I’m willing to bet you’ve heard of Foot Joy, but you may not yet be aware of the FJ City, a new line of shoes they released in April of this year. The line is made of up of 6 different models – 3 wing tip and 3 standard, each with a slightly funky twist on color pairings that add a little edge to the standard FootJoy look. As FootJoy’s website puts it: “a street style shoe designed for golf, the FJ City is fashion forward allowing any golfer to look his best on the golf course”.

Being the primary apparel reviewer for Three Guys Golf, it is pretty hard to “wow” me simply because I get to see so much gear. The majority of the apparel I review I would categorize as “really good”, but every so often a brand sticks out as truly exceptional. J. Lindeberg falls into that category. For this review, I was able to try out a number of pieces including pants, shorts and polos (from both their cotton and tech line).

J. Lindeberg is a Swedish company that makes high end apparel that ranges from shoes to jeans to blazers to golf shirts. Because it is a Scandinavian company and is primary sold in retail locations and clubhouses, for many golfers it is not a household name. On tour, Camilo Villegas is the brand’s most noted ambassador, although they do have a number of other players on the PGA and European Tours (most notably Jamie Donaldson). 

If, however, you are one of those who is familiar with the brand, you likely think of the company as a way-too-hip Euro brand that is only suitable for super good looking athletic golfers. While it never hurts to have Camilo’s looks, I think brands like J. Lindeberg often get wrongly overlooked for this reason. The fact is, well designed apparel looks good on everyone.

Upon receiving the package from J. Lindeberg, my first impressions came by way of inspection of the fabric. In my opinion, this is where exceptional apparel stands out. Imagine doing a blind “feel test” where the only way you could judge a golf shirt or pair of trousers was based on touch. The fact is, most golf shirts feel the same because they are made with a very standard tech material. On the other hand, with the  J. Lindeberg apparel, I could immediately discern the level of quality.

As I mentioned, J. Lindeberg sent us a full complement of their golf apparel so I had to opportunity to get a thorough look at what they had to offer. Starting with the polos, since that is what most people focus on, I broke the shirts into two categories: cotton and polyester.

On the polyester side, I received the Gustov Fieldsensor. What makes this shirt different than your average golf polo is the combination of pattern, texture and cut. As you might imagine, the cut is fairly European (although sizing is standard). The sleeve length is short, the collar is small, and the tailoring athletic which gives the shirt a svelte look that complements a thinner player. With that said, they also sent us an XL polo for one of our larger bloggers and it looks great as well. The lesson is that athletic fit polos are also complementary to those with less than world class body shapes.

Beyond the tailoring, I really like the raised fabric on the Gustov. The addition of the over-sewn stripe give the polo a level of distinction that your average golf shirt lacks, and because the stripes are all at or above shoulder level, the shirt does not accentuate the gut area. Plus it is super easy to pair with either light or dark shorts. From a care standpoint, the polyester shirts are simple wash and dry. They look fine and hold up well with little additional care.

As much as I like the poly shirts, I absolutely love the cotton shirts. The three cotton J. Lindeberg shirts I received were the Wayatt Reg Lux Stripe Jersey, Travister Slip Jersy and M Marwin Jersey. The Wayatt and Travister are Lux cotton while the M Marwin is a 50/50 cotton poly, giving you the best of both worlds.

These three shirts have instantly become some of my very favorite. The Wayatt (show above) is made from some of the softest cotton I have worn and features wide green hued stripes. This is a cotton lover’s dream as it is just crazy soft, but not too heavy that you cannot wear it in the heat.

Like the Gustov, the Travister Slip Jersey utilize overstitched fabric to accentuate additional features. In this case,  striped taping has been added to the shoulders.

We see this feature again in the M Marwin,which has small colored blocking on the sleeve and taped ribbon in the placket. By simply adding a layer of detail, a common blue shirt now stands out from the crowd.

If you play in milder temperatures or simply prefer the look and feel of cotton versus tech fabrics, these J. Lindeberg polos are absolutely some to the best I have worn. For me, the slender cut works well for my body but I also think that guys who are larger will also appreciate the tailoring. Too often big guys wear over-sized shirt to try and hide a middle-aged belly when in fact they would be better served by wearing a solid colored cotton polo that actually fits properly. The reality is that with a smaller collar and shorter sleeves, the polo will draw attention to your chest and arms rather than your stomach.

The only downside to the cotton J. Lindeberg polos is that they are not super easy to care for. If you choose to wash them you need to make sure to iron while damp or steam them (do not put these shirts in the drier). So yes, these are high maintenance shirts which is a bit of a downer for me because I am super lazy about caring for my shirts. With that said, it is kinda worth the the hassle because they look so darn sharp. Each of these polos have become my “big match” polos as they absolutely blow away nearly every other shirt I have (and I have about 60).

Moving on to the shorts and trousers, J. Lindeberg sent me their M Troon pants and M Lawrence shorts. The fabric used in the trousers is called Micro stretch which basically means they are a light polyester. These pants are perfect for fall and spring, and for those of you who like to wear pants even in the summer, they are light enough to be comfortable. Fitting is very standard so no reason to worry about skinny euro leg sizes. I would classify these pants as absolutely tour appropriate.

The shorts are also made from 100% polyester but they have a silkier look and feel (almost a sheen). For me, this means they resist water (or spills) and clean up in a snap. Playing in humid weather is no issue with these shorts as they are completely chaff free. Pockets are deep and rather than buttons the back pockets utilize velcro.

What I really like about both the shorts and pants are the fact they are stupid easy to care for. Wash and dry and they look just the same as when you first got them. They are also made to look good on just about anyone. Heck the shorts even have cargo pockets (albeit not overley noticeable). My only nit-pick on the shorts is that they do not have any rubber tapping on the waist which helps in keeping you shirt tucked in.

Three years ago I stepped into the J. Lindeberg booth at the PGA show, but being a total newbie to the golf blogging world, I did not get the opportunity to really explore the brand. Fortunately, we have reached a point in which we are able to get a first hand look at this premier clothing line. While I wish the cotton polos were easier to care for, I am 100% impressed with their golf apparel and would highly recommend the brand to discriminating golfers.

You can see the entire line of golf and lifestyle apparel on the J. Lindeberg website.

The greatest golfers have always been described as artists. While technique is a requirement, it is the vision to see shots most could never imagine that has separated the great from the good. Whether it is Phil’s flop shot or Bubba’s 90 yard hook to secure the Masters, we marvel at the artistry of the game. The same holds true for golf equipment and accessories. Beyond technical excellence, it is the artistic vision that moves a product from good to exceptional

When it comes to headcovers, I am on the record stating that 99.9% of big brand headcovers are awful. Not only do they look horrible, they are not even that functional. On the other hand, for two years, I have admired from afar the Seamus headcovers. But until this winter, I never been fortunate enough to see them in person. In January, I picked out three headcovers from the growing Seamus pattern selection. Over the course of the spring, the headcovers have become a staple in my bag, and frankly, I do not see them ever leaving.

Founded by husband and wife team, Megan and Akbar Chisti, Seamus is truly and family-owned and run business. The unique perspectives both individuals bring to the table have helped to make the company one of the most respected small golf accessory companies around. Proof to this point is the fact that Bandon Dunes, along with a number of other prestigious golf courses, carry Seamus in their Pro Shop.

Over the years of writing for Three Guys Golf, I have found that every company has its own vibe and that beyond the actual products, it is that vibe that plays a huge role in how I end up feeling about the company. Now, with huge multi-million dollar behemoths like TaylorMade, that vibe is created in a marketing department by folks who measure trends and focus groups; with small companies the vibe is genuine and is a direct reflection on the owners of the company.

The Seamus vibe is one of tradition, honesty, and appreciation for beauty. Everything Seamus creates harkens to Megan and Akbar’s artistic values and background. Even their trade show booth, which was handmade using old boards and decorated with vintage clubs, signals the Northwest origins of the brand.

None of this is surprising once you speak with Megan or Akbar who are both soft spoken, kind, and insightful, which is a welcome change to the too often “over the top” personalities of the golf world. To me, it is the rare blend of craft, passion and vision that has been as big a factor in Seamus’s success as the product itself.

So what is it about the Seamus headcovers that has garnered such widespread praise? In my opinion, the beauty of Seamus headcovers is two-fold:

First, the selection of woolen patterns is so rooted in the origins of the game. Tartans and plaids from the old country run throughout the collection, many of which are Clan specific. Being a southerner, I don’t know too much about tweeds and other woolen fabrics, but browsing thought the Seamus site, you will find a mutitude of color selections that range from blues to reds to browns. I think it is the combination of color selection and fabric that is at the heart of their essence. So finding a single headcover you love is easy, but perhaps more difficult is trying to envision how different patterns will look next to each other. Fortunatley, I have found that it is hard to go wrong as the mere fact that the fabric and construction is the same means they all look great together.

In addition to the visional beauty of Seamus, the construction of the headcovers is outstanding. Nearly all of the headcovers are made from wool, which holds up incredibly well and tends to repel dirt. On the inside, you will find soft fleece which protects the clubs as well as makes it super easy to get the clubs in and out. Plus, the contrasting color and texture adds to the beauty.

You will note that the headcovers do not have a sock attached and are actually relatively short. While you might think this would lead to the headcovers falling off, this is not at all the case. Part of the reason why they stay on so well is because (in the case of the driver headcover) there is a hidden elastic band sewn inside near the top. Frankly, it is an ingenious little detail as it goes unseen but not unnoticed. Again, I think it goes back to the attention to detail that flows throughout the company. From a durability standpoint, I have been regularly using the Seamus headcovers for 4 months and they look just as good as the day I got them and I expect to keep them for many years.

Beyond the headcovers, Seamus is now branching out to other products including neckwear, wood iPhone cases, pitch repair tools and ball markers. While I cannot personally speak to all of those items, I can say that the ball marker is one of my favorites. I am a bit of a ball marker snob and only use ones that are hand made or one of a kind. I just feel like it is a great opportunity to show individuality and for the most part they do not cost very much. The Seamus ball marker is hardly flashy, but the hand pounded metal has a great weight and size.

I will end this post much the same way I have ended other headcover reviews. Every few years you go out and buy a new driver or fairway wood and for a brief moment in time they are your best friends. Inevitably, you grow weary and the love fades. Soon enough you are on the free market for the next stick to help your game.

Fortunately, this scenario does not have to hold true for many of the other items in your golf bag. Finding a set of headcovers is such an example. Since quality headcovers like Seamus will last for years and years, the actual investment becomes quite small given the amount of use they will get. If you are like the vast majority of golfers who are still toting around the stock headcovers, it is high time you take the plunge.

Check out all of the Seamus headcovers and accessories on the Seamus website.

One look at the Head n Home website and it is clear that these handmade hats are packed with more features than a mega-mall cinaplex. All products are Made in the USA, and the folks at Head’n Home are true artists of the trade. Head’n Home hats come from Freedom, CA. If you need to look at a map to find where that is, you’re not alone. After checking my Atlas, I realized Freedom is in a part of the country that I have a real soft spot for, the Santa Cruz area. Gary Watrous started this venture back in the 70’s and through years of experience and “the school of hard knocks”, their family-owned and family-run business now produces a stunning array of lids that range from the workingman’s everyday top to rock-n-roll extravaganzas. For example, their Steampunk line is frankly insane. While fellow-blogger Adam wanted to get me to try one of these contraptions, I think our golf club has rules about dials and copper pipes on your head (or at least they should). Who knows, they are, if nothing else, impressive so maybe I should have just asked for forgiveness after the fact!

Back to reality, I’ve tried some other wide-brimmed golf hats, and there are some really nice options out there these days, but of the ones we’ve tried, this Sol Air Cabana tops the charts for sure. It’s very clear that this family has done their research when it comes to golf hats. PGA Tour player Rory Sabbatini is featured on their website wearing one of their chapeaus and their caption is “the golf hat that gives you an edge.” I am not here to lie to you about how many strokes it will take off your score, but I’ve also played rounds with an ill-fitting hat, and I’m not looking to repeat those experiences.

I have tested the hat for a number of rounds and practice sessions now, and for my review, I am up out of my chair clapping loudly. The standout features are easy to see:

-The fit is excellent, and the hat stays on in the wind! What a relief to not be worrying about a large brim hat flying off every time a gust of wind comes up. Not only do they send you a hat made for your specific head measurement, they also have different soft inserts to make sure that the hat adjusts to fit your noggin securely. I measured my dome, picked the hat that was my size, and that was that—I didn’t even need to make any adjustments. You may need to order a size that is slightly larger than your measurement and then add some of their brilliant little inserts to find the perfect fit. Helpful instructions for measuring and fitting are on their website.

-The hat is foldable, and crushable. I have folded up this hat and squashed it, and the nylon/polyester blend jumps right back into shape with no effort at all. After simply folding the hat like a taco, it fits right in your suitcase or golf bag– ready to go wherever the golf sirens take you. It is remarkable how easily it regains its original form. I recently showed a friend on the golf course by popping it off, folding it up until it was as flat as a piece of cardboard, and instantly letting it spring back to shape. It truly is hard to believe until you see it. Most of my other experiences with hats that will fold up is that they continue to look like you folded them— while they go back on your head, they can look a bit like you’re wearing an unmade bed.

-The breathable weave is also lined on the dome and brim for a UPF of 50+, while the sides of the dome are just mesh. The sun is a formidable enemy of those of us that spend a lot of hours outdoors during the golf season. Since spreading or spraying sunblock in your hair really kind of sucks, it’s really nice to be able to have a lid that keeps the sun off while allowing breezes blow right through the sides. It’s really a no-brainer solution. Temperature-wise, this is one of the coolest hats I’ve ever tried. The way they’ve attached the lining to the inside of the hat is brilliant, and I’m amazed at the way it blocks the sun but not the wind—very cool.

-It is hand-washable and soakable. I have gotten the whole hat soaked prior to some 90 degree rounds, and once I let the excess water run off for a couple of minutes, the breeze blowing through the hat cooled me off even more. After the round, it is a snap to run the hat under some cool, clear water to wash the sweat out, and get the hat back to new.

-The hat just looks good. The cut, width of the brim, the thin headband and small medallion are all marks of the craftsmanship and vision that goes into their work. There are a number of colors available for this hat, and if you prefer a different style, there are a number of golf hats to choose from on their website www.headnhome.com. The SolAir line is the golf line, but these folks are busy, and their hats range from American Outback western wear to fantasy wear that Hollywood hasn’t touched. (NOTE, it still looks better on my student than me).

Skin cancer is no laughing matter, and neither is heat stroke. Where we live in North Carolina, these are both a concern during the summer months, and I’m really glad to have found the SolAir Cabana hat to keep me cool and shaded during the hottest months of the season. We think you’ll have a hard time browsing their website and not finding something that you will really want to have on your head. The Cabana sells for $64.95, and they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on fit and a lifetime guarantee on materials and workmanship. It’s true, they can’t help if you throw your hat into the middle of the lake on number 17 after you miss that breaking four-footer; but if that’s how you lose it, you’ll have to buy a new hat along with your next lesson.

BONUS: Sign up to WIN a brand new Head n’ Home Solair hat.

Check out all the hats on the Head’n Home website.

Back in the day before cellphones, if you were a stat geek you had to use a good ol’ pencil and scorecard. Personally, I just marked fairways and putts but I have seen guys make all numbers and chicken scratches to indicate various metrics. For example, a couple of years ago after just meeting Mathew Wangrycht (who now writes for Three Guys Golf), he shared with me his spreadsheet of stats. Honestly, I was a little worried about him when I saw the level of detail he tracked. He had literally transcribed hundreds of rounds, which included about 8 different statistics, into one gigantic spreadsheet. Clearly, some of us are a little nutty about knowing our stats.

Once smart phones arrived the task became a little easier. One visit to the App Store and you will find a ton of apps that let you track putts, bunkers, fairways and more. This of course made the task of transcribing into an Excel spreadsheet thankfully obsolete.

In 2014 the next generation of stat-keeping has arrived and it is called Game Golf. The idea is fairly genius. Using a system of small tags on top of your clubs and a base unit attached to your belt, you can now see every shot you took over the round. Using this data you can get any number of statistics which can then be used to improve your game. Lets start at the beginning. Game Golf comes in a box which includes 18 tags for your clubs. Obviously, this is 4 more than you need so you basically get extra in case one is lost or to keep on clubs you switch in and out of your bag. The first step ino setting up the device is to simply plug the Game Golf tracking device into your computer. After setting up an account you are ready to tell the Game Golf which clubs you will be using. Finally, you simply screw each tag into the top of each club. Total setup time about 15 minutes.

On to the course. Unlike my GPS unit, I never forget to charge it up because it comes inside with me after each round since it is on my belt. Once you arrive at the course just turn on the base unit (give it about 5 minutes to find your course before you tee off). After that, the only thing you have to do is to remember to touch the butt of your club to the base device before each shot. Two things here:

1) Even under a sweater, the unit is sensitive enough to be easily tagged. You will feel a slight vibration letting you know the club was tagged. In other words, the act of tagging is super easy.

2) Remembering to tag is not as easy. However, once you get into the habit I find I only miss about 1-2 tags per round. It just becomes part of your pre-shot routine. With that said, I have played a few rounds in which my game was falling apart and subsequently my tag success plummeted as well. I think I subconsciously did not want to tag 3 shots in the space of 40 yards. The only other time I sometimes forget to tag a shot is my final putt (especially when it is a tap in).

GOOD NEWS: Even if you forget to tag, double tag, or switch clubs and tag both, you can always edit the round to make sure everything is correct. I say good news because you have the ability to fix your round to get the statistics correct but the reality is that you will have to spend about 10 minutes with your scorecard after the round to get everything right. For example, if you putt from the fringe Game Golf may think you are on the green so if you care about putting stats you will have to change the putt to “off the green”.

Additionally, you may have to add shots you forgot to tag or penalty shots. Bottom line: this is not a fully automated system. You must be part of the process. I have gotten used to it and it is no big deal when I play my home course because I can remember every single shot I took that day. However, when I play a new course, I have a much harder time making sure all of the stats are correct because I struggle to recall the holes.

Speaking of struggles, the rounds in which I played poorly were far harder for me to edit. Typically I shoot 80-84, but the day I shot 92 I ended up bailing on tagging after 13 holes. You would not think 10 more strokes would make a difference but if you hit one in the woods, pitch out, put one in the sand, another in the sand, then cap it off with a three jack . . . the act of tagging becomes like punching yourself in the mouth. So is all of this work worth it? Well, it depends on how much you value stats. The main dashboard of Game Golf gives you some basic stats that are valuable. Namely, average score, average drive distance, putts per hole and GIR. Nothing too fancy here and other than average drive these are stats that come with nearly every scoring app. Digging a little deeper you can find fairways hit and scrambling. Again, good stuff but also available on most apps.

Where Game Golf is really unique is the ability to show you average club distances because it knows every shot you took. Not only does it show you the average but it also shows the ranges to you can get a real sense for how far you hit a club (as opposed to what you think you hit it). In other words just because you hit your 7 iron 150 yards does not mean you average 150. If you are anything like me you will find your average to be 5-10 yards shorter than what you think. NOTE: the system discards punch out shots but will include times when you hit an easy 8 or hit a tree with your drive that only goes 140 yards . . . yep, that will bring down the average.

Who should get Game Golf: I think the sweet spot is for folks under a 14 handicap who want to better understand their game. That is not to say higher handicap players cannot use Game Golf, but the mere fact that they will have to tag upwards of 100 shots can make the process cumbersome. On the other hand, if you play bogie golf or better, it is pretty simple to tag all of your shots then do a touch of editing on the back end. If you stick with it you will get valuable insight into your game and where your strengths and weaknesses are.

Potential problems and opportunities: Being one of the first people to use Game Golf, I did run into a few bugs. For example, my home course had two #16 holes. Fortunately, the guys at Game Golf fixed it in a matter of days. With thousands of courses loaded into the system there are sure to be a few other bugs lurking around but I would expect them all to be fixed up shortly. On the other hand, I see tons of opportunity for Game Golf. Because they track every shot you take there is the possibility to get tons of statistics. For example, right now there is no indication of sand saves, but I do not see why that could not be added. Also, Game Golf only tells you putts per hole but I see potential for building statistics based on putt distance. The only reason why it is not available currently is because the system does not know where the hole is but I would think that could be fixed since you could make a tag while standing at the hole. That way you could see how effective you are from different putting ranges. The other area I would like to see improved is in diagnostics. Again, Game Golf has all of your stats so why not tell me if I tend to miss right or left on my drives or whether I come up short too often. The point is, Game Golf should know everything about your round so they could build some analytics.

The future: I had the opportunity to speak one of the guys at Game Golf the other day and was thrilled to learn that they too are looking toward new ways to utilize the data captured by Game Golf. So while the current version may not blow me away, I am very confident that in the near future we will see software updates that put Game Golf way ahead of any app. This means that even if you are an early adopter, the rounds that you are logging will still be able to be incorporated in any updates. Another current feature in Game Golf involves a social media component. Specifically, you can follow people to see their round and compare your stats. I guess some people might be interested in comparing their game versus Graeme McDowell but for me I have no such interest nor do I think it holds much value.

However, much like twitter, you can follow friends, comment on their rounds, and compare stats. Again, not much interest in comparing my game versus someone else (even if I know them) but then again I also hate golf forums so maybe I am the oddball.

Game Golf in a Nutshell:

Best Features: Easy to use, gives you real data on how far you hit each club, solid base statistics with opportunity for tons of additional diagnostics.

Weaknesses: Must spend about 10 minutes after each round making sure you tagged everything correctly. Current version does not give you significantly more than many handheld golf apps. Social sharing feature may not have wide appeal.

Who would benefit: Players who embrace statistics and are willing to invest time to get a better understanding of their game.

You can learn more on the Game Golf website

UPDATE: May 25th, 2014: Game Golf now has a new editing interface that makes reviewing and editing a round much easier. Rather than having to go hole by hole you can now see the entire card in one glance. Additionally, you can now add strokes without going to hole reviews. This is handy because you can easily add the putt you forgot to tag because you were so pissed about yet another lip out.

Raise your hand if you hate hitting off of range mats. Ok, everyone can put down their hands now. Yep they all suck…even the ones that are basically brand new. Unfortunately, most are way past their expiration date, paper thin, and leave a green film on the bottom of your golf clubs. Worse is the fact that there is often no alternative in sight. Even at nice clubs, the grass range is sometimes closed for weather or just because the greenskeeper is in a bad mood. I am sure he had a better reason, but honestly it’s sometimes a total mystery why they won’t let you hit off of grass.

It was fortuitous when last week I got a call from the inventor of Range To Go. Normally, I shy away from inventors, but his idea was so cool and so immediately useful I had to give it a try. The concept is simple, a tri-fold mat that you can use at home or take with you to the range (via a handy carrying case).

The Range To Go portable driving range consists of three square hitting mats connected together, each one simulating a different part of the course. You have your basic mat (fairway), long grass (rough)  and a thick long turf (suitable for putting a tee into).

Lets start with at home practice. I tend to do a lot of chipping at my house and I have a cheapo mat that I use. To be fair, it works ok but compared to the Range To Go mat, it is a joke. Chipping from the long grass is so realistic I feel like I am at a swanky country club. I can even choose to chip with or against the grain (say what!). And, because the mats are basically indestructible, I can leave it out and not worry about it getting messed up. The mat that I used has literally had thousands of balls hit from it. Remember this is their one and only prototype that has gone through tons of testing.

Ok, so why is it called Range To Go? Well, because it is small enough that you can bring it to the range with you so you are not forced to hit of the garbage mats the courses provide. Simply lay the mat down on the existing surface and whack away. The rubber on the back keeps it from moving around so you will be free to hit off of turf normally reserved for tour players. Not only does the surface look real but it also give you the sensation of taking a divot. BONUS TIME: when you are done you don’t have to scrape the green junk off off of you clubs!

Back to the whole prototype thing. Normally, we only review products that you can actually buy. When we were contacted by Range To Go, they were planning to raise money via Kickstarter. Apparently, I am not the only one who thought Range To Go was a great idea because they are now fully funded and are taking orders. While the product won’t ship until August you can save $20 by ordering now.

Alright, back to the actual product and my three day experience with it. I told you it was a prototype so I had to return it (but that is the kinda guy I am). At $109, this mat kicks ass (but you can get it for $89 if you order early). The section of the mat that is the “rough” is so realistic it makes for a perfect home chipping surface. No more taking chunks out of my lawn and only using my old clubs (because of the damage cheap mats do to my clubs).

Again, this is the Range To Go, so I would absolutely take it to the driving range during the week when the grass is closed. As it stands, I avoid going mid-week for this exact reason. With Range To Go, it is so stupid-simple, I have no excuses not to practice (except for the overpriced range balls).

One final note on usage. You can either lay the mat parallel or perpendicular to your stance. I prefer to not straddle the mat but it was actually designed to give you a semi-optimal stance width. Either way, it never feels awkward.

Bottom line, great idea and I am not at all surprised they went from KickStarter to full production in lightning speed.

Double Bonus: use promo Code back9 to get an additional $9 off (for the first 100 customers) when you order from the Range To Go website.

After hundreds of product reviews written, I still find that the most difficult ones to to write are for wedges. Why? Well, first because my short game is sometimes a bit suspect. Secondly, I believe people who chip well can chip with a shovel and still get up and down. And finally, wedges have started to come with a whole list of technology like bounce and grind that frankly go over the head for most golfers.

So, with that huge disclaimer, let’s dive into the Renegar wedge review. First off, Renegar is not part of a large golf company. Instead it was founded by one guy named Bob Renegar. Late to the game of golf, Bob started Renegar in 1993. Through the years, the company has gone through a number of design iterations and in the process filed a couple of patents which they believe to be crucial in differentiating their clubs from the pack. Foremost of the design features is the lowered leading edge. This is the part of the club which is closest to the ground at impact. Now for bunker shots, a higher leading edge is fine because the club passes under the ball, but when you are chipping from the ground, a high leading edge can result in the dreaded skulled ball. By lowering the leading edge, the Renegar wedge essentially gives you a touch more forgiveness to reduce the chance of a mis-hit. Hence, the club is just as effective on tight lies as in fluffy bunkers.

The compliment to the leading edge is the bounce. Bounce is what determines how much resistance the club has with the ground or sand. The more bounce the less resistance. Again, in a bunker you typically want a lot of bounce so the club moves through the sand easily. However, when you are playing in varied conditions, hard pan or soft turf, the bounce can have a large effect on how the club reacts to the ground. This is why some players will choose wedges with more or less bounce depending on the conditions.

Where the Renegar wedge design is unique is in the sole because it gives you a number of bounce options based on how you lay the club. This variable bounce feature is created by the UTILITY-patented Sole (the cut-out).  At this point my mental capacity becomes a little strained but in layman’s terms you get three bounce ratios in each club. So enough of the techno speak. The Renegar wedges have a few things out of the box that I really liked. First they don’t look like a butter knife that you have to hit perfectly in order to get the ball moving in the right direction. Many of the wedges I have played are so clearly a “pro-club” that they can be a touch intimidating. You know the kind –  amazing to look at, nightmare to hit, yea, I got your number buddy.

Because of my inherent “issues with chipping”, for years I chipped primary with my stock PW simply because I was comfortable with the club since it looked like all of my other clubs. I guess my thought was “why hit a club that looks different?” Now clearly I was giving up some control and workability but I was willing to trade that for confidence. As my game improved, I became more comfortable with a more standard 52 or 56 degree wedge but even today I can get a little yippy around the green.

The good news for me is that the Renegar wedge seems more substantial than many other wedges and while I have not weighed it, I would bet it is heavier (at least the clubhead). So for me, the Renegar just feels very natural and comfortable in my hands. Even the muted polish is reminiscent of my irons. Sure, a blinged out wedge looks awesome, but standing over a tricky chip I don’t want to be reminded I am wielding a “specialty club”. In terms of performance, I feel like I get nice spin with all of the wedges. This is in part due to the fact that Renegar mills the grooves right to the USGA boundaries. Again, my short game is not world class but I have really enjoyed using the gap wedge inside of 100 yards. Typically, the 60-80 yard shots are those that require 1/2 or 1/3 swings, but I have found using the 52 degree to be a great option as I can take more of a full swing and get the ball up where in can land softly.

Around the green, the Renegar wedges are fairly easy to use. I definitely think they are more forgiving than some of the more bladier wedges out there. That is not to say you can’t get good touch with them. As a double check, I had two buddies who have great short games chip with the Renegar clubs for 10 or so minutes just so I could get some feedback from low handicappers (one being our club champion). Both men agreed that the Renegar seemed more forgiving and easy to hit. My only real knock is the sound which is more muted than some wedges. I don’t get the true “ting” when I hit a shot super pure. It’s not making a gross thud sound but you’re not gonna get a pure ring of “that was perfect” either. This opinion was also shared by my buddies.

As I mentioned, I really like the fact that the Renegar tries to not look significantly different than my irons. The fact that they are a dullish finish helps to also make them blend in with the pack. Still, upon closer inspection, the “R” logo” on the back is fairly bad-ass for those who like a little bling on the wedge. Well, bling is probably not the right word. The vibe I get is almost midieval since the “R” is outlined with some Knight like castle.

The final piece of the wedge puzzle is the shaft and grip. Now I am not going to even pretend to understand how the shaft factors into the performance of the wedge but clearly Renegar thinks it is super important. The stock KBS shaft are used precisely to compliment the short game. What I do understand are the two markings on the grip which are very useful in adjusting for distance control chocking up to the lower dot  should take off about 5 yards from the distance so you can theoretically dial in your shots even more.

Despite the fact that Renegar has been making clubs for 20 years and can boast wins on the PGA Tour, the name remains far under most people’s radar. With that said, I love the fact that they do one thing…wedges. I have always believed in specializing and when a company can set its focus on just making the best wedges without being distracted by drivers, putters, or even apparel, you know you are getting their full attention.

Renegar offers 8 different lofts between 46 and 60 degrees. All clubs can be purchased directly from the Renegar website.

Earlier this year while walking the hallowed halls of the PGA Merchandise Show I came across so many eye catching and outstanding businesses it was hard to keep track of everything. Amongst all the chaos and complete disbelief of how grand a scale the show truly is there were a few standout apparel companies that I was able to retain.

One company that stayed fresh in my mind the longest might surprise you and not because of what they make but for who they make it for.

In 1996 Joe Silva, founded Garb Inc. on the belief that kids wanted a brand to call their own. A brand dedicated to the youth of the game that offers great styling and unrivaled quality. Garb has not only become a beloved brand, company and culture, but it created the junior golf apparel category and has been leading the pack ever since. What started in the basement of a home in Evergreen, Colorado has grown to become the USGA and PGA of America’s first choice in kid’s golf apparel.

While at the PGA Show I met with Tyler Silva, the Marketing Manager at Garb and was impressed with his passion for the clothing line. His excitement for the Junior Golf apparel business is remarkable and with each different piece he showed me I was more impressed. Not just with the clothes though, which are remarkable by the way, but also Tyler’s product knowledge in a segment of the golf apparel that’s not an easy sell.

Kid’s sizes change so fast because of their growing bodies. It seems like every month my daughters are in need of some new clothes be it shoes, shirt and or pants so I can see how a parent may be reluctant to spend some of their hard earned cash on clothes that may only be used for a brief time. To combat that possibility Garb created an amazing line of clothes that not only look fantastic on the course but can also be worn in everyday situations as well.

Garb agreed to send us some of their new pieces from their 2014 spring and summer line and having a Junior Golfer at home made this a review easier than ever to accept. I’ve been looking all over for some clothes my daughters can wear that are acceptable on the course. I just haven’t had any luck. Next time you’re in one of the big box golf retailers take a look at the Junior Golf section for apparel and you’ll understand where I’m coming from. Aside from a few pieces here and there it’s virtually nonexistent.

There are a lot of things to like about Garb but the one that stood out for this Dad is how they chose to list their sizes. With how rapidly kids change during their “growing” phases it can wreak havoc for parents, mainly clueless Dad’s like me, when it comes to guessing correct sizes for kids. Instead of the standard 3T, or 8 or 10 you find on 99% of kid’s clothes, Garb instead went with a more layman’s way of classification and used ages to define their sizing.

They’re broken down like this:

• Ages 5-6 (small)
• Ages 7-8 (medium)
• Ages 9-10 (large)
• Ages 11-12 (x-large)

Girls and Boys are both grouped the same so there isn’t a different configuration from gender to gender.

This makes it incredibly easy to choose sizes for your little golfer and takes the frustration out of ordering the wrong fit for your kids. An added touch that I like as well is how Garb uses kids’ names for all their product descriptions, girl names for their products of course and same goes for the boys.

Like I mentioned before I have a young daughter that is quickly falling in love with the game of golf. When the shipment from Garb showed up she let me know when I got home that another package had arrived for me . . . “more golf stuff isn’t it?”. Even at the young age of 8 she’s showing signs of jealously when it comes to the gear I get in for reviews. It’s rather funny.

Her agitation quickly reversed though when I asked her to help me open up the package and see what was inside. Much like Christmas morning her face lit up with enthusiasm as she flipped through the bags of clothes. “These are for me?” she said in a surprising tone. It was a priceless moment.

I find it awesome, as a Father, to see her face with so much joy on it. Now, anytime we go practice or just putt around in the backyard she’s quick to run to her room and throw on some of “her” golf clothes so she can look the part. We get to spend some quality time together when we’re practicing and playing. Now that she has some clothes that make her feel more involved in the experience I totally understand why Mr. Silva chose to start Garb. The subtlety of a golf polo or a golf dress has enhanced my daughter’s enjoyment in the game in a way I never thought possible.

The fact that there’s a golf clothing line for kids is great but to sweeten the pot even more the Garb clothes are fantastically made. The materials used are very high quality and they even include the small things like adjustable waist lines to make sure they fit properly. The fabrics used are top notch and are put together very well. In the several outings I’ve had with my daughter, not one time has she ever complained about the clothes being itchy, scratchy or simply uncomfortable. She loves wearing all the pieces. Comparing that to her soccer clothes, which she can’t get out of fast enough, is a testament to how well the clothes are made.

Aside from being well made, the fit of Garb pieces is equally impressive. My daughter is a bit on the dainty side and all the pieces look great on her. In my opinion Garb fully understands the children’s segment and has used their knowledge to create a well made, well designed and ultra performing clothing line that anyone would love to have their kids wearing.

Garb isn’t just about making top of the line junior golf apparel.

What sets them apart from other junior golf retailers is how they have gone above and beyond with their involvement in Junior Golf. They are now working with the Southern California and Northern Texas Sections of the PGA to sponsor different junior golf events and junior golf tours and they also sponsor their own tour which they call the “G-Tour”

For the G-Tour Garb travels around the country in a tricked out 2013 Jeep Wrangler stopping at all the country clubs that support Garb in a show of support for their junior golf program. The tour features all kinds of fun games for the kids to play and awesome prizes for them to win.

Garb is also the primary children’s apparel supplier to the U.S. Open golf tournament, PGA Championship and Ryder Cup since 2001, as well as the jersey supplier for new PGA Junior League Golf.

Now located in Denver, Colorado, Garb is committed to bringing junior golfers the best golf clothing out there. Garb listens to the kids and together has created a line of clothing that is not only high quality and technically advanced, it hits the fashion look the kids are demanding. The game is evolving. The youth are the future of the game.

You can visit the Garb Website to purchase the products showcased in the review or view their large selection and find the perfect combination for your junior golfer.

Confession: until 6 weeks ago, I didn’t know jack about Tour Edge. In fact, I’m still not quite sure whether “Exotics” is part of their name or a specific line of clubs or what. Now that I’ve hit the XCG7 4 Hybrid for a few weeks at the range and on the course, I frankly don’t care. The short version of this story is that the Exotics XCG7 Hybrid is now taking up residence in my bag, while my once kinda-beloved 4 iron is sawing logs in my trunk.

Back to my initial cluelessness with Tour Edge and their products – I remember always seeing their clubs being reviewed in the Golf Digest Hot List, but my eyes sort of glazed over the name, me figuring this was more of a knockoff or lower-tier line of clubs. After doing some research, I see that they do have some clubs carrying the “Bazooka” moniker, so you can’t really blame youngerMe for that perception while flipping through the pages. What my research also turned up – the Tour Edge Exotics fairway woods are both respected and utilized on Tour, without paying anyone to play them. So we know they’re legit.

Turns out the whole business model of Tour Edge is geared to put high quality clubs in the hands of golfers without the “inflated” prices that result from mass marketing and hype-machining. So that explains why I never knew much about them, and a lot of you out there are probably in the same boat. For the record, if you visit their website at www.touredge.com, you’ll quickly see that they are not running things the same way a Taylor Made or Nike or any other mainstream clubmaker does . . . I’m not saying better or worse, it’s just a different approach. As examples, I’ll just say that their press releases have not been updated in some time and they offer golfers the option to put a corporate logo on the clubs. Not exactly blueblood stuff, and I think that might give some folks reason to question their legitimacy as a true player in the market.

But as we all know by now, or should know at least – none of that matters. How’s the club?

I tested the XCG7 hybrid 4, with 22 degrees of loft, fitted with the stock Fujikura FUEL shaft in Stiff Flex. Overall the club has a ‘player’ look, in that the classic head shape is a muted/matte gray with no alignment aid, and the shaft is also a matte gray/black. In other words, there’s no bling or flashy stuff going on, it just looks like it wants to be a serious club. The top of the club does bear the word “Exotics” in muted white, located on the back heel, but it is subtle and barely noticeable at address.

Hitting this club follows along the same understated-but-serious path . . . the feel at impact is soft but solid, same with the sound. If you put a blindfold on and took three swings, you’d think “okay, this is a good club”. The kicker, though, is when you look up and actually see the flight of the ball – so high and straight, but with enough forward momentum to never seem like a ballooned skyball.

I had actually never swung a 22 degree hybrid before (always lower) so I suppose this observation must be taken with a grain of salt, but in my first range session I had trouble believing that this club could possibly be hitting the ball 190 or so yards like my 4 iron because it was honestly flying twice as high. And of course, my range of choice is one of those classics where you can’t really tell where the ball lands, so I was thinking there was still a chance that I was just hitting high pop-ups with this thing. It felt great and looked great, but I still couldn’t believe that something climbing that high would also be moving the chains.

Once out on the course, however, my fears were put to rest – yes, this club somehow hits it a mile high and the same distance as my 4 iron – beauty. It still catches me off guard every time I pull this club out on a par 5 layup or a long par 4 – I swing, it feels solid as hell, I look up, it seems way too high to do anything good, I wait a while, it lands where I was aiming.

Because I am forced to think about these things for the sake of reviewing a club: the shaft and head of this club feel so well-balanced through the swing that when you do hit a great shot, it feels like it was just so damn easy and exactly how it was all meant to go down. But not in a super game-improvement manner, mind you – this club allows you to work the ball a bit, and the softer feel is solid in a way that you know you’re not cheating to get the ball up into the air at the cost of all else. In other words, I don’t think Tour Edge is trying to express-deliver more distance or higher launch or what have you, I think it is just a quality, well-balanced golf club that provides a high level of performance.

As I said before, until now I had only hit hybrid 2s and 3s, and I could never shake the idea that they were more of a fairway wood than an iron. I knew they were designed to find greens, but I was only really comfortable using them when I had a little less than a 3 wood’s distance to find a fairway. With this XCG7 4, I am now totally confident in trying to drop a ball on a green with a hybrid in my hand. I’m hitting it so straight, high, and with such control that it no longer feels like a risk/reward scenario to forgo the iron and reach for the lumber.

You can see all of the Tour Exotics clubs on the Tour Edge website

The old joke (that is not very funny) was that when you saw Tide get a new name like “Tide Breeze” you knew there was a change in the marketing department. The fact is most products go through endless incremental changes so that the company can always have something new without every really doing very much to improve the actual product.

Tell me about your new driver and I’ll ooh and aah about the new paint color and the claims of another 15 yards off the tee. However, what amazes me more is how many people still have the same beat-up putter from high school or bargain basement deal found in the discount bin. Since getting the ball in the hole is where the scoring takes place, it seems like spending a bit of money on a high-quality tool is a pretty darn good idea. In the case of Bettinardi putters, they are the definition of a high-quality instrument!

Bettinardi putters are designed by Robert J. Bettinardi at his state-of-the-art facility in Chicago, IL. Putters are conceived by Bettinardi, computer designed and tested, and finally milled into shape on $350,000 metal lathes from blocks of steel. While that description may lead you the think the Bettinardi putters are generically rolling off the conveyer belt by the bushel-full, the reality is the the process is very exacting and many potential putters don’t make the grade. In fact, by the time they are finished, many putters will go through machining in 6 different lathes before they’re ready for the logo carving and the hand-painting. For my first experience with Bettinardi I was tasked to review the Bettinardi BB32 counterbalance putter which is the latest craze to sweep the putter market.

What is a Counterbalance Putter?

Counterbalance putters aren’t a brand-new idea but with the impending ban on long putters, many guys who make their living rolling the rock are looking for an alternative way to quiet the hands and guarantee a smooth, consistent stroke. As you have probably seen or experienced, belly putters connect the shaft to your core and long putters connect the shaft to your sternum to guarantee a more pendulum-like action. Fundamentally, a counterbalance putter adds weight above and below your hands on the shaft of the club to help stabilize the putter throughout the swing of the putter head. The idea of a counterbalance putter is to give the player all of the advantage of a belly or long putter and to make the transition much easier. In other words, it’s much harder to make a yippy stroke with a counter balance putter. Said another way, the goal is to make the same stroke every time when putting – to square up the putter face to the target line, to get the ball rolling quickly, smoothly and with the right speed. Counterbalance putters are by their size, weight, and center of gravity going to help that happen more easily and with less room for operator error.

The Bettinardi counter balance putter works by adding extra shaft length and a longer grip to add weight above your hand position. To offset the longer shaft, extra weight is added in the head of the putter. This moves the balance point of the putter more towards the middle of the shaft rather than closer to the putter head like conventional putters. The result is a putter that is extremely balanced and solid feeling throughout the swing. The putter I have been using is the mallet-style BB32 counterbalance putter with 38” shaft and 17” Winn grip. Since I normally putt with 33” or 34” putters, this gave me about 5” of shaft and grip above my normal hand position on the grip. The head weight of the BB32 counterbalance is 395 grams which is heavier than most conventional putters. NOTE when ordering I measured from the ground up to my stomach in my normal putting stance to make sure that the 38” shaft wouldn’t contact my body. The shafts go up to 40” so you can get the proper length.

At first glance, the putter is very eye-catching. It’s bold colors make it clear that this is an American product, and everything from the red, white and blue stitching on the white premium-leather head cover to the bold Bettinardi lettering on the red grip and in the carving on the bottom of the putter itself let you know that you have got your hands on a Bettinardi gem. It’s easy to see the care and precision in this putter right through to the hand-painted “B” on their beautiful honeycombed putter face.

I hadn’t seen a Bettinardi putter in person until this review, but was very aware that they are a tour-proven commodity. In fact, PGA Tour star Matt Kuchar even has his own line of Bettinardi putters. Additionally, Freddy Couples, JB Holmes, Bo Van Pelt, Brian Gay and Edoardo Molinari also carry a Bettinardi putter. Knowing that these guys make a living with a putter, I figure there must be something to the Bettinardi name. Kuchar uses a line of putters designed for his arm-clasp method where he holds a longer shaft against his left forearm. Brian Gay uses a traditional blade-style putter and puts with a traditional stroke. Since I putt with the Ballard method which is very core focused, I chose the counterbalance putter that closely resembles the belly putter, without actually touching your body. The counterbalance putter comes in the BB32 mallet design, the BB1 blade or the extremely high MOI BB55 design.

Since this was my first experience with a longer putter I was curious to see how I would be able to adapt to the added length. When I got to the course I instantly knew I was holding a thoroughbred. The 17” slightly-oversized Winn grip felt very comfortable in my hands and because of where the balance of the putter is, I didn’t feel the added weight of the head in a negative way. It simply felt more solid and true all the way through the swing of the stroke. As I used it through my rounds and tried the putter as a ‘Texas wedge’ from off the green, I found that by moving my hands a bit higher on the grip, it was no problem to dial in a bit more distance on my putts.

I was pretty sure the added weight of the putter would be excellent on faster greens but I was concerned that it could be more difficult to use on slower greens. In practice, I actually found that the putter is probably the best I’ve ever used on different green speeds. By slightly varying my hand position to be an inch higher on the grip and making a longer stroke, slow greens were not a problem. Precisely because of the added stability, a longer stroke was more fluid and the putter behaved beautifully.

The mallet-head in the BB32 counterbalance putter is larger than the Odyssey mallet that I have used for years, but it has a very classic look and I was instantly comfortable with its shape and feel through the ball. I have also been using a putter with an insert for years, and was curious as to how the sound would strike me with the ball coming off the metal honeycomb face. Although I first noticed a “clicky-ness,” particularly with cheaper balls, it was minimal with higher quality balls. Plus when the feel is so solid through the strike it soon was a non-issue for me.

We get to review a good number of putters at Three Guys Golf, and there are some great designs that we’ve tested. For me, it’s easy to see why this counterbalance Bettinardi is getting serious looks on Tour, and it should get serious looks from amateurs as well. After several weeks of testing, this putter is in my bag to stay, and I couldn’t be happier.

If you would like to get a Bettinardi putter, you can truly get the putter you want. Their website at Bettinardi.com is well designed and functional, and will take you through the variety of options you can get for the putter that will fit you like a glove. They had our putter out to us to test in a flash, and all the comments I’ve read that say that the folks at Bettinardi have given them excellent customer service and the same attention to detail found in the putters they make. The BB32 counterbalance putter will run you around $350, and there are signature models that can run you up to $500. I heard Bob Bettinardi say that they are expensive because that’s how they are made. They are made by skilled craftsman on top-of-the-line equipment, to the most exacting standards, in the heartland of the USA. This is a putter you can keep for life, and be proud to have in your bag. So, next time you’re trying to decide if that new $400 driver will get you that extra 5 yards over last years model, you may want to take a look at a $350 Bettinardi putter that may do you one better than that, and actually lower your score.

Check out all the Bettinardi putters on the Bettinardi website

OK, at some point in time TaylorMade’s ability to produce new outstanding club after new outstanding club has to come to an end, right? That’s what I’ve thought since first being introduced to the new Burner 2.0’s during a Demo Day nearly three years ago, and since then all they have done is crank out great club after another with virtually zero failures.

Ever since that first swing with a TaylorMade club I’ve been a convert. I traded in all the gear I had to get those Burners in my bag. But I didn’t stop there. I soon added the Rocketballz Hybrid, then the Rocketballz 3 Wood and eventually the Rocketballz driver. That driver stayed in my bag until last fall when I was given the new TaylorMade SLDR to review.

Technological advancements in the golf industry seem to happen more frequently than a traffic jam on the 405, but nowhere does the reign of terror on distance, speed and control seem to end. TaylorMade – keeping on point with more bang for your buck with every club – has, wait for it…. done it again with the new SLDR Fairway Woods.

Let me first preface this review with a little info. I was real hesitant to do this review. I mean REAL hesitant. My struggles with the long clubs have been well documented within my site and for what seems like forever I’ve been trying to associate myself with a fairway wood that I could fall in love with. My Rocketballz 3wood is that club ever since Wade and I started working on my swing. The club is a monster and I probably hit it better than any other club in my bag.

Hopefully, you can understand why my level of anxiety was elevated. The last thing I wanted to do was bring in some alien club to my bag and destroy the beautiful relationship that was YEARS in the making. After spending some quality time learning how to hit the SLDR Fairway Wood, however, I’ve recently tossed aside my old, out of date, decrepitly aged Rocketballz 3W to the “extra club” bag that resides in the cobwebbed corner of my garage.

TaylorMade took the same technology they instituted in the SLDR Driver, moving the center of gravity lower and to the front, and replicated the wildly successful SLDR Driver with their new SLDR Fairway Woods. You’ll notice right away the crown of the club has the same finish as big brother and looks equally appealing to the eye. I have to admit I was actually a fan of the pasty white craze that overtook the industry when the R11 was released, but with the SLDR line I am much more content looking down at the silky charcoal-gray head. It practically lulls you into a relaxed state as you prepare for some Smashing!

Aside from the available stock shafts and grips and the fact it’s a bad ass on the course, the appearance on the top of the club is where most of the similarities with the driver end. The underside of the club continues the TaylorMade trend of a modern approach to club design. Sharp edges and a bold metal finish highlight the club’s hidden beauty along with one familiar piece of technology, the Speed Pocket.

Our first sightings of the Speed Pocket came back on the Rocketballz fairway and rescue clubs and it appears it’s here to stay. Anytime a club manufacture continues with a successful feature and then makes improvements to it you know they’re on to something. This time around the TaylorMade engineers decreased the size of the speed pocket and chose to fill it in with a polymer so there’s no more clean-up after every swing. And a big thank you to the man in the white coat who obviously had been playing with a Rocketballz Fairway club and was clearly just as frustrated as everyone else with that little flaw. Bravo sir, bravo!

Aesthetics aside I was eager to get out and see how well the club did what it was designed for. Which I’m certain is why you’re reading this, so let’s get to it.

Not having any time to work with the club since I received it, mainly in part to some pretty long soccer weekends, I broke a cardinal sin and took a virgin club with me to the course to use it for my round. The first swing I took with the club was about 20min before we were called to the first tee. I even waited to pull of the wrapper. Freeing the club from its plastic prison and feeling like I just won the lotto, I tee’d up a low ball and let it fly.

This is when things went incredibly south for me, and quick! I likened it to performance anxiety. The simple task of hitting a golf ball, weather I reared back and let it fly or just tried to punch it 75 yards down the fairway, became a daunting task. I couldn’t make decent contact at all! I looked over to the new club in my bag and proclaimed “This never happens to me I swear!” but the SLDR wasn’t interested in my shortcomings.

That’s what a serious lack of practice can do to your self-confidence. Fearing a blow-up hole on the horizon I was unwilling as ever to pull the SLDR from my bag throughout the round. When I approached a hole that required less than driver I reluctantly pulled it. With my inner stress at an entirely new level I stepped up to the tee box and absolutely cranked one.

I swear, off in the distance, I heard my old Rocketballz fairway wood from the garage back home scream out “Nooooooooo!” as the ball went hurling through the air. It was the perfect swing at the perfect time and the results were perfect. The next couple of swings I took with it literally amazed me. The ball flight, albeit much lower than I was used to, was outstanding and several times when the ball came to rest approximately 230 yards down the fairway I was utterly speechless, as were my partners.

Wanting to feel that level of excitement with every swing had me spending the next couple of days at the range. With the 12 different loft adjustments that can be made there is a learning curve that goes into getting the club dialed in so it will perform. I highly recommend seeking out a professional fitter if available so you can see some actual results on the factors of your ball flight. I recently took my SLDR Driver into Golf Galaxy and was shocked at how much distance I increased my drives with a simple adjustment to the loft. With the SLDR fairway wood, lofting the club up really changed how the ball reacted much more than I had expected when comparing the similar adjustments I made with the SLDR driver. That reason alone is justification for seeing a pro.

Once it was correct though (final adjustment landed me at +.5°) I started really seeing what makes the SLDR special. An easier swing at a higher loft equaled more distance and greater control. Who doesn’t want that from a fairway club? When you add in the fact that the launch angle is lower than my previous fairway wood, it just gives me another weapon off the tee in the blustery weather conditions we often have here in the Vegas valley. The wind can be a beast at times but now I’m more prepared for such situations with the SLDR in my bag.

Chalk up yet another successful club innovation for team TaylorMade. The SLDR Fairway Wood has firmly supplanted my previous “go to” club, the Rocketballz 3W, and has me pondering another upgrade with the SLDR Rescue now available as well.

You can read all about the SLDR line of fairway woods on the TaylorMade Website. The SLDR Fairway Wood retails for $249 and can pretty much pickup one at any golf retailer in the country.

Zooop it what? For those of you who are not up on the latest fashion craze, the idea of a onesie for adults probably makes about as much sense as the FedEx Cup point system, but for those in the know, celebrities like Ryan Gosling and One Direction are making it the hottest new fashion trend. Ahh but not all onesies are created equal, and when it comes to single item comfort Zooop It Up is the cream of the crop.

When I was asked by Zooop It Up to do a review I was prepared to respectively decline. That is until I told my 15 year old daughter about the company, who, after a quick look at their website, was literally freaking out about the possibility of getting one of these ultra premium onesies.

Ultra premium? What the heck can be premium about the pajama style we all wore from age 1 to 8? Sure, we all loved our Star Trek or Scooby Doo pajamas with footsies but we are grown people now. Do you really think anyone who tips more than 25 pounds should even consider such a move?

Ahh, life when all was warm and fuzzy!

First off, the Zooop It Up onesie is no ordinary jumpsuit. It is what I would call super premium. How so? Well, let’s start with the fleece material which is insanely warm and soft. Made from 80% cotton and 20% polyester, the Zooop It Up has found a perfect blend of soft. Next, zippers and pockets. The zippers are basically industrial strength. Huge teeth make zipping up and down a snap (actually a zip). Plus, for us manfolk, there are two zippers making it easy to get you our essential equipment. Even the ends of the zippers are large and easy to use. Not like the ones we had that would get stuck down inside the lining and required pair of pliers to find the tab.

Speaking of zippers, you will note the Zooop It Up has a hood which can be zipped all the way up. Perhaps not super functionable, but just in case you feel the desire, you can literally Zooop It Up all the way up.

Now, since you will be lounging around in the Zooop It Up, you won’t want to have to get up to retrieve anything. No worries, the Zooop It Up has two pockets on each side. One pocket is smallish which is good for objects you need to quickly get to, like a cell phone or can of beer. The second pocket is larger and can be zipped up to ensure nothing falls out. This is where you can put a wallet or a side of ham.

Ok, so did this guy actually wear a onesie? Heck yes, I am always up for a challenge. Being a blogger requires me to wear all kinds of things I would not normally choose. Three years ago I was turned onto LoudMouth Golf and proudly wear eye bleeding patterns on a regular basis.

For this review, I took the opportunity to use my trip to Mount Rainier as testing ground for Zooop It Up performance and style. NOTE: my trip to Mt. Rainier was not a simple plane trip. No, I spent two full days on a train traveling from Chicago to Seattle which would give me ample time to live the life of leisure aboard 1865 transportation.

Honesty time: I could not bring myself to wear the Zooop It Up on the train. I totally wimped out. However, my daughter literally wore her Zooop It Up for about 40 of the 48 hours we were crossing the northern boarder of the United States. From the cabin to the dining car to the observation deck and even outside in the bitter N. Dakota train station to take in some sights, the Zooop It Up was the outfit of choice. Why, you ask? Let’s talk performance.

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Back to me. Safe in the comfort of our rental house, could I possibly pull off a golf ball printed onesie? Probably not but I had a job to do and I was dead set on getting some feedback from by friends. Without warning I marched into the kitchen head to toe in pure comfort. Casually making a cocktail, I inquired what was the dinner plan. Unexpectedy, the response was not “what in the heck are you wearing”. Instead it was “we are having pasta and by the way, nice outfit”. The fact is I got zero ribbing from my fellow vacationers. Thinking I would just make a quick appearance then get back in a pair of jeans, I ended up donning the Zooop It Up the entire evening. The way I saw it, heck I was on vacation and nothing says “I am off the clock” like Zooop It Up.

So yea, Zooop It Up is not your mainstream outfit but neither was LoudMouth Golf Apparel and guess what, they make about a bazillion dollars in sales. Zooop It Up is similar in that fashion. Founded by a man who went through a tough period in life in which he wore varying quirkily-styled underwear, Zooop It Up is trying to turn the world of comfort wear on it’s ear.

Zooop It Ups come in a ton of styles. They offer both long and short version so you can have one for warmer temps. They also have a Terry Cloth model which is lighter than the fleece.

Zooop It Up onesies can be purchased on the Zooop It Up website.

I’ve got my work cut out for me today, for sure. I have spent the last few weeks testing out Cobra’s complete Bio Cell and Bio Cell+ lineup, and now it’s time to spill the beans. Take a breath, this will be a complete review of the Bio Cell driver, fairway wood, hybrid, and irons, as well as the Bio Cell+ driver and irons. I’m still not quite sure how to break this down in a way that will not annoy/bore/annoy (in that order), but like a good Three Guy, I’m sure as hell gonna try.

Each spring we scour the earth to find a handful of unique items that are what we call “golf bag essentials”. While each one may not literally go into a a golf bag, they are all products we think every golfer should check out. We have gadgets, tools and even food – all of which have be personally used by us and get our Three Guys Golf sign of approval. Check it out!

Seamus Divot Repair and Ball Marker

What golf bag essentials post would be complete without a divot repair and ball marker suggestion. Most divot repair tools are either too wimpy or too gimmicky. The Seamus divot repair tool is neither. It is big and honking and hand-freaking-made. Not just handmade but hand forged. Yea, banged out by a big burly guy with a hammer and sweat dripping from his brow…well I made that last part up but I think I have seen a few too many episodes of Game of Thrones recently. You get the point – they are legit and 100% unique.

You can find both of these items on the Seamus website. Oh, and they also sell awesome headcovers!

The Hat Sponge

How many of your favorite hats have you had to throw away due to nasty sweat stains? I know for me, living in the south, hats have a short life span in the dead of summer. Leave it to an Englishman to come up with a clever invention called the Hat Sponge which sits inside the brim of your hat. Not only will it wick away and  absorb most of the sweat but it will also eliminate any scratchy feeling for those of us who are a little thin on our forehead. Plus, it won’t change the shape of your hat at all. No one, even you, will realize you are wearing it (kind of like the man bra). My tip: save your hat, get the Hat Sponge.

The Hat Sponge runs $13.00 which is will pay for itself pretty darn fast. Get them on the Hat Sponge website.

Mettle Golf Gloves

You gotta have a golf glove but that does not mean you have to settle for a boring white one. Mettle Golf is a new company that offers sylish golf gloves. Made for Cabretta leather and a lycra top, the Mettle gloves are definitely not run of the mill. I have been all in with unique golf gloves for a few years now but I have not seen any that have these types of patterns. Because the top is lycra they are able to create intricate designs that are not possible with a full leather glove. NOTE: these gloves are supposed to fit tight but I would recommend ordering a full size up as they also run a bit small.

Don’t settle, get some Mettle. The Mettle Golf gloves are $20 – $24 and can be purchased on the Mettle website.

3 Up Golf Balls

The one thing that is in every golf bag is of course golf balls. 3 Up golf balls are a premium golf ball that perform extremely well. While I will not claim they are the best ball on the planet, they are pretty darn good, especially if you like a lot of feel around the green. Plus 3 Up Golf does something really unique…they give back. Yep, they have actually built the cost of charity into the price of the ball. That way every ball that you purchase will send $3.00 to charity. To date, 3 Up has donated thousands of dollars to groups like “Golfers Against Cancer”. Another cool thing about 3 Up is that when you buy a dozen balls they come in a pouch that includes a few branded goodies like tees and ball markers. Get the point? . . . these guys want to show you the love. Check them out, buy a dozen and if you don’t like them you can rest easy that you still made a charitable donation…but my bet is you will dig the balls too.

You can order sleeves or dozens of the 3 Up Golf Balls on the 3 Up website.

GolferAid

Now normally my ‘golfer aide’ is a few cold beers, but every now and then we all need some real hydration. Where GolferAid is different than most sports drinks is that is is loaded with supplements that are directly related to the game of golf. So not only do you get the electrolytes that help replenish, but you also get supplements that help with everything from vision to mental focus. What it does not have is a ton of sugar, which is basically the primary ingredient in most sports drinks, and it has zero caffeine. Plus they give 5% of the profits to golf-centric charities. In other words, while most energy drinks are casting a big targeting net, Golferaid is made specifically for golfers who have special requirements.

You can find GolferAid in many pro shops or you can order directly from the Golferaid website.

Snap Hookz

Are you one of those guys who likes to carry three towels, a club brush and still have a place for 5 gloves to hang? Problem is, most golf bags only have one hook or loop. Good news, hoarders… Snap Hookz is here to rescue you. Snap Hookz is a super easy and cheap way to add additional loops and connectors to virtually any bag. Just use the snaps from your rain hood to attach Snap Hookz. You can put it on either side or front of your golf bag depending on your preference. You then can hang, clip or loop all the essential gear. Oh Snap(!), this gizmo is pretty darn useful and the guys who I have given the Snap Hookz to absolutely love it.

Snap Hookz run $15.00 and can be purchased on their website.

Swiftwick Socks

Socks? Yeah socks, and they are not all created equal. I am a huge fan of Kentwool socks and they have pretty much been a staple on my foot for the past three years, but since getting Swiftwick I am now a two brand guy. What gives? Well, for starters, Swiftwick offers compression socks which really provide some extra comfort. Additionally, they offer a ton of styles from super thin to a thicker wool so you can have a pair for any occasion. And, for guys like me who have too many pairs of shoes, I sometimes need a thick or thin sock depending on the particular shoe (or even the season as feet swell in the heat). As for durability, I have been wearing the Swiftwick regularly for the past 3 months and they show no signs of breaking down.

They are your feet dammit! Get some decent socks. Check out the Swiftwick website.

Kingmade  Jerky

No golf bag is complete unless it stocked full of tasty jerky. Being a bit of a jerky snob, I can tell you this stuff is legit. Plus, it was created by Tour Caddie, Jeff King. After years of tinkering in his kitchen, Jeff grew weary of having to fix up batches for guys on the PGA so he has graciously made it available for everyone (even non-golfers). Kingmade Jerky comes in three flavors, Buffalo, Sweet Chili and Classic (which I am eating as I type). Seriously, don’t be a dope, get some Jerky!

You can buy these direct from the Kingmade website.

BONUS: Pig Whistle Barbecue Sauce

Ok, you can’t put this in your golf bag but take it from me this is some of the best sauce ever. You know how every time you take a $5.00 shot and try some cool looking new BBQ sauce at the store, only to find out that it tastes exactly like the dumb Kraft sauce that costs $1.00/gallon? This is not that sauce.

Yes, he is a buddy of mine (introduced by fellow blogger Matt). Not only has Wyatt won numerous awards for his barbecue sauce but he cooks one hell of a pig. Seriously, the dude is a bit crazy with how much time he spends preparing the pig. True story: My wife made a chicken dinner that looked kinda lame, but being the good husband I did not say anything. I was stunned when in fact the boring chix tasted amazing! When I asked her what was on the chicken she said “I just put some of Wyatt’s sauce on it”. Damn, and that was chicken.

Do yourself a favor and check out the Pig Whistle website.

That’s it for this year, but you can also check out our 2013 Golf Bag Essentials post as well.