Author: Jack Waddell

When you gather 16 pretty decent amateur players for three days of intense competition (intensely cold, intensely arduous, intensely fun), it’s cool to peek into the bags and see who’s playing what.

It’s all the more interesting when you consider that many in the field have strong connections within the industry and so can play pretty much anything they want.

Since cost is not a factor (either because the equipment is free or because, when it comes to golf, money is no object), it was obvious that real world performance and personal preference ruled the choices. So here’s what we were playing…

Continue reading “2006 Newport Cup Club Count”

Despite the brakes periodically applied by golf’s ruling bodies, clubs and balls have been constantly evolving as new materials, technologies, and designs deliver better performance.

Now that hybrid clubs have become standard issue in the bags of most amateurs and professionals, a movement has begun to create fully integrated irons sets that meld perfectly in loft and feel from the short irons through the mid irons and into the hybrids.

And, according to at least one industry leader, it’s a movement not just aimed at seniors, women and slower swingers.

I recently had the chance to hear a presentation by Chip Brewer, the president and CEO of Adams Golf, on his company’s bid to use their hybrid niche leadership to grow their sales with integrated iron sets for every caliber of player. What he had to say was so interesting I thought I’d share it with you in this week’s Bag Drop…

Continue reading “Betting on a Revolution in Iron Set Makeup”

As a SkyCaddie owner and user this season, I’ve come to both love and hate my little black box and all that goes with it. Based on my own experience, the detailed review Erik did on the device back in May 2005 is dead on. It’s great, but not without its frustrations.

Some of the niggles that irk me are being addressed as SkyGolf makes a big leap forward introducing not one, but three new models. The result is a product lineup with a lot more options and a lot more affordable range of prices.

The new models won’t be officially launched until the PGA Merchandise Show in January. However, SkyGolf will begin shipping limited quantities to retailers around November 1, presumably to take advantage of some holiday sales. So here’s an exclusive first look at what’s in store…

Continue reading “SkyCaddie Adding Three New Models”

I don’t know about you, but I hate carrying lots of stuff in my pockets when I play. I especially hate fumbling around trying to find a coin or distinguish between tees and the ball mark tool. Totally disrupts my concentration, fragile as it is.

This year I went so far as to try those ball markers that you clip on the bill of your cap. My PGA pro friend thought it looked a little too LPGA. While I remained secure in my masculinity, I gave up after losing a few of them.

Green Friendly Golf has come to the rescue with a belt that incorporates not only a ball marker, but also a tool that’s been specially designed to conform to the technique experts now recommend for fixing ball marks. Here’s the story on the belt and the technique…

Continue reading “Green Friendly Golf Belts: Looking Good, Doing Good”

There’s a reason we don’t play in loafers. Golf requires a stable platform not only for the swing, but also for all the walking we do uphill and down. Short of wearing high tops, most golfers rely on shoes that lace up over the instep to get a firm fit.

FootJoy is taking lacing a step further, however, with its new ReelFit shoes that feature the Boa lacing system that tightens up over the instep and around the ankle.

It’s a high-tech solution that lets you dial in the support you’re looking for. What’s more, the laces will never break. Here’s the scoop…

Continue reading “FootJoy Introduces Boa Lacing System in ReelFit Shoes”

The USGA runs a great series of TV spots during their championships. I think my favorite might be the one with the guy sitting at the starter’s hut waiting out a downpour saying things like, “it’s letting up, it’s just going to blow right over.” Been there, done that. I bet you have too.

Here in the northeast, it seems like it’s been raining for weeks at a time ever since the middle of August. If you’re an avid golfer – and I mean really avid – you don’t let anything like a heavy dew slow you down.

But whether drizzle or downpour, you need some special gear to cope with the conditions. Here’s some of my favorite equipment for playing in the rain…

Continue reading “Gear for Playing in Rain”

As one of the major players in the equipment market, TaylorMade continues to develop and introduce new products at an astonishing rate.

In the next week or so, TaylorMade will introduce new r7 irons. These irons appear to be aimed at the low- to mid-handicapper who prefers an iron that’s easy to hit, gets the ball up effortlessly, has some forgiveness, and comes with moderate offset so it sets up like a better player’s club.

As has become their custom, the company appears to be introducing two versions of the irons, a regular r7 iron and an r7 TP (for “Tour Preferred”) version that specifically targets the stronger player with time-proven details and specifications. The Sand Trap will have a full review of these irons soon, but here’s an exclusive first look…

Continue reading “TaylorMade to Introduce New r7 Irons and TP Wedge”

Adams Golf is one of the established leaders in hybrid clubs. This latest addition to their line comes to market after considerable testing on the PGA, Champions, and Nationwide Tours where a number of players have had them in use for several months now.

The Idea Pro hybrids were designed from the ground up to appeal to top amateur and pro golfers with a look, specific materials, and inherent performance characteristics that match up well with the preferences of most strong players.

While we’ll have a full review of these clubs in The Sand Trap soon, here’s a first look at Adams newest hybrid line…

Continue reading “Adams Golf Launches Idea Pro Hybrids”

I once scripted a video we shot with Tom Watson at his home course in Kansas City. After the shoot, the crew was invited to play a few holes. Not having clubs with me, I was loaned a bag of Watson’s spares.

The shafts weren’t just stiff, they’d been tipped to make them even firmer. They felt so heavy I couldn’t even get the ball in the air and ended up playing out of someone else’s bag.

Golf clubs that don’t fit make an already hard game impossibly hard. In part one of our discussion we covered the basics. This week we take a look at some of the finer points of club fitting that new technology has made possible.

Continue reading “Fit Factors: Club Fitting, Part Two”