2020 has been full of surprises. I’m not talking about the obvious things like COVID-19, “Murder Hornets”, and everything else that has been 2020. But I’m talking about issues in my golf swing and adjustments that I’ve had to make. That’s going to be an upcoming article in itself.
On a mission to stop “flipping out”.
This year, I’ve had an ugly swing fault creep into my golf swing. A fault that pretty much came from out of nowhere. This fault or miss, has literally de-railed rounds of golf this season. That fault is the thin or “flipping” the club.
If you’ve never had the thin, it’s an ugly miss that provides no launch angle, causes poor direction, you lose spin on approach shots, causes a loss of clubhead speed, and with it consequently, lost distance. An iron shot that misses by one groove will cost a golfer 10-15 yards.
I’m about a club shorter then I was prior to my Stroke. The PW was 130-135. Swinging the 699 Pro @Sub70 @RapsodoGolf @UproarPR Maybe it’ll come back by eating, gaining weight, and working out. Killing the flip. pic.twitter.com/pJGi5fyM0e
— Alexander Toth – untilthenexttee.blog (@UntilTheNextTee) September 29, 2020
— Alexander Toth – untilthenexttee.blog (@UntilTheNextTee) September 29, 2020
Through the use (thus far) of the Rapsodo Golf MLM it has given me very telling signs of the issues that I’ve experienced all season. Even though I knew that I was thinning shots, including low strikes on the face of the driver and metalwoods, it wasn’t until the use of the MLM where I saw the root cause of my issues. Very low launch angles which means that something was occurring at the point of impact. If your launch angle isn’t where it needs to be, it’s going to hurt you, even if your trajectory looks good like it did in my case. I’ve been flirting with trouble all season.
So, I went to the range yesterday at Brock Golf Course to focus on the flip with the goal of ultimately, killing the flip. The focus of this session was on my right or bottom hand and keeping the angle of the wrist at impact. When the dust settled, it was a pretty good session with the flip being held very much in check. A couple of them crept in.
Eliminating the flip. Bottom hand wrist angle at impact (flipping) vs maintaining the angle and compressing the golf ball.
When it comes to the driver and the metalwoods I now saw much better launch angles and ultimately more distance.
Stay tuned, right here, at Until The Next Tee for more testing and my thoughts regarding the Rapsodo Golf MLM (Mobile Launch Monitor).
(PINELLAS PARK, FL) – SIK, The Fastest Growing Putter Company in Golf, would like to congratulate PGA Tour Staff Professional, Bryson DeChambeau, on his victory at the 120th U.S Open held at the legendary Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York.
DeChambeau’s final round was the best of the day by three, and he was the only player to finish the tournament under par. He fired rounds of 69, 68, 70 and 67 to capture a six-stroke victory over the field. This was the eighth win and first major of his PGA TOUR career that began in 2017.
He ranked 1st in Total Strokes Gained (22.273), 1st in Eagles and T-4th in Bridies and averaged only 1.783 Putts Per Greens in Regulation on the treacherous greens at Winged Foot.
Your 2020 U.S. open winner. An impressive win.
When asked about his putting at the post tournament press conference, DeChambeau credited SIK Golf for playing a big part in the first major victory of his career.
“The putting has gradually improved over the course of my career,” DeChambeau said. “I was dead last when I came out on TOUR, and the SIK guys, SIK golf, they helped me understand how a ball needs to roll in order to give me the best chance to hole a putt.
This victory earned him a paycheck for $2.25 million dollars and 600 FedEx Cup Points. He is now ranked 1st on the FedEx Cup Points List and 9th in the Official World Golf Rankings.
Bryson DeChambeau, commonly referred to as “The Professor”, is probably best known for his unorthodox set of irons that are all the same length, but what most people don’t know is that he’s captured all eight of his worldwide victories, and in excess of $20 Million Dollars in earnings, using a SIK putter!
His current model of putter may not be represented by the putter in the picture.
The reason PGA Tour Players have and continue to migrate to SIK putters is because of its patented Descending Loft Face Technology™ also known as (DLT).
There are four planar surfaces that are precision milled on the face of the putter. Each plane descends in loft (4°,3°, 2°, 1°) from the top of the face to the bottom. This creates a more consistent launch angle regardless of whether you add loft or deloft the putter at impact which leads to better distance control and less side spin.
Custom putters from SIK Golf not only ensure individualization, they truly “Change the Way You Roll”. It is a literal game-changer for players and duffers alike.
The latest realizations of this process – the new CP-03 and CP-04 irons– have been constructed from exotic high-performance materials that can take up to eight months just to source. Each part has been forged and cast to the extreme limits of precision, yielding a strike that generates supreme ball speed with ideal launch and unparalleled forgiveness:
CP-03 provides an astonishing balance of power and control in a progressive midsize muscle back profile;
CP-04 advances the original CP-01 design, delivering ultimate speed with enhanced accuracy in a player’s improvement head shape.
They join the superior blade-size performance of CP-02 in the new CNCPT series – available for fittings beginning today, Sept. 24.
CNCPT PERFORMANCE & TECHNOLOGY
Every CNCPT iron is designed and engineered to an inconceivable standard of excellence through the following innovations:
Forged supermetal L-face insert– the thinnest unsupported, constant-thickness face in golf – produces supreme ball speeds with increased launch (mid to low irons). CNCPT irons are the first club designs to utilize this rare, super strong alloy.
Multi-material, hollow body design allows for optimized MOI and CG placement in every iron through the set.
Extraordinary amounts of high-density tungsten weighting – making up nearly 50 percent of the total head weight in the lower lofts – provide precise sweet spot calibration and greater clubhead stability. At least 100 grams of tungsten on average (mid to low irons) is used in each iron to produce the most generous and forgiving impact possible.
“CNCPT is the dream project for our engineers,” said Marni Ines, Titleist Golf Club R&D’s Director of Irons Development. “We’re on the journey to not only design the ultimate iron – but actually figure out how to make it. We’ve made a huge leap forward with the discovery of this supermetal alloy – the material is so strong and resilient that we’re able to forge iron faces even thinner than we once thought possible. It’s difficult to obtain and extremely challenging to implement into the manufacturing process, but the benefits to the overall construction in terms of ball speed, launch, distance and trajectory are just astounding.”
CNCPT MODELS
The CNCPT series is designed to allow players to construct their ideal blend of irons using any of the three models. The look, feel and performance of each iron provides a seamless transition in any combination:CP-02: Superior performance with a blade size and feel
Progressive muscle back profile
Minimal offset
Average of 113g tungsten per iron (3-8)
CP-03: Astonishing balance of power and control
Progressive midsize muscle back profile
Minimal offset
Average of 104g tungsten per iron (3-7)
CP-04: Ultimate speed with enhanced accuracy
Progressive midsize profile
Moderate offset
Average of 100g tungsten per iron (4-7)
FITTINGS & AVAILABILITY
Golfers can experience the performance of CNCPT by Titleist irons by attending a Titleist Fitting and Trial event (including Titleist Thursdays), being held at locations nationwide. To find an event, or book a CNCPT fitting with a Titleist Product Specialist, golfers can visit https://www.titleist.com/fitting/appointments.
CNCPT by Titleist irons are available for fittings and custom order beginning Sept. 24. MAP $500/club.
Often, when I think of why I’m so enamored with the game of golf the same answer always rings eternal. It’s the sights, it’s the colours, and it’s the aromas like that sweet nectar of dew mixing with the clippings of freshly mown fairways.
When I was a little boy, often I travelled to the United States with my parents to visit family or go to the Buffalo Zoo. Family outings were always significant with my family, no matter how far or short the journey was. Along Highway #3 between Port Colborne, Ontario and Fort Erie, Ontario lies a golf course that I’ve always admired. Driving by, I’d gaze out the window as we cruised along in the 1977 Malibu Classic while listening to “ABBA” or “Cheech and Chong” on the 8-track. I fondly recollect peering through the pine trees that separated the highway from this seemingly untouchable place, just to capture a glimpse of the green ribbon that I would later learn was called a fairway. It was always a look of bright-eyed fascination.
I never knew it then, but, this was called a golf course, nay, a golf club called Cherry Hill Club. This was the very first golf course that I’d ever see and ultimately, admire. Unbeknownst to me, decades later, I’d fall in love with the game of golf. Much of my affection for the game of golf came from those fleeting glances, all so many years ago. As a matter of fact, until September 21st, 2020, every time that I drove by the pristine grounds that is Cherry Hill Club, I’d gawk and wonder what the golf club was like. In fact, I applied to work there in the back shop or as a starter a few seasons ago.
Cherry Hill Club is a golf club that’s located in Ridgeway, Ontario and is a club that is steep in history. The golf course was designed by legendary golf course architect Walter J. Travis and was founded in 1922 by affluent families that owned land along the north shore of Lake Erie. During the 1920’s the area was a summer playground for prominent families from Buffalo, NY and Southern Ontario. Families from Buffalo would take a steamship ride aboard a passenger ferry like the SS Canadiana to spend time at their summer homes or days at Crystal Beach which was the site of an amusement park.
Looking down the fairway of the first hole from the Cherry Hill Club clubhouse patio.
Over its lifetime, Cherry Hill Club has undergone an evolution as the club has matured over the last 98 years. Part of the history of this esteemed private club in the Niagara Region is that it has been a host venue for many notable championships. The great Canadian golfer George Knudson won the Ontario Open in 1960, which consequently, was Mr. Knudson’s first professional victory. Our national championship was hosted at Cherry Hill Club as well in 1972. Legends of the game like Arnold Palmer, Gary Player, Sam Snead, Tom Watson, Lee Trevino, and Johnny Miller all strolled the fairways of Cherry Hill Club during the 1972 Canadian Open, Gay Brewer emerged victorious. Most recently, in 2016, Cherry Hill Club hosted a Mackenzie Tour event after wildfires devastated Fort McMurray, Alberta, which of course eliminated all hopes of a planned event being played there that year. Acting like a foster home, Cherry Hill Club was approached to host the event, and that’s exactly what they did.
Quite honestly, having the opportunity to play Cherry Hill Club is a dream come true, a dream that I never thought would come to fruition. Not to be self-deprecating but I’m a very humble man, not necessarily refined and to be totally frank, I always inwardly felt like someone of my ilk never deserved to set foot onto a golf club at a place like Cherry Hill Club. For me, there was an almost unreasonable fear that I’d contaminate it. Fears that would be dashed by the time I left Cherry Hill Club, with the setting sun riding as my wingman.
The practice green in behind the halfway house. Tricky.
My day at Cherry Hill Club started by attending a meeting on the patio of the clubhouse. 2020, as we all know, has been a year which will “live in infamy” (to paraphrase President Franklin D. Roosevelt). The annual golf outing for the Golf Journalists Association of Canada was scrubbed earlier in the year due to COVID-19. In a manner similar to 2016, Cherry Hill Club accommodated our outing in these difficult and unprecedented times. As I walked up onto the patio to take part in a meeting, I actually stopped in my tracks to admire the view from the patio. It was at that moment, that I realized that I was at Cherry Hill Club. The fairway of the first hole runs parallel to the patio, and I just absorbed the view, watching as two golfers meandered their way down the first fairway walking towards their respective golf balls. I was in awe and in love. As the meeting wrapped up, it was time to get to the range and start warming up for the round.
The driving range is located across the street and kitty-corner from the clubhouse. Fully appointed with Titleist golf balls, your warm-up is with real golf balls so you get a good idea of how you’re clicking on any given day. The grass on the tee deck is pristine, and really does serve as a sign of things to come. A tee deck that has nothing but even lies and plenty of room for golfers, about to start their day. The practice green is located by the halfway house and the Pro Shop. Prior to my round, I warmed up on the putting green, and I have to admit that it was a struggle. Truthfully, I failed to make a single putt from any distance, but I noticed one thing. The greens had very subtle breaks that you may not be aware of.
Safely in the fairway and ready to strike my second shot on the Par 4 15th hole at Cherry Hill Club.
As I made my way out to my groups starting hole in this scramble, I took in all of the views that were afforded to me. Everywhere that I looked, Cherry Hill Club appeared to be flawless. It seemed that nary a blade of grass was out of place and the water hazards just glistened under the clear, bright blue late-September sky. My starting hole was #15, which is a dogleg left Par 4 hole. A water hazard awaits any errant tee shot struck too far to the left, which coincidentally sits at the entrance of a dogleg. A bunker sits across from the water hazard down the right side of the fairway. This hole was so aesthetically pleasing that I just took in the hues of green and blue, finding myself immersed, infatuated, and distracted. I was “in the moment”.
As the round wore on, the aesthetic beauty and charm of Cherry Hill Club never ceased to amaze me. Tee box after tee box, I was captivated by the beauty of this Walter J. Travis masterpiece. I had a sensation that in a way, transcended time, seemingly taking me back to 1922. There was a feeling, one in which you felt the quaint charm of the design. Generally speaking, when I think about golf courses that I’ve played, there’s always that one golf hole that sticks out in my mind. Or there’s the gauche, almost derogatory terminology that is the proverbial “Signature Hole”. Neither of these applied at Cherry Hill Club. Across this great nation of Canada, we’re blessed with a wide scope of geographical features. At Cherry Hill Club, there are no golf holes that are lakeside, there are no golf holes that have dramatic cliffs dropping off into an abyss that is the ocean, nor are there majestic vistas with rugged mountains in the background. Cherry Hill Club doesn’t need it, Walter J. Travis made a masterpiece out of a piece of canvas that was once two farms on moderately rolling terrain.
Heading home. The Par 5 18th Hole at Cherry Hill Club.
The greens alone are special and very noteworthy. Without a doubt, the greens at Cherry Hill Club are nothing short of spectacular. Spectacular in the sense that their conditioning was something that I’ve only seen on a couple of other occasions. They’re quick, running 12’11” on the Stimpmeter of the date of play. But, that’s not the true beauty or genius of them. The true beauty lies in the undulations, both obvious and subtle, that were Travis’ vision. More times, often than not, I chuckled both to myself and out loud. Not because the greens were unfair or demonic, it’s not like that at all. I chuckled because I loved them so much. Subtlety is an art form and in comparison, the greens are a “Mona Lisa” of subtlety. I’ve often said that to enjoy this game you have to have a “near sadomasochistic quality” and the greens at Cherry Hill Club brings that quality out of you. Out of the changes that have taken place over the years at Cherry Hill Club, the greens remain the same. Unchanged and designed to withstand the “tests of time”.
“The best set of greens in Canada.” – Ian Andrew (Canadian Golf Architect)
Ian Andrew on the putting surfaces at Cherry Hill Club
As mentioned, Cherry Hill Club has seen an evolution. Changes to a golf course in what has been nearly a century. Among these changes are the bunkers in terms of numbers, mounding, and the manner in which the golf course has been mowed by it’s dedicated Golf Course Superintendent and his professional staff. The mowing of the turf showing more contrast and depth from tee to green and around the periphery. The changes allow for more creativity for the golfer when greens in regulation are missed. Putts, “Texas Wedges”, and “Bump and Runs” can all be executed depending on the situation, instead of executing the standard lob shot. The topography of the golf course itself makes it a very walkable golf course. If I have any regrets about my day at Cherry Hill Club, it was that I never walked the golf course. A diabetic foot ulcer prevented that enjoyable walk in Utopia from happening. But, I digress.
Everything about Cherry Hill Club is first class. From Head Professional Walker Arnott and his staff of Assistant Professional’s. Whether it’s Golf Course Superintendent Jeremy Krueger and his band of unsung heroes or the Food and Beverage Staff. Everyone at Cherry Hill Club is there to assist you, to make you feel welcome, comfortable, and to make your day enjoyable and memorable.
The final hole was the Par 4 14th hole.
Cherry Hill Club makes you feel like you’re in a bubble, which in a way is sort of ironic, considering the circumstances around the globe right now. Cherry Hill Club is a place where, once upon the grounds you feel like everything in the world is okay. I don’t know what the future holds for me and I don’t know if I’ll ever get the privilege, distinction, and honour to play Cherry Hill Club again. It took me 48 years to play Cherry Hill Club and the wait was worth every second.
When it comes to golf and technology we have seen all sorts of crazy advances. From agronomy to equipment to wearable golf technology. All of these things have contributed in helping golfers improve and shoot lower scores.
Another segment of the golf industry that’s helped golfers improve and play better golf is that of launch monitors. Launch monitors can cost tens of thousands of dollars, but there are some launch monitors out there that are small, compact, and fit into the palm of your hand. These launch monitors are called “Personal Launch Monitors”. And many of them cost less than $1000.
Among the types of units that I describe is that of Rapsodo Golf’s MLM or Mobile Launch Monitor. In looking at Rapsodo Golf’s MLM you have a device that costs less than $500 USD (the same price as a new 2020 driver). The MLM offers key swing metrics such as clubhead speed, distance, launch angle, and smash factor to name a few. But it also does a whole lot more like capture video during your swing sessions, the MLM shows your ball flight via a “shot tracer” and there are even games to make your game sharper. All of this through the use of an iPhone or iPad. As long as you have iOS 11 or better, the app will work.
While all of this is well and good, as far as I’m concerned the MLM had a flaw. The key word here being “had”. As I learned at the 2020 PGA Show MLM had no capabilities to work indoors or into a net. A real bummer for those potential consumers stuck indoors during the winter. Well, fret no more, because the team at Rapsodo Golf has since rectified this inconvenience.
Recently, I received the opportunity from Rapsodo Golf and Brenna Byrne (Account Executive at Uproar PR) to test and review the MLM. I received my demo unit two days ago and since, I’ve had a couple of sessions where I have employed the MLM. Below is my introduction video to testing and following that is a quick recap of my first session.
The Introduction
First session re-cap.
Stay tuned for the full review as I wrap up my testing down the road. We’re only getting started with this one.
