2019 PGA Merchandise Show

REVIEW – Wilson Staff DUO Professional Golf Ball

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Wilson Staff… The golf brand that has brought you 62 Major Championships is on a roll. In 2019, they brought you a new U.S. Open Champion (Gary Woodland), an exciting range of golf clubs that have seen the metalwoods division finally catch up to their long-standing tradition or producing great irons and more notably a terrific golf ball that has seeming slipped under the radar. That golf ball… the new for 2019 Wilson Staff DUO Professional.

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I first learned about this new golf ball at some point late in 2018 consequently leading up to the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. The DUO Professional golf ball that continues the legacy of what the DUO brand has brought to golf balls from the Chicago-based manufacturer. Long known for its soft feel DUO is a golf ball that has garnered praise since it’s introduction in 2012 and it’s also a golf ball that has evolved through its different iterations. In the past, we’ve seen the DUO, DUO Soft, DUO Spin, and DUO Urethane and each golf ball seemingly was better than it’s predecessor. When the DUO Professional was introduced I was immediately intrigued by what the marketing team at Wilson Golf was claiming. So when I got down to the PGA Show and received a 2-ball sleeve sample I was excited to put them to work.

I would eventually put them to work in late-March in Florida and eventually in June and July here at home. We’ve had a freakishly wet season up until now and playing golf was literally a wash. Thus delaying testing and reviews until well into the summer. At any rate, let’s look a little closer at what the DUO Professional brings to the table.

 

The Pre-Shot Routine

First and foremost it’s important to point out that the DUO Professional golf ball continues with its soft feel roots as it’s a golf ball that features a compression rating of 60. The DUO Professional is a multi-piece construction featuring three layers including a soft urethane cover like you’d find on any tour-level golf ball. The dimple count is 362 which is somewhere in between a distance golf ball and let’s say a certain tour golf ball that features 392 dimples.

Of interest are the claims that Wilson Golf makes in saying that the DUO Professional spins up to “6% more” on iron shots and flies at least as far or further as other competitive 3-piece balls on the market. Pretty brazen claims but claims that are intriguing enough to put to the test… And that’s exactly what I would do.

The price point of the DUO Professional is $34.99 USD or $44.99 CAD.

 

The Transition

Consequently, my testing would take part in two locales with play coming in a wide variety of playing conditions. From the heat and dried out conditions of dormant Florida greens… To the soft receptive greens of rain-soaked golf courses in the north. The opportunities to test these golf balls were packed with variety.

Feel – The reality is that Golf Ball Innovation Director Frank Simonutti knows a thing or two about producing soft golf balls. In my opinion, Wilson Golf has set the industry standard when it comes to delivering golf balls that offer a soft feel. The DUO Professional offers superb feel “in spades”. Whether it’s putting, pitching greenside, hitting full irons or driving the golf ball the DUO Professional is one of the best feeling golf balls (if not the best) launched in 2019. 

I found that with the driver (Cleveland Classics XL) the sound and feel was more of a “muted, soft click”. Off of the irons and full wedges, the feel was simply “soft”. I absolutely LOVED the feel of the DUO Professional.

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Distance – The claims made in marketing literature from Wilson Golf was that the DUO professional is as long if not longer than any other competitive golf balls in a 3-piece design. Considering that there are an absolute plethora of golf balls in this category it’s a lofty claim. However, based on my observations I have to say that there just might be stock in their claims. Following my stroke in September 2018 my journey back to reclaiming my pre-stroke swing (and more precisely power) has been tough. My swing speed went from 110 mph (+/- 3 mph) down to around 95 mph. Essentially resulting in me being a club or two shorter than I was.

The one constant that I noticed both in Florida in March and back home here this spring/summer is that the DUO Professional is one of two golf balls that have given me some distance back. Maybe it’s that the 60 compression rating and I get along really well  (always have preferred a soft feeling golf ball) or maybe it’s the dimple pattern. All that I know is that this golf ball has seemingly given me “another club”. Prior to my stroke, a 160-yard shot warranted an 8-iron. Since then I’m now using a 7-iron. However, the DUO Professional allows me to still use an 8-iron for the shot. So I can affirm (or confirm) that the DUO Professional is as long or longer than equivalent golf balls in the category.

Another thought regarding the distance claims of the DUO professional is how it equates to the driver.  DUO Professional has been long off of the driver as well. Good carry on wet courses has yielded nice numbers (longer than other 2019 testers tested head to head) and in situations where the course has been drier, there has been sufficient rollout to assist with total yardage.

Spin – Quite honestly, this is the part of the testing that proved to be the strongest characteristic of the DUO Professional. The spin of this golf ball is EXCELLENT! I will go on the record and state that the DUO Professional has been an absolute dynamo as far as it’s spin attributes go. It’s one thing for me to draw this conclusion when the greens are “sticky and wet”. In a way, it’s sort of expected when a golf ball has a urethane cover. However, what about when the greens are dry and for the most part in a “non-receptive state”? This is where the DUO Professional absolutely “blew my socks off”.

At first, I just thought that it was my wedges that was creating all of the greenside spin. Even though other models of golf balls tested with the same wedges (Ben Hogan Equalizer) didn’t spin as much. It wasn’t too long after that initial thought when I really took the DUO Professional and thought that the spin was in fact “superior” compared anything else that I’ve ever used (at time of writing) The DUO Professional has the uncanny ability to slam the brakes on. Whether it’s a pitch out of the rough, or a greenside chip the DUO Professional offers tour-caliber greenside performance. In fact, I found the spin to be very predictable. Translating in confidence if you need to scramble a little bit during your round.

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As you might expect based o the findings that I just wrote about the approach spin of the DUO Professional is also very strong. I observed “stop and drop” qualities during testing and what I found was that this translated throughout the golf bag. whether it’s a 4H from 210 yards or a lob wedge from 70 yards the DUO Professional has terrific stopping power. Yet, when it came to driver spin I found the spin rates to be on the lower side based on the fact that there was ballooning of tee shots. The golf ball tends to fly a little higher than some but that’s okay. Looking at the yardage gains and the stopping power I would suggest that the trade-off is well worth it.

 

The Finish

Wilson Staff. Frank Simonutti. Folks, have you ever got yourself a golf ball. With no doubt in my mind, it’s the best golf ball that you’ve manufactured. Up until now my favorite ball of all time from your stable was the Px3 (yeah that goes way back) and the DUO Professional blows that golf ball out of the water. The DUO Professional is long, spins better than any golf ball that I’ve used, has very good durability, and it also has a very intriguing price point.

To anybody reading, if you haven’t tried the DUO Professional you just might want too. The DUO Professional offers a ton of performance at a fair price point.

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee

 

 

“First Impressions” – Tour Edge Exotics EXS Irons

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When news started to pour out from Batavia, Illinois based golf equipment manufacturer Tour Edge about their new Exotics EXS range of products I was very excited. Premium products built from premium material. The range includes everything from their driver (which scored very well for a Top Driver Teezy Award) to a set of irons. Between the technology that’s packed into the Exotics EXS line and the attractive price point that accompany them, there is much to be excited about when looking at the EXS range of products.

One of the manufacturers that I was really excited to swing at the 2019 PGA Show Merchandise Demo Day was in fact Tour Edge. Already having had the opportunity to test and review the Tour Edge Exotics EXS 4 hybrid late in 2018 (EXS 4 Hybrid Review here) my appetite was whet in anticipation at the prospect of what the rest of the range was like. Especially, the Exotics EXS irons. The tagline that Tour Edge is using for this range (“Pound for Pound… Nothing Comes Close”) surely resonated with me. Here’s why.

 

The Pre-Shot Routine

The Exotics EXS irons by Tour Edge are packed with a ton of technology. One of the trends that we’re seeing in the golf industry is that of iron sets consisting of hollow-body construction. The EXS irons are no exception.

Exotics EXS irons feature a forged Cup Face with what Tour Edge refers to as “SpiderWeb VFT Technology”. The result? An expanded sweet spot that allows for more forgiveness which in turn enhances the golfer experience. Especially on strikes that are not… “Optimum”. Also noteworthy is the fact that the face construction is the thinnest that Tour Edge has ever used. The long irons 4-7 are the irons that feature the hollow body construction whilst the short irons 8-PW feature an undercut cavity design. A key point in the short irons is what Tour Edge calls “LaunchPad Technology”. LaunchPad Technology is a polymer that Tour Edge used to absorb vibration, enhance the feel and create more “trampoline effect”. This effect aids in providing a higher ball exit velocity which theoretically equates to more distance.

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What good is a game-improvement iron if it doesn’t feature perimeter weighting? Perimeter weighting has become an integral part of the golf manufacturing industry when it comes to the design of irons. Once thought to be used predominantly in game-improvement irons we’ve seen the use of Tungsten perimeter weighting in what many would now describe as player’s irons. The EXS irons are no exception as Tour Edge R&D placed a 19-gram toe weight to further address forgiveness and playability. Higher M.O.I equals more resistance to twisting and “elongates the sweet spot”.

Technology points don’t simply “end” in the design of the head. Stock shafts offered in both graphite and steel. The options are none other than the Tensei CK Blue 2G Series by Mitsubishi Chemical (MCA). This shaft (also featured in the EXS Hybrid) combines the best of Kevlar, Carbon Fiber and other lightweight materials. Shaft weights vary depending on the flex of the shaft (60-80 grams). Or in the case of the steel option, the KBS Max 80 is available in either a Regular or Stiff flex and Tour Edge opted to choose the venerable Lamkin Grips UTx grip.

 

The Transition

(Demo Day Conditions – Sunny, Windy (left to right) and Warm. Tested with the MCA Tensei CK Blue 2G Series in Stiff flex)

Aesthetics – First things first. I just wanted to point out that in a way these irons reminded me a little bit of their EXi irons introduced a couple of product cycles ago.

That said, these irons look mean and remind me of a “Muscle Car” from the 50s-60s. Maybe like a 1957 Chevrolet Belair? When looking at them from the perspective of the golf bag view (cavity view) they look fast and they look powerful. Raw horsepower! I love the colorway of these irons with the silver and black badge on the back but the “pop” of blue just further adds to the aesthetic value of these irons (see picture below).

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Tour Edge Exotics EXS irons

The looks are very attractive in the address position. The blade length is neither too long nor is it too short. At the risk of sounding like “Golfilocks” the blade length was just right. The blade length inspires confidence at address and the ball sets up great behind the head. What I really like from the address position is the top line. It is quite thin for game-improvement irons and I found the EXS irons to be very attractive overall. Personally speaking, I feel that the EXS irons may very well be the best-looking iron set in its category.

Performance– Make no bones about it. The EXS irons are premier performers. Quite honestly, it all boils down to the initial thoughts I had regarding their looks (in the address position). Looking down at them, I felt so confident that I was going to see good results that the confidence went straight to my hands and arms. Quite honestly, at that point, I hadn’t really made a ton of swings with any clubs. I was still finding my way (and my swing) post-Stroke and I really had no clue what swing was going to show up at Demo Day. My first swing resulted in a well-struck 8-iron that seemed to penetrate the left to right wind. The feel on that first strike was so crisp and more importantly, the ball flight didn’t “balloon”. The wind did not affect the ball flight. It just held up and on its intended line.

Divots were crisp and that could be contributed to the design of the sole which is called a “Ramped Sole”. The sole is designed to provide better turf interaction and heel relief. More relief means less likelihood of the club getting entangled with the turf.

Distance. Without having any sort of launch monitor data I cannot give specific numbers. That’s why I tout being the “Home of Organic Golf Reviews”. Using my senses (sight, sound, touch) has allowed me to differentiate differences from club to club. These irons are “hot” and “long”. The thin cup face sounds “mean” and you know that you’ve struck the golf ball based on the crisp “thwack” at impact. The sound and feel are very “solid” and it’s very noticeable in the hollow-bodied longer irons. The Tungsten weighting in the toe as far as I’m concerned served its purpose very well and not only did it help to prevent twisting but it seemed like squaring the face was achieved very easily. These irons are long… I need to point out that I turned myself around to hit into the wind as best as I could. I need to point out one important fact about the EXS irons.

*** The iron lofts are strong!! For comparison sake the PW is an astounding 42*. If you trap the ball as you should you’ll de-loft the club more.

While I will not go as far as suggesting that the EXS irons have a blade-like profile I will say that the minimal offset and thinner top-line nearly suggests that it is. The result is a golf club that you can control and shot-shape with ease. Cut, draw, high, and low all shots are easily achieved. Flighting the ball is a “breeze”. My typical shot shape is straight to a baby draw and it was no exception with the EXS irons. The MCA Tensei CK Blue 2G shafts were smooth and quite honestly as expected based on my previous experience using this shaft. it is Tour-proven.

What a fantastic set of irons!

 

The Finish

There are iron sets that have given me a great first impression. The Exotics EXS irons were consummate. A total blend of looks, power, feel, and performance. This is an iron set that will benefit golfers of all skill levels. I’m talking Scratch all the way to a 25-handicap. The Exotics EXS irons scored and impressive. Iron sets start from $499.99 USD and come in a variety of set compositions 5-PW to 7-PW/AW/GW/SW.

Tour Edge has packed a ton of technology into these irons and I have no doubt in my mind that they might be the irons that are in fact “Pound for Pound” the best. There’s a reason why these irons won their category for the Teezy Awards. The Exotics EXS irons scored 38.5 out of 40 points. I really think that these irons would warrant further testing on-course! Range time is one thing… On-course is another. If you’re in the market for new irons in 2019 these would be worth a look. For more information on these Exotics EXS irons please visit Tour Edge.

Until The Next Tee!!

#FightAndGrind #SeeUOntheNextTee

GALVIN GREEN LAUNCHES STATE-OF-THE-ART GOLF APPAREL RANGE

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Based in Vaxjo, Sweden you’ll find golf clothing Galvin Green. While I’ve almost always associated Galvin Green as an outerwear company make no mistake. This is an apparel brand that designs and manufactures everything from base-layers and polos to golf trousers and more.

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At the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida Galvin Green introduced their impressive Carbon Series. The series includes a bevy of styles, colours, and styles. especially notable when it comes to the women’s apparel side of things where they feature great colours like Lavender and Azalea/Aurora. Colours that are happy and bright.

Technology isn’t just about golf equipment as it’s imperative in the golf apparel industry as well. We can’t control the weather but what we can do, however, is control how we keep comfortable out in the climate. Galvin Green has employed the use of GORE-TEX fabric, GORE-TEX Superstretch (in key areas) and their innovative and trademarked VENTIL8 PLUS fabric.

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Young Tom Morris made an appearance at Galvin Green during the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)

Not only does Galvin Green provide high-performance apparel for men and women but juniors can also reap the benefits of Galvin Green’s emergence as a leader in the golf apparel industry. for junior golfers, RUSTY is a new piece in their ever-expanding junior range.

For more details, please see the press release as shared by Natalie Collard and Matt Curtis from sports public relations agency Sports Impact.

Until The Next Tee!!

#FightAndGrind #SeeUOnTheNextTee

– Carbon Series leads premium 2019 Part One collection with 70 new lines-

 

Galvin Green, the leading premium performance golf apparel brand, has launched its most advanced collection of technical clothing for the start of the 2019 season, with a total of 368 ground-breaking garments and matching accessories.

Building on its pioneering multi-layer concept, the Galvin Green 2019 Part One collection
has been taken to the next level to offer more styles, colours, and sizes, including 70 brand new lines for men, women, and juniors.

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Alicia (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)

These include an even bigger selection of lightweight garments with greater breathability, stretch properties, moisture transportation, thermal insulation and ultraviolet protection than ever before.

“In creating this state-of-the-art clothing range, we’ve incorporated pioneering fabric
technology to maximize the golfers’ level of comfort without compromising on performance,” said CEO Christian Nilsson. “We’re confident that serious golfers will find something to suit them in the new collection so they’re always prepared, whatever weather they have to face when playing more often,” he added.

Leading the way in the Men’s range is the new Carbon Series in Black, Grey and Silver
colourways, providing golfers with a choice of eight standout garments, incorporating subtle tone-on-tone patterns. The technical design features provide golfers with a premium feel and a fashionable look both on and off the course.

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At the forefront is the stylish ARCHIE full-zip waterproof jacket in lightweight stretch GORE-TEX® fabric, with smooth C-KNIT® ‘slide and glide’ backer. Incorporating GORE-TEX® Superstretch inserts in key areas – first used on garments worn by Europe’s victorious 2018 Ryder Cup team – the soft, quiet and extremely breathable jacket also features durable Vectran™ technology on the shoulders for those who prefer to carry their clubs. Matching super-stretch AXEL waterproof trousers are available in 17 size options across the waist and leg lengths (S-3XL), while the ANDY waterproof trousers (Black or Navy) in eco-friendly GORE-TEX® fabric and lightweight lining provide more options (S-4XL).

 

The Matt (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)
The Mylo (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)

The Carbon Series also features the eye-catching LLOYD full-zip jacket (Silver) and half-zip LANCELOT in the flexible INTERFACE-1™ hybrid Shell Layer, plus the DAVE full-zip
INSULA™ jacket offering thermal regulation. Also included are the MATT and MYLO short sleeve shirts in the efficient moisture-wicking VENTIL8™ PLUS fabric. Compatible
accessories include a snood, belt, and cap.

Designed by golfers for golfers

 

The Official Supplier of Weatherwear to the European Ryder Cup team in Paris has carried over its flagship 3-layer, full-zip flagship AL jacket (S-3XL). The waterproof jacket
incorporates GORE-TEX® stretch fabric with C-KNIT® backer, plus a rubberized collar edge and shaped sleeves for easy movement.

A Shell Layer newcomer is the ultra-lightweight ANDRES full-zip jacket in GORE-TEX
Paclite® stretch fabric technology for minimal swing restriction. Available in six eye-catching colourways, it features a chest pocket and prominent branding. Matching waterproof ARTHUR trousers are available in three colours (Red, Navy & Black) in more than 17 size options.

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Laurent (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)

As many as nine garments feature in the versatile and lightweight INTERFACE-1™ hybrid
range that can be worn 95 out of 100 rounds. The full-zip LAURENT and striking half-zip
LINCOLN (S-3XL) come in five distinctive colours, including Gold and Lagoon blue. Each
can be paired with the LEO trousers in sizes 30-40 waist.

The increasingly popular INSULA™ warm layer range features the new DOUG full-zip jacket featuring a quality padded front and two handy pockets in the new Antarctica colourway (S-3XL). The DALE jacket and DEON pullover both offer Magenta pink colour options, while the high collar DRAKE pullover comes in seven colour choices, including Lemon Chrome and Bluebird (S-3XL).

New Cool Layer short sleeve shirts in VENTIL8™ PLUS fabric include the sporty MYLES
incorporating a two-tone honeycomb design, plus the MILTON, a multi-fabric shirt in a duel block pattern available in five colourways (both S-XXL).

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Fitted NOAH and regular cut NASH trousers provide excellent moisture transportation in
VENTIL8™ PLUS and 100% polyester stretch fabric with UPF 20+. Available in multiple
colour choices (including Red NOAH), in sizing 28-42 waist.

The SKINTIGHT™ Thermal base layer range includes the EDGAR seamless long sleeve
crew neck with a pattern design across the chest, arms and shoulders. Available in
Black/Red in sizes XS-XXL.

A comprehensive range of accessories includes the DELTA snood in a range of colours, as
well as golf hats and caps like the AQUA and AXIOM. The LEWIS golf gloves and LANDON
mitts (all one size) also offer the perfect opportunity to keep those hands warm during the winter.

The 2019 Ladies range from Galvin Green offers four striking year-round colour themes – Azalea/Aurora Pink/ White; Lavender/Cover Blossom/White; Navy/White/Sunny Lime/Aurora Pink; and Black/White.

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Arianna (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)

 

Adele (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)
Adele (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)

The stand-out product in the Shell Layer range is the beautifully styled ARIANA full-zip waterproof jacket in GORE-TEX® stretch fabric with C-KNIT® backer, which comes in Navy and Sunny Lime in sizes XS-XL. Extremely breathable, it has an adjustable waist width, shaped sleeves for easy movement during the swing and two-way front zippers.

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Rusty (Photo Credit: Galvin Green)

Finally, the RUSTY full-zip INTERFACE-1™ hybrid jacket is a newcomer in the brand’s
biggest ever junior section. The jacket comes in six vibrant colourways.
Full details of the 2019 Part One collection can be found at http://www.galvingreen.com.

 

 

Motherputter – “The New Face of Ladies Golf Wear”

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When you hear “Motherputter” what do you think of? It is probably something close to
what I thought of the first time I heard it. But it is quite the opposite.

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Motherputter is actually a woman’s golf apparel company. Why a name like “Motherputter”, you ask? The answer is Simple. Te name stems from a mother with a love for golf. There are no words that can describe it when you love something. It was very much like this with Motherputter. There was an issue for Kim Tuttle. There were no clothes that were liked and unique to Kim. So, Ms. Tuttle decided to make her own line and make it unique to her and unique it is.

Kim Tuttle the “Chief Chick of Fashion” is very independent with a style all her own.
She found a passion for fashion which led her to a degree from Texas Tech University
in Fashion Merchandising. She followed many paths which eventually led her to New
York City. After taking a 20-year hiatus from the fashion industry to venture into politics she returned to the fashion industry. Getting back to the fashion industry she became obsessed with the game of golf.

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I first heard of Motherputter on the 2019 PGA Show website and I won’t lie. The name is what caught my attention. Clothing is like a nice bottle of wine for me, a unique name and you have my attention. In my opinion,  I found Motherputter to be the “wine” of the PGA Show. There were so many other great lines but Motherputter just called to me.

Their designs were unique and so different. They had everything from a bomber jacket
to skorts to dresses. The way the colors of the line mixed it got my attention. There
was a little flash of lime green on that black skirt or there was a nice red collar on the
pink shirt… I know pink and red clashes right? Wrong! Motherputter made it work. She
said she liked the red and pink so why not mix them together. It looked great and it
worked so well together.

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Kim always somehow has a way to incorporate her Motherputter logo put into the clothing and she makes it work. There was a lot of black and white in her line because it is a girl’s best friend right? Once again you would be wrong she made so many designs work with silvers. She made so many successful designs with florals patterns too. The thing that I love the most about the Motherputter line is the ease of how you can go from the course to a night out on the town.

The dresses are very elegant looking and they are put together nicely. Most of her
clothing has mesh to allow your body to breathe. They all mix so well. You can throw
that Silver quilt type skirt with that dressy floral shirt and then top it off with the bomber jacket and a nice pair of shoes. Nobody would know that you just got off the golf course.
Kim made them very unique to the “average woman”. The clothing is something you
would not expect to see anywhere let alone on a golf course. There was a lot of mesh put
into the lines and I really like the mesh on the clothing too. She put mesh in the sleeves
or on the jacket. Some of the jackets were reversible so you could get 2 looks with 1
a piece of clothing.

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Motherputter carries clothing up to an XL which makes me interested even more. As a larger woman, it is hard to find nice clothing that can fit me. Due to this fact that they carry a larger size it makes me want to try their stuff even more. One day, I hope to get my hands on some of their clothing and if I do I will tell you exactly how I feel about them.

In the meantime, I will stick to what I know about them. They have gorgeous clothing in a large variety of sizes and they could really take the women’s golf apparel game by storm. Keep it up Motherputter I look forward to seeing what you come up with next.

Until The Next Tee!!

2019 PGA Show -“Best of The Rest” Nominations

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With the 2019 PGA Show Equipment Edition Teezy Awards in the books, it’s time to focus on the “Best of the Rest”. These are products ranging from apparel to footwear and everything else in between. Of course, for the most part, these are awards that aren’t given points for performance but what I look at are things like style, price point and even in some cases backstories. How did a company come to be, what drove them to get involved in the industry.

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Here are the nominees.

 

Top Men’s Apparel

  1. Swannies
  2. Original Penguin
  3. Columbia Sportswear
  4. Bald Head Blues
  5. AndersonOrd

 

Top Women’s Apparel

  1. Jane 1530
  2. Golftini
  3. Katherine Way
  4. StarBorn Skirts
  5. MotherPutter

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Top Accessories

  1. Beltology
  2. Zero Friction
  3. Oliver Miller
  4. C4 Belts
  5. Evolve Golf

 

Top Electronics (including Rangefinders and GPS)

  1. aboutGolf
  2. GolfBuddy
  3. ScoreBand
  4. Optishokz
  5. Guided Knowledge

 

Top Footwear

  1. TRUE Linkswear
  2. Skecher’s Performance
  3. Jack Grace USA
  4. New Balance Golf
  5. PUMA Golf

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Top Training Aids

  1. Acu-Strike
  2. Total Golf-Trainer
  3. Colour Path Golf
  4. Power Package Golf
  5. PuttOUT

 

Top Health and Wellness

  1. Bobo’s
  2. 1st Tee Nutrition Bars
  3. HempMe
  4. Iso-Sport
  5. Gelliflex

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Top New Product

The winner had already been decided on Friday that the show ended.

 

Until The Next Tee!!

#FightAndGrind #SeeUOnTheNextTee

 

 

Product Introduction – StarBorn Skirts

/ Crystal4UTNT / Leave a comment

There were many women’s apparel lines of interest for me at the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show. One such line that really caught my attention was called StarBorn Skirts.

StarBorn Skirts started in August of 2018. It was originally a running skirt company called SparkleSkirts and the owners decided to branch out to the golf industry. Based in Plant City, FL. the skirts are all made in the USA and they offer many different styles.

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Skirts from StarBorn Skirts have different lengths because not all of us are the same height or like to have the skirts a certain length. There are three cuts of skirts being the tall, petite and regular length. The Tall is 2 inches longer in the short and skirt than the regular cut. They are for the taller woman or maybe just someone that wants a longer length.

Depending on the size you get the skirt length varies from 12.75 inches (2XS Petite) up to 19.5 inches (3XL tall). They vary the lengths partially based on your height and how long you want them. If these lengths are not what you like some of their skirts can actually be partially customized to allow up to an additional 3 inches for an additional fee.

All skirts have 2 6×6 pockets which are perfect for putting your phone or scorecard into for safe-keeping. There is one pocket in the leg of the short and the other pocket is in the back of the skirt. This makes it convenient to carry what is required

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They have Flutter Cut and Casual. The flutter cut is a more fun type of skirt as it is kind of a “flirty” skirt. It has some little ruffles in it which gives it a more flowing look.

The skirts have “no ride” shorts. They have a patented short which are guaranteed not to ride up while you are playing. Personally speaking, I find skorts are horrible for that which is why I do not wear them. I don’t wear skorts often because I feel the shorts all ride up and I want to make sure that I have nothing “playing peek-a-boo”. When shorts ride up it feels almost as if there aren’t any and it makes me wonder why they are in there in the first place. Thanks to StarBorn Skirts that is no longer an issue.

One of the things I appreciated with this clothing line is their interest in bringing the next generation into the game. The game is starting to die and it is up to our kids and grandkids to carry on the sport. StarBorn Skirts has helped to start to make this happen by starting a line called StarBorn Girls.

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Their clothing has a great “hand of fabric” to it. It is soft and has a nice stretch to it. There are a lot of nice prints to choose from as well as their standard (plain) designs. StarBorn Skirts also features unique patterns like their patriotic designs. There are “Star-Spangled Banner” and Canadian flag versions as well.

The company also designed skirts called Starborn Girls which is to be released today. (February 14, 2019).

I have to say the thing that I like most about this line is the fact they do skirts for charity. They have done charities for Nancy Lopez and Girls Golf. Both charities had designs custom made and with every purchase, 10% goes back to the charity.

Star Born Skirts 1 (2)

I think if they keep going the way they are, I feel that StarBorn is going to rise quickly in the women’s golf apparel industry. I look forward to trying one of these skorts myself, they are a piece of clothing I would be willing to put to my comfort test.

Until The Next Tee!!

 

 

“First Impressions” Mizuno ST190 Driver – Review

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It’s always a busy week when you attend the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida. If you’re media like I am the week is full of running around getting from appointment to appointment. You just hope that everything works and runs smoothly especially your planned if you use one. I did and it let me down for one appointment (likely due to user error). That appointment that I missed happened to be on Demo Day at it was with Mizuno Golf North America (Ms. Cornell please accept my apologies).

 

However, all was not lost. Earlier in the day, I stopped by the Mizuno Golf booth in advance of talking to Mizuno Golf. I thought that it would be perfect to swing their clubs to have an idea of what they were like as my appointment wore on. I would make swings with their S18 wedges (new to their performance wedge line-up) and I would have a focus on their ST190 driver and fairway metal. I had blatant requests from some of my readers to test this driver out. So I did.

More about that in a few moments.

The ST190 driver from Mizuno Golf comes in two variants. The first is the ST-190 (Standard) and then there is the ST190G. The difference between the two of them is this.

sole190

ST190 – The head is designed for low to mid-spin. The head has a fixed weight towards the trailing edge on the sole. Due to the increased MOI, this head is very stable on off-center strikes (resists twisting).

solest190

ST190 G – The head of the ST190 G is designed with low spin in mind. If you like adjustability then this is the model for you. The ST190G features twin 7-gram sliding weights on separate rails. This allows for creating draw and fade biased trajectories. The weights can be adjusted so that you can decrease the spin by approximately 200 rpm.

With the difference between the two heads explained let’s look a little bit deeper at what Mizuno Golf R&D did the same with both of these drivers. Their tag line for the ST190 is “The Dark Art of Distance”. So what are they talking about?

  • Mizuno has used a Forged SP700 Titanium face that is enhanced with something that they refer to as “CORTECH”. CORTECH is the chassis (structure) of what delivers higher ball speeds. If you’ve played softball before… you know that baseball bats with thinner walls have more exit velocity. It’s the same with their golf clubs. Hot face!! The SP700 Ti is stronger than 6-4 Ti. This has to do with the molecular structure
  • Mizuno used a carbon composite crown to keep the weight down to place it in other areas. Combined with their “Amplified Wave” soleplate this translates into more yards. If you look at the sole you can see these “steps” from the face working it’s weight back. Think “more spring effect”.
  • Mizuno R&D looked into soundwaves and vibration. Through the research, it was determined that they needed to add ribs internally to generate better acoustics.
  • Early testing of the heads using two PGA Tour players revealed that the ST190 was nearly 3 mph faster than the 2018 model (ST180??)
  • Multiple custom shaft options are available with no upcharge.
  • Both heads have 4* of adjustability at your disposal. The 9.5* ST190 can range from 7.5* to 11.5*. Meanwhile, the 9* ST190 G head can be adjusted from 7* to 11*.

 

First Impressions

 

Conditions at the 2019 PGA Show Demo Day were relatively nice. With nary a cloud in the sky, the Florida sun was out displaying its majestic self. The temperature was somewhere around 23*C (73*F). The wind, however, was another story altogether. There was a stiff wind blowing across Orange County National Golf Resort and Lodge and if I recollect correctly it was blowing from right to left if memory serves me correct.

top driver

Upon completing a few swings with their S18 wedges (Teezy Award Runner-Up) I got down to business putting the ST190 and ST190 G through their paces.

Aesthetics

In my opinion, the ST190 is without a doubt the best looking driver in 2019. It looks absolutely mean and ready to get down to business in the address position. The crown features “RunBird” as it’s alignment aid. in this area of the head, it’s a simple, high-gloss black. As the crown works it’s way back you can clearly see the carbon weave. Breaking it up towards the trailing edge is a simple white accent. Nothing flashy or bothersome on the eyes.

st190 crown

Flipping the ST190 over you can see the “Amplified Wave Sole”. Note the groove right behind the face and the “steps” that I’ve already alluded to that helps provide higher ball speeds through increased “trampoline effect”. There’s no “pomp and circumstance” here with no extravagant graphics. There’s just enough there to let the consumer know who the manufacturer of this driver is as it sits in the rack (rack appeal is to golf retailers as curb appeal is to real estate). Looks scored a PERFECT 10.

Sound/Feel

I was absolutely delighted on my first passes with the ST190. There’s only been one other circumstance where I’ve said that something sounded and felt like it looked. ST190 is the second time. Huge praise needs to be given to the Mizuno research team that studied soundwaves, This driver does sound powerful and to be honest I can’t describe it. So just look at the video below and note the sound.

The feel at and through impact I simply have no words. I mean it feels crisp, light and responsive. Those three words lead to the performance of this driver. The sound and feel also scored a PERFECT 10.

Performance

The ST190 performed great. This is a hot face and it contributes to the performance and distance. I pulled a couple of shots (no fault of the club) but all of the others provided a solid trajectory that just seemed to keep carrying down range. The head is long. The ball flight wasn’t affected either (new Mizuno RB Tour and RB Tour X golf balls). All the ball did was fly straight to a baby draw. Both heads allow you to work the golf ball left to right and vice versa. There was no evidence of ballooning whatsoever. I should also mention that my best results overall were with the Fujikura ATMOS Black 6 Tour Spec 65-gram shaft as the engine driving this particular machine. I had issues with the “lefts” using the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Orange 50 which is a 57-gram shaft. The performance also scored a PERFECT 10.

st190 shaft

Conclusion

Prior to Demo Day I haven’t covered a Mizuno product on my website. Ever! The last time that I made a swing with a Mizuno driver was their JPX EZ from 2014. A ton has changed since then. The ST190 is lethal. It’s like an assassin in a black tuxedo. If you unleash it’s will on the golf ball you’ll be rewarded with music to your ears, magic in your hands and more than likely… a few extra yards. If you’re in the market for a brand new driver in 2019… Look no further. There’s a reason why it won the Teezy Award in the “Top Driver Category” from the 2019 PGA Show.

Until The Next Tee!!

#FightAndGrind #SeeUOnTheNextTee