News
Greg Norman: “If I had to do it all over again, I would go to one-length clubs”
Greg Norman has never been a man to shy away from speaking his mind, and during Saturday’s Golf Channel broadcast of the QBE Shootout, the Australian declared that if he had the opportunity to begin his career again, he would do so with single-length irons.
Norman stressed how his experience while experimenting with Cobra King One Length irons led him to conclude that single-length irons are more beneficial than standard irons because “your spine angle stays the same” no matter what club you are using.
“Believe it or not, if I had to do it all over again as a 13 or 14-year-old, I would go to one-length clubs,” Norman said. “I actually had a set made for me when [Bryson DeChambeau] first came and joined, and I got it straight off the bat. When you think about it, my 4-iron and my 8-iron are the same length, but my ball flight was so good on all of them because your spine angle stays the same.”
The Australian went on to say that anyone looking to introduce their kid to the game of golf, should give them single-length irons to optimize their chances of success.
“I think parents now, for longevity, golf is a sport you can play your entire life, so if you look at that motion that [DeChambeau is] going through there, it’s such an effortless motion. He’s stacked up beautifully. At the end of the day, the motion is so simple through there. So the one-length golf club, in my humble opinion, give a kid at six, seven, eight…get him used to it and he’ll do well.”
Norman won 88 times in his career, including 20 wins on the PGA Tour and two major championship victories. Could the Shark have achieved even more if he had have used single-length irons during his career instead of standard irons?
Let us know what you think, GolfWRXers!
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News
Four books for a springtime review
One thing that never changes over time: snowy evenings give purpose to reading (is it the other way around?) It has been a snowy 2024 in western New York, and I’ve had ample time to tuck into an easy chair with a blanket, coffee, and a book. You’re in luck, because despite the title of this piece, I’ll share five books and their worth with you.
There is great breadth of subject matter from one to five. Golf is as complicated as life, which means that the cover of the book isn’t worth judging. The contents begin the tale, but there is so much more to each topic presented within. If you’re like me, your library grows each year. Despite the value of the virtual, the paper-printed word connects us to the past of golf and humanity. Here’s hoping that you’ll add one or more of these titles to your collection.
Hughes Norton interviewed with Mark McCormack for 20 minutes (30 if you count the missed exit at Logan International) while driving the founder of IMG from Harvard to the airport. The lesson of taking advantage of each moment, of every dollar, because you might not get another opportunity, is the most valuable one that life offers. I say to you, be certain to read this book, because another opportunity to bend the ear of Hughes Norton may not come our way.
Hughes Norton was with Tiger Woods for waaayyy fewer years than you might guess, but they were the critical ones. Be warned: not all of the revelations in this tome are for the faint of heart. Some, in fact, will break your heart. Golf was a sleepy hamlet in the 1990s, until the 16-lane interstate called Eldrick “Tiger” Woods came into town. Everything changed, which meant that everything would change again and again, into eternity. Once the ball starts rolling, it’s impossible to stop.
My favorite aspect of this book is its candor. Hughes Norton is well into his time on Planet Earth. He has no reason to hold back, and he doesn’t. My least favorite aspect is that George Peper got the call to co-author the book (and I didn’t.) Seriously, there is no LFA for me, so this is the best that I could do.
Decision: Buy It!
The Golf Courses of Seth Raynor
Michael Wolf, James Sitar, and Jon Cavalier, in abject partnership, collaborated to produce a handsome volume on the work of gone-too-soon, engineer-turned-golf course architect. Seth Raynor was pulled into the game by Charles Blair MacDonald, the crusty godfather of American golf. Raynor played little golf across the 51 years of his life. His reason? He did not wish to corrupt his designs with the demands and failings of his own game.
Jon Cavalier began his photography career as a contributor to the Golf Club Atlas discussion group. I met him there in a virtual way (we still have yet to shake hands) and have exchanged numerous emails over the years. Despite the demands of his day job, Cavalier has blossomed into the most traveled and prolific course photographer alive today. His photography, both hand-held and drone, makes the pages pop. Michael Wolf invited me and two friends to play his home course, despite having never met any of us in person. His words, melded to those of James Sitar, are the glue that connect Cavalier’s photos.
My favorite aspect of the books is the access it gives to the private-club world of Raynor. Fewer than five of his courses are resort or public access, and knowing people on the inside is not available to all. My suggestion? Write a letter/email and see if a club will let you play. Can’t hurt to try! My one complaint about the book is its horizontal nature. Golf is wide, but I like a little vertical in my photos. It’s not much of a complaint, given the glorious contents within the covers.
Decision: Buy It!!
Big Green Book from The Golfer’s Journal
Beginning with its (over)size, and continuing through the entire contents, there is no descriptor that defines the genre of the Big Green Book. It is photography, essay, layout, poetry, graphics, and stream of consciousness. It harnesses the creative power of a lengthy masthead of today’s finest golf contributors. Quotes from Harvey Penick, verse from Billy Collins, and prose from John Updike partner with images pure and altered, to immerse you in the diverse golf spaces that define this planet.
One of my favorite aspects is the spaces between the words and photos. Have your friends and others write a few notes to you in those blank areas, to personalize your volume even more. One aspect that needs improvement: the lack of female voices. I suspect that will be remedied in future volumes.
Decision: Buy It!!!
Troublemaker and The Unplayable Lie
Books that allege discrimination and mistreatment check two boxes: potentially-salacious reads and debate over whose perspective is accurate. In the end, the presentation of salacious revelation rarely meets the expectation, and the debate over fault is seldom resolved. Lisa Cornwell spent years as a competitive junior and college golfer, before joining The Golf Channel as a reporter and program host.
Despite the dream assignments, there were clouds that covered the sun. Cornwell documents episodes of favoritism and descrimination against her, prior to her departure from The Golf Channel in 2021. Her work echoes the production of the late Marcia Chambers, who wrote for Golf Digest in the 1980s and 1990s. Chambers took issue with many of the potential and real legal issues surrounding golf and its policies of access/no access. Her research culminated in The Unplayable Lie, the first work of its kind to address issues confronted by all genders and ethnicities, and immediately predated the professional debut of Tiger Woods in 1997.
My favorite aspects of the two works, are the courage and conviction that it took to write them, and believe in them. My least favorite aspects are the consistent bias that many groups continue to face. Without awareness, there is no action. Without action, there is no change.
Decision: Buy Them!!!!
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
GolfWRX is on site in the Lone Star State this week for the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
General galleries from the putting green and range, WITBs — including Thorbjorn Olesen and Zac Blair — and several pull-out albums await.
As always, we’ll continue to update as more photos flow in. Check out links to all our photos from Houston below.
General Albums
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Monday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #1
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #2
- 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Thorbjorn Olesen – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ben Silverman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jesse Droemer – SoTX PGA Section POY – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- David Lipsky – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Martin Trainer – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Zac Blair – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Jacob Bridgeman – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Trace Crowe – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Daniel Berger – WITB(very mini) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Chesson Hadley – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Callum McNeill – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Rhein Gibson – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Patrick Fishburn – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Peter Malnati – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Raul Pereda – WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Gary Woodland WITB (New driver, iron shafts) – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Padraig Harrington WITB – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
Pullout Albums
- Tom Hoge’s custom Cameron – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Piretti putters – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Ping putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Kevin Dougherty’s custom Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Bettinardi putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Cameron putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Erik Barnes testing an all-black Axis1 putter – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
- Tony Finau’s new driver shaft – 2024 Texas Children’s Houston Open
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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Bill
Dec 12, 2018 at 4:01 pm
I’ve been playing with 3 lengths in my set. 2,3,4,5 long irons, 6,7,8,9 mid irons, and all wedges the same. # different lengths, 3 different missions and it maximizes the power and control of each group. Single length weakens the long irons because they are too short, mid irons are ok, but single length are too long for control. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
Craig
Dec 12, 2018 at 3:34 pm
There will never be a critical mass of people using one length clubs because there are very few teachers of the method.
retired04
Dec 12, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Just curious-How many of you naysayers have actually had a set of single length irons in your bag for a 30-90 day get acquainted/get-used-to honest try? Got a feeling the number is close to zero. Kinda changes the picture, doesn’t it?
I tried them-couldn’t believe the difference once I could wrap my head around the fact that my PW was the same length as my 7 iron-and have never looked back. Any bona fides? Yeah-am 71 and been in and around the golf business since I was 12(repair work at Dad’s course), single digit since high school, college scholarship, rep for years, managed courses….still single digit albeit from shorter tees now. Played blades my hole life other than an occasional experiment, but I was open minded enough to try one length. Got fitted by Cobra rep for lie angle (he came up with the same 2* flat I have always used), some practice, played 2 rounds and sold my Wilson Staffs. Have taken some grief from other players-don’t care because one length is easier.
My bet-once teachers/parents/players begin to realize the benefits of one length (especially with Cobra’s new blade type TEC Black one length irons), other manufacturers will enter the market-and it will be sooner than most of you expect. Players won’t know until they try them. Have you really tried them?
Think about it. You irons, the very clubs you use to get it close to the hole-every one is now the same length, lie angle, gram weight, swing weight (mine came from Cobra +/- 2 GRAMS and all exactly D2)-and they all swing the same-rather than 6 or 8 or 9 slightly different swings. Are you kidding me?!?!
Full disclosure: 1. I do not and have never worked for Cobra; 2. My 2 gap and sand wedges are shorter, BUT ALL 3 ARE THE SAME LENGTH (I have a stockpile of heads); 3. Yes, I tried the old Tommy Armour single length irons-couldn’t get the mid or long irons airborn.
Edward Bardoe
Dec 12, 2018 at 11:25 am
the single length idea is for irons that you wish to make the same swing and get different distance. Not drivers or other clubs where maximum distance is the goal (three wood would be the same for non-pros, for the non-talented like me even hybrids) or club played for “touch” or different distance results like wedges. De Chambeaus wedges are allegedly in the single length, but whatever length they are, he chokes up on the grip the 2 inches that would separate a seven iron length from a lob wedge. Basically your single length “set” is 4 to PW.
ogo
Dec 10, 2018 at 10:31 pm
Closed comments thread?!!
ogo
Dec 10, 2018 at 10:35 pm
1996 Masters debacle too?!!
ogo
Dec 10, 2018 at 10:27 pm
…. and played them in the 1996 Masters debacle instead of his Cobras.
Steve
Dec 10, 2018 at 9:53 pm
Kids who are ages six through eight do not play with full sets of irons.
ray arcade
Dec 10, 2018 at 7:03 pm
What happened to his left hand??
Sam Boulden
Dec 11, 2018 at 4:42 am
Chainsaw accident a few years ago
JD
Dec 11, 2018 at 8:20 am
His left hand is on his hip. That’s someone else’s right hand on the edge of the counter.
Tom
Dec 10, 2018 at 5:16 pm
You would think a guy who believes in the one -length club theory would have only had one wife, not three?
Marc Tebo
Dec 12, 2018 at 11:19 am
Fail…
Tom
Dec 10, 2018 at 4:45 pm
This guy talks too much, he is full of it!
HDTVMAN
Dec 12, 2018 at 6:25 pm
You should have his BILLIONS!
Tom
Dec 10, 2018 at 4:44 pm
Will he be using one length irons in he father-Son event this week?
Jamie
Dec 10, 2018 at 12:38 pm
Still a part-owner of Cobra, Greg? Are you sure that’s not your motivation for saying such things?
Dan
Dec 10, 2018 at 10:53 am
Imagine if 1/2 of his 2nd place finishes were 1st place. Not sure single irons could have overcome others luck
Peter McGill
Dec 14, 2018 at 2:56 am
Luck? If he didn’t shoot those 40’s on the back nines, things would have been very different.
Gun Violent
Dec 10, 2018 at 10:42 am
Well of course he says that, he’s still with Cobra! He wouldn’t be able to say it if he was with Titleist or some other company. Duh. He is such a good boy salesperson. Always has been. And he think’s that’s being clever.
Commoner
Dec 10, 2018 at 12:44 pm
GV’s post is right on the ‘money.’ (Sorry; had to do it.) Where are ethics, principles, morals, et cetera today?
Funkaholic
Dec 12, 2018 at 10:46 am
When someone offers you the kind of money he is making, then you can judge. you can’t buy a game and the pros know it, brand loyalty is silly nonsense. Nothing unethical about pushing a product that you are paid to rep.
A. Commoner
Dec 12, 2018 at 5:12 pm
Was not appropriate to time and place.
Blake
Dec 10, 2018 at 10:42 am
No he wouldnt. Im sure this isnt influenced at all by his relationship with cobra and them being the only ones pushing single length clubs