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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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.
Nice review. I really like your opinions on these items and will definitely look into these for my next purchase.
ReplyDeletePlaying golf without the right golf equipment is like swimming without water, it just does not make sense. I am a golfer and I am looking for the best equipment. Your post is very helpful for me.
ReplyDeleteLadies Golf Trousers one up