Black In The Fairway: A Simple Guide To Gift Giving For Golfers

Welcome to my first Black Friday in the golf industry. I've been around these in the past as a retail manager, but this is the first time doing one at a golf course. In this video, check out some amazing ideas for that golfer in your life and maybe get a few clues about what not to grab for them.

Great Deals are always at Rock Bottom Golf - http://bit.ly/BITFRBG

Check Out GolfEtail's Super Clearance Rack - http://bit.ly/GolfEtailBITF

Finding The Fairway Again...

The past few months have been a blur, and not in a good way. Life, work and family have made my posting schedule a bit crazy to say the least. Of course, part of that failure to post was due to the fact that I was so worried about making higher quality content, I just didn't post much of what I did have. Today, that changes.

As I began shopping for the gear I would need to "up my game" on this channel, I realized I was falling into the same trap that many golfers fall into on the course. New gear doesn't make you shoot any better. So as I began my 2020 What's In The Bag video, I realized that I had drifted too far from the original message of the channel and blog and that I needed to get back to my roots. So, here it is.

Welcome back to Back In The Fairway...

Back In The Fairway Update: October 2019

Well, that was much closer than I thought it would be, but here we are at the end of October and I still haven't made a single video this month. It's amazing how quickly times gets away from us when we are focused on our long-term goals and not thinking about the little things. Unfortunately, over the last few months, this has become one such "little thing" but here I go on an attempt to fix that in a hurry.

So October has come to an end and this is an update of how things are going on multiple levels. First up, The Journey To 100 continues, albeit a bit slower than planned. Between the long hours with the dual job and the lack of being able to really plan my meals better (especially the timing of them) I haven't lost (or gained) much over the summer. Hopefully with a bit slower schedule this winter, I can get back on the loss-wagon and see some further results, but for now, things are just holding steady.

Next up, on the Going Pro front, It's been a long time since I've really updated my progress on the PGA PGM program. Unfortunately, that's because I am in "stall-mode" on it waiting until my next PAT attempt. The good news is that the PNW Chapter has set the preliminary dates for the tests and the first one is scheduled for April 22, 2019. With a qualifying score at that event, I can move on and begin working towards my PGA membership.

Other than that, things are quite busy, but slowing down now. The weather is still gorgeous up in the Pacific Northwest, but the nights are getting colder and longer with every passing day. This will continue to be the case as we lose about 5 minutes of daylight a day (and a huge chunk beginning on the 4th of November as we fall back an hour) until late December. Then the days will begin to get longer again and before you know it, Spring will arrive and it will be golf season again.

That's the update for this month. Don't forget to click the video above and subscribe to the channel. I'll be doing a 100 Subscriber Giveaway when I hit that number. Thanks so much for following along!

Grab An Amazing Driver For 50% Off!

If you've been on the fence about upgrading your driver, this could be the moment you've been waiting for. Earlier this year, Wilson debuted the winner to the Driver Vs. Driver Season 2 television show. The winning design, dubbed the Cortex, had become the most adjustable driver that Wilson has ever produced. When combined with the shaft options that the Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec range offers, the Cortex garnered praise from just about everyone that touched it.

Unfortunately, that fanfare faded quickly as the price tag of $499.99 was announced. While the driver performed "just as well" as everything else in its class, a few minor flaws and non-tour status left the Cortex off most people's short lists early in the year.

Months later, the Cortex price has fallen, not once, but twice. Currently major retailers are offering the club as low as $249.99. This includes the "Fast Cage" design that redistributed massive amounts of weight to the correct places for maximum performance. The extra long slide track offers greater spin control and the ability to tweak the performance of the club to fit nearly any swing. The Cortex also features a "heel/toe" weighting system that allows for the driver to be set up with either a fade bias or a draw bias by altering the weight pattern. Finally, and probably the most exciting piece of the Cortex, is the top of the line Fujikura Atmos Tour Spec shaft options. The club is offered in the Atmos Black (low launch, low spin), Blue (mid-high launch, mid spin) and Red (high launch, high spin), which will allow virtually any golfer to find the right shaft for their game.

Overall, the Cortex is an amazing value in the sub $250 price range. If you are int he market for a new long stick, this could be the time to grab one before the setup you are looking for is gone.

Wilson Cortex Driver @ Amazon

Wilson Cortex Driver @ World Wide Golf Shops

Back In The Fairway Update: September 2019

Well, that went quickly. Once again, another month snuck by me and my busy schedule. Not only did I not have time to get much playing done, but I didn't get many videos posted either. Hopefully as the daylight becomes a bit less prevalent in September, I will have more time to get some additional videos shot and edited for everyone. For now, here is a basic update of what's happening in the world of BITF.

Going Pro: With the failed PAT attempt last month, my progress is being put on hold until next spring. The additional time will come in very handy to get clubs dialed in and make sure everything is ready for the next run. Knowing that a few holes doomed my chances, I can now work on the shots I need for those select holes and get things all dialed in.

The Journey To 100: Yep, everyone almost forgot about this one, did they. Well, the journey hasn't ended, but I've pretty much spent the last few months floating in the 240's... Some days up, some days down. The Keto-verse seems to tell me that sometimes things like this just happen. Others say it can be stress induced. I'm more inclined to think that it's my schedule - and having a dinner (or later night "meal sub") after 9:00 at night when I get home from the course. Still, the process continues and I will reach that 100 pound mark.

Other than that, as I said, I'm hoping that things slow down a bit over the fall and winter months so that I have some additional time to shoot some great content for you. Remember, subscribe so you know when I post the latest content.

Support this channel: GolfPad GPS - GenMobile - Worldwide Golf Shops

Golf Thoughts: Is Soft Really Slow?

Recently, one of my favorite sites around, MyGolfSpy published their 2019 Golf Ball Buyer's Guide and the outcry from fanboy's on every side of the arguments they made are still being heard today. In a nutshell, MGS simply stated that soft compression golf balls are slow golf balls.

Again, the internet divided itself over that statement, but is that really all there is to picking out the right ball for you game? Just like all the steps involved in club fitting, a ball fitting is no different. While, once again, MGS delivers a great starting point for many players, dialing in the right ball for your game is up to you and how you swing the club.

The most important thing to remember when you read any online reviews or equipment buying guides is that it will offer you a good starting point of where to look for what you want, but probably won't have the "perfect" item for you as the top rating. If you're able to cut through the marketing gimmicks and try a few balls out, you'll start down the path to finding the right ball for your game. Remember, I usually play the Wilson Zip ($.74 a ball in a two dozen pack) during the wet winter months as the performance of the ball just doesn't matter in cold/wet conditions. I save the $4 AVX's for the summer time when I need a ball that performs better.

Anyways, here is the link to the MGS Test Results: https://mygolfspy.com/most-wanted-golf-ball/

Read up on their results and let me know what you think about all of this in the comments below.

Back In The Fairway Update: August 2019

Let me begin by saying I'm sorry that summer has totally gotten away from me here. While I started out this adventure with the greatest intentions of posting weekly, or even a few times a week, the dual-career life has definitely caught up with video posting and editing time.

That said, I made it back for a quick update on the channel this morning and hopefully, I have found a schedule that will allow me to get a bit more done over the next few months in highlighting my adventure towards becoming a PGA Professional and getting back to just making some golfing content you will enjoy watching.

 Thanks so much for watching and I'll try not to be too much of a stranger in the future.