The Wingman View allows you to listen to your favorite tunes and get both audible and visual distances around the course. It features high quality audio combined with a viewable LCD screen that provides distance and music information.
HIT THE BUTTON FOR AUDIBLE FRONT, CENTER, BACK OF GREEN CALL-OUTS: Get audible distance readings, from 36,000+ courses worldwide, through the Wingman View by simply pressing the remote button.
AUDIBLE 1ST TEE INTRODUCTIONS & CUSTOM SOUND BITES: Get these by simply clicking the Bushnell button on the remote.
VIEW HAZARD DISTANCES: Get up to 6 audible and viewable hazard distances per hole on the Wingman View with the LCD screen.
INTEGRATED BITE MAGNETIC CART MOUNT: Wingman View features Bushnell’s franchise feature BITE magnetic mount that allows you to easily attach the Wingman View right on the cart bar.
REMOVABLE BITE REMOTE: The redesigned Wingman View remote allows you to get GPS distances, adjust volume, change songs, play sound bites and 1st tee introductions.
NEW BUSHNELL GOLF APP: The Bushnell Golf app provides additional product benefits, information and data to further help improve your game, as well as access to easily be able to update your GPS device (for 2021 GPS products and beyond).
Bushnell’s “Wingman View” just $199.00US! A must have for any golfer.
You can image as editor of one of the premier golf publications Golf Tips Magazine, I often receive requests for product reviews with great frequency. What you might not know, is I do not take this opportunity to test the latest equipment lightly. One of the most important factors when reviewing any product is honesty and transparency. After all, the consumer often relies on our views, and opinions before making a purchase. Having said that, here is my honest assessment of Stix Golf.
As part of the review process Stix Golf sent me their Classic 11 Piece set which included, Driver, 5 Wood, 4 Hybrid, irons 5 – PW, 56 Wedge & Putter, complete with headcovers. What I didn’t anticipate was Stix Golf sending me one of their golf bags. A nice surprise to say the least! All clubs were fitted with graphite shafts, stiff flex. I typically play with steel shafts, but thought “What the Heck!”
At first glance, this is a very respectable set indeed. Their Classic Set features irons and wedges with a finish that provides an extremely high level of durability and scratch resistance to keep your clubs looking sharp. Now it was time to put them to the test!
I headed to the range the first sunny day, and proceeded to put them through the paces. As a golf professional for over 25 years I know most amateurs are tempted to pull out the Driver. I confess, I was a bit tempted too! Nevertheless, I did what all golfers should do, start out with some easy wedge shots, and work my way up to the big stick. The irons felt great! They are designed with a more forgiving clubhead which for most golfers is right up their alley. I was equally surprised how well the shafts performed. I quickened my pace a bit to get to the longer clubs. The hybrid and 5 wood both performed as well and any on the market. Which says a lot given that the are much easier on the pocket book.
Now finally the driver! I was excited to see how their big stick stacked up against others from some of the big manufacturers. There isn’t an option to adjust the clubhead as with others on the market, but that in my opinion is OK. I find too many adjustments takes away from a players true ability. Overall, the driver performed great! I was pleasantly pleased with how it performed. No complaints here!
Final thoughts!
Stix Golf in my opinion has come up with a winning formula. They offer a better than decent set of clubs for the average golfer. BUT WAIT FOR IT! The best part, their affordable. The entire Classic 11 piece set retails for just $799US. Given the fact that many drivers currently on the market are fast approaching that number, your getting a great deal. They offer other options too like their 14 piece set. So whether your a beginner or more seasoned golfer, Stix Golf should be on your radar. I think you’ll be surprised at their performance, and I guarantee it will be easier on the pocket book.
STIX GOLF – Classic Set (11 Clubs)
This 11club set is for the player who’s made strides in their game and wants more options during a round. We’ve taken the casual 9 club set and added two irons: a 6i and an 8i. How Stix is changing the world of golf? Each sleek club is a joy to swing — smooth and consistent, for a comfortable, controlled stroke. Built solid, these Stix clubs are made with the very same premium materials you’ll find in kits 3x the price. Because unless you’re Tiger Woods, a crazy-expensive pro kit will not change your game. Stix are for the rest of us — golf lovers who just want to swing stronger, hit further, and love the way the clubs feel. Visit their site for more great options.
When it comes to filling out their golf bag, many golfers face a conundrum trying to stay under the 14 club USGA limit. To cover the gap between their driver and long irons they can either carry a fairway wood, like a three or five, or opt for hybrids, which typically range in loft from 3-wood to five-iron.
The rebels with a cause at Cleveland Golf have challenged this limitation with the Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood, which unabashedly offers the best of both worlds in terms of looks and performance. Engineered for golfers who struggle to hit their fairway woods off tight lies, or make clean contact with a ball snuggled down in the rough, the Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood is quickly becoming the workhorse of many golf bags.
The Science
The 3+ Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood features 18 degrees of loft, more than ample for settling comfortably into the role of a 5-wood. Its head is noticeably bigger than your typical hybrid, and its size creates a higher moment of inertia for more stability at impact, according to Cleveland. There are three guide rails along the sole of the club to help keep the face square during impact. They also have the added benefit of helping the clubhead run smoothly over any surface.
There are subtle and even hidden, design components that elevate the Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood into rarified air. Unbeknownst to golfers wielding it, an 8-gram weight placed inside the end of the grip delivers better balance and control without the need for extra exertion. Cleveland also added two “rebound frames” with alternating zones of flexibility and rigidity that impart more energy into the golf ball when struck.
The Results
I’ve never been able to consistently hit fairways woods off the deck, despite various technological advances. And I’ve also struggled over the years to hit any 3-wood off a tee on short par 4s that call for less than driver. I was looking for the Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood to fill both roles, a big ask considering it’s not necessarily designed to take the place of a 3-wood.
But I typically play from between 6,200 and 6,400 yards, hit my driver 240 yards on average according to my Arccos Caddie shot tracking app, and needed a forgiving club that gives me around 220 yards off the tee and 215 to 220 yards from the fairway. The Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood has filled this role perfectly, and truth be told, it’s the single best hybrid I’ve ever used.
The feel is otherworldly, perhaps part of the inspiration for the Halo (High Angle Lift Off) name. The Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood feels light in my hands, yet at address, it’s stout, powerful and ready to spring into action. I play anything from slight draw to a hook and looking down at many draw-bias hybrid clubheads makes me want to snap a shot into the woods. Not the case with the Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood, which has more of a neutral fitting.
The sound and feel of the clubface are unlike any others I’ve experienced, whether it be hybrids or fairway woods. In fact, it’s so noticeably pure that every playing partner I’ve had since putting it in my bag has commented on the pleasing “thwack” at impact. The black and turquoise color pattern is also an attention-getter, although it can clash with just about every other club cover in the bag save for other Cleveland clubs or the TaylorMade SIM series.
I’ve now used the Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood over 10 rounds and 50 shots. According to Arccos’ Smart Distance feature, I average 217 yards and I’m hitting the fairway 62% of the time off the tee. These numbers are in-line with my objectives for the club, and the Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood will be in my bag for the long haul.
The Launcher XL Halo Hy-Wood retails for $219.99, an amazing value considering most OEM’s price their hybrids in the high $200s, and Callaway has even rolled out an Epic Super Hybrid for $399.99. For more information, visit www.clevelandgolf.com.
By any measure, 2021 was an epic year for Pacific Northwest-based TRUE linkswear. The walking-focused golf shoe brand headed up by CEO Jason Moore and his brother / PGA TOUR player Ryan Moore debuted several new lines including the wildly popular Pebble and Dead Golfer collections, and limited-edition Queen of Clubs True Knit II in collaboration with Foray Golf.
Jason Moore grew up playing golf competitively and spent years caddying on the PGA TOUR for his brother, Ryan, who is still active on TOUR and ranked 181 in the FEDEXCUP standings. The duo experienced every course and weather condition imaginable when they worked together, from the wind and rain of the Pacific Northwest to the unrelenting heat and humidity of south Florida. The idea of a comfortable, versatile golf shoe was born out of necessity, or “selfish innovation” as Jason Moore often refers to it.
“Golfers shouldn’t have to wear overbuilt, uncomfortable golf shoes when walking or riding 18 or 36 holes,” Moore says. “We consider everything a golfer encounters and apply that to our footwear, all while providing a modern aesthetic that can be worn anywhere, enhancing the golf lifestyle.”
Heading into 2022, these Pacific Northwest pioneers aren’t showing any signs of slowing down. Just before the holiday, TRUE dropped its highly-anticipated Sport Series, featuring the LUX, which sits atop a Wanderlux Superfoam midsole with a six-millimeter drop, and OG, which offers a barefoot experience with zero drop and extra wide toe box.
Engineered for the eternal pursuit of par, the grinders and the early risers, as the “TRUE Crew” likes to say, both Sport models boast an adaptive upper that is both breathable and waterproof, a one-two punch any diehard, four-season golfer would appreciate. And TRUE is also updating, enhancing and relaunching some of its best sellers, like the Original 1.2, with its iconic zero-drop and minimalist fit.
Overall, the company’s current footwear portfolio includes five core designs that focus on sustainability, performance and comfort while maintaining a modern, minimalist aesthetic that appeals to avid and new golfers alike. Several of TRUE’s models are crafted from entirely recycled materials including yarn made from water bottles, recycled outsoles and sustainable components.
TRUE’s commitment to sustainability will be on full display in the first part of 2022 as it unveils its All Day Ripstop. The highly wind and water-resistant shoe has an upper made from 100% recycled polyester and a TOUR-tested (and approved by Ryan) outsole cushion and tread. Like all TRUEs, the All Day Ripstop is designed to be worn on the golf course, at the 19th hole and anywhere else life takes you.
Europe’s #1 golf bag brand BIG MAX is set to bring a splash of color to the fairways with the release of two new models that are packed with features and boast distinctive European styling. The Dri Lite Hybrid Tour and Dri Lite Seven, benefit from BIG MAX’s practical approach to life on the course, including its award winning water resistant Dri Lite technology. And while that makes them perfect for a gray day on the fairway, life with these BIG MAX designs is far from dull!
“There isn’t a huge variation in the golf bag market and that’s fine for a lot of golfers, but at BIG MAX we want to stand out from the crowd,” commented Ralf Niesing, Head of Bag Design at BIG MAX. “For practical innovation alone, the Dri Lite Hybrid Tour is the match of anything on the market and in the Dri Lite Seven I’d say we have the best lightweight stand bag in this price category. But when it comes to style, I really don’t think there is anything that comes close. With the Hybrid Tour we use 90° and 45° angles as they harmonise together and combine perfectly with the angle of a bag on a push cart. We then took the best modern color combinations and ended up with something that pops in a different way to any other bag I’ve seen. The Dri Lite Seven has a more subtle palette with bold accent colors, but at a single glance you can tell that this is a BIG MAX bag that has both style and substance.”
The Dri Lite Hybrid Tour is the water-resistant next generation of BIG MAX’s hugely successful Hybrid line. With its spacious interior and modern styling the Hybrid Tour is the ultimate all-round solution for the golfer who likes to push, carry and look great on the course. This ingenious bag sits perfectly square on a push cart thanks to its flat, footless push cart compatible base and leg lock feature, while the clever positioning of the stand mechanism low on the body of the bag provides a clear contact for the upper bag bracket, eliminating twisting. Its 14-way divider and 5 water-repellent pockets – including spacious cooler and 100% waterproof valuables pocket – give it superb cart bag capacity, while its ultra light weight of just 4.4 llbs and practical features such as padded straps and air channel for breathability when carrying mean it excels as a stand bag too. MSRP: $259.99
Available in: Black, Charcoal/Black/Red, Silver/Blueberry/Merlot, Steel Blue/Black/Rust, White/Black/Orange
The DRI LITE Seven is a water-resistant stand bag that features both waterproof fabric and zips. With an 8.5″ top and 4 way divider the Dri Lite Seven is a compact stand bag that offers extra room with its larger top to ease clubs in and out during your round. The bag holds 4 more clubs than traditional compact bags, which means you can travel and play with a full 14 club set in this small and ultra light bag. At less than 3.75 llbs and featuring a padded strap with air channel for breathability the Dri Lite Seven is perfect for carrying, while the leg lock gives golfers an easy option to use on a cart. Four water resistant pockets including cooler and 100% waterproof valuables pocket provide plenty of storage options and at an MSRP of $179.99 this bag is a perfect choice for a golfer who wants to carry Lite for a great price.
Available in: Black/Red, Navy/Orange, White/Navy/Red
BIG MAX Dri Lite technology delivers a 2000mm* water-resistant rating. Featuring waterproof material, waterproof zips and a fully sealed waterproof valuables pocket. These will keep all but the wettest days at bay.
*Hydrostatic testing of waterproof fabric gives a mm per 24 hours rating. This refers to the amount of rainfall a fabric can withstand in a single day. Thus, a 2,000mm waterproof rating means the garment can withstand 2,000mm of rainfall in a single day without letting in moisture.
BIG MAX has been Europe’s #1 push cart brand for over 20 years following the unprecedented success of the world’s first 3 wheel push cart the Ti1000. Available in virtually every country that plays golf, BIG MAX is a name that has become associated with quality and innovation. It’s most recent advancement, Fold Flat technology, has seen BIG MAX pioneer push carts that fold down completely flat, in some cases to less than 5” deep. BIG MAX has furthered its reputation for innovation with its AQUA and DRI LITE technology that in the last quarter of 2017 matched BIG MAX push carts by becoming #1 golf bag and travel cover brand in Germany, a traditional marker for # 1 in in continental Europe.
The Approach Z82 from Garmin has more than 41,000 preloaded courses mean that we have the one you play — and thousands of others. The hole can’t play hard to get with flag finder; lock in with a buzz. Going dancin’. See distance to the front, middle and back of green. Beat the wind when you know its direction and speed. The indicator light lets them know that you’re tournament legal. There’s no range finder left behind when you use Find My Garmin.
More Z82 Specs:
General
Unit dimensions: 4.8″ x 3.1″ x 1.7″ (122.9 x 80.0 x 42.1 mm)
The holidays are fading into the rear-view mirror, and somehow you didn’t get the golf outfit you wanted.
No worries. Here’s a set of shirt, slacks and socks that’ll set you up for your next round, hopefully somewhere it’s warm.
SHIRT: BUTTER CLOTH
Golf Tips tested this breathable, soft, breathable polo in Hawaii in December, under skies ranging from rainy to brightly sunny, and it performed its job well – keeping the torso dry and comfortable while allowing plenty of room for big (but controlled) swings on a big course, the Plantation at Kapalua.
The name of this shirt fits, and fits well. Buttercloth is 100% cotton, but it doesn’t wrinkle, even after a run through the washer (cold cycle) and dryer (delicate, or warm at most). Nor does it shrink.
And, yes, it translates perfectly to the office or restaurant, even if you don’t have time to change.
We wouldn’t mind a closetful of this garment. Comfy is king!
Golf Tips fell in love with the Hill City light jacket last year, and now comes its Everyday Tech Pant to add to our look-good-and-feel-good lineup.
For one thing, the 97% cotton Athletic Fit pair we got our hands on (and legs into) is stretchable, especially in the “Adaptive Waistband,” which is where the other 3% comes in, as Elastane nylon. This combo is perfect for golf, again allowing plenty of movement through the swing, but they also look and perform great off the links – from business meetings to casual lunches. And they’re water resistant, a huge plus during the winter months.
There’s also a Slim model, but we’re down with the slightly roomier Athletic cut.
Tired feet are a pet peeve among the Golf Tips crew, but these high-tech socks, available in either golf-specific crew, quarter-length or low-cut “sport thin” designes, they keep the dogs from barking as well as any we’ve tested over the years.
These aren’t just any normal nylon or cotton blend socks. Yes, those fabrics are on board, along with polyester and spandex, but it’s all infused with “carbonized charcoal” (as well as a semiconductor thread made from Germanium) to aid in circulation, wick moisture away from the skin and, most importantly, increase circulation and reduce swelling or inflammation.
To kick this performance combo up a notch, Incrediwear’s engineers design each sock specifically for left and right footing. What they’ve dubbed “cooling toe box and heel cups” provide even more comfort on and off the course.
Sounds like the perfect excuse to ditch the cart and actually walk the course for a change – and end the day with your feet feeling just fine, thank you very much.
Lynx Golf’s brand new Prowler VT Stinger Driving Iron is both a throwback of sorts to the age of the 1-iron – golfers of a certain vintage will relate, whether they actually dared to keep such “butter knives” in their bags — and a huge leap forward in the hybrid iron genre.
While all the new clubs rolling off a rejuvenated Lynx Golf’s production line have impressed Golf Tips reviewers for the better part of 2019, this new stick takes us into 2020 as another fairway-finding weapon altogether, pretty much a genre all its own.
And an affordable one at that.
Offered in 15- or 16-degree lofts (Ben Hogan’s famed 1-iron was supposedly 17 degrees), with a shaft length about the same as the average 4- or 5-hybrid, the Prowler VT Stinger’s very name gives away its utility as a gotta-keep-it-in-the-short-grass option when the driver, or even a 3-metal or easy-to-duck hook hybrid just doesn’t feel right when you’re faced with a sharp dogleg or otherwise tight landing zone.
For one thing, the club’s high-profile face not only affords a bit more visual confidence at address, but its varying-thickness design redistributes weight toward the face’s periphery to, says the company, “increase MOI and reduce sidespin on off-center hits by up to 36%.”
We found no issue with that assertion. When teed low and struck with a slightly downward blow, as you would with a regular iron, the Stinger produces a piercing ball flight that would make Tiger himself nod and smile in approval. Contact feels both soft and solid, and with the weight profile and wide sole, the club resists the big curve; it’s virtually impossible to turn the toe over, or drag it, through impact.
During on-course testing on two Maui favorites — the recently tweaked Plantation Course at Kapalua Resort and popular Emerald Course at Wailea — the Prowler VT Stinger made pleasing work of several tee shots, including a beautiful baby draw on the Emerald’s testy, water-laden, downhill, short par 4 17th. Distance-wise the club compares to a 3-metal (most of which are also 15 degrees); on that particular hole we were left with a half-wedge to a front pin. Tasty!
Yes, the Stinger is indeed a “driving” iron — it’s right there in the name—but don’t be afraid to employ it from the fairway, especially from level lies with plenty of grass under the ball. Just play it a bit back in the stance, shallow out the swing just a skosh, and don’t get too steep coming down, as a fat shot is sure to follow.
Back on the tee, you can move the club forward, make a nice-relaxed move and marvel at the resulting dead-straight, wind-cheating shot. And you don’t have to find a pinhead-sized sweet spot, a la the old 1970s 1-iron, to pull it off.
Yes, we love our hybrids, including Lynx’s own Black Cat line, but this baby has earned a spot in our regular 14-stick rotation. It’s a big-time Prowler for par, or better.
Historically, putting has been 50 percent fear and 50 percent fun. Reading, aligning and stroking the putt are anxious parts of the game. AcuAim Putters will get rid of the fear in a surprisingly simple way: By giving every golfer a focus point on the golf ball itself via an ingenious reflective “halo.”
The halo on the two new wands from inventor and longtime golfer Woody Stillwagon is produced by a narrow, luminescent plastic insert that extents straight back from the center of the face, which, when it absorbs and then reflects the sun from just about any angle, casts an glowing orange spot that’s easy to line up with the “centerline,” or perfect contact point, on the ball itself.
Golf Tips testing with the heavier, toe-balanced “Camelback” model (the slightly smaller M-1 is 30 grams lighter) in regular amateur tournament playing conditions truly illuminated Stillwagon’s guiding theory behind his design—to fight what’s know as the “Parallax Effect.”
As pointed out in this Putt Like A Pro article, the parallax effect causes an alignment error from the outset when the golfer tries to align the perceived ball’s centerline with the putter’s actual centerline. This inexactness causes the centerline of the ball and the putter’s sweet spot to be misaligned. Because most golfers focus almost all of their attention on the top of the putter when aiming the putter, it is unfortunate that the golfer usually follows with their eyes the top of the putter back through the back stroke—thus committing golf’s cardinal sin of taking their eyes off of the ball.
That didn’t happen in our testing. Alignment immediately became second nature. The “halo” held our attention through the putt, from address through contact; we found that our eyes didn’t follow the actual putterhead, which is the bugaboo of many stuggling putters.
The upshot? More made putts, from knee-knockers to low-percentage, plus-20-footers. At the end of the two-day tourney, our team found itself in the winner’s circle. AcuAim played a big part.
It’s effective. Suddenly putting is fun again.
And the more putts you make, the more you enjoy playing and the lower your golf score. Which is fun, too, right?
“Most golfers can ‘read’ a green—it is fairly obvious to read right or left breaks, up or down rolls on most putting greens,” Stillwagon says. “After initially reading the contours of the green, the golfer ‘guestimates’ the probable track of the putted golf ball.
“But using the traditional passive black or white alignment line on the putter’s top surface does little to enable putter aiming. AcuAim Golf is changing the game. When you compare the traditional black or white center-lined putters, there is no comparison.”
Indeed. AcuAim’s luminous centerline addresses the shortcomings of the traditional putters.
“Where this putter really does well is from two to eight feet,” adds Stillwagon. “Beyond eight feet it’s anyone’s guess, but this really helps golfers make those shorter putts.”
Stillwagon argues that the putter, unlike design advances in woods, balls and shaft technology, has remained virtually unchanged. There is really nothing new in putter design since the 1950s; up to now, all putters then look virtually the same as putters today.
AcuAim’s luminous centerline is patented and conforms with the Rules of Golf. It also conforms with our idea of what a truly effective and confidence-boosting putter can and should be. It ships with an old-school, round “Grip One” grip, but of course you can add whatever grip model fits your fancy.
Then you’re set to get out there and have some fun on the green, for a change.
The new Lynx Black Cat line of drivers, fairway metals and hybrids aren’t your dad’s circa-1970s brand of feline-themed golf clubs.
They’re nowhere near the popular, Brit-born sticks that Fred Couples and Ernie Els employed to win the 1992 Masters and 1994 U.S. Open, respectively.
They’re a breed apart, and miles better.
Now Lynx is a company reborn — still with a deep history of winning at every level, and doing so at a reasonable price, but back with a new set of fairway-shredding, bunker-busting “claws” in the form of beautiful, classically shaped, matte-finished heads loaded with the kind of technology that will cause certain 21st century golf gear geeks to purr.
Meanwhile, the rest of us less technically inclined schlubs just looking for a few more yards, perhaps a little workability and plenty of pleasing sound-and-feel feedback, might just meow with pleasure when we put these cool cats into play.
Lynx Black Cat Fairway Metal
I certainly did within moments of breaking the new adjustable driver and fairway metal, and the new 20-degree 3 hybrid, out of their shipping box.
Actually, it sounded more like the word “sweet.” These clubs simply look great close up, from every angle, and at address.
The driver head is hosel-mounted star key-adjustable with lofts from 8.5 to 12.5 degrees in neutral, draw bias or fade bias settings; it appears more compact than some 460cc models thanks to a deeper face with more “live” real estate situated toward the toe, which is where a lot of amateurs tend to strike the ball. On the sole is a reversible Weight Bar System; put the “HW” toward the rear and “LW” toward the face for higher ball flight, vice-versa to bring the trajectory down.
Same type of set-up for the handsome fairway metal, whose loft can be adjusted from 13 to 17 degrees, also with draw or fade bias. Its head pleasingly larger than many you see today, which should translate to a more forgiving attitude on tight fairway lies but also keep the club effective from the first cut of rough.
Lynx Black Cat hybrid
Then there’s the hybrid, available in 20-degree or 23-degree models — not adjustable, more compact with Weight Bar of equal measure front and back to promote that digging, high-launch action that make such utility clubs so valuable in varying lies.
Across the line, each club’s face is built in two pieces, employing what the company calls Cup Face Technology — the surface is hardened via a special process that helps reduce spin and increase ball speed — and Effective Energy Transfer, or EET, which broadens the sweet spot for added forgiveness. Variable Thickness spreads more weight to the face’s perimeter to further reduce spin. And they come standard with a UST Mamiya Recoil ES shaft, regular or stiff.
OK, so the new Lynx Black Cat’s looks are impressive, tipping their cap to their persimmon-look roots while pointing unmistakably forward in terms of tech. But what about their actual performance?
Start with the big stick: The very first time I wielded the Black Cat during a round, with loft set to 10.5 degrees with a draw bias and a reg shaft, the ball met the face with a solid ping-thwack — not too loud, but not hollow, just plain perfect — then soared in a baby draw some 250 yards down range, a good ten spot beyond my average. Even my toe strikes didn’t seem to dampen its distance performance, and with that bias I couldn’t slice, or even put more than a mild cut on the ball.
The piercing ball flight produced by the fairway metal, set to a standard, neutral 3-wood 15 degrees, was something to behold off tee and turf; even when I put a lousy swing on it, taking a bit too much earth and pushing the ball right, I still got decent carry and roll — telling me it’s absolutely stable through the hitting zone, with no untoward twisting.
Finally, the 4-hybrid performed beautifully from a variety of lies, including above and below my feet, but did especially well off a tee on a 212-yard par 3. I could tell I’d come a hair over the top on my downswing, but the club managed to send the ball on no more than a tiny fade, a few yards right of the pin — and just when it looked as if it would veer further right, it seemed to correct in mid-air and hold its original line (in calm conditions). And it carried a good 10 yards further than I’d anticipated. I’ll take it; like most of us, I’d rather be long than short, if only for my ego’s sake.
Anyway: Green hit. Two putts. Easy par on a hard hole.
Now that the new Lynx Black Cat sticks are widely available in the U.S. (there’s also an iron set), I wouldn’t hesitate to seek them out for a look and a test. This rejuvenated cat is out of the bag, it’s on a birdie-seeking run, and you’d be foolish not to follow along.
Golf Tips fell in love with the Hill City light jacket last year, and now comes its Everyday Tech Pant to add to our look-good-and-feel-good lineup.
Tired feet are a pet peeve among the Golf Tips crew, but these high-tech socks, available in either golf-specific crew, quarter-length or low-cut “sport thin” designes, they keep the dogs from barking as well as any we’ve tested over the years.
Historically, putting has been 50 percent fear and 50 percent fun. Reading, aligning and stroking the putt are anxious parts of the game. AcuAim Putters will get rid of the fear in a surprisingly simple way: By giving every golfer a focus point on the golf ball itself via an ingenious reflective “halo.”
