TG Magazine Digital Sampler | Issue 256

TG COVER 256 LM.indd 1 2/4/09 10:33:57

DISPERSION: 4.5 LOOKS: 2.8 FEEL: 3.3 NOISE: 3.3 GRIP: 4.5 DISTANCE: 4.5

RATING: HHHH

36 TodaysGolfer.co.uk Issue 256

PRODUCT

Leave your own gear reviews @ www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/gear

This got some strange looks from the test team – Chris wasn’t a fan at all – but all four guys loved the performance. Jon gave it full marks in every department apart from looks and also sent one out to 247 yards – one of his longest. If you like a driver to make a definitive thud at impact, this is your baby. Oh, and it comes in a Draw version too – perfect for slicers everywhere!

Callaway Diablo £229

Lofts: 8°, 9°, 10°, 11°, 13° Contact: 0800 096 4591, www.callawaygolf.com

This was unlucky to miss out on a Silver award. For this is the largest Launcher face ever – it’s 21% bigger in fact. The CG is lowered by a weight pad at the back of the sole, and our boys were impressed. George loved the traditional look and found some impressive stats in dispersion. Plus, you can probably pick this up for less than 200 notes – great value for a top club.

ClevelanD launCher £219

Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12° Contact: 01420 541709, www.clevelandgolf.com

TG test watchers might think we don’t necessarily rate Bobby Jones gear. Well, the Workshop Edition went down a storm. It’s a very curvy driver, but if you can get past the rounded look, you’re on to a winner. Jon felt the curves actually aided confidence at address, while George felt the club was powerful and solid. The only gripe? £299 for a driver that remains a smaller brand.

bobby Jones workshop eDition £299

Lofts: 9°, 10.5°, 12° Contact: 0845 456 5120, www.bobbyjoneseurope.com

DISPERSION: 5.0LOOKS: 3.4 FEEL: 4.0 NOISE: 3.5 GRIP: 3.6 DISTANCE: 3.5

RATING: HHHH


RATING: HHHH

A classic example of where a more expensive club in a range doesn’t always do better than its more frugal brother. Our team of testers felt it was just a more solid all-round club than the PS40, and felt it was more forgiving. Orka say it’s confidence-inspiring at address, and we back that up. A very respectable showing from a quality brand.

orka Cup FaCe £129

Lofts: 10°, 12°, 14° Contact: 0845 862 0061, www.orkagolf.com

GREA

T

VALU

EToday’s


RATING: HHH

027-43 The Test DriversDLLM.indd 35 7/4/09 10:56:52

DRIVER TEST

Issue 256 TodaysGolfer.co.uk 37

According to Srixon, the WR benefits from a new 'power face' which enlarges the sweetspot and increases distance. The club also features two tungsten nickel weights which lower the spin and increase launch angle. Roy loved it, giving it a five in every category. Chris liked the compact head but George struggled for distance. But Jon’s approval underlined a strong showing.

Srixon Wr £189

Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5° Contact: 01420 541709, www.srixon.co.uk

SILVE

R

AWAR

DToday’s

Roy, Jon and Chris all got good distance out of the club, with Roy also fan of the PVD finish. Chris and George weren’t convinced by the looks, George commenting on the “garish yellow shaft”, but both enjoyed the performance. Chris was astonished to learn this was a £100 club and was impressed with his stats, especially a good and tight dispersion zone.

Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Contact: 02894 460333, www.mdgolf.co.uk

SILVE

R

AWAR

DToday’s

DYMO stands for Dynamic Moment of Inertia. Weight of the rear powerbow increases as the loft increases – this moves the CG back to increase launch angle. The most interesting stat of the day came from Chris – he was powering them out to 312 yards, but his dispersion for the balls he hit was less than a yard. This club is seriously forgiving and pretty long too.

nike SQ Dymo £250

Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 11.5°, 13° Contact: 0800 056 1640, www.nikegolferuope.com

SILVE

R

AWAR

DToday’s

Styled on a Lamborghini, this club features x-shaped HyperBolic Face Technology designed to help the ball spring from across the face. Our team weren’t put off by the space-age looks, and performance-wise the FTiQ excelled. Chris loved the solid feel while Roy noted impressive distance. £379 might be a hefty wedge, but this has the X-factor in more ways than one.

CallaWay FTiQ £379

Lofts: 9°, 10°, 11°, 13° Contact: 0800 096 4591, www.callawaygolf.com

SILVE

R

AWAR

DToday’s


RATING: HHHH


RATING: HHHH


RATING: HHHH


RATING: HHHH

GREA

T

VALU

EToday’smD SuperSTrong Ti £99


The MX700’s sweetspot is expanded by

aligning the titanium grain

vertically on the clubface.

GOLD

AWARDToday’s

Bigger and

sweeter

Our testers agreed this could

be the driver that puts Mizuno

on the map for drivers.

The sleek headshape aids

an easy but penetrating shot

shape.

Out to launch


DRIVER TESTPRODUCT

New Mizuno MX-700 hybrids reviewed @ www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/gear

izuno are well known to TG readers for making great irons. But while their grain-flow

forged offerings have become industry standard-setters, the woods department has not seen the same kind of broad approval.

Happily, this is where the MX700 steps up. Replacing the MX560, the latest offering features a plasma-welded face which helps increase ball speeds off all parts of the face. This is thanks to what they are calling Ti9, based on the face that metal, like wood, has a grain which can be orientated either to boost strength or limit it. The grain in the titanium face of the MX700 runs vertically from sole to crown, a design that expands the driver’s sweetspot.

Clubhead weighting is designed to help the golfer achieve penetrating drives. The wide geometry of the head means a low CG and big sweetspot – leading to impressive launches and low spinning tee shots.

Looks-wise, our team found themselves split – George thought it was an absolute 'Bobby Dazzler', but Roy wasn’t so keen on the graphics on the top of the club.

But where all of our crew were in agreement was in the performance of the MX700 – it was stunning. Long, booming drives were very much the order of the day, with dispersion figures also favourable.

This is the best Mizuno driver we’ve seen for a while, in our opinion... and the fact that you can get hold of it for less than 200 beer vouchers only serves to add to what is a fantastic package.

Grain-aligned titanium face boosts forgiveness and power

Lofts: 9.5°, 10.5°, 12° Contact 0118 9362 147, golf.mizunoeurope.com

LOOKS 4.1

NOISE 4.8

FEEL 4.8

GRIP 4.5

DISPERSION 4.0

TGRATING HHHH

DISTANCE 4.0

Mizuno MX700 £199

M

Head curves weren’t to

everyone‘s taste; performance was.

Graphic design

Not just great irons


Named after a rocket; and

thanks to the head design, our

testers saw the ball fly like one.

Packing a punch

All-round excellence saw

our testers nominate the

Rapture V2 as the best on test.

Our testers found the

Rapture V2 one of the

consistently longest on test.

Stylish yard-eater

It makes a loud, inoffensive noise and has a subtle

alignment aid on the crown.

Sound and

vision

Toeview


DRIVER TESTPRODUCT

Discover the Ping Rapture V2 Hybrid @ www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/gear

f you aren’t totally sold on the G10, for whatever reason, then those nice people at Ping have

come up with a rather splendid alternative for you – the Rapture V2, a terrific driver and a significant improvement on the previous Rapture model.

For the techies, the crescent-shape tungsten weight pads at the back of the titanium head move the CG lower and deeper which helps to optimise launch off the face, and the perimeter weighting means this is fantastically forgiving.

Launched last September, the club also features a taller face of variable thickness, designed to increase ball speeds from a bigger face area.

But then lots of them do something similar: what set this aside as our best on test? Well, for one it looks like a proper driver! This is a club that somehow manages to look futuristic and traditional at the same time. It’s not fancy, it’s not even that flash, but it is awesome at address and equally impressive at impact.

George had this just behind the MX700 in his own reckoning, with Jon and Roy rating it as top-notch. Roy loved the subtle lime green alignment aid and also achieved impressive distance. In fact, this was our longest on test across our four testers.

The noise at contact is quite something and although not totally conventional in the opinions of our testers, they liked it.

Yet another great club from a brilliant club manufacturer!

Superb feel and performance from this no-frills driver

Lofts: 9°, 10°, 12°, 13.5° Contact 01427 619224, www.pingeurope.com

LOOKS 4.0

NOISE 4.8

FEEL 5.0

GRIP 4.3

DISPERSION 4.0

TGRATING HHHH

DISTANCE 5.0

PING RaPtuRe V2 £310

I

GOLD

AWARDToday’s

BEST ON

TEST

Today’s


Today’s drivers are bursting with space-age, shot-saving features – but the techno-speak used to describe them leaves most of us baffled. TG strips away the marketing blurb to demystify six key areas

TRUTH BEHIND TECHNO-BABBLE

Triangular heads give a higher MOI than traditional ones.

Hosel adjustable drivers change angle, loft and lie.

Alter the location of the C oG to af fect ball f light.

by DUNCAN LENNARD ILLUSTRATION by GRAHAM GACHES

050-53 Driver Tech LM.indd 27 7/4/09 14:22:57

050-53 Driver Tech LM.indd 28 7/4/09 14:23:14

defend putts LM.PDP.indd 2 6/4/09 14:39:06

FAULT FIXER


A NEED FOR SPEED There are two types of putter on Tour - aggressive and non-aggressive. Aggressive putters are players who, regardless of the length of the putt, will roll the putt with such pace that if it misses it will finish two to four foot past the cup. A non-aggressive putter will roll the putt

anywhere from a foot short to a foot-and-a-half past the pin. There’s an upside and a downside to both types of putting. Statistically, aggressive putters make more putts because every putt travels with enough pace to reach the hole and have a chance of going in. The downside is they

three-putt more as they don’t make every three or four-footer coming back. Non-aggressive putters very rarely three-putt, but they do often hit good putts that come up just short of the hole on line.

Either method works, you just have to ensure the putterhead keeps accelerating...

Positive putters have the advantage of

going for every putt. But whether you attack or lag, you

must always make your throughswing at

least as long as your backswing and

remember to keep the putter accelerating.

For more FREE video putting tips visit www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/putting

FIX!

In association with

defend putts LM.PDP.indd 3 6/4/09 14:39:17

visit www.americangolf.co.uk for details

store locations...Aberdeen, Addlestone, Belfast, Biggleswade, Birmingham Great Barr, Birmingham Merryhill, Bolton, Bournemouth,

Braintree, Brighton, Bristol, Camberley, Cambridge, Cardiff, Cheltenham, Chester, Chigwell, Coventry, Crewe,

Dublin, Edinburgh Braid Hills, Edinburgh Corstorphine, Glasgow Giffnock, Glasgow Bearsden, Hull, Inverness, Ipswich, Irvine,

Kettering, Kingston, Leeds Moortown, Leeds Menston, Leicester, Lincoln, Liverpool, London Finchley, London Northwick Park,

Maidenhead Bird Hills Golf Club, Maidstone, Manchester Trafford, Middlesbrough, Middleton, Milton Keynes, Newbury,

Newcastle, Northampton, Norwich, Nottingham, Plymouth, Preston, Purley, Romford, Sale, Sheffield Meadowhall,

Slough, Solihull, Southampton, Stirling, Stockport, Stoke-on-trent, Sunbury, Sunderland, Swansea, Telford, Thurrock,

Tonbridge Hilden Park, Wakefield, Warrington Drivetime, Watford, York.

0845 05 05 115www.americangolf.co.uk

71 stores nationwide

Stock may vary by store and is subject to availability. Please call to check.Custom fitting appointments must be prebooked. Published March 2009. E&OE.

CALL NOW to book your session!

Try instore today! FREE custom fitting on all clubs

It Here GetFirst

R9 Driver

New

Collection

NewTiger Woods Collection

New

SQ Dymo Str8 Fit Driver

New

Clothing

Rescue TP - Interchangable shaft

NewBurner 09 Irons

New

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AG TG get it here Half Page 2:Layout 1 26/03/2009 12:48 Page 1

078-81 FF Golf doctorDLLM.CDP.indd 2 6/4/09 17:45:04

078-81 FF Golf doctorDLLM.CDP.indd 3 6/4/09 17:45:49

084-5 Subs.CV.indd 1 7/4/09 12:52:13

TG COVER 256 LM.indd 1 2/4/09 10:33:57

084-5 Subs.CV.indd 2 6/4/09 21:48:44

More great-looking apparel @ www.todaysgolfer.co.uk/accessories

120 TodaySGolfer.Co.UK Issue 256

HAT TIMELook the part on and off the course with these accessories... from chic watches to funky visors

SHOWCASEWHAT TO WEAR

IDEAL

FOR YOUR

WRIST...

AND YOUR

HEAD!

Canteen TW8 By TW STEEL

£369.00 01428 656822 www.twsteeluk.com

Diver TW72 By TW Steel

£46001428 656822 www.twsteeluk.com

Diver TW72 By TW Steel

£36501428 656822 www.twsteeluk.com

Sport By Hilfiger

£99www.tommyhilfiger.co.uk

Sport By Hilfiger

£99www.tommyhilfiger.co.uk

Canteen TW6 By TW STEEL

£310.00 01428 656822 www.twsteeluk.com

HB-197 Chronograph

£295.00 01428 664700 www.bosswatches.co.uk

HB-136 Chronograph

£375 01428 664700 www.bosswatches.co.uk

HB-180 Chronograph

£299.00 01428 664700 www.bosswatches.co.uk

hats LM.CDP.indd 150 7/4/09 12:48:53

TaylorMade Split ‘09 Adjustable £13.99 Available in: white/navy (shown), white/tan, black and red www.taylormadegolf.eu

Tour VisorBlack, White, Yellow £9 www.cobragolf.co.uk

Nike Dri Fit Structured Blank Cap £9Nike Dri Fit Swoosh Visor £9www.nikegolfeurope.com

Fashion Ball Marker Adjustable £13 Yellow/Black, Red/Navy, Ivory/Navy, Purple/White, Slate/Black, Pink/Black www.titleist.co.uk

hats LM.CDP.indd 151 7/4/09 12:49:14

128 TodaysGolfer.c0.uk Issue 256

Most golfers take an age to respond to the ‘what’s your favourite golf hole’ query. But Bob Taylor is an

exception. The Leicester-based golf veteran will answer in a heartbeat: the par-3 16th at Hunstanton. And with very good reason.

Back in 1974, Bob represented Scraptoft GC in the Eastern Counties Men’s Foursomes at ‘Sunny Hunny’ and pulled off an incredible feat – he holed out at the 189-yarder... three days running!

The fun and games (35 years ago) started when Bob’s sweetly-struck 1-iron (remember the days when we used to carry one of those in our bags... and use them?!) found the cup during a very windy practice round.

Thankfully the gusts had dropped for the start of the competition the following day and this time Bob pulled a 6-iron out of his bag. Different club, same devastating result. Ace number two.

As Bob confidently strolled onto the elevated 16th tee in the 2nd round 24 hours later a friend, understandably equally confident, bet him one million golf balls that he couldn’t complete the hat-trick of hat-tricks. The fool.

Bob, again with his trusty 6-iron in his hands, only went and made it three in a row and the small gallery - his betting friend in particular - could scarcely believe their eyes!

His tee shot plopped onto the green before ever-so-slowly making its way towards the cup and dropping below the ground and beyond sight.

Bob was about to become a rich man - well, in terms of golf balls anyway. But, he soon put his friend out of his misery by waiving the weighty balls debt, agreeing

HUNSTANTON

A classic East Anglian links which has seen it all, including arguably the most astonishing golfing feat... EVER!by kevIn brownphotography bob atkIns

➤

A SEASIDE TREAT!

COURSES

128-133 Courses main LM.CDP.indd 150 6/4/09 19:28:21


NORTH SOUTH EAST WEST

Opening salvoThe menacing bunker

on the 1st can ruin a round very early.

128-133 Courses main LM.CDP.indd 151 6/4/09 19:28:40

142-143 2-4-1 spotlight LM.CDP.indd 150 6/4/09 19:35:38

142-143 2-4-1 spotlight LM.CDP.indd 151 7/4/09 12:06:07

TG Magazine Digital Sampler | Issue 256

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