Sunday at 10am: loaded up with a few buddies and headed to Charlotte to see the final round of the Wells Fargo Championship. 2 1/2 hours later we arrived just in time to see Rory McIlroy pound a few balls on the range, which was super cool since I had yet to see him in person. The first thing I noticed was that Rory is a lot bigger than I thought. Not Dustin Johnson big, but definitely thick. Plus he has so much leg and hip drive. The result is a club speed that surpasses anything I can relate to.

Nourishment for the Wells Fargo Championship

So after a quick buzz through the beer line we headed over to #7 just in time to see Rickie Fowler and Nick Watney reach the middle of the fairway. Actually, Watney had gone right, right into the stream, and had to take a drop. The following shot hit the rocks and landed in a back yard on the far side of the stream. After a 10 minute investigation, Watney realized he had gone OB and not into the hazard so he had to walk back to his original spot to replay his next shot (the PGA version of the walk of shame). Somewhat surprisingly, he decided to lay up rather than go for the green on what was his fifth shot (I must assume he had a harder shot than it looked like from my vantage point). A quadruple bogey later, Watney was essentially out of the tournament. Guess Three Guys did not exactly bring the good karma.

Next on the docket was to dash up to #9 to see a few other groups play then wait for the leaders to catch up. In the meantime, I did spot what I thought were the coolest shoes ever, worn by a lady no younger than 80 years old.

I hope I am this cool when I am 80!

A side note for those who have never attended a PGA Event: One thing you quickly realize is that it is really hard to get a sense of the overall picture while you are dashing from hole to hole. So for me, my goal is to get a couple of close encounters with the leaders or my favorite players then hope to catch the final drama on 18. That in mind, our plan was to head to the green on 16 and stake out a good spot.

Loading up with a few more cold ones, we found a place right next to the rope on the far side of 16 green.  From there we watched about 4 groups go through number 16 and I believe about 1/2 of the guys made bogey on the hole. Considering most had about a 220 yard approach shots, I guess that should not be too surprising. However, I was surprised to see Rickie Fowler leave his bunker shot about 7 feet from the pin then miss his par putt badly. Had McIlroy not carded a bogey on 17 and DA Points on 18, the man in orange may have regretted that bunker shot for a long time.

Rickie Fowler sizing up his par putt on 16

After watching Rory come through 16 we dashed to 18 but not before I got to meet Stephanie Wei (who is fortunate enough to cover the event from inside the ropes). For those of you who do not know, Stephanie writes a blog called Weiunderpar which is an excellent source for you PGA news. P.S. – how cool is it to walk inside the ropes? One day hopefully I will have an answer for you.

You may have noticed that I have yet to mention Webb Simpson which is because we did not see a single shot of his (in part because I cannot root for anyone using a belly putter). Plus, I just felt like it was going to be Fowler’s day, unless Rory stole it from him.

So onto 18 where we sat about 20 yards below the green. From our vantage point it looked like there was only a small section of green you could possibly land the ball and keep it withen 8 feet. As it turns out, I think there were only about 4 birdies on 18 all day. Rickie actually had a pretty good look at a birdie and probably thought he needed to make it to force a playoff. Fortunately for him, he was wrong as DA Points would end up in the bunker and take a bogey.

So back to 18 went Fowler, Points and McIroy. Now the fairway on 18 is insanely thin with a stream on the left but all three players put their ball dead in the middle. Points played first and ended up way above the hole with a nightmare putt. Fowler hit next to what I thought was about 7 feet away (as it turns out, it was like 2 feet but you just cannot see from below the green). Rory, must have known better and surely knew he had to stuff one in close but was unable to get inside of 15 feet. A couple of putts later, Rickie Fowler got his 1st PGA tour win.

Judging from the crowd around me, everyone was thrilled, especially all of the kids dressed in orange and the hotties in sun dresses. While Rory is a great player and a crowd favorite, Fowler is an American and last time I checked Charlotte is in the United States of America. In the end, we were rooting for our countryman and one of the guys who was supposed to be the next you know who.

Speaking of which, these young guys are starting to put up some victories. Without counting, Dustin Johnson, Bubba Watson, Rory McIroy and now Rickie Fowler are looking like the real deal. If you read any of our blog, you know we are huge Tiger fans, but I am coming around to these guys. They are fun, outgoing, long-driving and proving they can compete on a regular basis.

So congratulation to Rickie Fowler who is now the 2012 Wells Fargo Champion. Not only have you gotten your first win, but you have finally done what most experts have been predicting for the last few years – play like a champion.

Sub70 Golf Apparel: Another brand name that is a cruel reminder of my mid-handicap status. Shooting in the 60’s is probably a pipe dream for me at this point but just in case the Sub70 shirts are made with golfing god karma, I am willing to give them a try. While Sub70 has been in England since 2004 it has flown under the radar for most American golfers but this may quickly change since the inception of Sub70 USA which will sell directly in the US (and it does not hurt that Aaron Baddeley wore Sub70 during the 2011 Masters).

The truth is, we dig just about every thing we get at Three Guys Golf Blog but typically one of us is particularly jacked by a given brand (and hence that person is “rewarded” with the honor of writing the post). Frankly, I was not overly excited about Sub70 based on their website since the colors seemed a bit muted to me. However, once I saw the gear in person…. I knew they were money!  We actually looked at three shirts and shorts from Sub70 so here goes.

Sub70 Fredrik Green Golf Shirt:

I love this shirt because of the two pockets on the chest which is a bit unusual but super cool. It has just enough Euro/retro look to set it apart from most of the American shirts but not too Euro to draw the ire of my foursome. You know, it’s a fine line to walk between looking sharp and looking like an idiot (this is especially true for us 40 something year olds).

In my opinion, the Sub70 shirt is a clear path to fashion success even for those us who have a face for radio. In terms of fit and comfort, Sub70 runs a touch small but I would not classify it as too small just european cut. Fabric wise, they are made from a polar dry polyester that breathes well and is very comfortable (albeit not super soft).

Sub 70 Fredrick Green Golf Shirt-Size Medium

Sub70 Plaid Shorts:

Lets face it, most of us wear khaki or blue shorts 95% of the time because we can barely match two colors or patterns. With that said, I went out on a limb and got the plaid shorts and like the shirt, I was pleasantly surprised. Mostly what I care about in shorts are that they fit well and are made from light material. The Sub70 shorts absolutely meet that criteria but they also have a few bonus features. Check out the flap over back pockets, double front pockets, wide belt loop in the back and the stitched cut on the sides – yup, they are money!

Sub 70 Issac Green Shorts

Sub 70 Issac Green Shorts

Sub70 Tristan Pullover:

Matt went with a sweater since he contends he has zero non-dopey looking cold weather golf attire. Again, the website does not do the sweater justice. Typically not one to get excited by golf clothes, Matt was genuinely giddy about the sweater.

Sub70 Tristan Pullover

Since no one ever says “I wish I had another layer so that I could feel more constricted”, having a well fitting go-to pullover is definitely a must have for the cooler months. Plus, unlike many golf sweaters, the Sub70 does not scream “I just played golf” so you can wear it pretty much anywhere.

Sub70 Tristan Pullover

Sub70 Zane Golf Shirt:

Finally we have Wade who is always the tough nut seeing he wears XXL and is not too keen on anything remotely Euro in style. In general, I think most big sized shirts end up just being larger versions of the medium rather than cut for someone 6′ 4″ and 240 lbs. With the Sub70, even the XXL is cut to properly fit with the arms and shoulders being of appropriate size. So, while Wade prefers a stock blue golf shirt, he still gave the Sub70 at least 1 and 1/2  thumbs up in part because Sub70’s description which reads “Designed with straight hem that looks good tucked in or worn out”.  Music to Wade’s ears (Wade is not a big shirt tucker). One thing to note with this particular shirt is that some of the stripes are actually made in part with a rubbery type of material which does give it a different feel.

Sub 70 Zane White and Purple Golf shirt-XXL

In the end, Three Guys Golf Blog is now a big fan of Sub70. You can see the whole line of clothing and accessories on their website.

You can also see more full res. pictures on our Facebook Gallery.

Some of Feherty’s guest are obvious choices, like Annika Sorenstam or Bubba Watson, while others like Bill Russell are not so obvious. Samuel L. Jackson fits in the category of a not so obvious choice. That is until you learn a little bit more about him as a person and not just the man who owns a wallet that says “Bad Mother F%$%er”. While I am a huge Sam Jackson fan (yup, I call Robert De Niro Bobby), I really know very little about him other than he is in one of my all-time favorite movies (Pulp Fiction).

David Feherty sits down with Samuel L. Jackson (look Feherty said he loved Sam in “Driving Miss Daisy”

As it turns out, Samuel Jackson has battled substance abuse, as did Feherty, which I believe must have played at least some part in having him on the show. Listening to Feherty and Jackson talk, however, it became clear that they share more than just a healthy fear of “just one drink”.

Aside from sharing past demons, both men grew up in tough neighborhoods and were not handed their success. Jackson, in fact, did not even make a movie until he was 40 but has now has made 150, although I suspect a number straight to video but still . . . while Feherty did make it as a golfer at a younger age, he seems to just now be really hitting his stride. As a side note, in the episode, I heard Feherty say for the 1st time (for me at least) that he was a great golfer (well maybe he said he was a golf expert). In either case, I have never heard him boast about his talents. Oddly, I found his comment refreshing because the fact of the matter is that he was a hell of a golfer.

This particular Feherty show was a bit strange in that there was no major theme and Samuel seemed a bit bored for a while. That is until he began to speak about what seems to be his passion – helping the disadvantaged. Like Sean Penn, who during Hurricane Katrina, just grabbed his boat and headed New Orleans without telling anyone, Samuel Jackson seems to have a similar mentality about giving. During the show he provided just enough hints to his charitable projects which fly under the radar that you know he is the kind of guy who wants to give back for all of the right reasons.

Finally, Samuel Jackson gives hope to all of us hackers out there who started late but still want to believe that our best golf is ahead of us. Now a 5 handicap, Samuel Jackson, only started playing golf at age 40. He even shot a 78 and Carnoustie while paired with Tiger – yikes.

Now if someone can just tell me where I can get a Royale with Cheese?

PS: you must see Chance Manning introduce the Swing Blind training aid –

SeeMore m9 Putter Review: If the only thing you knew about golf came from watching commercials, you would surely be convinced that the driver is by far the most important club in the bag. While the big stick may be the club that we use to hit the ball the farthest, the reality is that the driver accounts for less than half as many strokes as the putter does.

Why, then, do we gladly shell out $300 for a new driver every year or two but are content with a putter we found at Play it Again Sports? Because most mid-handicappers (me included) are morons, which is why we don’t use alignment sticks, barely maintain a pre-shot routine, and ignore the multitude of good advice we read every month in golf magazines.

One of the very few cool things about writing a blog (and I mean very few) is that you get to test out golf equipment. This spring I was given a SeeMore putter to use and I must say it has been very eye opening on a number of fronts (no need to thank me for omitting the obvious pun).

First a bit of history – SeeMore Putters was founded in 1998 and got a huge media bump in 1999 when Payne Stewart sank a monster putt on 18 to win the US Open. Unfortunately, we lost Payne Stewart the following year and sales of SeeMore putters lagged to the point where they almost closed up shop. Then in 2006, former Odyssey executives Jim Grundberg and Jason Pouliot purchased the company and SeeMore was again off to the races. Since 2006 SeeMore has grown rapidly and has found a new champion in Zach Johnson who used a SeeMore putter to win the 2007 Masters (in which he putted a mere 27 times in the final round). Currently, Zach Johnson still uses a SeeMore putter and continues to be one of the best putters on tour.

Now back to the SeeMore m9 putter: the most unique feature of the SeeMore Putter is their RifleScope Technology, or as I call it, “hide the dot”. Simply put, if you line up the putter correctly you will not be able to see the red dot. If you can see any part of the red dot or if the shaft is not dead center between the lines you have either set up with the blade slightly open or closed. Stupid simple but really powerful if for no other reason than you feel totally locked in as you stand over your putt.

Hide the dot and you are good to go!

My take: I have primarily putted with an Oddessey #9 putter which is why I chose the m9 seeing as it is a similar shape. The major difference for me was that with the SeeMore m9, the shaft drops in near the center of the club rather than on the heel. It took me about two rounds to get the feel for the putter, but once I got it, I started rolling the ball really well. In fact my 3rd and 4th rounds with the SeeMore putter I had only 26 and 27 putts. While I am still only 12 rounds in with it, my putts per round have declined. Yes, I know the new putter mojo is still at work but I also believe that the riflescope feature absolutly helps me to be mentally locked into the line so I can concentrate just on speed.

Technically speaking the SeeMore m9 has a head weight of 335 grams, has 2.5 degree loft and can be shipped with a custom lie between 68-74 degrees. Additionally because the hosel is an internally milled you can always have the lie adjusted. Essentially, this feature allows the putter to be bent with greater integrity, because the stud is being bent, rather than the shaft.

In terms of look, the SeeMore m9 has very clean lines and features a platinum finish over the milled stainless steel body. Sidebar: is the term “hand milled” code for bad-ass? Either way, what it means is that there are no seams or imperfections. The entire club looks perfect with even the hosel being set with precision. If your driver is the burly lumberjack in your bag, your putter is your honey. Putters need to be hot and the SeeMore m9 is a looker!

Of course you don’t want your SeeMore putter rattling around in the bag so they provide a leather head cover that features a stitched American flag on the side – yup, it’s money!

SeeMore Putter Cover

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the customer service. SeeMore offers lifetime access to their staff of helpful folks. They also provide a number of putting drills and tips on their site. Speaking of drills, I used the Putting Alley a bunch when I got the new putter so that I could make my small adjustments to my setup. You can see my SeeMore m9 in action on our Putting Alley review.

In short I love the SeeMore m9. You can see the whole line on their website.

You can also see all of the high res images on our facebook page.

The Putting Alley: What’s more fun than blasting a bucket full of balls with your driver? Nothing! Unfortunately it is also a huge waste of time since we all know the key to scoring is putting. Not only can good putting save a bad round but it is really the only way to go low. So unless you are disciplined enough to cut into your range time, you need to find another way to improve your putting. Well, help comes in the form of the Putting Alley.

While there are tons of putting aides, most are fairly weak in terms of being a true representation of the game. For me, I believe that if you can master a 27″ line you are halfway home to being a good putter. The folks who developed the Putting Alley are clearly of the same mindset. The Putting Alley is a simple 27″ inch putting surface which due to its construction lets you know exactly if you have hit it pure, pulled or pushed it. Here’s how it works.

The Putting Alley comes in both a plastic and wood version but the key is the metal rod that runs down the center of the alley. This metal rod has two sides which have a flat surface that is either 1″ or 1/2″ wide. Now you would think rolling a short putt would be stupid simple, but you will quickly find out that you have more yipps in your stroke than Vijay Singh has putters in his garage. Starting out with the 1″ side I quickly realized that I had my putter face slightly closed because I was pulling every single putt. The Putting Alley clearly showed this to me because with each putt the ball would roll half way down the alley then fall off of the rail on the inside edge.

Simple 27″ putt – not so much.

Once I made this adjustment my putting improved dramatically, but still, rolling 5 to 8 putts in a row is no easy task. Because there is less room for error, the Putting Alley not only improves your stroke but also your concentration since any mistake will result in the ball not reaching the end on the metal bar. Hence, setting up little games such as seeing how many in a row you can make will really improve your mental focus.

So here is the beauty of this training aid: the folks at the Putting Alley say rolling a pure putt on the 1″ side is equivalent of rolling a 10 foot putt and the 1/2″ side is equivalent of a 20 foot putt. Therefore, you can actually practice longer putts with just a small training aide. Moreover, rolling putts over and over again gives you great confidence when you have to face those 2 foot putts during your weekend skins game.

Below is our video explaining how the Putting Alley works.

As I mentioned, the Putting Alley comes in both wood and plastic. The wood version shown here has been through a ton of trade shows but still looks great. This is a product that absolutely stands up over time and will never be an eyesore.

While the wood versions are not cheap at $159, the plastic version is under $50. Not only is this a great tool for individuals but for a teaching pro it would be a fantastic putting tool. So fear not, you can blast that bucket of balls all day long, just make sure you leave some time at home to work with the Putting Alley.

You can learn more about the Putting Alley on their website.

Gary McCord on the Feherty Show: What could be better than listening to two of my favorite golf announcers banter on for an hour without a golf tournament to get in the way? Lets face it, for the casual fan, golf on TV can be, how you say . . . boring. Personally, I don’t remember watching a lot of golf when I was a kid but that was probably because 15 minutes into the broadcast I was sawing logs on the couch. Thankfully, Gary McCord has added a much needed spice to the viewing experience.

Bite!

The crazy thing is how these guys actually got into the business. McCord literally won zero times on the tour (albeit twice on the senior tour) and was basically living out of a storage unit prior to getting a lucky break with CBS. To be fair, McCord made his luck when he invented an excuse to be in a TV truck one Sunday afternoon. But it was his insightful and witty explanation of how the greens were akin to chipping on your driveway and asking the ball to bite that got him the gig. Further proof that getting your foot in the door is often the biggest hurdle to success.

So let’s hit the highlights of the show, which by the way is a must-see episode. My favorite part was watching McCord and Feherty give swing tips to Aaron Baddeley. Despite the fact that you know Baddeley is in on the joke, they still manage to keep him completely off guard. I suspect it was not the actual swing tips that threw Baddeley for a loop but rather the irony.

The other two stories which were told that I was previously unaware of were: 1) the tale of McCord ripping his trousers in a tournament while bending down to plumb-bob (going commando no less) but finishing the final 14 holes using a make-shift diaper. (Feherty counters with a priceless plumb and bob joke), and 2) learning that 85% of Tin Cup was a rip-off of Gary McCords life (now I know why I love that movie despite the fact it starred The Postman himself).

Part of the reason I am such a big Feherty fan is because I admire how he has re-invented his career. While Feherty may not have a green jacket, he was on the freaking Ryder Cup team so the fact that he will be remembered more as a commentator is pretty darn amazing. To that end, Gary McCord is much the same way (or more so). Being of middle age, I have a soft spot in my heart for mid-life career change success stories as I think we all want to believe our second act can be better than our first. So my hat’s off to both of these gentlemen (now if they would both do us a favor and take off their matching vests).

Mobitee GPS Mobile Golf Assistant App: Even though I have never been much of a GPS guy, I’ve really enjoyed having the Mobitee GPS on my droid. Part of the reason I have not had a GPS is because I play 90% of my golf on the same course. I guess I was of the mindset that there is not much use for a GPS app on a course that I have played a few thousand times, but I was wrong. In terms of ease, it loaded quickly and without hassle on my phone. Here is a quick look at the features taken from the Mobitee website.

FEATURES

• Complete golf guide for each of 30,000+ courses
  (Nearby courses, addresses, reservations, rates, route guidance…)

• Precise GPS tool with moveable target to calculate distances on the course 
  (Distances for back, middle, and front of green; obstacles, doglegs, distance traveled…

• Satellite, aerial view of each hole

• Flyover videos

• Virtual coach 
  (Club advice for each hole)

• Interactive, automatic scorecard for up to 4 players 
  (Net scores, Stableford, index simulation)

• Scorecards can be shared via email  

• Updates are free

• Simple, truly spectacular interface

It was a snap to find my course given all the courses that are included, and the way they use your location to help you know where you are is excellent. One quick warning: there is an app rating query that comes up immediately and you need to close it prior to moving to the next hole. Once I got rid of the question about rating the app, by simply closing it, my world began to get a lot clearer with this app in my hands.

Mobitee GPS App is available for the iPhone and Android phones. You can learn more on the Mobitee Website

Innovex Golf Balls: The one item all golfers buy over and over again is golf balls, so finding the right one for your game should be a decision you take seriously – your choice will not only have an effect on your score but also your wallet. Therefore, unless you have P-Diddy money, price ends up figuring into the equation. Enter Innovex.

Innovex offers two varieties of balls, the 3 piece suryln cover on the e-motion (around $20/dozen), and the softer urethane covered v-motion (around $35/dozen). While Innovex has only been around since 2006 they are connected to the Rife putter folks so you know they understand the game. As a bonus, Innovex prices are lower than the big names’ comparable balls.

Generally I put balls into three rough categories: the rocks that are hard and tend to go far with little to no touch around the greens, the balls that are less hard and have some touch around the greens, and the top-of-the-line balls that are long and straight and will check back if you have some technique around the greens.

The Innovex balls are surprisingly hard to pigeonhole into one of these categories but overall I was very pleased with how they performed. I found them both to be long and straight off the driver, with the e-motion being even more so. With my irons, both felt really good with the v-motion having a softer feel, and more grab on the greens when chipping. While neither checked quite as much as my Calloway Tour i(z), the v-motion has more than enough bite for the courses I play.

Even though I did not perform any “scientific tests”, I played the v-motion right alongside my Callaway Tour i(z) and Pro V1x , and did not see any loss of performance . . . so at $15 less per dozen, the v-motion is an excellent high end ball.

As for the e-motion, most golfers will find it a great value for outstanding performance. The reality is that any mid to high handicapper is just throwing money away with a $40/dozen ball. On the other hand, being too frugal and settling for the bargain value rock is also compromising too much performance. This is where the e-motion is a great fit. At $20 per dozen, you get a high quality 3 piece ball that will perform but not break your heart when you honk it into the woods.

Three Guys take: Innovex delivers on performance and the price point is below market – it’s a buy!

You can learn more on the Innovex website.

Ok, I will admit it, I don’t follow the LPGA very closely but I do have a huge appreciation for Annika Sorenstam, who made her debut on the Feherty Show last night. It was actually only a few weeks ago that fellow blogger Wade sent me her swing sequence as an example of standing tall which is one of Wade’s big things. As I have mentioned in other posts, most of the men on tour, like Bubba Watson, swing so hard that we cannot physically even try to mimic their swings without pulling a muscle. In fact, we are much better served by trying to copy the swings on the LPGA tour.

So here’s the two second recap of Annika’s records: She has won 72 times on tour, has 10 majors, and a LPGA low round of 59. But for me, the beauty of the Feherty show is not in the history of the player but rather in getting to understand what makes them tick.

Being a father of a female athlete, albeit not world class, but college level, I have been around women athletes for a long time and I am convinced there are absolute differences in how they view the game and the world. However, there is no doubt that women, especially world class women athletes, are every bit as competitive and driven as their male counterparts. Annika Sorenstam was not given her 72 victories, she earned them beginning with hours upon hours of practice in her father’s basement (yes her basement is bigger than most).

On the other hand, Annika does not define herself by golf. Like Greg Norman, she is a very successful business person and continues to be part of the game at many levels. But, where Annika differs, and I think where women differ, is that many ultimately become mothers. Yes, men are dads, and good dads, but you just get a sense from how Annika interacts with her daughter that part of the reason she does not define herself by golf is that she defines herself in large part as a mother. I say this without passing judgement, it is just that I have seen tons of interviews with retired male athletes and they simply give off a different vibe than their female counterpart.

Part of the trouble with comparing men’s and women’s sports is our desire to see how they would compete against each other (ie. Michelle Wie). I think this attitude misses the point that men and women may play the game by the same name but they are different sports – not better or worse, just different.

Lastly, I must say, as bad as the men’s golf fashion used to be, the women’s was even more horrendous (so bad that they have apparently taken down all of the incriminating pictures from the internet). It was either ill fitting men’s garb or some crazy jumper type outfit. Seriously, this is what happens when men design clothes for women. Thankfully, this is something else Annika has brought to golf: women’s golf fashion that is actually flattering.

I’ve been at the beach for a few days, so forgive me if I’m way behind the times on this one – has anyone seen this picture depicting Bubba Watson’s shot on #10 (second playoff hole)?

No biggie, really.

Two things come to mind:
1) I watched roughly 316 hours of Masters coverage this year and still had no idea how ridiculous this shot was. During live action we simply saw Bubba staring down the usual tunnel of spectators, and once again I could not help but think “those people are either insane or really looking for an excuse to have jaw replacement surgery”. The shot is hit, it looks awesome, and the announcers begin to spout their usual incredulous bluster. Perhaps I’m too immune to guys like Roger Maltbie’s insistence that if you “gave someone 100 tries to make that shot they’d only be successful 4 times” in these instances. . . I’m sure they said all they could to explain to me how incredible Bubba’s shot was, but somehow I didn’t grasp the concept. I know Augusta National won’t allow blimps, but how about cranking up one of those fancy hole graphics and pointing out the actual angles involved here?

2) Sooo, that shot was freaking incredible, right? Hooking a gap wedge almost 90 degrees, what?! Oh, also, it’s the second hole of a sudden-death playoff at the Masters, sir. Good grief, what a badass. How many Augusta National members have since snuck out to the 10th hole to try and pull that shot off, or at least sent their butlers to try it and report back? “I don’t have a gap wedge, Niles, so take this pitching wedge, turn it upside down, choke up 1 inch, and let me know how it goes – chop chop!” It will be interesting to see if we ever get treated to a Nick Faldo re-enactment of the shot during next year’s coverage, not sure how the greenjackets will feel about that one. And poor Oosthuizen – we’ve all been there in match play – when he watched that shot skid onto the green he must have muttered one of the all-time ‘f#*% me’s of our generation.

If you read my posts on Druh or 59 Belts, you know I am a big fan of belt buckles. As a precursor, the only golf belt buckles I will not wear are ones that are simply the logo of a big name brand. Nothing against Nike, Puma or Adidas, I just have enough of their stuff in my bag without having a swoosh on my mid-section. The way I figure it, a belt buckle is of of the few golf items that project a little personality, so until I get a sponsorship deal there will be no logo from a company who is listed on the NYSE holding up my britches. Fortunately, I stumbled upon the White Ball who makes really cool golf belt buckles and straps, and even though everyone’s favorite, Rory Sabbatini, wears the White Ball buckle, I do not yet classify The White Ball as a big brand logo.

Since our site name is “Three Guys Golf Blog”, we looked at three buckles from the White Ball: the Zen, Champion and Pride. In my opinion the Zen is the standard-bearer of the line. Out of the gate, you can see it has a platinum finish which is super clean and bright. Going beyond my personal comfort zone, I paired it with a green strap, which by the way, instantly became one of my favorites. I have historically only worn black straps, but after realizing that you can wear a colored stap with nearly every outfit,  I am now a huge fan of the bright belt colors. Plus the green belt gets two thumbs up from my wife (if you happen to care what she thinks).

The White Ball Zen Belt

The White Ball Zen Belt

A little Zen cannot hurt

Beyond the simple fact the Zen belt is just a super good looking golf belt buckle, the designer also cleverly weaved in a number of themes into the logo.

• First, if you look closely, the logo is actually two letters overlapping each other. There is a “W” from straight on and a “B”  when the buckle is turned sideways (get it – “White Ball” = WB).
• The shape also resembles an Archer’s Composite Bow, who like a golfer must harness their concentration to create accurate shots.
• Finally, the logo also resembles the Zen position of the hands that a statue of Buddha is usually posed.

Enough symbolism for even Mr. Poe.

The White Ball Champion

Finally, we looked at the Pride buckle since Wade contends no man who has a 40″ waist should ever wear a large belt buckle (paging Mr. Daly). The Pride buckle is the style that 95% of golfer wear, except the White Ball version is like 1000% cooler. Again, check out the small details that you just don’t find on the belt you picked up at Dick’s Sporting Goods (apologies to Dick’s who for some reason I aways pick on).

The White Ball Pride Belt Buckle

The White Ball Pride Belt Buckle

See how both the golf ball graphic and the company name is milled into the side of the buckle as well as on the front clasp? While simple in design, this buckle is way classier than your average buckle.

Lastly, let me touch on the straps. All of the straps made by the White Ball are Genuine Italian Leather. While they do offer black and white, they also have eight other colors that I promise you will dig. Like many high end buckles, all of the White Ball buckles can be interchanged as they can be easily unclamped (and sized).

The White Ball Strap

The White Ball offers two other styles, Crystal and Dandy, and has a number of accessories that all can be found on their website. The Zen buckle and strap retail for $159, the Champion and Pride for $119.

You can also see all of the high res images on our Facebook Gallery.

ps, Ken Duke, Brad Faxon, Hal “Be the right stick today” Sutton and Bob “I can’t believe Tiger made that putt” May all wear the White Ball.

Fila Golf Shirts: With the trend in golf fashion moving farther and farther away from the standard blues and khakis, some of us are starting to really feel old. While orange may flatter Rickey Fowler, those of us who only have a six pack in the fridge usually find it hard to pull off many of today’s golf fashions. Fortunately, there are still some options for those of us who are not exactly hitting the gym everyday but still want to wear good looking, well fitting fashionable golf attire.

Normally I do not associate Fila with golf, but like a lot of sporting companies, Fila is getting into the mix (in part because of their recent purchase of Titleist). Three Guys recently got a few samples of the 2012 Fila line to check out and we can report we were very impressed. The three shirts we looked at were the Vicenza Polo, Bristol Polo and the Phoenix Polo.

Lets start with Wade, who is what we call a big guy. Going 39″ waist and a XXL shirt, Wade is always the tester for “regular guy” golf fashion. Even though I have been able to talk Wade into some Euro shirts, it is clear that he is more comfortable in a more traditional style. So when it came to the Fila shirt, Wade immediately called to tell me how much he like the Phoenix Polo. With wide shoulder panels and a stretchy material, the Fila shirt gives even Wade tons of freedom to move and is way better looking than the average golf shirt you get at a big box store. In Wades words it “fits like a jersey”.

Fila Phoenix Polo-Size XXL

The other two shirts we looked at were what I would call classic american style. Fitting was fair and the material has tons of stretch which allows for lots of movement. From a style standpoint, most of us dopes, just want to be able to put on tan pants and a good looking shirt.

Fila Vicenza Polo-This is a medium.

Fila absolutly fits the bill. They are clearly better than your off the rack shirt but you never feel like you trying to pull off a look. They are just plain old good looking, good fitting, well made golf shirts.

Fila Bristol Polo. This is a large.

Since we started doing apparel reviews we have seen quite a number of shirts. While the styles vary widely, the one thing they all have in common is that they are all much better made than the stuff I used to get at the big box golf stores. Yes they may run a little more in terms of cost (these three shirts run between $80-$100), but they are all clearly much better in terms of fit and quality. So for those of you looking to upgrade your golf wardrobe, check out the 2012 Fila line as I think you will find something you like.

You can see the whole line of shirts on the Fila website.

As I watched Feherty spend an hour with Ken Venturi, all I could think about was what it would be like to play 18 holes with him whilst he spun stories for 4 1/2 hours. Seeing that Venturi is one of the few people still alive who has played or met every great golfer since Ben Hogan, the yarns he spun on Feherty are merely the tiny tip of the iceberg. While famous for his participation in “The Match” (the legendary foursome of Ben Hogan, Byron Nelson and Harvie Ward), Venturi has a stable full of stories and anecdotes spanning decades and including icons from every industry (including old blues eyes himself, Frank Sinatra).

Typically, my blog posts from the Feherty show consist of a bit of history about the guest, some of the shows highlights and a dash of my own opinion. The problem with writing about Ken Venturi is that you need about 40,000 words to begin to capture the man. I mean he won 14 times one PGA tour, including a US Open, and then spent 35 years in the broadcast booth becoming the voice of golf. There is just no way to sum that up in 400 words. To his credit, Feherty understands this and does a great job of just listening to Venturi (which of course is what many of us did on Sunday afternoons in between napping on the couch).

So if you want to get some golden snippets from Venturi, go watch the episode, or you can do what I am going to do, read more about Ken Venturi and some of the other legends of golf. Yes, I have read “The Match”, “Five Lessons” and a few other golf books, but a short hour with Venturi has re-ignited my interest in hearing about Bing Crosby’s “Clam Bakes”, Hogan’s temper, Nelson’s pure swing and all of the other characters of the game.

Fortunately, Wade is a big golf historian and will surely have some reading suggestions, but I would love to hear your input as well.

Well folks, another Masters is in the can, and aside from the missing azaleas, this tournamet had it all. Couple of quick thoughts on the tournament as we try to recover from an impromptu Masters party at the Three Guys clubhouse:

Who’s the man? I’m the man.

1) Bubba! It sure looked like Oosthuizen was going to run away with this thing after the double eagle and then a few rock solid par saves while others floundered. But then there was Bubba. I think it’s a cool thing for the Tour that Bubba won – he has the flair and game to get people excited, and he’s got those crazy eyes that will always keep us guessing. I’ve read a lot of articles about Bubba Watson in the past – apparently he’s so gifted that he doesn’t even have any thoughts about swing mechanics, he just decides he wants to hit the ball right-to-left or low-then-high, etc. and his body just swings that way. In fact, after one practice round a veteran that played with him came in shaking his head saying “man, if that kid ever figures it out between his ears, we’re all in trouble”. In hindsight, it seems like Bubba should have always been a favorite to win the Masters, given his ability to bomb and work the ball. I think Bubba stands out from other recent first-time major winners because there is the potential that a flood gate just opened and he’ll win a few more. Guys like he and Phil, and probably Dustin Johnson, just have such overpowering game that as long as they don’t self-destruct they will always be a factor.

2) I could be way off base here, but I sometimes still get the feeling that Phil Mickelson is almost underrated. He’s obviously known as a great golfer, and fans love him, but critics always want to fault him for not being as robotically dominant as Tiger was over the past 15 years or so. And as an admitted Tiger groupie, part of me is fine with Phil remaining in his shadow. But I think Saturday’s flop shot on 15 was the kind of thing that should earn him permanent legendary status. Sure everybody went nuts over that shot, but I think only an annoying person like myself can spend 20 minutes thinking about how sweet it truly was. It’s not the fact that he can hit that shot, but the fact he has the craziness in his game to have that shot be his #1 option as he walks towards his ball, and the stones to actually try and pull it off. I think commentators tend to overdo the “greatness” of some of these guys’ chips and pitches – I know these guys are awesome but sometimes Gary McCord goes gaga over a 20 yard pitch that I’ve seen my buddies make 100 times. So I don’t want to sound like I’m jumping on the general flop-shot bandwagon, as folks tend to be more impressed the higher the ball goes, but in this case I think Phil’s shot transcends. He’s like our modern-day Arnie, and he is obviously so insanely good at golf that he’s been hanging around the tops of leaderboards for like 20 years now. I think if you’re a young PGA player and you get paired up with Ernie, Phil, Kuchar, Furyk, Vijay, or any other successful veteran that’s not Tiger, from a game standpoint only Phil gives you the feeling that you’re playing with Darth Vader.

3) Saturday and Sunday at Augusta are the best two days of golf in the year, according to  . . . me. There’s a perfect combination of shotmaking, crowd involvement, proximity of greens to tees and other greens – it’s awesome. And we are all familiar enough with the holes to know what we’re looking for, especially on Sunday when you know where the pin is on 16, etc. For some reason this year, however, I felt like Amen Corner did not get it’s usual fanfare from CBS or maybe even the golf itself, like nothing really felt crucial or important about those holes. Perhaps I have selective memory, but asides from Phil’s eagle putt on Saturday on 13 and Sergio and Rory’s makeout session on 12, I don’t think I ever saw much action on Amen Corner.

4) If you fancy yourself an equipment nerd at all, you gotta check out this link and scroll through the slides:  Players’ Bags at the Masters (and for you sock nerds you can learn more about Bubba’s Socks). I’ve wondered since I was a little kid why golf so adamantly steers us away from knowing what equipment these guys play. I’m sure with television it’s just a decision made long ago to avoid any potential conflict of interest issues, and I’m aware that Golf Digest does a What’s In My Bag thing in each issue, but that’s only one dude per month! I always want to know what these guys are playing, and finally someone fed my jones. And not that I’m trying to make a case for, say, a post I wrote last month cursing the adoration of blade irons, but did you notice how many guys are playing cavity back irons on tour? No biggie, just wanted to point that out.

I’m out! I hope that you enjoyed the Masters as much as I did, and that you drank less.

Man, every year I forget and then quickly re-learn how sweet the Masters Golf Tournament is. The reasons are too many to count, of course, but I’m sure a lot of it has to do with the fact that it’s at the same course every year – the consistency allows you to judge it as a truly pure contest of each player’s game. You hear a lot about how Augusta National is such a difficult test of concentration and precision, and because of the greens, this can only be deemed as accurate. But the fact is, from tee to green it’s simply not that difficult, which allows for some great shotmaking and, as a result, great television (as opposed to some U.S. and British Opens where I’m supposed to get excited over someone not being over par).  If only they would let us laypeople watch the whole day’s action! Tuning in for Tiger’s last three holes at the Masters is nothing short of torture, although I suppose the fact that I was able to watch Louis Oosthuizen play almost his entire round certainly made up for it (sarcasm). Anyway, I understand that Billy Payne has his rules and I will leave them be – for now just a couple of quick thoughts after 4 hours of semi-boring first day action.

1) CBS 1 – ESPN 0  — I won’t even bother to try and decipher the business deal that had day 1 coverage being televised by ESPN but produced by CBS . . . who knows what the heck is going on there. But did anyone catch the introduction to the broadcast, where Mike Tirico awkwardly walked us through highlights and Curtis Strange apparently decided to go on a SAG strike? I almost changed the channel twice simply because I couldn’t handle the uncomfortable silences – I’d have an easier time watching Peter Kostis do standup comedy.

Ultimately, CBS took over and it once again felt like the Masters. Say what you want about Jim Nantz, but that dude is definitely the voice of the Masters Tournament.

2) Someone’s gotta get a hold of Hunter Mahan’s fashion consultant and have a little chat. I technically have nothing against the guy – he’s a badass golfer, he’s an American, he lives the dream. Problem is, he looks like an absolute bozo in a way that doesn’t even knock on your door first before it punches you in the face. I understand that we’re not all Brad Pitts roaming the earth, but in Hunter’s case, just take it back a knotch, there’s no need to advertise that you are a dorky looking dude. I tried to find the best picture of him yesterday that I possibly could because I didn’t want to rely on an awkward facial expression to make my point:

Yikes.

Now I sound mean . . . I’ll get to my point: bend the brim of your hat. Bend the brim of your hat. For the love of all things sacred, please bend the brim of your hat. I can understand Justin Bieber’s success, I can almost endure Drake’s music, and I understand that the new generation always wants to establish its own idea of cool. This straight hat thing, however, is my Walter Matthau moment. It is so inherently uncool to have a straight brim (barkeep, can I get a better word than “brim” please?) that I still think this is possibly just one big joke being played on the world. And I have to ask a serious question – for the guys that wear their brim straight, do the manufacturers make the beaks even bigger than standard, or is this just an optical illusion? From certain angles, it looks like my kid could take a nap on the deck of Hunter’s lid.

3) Tiger scratched and clawed his way to a halfway decent round after hitting what he called some of his “worst shots ever”.  You could go either way on this – it could be a good thing that even when he’s off he can grind out a respectable score, OR it could be a really bad thing that Captain Hook came to the party.

4) Jason Dufner is the man! Love that dude. It looks like somebody’s stoner uncle just rolled out of bed and decided to go low in a professional golf tournament for a change.

Well that’s Day 1 for you, hopefully some even better revelations will come out of Friday’s Masters action.