Golf Buzz

Callaway shows us 2013 X Forged irons
October 25, 2012 - 12:24am
Posted by:
John Holmes
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Callaway Golf 2013 X Forged irons
Callaway Golf via Twitter
The 2013 X Forged irons from Callaway Golf have a distinctive muscleback, while maintaining the "X" design as well.

TaylorMade dominated the headlines in the golf equipment world in the early part of the week with the unveiling of its new RocketBladez irons. But TM isn’t the only company with new gear to tout.

Callaway Golf hasn’t made a formal announcement, but the company has been teasing its 2013 X Forged irons in a big way on social media over the past few days.

"Crafted by our Chief Club Designer, Roger Cleveland, the 2013 X Forged irons combine 1025 Carbon Steel and our Triple Net Forging process to offer unmatched feel and extreme precision," said Callaway on the company’s Facebook page on Wednesday. "A new face design, sole profile and optimized CG Height Progression through the line delivers distinct performance advantages, including distance, with an incredible (and somewhat drool-inducing) look."

Without knowing much more than that about them, these new irons are among the cleanest looking clubs that Callaway has issued in recent years. They have a distinctive muscleback, while maintaining the "X" design as well, and – to my eye, anyway – resemble Callaway’s RAZR X musclebacks more than the recent RAZR X Forged models.

Callaway officials, we understand, believe that these new clubs will quickly become popular among their tour staff, and there seems to be a chance that Phil Mickelson will put a set in play next week in the WGC-HSBC Championship in China.

These new X Forged irons are expected to carry a suggested retail price of $999.99 per set, and are expected to be available in late January of 2013.
IJP Design's new collection features styles classic and modern
October 24, 2012 - 6:11pm
Posted by:
John Holmes
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IJP Design's autumn/winter 2012 collection
Courtesy of IJP Design
The Thunderbird shirt from IJP Design offers a unique color-blocked design, while the Diamond In The Rough sweater is a new take on the traditional Argyle outerwear.

Ian Poulter’s IJP Design is billing its Autumn/Winter 2012 collection as its most advanced to date. The collection, which is available now, offers a variety of golf apparel from classic tartans in hues both subdued and vibrant to more modern form-fitting European styling.

"We know we make clothes that 'look good' and feel good,' and more importantly, for those who want to 'play great,' our Autumn/Winter 2012 Collection has technical and functional elements designed expressly for golfers and their distinctive movements," said Poulter.

Four different colored tartans are created for each seasonal collection, all of which are licensed under the Scottish Tartan Authority and unique to IJP Design. These tartans are the foundation on which the IJP collections are developed and the basis for which "IJP leads with the legs."

The new collection is the first to promote interchangeable color palettes, enabling golfers to create their own unique outfits by using any combination of styles.

The Poulter Tartans offer a stylish and functional choice with a straight leg shape, signature side splits, internal waistband fastening and bias cut trimmed pockets. The trousers are half-lined in a soft anti-static lining for comfort and are available in Cornflower Blue, Porcelain and Fuchsia.

The Diamond In The Rough sweater offers a new take on the traditional Argyle outerwear. Fashioned from soft, durable merino wool, the sweater's distinctive patterning is available in Grey Cloud, Ink or Ox Blood. Also made from 100 percent merino wool, the slim fit Roll With It roll neck is a distinctive yet understated take on the classical roll neck sweater. Available in stylish Black Watch, it features turn back cuffs.

The IJP Design Tour polo shirt uses Scotchguard technology to wick away moisture and provide lasting softness and breathability. Combined with a slim-fitting design, a long four-button placket and IJP Design branding, the Tour shirt offers a contemporary take on the classic club tour shirt.

Available in the same three colors as the Diamond In The Rough sweater and made from a lightweight, comfort stretch fabric, the Thunderbird shirt offers a unique color-blocked design guaranteed to catch anyone's eye on the course.

The classic golf chino is given a new twist by IJP Design's Performance Slacks. Incorporating a comfortable straight leg fit and IJP Design branding throughout, the trousers are made from a lightweight, water repellent, stretch fabric, ensuring that traditional style is fused with cutting-edge performance, comfort and technical features.

IJP Design has also included in its Autumn/Winter collection a range of items specially designed for the seasonal conditions. The F-1's bonded fleece fabric (available in Pillar Box Red, Jet Black, Midnight Blue and Onyx) is both water repellent and windproof, and comes with a shaped collar to protect against the elements.

The lightweight Aqua-Tech trousers feature an elasticized waistband, Velcro adjusters and full-length side zips, allowing the wearer to suit up without removing his golf shoes. Aqua-Tech shields against harsh conditions and are fully waterproof. And IJP Design's Bionic Base long-sleeved base layer, available in black or white with colored body mapped seam features, ensures comfort and warmth.

For more information, visit www.ijpdesign.com.
TaylorMade unveils RocketBladez irons to much fanfare
October 23, 2012 - 7:50pm
Posted by:
John Holmes
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TaylorMade RocketBladez irons
Courtesy of TaylorMade
The TaylorMade RocketBladez (upper left) irons have more of a cavityback than the RocketBladez Tour models (upper right). The Speed Pocket, as shown in bottom view and side view, helps the face flex to provide more springiness upon impact.

TaylorMade Golf made a huge splash earlier this year with the release of its RocketBallz line of clubs. The company did it again on Tuesday, unveiling its new RocketBladez irons with a marketing push so successful that the number of people trying to watch its live webcast briefly knocked TaylorMade’s servers out.

TaylorMade officials are hoping the new RocketBladez and RocketBladez Tour irons are a knockout, too. The irons’ signature feature is the Speed Pocket, which TaylorMade is billing as ''that little thing'' but which they believe will make these clubs the next big thing.

The Speed Pocket is a 2-millimeter-wide slot cut in the sole of the 3-iron through 7-iron that permits the face to flex farther and more easily upon impact, particularly when a golfer hits the ball low on the face. The improved flex, says TaylorMade, promotes increased Coefficient of Restitution – or springiness – up to the USGA limit for high ball speed. In fact, TaylorMade says, these irons are as hot as many drivers, and could help most golfers add two to five yards per shot.

The Speed Pocket is sealed with a specially formulated polyurethane developed by 3M that keeps grass and other debris out. More important, it dampens vibration for better, more solid feel upon impact. The Speed Pocket, combined with a shorter hosel, also helps TaylorMade to redistribute 17.5 grams of weight to lower the Center of Gravity, promoting a higher launch angle, higher peak trajectory and a steep, quick-stopping descent.

Higher-lofted clubs like the sand wedge and lob wedge don’t include the Speed Pocket, but have redesigned cavities to improve their feel, and feature TaylorMade’s ATV (All-Terain Versatility) sole for improved workability around the greens. In addition, these clubs come equipped with heavier steel shafts to promote better rhythm and control in shorter swings.

Careful management of the RocketBladez’s face thickness, Center of Gravity location and the Speed Pocket help enlarge the effective sweet spot, which makes for more consistent shotmaking – and therefore more consistent distance gaps throughout the set.

The RocketBladez irons will be available at retail in December, and come standard with 85-gram ''Rocketfuel'' steel shafts for $799.99 per set or $899.99 per set with 65-gram ''RocketFuel'' graphite shafts.

The RocketBladez Tour irons will debut next February. They boast the same attributes as the standard RocketBladez models, but are tuned a little hotter. The heads are more compact, with a squarer toe, a thinner topline, minimal offset and a shallow cavity. There is also a slight camber on the sole, which also features what TaylorMade calls a ''tour-designed'' leading edge.

For more on the RocketBladez and RocketBladez tour irons, visit www.TaylorMadeGolf.com

Categories: RocketBladez
Yao Ming discovers golf is hard
October 23, 2012 - 6:43pm
Posted by:
Steve Eubanks
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Yao Ming at the Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am
Getty Images
Yao Ming's golf game needs some work.

Plenty of retired athletes have harbored dreams of crossing over and playing competitive golf at some level. Johnny Bench and John Brodie did it. John Smoltz gave it a good shot.

Retired Houston Rockets star Yao Ming will not have those urges, especially after his display in his homeland of China last week at the Mission Hills World Celebrity Pro-Am.  A video of Yao struggling with a pitch shot is chewing up the Internet. His mortified glare after a whiff and a flub is priceless.

Yao should have called Charles Barkley before committing to the televised event. Sir Charles would have certainly told him: blocking Lebron James in the paint is easy. Golf is hard.

To see the video, click here.


 
Bubba auctioning Ryder Cup gear for charity
October 21, 2012 - 11:53pm
Posted by:
John Holmes
John Holmes's picture
Bubba Watson Ryder Cup headcovers and shirt
Courtesy of eBay
Bubba Watson's headcovers and Sunday shirt are among the items up for auction.
The latest of Bubba Watson’s many charitable efforts is an auction of some of his Ryder Cup gear and souvenirs.

Up for auction on eBay are these items:

--Ryder Cup pin flag signed by Watson and the rest of his U.S. teammates
--White U.S. team golf shirt worn by Watson during Ryder Cup week
--Watson’s U.S. team headcovers
--White U.S. team visor worn by and autographed by Watson
--Blue U.S. team visor worn by and autographed by Watson
--Striped U.S. team Sunday shirt won by Watson

The proceeds will benefit Bright Pink, a national non-profit organization focusing on the prevention and early detection of breast and ovarian cancer in young women while providing support for high-risk individuals. Watson also plays his now-famous pink Ping driver to show his support for this organization.

The auction began over the weekend and runs another week, so there’s plenty of time for you to get involved – and, hopefully, land an amazing souvenir for your collection.

For more information and to bid, visit http://celebrity.ebay.com/bubba-watson

Miyazaki B. Asha shafts again reduce weight
October 21, 2012 - 12:51pm
Posted by:
John Holmes
John Holmes's picture
Miyazaki B. Asha shaft
Courtesy of Miyazaki Shafts
The B. Asha series’ artwork was created by Miyazaki artist Ash Baharin, whose designs were inspired by the speed and accuracy of ancient Japanese swordsmen.

The new B. Asha series of premium ultralight graphite shafts from Miyazaki Shafts is a follow-up to Miyazaki’s breakthrough C. Kua premium ultralight series, which launched in 2010 and was golf’s first sub-60-gram shaft to be used in significant numbers on tours around the globe.

The B. Asha series builds on the gains made by the C. Kua series with even more weight reduction, elevated balance points and more stable International Flex Code profiles.

The B. Asha models push the limits of weight reduction across the series through the use of advanced shaft materials and manufacturing techniques. They offer three distinct driver and fairway wood International Flex Code profiles in up to four different flexes. Miyazaki created these IFC profiles to replace less specific measurements of frequency, kick point and torque.

The B. Asha 5 and 7 profiles were designed to feel extremely stable in the top 3/4ths of the shaft, with a slightly softened section under the hands to promote feel and a penetrating ball flight. These attributes are coupled with an active but stable tip section to produce a mid-trajectory ball flight with added ball speed and a slight fade bias. Miyazaki says the 5 and 7 series are excellent choices for players who value a very stable feel in an ultralight graphite shaft.

The 4 flex profile offers a stable feel similar to the 5 and 7 series, but with a slightly stiffer butt section and slightly softer tip section to help produce a mid- to high-trajectory ball flight. It has been engineered with a standard butt diameter to make it compatible with all standard golf grips, and Miyazaki calls it the ultimate combination of speed and stability.

The 3 series shafts for fairway woods features slightly softer mid-tip and tip sections to create a powerful loading and release, added swingspeed and distance with a mid-high trajectory ball flight. The 3 series is the lightest that Miyazaki offers, and is available only in a 0.350 tip configuration. Miyazaki says this shaft is best for players with a smooth tempo and transition in search of a faster swing speed.

Like the C. Kua shafts before them, the B. Asha shafts are covered with graphics inspired by a talented but previously unknown artist. The B. Asha series’ artwork was created by Miyazaki artist Ash Baharin, whose designs were inspired by the speed and accuracy of ancient Japanese swordsmen.

Miyazaki Shafts is a division of Dunlop Sports, which also owns the Cleveland Golf, Srixon and XXIO brands.

For more on the B. Asha series, visit www.miyazakigolfshafts.com.
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