FootJoy Blog

Michael Breed Reviews the New SPIDR2 Glove

Chris Garrett — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 19:33:00 GMT

Michael Breed, host of "The Golf Fix" on The Golf Channel explains the features of the new SPIDR2 glove from FootJoy and how it can improve your golf game.

For more with Breed, including valuable tips and tools, visit his website.

Camilo Claims Crown at Honda Classic; FJ Wins Eight of First 10 Events to Start PGA Tour Season

Chris Garrett — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 01:41:00 GMT

Camilo Villegas (FJ golf shoes, StaSof glove) shot a final-round 68 to win the Honda Classic by five shots Sunday, his third PGA Tour victory and a perfect way to cap a week that featured a lot of travel and a lot of celebration. The win also marks the eighth win for FootJoy players in the first 10 PGA Tour events this season. Once again, when FJ WINS, YOU WIN so enter here for your chance to win.

Camilo, who became just the fourth player under the age of 30 with at least three Tour wins, finished at 13-under 267, the lowest 72-hole score since the Honda moved to PGA National in 2007. And Villegas made it look easy most of the way, too. He led by only two after four holes, but three straight birdies – starting with a 25-footer on No. 8 – sent Villegas to 15 under and six shots clear of the field. He capped the day in style with a 20-footer for birdie on the 72nd hole, then raised both hands skyward.

Villegas didn’t even play a practice round at PGA National this week. After finishing tied for eighth at the Phoenix Open, Villegas headed back to his native Colombia on Monday to help open the Nationwide Tour’s Pacific Rubiales Bogota Open, the first PGA Tour-sanctioned event in South America. After landing in South Florida on Wednesday, he teed it up Thursday morning on short rest and following two stellar rounds of 66, he had a share of the lead going into the weekend and was en route to his third career PGA Tour title.

“Tournaments are four rounds and I played three pretty good ones,” Villegas said. “I was lucky in one. It’s never as easy as you think. I played great the front nine, then I made a couple hiccups and missed some putts, but I stayed patient.”

Onsite at the 2010 John Hayt Collegiate Invitational

Nick Gilliam — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:11:00 GMT

FootJoy offerings were well represented at the 2010 John Hayt Collegiate Invitational at Sawgrass Country Club (Ponte Vedra Beach, FL). Sawgrass CC was the site of the PGA Tour's Tournament Players Championship from 1977-81 before moving across the street to the TPC at Sawgrass. The firm greens and excessive hazards, paired with cold, windy conditions, allowed only one participant in the strong field of 84 collegiate players to break par. Like most of the golfing public, these players are ready for the warmer weather!

The buzz around the course stemmed from teams wearing FJ ICON Asymmetric MyJoys to match their school colors. It really impressed other coaches and spectators to see how well the colors on those shoes matched their uniforms. If looking good is half the battle, then they're way ahead of the curve!

As a fun diversion for players, the tournament organizers have an event within the event after the second round. Each team plays together on #16, 17 and 18 at the famed TPC Sawgrass. Celebrations can be heard echoing throughout the pines, as teams vie for the "unofficial" trophy from TPC. One rarely sees so many smiling faces on a golf course... a nice break from the norm. It wasn't all giggles though, many could be seen adjusting their FJ StaSof gloves on the daunting 17th and 18th tees. Who can blame them? I was nervous just watching...

Until next time... keep it in the short grass!

Nick

Ian Poulter Profile in The Guardian (U.K.); "Hate to Be Rude" Video with Jeff Rude from Golfweek

Chris Garrett — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:18:00 GMT

The Guardian has a nice article on Ian Poulter following his win at the Match Play Championship and subsequent ascension to #5 in the world golf rankings. There's some great insight from Lee Scarbrow, the club pro who gave Ian his very first shot by hiring him as a club pro even though he didn't appear to be the most gifted young player at first glance. His perception of Ian's game changed quickly after he went out and shot 66-66 to win the first pro event he entered!

The rest, as they say, is history...

Also, check out this archived video with Jeff Rude from Golfweek that includes an extensive tour of Poulter's home and a lesson on proper hair grooming.

Hunter Mahan Clutch Down the Stretch to Win Waste Management Open; Enter FJ WINS, YOU WIN Sweeps

Chris Garrett — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:03:00 GMT

Hunter Mahan won the Waste Management Phoenix Open for his second PGA TOUR title Sunday, closing with a second consecutive bogey-free 6-under 65 to come from four strokes down. He becomes the seventh player in the season's first nine events to win wearing FootJoy golf shoes and the second consecutive to win wearing FJ ICON MyJoys. Hunter also relied on a StaSof glove.

The 27-year-old Mahan had an eagle and a pair of birdies in a late four-hole span Sunday to finish at 16-under 268. Since winning the 2007 Travelers Championship, Mahan has continued to improve each year. He played on the 2008 Ryder Cup team and had six top-10s in 2009, including a runner-up finish at the AT&T National.

"It's just finding a way to win. I just haven't been able to do it," he said. "So obviously it feels great to get off the year on my fifth tournament to win. It gives me a lot of confidence in myself that I'm doing the right things in my game, and it feels great, it really does."

The shot of the tournament for Mahan came at the par-5 13th when he hit his second shot from 250 yards to within seven feet and made the eagle putt to reach 14-under par. His 18-foot birdie putt on the par-4 14th moved him into the lead and then the clincher came at the notorious 16th, the par 3 surrounded by bleachers filled with noisy, irreverent fans who cheer and boo with equal enthusiasm.

Mahan's tee shot caught the edge of the green and he made the subsequent 14-foot putt to regain the lead at 16 under and he would never look back.

** During the 2010 PGA Tour season, when FJ WINS, YOU WIN. Enter now for your chance to win a pair of FJ ICON golf shoes and a StaSof glove just like Hunter wore during the final round Sunday.

Which FJ Player Will Finish Highest at the Waste Management Open? Enter to Win

Chris Garrett — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 15:05:00 GMT

FootJoy is off to a phenomenal start in 2010 with six victories in the first eight PGA Tour events, including Ian Poulter's win last week at the Match Play Championship. So who's next?

We want to know which FootJoy player will finish highest on the leaderboard at this week's Waste Management Open? Choose your favorite player that wears FootJoy golf shoes and you could win this flag from the Northern Trust Open, signed by 18 FootJoy players including Steve Stricker, Angel Cabrera, Adam Scott, Nick Watney and more. If your player is the top FJ finisher come Sunday afternoon, you win! If more than one person picks the top FJ player, we'll randomly draw a winner from those entries. If more than one FJ player is tied for the top position, we'll randomly draw from the entries that selected those players.

Deadline to enter is Thursday 10am EDT.

Click HERE to see the field of players.

Click COMMENTS to enter your guess.

Rules

Poulter Wins Match Play Championship Wearing FJ ICON and SciFlex; Enter to Win

Chris Garrett — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 01:33:00 GMT

Ian Poulter (FJ ICON MyJoys; SciFlex glove) captured the biggest victory of his career on Sunday by leading the final 28 holes of the championship match to win the all-England final, 4 and 2, at the WGC Accenture Match Play Championship. In 2010 on the PGA TOUR, when FJ WINS, YOU WIN so enter to win the FJ gear Poulter was wearing on Sunday.

Along with winning his first World Golf Championship, the 34-year-old Poulter won for the first time on American soil. It was his ninth European Tour title and moved him to a career-best No. 5 in the world rankings.

“It’s been a long time coming,” Poulter said, after closing out the match with a par on the 34th hole. “I knew I was in great form. I felt comfortable all day on the golf course.”

A veteran of two Ryder Cup teams (2004, 2008), Poulter is gaining a strong reputation for his prowess in match play, especially after this week. He improved his overall record in the Match Play Championship to 18-7, and was so dominant over the weekend that he trailed for only one hole over the final 50 holes of the tournament. That came early Sunday morning, when his opponent put his approach shot to 7 feet on the second hole for an eagle that was conceded. Poulter answered immediately with a tee shot into 8 feet on the third, then took the lead for good at No. 7.

In fact, five times after his opponent won a hole, Poulter won the next one. Late in the match as he was clinging to a 2-up lead, Poulter flew the green on the par-3 12th, leaving him a tough chip up the slope. He came within inches of holing it, keeping his cushion, until he effectively put the match away at the 15th with another tough pitch, with mud on his ball, up a steep slope to the green.

“I would say my short game, certainly this week, has been as good as it’s ever been,” Poulter said. “The last 12 months, it’s been up there with the best of them.”

The timing couldn’t have been better. A short time later, Poulter was beaming as he posed with the “Walter Hagen Cup,” the name of this WGC trophy. Hagen, along with his 11 majors, was known for his eye-catching attire.

Here's a look at what Ian wore this week, courtesy of pgatour.com and Getty Images.

Michael Breed: Keep the Box and Play Better Golf

Chris Garrett — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:32:00 GMT

We recently visited with Michael Breed, host of "The Golf Fix" on The Golf Channel, down in Orlando. We not only had the opportunity to see Michael in action as he filmed an episode of the popular "Golf Fix program" at TGC's new high definition studio, but we also spent some time with him on the range at Bay Hill. Michael is not only a well-known TV personality but a highly acclaimed instructor as well. Currently the head golf professional at Sunningdale C.C. in New York, Michael was previously an assistant pro at Augusta National, among other locations. His unmatched energy level, his likable personality and his seemingly endless supply of game-saving tips have made him successful at each stop in his career. He is a fantastic guy to spend time with and we hope to work with him again in the near future.

In this video, Michael uses a FootJoy golf shoe box to demonstrate four tips that can help save your game. Click here to view the video on YouTube. Click here to view more tips on Michael Breed's website.

Check out The Golf Channel's Shag Bag

Chris Garrett — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 18:26:00 GMT

Looking for a great place to catch up on all the latest news and information from the professional Tours around the world? Well, after reading the FJ Blog, head on over to The Golf Channel's Shag Bag Blog. Led by talented golf writers like Randall Mell and Rex Hoggard, and featuring regular contributions from on-air talent like Win McMurry, Steve Sands, Charlie Rymer and Scott Walker, it's a must-visit for avid golfers craving up-to-the-minute information on their favorite players, tournaments and equipment.

On the Course at Pebble Beach

Chris Garrett — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:57:00 GMT

As Mike mentioned previously, the FJ team is back on the road at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am for the annual FJ Performance Outerwear drop to ensure FJ players can truly "Make Every Day Playable" this week. Before the players arrived, however, Mike was able to sneak out on the course to give you a glimpse of this truly remarkable golf course and facility. Enjoy!

Super Sunday for Stricker

Chris Garrett — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:36:00 GMT

For the fifth consecutive week, a FootJoy player claimed victory on the PGA TOUR as Steve Stricker (SYNR-G style #53883, PureTouch Limited glove) closed with a 1-under 70 Sunday for a two-shot victory over fellow FJ player Luke Donald (FJ ICON MyJoys) at the Northern Trust Open.

Stricker finished with a 16-under 268 total and won for the eighth time in his career and the fourth time in his last 15 starts. He also moved up to No. 2 in the world golf rankings for the second time in his career.

Stricker didn’t make it easy on himself, having to grind for pars as Donald kept pouring in birdies. But after Donald missed two short birdie attempts, Stricker fired off two straight birdies to restore a comfortable margin.

“It was hard today,” Stricker said. “I aged a lot out there. It was a grind from the get-go.”

Stricker seemed to struggle all day, missing several greens to the left but he had five consecutive one-putt greens and continued to get himself out of minor jams.

Half of Stricker’s eight career victories have come in the last eight months dating to his playoff win at Colonial. He turns 43 later this month, and shows no sign of letting up.

FJ Performance Outerwear Week on the PGA Tour

Mike Lowe — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:51:00 GMT

The FJ team is back on the road next week at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro Am. For the last several years, we have been on-site for our annual FJ Performance Outerwear drop. More than virtually any other venue on the PGA Tour, Pebble Beach tests FJ's motto of "Make Every Day Playable". Considered one of the most beautiful places on the planet, the Monterey Peninsula is also know for its extremely unpredictable early season weather. Chances are good that the players picking up the latest FJ outerwear before the event will likely have the chance to use it the very same week.

As usual, we will be talking to players and capturing snapshots from inside the ropes, so stayed tuned next week on the FJ Blog for the latest from FJ Outerwear Week.

In the meantime, don't forget about FJ Outerwear as essential performance equipment for your own game. Whether wet, wind, cool or warm, FJ has you covered. Check out the latest in FJ Performance Outerwear for men and women.

MAKE EVERY DAY PLAYABLE

FOOTJOY INTRODUCES THE NEW SPIDR2™ GOLF GLOVE

Mike Lowe — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 15:40:00 GMT

Maximum Grip and Maximum Control

Fairhaven, MA – FootJoy, the #1 Glove in Golf and #1 Glove on the PGA Tour, announces the introduction of the new SPIDR2 high-performance golf glove with progressive high-tech styling.

The new SPIDR2 glove delivers superior grip for optimum control, especially at high swing speeds. Targeting players of all skill levels, the new SPIDR2 glove optimizes grip performance for nearly every playing condition.

Features and Benefits:

- DTR™Digital Tac Leather™ - The digital water resistant leather on the entire palm and fingers of the glove provides the ultimate in grip and control in all weather conditions.

- FiberSof™ material - Soft, breathable stretch material is located throughout the back of the hand and along the fingers for a leather-like feel, comfort and consistent fit.

- PowerNet™ mesh - Integrated into the base area of the thumb and back of the hand, improves flexibility, breathability and provides a more consistent thumb fit.

- Power-Locking Closure - Delivers a secure, custom fit. You’ll notice the elastic area allows the closure to lock into place for a nice firm fit.

"The new SPIDR2 has been designed and developed for players looking for maximum grip and control with a progressive new look in a golf glove,“ said Maria Bonzagni, Senior Director of Golf Glove Marketing, FootJoy. "The integration of SPIDR2's proprietary innovative materials provide a powerful grip advantage for nearly every playing condition."

Sizes:

Men’s Regular Left S, M, ML, L, XL, XXL
Men’s Cadet Left S, M, ML, L, XL
Men’s Regular Right S, M, ML, L, XL

MSRP: $15

Available: February 1, 2010

Enter to Win a SPIDR2 NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.

This Sweepstakes will begin at 12:01 a.m. ET on February 3, 2010 and end at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 2, 2010. Void where prohibited. Open to US residents 18 years or older.

Interview with 2010 Farmers Insurance Open Champion, Ben Crane

Chris Garrett — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:59:00 GMT

We had a chance to catch up with Ben Crane this week, following his dramatic win last week at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. As you'll hear, Ben has a new outlook on the game this year and it has apparently already paid off with his third career PGA TOUR victory! Ben also talks about not knowing if he had won or not on the 18th green, his offseason work, why he prefers DryJoys, a return trip to the Masters and more.

Click on the image below to watch the interview or click here to view it on youtube.

Tuesday at the Northern Trust Open

Chris Garrett — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 02:08:00 GMT

Things really picked up on Tuesday and it was a full day talking to players about all the sweet FJ options available in 2010. A lot of players were looking for an all white FJ ICON, although some, like Hunter Mahan wanted to add a little flair by including an exotic print like the pearl lizard or white patent from MyJoys. Others wanted to really integrate some color in their wardrobe like Clemson grad DJ Trahan who ordered several pair with Clemson orange and he also added a traditional saddle with the new digital camo print. Overall, the players are very happy with the FJ ICON category and rave about how light they are, yet they still receive all the stability they need to perform at the highest level.

The new FJ SPORT is also generating some buzz amongst the players and other Tour staff who stop by. Already worn by 3-time major champion, Padraig Harrington, the bold styles just jump off the table and when players learn how stable the shoe is, they are eager to try a pair. This shoe could really take off in 2010.

We captured some great photos of FJ players out on the range and also got some video with the guys which we will share in the coming weeks. Enjoy!