Topic: Golfertube.com Discussion / GABE'S BLOG 3--Match Play Gambling

I am declaring 2007 the year of “Match Play.” It is the best way to play golf as well as the most interesting when you have money on the line. Gambling is a huge part of the game of golf. It raises the stakes with your usual foursome as well as keeps you on your toes.

By playing Match Play you are going to keep everyone in your group in tune with their games throughout the entire round. Unlike Stroke Play where if you have one major blowup holes the person or team is out of it at that point. With Match Play they will lose the hole and move on.

I am going to start the season out in my group running a Two Man Best Ball Match Play. We will put $20 to $50 per person into the pot and the winning team takes the money. This is very fun for a group of people whose handicaps run from scratch all the way to 22.

For those who do not know how this game is setup and handicapped then I will explain. In a foursome, you draw two balls out of a hat and those are the teammates for that day. Then you take the person with the lowest handicap and that is who you are going off of. That means, for example, if the handicaps for the foursome are 3, 12, 19, 22, you are going to subtract 3 from the other three people and that is how many strokes they will have on the round. So the person with a 3 handicap plays at a scratch while the others play at a 9, 16, and a 19. At this point tee off and have fun.

I am going to alternate that format with individual matches between my foursome. I will probably bet the other three people each $20 and go about the match plan on an individual basis. This will keep everyone on their toes but they do not have anyone to back them up.

Remember that you can “press” the bet when you are down more than one hole. You now have two bets starting from the hole you declared a press. This will get out of control the first few times you play.

The year of the Match Play is underway so bet heavy and make sure you manage your presses.

Next week’s topic: Women, Booze and Golf.

Topic: Golfertube.com Discussion / GABE'S BLOG 2--DRIVERS

In the last week I have hit around 300 balls with the Callaway FT-I, Callaway FT-5, Taylormade R7 SuperQuad, Ping Rapture, Nike Sumo, and the Nike Sumo2. They are made by all of the top companies and before I get into my evaluation I would like to say I was impressed by one overall theme. It was something that I had thought about over the last year and confirmed in my mind with this little test.

Every Driver goes the exact same distance!!! That is because the COR in each driver is maxed out. All the marketing that is done with drivers leads us to believe that the new generation of drivers will help us with distance. That is not the case. The new drivers will help with consistency and eliminating loss of power on off center hits. Although the two generations of drivers before this years will do that at the same rate.

If you are adamant about getting a new driver this year you have a great opportunity. I would suggest that you look into the straightest driver I have ever hit. The Callaway FT-I driver is made to go straight and is the most effective driver for intermediate to beginner golfers that I have seen. This club is much better looking than the Nike Sumo2 and it has a much better feel. It has a deep and forgiving face and will improve the majority of people’s driving game. It was built to help golfers get the ball in the air easier and also to help with miss-hit mistakes. You can customize the weight for a fade, neutral, or draw. That is the feature that puts this driver ahead of anything for the mid to higher handicapped players. The price tag is what will deter people from buying this driver. It comes stock with a Fujikura Speeder shaft and tips the pricing scales at $500 +. This can be a little expensive for most people so if the Callaway FT-I is not in your budget, go to your local golf store as soon as you can and look at the leftovers from the last year models. Intermediate to Beginner golfers do not need to spend $500 + on a driver. The best buys that I saw out of last year models were the Nike SQ, Callaway FT-3, and the Cleveland Hi-Bore. They should retail below $200.

For the people who carry a handicap of 8 and lower need to really look at two drivers. The Callaway FT-5 and the Taylormade R7 SuperQuad. Both drivers give the response and feel that the lower handicapped players want. The Callaway FT-I is also in the picture if you are a player that struggles off the tee. If you want a high response driver go and hit these two and you can’t lose.

My major point that I want to get across to everyone is that the most expensive driver is not always the best for you. If you like Ping Drivers then do not feel like the Rapture is inferior. It is going exactly the same distance as any other club you can hit. If you like Callaway then you need to look at the FT-I. If you like Taylormade then get the SuperQuad. If you like Nike then look at the Sumo. Driving in the end is going to come down to your swing and getting a piece of equipment that gives you confidence over the ball.

Topic: Golfertube.com Discussion / Recommended Drivers?

Log onto golferstube.com on Monday and look for GABE’S BLOG. I am going to give you all the answers you will need for all of the new drivers that have hit the market.

Topic: Golfertube.com Discussion / Tiger Woods Driver analysis

This is an incredible shot. The points that everyone should take from this clip is not the body flexibility (because you cannot do that) but the “L” angle of his arms. He hold the angle and that is what generates alot of his power. The people who do not hit well in golf are the ones that get to anxious to hit the ball and release the club early. Keep your angle and you will create power.

Topic: Golfertube.com Discussion / Putters

I have been told for years that putters are indiviual. You pick the putter by look and feel and that is not the case. You have to get a putter that meets the details of your stroke. Some putters are made for a straight back and straight through stroke and some are made for a swinging gate stroke. The best thing that you can do is get a professional fitting for your putter. They will also measure the length of your putter to make sure it fits properly in your hands.