Robert Gautney: Golf Digest's club ratings issue is a valuable tool
| Thursday, Jan 05 2012 05:53 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Jan 05 2012 05:55 PM
Hello 2012! If you are like most golfers, then you probably told yourself as the new year was approaching that you were going to change some things about yourself and your golf game.
Yeah, getting into to better shape, even for younger players is always on that list, especially if you are not as strong or limber as you used to be!
But sometimes, a change of equipment can help you produce lower scores, although it's usually minimal. But any help is a positive thing when it comes to one's golf score.
That's why I always look forward to the Golf Digest's annual review of clubs and equipment that finds its way to us in the February issue.
This year, GD evaluated 286 golf clubs and 98 of those made it onto the "2012 Hot List." It's a good guide as GD uses the input of amateur golfers, retailers, teachers, scientists and GD editors to come up with results that you can actually take to the bank.
There were 18 brands of clubs evaluated, from drivers to putters. Ping had the most clubs that made the Hot List with 14, including 11 Gold Medals for having the best of a particular club. TaylorMade was next, followed by Callaway, Titleist, Nike and Cleveland.
It's cool because you can go to a specific area, like wedges, and find out what club might suit you the best, then head down to your nearest retailer or golf course pro shop and start trying it out.
Every year, GD also lists its Editor's Choice Awards. This year, the driver winner was the Callaway RAZR Fit, the irons winner was the Ping i20, while the TaylorMade RocketBallz was the hybrid winner. The Titleist Vokey SM4 was the overall winner in the wedges category and you see a bunch of those in the bags of players these days.
So, if you don't have a subscription to Golf Digest, you need to pick up your February issue ASAP, or you can go online at www.golfdigest.com or follow on Twitter at @GolfDigestMag. Who knows, you just might see that special club or clubs that might help you shave a stroke or two off of your game!
Weekly Web Series Launched at Pinehurst
Think you could shave 10 strokes off of your game in four days? That's the scenario that faces two low 90s shooters at famed Pinehurst No.2 (located in North Carolina), which will host the 2014 U.S. Open Championships for both men and women.
The "Take 10 Challenge" is a weekly web series that launched with a teaser on Wednesday at the Pinehurst Golf Academy. Bill Friese, a 20 handicapper and Mike McClannahan, an 18-handicapper, were the lucky golfers chosen for the series.
It will be filmed over four days at Pinehurst, where the players started with a round on the famed No. 2 course. The series will be shown in six weekly episodes on the web. The challenge was to see if the instructors at Pinehurst could shave 10 strokes off of the players' games in just four days!
McClannahan is a real estate agent from Greenesboro and Friese is a hospitality executive from Montana and neither had ever attended a golf academy before or had much instruction.
The series concludes on Feb. 8 as the players will see if they are able to trim 10 shots off of their score from their Jan. 4 round.
You can check the series out on the website pinehurstom/take10 or on Facebook at facebook.com/PinehurstResort or on Twitter at @PinehurstResort with hashtag #Take10.
Don't know if they will be able to shave the strokes or not, but just spending four days at Pinehurst, playing No. 2 twice and getting top notch instruction would be on anyone's to-do list!
Chip Shots
-- Looking back on 2010, there were only about 50 percent as many holes-in-one to report for the year from the previous year. My guess is that our local pros don't make it a priority as they have many other things to take care of. But, if you make a hole-in-one in 2012 and you would like to see it in print in this column, then make sure you report it to the course pro and tell them to forward it to "Tee to Green."
Another way is to make a copy of your hole-in-one report sheet and email it to rgautney@bak.rr.com. Either way, I just can't print a hole-in-one if I don't have proof of the accomplishment. Also, keep the information coming about all tournament accomplishments, either as a player, a friend, coach or family member. Tee to Green loves to get information about our local players whether a junior player, in high school or college, a pro or just a regular weekend amateur. All golf news is good news! With that I hope you all have a great 2012!
