What’s New and Unusual for New England Spring Golf (Part 2 of 3)

By Leigh MacKay

Noteworthy Equipment

Although Titleist is understandably touting the newest version of the bestselling Pro V’s, I am touting Titleist’s WedgeWorks, the latest concept in crafting those 52-60 degree implements that bring a short game to life or death. Bob Vokey is the master craftsman whose name has become synonymous with Titleist wedges: his WedgeWorks is the custom shop where you can now have your wedges created especially for you. Each personalized creation is one-of-a-kind, custom engraved, hand-stamped, and built by Bob and his team. Special grinds, exclusive finishes, tour-issue heads, loft and lie, grips, shafts-you make the call, and your wedge is built to your specs. Now around the green we can all play like Rickie Fowler-sort of.

If you are unfamiliar with Boccieri Golf, perhaps you are familiar with the “Heavy Putter,” Stephen Boccieri’s respected addition to golf’s putting pantheon. With a 75% higher balance point than conventional putters to foster a more consistent release through impact, the Heavy Putter both eliminates excessive hand and/or wrist action and encourages more solid contact and better distance control. The success of this weapon encouraged Boccieri to devise a full set of woods and irons. To improve body mechanics and promote greater distance and control, his Control Series clubs incorporate (1) an increased head weight to maximize force at impact and (2) an exclusive backweight system in the grip end of the shaft to raise the balance point for increased clubhead speed.

Another up-and-coming company is Sweet Spot Golf. Founded in 2007, SSG designs and manufactures state-of-the-art women’s clubs. Inspired by the engineering of bicycle racing helmets, the patented face reduces aerodynamic drag, increases clubhead speed, and produces improved shot distance and accuracy. The SSG Precision Positioning System aids the golfer in aligning the clubface at ball address. With these revolutionary features, Sweet Spot Golf clubs are endorsed by the Women’s National Golf Schools, the largest women’s golf academy in the world. Sweet Spot Golf is dedicated to helping grow the game of women’s golf.

Keri Golf is also appealing to the distaff side with Keri Murschell’s creation of stylish golf bags, currently in use by Christina Kim, Se Ri Pak and Brittany Lincicome. In 2008 Keri Golf partnered with Adams Golf to market ladies golf bags and complete sets of Adams clubs, intended specifically for women. Keri explains her purpose: “My collection combines a bold color palette of navy, white, and poppy red. These compliment my geometric patterns of animal prints and windowpane checks. The tailored lines of the bags are accented with pops of contrasting color, patent leather trims, and golf-plated hardware. A detachable cosmetic bag carries personal items.” Keri Golf also plays to a woman’s fancy with sleek, snappy headcovers and chic totes to transport all the necessary gear.

Challenging the traditional glove makers is upstart HIRZL, a Swiss firm that produces performance gloves for a variety of sports such as cycling and equestrian. Their mission-”We believe in glove”-is to present a trio of gloves that makes sweaty palms, inferior bad-weather control, and planned obsolescence a frustration of the past. HIRZL all-weather gloves, Trust Feel and Trust Control, both with GRIPP Technology promise 2-3 times more grip in dry weather conditions and 4-5 times more grip in wet weather conditions. Both are made of kangaroo leather and have a 100% sweat-free palm. Both can be hand washed in cold water to restore the glove to almost-new condition and will last round after round after round. The top-of-the-line SOFFFT Flex is a new generation Cabretta with extraordinary softness, long-lasting enjoyment, rend and perspiration resistance, and machine washability.

Bridgestone Golf has unveiled the latest versions of its popular e-Series distance performance golf balls, all featuring a proprietary new Dual Dimple Technology, optimizing aerodynamics at launch and during descent. The four B330 models in the Tour Performance Series target more skilled and demanding players. Each e-Series and B330 ball has characteristics that match various swing tendencies, thus promoting distance, feel, and control for players of all abilities and swing speeds. For the first time, the e-6 is available in optic yellow and red, and the Tour B330-RX in optic yellow. You can chat live with ball-fitting technicians via Bridgestone’s free B-FIT service by visiting www.bridgestonegolf.com/bfit, or by calling 1-877-411-BFIT.

It’s no secret that TaylorMade is trying to corner the driver market with its iconic R11 tuning technology and its attention-grabbing white head. For those many players who swear by their driver, TaylorMade has produced several R11 accessories to complement their #1 stick: the R11 golf bag, glove, hat and visor. The R11 Pure-Lite Stand Bag at 4.9 pounds is for the serious walker and has a balanced fit for comfort and portability. Both the top and bottom have integrated handles, there are seven total pockets including one for valuables, and the shoulder straps are ventilated and ergonomic. The R11 glove is made from tour-proven AAA Cabretta leather for exceptional feel, the elastomer closure offers custom-fit capability, and the black ion interior cuff draws off moisture. The hat with its adjustable back and the visor with its Velcro closure share moisture wicking fabrics and sweatbands with UV protection of 30 UPF, a dark underbill to reduce glare, and R11 Tour branding with a 3-D front logo and TaylorMade side logos. Other R11 accessories include an umbrella, cart towel, player towel, and ball marker.

Two new grip companies have entered the fray, and each one has a different grasp of the situation. Pure Grips has a singular installation process that requires no adhesive tapes or solvents and is 75% faster than the conventional method. Using its own proprietary quick connecting tools, the simple power of air pressure installs the grips as securely as any adhesive tape. The all-weather line of grips affords superior feel and comfort and exceptional durability. The company guarantees that the grips will remain supple and tacky and will perform in all conditions for 12 months. Founder Mike Smith says, “If you can wear these babies out in a year, we salute you and will be glad to replace them.”

“The squeeze is off” at JumboMax where the super-oversized diameter of the grips allows players to relax their hands and wrap them around more surface area. JumboMax believes that, because the grips fit the hands better and keep the hands and arms more relaxed, players have more control of the club and execute more consistent and more solid ball striking. Also, those with very large or arthritic hands benefit from the super-oversized, twist-resistant, shock-absorbing technology.

The Eyes Have It

Callaway Golf utilizes NEOX Transitions SOLFX sun lenses to enhance visual performance on the course. Blocking 100% of UV rays, these sun glasses are engineered to counteract the problems encountered with typical lenses, like distortion in both color and object sight and decreased depth of field as lighting conditions change. The photochromic lenses automatically adjust color and darkness for better vision all day, sharpen depth perception for more accurate distance vision to track the flight of the ball, and offer outstanding clarity to better perceive terrain and green undulations. As UV light increases or decreases, the lens color seamlessly optimizes to enhance the player’s vision.

Tifosi is the Italian word for the sports enthusiast, and Tifosi Optics manufactures technically advanced eyewear for all sportsmen but especially for cyclists, tennis players, and golfers. The polycarbonate decentered lens with 100% UV protection flexes instead of shattering upon impact and eliminates optical distortion. The lens is also ventilated at the sides to decrease fogging and help cool the wearer. The glare guard on the lens decreases eye fatigue while promoting the distinguishing of terrain changes. The frame of homopolyamide nylon is virtually indestructible, and the hydrophilic adjustable nose and ear pieces are designed to increase grip, not lose it, when in contact with sweat.

Scheyden Precision Eyewear is the luxury market leader in lenses and frames for aviation, golf, fishing, and yachting and provides superb sun protection on and off the course. Designed and manufactured to exacting standards, the Revelry Composite Hybrid allows players to see subtle contours in different and constantly changing light conditions, thus making the reading and execution of putts consistent and reliable. A favorite of professional golfers on the PGA, LPGA and Champions tours, the evolutionary sunglasses are also the choice of military, commercial, private and aerobatic pilots-including the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and Red Bull Air Racer Pete McLeod.