Tag: Srixon

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
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
Lostgolfballs.com – Never Buy New Golf Balls Again
It is estimated that golfers lose about 300 million golf balls per year in the United States alone. That’s a lot of cash sitting at the bottom of a lake! So tell me, why are you paying full retail price for golf balls? Professional golfers on the PGA Tour will use between 5 and 9 golf balls per round on average. That’s fine for them because they get their balls free. The average weekend golfer may also use several golf balls per round, but that’s usually because they get lost in the trees or water!

Lostgolfballs.com finds those golf balls, cleans them up and sells them back to you at a deep discount. They have been doing it for over twenty years, and they are the best at it. Golf is hard, and let’s be honest – Most golfers suck at it. Company founder Gary Krueger knows this better than most. He played on the PGA Tour. Think I’m exaggerating? Lostgolfballs.com recovered, recycled and sold over 43 million golf balls in 2015. That accounts for 6% of all golf balls sold worldwide! Since the company started they’ve processed and sold close to 530 million golf balls. That’s million, with a capital M.

The Recovery Process

As the company likes to say, every golf ball is used once it has been hit. Lostgolfballs.com uses a proprietary and environmentally friendly cleaning system that washes every golf ball without damaging its original condition. Once they have been cleaned and sorted by brand and model, the golf balls are given a rating from A to AAAAA. Golf balls rated AAAAA (5A) are in almost new condition and show hardly any signs of wear, if at all. The most common difference between a 5A rated used ball and a new ball will be some ink left over from the previous owner’s personal markings that the cleaning process wasn’t able to fully remove. AAAA (4A) golf balls will show minor signs of wear, similar to a golf ball that has been played for a few holes, but with no drop in performance.

Why Buy Used?

In a word? Cost! Lostgolfballs.com sells their 5A rated golf balls at almost 50% off the retail price, and in some cases more than 50% off. AAAA (4A) and AAA (3A) rated balls are even less. Taking the most popular golf ball as an example – The Titleist Pro V1 and V1x golf balls retail new for $47.99 per dozen. At lostgolfballs.com, the cost for a dozen is $26.99 (5A), $21.99 (4A) and $14.99 (3A). Furthermore, you can buy in bulk. Titleist Pro V1 buckets of 50 or 100 (5A quality) are available for $111.99 and $223.99, respectively. When buying brand new, you pay $4 per golf ball. When buying used, 5A quality balls you pay about $2.25 each. If you choose 4A rated balls you’ll pay $1.83 each.

Does A Used Ball Perform Like New?

When it comes to golf balls, they don’t make ’em like they used to, and that’s a great thing for us! Golf balls are no longer constructed with liquid cores and rubber windings, and as a result they are far more consistent and durable than they have ever been. It’s not uncommon for golfers to play multiple rounds with the same golf ball. Personally, I’ve played 54 holes with one ball before, and after a quick cleaning by hand it still resembled one of lostgolfballs.com’s 4A rated balls.

To help consumers understand that used golf balls perform just as well as new ones, lostgolfballs.com did some testing at an independent research facility to compare used balls they sell with brand new versions of the same balls. Given the variables in testing and statistical margin for error, the data showed that the difference between the used balls and new balls was almost negligible. In some cases the used balls even flew further than the new ones!

To Summarize…
- Lostgolfballs.com’s recycled golf balls fly just as far and spin just as much as their new versions.
- Used golf balls are much cheaper than new balls, and in some cases over 50% cheaper.
- AAAAA (5A) rated golf balls are almost like new and show little (if any) signs of wear.
- Every major brand and model is available – Titleist, Callaway, Taylor Made, Srixon, Bridgestone, Nike and more
- Free shipping on orders over $100
Give lostgolfballs.com a try if you are in the market for golf balls, and I know you are. I think you’ll be impressed at the quality of golf balls you get, and you’ll get a lot more for your money too. Once you’ve played a few holes with them you’ll realize you’ve been wasting money all these years, and you’ll never buy new golf balls again.
April 11, 2016
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
Cleveland Golf Introduces New TFI Smart Square Putter

Cleveland Golf/Srixon have been a little quiet lately, and their focus has shifted a bit in the last year. Cleveland has always been known as a wedge company, and they are focusing more on that this season and allowing Srixon to be the main club company for a change. But Cleveland has put out some nice putters also, and the new TFI Smart Square is their new flagship flat stick. Here are some excerpts from the press release introducing the new putter.

Cleveland® Golf , the leader in short game innovation for players of all abilities, is pleased to introduce the new TFI Smart Square® putter. The TFI (True Feel Innovation) Smart Square putter is the most advanced putter that the company has ever created. The tour-inspired design features a milled, copper-infused face cap over a copolymer insert for the ultimate in feel and consistency. The combination of materials allows for immediate feedback from sound and feel when striking the ball, while the putter’s copolymer insert creates soft feel and consistent speed across the club face. The TFI Smart Square putter, which features Smart Square alignment technology, couples a High Density Stabilizing Wing with a Low Density Aluminum Body resulting in increased head MOI for greater stability and minimal distance loss on off-center hits.

Smart Square Alignment Technology

Following intensive research into the most successful putters of all time and what golfers focus on when they align a putt, the new TFI Smart Square putter, along with its highly successful predecessors the Smart Square Blade and Mallet putters, incorporates alignment technology that has proven to be the most advanced – and simplest – that Cleveland Golf has ever created.

The key to the Smart Square technology is Dual Axis Alignment®. Two squares create parallel lines that frame the ball at address and provide a clear visual path to the hole. They also generate two perpendicular lines that easily highlight when the putter is misaligned – even by a fraction of a degree. Cleveland Golf’s testing shows players aligned Smart Square putters 23% more accurately than one of the most popular putters of all time.

In case you didn’t figure it out, the putter they are referring to is the Odyssey Two-Ball. But anyway, let’s see some photos of the TFI Smart Square!

April 23, 2015
2015 PGA Show – Best New Golf Balls
Callaway Chrome Soft

Frankly, I’ve become tired of all the promises golf ball manufacturers like to make about how their latest ball goes further, feels softer and spins more. We hear it every year around this time when the new models come out, but very few can actually deliver on their promises. Let’s take a look at the golf balls that lived up to the hype at the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show, and those that didn’t deliver. When you are done, come back up and click here to see the best new golf balls at the 2016 PGA Show!

The Usual Suspects
- Bridgestone E Series – Bridgestone Golf has performed over a quarter million live launch monitor fittings since starting their golf ball fitting program. This feedback from this testing has helped Bridgestone develop golf balls for every type of golfer, and the newest E series balls reflect the ongoing efforts to fit the right golf ball to each golfer. The Bridgestone E5, E6 & E7 golf balls feature WEB Dimple Technology that increases surface coverage by more than 10%. The E5 ball is designed to fly higher for the slower swinger or low ball hitters out there looking for more height. The E6 is softer and designed to spin less for straighter shots, and is the most popular ball in the series. The E6 has consistently been a favorite of testers during Golf Digest’s Hot List ball testing. (Even though we weren’t supposed to know what ball it was, I found out in some cases. Of course if I told you how I found out I would have to kill you.) Finally, the E7’s dimple pattern and construction are optimized for a more piercing ball flight for those who hit the ball high.
- Srixon Z-Star & Z-Star XV – I’ve been playing Srixon golf balls almost exclusively since 2009, when the original Z-Star golf ball arrived. I was bitter when Titleist killed the wound “Tour Prestige” golf ball to focus on producing the new Pro V1, and I struggled to adjust to the solid core golf ball. The softer feel and added spin of the Z-Star helped my game almost immediately, and I haven’t looked back since. The latest Srixon Z-Star and Z-Star XV balls feature a new “Spin Skin” coating on the urethane cover that improves friction between the golf ball and club surface by 20%, according to the company. Players looking for a ball that spins around the green with soft feel off the putter but still remains controllable for flighted tee shots and workability with irons should look no further. Obviously I’m a bit biased, but I still think it’s hard to find a golf ball that performs better than the Z-Star.
- Titleist ProV1 & ProV1x – Every couple of years, Titleist brings us a new version of their flagship ProV1 golf ball. And every two years they promise the same things. Distance! More spin! Softer feel! Just read for yourself from their website – “The new Pro V1 and Pro V1x deliver extraordinary distance and consistent flight. And there’s more short game control, even softer feel and long-lasting durability.” Seriously, how much more “short game control” and softer feel can I have? What does that even mean? All kidding aside, the Titleist ProV1 and ProV1x are the most popular golf ball on the professional tours and with many amateurs for good reason. It’s a great golf ball. What I’m trying to say is, buy with confidence because we all know the new ProV1 will perform, but don’t get too down if you don’t see much improvement in the new ball over last year’s version.
- Nike RZN Black Volt – Speaking of colored golf balls… Nike has developed the RZN Black Volt golf ball in part to go with the new Vapor woods and irons which incorporate a similar yellow trip color scheme. The golf ball is essentially identical to the RZN Black tour ball that features the interlocking RZN core design that is supposed to deliver more energy between the layers for faster ball speeds and longer distance, according to Nike. The ball is softer than previous generations, which is good because the first RZN ball they delivered was hard as a rock. Watch for several Nike staffers to be playing the new RZN Black Volt on tour.
The Up & Comers
- Volvik – The South Korean company that has been making golf balls for over 30 years, and chances are you may not have heard of them! Their golf balls have been used to make over $5 Million, with 10 victories and 70 top ten finishes on men’s and ladies professional tours. Their most popular golf ball is the White Color S3 golf ball and the new White Color S4 was just launched. The S4 improves on the S3 golf ball by having a firmer feel and less spin for faster swing speed players. The original White Color S3 is in play by almost 70 tour pros, and the S4 should be very popular also. Volvik is famous for being the most popular colored golf ball on the market, so the golf balls are not only available in white, but several other bright colors as well.
- Wilson Duo & Duo Spin – Have you ever hit a golf ball with a 29 compression rating? That’s how soft Wilson claims the Duo golf ball is. While “compression” ratings from manufacturer to manufacturer can vary wildly, it’s still a very, very soft golf ball. The main complaint against the Duo was lack of spin, so they are now offering the Wilson Duo Spin ball to fix that problem. With a slightly higher 35 “compression” and softer cover, the Duo Spin is sure to be a hit with golfers who prefer a very soft feel and added spin around the green.
- Hopkins VL Pro – I love Hopkins wedges and have their fantastic 60 degree “channel” grind wedge in the bag as a gamer, but they offer golf balls too, and they are very good. To paraphrase their website, the Hopkins VL Pro golf balls are round, white and they perform just as well or better than the other balls they compete with, for a cheaper price. They sell for $22.99 per dozen and get even cheaper if you buy several dozen.
Disappointment
- OnCore MA 1.0 – A few years back, a startup called OnCore Golf sent me a dozen golf balls to try out that had a hollow, solid metal core. I thought the concept was interesting, but the first batch of balls I got from them didn’t work very well, because the covers were literally falling apart. A bad batch of golf balls had been sent to me in error. Fast forward 3 or 4 years, and OnCore has a new model golf ball called the MA 1.0 (Maximum Accuracy). This time around, the hollow metal core golf balls have been USGA approved. The concept behind the OnCore MA 1.0 is that by having a hollow core, the weight is shifted towards the perimeter of the ball to create a higher moment of inertia, reducing side-spin and leading to straighter shots. Unfortunately, this claim doesn’t seem to make any scientific sense, and I haven’t seen any data to back up their claims. Sure, the ionomer cover of this golf ball won’t provide much extra spin, but you won’t get much feel either. You’d need a urethane cover for that. Having said that, the problem I have is not with the technology or performance claims, but the price. When you offer a distance ball at a $44.99 price point that is normally reserved for tour caliber balls, your ball better deliver. I fail to see how the OnCore MA 1.0 can out perform the class-leading Bridgestone E6, which costs half as much as the OnCore.
To The Victor Go The Spoils
- Callaway Chrome Soft – Callaway took the golf ball market by storm this year with the introduction of their new Chrome Soft golf ball. Any company can add a soft urethane cover to a low compression golf ball, but nobody has found a way to make that ball playable without spinning too much or flying too high – until now. The Callaway Chrome Soft features a resilient, 65 compression “SoftFast” core with mushy thermoplastic urethane cover and Callaway’s hex aerodynamics. As a golfer with tour-level swing speeds, I was worried about two things when testing this ball – over-compression and ballooning ball flight. Over-compression would mean a loss of energy and distance for faster swingers, and ballooning ball flight would be one that flies very high and out of control with too much spin. I experienced neither with the Callaway Chrome Soft. The ball feels soft, yet solid on full swings and flies on a stable mid-high trajectory. Knockdown shots are no problem. The Chrome Soft spins at least as much as other urethane cover balls like the ProV1, Z-Star and Bridgestone B330. In fact, on partial swing wedge shots I seem to get more spin, which makes sense when talking about a softer compression ball. I tried to dislike this ball, but I can’t. This is a great golf ball. My feelings were justified a week after my own testing when I learned that several Callaway staffers would put the ball in play on tour, including none other than Phil Mickelson. The feedback so far has been very favorable. Now is the time for you to try this ball. You’ll love it too.
February 2, 2015
2015 PGA Show – Best New Clubs
Knuth Golf – High Heat Driver

We were in attendance at the madness that was the 2015 PGA Merchandise Show last week, and other than registering about 18,000 steps (8.5 miles) on the pedometer each day, we met many old friends and saw lots and lots of golf products in the more than 1 million square feet of exhibit space at the Orange County Convention Center. As always, some products stood out among the rest. Here’s a few of the golf clubs that caught our eye this year.

Best New Clubs
- Bridgestone J15 irons, J715 & J815 Drivers – Bridgestone hasn’t released any new clubs for a couple of years, but fans of the brand have plenty of options in 2015. Bridgestone golf has released two new drivers and five new iron models. The J15 muscle back, cavity back, driving forged, dual pocket forged and cast irons have something for every level of golfer from low handicap to beginner golfers. The J715 driver has a cleaner, more traditional look, while the J815 driver gives more forgiveness and higher launch angles.
Bridgestone J715 Driver
- Nike Vapor – 2015 brings some new offerings from Nike Golf as well. The new Vapor Speed, Vapor Pro and Vapor Flex drivers give every level of golfer a club fit for their game. The Vapor Flex is Tiger Woods’ model of choice, while the Vapor Pro is in Rory McIlroy’s bag, and the Vapor Speed is for the rest of us who need more help. Matching the drivers and fairway woods are three new Vapor iron models, similarly called Vapor Speed (more forgiveness), Vapor Pro Combo (Cavity back w/ feel & forgiveness), and the Vapor Pro (Small cavity back/blade for feel and workability) The Vapor Pro blades were one of the best new irons I tested, and are sure to be popular with better players that fancy the Nike brand.
Nike Vapor Irons
- Ben Hogan Golf – The biggest club story of the 2015 PGA Show was the re-birth of Ben Hogan Golf. Club designer Terry Koehler has not only given us a beautiful forged blade worthy of the Ben Hogan name, but his unique club fitting system is a much needed innovation for the modern game. Eschewing the traditional numbered iron set, the new Ben Hogan irons and wedges have the club’s loft stamped on the bottom instead. The new Ft. Worth 15 irons and TK 15 wedges combine to offer 44 clubs available with every loft from 20 degrees to 63. This allows golfers to tailor a set to their particular preferences for loft, distance gapping or personal tastes. For example, slower swingers may choose 4 or 5 degree gaps in their long irons as they tend to hit traditional long irons the same distance, or longer hitters may prefer smaller 3 degree gaps in their wedges to cover more yardages in the short game. With soft & surprisingly playable forged 1025 carbon steel heads in 44 different lofts and the most playable sole grind on any wedge available – V-Sole (Increased leading edge bounce, decreased trailing edge bounce creates a V- shaped sole) The new Ben Hogan irons and wedges are going to be a big hit. Even mid to high handicappers have praised the clubs for being easier to hit than anticipated for a forged blade.
Ben Hogan Ft. Worth Irons
- Callaway PM Grind Wedge – Phil Mickelson is one of the most influential players in golf. His long relationship with Callaway Golf has led to some interesting club designs and ideas over the years. One of the most recent ideas comes in the form of the new Mac Daddy PM Grind wedges. Wedge designer Roger Cleveland came up with this design at Phil’s request to help him hit high, soft shots around the greens. The wedge features a very high toe area and grooves that extend all the way across the face to the edges. It also has a scalloped sole grind and drill holes to remove weight. The wedge is so new that Callaway haven’t even put it on their website yet. Check out the scoop on PGATour.com here. It’ll be available in May with lofts of 56,58,60 and 64 degrees. Time to work on your flop shot!
Callaway Mac Daddy PM Grind Wedge
- Exotics E8 Woods – What is there to say about the legendary Exotics fairway woods? The best just keep getting better. The new E8, E8 Beta and E8 Tour fairways are as hot and easy to hit as ever. As usual, the Exotics E8 was the most versatile, best looking and best feeling fairway wood I hit at the PGA Demo day. Those wanting a higher launch and a bit more spin to get the ball airborne will favor the E8 (185 cc) , while those that prefer a smaller head and lower spin will gravitate to the E8 Beta (175 cc). The E8 Tour fairways complete the lineup with a compact head size (150cc) and a fancy new manufacturing process called 360 degree robotic laser beam bonding to ensure very precise tolerances. Adjustable hosels (E8 Tour) and weight kits allow for a custom fit, and a multitude of shaft options are available. Prices range from $249 to $399.
Tour Edge Exotics E8 Fairway
- Srixon Z745 – In 2015, the parent company for Srixon & Cleveland Golf (SRI Sports) has repositioned the Srixon brand at the head of the table behind the popularity of their Q-Star and Z-Star golf balls. This year Srixon has released an entirely new line of irons and woods. I’ve had a chance to spend some time testing the Z745 Driver, ZF45 Fairways and Z745 irons, and I’ve come out impressed. Srixon haven’t jumped on the gimmick bandwagon with these clubs. Even though they are modern clubs with hot faces and have adjustable hosels and interchangeable weights, the look and feel of the driver and fairway woods is clean and simple. No fancy paint scheme or alignment marks, no flashy colors or crazy shapes here, just a classic look and shape. The forged cavity back irons have a familiar look that better players and purists will appreciate, and the polished chrome finish on the back edge of the irons reflects the turf, making the club appear thinner at address. The forged feel is solid and delivers great feedback, as expected from a forged club, while providing enough forgiveness for mid handicap players. Higher handicap players may want to try the Z545 driver and irons, which are built with more forgiveness than the Z745 line.
Srixon Z745 Driver

Srixon Z745 Driver

Srixon Z745 Irons

Srixon Z745 Irons

Srixon Z745 Irons

Biggest Surprise
- Knuth Golf High Heat Driver – Perhaps the biggest surprise of the PGA Demo Day, Dean Knuth (Known by many as the “Pope of Slope” for his role in creating the USGA’s slope rating system for golf courses) has introduced a new improved version of the High Heat driver he originally created in 2007. The High Heat driver has the lowest CG (Center of Gravity) of any driver on the market, and the company claims that the low, deep CG also makes the driver more accurate on off center hits than any other driver. If you are among the majority of golfers that tend to make contact slightly off center and lower on the face, this is very good news. Even if you make consistent contact, you need to try this driver! Having hit the High Heat myself, I believe their their claims. The High Heat driver hits the ball very high, very far and very straight. Available with Fujikura and Aldila shafts. $399 direct – www.knuthgolf.com
Biggest Disappointment
- Honma Golf – The Japanese luxury club maker has a strong following in Asia for building top of the line, high performance clubs. If price was not a factor, Honma’s Tour World TW727 Driver, Fairways and TW727M forged blades might very well be in my bag. Being one of the few OEMs that manufacture their own shafts allows them tighter control over quality and the ability to make shafts specifically for their clubs. This advantage translates to better performance and more fitting options. However, given the price of their products they aren’t likely to become very popular in the USA or Europe anytime soon. Street price for the TW727 driver will be around $800 USD, and the irons typically sell for $275 per club ($2200 per set). There are other companies that sell premium priced clubs that compete with Honma, but sadly the elitist mentality and condescending looks I’ve gotten from the Honma reps at the PGA Show for the last several years has turned me off to the brand. Perhaps if I had a check in hand for $3000 I may have been treated better.
January 31, 2015
Cleveland Classic Driver

Let’s face it – these days to compete in the very competitive golf club market you need to have something unique. Companies like TaylorMade and Callaway spend lots of time and effort (and cash) in promoting their new clubs with flashy ad campaigns and PGA Tour endorsements. With every new driver model that comes out, the golf manufacturers almost always make claims to add distance and/or accuracy to your game, but let’s get real. If all these claims of more distance were true, we’d all be flying it 400 yards by now. I see lots of new club introductions every year, so when something truly unique hits the market I take note.

Cleveland Golf/Srixon made a splash last season with the Z-Star golf balls, the new XL, SL & TL series drivers (which I think are the most underrated on the market) and the re-birth of Never Compromise as a premium putter brand. Not resting on their laurels, they reintroduced one of the most popular wedges of all time in the 588 series, and this time around they are forged. Coming in 2012 is a new line of 588 forged irons in both a cavity back and blade model, and a complete line of Mashie fairway woods, hybrids and irons for the mid to high handicap players. There is also a fantastic new golf ball called the Srixon Q-Star. But the most exciting new product introduction for Cleveland in 2012 are the new Classic drivers.

With drivers becoming more and more complicated with adjustable weights and hosels, interchangeable shafts and busy graphics, Cleveland went the other way with the Classic Driver. With a unique design and color scheme inspired by the persimmon drivers of the 50s and 60s, the Classic driver is sure to turn heads. I know this for a fact, because every time I pull it out of the retro leather barrel head cover, people want to see it. The Classic driver has a traditional pear shaped profile and a large, deep club face. In fact, it's the deepest club face Cleveland has ever produced. The sweet-spot of the driver is framed in by a brass colored section, just like a brass insert from a persimmon driver of yesteryear. The paint is a nice deep reddish brown, as most wooden drivers would have been painted back in the day. The word "Classic" is written along the top as an alignment aid, but I could have done without that as I prefer a clean look with no marks on the top. Either way, this club truly is a modern representation of a persimmon driver, but how does it perform? I put the Classic up against my current gamer, which is Cleveland's awesome Launcher TL310 driver (8.5 degrees loft). When I switched to the Launcher TL310 from the Cleveland Launcher DST, I went from a 43 gram shaft at 46 inches long to a 56 gram shaft at 45 inches, and picked up 10 yards in the process. Not only was I hitting the sweet-spot a bit more with a shorter shaft, but the head and shaft combo on the TL310 worked better for my swing. For this test, Cleveland Golf sent me a Classic 290 driver (7.5 degrees loft) along with a custom Miyazaki C.Kua 56x shaft. This is the same shaft that is in my Launcher TL310. My club maker then built the Classic driver to match the playability characteristics (frequency, shaft deflection & swing weight) of the TL310. As a result, both drivers feel much the same while swinging, and the shafts perform almost identically. After about two months of testing, both in practice sessions, casual play and even some competitive rounds, I can conclude that the Cleveland Classic 290 driver is going to stay in the bag. I can't say with confidence that the Classic is any longer than my Launcher TL310 driver because I've hit bombs with both clubs, and there are too many variables like ambient temperature, wind and course conditions to take into consideration. I'll have to get on a launch monitor for a while to determine which is longer, and if I do I'll be sure to update everyone on the results. What I can say is that the Classic driver spins less than the TL310 and other drivers I've hit recently. In my two months with the Classic, I've noticed that the ball flight is more penetrating and solid shots launch with less spin and seem to knuckle through the air with no ballooning, even into a strong headwind. When you catch a tee shot on the "hot area" of the driver (A shot struck just above the sweetspot), it launches high with very little spin and goes forever. Less spin means more fairways, and I've noticed that I'm hitting the ball with less movement left to right and right to left with the Classic. I've never been a very straight driver so I really notice when my tee shots don't curve as much. If I had to make an educated prediction, I would say that tee shots with the Classic driver carry less but roll more, and the Launcher TL310 hits a ball that carries more but rolls less than the Classic driver. The sound and feel of the Cleveland Classic are a little different than most titanium drivers on the market today. I have to admit I prefer the sound and feel of the TL310, which is a nice high pitch click. At impact, the TL310 feels like the face is flexing, almost like a trampoline. The Classic driver however feels a bit harder, and you can't feel the ball on the face as much at impact. Perhaps this is part of what makes the driver spin less than the TL310. It certainly doesn't feel bad, but its not as smooth as the TL310. If you hit a hard two-piece distance ball with the Classic driver, you might want to wear ear plugs. I recently played in a "glowball" night golf event and the sound of that hard glow in the dark golf ball with the Classic driver left my ears ringing. Check out the video below and you'll see what I mean. I had a chance to ask Nate Radcliffe, Cleveland Golf/Srixon's Metalwoods Development Manager, a few questions about this driver: ITG: What was the origin of the design and the retro theme of the Classic driver? NR: The design of the Classic driver was inspired by our heritage and history in creating persimmon woods decades ago. Cleveland is one of the few remaining OEMs that originally produced a Tour quality persimmon wood. ITG: Is the brass colored face insert area actually an insert, or simply painted differently? NR: The brass colored trapezoid is actually a thin metallic coating that is deposited over the titanium face and sole. The trapezoid hints at original persimmon designs but has drawn many extremely positive comments from our tour staff regarding alignment. ITG: Is the driver a one piece construction, or several pieces welded together? NR: The driver is created from several pcs using multiple, and carefully selected titanium alloys. ITG: How does the Classic driver differ in performance compared to the TL series clubs? NR: The Classic's deep face provides the potential for players with elevated tee heights to produce a high launching yet penetrating ball flight. Relative to the Launcher Ultralite, the Classic will spin slightly less for most players. As far as specs go, there will be something for just about everyone in the Cleveland Classic Driver. There are three different models to choose from: The Classic 270, 290 and Classic Tour. The number designations refer to the club's overall weight. The Classic 270 is the lightest model, with a 460cc club head and a super-light Miyazaki C.Kua 39 shaft and a 25g Golf Pride grip, making it one of the lightest drivers on the market to help slower swingers to gain a few yards by swinging the club faster. The Classic 290 is a bit heavier, with a Miyazaki C.Kua 43 shaft and 36g grip. Also 460cc in size, this one favors a wide range of golfers that want a stronger shaft and more playability. Both the 270 and 290 drivers have a square face angle at address. The Classic Tour driver has a smaller club head that measures 440cc, and sits one degree open at address. Designed for better players and strong swingers, the Tour driver is fitted with a premium Miyazaki Kusala Black 61 shaft that promotes a penetrating trajectory with a very stable feel. This model weighs in at 310 grams. Model: Classic 270 Size: 460cc Lofts Available: 9, 10.5, 12 Shaft: Miyazaki C.Kua 39 MSRP: $299 Model: Classic 290 Size: 460cc Lofts Available: 7.5, 9, 10.5, 12 Shaft: Miyazaki C.Kua 43 MSRP: $299 Model: Classic Tour Size: 440cc Lofts Available: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 Shaft: Miyazaki Kusala Black 61 MSRP: $379 The Cleveland Classic driver will be available in retail locations on Feb 17, 2012. You can also pre-order from Cleveland at shop.clevelandgolf.com
Conclusions & Recommendations
Because the Classic driver is a low spin club, I suggest hitting this one before you buy. You may find that you'll need a bit more loft than usual, which will produce the ideal high-launch, low spin ball flight that is desireable these days for maximum distance. The Classic 290 will probably be the most popular model, with loft options from 7.5 to 12 degrees and a square clubface. With so many custom shaft options it's a good idea to get fitted by a reputable club fitter, should you choose to go with a custom shaft. For 90% of golfers out there I'll recommend the stock Miyazaki shafts. I've been playing them for a few years and they are among the best in golf for stability, consistency and light weight. Cleveland Golf keeps coming up with great clubs, and the Classic driver is no exception. I thought the Launcher XL, SL and TL series drivers were as good as anything on the market, but with the Classic driver they have managed to make a uniquely styled, high performance driver that separates itself from the pack. Not only that, but its price point is better than most of the clubs it competes with. This driver is going to make a big splash in the marketplace, and in my opinion it is worth a demo for everyone serious about their game!
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February 7, 2012
2012 Battle of the Golf Blogs – Preview

For many years, the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida has brought together many of golf’s greatest minds and influential people for its annual trade show. Over one thousand golf companies will be there along with tens of thousands of golf industry insiders, PGA club pros and media. But for some of us, the PGA Show isn’t the highlight of the week. No, for a select few golf bloggers, there is an event even more important than the PGA Show itself. It’s the Battle of the Golf Blogs!

This match-up that pits the editors of four internet golf blogs against each other in a friendly competition is being held for the fourth time in 2012. This year, the annual competition is being held at Reunion Resort on the challenging and beautiful Nicklaus Course. Its namesake, Jack Nicklaus, designed the course as a parkland layout with long horizon lines and elevated tee boxes and greens. Forced carries, undulating greens and plenty of hazards on the 7244 yard course should provide a worthy challenge to the players. Speaking of which, here’s the lineup for this year’s contest:

John Duval of www.intothegrain.com hails from Daytona Beach, FL and carries a +1 handicap. He most looks forward to the lefty challenge, where he plays one hole left handed against Dave Lair with his own clubs. A former ski instructor and professional tennis player from Montreal, Canada, He's adept at playing golf in cold and/or wet weather and loves a good old fashioned hockey fight. John has kind of a "home course" advantage this year, as he's the only one that has played the Reunion Resort's Nicklaus Course. Dave Lair of www.orlandogolfblogger.com lives in Orlando, FL and carries a bag full of left handed clubs. Dave is terribly worried about losing to John in the lefty challenge. A dedicated family man, Dave is the proud father of three future Masters champions. Given more time to practice and play he would be a single digit player in no time. Dave currently plays to a handicap in the high teens, but has been known to throw down a round in the mid 80s and destroy his low handicap playing partners. Like me. Rob Hayashida of www.sandbox8.com comes from Chicago, IL and probably hasn't touched a club since October 2011. Rob has all the cool gadgets, including a sweet DSLR video rig that even cooks him breakfast. Rob is a cool cat. I mean, just look at him! One of the better guys in the golf blog world, he enjoys photography and loves to follow the pros around when they come to town during the FedEx Cup playoffs. The BOGB is early in PGA Show week this year so he'll have to defrost his golf swing in a hurry! Tony Korologos of www.hookedongolfblog.com lives in Sandy, UT and can play the drums like nobody's business. Tony was injured last year in an unfortunate parking lot skiing accident and had to watch from a golf cart, and being the sportsmen that we are, we didn't let him live it down. Watch out though, because he's looking for vengeance this year. Tony claims to be a 3.4 handicap, but I think he's sandbagging a little bit... The format for this year's contest has yet to be determined, but we're leaning towards a stableford scoring system with handicaps. One thing's for sure, there will be more photos and video shot at this year's event than ever before! As a result of this coverage, potential sponsors have been breaking down the doors to be a part of the action. So far we've welcomed Srixon Golf as our golf ball sponsor to provide their Z-Star and Q-Star golf balls. Our good friends at Loudmouth Golf have agreed to outfit us all with some awesome shorts & pants. Kentwool will be providing the unsung heroes of any golfer - socks! Asher Golf will be providing some of its ultra-cool looking gloves. Frogger Golf will supply some of their amazing brush-pro tools and amphibian towels. We'll be using Champ Flytees exclusively, and you may even see a few other surprises along the way. The four of us will also be providing a full WITB (What's in the bag) as part of our post-round coverage. To get you ready for what's to come, here's a look at last year's contest at Falcon's Fire Golf Club in Orlando, and the dramatic finish:
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January 20, 2012
Srixon Q-Star Golf Balls

Ever since the Titleist Pro V1 golf ball hit the market in late 2000 and killed the wound golf ball forever, I’ve struggled to find the best ball for my game. However, since the excellent Srixon Z-Star and Z-Star XV came out I’ve been a happy camper. The Z-Star is designed for the low handicap player, or one that desires a large amount or spin and control. It also costs about $45 a dozen. So what if you aren’t a single digit handicap or want to spend $45? Let me introduce you to the Srixon Q-Star golf ball.

The Q-Star golf ball was designed for low spin off the tee to help a mid to high handicap golfer keep it in the fairway, while still providing a soft feel and enough spin to hold the green. Srixon uses their S.T.A.R. performance process to tune the spin (S), trajectory (T), acceleration (A) and responsiveness (R) of each golf ball. Other than that, it’s just a cool marketing catchphrase. The Q-Star is a 2 piece golf ball with a core measuring 1.568″, and a cover measuring only 0.057″ thick. This very large core provides energy for distance off the tee, and the super thin cover enhances spin and feel.

Click photo to enlarge

Since the wound golf ball went away companies largely stopped using compression ratings, mostly because it just confused people. But what they didn’t tell you is that in making wound balls there could be huge discrepancies in the actual compression rating from ball to ball, due to the imperfect nature of a golf ball constructed with rubber winding and a liquid core. Even if your old Titleist Tour Balata was marked with a compression rating of 90, the actual compression rating could have been between 80 and 100. But I digress. And since I brought it up, the Srixon Q-Star has a compression rating of 75. That’s very, very low and it translates to a very soft feel and great distance for golfers who’s swing speeds are under 100 mph.

In my early testing I found the Q-Star to be slightly softer feeling than the Z-Star, and even the distance off the tee and green-side spin were very comparable. I must however disclose that I was playing a course that day with soft greens after overnight rain. Once I got out to a course with firm, fast greens I started to see a difference. Approach shots with the Q-Star spun and held the greens well, but you won’t be sucking this ball back 20 feet with a wedge. Chips and pitches tried to bite, but instead checked up a bit and released to the hole. The Q-Star’s performance around the greens is predictable and consistent, and the lack of too much spin will probably help most golfers. Off the putter, the Q-Star feels very soft. It’s a joy to roll this ball on the greens, as it feels as good as any premium golf ball on the market. The bottom line is that the Q-Star is soft, has great feel off the putter and it spins enough for everyone to have some measure of green-side control. Just don’t expect to hit those low, spinning chip shots that the guys on TV make look so easy.

Now, before you get all excited and decide to replace the $45 Z-Star you play with the $25 Q-Star in your arsenal, it's important to note that the Srixon Q-Star golf ball differs from the premium Z-Star line in several ways. Like I mentioned above, the Q-Star is a 2 piece ball designed for mid to high handicap golfers, where the Z-Star is a 3 piece construction designed as a "tour" ball for better players. The Z-Stars also have thinner covers. The Z-Star XV's cover is the thinnest in golf at 0.012" thick. That's about three tenths of a millimeter! This makes them more responsive for more spin around the greens. The Z-Star and Z-Star XV carry higher compression, because they are designed for golfers who's swing speeds are over 90 mph. [caption id="attachment_3500" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Click photo to enlarge"][/caption] Srixon also led the re-introduction of yellow golf balls to the market, and several other companies have also jumped on the old-school colored ball bandwagon. The Srixon Q-Star Tour Yellow is very bright, and for those times where you may hit the ball a bit offline, it's very easy to see in the woods. If you are the only one playing a yellow ball in your weekend foursome, there will be no argument as to who's ball is who's. But the biggest advantage of the yellow ball is that your playing partners aren't going to like it when you use a yellow ball to take some of their green! If you are a slow swinger (under 90 mph) or have a handicap over 10, you probably won't get the most out of the Z-Star line. After all, this is why Srixon created the Q-Star! In creating a golf ball for the majority of golfers out there, Srixon has taken the best features of their premium Z-Star golf ball and eliminated the excessive spin and high compression that hamper the performance for those golfers. For the every-man golfer, weekend warrior or developing player, this ball is a winner, and priced at $25 a dozen it's a steal.
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November 15, 2011
Cleveland Golf Introduces 588 Forged Wedges

Cleveland Golf is bringing back one of the most popular and widely played wedges in the history of golf – The Cleveland 588 Wedge. The new 588 will be forged from soft 1025 carbon steel and I’m sure it will be a leader in performance and feel, surpassing even the newer CG14 and Cg15 model wedges that are widely played on the professional tours. Check out the press release and FABs below, and stay tuned for a complete review of these new wedges as soon as we can get our hands on them!

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA –August 29, 2011 – Cleveland® Golf, the winners of more than 335 PGA Tour championships, including 26 majors, is extremely pleased to introduce the new 588® Forged wedge. The 588®Forge wedge, which maintains the popular, tour-proven shape of Cleveland® Golf’s original 588® wedge, offers a series of technological breakthroughs to provide added performance benefits for players of all abilities.

Made from 1025 carbon steel, the 588® Forged wedge offers golfers an incredibly soft yet solid feel and less unwanted vibration. The advanced Precision Forging process ensures the highest level of part-to-part manufacturing consistency for supreme confidence and trust over every shot. The 588® Forged wedge’s Tour Zip Grooves™ and Laser Milled™ technology help to maximize spin in accordance with USGA regulations. Also, exclusive to the588® Forged wedge is the Tour Concept steel shaft, co-developed and engineered by Cleveland® Golf and industry leader True Temper. With a unique stiffness profile that features a less active tip, this shaft promotes a more penetrating ball flight, increased spin and optimal distance control along with superior feel.

“The confidence-inspiring shape of the original 588 wedge remains the standard by which all competitors’ wedges have been judged for more than 23 years, and attempting to build upon that benchmark is not a task we take lightly at Cleveland Golf,” said Todd Harman, President of Cleveland® Golf/Srixon® - U.S.A. “Our 588 wedge is the most popular wedge in the history of the game, and with sales in excess of 3 million units worldwide, it’s arguably the single most successful golf club ever brought to market. Our new 588® Forged wedge not only lives up to the 588® legacy, it takes Cleveland wedges to a whole new level.” The No. 1 wedge of all time is back – and better than ever. Cleveland Golf’s new 588 wedge maintains the popular, tour-proven shape of its predecessor with a series of technological breakthroughs to provide even more performance benefits for experienced players. Every wedge is formed from 1025 carbon steel for incredibly soft, solid feel and the highest level of manufacturing consistency for supreme confidence and trust over every shot. Tour Zip Grooves™ and Laser Milled™ technology maximize spin in accordance with USGA regulations. Exclusive to the 588 wedge is the Tour Concept Wedge steel shaft, co-developed and engineered by Cleveland Golf and industry leader True Temper. With a unique stiffness profile that features a less active tip, this shaft promotes a more penetrating ball flight, increased spin and optimal distance control along with superior feel.
Features, Advantages, Benefits: 1. F- Original, Tour-Proven 588 Wedge Shape A- Remake of the most successful and preferred wedge shape ever, revered by golfers of all skill levels for its confidence-inspiring look. This is the standard by which all competitors’ wedges have been judged. B- Timeless beauty, versatile design for all-around wedge performance no matter what shot is required. Summary: For more than 20 years, the tour-proven shape of the original 588 wedge has been the standard by which all competitors’ wedges have been judged. The new 588 wedge maintains this confidence-inspiring look, which golfers of all skill levels can appreciate for its timeless beauty and versatile design. It offers the highest level of all-around performance no matter what shot is required. 2. F- Forged 1025 Carbon Steel Construction A- Softer metal, highest level of manufacturing consistency. B- Incredibly soft, yet solid feel sought by experienced players. Supreme confidence and trust over every wedge shot from premium manufacturing. Summary: Forging means quality – the incredibly soft feel and highest level of manufacturing consistency is immediately recognized and appreciated by experienced players. That’s the same quality found in the 588 wedge, which is forged from high-grade 1025 carbon steel for solid feel and constructed with a premium process to inspire supreme confidence and trust over every shot. 3. F- Laser Milled™ Technology A- More precise and consistent surface roughness than alternative methods. B- Optimal surface roughness to maximize spin. Summary: Using the precision accuracy of a laser, four perfectly calibrated texture lines are milled between each groove of a 588 wedge exactly to the conforming roughness limit. This breakthrough surface roughness application optimizes ball-to-face friction, maximizing spin under the rules of golf. 4. F- Tour Zip Grooves™ A- Precise milling technology preserves groove edges and maintains perfect groove consistency. B- Maximizes allowable groove dimensions while conforming to USGA groove requirements. Summary: The 588 wedge features Tour Zip Grooves™, which are crafted with precise milling technology that preserves groove edges and maintains perfect groove consistency. These grooves have the maximum allowable dimensions in accordance with USGA requirements. 5. F- Tour Concept Wedge Shaft co-developed and engineered by True Temper and Cleveland Golf A- Exclusive stiffness profile with a less active tip. B- More penetrating ball flight, increased spin and optimal distance control – along with superior feel. Summary: Exclusive to the 588 wedge is the Tour Concept Wedge shaft, co-developed and engineered by Cleveland Golf and industry leader True Temper. With a unique stiffness profile that features a less active tip, this shaft promotes a more penetrating ball flight, increased spin and optimal distance control – along with the superior feel expected from True Temper. 6. F- Multiple Bounce and Finish Options A- Two different finishes: Satin and Chrome. Three different bounces: Low, Standard, and High. B- Allows players to select wedges best suited to aesthetic preferences and course conditions. Summary: In addition to 10 different loft options, two different finishes are available in the 588 line – Satin and Chrome. There also are low, standard and high bounce options to allow players to select wedges best suited to their aesthetic preferences and conditions of the courses they play. 7. F- Automated Polishing Process (APP) A- New process further removes shape inconsistencies often found after manual polishing. B- Precise shape consistency for a premium product. Summary: Further enhancing the consistency of the 588 wedge is the new Automated Polishing Process (APP). This finely-tuned process is more diligent than ever before with removing the shape inconsistencies often left over after manual polishing. The result of APP is precise shape consistency for a premium product. Available in Chrome and Satin finishes, Cleveland® Golf’s 588® Forged wedges will begin shipping in November 2011 with a listed minimum advertised price (MAP) of $139.99. Available in a variety of loft and bounce options, the 588® Forged wedge can also be personalized at MyCustomWedge.com with an array of color, logo, shaft and grind options. For more information on Cleveland® Golf/Srixon® and their products, please visit www.clevelandgolf.com and www.srixon.com.

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August 30, 2011
Brian Davis Shows Class In Loss To Jim Furyk At Harbor Town

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Growing up, I was taught that Golf is a gentleman’s game, meaning that it is a game where the players are expected to call rules violations on themselves, and where sportsmanship is the rule, not the exception. Golfers are taught etiquette and proper on-course behavior. While some people certainly don’t always adhere to it, the majority of people who play and respect the game of golf carry on this tradition to others and set the standard for the next generation to play the game.

More and more these days when I turn on Sportscenter I see events in other sports of brutal violence and disrespect. You see fights in Basketball games, people being pushed head first into the boards in Hockey, batters being hit intentionally by 90MPH fastballs and Football players deliberately going for the knees of opposing players. While golf isn’t a contact sport and many people think watching golf on TV is boring, we seldom see any acts that disrespect the game or the players.

Before Tiger’s private life was made public last year, we watched him throw his driver into the crowd in Australia, and before that there were many other incidents of poor behavior on the course. Tiger has since stated that he plans to change and he promised to behave better on the course going forward. I have long thought that one’s behavior on the golf course mirrors that of life. Playing golf with someone can allow you a rare glimpse into someone’s mind. How a person deals with adversity, self-doubt and even success can tell you a lot about them. This is perhaps why so many business deals are made and broken on the golf course!

Every now and then there is a moment in golf that reveals the true character of a player. This weekend Brian Davis showed us all what the game is about. Having just drained a long putt on the final hole of regulation to force a playoff with Jim Furyk at the Verizon Heritage, Davis found his ball in the hazard left of the 18th green on the first playoff hole. Electing to play from the hazard, he noticed that his club may have brushed against some vegetation during his backswing, so he called over PGA Tour rules official Slugger White to confirm on the TV replay. The replay showed that he did indeed brush something on his backswing, which is a two stroke penalty, and immediately ended his hopes of winning his first PGA Tour tournament. "It was one of those things I thought I saw movement out of the corner of my eye," Davis said. "And I thought we’d check on TV, and indeed there was movement." Sometimes the rules of golf seem unfair and harsh, and perhaps this is one of those times. On television we couldn't tell anything wrong had happened. Only upon review in slow motion was the infraction noticeable. "To have the tournament come down that way is definitely not the way I wanted to win," Furyk said. "It’s obviously a tough loss for him and I respect and admire what he did." Calling the rules violation on himself cost Davis almost $400,000, but he gained the respect of many. The Public Relations department at Cleveland Golf/Srixon was flooded on Monday by emails from fans applauding Brian Davis' actions. Both Davis and Furyk are part of Cleveland Golf/Srixon's PGA tour staff. Below are just a few of the many messages regarding the events at Harbor Town Golf Links. Dear Mr. Davis, I am a 38 year old single father of a 15 year old son and have just starting playing golf 3 weeks ago. I wanted to write you and let you know that I was watching my second golf tournament (The Verizon Heritage) today with my son and your performance in sudden death compelled me to write you. I have never seen such honor and sportsmanship from any player in any sport. It was wonderful to be able to have my son see how a true man and sportsman acts during competition when most of what the media shows us is other more well known golfers acting poorly. I have become a very huge fan and will not only be following you and your future endeavors but am going to be supporting your sponsors exclusively. Thanks again for the motivation you have given me to continue to play golf and also the opportunity to educate my son on how to display honor and sportsmanship. Good luck in your future tournaments, [Name Withheld] Hello Brian: Congratulations on your outstanding performance at the Verizon Heritage tournament this weekend. We are dreadfully sorry you did not win, especially under the circumstances, but want you to know how much we admire and respect you for your honesty. You are a giant, Brian, a great role model and you should stand tall and be very proud of yourself. Well done! You are truly the champion of the day and we sincerely hope that you know that is how you are seen! In the words of the great Sir Edmund Hillary: "It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves." Today, Brian, you conquered in spectacular fashion! Kudos to you!!! Peterborough, Ontario, Canada Dear Mr. Davis, My husband and I were watching golf today like we do on most Sunday afternoons. Before we started our family four years ago, we loved to play golf together. While watching, I'm not much for just sitting there, I'm usually doing chores around the house or playing with our two children. I'll be honest, I hadn't seen much of you before on television, I'm sure only because I wasn't playing close attention :0). I know that golfers pride themselves on honesty, but what I saw today with you calling that penalty on yourself was probably one of the greatest examples of integrity that I have EVER seen! We will never know but probably nobody would have even noticed that infraction and you could have won that tournament. You are truly a wonderful role model and I will mention you to my children when I am looking for modern day people who have been courageous. I think we can both agree that we need more people like that for our children. You have a beautiful family and I'm praying for their good health. Thank you Mr. Davis for what you did today! Blessings to you!! Pleasanton, Texas, USA Brian, I wanted to commend you on the CHARACTER you showed at the Heritage Classic. With all the news surrounding the golf world over the last several months, it was a breath of fresh air. I know losing was disappointing but all the wins in the world doesn’t make up for character and honoring one’s self, family, friends and the game of golf. Congratulations on your top finish. I wish you well moving forward. Good Luck, [Name Withheld] We too want to congratulate Brian Davis and Jim Furyk for a great week. Furyk earns his second victory of the year, and Davis earns a big check, respect, many new fans and made his sponsors proud.
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April 19, 2010
Srixon Z-Star Tour Yellow Golf Balls

I played with a yellow golf ball yesterday. I didn’t find it in the woods or swipe it from a range basket, and I didn’t get it in a 24 pack from the local Walmart either. No, I played Srixon’s new Z-Star Tour Yellow golf ball. New for 2010, Srixon is making their already very hot Z-Star golf balls in Yellow. Why would a company re-introduce a yellow golf ball to the market? After all, yellow golf balls come with a stigma that they are cheap and only for hackers. In fact, when I started rolling the Tour Yellow on the practice green yesterday, a few of my playing partners made some jokes and asked me if I needed more strokes. According to Srixon, the reason yellow golf balls will make a comeback is purely mental.

According to a Srixon press release “Science has proven that yellow is the most visible color in the visual spectrum and psychology has correlated green with calming and stress relief; therefore Srixon has combined the two colors based on these findings to tap into the player’s mind and expand the benefits of playing a better ball.”

The idea is that a player will feel more at ease standing over a 3 footer to win a few bucks off your buddies if the ball is a yellow with a bit of green, rather than white. I may be more receptive than most to the idea that the ball’s color can help you play better, since I was a psych major in college and I take great interest in the mental side of the game. While I can’t confirm or deny the claims that the Z-Star Tour Yellow has a calming effect on the player, I can say that this ball is easier to see in the grass (and, ahem – the woods) and being yellow, there is certainly no confusion as to which ball was mine. Was it just a coincidence that I played my best round in months and made boatloads of putts with it? Perhaps, because I also had two 3-putts. Either way, I’ve been playing the Z-Star X since it came out and always liked being different, so I’ll continue to play the Tour Yellow and see what happens. Plus, it helps that the ball is the same color as my favorite website’s logo!

“The new Z-STAR and Z-STAR X Tour Yellow golf balls are currently being tested by numerous PGA and Nationwide TOUR players, who are presently playing the Srixon Z-STAR series of balls,” said Chris Beck, Brand Manager for Srixon. “The response from our tour staffers has been overwhelmingly positive. We understand that players at all levels of the game want to lower their scores and the Tour Yellow balls have definitely peaked the interest of our tour players, as well as consumers.” Indeed, early word from a high-ranking source inside Cleveland Golf/Srixon is that several Srixon staffers will put the Tour Yellow into play on the PGA Tour this year. Recently at the 2010 Masters Par 3 Contest, Jim Furyk made a hole in one with the new yellow ball, and Tim Clark had some success at the '10 Accenture World Match Play Championships using the ball. It's important to note that the Z-Star Tour Yellow is the exact same ball as the Z-Star. They all use an ultra-thin urethane cover technology, a larger core and a softer cover to improve distance, spin and feel. The only difference is the color. For more on the Srixon Z-Star line, check out our review here. The Z-STAR Tour Yellow golf ball is designed for the low-to-mid handicap players seeking a combination of distance, spin control and soft feel. The Z-STAR X Tour Yellow golf ball is a distance oriented tour-performance ball for players looking for a bit more distance and high-spin performance around the greens. The Srixon Z-STAR Tour Yellow ball lines both feature new Energetic Gradient Growth core technology, which promotes increased ball speed, as well as high launch and low spin. The 324 large seamless dimples also help reduce wind resistance for increased distance, while the new coating on their super-soft urethane cover significantly improves spin performance from the rough according to Srixon. The Z-STAR and Z-STAR X Tour Yellow golf balls will begin shipping to retailers on April 1, 2010 and will carry a price of $39.99.
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February 8, 2010
Cleveland CG7 & CG7 Tour Black Pearl Irons

Cleveland and it’s parent company Srixon Golf have been in the news (at least on this website) a lot lately. Srixon is introducing a new line of clubs that will ship in October, and from the looks of them they will do well. Click HERE to see them. The Srixon line, dubbed Z-TX, have already done very well in Japan, and now will be available for the US market. I currently play with the Srixon i701 Tour irons which have been around for a while, so I’m excited to see the new offerings. Srixon should see an increased market share in the US, with the growing use of it’s Z-Star golf balls on the professional tours garnering more attention among consumers.

The latest offering from Cleveland Golf is the new CG7 and CG7 Tour Black Pearl irons. Available in November, these irons are essentially the same as the original CG7 and CG7 Tour, except for the black pearl finish that Cleveland has made famous in it’s wedges and CG1 irons. What does this mean? Well, it means they’ve taken a nice looking club and made them gorgeous. We don’t have many details on these, but we know that the CG7 will retail for $699, and the CG7 Tour will go for $799. They also appear to sport Cleveland’s new Laser Etched grooves, which will be available on the new CG15 wedges also. Both sets also qualify for Cleveland’s Free Irons Promotion. If you purchase a set of Cleveland Irons, you will be eligible to trade in your set for any of the new models of equal or lesser value introduced from January 2010 to December 2011 at no charge. All you have to do is buy your set at an authorized Cleveland Golf dealer and register your purchase on their website.

Enjoy the sneak peak pictures, and check out the full review right here! Subscribe to email updates and the RSS feed to get the latest stories delivered as they come out!

CG7 Black Pearl Irons:

CG7 Tour Black Pearl Irons:

The only question mark for me is, although the black pearl finish is gorgeous, black pearl finished clubs are notorious for their lack of bendability. I had a set of the old TA3 irons with the black finish, and my club maker insisted he could bend them. He did indeed bend them. One broke in the bending machine, and two others broke shortly after on the range, leaving me with three shafts with nothing but a hosel attached and a lack of faith in Cleveland Clubs. The bottom line is, if you get them custom fit from Cleveland you’ll be fine. Just stay away from having someone bend them after the fact. Thanks for visiting!

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September 20, 2009
New Cleveland CG15 Wedges – Coming Soon!

Cleveland CG15 w/ Laser Etched Grooves

Cleveland Golf is introducing their new CG15 wedge, which will be launched November 13th. Cleveland was purchased by Srixon earlier this year, but there doesn’t seem to be any melding of technology between the two companies. Cleveland’s current wedge choices include the CG14 which is a cast cavity style wedge, and the CG12 which looks like a more traditional wedge. The New CG15 looks a lot like the current CG12 from the back, with one exception: The dots that used to denote the bounce of the club used to be on the hosel and now are on the sole of the club, along with the bounce measurement. The CG12s don’t tell you what the bounce angle is, you would have to look it up. The new wedges will be available in 4 finishes. Black Pearl, Chrome, and Oil Quenched, with the latter coming in a DSG or regular sole grind. The will retail for $119 each.

The other new feature of the wedges are the new laser etched grooves. Between the already spin happy Cleveland Zip Grooves are laser etched mini-grooves, designed to create even more spin. Using the precision of a laser, 4 perfectly calibrated texture lines are milled between each groove exactly to the conforming roughness limit. This roughness application optimizes ball-to-face friction and maximizes spin under the rules of golf

In other words, you’re gonna spin these babies! Either way, if you are a casual golfer and want to take advantage of the current groove technology for the foreseeable future, I suggest you start stockpiling wedges like NRA members do Guns after a Democrat victory.

Enjoy the pictures, and CLICK HERE for the first review of these new wedges – before they come out in stores!

Cleveland CG15 w/ Black Pearl Finish

Cleveland CG15 w/ Laser Etched Grooves

Cleveland CG15 w/ Chrome Finish

Cleveland CG15 w/ Oil Quenched Finish

Cleveland CG15 DSG w/ Oil Quenched Finish

One of the things that has made Cleveland wedges so popular over the years is there diverse selection of lofts and bounce angles, making it possible to fit just about any player to the right wedge. My only gripe is that there isn’t enough effort put into fitting wedges properly. The wedge fitting on the Cleveland Golf Website tries, but it’s more of a novelty to me. I would love to see a comprehensive wedge fitting system to match a two, three or four wedge system to the proper loft and bounce for players of all abilities, but I’ll go into this a bit more in my review of the CG15s. For now, here’s the spec sheet:

Just a quick explanation of the dot system Cleveland uses for the bounce angles on their wedges. Since most golfers don’t really know how bounce affects their wedges, Cleveland dumbed down it’s specs by using dots on the hosel instead of the actual bounce number. With the new CG15s, they have added the actual bounce number along with the dots to the sole of the wedge. Below is a simple explanation of how it works:

Low Bounce – 1 dot

Good when playing from firm turf conditions and tight lies.Also, fits players with shallow attack angles.

Standard bounce – 2 dot

Accommodates the largest variety of sand, turf and swing types.

High bounce – 3 dot

Excellent from softer turf conditions and bunkers. Good for players with very steep attack angles.

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September 5, 2009
Srixon Z-TX Clubs – Sneak Peak

As a fan of Srixon golf equipment I’m always excited to see what new clubs Srixon will bring to the market. While their lineup has remained unchanged in the United States for a few years, they continue to release new clubs in the Australasia market. With the popularity in Japan and the use of the new clubs on the professional tours, the new line of clubs will be introduced in the USA sometime this fall, and when I get more details and the release date I’ll update this post. The new drivers, fairways and irons will be called Z-TX, and they are also putting out a new hybrid. We are one of the first people to see these new clubs – check out the photos!

Srixon Z-TX Irons

Srixon Z-TX Driver

Srixon Z-TX Fairways

New Srixon Hybrid

*** Update 9/5/2009 ***

The new clubs begin shipping 10/15 and will be available at retailers shortly after.

Z-TX driver
Retail price: $499

Feature: Super Ti-X51- Face Material
– Advantage: Proprietary low density, yet strong Titanium material allowing weight to be moved away from the face

– Benefit: Promotes a higher launch angle with less spin combined with maximum COR

Feature: Twin Cam Sole
– Advantage: Strategically positions 11 grams of weight to the extreme perimeter of the clubhead creating a high MOI. The MOI created applies to the entire club head.

– Benefit: This clubhead is extremely stable through impact and fine tuned to each loft offering optimal launch and spin c

Feature: 6 part bulge and roll design
– Advantage: Patent Pending design that precisely controls side spin and launch angle when hit outside the center of the face

– Benefit: The 6 part bulge controls side spin while the 6 part roll controls launch angle resulting in better controlled miss-hits

Feature: Straight topline
– Advantage: Shape profile was inspired by Srixon’s professional tour staff and meet their critical standards

– Benefit: The shape allows for better alignment on every shot for added consistency

OFFERING
8.5, 9.5, 10.5

FLEX WEIGHT TORQUE KICK POINT
S 70g 3.5 MID
R 68g 3.5 MID
* X-Flex – Custom aftermarket shaft only.

Z-TX fairway wood
Retail price: $249

Feature: Custom 455 Maraging steel face with variable face thickness technology
– Advantage: Starburst variable face technology generates higher ball speeds

– Benefit: Higher ball speeds created by the face material and structure maximizes overall distance potential

OFFERING
#3, #5

FLEX WEIGHT TORQUE KICK POINT
S 72g 4.0 MID
R 70g 4.0 MID

* X-Flex – Custom aftermarket shaft only.

I always welcome comments, questions, hate mail – whatever. I want to hear from you out there! Let me know if the 5 minutes you wasted at work to read my blog was worthwhile. Thanks for visiting!

August 25, 2009
Ball Review – Srixon Z-Star X

Srixon has been selling golf balls in the US market for a number of years now. Srixon is a spinoff from Sumitomo Rubber Industries, Ltd. SRI is a Japanese company also selling equipment in Japan under the market leading Dunlop/XXIO name. They started manufacturing tires in 1913, and then golf balls in 1930. In 1997, SRI founded Srixon USA and started marketing golf equipment. In 2004 SRI Sports was formed to be the parent company of Srixon, and they acquired equipment companies Cleveland Golf and Never Compromise in 2007. Srixon’s golf ball offerings have been gaining ground in the past years with the ZUR line. Jim Furyk switched a few years ago, and several other pros have now joined and play the new Srixon Z-Star and Z-Star X. Some of the names include Tim Clark, Robert Allenby, Boo Weekly, Steve Flesch, John Rollins, Fuzzy Zoeller and Karrie Webb. This year, Vijay Singh switched to the new Z-Star X, leaving Titleist after many years, and he proclaims this fact in a new commercial we are seeing during weekend golf broadcasts.

Let’s test one of Srixon’s latest offerings, the Z-Star X. Geared towards better players, this golf ball features a super-thin (0.5mm thick) urethane cover that allows for a larger core for more distance and spin potential. The Z-Star is the softer of the two models, producing a slightly higher ball flight and more spin on iron shots. The Z-Star X has a firmer feel and lower ball flight for more distance off the tee and is designed for swing speeds over 105 MPH.

Having played the previous versions of these balls, the Z-URS and the Z-URC, I can see there is a big difference. The first difference is the lack of a discernible seam in the cover of the ball. The URS and URC had a pronounced seam marking the two halves of the cover, leaving a small strip around the equator lacking dimples. What effect that seam had on performance is unknown to me, but the new balls are seamless, and that can’t be a bad thing! The new Z-Stars also have 6 fewer dimples than the previous model at 324. By comparison, the Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x have 392 and 332 respectively.

I have to preface this by repeating that I have played Srixon golf balls for over a year, and in that time I found myself switching back and forth between the Z-URC and Z-URS. I thought the Z-URC was too firm around the greens, and the Z-URS felt too mushy and spun too much off the driver. Then, just as I was preparing to run back to the Titleist Pro V1, Srixon introduced the Z-Star and Z-Star X. Since I was previously leaning towards the Z-URC, I picked up a sleeve of the new Z-Star X and put them through their paces. So how does the new Srixon Z-Star X perform? In a word – Brilliantly!

The first thing I noticed with the new Z-Star X is the fact that they have made it softer than the old Z-URC. This is a welcome change for me, as I prefer a soft feel for chipping and putting. It still feels on the firm side, coming off the putter face with a little click, but it is far from the feel of a harder ball like a Pinnacle or even the new Callaway Tour i. The cover feels very soft to the touch and I worry about what modern grooves will do to this ball. More on that later.

I moved from the putter to the wedge and started chipping, and I noticed that this ball really grabs. I crisply hit chip shot skids and checks, then rolls out gently. Flop shots from a tight lie spin furiously, coming to an immediate stop. Balls chipped out of the rough behave predictably.

Moving to the tee box, I was wondering how the thin cover would behave with the driver. Most players demand spin around the greens but want more distance off the tee. In the past with wound golf balls this was a trade off, spin or distance. You couldn’t have both. Nowadays with the advent of 3 piece and even 4 piece balls, it is possible to get high spin around the green and low spin from the driver. The Srixon Z-Star X is a great example of what the new golf ball technology can provide. This ball rockets off the driver with a mid to high trajectory and low spin. It is hard to say if I picked up any yardage compared to the old model. I would need a launch monitor to measure impact conditions and determine if it spins less than other golf balls. What I can confirm is that this new ball performs very well in the wind, especially crosswinds. I hit numerous balls into winds from all directions and the flight is very steady. I hit some cuts and draws into cross winds and the ball stays on line.

Iron shots come off the club with a mid trajectory, and plenty of spin. A solid iron shot will stop quickly on anything but the most severe greens. I am not known as a high-spin player, but this ball can be drawn back with wedges and stops dead with other clubs. I didn’t see too much ballooning into the wind, not as much as the Titleist at least. I have always despised the Titleist Pro V1’s wind performance, so the Z-Star X’s wind performance is a big bonus. As far as durability is concerned, I was pleasantly surprised. I played 18 holes with the same ball with only minor scuffing and wear on the cover. I could easily go another 18 with it, provided I didn’t lose it or hit a cart path!

I am very glad that Srixon released this new golf ball to replace the old Z-UR line. I am making the switch and now play the Z-Star X. It durable, holds it’s line in the wind, I love the way it spins and it feels softer than the previous generation. Overall it’s a great ball for aggressive swingers or players that like a high-spin ball with a slightly firmer feel. The price point is also good, at $39.95/dozen it is unchanged from last year and about $5 less than the Pro V1x, the Srixon’s main competition.

Those who play the Pro V1 and prefer a softer ball will love the Z-Star, which I’ll try to cover in a future post. I will stop short of saying that I hit this ball further, because a recent driver upgrade has helped me also. But for good measure, between the new driver and this new golf ball, I’ve regained 15-20 yards that I lost last year off the tee.

April 21, 2009