Cobra Releases The New Cobra Baffler XL Driver - Cobra's Easiest To Hit Driver Ever - Great Golf Deals.com Blog

The Cobra Baffler XL driver's high-MOI sole combines with the offset design to helping to correct slices, increase stability and maintain distance on off-center hits.


It's a little hard to believe that Cobra Golf's Baffler line of clubs is 40 years old. To mark the occasion, Cobra is extending its Baffler brand with the new Baffler XL driver, along with Baffler XL fairway clubs, hybrids, irons and even a combo set.

The new clubs all fall into the game-improvement category, and an offset design runs throughout the set to help correct slices. In addition, pronounced sole rails – a longtime staple of Cobra's Baffler offerings – on the XL fairways, hybrids and irons makes it easier to get the ball up in the air.

Where does the XL in the name come from? For starters, the XL driver features Cobra's largest face design ever.

''We increased the effective face area, lowered the CG [Center of Gravity] and designed our largest driver face ever to deliver an easy-to-hit driver,'' said Vice President of Research & Development Tom Preece. ''The Baffler XL driver is an easy to hit driver packed with technology to hit it far and straight.”

The Baffler XL driver has a 5,000-square millimeter face (17 percent larger than the AMP Cell Offset driver) in addition to a 21 percent increase in effective face area. More of the face is located above the Center of Gravity to help optimize spin and provide a more distance and a more consistent launch.

The larger face also creates an enhanced trampoline effect, giving the golfer more consistency with hits across the face. And a new high-MOI sole combines with the offset design to helping to correct slices, increase stability and maintain distance on off-center hits.

The Baffler XL driver features a Legion Blue cosmetic that is found throughout the new Baffler XL product line. The driver, fairways, hybrids and combo set also are available in women's models in Purple Pearl with Dahlia Purple accents.

The new driver is available in 9.5-, 10.5- and 11.5-degree lofts, in Stiff (65 gram low torque/mid kick), Regular (55 gram mid torque/mid kick) or Lite (55 gram mid torque/mid kick) flexes in right-handed models. Left-handed models are available in a 10.5-degree loft in Stiff, Regular or Lite flex. All models come stock with a Cobra Lamkin REL EPDM Reminder Grip.

The Baffler XL product line will be available at retail on Nov. 15. The Baffler XL Driver carries a suggested retail price of $249, while the Baffler XL Fairways carry a suggested retail price of $179 and the Baffler XL Hybrids carry a $159 suggested retail price. The Baffler XL Combo set carries a suggested retail price of $599 for steel shafts and $699 for graphite shafts, and the iron set carries a suggested retail price of $499 with steel shafts and $599 with graphite shafts.

New Garmin Approach S4 Golf GPS Is The Ultimate In Golf Smart Watch Technology - Great Golf Deals.com Blog

Building on the success of the Garmin S2 and S3 golf GPS line, the new Garmin Approach S4 takes golf gps watch technology to the next level. The new Approach S4 has a high-res touchscreen display that is sunlight readable and offers a dedicated Green View button. It boasts a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can last for up to 10 hours in golf mode. The S4 comes preloaded with more than 30,000 international courses with free lifetime course updates, so there are no additional fees or subscriptions.

But what makes the S4 unique in a crowded market of golf gps devices is the S4's use of Bluetooth to provide wireless notifications pulled from a connected iPhone. So even though your mobile device is buried in your golf bag, you'll still be able to receive text messages, call notifications, and truncated emails while you're on the course or at the 19th hole.

“The Approach S4 is the natural evolution of wearable golf technology,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “The hi-res touchscreen display makes it easier than ever for golfers to stay on top of their game, and the Smart Notification functionality allows them to stay connected while on the course. Plus, the extended battery life allows for a full weekend of golf on one charge. The Approach S4 will give golfers a competitive edge on the course, but the sleek form factor and smart watch technology makes it appropriate for everyday wear.”

Garmin Approach S4 Golf GPS Watch Features:

Touchscreen GPS golf watch with sunlight readable, high-resolution display

Extra-long life battery lasts up to 10 hours in GPS mode, 6 weeks in watch mode

Preloaded with more than 30,000 international courses with no subscriptions or fees

Precise distance to the front, back and middle of greens plus layups and doglegs

Detailed Stat tracking on the device for better analysis of your game

Smart Notification allows you to receive email, texts and alerts on your watch

Instant, Simple, Precise
Rugged and waterproof to 10 meters, the Approach S4 golf watch is packed with more than 30,000 international courses. It displays yardages to the front, back and middle of greens on a high-resolution, glove-friendly touchscreen. And, it lets you manually position pins, get distances to doglegs and layups, customize yardage points (mark traps and hazards), and print digital scorecards for Stroke Play and Stableford.

Dedicated Green View Button
S4 features a dedicated Green View button, which takes you to the Green View screen in 1 push, no more scrolling through the menu. Green View gives you the true shape from wherever you are on the course, even if you’re behind it.

Touch and Move the Pin
Green View shows you the true shape and layout of the green even if you are behind it. On that screen, you can use the touchscreen to manually move the pin to the day’s location. This is especially helpful on par 3s where you’ll be able to dial in the distance you need to fire away with confidence.

Smart Notification
Never miss another text, email or RSS alert just because your smartphone is in the cart (or deep in your bag). S4 acts as a wireless extension of your iPhone® device, displaying whatever your phone does, right on your watch. Now you can read that email or text you’ve been waiting for wirelessly — even in the middle of the fairway.

Longer Battery Life
S4 features more battery life for longer play or more rounds. Get up to 10 hours in full GPS and 6 weeks in watch mode before the lithium-ion battery needs to be recharged.

Preloaded Courses and Free Updates
The S4 may be the size of a typical sports watch, but we've preloaded it with more than 30,000 international courses — without extra fees or paid subscriptions. In addition, you'll be able to download free course updates whenever they become available.

Customize Distances
Approach S4 gives you distances to the front, back and center of the green, as well as distances to doglegs. It also allows you to input and save customizable yardage points — such as water hazards or bunkers — from anywhere on the course.

Keep Score and See How Far
S4 has digital scorecard options for individual players. Scoring options include Stroke Play and Stableford, and you can save, review, share and print scorecards from your computer. Plus, when you hit a big one you can see how far it went with the Measure Shot feature.

Everyday Watch with Style
The S4 functions as an everyday watch, with an odometer to see how far you walk. A round timer also is included to keep track of how long it takes you to play 18 holes. It's available in 2 colors: black or white.

The new Garmin Approach S4 will be available the end of the month in both white or black colors.  You can pre-order one now and receive free 2-day air as soon as the item is in stock.

New Mizuno MP-54 Irons Offer The Best Combination of Forgiveness and Shot Making Ability

If you are like most golfers you probably started off playing golf with a set of game improvement "cast" irons which were great when you were learning but as you progressed and your handicap dropped to the single digits then what do you do?

That was the question Mizuno's designers and engineers asked themselves. Their answer: the new MP-54 irons, the follow-up to Mizuno's MP-53 set.

"Over the past several years, Mizuno's MP iron category has expanded to a point where consumers expect a 'player' iron look and feel with the forgiveness of today's technologically advanced equipment," said Vice President of Product Management Chuck Couch of the challenge Mizuno faced.

The MP-54s are created for better players – those with handicaps from scratch up to about 12 – who want a bit more forgiveness than classic blades provide. At various stages of development and testing, Mizuno staff players including Luke Donald, Charles Howell III and Jonathan Byrd provided their feedback.

What makes them unique is the ''Milled Step Muscle'' in the 3-iron through 7-iron. As is the case with many Mizuno clubs, each MP-54 is forged from mild carbon steel, and the 3- through 7-irons feature a thick muscleback with a 4-millimeter-wide slot.

This Milled Step Muscle allowed the engineers to reposition the removed weight around the head's perimeter, which increases stability on off-center hits. It also creates a deeper center of gravity for more forgiveness and a higher ball flight, all while maintaining the necessary heft behind the ball to deliver a solid impact.

The scoring irons – 8-iron down through pitching wedge – don't have the slot. Instead, they feature Mizuno's Solid Muscle Design – essentially, a solid clubhead, thicker in its bottom half, to improve playability. Those attributes also are enhanced by a perimeter grind on both the heel and toe, and the clubs feature Harmonic Impact Technology (H.I.T.), in which Mizuno's engineers tune the clubhead design to maximize feel and feedback.

By comparison, Mizuno says the MP-54 clubheads will be about the same size as the MP-53s, but will offer a more heavily beveled sole for cleaner turf interaction. And, of course, the cavity cut into the MP-54s gives them a lower center of gravity than the MP-53s.

The MP-54s are available now in both right-handed and left-handed models, and will carry a suggested retail price of $999.99. They come outfitted with True Temper Dynamic Gold S300 shafts and Golf Pride M-31 58 round grips, though a variety of custom shafts and grips also are available. Custom set make-ups also can be assembled from in mixed or combo sets or with MP-H4 long irons.

Our Picks For The Top Fairway Woods - 2013 - Great Golf Deals Blog

We are past the unofficial end of summer (Labor Day) and it's time to offer our humble opinion on the Top Fairway Woods For 2013. The selection team for this list consist of 8 full-time club sales people that have at least 3 years experience in the golf industry and our most experienced rep has over 20 years of club sales experience. We are not golf professionals and do not have any affiliation with any of the equipment manufacturers. We are just regular golfers with handicaps that range from scratch to 25 that because of where we work get a chance to play with and test all the latest golf equipment. We also get a chance to talk to a lot of customers to get their feedback on the equipment and that also factors into the selection.

The fairway woods often gets overlooked because golfers always focus their attention on new drivers with the latest technology or even the ever easier to hit hybrids clubs.  Next time you look at a golfer's golf bag more than likely what you will see is probably a fairly recent driver (1-3 years old) and some new hybrid clubs replacing the long irons.  

But what you will probably also notice is that the fairway wood is probably older than any other piece of equipment in the bag.  The perception has been the fairway woods have not changed much in terms of improvements and advanced technology.  If you believe this then you are missing out on some of the most important equipment advances that may have more of an affect on improving your game.

Despite its name, today's fairway woods are designed for use not just on the fairway.  New fairway woods are designed to be used off the tee when accuracy is more important than distance.  They are designed to hit out of all lies whether you're on a tight fairway or in deep rough.  It is a multi-purpose piece of equipment that can replace your driver on tight driving holes and because of the enhanced technology the new fairway woods still provide a ton of distance that can help you go after those long par 5 in two.

As a trickle-down effect from drivers, adjustabilty  has made its way now into fairway woods.  What used to be limited to just drivers is now available on a lot of the new fairways. Golfers can now make major adjustments to loft, face angle and lie angle to help them dial in the ball flight they are looking for.   But it is not just adjustability that is new in the fairway category.  New fairways are hot and produce a ton of ball speed and distance.  They are also easier to hit and get up in the air because of the design and location of center of gravity.

Bottom-line is if you haven't replaced your fairway woods in the past 3-4 years then you are missing out on some of the most significant changes in golf equipment technology.  Do yourself a favor and give some of these new fairways a try and you will see how these will help improve your game.

Our Picks for the Top 3 Fairway Woods For 2013 Season:

 Ping G25 Fairway Woods

Just hands-down a top performer. This is not one of the adjustable fairways but based on our experience with it it does not need any adjustment. The G25 was just long and straight out of any lie we could hit it out of. Off the tee this thing was 5-10 yards longer than any other fairway we tried and will keep your driver in the bag on tight driving holes. Off the fairway and in the rough this fairway performed flawlessly. Among the better-looking sticks in this category; long, shallow face and low profile lets you know that when you sit the club down, you're going to hit it well; handsome black matte finish.

TaylorMade RBZ Stage 2 Tour Fairway Woods

This fairway wood is better served in the hands of a mid-to-low handicap player because it is not the most forgiving one available.  What you lose in forgiveness you gain in adjustability, workability and distance.  TaylorMade's second generation of the speed pocket along with a center of gravity that is low and forward produces a low-penetrating ball flight that cuts through the wind.

The shallower low-profile head is easy to hit off the tee but more importantly is easier to hit out of challenging lies and still manages to get the ball up with no noticeable loss of distance or control.   

Callaway X Hot Fairway Woods

Probably the most balanced fairway wood of the group we tested.  The Callaway x Hot Fairway Wood was the hottest and most complete total performance fairway wood we tested, combining a modern Warbird sole with a Forged Speed Frame Face Cup to produce significantly hotter responses all over the face. The low CG in the head also promotes a lower spinning trajectory for ridiculously long distance from the tee, fairway or rough.

Regardless of whether you are a low handicap golfer looking for more playability or a high handicap player looking for forgiveness and distance this fairway will meet your needs.  We had no trouble hitting this out of any lie we could throw at it.  The lower-profile head instilled confidence when hitting out of the rough or on tight fairways.  Hitting off the tee was a breeze and this club was Long! 

Best Of The Rest

Cobra AMP Cell Fairway Woods - One of the few fairways with adjustable loft where the 3/4 wood can be adjusted from 13-16 degrees allowing maximum customization.  This was one of the longest fairways we tested and distance was consistent.  

Titleist 913Fd Fairway Wood - This deep-face fairway wood produced a more boring trajectory with less spin. It was one of the most workable drivers we tested.  It felt like you could hit a draw or fade on command with no loss of distance.

Nike VR_S Covert Fairway Woods - The cavity-back design on this fairway wood makes this a solid choice for golfers seeking more accuracy, forgiveness and help with getting shots in the air.  If you can get over the cavity look, this fairway will perform for you.

Our Picks For The Top 3 Drivers 2013 - Great Golf Deals.com Blog

We are past the unofficial end of summer (Labor Day) and it's time to offer our humble opinion on the top drivers for 2013. The selection team for this list consist of 8 full-time club sales people that have at least 3 years experience in the golf industry and our most experienced rep has over 20 years of club sales experience. We are not golf professionals and do not have any affiliation with any of the equipment manufacturers. We are just regular golfers with handicaps that range from scratch to 25 that because of where we work get a chance to play with and test all the latest golf equipment. We also get a chance to talk to a lot of customers to get their feedback on the equipment and that also factors into the selection.

The driver stands tall and proud over any golfer’s bag. It is often the most expensive stick in the bunch and everyone loves to hit it. There has also been more innovation in driver design, materials, and manufacturing than among all other clubs. Some of those innovations later find themselves in other clubs. Multi-material construction used to be confined to drivers with stainless steel faces and composite crowns, but now you see multiple materials being used in irons with a stainless body, a polymer insert, and tungsten toe and heel weights in some models.

The biggest trend in driver innovation continues to be with adjustability. It used to be limited to minor adjustments in loft, lie, and/or face angle, but now we increasingly see wider adjustments. It is getting more common now to buy a driver that is fully adjustable. Golfers don’t buy a 10-degree driver, for example, that has adjustability allowing a few degrees of tweaking in one direction or the other. Rather, manufacturers are putting out one driver model that doesn’t come in different lofts but is fully adjustable to any loft needed – from around 8.5 all the way up to 12.5 degrees for some. That certainly makes it easier on golfers and easier on retailers, shippers, and manufacturers too. Imagine how much easier it is to manage inventory. As these and other innovations continue to come out on the market, you owe it to yourself to visit a retailer, talk to your pro, or visit a demo day and see what the new drivers can do for you.

Our Picks for the Top 3 Drivers For 2013 Season:

Cobra AMP CELL Pro Driver

The Cobra AMP Cell Pro Driver is probably not the first driver that comes to mind when discussing driver adjustability. There have been other equipment manufacturers that have done a fantastic job at touting their driver as the most adjustable driver on the market. But Cobra has quietly come out with an excellent driver that not only allows complete adjustability but also looks good and performs. 

The Pro model offers MyFly technology which allows you to adjust the loft on the driver from 7.5 degrees up to 10.5 degrees with a simple twist of a wrench. So now you can adjust your driver loft based on playing conditions, weather and how you're currently hitting the ball.

The Pro model head size is 440 cc which sets up well behind the ball and give you the confidence that you can work the ball left or right. It's available in two colors Silver, Orange, but what really sets this apart from the other available drivers is the premium Mitsubishi KuroKage shaft. This is not a shaft made for just this driver. It is the actual OEM shaft made by Mitsubishi that normally sells for $200.

The shaft, the head size, the adjustability and the cool looks all add up to a winner this year for the Cobra AMP CELL Pro Driver.

TaylorMade SLDR Driver

With the new TaylorMade SLDR driver, less equals more. If you've been following the latest releases in the TaylorMade driver lineup you've probably noticed that they have continued to add more features to their drivers. Features such as adjustable lofts, adjustable face angles, adjustable weights, different color selections, etc. With the new SLDR, TaylorMade has kept it simple and the results have paid off.

The new SLDR streamlines many of the driver features in an easy-to-use but powerful sliding technology that gives it a ultra-low and forward center of gravity which equates to higher launch angles and less spin - hence more yardage.

The SLDR driver comes in lofts of 8, 9.5, 10.5 and 12 with those being adjustable +- 1.5 degrees. So unlike the R1 driver where lofts were adjustable from 8 to 12 degrees, with the new SLDR you select the loft driver you prefer with still the ability to change the loft +or - 1.5 degrees.

The real "secret sauce" on this driver is the 21 SLDR weight position on the bottom of the club that allows for up to 30 yards of shot shaping adjustment. Our testing also found that the sliding weight track was surprisingly easy to use, and that it didn’t take long to find the favorite of the club’s 21 settings. Most golfers will “set it and forget it” after their initial fitting, but gear heads will enjoy the ability to add left or right bias to their drives when they’re struggling with their games or making changes to their swing.

Though it may seem like yet another TaylorMade gimmick to sell more drivers, we found the SLDR driver to deliver significant results. We like the more traditional look of the club and the ease of use in making adjustments. But most of all, we liked the results we saw when taking it out on the course and putting it through the real tests. TaylorMade has a real winner with the new SLDR driver.

Callaway X Hot Driver

Callaway actually came out with 3 new driver lines in 2013 which is more than what they normally come out with in a normal year. The three lines included the Callaway RAZR Fit Xtreme driver, the recently released FT Optiforce drivers and the Callaway X Hot driver. All three are very solid drivers but to us one stood out over the rest. 

The new Callaway X Hot Driver is the product that will appeal to most of the market as it is targeted at golfers at all levels ( form mid-handicappers to single-digit players). But by no means is this a one driver fits all product. Callaway has also come out with a X Hot Pro model targeted at golfers with more advanced skills and faster swing speeds.

The Callaway X Hot Driver is a speed demon with many of the technical features designed to increase club head speed while at the same time provide forgiveness on off-center miss-hits. Maybe it's because we are more traditional golfers we like the classic looks on this driver with the matte-grey- gunmetal finish. The driver checks in at 46 inches which is a half an inch to an inch longer than standard. It has a 460cc head and speed-frame face is made of titanium that is thinner around the perimeter and thicker in the center which optimizes the sweet spot and decrease the amount of distance loss on off-center hits. It also has the Opt-fit adjustable hosel which one of the easiest to use and most intuitive compared to others that you need a PhD to understand.

If you are looking for a driver that can bomb it out there with the best of them but also still provide the technology and adjustability to make it forgiving on miss-hits then this is driver you're looking for. Callaway's X Hot Driver is a product that will move Callaway back into the forefront of innovative, high-performance metal woods. It's a position that they once had and are now on there way back to obtaining.

Best Of The Rest

Titleist 913 D2 Driver:  With Titleist you don't get all the flash like you get with the other drivers but what you get is flat out performance.  No surprises here this driver just performs - you can't go wrong with this driver but make sure you have the game to handle it.

 Nike VR_S Covert Drivers: Winner of the most radical design for 2013.  The first cavity back driver looks normal on top but when you turn it over you'll notice the large cavity in the sole.  This driver performed really well and if Tiger and Rory are using it then it should work for you.

Callaway Introduces New FT Optiforce Drivers and Fairways

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Callaway Golf’s new FT Optiforce drivers and fairway woods are scheduled to be available at retail on July 12. Callaway officials have high hopes for Optiforce, but a more important strategy story is emerging at Callaway headquarters even as Optiforce claims its spot in the equipment spotlight.

Chip Brewer, in his second year as Callaway president and chief executive, is going public with an aggressive product introduction and marketing plan.

“We are not waiting for any traditional dates to release products,” Brewer said. “We are not following other people’s expectations. We are designing great products, and our touring pro staff is testing them, and we’re going to bring these products to the public whenever they are ready. We are not waiting around.”

Thus Callaway introduced Mack Daddy 2 wedges by Roger Cleveland on June 27 and the Optiforce family of metalwoods on July 1.

Alan Hocknell, head of research and development and father of the Optiforce, echoed Brewer’s sentiment: “We want to be less predictable…. More news, more often – that would be a good thing.”

Hocknell and his team have created two Optiforce drivers – 440 CCs and 460 CCs. These $399 drivers have more adjustability than any previous Callaway driver. And they also are the lightest modern-sized titanium drivers ever produced by Callaway.

But light wasn’t the objective. More distance was the goal behind Optiforce. Translating light weight into more clubhead speed and ultimately more distance was the target of this complex project. Validation for this approach appears to be forthcoming, as several Callaway touring professionals have been testing Optiforce. The official launch is scheduled this week at the PGA Tour’s Greenbrier Classic.

“Fairway wood technology has taken a big leap forward,” Hocknell asserted. “Maybe the driver hasn’t kept pace to some degree because it is already constrained by the rules. We viewed this as an opportunity to get some of that back.”

Each of the two Optiforce drivers features eight different hosel-adjustability settings, although each has its own unique personality, according to Callaway. New $229 fairway woods (3, 4, 5, 7, 9) also carry the Optiforce name. The fairway woods were designed separately from the drivers and do not feature the same adjustability.

“The fairway woods are not an after-thought or an add-on,” Hocknell said. “There would have been a weight penalty (too much weight) to pay for adjustability. So we didn’t do it.”

One important note for Callaway fans: They will not be able to use their current driver shafts in the new Optiforce drivers. The existing adjustable hosel, used in Razr Fit and Razor Fit Xtreme drivers, will be replaced by a new adjustable hosel in the new Optiforce.

The change was necessary because the two Optiforce drivers are adjustable in a range of four different loft settings and two independent lie settings (standard and upright). The loft range for the 440 driver is 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5 degree. The range for the 460 driver is 9.5, 10.5, 11.5 and 12.5.

The short explanation: There is one Optiforce 440 head and one Optiforce 460 head. Each can be tuned to one of four different loft settings and two different lie settings.

In discussing the dual drivers, Hocknell said: “Our competitors say they can give you one head, then you adjust it, and it will work for all golfers. We feel that’s not the case. Our two drivers are not at all the same, and we believe this is necessary for our audience. We are saying there are more sophisticated options here.”

The Optiforce 440 has a smaller head and is not designed to be a super game-improvement driver. Most golfers will see a lower, more penetrating trajectory.

The more forgiving Optiforce 460 has a larger head with additional draw bias, increased moment of inertia (resistance to twisting), and a center of gravity that is located more to the rear of the clubhead and slightly higher than that of the 440. Even the bulge radius of the face is different on the two drivers.

Carried over the from the Razr Fit Xtreme are the forged composite crown and the Speed Frame face. New for Optiforce is an aerodynamic package that came, at least in part, from extensive testing and communication with Formula One race car experts.

Two stock shafts are available – True Temper’s Project X Velocity, weighing 43 grams with a beefed-up tip section, and Mitsubishi’s Diamana S+ at 62 grams. With the Velocity shaft, total driver weight is approximately 290 grams. Both drivers have a standard length of 46 inches and a standard swingweight is D0.

Hocknell acknowledges that lighter drivers are sold in the marketplace, but he is steadfast in maintaining that the trick is to convert any additional swing speed into extra ball speed and more distance. “A lightweight driver in itself is a detriment to golfers if they can’t feel and control the clubhead,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Optiforce fairway woods take advantage of Callaway’s X Hot fairway wood technology, only with a higher trajectory. “The distance of X Hot and the trajectory of Razr Fit Xtreme,” said Hocknell, adding that "the 9-wood and the 4-wood attracted a lot of attention from our testers.”

The New Clicgear 3.5+ Golf Push Cart Review - Still The Best And Now Even Better - Great Golf Deals.com Blog

The first Clicgear Push Cart was introduced in 2007 at the annual PGA Merchandise show in Orlando where it won the "Best New Product" award. I was at that show and I remember the crowd reaction when they first saw the cart. You would have thought that they just invented a new golf club that guaranteed everyone would hit it 300 yards and straight. People couldn't get enough of it and had to get there hands on it as soon as it was available.

 

From there, the Clicgear cart has continued to improve the cart and it has reached almost a "cult" status where previous model owners will upgrade to the newest model as soon as it is released - even though the cart they have is perfectly fine. In a sense, the Clicgear cart has almost become the Apple iPhone of golf push carts.

New for 2013, the Clicgear 3.5+ Golf Push Cart is Clicgear’s latest model. Built for those of us who prefer to play golf the way it was meant to be played - by walking the golf course and taking in the surrounding while getting some actual exercise.  The new 3.5+ push cart has some subtle improvements over Clicgear’s previous 3.0 model, including: a larger storage net, larger cup holder, an improved bag strap system, improved umbrella holder storage bracket, and an improved positive lock braking system. They didn’t reinvent the wheel this time around as they didn't have to it is already a great cart. Clicgear simply has taken what many have called “the best push cart” and maximized it’s potential… at least until version 4.0 is designed.


WHAT'S NEW?
You can’t roll out a new model without some modifications. While I didn’t expect the modifications to be extensive, I do think that they should be improvements, thus adding to the quality of the overall cart. Here are the changes for the Clicgear 3.5+:

1. Increased Cargo Net Volume: It’s 80% larger! OK, that’s cool. More room to drop stuff in the net. I’d call that a plus. It’s not so huge that it gets in the way under the console, or that things get lost in its vastness.
   
2. Improved Braking System: Visually the brake is the same, but the locking cogs are easier to engage. The pin is smaller and there are more cogs, so you are less likely to hit the dividers which at times happened in the past. Before it was just a little roll forward or backward to engage the brake, now it isn't necessary, it engages almost every time you flip the lever.
3. Improved Umbrella Holder Storage Bracket: OK this one is reaching a bit. It works, and works better, no argument. However, I don’t use an umbrella and I actually leave the holder at home to prevent losing it and excess weight.
4. Larger Adjustable Cup Holder: At first I was skeptical of the smaller size, wondering if I could get a Gatorade bottle in it, but what I found is that this one will hold both the skinny Gatorade bottles as well as the larger sized ones. Because of the spiral expansion design it will hold tight just about any size beverage container. (within reason) It also holds the beverage much tighter, thus reducing spills and possible drops.
5. Improved Bag Strap System: This was the one thing that I was initially very puzzled about. The great thing about the previous clip systems was their adjustability. I thought it was pretty easy to adjust the strap length to match the diameter of the bag. The new hook and ring system definitely looks different, and guess what, it’s a better system. All of the adjusting is accomplished on the ring end, with the elastic cords sliding through and fastening on both the top and bottom of the ring. Pop the cords out, position the ring, and lock the cords back in place. It’s an easy system. If you always use the same bag, then you set it once and go. If you change bags all of the time like I do, the ease of adjustment is great.

DESIGN:

The Clicgear 3.5+ is everything you could ever ask for (and more) in a push cart. It’s made from strong over-sized aircraft grade aluminum tubing which is both highly durable and excessively lightweight (the 3.5+ is 18 lbs. total). When folded up the 3.5+ is incredibly small and easy to carry, making it great for storage and transportation to and from the golf course. We also discovered that this push cart will fit just about anywhere when folded up.

Not only is the Clicgear 3.5+ lightweight, sturdy and compact(able), but it’s also packed with features that are thoughtfully placed and intuitive. Some features that caught our attention during testing were the upgraded braking system, center console and storage net.


SET UP:

Unfolding the Clicgear 3.5+ is not the most intuitive process, which may explain why the company makes instructional unfolding and folding videos available on their web site. Clicgear tries to make the 5-step process easier by highlighting the critical knobs and levers in bright colors, but despite the fact that we’ve used these carts many times, we still do a little bit of head-scratching each time we come back to them. It truthfully isn’t rocket science, but there is a sequence that must be followed, and if you try to do something out of order, you tend to hit a dead end and have to start all over again.


VERDICT:

The Clicgear 3.5+ is likely the last push cart you’ll ever need. It is shockingly lightweight, extremely durable and can fold up in to a pint sized cube for incredible storage. We fell in love with this push cart’s ability to roll down the fairways smooth and straight. We found it to be effortless to maneuver and also comes with some impressive storage capabilities. If you’re a walking golfer who’s serious about your game, we highly recommend the Clicgear 3.5+ push cart for you.

PRICE:
The Clicgear 3.5+ retails for $219.99 and at that price it is still worth it. For a limited time you can pick up one of these carts for $189.99 at Great Golf Deals.com or purchase on "Open Box" version for $179.99.  If you're a walker and do not want to carry bags on your back, do yourself a favor and pick up this push cart  - you will not be disappointed.