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2017 Clubhouse holiday golf gift guide

Guys and gals … did you know we are less than three weeks away from December? What the heck happened?! It seemed like only yesterday we were watching Sergio and Justin battle it out at Augusta, Brooks claim victory at Erin Hills, Danielle Kang snag her first win & first major and Jordan Spieth slapping golf shots from a British driving range on his way to a first Claret Jug. And here we are, with all that in our rearview, focusing on trying to find that golfer in your life the perfect gift. Fear not, my friends, as I have put together a list of gifts that would be perfect for any and all golfers out there.

Ogio 2018 Cirrus Stand Bag — The newest in Ogio’s great line of Cirrus bags, the ’18 edition is lightweight, easy to carry and has all the pockets you would want that doesn’t jeopardize space and compartments for all the gloves, balls, snacks, jackets and gloves that you may need in these winter months. It’s perfect for carrying but I love that it is still a full-sized bag where I don’t have to leave stuff out to make it all work. I use one of these and really love it, plus, if you use THECLUBHOUSE at checkout on any Ogio product, you instantly save 20 percent. That is a holiday miracle! www.ogio.com, $209.99

Bushnell Pro X2 — I’ve always been a rangefinder guy and when it comes to rangefinders, I can’t get away from the great work that Bushnell does. The latest, the Pro X2, has Jolt technology (meaning it vibrates in your hand when you hit the flagstick), can hit flags as far away as 450 yards and my favorite feature, the switch on/off slope function, meaning no more taking off the faceplate and replacing it. For amateurs, having the option of tossing slope on means if you’re playing an elevated tee on a par-3, you can get a perfect adjustment number, meaning more success when equates to more high fives and possibly, POTENTIALLY, more holes-in-one. Ahh, a man can dream. www.bushnellgolf.com, $499

Puttskee Putt Pack — If the golfer in your life has Screen Shot 2017-11-29 at 7.48.53 AMeverything, look no further than the Puttskee and all the great products they produce, including the Putt Pack. You get a Putt Pack plus three game boards that are easily interchangeable, and it’s playable anywhere, all you need is a flat surface. Good for outside if you’re hosting a party or even in your office if you want to decompress a bit by snagging your putter and rolling the rock for a few minutes. www.theputtskee.com, $95

Subscription to the Golfer’s Journal — If you’re one of those people that can’t think of any golf gift that your significant other hasn’t already bought himself, might I suggest signing him/her up for the Golfer’s Journal? A quarterly golf publication that kicked off just a few months ago, it’s exactly what a golfer would want to read and finds stories that are far from the normal pieces you’d find online or in your regular golf magazine. www.golfersjournal.com, $75/year

G/Fore Gallivanter  — The company that broke the mold in terms of how the golf glove is presented has continued to pump out amazing shoes, and I can’t get enough of these Gallivanters. So classy and cool, the nice combination here is that they are great golf shoes and don’t sacrifice the looks for performance. The best part about the Gallivanter? You can really get basically any color combo you want, with plenty on their website to choose from. www.gfore.com, $185

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Seamus Bottle Opener Bag Tag — You want a simple idea that will get a good workout?  This bottle-opener bag tag from Seamus is perfect for anyone, looks classy on the bag and will come in handy when someone brings bottles without thinking ahead. The headcover company that continues to knock it out of the park with creative designs gives you this simple stocking stuffer to make the golfer in your life smile. www.seamusgolf.com, $45

A PGA Tour Live subscription — The best $40 you’ll spend all year, it gives anyone access to over 30 PGA Tour events and live coverage you cannot see anywhere else. The idea is simple and brilliant; show featured groups when golf isn’t live on the networks yet. And, hey, bonus, I host some of the events, so you get more me! Win-win-win. www.pgatourlive.com, $39.99/year

Cuater belts — Over the last few years, since golfers started to realize that tossing on a plain white belt doesn’t mean you nailed the outfit, belts have become a serious part of a golfer’s look. Travis Mathew’s Cuater venture is a great one, and the belts on the site are affordable and classy. You can go as simple as the Foundation belt (reversible, so two-for-one) or take a bit more of a chance with the Static grey belt. I like the looks and think it’s a good gift for the golfer that is in need of a new look around the waist. www.travismathew.com, $34.95-$49.95

Screen Shot 2017-12-06 at 10.10.58 AMPuma P Snapback Cap — I’m all for classy and simple and that is exactly what Puma did with their 2018 hats that Mr. Rickie Fowler will be rocking. The simple P snapbacks are sweet and don’t make it feel like you’re wearing 14 advertisements on your head like a lot of the other hats out there. www.pumagolf.com, $28

Ping G400 Crossover driving iron — The hybrid revolution has taken over golf for good reason, because for most people, hybrids are way easier to hit than a long iron. But for some of us with a different type of swing, hybrids don’t work, and that is where the crossover comes in. The driving iron from Ping is my favorite on the market, easy to hit, easy to get in the air and perfect off the tee when you just aren’t feeling confident with the driver. www.ping.com, $229

adidas Tour 360 2.0 — The folks at adidas keep knocking it out of the park with their 360 line and the 2.0 is no different. Comfortable, great for any and all conditions and sharp looking, this is my go-to pair of shoes to take when I can only bring one pair with me on the road or on a golf trip. Also, the Boost technology that adidas has included in their recent lines of shoes does make a difference and you can tell after a long day of walking 18 or 36 holes. www.adidas.com, $200

Under Armour Coldgear Reactor Hybrid Vest — Over the years, I have moved further and further away from a jacket on the course (if it’s cold enough where I must have a big jacket, I’m probably not playing … this is the Arizona wimp in me) and found my love in golf vests. They don’t restrict your golf swing while keeping you warm, and Under Armour makes some of the best vests out there. I love the Reactor Hybrid vest because it isn’t too bulky yet still insulates your upper body, perfect for anyone that needs one more layer but hates jackets like I do. www.underarmour.com, $79.99

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Amateur Local Rules, 1.0

There isn’t a single person on this planet that would ever say golf is easy. It’s hard. It’s hard for you and I just like it’s hard for Justin Thomas and Rory McIlroy. We all struggle at times with the game and considering it’s a hobby we choose to play, it should be fun and an enjoyable walk, not 3.5 hours of stress and fear. That is why I’ve created the first ever Amateur Local Rules, a list for the everyday golfer that is out there looking to have a good time and not beat themselves up by the hundreds of pages of rules that can overwhelm us. If you have any to add, hit us on Twitter with the hashtag #amlocalrules and we will be updated as ideas pour in.

1.) Pull your ball out of a divot if it’s in your fairway, if everyone in the group agrees it is in fact a divot.

2.) Clean up any spike mark or imperfection on the green you want.

3.) If you hit it in a bunker and it’s in a footprint or old divot or unraked area, you can move it to a clean position.

4.) No more O.B.; play everything like a lazy lateral.

5.) Mudballs can be cleaned and placed, no penalty.

6.) If a ball is “lost” in play (under leaves, pinestraw, etc) and the group agrees it was in play and in the general vicinity of where you are looking, a new ball can be put in play free of penalty.

7.) If someone shows up on the first tee with iron headcovers, you can ask to be moved to another group.

8.) Full relief from a cart path, no nearer the hole, where you can have a free golf swing … no need to drop on wrong side of the path in desert/trees (Via @gacattak on Twitter)

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Mailbag: What do you want changed in golf?

 

I’ve talked about the uniqueness of golf for many years. No other sport becomes more popular with age like golf, because no other sport allows people to play it as long as this one does. The older you get, the more accessibility you may have to playing the game and buying clubs and getting out on the course; all of this means you like the sport more. And with that, comes issues. So many issues. I asked people on Twitter for something they’d change in golf, and the responses came pouring in. Here are some of the best answers.

Bacon: I am all in on this idea and actually have started to see it happen slowly around the country. We talk so much about growing the game and finding goofy initiatives for “YOUNG PEOPLE” that almost always flame out (note to those in charge; a commercial during the second round of the Dean & Deluca isn’t exactly reaching the group of people you hope it reaches). The best way to grow the game is to allow kids a chance to play it for a very minimal cost.

One of my goals in the Phoenix area is to raise some money and build a friendly par-3 course that is nine holes and blocks times off for kids. Literally no adults on the course. Have signs up around hazards explaining what to do. Simple to read, simple to understand signs about drops and bunkers and hazards that kids can read and hopefully comprehend. Even if they don’t, that’s fine, just the fact that they are out there helps grow the game simply be implanting the idea that golf can be fun in a percentage of those young brains.

Bacon: Well this seems like a simple enough request. I’ve done it before and now I feel like a dope. No more!

Bacon: I’m going to take this a step further; every golfer needs to have a realistic idea of how far they hit the golf ball with certain clubs (driver, 3-wood, hybrids) and if you can’t fly the ball that distance to a green or a drivable par-4, go ahead and swing.

I know a very, very good ball-striker friend of mine (like, played in PGA Tour events good) who probably would have had a lengthy career if he was better inside of five-feet that once told me he hits five good shots a round. That’s it! Five!

I see so many people waiting out golf shots with the idea that “If I hit this thing PERFECTLY it’ll be enough to get there.” Well, bad news; that probably won’t happen, and even if it does and it isn’t a legit carry distance to the green, rolling one up on a group from 250 with a three-wood isn’t as much a cause for an apology as it a cause for celebration from the group in front knowing what you just did. Can we all just agree to be a little less macho on the golf course and a little more realistic? That would be amazing.

Bacon: I can only speak for where I work, but our producer pounds home the idea that we give away a shot that happened moments ago. We aren’t trying to trick the viewer, trust me, and going all over the top on a predictions when you know what happened makes for a lesser broadcast.

I would bet you think this happens more than it really does.

Bacon: Wait, but  … do you want us to tell you this or not? I just … nevermind.

Bacon: I have to disagree with you on this one. We do a ton of match play at Fox and not giving out what they putt is for in terms of scoring on that hole means you lose the identity of the match.

Think about this from earlier this year; Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm are battling for the Dell title in Austin and it’s the final hole and Dustin has a putt from 12-feet and Rahm has one from 18-feet. If they’re both putting for birdie that’s great, but what if they’re both putting for double-bogey? Doesn’t giving that away help the viewer understand how the hole was played? We at home associate with birdies and bogeys and pars all the time in golf, so it wouldn’t make a lot of sense to eliminate that just because the final stroke play score doesn’t count here.

Knowing a big putt is for eagle in match play can carry the same type of crescendo for the fan at home as in a stroke play, and doing away with that would make for a lesser event.

Bacon: I don’t know about a work camp, but what about forcing them to come out the next morning at 4 AM and get the course set up? Or fill divots? Or greet everyone as they enter the tournament with a ridiculous golf/dad joke?

Why do golfers always carry two pair of pants? 

In case they get a hole in one! 

I have long said that I don’t mind yelling after the golf shot if it’s original, but few people seem to be that original these days and it annoys way more people than it makes laugh.

If you really wanted to stop these types of yelling at a golf event, just say they’re cut off from alcohol the first time they do it. That would stop it immediately. Problem solved.

Bacon: We aren’t far from this happening. I thought it would go down in 2018 but it’s looking more like a ’19 project. Still, we need it more than ever. Lexi Thompson and Bryson DeChambeau were the biggest draw at the Franklin Templeton last December. This is such a smart thing for golf to do, and to do it soon.

Bacon: Absolutely agree. It’s why I love doing PGA Tour Live so much. We are on the same group for four straight hours, so the moment the caddie and player start talking, we lay out because we have plenty of time to get in what the heck we want to say after they’re done.

Being able to pick up that audio really does differentiate golf from almost every other sport. Could you imagine being able to listen in on what the offensive coordinator is feeding down to the quarterback before every play? That is basically what we have here.

Bacon: As a Texan myself I totally agree, and maybe with the new PGA Championship scheduling we could at least see the Lone Star State join the conversation.

The last time one of the big four events came to Texas was in 1969, when Orville Moody won the U.S. Open at Champions, and since then the majors have been all over the country, but never back in Texas.

What courses would be on the short list if it ever did become a conversation starter? Besides Champions, you could see Dallas National, Shadow Hawk, Whispering Pines, Pine Dunes (oh yes, Pine Dunes!) and maybe Colonial. Could Bluejack National get a major at some point with the backing of Mr. Tiger Woods (the Tiger tees do stretch to nearly 7,600 yards)? It isn’t inconceivable but it does get muggy and gross in the summer and the event would really have to get lucky for a mild week for the new date of the PGA to actually land one.

Bacon: As a man who has been known to miss even the widest of fairways, I’m all in on this and frankly can’t believe it isn’t a rule at this point. It’s like finding out your ball is plugged in a bunker except for the fact that a bunker is a hazard and you just hit it in the damn fairway!

I almost feel we should start up an “Amateur Local Rules” page that groups can play by. Golf is hard enough as it is. What if we started it right now.

Amateur Local Rules, Vol. I

1.) Pull your ball out of a divot if it’s in your fairway.

2.) Clean up any spike mark or imperfection on the green you want.

3.) If you hit it in a bunker and it’s in a footprint or old divot or unraked area, you can move it to a clean position.

4.) No more O.B.; play everything like a lazy lateral.

5.) If someone shows up on the first tee with iron headcovers, you can ask to be moved to another group.

Fire any ideas that you have my way on Twitter using the hashtag #amlocalrules and we will add to this.

Okay, that’ll do it. Check back here for more posting and fun over the next few months.