Look

The new Ping G25 hybrid resembles the shape and color of the i20 more than the previous G20 hybrid.  In fact, the change in design offers a desirable upgrade in aesthetics.  The simple design with flat black color scheme and white grooves looks great.  The G25 hybrid is modeled with a more traditional shape and made from 17-4 stainless steel.  An external weight is visible on the sole positioning the CG low and back on the club head.  The updated appearance inspires more confidence in comparison to the off-set and deep face of the G20 hybrid.  The previous G20 hybrid had a the look of a hook written all over it – the G25 is much better.

Performance

I tested the Ping G25 hybrid in a 20 degree loft with the stock TFC 189H in stiff flex.  The TFC 189H weighs 71 grams with 3.1 degrees of torque.  The stock shaft is available in soft regular through tour x-stiff.  The more flexible shafts are designed to produce a higher ball flight while the stiffer flex shafts offer lower ball flights.

The best feature of the Ping G20 hybrid was a solid and dependable performance.  While the performance in the G20 was solid, the G25’s updated appearance combined with the same great results is a home run for Ping.  Ball flight was generally a mid to high trajectory.  With the updated club head design, the G25 hybrid is still just as forgiving and easy to hit as any hybrid available on the market today.  Distance was above average and would make a great addition in any bag.  The Ping G25 line up is fantastic, the driver is amazing while the G25 hybrid is not far behind.

Feel

The Ping G25 hybrid weighs in with a D1 swing weight.  The club head and shaft combine for a solid feel throughout the swing.  While the G25 driver makes your ears ring at impact, the hybrid produces the similar dull ping sound as the G20, however, with better feedback and softer feel.  Off center hits also have an enhanced sensation and softer feel than the firm feel of the G20.

Value

Last season’s G20 suffered in the sales department because of its awkward appearance.  Ping updated the G25 hybrid with outstanding looks to accompany outstanding results, making the G25 one of the hottest hybrids available today.  The Ping G25 hybrid retails with an average price point with a $199 price tag.  The G25 does not offer adjustments and still outperforms many of the more expensive competitors.  Overall value is up there with the best hybrids of 2013.

Look

TaylorMade made their original RocketBallz clubs RocketBallzier with the release of the Stage 2 line.  The updated appearance features a yellow and gray color scheme on top of the white club head with black club face and sole.  The 460 cc club head looks easy to hit at address with a similar design as the previous RocketBallz driver.  In addition, TaylorMade positioned a weight behind the club face to lower the CG, promote faster ball speeds with a higher launch and low spin.  The TaylorMade Loft-Sleeve offers 7 standard and 5 upright loft options where golfers can alter add or decrease 1.5 degrees of loft.  The trendy line is a nice update from the original RocketBallz line but overall the club looks very similar to the original.

Performance 

I tested the TaylorMade Stage 2 driver in the 9.5 degree stock Fujikura RocketFuel shaft in stiff flex.  Results yielded a high ball flight, exactly what the club and light weight shaft is designed to do.  I tried the Stage 2 driver on a number of occasions and never found consistent results similar to the original RocketBallz driver.  If the original RocketBallz driver was in my bag, I probably would not make the upgrade.  Solid hits produced good distance with a fairly straight and high ball flight.  Misses produced a higher ball flight that tended to drift to the right.  Personally, I preferred the Stage 2 over the R1.  However, the Stage 2 fell short of my expectations overall.

Feel

Impact felt really nice and produced a louder sound (than the R1) with very soft club face.  The softer impact sensation feels like the ball springs off the club face.  The ultra light shaft is designed to promote faster swing speed, and definitely helps with feeling that sensation.

The Stage 2 driver features a D6 swing weight with a lightweight Fujikura RocketFuel shaft that weighs 51 grams with 4.5 degrees of torque.  The lighter shaft makes it easy to feel the club head throughout the swing.  The RocketBallz Stage 2 driver feels great throughout the swing and impact – and I was a big fan.

Value

The TaylorMade Stage 2 driver retails for a standard $299 price.  In my opinion, the driver was more consistent and felt better than the R1 driver, so Taylormade has a win on that front.  However, in comparison to other models, like the original RBZ, I felt this club was sort of a let down.  The Stage 2 driver is definitely worth a try, and at only a $299 pricetag will get you pretty solid results for a low price.

The accused: Vijay Singh, his golf career hanging in the balance.

The accusation: That he used Deer Antler Spray, which contains the Human Growth Hormone IGF-1, in order to boost his performance.  Performance Enhancing Drugs in Golf, you ask? Indeed.

The decision: Singh has been cleared of any wrong-doing.

Why? Well, it seems IGF-1 really needs to be injected to have any effect. Also, it needs to be taken in larger doses than are present in a bottle of Deer Antler Spray.

So, why was Vijay Singh using it? Well, it would seem that Vijay Singh was drinking the modern day sports equivalent of Snake Oil. He is guilty of nothing more than being gullible. Or so it seems.

The verdict does little to shed light on Singh’s improbable success in his later career. Singh has won 22 tournaments since turning 40. Compared to just 12 tournament wins before that.

Just how is Vijay Singh getting that edge?

The ridiculous hours of preparation he puts in before, during and after golf tournaments? That can only account for so much.

His natural talent? Well, that accounts for a lot too.

His years of experience?  Yes, OK…well…dedication, talent and experience. OK, so maybe he’s just a good golfer who deserves success.

Anyway, given the clamour of negativity that has surrounded Vijay and the repeated references to his shady past, Golf’s governing bodies have reached agreement on a package of ‘perks’ to compensate Singh for recent accusations.

The package of incentives will include:

• Vijay is allowed immediate entry to the European Seniors Tour. (He’s eligible anyway)
• Vijay can park his car wherever he likes at tournaments. (No change there)
• Vijay can be as rude as he wants to be with sports journalists. (No change there either)
• Vijay is now entitled to 3 Mulligans per round at all Majors, PGA and European Tour Events.
• When Vijay shouts “Mulligan”, one of the other golfers in his group must go and fetch the ball.
• The other player in the group not responsible for retrieving Vijay’s balls must replace Vijay’s divots.
• If Vijay’s ball lands in a water hazard, this is to be considered an act of God and he will not be penalised for it. He will be allowed a drop at the point nearest the hole.
• Vijay may ground his club in the bunker. But only if he opts not to tee his ball up on the sand. Oh, we should have mentioned… Vijay may now also use a tee in the bunker.
• Vijay will now be allowed to compete in the Ryder Cup. He will be allowed to compete for Europe, the U.S.A, or he may create a team of his own.
• Vijay will also be allowed to compete in the Walker Cup.
• Blackjack rules now apply to Vijay when he competes in the World Matchplay Championship. In the event of a hole being halved, Vijay wins.
• Vijay may carry 15 clubs in his bag and a chainsaw. The chainsaw may be used to clear a line to the hole if Vijay should find himself in the trees and out of Mulligans.
• In the event of a golf tournament encountering situations of fading light, play will continue for all players with Vijay being issued with Night Vision goggles and infra-red golf balls.
• In order that Vijay not endure any penalties for slow play, golfers playing with him will now have 10 seconds to play their shot upon arrival at the ball site. 60 seconds will be added to Vijay’s shot clock.
• Par for Vijay will now be 74.

We wish him the best of luck in the future.

Update: Well, Vijay apparently hated the package he was offered and decided to sue the USGA instead. Really Vijay? Really?

Profile - 

What Makes It Work - As a re-cap, the RIP Technology stands for Reverse Interlaminary Positioning and in a nutshell means Aldila was able to reverse the layering of carbon fibers on the shaft so the outer layers were the strongest – doing this drastically increased the tip strength. S-Core Technology, which the infamous RIP line took a step away from uses a coiled carbon fiber rib system that runs the length of the shaft to prevent shaft deformation during the swing. Finally, the Micro Laminate consist of premium aerospace grade carbon fibers (up to twice as many as competitors) along the length of the shaft that helps reduce dead spots and ensures shaft consistency.

Who’s It For - This shaft is for mid to low handicapped players, or anyone who has a consistent enough swing to benefit from a premium golf shaft.  Stand alone these shafts will run you about $200, or $400-$450 in the Callaway Razr Fit Driver. With a mid-launch, for players who already hit a high ball they may want to consider something with a higher kick point like the RIP line, but definitely give this shaft a shot before moving on.  Even players with higher launches are making the switch.  Also, don’t let the higher torque numbers fool you, this shaft isn’t just for smoother swings, the shaft keeps up and responds well for a variety of swing types and speeds.

What People Are Saying - Many people are a little skeptical about this shaft at first, especially when you take a look at the specs… but performance-wise the Trinity has been anything but unimpressive.  Players are remarking on how incredibly consistent and tight the dispersion is with this shaft, despite its higher torque. In terms of feel, there are some mixed reviews, some faster swinging players don’t like the initial feel, while others who expected the shaft to be too soft and whippy were ‘pleasantly surprised’ at the stability of the shaft throughout the swing.  Distance wise – many players noticed an increase of 5-10 yards off the tee – mostly due to additional roll. In terms of trajectory and spin, this is where across the board this shaft was receiving (mostly) good praise.  Despite a mid-launch, it was incredibly consistent and didn’t balloon even for players who have a higher launch.  Launch angles hovered around 11-15 degrees, and spin numbers while varied, averaged around 2200-2600 rpm.  The players who were not the biggest fans of the shaft stated much higher spin numbers of 3500+ rpm.  Like most shafts nowadays there’s been mixed feedback from a variety of players and swing types – and this shaft is no exception. The shaft performs differently depending on swing types and how you load the shaft into impact.  More or less however, the positive comments outweighed the negative ones.  This shaft has a firm tip, but it is softer than most firm tipped shafts out there.  Coupled with the Callaway RAZR Fit Xtreme driver – this driver had a great sound at impact, and felt well weighted throughout the swing.

Shaft Specs – Aldila.com

Shaft Specs – Callaway Razr Fit XTreme

Like the other 4 issues that we have covered, it is difficult to keep the mobility in your neck needed for a good golf swing. Aside from checking your blind spots while changing lanes on the road, people rarely rotate their head to the side as much as is needed in order to keep it stable during the backswing. You can get away with this when you are younger. However, as people enter midlife and beyond, you will begin to lose the range in motion in you joints if you are not regularly using it.

Now days, pro golfers are so flexible that they can keep their head still enough to keep their eye on the ball looking over their left shoulder.

Since you are over 50, we probably will not be able to get the neck rotation that Dustin Johnson gets. But you can improve your neck rotation with a a few simple exercises. The least amount of neck rotation that you need to perform a solid golf swing is 75 degrees. This is approximately the range of motion you need to be able to lie down on your stomach with your head turned to the side.

If you are unable to rotate your neck enough, 2 things will happen:

Either you will have to shorten up your backswing so that you can continue to make consistent, quality contact with the golf ball or you can keep your backswing the same by allowing your head to move a lot. In the latter case, you will keep power by sacrificing good contact. Unfortunately, when you sacrifice good contact you tend to miss the sweet spot on the golf club and end up losing power anyway.

How to Keep or Regain Neck Mobility
The best way to stretch the neck is to lie down on your stomach in bed with your head turned to the side. However, may people find this position painful or too intense. If this is the case, you can try these exercises:

Turn your head to the right as far as you can rotate it. Take your right arm and reach across your chest. Use your left arm to pull the right arm further for a good stretch.

Or this one…

Rotate your head. Use your had to apply overpressure for a good stretch. Hold for 30 seconds.

Thanks for Reading!

About the Author. Dr. Ryan York is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Golf Performance Specialist. He Co-created Age Defying Golf which serves men and women golfers between the ages of 50-75 years young. Visit us at www.agedefyinggolf.com.

The right elbow is chicken winged and is out of alignment. Killing any chance at a good swing.

From this position, it is nearly impossible to attack the golf ball from the correct inside to square approach path. The result is typically a swing path that causes a slice. In addition, the swing is typically a lot steeper resulting in poor contact with the golf ball and more frequent fat shots.

I find this to be very common in golfers over 50 because, outside of the golf swing, most people do not use this motion very often. Young golfers can get away with this but as golfers pass the age of 50, they need to practice the proper backswing position in order to keep the range of motion.

The correct position of the elbow/forearm is in line with the golfers spine.

The forearm is aligned with the golfers spine

Test Yourself
In order to have the forearm in proper alignment you need to have approximately 90 degrees of shoulder external rotation. To test yourself, stand with your back flat against a wall. Raise your arms to make an “L” shape as shown in the picture below:

In this position with your back and bottom touching the wall, can you touch the wall with both elbows and wrists at the same time?

Without arching your back, can you put your arms flush against the wall from your shoulders to your wrists? If you cannot, your body is causing swing faults that will not be corrected with lessons, drills, or quick fixes. You need to upgrade your most important piece of golf equipment: your body!

Step 1: Stretch
First, you need to improve your shoulder rotational range of motion:

Sit next to a table/counter and place your forearm on the surface PARALLEL TO YOUR BODY. Bend forward at the hips until you feel a strong stretch in your shoulder. Hold for 30 seconds…repeat often.

Step 2: Train the Body
Once you have regained your normal shoulder range of motion, you need to train the body to use the new position to dramatically regain power and accuracy. The best training aid that we use is the Golf Impact Ball. However, you can use a rolled up towel that is 6-10 inches in diameter when rolled up (this is more cumbersome than the Impact Ball…but free).

Put the towel in between your elbows and squeeze your elbows together to hold the towel in place. From there, take your normal backswing focusing on squeezing the towel. You can perform this drill at home or on the golf range.

Warning Concerning Training Aids
Although this may seem like a technicality, it is VERY important to use something that you can squeeze in between your elbows instead of the training aids that strap your elbows together. The reason is that when your elbows are strapped together, you are pushing your elbows apart to keep the straps tight. You are training the wrong thing! You want to train the muscles that squeeze the elbows together so you can translate the drill into your actual swing on the golf course.

Please take the time to correct this swing fault, it will make a huge difference in your power and ball striking!

Thanks for reading!

About the Author. Dr. Ryan York is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Certified Golf Performance Specialist. He Co-created Age Defying Golf which serves men and women golfers between the ages of 50-75 years young. You can visit his website at www.agedefyinggolf.com. On Facebook at www.facebook.com/agedefyinggolf. And on Twitter at www.twitter.com/agedefyinggolf.

 Look

Based on research conducted from thousands of club fittings, 80% of golfers are playing the wrong loft on their driver.  TaylorMade introduces the R1 driver, which comes with 12 different loft combinations.  In addition, the R1 allows users to alter loft, face angle and design their shot shape.  The only thing golfers need to worry about is selecting the correct shaft flex (and discovering what actual loft, face angle and weight distribution is actually right for their game).

The appearance of the R1 features an athletic and flashy look.  The black club face, white club head with orange and gray stripe pattern looks sharp and does a nice job of framing the ball at address.  The club features adjustable weights on the heel and toe with the adjustable face angle positioned towards the back of the sole.  The loft sleeve allows for 12 adjustable settings between 8 and 12 degrees.  In my opinion, the appearance of the R1 is one of it’s best qualities.

Performance

The R1 is TaylorMade’s most technologically advanced driver and can be extremely difficult to understand.  TaylorMade designed an app called R1 tuning available for download on smartphones.  The app is extremely easy to use, just enter the current settings, follow the prompts by selecting shot options and the tuning app will recommend settings to achieve the desired results.

I tested the TaylorMade R1 with the stock Aldila RIP Phenom 55 stiff shaft.  In addition, testing utilized a draw bias in the 9.5 degree with the face angle in a neutral, 2 degree open and 2 degree closed position.  In the neutral position, shots were generally a mid ball flight.  Poor shots tended to miss off to the right and good shots resulted in a straight or right to left ball flight.  Altering the face angle produced different trajectories and results.  The closed club face caught my eye as the most attractive setting.  Closing the club face 2 degrees generally resulted in a higher ball flight with a slight draw.  Again, missed shots typically ended up to the right of the target.  Opening the face angle 2 degrees produced the worst and most inconsistent results.  Ball flight was typically low and resulted in several snap hooks.  Even on good hits in any setting, the club felt like it lacked any pop and never produced long or exciting drives.  Overall, I was not very impressed with the results of this big stick.

Feel

The slightly heavier club head and lighter shaft feels fantastic.  The Aldila Rip Phenom shaft weighs 58 grams with 3.4 degrees of torque with a overall swing weight of D4.  Impact produces a dull sound with a hard feel across the club face.  In my opinion, the highlight of the R1 is the weighting options, but the drawback could be the firm feel at impact.  On that note though, I was also able to test the TaylorMade Stage 2 driver and it produced a slightly louder sound at impact a much more desirable softer feel across the club face (we’ll get into that review soon).  So overall, I felt the feeling of this driver left something to be desired.

Value

The idea behind the R1 is outstanding.  Buy one club and make any adjustment necessary to help produce a desirable ball flight.  The R1 will be one of the most popular drivers available for it’s versatility (and the fact that TaylorMade is behind it).  The expensive $399 retail price is in line with other technological advanced drivers.  While I think it is an improvement from the previous R11s, I personally did not get that excited about the performance.  With the expensive price tag and average performance, I would recommend people give some serious consideration before forking out the dough for this driver.

• Depending on swing speed, you can actually increase the temperature of the face by 0.5-5 degrees Celsius (sorry, we’re Canadian)
• Nike Golf can develop a face that can actually rebound more when heated (isn’t all metal more pliable when heated?)
• Nike has yet to decide whether to add a heating element and on/off switch to the clubface to facilitate the extra trampoline effect (have fun with this one USGA)

Questions we have:

• Okay, the clubface heats up at impact, but by the time this happens, the ball will have been long gone. And unless you are on the range or hitting 3 from the tee – this heat will long dissipate before your next driver swing.
• Heating element and on/off switch… how easily could this be abused?
• How many yards are we talking here? Would the USGA have to test the club with the switch on / off?  If the COR max is still 0.83, that means even when heated the COR would have to be at 0.83 – which is standard for most drivers these days.

While cool, this screams marketing to me, and hopefully, you all see through this if Nike decides to bring this beauty to market.  See the full post here and some images below.

“[0065] In general, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a head 102 that has a face 112 that is at least partially formed of a material with a thermally variable modulus, meaning that the elastic modulus of the material changes based on temperature. An impact between the face 112 and the ball 106 generates an amount of heat, at least some of which is absorbed by the face 112, changing the temperature of the face 112 at least in an area proximate the impact. The material may have a thermally-variable modulus that causes the modulus to change to a significant degree due to the heat absorbed by the face 112 during impact. In one embodiment, the energy of an impact of a ball on the face 112 is between 10-100 Joules, and the resultant temperature rise of the face may be between 0.1 degrees C and 5 degrees C, depending on materials, swing speed, and other conditions. FIG. 2 schematically illustrates an impact zone 125 between the ball 106 and the face 112, which causes the face 112 to deform within the impact zone 125 and generates heat that is absorbed by the portions of the face 112 within the impact zone 125. It is understood that the impact zone 125 shown in FIGS. 2-3 corresponds to an impact at or around the area of highest response 127 of the face 112, which, in a driver-type club head 102, is typically at or around the geometric center of the face 112. FIG. 3 illustrates deformation of the face 112 caused by the impact. It is understood that the degree of deformation of the face 112 in FIG. 3 may be exaggerated for the purposes of showing detail. In one embodiment, the modulus of at least part of the area of the face 112 local to the impact zone 125 may change at least 10% due to heat and pressure generated by an impact of the ball 106 on the ball striking surface 110 at a particular swing speed during impact, as described below. In another embodiment, the modulus may change up to 50% at high swing speeds.”

• We told you an old-timer would make a run at the title before falling away: Check -Fred Couples.
• We told you Tiger Woods would be the man to watch: Check- For many reasons.
• We told you a young whippersnapper would make an audacious attempt to conquer Augusta: Check – Tianlang Guan.
• We told you another whippersnapper would be hyped and never threaten the leaderboard: Check – Matteo Mannasero
• We told you Adam Scott had a great chance of winning his first Major: Check – He won.
• We told you to expect Phil Mickelson in a green jacket on Sunday: Check – He wore one of his old ones to the after-party.

Now, even the guys who direct golf comedies like Caddyshack or Happy Gilmore know to draw the line somewhere:

“I was thinking we could have Bill Murray using explosives to kill golf course gophers?  “Sure!”

“I was thinking we’d have Adam Sandler as an ex-hockey player who can hit a running drive over 400 yards and score a hole-in-one on a Par 4?  “Why not!?”

“I was thinking this story could feature a 14-year-old Chinese amateur, making the cut in the World’s toughest Major? “ “Uh, step in to our office, son. We’re not sure you have what it takes to write scripts.”

Tianlang Guan’s run at The Masters was indeed stranger than fiction. What was even more impressive was that Guan had the good sense to back up his good play with a nice splash of controversy. That’s something the pros know you should do! And sure enough, no sooner was the dust settling on Guan’s penalty stroke for slow play (Guan in 60 seconds he wasn’t!) then Tiger Woods was proving once again why he is the past master at The Masters. Even when Tiger’s not winning, he’s always where the story is.

No need for a recap of the penalty drama. The topic was hotly debated by the experts and the ordinary punters at Augusta on Saturday afternoon. Everybody had an opinion on whether Tiger should stay or go. What if he were to win after surviving potential disqualification? Even if he were to finish within two strokes of the winner, people would say he would have won without the penalty, thus tarnishing the win for the champion. And if he finished 4 strokes down, people would say that he lost strokes by playing too aggressively in order to make up for the two dropped shots. And if he lost by ten strokes then people would say that he imploded from the speculation surrounding the whole episode. People were saying lots of things.

So, would another player have been disqualified? Almost certainly. But a Masters without Tiger is like Formula 1 without Ferrari or Baseball without the Yankees. It just can’t happen.

In the end, it was fitting that Tiger’s roar was muted somewhat on the final day by the events as they unfolded. Simple. Tiger played well, but others played better.  It wasn’t to be Jason’s Day, but the tabloid sports journalists sharpened their pencils and practised their puns anyway. Would the morning papers be reading: “GREAT SCOTT!” or “ABRA-CABRERA!” Thankfully (for the tournament’s sake), Cabrera and Scott provided a great display of golf over the last few regulation holes to ensure journalists would put TigerGate to bed…or at least they wouldn’t be using the term ‘Tigergate’.

The quality of their golf improved in the two sudden-death play-off holes and the golf was only bettered by the good-natured camaraderie displayed by both men.  At one point, the event became so good-natured that one fully expected Cabrera and Scott to declare each other the winner, before tearing the Green Jacket in half and doing a freeze framed Hi 5 as 80s power rock started blaring.

In the end, Scott prevailed and we got the Masters result that everyone deserved. A new winner, a commendable battle by the runner-up, some new faces, more than a dash of controversy and the plot for Drill Guru’s first golf movie.