Shaking Off the Spring Rust, Looking Forward to a Big Summer of Golf

Written by: Tony Korologos | Thursday, May 23rd, 2013
Categories: Golf • Golf Life • Hackers • Life

Heading to the Home of Golf AGAIN!

It has been a while since I posted an update of my game here. So many reviews and other stuff to write about. But one of the reasons I started this blog was to chronicle my own journey on the course.

Golf here in Utah can be frustrating. Yes this place is beautiful with some of the best golf courses and best pricing of golf anywhere. But we have long winters, forcing us golfers to go into hibernation unless we travel. This winter was tough. Didn’t play more than four rounds, cold ones at that, between December and March. When I don’t play regularly, at least a couple of times per week or more, my game starts to fade away. The first thing that goes is my short game, followed by my irons and ball striking. My driving and putting seem to weather well as those are the two parts of my game which seem to come natural for me.

I’ve got a much busier schedule this year than ever before. Between a new day gig and 3-4 golf writing gigs, finding time to golf or practice is tough. I have been playing quite a bit the last few weeks though and the rust is finally, slowly, coming off. Yesterday I practiced short game for an hour, which was very beneficial. My save percentage, getting up and down for par when not hitting a green in regulation, was awful at the beginning of the year. I’m talking 20% or less. That number is improving. Just yesterday I missed a ton of greens but thanks to decent chipping and great putting I managed an even-par round which included my 2nd eagle of the season via chip-in. That’s evidence right there that when the short game is working, the scores are low.

June

June is going to be a huge golf month for me. As of this moment I count five state sanctioned tournaments on my schedule, along with my regular leagues. One is my favorite, the Salt Lake Amateur, a two-day tourney held at one of my home courses, Bonneville. This tournament is the one I want to perform in the most. The pressure is high. The last two years I’ve made it into the money, which had been a goal for years. Winning the thing is not likely as I’m playing against the college scholarship players, but you never know.

Also in June I’m playing in the Wingpointe Amateur for the 2nd time in my very modest amateur golf career. There are some serious players in this tournament. I usually play that course well so I have high hopes.

Later in June I’m playing with my pops in his club’s father/son tournament. We are defending CHAMPIONS. I’m not planning on giving up that claim this year either.

My pal Boynie (left) and myself at the Home of Golf

July

All the tournaments and golf in June will be a great primer to July. On June 30 my clubs and I jump on a plane to Philadelphia. I have a four hour layover in the Philly airport where I’ll be joined by my best friend in the world. We will be flying to Scotland and making our second trip to the Home of Golf, St. Andrews. We’ll be joined by two other very good pals for a week of golf. Very much looking forward to that. By then my game should be in pretty good shape. I’m looking to better my low score on the Old Course, a 77. I’m also looking forward to catching back up with my good friend and Old Course caddie John Boyne (pictured right).

This summer is going to be a good one. Looking forward to playing some good golf, making a lot of birdies, but most of all enjoying it with the fine gentlemen I share the game with.

Golf on TV This Week

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, May 22nd, 2013
Categories: Champions Tour • European Tour • LPGA Tour • PGA Tour • Pro Golf • Rory McIlory

PGA Tour
Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
Dates: May 23-26
Venue: Colonial Country Club, Ft. Worth, Texas

Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 3-6 p.m. Golf Channel
Friday 3-6 p.m. Golf Channel
Saturday 1-2:30 p.m. Golf Channel – 3-6 p.m. CBS
Sunday 1-2:30 p.m. Golf Channel – 3-6 p.m. CBS

Notables in the Field

Charl Schwartzel, Louis Oosthuizen, Matt Kuchar, Hunter Mahan, Rickie Fowler, Jason Dufner, Jim Furyk, Angel Cabrera, Zach Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Bo Van Pelt, Vijay Singh, Freddie Jacobson, Tom Lehman, Camilo Villegas, Patrick Cantlay.

European Tour
BMW PGA Championship
Dates: May 23-26
Venue: Wentworth Club, Surrey, England

Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 5 a.m.-noon (Live)
Friday 5 a.m.-noon (Live)
Saturday 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. (Live)

Notables in the Field

Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Justin Rose, Ian Poulter, Graeme McDowell, Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Sergio Garcia, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke, Nicolas Colsaerts, Thomas Bjorn, Peter Hanson, Francesco Molinari, Branden Grace, Matteo Manassero, Paul Lawrie, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano and Chris Wood.

Champions Tour
Senior PGA Championship
Dates: May 23-26
Venue: Bellerive Country Club, St. Louis, Mo.

Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday Noon-3 p.m.
Friday Noon-3 p.m.

NBC Airtimes (Eastern):
Saturday 3-6 p.m.
Sunday 3-6 p.m.

Notables in the Field

Tom Watson, Bernhard Langer, Tom Kite, Curtis Strange and Lanny Wadkins; fellow Ryder Cup Captains Hal Sutton, Mark James and Ian Woosnam; and major champions Mark Brooks, Mark Calcavecchia, Steve Elkington, Larry Mize, Andy North, Mark O’Meara, Jerry Pate, Scott Simpson, Jeff Sluman, Bob Tway and 2012 defending champion Roger Chapman.

LPGA Tour
Pure Silk-Bahamas LPGA Classic
Dates: May 23-26
Venue: Ocean Club Golf Course, Paradise Island, Bahamas

Golf Channel Airtimes (Eastern):
Thursday 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)
Friday 6:30-8:30 p.m. (Tape Delay)
Saturday 3-6 p.m.
Sunday 3-6 p.m.

Notables in the Field

Inbee Park, Stacy Lewis, Yani Tseng, Lexi Thompson, Paula Creamer, Ai Miyazato, Suzann Pettersen, Morgan Pressel, Azahara Munoz, Na Yeon Choi, Natalie Gulbis, Cristie Kerr, I.K. Kim, Jessica Korda, Lizette Salas, Jiyai Shin.

Bye Bye Belly Putter – Golf Club Anchoring Ban Official

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, May 21st, 2013
Categories: Golf • Golf For Women • Miscellaneous • PGA Tour • Tiger Woods • USGA

anchor-belly-long-putter As suspected the USGA and R&A ruling on banning anchoring golf clubs has become reality. Starting January 1, 2016 anchoring any kind of golf club to the body, not just putters, will be illegal.

The anchoring ban is fine with me. I’ve always been a good putter with a standard blade style flat stick so I don’t use a belly putter. I tried anchoring a belly putter for about 10 seconds. The club head was all over the place. I had absolutely NO control over it in speed or direction.

PGA Tour

Now what will the PGA Tour do? They’ve come out against the ban on anchoring, though individual players like Tiger Woods are for the ban. Could we see a mexican standoff between the PGA Tour and the USGA? That saga will be interesting to follow.

Keegan Bradley, Webb Simpson and Adam Scott might want to start practicing with a shorter putter just in case!

Fantasy Golf – HP Byron Nelson Championship Winner

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, May 21st, 2013
Categories: Fantasy Golf • Miscellaneous • Site News

HP Byron Nelson Championship Winner: Golf Grouch

2013 Fantasy Golf is brought to you by Hooked On Golf Blog and The Golf Space.

SPONSOR UPDATE

The following four sponsors have been confirmed for 2013!

Nike Golf – Nike Covert Driver
FootJoy – Shoes/Apparel
Bridgestone Golf – Bridgestone Golf Balls
Tornado Tee – Very cool golf tees (weekly)

I’m still hammering out prizes and arrangements for coupon codes to claim the weekly prizes. Stay tuned!

It is never too late to join HOG Space fantasy golf FREE. Follow the easy instructions below:

1. Go to www.buzzfantasyleagues.com
2. Create an account if you don’t have one
3. Click on “Join an Existing League”
4. Enter League ID 233, and Season ID 335
5. Create your team, enter league password “HOG”

: Nike Covert Driver Grand Prize

Sponsors Wanted

If you wish to sponsor 2013 Fantasy Golf, let me know. Sponsorship would mean providing prizes in exchange for weekly air time, banners and links to your web site via the fantasy golf updates.

Discussion

HOG Space fantasy golf is a dual effort between Hooked On Golf Blog and The Golf Space. Official fantasy golf forum discussion thread is in The Golf Space Forum here.

What Is The Worst Airline for Golf Travel? Reader Poll Results

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, May 20th, 2013
Categories: Boneheads • Golf • Miscellaneous • Travel

delta-airlines The Pundits Have Spoken…

I needed to use my professional tripod yesterday to shoot some golf photos and video. I hadn’t used this particular tripod since my recent trip to Bogota, Colombia a couple of months ago. Unfortunately I found out that my tripod joined the list of my property that had been damaged or destroyed by Delta Airlines. The clamp which extends the top section of the tripod was broken off. Add this to the list of three golf bags, two golf travel bags, broken head covers and trashed luggage courtesy of Delta. Hell, on one trip, they trashed two separate bags! Fortunately that time they paid for the damage.

I’ve had a poll buried in the bottom of the HOG pages here, slowly gathering some votes. Based on my latest item trashed by an airline, I thought it a good time to post these poll results:

What is the WORST airline for golf travel?

British Airways (7%)
United Airlines (10%)
US Airways (13%)
Southwest Airlines(12%)
Continental Airlines(8%)
JetBlue Airways (9%)
American Airlines (14%)
Delta Airlines (27%)

The pundits have spoken. Delta Airlines is the worst airline for golf travelers according to HOG readers and I’d have to agree. I can’t believe they actually charge me extra money in the form of baggage fees to trash my gear too! Such a privilege. What’s even more crazy is that I pay that money just so I can rack up frequent flyer miles so I can presumably have my bags trashed for free on my next skymile redemption…

Next poll: What is the BEST airline for golf travel? Vote in the left column!

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