Innholdsfortegnelse for March 2016 i Golf Magazine

The 2016 ClubTest Driver Issue GOLF.com is your ultimate online source for equipment coverage, where 360-degree views, impact-sound audio and player roundtable videos help you decide which new driver is the best fit for your bag. GOLF.com/equipment Watch GOLF equipment editor Rob Sauerhaft and our ClubTesters review the season's latest and greatest. TABLET BONUS ALL-ACCESS Free for print subscribers! Get easy access to GOLF editions on the iPad and other tablets at GOLF.com/allaccess. BONUS CONTENT Watch videos of our exclusive reviews on 2016's new drivers. MORE PHOTOS Check out the newest drivers of the season from every angle. GOLF.COM IN YOUR INBOX For up-to-the-minute golf news, features and videos, subscribe today to GOLF.com's revitalized newsletters : News, Instruction, Equipment and Travel. Sign up now and you'll never miss another story!…

MEN OF MAGNITUDE What do the members of golf's century-old Big Bombers Club have in common? Titanic talent, not titanium. As our first ClubTest installment of 2016 shows (p. 68), longer, straighter drives await you, thanks to today's whiz-bang gear. But how much does equipment help the world's best players? Frank Thomas would like to bust a myth about golf's sultans of swat. No, not the prodigious home-run hitter for the Chicago White Sox. The other Frank Thomas—the USGA executive who, from 1974 to 2000, helped protect the game from radical advances in club technology. Golf's Frank Thomas was standing guard in 1996 when the titanium driver made its Tour debut, yet he remains adamant about one thing: Golf's biggest beasts off the tee—from Ted Ray at the turn of…

DRIVER 1) Callaway Great Big Bertha, 8.5°, Aldila Tour Green 75TX graphite shaft, 296 yards; $450 IRONS 2) Callaway Apex Utility (3), $230; Callaway Apex Pro (4-9), $1,100. All with Nippon N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120TX steel shafts 3-iron: 220 yards 4-iron: 210 yards 5-iron: 200 yards 6-iron: 190 yards 7-iron: 175 yards 8-iron: 165 yards 9-iron: 150 yards HYBRID 3) Callaway X2 Hot Pro, 18°, Matrix Ozik Altus Tour shaft, 235 yards; $90 WEDGES 4) Callaway Mack Daddy 2, 47°, 135 yards; 52°, 120 yards; 58°, 95 yards. All with Nippon N.S. WV 125 steel shafts; $100 each PUTTER 5) Odyssey White Hot Pro #7, 34.25", 3.5° loft; price, NA BALL Titleist Pro V1; $48/dozen FAIRWAY WOOD 6) Callaway XR Pro, 16°, Aldila NV 2KKV 75TX shaft, 245…

NOBODY'S CALLING ROBERT STREB a "young gun" yet, but the 28-year-old Oklahoman is making a strong case for the title. Streb ended the 2015 Tour season with a win at the McGladrey Classic, along with eight other top-10s, missing only five cuts in 30 events. He can credit much of his success to his postcard-perfect setup. Look at frame 1. All we see is Streb's right side, which completely blocks the view of anything on his body's left. Everything—toe line, hip line, shoulder line and eye line—points in the same direction. This "neutral" setup eliminates idiosyncrasies that can creep into a swing. In other words, he fixes faults before they happen. Streb's other cool move? Check frames 7 through 11. As his lower body unwinds on a horizontal plane with…

The best putting strokes are simple: uncomplicated and easy to repeat, just like the ones you see the pros make. Let's look at the 2015 Tour numbers from the all-important scoring zone of 10 feet and in. [This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine or PDF.] Sure, we're talking about the world's best players, but you—yes you—can put this well, too. It doesn't take crazy talent to stroke it pure from short range. Just tweak your technique and power your stroke with your body, not your hands. Copy the positions at right, and with some practice, you'll relegate your hands to a supporting role. Less hand action means less manipulation— and a lot more makes. 1 MAKE A SHAFT-FOREARM MATCH As you set up to the ball,…

Like most recreational players, you probably address the ball with your toes pointed straight at the target line. This is a solid fundamental, but sometimes it helps to bend the rules. Try this: Rotate one of your feet (depending on your desired result; see right) from squared to flared. This adjustment can fix a slice, amp up clubhead speed, and lead to pure, consistent contact. You're a small move away from big improvements. FOR PURER STRIKES… …flare your left foot, square your right. This makes it easier to fully rotate through impact and shift pressure to your front foot. FOR A SLICE FIX… …flare your right foot, square your left. This combo increases your range of motion in your backswing (a very good thing) and limits it in your downswing.…

9' 1" Stenson's average putt distance following a greenside bunker shot in 2015. He converted at a 49.4 percent clip. 1 SMACK AND TILT Imagine a straight line extending up from Stenson's belt buckle; his upper body and head are left of the line. This means he maintained the right-side bend created in his downswing. Copy that bend to carve a perfect divot. 2 OPEN FOR BUSINESS The ball's in the air and Stenson's "tracking" it with his eyes and his chest. This indicates that he set up open and swung in the direction of his stance line. If you swing toward the target, you won't be able to "track" and you'll probably hit too far behind the ideal entry point. 3 BOSS OF THE TOSS Stenson goes from a…

CALLAWAY GREAT BIG BERTHA $450; GOLF.com/callaway WE TESTED: 9° (adjusts 8° to 11°), 10.5° (adjusts 9.5° to 12.5°), 13.5° (adjusts 12.5° to 15.5°) with Mitsubishi Kuro Kage TiNi 50, Mitsubishi Bassara E 42, and Fujikura Speeder Evolution TS 665 graphite shafts PROS \\ DISTANCE: "Big" and "Great" cover it; as long as anything tested and capable of a few "Wow!" shots per round; this could be the hottest game-improvement driver that Callaway's produced to date. \\ ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: Borderline unmissable, unless you call the first cut a miss; exceptionally forgiving—nearly the entire face hits it straight, and it controls spin really well. \\ FEEL: A light, stable, easy-swinging club with a nice whip through impact—encourages you to swing for the fences; the giant sweet spot delivers a scorching-hot crack through the…

7 YOUR TECH QUESTIONS ANSWERED Apps. Aides. Analyzers. Golf has always brimmed with gadgets, but in 2016, there's more stuff than ever, much of it highly sophisticated. Wading through so many options can be overwhelming, so allow us to answer seven of the most common tech-based questions that flood GOLF's in-box. When it comes to innovative, game-changing products, the future is now. Q Is there a way to measure my fitness data during a round while also tracking my stats? A Golfers are more interested in fitness than ever, and the new Ping app for the Apple Watch is a great way to keep track of your heart rate, step count, and calorie burn while on the course. The Golf Workout ($4.99), available as an in-app purchase, tracks your fitness…

You won your first PGA Tour event last June, beating Justin Rose in a playoff at the Memorial. What moment stands out? That feeling when you know you have a four- or five-footer to win the tournament and seal the deal. That's a special feeling, and the first time you have it, it's hard to explain. I'd been putting so well that week, and I was feeling very confident. And to see that putt [to win] go in, and to know I was finally a Tour winner, was amazing. What was different about your game that week? My mental game was so strong. And going into the playoff, I felt really calm. I knew what I was trying to do out there, and nothing really rattled me. I was cool.…

Dear Rules Guy: Here's a scenario I'll bet you've never run across. My ball came to rest in a rooted area behind a tree with low-hanging limbs. Although I had to take a crouched stance, it was possible to advance the ball. Alas, I whiffed. My clubface hit the tree and struck my ball on the rebound, sending it backwards 15 yards—into a perfect lie. Can I just play on from this position? —WAYNE BRATSCHI, TAMPA BAY, FLA. Sorry, you can't play this one as it lies. Let's start with the whiff. Because you intended to hit the ball, the club's forward movement is considered a stroke, even though you missed. Plus, you incur a one-stroke penalty for inadvertently moving your ball, per Rule 18-2. And you must replace the…

MY ANALYSIS of millions of golf shots reveals a consistent finding: Approach shots account for the biggest scoring advantage between golfers of every skill level. The best golfers also gain strokes with their driving, short game and putting games, but approach shots are the greatest difference-maker. "Approach" is a broad category. It includes all shots starting outside 100 yards from the hole, excluding tee shots on par-4 and par-5 holes. Within this category, shots from 150 to 200 yards are a prime separator of the best Tour pros from average Tour pros. It's a range that the weekend golfer can learn something from, too. From 150 to 200 yards out, starting from the fairway or tee, Tour players hit the green 71 percent of the time. Sticking it to within…

I admit it: I did not expect to be drinking water with you today. We're drinking water now, but later we'll get lit! [Laughs] I'm not a big drinker, but I enjoy a nice scotch, like a Macallan 12, when I have a cigar. We're here today to talk some golf. You love the game. I am golf's greatest ambassador! How did you become a golfer? I [used to] hate golf. And then about six years ago, I ran across Boo Weekley. And Boo is my type of guy. He's a Florida boy, and he wears camouflage out on the course. So I started watching him, not because I love golf, but because I love Boo. And then I met him one day and we got to be buddies. And…

1 Stand behind the ball and grip the club with your left hand only. It's simple: Just grab the handle without looking. This sets your left hand in its natural power position. Wrist angle varies from player to player—I like to keep my wrist slightly bent. 2 Depending on your anatomy, your left wrist will be either flat or flexed (like mine). What's important is that you maintain your left wrist position as you swing. Changing it disrupts your hitting instinct. Take note of the flex and accept it. 3 Put your right hand on the club and take your address, maintaining the position of your left wrist. Take a last look at the target and start back. Have no fear—you're one step away from catching the ball smack on…

At the gym, I stick to drills that improve both my physique and my swing. This exercise gets your back into the correct hitting posture while strengthening your legs, a combination that will help you make a power push at impact. It's easy and only takes a minute or two. Stand erect with your driver held flat against your back—you don't want any curve in your spine. Next, step forward with your right foot and drop your left knee toward the ground. Keep your right shin perpendicular to the ground and your back and club straight. Step back and repeat with the left leg. Do 20 reps daily for three days a week, then copy the straight-back feel when you swing. You'll end up miles down the fairway. STEP 1…

Slumping forward in your putting setup hurts you in two ways: It aggravates your back, and it causes pulls—and lots of three-putts. How? Slouching gets your upper body closer to the ball, which lifts the toe of the putter off the ground and points the face to the left (near photo, right). Now the good news: It's actually easy to correct your posture and eliminate pulled putts. And you don't even need to practice these three moves. Simply add them to your pre-putt routine and you'll soon be rolling it right at the hole. 1 Get into your regular putting stance—yes, even if you slouch, like above. 2 Holding the putter in your right hand only, lift your arms and pull your shoulder blades together. 3 Sole the putter on…

CALLAWAY BIG BERTHA ALPHA 816 $500; GOLF.com/callaway WE TESTED: 9° (adjusts 8° to 11°), 10.5° (adjusts 9.5° to 12.5°) with Aldila Rogue I/O 60 graphite shaft PROS \\ DISTANCE: The 816 Double Black Diamond is one of the longest clubs; a bomber for a few guys—10 yards longer than their gamers; off-center hits are within a few yards of your good ones. \\ ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: One of the top-rated models; extremely accurate—you can have an off day and still find almost every fairway; toe and heel shots make their way back toward the fairway. \\ FEEL: Testers give it very high marks; impact is springy, and there's a definite difference between center and mis-hits; very hot sensation in the middle of the face and never harsh on misses; stable at impact—virtually…

Yes, David Feherty is "on" even when he's off the air. As he strolls into a bright Manhattan loft space for GOLF's photo shoot and interview, he politely declines a handshake. His right mitt is swollen. "Sorry, just had surgery," he says. Diagnosis? "Excessive masturbatory syndrome." Actually, it's arthritis made worse by some ugly spills he took off his bicycle. "I'm 57, but I feel 75 the way I've treated myself. If I'd have known I'd live this long, I'd have looked after myself." Feherty's longevity is NBC's gain. After 19 years, he left CBS last September, and the Peacock Network signed him faster than you can say "Irish wit." He has plenty to look forward to in 2016 beyond sparring with Johnny Miller: NBC will air the British Open,…

• I travel about 125 days a year. I don't know exactly how many miles I fly, but it's a mix of domestic and international travel, and most of it is for business, not pleasure. Then again, you could say that I'm in a pleasurable business, so it doesn't really feel like work. • I used to try to pack everything I thought I might possibly need, but then I realized you're less likely to lose things if you always pack the same stuff. So I keep it simple, and the less the better. • I confess, I can get nervous. I don't like takeoffs. I need it to be quiet around me. But I've spoken to pilots, and I know there's no reason to be worried during turbulence. •…

WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON 42nd President of the United States February 10, 2015 DEAR DONALD, What could be a better time than playing golf with you? Not much! Thanks for all the fun rounds and interesting—and way-off-the-record—conversations we've had along the way, my man. You know what conversations I'm talking about. Remember, they cut both ways. I so appreciate the membership you gave me at Trump National Westchester when Winged Foot was showing me no love. You know how to dole out a floating mulligan, brother! I might be the king of the do-over, but you're at least a high prince. Anyway, your place is so much more fun than Winged Foot. Food's better, too. Maybe someday you'll get a Tour event at Westchester. TV would eat up that waterfall on…

HOW MANY TIMES have you turned the volume down when a given golf broadcaster prattles on and on? My particular TV pet peeve: talking while a Tour player hits a shot. David Feherty is different. When you hear his voice, you reach for the remote— to turn it up. He's that good. We all know Feherty is hilarious, of course, but his wicked wit might overshadow just how smart and insightful he is. "When I cover a tournament, I very closely observe the player, and that informs what I say," Feherty told executive editor Connell Barrett in this month's GOLF Interview (p. 100). "I watch his manner-isms, his face, his body language, which reveals so much." This promises to be a big year for the Irishman, who makes his NBC…

IT'S BEEN EASY to turn Bryson DeChambeau into a caricature. Last summer, as he was on his way to becoming just the fifth person to win the NCAA Championship and U.S. Amateur in the same year, the SMU physics major with the funny clubs and the quirky swing was portrayed as Victor Frankenstein with a sharp short game. It's true that DeChambeau is a disciple of Homer Kelley's The Golfing Machine, the dense, scholarly tome that scientifically breaks down the swing into 24 components with endless variables. And it took tremendous mechanical know-how and extensive testing to perfect DeChambeau's one-of a-kind set of Edel irons, each of which is the same weight and length (37.5", a typical 7-iron). But to call DeChambeau a mad scientist ignores the artist within. On…

OVER THE LAST 20 YEARS, I've witnessed the emergence of a troubling trend in swing analysis: an overabundance of reliance on numbers. Launch monitors tell us way more than we need to know. Clubhead speed, attack angle, ball speed, launch angle, spin rate—and a lot more. Recreational players are beginning to treat this data like golf's Holy Grail, and their pursuit of perfect Tour-player numbers is not only stifling their improvement, it may also be destroying their bodies. For 400 years or so, golf was played with the left heel coming up on the backswing and the left knee releasing behind the ball, with the hips and the torso turning freely. All of a sudden, around 30 years ago, the modern swing decided that was all wrong. Now you're told…

You can practice every kind of short-game shot at the Blessings indoor facility. BABY, IT'S COLD OUTSIDE. Winter is still here, with icy ground covering much of the nation. And chances are, your short game has turned to slush since the autumn. For those of you lucky enough to live in golf-friendly year-round climes, go easy on the gloating. The rest of you? Don't let Old Man Winter get you down. There are plenty of ways to keep your short game sharp until the snow thaws. For starters, you may live closer to an indoor practice facility than you realize. These sheltered havens are popping up all over, and I'm a big fan—so much so that I helped design one at Blessings G.C. in Fayetteville, Ark., home of the University…

A Redan is a mini masterpiece—a bunker-laden par 3 with the green set on a diagonal to the tee box and tilting right to left. The original Redan, on the West Links at North Berwick, near Edinburgh, has spawned many imitators. These little devils are everywhere. Hitting it close is a challenge. It's all about choosing the tactic that works for your playing style. 1 BE A PURIST THINK "LOW" TO GO LOW The first Redans were built on links courses, which are designed to accept low, running approach shots. Don't buck tradition! Ignore the pin. Grab the club that reaches the front-right section of the green with a punch-style draw. If you hit your spot, the ball will land and run back and across the green—right next to the…

Marketing executive Andrew Usher didn't take long to shop for the right swing coach. "Our company, Vidanta Resorts, recently hired Top 100 Teacher Tom Stickney to direct our academies," says Usher, 52. "All I had to do was walk across the range." It was a good walk not spoiled. In a single TrackMan session, Stickney helped Usher, a single-digit handicap, add 10 yards off the tee. "Tom showed me that I was launching my drives too low," says Usher. Stickney's fix? "I had Andrew tilt more to the right at address and hold the tilt longer through impact," Stickney says. "He hit some shots on a sloping part of the range (right) to ingrain the feel of hitting up on the ball." Usher's drives instantly picked up airtime, going from…

Golf is rarely strenuous, but between walking the course, muscling shots out of ankle-high rough and grinding out the perfect read on the greens, you burn a lot of fuel. Some nourishment helps. "Sports drinks such as Gatorade and Powerade perform as advertised, providing necessary electrolytes, fluids and carbs for quick bursts of energy," says Amy Goodson, a sports dietitian at Ben Hogan Sports Medicine in Fort Worth, Texas. "But since your game deserves more than just a burst, pair swigs of your favorite sports drink with a granola bar, beef jerky or trail mix. That will provide plenty of energy for a full 18 holes." Consider alternatives to beverages, too, such as EAS Hydrate (eas.com), a powder that promises fast hydration. EAS is gaining legions of devotees looking to…

ADAMS BLUE $300; GOLF.com/adams WE TESTED: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° with Aldila SlimTech 55 graphite shaft PROS \\ DISTANCE: The Blue is among the longest-carrying on solid hits, with a good deal of roll, to boot; ideal launch and spin numbers for a handful of testers; even on heel and toe contact, ample distance sets you up nicely for the next shot. \\ ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: The Blue hits the fairway time after time; misses typically fly on an acceptable trajectory and without much sidespin. \\ FEEL: Stable throughout the swing with little to no twisting; loud pinging sound dominates impact; light weight makes it easy to swing. \\ PLAYABILITY: Testers experience a medium-high, repeatable draw despite the fact that you can't adjust the loft here. \\ LOOK: Even purists approve of the…

STRAIGHT HITTER You keep the ball in play, but a lack of distance puts pressure on your game. THE FOLLOW-THROUGH SECRET FOR "XL" DRIVES You don't have much trouble finding the fairway, but your tee shots tend to lag far behind those of your playing partners. If the yards simply aren't there, shift your attention from your backswing to your follow-through—in particular, to the positions of your right forearm and left elbow just after impact. As you swing through, your right forearm should cross over your left, forming an X with the arms when viewed from above. At the same time, your left elbow should begin to fold and point down toward the ground, creating an L between your left arm and the clubshaft. This folding action helps you rehinge…