscellaneous

Majestic…

Had my first round in over a month, and only my 3rd round since about November. It was the first league day for one of my two men’s associations. Conditions were pristine. No wind and warm enough to have to take off my sweater.

Golf is Still Golf

I started out making six pars in a row. Then on the 7th hole of this 9-hole league I made a birdie. The “SCCS” kicked in after that, “swollen cerebral cortex syndrome.” I promptly made a double on a par-3 which I had pitching wedge in my hand on the tee. Duh. Finished with a par for a round of +1.

So golf is still golf. You think you have it, then you make a dumb double.

I’m surprised at my seeming lack of rust. I hope I’m ahead of the game, so to speak, this year as opposed to most winters where the game which comes out of hibernation is one of a 20 handicap, taking me most of the summer to get back to a 1.

I have a new gamer driver which I seem to really hit a mile. Review coming as soon as I feel I have enough rounds to fully evaluate it. I also have a new putter grip, new laser, new golf GPS watch, new sand wedge, new irons, new bag, new golf balls, new shoes, about 10 new shirts…

The review gear has been stacking up over the winter.

It’s nice to be back playing golf. The game of golf is right where I left it, triumphs and tragedies. It’s like I never left.

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