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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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SuperStroke acquires Lamkin Grips
SuperStroke announced today its purchase of 100-year-old grip maker Lamkin Grips, citing the company’s “heritage of innovation and quality.”
“It is with pride and great gratitude that we announce Lamkin, a golf club grip brand with a 100-year history of breakthrough design and trusted products, is now a part of the SuperStroke brand,” says SuperStroke CEO Dean Dingman. “We have always had the utmost respect for how the Lamkin family has put the needs and benefits of the golfer first in their grip designs. If there is a grip company that is most aligned with SuperStroke’s commitment to uncompromised research, design, and development to put the most useful performance tools in the hands of golfers, Lamkin has been that brand. It is an honor to bring Lamkin’s wealth of product innovation into the SuperStroke family.”
Elver B. Lamkin founded the company in 1925 and produced golf’s first leather grips. The company had been family-owned and operated since that point, producing a wide array of styles, such as the iconic Crossline.
According to a press release, “The acquisition of Lamkin grows and diversifies SuperStroke’s proven and popular array of grip offerings with technology grounded in providing golfers optimal feel and performance through cutting-edge design and use of materials, surface texture and shape.”
CEO Bob Lamkin will stay on as a board member and will continue to be involved with the company.
“SuperStroke has become one of the most proven, well-operated, and pioneering brands in golf grips and we could not be more confident that the Lamkin legacy, brand, and technology is in the best of hands to continue to innovate and lead under the guidance of Dean Dingman and his remarkably capable team,” Lamkin said.
Related: Check out our 2014 conversation with Bob Lamkin, here: Bob Lamkin on the wrap grip reborn, 90 years of history
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Tour Rundown: Pendrith, Otaegui, Longbella, and Dunlap soar
Take it from a fellow who coaches high school golf in metro Toronto: there’s plenty of great golf played in the land of the maple leaf. All the greats have designed courses over the USA border: Colt, Whitman, Ross, Coore, Mackenzie, Doak, as well as the greatest of the land, Stanley Thompson. I’m partial to him, because he wore my middle name with grandeur. Enough about the architecture, because this week’s Tour Rundown begins with a newly-minted, Canadian champion on the PGA Tour. Something else that the great white north is known for, is weather. It impacted play on three of the world’s tours, forcing final-round cancellations on two of them.
It was an odd week in the golf world. The LPGA and the Korn Ferry were on a break, and only 13/15 of the rounds slated, were played. In the end, we have four champions to recognize, so let’s not delay any longer with minutiae about the game that we love. Let’s run it all down with this week’s Tour Rundown.
PGA Tour: TP takes TS at Byron’s place
The 1980s was a decade when a Canadian emergence was anticipated on the PGA Tour. It failed to materialize, but a path was carved for the next generation. Mike Weir captured the Masters in 2003, but no other countrymen joined him in his quest for PGA Tour conquest. 2024 may herald the long-awaited arrival of a Canadian squad of tour winners. Over the past few years, we’ve seen Nick Taylor break the fifty-plus year dearth of homebred champions at the Canadian Open, and players like Adam Hadwin, Corey Conners, Adam Svennson, and Mackenzie Hughes have etched their names into the PGA Tour’s annals of winners.
This week, Taylor Pendrith joined his mates with a one-shot win at TPC Craig Ranch, the home of the Byron Nelson Classic. Pendrith took a lead into the final round and, while the USA’s Jake Knapp faltered, held on for the slimmest of victories. Sweden’s Alex Noren posted six-under 65 on Sunday to move into third position, at 21-under par. Ben Kohles, a Texan, looked to break through for his first win in his home state. He took the lead from Pendrith at the 71st hole, on the strength of a second-consecutive birdie.
With victory in site, Kohles found a way to make bogey at the last, without submerging in the fronting water. His second shot was greenside, but he could not move his third to the putting surface. His fourth was five feet from par and a playoff, but his fifth failed to drop. Meanwhile, Pendrith was on the froghair in two, and calmly took two putts from 40 feet, for birdie. When Kohles missed for par, Pendrith had, at last, a PGA Tour title.
360° and in!
A nervy par save by @TaylorPendrith to remain one back as he seeks his first PGA TOUR victory @CJByronNelson. pic.twitter.com/LVFXUSidSg
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) May 5, 2024
DP World Tour: China Open in Otaegui’s hands after canceled day four
It wasn’t the fourth round that was canceled in Shenzhen, but the third. Rains came on Saturday to Hidden Grace Golf Club, ensuring that momentum would cease. Sunday would instead be akin to a motorsports restart, with no sense of who might claim victory. Sebastian Soderberg, the hottest golfer on the Asian Swing, held the lead, but he would slip to a 72 on Sunday, and tie for third with Paul Waring and Joel Girrbach. Italy’s Guido Migliozzi completed play in 67 strokes on day three, moving one shot past the triumvirate, to 17-under par.
It was Spain’s Adrian Otaegui who persevered the best and played the purest. Otaegui was clean on the day, with seven birdies for 65. Even when Migliozzi ceased the lead at the 10th, Otaegui remained calm. With everything on the line, Migliozzi made bogey at the par-five 17th, as his principal competitor finished in birdie. To the Italian’s credit, he bounced back with birdie at the last, to claim solo second. The victory was Otaegui’s fifth on the DP World Tour, and first since October of 2022.
.@adrianotaegui birdies the 16th to tie the lead at -17 ?#VolvoChinaOpen pic.twitter.com/p4tfE5DRJa
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 5, 2024
PGA Tour Americas: Quito’s rains gift title to Longbella
Across the world, superintendents and their staffs will do anything to prepare a course for play. Even after fierce, nightime rains, the Quito TG Club greeted the first four groups on Sunday. The rains worsened after 7 am, however, and the tour was forced to abort the final round of play. With scores reverting to Saturday’s numbers, Thomas Longbella’s one-shot advantage over Gunn Yang turned into a Tour Americas victory.
64 held the opening-day lead, and Longbella was not far off, with 66. Yang jumped to the top on day two, following a67 with 66. He posted 68 on day three, and anticipated a fierce, final-round duel for the title. As for Longbella, he fought off a ninth-hole bogey on Saturday with six birdies and a 17th-hole eagle. That rare bird proved to be the winning stroke, allowing Longbella to edge past Yang, and secure ultimate victory.
.@TBalla21 eagles 17, shoots 65 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead into the final round of the KIA Open. pic.twitter.com/TTOL2LxSdh
— PGA TOUR Americas (@PGATOURAmericas) May 4, 2024
PGA Tour Champions: Dunlap survives Saturday stumble for win
Scott Dunlap did not finish Saturday as well as he might have liked. After beginning play near Houston with 65, Dunlap made two bogeys in his final found holes on day two, to finish at nine-under par. Hot on his heels was Joe Durant, owner of a March 2024 win on PGA Tour Champions. Just behind Durant was Stuart Appleby, perhaps vibing from his Sunday 59 at Greenbrier on this day in 2010. Neither would have a chance to track Dunlap down.
The rains that have forced emergency responders into action, to save hundreds of lives in the metro Houston area, ended hopes for a third day of play at The Woodlands. Dunlap had won once previously on Tour Champions, in 2014 in Washington state. Ten years later, Dunlap was the fortunate recipient of a canceled final round, and his two days of play were enough to earn him TC victory number two.
Off the green? No worries for @ScottDu12500063
8-under solo leader @InsperityInvtnl pic.twitter.com/hoj5OujL5C
— PGA TOUR Champions (@ChampionsTour) May 4, 2024
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Morning 9: Pendrith’s maiden Tour win | Morikawa back with former coach | Brooks victorious
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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