Tag: Ping

WITB – May 2019
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.

Putter – Scotty Cameron Futura 5W

The Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Notchback Dual Balance putter I had in the bag for most of 2017 is gone. It never made the trip back from the 2017 World Amateur Golfers Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. When you putt as poorly as I did during that tournament, you have to take it out on the putter, so I did. It now resides at the bottom of a lake at the Mines Resort & Club that used to be the largest open cast tin mine in the world.

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!
April 30, 2019
PING G410 Driver – First Look
PING has been on a roll for a number of years, especially when it comes to drivers. I’ve had a PING driver in my bag since 2015 with the fantastic G30. At the time it was one of the most forgiving and consistent drivers I ever played. Then came the “G” driver, and last year the G400 driver, which combined with a custom shaft from TPT Golf produced a 9-yard gain in carry distance!
The latest offering in the never-ending driver wars is PING’s new G410 driver. Given the great performance and sales success of the previous models, PING had a tough task in improving on the G400. Instead of reinventing the wheel, they’ve improved the adjustability with a moveable weight instead of fixed one and tweaked the design for better aerodynamics.

It’s difficult for any manufacturer to realistically promise more distance since they have all been engineered to the maximum tolerances that golf’s governing bodies allow. The USGA max limit for Characteristic Time (CT) is 257 microseconds. In simple terms, CT is the measure of how springy the face of a club is. A higher CT means a higher rebound effect, leading to faster ball speeds and more distance.

Because virtually all drivers are manufactured to the highest tolerances possible these days, performance comes down to custom fitting a club for each golfer by tweaking spin rates & launch angle. This is done by changing shafts and moving weights around until the best combination is found. The new PING G410 offeres greater adjustability than the previous generation with the moveable weight in the back that can be adjusted for neutral, draw or fade bias positions.

Specs

The G410 driver is available in two models:

The G410 Plus is available in 9, 10.5 or 12-degree lofts. Standard length is 45 3/4″ long with a 206g head weight, 455cc head size, and D3 swing weight. The head weight is adjustable for neutral, fade or draw bias positions.

The slice fighting G410 SFT (Straight Flight Technology) driver is available in 10.5 degrees with a 204 g head weight and D1 swing weight. The weight is fixed in a draw biased position.

Pricing

Street price at TGW.com and Dick’s Sporting Goods is $499. Custom options will drive the price to $549 and up.
April 10, 2019
Best of the 2019 PGA Show
It has been just over a month since the 2019 PGA Show ended, and now that the dust has settled and we’ve had time to reflect on the week, here’s a list of what we felt were the best products or services we could find while walking the halls of the Orange County Convention Center.

Apparel

https://youtu.be/GzcQYZd0TQY

Best in Show: Original Penguin – Founded in 1955, Original Penguin was a brand launched by Munsingwear with what is thought to be the world’s first golf shirt. When the likes of President Richard Nixon, Arnold Palmer, Frank Sinatra and Bob Hope are wearing your stuff, you are obviously doing something right. Now owned by Perry Ellis International, Original Penguin is making a big comeback in golf with a line of classic designs using modern performance fabrics.

Honorable Mention: Loudmouth Golf – The mad clothing scientists at Loudmouth have been hard at work making all sorts of new stuff to help you stand out and turn heads, and not just on the golf course. If it seems like company founder Scott “Woody” Woodworth and his crew are having more fun than anyone else, it’s probably because they are. Loudmouth makes some of the flashiest garb you can find and they are rapidly expanding into the fashion and lifestyle industries.

Footwear

Best in Show: Jack Grace – The classic saddle golf shoe is back, and this small company from Arizona has given it a much-needed refresh with some innovative technology. The saddle on the Jack Grace Innovator 1.0 golf shoe is interchangeable! No longer will you be limited to the color of the shoe you bought. Now, you can buy several saddles in different colors and patterns to match your outfit as needed. It’s not only a brilliant idea, but it really works! With 3 shoe colors, more than 25 saddle colors and 25 lace colors available, you have over 1875 possible combinations. Even Imelda Marcos would approve!

Honorable Mention: Puma Golf IGNITE PROADAPT – Rickie Fowler’s new golf shoe is light, stable and loaded with technology. Cobra/Puma Golf is quickly re-establishing itself as a major player in golf and is cutting into Callaway and Taylor Made’s market share, and they are doing it with a solid lineup of damn good looking and performing clubs, apparel and accessories.

Drivers & Fairways
Best in Show: Cobra KING F9 Speedback – This driver is hot. Period. I think was probably the most talked about driver at the PGA Demo Day at Orange County National’s massive circular range. Like many modern drivers, it looks cool, is adjustable and loaded with tech. The KING F9 Speedback driver already has already garnered several professional wins in the hands of Rickie Fowler, Bryson DeChambeau and Lexi Thompson. The scary thing is, the matching fairways are just as good…

Honorable Mention: PING G410 – The two biggest names in golf are missing from this list for good reason. While their newest offerings are good, I feel they missed the mark slightly compared to Cobra and PING. The massive success of the PING G400 (2018’s number one driver) carries over into the PING G410 driver, with more adjustability for fine tuning and some new shaft options for better fitting. We’ll be testing this one soon so stay tuned!

Honorable Mention: Lynx Golf Prowler VT – Adjustability in drivers isn’t new. Every major manufacturer now makes adjustable drivers, but Lynx is doing it differently with an interchangeable face! Now you can adjust the loft of your driver by simply changing out faceplates, and it won’t affect the lie or face angle. Brilliant! The Lynx Prowler VT driver will arrive in the US in June or July.

Irons & Wedges

Best in Show: New Level Golf – Only a small, privately owned company could put out irons that look this cool and perform as well as they do. Founder Eric Burch’s motto for New Level Golf is “Small company, big impact” and it fits, because his designs certainly made a big impact on me when I saw them in my buddy Tony’s bag at Bandon Dunes last July. I’ve been a fan of New Level ever since, and with the introduction of their new 623 irons, my lust for these awesome forged and CNC milled beauties is only growing.

Honorable Mention: Indi Golf Wedges – For years I’ve been begging golf club manufacturers to develop non-conforming clubs for recreational golfers. Indi Golf is one of the few that have actually done it. The Indi Golf Stingray wedges are available in both conforming and non-conforming models and in 2 finishes. Not only do they look and feel great, but they perform great too. If you want to add more spin to your short game, you’ll want to try the Indi Stingray wedge.

Putters

Best in Show: Odyssey Stroke Lab Putters – Odyssey Golf has been around for a long time, and they continue to innovate and make some of the best performing putters on the market. Odyssey Stoke Lab putters combine a lighter steel/graphite shaft with weights in the head and the grip and a new White Hot microhinge insert to produce a series of putters that enhance tempo and feel of the stroke. There are six mallets and four blades to choose from, fitted with either a pistol or oversize grip.

Honorable Mention: Sacks Parente Putters – Steve Sacks has spent a lifetime in golf and pioneered the concept of an ultra-low balance point in putters. Using 35g graphite shafts and grips that weigh less than half what a normal grip does, he can place the balance point of his putters at 5 inches or less from the sole, making the putter more stable, easier to swing and helping transmit more feel. All this tech doesn’t come cheap, however. Sacks Parente putters match performance with price.

Rangefinders

Co-Best in Show: Bushnell Pro XE – Bushnell Golf has taken last year’s excellent Pro X2 rangefinder and gave it a brain. The new Bushnell Pro XE rangefinder now automatically considers altitude and temperature as well as slope when measuring distance in a mode they call “Slope with Elements.” The feature can be turned off for tournament play. The Pro XE is also waterproof and accurate within +/- one yard at up to 500 yards, and has built-in magnets to stick it to the post on golf carts or anything else metallic. With new tech also comes a new price, and this one will have an MSRP of $549. The Pro EX comes out in late March 2019. Go to https://www.bushnellgolf.com / for more info.

Co-Best in Show: Nikon COOLSHOT PRO STABILIZED – In a nutshell, Nikon took the image stabilization technology from their professional camera lenses and stuffed it into a laser rangefinder, making it super easy to lock on to your target, even with one hand. Combine that with slope adjustment, a claimed accuracy to 3/4 of a yard inside of 700 yards, and super fast measurement speed and it make the Nikon Coolshot Pro Stabilized a co-best in show winner. MSRP – $449

Honorable Mention: SkyCaddie SX500 – Sporting a bright and large (for golf GPS) 5″ color screen, the SkyCaddie SX500 takes golf GPS to the next level. Pre-loaded with over 35,000 courses and wifi connectivity, you can always keep it up to date with the latest software updates and course maps. Available for $399 with a 1-year subscription.

Accessories & Misc

Best in Show: Big Max Golf Blade IP Push Cart – Austrian company Big Max Golf dominates the European market for “trolleys” or push carts as we call them in the USA. Weighing in at only 6.5 pounds and folding nearly flat, the flagship Big Max Blade IP push cart is simply the best push cart available in my opinion. It folds and unfolds in seconds and has a whole line of accessories to customize it to your specific needs. MSRP – $329 direct.

Honorable Mention: Click Caddie – Sometimes a product comes to market that makes you do a double take, scratch your head and say “Why didn’t I think of that??” Devices like this have probably been thought up by many people, but only the guys at Click Caddie were able to bring it to life. This simple little device fits in the golf ball holder of almost every golf cart out there and holds your phone or GPS securely with silicone straps or the built-in magnet. Simple, right? Sometimes we get lost in a sea of technology at the PGA Show and miss simple but brilliant ideas like this one. I’m glad I discovered these guys. Not everything has to cost $400 or more to be useful. The Click Caddie sells for $24.95 on Amazon.

https://youtu.be/bsaGzqYApek
March 9, 2019
2018 Holiday Gift Guide
2018 has been a pretty good year for golf, despite course closures all around the globe and the unfortunate trend of driver prices regularly creeping up to and past the $500 mark. There is more technology than ever out there for golfers of all abilities to get the most out of their game. Since the holiday shopping season is upon us again, here are some gift ideas for the serious golfer on your list, or yourself!

Clubs
- Ping G400 – Arguably the best driver in golf, it is among the top 3 sellers and owners of one like me will be happy to tell you how good it is. Paired with a high-performance shaft from TPT Golf, I gained 9 yards and hit it straighter too. Demand for the #1 selling G400 MAX is high, with prices rising to more than $500. ($570.00 on Amazon)
- Wilson Cortex – If you watch the Golf Channel, you are probably familiar with the hit show Driver vs Driver that gave us the controversial Wilson Triton driver a few seasons ago. Driver vs Driver 2 just wrapped up and this year’s winning club is called the Wilson Cortex, and it has already hit the market. The buzz with this club is that it produces very low spin. If you are a Wilson fan and your driver is a few generations old, the Cortex is a must hit! ($498.95 on Amazon)
- Miura irons – Japanese company Miura Golf has been forging some of the best quality irons in the world for many years, and they keep getting better. Previously available only through high-end club fitters, Miura is now making custom sets available direct from the manufacturer. The new MC-501 irons have been an object of sheer lust for me since I first saw them at the PGA Show a while back. (Iron sets starting at $1350 and up)
Wilson Cortex Driver

Training
- Putting Mirror – I’ve been using my EyeLine putting mirror for a few years now and it has helped me become more consistent on the greens. Many of the top players in the world use similar mirrors to check ball position, eye and shoulder alignment and iron out problems with their putting stroke.
- Eyeball Golf – Remember that old saying – Keep your head still? Well, the eyeball trainer can help you do that! It’s simple, easy to use and won’t break the bank. Give it a try! (.99 direct)
EyeLine Golf Putting Mirror

Software
- Golf Logix – The USGA has recently weighed in on the topic of green reading charts and maps by limiting the size and scale of the books people use, but the leading app company GolfLogix is ok with that, and the typical user of their service isn’t a tournament golfer anyway. The innovative PuttBreaks feature in the Golf Logix app is easy to use and can really help you read the greens on unfamiliar courses, or even help confirm what your eyes see. (Available for free in the iTunes and Google Play store – $29.99 for 12 month Putt Breaks membership)
GolfLogix with Putt Breaks

Shafts
- Breakthrough Golf technology – Golf industry veteran and living legend Barney Adams has set his sights on making you a better putter, and Breakthrough Golf Technology’s new Stability Shaft is how he’s doing it. Guess what – It works! My putting has improved ever since I put the shaft in play, and I’m looking forward to converting a few more putters soon. (Available direct w/ free install – $199.99)
- TPT Golf – I’m a big fan of TPT golf and their innovative new shafts. Earlier this year I tested one in my Ping G400 driver and gained 9 yards. They aren’t cheap, but for demanding golfers with spare cash, TPT is the shaft you must try when you visit your custom club fitter for a new driver.
Breakthrough Golf technology – Stability Shaft

Apparel
- Oakley – I’m not impressed too much with the apparel options available this year. That’s not to say there isn’t anything good out there, it’s just that nothing stands out. Nothing except Oakley that is. The Engineered Polo Bubba is a shirt I could live with almost every day, and they are super cheap right now. (Available direct – $24.00 as of 12/7/2018) Why not pair it with a slick Bg Emb Visor too? (Direct – $28.00)
Oakley Engineered Polo Bubba

Misc
- Craftsman Golf Headcovers – Why not customize the look of your golf bag and protect your clubs from theft by getting rid of the factory headcovers and replacing them with fun head covers from Craftsman Golf? I recently covered my Callaway XR16 LD Long Drive club with a funny cat head cover with a bell that drove my playing partners nuts! It was great fun. Seriously though, Craftsman Golf makes good quality stuff at very reasonable prices! (Available direct – www.craftsmangolf.com)
- Bushnell Rangefinders – Bushnell continues to make market-leading laser and GPS rangefinders. I’ve been using the awesome Pro X2 Laser Rangefinder for a while, and the perfectly sized Phantom GPS is a perfect compliment to any laser rangefinder and easily fits in your pocket. If you want the best of both worlds, consider the Bushnell Hybrid Rangefinder, that has both a precision laser rangefinder and GPS in one easy to use handheld device.
- Club Champion Fitting – Club Champion is the largest custom club fitting company in the US, and they are brand-agnostic, which means they aren’t going to push you towards a certain brand, just what works best with your golf swing. I recently had my Cobra F8+ driver upgraded with a new shaft from Paderson Golf and gained 6 yards and greatly tightened the dispersion. They have 40 indoor fitting centers all over the country, so weather isn’t an issue and there is probably one close to you. If you take the game seriously and want to play your best golf, there’s really no excuse not to get custom fit for every club in your bag.
- NoSweat Liners – It may be chilly outside now, but at some point, it’s going to warm up again outside and you’ll start sweating on the golf course. Living in Florida, the summer heat and humidity makes it impossible not to sweat profusely when playing golf. NoSweat liners install easily inside your hat and really help soak up the sweat coming from your forehead. Sometimes I sweat so much that it’s hard to putt because sweat keeps dripping on the ball! NoSweat liners fixed this problem for me, and they are used by professional golfers and many other athletes in sports like hockey and football under their helmets. If you are a sweater like me, you’ll want to give them a try! ($9.99 and up on Amazon)
- SkyCaddie SX500 – SkyCaddie has been around for as long as I can remember using such distance measuring devices, and their products are always recognized as one of the best GPS for golf, and their newest model is no exception. The SkyCaddie SX500 has a large (5″) bright screen, solid battery life and is easy to use. All SX500s come with a 1-year subscription. SkyCaddie maps all their own courses for greater accuracy, and I’ve always found their distances to be very precise when compared to a laser rangefinder. The difference is rarely more than a few yards, and for amateur golfers, this is certainly within the acceptable range. ($399.95 on Amazon)
Bushnell Hybrid GPS/Rangefinder
December 7, 2018
PING Introduces the PLD3 Putter
It’s no secret that PING makes some of the best performing golf clubs on the planet. Their G-series drivers have been one of the best performing and best selling drivers for several years now, and they continue to innovate with their new G700 irons. But when you think of PING, you don’t normally think of them as making beautiful clubs. Functional? Yes. Technologically advanced? Sure. Beautiful? That’s not really a word we’ve used much when describing PING clubs over the years, but that may be starting to change.

Introducing PING’s limited edition PLD3 Putter. If you like mallet putters, you’ll want to check this one out. Every limited-edition PLD3 is milled from T6 6061 aluminum and distinguished by a multi-colored, flame-torched copper soleplate that’s unique to that putter. Check these beauties out, and scroll down for more detailed specs and pricing.

PLD3 Putter Specifications
- Flame-Torched C14500 Copper Alloy Precision-Milled Sole Plate
- 100% Precision-Milled at PING From T6 6061 Aluminum
- 28″–38″ Available Shaft Length, 3° Loft (+-2°), 20° Lie (+-4°)
- Fits Slight-Arc Stroke Type, Weighs 365g
- Stepless Steel Stealth-Colored Shaft
- PP58 Black Midsize Grip
- Coordinating PLD3 Putter Cover
The PLD3 putter is available beginning today (June 1, 2018) at PING Authorized golf shops. MSRP is $435 USD.
June 1, 2018
True Spec Golf: Next Level Club Fitting

Most people are familiar with the concept of club fitting, and most golfers have probably been through some kind of fitting for their clubs at one point or another. As equipment has evolved, fitting has evolved with it. Adjustable drivers and interchangeable shafts have greatly benefitted club fitting professionals, allowing them to tune the clubs for each golfer. With the amount of technology available in the modern game, club fitting has become even more precise and important to get the best possible performance out of your clubs.

The Technology

Like many companies, True Spec Golf is taking advantage of technology to provide advanced club fitting for golfers of every ability. Unlike manufacturer specific fitting carts at those big box stores, True Spec Golf is brand-agnostic. Because of that, their fitting matrix stocks more than 30,000 combinations of club heads and shafts from all the leading equipment manufacturers. They combine that amazing selection with high performance launch monitors from industry leaders TrackMan and Foresight, and they use advanced tools like their patented Club-Connex adapter system to fit any shaft to any head, and the SST Pure Shaft Alignment System to ensure you get the best performance from your shafts.

The Mission

I visited True Spec’s fitting studio at Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida to get fitted for a three-wood. For years, finding a three-wood that performs the way I want has been like finding my personal golf unicorn. I primarily use a three-wood off the tee, so want one that has low spin and mid-low ball flight for distance, but I also want the club to perform well from the fairway if I want to go for a long par five in two from 250+ yards. Finding the perfect combo has been tough. I came very close last year with the Exotics CB Pro and have had some success with my newest gamer (an Exotics EX10 beta), but after several months of testing both clubs are just too spinny for me.

The fitting process takes place in a clean, modern fitting studio that opens into the driving range at Trump National. No indoor hitting bays here! I want to see the actual ball flight, not a computer simulation. My fitter Matthew welcomed me and let me hit some warm-up shots with my own clubs to get loose while he watched and gathered some swing and ball flight data from the Trackman. Watching my swing and Trackman data while I warmed up helped him select a few shafts and heads to get the fitting process started with.

The Process & Results

Even though the True Spec fitting studio has over 30,000 possible shaft/head combinations available, an experienced fitting professional like Matt can use that Trackman data to quickly eliminate the shafts he knows won’t work for me, streamlining the process and saving time. Using True Spec’s Club-Connex system, Matt set up a trio of three-woods for me to hit, each with a different shaft & head combo. I would hit 4 or 5 shots with each and switch back and forth between clubs while he made loft/lie adjustments or changed out shafts and kept handing me different combos to try. All told, I hit fairway woods from Ping, Exotics, Taylor Made, Titleist, PXG, Callaway and a few others.

After hitting about 50 shots, we started to zero in on the best performing head and shaft combinations. When you are using a top of the line TrackMan launch monitor you can be certain that the data you get will be accurate. In my case, the numbers don’t lie. Compared to my gamer three-wood, (Exotics EX10 beta with 13 degrees of loft fitted to a Graphite Design G70x shaft) the club Matt put together for me (Ping G400 14.5, turned down to 13.9 degrees fitted with Fujikura ATMOS Tour Spec Red 80x) was giving me 8.6 yards more carry distance and 10.3 more yards total distance. That’s a huge increase for me!

How’d He Do It?

How did Matt help me gain 10 yards with a new three-wood? Again, it’s all about the numbers. By selecting a club head (Ping G400) with a hot face and low spin, we were able to decrease my spin rate by an average of 678 RPMs! Because of the lower spin, we needed to increase my launch angle to maximize carry distance. By selecting a Fujikira ATMOS Red shaft with a slightly lower kickpoint, he was able to bring my launch angle up from from 9.3 degrees to 11. High launch – Low spin. That, my friends, is the recipe for greater distance.

As I mentioned in another recent article, finding the right shaft & head combination for you can pay off big, with more distance and consistency. In that post I mated a Ping G400 driver with the new shaft from TPT golf to gain 9 yards off the tee over my previous gamer – the Ping G. Was it purely by chance that the G400 three-wood also happened to be the best performing fairway wood for me?

I’m mildly shocked but very pleased about gaining 9+ yards with both my new Ping driver and three-woods, considering both clubs were fitted for me independently of each other. What that says to me is the Ping’s G400 line are very good clubs, especially when fitted with the right shaft by an expert club fitter. Even better, I finally found my golf unicorn – a versatile, consistent performing three-wood!

You Probably Need A Fitting

What is it worth to you to gain distance throughout the bag, while improving the feel and consistency of all your clubs? True Spec’s fitting process works, and it’s guaranteed. For more information, visit https://www.truespecgolf.com/ I’ve been preaching the benefits of club fitting for years, and I’ll continue to champion the cause. It really does make a difference in your game, no matter what your handicap.

February 27, 2018

TPT Golf Shakes Up Shaft Industry

Most golfers aren’t tuned in to shaft news on a daily basis, and I have to admit that most of the press releases I get pertaining to golf shafts have a tendency to go in one ear and out the other, but when a top-ranked golfer wins with a new shaft nobody’s heard of, people start noticing. What I’m trying to say is, TPT Golf is starting to get noticed in a big way.

This small Swiss company that started out specializing in composites used in yacht racing, Formula One and satellites recently made quite a splash when Justin Rose, the number six ranked golfer in the world, won 3 times in 10 events with 10 top ten finishes to close out 2017 season playing the TPT 15LKP-LT-LW shaft in his driver. The buzz continued into early 2018 with the official launch of TPT Golf at the PGA Merchandise Show, and just this past weekend Jason Day used TPT Golf shafts in his driver and fairway woods to capture the Farmer’s Insurance Open at Torrey Pines near San Diego, California.

What Makes TPT Golf Shafts Special?

Nearly every golf shaft on the market today is made using a process called roll wrapping. This entails rolling multiple “flags” of material around a steel mandrel. The layers overlap each other creating a seam and a spine in the shaft. This spine must then be aligned by the club maker to achieve the best playability. On the course, this can lead to inconsistent twist and torque which means bigger shot dispersions and poor feel.

By contrast, TPT Golf shafts are manufactured using their proprietary Thin Ply Technology, lightweight prepreg plies, and a patented technology known as the “Thin Ply Winding” method. The result of these processes, according to the company, is a perfectly concentric and near-homogeneous shaft. What this means for the golfer is a more consistent shaft that delivers tighter shot dispersion and more consistency from swing to swing.

What’s The Catch?

Justin Rose TPT Golf Shaft Touring Pros like to hear words like “tighter dispersion” and “consistency” when looking for a new driver shaft. Despite many of them being multi-millionaires, professional golfers at the highest levels don’t pay for their equipment, so money is no object when it comes to performance. Unfortunately for amateur golfers, most of us have to pay for our stuff, and that’s the catch. When it comes to the premium golf shafts offered by TPT Golf, there is good news and bad news. The good news: TPT Golf shafts used to be sold for $699, but they’ve lowered the price! The bad news: TPT Golf shafts are still priced beyond the reach of most golfers at $499 each.

Indeed, a $500 price point for a single shaft is way beyond what most golfers are willing (or able) to spend, but for those whose budget allows it, they are almost always going to go through a high-end fitting for the shaft. Anyone that is ready to spend $500 on a shaft will be visiting an advanced fitting studio like True Spec Golf to get the most out of that shaft.

Does TPT Golf Deliver?

I’ve only just begun testing the TPT 15LKP-LT-LW shaft in my Ping G400 LST Driver. I have it going up against the Ping Tour 75x shaft that came with the club and another brand’s new driver shaft that we’ll be reviewing later. I’m using the very cool new FlightScope MEVO launch monitor to gather data from the shots I hit, as well as playing several rounds with each shaft to see the real world results because the reality is that we swing differently on the course than we do on the driving range where nothing is at stake.

With the limited data I’ve gathered thus far, I’m seeing an increase in ball speeds with the TPT shaft, but I won’t know for sure what the difference is until I complete my testing. I’ll update this post as soon as that is complete, and we’ll see what the TPT 15LKP-LT-LW shaft can do.

The Specs

TPT Golf’s shafts come sin various weights and kick points, designed to fit the majority of golfers depending on your swing speed and desired ball flight and spin. This is why we make such a big deal out of custom fitting, because investing $500 on a shaft makes no sense if you are guessing at what shaft may be best for your swing. After a session on the Trackman with a good fitting professional, you may be surprised to find out that the shaft you thought you should use turns out to be something completely different…

Model	Swing Speed Range (mph.)	Kickpoint	Torque	Torque (deg)	Flex (cpmc)	Weight (gm)	Length (inch)
15 LKP/MT/SW	105 – 120	Low	Mid	3.7	266	73	46″
15 MKP/MT/SW	105 -120	Mid	Mid	3.3	268	73	46″
16 LKP/MT/SW	90 – 105	Low	Mid	4.1	254	68	46″
16 MKP/MT/SW	90 – 105	Mid	Mid	3.8	254	68	46″
17 LKP/MT/SW	80 – 90	Low	Mid	5.5	248	62	46″
17 MKP/MT/SW	80 – 90	Mid	Mid	4.8	244	63	46″
18 LKP/MT/SW	70 – 80	Low	Mid	6.7	230	53	46″
18 MKP/MT/SW	70 – 80	Mid	Mid	5.8	230	56	46″
19 LKP/MT/SW	60 – 70	Low	Mid	7.5	217	52	46″
19 MKP/MT/SW	60 – 70	Mid	Mid	6.4	217	50	46″

February 1, 2018

PING Introduces New Products For Spring 2018
The Engineering and R&D teams at Ping have been busy in the last year. Following the release of the awesome new G400 driver and fairways, Ping just introduced the G400 Max driver along with G700 irons, Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges and Ping Vault 2.0 putters. All the new stuff is available for pre-order right now (Jan 15,2018). First, let’s look at the photos, and we’ll go into more detail after.

PING G400 Max Driver

[slideshow_deploy id=’5813′]

PING Glide 2.0 Stealth Wedges

[slideshow_deploy id=’5812′]

PING G700 Irons

[slideshow_deploy id=’5814′]

PING Vault 2.0 Putters

[slideshow_deploy id=’5797′]

Technical Details

Now for the important stuff – The specs and pricing! Below I’ve removed some of PING’s PR talk from their recent press releases and kept just the details that people want to see.

G400 Max Driver

In the G400 Max driver, PING achieved its all-time high MOI measurements by optimizing the crown and face design in the larger-profile, multi-material head. The forgiveness gains are attributable to the 460cc head and nearly four times the discretionary weight created by Dragonfly crown technology and the thin, forged face. Its high-density tungsten back weight wraps around the back of the sole to help bring the combined MOI (heel/toe and high/low) over 9,900 gram cm². Its CG position is lower and farther back than any current driver on the market to make it the most forgiving driver in golf – surpassing the current G400 driver.

G400 Max Driver Technology and Specifications:

Multi-material construction: Cast Ti 8-1-1 body, forged T9S+ face, high-density tungsten back weight, lightweight aluminum/thermoplastic adjustable hosel

Loft options: 9⁰ & 10.5⁰

Head weight: Std. (206g)

Head volume: 460 cc

Std. length: 45 3/4″ (Alta CB); 45 1/4″ (PING Tour and aftermarkets)

Loft adjustability: Up to +-1⁰

Stock grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 in six sizes (Blue -1/16″, Red -1/32″, Aqua -1/64″, White Std., Gold +1/32″, Orange +1/16″)

U.S. MSRP: $435

Shaft options: PING Alta CB (counter-balanced) 55 (SR, R, S, X), PING Tour 65, 75 (MSRP: $35 upcharge) (R, S, X), Alta Distanza 40 (MSRP: $35 upcharge)

Aftermarket shaft options (MSRP: $75 upcharge): Mitsubishi Kuro Kage Silver Dual-Core TiNi 60 (R, S, X), Project X HZRDUS Yellow 75 (5.5, 6.0, 6.5), Aldila X-Torsion Copper (50R, 60S)

Glide 2.0 Stealth Wedges

The Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges’ 8620 carbon steel head and precision-milled grooves deliver a softer feel and higher-spinning shots for greater control. The tour-inspired Stealth finish, which yields less glare and makes the head appear smaller, is applied using a QPQ (Quench Polish Quench) process for added durability. This wedge fits the game and the eye of players for whom performance and appearance go hand in hand.

A patented precision wheel-cut half groove near the lead edge on the 56⁰, 58⁰ and 60⁰ improves engagement with the ball (specifically low on the face) to significantly increase spin and control from all conditions. The wheel-cut milling process was developed by PING’s engineering and manufacturing teams to enable grooves with a sharper edge radius, which increases interaction with the cover of the ball at impact, creating more friction for improved spin and trajectory control. The grooves in the lower-lofted wedges (46°, 50° & 52°) are milled with a 20° sidewall and a .005″ edge radius for optimal full-shot performance. The higher-lofted versions (54°, 56°, 58° & 60°) are milled to a .004″ edge radius and a 28° sidewall to impart more spin, especially around the greens.

The patented design is offered in four sole grinds (SS, WS, ES and TS) to ensure Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges can be fit to a golfer’s divot depth or attack angle and most common turf conditions.

SS GRIND (46°/12°, 50°/12°, 52°/12°, 54°/12°, 56°/12°, 58°/10°, 60/10°)

An all-purpose mid-bounce sole with heel and trail edge relief to create versatility on touch shots around the green. Ideal for moderate attack angles and divots. Fits most golfers.

WS GRIND (54°/14°, 56°/14°, 58°/14°, 60/14°)

Full-sole design that provides turf security for players with a steep angle of attack. The reduced camber and added width prevent digging.

TS GRIND (58°/6°, 60°/6°)

A PING WRX-inspired design based on the Tour-proven half-moon grind. The TS grind facilitates shot making and precision from even the most difficult lies. The heel relief allows shots to be executed with an open face to difficult pins or from firm lies without fear of the lead edge sitting too high.

ES GRIND (54°/8°, 56°/8°, 58°/8°, 60°/8°)

Eye 2-inspired sole design provides the ultimate in bunker performance, resulting from the classic dish profile and the tapered hosel. A refined lead edge upgrades all-around performance with the iconic ES grind.

Glide 2.0 Stealth Wedges Technology and Specifications:

Std. grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet in six sizes (Blue -1/16″, Red -1/32″, Aqua -1/64″, White Std., Gold +1/32″, Orange +1/16″)

Shaft options: Stock steel shaft — PING AWT 2.0 Wedge; Stock graphite shaft — PING CFS 65/70/80 (Soft R, R, S)

Aftermarket steel shaft options (no upcharge): True Temper Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100) Project X LZ (5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5), True Temper XP95 (R, S,), Nippon NS Pro Modus 105 (S, X), KBS Tour (R, S, X)

U.S. MSRP: $150 per club w/steel shaft; $175 per club w/graphite shaft

G700 Irons

In the G700 iron, PING engineers put a high priority on creating an iron that offers power and forgiveness by leveraging the advantages of a hollow-body design and a thin, maraging steel face, creating PING’s longest, highest-flying iron to date.

The hollow-body construction of the 17-4 stainless steel head allows for an internal geometry design that positions weight away from the face, creating a frame for metal-wood-like flexing and high COR to greatly increase ball speed and produce launch results that will amaze golfers.

Maraging steel, which is also used in the G400 fairway woods, hybrids and crossovers, is one of the strongest alloys in the world and is commonly employed in the aerospace industry, where strength and flexibility are necessities. Those properties make it an ideal face material to deliver more flexing for faster ball speeds that launch shots farther and higher.

G700 Iron Technology and Specifications:

Multi-material construction: Hollow-body 17-4 stainless steel head, C300 Maraging Steel face, HydroPearl finish

Available 4-9, PW, UW, SW in 10 color codes (lie angle). Black is standard.

Std. grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet in six sizes (Blue -1/16″, Red -1/32″, Aqua -1/64″, White Std., Gold +1/32″, Orange +1/16″)

Shaft options: Stock steel shaft — PING AWT 2.0 (R, S, X); Stock graphite shafts — Alta CB (counter-balanced) powered by AWT, UST Recoil 760 ES SMACWRAP (A), UST Recoil 780 ES SMACWRAP (R, S)

Aftermarket steel shaft options (no upcharge): True Temper Dynamic Gold (S300, X100), Dynamic Gold 105 (R300, S300), Dynamic Gold 120 (S300, X100) Project X LZ (5.0, 5.5, 6.0, 6.5), True Temper XP95 (R, S,), Nippon NS Pro Modus 105 (S, X), KBS Tour (R, S, X)

U.S. MSRP: $160 per iron w/steel shaft; $175 per iron w/graphite shaft

PING Vault 2.0 Putters

The next generation of PING’s 100%-milled putters are crafted and engineered to provide tour-caliber touch and performance through proven innovations like precision-milled, patented True Roll Technology (TR), plus a new custom-weighting system. The new system offers sole weight options in steel (standard weight head), tungsten (15 gms heavier than standard) and aluminum (15 gms lighter than standard) to match a golfer’s feel and balance preferences.

Precision-milled TR technology ensures full-face forgiveness for consistent speed off the face. The individually milled face pattern varies in depth and pitch across the face, which speeds up off-center impacts, improving consistency and ultimately leading to fewer three-putts.

Golfers can choose from three premium finishes (Stealth, Platinum or Copper) in five models precision-milled from 303 stainless steel, including the new Dale Anser, which is inspired by one of the original Anser putter molds created by Allan Dale Solheim and detailed by his father, Karsten Solheim. The award-winning Ketsch mallet (Stealth or Slate finish) combines a fully-machined 6061 aerospace-grade aluminum body with a stainless steel sole plate for an extremely high MOI and offers exceptional alignment features. All the models are fit for stroke and designed with varying alignment aids to fit a golfer’s preferred look and alignment style. As part of the custom building process that ensures optimal balance, putters between 34″ and 36″ in length are built with steel sole weights; models 34″ and shorter feature tungsten weighting; putters built 36″ and longer use aluminum weights.

Four proprietary PING Pistol tapered grips provide golfers with variances in shape and feel. The PP60 is a midsize, lightweight design with a foam under-listing and dominant flats for face awareness. The PP61 has an exaggerated pistol to fit the contour of the golfer’s hands, and a rubber under-listing for a softer response. The PP62 is a lightweight, oversized grip with a rounded profile. The CB60 is standard on custom counter-balanced putters in the line.

PING Vault 2.0 Putter Technology and Specifications:

Dale Anser (Blade)
- 350g, fully machined 303 stainless steel
- Available in Copper, Platinum or Stealth finish
- Slight Arc
- 35″ std. length, 3º std. loft, lie angle adjustable +-4º
– U.S. MSRP: $325.00

Voss (Blade)
- 350g, fully machined 303 stainless steel
- Available in Stealth finish (Copper or Platinum available special order)
- Slight Arc
- 35″ std. length, 3º std. loft, lie angle adjustable +-4º
– U.S. MSRP: $325.00

B60 (Blade)
- 355g, fully machined 303 stainless steel
- Available in Stealth or Copper finish (Platinum available special order)
- Slight Arc
- 35″ std. length, 3º std. loft, lie angle adjustable +-4º
– U.S. MSRP: $325.00

ZB (Blade)
- 350g, fully machined 303 stainless steel
- Available in Platinum (Copper or Stealth available special order)
- Slight Arc
- 35″ std. length, 3º std. loft, lie angle adjustable +-4º
– U.S. MSRP: $325.00

Piper (Mid-Mallet)
- 360g, fully machined 303 stainless steel
- Available in Stealth finish (Copper or Platinum available special order)
- Slight Arc or Straight
- 35″ std. length, 3º std. loft, lie angle adjustable +-2º
– U.S. MSRP: $325.00

Ketsch (Mallet)
- 365g, fully machined 6061 aluminum head, stainless steel sole plate
- Available in Stealth finish (Slate finish available special order)
- Slight Arc or Straight
- 35″ std. length, 3º std. loft, lie angle adjustable +-2º
– U.S. MSRP: $325.00
January 16, 2018
WITB – June 2017

My very first WITB post was written in September of 2015 before I left for the WAGT National Championship in Pennsylvania. Since then a lot has changed. In fact, nothing from that bag remains in play for me today, including the bag itself! All fourteen clubs have changed, I got a new staff bag from the WAGT and I’ve even switched golf balls.

I love to tinker with equipment, but being a low handicap golfer with a self-taught swing means that in order to play my best I need custom fit clubs. This makes testing new clubs a bit of a challenge. Variations in a shaft’s weight, kickpoint and flex can send shots way offline if not fit properly. I’ve worked hard with my amazing club builder to get every club in my bag set up perfectly for my game, and I can’t tell you how important it is for your game to have your clubs properly tuned and fitted by a competent club fitter.

Now – Let’s dive into my golf bag(s) and talk about my clubs, and how they’re set up as well as my favorite gadgets and gizmos that help me play golf.

My Golf Bags, Accessories & Favorite Gadgets

While I would prefer to walk, I play golf using a motorized cart most of the time since it is mandatory at many Florida golf courses, and most of my golf buddies are too lazy to walk with me at the courses that allow it. For that reason, I alternate between a custom 10.5″ Burton USA staff bag I got when I qualified to represent Team USA at the World Amateur Golfer’s Championship in 2015 and a new Sun Mountain 4.5 LS carry bag.

I’ve only had the Sun Mountain 4.5 LS carry bag for a few months, but I’m a big fan of the innovative design and efficient use of space. It’s the heaviest of Sun Mountain’s carry options, but also adapts well to life on a golf cart and holds everything I need to bring with me with ease. My Burton “Team USA” staff bag is huge and heavy, but I can pack it with everything I’ll need for tournament golf like some snacks, 32oz sports drinks, extra towels, rain gear and more. Despite the large size, I can shoehorn it nicely into my Club Glove Last Bag travel case and go anywhere in the world with it easily. So far I’ve logged over 20,000 miles of international travel on in without incident.

I like to have as much information as possible when playing, so I frequently combine the use of a GPS distance device with a laser rangefinder to get accurate yardage information and help plotting my way around the course. To that end, my distance measuring devices of choice are the SkyCaddie TOUCH and the Leupold GX-5i³ laser rangefinder. Both devices are one of the best available in each category, and function flawlessly. Adding Frogger Golf’s Latch-It rangefinder strap makes using the rangefinder that much easier, and the Latch-It ecosystem is my favorite new golf gadget in years. While I haven’t posted a round with it in a while, GAME GOLF is still a fun and easy way to track stats and help you improve. Since most of my clubs have changed, I plan to start using GAME GOLF again this summer to see how the newer clubs perform compared to the older ones.

Driver – Ping G LS-TEC 9°

Ping gave us one of the best drivers in the game a few years ago when they introduced the G30 and G30 LS-TEC drivers. I was fortunate to see amazing accuracy gains of 30% with it while still getting more distance over my old driver. Also fortunate for me, Ping later introduced the G LS-TEC driver that I now use. It is fitted with the Ping Tour 80 shaft in X-Flex, which is a custom option. They updated the head and made it sound a little different, but I haven’t gotten enough data to know if it’s really longer and straighter as they claim. Either way, I hit it great and recommend it for anyone that wants the best blend of distance with accuracy and forgiveness.

Fairway Woods – Tour Edge Exotics EX10 Beta

My recent struggle to find the perfect three-wood has been well documented, but when Tour Edge came out with the Exotics CB Pro f2 last year thought I had found my new fairway howitzer. It is a very high performance, versatile three wood that averages almost 260 yards and I couldn’t be happier with it. But – Tour Edge being one of the leading golf club companies when it comes to technology, they took some of the best design features from previous fairway wood designs and combined them using new a manufacturing process and created the Exotics EX10 and EX10 beta fairways. I immediately ordered the EX10 beta in 13 degrees with the new Project X HZRDUS Black shaft. I had my club fitter tweak it to my specs with a spine-alignment and swing weight adjustment, re-gripped it with my preferred Golf Pride MCC Plus4 grips and it is now ready for prime time. It’s very new and I’ve only played 18 holes with it so far, but the results have been impressive and I’ve already hit some tee shots with it to places I’ve never seen before. I can’t wait to try it out on the launch monitor.

Hybrids/Long Irons – Srixon Z H45 & U45

I got my Srixon Z H45 hybrid and Z U45 utility irons back in 2015 and from the first ball I knew I had something special in my hands. Even though it is marked with a number two, the Z H45 hybrid has 16 degrees of loft which makes it more of a one iron. As a result, it hits low, piercing bullets which makes it great for use off the tee, but not very versatile for approach shots. Depending on the course, this club may be swapped for a 50 degree gap wedge. It is fitted with an amazingly consistent Aerotech hls880 hybrid shaft.

I have two Srixon Z U45 long irons in the bag – The 20º and 23º models, which are my three iron and four iron. I absolutely love hitting these clubs. Forget about traditional long irons, these utilities are amazingly easy to hit while being more versatile and just as forgiving as a hybrid. My only regret is not replacing my old long irons with utilities like these much sooner.

Irons – Srixon Z745 (5-PW)

My irons are the 2015 model year Srixon Z745 cavity back forged irons. They replaced my Cleveland CG16 Tour Concept irons from 2010. The Srixon irons have a little less offset than the Cleveland irons which took a wee bit of adjustment for me, but I adapted to the new clubs quickly. I’ve been playing Aerotech Steelfiber shafts in my irons for over 5 years and I saw no reason to change with these clubs. I fitted them with the Steelfiber i110 constant weight shafts. There’s nothing like the feel you get from a forged iron with a graphite shaft, and with Aerotech you get that awesome graphite feel with the consistency and control of steel. I keep saying it over and over, but Aerotech really does make the best shafts in golf.

Wedges – Hopkins CJ1 (54 & 60)

When Greg Hopkins left Cleveland Golf in 2012, took one of Cleveland’s lead designers with him and formed Hopkins Golf, I became an instant fan. What Hopkins was doing essentially was selling a Cleveland look-alike wedge cast from soft 8620 steel direct to the customer that you could customize with various grind options and plenty of paint fill and stamping choices. I got a raw lob wedge with the channel grind and fell in love instantly. Sadly, Hopkins Golf seems to have shut down operations since mid 2016, so I took to the interwebs to find some and discovered a website that had the discontinued wedges I wanted in stock, so I ordered two for $60 each.

The other change I made in my wedges was going to a softer shaft. After consulting with my club fitter, we decided it would be best for me to switch from a Dynamic Gold X100 to the softer S400 that is so popular on tour. After a half-dozen rounds with the new wedges I’m glad I did and a little peeved that I didn’t so it years ago. At least now I have a three-wedge setup that works well for most situations. I still swap the 2 hybrid or 3 iron out for a SCOR 50º gap wedge on occasion if the course demands it, and will be replacing the SCOR 50º with a Hopkins 50º soon for a matching set.

Putter – Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Notchback Dual Balance

The most important club in my bag is the putter. It is also the club I struggle with the most, and as a result it becomes the club that changes most often. I have a bad habit of changing putters whenever I have a bad day on the greens, and these frequent putter changes only compound the problem by hurting consistency. I suppose that’s one of the drawbacks of being a golf blogger and having a couple dozen putters in the garage, all fighting for my attention.

When I really think about it, I’m being unnecessarily hard on myself because my putting statistics are very good compared to other players of my ability, but that’s the point – I’m trying to improve, not be average. Using a tool like GAME GOLF has shown me that I need to make more putts in the 5-15 foot scoring range. I think just sticking with one putter will help, so that’s my goal.

GAME GOLF Putting Stats

The putter I’ll be sticking with is a good one, even if the name is way too long and complicated – In my bag is the Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2 Notchback Dual Balance. It is like the standard Newport 2 Notchback but measures 38 inches long, has a 50 gram back-weight in the handle and features a larger head with an additional 50 grams of weight – hence the name Dual Balance. The idea with all the extra weight is to help slow down your stroke and eliminate the small muscles that tend to sabotage putting strokes. I love the heft and balance of this putter and if it’s a Scotty you know it rolls the ball well. My only gripe with Scotty Cameron is that they tend to have more loft (3.5º) than I like in a putter.

The Golf Ball

Last but certainly not least, since our last WITB post I have a new golf ball. In 2000 Titleist introduced the legendary Pro V1 golf ball and killed my beloved Titleist Tour Prestige and Tour Professional, effectively ending the wound golf ball era. In the coming years I struggled mightily adjusting to the new solid core golf balls. Eventually I found the Srixon Z-UR balls in 2005 and most recently played with the Srixon Z-Star & Z-Star XV until early 2016.

In early 2016 at the PGA Show in Orlando I met with the folks from Bridgestone to talk about their new B330 line and came away impressed. After a few rounds of testing the new B330, I switched. I ordered a case of the B330 balls with my logo, and an additional ten dozen without a logo so I’m set with enough golf balls to last me several years. The B33o is very similar to the Z-Star XV I used to play, but spins a bit more around the greens and flies a bit straighter in the wind. It’s very durable for a “tour” ball and I’ve been very happy with it so far.

June 13, 2017
WITB – November 2015

Back in September I posted my first “What’s In The Bag” segment that detailed the clubs I play with. WITB posts are pretty popular on other sites when they post pictures of PGA Tour players and their preferred equipment. It’s always interesting to see what the best players in the world play with, and the market for “tour van” or hard to find equipment – especially putters – is huge. Forget that most people couldn’t possibly hit the clubs that tour players use, they still want them for the exclusivity and cool factor. I’ll admit, I’m one of those people that love being unique and having things that nobody else has.

It’s for good reason that people are curious about the golf bags of PGA Tour players, but not many people care about what a lowly golf blogger plays with. It’s a shame too, because I think my fellow bloggers and golf media people are in a much better position to help others when it comes to getting the right equipment.

While the average touring pro is well paid to endorse a company’s golf clubs, golf writers and bloggers aren’t. That’s not to say we don’t get our share of sweetheart deals or eek out a tiny profit from online affiliate sales, but nobody I know that runs a golf blog is making much more than enough to keep the site going and pay for the occasional round of golf.

Golf writers and bloggers do however have access to and get to play with a ton of different clubs, and the ones that go in our golf bags as “gamers” have cut through the marketing hype and passed the test. Just like my buddy Tony from hookedongolfblog.com, in my golf bag on any given weekend sits a who’s who of golf manufacturers you may or may not have heard of. If we’re playing them, you can be pretty confident that they are a good buy.

Since the end of September all but 3 of the clubs in my bag have changed. No less than 6 different golf equipment companies are represented in my bag.

What’s in the bag?

Driver: Ping G30 LS-TEC (9° w/ Ping Tour 80x)
Fairway: Tour Edge Exotics E8 Tour (14° w/ Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana S+ 70x)
Hybrid: Srixon Z H45 (16° w/ Aerotech hls880 x-flex)
Utility Irons: Srixon Z U45 (20° & 23° w/ Aerotech Steelfiber i110cw x-flex)
Irons: Srixon Z745 5-PW (w/ Aerotech Steelfiber i110cw x-flex)
Wedges: Ben Hogan TK15 50° & 54° (w/ KBS Tour-V 120X)
Lob Wedge: Hopkins Golf CJ-1 60° (Custom channel grind w/ Dynamic Gold X-100)
Putter: Cure RX3F Putter
Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV

What’s New?

The clubs that didn’t change? My Tour Edge Exotics E8 Tour three wood, which gets a fresh new grip, my trusty Hopkins Golf CJ-1 60° wedge and the ugly-duckling-but-impossible-to-mis-hit Cure RX3F putter.

The biggest changes are the replacement of my aging Cleveland CG16 Tour Concept irons with the fantastic new Srixon Z745 irons. These irons are currently in play by most of Cleveland/Srixon’s tour staff including Graeme McDowell, Keegan Bradley, Russell Knox and many others. I also replaced the 3 and 4 irons with the Srixon ZU45 utility clubs which are much easier to hit, and the old Cleveland hybrid is replaced by a new Srixon ZH45 hybrid. All the new clubs get Aerotech Steelfiber shafts. The Srixon irons and utilities are made of forged 1020 steel and look as good as they perform.

I changed drivers this month also. I switched out the Ping G30 driver for the Ping G30 LS-TEC. There’s not much difference between the two as they look identical, but the LS-TEC spins a little less according to Ping.

I also have some new wedges in the bag. Gone (but not forgotten) are the SCOR 50° and 54° wedges I was so fond of. Fortunately they’ve been upgraded to Ben Hogan TK15 wedges. For those who aren’t familiar with SCOR and Ben Hogan, they are run by the same brilliant golf mind – Terry Koehler. SCOR Golf became Ben Hogan when he resurrected the iconic Ben Hogan brand from the ashes of golf equipment history. His amazing v-sole wedges live on in the Ban Hogan brand however. The new TK15 wedges perform the same as the older SCOR wedges and look fantastic in the new Hogan design. They are also a perfect match for the Hogan Fort Worth 15 irons, which players can customize to their liking. The Ben Hogan TK15 wedges are available from 48° to 63° and every loft in between. The HoganFit fitting process is designed to customize a set of wedges that will compliment your current irons and offer consistent distance gaps to help you score better inside 125 yards, where almost 65% of shots are taken.

Finally, new in my golf bag this month is the golf bag itself! My special WAGT “Team USA” golf bag recently arrived from Burton and it looks fantastic. The amazing Last Bag travel bag I got from Club Glove is going to be protecting my clubs while traveling. I’m one of the few fortunate souls to be proudly representing the US in the World Amateur Golfers Championship in December in Antalya, Turkey.

Antalya is one of the ten most frequented tourist destinations in the world, and is in the southwestern part of Turkey in a region called the Turkish Riviera. We’ll be at the all-inclusive Gloria Golf Resort competing over 54 holes in a team format with 40 other countries. I’ll be posting photos and updates on the event when we get there!

November 17, 2015
WITB – September 2015

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.

What’s In The Bag?

Driver: Ping G30 (9° w/ Ping Tour 80x)
Fairway: Tour Edge Exotics E8 Tour (14° w/ Mitsubishi Rayon Diamana S+ 70x)
Hybrid: Cleveland Launcher DST (18° w/ Miyazaki C.Kua 83x)
Irons: Cleveland CG16 Tour Concept 3-PW (w/ Aerotech Steelfiber i95cw x-flex)
Wedges: SCOR Golf 50° & 54° (w/ True Temper Dynamic Gold X100)
Lob Wedge: Hopkins Golf CJ-1 60° (Custom channel grind w/ Dynamic Gold X-100)
Putter: Cure RX3F Putter
Ball: Srixon Z-Star XV

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!

October 1, 2015
4 Fairway Woods You Need To Try

Whenever a new driver comes out on the market, people want to get it in their hands and try it. The driver is sexy. Despite the fact that you can’t hit more than about 14 drives on a normal golf course, many golfers spend an inordinate amount of time hitting driver on the practice tee. But what about those oft-ignored fairway woods?

Many golfers hit their three wood almost as far as their driver, with greater accuracy. Modern technology means fairway woods hit the ball further than they ever have. While there are many great fairway wood options on the market, here are a few that I have hit and think are worth a look if you are in the market for a new three, four or five wood.

Ping G30

If you are a fan of this site you already know what I think of the Ping G30 driver. Not only do I like it, but many more people do too. In fact, since the G30 arrived last July it’s the best selling driver in golf. In June 2015, 62% more G30 driver units were sold than the next closest driver model. It’s that good. Naturally you could assume that the G30 fairways are just as good, and they are. Available in 14.5, 18 and 21 degree lofts, the Ping G30 fairways are a perfect compliment to the best driver in golf. Street price: $249

Exotics E8, E8 beta & E8 Tour

Tour Edge’s legendary Exotics brand has built the hottest fairway woods on the market for several years, and while the premium price may scare away some people, their quality and performance is unquestioned. The latest Exotics E8 line is more affordable than ever without giving up anything in the way of performance and quality. The E8 model has the most forgiveness, the E8 beta model has a slightly smaller head and lower ball flight, and the E8 Tour has the smallest head and offers the most workability and control, along with an adjustable hosel. If you think your fairway woods are long, you need to hit the Exotics. After hitting just a few balls on the range, I put the Exotics E8 Tour in my bag for a tournament without any further testing, and won. It has stayed in the bag since and is now my “gamer” three wood. The small head, clean lines and exceptional performance inspired instant confidence for me, and they’ll do the same for you. Street price: $249 – $399 depending on model.

Nike Vapor Speed & Vapor Flex

I remember when Nike Golf started, riding the wave of Tiger Woods’ success. It has been many years and Nike Golf has gotten better and better in that time. While some of their radical designs are polarizing to some, I like that they are willing to take chances with innovative ideas. Their latest fairway wood offerings are the Vapor Speed and Vapor Flex models. Both models offer high launch and low spin with just the right amount of forgiveness. The Vapor Speed is not adjustable, while the Vapor Flex is. I tested the Vapor Speed model and came away impressed. The ball flight was high and straight with enough forgiveness for most golfers. If you are a Nike loyalist, you can’t go wrong with these sharp looking fairway woods. Add tons of custom shaft options and you are sure to find what you need. Street price: $249

Srixon Z355

Srixon Golf has enjoyed a resurgence in the United States this season. The brand is well established as a market leader in Asia , UK and Europe but has only just started to gain traction in the US following the success of their popular Z-Star and Q-Star golf balls. The latest fairway woods from the Japanese brand is the Z355. Available in four lofts (15, 17, 19, 22) and featuring Action Mass Technology, these fairways use more weight in the head combined with an ultra-high balance point shaft to help increase ball speeds and more consistency and stability. Street price: $229 (Available 9/18/2015)

Fairway woods aren’t as sexy as the driver, but everyone has them and many hit them as far a their driver, so why not upgrade to the latest tech? It also helps that fairway woods aren’t as expensive as the driver they go with. Give one of these fairways a try and you won’t be disappointed.

August 19, 2015
Ping Introduces New Clubs

Ping Golf is one of those companies that takes their sweet time to launch new products, usually on a two year development cycle. Ping also benefits from one of the most loyal customer bases in the industry, and for good reason. They make quality golf clubs that perform well, and they take care of their customers. People that buy Ping golf clubs tend to stick with them for the long haul. I know a few people that still hit their Eye2 and ISI irons.

Ping has been on a roll for about a year, since introducing the G30 line of drivers, fairways and hybrids in July 2014. The G30 driver continues to be the best selling driver in golf, and their market share is impressive. In June 2015, 62% more G30 drivers were sold than the next closest driver model, and for the entire year (since January), they’ve sold 44% more drivers than any other. I’ve stated on several occasions that I think the Ping G30 driver is the best I’ve hit in over a decade.

This summer, Ping is riding the momentum of the fantastic G30 line and introducing some new irons, wedges and putters. There are two new iron sets, called GMax and the “i” irons, a new Glide ES (Eye Sole) and two new putters in the Cadence TR line.

GMax Irons

[slideshow_deploy id=’5284′]

The new GMax iron introduces COR-Eye Technology, a revolutionary design that increases flexing across the entire face for faster ball speeds that produce unprecedented distance and forgiveness. The irons are squarely aimed at mid-to-high handicap golfers that want more distance and help getting the ball airborne. These clubs will fall in the “max game improvement” category.

– Available 4-9, PW, UW, SW
– Stock steel shaft: PING CFS Distance (Soft R, R, S, X)
– Stock graphite shaft: PING CFS Graphite (65 Soft R, 70 R, 80 S)
– After-market stock shaft options (no upcharge): Dynamic Gold S300, X100; Project X 5.0, 6.0; XP 95 (R, S), N.S. Pro Modus3 105 (S, X)
– U.S. MSRP: $121.25 per club w/steel shaft; $ 136.25 per club w/graphite shaft

i Irons

[slideshow_deploy id=’5283′]

The new i iron, PING’s first model to utilize 431 stainless steel, is a softer players-style head that offers some workability and ball-flight control with forgiveness to help low-to-mid handicap golfers. The Ping i irons will be replacing the i25 irons in their lineup. Both new models are available with the stock Ping CFS Distance shaft, but you can also choose one of four popular after-market shafts with no upcharge.

– Available 3-9, PW, UW
– Stock steel shaft: PING CFS Distance (Soft R, R, S, X)
– Stock graphite shaft: PING CFS Graphite (65 Soft R, 70 R, 80 S)
– After-market stock shaft options (no upcharge): Dynamic Gold S300, X100; Project X 5.0, 6.0; XP 95 (R, S), N.S. Pro Modus3 105 (S, X)
– U.S. MSRP: $135 per club w/steel shaft; $150 per club w/graphite shaft

Glide ES Wedges

[slideshow_deploy id=’5285′]

The new wedge is the Glide ES (eye sole) that combines technology of the original Eye2 sand wedge with the new Glide wedge design to add even more options to the Glide wedge line that already offers the Glide standard sole (SS), thin sole (TS), and wide sole (WS), creating 16 loft and sole combinations to suit a player’s style and adapt to the most common turf conditions.

– Available in 56º, 58º, 60º
– Dyla-wedge grip: ¾-inch longer, grip-down markings at 1 3/8″ intervals, softer tapering profile
– Stock shafts: CFS Wedge (stiff flex, 118g); TFC 419i (Soft R, R, S)
– U.S. MSRP: $140 w/steel shaft; $160 w/graphite shaft

Cadence TR Putters

[slideshow_deploy id=’5286′]

Ping’s market share in the putter segment may have dropped over the years, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make a good putter! They are still one of the best. The popular Cadence TR putter series grows with the addition of the Craz-e-r and Ketsch Mid models. The Craz-e-r, an evolution of the highly successful Craz-E design, is a high-MOI model with a sightline that extends from the top to the back of the putter. The Ketsch Mid, a smaller version of my personal favorite and award-winning Ketsch, provides golfers a fully machined, high-MOI mallet-style head with advanced alignment features. Both models are engineered with True Roll Technology grooves and are available in two weight options.

– Traditional, 350g; Heavy, 375g
– Straight, Slight Arc and Strong Arc stroke types
– Adjustable +/- 2º from std. lie angle
– U.S. MSRP: $245; Adjustable-length upcharge: $35

August 10, 2015
2014 Holiday Gift Guide

Every year the offices at intothegrain.com are bombarded with cool gadgets, gifts and products for review. While some of these products aren’t ready for prime time, others immediately get us excited and some even manage to surprise us. With the holidays fast approaching, I thought we could highlight a few of the best gift ideas we’ve seen come through the offices this summer. Happy shopping!

BOOM Swimmer Bluetooth Speaker

Boom is a perfect name for this small bluetooth speaker. It’s loud! We were very surprised by the level of volume and quality of sound coming from the little BOOM Swimmer bluetooth speaker. The flexible tail attachment is great to hang it from your golf bag or the cart and enjoy tunes while you play or practice. It even has a suction cup mount, and when attached to a glass surface it amplifies the bass. Did we mention the BOOM Swimmer is waterproof? Selling for $59, this is the last portable bluetooth speaker you’ll ever need.

Golf Etiquette Quick Reference

I believe golf pros are genuinely interested in helping new golfers learn the game, but I don’t think we do a good enough job teaching people the rules and etiquette of the game. We’re all at fault for this, and I see plenty of golfers that could use a refresher course from time to time. I usually carry a pocket size USGA rule book in my bag to end arguments about the rules, but what about etiquette? Enter the Golf Etiquette Quick Reference! This easy to read guide gives you all the info you need to conduct yourself properly on the golf course. I’m talking to you, “crossing into my fairway to hit your crooked tee shot without regard to my group” guy!

Gary Player DVD – A Game for Life

Gary Player is probably the greatest non-American golfer ever. He’s seen it all and been to every corner of the globe as an ambassador to this wonderful game. So when he speaks, people listen. Gary is almost 80 years old, but he’s in better shape now that I’ll ever be. Also considered one of the best bunker players of all time, now he’s sharing his lifetime of knowledge with his new DVD set called A Game for Life. Pop this 3 DVD set in, sit back and absorb the greatness.

Green Sleeve

I always thought it was pretty cool to play golf with a caddy, and even if the average caddy can’t help me much with club selection, at the very least they will keep your clubs and golf balls clean. But for the 99.9% of us that don’t have access to a caddy when we play, there is a cheaper, faster solution. Greensleeve! This little microfiber sleeve is easy to carry in your pocket and does a great job at cleaning clubs and balls. It comes in many different colors and logos, and for $10, it won’t break the bank. Greensleeves are perfect stocking stuffers. Get a couple!

Voice Caddy

We’re big fans of any invention that ~~allows us to be lazy~~ makes life easier for us. Isn’t that the reason for every good invention? Instead of subscribing to a GPS service or trying to read a dimly lit screen in the bright sunlight, or trying to shoot the flag with some laser, why not leave the work to the Voice Caddy VC300? Just turn it on, clip it to the brim of your hat and it automatically finds the course and hole you are playing from a database loaded with over 30,000 courses. From there a simple button push gives you the yardage to the front, middle or back of the green. Simple and effective. $149

Ping G30 Driver

We’re still compiling launch monitor data and play testing Ping’s newest driver, but the early results are in, and the Ping G30 is a big winner. One tester hit half a dozen tee shots with it on the course and decided right there that he had to have one. I’ve played 72 holes with it and while I haven’t kept detailed stats, my observations are that the G30 is straighter and much more forgiving than my current gamer. Distance is on par with most of the competition as well but I feel I’ve gained a few yards because I’m simply hitting the sweet spot more often. Our full review is yet to come, but I’m all-in with Ping with this one. Simply put – The Ping G30 driver is the best driver I’ve hit in over 10 years.

Antigua 2015 Collection

Antigua doesn’t make clothing with flashy European designs and crazy colors. They make simple, classic, good fitting and well made shirts. Long a favorite of mine, they use high-tech fabrics to make some of the most functional and comfortable golf shirts on the market. Their latest collection expands on the popular Desert Dry line and is sure not to disappoint. My personal favorite is the 95% polyester and 5% spandex blend that feels like you are wearing Sheex performance bedding. It’s silky smooth and very comfortable.

Aldila Shafts

Aldila makes some of the most popular shafts on the professional tours. Young phenom Jordan Speith has won twice in the last two weeks using an Aldila Tour Rogue shaft in his driver. I’ve recently upgraded a few of my own clubs with the fantastic Aldila Tour Green shaft, and they have become more consistent and playable than every before. A new custom fit shaft is all you need to revive an old driver that you love, and I bet the price of a shaft upgrade from Aldila is still cheaper than a new driver!

Renegar Wedges

Gene Sarazen invented the sand wedge in the 1930s, yet most modern wedges still use the same basic design. The problem with the design is simple. The larger flange of a sand wedge works great from the bunkers, but off the turf – not so much. With a standard wedge design the front edge of the wedge cannot slide under the ball because of that chunky flange (or bounce), leading to fat and thin shots. Renegar solved that problem with a unique, patented technology. The Renegar RX14 wedges feature the cut out sole design that simultaneously lowers the leading edge while retaining the bounce for bunker shots. The best of both worlds! I’ve been playing wedges with a similar (but not quite as effective) sole design for a long time, and it really works!

December 10, 2014
2013 PGA Show Hits & Misses – Drivers
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!

Don't forget to "like" our Facebook fan page for unboxing photos, exclusive content and more. Get involved and leave us your feedback or questions!
January 29, 2013
Square Groove Drama – Phil Mickelson Accused of Cheating!

Photo: Denis Poroy

As most golf fans are aware, on Jan 1, 2010 a new condition of competition went into effect on the PGA Tour that mandated a change in the shape and volume of grooves on clubs having more than 25 degrees of loft. This new groove rule has caused outrage and much discussion for several months now. The golf club manufacturers have spent millions of dollars re-tooling their equipment to make the new grooves and meet the demand by their staff professionals to test and adopt the new clubs.

The biggest opponent of the new rule on the PGA Tour has been Phil Mickelson, who has repeatedly bashed the rule changes and defended the position of the clubmakers. Last week, Golf Digest reported that Phil Mickelson was at Callaway Golf’s Carlsbad California testing center prepping a new set of irons, and experimenting with a few 20 year old Ping Eye2 wedges, which have square grooves. These wedges if manufactured now would be non-conforming, but because of a lawsuit between Ping and the USGA that was settled in 1990, any Ping Eye2 made before April 1, 1990 was grandfathered in and remains approved for play. The lawsuit takes precedence over any rule change.

Ping Eye 2 LW

Phil Mickelson isn’t the only player who has taken advantage of this loophole in the new rule. In fact, he got the idea after reading that Dean Wilson and John Daly had put the old clubs in their bags for the Sony Open in Hawaii. Since then, more players have gone back to the older wedges in search of more spin from the rough.

This week at Torrey Pines in San Diego, PGA Tour veteran Scott McCarron said using the old wedges was cheating, and he claimed he was appalled that Phil had put it into play. In a sport that is known as a gentleman’s game , accusing someone of cheating is a serious matter. However, Mickelson took the high road with his response, instead turning the blame squarely back on the USGA by saying “It’s a terrible rule. To change something that has this kind of loophole is nuts,” Mickelson said. “But it’s not up to me or any other player to interpret what the rule is or the spirit of the rule. I understand black and white. And I think that myself or any other player is allowed to play those clubs because they’re approved — end of story.”

McCarron defended his comments by explaining that he was not singling out Phil for cheating, but rather every player that put one of the old wedges into play because he through it was violating the spirit of the rule. That the USGA and PGA Tour didn’t anticipate this rub is interesting. McCarron said the issue would likely be brought up at a Players Advisory Counsil meeting next week, of which McCarron is a part of.

<

p style=”text-align: center;”> Mickelson made no apologies however. He said he submitted wedges to the USGA that met the new requirements, yet they were not approved. Conversely, The Eye2 wedge is approved but does not conform under the new rules. He also said testing procedures are different in the United States and overseas, adding to the frustration. "This whole groove thing has turned into a debacle," Mickelson said. Mickelson said he wasn't sure if he would continue to play the Ping wedge, because he didn't find much difference in spin from that and the regulation grooves in his other Callaway wedges. "There's a good chance I'll switch back, but not for the reason that I feel like I've been doing something wrong," Mickelson said. "I think that any player using these clubs that are approved under the rules of golf are fine." The PGA Tour has the ability to make a local rule which would outlaw the use of those wedges stemming from a 1993 settlement with Ping containing different conditions, but the Tour has yet to make any ruling in the matter. Phil Mickelson is currently a few shots from the lead. Scott McCarron missed the cut.
Want to win free stuff? Subscribe to our email updates! You'll get the latest fresh news, reviews and stories delivered right to your inbox or RSS reader, and automatically be entered in our latest contests and giveaways! Also, don't forget to check in with our Facebook fan page for exclusive content and get involved by leaving us comments on what you think!

January 30, 2010