2019 PGA Merchandise Show - Demo Day Recap (Part 1 of 2): Wilson Staff, Aldila, Mitsubishi Golf, KBS, Mizuno Golf, and Bridgestone Golf

Demo Day of the PGA Merchandise Show is always my favorite day of the Show.  I run around from area to area and try to hit as many clubs as I can, take as many notes as I can, and share as many pictures, videos, and first impressions with you as I can.  And honestly when the day is over I'm completely exhausted, but also completely ready to do it all over again. 

 

After making my rounds at Orange County Convention Center I can tell you there are going to be products that stand out above the rest like any given year.  But in 2019 we're also going to see some of the best equipment ever produced from a larger number of companies.  There will be more good drivers, woods, irons, wedges, and putters on the market today than ever before. 

Why Phil Mickelson's Win at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am Bodes Well for his U.S. Open Chances in June

After Phil Mickelson won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, he was asked what the victory does to his chances of competing the career Grand Slam when the U.S. Open returns to Pebble this summer.  Lefty's reply was simple, "Absolutely nothing." 

 

Mickelson's response makes sense when you consider that the greens will be a lot firmer, and rough a lot taller when players return here for the third major of the season in June.  However just because Phil says there's no carry-over, doesn't mean you should believe it, or even that he believes it for that matter. 

Phil Mickelson What's In The Bag (WITB) - The Clubs Lefty Used to Win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am

Don't look now, but 48-year old Phil Mickelson is having himself one heck of a start to the season, and he's arguably playing better than anyone on Tour right now.  Mickelson won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in a Monday finish, and in the process looked in complete control of his game from tee to green.  For Lefty, major championship season couldn't come any quicker. 

 

Mickelson also has a T-2 at the Dessert Classic to go along with his Pebble victory (his 44th career Tour win), and he's been consistently great in all facets of the game.  Phil is ranked 5th in Driving Distance (316-yards), 1st in Approaches from less than 200-yards (36' 8"), and 4th in Putting Average (1.656). wrapped up his fifth win.  There's really not much more you can say other than Phil's playing lights out right now. 

Crosby Weather Strikes Again: Hail Stops Final Round Play at Pebble Beach Pro-Am

It's not uncommon to marvel at the spectacular views of Pebble Beach Golf Links.  And when the winds coming in off the Pacific Ocean start whipping, and the sideways rains start pounding players, this beauty of a course can become an absolute beast. 

 

It's a different kind of weather disturbance however, when marble-size hail completely sheaths greens and forces players to run for cover.  And that's exactly what happened Sunday during the final round of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am as squeegees and leaf blowers were needed to remove the hail from the course. 

USGA and R&A Get it Right - Clarifications to Rule 10.2b(4) Restriction on Caddie Standing Behind Player

The USGA and R&A provided two clarifications to Rule 10.2b(4) today regarding restrictions on caddies standing behind players, and quite frankly they should be applauded for their swift and intelligent actions.  The clarifications take effect immediately. 

 

The purpose of Rule 10.2 is to reinforce the fundamental challenge of making a stroke, and to limit the advice and other help a player may receive during a round.  No one ever took offense with that.  It was the rule's hazy interpretation in penalizing Haotong Li and Denny McCarthy just five days apart however, that infuriated the golf world. 

Is the Modern Golf Swing a Back Breaker? Why it Might be Causing Permanent Damage

We all want to swing our drivers like Dustin Johnson.  Who wouldn't want bomb 300-plus yard moonshots off the tee like Brooks Koepka.  And you just can't turn away from the powerful golf swings of young guns like Justin Thomas and Cameron Champ without developing a mancrush. 

 

According to the experts at the Barrow Neurological Institute, however, these players are damaging their backs in the pursuit of power off the tee.  And even worse, there's a serious risk of devastating and permanent injury for anyone, professional or amateur, who swings in the modern orthodoxy. 

The Evolution of One Length Irons: Why it's Time For You to Really Consider Playing Them

One length irons (or single length irons) have become mainstream equipment news this year thanks to spectacular performances and five worldwide wins by Bryson DeChambeau in just an eight month span.  Although the concept of making each iron in a set the same length is not new (Bobby Jones used single length irons in 1930 to win the Grand Slam), never before has there been so much attention given to single length, and that also means never before has there been so much confusion about them. 

 

There are certainly arguments for and against playing one length irons, and I’ll touch on some of those below.  Most importantly however, I’ll try to help you decide if they’re right for you by separating fact from fiction and taking on the biggest misconceptions about one length irons today. 

Top-5 Courses that Deserve to Host a Major Championship

They're the biggest stages in professional golf for both players and fans alike.  They produce the most elite fields with historical consequence greater than any other tournaments.  They're of course the four major championships, and the courses they're played on are just as important to the story as the actual drama that unfolds during play. 

 

We're all familiar with the iconic tracks that have produced some of golf's most celebrated and haunting moments - Pebble Beach, Shinnecock, Carnoustie, and St. Andrews to name a few.  But what about those major-championship worthy courses that haven't played host yet?  Here are the "Top 5 " courses that deserve to host a major championship. 

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am: Inside the Course (Pebble Beach Golf Links)

The final multi-track pro-am of the year takes place this week on Monterey Peninsula for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.  A field of 156 players will tee it up on Pebble Beach Golf Links, Spyglass Hill Golf Course, and Monterey Peninsula Country Club for the first three rounds, with the top-60 players and ties returning to Pebble Beach for the final round on Sunday. 

 

Pebble Beach Golf Links is the shortest course on Tour at just 6,812 yards, but this par-72 track offers a picturesque challenge unlike any other.  Greens are some of the smallest anywhere, and when the winds blow it can transform this sleeping beauty into a wicked witch. 

Pro Golf Tips from Sergio Garcia - Anger Management (Video from Saudi International)

Pro Golf Tips from Sergio Garcia: Anger Management 

 

Releasing your anger completely after a bad shot will help clear your mind so you can focus on the next shot. 

Rickie Fowler WITB What's In The Bag - The Clubs Rickie Used to Win the Waste Management Phoenix Open

Rickie Fowler let a five-stroke lead disappear at the Waste Management Phoenix Open on Sunday after a brutal and strange triple-bogey on the 11th hole.  But Fowler showed incredible poise in regaining the lead, and then holding on for a two-stroke victory, good for his fifth career Tour win. 

 

The win was the first for Fowler since the 2017 Honda Classic, after a series of close calls in Scottsdale.  Fowler entered the final round last year with a one-stroke lead but faltered down the stretch to finish 11th.  In 2017 Rickie finished fourth, and in 2016 he lost in a playoff to Hideki Matsuyama.  In his first appearance here in 2010, Fowler finished second and lost by just shot. 

Golf Continues to Shoot Itself in the Foot - and We Continue to Love it Regardless

The last 10 days were pretty tough to endure if you love golf.  From a cheeky photo posted on Instagram of our U.S. Open champion, to a seemingly petty jab at a fellow player by one of the Tour's "nice guys," this week was farcically disappointing for golf. 

 

A Masters champion destroyed at least five greens in anger at a tournament in Saudi Arabia and was disqualified for "serious misconduct."  A new 2019 Rule of Golf was interpreted and applied so absurdly that the only thing more deflating would be if the rule was interpreted and applied nonsensically a second time - and because it's golf, of course it was.  But even with golf's peerless capacity to dumbfound, we continue to love this sport. 

USGA and R&A 2018 Driving Distance Report: Distance Up Again, but is it Really a Bad Thing?

The USGA and The R&A have released the 2018 Annual Driving Distance Report containing driving-distance data from seven men's and women's professional golf tours around the world, and as expected distance has once again increased. 

 

In 2018 data showed that driving distances on these seven tours increased by an average of 1.7 yards, which is slightly less than the previous year's gain of more than 3 yards.  On the PGA Tour however, distance gain was up almost 4 yards, and on the Web.com Tour gains were up almost 2 yards.  But is this really such a bad thing? 

Titleist 2019 Players and Hybrid Golf Bag Collection Preview - Excellence is in the Bag

Titleist is releasing five new golf bag models in 2019 across the Players and Hybrid categories, and to commemorate the launch, the Players 4 Plus will be on display this week on the PGA Tour, carried by the caddies of Titleist brand ambassadors competing in the Waste Management Phoenix Open. 

 

I already gave you a sneak peek and reviewed the Hybrid 5 when I gave that bag away during my PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas Golf Giveaway.  And I can tell you now that the other four models in the 2019 collection are also feature-rich designs for dedicated golfers seeking lightweight stand bags without sacrificing storage or durability. 

Bryson DeChambeau and Bridgestone Golf Dominate in Dubai

Bryson DeChambeau and Bridgestone Golf are one on heck of a burner right now.  DeChambeau won his first European Tour event last week with a convincing 7-shot victory at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.  And Bridgestone Golf won for the 8th time in the last 17 events, including wins on the PGA Tour and LPGA over the last five months. 

 

DeChambeau hit 80-percent of the Greens-In-Regulation on Sunday using the Bridgestone Tour B X ball (good for second in the field), and his victory was the seventh in his career.  In DeChambeau's last nine starts, he's won four times, picked up another two top-10s, and hasn't finished outside the top-20 a single time.  I think it's safe to say Bryson trusts his golf ball. 

Mizuno RB Tour and RB Tour X Golf Balls Review - There's a New Player in Town

New drivers and COR springlike effect are the rage this season as OEM's battle for your hard earned equipment dollars, but the golf ball might be making more of a difference in your game today than anything else on the market.  And Mizuno is bringing the new tour-caliber RB Tour and RB Tour X balls to the United States for the first time in company history as part of their 2019 global launch. 

 

The RB Tour and RB Tour X golf balls promise optimum greenside feel plus excellent performance in the wind thanks to a new drag-reducing Cone dimple profile (C-Dimple), and could realistically take a big bite of market share in just its rookie year.  Let me tell you why. 

2019 PGA Merchandise Show and Demo Day Giveaway

The 2019 PGA Merchandise Show wrapped up on Friday, and if you follow me on twitter and Instagram I brought you behind the scenes at Demo Day and from the convention floor. 

 

I'll start posting more pictures, videos, and articles beginning this week that you don't want to miss - including recaps of each day, winners and losers from the Show, and my annual Best of Show wrap-up.  And of course, I also brought home some goodies for you and this year we have eight really fun giveaways! 

Adidas 2019 TOUR360 XT and TOUR 360 XT SL Shoes Preview: A Legend Reborn

Adidas is taking performance golf footwear to the next level with their new Tour 360 franchise that features the totally redesigned TOUR360 XT (featuring the highest-performing cleated outsole the brand has ever made), the TOUR360 XT SL (the first-ever spikeless version of the TOUR360 in the history of the iconic shoe), and the TOUR360 XT SL BOA (a spikeless BOA version). 

 

The new footwear derives its name from the X-shaped traction system (X-Traxion) on the outsole, which provides multi-directional grip throughout the swing.  These X-shaped lugs provide more stability than ever before, and react with better traction through uneven lies due to their eight-sided touch points with the ground.  You'll feel more locked in throughout the swing the lugs react to any conditions you might encounter, and the result is an exceptional grip without any sacrifice of comfort. 

Fujikura Ventus Shaft Preview - Tour Driven Shaft Powered by VeloCore Technology

Fujikura is releasing their newest shaft in a long-line of Tour-inspired shafts next month that promises to significantly tighten shot dispersion and maximize ball speed (especially on off-center shots). 

 

The new Ventus shafts are designed with cutting edge, premium materials, and are the first shafts to include Fujikura's all-new VeloCore Technology.  Developed with an accelerated taper design that enhanced load and feel, the Ventus boosts clubhead performance by maximizing energy transfer no matter what kind of swing you have. 

Srixon Z-Forged Irons Preview - Hot as a Pistol, Keen as a Blade

I've been telling you guys for years now that Srixon is making some seriously awesome steel.  And the Z-FORGED (their latest offering) is crafted for the best players in the world, and one of the most gorgeous iron sets you'll find anywhere. 

 

The Z-Forged begins with two sharp lines at the back (one from the toe and one from the heel) which form its signature double curve design.  And it's forged construction delivers soft feel in a crisp explosive profile for an elevated blade performance.