TaylorMade SuperQuad and Burner Drivers, Fairways Unveiled

With the 460cc limit on head volume now routine in drivers, the next frontier is MOI or “moment of inertia.” It would seem TaylorMade now leads the race.

Bag DropOver the past few weeks we’ve covered the latest driver introductions by Callaway and Nike, Tour Edge, and Cleveland. Except for Tour Edge, every company brought out two different models at the same time… one more conventional and workable, the other more radical and forgiving.

This week and next we’ll be taking a look at the latest driver and fairway wood offerings from TaylorMade. TaylorMade has also followed the “two model” format.

What’s so interesting about the TaylorMade unveiling of its SuperQuad and Burner drivers at last week’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando is that their stated MOI number for both is very near the USGA limit. And they’re not shaped like a science fair project. Here’s the story…

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Volume Eighty-Four

Sharon Stone will want to cross her legs for this week’s Hittin’ the Links.

Football season is officially over until next fall (or until training camps start in, what, April? Oh, and the draft… and college recruiting, and…) and now we can put our full attention to the world of golf.

This week we have a recap of the FBR Open, Sharon Stone’s golf game, and proof that Tiger is human after all.

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Aaron Skidmore

Somehow golf gets a hold of you. Somebody somehow or another passes on the game to you. Sometimes it’s a family member, sometimes a friend, or sometimes it’s an inspiring personality on television. Here’s how the game came to me.

ProFilesAaron Skidmore isn’t your typical professional. In fact he never really was a pro golfer, except that he is and always will be a pro to me. I can’t remember what his swing looked like and there isn’t one swing tip I remember him passing on to me. He gave up the game out of necessity long before I took it up.

But still I consider him the one who handed me the baton. It was he, whose passion for the game somehow found its way to me and surfaced about three years after he passed away. I came by it honestly because Aaron Skidmore was my Grandpa.

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Nike CCi Cast Irons Review

Nike Golf’s newest irons are solid all the way around, nothing more and nothing less.

Nike CCi Iron HeroI’ve had the opportunity to review a few different sets of irons over the past six or eight months, all of which were positive experiences. I had the Nike Slingshot OSS Irons first, and I hit those pretty well. They weren’t as consistent as I would have liked, so I was very excited to give the Nike CCi Cast irons a chance.

The Slingshot and CCi irons are completely different when it comes to technology and look, but in the end, they are about the same when it comes to performance. The CCi Cast irons are respectable in all categories, but is respectable enough in the competitive world of golf equipment? Read my breakdown to find out if they are made for you or not.

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Training Aids

You may be tempted to pick up the latest hot training aid to work on your golf game over the winter months however sometimes the best idea is sound advice and equipment you already have.

As I continue with building my off-season plan, I have been looking at various training aids that I can use during the winter months to help me build a more consistent, repeatable swing. I also figure I’ll be able to get off to a fast start once the snow melts.

As with the rest of the golf equipment industry, training aids have exploded over the last few years and it was a bit maddening to sift through all the various kinds and styles. It seems as if everyone has an idea that will help you correct your slice, find the “slot,” or help you gain twenty yards. After spending a few months looking over the multitude of options, I think I found a few that will help me accomplish my goals.

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Postcards from Orlando

I waded deep into the bowels of the 2007 PGA Merchandise Show, and I’ve emerged with some gems (and notes).

PGA Merchandise ShowLast week’s PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando gave me a chance to step out of my semi-retirement from The Sand Trap and check in to see what’s happening in the ever-interesting golf business. I played a couple rounds with the latest and greatest clubs and balls from most of the major equipment companies – at least the ones not named Titleist, Cobra, and Ping, since they are still AWOL from the Show.

What’d I learn? That driver designers really enjoyed geometry class in high school. That fans of forged irons have a couple new objects of lust. And that golf products are being marketed more and more to specific groups of players according to age and style of play.

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Golf Talk [Episode 045]

Tiger has finally won on the PGA Tour in 2007, ending his winless streak! Oh, wait…

PodcastTiger Woods wins his seventh straight PGA Tour event (ho hum), Charley Hoffman and Hale Irwin get off to good starts, Butch Harmon bashes on Michelle Wie, Phil Mickelson switches to low-fat ice cream, and a whole lot more in this episode of Golf Talk.

You can subscribe to the RSS feed for our podcasts here or download Episode 045 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.

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Nationwide Tour Graduates Taste Early Success

There are several 2006 Nationwide Tour graduates making an early splash during the new season.

Thrash TalkTiger Woods made his 2007 debut this past weekend at The Buick Invitational and won his seventh consecutive PGA Tour event. Wow, what a surprise! In all seriousness, it’s good to see Tiger again. There is no doubt the buzz around the PGA Tour is a lot higher when Mr. Woods tees it up.

Tiger’s win at Torrey Pines wasn’t as dominant as some in the past, but a win is a win. He intimidated and broke down a handful of youngsters along the way. The list of young golfers included the new FedEx Cup points leader, Charles Howell III. Chuckie may not ever win another tournament, but he has mastered the art of coming in second. It was actually refreshing to see CHIII have a solid final round compared to the usual choke job.

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Callaway Shipping X-20 and X-20 Tour Irons

The fifth generation of Callaway X-Series irons is now showing up in stores and pro shops and bringing with it a new name and new look for the player’s version.

Bag DropEver since their introduction of the Big Bertha irons in 1994, Callaway has expanded their line with models aimed at the more accomplished player. This trend seemed to culminate in last year’s X-Tour forged irons and this year’s X-Forged models.

The X-Series began in 1997 with the Big Bertha X-12 regular and pro versions and was the company’s first attempt at reaching out to the player who needed less forgiveness than the Big Bertha irons. The next generation X-14 irons became the best selling irons in Callaway’s history.

With the new X-20 line, the “Pro” version becomes the “Tour” version. And with that change comes an entirely different club. Here’s the story…

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