For any golfer who wants to play great golf
Equipment
‘The Ringer’ putter and tour of KAF Manufacturing and Roll-Master Golf
May 26th
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit the Roll-Master putter manufacturing facilities. During that short visit I got to see first hand how putters are designed and made. Roll-master makes the “Ringer” line of putters. The putter is unique in that it makes a bell-like tone, much like that of fine crystal, when the ball is struck on the sweet spot of the putter. Practicing with this putter provides instant and automatic feedback about your putting stroke.
At first the sound was unfamiliar to me. No putter I had ever used produced a sound quite like this one. The differences in the sound from hitting the sweet spot and hitting it off center are quite dramatic. It really is an excellent way to know how solidly you’re stroking the putt without needing visual confirmation. You can also see how you stroked it on the roll out of the ball. A well struck putt from the sweet spot rolls out straight and with a solid end over end roll. A poorly stroked putt will tend to wobble off its intended line and will have a more erratic roll.
Review: Tifosi Golf Sunglasses
May 17th
I needed to get a new pair of golf sunglasses. I was looking for stylish frames with lenses that perform. I also wanted to be able to wear them away from the golf course and still look good. I found a pair I liked at my local golf shop and decided to purchase them.
I bought the Tifosi Ventoux in the gunmetal color. These sunglasses come with a hard case, a soft case and 3 sets of interchangeable lenses. The hard case was important to me as I might keep them in the golf bag and didn’t want them to break. The hard case is nice and light, but still sturdy enough to give me peace of mind that they won’t break while in there.
The sunglasses came with 3 interchangeable lenses: The GT (golf and tennis) lens, the EC (extreme contrast) and the AC (All Conditions Red). So far I’ve only worn them with the golf and tennis lenses but I am quite impressed with the quality of the lenses and the frame.
I wear these sunglasses all the time playing golf, even when it’s not as bright. They cut down on the glare and really help me saw the ball better off the club face and in the air. The enhanced contrast is great for reading greens.
Shaft upgrade delivers penetrating ball fight and consistency
Apr 25th
Last week I had the shafts in my irons upgraded. The reason that I had it done was because my swing had changed and the shafts were too weak in my irons. I noticed this on especially well struck shots where the spin put on the ball would make the balloon so much that it lost a lot of distance for me. The other reason was that the trajectories and carries were all over the place.
After being fitted by the Mizuno fitting system, it was determined that I should be using Dynamic Gold X100 shafts, but that the heads I have (Mizuno MP52) were fine for my swing. This was a big change, as I was being switched from Project X 5.0. I could have stayed with Project X, according to the Mizuno fitting system if I had gone to a 6.5 flex, but according to them it was my third choice. The choice that fit my swing best was DG X100.
I’m happy to report that the change is going well. What I like best about the new shafts is that the they are much more predictable. My distances are no longer all over the place, the ballooning has been eliminated, and the shots really fly much more true.
I have had to make some changes in the way I swing. I’m not really changing my technique, I’m just adjusting to a new tempo. With these shafts I can’t go after it the way I did. In fact, I find that with these, if the swing feels about 80%, the results are amazing and consistent. The ball flight is much straighter and consistent than anything I have had before. The ball explodes off the face with a very different feeling from what I had before. It just seems much more solid and the flight is penetrating, even into some significant wind. Even though I’m changing my tempo a bit, the change feels excellent, and I believe it will help make me a better golfer.
Getting the most out of your golf GPS rangefinder
Apr 17th
GPS rangefinders are wonderful things. They give you the distances you need to make smart decisions. They give you the distances to hazards, to carry over the hazards. They give you distances to fairway targets, and of course the front, center and back of the green.
This information is vital if you want to make good decisions on the course. What they don’t give you is the strategy based on the conditions of the day, how you’re striking the ball, and the pin placements. They also don’t take any pressure into account if you’re playing a Nassau, a match against a buddy, or a tournament.
Some of you are lucky enough to play with caddies and if you to have a good caddy, he or she, can save you many strokes. But for those who don’t have our own caddies or get to play routinely with caddies we need some help making those decisions. If I’m playing a par 5, and I have 245 yards to the pin, 230 to the front, and 260 to the back I will know the distances I need to reach the green, but the rangefinder can’t tell me if it’s a smart decision.
Review: Penta TP Golf Ball
Mar 19th
Today I had the chance to play the Penta TP. I bought two sleeves and headed out to meet some friends at Great River Golf Club in Milford, CT.
The Penta has 5 layers (thus the name), and each layer is supposed to make the ball react properly.
Layer 1: Feel
This layer is the urethane cover for high spin from shots of 100 and in. Read the rest of this entry »
Westchester Golf Show
Mar 15th
Today I went to the Westchester Golf Show in White Plains, NY.
My main objective was to see and play with some of the new equipment for the 2010 season. While I was there I decided to try the Bridgstone Ball Fitting and also try the new Mizuno Shaft Optimizer.
The Bridgestone Ball Fitting was pretty interesting. I was looking for a few things.
The club that helped Steve Stricker get his swing back
Feb 25th
The Medicus helped Steve Stricker, a feel player to get his swing back after 3 years of finishing outside the top 150 on the money list. He incorporated Medicus into his practice sessions in order to improve his rhythm.
Medicus Dual Hinge 7 Iron Medicus is chosen by golf pros as top swing trainer club in the world. Try now!
How do I choose a golf simulator?
Feb 25th
Recently a friend asked me to provide some information on golf simulators to his wife, a university golf team coach who needs to present a proposal to the school for an indoor practice room.
Whether you are looking to create a commercial facility, a team practice area, or a home practice room, there are a lot of choices out there when it comes to a golf simulator.
What I would advise anyone who is looking to buy one is to look at the following factors. Each one will have an impact on the golf simulator actually chosen.
- What is your budget?
- How do you intend to use it?
- Do you intend to use it for club fitting or lessons?
- How much space do you have?
Review: Thumb Caddy – stop regripping the club
Feb 19th
The Thumb Caddy is a clever golf training aid. It’s main purpose is to help players stop regripping the golf club. I know that I have been guilty of this in the past.
I’m not sure what causes the regrip, but I think in my case it was a quest for more distance. I think that when I regripped, I felt like I could come into the ball faster. What it created though was uncertainty and inconsistency. How in the world can you hit the ball consistently if you’re changing your grip midway through the swing?
The thumb caddy is easy enough to slip on to the club. You open it slightly and get the club into it near the hosel where the shaft is narrow. You then slide it up toward and onto the grip.
Using it simple. The thumb on your upper hand goes into the Thumb Caddy and stays there nice and secure throughout your swing. If you’re used to regripping, the sensation of having your thumb stay in the same place will feel a little strange. Because your hands are your connection to the golf club, regripping mid swing can have major consequences on the flight of the ball and the consistency of your shots.
Review: Project X Graphite Driver Shaft
Feb 16th
The Project X Graphite shaft is designed to provide lower spin, longer carry and a laser guided trajectory.
I got a chance to review this because I won a Project X shaft in a twitter contest that the company had. Once I won the contest, I needed to pick out which version I wanted sent to me.
I talked to a few friends in golf, asked their opinions, than headed out to the driving range at Sterling Farms Golf Course. They have a beautiful trackman setup in their Callaway Fitting center. I would highly recommend going there if you are near Stamford, CT.
I tried the 6.5 shaft in a number of heads and noticed a few things.
