What’s new in the pro shops.
Counter-balanced putters hottest clubs as season gets underway
It had to happen.
After the United States Golf Association ruled that its ban on anchored putters would go into effect in 2016, you just knew that golf club manufacturers would come up with a quick response.
The answer: counter-balanced putters — which came out on top when the Journal asked Edmonton’s golf pros: What is the hottest new equipment this season?
“Extra mass is placed in the grip end of the putter to counter a heavier head,” Royal Mayfair’s Mike Belbin said. “This weighting technique boosts the club’s overall moment of inertia (MOI), so that it swings and feels more stable throughout the stroke. For players who use a conventional putter, the stability of these clubs can mimic an anchored model.
“The reason they work is that the head is very stable but they are very heavy in the grip. So now they swing more like a pendulum.”
Belvedere’s Kyle Brandt said the counter weight — usually 50-60 grams — “quiets the hands through the stroke. Most golfers’ hands are too active during the stroke.”
“The benefits of counterweighted or counter-balanced putters are twofold,” added Stony Plain’s Gary Christenson. “First, by adding weight to the butt end of a putter its overall weight increases. In theory, it is easier to stabilize the head, and therefore the face of a heavier putter as opposed to a ‘head heavy’ putter.
“Second, by adding weight to the butt end you can change the swing weight and as a result making the putter head ‘feel’ lighter; a benefit when putting on fast greens. If you are playing somewhere with slow greens, you can take some weight out of the butt end — without changing putters — and make the head feel heavier by increasing the swing weight.”
As for particular putters, Belbin said he liked Odyssey’s Tank putter and the Daddy Long Legs from Taylor Made.
Christenson likes Odyssey’s selection of counter-balanced putters and the Ping Anser 2 for conventional putters.
Odyssey was also Red Tail Landing’s Joshua Davison’s pick.
“A heavier head (400 g) and heavier shaft (150 g) quiet the hands during the stroke. This heavier putter engages the big muscles for a more pendulum-like stroke that helps keep the wrists from breaking down.”
Alan Carter, the Edmonton Country Club’s new general manager, said that after attending a Scotty Cameron Workshop at the PGA of America Merchandise Show in Orlando, he is sold.
“Right now, Scotty Cameron has only one model available with counterbalancing, but he plans to have at least one version in each of his three lines of putters very soon.
“Taylor Made already has four models with the feature, and Odyssey has jumped in with 10 models available already.”
“Ping, Taylor Made and Odyssey counter-balanced putters have been selling like crazy, due to the ease of use,” DeBoer’s TJ Schroepfer said.
Adjustable drivers now the norm
Last year, adjustable drivers were all the rage. Now they are simply the norm where you can dial, click or twist to prompt fades, draws or high and low shots.
“Every company has now made a driver that is adjustable,” Windermere’s new head pro, Jason Hnatiw, said of adjustable drivers.
“Adjustability is designed for every player, as it allows the fitter to adjust the club to perform at its best for that player. Once it is adjusted, it usually does not get changed.”
Callaway’s return of the Big Bertha has a lot of adherents.
“Easily the biggest buzz on the equipment side of the golf industry has been generated by their relaunch of the Big Bertha line of woods,” Glendale’s Greg McGarry said.
“The Big Bertha Alpha has the most technology of the 2014 family of products. Callaway’s lowest-spinning driver, it is designed for the better player looking for several adjustable features to fine-tune launch conditions by adjusting vertical centre of gravity, loft, lie and directional bias.
“One of the issues with adjustable drivers is that when you adjust the loft of the club, the spin rate also adjusts in a fixed relationship. For the first time, Callaway has created a way to adjust the vertical centre of gravity through a movable weight system called Gravity Core.”
The Ranch’s general manager and executive head pro Murray McCourt said he’s a huge Callaway fan.
“Players using the Callaway lineup have had plenty of success on Tour so far, and there is no doubt this year’s Callaway lineup can help golfers of all levels improve their game.
“The Big Bertha is Callaway’s longest total performance driver, with faster speeds and adjustable perimeter weighting for 20 per cent higher moment of inertia.”
“I love that the Big Bertha driver still has the adjustability factor, but more importantly, it has better club face stability to help with those miss-hit shots,” Davison said.
“One of the most popular driver returns and with the adjustable options for spin, launch angle and loft, I think the Big Bertha could be the hottest driver in golf this summer,” Broadmoor’s executive professional Trent Wright said.
Wright also said he “loves the look of the New Ping lineup: the G 25 Driver and the I 25 driver. Ping still offers the best custom-fitting options in golf and the fastest turnaround.”
For Belbin, like several others, his drivers of preference are Taylor Made’s SLDR and the new Nike Covert.
“The SLDR with low and forward centre of gravity helps increase ball speed; I think the same with the new Nike,” Belbin offered.
Tyler Rumpel, head pro at Jagare Ridge also likes the SLDR.
“They have moved the centre of gravity on the golf club low and forward, which creates a high launch angle and low spin rates (are) achieved,” he said. “This means that people that normally hit a nine-degree driver are usually hitting a 10.5-degree SLDR driver to help them achieve an increase in distance.”
Taylor Scinski, director of golf at The Quarry, also leans to the SLDR.
“The face on those new drivers are really hot and the adjustability is very easy and simple to use,” Scinski said of the SLDR, which has 21 positions between a draw and a fade.
Pair of irons runaway choice
There was a pretty clear consensus among area pros on irons: Titleist’s AP1 and AP2, and Taylor- Made’s line.
“Always a good choice,” Wright said of Titleist’s irons. “The new AP2 is great value for a forged iron that still offers a lot of forgiveness on miss hits.”
“The new Titleist AP1 and AP2 irons are more forgiving than previous models and are the best-looking version so far. They have a new satin polish which give them a nice ‘pop’ and clean look at address,” said Highlands head pro Landon Hargreaves.
“I’m certain they will be our bestselling iron,” Hnatiw said.
“Feel, flight and forgiveness,” Schroepfer said of this year’s Titleist irons.
“Exceptional feel,” Carter said.
Belbin, however, believes “Taylor Made will dominate. They have the new Tour Preferred line which offers three different classic looks, from a pure blade head all the way to a small-cavity club. This line is for anyone from a golf pro to a 15 HDCP. Then they have their Speed Blade iron for everyone else on the list which will help everyone hit it better, higher and farther, which will help them lower scores.”
Jake Behiels, assistant pro at Cougar Creek, is in Belbin’s corner, saying: “TaylorMade has the CB irons that are meant for a higher handicap player as well as the MC line that is meant for a little bit better player.”
Give Titleist the wedge edge
Titleist was a clear winner in wedges: Vokey SM5.
“SM5 wedges provide a distinct performance advantage through new, deeper TX3 grooves, tour-driven shapes and the industry’s most extensive range of bounce and grind options,” said Wolf Creek’s Laura Witvoet.
“I am very excited about the fifth generation of Vokey wedges that were just released,” McGarry said.
“Since 2004, Vokey Design wedges have been the No. 1 wedge on the PGA Tour and the most played wedge at every level of competitive golf.”
“New deeper groves, widest variety of fitting options and finishes,” added the Derrick’s Trevor Goplin.
There you have it: putters, drivers, irons and wedges. Now you just have to go and hit them.