Tag: volvik

15 Ways To Make Dad Happy On Father’s Day

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

June 9, 2017
Best New Golf Balls – 2016 PGA Show

To be perfectly honest, the 2016 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando didn’t have as much to offer in the way of new products as previous years. Thankfully, golf ball makers have some great new and updated products for us this season. Here’s a few of the best new golf balls to check out in 2016.

Callaway Chrome Soft

Last season’s king of the hill is still on top this year, but has some stiff competition. When I tested this ball last year I was afraid to over-compress it, but if the ball is good enough for Phil Mickelson, it’s good enough for anybody! The Chrome Soft golf ball is a 4-piece golf ball and combines Callaway’s SoftFast Core and inner mantle layers with a soft urethane cover for spin around the greens without spinning too much off the tee. The Chrome Soft won 5 stars on Golf Digest’s Hot List in 2015 and should make another strong showing in 2016. This ball feels very soft around the greens and really performs well.

https://youtu.be/LdMsLcG5T_M

Volvik Crystal Vivid

Volvik is known for making colored golf balls, and they’ve taken their signature Crystal ball and given it a matte finish. The result is a very striking finish that’s easy to see and really pops! The three-piece Volvik Crystal Vivid has a very soft feel and a durable Surlyn cover, with a compression rating around 80. Made for slower swing speeds, the Volvik Crystal Vivid are available in orange, pink, green and red.

Bridgestone B-Series

Bridgestone’s popular B-Series golf balls (which includes the Tour B330, B330S, B330RX and B330RXS) get an update for 2016. The new Tour Core is 6% larger and has a steeper gradient in softness from the inner part of the core to the outer region for faster ball speed and less spin off the driver. The new SlipRes cover took four years to develop and Bridgestone claims it has the highest friction coefficient rating possible, which translates to more spin from shots in the rough and around the green without increasing spin on the driver. I tested the new B330 for 18 holes and was so impressed that I’m buying a case of 12 dozen to use for the 2016 season.

The Amatour Core in the B330RX and B330RXS golf balls is 28% softer than the average tour ball core, making these balls ideal for golfers with swing speeds under 105 MPH. Along with the Callaway Chrome Soft, The Bridgestone B330RX is probably the best option for golfers looking for tour performance, durability and distance from slower swing speeds.

Wilson Duo Urethane

Wilson Golf claims their Duo golf ball is the softest on the market, with a compression rating of 29! Having tried the original Duo several years ago, I can tell you that the ball is a marshmallow. Wilson Golf now offers three models in the Duo line. The original Duo, Duo Spin and the Duo Urethane. The three golf balls offer a very soft feel for golfers seeking more distance with slower swing speeds. (See a pattern emerging in golf ball marketing yet?)

Wilson Duo – 29 Compression – Durability and distance with very soft feel – $20
Wilson Duo Spin – 35 Compression – Durability and distance with more spin and very soft feel – $27
Wilson Duo Urethane – 55 Compression – Softest urethane ball in golf, distance with tour spin and performance – $38

I haven’t tried the new Duo golf balls, but I remember the original Duo feeling a bit like the old Titleist Tour Balata on the putting green. Given the $20 price point for the Duo, these golf balls should be very popular!

February 23, 2016
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