Equipment
2020 GolfWRX Holiday Gift Guide: Golf gifts for the Gearhead
It’s that time of year again, GolfWRX members, the moment we start filling our wish lists with the golf gear we want this holiday season.
The GolfWRX Holiday Gift Guide was created to ensure that our readers give (and hopefully receive) the very best golf gifts on the planet. These gift ideas will suit any budget, and each item was hand-picked by our staff.
In an effort to provide more value and tailored recommendations, we’re presenting our guide as a series this year, targeting “the purist,” “the gearhead,” “the value seeker,” “the golfer looking to get better,” and “the big spender.”
You know the gearhead by his/her tired eyes from scouring the GolfWRX forums late into the night and his penchant for bringing two bags to the course—the gamer set and a bag full of demo clubs and shafts.
Here are our best recommendations for “the gearhead” in your life.
GolfWRX Holiday Essential: Perfect Practice Perfect Putting Mat: $169
In COVID-19 times, more new golfers are taking up the game, more casual players are spending more time on the fairways, and avid golfers, of course, are playing as avidly as ever.
As we all know, practicing putting at home is an important step in honing one’s stroke and distance control. The Perfect Practice Mat’s alignment lines and slope leading to the cup cater to both these needs. And from a feel standpoint, the surface itself feels as good as anything you could roll the rock next to your sofa on. We’re not sure exactly what Crystal Velvet TrueRoll Technology is, but it’s darn nice to putt on.
The other two essential elements of this GolfWRX Essential are the ball return track and the Perfect Putting Mat’s ability to be rolled up for easy storage.
Really, these things check all the boxes, so trade in the carpet and a high-ball glass for something that looks and feels better, and is much more likely to actually improve your putting.
The standard edition, which will run you $169.99, is our recommendation for most spaces, and it will fit comfortably in your living room, office, or man cave.
GolfWRX Holiday Essential: Pinned Golf BlackJack: $199
In the now-competitive market of range finders, a new young company has come onto the scene driven by something we all love: VALUE. Quincy, Massachusetts-based Pinned Golf took the often complicated (and expensive) decision to buy a rangefinder and made it quite easy. The Pinned BlackJack RangeFinder simply does its job. Quick read yardages, slope, yardage lock vibration, and a long charge—the best part is its price point: under $200. In this category, it’s as close to a no-brainer as you’ll find.
This direct-to-consumer idea was cooked up by three young golfers who simply wanted to offer something to the golfing masses that made sense.
Now it must be said that the big companies in this space do it VERY well. Its not a knock on them at all. However, for the player who wants something reliable that won’t break the bank, something that doesn’t require a, “Do I get this now or wait?” decision. John Rowell and his partners at Pinned delivered.
Titleist TSi3 driver: $549
TaylorMade P770 irons: $1,225
The combination of distance, forgiveness, and spin make this iron a must-have for tour players all the way up to your 15 handicap. And if you really wanna go nuts, integrate the P7MC and P7MB into a combo set.
Vokey SM8 WedgeWorks edition
If you want to get the full tour treatment, building an SM8 wedge on WedgeWorks puts Bob Vokey and Aaron Dill at your fingertips. Doesn’t get much better than that for a gearhead.
Fujikura Ventus hybrid shaft: $200
It’s easy to say at this point that the Fujikura Ventus shaft was the go-to shaft on tour and in the hitting bay in 2020. Putting Velocore technology into a hybrid shaft gets that speed and stability even further into your bag.
MEVO+ launch monitor: $1,999
If you want tour data at the tip of your fingers, and you don’t want to mortgage your house to get it, the MEVO+ is a no brainer. Just ask Bubba and Bryson, who utilize the technology every day.
Mitsubishi Chemical MMT iron shafts: $65
OEMs have been trying to get graphite iron shafts right for a long time, but the MMT is the first offering that will truly insert graphite into the conversation for all players. It’s smooth, stable, and with offerings for better players at 105 TX and 125 TX, there are plenty of options to combo them up and build a perfect flighted set.
Wedge fitting with Artisan Golf
Wanna know where Tiger gets his wedges? You can schedule a visit to work with the man himself, Mike Taylor, who not only did all the grinding but has worked with Tiger for the past two decades. Bucket list stuff, don’t you think?
Custom FootJoy Icon shoes
If you really want to walk on the course like a player, then there is no better way than to go to FootJoy.com and build your own custom one-of-a-kind FootJoy Icon. It’s a rabbit hole of leather soles, alligator skin, and a rainbow of colors to really dial you in. There should be a strokes gained stat for just showing up with these.
Logan Olson custom putter
He’s the next Scotty Cameron—Not only is his work impeccable, but in 10 years a Logan Original will carry with it a huge price tag.
TXG fitting with Ian Fraser
Arguably the hottest and fastest-growing fitter in North America, a fitting with Ian Fraser—one of the best fitters in the world and a man who as fit the best pros in the game— at TXG HQ in Toronto will turn your whole bag from good into something singular and irreplaceable.
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Whats in the Bag
Kris Kim WITB 2024 (May)
- Kris Kim what’s in the bag accurate as of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. More photos from the event here.
Driver: TaylorMade Qi10 (9 degrees @7)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 60 TX
3-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 Tour (15 degrees @13.5)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana WB 73 TX
Irons: TaylorMade P770 (2, 4), TaylorMade P7MB (5-PW)
Shafts: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX (2), Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 Tour 120 X
Wedges: TaylorMade MG4 (50-09SB, 56-12SB, 60-11TW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Modus3 WV 125
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Check out more in-hand photos of Kris Kim’s equipment here.
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Equipment
Welcome to the family: TaylorMade launches PUDI and PDHY utility irons
TaylorMade is continuing its UDI/DHY series with the successor to the Stealth UDI and DHY utility irons: PUDI and PDHY (which the company styles as P·UDI and P·DHY). TaylorMade is folding the designs in with its P Series of irons.
TaylorMade outlined the process of developing its new utilities this way. The company started with the data on utility iron usage. Not surprisingly, better players — i.e. those who generate more clubhead speed and strike the ball more precisely — were found to gravitate toward the UDI model. DHY usage, however, covered a wider swath than the company might have expected with six-to-18 handicappers found to be bagging the club.
TaylorMade also found that the majority of golfers playing UDI or DHY utilities were playing P Series irons at the top of their iron configurations.
Can you see where this is going?
Matt Bovee, Director of Product Creation, Iron and Wedge at TaylorMade: “As we look to the future, beyond the tech and the design language, we are excited about repositioning our utility irons into the P·Series family. P·UDI is an easy pair for players that currently play P·Series product and P·DHY is an extremely forgiving option for players of all skill levels. It is a natural fit to give these players the performance in this category that they are looking for.”
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TaylorMade PUDI
Crafted with tour player input, TaylorMade sought to develop a confidence-inspiring utility iron that blends with the rest of the P Series irons. Also of note: Interestingly, the PUDI has a more compact head than the P790.
In comparison to past UDI products, the PUDI has a more traditional iron shape, slimmer toplines, and less offset with a little of the backbar visible at address.
TaylorMade PDHY
Larger in profile than the PUDI, the PDHY seeks to position center of gravity (CG) lower in the club for ease of launch. The toe height is larger and the profile is larger at address — roughly five millimeters longer than PUDI — the sole of the club is wider for improved forgiveness.
Club Junkie’s take
Golfers who feel like they are missing something at the top of the bag could find the PUDI or PDHY a great option. The look of the PUDI should fit the most discerning eye with a more compact look, less offset, and a thinner topline. If you want a little more confidence looking down the P-DHY will be slightly larger while still being a good-looking utility iron.
For being small packages both models pack a pretty good punch with fast ball speeds, even off-center. The feel is soft and you get a solid feel of the ball compressing off the face when you strike it well. Your ears are greeted with a nice heavy thud as the ball and club come together. The PDHY will launch a little higher for players who need it while the PUDI offers a more penetrating ball flight. Both utility irons could be the cure for an open spot in the top end of the bag.
PUDI, PDHY, or Rescue?
TaylorMade offers the following notes to assist golfers in filling out their bags:
- PUDI has mid-CG right behind the center face to create a more penetrating mid-to-low ball flight
- PDHY has a lower center of gravity to produce an easier-to-launch mid-to-high ball flight.
- Both PUDI and PDHY are lower-flying than the company’s hybrid/Rescue clubs.
- PUDI is more forgiving than P790.
- PDHY is the most forgiving iron in the entire TaylorMade iron family
Pricing, specs, and availability
Price: $249.99
At retail: Now
Stock shafts: UST Mamiya’s Recoil DART (105 X, 90 S and 75 R – only in PDHY)
Stock grip: Golf Pride’s ZGrip (black/grey)
PUDI lofts: 2-17°, 3-20°, 4-22° in both left and right-handed
PDHY lofts: 2-18°, 3-20° and 4-22° in both left and right-handed
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (5/3/24): Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
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 Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
From the seller: (@wwcl): “Has been gamed as pics show. 33.5 includes original h/c and grip. $575 includes shipping and PP fees.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Scotty Cameron Champions Choice 2.5+ putter
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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Three Puttz
Nov 25, 2020 at 12:22 pm
I tried booking a fitting with Ian a month back and was told he was booked “indefinitely”. Regardless, booked with TXG in February and very excited.
David Neilan
Nov 25, 2020 at 11:13 am
Will you sell me that Mevo + Launch Monitor for $499?
Don Graham
Nov 25, 2020 at 9:37 am
Mevo+ isnt $499