Surf the Earth with Laird Hamilton and the new GolfBoard

Laird Hamilton, legendary big wave surfer, is a design consultant for a new product called the GolfBoard which just won best new product at the 2014 PGA Merchandise Show.

According to their website: The GolfBoard will change the way you experience the game of golf. The easy to ride electric board makes getting from one shot to the next just as fun as hitting a great drive or approach shot. The GolfBoard speeds up the game, is easy and intuitive for everyone to ride, has less impact on a course than a golf cart, and allows golfers to surf the golf course in a way that feels similar to snowboarding, surfing or skateboarding.

Putting Greens by Pro Putt Systems offer a wide selection of standard and custom packages

Pro Putt Systems putting greens offers a great selection of both standard and custom packages for indoor and outdoor use. Pro Putt uses Mirage synthetic turf, the most realistic on the market, which comes with a 10 year turf warranty. The turf is placed on a base system which is put together like a puzzle. The base system lifts the turf off the ground allowing the ball to roll into the cup.  No tools are required for the installation. The greens can be ordered online, delivered to your home, and you install it yourself. This is the perfect product for serious practice, game rooms, entertainment, or golf rooms. Prices are reasonable as well starting at $799.

Standard packages include:

THE CLUB CHAMPION: Measuring 10 feet x 4 feet, this green is specifically designed to make you a money putter within 10 feet. 

The Club Champion Model

THE PRO PUTT TRAINER: Measuring 12 feet x 4 feet, this green is designed to fit into any room.

THE ULTIMATE PUTTING TRAINER: Measuring 12 feet x 6 feet, this green is the best for a variety of putting drills.

THE TOUR PRO MODEL: Measuring 13 feet long, it can handle putts of up to 12 feet and chips from up to 20 feet with an optional chipping pad.

THE EXECUTIVE TOUR PRO MODEL: Measuring 17 feet long, and 6 feet wide, this green can also have the option of undulating putts for practicing breakers.

THE GOLF SHOP MODEL: A total square footage of 120, five cups included, perfect for a golf shop.

Lower your handicap by 5+ strokes with an indoor putting green

Turf Evolutions Completes TPC Sawgrass Installation Work

(Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. - June 18, 2013)   Turf Evolutions, an industry leader in alternative turf solutions for golf, athletic fields and landscaping needs, has completing the installation of its surface at TPC Sawgrass as part of a continuing relationship with the home course of THE PLAYERS Championship and the PGA TOUR.

TPC Sawgrass is renovating its practice facility and the adjacent PGA TOUR Academy through June 17, with an artificial surface replacement at the back of the reworked tee box and at a hitting area for the Academy, totaling approximately 6,500 square feet.

The PGA TOUR Academy regularly uses beginner instruction on the artificial surface to allow starting players some forgiveness. 

Ken Venturi played vs. Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson in "The Match"

 Ken Venturi, who passed away last week at the age of 82, was a famous golfer and excellent long-time golf announcer for CBS. The 2013 Golf Hall of Fame inductee was also part of a famous golf match detailed in the book "The Match" by Mark Frost.

"The Match" occurred in 1956 and was developed through a bet by two millionaires named Eddie Lowery and George Coleman. If you have ever seen the movie "The Greatest Game Ever Played" Eddie Lowery was the 10 year old caddy for Francis Ouimet when he won the 1913 U.S. Open as a 20 year old amateur.

Years later, at a celebrity/charity golf event, Lowery begins boasting that his two top amateur golfers Ken Venturi (who went on the win the U.S. Open) and Harvie Ward (an unbelievable talent who also enjoyed partying), can beat any two players in the world. George Coleman then makes a few calls and immediately recruits Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan, two of the greatest players in history, who happen to be at the tournament for the week.

At this point in time, the two upcoming amateurs were at the top of their games, while Nelson and Hogan's careers were winding down. Without giving the details, let's just say "The Match" was unbelievable. It occurred at Cyprus Point in California, was a back and forth battle all day, and all four of them went low.

The book provides an excellent description of the match that occurred that day, while at the same time discusses each player’s story, how they arrived at that point in time, and what they went on to in the future. All four players lived remarkable lives in the world of golf and the match that they played will always be a part of golf history.

Matt Every breaks out the Black Hawk

Matt Every has been using a new putter called the Black Hawk, which appears to be a stick attached to a DVD player. Either way, it's been working well for him as he's tied for the lead heading into the final round of the Sony Open. 

If he wins, be prepared for golf purists to call for the putter to be banned, just like the long and belly putters.

New golf fashion

Master of Golf Art

The par-5 16th at Firestone

Graeme Baxter is the official artist for the British Open, the Ryder Cup, the Presidents Cup, the U.S. Open and the Masters, as well as the PGA Tour and European Tour.

"I'm essentially trying to create a record of golf history," he says of his prints and paintings, available at baxtergolf.

"Whereas other artists often try to present an image of a course, with almost airbrushed precision, I want to capture a more natural feel for the course. It's simple. I have a passion for golf, I have a passion for art - in my paintings, I combine the two. It did strike me that it wasn't a bad way to make a living!"

He definitely makes a decent living. His painting of the 2000 British Open sold for more than $450,000.

New Nike Prototype golf shoes

These shoes look pretty bad ass. They are the new Nike prototype golf shoes being worn this week by, you guessed it, Tiger Woods.

Putting Out Of Your Mind

 

In Sport Psychologist Bob Rotella's book Putting Out Of Your Mind, he discusses techniques he teaches pros to help them get the best out of their putting.

Here are 10 of his top rules:

1) The putting game is the place to look if you want to get a competitive advantage.
2) In putting, the inability to forget is infinitely more devastating than the inability to remember. There is nothing worse for your putting than dwelling on putts you've missed.
3) Never putt to a three foot circle. If you aren't trying to hole every putt you have, you are going to lose to someone who is.
4) Good players handle pressure putts by developing a strong routine and relying on it in the clutch.
5) Good putters learn to welcome nervous symptoms rather than fear them.
6) Every putt is a green-light putt.
7) The yips originate in the mind. Their prevention and cure are mental challenges.
8) Pick a putting style that feels good to you and stick with it.
9) There is no such thing as perfect putting mechanics.
10) The principles of good putting will work for as long as your commitment to them stands.

A few drills he suggests:

1) Pick a straight putt on the practice green. Place a tee at three feet, five feet, and seven feet. Make three balls in a row at each distance until you make all nine. If you miss one, start over.
2) Choose a five foot putt with a decent amount of break. Using three balls, hit each one at a different speed to get a feel for the break. Hit one firm, one medium, and one slow.

* If you tend to miss a lot of four footers on the practice green, the problem is mechanics. If you make most of your four footers on the practice green but miss them on the course, the problem is mental.*

Cigars Direct

If you're looking for the best choice in premium cigars, check out our friends at Cigarsdirect.

Kikkor Golf: Bringing cool new style to golf shoes

Kikkor Golf is a new company started by James Lepp, who won the 2005 NCAA individual golf championship while at the University of Washington. After turning pro, he soon turned to the world of business where he saw a need for cooler golf shoes, especially for the younger generation.

The goal of the company is to create unique and stylistic shoes while still providing the important technical attributes such as grip, stability, waterproofing, and durability.

Kikkor is based on the West Coast of Canada with their products now readily available throughout North America, soon to be worldwide. The company also recently had a booth at the PGA show in Orlando where they received a lot of positive reviews throughout the media.

I just received my first pair in the mail and they are definitely unique looking and comfortable. They appear to be well made and durable. I've yet to use them on the course due to cold weather and snow in the forecast but will be trying them out soon. 

Check out their website at kikkor.com to view their new line for 2011. Kikkor has provided The 20th Hole site the chance for any readers to receive a 10% discount. Use the discount code "matt gullo" at checkout to save some money and get a new look on the course.

Callaway and Lamborghini form partnership

Callaway and Lamborghini have formed a strategic partnership with their first collaboration together being forged composite. For Callaway, using carbon composites instead of steel and titanium provides engineers the ability to design increasingly advanced clubheads with a greater transfer of power upon impact with the ball and more accurate trajectories.

The Razr Hawk Driver is available February 18th. 

I'll take a driver and the car.

Better Divot Repair

I recently received a new short tooth design divot repair tool courtesy of www.betterdivotrepair.com.

According to the engineers who designed this tool, it is different from the millions of others out there in three ways.

1. Short tooth design - This tool has an abutment which prohibits the teeth from being inserted too far. This repair method involves just three or four diagonal pushes around the perimeter of the divot. Divots repaired this way heal faster.

2. Price - Purchased in quantities of 5000 or more, the price is .25 cents. At this price, they can be given away for free or sold inexpensively at the counter.

3. Advertising - For approximately .25 cents more, the tools can be labeled with full color vinyl stickers that adhere to the polycarbonate tool and last a long time.

I tried this out last time I played and although it took a little while to get adjusted to the shorter teeth, it still worked just fine.

This product is not a bad idea if you need an inexpensive way to market your own business or product.

A Course Called Ireland

In his new book, A COURSE CALLED IRELAND, Tom Coyne writes about his journey through Ireland. He pulls off an unbelievable trip which any true golfer would love to take. Coyne took 16 weeks to play every seaside hole in Ireland, including top ranked courses, as well as nine-hole courses. The most amazing part of the story is that he walked the entire way.

Coyne details the many difficulties he faced on the road as well as the more comedic moments both on the course and in pubs. He also provides some insight as to the best courses to play in Ireland, the best pubs, the best meals, and the best places to stay.

The book goes on sale February 2nd and more details can be seen at www.tomcoyne.com.

Tattoo Golf

Check out this unique new brand of golf attire and accessories at Tattoo Golf.

GOLF RECORD BOOK RELEASED

Throughout my own golf career, I always tracked my records in various notebooks. I decided to design a product that would allow golfers the opportunity to organize all the memorable records they have set during their golfing careers.

I came up with the "Golf Record Book" which is a classy hardcover book broken down into various sections for record keeping. The book features black and white golf photos to begin each section. For full details on this book click on the 20th hole.