Episode 104: Recapping the 2017 Masters
The Old Lady is back to help me recap the 2017 Masters tournament. You will not want to miss these takes that only she can provide.
Today on the podcast I welcome back "The Old Lady," Kristen, to the show to recap one of the more exciting major tournaments in recent memory: the 2017 Masters. Kristen -- who moonlights as my wife -- offers takes that only she can provide on everything from Sergio Garcia being a cry-baby to Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler not playing up to their caliber. We also briefly touch on Twitter's Secret Tour Pro and what she thinks about running an anonymous social media account.
Follow Kristen on Twitter at @anast24.
Golf Unfiltered Podcast 71: PROTECT THE NARRATIVE
The Golf Unfiltered Podcast is back! This week is all about protecting the narrative, what that means in golf media, and much more!
After a two week hiatus, the Golf Unfiltered Podcast is back! This week it all about protecting the narrative. What should we be talking about in the world of golf, no matter how minuscule and trivial that thing might be? Is Jordan Spieth a good ballstriker? Is Rickie Fowler overrated? Who the hell cares?
Follow Adam on Twitter at @golfunfiltered.
Be sure to rate us five stars on iTunes!
Golf Unfiltered Podcast 68: Don't be hatin' on Bryson DeChambeau
On this week's episode we discuss why people hate Bryson DeChambeau, toils at the driving range, and horrible Spring Break pictures.
I'm riding solo again this week on the Golf Unfiltered Podcast, but luckily there is plenty to talk about in the golf space (plus there's plenty of beer in my fridge). Today's episode starts off with me ranting about my golf game toils and tribulations after playing one of the worst rounds of golf I've played in a long time. I then share my thoughts on Bryson DeChambeau and why he's such a polarizing figure. I even manage to work in my thoughts on the Spring Break Escapades of Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler and Smylie Kaufman.
Be sure to give us a five star review on iTunes! Subscribe to the show below or using the link on the right side of this page!
REVIEW: Cobra KING WideLow Wedge
The new Cobra KING wedge series brings versatility and style to your short game this golf season. Read our full review here.
Cobra Golf recently released a new line of wedges, and the product is a result of the company going back to the basics. They refocused their attention and efforts in hopes of providing more feel to the player. The goal was the make the club feel better in the player's hands while also sounding better in the process. With Tour players Rickie Fowler and Jonas Blixt on board to help the process, it gives the product a very legit feel. The KING wedges are available in three sole grinds: Versatile, Classic, and WideLow. The Versatile features a medium bounce angle, while the Classic features a higher bounce angle. The WideLow has a broader sole with less bounce.
My son recently got the junior set of Cobra clubs, and that got me even more excited to give the Cobra wedge a try. The 56-degree WideLow version is the one I'm reviewing. Continue reading to see how it fared.
Look and Feel (5/5)
Cobra golf clubs have always looked really classy, and this wedge is no different. The chrome-plated carbon gives it a very smooth and pretty look. There is a simple notch on the back which I'll get to more below. The club face features 100% CNC Milled Grooves, and you can specifically see the roughness on the face designed to help spin control. The shaft option is True Temper Dynamic Gold with a Lamkin UTX/KING LTD grip.
The wedge also has a great feel to it, and the small notch mentioned above helps keep the club consistent at address. The club doesn't feel as heavy in my hands as some of the other wedges I've hit in the past, but it's pretty heavy at impact. It's hard to explain, but it makes for a very unique and satisfying swinging experience.
Performance (4/5)
I've used Vokey wedges for more than a decade, and I've been happy with the performance. The KING wedge stacks up very well with the Vokey and outperforms it in a couple areas. My distance control with this wedge is much improved over anything I've hit, and the best part is the number of mishits have been minimized.
I'm not above the occasional wedge shank, and after hitting over 100 shots of all different distances with this wedge, I'm happy to report zero shanks. That's a huge plus all the way around!
The WideLow version is better suited for wet and softer fairways and areas around the green, and living in Southwest Oklahoma, that's not one of the strengths at numerous local golf courses. I'm not as consistent from 15-20 yards and in with this club as I'd like to be, but that probably has more to do with my local course conditions. It's still very consistent, however. I'd love to give the Versatile Grind version a try as I think it's perfectly suited for Southwest Oklahoma golf.
Overall Impression (4/5)
The unique feel in my hands the KING wedge provides before and during contact can't be understated, and it's a major plus. The improved consistency and minimized mishits is also a huge bonus. The overall rating is probably closer to 4.5 than 4, and this club will be in my golf bag moving forward. Hopefully, I'll get the opportunity to try the Classic and Versatile Grind versions as well to compare.
REVIEW: Cobra Golf King LTD Driver
The new Cobra Golf King LTD driver molds together a number of interesting technology features that appealed to my golf nerd side while also peaking my overall interest in the brand's focus on the driver market. Could the King LTD replace my current driver, the Cobra Golf Fly-Z Plus?
Specifications and Features
The most unique feature of the Cobra Golf King LTD driver is its removable "Spaceport" weighting disc; a 16g weight design on the sole of the club that Cobra says creates "an extremely low and deep center-of-gravity (CG) and high moment of inertia (MOI)." As such, this driver is billed as the first ever "Zero COG" club on the market. Whatever that means.
How far did Cobra take this idea of a "weightless, space-aged" tech? NASA scientists actually helped with its design. I'm not kidding. There's even space station decals and logos in the clubhead interior that can be seen once the Spaceport weight is removed.
In a nutshell, the Cobra Golf King LTD driver promises to provide a higher launch angle with less spin and more ball speed (the company's patented Speed Channel once again shows up around the clubface). Coupled with a fully adjustable MyFly hosel, the player once again has a full range of adjustability at their fingertips.
Appearance and Feel (4/5)
I don't care much for the Spaceport design or NASA-esque decals on the sole and interior (!) of the clubhead. These things seem gimmicky to me and hold no real value to the club as a whole.
Luckily, the driver's feel makes up for its graphical shortcomings... and then some. The ball explodes off the clubface with a soft feel despite a loud rapport. This driver is loud, and people on the driving range will know when you're hitting it. That may seem counter-intuitive (soft feel, loud sound), but you'll just have to take my word for it.
Regardless, I absolutely love the way this club feels at impact. The driver lines up square at address and the clubhead crown even features the old-school King Cobra logo that is clearly a hat-tip to the days of Greg Norman. The club's weight is light and easy to swing. Extremely impressive.
Performance (4/5)
Nothing spectacular here, but then again, what do golfers expect these days? Most of the new drivers are so similar in performance that amateur players like me aren't going to notice blistering differences from one to the next. The Cobra Golf King LTD driver is no different.
Distance was similar to my current Fly-Z Plus, although ball flight seemed higher and the ball seemed to roll out longer. The gloomy November day in Chicago hitting range balls didn't provide optimal testing conditions, but my ball launch monitor never showed more than a few yards difference between the two drivers. But, because the King LTD performed better or slightly better than my current club, I'll give it a higher rating in this category.
Forgiveness was very solid and non-punitive on miss hits. I did notice a slight dip in distance from hits off the toe or heel, but the King LTD was able to steer those pushes or pulls back toward the fairway nicely.
Overall (4/5)
The Cobra Golf King LTD driver is a solid club built with somewhat gimmicky features but solid tech and science. It performed very well under less-than-ideal conditions, giving me confidence that I can game this club at any time and know I won't compromise performance from the alternative. Cobra Golf has established themselves as major players in the driver market.
Why you should buy the Cobra Golf King LTD
If you own a driver that's more than 2 years old, you'll notice a huge distance boost with the Cobra Golf King LTD. Fans of retro-looking graphics and a flair for nostalgia will appreciate the marketing that's gone into the making of this club. Low- and mid-handicap players can purchase the King LTD with confidence.
Why you should not buy the Cobra Golf King LTD
The King LTD probably won't replace your current driver if it's one released within the last 24 months. Performance-wise, I didn't notice anything monumental; but that's not to suggest others won't. Furthermore, the soon-to-be-released King F6 and F6 Plus drivers are right around the corner, so you may want to hold off for now to see what those sticks are all about.
Golf Unfiltered Podcast 9: Rickie Fowler, Quail Hollow and Twitter Questions!
This week on the Golf Unfiltered Podcast we cover Rickie Fowler's win at the 2015 Players Championship, preview Quail Hollow and answer reader questions.
The Golf Unfiltered Podcast returns this week as we discuss Rickie Fowler winning the 2015 Players Championship like a fuckin' man.
Where does his win rank in the modern-golf era? Should we all jump on the Rickie bandwagon? What about Jordan Spieth? Hey, isn't there some dude named "Rory," too? SOMEBODY HELP ME WITH MY FANDOM.
We also give you a quick preview of the Wells Fargo Championship from Quail Hollow -- which Rickie won in 2012, of course.
Finally, we take a few minutes to answer listener questions submitted on Twitter, where you can follow me: @adamjfonseca
Fantasy Golf 2014: Humana Challenge
During last year's Humana Challenge, PGA Tour veteran Brian Gay captured his fourth career victory in impressive style. He was able to hold off Charles Howell III and David Lingmerth in a three-man sudden-death playoff, leading to Gay's first win in over four years.
You should be able to expect the same level of play from the defending champion at this week's 2014 Humana Challenge. Gay finished in a respectable T32 at last week's Sony Open in Hawaii and prefers the PGA West course at La Quinta Country Club, site of this week's tournament.
Some other big names come out of hibernation this week, including Rickie Fowler, Robert Garrigus and Nicolas Colsaerts. As you can notice by my fantasy golf picks for the week, John Daly makes a rare appearance in my choices thanks to his strong play last week (T32).
Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 Wells Fargo Championship
Rickie Fowler returns to Quail Hollow this week to defend his title at the 2013 Wells Fargo Championship. Commonly seen as one of the more difficult courses on the PGA Tour schedule, Quail Hollow will see the likes of Phil Mickelson, Bubba Watson and world No. 2 Rory McIlroy on its fairways throughout the week. Will another first-time winner come out of the field again, adding his name to the five that have already made the jump?
Here are my fantasy golf picks for the 2013 Wells Fargo Championship.
Fantasy Golf Picks: 2013 Zurich Classic of New Orleans
The PGA Tour returns to the TPC Louisiana this week for the 2013 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. Jason Dufner is the defending champion, but he has been on a slow start this season. Then again, does Dufner do anything quickly? Ever?
Other big names in the field include Bubba Watson, Nick Watney, Justin Rose and Rickie Fowler. Keep your eyes on Rose this week as he has been playing brilliant golf as of late. Here are my fantasy golf picks for the 2013 Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Fantasy Golf Picks: 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
The PGA TOUR makes another stop this week at the 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational at the beautiful Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, TX. Defending champion David Toms will be in attendance, along with last year's runner-up Charlie Wi. Big names like Jason Dufner, Rickie Fowler, and Matt Kuchar headline the field, all of whom are playing great golf currently. Here are my fantasy golf picks for the 2012 Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial.
Fantasy Golf Picks: Waste Management Phoenix Open
Mark Wilson returns to the craziest tournament in professional golf this week to defend his title at the Waste Management Phoenix Open. I don't know about you, but nothing says "professional golf" like a grandstand filled with drunken college co-eds screaming at the top of their lungs. Jason Dufner finished second here last season, and Kyle Stanley looks to bounce back this week after a heartbreaking loss at Torrey Pines. Click the jump to see my fantasy golf picks for the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
A List
Starter: Kyle Stanley; Bench: Camilo Villegas
Kyle, Kyle, Kyle. I still feel sorry for the guy. His play last week was outstanding for 71 holes, so I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt as my starter for this tournament. Villegas has played well in Phoenix in the past, having recorded two top-ten finishes at this event. He has also shown flashes of brilliance in 2012 already, but can he put together four solid rounds of golf?
B List
Starters: Brandt Snedecker, Mark Wilson; Bench: D.A. Points, Rickie Fowler
The B-grouping list this week is full of potential winners, so you can literally choose any four players and expect a strong showing from each. I decided to go with Snedecker (hot-hand) and defending champion Mark Wilson (who also has a 2012 win already). Both men are playing at an extremely high level, along with the two players on my bench. Points hasn't had much luck in Phoenix in the past, however his play in 2012 earns him some consideration for this week. Fowler finished as the runner-up in Phoenix in 2010, so could this be the event that opens the door for young Rickie?
C List
Starter: Johnson Wagner; Bench: Jeff Maggert
Wagner, in my opinion, has been the player of the year to this point in 2012. He has recorded one win, three top-tens, two top-threes, and his average tournament finish is 4th. Sorry folks, but it doesn't get much better than that. Maggert has also played well for an old dog, recording a top-five finish thusfar this season.
Fantasy Golf Picks: Farmers Insurance Open
Last week was a rough one for my fantasy golf team. I fell out of first position and almost out of the Top-10 thanks to me not paying attention and making some pretty rough picks overall. Oh well; you live and learn. Redemption is around the corner for me this week at the Farmers Insurance Open, however, as defending champion Bubba Watson makes his way onto my roster again along with runner-up Phil Mickelson. Click the link to read more about my fantasy golf picks for the 2012 Farmers Insurance Open.
A List
Starter: Phil Mickelson; Bench: Nick Watney
As mentioned above, Lefty finished second in the 2011 event just behind eventual winner Bubba Watson. Mickelson started his 2012 season last week at the Humana Challenge and played...well, like it was his first tournament of the season. Never count him out on the West Coast. The same goes for Nick Watney, who has had a stellar track record at this event (four Top-10's in seven tries).
B List
Starters: Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler; Bench: Gary Woodland, Ryan Moore
Bubba and Rickie were sure things this week for me, and for obvious reasons. Watson is the defending champion and loves to hit the ball all over the damn place on both Torrey Pines courses. Fowler ended 2011 on a bit of a hotstreak and looks to continue that trend in his first event of 2012. Fowler will also be trying his new clubs at Torrey, so I'm interested to see how he performs. Woodland and Moore are gambles; however, both have played well in California in the past and tend to play better towards the bookend events of the season.
C List
Starter: Sang-Moon Bae; Bench: John Mallinger
I wouldn't be surprised if the eventual winner of this year's tournament comes from the C List player roster. Bae is having a great start to his rookie season on TOUR, who finished T30 at the Sony and T14 last week at the Humana. Mallinger is also having a fine season to this point and almost won the Humana out of nowhere. While he might not win the tournament, he'll definitely be a strong contender throughout the week.
