Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Callaway Razr X Tour Irons for low-to-mid Handicap Players

There's less offset in the RAZR X Tour irons (discount golf clubs) when compared with the RAZR X, but once again, because the CG has been driven so low and deep, Callaway strengthened the lofts of the RAZR X Tours.

The new Callaway RAZR X Tour Irons are designed for low-to-mid handicap players looking for a next-generation combination of playability and workability. While other irons chase one specific performance attribute, RAZR Technology provides the optimal balance of distance, accuracy and feel with tour-inspired styling. It’s an iron with uncompromised performance, and it’s just another reason why Callaway has been the #1 Irons in Golf for the last 14 years and counting.

Key Technologies: The all-stainless steel iron has a 30-gram weight on the lower back of the cavity that shifts its center of gravity 23 percent lower and 18 percent deeper than in the X-22 Tour. The primary goal is to deliver the forgiveness and power of a wide-sole iron plus the versatility of a thin-sole iron.

Built on Callaway's popular X Series line, the RAZR X is designed to provide consistent distance and accuracy through the set. RAZR technology shifts the center of gravity lower and deeper in the clubhead, offering increased shotmaking from more places. The irons are also available in RAZR X Tour and RAZR X Forged models.

The new VFT Power System precisely positions the center of gravity and maximizes ball speed throughout the set. Its compact head shape and reduced offset with a thinner topline produces the aesthetics and the shot-shaping workability that better players prefer.

"This is the only iron in our line that's forged," Williams says. "So it's got the feel of a forged iron, and it's got our new Competition grooves, which in this club we can forge into the faces. We can control the grooves much more effectively in a forging than in a casting."

Friday, September 9, 2011

Ping G20 Irons vs Ping G20 Driver

I hit the Ping G20 today and was really surprised by it.  It has a fairly square look at address, which took some getting used to, being a Titleist guy.

Ping's newest irons--Ping G20 irons are designed to make mis-hits more playable and provide more distance. It showcases the same head profiles, sole thicknesses, lofts and shaft lengths as G15, along with several new features that aid feel, forgiveness and distance.

Ping engineers, for example, strengthened the “Custom Tuning Port” (CTP) in the rear cavity. The reinforced CTP combines with an elastomer badge to reduce face vibration and dampen shock. The thinner, lighter face allows four grams to be shifted more rearward in the head. The payoff should be more playable misses, a higher ball flight and slightly more carry with the long irons.

Ping's newest driver--Ping G20 Driver has hit the tour and Golf Magazine's Rob Sauerhaft says the G20 should provide more carry and roll than its predecessors. It has a heavier head than G15 (7 grams more than standard) for greater force at impact. Additional backweighting and a more elongated face shore up misses.

The reconfigured clubhead — 5 percent higher moment of inertia on heel or toe hits — combines with a light, 45.75-inch "high-balance point" shaft (TFC 169D or TFC 169D Tour) to boost clubhead speed and, thus, distance. Specifically, the TFC 169D shaft has more flexible tip and butt sections for softer feel.

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Star names will miss Seve Trophy

Britain and Ireland will be without four of the world's top 20 players when they defend the Vivendi Seve Trophy against Continental Europe in Paris.

World number one Luke Donald is at the FedEx Cup play-offs, while Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Paul Casey have turned down the match.

However, Lee Westwood, Ian Poulter and Darren Clarke will be playing.
GB & Ireland captain Paul McGinley said: "I think we have an extremely strong side with a good blend."
European Ryder Cup captain Jose Maria Olazabal defended the absence of the leading players and said: "I'm sad that all our top players are not going to be playing TaylorMade Burner 2.0 Irons in the Seve Trophy after his death this year.

"But I also know that with the top players in the world they do have their commitments like the FedEx Cup in America, getting world ranking points and in Luke Donald's case trying to finish top of both the European and US money lists.

"So they cannot appear at every event, and I am sorry they won't be there but because I understand their situation I certainly will not hold it against them at the Ryder Cup in a year's time."

Scotland's Scott Jamieson, England's David Horsey and Jamie Donaldson, from Wales, will make their debuts at the event, which starts on 15 September.
There is also a first cap for Westwood's Worksop colleague Mark Foster.

McGinley, who won the event as a player in 2006 and 2007, added: "It is a huge boost for our team that players of the calibre of Lee, Darren and Ian have opted to play Mizuno JPX 800 Irons.

"These are players with big worldwide reputations and impressive Ryder Cup pedigrees.
"It is certain that many of the members of our team will go on to represent Europe in the Ryder Cup, so this experience of team golf cannot be underestimated."

He also defended the decisions of McDowell and McIlroy not to compete and said: "I'm not going to comment, so don't drag me into that, and besides I'm not going to criticise any players not playing Callaway Diablo Edge Irons next week. All I can say is that I would have loved them both to play."
Continental Europe will also be without some big names including world number three Martin Kaymer, Robert Karlsson and Sergio Garcia.

Their debutants will be Italian teenager Matteo Manassero, Swede Alex Noren, Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal and Belgian Nicolas Colsaerts, who has recovered from the elbow injury he suffered in a scooter crash just before the Open Championship in July.

Skipper Jean Van de Velde said: "With eight rookies in the two teams it means that 40% of the sides are newcomers and this will be great preparation for the day they step up to play in the Ryder Cup.

Source from: news.bbc.co.uk

Monday, September 5, 2011

Titleist AP1 712 Irons and Titleist AP2 712 Irons

The new AP1 and AP2 irons deliver an industry leading combination of performance, looks and feel. They feature our most advanced multi-material designs which deliver superior distance control through increased moment-of-inertia (MOI) which also provides outstanding solid feel. In addition we have made appearance improvements to both sets.

Building upon the high technology design and resounding success of the original AP irons, Titleist AP1 712 Irons introduces the new high performance AP1 irons for avid golfers. The Titleist AP1 are multi-material, dual cavity irons that take the design mission of "Advanced Performance You Can Feel" to new heights.

The Titleist R&D team’s advanced research group has been conducting extensive sound and vibration analysis aimed at reducing the harsh lower frequency vibration that causes poor feel in irons. This research led to combining several technologies and materials in the back cavity of the new AP irons resulting in a new Tuned Feel System to take feel to a new level.

The New Titleist AP2 712 Irons are more forgiving and more disctance control.It gives the AP2 player more consistent ball speed over a larger area of the face. They are designed for low handicappers,Titleist has significantly increased the club's moment of inertia (MOI) by re-positioning tungsten weight within the heads.The overall goal was to better apply the different materials used in the design.



Titleist has always been about tradition and seem to always be going after the better player. I for one like the new 712 AP2 (discount golf equipment) looks pretty decent. Titleist has long used “700’’ num­bers for irons for a long time. It uses 900 num­bers for metal woods. The “7” stands for irons, while the “12” stands for the new model year, 2012.

Acush­net says the feed­back it receives dur­ing this val­i­da­tion process influ­ences the design and spec­i­fi­ca­tions of the Titleist prod­ucts avail­able in golf shops around the world. No word yet on when the 712 AP2 irons is avail­able at retail.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Phil Mickelson tries out belly putter

NORTON, Mass. -- The newest craze on the PGA Tour -- the belly and long putter -- has captured the attention of Phil Mickelson, who practiced with one Thursday morning during the pro-am at the Deutsche Bank Championship at the TPC Boston.

Call it a fad or the future of putting, belly or long putters have been in the winner's circle six times in 2011, including the PGA Championship, where Keegan Bradley became the first to win a major using one.

But will Mickelson put it in the bag Friday in the first round?

"Probably, yeah, probably," Mickelson said of the Odyssey 46-inch putter. "I was a little shady with it on the front nine but a little bit better with it on the back ... I don't mind trying new things. I've hit two drivers and no drivers in Opens, and I don't mind trying something different. We'll see."

Mickelson, long considered to have one of the best short games in the sport, is ranked 89th on tour in total putting. Inside 10 feet -- the distance where the pros make their cash -- he is ranked 84th, converting from that range only 57 percent of the time.

Last month at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, 47 players averaged fewer putts a round than the 41-year-old four-time major champion. And 56 players averaged fewer putts on greens in regulation than Mickelson in a field of 76 golfers.

Mickelson has tried to read putts with his feet more and has worked with putting guru and former PGA champion Dave Stockton after years of advice from Dave Pelz. Mickelson still works with Pelz on other aspects of his short game.

Source from: espn.go.com