Roll It Back – Golf’s Mythical Distance Problem Isn’t Just the Golf Ball

Distance has apparently become a real problem. I know I have too much of it. Don’t you? Golf courses are too short now, and many have to spend millions to make a their holes more challenging for .00000000000003% of the golfers on the planet. Why? Most think this “problem” is just the golf ball. This ball distance talk has heated up this year, especially after Dustin Johnson nearly made an ace on a 400 yard par-4 in Kapalua. People got all amped up about the ball going too far with no mind what the conditions were (downwind, downhill, hard ground). I’ve hit a 430 yard drive, in the mountains, on hard ground, with a heavy tailwind. I hit about a 520 yard drive also. It hit the cart path about 20 times. Roll back cart paths!

Bifurcation

The subject of bifurcation seems to be making a comeback this year. Bifurcation in golf is the splitting of the golf ball into two different models: a “tournament ball” which the PGA Tour players would use, and a regular ball that Joe golfer would use. The tournament ball would be limited more in its distance than the regular ball.

I’m not a fan of bifurcation, and surely the golf manufacturers aren’t. The reason that 300 yard drives are impressive is because it takes some skill and athleticism to make it happen more than just a rare lucky swing. When I get ahold of one and hit it as far as Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlory, or Tiger Woods, I get excited.

Hitting a big drive is fun. That’s one of the few things that can help me stay interested in golf. How can I compare myself to those great golfers if I’m playing a different ball? Aspiring to hit shots like those pros is part of the fun, and the challenge.

Roll Back The Ball

Instead of bifurcation, some think all golf balls should be “rolled back.” Haha nice pun. The golf ball should be put back to a maximum distance number that’s in some golf governing body members’ heads, a distance shorter than it goes now. What distance? What’s fair?

This theory REALLY takes the fun out of it, and all it will do is make golf harder for those who don’t hit it far, most amateurs and Corey Pavin.

Rolling the ball back certainly wouldn’t help the golf equipment industry. It would pretty much kill every golf ball advertising and PR campaign theme since the beginning of golf balls, “this ball is longer!” What would the companies advertise if the ball is rolled back? This ball is the longest best rolled back ever!

What Else Should Golf Roll Back?

The problem with distance, if one actually thinks it is a problem, isn’t just the ball. There are many, many other factors involved in how far the golf ball travels these days. PGA Tour golfers are no longer out-of-shape pot-bellied smokers who drink booze all night, don’t work out, don’t have extensive teams of trainers and coaches, and don’t practice. Well, other than John Daly. PGA Tour golfers work out like crazy, have incredible flexibility, and have some of the most amazing advances in technology behind their swings and their gear. I’m not talking about just the golf ball. Here’s list of a few of the things professional golf would have to roll back other than the ball, though I’m sure there are some I’m missing.

Fitness – First, we will have to roll back fitness. Pro golfers today are super-fit (usually). Roll them back from the gym.

Flexibility – We must find ways of making today’s golfers more stiff and less flexible. No more yoga. No more flexibility training. Roll it back.

Personal Trainers – Speaking of training and fitness, part of that whole combo includes personal trainers. They’ll have to go.

Dietitians – Part of the fitness component is dietitians. Golfers who eat better can be more flexible and strong. Roll back the dietitians. Go back to the food pro golfers ate in the 50’s (except probably Gary Player). Make ‘em all eat fatty diets with lots of carbs! No more kale. Roll them back from precisely calculated sports diets to greasy burger

Golf Coaches – Golf coaches will certainly have to be rolled back.

Golf Shaft Technology – Shafts are as much to blame for distance as the golf ball. They’re waaaaay too good these days. Shafts must be rolled back.

Driver Head Technology – Driver head engineering is certainly a distance culprit. What is it this year? Jail face break twist technology I think. Roll back the drivers!

Swing Analysis & Launch Monitors – 99.9% of tour players utilize launch and swing analysis to optimize their swing, their shafts, their launch angles, spin rates and so on. Launch monitors have a huge impact on today’s distance problem. No more launch monitors. Roll ‘em back.

Golf Grip Technology – Golf grip technology certainly helps the pro golfer connect to the club. Let’s roll back that connection. Make the grip weaker, less stable. Roll it back.

Golf Course Conditioning – Hard ground certainly is a contributor to the distance problem. Short, precisely cut grass is too. Roll ‘em back. Let’s make some soft, wet courses with longer fairways and be sure to cut those fairways with inconsistent, dull mower blades. Roll back the roll so to speak.

Final Thoughts

I find it mildly confusing and entertaining when I hear that golf courses are “too short.” Many courses are ruining their original designs and spending millions by adding more length because .0000000000000003% of the golfers in the world can hit the ball so far. Meanwhile the average golfer’s scores haven’t improved in decades. In fact, over the last few years average golfer’s scores have edged upward. All that extra distance the average golfer is getting these days is really helping!

To fix this mythical distance problem golf’s governing bodies are considering solutions that will hurt the golf equipment industry and simultaneously make golf less fun for the average player. With all this talk of the golf industry’s struggles and the need to “grow golf,” making it less fun is a really dumb idea.

Review: Ecco S-Drive Golf Shoes

Written by: Tony Korologos | Friday, January 26th, 2018
Categories: Golf Apparel • Golf Gear • Reviews
Tags: Ecco • Ecco Golf

The Ecco S-Drive golf shoes are quite unique, even between the right and left shoes! This design is an asymmetrical concept which is not only interesting, it is stylish and highly functional. I’ve been gaming these shoes for a few months with great results not only on the golf course, but in daily use. Let’s take a look.

Ecco S-Drive Golf Shoes – Overview

The S-Drive is a light-weight golf shoe which is stabilized by bonded microfiber. The microfiber provides strength while still delivering support. Despite this strength, the shoe is still able to flex with the golfer in the golf swing or walking the course. In my case, it also walking to lunch from the office.

The inlay of the shoe can be removed to make the shoe more roomy for those who need the space. Rather than doing that, I switched out the inlay for some specialized golf shoe inserts since I’ve been fighting off plantar fasciitis. Plantar fasciitis is a painful situation in the arch and heel of the foot. With or without the inserts the shoes are comfortable and stable.

The S-Drive repels water through the use of Ecco’s special “hydromax” leather.

Lastly, the outsole of the shoe provides great traction, performance and stability due to 800 “traction angles,” as seen in the photo below.

Looks/Style

The S-Drives are extremely stylish and I love the asymmetrical concept. Each shoe’s shape reflects the foot, not a cookie cutter pattern that the foot is jammed into. I love wearing these shoes on and off the course. At the office I get a lot of interested looks and questions about them.

Comfort

Despite not having much in the way of laces, I can tighten them perfectly which gives me great support without sacrificing comfort. The shape is very friendly to my feet. I’ve walked many rounds on hard ground with them with no fatigue or aches.

Performance

Most importantly I find the performance of the Ecco S-Drives to be fantastic. From the first round I put them on I seemed to gain power and accuracy in my golf shots. The solid base with great traction certainly helps me make better golf swings.

Sizing

Sizing is the one funky area with Ecco’s offerings. They’re European sizes, which is fine. But the size ranges cover ranges like 8 to 8.5, 9 to 9.5, etc. One has to definitely see how the fit is first to make sure the shoes are the correct size. If the shoe fits, wear it.

Conclusion

The $160 retail Ecco S-Drives have been a great addition to my gamer setup. I’m undefeated in golf money games since putting them into play. I may have to wear them to Vegas…

The S-Drive scores highly in the the most important categories in my personal rating system, performance, style, and comfort.

First Look: Sun Mountain Hybrid Vest

Written by: Tony Korologos | Tuesday, January 23rd, 2018
Categories: Golf Apparel • Golf Gear
Tags: Sun Mountain

In for review is a new 2018 Sun Mountain Hybrid Vest. I’ve just started putting this vest through the rigorous Hooked on Golf Blog test battery so I’ll post my full review later this spring after I’ve had a chance to evaluate it on a real-deal golf course.

Sun Mountain Hybrid Vest

The Hybrid Vest comes in four colors: blue, black, light gray, dark gray.

The vest design provides thermal properties as well as wind resistance, while stretching with the golfer’s movement and providing quiet comfort.

Sun Mountain Hybrid Vest

I have a minor problem due to my vest’s blue color and my college football affiliation being red, definitely not blue. But the vest is so super comfortable that I’ll have to take my chances being spotted by fellow non-blue-wearers.

Stay tuned for the full review after the snow here in northern Utah melts and I’ll have the chance to put it through the paces better.

Ice Skip It

Written by: Tony Korologos | Wednesday, January 17th, 2018
Categories: Boneheads • Golf • Hackers

I live in the land of “The Greatest Snow on Earth,” the home of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Last year’s snowfall was massive and I had a fantastic time with my new skis enjoying the “pow pow.” But this year has been very different. High temperatures and very little snow. The skiing is pretty bad. But with the high temps the golf courses are open. If mother nature gives me snow, I ski. If she gives me green grass, I golf.

I golf.

I played my first two rounds of 2018 this past weekend, 9-holes at River Oaks and 18 holes at Hidden Valley. I made birdie on my very first hole of 2018, so I’ve got that going for me, which is nice. Despite there being no snow, it can still be well below freezing at times, so as you will see in the video below, the lakes on the course are frozen. That gave me a chance to play “ice skip it.” I had no idea the ball would still be spinning minutes after I hit it.

And below is a golf instructional video on how to get the ball off of an icy lake when it is too far to get with a golf club. You can thank me later.

Random Stuff You Find on the Golf Course – Oral Hygiene Edition

Written by: Tony Korologos | Sunday, January 14th, 2018
Categories: Golf • Miscellaneous

This Trump global warming is great for my golf game. Normally all the courses here in northern Utah would be closed and under a deep blanket of snow, but instead the temps are around 50 degrees and there’s grass! So I hung up the skis and got the sticks out yesterday and played my first round of golf for 2018, a 9-holer at River Oaks. River is my former and about to be current home course again, since moved to within a wedge of the 8th tee a couple of months ago.

On the first tee I found the subject of the first 2018 “Random Stuff You Find on the Golf Course” post, someone’s toothbrush. What’s the story behind this? Was a passer by brushing his/her teeth and dropped it? Was a golfer in such a rush from his house to the first tee that he was still brushing his teeth, then so mad about hitting that first ball in the water on the right forgot to pick up the tooth brush? Did someone’s woman throw his toothbrush out the window of a nearby apartment after she found out he was using his apparent girlfriend’s toothbrush? We may never know.

Stats on the first round of 2018

I made birdie on the first hole of the year. So there’s that. I thought of quitting for the rest of 2018 at that point. I’d be -1 for the year!

That 1-putt birdie on the first hole would be the first of FIVE 1-putts for the nine holes! I managed a double along with seven pars to go with it for a surprising 36 (one over par as the front nine is a par-35). 13 putts, 1.44 putts per hole average. Found 4/6 fairways but the two I missed were only by a couple of feet.

I’ll take that for January and a cold, tight swing. Actually it wasn’t even that cold. I had to take off my beanie and my outer layer because I was too hot. I’m playing 18 today at a nice country club. I wonder if there will be any additions to the “Random Stuff You Find on the Golf Course” story there.

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