Golf Equipment Reviews

 Being the golf shopper that I am, I ran across the 2008 Callaway Hyper X Driver on-line for $129.99 with free shipping!  It seemed like a deal too good to pass up, so before I knew it my confirmation email showed up and I was the proud owner of a new driver!  I have had this club for approximately 4 weeks now.

This Driver was replacing my Callaway Big Bertha from 2006 (which was a 10 degree club).  I decided to buy an 11 degree Hyper X with a regular shaft so it wouldn't be exactly the same as my Big Bertha.  The Hyper X has a Fujikura Fit-On Graphite shaft and a stock Callaway grip which I like.  The head cover is also much easier to get on and off compared to the Big Bertha.

It is actually very similar to the Big Bertha in the set up, although the clubface seems taller.  There are no specifics such as weight or flex point on the shaft, but the Callaway web site says it was designed for high MOI.

The first day I hit it I was getting about 15-20 yards more than the BB.  Since then I have been struggling a little bit with a slice, but I'm pretty sure it's my swing and not my club!  When I hit it on the screws it feels like the ball is just jumping off the club face.  At first I worried that I should have stuck with a 10 degree, but I really can't tell the difference.

There were 3 guys at my local club that had purchased this driver last year and are still playing it.  After sharing with a few others what a deal I found online, at least 3 or 4 more guys bought this driver, too!  Most of them are really liking it, but one of them realized that the stiff shaft wasn't the fit he needed and he ended up buying a Callaway FT-i instead.

Overall, I would give this driver 5 stars for value (www.rockbottomgolf.com), and 4.5 for feel.

If you're in the market for a new driver and don't have a really strong swing, this might be the one for you!

I know it’s hard for you to believe that I’m not rich and famous, however the UPS man recently reminded me of that fact. It all started when the nice folks at uPro, who make one of the most successful golf GPS devices in the country, asked me to play a round with the uPro and then tell everyone what I thought. So, they packed it up and called the UPS man and said, “take this nifty device to Sam Johnson in Dallas.”

Failing to understand the magnitude of my celebrity status, the manager of the building that I have officed in for close to five years refused the delivery and sent the UPS guy packing back to California. It took another ten days and my picture I.D. taped to the manager’s door, but I finally received the uPro package.

Ordinarily, ten days here or there wouldn’t make any difference, but it’s Christmas, and Santa is making his list and checking it twice, and I hope he has time to add the uPro to your Christmas list because that’s how nifty I think it is… really.

Let me preface everything that follows with a few facts; I have never used a range finder before, however I have asked my playing partner who owns one of those one-eyed binoculars for yardage a few thousand times. I have watched him shooting the flag stick over and over looking for a flat surface that would give an accurate reading. More than once I’ve heard him joke, “It’s either 129-yards or 375-yards.”

But the uPro is different. Because it is satellite driven GPS technology you don’t have to shoot anything. Heck, you don’t even have to point it at anything, just look at the screen, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

I am not much of a technology guy, which luckily is not a requirement for using uPro. With the six or seven courses that I frequent already loaded in the uPro, all I had to do was turn the uPro on, select a course, wait about 10 seconds for it to load, then watch in amazement as the uPro offered up a fly-over of the first hole. Then in easy to read letters about a half an inch tall, it displayed the hole-number, par and yardage to the front, center and back of the green. It also pointed out the hazards and the yardage to the front and clearance yardage of each.

It was totally cool. Here was a device about the size of a small cell phone telling me everything I needed to know and all I had done was turn it on and choose a course.

After my initial tee shot, I walked to my ball and pulled the uPro out of my pocket once again. I didn’t point it at the green, or push any button, but there it was; my yardage to the front, middle and back of the green in real time. I stepped a yard toward the green and the uPro took a yard off the reading. I stepped a yard back and it instantly recalculated the correct yardage.

Then, just for grins, I walk to the 150-yard marker and looked down at the uPro and it was reading dead-on at 150-yards. It was amazing.

As I moved to the second hole the uPro, without prompting, displayed a message asking if I was now playing the second hole, when I answered yes, it immediately took notice and started the video-flyover view before displaying the yardage. Frankly, the flyover is a bit of a pain on a course you have played many times, but I can see the benefit on a course you play infrequently. In any case, it is easy enough to hit the skip button and move the uPro straight to the yardage you need.

During my first uPro round, I focused on the yardage read-outs and found them to be dead-on, but there are a lot more bells and whistles at your disposal. You can pan and zoom, get the yardage to any point on the course, choose and mark the best lay-up yardage, as well as yardage to and over every hazard.

My only complaint has to do with the instructions. The basic getting started info is a snap. Basically you turn it on and you’ll be up and running in no time. However, there are areas such as ProMode and others that are not clearly explained, but that’s about the only thing I found that’s wrong.

I’m a great believer in having the correct yardage. On the other hand I hate waiting on someone in front of me to find a yardage marker. I figure if the whole world had a uPro we could take a good twenty minutes off of every round.

Okay, I’m gushing a bit, maybe even a lot, but I really liked uPro and I think you will as well. I promise if you ask Santa for a uPro you won’t be disappointed.

Just in case you were wondering, uPro did not pay for this review nor did they promise to buy advertising on Tees2Greens.com. However, I did receive a free uPro, but I think my review would have been the same otherwise. It’s pretty cool.

For more information about uPro go to www.uProgps.com.

My overall experience with swing aids has always been that there has never been a true substitute for PGA Professional instruction and time well spent working on aspects of the swing with someone who actually knows what they are doing.

When most of us invest in a swing aid to help certain parts of our game we usually use the device incorrectly or incorporate these helpful mechanisms into a swing that is incapable of improvement, I know that sounds bad, but it’s true. This is a tough sport and we all have been desperate enough at times to try just about anything to master the great game of golf.

Over the years David Leadbetter has been one of the leaders in producing swing aids for all types of aliments. From head to toe he has had us covered and we may have seen a few of those adorned by Tin Cup’s Roy McAvoy, which he so proudly named these inventions, “the tools of ignorance”.

Well we can finally say good bye to that adage with the introduction of the new David Leadbetter Swing Setter Pro!

The specs:

Model – David Leadbetter Swing Setter Pro

Right Handed Iron

Molded training grip

Extendable Plane Pointer/Guide

One Snapping Magnetic Ball on Shaft

Instructional Manual

Instructional DVD

30 Day Money Back Guarantee

What I liked:

The overall weight was very surprising. I thought it would have been very heavy with the addition of the club head and magnetic snap ball, but it felt great!
The training grip was a bit different than what I have felt in molded grips, but I got used to it quickly and now my grip is better than ever.

The new Swing Setter Pro has an extendable plane guide that was a nice feature and I found myself using it more and more to determine if the club was on plane or not. There are quite a few drills that you can use with this feature.

Being able to hit balls with the Swing Setter was fantastic. I have never liked a swing aid that I could not use in a real situation like hitting balls on the range…actually seeing your improvement immediately is so important. Unlike clubs that break or heavy clubs, they don’t give you the same type of feel that you would normally have on the course.
 
Overall Review:

The David Leadbetter Swing Setter Pro boasts to fix my poor grip, improve my wrist cock, keep me from coming over the top and increase my power with a solid set of my hands and better ball striking. One simple device can do all this? YES IT CAN!

I am a huge skeptic when it comes to training aids and I think I have been suckered by every offer out there. After seeing the David Leadbetter videos and commercial on Tees2Greens I wanted to give it a try since I hang out on the site regularly and trust the products that they promote!

When I received my box in the mail I kissed the wife and kids goodbye and headed out to the club.

As soon as I pulled in I jumped in the back seat, took out the latest Baby Einstein from the DVD player and began to learn.  The video was fun, informative and got me ready to see the improvement first hand. The video is a must, just reading over the instructions I would have had a much tougher time figuring it all out. Now I was ready.

Once I got out on the range I got the looks. Sure, I know….kind of embarrassing and annoying, but maybe once I showed the guaranteed improvement they would all want to give it a go.

As I stated earlier, the grip was a bit weird and different from the traditional ones many of us have used, but you get used to it quickly and it is very comfortable.

Swinging the club is a breeze and as I stated earlier the weight felt fine even with the addition of the magnetic ball.

The tricky part for me was learning the tempo of setting the club correctly to get that “click” in the right position and not losing any fluid feel to the swing. Almost immediately you can tell you are taking the club back in the proper manner and if you stop half way you can take one hand off, slide out the built in plain pointer and check if you are “on-plane” as they say. That was a cool feature.

It was working and fast, feeling more coordinated with every swing. Now was the true test to hit some balls with this baby!

It was a bit difficult at first trying to concentrate on the swing setter, then continuing with the swing through impact and to finish. It was very ugly to say the least, but what change in the golf swing is immediate. Its does take some work, but slowly I began to really see and feel good results. Obviously, it didn’t feel perfect but I began to understand quickly where the faults were and then I could go back and practice the problem areas.

This is a very nice product from a guy that knows swing aids. David Leadbetter is the leader in this category and he has introduced yet another item that is sure to improve every level of player.

Oh, and once the shots began to zip off the Swing Setter the goofy looks from the people at the range changed quickly as I had a few asking me what I was swinging.

Thanks to David Leadbetter and the Swing Setter Pro for helping with my game, its best product I have seen in years!!

 

 

After over 10 years a using a Ping Zing 2 putter, a few years back I bought a copy of a two-ball putter for about $25 - I liked it, but I just didn't have good feel with putts over 8'-10'ft.  But when I tried to go back to a blade putter I just couldn't do it!  So last winter I decided to buy a new putter, and honestly the main reason I purchased the Ping G2i Craz-E C putter was because two of the best putters I know at my local course had a Craz-E.  I have been using my Ping G2i Craz-E C putter for about 4 months, and after initially being frustrated with it, I am now putting better and scoring more birdies than I ever have!  There are a lot, and I mean A LOT, of putters out there (over a dozen new Ping styles alone), but I don't think I'll be shopping for a new putter again for awhile!

The specs:

Model - Ping G2i C (center shaft)

Shaft length: 32 inches

Blue Ping Stock grip

What I liked:

When looking down at the putter head I really like the style and set up of the profile - the line is helpful, and it doesn't feel heavy. 

The grip is soft and feels very comfortable to hold.

 I was a bit nervous buying a 32" putter, but being only 5'6" the length is actually great. (I can't tell you how many people I see that choke way down on their putters - mine sets up so nice for me). 

For me, the longer profile putter head gives me the mental impression of a flowing putting stroke, and I feel like I am more square on my follow through vs. a blade putter.

The Center Shaft is SO comfortable for me - I've tried a couple of the different versions of the Craz-E with the end shafts, and I just love the feel and sight lines of the shaft in the middle of the head.

 

What took me a while to get used to:

The blue color - I really wanted the black version of the same putter, but couldn't find it (for the price I wanted to pay).

Shortening my backswing - for some reason when I first started putting with it I just took the putter too far back and then decelled through - but now I'm in a much better groove.

Trusting the line on the putter - I've never used a putter with a guide line like that and for the first month I had a hard time believing I had lined up the putt right - so I would pull everything left...but now I believe what I see!

 

I purchased this putter for less than $65 with shipping from Ebay.  It was used, but looked in new condition with a putter cover and a serial number.  I couldn't be more thrilled with the purchase and would give this putter 5 stars!

This test was taken from rankmark's April 2008 newsletter. 

We picked out 64 testers, 21 with 0-9 handicap and 43 with 10-30 handicap. All clubs were hit and ranked on distance, accuracy, and the golfer’s opinion and feel for the club. The point allowance was as follows:

5 points for 1st place
4 points for 2nd place
3 points for 3rd place
2 points for 4th place
1 point for 5th place

TEST RESULTS: 0-9 Handicap Callaway FT 52   Bobby Jones 48   Hippo XXL 28   Nickent 4DX 24   Ping Rapture 21   Yonex Cyber 20   Cleveland XLS 19   Titlest 585H 19   Taylor Made Burner Rescue 18   Nicklaus Dual Point  18   10-30 Handicap Callaway X 67   Ping Rapture 54   Cleveland XLS 49   Nickent 4DX 47   Taylor Made Burner Rescue 36   Mac Gregor NVG 36   Bobby Jones 30   Nicklaus Dual Point  23   Grip H2O45 24   Titlest 585H 20   Callaway X Series The X Hybrids are stainless steel hybrids that borrow from our X Series drivers and fairway woods. They incorporate a Modified X-Sole design for versatility and superior turf interaction, as well as proven Callaway Golf technologies. CALLAWAY X Series score: 88 Bobby Jones by Jesse Ortiz Using the same technology as the fairway metals, Bobby Jones hybrids are designed to replace the hard-to-hit long irons. Rather than designing hybrids that look like irons, Jesse Ortiz' philosophy takes advantage of the fairway metal's low and deep center of gravity, its wide bodied triangle-of-stability (TOS), and its versatile contoured sole. Instead of using the homogenous shape of most hybrids long, flat leading edge Jesse Ortiz has created a more traditional shape hybrid. It is a throwback to the old Cleek or Mashee. These clubs were designed for maximum performance, with the ability to get the ball out of every type of lie, whether it be a divot of fairway bunker. Bobby Jones score: 78 Ping Rapture The combination of a 17-4 stainless steel body, tungsten nickel sole plate and 475 super steel face in the Rapture Hybrids raise hybrid performance to new levels of distance, forgiveness and control. The thin, super steel face provides a hot, responsive hitting area and allows PING engineers to re-distribute weight in the form of tungsten nickel on the sole. The heavier sole plate positions the center of gravity low and away from the face for higher launch and low spin—resulting in high, penetrating trajectories for longer, softer landing approach shots. Ping Rapture score: 74 Nickent 4DX Nickent spent over one year to develop the next generation of state-of-the-art hybrids. Three different multi-material combinations were tried to find the best possible performance. In the end, Nickent developed the first hybrid to utilize a patented brazing technology that fuses a titanium crown with a steel body; all while making the crown the thinnest it has ever been on a golf club head. Nickent 4DX score: 68 Cleveland XLS The latest edition to the HiBORE family, this new hybrid has taken performance to another level. Like the Halo, its very successful predecessor, this club's most obvious feature is the inverted crown design, which moves weight lower in the head to make the ball easier to get airborne. Where the HiBORE differs from the Halo is in its face profile. Incorporating feedback from Cleveland's staff Tour players, the toe area has become more square in shape, creating a 10% larger face area. The leading edge has also been flattened to further promote a larger hitting area and make the HiBORE hybrid more playable from all types of playing conditions. Its perimeter weighting also expands the sweet spot for ultimate forgiveness. Cleveland XLS score: 61 TaylorMade Burner Rescue » SuperFast Club Technology allows for an extremely light shaft and grip to promote faster swing speed for added power » Large steel clubhead promotes the highest MOI of any fairway wood in golf for tremendous forgiveness for long, straight results » Steel Pull-Face construction provides high COR to promote faster ball speed for increased distance Taylor Made Burner Rescue score: 54 MacGregor MT MT Hybrids feature the same technology forward features, construction and sole design as the MT Fairway Woods. The face progression and set-up is similar as well. But the MT hybrids have slightly deeper faces for more confidence at address than with long irons. Rest assured, the Cup Face 360° Technology has been employed to make the entire club face the sweet spot and provide confidence in knowing even off-center or miss won't negatively affect one's game. Mac Gregor MT score: 47 Hippo XXL The hot new XXL irons from Hippo are the easiest hitting and most forgiving irons ever! The XXLs are a hybrid set of irons with the 3 and 4 long irons being replaced with utility rescue-style clubs for greater playability and versatility The short and mid-irons feature an undercut cavity head design for greater forgiveness and consistency. A flow weight system is also utilized that progresses through the set that not only assists to download the center of gravity for a better ball flight and more distance, but also makes for greater precision and control in the short and mid-irons Hippo XXL score: 43 Nicklaus Dual Point C.G. “Center of Gravity” aligned with optimal face flex point for maximum trampoline effect. Visually enhanced top line to aid alignment. 17-4 PH stainless steel head that features welded soleplate construction and added weight below the CG. Multi-layered face – Thinner around the perimeter and thicker in the center, expanding the clubhead’s “high trampoline zone”. Progressive offset. Rifle® Graphite shafts (also available in light weight Precision® Steel Crank Shaft® with ShockShield™). Nicklaus Dual Point score: 41 Titlest 585H The 585•H utility metals blend the best playing characteristics of fairway metals and long irons to provide superior playability and control from the tee, fairway and rough. Developed with input from touring professionals, the new 585•H offers fairway metal-type launch with a flatter ball flight for iron-like control. Titlest 585H score: 39 Grip H2O5 Over the last few years, a new trend has developed. Golfers have been replacing their harder to hit and inconsistent long irons and short fairway woods with easier to hit "hybrids" or "utility clubs." Developed by studying the golf games of recreational golfers - men and women with handicaps ranging from six to infinity - the G.R.I.P. Hyper Steel Hybrids offer you the distance of a fairway wood and the accuracy of an iron. Our hybrids are technologically advanced, easy to hit, fun to use, and save strokes. Grip H2O5 score: 38 King Cobra DWS We took the #1 selling utility metal* in golf and made it even better. First, we improved the weight distribution by enhancing our proven Dual Weighting System, which increases MOI for even more forgiveness. And then we incorporated Cobra’s fastback crown design, which shifts the CG lower and deeper, for higher launch and greater carry distance. It’s the kind of club that won’t just improve your game – it’ll change it completely. King Cobra DWS score: 32 Allowing each manufacturer one entry in each division Rank mark’s testing system has a 5% margin of error, so some of these may be ahead of the one in front of them. Here are some that were a part of the test and received many votes: Adams Tight Lies 16   Alpha Version  25   Innovex RLS 21   Mizuno CLK 24   Sonartec H3 23   Wilson Fybrid 20

I was very fortunate to "get the shaft" recently ... but I had to decide which shaft I should get and what club I should put it in. I'm happy with all of my clubs, but my 3 wood is the oldest club – and therefore the oldest technology - in my bag so that is where I decided to focus. I don't have a local pro shop where I can test clubs, so I scoured the internet for reviews and information and selected the Adams Insight XTD a3 3 Hybrid-FW ... quite a mouthful, that.

Since I still consider this to be an experiment, I purchased a "slightly used" club from a guy on eBay, who in turn had purchased it from someone else on eBay just a few weeks earlier. I asked him why he was selling it so quickly and he responded: "I found a Callaway Fusion 3 Wood to match my driver for a great price. I hit the Adams super straight but a little lower than I wanted. Good luck!" The club arrived in superb condition just a few days later.

Before having the new shaft installed, I wanted to first take the new club for a spin in its stock configuration (with the Adila DVS 65-S shaft) to compare it head-to-head with my current 3 wood, a Taylor Made Series 300 with the stock 90-S Taylor Made fiberglass shaft.

Before I get into the review, here are the marketing bullet points from Adams, comparing the XTD a3 to a "traditional fairway wood"

• Increased ball speed for a hotter, longer ball flight.
• 11 yards more distance compared to conventional oversized fairway woods.
• Unique sole shaping and design results in 22% less turf drag that increases versatility and playability off the ground.
• Increased inertial properties around the hosel achieves 41% more MOI for greater forgiveness.

And with that preamble out of the way, here are my thoughts after about 20-25 swings at the range:

At address, the club doesn't really look all that different from a regular 3 wood ... a bit squarer on the trailing edge, perhaps, but not nearly as radical as some of the new square drivers. The face of the club is not very deep, not even as deep as my old Taylor Made, but I didn't really have any trouble keeping my hits on the face, even when hitting off a tee.

The club is only 42" long, about an inch shorter than a typical graphite-shafted 3 wood ... a nod to the "Hybrid" Fairway Wood (or Hybrid-FW for short) marketing. But it seems to me that requires the clubhead to work extra hard to gain the claimed additional ball speed and distance because a shorter shaft would normally translate into slower clubhead speeds.

On my first address the clubhead wanted to stay closed a bit, so I experimented with clubhead alignment with fairly predicable results each time, and after about 6 or 8 swings I was able to comfortably address the ball with the club face in about any position I wanted. That can be considered both good news and bad, depending on the player, I suppose, but it's very easy to align the bright shiny face against the very dark top of the club so I personally don't consider it a problem.

Club performance was a bit erratic, which I blame mostly on the operator ... part of the problem was probably due to the short club length because I was still trying to swing the club like a regular 3 wood ... when I settled down and tried to swing it like my 2-iron hybrid I started getting better results. Lesson learned: don't overswing the club.

Consistent with the comments from the club's previous owner, the ball flight was lower than I had expected from a club marketed as a "Hybrid-FW". For this session, I hit all of the shots off a tee, about ½" to ¾" high, and I was skinning the grass a couple inches out in front of the tee (for better or worse, I hit down on everything except the driver). The sound at impact was fairly high pitched and solid, with only a little bit of a "ping" ... a bit more distinctive than the lower-pitched metallic "click" of my Taylor Made.

The local range is not a good place for checking club distances, especially for longer clubs ... there is a ridge about 150 yards out that makes it tough to see exactly where the balls land ... but in any case, I certainly was not getting 11 additional yards from the XTD, and it seemed that I was perhaps even getting a bit less distance, which I attributed mostly to the shorter shaft and the slightly lower ball flight.

The 65g stock shaft is very light and gives the impression of swinging a weight at the end of a string, as opposed to the 90g shaft on my Taylor Made, which feels more like swinging a stick (I've exaggerated for effect, but the difference was very noticeable). I felt more consistent swinging the Taylor Made, with less directional deviation on my shots ... but perhaps that had more to do with my familiarity with that club.

I've dropped the club and new shaft off at my local golfsmith dude and we have agreed on the settings, so check back soon for Part 2 of this review, where I will discuss my impressions of the club with my new UST shaft in it!

Okay, so after I reviewed my newly purchased fairway woods the other day I went out and hit them fantastic!  I'm thinking maybe my whole game will come around if I write reviews of all of my clubs. So I will now write about the current irons in my bag - the Callaway Big Bertha Men's Irons 2004 model.  I purchased these clubs in the winter of 2006 on the internet without trying them out first, so I have used them for 1 full MN season + one month in 2008.  I chose to purchase men's clubs because that is what I had been using for the past 20 years.

Here are the specs:

Callaway Regular Flex Men's Graphite Shafts

Stock Callaway Grip

Set came with 4 - 10 irons, W - 50 degree, SW - 55 degree

Here's what I liked:

*These clubs reminded me a little of the Ping Eye-2's I had been playing.  I was looking for a cavity back iron because visually and mentally they made me feel like I could get them up in the air better.  I also wanted to go with a graphite shaft.  Just seeing pictures of them made me think I could hit these clubs.

*I hit these clubs straight!  I don't usually "work" the ball (not on purpose anyway), so hitting them and knowing where the ball was going to go was great. 

*I LOVE the 10-iron - my favorite club in the bag...I don't know if it's just because it seems unusual to have a 10-iron, but I find I use it a lot on the course and have been finding ways to use it around the greens, too - it's 46 degrees.

*I feel like I hit them about the same distance as the steel shafted irons I had been using, so I didn't lose any yardage, but I also think they have a nice high ball flight when I hit them right, so I can hit closer to my targets now.

*These clubs cured my mental apprehension of being able to hit irons consistantly and straight - that makes them worth every penny!

*Speaking of pennies, the price was just too good to pass up - the 2006 models were out and these clubs were at least $300 less for brand new.

Here's what struck me as different:

*These clubs were at least a 1/2 inch longer than my other clubs and both were men's sets.  At first I was worried that they might be too long for me, but after adjusting my grip and stance, the length was no longer an issue.

*It can sometimes be hard to know that I'm hitting 2 to 4 clubs more than some of the guys I play with, but the confidence I gained by knowing how far I would hit each club on a consistent basis was a great feeling.  And even if I had a mis-hit, the miss was usually manageable.

*I should say that I only use the 7-SW - I currently carry 3 Nike CPR hybrids, and they are virtually the same loft as the 4-5-6 irons.  I used the 6 iron a few times and did hit it well, but the CPR's are my "go to" clubs and something had to go.  The 4 & 5 are still in plastic.

My over-all impression is:

I love these clubs!  Now they might not be for low-handicapper guy (although they do come steel and firm flexes), or for ladies, but if you are looking for a club that looks great at the set up, feels weighted enough so you think you can hit through the ball, and you appreciate a nice big sweet spot on the face, then these clubs might just be what you're looking for!  Now I don't know the difference between the 2006 and 2008 Big Bertha models that came out, but you can buy these 2004 model irons new for around $450.00 for Graphite - and probably even cheaper if you shop around!  That alone is a great selling point.  I rate these as a solid 4.5, and that's only because I haven't hit all of the clubs so it's not exactly a complete review.  They seem ideal for the mid to high handicap golfer who is looking to improve the iron game.

 PS - after reading some posts about finding the right clubs, I think club fitting has to be the way to go...I think I have just gotten lucky that the purchases I have made have worked well in my game.  If you get the chance, see a pro to help you find the best clubs for your game.

Since I loved Chipshots last post I will follow suit with her layout, it just works! So this one is for anyone who is looking for a new driver and is looking for that club that can you get off the tee consistently every time. I think I have finally found that club… The New ADAMS Insight XTD PRO! Now, I know a driver that says “Pro” on it is intimidating for us average golfers, but with the right shaft in this club it can make a huge difference and it did for me.

Here are the specs:

55g Graphite Shaft, Aldila DVS in regular flex

Adams Grip (golf pride)

Right handed 10.5 loft

45.5 inches in length

460CC head

I play to about 8 HCP and the majority of my golf is on the weekends, a few business rounds and corporate scrambles. You may have read my forum post about that subject!

I wanted to find a driver that could give me more consistency off the tee and get me that extra yardage that we all look for. I have been playing with the FT-I square driver from Callaway, so switching to the Adams 460cc head and square look was not a big deal, but if you are going from a smaller head to the huge square head it will take some getting used to. I always felt I had to change my hands and set up through the round with the Callaway, so the look and set-up aspects of a new club was going to be important. The Adams did not disappoint! Its sets up perfect and looks decent for these new crazy heads. That was a big sell for me right off the bat!

Here's what I liked:

*The overall appearance of the club as I stated looked great and the lie felt beautiful. There was no weird positioning of the club to make it look good address. Most of the new square head drivers almost appear shut to me or a club that would promote a huge hook off the tee. The Adams looks dead on!

*The grip was fine but I did change the grip to fit my hands, per the suggestion from Golf Addict. I got a few wraps and a new Winn. Comfort is everything!

*I like the overall weight of the club and the Aldila shaft was nice. Easy to swing and the regular flex helped me generate enough load on the club so I could gain a bit more speed through impact to launch the ball high and far. Never go with ego when choosing a shaft. It’s not going to do you any good with a “tour” shaft or the letter X on it just to impress your buddies. Get something right for you even if it says “very weak shaft” …who cares!

*I am not a big hitter and I swing more for production rather than distance but since this club took the Re-Max World Long Drive competition recently, I was anxious to see what if any I might gain in distance. Through five rounds with the club I found I was picking up about 8-10 yards which for me is one less club into every green at me home course. Sweet!

Here's what struck me as different:

*Being categorized as a square head it was not as pronounced to me. It was a bit rounder than most I have tried and I like the look a lot more!

*This club is actually open 2 degrees, so the set up looks wonderful. I can’t say enough about it and higher handicappers don’t be afraid of the open face, its 2 degrees. You won’t know the difference it will just look great! And that builds confidence!

*I went to a different shaft than the one that comes with this driver since I wanted a bit lighter and weaker shaft. I suggest that as well if you don’t swing at least 90mph, you just don’t need it with this shaft. Plus, you want the club to load on the way down to get that good action into impact. And since this club tends to produce a lower trajectory you will need that action to get the ball launch needed.

*I hit a number of clubs before this purchase and went from what was hailed as one of the best on the market, so I feel I made a good decision and I suggest the same for you all. Hit a few and compare it to the Adams, it’s really that good!

*The ball exploded off the tee! I loved it. No cushy feel. A nice true sound and the carry and distance was unmatched by Callaway and Nike.

My over all impression is:

The best driver I have ever hit and it’s hopefully going to make a huge difference in my game.

The added distance, look and shaft that is better for me than what came off the rack, it made a huge difference. They say a shaft can make a club which is true but, the sounds and action off this smoking hot face almost feels illegal! It’s a real bomber, but gives you the accuracy to go with it.
I am giving the new ADAMS Insight XTD PRO a solid 4 out of 5 stars, only because I had to change the shaft and grip. I totally recommend the club and I hope it will stay in my bag for a long time and keep improving my tee ball!

Thanks to Tees2Greens, Chipshot and Golf Addict for giving me something to go by. And hey for everyone else, if you are scared about posting, just copy the formats here like I did. It works and it’s easy!

Okay Ladies, this one is for you!  (or for guys looking to buy a really nice gift!)  I recently purchased the 2008 Callaway Big Bertha 3 and 5 Woods and have been playing them for just about a month now. 

Here are the specs:

50g Graphite Shaft, Mid/Low Torque - Mid Kick, Women's Flex

Callaway Winn Grip

3 Wood - 17 degree

5 Wood - 20 degree

Both approximately 42 inches long.

I am a 10HCP and I golf in Minnesota, so my season is about 6 months long (about 4 months without multiple layers of clothing on).  I try to play at least 9 holes 5 - 6 days a week.

I was looking for a club to replace my Great Big Bertha 4-wood (men's reg. graphite shaft) and I had recently purchased men's Big Bertha irons and a driver, so I planned to stick with Callaway clubs.  My original intent was to purchase a 3-wood, but I found such a great deal on the 5-wood I purchased that first - the 3-wood came 2 weeks later (I was only carrying 13 clubs so I was able to add both the 3 and 5 without taking another club out of the bag).

Here's what I liked:

*The overall appearance of the clubs - when looking at the club at address I felt like this was a club I could hit - it wasn't an oversized club head, and it felt almost like a hybrid.  The colors were also appealing to me (blue/silver) - and the head cover was nice, too.

*The Winn grip felt soft and comfortable - possibly the best one I've tried.  The design in the grip was also helpful for me to remember where I wanted my hands.

*They were light and very easy to swing.

*When I hit them well the ball flight was high and they landed soft on the greens.

Here's what struck me as different:

*When I first got the clubs I thought they were at least a few inches shorter than my 4-wood, but upon comparison they were virtually the same length - I think it was the design of the club that had me holding it differently and that set up had me closer to the ball.

*These were my first "women's flex" clubs - and since I have only hit men's regular flex clubs for the past 20 years, I found the shafts a bit whippy.  When I was able to slow my swing down I could hit a solid straight ball, but I had a hard time doing that because I felt like I was in slow motion - when I can't keep it slow (which is about 60% of the time) I leak shots to the right.  I had hoped to hit them about 10-15 yards farther than I was.

* I bought these over the internet and didn't try them before buying - I should have.

My over all impression is:

Great quality club with good visual aesthetics at the set up -

I think these clubs would be great for the female golfer with the right swing speed.  There are also 7 and 9-woods in this line.  The retail price on the Callaway site is $199.00 per club, so slightly cost prohibitive for the golfer on a budget.   I would rate them a 4 for the female golfer whose swing fits the club and can afford to buy them.

For me, I'm giving them a 3.5, but only because they didn't fit my swing - so my solution will be putting in a UST men's regular shaft in the 3-wood (which you could win by being a Member of the Month on Tees2Greens - start posting!).

Tees2Greens.com currently has over 10,000 dedicated readers, just like you.  Out of the 10,000, we know a good portion of you are equipment junkies, just like us.  And since we can’t own and play everything available, we junkies must live vicariously through the experiences and stories of those with cooler stuff than we have.

So we’re going to start reviewing the items we buy for ourselves, and then post the reviews to this Golf Equipment Reviews blog.  (Be sure to subscribe in the right-hand column of this page to receive updates as they're posted.)

The catch is that there’s only a few of us around here.  And we certainly don’t have the time or pocketbook to buy everything under the sun.  Now we pledge to get the ball rolling, but we need your help!  So if you’ve bought something new recently and want to tell the world how good or bad it is, here's how:

1. Join the site.
2. Use this contact page to let us know you'd like to write a golf equipment review for Tees2Greens.com.
3. Add webmaster@tees2greens.com to your safe senders list, so that you're sure to receive emails from this website.

Once we receive your request, we'll give your account the permissions required to write new posts to our Golf Equipment Review blog.  (Don't worry, it's not complicated and we'll help you along.)

What’s in it for you?  Nothing other than good tidings at this point.  But if this thing catches on, we’re certain we can get a few equipment manufacturers to throw some goods our way.  And who knows… we may even be able to talk them into letting the reviewer (that’s you) keep them!

There's also a chance that your review will be so good, it justifies you winning a new UST PROFORCE shaft as our Tees2Greens Member of the Month!