Tag: rangefinder

  • Affordable Golf Rangefinder with Premium Features: Bushnell A-1 Slope

    Affordable Golf Rangefinder with Premium Features: Bushnell A-1 Slope

    My biggest gripe with most laser rangefinders is the battery. You never knew when the 9v or CR2 battery would die, and inevitably it would go out in the middle of a tournament round or something and I’d have to find a place to buy a new one. Bushnell has fixed that issue with their new A-1 Slope rangefinder, because it has a built-in rechargeable battery. They are claiming 50+ rounds of golf between charges, which is plenty for any golf rangefinder, but with most golf carts having USB ports these days and some golf bags even having pockets for batteries to charge your devices, you don’t have to worry about the battery dying on you mid-round. Just plug it in the night before your important tournament and you’ll be good to go.

    The other feature I love is the magnet, which on the A-1 Slope rangefinder comes in the form of a silicone sleeve, which gives you the option to use the magnetic mount, or remove it from the protective skin and simply keep it on your pocket or golf cart cup holder. You can do this because this golf rangefinder is tiny! I’m not a minimalist or anything, but I do appreciate light weight and compact size, especially when traveling abroad and overweight luggage fees hit hard.

    Bushnell is well aware that their products aren’t the cheapest, but when it comes to technology and quality, those cheap golf rangefinders from Amazon just can’t compete. If you are looking for a less expensive rangefinder option, give the Bushnell A-1 Slope a try. At a price point of $299 it makes a great gift because it’s budget friendly without sacrificing quality and has the premium features you expect from the market leader in golf rangefinders.

    A1-SLOPE GOLF RANGEFINDER FEATURES:

    • A1-Slope Laser Rangefinder
    • BITE Magnetic Skin
    • USB-C Charging Cord
    • Premium Carrying Case
    • Washable Micro-Fiber Cloth
    • Quick Start Guide

  • 2021 Holiday Gift Guide – Accessories

    2021 Holiday Gift Guide – Accessories

    DriveForce Nutrition – DF-18 Drink Blend

    Ever lose your focus or have an energy crash on the back nine? DriveForce, a newly formed sports nutrition company specializing in creating functional health products, is proud to introduce DF-18 – a premium pre-round performance blend that sustains a golfer’s focus, hydration, and stamina for hours while playing golf. The innovative powdered formula, available in single-serving packets, contains no added sugar or caffeine, but rather a multitude of health promoting ingredients designed to be mixed with a bottle of water and consumed before a round.

    Old Trapper Meat Snacks

    Old Trapper Beef Jerky

    Old Trapper has been a staple in my golf bag for a while. I like to eat something when playing golf to maintain energy and replenish lost nutrients, and on hot summer days in Florida you sweat a lot, so the salty, low fat, protein filled beef sticks and jerky from Old Trapper are the perfect snack to keep you going strong. Beef jerky is a great golf course snack also because it’s not messy, keeps for a long time and comes in a resealable package you can stuff in your golf bag. Give Old Trapper a try! I believe they make the best store-bought jerky you can get. I get the variety packs on Amazon to save money and get it faster with Prime.

    Flightscope Mevo & Mevo+

    Flightscope MEVO Plus

    I have had my Flightscope MEVO for a few years and use it all the time on the range to see how newer clubs stack up against older ones, and to see how much club head speed I’ve lost over the years from getting old and fat. All kidding aside, a Flightscope MEVO or MEVO+ is an invaluable tool to get much of the same launch data you get from the super expensive versions you see out on the tour and professional fitting studios, without the huge price tag. The MEVO+ adds a golf simulator feature for indoor use and measures even more data parameters for serious golf enthusiasts and club fitters. Check out their website now for holiday specials, or get the MEVO+ on Amazon here!

    Perfect Practice Putting Mat

    Perfect Practice Putting Mat

    There probably isn’t one piece of golf gear that I use more than my Perfect Practice Putting Mat. I use it almost every day, rolling putts, trying different putters, stances and grips, searching for the right combination that will help me make more putts and shoot lower scores. The alignment lines are hugely helpful and ensure I’m aiming properly, and rolling putts on the mat helps build muscle memory. For $139.98 on Amazon you can’t really get better value for a golf training aid.

    Big Max Blade IP

    Big Max Golf Blade IP Pushcart

    The Big Max Blade IP is simply the best manual push cart on the market today in my opinion. The Austrian company doesn’t skimp on quality, and the Blade IP is built like a tank, but the clever engineering allows it to fold up nice and flat for easy storage. The process to open and close the Blade IP takes only a few seconds, and the Quick Fix mounting points allow the attachment of and easy access to popular accessories like a rangefinder, smartphone, umbrella and more. Priced at $349, the Big Max Golf Blade IP isn’t the cheapest push cart on the market, but I think the value is there for a solid trolley that won’t let you down.

    Precision Pro R1 Smart Rangefinder

    precision-pro-r1-rangefinder

    The Precision Pro R1 rangefinder is the next step in smart rangefinder technology. By pairing to your phone via Bluetooth and the Precision Pro App, the R1 can access real time weather data to tell you wind strength and direction, access GPS distances and a new feature called MySlope that combines a player’s unique ball data with environmental variables. like launch angle, spin rate, altitude, ball speed, temperature & humidity to provide more accurate information to the golfer. Perhaps the best feature you hope to never use, the app also helps you locate your rangefinder if it ever gets lost. Combine all this technology for around $300 and you have a winning combination!

    Bushnell Wingman Speaker

    Bushnell Wingman - In hand

    Bushnell’s Wingman speaker has been a smash hit since its introduction a few years ago. A powerful magnet allows it to be attached to any metal surface, like the supports on a golf cart, push cart, even in your garage. It’s also a great tailgate option because of the powerful sound and compact size. The Bushnell app lets you play around with some snarky voice-to-text and get GPS distances spoken through the speaker at the push of a button. It’s quite simply the perfect multipurpose Bluetooth speaker on the market.

    PowerPlate Mini+ Massage Gun

    Handheld percussion massagers have become all the rage lately and there are dozens out there on sites like Amazon, but it’s hard to tell which are quality made and which are cheap knockoffs. PowerPlate’s Mini+ massage gun is one of the good ones! It weighs just under 1 pound and is very portable. It’s easy to bring it to the gym, golf course or even the office. I use one to greatly reduce warm up time at the golf course by massaging my shoulders and arms to increase blood flow and get my body ready to play. I also use it after playing to speed recovery and relieve pain and soreness. AT $179. it’s also one of the more affordable massage guns out there.

    Ballwash Products

    Ballsy Grooming Products

    Look, when your company is called Ballsy, you are expected to make products that have provocative names. Men’s grooming products don’t have to be taken so seriously, right? With taglines like “We’ve got your sack” and “Keep your jewels jolly” clearly they’re not taking themselves too seriously. But they do take their cleaning products seriously. From head to toe they’ve got men covered with products like Ballwash (shower gel), Nut Rub (solid cologne), Sack Spray (deodorant spray) and Ball Balm (soothing cream). Having tested their products on my own [clears throat] jewels, I can say they have a winning collection! Take a look for yourselves and save 20% with the special promo code on their website!

  • 12 Days of Christmas Gift Guide – Last Minute Ideas

    12 Days of Christmas Gift Guide – Last Minute Ideas

    Our 12 days of Christmas gift guide series was off to a great start, but unfortunately got derailed last week due to a family emergency. With just a few days left until Christmas, we still have a few last minute gift ideas for you!

    V1 Sports – V1 Golf App

    V1’s free golf swing analysis and instruction app helps golfers play their best by capturing and reviewing your swing with powerful analysis and playback tools. The V1 golf swing app also allows you to connect with one of thousands of instructors who teach with V1 Sports.

    I recently connected with perennial Top 100 instructor Brian Mogg using the V1 app. I sent him 2 videos of my swing for analysis and in a few days he responded with his feedback and some drills to work on what I needed to improve upon. The results were immediate. Now I can send follow-up videos to make sure I’m progressing well and we plan on getting together in person at some point to reinforce what I’ve learned.

    The V1 app really is the perfect way to improve your game, contact free, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Did I mention the app is free? OK, your lessons won’t be free obviously – That’s between you and your pro, but you can use the V1 app for free as long as you want to capture swing videos and use it to analyze your own swing videos.

    For those of you that want more (who doesn’t), there’s the premium upgrade that costs $6.99 per month, or $59.99 per year. The premium version removes ads and adds a huge HD model swing library, allows you to compare two swings side by side in slow motion, overlay two videos for close inspection, and you get priority in-app support should something go wrong.

    GolfLogix Green Books & App

    We’ve written about GolfLogix before, and their golf GPS app has been one of the most complete and popular GPS apps available for several years, with over 5 million users worldwide. With the introduction of their Green Books, they’ve taken things to the next level.

    GolfLogix Green Books provide yardage guides, but the real star of the show are the detailed heat maps and putting break maps of each green for over 14,000 golf courses. I brought one of the books to Pinehurst and they were especially useful on the famed #2 course with their extreme upside-down bowl greens.

    For those that prefer to take advantage of more modern technology, GolfLogix also has their aforementioned phone app that provides accurate GPS distances, in-round pro-level stat tracking, approach view and the new Putt Line feature. It’s basically like having the green books on your phone. Membership for GolfLogix Plus is only $49.99 per year.

    Bushnell Wingman GPS Speaker

    If you are one of the lucky ones that can still find them in stores, the Bushnell Wingman is one of the most sought after golf gifts in all the land. Bushnell is already well known for their industry leading golf GPS and laser rangefinders, but the Bushnell Wingman was one of the most attention getting products introduced at the 2020 PGA Merchandise show, and it has lived up to the hype as they have been having trouble keeping it in stock all year!

    The Bushnell Wingman is a high quality bluetooth speaker combined with a golf GPS that works with the Bushnell Golf app on your phone to briefly mute your music while speaking out distances to the front, middle and back of the greens, as well as water hazards. It’s all controlled by a little magnetic remote. You can even program it to spout sarcastic comments for your buddies. The Wingman also has a powerful magnet to stick it to any metal surface without falling off. Now the only thing you have to worry about is not offending your playing partners with your selection of music on the course! the Bushnell Wingman retails for around $149.99 and is available at most golf retailers, big box stores and Amazon.

  • 3 Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Golfers

    3 Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Golfers

    We’re in the home stretch for Christmas shopping, and most shipping deadlines are December 21, so in case you haven’t found those last few items for the golfers on your list out there, here are a few last minute gift ideas that should still arrive on time – But you’ll have to hurry!

    Golfballs.com – FREE Personalization!

    Golfballs.comPrices: Options for all budgets

     

    Golfballs.com allows customers to buy their favorite golf balls from all the top brands and customize them for FREE! Better still, customers can order as late as December 21 and still have their gifts arrive by Christmas.  Not just golf balls, choose from a selection of bags, apparel, tees, and more – each available with the industry’s largest selection of customization options, including: personal photos, custom logos, monogrammed initials, personalized text, embroidery, numbers, novelty images and the best tool for lining up putts, AlignXL™. Golfballs.com also offers a variety of pre-packaged gift boxes, including the Bottle Opener, Poker Chip Set and Classic Divot Tool.

     

    Rocket Tour Headcovers – MSRP: $39 – 43

    www.RocketTour.com

    Rocket Tour HeadcoversHand-crafted and finished personally by founder Helena Stanton in Boulder, CO., Rocket Tour headcovers are the perfect gift sets to get the golfer in your life ready for the next season. Sported by more than 300-plus NCAA golf programs, show off alma mater pride or just your favorite colors with the variety of signature striped, solid and argyle designs available for drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, and putters. Whichever flag you are flying, Rocket Tour has your bag covered.

     

     

     

    TecTecTec ULT-X Golf Laser Rangefinder

    Rocket Tour HeadcoversMSRP: $249.99

    www.US.TecTecTec.com

    Amazon’s No.1 selling golf rangefinder brand, TecTecTec, has launched its most advanced model to-date, the ULT-X. Among the new features are Target Lock Technology (TLT), which vibrates when players are locked on to the target, and a visible slope toggle (displays elevation adjusted distanced) that can be easily disengaged for USGA-conforming play. ULT-X accurately measures distances up to 300 yards – precise within 0.3 yards. The premium, multi-layered optical lens combined with diopter adjustment and 6x magnification provide an ultra-clear and accurate view. All TecTecTec rangefinders are backed by a two-year warranty, 24/7 access to customer service and a full refund on products returned within 30 days of purchase.

  • First Look: Bushnell’s Advanced Distance Measuring Devices

    First Look: Bushnell’s Advanced Distance Measuring Devices

    Bushnell has been a leader in GPS and laser rangefinders for golf and other outdoor activities like hunting for years. Electronic distance measuring devices have been a part of my golf routine for so long, I can’t even remember the last time I played a round of golf without one. Using a laser rangefinder or GPS speeds up the game so much, especially for low handicap and pro golfers that usually take more time getting yardages, that I still don’t understand why golf’s governing bodies haven’t accepted their use in high-level events. In any case, Bushnell has some new devices to show off this season, and they won’t disappoint! Here’s a sneak peek:

    Bushnell Hybrid
    Bushnell Hybrid: MSRP- $399.99

    Description – The Hybrid combines the latest in Laser and GPS technologies to provide better data so golfers of all levels can make better decisions on the course. The new Bushnell Hybrid rangefinders utilize precise laser and GPS yardages allowing the golfer to see distance like never before. The new Bushnell HYBRID takes the guesswork out of the game by displaying the lasered distances to the pin and GPS provided front and back yardage readings within the LCD.  Additionally, Bushnell has incorporated exterior GPS front, center and back yardages to assist with correct club selections when golfers have cart path only or blind shots.

    Bushnell Hybrid - Reticle

    Key Differentiators

    • 1st ever integrated Laser/GPS display
    • Dual Battery source (CR2 for Laser, USB for GPS)

    HYBRID Laser Features

    • PinSeeker w/ JOLT Technology
    • Accurate to 1 yard
    • 5X Magnification
    • Ranges 400 yards to a Flag
    • Fast Focus System
    • Stable-Grip Technology
    • Tournament Legal

    GPS Features

    • Exterior Front/Center/Back Readouts
    • Up to 4 hazard distances per hole
    • Bluetooth for auto course updates
    • Auto course recognition
    • Auto hole advance

    Bushnell Phantom: MSRP- $99.99

    Bushnell Phantom GPS

    Description – Phantom GPS Rangefinder, rounding out a robust collection of products comes preloaded with more than 36,000 courses and provides simple measurements to the front, center and back distances of the green – along with up to four hazard/layup distances per hole.  The Phantom unveils “Bite Technology.” Equipped with a high powered magnet the Phantom can easily attach to a cart bar or any metal surface, providing quick and easy yardage readings. Additional features include auto course and auto hole recognition, shot distance calculator and long battery life (play up to two rounds before charging).

     

    Bushnell Pro X2: MSRP- $499.00

    Bushnell Pro X2

    Description –The Pro X2 has rubber armored metal housing that makes the device fully IPX7 waterproof, incredible range capabilities of up to 1,300 yards (450+ yards to a flag), 2nd Generation E.S.P. (Extreme. Speed. Precision.) and PinSeeker with JOLT Technology.  Dual Display Technology allows users to easily toggle between the bright red display featuring VDT (Vivid Display Technology) or the crisp black display. Bushnell Golf also included JOLT Technology amongst the host of features offered in the new Pro X2. When the golfer aims the Pro X2 at the flag, JOLT Technology will provide short, vibrating bursts to reinforce Bushnell’s advanced PinSeeker Technology has isolated the target and locked onto the flag. The vibrating bursts provided by JOLT Technology will assure golfers have the exact distance to the flag. The Pro X2 is also equipped with 2nd generation E.S.P. technology.  E.S.P. provides yardage five times faster and more accurately than ever before. Not only has the acquisition speed been increased to a lightning fast level, E.S.P. provides 1/2 yard accuracy from five to 125 yards, and the distance is displayed to 1/10th of a yard.  Having more accurate distances creates the confidence the golfer to hit every shot with confidence.

    Pro X2 Features

    ・      Slope-Switch Technology

    ・      Rubber Armored Metal Housing

    ・      IPX& Fully Waterproof

    ・      Dual Display Technology

    ・      PinSeeker W/ Jolt Technology

    ・      Accurate to 1?2 yard

    ・      6X Magnification

    ・      Ranges 5-1,300 yards; 450+ to a Flag

    ・      2nd Generation E.S.P.

    ・      Fast Focus System

    ・       Stable-Grip Technology

    Conclusions

    You really can’t go wrong with any of Bushnell’s offerings. My current rangefinder of choice is the Pro X2, and I’ve been using it for over 8 months as of this writing. It’s fast, accurate, compact, and the display is easy to read. That’s basically everything you’re looking for in a laser rangefinder. I’ve also used the predecessor to the Phantom and loved it’s compact size and simplicity. The new model is magnetic, which addresses the only complaint I had with the old model, which was what to do with it once you broke the flimsy plastic clip it came with. Now you can simply stick it on the roof supports on your golf cart or the handle of your push cart. Easy peasy!

  • 5 More Last Minute Gift Ideas for Golfers

    5 More Last Minute Gift Ideas for Golfers

    Last week we presented readers with 9 Last Minute Gift Ideas. With only 4 days left until the big day, hopefully you have all your Christmas shopping done by now! If not, there is still time to get a few really, really last minute gifts. Here are 5 more gift ideas for golfers:

    Hole More Putts

    Hole More Putts TabletThis ingenious tablet will make you a better putter. Seriously. Using dozens of sensors that track important factors of your putting stroke like face angle, impact point, path, tempo and attack angle, the tablet gives you a score from 0 to 100 based on 5 putts you hit. From there the tablet syncs with your phone or tablet to display the results in more detail and offer advice and drills to fix your deficiencies. It’s like a SAM Putt Lab that you can take with you anywhere and costs a fraction of the price. Available now online: https://holemoreputts.com/

    Chef’s Cut Real Jerky Company

    Chef's Cut Beef JerkyChef’s Cut Meat Snacks – I’ll admit, when I tried Chef’s Cut Beef Jerky for the first time at the PGA Show last year, I kept stopping by their booth for seconds, thirds, fourths and fifths. I’m addicted! I love beef jerky, but Chef’s Cut has taken it to another level and added turkey and chicken jerky to their menu. Combined with their delicious meat sticks, Chef’s Cut is now my go-to snack on the golf course.

    Trion:Z Magnetic Therapy Bracelets

    Trion:Z Zen Loop DuoThe popular magnetic therapy bracelets and necklaces are back in the US market and looking better than ever. Trion:Z magnetic therapy bracelets feature powerful Colantotte magnets, infused with negative ions. What does that mean? I don’t know exactly but those that prefer alternatives to drugs for pain management may want to try these bracelets. I was recently suffering from elbow pain, but a few days of wearing my Trion:Z Zen Loop Duo Premium and the pain subsided. Plus they look cool and are available in many colors and styles.

    TecTecTec Laser Rangefinders

    TecTecTec VPro DLX1000 Funky name, simple design and reliable performance. That’s how I sum up the TecTecTec VPro DLX 1000 rangefinder. Sure, other brands have fancy displays and cool features, but in the end they all just measure distance. The VPro DLX 1000 does a good job and locks on to targets fast. It’s waterproof, and in this price range ($179.99) I don’t believe there’s another golf rangefinder on the market that out performs TecTecTec. If you want a no-frills distance measuring device for golf, check them out!

    Wilson Duo Soft Golf Balls

    Wilson Duo Soft Golf BallsWIlson’s Duo golf ball has been around for about 4 or 5 years now, and they are probably the softest feeling ball on the market. When I tested the first generation I remember thinking it was as close to the feel of the old balata covered wound balls of the early 90s as I could remember. The new generation Wilson Duo Soft golf balls are still very soft, but perform better than the first generations. You can get them in six different colors and all at a price that won’t break the bank. WIlson’s website has the Duo Soft listed at $19.99 a dozen. 

  • 15 Ways To Make Dad Happy On Father’s Day

    15 Ways To Make Dad Happy On Father’s Day

    This year Father’s Day falls on Sunday, June 18th in the United States and if you are reading this there’s a good chance your father plays golf and you are looking for gift suggestions. Heck, you may even be a father looking for ideas of what to drop hints to your family about. Either way, we’ve compiled an extensive list of no less than 15 gifts in all price ranges that we think will make your father very happy. Happy shopping!

    Tattoo Golf – Your dad may not be as cool as he once was, but dress him in some slick duds from Tattoo Golf and he’ll look like a badass again. Tattoo Golf doesn’t care what the dress code at your club is, and they don’t care about your boring khakis either. They like skulls, and they like showing them off. Deal with it. https://www.tattoogolf.com

    Tattoo Golf OB white golf shirt

    Nexbelt – One of the originals in the “belts without holes” category, Nexbelt makes high quality belts for all occasions. They have a belt and buckle combo for just about everybody. For Father’s Day, use promo code DAD20 get 20% off your entire order! https://www.nexbelt.com

    Nexbelt Go-In Grid Belt

    Royal & Awesome – Another company that takes subtlety and punches it in the face – Royal & Awesome makes golf trousers, shorts, shirts, hats and accessories for the golfer that wants to make a bold statement. Their wild and colorful patterns will certainly turn heads, and if you think playing golf in these is offensive, maybe you should just take up tennis. http://www.royalandawesome.com/mens

    Royal & Awesome Old Tom's Trews

    Ecco Cage Pro BOA – Regular readers of the site know I’m a huge fan of Ecco. I think they make the most comfortable and best performing golf shoe in the world. The introduction of the Ecco Cage Pro BOA is further proof that Ecco isn’t fooling around. The new SPYDR-GRIP outsole doesn’t pick up grass and dirt as you walk, yet provides ample traction during the most violent of swings. The easy to use BOA closure system works better than traditional shoelaces and provides a more precise fit. https://us.ecco.com/golf/shoes

    Ecco Cage Pro BOA Golf Shoes

    Honma Golf – Home of the $75,000 golf clubs, Honma also makes much more affordable clubs with their Tour World line that is played by most of Honma’s professional tour staff. As I’ve mentioned before, they are entering the US market with a bang and you’ll want to get on the train before it leaves the station. Their clubs are for real, and if your dad is a serious golfer he’ll appreciate these premium quality sticks. http://honmagolfusa.com

    MLA Putters – MLA’s patented alignment technology is unique and innovative. Their putters are also well built, perform well and are gaining a foothold on the professional tours. The new Tour Series Black Edition putters take the line to a whole new level and look positively awesome. MLA stands for Multiple Line Activation in case you were wondering. https://www.mla.golf

    MLA Your XDream BLACK EDITION

    Exotics EX10 Woods – Tour Edge has been making some of the hottest and best performing fairways for years, and to stay on top of the mountain in 2017 they’ve given us the new EX10 woods. Make no mistake, this is one serious fairway wood. In early testing so far, I’m seeing gains of 8-10 yards over my old steel headed 3-wood. The bottom line is – If you can’t hit the Exotics EX10 fairways, you can’t hit any. https://www.touredge.com/collections/fairways-1

    Exotics EX10 Beta Three Wood

    Forte Golf Balls – Australians know quite a bit about golf. They have some of the best courses in the world and the country has produced generation after generation of world renowned golfers. It’s only natural then, that they would bring us a top notch golf ball. Iv’e been testing the Forte Tour Performance S golf ball and they perform on par with or better than any tour level ball from any of the big names. In my opinion it compares most to the Titleist ProV1 in terms of feel and spin. https://fortegolf.com.au

    Volvik Vivid – If you wear pants from Royal & Awesome, you may as well complete your outfit with golf balls that are as bright and colorful as your pants! Enter the Volvik Vivid – The world’s first matte finish golf ball. The matte finish really makes these balls pop, and they are available in 7 colors too.

    Volvik Vivid Golf Balls

    Lostgolfballs.com – If your dad’s divots sometimes go further than the shot and he sprays the ball all over creation, maybe you should consider buying his some gently used golf balls instead of spending the extra money on new ones. Lostgolfballs.com is the place to go for used balls in great condition for a fair price. https://www.lostgolfballs.com

    Reks Optics – I discovered Reks a little while ago and after wearing their sunglasses for almost a year I can say with confidence that there’s no better combination of performance and value than what Reks is offering. Their glasses are comfortable to wear, perform great, look sharp, are virtually indestructible and carry a 24 month warranty. All this and you can buy 3 or 4 pairs for the price of one pair of those other overpriced brands. https://reksoptics.com

    Reks Polarized Sunglasses

    Golf Pride Align Grips – Golf grips are pretty boring, and nothing new and exciting has come along in grip technology since Winn grips over 10 years ago. Until this year when market leader Golf Pride introduced the MCC ALIGN grips. With a raised ridge down the spine of the grip serving as a reminder for consistent hand placement, the feedback is instant and positive. I highly recommend these grips, and I’ll be putting them on my clubs as soon as they are in stock again! https://www.golfpride.com/grips/mcc-align/

    Golf Pride MCC Align Grips

    Frogger Latch-It Accessories – The 2017 Best Product award winner at the PGA Merchandise Show, Frogger’s innovative Latch-It ecosystem is my favorite new golf gadget. When it comes to being in control of all your devices and tools on the golf course, many have tried but all have failed – until now. Latch-It allows you to attach towels, range finders, phones, brushes and more to your bag, cart or belt and makes it easy. https://www.froggergolf.com/collections/latch-it-ecosystem

    Bushnell X2 Pro Rangefinder – Bushnell is the most used range finder on the PGA Tour, and their new top of the line model is called the Pro X2. It is fully waterproof, accurate to 1/2 yard and ranges up to 1300 yards. Bushnell’s PinSeeker technology locks on to the flag and the device vibrates to let you know you’ve got the flag locked. The X2 Pro also allows golfers to turn the slope adjustment feature on of off to make it tournament legal. If you want one of the best rangefinders available, the Bushnell Pro X2 would be a good start. https://www.bushnellgolf.com/golf-laser-rangefinders/

    SkyCaddie TOUCH GPS – If laser rangefinders aren’t Dad’s cup of tea and he prefers a GPS device, why not get him the best one out there? SkyCaddie has been leading the golf GPS market for years, and their flagship product is the SkyCaddie TOUCH. With a large color touchscreen and bluetooth connectivity for your phone and the SkyGolf 360 free app, the TOUCH has all the features you are looking for to help you navigate your way around the golf course. https://www.skygolf.com/products

  • Leupold GX-2i2 Rangefinder

    LeupoldGX-2i2 handheldIt wasn’t that long ago that I remember playing golf without any distance measuring devices other than a bush around the 150 yard mark in the fairway. Along came the 100, 150, 200 and 250 yard markers, then sprinkler heads all over the course were marked with yardages. From there, it wasn’t long before laser range finders and GPS devices started showing up. The game hasn’t been the same since.

    Leupold is well known in the hunting and shooting sports world for making some of the best rifle scopes and optics available, so naturally their expertise would lend itself well to golf rangefinders. I’ve used lasers from several different companies over the years, but I’m most impressed with the technology that Leupold has built into their GX line of rangefinders.

    All laser rangefinders can give you accurate distances to most targets, and some also give you yardages adjusted for slope, but Leupold has taken it to the next level with a feature called True Golf Range (TGR) and Club Selector. The Leupold GX-2i2 laser rangefinder has the ability to adjust for slope, elevation and temperature to give you the most accurate adjusted yardage. It can even suggest the right club to hit based on the adjusted yardage. While these features aren’t legal for USGA tournament play, they are very useful for practice rounds and getting to know an unfamiliar golf course. It’s also important to note that you can easily turn off the TGR features to make the device legal to use in tournament play.

    Testing this rangefinder at home in Florida might be tricky since most of the golf courses are flat and the highest point in the entire state is only 345 feet above sea level. So, to put Leupold’s True Golf Range feature to the test, I flew west to the Rocky Mountains! While attending the ING Spring Conference in beautiful Heber City, Utah I found the ideal place to test the Leupold GX-2i2. At close to 6000 feet in altitude, Wasatch Mountain State Park‘s mountain course is a perfect example of alpine golf at its finest. The front nine rises two miles up into the mountains, and the back nine descends back down to the clubhouse.

    WastachMountainStateParkThe dramatic elevation changes of this course and high altitude of the Heber Valley area make club selection very difficult for someone like me who usually plays at sea level. The thinner air means the golf ball travels 10-15% further, and while that can be a huge ego boost for tee shots, the sometimes severe uphill and downhill holes require lots of imagination to get the correct distance with approach shots. Golf blogger extraordinaire and Salt Lake City resident Tony Korologos knows this better than most.

    To set up the True Golf Range and Club Selector features, you simply go through the menu options on the screen while looking through the rangefinder’s reticle. When you turn on TGR, the GX-2i2 will ask you to input the altitude, temperature and how far you hit a typical four, six and eight iron shot. Once equipped with this data, the GX-2i2 will not only give you the actual line-of-sight yardage to your target (accurate to a tenth of a yard), but it will also will give you an adjusted distance based on the temperature, altitude and slope. Not only that, but the GX-2i2 will also suggest which club to hit based on this information.

    I know what you are thinking – That’s cool and all, but how well does it work? Fantastically! For my high altitude testing in the mountains of Utah, the True Golf Range feature worked flawlessly. I remember a few specific situations in which I simply didn’t trust the adjusted distance, but went with it anyway and I’m glad I did.

    The 12th hole at Wasatch Mountain is a straight downhill par 5 that measures 635 yards from the back tees. Now, I’m a pretty long hitter (I average about 290 off the tee according to Game Golf) but 635 yards is no joke! Well, after a drive that measured about 377 yards, I was left with 254 yards to the flag for my second shot. The Leupold GX-2i2 told me the adjusted yardage was 219 and to hit a four iron. I have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of hitting a four iron over 250 yards, but in the name of science – I hit it anyway! I flushed it, and to my surprise the ball landed on the green and ended up pin high. Mind blown.

    The next situation came up on the 17th hole, a 223 yard downhill par 3. On that day I had 217 yards to the pin, and the GX-2i2 suggested a seven iron. Again, my brain is just not able to process hitting a seven iron 217 yards, but being an obedient test subject I pulled a seven iron and hit it pin high. Mind blown again.

    GX-2i2 carry caseIn my 54 holes of testing the Leupold GX-2i2 rangefinder at high altitudes in the mountains of Utah, I found that the True Golf Range was amazingly accurate and invaluable for me. The Club Selector feature is a very nice addition, but I found that I mostly ignored the club suggestions because not every shot is a stock iron shot in golf. When in doubt however, it proved very useful. This rangefinder is staying in my golf bag for a long time, even if I don’t use TGR for tournament play. It’s accurate, light weight and packs a lot of technology into a nice compact package.

    Perhaps my buddy Tony will want a ruling now because without the GX-2i2 rangefinder and its whiz-bang technology there is no way I could have beaten him 1-up in our tightly contested 36 hole grudge match at the fantastic Soldier Hollow Golf Course. In my defense, I was actually playing with a torn retina in my right eye, but that’s a story for another day…

  • 2015 PGA Show – Best New Accessories

    Ogio Silencer Golf Bag
    Ogio Silencer Golf Bag

    Perhaps the most diverse and interesting group of products at the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando is the accessories category. We see all kinds of electronics, soft goods, golf bags and various other products that it is hard to narrow the list down to just a few standouts. 2015 was no exception as we were able to sample quite a number of cool gadgets. Here are the ones that stood out in the crowd:

    • Arccos Golf – Arccos Golf is a game analysis platform that allows golfers to capture information about their swing, club performance and statistics in real time via a set of sensors installed to each club that connect to your phone or tablet via bluetooth. The amount of data collected can be overwhelming, but the mobile app and website help to dissect the information and pinpoint areas that need improvement. Easy to use and priced competitively, Arccos should be a big hit with the tech-savvy golfer looking for advanced stats and game tracking.
    • Golfersskin Sunscreen – Hopefully the sun is out most of the time when you play golf. After all, enjoying time outdoors is partly why we play. Too much time in the sun however, and you can develop sunburns or even skin cancer. Most sunscreens are oily and messy, but Golfersskin was developed specifically for golfers to be easy to apply without hurting your grip on the club. It’s not oily or slick and cleans up easily, while protecting from the sun as well as any sunscreen out there. It’s also fragrance free so it won’t attract bugs.
    • Izzo Swammi GT – There are many cool rangefinders and GPS devices on the market, and you can spend upwards of $600 on the latest models. That’s what makes the $199 Izzo Swami GT so attractive. It provides quick and accurate GPS yardages for over 30,000 courses, plus it includes game tracking technology using NFC sensors similar to GAME GOLF. It’s a simple, easy to use device with no frills.
    • Ogio Silencer Golf Bag – Ogio has been making very high quality products for as long as I’ve known about them. Their golf bags are among the most functional, stylish and durable on the market. The new Ogio Silencer golf bags have a great feature that locks each club so that they don’t bang together while being transported. This not only saves the clubs from bag nicks and bag wear, but also cuts down on noise. In fact, the Silencer system keeps the clubs locked in the bag even upside down.
    • Golf Pride MCC Plus4 Grips – There hasn’t been much change in golf grips for decades, because there really isn’t much you can do within the rules and, frankly, rubber is rubber! Golf Pride has been one of the leaders in golf grips for decades and are widely used on all professional tours around the world. What most pros do that most amateur golfer don’t do however, is build up the grips with additional tape for less taper under the right hand. The new Golf Pride MCC Plus4 grips feature a larger lower hand and new softer rubber material. They have a 4.6% larger lower hand diameter than the Original MCC. The larger diameter of the Plus4 encourages lighter grip pressure, reduced tension and just feels better to me. The lower hand has a soft rubber compound ideal for enhanced feel and the upper hand material is a soft compound with brushed cotton cord.
    • Switchgrips Putter Grips – Changing grips is a pain and can be expensive, especially for putters. Switchgrips has taken the grip world by storm by letting people change their grips without cutting and installing a new one every time. With their proprietary under listing and interchangeable grips, if you want a change simply loosen with the torx wrench, pull the old one off and slide and twist a new one it into place. Grips come in different colors, sizes and materials, including rubber, leather and exotics like Alligator and Ostrich.
    • Ernest ES14 Launch Monitor – Launch monitors are all the rage for club fitting these days, and even golf telecasts on TV use them to show viewers information about tee shots. While the ones used by golf pros and high-end fitters can cost upwards of $40,000, Ernest Sports has a few models that cost under $500. Sure, the expensive units from Trackman and FlightScope are able to track the entire ball flight using military grade doppler radar, but the Ernest Sports ES14 is still able to give you all the information you need like club speed, ball speed, spin, launch angle, carry distance and smash factor, all in a compact package that fits in your golf bag. Oh yeah, and you don’t have to sell your car to buy one either.
    • Jan Craig Head Covers – The most basic of golf accessories, the head cover is often overlooked by many golfers when spending their hard earned dollars. Any time you buy a new driver or fairway wood you get a head cover, but those clubs are also the clubs that are most frequently stolen, along with putters. They are easy targets for thieves with their bright colors and easy-to-identify designs. Jan Craig makes premium hand-knit 100% worsted wool head covers that look great and mask your clubs’ brand to help deter thieves, but they are also beautiful and guaranteed for life. They’ve been around since the early 1960’s so they aren’t “new”, but they may be new to you! If you were paying attention to the past two Ryder Cups, you may have noticed that those cool looking head covers the US team was using were made by Jan Craig. These are simply the best made head covers you can buy. They are perfect for an old-school guy like me, and the fact that you can designing your own knit head covers on their website to suit your tastes is the icing on the cake for me.

    Jan Craig Headcovers
    Jan Craig Headcovers

  • Voice Caddie VC300

    Voice Caddie VC300

    Voice Caddy VC300When I saw the original concept for the Voice Caddy a few years ago at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, my first thought was “The world doesn’t need another golf GPS device,” but I was wrong. Several years have gone by and UComm Technology, the Korean company behind the Voice Caddy VC300 has improved greatly on their design and I believe this little gem is ready for prime time.

    Simplicity

    As more and more golf GPS devices hit the market, they keep adding features that make them more complicated and hard to use. Voice Caddy has gone the other direction with the VC300. They decided to do one thing, and do it well. The Voice Caddy VC300 simply gives you distances to the front, middle and back of the green, along with the ability to measure any shot distance from point A to point B. That’s it. No hard to read maps, useless scorecard features or complicated stat tracking features. The VC300 only weighs 24 grams and easily fits in the palm of your hand, measuring 45 x 45 x 12 mm. (see image below)

    Design

    The VC300 has a very “Apple” feel to it. The packaging and design are very similar to the way Apple presents their electronics and this philosophy appears to be deliberate. The design is slick, smooth and free of clutter. The device has three buttons – power, volume +/- and the main button that makes up the entire face of the device. It is also gesture-enabled like a smartphone. Despite the unit being so small and light, the VC300’s distinguishing feature is instead of showing you yardages on an LCD screen, it tells you the distance audibly, speaking out the yardage when called upon.

    Voice Caddy VC300Function

    Because the VC300 is so simple, operation is easy and straightforward. Turn the unit on and it speaks a welcome message and tells you the battery charge level. From there, in a few moments the unit will find the golf course automatically from a database of over 30,000 courses built in to the device. That course database is also user upgradable through the VC Manager software available on their website, and everything is free. There are no hidden costs, no subscription fees. The unit clips to the brim of your hat or your belt and detects which hole you are on, announcing it when you arrive at the tee box.

    To get yardages one simply pushes the main button, and Voice Caddy will speak the hole and yardage to the middle of the green. “Hole number 6, center, 120 yards.” Swipe your finger towards the front of the unit and you get yardage to the back of the green. Swipe the VC300’s face from front to back and you get the yardage to the front of the green. Double-tap the main button to get distance to the front and back of the green. You can measure the distance between any two points by holding the main button for a few seconds at the starting point, then holding the main button a few seconds at the finish, and Voice Caddy will tell you how far the distance traveled is. This is great for measuring your booming tee shots, or not great, depending how far you actually hit it!

    Details

    The Voice Caddy VC300 is available in three colors: Black, White and Pink. It is also available in seven languages: English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese and Korean. The little device charges in only 2 hours and they claim the charge is good for 8 hours. When the VC300 arrived for testing it had a 28% charge out of the box. I managed to play 18 holes with it anyway. In fact, the battery died just as I pulled up to the 18th green, so that 8 hour life is probably a little understated. I bet you could squeeze 36 holes of play out of this thing.

    Shortcomings

    There are a few little issues that I noticed with the Voice Caddy VC300 during my testing. First, the distance measuring feature didn’t work every time I tried. A few times when I arrived at my drive and pushed the button for several seconds, nothing happened. It’s as if the unit forgot about it. Oops. Another small annoyance is the placement and sensitivity of the volume buttons. When installing or taking the VC300 off my hat brim, I instinctually grab it by the bottom for leverage, but that is where the volume buttons are and I always push them by mistake. Not a flaw, but perhaps the next version could move the volume controls to a less obvious place. Finally, on one particular course when arriving at the tee, it announced each hole as a par 4 when they sometimes were par 3s and 5s. Not a big deal because that info is largely irrelevant, but perhaps their course databases are off. Either way, none of these issues affect the accuracy of the yardages, which were always within a yard or two, confirmed by a Bushnell Tour Z6 Jolt laser rangefinder in my testing.

    Voice Caddy VC300Conclusions

    For $149, you get the smallest, lightest golf GPS device on the market that I am aware of. It measures distance, and doesn’t do anything else that golfers aren’t interested in like keep score, show you bad pictures and take up space. I’ve always preferred laser rangefinders over GPS devices because of accuracy and the ability to get a distance from any landmark or tree, whereas a GPS like this only gives you front, middle and back of the green. But what I found when using the Voice Caddy VC300 is that it is so simple and unobtrusive that I enjoyed using it. Because it’s clipped to my hat, I never have to think about it and I know I won’t leave it in the grass somewhere.

    As a blogger I always show up to play golf with new clubs and gadgets to try out, and I can get a good idea of how well they will do by the reactions and interest level of my playing partners. After all, they are my focus group. Plus, they all happen to fall within the target demographic of most golf companies. When I brought out the VC300 for several games, nearly everyone liked the concept and said they would be interested in having one. Considering the large price tags of laser rangefinders and more elaborate GPS devices, the Voice Caddy VC300’s $149 price tag, sleek design and simplicity of use makes it an instant winner.

  • 8 Golf Products You Can’t Live Without

    8 Golf Products You Can’t Live Without

    Drink_CaddyThe golf industry is no different than any other industry in that there is no shortage of copy-cats, corner cutters and imitators out there. Every major golf equipment manufacturer has had their products cloned, and anyone with a good idea better cash in fast because you can bet someone out there will try to copy it at some point. I’ve seen hundreds and hundreds of new products introduced over the years with varying levels of success. Some are upgrades of existing products or ideas, and others are totally new concepts. Here are eight cool products that I have come across lately that deserve your attention!

    Drink Caddy

    The Drink Caddy (seen above) is part novelty item, part useful gadget. Many golfers like to have a drink or three when they play golf. This wouldn’t be much of an issue, other than the policy many courses have that don’t allow outside food or beverages on the course. They want to sell you their $3 Gatorades and $5 beers. Instead of stuffing beer cans in your bag, the Drink Caddy helps by disguising a drink dispenser as just another club in your bag. There is a pretty large 52oz (1.5 liters) reservoir that hides away in your bag, attached to the dispenser that pumps the liquid of your choice on demand. It works great and is easy to clean and use. You can’t use it with carbonated drinks, but other than that it is a great option for those hit-and-giggle scramble events to carry rum, vodka, wine or boring old water. You decide!

    NexbeltNexbelt – The Belt With No Holes

    My new favorite apparel accessory is Nexbelt belts. Just like the tagline says, they have no holes. Instead, Nexbelt has designed a belt that uses a kind of ratchet system to size the belt. This system helps in a couple of ways. First, it allows a more precise fit than the old fashioned holes, and can be easily adjusted without drawing attention to your crotch. The other bonus of this design is that it allows them to make one belt for everyone up to 50″. You buy the belt, size yourself and then cut the extra length off yourself. They have dozens of styles and colors for men and women, work, casual and golf. Give them a look and access the online shop here.

    magnecaddyMagneCaddy

    This is as simple as you can get for a golf accessory. Have a bad back? Hurts to bend down and pick up your clubs around the green? Just install the MagneCaddy on the end of your putter and pick up those wedges with ease. The device screws into the little hole on the butt end of your grips and uses a powerful magnet to pick up anything metallic. When I say powerful, I mean it. I picked up a sand wedge with it and shook it in the air, but the MagneCaddy held it strong. The only problem with a magnet this strong is that it will cling to anything made of metal, including your car, the golf cart, other clubs in the bag, etc.

    polara golf ballsPolara Self-Correcting Golf Balls

    “Dammit, that golf ball flies too straight!” Ever hear anyone say that on the golf course? Yeah, me neither. The average golfer still hits the ball all over the place, despite all the wonderful technology in those $400 drivers that promise we won’t. Polara Golf is the only company that can back up those claims. They make a golf ball that flies so straight it’s illegal. The Polara golf ball has dimples of different sizes and depth arranged in a specific way as to self-correct in flight. As a result, when properly aligned to the target these golf balls fly on a flatter, knuckleball-like trajectory and they go very, very straight. The shallow dimples around the center of the ball are what help them fly straight, but they also reduce lift, meaning they will fly lower and carry less than regular golf balls. However, the lower spin also means they will roll more after landing. Overall I noticed a small difference in distance over a normal golf ball. Use a high lofted driver to counteract the lower ball flight and spin and these balls are awesome. They even make their own (illegal) driver to use with them that helps even more. Obviously you can’t use them in any USGA sanctioned events, but for the casual golfer they can certainly help make the game more fun!

    Renegar Golf WedgesRenegar Wedges

    Bob Renegar has been around for a while, but you may never have heard of him. He first designed his unique wedges under a different name, but he’s now selling his scoring clubs under the Renegar Golf brand. The Renegar wedge has a sole grind that is unlike any other on the market. According to Renegar, it allows the golfer to produce virtually any kind of shot around the greens, from any lie. The grind allowed them to lower the leading edge of the club without losing bounce. This permits the club to perform well from a variety of lies and circumstances around the green. This versatility is key for a good short game. I’ve used a similar sole grind for years, even if it isn’t exactly like his. In early testing, Renegar wedges are a joy to chip with and can handle closely mown collars, deep bermuda rough and sand with ease. Look for a complete play test and review of these cool wedges soon!

    Bushnell Tour Z6 JoltBushnell Tour Z6 Jolt

    I have become attached to my rangefinder in much the same way that many people are to their smartphones. I’m so dependent on it that I can remember the exact date and course that I last played without one. Over the years they have greatly improved on the technology that was originally borrowed from range finders designed for hunting. Now, most models from all the major brands have some sort of flag-lock feature to be sure you are hitting the flag, not the trees behind the green when shooting a yardage. The Bushnell Tour Z6 Jolt is one of the best. Not only does Bushnell’s Pinseeker technology work well, but the unit also vibrates when lock is established so you can be sure. The Z6 Jolt is also light and the display is very bright, so you can use it in all conditions. A review on this one is also coming soon!

    Swiftwick SocksSwiftwick Socks

    Socks are socks, right? Except when they aren’t. Swiftwick makes compression socks for all sports including golf. No matter what sport you play, you want your feet to be comfy. Swiftwick socks fit like new every time you put them on, and provide support and moisture wicking for your feet. Not only that, but they look cool, come in many different sizes, colors and styles and they are made in the USA. What more do you need? Try them out!

    Personal Golf TotePersonal Golf Tote

    From the “Why didn’t I think of that” department comes the simple but very handy Personal Golf Tote from Cynwark. We’ve all had to share a golf cart with a basket hog at one time or another. You know the type – they throw all their stuff in the basket behind the seats, leaving you no room to toss your empty beer cans and head covers. The nerve of some people. So you do what we all do, throw your stuff in the front storage compartments and end up leaving your sunglasses and keys behind. Well, now you don’t have to fight over the basket or forget stuff in the cart. Simply hang the Personal Golf Tote over the side of the cart from the seat handle and put your keys, wallet, snacks, golf balls, tees, your range finder, sunscreen and whatever else in it for safe keeping. At first I was afraid of the guys making fun of it, but they all thought it was a neat idea, and the ladies absolutely love it. Simple but thoughtful. It’s the perfect golf gadget!

  • Leupold GX-4i2 Rangefinder

    Leupold GX-4i2 RangefinderWhat do guns and golf have in common? The technology in many of the best rangefinders used on the golf course comes from rifle scopes and range finders made for hunting and military use. The latest offering from optics company Leupold has taken golf rangefinder technology to the limit with its new model – The GX-4i2 Rangefinder.

    The GX-4i2 Rangefinder is light, compact and well made. Leopold’s Smart Key technology now conforms to USGA Rule 14-3 concerning distance measuring devices. It also features an improved PinHunter 2 Laser and a bright, vivid OLED display. Add to that some proprietary features such as True Golf Range (TGR) and Club Selector and you have a virtual caddy in your pocket.

    The GX-4i2 can be tailored to your own personal ball-striking abilities, or used for tournament play when permitted by local rules simply by switching out the smart key plate. The silver chrome faceplate disables the TGR and slope features to make it simply measure distance, making it legal for tournament play according to USGA and R&A rules.

    However, the real fun starts when you install the yellow plastic smart key. The mini-USB key enables all the cool wiz-bang features for use in casual golf or tournament practice rounds. True Golf Range is a set of algorithms that help the user select the correct club for each shot. To use it, you input the current temperature, altitude you are at and how far you typically hit your 4, 6 and 8 irons. Once your data has been entered, the GX-4i2 measures distance and slope, then recommends the right club to hit. So far in my testing, the GX-4i2 has been very accurate in selecting the proper club. Of course there are variables it can’t take into account that affect distance – like wind, course conditions and other intangibles such as player confidence and adrenaline, but for the most part it has been very accurate on the relatively flat courses here in Florida. I would love to test it further in the mountains where courses have more slope and altitude is a factor. I would send it over to my friend Tony from Hooked on Golf Blog in Utah for some high altitude testing, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t get it back!

    The Leupold GX-4i2 isn’t cheap at an MSRP of $599, but you get a very high quality rangefinder that can be used for tournament play or casual golf with the TGR feature enabled. It measures distance in yards or meters, works even in foggy conditions and is waterproof in case it rains. The optics are top notch, very clear and red OLED display is very bright and easy to read in all lighting conditions. The device is very light and compact, making it very simple to use. Leopold crafted the GX-4i2 from aircraft grade aluminum to ensure that it will last. The only concern came from some of my older friends that had trouble keeping it steady enough to capture the pin. If the flag stick has a reflective prism installed, the GX-4i2 will lock in on it very quick. Without a prism it may take a few shots to get it right. In terms of accuracy, the GX-4i2 is probably the best on the market. Leopold claims accuracy down to 6 inches at up to 800 yards off a reflective surface, and 450 yards off a pin.

    If you are willing to shell out 600 bucks for premium quality optics, precision laser accuracy and class leading technology all wrapped in a solid, compact package, the Leopold GX-412 is the model for you. Simply put, it’s the best golf rangefinder I’ve ever used.

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