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Products you need to know from the 2012 PGA Show

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12 years ago

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By Zak Kozuchowski

GolfWRX Managing Editor

Big product releases are usually the draw at the PGA Merchandise Show, but there were a few lesser known products that generated a lot of buzz at this year’s event. Here’s three products you need to know about from the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show.

SCOR

Industry standards for iron lofts have gotten stronger in recent years. Yet wedge loft offerings have stayed nearly the same, leaving golfers with a problem. They don’t have a pitching wedge any more.

“Companies haven’t been making pitching wedges for a long time,” said Terry Koehler, president of SCOR Golf.

For that reason, SCOR produces a line of clubs with lofts from 41 degrees to 61 degrees, which the company hopes will help golfers fill the gap that stronger short irons create in their bags. To make things even easier on golfers, SCOR wedges are offered in only one sole grind, the company’s V Sole.

“We don’t believe in different options on grind,” Koehler said. “We build a low bounce into the main part of the sole so it will work from tight lies, and a very aggressive bounce in the leading edge so that it will perform from soft lies. The idea of custom grinding a sole for the vast variety of lies you could face in any given round of golf to me is pretty hard … your lies change continually. (Wedge designers) talk about fitting your sole to your swing type, well if you’re a really good player you vary your swing type for the kind of shot you’re trying to hit, and if you’re an average to poor player you’re not really sure what your swing type is going to be from swing to swing.”

The custom built golf clubs will be available at select fitting centers across the country, and  start at $149 for an individual wedge.

I hit the 44 degree model (the same loft as my Miura CB-202 9-iron) on the range, and was impressed with the club’s more compact profile and lower trajectory on full shots. On chips and pitches, the V grind proved very versatile, and was definitely an improvement over my 9 iron on smaller shots.

Swiftwick

SwiftWick socks were featured in our GolfWRX last minute holiday gift guide past because of the huge following the sock company gained on the PGA Tour in win 2011. At this year’s PGA Merchandise Show, I finally had the opportunity to don the company’s much hyped socks.

I squeezed my size 12s into Swiftwick’s Vibe Zero sock on Friday for day No. 3 of frantic coverage and the endless walking required from a GolfWRX staff member. The first thing I noticed was how snugly the socks fit around my heel.

All of Swiftwick’s socks are seamless, and constructed at a 200-needle standard, which means they provide compression throughout the entire sock without any friction points. My aching feet were immediately rejuvenated, like I was being given a foot massage as I walked the floor. My feet also felt cooler inside my sweat saturated Ecco Street golf sneakers. Since the fabric wasn’t slipping, my feet felt much more stable inside my shoe, a feeling that later translated into more stability in my golf swing.

The Vibe line is a litter thicker than Swiftwick’s thinnest socks, the Aspire line. And while I’m not usually a fan of thin socks, but I loved the feel of the Vibe and the Aspire, which I later sampled.

It wasn’t long before I returned to the Swiftwick booth for the Aspire 12s, a knee-high length sock that I hoped would give my ankles and calves the same treat mean my feet had just received. While I was there, I also picked up Swiftwick’s Performance Sleeves, which I thought was one of the most thoughtful products at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show.

I wasn’t disappointed by the performance of the Aspire 12s, and during testing days later I found Swiftwick’s sleeves to be perfect for cold weather practice sessions. The sleeves fit snugly from just above the elbow to the wrist, and provided warmth and compression without the straight jacket feeling of multiple layers and compression shirts. Like Swiftwick’s Aspire, Vibe and Performance sock lines, the sleeves are made of Olifin, a naturally moisture wicking fabric, which makes them playable in warmer weather conditions as well.

My personal favorite product from Swiftwick, however, is the company’s Pursuit sock line, which is constructed completely of merino wool. The socks cost a little more than the other models and are the thickest socks the company produces.

Swiftwick gives cotton socks a swift kick in the behind. Prices range from $9.99 a pair to $34.99 for the knee-high 12s. The sleeves are $24.99.

Putting Alley

The Putting Alley training aid is going to make you a better putter.

It works like this.

1. You place your ball in a small depression on one end of the 27-inch training aid.

2. You try to putt the ball down the raised surface without having it fall off.

3. You practice, and miss fewer short putts.

Check out the video below with Putting Alley Vice President of Sales, Tim Maloney. I couldn’t pull out my credit card fast enough to get mine.

Click here for more discussion in the forums

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3 Comments

3 Comments

  1. Court

    Feb 2, 2012 at 9:56 pm

    Good choices on the wedges and the Putter Alley. The wedges feel great and the Putter Alley is kind of fun. Didn’t see the socks, but they look interesting.

    Reply Report comment

  2. Tim Maloney

    Jan 31, 2012 at 10:51 pm

    David I think you missed one of the main points or differences from a ruler. On a ruler you bend over hit the putt and chase after the ball and repeat the process. Also you hope your ruler is flat and on a flat surface. On the Putting Alley the ball returns and can be self loaded with out bending over or chasing it. Also our product guarantee’s a flat surface on our alley and has two levels of precision. We know you can get more quality practice putts on our device than the ruler. Also the price is worth more than a sore back. Give it a try, I’m sure you’ll be convinced and like the product.

    Reply Report comment

  3. David Reid

    Jan 31, 2012 at 7:13 pm

    I have been teaching golf for 25 years. I have used an aluminum meter stick as a similar putting aid. $4.95 at wal-mart!

    Reply Report comment

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head

Published

12 hours ago

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Apr 19, 2024

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head

From the seller: (@lasallen): “For sale is a BRNR mini 11.5 deg head only in brand new condition.  $325 shipped.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head 

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Equipment

Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

Published

1 day ago

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Apr 18, 2024

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.

From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.

Specs/ Additional Details

-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)

-Original Anser Design

-PING PP58 Grip

-Putter is built to standard specs.”

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made

This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules

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Equipment

Inside Collin Morikawa’s recent golf ball, driver, 3-wood, and “Proto” iron changes

Published

1 day ago

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Apr 18, 2024

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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.

The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.

On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.

Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.

At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.

“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.

Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.

“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.

“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.” 

In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.

Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.

On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.

According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.

“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.” 

See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here. 

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