Golf Collaboration in Social Media | Episode 218

Josh Babbitt of The Hackers Paradise is back to meet with Adam on a number of topics, specifically the growing trend of collaboration among golf media's social media influencers. JB and Adam also discuss a recent driver fitting experience at Club Champion corporate HQ.

Unfiltered Friday: Would You Buy a $1000 Driver?

How much are you willing to spend to improve your golf game? However you answer that question — whether it be through golf lessons, purchasing new equipment, or getting custom fit — it is clear improvement comes at a cost.

What if you could gain 20 yards off the tee with more accuracy without changing your current swing, but the driver/shaft combo cost $1000? Would you buy that club?

Believe it or not, this is a real life scenario.

I recently went through a custom driver fitting at a leading brand in my area to help out a friend with content for his website. Full disclosure: the fitting was coordinated with the brand beforehand and I would not be taking home a driver that day. This was dedicated solely to spreading the word about the fitter, which was absolutely fantastic.

The focus of this piece is not about the fitting experience; that will be covered in another way. Instead, it’s about the results of my fit and what that would have meant to the consumer in terms of cost.

After comparing my current driver/shaft combo to that of many others — a process that took at least an hour and included multiple clubhead and shaft brands — we eventually found the optimal combo for my game.

My spin numbers were optimized. Launch was ideal. Dispersion was dramatically tighter. And, most importantly, I gained 20 yards off the tee on average. The improvement was drastic.

The price tag of the clubhead, shaft and grip alone? Easily $1000.

Let’s Take a Step Back

To be fair, no prices were discussed during my custom fitting session and this was not your typical situation. Perhaps the cost of the fitting would have been included in the price of the club, for example. I was there for one purpose and one purpose only: to experience the process.

However, the end result was entirely typical of what any customer could experience at a custom fitter: decision time.

The “consumer” in this case was faced with the decision of buying what would have been a club significantly more costly in comparison to something off-the-rack. But now, proven through data and guided by the educated eye of a master club builder, we have a weapon we can take to the course that’s optimal for our game.

This is the conundrum golfers are faced with every day. We at GU are huge proponents of getting custom fit, understanding that this comes at a cost. The information you learn from a custom fitter is invaluable… but we also believe it doesn’t have to be monumentally expensive.

Via our Twitter feed, our followers were mixed on whether or not they’d buy the driver described above. Many said they would not, preferring to spend their money elsewhere (some out of fear of marital catastrophe). A significant group said they would, some of whom saying it was a “no-brainer.” I suspect that somewhere between those two extremes is the general consensus.

Personally, I’m torn. On one hand the results speak for themselves. Who wouldn’t want more distance and accuracy off the tee? While this doesn’t guarantee lower scores, the custom fit shows me the potential of my skill set with properly fitting equipment.

On the other hand, that $1000 could be spent on golf lessons to fix flaws in my game (of which there are many), potentially optimizing the output of my current equipment in the process.

If I chose to purchase the driver, how long would I have to keep it in my bag to realize a true ROI on my purchase? Two years? Three? Five?

Clearly there are no right or wrong answers here, but that doesn’t make the decision any easier. What it boils down to is where your comfort level resides, and if it is defined by the performance of your equipment. For those of us who don’t play every week, our enjoyment may be defined by other factors, too.

What are your thoughts on this topic? Would you purchase the driver described above? Share your thoughts below in the comment section!

The Social 9 with - Kris McDonald

The Social 9 is an up-close look into the lives and careers of the golf industry’s social voices and influencers. Each week will feature a new guest answering nine (or more!) questions about their careers, brands, and personal lives.

These are the voices that drive the industry further every single day.

Kris McDonald of TRUE Sports.

Kris McDonald — TRUE Sports

Twitter: @imkrismcd

Title: Social Media Manager

How did you get started in social media?

While in grad school at KU, I took an internship at the Lawrence Journal-World on its social media team to expand my skill set as a journalism major, it seemed like a sound plan. After week one, I was hooked! I’ve worked in and around social media ever since. I’ve had the good fortune to work with and for some incredibly smart people along the way.

Do you have a favorite social media outlet right now?

Twitter will always be my first love. It can be a very raw look into the mindset and opinions of people and the choices brands make.

Is there ever a struggle to put brand before self or vice versa?

When done right, they should work cohesively together so it’s not a struggle at all. If you work for a brand you truly believe in, the two can easily have a symbiotic relationship. However, the brand will always take precedent over anything I personally do on social media.

How has your content evolved with so much being picture and video centric, rather than just words?

The root of all good content should be storytelling. The way it¹s displayed or presented is simply an avenue for creativity. That hasn’t changed even with the evolution of specific platforms. It¹s our job as marketers to find the best content strategy for each campaign and brand on specific channels. I love digging into data to find how people consume content. Our goal is to naturally fit into the spaces where people are consuming content. There¹s noise volume increases daily so you have to find the best fit for the brand. This will always be a work-in-progress.

How has your role changed as social media has changed?

The core of the role hasn’t changed, but the sophistication of the role has. You’re not just a social media manager; you’re a content and social strategist, paid media specialist, copywriter, community manager, photographer, data analyst, customer care rep, crisis management specialist, influencer manager, relationship builder, inter-department liaison, fire drill captain, etc.

What's the most important thing you want people to know about your brand?

TRUE Sports (recently rebranded from True Temper Sports) has a very long and proud history in the golf industry, but we aren’t just a golf company. With TRUE Hockey, TRUE Sports Lacrosse, AURA Skates and (soon) TRUE Diamond Science, as well as True Temper Golf, Project X Golf and now ACCRA Golf Shafts, we are pushing innovation across a wide variety of sports. This affords us opportunities to learn, grow and perfect our craft through expansive R&D. Our team of engineers work collaboratively to optimize our learnings across each division. For the golf consumer, this means we have the ability to engineer and produce state of the art shafts for a wide variety of player.

Is there a style or a voice you shoot for with your brand's social content?

Approachable, informative and relatable. We understand there are a wide range of golf enthusiasts and we want people to feel comfortable coming to us for information, options and service.

What's your typical work day look like?

I have the opportunity to work across all of our TRUE Sports brands so each day is very different. I don’t have a “typical” work day so each day brings something new. That excitement makes it easy to get up every morning.

What's it like to work so closely with brand ambassadors and pros?

It’s amazing to watch people who are incredibly passionate perform at the highest levels of competition. Each individual is driven by their own purpose and it¹s infectious to be around. This isn’t only reserved for the pros, it’s the teams of people around them who help push their success. Seeing the guys in the Tour trucks and on the range work (I’m biased we have some of the best) is a lot of fun as well.

Titleist Golf Ball Marketing with Michael Mahoney | 217

Michael Mahoney is the VP of Golf Ball Product & Marketing at Titleist and he joins Adam this week to talk about his team's approach to product development and marketing. Adam and Michael dive deep into voice of customer feedback, marketing to an ever-changing core demographic, and even touch on the golf ball distance debate.

How to Generate Power Like Rory McIlroy

I have a love/hate relationship with Rory McIlroy’s golf swing.

Essentially, there are two main reasons people hit a golf ball a far: clubhead speed, and quality of contact. That being said, there are two ways to generate the clubhead speed:

1. The arc of your swing, and/or…

2. Having your body work as one well oiled machine. 

Occasionally (read: constantly), it drives me crazy to watch Rory hit tee shot after tee shot that FLIES 320 yards.

Not because I dislike Rory; I actually really like the guy. It just seems so unfair that THAT distance can come from a man of his stature. I know the guy is in fantastic shape, and I know he’s a strong guy. But doesn’t it just seem impossible that a guy who’s listed at 5’9” can carry the ball 320? You’ve probably thought this before yourself.

I’m between 6’0” and 6’4” (depending on which convenient store I’m leaving), about 200 lbs, a single digit handicap despite what Adam Fonseca and Matt Hackett will tell you, (Editor’s note: on the PLUS side), I played college golf, have given hundreds of lessons and can hit it what I consider to be far. My ball speed is anywhere from 167-171, and I fly it in the 270-280 range, and rolls out to roughly 300, depending on the conditions. I consider that perfectly fine. 

But how the hell can it be, that a guy like Rory who seemingly could fit in his own damn golf bag, can FLY IT 50 YARDS PAST ME?

Actually, I can explain.

Swing Arc

The first critical element to generating speed is something you may already know: the bigger the arc you can have in your swing (really, the taller you are) the further the distance the clubhead will travel, and usually the faster the club will travel. 

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying the only reason tall guys hit it far is because of their height, and fully know that the talent of all these players is off the charts whether they are tall or short. Nor am I saying that all tall people should hit it far.

I’m just saying there are two ways to create clubhead speed, with arc being the first. Think of holding a length of string between your thumb and forefinger with a weight attached to it.  Now think about swinging it around in a circle.  What is traveling faster, the part of the string near your hand, or the weight?

As Ben Hogan described in his 5 Lessons, the weight is the right answer. It has to travel the same distance as you travel in the same amount of time, and thus is traveling faster. This is the type of distance I attribute to guys like DJ, Bubba, Phil, Finau and any other of the taller guys on tour. It’s just basic physics. Combined with their incredible talent, of course.

Rory is shorter than all of those guys, but can fly it past them. Let’s dig deeper.

Timing and Technique

The second way to create the clubhead speed is timing and technique. The best way I can describe how Rory gets the distance he gets is to twist a rubber band up 4 or 5 times, and let it go. 

What happened? You’ll see the rubber band quickly untwisted back to its original shape, right? Rory’s coiling motion in his back swing and follow-through is similar. This motion requires an incredible amount of timing to execute perfectly, which Rory does.

Take a look at the side by side picture below. Focus an on a few different aspects of this picture. 

Rory McIlroy at the 2019 BMW Championship.

First, the picture on the right is Rory a millisecond before impact on a tee-shot he hit at the BMW Championship that he ABSOLUTELY massacred (I can honestly say I’ve never seen a ball stay I the air that long). He is moving off his right side through impact, and his left side is so perfectly straight you could level a pool table with it. 

Now look at Rory’s left shoulder. It went from coiled under him to uncoiled (pretty much straight up at least six inches) in an absolute split second…or from halfway down his swing to impact. 

Finally, look at the extension after impact in the photo below. Rory went from perfectly coiled up, to fully extended, in a split second. His technique of driving up and through the golf ball, getting to your left side, extending through the ball, and keeping your left side that straight is pretty much perfection. Timing this perfectly so it all happens that quickly like a rubber band is just amazing.

What Can We Learn?

First, if you can, work on widening the arc of your swing. This is different than taking a longer backswing. Instead, don’t be afraid to get your arms extended a bit on the takeaway, and create a little more distance for the club head to travel from the top of the backswing to impact. You can still do this move and remain short of parallel at the top.

Second, how many times have you heard someone say, “swing easy” or “I know I hit it better when I take a nice smooth swing?'“ More than you can count, correct? When someone tells you to “swing easy” they are trying to tell you to time your swing better, much like we see in Rory’s swing.

Swinging slower doesn’t actually make a golf ball go farther, physics don’t work that way. What swinging slower does is helps you time your golf swing better, and helps all the parts in your body that are working together stay connected to actually make the club head travel faster. This also helps get contact a little more in the center of the club face, thus increasing ball speed and distance.

Use this tip to get a little more distance out of a driver: slow it down a bit, work on getting through the ball, and time your swing right. You might not hit it as far as Rory, but that extra 10 yards you’ve been looking for are definitely already in your body.

(Adam Tatro is a former collegiate golfer and club professional.)

The Social 9 with - Jacqueline Strouse

The Social 9 is an up-close look into the lives and careers of the golf industry’s social voices and influencers. Each week will feature a new guest answering nine (or more!) questions about their careers, brands, and personal lives.

These are the voices that drive the industry further every single day.

Jacqueline Strouse — Golf Channel

Twitter: @jackiestrouse

Title: Director, Social Media at Golf Channel

Jackie Strouse, Golf Channel

How did you get started in social media?

I'd had some experience in social media through various internships and during my first job right out of college, so in 2012 when a position at Golf Channel focused solely on social media became available, I was excited about the opportunity to get in on the ground floor of a developing industry (social) at an established organization (GC). It’s been exciting to be a part of social as its evolved and become such an important part of culture.

Do you have a favorite social media outlet right now?

For personal usage, I love Instagram as a way of keeping up with the adventures of friends and family, and consuming aspirational content from various brands and influencers. But from a business perspective, I love Twitter because it's where public discourse, news and movements play out. For this reason, Twitter is the ideal platform for real-time sports news, coverage and highlights. When there's a big event on Golf Channel/NBC, The Open for example, Twitter as a second screen is the go-to source for complementary coverage and conversation while the tournament's playing out. But at the end of the day, all platforms are important, because social media is often the first touchpoint a consumer has with a brand.

Is there ever a struggle to put brand before self or vice versa?

Never, I prefer to stay behind-the-scenes, roll up my sleeves and work with my team at Golf Channel, rather than promote my own personal brand.

How has your content evolved with so much being picture and video centric, rather than just words?

While copy writing is still an important part of social media marketing, the shift toward video has been a key trend in the past few years, and we at Golf Channel have been swift to adapt. While we're still focused on traditional social operations, we've built out a robust content creation strategy that takes advantage of our access to events and players to generate social-first content.

Does your favorite outlet match up with golf demographics?

Audience tendencies vary platform to platform, so we program for all platforms in order to cast the widest net, speaking to our core audience while engaging new audiences.

How has your role changed as social media has changed?

As social media has changed, my role has evolved to be very strategy- and insights-focused. Looking at data, evaluating what works/areas of opportunity, and keeping an eye on news/trends in social are vital, and some of the reasons I really enjoy my role.

What's the most important thing you want people to know about your brand?

Golf Channel connects the world to golf, delivering compelling content around all aspects of the game: golf news, tournaments, instruction, travel, lifestyle and more.

Is there a style or a voice you shoot for with your brand's social content?

We look to social media as an extension of the Golf Channel brand, and for that reason we look to be the voice of the network on social. Since social lends itself to being more conversational, our tone and style is very human, but in a way that accurately and responsibly represents the brand.

What's your typical work day look like?

While every day is different, the connecting thread is that I get to work with a fantastic team. Golf Channel employees are creative, inspired and engaged, which makes it a phenomenal place to get to go to work every day.

What's it like to work so closely with brand ambassadors and pros?

Getting the opportunity to collaborate with various brand ambassadors, pros and partner organizations, who all have their own unique points of view, really helps to broaden my own perspective, and reinvigorate my passion for golf and social media.

Ranting About Slow Play, Pt. 2 | Episode 216

Slow play in golf is once again a hot topic in golf media, and Adam shares his thoughts on the players being called out and what non-enforcement of the rules means for us.

REVIEW: Sub 70 699U Utility Club

The Sub 70 Golf 699U utility club is the direct-to-consumer brand’s foray into the driving iron category. Featuring minimal graphics and a thick cavity back design, the 699U holds its own against some of the most popular clubs in this category.

Sub 70 Golf 699U utility iron.

Technology and Specs

The Sub 70 Golf 699U is available in two lofts: 17- and 19.5-degrees. Fitting into your bag in either the 2-iron or 3-iron slot, the 699U features a lie angle between 60-60.5° and standard length of 39.5 to 39 inches, respectively.

Sub 70 deems this driving iron to have the “hottest face with the largest sweet spot achievable with current manufacturing tolerances.” This is a big claim considering the market this club hopes to influence, and at a fraction of the price ($99). Strategic weighting throughout the length of the blade helps with launch, while the thicker sole helps with forgiveness on off-center hits.

The club’s face is 455 Carpenter Steel (1.7mm) wrapped by a body comprised of 431 stainless steel. As per any club offered by Sub 70, the 699U is available with steel or graphite shafts of your choice.

Performance and Feel

At impact, the 699U feels extremely solid and muted, which you all know is a sound and feel I prefer. The ball feels like it is swallowed up by the clubhead as it leaves the face with plenty of height and lift. I didn’t mind the slightly thicker-than-usual look at address; after all, this is a utility club meant to replace a hybrid or shorter fairway wood.

I tested the 19.5° 3-iron for this review, which is a half-degree stronger than my gaming iron. Shaft builds were similar in flex profile and kick points, resulting in an output report on my launch monitor very similar to which I am accustomed.

The 699U carried an average of 190 yards with total distance averaging just over 200 yards. This is a little shorter than my gamer in a controlled setting, but I have no doubt this would translate well onto the course with repeated plays.

Launch trajectory was right at 16° resulting in about 30 yards of peak height, which is what I expect to see from a utility club for my game. Shot dispersion was a little spotty during my test, however, which might have more to do with the shaft than clubhead performance. Backspin clocked in at under 5000 rpm, which was slightly lower than my gamer.

Overall Impression

The Sub 70 Golf 699U utility iron is a solid option for this space in your bag. I found it to be extremely similar to my current gamer, which should be encouraging for golfers on a budget. At a price point that is $30 less than comparable irons, it’s surprising how similar the 699U performs to their more costly counterparts.

I’ve had the chance to test a large volume of Sub 70 offerings to date, and I can safely say the 699U is one of the best in their stable. The irons is solid, sounds great, performs admirably, and could easily fit into my game right away. I highly recommend it.

REVIEW: Cleveland Golf CBX2 Wedges

The new Cleveland Golf CBX2 wedges are an upgrade from last year’s model, promising forgiveness for players who need it without sacrificing versatility in your short game. Having played wedges from the brand for many years, this newest release from Cleveland might be one their best, ever.

Technology and Specs

Do you need forgiveness in your short game? Chances are unless I see you play on my television every weekend, you could use a little help. In fact, many touring pros across multiple tours are realizing the benefits of a more forgiving wedge. This is where the Cleveland CBX2 wedges come into play.

Specifically designed for golfers who prefer playing cavity back irons — which is most of us these days — the CBX2 wedge is the result of a bottom-up design philosophy. Traditionally, wedges are designed with the world’s best players in mind first, followed by the rest of us mere mortals. Cleveland flipped this mentality on its head by specifically wanting to help the majority of players who need it most.

“The short game is critical to playing your best golf, and playing wedges designed for your game – and the shots you like to hit – is key,” said Brian Schielke, Marketing Director at Cleveland Golf. “That’s why Cleveland CBX 2 wedges were created. They make the short game easier and more forgiving for the majority of golfers out there playing game-improvement equipment.”

While this is a cavity back wedge in every sense of the word, the CBX2 also features many of the same qualities of the brand’s blade-like RTX-4 wedges. This includes Rotex Face technology, featuring grooves designed to give you all the spin you need (and more) from any wedge distance.

What puts the CBX2 into a different class from their better-player cousins is the combination of the hollow-cavity design that maximizes MOI and perimeter weighting for more forgiveness on off-center hits. Don’t think this is important in a wedge? The next time you practice your short game, notice how many balls you hit off the toe of your wedge. (Hint: if you’re like most players, it’ll be a lot.)

“The Cleveland CBX 2 gives you 25% more shots on the sweet spot,” said Dustin Brekke, Engineering Manager, Research and Development. “This helps you hit better shots, but also drastically improves feel at impact.”

The other design feature of note is the CBX2’s feel balancing and Gelback tech, reducing vibration at impact. We’ve all felt the unpleasant sensation of a poorly-struck wedge. Cleveland addresses this issue with these features to boost our confidence ever so slightly.

Performance

Having played a couple rounds with the CBX2 wedges, there is no doubt in my mind that I needed the forgiveness and help they offer to my game. This became crystal clear when my short game improved noticeably as soon as I put these wedges into play.

I’ve always thought I was a better wedge player than I apparently am. That probably applies to most amateur players. Full transparency: I had the RTX-4 wedges in my bag previously and due to poor swing mechanics, I have been struggling greatly with that part of my game. I needed help. Fast.

The CBX2 wedges offered my that help. The weight of the wedges was slightly heavier than my previous set, reducing my thin shots and promoting a shallower swing plane needed for solid contact. Could golf lessons fix this swing flaw, allowing me to go back to a players wedge? Of course; but I like having options.

The wedges feel phenomenal at impact, offering a percussive, solid sound off the turf. Ball flight was what you would expect, and spin rates were very similar to what I saw with my previous set. Shots from 100-yards held the green nicely, even backing up after two bounces on crisply-struck shots.

What I was impressed with most was the CBX2’s usefulness around the greens. Despite being thicker than my previous wedges, the CBX2 clubhead shape allows you to lay it open when needed, or slow it down for running chips if preferred. The Rotex face is there to help with spin, putting you on autopilot without having to worry about how your ball is going to respond.

When put all together, I came away with two feelings about the CBX2 wedge:

1. My game will benefit substantially from making this switch to a more forgiving wedge

2. I should have realized this much sooner in the season

Pssst.

These are really, really, really good. pic.twitter.com/4is9ofzi8s

— Golf Unfiltered (@GolfUnfiltered) August 9, 2019

Overall Impression

You all know how I feel about Cleveland Golf as a brand. Having collaborated with them for awhile now, I’m always excited to learn more about what is being released next. I’ve yet to be disappointed, but the CBX2 wedges have surpassed even my expectations.

I’m actually angry that I haven’t realized the benefits of a cavity back wedge sooner. This is a testament to the overall design of the CBX2 wedge, because the performance boost is almost immediate. That may sound like hyperbole, but I ask you to not just take my word for it. Go out, try these clubs, and I can almost guarantee that you will experience similar results right from the start.

Is the CBX2 wedge perfect for every player? Of course not; and I don’t want to insinuate that. But I can safely say that every player who enjoys this game can benefit from playing a more forgiving wedge in some way.

If you are thinking about testing this suggestion for yourself, do so with the Cleveland CBX2 wedge. You won’t be disappointed.

You can pre-order your Cleveland Golf CBX2 wedges today. Visit BudgetGolf.com for more deals.

The Social 9 with - Lindsay Burkhart

The Social 9 is an up-close look into the lives and careers of the golf industry’s social voices and influencers. Each week will feature a new guest answering nine (or more!) questions about their careers, brands, and personal lives.

These are the voices that drive the industry further every single day.

Lindsay Burkhart — UST Mamiya

Twitter: BirdieBurkhart1

Title: Social Media Marketing Specialist

How did you get started in social media?

Before UST Mamiya I worked at a local Golf Course where I had actually started that Golf Courses’ first social media profiles. I managed and maintained those profiles along with my other job responsibilities. Then 5 years ago I got started in Social Media at UST Mamiya Golf, I saw the opportunity that was needed at UST Mamiya and ran with it head on.

Do you have a favorite social media outlet right now?

This is hard to say because each outlet offers something different to each user. I would say that Instagram has been the most successful outlet right now for UST Mamiya, and it has provided the best opportunities for the brand as far as true Social Connection. We have connected the brand to golfers who had never heard of UST Mamiya golf shafts, and they are now die hard #TeamUSTM fans. It has been incredible and a lot of fun to watch.

Is there ever a struggle to put brand before self or vice versa?

I have personally never struggled with this. I have played golf since I was the age of 7 and so anything I can do to truly grow the game is my ultimate goal. What I have learned is that golfers and consumers want to feel connected to the people behind the brand and that is definitely one of my goals in this position. I always want to educate and help the consumer to understand what UST Mamiya is all about and how golf shafts can truly help their game. I just make sure to make myself available for any questions that the consumer has.

How has your content evolved with so much being picture and video centric, rather than just words?

Our content has definitely evolved in that we want to have consumers and ambassadors helping us to create this content. There are a lot of talented content creators on Social and so we want to leverage that as much as possible. In doing so, this has also made the consumer feel more connected to our brand versus other golf shaft brands. The world we live in today is a digital and image viewing world, most of us want to actually see the impact of something rather than just reading words. Our goal is to reach more golfers as well as other sports communities and get them connected and educated about golf shafts. The best way we have seen this happen is having our Ambassadors and Elite Athletes posting content with us.

Does your favorite outlet match up with golf demographics?

I would say that it does now more than ever. If you look at the #golf on Instagram, there are over 19.8M posts, which is more than #baseball. To have golf be that popular today is a huge change, we are seeing other athletes of different sports promoting the game and talking about the game of golf more than they ever have in the past. There are also more people joining social media just to talk about their golf game and their golf journey. Two demographics that have joined this conversation more than ever is Women and Junior Golfers. 3 years ago I would have told you that golf demographics is all on Twitter, but not today, today the golf demographic on Instagram is only just beginning.

How has your role changed as social media has changed?

I have been with UST Mamiya for 5 years now doing both the Digital and Social side and Social Media has changed a lot since then. How I create content has changed a lot which has shifted my role and ultimate goal to work with Social Influencers as much as possible to leverage and market the brand. They truly are Brand Champions and are able to give an opinion about a shaft and a solid review right on the spot, versus waiting and going through a lengthy process of testing with other various media outlets.

Today’s Social Influencers and Content Creators are the best form of Marketing for any brand and so I take in their thoughts in how we also do content creation in house. What's the most important thing you want people to know about your brand? When a consumer visits our website or our social profiles for the first time, we want them to see a community and also to see a market of golf shafts for all golfers. Our Recoil iron shafts have been the #1 graphite iron shaft in the market for the last 5 years and counting. We want the consumer to know that they are trusting a quality brand that we are diligently designing new shaft designs to better their golf game.

Is there a style or a voice you shoot for with your brand's social content?

There is definitely an aesthetic and an overall game plan that we try to keep on our Social Outlets. We have two hashtags that we utilize in every social post: #USTMamiya and #TeamUSTM, by using these we create that community of golfers who want to be a part of something more. We don’t just want to be a page that displays our products, or posts about what is happening on Tour. We also want to be a page that displays the average golfer’s feedback and their content creation.

What's the biggest misconception about your brand you'd like to clarify?

The biggest misconception is that “graphite is weak…” Even with today’s impressive technology we still get comments from golfers that they are hesitant to switch into graphite iron shafts because they are not sure they will perform as good as their steel iron shafts. One of our slogans is, “You play graphite in your woods, why not in your irons? Make the switch to Recoil.”

With the advanced technology of carbon materials available, we are able to make iron shafts perform even better than steel. We are able to manipulate material and change up designs, versus a steel shaft. You see a lot of the steel shaft manufacturers promoting their graphite lines a lot more, and that is because they know this too. We tell consumers, that you just have to go try Recoil, just go hit it and then tell us what you think.

What's your typical work day look like?

It has been said that Social Media positions are a full 7 days a week job, I would tend to agree with this statement. My typical day is heading into the office, logging in to all of our Social Media profiles first thing in the morning to see what our followers are saying. I am a planner so I am typically planning out content over the next few weeks and months which includes video projects for future shaft releases, working with our Ambassadors on special projects, and meeting with our product development team and Tour Team.

I assist our Director of Marketing with any other marketing initiatives we have going on as well. I also run our parent company’s social media profiles (UST- ESSX Pole Vault Poles) and run the marketing initiatives with that team as well as work with our Professional Pole Vault Athletes. Something I have learned over time is that planning out my postings helps me save a lot of time and keeps me on track. However, social media moves fast and there could be something trending that I am not expecting and so that is when the creative side in me has to kick on. I don’t always join in on the trending game, because sometimes it is honestly not always in the best interest for the company.

What's it like to work so closely with brand ambassadors and pros?

Working with ambassadors and Pro’s is the best part of my job. I love to communicate and collaborate with people, so by working with our Ambassadors it opens up a lot of fun and interesting dialogue. I head out to events on the PGA Tour about 6 times a year and have the opportunities to meet with Pro’s who play our shafts and or testing our shafts for that week. It is an interesting dynamic from the shaft side because we are limited in what we are able to actually do as far as promotion of the players in our products.

I do believe that golf is trying to move forward in this sense and not be as stiff when it comes to promotional marketing. As far as on the Pole Vault side, we have access to the top Vaulters in the World including 6 Olympians and the #1 Pole Vaulter in the World. I have had the opportunity to photograph, and tell our Pole Vault Athlete’s stories through video which has been a lot of fun because it is a whole different sport and the interaction I get to have with them is a great experience.

18Birdies CEO Eddy Lui | Episode 215

Eddy Lui, Founder and CEO of 18Birdies, joins the show this week to talk about his popular golf app, upcoming features and more.

Visit their website at 18birdies.com.

VIDEO: Installing the UST Mamiya ProForce V2 Tour CB Shaft

In what is his first club build in the GU Club Lab, Adam walks through his process for installing the new UST Mamiya ProForce V2 Tour CB shaft. This video covers prepping the shaft for epoxy, installing a new driver adapter, cutting the shaft to length and more.

Visit the UST Mamiya website to learn more about all of their products.

Visit the Srixon Golf website to learn more about the z785 driver.

REVIEW: Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor

Personal ball launch monitors are quickly becoming the most important training aid in your bag, and companies are utilizing the power of our smartphones to make these devices more accessible.

Featuring a hearty helping of features and an incredibly easy-to-use interface, the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor (MLM) might be the best we’ve tested in this category.

The Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor.

Features and Technology

Regardless of your brand preference, most personal ball launch monitors will offer the staple features:

• Carry distance

• Total distance

• Club speed

• Ball speed

The Rapsodo MLM offers all of these and more, including Smash Factor, launch angle, shot direction, video playback of your swing, shot tracer, satellite range mapping, bag mapping, and more. Perhaps the most impressive — and sometimes frustrating — feature is the Smart Club Recognition, which allows the device to automatically recognize your club from shot to shot.

The Rapsodo unit itself is quite simple and minimalist. It is essentially the “base” of what becomes the entire launch monitor, on which you place your smartphone, which serves as the main camera that tracks each shot. The final piece to the puzzle is a downloadable app that is used to pair your phone to the base, as well as serve as the main digital interface.

Setup of the device is a breeze. Once you’ve paired everything together — which takes about five minutes one time — you simply open the app on your phone, calibrate your location on the driving range using the satellite range mapping feature, position the device roughly 8 feet behind your target line, and swing away.

Performance and Accuracy

My first couple of sessions with the Rapsodo MLM were positive, but I noticed a small issue with the outputs I was seeing during one of my tests. It is recommended to use the device outside, but my smartphone camera tended to pick up the divots I was making instead of the ball. This lead to inaccurate readings on the monitor.

What was most impressive to me in this whole ordeal, and truly a testament to the attention to detail and customer-first mentality of Rapsodo, was the fact I was put in touch with the GM of North America for the brand immediately upon request. We had a quick phone call to discuss the issue I was experiencing, and a couple weeks later the app was updated and the issue was resolved. That is incredible customer service, and Rapsodo should be commended.

This lead to a much improved third session with the device, which showed me everything it could do. Shots were dead-on accurate to what I would expect in a launch monitor, the video playback worked flawlessly, and my practice sessions are valuable to me more now than ever before.

My favorite feature of the Rapsodo MLM is the ability to export my video sessions for later viewing, allowing me to not only see how my shot performed in terms of metrics, but also critique my golf swing to understand why the ball behaved a certain way.

Testing out the @RapsodoGolf MLM app update at the range. So far so good. @SrixonGolf #Z785 pic.twitter.com/rHDWphg7Nk

— Golf Unfiltered (@GolfUnfiltered) August 8, 2019

Overall Impression

I’ve tried my fair share of launch monitors, and while it might not be the top-of-the-line in terms of metric output, the Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor is easily the best personal monitor I’ve ever used.

It could not be more simple to set up, it takes up minimal space in your golf bag, the battery life is very strong, and it offers more features that you would expect from a personal device. While the Smart Club Recognition still has some kinks to work out, I have no doubt future upgrades of this feature will remedy the issue.

To learn more about this fantastic personal launch monitor, visit the Rapsodo Golf website here.

The Social 9 with - Andrew Jennette

The Social 9 is an up-close look into the lives and careers of the golf industry’s social voices and influencers. Each Wednesday will feature a new guest answering nine (or more!) questions about their careers, brands, and personal lives.

These are the voices that drive the industry further every single day.

Andrew Jennette — FootJoy

Twitter: @FootJoy

Job Title/Position: Social Media Lead for FootJoy.

Andrew Jennette, FootJoy Golf.

How did you get started in social media?

I was working in the sports information department at my Alma mater, UCF, about 8 years ago. One of the many duties of that role was to help promote my individual sports from a marketing perspective, specifically social media. I highly enjoyed that aspect of the job and it eventually led my to applying for and getting a social media specific job at Golf Channel.

Do you have a favorite social media outlet right now?

For breaking news and information, I use Twitter the most. From an actual personal and work use perspective, definitely Instagram.

Is there ever a struggle to put brand before self or vice versa?

Not particularly, no. I rarely post from my personal accounts anyway. My bosses at FootJoy tasked me to have fun with establishing the brand voice so we've been able to be creative with that.

How has your content evolved with so much being picture and video centric, rather than just words?

It's evolved dramatically! It's very easy to get lost in the weeds when thinking about copy when the photo/video creative is always going to be the selling point.

Does your favorite outlet match up with golf demographics?

Instagram is our fastest growing platform by a wide margin. It's outpaced Twitter/Facebook growth.

How has your role changed as social media has changed?

When I first started dabbling in social media back in the early 2010s, it was totally different. There was no strategy! We didn't even consider using paid advertising on social media. Now? We're planning as far in advance as we possibly can and creating massive paid social campaigns that last weeks/months at a time.

What's the most important thing you want people to know about your brand?

We see your comments! Even if we don't respond to every single thing, we're always watching and have a very good idea what people are thinking.

Is there a style or a voice you shoot for with your brand's social content?

Funny without being silly. Sarcastic without being mean spirited. We just want to be fun.

What's the biggest misconception about your brand you'd like to clarify?

That our brand is stuffy and geared towards older golfers because that absolutely isn't the case.

What's your typical work day look like?

Checking and responding to emails, attending creative meetings and monitoring social! We usually know before we get to the office what I'm going to post that day. We try and build out creative assets and loosely map out a schedule of posts at least a week or two in advance. Obviously there are always "in the moment" situations that pop up on a near daily basis and we go those directions when they do.

What's it like to work so closely with brand ambassadors and pros?

A lot of fun. Once you can establish that initial level of trust, you're golden. We always want our ambassadors and pros to know early on that our main goal is to make them look even better.

Finding the Right Golf Ball for You

Have you found your golf ball?

This is not a write up to declare which ball is better than the next. That clearly does not exist. Every company has a ball that performs at the tour level, and to each his own. This is to explain the fact that by trial and error, and process of elimination, I’ve finally found the golf ball I plan to stand behind for an extended period of time, and why I plan to do so.

You should do the same.

My Process Then and Now

As a former teaching professional and fake golf enthusiast, I was in touch for a while with how every ball (the Pro V) performed. Then, I got out of the golf business, started playing/enjoying the game again, and decided to branch out and see how other golf balls stacked up. Once again, this is not a knock against any tour ball; it is a push for any of you to find the ball that fits your game the best.

For a long while, I played the Pro V1x. Let’s face it, for about 3-4 years, the only golf ball that seemed to matter or sell to any player under a 20 handicap was the Pro V.  The facts were well known:

• the Pro V1 spins

• the Pro V1x did not

• both have a soft feel around the greens and off the clubface.

That being said, the X still had a little too much spin for my liking. As someone who is slightly steep at impact with a relatively low ball flight, and plays a cut…spin comes naturally.

So, for the past couple years, I’ve been tinkering with different sleeves each round, settled on a ball for an extended amount of time here and there, but never stopped looking. My adventures included the Pro V 1 and Pro V 1x, the Taylormade TP5 and TP5X, and finally the Bridgestone Tour BXS and Tour BX.

A Moment of Clarity

EVERY BALL IS A GOOD BALL.

That being said, not every ball is for me. Obviously with the amount of spin I put on a golf ball, I lean towards the “X” category.  I still like a ball with the control around the greens and being able to get short wedges to check, stop, or back up, but I have been searching for the ball that wouldn’t rip back 20 feet when I went after an 8 iron from 170.

Found it.

The Tour BX fits my game exactly how I want it to.  Touch, feel, distance…check those boxes.  Smooth off the clubface…check mark. Workability…yup.  “Hit and stop” rather than “rip or jump forward”…yessir.  The control I feel I have with this golf ball is EXACTLY what I have been looking for in a ball.  I’ve been searching for what fits me, and I’ve finally found it.  Well done Bridgestone. And despite what Hackett or Adam Fonseca will tell you, I still have my moments and hit shitty shots…they’re just grasping for more strokes.

(Editor’s note: Tatro is correct and also a potential sandbagger. Lawsuits are pending.)

Now, as I mentioned before, I’m not just trying to pump Bridgestone’s tires (see what I did there), and tell everyone they have to go out and play Bridgestone golf balls, but some of you should.  What I’m trying to say is play a number of different balls, from all different companies, and figure out which ball fits YOUR game. 

Not anyone else’s game, YOURS.

Some players need more spin into greens, some need less off the tee. What matters to you, doesn’t matter to anyone else. Find a feel or a sound off the clubface, and find a performance to match what you are trying to do with a ball, and play it.

(Adam Tatro is a former PGA teaching professional and collegiate golfer.)

The Social 9 with - Adam Rehberg

The Social 9 is an up-close look into the lives and careers of the golf industry’s social voices and influencers. Each week will feature a new guest answering nine (or more!) questions about their careers, brands, and personal lives.

These are the voices that drive the industry further every single day.

Adam Rehberg — Bridgestone Golf

Twitter: @rehbirdie

Title: Ball Fitting Manager

Adam Rehberg of Bridgestone Golf

How did you get started in social media?

Oh man, great question! I’ve done several different jobs for the company so far, starting with being a Ball Fitting in the field, to being a R&D Engineer, to now having the pleasure of being part of the Marketing team. I’ve always had an affinity for being creative. I love to work on all types of content. I’ve learned a lot in the role and continue to learn every single day. Consumer Marketing is a tricky business and for me the most important thing is to be genuine and accessible.

Do you have a favorite social media outlet right now?

Twitter for sure. It’s such an interactive platform and the news and information is flowing in real time. I feel that if I need to know something news-wise in the world of golf, I can get that instantly on Twitter and it is also the best way I feel we can communicate directly with consumers that are passionate about our brand and golf.

Is there ever a struggle to put brand before self or vice versa?

Nope, even though those thumbs are mine typing, it is the voice of the brand. I am fortunate that leadership has complete trust in what I am pumping out. It’s super important to talk with the entire team and make sure messaging is correct about everything I launch. It’s NOT my voice, it’s the voice of Bridgestone Golf.

How has your content evolved with so much being picture and video centric, rather than just words?

It’s constantly evolving. I love to study trends across all types of businesses even outside of golf to better serve the needs of our followers for optimized consumption.

Does your favorite outlet match up with golf demographics?

Oh yeah. I absolutely LOVE GOLF. Sometimes to a fault. I’ll be lost in Twitter while texting colleagues over the weekend when awesome stuff happens in golf and I’m sure they sometimes just roll their eyes! But I love twitter because my feed is rich with nothing but golf. So as I mentioned before, when something breaking happens it’s my go-to platform. It’s definitely where I spend most of my time. And boy does the Screen Time metrics remind me of that on Sundays! 

How has your role changed as social media has changed?

It’s changed in a way that I’ve become better at balancing social with my other responsibilities. Social can certainly consume my entire day pretty easily. It’s not always just about being on it. You have to have a plan and execute. So a lot of my work is behind the scenes making and scheduling content with the other brand managers. It’s fun to continually learn and change the way the game is played on social.

Adam Rehberg with some dude.

What's the most important thing you want people to know about your brand?

We are here for you! We literally make product that works for you the player. Certainly, we have TOUR presence and victories but we want to work with consumers to make sure they are in the right product for their game. I am continually trying to be more and more accessible on social to work with consumers as much as possible. We have several different avenues of content that we try to build to reach everyone, not just a niche demographic. Everyone should check out our YouTube page as we are working to grow our content portfolio this year! Check it here >> http://bit.ly/GolfPeopleEpisodes

Is there a style or a voice you shoot for with your brand's social content?

Accessible, we are a brand that designs balls and equipment for consumers, everyday players. So from a social perspective I want the brand to seem inviting, not calculated. It’s difficult, but I strive to connect with as many of our loyal fans as possible.

What's the biggest misconception about your brand you'd like to clarify?

That we’re not just TIRES!!! No, all joking aside, I want to get back to the feeling we used to have, that feeling that we truly care about YOU! I think we had gotten away from the desire to listen to consumers and we are fighting back hard to once again convey that message. We hear you guys!

What's your typical work day look like?

Great question. We are a lean and mean organization so every day is different. Social isn’t my only responsibility as I also manage out Golf Ball Fitting program. One day I can be off producing and shooting an episode of “Golf People” with Joe LaCava, the next scheduling Ball Fitting activations and the next flying down to Jupiter to fit Tiger into the new TOUR B golf ball for 2020. So there are many hats, and I love’em all. 

What's it like to work so closely with brand ambassadors and pros?

It’s amazing and I enjoy it. I like meeting people that are passionate about something. Whether that’s hockey, surfing, football or golf. I enjoy working with our advocates and working with the best players in the world. I never thought I would be working so closely with Tiger Woods some fifteen years ago as I sit in my apartment in Tallahassee FL at FSU playing Tiger Woods PGA 2004. It’s an amazing opportunity and I’m appreciative of the opportunity I have at Bridgestone Golf.

Talking Mizuno MP-20 Irons with Chris Voshall | Episode 214

Chris Voshall is the Product and Marketing Manager for Mizuno Golf, and he is here to talk about the exciting new MP-20 iron series.

Find Chris on Twitter at @Vosh68.

Visit the Mizuno Golf website here to learn more.

Copper in the new Mizuno MP-20 irons.

Canal Shores Golf Course Review

Located steps away from the Purple Line of Chicago’s “El Train” transit sits Canal Shores Golf Course. The property’s address is listed in Evanston, IL — which would make sense, being a few blocks away from Northwestern University’s Ryan Field — but the course layout also intersects neighboring Wilmette on either side of the Chicago River. The par-60 routing is quaint, a mere 3612 yard from the back tees, but placing judgement on the course on those superficial elements alone would be a mistake.

Canal Shores Golf Course is a true celebration of the game in its purest form, offering you everything you need without anything you don’t. It is also one of the most unique golf courses I’ve ever played.

Canal Shores Golf Course offers 5- and 10-hole playing options in addition to the standard 18.

Community Golf at its Finest

You will cross six city streets while playing a full round at Canal Shores: Central, Isabella, Maple, Linden, and Colfax. There will be times when you have to wait at a four-way stop or hustle through an intersection to avoid oncoming traffic. You are literally playing golf in a neighborhood park, which sounds like any public golf course anywhere. However, that analogy takes on a different meaning here.

There were times during my round when I felt as if I was playing the game in someone’s back yard. Other times I imagined I was in a courtyard of a Marriott hotel complex, especially in the shadows cast by some of the largest homes I’ve ever seen. It was as if I had successfully snuck on to private property, often times waiting for a neighbor walking their dog to cross through the fairway.

At the risk of sounding redundant, the uniqueness of this course cannot be overstated. You are immediately hit with the notion that your first loop at Canal Shores will always be memorable during the walk from the second green to the third tee box. This requires the use of a street crosswalk after passing the entrance to the Central Street El train station on your right. In fact, a group of golfers — bags in tow — were seen entering the doors to the station after their round.

Canal Shores has a unique connection to its community, and vise versa.

As featured in the third issue of The Golfer’s Journal, this connection to the community has become vital to the course’s longevity. When recently faced with a very real possibility of closing, Canal Shores’ status as a non-profit allowed multiple fundraisers to which locals could contribute to keep the course alive. A link on their website still allows for donations, insinuating this is a fight that ebbs and flows with every passing year.

Artwork along the El train railway parallel to the third hole.

People continue to play, however. My afternoon round included multiple interactions with the community, whether it be the family of four on the practice putting green or a high-schooler receiving an impromptu bunker lesson from a staff member on the course’s eight hole. A fivesome of younger players teed off behind me, all wearing t-shirts and cargo shorts, undoubtedly using mixed bags of hand-me-down clubs or rentals from the pro shop. Laughter filled the air as friends heckled each other after a bad shot, instilling a comfort level often missed on more expensive courses.

On many occasions throughout the round families were seen playing in the grass, enjoying the humid summer day as one would expect. I got the sense that this was the norm for the property, and that everyone appreciated it and understood the benefits of collective play in this neighborhood park. We all kept to ourselves, me with my golf clubs and they with their families. After all, I was in their town, not the other way around.

Short but Tricky

Twelve of the holes are par-3’s, while five of the six remaining par-4’s can be reachable off the tee. On paper the course looks simple; however, the small green complexes and strategically placed bunkering make Canal Shores anything but a pushover.

The greens rolled true and fast despite the awful Chicago weather so far this season. With the exception of the severely sloping green on Nook — the 129 yard par-3 eighth hole — every putt yielded a fair opportunity to make birdie or save par. The amount of care and attention required to make each putting surface as well-manicured as they were must have been extraordinary.

A highlight of the course layout is its bunkering, which is both punitive and aesthetically appealing. Natural overgrowth along the perimeter of each bunker is tastefully maintained, offering a fun challenge for players of any skill level while adding to the course’s overall mystique. It was as if the bunkers emerged from the earth generations ago and a city was developed around them. GM and course superintendent Tony Frandria and his team should be proud.

Details matter on any golf course layout, and it’s the little things that make Canal Shores so appealing to so many. The inspiration to the legendary golf movie Caddyshack — multiple Murray brothers worked at the course growing up — you can imagine summer after summer of stories and tall tales shared at the Snack Shack first seen beside the green at the fourth hole. A sign encourages golfers to place their orders now and pick them up as you return from the ninth tee, probably prepared on the small Weber charcoal grill beside the hut. A smattering of golfers were backed up at this popular bottleneck as the shop’s attendant encouraged them to pick up the pace.

By the 14th hole, after the twosome in front of me drove off back to the clubhouse, another single walker caught up with me on the tee. Following a firm handshake and the usual introductions, Dave, an Evanston resident for 42 years, offered me a cigar and multiple historical tidbits on the course. I politely declined the former while eagerly accepted the latter.

At the end of my round, which was accomplished in a leisurely three hours, I commented to my new playing partner how excited I was to experience the course for the first time. Having received an invitation from Skylar Street, the course Operations Manager, during a chance meeting a month prior, I knew a return visit to the pro shop to purchase a few items was in order. The counter attendant, Allie, was more than accommodating while another staffer, Charlie, shared a few more anecdotes with me before my departure.

Canal Shores Golf Course is an example of how the love of the game can take on multiple forms. Some prefer resort-style layouts with oceanic views or heavily wooded ravines, while others who may be learning the game require something more appropriate. Then there are the purists who believe a golf course should look a certain way, or offer certain amenities, or require memberships. I contend there is another group of golfers who play the game any chance they can get and in multiple flavors. Any golf course that can accommodate those players — the vast majority of us, if we are honest with ourselves — is truly a special place.

This is that place. It is the epitome of Chicago golf in every sense of the phrase, touching on our memories of growing up with the game like a nostalgic train ride back to childhood. You will not find many ways to spend a weekend afternoon more enjoyable than a walk around Canal Shores Golf Course.

I cannot wait to go back.

REVIEW: TRUE Linkswear TL-01 Shoes

To say the TRUE Linkswear TL-01 is a golf shoe would be doing it a disservice. Featuring a classic, minimalist design that’s been perfected by the brand over the years, the newest offering from TRUE is perfect for any occasion on — or off — the golf course.

The new TRUE Linkswear TL-01 shoes.

Features and Build

What has impressed me the most about TRUE Linkswear over the years has been their dedication to consistency in quality. The TL-01 is yet another example, featuring high-quality Nappa leather, an EVA cushioned insole and a design that wraps around your foot comfortably.

This is definitely a low-profile shoe, rising to just below your ankle. More on the fit later, but I was impressed by how well the TL-01 molded to my foot right out of the box… er, the shoe bag.

Features of the TRUE TL-01.

I find the outer sole of the shoe to be somewhat unique in its design, featuring what TRUE is calling a Zero-Drop build that supports your foot’s natural arch. The “spike” pattern is recessed a bit, leveling out at the sole without protruding in the slightest. This adds to the shoe’s versatility in wear options, allowing the TL-01 to be worn comfortably on city streets our at the office. You don’t feel like you are wearing a golf shoe.

TRUE specializes in preparing you for the elements, and the TL-01’s come “Weather Ready” with just enough repellant to keep you dry without sacrificing breathability.

The TRUE TL-01 can be worn anywhere.

Fit and Performance

I found the TL-01’s to be a bit snug in fit at first, but they definitely loosened up a bit during my first wear. TRUE advertises a sock fit opening for the TL-01’s, however I found dress socks or extremely thin athletic socks to be the best combo for these shoes. When laced snugly, the shoes can be a little tight.

Once you find the right sock combo (you can also wear these suckers barefoot if you want to get rowdy), the TL-01’s are fantastic. You can feel the cushioning nicely with every step, and the shoe’s low profile is extremely modern and stylish. I found them to pair nicely with everything from jeans to golf shorts.

More versatility of the TRUE TL-01 shoes.

On the course, the TL-01’s hold their own from a strict golf shoe perspective. There’s nothing monumental here in terms of on-course performance, but I found the shoes to be stable and supportive throughout my golf swing. They are also incredibly lightweight, making them the perfect walking companion. TRUE Linkswear is a preferred choice of golfers who like to #EnjoyTheWalk, and the TL-01’s are no exception to this mentality.

Overall, the TRUE Linkswear TL-01 shoes are a home run. Their minimalist style and uniform fit give you everything you want in a shoe, and not just a golf shoe. They are another example of a company who clearly cares about their customers’ experience in the game, and the TL-01 is bound to be one of the brand’s most popular releases.

Unfiltered Friday: Cheating Golfer Caught, and Golf Blogger Destroys Tournament!

Welcome back to Unfiltered Friday, where the headline on this week’s article is good, ol’ fashioned clickbait garbage.

Neither statement is true, and you clicked on the link anyway.

But don’t worry: you’re not the only one. I am not immune to the allure of clicking on a sensationalist headline with the hope of whetting an appetite fueled by controversy. The table required to seat all of us with similar tastes would be immense, validating the adage of the company misery enjoys.

I contend this is a growing problem in golf journalism, especially when it comes to spreading misinformation in the hope of sparking a reaction. That’s not a hot take by any means. Journalism as a whole needs an enema to cleanse what is made available on all forms of media. Writing clickbait headlines is nothing new, and it works.

Two recent examples come to mind in our industry: Xander Schauffele’s driver test kerfuffle and golf blogger Kyle Porter’s tweet joke. The former is an example of how we are conditioned to judge athletes for any misstep (even if completely out of their control). The latter is simply an overreaction that turned into a personal attack by one’s peers.

I’ll spare the details of both topics — one, because a link is included above; the other would require me to link to a hit-piece on Kyle by a woefully irresponsible journalist that doesn’t deserve the traffic — but when combined the two paint a very ugly picture.

Perhaps I am naive to think that journalism in the golf industry is immune from the nonsense we see at other major news outlets. Maybe I’m dreaming of a reprieve from political sensationalism, misconstrued outrage and outright dishonesty in my timeline every day. Hell, maybe I should follow less people.

But golf can be different if we want it to be. There’s no rule that says we have to abide by the same hurtful tactics to gain an audience as those outside the sport. Instilling negativity sprinkled with feigned outrage benefits nobody at all. Instead, it reinforces the worst parts of our society and rewards those who erroneously call themselves marketers or “disruptors.”

Golf. Is. A. Game.

It is also a business, and it is a livelihood to so many. We can choose to be outraged every single day, looking for missteps or mistakes, ready to label them as criminal acts instead of byproducts of the qualities that make us human.

If you can to this post by clicking on the ridiculous headline, I understand. If you are still reading this post, I thank you.

All I ask is you take a moment to contemplate what is important to you, the way you see life, and how you choose to be entertained.