Golf On TV This Week

Written by: Tony Korologos | Thursday, August 2nd, 2012
Categories: Champions Tour • PGA Tour • Pro Golf

World Golf Championships – Bridgestone Invitational

DVR Alert! Most of the bigs are in action this week at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio for the Bridgestone Invitational. This is a WGC (World Golf Championships) event.

In the field are eight of the top 10 players in the world, including Tiger Woods.

WGC Bridgestone Invitational TV Schedule

Thursday – 2pm-6pm ET – Golf Channel
Friday – 2pm-6pm ET – Golf Channel
Saturday – 2pm-6pm ET – CBS
Sunday – 2pm-6pm ET – CBS

PGA Tour

Reno-Tahoe Open, Lake Tahoe, Nevada

Thursday – 6:30pm-8:30pm ET – Golf Channel
Friday – 6:30pm-8:30pm ET – Golf Channel
Saturday – 6:30pm-8:30pm ET – Golf Channel
Sunday – 7pm-9pm ET – Golf Channel

Champions Tour

3M Championship – TPC Twin Cities, Blaine, Minnesota

Friday – 12pm-1:30pm ET Golf Channel
Saturday – 4pm-6pm ET Golf Channel
Sunday – 4pm-6pm ET Golf Channel

Review: Ecco BIOM Hybrid Golf Shoes

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, August 1st, 2012
Categories: Golf • Golf Apparel • Golf Gear • Reviews

Golf shoes have really taken a turn in design the last few years. I remember the big buzz at the 2010 Masters was the fact that Fred Couples looked to be wearing some kind of casual, spikeless street shoe. I followed him around that day and saw them in person. Two years later the golf/street hybrid design is huge. Everyone is making them and the shoes are getting better and better. One of the absolute best hybrid golf street shoes I’ve tested is the Ecco BIOM Hybrid. Let’s take a look.

Ecco BIOM Hybrid Golf Shoe – click for more

Ecco BIOM Hybrid Golf Shoe Overview

The BIOM model employs Ecco’s “Natural Motion” concept. This is a concept in which the shoe supports and enables the human body’s natural systems for absorbing impact and transferring momentum.

The upper of the shoe (top half) is made of a breathable Yak leather which is three times stronger than other leathers. Despite the strength, the leather is very soft to the touch. I mentioned previously in my Ecco BIOM preview that sometimes I find myself in a daze, caressing the Yak leather…

The leather is also treated with “Hydromax,” which gives the shoe superb weather and water protection.

The structure of the mid-sole arch support mirrors the foot skeleton. No unnatural supports, resulting in comfort with high performance.

The bottom of the shoe has roughly 100 (I stopped counting) molded traction bars.

Ecco BIOM Hybrid Golf Shoes – click for more

These bars replace traditional golf spikes but provide far more surface traction area, with more than 800 “traction angles.” These bars are made from a material called TPU, a highly durable material which lasts five times longer than rubber.

Ecco BIOM Hybrid Golf Shoes – Click to zoom or see more images

Looks

Since the first day I put the BIOM’s on, I’ve had people coming up to me and asking me about them. One of those people is the merchandise manager at my home course. He had nothing but great comments about the BIOM’s.

Despite being a hybrid street shoe, the BIOM design is very classy and sharp looking.

On The Course

I’ve logged many rounds in the BIOM’s. Some of those rounds are early morning, with dew on the ground. Some are simply in wet conditions from the heavy watering which has to be done here in the desert in the summer. In other words, I’ve put these to the test in some very slippery conditions. In hundreds of swings (not per round mind you…) I have yet to slip once. I owe that to the 800 traction angles I suppose.

The great traction I mentioned above means great performance and power in the golf swing. If your base isn’t stable, the rest of the swing is going to fail. I’ve got a ton of power. In fact, I’m hitting some draws and gaining a bit of distance because my base is so solid.

Colors

White/Royal
Black/Brick
White/Brick (pictured)
Cocoa Brown/Fanta

Conclusion

Ecco is widely known for making the most comfortable street and dress shoes on the planet. The $190.00 BIOM Hybrid golf shoe is just as comfortable as my uber-comfortable Ecco dress shoes, and perhaps even better looking. The shoe combines performance with modern, classy style. A total winner.

Related

Hooked On Golf Blog Ecco Image Gallery

Golfsmith And Golf Town Merge – Biggest Golf Retail Business On Earth

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, July 31st, 2012
Categories: Golf • Golf Gear

Golfsmith and Golf Town have officially combined their operations as was announced back on May 24th. Golf Town, for those of us south of the Canadian border who don’t know, is the largest golf retailer in Canada. Golf Town bought out Golfsmith for around $97 million.

The combination of the two will create the largest golf retail business on the planet with 151 stores in North America. Store names in their home regions will remain the same.

First Look: Score Band – Wrist Mounted Golf, Tennis, Sports Scorekeeper

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, July 30th, 2012
Categories: Golf Accessories • Golf Gear

New product in for review is the very simple Score Band golf and sports scorekeeper. I have yet to put the unit into play and see how the scoring works, but in short you can enter scores on the fly.

Score Band - Scorekeeping Wristband Watch

Track golf or tennis scores on your wrist…

I’ll play some rounds with it and see if my scores are any lower…

Latest World Golf Rankings

Written by: Tony Korologos | Monday, July 30th, 2012
Categories: European Tour • PGA Tour • Pro Golf

We haven’t taken a look at the world golf rankings for a few weeks. Things have been relatively the same for a bit, with some minor movement. Tiger Woods has been edging closer to #1, behind Luke Donald. The next several weeks, with the PGA Championship etc., will be interesting. Where do you think the top five or ten will end the season?

Rank	Player	Points Avg.	Total Points	Events
1	Luke Donald, Eng	9.84	501.75	51
2	Tiger Woods, USA	8.37	334.75	40
3	Rory McIlroy, Nir	8.27	405.19	49
4	Lee Westwood, Eng	7.77	357.27	46
5	Webb Simpson, USA	6.39	332.32	52
6	Adam Scott, Aus	6.17	265.41	43
7	Bubba Watson, USA	6.12	287.81	47
8	Jason Dufner, USA	5.80	272.57	47
9	Matt Kuchar, USA	5.69	295.86	52
10	Justin Rose, Eng	5.40	280.61	52
11	Graeme McDowell, Nir	5.31	276.02	52
12	Zach Johnson, USA	5.26	262.90	50
13	Hunter Mahan, USA	5.18	269.29	52
14	Steve Stricker, USA	4.80	196.83	41
15	Ernie Els, Zaf	4.76	247.45	52
16	Dustin Johnson, USA	4.71	216.82	46
17	Phil Mickelson, USA	4.44	217.56	49
18	Martin Kaymer, Deu	4.39	214.99	49
19	Louis Oosthuizen, Zaf	4.37	227.07	52
20	Rickie Fowler, USA	4.35	226.11	52
21	Jason Day, Aus	4.22	181.59	43
22	Charl Schwartzel, Zaf	4.19	217.94	52
23	Francesco Molinari, Ita	4.12	214.20	52
24	Brandt Snedeker, USA	4.11	209.42	51
25	Sergio Garcia, Esp	3.91	183.78	47
26	Bo Van Pelt, USA	3.76	195.76	52
27	Bill Haas, USA	3.73	193.88	52
28	Keegan Bradley, USA	3.72	193.23	52
29	Ian Poulter, Eng	3.69	188.09	51
30	Peter Hanson, Swe	3.63	188.50	52
31	Paul Lawrie, Sco	3.50	174.77	50
32	Nick Watney, USA	3.46	179.71	52
33	Nicolas Colsaerts, Bel	3.45	175.86	51
34	Jim Furyk, USA	3.22	167.28	52
35	John Senden, Aus	3.20	166.60	52
36	K.J. Choi, Kor	3.17	164.97	52
37	David Toms, USA	3.15	151.40	48
38	Martin Laird, Sco	3.01	156.58	52
39	Carl Pettersson, Swe	3.01	156.34	52
40	Thomas Bjorn, Dnk	2.97	148.41	50
41	Fredrik Jacobson, Swe	2.77	135.89	49
42	Bae Sang-moon, Kor	2.70	140.55	52
43	Gonzalo Fdez-Castano, Esp	2.68	109.94	41
44	Rafael Cabrera Bello, Esp	2.66	138.47	52
45	Mark Wilson, USA	2.63	136.93	52
46	Simon Dyson, Eng	2.63	136.67	52
47	Alvaro Quiros, Esp	2.62	125.85	48
48	Geoff Ogilvy, Aus	2.58	126.42	49
49	Jonathan Byrd, USA	2.56	133.33	52
50	Kevin Na, USA	2.55	132.63	52