Field Testing the Titleist AP1, AP2, ZB, and ZM Irons

Proving that you can’t judge a book by its cover, the Titleist AP1, AP2, ZB, and ZM are put to the (field) test.

Titleist AP2 IronWhat do Adam Scott’s final-round 61 and three-shot victory at the Qatar Masters and 2007 European Tour Rookie of the Year Martin Kaymer’s first win a week earlier have in common? Both were fired with new Titleist irons. Adam Scott won with the Titleist Forged AP2 irons while Martin Kaymer played the Forged ZM irons in taking the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship by two.

The existence of these irons (and their two siblings) has been official for a few days now, but the details were made known in our Bag Drop “Titleist Introduces New Irons for 2008” of a few weeks ago. Titleist is replacing every iron in their set with the new AP1, AP2, ZB, and ZM irons. Gone are the well-liked 695 (in CB and MB variations). Gone is the 735.CM. Gone are the 755s and the 775s. Five models are being replaced by four, three of which are forged, and one of which aims to bring incredible feel and performance to the “aspiring golfer” crowd.

Though no Acushnet company (Titleist, FootJoy, Cobra, Pinnacle) has displayed at the PGA Merchandise Show in several years, Titleist was nearby prepping sales representatives and their vast club pro network on the changes coming in 2008. For many of the sales reps, that meant familiarizing themselves with the 2008 irons lineup.

The Sand Trap was there, and I’ve hit all of the irons. What follows are my quick observations. As a quick teaser, I will tell you this: you cannot judge a book by its cover.

Continue reading “Field Testing the Titleist AP1, AP2, ZB, and ZM Irons”

Nine Holes with the Tiger Taunters

You don’t tug on Superman’s cape.

ProfilesTaking a tiger by the tail is supposed to be a good thing. It’s akin to slaying a dragon. Of course, the unspoken part of taking that tiger’s tail is that you have to actually come out on top. Otherwise, it’s more like tilting at windmills. Brave words, but no accomplishment.

For the most part, PGA Tour pros are very careful of what they say about fellow competitors. Those who dare diss Tiger Woods, whether outright or inferred, tend to pay a hefty price. It seems Tiger feeds on afronts, even when they are not meant as such.

Continue reading “Nine Holes with the Tiger Taunters”

Kelly Tilghmangate: A Seventy-Eighth Look

Kelly Tilghman had golf on the front pages for a few days earlier this season. Check out one man’s (hopefully) unique spin on the issue.

Thrash TalkWhile I’m sure most people would be happy to have heard the last of the Kelly Tilghman Affair, after mulling the situation over for several weeks I’ve decided I would be remiss not to give it the once over in The Sand Trap‘s op/ed space. Let’s face it, January is a slow news month in golf (Tiger romps at Torrey Pines… why am I not surprised?), and this is a political issue in an election year (here in the U.S., anyway). Pass up reading this and just visit the forum if you will, but if you read on I can promise to give you a thing or two to chew on.

To briefly review, Golf Channel‘s team of Kelly Tilghman and Nick Faldo were engaged in some light-hearted repartee on the subject of Tiger’s dominance of professional golf. Faldo asked rhetorically what other players might do to possibly compete with golf’s version of a Superhero, said “gang up on him for awhile.” In the joking vein of their exchange, Tilghman suggested that other top players “lynch him in a back alley.” The racist overtones of this comment were too much for Golf Channel executives, who suspended Tilghman for two weeks, after which the anchor issued a public apology and resumed her duties as lead anchor.

Continue reading “Kelly Tilghmangate: A Seventy-Eighth Look”

Golf Talk [Episode 076]

Our site’s odds that Tiger wins the slam this year: 9 to 1. Go ahead – take us up on that bet.

Golf Talk PodcastTiger Woods kicks off his 2008 campaign the way he ended last year’s: with a win. Go figure. Adam Scott shoots 61 to win and we talk about Michelle Wie, the U.S. Open, and much more in this week’s episode of Golf Talk.

You can subscribe to the RSS feed for our podcasts here or download Episode 076 as an MP4 file. For those who want to subscribe to us in iTunes, click here.

For this week’s Show Notes – links to articles we discuss in the show and additional information – just read on.

Continue reading “Golf Talk [Episode 076]”

Tour Edge Adds Two New Drivers to Exotics Line

Tour Edge would like to add some magnesium to your golfing diet.

Bag DropQuick, what is the first thing that pops into your mind when I say Tour Edge? Reasonably priced clubs that always seem to make all the “hot lists” and score well on club tests in various publications? A lifetime warranty for all their clubs? The crazy-long Exotics line? I’ve never heard of them?

If you answered one of the first three then you already know what I am talking about. If your response was more along the lines of “never heard of them” then you may need to get out a bit more as the folks down in Batavia, IL make some outstanding clubs. We came away quite impressed by both the Exotics CB2 fairway wood and the Bazooka GeoMax driver in reviews last year.

Keeping with that tradition, the Exotics line has added two new drivers for 2008, the XCG and the XLD. Sporting some fancy technology, these two new drivers should be on everyone’s demo list. Unless of course, you have something against hitting the ball far.

Continue reading “Tour Edge Adds Two New Drivers to Exotics Line”

Volume One Hundred Thirty

Hand Me My 5 Iron, And A Snow Shovel!

Hitting the LinksGood Monday morning to you all from The Sand Trap and Hittin’ the Links. We are again on the job bringing you the very best that the golf media has to offer. Think of us as your personal golf story locating service.

In this volume we take a glimpse at Kelly Tilghman’s return and subsequent apology, contemplate how good Tiger really is after his nine-shot victory in San Diego, and look in on Adam Scott and the nifty 61 he shot in Qatar. Also, we surveil snow golf, take a look at a ridiculous golf gadget, and peruse some other tournament winners from around the golf world.

Continue reading “Volume One Hundred Thirty”

The Five Most Frustrating Shots in Golf

“If you watch a game, it’s fun. If you play at it, it’s recreation. If you work at it, it’s golf.” — Bob Hope

Trap Five LogoGolf is often called the most frustrating of sports. There are layers after layers of complexity to learn. Each time we think we’ve got it down, something new rears its head.

When we begin to play, most of us struggle to hit the ball at all, let alone hit it where we want to. After awhile we learn to advance the ball to the green without too much trouble along the way. Sure we still hit tee shots into the woods and approach shots into the water, but eventually we reach the green. But then there are all those individual skills to acquire around the green that help us shave strokes off our usual round. We have to learn to stop the ball on the green, to get it out of a bunker, to chip it close from a tight lie, to pitch it reasonably close from the lettuce, to hit it high and have it land soft, to hit it low so it runs, to get the speed of a putt right&ellip; Suffice it to say, golf ain’t easy.

For those of us in colder climes, winter might well be the most frustrating time of year. But when it comes to playing the game, we’ve probably all had rounds where our game has so deserted us that we’re ready to quit on the spot, to wrap every club around the nearest tree and throw the bag in pond.

That’s our topic today: those golf shots that afflict us and sometimes make us to contemplate taking up another sport, any other sport. The best way to cure these maladies is to see a PGA professional. But barring that, I offer some totally unauthoritative swing band-aids that I’ve used from time to time. Use them at your own risk.

Continue reading “The Five Most Frustrating Shots in Golf”

Golf Talk [Episode 075]

In other news, John Daly is getting yet another divorce… and suing yet another group of people.

Golf Talk PodcastWelcome to 2008. This year we start off with discussion of Kelly Tilghman and “Lynchgate,” “non-playing cuts,” and the PGA Merchandise Show. We also talk about D.J. Trahan, Vince Cellini, Bob Hope, John Daly, and much more in this week’s episode of Golf Talk.

You can subscribe to the RSS feed for our podcasts here or download Episode 075 as an MP4 file. For those who want to subscribe to us in iTunes, click here.

For this week’s Show Notes – links to articles we discuss in the show and additional information – just read on.

Continue reading “Golf Talk [Episode 075]”

Scotty Cameron Introduces New Studio Select Line

You like options for your putter? Then you are going to love the new Studio Select line from Scotty Cameron.

Bag DropScotty Cameron has made some changes over the years to his Newport-style heads, whether it’s using various finishes like the Oil Can Classics, inserts made from Teryllium and German Stainless Steel, or even adding them to his Detour line last year. This year, Scotty is raising the customization bar with his new Studio Select line of putters.

What makes these so different from Newports of the past? Options, options, and more options with the highlight being the addition of removable weights that will give you the putter weight you desire without having to add unsightly lead tape.

Come join me as we take a look at the latest incarnation of the Newport.

Continue reading “Scotty Cameron Introduces New Studio Select Line”