Traveling this summer? Don't forget to pack plenty of socks, sunscreen and, of course, your golf clubs.
Problem is, you can't just throw your clubs into your garment bag, and most golf bags aren't protective enough to keep your clubs and gear safe during the baggage handling process.
For heavy-duty protection, West Coast Trends offers its Club Glove line. The Burst Proof with Wheels is a padded nylon bag with a plastic wheel base. You can roll the bag easily through airports. The bag also features a club security strap.
Is a nylon bag, even with extra padding, going to be enough protection? The University of Texas, El Paso men's golf team found out the hard way that the answer is yes.
In April, the team was traveling in a van to a tournament in Arizona. The rented minivan had an ample roof rack and all the golf bags were strapped to the roof. For some reason, the bags came loose from the rack and began to fall -- as the van was cruising down the highway at about 75 mph.
"I looked through the rear view mirror and saw our travel bags cart-wheeling down the freeway," UTEP coach Rick Todd said. "We stopped immediately and were very fortunate to have collected all of our gear."
They had their bags and the outsides looked OK, but how did the clubs inside handle the spill?
"We were absolutely elated to find that not one club was broken or bent," Todd said. "The only damage, if you can call it that, was a limited amount of scraping on the travel bags from hitting the pavement going 75 mph."
If this bag can handle a beating like that, it is likely to go up against rough baggage handling with ease.
The Burst Proof with Wheels travel bag is completely manufactured in the U.S. and comes with a two-year limited manufacturer's warranty or upgradeable five-year "unconditional" warranty. Get one in your choice of colors for $179.
Club Glove also makes a variety of soft-sided bags and luggage. For information, visit www.clubglove.com.
Looking for a hard sided case instead? Datrek Miller makes some nice options that will protect your clubs without requiring a crane to lift and move around. The Hard Case Sport case is made of heavy-duty ABS plastic and can lock if needed (remember that airport security requires that luggage not be locked for quick inspection). The handles are retractable so it will fit into your rental car or other mode of transportation.
The Hard Case Sport retails for $160. Get more details at www.dmigolf.com.
If the idea of lugging your clubs through the airport -- no matter how well protected -- leaves you cold, or if you like to travel light and don't want to hassle with checking your golf bag, there's always the option of sending your clubs on ahead.
Sports Express is one such service, and unlike other luggage or package delivery services, they specialize in athletic equipment. The company's Web site at www.sportsexpress.com lets you get a quote on what it will cost. You'll pay a bit, but for some folks the convenience outweighs the extra money.
To ship a standard-sized golf bag cross country, from Portland, Ore., to Orlando, in three days costs $107.26 each way, while express overnight service is $201.29 each way. At that rate, you could buy your clubs a seat on the plane.
Even closer to home, from Portland to Phoenix, rates ranged from $91.82 to $190.40. But keep in mind that the cost includes insurance up to $500 (you'll need to buy more at $1 per $100 of coverage), door-to-door pickup and delivery, and a guarantee that if you don't get your equipment on time, they'll pay to rent you comparable sticks. Other luggage shipping services are roughly the same price and don't guarantee they'll find you comparable rentals if something goes awry.
Finally, check on insurance before you go. Even if you have a heavy-duty travel bag or a door-to-door delivery service, damage and theft happen. Some homeowner's policies cover sports equipment, or your insurance company may offer a rider on your policy. Other, specific travel insurance is also available -- check with your travel agent before you go.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Thursday, June 15, 2006
Different Approach, Same Goal
It's long. It's tight.
Winged Foot Golf Club's West Course will require distance and accuracy, like any U.S. Open course, but a decision by the U.S. Golf Association to use a tiered system of rough - it gets longer as it gets farther from the fairway -- means that players can gamble with longer clubs off the tee.
In other cases, doglegs mean that a driver would be too long off the tee, so fairway woods will prevail. And then there's the rolling greens.
Here's a look at what the some of the contenders are putting in their bags this week.
PHIL MICKELSON: Phil's a favorite at any U.S. Open, and the New York fans love him. More than that, though, he's shooting for his third major in a row. Do you think he'll have two drivers in the bag at Winged Foot?
Nope. "I've got four drivers now that I kind of interchange on certain courses," Mickelson said Tuesday. "I only expect to use one this week."
Mickelson told reporters that he had a special driver made for Winged Foot that was a little shorter with a slightly different, more stable head. But in the end, he ended up going back to one of the two drivers he carried at Augusta. It's a 9.5-degree Callaway Fusion FT-3 with a 45-inch shaft that is set up to fade.
"There's not a great mix of distance off each tee. You can hit driver on basically every hole," Mickelson said. "I won't be using a longer driver trying to get distance like I did at Augusta -- I'll be using a driver that hits that controlled cut and keeps it in play."
Another change Mickelson plans is the addition of a 64-degree Callaway wedge that he worked with Roger Cleveland to develop.
"[The new wedge will] help get it out of this rough with a lot less bounce and to help me hit higher, softer bunker shots. Because the bunkers are so deep here and there's so much undulation on the green, I want it coming in as soft as possible," he said.
For the greens, Mickelson will carry a prototype Odyssey White Hot XG putter.
TIGER WOODS: Tiger's back after a long layoff to deal with the passing of his father. Layoffs usually show the most effects in the short game, and he wasn't exactly burning up the greens at his last event, the Masters.
One of the things he's done in his time off is get his putter adjusted. The Scotty Cameron by Titleist Studio Stainless Newport 2 model that he uses, "was not in the same playing position that I had ended the (Masters) tournament with," and so Cameron himself put the putter back to its proper form.
Off the tee, Woods may be relying more on his 15-degree Nike Ignite T60 3-wood rather than his Nike SQ driver, simply for convenience on the many doglegs at Winged Foot.
"I run out of room hitting a driver and I have to shape it around the corner, which really makes no sense because the fairways get so narrow," Woods said. "So I'll probably hit about four or five 3-woods out there."
Woods estimated that on most of the holes he plans to hit 3-wood on, he'll face something between a 6-iron and 9-iron shot into the green.
ERNIE ELS: Like Woods, Els plans to use a 3-wood on some of Winged Foot's 10 dogleg holes. But he does have more concerns than Woods about his second shot.
"I tend to like to cut my driver so the right-to-lefts I might want to use a 3-wood here or there, but you're coming in with a lot longer iron," Els said.
LUKE DONALD: Donald's one of the players in the field who will be using a hybrid club. The hybrid, in Donald's case a 17-degree Mizuno model, replaces a long iron and can help from some lies in the rough. Donald plans to use the club on the tricky par-3 third hole at Winged Foot.
"It's a long hole. You can't be too aggressive, even though it's a long hole," said Donald of the third after his practice round. "You've got to play to the front of the green. I was using my 2-iron rescue club, and a good one would have got me kind of to the front third of the green."
MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Can the New Zealand native repeat his U.S. Open-winning performance of last year? Campbell has a solid game for the challenge of Winged Foot. Interestingly, Campbell's bag looks very similar to Mickelson's. The two play the same type of Callaway Fusion 9.5-degree driver and X-Tour irons. And he'll be relying on his driver for accuracy off the tee as much, or more, than Phil.
"I found the fairways are very undulating, and you can hit a good shot and still hit it in the rough," Campbell said. "You've got to be on your 'A' game to win around here, particularly with the driving accuracy."
Winged Foot Golf Club's West Course will require distance and accuracy, like any U.S. Open course, but a decision by the U.S. Golf Association to use a tiered system of rough - it gets longer as it gets farther from the fairway -- means that players can gamble with longer clubs off the tee.
In other cases, doglegs mean that a driver would be too long off the tee, so fairway woods will prevail. And then there's the rolling greens.
Here's a look at what the some of the contenders are putting in their bags this week.
PHIL MICKELSON: Phil's a favorite at any U.S. Open, and the New York fans love him. More than that, though, he's shooting for his third major in a row. Do you think he'll have two drivers in the bag at Winged Foot?
Nope. "I've got four drivers now that I kind of interchange on certain courses," Mickelson said Tuesday. "I only expect to use one this week."
Mickelson told reporters that he had a special driver made for Winged Foot that was a little shorter with a slightly different, more stable head. But in the end, he ended up going back to one of the two drivers he carried at Augusta. It's a 9.5-degree Callaway Fusion FT-3 with a 45-inch shaft that is set up to fade.
"There's not a great mix of distance off each tee. You can hit driver on basically every hole," Mickelson said. "I won't be using a longer driver trying to get distance like I did at Augusta -- I'll be using a driver that hits that controlled cut and keeps it in play."
Another change Mickelson plans is the addition of a 64-degree Callaway wedge that he worked with Roger Cleveland to develop.
"[The new wedge will] help get it out of this rough with a lot less bounce and to help me hit higher, softer bunker shots. Because the bunkers are so deep here and there's so much undulation on the green, I want it coming in as soft as possible," he said.
For the greens, Mickelson will carry a prototype Odyssey White Hot XG putter.
TIGER WOODS: Tiger's back after a long layoff to deal with the passing of his father. Layoffs usually show the most effects in the short game, and he wasn't exactly burning up the greens at his last event, the Masters.
One of the things he's done in his time off is get his putter adjusted. The Scotty Cameron by Titleist Studio Stainless Newport 2 model that he uses, "was not in the same playing position that I had ended the (Masters) tournament with," and so Cameron himself put the putter back to its proper form.
Off the tee, Woods may be relying more on his 15-degree Nike Ignite T60 3-wood rather than his Nike SQ driver, simply for convenience on the many doglegs at Winged Foot.
"I run out of room hitting a driver and I have to shape it around the corner, which really makes no sense because the fairways get so narrow," Woods said. "So I'll probably hit about four or five 3-woods out there."
Woods estimated that on most of the holes he plans to hit 3-wood on, he'll face something between a 6-iron and 9-iron shot into the green.
ERNIE ELS: Like Woods, Els plans to use a 3-wood on some of Winged Foot's 10 dogleg holes. But he does have more concerns than Woods about his second shot.
"I tend to like to cut my driver so the right-to-lefts I might want to use a 3-wood here or there, but you're coming in with a lot longer iron," Els said.
LUKE DONALD: Donald's one of the players in the field who will be using a hybrid club. The hybrid, in Donald's case a 17-degree Mizuno model, replaces a long iron and can help from some lies in the rough. Donald plans to use the club on the tricky par-3 third hole at Winged Foot.
"It's a long hole. You can't be too aggressive, even though it's a long hole," said Donald of the third after his practice round. "You've got to play to the front of the green. I was using my 2-iron rescue club, and a good one would have got me kind of to the front third of the green."
MICHAEL CAMPBELL: Can the New Zealand native repeat his U.S. Open-winning performance of last year? Campbell has a solid game for the challenge of Winged Foot. Interestingly, Campbell's bag looks very similar to Mickelson's. The two play the same type of Callaway Fusion 9.5-degree driver and X-Tour irons. And he'll be relying on his driver for accuracy off the tee as much, or more, than Phil.
"I found the fairways are very undulating, and you can hit a good shot and still hit it in the rough," Campbell said. "You've got to be on your 'A' game to win around here, particularly with the driving accuracy."
Thursday, June 8, 2006
Get Dad Something Different
Golf-related gifts seem to be a good idea for the large number of dads out there who enjoy a round every now and then. Problem is, the inexpensive golf gifts packaged or promoted just for Father's Day are usually just a bit tacky or of insufficient quality for the more golf-devoted dads out there. So what can you do if you'd like to get your pop a gift that doesn't clean out your wallet, but will still be used and appreciated? The Wire offers these ideas for Father's Day gifts that are a little more fun than a dozen golf balls:
GET A GRIP (OR 13): If your dad is the type to enjoy puttering around and doing things himself, a new set of grips might be just the thing. Dad can have new grips that could take a couple strokes off his game and he'll get the pleasure of spending a few hours putting them on his clubs himself.
Golfsmith features a series of short video clips on how to install grips yourself, so you can point to those for help if you don't think your father has tackled this particular task before. They can be found at Golfsmith's web site. At the same site, Golfsmith offers printable instructions, too.
Golfsmith is one company that sells grips. Nice sets start at $40 and go up to about $60. Most grip kits include 13 grips (for every club but the putter), tape, grip solvent and instructions. An excellent set that starts on the low end of that price scale is the Lamkin Crossline grips. The Crossline grips have a distinctive pattern that helps you hold the club better and a soft feel. Lamkin grips are also popular with professional players on the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours. Order them for $36.55 plus shipping from Golfsmith, or see www.lamkingrips.com for more details.
LUCK OF THE DRAW: Does your dad love golf but not get much chance to play? Or maybe dad is older and health problems keep him from hitting the links as often as he would like. The Play Nine golf card game combines elements from card games like gin rummy with the concept of golf. Players draw cards with values that range from a hole-in-one to an out-of-bounds penalty while trying to get the lowest score as they progress around the "course." Two to six players can participate at one time, and kids (ages 8 and up) can play too!
Play Nine comes in a box that's about the same size as a dozen golf balls and includes two decks of Play Nine cards, instructions, golf pencil and scorecards. Available from www.playnine.com and some golf retail stores, the game costs $14.99.
WARMING UP: The IGOTCHA Ready is a nifty warm-up device that attachs on to any club in your bag. By adding weight, it helps any golfer get his or her muscles ready to play. It's much better for muscle memory, too, than that old standby of swinging two clubs at a time, because you grip and swing a regular club (no struggles to hang on to two clubs at once).
The IGOTCHA Ready has the added advantage of being positionable anywhere along the shaft of your club to get additional benefits. Attach it in the center of the shaft, and it helps you improve tempo; near the grip, and it helps encourage a power release; near the head and it most effectively gets you warmed up.
The device sells for $29. Learn more at www.prolinesports.biz or buy it from Golf Bag Warehouse.
GET A GRIP (OR 13): If your dad is the type to enjoy puttering around and doing things himself, a new set of grips might be just the thing. Dad can have new grips that could take a couple strokes off his game and he'll get the pleasure of spending a few hours putting them on his clubs himself.
Golfsmith features a series of short video clips on how to install grips yourself, so you can point to those for help if you don't think your father has tackled this particular task before. They can be found at Golfsmith's web site. At the same site, Golfsmith offers printable instructions, too.
Golfsmith is one company that sells grips. Nice sets start at $40 and go up to about $60. Most grip kits include 13 grips (for every club but the putter), tape, grip solvent and instructions. An excellent set that starts on the low end of that price scale is the Lamkin Crossline grips. The Crossline grips have a distinctive pattern that helps you hold the club better and a soft feel. Lamkin grips are also popular with professional players on the PGA, LPGA and Champions Tours. Order them for $36.55 plus shipping from Golfsmith, or see www.lamkingrips.com for more details.
LUCK OF THE DRAW: Does your dad love golf but not get much chance to play? Or maybe dad is older and health problems keep him from hitting the links as often as he would like. The Play Nine golf card game combines elements from card games like gin rummy with the concept of golf. Players draw cards with values that range from a hole-in-one to an out-of-bounds penalty while trying to get the lowest score as they progress around the "course." Two to six players can participate at one time, and kids (ages 8 and up) can play too!
Play Nine comes in a box that's about the same size as a dozen golf balls and includes two decks of Play Nine cards, instructions, golf pencil and scorecards. Available from www.playnine.com and some golf retail stores, the game costs $14.99.
WARMING UP: The IGOTCHA Ready is a nifty warm-up device that attachs on to any club in your bag. By adding weight, it helps any golfer get his or her muscles ready to play. It's much better for muscle memory, too, than that old standby of swinging two clubs at a time, because you grip and swing a regular club (no struggles to hang on to two clubs at once).
The IGOTCHA Ready has the added advantage of being positionable anywhere along the shaft of your club to get additional benefits. Attach it in the center of the shaft, and it helps you improve tempo; near the grip, and it helps encourage a power release; near the head and it most effectively gets you warmed up.
The device sells for $29. Learn more at www.prolinesports.biz or buy it from Golf Bag Warehouse.
Thursday, June 1, 2006
Odds And Ends: Game Improvers
Okay, we all know that a few workouts here and there are supposed to help the golf game. After all, golf is no longer a game about guys with plaid pants and beer bellies - it's about finely-tuned athletes and making your game better through exercise.
The problem? Most of us don't want to spend time in the gym when we could be outside on the course. Or, the cost of a gym membership means waving goodbye to those new clubs.
GolfGym specializes in easy-to-use, easy-to-store equipment for a complete golf-focused workout. The new system that the company has just introduced includes the PowerSwing trainer, a specially-balanced weighted club, a balance ball and two DVDs with workouts led by Katherine Roberts.
"Our Complete GolfGym System allows golfers to fully maximize their golf-specific workout routine, says Ken Pierce, president of GolfGym. "It contains all the elements necessary for increasing upper body strength, improving balance and posture, and strengthening the core muscles. "
Roberts is The Golf Channel's fitness expert, and she assists in development of new products as well as creating workout DVDs. The two included with the Complete GolfGym System are a complete workout and a balance ball workout.
The weighted club is available in two versions: Club 38 (2.4 pounds) and Club 28 (1.75 pounds) and has the added bonus of being able to go with you to the course and be part of your warm-up routine.
The Complete GolfGym System retails for $179.95. See www.golfgym.com for information.
A NEW GAME: What's one thing most of us wish we had more time to do? Play golf, of course.
When you can't get to the links, don't have time for a full round, or you just want to introduce your kids to the game so they'll get hooked, try Qolf. Qolf (it's pronounced Kwalf) is an interesting hybrid of golf and croquet, but it uses a regular pitching wedge so you'll be able to work on your short game while playing.
The idea is that each player hits a Qolfball through three colored arches in the fewest strokes. Get bonus points for hitting the ball through a smaller target hole atop each arch. These arches can be set up in your yard or even indoors, and can be arranged simply or made part of an elaborate setup of obstacles and hazards. It takes four people about a half-hour to play QOLF.
Right now, you can visit www.qolf.com to see a video about how to play the game and get a free Qolfball. These limited-flight balls can be useful for practicing, even if you elect not to buy the full game.
The starting kit, a three-frame set with carry bag and indoor frame stand, sells for $59.97 and can be purchased at retailers in California and Arizona or online at www.qolf.com. Other kits, Qolfballs and Qolf clubs can also be purchased.
THINKING THEORY: The folks who make The Putting Arc, a training device that helps you feel and repeat the correct putting stroke, have a free CD available on putting theory and use of The Putting Arc.
You can get one by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to The Putting Arc Inc.; PO Box 410; Shannon, MS 38868. Or call 800-898-0701 any weekday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET and get one mailed for a $5 shipping and handling fee.
The Putting Arc comes in three different models, which are different weights and sizes for use in indoor or outdoor areas. You don't need to assemble anything - just lay down the track, take out your putter and start practicing.
According to the creator of The Putting Arc, Old Waverly teaching pro V.J. Trolio, "A person who takes this device and uses it once a day, 10 times a day, 15 times a day or 30 minutes a day will improve his putting. No matter the level, no matter where they are in the game, they will improve their putting."
The Putting Arc seems to work for professionals - 93 winners on tours around the world last year used the putting trainer. The Deluxe model, constructed of wood for indoor/outdoor use, sells for $89.95. The MSIII model, made of plastic for indoor/outdoor use, is $69.95. And the T3, made of plastic and small enough to fit in your golf bag, costs $35.95, but can be used outdoors when anchored in the ground with golf tees. Learn more at www.theputtingarc.com.
The problem? Most of us don't want to spend time in the gym when we could be outside on the course. Or, the cost of a gym membership means waving goodbye to those new clubs.
GolfGym specializes in easy-to-use, easy-to-store equipment for a complete golf-focused workout. The new system that the company has just introduced includes the PowerSwing trainer, a specially-balanced weighted club, a balance ball and two DVDs with workouts led by Katherine Roberts.
"Our Complete GolfGym System allows golfers to fully maximize their golf-specific workout routine, says Ken Pierce, president of GolfGym. "It contains all the elements necessary for increasing upper body strength, improving balance and posture, and strengthening the core muscles. "
Roberts is The Golf Channel's fitness expert, and she assists in development of new products as well as creating workout DVDs. The two included with the Complete GolfGym System are a complete workout and a balance ball workout.
The weighted club is available in two versions: Club 38 (2.4 pounds) and Club 28 (1.75 pounds) and has the added bonus of being able to go with you to the course and be part of your warm-up routine.
The Complete GolfGym System retails for $179.95. See www.golfgym.com for information.
A NEW GAME: What's one thing most of us wish we had more time to do? Play golf, of course.
When you can't get to the links, don't have time for a full round, or you just want to introduce your kids to the game so they'll get hooked, try Qolf. Qolf (it's pronounced Kwalf) is an interesting hybrid of golf and croquet, but it uses a regular pitching wedge so you'll be able to work on your short game while playing.
The idea is that each player hits a Qolfball through three colored arches in the fewest strokes. Get bonus points for hitting the ball through a smaller target hole atop each arch. These arches can be set up in your yard or even indoors, and can be arranged simply or made part of an elaborate setup of obstacles and hazards. It takes four people about a half-hour to play QOLF.
Right now, you can visit www.qolf.com to see a video about how to play the game and get a free Qolfball. These limited-flight balls can be useful for practicing, even if you elect not to buy the full game.
The starting kit, a three-frame set with carry bag and indoor frame stand, sells for $59.97 and can be purchased at retailers in California and Arizona or online at www.qolf.com. Other kits, Qolfballs and Qolf clubs can also be purchased.
THINKING THEORY: The folks who make The Putting Arc, a training device that helps you feel and repeat the correct putting stroke, have a free CD available on putting theory and use of The Putting Arc.
You can get one by sending a stamped, self-addressed envelope to The Putting Arc Inc.; PO Box 410; Shannon, MS 38868. Or call 800-898-0701 any weekday between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET and get one mailed for a $5 shipping and handling fee.
The Putting Arc comes in three different models, which are different weights and sizes for use in indoor or outdoor areas. You don't need to assemble anything - just lay down the track, take out your putter and start practicing.
According to the creator of The Putting Arc, Old Waverly teaching pro V.J. Trolio, "A person who takes this device and uses it once a day, 10 times a day, 15 times a day or 30 minutes a day will improve his putting. No matter the level, no matter where they are in the game, they will improve their putting."
The Putting Arc seems to work for professionals - 93 winners on tours around the world last year used the putting trainer. The Deluxe model, constructed of wood for indoor/outdoor use, sells for $89.95. The MSIII model, made of plastic for indoor/outdoor use, is $69.95. And the T3, made of plastic and small enough to fit in your golf bag, costs $35.95, but can be used outdoors when anchored in the ground with golf tees. Learn more at www.theputtingarc.com.
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