Equipment
2021 Virtual PGA Show: Things we loved, Day 1

As promised, we’re checking out all the digital booths at the 2021 Virtual PGA Show for items of intrigue and note, and we’ve found no shortage of interesting items.
Here are a few of our favorites from our first day of browsing.
(More on the 2021 Virtual PGA Show here)
Altaz rangefinder
That’s not a flip screen video camera—it’s an alternative to playing pirate with a telescope to acquire distances.
Product description: Our rangefinder adds an external 3″ LCD screen which makes it much easier to search the target. No more twitching eye, sunglass in the way, or shakey hand, our rangefinder eliminates all the problems that many golfers experience. It is simple as using similar to digital camcorders, just point, and press. Golf will get the right distance to help them select the right club to improve their scores.
Website: www.altaz.golf
Sik Component Bag
We like this presentation of the buffet of options for Sik putters both for the fitting capabilities and the minimal use of shop square footage for retailers…and of course, if you’re a real gearhead, you just buy the thing for personal use.
Product description: Become a SIK Golf retailer with SIK Golf’s Component Bag, a complete matrix of interchangeable heads, hosels, and gripped shafts that are ready to assemble into every possible SIK putter combination. The Component Bag also includes multiple standard shaft lengths and Armlock setups for your customers to test drive. Displayed and stored in a classic SIK Golf Staff Bag, featuring organized and compartmentalized drawers.
Website: www.sikgolf.com
Custom Golf Bag Hoods
We’ve seen specialty bag hoods before, but nothing on the level that Custom Golf Bag Hoods is doing.
Company info: Custom Golf Bag Hoods was created so that golfers around the world could dress their bag up from the ugly black rain hood you get when you buy the golf bag which eventually you’ll end up losing or miss placing it. CGBH are made of water-resistant nylon fabric with a 24-inch zipper and vinyl leather piping to keep the hood upright and sturdy, velcro straps to secure it to the bag, and DIY button snaps to make your own buttons in the position of your existing snaps on your bag.
Website: customgolfbaghoods.com
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Areso Golf: RW Design Wedge
While we can’t speak to the feel or performance, the materials story is compelling and the aesthetics would definitely earn these wedges a test at a traditional PGA Show Demo Day!
Product info: RW Design Wedges are made from forging carbon steel and milled face for maximum spin around the greens. Grooves and face are machined for spin and face variable thickness controlled for performance.
Ecco: Biom H4 shoe
An enhanced, improved, and even more stylish version of one of the most popular designs on the market. What’s not to love?
Product description: The ECCO BIOM H4 is made in durable ECCO leather with a slick, micro-perforated embossing and GORE-TEX waterproof technology to keep your feet dry even in wet conditions. The new ECCO MTN GRIP outsole features our signature FLUIDFORM™ Technology, as well as an eye-catching PU midsole with TPU inserts on either side that securely hug your foot and offer added stability and support while you’re on the green.
Website: www.us.ecco.com
Puttist Putting Meter 
We may be biased, as our James Chang covered the Puttist back in November, but this is one of the most unique training aids on the market.
Product description: Puttist Inc. was established in 2009 for “PUTTIST”, the first putting meter in the world. Don’t practice, just have fun with distance-metering game up to 50ft. Your score will go up so naturally and no more suffering from 3-putt. That is why people call “PUTTIST” 3-putt Killer! Rechargeable and Plug-in model available for meter and feet. Just Putt & Win!
Website: www.puttist.com
PuttView: The Book
There are plenty of green book vendors, but Puttview’s stylish presentation of the maximum amount of information allowed under USGA rules definitely caught our eye.
Product description: PuttView’s “The Book” is the component that brings your indoor and outdoor experience together. Every detail of “The Book” was designed to help you save a shot under the most critical tournament situations. PuttView’s technology and attention to detail results in the most accurate book allowable under the Rules of Golf.
Website: www.puttviewbooks.com
Stay tuned tomorrow for more products from the 2021 Virtual PGA Merchandise Show!
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Equipment
Jason Dufner testing a new Cobra 3D printed putter at the 2021 API

Ahead of this week’s 2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Jason Dufner has been spotted with a new Cobra 3D printed putter. The 43-year-old has been testing the flat-stick on Bay Hill’s grounds ahead of this week’s event, and our members have been discussing the putter in our forums.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- ChxDigLongBall: “Dig the name. Looks pretty good. I’d give it a roll. Interested to see what it feels like.”
- av1084: “Weird all around, in a good way.”
- KAndyMan: “Can’t wait to see what the putter line up will consist of! Definitely a cool idea using 3d printing. The possibilities are endless with it. Would/will be a strange day in the future when you can get online, design your own one-off putter in the morning and have it at your door before your league tee time that afternoon.”
Entire Thread: “Jason Dufner testing a new Cobra 3D printed putter at the 2021 API”
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Equipment
2021 TaylorMade Spider X, EX, S, and SR putters offer improved roll, feel, and forgiveness

Building putters is about creating options and incorporating technology. For TaylorMade’s all-new Spider putters for 2021—including the Spider X Hydro Blast, EX, Spider S, and SR—it’s the little details that make big differences.
“With this new class of Spider putters, we focused on removing two of those variables: aim and alignment … While each putter brings something unique to the table, they are bonded by a foundation of forgiveness, stability, and True Path alignment that makes it easier to aim.” – Bill Price, Product Creation, Putters & Wedge
The idea of a “classic” golf club or putter shape won’t generally have people reminiscing about a TaylorMade Spider, but the design has been around for well over a decade—and although it has gone through some design tweaks over the years, the modern Spider is here to stay
Spider X Hydro Blast
This putter is all about small changes to an already great design with the most notable being the Hydro Blast finishing process. The new Spider X also features
- The classic Spider X head shape, available in both a face-balanced double-bend and a smaller slant neck with 21 degrees of toe hang.
- Multimaterial construction to offer maximum stability and increased MOI.
- White True Path for a high-contrast look that is easy to align
Availability and Price
Preorder for the Spider X Hydro Blast starts today, March 2, with putters arriving at retail starting March 12 with a price of $279.99.
The new Spider X will be available in stock lengths of 33″, 34″, and 35″ be completed with a KBS Chrome C-Taper Stepless shaft and Super Stroke Pistol GTR 1.0 grip.
Spider EX
With the Spider EX, TaylorMade is flexing its putter design capabilities when it comes to face technology to improve roll and feel. The Spider EX features a new co-molded insert made of white TPU urethane and small aluminum beams angled at 45°. This combination of materials gets the ball up and rolling quicker and also creates a soft yet solid feel to improve player feedback.
Speaking of feedback and feel the Spider EX has a newly designed “Fluted feel” shaft with a more flexible portion starting 5″ below the tip to add stability while also maintaining a softer feel through the stroke, and is slightly larger than the Spider X to increase MOI.
Availability and price
Preorder for the Spider EX starts today, March 2, with putters arriving at retail starting March 12 with a price of $349.99 – See chart for full color availability.
The stock options will include lengths of 33″, 34″, and 35″, the TaylorMade Fluted Feel shaft and to top it off a Super Stroke Pistol GTR 1.0 grip.
Spider S and SR
It’s about options and alignment. The Spider S uses geometry and topline sights to help golfers who prefer to use the width of the ball for accurate sighting.
The Spider S also offers the same Fluted Feel shaft and white TPU Pure roll insert to create a soft feel.
The Spider SR is the “Stability Monster” of the 2021 TaylorMade putter lineup and utilizes multiple weights around the head to raise MOI.
While the Spider S’s alignment system is for players who use the front of the putter, the SR places the True path alignment away from the face and between the wings. This allows golfers to use the clean topline and parallel wings to line up to the intended path while still offering a visual aid to behind the ball.
Availability and Price
The Spider S and SR putters will be available for preorder March 2 and will land at retail beginning April 9, with a price of $279.99. The stock configurations will include lengths of 33″, 34″, and 35 and they will be completed with a TaylorMade Fluted Feel shaft and to topped with a Super Stroke Pistol GTR 1.0 grip.
Spider S options
Spider SR options
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Equipment
‘Can’t seem to chip with forged wedges’ – GolfWRXers discuss

In our forums, our members have been trying to help out WRXer ‘RkoDavey’, who is struggling to chip with forged wedges. ‘RkoDavey’ kicks off the thread saying:
“For most of my golfing life, I’ve struggled to chip with my sand wedge but usually have no trouble when I use my gap wedge, and I’m starting to wonder if this is related to my equipment. My gap wedge is part of my P790 iron set, but no sand wedge is available, so I play an Adams Tom Watson forged 56-degree wedge (bounce is 13 degrees).
I can’t tell you how many times I chunk little greenside chips with my Adams wedge, but if I chip with my gap wedge, the club seems to glide right through the turf, and I have much better results. My problems arise when I have little green to work with and need the ball to stop quick–my gap wedge simply isn’t the right tool for that type of shot.”
And he poses two questions for fellow members to help him out:
“First, is there something about forged wedges that makes them radically different from your typical gap wedge that comes with a set of irons? I had this same issue with the previous irons I owned, and I wonder if it’s my equipment or if it’s all in my head.
Second, what recommendations can you give for a 55 or 56-degree sand wedge that will perform similar to my gap wedge?”
Our members have been sharing their thoughts in our forum.
Here are a few posts from the thread, but make sure to check out the entire discussion and have your say at the link below.
- IPA4me: “Check the bounce. Also, consider cavity back wedges for the added forgiveness.”
- mootrail: “You’re comparing your super hot face hollow body set wedge to an ancient stamping with zero modern wedge design parameters. They might be perfectly fine for some, but the first thing to do is to toss them out. There are a few hollow body wedges out there, but it’s your swing and conditions first. You need to get to the shop and test them out.”
- jomatty: “I’d check the leading edge between the two clubs.”
Entire Thread: “‘Can’t seem to chip with forged wedges'”
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Jim
Jan 27, 2021 at 2:25 am
Looks like a bunch of nothing on day one. A flip screen range finder is bound to break quickly and I would not spend coin on that. The rest of the items are blah……
Brandon
Jan 26, 2021 at 11:12 pm
Looks like day one was a dud.