The golf business is suffering, and Tiger Woods is nowhere to be found, so it can’t be a big surprise that Nike is getting out of the golf equipment business. So no more Nike clubs and balls, but they’ll still sell apparel and golf shoes.

With Adam Scott’s win at The Masters, players using anchored putters have won four of the last six majors. That streak may be coming to an end as the much discussed ban may be coming soon.

The U.S. Golf Association said Friday it will make public on Tuesday its final decision in the anchored-putting controversy. Nothing is official yet, but all indications are that the USGA and its international rules-making counterpart, the R&A, will push forward with the rule they proposed last November, to ban anchored putting once and for all time.

As I’ve mentioned before, the global ancient game of golf will be better off with a ban. For years, anchored putting has been a disruptive issue. For all those who embraced the stroke, many more felt it wasn’t a proper way to play the game. With hope, that debate now will be behind us.

A more important reason to support the ban, should it be enacted, is that it plants a flag in the ground that says: “This is golf, and this isn’t.” I don’t want to come across as a blowhard, an oldest-member type pulling up the drawbridge to protect the creaky rituals of another age. Many defenders of anchoring see themselves as part of a movement to rescue golf by making the game easier, less frustrating and more accommodating. I think they’re misguided on this issue, but I get where they’re coming from.

I don’t have a strong opinion on this, but people on both sides tend to be passionate about the issue. If the ban goes through, does it put a blemish on wins like Scott’s at The Masters? It will definitely shake things up for some pros like Scott. Anyone looking for an edge in picking winners will have to monitor guys like him closely before placing their bets on sites like bwin.com/en/golf. When you consider how unpredictable putting can be, that seems like a daunting task. And with such a great player like Scott who is still a young player, the effect this could have on his career could take years to play out.

Every sport goes through rule changes, so anyone fixated on golf’s traditions needs to keep this in mind. Technology and innovation affects every sport, and then frankly we all need to come to a consensus and collectively adjust. So hopefully the rules makers will finally come up with a decision so everyone can move on.

More and more golfers are turning to online options when purchasing golf products and gear. As golf clubs and gear get more advanced, they also get more expensive. So shopping online is a great option as golf consumers can find a much wider selection and better deals. Think about it. Do you really want to be shopping at the pro shop at a country club? Sure, many of the members there don’t mind as money isn’t an option, but for the average player, value is critical for these products.

Of course for certain products you want to feel them and try them out. That’s why traditional golf stores still have a loyal customer base. Golf chains are still a huge business, as we can see from the recent deal where Golf Town bought Golfsmith for $96 million. But savvy consumers know they can shop around at these stores to figure out which clubs and irons they want to improve their game, and then they can look online to find the best price. They can also take advantage of sales and coupons as well, as one can use one of these promo codes for tgw.com to get better deals. Become an educated consumer, and then shop around online to be a happy one as well!

It will also be interesting to see how the industry deals with fewer buyers as well and how that might affect prices. There is so much competition in the industry now. For example, with golf courses and country clubs there was a huge building boom as golf’s popularity exploded during the Tiger Woods years and while the economy was booming. But then the economic crash hit and there was way too much capacity. Also, golf’s popularity has been declining a bit after the huge spike in interest, and that’s affecting demand. Golf courses aren’t as crowded and some even went under or were sold for a loss. This will inevitable affect demand for clubs, irons and gear, so those of you looking for deals online might find even better prices in the future.

Here’s a great video that will help you hit your 3 wood better, but the pro also points out that you might want to consider a 5 wood instead.

Well here’s some interesting news. Callaway Golf and Justin Timberlake are teaming up.

Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) today announced the establishment of an advanced, creative position for multiple Emmy and Grammy Award-winning actor, musician and avid golfer Justin Timberlake. A Callaway Staff Professional since 2008, Timberlake will lend his versatile talents as a Creative Director for the Callaway portfolio of Brands. Timberlake will engage in the development and execution of high-level concepts within Callaway’s marketing activities and offer wide-ranging consultation on the visual representation of the Brand. The multi-year agreement was announced by Jeff Colton, Sr. Vice President of Global Brand and Product, Callaway Golf.

“We have worked with Justin for more than three years now and have been thoroughly impressed with the level of quality he brings to everything he is involved with,” said Colton. “Justin is an extremely gifted artist and an avid golfer with a deep passion for Callaway products, and his creative energy will serve us well as we connect with the next generation of golfers. The opportunity to bring someone with his multifaceted talents into our creative matrix is very rare, and his input has already made an impact.”

Timberlake’s initial work as a Creative Director for Callaway will support the Company’s 2012 RAZR line of premium golf equipment, including the recently introduced RAZR Fit™ Driver. Callaway’s 2012 product line will be launched in the first quarter of next year via the Company’s upcoming “Epic Demo” campaign being shot this week in Las Vegas across several iconic city landmarks, including the Bellagio Fountain. Timberlake’s contributions to Callaway’s Epic Demo campaign, which features Callaway staff professionals Phil Mickelson and Alvaro Quiros, includes collaboration with the creative teams and Director Joseph Kahn.

This is either a brilliant move or an act of desperation by Callaway. I tend to think it’s pretty smart. It adds to the brand’s lifestyle appeal and will generate a ton of PR.

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