Golf Views

When you go to tee up your ball, you usually find the remains of shattered wooden tees littered all over the tee box. Wouldn’t it be nice to use a tee that is sustainable and made from recycled and renewable materials? Well if the answer to that question is YES , than look no further than the Epoch Tees from Evolve Golf.

Made entirely from recycled and renewable materials, the mower-friendly design lasts 10-times longer than a wooden tee. I’ve been using these tees for nearly a month and have yet to break one, something you can’t do with wooden tees. What I really like about the tees is that even if you forget to pick up your tee, it is biodegradable and breaks down quicker than a wooden tee.

Epoch Tees are the only performance tee with radius posts that span the width of a golf ball dimple. This has been scientifically been proven, that this unique feature creates the lowest coefficient of friction of any tee, eliminating deflection at impact and increasing ball speed and control off the tee. That’s why Epoch Tees are the #1 Performance Golf Tee on Tour™. I’m not sure if using the tees has increased my distance or lowered the amount of spin on my golf ball, but I really liked the various sizes, especially the 3¼”; epoch-3.25™ tees for todays over sized drivers and the 1½” epoch-1.5™ tees for irons and hybrid clubs. This makes teeing up the ball to right height easy.

Do your part for the environment and help keep the golf course clean with Epoch Tees, you’ll never want to loose these tees again.

Available in variety of sizes, from 3¼”; epoch-3.25™, the 2¾” epoch-2.75™, and the 1½” epoch-1.5™. $2.99 – $6.99 a pack

When you go to your local golf super store or pro shop to buy a golf shirt most of the shirts are made of some type of polyester blend and have that technical fabric sheen. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to buy a golf shirt that breaks the traditional mold and be worn on and off the golf course, without looking like you played a round a golf? The first thing Ashworth did for Fall 2008 was to research and test the newest and most innovative blended fabrics, 100 percent natural fabrics and organic fabrics to determine which ones could work into the company’s design philosophy, which is to design more to a mindset than to an age demographic. Eddie Fadel, Ashworth’s President says, “Golfers will love the selection of our versatile lines, and the fact they can wear our apparel on and off the course in comfort and style.” I have to agree the new Fall 2008 line of golf shirts are probably the most versatile shirts on and off the golf course.

Ashworth Organics
New for Fall 2008 is an environmentally friendly line of golf shirts made of sustainable, recyclable or 100 percent organic cottons, called Ashworth Organics. In fact, this part of the collection is tagged with a new “Ashworth Organics” label and a hangtag that exclaims “For the Game, For the Planet.”

Look and Feel
The first thing I noticed about the Ashworth Organics line golf shirts is that it doesn’t look like your typical golf shirt.The color schemes feature heather color tones, giving the group a distinct natural depth.The clean Aqua Blue stripes contrast nicely against the natural white color of the shirt, giving the the appearance of polo, instead of your run of the mill golf shirt.  This makes the shirt very versatile, because you can wear it to work or out to dinner and no one will know its a golf shirt. The other thing I noticed is the softness of the 100 percent Organic Cotton used in the shirt that make soft to touch and felt good against my skin. Another added benefit of wearing a shirt made from Organic Cotton is there aren’t any latent pesticides or other chemicals that might disagree with your skin. The shirt is cut in a traditional golf shirt size, and provides plenty of room for movement and it does not constrict your movement. I wore these shirts several times playing golf in moderate temperatures 85 degrees and the Organic Cotton fabric is very breathable, keeping my body very cool.I wear a size medium in golf shirts and the generous cut of the Ashworth Organics line wears like a large, but that is done to allow for shrinkage when you wash the shirt (more on this in the next section).

Construction
The shirts are made from 100 percent Organic Cotton and the shirts I tested are made of two different types of fabrics. The Aqua striped shirt, is made of a jersey type cotton fabric, while the solid honey dew green has more of a pique cotton construction, with solid knit collar and sleeve tipped in white. As mentioned before the shirts are a little big, but that is to account for shrinking from washing The results of washing the shirts was very good, they maintained their shape  and color well and had very little shrinkage, that can happen to cotton shirts that are put in the dryer. Even after washing the shirts, the fabric still had that soft touch against my skin, which I love. Overall these have proven to be your not so typical golf shirt and can be worn everyday, even when your not playing golf.

If you want a golf shirt that is made sustainable materials and is both functional and stylish, then pick up some shirts from the Ashworth Organics line.

Available this summer from $55.00-$85.00 www.ashworthinc.com.

ASH33W
Also new for Fall 2008 is a line of more slim fitting youth inspired golf shirts called ASH33W geared for a slightly younger, hipper crowd. This avante garde look is designed with performance fabrics and unique graphic elements, stitching details and subtle treatments.

Look and Feel
The bold tonal stripe pattern of this shirt give it a very youthful and modern look. The shirt looks and wears more like a traditional polo and features a “mod fit,” which is a slimmer fit by one size from Ashworth’s classic fit. I really like the look and the feel of the shirt,the softness of the fabric and the slimmer cut is more in tune with the style of golf shirt I like to wear. This is the kind of shirt I can wear everyday and not look like I’m headed to the golf course, like you would in other golf shirts. Also what’s so nice about the shirt is that it features a four button placket and a button front pocket, that give this shirt a more modern look. The other thing you’ll notice is that the sleeves are not as long or wide, like you find in a typical golf shirt. This gives the shirt a more modern and youthful look, which I found appealing.Ashworth has deep respect for the game’s history and virtue, and attempts to incorporate that vibe into its clothing. The “33″ logo is open to interpretation. It’s basically a magical universal number.In life it’s where youth intersects experience. It’s a reminder to “mellow out.” And there are plenty of times on the golf course that you need to remind yourself to “mellow out.”

Construction
The ASH33W I tested in made of cotton, polyester blend, and with a touch of spandex to allow the shirt to stretch and retain shape. The “mod fit” like Ashworth describes the cut of the shirt on its hang tag, is not overly slim nor does it restrict your movement. That can be attributed to the addition of spandex in the shirt, which helps by providing you with just amount of give in the fabric when you need it. After washing the shirt, the ASH33W retained its color and shape, with no signs of shrinkage.  I’ll have to admit that I was a bit skeptical, that Ashworth would be able to successfully create a  golf shirt that is both functional and stylish. But in the end I was pleasantly surprised and Ashworth has pulled it off with the ASH33W line of shirts.

If you like wearing a more contemporary, slimmer fit, non-traditional golf shirt than checkout the ASH33W line.It will definitely bring some much needed versatility and punch of style to your golf shirt drawer.

Available this summer from $55.00-$85.00 www.ashworthinc.com.

Do you become tense or worse yet, get the case of the yips when you step onto the putting green? Even the simplest putt can be fraught with bad breaks, steep slopes, and unhelpful grain direction. All that is plenty to deal with when working the greens, which is why Nike Golf designed the IC line of putters.

Nike has taken a new approach to designing a better putter, by using optical engineering to tune out all visual noise and greatly reduce the visual footprint of the shaft and clubhead itself. I’ve been testing out the Nike IC 20-20 putter for three weeks now and I’m really impressed by how this putter has helped improve my game on the greens.

Look and Feel
The first thing you’ll notice about this mallet putter is the size of it’s square head. My initial reaction was that it seemed really large, almost as big as my driver’s head. I think a lot of this had to do with the fact that I am used to the small footprint of a blade putter. The color scheme of the putter is dark green to blend in with the putting greens, everything from the grip, the shaft, and down to the putterhead are dark green. The only things you see when you line up the putter are the face of the putter and the white alignment marking. The optical engineering of the IC 20-20 tricks your eyes and brain into focusing only on the face and large alignment marking. This results in fewer miss-aligned putts and a lower score. I found this to be a huge benefit from up close, within the  8-10 foot range, where putting alignment is crucial. As a result I now have the confidence to make those putts, which I had previously all too often missed .

The next thing that jumped out at me was the weight of the club when I swung it back and forth. The square shape and weight of the putter creates a high moment of inertia, stabilizing the putter on off-center hits. This is a great feature, because I constantly used to pull putts left and right. Another great benefit gained from the weight of the clubhead is getting the ball rolling long distances. In my tests I was able to lag the ball greater distances without much effort. I appreciated this feature, because with my blade putter I was constantly lagging my putts too short.

The IC 20-20 plays small in stroke, with all the forgiveness and stability of a blade putter. A great combination for a highly underrated line of putters.  I liked using this putter so much that I’m going to be replacing my Ping Anser putter for the Nike IC 20-20.

Tech Specs
Face Width: 11.4cm
Front to Back: 8.9cm
Loft: 3
Shaft Lengths: 33in, 34in, 35in

The Nike IC 20-20 Putter retails for $159.

How would you like to have your very own professional caddy, that can give you detailed course information no matter where you play?

The SkyGolf SkyCaddie SG5 is for golfers who want advanced features, a large color display and a long-lasting rechargeable battery. SkyGolf’s advanced GPS technology is integrated with the very best Swiss engineering to provide unmatched reliability. The SG5 includes SkyGolf’s patented IntelliGreen® technology, enabling golfers to measure the full depth and shape of the green from any angle of approach and shows distances for all targets and hazards on any of SkyGolf’s many thousands of professionally mapped courses. Its vibrant color display features automatic backlighting to ensure easy readability indoors and outdoors.

Look and Feel

The SkyCaddie SG5 is very compact, weighing only 5.5 Ounces and easily fits into your palm for single handed operation. The black matte, textured, water resistant case allows you to grip the SkyCaddie easily and without having to worry about the unit slipping out of your hand, even while wearing a glove. The buttons on the SkyCaddie SG5 are easy to operate and have a nice tactile feel. Navigation is primarily done using one of the seven main buttons on the front of the unit. A 4 way scroll pad with the look and feel of a golf ball is used to scroll (up/down/left/right), this is especially helpful when navigating through the lists of targets. The LCD screen is extremely bright, both indoors and out, thanks to the automatic backlighting of the color 220 x 176 pixel display. In my tests I was able to view the screen easily in direct sun light, with little or no glare.

Operating the SkyCaddie SG5

The following steps need to be performed in order to use the SkyCaddie for the first time:

Install software (Available for MAC and PC)from the supplied disc or via the Skygolf website; I opted to get the latest version from the website for MAC. I did have a minor glitch syncing to the courses I had added to my playlist using the SkyCaddie Desktop Software with my SkyCaddie SG5 GPS. A single email to SkyCaddie technical support and the issue was resolved in under an hour. I was impressed with the quick and responsive customer service. Also, rest assured that the technical support is not outsourced to another country.

Create a SkyCaddie Account
Fill in your account login information and select the appropriate membership level for the yearly plan you wish to purchase. You have a choice of the following options:

Membership Level Birdie         Eagle         Double Eagle
Cost per Year $29.95         $49.95        $59.95
Coverage Sub-Regional Regional      World
Number of SkyCourses 10                10                10
Number of Playlists 5                  10                10

I opted for the Eagle plan which allows me to select from unlimited amount of courses in the SkyCaddie GPS database across the United States; store up to 10 course in my SkyVault playlist, have a maximum of 10 courses on my SkyCaddie, and maximum of 5 user-recorded courses on the SkyCaddie.

Load your Courses

Easily browse thousands (17000+) of courses by name, city, and state. Just go to http://www.skygolfgps.com/SG_SkyVault_SearchCourses.aspx Choose your region (i.e. United States, select your  State, and enter the name of the course you are looking for. Don’t know the name of the course your looking for? You can also browse the course directory alphabetically by city. The user interface is really easy to use and I like the search options  for adding a course to my playlist. Once you find the course you want to add to your playlist, just select the course and click on the ‘Add to Playlist’ button. The final step is synchronizing the SkyCaddie Desktop with your unit. It is easily done by hooking up the SkyCaddie to your computer via the supplied mini-USB cable then selecting the DirectConnect button to begin synchronization. This is a  painless process and quite easy to do in a matter of minutes. After synchronization is complete, you are now ready to go play golf. Depending on the type of subscription plan you choose, you can put up to 10 courses from your playlist onto your SkyCaddie GPS. If for some reason you are unable to find a golf course in the SkyCourses Database of courses, you can map it yourself using the SkyCaddie SG5 and upload it to share with other SkyCaddie members. I did not get to test this function out, because all the courses I play are already in the SkyCourses database. But the SkyCaddie SG5 does come with detailed instructions on mapping your own course.

Performance

The unit works flawlessly. After you turn on the unit the SkyCaddie boots up in less than a minute. When you select one of the courses you have downloaded to the SkyCaddie you are prompted to choose the hole to start on and that’s it. You are now ready to take advantage of SkyCaddie SG5 GPS. The simplicity of the unit is what makes this GPS stand above other GPS units on the market. SkyGolf’s exclusive IntelliGreen technology gives you an eagle’s view of each hole from anywhere on the course. During my tests at Wildfire Golf Club in Scottdale, Arizona,I was able to get yardage information to the center of the green from a dogleg on the course without being able to see the pin. This was extremely useful information, and something you would not be able to do with a laser rangefinder. In addition to the front and back yardages to the center of the green, you can also get the safe distance to either layup in front of, or fly right over, any hazard on the course. This detailed information can lead to better course management skills and an overall lower score. When you finish each hole the SkyCaddie automatically advances to the next hole on the course and updates the yardage information as you approach the tee box. In the event you forget to turn on the SkyCaddie when you begin your round of golf, you can always click on the ‘Select Hole to Play’ button on the unit to choose your hole.

The SkyCaddie SG5 comes with a rechargeable lithium battery that claims 14 hours of battery life. In my tests of the SkyCaddie SG5 over the past 3 weeks I’ve been able to play 6 rounds of golf with about three-quarters of the battery life remaining. So it’s safe to say you can easily get 14 hours of battery life as advertised from one full charge.

Want to know how far you have hit your ball? That’s easily accomplished by pushing the ‘Mark Ball’ icon on the SG5. Simply press the button from where you hit your shot and hit the ‘Mark Ball’ button again from where your ball has landed. SkyCaddie will tell you exactly how far the ball has traveled. I loved using this feature, because it gave me a more accurate measurement of how far I hit my shots without having to use the sprinkler head markers as measurement gauge.

30 Day Satisfaction Guarantee

SkyCaddie comes with a generous 30 day satisfaction guarantee. SkyCaddie is so confident it will improve your game, they guarantee that if you play at least three rounds with the SkyCaddie within 30 days, and you don’t agree that it helps you play better, play faster, and have more fun, you can return it for a refund (excluding shipping and handling).

I found a few minor drawbacks to the SkyCaddie SG5, one is that you need to download the courses in advance onto the unit instead of on-the fly via some sort of radio link. On my recent trip to Arizona, I loaded up the Boulders South Course on my unit. But when I got to the course, they had closed the South Course so I played the North Course instead. Since I did not download the Boulders North Course to my SkyCaddie, I was unable to use the unit. It would be nice, if in the future they made it possible to download the courses directly to the SkyCaddie via an internal device, without having to synchronize them with a computer. Or if it could download the course onto your unit based on your location as determined by the SkyCaddie satellites. Another minor drawback that I found, was not being able to keep score on the SkyCaddie SG5. While at times I did think this would have been useful, I feel that it was probably a smart decision on SkyCaddie’s part to leave that functionality off. The SkyCaddie SG5 is intended to give you course information to play smarter and faster golf, not waste time entering your score at the end of each hole. I would think such a feature might slow you down.

I’ve really enjoyed using the SkyCaddie SG5 and will definitely recommend it as an invaluable, easy to use product. You really can’t go wrong with the SkyCaddie SG5. Now if it could only help me with my golf swing….

SkyCaddie SG5 Retails for $429.95

What do Geoff Ogilvy and myself have in common? Nothing, except the latest version of the Puma Swing GTX Golf shoe. I’ve been testing the new Puma Swing GTX golf shoe in various course conditions over the past three weeks and I’m loving the combination of style and function from this lightweight golf shoe.

What sets the Puma Swing GTX apart from other golf shoes on the market?

Smart Quills

Smart Quill spikes are made out of TPU plastic (which will last two-years according to Puma), and each one is positioned at a specific angle to customize traction for your backswing, downswing, and follow-through. And don’t be alarmed that the left foot and right foot have different quill patterns and appear in contrasting colors; they are designed that way. Puma created them differently because each plays its own role during your swing. The Smart Quills are not only "green friendly", they also provide great traction and feel in all types of conditions: firm fairways, fluffy bunkers, hardpan, deep rough, and on the green. One of the hidden benefits of the smart quills are that they prevent the clumping of dirt and debris, thereby eliminating the need to clean the quills after each round, as you would with regular soft spikes.

Comfort

The glass fiber sole plate and even distribution of the quills make this shoe extremely lightweight and comfortable to play and walk in. When I finish a round of golf my feet are considerably less fatigued than they normally would be with my older shoes.

Construction

Full Grain water resistant leather and waterproof Gore-Tex lining make this shoe highly breathable, even in the extreme heat. I played several rounds of golf in 100 degree plus heat in Arizona and my feet were very comfortable and dry after each round. Try that with any other golf shoe and I’m certain your feet will be very uncomfortable and wet. The Swing GTX’s leather upper has a two-year guaranteed Gore-Tex waterproof warranty. Also, the outsole is covered under a two-year warranty. Please visit golf.puma.com for more information.

Style

I really liked the sporty look of the shoe, as it combines classic style with a modern twist. I received several compliments by golfers commenting on what nice and comfortable looking shoe the Swing GTX is. And even my golf instructor said he would be picking up a pair after he noticed them at my golf lesson.

The only drawback that I can find with this shoe is the $250 retail price tag, which might prevent people from picking up a pair of these excellent golf shoes.

If you’re in the market for a new pair of truly lightweight, stylish, functional golf shoes, look no further than the Puma Swing GTX. You may not have the swing or skill of Geoff Ogilvy, but at least you can play in the same shoes as he does.

Puma Swing GTX Color: White-Vibrant Green-Fluo Pink
Price: $250.00

You hear and read about terms like, low compression, soft covers, elasticity, dimple design, etc. And it makes you wonder, aren’t all golf balls the same? I mean they all do the same thing; go in the air, land on the ground, roll, ultimately getting in the hole. All this marketing jargon can’t possibly be true, the manufacturers are just trying to sell golf balls, right?. This is what I thought a year ago when I really wasn’t a very good golfer. What a difference a year makes, because now I’m beginning to see a difference in how selecting the right golf ball can help your game.

Golf balls have come a long way in terms of technology and playability, and choosing the right golf ball is just as important as selecting the right golf clubs.  Today I will be reviewing two types of golf balls from Bridegstone Golf, each targeted to the type of game you play.

The first ball is the Bridgestone e6+ Golf Ball aimed at players looking for increased distance, straighter ball flight, softer feel, and low compression around the green.

How does Bridegstone engineer a golf ball that flies straighter, has a longer carry, and soft touch around the green? This is accomplished by having a multi-layer design that has a Anti-Spin/Extra Velocity Inner cover. In my tests, I compared this golf ball to the Titleist NXT Tour, alternating golf balls every other hole. The results of my tests were very surprising.

Off the tee
The first thing I noticed with the Bridgestone e6+ was the long carry distance off the tee and a tremendous amount of roll on the fairway. The ball would land on the fairway and continue to roll long after it had touched down, giving me a much better lie for my second shot. This was greatly appreciated on long Par 4s and Par 5s. Another thing I noticed about my shots off the tee was the trajectory and flight path of the ball. The Ball flight seemed considerably straighter using the e6+ with my driver off the tee and also in the fairway with my irons. The ball would travel at the optimal trajectory every time, something I can’t say was the case with my Titleist NXT Tour. I think a lot of this has to do with 330 Seamless dimple design of the ball that makes the ball more aerodynamic when launched into the air.

Short Game
Since the ball has an Anti-Spin Inner cover the ball has tendency to roll more on firmer greens. So you have to be careful on how you play your wedge shots. Putting with the e6+ ball is easy thanks to the e6+ alignment arrow, which helps with your aim. The soft compression of the e6+ make it more playable and with a soft touch off the putter, I got a better feel for how the ball was going to react.

If your game needs consistent flight path, long carry distance off the tee, and soft feel of multi-layer ball then the Bridgestone e6+ is the ball for you. I think you really can’t go wrong with this all around golf ball.

Key features of the Bridgestone e6+

• Anti-Spin / Extra Velocity Inner Cover

• Soft Surlyn® Outer Cover

• Soft Gradational Compression Energy Core

• 330 Seamless Dimple Design

Bridgestone e6+ Retails $24.95

The second ball is Bridgestone Tour B330-S Golf Ball , aimed at serious players and Tour pros looking for consistent performance, exceptional distance, outstanding control.

To make an equal comparison for the review of the Tour 330-S, I also played Titleist Pro-V1 every other hole. And I was quite surprised at the results of my tests.

Off the tee
Immediately when I hit the Tour B330-S from the tee I could tell this ball was special because of the sound it made off my driver. My drive carried extremely long with a near perfect flight path, shot after shot. From the fairway, the ball had great touch and feel allowing me to easily shape my shots for my approach to the scoring zone. This is all made possible by a couple of engineering feats performed by the Bridgestone R&D team:
1) The Unique Seamless Cover Technology™ of the Tour B330-S produces uniform dimple coverage on the entire ball surface, delivering superior aerodynamics for Tour proven consistency of ball flight and pinpoint accuracy.

2) The newly enhanced Soft Speed Elasticity Core provided increased distance of my shots off the tee and on the fairways. I can’t say I got the same results with the Titleist Pro V1’s I was hitting every other hole. When playing the Pro V1’s the ball would travel about the same distance in most cases, but my flight path was not anywhere nearly the same.

Short Game
The Tour B330-S  has amazing feel and control in and around the greens. The soft urethane cover provided the most notable difference in and around the green and I really can appreciate the touch and control of Tour B330-S. I was able to make precise pitch shots and chips around the green that would stop on a dime. It plays like no other ball I’ve played before.

Value
I’m convinced that Tour B330-S is one of the most underrated premium golf balls on the market. Titleist Pro V1’s may be the number one golf ball on the market, but I would recommend Pro V1 users to give the Tour B330-S a try. They may be surprised at how good a ball the B330-S really is. I was a big fan of the Pro V1’s prior to my tests, but I’m going to switch to the Bridgestone Tour B330-S.

If you want a Tour professional ball that plays consistently, has exceptional distance, and outstanding control in and around the green, then pick up a box of the Bridgestone Tour B330-S.

Key features of the Bridgestone Tour B330-S

• 330 Seamless Dimple Design for Superior Flight Consistency

• Newly Enhanced Soft Speed Elasticity Core for increased distance

• Re-engineered Ionomer Inner Layer for Acceleration

• Soft Urethane Cover for Increased Touch and Control

Bridgestone Tour B330-S Retails for $39.99

Tired of not being able to judge the distance to the pin? Then the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2 may be the solution to this common problem. Bushnell introduces the new Tour V2 with Pinseeker technology — the next generation of Bushnell’s premium digital golf laser rangefinder with selective targeting modes and superb optical quality. The world’s smallest, most advanced laser rangefinder-measuring a mere 1.6×2.8 X 4.3 in., weighing only 6.6 oz, and accurate from 5 to 1000 yards.

Look and Feel
The first thing that stood out to me is the compact look and feel of the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2, and how little the unit weighs (6.6 oz.). A nice feature is the ability to operate the unit with one hand, thanks to the rubberized textured grips on the top and bottom of the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2. This makes it extremely easy to hold, even if your hands are wet.

Performance
To operate the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2 you simply aim the rangefinder at your target and press down on the button located on the top of the unit. Your target distance measurement will then appear in the sight itself. In my tests, using the unit in default mode proved to be very accurate, and useful for identifying not just the golf flag, but the distance to hazards on the golf course. I was able to quickly measure the distance to the pin in a matter of seconds, which really helped me to select the correct club for my approach shots. In instances where there is too much background noise around the green, like trees or houses, the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder V2 also comes with the exclusive Pinseeker mode. Pinseeker mode allows easy targeting of the flag without inadvertently capturing background target distances. When more than one object is acquired, the closer of the two objects is shown on the LCD display. To switch to Pinseeker mode all you do is press the Mode button on the side of the unit and when you look through the rangefinder a flag icon will appear in the sight. One limitation of the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2 is that it can only measure accurately up to 275 yard to the golf flag, so its useful for measuring your approach distances to the hole, but if you are trying to get a measurement from the tee box to the pin on a hole over 275 yards, it may not prove to be accurate. This didn’t bother me too much since I was really interested in knowing my distance to the flag only for my approach shots. If you are looking for a product to provide you with distances beyond 275 yards or from the tee box to the flag, there are other products from Bushnell that can provide such information.

Besides getting pin distance, there are some other great uses of the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2. Thanks to the 5x magnification, it can be used as a scope to help find your golf ball. I used it several times during my tests to help locate the ball of my fellow golfers. Also, as mentioned earlier, the rangefinder can be used to measure the distance to a course hazard. In one case I was able to measure the distance to the near side of a river running across the front of the green. I found this to very helpful because I now had reliable information which would help me choose the right club and play my shot.

Overall I really liked using the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2, it’s simple to operate, lightweight, and provides helpful yardage information. Stop struggling to get an accurate measurement to the pin and get yourself the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2.

Key Features of the Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2:

• 5x magnification
• Ranges from 275 yards to the golf flag, 700 yards to trees, 1000 yards to reflective pins
• Exclusive Bushnell Pinseeker mode
• Scan mode in view on LCD optics
• Provides instantaneous measurements in yards and/or meters

Bushnell Laser Rangefinder Tour V2 retails for $349

Over the years golf technology has made many advancements in drivers, club heads, shafts, etc. But,compared to other golf clubs in your bag, the wedge has seen very little innovation. Most golfers, including myself, have more than one wedge in their golf bag (PW, GW, SW, LW) each with a specific use: high bounce wedge for the sand and rough and low bounce wedge for tight lies and firm turf, etc.

Eidolon Golf (the name Eidolon (eye-do-lon) literally means, ‘The image of an ideal” ) is changing the way golfers use their wedges and also helping them to improve their short game by providing more than one way to use the wedges in their bag.

How does Eidolon 56 Mid Wedge differ from its competition?

There are four things that make Eidolon Wedges different and much more versatile club to have in your bag:

1) Patented V-Sole
Eidolon wedges come with two distinct bounce angles in each wedge, so that you have just the right bounce all the time. Rather than having to swap out different wedges for different types of lies, the V-Sole design gives the main part of the sole a low bounce (7), so that you can get down into the shot from the tightest of lies. But the leading ¼” of the sole features a very aggressive bounce (30) to ensure that same EIDOLON V-SOLE wedge will function perfectly from bunkers, rough and other shots where a high bounce is desirable.

For the past three weeks I’ve been testing the Eidolon 56 Mid Wedge (Rifle® Spinner®,Steel, Regular Flex, Bounce 30/7), replacing my Titleist 54/10 Vokey Spinned Milled Wedge and have to say that I’m very impressed by the V-Sole technology. The V-Sole made the 56 Mid Wedge my go-to club in the bag, using it in all types of conditions and lies on the course. I normally can only use my Titleist in the sand and rough, but the V-Sole of the Eidolon Wedge allowed me to play my shot from the desert hardpan of Arizona, the middle of the fairway, deep bunkers, and tight lies around the green.

2) CNC Milled Grooves
Eidolon Golf CNC-mills each groove into each wedge which is a time consuming and expensive process, but the result is unmatched spin and stopping power. Each groove is cut individually to ensure absolute perfection. The result of this special treatment is that you get the maximum spin allowed by the Rules of Golf. Eidolon claims “More spin than any other wedges in golf. Guaranteed.” And I have to agree with that statement. I was blown away by how quickly my shots would just stick the minute they hit the green, leaving me close to the pin.

3) Multiple Shafts
Typically, wedges are only available in one type of shaft, Steel Wedge Flex with no other options. Eidolon takes it to the next level by providing you with two types of shaft materials (Rifle® Spinner®,Steel and SCoR™ Graphite) and several flex options (Regular and Firm). This allows you to match your wedges to your irons, so if you play steel regular flex irons or graphite firm flex irons, you’ll have the same feel and performance with your wedges. When I first held the Eidolon 56 Mid Wedge I really liked the weight of the wedge, it felt very good and felt similar to my irons when I swung the club. I was able to smoothly transition from hitting my 5 iron to my 56 Mid Wedge with no loss in performance or feel in my swing. This is something that most players don’t think about or realize and makes the Eidolon Wedge stand apart from the competition.

4) SCoR™ grip
All Eidolon V-Sole wedges come with the innovative SCoR™ grip. Not only does this outstanding new grip give you unmatched feel and control of the club, the graphic pattern on the SCoR grip coaches you to a measure of shotmaking precision and mental focus on your short game that you never imagined possible. The grip has a nice tactile feel allowing your hands to feel every shot and give you the control you need when playing a variety of shots.

Money Back Guarantee
EIDOLON Golf guarantees their V-SOLE wedges will give you increased spin and more versatile performance from any kind of lie than any other wedge. If you are not satisfied for any reason, they will refund 100% of your purchase price, including shipping charges. You really can’t go wrong with a guarantee like that and your short game really deserves a well made versatile wedge like the Eidolon 56 Mid Wedge.

I have to admit I was a little skeptical at first about the idea of multiple bounce of the V-Sole, but after using the 56 Mid Wedge at my local golf course (in Chicago), in Las Vegas, and in Scottsdale, Arizona over the past three weeks I am a true believer in the Eidolon V-Sole. It is hands down the most versatile wedge in my bag and it will be replacing my Titleist Vokey Spin Milled 54/10 Wedge.

What are you waiting for?

Eidolon 56 Mid Wedge retails for $129.

Gatorade Tiger Thirst Quencher is the latest energy drink from Gatorade, that is specially formulated to provide 25 percent more electrolytes to advance fluid and electrolyte replacement. The new Thirst Quencher line was specially formulated for Tiger Woods in three great tasting flavors he selected.

Gatorade began working with Tiger in Fall 2007 when he met with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute (GSSI) to undergo a series of hydration and physiological tests to understand his sweat rate, sweat sodium concentration, and energy expenditure. This resulted in a nutrition and hydration strategy designed to improve Tiger’s physical and mental performance.

How does Gatorade Tiger taste? I’ve been drinking all three flavors; Red Drive is a crisp blend of cherry and citrus flavors inspired by Tiger, Cool Fusion a citrus blend that is flavored with one part key lime and one part lemonade, and Quiet Storm a refreshingly focused blend of grape flavors. I really liked all three flavors a lot and found them to be quite refreshing. The initial taste is sweet, but it’s not overly sweet and mellows out after your sip. The one thing that makes Gatorade Tiger stand apart from other energy drinks is the lack of artificial after taste when your done drinking. The lack of chemical aftertaste and hydrating properties makes Gatorade Tiger my new drink of choice when I golf.

All three flavors of Gatorade Tiger are available at grocery, convenience, mass and club stores nationwide in 500ml (16.9 oz.) and 32 oz. bottles. $1.29 - $1.39.

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