Mike Weir and coach Grant Waite have parted ways according to Waite via Twitter. The split garnered notoriety thanks to a blog by SCOREGolf’s Bob Weeks. You can read it here.

After spending a year and a half working together, the pair officially parted ways following the OHL Classic at Mayakoba in November of 2013. Weir made the cut in Mexico and finished tied for 75th.

On November 27, 2013, Weir fell short of officially announcing the split on his blog. But, in retrospect, perhaps there was a cryptic message in a blog posted on his site.

“I’ve made some fairly significant strides with my swing in the past 12 months and now when I step on to the tee, I no longer have any questions about how I’m going to swing or what I need to work on,” wrote Weir. “One thing about being where I am with my game this year is that I can now devote a balanced amount of time to my short game. In the past, I really had to spend the time on my full swing.”

Waite was brought on to work with Weir following an elbow injury he sustained during the 2011 RBC Canadian Open at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver.

Waite turned pro in 1987 and secured his PGA Tour card two years later. He won on the Canadian Tour (now PGA TOUR Canada), the Australian Professional Golf Tour and on the PGA Tour before leaving professional golfer to coach.

Here are Waite’s tweets regarding the break up.

I have a number of people asking me about Mike Weir and his progress for this year. I no longer work with Mike since the end of last year.

— Grant Waite (@grantwaite) January 12, 2014

Mike decided to go in another direction after Mayakoba. I appreciate the time we spent together over the year and half we worked.

— Grant Waite (@grantwaite) January 12, 2014

Weir is relying on his last career money list exemption to compete on the PGA Tour this season. He’s made three of five cuts at official events and finished tied for 8th at the Franklin Templeton Shootout alongside partner Graham DeLaet. Of course, as a past Masters champion, he’ll also have a lifetime exemption to compete at Augusta.

Gil Hanse talks Olympic course design

CNN’s Shane O’Donoghue spoke with Gil Hanse, the architect behind Rio 2016’s Olympic golf course, for a progress report. Check out the interview below which includes some great aerial shots of the site under construction.

Schwartzel’s amazing recovery shot at Volvo Champions

Charl Schwartzel didn’t win the Volvo Champions title at Durban Country Club in South Africa, but he did make the recovery shot of the year. During the 3rd round, Schwartzel hit this remarkable shot off the cart path, surrounded by trees to just five feet of the pin. Of course, the golf gods wouldn’t allow him to make the putt. The former Masters champ went on to tie for 15th at 3-under.

TaylorMade is targeting highly skilled players with the launch of their new Tour Preferred MB, Tour Preferred MC and Tour Preferred CB irons.

“We don’t believe you can call yourself a great iron company unless you create irons that great players want to play. Irons that meet a Tour pro’s requirements for look, feel, sound and workability,” said Sean Toulon, Executive Vice President for TaylorMade. “That’s why these clubs bare the name Tour Preferred. The head has to look right from every angle. The leading edge and sole have to react a certain way with the turf. We’ve taken each of these things into careful account to make these irons especially appealing to better players.”

Tour Preferred MB is an authentic muscleback player’s blade, precisely forged of soft, 1025 carbon steel. The shape is classic and compact, with a thin topline and minimal offset. At the request of the many Tour pros TaylorMade consulted during the prototype phase, the sole has minimal camber.

Tour Preferred MC combines a player’s shape with a shallow “muscle cavity” to create a blend of beauty, feel, workability and stability. The 3- through 7-iron incorporate TaylorMade’s Speed Pocket™ technology to promote increased ball speed in the lower portion of the clubface for more consistent ball speed and launch conditions across the entire face. The head’s length, topline and sole-width are all slightly larger compared to the Tour Preferred MB.

Tour Preferred CB is a full-fledged cavity back that maintains the shape of a player’s iron and the elegant look of a blade when soled behind the ball. The Speed Pocket in the 3- through 7-iron features “micro-slots” to promote faster ball speed across the face and higher launch, which promote more distance. That helps make the Tour Preferred CB one of the longest player’s iron that TaylorMade has ever created. Short-iron heads are compact with minimal offset, while the long and middle iron heads are slightly larger with progressive offset for more stability and easier launch.

All three models are offered in 3-iron through PW, feature a hand-polished satin nickel-chrome finish and are equipped with KBS Tour steel shafts and tour velvet grips. Custom shafts and grips are available.

The Tour Preferred MB ($1,199 CDN), Tour Preferred MC ($1,099 CDN) and Tour Preferred CB ($999 CDN) irons are now available through Canadian golf retailers.

Earlier this week the LPGA announced the creation of the Race to the CME Globe, a season-long points competition that will debut during the 2014 LPGA Tour season. The LPGA followed up the announcement releasing a video from Tour Commissioner Mike Whan (below) explaining how the new system will work.

Lindsey Vonn adopts homeless dog

Apparently alpine skier Lindsey Vonn isn’t only a lover of Tigers. A day after  she announced she would have to forgo the Sochi Winter Olympics because of her knee injury, she took to social media to reveal she had adopted a 9-month-old brindle boxer mix named Leo. Vonn – who is dating Tiger Woods – proclaimed her and the pup #‎bumkneebuddies, as Leo is also recovering from a bad knee he sustained by being hit by a car.

Leo brightened my day-adopted him from an animal shelter.Has a bum knee bc a car hit him #bumkneebuddies #puppylove pic.twitter.com/ctx6NFDdzd

— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) January 8, 2014

Paulina Gretzky gets into the swing of things

Paulina Gretzky took to Instagram to show off her new golf swing. The daughter of Wayne and Janet Gretzky credited fiancée and PGA TOUR star Dustin Johnson for a recent improvement in her game.

Dufner and wife say aloha

Jason Dufner and wife Amanda Boyd seem to be thoroughly enjoying the PGA TOUR’s early-year Hawaii swing. Dufner and Boyd were featured in a couple of videos on PGA TOUR’s YouTube page taking in the sights of the aloha state.

Dufner, a 5-time winner on Tour, finished 5th at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Maui.

Ross picks up another NGA Tour win

Former Team Canada Development Squad member Christopher Ross (Dundas, Ont.) tallied a 66 in the third and final round at Timacuan Golf Club in Sanford, Fla. to claim his second NGA Tour Winter Series title.

Ross previously won in December at the Disney Magnolia Course in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., to cap off his 2013 season.

Ross – son of former Golf Canada/ Royal Canadian Golf Association Executive Director Stephen Ross – finished the event at at 13-under par, with a total four Canadians cracking the top 10. Click here to check out the full leaderboard.

TORONTO – Rory McIlroy loves how lightweight his Nike Lunar Control shoes are. “They feel like you can wear them all day, they’re incredibly comfortable,” he says.

Paul Casey says “the impeccable traction with the ground” was the key to his decision to lace up in Lunar Controls week after week.

And, Kyle Stanley likes that he doesn’t have to break them in. “They’re ready to wear, right out of the box,” he says. “I wouldn’t wear anything else.”

Nike Golf athletes sport the Nike Lunar Control on Tour more than any other shoe because it offers the control and lightweight cushioning they need round after round – and now they have an expressive range of bold and confident colors to choose from.

“The shoe is designed to be in contact with the ground as much as possible and that enables me to push off the ground with more control,” Casey says. “For me, it’s always incredible how Nike creates great shoes, and then improves on them in the next generation.”

Vibrant colours such as Venom Green, Military Blue and Challenge Red pop against white and black premium full-grain leather uppers and highlight Nike’s proprietary full-length Lunarlon technology, a lightweight cushioning system that is highly responsive, resulting in a unique combination of comfort and support.

“Our Tour athletes are on their feet all day, every day – they know what they need out of a golf shoe to perform at their best,” says Lee Walker, Nike Golf Global Footwear Marketing Director. “We relied heavily on their insights to create a shoe that provides optimal control and comfort in a range of confident colors.”

In addition to Lunarlon foam cushioning, the Nike Lunar Control also features Nike Flywire, another proprietary technology, which wraps from the midfoot to the heel for targeted support and lightweight structure.

Underfoot, Nike Power Platform stabilizes the foot to provide balance, smoother weight transfer and more control at impact. Power Transfer Zone technology works in conjunction with the Power Platform to allow for constant ground contact and a smooth transfer of power throughout the swing.

The new colourways of the Nike Lunar Control are available now in Black/Reflect Silver-Light Crimson; White/Team Red-Challenge Red; White/Black-Venom Green; and White/Military Blue-Venom Green.

Nike Lunar Control shoes are now available in at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $180.

CARLSBAD, Calif. – adidas Golf has announced the release of the next generation of adizero golf footwear, highlighted by the new adizero one.

For 2014, adidas Golf designers were challenged with taking the next step in the evolution of the franchise; to develop a lighter shoe that pushed innovation to the next level while delivering maximum performance and tour-level traction. The result is adizero one, a visually appealing design that tips the scales at less than 10 ounces, 10% lighter than the adizero Tour. With adizero one, adidas Golf has taken adizero footwear to a new level of light, delivering more stability than ever before in the lightest cleated performance golf shoe the company has ever created.

“When I first saw the adizero one, I couldn’t wait to get them on my feet,” said Jason Day, adidas Golf tour staff professional since 2006. “With the low profile design, I can really feel the ground beneath my feet and the power generated from my swing is definitely noticeable. I’m excited to wear these on tour.”

While traditional golf shoe construction requires the stitching of multiple layers, adidas golf designers pushed the limits of engineering to create a new, ultra-light one-piece fused upper that bonds together five layers to deliver a consistent glove-like fit on the foot.

To further reduce weight while increasing stability, a lighter and thinner seven-cleat performance outsole (formerly 10 in the adizero Tour) was developed which measures 20% wider than adizero Tour.

“We’re constantly looking to test the boundaries of engineering to design and develop equipment that helps golfers perform at their peak,” said Masun Denison, Director, Global Product Marketing, Footwear at adidas Golf. “adizero one is a perfect example of our relentless pursuit of innovation to consistently create the best-performing footwear in golf.”

Available January 23, adizero one will be available in four colourways at launch and one additional colourway on May 1 at an MSRP of $199.99 CDN.

For women, adidas Golf has designed the adizero Tour II, utilizing many of the same design and fabrication elements as the adizero one in a streamlined, six-spike configuration with thintech low-profile technology to improve traction and stability. Available January 23, the women’s adizero Tour II is available in three colourways at an MSRP of $139.99 CDN.

Also available for both men and women on January 23 is adizero sport II, made with ultra-lightweight performance mesh upper now featuring proprietary climaproof protection and a two-year waterproof warranty. The shoe also features a new SPRINTFRAME™ outsole with spikeless puremotion technology for enhanced flexibility and comfort with swing plane traction for increased grip and stability. adizero sport II is available in five colourways for men at an MSRP of $139.99 CDN and six colourways for women at an MSRP of $119.99 CDN.

PING is introducing a comprehensive new product line designed to deliver big distance gains while offering forgiveness and consistency for golfers of all abilities.

The new products include the i25^™ driver, irons, fairway woods and hybrids; the long, high-flying Karsten^® hybrid/iron set, and the Karsten^® TR putters with fully machined variable-depth grooves. Also unveiled was the innovative PWR metal-wood shaft family that uses variable weight and balance points to ensure a proper fit.

The new products can now be pre-ordered at PING-authorized golf shops.

“Our constant push for innovation continues to inspire technologies that help every type of golfer play better,” said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. “The new metal woods and irons carry a common theme of increased distance but are engineered with the improved consistency, forgiveness and feel that we design into all PING clubs. Together, with a proper fitting to determine the best combination of models, golfers can expect improved performance throughout their set. To help golfers make more putts, our patented variable-depth-groove technology is milled directly into the face of the new Karsten TR series, yielding unmatched distance control.”

A distinguishing characteristic of the i25 driver and fairway woods are subtle racing stripes on the crown, which improve the consistency of clubface orientation at impact. The same width as a golf ball, the stripes offer a visual cue (consciously or sub-consciously) that can lead to multiple benefits. They can help the player aim the clubface accurately, align one’s body to the target, and assist in taking the club back on the proper path. All of which helps facilitate delivering the clubface squarely at impact, Solheim added.

To optimize performance with the i25 driver, fairway woods and hybrids, PING engineered an industry-first shaft series that offers different weights and flex profiles without altering the club’s swingweight. Called PWR (Performance, Weighting, and Responsiveness), the shafts are matched to golfers by the weight and flex that fits the motion of their golf swing and their desired shot shape.

“With adjustable clubs, fitting for shaft weight has been limited because of its effect on swingweight,” Solheim noted. The PWR Series overcomes that by varying the centre of gravity location of the different weights so we can offer options that optimize ball flight while providing a better-feeling, more-responsive shaft.”

Graham DeLaet swings into 2014 with Puma Golf

Canada’s top PGA TOUR golfer has signed with Puma Golf.

Graham DeLaet garnered national and international notoriety in 2013 for his steady play and ascent in the world rankings. His top performances in 2013 included a second place finish at The Barclays, taking third at the Travelers and Deutsche Bank Championships, and 12 more Top 25 finishes. DeLaet ended the 2013 year ranked 36 in the world.

The Weyburn, Sask. native will kick off the 2014 season at the Farmers Insurance Open January 23, 2014. This will mark the first tournament during which he will hit the course fully suited in PUMA Golf apparel, accessories and headwear. Showing true patriotism, DeLaet will play in Canada’s national colors – red and white – every Sunday on Tour.

“PUMA Golf is a great fit for me and I couldn’t be more excited to be part of the team,” said DeLaet. “I have always been a fan of the brand and the innovative combination of function and fashion they bring to the game.”

“Graham DeLaet is a perfect fit for the PUMA Golf team,” said Bob Philion, president of COBRA PUMA GOLF. “He is a world class performer who brings a fresh look to the course, making him the perfect representation of the style and performance blend that PUMA Golf embraces. We
are excited to support Graham as he continues his success on Tour and embodies the PUMA Golf energy on and off the course.”

DeLaet’s caddie, Julien Trudeau – a native of Montreal and runner up at Big Break Ireland – will also be sporing PUMA apparel and footwear.

Adams Golf Signs Four-Time Major Champion Ernie Els

Adams Golf has signed four-time major champion Ernie Els to a multi-year agreement where he will use a range of the company’s products and showcase the brand’s logo on his bag and headwear.

Owner of two U.S. Open and two Open Championship titles, Els was enshrined in the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011. His 70 professional global victories include two World Golf Championships and a record seven World Match Play Championship crowns. The former world No.1 has triumphed in tournaments in South Africa, Europe, United States, Asia, Far East, Middle East and Australasia.

“’The Big Easy’ is one of the most prolific winners of his generation and a natural match for Adams, with our philosophy of creating the easiest to hit golf equipment,” said John Ward, Adams Golf President. “Ernie’s worldwide appeal and iconic status fit our international business growth as we extend our stronghold in hybrids to other categories.”

Adams recently re-introduced the legendary Tight Lies fairway wood with great fanfare. It features the classic revolutionary club design, combined with today’s technology, making it easy-to-hit from any lie. A tri-level sole design reduces the amount of turf interaction to create a larger impact area below the ball and promote crisper contact and more optimal launch.

TaylorMade Golf Company announced this week the release of the SLDR 430 – a more compact version of the SLDR 460, currently the No. 1 driver on the PGA Tour. Packaged in a stunning 430cc club head with a modern-classic shape and rich charcoal-gray crown, the company expects better players to flock to the 430 version, which features a smaller tour-inspired head to promote improved workability.

“We put low forward CG in a smaller head to make a driver that tour pros love,” said Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s Senior Director of Product Creation for Metalwoods. “SLDR 430 makes it easier to shape shots without sacrificing distance.”

The 430 model features the same distance-producing technology found in its big brother: low and forward center of gravity placement that promotes a hotter launch, lower spin and faster ball speed.

In addition to the low-forward CG benefits, SLDR 430 also incorporates the same innovative sliding weight mechanism TaylorMade introduced with the SLDR 460. A blue 20-gram weight slides on a track located on the front of the sole. Movable weight shifts the clubhead’s CG horizontally toward either the heel, to promote a draw, or toward the toe, to promote a fade.

SLDR delivers six millimeters of movement – that’s 50% more than R1 – promoting a shot-dispersion range of up to 30 yards. The SLDR weight slides on a 21-point track system and never comes loose from the clubhead. To position the weight in any one of them simply loosen the screw, slide the weight to the point selected, then tighten the screw. Golfers can adjust for a “draw” or “fade” by sliding the weight across the slider track into the appropriate position in as little as 10 seconds.

Nearly 10 years ago, TaylorMade brought to market its first movable weight driver, the r7 quad –which featured four small weight cartridges that could be used to change the head’s CG location and influence ball flight. Since that release, TaylorMade’s R&D team has been searching for a way to improve and simplify MWT. The company believes SLDR’s new sliding system is a significant leap forward in its quest to engineer a driver that offers outstanding performance with simple and intuitive technology.

SLDR also incorporates TaylorMade’s Loft-sleeve Technology, which allows the golfer to easily adjust the loft. Golfers can choose from 12 positions within a range of plus-or-minus 1.5 degrees of loft change. The more loft added, the more the face closes and vice-versa.

CJGA Year in Review

The Canadian Junior Golf Association has released a document recapping their 2013 Year in Review. You can check it out here.

Nevada man gets probation for shooting golfer who broke his window

RENO, Nev. – A Reno man has been placed on probation and fined $1,000 for shooting a golfer whose errant ball broke a bedroom window at his home.

Jeff Fleming, 53, was put on probation for up to five years in Washoe County District Court. He had faced as much as 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine after he earlier pleaded guilty to a felony charge of battery with a deadly weapon.

The unidentified golfer who struck Fleming’s house took a drop and was attempting to play his next shot on the Lakeridge Golf Course in September 2012 when Fleming fired a shotgun at him. The golfer, who was playing with a friend, was treated at a hospital for minor injuries to an arm and both legs.

Fleming’s attorney, Larry Dunn, said Friday his client was just waking up when the stray golf ball shattered his bedroom window and sprayed him with glass shards. Fleming shot at the golfer from some 50 yards away in an attempt to scare him, not injure him, Dunn said.

The ball “came crashing through the bedroom window and it startled him, and he thought he was being shot at,” Dunn told The Associated Press. “He anticipated the ball coming through might have been intentional, and thought there was potential harm.

“There’s no question the single shot he fired was a warning or to scare him. There was no intention to hit him,” he added.

Police said the golfer and his partner ran away after the shot was fired, and it wasn’t until they were safe that the golfer realized he had been hit. One or two shotgun pellets had to be removed from his body at the hospital.

Fleming expressed remorse, telling the judge Thursday he was shocked at his own behaviour.

While his house is located along the golf course, Dunn said, it was the first time it had been hit by a golf ball in the 10 years he has lived there. The house is positioned away from the flight path of golf balls, he said.

The area around the 16th hole was evacuated after the shooting. Fleming drove to Dunn’s office, where he surrendered without incident.

Fleming had no previous criminal record.

“He’s an outstanding citizen and it (shooting) is just an aberration,” Dunn said.

London excited for LPGA’s return

Morris Dalla Costa of the London Free Press compiled a list of the Top 10 most exciting things that happened in London Sports for 2013. Included on the list, coming in at No. 8, is the return of the LPGA Tour to the London area – the London Hunt and Country Club will host the Canadian Pacific Women’s Open in 2014. You can check out Dalla Costa’s full list here.

FootJoy has introduced a new performance spikeless golf shoe category: DryJoys Casual.

An extension of the DryJoys footwear line, DryJoys Casual shoes feature soft, premium full grain waterproof leather and lightweight traction elements that provide great on-course traction and the versatility of off-course wear.

A new proprietary polymer outsole material called Fine-Tuned Foam (FTF) was developed for the DryJoys Casual outsole unit. The foam is 10% lighter than conventional foams providing enhanced cushioning and shock absorption for added comfort.

DryJoys Casual’s innovative design features two distinct layers of varying densities of FTF, each with specific characteristics. The top layer of FTF is softer to provide the golfer with all day comfort. The lower/outer portion of FTF is firmer and ensures the player perimeter stability around the foot for maximum support. Finally, skeletal traction strips are embedded within the FTF outsole material to provide the golfer with enhanced traction and lateral stability during the golf swing.  These layers are fused together to deliver maximum comfort and create the most performance-driven spikeless midsole/outsole component offered from FootJoy.

“Years of research have gone into the development of the FTF material,” says Mike Foley, Director of Product Management, FJ Footwear. “The result is a category of shoes that are luxuriously soft and comfortable, but perform like nimble, high-end athletic footwear.  It was this combination of comfort and performance that attracted Hunter Mahan who was the first player to wear DryJoys Casual shoes on Tour, unveiling an early prototype at the Open Championship.”

DryJoys Casual shoes feature Extreme Comfort Leather, developed in conjunction with Pittards of England.  This super-soft premium leather contains a proprietary membrane-free waterproofing system and is 30% softer than previous generations of FJ performance leather.

DryJoys Casual will be initially available in three different color options: white, black and dark brown. They retail for approximately $170 CDN are are now available for pre-order at retailers.