There’s been a lot of noise surrounding Nike’s new VRS Covert 2.0 Tour driver over the past few months, and with Tiger and Rory both dropping them into the bag in 2014, I think there’s good reason for the hype. Deciding that my ballstriking was easily on par with those two chumps, I’ve been out testing Nike’s newest offering to see what’s up.

That was a joke.

With both the VRS Covert 2.0 and VRS Covert 2.0 Tour, Nike has gone with a bold red look that is visually striking and, quite frankly, badass. A small white swoosh is placed from 7:00 – 8:00 on the crown of the club, which seems odd at first but becomes a non-factor within seconds. One way the Tour version is distinguished from the regular Covert 2.0 is that its clubface has a muted black/gray color, which looks pretty cool on its own and really cool in comparison to the regular steel-colored face on the Covert 2.0. Way to make us feel special for stepping up to the big boy club, Nike! Seriously. The Tour version also comes with a red Nike Tour Wrap grip (made by Golf Pride), which stands out and looks cool.

I’ll spare you the techno-speak pertaining to what Nike has put under the hood, as you can always read about that stuff on their website. Simply put, the Tour version is designed to create lower spin and lower ball flight for better players. Like any “better player” club, a little forgiveness is traded in for workability. The 2.0 version is an evolution of last year’s model, again utilizing a cavity back design, something called “Fly-Brace” technology, and a larger face utilizing variable thickness intended to create hotness. “Cavity back” might sound weird for a driver, but in person it looks plenty cool and reasonable, nothing gimmicky about it.

The club also boasts Nike’s FlexLoft adjustability system, which is a very solid rig that allows loft to be adjusted from 8.5 degrees – 12.5 degrees and has 3 face angles: Right, Neutral, and Left. It is important to note that the FlexLoft systems allows you to adjust loft and face angle independently, so you don’t have to worry about inherently tweaking your face angle when you change your loft.

On to the range! You’re going to have to bear with me here, as I have always vowed to give the whole truth and nothing but the truth, and sometimes my annoying personal story can help paint the picture: the Nike Covert 2.0 Tour taught me a valuable lesson in clubfitting right off the bat, more than any previous driver had. When I first swung this club, I was shocked at how horribly I was hitting the ball. I actually started to panic over the future prospects of my hacker golf career . . .  I knew “Tour” versions were for true adults, but I had no idea they could be this finicky. But then I remembered that this baby was adjustable, and that’s when the clouds began to part. The club arrived at a 10.5 degree loft and a neutral face, which sounded appetizing enough to me at first glance. But all I was doing was hitting low laser slices that felt like hitting a rock with a broomstick. And while I’ll admit to having some “minor” issues with my stroke, slicing the ball is not one of them.

Duh, let’s use this wrench and try tinkering with it a bit. I adjusted the face angle to “Right”, which for a lefty means draw. Holy cow, now it looks like a normal driver! The draw face brought the Nike over to my side . . . turns out that Nike’s “Neutral” setting is actually about 1.5 degrees open (another reminder that Tour players and low handicappers are freaks).

Anyway, after making the adjustments, I started hitting some legitimate balls. Legitimate low, fast, knuckleballs that is. I never knew how much spin my previous driver was generating until I saw the flight of my ball off of the Nike . . . these things were screaming off the face and just staying low, hurdling across the range at about 20 feet on the altimeter. By now I’ve learned two things: 1) this face is hot, and 2) this driver lives up to its low spin claims. In fact, I ended up finding my nirvana at a whopping 11.5 degrees of loft. 11.5! I always thought you had to show an AARP card and a note from your doctor to get permission to wield that number. I should mention that my driver came with Nike’s stock Mitsubishi Rayon Kuro Kage shaft in Stiff flex, labeled as geared for a “LOW” trajectory. Okay, do you get it now? Ball flight leans toward low.

I’ve since played with this driver for a few rounds and a few range sessions, and I have some general thoughts to share about my experience. First and foremost, this sucker is LONG. I would attribute this to both the lower spin and the hot face, as well as my own feeling that the club feels “heavy”, like when you use a heavier bat in baseball and get more smash. When you get a’hold of this driver, it goes. I had several drives that were 10-15 yards longer than my normal drives on certain holes, and while a few yards here or there could be due to conditions, there were enough instances of walking past my usual spot to know that the distance thing is legit. This was confirmed at the local Golf Galaxy launch monitor – well struck drives were 8-10 yards longer with the Nike Covert 2.0 Tour than any of the other 4 drivers I tried. And to be fair, this might be the only driver I’ve hit in a while that didn’t even really demand a walk-off or computer session . . . whenever I striped one I could tell just by eye that the ball was humming out there a bit faster and further than my usual.

Now, obviously I didn’t hit every ball perfect. I would say that for slight mis-hits, this club performed great – no significant loss in distance and the dispersion was very tight. In fact, on a few holes I would hit a less-than-satisfying drive that would come out a bit lower than the norm, feel kind of lame, and it would end up rolling out just as far as one that I ripped. Seemed like the 85% hit created even less spin and the ball just rolled forever. There is a steep drop-off, however, when you put a bad move on the ball; the club punishes you with a negative impact feel and a not-so-good shot. Living up to its Tour name, this driver definitely demands a slightly better stroke out of its owner than the average driver. This is not very scientific, but I’d say anything less than 80% swing execution and you’re not having any fun . . . perhaps time to check out the Covert 2.0 if you’re worried about that.

The feel of this club, when hit right, is fantastic. It has a modern (and definitely unique) ‘ting’ sound to it, but impact has a little classic ‘CRACK!’ feeling mixed in with the modern trampoline vibe that is wholly satisfying. When you rip this driver, you know it, and you look up with dollar signs in your eyes.

Over the span of my time swinging this club, however, I have had some funky thoughts about how important pure distance is to me. I continue to think “heavy” when I hit this club, and this could very well be what Nike was shooting for in their Tour version. But when I hit the Nike alongside two or three other drivers, I always feel like I’m swinging a little more lumber, and maybe my swing isn’t quite up to snuff because if I get lazy at all, the whole schebang feels a bit sluggish. To be fair, the lazy drives usually end up moving out there just fine, I’m just not always quite sure how it all came about.

But that’s just my game. I am sure that there are better players out there that can take full advantage of what this club can do (possibly with a modified shaft). I just want to be clear that this is not a plug-n-play driver that ends up being like all the rest once you wash off the logos and paint jobs. In fact, I can’t remember ever being so anxious to watch other people try a club to see what they think (I wish I knew some lefties). The Covert 2.0 Tour is its own type of beast, and I’ve hit enough insane bombs with it to know that for the right player this thing will be an absolute monster.

Learn more about the Nike VRS Covert 2.0 Tour driver at their website.

I haven’t worn traditional spikes to play golf in years, and that’s not the chorus of the song. The fact is, I don’t ever plan on wearing traditional golf shoes ever again, and shoes like the Nike FI Impact are strong cases for the reason why. For those of you with short attentions spans, I am gonna spill the beans and say that these shoes have truly impressed me on several levels.

While much of the credit for the popularization of soft spike golf shoes goes to Fred Couples, you can actually trace some of the history through the NFL. Growing up, I came from a football family where it was the sport of choice for me and my brothers (and my father’s profession). Back in the 70’s when NFL teams were moving to turf, players like my dad were also making the transition to non-spiked shoes. In fact, my dad had a pair of one of the very first turf shoes ever developed. When I was old enough to play on turf in high school, he let me break out his pair, and I never looked back to traditional cleats again. So for me, soft spiked golf shoes seem to be the obvious choice.

Once I started playing golf in my 20s, I enjoyed the grip of cleats, but didn’t enjoy the hardness and unevenness of walking in them or the styles of the golf shoes that were the norm. My hips, feet and back were taking a beating as well. Fortunately, with the well-chronicled shoe revolution we now have quite a few great choices.

For this particular golf shoe, Nike brought in Suzann Pettersen to help design the F1 Impact. Suzann drew from her 8 years studying shoeless running, and working with the Stanford golf team. Nike learned that Stanford players were practicing barefoot, following in the footsteps of pros like Sam Snead and Rocco Mediate, who have long-extolled the virtues of feeling the ground with your bare feet during your swing.

The Nike FI Impact Golf Shoes truly wrap around my foot and fit like a glove and with the way the low-profile sole works with the ground, they give tremendous feel through the motion of the foot as it pushes off the ground in the swing. There are no cleats on shoe, but when hitting off of wet, dewy grass I was amazed at how much the nubs gave me a solid grip; and yet they felt like running shoes when walking on pavement.

The facts that these shoes are water-proof, exceptionally comfortable, lightweight, highly breatheable (due to the mesh upper), and exceptionally dynamic (due to soft ‘finger’s through the arch area that keep the uppers connected to the sole during the movement of your foot) make them a great value at $130.

They come in four color combinations, including grey and blue besides the ever-popular white and black. I have been trying the blue, and although they were a little bright for my taste when I first looked down to swing, I noticed that it made it very easy to check my setup and foot position with barely a glance.

If you’ve tried ‘barefoot’ running shoes or ever played golf barefooted, or even longed to, you should give these a try. They give you many of the benefits of your bare feet, with plenty of helpful options to go along with it.

You can learn more about the Nike F1 Impact golf shoe on the Nike Golf Website.

Over the past 10 years or so, I have progressively been moving from game improvement to scoring irons. With that said, I tend to believe that most average golfers are better off erring on the conservative side. Too often I see guys playing with tour blades who frankly do not have the game to back it up. Speaking of “not enough game”, some folks might argue that I am right on the edge of having enough game for the Nike VR Forged Pro Combo Irons. I play to a 9.3 handicap during the heat of the season and more like a 12 during the off-season (which was when I reviewed these clubs).

While I have never owned a set of blades (much less Nike irons), I have hit a number of brands and have had basically zero success. I have found that I either hit really bad shots or shots that I think were good only to watch the ball fly way short of my expectations. Can you see the set up here? Are the Nike VR Forged Pro Combo Irons appropriate for a 10 handicap?

Let me step back and say that I totally understand the desire to play a blade. Blade irons give you immediate feedback and allow for better workability. Plus they look super cool, permeate the “yea, I am a player” vibe and are basically a chick magnet (or at least that is what I am hoping).

Perhaps this is exactly what Nike had in mind when they designed the VR Forged Pro Combo irons. With roughly half of the set (3-6 irons) having a cavity pocket and the scoring irons (7-PW) having split cavities, the Nike combo irons provide the advanced or aspiring advanced player with the best of both worlds.

Complementing the Nike VR Forged Pro Combo Iron are the Dynamic Gold shaft which is meant to promote high trajectory in the long irons. Admittedly, I am not a shaft geek so I judge this performance on whether I am comfortable hitting the 3 or 4 iron rather than a hybrid. In the case of the Nike VR Irons, I am not shy about hitting the long irons. Adding to the forgiveness and overall seamless feel between the long and short irons is the polymer filling added to the pocket cavity. The science of this surely eludes me, but basically, it makes it such that it does not feel like two separate sets of clubs, i.e. 3-6 and 7-PW. Conversely, it feels like a progressive set of clubs.

For my review of the Nike VR Forged Pro Combo Irons, I spent about 45 minutes on the range with the irons prior to taking to the first tee. Before I hit them, I was very aware of the fact they are noticeably smaller (or at least thinner) than my cavity backs. Admittedly, my swing is a touch goofy these days but I am still playing to around a 12 handicap. Hitting the 4-6 iron felt familiar to my other clubs in that it was fairly easy to  make solid contact. Still, I did notice that I got more feedback, both good and bad, with each swing.

With the scoring clubs, 7-PW, I was expecting to be really punished for off-center hits. Fortunately, this was not the case with the Nike VR irons. Yes, they are less forgiving than your “game improvement” irons, but they are way more playable than a pure blade. Plus, if you are like me and use a bump and run short game, they are really effective around the green.

Returning to the “can a 10 handicap play these clubs” question: Don’t get me wrong, I understand the carrot and stick mentality for playing blades. The argument goes that if you can learn to play blades you will become a better player as you will get instant feedback by which you can hone your game. On the other hand, you have to be committed to improving your game rather than hanging on to what you still have.

After playing 6 full rounds with the Nike VR Forged Pro Combo Irons, I would love to say they will stay in my bag, but the reality is that I am at an age and point in my game where I probably need a touch more forgiveness with each passing year, rather than less. With that said,  I am very comfortable and confident with them in my bag.

On the other hand, for players whose game is still on the upswing and whose strength is not in decline I think you will find these clubs as a welcome middle ground between pure blades and bulky game improvement irons.

My bottom line is that Nike has gotten their act together and are now offering quality equipment for players at all levels, and the Nike VR Forged Pro Combo Irons fit nicely into that mix. In the end, if you are looking to split the difference between the forgiveness of a cavity back and precision of a blade, the Nike Pro Forged are a great option.

A final note on the Nike equipment brand. I, along with the whole Three Guys Golf crew, am a huge Tiger Woods fan. We have written many a post about why we love his game (and wish he was a whole lot cooler). Oddly, it was not until this year that I actually ever played with a Nike club. This year we reviewed the Nike VRS driver and Covert hybrids. In both cases we were pleasantly surprised by how much we like the clubs. It was therefore, perfect that I finally was able to review the VR Forged irons to complete the trifecta

Visit Nike Golf website to learn more.

Each year we sit down to come up with a list of the absolute best products we have reviewed in the past 12 months. Not only is this task mentally taxing because we have to choose between hundreds of good products, but also because of the fact that each product is typically reviewed by only one of us.

Nike Lunar Duet Review: Growing up in a small town and before the internet, it often took a while before I ever got a first hand look at the newest fashion. Typically my first exposure to the hottest trends came when someone showed up at school wearing the latest “must haves”. To this day, I still remember the day my friend Donna walked into class with the now iconic canvas Nike. While there was disagreement on how to pronounce the name, we all wanted our own pair of the canvas kicks with a blue swoosh. I can’t explain my immediate infatuation with these new shoes, I can only say that after more than 30 years, I still have it.

It is no surprise that the first pair of golf shoes I owned were Nike. They were red leather and still might be my favorite pair I’ve ever had. So, when Nike sent two pair of Lunar Duets my way, I was game. I received a black pair and Sue, a white pair. Now, if you’ve read any of our shoe reviews, you know we both have feet issues and tend to be picky about our shoes.

Right out of the box, I loved them. They are street shoe stylish with sleek, clean lines and easily move between the course and the rest of your day. While some golfers still like the classic golf shoe look, the street shoe is quickly becoming a must have for those of us who like to squeeze in a few buckets of balls on the range during lunch or a quick 9 when we can eek out a couple of hours.

No worries serious golfers, you don’t have to give up the reliability and traction of your standard golf shoe when your wear the Nike Lunar Duet. We have had the wettest spring in Atlanta that I can remember, and our golf course has suffered with waves of flood waters. Fallen trees, mudslides and sinking fairways have been a standard this spring and the Lunar Duets passed all the tests.

While the leather uppers are not waterproof, only water resistant, I had no problems at all with wet socks or feet, and there were times that I was standing on fairways so saturated, they squished with every step. The gentle slopes of the fairways were more like slip-n-slides, but I never felt unsteady. Lunar Duets might not have your standard spikes, but the more modern rubber lugs don’t give up traction on the course while easily converting for other activities if you have no time to change.

Finally, I don’t know what Lunarlon technology is, I can only say that it cushions your foot with a gel-like spring that I can’t explain but can only appreciate. So, if you’re in the market for new golf shoes the Nike Lunar Duet could be for you! They come in men’s and women’s and your feet will thank you.

Nike Lunar Duet run about $110. You can see the whole line of Nike women’s golf shoes on their website. 

After the age of the white golf clubs, there came… red? Over the past year or so, Nike has has gotten a lot of really good press on their new Covert line with the Tour Hybrids making Golf Digest’s 2013 Hot List Gold. So, when we received the 3 and 4 hybrids for this review, the expectations were pretty high.

Ok, let’s dive into the tech stuff to see what makes these hybrids unique.

First off, the face is more flexible than last years award-winning VR_S model with a 45% larger hotzone. What this means is you get more distance even with mis-hits when the ball comes across the face. The science behind this magic lies in the sole cavity where, like on a cavity back iron, Nike has moved the weight around to the heel and toe for stability and forgiveness. This movement of weight translates to straighter, longer shots. Notably, the Tour model has less offset, lower trajectory and more flexibility in its settings so the face angles can be set independent of the lofts with the removal of one screw.

Over the years, golf companies have really improved the club adjustment process and the Covert is no exception. The Nike Hybrid is amazingly simple to adjust and lightning fast. Simply take out the one screw and turn the adjustment to the desired loft and face angle then replace the screw – that’s it. All in all, the hybrids have 4 degrees of loft and 3 face-angle settings so the 4 hybrids can very easily cover your 5 wood through your 5 iron depending on what you need in your bag.

Visually, the clubs are good-looking with that deep rich red color. In terms of feel, upon picking up the club for the first time, I did notice it seemed heavier than I expected. Prior to hitting the club, I recalled that some reviews mentioned the ball felt a bit dead coming off the face so I was curious to see if I had the same reaction. While  there is a certain “thud” to contact, and a lack of spring, there was no lack of distance. In fact, I found the ball flight to be quite penetrating and very controllable off of a variety of lies, including punch shots and half swings.

After a little work at the range, I was very comfortable swinging the club and quickly began to use it for a variety of shots during any given round. Specifically, it is easy to draw or fade and with the adjustments I could create more or less distance depending on where I wanted it to fit with my set.

Beyond your basic shots, the hybrid is also very useful for some specialty shots. For example, I have used it to punch out of the woods, escape from deep rough or even bump a ball from just off of the green.

While I am not a huge fan of adjustable drivers, the adjustable hybrid makes a ton of sense. First, it allows you to fill in distance holes in your set even when those gaps change. With 4 different lofts it takes the perfection out of trying to decide exactly which hybrid you need. Just change the loft as your needs change.

To learn more about the Nike Covert Hybrid you can visit the Nike Website.

Rock Solid. This is how I would describe the Nike Lunar Control golf shoes. They are not barefoot, street, retro or progressive, but they are also not boring or traditionalist. I think they basically split the difference right down the middle and fall into the category of damn fine golf shoes.

Since I have mostly given up spiked golf shoes except for when I do a review, I tend to approach the situation with some negative bias. However, in the case of the Lunar Control, I have kind of fallen in love with them. The support is awesome, they are super light, and while they are not minimalist, they do not seem bulky or raised far above the ground. What I really noticed is that I never notice them which is a pretty good indicator of how comfortable they are.

Admittedly, I have a tendency to bash the big brands mostly because I root for the little guy, but the reality is that Nike knows a thing or two about making shoes. Lets face it, the swoosh is worn by nearly all of the greatest athletes in the world so it is no shocker that the the Lunar Control can be seen any given Sunday on the feet of a ton of PGA players.

Style wise, the Nike Lunar Control is slightly athletic looking but also reasonably traditional (unless you get the red trimmed pair like I have). One of the accent colors you will notice on the shoe is the red lines that go across the middle and through the Nike logo. These are what is called “Flywire” and it is the source of the support. Essentially, it is the way Nike has been able to make the shoe super supportive without adding extra weight. Again, this is not their first rodeo.

One of the reasons I have gone away from cleats is that they tend to wear down way too quickly. Nike partially solved this problem by adding surrounding hard barriers which protects the removable cleats. Basically, you get additional traction and increased lifespan on the removable spikes.

Over the past month or so I have worn the Lunar Control exclusively in part because it is still winter, cold and wet. Not only have I found them to be extremely comfortable but they are also 100% waterproof (and easy to clean). The sole is made of hard plastic which gives you a solid base, and while it does not have the flexibility of a street shoe, it is not overly stiff with some give in the toe area making it a very walker-friendly choice.

While I am sure to go back to my spikeless cleats more often in the summer, I expect the Lunar Control will be on a regular rotation. This pro level shoe is simply too good to keep on the shelf.

You can see this line of shoes on the Nike website.

Nike Golf Outerwear Review: For me, it’s always been an easy choice on what to wear when I play golf in colder weather. Thermals, thermals and more thermals, cover that up with some cargo pants and a polo, and don’t forget the beanie. Until recently, I had no idea that Nike Golf has a line of clothing devoted specifically to cold weather golf. Moreover, Nike outerwear has a very simple philosophy which is layering clothes while keeping them lightweight, comfortable and amazingly warm. Warm is a gross understatement as the Sport Hoody I mention below is like being wrapped in flannel cocoon.

Nike sent us a wide variety of their products to review including the Sport Hoody, Multi Stripe Polo, Mesh Warm Motion Polo, Nike Fabric Mix Full Zip Jacket, Sport Reversible Vest and Flat Front Tech Pants. Beyond the sheer variety, I also could not help but get a chuckle from the naming conventions which span Purple Earth, Melon and Heather. Clearly the Marketing Department takes their job very seriously. More importantly, the R&D folks at Nike are also working overtime because every piece looks and performs wonderfully.

I’m lucky that I live out in the Vegas Valley (well lucky to live here, not so much at the Black Jack table). Anyhow, it doesn’t get very cold out here until the end of December. As it turned out, the mercury finally dipped for my annual winter golf outing where we played three separate days when the temperature was 34°, 38° and 42° respectively. This year I was ready!

Not having your swing hampered by layers of clothing is a huge plus in my book. Unfortunately, most winter golf clothes end up making you look like the Michelin man. What I love about the Nike layering system is that it is incredibly versatile but never bulky.

In terms of fashion, Nike makes it super easy to maintain a sharp look no matter how you pair the layers. All of the colors are complimentary so it’s virtually impossible to mis-match. The added benefit to their clothing line is that it is not limited to the golf course. Specifically, I find myself reaching for my Nike jackets more often than any other winter outerwear I currently own. Style and function, you just can’t go wrong with this stuff.

Being at tad portly I’m always concerned with not only how I’m going to look in what I pick out but also how will it fit. All of the Nike golf gear runs fair. In other words, I wear a large and the Nike large fits great. In fact I am starting to wonder if the actual Nike model is not the studly figure on the posters but in fact 5′ 10″, 185 pounds. Either way, the Nike gear fits great-and delivers outstanding performance.

You can see the full line of Nike Golf clothing on their site.

Three Guys Golf Top Products of 2012

In 2012 we reviewed over 100 items so narrowing it down to just 12 was painful at best. The task was extra hard because frankly, we only review products we like. Therefore, the below items are truly the best of the best. Our requirements were simple: these would be the very last items we would give up. While price was not an overriding issue we did consider it in terms of value. The list is in alphabetical order:

59 Belts:

I am a huge belt buckle fan and I like all the buckles I have but this was an easy choice for me. Even though it is  fairly big (okay honking big), I wear it all of the time. 59 Belts really made a mark in 2012 as players like Beau Hossler were spotted wearing them on Sundays. Besides the buckle, the strap itself is awesome as it just feels more substantial than others. Full Review Here.

Asher Glove:

This was a really tough choice between a few gloves we reviewed but ultimately it came down to value. The fact that Asher sells for way less than most premium gloves ended tipping the scale in their favor. Despite the very reasonable price, we found the Asher glove to hold up extremely well, even in summer heat. Specifically, the cool tech versions were our favorite. The other factor of course was the outlandish style. Full Review Here.

ClicGear 3.0:

Any golfer who can no longer carry his bag, but still prefers not to ride, understands the value of a good push cart. Since Wade and I walk about 80% of our rounds we know a good cart when we see/push one. The ClicGear 3.0 is a simply a work horse that has been engineered to take up a tiny footprint in your car. By the time this cart dies it will have paid for itself 100 fold. Full Review Here.

Kentwool Socks:

Ask anyone who has Kentwool socks in their drawer and they will tell you that they are the only sock that gets pulled out of the dirty hamper to be worn a second time. Seriously, I hate when all of my Kentwool socks are dirty and I don’t care if they match or not, it is Kentwool or bust. True story, my mother-in-law actually touched my feet to see if the 19th Hole Edition socks were as soft as they looked . . . seriously! Whether you choose the tour profile socks, dress socks, or funky 19th Hole Edition, Kentwool socks rule. Honestly at $20 a pair they are a steal! Full Review Here.

LoudMouth Golf:

Yea, I know it is not for everyone, but I have fallen in love with LoudMouth this year. For me, I just have more fun when I am wearing LoudMouth. Sure you get comments like “nice clown pants”, but you will never be short on conversation. Moreover, both of our women bloggers love the ladies side of the catalog and have even purchased additional patterns. My advice: Man up and get some LoudMouth! Full Review Here.

Mizuno Impermalite Rain Gear:

Fortunately, we do not play in the rain too often, but the addition of the Mizuno Impermalite rain gear has made foul weather golf bearable. Water-proof is an understatement with Mizuno. Every detail is top notch and it is built to last. Any serious golfer needs rain gear and the Mizuno will never leave you wanting – or wet. Full Review Here.

Nike Performance Carry Bag:

Think of everything you would ever want in a golf bag (minus the beer tap from Al Czervik’s stick hauler), put a swoosh on it and you’ll have yourself the Performance Carry from Nike. A 14 slot top, carry straps that are removable, and kick stands that tuck away while on a cart. Nike looked at every possible feature they could put into a bag and striped one right down the middle of the fairway with the Performance Carry. Full Review Here.

QED Style

When we were faced with choosing an apparel company from the 20 or so we have reviewed, it was nearly impossible since every one of them makes cool stuff that we dig. We chose QED for some of the same reasons we like LoudMouth. QED is also pushing the design envelope with styles built not only for the course but also for the evening. This hip new brand is also very affordable and has just released a full line including trousers, shorts, sweaters and dress shirts. Full Review Here.

Rukk Net

Every now and you run across a product that you wonder how you ever got along without it. The Rukk Net by Rukket can easily be described as so. Solid construction, the easiest set up and take down you’ll ever experience and with a handy ball return feature – you just can’t go wrong. In season or off-season the Rukk Net is an amazing at home training product that you’ll quickly ask yourself “How did I get by so long without one?”, and think about all of the time and money you will save at the range. Full Review Here.

The Swing Shirt

I am usually gun shy about recommending a training aid, but given the fact that Wade (who is by far the best player of the bloggers) is such a fan pushed us to add it to the list. The Swing Shirt is easy to use, inexpensive, and most importantly effective (and fairly easy to disguise when you wear it on the range). The basic idea is that it helps you stay connected during a full swing. We have also found that  it is great for grooving your chipping motion. Again, Wade chips very very well so I figure if he digs it, who am I to argue.  Full Review Here.

Scor Wedges:

The primary reason why we chose the Scor Wedges is because they are appropriate for a wide skill level. Personally I carry 5 of these and have really improved my short game with their addition. The other big selling point is that they can be ordered in 20 different lofts from 41 degrees to 61. Finally, the V-Sole make them playable in a variety of conditions whether tight lies or fluffy rough. Full Review Here.

Seemore Putters

2012 was a great year for Three Guys Golf. We want to thank all of the companies that allowed us to review their products and all of the readers who spent part of their day reading our blog. Please help us spread the word – Share this post!

Nike Lunar Bandon Review: There are two kinds of golfers, those who believe it is a game only to be played under sunny skies and mild temperatures and those for whom the game is not contained by the elements. If you are like me and will not let a little cold or rain get in the way of 18 holes then you know the importance to proper footwear.

The Nike Lunar Bandon golf shoes are like nothing I have ever seen before. Beyond the fact that they are high tops, they also have outer skin which completely seals off any chance of moisture getting inside the shoe. I have literally immersed the Lunar Brandon in 3 inches of water with nary an issue.

Sure , the Lunar Bandon might be overkill for the light drizzle, but beyond a heavy rain, the lunar Brandon are amazing for winter golf when it is just plain cold, muddy and generally nasty. Let’s face it, no one likes to wear their nice golf shoes out in the rain and mud. With the Lunar Bandon, you feel like a kid looking for puddles to jump in. Heck, you can hose these shoes off when you are done with your round.

The basic construction of the shoe is based around solid rubber and neoprene shell that makes them all but totally waterproof. The sole has the required hardcore cleats that are built to handle wet unstable ground. While they are not replaceable cleats, they are solid enough to last a long long time.

Obviously, these shoes are heavier than most but I suppose that is a neccessary trade-off. With that said, I have walked 18 holes a number of times in the Lunar Bandon and I would classify them as very comfortable albeit substantial. In short, not a shoe you want to wear every day, but one that you will be very happy to have in foul weather.

So as we head into the winter months, give your summer shoes a break from the muck and put these puppies to the test. You may jack a 95 but you will return with warm dry feet (so you will have that going for you).

You can visit the Nike website here.

Nike Air Range WP II Review: Stickler for rules I am, but I guess that’s what you get after four years in the Navy. So when it comes to my set of clubs I carry no “foot wedge” nor do I have a pocket full of mulligans. However, I fear that while my old school nature has kept me from a rash of bad decisions (like wearing all orange to a PGA event), it has also hindered me from taking advantage of the new golf shoe trends. You see, I have been a traditional golf shoe guy for as long as I can remember.

Not only am I a traditionalist but I am also a cheap SOB which is perhaps my real excuse for not diving into the athletic golf shoe craze. Heck, my golf shoes last forever, so why would I ever need to expand my horizons. In the end, I acquiesced and signed up to test the new Nike Air Range WP II. Not one to rush in, I broke in the Nike Air Range WP around my house for a good 4 hours prior to considering taking them out for real. Slippers, I tell you, these puppies are super light, and other than the fact they have spikes, I would never be able to tell them apart from my running shoes. Ahh, but no one ever hit a driver in their living room (well not without first opening the screen door).

Up at 6am, ugh. Three days ago a 7am tee time sounded great but now with barely 4 hours of sleep, I was rethinking that decision. Yea, it had been a particularly brutal evening, but the job required me to test drive the Nike Air, and like any good soldier, I was not going to shirk my duties.

Since this was my first experience with a running type golf shoe, what struck me most was the feeling of being connected to the ground. I guess I had never really thought about the ground before, but now I almost had the sense that the shoe forced me to consider my stance and sense of balance (or lack thereof in my case).

Unfortunately, it was not only brutally early, it was also wet – apparently I was going to be thoroughly punished for my prior evening sins. Fear not, the Nike Air Range WP II comes with a two year limited waterproof guarantee. If only I could get someone guarantee the pesky yips would not keep sneaking into my game.

You may have noticed that the Nike Air Range WP has a mix of traditional spike shape and more progressive cleats. My guess is that Nike realized that the inner toe and outer heal tend to wear quicker and by putting the larger spikes in these areas the shoes life could be extended. NOTE: all spikes are molded and not replaceable.

After 4 hours 18 holes, 6 Tylenol, 3 chunks and a couple of explicatives, I carded a 92. Not my best round, but considering my head was still a bit fuzzy, I can live with it – plus my feet were dry and cozy. I finally get why it seems like the days of the big traditional golf shoes are numbered. While I am not ready to ditch my 10 year old Bostonians, I am gonna toss my old golf shoes in favor of the Nike Air Range WP II. One note on sizing, Nike runs a bit narrow and small so I would go with a 1/2 size larger. And there you have it, the Nike Air Range WP II is a winner and will run you about $100.

You can see all of the Nike Golf shoes on their website.

Nike Performance Carry Bag Review: Thanks to a really poor bag selection I made 8 months ago, I am now an expert on want I DON’T want in a golf bag. Now when I walk through the golf section, I’m not nearly as interested in style as I am in functionality. Yup, I am the guy opening pockets, pulling zippers and turning bags upside down to check the base for structure and stability. I guess you could say I’ve broadened my horizons on what to look for in a bag.

Nike VR-S Driver: So let’s start with the usual disclaimers.

1) I have been and remain a huge Tiger Fan

2) The only Nike gear I own are two pair of shorts and a few shirts

3) I have never believed that Nike was the real deal in terms of golf clubs

Now that we have that out in the open, I will go ahead and spoil the ending and let you know I love the Nike VR-S Driver. In the past 3 years I have primarily carried a Ping G10 but I have hit a ton of other drivers in a simulator (see my post on the Free Driving Range). It’s not about the money either, no, the reason I never bought another driver is because I never saw any significant distance or accuracy improvements over my Ping G-10. Ironically, I never, not once, ever, hit a Nike driver because I “knew” I would not like it.

So here is the deal. I took the Nike driver to my home club’s driving range where the tee boxes have been set on the lower level such that some people can reach or fly net (but not me). My first drive rolled up to the net. Then the next and the next and the next. Even I did not need a launch monitor to know I hit the ball farther, the proof was in the net. The next day I played my regular course and was farther on nearly every single hole I played. In some cases I was flying traps that I have never flown. Yup, the Nike VR S driver is 15-20 yards longer for me than my Ping G-10 and every other driver I have hit the past 3 or so years (and all of the ones before that too).

Now, maybe it is not fair to compare a Ping G-10 to the Nike VR-S since the Ping is about 3-4 years old but as I stated, I have also hit other newer clubs but never realized much distance improvement. Why then am I a picking up so many yards? From a technology standpoint, the Nike VR S driver is built with the NEXCOR face which is supposed to increase ball speed – okay, sounds reasonable. Additionally, the aerodynamic head and lighter shaft are also part of the equation but I will leave that to the rocket scientists. Just as important, the Nike VR S is extremely forgiving which allows me to swing more aggressively as the misses are far less severe.

As for the looks and sound of the club, I am also a fan. While the white club head is the “new black”, I still dig a standard looking club. The Nike head is a grey metallic color but honesty I would not care if it was green as long as I keep picking up the extra yards. The stock shaft is Fubuki decorated in Raider Nation black and silver. Finally, in terms of sound, Nike drivers (like the old Sasquatch) are often associated with a poor sound. While the VR-S has a bit of a softball batish flavor, I had no issues with it (as a reference, I hate the sound of the old Sasquatch).

Seeing we are in 2012, the Nike VR S driver is adjustable and comes with a 15 page manual in like 14 languages. I read exactly zero pages (heck I don’t read the manual for a gas grill, no way I am reading a driver manual). I also did not tweak the driver even though I know it has 8 adjustable face settings. Since I hit it straight out of the gate so well I figure there is no need to mess with it with it – plus, I am on board with Matt’s assement of the world of adjustable drivers.

My only issue I have is the headcover. Sure it is big and solid, but it just does not fit very well. I actually asked my wife to check it out to make sure I was not doing something wrong. In part, it is the 3/4 sleeve that is the culprit. While it may allow for easier club removal, it also tends to let the driver float around more than I want it to. No biggie for me since the first thing I do with a new club is chunk the headcovers so I can put on my wool or leather headcovers.

Overall, I love the Nike VR S driver. For a guy who is constantly being chided for needing to play the senior tees and has become to accustomed to being the first guy to hit his approach shot, the VR S is a dream come true. The distance I picked up has changed the way I can play a number of holes on my home course and I have been able to use more scoring irons since I am 15 to 20 yards closer to the pin.

So if you have any preconceived notions of Nike golf, put them aside for a moment and give the VR S a try.

You can learn more about the VR S driver on the Nike website.