Getting 'Wedged"

If you watch any PGA tour event these days, it seems like wedges are sprouting from the players bags faster than magic mushrooms in a field of cowpatties. It seems that everyone has a minimum of 4 wedges and some seem to carry 5 (Can you here me, Phil ???). What happened to the days of a PW and a SW and fuggadaboutit ????

Well, unless you have been under a rock, you have noticed that as distances have increased, the need to be ultra precise under 100 yards has become paramount. Couple that with the super fast greens and gigantic paychecks, and therein lies the answer....for the guys who get paid to play. But what about the rest of us ??? How many wedges do we need ? And which wedges do we need ? And how do we determine all of that ??? I need a nap, already....

While I don't consider myself anything other than an average hacker ( I play to a 9 HC), I do consider myself more of an authority on this particular topic. This relative "expertise" (laughing inside) is the result of my biggest flaw, which is missing greens and an overall less than ideal iron game - which means I hit a LOT of wedge shots.....thus, familiarity has bred something akin to proficiency. With all this being the case, here are my observations and recommendations:

(1) How many wedges do I need ? I would say the average player MUST have 3 wedges - the Pitching Wedge (45-48 degrees of loft, probably came with your set), the "Gap" wedge (50 - 53 degrees of loft), and the Sand Wedge (54 - 56 degrees of loft). As you become more comfortable with those (and it won't take long), add a 4th wedge - the Lob wedge (58 - 60 degrees).
(2) How do I learn to hit these wedges ? In a word, PRACTICE. However, not just mindless banging of balls at the range....getting proficient with your wedges requires practice with a purpose. There are number of proven approaches, but I am a fan of the Dave Pelz method. It's explained in great detail in his book "Short Game Bible", but the core of this is to learn to hit each of your wedges with 3 swings (1/4, 1/2. and 3/4 swing). By doing this, you will learn precisely how far you hit each of your wedges - and armed with that info, you can determine which wedge to hit from practically any distance within 100 yards. As elementary as this may sound, it works. One other (not so minor) thing this does is to remove the decision making and guesswork from these "touch" shots - no more deciding "how hard do I swing"...rather, just pick the distance, pick the wedge and swing that gets you there, align, and execute (remembering to finish each shot fully, accelerating through the ball).

(3) Getting Fitted: An oft overlooked part of selecting the right wedge(s) is the fitting process. Most of us just go into the local golf emporium or pro shop, look for something pleasing to the eye (or something we have seen in our buddies' bags), pick a couple of 'em, and whip out the ol'Amex - cha ching... However getting fitted for these is just as important as getting fitted for your irons - so find someone (think local pro or clubfitter) who will take the time to help you pick the right setup for your game.

(4) What is "bounce" and how much do I need ??? One final thing to consider is "bounce". I've seen dozens of posts across the blogosphere about bounce - what is it ? how much do I need ? how do I determine what is right for me ? First of all, bounce is measured in "degrees", just like the loft on your clubs, and is often referred to as "bounce angle". Conventional wisdom suggests that less bounce (think 4 - 8 degrees) is best if you play on courses that offer a lot of tight lies, hard ground, or closely cut fairways, while more bounce (10-14 degrees) is better for softer turf, and lusher fairways. Further CW suggests a sand wedge with a lot of bounce (56 degrees loft, 12 degrees bounce) and a LW with little bounce ( 60 degrees loft, 4 degrees bounce) is the right kit. In theory, this allows you to have a clubs that are applicable for both tight lies and fluffier ones - in essence, a little flexibility to cover all options.

My experience and advice veers from the CW however....I tried the above set up and found that I was "digging" the LW in quite frequently - regardless of the lie. After much experimentation, I have opted to have similar amounts of bounce on both my SW and LW (14 and 12 degrees,respectively). At the end of the day, my opinion is that selecting wedges is a "personal" thing - so take your time, hit a few different brands , lofts, and bounce angles until you find what is right for you. Here is what is (currently) right for me:

• Titleist AP2 PW - 46 degrees loft
• Titleist Vokey Gap Wedge - 50 Degrees loft, 8 degrees bounce
• Titleist Vokey Spin Milled Sand Wedge - 54 degrees loft, 14 degrees bounce
• Titleist Vokey Spin Milled Lob Wedge - 58 degrees loft, 12 degrees bounce

P.S. - Yes, I know Philly Mick hits a 64 degree wedge - but that's a little more advanced that what your average golfer should (IMHO) consider, so I left that one for PM and Dave to cover...

(08.29.08) Recommends:

Space Invader.

Invader is a street artist who forms the classic arcade game character using mosaic tiles. The art is cool because it is simple and at first glance seems to completely fit in with the landscape. It is only upon closer inspection that you are left scratching your head as to why there is a video game icon in the middle of a building or city street.

He recently hit Los Angeles to contribute to an exhibition at the World of Wonder Gallery (6650 Hollywood Blvd), which is itself putting on a computer game-inspired art show. Here are some pics:











Learn more about Space Invader here.

Loke Wing Fatt on the International Debate Academy

Loke Wing Fatt from Singapore:

I will be teaching at the IDAS for the 4th time this year, and consider it a great learning experience. Interacting with each new batch of keen, motivated and intelligent debate students make me feel hopeful that they will be the new catalysts of change in their respective future careers as they hone their debating and critical thinking skills with us. Moreover, it was a fantastic way to make new friends and network with fellow trainers from around the world. Each and every student is important to us and we always do our utmost to make sure that all of them take home life's lessons we have learnt in our different debate education journeys from diverse parts of the globe.

Calligaris - Cadeira Eve Leather

Cadeira Eve Leather

A cadeira Eve Leather foi desenhada por Jan Sabro & S.T.C, para a Calligaris. É considerada como um Best Seller encontrando-se no nosso Top 10. Totalmente revestida em pele, transmite uma imagem de sofisticação e elegancia, a todos os espaços onde é inserida. Seja também mais um dos nossos clientes 100% satisfeitos.

Encomende já / Order Now:
geral@4udecor.com
Telf: 214 867 378
Tlm: 966 312 602
Cascais / Portugal

(08.28.08) Recommends:

Anticipation.

Man, oh, man. Barack Obama's acceptance speech tonight. I can't remember the last time I was this excited/nervous to hear, you know, a speech by a politician. I think the excitement first started building this morning, when I got into the office and fired up Bill Clinton's speech from last night (view it here). I was really saddened and disappointment by his behavior during the primary season, but last night I thought he really came through. Then, the excitement continued to build, as I came across this NY Times piece, which basically says that some Democrats are concerned that Barack, speaking in front of 75,000 tonight, will look too much like a rock star and not somebody with whom we can relate. Note: Democrats have lost the last two presidential elections and they should have won them both. Therefore: I am so over -- and I presume many of you are with me on this -- what Democratic strategists have to say. They should probably just shut up now and listen to Barack.

In closing, I have been listening to the following OK Go cover of The Zombies all morning, and imagine I'll listen to it all afternoon in anticipation of the big speech tonight. You should do the same.



When you're done listening to that, may I suggest that you mind an anniversary by listening to this? Barack's speech is anticipated, but my god, this thing. I still can't get through it without literally crying and shaking. But they are tears and shakes that are needed.

Calligaris - Cadeira Wait

Relaxe e descanse depois de um longo e cansativo dia de trabalho nesta fantastica e confortavel cadeira. Com um design diferente enquadra-se bem em qualquer tipo de decoração, em pele ou tecido à sua escolha. Possui um pé cromado giratorio de elevada resistencia. Venha descansar nesta cadeira e recuper as suas energias.

Encomende já / Order Now:
geral@4udecor.com
Telf: 214 867 378
Tlm: 966 312 602
Cascais / Portugal

(08.27.08) Recommends:

Cinema Tuesdays.

We briefly touched on this in yesterday's post, but wanted to wait until we had some more pictures before we went into fuller detail. Anyway. Cinema Tuesdays. It's put on by Flux. A little more info can be found here. It's a Tuesday movie screening. It's free and open to the public. All you have to do is RSVP ahead of time. Then you show up, they have a free Belvedere open bar, free finger food, music, usually people associated with the film on-hand to chat with the audience and, most impressively, countertops and countertops full of free candy.

Above all else, we are seekers of value, and we're pretty sure you'll be hard-pressed to find better movie-going value in Los Angeles, if not the whole country, than Cinema Tuesdays. Seriously, if you went to the ArcLight -- and we love going to the ArcLight -- and bought two movie tickets, two drinks from the bar, two bags of candy, and popcorn, it would be, what, probably $50-70? At Cinema Tuesdays? Like $4, to tip the open bar tender. Awesome.

Below, some pics.

Another really cool thing about Cinema Tuesdays is that, as mentioned in yesterday's post, it is housed in the Montalban Theater, which for the time being, has been handed over to a bunch of artists, so in the theater foyer there is a bunch of cool, random stuff to view. Our friend said -- and we agreed -- that it reminded her of the Ron Pippin show from last year.









Here is that cool Geoff McFetridge wall paper that lines the upstairs of the theater.








Here it is wearing its party pants.











This week's showing was of Assassination of a High School President, which is set to be released next March. The theme for the evening, fittingly, was prom. Hence the party look. Last week, the theme was Olympics. A slightly different vibe. But fun both times.





Brett Simon, director of the film. We didn't completely love the film, but as the credits rolled, our friend turned to us and said it was like an episode of My So-Called Life. This was a perfect description. It was like watching a season of My So-Called Life and somehow, that realization made us like the film more.





Of course, it wouldn't be a proper post without a random Obey sighting.

4UDECOR - RITZENHOFF Champus

Não há habitualmente celebração de vulto em que o champanhe não esteja presente, tendo-se tornado sinonimo de festa ou celebração, prestigiados em todo o mundo são os Champus, reconhecidos graças ao seu design.

Encomende já / Order Now:
geral@4udecor.com
Telf: 214 867 378
Tlm: 966 312 602
Cascais / Portugal

(08.26.08) Recommends:

The Artwork of Geoff McFetridge.

McFetridge is an LA-based artist/graphic-designer. We first came across his work while checking out the Nike Sportwear installation store at the Montalban Theater. [1] He has wallpapered the upper floor of the theater in a print that resembles Where's Waldo? meets, say, Marcel Dzama. The cool thing is he has also put up the print on buildings around the theater.

Here's the view looking north from Selma and Vine. This is the building next to the theater:





Here's the building in three sections:











Here's the roof of the theater (unless you sneak on the roof, it's a hard shot to fully capture with a camera):





Here's another shot from Selma and Vine of the two buildings:





Perhaps the scaffolding hints at more art to come?








People and Places Mentioned in this Blog Post:
Geoff McFetridge
Website.
Blog.

Montalban Theater
1615 North Vine Street.
Website.
Cinema Tuesdays at the theater.

Marcel Dzama
Richard Heller Gallery.
Wiki.

Where's Waldo
Amazon.



---
[1]Have you heard about this place? It's a retail shop, but it'll only be
around for three months. It's hard to describe all the cool things going on inside -- a combination ofsportsware and art and cinema and local outreach. If you're in the area, you're strongly recommended to stop in.

The Tips to the Reds - Which Tees Do You Play From ?

Ah, the age old dilemma - "Which tees are we playing from today,dude ?".... It's a decision that many (most) of us make each time we tee it up. And like lots of decisions in our lives, many people think with something other than their brain when making this decision (minds out of the gutters, ok fellas...) - that's right, I am talking about your EGO...

How many times have you waited behind the foursome in front of you, waiting to assume the position on the first tee, and watch them march proudly the "tips", chests all puffed out (aka the "extreme" golfers in the Slazenger ad..) ? Shortly thereafter, you watch them blast a tee shot which leaves them (a) re-teeing, (b) in the woods, or (c) with an approach shot that is longer than their tee shot carried ? Trust me, it's happened to yours truly more than occasionally - and I'll bet I speak for a lot of you out there. Let's call this group "The Posers" - they are SURE that they average 300+ off the tees, their ego won't allow them to play anything other than the tips,.....and the reality is that they rarely break 95 - by they , by God, play "FROM THE TIPS".
Cure = "extreme" dose of humility, taken daily until you can see the next set of tees in front of you.

Almost as bad as "The Posers" are a group I will call "The Stealth Bombers". The odd thing about them is that you never know they are there unless you play directly in front of them - so seeing a SB is somewhat akin to a UFO sighting . The characteristic of the "Stealth Bomber" is that they play from a set of tees which is WAY too short for them... these are the folks who are hitting Driver/Sand wedge on EVERY hole, and who are flying it within 50 yards (or less) of you while your are putting out. Different mindset, same culprit - Mr. Ego here...

Cure = one serving of consideration for those in front of you, and a (couple of ) big step(s) backward when teeing off (e.g.think "blue" rather than "white", big boy..)

The third group of note are the " Usta Be's", as in "I usta be able to hit from here"....these are the folks who for whatever reason cannot seem to get it out there quite as far as they formerly could, and cannot bring themselves to move up to the next tee box
Cure = A magnifying glass, so you can clearly see the distances on the scorecard.
(disclaimer - this is NOT an age related malady)

So how do you, the honorable habitue of the links, avoid being a member of the "posse of shame" as defined by these three groups ? No magic powder or animal sacrifice required - just a little common sense.

Play the tees which suit your game...here is a simple formula, using a Par 4 hole as a measuring stick:

	Min	Max
How far do you hit your Driver ?	225	245
Add: Ideal Approach Shot Distance	140	145
"Average" Par 4 Distance for You	365	390
Total Distance for Your game	6300	6700

Now I won't suggest this as a hard and fast rule, because I am sure there are exceptions and probably better ways to decide...and I will gladly admit this IS a personal decision....but the next time you are pulling out the ol' 3 wood for a 225 yard approach shot on the opening par 4, remember what you heard here....

4UDECOR - Remodelações

Remodelações

A 4UDECOR é uma Empresa que desempanha todo o tipo de acompanhamento ao seu projecto, desde a informação legal, ao aconselhamento de materiais e acabamentos assim como as suas compatibilidades. Da nossa parte o cliente receberá sempre um Caderno de Encargos / Orçamento. Garantimos o cumprimento na integra do orçamento realizado, não havendo derrapagens orçamentais. Os trabalhos por nós executados vão desde Arquitectura até à Decoração / Design de Interiores.

Zona de Intervenção: Grande Lisboa

Serviços:
Contrução Civil: Ladrilhos, Alvenaria, Canalização
Carpintaria
Pavimentos
Pintura
Colagens Papel de Parede
Estuques
Ar Condicionado
Serralharia: Aluminio e Ferro
Tectos e Paredes Falsas
Desenhos de Mobiliario por Medida

Peça já o seu Orçamento Grátis:

geral@4udecor.com

Telf: 214 867 378

Tlm: 966 312 602

Cascais / Portugal

Jean Van de Velde + Groundhog Day = Sergio...

Well folks, it happened again.....another big tournament (altho' not a major), another melt down by none other than Sergio Garcia. I know, I know...he MADE THE PUTT on the first playoff hole....but look back to regulation, where he gave away chances to put it away.

Excuse me for a moment, Sergio is calling my cell...."yes, Serg, I know that you hit the flagstick on 14...no, I don't think an invisible man kicked your ball away when it should have gone in..., ok, bye now.." Sorry for the interruption. I don't know what it is with this guy - he can look otherwordly 98% of the time, but when it comes down to it, he cannot CLOSE. And before the conspiracy theorists emerge from their hermetically sealed enclaves, let me remind you that on the second playoff hole, Garcia hooked his drive into the left rough, just feet from some huge trees. Da' Bull then hit his second shot behind a tree in the right rough. Somehow, the gnarly ground around Garcia's ball was ruled abnormal (whatever THAT means), he was able to take a drop that allowed him to get a clear shot to the green. Ah, the HUMANITY !!!!!

Given the recurring nature of this outcome, he has to think he has been transported from the Mich Light commercial with the poolside babe into a twisted remake of "Groundhog Day" directed by Jean Van de Velde. I'm not a Sergio basher, or a Euro hater...just someone who has learned that whining and golf make a very sour nightcap. Bottoms up, el toto, er toro....

4UDECOR - Kartell

KARTELL

Kartell trabalha com os mais reconhecidos designers tais como Ron Arad, Antonio Citterio, Michele De Lucchi, Ferruccio Laviani, Piero Lissoni, Patricia Urquiola, Vico Magistretti, Enzo Mari, Alberto Meda, Paolo Rizzatto e Philippe Starck, que reconhecem o know how desta marca em materiais, assim como, a tecnologia dos plasticos e a sua capacidade de aceitar as inovações. Conta com mais de 50 anos de existência com produtos historicos no design internacional. Venha conhecer a gama completa na nossa loja em Cascais.

Encomende já / Order Now:
geral@4udecor.com
Telf: 214 867 378
Tlm: 966 312 602
Cascais / Portugal

The Golf Channel Amateur Tour - My Experiences as a First Time Competitor

The Golf Channel has hosted it's annual Golf Channel Amateur Tour throughout the spring and summer at various sites across the US. I first heard of this last winter, and after breaking 80 for the first time, I decided that I was going to compete in a "real" golf tournament (not a scramble or best ball outing) for the first time. It has been a great experience for me, and I have had a lot of fun doing it. In the process, I have become quite addicted to the real competitive nature of tournaments, and my golf game has improved. I am playing in the "Hogan" flight in the tournaments ( 8-12 Handicap).

Below is a chronological summary of me experiences this year:

- Tournament #1 (March): Played at a course called Timberline on a nice spring day. I started off with a par on the first hold, but ultimately struggled mightily (triple bogey on #16 par 3), and posted a 93 - a bad score for me. Had fun, frustrated by the bad score, but was not discouraged:
- Tournament #2 (March): Played at Twin Lakes (?) - Windy day, just after a storm, kind of a ratty course. Started with a par (again), but ultimately did not putt well and finished with a 91. Some progress, but this "real golf" was harder that I thought.
- Tournament #3 (May): A beautiful day at Ballantrae. When I got to the course, something just felt different - I seemed relaxed, and was hitting everything well on the practice range. To make matters interesting, I was paired with two guys who had won the previous two events...one of whom I thought was a huge sandbagger I started off with 3 straight pars, and they day went well from there. Going into the final hole, a 430+ yard Par 4, I was 6 over par, and one stroke behind the leader of my flight (who was also in my foursome). He triple bogeyed the final hole, but I missed two putts to win, and we tied for 2nd place. NOW I was having some fun ! For the very first time, I played under some pressure, and returned a good score (an 80).
- Tournament #4 (May) - Played in Nashville (TGC lets you play in tournaments in various cities if you like) in a MONSOON - It was a complete joke, and I scored horribly.
- Tournament #7 (I am skipping a few): Played at a Robert Trent Jones Course in Gadsden,AL called Silver Lakes (June) - Beautiful day, had a great time, shot a respectable 85 on a very tough course, and finished 3rd in my flight. Leaving this event, my confidence was really high and I was excited about the final few events of the season.
- Tournament #8 (August) - Played at Horse Creek just outside of Birmingham on a beautiful day. I had never played the course, but had a good feeling again. I started with a bogey, but birdied #2 and felt like this would be my day. I played well all day, birdied another par 5, and had no 3 putts. At the end of the day, I posted an 83, which won my flight (YESSSS!!!!), and was behind only to two guys in the Championship flight (scratch golfers). It was the first time I had won an individual event since I was 9 years old (I played only team sports growing up), and was an INCREDIBLE feeling.


We have two tournaments left before the National Finals in Orlando, FL. Currently, I need to move up the list by two places to qualify for the Nationals (which is a four day tournament just like the "big boys"), and I am very optimistic about my chances of making it. I will post updates after each of the next two events, the first of which is week after next at Cambrian Ridge.

Based on my experiences thus far, here are some observations:
(1) Competing is REALLY fun and will help you improve
(2) People who do not keep a GHIN handicap will sandbag their a$$ off in a competitive event (as will some people who DO keep a GHIN handicap)
(3) Playing "rules of golf" (no gimmes, everything down,no mulligans,etc) is REALLY fun once you get over the "shock", and will really help you improve your game. It is, however, frustrating when you play with someone who does not observe these and is reporting a score which you know is wrong - and then wants to talk smack to you about beating you.
(4) I encourage anyone who has the time to join the Golf Channel Amateur Tour - they play in all major cities, so check out their website for more info.

4UDECOR parceria BLOG LOPES

Visite o nosso parceiro brasileiro com 2 opções: Decoração e Paisagismo. Com intervenção de profissionais nestas areas, conselhos uteis e de facil aplicação em sua casa. São os pequenos detalhes que fazem muitas vezes a diferença. Click em http://blogdedecoracao.lopes.com.br/ ou http://blogdepaisagismo.lopes.com.br/

(08.21.08) Recommends:

Scenes From Opening Night of the Art Show at Small Bills.

Last night was the opening of a showing at Small Bills (8200 1/2 W. 3rd Street; website here). We showed up to check out some art, buy some prints, listen to some music, and of course, drink some free Colt 45.






Here's a print featuring the artists who contribute to the show.






The space is small, but is painted with these awesome fossilized griffin-looking things.








Here's some art. (Left: Skullphone; Right: Shepard Fairey).





More Shepard Fairey.





We weren't kidding.





Years after high school and the cool kids still just wanna hang out in parking lots.

4UDECOR - Weishaupl

A 4UDECOR representa mais uma marca internacional de mobiliario. Weishaupl marca alemã de mobiliario leva as pessoas até à natureza. A Cadeira Forest está disponivel na versão indoor ou outdoor, prova que o aluminio nem sempre tem de ter um aspecto frio. Esta cadeira baseia-se na forma de uma arvore, com os seus troncos formando as costas da cadeira. Disponivel em 3 versões e em diversas cores.

Encomende já / Order Now:
geral@4udecor.com
Telf: 214 867 378
Tlm: 966 312 602
Cascais / Portugal

Festas do Mar 2008

Festas do Mar 2008

As Festas do Mar 2008 são já um enorme sucesso, vão decorrer na Baía de Cascais entre os dias 22 e 31 de Agosto. Além de espectáculos diários com grupos e artistas do top nacional, as Festas do Mar 2008 incluem o concurso de fotografia "Cascais e o Mar". Visite Cascais e passe pela nossa Loja, R. Dra Iracy Doyle, 43A, junto estação CP

(08.19.08) Recommends:

The Hungry Cat.
1535 Vine St.

One of the biggest things that we miss about living in the Bay Area are lazy weekend afternoons hanging out in Tomales Bay eating oysters, drinking white wine, and eating cheese from Cow Girl Creamery.

We were not prepared for the dearth of oyster eating options in Los Angeles, but luckily one of the best places for oysters in LA is near us: The Hungry Cat.

We spent a recent, beautiful, lazy Hollywood weekend trying to recreate our Northern California oyster days.

The Hungry Cat is also known for its interesting drink list.






We started with an Echo Park Cocktail. The Great Dane with whom we were eating had a Mint Julep. [Note: training a dog to slurp alcohol is much easier than potty training a dog. Especially after the dog has been slupring alcohol all afternoon.]






After our stomachs were sufficiently greased up we moved on to the main attraction.






This picture pretty much speaks for itself.






More Hungry Cat Info:
Website.
Yelp.