More Golf Equipment

No Train, No Gain

We editors have spent countless hours on the practice tee at PGA Tour events, and have watched dozens of pros use training aids in their practice routines. (In fact, some Tour players believe in them so much that they either own a part of the company or are more than happy to endorse them.) Golf training aids are the real deal, and the old stigma that they make a complicated game even more difficult is long gone. If you need proof, just check out the following pages. You’ll see several models that the best players in the world use.

Gyro Swing
The Gyroscope has been used in any number of devices, including compasses and Segways, so it was only a matter of time before it found its way into a golf club. The Gyro Swing features a gyroscope in its clubhead that helps keep the clubface on plane throughout the entire swing. It’s the perfect training aid for golfers who have never fully understood what it’s like to keep the clubface square through impact.
$219 www.sklz.com

SwingSetter Pro
David Leadbetter follows up his popular SwingSetter training aid with a new Pro version. Featuring all the teaching aids found in its previous incarnation, the SwingSetter Pro has one bonus—the ability to hit balls. “Students have told me how much they wish they could hit balls to get that feel for a fundamentally sound swing,” says Leadbetter. With the length and lie of a standard 6-iron, the Pro version comes fitted with a reminder grip, a “Plane Pointer” that provides visual awareness of the swing plane and an Adjustable Magnetic Ball that releases and “snaps” at proper release points.
$149 www.swingsetterpro.com

Refiner Hinged Training Putter
Wristy strokes be gone! Sklz’ new hinged training putter, The Refiner, helps users isolate their larger muscles and make solid, wrist-free_Ê strokes. It also prevents “stabbing” at the ball and all but ensures a good tempo and a smooth, rhythmic stroke. The training aid comes with an integrated target line atop the puttherhead. It’s 35 inches long and is for righties only.
$79 www.sklz.com

EEZ-READ
Admit it, you’re not as flexible as Camilo Villegas. That’s okay, neither are we. When the Colombian Tour player reads greens, he gets so low to the ground that he has earned the nickname “Spiderman.” Thankfully, the makers of EEZ-READ (pronounced “Easy Read”) understand that we’re not all contortionists. Using technology found in bubble levels, the EEZ-READ works when placed on your putting line. Simply take notice of where the bubble moves and putt accordingly.
$15 www.eez-read.com

The Golf Mat
If you hit balls at driving ranges with standard AstroTurf mats, you’re aware of how unforgiving they can be on your swing and on your body. Enter The Golf Mat, which positions itself as a more user-friendly alternative to rock-hard mats commonly found at ranges. Using a polymer filament that lies below fairway-length turf, The Golf Mat limits the amount of stress placed on golfers while making it easier to retain a standard swing. Plus, it’s very durable. According to its makers, The Golf Mat can withstand more than 200,000 swings! $199 www.thegolfmat.net

The Putting Arc
Even though some putting experts say a “straight back and through” stroke is ideal, they don’t literally mean that. That is, we putt at an angle and not directly above the ball, meaning no matter how hard we try, the putter always will be moving on a slight inside-to-inside arc. Hence, The Putting Arc is designed to help ingrain that natural arcing stroke and correct any lopsided takeaways or followthroughs. The MSIII model is shown here, but there are others available, depending on your style and portability preferences. The training aid comes with a how-to CD.
$69 www.theputtingarc.com

Power Sleeve
It’s not unusual to see golfers warm up by swinging two clubs at the same time, but according to the folks who make the Power Sleeve, that’s not the best way to get loose. The weighted sleeve attaches to your clubshaft, so you can swing with your normal grip, stretch your muscles and hit balls at the same time! Plus, it’s portable and light enough to carry in your bag, but heavy enough to properly stretch your golf muscles whether on the course, range or at home.
$29 www.sklz.com

Power Swing Fan
Even though it looks more like a kite than a golf club, the Power Swing Fan is an excellent way to train your golf muscles. Using four blades, it keeps your swing in constant resistance and builds the faster you swing. With only 20 to 25 practice swings per day, you can tack on more distance and better control every shot in your bag. The Power Swing Fan can be used for both right- and left-handed golfers.
$55 www.golfaroundtheworld.com

Perfect Connextion
Whether it’s chipping, putting or adding distance, all successful golfers know they have to use their core muscles to make solid contact. That’s just what the Perfect Connextion helps you do. The 3-in-1 training aid fits between your arms and helps form the so-called “Power Triangle” between the arms and shoulders. The adjustable device can be used to hit balls and make practice swings.
$99 www.perfectconnextion.com

Showcase: Ping i-Series

Ping i-Series
If there’s one person to whom we can attribute the amazing advancements we’ve witnessed in golf equipment over the last 40-plus years, Karsten Solheim is the man. His knack for pioneering new designs inspired an entire golf industry to follow in his footsteps, with various equipment manufacturers constantly trying to outdo one another with technological advancements. Whether it’s a putter, wedge, iron or wood, Solheim’s original commitment to constant innovation as a means for success has been carried on by his son John and the rest of the crew at PING Golf. The company he founded continues to push the limit, and it shows in the new i-Series putter lines.

The i-Series is an eclectic collection of putters that features a specially designed urethane insert for enhanced feel and control. Of the nine models available, there’s a mix of popular shapes such as the Anser, Zing and B60, as well as the more recent and wildly popular Craz-E models that have aggressive alignment aids. www.pinggolf.com

Face Time
The unique face insert on every i-Series is made of two pieces—one is urethane; the other is an appliqu”© that enables the insert to produce a soft feel with a firm response.

Model Form
The i-Series collection has nine models, ranging from the classic Anser to the new, innovative _â__ Moon and _â__ Craz-E designs.

Customization
Like all putters from PING, the i-Series models are colored-coded for a precise fit. Other options include belly shaft and grip models.

Attention To Detail
PING is notorious for its quality control, so it’s a sure bet any putter in the i-Series line is like all PING clubs—made to exact specifications for balance, weight and proper grip alignment.

Made To Winn_Ê_Ê
In addition to different putterhead models, hosel designs and lengths, the i-Series features a standard high-impact orange/black grip made by ever-popular Winn Grips.

Find Your Sphere

Even golf magazine editors sometimes need to see things for ourselves. Throughout the year, we’re inundated with countless “golf ball test results,” indicating the performance benefits of one ball versus another. We admit there are real differences between golf ball categories—we don’t dispute that. But we’re also clever enough to understand that no two golf ball tests are exactly alike. In fact, they’re all done under different conditions, with different clubs, swing speeds, launch conditions, weather types and a bunch of other variables that are hard to quantify.
_Ê
As editors responsible for keeping up on this stuff, once in awhile we want to see how a golf ball performs not on a launch monitor, but on an actual golf course. So we did the only logical thing there was to do: find a reason to get out of the office and play a round of golf. We wanted to test the differences in performance between three different types of golf balls over the course of 18 holes.
_Ê
Ryan chose to play a select group of multilayers, starting with a non-urethane three-piece ball, a three-piece urethane-covered ball and, finally, a four-piece urethane-covered ball. Charlie, on the other hand, went with a two-piece value ball, a non-urethane three-piece ball and a urethane three-piece ball. We had some overlap with the urethane three-piece, but nonetheless it was interesting to see how our results compared. Eschewing the launch monitor and any real scientific approach to our findings, here’s what we found.

The Value Ball ($18-$25/doz.)
Charlie: To be honest, I rarely play this kind of ball; I’m more inclined to hit a soft-cover, multi-layer premium ball. I typically find value balls (usually made of a two-piece construction) to be hard off the clubface and even harder around the green, but I was very surprised at how responsive this ball was. Regardless, it didn’t spin nearly as much around the green as I’m used to.

On one hole, I purposefully tried to get it to check up around the cup and it almost did. Its cover was soft (made from a soft ionomer), but not soft enough to generate the appropriate amount of spin. Would a Tour player put this kind of ball into play? No. But at a buck-fifty a ball, it’s something most amateurs probably should play. It’s economical, has a remarkably soft feel for a value ball, and I didn’t notice much difference in ballflight, launch or distance with my longer clubs.
_Ê
These balls were designed for players who, like me, don’t generate a swing speed that’s considered “Tour level” (above 112 mph). In playing this ball,_Ê I’ve learned that the key to more distance is to compress the firmest part of the ball as much as possible. Faster swingers can compress balls that have firm cores, which means they can use balls that have soft covers (that combo of soft cover/firm core is common). That type of ball allows them to hit the ball both far off the tee (firm core) and with spin from the fairway and around the green (soft cover). Most players just don’t swing hard enough to do that. Value “distance” balls like the one I tried have a firm cover and soft core, which puts the firm part of the ball right out front, making it easier to get more distance. You may lose some spin around the green, but the trade-off is the gain in yardage.
_Ê

The Value Three-Piece Multilayer ($25-$35/doz.)
Ryan: Value three-piece multilayers typically bill themselves as more durable counterparts to the more expensive multilayers. Also, they claim to reduce spin off the tee while retaining spin into the greens. Of the holes I played using a value three-piece ball, I immediately noticed the relatively high amount of spin I generated off the tee (despite expecting less). Not only did these balls have a high trajectory, but my slices sliced more and my hooks hooked more. From the fairway and even from light rough, these balls had plenty of spin, and I had no trouble holding the greens with middle and short irons.
_Ê
When it was time to hit a few wedge shots, I noticed a big difference. It was almost as if the spin mechanism was turned off; the ball just didn’t hold on the greens as much as I’m used to. There was some spin, of course, but not nearly as much as I had hoped. But for someone who doesn’t swing fast enough to generate a lot of spin anyway, this category may be the right choice.

Charlie: Ryan speaks for both of us on this one. The mid-range offering I hit didn’t spin very much around the green, but it felt better coming off the clubface on woods and irons than the value balls. For $7 more, I didn’t see any remarkable difference between the two, although I could argue these were slightly softer around the green. Like the value balls, these were very durable.

Premium Three-Piece Multilayer ($35-$40/doz.)
Ryan: Testing balls in this category was easy since this is the category most ball-fitting sessions claim I should use for my game. The biggest upgrade (in addition to price) over the value multilayer is the urethane cover, as each ball I tested in this category had one.

Off the tee with a driver, I noticed two things. Different balls in this category actually have different trajectories—some fly high, others fly low—and the written description on the box of balls was dead on as far as which balls were designed to do what._Ê Secondly, I noticed more distance off the tee as these balls flew on a flatter arc. With irons, the ball felt softer and like the value three-piece balls, they had plenty of spin to hold the greens. It was the pitch and chip shots, however, where I felt these balls performed the best. I think one of the top benefits today’s premium three-piece balls have is the responsiveness they produce around the greens. Although not as soft as balatas once were, these balls performed with what I’d call “optimal spin,” where the ball spins just enough to “drop and stop” onto the green with limited forward or backward roll._Ê That’s a handy benefit that means more to me than a few yards off the tee.

Charlie: I can’t say it surprised me that the premium balls had exceptional spin around the greens. What did surprise me, however, was a noticeable distance gain off the tee. It was like the ball reached an intermediate apex and then climbed an extra few yards. What’s really happening, however, is that it launches on a lower trajectory, spins less and gains distance in the process.

Even though I don’t have Tour-level swingspeed, I swing fast enough to reap the benefits of this category. For me, the value and mid-range balls tended to launch higher and spin more off the tee, so I lost a little distance. Like Ryan, the three-piece urethane-covered ball was a good choice for me, but I happen to prefer a ball with a bigger dimple pattern (less dimples). I tend to hit it pretty high, so anything I can do to lower my trajectory and hit a more penetrating tee shot helps.

Ryan & Charlie: Could we tell the difference in these balls versus the value multilayers? You bet. The key for you_Ê is to choose the right one, since we both noticed that no two premium multilayer balls are the same. This is also the category that’s best for both our games, which is why we could discern the differences in balls here better than we could in the other categories that we tested.

_Ê
Ultra-Premium Four-Piece Multilayer ($40+/doz.)
Ryan: The $40 and above category intrigued me. The balls I tried were_Ê four-piece multilayer balls—as opposed to the more common three-piece multilayer. Off the tee, this ball generally flew lower and with less spin than the regular premium ball. (However, I also tried one ultra-premium ball that had a slightly higher ballflight than all the balls in both the premium and ultra-premium categories, thus proving not all four-piece balls are alike.) When it came to irons and wedge shots around the green, I generally couldn’t tell the difference between these balls and the premium balls. Hmm….

Our Take
Ryan & Charlie: We were generally pleased to see that most golf balls actually live up to the marketing claims, and by that, we mean the claims they make for particular golfers. For example, Ryan has a faster than average swingspeed, which means he might actually lose distance using a value two-piece ball, since they’re made for players with slower swingspeeds. However, for another player with a slower swingspeed or a lower initial launch angle, they may actually be the right choice. (In this experiment, the three-piece urethane cover category was the best for both of us.)
_Ê
We also learned that by observing the way golf balls performed when hit by different golfers, we could conclude that not one type or category of golf balls will perform the same for a variety of golfers. Also, depending on your swing characteristics, certain balls will perform better than others. Dimple patterns, compression rates, cover thicknesses, etc., all play a part in how a ball performs, making it critical that you determine what type of ball is right for you.
_Ê
We recommend that everyone go through a custom ballfitting to narrow down the right category. Once you do that, you can choose between three or four different models (that’s a heckuva lot easier—and cheaper—than trying the near endless number of balls at your local golf shop). And by the way, don’t turn to your buddies for advice or base your ball choices solely on what the pros play. How a particular model performs for someone else may be completely different than how that model performs for you.

EXTRA!
Find Your Sphere
Curious as to what balls we tried? While we make no claims to be scientific in our findings, we’ll at least let you know which balls we tested and leave it up to you to decipher which balls fall into which categories. Let’s see if you can tell which ones Charlie and Ryan tried._Ê Email us at editors@golftipsmag.com with feedback from your own tests!

Balls We Tried:
Pinnacle Exception Feel
Titliest NXT Tour
Srixon Z-URS
TaylorMade Burner TP
Bridgestone B330-S
Nike One Platinum

Find Your Fit

Custom clubfitting is the real deal.
For a while, it seemed as though getting your clubs custom fit was reserved for Tour players and those who take their golf game extra-seriously. But now, custom fitting is made available to everyone, thanks to a new era of golf clubs that feature all kinds of equipment geared for various types of golfers. Also, clubfitting has exploded beyond simple tape measurements and basic shaft flexes. Doppler radar, launch monitors and laser-guided devices (stuff rocket scientists use) are used by clubfitters to help make sure you have the absolute best equipment for your swing. In our case, we were lucky enough to explore two different kinds of clubfitting experiences with the guys at Hot Stix in Denver, Colo. Our resident smooth swinger, Charlie Schroeder, went through the standard fitting, which is designed for golfers who want their current set looked at and a few recommendations on how to make it better. Fellow editor and big hitter, Ryan Noll, opted for the tour fitting, which included an even more in-depth look at his sticks. Here’s how it went down for both editors and what kinds of things you can expect to learn from each fitting.

The Regular Guy Fitting
By Charlie Schroeder
For some people, golf clubs come and go, but not me. I got my custom-fitted irons when I was 14. They helped me win a couple junior golf tournaments and take on courses like Bethpage Black, Pinehurst No.2 and Lahinch. They served me well. I could never imagine getting rid of them. But late last year, I caved and finally got a new set, relegating my old ones to the corner of my office where they give me something to bump into when I vacuum. (Yes, I do the cleaning.)

My new irons didn’t immediately perform like my old ones. Sure, I gained about 10 yards with each stick (a result of improved technology and shafts that hadn’t been repeatedly beaten into the ground), but my patented draw had morphed into a sweeping hook. Rather than starting the ball at the middle of the green and curling it left toward the pin, I was often forced to aim at the right bunker and (on a good day) tug it in to the heart of the short stuff. “You need to get those adjusted,” friends would tell me, “they’re way too upright.” They were right. My new irons came “off the rack,” and when I addressed the ball, only the heel touched the ground, while the toe pointed skyward like a 747 taking off.

Last summer, my colleague Ryan Noll and I flew to Denver to check out the newest branch of Hot Stix, the high-tech clubfitting studio with headquarters in Scottsdale. Located at Green Valley Golf Ranch and adjacent to the McGetrick Golf Academy, the new facility was built just for equipment geeks like you and me. Although I was a tad nervous when Hot Stix fitter Rob Wample intercepted my clubs on arrival, I relaxed when I found out why.

“Don’t worry, we’re just going to take them away to analyze them,” he said. Freud couldn’t have said it better himself.

After a thorough examination in which Rob checked the shaft frequencies, lofts, lies and swing weight of my clubs, the two of us hit the range. Even though it was pretty chilly, I left the fleece in the car. If I was going to pound balls for these guys, I wanted my launch monitor readings to be as accurate as possible. “Better break out the radar gun, I don’t want to get busted for speeding,” I said to Wample. He looked at me like I was an idiot. Which, coincidentally, is what I am when it comes to clubfitting.

First Rob took some standard body measurements (including the distance from my knuckles to the ground), and then I hit a few wedges to warm up. Shortly thereafter, he asked me to pull out my six-iron and “hit a few.” I promptly striped five in a row. This is easy, I thought as I watched the ball fly 175 yards into the thin Rocky Mountain sky. “Alright, let’s take a look,” Rob said and summoned me to his computer monitor.

The data wasn’t pretty. My spin rates and launch angles were way too high and, to my surprise, I swung, well, like someone who has a desk job. There would be no speeding tickets today. “Try this one,” Rob said, trying to lift my spirits. He handed me a random 6-iron from a pile of clubs with heads and shafts that were mixed and matched. I hit one, then another. It quickly became apparent which clubs were matched to my specific “swing DNA,” as the Hot Stix guys call it, and which ones weren’t.

Consider the 6-iron I shanked. Or the one I flat out chunked, exhuming a turf toupee that would have looked just fine atop Bruce Willis’ chrome dome. “Now try this one,” Rob said. I picked up one with a graphite shaft and gave it a waggle. “Too whippy,” I said, doubting its effectiveness before I put my signature “monster move” on it. I addressed the ball, looked at my target and then pulled the trigger.

“Whiffed it!” I barked and looked back at Rob. “Didn’t go anywhere!”

Somewhere behind me the ball was apparently still in the air because Rob held up his finger as if to say “not so fast.” Then he looked at me. “Didn’t go anywhere, huh? That went a buck ninety.”

190 yards? For someone used to hitting his six-iron 165 this was a memorable moment in sports history. Of course, some of my distance gain was due to the Mile High atmosphere where balls just seem to fly forever, but what really helped was the perfect shaft/head combo. It not only made my effortless Jello-y swing launch the ball great distances, but without sidespin and on a much lower, more favorable trajectory. “I want this shaft now!” I said to Wample, even if it was too whippy.

Turns out, it wasn’t whippy at all. In fact, it was stiffer than my stock shafts.

Wample told me I gained major yards (and improved ballflight) because that premium graphite shaft had a higher frequency than my irons’ stock shafts. Essentially, my irons were too flexible (their frequency ranged from 4.2 to 4.9), and I needed a set that was not only stiffer, but “frequency matched” so my 4-iron to PW had the same, consistent (and consistently feeling) flex. (Hot Stix recommended 5.7 in graphite, 5.4 in steel, a substantial difference from what I was playing with.) Turns out, the graphite shaft felt whippy not because of its flex, but because of its weight.

After analyzing my irons, we moved onto my driver (which I’ve gained—no joke—40 yards from my last model). I didn’t think I could hit it any farther than I already do, but naturally, I was wrong. Hitting a few shots with a premium shaft made a premium difference. Ten yards, in fact. “Your kick point is too low,” he told me. “But my shaft says it’s a mid kick! You want me to play with a high-kick shaft?” “No,” Wample said, then admitted that it’s hard to know exactly what qualities stock shafts possess. My driver shaft may have said it had a mid kick point, but in reality, it had a low one, making it more flexible near the tip. It may have made it easier to get the ball airborne, but that’s not what someone like me needs.

After we finished, Wample suggested a few options that ranged greatly in price. I could switch out my current iron shafts for those premium offerings ($65 per shaft) or he could bend my irons—for free.

In the end, I opted for the cheapo route. Wample flattened my irons a whopping three degrees, a substantial move that completely eliminated any chance of ever hooking the ball again and had me questioning everything I’ve ever known about golf. I can’t say I’ve fully recovered; my ballflight is lower and shots tend to hang out to the right, but I’m slowly adjusting to my “new” clubs.

My woods also needed a makeover, especially my hybrid that no one in my regular foursome told me was a woman’s club. Thanks guys.

The Tour Fitting
By Ryan Noll
Like the regular clubfitting experience that began with a club set checkup, the tour fitting started with a complete analysis of how my equipment performed at various places on the golf course. This helped fuel a more “real world” fitting experience, as I hit shots from the outdoor practice area, which included chips from off the green, bunker shots, pitch shots, iron shots and drivers, all while my expert clubfitter and PGA member, Steve Grosz, analyzed and jotted down notes based on my shots. For instance, after seeing that I liked to adjust the height of my chips around the greens, Steve mentioned that I’d be better off with a low-bounce wedge. Several iron, fairway wood and driver shots later, we headed into a semi-indoor hitting bay where I got hooked up to a launch monitor for a more technical analysis.

As it turned out, my current iron set—which is a brand new one, by the way—was “fitted” well for me right out of the box (Yes, it can happen, Charlie.) But when it was time to hit my fairway woods and driver, things weren’t quite up to snuff. With my woods (especially with my driver), it seemed as though I had to really fight against hitting the ball to the left. Okay, sometimes way left. I continued to demonstrate my trademark pulled shot for Steve in earnest, hoping he could help me with the seemingly never-ending supply of equipment resources he had available. (Frankly, I was about to assume it was me and not the club. Gasp!)

After sifting though some serious statistical data based on our real-world fitting and the stuff learned from the launch-monitor-rigged, semi-indoor hitting bay, Steve stepped away momentarily and came back with a driver that he felt would be a better fit for my swing. For starters, this new driver was .5 inches longer than my current driver. Secondly, it had a 460cc head, with 9.5 degrees of loft and a stout, X-flex shaft, both which were the same as my current driver. “Hmm, how can a driver that looks so much like my own help me from hooking the ball?” I thought. “Watch me hook this driver too, Steve,” I muttered to myself.

Let’s just say I know what crow tastes like. That driver, the one that looked so much like mine, produced the exact shot I’ve tried to achieve since my clubs were stolen en route from Orlando to a pro-am in Phoenix with Bob Uecker a year and a half ago (e-mail me if you want to know more about that). I didn’t adjust my swing with this new driver, I didn’t swing harder or softer, I just put my normal swing on it and my go-to fade had returned. Now, as a self-professed, semi-expert on the matter at hand, I assumed it was the .5-inch that made the difference, but then again, could it be that obvious? Maybe it was it weight? Loft? Lie? Flex? (All my woods had the same shaft, by the way.) Steve later told me that the factors of shaft weight, lie angle, length and clubhead design are important, but that’s not what was causing my shots to veer hard to the left. The data from his analysis proved my problem was caused by this little thing called “torque.”

Torque is defined as the measure of the shaft’s resistance to twisting during the swing. The higher the torque rating, the more the shaft actually twists, helping golfers close the clubface (and avoid hitting a slice). In my case, all of my woods had moderate to high torque ratings, and for a player such as myself who has no problem closing the face, the extra torque only exasperated my inclination to overrotate my hands and hit it left. The new driver had a shaft with a lower torque rating than my driver and helped prevent me from closing the clubface too soon. I could now start the ball up the left side of the fairway with a gentle fade. Eureka! Steve and the geniuses at Hot Stix had found it!

So what’s the moral of my clubfitting experience? I learned that all it takes to throw a kink into your golf game is to have one variable off when it comes to your equipment. As for the tour fitting, hitting actual shots helped my clubfitter better match the lie/loft of each iron in my bag to my specific tastes, rather than to solely rely on what a computer says is best for me. This experience helped me find a happy medium between what gear is the best fit for me and what personal preferences I’d like to retain in my equipment. (Better players will really appreciate that.) The recommendations also included a full putter and ball fitting, both of which proved enlightening and educational. Turns out, my “set DNA” was better than I thought, with almost everything sizing up pretty well, except for my woods and driver shaft’s pesky torque rating.

If you’re looking to get fitted, consider first how much you play and practice, and decide which fitting is right for you. A standard fitting like the one Charlie went through is ideal for the weekend warrior, and the tour fitting is helpful for those who want a more in-depth understanding of their equipment and what kind of changes need to be made. Even if you find out that most of your clubs are already a good match for you, the confirmation will help your confidence. In most cases, there’s at least one to two adjustments to make, sometimes as a result of regular wear and tear on your equipment. I suggest you get fitted at least once a year, and you’ll see that a great way to play more consistently is to always use equipment that’s best suited to your swing.

And as for actually fixing your swing to help lower your scores, well, let’s just say you’re reading the right magazine to get the job done.

Sneak Peek 2008

The year’s newest and best golf equipment is here! Whether it be a driver, iron, putter or anything in between, we’ve put together a list of some of the hottest new clubs. Check out a few of our top picks so far…

Mizuno MP-600
Known mostly for its forged irons, Mizuno is poised to turn a lot of heads with the new MP-600 driver, thanks to an innovative Fast Track_â_ã_ design that enables golfers to slide weights to various positions, depending on what type of ballflight they prefer. A slick feature indeed, but it’s the CORTECH face insert and no-nonsense design that proves the latest in technology can still have a classic look and feel. mizunousa.com

Cleveland CG14
Built with Gelback technology and a set of grooves that can make any kind of ball spin, the new CG14 wedges feature an enhanced cavity and slightly more offset for improved trajectory control. Better players will fawn over this sharp (pun intended) new design, and the multiple bounce angles and loft configurations mean there’s a wedge in this line for everyone. clevelandgolf.com

– Black Pearl
– Chrome

Callaway FT Irons
The high-end Callaway FT Irons are the next-gen of Fusion irons, replete with a shape desired by better players, a cradle that moves 80 percent of weight to the perimeter, a TPU Sensert and more features than we have room to cover! Take our word for it, these clubs are cool. callawaygolf.com

Cobra L4V
Standing for “Limit 4 Variables,” this new driver from Cobra Golf has both a carbon sole and crown, which makes the tungsten back-weighting even more effective. Big, powerful and easy to hit, perhaps the best part of this driver is the stock Cobra/Mitsubishi Diamana Red Board graphite shaft. cobragolf.com

Bridgestone E5+ & E6+
Revamped and recharged, the new e5+ and e6+ golf balls from Bridgestone are better than ever. The e5+ (shown) is, in our opinion, the best-feeling multilayer/Surlyn-covered ball ever made. Its performance holds up, too. The e6+ is an interesting take on a urethane-covered ball in that it’s a two-piece, designed for added spin. It delivers on a promise for more distance, carry and playability. Both balls have a nice price under $30/doz. bridgestonegolf.com

– E5+
– E6+

Nickent 3DX Tour Square
After the success of the popular and nicely priced 3DX Square driver, Nickent is proud to unveil a Tour-inspired version. This time, Nickent’s ultra-high MOI model comes in all black and with more bulge and roll to help the ball fly lower with the same distance of the original 3DX driver. Other features include a proprietary internal structure, which Nickent claims produces a better sound and feel than other square-shaped drivers. nickentgolf.com

Rife Two Bar Hybrid
The new Two Bar Hybrid from Rife Putters features a vertical notch to ensure a proper setup, Two Bars for enhanced aim, adjustable speed weighting for a custom feel, and RollGroove Technology that’s designed to provide a consistent, no-skid roll. rifeputters.com

Nike Golf Slingshot and Sumo Irons
In our opinion, the Slingshot irons were a revolutionary step forward in iron design, but it’s the latest Slingshots that impressed us the most. Streamlined and better looking than ever, these irons might find their way into a few Tour bags. Also, check out the new and mega-forgiving Sumo irons, which got their inspiration from driver technology. Look for a high COR and MOI in these fresh new sticks. nikegolf.com

HiPPO HEX
Last year, HiPPO’s HEX Hybrid driver shook up the industry with its unique hexagonal shape. This year, they have applied the design to their fairway woods and hybrids. The Hybrid comes in three lofts (17, 20 and 23 degrees) and is constructed with a maraging stainless-steel head and carbon rails to help boost its MOI. HiPPO’s HEX putter (not shown) also features a hexagonal shape, but not to increase its MOI. Instead, three highly visible hexagons on the top of the putterhead act as an alignment aid. Look for three grams of weight in each of its back corners that give the HEX high MOI, nonetheless. hippo-golf.com

PING Tour-W Wedge
With shotmaking versatility in mind, the new Tour-W wedge from PING is poised for success. Featuring a compact, teardrop shape, machined grooves, a tuning port and tungsten toe insert, this wedge packs a lot of technology in a beautifully elegant shape. Two finishes are available, and unfortunately, there just isn’t enough room to list the huge number of loft/bounce configurations. pinggolf.com

Wilson Staff Spine Driver
In what may be the only driver with two crowns, the new Spine Driver is Wilson’s most exciting big stick to date. By removing the crown section to the left and right and retaining a strengthened center area, the Spine retains mass behind the golf ball for more power. Also cool is the stock UST HMOI shaft. wilsonstaff.com

Callaway Hyper X Driver
Since the days of the original Big Bertha, Callaway has been known as a leader in high-performance driver design. Recently, company engineers reached new highs with the development of the FT-5 and FT-i models, both of which featured a blend of titanium and lightweight carbon composite material. The company’s newest all-titanium model, the Hyper X, features the introduction of Hyperbolic Face Technology, which provides both a unique look and feel, as well as increased ballspeed. The Hyper X is available in regular ($299) and Tour ($329) models. callawaygolf.com

Ping Karsten Series Putters
As the insert craze took off in putters, players were often divided into two groups—those who liked the feel of metal and those who preferred an insert. The Karsten Series from PING addresses this dilemma by combining the enhanced feel of an insert with the responsiveness of stainless steel. By placing an elastomer insert in the cavity of the putter, PING engineers also saved additional weight, which was then moved to the perimeter of the clubhead for a higher moment-of-inertia and greater forgiveness. Seven models available. pinggolf.com

Titleist Red X Putter
Refined with a “Charcoal Mist” coating, the Red X from Scotty Cameron has the look of a pricey sports car. Smooth lines and a solid feel, not to mention a nice alignment line, make the Red X a top pick for golfers who want added feel from a mallet. titleist.com

Tour Edge Bazooka GeoMax Irons
And you thought MOI was only for drivers! Tour Edge’s new GeoMax irons “look like a cavity back on steroids,” according to company president David Glod. With a sole as wide as 1.5 inches and two 15-gram tungsten weights screwed into its heel and toe, the GeoMax essentially becomes one giant sweet spot. A Thermal Plastic Elastomer coating in the cavity helps dampen vibration. touredge.com

Cleveland HiBORE XLS
The third-iteration HiBORE is the best yet, with a redesigned crown section, a larger clubface and a ridiculously high MOI. One look and you’ll see why this driver is so much fun to hit. And, with three options available (Standard, Draw and Tour) and two stock Fujikura shaft options (Red or Gold), there’s a big dog for everyone. Also, the new HiBORE XLS fairway woods and hybrids are already Tech Award frontrunners in our book. Don’t miss ’em. clevelandgolf.com

– Standard
– Tour
– Draw

Adams Idea A3 Boxer
Arguably the hottest hybrid on Tour, the new IDEA a3 Boxer is set to become another player favorite. By incorporating Boxer tech, which displaces weight away from the face toward the rear of the clubhead, the Boxer has a high MOI for straighter, more forgiving shots. Also, the Maraging steel face and cambered sole help encourage not only added distance, but greater performance off uneven surfaces. adamsgolf.com

TaylorMade Burner TP
The new Burner TP golf ball from TaylorMade is designed for players who “love to bomb it.” The three-piece design features a unique Iothane_â_ã_ cover, designed to provide more spin off an iron shot than any other TaylorMade golf ball. The Burner TP also features the company’s Low Drag Performance (LDP) 342-dimple pattern for improved distance, even on off-center hits. Also new for ’08 is the standard Burner model, as well as improved TP Red and Black models. taylormadegolf.com

Winn PCi
It was only a matter of time before polymer grips blended with corded grips, and Winn Grips is on the forefront of this new integration. With two versions available (PCi, PCi Hybrid), Winn Grips has taken its popular V17 polymer and infused corded materials (to various degrees, depending on grip style) to make a set of grips that truly has a new, unique feel. Look for the PCIs to be a big hit in ’08. winngrips.com

Tour Edge XCG Driver
Materials, clubhead shape and construction all help determine a club’s MOI. Tour Edge’s new XCG driver is built with an ultralight magnesium crown, heavy steel body and cupped titanium face that ramps up the MOI, but also creates an extreme CG. The XCG is the first club from Tour Edge to employ magnesium, making it a real groundbreaker. touredge.com

sneak peek Aldila DVS Shaft
Aldila designers didn’t hold back when creating the new DVS shaft, and they did so with distance in mind. Featuring a new and more responsive tip design, a low torque rating and Micro Laminate Technology, the DVS is a great option for those seeking power. aldila.com

Fujikura Rombax Z
Featuring Fujikura’s proprietary Triax material and a braided, box-weave structure, the Rombax Z is the latest in the popular Rombax series. The Z is designed to maximize clubhead stability while also creating a faster clubhead speed at impact. fujikuragolf.com

Grafalloy Prolaunch Platinum
Built with Smart-Ply_â_ã_ technology, the new ProLaunch Platinum shafts are designed to promote a high initial launch angle for superior carry and a flatter overall trajectory. The Micro-Mesh_â_ã_ tip design reduces torque at impact and enhances what’s already an amazing new shaft from Grafalloy. grafalloy.com

Graphite Design Tour AD YS-Q
By combining the “4-axis weave” found in the Tour AD Quattrotech shaft with the efficiency of the YS+ shaft, the Tour AD YS-Q provides a mid-launch with a feel and look wholly unique from any other shaft made by Graphite Design. gdintl.com

UST ProForce V2 HMOI
Designed to complement today’s big, high-MOI drivers, the ProForce V2 HMOI shaft has a higher balance point to offset the increased weight in the shaft. This helps golfers not only retain power, but adds a huge helping of shaft stability and control. ustgolfshaft.com


The Infiniti KO driver (left) looks as good as it hits. Forgiveness is the key for the Innovex Type S model (right).

Up And Comers
Don’t miss these two up-and-coming drivers in ’08! Although the company is celebrating its 20th anniversary, the new Infiniti KO Driver is what’s going to put them on the mainstream map. With a stock UST ProForce V2 shaft and a high-MOI clubhead in a classy, all-black design, this driver is as fun to hit as it is to look at.

Innovex Golf has unveiled its radically shaped Type S Driver, designed with a high MOI and COR, for the best in both distance and stability. For the scoop on these products, as well as the rest from these two exciting companies, check out infinitigolf.com and innovexgolf.com.

Showcase: Ping Sounds Off

PING golf clubs have always been closely associated with technology and advanced engineering, which isn’t surprising, considering the long tradition the company has of creating products that adhere to the “form follows function” philosophy. From the original Eye2 iron, first introduced in 1982, to the TiSI Tec driver to the extremely advanced Rapture series, PING engineers have always put performance first, along with a strong focus on proper fitting.

Today, PING is moving forward with a new line of woods and irons, which includes the G10 Driver, fairway woods and hybrids, as well as Draw versions of both the driver and fairway wood. In addition, G10 game-improvement irons and more player-friendly i10 irons are also new. As always, company designers have pushed the envelope to provide players with a variety of products that are geared toward providing optimum performance for the full spectrum of ability levels.

SPECIFICATIONS
G10 Driver
Lofts: 7.5-degree, 9, 10.5, 12, 13.5. Draw model available in 9, 10.5, 12, and 13.5.
Stock shaft: TFC 129D (Soft R, R, S, X). Also available with Grafalloy ProLaunch Red and UST v2 High Launch 65.
SRP: $350

Power Broker
PING engineers utilized a Cray Supercomputer to optimize the crown, sole and face structure of the G10 Driver, a move that maximizes energy transfer through impact. Other improvements of the G10 include a thinner crown and face for a larger discretionary weight budget, a lower and deeper CG location for higher launch and lower spin rates, and a patented variable face thickness design for more consistency on hits across the entire clubface.

460cc Titanium Clubhead
A larger head profile and taller clubface produce a higher MOI, resulting in enhanced forgiveness on off-center hits and increased distance. A fully machined clubface produces greater consistency and improved ballspeed.

Draw Weighting
A G10 Draw model is also available featuring an internal weight pad that’s positioned in a deeper area of the clubhead toward the heel. When combined with a hosel that’s 0.25-inch forward of standard, this weighting scheme effectively promotes a right-to-left ballflight by increasing clubhead rotation through the swing.

G10 & i10 Iron
Clubs: 2-UW, SW, LW
Stock Shaft: PING AWT steel shaft (Soft R, R, S, X), PING TFC 129i graphite (Soft R, R, S).
SRP: $107 steel; $135 graphite

Smaller Is Better
Designed to appeal to players who like a blade-style club that appears smaller at address, but still provides plenty of forgiveness, the i10 irons feature a thin top line and reduced offset. A narrow, cambered sole provides playability from a variety of lies for those who put a premium on shotmaking.

Low In The Toe
The G10 irons are designed with extremely low toe weighting for increased MOI, and hence, enhanced forgiveness and straighter shots on mis-hits. The oversized clubhead also features_Ê and a unique cavity shape and a wider sole for less digging.

Forgive Me
The CG of the new G10 irons is located low and deep in the clubhead for higher-launching, lower-spinning shots. A new Custom Tuning Port adds to the stability of the club on off-center hits, while an elastomer CTP insert improves the sound and feel at impact.

Trajectory Control
The Custom Tuning Port on the i10 irons features a rib-like shape that stabilizes the face for improved feel. The extra weight provided by the new cavity design is placed in the toe of the clubhead to increase the MOI, making the i10 irons significantly more forgiving than typical blade-style irons.

AWT Shaft
PING’s new steel shaft featuring Ascending Weight Technology incorporates a “sliding scale” method to iron weighting. Long iron shafts are lighter than short irons to help create a more consistent feel throughout the set (the lightest club should be the driver; the heaviest the wedges). The result is more clubhead speed and distance in the long irons and more control and consistency in the short irons.

Showcase: Tour Edge Exotics

Tour Edge is a company that’s come a long way in a short period of time. Starting in the mid-80s with custom-fitted clubs, Tour Edge carried a Midwest sensibility into the golf club manufacturing game, focusing on producing premium-quality equipment at a reasonable price. In the last decade or so, that approach has brought ample success and the opportunity to expand the Tour Edge line to include the Exotics family, the company’s first premium-quality clubs that also carry a premium price. The entire Exotics line is characterized by the use of top-notch materials and high-tech designs, which are manufactured with innovative processes that are expensive to develop but well worth the price. If you’re looking for long-hitting woods that come standard with high-end shafts and a distinctive look, Tour Edge Exotics are right up your alley.
www.touredge.com

SPECIFICATIONS
Tour Proto | $499
Lofts: 9-degrees, 10-degrees (RH only)
Stock Shaft: Aldila VS Proto (R, S, X)
Stock Grip: Golf Pride New Decade

Combo-Brazed Beta-Ti Crown
The Beta-Titanium crown is thin (0.4mm), light (15 grams) and strong, and effectively moves weight away from the top of the clubhead. The crown is attached to the body with a Combo-Brazing process, which eliminates the need for welding and helps maximize energy transfer from the clubhead to the ball.

Laser-Bonded SP700 Titanium Face
SP700 is a particularly strong and resilient type of titanium and can be made extremely thin. Increased rebound properties of this face insert provide faster ball speeds and distance.

Tungsten Screws
Two fixed, six-gram tungsten screws help provide a deeper, lower center of gravity to further enhance the Tour Proto’s trajectory.

Open Face
The Exotics Tour Proto is specifically designed for stronger, more accomplished players and as such,features a Tour-weighted clubhead and a face angle that is two-degrees open. For those who like to work the ball in different directions, this is an important design element.

CB2 Fairway Wood | $349
Lofts: 13-, 15, 16.5-, 18-, 21-degrees
Stock Shaft: Graphite Design X-Quad, Aldila NV 65, UST V2
Stock Grip: Golf Pride New Decade

Titanium-Cupped Face
Chemically bonded to a heavier, hyper-steel body, the titanium-cupped face of the CB2 features no welds, which enhances rebound and increases ball speed and distance. The titanium cup is also 30-percent lighter than in previous models, allowing 70 grams of weight to be moved into the sole area of the club for enhanced trajectory and overall performance.

Big Body
The CB2 is deeper from front to back than a typical fairway wood, a design feature that effectively increases MOI and produces significantly added forgiveness on off-center hits.

CB2 Hybrid | $219
Lofts: 16-, 19-, 22-, 25-degrees
Stock Shaft: Graphite Design X-Quad, Aldila NVS Hybrid, Nippon 950 GH steel
Stock Grip: Golf Pride New Decade

MFT
Multiple face thicknesses help the CB2 Hybrid produce outstanding distance due to greater clubface flexibility. The face is thinner on the edges and thicker in the middle, so center shots result in both greater distance and enhanced feel.

15-3-3-3 Beta Titanium Face
The forged, cold-rolled lightweight cupped face of the CB2 Hybrid is chemically bonded to the heavier, hyper-steel body, producing a hitting area with maximum energy transfer and faster rebound speeds.

Weight Ports
The CB2 Hybrid features two weight ports with removable six-gram screws. An optional weight kit is available with four additional screws (two-gram, four-gram, eight-gram and 10-gram), which can be interchanged to custom-tune performance._Ê

C.S.I. Scottsdale

“Welcome to Switzerland,” a man in a white lab coat says as we near a door marked “R & D: Employees Only.” Opposite this door, a guy is driving golf balls into a net about 10 feet in front of him. Off to his side, another man in a white lab coat is monitoring his progress on a computer screen, analyzing ball spin, launch angle and a variety of other numbers and graphs.

“We’re a nonbiased facility; we don’t care what you play with,” says John German, Supervisor of Fitter Operations for Hot Stix, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based golf lab that looks more like the set of a CSI show than your typical golf club repair shop. Packed within its 22,000-square-foot confines are six hitting bays, two putter-fitting stations, numerous flat-screen televisions all tuned to sports channels, computer monitors, red laser beams, artificial grass, cameras–basically, any high-tech gadget you can think of. Put it this way, even the golf balls get the royal treatment as they wait in a climate-controlled incubator (set at 25 degrees C/77 degrees F) to ensure optimal and equal conditions for product testing.

Since its doors opened some seven years ago, German estimates that 10,000 people have come to Hot Stix for help with their game. Located in a sandstone building in an otherwise normal corporate park adjacent to the Scottsdale airport, Hot Stix has quickly embraced and commercialized custom golf clubfitting. When customers first walk in past a small but well-equipped retail area, one can’t help but notice a long, waist-high wall of shelving stuffed with thousands of manila folders, each containing the specific swing DNA of every Hot Stix client.

German chose one at random and showed us papers with a highly detailed analysis of the client’s specs, including ball spin, lie, loft, swing speed, preferred clubs and many other personal specifications. These files are kept at arm’s length, just in case a golfer needs a club custom-fitted or wears out one of his current set. “The more frequently you use your equipment, the more likely it is to get out of line,” said German. This led us to ask, “Where should the average players start when it comes time to get his or her clubs worked on?”

“Most players assume that clubfitting is more suited for the better player,” said Dr. Tom Mase, Executive Vice President of R & D and Innovation. “Truth is, higher-handicappers are probably more likely to see greater, more measurable levels of improvements because there is so much room to improve. Therefore, we try not to lump every player in the same process when it comes to fitting. Every customer has an individual set of strengths and weaknesses, and every player needs a specially tuned set to take advantage of their swing’s potential.”

We quickly learned that to get fitted correctly, the process requires a comprehensive look at every component in the golf bag. This includes factoring in the golf ball, grip size/weight, shaft material, flex, weight, head size and so on. We also learned from the experts at Hot Stix that golfers often tend to neglect the importance of harmonizing a set of clubs so the length, flex, grip and weight are consistent. “For example, it’s not uncommon to see that golfers have a finely tuned set of irons with a pair of wedges that are nowhere near a proper fit,” said German. “We recommend golfers get every club in their bag analyzed and fitted so the golfer can take full advantage of their ability without having to adjust their swing for a particular club.”

With that in mind, we asked German if there were common themes they talked about with players of different skill levels. “Absolutely,” he said. “With low-handicappers, we’ll talk about ballflight and the workability of golf shots; also about how to shape golf shots. How he or she can better hit it low, high, whatever they need to do. We have the ability to alter a set of clubs in virtually every way conceivable to ensure a proper fit.

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Practical Pointers

1. Putter Fix: Get your putter length, lie and shape looked at by a clubfitter. You may find your particular putting style works best with a different type of putter.

2. Stiffen Up: Hot Stix argues that stiffer shafts do way more good than harm.

3. Frequency Matching: Get your club shafts frequency matched so each club flexes exactly as it should.

4. Driver Shaft Upgrade: The launch monitor doesn’t lie. Get your launch and spin rates optimized in a matter of minutes.

5. Damage Control: Visually inspect your clubheads and shafts for bends, breaks and rust. Make sure no heads are loose atop the shaft.

6. Groove Improve: A quick way to get some extra spin is to regroove your irons or wedges. A clubfitter can do it, or you can buy a groove tool and do it yourself.

7. Get New Grips: Ask your clubfitter not only what size grip works for you, but what weight as well.

8. Bounce Angles: See if your wedges have the right bounce for your game. You may find that a higher or lower bounce angle works better for you.

9. Have A Ball: It’s a good thing to be selective when buying golf balls. Read the box and go with the model that’s right for you, not necessarily the ball designed more for a Tour pro.

10. Watch Your Feet: Golf shoes have become very performance-oriented. Make sure you get some shoes that fit and provide good stability while swinging. Studies have shown some shoe models actually increase a golfer’s distance.

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“For mid-handicappers, we focus more on the putter and the short game, because that’s where they’re probably losing shots. You can help them with their woods and irons, but more often than not, it’s the short game that’s hurting them,” said German. “We look at how the golfer sets up with a putter, how the ball rolls off the face, and judging by the tendencies in the putting stroke, we can adjust the putter to a position that the golfer is able to consistently reproduce. Every player is unique, and every player has a different set of parameters to improve upon.”

“Of course, with high-handicappers, the main objective is forgiveness. We want to make the game as fun as possible for them, so we get them into the right length, the right lie angle, etc.,” said Mase and German. “As a higher-handicapper or a new golfer, your swing is constantly changing, so the equipment has got to evolve with that change. Also, their equipment is the most inconsistent of the three because their feel isn’t as fine-tuned as the better golfer. The room for error and improvement is greater here.”

Does all this make you curious yet? We thought so._Ê Like many other clubfitting centers, Hot Stix employs dozens of professionals dedicated to making sure your equipment is optimally tuned for your ability. And in case you haven’t noticed, there’s no right or wrong place to start. All you have to do is assess your strengths and weaknesses, plan a visit and be ready to pay a few bucks to make sure your stuff is up to par. It’s also a good idea to let your golf pro know that you’re heading to a clubfitter to get your clubs checked out. He or she may have some insights on what might work well for you. After a visit with Hot Stix, we believe in clubfitting, and we’ve seen the effect of golf clubs that actually fit. That said, it’s critical that golfers also realize that clubfitting usually doesn’t produce overnight fixes. It only allows golfers to take full advantage of their potential. Raising your potential, however, is and always will be up to the Indian, not the arrow. Get fitted, then hit the practice tee!

For a chance to meet the folks at Hot Stix in person, log on to www.hotstixgolf.com. Also, if you have any clubfitting questions you’d like us to answer, drop us an e-mail to editors@golftipsmag.com with “Clubfitting” in the subject line. We’ll see that we answer a few of your questions in an upcoming issue.

TaylorMade SelectFit System

Heeding their famous teaching advisor’s words, the engineers in TaylorMade’s R&D department set out to design the ultimate fitting system that would not only properly fit golfers for a full set of clubs, but also allow them to try the actual clubs before making a purchase. They accomplished this task by analyzing six years worth of data from the company’s MATT (Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade) System, which focused on launch conditions and their significance. The MATT system records and animates a golfer’s swing and body in extreme detail during the act of hitting a shot, while also measuring numerous stats like swing speed, initial ball speed, swing path, face angle, launch angle and ball spin. Through this study, TaylorMade engineers found that allowing players to achieve optimal launch angles throughout the set was critical to creating maximum distance and increased accuracy.
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Once these facts were determined, TaylorMade’s R&D team got to work, and the eventual result was the SelectFit System, which is comprised of a fitting cart that contains 15 driver heads of varying lofts, as well as the full line of TaylorMade driver models, including the r7 425, r7 425TP, r7 460, r7 460TP and the r7 Draw. In addition to the various driver heads, the SelectFit System contains 17 different premium aftermarket driver shafts in a variety of flexes, lengths and weights. When combined with the company’s patented Movable Weight Technology, the SelectFit System provides golfers with more than 60,000 possible driver options, which should be more than sufficient to fit just about anyone.

Along with the drivers, the SelectFit System also contains 18 different iron heads, including the r7 TP, r7, r7 Draw and r7 CGB Max. A variety of lie angles, ranging from four-degrees flat to four-degrees upright, accommodate the full spectrum of body types, while there are also 17 different premium graphite and steel iron shafts of varying lengths, flexes and weights. In the end, more than 250 possible iron combinations are available through the SelectFit System.

Possibly the most noteworthy feature of the system is the unique technology that allows fitters to connect clubheads and shafts quickly and easily and provide golfers with clubs that feel exactly the same as those they’ll eventually purchase. This “quick change” method produces clubs with the same swing weight and playing characteristics as a production golf club, so players who are fitted with the SelectFit System know exactly what they’re getting. According to Brian Bazzell, TaylorMade’s designer responsible for the SelectFit System, the clubs in the system can be taken out on the course and played with for several rounds without any problem. If you’re interested in finding properly fitted clubs that will almost surely outperform your current off-the-rack sticks, the SelectFit System is worth a serious look.

The TaylorMade SelectFit System is available at preferred locations. www.taylormadegolf.com

Cleat Central

Before you rush out and spend more than $100 on a new pair of golf shoes, first consider the condition your current spikes are in. Odds are, your golf shoes are poised to last for several seasons, but in the alternative-cleat era, polymer, rubber and plastic cleats require replacement at twice a year to keep your shoes performing how they were intended to. Better yet, a set of new cleats run less than $15, far less than a new pair of shoes cost.

The cleat market is almost as varied as the shoe selection, with different sizes, shapes and performance attributes. To sort out the selections, here are a few to help you decide as well as a few must-haves when it comes time to change spikes and protect your shoes.

Scorpion Stinger
Already a leader in the cleat market, Champ Spikes’ most advanced spike is the Scorpion Stinger spike, designed for supreme gripping power. Made of a pliable and durable TPU material, the Scorpion Stinger spike features three large teeth for initial gripping traction, and three smaller teeth for added support and stability. Also unique, the Scorpion Stinger has a visible wear meter in the center section of the spike. When the “C” wears off, you know it’s time for a replacement. Available in a variety of thread sizes and spike locking mechanisms, Champ Spikes can fit virtually any brand of golf shoe. For more information, visit www.champspikes.com.

Diamond Back
One look at the spike design and you’ll understand how Green Keepers got the name. The Diamond Back spikes feature six outwardly angled teeth that are designed to provide excellent gripping action with minimal surface contact. This lends solid support and stability, without damaging the green or causing excessive indentation. Made of advanced polymers designed to inhibit cracking and wear, the Diamond Back spikes promise to last longer than other spikes on the market. Available in multiple thread sizes. For more information, visit www.gkspikes.com.
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Pulsar
Designed by the same folks who brought us the Black Widow spike, the Pulsar features a unique geometry and shape that easily makes it SoftSpikes best spike to date. Each leg features a tangential “flexor knuckle” that flexes upon ground contact for a secure grip. The design also features added support in key regions of each leg, for enhancements in the cleats’ lifespan and durability. Also, the ends of the legs are rounded and flatted for less scuffing and scratching of the green. Color coded, the Pulsar is available in a variety of locking and thread options. For more information, visit www.softspikes.com.
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Hi-Tec
In what resembles a Champ Scorpion Spike on steroids, these specially designed spikes (made by Champ Spikes) for Hi-Tec’s CDT golf shoe are geared for custom traction. By adjusting the orientation of the spike’s two elongated teeth, golfers can position the spike in the direction where traction is needed the most. Like the Scorpion Spikes, the Hi-Tec CDT spike features a visible wear indicator in the center of the spike to inform when a spike change is due. For more information, visit www.hi-tec.com.
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Street Spikes
Do you love your golf shoes so much that you wish you could wear them all the time? No worries, Champ Spikes has made it easy. The Street Caps are designed to convert any golf shoe into a street shoe, without having to subject your spikes to harsh pavement or worse, walking around with empty spike threads. Simply screw in and you’re ready for that elegant evening. For more information, visit www.champspikes.com.
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Champ Fast Spike Wrench
If there is one caveat with the alternative spike, it’s in removing them. The two-pronged metal devices rarely do the job, let alone do so without inflicting pain the fingers. Alas, the Champ Fast Spike wrench makes removing and replacing spikes a cinch. Much like a socket wrench, this tool makes twisting and unhinging tight spikes simple thanks to a contoured, ergonomic handle. Settings can adjust to turn right, left or keep in a steady neutral position for simple installation and removal. Multiple bits are included, all of which function in most drills and electric screwdrivers. For more information, visit www.champspikes.com.