Tuesday, April 06, 2004
The perfect wedge
1. PGA TOURS
2. GOLF CHUCKLE
3. PRO REPORT - The perfect wedge
PGA TOURS
SCHEDULE
PGA TOUR
WGC-Accenture
Match Play Championships
-- Site: Carlsbad, Calif.
-- Schedule: Wednesday-Sunday.
-- Course: La Costa Resort & Spa (7,002 yards, par 72).
-- Purse: $6 million. Winner's share: $1.05 million.
-- Television: ESPN (Wednesday-Friday, 2-6 p.m.; Saturday,
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.), ABC (Saturday, 3-7 p.m.; Sunday,
3-7 p.m.).
PGA TOUR
Chrysler Classic of Tucson
-- Site: Tucson, Ariz.
-- Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
-- Course: Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa
(7,109 yards, par 72).
-- Purse: $3 million. Winner's share: $540,000.
-- Television: USA (Thursday-Friday, 6-8 p.m.; Saturday-
Sunday, 11 p.m.-1 a.m.).
CHAMPIONS TOUR
-- Next event: The MasterCard Classic, March 5-7, Bosque
Real Country Club, Mexico City, Mexico.
LPGA TOUR
-- Next event: Welch's/Fry's Championship, March 11-14,
Randolph North Golf Complex, Dell Urich Golf Course,
Tucson, Ariz.
GOLF CHUCKLE
A little girl was at her first golf lesson when she asked
an interesting question:
"Is the word spelt p-u-t or p-u-t-t?'' she asked the
instructor. "P-u-t-t is correct,'' he replied.
"Put means to place a thing where you want it. Putt means
merely a vain attempt to do the same thing."
PRO REPORT
The perfect wedge
During an average round of golf, 65 percent of a player's
shots are taken within 100 yards of the hole, so wedge play
is a critical element of the game. To be a good wedge player,
you should know how to match the bounce on your wedges to
your swing and to the course conditions (grass and sand).
Bounce is the angle represented by a line drawn from the
bottom (sole)of a wedge to the leading edge.
The rule of thumb is that players who come into the ball
from a steep angle do better with clubs that have more
bounce because it prevents the clubhead from digging into
the ground. Players who sweep the ball using a shallow
angle of attack need less bounce to avoid skidding along
the ground and contacting the ball in the middle -- the
dreaded "skull" shot that goes screeching over the green.
Your divots will tell you what type of wedges you need.
If your divots are generally long and deep, use wedges
with lots of bounce; if your divots are thin and short,
use wedges with little bounce.
The conditions of the course are also important. If the
ground and sand are soft, you need wedges with lots of
bounce to avoid digging too deeply. If the ground and
sand are firm, you need just the opposite -- a club with
less bounce for a more solid hit.
Of course, different courses present different conditions,
so be prepared to change wedges depending on where you are
playing.
For example, at this year's Sony Open in Hawaii, 14-year-
old sensation Michelle Wie said that the PGA Tour field
staff made the sand more "fluffy" than she was used to.
Such a condition should dictate the use of a sand wedge
with more bounce.
2. GOLF CHUCKLE
3. PRO REPORT - The perfect wedge
PGA TOURS
SCHEDULE
PGA TOUR
WGC-Accenture
Match Play Championships
-- Site: Carlsbad, Calif.
-- Schedule: Wednesday-Sunday.
-- Course: La Costa Resort & Spa (7,002 yards, par 72).
-- Purse: $6 million. Winner's share: $1.05 million.
-- Television: ESPN (Wednesday-Friday, 2-6 p.m.; Saturday,
10:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.), ABC (Saturday, 3-7 p.m.; Sunday,
3-7 p.m.).
PGA TOUR
Chrysler Classic of Tucson
-- Site: Tucson, Ariz.
-- Schedule: Thursday-Sunday.
-- Course: Omni Tucson National Golf Resort & Spa
(7,109 yards, par 72).
-- Purse: $3 million. Winner's share: $540,000.
-- Television: USA (Thursday-Friday, 6-8 p.m.; Saturday-
Sunday, 11 p.m.-1 a.m.).
CHAMPIONS TOUR
-- Next event: The MasterCard Classic, March 5-7, Bosque
Real Country Club, Mexico City, Mexico.
LPGA TOUR
-- Next event: Welch's/Fry's Championship, March 11-14,
Randolph North Golf Complex, Dell Urich Golf Course,
Tucson, Ariz.
GOLF CHUCKLE
A little girl was at her first golf lesson when she asked
an interesting question:
"Is the word spelt p-u-t or p-u-t-t?'' she asked the
instructor. "P-u-t-t is correct,'' he replied.
"Put means to place a thing where you want it. Putt means
merely a vain attempt to do the same thing."
PRO REPORT
The perfect wedge
During an average round of golf, 65 percent of a player's
shots are taken within 100 yards of the hole, so wedge play
is a critical element of the game. To be a good wedge player,
you should know how to match the bounce on your wedges to
your swing and to the course conditions (grass and sand).
Bounce is the angle represented by a line drawn from the
bottom (sole)of a wedge to the leading edge.
The rule of thumb is that players who come into the ball
from a steep angle do better with clubs that have more
bounce because it prevents the clubhead from digging into
the ground. Players who sweep the ball using a shallow
angle of attack need less bounce to avoid skidding along
the ground and contacting the ball in the middle -- the
dreaded "skull" shot that goes screeching over the green.
Your divots will tell you what type of wedges you need.
If your divots are generally long and deep, use wedges
with lots of bounce; if your divots are thin and short,
use wedges with little bounce.
The conditions of the course are also important. If the
ground and sand are soft, you need wedges with lots of
bounce to avoid digging too deeply. If the ground and
sand are firm, you need just the opposite -- a club with
less bounce for a more solid hit.
Of course, different courses present different conditions,
so be prepared to change wedges depending on where you are
playing.
For example, at this year's Sony Open in Hawaii, 14-year-
old sensation Michelle Wie said that the PGA Tour field
staff made the sand more "fluffy" than she was used to.
Such a condition should dictate the use of a sand wedge
with more bounce.