Hard to believe we’re still not on the golf course for good this season, but Mother Nature is usually kind to us. We can give her a pass this year. Before long, we’ll be out on those grassy strips, playing our favorite game and celebrating our dearest friendships. I’ve had the opportunity to hit some shots this year (thank you, Alabama) and while the weather wasn’t perfect down there, it did offer me an opportunity to put some new equipment in play. Funny thing about my game is, despite the onslaught of new courses and equipment, it typically travels decently. Let’s have a look at the gear I gamed in Irontown and its surroundings. As a disclaimer, included are four products that we liked; there were others that didn’t pass muster, so they weren’t included.
This was a late addition to the Alabama trip. Its marketing material crossed the social divide 10 days from departure. Delivery was guaranteed for 3 days, so we bit. True to promise, the balls arrived on schedule, and into the bag they went. Understanding that there is quite a bit of trouble on the Robert Trent Jones golf trail, golf balls aren’t usually long for this world with the first swings of a new season. As wayward shots sailed left and right, toward the swamps of Dagoba or the seas of Numen, they still felt good, even as they waved farewell. As the swing rounded into form, the CUT GOLF balls breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that they would see another fairway, and might even find a green.
One of the advances of recent (10 years) golf ball technology, is the realization on how to blend soft and solid. No one wants to feel a marshmallow on contact, nor do we wish to strike granite. Cut Golf and many others have found this wizard’s secret, and our games are the better for it, from tee to green.
Zero Friction Spectra golf ball
We purposefully led this article with another ball, as the ZF Spectra offers all of the above, plus one other element: dynamic color. ZF opted for a matter finish to its balls, and the five colors seen below absolutely explode off the orb. They look great in flight, rolling across the green, and even sitting up (or buried) in the sand. Ball in swamp, fescue or water? If manageable, you’ll find it in each of the aforementioned retreats. The Red ball was shipped to us, and the overcast days of early April in Alabama were brightened considerably by this golf ball.
Some of us enjoy paying high-end prices for golf balls. Others take satisfaction from the affordability of other lines. If you’re part of the latter brigade, consider these golf balls. Unless your tactile sensibilities are so precise that you can distinguish, say, a pea at the bottom of a few mattresses, chances are you will benefit from the savings and mind-bending color that Zero Friction provides with the Spectra line of balls.
I’ve played Ping irons for 5 years, and had no reason to switch. These fell into my lap, however, and I decided to give them a run. As a youth in the 1980s, Wilson Staff blades were the club that tour studs played, and young golfers yearned to own (and play well.) As history notes, Wilson’s presence on tour and across the country dropped off in the 1990s and 2000s, but the last decade has seen a reinvestment in research and development. Tour players have taken notice, and talented ones have signed with the company. How does that translate to the public golfer? I’ll tell you.
The Wilson C line is cast, but in a way that differs from the original cast clubs. Center-face shots come off with a combination of soaring and boring, while slightly-mishit ones preserve a sizable percentage of both. As for the poorly-struck ones, well, they are left to their own devices. No club can save a lost soul. I’ve had them in my bag for 3 months, and I’m comfortable with the 4 iron through the Gap wedge. The clubs set up well to the ball, with a medium-width top line and no distracting elements. As with any club, don’t let the name of the brand convince or disuade you from taking them out for a test round. Remember, too, that the shaft is the critical component, and you should never purchase clubs without focusing your attention on it.
Zero Friction cabretta Elite golf glove
Snug is the key element for me, when it comes to a glove. Next comes smooth. It’s difficult to stitch pieces together, and not create a noticeable line of demarcation. For me, that translates to an awkward seam, and I don’t want it betwen my anchor hand and the grip. Zero Friction has created a glove that projects durability, but has the softness of lycra as an intervening force. Of course, the cabretta leather rests between fingers and palm, and grip. Oh, there’s a twist! The line of gloves is one-size-fits-all. I was skeptical at first, but came to understand that a little bit of stretch in the right places offers flexibility for all.
