More Golf Equipment

Determining Your Set Makeup

You need to have a distinct set makeup, one that saves your swing and game. Remember that what works best for your friend may not necessarily function for you. So how do you pin down the right combination of woods, hybrids, irons and wedges that’s most ideal for you?

"My best advice is to first get a custom-fitting session from a PGA professional," says Jerry King, PGA, director of instruction at Kapalua Golf Academy in Lahaina, Hawaii, and one of America’s top instructors. "This is the first and most important domino in the process. A quality clubfitting will guide you through all of the necessary steps to arrive at a set unique to your personal requirements and preferences."

A fitting will determine the proper shaft model, length and flex; clubhead lie angle; driver loft; iron clubhead type; grip type and size; wedge lofts and bounces; and the most effective, efficient club mix for your set. You might even score some quality swing tips along the way.

For new golfers, King suggests a two-hour session. "The first half is spent building a solid setup and swing specifically designed for that player," says King. "This gives us a positive head start to the fitting process, so when it’s time to begin the clubfitting, the golfer’s warmed up and dialed in with strong fundamentals. This makes the fitting process much __easier and more productive toward getting accurate fit specifications."

You’ll discover in a fitting session which clubs you hit better than others, which clubs you don’t need, and which are essential. The pro will help you figure that out and optimize the set so that it gives you the most possible enjoyment and the best odds for success. King emphasizes that many newcomers don’t even need a full set, as they’re learning the game.

In addition to clubfitting, you can visit any major club brand’s website for interactive experiences that can help with set building and pricing. You might also spend some time perusing golf shops and testing some clubs, to see what feels and looks good to you.

"The club-finding process is a lot easier if you have a plan," says Grant Rogers, PGA, director of instruction at the world-renowned Bandon (Ore.) Dunes Golf Resort, who’s adamant that hybrid clubs be part of your plan–no matter your skill level. "They’re easier to hit than long irons and fairway woods with lofts less than 15 degrees, are excellent for hitting shots out of playable rough and long bunker shots, and can make short shots around the green easier if you struggle with chipping." Have your clubfitter work out distance gapping with you, to decide which hybrid lofts best fit your game.

Speaking of distance gapping, you’ll also need to consider that with your wedges, because they’re key to scoring. Most players utilize either a three- or four-wedge mix, with the lofts appropriately gapped. Again, a clubfitter can determine which mix works optimally for you, taking into account the course you typically play and the shots you need there. Still, King advises, "It’s very important to determine what wedge shape and grind best fits your style of play. Wide or narrow sole, high or low bounce, bounce toward trailing or leading edge, etc?" The right combination will help make you a lot better.

Most Overlooked Factors Of Clubfitting

1. Gap Analysis With Scoring Clubs
A majority of the strokes you take in a round are inside 100 yards, so it makes sense to have a club for all situations. Today, manufacturers are making pitching wedges with loft as low as 44_¡, which can create a large gap between that and a traditional 56_¡ sand wedge.

2. Lofts In Fairway Woods
Imagine a garden hose, with the water pressure turned way down. It’s hard to make the water shoot very far, unless you raise the angle of the garden hose so the water shoots out higher. It’s the same with fairway woods. If you don’t have a lot of clubhead speed, there’s not enough loft on a 3-wood to maximize carry distance. In many cases, slower swingers will hit a 5-wood farther than a 3-wood, just because it’s easier to launch the ball at the proper angle.

3. Bounce In Wedges
Most people recognize the loft of a wedge, but there’s another important factor–bounce. If you’re a "digger," meaning you take bigger divots with your wedges, or if you play on a course with deep rough around the greens, you’ll benefit from higher bounce. Low bounce will tend to benefit "sliders," those who play on a course with hard, tight lies. It’s a good idea to have different bounces in your wedges, so you can have a club for all conditions.

4. Loft On Your Putter
Most people are surprised to find there’s loft on a putter. There is, because when the ball comes to rest on the green, its weight causes the ball to sit in a slight depression. Loft is needed to lift the ball slightly before it starts rolling. Everybody has a different putting stroke; some forward-press and deloft the putter, and others may add loft to their putter at impact. It’s important to have the correct amount of loft so the ball comes off your putter properly.

5. Driver Length
Much is made of longer drivers to gain more distance. On a robot, that is true. Unfortunately, not many of us swing like a robot. The real key to distance is hitting the ball on the sweet spot. You want to use the longest driver that you can consistently hit solidly on the center of the face.

6. What’s The Best Driver?
Most players will hit drivers, and evaluate them based on one factor–distance. If they hit one good shot in five, and it goes 10 yards farther, they think they’ve found the Holy Grail. But the goal is to get around the course in the fewest number of strokes, which means getting the ball in play off the tee consistently. You’ll score better with a driver that allows you to hit more fairways, even if it means sacrificing a few yards.

7. Difference In Putterhead Styles
There are many different styles of putters, and it can be confusing as to which is best for you. If you’re trying to swing the putter on an arc, a putter with "toe-hang" is built for you. Those who try to make a straight-back and straight-through stroke will benefit from a "face-balanced" putter. Finally, if you struggle to hit putts solidly, try a high-MOI putter. These are the large, mallet-style putters. The sweet spot is much larger, and distance control will be easier for you.

8. How Your Height Affects Club Length
Most people assume that taller people need longer clubs, and shorter people need shorter clubs. This is not always the case. The length of your arms plays a big role. A tall person with long arms may need the same-length club as a much shorter person with shorter arms. Rather than use height to determine the proper length, take a look at the distance from your hands to the ground. That’s more relevant.

9. Grip Size
The size of the grip on the club influences the way you release the club. If the grip is too thick, it’ll be harder to release the club properly, and you’ll tend to miss to the right. On the other hand, if the grip is too thin, you’ll tend to overrotate your hands and hit pulls or hooks. And to make it worse, if the grip is the wrong size, it can lead to tension, which creates a whole new set of problems.

10. Set Makeup
We’re allowed to carry 14 clubs, including the putter. We want to have a club for every situation–no more, no less. If there’s a club in your bag that you can’t/won’t hit, replace it with a club that’ll help your game. For example, some golfers still carry a 3-iron. And for some, even if hit solid, it doesn’t go any farther than the 4-iron. Replacing the 3-iron with another wedge, or hybrid, will result in lower scores.

Where Will You Be 5 Years From Now?

1. What’s your take on the state of the equipment industry right now?

Sean Toulon, TaylorMade executive vice president of Product Creation:
It’s an exciting time. New innovations are coming online at a faster pace than ever before. The consumer has more opportunities now than ever to improve the performance of their equipment.

Greg Hopkins, CEO of Cleveland Golf/Srixon–USA:
It’s an interesting time. We’re seeing a big consolidation at the retail level. The big are getting bigger. The middle-tier customers are struggling or going away. And I think you can say the same thing about the OEM level. There are only five or six major companies still out there. You used to have Ram and Tommy Armour and Lynx and all these companies that have gone away or become house brands for some companies. So there’s been a consolidation there, and combined with what’s happening in participation, sales volumes and the economy, it’s probably a good thing that these major companies are surviving. Participation is down in the last five years over 10 percent and might be pushing 15 percent. So you have a shrinking pie. Then throw in the weather problems we had in 2011, and people were playing less golf. So the industry is mirroring what’s going on in the United States, with tough economic times. Companies are having to manage things properly to survive. The white driver was such a big success, allowing TaylorMade to pump up the industry numbers. But the market is down the past five years, volume-wise about $300 or $400 million, which is significant. The white driver is such a phenom that they were up. Had TaylorMade had a normal year, the industry would’ve been down considerably more. The success of that driver and all the white clubs that came out helped the market from dipping down more in sales volume. And that helped the retailers. So I think the market is probably a bit more anemic than maybe even the numbers suggest. Part of that will change in 2012, because I don’t see the weather being as weird as it was in 2011. Barring that, I think we’ll hit a reasonable sales level where it doesn’t go up or down. It’s survival of the fittest right now.

Chip Brewer, Adams Golf president and CEO:
Fortunately, the golf-equipment industry, like our economy as a whole, is recovering. We had a good year overall in 2011 and expect that 2012 should be even better. Consumers are increasingly looking to our new technologies–such as aerodynamics, adjustability and Velocity Slot Technology–to further improve performance and are willing to pay for it.

Rob Arluna, Nike Golf’s global category business director for golf clubs:
Certainly the industry has been affected by the global recession, however we are very optimistic about the future. We’re seeing business begin to pick up as consumer confidence strengthens, and people head back to the golf course. While the number of annual rounds played is a key driver for health across the industry, groundbreaking innovation also plays a major role. As an equipment manufacturer, we set out to move the market and grow the game by exciting golfers and by delivering an experience that makes them prioritize golf as their go-to sport. Our innovation plan and product performance across all categories, from clubs to balls to footwear to apparel, is powerful and will inspire people to play more golf.

Tom Preece, Cobra PUMA Golf vice president research and development:
The industry is competitive, but has lots of opportunity for a brand that dares to be different.

Luke Williams, Callaway Golf’s senior global director of woods and irons:
It’s an extremely competitive industry if you’re an equipment manufacturer, which makes it a great time to be a golf consumer. Golf equipment is better today than ever and it will continue to get better because you have some very smart people spending all of their time trying to make better golf clubs and balls that make the game more enjoyable for more golfers. As a result, products continue to evolve and improve with the application and combination of new technologies.

2. In what ways would you like to see club development evolve over the next five years?

TaylorMade: I’d like to see more energy and resources go into equipment to help people learn how to play the game.

Cleveland Golf/Srixon: The USGA has us pretty well cornered in the woods market. They finally caught up to advancements. As a result, what you can do to a driver head is somewhat limited, which is putting focus on other components, with lighter and stronger shafts, lighter grips and cosmetic elements. I wish the USGA would back off some of the restrictions. There’s only so many things that can advance in golf, and golf is an evolution of the participation in the sport. The reality is that guys don’t shoot any better scores today, but they have more ease in playing the game. They like to hit the ball a long way. I think the USGA overreacted with the groove ruling and unnecessarily boxed in manufacturers in wood-head advancements that allow golfers to enjoy the game more. And when you have a game with shrinking participation, you need to look for ways to make the game more enjoyable. Their focus was on top-of-the-pyramid players, like Tour pros, and there aren’t that many of them. Those players will shoot great, no matter what you give them to play. They worry about some areas that, in the big picture, are not for the best health of the game. They don’t worry about participation, but probably say they do. Or they have a disconnect between participation and responsibility in growing the game, and equipment advancement.

Adams Golf: To truly unlock the potential of today’s technology, we need an even greater focus on custom fitting, both by manufacturers and retailers. We need to work closer together than ever. We recently launched a web application called HITfit, which provides guidance on how to integrate hybrids into an iron set. This is a good example of how to create a simple solution that pays dividends for the consumers, retailers and manufacturers.

Nike Golf: Golfers are more discerning than ever and will educate themselves on new product purchases, and they should. There’s always new opportunities for equipment advancements, and Nike Golf will never stop innovating.
It’s in our DNA.

Cobra PUMA Golf: We’d like to see more advancements in technology.

Callaway Golf: We’ll continue to push the technology that enables better performance and greater enjoyment of the game by more people–that’s what we do. Adjustability is a step toward making a club that’s better able to suit the particular preferences of an individual golfer, but there’s more we can do along these lines. We’re working on some really exciting stuff.

3. If you could change one thing about the way the USGA regulates equipment development in the future, what would it be?

TaylorMade: That they would completely relax any and all "plain in shape" restrictions.

Cleveland Golf/Srixon: I’d like to see the USGA back off some of their positioning because they do have a cornered market: You can’t post a handicap or play in club tournaments if you don’t play by their rules. I think we all need to help. We don’t want the game to continue deteriorating. In Japan, the market has significantly shrunk. There are other factors there, but the point is that it shrunk, and the game here can shrink. When the big baby-boomer population moves through in the next decade, what’s left? It’s kind of an alarming situation to the health of golf. Part of the solution is to make the game more enjoyable. What’s happened is that the USGA got behind the curve, and now they’ve gotten ahead of it again, which is fine. But golf courses have lengthened out. I can hit the ball at age 56 as far as I could when I was 25. But now the courses stretch out to 7,500 yards, and I need to hit the ball farther. Or I can step up to the short tees, but most guys don’t want to do that because it’s an ego thing. I think they’re applying the wrong medicine on a perceived problem that really doesn’t matter. Let the Tour do what it wants to do. If they’re worried about how far the players hit it, let them deal with it.

Adams Golf: I’m probably the odd guy out, but I think the USGA is doing a great job. An interesting discussion for the future would be the potential for bifurcation related to different equipment rules for elite competition vs. regular play. I do understand there are pros and cons by going in that direction.

Nike Golf: The USGA is currently working with the manufacturers to create more transparency and guidelines around rule making. We applaud the new efforts at the USGA and look forward to a more transparent relationship as we move forward.

Cobra PUMA Golf: Continued dialogue with the manufacturers about the processes to evaluate rule changes and data-driven decisions about rule changes.

Steve McCracken, Callaway Golf senior executive vice president, chief administrative officer: We think that any change to the Rules of Golf is a serious matter, and that those Rules should only be changed to address a serious, identifiable problem. If the problem is that professionals hit the ball too far or spin the ball too much from the rough, then the solution should be aimed at those golfers and those competitions through the use of Conditions of Competition. General changes to the Rules should only be made when the problem being fixed is one that’s shared by all golfers, not just a few.

4. How much farther do you think average golfers will be able to hit tee shots five years from now?

TaylorMade: At least 25 yards.

Cleveland Golf/Srixon: There are some interesting developments in shaft technology, in that shafts are getting lighter and stronger. We have some of the lightest drivers on the market, yet we figured out how to control the torque and flex patterns so big strong guys can hit the ball farther. When you have a lighter shaft and deliver the middle of the clubface to the ball, it goes farther. They’re not whippy anymore. I don’t see much there for improving irons. With the groove ruling, it’s all about how else we can make the ball spin. And there are some interesting things coming down the pipeline that will improve that. I think we’ll get back to how balls spin, and lighter and stronger shafts. But it won’t come from the clubheads.

Adams Golf: Realistically, maybe another 10-20 yards. Some of that gain can easily be achieved through custom fitting by optimizing launch conditions and identifying the proper overall weight and balance point of the club. We’re also still developing technologies that take advantage of aerodynamics to increase ball speed.

Nike Golf: Distance is king to the average golfer. This is certainly why drivers evoke so much emotion with the equipment segment. There’s still room for improvement off the tee especially on off-center hits. We’ve delivered longer drivers every year. We believe we’ve done it again this year with the introduction of our new club line, the VR_S, that features NexCOR face technology. We focused on the face to generate more ball speed, which translates to more distance. As products become easier and easier to fine-tune on demand for each individual swing, golfers will be able to dial their driver to precise specifications that could easily add 12 to 20 yards.

Cobra PUMA Golf: It’s hard to predict, but biggest gains will come from technologies that enable less distance loss on off-center shots.

Callaway Golf: That’s a difficult question to answer broadly. I’d say that almost every average golfer I play with has the potential to see significant distance gains. Technique is obviously a huge part of this. Most golfers just don’t swing as well or as efficiently as they could, so they aren’t realizing their full distance potential. Many could improve distance with improved strength and fitness. We’ve seen what a huge impact this has had on the distances that the best players in world are hitting now. But many golfers I play with still aren’t playing with drivers that are optimizing their distance. Some are playing with older technology that’s just not up to modern standards, some have drivers that aren’t well fitted to them so they aren’t optimizing their launch conditions, which is the way you improve distance, and some may not be playing the right golf ball for their game. When we conduct demo days and get people testing our latest drivers on launch monitors, almost without exception, we can get a golfer into a driver that will increase their distance off the tee.

5. Which area of golf equipment is best poised for the most dramatic improvement through technology, and why?

TaylorMade: Honestly, all categories have room for dramatic improvements in performance. We have a steady stream of revolutionary ideas, concepts and prototypes that will become real groundbreaking products in every category.
Cleveland Golf/Srixon: The shaft–the key is in the shaft. It’s the primary engine of the club. Clubhead design is secondary. But the shaft is really key. Look what happened in shaft technology. It wasn’t that many years ago when shafts were pushing 100 grams. Now they’re down to 40 grams. That’s dramatic. I don’t see materials changing too much in clubheads.

Adams Golf: Hybrids and fairway woods still have tremendous growth potential. The inclusion of our industry-leading Velocity Slot Technology, which has a slot on both the crown and sole of the club has not only expanded the springlike effect across the entire clubface, but also allowed designers to increase launch angle without increasing spin for the first time to boost distance and forgiveness in ways never before imagined. Custom-fitting technologies like HITfit are helping average consumers optimally fit their clubs to play better and enjoy the game more.

Nike Golf: Innovation is an incredibly powerful tool. With launch-monitor improvements and new ways to capture and mine swing data, there’s no telling where we could go from here. We continue to find ways to dramatically improve equipment across all categories and are optimistic about the future.

Cobra PUMA Golf: Most likely distance gains through fitting. As fitting technology becomes less expensive and more widespread, more and more consumers will realize that the proper loft, shaft type, etc. for their swing can deliver significant gains in performance.

Callaway Golf: You never know where the next great technology is going to come from–that’s why we spend so much money on research and development. We’re always looking for the next best thing and we’re looking across all of our equipment categories. This is part of what makes our jobs so fun. We’re passionate about golf and we’re passionate about golf clubs (and balls) that make the game more fun for golfers of all abilities. So there will always be something new and better coming.

The Golfer’s Diet

Chances are your diet is actually causing your golf scores to go up, says author and veteran golf writer Scott Kramer. His e-book The Golfer’s Diet ($2.99) is entertaining and fast-reading, helping golfers learn in layman terms what kind of foods to eat before, during and after a golf round. It explains why the most-popular food items at golf courses are often the worst for your game. What’s really cool is that PGA Tour and LPGA Tour pros reveal what they eat, when they eat it, and what foods they avoid. We highly recommend it!

Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/The-Golfers-Diet-ebook/dp/B006CPC1C2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326474317&sr=8-1

Equipment Q&A

BOB PHILION

TOM PREECE

This is the first line of Cobra clubs under PUMA management. How have things changed?

PUMA has given us creative freedom, and it’s evident in our new products. Colorful grips and designs complement the technology in each new offering. The ZL Encore features E9 Face Technology™ with dual roll and offers consumers a choice with two cosmetic offerings–all white, or black with electric yellow. But the design of our clubs is always predicated upon performance first and foremost. You’ll continue to see new technology and color in Cobra’s product offerings. –Tom Preece

The Long Tom is the longest driver on the market. Why did you build a 48-inch club?

We made the first Long Tom driver back in the ’70s. It was a 46-inch club (much longer than other conventional drivers) and ahead of its time. We wanted to bring it back. The new Long Tom is four feet long and only 269 grams. The length-to-weight ratio generates extreme distance with added accuracy and distance from E9 Face Technology_ã_ with dual roll. It’s an exciting club to play with–when consumers hit it, they get excited about the immediate distance gains. –Tom Preece

We see that the Trusty Rusty wedge is back. How does the rust improve the performance?

The Trusty Rusty is rusty because it’s made with raw, unplated carbon steel, which is softer and rougher than standard chromed steel. The new Trusty Rustys have been updated with new grooves that are milled and then post-lasered, maximizing performance under the new groove rule. Trusty Rusty will continue to rust more over time, which will result in a personal wedge cosmetic with exceptional performance. –Tom Preece

You’ve really thought outside the box on a lot of your offerings. How’d all this come about?

COBRA PUMA GOLF’s goal is to become the most desirable golf company, and we aim for that by being a bit on the edgier side. Offering bright graphics, colorful grips and unique product is only part of the strategy. All of our products are based in technology and designed to help your game, but we bring our youthful and joyful attitude to life through our products. –Bob Philion

You’ve captured the youth market with both Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson on staff. Do you think their impact will help grow the game?

Rickie Fowler and Lexi Thompson bring our "Look Better. Feel Better. Play Better." mind-set to life. Their youthful, fun attitudes, great style and fantastic play have already had an effect on the game and the players that look up to them. Their influence will only continue to grow, and we are excited to be supporting them on the PGA and LPGA Tours next year. –Bob Philion

Sneak Peak 2012

IS WHITE HERE TO STAY?
With the success of TaylorMade’s white R11 and Burner drivers, it only makes sense that we’ll see more of the color in 2012–and not just on clubheads. Already making their debuts are Garmin‘s white Approach S1 GPS wristwatch and Miyazaki‘s Kusala White shaft. Cobra, the brand that’s likely to make a big splash in the new year with its out-of-the-box line of clubs and apparel, has the ZL Encore driver. Will other manufacturers coat their drivers, irons and putters with white paint? Hard to say, although we wouldn’t be surprised if TaylorMade returned with another white driver, especially after this year’s success.

LIGHT AND LONG DRIVERS
Led by Cobra‘s Long Tom, a 48-inch driver named for a World War II cannon, the long driver craze of recent years has finally maxed out. (The USGA limits club length to 48 inches.) Other clubmakers are sure to continue the trend of longer and lighter clubs–most of which don’t reach the prodigious length of the Long Tom. Wilson Staff’s 46-inch DXi Superlight comes with a 48-gram Matrix Ozik Xcon 4.1 shaft and weighs only 270 grams overall, and Cleveland‘s Black driver strips weight out of the shaft and grip to weigh a ridiculously light 265 grams.

CUSTOMIZED CLUBS
The on-demand mentality has made its way into the golf world the past few years with Movable Weight Technology, colorful grips and the option to fill in the recesses of your clubheads with your favorite color paint. You can get custom fitted, cut down shafts and alter faceplates on putters. That trend will continue in 2012, likely in ways that we’ve never imagined. The most talked-about new products and services, so far, are in the short-game category. Look for Never Compromise’s limited-edition Connoisseur putter line, which you can customize via the company’s website, mycustomputter.com. There you can add custom inscription, fonts and logo colors on the putterhead. Titleist has also introduced a new Wedgeworks service from Bob Vokey. What once was available only to Tour pros is now the domain of weekend warriors. At his shop, you can custom-stamp your wedge, get a custom ferrule installation and dial in a specific swing weight.

WEDGE FACES THAT GRIP
Since 2010 when the USGA’s ruling on grooves went into effect on wedges, we’ve seen a variety of new clubfaces designed so you can still spin the ball from just about any kind of lie. 2012 will prove to be the most diverse range yet, with Cobra‘s reintroduction of the classic Trusty Rusty. With three different cosmetics (satin, black PVD and prerusted) that rust over time, the Trusty Rusty harkens back to an era when players wanted their higher-lofted greenside clubs to get as "grippy" as possible. Look for laser-milled grooves on Cleveland‘s 588 series, machine milling on Bridgestone‘s J40 wedges, 17 grooves on Titleist‘s Vokey Design SM4 wedges and quad-cut grooves on Mizuno‘s MP-R12.

HYBRID FOOTWEAR
We couldn’t be happier with the evolution of golf shoes. In the past 15 years, they’ve gone from hard leather, metal-spiked and often highly uncomfortable to supple, soft-spiked and supportive. Now all that comfort comes in a casual-looking package, too. After Fred Couples wore a pair of Ecco Street Premiers at the 2010 Masters, the very idea of what a golf shoe could be has changed. Not surprisingly, a lot of new models will be released in the coming year. Look for Callaway‘s Del Mar line, FootJoy‘s FJ Street and Adidas‘ Streetwear series, which conjures up early ’80s breakdance culture. But perhaps the most radical new offering comes from none other than Nike, who has taken the Dunk, a popular basketball shoe, and made it golf friendly.

THROWBACK APPAREL
What’s old is new, and with the resurgence of old-school fashion still going strong, we can expect even more bold, bright and retro ’70s and ’80s looks. Puma and Adidas are just two companies that will have TV viewers adjusting the contrast of their flatscreens. Will their nostalgia catch on with the average golfer? Time will tell as a new generation of golfers reared on the Internet, video games and Twitter climb their way up the World Golf Rankings.

MORE-FORGIVING PLAYERS’ IRONS
Better players prefer irons with thin toplines, minimal offset and little to no cavities. For most golfers, blades like that are far too difficult to hit–the equivalent of taking a whack at a pebble with a 40-inch butter knife. In recent years, subtle changes have been made to the category to retain much of what the better player likes but to add forgiveness. 2012 sees a number of forged-iron offerings that maintain the classic looks while incorporating subtle forgiveness into the product. Look for Titleist‘s MB and CB irons with a "dog bone" back that locates more mass behind the impact area; Mizuno‘s MP-59 irons with 12 grams of titanium forged into the center of the muscle; Bridgestone‘s J40 with a revamped dual-pocket cavity for higher MOI; and Cleveland‘s forgiving but laser-like 588 CB and MB.

COLORED BALLS
What could have been a trend, seems to have legs. The reemergence of fluorescent golf balls a couple years ago hasn’t just caught on with Srixon (Z-Star) and Bridgestone (e6). Now Pinnacle has entered the market with their Gold flagship ball. Look for a new Srixon entry, too, in the Q-Star.

GAME-IMPROVEMENT IRONS
High-handicap golfers, beginners, seniors or players with slower swing speeds now have iron sets that place a premium on forgiveness. How? By combining irons with hybrids for a forgiving alternative to the more traditional iron-only set. Cleveland‘s Mashie Iron Combo Set ($600-650) blends the company’s easy-to-hit hybrid irons (3-5) with four cavity-back irons and three dialed-in wedges. Similarly Mizuno‘s new JPX-800HD iron set ($700-900) features hybrids that replace the set’s 4- and 5-irons, while delivering an iron face that delivers the highest allowable COR for increased distance. Look for other companies to deliver similar iron sets that combine irons and hybrids.

20 Yards More!

Hate the gym? So do we. We’re never really sure which exercises will help our swing and which ones will hurt it. Plus all those mirrors get really distracting. Edinburgh, Scotland-based Graeme Alexander must feel the same way, because he developed The Extra 20 Yards ($365 + $30 shipping). This slim and unobtrusive home golf gym was designed specifically to train your golf muscles and, as Alexander claims, it will "increase swing speed and lead to more distance." What we like, of course, is that you don’t have to dedicate a lot of time to it. Alexander suggests short workouts of 3-5 minutes, 3-4 times a week. Does it work? Hard to say, but if you’ve got the extra money for a driver, maybe you should consider investing it in one of these. For right- and left-handed golfers. www.extra-yards.com

Five Questions With Mark King

First, congratulations on the success of the R11. Have you been able to tell if it has attracted new golfers to the game?

We don’t know at this point if our new R11 and Burner SuperFast 2.0 metalwoods have encouraged people to take up golf. History has shown that charismatic players like Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros and Tiger Woods are what draw new people to the game. However, it’s clear that our white metalwoods have golfers excited about playing again, which was one of our goals. Offering white clubheads was a gamble because the market could have rejected them, but our testing indicated that the white finish offered a real performance benefit, and that gave us the confidence to move forward. And consumers have embraced them with an enthusiasm that even we could not have imagined.

What’s the biggest challenge facing the golf industry right now? And how is TaylorMade addressing that issue?

There’s no doubt that our biggest challenge is finding ways to grow the game, because the number of golfers in the United States is shrinking. Part of the problem is the still-sluggish economy. Yet I think the biggest obstacle is the frustration factor. Golf is a hard game to learn, and not much fun when you’re a beginner and struggling to get the ball off the ground.

You can make the game easier in other sports by altering the playing field. In basketball, you can lower the net; in baseball or softball, you can shorten the base paths and bring the fences in; in volleyball, you can lower the net. Unfortunately you can’t change the playing field in golf very easily. What we can do is make it clear to new players that you don’t have to play by the rules. Tee the ball up in the fairway if you want to. Take a free drop out of the trees, rough and sand. Count any putt that touches the hole as good.

The truth is that a lot of long-time golfers already do this kind of thing. They realize that if you aren’t playing for a living, why let the game beat you up? We need to start a movement emphasizing fun and enjoyment first, and we need to get the PGA of America, Tour pros, famous athletes and celebrities behind it so that new players realize it’s okay to play by their own rules to make the game more fun.

Some industry leaders have advocated for a bifurcation of the equipment rules. Does this appeal to you?

It’s true that we can engineer equipment that promotes more distance, which golfers can’t seem to get enough of, but which doesn’t conform to USGA limits. Higher-COR clubfaces and balls that deliver higher initial veloc-ity come to mind right away. If equipment like that gets golfers excited about playing and attracts new players to the game, it’s possible we would offer it to consumers. Purists have criticized companies for creating nonconforming equipment in the past, but as I mentioned earlier, most golfers don’t play strictly by the Rules of Golf anyway. I’m not saying that TaylorMade will create and offer such equipment, but I believe it’s a concept worth exploring if it can help sustain a healthy playing
population. As for a bifurcation of the rules, I don’t think it’s necessary. One set is fine, you can either choose to adhere to them or not.

What do you think the next big trend will be and how might it benefit the game?

Let me start by saying that making clubs more adjustable and more customizable is a trend that will certainly continue. The tens of thousands of players who are hitting longer and straighter tee shots with the R11 have validated that the ability to adjust face angle, loft and CG location is an incredibly valuable asset in a golf club. Our R&D team is busy working on finding ways to make our clubs even more adjustable so that you can match them even more closely to your individual swing characteristics, improving launch conditions further to make the quality of your shots that much better.

We also believe that there’s still a lot of room left to improve the performance of golf equipment within the limitations set by the USGA, it’s just a matter of working creatively and scientifically to break new barriers, which we’re continuously working toward. I don’t want to tip our hand by revealing exactly what we’re focused on, but we’re confident that we’re years ahead of our competitors in this respect.

We seem to have hit a ceiling with the USGA in terms of clubhead size and MOI. Do you think there’s any chance they’ll relax their limitations in the future?

Only the USGA knows the answer to that question, but historically whenever they’ve changed equipment rules, it has been to tighten limitations, not relax them. A good example is the change this year to the requirements on groove design, which was intended to limit spin generated from the rough. In the past 10 years, they’ve limited clubface COR, clubhead size and club length, all in an attempt to limit distance.

The USGA’s priorities are to preserve the challenge of the game. Our priorities are clearly different–to make and sell golf equipment that performs better than our previous models. Not that we don’t want to preserve golf’s challenge, but we, like most equipment companies, don’t believe that continued enhancements to equipment performance will make the game dramatically easier–it’s still going to be a challenge to break 80, and you won’t see an avalanche of 16-handicappers dropping to 6. It’s still going to take dedication and practice to get good at the game.

Dangerous Distance

Cobra Golf has finally found its rightful nesting place in today’s golf market: right smack-dab in the middle. This year, there’s a Cobra-branded club for just about everyone, ranging from long-drive competitors to high-handicappers and, of course, some of the best players in the world. The latest offering dubbed the S3 series has some of the best technology we’ve seen from Cobra, promising big power, ample forgiveness and improved playability.

S3 Driver ($299)
If there’s one driver characteristic that we love, it’s a deep clubface design. The S3 doesn’t disappoint with its deep face and "E9 Tech," which highlights nine key areas on the face that yield a wallop of energy transfer into the golf ball. Speaking of, when we made contact, the ball launched into orbit in a hurry with the kind of penetrating trajectory better players love–high and with moderate spin. As for forgiveness, let’s just say we had a hard time figuring out not where the sweet spot was, but where the sweet spot wasn’t. And finally, the S3 comes equipped with a 45.5-inch Fujikura Blur shaft (nice!) and a refreshingly uncomplicated adjustable hosel with three choices: closed, neutral or open. Oh and by the way, we don’t have it shown here, but Cobra also has an anti-slice S3 Max version and a special version of the S3 Driver in an all-white design with an Aldila RIP shaft.

S3 Fairway ($169)
Again, we wish we saw more deep-faced woods like the S3 series has–especially in fairway woods. The S3 Fairway has a profile and shape that combine to produce a huge clubface for exceptional forgiveness on off-center strikes. Usually, with a clubhead this big, we’d assume it’s titanium, but this all-steel configuration delivers big power from both the fairway and off the tee. Like the driver bearing the same name, you can’t go wrong with the Fujikura Blur shaft that comes standard in all the S3 Fairway woods. The offset S3 Max version is ideal for slicers and high-handicappers who need a boost of trajectory.

S3 Irons ($599 steel/$699 graphite)
Wow. If there’s an award for the best-looking irons in 2011, the S3’s are serious contenders. Using a multimaterial construction that blends steel with polymer and TPU, the S3 Irons offer a ton of forgiveness, power and feel. So much feel actually, that we could have sworn these irons felt as good as a forged blade, only without the tiny sweet spot. Other cool features include a Stepped Crescent Sole Design that narrows toward the heel and toe, meaning the club will resist twisting when it brushes against the turf. This design is one of the most unique sole designs we’ve seen in a long time, making the S3 among the most technologically advanced irons we tried in 2011. Lastly, a small point but worth noting: The S3 Irons have not one, but two, paint-filled grooves for better alignment. When combined with a black clubhead, this makes aligning the clubface a cinch. We love that!

Cobra Baffler ($149)
It’s not part of the S3 family, but it was too good to leave out. The new Baffler Rail Hybrid (hard to believe the first Baffler debuted more than 30 years ago) has, as you’d guess, a rail-like sole that carves its way through the turf with ease. The big maraging-steel clubface and low/deep CG combine to produce shots that fly high in a hurry and land soft. Last we checked, that’s exactly how we want a hybrid to perform. Add a Fujikura Motore graphite shaft and you have a proven hybrid design toward which average and even better players will gravitate. It’s just too good to pass up.

For more information, visit cobragolf.com.

Objective Clubfitting

These days, it’s hard to go anywhere without being subjected to some form of advertising. The same holds true when it comes to clubfitting, to a certain extent. One would expect if you were being fitted by a specific manufacturer, that company would fit you with its products. But what if you’re looking for a truly neutral third-party clubfitting experience where all clubs are equally considered for a proper fit? The folks over at SkyGolf, makers of the popular SkyCaddie GPS systems, recently unveiled the Swing Labs fitting system. Swing Labs, as it’s appropri-ately named, uses a highly complex system of equipment-testing data and research, launch-monitor evaluations and individual player characteristics to formulate objective equipment recommendations. If there’s a particular club/shaft combo suited for your game, you can count on Swing Labs to find the right makeup for you, no matter what brand it is. Now, that isn’t to say you can’t add your personal tastes to the mix. Swing Labs can base its findings on your particular brand taste, as well. To learn more, and to inquire about Swing Labs, or to go through one of the various types of fittings the system provides, hop online and check them out at SwingLabs.com.