Callaway Golf hires Justin Timberlake?

Golf is evolving. And fast. I remember the days when drivers were made of wood and all looked the same. When iron sets were just iron without the flashy decoration in the cavity back. And when putters all looked like baby Ben’s. And remember the clothes? Argyle patterns, as well as solid prints in the basic colors were everywhere and 100 percent cotton! Now we have graphite woods; flashy, eye-catching irons; putter styles galore; and don't get me started on all the clothing changes--moisture wicking. Enough said.....

Thanks in part to these changes in golf more young golfers are on the tour scene and at your home courses. Advances in club technology have made it easier for younger golfers to pick up the sport while keeping the senior golfers still in the game. The apparel changes in design, color and yes, fabric material, have also made it trendier for young golfers.

Well now it seems there is one more "trendy & youthful" addition to golf. Callaway Golf has hired Justin Timberlake as their Creative Designer. Justin Timberlake is popular on the music scene with millions of albums sold and even has a successful movie career--kids know him! But what they may not know is that he's an avid golfer and a good one, I might add. He owns a golf course in Memphis (TN) and hosts an annual golf tournament for Shriner's Hospital. Every now and then you can catch him in some celebrity pro-am on tv.

What I like about Callaway Golf hiring Justin Timberlake is the fact that they chose a guy who actually has a passion for the game; understands and plays the game well; has a good track record in golf; and who can draw in young golfers who may not have otherwise thought about the game of golf.

I'm looking forward to seeing what these two golf brains will collaborate on and I'll keep you posted as to when we get word on any JT & Callaway Golf designs in the shop!

GREAT DEAL on NEW GOLF BAGS at NEVADA BOBS in JACKSON!

NEED A NEW GOLF BAG? WE HAVE THE BEST DEAL IN JACKSON!
If you bring your old golf bag to Nevada Bob's Golf Shop and purchase a new golf bag, we'll take $20 OFF your new golf bag purchase!
You can't beat this deal. Offer is good while supplies last and ONLY on new golf bag purchase.

Come to Nevada Bob's in Jackson (next to the Piccadilly)
4800 I-55 North
Jackson, MS 39211
Ph: 601.713.1700
Hours: M-F, 9a-6p / Sa, 9a-5p

Nevada Bob's in Jackson. Your Game. Your store.

Ugliest Golf Bag Contest is at Nevada Bob's in Jackson, MS!!!

Think you have the ugliest golf bag?

Nevada Bob’s in Jackson is in search of the ugliest golf bag!

Submit your photos in response to this, or to our Facebook page:  Nevada Bobs Golf

Winner must turn in their golf bag in exchange for a NEW, FREE golf bag.

(NEW, FREE bag is predetermined by Nevada Bob’s Golf Shop, not contest winners.)

We will have weekly winners, to be announced:

December 2^nd

December 9^th

December 16^th

December 23^rd

Nevada Bob’s Golf Shop, 4800 I 55 North, Jackson MS 39211

601.713.1700

Individual Sports vs Team Sports

As I sit here this morning enjoying The President's Cup, I'm left to ponder the pros and cons of individual sports versus team sports. I love the fact that golf is an individual sport. The only person responsible for my losses and mistakes is me. The only person who gets to rejoice in my wins and success is me. The only person who's technique and skill I have to finesse, fine-tune and master is mine. I bear it all myself and I love that. That being said, it's a very lonely existence in golf--all by my lonesome. Team sports give the support of teammates through wins and losses. The burden of loss it not on just one person and when something goes awry, it's a collective team mistake. I like that, too. But dealing with the struggles of a lesser-skilled teammate can be quite frustrating.

So, while I enjoy watching cup matches and seeing how these individual golfers come together to function as a team, I really can't wait for golf season to be back in full swing. Then I can root for my favorite golfer and not have to pretend to love everyone on the team ;)  GO USA!!!

Have a great weekend, everybody!

I hope my tee time's not up!

As golfers we can incorporate almost everything from our lives into our love of golf. We have pens designed in the shape of drivers. Paperweights shaped like golf balls. Napkins emblazoned with pictures of holes from famous courses. We have books about golf; our favorite sports teams are logo'd on our golf bags; men now wear bracelets to help ease the pain in our wrists which will in turn help our golf game. We can get mats for our cars that are golf themed as well as silverware, paper plates, everything! Even the argyle pattern for golf apparel is now trendy in every day fashion. We are so dedicated to golf that we will leave events early to make our tee time or show up late for an event because we have to finish out our 18. We golfers go on golf vacations or simply squeeze in a round while on our vacations or business trips.

Yes, we golfers are unique. We are obsessed. We are in love with the game and we will do anything to play a couple of holes. I'm sure most of us like to think there are amazing courses waiting for us to play once we pass on into heaven. And now it seems there is a way to ensure many rounds of golf in the after life. A cemetery in Bellevue, Washington has opened a section that is designated for avid golfers. It features a tee box, green, sand trap, waterfall, bronze golfer statue and even a leader board! You can bury your loved ones here or you can reserve your "tee time" on the leader board.

I can appreciate most everything that involves golf. I love the game and I play almost everywhere I go. There's typically nothing that can prevent me from missing a tee time. However, this is one tee time I'll pass up!

A New Meaning to Water Hazards

At Brisbane's (Australia) Carbrook Golf Club they have brought new meaning to the term water hazards on the golf course. In one of their water hazards they have bull sharks! Apparently the sharks came to the lake/water hazard when the river flooded with salt water and brought the sharks along with it. When the waters receded the sharks became stranded in the pond. Considering that I thought sharks were salt water creatures, I would have expected them to die in the fresh water lake, however, they did not and they are actually breeding! They are living on the fish that inhibit the pond, as well as the occasional chunk of meat that is fed to them by some of the groundskeepers.

While I enjoy a new challenge on the course I'm not sure how I feel about man-eating sharks infesting one of the water hazards that are on the course I am playing. Yes, they are man-eating sharks. I suppose it's a great way to draw the curious and dare-devil golfers out there to your course, but I have one piece of advice:  If you hit your ball into this water hazard don't reach in with your hand to retrieve the ball. Take the extra stroke and drop a new ball!

It's still golf season in the South!!!!

I fall victim to the same things:  college football, NFL football, and hunting seasons. With all of this stuff going on during the weekend, not to mention kids' school activities, who has time to make it to the golf course? In the South, golf courses are completely barren of golfers this time of year and, even though I'm a born Southerner and lived here most of my life, I'm amazed every year by this.
Why do we stop golfing in September? The weather is finally not sweltering and the courses are in prime condition as a result of less traffic over them. Do you know what New Englanders would give to be able to golf this time of year? Most of their courses are closed for the season. We are spoiled in the South and we just take it for granted. Today, I encourage you to get off the couch and take your sticks out for a round. You can finally get a tee time on that course that you were dying to get on all summer--trust me, they want you to come play a round! You might even be able to get it a lesser rate than it was during their peak season. Come on! What are you waiting for? The cool morning air and low 80 temps of the afternoon are beckoning......

To be or not to be: Belly Putters

Well, it seems as though all this winning-with-belly-putters-in-their-bags is causing a stir and greater demand for belly putters. Mickelson won the Deutsche Bank Championship with his. Bradley won the first major championship with his. Scott and Simpson have won a combined three events with theirs. And don't forget Podz here! Yes, I switched to the belly putter halfway through the season this year and am having some success with mine as well. I even modified my Uncle Billy's this year (he switched to a belly putter after he saw how I had converted mine into one;)). For me it was about having a little bit more control which would hopefully turn into more accuracy on the green. So far so good! And look how it's helped the guys on the PGA tour.
I predict we will see more belly putters on tour next season which will in turn have golfers everywhere making the switch. Manufacturer's are already trying to keep up with the craze--look for Odyssey's release of the White Ice D.A.R.T in 43", 48", and 50" on October 14th. And if you can't swing the $189 price tag, but are dying to get your hands on one, come on down to Nevada Bob's in Jackson, MS and I'll convert your putter for you! See you at the shop!

A new match for Tiger

Love him or hate him (and I really like the guy), Tiger is making headlines again. This time it’s for hiring a new caddie, Joe LeCava. He's a veteran on the caddy scene and just may be the aid to Tiger's game that's been missing these past couple of years. I won't deny that Tiger and Steve had a great working dynamic going, however, the stress of that little scandal a few years ago put a strain on their relationship that could never be repaired. Onto the next......
I personally am excited to see what this duo will be able to accomplish together. LeCava comes from not only a good background as a caddy (former caddy of Couples and Johnson), but also a good Northeastern upbringing and education. I think he may be the necessary backbone that this new version of Tiger needs. We've watched his fall from grace and struggles throughout the past two years, now I look forward to seeing Tiger back to greatness again. And you cannot try to tell me that the guy's not great. Golf is still exciting, but I miss watching what Tiger is going to do next and being in awe of his amazing golf shots. I think Joe and Tiger will bring back a little magic to golf in their new, but familiar ways.
Yes, I am looking forward to this new partnership this season and wait, what's that? I'm pretty sure I hear the distant sounds of a Tiger's roar......

Great players or Great Clubs?

As the owner of a retail golf shop, I take pride in my inventory; pride in golf.  I have enjoyed watching clubs evolve into titanium, bigger heads and shafts with more torque.  However, with all of this technology being put into golf clubs it leads one to wonder:  are golfers today really this good or is it the clubs? 

Golf clubs today are designed to give more distance and club-head speed.  You’re not going to find that technology in an old hickory shaft club that Ben Hogan was playing.  The original players of the game actually had to learn how to hit the golf club.  I mean really hit the club.  They could put spin on the ball and made their clubs work for them.  They didn’t have the luxury of clubs designed with game enhancers, i.e. groove technology to create more spin on the ball.  They weren’t hitting 300+ yard drives off the tee box.  They actually had to develop a short-game; learn how to get the ball to the green.  These guys could hit their irons with more finesse than any guy you see out there today.  When’s the last time you heard someone say “so-&-so can play his irons”?  I bet you can’t remember.  Today, we all watch for the great tee-off shot, a mediocre short-game, finished off with decent putting.  The game before technology was compromised of spectacular shots from tee to green.  And that’s the bottom line. 

That being said, it’s because of the early players, Hagan, Sneed and Hogan, that golf has advanced, becoming what it is today.  I admire golfers of today’s game.  I am grateful for the technology in place today—almost everyone benefits from it. But I would take Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Walter Hagan over Tiger, Phil and Vijay.  Now THAT would be a match-up for the ages…….

Surprise at 2011 PGA Championship

After years of experience in the golf industry, there are many things that do not faze me.  I wasn’t even surprised by that little scandal a couple of years ago, what was it again…..?  But this one that happened at this year’s PGA Championship (held at the Atlanta Athletic Club) that none of us heard anything about, has caught my attention.

Apparently there was some damage to the 14^th & 17^th greens that was repaired and play went under way as scheduled.  No one knows exactly how or why it happened, but it did.  The greens were tore up during normal maintenance and it was suspected, by the director of grounds, that it was due to humidity levels changing and the brush of the mower grabbing which caused it to dig into the ground, damaging the two greens.  Sounds like a legitimate excuse.  Perfectly harmless.  Not so says the manufacturer of the brush!  The company is now suing the PGA of America, Atlantic Athletic Club, and the director of grounds—Ken Mangrum, for unspecified actual and punitive damages AND a trial by jury. Wow!

I’m not sure how I feel about this case.  While I don’t support discrediting a person or company (the director does say it was not a mechanical error), I’m not sure the extent to which the claimant has gone is right either.  It will be interesting to see how this one plays out in the Mississippi court system.  And in years to go from now, will I remember this story or the winner of the PGA Championship?  Perhaps this is why this story has gone so nicely unmentioned and untelevised:  so that I will remember Keegan Bradley won the 2011 PGA Championship. 

By the way, does anyone remember who won last year?  I’ve still got that previously mentioned scandal that reigned supreme in golf clouding my memory…..

Follow the link to read the AAC article: 

http://www.golfweek.com/news/2011/sep/04/brushmaker-sues-pga-and-atlanta-athletic-club/

The new beginning is coming.

 Here at Nevada Bob's we've made changes from floor space to the product we provide, but one thing that has not changed is the pride and joy we have by providing you with the best possible service. Coming up we have a surprise for you, our customers that we think you will really enjoy. We are also currently talking to Ping and Tattoo Golf about a shipment of their new products that we know will drive you crazy to get through the doors of our shop & happy to see us. We have been running a link from our Facebook page to here, but we have also made changes to the site and would love to hear your thoughts about it, as well as your questions.
This year will be terrific for both us and you our customers.  Even as the economy goes through these hard times we are lowering prices on even the newest equipment to meet your needs.  If you have any questions or statements you can contact me on facebook or here.  

                                                            thanks,
                                                                 Tony