My Streak of Consecutive Golf Holes Without Losing a Golf Balls Ends After Spanning One Month, Three Countries, and 12 Courses

Written by: Tony Korologos | Sunday, August 4th, 2013
Categories: Hackers • HOG World Tour • Miscellaneous

Didn’t lose a golf ball in Mexico!

I’ve had a hell of a record going for an entire month of golf on some very tough golf courses. Coming into yesterday I’d gone 192 holes without losing a golf ball. Yesterday’s round was a Greek charity scramble. Scrambles are a different animal in golf. You try shots you normally wouldn’t when other players are already safely in play. I lost a ball on the 8th hole at Wingpointe, a short par-3 over water. I came up short and heard the sound of my ball hitting a rock. Never saw where it went. For all I know it was sitting nicely on a tuft of grass somewhere, but I’ll never know. Didn’t see a splash. So after seven holes yesterday it came to an end at the heartbreaking number of 199! Wow.

199 consecutive holes played without losing a golf ball!

I started the new record, but that one ended exactly nine holes later, on another par-3, the 17th. My record now stands at one. I managed play the finishing hole without losing a ball!

Here’s the final tally of holes/courses

7/4/13 Kingsbarns, Scotland 3
7/5/13 Carnoustie Golf Links, Scotland 18
7/6/13 Castle Course, Scotland 18
7/6/13 Balcomie Golf Links, Scotland 18
7/10/13 Bonneville Golf Club, Salt Lake City 9
7/15/13 Bonneville Golf Club, Salt Lake city 18
7/18/13 Cabo del Sol, Los Cabos Mexico 18
7/19/13 Cabo Real, Los Cabos Mexico 18
7/19/13 Diamante, Los Cabos Mexico 18
7/24/13 Bonneville Golf Club, Salt Lake City 18
7/25/13 Fore Lakes Executive Course, Murray UT 9
7/30/13 River Oaks Front Nine, Sandy UT 9 (174)
7/31/13 Bonneville Golf Club, Salt Lake City 18 (192)
8/3/13 Wingpointe Golf Course, Salt Lake City 7 holes (199)

The record spanned three countries and 12 courses (some I played more than once). It started in Scotland then went from there to the USA, Mexico and back to the USA.

That was fun.

Golf Equipment Review: 3UP Golf Balls

Written by: Tony Korologos | Thursday, August 1st, 2013
Categories: Golf Balls • Golf Equipment • Golf Gear • Reviews

3UP 3F12 Golf Balls – click to zoom.

I had a hell of a round going yesterday. Made eagle on the par-5 first hole with a solid 4-iron to about eight feet. Made the putt. Five pars and then a solid 6-iron to about 10 feet on the par-3 6th from 185 yards, birdie. After par on #7 I was three under. Then I completely gagged, going bogey-triple bogey on the last two holes of the front nine. I bounced back great on the back nine with birdies on #10 and #12. I ended up shooting even par on the back and a +1 73 for the round, despite having a triple bogey and a few bogeys.

The great shots I hit during yesterday’s round wouldn’t have been possible with a low quality golf ball. That uphill 4-iron on the first hole from 195 or that great 6-iron which hit pin-high from 185 and stuck right there would not have been possible with a “distance” or non “tour” spin ball. Was I playing a Titleist ProV1? Perhaps a Srixon Z-Star or Bridgestone B330? Nope. I was playing a ball you may have never heard of, until now.

3UP

3UP is a new kid on the golf ball block. They’re elbowing their way into a market ruled by billion dollar companies. The company was founded by Rob Zimmerman, a 2 handicap. Zimmerman survived a mild heart attack in 2012 and decided to take on a new path with his new lease on life, making golf balls. Fast forward a year and lowly TK here is playing a very fine golf ball. Let’s take a look at the 3UP 3F12.

3UP 3F12 Golf Ball Overview

The 3UP 3F12 golf ball was built with a little bit of old school balata spin and new school distance. For those who don’t remember the balata days, balata golf balls were very soft and had extremely high spin rates, much higher than what we see these days. That high spin was great on short irons and short game, but made driving the ball straight extremely difficult. The covers on balata balls were so soft that a bladed iron could literally cut through. The ball would be cut open, egg shaped and completely unplayable.

The 3UP golf ball’s technology produces balata-like spin, about 5% more spin on shorter irons than regular golf balls.

The distance of the golf ball is comparable to any big name golf ball on the market. I’ve hit some cracking drives with the 3UP, like the drive on #18 yesterday. #18 was a 470 yard par-4. I was 145 from the pin for my 2nd shot. You do the math. The 3UP ball produces low side spin off of driver shots, which makes it more accurate and long.

Technology

So what makes the ball produce such great spin on the short irons, yet great distance off the driver? The ball is a 3-piece (in other words 3-layer) ball.

The outer layer is a cast urethane, the same material most high end “tour” balls has. This layer is where the “feel” in the short game and putting comes from. 318 dimples are aerodynamically designed to give the ball the proper amount of lift and carry.

The middle layer is called the “mantle” layer. The mantle layer is made from an ionomer plastic. This layer helps to reduce driver spin, yet doesn’t compromise shorter iron spin.

The center layer is, you guessed it, the core. Just like the earth’s layers! The core is the primary layer for distance.

On The Course

I couldn’t wait to tell some 3UP stories from on the course, which I did in the intro. I have many more, like the 7-iron I backed up on the 4th hole at River Oaks, with a tail wind. Not possible with other golf balls!

I gave some 3UPs to a friend Kevin, a mid-teen handicap on the rise. He loved the feel and was gushing to me about how he hadn’t been able to get that kind of spin from other big name golf balls. I watched him produce several shots, even from the rough, which bit and held greens he normally wouldn’t have been able to hold. Sold.

3UP after 45 holes – click to zoom

Durability

I’m very impressed with the durability of this ball. Typically high spin balls are not durable. In the photo to the right, check out my 3UP ball after 45 holes. There are just a couple of scratches from some square grooved wedges, but the ball is nearly like new.

Charity

This is really awesome. 3UP will donate $3 to charity from every dozen balls sold. That’s fantastic. Don’t worry about losing a golf ball! You just donated to charity!

Critiques

While I love this golf ball, I think it will be a tough go to break into a market which has some very big names with multi-million dollar advertising and PR budgets. Maybe this small article will help a bit. I do think that at a retail of $39, a ball someone isn’t familiar with might be a tough sell. I think pricing under $30, even $24.99 would be a better price point.

Packaging

I like this. A dozen 3UP golf balls does not come in a cardboard box, with four cardboard boxes inside. Instead, the balls come in a nice bag/pouch with a tie string. When you’re done with the balls, you have a great golf accessory bag to put tees and ball markers in!

Conclusion

Hats off to Rob and 3UP. The ball is everything they say it is. The spin in the short game is stellar and the ball is plenty long.

Related Links

HOG 3UP photos

3UP Website

Top secret pictures of the new TaylorMade Super Mega-Quad Core i111.4 driver prototype

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
Categories: Golf Equipment • Golf Gear • Miscellaneous
Tags: TaylorMade

I know that the new TaylorMade SLDR slider driver just came out and it is the longest driver they’ve ever made. There’s a lot of excitement about it. But I have top secret connection who got me a new TaylorMade prototype driver which we may be seeing in the next six months to perhaps year from now. I’ve been hitting this thing for a couple of weeks and let me tell you, this thing is LONG! It took me a bit to get the settings dialed in but when I did, it was amazing!

TaylorMade Super Mega-Quad Core i111.4 driver prototype – click to view larger image

Below are the current details and specs for the new prototype TaylorMade Super Mega-Quad Core i111.4 Driver. Its a beast!

• Mega-Quad Core i111.4 Technology

• Hybrid iOS/Android/TMAG Operating System

• Loft, Lie, Swingweight, Face Angle, Shaft Flex Adjusted Via Software

• Built In Golf GPS With 40,000,000 Courses Pre-Loaded

• Internal Monitor Supports Resolutions up to 13,696×10,696

• Built-In WiFi and 6G Cellular Connectivity

• Hybrid Can Opener/Cigar Cutter

• HDMI Port (supports up to 5 monitors)

• Dual Ethernet Ports – 10 USB Ports

• Built In Firewall

• Speaker/Headphone Jacks

• Compass

• 6 Thunderbolt Ports

This isn’t the first TaylorMade prototype HOG has uncovered. Remember a few years back the TaylorMade r15 SuperMegaQuad proto?

Golf Apparel Review: Antigua Men’s Santa Fe Golf Shorts

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Categories: Golf Apparel • Golf Gear • Reviews

Antigua Santa Fe Men’s Golf Shorts

In my last golf blog post I reviewed the Antigua Men’s “Quiet” polo, a very stylish and comfortable shirt. A perfect match for the shirt are the shorts I’m wearing even as I write, the Antigua Men’s Santa Fe Shorts.

Santa Fe Overview

Santa Fe is an artsy city located in New Mexico, approximately an hour north of Albuquerque. Santa Fe is the capitol of New Mexico with a population of 68,642. Oh wait, I’m reviewing Santa Fe shorts, not the city…

Santa Fe Shorts

Antigua’s $50 (retail) Santa Fe Shorts are a combination of 95% polyester and 5% spandex. No cotton, which is a very good thing. No wrinkles, no shrinking, no ironing, low maintenance.

The shorts employ the same Desert Dry technology as the Quiet Polo, a technology which pulls moisture from the player’s skin and helps it evaporate, keeping the player dry and comfortable.

A styish “contrast piping detail” runs down the side of the leg.

Colors

The Santa Fe Short is available in five colors: Black/Steel (pictured), Navy/Apple, Smoke/Melon, Steel/Margarita, White/Steel.

On The Course

These are some of the most comfortable golf shorts I’ve ever worn. They’re very light on the skin and lightweight. I can definitely attest to the Desert Dry technology, as I feel nice and cool with no excessive moisture, even in some very hot 100+ F rounds.

Even with sweaty hands getting in and out of the pockets is easy.

During the golf swing I feel no tight spots or binding anywhere. The swing is free of restrictions.

Conclusion

One pair of Santa Fe Shorts is most definitely not enough. I could replace all the billions of shorts in my wardrobe with these. I just might. I have yet to find a better combination of style comfort and performance in a pair of golf shorts.

Antigua Men’s Quiet Polo review

Golf Apparel Review: Antigua Men’s Quiet Golf Polo

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, July 29th, 2013
Categories: Golf Apparel • Golf Gear • Reviews

Quietly sitting in my Antigua Quiet polo… click to zoom

While in St. Andrews and then Cabo San Lucas, Mexico this month I was happy to be sporting some new threads. On the top was the very cool Antigua Men’s Quiet Polo and on the bottom the mega-comfy Santa Fe Golf Shorts.

Men’s Quiet Overview

The Men’s “Quiet” (not sure how they came up with that name) is a 100% polyester polo. I really dig polys. They’re easy to wash, resist wrinkles and don’t need ironing if cared for properly. I’d rather spend my time on the golf course rather than ironing.

The Quiet polo employs “Desert Dry” moisture management. This technology “wicks” moisture away from the skin and helps it evaporate away from the body. In other words, the shirt helps keep you dry.

Colors

The Quiet is available in five colors: White/Black/Silver (pictured), White/Margarita/Silver, White/Melon/Silver and White/Phlox/Silver. Sizes range from medium to 2X-Large.

Golfing with a completely white background! Must be a snowstorm… At least he’s comfortable.

On The Course

In St. Andrews it was a bit chilly at times, requiring a light jacket or sweater. When the sun would come out, it warmed up enough be able to play in just the polo. In either situation the polo was very comfortable and didn’t bind or pull during the golf swing. In the much warmer Cabo conditions in Mexico last week, I enjoyed the moisture wicking, which helped keep me dry. I just wish the shirt covered my hands, which were very sweaty.

Santa Fe Shorts

The Quiet polo is a fantastic match with Antigua’s Santa Fe shorts.

Conclusion

The $65 (retail) Antigua Men’s Quiet is not quiet in terms of style and comfort.

Hooked On Golf Blog Antigua Santa Fe Shorts review

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