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Accessorize Your Game

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From GPS technology to fancy golf balls there is never a shortage of accessories for the golfer.  Some can enhance your game and others just plain add style.  Here are just a few accessories that I have tired recently.  Any one of these is a potential gift for the golfer dad, grad, birthday, or other occasion: 

GPS: The first GPS technology I’ve recently tried out is called GreenFinder.  This is basically a yearly subscription that costs $35 but you only need an existing iPhone or certain BlackBerry devices to operate it.  The plus side is that this is an application that you can add to a service that you already have and know how to use.  Unfortunately, these are the only two platforms that are available at this time.  The company website does have a sign-up page for those folks that have phones that run Android or Windows Mobile that will notify the consumer when these platforms are available. 

I’ve got this installed into a BlackBerry Storm and definitely like many of the features.  I find it easy to use and am especially fond of the “Use GPS” feature.  By choosing this you get a list of courses that are close to your current location in order of increasing proximity.  The other way to find a course is to search the current list.  If you cannot find the course you want in the list.  The current list is at about 10,000 and the company claims they add another 150 per week.  If you can’t find a particular course you can request it to be added and it should be available within 24 hours.  One must also take care when spelling the name of a course.  The best way is to enter only part of the name or else you may get no result. 

Again, the only glaring limitation is that you must have one of the phones that currently support the software and you must have the necessary data plan in certain cases.  It is also essential to be concerned with battery life of your phone.  I could imagine being in a very long round at one of our busy courses in Los Angeles and not having the battery life to support the application for the whole round but haven’t run into that problem as of yet.  The GreenFinder site also has tips on battery life in the FAQs.  The biggest benefit is not only that you don’t need to buy a separate piece of equipment but that if you have the right phone the cost can’t be beat.  Check the website to see if your phone is compatible and for the other FAQs regarding if you can use this technology.  You get measurements from the front, center, and back of the tee and can get other distances in the fairway and around parts of the course. 

http://www.greenfindergps.com/

 

If you don’t have the right smartphone for the GreenFinder application then you can try the inexpensive Izzo SWAMI.  The piece of equipment itself is only $149 and then the yearly subscription is another $35.  It has an easy to read display and automatic course recognition.  The challenge with this is device is that you must plan ahead.  After the unit is charged and you have installed the accompanying software on your computer, you can load in 10 courses at a time.  It is a good idea to check the available courses well in advance also so that you can put in a request if your desired course is not currently available and the company claims it will be available within 5-10 business days .  Once your subscription is up, the ten courses that you have in the device at that time will remain.  Some may be put off by the simplistic display while others will find it to be just what they need.  I personally found it to be an easy to use piece and generally have plenty of time to charge one up and have enough time to request a course if need be. 

This piece of equipment gives you the distance from the front, center, and back of the green.  There is no other option as far as measurements are concerned though.  As far as accuracy of the distances there are mixed reviews.  I found it to be an acceptable accuracy but others claim the distances are off quite a bit.  The battery is rechargeable and touted to last up to at least 12 hours (plenty of time for an L.A. course).  In addition, Izzo announced back in March that the SWAMI would be available as a rental at many courses in the States for a fee of about $10 a round or providing them with cart rentals.  Check your local course for details.  These devices are also designed to fit into a docking station on some Izzo bags. 

http://www.izzo.com/product/tabid/97/p-100-swami-1500-gps-unit-new.aspx

Just a Tee:  Yes, Evolve Golf’s Vireo S3 tees are just that – tees.  Some golfers prefer not to have to buy any tees and use whatever they get free from an event or that are included in another purchase.  This particular tee claims to be different for a few reasons.  Vireo S3 tees have specific marks on one side that are intended to allow you to consistently put in the tee at a particular height – something they refer to as the “sweet spot system”.  The key is to find the height that you hit your driver the farthest/best – where the sweet spot is – and put it at that height each time.  The company website even has a list of optimal heights depending on your driver.  The packaging also shows a diagram of what they claim to be the ideal for smaller volume and 460cc drivers. 

I can’t say that I noticed a major difference when hitting my driver off of this tee.  I did try it at a range other than my usual since the only place at my regular rangeto hit drivers was off of a mat so it is hard to decide what contributed to my driver distance on that particular outing.  The part I really like about this tee is the fact that it is a “sustainable” tee.  They are not only harder to break but are biodegradable.  I did use only one for an entire session at the range where I have gone through up to 5 wooden tees in the same amount of time at a grass range.  Although I am in on the fact that this is not terribly important to much of the golfing population why should it remain that way?  Why not start to take care of the environment more in every way possible even if it starts with something as small as a tee?  A pack of 35 tees retails for around $6. 

www.evolvegolf.com/settings 

Your Personal Rake and Recovery:  The Course Keeper provides an all-in-one rake, recovery, and repair system.  This gadget can be put in your golf bag or mounted on to a cart.  It includes a plastic rake with and adjustable handle that doubles as a means to retrieve your ball from a water hazard.  The piece can adjust up to ten feet with the purpose of saving money on expensive golf balls (if you use expensive balls).  There is also a nylon cover that has a divot tool, ball marker, and extra tees while protecting the device. 

The Course Keeper is a nice addition for the golfer that has everything.  It is quite convenient to have your own rake if needed for those moments when you can’t find the one at the bunker.  The end has a rake on one side and a blade on the other for “proper bunker grooming” according to the accompanying instructions.  I have an Ogio stand bag myself and it does stick out well above all of my clubs in the fully collapsed position but it didn’t ever fall out while walking with my bag on my back.  My only other wish besides being a bit more collapsible would be an easier transition from ball recovery mode to rake mode.  I have been in the position of having to hunt down a rake on certain courses so this would have sped up my game then.  It is also nice to grab my ball that is normally just out of reach at the edge of the water.  Retail price for the Course Keeper is about $50. 

http://www.coursekeeperkit.com/ 

For the Ladies: Identity Golf sells a premium ladies golf ball “created for your game”. The two piece construction features an ionomer cover and large, high energy rubber core that provides distance off the tee plus a soft feel for the short game.  Identity Golf touts the design as ideal for the way women play.  There are five colorful designs available – strong, beautiful, classic, driven, and empowered.  The best part of these distinct balls is that you’ll never be accused of taking someone else’s ball on a busy course.  I found them to perform satisfactorily for my game.  I’m no scratch golfer but I’m definitely socially acceptable and can break 100.  These are perfect for a stylish golfer and are excellent as a gift.  They retail for about $15 on the company website and are shipped free. 

http://www.identitygolf.com/

 

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  1. Apryl DeLancey

    Jun 1, 2009 at 11:54 am

    I did have to email them with a question – here is the page that has their contact info:

    http://www.greenfindergps.com/about/contact/

    The email address I used was

    support (at) greenfindergps (dot) com

    They got right back to me as well.
    Good luck!

  2. BillHart

    Jun 1, 2009 at 9:29 am

    Used it on my storm for the first time last week and LOVED it! Do yourself a huge favor and try it.

  3. Bobby Pierce

    May 31, 2009 at 10:08 pm

    Hi there’
    I was wondering if you had any trouble uploading the Greenfinder program to your phone. I have a Blackberry curve and am having trouble signing up. I enter my last name,e-mail address, pin, and blackberry and hit accept. Then it tells me that my last name or e-mail address was blank. Did you have this same problem? I can’t find any #’s to call for tech support to help me. If you can help me I would appreciate it. Thanks for any help you can give. Bobby

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Accessory Reviews

Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line

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On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”

The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.

The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:

“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”

The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?

As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.

The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.

As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.

As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.

The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.

Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.

Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.

See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here

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Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Motocaddy M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC electric cart review

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I have been thinking about electric golf push carts, or trollies, ever since I started playing in my league seven years ago.

Motocaddy has been making high-quality electric, and non-electric, carts since 2004 and has a couple of great options for the golfer who loves to walk. Motocaddy was nice enough to get their M7 Remote and M5 GPS DHC in my hands to try out on the course for a few weeks.

I have had a lot of people stop me to ask about the carts, and the one thing I keep telling them is that these carts are just flat out fun to use on the course.

Motocaddy M7 Remote

The M7 Remote was very easy to get set up right out of the box. All you have to do is charge the battery, install the wheels, and you are pretty much ready to go. The M7 folds up pretty small, just a little larger than the 3-wheel pushcart that I had been using for years. Getting it to the course should be no problem with just about any trunk space. Now, the one downside to an electric cart is the weight when moving it around, and both carts come in at around 35 pounds each. Even with that extra weight, I didn’t have much trouble lifting them in and out of the back of a pickup.

The M7 unfolds quickly with the flick of two levers and extends the front wheels automatically. Once unfolded, you drop in the battery, plug it in, and secure your bag. If you own a Motocaddy bag, they have developed a really nice system called EasiLock that involves two metal studs that fit into the bottom of the cart. This system also includes a molded base that prevents the bag from rotating at all, even on the roughest terrain. You can still use the M7 with almost any other golf bag as it includes elastic straps that wrap around the top and bottom of the bag.

As soon as you plug in the battery the LCD screen comes to life and you are ready to go. You can use the M7 without the remote by using the dial on the handle to control the starting, stopping, and speed. But the M7 has a remote that is activated by a simple press of the power button to get going. The remote is very simple with just five buttons to control where the M7 goes.

Getting a feel for the M7 takes no time at all and by the time you drive it from your car to the 1st tee you will be in complete, and confident, control of the cart. You simply press the “+” button to start moving forward and the cart takes off gently without any rattling of your clubs, and you can press that same button again to increase the speed. The cart will go from a slow crawl, for bumpy or tight areas, too, as fast as I could run with just a few presses of the button. The big red “stop” button in the center stops the cart immediately, and when stopped it is locked in place, even on steep hills. You don’t have to worry about remembering to set the brakes or anything because it is done automatically.

Steering is just as easy: simply press the right or left button to turn the cart. Small, quick presses will just slightly adjust the cart as it moves down the fairway while a long hold of the button can make it turn on a dime to the right or left.

Almost everyone asked me how stable the cart was and if it would tip over. I can proudly say that it has stayed upright even on some unseen bumps at maximum speed. Side hills, ruts, and even curbs are handled with ease with the help of the small rear wheel.

I really enjoy strolling down the fairway with nothing but the M7’s remote in my hand — it just makes golfing more fun!

Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC

After using the M7 and its fancy remote, I was a little nervous that I wouldn’t like not having it. But to be honest the M5 was just as fun to use, but for a different reason.

As the name suggests, the M5 has a built-in GPS with 40,000 courses preloaded into it. The screen is a good size, pretty responsive to the touch, and easy to read in direct sunlight. Having the GPS directly on the cart is great, you drive up to your ball and immediately have yardage to the front, back, and center of the green as well as bunkers and hazards. You can easily toggle between screens on the GPS and it offers a couple of different views to help navigate the hole. The M5 can also keep score and let you know shot distances right on the screen. Motocaddy even includes nice little touches like a screen protecter kit to ensure durability.

Driving the M5 is just as easy as the M7 with using the dial on the handle. And speaking of the handle, the grips have a great tacky rubber that grips well even in hot and humid conditions. To start the M5 you just press the dial down and the cart will gently start down the fairway. You can turn the dial to increase or decrease the speed — I found between 5-6 to be the most comfortable for me. But the speed can go up to a very fast pace if you are looking to set a record for fastest round of the day.

As you walk down the fairway, or rough, stopping the cart is as simple as pressing he dial again. When stopped the M5 engages a parking brake automatically so you don’t have to worry about it running down a hill without your approval. The M5 has tons of power to go up just about any hill and the Down Hill Control (DHC) keeps the speed consistent even when going down a steep decent.

Since the M5 has so much power, and it is a little heavy, I thought steering would be a little bit of a challenge. It wasn’t, at all. Guiding the M5 took very little effort and slight adjustments going down the fairway were very easy. Really tight turns took a slight bit more effort as the torque can want to go forward a little more than turn. Again, once you get the M5 from the car to the first tee, you will be a master at driving it.

Overall, Motocaddy has created two great carts that provide additional enjoyment to walking your favorite 9 or 18. Having the ability to walk without carrying or pushing your bag, clubs, and whatever else goes with you. I like them so much that it is going to be hard to get the M7’s remote out of my hands when I go play!

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Accessory Reviews

GolfWRX Spotlight: Crossrope weighted jump rope & app

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An 18-hole round of golf averages out to just under five miles of walking, which on its own is a good workout. Once you throw in some potential uphill trekking you get some serious cardio too, but if you all looking for a quick workout between rounds of golf look no further than Crossrope.

Crossrope – The details

Crossrope is a system of the weighted jump rope that allows you to quickly switch the weight of the ropes you are using to boost your workout—they range from 1/4 lbs all the way up to 2 lbs depending on the kit you start out with. There is an accompanying app that helps you go through multiple workout routines and is available free, or you can upgrade to the entire library of workout routines along with more workout tracking options.

This is NOT your middle school jump rope

The handles are heavy duty and feature precision bearings to allow the rope to move smoothly around as you go through a routine. They are also ergonomic and fit into your hand naturally, which making gripping easy, something that is really nice when you’re swinging a 2 lbs coated steel cable around. The handles also come with a fast clip system to make changing cables depending on your selected workout easier too.

The ropes themselves are made from braided steel and are almost impossible to tangle, allowing them to be easily transported and stored when not in use. All in you are getting a premium piece of workout equipment that is effective and easy to store—hard to same the same thing about a treadmill.

When it comes to a workout, skipping rope is one of the most effective cardio workouts you can do, and with Crossrope, you can get both cardio and low impact weight training when using the heaviest ropes, and follow along with the guided workouts.

As someone that hadn’t used a jump rope in over a decade, starting out lighter was a nice way to ease in before moving up, and I was pleasantly surprised how easy and fun some of the workouts in the app were. If you are looking for a fun way to add something to your workouts, or you just want to try something new to get you into golf course walking shape, this could be right up your alley. To learn more check out crossrope.com

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