Five Players with New Equipment

Golf’s version of the offseason hot stove heats up.

Trap Five LogoThough the golf season is in the midst of the Florida Swing, there hasn’t been much going on with golf early on. The biggest story, in fact, was one about equipment. Rory McIlroy, the top-ranked player in the world and former Titleist staffer, signed with Nike for a sum of money that has been reported to be anywhere from $150 to $250 million over the next ten years.

There are a number of other players who will be sporting new logos, including Nicolas Colsaerts, Stewart Cink, Kyle Stanley, and Nick Watney. We also take a look into Steve Stricker’s move of sorts into a semi-retirement as well as Bubba Watson and Jordan Spieth, both of whom will be sporting new duds in 2013.

Let’s jump in.

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Volume Three Hundred Forty One

Michael Thompson gets a win, Serena gets in trouble, and Rory gets a toothache.

Hittin' the LinksHello golf fans and welcome to yet another edition of Hittin’ the Links. So what do you think about this Rory situation? It’s really too bad that the kid can’t have a bad day without every sports writer in the world thinking they know the reason. Golf is hard, sometimes things just don’t go your way. I have no doubt Rory will be back at full strength in the near future, even if he does have to use Nike golf clubs.

In this edition of HtL we begin with a peek at Rory’s early departure, then look in on an ailing Natalie Gulbis, and check out a goofy new golf course in China. Also, there is more on the anchoring ban, we find out what got Serena Williams in hot water, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read on!

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Mizuno JPX-825 Irons Review

The JPX-825 irons are Mizuno newest game improvement irons, I was lucky enough to try them out and give my thoughts.

mizuno_jpx825_irons_7iron_hero2.jpgWhen you ask most golfers about Mizuno irons the general feedback is that they make fantastic irons for professionals and low handicap golfers. Mizuno has a long history stretching from the 1980’s of making forged blades that had an almost cult like following. Mizuno has not had much of a reputation for making game improvement clubs for mid and high handicappers, although they have made irons targeting this group they have not been overwhelming popular as the better player clubs have been.

Of course Mizuno has a great reputation not only with good players but also with the PGA Tour as well. Much of the MP line of irons are designed with the tour players input. However with some new offerings specifically the JPX line, Mizuno seems to be trying to take their great reputation into the game improvement arena. For mid-handicappers Mizuno is now offering the JPX-825 Pro irons which are targeted at six to eighteen handicappers. These irons give the forgiveness of game improvement irons but the feel and playability that the lower handicap golfers prefer. In addition to these irons Mizuno now offers the JPX-825 irons targeted for golfers with a handicap from ten to twenty eight.

For this review I was given a set (4-PW) of JPX-825 irons with True Temper Dynalite Gold XP S300.

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2013 TaylorMade Ghost Spider S Putter Review

TaylorMade has made some small but important improvements to the 2013 version of the Ghost Spider S putter, take a look at my thoughts on this new putter.

taylormade_ghost_spiderS_putter_address.jpgWhen Sergio Garcia first started playing the TaylorMade Monza Spider putters I can remember reading golf forums where most where making some disparaging remarks about the look of the putter. However once the putters hit stores and people got a chance to putt with them, the comments all but disappeared. The simple fact was the putter helped golfers to make putts. Through the years TaylorMade has brought many of the changes to the Spider line of putters, mainly the “ghosting” of the putters, as well as some other technology improvements that I will discuss in the review.

The Spider putters have never been built to look beautiful, they have been designed to make putts. Most golfers that I now who own a Spider putters really like them and have used them for a long period of time. That generally says something good because a putter is one of the easiest clubs to switch in a players bag.

The adjustments to the 2013 TaylorMade Ghost Spider S are minimal but they continuously improve the line to help golfers make more putts. In this review we will take a look at the new and improved 2013 TaylorMade Ghost Spider S.

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Volume Three Hundred Forty

Kuchar can handle the cold.

Hittin' the LinksWho says it’s always warm in Arizona. It was more than a little chilly for the final rounds of the match play this weekend. It didn’t seem to slow down Matt Kuchar much, as he seemed to handle the cold and wind very well. Even if he did have to wear Titleist cold weather gloves.

In this edition of the HtL, we begin with a look at Rory McIlroy’s poor play, then investigate some more into the anchoring ban, and find out out what the Merry Mex thinks of Augusta. Also, we look at an unscrupulous ex-marine, check out a cool putting video, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read on!

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Volume Three Hundred Thirty Nine

The plot thickens as the Tour might oppose the belly ban.

Hittin' the Links Well golf fans it looks like the PGA Tour is finally going to break its silence concerning the proposed ban on anchored putters. With the clock running down on giving input to the USGA on the subject, the Tour is talking, and it doesn’t sound like the USGA and R&A are going to like what they have to say. This should be real interesting as it plays out over the next few years.

In this edition of HtL we start off investigating what the PGA Tour’s stance is on anchoring, then turn our attention to Obama and Tiger, and find out who doesn’t belong in the WGHOF. Also, we look at Spencer Levin’s year off, find out what Keegan sent out on Twitter, and do a wrap-up of the week’s events. Read on!

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Performance Enhancing Drugs and the PGA Tour

Vijay Singh’s recent revelations about using PED’s puts the PGA Tour in a interesting position, I give my take on what they should do.

Thrash TalkA few weeks ago, Lance Armstrong did an interview with Oprah and essentially admitted that after lying to us for over ten years, he had in fact taken performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). To many this was not a surprise.

Recently Vijay Singh and Bob Charles announced that they too have taken PEDs. This was much more of a surprise because many, myself included, believe that PEDs aren’t likely to make you a much better golfer.

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Volume Three Hundred Thirty Eight

Brandt Snedecker is kicking butt in 2013!

Hittin' the LinksHello there golf fans! So think about this statistic, Brandt Snedeker is a whopping 82 under par so far this season. Yes, 82 under! He has two runner-ups and a win in his five starts, and has made over $2 million. That’s a good season for most people and we haven’t even gotten to the first major. This could be the season to remember for Mr. Snedeker.

In this edition of HtL, we start with a look at Condoleezza Rice’s game, then see how Tiger helped out a “friend”, then investigate whats going on in the Vijay Singh probe. Also on tap, we watch lefty fall on his heinie, find out what Hunter wants done to slow players, and check out the results of this week’s tournaments. Read on!

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Mizuno MP-64 Iron Review

With input from Luke Donald, Mizuno, long known for its buttery soft player’s line of clubs, have added the new MP-64s, but do they live up to the to the company’s reputation?

Mizuno MP-64 HeroIn the golf world these days, everything is about advertising. Every few months one company or another is debuting the latest and greatest in golf technology. It is promised that this new technology will add an insane amount of distance to your game as well as being even more forgiving than whatever is in your bag.

Mizuno Golf, for the most part, has not really followed this route. Of course they advertise, but more than most companies, they let their products speak for themselves.

While they may not be the biggest or most hyped name out there, their clubs, and more specifically their player’s irons have developed some what of a cult following for being among the best available. It is clubs in this category that really are the heart of the company, and this is because to many they have a feel that is superior to nearly everything else around. Sure they make some really good game improvement clubs, and their woods and wedges are also top notch, but when golfers think of Mizuno they think of small, compact irons with buttery soft feel.

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