Do You Know What's In YOUR #Golf Bag?

Every week, there are lots of websites on what was in the winners golf bag that gave the pro his edge, right down to the snacks that fortified him during his final round of greatness. For example, at The Players Championship, Jason Day carried the following clubs and probably had these refreshments in his bag:

Driver: TaylorMade M1 460 (10.5 degrees, Mitsubishi Rayon KuroKage S TiNi 70X shaft)
3-Wood: TaylorMade M2 HL (16.5 degrees, Mitsubishi Rayon KuroKage S TiNi 80X shaft)
2-Iron: TaylorMade RSi 2 (True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 shaft)
4-9 Irons: TaylorMade RSi TP (True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 shaft)
Pitching Wedge: TaylorMade RSi TP (True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 shaft)
47-Degree Wedge: TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF Tour Grind (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft)
52-Degree Wedge: TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF ATV Grind (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft)
60-Degree Wedge: TaylorMade Tour Preferred EF ATV Grind (True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400 shaft)
Putter: TaylorMade Ghost Spider (Limited edition Red)
Ball: TaylorMade Tour Preferred X

"I like Cliff bars because they taste good and they’re convenient, and I drink Biosteel performance drinks for the energy," mentioned Day in a previous article about his snack preference.

Yes, I'll bet Jason Day and his caddie know exactly what is placed in the bag...(nothing lurking in a dark corner?) and this week, we ask readers, Do You Know What's In YOUR Golf Bag?

You have probably counted the fourteen golf clubs which are stated as the correct number authorized by the Rules of Golf (fewer clubs are okay but if you have too many, remove them now...) and have toyed with the correct match of clubs for your game but, has your bag gotten heavier and you don't know why? Time to take account, remove the extra baggage and lighten the load!

As PGA.com states, "Just because your awesome new bag has fifty pockets doesn't mean you need to use all of them."

Going through my PGA Tour Superstore golf bag recently, in addition to my set of Ping Karsten Irons, Callaway X2 Hot Driver, Titleist 904F Fairway Woods, two Vokey Spin-Milled Wedges and my Odyssey Two Ball Putter...

I came across two bottles of water stuffed into the cooler pouch (need hydration), an empty sleeve (no where to place the trash at the time and it just fell to the bottom of the bag), cover-up for when it rains, three extra golf gloves (for when one won't do), a huge bag full of tees (including the short, broken ones which are needed for the par-3's, several divot repair tools, brush for my club heads and several snack bars (some a bit crusty) for when the hunger takes over and makes me lose focus.

After cleaning out my golf bag (to some degree), I searched this question on the internet and found several stories confirming my theory that golfers stuff way too much into their bags from toilet paper to suntan lotion, not only weighing down the carrier but probably also upsetting the balance of positive feng shui on the course.

Remove the waste! Carry only what is necessary for that day's round and place the balance of extras into your trunk. If it is going to rain, take an extra pair of gloves and socks. Always bring an energy snack and water as a round is four hours in length. Lifting the weight out of the golf bag will help you find what you really need faster and you will get back to concentrating on what really matters...your game!


What have you found in your golf bag that you didn't realize was there? Let us know in the comments section of this golf blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.

And The Masters Green Jacket Goes To...Jason Day? #golf

Who is The 2016 Masters' favorite or Who Do You Think is Going to Win The Masters is on most fans' lips and a topic of conversation this week for many golf writers and so Golf for Beginners asks readers, "Who is your choice to take home the green jacket this year?"

Whether you lay down a two dollar Nassau with your mates or plunk down hundreds at an online betting site, golf is, and will always be, a gambling game.

Golf Digest doesn't give you a single winner or a straight answer, offering suppositions and options such as "under thirty/over thirty" choices like Adam Scott, Bubba Watson, etc, hedging their bets by not offering one definitive choice. In their defense, however, there are a lot of variables before making a decision; pin placements, conditions and who brought their "A" game this year.

In seasons past, this decision would probably have been a no-brainer, choosing Tiger Woods to take home The Masters trophy and green jacket but, with the former number one opting to take a role as emcee, he has decided to hit the first drive of the tournament instead of playing four grueling rounds,

That being said, do you think that Jordan Spieth will win back-to-back Masters tournaments?

Odds are that Spieth will take a back seat to Jason Day, winner of his last two starts, going off at 7-to-1 odds according to TheGolfNewsNet.com.

Doc Sports agree and all three sites have Spieth and Rory McIlroy trailing in popularity with Bubba Watson and Adam Scott not far behind. CBS Sports places 2012 and 2014 Masters winner Watson in the top spot but concedes that, "It all depends on the first 27 holes."

As for the number one golfer on this list, Jason Day once wanted to quit the game and now is being considered The Masters favorite and with good reason. According to Yahoo Sports, Day, is "the winner of the last major in 2015, US PGA champion Jason Day, has secured top-10 finishes in 48 per cent of the 21 majors he has played in."

The Masters is set to begin on Thursday with the Par-3 preview offering fans a fun glimpse into the first major of the year. I am sure this year's Tournament will offer viewers the same excitement as in previous years. Let the games begin!

Don't forget to enter The Masters Giveaway to win a Masters caddy hat. Enter Through Sunday.

Follow Golf4Beginners on Twitter and feel free to post your 2016 Masters favorite in the comments section of this golf blog.

photo: Wikipedia

One of These Golfers Will Win The Masters #golf

Which one of these golfers will win The Masters? Here is the leaderboard of 2016 Masters invitees as shown on the Masters.com website:

The list of players who have been selected above have qualified by March 21, 2016 (the field stands at 90), and can serve as a starting point for this golf blog's discussion as to favorites to win The Masters. For example, Tiger Woods is listed to play but, for the second year in a row, CBS Sports reports that Tiger Woods may not play in The Masters. Pairings and tee times will be available after the par-3 event on Wednesday.

Who is YOUR Favorite to win The 2016 Masters?

This is an invitation-only tournament so the golfers that have been selected are the cream of the crop and/or have won an event offering an exemption into this first of four major events of the year.

From the above list, here are the five players I suspect will be in contention on Sunday at The Masters:

Jordan Spieth - The top-ranked golfer in the world, already a Masters Champion in a wire-to-wire win and mentioned that this is his favorite tournament in the world. Also, Jordan set a Masters record last year for most birdies in a tournament (26).

Phil Mickelson - My favorite golfer... at 70 wins to date, made the cut in The Masters twenty-one times and has three green jackets in his closet. "The results will come if I continue to play the way I'm playing," Lefty recently stated.

Adam Scott - Not much for Match Play this year calling his recent halve "pathetic" but red-hot on the PGA Tour right now and, since golfers play in the moment, this is why I picked Scott as a possibility to win. Also, with Steve Williams confirmed as his Masters caddy, Scott has increased his winning potential, in my opinion.

Zach Johnson -Has a Claret Jug and a Green Jacket as his prized possessions. Very steady player.

Jason Day - Able to scramble and win against Graeme McDowell even after hurting his back during match play.

Okay, so I am not positively sure that any of my picks will win The Masters but, based on this season's performance as well as previous accomplishments, these players have a good shot at 2016 Masters glory.

Who are your picks? Let us know on this golf blog or on Twitter @Golf4beginners.

What Will It Take to Win The Masters? #golf

Poor performances in previous golf events, nagging physical ailments and a fear that Augusta's bite will be ferocious are just a few of the elements in play before The Masters plays out next week. So, we ask our readers...what will it take to win The 2015 Masters Tournament...mental supremacy...physical toughness?

After a recent practice round, Tiger Woods is still undecided about whether or not he will attend The Masters; the internet is abuzz...should he? Nagging doubts, MC's and loss of touch are enough to make the back hurt even more!

While Tiger Woods is unsure of his game and physical condition, contenders like Jason Day are now using positive self-talk to gear up for the first major of the year.

Brimming with confidence, Day mentioned that his failures have made him stronger. Although there is, and will always be, pressure, the Aussie is learning how to handle it, focusing on diet, short game and an improved positive outlook.

Rory McIlroy, a 2015 Masters favorite, is looking forward to an elusive career grand-slam win next week, in spite of the albatross of a 2011 loss at the event...we'll not go into details here as golf fans must surely remember that horrifying collapse.

The good news for McIlroy is that, despite throwing a golf club into the water at Doral and negative self talk about his putting woes, he has mental pictures of fantastic finishes at the two final 2014 major events. Calling upon mental images of success will be needed next week although McIlroy will also need putting mastery in order to succeed - the physical act of rolling putts into the cup on Augusta greens is just as important.

"They're the toughest we face all year," McIlroy mentioned to Golf.com. "I don't know if it's intimidation; it's just you gotta think about them more. It does play on your mind more than other courses."

At the beginning of this golf blog we asked, "What will it take to win the Masters Tournament" and now we want to hear your answers.

Golf Digest places the green jacket on the golfer who can accurately bomb a great drive while finessing a putt into the cup. a man who remains in great physical shape while having a positive mental outlook....reads like a description of defending champion Bubba Watson?

Who is your pick to win The Masters and why? Voice your opinion on this Golf for Beginners blog and on Twitter @Golf4Beginners with hashtag #MastersWinner!

photo: Masters.com, linkslifegolf.com