Driver
 The
hottest “buzz” in the golf community so far this year
is that the new Nike Ignite driver, already a winner on Tour and
in Tiger’s bag, is going to allow Nike to challenge the
big boys. Both the 410 cc and the 460 cc Ignite drivers, with
their expanded sweet spots, use a material called NexTi Titanium.
It features ‘Around the Crown’ design, a construction
that actually wraps the face over the top line of the club head.
In the distance game, Nike’s research
found that of the Top 20 Average Distance leaders on the PGA Tour
from the end of 2003, 19 of the 20 have dropped in average distance.
Tiger is the only player from the Top 20 at the end of 2003 to
actually increase in distance. He's currently ranked No. 2.
Although the creation of NexTi, a titanium-based
alloy that can be directionally engineered, is a proprietary process
that cannot be disclosed, the result is a layered yet tightly
compressed metal that is thinner, lighter, and stronger than Beta-Titanium.
Additionally, NexTi micro fibers can be bent, shaped and formed
unlike previous forms of titanium. NexTi's unique strength, even
when bended and formed allowed Nike Golf's engineers to free their
minds and push the limits of current standards of club head design.
It also allowed Nike Golf to increase the COR to previously unimaginable
limits during the development process.
Nike touts it as the strongest titanium ever
invented, and the 460cc head makes it one of the industry’s
biggest driver heads to date.
Our testers found the Ignite to be extremely
forgiving, aesthetically excellent and extremely long especially
when using the Nike One ball. You are encouraged to try the “Lucky
13” model, especially if you have a slower swing speed.
You will be amazed at how much easier and further this loft produces.
The Nike team settled upon two sizes to appeal
to a broad golfing audience - a 460cc and a 410cc - with one design
shape that makes the heads not appear as large as their actual
size. Often a barometer for acceptable standards, players on the
professional tour have already begun to switch to larger head
drivers for the performance enhancements they provide. This includes
Tiger Woods, typically one of the most traditional players on
tour.
Size Loft (Flexes)
- 460cc 8.5-degree (X/S); 9.5-degree (X/S/R); 10.5-degree
(S/R/A); Lucky 13-degree (S/R/A)
- 410cc 8.5-degree (X/S); 9.5-degree (X/S/R); 10.5-degree
(S/R)
- 460cc (Left-Handed) 9.5-degree (X/S/R); 10.5-degree (S/R/A)
Nike has not forgotten the female golfer. The
women’s Ignite driver will be available in a 410cc head
with a 10.5 degree loft, and a 460cc head with 10.5 and Lucky
13-degree lofts. The 460 is designed for maximum forgiveness,
turning miss-hits into long drives, while the 410 is still very
forgiving but with more workability for those who want it.
The Women’s Ignite will feature the YS-5
shaft from Graphite Design. The YS-5 is designed specifically
for women in an L-flex. It is very lightweight at only 51 grams
(14 grams lighter than the Ignite S-flex shaft), leading to faster
swing speeds and greater distance, and it’s soft tip profile
helps launch the ball on a higher trajectory.
Both men’s and women’s Ignite drivers
have a MSRP of $469.00
www.nikegolf.com
Fairway Woods/Hybrids
 One
of the “hottest” companies in golf today, Sonartec,
has introduced a new series of hybrid iron/woods called “transition
clubs”. The Md set of transition clubs ($199, graphite UST
Irod shaft) is designed to replace those hard-to-hit 1- through
4-irons. They are available in lofts of 17, 19, 21 and 23 degrees.
Almost 20 PGA Tour pros carry an Md, including Lee Janzen, Jonathan
Kaye, Brenden Pappas and Bill Glasson. The Md provides a more
penetrating ball flight than typical utility woods on the market
today.
It’s bigger sweet spot gives players more confidence than
long irons can provide.
Also available is the NP-99, which has been known
on Tour under the moniker BBD. The NP-99 is the most used Sonartec
club on the PGA Tour, representing over 30% of all the Sonartec
woods in play. In 2003, Sonartec had over 90 players use over
600 Sonartec golf clubs on the prestigious PGA Tour. So far this
year, 43 different players are using Sonartec clubs, leading Sonartec
to 15 Top Ten finishes after the first 12 events. Sonartec is
the # 3 most played fairway wood on the PGA Tour, while only paying
3 staff players to use their equipment. One of those staff players,
three-time Major winner Nick Price, has recently become an owner
of Sonartec.
The new NP-99, named for Nick Price's induction
as the 99th member into the World Golf Hall of Fame, is a hybrid
of Sonartec's best selling SS-02 and SS-03 fairway wood models.
This gives the NP-99 extreme playability that will provide every
skill level with professional grade trajectory and distance. The
NP-99 is considered by Sonartec to be the ultimate fairway wood
on the market. The state-of-the art design has a horseshoe shaped
weight concentrated in the rear of the sole plate for a higher
lift and a deeper Center of Gravity for an expanded sweet spot.
This perimeter weighting system combined with Sonartec's patented
technology, the Driving Cavity™, gives golfers the opportunity
to hit the ball with a high, flat ball flight that minimizes spin
and increases distance.
The NP-99 comes with a high-polish sole plate
and face, and an exclusive "midnight blue" Aldila NV
shaft. Lofts for the NP-99 are available in 13, 14, 15, 17, 19
and 21 degrees. MRSP is $339.00
www.sonartec.com
Irons
 TaylorMade
Golf – the premier golf manufacturer for the past
5 years, had many retailers eagerly awaiting the introduction
of their new rac CGB irons, which offer premium performance at
a premium price. The rac CGB, which stands for "Center of
Gravity Back," features a low and deep center of gravity
that helps make possible a remarkable combination of distance,
control and forgiveness.
The irons offer “Pull-Face” construction, featuring
a clubface fashioned of high-strength C455-stainless steel and
milled on both sides, which is created separately from the club
head. This allows for the face to be exceptionally thin, yet strong.
The ball rockets off the face! TaylorMade engineers took the 13
grams saved by this thin clubface and positioned it back and low
in the club head.
The rac CGB irons also feature an exceedingly large, deep back
cavity and tall clubface, both of which contribute to an extremely
high MOI, fueling excellent forgiveness. Although a taller clubface
typically precipitates a high CG, TaylorMade engineers were still
able to position the CG low and deep by virtue of the CGB's advanced
design and technologies.
These are “exciting” irons that offer great feel,
consistent distances and that never ending glorious sound of a
well struck shot.
A rac CGB approach wedge and sand wedge are also available.
MSRP: $1,250 / steel, $1,500 / graphite.
www.taylormadegolf.com
Wedge
Cleveland CG 10 Wedges
 Cleveland
Golf, the leader in wedge technology, has introduced a new wedge
made from a new material known as Carbon Metal Matrix™ (CMM™),
that offers significant improvements in the areas of feel and
performance.
Microscopic carbon spheres suspended within CMM help create a
matrix material that is 10% less dense and 15% softer than traditional
carbon steel used in cast and forged club heads. CMM not only
provides soft feel but also offers designers a newfound freedom
to redistribute weight for optimum performance. Cleveland Golf
has a patent pending for the exclusive use of CMM.
The wedge was an immediate hit with our regular testers; they
liked the look, the feel and the weighting. Hitting was smooth
and effortless. Alignment was intuitive. Accuracy was excellent
and trajectories were high and beautifully arched. Shots have
an admirable tendency to land soft and die quickly. The hand-ground
cambering to the heel and sole made it easy to get under the ball
to float sensitive control shots short and high when necessary.
Distance control was excellent. This wedge immediately jumped
to the top ranks of our favored wedges. The wedges have a very
attractive look and finish and an amazingly soft feel at impact
thanks to the composite metal matrix (CMM) construction
The CG10 is available with a satin chrome finish with loft options
of 52º, 54º, 56º and 60º. The 52º wedge
is available with a standard bounce while all other lofts are
available with three bounce options - Low/Standard/High.
The MSRP on the CG10 wedge is $141.00
www.clevelandgolf.com
Putter
 Golf
putters are a very personal club to any serious golfer. Golfers
of all levels live or die by their putting ability, and the choice
of a putter is as much by personal preference of style, look and
weight as it is by technology.
PING’s new Craz-E putter is a major shift for this staid
and excellent manufacturer. Unlike any of its predecessors, the
Craz-E is a futuristic looking putter to say the least. Some will
find it to be beautifully intriguing while others will find it
awkward and decidedly un-golf like in appearance – shades
of Cameron’s Futura, Bettinardi’s Big Ben and Grace’s
Amazing Grace. All the aforementioned putters are most definitely
artistically striking and each one performs exceptionally well.
Our testing staff ranked the Craz-E as having the best setup and
grip of all the aforementioned putters.
This peculiar looking putter is exceedingly easy to aim. It imparts
a quiet, beautiful roll to the ball that tracks true. Impact feel
is very soft and pace is noticeably slower than most other putters.
For very long putts that need a large, aggressive stroke, the
Craz-E truly excels and overall is an exceptional putter.
The Craz-E putter is top of the line quality (It's Ping, what'd
you expect) and comes with a good, really workable and good-looking
head cover that is very pleasing to the eye.'
All of our testers have different favorites for different reasons
but they all putted well with the Craz-E. Accuracy was been good
for everyone under all various conditions, though some needed
a bit of adjustment time to accustom themselves to this putter’s
idiosyncrasies.
The new Winn grips have a nice tackiness to them.
MSRP: $169
www.pinggolf.com
Barry Lotz, J.D., Ph.D. is the director of the Professional
Golf Teachers Association of America. He is also a member of the
Golf Writers Association of America and the California Golf Writers
Association and a Mediator for the golf industry. He is a contributing
writer to numerous national magazines. He can be reached at drlotz@cbsgolf.net |
