Author: Alan Olson

Scotty Cameron Studio Select Putters Review

Scotty Cameron cans the insert, adds some weight and perhaps the sweetest grip in his new Studio Select line.

Studio Select NewportsScotty Cameron has pretty much held the same weight/length characteristics with his various Newport lines over the years with few exceptions. For the most part, the 33″ length was matched with a 350-gram head, the 34″ with a 340-gram head, and the 35″ getting a 330-gram head. Other than swapping shafts with a heavier head (or vise versa), you were pretty much stuck with whatever weight head came with the correct shaft length for your physical makeup and putting stroke.

For those of us who prefer a little more heft in our putter head and don’t want to use lead tape, the new Studio Select line fits us perfectly. The Studio Selects feature removable weights that let you fine-tune the weight that works best for you.

I’ve spent the last two years using a Studio Style Newport 2 and really like the softer feel of the insert, so even though the Studio Select Newport 2 looks similar, I was a little hesitant to give up the feel to which I’d become accustomed. Read on to find out if I ditched the insert and went all milled.

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The Club Caddy: An Interview and a Short Review

It’s been an up-and-down year for David Jones since winning Fore Inventors Only, but we think it’s ended on a definite “up.”

Bag DropDavid Jones’ Club Caddy won the first edition of Fore Inventors Only. Unfortunately, it’s taken David until this month – nearly a full year later – to put in place his business and manufacturing partners and to begin selling the Club Caddy en masse to resellers and consumers.

Other folks from the show, like Gary Sherrell and Dean Thompson, have been interviewed by this site, and this time around we’re going to talk with David about the troubles he’s encountered. Following the interview, we’ll share our thoughts on the Club Caddy.

Read on to see how the winner – and his product – have fared in the year since Fore Inventors Only concluded.

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Titleist AP1 Irons Review

Do you aspire to be a become a better golfer? Then Titleist has some irons for you.

AP1 HeroTo say the buzz about the AP1 and AP2 irons from Titleist is loud is an understatement of quite some size. I cannot recall a product release in the last couple of years that generated the amount of interest, comments, feedback and questions from Sand Trap readers and forum members as these groundbreaking, technology-infused irons from the traditionally traditional Titleist.

Between our announcement of the 2008 lineup, Erik’s field test and his AP2 review, we’ve received well hundreds of comments and questions. Add this to the amount of discussion and buzz in our forum and it’s really quite remarkable the excitement these irons have generated.

We’re going to focus on the AP1 irons for this review, which Titleist says is for the “skilled and aspiring” golfer. What is an “aspiring golfer”? While I would say all golfers are aspiring to some degree, I think the AP1 are designed for those of us who are in the double-digit handicap range. We show flashes of our golfing potential, but still have an evolving golf swing that could use a little forgiveness while still providing feedback to help us improve. Thus, perhaps we “aspire” a wee bit more than the guy who plays once a month.

Read on to find out this aspiring golfer thinks about these “sure-don’t-look-like-Titleists” irons.

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Mizuno Bettinardi Black Carbon Putter Review

Your eyes are deceiving you. That is not an insert in the new Black Carbon series from Mizuno and Bob Bettinardi.

Black Carbon HeroFresh off receiving a Silver in the 2008 Golf Digest Hot list, the new Black Carbon putters from Mizuno and putter maestro Bob Bettinardi are showing off new ways to provide an insert-like feel and softness while still using a one-piece construction milled face. By the looks of it, they have pulled that off beautifully.

I repeat, no insert. Oh, they still have the Honeycomb face milling you’ve come to expect from a Bettinardi putter but some additional face milling make these putters look a bit different from what you may have seen not only from Mr. Bettinardi but from anyone else making putters as well.

Read on to find out what this insert-looking, non-insert putter is all about.

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Knowing Your Distance – Part Two

Forget getting a GPS for your car. Get one for your golf game.

Bag DropLast week at the Bag Drop we showed you a few different options for finding out various distances on the golf course using a laser rangefinder.

This week we’re going to focus on a few of the GPS options available to golfers. I looked at a couple of GPS units during my rangefinder decision-making process, but decided to go with a laser in the end. I have no buyer’s remorse to this point, but did like a few of the options the GPS systems have to offer.

Let’s take a look.

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Knowing Your Distance – Part One

Knowing the distance to the flag is vitally important to help you score better in golf. In my case, so is knowing the distance to the nearest out-of-bounds.

Bag DropThe next two weeks here at the Bag Drop, I’m going to focus on devices that can help you determine distances on a golf course. While the vast majority of us aren’t good enough to know the difference between a 158 yard vs. 162 yard shot, it still is important knowing distances to hazards, greens, and pins.

This week I’m going to take a look at some laser rangefinders (next week we’ll focus on GPS units) that I checked into while attempting to determine what would work out the best for me. The nice thing is that there are more options coming out so hopefully you can find a rangefinder that will work out for you and your budget.

Let’s take a look at a few.

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Clicgear Rolls Out Cart Model 2.0

Clicgear USA comes out with version 2.0 of an already impressive push cart.

Bag DropUnless I’m required to or play a course in a housing development with tee boxes about a mile from each other, I try to stay away from motorized golf carts as much as possible.

While I enjoy the exercise I get from walking, I’ve long given up carrying my golf bag. It’s not that I physically unable to carry, I just prefer to dump my bag on a cart and push my clubs around during those hot summer days. Golf can put enough stress on your back, why add more carrying your clubs and bag?

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Odds and Ends

Bag Drop goes all over the map this week to get you some equipment news.

Bag DropIt’s been pretty quiet the past few days on the equipment front, but don’t worry, I’ve got a few releases, stories, and opinions to hold you over during Masters Week.

This week’s Bag Drop takes a hodgepodge look at some newer releases, driver shaft adjustability, an equipment maker in bankruptcy and the lowly wedge grind – it’s worth looking into, you’ll see.

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Cobra Golf Releases Pro MB and Pro CB Irons

Think Cobra Golf doesn’t have irons for you better golfers? Think again.

Bag DropUp to this point, nothing in the current irons lineup from the folks at Cobra Golf did much for me as they seemed to fit more in the game improvement category and were also a bit “busy” looking for my taste.

With input gathered from their Tour staff, we now have some irons for the better golfer in mind with the introduction of the Pro CB and Pro MB irons. These new additions look more up my alley. I’m not saying I’m good enough to play either, but they pass my “do they look nice” test.

Just how good are these new offerings? JB Holmes used a set of Pro CBs to win the FBR Open (hitting over 70% of greens in regulation) and Geoff Ogilvy used a set of Pro MBs to win the WGC-CA Championship (and was #1 in GIR) just a couple of weeks ago. I would say these new irons are off to a pretty great start.

Let’s take a look.

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