IZZO SWAMI 1500 GPS Review

by Rob on June 30, 2009

in Accessories, GPS, Rangefinders

If your on the market for golf GPS, there are tons of options available to choose from and at varying price points. What if your looking for a basic golf GPS unit that only gives you Front, Middle, Back of green measurements, and has only 4 buttons? You might want to check out the new IZZO SWAMI 1500 GPS.

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Look and Feel

The Swami is IZZO Golf’s answer to a simple golf GPS that is utilitarian in design and easy to us. The SWAMI is about the size of a garage door opener and features a large easy to read display with four buttons to operate the unit. The up and down arrows are meant for you to cycle through the holes your playing and the FCB (Front, Center, Back) for changing the reading to the front, center,or back of the green. The ENT button is used to power on and off the unit. The SWAMI body is made of plastic and has a slight curve at the top of the unit, and also features a mini-usb port for syncing and charging the unit. Also included is a belt clip for wearing the Swami on your belt if you feel inclined to do so.

Performance

The SWAMI 1500 GPS features Insta-Lok Technology & powered by the latest SIRFStarIII chip, which instantly calculates distance to the Front, Center and Back of the green of 12,000 US courses. The minute you fire up the SWAMIi, the GPS automatically recognizes the course you’re playing. This is a great feature, because you no longer have to cycle through a bunch of menu screens to start playing golf.

In order to begin using the SWAMI 1500 GPS, you need to install their SWAMI Map Manager desktop application on your PC (the SWAMI Map Manager is not MAC compatible) to load the courses on your SWAMI. After you have registered your unit and purchased the annual golf course map fee of $35 for an entire year, you can begin to add courses to the SWAMI. The SWAMI can store up to 10 courses at a time. Just locate your courses with its easy to use search by name or zip code, and hit the Load to SWAMI button.

In terms of battery life the SWAMI does come with a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that holds a charge for a minimum of 12 hours at time. During my tests, the SWAMI held its charge and lived up to its specs. I like having a long lasting battery, because the last thing I want to worry about is the GPS running out of power or having to constantly recharge the unit.

How accurate is the IZZO SWAMI 1500 GPS ?
I discovered in my tests that the SWAMI was extremely accurate and quick at getting my measurements to the front, center, and back of the green. As mentioned before, the minute you power up the unit, it automatically recognizes the course your on. I compared the distance reported on the SWAMI against the course markers and with a laser rangefinder. I was very impressed by the Insta-Lok technology and how accurate and reliable it was.

The SWAMI is very easy to use and accurate, but it does have a couple of small drawbacks. First, I’d like to see the SWAMI Map Manger be available for MAC or at least offer a web based version of the software. In this day and age you really need to offer both a MAC and PC version of the software. Next, I’d like for the SWAMI to automatically advance to the next hole, after you completed your previous hole. It doesn’t take much effort to press the up arrow, but it would be one less thing to have to remember to do. I found myself several times expecting the SWAMI to advance to the next hole, only to realize I had to press the down arrow to advance to the next hole.

Overall the IZZO SWAMI 1500 GPS is great value for a no fuss golf GPS. If you’re looking for a simple and intuitive golf GPS, that is lightweight, accurate, and has great battery life, then pick up the IZZO SWAMI 1500 GPS.

IZZO SWAMI 1500 GPS retails for $149.99

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Adidas Tour360 Sport Golf Shoe Review

by Rob on June 27, 2009

in Golf Shoes

Golf shoes come in all sorts of styles, from the classic saddle shoe or those that look like gym shoes. I own quite a few pairs of golf shoes and they all are the same style, which is more classic in design. I always liked the look of the gym shoe style golf shoe, but I had my reservations about how much support and performance they could truly provide.

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Look and Feel

The Tour360 Sport has the look and the feel of a performance gym shoe, that has a bold look which utilizes tour-proven 360Wrap and ThinTec. One of the key features of the Tour 360 Sport is its 50/50 Protect, which is a water resistant TPU shield that surrounds the lower half of the shoe that repels dirt and water, while the upper half is left open to provide breathability and flexibility.

The men’s version I tested comes in Running White/Black/Victory Red which give this shoe a very athletic performance look. I especially liked the Victory Red 360Wrap support system that contrasts nicely against the Running White mesh and with black accents. The women’s version of this shoe comes in Echo Blue/Metallic Silver/Dark Silver Metallic, which gives the shoe a sporty look.

The shoes also feature Adidas Golf’s 3D FitFoam sock liner which is a thick memory foam top layer that provides your foot with support and customized fit. The use of adiPRENE cushioning provide long-lasting impact absorption, which your feet will appreciate after walking 18 holes. Another cool feature to point out in the Tour360 Sport is the use of X-Static technology or silver filaments that are woven into the sock liner. Silver has natural antimicrobial property which kills bacteria and also regulates temperature, that helps keep your shoes odor free. Gotta love that!

The toe of the Tour360 Sport is made of a abrasion resistant material called adiTUFF, which protects the toe from wear which can occur during the follow-through.

Overall the Adidas Tour360 Sport is great looking pair of athletic performance golf shoes.

Performance

The Adidas Golf Tour360 Sport golf shoes are packed with a lot of the same technology and features found in the Tour360 3.0 golf shoe. One of those features is the split outsole technology with 360WRAp support sytem, that allows the upper to surround the midfoot. What the 360WRAP does is provide your foot with a glove-like fit and really good upper stability. I know my wife and I both felt a big difference in upper foot support with using these shoes on the golf course and at the range.

The shoe also utilizes the ThinTech low profile which brings you closer to the ground for better ball-striking through the added stability and support. My wife felt that she was much closer to the ground than with her other golf shoes when wearing the Tour360 Sport, and I also noticed how much lower I felt as well.  This is also very helpful for when you initiate your downswing and push off the ground with your right foot as you start transferring your weight to your left foot.

Part of this stability can be also attributed to the Powerband Chassis which is the state-of-the-art TPU chassis that delivers extraordinary lateral stability. This is especially important in generating power in your golf swing from the ground up. In other words, when your shifting your weight forward, you want your left foot to stabilize and not role when your posting up.

The 50/50 Protect TPU shield does a great job of keeping your feet dry on those days when the grass is still wet and keeping your feet cool on those hot summer days with the mesh uppers.

Traction is an important feature in a golf shoe and the Tour360 Sport provides great support and turf interaction with its Traxion outsole that feature tapered lugs that hold firmly and prevent slippage in all types of playing conditions. Couple that with the low profile and green friendly Dynamic Traxion AC cleats, that provide good grip and are clog resistant. What I noticed is that the cleats didn’t leave spike marks on the greens and did a good job of not getting caked in mud, especially in wet conditions.

If you’re looking for pair of performance athletic golf shoes, that provide great support, lightweight, breathable, and comfortable. You’ll want to check out the Adidas Tour360 Sport.

The Adidas Tour360 Sport retail for $160

Men’s Adidas Tour360 Sport available in Running White/Black/Victory Red
Women’s Adidas Tour360 Sport available in Echo Blue/Metallic Silver/Dark Silver Metallic

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Nike Golfers Support the Livestrong Foundation with Custom Yellow Golf Bags and Shirts

by Rob on June 25, 2009

in Golf Apparel, Golf Bags, News

Nike athletes playing in the Travelers Championship (Kris Blanks, Stewart Cink, U.S. open champion Lucas Glover, Justin Leonard, Carl Pettersson, Brendon Todd and Bob Tway) this week as well as the women playing in the Wegmans LPGA Tournament (Amanda Blumenherst, Paige MacKenzie and Ashley Simon) are joining athletes, celebrities and people around the world this summer in support of LIVESTRONG and cancer awareness.

The Livestrong Custom Yellow Golf Bag of Anthony Kim

The Nike Golfers will be carrying a custom made LIVESTRONG golf bag this week to support the LIVESTRONG campaign and at the end of the week will autograph these bags to be auctioned off at a later date with proceeds going to the Lance Armstrong Foundation.  Also, during one day of tournament play the Nike Golf athletes will wear LIVESTRONG logo’d Nike Golf shirts to help raise awareness.

On a personal note, my father passed away last April from a two year battle with Esophageal Cancer and this is a great way to help raise money and awareness for the Lance Armstrong Livestrong Foundation. Show your support and bid on one of these great looking golf bags and let’s help find a cure!

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Nike SQ Dymo STR8-FIT Driver Review

by Rob on June 22, 2009

in Drivers, Featured Posts, Golf Clubs

At the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show I had the opportunity to try out the new Nike SQ Dymo STR8-FIT (pronounced “straight fit”) driver, which is Nike Golf’s first adjustable driver, that allows you to change the golf club face, loft, and lie angle. Over the past few months I’ve been playing the Nike SQ Dymo STR8-FIT driver and like the results I’ve been seeing on the golf course.

Look and Feel
At first glance the Nike SQ Dymo STR8-Fit has a nice round shape that features a shiny black finish, which has that stealth bomber look. The 460cc clubhead setups up quite nicely when you sole the club and very easy to align to the target line with alignment stripe. When you flip the club over you’ll notice the new rounded folded geometry repositions square mass into a round format.

The wide face and STR8-FIT adapter logo on the face of club, will give you all the confidence when you tee up. The stock shaft is a nice yellow Nike Golf UST Proforce AXIV Core (45.75″), which features a strengthening core material that provides an extremely stable environment at impact, making it easier to swing the club faster and remain in complete control of the club head at all times. Custom shafts are also available. The SQ 360 design grip is designed to look the same no matter what position the club head is in, just like the shaft. The butt end of the grip also features a visual reference to the clubhead position, like what is found in the head cover.

The head cover is worth mentioning because it has two well thought out features: one is the storage pouch for the torque wrench, and the other is the  head positioning reference wheel. Why is this important? It’s important, because you’ll always have easy access to the torque wrench and you also have a visual reference to what position the clubhead is in without having to look down at the hosel. I appreciate the thought process and attention to detail by Nike Golf, to make everything easily accessible.

How Does The STR8-FIT Work?
The creation of STR8-FIT technology was inspired by how Nike Golf Tour athletes set up their equipment to suit each tournament’s course. On the PGA Tour, Nike Golf athletes have the luxury of utilizing the Nike Tour Van, where a staff of Nike club experts can adjust each Nike athlete’s driver to the face and lie angle that they want to perform their best on any given week. This same concept is now being made available to consumers through the STR8-FIT’s wide range of choices in shot shaping with one shaft, one club head, one club.

Simple changes can be made before your round to dramatically correct your ball flight or subtly perfect it through the selection of eight unique head positions from open to close with one club, eliminating the use of multiple shafts and movable weights. For example, if a golfer is pushing, fading or slicing the ball too much and they wish to draw the ball or hit more to the left for a particular course set up, they can change the position of their clubface to a more closed position. If a golfer is hooking, pulling or drawing the ball more than they wish, they can manually change the clubface to a more open position. Club face angles range from a neutral position of zero degrees to both one and two degrees closed or open.

The technology in the NIke SQ Dymo STR8-FIT is quite simple. To adapt the head positions, the player will use a torque wrench (70 in/lbs), which is located in the headcover that comes with each SQ DYMO STR8-FIT driver. Select the desired head position, based on desired ball flight, trajectory, or course conditions. When the head position is “locked in,” a sound indicator (produces a loud beep) and light on the wrench goes off to ensure that the club is ready to be hit. It’s that easy!

During my tests, I found it incredibly easy and comfortable to use the 70 in/lbs torque wrench to unlock, adjust, and lock the clubhead into place. Another nice detail on the torque wrench, is that it tells you what side should be facing the clubhead and which way to tighten and loosen the clubhead. I also really liked the audible and visual feedback of the wrench, so I new when the clubhead was securely attached.

Performance
All SQ DYMO and SQ DYMO² STR8-FIT drivers are engineered from the ground up with the express purpose of optimizing the launch and spin by loft. Distance is maximized in every loft by varying multiple specifications from lie angle, to MOI and CG placement, to overall head size and face.

The first thing you’ll notice when you hit the STR8-FIT is the pleasing sound that the driver makes when you hit the ball off the tee. The ball comes flying off the face of the club producing the optimal medium-high trajectory on my drives, that produce a lot of extra carry.

The STR8-FIT is also a forgiving driver on mis-hits, thanks to the low center of gravity and MOI in the square mass that is repositioned in the rear of the the driver. Off center hits seemed to go nearly as far as those hit in the sweetspot of the driver. As you adjust the clubs position, you start to see the impact the different lie and loft angles can make on your drives as well. According to Nike Golf’s comprehensive tests you can see a 45 yard difference between maximum left and maximum right positions.

I couldn’t be more pleased with the results of my drives after using the STR8-FIT, I was blown away by how much better my driving accuracy became after fine tuning the club position that suited my swing. I have a tendency to push the ball or what I like to call a power fade, and by closing the driver face 2 degrees, it helped with promoting more of draw to my drives.

How Does The STR8-FIT Compare to the TaylorMade R9 Driver?
I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to test both drivers simultaneously over the same period of time and the results are quite interesting.

Before I go into my results, I want to point out the obvious difference between both clubs and that is the R9 features movable weights in addition eight adjustable club positions (TaylorMade recently released the R9 460 (no MWT) that I did not test), and the STR8-Fit does not use movable weights. The other big difference is clubhead size, with the R9 being a 422cc  and the STR8-FIT is a 460cc.

One of the first things I noticed when hitting both the STR8-FIT and the R9, is how much more forgiving I found the STR8-FIT to be on mis-hits. My off center hits with the STR8-FIT went a lot straighter and 3-5 yards longer than with the R9.

In terms of ball flight and distance, I found the STR8-FIT outperformed the R9. The ball flight and trajectory was much more desirable with the STR8-Fit, resulting in drives that were 7-10 yards longer on average. The R9 would produce a low-medium trajectory ball flight, that didn’t carry as nearly as far.

I also found that STR8-FIT, much easier to adjust the clubhead positions using the torque wrench, that fits comfortably into your hands. As mentioned before, the audio and visual feedback are great for determining exactly when the clubhead is locked into position. What I also liked was the head positioning reference wheel found inside the torque wrench pouch and on the butt end of the grip. With the R9 you have to look at the hosel every time to determine the head position.

Overall the Nike SQ Dymo STR8-FIT is a phenomenal driver, that provides maximum distance and forgiveness, unprecendented amount of control to shape your shots, and eight ways to attack any golf course.

Men’s: Loft Options 8.5 (RH), 9.5 (RH/LH), 10.5 (tested)(RH/LH), 11.5 (RH/LH), HL (RH)
Women’s : Loft Options 11.5 (RH/LH), HL (RH)

Nike SQ Dymo STR8-FIT Driver MSRP: $540.00


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TaylorMade R9 Driver Review

by Rob on June 22, 2009

in Drivers, Featured Posts, Golf Clubs

TaylorMade-adidas Golf is a pioneer in golf club adjustability when it introduced its r7 quad driver in 2004. The r7 quad incorporated TaylorMade’s Movable Weight Technology(MWT), which gave golfers the ability to change the clubhead’s center of gravity to promote different ball flights.

2009 marks a dawn of a new era in golf club design and adjustability with the introduction of the R9 driver, that not only allows you to adjust the center of gravity, but also the face angle, loft, and lie angle of the R9 through its Flight Control Technology (FCT). The combination of the of Flight Control Technology and Movable Weight Technology promote up to 75 yards of side-to-side trajectory adjustability.

Look and Feel
At first glance the R9 driver features a new clubhead shape that is a blend of modern and classic designs in 422cc clubhead, that looks a lot like last year’s r7 limited driver and r7 SuperQuad, with its triangular shape, contoured corners, and similar graphics on the sole. In fact, TaylorMade calls it “New Classic” because it is at once modern and traditional, and should prove the test of time.

The R9 clubhead is constructed with the aid of TaylorMade’s Ultra-Thin Wall (UTW) technology, which allows the clubhead walls measuring as thin as 0.6 millimeters, with the saved weight redistributed to make the MWT and CG low as possible.

The Movable Weight Technology on the R9, features three weight ports (Center, Heel, and Toe) and cartidges. One 16-gram weight, and two 1-gram weights that can be adjusted using included torque wrench.

When you setup to the ball, R9’s smaller triangular shape took a little getting used to, espeically in this era of oversized 460cc clubheads. The R9 is equipped with a brand new shaft by Fujikura Golf-the 65-gram Fujikura Motore graphite shaft that is 45.25″ Long. The Fujikura Motore graphite shaft with High Intertia Tip (HIT) technology, is engineered with a new advanced tip construction that promotes faster ball speed. The added kick through the impact zone to promote increased ball speed and distance.

The Fujikura Motore shaft features a white graphic print on the top portion of the shaft, that uses a special “rotating graphic” that looks the same no matter what position the shaft is locked into. You’ll also notice that the grip is also graphic free, as to prevent distraction when the shaft is rotated.

As the shaft tapers down towards the hosel it begins to turn into a deep red and connects to the special metallic sleeve over the tip of the shaft.

Overall, its a really sharp looking driver that has a great throwback look to it packed with a lot of modern technology.

How Does FCT Work?
Up until now, if you wanted to adjust the face, loft, and lie angle, you needed to have that done by a club technician at your local golf shop. Or in the case of the PGA Tour Pro, you had this done at the TaylorMade Tour Trailer. This process requires a technician to immobilize the  clubhead and bend the hosel by hand.  Flight Control Technology eliminates the need of a tour technician to make adjustments quickly and accurately to the face, loft, and lie angles (Neutral-1 Flat Lie, Neutral Upright-1 Upright Lie, 1.0 Closed-.5 Flat Lie, 1.0 Closed-.5 Upright Lie, 2.0 Closed-Standard Lie, 1.0 Open-Flat Lie,1.0 Open-.5 Upright Lie, 2.0 Open-Standard Lie).

To adjust the face, loft, and lie angles, is quite simple process with the supplied R9 torque wrench, which provides 40 inch-pounds of torque. Just loosen the FCT bolt, remove the shaft from the head, rotate the sleeve and shaft into one of the eight clubhead positions and then locking the clubhead into position with the FCT bolt. The clubhead position adjustments were simple to make, like described, but I did find it a little tricky at times to line up the desired position with the clubhead. You’ll know that you have tightend the FCT bolt on tighly when you hear a loud snap.

When using the provided torque wrench, I was little nervous about loosening the FCT bolt, because I might lose it. But that’s not possible, since the FCT bolt cannot be removed from the clubhead completely. Using the same torque wrench you can also adjust the Movable weights on the R9, but these can be misplaced, so be careful where you do this.

I would really like for the torque wrench to be able to be stored in the clubhead cover, because having to fish it out of my golf bag anytime I want to makea an adjustment can be a bit of a hassle and easily misplaced.

Performance
What makes the R9 a fully adjustable driver is the combination of the FCT and MWT. As mentioned before, the R9 features three weight ports that can be adjusted. Put the 16-gram weight in the heel port to promote a draw, in the toe port to promote a fade, and in the middle for a neutral ball flight. By combining both the MWT and FCT you actually give yourself a ton of influence over the flight trajectory of your shots. According to TaylorMade testing, the R9 driver can promote up to 75 yards of side-to-side trajectory change, depending upon how the clubhead has been adjusted. If you take the eight positions of the FCT and multiply that with the three MWT configurations, you end up with twenty-four possible combinations.

In my tests, I didn’t notice too much of a variance in my shot trajectory to validate the 75 yards claim by TaylorMade, you’ll need to take their word for it. But what I did notice, is that shaping my shots was much easier to do with the combo of FCT and MWT. The only downside of so many options is that it took a lot of experimentation to find the right combination that worked best for my swing (neutral upright). Once, you have it dialed in your not going to want to change it.

In terms of the trajectory of my shots, I found that ball would fly off the face of the R9 and have a nice medium to low trajectory, similar to that of Tour player. Part of this can be attributed to triangular shape of the R9 that lowers the center of gravity lower in the face of the club that makes it easy to launch the ball.

The Inverted Cone Technology which has been used in other TaylorMade drivers, expands the area of the clubface that delivers high ball speed. The cone is actually milled directly onto the inner side of the clubface, which gives the R9 forgiveness on mis-hits, high MOI, and low CG. Now in terms of distance, the ball flies off the face of the R9 and travels a good distance, but not as far as I would like. I think part of it has to do with the lower trajectory ball flight and Fujikura Motore shaft. I need a softer tip shaft then the stock offerring on the R9.

Bottom line, the TaylorMade R9 driver is a great golf club that provides unprecendented amount of adjustability and customization quickly, and without the support of a tour van. If your a low-mid handicap golfer, who likes to fine tune their golf club, and wants a tour claiber flight trajectory, than checkout the R9 driver.

The TaylorMade R9 driver is available in 8.5, 9.5, and 10.5 (tested) degree lofts (9.5 and 10.5 left-handed), and in X, S, and R shaft flexes. MSRP $500

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Ruletwentyone Golf Towel Review

by Rob on June 21, 2009

in Accessories

A problem I often face when playing in wet or soft conditions is the golf ball can become caked with debris and dirt quite quickly. One area where this can be detriment to your golf score is on putting green. If you want to clean you golf ball before hitting your putt, it usually involves either running to the golf cart to wipe the ball or bringing the golf towel with you to the green. Not very convenient if you ask me. 

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The solution to this problem can be found in a new product introduced at the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show, called ruletwentyone.

Look and Feel
The ruletwentyone back pocket towel has an absorbent bamboo terry cloth layer with a waterproof shell similar to what ski and snowboard jackets are made from, that folds conveniently into your back pocket. It kind of reminded me of the back of neck tie when it hangs from your back pocket. 

The towel which is Made in the USA, offers 9″ inches of exposed Bamboo as a printable surface, ideal for custom printing for brand marketing or as a giveaway.  Another benefit of using Bamboo is that its eco-friendly. Bamboo is sustainable material that is anti-microbial, so it wont get mildewy, and the fibers become more absorbent over the time and frequent use.

The exterior shell which is made from a very soft waterproof material, also features a plastic grip at the top of the towel. The purpose of the grip is for you to snap the towel when your done wiping your golf ball and return the towel to its original shape. Quite a clever little feature.

Performance
How does the ruletwentyone golf towel work? To use the towel, all you do is wet the super absorbent bamboo terry cloth interior and ring out any excess moisture, and place the towel in your back pocket. That’s all you have to do to begin using the ruletwentyone towel.

When I initially used the towel, the water seemed to bead quite a bit, but it eventually began to absorb water. And the other side of the towel stayed completely dry after I soaked and wrung the towel. 

During my round, I found the ruletwentyone towel to live up to its billing and did a nice job of remaining moist, removing dirt from my golf ball, and keeping my back pocket dry. What I also liked about the ruletwentyone towel is how convenient and easy to use it is. I no longer had to run back to the cart to fetch a towel to clean my golf ball before I putt or use the ball washer before teeing off. 

If your looking for a convenient way to clean your golf ball, want to help the environment, and stimulate the economy, then check out the ruletwentyone.

The ruletwentyone golf towel by rulegolf retails for $19.95

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Tiger Woods Dress Code for 2009 U.S. Open Bethpage Black

by Rob on June 17, 2009

in Golf Apparel, Golf Shirts, News

This week at Bethpage Black, Tiger Woods will be going for his 15th Major at the 2009 U.S. Open.  Nike Golf sent me a box of the golf shirts from Tiger Woods Collection that he will be wearing each day of the 2009 U.S. Open, called “The Dress Code for Bethpage Black.” 

The Tiger Woods Collection incorporates a full assortment of styles, that blend the best in class technology for the discerning player’s on-course performance and off-course lifestyle needs. All the shirts feature Nike’s Dri-FIT technology that help keep you comfortable and dry by wicking perspiration from your skin to the outside of the garment for rapid evaporation. Plus 30 UPF.

Another nice touch is the use of Mercerized technology, which uses mercerized cotton on the outer surface for a soft luxurious touch, and Dri-FIT technology on the inside.

The Dress Code

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Thursday, June 18th Dri-Fit Ground Strip Polo (Dri-FIT UV) in Midnight Navy, MSRP $85

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Friday, June 19th Dri-FIT Texture Mock (Dri-FIT Mercerized) in White, MSRP $75

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Saturday, June 20th Dri-FIT Fine Stripe Polo (Dri-FIT UV) in Boarder Blue, MSRP $85

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Sunday, June 21st Dri-FIT Diagonal Texture Polo (Dri-FIT Mercerized) in Carmine, MSRP $80

For more information visit http://www.nike.com/nikegolf/index.htm

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DIRECTV’s 2009 U.S. Open Experience

by Rob on June 17, 2009

in News

The U.S. Open, to be held this year at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y., is one of four major golf events, including the Masters, PGA Championship and the British Open, at which DIRECTV will showcase its expanded, interactive coverage.

DIRECTV’s 2009 U.S. Open Experience

DIRECTV’s 2009 U.S. Open Experience

DIRECTV’s “U.S. Open Experience” will be available all four days  (June 18-21) of the prestigious USGA event for the first time, and only DIRECTV will offer TV viewers three extra channels in addition to ESPN’s coverage on Thursday and Friday and NBC Sports’ broadcast on Saturday and Sunday – all available in HD.  

Mix Channel viewers will see the home network channel and three feature channels that will follow a group of golfers around the 7,426-yard course, focus on particular area of the course and provide an “in-depth” channel with live updates, highlights and interviews.  Each of the extra channels will be offered in both standard- and high-definition and are fully produced with their own production crew and announcers. Customers with interactive receivers can view all four channels in the Mix and use their remote to listen to any channel’s audio or tune directly to the full-screen channel. The Mix also features a real-time leader board to keep tabs on all the action.

For more information visit http://www.directv.com.

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Sweet Spot Golf AX & Pink Putter Review

by Rob on June 7, 2009

in Golf Clubs, Putters

Over the last couple of years I’ve discovered that reading the greens is just as important as the mechanics of your putting stroke. But one area that I’ve been looking to improve on is my alignment of the putter face. It’s really easy when your looking at the hole straight on, but the minute your setup over the ball to putt, everything looks completely different. You then start to question, if the putter is aligned at the hole and if you’ll hit the sweet spot of the putter, etc. Sweet Spot Golf has introduced a series of putters for men called the AX and Pink line for women, to help with aligning your putts and finding the sweet spot of the ball.

Look and Feel
The unique triangle shape of the mallet style Sweet Spot AX and Pink Putters, is designed to help you with aligning the putter and finding the sweet spot of the ball indicated by the diamond on the crown of the putter. Behind the sweet spot diamond you’ll find the Performance Positioning System(PPS) which are arrows that are designed to help with aiming and aligning your putts. Both the AX and the Sweet Spot Pink putter’s feature a 4 inch wide face (which is the exact width of the green’s cup) and heal and toe perimeter weighting promoting a high MOI by dispersing the weight from away fro the center of the putter. 

The face on the AX is milled, while on the Sweet Spot Golf Pink putter features a polymer insert in pink. Both the AX and Pink putters are available in milled or polymer insert, if you prefer one over the stock setup. The black (body) and red (sweet spot diamond and PPS) color scheme of the Scratch Red AX give the putter a very stealthy appearance, that you don’t normally see in putters. If you don’t like this color scheme, the Ax is also available in Ript Blue, Krushd Grape, and Earl Gray.

The women’s Pink putter features a white body with pink sweet spot diamond, pink PPS, pink polymer face, and black and pink custom Winn grip . The reason for the white and pink color scheme isn’t because Sweet Spot Golf is trying to stereotype women’s golf equipment, it because Sweet Spot Golf is a proud sponsor of the National Breast Cancer Foundation. When you purchase this putter or any of their clubs in Pink line, Sweet Spot Golf will make a donation to help fight breast cancer. 

Performance
Both the AX and Pink putters weigh 362 grams, which is designed to help you make that smooth pendulum stroke with your upper body and not your hands.The weight of the putter does contribute to its high MOI, because of the heel and toe perimeter weighting that help with preventing the face from twisting and keeping your putts on line. During my tests of the AX, I didn’t find the head weight to make a significant difference in my putting stroke or keep the face straight at impact, like the Heavy Putter I recently reviewed. 

The 3-degree’s of loft of the AX and Pink putters is designed to roll the ball pure to the hole, with little skipping or jumping of the ball. Most of the putts I rolled with the AX seemed to roll very pure and straight on a consistent basis, with little or no wobbling. Part of the top spin imparted on the ball is contributed to the high center of gravity of both the AX and Pink putters.

Aligning the putter face and the sweet spot of the ball with the putter could not be any easier with the AX and Pink putters. The sweet spot diamond and alignment arrows of the PPS, made lining up my putts really easy at address. I was able to make adjustments with ease and stop second guessing if my putter was aligned at the hole. I found this extremely helpful in the 3-5 foot range of putts and also on the longer 10+ foot putts. This in my opinion is where the Sweet Spot AX and Pink putters excel.

The one area where I felt that the AX was lacking in, is feel and responsiveness. For me putting is all about feel, and without it’s hard to tell if you hit the putt well or missed the sweet spot of the ball. No matter what type of putt I made with the AX, I always got the same ping sound of the ball hitting the putter face.  I think part of the problem is the steel material the AX is constructed out of that give it very little feel and responsiveness that I’ve come to expect in  putters with or without an elastomer insert. This made it difficult at times to judge how well or poorly I struck the ball and distance control.

As mentioned before the women’s Pink putter does feature a polymer insert, that my wife did find to be very responsive. My wife did note that she had  to get used to the ping sound the Pink putter would make. Overall, she did notice her putting improve by using the Sweet Spot Pink putter, compared to her blade putter. 

The other drawback of the AX is its $149 price tag, which is pricey in my opinion for this type of putter. In this price range I would expect the putter to have some sort of insert for feel and responsiveness. The women’s Sweet Spot Pink putter also retails for $149, but Sweet Spot Golf will make a donation to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. So, the price for the women’s version is easier to accept, because you know that part of the proceeds is going to a good cause.

Overall, the Sweet Spot Golf AX is a great putter for helping you align your putts, but could use some improvements by milling the face of the putter out of a softer material or adding an insert to make it more responsive. If your looking for a putter to help you with aim and alignment, you might want to look into the Sweet Spot Golf AX or Pink putters.

Sweet Spot Golf AX and Pink Putter Retails for $149


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Inside “The Oven”: Behind the Scenes at Nike Golf’s R&D Facility

by Rob on June 5, 2009

in Featured Posts, News

 
(Part One: Club Testing, CAD Design, Impact Testing)


(Part Two: Club Assembly and CNC Shop)

On my recent trip to Fort Worth, TX I had the opportunity to get a rare behind the scenes tour of Nike Golf’s Research & Development facility, “The Oven”.  ”TheOven” is where Nike Golf designs, prototypes, tests, and builds the golf clubs and balls that their PGA Tour players (Tiger Woods, Paul Casey, Stewart Cink, etc) use, but also make the final versions that are sent out to be mass produced and sold to consumers.

This is Nike Golf’s second R&D expansion in just three years. Part of the renovation for the “Oven” involved adding an additional 17,600 square footage for offices and new large auditorium for meetings and presentations, but also an entirely new 129,000 square foot short game area made of synthetic turf, that looks and plays like real grass in the front of the complex. The short game area  includes three synthetic greens, one natural grass green, bunkers and practice holes.  The practice holes and hitting areas are designed for the purpose of providing various distances for short irons so that iron and ball testing is both extensive and constructive for Nike engineers and Nike athletes.  The short game area also is enhanced by a water feature that runs through the middle of the short game course.

The main entry way features a wall of fame and time line of all the highlights of Nike Golf, and even a wall that displays every version of their golf clubs Nike Golf has produced from past to the present.  A mixture of their latest equipment or technology breakthroughs are on display along with memorabilia over the years, like Tiger Woods tiger headcover and signed mock turtleneck that he first started wearing in 2003. 

Before we went on the tour, we sat through a short presentation on the history of Nike Golf R&D and how they came up with the name. Interesting  to note, because the name came from baking up good things, therefore the name “The Oven”. After the presentation, Nike Golf’s Director of Product Creation Tom Stites, Nike Golf athletes Stewart Cink, Paul Casey, and Justin Leonard took questions from the audience.

The Tour

The tour begins with the testing lab, where Nike engineers test for a clubs sweetspot, USGA groove tests, center of gravity, and moment of inertia. The amount of testing time that goes into the developing your golf clubs is astounding. You come away with a big appreciation  for the commitment and dedication by Nike Golf in producing the best product available.

Next stop on the tour is the CAD room where a design gets made into model that can be touched. Currently Nike Golf is working on clubs for 2013 release. 

From their we go to the sound testing lab, where they tune the sound of the golf club. I never knew that this was part of developing a golf club, I always thought the sound was result of the material used to make the club.

Next is the CNC Shop, where the CAD designs are built into prototypes, either out of resin or metal. It’s in this room that all the initial prototypes are created, so they can be assembled into a golf club. 

The assembly room, is where individual components are put together and assembled into a golf club. This is where they assemble the final clubs that Tiger Woods or any of the Tour players use. What was really unique about the assembly process, is how they determine the proper lie of the golf club. Traditional club making involves using either a Mitchell or lie board to determine the lie angle, but Nike Golf uses it’s more accurate method, with their patented device called the “Green Machine”. The “Green Machine”, which was developed by Nike Golf’s engineers, allows a club builder to build the club to the exact lie angle every time, no matter who’s building the club. The advantage of building clubs this way, is there is no variance in lie angle and club length from builder to builder.

The machine shop is where they polish and finish the golf clubs that the CNC shop produces before being sent to assembly.

At the end of the tour I came away with a several things: one is the commitment and passion of the Nike Golf R&D employees. Every person is so committed to building the best product on the market and it shows. Second, this isn’t a company out to make a fast buck by leveraging the Nike brand name. I still stand behind my belief, that Nike Golf is one of the most underrated golf equipment manufacturers, that has been producing high quality product over the last few years, and it shows.

“The Nike brand is globally synonymous with innovation, performance and the pursuit of athletic excellence,” said Cindy Davis, President of Nike Golf. “The expansion of “The Oven” is an indication of Nike Golf’s commitment to our athletes, as well as to solidifying our role as an undisputed leader in the research, design and development of clubs and balls.”

My visit to “The Oven” further reinforced my belief and look forward to seeing what Nike Golf comes up with next.

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