Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2018 i Golf Magazine

HOW IT WORKS Select photos in this issue contain invisible watermarks called Digimarc Barcodes. Using the Digimarc Discover app, you can scan the image with your mobile device to get bonus content right in your hand. 1 Download and open the Digimarc Discover app on your smartphone or camera-capable tablet. The app is free and is available at the iTunes store for Apple devices and at the Google Play market for Android devices. 2 Position the phone four to seven inches above any photo bearing the yellow SCAN THIS PHOTO label (example, right), as if you were taking a picture (.lash optional). If you have access to a Wi-Fi connection, downloads will be faster. 3 Hold the camera steady. The app will click and buzz when it recognizes the image…

WHICH JULY STORIES AND COLUMNS DREW THE MOST LETTERS? British Open Preview 37% Kiradech Aphibarnrat 26% McCarron Putting 16% Other 21% OPEN PRAISE Another brilliant piece by Michael Bamberger on The Open (“Cool Summer,” July). I’m with him—it’s my favorite tournament. In fact, the Irish, Scottish and [British] Opens are my three favorite weeks in golf. When I played Carnoustie for the first time years ago, my caddie was an elderly gentleman no more than five feet tall. Turns out he was the club president! Afterwards, he invited the foursome into the clubhouse and plied us with pints as he regaled us with stories about Hogan and other greats. Years later I returned to Carnoustie and asked about him. The starter told me had passed away just six months prior.…

Follow Mark Broadie on Twitter @MarkBroadie » TOMMY FLEETWOOD finished solo second at this year’s U.S. Open, a stroke behind winner Brooks Koepka. His final-round 63 tied for the lowest score in Open history. For the 2018 season, through the Quicken Loans National, Fleetwood is ranked 7th on the Tour in scoring average. In fact, by many measures, his inaugural Tour season has been excellent. Yet, intriguingly, he ranks just 83rd in par-4 scoring. People like to say you can prove anything with stats. That’s only because certain stats have big flaws. And par-4 scoring average is a flawed stat we can improve upon. It’s flawed because it rewards play on courses with easy par 4s and penalizes play on courses with hard ones. So far, the easiest par 4…

PRECOCIOUS TEEN Amid the guessing and rumors, Bill Coore set the record straight on why The Sandbox, the new par-3 course he and Ben Crenshaw designed at Wisconsin’s Sand Valley Golf Resort, has just 17 holes. “It was Michael’s idea,” Coore told me, referring to developer Mike Keiser’s son. “No one wanted the standard 18—our design at Bandon Preserve has 13—and Michael said, ‘I love the number 17.’ We had routings that had as many as 20 holes or even 21. Maybe 17 is Michael’s lucky number.” INDELICACY When I asked Bill and Ben about their most unusual field encounter during their years of course design, they quickly ID’d an incident in Indonesia in 1995, while building Klub Golf Rimba Irian, in Papau. “A huge monitor lizard slithered out of…

Follow Dave Pelz on Twitter @pelz_golf » YOU NEED TWO things to make breaking putts: 1) a stroke that starts the ball on your chosen line, and 2) the correct amount of speed so the ball can hold that line all the way to the cup. Good line, good speed—nailing one isn’t enough. Even if you aim perfectly to allow for the exact break of a putt, if you then roll your ball too fast, it will miss above the hole. And if you roll it too slowly, it will likely miss below the cup. Think about how you usually go about putting. You look at the green between the ball and the cup and “read” how much you think the putt will break on its way to the hole.…

1 GO LOW If you’re having trouble striping your irons, your hands are likely drifting out and away from your body through the hitting zone. This greatly reduces the length of time that your clubface remains stable through impact. Working your hands around your hips and up toward your left shoulder is the quick fix, and I have a great way to help you feel it. Grab any iron from your bag and take a cack-handed (or left-hand-low) grip. 2 FEEL THE TURN The benefit of practicing with a cack-handed hold is that it makes it more natural for your hands to “turn the corner” around your body through impact and then travel diagonally toward your left shoulder—the key to pure strikes. You’ll feel it immediately as you make some…

» My late mentor and Canadian golf legend George Knudson (eight PGA Tour wins) had a great saying: “Give up control to gain control.” It was his take on the importance of swinging freely through impact instead of trying to muscle your way to extra driving speed. He taught us to “feel” the weight at the end of the shaft and then whip it through the hitting zone. To teach George’s point to students, I’ll swing a kettle ball attached to the end of a chain into a pyramid of range balls. The only way I can swing something so heavy is to allow the weight to drop from the top and then ride its momentum into impact. Your driver isn’t nearly as heavy as a 35-pound kettle ball, but…

For a few heart-stopping minutes on Sunday at the Open Championship, we let ourselves think the unthinkable (or at least the unthinkable for the past half decade): “Fifteen!” That’s how thrillingly close TIGER WOODS got at Carnoustie to resuming his run of 14 major wins—or any wins, for that matter. Without a doubt, Woods is playing his best golf in the last five years. On the pages that follow, we’ll show you why he’s just strokes away from torching the leaderboard again—and how you can put some of this Tiger in your own tank. But something else was reignited in Scotland, as it has been for much of Woods’ surprise comeback season: our complicated love affair with the guy. Michael Bamberger puzzles out how such a remote superstar has grabbed…

WHAT’S HAPPENING There’s nothing very different about Tiger’s technique, other than that he appears more confident through every step of his putting process. Confidence breeds success. Credit the Big Cat for not losing faith in a stroke that dominated for two decades. HOW TO COPY IT When you take your grip, make it just firm enough so that the putter doesn’t wiggle when you make your stroke. A lighter hold will give you Tiger’s hallmark “flow,” with the face slightly opening and closing (photos, above) during your motion. Feel the toe swing past your hands after impact. A supple left wrist helps.…

Troy Mullins is in motion. Her career, her social media following, her Q rating—her hair. On a warm, early-summer afternoon at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, just outside Manhattan, she’s speed-walking to the women’s locker room. As she moves through the clubhouse patio restaurant, a flatscreen behind the bar is tuned to Golf Channel, which is airing the previous night’s long-drive competition in Atlantic City. And there on the screen, busting drives, with her inimitable curls waving in the wind, is…Troy Mullins. A foursome of AARP-aged men are posted up at a nearby table, snacking on nachos and eyeing the broadcast as Mullins in the flesh breezes by. “Hey!” one of them blurts, pointing up at the tube. “I bet I can outdrive you.” “Yeah?” Mullins shoots back without…

Our modern world–so mechanical, so techie, so, well… modern—can leave us pining for the artisanal, the authentic, the throwback. It’s why we’re again drinking classic cocktails and watching TV shows about bladesmiths, often at the same time. That said, golf-wise, few of us long to return to the days of 1-irons and wool jackets. The goal isn’t nostalgia, it’s products that combine the craftsmanship of yore with up-to-date utility. Enter—actually, reenter—the new 1857 Collection from FootJoy. The year 1857 saw Fredrick Packard leave his father’s boot workshop to create his own shoe business in Brockton, Massachusetts, which would become the iconic golf brand FootJoy. Back then, the shoes went through a 150-step process to make nonpareil footwear. Today, through a partnership with a family-owned European factory, the 1857 shoes go…

LONGFELLOW must have been a traveling golfer for him to write, “Into each life, some rain must fall.” Fall it does, and the best defense beyond an umbrella is superior outerwear. Ideal rain gear lets you move unencumbered, is easily accessible for that sudden squall and, naturally, keeps you dry. Linksoul’s Galway Packable Rain Jacket ($175) achieves all that and more. The waterproof, lightweight and micro-suede-soft fabric keeps things Sahara dry and provides maximum freedom of movement. It folds so small into its own packet and fits so snugly into your bag that you’ll forget it’s there—until you need it. Made of 100 percent polyester, with a crinkle-free, four-way stretch, the rain jacket measures 8.5” x 5.5” x 4.5” packed, and is machine washable. Matching Galway Packable Rain Pant ($150)…

Q Does choosing the right grip really have much of an effect on your swing and game? Is size the most important thing to get right? JIM M., VIA E-MAIL BRUCE MILLER, PRODUCT MANAGER/GOLF PRIDE I’m obviously biased, but I think the grip is the first thing players should get fitted for. It’s your only direct connection to the club, and if you select the wrong size or design for your needs, your performance can be negatively affected. For example, players with too much bottom-hand action might benefit from a model like our MCC Plus4, which features a larger diameter in the lower section of the grip. That same grip, however, could give someone who struggles to release the clubhead the fits. Size is also important, but I don’t recommend…

LET YOUR KNEE BE YOUR GUIDE If you watch most Tour pros, they don’t start their swings from a completely static position. They have some sort of trigger or waggle that helps them jump-start the motion. Many have found that kicking the right knee in toward the target and then returning it to its original address position works perfectly. This rebounding action by the knee sets the legs and hips in motion, allowing you to rotate your hips and shoulders more on the backswing for a bigger coil. Try this move if you’re not getting the length off the tee you desire, because the more you can turn your hips and shoulders, the farther you’ll hit the ball. FOR MORE INSTRUCTION THAT FITS YOUR GAME, GO TO GOLF.COM…

“With the normal golf swing, you want to stay in balance, like in a ballet or a beautiful dance,” Mullins says. “With long drive it’s like you’re at a rock concert and it doesn’t matter if you’re off balance or if you walk through the shot—or if you scream! All of that is fair game. When I’m trying to score, there’s no need for more power, so I dial it down. Of the long-drivers, I’d say I’m one of the very few with a traditional swing. But I make the following small tweaks when I step into the grid.” 1 STRENGTHEN THE GRIP IN BOTH MY RIGHT AND LEFT HANDS. TURN THEM BOTH TO THE RIGHT TOGETHER. 2 DURING MY SETUP, I SHIFT MY WEIGHT BACK TO MY RIGHT HIP.…

Vive les États-Unis! GOLF.com readers offer bold Ryder Cup predictions, then praise tracks that you don’t know, but should. Who will Prevail in Paris? EUROPE 21% UNITED STATES 79% Should Tiger and Phil be paired together at the Ryder Cup and why? No way. There’s no “I” in golf, but there is in Phil and Tiger. Donald Garon Yes, they are great pros who will be terrific leaders and inspirational to their young teammates. Jack Thoemke IN HONOR OF OUR RANKING OF THE TOP 100 GOLF RESORTS UNVEILED NEXT ISSUE, WE ASKED GOLF.COM FANS: What’s the best “undiscovered” course you’ve ever played? Sharp Park. Also known as “the poor man’s Pebble Beach.” @tha_carter7 Taos Country Club. Gets no love in New Mexico, but it’s an incredible track. @ true_american_eric Clube…

On a per-hole basis, golf’s best players gain on all pars but are more dominant on par-5 holes. So far in ’18, the top ten in overall scoring—led by Dustin Johnson—gained 0.09 strokes per hole on par 3s, 0.12 strokes on par 4s and 0.17 strokes on par 5s. THE ALL-TIME SEASON LEADER IN PAR-5 STROKES GAINED SINCE ’83? Tiger Woods, in 2000, had an average gain of 0.41 strokes per par 5 hole. That’s a gain relative to the par-5 Tour average score of 4.72 in 2000. Astoundingly, Tiger occupies all positions up to 11 on the list (in the years ranging from 1996 to 2007). THE ALL-TIME SEASON LEADER IN PAR-4 SCORING? What a surprise: Tiger, with 0.21 strokes gained in ’06. THE ALL-TIME SEASON LEADER IN PAR-3…

For much more from Alan, go to GOLF.com/shipnuck » HOW CAN YOU quantify all the good that exists in the golf world? On a warm spring evening in Scottsdale, the answer could be found on the pages of binders scattered throughout the hitting bays at Topgolf. More than 300 members of the Scottsdale golf community had turned out, paying up to $1,000 a ticket for a fundraiser for the nascent ForeBatten Foundation, but the binders told a larger story. They contained a list of the silent auction items donated by golfers, golf courses and golf companies from around the country: a pair of Berckmans Place tickets for the final round of the Masters; a dream trip for four to Bandon Dunes; tee times at Riviera, Oakmont, Winged Foot, Pinehurst No.…

Follow Jessica Marksbury on Twitter @Jess_Marksbury » We’re toasting with bottled water today. I just started working out again, and I’m giving myself the best chance to make it through the workouts. Hydration is a key part of that, so you don’t get soft-tissue injuries. I’m catching up with you at a PXG media day at Scottsdale National, where you had a pretty impressive round. I shot an 82 with two double-bogeys. For me, that’s a really good round. How did you get into golf? My grandfather was a huge golfer, and I played baseball, basketball and football growing up. He was a righty. I’m left-handed, and I just kind of picked up his clubs and held them like a [lefty batter]. Finally, in 2014, I thought, I’ve had enough. I want…

1 FRAME UP Stand tall, with your feet shoulder width apart and your right arm hanging relaxed against your body. Using your left hand, extend your driver parallel with the ground. Imagine that the entire left side of your body forms the hinge side of a door frame, and your arm and club represent the door. In this metaphor, the door is currently closed and in line with the jamb. 2 OPEN A DOOR Swing the door open by sweeping your left arm and club across your chest. Keep both straight and parallel to the ground. You’ll need to rotate your body slightly as well, but your door frame (left side) remains largely stable. This move represents your backswing, minus your wrist hinge. Stop when the clubhead points directly away…

1. STORE ENERGY Make a nice full turn, like I have above. Notice the flex in my right thigh and calf—not only have I pivoted my hips and torso, I’ve sat back into my right glute. Copy this! You’ll load more energy on your backswing and set up a powerful strike. 2. TRANSFER IT As you begin to rotate your hips in the opposite direction from the top, your lower body will start sliding toward the target. Your job is to keep the slide to a minimum. The trick? Begin straightening your left leg. 3. RELEASE IT As you straighten your left leg, pull your left thigh up and behind you. Doing so slams the brakes on your body’s forward momentum, forcing the club to whip past at breakneck speed.…

» I hear all the time that impact is the moment of truth. In my opinion, the transition deserves that title. Luckily for you, I have a terrific drill to help you groove your most dynamic transition yet. Attach one end of a resistance band to the belt loop on your left hip. Set up with the band slightly slack as you secure the rest of the band under your grip. Take the club to the top and pause; the band should be taut. Now increase this stretch by rotating your left hip toward the target. This needs to happen before you start down with your hands and upper body. Initiating your sequence with this hip pivot creates the space you need to lower your hands into a powerful delivery…

WHAT’S HAPPENING Tiger has gone to a neutral setup: even weight, square toes and with his right hand more to the side. It fuels a centered turn and, as a result, centered contact. Tiger used to rotate in posture but now allows his body to rise, which aligns the club under his hands at impact for crisp strikes. HOW TO COPY IT Like Tiger, nix any sway from your swing. Simply rotate in place. As soon as your hands reach their low point in your downswing (inset), gently begin to rise up. You’ll feel the club swing forward and line up with your hands at impact and sense the sole—not the lead edge—strike the turf. JOE PLECKER, Play with the Pros, Baltimore, Md.…

WHAT’S HAPPENING At 42, with a fused back, Tiger can generate Tour-elite speed. Amazing. His secret? Similar to his short-game swing, Tiger gets the club and his hands in perfect alignment at impact (photo, right). Research proves that this is the best position to max out driver speed. HOW TO COPY IT Copy Tiger’s ball position, which is off his left big toe. This simple change will encourage you to lift your left shoulder up and back as you swing into impact, which is the move needed to get the clubhead to align with your hands as you strike the ball. Feel your entire left side “lengthen,” from your ankle to your ear. Your swing speed will skyrocket, just like Tiger’s.…

• GUATEMALA STELLA ARTOIS OPEN CITY: Fuego Maya, Antigua DATE: March 15-18 WINNER: Ben Polland, 27 (USA) • 59 ABIERTO MEXICANO DE GOLF CITY: Tijuana, Mexico DATE: March 22-25 WINNER: Austin Smotherman, 24 (USA) • 87 ABIERTO OSDE DE CENTRO CITY: Córdoba, Argentina DATE: April 12-15 WINNER: Cristobal Del Solar, 24 (Chile) • MOLINO CAÑUELAS CHAMPIONSHIP CITY: Buenos Aires, Argentina DATE: April 19-22 WINNER: Thomas Baik, 24 (Argentina) • BMW JAMAICA CLASSIC CITY: Montego Bay, Jamaica DATE: May 3-6 WINNER: Michael Buttacavoli, 30 (USA) • COSTA RICA CLASSIC CITY: Guanacaste, Costa Rica DATE: May 10-13 WINNER: Tyson Alexander, 29 (USA) • PUERTO PLATA DR OPEN CITY: Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic DATE: May 17-20 WINNER: Andres Gallegos, 22 (Argentina) • QUITO OPEN CITY: Quito, Ecuador DATE: May 31-June 3 WINNER: Horacio…

» THERE ARE DOZENS of ways to tell a story in this racket, best sorted by how difficult they are to execute (to say nothing of content quality.) Reporting du jour increasingly gravitates toward less challenging storytelling or, even less stressful, reporting a story already told by someone else. I get it—it’s efficient, cheap and often a strategic means to boost traffic and clicks in the digital space. This magazine won’t take the bait. Our goal? To publish stories that you, the cash-paying reader, can’t find anywhere else, and to bring them to you straight from the source. You won’t often find our writers behind their desks or buried in Google searches skimming for leads. They’re on planes, inside the ropes, in the only places from which a tale can…

» You’ve been on Tour full-time since 2006 and, recently, consistently near the top of the leaderboard, with 14 top-25s last season and eight more this season. Do you take pride in that consistency? You know what? No. I probably take more pride in trying to win golf tournaments than in finishing top 25. Each and every year, trying to assess where you need to get better—that’s what I pride myself on. You’ve had four career wins but seven second-place finishes, including a couple in 2017. At last year’s WGC-Bridgestone you were caught on camera telling your caddy you were “tired of finishing second.” Yeah, there is definitely frustration. Maybe that’s why I haven’t won as many tournaments [as I should have]—there’s too much desire to win. Looking back, maybe…

Follow Joe Passov on Twitter @JoePassov » It’s a familiar story for architect Rees Jones. Take a tired but proud muni such as Bethpage Black and reenergize it through redesign and restoration. In the case of Alameda, California’s Corica Park South, the tried-and-true tale has twists. Located six miles south of downtown Oakland, Corica Park’s South course was once a part of Northern Cali’s busiest golf complex, but by 2014, the flat, poorly draining track was worn out. Enter Jones and his senior designer Steve Weisser, along with management firm Greenway Golf. Together, they convinced the city of Alameda there was a better way to go than restoration. How about a course straight out of the Aussie Sandbelt? Standouts like Royal Melbourne dish out fun, funky, strategic golf that relies…

You can watch video rulings featuring Rules Guy himself only on GOLF.com If a retention pond isn’t staked, is it still considered to be a water hazard? —PAUL NEUBERT, SURFSIDE BEACH, S.C. The Zen philosopher Ty Webb once said, “A flute with no holes is not a flute. A donut with no hole is a Danish.” Similarly (or perhaps dissimilarly—it’s hard to say), Decision 26/3 clarifies that if a water hazard is unmarked by the committee it does not lose its status as a water hazard. Hit into it, and you can still take relief under the water hazard rule…or, better yet, don’t hit into it. On my home course there are several areas designated with environmentally sensitive area (ESA) signs. I know that a ball hit into an ESA can…

DRIVER 1) Callaway Rogue (10.5°), Aldila Rogue shaft, 300 yards; $499 FAIRWAY WOOD 2) Callaway Rogue Sub Zero (15°), Mitsubishi Diamana shaft, 280 yards; $299 UTILITY IRON 3) Callaway X Forged Utility (3), Project X 6.5 steel shaft, 250 yards; $250 IRONS 4) Callaway Apex Pro (4-9), Project X 6.5 steel shafts; $1,050 for set of seven 4-iron: 225 yards 5-iron: 212 yards 6-iron: 196 yards 7-iron: 184 yards 8-iron: 172 yards 9-iron: 158 yards WEDGES 5) Callaway MD4 (46°, 52°, 56°, 60°); 46°, 144 yards; 52°, 132 yards; 56°, 120 yards; 60°, 108 yards. All with Project X 6.5 steel shafts; $150 each. PUTTER 6) Odyssey O-Works Black #7S; $200 BALL Callaway Chrome Soft X; $44.99/doz. “THE ROGUE DRIVER WAS AN EASY TRANSITION FOR ME—THE BALL SPEED WAS HIGHER,…

1 HARD CORE Like all great ballstrikers, Ariya utilizes her glutes to power her swing, aggressively rotating her backside to open up her hips so they’re nearly square to the target. This provides her core and arms with the momentum (and room) to deliver the club with max force. 2 IT’S YOUR FLING It looks like Ariya is throwing the clubhead into the ball and the ground here. That’s the most effective way to gain consistency and power. It’s counterproductive to hold on or to try to steer the club; it never works. Fling that clubhead into the ball with abandon! 3 BEND, BUT DON’T BREAK Ariya employs a structured and stable left arm that is slightly bent at impact. This frees up her swing to dynamically deliver the club…

Great ballstrikers tend to squat from the top, even if just a little. No one did this better than Slammin’ Sam Snead, who’d reach the delivery point with his knees both bent and apart and his legs noticeably flexed (main photo, left). This spring-loaded downswing is a must to max out your power—and potential—to its fullest. TRY THIS Think of the shifty fake that NFL ballcarriers use—they move one way to make the tackler commit, then explode in the other direction, causing a whiff. That, in essence, is the Snead Squat. As you near the top of your backswing, push out and down with your rear foot to “pre-load” your shift back toward the target. When you transition, increase that down and out pressure and explode to the left. Your…

STEP 1: DITCH PERFECT There’s no such thing as a perfect swing. Sure you want your swing to improve, but striving for “perfection” puts a lot of pressure on you. Don’t be so hard on yourself, especially when you’re not playing your best. STEP 2: EMBRACE YOURSELF Relish the nuances that make your game unique. Accept that you hit a 15-yard slice—at least it’s predictable. (You can play with misses that end up in the same place.) Don’t fight your natural tendencies. A confident golfer is a happy golfer, even if your swing is a little sideways. Bhrett A. McCabe, Ph.D., The Mindside, Birmingham, Ala. (themindside.com)…

WHAT’S HAPPENING Remember Tiger’s chip yips? He was a digging machine. Now, he lets the club flow, smoothly cupping his left wrist going back to open the face, then releasing the club past his hands by cupping the left wrist again on the target side. All bounce, zero dig, huge improvement. HOW TO COPY IT Here’s a drill to get TW’s new short-shot release and guard against digging. Hold a ball in your left hand, your left arm dangling at your side. Without moving anything else, flick the ball forward (photo, right). That’s the wrist action you need to unlock bounce and catch shots square.…

WHAT’S HAPPENING Tiger gets a bit of a pass here—when you drive it 330, even good drives can roll off the fairway. We still see him missing high on the face at times, the result of his sometimes overly out-to-in swing. Regardless of speed, priority No. 1 is always contacting the center of the face. Otherwise, accuracy will suffer. HOW TO AVOID IT Get in touch with your sweet spot. On the range, make a series of slow driver swings—ones that you can control and repeat without effort. Adjust your distance from the ball and ball position after each one, until you’re consistently finding the sweet spot. Only then should you add speed. Trust me, this works.…

When Jermaine Kearse (wide receiver, NY Jets) and Steven Hauschka (kicker, Buffalo Bills) aren’t leaving it all on the field, their competitive minds often leap to the lush green playground of another sport—golf. And that’s where I come in. Jermaine and Steven aren’t just former Super Bowl champions, they’re two of my best buds, so it’s easy for them to pick up the phone for a swing tip, a putting drill or just to talk golf. Our banter not only keeps them sane during the NFL season, it keeps them tuned up for the off-season, when we attack their inflated handicaps. Jermaine first reached for a club in 2013, and he’s already worked his way down to a 9.1. Steven is closer to a 3, and is one of the…

1. Cavendish Golf Course LANAI Oracle founder Larry Ellison didn’t make his billions by giving things away. But he happens to own the island of Lanai, and Lanai happens to be home to this charming, hilly nine-hole track, where everyone plays for free. 2. Wailua Golf Course KAUAI What Wailua often lacks in country-club conditions it makes up for with its tournament-caliber layout—its 18 holes have played host to three USGA Amateur Public Links Championships. 3. Ala Wai Golf Course OAHU You can’t call your Hawaiian golf experience complete until you’ve experienced Ala Wai, a thrumming Waikiki muni that used to rank among the busiest courses in the U.S. Though not as jam-packed as it once was, it’s still crowded enough that starters have been known to instruct two players…

RUSTIC CANYON MOORPARK, CALIF. One of the best values in the U.S., this firm-and-fast, L.A.-area layout boasts strategically placed bunkers and barrancas at a price tag of $29-$82. rusticcanyongolfcourse.com STREAMSONG BLACK BOWLING GREEN, FLA. This muscular, swift-running track challenges with a vast canvas and huge, Aussie Sandbelt–style bunkers. $85-$260 streamsongresort.com MOSSY OAK WEST POINT, MISS. Mature oaks, native meadow grasses, rolling terrain and endless variety form the compelling home of the Mississippi State golf team. $105-$150 mossyoakgolf.com…

GLOVE CONNECTION Does your golf glove look like it just came out of the oven? Is it especially frayed and worn near the bottom? If so, you’re gripping the club incorrectly, most likely in the palm of your hand. The more the club rests in your palm, the harder it is to hinge up properly, which severely restricts your clubhead speed and power. It also causes the grip to move around in your hand during the swing, thus sending you to the pro shop for a new glove far too often. If you’re gripping the club properly—i.e., more in the fingers—there should only be a small wear mark on the bottom of the glove. The more the club sits in the fingers, the easier it will be to hinge and…