Palmer wins at Sony

Ryan Palmer posted a final round 66, 15-under total to win the Sony Open in Hawaii beating Robert Allenby by one. The victory is Palmer's third of his career. He has also won the 2004 FUNAI Classic, and the 2008 Ginn Sur Mer Classic.

Other notables include Steve Stricker (3rd, -13), Davis Love III (T5, -11), and Ernie Els (T12, -8). Canada's adopted Steven Ames finished T16, -7.

Cheers,

Daly misses cut at Sony/Federer speaks to Tiger

Looks like John Daly won't be playing the weekend at The Sony Open in Hawaii. Daly shot rounds of 73, 71 to miss the cut by 3. You can see Daly tee it up again at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Feb. 8-14th. Ryan Palmer is leading the way at Sony with rounds of 65, 66 (-9).

In other news, Roger Federer has been one of few to speak to Tiger Woods since his scandal broke a month ago. Federer said that he spoke to Tiger on the phone and predicts he'll be back soon "as the wonderful golfer we know."

Federer told the French sports paper L'Equipe that he expressed his support, and said that Tiger's troubles were "instructive."

"The tabloids are going crazy, sponsor contracts are falling apart. ... I've always been aware that the image you patiently construct for an entire career can be ruined in a minute," Federer said. "It scares you a bit, but that's the way things are."

Also check out our FADDY SHIRT GIVEAWAY above this post. We are giving away 10 FREE Faddy polos, no strings attached. Check below for more details.

Cheers,

LAST CHANCE - Faddy Shirt Giveaway!!!

Faddy Shirt Giveaway - 10 minutes to a FREE polo shirt.



Loyal Faddy bloggers, to kick off 2010 we are giving away 10 free polos to 10 respondents. The Faddy Shirt Giveaway will run from Friday, January 15th to January 22nd and will close at midnight, eastern standard time. All we require is that you answer the 5 questions below and e-mail your responses to blog@faddygolf.com


**Shirt Selection**
View online at our store Faddy Store
Click on Photobucket Slideshow (left hand side of blog)

**Contest Rules**
Winners will be drawn at random, shirt selection is subject to availability so please list a second option. E-mails received after midnight on January 22nd eastern standard time will not be eligible for the giveaway. However your answers will be passed on to Herb in market research, and by Herb we mean a hamster, and by market research we mean the trash.


1. What do you like about the blog, and what would you like to see featured in 2010?
2. Have you thought about purchasing a Faddy shirt online, if so, what has prevented you?
3. What colour is your favourite golf polo?
4. What golf polo do you want, what colour, and what size? (List a second option)
5. What's 3+7 = ????

**Please include shipping address... SHIPPING IS FREE... We can't be doing this all day!

John Daly tees it up at Sony

It looks like the PGA Tour may get some help in the rating this week at the Sony Open in Hawaii. Fan favourite John Daly was given a sponsor's exemption into the event and agreed to host the pro-am party Tuesday night with Rich Beem. Story is he was late though. Apparently security wouldn't let him in. Why? They didn't recognize him because of all the weight he has lost. Reportedly 100 pounds so far.

"They wouldn't let me in," he said. "If I weighed 300 pounds and had four chins, I'd have no problem getting in. No one recognized me."

John has a new look, question is will a new game come with it?

"I feel a tremendous amount of pressure, not from my sponsors, but from myself," said Daly, whose only status comes from being a past champion. "My goal is to get my card. If I make enough money, fine. If I win, fine. Just so I can finally set up 2011with a schedule."

Having met John last year I can see the confusion. He really is a shadow of his former self. Still the nicest guy in the world though. He played nine holes at the golf club I'm an assistant pro at. And what did John have for lunch? A cheeseburger (no bun),fries and a large coke.

John will also be playing in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am Feb. 8-14th.

Stay posted on how Little-Big John does this week

Cheers,

Equipment Guide: What’s hot for 2010.

Here you are my loyal readers, the Faddy Golf equipment guide 2010. To be fair I used the info from my Golf Digest. I’m sure not all of you have a subscription to the mag though, so like Robin Hood I find it my duty to take from the rich and give to the…well you get the point. Enjoy.

The categories are as follows: Drivers, Fairway Woods, Hybrids, Game-Improvement Irons, Players Irons, Wedges, Mallet Putters, and Blade Putters.

I listed only the top clubs from each category based on performance, innovation, look/sound/feel, and demand.

Drivers

Performance
Ping G15
Price (CAN) $360
Lofts 9, 10.5, 12, 13.5; Draw: 9, 10.5, 12
Players Comment: “Very stout and strong at address. Big head, but not overdone. Easy to look at.”

Innovation
Callaway FT-IZ
Price (CAN) $450
Lofts 9, 10, 11, 13; Tour: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5
Players Comment: “Looks like Darth Vader’s helmet. But don’t judge it by its looks. It can play.”

Look/Sound/Feel
Cobra ZL
Price (CAN) $400
Lofts 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5
Players Comment: “It’s like a punch in the mouth – a lot of straight power.”

Demand
Taylormade R9 460
Price (CAN) $400
Lofts 8.5, 9.5, 10.5, 11.5 (also in TP)
Players Comment: “Consistently high, far and forgiving…I like the ease of changing the head around.”

Fairway Woods

Performance, Innovation, Look/Sound/Feel
Taylormade R9
Price (CAN) $280
Lofts 13, 15, 17, 19
Players Comment: “It sits flush on the ground. The muted triangle shape is perfect.”

Demand
Callaway Diablo Edge/Edge Tour
Price (CAN) around $250
Lofts 15, 17, 19, 21, 24; Tour: 13, 15, 18
Players Comments: “Forgiving: This club is tough to hit a bad shot with.”

Hybrids

Performance
Callaway Diablo Edge/Edge Tour
Price (CAN) around $200
Lofts 20, 23, 26, 29; Tour: 17, 20, 23
Players Comment: “A really penetrating, high ball flight. I crushed it.”

Innovation
Adams Idea A7/A7 OS
Price (CAN) $170
Lofts 17, 19, 22, 25; OS: 17, 19, 22, 25, 28
Players Comments: “Impact is really smooth with a solid sound. Super easy to get in the air.”

Game-Improvement Irons

Performance, Look/Sound/Feel
Callaway Diablo Forged
Price (CAN) around $1000
Lofts 6-iron: 28, PW: 45
Players Comments: “This is like jet fuel in your hands. It stays in the air forever.”

Innovation
Taylormade R9
Price (CAN) $1000
Lofts 6-iron: 28, PW: 46
Players Comment: “This is a winner. Smooth, long and not a crazy amount of offset.”

Demand
Taylormade Burner
Price (CAN) $850
Lofts 6-iron: 27, PW: 45
Players Comment: “More fun then recess at school. These are ridiculously long.”

Players Irons

Performance, Demand
Titleist AP2
Price (CAN) $1200
Lofts 6-iron: 31, PW: 47
Players Comment: “It’s more then an iron. It’s a piece of jewelry.”

Innovation, Look/Sound/Feel
Mizuno MP-58
Price (CAN) $1050
Lofts 6-iron: 31, PW: 47
Players Comment: “The epitome of this category: great feel, trajectory and more then enough distance.”

Wedges

Performance, Look/Sound/Feel, Demand
Titleist Vokey Spin Milled
Price (CAN) $140
Lofts 48-64, come in black nickel, tour chrome, oil can
Players Comment: “If you don’t like this you need to call your doctor and have your head examined.”

Innovation
Cleveland CG15
Price (CAN) $140
Lofts 46-64, come in oil-quench, black pearl, satin chrome
Players Comment: “It exceeded every expectation I have for a wedge.”

Mallet Putters

Performance, Innovation, Demand
Odyssey White Ice Series
Price (CAN) $200
Styles: eleven
Players Comment: “Pure roll.”

Look/Sound/Feel
Titleist Scotty Cameron Kombi
Price (CAN) $350
Styles: one
Players Comment: “This sweet spot is really sweet.”

Blade Putters

Performance, Demand
Titleist Scotty Cameron California Series
Price (CAN) $350
Styles: four
Players Comment: “Very pure, very beautiful.”

Look/Sound/Feel
Titleist Scotty Cameron Studio Select
Price (CAN) $350
Styles: seven
Players Comment: “I set up with one of these and expect to make every putt.”

So there you have it. Hope you enjoyed the info. Any questions or comments just hit me up.

Cheers,

PGA Tour 2K10 underway... Who knew?

Well the first official PGA Tour event kicked off yesterday at the SBS Championship in Maui, Hawaii. Lucas Glover leads the way with a 66 in round one. However the real news wasn't about the season starting but how long Tiger would stay away and the obvious effects it will have on viewership this season.

It was reported that when Tiger was absent following knee surgery halfway through the '08 season, viewership declined a staggering 46 percent compared to '07 during the same stretch. That hurts.

Alot of PGA pro's are declaring that Tiger Woods isn't golf, and that no matter how long he stays away the game will move forward. They're right it will, just not at the same pace it has been, or with the same intrigue.

The PGA Tour will be looking for someone, anyone to hang their corporate hats on until Tigers return. Phil perhaps, maybe the young phenom Anthony Kim...Tim Finchem may have already swallowed some pride and rang up John Daly to see what he was up to for the next few months. John who has been the poster child for misconduct and suspensions on the tour now looks like a choir boy compared to the Tiger headlines.

And who really knew that the PGA Tour season started this week anyway? The real question...who really cared?

Let me know your thoughts as the season starts minus Tiger.

Cheers,

Tips from the Pro: Practice with Purpose

With the new year quickly approaching thousands of us will make resolutions, hoping that 2010 will be the best golf year of our lives. We'll buy new clubs, a new wardrobe, and even promise ourselves to start a workout program that would make Joe Weider himself proud. Fact is all will be for not if a solid practice routine isn't part of the makeover.

The key is to practice with purpose, with a plan, with a goal in mind. Do more then pummel drive after drive, or use your favourite club because you know you hit it well. Here are some suggestions that I use that will help not only practice sessions improve but also help to lower scores.

- Go with 1 goal in mind. If its to work on rhythm, work on rhythm, not rhythm then grip, then swing plane, then posture, and so on. Soon you'll forget why you were there in the first place.

- Start each practice session by stretching out a little. Loose relaxed muscles work better then stiff tight ones.

- Spend just as much time chipping and putting as working on your long game. And for the love of the game get into a bunker and learn to hit the green side bunker shot. Remember more then 70% of all shots are played from 125 and in.

- Work through the bag, hitting a few balls with each club. The idea is to not get in a groove hitting only one club. Imitate on course situations.

- Practice shots from a variety of lies. This includes rough, sand filled divots, with the ball above and below your feet. Don't give yourself a prefect lie every time, mix it up.

- Spend some time learning to hit a variety of shots. The fade, the draw, a high towering shot, a low stinger, these are all shots you will need in the bag at some point or another.

- Work on the quality of the practice session, not the quantity of the balls hit. My best sessions always happen when I cut it short before fatigue sets in.

- Play H-O-R-S-E or closest to the pin with a buddy. It really helps to get the competitive juices going, and forces you to hit a shot when you have to.

- Have fun. When you start cursing under your breath, and become to frustrated to focus call it a day. Trust me if you continue more harm then good will come out of it.

Hope these simple practice tips help. If you have some of your own that work let me know.

Cheers