Callaway Golf has been a solid player in the wedge market for years, especially since adding legendary wedge designed Roger Cleveland to their staff. It would be easy to rest on your laurels after releasing a popular wedge line like the JAWS MD5 and PM Grind series wedges, but they continue to work on new designs and technologies to give golfers more options.
Callaway’s new JAWS Full Toe wedges are designed to give you control on all types of wedge shots, from chips, pitches, flops, bunker shots, and full shots into the green. The JAWS Full Toe wedges combine four technologies to maximize spin.
JAWS grooves – The most aggressive groove in golf. These JAWS grooves are extended across the face to provide spin anywhere that you make contact.
To increase surface roughness of the clubface, Callaway added offset groove-in-groove technology and then combined it with a raw face, a first for Callaway. The wedges give you the spin and control you need to approach any shot with confidence, and the raw face will rust over time to reduce glare and give you that worn look many players prefer.
The Full Toe shape and a specialized C-Grind make bunker shots, high flop shots, and short pitches and chips easy to hit, from any lie you face on the course.
The JAWS Full Toe Wedges also provide enhanced control on full wedge shots. The JAWS toe pad moves weight and pushes the CG higher, for a design that creates a lower, more controlled trajectory. The Variable Weight Port System moves the CG away from the hosel for solid contact and enhanced feel.
The JAWS Full Toe wedges come stock with a premium Lamkin UTX grip, True Temper’s newest Dynamic Gold Spinner shaft in steel, or a Project X Catalyst wedge shaft in graphite. Available in two finishes: Raw Face Chrome and Raw Black.
Features & Benefits
Spin Machine – Jaws Full Toe wedges combine full face JAWS grooves, offset groove-in-groove technology and an allnew raw face, giving you the spin and control you need to pull off every shot around the greens.
Confidence and Versatility – The Full Toe shape provides more face area with an enhanced toe peak. The shaping works with the specialized C-Grind to make short shots around the green easy to hit, especially bunker shots and high flops. This wedge is built to perform on mid and full wedge shots too, with great turf interaction through the ball so you can stick it close.
Enhanced Control – The Full Toe pushes the CG higher, for a design that creates a lower, more controlled trajectory. Our Variable Weight Port System helps us locate the CG away from the heel, for solid contact and enhanced feel.
Premium Components and Finishes – JAWS Full Toe Wedges come stock with a premium Lamkin UTX grip, True Temper’s newest Dynamic Gold Spinner shaft in steel, or a Project X Catalyst wedge shaft in graphite. Available in two finishes: Raw Face Chrome and Raw Black.
The JAWS Full Toe wedges will be available for pre-order on 8/26/2021 and in retail stores on 9/9/2021. MSRP will be $169.99 each.
Father’s day 2019 is less than 2 weeks away, and in case you feel inspired to shower dear ‘ol dad in golf gifts, we have some great ideas for you! Happy shopping!
Bombas Socks – Yes, get your dad some socks! Socks are very underrated, and a way better gift than ties. Bombas’ Performance Golf Ankle Socks look great, perform great and Bombas donates a pair for every pair sold!
Callaway Apparel Big & Tall – You know Callaway best for drivers that hit bombs, top selling irons and colorful golf balls, but their classy and timeless apparel collection can’t be overlooked. Their big & tall choices are diverse, and for larger men like me, that’s a big bonus because it’s tough to find good looking golf clothes in larger sizes.
Stamina Pro Patches – Let’s face it, dad isn’t getting any younger. Give dad a little help getting those joints moving so he can play his best. These “active recovery” patches contain no drugs or synthetic chemicals, come in three different sizes and last 24 hours. The patches reduce inflammation, promote recovery, and optimize performance according to the company. Used on tour by Justin Rose, Tony Finau and others.
Enveed Golf CBD Blends – CBD/Cannabidiol products are all the rage these days, but not without controversy. Enveed Golf’s CBD blend is non-psychoactive and does NOT contain THC, so it will NOT get you high. Instead their full spectrum hemp extract is said to organically help alleviate pain, improve focus and help you relax in those anxious golf moments. CBD products are being used with increasing frequency on tour by players like Bubba Watson and Phil Mickelson. I’ve been using their tinctures for a few days and it seems to be helping!
Bushnell Pro XE Rangefinder – Our 2019 PGA Show best rangefinder is a range topping technological marvel for golfers. In slope mode, the Pro XE uses temperature and barometric pressure to more accurately adjust distances. It is the only 7x magnification rangefinder on the market and can hit a reflective flag at up to 500 yards. Plus it has magnets built in so it’ll stick to the roof posts on that golf cart to be at arm’s reach anytime you need it.
SkyCaddie SX500 – Not the rangefinder type? Get the best golf GPS device on the market – The SkyCaddie SX500. It has a huge, bright and responsive touch screen display, impressive battery life and a huge database of courses with detail info on hazards, bunkers and even green contours on select courses. The only place you’ll get more information about a course than the SX500 is in tour player’s yardage books.
Indi Golf Stingray Wedges – Indi Golf makes high-spinning wedges for all kinds of players. Their Stingray TT wedges offer 2 grind options, 2 finish options and they look & perform great. Things get really interesting when you pick up the USGA non-conforming Stingray wedge with huge box grooves. The spin you can produce around the greens is hilarious, and addicting!
Revo Eyewear – It’s time to ditch the old aviators. Instead, get dad a cool pair of sunglasses from Revo! They make modern, technologically advanced polarized sunglasses that are great for golfers, boaters and everyday wear. Check out their many styles and lens options here.
Exotic EXS Driver – Everybody wants a new driver, right? Why pay the premium for a big name brand when you can get the same or better performance from a driver that costs $100 less? Tour Edge Golf’s Exotics EXS is packed with technology and advanced materials, and sells for $399. Most of the competition sell their new drivers for $449, $499 and even $549. The Exotics EXS driver is simply the best bang for the buck in golf right now.
It has been almost two years since my last “What’s in the Bag” post, so I thought I would update things with a new post since there have been several big changes in my bag for 2019. The golf industry changes fast, and there is always something new and exciting coming out. It’s tempting to want to get the latest and greatest driver, putter or wedges. Those are the clubs most golfers change out the most.
What’s In The Bag?
I’m an endless tinkerer and like to change things up if I think it’ll help me gain an edge or snap me out of a funk. However, sometimes frequent club changes can be a detriment and lead to inconsistency. One of the clubs that used to change most often in my bag was the putter, but since October 2017 that hasn’t been the case. In fact, only 4 clubs are still in my bag since the last WITB in June of 2017.
Driver – PING G410 Plus
I’ve been playing PING drivers exclusively since 2014 and have upgraded to every new model that has come out since then. I just replaced the awesome G400 LST driver with the new PING G410 Plus. This is a minor upgrade as I only switched out the club head. I continue to use the PING Tour 80x shaft that I got with the G driver in 2016 and used with the G400 also. The shaft is heavy, stable and consistent. I’m actively searching for an after-market shaft that is 15-20 grams lighter to see if I can pick up some distance.
With the G410 Plus driver, I’m back to my standard 9-degree loft after experimenting for two seasons with the 10-degree head in the G400 that produced more spin, higher ball flight, and more carry. I gave up about 6 to 8 yards of distance but probably gained a bit of accuracy with the 10-degree lofted driver.
3-Wood – PING G400
In February of 2018, I went down to Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida for a fitting with the mad scientists from True Spec Golf. My mission was a difficult one for me, as I had been searching for years: Find the perfect 3-wood. Under the watchful eye of an expert club fitting specialist and a Trackman launch monitor, I hit fairways from almost a dozen manufacturers. Once we settled on the right club, we started testing shafts to arrive at a head & shaft combo that performed the best. The winner was a PING G400 3-wood (14.5 degrees turned down to 13.9) fitted with a Fujikura ATMOS Tour Spec 80x shaft. Finally, I found a new fairway wood that totally was dialed in for me. With the new 3-wood, my spin rates went down, launch angles went up and I gained over 10 yards! #ClubFittingMatters
Hybrid & Long Irons
No changes here – I’m still gaming the awesome Srixon Z H45 2-hybrid and Srixon Z U45 3-utility (20) and 4-utility (23) from late 2014. All are fitted with Aerotech shafts; the 2-hybrid has the Aerotech HLS880 and the long irons have the Aerotech Steelfiber i110cw shafts. Because I carry four wedges, bagging all three of these clubs usually puts me over the 14 club limit so the odd man out is usually the Srixon Z H45 2-hybrid, but that may vary depending on the course and conditions. For casual rounds on weekends or tournament practice rounds, I’ll often carry all three.
Irons (5-PW)
There aren’t many clubs on the market that look as good and perform as well as the Srixon Z745 forged cavity back irons I got back in 2015. After three years in the bag, I was still very happy with them, so it would take something special to replace them. As it turns out, something special came along in the form of the gorgeous Honma Tour World 737vn irons. They sat in the garage for almost 6 months before I finally made the decision to reshaft them with my preferred shaft – Aerotech Steelfiber i95cw shafts. Once I did, there was no way I wasn’t going to game these amazing Japanese forged irons. So far so good.
Wedges
My trusty but aging SCOR 50-degree gap wedge I got back in 2012 (part of a 5-club set) is probably the best club in my bag. That gap wedge is almost solely responsible for my 2017 WAGC National Championship win. I used it on the last three holes of the 54-hole tournament by getting up and down for par from 125 on #16, chipping to 2.5 feet for birdie on #17 and hitting it to 8 feet from 118 yards to birdie the final hole and win by a shot. Most recently I used it to play the final 3 holes in 3-under to win the North Florida regional qualifier for the Tour by Under Armor.
It has only been a few months, but I replaced the very reliable Hopkins 54 and 60-degree wedges I had for several years recently with Honma TW-W forged wedges in 56 (bent to 55) and 60-degree lofts. The 60-degree Honma wedge, in particular, is fantastic for almost every shot inside 95 yards. The aggressive toe and heel relief allows me to open it up and play flop shots with ease, hit the “crowd pleaser” pitch shots that spin hard or land it soft with good distance control from 50-95 yards.
However – I’m really struggling on bunker shots with the Honma wedges. My previous Hopkins 60-degree wedge had a channel sole grind with tons of bounce on open-faced shots, making it perfect for the deep Bermuda rough and soft sand bunkers we have down here in Florida. The new Honma 60-degree wedge has very little bounce by comparison, and that is making my bunker shots dig into the sand. I’ll have to practice a little with it and shallow out my bunker swing to make it work.
My new flat stick is the putter I should have bought in the first place instead of that Newport Notchback that doesn’t float. It’s the Scotty Cameron Futura 5W. This mallet has been my gamer since December 2017 and was made even better with an upgrade to the innovative Stability Shaft from Breakthrough Golf Technologies in October of 2018. This specialized graphite shaft improves feel, launches the ball lower (yes, that matters in putting also) and rolls the ball more consistently. It’s fitted with the ubiquitous Super Stroke Mid-Slim 2.0 grip.
Golf Ball
A few years ago when I published my last WITB, I had just received a shipment of 28 dozen Bridgestone B330 golf balls. After giving away several dozen to friends and playing the ball for over two years, I finally ran out a few months after the new Bridgestone Tour B golf balls were released. I was fitted for the new Bridgestone Tour B X golf ball but wanted to try something softer, so I switched to the Taylor Made TP5 for a while, then fell in love with the Callaway Chrome Soft. It feels fantastic from tee to green, performs well in windy conditions, and the variety of crazy colors and unique patterns available is awesome. However, the Chrome Soft may not be ideally matched for my game. On full swings, I may tend to overcompress it a bit and lose distance over the higher compression Bridgestone Tour B X. Plus, every now and then I’ll nip a wedge shot just right and spin the ball back 20 feet on the green. Most of the time that means watching as a good shot spins further away from the hole. Too much spin on wedge shots is not ideal.
Distance Measuring Devices
My current laser rangefinder of choice is the excellent Bushnell Pro X2 that was the flagship model from Bushnell until the new Pro XE was released a few months ago. It has a bright red display, acquires targets fast, measures accurately and the battery life is excellent. You can turn on or off the non-USGA conforming slope function with a simple switch on the side of the unit. I have mine wrapped with a magnetic strap from Monument Golf.
When playing tournament golf or a course I’m unfamiliar with I like to supplement a laser rangefinder with a GPS device to measure distances to bunkers, fairways that run out and doglegs. I also like to have not only the distance to the pin but to the front or back of the green depending on the pin location. For several years I’ve used the Sky Caddie TOUCH and it works flawlessly. It’s lightweight and provides plenty of information. Sky Golf maps out courses themselves and in many cases, they give you much more information than other golf GPS devices.
This year I have replaced the trusty Sky Caddie TOUCH with their new flagship model – The Sky Caddie SX500. This thing is about the same size as a large smartphone with a big, bright and responsive touchscreen. While the size annoyingly prevents it from fitting in many golf cart cup holders, the large screen makes it easy to see the hole maps and the screen is easy to manipulate with changing modes or moving the cursor around to measure different targets. Battery life is amazing too. I used it recently after fully charging it overnight, and the battery was still at 89% after 18 holes and over 4 hours. Simply put – The Sky Caddie SX500 is my new go-to golf GPS.
Must-Have Accessories
There are a few oft-overlooked items that I can’t live without, like the little EZ Brush to clean my clubs. This small wire brush is conveniently spring loaded on a retractable cable and extends up to 30 inches. It simply gets the job done without being a nuisance and keeps my clubs clean.
I’m also kind of a snob when it comes to tees. I love the Epoch tees from Evolve Golf and I got a 300-count bag of their special USA themed tees before going over to Malaysia in 2017 to compete in the World Amateur Golfers Championship for Team USA. They also made a great gift for players from other countries that gladly snatched them up.
Finally, what would a good WITB post be without the bag itself? Every now and then I use my huge Burton USA Staff Bag from the WAGC, but for the most part, I stick with my trusty Sun Mountain 4.5LS stand bag. It’s on the large end for a carry bag, but is still pretty light and holds everything I need and more. Since I’m riding a golf cart 95% of the time, weight isn’t much of an issue for me. The 4.5LS also had features that make it perfect for golf carts like a flat bottom, lockable legs and a cart strap pass through.
What’s Next?
There will be a few changes coming in the next few months as I get ready for my next big event – The Tour sponsored by Under Armor’s National Championship in Ocean City, Maryland in June.
The first change may be my golf ball. As I mentioned before, while I love the Callaway Chrome Soft’s great feel, wild patterns, and bright colors, it is not perfect for my game. It spins a bit too much on wedge shots and flies shorter off the tee than the ball I was fitted for – The Bridgestone Tour B X. I’ll be considering a switch back to Bridgestone in the near future.
The guys at MyGolfSpy.com recently confirmed my suspicions with some interesting ball testing results. According to their robot testing with a driver at 115mph, on average the Chrome Soft flies 12 yards less than the Tour B X. I would be giving up some feel around the greens and going back to a boring white golf ball, but I could be hitting one less club into the greens and that can make a big difference over the course of 18 holes.
As far as club upgrades, my wish list includes a new hybrid from the Tour Edge Exotics CBX line. The latest model is the CBX 119 and they are very hot on the PGA Tour Champions right now. I haven’t decided what loft to go for yet since they make every loft from 16 to 20 and a 22.
My wedges are in a constant state of flux these days. I love the new Honma wedges that are currently in the bag, but the lob wedge and I aren’t getting along in the bunkers so I may switch back to the Hopkins 60-degree. Heck, I may even get nostalgic and put the old SCOR 54 and 58-degree wedges back in the back to accompany the SCOR 50-degree gap wedge. Time will tell!
For decades, the usual procedure for buying new clubs was to drop by the local golf retailer and buy your clubs off the rack. If you were lucky, one of your friends had the same club(s) and you got a chance to try it for a few swings before you bought it. Chances are more likely however, that the new driver sitting in your bag was a blind purchase. You took a chance that it would work out. Sometimes it does and you love the club, but most of the time it doesn’t and the club either sits in the garage or ends up as a trade-in or eBay auction. Now that driver prices have risen beyond the $500 mark, it’s no longer worth it to simply buy a driver off the shelf without a live demo first.
That’s where the ingenious Cadi Kiosk comes in. Every day can be a demo day if your course has a Cadi Kiosk installed. Simply use the touch screen interface to browse from a selection of the latest driver, fairway, hybrid and putter models, choose the one you like, swipe your credit card and a door will open with your club within reach. Simply grab it and it’s yours to try for the day on the course! Warm up with the club, take it on the course and hit it under real conditions. If you love the club, simply keep it and your card will be charged the full purchase amount. Easy peasy!
If you don’t like it or want to try something else, just return to the Cadi Kiosk and scan the club’s barcode. The system will ask if you want to return or exchange the club and you simply follow along. When returning the club, it will open a locked door for you to insert the club, then you simply walk away. The fee for a full day demo will likely be around $10. If you end up purchasing the club, the demo fee is credited back to you.
During the demo process, it is inevitable that some clubs will start to show signs of use. Not only will the Cadi Kiosk’s inventory will be updated regularly with new clubs, but the prices of slightly used demo clubs will also be adjusted to reflect their condition. This is another way to save money if you don’t mind buying a slightly used club.
With Cadi, there’s no need to go to the big box or specialty golf retailer. If you prefer to hit clubs on the course in real conditions instead of into a net or some jacked-up simulator, the Cadi Kiosk is for you. For golf course operators, placing a Cadi kiosk in a strategic location is a simple and effective way to enhance the golfer experience and expand their services without carrying more inventory.
Cadi plans to offer drivers, fairways, hybrids and putters from the most popular brands such as Callaway, Taylor Made, Cobra, Titleist/Scotty Cameron and more. The first of their innovative Kiosks is located at Orange Lake Resort in Kissimmee, Florida near the theme parks in Orlando. Plans are to open more locations in Florida and California in the near future.
If Johnny Cash was still with us and played golf, this would have been his set of irons. Callaway just announced their new Rogue Pro Black irons, and we’re in love. These sexy clubs are finished in black, with black limited edition True Temper XP105 shafts and black Lamkin Z5 grips. Even the Callaway medallion in the cavity is black.
All the features you’ll see in the regular Rogue Pro irons are in these, including the 360 Face Cup + VFT for more ball speed, MIM’D Internal Standing Wave for optimal flight and control, and great feel with Urethane Microspheres, all in a players iron package. These irons are designed to appeal to better players with a compact head, thin topline, thin sole, shallow cavity and minimal offset. These design features increase workability, trajectory control and impact feedback. The lofts are slightly weaker than Rogue Standard for better gapping and distance control.
The Callaway Rogue Pro Black irons will go on sale June 8, 2018 and are custom order only at www.callawaygolf.com. Sets will be available in two configurations: 5-PW and 4-PW. Suggested retail price will be $825 and $1099, respectively. If you like black and want a playable iron for low handicappers, you won’t want to miss these.
It is estimated that golfers lose about 300 million golf balls per year in the United States alone. That’s a lot of cash sitting at the bottom of a lake! So tell me, why are you paying full retail price for golf balls? Professional golfers on the PGA Tour will use between 5 and 9 golf balls per round on average. That’s fine for them because they get their balls free. The average weekend golfer may also use several golf balls per round, but that’s usually because they get lost in the trees or water!
Lostgolfballs.com finds those golf balls, cleans them up and sells them back to you at a deep discount. They have been doing it for over twenty years, and they are the best at it. Golf is hard, and let’s be honest – Most golfers suck at it. Company founder Gary Krueger knows this better than most. He played on the PGA Tour. Think I’m exaggerating? Lostgolfballs.com recovered, recycled and sold over 43 million golf balls in 2015. That accounts for 6% of all golf balls sold worldwide! Since the company started they’ve processed and sold close to 530 million golf balls. That’s million, with a capital M.
The Recovery Process
As the company likes to say, every golf ball is used once it has been hit. Lostgolfballs.com uses a proprietary and environmentally friendly cleaning system that washes every golf ball without damaging its original condition. Once they have been cleaned and sorted by brand and model, the golf balls are given a rating from A to AAAAA. Golf balls rated AAAAA (5A) are in almost new condition and show hardly any signs of wear, if at all. The most common difference between a 5A rated used ball and a new ball will be some ink left over from the previous owner’s personal markings that the cleaning process wasn’t able to fully remove. AAAA (4A) golf balls will show minor signs of wear, similar to a golf ball that has been played for a few holes, but with no drop in performance.
Why Buy Used?
In a word? Cost! Lostgolfballs.com sells their 5A rated golf balls at almost 50% off the retail price, and in some cases more than 50% off. AAAA (4A) and AAA (3A) rated balls are even less. Taking the most popular golf ball as an example – The Titleist Pro V1 and V1x golf balls retail new for $47.99 per dozen. At lostgolfballs.com, the cost for a dozen is $26.99 (5A), $21.99 (4A) and $14.99 (3A). Furthermore, you can buy in bulk. Titleist Pro V1 buckets of 50 or 100 (5A quality) are available for $111.99 and $223.99, respectively. When buying brand new, you pay $4 per golf ball. When buying used, 5A quality balls you pay about $2.25 each. If you choose 4A rated balls you’ll pay $1.83 each.
Does A Used Ball Perform Like New?
When it comes to golf balls, they don’t make ’em like they used to, and that’s a great thing for us! Golf balls are no longer constructed with liquid cores and rubber windings, and as a result they are far more consistent and durable than they have ever been. It’s not uncommon for golfers to play multiple rounds with the same golf ball. Personally, I’ve played 54 holes with one ball before, and after a quick cleaning by hand it still resembled one of lostgolfballs.com’s 4A rated balls.
To help consumers understand that used golf balls perform just as well as new ones, lostgolfballs.com did some testing at an independent research facility to compare used balls they sell with brand new versions of the same balls. Given the variables in testing and statistical margin for error, the data showed that the difference between the used balls and new balls was almost negligible. In some cases the used balls even flew further than the new ones!
To Summarize…
Lostgolfballs.com’s recycled golf balls fly just as far and spin just as much as their new versions.
Used golf balls are much cheaper than new balls, and in some cases over 50% cheaper.
AAAAA (5A) rated golf balls are almost like new and show little (if any) signs of wear.
Every major brand and model is available – Titleist, Callaway, Taylor Made, Srixon, Bridgestone, Nike and more
Free shipping on orders over $100
Give lostgolfballs.com a try if you are in the market for golf balls, and I know you are. I think you’ll be impressed at the quality of golf balls you get, and you’ll get a lot more for your money too. Once you’ve played a few holes with them you’ll realize you’ve been wasting money all these years, and you’ll never buy new golf balls again.
To be perfectly honest, the 2016 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando didn’t have as much to offer in the way of new products as previous years. Thankfully, golf ball makers have some great new and updated products for us this season. Here’s a few of the best new golf balls to check out in 2016.
Callaway Chrome Soft
Last season’s king of the hill is still on top this year, but has some stiff competition. When I tested this ball last year I was afraid to over-compress it, but if the ball is good enough for Phil Mickelson, it’s good enough for anybody! The Chrome Soft golf ball is a 4-piece golf ball and combines Callaway’s SoftFast Core and inner mantle layers with a soft urethane cover for spin around the greens without spinning too much off the tee. The Chrome Soft won 5 stars on Golf Digest’s Hot List in 2015 and should make another strong showing in 2016. This ball feels very soft around the greens and really performs well.
https://youtu.be/LdMsLcG5T_M
Volvik Crystal Vivid
Volvik is known for making colored golf balls, and they’ve taken their signature Crystal ball and given it a matte finish. The result is a very striking finish that’s easy to see and really pops! The three-piece Volvik Crystal Vivid has a very soft feel and a durable Surlyn cover, with a compression rating around 80. Made for slower swing speeds, the Volvik Crystal Vivid are available in orange, pink, green and red.
Bridgestone B-Series
Bridgestone’s popular B-Series golf balls (which includes the Tour B330, B330S, B330RX and B330RXS) get an update for 2016. The new Tour Core is 6% larger and has a steeper gradient in softness from the inner part of the core to the outer region for faster ball speed and less spin off the driver. The new SlipRes cover took four years to develop and Bridgestone claims it has the highest friction coefficient rating possible, which translates to more spin from shots in the rough and around the green without increasing spin on the driver. I tested the new B330 for 18 holes and was so impressed that I’m buying a case of 12 dozen to use for the 2016 season.
The Amatour Core in the B330RX and B330RXS golf balls is 28% softer than the average tour ball core, making these balls ideal for golfers with swing speeds under 105 MPH. Along with the Callaway Chrome Soft, The Bridgestone B330RX is probably the best option for golfers looking for tour performance, durability and distance from slower swing speeds.
Wilson Duo Urethane
Wilson Golf claims their Duo golf ball is the softest on the market, with a compression rating of 29! Having tried the original Duo several years ago, I can tell you that the ball is a marshmallow. Wilson Golf now offers three models in the Duo line. The original Duo, Duo Spin and the Duo Urethane. The three golf balls offer a very soft feel for golfers seeking more distance with slower swing speeds. (See a pattern emerging in golf ball marketing yet?)
Wilson Duo – 29 Compression – Durability and distance with very soft feel – $20 Wilson Duo Spin – 35 Compression – Durability and distance with more spin and very soft feel – $27 Wilson Duo Urethane – 55 Compression – Softest urethane ball in golf, distance with tour spin and performance – $38
I haven’t tried the new Duo golf balls, but I remember the original Duo feeling a bit like the old Titleist Tour Balata on the putting green. Given the $20 price point for the Duo, these golf balls should be very popular!
As a golf blogger, I get to handle many different golf clubs and try many products over the course of a year. As a result, I always get asked about what’s in my bag. Most amateur golfers like me aren’t sponsored by club companies, so our bags tend to be a mix of clubs from different manufacturers.
While I have had opportunities to officially endorse products in the past, doing so might violate the rules of amateur status as outlined by the USGA in rule 6.2, and that would be a no-no since I sometimes compete in FSGA and USGA events. Therefore, I must disclose that none of the companies shown here paid me to represent their brands.
After years of testing hundreds of drivers, fairways, hybrids, irons, wedges, putters and assorted golf gadgets, these are the ones that have found a place in my bag as “gamers.” I’m always tinkering with and testing new clubs, but my gamers remain pretty consistent. The only part of my bag that changes constantly is the putter, because I’m a mess on the putting green and always looking for the BBD – bigger better deal.
My current setup has been in place for over a year, except the 3-wood and putter. I recently started testing the Cure RX3F putter and after some work on the putting green and one round of golf, I decided to bring it to the WAGT National Championship at Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort. The Cure putter will be featured in a review article soon. The Exotics E8 Tour replaced my trusty old Adams RPM LP back in May. After years of searching, I finally found a fairway wood that out performed the Adams. You may notice I listed 15 clubs. That’s because I usually swap the 3-iron for the 50° gap wedge depending on the course setup where I am playing.
Coming Soon…
I’m long overdue for a new set of irons. The CG16 Tour Concept irons that came from Cleveland’s Tour Van have been awesome, but they are almost five years old and ready to be demoted to a backup role. The Aerotech Steelfiber i95cw shafts are amazing. I’ve said it for years – I think they are the best iron shafts you can get, and their popularity on the professional tours all around the world backs up that claim.
I’m currently testing the Srixon Z745 irons, Z U45 3 & 4 Utilities and a Z H45 2 Hybrid. The Z745 irons are a forged cavity back club that looks sharp and performs similar to my CG16s. The clubs I’m really excited about are the Z U45 3-iron and 4-iron. They are called utilities because they have the looks and workability of an iron with the forgiveness of a hybrid. I love hitting long irons, and these things make it even easier to hit them. The Z H45 16° hybrid will fill the distance gap nicely between the 3-iron and 3-wood. I was looking for 5-10 more yards out of my hybrid and this guy will do the trick nicely. I have a strong feeling that this fantastic 2-PW set will soon be my gamers.
Ping’s awesome G30 driver has been in my bag since last fall, but I’ve started experimenting with the G30 LS-TEC driver which is the same as the regular G30 but spins slightly less. According to Ping, 400 rpm less. Combining the LS-TEC with my switch from the softer, higher-spin Srixon Z-Star back to the lower spin and firmer feeling Z-Star XV, I should see a measurable decrease in spin off the tee which means more distance.
The SCOR wedges I got a few years ago have been stalwarts in my bag ever since I first hit them. I started with SCOR’s complete short game system: 42°, 46°, 50°, 54° & 58°. Going from the 42 and up, they replace your traditional 9, PW, GW, SW & LW. SCOR wedges are forged and their unique v-sole design works amazingly well in all conditions. However, they have taken a real beating from heavy use and need to be replaced. Enter Ben Hogan Golf. SCOR’s founder Terry Koehler acquired the rights to Ben Hogan golf equipment and re-launched the brand with his already proven TK15 Wedges and the new Fort Worth 15 irons. The result is a gorgeous set of forged blades and wedges that perform on par with any of the best irons in golf. They are also much more forgiving and easy to hit than you might think for a blade. The TK15 wedges will soon be replacing the aging SCOR wedges in my bag.
I love my Hopkins 60° custom grind wedge. The Channel Grind basically gives me two wedges. With the face square it has very low bounce, making it perfect for fairway shots and tight lies. With the face open it has high bounce for deep rough and sand. This wedge has made me look like a much better bunker player than I am, so it’ll be very hard to replace it. The new Callaway Mac Daddy PM Grind wedge might just do that, however. Designed with heavy input from Phil Mickelson, this wedge has grooves all the way to the edges of the face and a very high toe to help with shots from the deep rough, along with a similar channel-type grind on the sole. My early testing so far has been very promising.
I’ll try to post another WITB early next year so we can see what’s changed and if my predictions for new gamers comes true. Until then, keep it in the short grass!
Phil Mickelson has a lot of influence in the design and construction of his clubs, and his relationship with Callaway has greatly benefitted them both. These days, Callaway has one of the hottest (and longest named) drivers on the market in the Big Bertha Alpha 815 Double Black Diamond. It also has possibly the best new golf ball on the planet in the Callaway Chrome Soft.
Phil Mickelson’s influence has never been more apparent than in his feedback during the design of the new Mack Daddy PM-Grind wedges. According to Callaway, Phil gave his direct input to Callaway wedge maker Roger Cleveland on the design of these wedges. They have a unique shape and design that make it easier to hit aggressive shots out of deep rough, bunkers, on flops, and all the toughest shots that players face around the greens.
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The Mack Daddy PN-Grind wedges will be available in loft & bounce combinations of 56-13, 58-10, 60-10 and 64-10. Pricing starts at $129 and several custom shaft & grip options are available. The Mack Daddy PM-Grind wedges will be available starting May 15, 2015.
Frankly, I’ve become tired of all the promises golf ball manufacturers like to make about how their latest ball goes further, feels softer and spins more. We hear it every year around this time when the new models come out, but very few can actually deliver on their promises. Let’s take a look at the golf balls that lived up to the hype at the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show, and those that didn’t deliver. When you are done, come back up and click here to see the best new golf balls at the 2016 PGA Show!
The Usual Suspects
Bridgestone E Series – Bridgestone Golf has performed over a quarter million live launch monitor fittings since starting their golf ball fitting program. This feedback from this testing has helped Bridgestone develop golf balls for every type of golfer, and the newest E series balls reflect the ongoing efforts to fit the right golf ball to each golfer. The Bridgestone E5, E6 & E7 golf balls feature WEB Dimple Technology that increases surface coverage by more than 10%. The E5 ball is designed to fly higher for the slower swinger or low ball hitters out there looking for more height. The E6 is softer and designed to spin less for straighter shots, and is the most popular ball in the series. The E6 has consistently been a favorite of testers during Golf Digest’s Hot List ball testing. (Even though we weren’t supposed to know what ball it was, I found out in some cases. Of course if I told you how I found out I would have to kill you.) Finally, the E7’s dimple pattern and construction are optimized for a more piercing ball flight for those who hit the ball high.
Srixon Z-Star & Z-Star XV – I’ve been playing Srixon golf balls almost exclusively since 2009, when the original Z-Star golf ball arrived. I was bitter when Titleist killed the wound “Tour Prestige” golf ball to focus on producing the new Pro V1, and I struggled to adjust to the solid core golf ball. The softer feel and added spin of the Z-Star helped my game almost immediately, and I haven’t looked back since. The latest Srixon Z-Star and Z-Star XV balls feature a new “Spin Skin” coating on the urethane cover that improves friction between the golf ball and club surface by 20%, according to the company. Players looking for a ball that spins around the green with soft feel off the putter but still remains controllable for flighted tee shots and workability with irons should look no further. Obviously I’m a bit biased, but I still think it’s hard to find a golf ball that performs better than the Z-Star.
Titleist ProV1 & ProV1x – Every couple of years, Titleist brings us a new version of their flagship ProV1 golf ball. And every two years they promise the same things. Distance! More spin! Softer feel! Just read for yourself from their website – “The new Pro V1 and Pro V1xdeliver extraordinary distance and consistent flight. And there’s more short game control, even softer feel and long-lasting durability.” Seriously, how much more “short game control” and softer feel can I have? What does that even mean? All kidding aside, the Titleist ProV1 and ProV1x are the most popular golf ball on the professional tours and with many amateurs for good reason. It’s a great golf ball. What I’m trying to say is, buy with confidence because we all know the new ProV1 will perform, but don’t get too down if you don’t see much improvement in the new ball over last year’s version.
Nike RZN Black Volt – Speaking of colored golf balls… Nike has developed the RZN Black Volt golf ball in part to go with the new Vapor woods and irons which incorporate a similar yellow trip color scheme. The golf ball is essentially identical to the RZN Black tour ball that features the interlocking RZN core design that is supposed to deliver more energy between the layers for faster ball speeds and longer distance, according to Nike. The ball is softer than previous generations, which is good because the first RZN ball they delivered was hard as a rock. Watch for several Nike staffers to be playing the new RZN Black Volt on tour.
The Up & Comers
Volvik – The South Korean companythat has been making golf balls for over 30 years, and chances are you may not have heard of them! Their golf balls have been used to make over $5 Million, with 10 victories and 70 top ten finishes on men’s and ladies professional tours. Their most popular golf ball is the White Color S3 golf ball and the new White Color S4 was just launched. The S4 improves on the S3 golf ball by having a firmer feel and less spin for faster swing speed players. The original White Color S3 is in play by almost 70 tour pros, and the S4 should be very popular also. Volvik is famous for being the most popular colored golf ball on the market, so the golf balls are not only available in white, but several other bright colors as well.
Wilson Duo & Duo Spin – Have you ever hit a golf ball with a 29 compression rating? That’s how soft Wilson claims the Duo golf ball is. While “compression” ratings from manufacturer to manufacturer can vary wildly, it’s still a very, very soft golf ball. The main complaint against the Duo was lack of spin, so they are now offering the Wilson Duo Spin ball to fix that problem. With a slightly higher 35 “compression” and softer cover, the Duo Spin is sure to be a hit with golfers who prefer a very soft feel and added spin around the green.
Hopkins VL Pro – I love Hopkins wedges and have their fantastic 60 degree “channel” grind wedge in the bag as a gamer, but they offer golf balls too, and they are very good. To paraphrase their website, the Hopkins VL Pro golf balls are round, white and they perform just as well or better than the other balls they compete with, for a cheaper price. They sell for $22.99 per dozen and get even cheaper if you buy several dozen.
Disappointment
OnCore MA 1.0 – A few years back, a startup called OnCore Golf sent me a dozen golf balls to try out that had a hollow, solid metal core. I thought the concept was interesting, but the first batch of balls I got from them didn’t work very well, because the covers were literally falling apart. A bad batch of golf balls had been sent to me in error. Fast forward 3 or 4 years, and OnCore has a new model golf ball called the MA 1.0 (Maximum Accuracy). This time around, the hollow metal core golf balls have been USGA approved. The concept behind the OnCore MA 1.0 is that by having a hollow core, the weight is shifted towards the perimeter of the ball to create a higher moment of inertia, reducing side-spin and leading to straighter shots. Unfortunately, this claim doesn’t seem to make any scientific sense, and I haven’t seen any data to back up their claims. Sure, the ionomer cover of this golf ball won’t provide much extra spin, but you won’t get much feel either. You’d need a urethane cover for that. Having said that, the problem I have is not with the technology or performance claims, but the price. When you offer a distance ball at a $44.99 price point that is normally reserved for tour caliber balls, your ball better deliver. I fail to see how the OnCore MA 1.0 can out perform the class-leading Bridgestone E6, which costs half as much as the OnCore.
To The Victor Go The Spoils
Callaway Chrome Soft – Callaway took the golf ball market by storm this year with the introduction of their new Chrome Soft golf ball. Any company can add a soft urethane cover to a low compression golf ball, but nobody has found a way to make that ball playable without spinning too much or flying too high – until now. The Callaway Chrome Soft features a resilient, 65 compression “SoftFast” core with mushy thermoplastic urethane cover and Callaway’s hex aerodynamics. As a golfer with tour-level swing speeds, I was worried about two things when testing this ball – over-compression and ballooning ball flight. Over-compression would mean a loss of energy and distance for faster swingers, and ballooning ball flight would be one that flies very high and out of control with too much spin. I experienced neither with the Callaway Chrome Soft. The ball feels soft, yet solid on full swings and flies on a stable mid-high trajectory. Knockdown shots are no problem. The Chrome Soft spins at least as much as other urethane cover balls like the ProV1, Z-Star and Bridgestone B330. In fact, on partial swing wedge shots I seem to get more spin, which makes sense when talking about a softer compression ball. I tried to dislike this ball, but I can’t. This is a great golf ball. My feelings were justified a week after my own testing when I learned that several Callaway staffers would put the ball in play on tour, including none other than Phil Mickelson. The feedback so far has been very favorable. Now is the time for you to try this ball. You’ll love it too.
We were in attendance at the madness that was the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show last week, and other than registering about 18,000 steps (8.5 miles) on the pedometer each day, we met many old friends and saw lots and lots of golf products in the more than 1 million square feet of exhibit space at the Orange County Convention Center. As always, some products stood out among the rest. Here’s a few of the golf clubs that caught our eye this year.
Best New Clubs
Bridgestone J15 irons, J715 & J815 Drivers – Bridgestone hasn’t released any new clubs for a couple of years, but fans of the brand have plenty of options in 2015. Bridgestone golf has released two new drivers and five new iron models. The J15 muscle back, cavity back, driving forged, dual pocket forged and cast irons have something for every level of golfer from low handicap to beginner golfers. The J715 driver has a cleaner, more traditional look, while the J815 driver gives more forgiveness and higher launch angles.
Bridgestone J715 Driver
Nike Vapor – 2015 brings some new offerings from Nike Golf as well. The new Vapor Speed, Vapor Pro and Vapor Flex drivers give every level of golfer a club fit for their game. The Vapor Flex is Tiger Woods’ model of choice, while the Vapor Pro is in Rory McIlroy’s bag, and the Vapor Speed is for the rest of us who need more help. Matching the drivers and fairway woods are three new Vapor iron models, similarly called Vapor Speed (more forgiveness), Vapor Pro Combo (Cavity back w/ feel & forgiveness), and the Vapor Pro (Small cavity back/blade for feel and workability) The Vapor Pro blades were one of the best new irons I tested, and are sure to be popular with better players that fancy the Nike brand.
Nike Vapor Irons
Ben Hogan Golf – The biggest club story of the 2015 PGA Show was the re-birth of Ben Hogan Golf. Club designer Terry Koehler has not only given us a beautiful forged blade worthy of the Ben Hogan name, but his unique club fitting system is a much needed innovation for the modern game. Eschewing the traditional numbered iron set, the new Ben Hogan irons and wedges have the club’s loft stamped on the bottom instead. The new Ft. Worth 15 irons and TK 15 wedges combine to offer 44 clubs available with every loft from 20 degrees to 63. This allows golfers to tailor a set to their particular preferences for loft, distance gapping or personal tastes. For example, slower swingers may choose 4 or 5 degree gaps in their long irons as they tend to hit traditional long irons the same distance, or longer hitters may prefer smaller 3 degree gaps in their wedges to cover more yardages in the short game. With soft & surprisingly playable forged 1025 carbon steel heads in 44 different lofts and the most playable sole grind on any wedge available – V-Sole (Increased leading edge bounce, decreased trailing edge bounce creates a V- shaped sole) The new Ben Hogan irons and wedges are going to be a big hit. Even mid to high handicappers have praised the clubs for being easier to hit than anticipated for a forged blade.
Ben Hogan Ft. Worth Irons
Callaway PM Grind Wedge – Phil Mickelson is one of the most influential players in golf. His long relationship with Callaway Golf has led to some interesting club designs and ideas over the years. One of the most recent ideas comes in the form of the new Mac Daddy PM Grind wedges. Wedge designer Roger Cleveland came up with this design at Phil’s request to help him hit high, soft shots around the greens. The wedge features a very high toe area and grooves that extend all the way across the face to the edges. It also has a scalloped sole grind and drill holes to remove weight. The wedge is so new that Callaway haven’t even put it on their website yet. Check out the scoop on PGATour.com here. It’ll be available in May with lofts of 56,58,60 and 64 degrees. Time to work on your flop shot!
Callaway Mac Daddy PM Grind Wedge
Exotics E8 Woods – What is there to say about the legendary Exotics fairway woods? The best just keep getting better. The new E8, E8 Beta and E8 Tour fairways are as hot and easy to hit as ever. As usual, the Exotics E8 was the most versatile, best looking and best feeling fairway wood I hit at the PGA Demo day. Those wanting a higher launch and a bit more spin to get the ball airborne will favor the E8 (185 cc) , while those that prefer a smaller head and lower spin will gravitate to the E8 Beta (175 cc). The E8 Tour fairways complete the lineup with a compact head size (150cc) and a fancy new manufacturing process called 360 degree robotic laser beam bonding to ensure very precise tolerances. Adjustable hosels (E8 Tour) and weight kits allow for a custom fit, and a multitude of shaft options are available. Prices range from $249 to $399.
Tour Edge Exotics E8 Fairway
Srixon Z745 – In 2015, the parent company for Srixon & Cleveland Golf (SRI Sports) has repositioned the Srixon brand at the head of the table behind the popularity of their Q-Star and Z-Star golf balls. This year Srixon has released an entirely new line of irons and woods. I’ve had a chance to spend some time testing the Z745 Driver, ZF45 Fairways and Z745 irons, and I’ve come out impressed. Srixon haven’t jumped on the gimmick bandwagon with these clubs. Even though they are modern clubs with hot faces and have adjustable hosels and interchangeable weights, the look and feel of the driver and fairway woods is clean and simple. No fancy paint scheme or alignment marks, no flashy colors or crazy shapes here, just a classic look and shape. The forged cavity back irons have a familiar look that better players and purists will appreciate, and the polished chrome finish on the back edge of the irons reflects the turf, making the club appear thinner at address. The forged feel is solid and delivers great feedback, as expected from a forged club, while providing enough forgiveness for mid handicap players. Higher handicap players may want to try the Z545 driver and irons, which are built with more forgiveness than the Z745 line.
Srixon Z745 Driver
Srixon Z745 Driver
Srixon Z745 Irons
Srixon Z745 Irons
Srixon Z745 Irons
Biggest Surprise
Knuth Golf High Heat Driver – Perhaps the biggest surprise of the PGA Demo Day, Dean Knuth (Known by many as the “Pope of Slope” for his role in creating the USGA’s slope rating system for golf courses) has introduced a new improved version of the High Heat driver he originally created in 2007. The High Heat driver has the lowest CG (Center of Gravity) of any driver on the market, and the company claims that the low, deep CG also makes the driver more accurate on off center hits than any other driver. If you are among the majority of golfers that tend to make contact slightly off center and lower on the face, this is very good news. Even if you make consistent contact, you need to try this driver! Having hit the High Heat myself, I believe their their claims. The High Heat driver hits the ball very high, very far and very straight. Available with Fujikura and Aldila shafts. $399 direct – www.knuthgolf.com
Biggest Disappointment
Honma Golf – The Japanese luxury club maker has a strong following in Asia for building top of the line, high performance clubs. If price was not a factor, Honma’s Tour World TW727 Driver, Fairways and TW727M forged blades might very well be in my bag. Being one of the few OEMs that manufacture their own shafts allows them tighter control over quality and the ability to make shafts specifically for their clubs. This advantage translates to better performance and more fitting options. However, given the price of their products they aren’t likely to become very popular in the USA or Europe anytime soon. Street price for the TW727 driver will be around $800 USD, and the irons typically sell for $275 per club ($2200 per set). There are other companies that sell premium priced clubs that compete with Honma, but sadly the elitist mentality and condescending looks I’ve gotten from the Honma reps at the PGA Show for the last several years has turned me off to the brand. Perhaps if I had a check in hand for $3000 I may have been treated better.
Last week Dick’s Sporting Goods, the nation’s largest retailer of Callaway and Taylor Made golf equipment, fired all of the PGA Professionals they employed in the golf department at over 560 stores across the nation. Dick’s tried to differentiate themselves from other retailers by employing a PGA professional in each store to improve the customer experience and deliver a higher level of service, but due to the continued decline in golf equipment sales and participation, they were forced to put over 500 pros on the street. They were the largest employer of PGA Professionals after the PGA itself.
Back in May, Dick’s CEO Ed Stack said the company’s overall golf business missed its first quarter sales by $34 million and he expected the downward trend to continue. “We are selling drivers in our stores this spring for $99 that were approximately $299 20 months ago,” said Stack. The golf business accounts for about 15 percent of Dick’s overall revenues.
The way I see it, TaylorMade adidas Golf (TMAG) is at least partly to blame for the layoffs. While driver sales in the first quarter were only down 2 percent from 2013, the average price of drivers was down 16 percent. As TaylorMade’s largest retailer, Dick’s is hit hard every time TMAG releases a new driver model, because it forces Dick’s and other retailers to sell the older models at a clearance price which cuts into profit margins. Small retailers are sometimes forced to take a loss to stay competitive.
TaylorMade released four different driver models last year, and the glut of new products continues, flooding the market with clubs consumers don’t want to buy. Walk into your local Dick’s Sporting Goods and you’ll probably see older model clubs from TaylorMade and others for closeout prices between $99 and $199, far below the suggested retail price. This is all part of TMAG’s sales strategy to put their clubs in as many golf bags as possible, but the industry is now starting to pay the price and the hangover from this glut will have an impact for years.
The great irony of this is none other than TaylorMade’s former CEO Mark King has been the primary spokesman for Hack Golf – an initiative to grow golf by thinking outside the box for ways to infuse the game with exciting changes and attract new players. King recently left TaylorMade to become the president of adidas North America, and speaking to HBO’s Bryant Gumbel for an segment on “Real Sports”, he said “Young people entering the game after high school, 18 to 30-year olds are down 35 percent in the last 10 years. So I don’t like where the game looks like it’s going.”
He’s right. According to the National Golf Foundation, about 400,000 people left the game in the past year, and now over 500 PGA professionals are also looking for work. It appears the PGA of America, Mr. King and his Hack Golf initiative and other industry leaders have their work cut out for them.
The 2013 PGA Merchandise Show has come and gone, and the golf world is now ready for all the new toys to come to market. I’ve been going to the PGA Show in Orlando since 1996, and every year some companies come out smelling like roses, and others – not so much. In this “hit & miss” series, we’ll explore some of the winners and losers from this year’s show broken up into categories for Drivers, fairways, irons, wedges, putters, balls, accessories and misc items. Read on, because there will surely be some surprises and upsets!
Hits
Adams Speedline Super LS – This driver is hot. The face feels springy and responsive, and the sound is a classic click, which is refreshing compared to that “hollow can in an empty warehouse” noise many drivers make. It features Adams’ Fast Fit fitting system, which allows for extensive adjustability of face angle, length and swingweight.
Cobra Amp Cell – Youthful and colorful are words used to describe all of Cobra/Puma’s offerings. They are available in Red, Orange, Blue or White. Adjustable for loft and face angle.
Callaway X Hot – This driver is light and easy to swing, and combines a hot face with Callaway’s OptiFit Hosel that lets you adjust the face angle in Open, Square or Closed positions.
Wilson D 100 – One of the lightest drivers I’ve ever swung, this one shocked many testers at the outdoor Demo Day. Don’t overlook Wilson when shopping for a driver this season, you’ll be impressed.
Cleveland Classic XL Custom – A continuation of the throwback Classic driver from last year, Cleveland blacked out the head and adorned it with gold trim and an adjustable hosel. Still one of the hottest, lowest spinning drivers on the market.
Nike VR_S Covert – Nike made a splash with the Covert driver and its oddball cavity back design. The unique adjustable hosel lets you adjust loft independent of the face angle, allowing them to sell a single lofted head that the user can adjust from 8.5 to 12.5 degrees.
Misses
Taylor Made R1 – Sorry Taylor Made fans, the newest driver looks like a reboot of the previous models with a new paint job that is even more distracting. 168 different adjustable configurations virtually guarantees you’ll never stop fiddling with it. Still a good club, but didn’t steal the show.
Taylor Made RBZ Stage 2 – The RBZ gets a new paint job and Taylor Made is promising even more distance. Ever hear that line before? The standard shafts from the RocketBallz woods continue to be some of the most inconsistent on the market. If you want this club, don’t buy it off the rack – get properly fit.
Titleist 913 – Titleist is on a 2 year product lifecycle and as such, their clubs don’t change as much as other companies. The 913 drivers are great performers and popular with better players, but Titleist’s presence at the show was uninspired this year.
Ping G25 and Anser – Both drivers are quality offerings, but they both look and perform very similar to one another and this will just confuse consumers. The graphics are more or less the same as last year’s models, and I don’t see any compelling reason to upgrade if you bought a G20 last year.
Tour Edge Exotics XCG6 – Tour Edge makes one of the best clubs you’ve never heard of. Their fairways are legendary for distance and have sort of a cult following. For some reason the drivers have never been as popular, and this season’s models will not change that. Shame, because they are one of the best drivers in golf.
I want to point out that this isn’t a review, nor am I saying any of these drivers are crap, but I’m commenting on the impression I got of their launch at the PGA Show based on their performance at the outdoor demo day, media buzz at the show and after speaking with company reps. As with all trade shows and product intros, there are many factors that go into a successful product launch, and we look forward to getting our hands on these drivers for full reviews in the coming months!
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Kodak has long been known for making photographic film and accessories, but since the digital camera has taken over the world of amateur photography, Kodak has been forced to change along with the rest of the industry. Digital cameras these days are getting smaller and lighter, and the pictures they take are getting better and better. Bigger, faster memory cards allow us to take hundreds of pictures at a time.
Golf instruction has also changed with the times, making use of lighter and cheaper video cameras to capture golf swings in greater detail. It used to be very impractical to video tape your golf swing on the course. Camcorders weighed several pounds and took up too much space. As a sign of just how far this motion capture technology has come, Kodak has introduced the Playsport pocket Camcorder.
Billed as a light weight, portable pocket camcorder for active lifestyles, it has many features that are sure to turn heads, especially in a package this small and light. We had the pleasure of having a few weeks to “play” with the Playsport, and we think Kodak has a solid offering on its hands. We won’t go into a real technical review of every feature, as there are many good reviews out there on gadget sites that you can get that info from. We wanted to give the basics and tell you about how this camera performs for our readers – golfers!
Notable Features:
1080p, 720p (30fps or 60fps), VGA, 5MP Still photos
Bright 2" LCD Screen
Waterproof to 3 meters
Design and Build:
The Playsport pocket camcorder is built solid and feels like it. The thing is about the same size as my iPhone with case, which makes it easy to slip into a pocket or golf bag. More specifically, it measures 4.4 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches and weights about 5 ounces, including the battery and memory card. It has rounded edges and a rubberized backing, along with the controls on the front and 2" LCD screen. The controls also feel solid and feedback is good. The bottom features a tripod mount, which comes in handy for golfers at the range to video tape their swings. Being waterproof, the side doors accessing the battery and cable slots were tight fitting. On one side below the power button are the mini-HDMI port, USB and AV jacks. The other side allows access to the SD/SDHC card slot and removable battery.
The Playsport camcorder is light and easy to hold. The buttons are easy to reach and laid out well to allow easy operation without looking. The only caveat I had with the design is one that is almost unavoidable in a camera of this size. The lens sits flush with the body of the camera, and as such can be prone to the odd stray finger. The lens being relatively unprotected may lead to fingerprints or scratches, so one must be at least a little careful. Overall, this camera feels very solid, and it should be able to withstand a fair amount of jostling. We kept the camera in a golf cart cup holder for several rounds and it has no scratches or marks to speak of as a result.
Operation:
While the Kodak Playsport offers full 1080p HD video, don't let this mislead you into throwing your expensive HD camcorder away just yet. With such a small image sensor and lens, you are likely to be disappointed with the video quality at 1080p. Keeping in mind that this camera costs less than 1/10th the price of a high-end HD camcorder, we aren't complaining. Besides, most golfers will want to use this camera in the 720p setting at 60 frames per second, to capture the fast moving golf swing. 60fps does a great job at slowing down the golf club during a frame by frame analysis of the golf swing. I shot almost exclusively in this mode, although I took the opportunity to shoot some still shots as well. The five megapixel stills are adequate, but clearly this camera isn't designed to shoot still photos. Five megapixels is far below the standard these days, and the fixed focus lens isn't ideal for still photography. Overall the video taken with this pocket camcorder is on par with the other pocket cams I've tried lately. Let's face it - if you want top notch video quality, you'll have to pay a top notch price.
Another great feature of this camera is the fact that it's waterproof to about ten feet. This took away the fear factor for us having it in the golf cart with drinks everywhere and a possibility of rain in the forecast. In fact, we had planned on shooting a swing tip on how to escape from a water hazard with this camera, but we haven't mustered up the courage yet! If we get a bit more time with it, you'll get that video very soon. Most golfers play on the weekend, and you don't get to choose the weather, so it's nice to know this camera won't turn into a pile of burnt silicon chips if you drop it in the Gatorade or it gets rained on. Being that it's waterproof, don't expect the sound to be great out of this camera, like most other pocket cams.
Overall Impressions:
Golfers will love the Kodak Playsport Pocket Camcorder for filming their swings, or capturing that special shot of your buddies in the bunker. It's light enough to be carried anywhere you go, and tough enough to not have to worry about treating it like a fragile electronic doo-dad. The image quality at 720p and 60fps was very good for a pocket cam, and it's fast enough to slow down a golf swing to the point of being able to see the golf club frame by frame. It's even waterproof, which means you can use it anywhere near the water without fear of getting it wet. For anyone that wants a portable camcorder that's easy to use, produces good video quality and is tough enough to last, the Kodak Playsport is a winner.
Key Features Enhance Golf Experience
The KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera’s high-performance features provide great value to golfers looking to improve their game, including:
Video action print – Included in the built-in software. With the click of a mouse, any swing can automatically be turned into a 9-up video action print showing start-to-finish snapshots that are great for analysis and comparison.
Easy playback and upload – Playback on your HDTV television with included HDMI cable, or upload to YouTube and Facebook with the included USB cable and built-in software.
Slow-motion playback speeds – A variety of playback speeds, plus frame-by-frame stop action to allow golfers (and their coaches) to analyze every swing movement.
Five image capture modes – From 5MP stills to full 1080p HD video, including 720p/60 fps which is ideal for capturing golf swings and other high-speed action.
Electronic image-stabilization – Helps you get sharper videos and less blur.
Made for rugged outdoor use – Has an LCD Glare Shield feature and is waterproof up to 10 feet.
Perhaps the best feature of this camera is the low price tag of $150. If that weren't enough of a motivating factor for golfers,Callaway Golf is partnering with Kodak to offer this camera for free with the purchase of a qualifying driver from Callaway!
Callaway Golf Promotion with KODAK PLAYSPORT Still Underway
Kodak and Callaway are jointly offering golf fans a special promotion this summer - purchase one of five highly-acclaimed new Callaway Drivers before July 31 and receive the new KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera for free. The KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera is specifically designed for consumers with active lifestyles, allowing them to capture full 1080p HD video with the touch of a button.
To be eligible to receive the new KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera, consumers must purchase one of the following Callaway Drivers before July 31; the Diablo Edge , Diablo Edge Tour , CALLAWAY FT-iZ , CALLAWAY FT-iZ Tour , FT TOUR ,or CALLAWAY Lady FT-iZ Driver . The MSRP of the KODAK PLAYSPORT Video Camera is $149.95. Promotional details are described below.
Callaway Promotional Details
Mail in gift with purchase applies only to new 2010 FT-iZ, FT-iZ I-MIX, FT-iZ Tour, FT Tour, Diablo Edge Tour, Diablo Edge Drivers (excludes FT-9 and FT-9 I-MIX) purchased between April 16, 2010 and July 31, 2010 from a participating authorized U.S. Retailer. Claim forms must be postmarked by July 15, 2010 and received by July 25, 2010. Proof of Purchase required. Allow 8-10 weeks for delivery. Void where prohibited. While supplies last. Ages 18 and over. Maximum 2 per household during promotional period.
Playsport camera photos courtesy of crunchgear.com and digitalcamerareview.com
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Callaway Golf’s putter division – Odyssey Golf – has been making putters for some time. They have gained a huge following with amateurs and professionals all over the world with their popular putting instruments. As the modern golf ball has evolved from a wound construction to a 2 piece, 3 piece and 4 piece design, they have also become harder and harder. To counteract this trend, Odyssey started making putters with inserts in the face to provide a softer feel. While they were not the only manufacturer to make insert putters, Odyssey’s inserts were the best feeling, and they quickly rose to the top of the very competitive putter market.
The design of putters hasn’t changed much over the years, and despite the new and funky designs we see every year, most people still use the more traditional shapes and styles. Having said that, Odyssey has thrown caution to the wind with the introduction of the new BackStryke series of putters. Let’s take a look at these interesting new putters and see if they live up to the hype. As we first talked about in our First Look at the BackStryke, their are 3 main design features on these putters – Visible Face Alignment, Forward Press Stabilization and Stroke Balance. The video below gives us a brief overview of these features.
Technology & Features
1. Visible Face Alignment
With the BackStryke, Odyssey has moved the point at which the shaft enters the head to the back of the club, rather than the traditional position near the face. The result is a putter that affords the player an unobstructed view of the leading edge of the putter, making alignment easier. Combine this look with the very popular 2-ball alignment feature and you have a putter that is very easy to square up to the target line. The other two models feature alignment lines that give a different look, but still make it easy to line up your putts.
2. Forward Press Stabilization
The forward press has always been a textbook key to good putting. A forward press putting stroke is one in which the hands are pressed forward of the ball before making a stroke, promoting solid contact and truer roll. Recently the forward press has been reborn, with putting legend and teacher Dave Stockton working with Phil Mickelson before the masters and re-emphasizing Phil’s forward press move. The position and angle of the shaft with the BackStryke putters helps promote a forward press hand position.
3. Stroke Balance
Most putters on the market are of the “toe hang” variety, which means that when held from the shaft, the balance of the head makes it hang with the toe down. Some putters are face balanced, which when held from the shaft results in the face of the putter remaining parallel with the ground. This helps make the putter more stable on off center hits. With the BackStryke putters from Odyssey, the putter is balanced along the stroke path. In practice, this results in a putter that doesn’t like to open or close during the putting stroke.
Appearance
Odyssey has always pushed the envelope when it comes to design, so it's not surprising that they've come up with some odd looking putters over the years. The BackStryke putters are no exception. Because the shaft goes into the back of the head rather than near the face, this creates an unconventional look. Many people will be familiar with the 2-Ball model, as it looks a lot like the other 2-ball models. The Marxsman and Blade models are different, with black and white alignment lines. If you are one of those players out there that doesn't like center shafted putters because the shaft distracts you and makes it harder to line up, you may like the BackStryke line. The putters feature Odyssey's new White Ice insert, which to me is a step back in time to the feel and responsiveness of the original White Hot insert from several years back. The finish is slightly darker than the standard White Ice putters, which creates more contrast between the white insert and alignment features and the rest of the putter. The grip is the familiar Winn pistol style.
Performance & Feel
I'll be honest, my thoughts on this putter (my test unit was the 2-Ball model) has been like a stormy relationship. It's been up and down. When I first saw them at the 2010 PGA Merchandise show, I thought they looked cool and seemed to roll the ball well. When I first got my demo unit from the folks at Callaway/Odyssey, I was a little skeptical. After rolling about 50 putts in my living room over several days, it didn't impress me. To be fair and thorough with my review I had to play with it for at least 18 holes, so I took it out to Eagle Creek Golf Club in Orlando, FL. Again, after rolling a few on the practice green, I didn't feel comfortable enough to game it right away. The look and feel when making a putting stroke was just awkward to me. After playing 7 holes I was 3 over par and struggling with my regular putter, so with nothing to lose I pulled out the BackStryke and put it in the game for the rest of the day. I told myself to just trust it, and the results were stunning. With the BackStryke coming off the bench, I proceeded to make seven birdies on the remaining 11 holes, including a 45 foot snake on the 15th hole. I just missed a five footer on 18 for birdie that would have made it 8 for 11.
When it comes to this putter, it's true that you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. The look and setup takes time to get familiar with for sure. It's been 36 holes and I'm just now becoming comfortable with the BackStryke. I'm used to the face of a putter opening as the putter swings back, returning to square at impact, and closing slightly on the through swing in a traditional arc shape. With the stroke balance feature of this putter, it tends to want to remain square to the line as I make my back swing, making me believe my stroke is off. It took me several putts to realize this and determine that it is actually what is supposed to happen. I also have a tendency to have my hands slightly behind the ball at address with this type of putter, but once I committed to make a slight forward press my results improved dramatically. If you can see the face insert at address, make a slight forward press until it disappears. This is the ideal position to get the best roll from this putter.The feel is very much like the original White Hot inserts, with the ball popping off the face with some energy. The previous White Hot XG insert was much too mushy for my taste. The new White Ice insert has added more resilience for that extra pop, but retained a soft, controlled feel. The 2-Ball model I had also makes a slight pinging noise at impact, which many players like for auditory feedback. While it is heavy and has a large head for forgiveness, the sound and feel of the putter provide great feedback, and the player can tell right away if a solid putt was hit.
Specs & Pricing
The Three models available in the BackStryke series (2-Ball, Marxman and Blade) all come standard with 3 degrees of loft, 69 degree lie and 355g head weight. I have noticed that Odyssey's putters tend to sit flatter than most. 70 degrees is usually a putter's standard lie angle. The putters are available in 33", 34" and 35" lengths. For the lefties out there, the only model available for you currently is the Marxman. Street price so far is around $199.
Overall Impressions
The Odyssey Backstryke putters are a bit like a late night infomercial. You want to look away, but somehow you are draw to it like a moth to a flame. At first glance, I didn't want to put it in play and didn't really trust it when I did, but after I got past the odd setup and unfamiliar way it swings, I started making putts in bunches. This putter is heavy, solid and likes to swing square to square. The key to the BackStryke is to just use it the way it was designed. If you use a forward press style, you should try this baby. If you fight it, you'll have trouble getting any confidence with it.
The design of the BackStryke putters is new, innovative and it certainly won't be for everyone. Traditionalists and players with a hands-back setup like Zach Johnson probably won't like it. However, I think Odyssey really has something with this putter, and I'm certainly a believer!
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Callaway has a new golf ball called the Tour i(s), and from the immediate success it has seen on tour, it will be a hit. Just ask Ernie Els and Ryan Moore; using the new ball, they finished second and third this past weekend at the WGC HSBC Masters in China, behind Callaway staff player Phil Mickelson, who is still using the Tour ix. “I started playing a new golf ball that Callaway made,” Els said. “This is what I’ve been looking forward to, is this golf ball. It would have been unbelievable if I could have won with this ball. It would have been great for Callaway and myself. I’m looking forward to the future now, and I think my equipment is now spot on.”
Many companies have been researching and testing new golf balls for their tour players in response to the groove rule change that goes into effect on January 1, 2010. Since the groove placement and shape is being reduced, players are looking for a way to maintain high spin without losing distance. Taylor Made has released the new five piece Penta golf ball, and now it seems like Callaway has answered with the new Tour i(s) ball.
I played 18 holes with the new Tour i(s) ball recently. It was a cold and windy day at Falcon's Fire Golf Club in Orlando Florida, a day after the close of the PGA Merchandise Show, but we braved the elements in the service of our readers! OK, and because we're kind of nuts too.
Callaway's vice president of ball R&D, Steve Ogg, called the Tour i(s) the most highly-engineered golf ball product they have ever come out with. Using four piece construction, it is the softest ball they have ever developed. To increase performance, the new ball features a large degree of spin separation. What this means is the inner core and outer core work together on certain types of shots to reduce or increase spin. For example, on a driver swing, the force of the shot compresses the very soft inner core of the ball, reducing spin. On an iron shot, the force of the shot reacts with the harder outer core, producing more spin for greater control. The result, according to Callaway, is a ball that is much softer with higher spin than anything they have ever offered without losing any of the distance as compared to the Tour i and ix.
My first impression of the ball was that even in 50 degree temperatures, the ball felt very soft off the putter. It's very similar in feel to the Titleist Pro V1. What I don't like about the V1 is it's durability (or lack thereof) and the performance in the wind. The Callaway performed beautifully in the windy conditions that day, which was a bit of a shock. Usually a soft, high spinning ball will have a tendancy to balloon into the wind, but the Tour i(s) was solid and stable into the wind, and in cross winds the ball doesn't budge! I hit many a solid iron shot that simply didn't drift towards my target as I expect in a cross wind. This ball likes to fly straight when hit crisply. I also expected a ball this mushy feeling not to go, but that wasn't the case either. This ball flew as far as any other ball I hit against it, including my current gamers, the Srixon Z-Star X Tour Yellow.
Callaway seems to have been able to combine a soft feeling, high spinning ball without sacrificing distance or wind stability. It's early adoption on tour suggests it has a winner on it's hands, and my play test with it in the strong winds and on firm greens confirmed that this golf ball is indeed a winner. In fact, I'm seriously considering switching to it. I'll have to do some more testing to be sure though. The Callaway Tour i(s) will be available in mid-January 2010 for about $43 per dozen.
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If you play golf long enough, you are bound to get bored with the usual Saturday Nassau on the same old course all the time, and unless you belong to an exclusive private club the course you play on every weekend with your buddies is not likely to be in superior condition. Playing the same game on the same course every weekend started getting old to me after a while, so I started to look elsewhere to get my golf fix.
I found out about the Golf Channel Amateur Tour online and decided to give it a shot. The concept of the tour is not unfamiliar to many people. They play stroke play tournaments on good courses and players of all ages and abilities can participate. The Golf Channel runs over 70 local tours all over the country, expanding every year to new markets.
The beauty of the Golf Channel Amateur Tour is that you don’t have to be a scratch player to be competitive. The tour divides players into 12 flights based on age and handicaps. The flights range from the Championship flight for zero to four handicaps, all the way up to the Snead flight for players with a handicap of 20 or more. They also have senior flights for players 50 and over using the same handicap breakdown. Basically the flights go in increments of four. Championship (0-3.9), Palmer (4-7.9), Hogan (8-11.9), etc.
The tour hosts mostly single day 18 hole tournaments, with 3 or 4 regional majors that are 36 hole events with larger fields. The biggest event of the year is the National Championship at the end of the season. Those who qualify meet for a 72 hole tournament where a national champ is crowned in each flight. A team championship is also held a few days prior to the start of the individual stroke play finals, where players from each regional tour team up to take on the other cities. The play is very competitive and the events are always hosted by top notch golf facilities.
Playing on the Golf Channel Amateur Tour in Central Florida has afforded me the opportunity to play tournaments at venues like Disney, Grand Cypress, TPC Sawgrass, Innisbrook and many of the area’s finest golf courses. The National Championship in 2007 was held at Innisbrook, and last year Disney hosted the event. This year the finals move to the West coast and PGA West in La Quinta, CA.
One of the biggest reasons to play on the tour is the prospect of being recognized and rewarded. Not only can you win trophies to show off to your friends, but there is a significant prize pool available at every tournament. The more players, the bigger the prizes. Being an amateur tour, the prizes are limited to gift certificates, but the skins pot is cash, and I have seen skins payouts over $300. Combine that with Callaway Golf gift cards in excess of $200 for a major tournament win, and it makes for a pretty good weekend! Most single day tournament entry fees range from $90 to $125, depending on the venue. This fee is very reasonable, especially considering the prize pool offered and the fact that the courses often charge more for daily greens fees than you might pay to enter the tournaments.
Tournaments on the Golf Channel Amateur tour are held on weekends, and the tournament directors are very professional and well organized. The tour’s website makes it easy for members to enter tournaments, track stats, maintain a USGA handicap and check their place on the season long points standings. All members also receive a logo shirt and hat, and their membership entitles the player to play on any event on any tour around the country. You may join the tour in Orlando, but if traveling to San Diego for example, you can enter and play tournaments there too, and any points you earn go towards your point totals on the local tour.
You get to play on top notch courses against players of similar ability in a competitive atmosphere for prizes and cash and a chance to play in the National Championship. What more do you need to be convinced? Perhaps the biggest benefit of the tour is the friendships that can be made and the comradery that exists every week. In my 3 years playing on the tour, I have made friends and contacts from all walks of life that will last a lifetime. I’ve also collected plenty of prizes, many trophies and a few births to the National Championships, all while playing some of the best golf courses in the state.
I always welcome comments, questions, hate mail – whatever. I want to hear from you out there! Let me know if the 5 minutes you wasted at work to read my blog was worthwhile. Cheers!
It is estimated that golfers lose about 300 million golf balls per year in the United States alone. That’s a lot of cash sitting at the bottom of a lake! So tell me, why are you paying full retail price for golf balls? Professional golfers on the PGA Tour will use between 5 and 9 golf balls per round on average. That’s fine for them because they get their balls free. The average weekend golfer may also use several golf balls per round, but that’s usually because they get lost in the trees or water!
The 2013 PGA Merchandise Show has come and gone, and the golf world is now ready for all the new toys to come to market. I’ve been going to the PGA Show in Orlando since 1996, and every year some companies come out smelling like roses, and others – not so much. In this “hit & miss” series, we’ll explore some of the winners and losers from this year’s show broken up into categories for Drivers, fairways, irons, wedges, putters, balls, accessories and misc items. Read on, because there will surely be some surprises and upsets!
Adams Speedline Super LS 
Wilson D 100
Taylor Made R1 
Ping G25 and Anser
If you play golf long enough, you are bound to get bored with the usual Saturday Nassau on the same old course all the time, and unless you belong to an exclusive private club the course you play on every weekend with your buddies is not likely to be in superior condition. Playing the same game on the same course every weekend started getting old to me after a while, so I started to look elsewhere to get my golf fix.