Author: Justin L. Pucheu

TaylorMade Releases New Burner 2.0 Irons

TaylorMade builds off of the success of 2009’s Burner irons with the updated Burner 2.0.

Bag DropTaylorMade‘s new lineup is starting to trickle out, and it looks to improve on a number of things from last year. Of course, it’s easy to make the joke “well don’t they do that every few months anyway?”, but no one can say that they don’t put out something to fit just about everyone’s game.

Last year, their game improvement offering was the Burner irons, and then earlier this year, they dropped the Burner SuperLaunch irons, which were made with max game improvement in mind. Now they’ve turned their attention again back to the original Burner irons, and made a number of functional and cosmetic changes that promote improvements in distance, accuracy, and appearance. The result is the new Burner 2.0 irons.

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Staying Cool in the Summer Heat, Part II

Even though fall will be arriving before we know it, there are still quite a few rounds to be played in the sweltering heat. So why let them go to waste? Though we covered some clothes for your top half, we couldn’t leave you hanging without recommending some shorts and shoes!

Bag DropThough we took a break from the summer-centric topic of ways to help cope with the heat in order to look at some of PING’s new clubs (in case you missed it, here and here), this week, we’re back on the topic of apparel that can help you stay cool and comfortable.

In addition to the shirts and caps we looked at a few weeks ago, comfortable, lightweight shorts and shoes can also go a long way to helping you be as cool and comfortable on and off the course as possible. The downside to the late summer months is that the blazing heat can turn into pouring rain in the blink of an eye. As the summer showers quickly roll away, the heat always seems to be amplified quite a bit. By that, I mean it gets nearly unbearable. The upside to that problem is that tour players face the same issues we do in that regard. Luckily, their equipment and clothing sponsors have designed some great performance apparel that satisfies the standards of tour players, and yet is available to us amateurs.

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PING Expands Lineup for 2011, Part II

This week, we continue our coverage of the latest equipment from Ping.

Bag DropLast week was really only the tip of the iceberg (which I’d happily trade for the ongoing heat). The K15 and Faith Series certainly looked to be great options for players looking for something in the game improvement arena, but this week we shift gears and see the newest in PING’s offerings for low- to mid-handicap players.

After taking a look at all of these new products, it’s quite obvious that PING’s commitment to all players is taken quite seriously, as there are multiple options even for players that fall into the same category. Going by their release of a forged iron to the U.S. market, it’s also obvious that PING is listening to what players want. With that said, we’ve got a lot to cover this week, so let’s get started!

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PING Expands Lineup for 2011

Ping is the first out the gate with their announcement of a number of new lines of clubs for the upcoming product year.

Bag DropAs they ride the momentum of staffer Louis Oosthuizen’s win at the Open Championship, PING shows no signs of slowing down. Proof of that is their announcement of a a wide variety of upcoming clubs for a wide variety of players. This week, we’ll check out their new K15 line, which includes a driver, a fairway wood, and a hybrid/iron set.

PING has always had a good offering for female golfers as well, with series such as the Rhapsody set. This year is no different as they pull the covers off of their new Faith series. So with all that said, let’s quit wasting time and take a look!

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Staying Cool In The Summer Heat

It’s HOT across the majority of the country, but don’t let that keep you away from the course. Though the record-breaking heat may seem overbearing, we’ve got some tips on apparel and accessories to help you beat the heat – and hopefully your playing partners!

Bag DropIn case you haven’t heard the news, it’s friggin’ hot outside! With a few exceptions, this summer has been really brutal for everyone, no matter where you live. The heat index has been so high here in south Louisiana, I’m ready to catch the next plane back to California, just to enjoy the same weather I did during the U.S. Open. Unless that’s a feasible option for you, you’re probably suffering through the oppressive beatings the sun/high temperatures/high humidity every time you step foot on the golf course. Though I can’t help you to outfit your golf cart with full blown air conditioning comparable to that of an refrigerated trailer, I may be able to give you a few tips on some equipment and apparel that might make it a little more manageable.

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Titleist Launches Vokey WedgeWorks; Cobra Releases Baffler Rail Fairway

Former sibling companies Titleist and Cobra push forward through the hot summer months – one with a cool new customization service and new wedges, and the other with a hot fairway wood.

Bag DropThis week, we bring you some good news from the world of wedge craftsman extraordinaire Bob Vokey. Have you ever seen the pros’ bag pictures from various tournaments, and noticed various stampings and other little unique markings on their wedges? If so, you probably thought to yourself. “That would be pretty cool to have!” Well, you’re in luck! Titleist’s launch of the new WedgeWorks service gives you the ability to do that and more.

If that weren’t enough, further down we have some news on a new fairway wood release from Cobra. You didn’t think a little thing like a change of ownership would slow them down, did you? Of course not! From the looks of the new Baffler Rail fairway woods, we’re still talking about the same dedication and quality engineering we’ve grown to expect from Cobra. Of course, don’t take my word for it, follow along and see for yourself!

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Miura Releases K Grind Wedges

Miura drops a unique wedge design on us, called the K-Grind Wedge, which is named after Katsuhiro Miura himself. A club named after the man himself must be worth a look, right?

Bag DropThis week is somewhat of a first for Bag Drop, as this marks the first time we’ve given dedicated coverage to Japanese clubmaker Miura. Does that mean they haven’t been worth mentioning up to this point? Absolutely not! In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

I’m sure a number of you have heard the name from time to time, often from someone either praising the exceptional feel and performance of their irons, or making the claim that the manufacturer forges irons for Tiger Woods, and many other tour players. While I’m not going to touch that subject with a 1-Iron, I will give you a little bit of background on Miura and then we’ll take a look at their new forged K-Grind wedge.

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Getting Fit, Part Two

In part two of our series on getting fit, we give a few tips on going in for a real fitting, and then dive into what to look for when selecting the proper fit for the one thing connecting you to the club – the grip.

Bag DropAfter a little hiatus, The Bag Drop is back this week, with the second part in our guide to getting fit. In part one, we looked at some of the online resources available to assist you in finding the right shafts for your game. This week, we’ll touch on a little bit of the same, but also touch on what’s available on the Internet when it comes to looking for new grips.

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Getting Fit, Part One

The problem with online fitting systems is that it really shouldn’t be this hard to get fit!

Bag DropRecently, Golf Digest released the ball portion of their annual Hot List, and as an added bonus, the guys at Bomb and Gouge go further into the ball fitting systems (or lack thereof) at each manufacturer’s website (by the way, if you go there now, you can see a little bit of info about Titleist’s newest driver, the 910). Upon visiting each of these myself, everything seemed eerily familiar. Then it hit me – most shaft manufacturers’ websites have the same sort of wizard driven types of fitting tools. Kind of like the Island in Lost – each answer leads you to another question. With each answer comes more confusion, and next thing you know, you’re at your keyboard, pressing “Execute” every 108 minutes in pure frustration!

While I don’t doubt that these online fitting systems may come close to answering the ultimate question for you (what should I be playing?), it just seems like something is missing here. Can we not get some sort of standard rating systems for each individual piece of golf equipment?

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