Blog

Viewing posts by Kai

Viktor Hovland

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Viktor Hovland (born September 18, 1997 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour. He won the 2018 U.S. Amateur and then became the first Norwegian to win on the PGA Tour (at the 2020 Puerto Rico Open) and on the European Tour (at the 2021 BMW International Open). Hovland picked up his second and third PGA Tour wins at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in 2020 and 2021.

Collin Morikawa

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 3 months, 2 weeks ago

Collin Morikawa (born February 6, 1997 in Los Angeles, USA) is a professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and the European Tour.

Matt Fitzpatrick

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Matthew Thomas Fitzpatrick (born September 1, 1994 in Sheffield) is an English professional golfer. After winning the U.S. Amateur in 2013, he later won his first professional tournament at the 2015 British Masters.

Justin Thomas

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 3 months, 3 weeks ago

Justin Louis Thomas (born April 29, 1993 in Louisville, Kentucky) is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour and is a former world number one.

Will Zalatoris

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 3 months, 4 weeks ago

William Patrick Zalatoris (born August 16, 1996) is an American professional golfer who competes on the PGA Tour. He won the 2020 TPC Colorado Championship on the Korn Ferry Tour and finished runner-up in the 2021 Masters Tournament in his debut there.

Xander Schauffele

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 4 months ago

Alexander Victor Schauffele (* October 25, 1993 in San Diego, California) is a US professional golfer who plays on the North American PGA Tour. Since 2015 he has won four tournaments on the PGA Tour and one on the European Tour.

Jon Rahm

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 4 months ago

Jon Rahm Rodríguez (born November 10, 1994 in Barrika, Basque Country) is a Spanish golfer of the DP World Tour and the PGA Tour. In 2020 and 2021 Rahm led the world golf rankings for over 30 weeks. His greatest achievement was winning the US Open major in 2021.

Patrick Cantlay

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 4 months, 1 week ago

Patrick Cantlay (born March 17, 1992 in Long Beach, USA) is an American professional golfer. He had a successful amateur career and was number one in the World Amateur Golf Ranking for 55 weeks. As a professional, he has won eight times on the PGA Tour as well as the 2021 FedEx Cup. He is a member of the 2022 class of the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.

Cameron Smith

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 4 months, 1 week ago

Australian Cameron Smith (* August 18, 1993 in Brisbane) can look back on an extremely successful 2022. He won the Open Championship and five other tournaments on the PGA Tour, including the Players Championship.

William Ben Hogan

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 4 months, 2 weeks ago

William Ben Hogan (b. August 13, 1912 in Texas; † July 25, 1997 in Fort Worth, Texas) was a role model as a golfer for many subsequent professionals in the sport. His swing is still considered the perfect sequence of movements.

Scott Alexander Scheffler

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 4 months, 2 weeks ago

The US American Scott Alexander Scheffler (* June 21, 1996) plays on the PGA Tour. From March to October 2022 he was number 1 in the official world golf rankings. He won the 2022 Masters tournament.

Srixon

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 4 months, 3 weeks ago

When it comes to manufacturing golf balls, Srixon is one of the leading companies in the world. No other manufacturer holds as many patents in the production of golf balls as Srixon, so that today the company has a firm place in the world of golf equipment.

Mildred "Babe" Zaharias

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 4 months, 3 weeks ago

Mildred Ella "Babe" Didrikson Zaharias (born June 26, 1911 in Port Arthur, Texas; † September 27, 1956 in Galveston, Texas; born Mildred Didrikson, called Babe Zaharias) was a U.S. track and field athlete and golfer.

Kathrynne Ann Whitworth

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 4 months, 4 weeks ago

Kathrynne Ann Whitworth (born September 27, 1939) is an American golfer. During her playing career she won 88 LPGA Tour tournaments, more than any other on the LPGA Tour.

Honma

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 5 months ago

Honma Golf Co. Ltd. was founded in Japan in 1959 by the Honma family, a merchant with a long tradition. Accordingly, the company has the words "tradition" and "innovation" written all over it.

Joo-Hyung Kim

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 5 months ago

Kim Joo-hyung (Korean: 김주형; born June 21, 2002), also known as Tom Kim, is a South Korean golfer who made history by winning the Shriners Children's Open in Las Vegas as the second-youngest multiple winner on the PGA Tour.

Annika Sörenstam

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 5 months, 1 week ago

The Swede Annika Sörenstam (* October 9, 1970 in Bro near Stockholm) has already hung up her professional career as a golfer.

Nelly Korda

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 5 months, 1 week ago

Nelly Korda (b. July 28, 1998 in Bradenton, Florida) has been playing golf at the professional level on the LPGA Tour since 2017, where she has since earned nine tournament victories. Korda won the 2021 Olympic golf tournament in women's singles, becoming the third Olympic champion in the event.

John Daly

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 5 months, 2 weeks ago

The US American John Daly (* April 28, 1966 in Carmichael, California) is certainly a bird of paradise in professional golf.

Bobby Jones

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 5 months, 2 weeks ago

Bobby Jones (real name Robert Tyre Jones Jr.; born March 17, 1902 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA; † December 18, 1971) is considered one of the greatest golfers of all time. Despite his outstanding track record, he remained an amateur throughout his life and did not turn professional.

Arnold Palmer

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 5 months, 3 weeks ago

The US American Arnold Daniel Palmer (* September 10, 1929 in Latrobe, Pennsylvania; † September 25, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) was one of the most famous players in golf, along with Bobby Jones, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

Gary Player

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 5 months, 3 weeks ago

South African Gary Player was born in Johannesburg on November 1, 1935. His main nickname as a professional golfer is "Black Knight" because of his always black sportswear.

Bryson DeChambeau

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 6 months ago

Bryson James Aldrich DeChambeau, born September 16, 1993 in Modesto, California, is an American professional golfer. He has won eight times on the PGA Tour, including one major tournament, the 2020 U.S. Open.

Cobra

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 6 months ago

Cobra Golf is a manufacturer of golf clubs. The best-known product is the Baffler, a driver from the King Cobra line. Cobra has been part of the Puma Group since 2010.

Marcel Siem

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 6 months, 1 week ago

Marcel Siem (* July 15, 1980 in Mettmann) is a German professional golfer.

Titleist

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 6 months, 1 week ago

Titleist (pronounced /ˈtaɪtəlɪst/) is an American brand name for golf equipment, manufactured by the Acushnet Company, headquartered in Fairhaven, Massachusetts, USA. The Titleist brand, founded in 1932 by Phillip E. Young, focuses on golf balls and golf clubs. The name is derived from the word "titlist," which means "title holder."

Miguel Ángel Jiménez

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 6 months, 2 weeks ago

Miguel Ángel Jiménez (* January 5, 1964 in Málaga) is a Spanish professional golfer.

Wilson Staff

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 6 months, 2 weeks ago

Wilson Staff is the golf products division of Wilson Sporting Goods. Wilson designs and manufactures a comprehensive line of golf equipment, accessories and apparel using the Wilson Staff, Wilson, ProStaff, Profile, Ultra and Hope brands.

Alexander Cejka

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Alexander Cejka (also Alexander Čejka) born December 2, 1970 in Marienbad, Czechoslovakia, is a German professional golfer of Czech origin.

Mizuno

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Mizuno K.K. is a Japanese sportswear and sporting goods manufacturer that produces equipment for numerous sports, including baseball, soccer, tennis, handball, rugby, judo, track and field, table tennis, badminton, volleyball, and others, in addition to golf. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange under TYO 8022.

Rory McIlroy

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 6 months, 4 weeks ago

Rory McIlroy, born May 4, 1989 in Holywood, Northern Ireland, is a Northern Irish professional golfer.

Ping

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 7 months ago

Ping is a well-known brand name for high-quality golf equipment. The manufacturer behind the catchy name is the US company Karsten Manufacturing Corporation (KMC), headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.

Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 7 months ago

Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els, born in Johannesburg on October 17, 1969, is a South African professional golfer. He has been among the world's top players since the mid-1990s. He plays on the European Tour as well as on the US PGA Tour. He has four major victories to his credit.

"Oh behave"

Posted by: Kai in Etiquette and Fair Play 7 months, 1 week ago

The well-known saying of the movie hero Austin Powers "Oh behave" could stand as a symbol for what is indispensable on the golf course: etiquette. Certainly, the always politically incorrect Powers is exactly the opposite of what counts in golf, but his phrase gets to the heart of the matter: Behave.

Philip Alfred "Phil" Mickelson

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 7 months, 1 week ago

Phil Mickelson was born on June 16, 1970 in San Diego, California.

TaylorMade

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 7 months, 2 weeks ago

TaylorMade Golf Company Inc. is a manufacturer of golf clubs that also has a large portfolio of other equipment for golfers. The company is based in Carlsbad in the US state of California.

Martin Kaymer

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 7 months, 3 weeks ago

Born in Mettmann on December 28, 1984, Martin Kaymer is one of Germany's top golfers. He has won two majors during his career and successfully played the decisive putt for the German team at the Ryder Cup in 2012.

How to Golf 5: The chip to the flag

Posted by: Kai in How to Golf 8 months ago

Stephen Gallacher Round 4 Open de France 2013 t134520.jpg (Photo: Marie-Lan Nguyen)

When it comes to a player's touch in golf, the first stroke that comes to mind is the putt. But there is another stroke where sensitivity is of great importance: the chip.

Callaway

Posted by: Kai in Manufacturers 8 months, 1 week ago

Callaway Golf Company is a publicly traded, US-based company headquartered in Carlsbad, California. 1700 employees develop and produce golf equipment such as golf clubs, golf balls and other accessories.

Pádraig Harrington

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 8 months, 2 weeks ago

Born on August 31, 1971 in Ballyroan, Dublin, Pádraig Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on both the PGA European Tour and the US PGA Tour. He is a three-time major winner.

How to Golf 6: The putt - about the happiness of the "plop"

Posted by: Kai in How to Golf 8 months, 3 weeks ago

The putt is a special stroke in golf in several respects. First and foremost, it is usually the last shot, the one that finishes a hole. It can therefore be the one followed by an indescribable feeling of happiness at the "plop" with which the ball falls into the hole. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.

Nicholas Alexander "Nick" Faldo

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 8 months, 4 weeks ago

The Briton Nick Faldo (born on July 18, 1957 in Welwyn Garden City) is - like Bernhard Langer - one of the best European golfers of all time.

How to Golf 4: Pitch to the green

Posted by: Kai in How to Golf 9 months ago

The tee shot succeeded, with the second shot the ball was placed near the green. And now? Now the ball has to be placed as close to the hole as possible. A pitch is now the right choice.

Bernhard Langer

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 9 months, 1 week ago

Bernhard Langer (Photo: Peter from Liverpool - CC BY 2.0 license via Flickr)

He is the first German who became internationally famous for his golf, and whose name is still in the list of those who belong to the greats of this sport: Bernhard Langer.

How to Golf 3: Swinging in detail

Posted by: Kai in How to Golf 9 months, 2 weeks ago

How the golf swing should look in theory, I have described in the previous article of the series. But beyond that, there are other details to consider when driving the ball forward.

How to Golf 2: Swinging to the green

Posted by: Kai in How to Golf 9 months, 3 weeks ago

The grip is the foundation, but the swing makes the difference between good and bad golf. And therein lies the crux: How should a golf swing work so that the ball flies the way the player wants it to? Today it's getting very theoretical.

All beginnings 14: My most difficult opponent

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 10 months ago

But the longer I play the courses in my area, the more often I can be found on the greens, the more it crystallizes that I am often no match for a particular opponent.

How to Golf 1: Getting a handle on it

Posted by: Kai in How to Golf 10 months, 1 week ago

As with many sports, it's the same with golf: buying equipment and then just getting started doesn't work. The first step is not about training, but about the foundation. And in golf, that lies in the right way to hold the club.

All beginnings 13: Golfing is like driving a car

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 10 months, 2 weeks ago

You've passed your golf course entrance exam, completed your membership, and received your DGV card. Now nothing stands in the way of my golf career. With all my freshly acquired knowledge and skills (a big word for my bungling on the course), I wanted to quickly improve the club target of 54, which is not officially called a "handicap" until 36. Easier said than done.

How to Golf 0: Warm up properly before the first shot

Posted by: Kai in How to Golf 10 months, 3 weeks ago

Much can already be found on this page around the topic of golf: It describes the different types of clubs that can be found in a golf bag, it discusses their proper use, it talks about the different ways to propel the ball and finally putt it in.

All beginnings 12: Club membership - Part 2

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 11 months ago

In the previous article in this series, I asked what comes after the license to play golf, and I already gave the first of the possible answers: Full membership in a golf club. This text will now provide information about a second possibility.

Eldrick "Tiger" Woods

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 11 months, 1 week ago

Anyone who talks about professional golfers cannot ignore Tiger Woods. Born on December 30, 1975 in Cypress, California, the US American already had the status of a true legend at a young age.

Jack William Nicklaus

Posted by: Kai in Famous Golfers 11 months, 3 weeks ago

Jack Nicklaus at The Masters (Photo: Torrey Wiley - CC BY 2.0 Lizenz via Flickr)

Tiger Woods is world famous, and even many non-golfers know his name. The situation is different with Jack Nicklaus. But even without his name meaning anything to anyone, Nicklaus must also be accorded the status of a true golf legend.
Nicklaus was born on January 21, 1940 in the US city of Columbus, Ohio. In keeping with his age, which is now 82, his great days as a professional golfer are already decades behind him. But the "Golden Bear," as he is nicknamed, still leaves his mark today.

All beginnings 11: Club membership - Part 1

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 11 months, 4 weeks ago

You've passed the course-readiness test, and the equipment for the first steps of your golf career is ready. Now you can finally get started. Can it really?

Training under control

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year ago

It's not new, yet it's something you should always remember and act upon: In the game of golf, it's like any learned movement: over time, mistakes creep in. This is also or especially the case with ambitious training. It is important to counteract this.

All beginnings 10: Golf course license passed - and now?

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year ago

Done, finally: The course is over, the basics learned. And now? There are many ways to start your golf career. But for the most part, it also comes with a cost.

Which club to use? - Part 2

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year ago

The previous article in this series was about laser rangefinders, which can help the golfer on the round to choose the right club for the next shot.

All beginnings 9: The exam day - Part 2

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year ago

The practical exam round for the Platzreife is almost complete. It didn't go well, but not so badly that I had to set myself up for a repetition. Now I'm standing on the last green, with exactly one stroke left to pass the golf course license test. The upcoming putt is not impossible, but also not easy to make. Full concentration is now the order of the day.

Which club to use? - Part 1

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year ago

Those who have been paying homage to the sport of golf for a long time, whose muscles have learned their very own golf swing in a reproducible way, in short: those who are already driving the ball more or less evenly, for whom distances on the golf course are becoming increasingly important.

All beginnings 8: The exam day - Part 1

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 1 month ago

The circumstances are immediately familiar: After we have struggled out of bed early Saturday morning and dragged ourselves to the golf course, we are again greeted - just as at the beginning of the course - by light fog and unpleasant coolness.

Hybrids - saviors from adversity

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year, 1 month ago

The series of articles about the usual cutlery in the golf bag is coming to an end. But certainly not without introducing the most valuable invention especially for golfers with higher handicap: the hybrid clubs.

All beginnings 7: The way to the golf course license - Part 2

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 1 month ago

Even before I held a golf club in my hand for the first time, there were friends who wanted to proselytize me for the game on the long courses. One very special couple once took me out for a round. I was just a spectator, but quickly got an impression of how much the game with the small ball is subject to special rules.

The fairway wood - not a gap filler

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year, 1 month ago

Anyone who has paid close attention to the previous texts on golf equipment, has become somewhat familiar with the types of clubs and their peculiarities, or of course plays golf themselves, will quickly realize: not all types of clubs can have been discussed here yet.

All beginnings 6: The way to the golf course license - Part 1

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 2 months ago

It is a foggy and unpleasantly cool spring morning when the golf course license course begins. If these are the conditions that accompany a golfer in his hobby, then it should be a short pleasure for the members of our group. After all, everyone already has the pictures in their mind's eye that show a glorious summer afternoon, where one has to look for a place in the shade rather than put on a thick and warming jacket. But we are far away from that at the moment.

The irons - all in one set

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year, 2 months ago

When it comes to irons, opinions differ. Almost more than with the driver, players have a special feeling for their irons, but not for every iron equally.

All beginnings 5: The taster course

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 2 months ago

The keyword "golf course license" has now come up several times. Conversations with golf-playing colleagues always boiled down to this, because: "without a license to play the game is only possible to a very limited extent".

The wedges - bringing the good course score to the green

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year, 2 months ago

The tee shot is successful, the fairway almost overcome with good feeling, the green is within reach. Now it gets exciting again.

All beginnings 4: The first lanes

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 3 months ago

When I stand on a teeing ground for the first time, tee up the ball and look at the distant green, I still feel strange. Is this me? What am I doing here? And why? It will take some time before this very spot on the tee of the first hole will give me the inner peace that I have come to love.

The putter - a question of form

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year, 3 months ago

A second text on the subject of putters? Yes, that is urgently necessary, because while the first text mainly dealt with the feeling in handling this club, it is now primarily about technique. But don't worry, it won't be too dry.

All beginnings 3: Tasted blood

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 3 months ago

The ball machine at the driving range spits balls into a small green plastic basket, it rattles and the colleagues seem to change. With this sound, the end of the working day officially begins for them. Until just now, they were still talking about workdays: About problems and conversations that had characterized the past eight hours. That's over now. The colleagues show me some warm-up exercises. As with any sport, you shouldn't hit the ball with cold muscles; strains can quickly end the game before it really begins. The necessity of warming up makes sense to me, but I only participate half-heartedly. After all, I'm only supposed to try it out; it won't put too much strain on my muscles. But my colleagues are attentive. If I didn't sweat at least a little, the risk of injury would be too great. All right, I'll comply, even though it's already annoying.

The putter - a question of feeling

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year, 3 months ago

The tee shot is successful, the course has been successfully completed, and so far the result is impressive. But now the ball is on the green and must be sunk. The putter has to be used and with the following strokes the good result can turn into the opposite. Nothing is more annoying than when the "2-putt", i.e. the hole finish with a standard two shots on the green, suddenly becomes a 3- or 4-putt. But there are things you can do to prevent it from happening.

All beginnings 2: With prejudices

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 4 months ago

My colleagues grinned at me meaningfully when I came on duty one morning. At first I didn't understand, but the hints soon shed light: After work, they would go out on the course again, play a few holes - and I would be there. Yes, I had agreed and now I couldn't go back.

Who is afraid of the driver ... and why actually?

Posted by: Kai in Equipment 1 year, 4 months ago

If you want to achieve the greatest distance in golf, you usually go for the driver. For example, on the tee, when a par 4 or par 5 hole needs to be mastered, the longest of the clubs in the bag is the best choice. The driver has the largest head and the longest shaft of all clubs. Unfortunately, this also makes it the most difficult club to play. That's why beginners in particular avoid this type of wood at the beginning of their golfing career. Often at the beginning there is the statement: First you have to master the irons, then you can play the wood. For many, this leads to a fear of the driver. In the back of their minds, they believe: "I won't hit it right with that anyway." And not infrequently, this results in what is called a "selffulfilling prophecy." It doesn't work. Because - and this quickly becomes clear even to the absolute greenhorn on the course: a good game of golf requires a fair amount of self-awareness.

All beginnings 1: The snap idea

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 4 months ago

Play golf? Me? A crackpot idea like no other." - Those were the first thoughts I had when talking to active golfers. The situation was completely unsportsmanlike, because the conversation took place on the premises of a newspaper editorial office. The golfers were colleagues who liked to play a few holes on the nearby golf course after work in the summer. And as they were talking about bringing their "silverware" the next day to hit a few balls in the evening, I happened to be standing there.  I sensed the fascination that this sport must have held for them and asked about it. I knew nothing about golf, only the usual prejudices. And that explained my first thoughts when my colleagues asked me if I would like to come along and give it a try.

That was close!

Posted by: Kai in Still a Rookie 1 year, 4 months ago

"Unpleasant or perhaps dangerous things always happen only to others." I'm sure I'm not the only one who goes through life with this basic thought. Because if you should always expect the worst, even the worst, then you should no longer dare to leave the house. Well, actually one should not even leave the bed. The fear of accident or misfortune, of inconvenience and trouble would probably be too great. But since I often not only have to earn a living, but also play a round of golf now and then, I am regularly driven out of bed. And as I am sitting here writing these lines, my credo seems to be true. The poor others.