EVNROLL Putters

“First Impressions REVIEW” – Evnroll Putters ER10 Outback

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Just the other day (Wednesday in fact) I attended the Golf Industry Expo in Kitchener, Ontario as put on by the PGA of Ontario. While there, I discovered a number of products that at the time were under embargo. One of those products was a putter from Evnroll Putters that’s was introduced to me by the rep there as being the called ER10 Outback. Even though I was bummed that I couldn’t snap a pic or two I still took the opportunity to roll a few putts with the flatstick.

 

The Set-Up

For those that are a little unfamiliar with the Evnroll brand of putters, it’s a company that was founded by Guerin Rife (of Rife Two-Bar fame) and Steven Riley at the 2015 PGA Show. Since then, the brand has continued an upward climb into notoriety amongst golfers and have continued to creat putters with high MOI numbers. Think about an old-school blade putter and how it twists in your hands on a putt struck off of the toe. Some of you might recollect that the ER5B Murdered Out putter from 2019 finished was a finalist for a Teezy Award in the “Top Putter” Category. 

*** An important side note to point out

The new ER10 Outback putter is a mallet-style putter that continues the tradition of Evnroll producing putters with high MOI characteristics. Looking at the putter head itself there are elements that will remind you of putters from other brands. While they have similarities it’s important to note that the ER10 Outback is much different.

The term “winged” has been used partially in describing the looks of the Outback. While the picture below does give you an idea of what it looks like, you really do notice this shape in the address position. The colour scheme is black and silver. While in the address position the alignment aid really catches your attention with a “crescent moon-like” shape that seamlessly melds itself into the rest of the putter. The lines themselves are quite sharp and dynamic.

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Photo Credit: Evnroll (Twitter)

The head itself is crafted from 6061 Aluminum which is very lightweight and the “wing” is CNC milled. What’s interesting about the design is the fact that the head is lighter as the putter gets longer. For example, a 34″ putter weighs in at 370 grams (pictured above). A putter at 33″ weighs in at 385 grams. The ER10 Outback features Evnroll’s patented “Sweet Face Technology” which allows golfers to create a true roll from impact to hole.

 

The Transition

The question that you might be asking is quite simply… How’d it feel? Well let’s get into it, shall we?

The ER10 felt absolutely great while rolling putts. Much of that can be related to the “Sweet Face technology”. However, the rep also pointed out to me that the ER10 Outback is the first Evnroll putter made with an insert. Ironically enough, they had an ER5B there (remember my reference) and the ER10 Outback blew the ER5B out of the water. The ER10 Outback felt softer and more solid. The latter being a by-product of the MOI characteristics. But something needs to be said of the addition of the insert. Speaking of the MOI numbers. When asked, the rep couldn’t provide me with exact MOI numbers but said that they were “somewhere in the 10,000 range”.

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I made a point of striking putts intentionally off of the heel and the toe and I can tell you that no putts went offline in either case. When I went really extreme on a stroke where I picked it up, got handsy, and nearly whiffed off of the toe then and only then did I feel some sort of twisting in my hands. That test was another comparison that I conducted in a heads-up comparison to the ER5B from 2019.

 

The Finish

The sample size was small in the fact that all of the putts were struck from roughly 9 feet using a PuttOut putting mat. That said, it’s easy to draw a conclusion. The Evnroll Putters ER10 Outback putter is a putter that’s going to create some buzz amongst golf consumers. It offers big MOI numbers in an eye-friendly chassis. Honestly, in those pristine conditions, I couldn’t miss. Maybe being in the “real world” changes that perspective a touch. It’s early but I can see the ER10 Outback being in the running for the “Top Putter” Teezy Award in 2020.

The ER10 Outback has just come to market today. November 1, 2019.

Until The Next Tee!!

#seeuonthenexttee #fightandgrind

 

The Golf Industry Expo and My Naivety

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So yesterday I finally made it to a golf trade show that I’ve been meaning to make it to for some time. That show… “The Golf Industry Expo” as put on in conjunction with the PGA of Ontario (Canada). It’s a golf trade show that brings together members of the golf industry from all aspects of our sport on a much smaller scale than that of the PGA Merchandise Show that’s held every January in Orlando, Florida.

The show took place in Kitchener, Ontario at a place called LOT42. It’s a really cool place as it’s a former industrial complex turned into a convention-type facility 9event venue). Being a first-time to the show I really didn’t know what to expect. After all, when I think of an industry show it’s hard not to think about the PGA Show. But, as I walked in and picked-up my badge I also received a really nice swag bag. It was actually an Adidas backpack. Which coincidentally will be making the trip to Orlando. It wasn’t until I had got home when I realized that there was swag inside. Inside were items like a golf towel by Blank Towel, a pair of sunglasses from Vigor Eyewear (Falcon Lumen+ model) and a couple of other little goodies. I’ll definitely put the sunglasses to good use. I look forward to testing and reviewing them.

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Great venue. LOT42 (Photo Credit: Explore Waterloo Region)

As I walked the floor, I couldn’t help but notice that some of the golf equipment industry’s players were there. Brands like TaylorMade Golf (Canada), Wilson Golf, Mizuno Golf, Cobra Golf, Cleveland/Srixon/XXIO, Tour Edge Golf (Golf Trends is their distributor here in Canada) and EVNROLL Putters (more. What’s different however about this show is that while everybody exhibiting at the PGA Show is for the most part no longer under embargo a lot of the product at this show is in fact under embargo. So in those cases, pictures are not possible.

But this show gave me a chance to see some products in-hand for the first time and it was products that I’ve shared press releases on already. So that makes it pretty darn cool. Here’s what I can tell you about a few of these products in a brief summary…

  • Cleveland Golf – The Launcher HB Turbo range of metalwoods looks really serious and I cannot wait to put swings on with them. They look like they’re going to be all business. They just look mean. The Launcher HALO hybrid has a great profile and if it performs anywhere near it looks (Gliderails to improve turf interaction) it WILL end up in a lot of golfers’ golf bags. The Launcher UHX look like they’re going to be long and may end up as a sleeper this year. Considering that they also will retail at $999.99 CAD makes them a consideration.

 

  • Cobra Golf – I won’t mince words. The KING Forged TEC are way nicer than the press release made them look. They look great in the release. They are stunning and these irons I cannot wait to put swings on and see how they perform. A review of these irons is imminent. However, what really surprised were their new T-Rail irons which is an all-hollow hybrid iron set. I wasn’t sold on their looks in the release and I was concerned about how they’d look at address. I can tell you that they weren’t that bad at all. As a matter of fact, when it came to the PW you could not see the cavity. These are going to worth a swing or three.

 

  • Mizuno Golf – The new MP-20 irons are beautiful. It doesn’t matter whether it’s the hollow-bodied HMB, the MMC, or the MB. Golfers are going to love them. Oh believe the info coming in… the ST200 line of metalwoods is coming. It’s on the USGA Conforming Golf Clubs List.
  • Wilson Golf – I finally saw the Staff Proto Blades in hand and yes they have been out for some time. For the longest time, I felt that the FG Tour 100 were the prettiest irons that I’ve ever seen. They were. The Staff Proto Blades are prettier and dare I say… More pure.

staff proto

So it was great to see some of the products that I’ve shared press releases about and have them in-hand for the first time. But what about the stuff that I saw that I wasn’t allowed to take pictures of? Products under embargo? All that I will comment on is this. TaylorMade Golf has new golf balls on the way. The new irons from Wilson Staff for 2020 are absolutely going to smash it out of the ballpark. The new range of metalwoods from Cobra Golf reintroduces us to a couple of letters and holy smokes these have my curiosity beyond piqued!!

Oh about the title and my naivety. I rolled a new putter from EVNROLL that’s under embargo. I rolled putts with the new putter (ER10) and while I couldn’t take pics I will say that this putter is already a contender for a Teezy Award in 2020. It’s under embargo until a large golf website/blog leaks pictures of it. I’ll say it… it’s MGS. Hey! Some food for thought. Is it a leak if it’s planned? That’s not a leak. What it is… Is this! It’s actually how a golf blog/website gets a leg up on its competitors. SO, that’s what it takes to get a leg up eh?! Back door channels and discussions no doubt with a price tag attached to it. As much as I knew that this industry is elitist at its roots I didn’t think websites were too. I’ll never be them or the others and I’m okay with that. Don’t worry MGS et al… I’m just one little guy and you needn’t be worried about me. I wish that the rep hadn’t told me that but seeing that he did… It’s my responsibility as a writer to tell you that just because someone says it’s leaked… it’s not. Don’t always believe what you read.

Until The Next Tee!!

#fightandgrind #seeuonthenexttee

The 2nd Annual Teezy Awards – 2019 PGA Show (Equipment Edition)

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The time has come! The points have been allocated, the points have been tallied and it’s time to announce the winner’s of the 2nd Annual Teezy Awards – PGA Show (Equipment Edition).

When the show wrapped a thought occurred to me. Actually, my thought was formed as early as the end of Demo Day where I thought “Damn, the 2019 product cycle is strong”. This would be a trend that would last right up until the moment that the Orange County Convention Center staff unceremoniously turn out the lights.

The reality is that there are so many great products that my finalists had to go to a Top 5. I actually couldn’t get the nominees down to a Top 3 and this was really noticeable in a few key categories.  How were the winners decided? I delegated point out of a maximum of 40 points. In the case of equipment, points were allocated like so…

  • Aesthetics (10 points)
  • Performance (10 points)
  • Sound/Feel (10 points)
  • Innovation (5 points)
  • Price point (5 points)

I also feel the need to point out that since products were so strong brand to brand this year an issue became evident. I had to figure out a tie-breaker. This became very obvious when I had ties in the first three categories that I tabulated. So needing help in deciding the first tie-breaker I took to social media with a poll. In what was also a very close race the public decided that the first tie-breaker would be Price-point.

Performance: 48%

Price point: 52%

Poll placed on Facebook and Twitter. Thanks to all who participated.

Aesthetics (10 pts) Performance (10 pts) Feel/Sound (10 pts) Innovation (5 pts) Value/Price Point (5 pts) Total
Top Driver
Callaway Golf Epic Flash 9 10 10 5 3 37/40
Tour Edge EXS 8.5 9 9 5 5 36.5/40
Mizuno ST-190 10 10 10 4 3 37/40**
Cobra Golf KING F9 9 9 9.5 4 4 35.5/40
Wilson Staff D7 8.5 9 8.5 4 5 35/40
Top Fairway Metal
Callaway Golf Epic Flash 9 10 10 5 3 37/40 **
Bridgestone Golf Tour B JGR 9 9 10 4 4 37/40
Tour Edge Exotics EXS 9 9 9 5 5 37/40
PING G410 9.5 10 9 5 3 36.5/40
Cobra Golf KING F9 9 9 9 4 4 34/40
Top Hybrid
PING G410 9.5 10 10 5 3 37.5/40**
XXIO Prime 9 9 9 5 2 34/40
Eagle Rebirth Golf 9.5 10 9.5 3 5 37/40
Bridgestone Golf Tour B JGR 10 10 10 3 3.5 36.5/40
Wilson Staff D7 9 10 10 4 4 37/40
Top Forged Irons
Srixon Golf Z 585 9 9 9 3 4 34/40
EPON Tour-AF 10 8.5 9 3 4 34.5/40
Bridgestone Golf TOUR B JGR HF2 10 10 10 4 4 38/40 **
Callaway Golf Apex 19 9.5 10 10 5 3.5 38/40
Eagle Rebirth Golf X3 8.5 9 8 3.5 5 34/40
Top Cast Irons
Wilson D7 9.5 9.5 9 4 4.5 36.5/40
Cobra Golf KING F9 9 10 9.5 4.5 4 37/40
TEE EXS 9.5 10 9.5 4.5 5 38.5/40**
Lynx Golf Black Cat 9 9 9 4 4.5 35.5/40
PRGR RS 9 9 8 4 3 33/40
Top Wedge
Cleveland Golf RTX 4 8.5 9 9 4 4 34.5/40
Bridgestone Golf Tour B XW-1 10 10 10 5 4 39/40 **
Indi Golf ATK Grind 9 9.5 9 5 4 36.5/40
Mizuno Golf S18 Blue Ion 10 9 10 4 4 37/40
Eagle Rebirth Golf W5 9 9 9.5 4 5 36.5/40
Top Putter
ARGOLF Mordred 10 10 10 5 4 39/40 **
SP Series 39 Blade 10 10 10 5 3 38/40
SeeMore Platinum M5 HT Mallet 10 10 9.5 4.5 4 38/40
MLA Putters Tour Mallet 9 9.5 9 5 4 36.5/40
EVNROLL MO ER5B 10 10 9.5 4.5 4 38/40

The Teezy Awards aren’t an exact science and there will be readers who will most certainly disagree with the winner and losers. But this is exactly the reason why it’s so important to me to do this. It can start a conversation. Also, bear in mind that the winners are based on my observations and that winner’s and runner-ups are totally unsolicited. So without further delay…

 

The Winners…

 

Top Driver

top driver

 

Mizuno Golf ST-190 (37/40) –  This was a bit of a surprise for me. Maybe it was just my lack of experience swinging the brand. But the Mizuno Golf ST-190 is a driver that has a ton going for it. In the looks department, it scored a perfect 10 as this head is dark! Dark in a way where you could think of a ninja or assassin. It combines solid black at the leading edge and transitions into the carbon composite crown as you look towards the trailing edge. Along with that trailing edge, you have a white accent just to break up the darkness. The RunBird (Mizuno’s logo) serves as an alignment aid. The performance was tremendous as strikes were rewarded with a ballflight that just seemed to “float” and carry downrange. Impressive seeing that the conditions on Demo Day were very windy. No signs of ballooning and what I liked in the brief time was the light feel of the ball coming off of the head. The shaft was the Fujikura Atmos White Tour Spec 6S. There are two models of the ST-190 (Standard) and ST-190G. The latter offers more adjustability and lower spin.

Runner-Up (Callaway Golf Flash Epic 37/40) – The runner-up in the driver category was the Callaway Golf Epic Flash. The CG EF was a very impressive driver. There was nothing that I didn’t like about this driver other than it was perhaps a little too flashy in the graphics area. If the graphics would have been toned down a touch… this was the winning product. But something needs to be said for “shelf appeal” at retail. I sincerely hoped that Callaway Golf would have married the Rogue and Epic. They did!! Make no bones about it the Epic Flash flat out performed.

 

Top Fairway Metal

top fairway

Callaway Golf Epic Flash (37/40): If you were to carry a Callaway Golf Epic Flash fairway metal in your golf bag you just may not need to worry about carrying a driver. This fairway metal was sheer to joy to swing. The Callaway Golf Epic Flash fairway metal boasts “Flash Face Technology” like it’s bigger sibling for higher ball speeds. Based on my observations I think that there may be more to it than just marketing buzzwords. Long (possibly the longest I’ve ever made swings with) the CG FE fairway metal will have you thinking Par 5 holes in two. Shafted with a Project X Even Flow 65 gram shaft and a stock Golf Pride Align grip the overall looks are killer. Admittedly, the only thing that I didn’t really like was that the graphics are a little too flashy (what’s in a name right?). Did I mention that all of my swings were “off the deck”? Easy to elevate.

Runner-Up (Tour Edge Exotics EXS 37/40) – The TEE EXS fairway metal was only edged out by the winner because I felt that the TEE EXS wasn’t quite as “hot”. That said, in my opinion, the TEE EXS was impressive. So easy to hit repeatable golf shots off of the deck and a ton of technology at a very attractive price point. I loved the acoustics and feel at impact because it sounded sharp… or piercing. I really liked how sleek and clean the EXS fairway metal was in the address position.

 

Top Hybrid

top hybrid

PING G410 (37.5/40) – The PING G410 hybrid was the star of the hybrid category at the 2019 PGA Show. Living up to what PING strives for (forgiveness) the G410 certainly lives up to the PING name. The maraging steel face generated plenty of “pop” off of the face. This is a hybrid that is really easy to launch and it elevates quickly which also contributes to stopping power on the green. The PING G410 is the manufacturers first ever adjustable hybrid and it has one feature in particular that REALLY caught my attention. This hybrid can be adjusted 3* flat effectively eliminating a hook… my miss.

Runner-Up (Eagle Rebirth Golf X1 37/40) – Haven’t heard of ERG? You aren’t alone. I’ll be elaborating on them more in a bit but their X1 hybrid head was really impressive. Another head that was easy to elevate what impressed me was how it held the wind on Demo Day. Swings were met with an acoustically pleasing sound. A straight ball-flight with a nice baby draw that led to me laughing to myself about what I saw and felt. What it lacks in innovation it makes up for simplicity and performance.

 

Top Forged Irons

top forged

Bridgestone Golf TOUR B JGR HF2 (38/40) – The Bridgestone Golf TOUR B JGR HF2 irons were my pick for the Top Forged Iron category. Not only that… they were nearly my favorite iron of the 2019 PGA Show. These are a handsome golf club that offers absolute buttery feel. The forging is soft and the beautiful part about these forged irons is that they are plenty forgiving. The JGR HF2 irons feature a thin face for higher ball speeds and it shows. This was especially noticeable considering where the heavy wind was coming from at Demo Day. Helping with the feel is that Bridgestone Golf added a rubber polymer insert into the head. If you’re looking for a forged iron they should be on your list.

Runner-Up (Callaway Golf Apex 19 38/40) – The Callaway Golf Apex 19 irons were well worth the wait. Three years removed from their prior iteration these irons were terrific. I distinctly recollect my eyes widening with my first strike. These irons are good-looking. They were long, consistent and the ballflight was penetrating. There’s a reason why it was a hard choice.

 

Top Cast Irons (Includes Hollow-Body Construction)

top cast

Tour Edge Exotics EXS (38.5/40) – The first thing that I wanted to point out with the EXS irons from Tour Edge Exotics is that the model I tested was with the graphite Tensei shafts from Mitsubishi Chemical. Something just felt right with these irons in my hands. Maybe it was the look at the address position or maybe it’s just the general look of them. In a way, they look like a “muscle car” or something to that effect. Passes were aggressive and that was a direct by-product from the confidence I felt looking down at address. That said, the top-line isn’t thick and the offset isn’t unattractive. The face is forged and has a hollow body construction… the result is terrific exit velocity out of the hitting area.

Runner-Up (Cobra Golf KING F9 SPEEDBACK 37/40) – It didn’t take me very long to realize that the KING F9 SPEEDBACK (ONE Length and Variable Length) were dynamos in the 2019 product cycle and a contender for a Teezy Award in the cast category. It took a total of two swings with each model to realize that Cobra Golf had improved on their KING F8 irons. Those irons tested very well last year (the review says as much). The KING F9 SPEEDBACK irons are a very fun iron to swing and they perform as advertised.

 

Top Wedge

topwedge

Bridgestone Golf TOUR B XW-1 (39/40) – The TOUR B XW-1 wedges were the clear winner of the top wedge category. The XW-1 has a buttery soft feel (I know it’s an overused adjective in the industry) but I wouldn’t say it if I didn’t mean it. I love the feel of this club as the clubhead passes through the hitting area. Forged from 1020 Carbon Steel this wedge features multiple grind options. Also of note is that Bridgestone Golf created what it calls “Biting Rail Milled Groove Design” for more spin. I wasn’t able to test greenside spin with these wedges but I can tell you this much. They provide a ton of spin on 1/4 to full wedge shots based on what I saw as golf balls landed on tightly mowed areas… make-shift greens. The price-point isn’t bad at all.

Runner-Up (Mizuno Golf S18 37/40) – The Mizuno Golf S18 is Mizuno’s latest addition to their performance wedge line-up. Mass is placed higher-up in the head in the higher lofts to allow for a more consistent spin on strikes higher up the face. The S18 is available in several finishes including my favorite (Blue Ion). The head features Mizuno’s renowned Grain Flow Forged feel and is constructed from 1025 Boron. This material equates to more durability for the grooves.

 

Top Putter

top putter

ARGOLF Mordred (39/40) – The Arthurian Legend lives on coming to golfers all the way from the Brittany Region in France. Mordred has a “dark story” behind it as Mordred was a treacherous traitor from Arthurian lore. However, this Mordred is no traitor as you’ll sink putts with it in hand. The ARGOLF Mordred is a mallet putter that’s crafted from aerospace grade 7175 Aluminum for a soft feel. Also of note is the fact that Mordred offers a total club weight of 525 grams and has an M.O.I, rating of 9800. Mordred provides a consistent roll whether it’s off of the center of the face or the heel or toe. There is no twisting whatsoever. I love the looks of Mordred as it’s grey with an orange alignment aid. Add in the black PVD shaft with the Grey with Orange trim mid-sized PURE grip and you have a putter that performs great but looks even meaner.

Runner -Up (EVNROLL Murdered Out ER5B 38/40) – If you look at the chart there were three putters that finished with 38/40 points. SeeMore was there with its Platinum M5 HT Mallet and so was the Sacks Parente Series 39 Blade Putter. However, when push came to shove I really liked how the Murdered Out ER5 putter rolled putts. It’s never easy to judge things based on 8 feet in a booth but it just seemed to roll the ball really well. Of note is the inclusion of what EVNROLL calls it’s “Gravity Grip”. The Gravity Grip has a rod that runs through the length of the grip which EVNROLL states that it “eliminates face rotation through impact”.

Hidden Gem Award

Eagle Rebirth Golf – It just seems like every year that I attend the PGA Merchandise Show there’s almost always a “Hidden  Gem” that I uncover. Even though it’s a new category in 2019 this award would have definitely gone to New Level Golf last year. For 2019, that honor goes to Eagle Rebirth Golf. If you haven’t heard of them you aren’t alone. I honestly feel that if I were to survey 100 golfers I’m not certain that 10 would have heard of them before. I’m hoping that changes.

Eagle Rebirth Golf is the manufacturer of several designs of metalwoods, irons, and wedges. Their irons and wedges are forged from either 8620 or 1025 Carbon Steel and they feel great!!! They even have an iron that features a thin 455 maraging steel face and a 1025 steel forged body (X2). Their W5 was a nominee in the Top Wedge Category and this wedge felt great. I loved the meticulous milling of the face… including the toe.

Their metalwoods performed very well from top to bottom. Whether it was their forgiving V1 hybrid (455 maraging steel face) or their X1-Ti fairway metal head (which features a DAT55G forged titanium cup-face insert). Their heads provided plenty of jump off of the face. Their drivers performed very well as well.

I debated back and forth about visiting with Eagle Rebirth Golf prior to the PGA Show. Admittedly, I wasn’t captivated after looking at their website. Let me tell you this… I’m glad that I took the time to make swings with their products.

 

Innovation Award

innoaward

Lynx Golf Prowler VT Driver: Another new category to the Teezy Awards in 2019. Lynx Golf has been innovative in the golf industry recently. First, in 2018 Lynx Golf announced that they were going to be going SUP-free (Single Use Plastics) in their packaging. A small yet giant-step towards helping Mother Nature.

It just seems like that when we think of drivers nowadays one of the first things that golfers look for is adjustability. How adjustable is a driver? Golfers like to tinker and finding optimal launch conditions is imperative to maximize distance. Usually, this is achieved by an adjustable hosel. Lynx Golf with the introduction of their Prowler VT driver proves that this doesn’t need to be the case. How? “Switch Face”.

Switch Face allows golfers to have true loft changes and face angles. How does the driver itself perform? In my brief time on the ETC (wasn’t available to swing on Demo Day) this is a driver that looked great in the address position and felt and sounded real solid at impact.

inno2

Until The Next Tee!!

#SeeuOnTheNextTee #FightAndGrind

2019 PGA Merchandise Show – Teezy Award Nominees

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It’s that time of the year. With the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show in the rearview mirror I’ve been giving lots of thought to nominees for the 2nd Annual Teezy Awards – PGA Show Edition.

Deciding on nominees and winners for this prestigious title isn’t an exact science however there are certain parameters taken into account. Below are some of the considerations that I look at in deciding who gets the nod (in no particular order).

  • Aesthetics
  • Feel/Sound
  • Performance
  • Innovation
  • Value (Price Point/Consumer “Bang For Buck”)

In some cases there are companies who will not or get consideration. Think of it as a DNQ. An example of this would be in the “Top Driver” category. Unfortunately, I was unable to swing the PING G410 (Plus or SFT) driver. I simply ran out of time. The same goes for Miura golf who was so busy that I never had the opportunity to swing their products. For the irons categories… there is no separation between GI or Player’s clubs.

The nominees are the Top 5 products in each category that we found at the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show. Let me just say that the strength of the 2019 product cycle is the strongest that I’ve seen out of the 7 shows that I have been to.

Top Driver

  • Callaway Golf Epic Flash
  • Cobra Golf KING F9 SPEEDBACK
  • Mizuno Golf ST-190
  • Tour Edge Exotics EXS
  • Wilson Staff D7

epic nominee

Top Fairway Wood

  • Callaway Golf Epic Flash
  • Bridgestone Golf Tour B JGR
  • Tour Edge Exotics EXS
  • Cobra Golf KING F9 SPEEDBACK
  • PING G410

Top Hybrid

  • PING G410
  • Wilson Staff D7
  • Eagle Rebirth Golf X-1
  • Bridgestone Golf Tour B JGR
  • XXIO Prime

Top Irons (Forged)

  • Srixon Golf Z 585
  • Epon AF-Tour CB
  • Bridgestone Golf Tour B JGR HF2
  • Callaway Golf Apex 19
  • Eagle Rebirth Golf X3

hf2nom

Top Irons (Cast ***includes 2-piece construction heads)

  • Wilson Golf D7
  • Cobra Golf KING F9 ONE Length
  • Tour Edge Exotics EXS
  • Lynx Golf Black Cat
  • PRGR RS

Top Wedges

  • Cleveland Golf RTX 4
  • Bridgestone Golf Tour B XW-1
  • Indi Golf ATK Grind
  • Eagle Rebirth Golf W5
  • Mizuno Golf S18 Blue Ion

Top Putter

  • ARGOLF Mordred
  • EVNROLL Murdered Out ER5
  • Sacks Parente Series 39 Blade
  • SeeMore Putters Platinum M5 HT Mallet
  • MLA Putters Tour Mallet

Top Innovation

  • Lynx Golf Prowler VT driver (Switch Face)
  • Sack Parente (ULBP)
  • XXIO Prime (Harmony in head, shaft and grip)
  • Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Changing the industry)
  • PING Fetch putter (Adjustable from the inside)

mordrednom

Top Men’s Apparel

  • Greg Norman Collection
  • CHASE 54
  • Original Penguin
  • Bald Head Blues
  • Callaway Apparel

Top Women’s Apparel

  • MotherPutter
  • Golftini
  • Jane 1530
  • Katherine Way
  • CHASE 54

Top Footwear

  • TRUE Linkswear
  • Skechers Performance
  • Jack Grace USA
  • New Balance Golf
  • PUMA Golf

truenom

Top Accessories

  • Zero Friction (Gloves and Tees)
  • Nexbelt (Belts and Caps)
  • Oliver Thomas (Hand Bags)
  • Evolve Golf (Tees, markers)
  • C4 Belts

Top Health And Wellness

  • Iso-Sport (CBD lotion, tincture)
  • HempME (CBD Lotion)
  • First Tee (Cereal Bars)
  • Gelliflex (Self-Massaging Device)
  • Bobo’s (Gluten-free, Certified Vegan bars)

 

Time to deliberate… so stay tuned right here to see who gets the honors.

Until The Next Tee!!

#FightAndGrind #SeeUOnTheNextTee

 

2019 PGA Merchandise Show – Day Two Highlights

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Day Two of the 2019 PGA Merchandise Show was full of highlights. Actually, the show has had an absolute cornucopia of highlights to this point and because of the sheer volume of products I have to try real hard to limit what I talk about each day.

Where Day One was full of apparel… Day Two was much different. Day Two ended up being about putters, training aids, push carts and junior apparel.

Having rolled putters from EVNROLL and Buffalo, NY based T-Squared Putters on Day One I took the opportunity today to meet with Tiffany DiPanni who takes care of public relations for ARGOLF Putters. Some people might recall that I covered their range last year. The France-based newcomers to the industry have not only experienced more brand awareness through TOUR successes (including PGA TOUR Champions Major Championship) but they also made recent headlines when they signed Lucas Glover to their TOUR staff. In 2019, ARGOLF Putters has developed a new mallet putter. Once again drawing from the Legend of King Arthur and Camelot, ARGOLF Putters introduced PGA Show attendees to Mordred. Mordred is a putter that’s 360 grams and has a scintillating blend of fantasy meets functionality. Boasting a MOI of 9,800 it’s as forgiving as it feels soft. Stroking putts off of the toe resulted in holed putts with no twisting at impact whatsoever. At this time, I won’t mention the fact that they’re bringing some beautiful irons to the market (oops I’ve already said too much).

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In the past I’ve written some pretty scathing stories about my views on what’s wrong with our game. I’ve never been shy on pointing a finger at the “Old Boys Network” and the general inability to accept new ways of doing things. This can definitely include the way that the game is taught.

For many newcomers to the game of golf the game is often taught in either mechanical terms and/or in such a way that it’s actually quite convoluted. But, what if there was a way to learn the game that was through visual keys or prompts? Personally, I understand things much better when I have visual queues. Enter Colour Path Golf. Through the use of plastic pieces (ruler length and shape, circles and squares) you can learn proper swing path and many other aspects of the game without getting too mechanical. The pieces come in three colours (blue, red, green and yellow) and each colour has an intended meaning. For example, when a yellow piece is on the ground it’s an area of the swing where you need to show focus. While a red piece means it’s somewhere that needs to have power applied. Stay tuned as I will be writing a more comprehensive piece on Colour Path Golf in the future. This could help revolutionize how golf instruction is taught and ultimately learned.

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One of the single best ways to burn calories is to walk when you play golf. Carrying your golf clubs is fine but using a push cart is better. It makes the walk even more enjoyable and it doesn’t strain the body as much. One of the push carts that I looked at today and really liked a TON is the new Nitron push cart from Bag Boy. The Nitron is likely the easiest push cart to open and close and is accomplished in an easy step or two. Part of the genius of the unfolding of this push cart (or trolley) is that there’s a canister of nitrogen that helps to unfold the push cart. It’s a very simple and quick two-step system to open the cart. Folding the cart back up is just as easy. Not to mention that it’s lightweight as far as push carts go.

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In the golf industry there aren’t many brands that cater strictly to junior golfers. Especially when it comes to apparel and equipment. Before today I only knew of The Littlest Golfer and U.S. Kids Golf. Now what if I told you about a company that produces stylish, fun golf apparel, accessories, footwear and shafts for junior golfers? Now what if I mentioned that the shoes go down to the smallest golf shoe that I’ve seen to date? This is what Ashlin Designs is all about. Ashlin Designs recognized that there was a part of the golf industry that didn’t fully address junior golf apparel completely. Recognizing this lack of a market they endeavoured to change that… and they have. They have created apparel that even includes features like a four-way stretch material.

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I’d just like to reiterate that there were a ton of highlights from the floor on Day Two. Please look for in-depth articles and/or reviews in the future regarding these and many other products.

Until The Next Tee!!

#FightAndGrind #SeeUOnTheNextTee

2018 PGA Merchandise Show Day One

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The first day of the 2018 PGA Merchandise Show is in the books. It proved to be a very fruitful day and I’ll attempt to quickly summarize what I saw. By the way, there will be more in-depth articles on each product mentioned down the road.

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The day started by visiting with IOFIT which is a company headquartered in Seoul, South Korea. Their product is a smart shoe that features sensors that inform golfers what’s happening with weight distribution throughout all aspects of the golf swing. The shoes in my brief time wearing them are comfortable and stylish (the suede wingtips in particular). Surprisingly light and they also feature a really great spikeless pattern. The technology works and I am going to be more than happy to further elaborate on this product.

Upon leaving the first appointment of the day I went down to the Vertical Groove Golf booth to further learn about what and who they are. I had the pleasure of interviewing Co-Founder Rubin Hannan and gained some valuable insight on the brand, their 2017 which was very successful, their new fairway wood and other things that the brand has in the hopper. There is a hybrid and a putter in the works.

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Photo Credit: EVNROLL

Speaking of putters I met with the folks at the EVNROLL Putters booth and the booth was busy and for a good reason. EVNROLL just launched a new putter here at the show called the EVNROLL ER9 10 K. This putter is futuristic in appearance but it also just happens to roll the golf ball really well, is super stable through impact and feels great. Perhaps a longer look is in order.

As the day wore on I visited the TaylorMade Golf booth where I learned about some new innovation from the brand as far as putters and wedges go. Bill Price is the VP at TaylorMade Golf and the wealth of knowledge that he possesses is second to none. We talked about the new putters coming out from TaylorMade Golf that features Blast Motion and the new Milled Grind Hi-Toe wedge. These wedges feature high spin numbers, versatility and forgiveness. The finish darkens over time. Sticking with TaylorMade Golf the brand has re-introduced an updated version of the Project(A) golf and a new Project(S) which is a 3-piece golf ball that offers a softer feel and longer distance.

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Photo Credit: TRUE Linkswear

I caught up briefly with two of my favorite brands in the world. CHASE 54 and TRUE Linkswear. I’ll be doing more in-depth coverage of both companies but I  will say that CHASE 54 has upped their fabric game again as they’ve released a lighter, airier fabric that features great hand. TRUE Linkswear is back doing what they do best. Make comfortable shoes that perform, look great and offer versatility not seen in other brands. Not only is TRUE back to their roots in shoe design but the brand has also returned home to the Pacific Northwest. The ownership group has changed and TRUE is back and staying TRUE to who they are.

Other brands that I checked out included IBKUL which features men’s and ladies apparel (on and off course) with vivid, stunning and playful prints. AfterShokz was a product that I was really curious about. AfterShokz offers premium headphones and premium sound through “Bone Conduction Technology”. I was mostly curious about their open construction and the sound because I love hearing music how the chords were intended. As it turns out they made a great first impression and I can see them being a great all-around product whether for golf or everyday life. Bolle Eyewear has some new golf-specific sunglasses on the market and their lenses are not made the standard polycarbonate often seen through the eyewear industry. However, what they use is much clearer and provides far greater optics than polycarbonate.

In conclusion Day One was amazing. It was a day that was hectic, informative and educational.

Until The Next Tee!!