Author: Donald MacKenzie

Sneak Peek at Nickent’s 2006 New Products

Nickent is bringing two new hybrids to market in 2006, as well as a pair of new iron designs.

Bag Drop2005 has been a big year for Nickent Golf. The California-based company saw its profile rise considerably, thanks to its 3DX Ironwood line of hybrids. Tim Petrovic used a 3DX hybrid to win his first PGA Tour event, and Nickent’s 3DX driver and Pipe putter also generated some strong buzz.

Nickent has since added longtime club design ace John Hoeflich as senior VP of product development, and the company’s first new products to bear his design stamp will hit the market early in the new year. The Bag Drop got an early look at the new goodies, and we’re in a sharing mood.

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Sneak Peek at MacGregor’s 2006 New Products

MacGregor Golf has had some tough times over the past decade, but the company is trying to innovate its way back into the limelight. Here’s what it has on tap for 2006.

Bag DropMacGregor Golf has been very busy over the last two years, bringing a series of interesting and innovative products to market in a attempt to reclaim market share. In 2005, the MACTEC NVG driver pointed the company in a new direction with a focus on cutting-edge technology.

The Bag Drop has just scored the scoop on MacGregor’s 2006 product line, and it is clear that MacGregor is going full-speed ahead in the MACTEC direction with a big batch of new drivers, hybrids, irons – and some interesting new Bobby Grace putters.

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What’s In Santa’s Bag?

With just more than two months before the 2006 PGA Merchandise Show, rumors are flying about lots of new products. Let’s take a look at a few of the biggies.

Bag DropWith the last of the Thanksgiving leftovers finally polished off, The Bag Drop is ready to take a look at a few items that are likely on the wish lists of more than a few golfers out there. We have a collection of rumblings and rumors about new products that may be in the pipeline – and may or may not be out in time for Santa to put under your tree. Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you’ll still want to check this list twice.

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Winterizing Your Clubs

Like it or not, Old Man Winter is next on the tee for northern golfers. Here’s some help for getting your clubs ready for the off-season.

Bag DropIf you’re reading this in the Sunbelt of the United States, or anywhere else in the world where the weather’s good enough to tee it up year-round, you can sit this one out. (You lucky so-and-so.) This week’s edition of The Bag Drop is all about how to get your clubs ready for a long winter’s nap.

That’s right, those of us in the North are coming to the realization that the golf season is either fading fast or already gone. But before your forced hibernation begins, be sure you show your clubs some love so they’re ready when Mother Nature is in the spring.

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PeakVision Sports Glasses Review

PeakVision Sports is making a big name for itself with a line of golf- specific sunglasses. Our verdict: The company has a bright future.

PeakVision LogoYou might have noticed that an increasing number of Tour pros wearing sunglasses during their rounds. And you might also have noticed that most of those shade-sporting players tend to take off their sunglasses around the greens.

PeakVision Sports is trying to change that. The company has a unique line of golf-specific sunglasses that are supposed to improve your vision from tee to green – and even help you see the contours of the putting surface better than without sunglasses. Longtime Tour players like Billy Andrade and Bruce Fleisher have been wearing the shades on Tour this year and have become enthusiastic spokesmen for the product.

Fellow Sand Trapper Jeff Smith and I have had a chance to try out PeakVision Sports glasses for the last couple months. Did they turn us into putting masters? Read on and find out.

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Is Rust a Must?

If your irons or pricey milled steel putter started rusting, you’d probably freak out. But rusty wedges are actually desirable to many golfers.

Bag DropA recent post in The Sand Trap forum got me thinking about wedges and rust. Over the last decade, the number of wedges on the market that are “raw” and “meant to rust” has grown steadily. Why would you want to spend money on something that will rust? Does the rust increase spin or feel? Read on and find out.

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Sneak Peek at TaylorMade’s 2006 New Products

The R7 Quad driver has been a huge hit for TaylorMade, which has become the top driver brand at retail. Now the company is refreshing the driver, and adding some irons to the R7 family.

TaylorMadeJust two days ago, the Bag Drop brought you the skinny on Callaway Golf’s new 2006 lineup. Now our operatives have come through with information on one of golf’s other equipment heavyweights: TaylorMade.

Given TaylorMade’s ongoing success with the r7 Quad driver, it is no surprise that the company’s four major upcoming new products all bear the r7 badge. Read on to learn more about two new r7 drivers and two sets of r7 irons.

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Sneak Peak at Callaway’s 2006 New Products

After a comeback year that included products like the Big Bertha 454 and Fusion FT-3 drivers and the X-Tour irons, Callaway Golf has some new products ready for 2006. Here are the details.

Bag DropIt wasn’t long ago that Callaway Golf unveiled the long-awaited Big Bertha Fusion FT-3 driver. It’s been a solid hit at retail, but the season is drawing to an end. Several companies – including Cleveland, Cobra, Ping and Titleist – have already announced and/or shipped new products with next year in mind, and TaylorMade is expected to announce new products any day now.

Callaway gave some of its key accounts a sneak peek at what new products it will be bringing to market in the first part of next year at the recent PGA Fall Expo in Las Vegas. The Bag Drop has the scoop on those new sticks, some of which are already in the bags of tour players as prototypes.

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A New Leader For The PGA of America

The PGA of America named a new CEO last week. Look for Joe Sterenka to continue moving the Association in a positive direction for golfers in the U.S.

Bag DropThis week we’ll take a little Bag Drop field trip. Instead of talking about the equipment, we’ll look at the equipment business. Specifically, let’s take a look at the change in the leadership of the PGA of America.

Point of clarification: we’re talking about the PGA of America, not the PGA Tour. There’s a lot of confusion about the fact that these are two separate entities. The PGA was founded in 1916 as an association of the country’s club professionals – the pros who work at golf courses teaching lessons and managing the facilities. At the time, this designation also covered golfers who played for a living on what would become the PGA Tour. The Tour was run by the PGA of America until the late 1960s, when star players like Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus – and IMG – decided they didn’t want to share the spotlight and the cash with the lowly club pros anymore, and they acrimoniously split. Thus, the PGA Tour was born.

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