Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Testing the surface is illegal in golf, correct? No, not really, according to Zach Johnson and the Rules of Golf. Testing the surface is illegal only on the putting green. This little-known rule can help you in the future with your short game around the green. Firstly, the grass on the fringe of the green is most probably running in the same direction as the putting surface, so this is an easy way to get an accurate read of grain direction. (of course, if you are putting on bentgrass greens, this does not apply)
If you are going to play a shot into the grain, there is a high probability that you could chunk this shot, so a putter might be a better choice. If you are going down-grain, you will know that the speed will be quick, and you can adjust the force of your chip or putt accordingly!
If you’ve played golf in South Florida, you know that the grain of the grass has an unusually strong impact on the way you play your shots on and around the green. The way the grass grows can have an effect on how your putt breaks or how your club will react to the ground from which you’re either pitching or chipping.
So, how do you determine which direction the grain of the grass is growing when you’re on the green? You can either look for a slight color change (down grain will look more glossy) or you check the cup (the rugged, broken grass on one side of the hole will tell you which way the grain is growing).
Being off the green, however, affords you an easier way to assess the grain. Zach Johnson elects to rub the grass with his hand and see how the turf reacts when he is not on the putting surface. This lets him know which way the grain is growing. And allows him to better choose a club for the upcoming shot.
Now, if you’re wont to do this, expect to receive a little heat from some overzealous rule enforcers — as Johnson said he encounters multiple times per year and most recently during the 2015 Hero World Challenge— whose intentions may be good, but whose understanding of the rules is lacking.
Jack Nicklaus might be a better designer than he was a player!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
The headquarters for my golf school operations is located at Pawleys Plantation Golf & Country Club, a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. (see featured image) I rate it as one of the toughest golf courses in the Myrtle Beach area. For that reason, I have always been partial to Nicklaus courses because, you know, walking onto the first tee that you have a challenge on your hands! Jack has designed some gems, and Muirfield Village is definitely one of the courses I hope to play in my lifetime!
Jack Nicklaus and his design team are responsible for upwards of 400 golf courses in 41 countries around the world. His tracks have hosted about 900 championships and 142 tour stops. Celebrating his 76th birthday on Jan. 21, we honor the Golden Bear by highlighting his five best designs:
A 7,073-yard, par-72 layout, this gorgeous course offers players some of the most dramatic golf scenery in the Southeast, with nine holes coming into play along the shores of Lake Oconee. The greens and bunkering underwent a restoration program in 2009 to restore them to the shapes and sizes of Nicklaus’ original specifications. Modifications have enhanced shot value and preserved the integrity of the original design.
Shoal Creek would go on to host a number of historical events, including the 1984 PGA Championship, won by a determined and focused Lee Trevino. In 1990, the PGA Championship returned, and this time Wayne Grady was able to stave off runner-up Fred Couples for the win. Shoal Creek has hosted a number of other important events as well, including the 1986 U.S. Amateur Championship. In 1994, a young golfer named Tiger Woods helped Stanford win Jerry Pate’s National Intercollegiate with a tournament-best individual score of 206.
Hey USGA – What about the spirit of the golf game?
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
The USGA has just dropped a bomb with one of its handicapping changes.
They now deem solo rounds of golf to be unacceptable for Handicap posting. The reason given indicates that peer review is crucial to confirming a player’s potential scoring ability.
In other words, as Chris Chaney from wrong_fairway says, “hey single, we don’t trust you to post an accurate score.” Ouch!
The first section in the Rules of Golf addresses this essential part of our sport.
To quote:’ Golf is played, for the most part, without the supervision of a referee or umpire. The game relies on the integrity of the individual to show consideration for other players and abide by the rules. Therefore, all players should conduct themselves in a disciplined manner and demonstrate courtesy and sportsmanship at all times, irrespective of how competitive they may be. This is the spirit of the game of golf.’
What is your opinion of this latest move by the USGA?
“The USGA Handicap System is constantly evolving to ensure that the System works for the game today and tomorrow.”
Steven Edmondson, the USGA’s managing director of Handicapping and Course Rating, said in a statement. “As we examine the game domestically and globally, these revisions support the integrity and reliability that millions of players around the world expect of this System. We continue to explore substantive changes as we work toward a World Handicap System in the years ahead.”
The USGA announced six “key changes,” five of which are pretty benign.
From clarifying the definition of a tournament round to adjusting scores when a player fails to hole out, the USGA just put some new lingo into its handicapping system guidelines to cover its bases. One of the key changes was pointing out that if a player anchors his or her club during the round and doesn’t assess the correct penalty, that score is not allowed to be posted, which seems redundant.
However, the one change that has brought the USGA back into its comfort zone of general disdain is this…
Does playing QBack help Tom Brady’s golf – Check it out here!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Tom Brady is one of the best (if not the best) best quarterbacks in the NFL today.
With the mindset of evading hazards and trying to score on the football field, does this help when playing golf? Back9Network and Chris Chaney, Wrong Fairway sat down with Tom to hear his take on golf and football!
(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Tom Brady could very well be considered the Tiger Woods of the football world. He’s undeniably gifted, incredibly divisive, and a practitioner of questionable fashion. Last week, Brady bridged the gap between football and golf when talking about his ability to complete passes down the field.
Responding to a question about his downfield prowess, Brady was told that he is completing 47.1% of his pass attempts between 21-30 yards, up from the 28.1% mark he posted in 2014.
“Really? That’s surprising to me,” Brady said. “We’ve talked about that a lot over the last couple of years, trying to make plays more vertically in the defense. I think we do a good job obviously horizontally. From behind the line of scrimmage to the goal line, I think the best offenses can really challenge you in a lot of ways. It’s great to have those 12-and-13-play drives, but it’s great to score in one play or two plays also. Again, it’s a quarterback-receiver trust relationship, trying to put the ball can make a play on it and believe that our guy is going to make a play.”
Golfers from other sports – These are the Top 9 from the NBA!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
As a professional golfer, I am fortunate to meet and sometimes play golf with stars from other sports.
The thing I notice almost immediately is their attention to detail.
They have learned how important this is in their own sport, and it automatically carries over to golf. Of the NHL, MLB, and NBA players I’ve met and played with, the NBA seems to me to be better golfers as a group. (maybe they get to play more, I don’t know) It would be fun to have an outing of 10 of the best players from each professional sport and see who comes out on top!
Golfers from other sports – These are the Top 9 from the NBA!
Here are the nine NBA players who’ve used their offseasons – and probably many of their off days during the season – most successfully to hone their golf games:
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Curry made his first tournament appearance over the summer at his family’s Curry Celebrity Classic, then he tied for fourth at the American Century Championship, the annual celebrity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe. He actually sat atop the leaderboard after the second round, but posted a 3-over-par 75 on the last day to fall back. Still, he was the top active athlete, and improved from his T-28 finish in 2010. Curry says he has a two handicap, aided by three years on his high school golf team.
Golden State Warriors player Stephen Curry watches ball after making a shot in the Johnny Miller Pro-Am, at Silverado Resort and Spa in Napa, Calif., on Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015. The event is part of the Frys.com Open golf tournament. (John Green/Bay Area News Group)
Ray Allen, Free Agent
The two-time NBA Champion and 10-time NBA All-Star puts on a golf tourney benefiting the Ray of Hope Foundation every year, is a regular in the annual Lake Tahoe celebrity event (37th in 2013, T23 in 2011) and was ranked as the top current NBA player in Golf Digest’s 2009 list of top athlete golfers.
Kyle Korver, Atlanta Hawks
Also known to host golf tournaments for his Kyle Korver Foundation, Korver’s handicap has been reported to be anywhere from five to eight.
Deron Williams, Dallas Mavericks
Williams is also a regular in Lake Tahoe, where he debuted in 2011 and tied for 46th overall, second among active NBA players behind Allen. He says he’s dabbled in golf for only six years, but has about an eight handicap.
Are Jordan Spieth and Annie Verret Golf’s next Power Couple?
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
We’ve had Tiger and Lindsey Vonn, Rory and Caroline Wozniacki, etc., but now there are newcomers surfacing as high-profile couples in golf.
21-year-old Jordan Spieth and high school sweetheart Annie Verret are current media darlings. His record-breaking successes on the PGA Tour plus an enduring relationship with a beautiful business major from Texas Tech puts this twosome in the spotlight.
I would choose Jack and Barbara Nicklaus as the most-to-be-admired power couple. They devote untold amounts of time and money to supporting children’s hospitals, in addition to other philanthropic ventures.
Jack Nicklaus is arguably the greatest golfer to ever live, and his wife of nearly 55 years is just as important.
Barbara Nicklaus was named the winner of the 2015 Bob Jones Award by the USGA. The award pays tribute to someone who demonstrates spirit, character, and respect for the sport of golf. What makes this award so unique is that Jack won the same award in 1975.
The two are the definition of a power couple in terms of wealth because Jack is worth an estimated $280 million.
The couple is also huge supporters of the Nicklaus Children’s Health Care Foundation, which recently made a $60 million pledge to the Miami Children’s Health System.
Continuing to make headlines for all the right reasons, the two have been great ambassadors for the game of golf.
Phil and Amy Mickelson
Matt Sullivan/Getty Images
Whenever there is a picture of Phil Mickelson, his wife Amy is usually close by.
The two are inseparable, and the pictures of him kissing her with his young kids after a victory are endless. For the best golfers in the world, there usually seems to be a breakup at some point, but not for “Lefty.”
He has been by Amy’s side for years, through the ups and downs. Amy’s battle with breast cancer has been a struggle, but he’s always been supportive as she fought the deadly disease.
Next to Tiger Woods, Mickelson is the best-known professional golfer of the past 20 years, and his wife has been there every step of the way.
With an estimated net worth of $256 million, the couple is two of the most recognized people in golf and will continue to be for a very long time.
Rickie Fowler and Alexis Randock
Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
After recently winning the biggest tournament of his career, Rickie Fowler has been all over the news.
Not only has he been in the headlines, but his girlfriend has been right there beside him. Fowler’s model girlfriend, Alexis Randock, has been all over social media for the past week.
After Fowler won The Players Championship, Randock captivated audiences everywhere by having a movie-esque make-out scene immediately following. With roughly 48,400 Instagram followers, Randock has been making a name for herself, and the couple’s popularity is growing every day.
Although they have been dating for less than a year, Fowler and Randock are at the top of everybody’s golf couples lists, and for good measure.
Getting a haircut and shaving his mustache is really paying off for Fowler.
9 Funny Golf Commercials – #4 and #9 are my Favorites!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Ever since the Nike ad where Tiger Woods bounces the ball on the club, we’ve been enthralled by funny golf commercials.
Some are better than others, of course.
Some of the more inventive ones feature unusual golfers such as Darth Vader, a baby, and a club head cover.
I’m not crazy about the ads that use cheap shots like a guy getting hit by a ball in a sensitive area or ads featuring trashy women. #9 is an ad that was new to me and the humor is great from beginning to end.
Golf companies have been in a silent competition for years to see who can film the funniest commercial ever. We all benefit, of course, since there have been some great ads. Here are some of our favorites from recent memory.
Tiger Woods – Nike Golf
Tiger Woods is one of the most bankable pitchmen of all time — golf or otherwise. Some of his earliest gems were with Frank the talking head cover in ads for Nike Golf and Golfsmith.
One of Woods’ most recent commercial hits was the “No Cup is Safe” campaign with Rory McIlroy:
But the most memorable Tiger ad of all may have been the one that resulted in everyone bouncing the ball on the face of their wedges for years to come.
https://youtu.be/6oTMosZ76b8
The story goes that the creative types working behind the scenes of this one had a completely different concept in mind for the day’s shoot, only to marvel at Tiger’s ball control, and ended up filming and producing this instead…
E-Trade
Any commercial that’s able to use “Shankapotomous” will rank highly among the golfing set. Mix in a baby talking smack about investing and the rules of golf, and you have the greatest golf Super Bowl ad of all time.
SpikeTV
So you show up for your regular Sunday foursome to find that you’re one man short. Just your luck, you get a pairing with Darth Vader. It could happen, right? Sure! Well, moving to the dark side is one thing, but using the force to win a skin is quite another.
Check out Dustin Johnson’s Pad – Private Island and all!
Golf Chats is a website to encourage discussions on various subjects relating to the game of golf. I am Mel Sole, Director of Instruction of the Mel Sole Golf School and SAPGA Master Professional. I invite you to enter into a discussion on this or any article on the golfchats.com website. The input is for the entire subscriber base to learn something new each time! Please post your comments below. Keep it clean and tasteful. We are here to learn from one another!
Here are just a few pictures of Dustin Johnson’s new house in Palm Beach, Fl.
When you get to the status of Dustin you can afford to have your own private island, boat dock, and beautiful mansion. What I don’t notice (and Tiger Woods does have) is a private short game area. Sorry Dustin, maybe you can head down to the local muni where the rest of us practice! Or turn your island into a short par 3!
Aerial shot showing the house, island, and dock with Tiki Bar!
Across the island and into your own paradise. All we need is a guy with a ukulele!
The entire house has a great “open” look to it. Good job Dustin!
The United States Golf Association must have decided that they had gotten too much good press lately 
Here are the nine NBA players who’ve used their offseasons – and probably many of their off days during the season – most successfully to hone their golf games:
