In attending a PGA Show and identifying the ten best products there, based on my opinion and those of my colleagues, one faces a major hurdle – having enough time to visit and talk with the inventors and sales teams. This year the Show organizers scheduled both a demo day for retailers and club manufacturers, as well as an indoor testing area. Both were extremely well attended.

The Show was alive and the “vibe” was palpable, reminiscent of the heyday of former PGA Shows. With over 1,000 exhibitors and close to 40,000 attendees, the convention floor was filled for three days solid. The organizers had to literally throw people out of the hall at the 3.00 pm close on Saturday. Vendor’s were writing orders and in great spirits. Hopefully, golf is on the rebound.

Top participating golf manufacturers included: Srixon, Fairway and Greene, Callaway Golf, Club Car, Bridgestone, Nike Golf, Ahead Clothing, Tour Edge, PING, Wilson Golf, Titleist and Yonex, to name just a few.

Club and putter fitting is the hottest trend in the industry right now. Aiding this trend are fitting devices, such as Mizuno’s and Edel Golf’s Putter Fitting Process.

Technology continues to thrive in the golf domain. Whether it is drivers, putters, irons, balls or shoes, advances in designs and materials continue and new products are being introduced almost monthly.

With the technology now available that allows golfers to be fitted with multiple shafts and interchangeable heads, both in putters and clubs, there is absolutely no reason why EVERY golfer should not be custom fitted. Pricing for custom fitting is negligible and in most cases offered free by retailers, however, if you prefer dealing with a specific manufacturer this could entail the purchasing of the company’s clubs or a small fee.

I personally have yet to be convinced that a shaft with an attachment is going to play the same as one without. And, until there is a standard attachment for all manufacturers, I am not convinced that this trend will be around for too long. As I was taught at business school, businesses do not create markets, markets create businesses and there is definitely not a significant market for this product, presently or in the foreseeable future.

Hybrids are still the star of this year’s show in hard goods, as performance fabrics are in the soft goods. In fact, when it comes to individual club sales, hybrids have surpassed putters in many retail stores as top sellers, checking in just behind drivers as the No. 1 revenue producer.

The following products were the 10 best of the Show:

David Edel’s Golf Fitting Technology – It’s all about AIM!

Based on imperfect visual aim, by  99% of individuals, including Tour players, Edel Golf offers a process of carefully fitting each golfer one at a time. Edel has certified fitters throughout the United States. It took Edel just 30 minutes to fit me to a putter that found the hole consistently, after he diagnosed that I was aiming to the left. Most impressive to me was that I finally was able to convey what weight and feel worked well for me and see the results fast.

After the fitting process is complete, with over 30 million permutations available to get your putter fittedperfectly, you will own a truly custom putter ideal for your game and most importantly, your confidence increases and putting statistics improve rapidly.

Edel Golf offers three unique designs that can be built to a golfer’ specific need: Basic, Variable Weight and Variable Loft. All Edel Golf putters are precisely milled from a block of 303 Stainless Steel – available in six head shapes (Columbia, Willamette, McKenzie, Rogue, Umpqua, Deschutes), and handcrafted using a CNC (Computer Numerically Controlled) vertical milling press.

Edel premium putters are precision milled instruments in all models and styles, whether a mallet or a blade, a center shaft or plumber’s neck. The putters are made from only the best quality materials in the world. Edel custom putters are currently in the hands of top professionals and serious golfers all over the world.

Cost per putter varies from $375 to $800    www.edelgolf.com

Dawgs Golf Spirit Shoes

This was another of the busiest booths at the Show. More importantly, I saw more smiling faces and orders being written at this booth than anywhere else during my 3 days at the Show.

One of the most important pieces of golf equipment is your shoes. Playing a round of golf involves lots of walking and your shoes, if not fitted correctly or are too heavy, can cause issues that affect your game, both short term and long term.

DAWGS has introduced a line of lightweight shoes, including golf shoes, which weigh just 7 ounces. They are extremely stable, stylish and are ideal for moving around dry golf courses. Their only drawback is that they are not waterproof and should not be worn in wet conditions. DAWGS are especially prolific on the LPGA Tour.

Similar to the Crocs that have been on the market for a while, DAWGS has simply made a better product both in support and styling and, of course, comfort.

For “after the round”, walking and driving, there is simply no substitute that I could find in any shoe brand.

The built in properties of high quality EVA (a.k.a. Closed Cell Resin) absorb shock, protecting your heel and foot. The shoes can be worn without socks, are odor resistant, have great arch support and a wonderful massaging foot bed.

Golfing performance is further enhanced by the Golf Spirit shoe’s 9 strategically placed soft spikes embedded in rubber/EVA out soles, keeping your feet planted firmly on the ground.

Golfers wearing the golf spirit shoe also benefit from a quick adjusting Velcro strap for immediate comfort, and ventilation holes for cool comfort.

The “Spirit” line is available in both men’s (8-17) and women’s sizes from 5-11. It is suggested that you get the size larger as there are currently no half sizes. Their color combinations are terrific.

Visit their web site to see all the different styles, colors and uses for their products. It’s a fun experience.

MSRP: $50                      www.usadawgs.com

Boccieri Golf’s Heavy Wedge

If you liked Steve Boccieri’s Heavy Putters, this new wedge is quickly going to find a place in your bag. This wedge uses the same counterweight technology that is found in Boccieri’s Heavy Putters. An extra 65 grams of weight is positioned in the butt of the shaft, raising the club’s balance point and, according to Boccieri, promotes better distance control and tighter shot dispersion.

The wedge is extremely easy to hit, the weight seems perfect and it is aesthetically pleasing. The wedge comes with a Femco FST Hi REV shaft and aggressive square grooves. Lofts are available of 52 (8-degree bounce), 56 (11-degree bounce) and 60 degrees (4- or 7-degree bounce).

MSRP $109.95      Available: Feb 15   www.theheavywedge.com

Tour Edge CB3 Tour Driver

One of the busiest booths at the Show and the Demo Day, Tour Edge’s new CB3 Tour Driver is one of the stars of the Tour Edge line.

The CB3 delivers tour-caliber performance in a traditional-sized head. The CB3 driver represents a clear break from the current thinking that larger is better. By offering a classic shape and appealing 430cc head size, the CB3 is aimed at golfers who desire a driver that delivers the same tour-caliber performance as their Exotics fairway woods.

The smaller head delivers an extremely controllable driver that conveys explosive distance. Technical features include a 15-3-3-3 Beta titanium cup face, crown, and neck that are joined to a heavy hyper steel sole, using a no-weld combo-brazing process.

The CB3 further differentiates itself from other Exotics drivers in that it has a higher center of gravity location for tour-preferred trajectory, complimenting its titanium cup face and heavy steel sole. The thickness of the face is variable and includes a thinner perimeter ring around the striking surface. The result is a driver that produces the same crisp, reactive launch as the Tour-famous CB2 fairway wood.

The driver’s stock shaft is the extremely popular FUJIKURA MOTORE EXOTICS TOUR 65.

MSRP: $ 349.00   www.touredgegolf.com

Bridgestone’s  J38 Dual Pocket Cavity Irons and B330 RX Balls.

Wow! What fabulous irons these J38 Dual Pocket are! Similarly, the new Tour B33o RX ball is a performer “par excellence”.

These are probably the best looking “Players” irons I have ever seen. They look like forged irons and the feel is, basically put – awesome! They are primarily targeted for professionals to mid-handicappers.

The irons are made from premium forged 1020 carbon steel and with a  Magnesium composite that enhances perimeter weighting for more forgiveness on off-center hits, which also dampens vibration for better feel.

The club’s trailing and leading edge offers relief for better performance from a variety of lies.

Project X flighted shafts are offered and the set comes in 4-PW.

Also, coming are the J38 Cavity Back irons designed for the lower handicapper and will be available in March.

MSRP: $899.00

Essentially, the New Tour B330-RX ball maximizes Tour caliber performance for highly skilled players with varying swing speeds.

The B330 RX offers the softest, multi-layer Urethane ball on the market and its large and soft Gradational Core provides a soft feel and added forgiveness.

This ball plays as well, if not better than, as any of the premium balls currently being offered to golfers.

MSRP:  $56 per dozen

www.bridgestonegolf.com

Nike VR (Victory Red) STR8-FIT Tour Driver

Nike’s best driver to date! It delivers everything a driver should be – distance, great set-up, forgiveness and performance and it is definitely one of the most impressive performers in the premium adjustable golf driver market.

The VR STR8-FIT Tour features a brand new shape that has been designed in cooperation with Nike Golf’s highly successful stable of tour professionals.

Specifically aimed at skilled golfers, the STR8-FIT Tour offers all the adjustability and performance that Nike’s professional golfers enjoy.

Nike’s award winning innovation, the highly successful STR8-FIT Face Angle Technology, has been introduced into the Victory Red range for the first time to allow golfers the chance to select their shot shape and dictate the look of their driver. With its 32 different face angles, the VR STR8-FIT Tour provides the skilled golfers with maximum workability and confidence on every drive.

The Nike VR STR8-FIT Tour golf driver has a refined and classic appearance which helps to deliver low spin rates and a more penetrating ball flight. A distinctive red Compression Channel runs from heel to toe on the sole of the club and helps to increase the compression of the body to produce higher ball speeds on even off centre hits.

There is also a VR Tour driver available.

Available in lofts of 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5°.

MSRP:  $399.00

Nike Method Putter

Teasing the golfing public for almost a year, the Tour Proven METHOD putter has finally arrived at retailers.

The Nike METHOD putter has a flowed-through low-durometer polymetal groove technology (developed at Nike’s “Oven” in Ft. Worth) that dampens impact vibrations for soft touch, while the interspersed milled steel face maintains audible feedback for proper distance control.

Nike addressed one of ongoing issues that plague putters, that of the traditional steel faced putters – they lift the ball too much and impart backspin resulting in the ball to initially bounce slightly higher and go offline. Now, with the highly visible and distinctive polymetal groove technology, this putter is creating a faster forward roll after impact for the kind of accuracy and consistency that the Tour professionals demand.

The multi-material face starts the ball on a positive spin that is faster than both a milled steel putter, as well as putters with a polymer face insert.

For increased Moment of Inertia (MOI) and added stability, Nike’s ported polymetal groove technology allows 30 grams of internal weight to be extracted from the face and body and relocated to the perimeter.

These Anser blade style putters have a nice clean look with a matte finish that does not distract you when standing over the ball. Each of the four blade models has different characteristics, like shaft bend and alignment lines. For instance, my preference,  the METHOD 004 has three alignment lines in the cavity, while the other versions METHOD 001, 002, and 003 have slightly different necks and alignment lines. The fifth style is that of a mallet.

All five of the METHOD putters come with a standard 2 degrees of loft and will be available in 33″, 34″, and 35″ lengths.

MSRP: $249.99           www.nikegolf.com

Golf GPS or Laser Rangefinder – Which one is Better?

As with getting opinions from lawyers, there are always going to be too many. So it is with yardage finders. Both devices are designed to provide golfers with accurate yardage readings, but they both function quite differently and each has inherent different strengths and weaknesses.

How a Rangefinder Works

A rangefinder is completely different from a GPS device. The rangefinder is an optical device which is somewhere between a pair of binoculars and a laser gun that would be used to measure speeding drivers by a highway patrol officer.

The optical system, much like a rifle scope, allows you to select and lock onto the object that you want to measure the distance for (a flag stick on a green for example).

Then the golf rangefinder shoots an “eye safe” laser at the target, and measures the time it takes for the laser to bounce off of the target and return to the rangefinder. From this time delay, the rangefinder can calculate accurately how far away the target is.

How a Golf GPS Unit Works

To keep it simple, a golf GPS is a satellite based mapping device. It communicates with overhead satellites to pinpoint your exact location on the Earth and then uses previously recorded locations on the golf course to tell you the distance to any important locations near you (front of the green for the hole you are playing, for example).

Advantages of a Golf GPS

You don’t have to aim it at a target to get a yardage reading. This can be an advantage if your target is not in your line of site; an elevated green or you are behind a bush, for example.

Also, you don’t have to have a steady hand or accurate eye to line up a GPS unit like you would with a range finder.

Advantages of Laser Rangefinders for Golf

The latest model Range finders have up to 7x magnification. This can be very useful, not only for guiding the laser to get accurate yardage measurements to your target, but also for locating landing areas.

It is impossible to locate a ridge on a green that should be avoided from 175 yards with the naked eye. With a range finder, you could spot it easily and play safely to the other side of the green, resulting in an easier birdie putt. Another advantage is that a laser rangefinder can be used on the practice range to see how far you are hitting each club.

The short answer is neither a GPS nor a rangefinder is better as they are both similar, however, if one is concerned about speed of play, stick with the laser rangefinder.The best way to solve that problem is to have one of each!  But that isn’t always realistic, so study the facts to decide which one is better for your game.

SkyCaddie  GPS SGX Range Finder & SGX SmartClub Technology

The leader of the pack in the Golf GPS domain is, without adoubt, SkyCaddie. Their commitment to research is second-to-none, and now they have introduced what is probably the most advanced unit to measure distance for those golfers who love technology.

Not only will you be able to mark your distances, keep a record of your scores, but the SCG will allow you to select which club to use, even let you know if you left it behind.

For the ultimate in convenience and reliability, the SkyCaddie SGX can store up to 30,000 pre-loaded, ground-verified course maps making it ready-to-play out of the box.  The SGX boasts a durable, sleek design with a large, easy-to-read, transflective TFT-LCD screen that provides brilliant color images, even in the brightest sunlight.

The SGX uses an innovative dual navigation option to provide golfer friendly one-handed operation and enhanced precision positioning.  An intuitive user interface offers everything found in competitive rangefinders, plus better reliability and several proprietary stroke-saving essentials, like IntelliGreen Pro, TruePoint GPS Precision Positioning and SmartClubTechnology.

Lastly, SGX offers a convenient Digital Scorecard and Stat Tracking option to track key game statistics, including: greens in regulation, fairways hit, driving accuracy and distance, plus total putts.  Golfers can auto sync their scores and stats to SkyGolf’s newly created and quickly evolving online community, ClubSG, for comprehensive game tracking and analysis.

SGX Enabled With SmartClub Technology

What truly defines the SGX as the next generation rangefinder is its compatibility with SkyCaddie’s revolutionary SGX SmartClub Technology.  Expected to be released later in 2010, SGX SmartClub Technology adds intelligence and a wireless communication link to each club in a golfer’s bag.  Upon removal of a club from the golfer’s bag, SmartClub Tags located at the butt end cap of the grip establishes a direct communication link with the SkyCaddie.

This revolutionary connectivity adds new functionality and opens a huge portal to expand the game beyond the 18^th green and to golf’s future.  For example, SGX Club Reminder utilizes SmartClub technology to alert a golfer if a wedge or other club is left behind, before the player advances to the next hole.  SGX Game Tracker can also utilize the same technology to capture the club used, the geo-location and distances of each shot, while eliminating most of the effort and distraction of manual entry.  Captured round data and personal performance data are synced to ClubSG for unparalleled post-game analytics or sharing with friends, teachers and fitters.

SkyCaddie SGX will be available at most golf shops nationwide in April, 2010.  SmartClub Technology with SGX SmartClub Tags is expected to be available by June, 2010.  Pricing for SmartClub Technology with SGX SmartClub Tags will be released at a later date.

MSRP: $399.95      www.skygolf.com

Laser Link Red Hot Range Finder

The best in the range finder domain for ease of use, accuracy and style. If your course has the Laser Link Reflector System, you will be thrilled by this latest unit from Laser Link Golf. If your course is still in the 18^th century, demand that they get the FREE reflector system.

I personally like to play fast and dealing with a GPS unit is not my preference. I want to know how far it is to the pin without having to get involved in calculations and pressing more than one button to get my information.

This 8 ounce unit with a laser link reflector will give you a distance of 5 – 800 yards (5 -731 meters), while a course without a reflector gives you a range of 5 – 400 yards (5 – 366 meters).

This is a Class One laser and requires a 9-volt alkaline battery, as opposed to charging a GPS. It has an accuracy factor of +/- 1%! – Very different from a GPS unit.

The unit‘s many other features include the ability to measure landmarks, such as trees and bunkers up to 400 yards away. It has both a vibrate mode for silent use and an easy-to-use mode button.

You will be thrilled with this unit – you focus on your game without being distracted.

MSRP: $389.00       www.laserlinkgolf.com

Abacus

This Swedish clothing company made its first appearance at the PGA Show and to describe their product line in one word, “stunning”.

Their styles for both men and women bring excitement to fashion on and off the golf course. They make wearing golf clothes exciting!

Their collections are a fusion between town and country focusing on attire that can be worn on and off the course. Style and elegance combined with speed and fun is shown through the use of traditional patterns such as argyles and glen checks paired with soft shells, waterproofs and functional fabrics.

The collection continues to focus on the development of functional and stylish rain garments like the prize winning Pitch series, which was recently featured as a key uniform piece for the Ladies European Team at the 2009 Solheim Cup.

The collections stay true to their European design roots in a way that has given Abacus very strong international presence in just a few years. The company’s goal is to continue developing Abacus into a lifestyle brand that reaches beyond the world of golf. The way they are going, they should reach their goals sooner than later.

Abacus is distributed in North America by Caulfeild Apparel Group in Toronto, Ontario Canada.

Richard Johnson, Christine Hallstrom and Christian Nilsson are Tour players with the Abacus endorsement.

Price ranges at retail from $ 50 to $ 300                      www.abacus-outdoor.com

Please note that MSRP (Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price) may be different from the Street Price (as sold by retailers).

There were many other noteworthy products available at the Show and these will be covered in our Show Wrap-Up article next month.

Rest assured that there are many great and exiting products coming out this year that will improve all aspects of your game from shoes to balls to books and training aids that really work.

Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the California Golf Writers Association, and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers”, “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf” which is in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s bestseller list. His latest book,” The Right Mind for Golf”, is to be released in April 2010.

He can be reached at www.pgtaa.com or drlotz@cbsgolf.net

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Taylor Made R9 Driver

Looking back on last season, were you happy with the clubs in your bag? If the answer is no, it’s probably because they didn’t feature one or more of these gems from 2009.  From drivers to putters , irons to fairways woods and in between, our own Dr. Barry Lotz points out his 10 favorites in each category. Additionally, this page features links to all the major  equipment companies, all in one place.  You can now do your own research, and decide for yourself, which is the right combination of these clubs, shafts and balls that fits you.

From Taylor Made, to Nike, to Titleist and beyond.  If you thought that the technology behind golf clubs and balls would slow down, you were kidding yourself.

Lists compiled by Dr. Barry Lotz:
Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the California Golf Writers Association, and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers”, “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf” which is in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s bestseller list. His latest book,” The Right Mind for Golf”, is to be released in March 2010.
He can be reached at www.pgtaa.com or drlotz@cbsgolf.net

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Even with the slow-down, a.k.a. the recession, still in full swing, golf addicts are consistently and for the foreseeable future, continuing their search for the perfect equipment. The following products, the very latest and very best, will help guide you in making your decision on which of these technological marvels will make you a better player:

Guerin Rife’s IMO Putter

From the manufacturer of the most popular putter line on the Champions Tour comes the new “IMO” center-shafted putter, a superbly handsome putter that exudes power and confidence. IMO (Inline Momentum) is a center mass concept where at least 85% of the putter’s head weight is placed in the middle 40% of the club head. Because the IMO is shafted to be face balanced, the shaft is “inline” with the concentration of mass promoting an extremely stable, on-plane stroke path. Since virtually no golfers mis-hit a putt more than 5/8” to either side of center, 85% of the putter’s mass is directed into and through the ball. This momentum helps cure one of the major faults in putting…deceleration. By concentrating mass directly behind the ball, Rife improves the putter heads ability to drive through the ball at impact. Rife has given the putter more momentum, or inline momentum, or maximum MOI.As with all RIFE products, the IMO putter will feature RIFE’s patented Roll Groove Technology.

MSRP: $149.99

Graphite Design’s Tour AD EV Shaft.

The Tour AD EV model by Graphite Design has a new material technology that offers the optimum in shaft performance. The EV shaft was developed using the Trackman state of the art launch monitor technology.  The EV shaft profiles are designed around a mid launch kick point with stiff butt sections, similar to many iron shaft designs being played by professional golfers. This design resulted in a significant gain in distance by optimizing the decent angle of the golf ball. Tour AD EV is available in 55, 65, 75 and 85-gram versions. The heavier the shaft weight, the lower the trajectory. The EV is available for use with TaylorMade’s new R9 drivers upon special request. My personal preference, which performs superbly in my driver, fairway woods and hybrids, is the Graphite Design Tour AD UT 55 gram. This is an especially responsive shaft for those who have slower swing speeds, and on the TaylorMade R9 460, my distance increased by 25- 30 yards!

MSRP: $420 www.gdsintl.com

Birdy & Grace – Upscale – Classic with an Edge Ladies’ Golf Clothing

Once in a while, a ladies clothing line comes along that will turn heads – Birdy & Grace, this three-year old company, just happens to be that line. Their success at green grassretailers has been phenomenal and accounts are growing rapidly from 5 to over 200. They offer understated elegance and effortless style. The success of Birdy & Grace can be attributed to a novel approach to golf in that every item can stand alone; they have excellent fit and outstanding quality. Their hand embroidery is their specialty.

LPGA players Jane Park, InBee Park and Maria Laura Elvira of the Futures Tour are devotees. Shades of Jamie Sadock, but with a class factor of at least 8 out of 10 points higher, Birdy & Grace’s styling and more importantly, quality, is well priced, flattering and moves with you – a perfect combination.

MSRP: Ribbed Skort (95-5 cotton spandex pique) Purple Rain print $92

MSRP: Sparkling Rose Polo (95- 5 cotton spandex pique) $100

www.birdyandgrace.com

TAYLORMADE R9 460 Driver

What continues to be the most popular brand in the golf business today? That’s easy – TaylorMade. This highly innovative and quality company continues to lead the way in design, playability, demand, pricing and too many attributes to name. Their new R9 460 is proving to be another winner, both at retail and on the professional tours. TaylorMade won the fairway-wood count at the U.S. Open, and the R9 is the company’s newest fairway wood. Just like the R9 driver, it features interchangeable shafts with adjustable hosel positions. Of the shaft that we tested, we found that the Graphite Design Tour AD UT model worked phenomenally well for slower swing speeds adding almost 20 yards over the standard TaylorMade shaft used. The R9 460 driver combines TaylorMade’s renowned Flight Control Technology (FCT) with the forgiveness and power of a 460cc titanium clubhead, and the speed-promoting properties of a longer length and extremely lightweight graphite shaft. FCT gives the golfer the power to easily change the club’s face angle, loft ,and lie angle simply by loosening a bolt in the sole, rotating the shaft into the designated position, then tightening the bolt. FCT makes it so easy to adjust the angle of the clubface into a position that suits your eye and your swing, helping you hit the ball straighter and longer. It also promotes a side-to-side change in trajectory of up to 40 yards, helping golfers draw or fade, or diminish a hook or slice. The R9 460 includes a white FCT wrench that delivers the 40 pounds per inch of torque necessary to adequately tighten the FCT bolt. Available lofts for the R9 460 and R9 460 TP drivers include 8.5°, 9.5°, 10.5° and 11.5° in right-handed, 9.5° and 10.5° in left-handed.

MSRP: $299.00 $399.00 for the TP model www.taylormadegolf.com

Adams’ a7 hybrid iron set

Dallas based Adam’s Golf is cleaning up on the Champions Tour, as well as at retail level. They simply make a great product with their niche targeted to the mid to higherhandicappers. Every club in the Idea a7 hybrid iron set has been individually optimized to fully integrate and outperform traditional irons. The set features two tour-inspired a7 hybrids that deliver increased carry distance and extra forgiveness along with six carefully configured irons that maximize scoring potential. The Idea a7 hybrids may also be purchased individually. The eight-piece Idea a7 hybrid iron set consists of a 3- and 4-hybrid, a hollow-back 5 transition iron and precision engineered scoring clubs in 6-iron through pitching wedge.  The 3- and 4-hybrids take the best attributes from several generations of the Idea Pro hybrids to create a better blend of high-performance with forgiveness.  Improved sole camber makes the Idea a7 easy-to-hit out of any lie and the rear-weighting increases carry distance.  With a patented hollow-back design and a 13 percent thinner face, the #5 transition iron improves gapping between the hybrids and short irons, thereby increasing distance.  Thinner top lines and sole widths for workability highlight the short irons (6-PW) that are designed for maximum scoring potential.  These scoring clubs also feature dual cavity-backs and stabilizer bars for enhanced forgiveness and feel.  Keeping it in the Texas “family”, the stock shaft for the hybrids are the UST Proforce Axiv Core Black, an 85-gram shaft. The irons are available with a matching Proforce Black shaft (85 grams) or a True Temper steel shaft (95 grams) that is designed to promote a high ball flight.

MSRP: $699.99 (eight-club set with graphite shafts); $599.99 (graphite shafts in 3 and 4 hybrids, steel shafts in 6-PW); $199.99 (either 3 or 4 hybrid).

Adam’s Golf is also introducing the Idea a7OS Max set, an all-hybrid set that is very easy-to-hit and delivers maximum confidence and forgiveness.  This is a great and welcome option for golfers that love playing hybrids or for those with handicaps that range from 25 to 36. Adams Golf also created the Idea a7OS hybrid iron set for women which provides the same advanced features and materials found in the men’s sets, but with dedicated tooling and design specifications created specifically for a woman’s swing. Included in the women’s set are a driver, 5-wood, 5-hybrid, 7-mid-hybrid, 9-iron, sand wedge, mallet putter and a lightweight stand bag.  Additional clubs are available for purchase to turn the expandable set into a full set at any time. The eight-piece Idea a7OS Max set consists of four wood-like hybrids and four iron-like hybrids. Each hybrid in the set is built with the advanced technology that consumers have come to expect from the makers of the No. 1 hybrid iron sets in golf: thin crowns and faces for maximum distance; extremely high MOI for maximum forgiveness; low back-weighting for maximum playability.  Available in men’s (3-6 wood-like hybrids; 7-PW iron-like hybrids), women’s and seniors (both 4-7 wood-like hybrids, 8-SW iron-like hybrids), Idea a7OS Max ships to golf shops September 15 with a SRP of $849.99 (graphite) and $749.99 (steel) in the men’s and seniors’ sets, $849.99 (graphite) in the women’s sets. The men’s (stiff and regular) and seniors’ sets are available in right- and left-handed with Graffaloy ProLaunch Axis Blue graphite shafts or True Temper Performance Lite steel shafts.  The women’s set is available in right-handed, left-handed and petite with Graffaloy graphite shafts.

www.adamsgolf.com

ADAMS SPEEDLINE 9032Ti HYBRID-FAIRWAY WOODS
Bucking the trend, these new woods have titanium heads, not stainless steel. These new woods have a center of gravity that is 22 percent lower, a crown that is 25 percent thinner and a titanium body that is 40 percent lighter than conventional fairway woods. Two 40-gram tungsten sole inserts and a weight port that makes the Speedline 9032Ti extremely long off the tee and easy-to-hit from the fairway highlight this advanced weighting system.  In addition, these fairway woods are designed with an extremely high CT face to deliver the fastest ball speed of any fairway wood designed by Adams Golf.  The unparalleled technology of the Speedline 9032Ti woods is so advanced that they come with a guarantee of an additional ten yards over conventional fairway woods for every golfer. Available in the following lofts: strong 3 (13 °), 3 (14.5 °) and 5 (18 °).

MSRP: $379.99 www.adamsgolf.com

Antiqua Clothing
One of the golf industry’s long time stalwarts, now in its 30^th year, and maker of this year’s Ryder Cup apparel, Antiqua has launched its Spring 2010 proprietary DESERT DRY™ XTRA-LITE (D² XL) line. This is a fabric that is extremely light without being sheer whatsoever. Construction is done with a three dimensional approach and this is what makes it extremely light without being sheer or see-through. In addition, the Xtra-Lite performs even faster, as far as moisture wicking is concerned. This new technology can be found in both the men’s and women’s lines of golf apparel. DESERT DRY™ ^XTRA-LITE (D²XL) is a combination of Antigua’s exclusive DESERT DRY™ moisture wicking feature combined with specially constructed ultra-light fabrics for maximum drying performance and optimum comfort. The additional benefits are a much lighter garment with less heat being trapped on the body, less restrictive and moisture wicking more rapidly. Another iconic name, Slazenger, is also part of the Antiqua group.

MSRP $ 60.00 to $80.00 www.antigua.com

The House of Carrington “Ice Feel” Shirts
House of Carrington Ice Feel apparel is “cool like the side of the pillow” Ice Feel is created from a unique blend of lyocell and mercerized Egyptian cotton.  Ice Feel apparel delivers a luxury cotton feel with the ‘easy care’ characteristics normally found only in polyester and polyester blends.  The attention to detail and quality of construction in an HOC shirt are second to none. Quality is their main concern from the fine cotton yarn, through the mercerization process and the cut, make, and trim process. All shirts have been carefully tested before and after wash to ensure proper fit. When you marry this attention to detail and quality construction with HOC’s classic, elegant design aesthetic, the House of Carrington can look forward and feel confident that they can become the brand of choice for a golfer looking for the highest quality. Technical Specs:  Hand-crafted feel, Cool to the touch, Wrinkle-resistant

MSRP: $125 www.houseofcarrington.com

TOUR EDGE XCG-V TOUR SPEC
This is the new fairway version of the popular XCG-V driver. The Tour Spec features a 25% larger purpose-built titanium cup face than previous models, an ultra-light magnesium crown, and a heavy, high-density steel sole plate – a unique combination in club design. The magnesium crown and titanium cup face allow more of the club head’s weight to rest in the heavy steel sole. In fact, the Tour Spec’s smaller pear-shaped head design, taller face, and perfectly executed weight distribution move the CG location closer to the face for a more penetrating ball flight and tour-preferred trajectory. Lower spin rates and a more penetrating ball flight are the result of the Tour Spec’s deeper titanium face. Optimizing consistency, the larger, deeper cup face creates an enormous hot zone for more explosive power even on off-center hits. These clubs will definitely appeal to both pros and top amateur players. These lofts are available in strong #3 (13 degrees), #3 (15 °), #4 (16.5 °) and #5 (18 °).

MSRP: $369.00 www.touredge.com

Nike’s Unitized and OZ line of Putters
NIKE UNITIZED LEO

There has been a lot of buzz around the putter U.S. Open winner Lucas Glover used in his win. Unfortunately, this is a Nike prototype putter. Therefore, consumers at this point in time cannot buy the same putter, but they can buy a similar one. The main difference is the polymer face insert in Glover’s putter. The Leo has no insert. In Nike’s seamless Unitized concept, the shaft is laser-welded to the head and both are nickel-plated as a unit. There are seven Unitized models, including the Leo, which sell for an average price of about $87.00. The Leo is available for $79.95. However, all is not lost as the OZ putter series offers many options including blade and mallet designs and colored inserts. The new and very popular Nike OZ 2 blade borrows from the classic soft tail design popularized by T.P. Mills. The Nike OZ 2 blade is a true beauty at address, with clean flowing lines and exudes a quiet confidence. It features a matte black finish with dual sightlines on the crown to assist with squaring the face. The lightweight polymer insert aims to redistribute weight to the perimeters for enhanced forgiveness. Nike, unlike other putter manufacturers, avoids the common mistake of cluttering the lower portion of the grip with bright colors and over-sized logos, thereby further enhancing the putter’s visual calm. The ball rolls sharply off the face without bouncing along the line. The grip and included head cover do justice to the price point of $99.00.

www.nike.com

TITLEIST SCOTTY CAMERON STUDIO SELECT NEWPORT 2

One of Titleist’s most consistent moneymakers is the large Newport putter family from Scotty Cameron. Tiger Woods, who tied for sixth in defense of his U.S. Open title, has used an original Newport 2 or a prototype variation for the past nine years (with a blacked-out Ping grip). Today’s Studio Select model, with its distinctive red dots, is a classic toe-down putter (meaning it is not face-balanced), with a plumber’s neck. At the U.S. Open, seven of the top 15 finishers carried Scotty Cameron by Titleist putters. All seven (David Duval, Ross Fisher, Soren Hansen, Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Ryan Moore and Mike Weir) had Titleist putters from Cameron’s Newport family. Consumers can find many versions of putters within the Newport family. The putter used by Woods is classified officially as a prototype, but it is virtually identical to the popular Newport 2 model.

MSRP: $299 www.scottycameron.com

Bettinardi Golf

Now that Bobby Bettinardi is back on his own after a short-lived, but friendly association with Mizuno, a new Bettinardi Signature putter line is making its way to Tour players, golf cognoscenti and retailers fortunate enough to carry the brand. Two-time PGA Tour winner, Brian Gay, is a devout devotee of Bettinardi putters. Gay used a custom Mizuno Bettinardi D.A.S.S. (for Double Aged Stainless Steel) C-03 model putter. His putter has the F.I.T. face (for Feel Impact Technology) found on the Mizuno Bettinardi Black Carbon putter line, making it a cross between the Black Carbon line and the earlier Mizuno Bettinardi C-Series putters. Due out soon is the BB Series putter line which is 100% CNC milled in the USA, using Bettinardi’s One-Piece Technology milling process where every putter is finished with his patented Honeycomb™ face to ensure the best feel and responsiveness, plus the highest level of performance.

MSRP: $265.00

In addition to being a CNC milled steel genius, Bobby has also introduced the ultimate in a belt buckle, now quite the “in” accessory on the Tour. The Buckle is the extension of our superior metal craft from the function of golf putters to the fashion world of golf. You’ll find The Buckle being worn by Rory Sabbatini, Lee Westwood and Darren Clarke. The Buckle begins as a solid block of high-grade, double-aged stainless steel (DASS) and passes through a series of 12 processes before it can be a Bettinardi Buckle. CNC milling gradually cuts the metal, creating the form of The Buckle. It is then further honed, engraved, buffed, polished, and hand-painted with an enamel finish. The Buckle is available in two sizes: Standard (1-¼”) & Large (1-½”). And, like its putter counterpart, can be customized to your taste and specifications, including 3-letter initialing, design engraving, and hand-painted elements. All Bettinardi Buckles come with Herman Oak Bridle Leather Belts. These high quality belts are dressed and finished with oils and tallows to make them strong and flexible to prevent cracking around punch holes, and tanned, so as not to tarnish the hardware. Yet, these leathers also maintain their body in use and have very little stretch. All finishes are fully aniline for a natural look, just like stained wood. Leathers whose performance is not sacrificed for beauty. Belts are available in black, brown, white, blue, green, orange, red, and turquoise.

$175.00 www.bettinardi.com

PING G15 Driver
According to PING, the new G15 Driver is engineered for golfers seeking a maximum forgiveness driver that delivers distance and accuracy. Its 460cc titanium head is longer front to back and features PING’s patented ultra-thin crown technology. Weight savings from the thin crown are positioned as an external sole weight to optimize the center of gravity for higher trajectories and reduced spin. A larger face is designed to increase ball speed and provide consistency across the entire hitting surface. The new PING-designed TFC149D high balance point shaft allows for a five-gram increase in head mass (without increasing swing weight or overall weight), which results in higher ball speeds and an increased moment of inertia. Four lofts are available: 9°, 10.5°, 12°,13.5° as well as a Draw version with lofts of 9°, 10.5° and 12°. The available shafts are PING-designed TFC149D (L, Soft R, R, S and X flexes) and Aldila Serrano 60 (R, S and X flexes).

MSRP: $350 (graphite shaft only)

Also, another driver is being introduced by PING – the fade-biased design of the PING i15 Driver and was designed to meet the needs of golfers who place a high priority on working their tee shots. It has adjustable hosel that can bent to two degrees open, but needs to be adjusted by the PING factory.

MSRP: $405.00

www.ping.com

Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the California Golf Writers Association, and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers”, “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf” which is in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s bestseller list. His latest book,” The Right Mind for Golf”, is to be released in September 2009.

He can be reached at www.pgtaa.com or drlotz@cbsgolf.net

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Once he starts hitting fairways, is there really any way to keep him down. Photo by: Alan Bushnell

Here’s a good lesson for any golfer out there. Next time you balk at adding more loft to your driver, look no further than the world’s best player.  Tiger added a degree of loft and another fine tournament win to his cache, as he captured the Memorial Tournament in comeback fashion.

The following is an excerpt from a Nike Golf Press Release following the tournament:

One of the most notable statistics of the tournament was Woods’ driving performance.  After switching from a 9.5-degree to a 10.5-degree loft in his Nike SQ DYMO driver, Woods was able to better control his ball flight, hitting 49 out of 56 fairways during the week.  The winning combination of his Nike SQ DYMO driver and Nike ONE Tour ball represents his most accurate week in driving rounds since the 1998 Masters. 

 “I went with a little more loft, 10 Degree (it was a 10.5 degree that had an effective loft of 10-degrees). As my release has changed over time with Hank, I needed a little more loft to get the ball in the air, little more spin.  I’m still hitting it just as far but probably a different way,” said Woods.  He did not miss a fairway in the final round.

 Woods’ impressive driving accuracy set him up well for his iron shots.  He ranked tied for third in greens in regulation using the Nike Blades. Rounding out his arsenal of Nike equipment were his Nike SQ 2 13-degree and SQ 2 19-degree fairway woods; his 56-degree Nike Victory Red (VR) and 60-degree Nike SV wedge. For Woods’ apparel and footwear, he featured Nike Golf’s Tiger Woods Collection and his Nike Air Zoom TW 2009 footwear.

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This is the ‘Ultimate Golf Towel’, at least that’s what they lead you to believe.  Though, I’ll have to admit, their claim looks fairly promising. The Frogger Amphibian Golf Towel was even voted as the Best New Product at the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show.

The Amphibian is a unique Wet/Dry towel, meaning that you can wet the inside pocket and the outside stays dry.  In the commercial,  a dismembered hand pours an entire 16 oz. bottle of water inside the pocket of the towel while the outside stays completely dry.  How do they do this?  It wouldn’t be a good infomercial if they didn’t reveal the secret.   

The inside features an ultra absorbent inner pocket that is surrounded by a water-proof barrier, then covered with high quality terry cloth,  a three layer system if you will.   The goal is to easily keep your clubs clean for every shot, which makes for more accurate ball contact. 

But wait, the commercial says, when it rains, the Amphibian acts like an umbrella, keeping the inside dry so you can keep your grips slip free. 

Aside from the low celebrity factor (they have Lance Ten Broeck, Jesper Parnevik’s caddie pitching the product)  at only $24.99 this towel has my attention.  But hey, I like a caddie as the spokesman, it really works for a product like this. 

“If I ever handed Jesper a dirty club, I would lose my job.”
-Lance Ten Broeck 

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Claiming, One Swing and 8 Different Ball Flight Options

You’ve had some time to digest your newest purchase. Now let us know what you think about your brand new Taylor Made R9 Driver.  Did you take it to the range, or straight to the course?  How many adjustments have you made to the weighting system and how is that working for you?  Have you adjusted the shaft?  Tell us anything and everything about this driver. Including, what happened on the very first swing. I love those stories.

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Imagine Phil Mickelson's head sticking out of here. Wait...That's creepy!

Sun Mountain has announced that it has been chosen as the “Official Outerwear Provider for the U.S. Team of The Presidents Cup 2009 at Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco. Why is this important you ask?  Well you’ve seen the weather in San Francisco. These are guaranteed to be put into action.  

The Presidents Cup, a team match play competition featuring 24 of the world’s top golfers — 12 from the United States and 12 from around the world, excluding Europe — is held every two years, and has alternated between United States and international venues since 1996. The Presidents Cup was developed to give the world’s best non-European players an opportunity to compete in international team match-play competition. The Presidents Cup 2009 will be held October 6 – 11 at the Harding Park Golf Course in San Francisco, pitting the U.S. Team led by Fred Couples against the International Team captained by Greg Norman.

According to the company, the players’ uniform for The Presidents Cup will include a full-zip jacket, long sleeve pullover, short sleeve pullover, vest and pants that will handle any weather situation. Caddies’ uniforms will include a long sleeve pullover, short sleeve pullover and pants. Team players’ significant others, will have a choice of a full-zip jacket, trench coat (designed exclusively for The Presidents Cup) and pants. All outerwear will be in color combinations of red and blue. How stylish! 

 

RainFlex line includes RainFlex HD with traditional styling and heavy-duty performance as well as RainFlex in full-zip jacket, half-zip pullover, short-sleeve pullover, and pants. The women’s line includes full-zip jacket, half-zip pullover, full-zip short-sleeve, and pants. All RainFlex styles come with a two-year waterproof guarantee. New construction enhancements include locking zipper pulls to keep zippers in place and quiet, tabbed cuffs for quick and easy adjustments for optimal fit, waterproof zippers that are protective and less bulky than traditional storm flaps, and shock cords to maintain a comfortable fit out of the way of your swing.

Rain-X for the Body

My question is, why do both teams get a crack at the same technology.  Let Puma outfit the Europeans and we’ll see who stays drier out there in the City by the Bay.  I have last year’s version of this coat and it can withstand a bucket of water if need be. 

Full-suggested retail prices range from $145 for the short-sleeve pullover to $210 for the HD full-zip jacket. 

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Find Out What Clubs Geoff Ogilvy Used to Win the WGC-Match Play

With so many golf clubs, manufacturers and different players out there, it’s really hard to know which clubs are truly the best.  The answer is none of them.  There is not one brand that’s better than the other (within reason), but their are better brands for certain individuals.  So what do we have to judge by? My favorite way is to watch the PGA TOUR.  Chances are, if it’s not in the bag of a professional, I don’t want it.  But that’s just me.  That said, here are clubs wielded by the last few PGA TOUR winners. 

Winner: Geoff Ogilvy 
Tournament: WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship 

Driver:                         King Cobra S9-1 Pro D (10.5°) with Aldila VooDoo XVS8 shaft
Fairway woods:          King Cobra S9-1 Pro (15°, 20°) with Fujikura Sapphire shaft, 
Irons:                           King Cobra Pro MB (3-9) with Royal Precision FCM Rifle 7.3 shafts
Wedges:                     Titleist Vokey Design (50°, 55°), Spin Milled (60°)
Putter:                         Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport prototype
Ball:                             Titleist Pro V1 (2009)

Winner: Phil Mickelson
Tournament: Northern Trust Open

Driver:                      Callaway FT-9 (7.5°) Tour hosel
Fairway woods:        Callaway Big Bertha Diablo (15°)
Irons:                        Callaway X Forged (3-4), Callaway X Proto (5-9)
Wedges:                   Callaway X Tour Forged (52°, 56°, 60°, 64°)
Putter:                      Odyssey White Hot XG #9 Blade
Ball:                          Callaway Tour ix 

Winner: Dustin Johnson
Tournament: AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am 

Driver:             TaylorMade Burner (‘09)  (10.5°)
3-wood:           TaylorMade V Steel (16.5°)
Hybrid:            TaylorMade Rescue TP (21°)
Irons:               TaylorMade Tour Preferred (3-9); rac MB (PW)
Wedges:          TaylorMade rac (54°), Titleist Vokey Spin Milled (60°)
Putter:             Scotty Cameron by Titleist 303 GSS 
Ball:                 TaylorMade TP Red LDP

Winner: Nick Watney
Tournament: Buick Invitational 

Driver:                    Titleist  909D2 (10.5°) with Mitsubishi Diamana White Board 83 shaft
Fairway wood:      Titleist 909F2 (15.5°) with Fujikura ZCOM Pro95 for Titleist shaft
Hybrid:                   Titleist 909H (21°) with Proforce V2 hybrid 100 shaft
Irons:                      Titleist AP2 (3-9)
Wedges:                Titleist Vokey Design 200 Series (48°), Spin Milled (56°), Special “T” Grind (60°) 
Putter:                    Titleist by Scotty Cameron 009 prototype
Ball:                        Titleist Pro V1x (2009)

That’s four different weeks, four different winners with four completely different clubs in the bag. But aside from their sponsorship demands, there are a couple of clear favorites there.  For instance, three are using versions of the Titleist Scotty Cameron Putter Line.  Geoff Ogilvy even throws a Titleist Vokey SW in there for good measure. 

*stats courtesy golf.com

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NIKE SQ Dymo STR8-FIT Driver

Dr. Barry Lotz’s 2009 PGA Show Report – what’s coming your way that will dramatically improve your golf game – looking great and walking in extremely comfortable shoes.

The annual pilgrimage to the golfer’s Mecca was as exciting as it has been for as long as I can remember. The only noticeable aspect was that the show’s attendance was substantially down over last year – a good 10% both by vendors and attendees.

Facing an uncertain economy in 2009, golf companies are looking to revitalize the market with state-of-the-art technology and performance-focused materials.

As usual, there was the “buzz” about certain products. This year the most talked about hard good products were TaylorMade’s new R9 driver Burner Irons and TP Rescue club, Titleist’s “new” Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls, Nike’s STR8-FIT drivers, Tour Edge XCG-V driver and The Radar – that’s just on the hard goods side of the aisle. Plus four new putters were introduced that had golfers excited – a new Scotty Cameron Kombi, TaylorMade’s Balero, Boccieri Golf’s Mid-Weight and YES! Golf’s Interchangeable Hosel System putters.

On the soft goods side, with more than 200 golf apparel, footwear and accessory companies exhibiting product at Show, there is a lot to see. The items that caught both my eye and had a palpable vibe from attendees visiting their booths, were products from Daphne’s Head Covers, adidas and Mibrella.

One of the two most interesting and useful products introduced at the Show was Callaway’s and Aetrex Worldwide “Callaway-Aetrex “Opti-Fit” scanning system and the Callaway Golf Orthotic” product line.  These in-store digital foot-scanning tools provide golfers with comfort, balance and fatigue reduction.  Foot scans measure the pressure exerted by the foot, arch type and foot size, then recommend the most appropriate footwear and specific orthotic options.  Callaway Golf Orthotics feature “CopperGuard,” a top cover made from advanced Cupron fibers that help prevent bacteria, fungi and odor to keep feet healthy and clean.

The other, The Radar by National Golf Products, is one of those truly useful tools that give the user distinct benefits. In this instance, the ability to know how far you hit your shots with each of your clubs is essential to your distance control.

Priced at just $229, the easy-to-use Radar offers 12 “bands” calibrated to provide accurate feedback on shots with drivers, hybrids, irons and wedges that is crucial in a sport which demands distance control. A user simply sets the unit on the ground, selects the proper band and swings away.

The Radar is accurate on shots from 10 to 400 yards – and suitable for use on the range, on the course or with a hitting net – The Radar records ball velocity and carry distance and offers instantaneous readings by taking 100,000 measurements from the moment of impact.

The Radar is extremely portable, running on one 9V Alkaline or Lithium Ion battery (preferably Duracell or Energizer), weighing 11oz. and measuring 6″ x 4″ x 1″ (H x W x D).

www.thegolfmat.net

Hard Goods

As with each year, golfers are looking for something easy to hit, with respect to drivers and fairway woods – they want to get the ball into the air. To that end the following products may have all the answers they need.

TaylorMade Golf

Taylor Made's Anticipated R9 Driver

Following the enormous success of the r7 Series and the recent Burner drivers, the newest addition to the best selling line will be the R9 driver, which should probably be another big success, if not the biggest to date for TaylorMade.

Like the R7 and Burner drivers, the R9 is targeted at any player who wants a modern, powerful driver that he can swing fast and launch long, but with one major change and improvement – instantaneous adjustability.

What sets the R9 driver apart from all other drivers is that it incorporates TaylorMade’s new Flight Control Technology, or FCT for short. With a simple twist of a wrench, FCT allows you to change the R9’s face angle, loft and lie angle.

How does FCT work? It starts with a small metallic sleeve positioned over the tip of the shaft. The shaft is secured to the clubhead with a specially made bolt in the bottom of the clubhead. The FCT bolt is designed to be retained in the well to eliminate the chance of losing it. The sleeve, made of high-strength 7075-T6 aluminum alloy, is ringed around the bottom with small teeth, which tightly mesh with a second ring of matching teeth within the hosel.

You can change the clubhead’s characteristics (face angle, loft, lie) by loosening the FCT bolt, removing the shaft from the head, rotating the sleeve and shaft into a specified position, then locking them into that position within the head with the FCT bolt.

The R9 driver also incorporates TaylorMade’s Movable Weight Technology (MWT). The clubhead features three weight ports and comes equipped with one 16-gram and two 1-gram weights. Put the heavy weight in the heel port to promote a draw, in the toe port to promote a fade, and in the middle port to promote a straight flight.

Pat Perez used the R9 to win at the Bob Hope. His driver is an 8.5° with the clubface set at one degree open and the lie angle set between neutral and right, thanks to FCT. In terms of MWT he has 5-gram weights in both front MWT ports and an 8-gram weight in the back port. 13 other players also had the R9 in their bags and you can bet TaylorMade will again be the #1 driver both on Tour and at retail.

Taylor Made Burner 09 Irons

As with the driver and rescue club (following), TaylorMade has developed a new set of irons, the Burner 09 irons, which represent an improvement on their SuperFast Technology, and which incorporates progressive COR, progressive MOI, and progressive shaft-length, starting from the short-irons up through the long-irons. The goal is to promote faster ball speed and more forgiveness as the set progresses from a lot of loft (short-irons) to a little loft (long-irons), and is designed to enable the longer irons to deliver the type of ball flight and distance that they’re intended to.

The new Burner irons are available in full sets that include 4-iron through attack wedge. Burner 3-iron, sand wedge and lob wedge are also available. All clubs are offered in left-handed with the exception of the lob wedge.

MSRP: $840 – Steel shafts and $1,080.00 for graphite.

The MSRP for individual clubs is $105 with steel shaft and $135 with graphite shaft. Flexes are available in Stiff and Regular in steel and Stiff, Regular and M (senior) in graphite. Available March 20, 2009.

TaylorMade Rescue TP Hybrid

Right away you notice that the new Rescue hybrid’s clubhead is refreshingly compact, which unlike the previous Rescue models, improves its playability significantly, especially out of trouble spots like the rough.

Despite its smaller size, it still looks substantial and easy to launch, its appealing shape is more refined, and its two-tiered, monochromatic crown and silver clubface are a distinct improvement over the Rescue Mid’s appearance. A crown decal is strategically positioned to make it easier to align the clubface properly to the target-line, promoting increased accuracy.

Although the Rescue hybrid’s size is similar to the original Rescue Mid, the new club has the benefit of Ultra-Thin Wall technology in the crown, which saves enough weight to significantly lower the CG location.

Meanwhile, the sole has been redesigned with substantial areas at the toe and heel significantly recessed, so that a much smaller percentage of the sole area comes in contact with the turf.

The Rescue TP hybrid is also equipped with an Aldila® Voodoo VS8 graphite shaft with S-core technology, which is the No. 1 hybrid shaft on the PGA Tour.

Two versions are available, the standard Rescue and the Rescue TP, the key difference being that the Rescue TP hybrid features the same TaylorMade Flight Control Technology (FCT) that’s in the R9™ driver and fairway woods, while the standard Rescue hybrid does not. FCT gives the player the ability to change the Rescue TP’s face angle, loft and lie angle, which has never before been possible with a hybrid of any kind.

Additionally, the Rescue TP hybrid is available in two custom shaft options, the Fujikura® Motore 85 graphite hybrid shaft and the Matrix Ozik Altus Hybrid graphite shaft; both in X, S and R flexes.

The standard Rescue hybrid is equipped with an Aldila RE*AX® 65-gram graphite shaft, designed to promote greater distance, accuracy and control to the average golfer and is available in 2, 3, 4 and 5 right-handed and 3, 4 and 5 left-handed.

Availability begins on May 1st at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $199. S, R and M flexes. The Rescue TP hybrid is offered in 2, 3 and 4 right-handed and 2, 3, and 4 left-handed; the MSRP is $249 and it becomes available at retail on May 1st.

TaylorMade Balero Putter

Following TMAG’s great success with their Spider and Itsy Bitsy Spider putter line, now comes the latest iteration of the series – the Balero. Featuring both a new visual direction and an improved alignment system—wings that echo the diameter of the cup, and a flange with a ball-sized cutout.

The Balero also uses a slightly modified AGSI+ grooved face insert as well as a high MOI design similar to the original Rossa Spider. It appears that TaylorMade potentially has another hit on its hands, as the new alignment system clearly is an improvement over the original Spider.

Though release date and pricing are not set, you can assume that the Balero will be sold for a similar price to that of the Spider.

www.taylormadegolf.com

Boccieri Golf Mid-Weight Putter Series

The Heavy Putter by Boccieri Golf is about to get lighter with the upcoming introduction of the Heavy Putter Mid-Weight series. The sleek and sophisticated Zing-style K4 (shown) is one of five models in the Mid-Weight Series, which is composed of two mallets and three blades. The K4 has a rich matte black finish and slimming ornamental grooves along the sloping rear flange. The Heavy Putter Mid-Weight models are offered in a black “PVD” or silver satin finish. The standard loft is three degrees.

The new Mid-Weight putters weigh a total of 750 grams, inclusive of head, grip and shaft—an average of 150 grams lighter than previous models, but still considerably heavier than conventional putters.

The Mid-Weight putters follow the original Heavy Putter models (both satin and matte) and last year’s Heavy Putter Deep Face series, all of which averaged around 900 grams of total weight. The 750-gram Mid-Weight putters, therefore, represent a nearly 20 percent weight reduction compared to the earlier models (yet still 250+ grams heavier than conventional putters).

$169.00

www.boccierigolf.com

YES! Golf Interchangeable Hosel Putters

YES! Golf is the first company to introduce two putters with an interchangeable screw-in hosel system. Golfers will be able to custom fit their putter based on personal preference of the look and style of the hosel.

The interchangeable hosel putters, Tracy III Plus and Lizzy Plus, are precision CNC milled and can accommodate one of four hosel options designed to improve the look and dynamic balance of the putter.

The plumber neck hosel is standard in the Tracy III Plus and the Lizzy Plus. Three other hosel options are sold separately — slant neck, z-bend and pronounced heel-toe hang. The suggested retail for each hosel option is $100.

Tracy III Plus:

This blade putter is designed after the Tracy putter, one of YES! Golf’s most popular putters. The Tracy III Plus head and accompanying hosels are made with CNC milled 303 forged stainless steel precision parts for incredible feel with a head weight of 350 grams that includes the hosel.

The putter has a single sight alignment line in the cavity of the putter head. It also has a loft of 2.5 degrees (2 degrees flat or upright available) and lie of 72 degrees with length options of 32-37 inches.

MSRP: $360.

Lizzy Plus:

This mallet-style putter head and hosels are made of CNC milled 303 forged stainless steel with a head weight of 350 grams including the hosel.

The back cavity has the look of a blade with an extended cavity to create a mallet design and feel. It features a single sight alignment in the back cavity. The putter has a loft of 2.5 degrees with length options of 32-37 inches.

MSRP: $360.

www.yesgolf.com

NIKE SQ Dymo STR8-FIT Driver

The new Nike SQ Dymo (which stands for Dynamic Moment of Inertia) STR8-FIT drivers are more revolutionary than its predecessor, the Nike SUMO, and will replace the SUMO range when it is released this month. It will go directly up against TaylorMade’s R9 driver.

2008 Master’s champion, Trevor Immelman, is a strong proponent of the new Nike Dymo driver which has an adjustable head with eight settings that can change the club to give a choice of up to 2 degrees closed or 2 degrees open, plus different lie angles to offer golfers of different heights a better setup. The shaft adapter is built into the hosel, and adjusts with a torque wrench.

Also winning with STR8-FIT in 2008, were K.J. Choi and Anthony Kim.

For those just wanting a standard head, Nike has non-adjustable versions of the new drivers and these will replace the successful SUMO range. Aesthetically, the Dymo is a little classier than its predecessor (in my opinion), with the coloring somewhat toned down.

There isn’t as much yellow as there was on the Sumo, and the crown of the club looks less two-toned than the previous model.

And in terms of technology, the Dymo is packed full of goodness! For instance, the SQ Dymo2 (square version) has weight placed deep into the corners off the head to offer great stability and forgiveness, while the round version of the club provides more precise feel, control and workability!

MSRP: $549.00

www.nikegolf.com

Tour Edge Exotics XCG-V Driver

The XCG-V features a “v-shaped” titanium cup face, ultra light magnesium crown and a heavier high-density steel sole plate, which are brazed together for permanent bonding, without welding.

According to Tour Edge, that combination moves more weight lower and to the rear of the sole than is possible from any current driver on the market. The result, XCG-V, produces very little spin and a high moment of inertia for longer drives.

For greater power and distance, the cup-face is 125-percent larger than previous Exotics models and features a 30-percent larger hot zone.

The XCG-V has the fastest ball speed and lowest spin rates I’ve seen in awhile. Not to mention, phenomenal feel, performance and distance. It’s just a fantastic product.

The material’s flexibility allows the XCG-V crown and neck to absorb more shock on contact, producing a smooth, powerful feeling at impact.

The club’s hyper steel sole creates a super-high moment of inertia, reducing club head twisting on even the most off-center hits. This high MOI can make the difference between the first cut of rough and the fairway, or even between being OB and in play.

The XCG-V delivers with an X-Quad ultra-light shaft from Graphite Design. The X-Quad’s four-way interweave technology creates a responsive tip, improved stability, and precise control.

The combination of magnesium, steel, and titanium will help vault the Exotic’s XCG-V driver to the forefront of the golf industry.

$499

Also available from Tour Edge’s gifted owner and designer, David Glod, is his

Exotics Tour Proto Putters. The Tour Edge founder has put his name on the new high-end milled putters.

The Exotics putters, which will retail for $299, are shaped entirely from a solid block of SUS303 stainless steel, and each of the three designs — blade, offset blade and mallet — features a proprietary “X-grip face pattern,” which helps hold the ball on the face a fraction longer at impact, which promotes better feel, control and a smoother roll.

www.touredgegolf.com

Titleist’s New Pro V1 Balls

The Titleist Pro V1 – the world’s most popular premium golf ball – has been reinvented as the all new Titleist Pro V1 2009 and Pro V1x. This is the fifth version of the Pro V1 and the fourth version of the Pro V1x.

Identifying the new versus the old is simply done – the new balls have two dots next to the arrows on the side stamp (also known as the alignment system). The previous version of each ball had a straight-line side stamp with arrows on each end, but no dots. Each box and individual sleeve of the new balls will contain a chart comparing the new version to the previous version.

A brand new cover and a host of clever new touches have been added to the Titleist Pro V1 2009 and Titleist Pro V1x 2009 to optimize golf ball flight.

Both of the new 2009 golf balls are said to be longer than the older version of the Pro V1 and X versions and Titleist has spent hours with their Tour Pros to really polish the already popular Titleist Pro V1 for 2009.

Specifically, the Pro V1 has a new and larger core to provide a soft feel while contributing to longer distance, while its redesigned thinner lanomeric casing helps create spin.

As for the Pro V1x, it has a soft centre dual core that delivers increased velocity plus low spin.

And for real golfers, one major new change to the golf ball is that it is now more durable than before, which means your Titleist Pro V1 and Titleist Pro V1X will last longer. Aligning the new golf ball will be easier thanks to a new alignment line on the ball.

$45.95

www.titleist.com

Also new from Titleist – is the Scotty Cameron Studio Select Kombi putter, a high performance line of mallet putters.

The Studio Select Kombi line is available in standard, mid and long length models – Kombi (33”, 34”, 35”), Kombi Mid (43”) and Kombi Long (50”). Each Kombi is precision milled from lightweight 6061 Aircraft Aluminum and features Studio Select weighting technology. Kombi putters incorporate a thick face and three-point weighting, that is, weights in the heel, toe and back. The result is unmatched solid feel and sound in a mallet putter. The combination of the three-point weighting technology and a deep CG produce a balanced putter that is stable throughout the stroke for forgiveness and great roll.

The putter is aesthetically pleasing, has a great set-up and the ball comes off the face with an exceptionally good feel.

The Standard Kombi putter comes with circular weights in the heel and toe that allow for a variety of length and weight combinations to fit any putting stroke or style. This flexibility makes it easy for golfers to choose a Kombi putter with the length and weight they require. On the Kombi Mid and Long putters, the rear circular weight is replaced with a central bar weight to create the optimum head weight and balance for the longer lengths.

All Kombi putters feature a clean, double-bend stepless shaft with a full shaft of offset that provides an unobstructed look at address, while T-shaped, red ink sight lines provide precise alignment references on the topline and body. A misted topline with a sight line along the rear edge reduces visual thickness and makes face alignment easy. The Kombi offers a player-preferred shape and body size that flows into the ground from topline to rear.

MSRP: $325.00 Available April 1, 2009

www.scottycameron.com

Daphne’s Head Covers

This 26-year-old family business is doing a rip-roaring business in the custom head cover arena. These head covers are not only well designed, but also their quality and attention to detail is superb.

Each animal is fully lined and elasticized to ensure a secure fit on your clubs and is guaranteed for life. Inside the label you will find their factory phone number. Rest assured that if you have any problems with your head cover, the manufacturer will fix it pronto.

The latest models are the pink poodle, inspired by Jo Head on the LPGA Tour which has a rich pink coat that would be the envy of all the poodles on Rodeo Drive, and hybrid club fit which makes it the ideal companion for your favorite rescue club. The udderly perfect cow cover will securely protect your driver with the realistic portrayal of American’s favorite farm animal. I love Daphne’s head covers!

$25.99 www.daphnesheadcovers.com

Mibrella

Another truly useful product debuted this year – the Mibrella. As the name connotes, this is a personal use umbrella both for walking with your push cart and for your motorized golf cart. Mibrella is also ideal for hot, sunny days. Its UV barrier protects against the sun’s rays, reduces glare and provides shade.

Mibrella is not round. It is asymmetrical – the shaft is placed forward, putting the golfer in the center for maximum coverage that is the equivalent of a 72” umbrella rather than the standard 62” wide umbrella!

One of the attributes of Mibrella is that it is designed to work exclusively with the company’s proprietary and revolutionary load-n-go holder, which attaches to power carts, allowing Mibrella to stay open while the cart is in motion. There is simply no need to open, close and store!

Mibrella is a “comfort” accessory that all golfers will appreciate, and is an excellent tee gift for charity and corporate golf tournaments, and a great revenue generator, exclusively for golf course pro shops!

www.mibrella.com

Ogio’s new three-in-one Devolver is a cart bag, lightweight caddie bag, and super-light carry bag – all in one.  It features a 10-inch Uniter 15-club top and custom ergonomic three-point carry handle and weighs in at just 9.6lbs.  A removable, oversized accessory pocket wraps around the bag for ample storage and attaches magnetically, then can be separated from the main compartment.  As a stand-alone carry bag, an extending flap hidden in its base unzips to reveal grip protection, while conversion is completed with the attachment of the base bag’s carry strap.  Once its outer pocket is removed, the “stripped down” bag that remains is 36.5 inches high and delivers additional storage through four remaining pockets.

MSRP: $320.00

www.ogio.com

adidas Golf’s Formotion

A golf shirt is pulled and stretched, twisted and stressed with every swing, often to the detriment of the golfer’s comfort and performance. Recognizing this, adidas Golf created Formotion, a complete upper-body system with raglan sleeve construction and ClimaCool technology designed to promote a smoother, more fluid and more dynamic swing without restriction or irritation.

MSRP: $85

http://www.adidasgolf.com

adidas Tour 360 Sport

THiNTech low-profile technology brings the athlete closer to the course, promoting consistent ball-striking through stability and footwork. 50/50 Protect technology features a water-resistant TPU shield that surrounds the lower-half of the shoe, while the top half utilizes air-mesh for temperature management, flexibility and comfort. Split outsole technology with 360WRAP support system allows the upper to surround the mid-foot completely, delivering stability and a glove-like fit.

MSRP: $165.00

Ashworth AM3570 EZ Tech 100% Cotton Pique

A fabric category Ashworth is continuing from prior seasons and improving on is its EZ tech Hi-Def 100-percent luxury cotton.

EZ Tech is a dipping process which gives cotton such performance characteristics as shrink-resistance (less than 2%), color retention, breathability, moisture wicking, wrinkle and pill resistance, soft hand and easy care. Totally Wash, Dry & Wear! They have also added a specialized “innosoft” finish that gives the fabric a lustrous and luxurious feel and does not wrinkle. This lightweight cotton has a special no-roll collar and is comfortable to wear. This area of the Ashworth line is geared for a more classic and refined look.

MSRP $49.50

Cutter Buck DryTec Edge
One of golf’s best known brands continues to be the favorite for green-grass stores and the upscale-minded golfer.
The new CB DryTec Edge from Cutter & Buck for men and women, combines performance fabric with sporty styling, making it great for wear both on and off the course. Its Active knits offer break-through moisture control for comfort and performance. Available in a full-zip style for ladies, this layering piece is sure to be a year-round favorite.

$64 – $72

www.cutterbuck.com

Nike Golf Air Zoom Vapor

Nike Golf has introduced the lightest performance golf shoe to date with the Nike Air Zoom Vapor, which weighs just 13.8 oz*.  With Nike’s new lightweight golf shoe, golfers will discover that they possess more stamina and less fatigue during their round through the benefit of carrying less weight on their feet.

Inspired by the Mercurial Vapor Soccer boot, Nike Golf’s Air Zoom Vapor is made with a one piece microfiber upper that is lightweight, strong, waterproof and breathable. This high-performance upper is coupled with a full-length chassis that together provide the ultimate in stability and comfort.  The high-end synthetic upper material is more durable than leather, more form-fitting to the foot and will not stretch over time.

Also highlighting Nike’s lightweight innovative technology found in the Nike Air Zoom Vapor is Nike’s Power Platform Ultra, which provides the ultimate in weight transfer and balance control for maximum power conversion to a golfer’s swing.  To make the shoe more lightweight, the middle section of the sole is taken out for added comfort without jeopardizing stability.

Located in the heel of the shoe is Nike’s Zoom Air unit, which provides the most responsive low-profile cushioning and the best lateral stability of all of Nike’s technologies.

Nike Golf athletes, Stephen Ames, Stewart Cink, David Duval, Lucas Glover, Carl Pettersson and Bo Van Pelt are devotees of the Air Zoom Vapor.

In addition to the enhanced features noted above, Nike Air Zoom Vapor also offers the following technical benefits such as a Full-length contoured sockliner – Full-length and contoured for instant comfort for the life of the shoe, an Articulated Phylon midsole/outsole with Scorpion Stinger Spikes and Q-Lok system – Dual durometer TPU for optimal traction, comfort and durability and a 2-Year Limited Waterproof Warranty- Watershield Plus keeps water out while the foot stays dry and cool.

Colors: Black/Metallic Silver; White/Black; Tour Yellow/Black; Metallic Pro

* 13.8 oz pertains to a Men’s size 9

MSRP: $176.00
www.nikegolf.com

Glove It

Glove It, the leading manufacturer of women’s fashion golf accessories, was one of the busiest booths at this year’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando.

The Nicole Miller collection by Glove It expanded its line for 2009 with the addition of a golf cart bag. The golf cart bag, which comes in three patterns with matching head covers and accessories, was named by the industry’s Apparel Wire as a “Show Stopper”. The 9-inch lightweight golf cart bag, which weighs in at just seven pounds, is designed to be used on a golf cart or push cart. It offers plenty of storage space along with easy access to all the pockets.

$275.00

The 2009 Glove It collection features five new collections with a mixture of vibrant colors in fun prints to more traditional colors in classic prints. Each collection features 10 accessory pieces consisting of a golf glove with valuables’- pouch, visors, caps, accessory and tote bags, water bottle covers, shoe bags, towels, club covers and three-interchangeable belt combinations.

The suggested retail for the accessory collection ranges from $14.95 – $49.95. The entire line comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.

All in all, the Show still retains its magic and is an event that thousands of golfers look forward to each year and are rarely disappointed. I have already booked my return visit and look forward to seeing what creativity and technology have in store for 2010.

Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the California Golf Writers Association, and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers”, “How to Build Business Relationships through Golf” which is in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s bestseller list. His latest book,” The Right Mind for Golf” is to be released in January 2009.

 

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Taylor Made’s anticipated new R9 driver is making waves at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic, it’s very first week in play on the PGA TOUR.  Pat Perez used one to shoot 20-under par for 36 holes.   Amazing stuff! There are 13 R9s in play in this week’s tournament according to Taylor Made’s web site.  March 20 is the date that they are advertising it to be available to us normal golfers.  But if the results from the pros mean anything to you, I believe that will be a date worth marking on the calendar.    Coincidentally, the other Taylor Made 2009 debut, the R7 Limited, also has 13 players swinging it this week.

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