Martin Trainer WITB What's In The Bag - The Golf Equipment Trainer Used To Win The Puerto Rico Open

Martin Trainer was an unexpected winner at the Puerto Rico Open today, when he won for the first time on Tour in just his ninth career start.  Prior to his 3 shot victory, Trainer missed the cut in five of his previous eight starts, and in two others finished T-60 and T-73. 

 

But Trainer proved that with patience and determination, even a player of virtual obscurity can breakthrough, and now his confidence is at an all-time high. 

Dustin Johnson WITB What's In The Bag - The Golf Equipment DJ Used to Win the WGC-Mexico Championship

There might not be a player on the PGA Tour, or maybe even on the planet who's more unbeatable than Dustin Johnson when he's firing on all cylinders.  Johnson absolutely dominated the best field so far this season, running away with the WGC-Mexico Championship firing a final round 5-under, 66, for a total of 21-under par.  DJ finished five shots ahead of runner-up Rory McIlroy, and a full 10 shots clear of a group of players tied for third. 

 

Johnson's milestone victory in Mexico was his second WGC-Mexico title in three years, and 20th victory in his career.  It took Johnson 246 starts to become the 38th player in history to reach 20 wins (which is good for a lifetime exemption on Tour).  By comparison to the all-time greats, Tiger Woods and Sam Snead both won number 20 in their 95th start.  Jack Nicklaus won his 20th in start number 115.  And Phil Mickelson won number 20 in his 231st start. 

Latest Backstopping Controversy Proves Golf Twitter Loves to Argue about Anything and Everything

I love golf twitter, I really do.  There are times when you won't laugh harder anywhere else on social media.  A lot of you are quick-witted, imaginative, and brilliantly perceptive. 

 

Then there are other times when a herd mentality takes over like it did today with the latest backstopping accusation directed at Ariya Jutanugarn and Amy Olson on the 18th green at the Honda LPGA Thailand.  It's not surprising because drama and controversy is always more entertaining than common sense.  But it is disappointing. 

Miura Golf Locks in Abraham Ancer as its First PGA Tour Ambassador

Miura Golf today introduced Mexico's Abraham Ancer as the first PGA Tour Ambassador in the legendary brand's history.  In conjunction with this unique partnership with Miura, Ancer has joined with two prominent entrepreneurs to form Dead Solid Perfect (DSP) Golf Mexico, which will become the official distributor of Miura Golf in Mexico. 

 

Ancer and Miura launch their new relationship as the PGA Tour arrives in Ancer's home country today for the WGC-Mexico Championship at Club de Golf Chapultepec.  Ancer's ascension up the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) and his use of Miura clubs is not a coincidence. Before switching to Miura in 2017 Ancer was ranked 727th in the World.  Today, he's ranked 61st. 

Galvin Green 2019 Part One Collection Preview: Leading the Way in State of the Art Golf Apparel

For the start of the 2019 season Galvin Green has launched its most advanced collection of technical clothing with an incredible 368 ground-breaking garments and matching accessories. 

 

You're definitely going to find something in this collection to ensure you're always prepared to play your best, whatever kind of weather you might face.  The 2019 Part One collection features greater breathability, stretch properties, moisture transportation, thermal insulation, and ultraviolet protection than ever before. 

Nelly Korda and Aerotech SteelFiber Win the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open

Nelly Korda won the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open last weekend by holding off hard-charging defending champion Jin Young Ko for her second career LPGA Tour victory.  The 20-year old champion shot an impressive 5-under, 67 at the Grange Golf Club, and using Aerotech SteelFiber i80 graphite shafts in her irons put on a ball-striking clinic.  Korda hit 15 of 18 greens in the final round, and finished with a 17-under total of 271. 

 

Despite not being able to repeat as champion, Ko shot the low score of the round at 8-under, 64, and also trusted Aerotech SteelFiber shafts in her irons.  Ko scorched the greens, hitting 17 of 18 greens in regulation.  Ko's shafts are SteelFiber prototypes exclusive to the Asian market. 

5 Things to Know about the 2019 WGC-Mexico Championship at Club De Golf Chapultepec

The WGC-Mexico Championship is the 16th event on the PGA Tour's 2018-19 schedule with 46 official events, and 11 of the last 12 winners of this tournament have advanced to the season-ending Tour Championship in Atlanta.  Eight of the top-10 players in the FedExCup standings are scheduled to compete including Xander Schauffele, Matt Kuchar, Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson, and Bryson DeChambeau.  And Tiger Woods will be making his first-ever start in Mexico. 

 

Last year, Mickelson forced a playoff after firing a final-round, 5-under, 66 to match Justin Thomas (already in the clubhouse).  Mickelson won the sudden-death on the first hole with a two-putt par when Thomas failed to get up-and-down from behind the green at the par-3, 17th hole.  Lefty's 43rd victory came in his 578th career start at the age of 47 years, 5 months, and 12 days, making him the oldest winner of a World Golf Championships event.  Here are five things you need to know about this year's WGC-Mexico Championship. 

Galvin Green and the Evolution of Golf Clothing: Game Changing Technology for the Serious Golfer

When Galvin Green decided to concentrate exclusively on the game of golf in the 1990s, they were about to start a revolution that would completely change the way golfers view their golf clothing.  The golf apparel market was vastly different than it is today, and waterproofs were heavy, unwieldy rain suits that restricted your swing, came in just a few uninspiring colors (mostly black and navy), and didn’t always keep out the rain. 

 

Company founder Tomas Nilsson and chief designer Mats Lundqvist recognized this gap in the market for a new and better type of waterproof clothing, and in 1992 Galvin Green introduced garments in bold new colors that used the best waterproof technology and famous GORE-TEX laminate.  

Since this quantum leap in wet-weather apparel, Galvin Green has pioneered many of the fabric advances and design features that give today's serious golfers absolute confidence to handle any weather conditions on any course in the world. 

J.B. Holmes What's In The Bag (WITB) - The Clubs Holmes Used to Win the Genesis Open

J.B. Holmes started Sunday four shots behind leader Justin Thomas, but persevered in brutal conditions at Riviera Country Club to rally and win the Genesis Open for his fifth career win. 

 

Sunday was a marathon for Holmes and the rest of the field, who had to finish round 3 before starting the final round because of weather delays earlier in the week.  Holmes incredible distance off the tee, precise play with his irons, and clutch putting over the weekend moved him inside the top-10 FedEx Cup Playoffs standings. 

2019 PGA Merchandise Show - Demo Day (Part 2 of 2): Callaway Golf, Ping Golf, Miura Golf, Cobra Golf, and Fujikura Golf

In Part 2 of my PGA Merchandise Show Demo Day recap I'm going to show you more new equipment from Callaway, Ping, Miura, Cobra, and Fujikura, and of course give you my opinions on all the clubs I hit. 

 

Demo Day at Orange County National is a gigantic event, and taking you alongside on twitter and Instagram as things unfolded was incredible fun.  There's still a lot more to show you however, so let's jump right back into it, as we're getting closer to my Best of Show article where I'll share what clubs I thought were best and why. 

Destroying Matt Kuchar: Social Media at its Ugliest

Negative sentiment against Matt Kuchar is spreading again like wildfire throughout the golfing world.  Kooch made a few bumbling comments to Golf.com on Thursday about the ongoing controversy surrounding what he paid a local caddie after winning the Mayakoba Golf Classic, and he's been raked across the coals by a herd of media writers and users on social media ever since. 

 

They're saying Kuchar is "out of touch," what he did "reinforces golf's elitist reputation," and some have even called this a "human issue."  Never mind this kind of holier than thou attitude in judging Kuchar is ironic.  The ugliness of this moral one-upmanship is even worse, and it's destroying the very social fabric it claims to champion in the first place. 

Genesis Open: Inside the Course (Riviera Country Club)

"Ladies and Gentlemen, already 19-under par for 26 holes, just playing his normal game, the leader - Tiger Woods!"  That was Woods in 1992 at Riviera Country Club, playfully enacting a brief fantasy before becoming the youngest player to ever tee it up in a PGA Tour event.  Massive crowds will again follow Tiger around this week as he makes his second start of the year, and it will be interesting to see how he manages expectations as well as his game.  Woods is winless in 12 previous appearances here. 

 

Riviera Country Club is an architectural masterpiece designed by George C. Thomas Jr. in 1927.  Thomas believed "strategy of the golf course is the soul of the game," and Riviera is the quintessential thinking man's course - demanding a variety of shot-making skills and constant strategic calculations. 

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.