Must-Have Holiday Golf Gifts for 2007
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By: Dr. Barry Lotz
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This year’s new golf products are innovative, useful and beneficial. What more do you need to give yourself a reason to buy a great gift for your circle of influence, family and friends? Even for yourself!
What every golfer needs for playing golf – good Karma. This 2-piece ball with a 312-dimple pattern will be Nike’s softest ball to date and will benefit those golfers with slower swing speeds. With only a 50 compression, compared to the average 80-90 compression balls of today, the feel and distance are excellent. When golfers need more good KARMA to carry the ball over a lake, bunker or any other obstacle that can get in the way of a good shot, the KARMA ball will provide them with renewed confidence with its new 312 dimple design that delivers high trajectory. Nike Golf conscientiously has packaged the KARMA ball with 50% recycled content. The packaging itself triggers a connection to the earth combined with a sophisticated look. The KARMA ball also includes a unique and distinctive face stamp graphic, distancing itself from any other ball in the market. MSRP: $28.99 per dozen
It works admirably – I personally had just 24 putts from various distances. The golfer’s thumbs sit side by side on the grip, which lies between the palms and fingers. “Simple grip, simple setup, simple stroke,” Zichmanis points out. “You putt as one triangle from putter head to shoulders. Flipping the wrists – the number one cause of missed putts – is impossible. Also available is the Pure Pendulum putter. Clay Long, who designed the Response putter with which Jack Nicklaus won the 1986 Masters, designed the Pure 1 putter head.
Its ease of use, together with its alignment features, topped by its amazing feel, bring the joy back to putting! It is a true system, integrating your hands, the putter grip and the stroke in a way not offered by most putters. It’s USGA approved! MSRP: $199.00
The difference in price is minimal with the Slope Edition retailing for $449.99 and the Tournament Edition for $399.99. Both perform extremely well and distances are a snap with a click of a well-positioned button. Not only is it simple to use, but is accurate to +/- one yard from 5 to 1,500 yards away and will range directly to the flag, not the objects behind it. The units are completely waterproof, weigh just 11.9 oz. and have premium carry bags. Earlier this year, Bushnell introduced the Medalist laser rangefinder, a unit that employs the same PinSeeker technology, but is more compact and is offered at $299. What makes the Bushnell family of laser rangefinders so successful is the ease of use and the ability to be used right-out-of-the-box allowing it to be played at 100% of the courses around the world without the use of GPS downloads, prisms or reflectors. MSRP: $299.00
Kashwere for Golf offers unique luxury options in robes, throws, children’s apparel and blankets along with beautiful outerwear for women. The throw is designed to withstand many washings, has a fast dry time and will never shrink, wrinkle, or pill, if proper care instructions are followed. The throw is stunning. One touch of this luxurious yarn and you may never leave home again! MSRP: $175.00
Try the BreakMaster, as is currently being used by hundreds of Tour Pros and caddies on the PGA, Champions, LPGA, Nationwide, Canadian and European Tours. Both Vijay and Camilo are proponents of the BreakMaster. In its short time on the market, the BreakMaster has become the go-to device used worldwide by tournament committees to set pin positions for major competitions. The BreakMaster is far more compact than the much larger “digital levels” which had been used for this function in the past. What’s more, the BreakMaster measures green slope in all directions, whereas, the digital levels only measure one slope at a time. A truly useful tool and a great stocking stuffer! MSRP: $79.95
Similar to a 3-wheel push cart, the NAVIGATOR is self-propelled and allows you to enjoy the exercise of walking, while totally eliminating the strain of pulling or pushing your cart around the course. This electric cart climbs and descends hills effortlessly, while running on a rechargeable battery that’s made to last 18 holes of play. Amongst it’s numerous other features are an electronic compass to ensure that the cart goes where you want it to go without constant steering, handle mounted controls in addition to the remote control, maintenance free 12 inch non-flat tires, and twin calibrated 140 watt motors, ensuring the cart tracks straight. The battery is included. The Navigator is easily collapsible and fits into most car trunks very compactly. MSRP: $1495.95
Clicgear golf pushcart is precisely engineered to be the world’s smallest three-wheel golf pushcart when folded. Clicgear folds to an amazing 24″ X 15″ X 13″ that is small enough to fit into a storage locker, or corner of any vehicle trunk. That’s up to 40% LESS SPACE than other three wheel carts! Made of aircraft grade aluminum, the cart uses easy rolling pneumatic tires (pump included) that has an easy to use Positive-Lock hand brake. There is a full size console tray which gives you room for golf balls, tees, wallets, cell phones or car keys plus a very useful folding beverage holder to hold almost any size cold drink. Also included are an umbrella holder and a towel hook with a VELCRO brand strap that makes a great place to attach your glove while on the green. The best features of the 18 lb Clicgear are its ability to fold down so compactly and easily and how well it handles on the course, especially going up and down hills. An assortment of colors is available. MSRP: $189.95
The LeaderBoard develops both muscle function and motor skill (movement patterns) and physically prepares golfers with incredible precision and efficiency. By using the LeaderBoard, a golfer develops leg and midsection muscles needed to create a solid base of support while ingraining the correct movement patterns that generate powerful and accurate golf shots. The LeaderBoard is a two-part system that allows any golfer to correct problems in their golf-swing, stance, and follow-through by giving your body direct feedback on whether or not the movements you’re making are lined up properly or not. Additionally, the LeaderBoard has many other great attributes in that it will cure the reverse pivot, sliding hips, posture and poor balance, coming over the top and a host of other common mistakes. One definitive benefit of the LeaderBoard is that you will see a marked improvement in your timing and tempo and rhythm and balance. MSRP: $250.00 plus $20 shipping
The ClimaCool Women’s Anti-Microbial Convertible Dress is one of the most innovative golf-specific garments on the market, as it offers three pieces in one – dress, polo and skirt – and is designed to be worn as a dress or converted to two pieces so the polo and skirt can be worn separately. The convertible dress is 95% polyester/5% Lycra Coolmax® Extreme French terry, for cool comfort with outstanding freedom of motion. A notched open sleeve and self collar as well as UV protection are the dress’s additional attributes. Sizes S-XL. MSRP: $110.00
Featuring a rib knit collar and open hem sleeves with front and back mesh panels, the shirt also comes with UV protection and a contrast adidas brand mark at the back neck yoke. Navy/Royal plus numerous other color combinations are available. Sizes M-XXL MSRP: $65.00
With the introduction of their sport fabric line, Pureformance, their entrance into the technical market has again rocketed their golf shirts to the leadership role. Featuring all of the hallmarks of a typical Fairway & Greene 100% cotton golf shirt, the Pureformance fabric features the same luxurious Fairway & Greene 100% Pima cotton yarn on the outside of the garment, backed by a high quality, micro-denier polyester yarn on the interior which moves moisture away from the golfer’s body more effectively and more comfortably than any other fabric. The result is a hybrid shirt that retains the look, feel and style of a pure cotton golf shirt with beautiful patterns and stripes, but with the most advanced and highest quality, moisture-wicking fabric available against the skin. All of the Pureformance products feature the same classic proprietary collar that Fairway & Greene has always used on its shirts – they always look so fresh and straight, rather than the curled collar so dominant and tacky seen on most golf shirts. Combining the cotton and polyester allows Fairway & Greene to provide its core customers with performance benefits while also giving them the elegant stripes and jacquards they expect, along with the typical Fairway & Greene look, feel and luster. The Pureformance line, like the company’s other collections, will be available exclusively at the finest private clubs and resorts around the world. It will carry the same suggested retail price as Fairway & Greene’s cotton shirts: $80 for solid colors and $90 for patterns. MSRP: cotton shirts: $80 for solid colors and $90 for patterns
The G>SOK R-Series also uses GORE-TEX(R) materials to provide superior waterproof protection and maximum breathability. MSRP: $150.00
Not only do they have great aesthetics, but the performance of these irons, from feel to distance, to a great set-up at address, is “nullus secundus” – second to none! They are, with the help of a new shaft and titanium face, able to produce and promote faster ball speed and more distance – what every golfer needs! The RE*AX® SuperFast graphite shafts are for faster swing speed for more yardage. The ultra-large club head features a thin and fast titanium clubface that delivers exceptionally high COR to promote faster ball speed and more distance. The Burner XD’s titanium clubface is more than just fast; it’s also extremely forgiving, thanks to TaylorMade’s Inverted Cone Technology, which is clearly visible on the backside of the clubface. ICT expands the part of the clubface that delivers high ball speed. Between that and the large and stable club head, Burner XD is extraordinarily forgiving and easy to hit. Additionally, Burner XD’s titanium clubface is exceedingly light, and the saved weight is used to move the center of gravity low and deep within the club head. That makes it easy to launch the ball on a high, strong, long flight, promoting the kind of distance that Burner players covet. The 17-4 stainless steel club head and titanium clubface are joined using a method called lip encasement, a process that mechanically unites the two dissimilar materials. TaylorMade Burner XD irons are available in 3- through 9-, pitching wedge, attack wedge, sand wedge and lob wedge. MSRP: $138.00 per club – steel and $168.00 per club graphite
The unique shaft bend reveals more of the face, which combined with a single sight line in the back cavity, makes for an extremely easy alignment of the putter face. YES! putters are used on the worldwide tours by over 200 professionals and have recorded 15 wins already this year. MSRP: $190.00
Their latest driver is the 4DX D-Spec driver. As it is with all the newest drivers, MOI and CG are the buzzwords. The raw head of this 460 CC driver weighs 180 grams. This is one of the lightest of any raw 460 CC driver heads on the market. This helps increase the swing speed of the driver significantly and allows for maximum distance. The D-Spec’s loft, lie, CG (center of gravity), MOI (moment of inertia) and weight have all been configured to make the ball have the perfect draw. This driver is specifically engineered for those players who prefer a flatter trajectory and a more workable ball flight. Rather than using movable weight technology, Nickent opted for a system utilizing Tungsten-Polymer XW Inserts, an innovation that allows for 16 grams of weight to be adjusted in 2-gram increments by the manufacturer for directional control and swing weight purposes. This allows for a classic design with a very high MOI and perimeter heel/toe weighting, creating a very large sweet spot on the face. A 0.4 mm super thin titanium crown makes this one of the thinnest crowns in any driver. The ball explodes off the face of the driver. Available in lofts of 9 °, 10.5 °, 12 °, 14 ° using UST as the club’s primary shaft provider. A Tour version is available with Tour Spec Lofts of 8°, 9°, 10.5° MSRP: $259.99
In addition to a repeatable pro set up with an onset-designed putter, is an immediate roll of the ball. When this immediate roll is achieved, the ball goes straighter. On the other hand, with standard putters, which use offset, the ball actually backspins. With onset putters, upon impact – the ball is actually lifted with over spin – in what’s called “dynamic lofting”. Dandy’s new Pro Black Mallet face is precision milled from 303 stainless steel and the body is milled from aerospace aluminum and then hard anodized for lasting surface durability. The Pro Black has an extremely large sweet spot and delivers all the benefits of the original Dandy design with a new improved look – plus unbelievable feel and ease of set-up. One of Dandy Golf’s biggest proponents of this technology is Dr. Gil Morgan who has used a Dandy putter for many of his Champion Tour victories. The putter comes with instructional DVD featuring Dr. Gil Morgan and Dandy Inventor and PGA Tour Instructor, Allan Strand and a new Mallet Set-up Trainer to get you up and putting your best – fast! MSRP: $269.00
Whether you are a player, parent, or coach, this book will empower you to get the most out of the game. Golf Guide For Parents and Players unveils the secrets of success for junior golf, college golf, the professional tour and beyond. The authors, Johnny Gonzales and Jacqui Nicoletti McSorley, offer a complete roadmap for parents, professionals and kids. Jack Nicklaus, endorses this book and writes his praises on the first page.
MSRP: $26.95
This is a book wherein the game of golf is a conduit on how it feels to be alive. The author writes beautifully, his observations are both razor-sharp as well as zany. It’s about how golf is played in Scotland, the historical background of linguistic traditions and his excellent taste in golf courses. Available December 10, 2007. MSRP: $23.95 Have a great time shopping and have a marvelous holiday season with your family and friends to whom you have given these gifts. |
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Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional Golf Teachers Association of America. He is a member of the Golf Writers Association of America, the California Golf Writers Association, and serves both as a Consultant and Mediator to the golf industry. He is also the author of numerous books, including “333 Best Web Sites for Golfers” and his current book, “How to Build Business Relationships Through Golf” is in the Top Ten Golf Business Book’s best seller list. He can be reached at www.pgtaa.com or drlotz@cbsgolf.net |
Nike’s Karma Golf Ball
Having putting problems? The Pure Pendulum grip is probably one of the best inventions in putting grips. Golf Digest recognized the validity of this product and included a whole article on its inventor, Janis Zachmanis.
This putter not only feels absolutely wonderful, but its hole-seeking capabilities are nothing short of amazing! Its revolutionary concept and grip will make you a more consistent putter and a better putter.
Bushnell has two models in their extremely popular PinSeeker 1500 Series – the Slope Edition and the Tournament Edition. The main difference is the Slope edition shows compensated distance through the rangefinder and takes the guesswork out of elevation changes. The Slope Edition is not currently USGA approved for tournament play and posting of scores for handicap purpose as is the Tournament Edition.
A perfect compliment to any setting plus being a great gift for the holidays and golf tournaments! The throw comes in the 3 color combinations of Camel/Crème, Camel/Red and Camel/Chocolate all in Kashwere’s proprietary chenilla yarns. The throws are 70″ x 52″ in size.
Having trouble reading the greens? Figuring out the break?
This simply is one of the best remote controlled golf carts I’ve tested – what a wonderful gift for the walking golfer!
For those golfers who prefer to walk, the 2007 PGA Show Product of the Year, the Clicgear Cart, is the next generation in golf push-cart technology.
One of this year’s better training and teaching aids, the LeaderBoard training and fitness device is currently being used by over 50 elite professionals, including Stuart Appleby, Geoff Ogilvy, Adam Scott and K.J. Choi
adidas’ industry-first ClimaCool technology is an advanced moisture-management system that incorporates the best moisture-management fabric in the industry, CoolMax® Extreme. Additionally, ClimaCool incorporates strategically positioned vents in critical heat zones for improved air-flow, resulting in a more breathable garment that reduces skin temperature and keeps the wearer cool and comfortable.
Not to be outdone by the adidas ladies’ collection, the men’s has introduced their Pique polo shirt.
Without doubt, Fairway & Greene represents the ultimate in quality and design among golf’s apparel manufacturers. Their timeless and classic styles, their proprietary collar and use of natural fibers allowed them to reach the pinnacle of the luxury golf shirt market.
The popular G>SOK golf shoe has expanded its offerings with the new G>SOK R-Series GT. The golf shoe features a new cushioning system called RCS (Resilient Cushion System), which gives golfers more cushioning in the mid sole allowing for softer impact and more energy return on every step.
Looking for a great set of irons? Look no further. As the golf business leader, TaylorMade has introduced a set of irons that are simply awesome.
The Valerie putter is the latest model in the line of popular C-Groove putters by YES! Golf. This mallet putter is a face-balanced, double bend shafted design with a twist.
Another one of the rising stars in the equipment domain, Nickent Golf, is fast becoming best known for its rescue, irons and fairway woods. Now, with the addition of John Hoeflich as a designer, Nickent Golf is now making a name for itself in drivers as well.
Dandy Golf’s USP (Unique Selling Proposition) is that their putters are the first and only integrated putting system which promotes a true straight back and through putting stroke. This is based on their theory that only the Dandy Putter, with its onset shaft position and faces balancing, can deliver the putter head naturally online. The onset shaft position is where the face is located in front of the shaft allowing a clear view of the putter face and the ball.
Millions of kids are getting into golf all over the world. Golf offers unparalleled opportunities – world travel, money for college, great career choices. This book is chockfull of practical answers and unique ideas and insights.
Something different in a golf book – something that is truly useful – life thinking is the underlying theme. It is satisfying, provocative, demanding and alluring reading.
I recently was examining swing sequences of some of the greatest players in history. Knowing that some of these players favored a draw as their standard shot while others preferred a fade, I sought to identify swing features within each group that would explain their respective ball-flight tendencies. Something profound emerged that I think will benefit all golfers, especially those cursed with a wicked slice.