Golf Blog

Archive for July, 2008

So, it’s finally upon us. The 2008 Open begins tomorrow and promises to be just as interesting and exciting without Tiger Woods. Last year’s winner Padraig Harrington is off to a very similar start to the 2007 Open as he is suffering from an injury on his wrist which means he is missing out on practice time just like last year. Can lightning strike the same place twice?

There seems to be a healthy mixed opinion of who might win this year’s tournament at Royal Birkdale. There is a lot of press surrounding both Lee Westwood and last year’s runner-up Sergio Garcia. Westwood finished 3rd at this year’s US Open at Torrey Pines which was his highest finish so far of any of the 4 majors. Sergio Garcia has not won a major either, but did finish runner-up at the 2007 Open. He finished tied for 18th at this year’s US Open and won this year’s Player’s Championship after a playoff against Paul Goydos. Both golfers will be working hard to make this year’s Open Championship their first major win.

Lee Westwood’s golf bag currently contains:

Driver: Ping G10

Irons: Ping i10

Wedges: Ping Tour-W

Woods: Ping G10

Putter: Ping Redwood Answer

Sergio Garcia is currently using:

Driver: TaylorMade Tour Burner TP

Irons: TaylorMade rac MB TP

Wedges: TaylorMade Z TP

Woods: TaylorMade Burner TP and TaylorMade r7 TP

Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport

A lot of golf fans are saying that The Open this year will not be as challenging or rewarding with Tiger Woods not playing. What a load of rubbish. This year’s Open will be just as interesting as any other and for whoever wins, it will most certainly be rewarding, after all it’s not the “Who Can Beat Tiger Woods Tournament”!

The rules on golf clothing are a funny thing. Golf apparel that might be acceptable at one club might be deemed inappropriate at another. It was revealed this week that Frinton Golf Club, founded in 1895 in Essex has changed its dress code after 113 years allowing men to show off their legs if they wish to wear shorts.

The change of the rule has divided its 600 members but the issue was raised because of the increasing number of younger golfers who objected to wearing knee-length socks, not to mention some visiting teams. The rules remain that golfers must wear a collared shirt and tailored trousers and shorts whilst on the course.

Apart from golf, Frinton also seems to like to keep change at bay in other areas of its life – it only got its first fish and chip shop in 1992, its first pub eight years ago, it has banned commerce on the seafront and last year a bookmaker fought and won to bring gambling to the resort.

Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell all but secured his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team after he clinched a two-shot victory at the Scottish Open. McDowell shot a final round of 68 to finish the tournament on 13 under. The money has lifted the 28-year-old from 10th to sixth in the Ryder Cup standings and only an extraordinary series of results can deny him a place in Nick Faldo’s side in September.

Ernie Els, a two-time winner of the tournament, finished joint ninth, while world number two Phil Mickelson ended the day 11 shots off the pace.

The golf clubs McDowell used to get his victory were:

Driver: Callaway FT-3
Irons: Callaway X-Forged
Woods: Callaway X-Tour
Hybrid: Callaway FT
Wedges: Callaway X-Forged
Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG

Tiger Woods has turned down an invite from US Ryder Cup skipper Paul Azinger to act as a vice-captain for the match against Europe in September. Woods said he would not do it because he is not on the team and insists the event is about the competitors.

Is Tiger throwing his dummy out of his pram?  That sounds like he’s saying if he can’t play and be the star of the show, then he’ll stay at home.  What’s that?  Something about his knee?  Yes, I know but there’s nothing stopping him from being on hand to offer his professional advice to the US team.

For those having Tiger withdrawal symptoms here’s a video of him showing off some “unconventional” golf skills.

Buying a new pair of golf shoes can be a big investment, but it is one worth making. Once you’ve made this investment you will want to keep your golf shoes in their best condition and you can do this by using the various golf shoe accessories available from Golfbuyitonline.

Many courses don’t allow metal spikes as they have a tendency to rip up the greens. Spikes are a critical component of your golf shoe, keeping your feet firmly anchored to the grass so you don’t slip over or lose your balance. Plastic spikes are lighter with a wider surface area which prevents the green from being torn up while still being equally effective in providing traction. Many golfers also find plastic spikes to be more comfortable than steel ones, which may have contributed to their popularity. Golfbuyitonline supply a varied range of Black Widow Softspikes which are the Number One shoe spike in golf.

A great way of taking care of your golf shoes is to use a shoe bag. If you are not currently using a shoe bag for your golf shoes then you may noticed that they get scuffed or knocked about if they are loose in the back of the car. Golfbuyitonline have a great selection of golf shoe bags from the likes of Footjoy, Callaway and Mizuno as well as many others.

If you notice that your golf shoes are looking scuffed and a bit beaten then you’ll be able to find great ways of keeping your shoes looking new at Golfbuyitonline. As Footjoy are the Number One shoe in golf they know what’s best for golf shoes and their Wax Shoe Polish and Shoe Trees are just the thing to keep your golf shoes looking brand new. Footjoy Wax Shoe polish is available in Black, Brown, Neutral and Burgundy so no matter what colour your golf shoes are, there’s a Wax Polish for you. The Shoe Trees are a useful tool as they fit inside the shoes to keep them the same shape as they were when you first tried them on.

Look after your golf shoes and they will look after you. The fantastic range of golf shoe accessories available from Golfbuyitonline will help you keep your golfing footwear in top shape.