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- Drool-worthy Golf @ the #1 Course in the Caribbean + Short Game Set-up Cheat Codes
Drool-worthy Golf @ the #1 Course in the Caribbean + Short Game Set-up Cheat Codes
Plus, a Breakdown of Bogeys & Doubles per Round by Handicap
Wild Golf
August 13, 2024
Happy Tuesday everyone- man, Matt Kuchar could sure use a PR team right about now. He’s gone from one of the more likable guys on Tour to one of the least popular, and his game has declined in tandem. In 2018, he notoriously refused to pay his substitute caddy the typical 10% market rate after his win at the Mayakoba, and then Sunday happened.
When darkness became a playability factor at the Wyndham Championship, PGA Tour officials gave him the option to complete his round or come back Monday. And he was the sole player who opted to hit the pause button (even his 2 playing partners chose to finish), forcing all of the Tour support staff, the greenskeepers, the media, etc. to come back to the course- just so he could complete one last hole and still miss the Fedex Cup playoffs. He said it was already past sunset and he couldn’t see, but wow, he really put himself first, all for a 12th place finish.
In today’s newsletter…
✅ TIPS & DRILLS: How should you adjust your stance for chips, pitches and flops? Cameron McCormick demonstrates each one with the WellTowel!
✅ COURSES: The #1 course in the Caribbean according to Golfweek, this Jack Nicklaus track is one of the prettiest you’ll ever have a chance to play
✅ STATISTICS: How many bogeys and doubles do you make in an average round? Is it on par with your handicap?
✅ TRIVIA: Which U.S. state has the most golf courses in operation? Answer for a chance to win a Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor!
Let’s go!
TIPS & DRILLS
Set-up Cheat Codes to Short Game Success
Golf Instructor, Cameron McCormick breaks down 3 different wedge shots
To Recap…
Cameron McCormick uses a training aid called the WellTowel to demonstrate foot width and ball position for pitches, chips and flop shots. You can always use a measuring tape of course, but the WellTowel makes it dead simple. Here are McCormick’s recommendations:
-CHIP SHOTS: Place your feet nearly together and put the ball just a touch back in your stance (toward your rear foot). Keep the clubhead low to the ground and rely almost entirely on shoulder turn (similar to a putting stroke).
-PITCHING: Place your feet ~10 inches apart, and put the ball in the middle of your stance. You can use a small amount of wrist hinge on this shot for additional loft if needed, but it’s certainly not a requirement if you have plenty of green to work with.
-FLOP SHOTS: Place your feet ~20 inches apart (so quite a bit wider), and place the ball toward the front of your stance. Then shift your chest just slightly forward of center and open the club face for additional loft. Keep your weight forward and use plenty of wrist hinge to get the ball up in the air fast.
PRO TIP: If you want to get your very own WellTowel, we’ve got you covered! Head to WellPutt.com and use code WILDGOLF24 for 15% off of your purchase.
(code can be applied SITE-WIDE across all products!)
COURSES
Eye Candy in the Dominican Republic
This Jack Nicklaus Design is the #1 Course in the Caribbean
Punta Espada Golf Club
Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
If you’re already considering locations for your winter vacation, the Dominican Republic needs to be on your list, and you have Jack Nicklaus to thank. Punta Espada is the #1 course in the Caribbean according to Golfweek, and it’s one of the most stunning courses you might ever have a chance to play. Consider it the perfect eye candy for you to drool over in anticipation of sun, sand and mojitos. Even at its extremely high cost of $425-$525, it’s somehow worth every penny… but don’t fret, there are deals to be had.
The #41 course in the entire world according to Golf Digest, Punta Espada will leave you wanting to pull out your wallet again upon walking off #18. As one recent reviewer wrote, “I am the type of vacationer that likes to try new courses. I keep comparing them to this one. This course is so great that it’s the only one I have canceled other tee times in order to come back to this one.” The signature hole on the course is the 13th, a par 3 with a forced carry over the Caribbean Sea to a peninsula green that measures 252 yards from the tips. Don’t worry though, you can bail out short and right if you value $4 golf balls over hero shots that you’ll remember for life.
Punta Espada was Nicklaus’s first of 3 courses at Cap Cana Resort, and the courses are often paired with nearby Teeth of the Dog (Golf Digest’s 54th best course in the world), creating far more affordable vacations with absolutely unbelievable golf. With direct flights from 35 major cities throughout the U.S. and Canada, there’s no excuse not to at least do a little research before you finalize that winter vacation choice.
Rates: $425 - $525 year-round pricing, but look for bundle travel deals!
Check out this aerial video from @evan_schiller_photography
STATISTICS
Stat of the Day: Bogeys + Doubles per Round by Handicap
presented by…
The Stat: A Scratch golfer will make 4.4 bogeys per round and 1.0 double bogey per round (totaling +6.4 strokes per round over par), while 6-10 Handicaps will make 7.3 bogeys and 2.3 double bogeys per round (totaling 11.9 strokes per round)… nearly 2x as many strokes over par!
The Takeaway: If you’re a higher handicap golfer, you might believe that birdies and eagles are the key to lowering your handicap. But the best golfers focus on just the opposite- minimizing bogeys and doubles (or worse). Of course, when you do get birdie or eagle opportunities, you want to capitalize. But if you want to knock strokes off your scores, your ability to scramble and get up and down for par saves is SIGNIFICANTLY more important than your ability to give yourself birdie putts inside 15 feet.
TODAY’S TRIVIA
Answer to Win a Rapsodo Mobile Launch Monitor
(1 winner chosen on 8/31/24 across all August trivia entries, 1,000 respondents minimum)
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Which US State has the most golf courses?*It's a whopping 1250 courses! |
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