The latest and greatest golf equipment: A matter of wants, not needs


By STUART HALL A


ll a golfer really needs to play the game is a ball and a few clubs. The wants, though, are part of a much


broader discussion. This year’s PGA Merchandise Show in late January


served as the stage for which many of the year’s new products — along with some other popular prod- ucts — were showcased. Fair to say few golfers will be left wanting this golf season. Here is a short list of products that are worth the time to check out.


THE NAVIGATOR PUTTER TRAINING AID A long-held mantra in golf instruction is to keep the game simple. Well, the Navigator putting aid, manufac-


tured by Raleigh-based Dirty Larry Golf, can’t be any simpler. The Navigator clips onto the putter


shaft and has an arm that extends paral- lel to the shaft. The arm, which can be adjusted for any lie angle and eye position, holds a needle that is posi- tioned horizontally above the ball


and serves as a sightline from behind to in front of the golf ball. The aid helps square the putter face to the target and promotes starting the ball on line. In a video shot at a Carolinas PGA Merchandise Show,


Wake Forest golf coach Jerry Haas said of the device: “It’s very simple and it’s very lightweight, which I think is very important for a training device. In two minutes you’re already a better putter.” Cost: $49 Info: DirtyLarryGolf.com


HICKIES SHOE LACING SYSTEM Of all the apparel worn on the golf course,


Hickies may be the most innocuous item. Hickies is a unique shoe lacing system


that eliminates the need for traditional laces. The system is made of an elastomer that snaps together and provides a snug fit while adapting to the foot’s movement for stability. The system can be configured any number of ways for


degrees of tightness and support. The company got a boost in exposure when Danny


Willet wore the product en route to winning last year’s Masters. Cost: $18 Info: Hickies.com


GOLFBOARD If for no other reason than GolfBoard’s cool factor,


the skateboard-like vehicle ranks near the top of this year’s want list. GolfBoard debuted at the 2014 PGA Merchandise Show and was voted the Best New Product for Golf, which is understandable given its uniqueness and functionality.


20 TRIAD GOLF TODAY • MARCH 2017 The board is sturdy with four 4-inch wide tires,


yet long and wide enough so that the rider can stand either sideways or facing forward. A carry or


cart bag straps to a front stability bar that serves as a steering device and houses a variable speed throttle and switches for forward or reverse movement and high and low speed. It also has holders for sand seed and water bottles, and ample room to mount additional accessories. To steer, the rider just shifts weight left or right. The GolfBoard brings an


element of fun to the course. The vehicle appeals to


those who are skate, snow and surfboarders, but is also easily manageable enough to anyone after a bit of practice. At present, only two courses in North Carolina —


Magnolia Greens Golf Course in Leland and Eagle Creek Golf Club and Grill in Moyock — make the GolfBoard available as an amenity. Six South Carolina courses, including TPC Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet and True Blue Golf Club in Pawleys Island, offer the GolfBoard experience. GolfBoard makes a personal use SportBoard that is customizable with fender colors, graphics, wheels, decks and a performance package that provides speeds between 5 and 12.5 mph. The recently introduced ResortBoard was made as an off-road trail and reliable personal transporta- tion vehicle. Cost: GolfBoard, $6,500; ResortBoard, $7,950. Info: GolfBoard.com


GOLF PRIDE MCC/MCC PLUS4 GRIPS Golf grips can sometimes be like that favorite sweat-


shirt. Only until sweatshirt becomes threadbare do we think about getting a new one. Golf Pride, a division of the Southern Pines-based


Eaton Corp., now makes replacing those tattered grips more desirable. The brand’s MCC Align and MCC Plus4 Align grips now feature Align Technology, which is a raised ridge that runs along the grip’s back. The idea of a ridged posterior came through profes-


sional and consumer testing, said Jonathan Neal, global marketing manager for Golf Pride Grips. “A repeatable grip is critical for many of the world’s best players in the world, as 1 out of every 3 PGA Tour players currently use a grip with a reminder rib.” Neal added that the MCC Align and MCC Plus4 Align


grips, which will be available this spring, have a more pro- nounced rib to facilitate consistency. Cost: Standard size, $10.99 per grip; midsize, $11.49


per grip. Info: GolfPride.com


FROGGER GOLF LATCH-IT ECOSYSTEM The company has developed a line of products using


its new Catch-Latch magnetic technology. With a fastening mount attached to a cart or bag, golfers can quickly access and manage a variety of devices — brushes, smartphones, and range finders.


Cost: BrushPro Latch-It, $23; Range Finder Latch-It,


$18; Phone Latch-It, $23; Bag Latch-It, $13. Info: FroggerGolf.com


VERTICAL GROOVE GOLF DRIVER


The new Vertical Groove driver is from the why- didn’t-they-think-of-this-before category because the club- face features, well, vertical grooves. In 2002, Merit Golf actually created a similar vertical


groove driver that was either met with utter skepticism or did not produce the intended results — or a little bit of both given that the club never gained a following. So the real question is whether the Vertical Groove


driver, which conforms to USGA guidelines, works or is a well-publicized gimmick grab. The company claims that Golf Laboratories’ independent test- ing reported that length increased by nearly 10 yards and accuracy improved by 40 percent when tested against other leading drivers. Who would not want those


types of results on a consistent basis?


The difference maker is the 17


vertical grooves spaced across the clubface that reduce the amount of sidespin placed on the golf ball. Among the driver specs are a 450-cc titanium head


and lofts of 9.5, 10.5 and 12 degrees. The head also fea- tures a slightly deeper face and center of gravity that sits closer to the back than most drivers. As if the design has not made enough of a splash,


long-driving behemoth John Daly and Rocco Mediate are both playing the driver this season on the Champions Tour.


Cost: $399. Info: VertGolf.com


AGUILA GOLF VIRTUAL REALITY TRAINING AID Ever-improving launch monitors and simulators have


made playing iconic courses such as Pebble Beach and St. Andrews as simple — and realistic — as walking into the garage and hitting the “Power On” button. Now the golf technology industry is beginning to step


deeper into the virtual reality experience. One such company is Aguila Golf, which has created


an immersive mental training aid intended to improve course management decisions through visualization. All that is needed for a 360-degree golf experience is the app and a smartphone that plugs into the VR headset. Course images allow a golfer to visualize a shot —


even fades and draws —receive instant feedback on the selection and experience the result before striking the shot.


The app also tracks statistics, provides instructional


lessons and tests a golfer’s knowledge of the Rules of Golf.


Cost (app and VR headset): $349 Info: AguilaGolf.com


www.triadgolf.com


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