Adam Scott tees off in PGA play offs in New Jersey
PHOTO: Hopeful swing ... Adam Scott is edging up the leaderboard at the US PGA playoffs in New Jersey. (Getty Images: Jeff Gross)
RELATED STORY: Reed wins first tour title, Aussies scrape into PGA play-offsRELATED STORY: Scott loses PGA lead to DufnerRELATED STORY: Scott not writing Woods off despite major drought
MAP: United States
Australian Adam Scott has surged into contention in the US PGA tour playoffs, climbing to within three shots of the lead after round two at the first event in New Jersey.
Masters champion Scott carded a 66 round to rise 29 places up the leaderboard into a share of fourth on seven-under 135 behind leader Matt Kuchar.
Kucher edged past clubhouse leaders Webb Simpson and Gary Woodland, firing five birdies and no bogeys through 13 holes to finish on 10-under-par for the tournament when play was suspended.
He will return tonight to try to seal the 36-hole lead.
Australian Jason Day however could not repeat his fine form of the opening round, carding three bogeys and one birdie through 16 holes to sit seven shots off the pace with compatriot Matt Jones.
Scott, Rickie Fowler and Keegan Bradley were all on seven-under, while England's Justin Rose, the reigning US Open champion, was also at seven-under through 14 holes.
Fowler set a Liberty National Golf Club course record with a 64, only for Bradley to break it with a 63 - all before Woodland completed his own 64.
Scott, who has not won since capturing his first major title at Augusta National in April, was happy to put in a long day.
He played 12 holes of his first round before completing his second.
"I'm pretty happy with today's effort," Scott said.
"When we went out this morning, the wind was up, and the course played a lot tougher than the few holes I played yesterday."
Nevertheless, he had an eagle, a birdie and one bogey over his 12 holes to conclude the first round and added five birdies and another eagle in the second.
"Playing 30 holes in a day is good - if you're playing well," Scott said.
Simpson, Woodland soar as Woods dives
Former US Open champion Simpson also made a marathon day look easy, firing a second-round 66 to take the early clubhouse lead on nine-under 133.
He was joined late in the day by Woodland, who notched a sparkling 64 that included eight birdies and a bogey.
Simpson and Woodland were two strokes clear of their nearest rivals in the clubhouse.
Among those who were unable to finish, Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy had seven birdies and two bogeys through 16 holes to stand at five-under for the tournament and world
number one Tiger Woods was one-under for the day and five-under for the tournament through 13 holes.
The top 125 players in the standings qualified for this week's field.
Only 100 will go on to the championships in Boston.
Seventy will then play the championships in Chicago, with the top 30 on the points list qualifying for the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
The player topping the standings after the four events wins a $10 million playoff bonus.
2013年9月2日星期一
Golf Shoes: Spikes or No Spikes
First American Golf Shoes
It was not the Scottish who introduced what we think of now as golf shoes to America although they were probably the first to use spikes. An Englishman, The Duke of Windsor, a romantic who abdicated his thrown for a commoner, is credited with increasing the popularity of golf shoes in America. He brought is suede leather Oxford's to the U.S. in the 30's and the rest is history. He is also thought to have made gillie's (Oxfords with no tongue) and kilties (tongue with leather fringe) as well.
Saddle shoes by Spalding were introduced as a lace-up shoe for racquet sports and featured a saddle-shaped leather reinforced insert in the instep. This saddle shape was often a different color than the rest of the shoe highlighting the styling. Although you won't see many tennis players wearing them, they did play a large role in golf for many years. Gene Sarazen is thought to be the first pro to wear white saddle shoes in the 1920's.
Why Golf Shoes Have Spikes
The obvious answer is that they provide greater traction when swinging a golf club much in the same way that soccer players or other sports players gain better traction through the use of cleats. Some say it's more difficult to make a good contact with the golf ball and get a good shot without spikes.
Most golfers don't golf in bare feet. Okay you probably knew that from being on the links. One answer is because they don't want to get their feet stepped on by the other golfers who are wearing spikes. The real answer lies in the foot action that is involved in the average golf swing. If you were to try swinging bare footed, you would immediately notice a lot of action in your feet that are part of a good swing.
If you've ever golfed in wet weather you know that spikes help keep feet from sliding on slick turf. You may have stood on the side of a hill and noticed that spikes keep you from sliding while swinging as well.
Balance, Stability, Flexibility, and Comfort
Golf shoes actually have a wider base and larger sole than other shoes designed for athletics. Since golfers spend a lot of time just standing in front of the ball, they need more stability when they swing the club than other athletes who are running and jumping. Golf shoes even have lateral arch support to a golfer's feet from sliding back and forth during their swing.
A golfer's domain is one of hills, varying height turf, irregular fairways, and hazards hidden by the rough. Golf shoes have to be pliable and able to conform to awkward surfaces much more than other athletic shoes which only need to conform to manicured or flat surfaces.
A golfer in the course of a normal round may walk as much as six miles. You wouldn't want to do that in an uncomfortable shoe. Golf shoes are designed to be comfortable even when walking long distances. This usually means extra padding and a soft breathable footbed.
Breathability and Weather Resistance
Ads by Google
Whether its dew, high heat, light rain, or wet sand, a golfer's environment is hard on shoes. Most golf shoes are made to be weather resistant or even waterproof and breathable. To handle these tasks they may be treated with special coatings or have air holes permeating the upper part of the shoe.
Metal Spikes
When golfers think of their shoes, if they do at all, they think of spikes. Golf shoes are pretty much synonymous with spikes of some kind. In the early days of golf, spikes were more likely to be hand-embedded nails or other pieces of metal. As early as the late 1800's screw-in spikes had already been developed and proved to gain popularity with golfers over other shoes of the day. From that moment on, golf course groundskeepers were destined to deal with the damage they caused.
Skipping ahead to the 1990's, spikes were all better designed but still made of metal. They still had a tendency to be as hard on your feet as they were on delicate greens, vulnerable fairways, and clubhouse floors. It's bad enough that you had to replace the divots from your shots but, there wasn't much you could do about the damage caused by your shoes. Golf had become a victim of its own popularity as more and more golfers wearing metal-spiked shoes were causing increasing damage to these most hallowed of all sports venues and eventually prompted the banning of metal spikes by some of the most revered golf associations.
This prompted a radical shift in spike mentality by manufacturers who began offering alternative cleat designs and new shoes to go along with them. These shoes were lighter, more comfortable, and offered even better traction than metal-spiked shoes.
Well, the technology of today is about green and turf-friendly plastic, rubber, or no spikes at all. You'll find that turf is faring better than ever under these new materials and spike shapes. Introduced in the 1990's
Going Spikeless
Newer designs from manufacturers are featuring spikeless soles that are more turf-friendly, lightweight, and comfortable yet offer improved traction over regular athletic shoes. Companies like Crocs and Footjoy have pioneered these shoes that have become increasingly popular. Crocs even offers golf sandals for a more casual and comfortable look on hot days.
The Debate
So what is the debate? Are spikes or spikeless better for your game? I'm going to wade right in and tell you that spikeless are the future of the game. Newer designs that use the height of technology to provide traction and support are going to supplant older cleated shoes in much the same way that plastic spikes replaced metal spikes. In our environmentally-friendly, "green" society, we don't want to cut down a tree and we certainly don't want to chew up the greens. Go green and buy a pair of spikeless golf shoes to take care of your feet and the environment all at the same time!
I hope you have enjoyed this article highlighting some of the history of golf shoes and golf spikes. If I have served to continue the debate, I have succeeded.
It was not the Scottish who introduced what we think of now as golf shoes to America although they were probably the first to use spikes. An Englishman, The Duke of Windsor, a romantic who abdicated his thrown for a commoner, is credited with increasing the popularity of golf shoes in America. He brought is suede leather Oxford's to the U.S. in the 30's and the rest is history. He is also thought to have made gillie's (Oxfords with no tongue) and kilties (tongue with leather fringe) as well.
Saddle shoes by Spalding were introduced as a lace-up shoe for racquet sports and featured a saddle-shaped leather reinforced insert in the instep. This saddle shape was often a different color than the rest of the shoe highlighting the styling. Although you won't see many tennis players wearing them, they did play a large role in golf for many years. Gene Sarazen is thought to be the first pro to wear white saddle shoes in the 1920's.
Why Golf Shoes Have Spikes
The obvious answer is that they provide greater traction when swinging a golf club much in the same way that soccer players or other sports players gain better traction through the use of cleats. Some say it's more difficult to make a good contact with the golf ball and get a good shot without spikes.
Most golfers don't golf in bare feet. Okay you probably knew that from being on the links. One answer is because they don't want to get their feet stepped on by the other golfers who are wearing spikes. The real answer lies in the foot action that is involved in the average golf swing. If you were to try swinging bare footed, you would immediately notice a lot of action in your feet that are part of a good swing.
If you've ever golfed in wet weather you know that spikes help keep feet from sliding on slick turf. You may have stood on the side of a hill and noticed that spikes keep you from sliding while swinging as well.
Balance, Stability, Flexibility, and Comfort
Golf shoes actually have a wider base and larger sole than other shoes designed for athletics. Since golfers spend a lot of time just standing in front of the ball, they need more stability when they swing the club than other athletes who are running and jumping. Golf shoes even have lateral arch support to a golfer's feet from sliding back and forth during their swing.
A golfer's domain is one of hills, varying height turf, irregular fairways, and hazards hidden by the rough. Golf shoes have to be pliable and able to conform to awkward surfaces much more than other athletic shoes which only need to conform to manicured or flat surfaces.
A golfer in the course of a normal round may walk as much as six miles. You wouldn't want to do that in an uncomfortable shoe. Golf shoes are designed to be comfortable even when walking long distances. This usually means extra padding and a soft breathable footbed.
Breathability and Weather Resistance
Ads by Google
Whether its dew, high heat, light rain, or wet sand, a golfer's environment is hard on shoes. Most golf shoes are made to be weather resistant or even waterproof and breathable. To handle these tasks they may be treated with special coatings or have air holes permeating the upper part of the shoe.
Metal Spikes
When golfers think of their shoes, if they do at all, they think of spikes. Golf shoes are pretty much synonymous with spikes of some kind. In the early days of golf, spikes were more likely to be hand-embedded nails or other pieces of metal. As early as the late 1800's screw-in spikes had already been developed and proved to gain popularity with golfers over other shoes of the day. From that moment on, golf course groundskeepers were destined to deal with the damage they caused.
Skipping ahead to the 1990's, spikes were all better designed but still made of metal. They still had a tendency to be as hard on your feet as they were on delicate greens, vulnerable fairways, and clubhouse floors. It's bad enough that you had to replace the divots from your shots but, there wasn't much you could do about the damage caused by your shoes. Golf had become a victim of its own popularity as more and more golfers wearing metal-spiked shoes were causing increasing damage to these most hallowed of all sports venues and eventually prompted the banning of metal spikes by some of the most revered golf associations.
This prompted a radical shift in spike mentality by manufacturers who began offering alternative cleat designs and new shoes to go along with them. These shoes were lighter, more comfortable, and offered even better traction than metal-spiked shoes.
Well, the technology of today is about green and turf-friendly plastic, rubber, or no spikes at all. You'll find that turf is faring better than ever under these new materials and spike shapes. Introduced in the 1990's
Going Spikeless
Newer designs from manufacturers are featuring spikeless soles that are more turf-friendly, lightweight, and comfortable yet offer improved traction over regular athletic shoes. Companies like Crocs and Footjoy have pioneered these shoes that have become increasingly popular. Crocs even offers golf sandals for a more casual and comfortable look on hot days.
The Debate
So what is the debate? Are spikes or spikeless better for your game? I'm going to wade right in and tell you that spikeless are the future of the game. Newer designs that use the height of technology to provide traction and support are going to supplant older cleated shoes in much the same way that plastic spikes replaced metal spikes. In our environmentally-friendly, "green" society, we don't want to cut down a tree and we certainly don't want to chew up the greens. Go green and buy a pair of spikeless golf shoes to take care of your feet and the environment all at the same time!
I hope you have enjoyed this article highlighting some of the history of golf shoes and golf spikes. If I have served to continue the debate, I have succeeded.
2011年12月25日星期日
TaylorMade R11 Fairway Wood Review
The TaylorMade R11 Fairway Wood is the newest and perhaps best creation this year from TaylorMade. Most of the attention has been focused on the R11 Driver, but our test reveals that the fairway wood is more useful overall to improving your score than the R11 Driver. The virtually endless possibilities of adjustment can deliver near exact yardages for a number of different shots, depending on what shot a particular hole may require. for instance, if you are playing a long par-3, before the round you may scout the hole and see that it is playing shorter than usual. The R11 fairway wood allows you to decrease the loft and face angle, to produce the shot you need, as opposed to needing another club with you at the course. The increased adjustability also lets you allow for how you’re hitting the ball at the time, whether it’s curing a slice or hook. although in tournament or competition you cannot adjust the club during the round, you can anticipate the particular shots you may need on par-5′s or par-3′s just prior to the round and set up the club very easily with the torque wrench provided.
This fairway wood (5-wood as tested, 18 degree loft, stiff shaft) delivers what essentially 2 to 3 otherclubs could provide. it feels very balanced at address & waggle, with a super-solid feel at impact, which gives you feedback instantly. The R11 as tested utilized a Fujikura Motore F3 Shaft (80 grams)TaylorMade states that the R11 fairway wood improves upon the adjustability by combining Flight Control Technology (FCT) with Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP) Technology in a high-performance steel head. with up to 60 yards of side-to-side trajectory change, a new aerodynamic clubhead shape promotes faster speed for more distance.
As one of the most heralded new golf products to hit the market in years, the TaylorMade R11 driver contains great technology, looks, style, and performance. However, for some golf equipment enthusiasts, TaylorMade has constantly been on the precipice of pissing us off to the degree that we don’t want to participate in the ‘latest & greatest’ new club, which debuts every 10 seconds from them – it seems like. The marketing strategy of TaylorMade leaves most of us scratching our heads trying to figure out why they keep dumping new clubs on us, making us feel like the last club they sold us six months ago for $399 or more, is completely obsolete. There is a method to their madness, but I think they need to be more cautious with the rapid introduction of new clubs, given the present state of the economy and the statistics that keeping golfers interested in playing is becoming more and more difficult.
This fairway wood (5-wood as tested, 18 degree loft, stiff shaft) delivers what essentially 2 to 3 otherclubs could provide. it feels very balanced at address & waggle, with a super-solid feel at impact, which gives you feedback instantly. The R11 as tested utilized a Fujikura Motore F3 Shaft (80 grams)TaylorMade states that the R11 fairway wood improves upon the adjustability by combining Flight Control Technology (FCT) with Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP) Technology in a high-performance steel head. with up to 60 yards of side-to-side trajectory change, a new aerodynamic clubhead shape promotes faster speed for more distance.
As one of the most heralded new golf products to hit the market in years, the TaylorMade R11 driver contains great technology, looks, style, and performance. However, for some golf equipment enthusiasts, TaylorMade has constantly been on the precipice of pissing us off to the degree that we don’t want to participate in the ‘latest & greatest’ new club, which debuts every 10 seconds from them – it seems like. The marketing strategy of TaylorMade leaves most of us scratching our heads trying to figure out why they keep dumping new clubs on us, making us feel like the last club they sold us six months ago for $399 or more, is completely obsolete. There is a method to their madness, but I think they need to be more cautious with the rapid introduction of new clubs, given the present state of the economy and the statistics that keeping golfers interested in playing is becoming more and more difficult.
2011年12月18日星期日
R11 irons with steel
After releasing the R11 woods series earlier this year to great fanfare, TaylorMade has just officially announced the release of the R11 irons. The R11 irons have the look and feel of tour irons but they have been designed for the mid-range handicapper who needs some additional help with hitting it long and keeping it straight.
At first glance, their ultra thin design makes them look like blades, but upon closer inspection you can tell they are cavity backs. TaylorMade has attempted to use all the cutting edge technology as possible to give the user of these clubs the ultimate advantage. This technology features the ground breaking precision-weighting port (PWP) technology, which is a moveable piece in the back of the club. This will allow you to alter the club’s center of gravity to adjust your ball flight.
As well as designing the club to provide golfers with max distance thanks to a lighter feel, they also designed it to allow for more forgiveness for balls not quite hit on the center of the club with a bigger sweet spot.
You will be able to purchase the R11 irons with steel or graphite shafts. The steel shafts will be the KBS 90 model whereas the graphite shafts will be Motore 75S, 65R, 55M, 5 L.
It should also be noted that although the TaylorMade R11 driver were designed with the stunning white crown, the R11 irons will be the standard steel color.
These clubs will be available for purchase by the public on September 1, 2011 at golf retailers and should be priced at between $799 and $999 US. If the success of the R11 driver is any indication, these irons should be prove to be extremely popular.
At first glance, their ultra thin design makes them look like blades, but upon closer inspection you can tell they are cavity backs. TaylorMade has attempted to use all the cutting edge technology as possible to give the user of these clubs the ultimate advantage. This technology features the ground breaking precision-weighting port (PWP) technology, which is a moveable piece in the back of the club. This will allow you to alter the club’s center of gravity to adjust your ball flight.
As well as designing the club to provide golfers with max distance thanks to a lighter feel, they also designed it to allow for more forgiveness for balls not quite hit on the center of the club with a bigger sweet spot.
You will be able to purchase the R11 irons with steel or graphite shafts. The steel shafts will be the KBS 90 model whereas the graphite shafts will be Motore 75S, 65R, 55M, 5 L.
It should also be noted that although the TaylorMade R11 driver were designed with the stunning white crown, the R11 irons will be the standard steel color.
These clubs will be available for purchase by the public on September 1, 2011 at golf retailers and should be priced at between $799 and $999 US. If the success of the R11 driver is any indication, these irons should be prove to be extremely popular.
2011年12月15日星期四
new TaylorMade R11 Irons Review
I'm a shade under a 9 handicap. Good driving sets up my game for good scoring. Typical solid rounds are a lot of pars and some bogeys, limiting the damage to a double-bogey or two. 1 or 2 birdies a round is my average. I'm not a very high-ball hitter and prefer lighter weight shafts, but standard swing weight irons. I can effectively play 'off-the-rack' setups out of the box as they're very close to my actual specs. I've been playing TaylorMade MCs for the better part of the summer with success. I've ONLY played forged irons for several years because I LOVE forged feel. I've tried some cast clubs and disliked every one.
I was fit for them. I bought them. I like them a lot. They're solid. I've tried Burner 2.0s and the feel/size of the club heads just weren't for me. These fall in the middle. If you like the Burner 2.0 concept but dislike their feel, these will surprise you. Not only do these feel nice for a cast club, but they have good feel overall. Frankly, I'm impressed.
Most surprising to me are the short irons. They feel solid and are very accurate. Turf interaction on dry and wet days has been great, and they're very consistent. I don't find them clunky, even coming from playing MCs.
I've played 3 rounds and logged several hours on the range. With all the talk out there about these, I've been dying to give a little insight. Finally they've been announced, and I can, so on to the fun part! I've tried to put some of what I remember from the presentation I saw with my own opinions. My opinions are my own - TM didn't ask for a review - but they're really positive. I'm surprised at how much I like these.
I was fit for them. I bought them. I like them a lot. They're solid. I've tried Burner 2.0s and the feel/size of the club heads just weren't for me. These fall in the middle. If you like the Burner 2.0 concept but dislike their feel, these will surprise you. Not only do these feel nice for a cast club, but they have good feel overall. Frankly, I'm impressed.
Most surprising to me are the short irons. They feel solid and are very accurate. Turf interaction on dry and wet days has been great, and they're very consistent. I don't find them clunky, even coming from playing MCs.
I've played 3 rounds and logged several hours on the range. With all the talk out there about these, I've been dying to give a little insight. Finally they've been announced, and I can, so on to the fun part! I've tried to put some of what I remember from the presentation I saw with my own opinions. My opinions are my own - TM didn't ask for a review - but they're really positive. I'm surprised at how much I like these.
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