Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Tips For Winterizing Your Golf Game

As disappointing as it might be, there usually comes a time every year when you have to take a break from playing golf. Some of us in the northern states sooner than others! How many times have you started a new golf season with high scores, short drives and aches and pains? Let’s be honest, it happens more times than you’d like.

If you are like most of us, you tend to spend the winters being sedentary. Do yourself a favor: As winter approaches and you find your golf season coming to an end, review these tips on how to winterize your golf game to make sure everything is ready to go when the weather turns for the better.


1.  Avoid storing your clubs and balls in an unheated garage or in your trunk.  Cold weather isn't great for rubber grips and if you get a playable day in the winter, your golf balls perform better when stored indoors at room temperature.

2.  Re-grip your clubs.  One of the best investments you can make in the off-season is a brand new set of grips.  It's amazing how much better your clubs feel with a fresh set of grips and by doing it now you don't have to sacrifice a minute of springtime golf waiting for the local golf shop to put new grips on your clubs.  Plus, many golf retailers run re-grip specials this time of year to keep their store busy in the off-season.

3.  Get fit for new clubs.  If your going to buy new clubs this year then get fit now while your swing is still grooved.  Who knows what your swing will look like after the long lay-off during the off-season.  

4.  Throw out your golf glove and sunscreen.  Neither keep very well and a fresh glove and fresh sunscreen are not expensive items but they will make a big difference when you start up in spring.

5.  Put new cleats in your golf shoes.  At the least, the improved traction will get you through a soggy, early-spring round.

6.  Work on short game.  Improving your putting and shots from 150 yards in to the green is the best way to lower scores.  In the winter, compression of the golf ball really doesn't happen so working on your distance game is useless.  

7.  Use your training aids.  Winter’s a great time to work on all the golf drills that you skip in the summer, whether it’s a swing-aid such as the Orange Whip, or hitting into an impact bag, or cross-training with exercises and stretching. It’s also a good time to work on a grip change if you need to make one.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Top 10 Holiday Gift Ideas For Golfers - 2012

November and December is normally not the time of year most people think about golf equipment as most of us in the northern states have our gear stored away until spring. But if you have golfers on your holiday list then believe me they are still thinking about golf and contemplating their next purchase and counting down the days until they can tee it up again.

Now if you are tasked with buying a gift for someone that is a golfer then you are in luck. We have compiled this list of The Top 10 Holiday Gift Ideas For Golfer that will help you with your purchase decision. This list was developed by golfers for golfers with a lot of experience in giving and receiving some great and some "not-so-great" gifts.




1.  Golf GPS Devices - Price Range $100 - $300


Golfers are also technogeeks. We deal with numbers in golf whether it be yardages or scores or averages or handicaps. There no better way to satisfy our love of golf and electronic gizmos than to have one of these new Golf GPS devices. The devices use GPS satellite signals to give the golfer an accurate yardage to the golf hole or to any of the hazards on the course such as bunkers or water. No longer does the golfer have to search around the ground to find the yardages on a hidden sprinkler head.The newer models combine GPS yardages with score keeping and the tracking of golfing statistics such as greens in regulation and number of putts per round and fairways hit.


Here are some of the most popular GPS Units for 2012:
Although we sometimes hate to admit it but golfers always need new golf balls.  Now this doesn't mean we suck at golf and are always losing the balls.  It also could mean that we so good that like the pros we only want to use a ball for a certain number of holes before they gets "damaged" and start using a new ball.  Either way we seem to go through a lot of balls in a golf season and new balls are always a great gift.  Also, with the new balls coming out on the market, golfers can benefit from extra distance and extra spin. 




Here are some of the most popular golf balls for 2012:

3.  Golf Practice and Training Aids - Price Range $10 - $100


When not playing golf, we are either thinking about golf or practicing golf. We are always looking for that special training aid that will correct all the swing issues we have. Today there are golf training aids in all shapes and sizes that claim to correct anything from a slice or a hook and add distance and accuracy.


Here are some of the most popular golf practice and training aids for 2012:



4.  Drivers - Price Range $150 - $400


Ask a golfer what their favorite club is in their bag and most would say their driver. Also ask what club would you most like to replace and you would probably get the same answer. Out of any club in the bag, the driver is the most loved and hated. It also is the club that contains the most technology and can effect your golf game the most. Every golfer wants to add distance to their shots and the latest drivers are made to be easier to hit with larger sweet spots and lighter weight which all adds up to more driving distances.


Here are some of the most popular drivers for 2012:




5.  Wedges - Price Range $50 - $130



Wedges are the one piece of golf equipment that you actually need to replace often.  Yes it is nice to get the latest driver or fairway wood for improved technology but with wedges, the grooves wear down with use and they need to be replaced more often.  Wedges are called the "scoring clubs" because they are normally used for delicate shots around the green that if done well normally have a significant impact on lowering  a golf score.  At least that is how I justify getting new wedges almost every season!



Here are some of the most popular wedges for 2012:





6.  Golf Rangefinders - Price Range $200 - $500




Yes they are pricey but ask any serious golfer what is on their wish list and you're likely to hear golf rangefinder.  These devices  are even more accurate than the Golf GPS devices. A rangefinder is a bicocular type device that you look through to obtain accurate distance readings. Rangefinders use a laser to calculate yardages and unlike the GPS devices which give you limited waypoints for yardages, you can pretty much aim at anything within 300 yards and get accurate yardage listings. Most golf professionals use rangefinders in calculating yardages because of their accuracy.


Here are some of the most popular rangefinders for 2012:


7. Putters - Price Range $50 - $300


After the driver, the putter the second most "upgraded" club. Golfers are always looking for that special putter that just feels comfortable and gives them confidence to knock every putt in from within 20 feet. Unlike drivers, putters are usually more affordable so golfers will experiment with several models before choosing one that will make the cut and enter their golf bag.  Remember "Drive for show but Putt for dough!"



Here are some of the most popular putters for 2012:


8. Golf Shoes - Price Range $50 - $200


These are not your dad's golf shoes anymore.  No longer are golf shoes big, bulky and ugly looking. The latest golf shoes not only have technology to keep the golfer stable during the golf swing but also are comfortable and look cool. Some of the newest shoes look so good and are so comfortable that you wish you could wear them off the course too.





Here are some of the most popular golf shoes for 2012:

9. Golf Gifts - Price Range $10 - $150


Golfer like to fill their house with golf related items. One of the top golf related gifts is a ball display case were the proud golfer can display the golf balls used to make that hole-in-one or other special shot. Another cool gift is a golf flag frame where you can display a golf flag from your favorite course. 






Here are some of the most popular golf gifts for 2012:

10.  Golf Carts For Walking - Price Range $75 - $2,000


"Real" golfers prefer to walk the course rather than ride a power cart  When you walk a course you get the health benefit of walking 5-6 miles while at the same time being able to talk with your golfing buddies and concentrate on your next shot. For golfers that don't want to carry their bag 18 holes there are many bag carts to choose from ranging from ones that you can push or pull to ones that are electronically driven with a remote control.




Here are some of the most popular golf carts for 2012:


Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Callaway Golf Introduces The RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver

The lowest CG of any adjustable driver delivers fast ball speed and reduces spin for maximum distance

CARLSBAD, Calif., November 13, 2012 - Callaway Golf Company (NYSE: ELY) today introduced the RAZR Fit Xtreme™ Driver, the longest fully adjustable driver the Company has ever measured. Available to golfers on January 18, 2013, the RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver debuts new technologies to advance overall performance and promote distance gains over its predecessor, the award-winning, Tour-proven RAZR Fit® Driver.

Headlining the RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver is a powerful new Speed Frame™ Face Technology that optimizes stiffness and stress distribution across the face for more efficient energy transfer. This produces more ball speed and consistent distance, even on off-center contact. Among other improvements, Callaway's new driver features the lowest Center of Gravity (CG) of any adjustable driver, further fueling distance gains, and a new weighting system that offers golfers a greater range of shot shaping options.

"The RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver is worthy of its extreme designation," said Dr. Alan Hocknell, SVP, Research & Development, Callaway Golf. "We worked tirelessly to improve on the best distance characteristics of our longest drivers, and the result is incredibly fast ball speed off the Speed Frame Face, plus the lowest CG of any adjustable driver in golf. This driver is very long and consistent. It will not be matched."

Callaway Staff Professionals like Luke List have already seen tremendous distance gains during player testing with RAZR Fit Xtreme. List, who this year led all six major professional Tours in driving distance with a 324 yard average off the tee, gained 16.6 yards in total distance over his current RAZR Fit gamer by adding .6 mph ball speed and reducing his backspin by nearly 500 rpm with the RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver.

The RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver is further differentiated by patented technologies that allow Callaway Research & Development, the largest team in the industry, to both design and configure the driver to promote optimal distance. These technologies and other features, which are outlined below, work in conjunction with two premium stock shaft offerings to deliver the longest fully adjustable driver in golf.

Speed Frame Face Technology
Speed Frame Face Technology is a combination of VFT® and Hyperbolic Face™ Technology, resulting in stress distribution across the titanium face for a larger, more consistent sweet spot and increased ball speed. The Speed Frame Face also saves weight that is redistributed in the clubhead to improve the CG position and maximize MOI, which leads to optimized ball flight and forgiveness. Additionally, the Speed Frame Face on the RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver features a tighter bulge radius than the RAZR Fit Driver for a more preferred look at address, along with more consistent sidespin and dispersion.

Forged Composite Crown
Callaway has been working with Forged Composite™ -- an advanced carbon fiber material -- for more than four years. Using this patented, lightweight material in the crown of the driver, which weighs only 12.1 grams and is the lightest crown in golf, allows Callaway engineers to precisely position saved weight to achieve the lowest CG in any fully adjustable driver. This Lower CG promotes higher ball speed and less spin off the tee for more distance.

OptiFit Technology
Two OptiFit® Technology elements make up the RAZR Fit Xtreme's improved adjustability: the OptiFit Hosel and OptiFit Weights. The hosel adjusts the face angle to Open, Square or Closed positions to improve accuracy and trajectory while allowing golfers to dial in their preferred look at address. The 13- and 1-gram OptiFit Weights shift the clubhead's center of gravity to promote noticeable Draw or Neutral ball flights. (Higher lofts have more draw bias than lower lofts.

Broader Trajectory and Shot Shaping Options
Callaway's RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver comes in more lofts that incorporate a greater range of face angle options, CG bias options and CG height differences than the RAZR Fit Driver. Callaway has optimized the performance in each loft to suit the needs of the players that will use it. For example, the 8.5-, 9.5- and 10.5-degree clubheads are 440cc (versus 460cc for other lofts) and feature a more open face angle.

Stock Shaft Options
The RAZR Fit Xtreme will feature two tour grade shafts as stock offerings. The primary shaft, the Aldila Trinity, combines Aldila's three patented design technologies (RIP, S-Core, Micro Laminate) into a single shaft design. A secondary offering, the Matrix 7M3 Black Tie, is a heavier, lower launching, lower spinning option for higher head speed and higher spin players. Neither shaft will be modified from the product available in the aftermarket.

For golfers who are interested in personalization options, udesign™ by Callaway will be expanded for the RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver when it debuts in January. Both the crown and the sole of the clubhead are now separately customizable with eight different color options. For the first time, custom laser engraving will also be available on the sole of the driver. The RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver was unveiled today through an innovative, user-driven "Tweet to Unleash" campaign powered by the hashtag #LongestDriverInGolf. Tweets mentioning the dedicated hashtag contributed to a dynamic revealing of the RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver image and videos highlighting key technologies. You can visit the Tweet to Unleash page at www.CallawayGolf.com/TweettoUnleash.

The RAZR Fit Xtreme Driver will be available the end of January 2013 for the new product introduction retail price of $399.99 (US).

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Our 2012 End of Year Golf Equipment Awards

Strictly from a new product perspective, 2012 was a great year for golf equipment manufacturers. For the past 3-4 years equipment manufacturers have released new products with incremental changes to their previous ones and called it a day. This year though marked a change in that strategy with all the top manufacturers coming out with new products with significant technology upgrades that made golfers think twice about investing in new equipment.

With that in mind we, we have come out with our highly non-scientific list of the top golf equipment for 2012. No we don't have a panel of golfers to survey or have a state-or-art simulator or Iron Byron to test these clubs - we are just a couple of normal golfers that work at a golf retail store that have a chance to try different equipment and hear feedback from thousands of customer throughout the year.

Product Of The Year

TaylorMade RocketBallz Fairway Wood

Sure there was a lot of hype surrounding the introduction of the RocketBallz line but this is actually a time where reality actual outweighed the hype. TaylorMade promised crazy yardage gains if you switched to their new RocketBallz fairway wood and in most cases the product delivered. The new "Speed Pocket" technology used in the fairway woods and hybrids was the secret behind the significant distance gains. Not only did the average golfer make the switch but also many professional golfers are now seen with the RocketBallz fairway wood in their bag - and recently, Phil Mickelson, a Callaway Golf player, has been seen with a RocketBallz fairway wood in his bag.

Driver of the Year

Cleveland Classic Driver

With a lot less fanfare, Cleveland introduced a new driver that had retro looks and 21st century driver technology. But beyond its good looks and new technology, the driver just performed well. Its lightweight and deep face produced a low-spin, piercing ball flight that just kept going and would run out when it hit the fairway. The one thing that this driver did not have was an adjustable hosel but rumor has it that this will be added for 2013.

Fairway Wood of the Year

TaylorMade RocketBallz Fairway Woods - See Above Product of the Year

Hybrid of the Year

Adams IDEA Super XTD Hybrid

TaylorMade may have taken credit for "slot" technology in fairway woods and hybrids but Adams Golf actually developed and introduced the technology last year and their Super XTD Hybrid incorporates the second generation of what Adams call "velocity slot" technology. Combining Second Generation Velocity Slot Technology and multi-material construction made the Adams Idea Super XTD Hybrid the most advanced and hottest hybrid on the market. In Adams testing, they have seen this hybrid deliver fantastic performance gains for virtually all player abilities. So TaylorMade can take credit for it but Adams actually developed it but since TaylorMade purchased Adams golf recently it's all in the family.

Game Improvement Irons of the Year

Mizuno JPX 825 Irons

This is a late 2012 release and actually could be included in 2013 awards but since but we love these irons so much we are including them for 2012. When you think of Mizuno irons you think of forged blades and irons targeted specifically for low-handicap and professional golfer. The JPX line is a game changer for Mizuno as they have taken the technological advances used in their MP line and developed a set of irons that the average golfer will benefit from. The JPX 825 utilizes Mizuno's "MAX COR" technology which delivers an extremely thin and hot face for exceptional ball speeds resulting in solid feel and easy, long distance. Combine that with the largest sweet spot ever in a Mizuno iron and an affordable price point (For Mizuno) and you have a winning combination.

Players Irons of the Year

Titleist AP2 712 Irons

Lets see how many PGA professionals won tournaments this year with the Titleist AP2 irons in their bag; Zach Johnson, Marc Leishman, Jason Dufner, and Ben Curtis. That's a pretty impressive list of winners all playing the same set of irons. But not only pros play these irons as the low-handicap golfer will find the dual cavity that provides modern ball flight and forgiveness with the traditional look, feel, and sound that serious golfers have come to expect from this Titleist iron.

Wedge of the Year

Cleveland 588 Forged Wedges

Cleveland is the number # 1 manufacturer of golf wedges for a reason and the new 588 forged wedges do nothing to detract from that claim. If you're looking for a wedge that has everything from a tour-proven shape, soft forged head, laser-milled tour zip grooves to almost any loft/bounce combination you would ever need this is the wedge for you. On top of that it is available in 3 different finishes (Black, Chrome, Satin) so you can match them with your existing iron set.

Putter of the Year

Mike Method Putters

When you think of Nike Golf you don't usually think of putters but the Method putter made believers out of us. We first noticed the Method putter, like many others did, when Tiger Woods dropped his trusty Scotty Cameron putter for the Method Model 001. Then when Tiger's putting stats improved we took a second look. What we noticed with the Method putters was the Polymetal groove technology that immediately started our putts on a forward roll at impact. This seemed to be much quicker than the other putters we tried and according to Nike, most other putters require up to 30% of the distance before they start the forward roll. The ball just seemed to track better on the desired line we started on. Now only if we can start it on the correct line to begin with! And hey it it's good enough for Tiger then it's good enough for us.

Golf GPS/Rangefinder of the Year

Garmin Approach G6 Golf GPS

If you took all the features you wanted in a golf gps and listed them the Garmin G6 would probably have most of what you're looking for. The things we looked for were a wide variety of pre-loaded courses, a sleek, slim design, a readable screen in bright sunlight or in cloud cover, touch-screen display that shows distances to any point on the screen, stat collection and most of all no membership fees. If these feature are important to you then the Garmin G6 has them and does everything really well. Also, with Garmin, you can be assured that the satellite technology is the best on the market.

Golf Training Aid of the Year

Momentus Speed Whoosh

Like most golfers, we are always looking for that one training aid that will help make our shots go straighter and farther. While we can't vouch this will help you hit it straighter we can tell you that if you practice with this aid consistently over time you will hit it longer. All you need to do with this training aid swing it 7-10 times daily to engage your fast twitch muscles. Because of the length of this training aid you immediately begin swinging it about 20 mph faster than your normal driver which activates you fast twitch fibers and trains your muscles to swing faster.

Thursday, November 8, 2012

Great Golf Deals.com Review of the New Garmin Approach G6 Golf GPS

After reading many of the positive reviews online regarding the Approach G6, Garmin's newest golf GPS, I found myselft having very high expectations for this new device. I had to give it a try as I was in the market for a new golf GPS to use along with my current laser rangefinder.

The Garmin Approach G6 is one of those products that so significantly surpassed my expectations, that I had to write a review on it. For a number of years I have mostly used a Bushnell laser rangefinder, however for convenience sake I continue to keep testing almost every new golf GPS unit which comes along hoping I will discover the Holy Grail of golf yardages in an easy-to-use GPS product.

In the past 10 years and ever since golf gps devices hit the market, I've tried every model of SkyCaddie ever made, including the latest SkyCaddie SGXw. I have also experimented with the Golf Buddy Platinum and a Bushnell GPS watch, but nothing at all comes close to the Garmin G6…nothing! All the others found their way to eBay or Craig's List at a great loss of money!

One of the best features of the G6 is its simplicity. The basic front, middle and back yardages are always provided, but when you would like the yardage from you to a water hazard, sand trap, or any hazzard, simply touch the point on the touchscreen display which is very responsive and so simple to use I still cannot believe it. If you need a layup distance, you can simply move the cursor to the distance you would like, or simply just glance at the display screen to see that they are also automatically displayed at 100, 150, 200 and 250 yard arcs from the center of the green.

Whenever you want, you are able to push a couple of buttons (more simplicity) on the Garmin G6 to see an enhanced view of the green, or press it once more to go back to the hole view. That may seem to be a minor issue, but so many other competitive units make this activity more challenging.

If you are a stat freak the Garmin G6 delivers there also. The G6 can store all the basic stats including putts, fairways hit, greens in regulation, and score. It also has a feature that can easily measure shot distances and store that info to calculate average club distances which are viewable during the round. Club averages are updated throughout the round as more data is entered and is helpful in you club selection.

My final point regarding the Garmin G6 is easily the most important…to me anyway. The display screen is always very VISIBLE - even in the middle of the day in brilliant sunlight. Actually, due to the way the display screen is manufactured, it's substantially more visible in the sunlight. I had mine set for the backlight to go off after 15 seconds, yet each and every time I glanced at it on the course, the screen was very bright and easily readable. I assumed there was a problem with it and the backlight was remaining on, but in fact, the backlight was actually turning off as designed, but having it on actually made no difference. The display screen was as easy to view with the backlight on or off. On an overcast or cloudy day, the backlight is needed and makes a noticeable difference.

If you are undecided about, or in the market for a new golf GPS unit, please do yourself a favor and give the Garmin G6 a try. If you do not like it you can return it for a refund or exchange, but I'm confident that won't happen. And do not forget, it has over 27,000 courses pre-loaded and there are no membershp fees at all. You can also update the courses easily online with it hooked up to your computer via the provided USB cable.

The Garmin Approach G6 comes in at a reasonable price point, and with no additional fees it remains very competitively priced. Its size, color screen, full hole graphics, and ability to determine distances to any point on the course make it a compelling value, and will undoubtedly make this a popular device.

Monday, November 5, 2012

The New Nike VR_S Covert Driver - Golf's First Cavity-Back Driver

Nike Golf's latest two announcements give TaylorMade Golf a run for their money in the industry "buzz" category. First, the announcement of the signing of the current #1 ranked golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy, to an estimated $200 equipment contract gives them a notable stable of golfers including the current #1 golfer in the world and Tiger Woods as a platform to promote their products. Next, the recent new driver announcement makes history by for the first time bringing high-speed cavity back technology to a driver that conforms to USGA and R&A Rules.

Cosmetically, Nike's latest product pops in a sea of black drivers with its red topping, just as was the result of the white R11 and subsequent RocketBallz metal woods by TaylorMade. The all-white swoosh is a nice touch, too.

Its three proprietary technology platforms: High Speed Cavity Back; FlexLoft adjustability; and NexCOR face, combine to create unprecedented distance, control and forgiveness.

In addition to dramatically enhancing performance, the VR_S Covert wow-inducing design and engineering also simplifies the consumer’s retail experience, since the FlexLoft adjustability system allows for the driver to easily be changed to any loft and any face angle at any time. This creates 15 different options in one single club to meet the various swing characteristics of golfers.

“With the VR_S Covert we have created a game changing piece of technology that has already begun a growing industry buzz,” said Rob Arluna, Nike Golf’s Global Golf Club Business Director. “It is visually exciting, it feels and sounds amazing and, most importantly, it creates powerful results with a high degree of control. Golfers and our Nike Golf Tour athletes are going to have a lot of fun with this driver.”

The High Speed Cavity Back in the VR_S Covert is a technology used in irons and now brought to drivers, fairways and hybrids for the first time by Nike Golf. This technology leads to more stability at impact, which delivers more energy to the ball, resulting in more distance and control. The Cavity Back is only visible from the sole view but is covered and hidden underneath by the crown to be more visually and pleasing at address - hence the name VR_S Covert. By incorporating this new hidden geometry into the driver, Nike Golf engineers have been able to move the weight of the club to the heel and toe of the golf club, raising Moment of Inertia (MOI) to increase forgiveness and add even more distance to off-center shots.

Nike Golf’s FlexLoft is a simple pull, turn, and push/tighten mechanism that allows for an intuitive adjustment system. The patented Dual Axis adjustment allows golfers to choose their loft and face angle independently of each other by decoupling loft from face angle. This all leads to better ball flight for more distance as well as enhanced workability. This easy to use system gives the golfers 15 different options to suit their game and course conditions.

The NexCOR face technology featured in the VR_S Covert line is designed to deliver faster ball speed and longer shots from a wider area of the face. NexCOR creates more speed at impact by employing a variable face thickness that moves the sweet spot higher from the heel of the club to the center high, where most golfers are likely to make impact.

The VR_S Covert driver will be available in golf stores throughout North America and Europe on February 8, 2013 and in the rest of world starting on February 15, 2013. The driver will be offered in two models, the VR_S Covert Tour and VR_S Covert. The VR_S Covert Tour is 430cc and features a deeper face and a fixed weight screw. The VR_S Covert is 460cc and has a wider breadth. Both models will come with Mitsubishi Rayon’s new Kuro Kage shafts that are produced with higher carbon fiber density for superior control and power.