Golf Blog by The Orlando Golf Blogger

A couple months back I wrote about the Win With Phil Free Callaway Driver promotion. This was the promotion where, if Phil Mickelson won the 2010 Masters and you either purchased one of the 2010 Callaway driver (Callaway Diablo Edge, Callaway FT-Tour or Callaway FT-iZ) or if you went into Golfsmith and filled out a free entry form, you would receive that driver for free.

Well, as you know, Phil ended up winning the 2010 Masters and everyone’s favorite golf blogger just received his sweet new driver.

In retrospect, I should’ve probably opted for the regular driver not the 9.5 tour. My slice is bad enough without opening the clubface another degree.. But I digress.

From the company..

Callaway Golf Diablo Edge Tour Driver

Designed to give golfers a distance advantage every time you tee it up.

The Diablo Edge and Diablo Edge Tour Drivers offer superior face technology, a higher MOI, a deeper CG, and better aerodynamics — and it all adds up to the longest, most accurate all-titanium drivers Callaway Golf has ever made.

4-piece Fused Titanium

The use of Fused Titanium in a 4-piece modular design produces the most weight efficient all titanium driver we’ve ever created. Each part is precision-formed and accurately fused together, allowing weight to be positioned optimally, delivering distance-enhancing, penetrating ball flight.

Chemically Milled Hyperbolic Face Cup

A chemical reduction process selectively removes unwanted material from the face cup for precision thickness control, resulting in our most consistently high ball speeds ever.

Aerodynamic Body Design

We’ve reduced drag in the downswing for higher impact speeds by using an Aerodynamic Body Design that refines and optimizes all edge transitions. This reduces drag up to 8% versus other 460cc driver heads.

Standard Shape vs. Tour Shape

Callaway Golf Diablo Edge and Diablo Edge Tour Drivers feature two unique shapes, but all the same technology. Both drivers offer a 4-Piece Fused Titanium Design, a Chemically Milled Hyperbolic Face Cup and an Aerodynamic Body Shape for the longest all-titanium driver we have ever developed.

The standard models feature a core Callaway technology (S2H2), which removes weight from the hosel and repositions it in the perimeter of the golf club for more stability. The Tour models have a full-length hosel, less face progression and an optimized center of gravity that provides the look, feel and performance highly skilled golfers demand.

Aldila Habanero Shaft

The high-performance Aldila Habanero Shaft is engineered as the ideal complement to the Diablo Edge Drivers to deliver incredible feel and performance.

I opted for the 9.5 degree Callaway Golf Diablo Edge Tour driver with the Aldila Habanero regular flex shaft which has a low kickpoint, mid torque and weighs 60 grams. The club has a total weight of 319 grams.

My current gamer is the Cleveland Launcher DST Driver and it’s significantly lighter, having a total weight of 292 grams. It’s an awesome club and the lighter weight makes it easier to get the clubface closed on impact.

Initial impressions of the Callaway Golf Diablo Tour Edge driver are fair. As I predicted,  it’s more difficult to square up the clubface at impact so over the past two rounds, I’ve been hitting some slice-rrific shots.. But when you hit it clean, it’ll go forever. The ball flight is pretty low and it rolls for a mile. I hit a recorded 303 yards with this driver, my longest drive ever..

Stay tuned for a full golf club review.

Last week I wrote about the Boccieri Golf “Wedge-a-day Giveaway” promotion. They’re giving away one Heavy Wedge per day until September 19th.The intent of this promotion is to increase awareness to their new wedges and website.

Additionally, and much to my elation, this isn’t the only method they’re using. When I came home from work today, there was that familiar shaped box waiting for me.

You know the one I’m talking about… It’s long and rectangular and  upon seeing it, your palms start sweating, your heart beings to race and in your mind plays the sound of a well struck golf ball. With a cry of joy, I rushed forward, snatched up the box, shouldered open the front door, used the box as a weapon cutting a swathe through kids and pregnant wife alike. I then rushed up the stairs, locked myself in my former man cave (soon to be new baby’s room) and began tearing into the box like a kid on Christmas day. The contents revealed a shiny new 56 degree Boccieri Golf Heavy Wedge, for me to play with and write a golf club review on.

Boccieri Golf Heavy Wedge

From the company…

The 5611 gets its name from having 56 degrees of loft and 11 degrees of bounce. This wedge is ideal for shots from the sand, chip and pitch shots around the green, as well as full swing shots from the fairway and rough.

With a head mass just a few grams heavier than a conventional wedge, the Heavy Wedge gets its name from the addition of the tour proven back weighting system found in every club we produce. The 37 % higher balance point produced by the back weighting system is the key to improved body mechanics affecting the swing’s plane, tempo, transition, impact and balance. You will be hitting it closer with more control than ever before.

There’s a number of purported benefits associated with using the Heavy Wedge; better plane on takeaway, set hands more quickly, smoother transition, holds angle of retention longer, square fact at impact, full extension through impact, and a balanced finish.

Heavy Wedge 5611 Specifications

• 56° Loft | 11° Bounce

• Non-Glare Satin Finish

• Dexterity: Right and Left Hand Available

• Back Weighting System (weight in grip end of shaft) = 65 grams

• FST Hi REV Shaft

• Custom Heavy Wedge Grip

• 8620 Carbon Steel Material

• CNC Milled Face and Grooves

• Maximum Groove Width Allowed by the USGA

• Stock Length: 35 1/4”

• Lie Angle: 64° (custom lie adjustments +/- 2 degrees)

• Custom Lengths Available

The FST Hi REV Shaft is designed to perform harmoniously with the heavier and more lofted heads to impart ball spin and preferred ball flight. It features a tapered tip, step-less design and has a weight of 120 grams. This additional shaft heel weighting is where many of the benefits derive.

First impressions of the Heavy Wedge are positive, Boccieri Golf makes pretty solid golf clubs, I’ve hit a couple of their Heavy Putters and I’ve loved the feel they have. Having said that, however, I’ve not hit the clubs on the course yet. I spent a good bit of time tearing up the carpet with it.

Stay Tuned for the full review!

I’ve lived in Orlando for many years and until recently I had never heard of Mission Inn. A friend of mine who recently began an affiliation with the club invited me out to tour the facility and write a golf course review on one of their two courses, El Campeon.

The facility is located about 45 minutes northwest of central Orlando in Howey in the Hills and while it’s not technically an Orlando golf course review, it’s close enough to be classified as such. Besides, who would read a review entitled “Howey in the Hills Review?”

Let me begin by saying the experience at Mission Inn Resort & Club is well worth the drive. Getting there is an adventure in itself. The drive takes you through a variety of rundown, ramshackle and bedraggled areas and at the end, the club shines like the last beacon of hope in a dying world.

I arrived on a beautiful Sunday afternoon, driving through very impressive Spanish architecture on my way to El Campeon. The first thing I notice upon my arrival was a massive putting green that was impeccably maintained. While spending some time working with the short stick, I was told about the course, who’s modern appearance belied it’s extensive history.

The origins of Mission Inn date back to the early 1900′s, when the Florida citrus industry was in its infancy. The course was originally created in 1917 by George O’Neil, who was a master of the game and had staked out his place among golf’s upper echelon for his abilities in architecture. The course he created boasted rare tee to green elevations of 85 feet, towering forests and sparkling, spring-fed lakes.

In 1924, the area was expanding so rapidly that Charles E. Clarke of the famous Troon Golf Course in Scotland was commissioned to further enhance the El Campeon golf course. Five years later, the stock market crash of 1929 lead to the Great Depression. That coupled with one of the worst freezes in Florida history, put an end to El Campeon’s owner, Mr. William J. Howey’s citrus empire.

Forty years later, in 1964, successful businessman, Nick Beucher of Wilmette, Illinois responded to a Wall Street Journal ad and acquired the Floridian Country Club, which consisted of an 18 hole golf course and a 1950s clubhouse, in Howey-in-the-Hills. He spent the first few years renovating and expanding the clubhouse, as well as completely restructuring the badly neglected 18-hole golf course.

In 1969, the decision was made to create a captivating, Spanish Colonial golf resort complete with overnight accommodations. So, building began on a hotel and the name was changed to Mission Inn Golf and Tennis Resort.

In 1992, a second championship golf course, Las Colinas was built. Designed by former PGA Tour player, Gary Koch, Las Colinas features wide open fairways and gentle rolling hills creating an inland links design.

Over the years, members of Nick’s family have joined the business and continue to actively operate the resort. The resort you witness today is a direct reflection of the vision and tireless effort of Nick Beucher, his six children and their dedicated staff.

El Campeon is the third oldest golf course in the state and boasts an impressive 7003 yards from the tips. The scenery is impressive and at times breath taking. I experienced this for the first time on the fourth hole, your tee shot is over a lake to an uphill sloping fairway that’ll leave you feeling small and insignificant.

With a course rating of 74.2 and a slope of 136, be sure to bring an ice pack to sooth the ache caused by the beating you’re about to receive. It’s a traditional golf course that rewards smart, accurate play. It’s not a course that randomly punishes good shots. What I mean is, if you aim for the center of the fairway, it doesn’t throw a random sand bunker out there for any other reason than to make it tougher than it already is.

It doesn’t need to..

With it’s 85-foot elevation changes, El Campeon requires demanding tee shots and many of your approaches are to double and triple-tiered greens.

There’s plenty of challenges to the course, island greens, sloping fairways, inconvenient lakes and rivers, trees that seem to reach out and grab your ball, soft sand and of course, one very mean double dogleg 538 yard Par-5. This beast is called “Devil’s Delight” and it’s the signature hole on El Campeon.

It begins as a harmless dogleg right that quickly shifts to a dogleg left, with the devil himself taking the shape of an ancient oak tree that blocks your approach shot, which,by the way, is over a canal about 10 feet wide to a protected green guarded by a beach side bunker.

I played this hole incredibly well until my landed in the shadow of the “El Diablo” oak, sitting two with about 90 yards to the green, I flubbed my pitch and my ball went for a swim. The rest, is… too painful.

The course was a blast to play and overall, in great shape. The one exception to this was the greens. The greens I experienced during the golf course review left a little bit to be desired. It was apparent on more than one hole that they had seen better days.

This was about two months back, however and I’ve heard that it’s since been corrected, I can’t confirm this, as I haven’t played the golf course since the review.

Mission Inn El Campeon golf course is ranked in the top 10 of Florida’s 1500 courses. In addition, the conference and golf facilities have been the recipient of such national honors as the Gold Key Award, Gold Tee Award, Planners’ Choice Award, Pinnacle Award and Greens of Distinction. They’ve also been mentioned in several Golf Digest “Best Places to Play” in North America, as recent as 2008/2009, and ranked by Zagat as one of “America’s Top Golf Courses in 2003”.

If you’re in the market for a challenging, change of pace, I strongly encourage you to make the trip to Mission Inn El Campeon. If you go, please give my regards to El Diablo.

-Dave

If you liked this one, feel free to check out my other Orlando golf course reviews and if you’re looking to play, here’s a selection of discounted Orlando tee times.

The TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost Putter is the newest weapon in the TaylorMade short stick arsenal and it’s sure to scare some strokes off your score…. (haha!! Get it??)

This is the putter that Justin Rose used last week to break his PGA Tour non-winning streak by clenching the first place spot in the Memorial tournament by three strokes.

During the post-round interviews on Sunday, he had this to say about the Rossa Corza Ghost Putter:

“It’s a bit of a pun, but I putted scary good with my new Ghost putter. I couldn’t resist that one.”

“I’ve got to be honest, putting is one part of my game where, you know, I’ve had some slight doubts. Today [Sunday] was fantastic because I felt like I putted my best under pressure. You know, once again, that’s something that I can really take or now dispatch out of my mind and really take positives going forward.”

It warms my heart to see another golfer who appreciates the subtleties  of the pun! But, I digress…

As you can see by the image above, TaylorMade was kind enough to send me a Rossa Corza Ghost Putter to review and write about, which I shall do in good time… It’s time for some bragging (sorry, but it’s an awesome story!). When I initially contacted TM about reviewing the putter, they said couldn’t send one because they didn’t have any lefty parts. But after some conversations and a lot of luck on my part, they went to the tour van and had me a lefty built. I confirmed it with the TaylorMade folks, I am the first non-professional golfer to possess a Left Handed Ghost putter.. Many thanks to TaylorMade for making this happen!

From the Company:

The Contrast of White Against Dark Makes Aiming Easier

“Corza Ghost’s white putterhead stands out so clearly against its background — the putting surface – because of the high contrast between white and green,” says Dr. Steven A. Hitzeman, a professor at the Indiana School of Optometry. “That high contrast maximizes stimulation to the retina and highlights the head’s shape and features. White creates the biggest difference in luminance, hence maximizing contrast and promoting focus.”

Also, the lines on the top of the putter are painted black to achieve maximum contrast against the white surface of the putter. All of these high-contrast alignment elements give the golfer the best possible chance of accurately aiming the putter.

To make it even easier to aim the Corza Ghost, Rossa engineers put three black alignment lines on the crown and a circular hole in the back of the putterhead, giving you different options to focus on to lock in your aim. “You can focus on the topline to aim Ghost,” said Bret Wahl, senior director of iron, wedge and putter development, “or you can focus on the alignment lines to visually connect the circular hole and your ball to lock in your aim. The point is that you’ve got options, each one highly effective.”

Eliminating Hot Spots

Hot Spots are reflections of direct sunlight from the top of the putter into the golfer’s eye, and distract the player’s attention from the task at hand, which is to focus on the putterhead, the alignment system, and aiming the putter squarely down the target-line.

The Corza Ghost’s white finish helps keep hot spots from standing out, allowing you to focus your attention on seeing the whole form of the putterhead and the alignment system, so you can aim without distraction.

Large, Solid-Feeling, High-MOI Mallet

Being a mallet, Corza Ghost’s high-MOI head is extremely stable on off-center hits and feels extremely solid at impact. Its three alignment lines on the crown function not only to help aim the face accurately, but also to frame the ball in the middle of the face, which promotes solid, center-face contact on every stroke.

AGSI®+ to Promote Better Roll

Corza Ghost also has the advantage of Rossa’s renowned and tour-proven AGSI®+ (Anti-skid Groove System Insert) Technology. AGSI+ features 14 polymer-filled grooves in the face that “hold” the ball briefly at impact to promote forwardspin for a smoother roll and more accurate results. The AGSI+ insert, in concert with the putterhead’s extremely high MOI, also delivers superior consistency in forward roll on off-center hits, something not shown in tests of other popular putters.

First Impressions:

I brought the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost Putter out for the first time last Sunday with the hope of beating down Mr. John Duval writer of intothegrain.com. Although this didn’t happen, we can rule out bad putting as the cause..

Living up to the hype, this putter greatly improved my aiming and in my opinion it did it all at a subconscious level.. What I mean is that I never intentionally lined up the putter according to the aiming lines or the putter-hole (teehee) it just ended up locked on to the cup without much effort on my part.

This putter has a very soft touch and the ball bounces off the putterface and results in greater greater roll and distance for less effort. I didn’t spend any time on the practice green with the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost putter so I kept flying them past the hole, which while frustrating, can’t be blamed on the putter.

I’ll be posting up a more comprehensive review in a few days, once I’ve had time to fully explore this spooky shortstick.