Author: Dave Koster

Bobby Jones Hybrid Review

Bobby Jones was one of the greats. The hybrids that bear his name could also be considered great.

Bobby JonesAnybody who watches the Golf Channel has seen the infomercial. I’ve seen it and I’m betting, since you’re reading this review, a good portion of you have seen it as well. It’s for the Bobby Jones hybrid by Jesse Ortiz.

Now I’m not the kind of guy who sits around watching infomercials. I’m also not the kind of guy who will believe the five minutes or so that I catch of one. That being said, if the Bobby Jones Golf Company hadn’t promoted their hybrid as much as they did, I wouldn’t have jumped at the chance to review a couple of them. I’ve been on the hybrid bandwagon since 2005 and haven’t gotten off.

The Bobby Jones hybrid hasn’t had a breakthrough in a tournament like the Sonartec in the 2004 British Open. What it has had is some of the highest rankings in the Golf Digest Hot List in the past couple years though. Are those high rankings deserved? Can we actually believe an infomercial? Is this club worthy of having Bobby Jones’ name on it? Read on to find out.

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Kaenon Sunglasses Review

You’ve only got one set of eyes, so we suggest you take care of them. Do these sunglasses from Kaenon fit the bill?

Kaenon SunglassesAs a contact wearer and avid golfer, I’ve been in need of a good pair of sunglasses for a while now. It isn’t much fun squinting and fighting dry eyes during a round of golf in the sun.

Kaenon Polarized is a company that manufactures sunglasses for a variety of sports, ranging from kite boarding to climbing to golf. Competing against giants like Oakley and smaller but somewhat entrenched companies like Tifosi, Kaenon has their work cut out for them. Can their products compare or even surpass the others? Read on to find out.

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Nike One Black/Platinum Balls Review

The Nike Platinum and Black balls improve on their previous versions but still fall a bit short of the other premium balls in the market.

Nike one Black/Platinum Balls HeroNike jumped into the golf ball arena a few years ago and has not looked back. The Nike Platinum has enjoyed some success on Tour, and not just by way of Tiger Woods, but other top players like Rory Sabbatini, Stewart Cink, Trevor Immelman, and Paul Casey as well. While Nike’s balls may be lagging market leaders Titleist and the Pro V1 duo, the Portland, OR based sports equipment behemoth has fully established themselves in the ball market with no intention of leaving.

With Tiger at the helm they have designed two premium balls for better players: Nike ONE Platinum and the Nike ONE Black (the ONE Gold having been ditched for 2007). Both have gone through a recent makeover to improve upon an already popular ball. I’ve been a loyal Titleist ball player for years, so I was eager to see how the Nikes would stand up. Read on to see if I’ll be playing balls with a swoosh instead of cursive this year.

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FootJoy ReelFit Shoes Review

The Reelfit FootJoys are not only an evolution in technology, but an evolution in comfort as well. FootJoy has not only kept their lead in the golf shoe category, they have cemented it – with a twist.

ReelFit HeroNormally, a new version of FootJoy shoes would not be met with such a buzz. The latest versions would be upgraded with a slight modification of the lines and possibly the spikes might be updated for better traction. This wouldn’t draw much attention in and of itself.

This time around FootJoy has added something new and exciting. The BOA Lacing System adds a new twist and level of technology never seen in golf shoes before. Gone are the days of loose fitting shoes and laces the come undone or wear out. Now comes a new generation of golf shoes that not only need no breaking in, but fit perfectly right out of the box.

Too good to be true? Not really.

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Callaway X Hot Fairway Wood Review

The Callaway X-Hot fairway wood is both long in the shaft and off the tee. It serves as a great second option off the tee and doesn’t do too bad off the deck either.

Callaway X Hot Fairway Wood HeroLast year, Callaway introduced its X fairway woods. That design harkened back to the old, and still popular, Steelhead and Steelhead Plus series. After carrying a Steelhead plus in my own bag for over five years I replaced it last year with a TaylorMade r7. I saw a jump in distance and accuracy that was impossible to ignore. It kept my beloved Callaway from getting back in the bag.

I had a chance last year to demo the non-Hot Callaway X fairway wood and liked it. It felt pretty good but it wasn’t quite good enough to make me think about removing the TaylorMade from my set – but it did make me think.

This year I was able to get my hands on the new Callway X-Hot fairway wood. Now I would be able to take a full and even better look at the new design. The question is, would it be enough for me to make a change after having a great experience with the r7? Read on to find out if Callaway is back in my bag.

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Boomerang Putting System Review

The Boomerang Putting System is an easy-to-use training aid that lets a golfer practice just about anywhere he or she wants. While a bit gimmicky in the promotion of the product, the Bommerang itself is simple and provides just what a golfer needs – a tool that provides instant feedback to groove your putting stroke.

Boomerang KitI’m one of the best carpet putters during the winter time, even in North Carolina. I usually have a couple putters and a ball in my TV room ready to go.

You can understand why I was excited to review the Boomerang putting system. Instead of putting at a coffee table leg or the corner of my dusty treadmill, I could use something that was not only more realistic, but could help my game.

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Best of the Numbers Game

Over the past year or so, I’ve covered a lot in The Numbers Game. Driving distance, the 40-30-20-10 rule, all were fun to research and write about. Next year, someone else will take the reins and still have plenty of numbers to look at.

The Numbers GameThis will be my last Numbers Game for a while. I’ve got a few things taking up my time and will be stepping back. I’ll be doing a review or two and hanging around, but The Numbers Game will be in the hands of another person come January.

That being said, I thought it would be good to hit some of the highlights over the past year and a half. This week it’s the best of The Numbers Game.

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Nuggets, Volume Three

More little tidbits of info show us that Tiger is still the best and that even guys who are the worst in one stat can still win tournaments.

The Numbers GameAnother edition of Nuggets for this week’s The Numbers Game. I’ve stuffed the column full of numbers and tidbits I collected while perusing stats and columns around the web. From majors to the “other” Singh, this week should provide even a golf nut with a couple facts they weren’t aware of.

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2006 in Numbers

There were some players that surprised us with their play and some that disappointed. Tiger and Lorena Ochoa were on another level in 2006.

The Numbers Game2006 was marked by extrordinary play from a number of players. Some we’ve come to expect it from, and some we wouldn’t. This week in The Numbers Game, I thought I’d show some facts and figures from these players and just how impressive and sometimes ugly it got.

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