Golf Views » Hunter Mahan

Hands-On: iPING Putter App with Hunter Mahan

Rob — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:11:12 +0000

The mechanics of putting has many factors that influence the outcome of your putt: stroke type, impact angle, and tempo. If you want to get those measured, you could go and get a putter fitting with your local golf professional or club fitter. This is the traditional approach and may not be an option for some golfers, who don’t have time or the means to do so.

Wouldn’t it be great if a golfer could analyze his/her stroke type, impact angle, and tempo without getting a putter fitting? That’s what the Ping is trying to do with its free iPING app for the iPhone 4 and iPod Touch (4th generation). The iPING app works in conjunction with a Ping cradle ($30 MSRP), which holds the iPhone or iPod Touch onto the putter shaft, below the grip. Watch this video of Ping’s PGA Tour Manager Matt Rollins walk Hunter Mahan through using the iPING app.

About the iPING App

The iPING app analyzes and displays you consistency onscreen using the three criteria: stroke type (determined by how much the putter face rotates during the forward stroke); impact angle (the putter’s face angle at impact, relative to address); and tempo (a measure of the duration of the backswing relative to the forward swing).

The app works by computing consistency over a series of five putts where your stroke type, impact angle and tempo are measured, displayed and stored for every putt in that session. Your consistency scores are averaged over time to build a Putting Handicap (PHcp). As you improve your consistency, you’ll see your PHcp come down.

iPING Fit

The iPING Fit feature matches you with the PING putter models that fit your stroke type. Matching your putter to your stroke type is the key to greater consistency and lower scores.

Download the iPING app

The Day in Pictures: Round 3 of the 2011 BMW Championship

Rob — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 01:39:40 +0000

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The Day in Pictures: Round 2 of the BMW Championship

Rob — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 04:29:11 +0000

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Round 1 2011 BMW Championship: The Day in Pictures

Rob — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 05:50:48 +0000

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Lemont, IL -It may have been an unseasonably cool day at Cog Hill for the opening round of the 2011 BMW Championship, but it didn’t stop Justin Rose from finishing the day with 8 under par (63). “Starting the day today, my mindset was to respect the golf course and to go out there and just fairways and greens it,” Rose said. “That sounds simple. I didn’t expect to do that and make nine birdies out there for sure..”

Despite hitting a shank on the par-4 18th, Webb Simpson is tied for 2nd, with Chicago’s Mark Wilson at 6 under (65). Other players in the chasing down Justin Rose, include K.J. Choi 4th (4 under 67), T5 Jim Furyk, Camilo Villegas, and John Sneden (3 under 68), and T8 Rickie Fowler (2 under 69). If conditions stay cool like they are forecasted for the rest of the tournament, the course will firm up and become even tougher for the rest of the field to shoot low scores.

Callaway Golf Introduces New X Series JAWS CC Wedges

Rob — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 18:26:41 +0000

Since the USGA Grooves rule was introduced last year, golfers on TOUR have been looking for ways to get more spin with their wedges. After four years of research, Callaway’s new Tour CC grooves feature 21 tightly spaced grooves that move away debris to provide more spin and control around the greens.

Starting on January 14th, you can purchase the new X Series JAWS CC wedges created by Callaway’s Chief of Golf Club Design, Roger Cleveland. Crafted through a proprietary process, the conforming grooves can only be found in Callaway’s forged wedges and irons.

55 Percent More Ball Spin Than the Competition
In fact, extensive test data suggests the new grooves produce up to 55 percent more ball spin than the leading competitor’s wedge grooves (based on robot test comparison with Cleveland CG15 Tour Zip Wedge). The new wedges feature up to 21 tightly spaced grooves that provide the maximum cross-sectional area to ensure that moisture and debris are swept away on shots hit from varying course conditions. The grooves can only be produced on a forged wedge, which enhances feel on shots hit around the green. The JAWS CC wedges are forged of 1020 carbon steel for a soft feel and feedback at impact on approach shots.

“Callaway wedges were in the hands of a number of PGA TOUR winners in 2010, including two major champions and the year-ending Tour Championship winner,” said Roger Cleveland, Chief of Golf Club Design, Callaway Golf. “They choose to play Callaway wedges because of the performance provided by the sole geometry, a softer feel because the wedges are forged, and groove technology that produces increased spin. We call it the ‘JAWS Groove.’”

New Bounce Options
New bounce options have been added for 2011, featuring soles that have been individually designed for maximum versatility, especially in firm and tight playing conditions. A zero bounce option is now offered in the 58- and 60-degree wedges. An eight-degree bounce is offered in 58- and 60-degree wedges as well. In addition to low bounce options in the aforementioned higher lofts, the JAWS CC wedges will now be available with reduced bounce offerings at 52, 54 and 56 degrees.

“These wedges can only be produced with a forging process, which provides a softer feel around the greens,” Cleveland added. “With up to 21 grooves–versus 15 on a standard wedge—you get more traction on the ball, which means more spin and more control. We have now added two new low bounce options in the JAWS Slate Series and the zero bounce wedge recorded its first win recently when Ernie Els won the South African Open.”

C-Grind Sole
The X Series JAWS CC wedges are also offered with a C-Grind sole, which enhances versatility and delivers precision shot-making by improving turf interaction. This “C” Grind relieves the heel and toe bounce and reduces the sole width, enabling golfers to lay the face open while keeping the leading edge down.

Other Notable Non-Callaway Staffers Bagging the JAWS Wedges
Callaway X-Series JAWS Wedges and X-Forged Wedges are still in the hands of several non-Callaway staffers. Jim Furyk still has X Forged and JAWS wedges in his bag. He requested another X-Forged 60-degree C-Grind for a backup of his current gamer. Hunter Mahan also had Callaway wedges in the bag from last year—a JAWS Slate 54-degree and an X-Forged Vintage 60-degree wedge.

X Series JAWS CC wedges come in loft offerings of 50°, 52°, 54°, 56°, 58° and 60° and are available in either a new Slate finish or a new Brushed Chrome finish. The wedges feature a new product introduction retail price of $119 (with a True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 steel shaft).

www.callawaygolf.com

Life of a PGA Tour Van Driver: Ping’s Daniel Udd

Rob — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 01:26:00 +0000

Did you ever want to know what life is like driving a PGA Tour Van? In this two part video, Ping’s Tour Master Technician Daniel Udd, let’s you inside his world.

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Part one you’ll find out how many days of the year Daniel is on the road, favorite stop on the Tour, crazy things that happen on the road, what Bubba Watson does when he visits the van, and much more.

In part two of the video, you’ll see how Daniel builds Ping’s new S56 irons, which have won seven times on Tour, and what sets Ping apart in how they build golf clubs.

Special thanks to Daniel Udd and Ping for setting this up!

www.ping.com

Ping S56 Irons Review

Rob — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:41:49 +0000

One of the most winning sets of irons on Tour this season were the Ping S56 irons, capturing seven victories. The follow up to popular S57, the S56 irons are one of the reason for Hunter Mahan’s success on Tour with his amazing shot control and consistency.

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Look and Feel
The S56 irons are svelte with their steel body blade design which is slightly longer than the S57 brethren and feature variable tungsten toe weighting and stabilizing bars. The brushed matte steel body is complimented by the machined face with conforming grooves for performance and control. These irons will appeal to even the most discerning golfer and setup perfectly at address with their thin profile. Round out the S56 irons with True Temper Dynamic Gold steel shafts and Ping ID8 grips, which feature a dog-bone texture for enhanced control. Overall, the Ping S56 irons are a great looking set of players irons.

Performance
One of the reasons for the S56 irons success on Tour, is the premium these irons put on precision and shot control. How this was achieved in the S56 irons is two-fold: variable tungsten toe weighting and variable width stabilizing bar technology.

The tungsten toe weighting which is shallower in the clubhead on the long irons produces a medium-high trajectory for your ball flight. In the shorter irons the weight is deeper in the face which result in more of a piercing ball flight. Sounds a little counter intuitive at first, but it makes a big difference when trying to control your shots.

Shot Control and Stabilizing Bar Technology
On the back of each of the S56 irons you’ll notice that the stabilizing bars vary in width depending on the type of iron. In long irons the stabilizing bars are narrower, than the bars in the short irons. The stabilizing bars play a role in optimizing the each irons center of gravity location. In the long irons I tested the narrower bar helps generate more distance from faster ball speed, but also higher trajectory. I gained at least 2-4 yards consistently with my long irons and found it very easy to fade and draw my shots.

The short irons feature a wider stabilizing bar which produced a more controlled trajectory than I’m used to with my shorter irons. I was blown away by the laser like precision with my short irons. The piercing ball flight made it easier to be precise with my approach shots and not worry about getting the ball caught in the wind or sailing past the green.

Turf Interaction and Forgiveness
A feature of the S56 irons that doesn’t get talked about a lot is how well these irons interact with the turf. I found that the S56 irons would glide effortlessly through the turf, without getting hung up. This is very helpful from the first cut of rough, which helped minimize loss of distance and control.

As a golfer with average capabilities and mid-hadicap, I found the S56 irons quite easy to hit. In terms of forgiveness the S56 irons are forgiving on off center hits, with minimal distance loss, but being a better players irons you’ll feel it when you mishit your shots.

Overall the Ping S56 irons are an excellent set of players irons for the golfer who values precision and shot control. You may not have the skills of Hunter Mahan, but you can at least play the same irons he has in his bag. Before running out an buying a set off the rack, I highly recommend you get fitted by an authorized Ping Club fitter to get the most out of these irons.

Ping S56 Irons $899

8 Things I Learned from the Ryder Cup

Rob — Wed, 06 Oct 2010 01:06:51 +0000

Ryder Cup Fans-Photo Rydercup.com

We all know by now that the Ryder Cup came down to the final singles match between Hunter Mahan and Graeme McDowell, and how it ended with Europe reclaiming the Ryder Cup, by 1-point -14 1/2 to 13 1/2. Over the past four days of some of the most exciting golf in recent history, I learned eight things from watching the the 38th Ryder Cup, some of them may surprise you, and others may not.

1. It’s about being a team player and keeping it classy. Even though Hunter Mahan took the loss really hard, and let his emotions overtake him during the press conference. His team mate Phil Mickleson stepped in, took the microphone and partially took the blame for the teams loss. It’s true that Hunter didn’t lose the cup because of his singles match, it lost due to the abysmal play by the USA team during session 3 that ended up costing them the cup in the end.

2. Jeff Overton will forever be known as “Baby Boom!” The raw emotion that this Ryder Cup rookie showed was contagious, and no one looked the most at home in the Ryder Cup “Gortons Fisherman” bucket hats. Overton said it best after winning his singles match, “It’s not necessarily about winning or losing.It’s about the experience of having a great sport like this and just the camaraderie and the fun.” Jeff, is another player that gained a lot of new fans, mine included.

3. Rickie Fowler proved why he was a great Captain’s pick for the Ryder Cup, despite having never won a tournament in 2010. Four birdies in a singles match to halve the match, he gained a ton of new fans and showed why he has a promising future ahead of him. I also think people will embrace his bold style choices on the golf course. I have a feeling bright orange Puma Golf Cell Fusion golf shoes will be in demand this holiday season and everyone will want to be like Rickie, who showed us that even the young Ryder Cup rookie can show poise under pressure.

4. Naming your fabric RainFlex, isn’t a good idea, when it fails to keep the USA Ryder Cup team dry and they are uncomfortable to wear in Wales. Sorry, but Sun Mountain dropped the ball by providing faulty rain suits to the U.S. Ryder Cup team, and handling the situation poorly from a PR and media standpoint. When the PGA has to go and buy rain suits from the merchandise tents, because their official providers suits don’t work, that’s never good for business. Except if you’re ProQuip!

5. Corey Pavin, has to be one of the worst Ryder Cup Captain’s in the history of the tournament. Lacking any ability to motivate his team, and always giving robotic responses to the media, made it very hard for me to like him as a Captain. That’s why Jason Sobel and members of the media loved’ referring to him has “Borey.” I get that it’s the players who win and lose the Ryder Cup, and not the Captain, but why was Pavin following Zach Johnson’s singles match? Pavin had to have known that the Ryder Cup was coming down to the last match between Hunter Mahan and Graeme McDowell. The only thing that I liked about Pavin was his selection of Rickie Fowler as his Captain’s pick.

6. The PGA might want to rethink how it selects its Captain’s. The missteps by Pavin and lack of any charisma, really hurt the U.S. team in my opinion. The Captain should have the ability to motivate be a good strategist, and be flexible. Pavin never budged on his singles lineup after he made them Saturday evening, unlike Colin Montgomerie who made last minute changes. Being rigid and inflexible are not good qualities your leader should have.

7. Colin Montgomerie’s success can be attributed to his Captain’s pick of Luke Donald who played brilliantly going 3-1-0, hitting solid iron shots, and putting extremely well. McDowell, Westwood, and Poulter also helped with sealing Monty’s legacy. I have to wonder how Paul Casey feels about being looked over and missing out on the Ryder Cup?

8. Somebody must have told Dustin Johnson he was playing in the Ryder Cup, because he finally came to play on the last day, when he smoked Martin Kaymer in a rematch of the final round of the PGA Championship. The entire Ryder Cup, Johnson always looked very out of sorts, putting poorly, and out of it. It was nice to see him bounce back.

What did you learn from watching the Ryder Cup?

BMW Championship Round 2: The Day in Pictures

Rob — Sat, 11 Sep 2010 03:34:15 +0000

Lemont, IL- Round 2 of the BMW Championship was a day filled with ups and downs, for co-leader Matt Kuchar (-6, 136) and the rest of the field competing at Cog Hill.

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Matt Kuchar started the day off with four bogeys in his first six holes, while suffering from what doctors believe is either a bacterial or viral infection. “I was as weak as could be, and I tried for the four or five seconds over the ball to flip the switch on and really give it what I had and go back to walking around without a whole lot of energy.” Things turned around for Kuchar on 12 and 13 where he made two birdie putts of 30 and 20 feet, and rallied to catch Charlie Wi who shot a 69 earlier in the day.

Poor Course Conditions
The other big story out of Cog Hill, were the putting greens. Many of the players in the field have been complaining about the poor putting surface conditions, and how the greens are not putting true, because of the extreme heat Chicago has had this summer. On Friday, Tiger Woods said, “Obviously with the summer heat, they kind of lost a few of these greens.” Added Retief Goosen: “They’ve had a tough summer, you can see that. The course has suffered.”

It should be interesting to see what the players have to say tomorrow, because there is a 60 percent chance of showers starting tonight into tomorrow afternoon.

Sandbox8.com Interviews Hunter Mahan

Rob — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 00:41:12 +0000

The FedEx Cup makes its third stop on the PGA TOUR Playoffs at Cog Hill in Lemont, IL for the BMW Championship this week. One of the players in contention of winning the FedEx Cup, is Ping Golf’s Hunter Mahan, who is 8th in FedEx Cup points standings, and having his best season with two victories on Tour and making his second appearance on the USA Ryder Cup.

We caught up with Hunter to talk about his success on Tour with the Ping S56 Irons, his preparation for the FedEx Cup and Ryder Cup, what he’s looking forward to in his second Ryder Cup appearance, what’s it like being a part of the next generation of young superstars on Tour, what his ultimate dream car is, his advice for amateur golfers, and what he would be doing if he wasn’t playing golf for a living.

Special thanks to Ping and Hunter Mahan for making this possible.