The new Maxfli Tour Series, available in February after the PGA Show, are a winner. The series is comprised of the Tour, Tour LC, and Tour XD. The three multi-layed designs use the tour proven urethane cover and are engineered for specific swing speed ranges.

Tour LC – For swing speed between 90-100 mph, the Tour LC has extra distance with a soft feel and good short iron spin.

Tour – For swing speeds between 100-110 mph, the Tour proven urethane cover provides the short iron feel and spin the faster swingers seek.

Tour XD – For swing speeds over 110 mph, the Tour XD provides a penetrating ball flight without sacrificing feel and spin.

The Tour Series uses a Multi-Blend isomer mantle with a core designed to promote a high initial velocity and lower spin rate off the driver for optimum distance. The tour proven urethane cover provides an unmatched combination of short game control and workability.

Our senior staffer swears more distance with the Tour than the Pro V1’s he’s been playing without sacrificing any feel or spin and the street price will most likely settle a bit lower. We believe that these are worth a try.

Mizuno has been known for its great forged irons, but not forgiveness. Our staff loves the traditional look and workability of forged Mizuno blades, but they have been known to have a sweet spot about the size of a dime. The new Mizuno-300 irons really are forgiving and still are great looking!

With a traditional appearance and minimal progressive offset, they have modest sole width. They look good at set up.  Instead of punishing your mis-hits, the MX-300’s really are forgiving. With an aggressive player profile, Mizuno claims they have a Y-Tune Pro technology to enhance feel and ball flight control. This technology is engineered into a specially configured cavity back design to concentrate mass behind an enlarged sweet spot.
The MX-300s feature a milled pocket cavity in the 3-7 irons, allowing for redistribution of 17 grams of discretionary weight low and deep; this provides a high penetrating launch. The scoring irons (8-GW) have a power bar design for a solid feel and pin-attacking precision.

“We realize that many players are looking for added forgiveness, but prefer a more traditional head shape and profile in the playing position,” says Dick Lyons of Mizuno. “The MX-300s are the perfect irons for those players.”

The i15 is designed for players with higher swing speeds. The club face has more curvature for a higher energy transfer on center hits. Drives should have a lower trajectory and less spin for a penetrating flight. The club weighting encourages a slight fade for heavy hitters.

Some Ping staffers will be trying out the new drivers at the British Open.

If I were starting my son or daughter in golf today, I would let them just rip it first and learn the finer points later. The bomb and gouge approach as it it’s called. So, where does that leave more mature golfers that really need a few more yards?  We have a fix for you that can really add 10 or more yards to your tee shots.

First, it is very important to hit the ball squarely on the club face.  Once you can  make consistent contact, the secret is your angle of attack.  Given three golfers of equal swing speed who have descending, flat, and ascending angles of attack (even 5%) at impact, the resulting driving distance will vary greatly.  Hitting down on the ball by 5% with a 90 MPH swing could cost you 30 yards. A golfer with the same swing speed at a flat or 0% angle needs more club loft to achieve an optimal launch angle.  Hitting up on the ball by 4-6% will produce an optimal launch with less spin.  Less back spin will produce more roll and the optimal launch angle will maximize carry.

Now, the key is how to achieve this.  Here are four steps for you to work on this spring which will increase your average driving distance.

1. With today’s large driver heads, you need to tee the ball higher so that about half the ball is above the grounded club face and address the ball forward in your stance to promote an ascending hit at point of impact.  Take a few practice swings and note where your swing bottoms out, and then tee your ball about 3 inches forward of that point. This will most likely place your ball between the instep and toe of your leading foot.  A lot happens when you do this.  Your trailing shoulder will naturally be a little lower.  Your hands will fall over the thigh of your leading leg and your body is in more of a stack and tilt position.  All good things for distance and consistency.

2. A cardinal rule is to keep the club shaft at 45 degrees.  Virtually all professionals test out between 45 and 47 degrees from set up through impact.  Staying on that swing plane maximizes your efficiency to optimize swing speed.  For most normal human builds, that means the butt end of your driver will point to your belt buckle at address.  The hard part for most amateurs is keeping on that plane as your upper body unwinds. Practice with a PVC circular swing trainer can really help.

3. Take your new swing to the range.  Yes, practice the above and note where the club face contacts the ball by either using swing tape or an erasable marker on the center of the back of the ball.  Ideal contact is about 1/3 of the club face below the the top edge of your over-sized driver.

4.  After improving your distance and consistency by practicing the above, you can buy a better game and squeeze out a few more yards.  Get fit for the proper driver with the right shaft length, flex and loft for you. The pros have a huge advantage here with the equipment manufacturers catering to their game.  It’s pricey, but you can get a similar fitting from most of the name manufacturers.  Club fitting is touted at many local golf shops.  Just make sure that the professional has the proper training in club fitting and is not primarily interested in selling you new clubs.

When you’re ready for new equipment, please visit our affiliate Austad’s by clicking the banner below.

In February, Titleist is scheduled to release the fifth version Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls. The new Pro V’s golf balls can be identified by two dots next to the arrows on the straight line side stamp that can serve as an alignment aid. Each box of the new Pro V1’s will contain a comparison chart with the previous version.

Long, longer, longest? How can Titleist claim a longer version Pro V1 with the new regulations that limit golf ball performance? We think that large incremental gains will not be achieved, but the guys like this ball. Our staff says it may be a little longer and certainly is more resistant to scuffing with a wedge.

Here is the skinny. Pro V1 definitely has more resistance to scuffing and better durability overall. It feels soft and has a high spin rate off short irons. The Pro V1x seems a bit longer and softer than the 2007 version. Our senior staffer, who occasionally takes time off the course to contribute, loves the new Pro V1x and claims it improved his driving distance to an average 285 yards. We think he is prone to exaggerate, but even 265 yards would be an improvement for him. Our test balls are gone and we are trying to determine where he got his prototype sleeve of Pro V1’s to test, because we really want some more.

We’re told by the Titleist guys that both have a larger core and redesigned inner covers or mantles. The outer layer is a refomulated urethane cover. While the suggested MSRP is $58 per dozen, we think the price will settle at $40-45 per dozen. And yes, if we can’t get any more test balls, we will break down and actually buy some.

Rod Pampling recently won the Australian Masters using a ProForce AXIV shaft at Huntingdale Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia.

UST, a leading innovator in graphite golf shaft technology, has unveiled for the public the next evolution in its high performance ProForce Series – the new ProForce AXIVCore Series, comprised of the Blue AXIV, Tour Black, and Tour Red shafts. UST markets golf shafts under the brand names of IROD, Easy Flex, Competition Series, Frequency Filter, ACCRA, and the popular ProForce series.

According to Gene Simpson, senior vice president for UST the innovative new Proforce AXIVCore Shaft Series integrates a true weave, four-axis material, within the inner walls of the butt section that provides stability and consistent shaft recovery. This unique counter-balanced shaft also reduces club heft that helps players generate more clubhead speed which translates to more ball velocity and greater distance.

The Proforce AXIVCore Blue shaft features a tip section that optimizes torque and generates more spin. The woven AXIV material provides enhanced stability and consistent shaft recovery without sacrificing feel. The AXIVCore Blue has a listed MSRP of $115 and is available in 59-, 69-, 79-grams and flexes to fit a various swing profiles.

The Tour Black produces a high initial launch angle, low spin and increased ball speed. The Tour Black incorporates high-modulus carbon fiber in the mid and tip section of the shaft, and a low torque tip section to create a higher launch trajectory with less ball spin. It is available in 59-, 69-, 79-, 89-grams and flexes with an MSRP of $165.

The new Tour Red is for players who generate above average ball speed and who desire a penetrating launch angle and low ball spin. Similar to the Tour Black model, the Tour Red is a tour-proven design that combines the AXIV weave and a superior high-modulus carbon fiber in the mid and tip sections of the shaft and a stiffer tip profile that delivers firmer feel. It is available in 69-, 79-, 89-grams and in stiff and extra stiff flexes for an MSRP of $165.

The high swing speed staff members gave high marks to the Tour Black and Tour Red. We suggest the Blue AXIV if your swing speed is a more mortal 100 mph or less.

We will discuss chipping, pitching, and putting in future articles. Let’s focus first on getting to the green. It’s the approach shot that gives you the opportunity to chip it in or one putt for a birdie. Even when your drive has strayed off the fairway, a solid approach shot can save the hole. When you fix a lot of your own pitch marks on the green during your round, you’re probably scoring well.

Let’s start with the obvious:

• Don’t aim for the flag. Line up for the middle of the green. Happiness is having a birdie putt from any length.
  
• Focus on alignment rather than distance on your approach. I would rather be a club long or short and right in line leaving a 25-30 foot putt.

Alignment is very important on approach shots. When you are practicing on the range, go through your pre-shot routine on every shot and focus on alignment. Align your shoulders, hips, and feet parallel to your target line. Many pro golfers will pick a spot a few feet in front of the ball on their target line to assist in mentally constructing  a parallel stance.

Most of us have a good idea of which club to hit from 150 yards and most courses have some kind of 150 yard marker. If you practice using your 150 yard club, then your course strategy on par 4’s and 5’s should be to hit close to the 150 yard marker. I usually will practice from 150 yards and 100 yards. Being comfortable and reasonably sure of hitting 70% of the greens from those two yardages, give me an easy course strategy for par 4’s and 5’s.

Remember focus on alignment and select the club to get to the middle of green.  A little mishit should still be on or close to the green.

If you have a golfer on your gift list, selecting the right gift can be daunting. Golfers have very real opinions about what’s right for them. The scratch golfer that plays a soft cover high spinning golf ball may be gracious about the 15 ball pack of Top-Flites, but will probably give them away to friend struggling with distance.

Matching the gift to the golfer’s preferences and skill level can be an art and a science, but we can help.

First, be very careful about purchasing clubs unless you obtain personal data on what the golfer really wants. A set of irons can now be configured with hybrids in place of long irons. Shaft options are have increased and may be the most important single element in the club make up. For example, the speed a golfer swings the club and the tempo of the swing should be matched. Many golf retail outlets and country club pro shops are equipped to custom fit the individual golfer. Unless you have specific data, you can purchase a gift card that your special golfer can use to be fitted by a golf professional.

Some specialty golf clubs, like putters and wedges, are a much easier choice. Most serious golfers have several and are usually ready to try something new. I have been known to have 8 to 10 back up putters waiting in the garage. A round with multiple 3 putts will usually initiate a move to a new putter while the offending putter receives penance in a dark corner. I also have an affinity for wedges and own different models with lofts of 48, 52 54, 56, 57, and 60 degrees. Depending on the golf course and turf conditions different wedges may provide an advantage on those little finesse shots.

Drivers and fairway woods or iron-woods offer many choices, but really require specific knowledge. The golf club reviews on internet sites like www.golfclubsntips can assist you in making an appropriate choice. Generally, we advise staying with name brand golf clubs from the major club manufactures like Titleist, Callaway, Taylormade, Ping, Cleveland, and Mizuno.

Golf balls, the right golf balls, are always welcome. The dedicated golfer always needs golf balls. Yes, even good golfers lose, scuff, and otherwise destroy golf balls. Current golf ball technology has significantly specialized golf balls. We can now buy golf balls that fly higher or lower, spin more or less, and roll more or less. Golf balls have become personalized to the golfer’s game. Finding out the individual’s preference is important. Again, reviews of golf ball characteristics are on the web. You can not be too wrong if your choose a dozen tour level golf balls like Titleist Pro V1’s or the Callaway Tour i/ix.

Golf accessories can offer many good choices from head covers to desk items. The off-course retail shops like Austad’s Golf
offer a wide array especially around the holidays. Austad’s is family owned and has been in business since 1913. They have an excellent customer service record and most items are available on their web site.

When all else fails, all golfers wear golf shirts. Happy shopping!

We still believe that the single most important factor to consider is whether the putter is face balanced or toe hang. If your putting stroke is inside out, like Ben Crenshaw, then you really want a toe hang putter where the toe is heavier than the heel. If your putting stroke is more straight back and forward, then you most likely will putt more consistently with a face balanced putter. You can easily check. A face balanced putter will balance with its face squared and pointing up.

Toe Hang Putters

Odyssey Black Series (MSRP $270) has a carbon steel blade and half-shaft offset with a tungsten flange. The YES! Tracy III Plus (MSRP $280) is a heel and toe weighted 303 stainless steel forged head with semi-circular grooves. The RIFE Abaco (MSRP $180) is milled from 304 stainless steel with a mid-mallet head.

Face Balanced Putters

Ping IWI 1/2 CRAZ-E (MSRP $190) has adjustable heel and toe weights and an elastomer face insert. The TaylorMade Itsy Bitsy Spider (MSRP $200) is 20% smaller than its predecessor. The Seemore SB1 (MSRP $225) is a center shafted design milled from aircraft aluminum with a unique alignment system.

There are many, many more putters coming to the market in the new year. We expect to be somewhat overwhelmed by the new putter models at the upcoming PGA Show. Like many golfers, our garage is full of putters that felt and performed great….for awhile.

In these uncertain economic times, if laying down $200-$300 for a new putter has guilt associations, by mid-season, expect that some golfers will have tried the new models and will be recycling slightly used, almost new putters on eBay or other auction sites for a 50% or less than MSRP.

Think about it for a minute. You are less than a 100 yards out and you are thinking a touch or finesse shot to get it close. Your hips slide forward instead of turning. The club head digs into the ground with that awful chunky sound and the ball goes almost nowhere. The other scenario is that you have 175 yards to the green and you know that if you pure your 5 iron into the wind, that you will get there. The tendency, when you think that you need to hit it hard, is to really get into it by dipping that back shoulder, and that makes your club head approach the ball at a steeper angle. Fat shots don’t go very far, but we all hit them.

I remember once, years ago, following Jack Nicklaus at the then Crosby Clam Bake at Pebble Beach.  Jack pushed his drive slightly into the right rough on 14. Trying to hit a long iron hard to get on in 2, he hit it fat. Yes, he chunked it, a low dribbler, maybe 125 yards. So, everyone does it once in awhile. Golf is a game of trying to minimize our mistakes and capitalize on good shots or luck…kind of like life.

A lateral slide can be connected to dipping your back shoulder for a cause and effect. If you do manage to make contact with the ball (the little ball not the big worldly one) first, chances are it will be a wicked slice.

Let’s fix this problem on the range. First, simplify your swing by hitting into your leading leg. Think about a stiff left side (if you’re right handed). Practice with a golf ball under the outside of your leading foot to get the feel. This will help you get the feel of turning your hips rather the sliding forward. The hip turn should occur on every shot regardless of length, except those little chips around the green.

Next, concentrate on keeping your leading shoulder down through impact. This will maintain your swing plane. The key is to keep your leading shoulder down through impact to keep your body from getting ahead of your hands.

In his book “Golf My Way”, Jack Nicklaus gives the best advice we have read on swing basics and it is available from Amazon for about $12. Keep it in the short grass!