Recently Wade and I have been talking a lot about different swings we see on the PGA tour and how relevant they are to the average golfer. To us, it seems like the modern PGA swing has become increasingly built around pinpoint timing and tremendous power. The power generated is certainly awesome to behold but the timing required to maintain consistency can often cause havok when things go just slightly wrong.

This begs the question “do the pros feel like they need to have a razors edge swing in order to win?”  In other words, is the level of play on any given week so high that pros must play right to the limit of control in order to give themselves a chance to win?

Is this what it takes to win on tour?

Part of the reason I have come to this conclusion is because I just don’t believe PGA Pros would ever snap hook a drive if they only needed to hit the ball 270 down the middle of the fairway. Therefore, my assumption is that due to PGA course set up and the high level of competition, pros feel pressure to drive the ball as far as possible and to take extra chances in an effort to maximize birdie opportunities.

If I am in fact correct, what does this mean for player development? Do pros coming up in the ranks practice to shoot their best round day in and day out or to have the ability to go low just a handful of times each year? Are these goals mutually exclusive? Is there a price to be paid in the quest for the razors edge swing? For example, were Tiger’s knee and body issues a cost for developing a swing focused on creating power that could separate him from the field?

With the pool of young talent at an all-time high I suspect so too is the pressure to create the perfect swing. Perhaps this is a good thing for the PGA Tour but I think us regular golfers need to be wary of taking too much swing advice from our golfing heros. While is is fun to dream of hitting it “Bubba Long”, the fact is he is a virtual Gumby who has more natural coordination than nearly any human alive. Moreover, he is likely playing to a set of goals that are entirely different than ours. Why then should we even want to “hit it like Bubba”?  Except of course that chicks dig the long ball.

Crocs Golf Shoes: Let me start by saying that I have never ever owned a pair of Crocs, nor have I ever wanted to own a pair of Crocs. This is not to say I have never bought a pair – it’s just the opposite as I think I have plopped down cash for at least 12 pairs between my three kids, but zippy Crocs for this guy. So in the spirit of non-judgmental reviews, I figured I was the perfect choice.

Why I never owned a pair of Crocs

I first became aware of the Croc Golf shoes at the 2012 PGA show  while strolling around the 9 million square foot venue . . . I literally made a double take when I passed their booth. What I saw reminded me of Crocs but were somehow different, somehow much cooler, somehow not as “crocish” as the Crocs my kids decorated with doo-dads and stomped around in. Well one thing led to another and the next thing you know, three pairs showed up and I was off to the races.

Croc Braydn Golf Shoe

Unlike some golf shoe companies that have basically one look with various color options, Crocs are widely styled but maintain the distintive Croc look – kinda like the Baldwin brothers. So no matter if it is in a saddle, black or wing-tip version, the Crocs vibe is apparent and unmistakeable. While I liked all three styles, I was pretty jacked that the black Braydn version was my size.

Croc Braydn Golf Shoe

One of the first things I noticed was the nubbed insoles, which is kind of like having a Sharper Image foot massager inside your shoe. Nothing new to long time Croc lovers, but a whole new ball game for me. I have no idea of the science behind the Crocs but there is definitely a springy feeling when you walk, much like a new running shoe has. I guess this should not come as a surprise as Crocs whole gig is that they make virtual sponge for your feet.

Crocs Preston Golf Shoe

In terms of the sole, I think one of the best features is the matching accent color they used to tie the whole shoe together, ie green sole with shoes that have a green trim and orange sole with the orange trim. As for the actual cleats, they are plentiful and sturdy. There is no slipping with these shoes as you have a virtual mouth full of gator teeth to grab the earth. As and added bonus, there is a nice gripping sound when you walk on pavement that reminds me of the days of metal spikes but in the rubber version. Despite the excellent traction, the spikes are not too bulky allowing you wear them anywhere without feeling like you are wearing golf shoes. In fact, I am pretty sure these are the same shoes Hank Haney wears 24/7 – or at least every time he is on TV (same thing?).

Crocs Preston Golf Shoe

For the purposes of this review, I took my new Crocs to Pinehurst for a 3 day, 5 round golf outing. I figured, what better way to see how they hold up. From a comfort standpoint, I love ’em. 36 holes in one day demands a shoe with lots of cushion and is not too bulky. Moreover, I was not is any rush to shed the shoes in between rounds or even after we finished our marathon day. In fact, I put them on in the morning and did not take them off until nearly 8pm (as opposed to a bunch of guys who would quickly ditch their spikes to throw on their flip flops as soon as they finished their 1st round).

Crocs Drayden Golf Shoe

While Croc golf shoes certainly have a “look”, I personally like the style and have made them my current shoe of choice. The only issue I found, and I think this would be the case for any non-traditional spiked shoe, is in pine-straw. While I had no problem with grip in the fairway, sand or rough, I did find it a bit hard to “dig in” when hitting out of deep pine-straw which is prevalent in Pinehurst. Other than that, I was absolutely thrilled with the Croc golf shoes.

Crocs Drayden Golf Shoe

A quick note on the Drayden shoe which is slightly different than the others as there are holes throughout allowing for added ventilation. This is a really nice feature for summer time play.

Finally, all of the Crocs are less than $100 so they will not break the bank. My only wish list item would be that they were offered in half sizes.

So there you have it, a full confession from a former Croc hater. I am going all in, these buggers have style, performance and comfort. What more do you want? Hank Haney’s name inside? Oh yea, they have that too.

You can learn more on the Crocs website.

Three Guys Golf Blog is giving away TWO FREE pairs of Crocs!

We are giving away 2 pairs (your choice of style and size). Simply leave us a comment or tweet this post. Contest ends June 22th. We would sure love for you to follow us on Twitter too!

Winners: CONGRATS to Logan and @chineline

Travis Mathew: Why does Bubba Watson button his shirt all the way? Believe it or not, this seems to be a burning question in the golf world. How do I know this? Well because when you run a blog you get to see all the crazy ways people end up on your site, and it just so happens that each day way too many people find my blog post on Bubba Watson by searching on the phrase “why does Bubba Watson button his shirt all the way up?” Unfortunately, I still do not have an answer to that question, but I am happy to report that I am now going “Bubba Style” whenever I wear this sweet Travis Mathews shirt.

It is hard to believe that Travis Mathew has only been on the scene since 2008, because judging from their monster presence at the PGA Merchandise show, you would think they have been a staple in the golf industry for a century. Plus now that Bubba Watson has broken through with his insane Masters win, in which he strode down the fairways on live TV for six hours sporting Travis Mathew, I expect bandwagon to grow exponentially.

What impresses me about Travis Mathew is that they are somehow forward thinking in their style while maintaining classic good looks. Moreover, they are also one of the few companies that is getting back to cotton. It seems that ever since the polyester fad of 8 or so years ago, golf shirts have been primarily made with some type of performance material rather than a softer cotton. Personally, I was of the opinion that cotton was going to go the way of the dodo bird when it came to athletic gear, but the new prima cotton is changing my mind. Perhaps it’s not quite as wicking as some of the poly blends, but this new cotton is a long way from the old Izod alligator shirts that weighed about 4 pounds.

My first round with the Travis Mathew shirt was in a balmy 87 degree NC day. Honestly, I was expecting to have to wring out the shirt at the end of the round, but to my surprise, it was dry as a bone. So seeing that cotton is about the most comfortable material known to man, I say “yes to cotton”. I mean there is a reason we wear blue jeans and not polyester leisure suits-right?

From a style standpoint, I categorize Travis Mathew as classic cool. In other words, you will look sharp without looking like you are trying to make a fashion statement. You just cannot go wrong with a well cut, cleanly designed, quality outfit.

In terms of the shorts, the Travis Mathews have instantly become my favorite pair of golf shorts. First, they are cut really well. Trim enough to be stylish but plenty of length with a few cool details like the white stitching on the side pocket. However, what sets the Travis Mathew shorts apart from most others is the material. It just says “polyester and cotton” on the tag, but they have a plush feel similar to suede. It’s hard to explain, but they are money – trust me.

Finally let me touch on the Travis Mathew website which is one of the few sites (frankly, the only one I know of) that tells you exactly how big the model is (ie “6’2″ 180 lbs”) – brilliant! Seriously, did it take until 2012 for someone to figure this out? I am always confused by sizing charts, but if I see a guy who is my exact size and it says he is wearing a medium – boom, even I can figure what to order. Huge kudos for the rocket scientist who added that gem to their website.

Bottom line: Top quality, well cut, reasonably priced good looking golf clothes!

You can see the whole line of Travis Mathew on their website.

I have to be honest here, I was a little skeptical about the True Linkswear ‘True Isis’ ladies’ golf shoe. First of all, I have always worn the traditional shoes with spikes. This shoe is very different, but, that is not a bad thing.

I am not your average golfer. I am a full time mom of two teenagers and my primary job is that of taxi driver. This being said, I am known to squeeze in a couple of hours for golf, but get sidetracked for errands around town in my golf attire. This is a true test of shoe comfort, playing golf then getting stuck in your golf shoes while driving to baseball practice, dance recitals, etc. You all know what I mean . . . I am not recommending that any athletic shoe be your “around town” shoe, but let’s face it, it happens. So, if you have any foot issue, e.g. bunions, plantar fasciitis, hammertoes, etc., and you are comfortable in a golf shoe for 18 holes plus some, you have accomplished something. Enter, True Linkswear.

I admit that I wear orthotics with all of my shoes. I have the feet of an old woman! Therefore, when I pick out new shoes of any sort, needless to say, I am very picky. For my first day in the True Isis from True Linkswear, I decided that the true test would be sans orthotics. This is not a decision I made lightly – the fear of the sore heels for the next three days loomed over my head. I purchased a new bottle of Aleve and set out on my mission . . . first up, the driving range.

I spent 45 minutes on the range just getting used to my new shoes. I looked them up and down. It took me a few to get used to my view. They are wider than the traditional shoe at the toe box. For me, this is a very good thing. At what point did shoe cobblers decide that making shoes more pointed at the toe was a good idea? Maybe the appearance of the narrow toe is more appealing? I’m not really sure, but I will say, that I do not wear a wide shoe, just a traditional width, but my foot, like most of the human race that has five toes per foot, is wider at the toe than the heel. No question about it, these shoe were, by far, the most comfortable athletic shoe I have worn in quite some time. The wide toe box allowed plenty of room for my toes and there was absolutely no squeeze factor.  This might be a little weird, but my test then went to the tennis courts. Not with this shoe, but I had to play in a charity tennis event for about two hours, on hard courts. I switched to tennis mode, after which my feet are always achey.

The true test here came when I switched back to golf mode and played 18 holes, in my True Linkswear True Isis. No way will my feet hold out, I thought. Again, no orthotics. No problem. While it took me a few minutes to adjust to the feeling of walking more on my heels, which is what it felt like after my traditional heel tennis shoes, I got the hang of it. I played 18, waiting with baited breath, for the aches and pains to begin. Not even a twinge. So, driving range, check, tennis, check, 18 holes check, now back to real life. Off to the afternoon of errands without switching from my True Linkswear True Isis shoes. I walked the grocery store, the post office and finally, a trip over the black asphalt drive in Georgia temperatures to check on the progress of the charity event. These “spikes” on the bottom of the Linkswear shoe can’t hold out for this. Or can they? After a full day, most of which was spent in the True Linkswear True Isis, I got home ready to inspect the damage I surely inflicted. To my surprise, other than a little Georgia red clay left behind, these remarkable shoes barely looked worn. How is this possible? I’m not saying that you can wear these for the next five years with no wear and tear, but they are definitely much more durable than you might expect.

All that is fine, but, how do they work in my game? Again, I am used to the traditional shoe and was very weary of this “barefoot” technology. Will I slip without my spikes? Do I want to feel barefoot on the course? Will my foot suffer when I step into the shallows of the magnetic water hazard? Here you go: no, yes, and yes. After my initial worries about slipping without spikes, I relaxed and did my best to shove the ball down the throat of the fairways. My best Happy Gilmore impression couldn’t even coax a slip out of the True Linkswear True Isis. Now, in golf, weight balance, not your spikes is the key to not slipping. That being said, when you do get carried away, the mental note that you have ground hugging spikes on your shoes does make you feel a little more confident. Never once did I feel as if I was not firmly anchored when I most needed it. I had full range of motion while maintaining steady, planted feet.

Fast forward a few weeks. Now my True Linkswear have been everywhere with me, from my home course to a local par three course to a mountain course in South Carolina and let’s not forget all the menial tasks in between. My shoes and my feet are still in excellent condition. There is still no sign of wear to the bottoms of these shoes and I have retired my traditional golf shoes so this is the only pair I wear. I can’t tell you the physics behind any golf swing or paraphernalia. What I can tell you is what works for me, the average, learn as I go along golfer. This shoe, the True Linkswear True Isis, works. It is comfortable, durable and innovative. I would recommend it to anyone, whether you are a beginner or a seasoned golfer.

You can learn more about True Linkswear Isis on their website.

A while back I wrote a bit of a rant about the Cleveland Classic Driver and its relevance in today’s market. My original take on the Cleveland Classic was that I simply did not buy into the “classic looks” concept – the fact that it was designed to evoke memories of the old persimmon woods was not something that sparked my interest. And maybe I took a few jabs at the folks who actually would buy into such a “gimmick”, but that was only because I am so charitable in nature. Well it appears that Cleveland was paying attention, because they called my shot and immediately shipped out a Cleveland Classic driver of my choice. The package may as well have had the words “eat crow” spray painted across it, because surely that was their intention.

Rife Two Bar Hybrid Putter Review: Ever go to a golf tournament to watch the pros warm up? Guess what, they spend most of their time on the putting green. You know why? Because it’s where they make their living. All those guys can hit the ball, but it’s the ones who are making the putts that are at the top of the leaderboard week in and week out. I remember my father-in-law’s caddy telling me that during a stretch of years when Hale Irwin was pound-for-pound the best golfer on the planet, it wasn’t his ball striking, no it was his putting.

Despite the fact that Rife has only been around since 2004, they have become one of the fastest growing putter companies in the world. They now boast 100 tour players and 40% of the putters that are used on the Champions Tour. Most recently, Matt Kuchar used a Rife putter to win the Player’s Championship and place 3rd at the Masters. So yea, Rife knows what they are doing.

For the past six weeks I have been using the Rife Two Bar putter in various conditions and I can tell you that I have been quite impressed. Believe it or not, my very first putt was a center cup 8 foot birdie putt, so suffice it to say we got off on a good start. Since that time I’ve used the Rife Two Bar Hybrid Putter for roughly 16 rounds and in some friendly putting green competitions. To date, I remain very happy with the Rife and have gotten a number of positive comments from those who have tried it. Actual comments include:

“good looking putter”

“great balance and feel”

“putts come off the face as smooth and clean as anything I’ve ever seen”

“this thing putts really true”

“this thing is so easy to line up”

It’s true, the Rife Two Bar Hybrid putter make getting your eyes over the line of the target a piece of cake with the sighting notch that’s on the top of the putter, and with their LieAline Fitting System, it is a snap to quickly adjust the putter to your height so that the lie is perfect for you.

The other piece of science behind the Rife Two Bar Putter is their Twin In-Line Moment of Inertia (MOI), which basically means they have weighted the putter so that the head resists twisting when you hit offline putts, even on noticeably off-center hits. When you consider the fact that amateurs do not hit the sweet spot every time, this is a huge advantage because it will allow your putts to hold the line even on mis-hits. In other words, it’s hard to hit a yippy putt with this putter; it’s just begging to hit dead-online.

Okay, you are getting the point right? So before we tackle the more technical features, let me just say that I love the AVS Winn Custom grip they’ve put on the club. I would go so far as to say that it is my favorite putting grip that I’ve tried. It has a great, comfortable feel that still allows plenty of sensitivity to the putter head.

Back to the specs: Another great feature of this Rife Two Bar Hybrid putter is that Rife provides interchangeable weights (conveniently stored inside the putter cover). This means you can go from 360 grams for faster greens to 345 grams for slower greens. The logic here is that most pros use different putters for different green speeds… a heavier putter for fast, and a lighter putter for slow. One thing I did notice to that end – I enjoyed the putter immensely on medium and fast greens with their weighting system. During a few rounds on extremely slow greens, I was aware that it’s hard to make a ‘wristy’ stroke, even if you want to… this putter wants you to make a nice smooth move at the ball, and so I might not be as inclined to use it if I was back in the era of the “Big Three” from Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf. But thankfully, most of us don’t have to play on shag carpets like that very often, and the interchangeable weights for this putter are a big plus in my book and make the putter very versatile for different conditions.

And along with it’s sharp looks and clean manufacturing, I should mention that Rife’s patented RollGroove insert made of milled anodized aluminum has a pleasing sound on impact, but most importantly gets the ball rolling right off the putter face without skidding or hopping. Many putters contact the ball and put a bit of a knuckle-ball kind of action on the putt after initial contact, that you can only see with a slow motion camera. Unfortunately, this skid creates putts that can move offline like a knuckle-ball, and as the skid transitions to rolling, the putt can lose speed from the friction involved. The grooves on this putter physically grab the ball, and get it rolling almost instantaneously. Practically speaking, this means that people will be remarking to you, as they have to me, about how beautifully you are rolling the ball across the green (and hopefully into the hole).

True story– one of the guys I putted against asked if the insert was legal, because he couldn’t believe how smoothly the ball came off the putter face. I assured him, it is! I’m not going to lie, this putter can’t read the greens for you; however, if you can do your part, this Rife Two Bar Hybrid putter will do it’s part and then some.

So, check out the Rife line on their website  and give a look at the new finish they’re putting out in their tropical series- even more styling than before. Then give one a test on a green near you.

You can see all of the high res images in our Facebook Gallery.

If you would have told me a year ago that I would get the opportunity to speak with an LPGA player, I would have been dubious at best. Well, the stars finally aligned and I was able to spend a bit of time talking with Meaghan Francella, a member of the LPGA Tour since 2006 and a former Tarheel at the University of North Carolina. By my calculations, there is a pretty good chance I nearly ran into her in the mid 2000’s since the UNC golf course is my home practice course . . . mind you, I said ‘practice course’ as I rarely play there since the rates are a bit steep for this poorboy blogger. Anyway, Meaghan was twice the New York State Junior champion back in the day, was the 2003 ACC individual champion at UNC, and was a 1st team All-American in 2004. Badass? Check.

Much like the PGA, the women’s tour is deep with talent. Interestingly, Meaghan voiced the same frustrations I have heard from some PGA Pros in that the networks only want to focus on just a few players, even though there are compelling stories beyond the top 10. So unfortunately, plenty of great players bask in relative obscurity despite playing in major golf tournaments and making a darn good living doing something most of us can only do once a week (and poorly I might add). That is of course until you win, and Meaghan has won twice on tour – the first time just 18 months after turning pro, in a four hole playoff against Annika Sorenstam no less. When I think about my own game and knowing how I struggle to finish a good round without giving it away on the 18th green, I sometimes wonder how anyone actually manages to win a golf tournament with anything better than a bogey, but I guess that is why Meaghan is on tour and I am not.

To back up a bit, the reason I was able to speak with Meaghan is because she is affiliated/sponsored by LoudMouth Golf, whose products we have reviewed (both on the men’s and women’s side). If you are curious, Meaghan’s favorite LoudMouth patterns are the “Money” and “Carolina Blue Argyle”. Not much of a surprise with either choice I think.

She’s Money!

Ironically, the week we spoke was days after a bit of an LPGA controversy in which Morgan Pressel was assessed a penalty for slow play in a match (which clearly had an effect on her eventual loss of the match). Curiously, there were only 4 players on the entire course when the penalty was assessed. Still, the LPGA and PGA fight the slow play battle in both reality and perception. While the men just seem to waste time for no good reason, the women play slow in part because nearly every player utilizes their caddy to help line up putts. I asked Meaghan about this issue and why women tend to rely on their caddies. Her answer surprised me at first but then became obvious – “we are perfectionists” she stated. Duh. However, she did elaborate to say that she is very much in favor of eliminating caddies from the green reading equation. Now if we could just get the men to waggle a bit less and stop fretting over every gentle breeze.

In terms of the LPGA tour, I was interested in how much time she spent with the other players as it is hard to know how much time players spend with each other off of the course. I guess the fact that she was going to play an afternoon round with Morgan Pressel gives you some sense that, yes indeed, they do hang out.

Finally, I asked Meaghan which LPGA star is a serious “bad-ass”. Possibly a dumb question, but I have always believed that Tiger in his heyday unnerved players whether they admitted it or not. Therefore, I wondered if Yani Tseng or anyone else commands that same fear down in the trenches. While the fan in me wanted to hear legends of awe, the pragmatist in me was prepared for her response: respect for her fellow competitors, but total confidence in her ability to win in any given week. (editor’s note: Yani is still a bad-ass).

So that’s it, the closest I have gotten to being inside the ropes – I am now an official Meaghan Francella fan who will be keeping an eye on the leaderboard as she tees it up this year.

Ladies Loudmouth Golf: For the past few years, a good friend of ours has shown up at the annual Member Guest golf tournament in some rather eye catching golf pants. He plays with the same partner each year, and they never disappoint with their matching ensembles. With each passing year, they get better and better. This sharp twosome has been such a hit, they have actually started a new trend at this annual event. More and more partners are showing up in ensembles, each one trying to outdo another. None however, can compare with the originals, and their key ingredient every year: Loudmouth. Each year, we eagerly await the first round of the tournament so we can see their grand entrance and which pattern they will have this year. I have always been envious.

Imagine our delight when we found out Loudmouth Golf now has a ladies’ division. Now, this is not your mama’s golf wear. It is bright, colorful and screams for attention. No more khaki shorts and blue button down shirts. Not at all! Ladies Loudmouth golf is fresh and exciting. So while not all of us can break 90, at least we can all look good trying to. Right out of the box, we were sold on the look of Loudmouth but we were equally impressed with the quality and attention to detail.

The first thing that caught our attention was the “hook and eye” at the top of the zipper of the skort. All you ladies can understand what a necessary nuisance this small hook is. You need it to keep your zipper up and create a smooth, buttonless line. But, the standard seems to be, loop a few strands of thread around it, and by the time it is washed twice, you’re hoping it will just hang on until you can remember to sew it back on. Not the case with Loudmouth. This small hook has been sewn on in three places. This little sucker is NOT coming loose. Next, we noticed the waistband on the inside of both the skort and shorts. Both are reinforced for a nice, clean look and feel. The sturdiness of the waistband also contributes to the ease of a simple wash and wear without the hassle of the iron.

The shirts are made equally as well. First, there are four buttons at the collar, where more times than not, there are only three. In our opinion, this is a huge bonus. We have found that shirts with the traditional three buttons do not move with you as easily which for women who are chestier really makes a difference. In other words, we love the four buttons! Next, the collars and sleeves have a small line of contrasting color at the edge. This is a small detail that makes the shirts stand out. Finally, most women’s shirts have vents on each side at the hipline. The vents promote freedom of movement and a sharp, finished look for an untucked shirt.

Now, let’s talk logo. While Loudmouth’s flashy patterns are sure to turn heads, the Loudmouth logo is just the right low key, yet distinct, embroidered finishing touch. The logo appears on the shirts, skorts and shorts in the traditional places. For an added bonus, Loudmouth appears across the shoulder blades of one of the shirts in bold outline, and we really like this.

Finally, let’s talk fit. When ordering our Loudmouth ladies, we went strictly by the inch measurements. I am typically an 8 and according to the inches, my order was a 6. Sue was a 2 according to the inches, but is typically a 4, and she got the skort and it was slightly snug, but wearable. I got the shorts, but typically wear skorts because they always seem to be cooler. The Loudmouth shorts were the first shorts in a very long time that I have worn and not gotten hot in, and it was in the 80’s. I am not a fabric expert and don’t know why, all I can tell you is that I wore something I am not accustomed to, and to my surprise, was extremely pleased. My shorts fit perfectly and they were cool! The added bonus was, it is one of the few size sixes I have in my closet and I love that. Therefore, we recommend that you order your typical US size. The shirts ran slightly small. They are a good fitted shirt, but if you are more comfortable with a slightly less fitted style, order a larger size. I ordered a medium, but might have been a little happier with a large and Sue got a small and it fit her to a tee, no pun intended.

We wore our Loudmouth on a beautiful day with the sun on our faces and the breeze blowing in our hair. We actually got a few compliments about our look from other players who had no idea that we were testing the clothing. Bonus! We were comfortable and stylish, the way it should be. And, by the way, both Sues agree, we played LOUD!

You can see see all of the styles on the Loudmouth website.

Adidas Samba Golf Shoes: Raise your hand if you know what Adidas Samba shoes are. To those of you with your hands up, congrats on being at least semi-conscious for most of your life. To those of you who have not raised your hand, I’m guessing you don’t know who Kim Kardashian is either, which is downright criminal. The fact is, the Adidas Samba is one the most iconic shoes in history, alongside the Converse All-Star and the Nike Air Jordan (sorry Doc Marten, a solid 90’s run does not an icon make). Born with soccer DNA, Sambas quickly went mainstream, and even through times when they’re not necessarily the hottest shoe out there, they can always be found out and about.

Need I say more?

Well folks, Adidas bought Taylor Made a while back and got serious about golf, so guess what . . . behold the Adidas SAMBA golf shoe.

I guess I’ll go ahead and let the cat out of the bag now – these things are awesome. I don’t even know where to begin, except to say that the following review, as always, is just one guy’s take on where Sambas fit into the spectrum, so please don’t be upset if your stylish shoes happen to catch some of the shrapnel.

A few years back the golf shoe industry finally started adding some new concepts to the traditional line of the ol’ Foot Joy look . . . problem was, for some reason they thought people wanted their golf shoes to look like running or basketball shoes. Not cool running or basketball shoes, mind you, but shoes that you would wear to work at a nursing home or bagging groceries. If you don’t know the type, just take a look at what my boy Tiger wears 3 out of 4 days (sigh). There was a weird timeframe a while back when a few of my buddies started showing up to courses with these behemoths on, and I could never get a read on what was up: did they just get a really bad Xmas gift from their father-in-law, had they recently incurred some mild form of head trauma, or were they just suffering through a sudden flare-up of the gout?

Okay, then in 2011 the clouds opened up and we suddenly had a whole new wave of “alternative” golf shoes – nice! Companies started coming out with a cooler version of golf shoes, and in theory I was right on board. The problem for me, however, was that still none of these offerings really put the whole package together. They didn’t look like boring golf shoes, but they also didn’t really look like legitimate cool shoes either; maybe they didn’t have the athletic slant I’d like to see, they often took on more of a “skater shoe” look, which is not my speed. Some of them seemed to struggle with keeping the soles under 2 inches thick, which puts my brain right back to nursing shoes. Others kept the sole nice and thin, but as I’m told, lacked in comfort as a result. And finally, as anti-establishment as I may sound at times (in a really lame golf-y way, of course), I have to ask – when did we decide that standard soft-spikes were no longer king? A lot of the new shoes went with different little nubs that supposedly grip the turf just as well as spikes, something I still haven’t completely signed off on yet.

Then came my pair of Adidas Samba golf shoes. Simply put, they look like normal shoes with spikes attached . . . finally someone figured it out! They have the same low lines as a standard Samba, which makes you wonder how much cushion they can actually provide. To that point . . .

I have what my podiatrist calls “the feet of a 76 year-old overweight marathon runner with bad feet”. At least once every summer someone at the beach will look over and exclaim “what . . . how do you buy shoes?”, and I can’t stand on the concrete floors of a Lowe’s or Home Depot for more than 20 minutes without putting a significant negative spin on my day. So unlike most of my golf purchasing habits, I’ve always been willing to buck up and pop for the nicest pair of golf shoes out there, or at least the second-nicest (I’m not P. Diddy for crying out loud). And those high end traditional shoes usually did the trick – I was never in pain at the end of a round, unless maybe I walked a long 18. Anyway, enough of the build up, these Sambas are the most comfortable golf shoes I’ve worn to date. They don’t feel like golf shoes, they just feel like good sneakers. Good sneakers that look a bit more stylish than the standard, look athletic and not clunky, and still have soft-spikes that are actually spikes.

If you can’t tell, I’m a fan of these buggers. I guess it all makes sense – Adidas has been excelling at making shoes for the better part of a century . . . perhaps they decided it was time to show the golf industry how it’s done.

NOTE: The only issue I have with the Samba shoes are that they are not water proof so if you play a lot of rounds in the morning with heavy dew, this will be an issue.

You can learn more about the Adidas Samba golf shoes on their website and see high res pictures on our Facebook gallery.

G Fore Golf Gloves: Is it just me or do all gloves look exactly the same? Seriously, I must have bought over 200 golf gloves in my life, but if pressed by Alex Trebec, I fear I could not tell you which version I normally buy. My eyes literally glaze over when I stand in front of the golf glove section. In my defense, there are about a million types of golf gloves that all look the same and have names that only add to my confusion. Let’s see, there is dry fit, tour select, stay soft, weather soft and the whatever else the new brand manager could dream up.

President Bill Clinton on Feherty? Seriously? David, must be pretty smitten with himself today knowing he landed just about the biggest guest in the world (no, not you Snooki). Now I know there are plenty of people who do not think very highly of Clinton, and I am not going to get into his politics, but I contend that if you held no bias, he is about the coolest cat around.

I give Feherty credit for giving Clinton enough rope to talk about the the things he cares about, namely his work in Africa and Haiti but also pressing him with a few good questions, eg “who is smarter, you or Hillary”. In the end, Clinton is flawless in his well scripted answers and charming with his delivery. He speaks of racial integration, his decision to give up his 9 music scholarships in order to pursue politics, his never ending desire to be the leader of the free world and of course golf.

While nearly every modern day president has played golf, Clinton played more than his fair share. He has played with dignitaries, PGA pros, actors and everyone in between but I guess that is one of the perks of holding the worlds most powerful office (that and getting 2 mulligans per round). While not official, Clinton is actually a pretty good golfer carrying about a 12 handicap until his recent heart problems.

Be the Right Stick Today!

One of the best questions Feherty posed to Clinton was to describe the similarities of golf, namely the front and back nine, to his two terms in office. Interestingly, Clinton pointed out that often a President’s final years in office are some of the toughest and that there was a real possibility of not finishing strong. Sound familiar? I am sure there are more than a few of us that can relate to a back nine blow-up. Still, more insightful was Clinton’s observation that politics is much like golf in that sometimes results are largely a result of luck, and that you must learn to accept the outcome regardless of how it was achieved. In other words, you take the good and keep the bad in perspective. Now that is Leader of the Free World quality advice.

So in the end, despite Feherty’s distinguished guest, David was very much himself, albeit he did seem a bit less disheveled. We have now seen Feherty interview people from nearly every corner of the celebrity world and while there are still a few rough edges, he has vastly improved his skills. Could we be witnessing the “next Barbara Walters”? Oh, the horror.

ClicGear 3.0 Review: The myth held by most non-golfers is that it is some sort of beer-and-cigar-sodden pastime played by over-weight, ex-frat boys riding around electric go-carts. While there is some truth to this, the majority of golf is played by regular people just looking to spend some time outside, socialize with friends, test their skills and get a bit of exercise, (and when I say a bit of exercise, keep in mind that walking 18 holes is approximately a 5-7 mile walk). Hence, for us walkers, having a solid, well rolling push-cart is a must have. 

This one is for all the ladies out there that have been interested in golf, but have been too chicken to try. Or maybe you see golf on TV and tune in only because you have gone several days with insufficient sleep and this is a sure fire way to get in a nap. I am here to tell you, you are missing out. Lucky for you, it is never too late to pick up the crazy addicting game called golf.

Load up the cooler ladies, we are on the tee box.

I am 41 years old and have only been playing golf regularly for about 3 years. I grew up in a small North Carolina town and my only exposure to golf as a child was when The Hardy Boys would be preempted on Sunday nights for some golf tournament. As you can imagine, this was excruciatingly painful as I anticipated my weekly date with Shaun Cassidy all Sunday long. The first time I picked up a golf club, aside from the occasional Putt Putt putter during summer trips to the outer banks, was in college. My roommate begged me to take golf with her for PE because her boyfriend played, and she needed to learn. I relented, and so it began. At the time, I was still harboring bad feelings towards golf because it was the prime reason my relationship with Shaun never took off, but after the first day of class, I realized there were lots of boys in this class and golf owed me. It was a four week class and I suffered through with my roommate only to put down my borrowed classroom clubs to turn my back on golf for a few more years.

I was in my twenties when I met my husband, and like every stupid girl in a fresh relationship, when the subject of golf came up, I barfed up, “I took golf in college.” Next date, the golf course. I borrowed some clubs and sucked it up for him. We played a couple of times a year, but he was in law school so time was limited, thankfully. We got married, had a couple of kids, kids grew to full time school age and suddenly I found myself back on the course for date time. We would be out there for what seemed like forever. I thought we would be nearing the end, and we were on hole #3. Seriously? Here is where it all changed. We met friends and started playing couples golf. Beer, dinner, and fun with friends was now involved. We even gave out prizes. And I’m not talking about ones for birdies and pars. We got prizes for first ball in the water, first lost ball and first swing and a miss. This was more like it. I started out riding in a cart with my husband and before we even realized it, the girls were teaming up to play against the husbands. Everything started to change when I was on the course with the girls. Namely, my husband wasn’t standing over me trying to “help” me. Now this was fun, and I went from only tolerating 9 holes to wondering how we got through 18 so fast.

Now I have a standing Friday game with the girls and lost Sunday nights with Shaun Cassidy have been long forgiven. I still occasionally play with my husband and son, but have found the way that golf works for me. And that ladies, is the secret. If you try to play with your husband, but find yourself just getting irritated at him, find some girlfriends that might be interested. Maybe you are the opposite and that is great too. My point is, give it a try and not just once. You don’t have to go out there and be a professional golfer, but you do need it to be fun. And believe me, you will get the stink eye from the men whose tee time is right behind yours. They think they own the courses. But what’s the worse that can happen? They act like asses and you let them play through. I know so many women that won’t play because they are so intimidated by the men. Times are changing my friends. So what if you hit like a girl. I have yet to run into a man on a golf course that can hit like Annika, a girl. Get in the game.

Golf Trip Format Suggestions: So you are organizing a golf trip? There are lots of thing to consider including which courses to play, where to stay and what to do at night. One important detail to work out is the game format (ie, captain’s choice, best ball, mixed format). Getting the golf games nailed down early can help keep your golf trip running smoothly and make your life easier. Below is the golf trip format I have used for both an 8 man and 12 man trip . . . in both cases we play 5 rounds in 3 days. The goal is to have a format where a mix of skills can all compete together but also make it such that there is healthy individual competition.

Bunker Mentality Golf Apparel: Ah, jolly old England – land of Wimbledon, the English gentleman, and Pippa herself. Part of golf’s old country, Great Britain is often known for its royal family, afternoon tea, and generally refined culture. So who would have guessed that one of the loudest voices in the punk-rock golf movement would be coming from Old Blighty herself?