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10 Exciting Golf Gifts

on September 16, 2019September 13, 2019 by Morton Golf

If you’re looking for some gifts for yourself, friends, or loved ones then we are here to help. This list is comprised of 10 golf gifts that would make excellent presents for any occasion for the golfers in your life.

Long Shot Impact Tape is an excellent training tool. The self-adhesive backing allows them to be placed onto any club. The golf ball impacts are then clearly visible on the tape. This allows golfers to correct swing faults, build “Sweet Spot” consistency, and maximize equipment performance to get greater distance, lower scores, and improved accuracy.

Golf Themed Kitchen Sink Drainer

Need proof that you have everything but the kitchen sink when it comes to golf products or accessories? Now you can have the next best thing – the strainer for your kitchen sink! This fun gift fits most standard sinks, is lead-free and food-safe, and has a stainless steel basket

Bar-B-Que Set w/ Golf Club Handles

Nothing is better than treating your golfing buddies to some good old BBQ. Impress them with this unique golf club inspired set. This sturdy 5-piece bar-b-que set with golf club handles includes a fork, spatula, brush, and golf-ball shaped salt & pepper shakers.

Golf Abacus Bead Score Counter

Remembering the score has never been easier or more fun. Simply attach the Golf Abacus® to a belt loop or golf bag. Slide a bead down after each shot. Count the beads at the end of the hole and that’s the score. Simple. No second guesses. It is available in a variety of colors and finishes.

Primeware Deluxe Golf Cooler Pack

Golf anyone? Deliver up a feast for two on the fairway with this golf bag style picnic pack. The thermally insulated pack has plenty of room for a chilled bottle and those gourmet treat your sweetheart loves. You will be the envy of the green. A great gift idea for any golf enthusiast!

Eyeline Golf Target Training Aid

The Target Circles have 3 important features: They are very thin so the ball rolls over the target without disturbance; They can fold into a variety of configurations – full circle, ½ or ¾ circles; They are made with sewn webbing hinges and shatter-resistant plastic to withstand the rigors of practice. The bright stripes can also be easily seen.

Daphne’s Animal Headcovers

Each animal (92 Different Options) is fully lined and elasticized to ensure a secure fit on your clubs. Each animal is guaranteed for life. Quality is inherent in each headcover with thread that is four times the necessary strength and fabrics designed to fend off the wear and tear of the sun’s UV rays. The headcovers are washable! Quality fur allows them to be hand-washed, dry cleaned or spot washed.

Par Three Putting Green

Step up your indoor putting with this Par Three Putting Green. This is a 3′ x 9′ putting green with lakes, sand traps and putting cup inserts. This makes a great gift for yourself or for any golfing enthusiasts in your life

WindGarden Golf Bag Spinner

Golf Spinners from Premier Designs will “stay on par” rain or shine on your lawn or garden. Whether it’s a trophy-winning pro or a weekend hacker, these golf spinners will delight everyone in the “club”. Constructed with UV resistant SunTex™ fabric. Featuring Premier’s heavy-duty hardware, patented low-friction hubs, and superior craftsmanship, WindGarden spinners are colorful, durable, moving works of art.

Unputtaball and Exploding Golf Ball

The Exploding Golf Ball lends itself to endless joke situations. Try it. Bet your partner that he can’t repeat that great long iron shot…drop the exploding golf ball on the fairway…and stand back for the biggest laugh ever! Or buy the Unputtaball Golf Ball and laugh as it jumps, balks, skids and gyrates away from the hole.

Sandpaper Attached to Wedge?

on September 12, 2019August 12, 2019 by Morton Golf

It’s common knowledge that wedges should produce spin. It is difficult to find explanations for how the grooves on a wedge produce spin. Most people say grooves increase friction. Does that mean a wedge with extreme friction would be excellent? To find the answer, we built a sandpaper wedge and tested it against a normal wedge.

Research:

Researching why wedges have grooves yields a wide assortment of differing answers. Therefore, for this section, we will stick to the cold hard facts. Nearly everyone agrees that grooves were originally introduced to deal with the grass and debris that comes between the clubface and the ball. For example, a club without grooves would perform like racing slick tires. These tires perform exceptionally well on clean dry tracks. However, in wet or dirty conditions particulates prohibit the tires from making adequate traction with the road. This is the same problem faced by golfers. Therefore, club manufacturers have carved grooves into the surface of wedges to give the debris a channel to escape. This is comparable to the patterns on normal road tires. Now, if the grooves just provide more traction then why does the USGA care about the type of edges the grooves have? This is because the grooves provide spin characteristics. Specifically, how they accomplish this is not adequately explained by manufacturers. Nonetheless, there are some solid theories.

Hypothesis:

My theory is the spin a wedge imparts on a ball has everything to do with the friction the club creates against the ball. Hence, grooves create friction when the surface of the ball encounters the sharp edges of a groove. This contact creates friction and the ball generates spin. The grooves also channel water and residue away from the surface of the ball. However, this experiment is in dry weather so this attribute will not matter. I theorize that the more friction the face of the wedge has, the more spin it will inevitably transfer to the ball. By adhering a textured surface of sandpaper to the face of a wedge the ball will have a much lower launch angle, more backspin, and a shorter rolling distance.

Procedure:

We acquired two slightly used Alister Mackenzie Limited Satin Wedge. Both wedges are 52-degree wedges with the same bounce angle. We attached a piece of 140-grit sandpaper to the face of one of the wedges. This sandpaper was attached with two-part epoxy resin. We chose this resin because normal glues would not withstand the high impact of a golf wedge. We then went to the Player Performance Studio at Haggin Oaks to use the TrackMan system. Utilizing this system, Calvin Carpenter, a teaching professional, hit 3 sets of 3 balls with each wedge. We analyzed the results of the TrackMan and made a determination on the purpose of wedge grooves.

Results:

The results of this experiment are incredibly interesting. The sandpaper wedge had 62% more spin than the stock wedge. The sandpaper wedge averaged a spin rate over 10,000 rpm. Likewise, the launch angle for the sandpaper wedge was 21% lower than that of the unmodified wedge. The landing angle for the sandpaper wedge was also less than that of the stock wedge. As for consistency, the sandpaper wedge again came out on top.

Conclusion:

Our conclusion is that friction has a direct relationship to spin. Increasing friction increases spin. Our high-friction and grooveless wedge performed better than its stock counterpart. This strongly supports every point in our hypothesis. While the sandpaper wedge may be inferior in very wet or high debris situations, in dry conditions it is unarguably superior. However, on our ninth swing with the wedge, the sandpaper tore. Additionally, because we used a strong two-part epoxy it would be difficult to replace the sandpaper with a new piece. It would require a more durable design for this to useable on the course. Nonetheless, this experiment hopefully shed some light on how a wedge works.

Fastest Golf Cart In The World

on September 10, 2019July 5, 2019 by Morton Golf

If you’ve ever felt that the speed of golf carts at your local course was lacking then you’re not alone. Golf cart manufacturers typically install controllers into their vehicles which limit the top speed anywhere from 14 to 19.9 miles per hour depending on the state. However, there exist golf carts that can travel over 100 miles per hour!

Rules and Regulations

The rules and regulations pertaining to golf carts vary state by state. Hence, we will discuss the rules for California as that is where we are located. Here, golf carts may not exceed 15 mph, carry more than two people, nor way more than 1,300 pounds.

These rules sound very limiting but luckily the law has a caveat. The law says” If you modify your golf cart to go faster than 15 mph or seat more than two persons, the vehicle is considered a regular motor vehicle and must comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards (FMVSS) for regular passenger vehicles. These standards include additional vehicle equipment, appropriate FMVSS labels, applicable emission standards, and a 17-digit conforming VIN. Failure to comply with all necessary regulations may result in a citation. Equipment requirements for on road use. Your golf cart must comply with certain equipment standards established by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to be registered for on road use.“

This law and other likes it in other states allow for “speed fiends” to build some truly ridiculous vehicles

World Record Holder

One group of “speed fiends” currently leading the industry in fast golf cart builds is Plum Quick Golf Cart Racing. The company currently holds two Guinness World Records and numerous other awards. One of these records is the world record for fastest golf cart. Traveling at 118.76 mph this cart can outrun most cars.

How Did They Do It?

There are a few ways to get golf carts to go faster. First, you can over-volt an electric motor. While this harms the motor itself it can make it produce much more power. Obviously, Plum Quick Motors can’t make the stock golf cart motor move the cart at almost 119 mph even by overvolting it. Therefore, Plum Quick replaces the stock motor with a larger aftermarket one. Thirdly, make sure to bypass any speed regulator in the stock controller. Fourth, regear the axles and/or add larger tires. Both of these will allow the electric motor to better use its torque. Next, be sure to upgrade the brakes. If you’re gonna make your cart go faster be sure you can make it stop. Finally, be sure to add any necessary safety equipment required by law. California and most other states require safety modifications in conjunction with any significant performance upgrades.

What Are Golf Balls Made Of?

on August 29, 2019July 5, 2019 by Morton Golf

Nowadays, golf balls are characterized as 2-piece, 3-piece, etc in reference to the varying layers of rubber materials that make up the core of the ball. The covers are typically made of either urethane or surlyn.

One of the age old questions, along with “are we alone in the universe?” and “what happens after life?” is “what is inside a golf ball?”. What secrets hide within that white exterior? Is it made of chocolate pudding or maybe vanilla? I can say that as disheartening as it is, the inside of a golf ball is not a tasty treat.

Titleist Pro V1x Urethane Cover. Click HERE for Source

Well if golf balls are not filled with pudding, then what is it? Golf ball composition has changed dramatically throughout history. Originally, simple wooden spheres were used. However, these were replaced with featherie balls sometime within the 15th century. These balls were made of leather, filled with feathers, and painted white. These handmade leather golf balls had some drawbacks. The balls absorbed water and moisture, making them change density throughout a round. Additionally, hand sewn leather balls are far from perfectly circular, so ball flight was much more irregular than it is today. In the 19th century, the golf ball would once again change form.

The gutta percha ball, or often referred to as “guttie”, replaced the featherie ball. This ball was made out of the widely popular natural latex from palaquium gutta trees. Unlike the featherie balls, guttie balls did not have another material for their core. This allowed for the balls to be considerably cheaper than previous golf balls because they could be formed in molds. They also were much more uniform in shape and did not absorb water. Guttie balls were eventually found to have more stable flight characteristics when scratched. This led to them being produced with the first textured surface called “brambles”. However at the turn of the 20th century, gutta percha balls would see a serious development.

Titleist Pro V1x Ionomeric Casing. Click HERE for Source

Coburn Haskell and an employee from Goodrich Rubber Company, found that by winding rubber strands around a solid core, and then coating the ball with gutta percha, they were able to produce a golf ball that traveled much further. These balls became known as Haskell balls. While originally featuring the same bramble surface as the guttie balls, the Haskell balls would become the first to feature the dimples we know today. This ball was by far the most popular ball for much of the 20th century. In 1967 it was modified slightly by replacing the outside cover with surlyn, a new resin material. Around the same time, the technology was developed to eliminate the need for a layered rubber core. This led to the common and inexpensive 2-piece ball that many people play today.

Titleist Pro V1x Dual Core. Click HERE for Source

Nowadays, golf balls are characterized as 2-piece, 3-piece, 4-piece, etc. This designation refers to the varying layers of rubber materials that make up the cores of the ball. The cover of a golf ball is typically made of either urethane or surlyn. The number of cores and their exact composition are engineered for varying performance advantages. Interestingly, the number of cores does not equate directly to a more premium ball. Titleist Pro V1’s for example, are only a 3-piece ball. While a relatively average core count, the premium materials used are what makes these balls a premium option. All the developments in golf ball design throughout history have worked to make balls travel further than ever, and have more control near the green. Yet, we all know we will still blame the ball here and there for those bad shots.

Authored by Taylor Morton

How to Prevent Soreness After Golf

on August 22, 2019July 5, 2019 by Morton Golf

Its a terrible feeling waking up the day after a round of golf with aches and pains. Muscle soreness and stiffness can be incredibly uncomfortable and painful. While we are not doctors, we have compiled a list of ways to hopefully mitigate your muscle pain.

Drink Water

This tip is first and foremost. Firstly, preparation for this one begins a couple of days before you play. It’s good to drink lots of water all of the time. However, it is especially important to be well hydrated the days leading up to a golf round. It is not enough to drink water the morning of. This is especially true if its hot out. Staying well hydrated will assist in muscle recovery and stiffness.

Stretch Your Body Beforehand

Before you even touch a golf club it can beneficial to do some dynamic and static stretches. Stretching can prevent injury while playing golf, but also helps reduce the recovery time after you play. Arrive before your tee time a little earlier. Head to the driving range and get some basic stretches. Make sure to stretch your legs, arms, and chest.

Warm Up With Some Practice Shots

Like stretching, warming up limits your risk of injury and your recovery time. After stretching, head to the range and hit some balls. This is also a good time to dial in your swing for the day. This way, you’re not teeing off the first tee box with cold muscles.

Take a Cold Bath or Shower Once You Get Home

A cold bath or shower is an excellent method to stave off those aches. There’s a reason it is so popular with professional athletes. Be sure to give a try after your next golf round

Massage Those Troublesome Areas

Think of it like stretching, but after you play. Often it can be good to massage muscles before they become stiff. You can use your own hands, a professional, or one of the many massaging tools that exist today.

Apply Something Hot

Heat also can be extremely beneficial for preventing muscle soreness. Heat pads can be used to hinder muscle tightening. You can utilize this method before or after you start to feel tight.

Do a Recovery Workout

Recovery workouts are not as hard as they sound. There are plenty of resources available online to make this easy. Doing some light exercises afterward or some yoga can greatly reduce muscle pain and soreness.

These are just some quick recommendations to aid in your post-game recovery. If you have any ideas of your own be sure to comment down below. Let us know what you’ve tried and what works for you.

5 Exciting Golf Statistics

on August 15, 2019July 5, 2019 by Morton Golf

It’s no secret that golf took a major hit following the 2008 housing crash. However, since then things have changed significantly for the better. Today with the help of a National Golf Foundation report, we will take a look at 5 exciting golf trends.

1: Between 2011 and 2015, the number of non-golfers interested in golf rose from 26.5 million to 37.4 million.

This fact is excellent for the golfing community. While interest in golf may have peaked with “Tiger Mania” in the mid to early 2000s, It is an excellent sign that interest is gaining again. This may be a direct result of the new alternate golf activities that are popping up. These include companies like Top Golf. These companies are most likely raising interest in golf among the non-golfing community.

2: The number of junior golfers increased from 2.4 million in 2011 to 3.0 million in 2015

Again this is an excellent trend for the golfing community. Ultimately, more youth golfers translate to more adult golfers. Expanding youth participation is an excellent sign for the future and longevity of the sport. Hopefully, this also sets the scene for even more competitive professionals in the coming years.

3: Likewise, the number of beginner golfers rose as well from 1.5 million in 2011 to 2.2 million in 2015.

Beginner golfers lead to proficient golfers. This figure coupled with the rise in youth golfers indicate that there is definitely golfers interested in assuming the mantle of golf. This is an exciting trend, as following 2008, the number of beginner golfers were rapidly decreasing.

4: Female golfers again rose from 5 million in 2011 to 5.8 million in 2015.

This is another exciting statistic for golf as a whole. The sport is becoming increasingly gender diversified. This trend follows the LPGA’s trend of increased TV rankings. Overall, while golf may not be accelerating in the male demographic it is definitely growing in others.

5: Golf is estimated to reach approximately ⅓ of the U.S. Population over the age of 6

Despite the drop in golfers over a decade ago, golf is still reaching an enormous number of people in the United States. No need to fear golf going anywhere anytime soon. Alternate golf activities are doing an excellent job of introducing people to the sport. While these may be frowned upon by many avid golfers, they remove much of the barrier of entry into the sport. We can only hope that golf continues and grows.

Longest Drives in Golf

on August 6, 2019July 5, 2019 by Morton Golf

Every golfer has dreamed of hitting the green off the tee every time. However, most of us can’t drive the ball that far, especially on those long par 4’s. Incredibly, some golfers are able to drive the ball consistently to the green and beyond. Today let’s take a look at the longest drives in the history of golf.

World Record Golf Drive

In 1974, Mike Austin supposedly hit a golf ball 516 yards in the US Senior Open qualifier. At the time, Mike Austin was 64 years old. The qualifier was played in Las Vegas. However, there is much controversy over the validity of this shot.

Guinness World Record (Below 1000m)

Today there is an entire industry around driving a golf ball as far as possible. These competitions have allowed people like Ryan Winther to make a career out of just driving golf balls. He currently holds the Guinness World record for the longest carry. He hit the ball 430 yards at Wente Vineyards on a carry. Ryan Winther’s longest competition drive is 485 yards. He also has the fastest ball speed recorded.

Undisputed Longest Golf Drive of All Time

The longest golf drive of all time was technically not on Earth. While Alan Shepard did hit a golf ball on the Moon, it is no longer the distance record. In 2006 Mikhail Tyurin hit a golf ball off the International Space Station. This ball is estimated to have orbited the Earth for over 3 days. It is predicted to have traveled between 1.26 million and 460 million miles. It orbited the Earth and burned up in Earth’s atmosphere. This makes this golf shot the undisputed longest drive champion.

10 Greatest Golf Movies

on July 30, 2019July 4, 2019 by Morton Golf

Summertime is quickly coming to a close. It’s time to celebrate and rewatch some of those classic golf movies. To help you decide which ones, we here at Haggin Oaks have compiled a list of the 10 greatest golf movies in no particular order

Caddyshack – 1980

Easily in the top 10 comedies of all time. Directed by Harold Ramis, this classic follows Danny Noonan and his experience caddying at the Bushwood Country Club. No movie has been quoted more out on the golf course more than Caddyshack. If you’re looking for a nostalgic laugh this summer then there’s no better film.

The Legend of Bagger Vance – 2000

Featuring a star-studded cast, this film follows Rannulph Junuh (Matt Damon), a former local golfer. With the help of Bagger Vance (Will Smith) Rannulph attempts to return himself to his former glory on the course. Overall, it’s an excellent cast and one of the few large budget golf films. If you’re wanting a golf drama then be sure to watch The Legend of Bagger Vance this summer.

Happy Gilmore – 1996

Definitely not aimed towards serious golfers, this Adam Sandler comedy is a great movie to unwind with. Following Happy Gilmore’s (Adam Sandler) unlikely rise to fame, the film pokes fun at some of golfs deep-rooted traditions. In truth, Happy Gilmore is just desperately trying to repurchase his grandmother’s house back before it is sold. It’s a hilarious movie that will entertain the whole family this summer.

The Greatest Game Ever Played – 2005

This biographical film portrays Francis Ouimet’s (Shia LaBeouf) implausible win of the 1913 U.S. Open as an Amateur. Ouimet fights to overcome the social perception of the times that golf was only a wealthy sport. This film has a great message and is a good family summer movie. Definitely check this one out if you haven’t already.

Tin Cup – 1996

Here’s a film to watch with your significant other. This romantic comedy features Roy McAvoy (Kevin Costner) falling in love with Dr. Molly Griswold (Rene Russo). McAvoy qualifies for the US Open and attempts to win in order to win Molly’s heart. If you and your significant other are both golfers then this movie is a no brainer.

Bobby Jones Stroke of Genius – 2004

Similar to The Greatest Game Ever Played, this biographical drama instead focuses on the life of Bobby Jones (Jim Caviezel). While a box office disaster, this film is an entertaining look at one of the world’s greatest golfers. The movie hits home the lesson that mastering your emotions can be the hardest battle of all. This lesson holds true in life and especially out on the golf course. It is definitely worth checking out.

Tommy’s Honour – 2016

The most recent film on our list, Tommy’s Honour follows the lives of Tom Morris and his son Tommy Morris. Its a story of family drama and the creation of the modern game of golf. Overall, it is an interesting story few golfers are knowledgeable of. If you’re a true golf fan or like to watch dramas then this is a film to watch.

The Short Game – 2013

Breaking away from the other films on this list, The Short Game is a documentary. Co-produced by Justin Timberlake, the film follows eight young golfers from the globe and their quest to compete in the U.S. Kids Golf Championship. It provides an interesting insight into the world of highly competitive youth sports. If you are looking for some interesting nonfiction golf content, then give this one a try.

Seven Days in Utopia – 2011

Tarnished at release by lackluster box office sales. In the movie, Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black) is a professional golfer who has anger issues out on the course. He crashes his car following the event and must wait in Utopia while it is fixed. There Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall) helps him overcome his own personal challeneges. The film definitely includes some important messages and can be an interesting film to watch this summer.

From the Rough – 2011

This sports drama is based on a true story. The film is about Catana Sparks (Taraji Henson) and her struggle to create Tennesee State University’s first golf team. She became the first woman ever to coach a men’s golf team. Whether entirely accurate or not, the film is a captivating story. Give this film a look if you haven’t already.