Indholdsfortegnelse for June 2022 i Golf Monthly

It might not have changed since it was selected for Editor’s Choice last year but its inclusion once again in 2022 is testament to the innovation found on the Q Follow electric trolley. It offers a unique user experience, both in terms of looks and how it performs, with lucky owners often commenting on the extra enjoyment and freedom it affords. The concept is simple and cleverly executed – the Q Follow will automatically follow behind you at a safe distance, matching your walking pace and leaving your hands completely free to do other things like take a drink of water or simply soak up your surroundings. It will even match your speed when going down slopes thanks to its sophisticated braking system, so there’s no need to worry about…

First introduced way back in 2006, the S1 electric trolley has long been a huge hit with golfers across the world. For 2022, Motocaddy has added its simplest-ever one-step folding system to boost user-friendliness while also upgrading the features on its entry-level model. Upgraded tech While many golfers will be familiar with the S1 moniker, there is plenty of new technology to get excited about in the latest Motocaddy S1, such as that simplest-ever assembly system, in which one latch opens and folds the entire chassis. Folded down, the S1 boasts an extremely compact footprint that makes storage in the car boot a breeze. This is bolstered by the invertible rear wheels, which actually save a surprising amount of space when you’re looking to transport or store the S1 after…

American clothing company Peter Millar, established back in 2001, has swiftly become renowned for producing high-quality, luxury golf attire that appeals to players who enjoy a touch of class. The brand doesn’t skimp on performance, either, using modern technology to enhance the playing experience. The Hyperlight Merge hybrid jacket typifies what to expect from the brand, combining both aforementioned attributes with real attention to detail. Born to perform The jacket is made from a premium fabric that offers immediate comfort and lightweight warmth. It’s wind- and water-resistant too, so while you might need to pull on a fully waterproof jacket when the heavens really open, it offers sufficient protection from the wind or a passing shower. With a four-way stretch exterior, you’ll be able to swing freely, while the double…

The trio of new Mizuno Pro irons certainly got the juices flowing earlier this year and, in our opinion, the 225 is the best of the bunch. It is the distance iron within the line-up, but it certainly doesn’t look like it’s built predominantly for speed. In fact, it’s more compact than the outgoing MP20 equivalent with a touch less offset and looks like a classic blade in the bag. Sneaky long While it looks like a blade, it is in fact a Grain Flow Forged hollow head (in the 2-to 7-irons) with a copper underlay for feel, featuring chromoly within the metal for strength and a Cortech multi thickness face for speed. There’s also 28.5g of tungsten inside to assist with forgiveness and launch. Clearly, it’s an iron packed…

The MG4x2 takes all of the best bits from the MG4+ and ramps the fashion and performance up a notch. It’s actually called the Golf Cross Trainer, which hints at the versatility on offer. A lot of golf footwear struggles to find the right balance between onand off-course use. Not many shoes fit the brief, whether through their styling or the way the outsole is manufactured. But we think that the MG4x2 gets this combination of offcourse style and on-course performance just right. Function with flair Out on the fairways, the Sawtooth bottom is one of the grippiest spikeless outsoles we’ve tried. Even in soft and wet underfoot conditions, our feet stayed in position when swinging as vigorously as we can. The eye-catching upper is both breathable and waterproof, so…

PowaKaddy doesn’t upgrade its push-trolley options all too frequently, but when it does, like this year, it certainly captures your attention. In addition to the Twinline 5 and DLX Lite there’s the Micra, which is arguably the standout model from the trio because of its compact-folding frame, super-stable ride and sheer number of features. Slimline storage Many golfers who use a push trolley are seeking simplicity, so a model that isn’t going to create a headache when it comes to getting all your gear in the car boot. Thankfully, the volume of the PowaKaddy Micra is impressively compact – perfect if you need that extra room wherever it will be stored. Despite this, it still assembles incredibly easily thanks to a clever quick-folding mechanism that involves just two steps. Once…

The Arccos system starts with the smart sensors or smart grips, but users get so much more than meets the eye. The sensors automatically track and record shots on the course using a smartphone or via Arccos Caddie Link or an Apple Watch. The system tells you how far you hit each of your clubs, but there’s also an A.I.-powered rangefinder giving real-time personalised yardages and caddie advice. This incorporates things like slope, wind speed and humidity to provide the optimum strategy on each hole. Play decisively Sounds cool, right? It is, and we’ve really enjoyed using Arccos, partly because the process of using it is so passive, but the data you get is incredibly detailed. The average new Arccos Caddie member reduces their handicap by five strokes in the…

Laser rangefinders have grown massively in popularity over the last few years, primarily because they give golfers pinpoint flag accuracy. The increased competition in the category has led to plenty of groundbreaking innovations, too, and the latest device from Shot Scope is evidence of this. Three devices in one The Shot Scope Pro LX+ is three products in one: a rangefinder, GPS and shot tracker. We’ve seen laser rangefinders with embedded GPS technology before, but this is the first time that shot tracking has been thrown into the mix as well, and perhaps it gives us an early look into the future of laser designs. The Pro LX laser and handheld H4 tracking device can be purchased separately, but combining them to form the Pro LX+ makes it one of…

Drivers ◆ Callaway Rogue ST Max ◆ Cobra King LTDx ◆ Ping G425 Max ◆ PXG 0211 ◆ TaylorMade Stealth ◆ Titleist TSi3 Fairways ◆ Callaway Rogue ST Max ◆ Ping G425 Max ◆ TaylorMade Stealth ◆ Titleist TSi2 ◆ Callaway Apex UW ◆ Cleveland Launcher XL Halo ◆ Srixon ZX U ◆ Titleist U505 Irons ◆ Callaway Rogue ST Pro ◆ Honma TW757 Vx ◆ Mizuno Pro 225 ◆ Ping i525 ◆ PXG 0311T Gen5 Black Label Elite ◆ TaylorMade Stealth ◆ Titleist T300 ◆ Wilson D9 Forged Wedges ◆ Cleveland CBX ZipCore ◆ Ping Glide 4.0 ◆ Titleist Vokey SM9 Putters ◆ Bettinardi Inovai 8 ◆ Evnroll ER11vx ◆ Odyssey Eleven ◆ PXG Battle Ready Brandon ◆ Scotty Cameron Phantom X 12 ◆ Sik DW 2.0 C-Series ◆…

The replacement for the impressive i500 iron has been long in the making, but it’s finally here and the i525 was surely a shoe-in for our Editor’s Choice awards. The players’ distance iron category is extremely competitive, but Ping’s irons always slightly favour forgiveness and consistency over out-and-out power, something we really appreciate in an iron. But the i525 is a hollow-headed iron in a slimline chassis built for both forgiveness and distance. It doesn’t look drastically different to the i500, but this is no bad thing as it continues to blend the appearance of a blade with the performance of a cavity back. Packs a punch Despite its modest size and focus on forgiveness, the i525 still has plenty of firepower, stepping on the toes somewhat of the game-improvement…

Are you a fan of links golf and links courses? No. I like to play it with friends, but not in a tournament. I feel it can be quite unfair sometimes. What’s been your best finish in the AIG Women’s Open? I was 10th at Birkdale in 2014 when I was 17 years old. How important is social golf when you’re home? I love it. I just love the banter and having a laugh on the course. How often do you play for money away from the tour? Always, whether it’s £2, £5 or £20. Which other sports were you best at as a child? I played all sports growing up and was all right at football. When did golf become your thing? When I was two! What’s been your…

New irons says Fergus Bisset Nothing has the potential to transform your golfing fortunes more than a custom-fit set of cutting-edge irons. If your objective in golf is to play to your full potential, then there can really only be one winner in this argument. Many of us will have a set of irons in the bag that we bought off the rack a number of years ago. At that time, the pro might have used a strike board and a measuring tape to guesstimate whether you’d benefit from a slightly different length, loft and lie. But it wasn’t an exact science. It is now. If you’re custom fitted for a set of irons, data from Trackman, or a similar launch monitor, will give you the precise set-up to best…

The Air-X franchise is the latest evolution of Cobra’s popular lightweight club category, designed for players with moderate swing speeds. It’s a family that builds on the success of the super-game-improver F-Max range that debuted back in 2017, and includes new drivers, fairways, irons and hybrids for both male and female golfers. The theme of being lightweight and easy to hit continues into this new range, with the drivers featuring a lighter and thinner ply carbon crown that is 30 per cent thinner than the previous generation. The head, shaft and Lamkin grip have all been made lighter, which has saved eight grams in total. As a result, the new driver weighs just 277 grams. In addition, the Air-X drivers feature heel-biased weighting and an offset-hosel design to help correct…

I’ve just got back from Augusta National and it’s fair to say I’m pretty tired! Major Championship weeks are very full on, but it was a pleasure to go to my first Masters and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. Of course, having watched it so many times I knew roughly what to expect, but it’s much better in person – there’s no blade of grass out of place. It’s also blooming hilly, which, when combined with the fact I’m not allowed inside the ropes as per other events and have to broadcast from certain areas, makes it fairly tricky for an on-course commentator! It certainly took some getting used to with regards to what you can do and say, but it was a great experience and I’m looking forward to…

The record for the lowest 18-hole score in an official PGA Tour round is 58. That score has been posted only once and it was by Jim Furyk in the final round of the 2016 Travelers Championship. For that round, the course was set up at just over 6,800 yards with a par of 70. Furyk made ten birdies and an eagle and his putt for a 57 on the final green ran just past the hole. He shot 27 on the front nine and 31 on the back. However, Furyk is not a model golfer – he has one of the most unorthodox (but most efficient) swings in golf. He clearly doesn’t need a picture-perfect golf swing to play well. Furyk plays his own way and so should you.…

Danny Willett is an ambassador for Prostate Cancer UK – the official charity of the Betfred British Masters. For Willett, being host at the iconic British Masters, an event first held 76 years ago, is a great honour. “I’m very proud to host it again,” he says. “I’m excited to showcase what The Belfry has to offer and to welcome fans to the event. It was a shame we were unable to do that last year. It’s a fabulous venue and I’m sure we’ll have a brilliant week. Not only will we be raising money for Prostate Cancer UK, but we will also be trying to raise awareness of prostate cancer. “I think that as men, when something doesn’t feel right, we don’t necessarily tell anyone about it, but you…

1 Most players would reach for their 56° or 54° wedge in this situation. However, when you’ve got a clump of grass directly behind the ball – as I do here – it’s difficult to commit to the acceleration that’s needed to get through the tuft. Your brain is telling you that it’s a finesse shot, and it’s easy to duff the ball out just a couple of feet. There are too many variables, so you’ve got to look at the simplest way of getting a club on the golf ball to move it forward. 2 One of the better options here is to use an 8- or 9-iron. To execute this shot effectively, stand as tall as possible – in more of a putting posture. By doing this, you’re…

Established in 1990 by Swedish entrepreneur Tomas Nilsson, Galvin Green has been helping golfers deal with changing weather conditions for over 30 years. The brand has set the benchmark for outerwear performance, excelling at offering high levels of playable comfort along with maximum protection from the elements. Models like the Action and Ashton Shakedry jackets have made it into previous Editor’s Choice lists and now it’s time for the Armstrong to earn this coveted accolade, too. Peak protection This jacket blends style with playable performance and versatility. The Gore-Tex Paclite stretch fabric not only makes it 100 per cent waterproof, but is also characterised by lightness, breathability and packability. The end results are that it doesn’t hinder the range of motion in the golf swing, doesn’t feel too hot to…

The Blast Golf swing analyser is a sensor that attaches to the grip of any club to gather data about your swing. Working alongside the free app, it captures an incredible amount of information about your technique and quickly feeds that data back so you can focus on the elements requiring the greatest attention. Instant feedback The breadth and depth of information that the Blast Golf swing analyser can provide is seriously impressive, including things like angle of attack, swing tempo ratios and peak hand speed. It’s a fast, data-driven way of improving your golf swing instead of aimlessly hitting golf balls at the range. Alongside all this data, there is a plethora of instructional videos and explainers, led by putting guru Brad Faxon, to guide you on how best…

Sik is the putter brand Bryson DeChambeau has used since 2017 and several other PGA Tour winners also employ its flatsticks. The standard silky silver finish looks great, but we favour the new matte black PVD finish for 2022 as it frames the ball so beautifully and makes the sightline really stand out. DW stands for ‘double wide’, as this is essentially the width of two Anser-style blade heads. The beauty of this design is that it’s a halfway house between blade and mallet, so could appeal equally to devotees of either style. It’s easy to align and delivers excellent distance control as a result of its Descending Loft Technology (DLT) face design. Ingenious face Sik’s patented face technology is very clever, comprising four planar surfaces that descend in loft…

The CT8 GPS from PowaKaddy is one of the world’s smallest touchscreen GPS electric trolleys and is proof that compact-folding options can be feature-packed, too. GPS enabled While we are now familiar with embedded GPS systems in electric trolleys, the CT8 GPS offers one of the largest touchscreen GPS displays around, despite its compact chassis size. The 3.5” screen is the largest to ever appear on a PowaKaddy trolley and it’s one of the most responsive we’ve used, too. Pleasingly, the touchscreen works well in rain and bright conditions and even when wearing a golf glove. The GPS system is powerful and provides golfers with 40,000 courses pre-loaded on to the device, while updates can be made through the seamless Bluetooth connectivity via the app. It provides accurate and quick…

A brand loved by many, Ping has waited more than two years to launch its successor to the popular Glide 3.0 wedge. So, what improvements has it made? First, it looks exceptional, particularly in the more traditional teardrop shape that is available in three of the four grind options. In addition to this, it also features the classic Ping Hydropearl chrome 2.0 finish, which adds to the style on offer while also reducing glare and working to prevent fliers from the rough. Confidence over the ball is an essential component of short-game performance, but this wedge isn’t just a looker. Unrivalled spin Perhaps most impressive is the spin on offer from the Glide 4.0. We’ve all enjoyed that new wedge experience when you feel like a tour pro with the…

If you’re looking to maximise your practice time and improve your swing quickly this season, the Dewiz Golf swing monitor is a training aid worth considering. It was developed by Swedish golf professional Markus Westerberg, who worked alongside a neuroscientist over a period of 15 years to develop the learning stimuli that are core to the product. Dewiz uses real-time biofeedback to help golfers modify their swings and implement changes quickly and effectively. It’s basically a wristband, which you wear on your lead arm, that has an internal motion sensor chip that analyses movement in three dimensions. It generates a 3D image of your swing and displays it in the excellent Dewiz app, which you pair to via Bluetooth. Swing discovery In Discovery mode, you can make swings to learn…

In our 2021 Editor’s Choice list we picked the Frequency polo, thanks to its fantastic performance and a striking design inspired by the very foundation of the Ping brand. In 2022, the company has done more of the same with the impressive 1A Putter polo shirt. Homage to heritage The most recent Ping Collection apparel is all about highlighting Ping’s heritage, and milestones don’t get much more significant than the 1A putter. To celebrate the revolutionary club, this polo has a special-edition print pattern which features clean, angular shapes, referencing the putter crafted in 1959 by Karsten Solheim. The A1 gave birth to heel-and-toe-weighted putters and announced Ping on to the world stage. In fact, this putter gave the brand its very name thanks to the high-pitched sound it made…

A good stand bag is one of the most versatile and useful items a golfer can have, and there arguably aren’t many better options than the iconic Ping Hoofer. Renowned for its Hoofer base but offering so much more, it provides a seamless experience that allows you to focus on your game. Practical design The latest version for 2022 is available in new colours, and thanks to two well-designed padded straps that sit really nicely across the back for a locked-in fit, the Hoofer is extremely easy and comfortable to carry. This is enhanced by the fact it weighs less than 2.5kg, and thanks to the thoughtful base and solid stand, it is a bag that will remain upright on slopes in all but the strongest of winds to keep…

Blue Tees Golf is a relatively new name in the industry and it has a simple strategy: to create premium products at an affordable price. This includes the S3 Max laser rangefinder, which is made in-house and sold direct to the consumer – good news for golfers in search of a premium product that’s not going to break the bank. Auto-ambient display One of its most impressive features is the crystal-clear display. What’s more, with auto-ambient display, there never comes a time when it’s difficult to get a reading. So, whether you’re out in twilight conditions or playing on an overcast morning, you’ll always be able to clock the target. The speed at which the scope works is genuinely mindblowing and the lock and vibration features assure the user the…

Under Armour has only been making golf shoes since 2016, but has already made a significant mark on the category, becoming a shoe brand trusted by golfers for comfort, traction and style. In collaboration with world-famous biomechanist, Jean-Jacques Rivet, Under Armour has been able to continually innovate with a real focus on performance. The new Hovr Drive 2 represents an accumulation of shoe-making know-how based on deep insights into the golf swing. Four dimensions The new Hovr Drive 2 addresses the specific needs of golfers by supporting the feet during the idiosyncratic movements of the golf swing. It is, after all, a highly athletic movement and we need the right equipment on our feet to facilitate it, while maintaining control and harnessing power from the ground. As such, in the…

Thomas Pieters After a brilliant start to the season, missed cuts at the Players Championship and The Masters halted the Belgian’s momentum. Will Zalatoris The American was in the top 30 at the Players and got to the quarter-finals of the WGC-Match Play. He then tied for fifth place at Augusta National. Nicolai Hojgaard A missed cut at the Corales Puntacana Championship was the fourth in a row for 21-year-old Hojgaard and the eighth in his last 11 tour starts. Shane Lowry Lowry picked up back-to-back top-15s at the Valspar and Players before finishing in a tie for third at The Masters.…

SOUND BITES “WHAT TIGER WOODS DID BLEW MY MIND. HE ABSOLUTELY BLEW MY MIND WITH THE WAY HE PLAYED GOLF”Brandel Chamblee labelled Tiger’s opening 71 at The Masters as “nothing short of a miracle”. “ONE DAY THERE WILL BE A MAN OF 60 WINNING A MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP, AND IF WE DON’T DO SOMETHING ABOUT THE BALL, IT’LL GO 500 YARDS”Gary Player has urged the governing bodies to take action to limit hitting distances. “THAT’S AS HAPPY AS I’VE EVER BEEN ON A GOLF COURSE RIGHT THERE”Safe to say Rory McIlroy enjoyed his Sunday 64 at Augusta National. “YOU CAN HIT GOOD SHOTS HERE AND NOT GET ANY REWARD FOR IT. IT’S UNFAIR AT TIMES”While the world beamed, Tyrrell Hatton was left unimpressed by the course set-up at The Masters. Golf…

Although this year’s Masters won’t go down as a classic, there were enough compelling storylines to keep most of us glued to the TV for four days. One thing I particularly enjoyed was seeing Danny Willett’s name near the top of a Major leaderboard again after his struggles with injury and form. His win in 2016 has been unfairly labelled as a bit of a fluke by some, especially in the States where their focus was more on Jordan Spieth’s meltdown, but people forget he was 12th in the world at the time and playing some fantastic golf. “After a six-year drought, who will be the next UK player to win a men’s Major?” That year was also notable for the fact we had six UK players finish in the…

few know Matthew Wolff — and his swing — better than George Gankas, who has coached him since he was just 13 years old. But while Wolff might be Gankas’ star pupil, he’s far from the only one among a long and devoted line of followers of the 50-year-old swing guru, whose rise in teaching circles has been as meteoric as it has been unorthodox. His unusual approach, board-shorts-and-flat-brim style and “bro” and “dude” greetings have certainly been met with raised brows from more traditional circles. But it’s hard to argue with success — Gankas also counts young talents Sung Kang and Johnny Ruiz among his growing legion that includes countless more on YouTube and Instagram. Here, he discusses what it’s like to coach one of the game’s most unique…

Playing ‘under pressure’ is a prominent part of the game – whether it is playing a difficult course, a competitive round with friends or a club championship – but pressure is nothing more than a product of our imagination and a self-imposed experience (Beilock, 2010). The pressure a golfer experiences is usually due to expectations they place on themselves or perceived expectations from others. We can get carried away with our imaginations, building up this pressure, and the result can be thriving and succeeding or buckling and ‘choking’. There are many factors influencing pressure, but one key element is our past experiences and the episodic memories we hold of these situations – the anxiety felt standing on that 1st tee before that terrible round resurfacing each time we find ourselves…

November 2013: Earns DP World Tour card November 2014: Ranks 83rd in his rookie season August 2015: Wins D+D Real Czech Masters September 2015: Wins KLM Open July 2016: Makes Major debut at The Open August 2016: Represents Belgium in the Olympics, finishing 4th. Wins Made in Denmark September 2016: Makes Ryder Cup debut April 2017: Finishes T4th on his Masters debut August 2017: Reaches 23rd in the world August 2018: Finishes T6th at the USPGA November 2018: Wins ISPS Handa World Cup of Golf with Thomas Detry August 2019: Wins D+D Real Czech Masters again to re-enter world’s top 100 August 2021: Drops to 131st in the world November 2021: Wins Portugal Masters January 2022: Wins Rolex Series Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and re-enters world’s top 50…

OFFICIAL DATA PARTNER We’re often told golf is now a power game all about distance. There is much truth in that, with tour pros hitting it miles and being less concerned about accuracy than they once were. But Brandel Chamblee recently cited how Daniel Berger had changed his game to focus more on driving accuracy. In 2014/15, Berger ranked 18th for distance at 302 yards and 104th for accuracy; now he’s 164th for distance at 290 yards but 14th for accuracy. He was successful in 2014/15, but also missed the cut in 14 out of 31 events. Now, he rarely misses a weekend and has made $4+ million the last two seasons and taken up residence in the world’s top 20. At club level, distance and recovery skills fall significantly…

Obviously it depends on the lie and pin position. However, my experience of teaching better players is that they like to get the ball rolling on the green as soon as possible. Take a few different clubs to your chipping green, not just your sand wedge, and mark out some landing zones, as I’ve done here with a few alignment sticks. Switch between clubs and observe how far the ball rolls out from each zone. This will get you thinking about where to land the ball and how much roll you need.…

There is a sleek, exposed beauty to the Montgomerie course here that is hypnotic. You see so much of it as the resort’s driveway glides between holes. Long before you reach the vast 1739 Palladian-style mansion that is now Carton House’s five-star luxury hotel, you will brush alongside the charming River Rye, with the imposing par-5 18th bounding along between you and the water. The famous boathouse built for Queen Victoria lies beyond. It’s quite the arrival… and the golf course is quite the occasion. It requires your very best because this unique beast has been designed to look and play like a links. There are two 18-hole courses. The O’Meara is a classy, modern, tree-drenched parkland but the Montgomerie is open, rolling, rhythmic, and rarely forgiving. It wouldn’t be…

Mike Plant Eaton Golf Club (Norwich) What special features is the course at Eaton blessed with? It’s a mature parkland course dating back to 1910 and was designed by five-time Open Champion J.H. Taylor. It is close to the centre of Norwich and proves that Norfolk is not all flat! It may not be long, but it’s a great test of golf for all handicaps. A plus for me is that there have been no major changes to the course, simply constant improvements as it’s developed by our excellent greens staff. There are several golf clubs around Norwich. Why do you feel Eaton is the right one for you? Having moved back to Norfolk, I wanted to be part of a friendly, welcoming and traditional golf club, rather than a…

I don’t know about you but I’m a sucker for a quick swing fix. For us golfers this is a kind of reflex action and, as such, both nonnegotiable and obligatory. The crazy thing is there doesn’t even have to be something wrong with our swing – other than the things that are almost always wrong but which we accept as part of the price we eternally pay for being seduced by the old game. Those of us who take a stiff drink before writing stuff for this magazine know also that we are never, ever the first thing you, dear reader, look at when opening the latest edition of GM. No, admit it, it’s the instruction pages. High handicap, low handicap or no handicap, it doesn’t matter. The Holy…

We’ve long been fans of Evnroll putters on account of some excellent head designs coupled with the brand’s patented ‘SweetFace’ technology. This unique face milling is engineered to deliver uniform performance across the entire hitting area to increase accuracy and dramatically reduce dispersion. Last year’s ER11v was already a very high-MOI, full-size mallet but the new ER11vx, with its redesigned side sections, appears to have taken stability and forgiveness up another notch. Built for stability A putter has to look good to your eye over the ball, of course, and for us, the combination of silver and black with a very clear – and indeed, exceptionally wide – single white sightline is great to look down on. The high MOI and added stability are primarily down to how and where…

For those looking for a handcrafted golf shoe that offers both fashion-led design and golf swing performance, it’s hard to look past the work of Duca Del Cosma. The brand relies on the finest Italian materials and elite craftsmanship, with the Churchill one of its very best shoes to date. Premium materials As with any Duca Del Cosma shoe, only the best materials are used and the Churchill is no exception. The Italian Nappa leather used in the uppers creates a classic silhouette that makes it one of the most traditional and sophisticated golf shoe designs of the year. Despite the use of premium materials, the brand has made sure to embrace sustainable practices, with recycled cork and recyclable microfibres used throughout the midsole section. Elegant performance With premium materials…

As used by none other than Tiger Woods, Full Swing’s Kit is a launch monitor that uses Doppler radar to analyse your shots. It produces 16 different data points to help you understand and improve your game. It’s extremely straightforward to use. Having downloaded the app, you set the device a little way behind the ball and swing away. The unit will send data straight to your smartphone. In a growing market, this Kit launch monitor is an impressive performer. The Doppler effect The unit will give you a great deal of info to analyse – ball speed, clubhead speed, launch angle, spin rate, carry distance and more. It’s very accurate for a radar unit and we were impressed with the consistency of the data. You can customise each range…

Blessed with unique and highly distinctive styling, the Kaddey Switch combines European design flair with practicality to create one of the most user-friendly push/pull trolleys on the market. Permanently on the bag What is it that makes the Kaddey Switch unique? Well, it is designed to be permanently attached to any golf bag, and that means not just on the course but also in the car boot or when stored away at home. As a result, it takes very little time to assemble and takes up minimal space in your car boot or home storage area. It’s ingeniously compact and barely adds to the overall size of your cart bag. Going from car boot to fully assembled trolley takes seconds and the detachable wheels come in a convenient carry bag…

A warm welcome once again to Golf Monthly’s Editor’s Choice, the most competitive and exciting edition yet. Just like every year, there are only 100 places available, but when compiling the shortlist it seemed we could have filled these slots three times over! Despite challenges over raw materials, shipping costs, factory closures and Covid restrictions, the innovation on show across all the categories is as inventive as it has ever been. This helps golfers to assess and improve their weaknesses, provides solutions to niggling problems and ultimately allows participants of all skill levels to enjoy the game more. As we enter a cost-of-living crisis, the disposable income we have to splash out on luxuries like a new driver or GPS watch may well be less. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t…

It may not be new for 2022, but the Ping G425 Max continues to set the benchmark for forgiveness and accuracy, even amid waves of new models hitting the market. They are, after all, two of the most sought-after attributes golfers are looking for, so to overlook this driver for Editor’s Choice in 2022 would have been unforgivable. Sky-high forgiveness The off-centre stability comes courtesy of a movable 26-gram tungsten weight in the back of the driver, which pushes the total MOI over the 10,000 mark. It also allows golfers to choose a Neutral, Draw or Fade setting to control shot shape or align more mass behind their typical strike pattern. The look at address inspires maximum confidence and the powerful sound at impact projects to the adjacent fairway and…

Simple yet incredibly effective, PuttOut launched this upgraded ‘premium’ version of its popular training aid last year. There is an awful lot to like about it. The physics remain the same with the scientifically shaped parabolic ramp, but it has been tweaked to add numerous improvements to what was already a great product. Watch the pros on the TV and they’re usually hitting the back of the hole, while many of us are dribbling the ball into the front (or short of it) in our weekend knocks. The perfect putt The ramp’s clever design means that each ‘made’ putt is returned to the same distance it would have gone past the hole had it missed. If you make a ‘perfect’ putt (perfect line with a pace that would take it…

The Golf Pride CPX (Comfort Performance Extreme) becomes the market leader’s softest performance grip yet. The new tech behind this includes the company’s first ever raised Exo diamond-quilted pattern. This soft and tacky material features a 45-degree pattern that has been inspired by the grips on BMX bikes. The elevation in design maximises your contact area with the club. This is complemented by Golf Pride’s Control Core technology, which is located at the top of the grip where the greatest amount of swing pressure is received. You get the best of both worlds here – maximum softness and maximum control. No sign of slipping On very first inspection, they seemed almost too soft and like they were still settling in. But, once you start hitting a few, you’ll love them.…

The G425 Max is the best allrounder in the G425 fairway family, which also includes LST and SFT models. With solid forgiveness across the face and high ball speeds easily achieved, it makes daunting shots seem a lot simpler to execute. The G425 Max is made with a one-piece face, rather than the steel-face insert used in the older G410 models, and this has increased ball speeds across the face while maintaining forgiveness. We especially noticed this on low-face strikes, a common occurrence when hitting off the deck, leading to consistently long carries and what felt like effortless launch. Impressive versatility The simple, clean three-dot system is great for lining up the ball in the centre of the face and definitely helps with consistency of ball-striking. Eight settings on the…

It’s a question that garners more attention with each passing year: should there be a women’s Masters? And to make it clear, we mean at Augusta National, despite some of the 1,117 voters’ attempts to stress that the Chevron Championship acts as the female equivalent. Unlike some other sports, the calendars for golf’s male and female Majors aren’t in sync, nor are they held at the same venue. With the recent efforts Augusta National has made to ditch some of its outdated traditions, there are calls for that to extend to a women’s Major on the famous layout – and 62 per cent of you agree. After all, the iconic course now plays host to some of the game’s brightest amateurs at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur (ANWA) the week…

GEAR NEWS ROUND-UP Jennifer Kupcho won the Chevron Championship with a full bag of Ping clubs, including the G425 LST driver, i210 irons and Glide 3.0 wedges. Ewen Ferguson prevailed at the Qatar Masters using a Titleist TSi3 driver and fairway, Cobra LTDx LS 5-wood and Cobra King Tour MIM irons. J.J. Spaun won the Valero Texas Open with a Ping G425 LST driver, TaylorMade SIM fairway, Srixon ZX7 irons and a Z-Star Diamond ball. Scottie Scheffler triumphed at the WGC-Match Play having switched out his trusty Nike VR Pro Limited 3-wood for a TaylorMade Stealth. Tiger Woods’ Tiger Slam-winning Titleist irons (2-PW) and ‘Tiger’ stamped wedges from 2000-01 sold for $5.156m at auction.…

New Scotty Cameron putters tend not to slip under the radar – the premium finish and iconic details have a way of attracting attention. It’s no different with the latest tour-inspired designs for 2022. Building upon the success of Phantom X mallets on the PGA Tour, the expert craftsman has introduced the next evolution of the Phantom X family, bringing the most in-demand shapes from the pro game to golfers everywhere. The 2022 Phantom X mallet putter line-up features entirely new head shapes, as well as updates to popular models. Each putter is made of a combination of steel and aluminium, with nine of the ten models engineered specifically with solid, precision-milled 303 stainless steel faces and bodies fused with 6061 aircraft grade aluminium sole and flange components. Only the…

YOUR BEST BEGINS HERE. TITLEIS T PRO V1 & PRO V1 x. TITLEIST. THE #1 BALL AT THE MASTERS® Let’s face it, there were two Masters competitions being played at Augusta this year. There was the ‘old’ Masters that was up for grabs by anyone – apart from the roughly 40 golfers who didn’t stand an earthly, a posse made up of ageing, returning champions, amateurs and first-timers – and then there was the Tiger Masters. Which one grabbed more interest from the fans at Augusta or the millions glued to TVs around the world? Yes, that’s right, it was him again. As Woods limped painfully towards the Butler Cabin after his final round, CBS TV chose to relay this trudge live rather than show us Scottie Scheffler and Cameron…

A pre-shot routine is a consistent and systematic procedure (a sequence of thoughts, checkpoints, movements or details) that is executed by a golfer prior to hitting a shot. The pre-shot routine is one of the most acknowledged but under-used techniques in golf, especially by amateur golfers. Many players start their round with the best intentions, but, on average, by hole 12 the routine is discarded. One of the main reasons people struggle is time – they worry they will take too long doing a routine and feel that other players will think they are holding them up. The foolproof pre-shot routine below addresses both these issues. There are four stages to a pre-shot routine: ■ Stop and think; ■ Prepare and rehearse; ■ Execute the shot; ■ Evaluate the shot.…

In the first week of May, Danny Willett will once again host the Betfred British Masters at The Belfry. To the author at least, it seems like only yesterday that a bouncy, fresh-faced 19-year-old Willett was playing in the Walker Cup at Royal County Down alongside Rory McIlroy, among others, against a team including Dustin Johnson, Rickie Fowler, Billy Horschel and Webb Simpson. But that was 15 years ago, and Willett is now an older, not-quite-yet elder statesman of European golf – a Major Champion, a multiple winner and an ambassador for the sport and charity (see box over the page). Host to the British Masters is an impressive line on a CV most professional golfers would be very envious of. It’s six years since Willett added bullet point 1…

1 Good posture at address is vital. Bend first through your pelvis until the club naturally settles on the ground, before then ‘softening’ your knees a touch. How far you stand from the ball should be determined by this. With a driver, for example, the butt of the grip should sit about a hand-and-a-half’s width from your thigh (main photo). Any further and you’re too far away (below); any closer and you’re too near. It’s largely dictated by posture. 2 Your shoulders should primarily tilt naturally rather than consciously because the right hand sits below the left on the grip, so your right shoulder should also naturally sit lower than the left. However, I do find that if you then just drop your right shoulder a little bit more at…

GM verdict The look of the Glide 4.0 has greatly improved over Glide 3.0 and the variation in size across the sole options will certainly appeal to a wide spectrum of abilities. On nipping a few chips away, our first impression was that the ball stayed on the face for a little longer than on Glide 3.0, which meant it felt softer. But if you’re used to a muscleback design, it will still feel firmer by comparison. It improved over time and it was certainly stable and responsive, but it also sounded a little more clicky than other forged wedges we’ve tested. That aside, it was the control and versatility of the range that really stood out. Of the four soles, the standard option offers light relief for golfers with…

Odyssey Eleven £329 Loft: 3° Scotty Cameron Phantom X 9 £409 Loft: 3.5° Looks 9 ~ 8 Feel/sound The larger profile will likely inspire more confidence over the ball and there are multiple full-length sightline options available, including no line, a single line or Triple Track, which broadens the appeal. It’s function over form, but appealing nonetheless. A more compact mallet, with a thick white sightline that stands out well from the black section surrounding it for easy alignment, although some would want the sightline to extend all the way to the leading edge. 8 ~ 9 Forgiveness Still feels just as solid off the face as the X 9, but with the gentler sound from the White Hot insert contributing to a softer feel. The two grip options were…

In partnership with Shot on location at West Hill Golf Club The new TaylorMade Stealth range has certainly captured the imagination of golfers looking to upgrade their driver in 2022, while also winning over a hefty number of leading tour players. With an all-new larger clubface made up of 60 layers of lightweight carbon fibre, golfers can expect to experience a better energy transfer through impact for more ball speed and distance. The weight savings are also said to improve the levels of forgiveness. The Stealth range features three heads – the standard Stealth, the low-spinning Stealth Plus and the draw-biased Stealth HD, which is available in black or a women’s silver option. This extensive range should cater for golfers right across the handicap spectrum, but to test this theory…

ASK THE EXPERTS What most influences how your golfing diary shapes up every year? Alan Higgins, Dewsbury All sorts of factors. First, we get emails from readers or golf clubs inviting us to visit, and I’m always keen to do so when people adopt such a proactive approach. You might be surprised how few do! Then, if I know I’m going to be in a certain part of the country some distance from home, I’ll look to take advantage by extending the trip to play a few more courses nearby. Other courses then come on to my radar for all sorts of reasons – perhaps a Tweet with a great photo or news of course improvements. There are also visits to Top 100 and Next 100 courses in my role…