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Hot Start In Paradise For 2011 PGA Tour

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By Scott MacLeod, via www.flagstick.com

One of the greatest bonuses for being a winner on the PGA Tour is the opportunity to get a head start on your competition the following year.
The winners-only Hyundai Tournament of Champions provides that prospect and it was Jonathan Byrd who took advantage – jumping to the top of the PGA Tour standings.
It was a promising launch to the 2011 season and the folks at PGA Tour Headquarters had to be pretty pleased to see a showdown in paradise take place with a playoff between two very likeable players. Especially with a prime-time television slot. What better way to get fans fired up for the year ahead?
A missed birdie putt to reach 25 under and win outright forced Byrd into a playoff with big-bombing Robert Garrigus who had whiffed a chance of his own (his putt was for eagle)on his final hole that would have nabbed him the win.
Byrd looked mis-matched in the playoff, giving up a huge length advantage to Garrigus in the playoff but his steady formed paid off in the end. After both making pars on the 1st extra hole each played conservatively to the putting surface on the next hole.
Byrd cozied up his birdie approach, tapping it in for par while his competitor rushed his attempt to win outright just a little too far past the hole. His hurried putt caught little more than the edge of the hole and with that the first PGA Tour winner of 2011 was declared.
Garrigus, who was solid all week on the greens with his unusually short, 28” putter, admitted he made a critical mistake on his last stroke. “I just hit it too hard” he said in his post round television interview. “I wanted to take the break out of it. I played it inside right. I should’ve played it a little straighter.”
As for Byrd, he was elated with the victory, the 5th of his career on the PGA Tour, and a guaranteed spot in the field of the same event for 2012.
“I felt good out there all day, “said the 32 year-old Anderson, South Carolina native. “I just kept giving myself opportunities.”
That strategy continues to work for Byrd who had a lot of momentum coming into this year. After a slow start in 2010 he capped off his Fall with a stupendous playoff victory at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospital For Children Open where he made an ace on the 1st extra hole to earn his spot in the field this week.
This victory not only earns him $1.12 million but also gives him the lead in the FedEx Cup Points with 500. He also bolsters his chances of representing the United States in the President’s Cup this Fall. With this early thrust he sets himself up for what could be his record season. His best year financially on the Tour was 2007 when he won just over $1.8 million.
Weather conditions were perfect at Maui’s Kapalua Plantation and more than a few players made a charge for the 1st win of the PGA Tour season as a result.
Graeme McDowell made the greatest advance on the field on Sunday. His 11 birdies added up to a record tying round of 62, good enough for third place. A missed short on the 18th was all that kept him out of joining Byrd and Garrigus in the playoff but apparently a 12th birdie was too much to ask for.
“I knew the guys were going to go low today. I just tried to keep my head down out there,” said McDowell of his incredible advance.
It was pretty impressive play from a guy who had just made an equipment sponsor switch from Callaway to Srixon. That said, he did have maintain two of the most critical clubs in his bag, the Callaway FT-Tour driver and Odyssey putter that he carried over from his old mix of sticks.
European Tour: Louis Louis!
While many of the world’s top players were enjoying the Hawaiian sunshine, another impressive cadre of players was tipping it up in the Africa Open in East London, Eastern Cape, South Africa
2010 British Open Champion Louis Oosthuizen returned to form to win a three-way playoff with Chris Wood and Manuel Quiros.
Oosthuizen converted an 8 foot putt on the 1st extra hole to earn his third European Tour victory and 158,000 Euro.

This report provided to GolfWRX.com by Canada’s Flagstick Golf Magazine (www.flagstick.com)
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Equipment

Rickie Fowler’s new putter: Standard-length Odyssey Jailbird 380 in custom orange

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

…The Jailbird craze hasn’t really slowed down in 2024, either. According to Odyssey rep Joe Toulon, there are about 18-20 Jailbird putter users on the PGA TOUR.

Most recently, Akshay Bhatia won the 2024 Valero Texas Open using a broomstick-style Odyssey Jailbird 380 putter and Webb Simpson is switching into a replica of that putter at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Now, Fowler, who essentially started the whole Jailbird craze, is making a significant change to his putter setup.

Fowler, who has had a couple weeks off since the 2024 RBC Heritage, started experimenting with a new, custom-orange Jailbird 380 head that’s equipped with a standard 35-inch putter build, rather than his previous 38-inch counter-balanced setup.

According to Fowler, while he still likes the look and forgiveness of his Jailbird putter head, he’s looking to re-incorporate more feel into his hands during the putting stroke.

He told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday at the Wells Fargo Championship that the 38-inch counterbalanced setup “served its purpose” by helping him to neutralize his hands during the stroke, but now it’s time to try the standard-length putter with a standard-size SuperStroke Pistol Tour grip to help with his feel and speed control.

Although Fowler was also spotted testing standard-length mallets from L.A.B. Golf and Axis1 on Tuesday, he confirmed that the custom Odyssey Jailbird 380 is the putter he’ll use this week at the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

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Equipment

Details on Justin Thomas’ driver switch at the Wells Fargo Championship

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Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from a piece our Andrew Tursky originally wrote for PGATour.com’s Equipment Report. Head over there for the full article. 

So, with a couple of weeks off following his latest start at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Thomas sought to re-address his driver setup with the remote help of Titleist Tour fitting expert J.J. Van Wezenbeeck. About two weeks ago, Thomas and Van Wezenbeeck reviewed his recent driver stats, and discussed via phone call some possible driver and shaft combinations for him to try.

After receiving Van Wezenbeeck’s personalized shipment of product options while at home, Thomas found significant performance improvements with Titleist’s TSR2 head, equipped with Thomas’ familiar Mitsubishi Diamana ZF 60 TX shaft.

Compared to Thomas’ longtime TSR3 model, the TSR2 has a larger footprint and offers slightly higher spin and launch characteristics.

According to Van Wezenbeeck, Thomas has picked up about 2-3 mph of ball speed, to go along with 1.5 degrees higher launch and more predictable mishits.

“I’d say I’d been driving it fine, not driving it great, so I just wanted to, honestly, just test or try some stuff,” Thomas said on Tuesday in an interview with GolfWRX.com at Quail Hollow Club. “I had used that style of head a couple years ago (Thomas used a TSi2 driver around 2021); I know it’s supposed to have a little more spin. Obviously, yeah, I’d love to hit it further, but if I can get a little more spin and have my mishits be a little more consistent, I felt like obviously that’d be better for my driving…

“This (TSR2) has been great. I’ve really, really driven it well the week I’ve used it. Just hitting it more solid, I don’t know if it’s the look of it or what it is, but just a little bit more consistent with the spin numbers. Less knuckle-ball curves. It has been fast. Maybe just a little faster than what I was using. Maybe it could be something with the bigger head, maybe mentally it looks more forgiving.”

Head over to PGATour.com for the full article. 

 

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5 fall golf trip destinations you should book right now

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The 2024 golf season is in full swing with the warm weather settling in and those long summer days right around the corner, but what if we told you that you should be thinking about golf this fall? While it may seem to be a ways away, now is the perfect time to start putting together your end-of-season fall golf trip

Courses are in great shape, the weather is more enjoyable as temps cool off, and your golf game is in peak condition after playing all summer! The best part about fall golf trips is that there are some great deals to be found at golf destinations across the country! Additionally, you can get away to the Caribbean on an all-inclusive trip or travel across the pond for some links golf in the UK or Ireland before the end of their golf season in October. 

If you are happy to stay stateside this fall, here are the best golf destinations you should book for your fall trip.

Myrtle Beach, SC 

Commonly known as the “Golf Capital of the World”, this coastal destination is home to over 200 golf courses making it the ideal location for a golf trip! If you’re looking for golf and accommodation onsite, choose from a wide range of resorts including favorites like Barefoot and Legends. Alternatively, you could rent a house or stay by the beach and play top tracks like Caledonia, Grande Dunes, Pine Lakes, True Blue, TPC Myrtle Beach and many more! With a plethora of options, you will be able to customize your trip to stay within budget! Fall in South Carolina is a golfer’s paradise with minimal rain, sunny skies, and temperatures in the low 80s (dipping into the 70s in later fall with lower humidity), the perfect combination for a golf trip.

Scottsdale, AZ 

If you’ve never played golf in the desert, fall is the best time to do so and there is no better selection of desert layouts than Scottsdale. With a wide variety of golf resorts, courses, and attractions, it is easy to see why many professional golfers call this place home. Enjoy a golf and city trip with a stay close to the nightlife in Old Town and a tour of the local courses like Raven, McCormick Ranch, and Ocotillo. Head north of the city with a resort stay at The Westin Kierland or Hyatt Regency and play some Championship courses like TPC Scottsdale, Troon North, or Grayhawk. Or head out to the fabulous We-Ko-Pa Resort  and Golf Club and indulge in the ultimate desert golf experience. The weather in Scottsdale will be very warm (mid to high 80s), with cloudless skies and green grass contrasting the desert landscape.

Orlando, FL 

The golf mecca in the state of Florida, Orlando is a great golf destination any time of the year, but fall is really where it flourishes. Course conditions are impeccable, the weather is warm with fading humidity, and there are a multitude of off-course activities for the whole family. Stay & play at some of the best golf resorts like Reunion and Omni Championsgate or tick off a bucket list course when you visit Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill. A few other reasons this destination is so popular is the wide variety of rental houses throughout the area, perfect for a large group and the quality courses to choose from including Waldorf Astoria, Celebration, Shingle Creek, and the three Disney courses! With easy accessibility through the MCO Airport, Orlando is a no-brainer for a fall golf trip.

Las Vegas, NV 

PAIUTE GOLF RESORT – LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

A destination often overlooked when it comes to golf, Las Vegas in the fall is a wonderful treat! A stay on the iconic Las Vegas Strip gives you a wide range of 3 to 5-star hotel options within walking distance to the city’s biggest entertainment venues, casinos, restaurants, and more! For golf options, you will need to travel outside of the city (roughly 20 mins) to play some incredible desert layouts like Rio Secco, Revere, Cascata, and the trio of courses at Paiute Golf Resort. If you fancy a longer day trip, you can always take the hour-long drive up to Mesquite and play Wolf Creek and Conestoga for a pure desert golf experience. 

Alabama – Robert Trent Jones Trail 

If you’re a golf nerd (like me) and you’re looking for something a little different for your trip, look no further than the incredible RTJ Trail in Alabama. The Trail spans 11 different locations across the state with over 400 holes of golf all designed by legendary course designer Robert Trent Jones, Sr. The more popular courses on the trail are in Birmingham, Montgomery, and Auburn, making it perfect for an extended trip. Some of the best courses on the trail include Ross Bridge, Grand National (2 courses) and Capitol Hill (3 courses).Weather-wise, fall is the best time to hit the trail with average temps hovering around 80s (dipping into the 70s as fall goes on) with a limited amount of rainfall. The summer months are usually where the pricing is the highest so you can find the best deals in the fall with courses still in good condition. 

There has already been a huge uptick in fall golf trip bookings, so make sure to start planning now to get the travel dates and tee times you want for your group! 

Editor’s note: This article is presented in partnership with Golfbreaks. When you make a purchase through links in this article, GolfWRX may earn an affiliate commission. 

RELATED: 7 PGA TOUR courses you need to play

  

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