Golf Pride Roars to Victory and Wins Grip Count at The Masters

Golf Pride was the leading swing and putter grip brand in play at 2019 Masters, with 68 players in the field trusting Golf Pride grips. 

 

Nine players who finished in the Top 10, including Tiger Woods, chose Golf Pride as their grips of choice at Augusta National.  Woods trusted Golf Pride's Tour Velvet Cord grips while capturing his 5th career Masters title. 

Erin Hills to Host 2025 U.S. Women’s Open and 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur

The USGA announced today that Erin Hills has been selected as the host site for the 2025 U.S. Women's Open and 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships.  The U.S. Women's Open is the ultimate test in women's golf, and the 2025 version will be contested May 29th to June 1st.  While the 2022 U.S. Mid-Amateur will be played September 10th to 15th, with Blue Mound Golf and Country Club serving as the stroke-play co-host course. 

 

Located 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee in the Kettle Moraine region, Erin Hills was designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry, and Ron Whitten.  The public facility (which features bentgrass greens and fine fescue fairways) opened for play in 2006.  And the same team oversaw a major renovation to the layout in 2010. 

The 2019 RBC Heritage: Inside the Course (Harbour Town Golf Links Review)

Every year we know what to expect. 132 players make a post-Masters trek to Hilton Head.  They compete for a chance to slip on some tartan swag.  And the iconic 90-foot red and white striped lighthouse behind the 18th green guides the eventual champion to victory with the sun setting over the Calibogue Sound. 

 

Sure it's not the green jacket and it's definitely not Augusta, but the RBC Heritage has a rich history of producing quality champions, including Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman, and inaugural champion Arnold Palmer. 

5 Things To Know About The 2019 RBC Heritage

The excitement from Tiger Woods historic Masters at Augusta on Sunday carries over to Hilton Head island this week for the RBC Heritage.  A top-tier field of 88 winners on the PGA Tour will take on the historic Harbor Town Golf Links. 

 

Many of the world’s top-ranked players aren’t making the trip to South Carolina this week, instead electing to decompress from what was a Masters for the ages.  Still, the invitation only, 132-player field will include some stand out names on the PGA Tour and a host of major champions. 

Tiger Woods 2019 Masters Victory Extends Bridgestone Golf Tour Hot Streak

There wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Bridgestone Golf ambassador Tiger Woods put an exclamation point on one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, winning his 15th career major championship at the 2019 Masters tournament. 

 

Woods used the Bridgestone TOUR B XS golf ball as he returned to the winner's circle at Augusta National for the first time in 14 years.  And Tiger's triumph is the 5th win of the season for Bridgestone's award-winning TOUR B golf ball family. 

Tiger Woods WITB What's In The Bag - The Golf Equipment Woods Used To Win The 2019 Masters

Tiger Woods won his fifth green jacket Sunday storming the leaderboard on the second-nine at Augusta National in what will go down in sports history as one of the greatest comeback stories of all-time.  The 43-year old Woods finished 13-under par for the tournament, good for a one-shot victory over Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and Xander Schauffele. 

 

Woods 15th major championship put him just three away from Jack Nickaus' record, and gives Tiger 81 career PGA Tour victories.  Woods' 14 years between wins at Augusta is the longest gap between wins in tournament history, and Sunday marked the first time since 2005 that the Masters champion rallied from outside the top-10 in the opening round. 

Loopers: The Caddie's Long Walk Will Be Released in U.S. Studios This Summer

Narrated by comedy legend (and former caddie) Bill Murray, Loopers: The Caddie's Long Walk a is a fun and light-hearted film that uses humor and charm to finally give caddies their day in the sun.  And the film is now officially scheduled to release in U.S. studios this summer on June 7th. 

 

Centuries old and enjoyed by tens of millions of people worldwide, golf is seen by many as more than a sport.  Yet what do we really know about the men and women who carry the bags for the players?  In a narrative never before covered in any feature length documentary, Loopers explores the incredible personal bond that a golfer and a caddie develop through hours of time together. 

2019 Masters Giveaway: Titleist Masters Green Tour Rope Hats and Pro V1 & Pro V1x Golf Balls

They're as legendary as The Masters itself.  And Titleist has brought back the classic rope hats in Masters green colors that you're going to want if you're a fan of the first major of the season. 

 

But that's not all the winner will get in this giveaway.  Actually, I should say winners, there will be TWO winners in this giveaway again.  And you'll both be getting your choice of rope hats and your choice of Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf balls.  Yes, this Masters giveaway is real, and it's spectacular. 

2019 Masters Giveaway: Limited Edition Cobra PUMA Union Camo Tour Exclusive P Cap - Exactly Like Rickie Fowler Will Wear at The Masters

Who's ready for another Masters giveaway?  This one's straight fire.  I'm giving away TWO limited edition Cobra PUMA Union Camo Tour Exclusive P Caps, which are exactly like the one Rickie Fowler will wear this week at Augusta National. 

 

This giveaway will run on twitter, Instagram, and here on my blog, which means you will have three unique chances to win. 

2019 Masters Giveaway: Callaway La Jolla SL Golf Shoes - 4 Winners

We're one day away from The Masters, and this year I have some incredible prizes to give away to all of you!  I'll have at least three different giveaways across my social media platforms, and the first will be four pairs of Masters theme Callaway La Jolla SL golf shoes in an Instagram only giveaway. 

 

The La Jolla SL are incredible shoes and you can read my review on them here.  And four lucky winners will get their very own pair each day of The Masters this year. 

Aerotech SteelFiber Shafts Deliver Major Win at the ANA Inspiration

Aerotech SteelFiber graphite iron shafts chalked up another victory last week at the ANA Inspiration, as Jin Young Ko won her first major playing the new SteelFiber H-Tour 90 graphite irons shafts. 

 

Two weeks after winning the Founders Cup, the 20-year-old South Korean champion shot a 10-under-par 278 to win the LPGA's first major of the season by three strokes.  Ko is now in the hunt for Player of the Year honors, as she leads the money list and has notched five top-three finishes in just six events this year. 

USGA and R&A Issue New Local Rule Allowing Replacement of Broken or Significantly Damaged Clubs

The USGA and R&A have provided a clarification that introduces a new Local Rule, allowing players to replace a broken or significantly damaged club, except in cases of abuse. 

 

The Local Rule reverses a change that was implemented under the new Rules of Golf.  Prior to 2019, a club damaged during the normal course of play could be replaced during a round.  However, that allowance was prohibited when the new Rules went into effect on January 1st.  Players were still free to use the damaged club, but couldn't replace it. 

Callaway La Jolla SL Golf Shoes Review - Performance Driven Comfort that Lasts All Round

You already know this, but all golf shoes are not created equal.  I'm of the opinion that you're rarely going to find a golf shoe that's catastrophically bad unless it's defective.   But it's even more rare to find golf shoes that actually give you reason to pause about how great they are.  The Callaway La Jolla SL shoes fall into that latter category. 

 

Tour pros like Marc Leishman, Adam Hadwin, and Emiliano Grillo all wear Callaway shoes.  Hadwin (Mr. 59) wears the La Jolla.  These guys aren't going to slip on golf shoes that aren't 100-percent comfortable and performance driven.  And La Jolla gives you comfort and performance in spades. 

Galvin Green SHAKEDRY Limited Edition Jacket Preview - Groundbreaking Technology to Handle Any Weather

Galvin Green is introducing a limited edition streamlined GORE-TEX Shakedry rain jacket ahead of The Masters and two months before its official launch. 

 

The first super-lightweight waterproof garment of its kind, the limited edition Shakedry jacket features a green full-length zipper and will be available at selected stockists and online retailers around the world in S to XL sizes. 

Ben Hogan PTx PRO Forged Irons Preview - Classic Style Combines With Contemporary Engineering

The new Ben Hogan PTx PRO irons are an enhanced version of the company's best selling PTx iron model (which were introduced in 2016), and developed for discerning, serious golfers who demand performance. 

 

After consultation and testing with Tour players and many other accomplished golfers, Ben Hogan's engineering and product design team successfully developed a forged iron that is pure and traditional-looking on the outside, yet packed with technology on the inside. 

USGA Names Joe Montana as Honorary Ambassador of 119th U.S. Open Championship

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that Pro Football Hall of Famer and four-time Super Bowl champion Joe Montana as the 2019 U.S. Open Championship’s Honorary Ambassador.  The 119th U.S. Open Championship will be played June 13th to 16th at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, California. 

 

"Joe Cool" Montana is one of the most iconic figures in sports, and a Bay Area legend, having spent 14 seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, winning four Super Bowls, and earning Most Valuable Player honors in three of those victories. Widely regarded as one of the greatest quarterbacks in the history of the game, two-time NFL MVP Montana is the franchise's all-time leader in both passing yards and touchdown passes. 

Corey Conners WITB - The Golf Equipment Conners Used to Win the 2019 Valero Texas Open

Corey Conners victory today at the Valero Texas Open wasn't just a life-changing moment for a player breaking through for the first time on Tour.  Conners maiden win made him only the fifth player in the past half decade to win a PGA Tour event after winning a Monday qualifier.  To put that into perspective for you?  You have a better chance of being struck by lightning than doing what Conners did. 

 

Conners displayed incredible poise and tenacity on Sunday, overcoming four consecutive bogies to finish the front-nine, and then going on to post six birdies on the back-nine.  Conners finished with a final round 66, and 20-under overall for a 2 stroke victory over runner-up Charley Hoffman. 

Augusta National Hole No. 5 Is Hard - And It Just Got Harder

The par-4, fifth hole at Augusta National has always been one of the toughest holes on the course.  And for The Masters next week it will play tougher than ever. 

 

Dubbed Magnolia, No. 5 is a slight dogleg to the left, and has been lengthened from 455 yards to 495 yards.  Augusta National last changed this hole in 2003 when the club extended the two left fairway bunkers about 80 yards closer to the green to bring them more into play.  Now with the new tee box, a 313-yard drive will be required to carry those bunkers. 

Titleist CNCPT Irons Preview: Two Unprecedented Designs Engineered to be the Finest Irons You Have Ever Played

For the Titleist Golf Club R&D team, CNCPT represents a challenge to redefine what's possible.  CNCPT is about removing obstacles, and providing their Advanced Research team the freedom to pursue manufacturing and material technologies the game has never seen regardless of cost. 

 

I showed you the CNCPT iron heads back at the PGA Merchandise Show in January, and told you a little bit about them.  And now CNCPT is a reality. 

GolfLogix Introduces Putt Line, the Only On-Course App Feature that Shows the Exact Line of Your Putt to the Hole

GolfLogix is a complete game improvement app with the most downloads in golf, and has now launched it's exciting, all-new Putt Line feature.  The long-anticipated update to the innovative app shows the exact read for distance and line, and takes the guesswork out of exactly how and where to aim your putts. 

 

GolfLogix is the only on-course app that shows you the exact line of your putt to the hole, along with break, change in elevation, and the speed of the green. 

Callaway Apparel Welcomes 15 New Brand Ambassadors For 2019

Callaway Apparel welcomed 15 new brand ambassadors today, joining current staffers Talor Gooch, British Open winner Georgia Hall, two time U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen, Pablo Larrazabel, and Renato Paratore. 

 

"We are thrilled to have this group of talented athletes join Callaway Apparel as brand ambassadors," said Tim Reed, SVP of Global Sports Marketing at Callaway Golf.  "This dynamic group is a perfect combination of established veterans and young stars on the rise and we look forward to supporting them as they perform on golf’s biggest stages." 

2019 Valero Texas Open: Inside the Course (Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio Review)

The PGA Tour is back in the Lone Star state this week for the Valero Texas Open, the third oldest event on the PGA Tour dating back 95 years to 1922.  It's currently played on the 7,435 yard, par-72 Oaks Course at TPC San Antonio, which was designed by Greg Norman with Masters champion Sergio Garcia serving as consultant. 

 

Since the Oaks Course debuted in 2010 as the tournament venue, it]s constantly ranked as one of the toughest courses on the PGA Tour schedule.  Narrow fairways lined with oak and mesquite trees, 54 bunkers (some of them more than 12-feet deep), and difficult-to-hold, raised greens with menacing undulations and run-off areas are the primary defenses.  The rough is generally short, but miss the first two cuts and knee-level native grass can be maddening.  When the south Texas winds kick up, anyone’s round can be ruined. 

5 Things to Know about the 2019 Valero Texas Open

The PGA Tour rides into San Antonio this week for the Valero Texas Open in what will also be the final tune-up for players before The Masters.  Valero is the third oldest on Tour dating back to 1922, and boasts a list of champions filled with iconic names like Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, and Sam Snead. 

 

A star-studded field of 156 players will take on the par-72, 7,435 yard TPC San Antonio AT&T Oaks course that has ranked inside the top-10 most difficult courses on Tour five times since moving here in 2010.  Characterized by very steep and penalizing bunkers, complex greens, and narrow, tree-lined fairways, the Oaks course is one of the toughest tests players will face all season. 

Nippon Golf Shafts Win WGC Dell Technologies Match Play for Second PGA Tour Victory in a Row

Nippon Shaft won its second consecutive PGA Tour event on Sunday when 35-year-old Kevin Kisner won the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play with a 3 and 2 victory over Matt Kuchar (the current No. 1 player in the FedExCup standings). 

 

It was Kisner's third and most prestigious Tour victory, and he put on a ball striking clinic with his irons and in the short game.  Kisner trusted Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS 3 Tour 120 TX flex steel shafts in his irons and N.S. PRO MODUS 3 Wedge 125 steel shafts in his wedges. 

Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau, and Gary Woodland Head to The Masters Decked Out in PUMA Union Camo Gear

When it comes to the first major of the year, Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau and Gary Woodland will be dressed to the nines each day in apparel from PUMA Golf's Spring Summer 2019 Collection, including the new Union Camo gear inspired by The Masters. 

 

PUMA's exclusive Union Camo design layers the shapes of the United States and the state of Georgia to form its camouflage pattern that is sure to stand out. 

Cobra Golf Special Edition Camo KING F9 SPEEDBACK Driver Preview - A Nod to The Year's First Major

Cobra Golf is celebrating the first major of the year with a one-of-a-kind KING F9 SPEEDBACK Special Edition Camo Driver that matches the apparel script and custom Cobra x Vessel bag Rickie Fowler will don at Augusta National next week for The Masters. 

 

This custom camo pattern blends the outlines of the United States and state of Georgia in a layered design for a sophisticated, fresh look on the course.  Packed full of technology, the KING F9 SPEEDBACK Camo driver delivers the perfect combination of performance, sound, and feel with a cool, camo look. 

Under Armour Unveils Jordan Spieth 2019 Masters Scripting and Limited Edition Spieth 3 Golf Shoes

The Masters is less than one week away, and Under Armour is making sure it does everything it can to help Jordan Spieth in pursuit of a second green jacket.  Spieth will be wearing one of Under Armour’s most innovative technologies, Under Armour Vanish. 

 

The material in Vanish is powered by the latest micro-thread technology that removes moisture almost instantly, and will allow Spieth to remain focused and visualize his next shot.  It's become Spieth's favorite polo. 

Vanish is also soft and flexible (but without spandex), and allows for seamless motion for any type of swing in any condition (like the 30-foot birdie putt on No. 16 during Spieth's furious 2018 comeback, and the perfect flop shot on No. 18 to save par on the way to his legendary win in 2015. 

Titleist TS4 Driver Preview - Ultra Low-Spin Matched With Proven Titleist Speed

Titleist is releasing a new TS4 driver that will provide golfers with an ultra-low spin performance to go along with the proven speed and distance gains that have made the TS2 and TS3 drivers the most played player models this season on the PGA Tour. 

 

The TS4 will debut this week at the Valero Texas Open, and is engineered to be a high-speed ultra low-spin design that challenges the notion that a driver designed for extreme spin reduction can't produce this level of ball speed. 

Adidas Golf Limited Edition Crossknit 3.0 Golf Shoes Preview - Inspired by Augusta National Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich

Some major championships are worth melting for.  And so Adidas Golf is releasing limited edition Crossknit 3.0 golf shoes, inspired by the Georgia Peach Ice Cream Sandwich that patrons of Augusta National enjoy inside the gates off Magnolia Lane during The Masters.  Luckily after fans unwrap these they won’t melt in your hands. 

 

Just like the cookies on the outside of the sandwich, the rubber outsole and BOOST midsole take on a distinct sugar cookie-like colorway, representing the cookie crust of the ice cream sandwich.  It wouldn't be an ice cream sandwich without these sugar cookies, just as the  Crossknit 3.0 wouldn’t be the same without the renown BOOST cushioning system that offers endless energy return. 

Aldila Golf Shaft Tour Cap Giveaway - Celebrating the Kevin Kisner Win at the WGC Dell Match Play

Kevin Kisner won the WGC Dell Technology Match Play last week with some precision driving, deadly iron play, and clutch putting.  Kisner's win at Austin Country Club was the third Tour win of his career, and by far the biggest. 

 

Kisner used an Aldila Golf NV 2KXV Green shaft in his Callaway driver and was almost automatic finding fairways.  Kisner is not a bomber off the tee, but he's extremely accurate.  And Kisner's trademark low draw will hold up under any kind of pressure, especially when you need to attack (which is a big deal in match play and major championships). 

Graeme McDowell WITB What's In The Bag - The Golf Equipment McDowell Used to Win the 2019 Corales Puntacana Resort and Club Championship

Graeme McDowell rekindled some of his old magic in the Dominican Republic this week to win the Corales Puntacana Club & Resort Championship on Sunday by one stroke for his first PGA Tour title since 2015.  McDowell finished 18-under, 270 for the tournament, and closed with a 3-under 69 on the final round. 

 

McDowell was surgical with his Srixon driver, averaging 286 yards off the tee and hitting more than 85-percent of the fairways.  The 39-year old former U.S. Open champion was also masterful with his Srixon irons, hitting more than 77-percent of the greens in regulation.  And McDowell led the field in Putts-Per-Green-In-Regulation using the same Odyssey putter he won the U.S. Open with in 2010. 

Kevin Kisner WITB What's In The Bag - The Golf Equipment Kisner Used to Win the 2019 WGC Dell Technologies Match Play

After reaching the championship match at the WGC Dell Technologies Match Play for the second year in a row, Kevin Kisner found redemption on Sunday and won his first WGC championship by defeating Matt Kuchar 3-and-2. 

 

Kisner lost to Bubba Watson in the championship round last year, and has proven to be an outstanding match play player.  Over the last two WGC Match Play events, Kisner defeated heavyweight players like Kuchar (twice), Dustin Johnson, Francesco Molinari, and Ian Poulter.  The win was Kisner's third PGA Tour title, and by far his biggest. 

Cobra Golf KING MIM Wedges Preview - A New Standard in Precision and Feel

Cobra Golf's new KING MIM wedges are unlike any wedge you've ever seen or played before.  That's because Cobra's MIM wedges are the first in the industry to ever be made from 304 stainless steel with MIM (metal injection molding) creating the entire head from a CAD file. 

 

Some will say this is just a fancy way of saying the club is cast, but nothing could be further from the truth.  The MIM delivers all the benefits and properties of a forging, but at the cost of a casting.  And MIM represents a significant advantage in wedge manufacturing by delivering the most precise shape possible for exceptional feel and turf interaction in every single MIM wedge manufactured. 

PUMA Golf Union Camo Collection Preview - Camo that Doesn't Blend In

PUMA Golf released a unique Union Camo Collection today that Rickie Fowler will wear at The Masters later next month.  The Union Camo Collection layers shapes of the United States with the state of Georgia and is sure to stand out. 

 

Available in men's and youth sizing, the Union Camo Collection focuses on heathered textures and blocky lines to create a fashion-forward yet refined look, inspired by the memorable location of the year's first major. 

Swing Caddie SC300 Launch Monitor Preview - The Next Best Thing to Having Your Own Professional Swing Coach

The Swing Caddie SC200 portable launch monitor was a bestselling training aid last year, providing affordable access to swing data for golfers of all levels.  And now Voice Caddie is making things even better and more informative with the newest generation SC300. 

 

I showed you the SC300 back at the PGA Show, and told you why I thought Swing Caddie absolutely nailed it with this model.  Whether you use it indoors or outdoors, the new SC300 will let you evaluate your swing in more ways than ever before. 

Aerotech SteelFiber Shafts Win First and Second Place at the LPGA Bank of Hope Founders Cup

Aerotech SteelFiber graphite iron shafts dominated the LPGA Bank of Hope Founders Cup, capturing first-place and T2 finishes in Phoenix. 

 

2019 LPGA Rookie of the Year Jin Young Ko played prototype SteelFiber graphite irons shafts exclusive to the Asian market, and hit an incredible 16 of 18 greens-in-regulation in the final round.  Ko posted strong scores of 64 and 65 in the final two rounds to win her first U.S. event. 

2019 WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play: Inside the Course (Austin Country Club)

Austin Country Club is a Pete Dye designed course, which means players who find themselves out of position will find themselves in a world of hurt.  Dye courses are adventures that players can never be adequately prepared for, and match play just ratchets up that intensity. 

 

The 7,108 yard, par 71 track is the oldest course in Texas and might be a little too short for a stroke play event, but it's absolutely perfect for the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.  It's not a bombers course, but a fair share of drivable par-4s will produce immensely watchable and dramatic theater.  Strategy and accuracy can make up for a lack of distance off the tee, which means any kind of player can win here. 

5 Things to Know about the 2019 WGC-Dell Technologues Match Play

It's grueling.  It's volatile.  It's the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play at Austin Country Club and there will be chaos.  Inside the match play vortex playing an opponent's personality is just as important as playing the opponent himself.  And if match play history has taught us only one thing, it's that virtually anything can happen. 

 

Every hole has a definitive outcome, win, lose, or draw.  The excitement is as compelling as it is unpredictable.  Two players standing toe to toe in a test of wills, needing only to defeat the man who stands before him. 

Mitsubishi and Aldila Golf Win the Valspar and Maybank Championship to Continue Impressive Streaks on the PGA and European Tour

Every week on professional golf tours there are battles.  There are the obvious battles we all tune in to watch, between players competing for trophies, titles, and prize money.  But there are also equipment battles between companies competing to claim brand wins and vying for use by the best players on the planet. 

 

And for the third consecutive week on the PGA Tour, a Mitsubishi Golf shaft was used by the winner.  Over on the European Tour side the winner there used an Aldila shaft, with Aldila and Mitsubishi combing to account for over 50-percent of all shafts in the field. 

Paul Casey WITB What's In The Bag - The Golf Equipment Casey Used to Win The Valspar Championship

Paul Casey made history on Sunday at the Valspar Championship when he became the first player to win this event in back-to-back seasons.  For Casey, it was his third victory on the PGA Tour, and he needed to hold off World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and hard-charging Jason Kokrak to successfully defend his title. 

 

Casey is projected to rise to World No. 11 with the win, and with The Masters only a few weeks away, he's certain to be part of the conversation.  Casey has a strong record at Augusta and hasn't finished worse than 15th place there over the last four years. 

USGA Names Jason Gore as Senior Director of Player Relations

Following an extensive search, the USGA has appointed longtime PGA Tour player and four-time U.S. Open competitor Jason Gore as its first Senior Director of Player Relations. 

 

The appointment launches a comprehensive program aimed at sharing information and strengthening engagement with players in areas of importance to the USGA.  These include initiatives to grow and advance the game, research critical to the game's health, and continuing to incorporate the players' perspective in its work to advance the sport. 

The Valspar Championship: Inside the Course (Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club)

The PGA Tour returns to Florida this week for the 19th playing of the Valspar Championship. Ten of the top-30 players in the World will tee it up on the par 71, 7,340 yard Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club including Dustin Johnson (1), Jon Rahm (10), Patrick Reed (16), Bubba Watson (17), and defending champion Paul Casey (15). 

 

Copperhead is a shot-maker's course with plenty of risk-reward situations that demand attention on every swing.  It was the third most difficult non-major course last season, and the final three holes known as the "Snake Pit" have been the third toughest non-major final three holes on Tour since 2003 (with a scoring average of plus 0.562 strokes). 

5 Things to Know about the 2019 Valspar Championship

The Valspar Championship is fast becoming one of the most respected and popular stops on the PGA Tour.  The telecast is broadcast to more than 220 countries and translated into 29 different languages.  And players have consistently voted The Copperhead Course at Innisbrook as a top-10 favorite venue on Tour because of its exceptional conditioning and demanding layout. 

 

Defending champion Paul Casey will attempt to become the only back-to-back champion in Valspar history, and will tee it up against field that includes 10 of the top 30 players in the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR), including World No. 1 Dustin Johnson and No. 10 Jon Rahm.  Only four of the 18 defending Valspar champions have finished in the top-10 the following season. 

Cobra PUMA Golf and Volition America 2019 Collection Preview - Honoring American Patriotism with Stylish Apparel On and Off the Course

The Cobra PUMA Golf and Volition America partnership officially launched three years ago, and has proved increasingly popular with golfers and non-golfers alike.  The 2019 collection is sure to bring even greater excitement with a patriotic ensemble of clothing and footwear that honors our great country and the men and women of the military. 

 

Volition America is an organization built on a crusade to promote love of country, inspire people's decisions, and celebrate the power of choice.  And all apparel, footwear, and accessories from this collection supports the Folds of Honor Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to providing educational scholarships to spouses and children of America's fallen and disabled service members. 

Golf Pride Captures Multiple Wins at The PLAYERS Championship

The golf grip isn't a sexy story like the driver, or the irons are.  It doesn't get the attention like the putter does, or even the fairway wood.  But your grips are essentially like tires on a car, and 116 players trusted Golf Pride grips at The PLAYERS last week, making it the leading swing and putter grip brand in play. 

 

Eight players who finished in the Top 10, including the champion Rory McIlroy, chose Golf Pride grips at TPC Sawgrass.  McIlroy used Tour Velvet Cord grips to capture his first PLAYERS title, and ALIGN Technology grips earned a top-3 finish. 

Ben Hogan Golf Precision Milled FORGED Putter Line Preview - First Putter Introduction in Nearly 15 Years

Ben Hogan once said, "There are no shortcuts in the quest for perfection."  And today the Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company introduced its first putter line in nearly fifteen years.  The new Precision Milled FORGED putter line promises unmatched feel on consistency on the face for ultimate distance control and true roll. 

 

The new CNC precision milled putters are crafted from soft, 1020 carbon steel in a multi-step forging process that strengthens and purifies the molecular structure of the metal.  True forging refines and tightens the grain structure of the steel and provides for uniform density across the entire face.  This eliminates hot spots (or dead areas) and results in unparalleled feel, consistent distance control, "trueness" on every roll. 

Mitsubishi Golf TENSEI White Shaft Tour Cap Giveaway - Celebrating the Rory McIlroy Win at The PLAYERS Championship

Rory McIlroy emerged victorious on St. Patrick's Day at The PLAYERS Championship thanks in large part to two late birdies on the last four holes, and some clutch, and absolutely huge shots from the tee box. 

 

McIlroy used a Mitsubishi Golf TENSEI CK Pro White shaft in both his driver and fairway wood, and his 346-yard bomb off the tee on the par-5, 520-yard, 16th hole was the longest drive on the entire round.  McIlroy also ripped an incredibly gutsy 288-yard drive down the middle on the dangerous 18th hole with the tournament on the line, and averaged more than 310 yards off the tee for the week. 

Rory McIlroy WITB What's In The Bag - The Golf Equipment McIlroy Used to Win The PLAYERS Championship

Coming into The PLAYERS Championship, Rory McIlroy's last five starts looked like this:  T4, T5, T4, runner-up, and T6.  The media narrative was Rory lost a step, that he wasn't the same elite player anymore, and that he can't finish. 

 

But McIlroy basically raised the middle finger to that absurdity and won The PLAYERS in brilliant fashion.  Rory led the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green for the week, and shot a 2-under par 70 in tough conditions Sunday at TPC Sawgrass, and made it look like he could be ready to dominate again. 

THE PLAYERS Championship 2019 GIVEAWAY: Titleist St. Patrick's Day Tour Performance Hat and Shamrock Pro V1 Golf Balls

It's the richest event on the PGA Tour.  It's the strongest field of any tournament played on the same course every year.  It's the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass, and it has all the hallmarks of a major championship.  So of course I'm having a PLAYERS GIVEAWAY for all of you! 

 

This year's marquee field includes the game's most talented players, including all 50 of the top-50 players in the world.  And this year's PLAYERS giveaway includes the coolest limited edition swag you'll find anywhere on the planet.  A Titleist St. Patrick's Day Tour Performance hat (exactly like the Tour pros wear), and Shamrock Pro V1 golf balls.