Chattanooga Classic Presented by Black Creek

10/6/10

Once the pro am went off at 8:00am I went in search of some food! Well looky here leave it to the "fatman" to find this little oasis! Ummm delicious!

I am not really sure if this kind of thing interests you, this guy is an animal. He has qualified for the ReMax Long Drive Championship if Nevada in December. There was a long drive competition today. This guy was warming up on the tee this morning with all of us looking on. The pros were hitting balls just short of the trees at the end of the range. This animal was hitting balls up the mountain and over the tree line some 400 yards plus. There was no way to show you this but it was unbelievable to watch!! He won the qualifier for Nevada by hitting a ball 387 yards into the wind so you can just imagine what this ball flight looks like!

The competition was open to all age groups. This guys was hitting right in front of Mr. Lefty! Sort of intimidating to say the least!

I caught up with Mark Hensby and all three wedges are in the bag! This week Cleveland brought out their latest new wedge, CG-16. If you look close the new Cleveland's are in the bag as well. They are still trying to take us out! Mark said there is NO chance of that happening! The FC-10s are the best wedges he has ever used. He said they hole out three times in Midland during their debut competition! I can only hope the little Titleist fellow will step in, I'm ready and loaded! You can bank on that!

Although once again I took a horrible photo I was trying to give you an idea of just how dark it is here until about 7:50am. The morning Pro-Am went off at 8:00am just barely enough light to see the cart path. Since this location is on the farthest west side of the Eastern Time Zone it doesn't get light until about 8:00am and then it's iffy, then it gets dark around 5:00pm. I can't imagine what is like when the daylight savings goes back?

This photo will give you an idea of just how dark it was this morning! I took this photo for two reasons one, the contrast of light in a 1/2 hour time difference and two, My finger is at the top of the trees where the "Left Handed Animal" hit his drives. The only thing the balls were clearing was the tops of these trees! The pros were landing at the front base of these same trees! Keep in mind this is all uphill! He hit a drive in competition yesterday at 373yds.

I spoke to my friend Dennis this morning in the dark, regarding nick's wedge choices for week. He told me this morning is the cut for what wedges will go into play. He has a new Cleveland set and of course his Titleist set that have been re-shafted. Dennis said that the FC-10/60 was the most consistent of all. Nick told Dennis he may have to go "rogue" this week with the Solus! The term "rogue" out here on tour means the player is changing equipment right before the tournament starts. But like he said it was that good and he did need the consistency on the course in the heat of battle.

Their process began! First up, Titleist. Please keep in mind I am comparing only the 60* since I need to build him a spec set. The FC-10/60* he is working with is a 1/4" too short per his spec. I told him to go ahead and take it out on the course and test it. He did now he is a believer!

Comparing distance numbers and trajectory one more time.

Having a wedge conference! The final cut is about to be made. The FC-10/60 is going in!

I am really not sure why I snapped this little shot? Hey it's a good photo though!









There has been a group of players, reps and caddies playing what I call league basketball during the season. The groups have been split between the East and the West. Each week the group organizes and plays a game. This time the outcome was not good for one of the players. Peter Tomasulo took a bad fall and broke his foot! He is 13th on the Nationwide money list! Bad timing and bad judgment in my mind. Then again it's none of my business. All I know is if your a golfer and are depending on your hands mind and body to perform week to week basketball would be my last choice of recreation! Call me crazy unless you are playing professional basketball why would a golfer of his stature risk a season ending injury. I have no answer?

Good friend and caddie Kevin Smith informed me this morning that a Solus player is leading the Peach State Tour event this week by two shots! Kevin said that if it weren't for him giving Stan a couple of Solus wedges he would have quit the game! Stan put in a Series 4.1/54 and a FC-10/60. He shot 65 in his first round! Kevin said Stan was fed up with golf but now has a renewed attitude with the Solus wedges. Kevin told me he would give Stan my number and I could build Stan a set of his own so he could get his back! Obviously the Peach State Tour doesn't recognize the new groove rule yet so the players are playing whatever they want! Hey it just goes to show you both the old grooves and the new grooves must perform for Stan pretty much the same way! Think about it?


Mike missed last week's Champions Tour event at Rock Barn but attended this week's Senior Players Championship in Maryland. We had a few new players make requests for the new FC-10. Loren Roberts got the 60* he was looking for and Morris Hatalsky likewise with a 60. John Morse and Ben Crenshaw both wanted 56's. John got his this week but Ben WD and went home so Mike shipped his to him in Austin. Bruce Fleisher also WDs this week.


I will be working with Mike in the next few weeks to close out the Champions tour for 2010. We will both work Houston and San Antonio.

10/5/10

It was another beautiful day although we started late due to frost! It was cold this morning!

First thing this morning I followed up with Dennis Mitchell, Nick Rousey's caddie. Dennis explained that Nick was ready to talk to me this morning regarding his wedge needs. I had a conversation with Nick and he said he didn't really care what bounce the wedges had from the fairway but had more concerns with it around the green. I stepped through the design and features then went to my bag to bring a hand full to try. I started out with a couple of strikes against me. First off I didn't have two of the lofts he wanted 50 and 54, but I had the 60. Secondly, he is 1/4" over standard length. He Monday qualified with a set of Cleveland's which he said did him no favors. He had a set of Vokey's that he had played in the past and they were back in the bag.

My problem out here is I have no place to work so it makes it very difficult to just go build him a set, especially with Titleist breathing down my back! We agreed to adjust a stock 60* to 59* and set the lie angle to his spec of 65*. This way we are as close as we can get to comparing apples to apples. I had fellow rep take the wedge and make the adjustments for me in the Nationwide van.

The next few minutes really pissed me off! Keep in mind I am working with Nick so no other rep should butt in until I am finished! It is just plain good etiquette to allow the rep working with the player to finish then move in. Well this wasn't the case! In steps the Titleist rep to give his two cents. This put me in the middle with the player, really awkward. I really wanted to step up to this but not in front of the player, hell he knew. Dennis was furious during this whole process and I had the attention of the player. Well Titleist derailed us both, he thought! They seen me moving in and possibly removing three of their wedges, I had to be stopped.


Dennis said he knew these guys would come over sooner or later but went on to explain that when he called me after the qualifier to let me know Nick needed help several reps overheard the conversation and one of the reps were Titleist! You have heard me bitch in the past regarding this behavior, I would never think twice about moving in while another rep has the stage! I will though with this one if the opportunity presents itself! Nick understood perfectly and says they pushed him around before. Big bully games! To think I like this rep!


Back to Nick and his feedback. He loves the shape and feel of the FC-10. He would like a set in a "raw" finish if possible. Once we adjusted the loft and lie he was now getting the distance number and flight he liked. He said this 60* felt better and looked better than both the Titleist and Cleveland. He took it to the course and tested it. Dennis said he really like it especially out of the sand. He felt like the 60 would go into play. I urged Nick to play what got him through the qualifier and don't make a lot of changes especially this close to competition. Nick plays the Hooters Tour when he is not qualifying for the Nationwide.


I got Nick's complete specs and will build him a custom set when I get home. He told me he thought it would be OK to adjust the lofts I had to match what his gamers were. I explained how this might be a short term fix, however it's really not optimal for performance.


Above are a few shots of Nick testing the FC-10/60. Nick is a great guy and even though we started off a little rough with the Titleist geek!

I just couldn't resist the temptation to strike a pose with the T.A.V.! It is nice to see it back out on tour!

There are two pro-ams tomorrow one at 8:00am and one at 1:00pm both shotgun starts. I will get to the course early. I want to catch up with Mark Hensby.

10/4/10

The T.A.V.; I am glad to announce HAS BEEN REPAIRED! This process started back July 8th, but is now over! That is all I am going to say! It runs better than a new truck! Many thanks to Gale Banks Engineering!

What a beautiful place! This is the first time I have worked this particular event. There is so much of Tennessee I have not seen believe it or not through my many years of travel. This golf course is right at the base of "Look Out" mountain. In a couple of weeks the trees will begin to turn their fall colors which have to be awesome!






Not only is this a great set-up to work but very handy for the reps! The range is as stunning as the course. I know these photos don't do it justice but you get the jest of my message.

Here is a view looking back at the trailers which are located just about a lob shot away from the practice tee.

New Solus player, Mark Hensby withdrew last week. I am going to follow up with him this week to see what happened. I was told by the Cleveland rep he loves his new FC-10's and would not look at another wedge! This is a nice comment from a fellow rep! These kinds of comments or feedback happen all the time with the reps out here! Unheard of on the "Big Show"!


For just a second I thought the USA was going to pull off a win in a record breaking come back finish. Great to watch especially when Ricky Fowler came back to halve his match! No pressure in his house! I do know one thing I will look up Hunter Mahan the next opportunity possible. I was told this is the only part that plagues him, chipping. The Solus FC-10 can fix that! I am sure he would now be open to change and I believe Ping would support such a change to get him over the hump! I know pressure was playing a big part today, however history shows he plays best under such pressure. It's not surprising but he really never puts himself in that situation unless he has hit a shot "chunky" which he did. Everybody was quite surprised how good his little chip was on 16 however, the one on 17 was killer! I will look him up more than likely in Orlando.


Good friend and tour caddie, Dennis Mitchell called this afternoon and has taken a new player through the Monday qualifier, Nick Rouse. He made the cut but Dennis said he needs new wedges. Dennis and his son, Brian both play the Solus wedges and have been recruiting players in the last two weeks for that matter this season! Last week in Mississippi Brian suggested his player, Jordan Payne take a look at the FC-10's. Jordan did and has since sent me an email with his build specs. Jordan is a Cleveland/Srixon staffer. Big Daddy likes dat! Brian Mitchell plays the Nationwide Tour so understands the player's side of things.