Bringing the knowledge of a golfing Yoda and statistical insight of a course trained Robocop. You may be mistaken for thinking this is something from a science fiction convention. In reality the ‘Game Golf’ is the latest cutting edge creation from the IT golf geniuses striving to improve your game.

Having waited excitedly for its arrival, we were desperate to test this ground breaking device. Did it live up to our expectations, let’s have a look…

Features

Initial reports that the ‘Game Golf’ would offer detailed and comprehensive descriptions of each shot were accurate. It has the ability to map an entire round, measuring distances, landing spots and golf ball flights.

It brings an interactive element to your game and expands the involvement further than your playing partners.

It can also correlate information and express it in a format that makes sense to all players.

The Actual Device – How does it work?

The device is connected to a belt or pocket and activated each shot via a simple tap of the grip. The club is fixed with a small tag (each package complete with 18) that registers with the system and identifies the relevant information before the shot takes place. This is repeated before each and every swing.

We found it easy to setup and simple to operate although forgetting to log a club before swinging did throw the system off. 

After the round the data is logged via USB to a computer and optionally, uploaded to the world of twitter, facebook and other means of social media. It therefore serves two platforms; improving your game and sharing it globally.

It was a pleasant surprise to find the operating of the system straightforward and even useable for technophobes.

Connection

The device generally gets a signal anywhere and can carefully decode your round. The Golf GPS is pretty accurate. Like most forms of communicative technology, its ability does rest in the hands of third party satellite.

Its major selling point is the ability to produce analysis in forms of graphs, simple stats and course mapping. It does offer valuable insight in seconds which can really offer a productive improvement to your course management.

Costs

It actually hits the shelves at a price of £159.99 which is extremely reasonable given the technology involved. There are no hidden extras and it comes with a warranty and money back guarantee.

It is only available from selected sellers which includes Foremost Golf, one of the UK’s leading golf suppliers.

Overall

The developers of the Game Golf system are certainly onto something. It will seriously aid your ability in understanding your game.

For social media lovers, it brings some fun to the party.

We would certainly recommend the abilities of the ‘Golf Game’ and its easy use features.

Become the fountain of statistical knowledge in seconds and put Yoda to shame…

Take two headcovers and create a corridor as shown below. The only way for the club to miss the headcovers is for you to swing on a more neutral, in-to-out path. Having this clear reference in front of you is a good way to visualise what a good path should be. Of course, this is easier said than done and if you are struggling with your game and are looking for guidance please see your local Foremost Golf professional. 

There are few things more demoralising in golf than hitting your iron shots left and your woods shots with a slice that finish in trouble on the right. The question is; how can you hit two completely different shots from seemingly the same swing?

The Link 

The good news is that the pull and slice are very closely linked and I am going to show you why here. Let's presume you have taken a solid address position and are nicely aligned. You reach the top of the swing and then your right shoulder initiates the downswing. This causes the club to work from outside to inside the ball-to-target line through impact. As the club cuts across the ball you'll hit one of three shots.

If the clubface is square to the swing path, you'll hit a pull. If the clubface is fractionally open to the swing path you'll hit a fade. Finally, if the face is pointing at or close to the target, a big slice will drift further and further right. The reason that your irons will often go left and your driver slices out to the right is because the extra loft on the iron will deliver more backspin and less side spin.

Slices and pulls are closely linked but understanding exactly where the problem is stemming from is the tricky part. Contact your Foremost Golf Professional who can assist you with this further. 

Understanding Your Golf Ball: The facts, fiction and the importance of playing the right model…

There has never been so much emphasis on dimples, cores and texture.

It is bordering on obscene the amount of technologies that can exist in a tiny golf ball. It seems only a matter of time until Taylormade unveil their GPS Golf Ball making wayward striking a thing of the past. But as standards sore and knowledge increases keeping up to date with your chosen brand becomes even more important to shooting lower.

With promotional advertising in overdrive it can be difficult to push past the jargon and find out exactly what each ball offers. In truth the only way to be sure is trial and error but understanding the basic principles can cut short you search.

Control

There are fundamentally two forms of golf ball; hard compound and soft. The soft design is exactly that, offering additional spin generation and control making it perfect for getting close to pins. They are most commonly used by long hitters that can afford the negative loss of distance from such a soft inner core.

Srixon Z Star balls are battle tested spin balls designed to bring incredible control to skilled players. They are most effective with short irons and wedges and coated with the brands famous ‘spin skin’. The Z star design carried Graeme McDowell to a major success in 2012.

The Top Flite Gamer Soft ball is a surprisingly complete option. They are one of the least expensive three piece balls on the market but offer great performance.

The Callaway Supersoft Golf Ball is another exclusive spin ball offering extreme control bringing pins into range for players with an experienced touch around the greens. It is the softest two piece ball in the world with a compression score of zero.

So what makes this spin happen? The inner core of the balls are highly compressed and feature super soft energetic surround. The exterior is designed with various soft shells and dimple technologies (varying per manufacturer). The ball unifies the various parts to form a soft controlled package.

On impact the ball immediately generates active spin taking effect on landing and allowing instant control on a perfect strike.

Distance

The second form of ball is harder and manufactured to generate distance and power. It has a harder exterior shell and an elastic core designed to accelerate on impact. Due to their tougher exterior they do not generally offer the same level of spin control around the greens.

The Callaway X2 Hot Golf Ball is a tour hardened option for finding crucial extra yardage. The manufacturer has created three unique dimple-pattern aerodynamics to maximize ball distance from the Tee.

This ball was released along with the driver of the same brand and aims to suit players with swing speeds over 90 mph.

Srixon Distance Balls and Taylormade offer high end of the market long shooting options. They are designed to offer extra forgiveness from the tee and suit all level of players, promising increased distance and hang time.

Finding the perfect balance

In an ideal golfing world, every player would want the correct balance between distance and control.

Although many balls claim to strike the balance nothing has the reputation of the Titleist Pro V1 Golf Ball. The most used ball on tour, it combined sizzling distance with incredible soft feel for a very happy medium. The Velocity ball is a cheaper option from the manufacturer with a new dimple pattern encouraging a shallow landing area and flattening out shot from the Tee.

Other highly recommend all round balls include the Nike RZN range and Taylormade Project A. The latter is currently producing big things on Tour and ticks all the boxes of a complete golf ball.

The Tour Stats

In 2013, there were a total of 24 events across the USPGA Tour. The Titleist Pro V1 Series accounted for 10 of these victories. What makes this remarkable is that another 4 were claimed by Tiger Woods and his Nike ball.

The same Titleist range was used by top players Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler and Adam Scott to claim high finishes in a number of major in the last 24 months. This also includes two Masters Titles.

It is interesting to note that Woods does not use balls available to consumers, specifically compounded balls are produced for him despite advertising campaigns suggesting differently. The point here is that club players require different formats from top pros so although it is a useful gauge, finding something for your handicap is more appropriate than major winning golf balls. 

Am I making the most from my game?

Foremost Golf offer a massive range of balls from all major manufacturers and are perfectly priced to make your cash go further.

Do not be afraid to sample different balls and cores; you will be surprised by the impact on your game and scorecard.

It is worth noting that no one golf ball is considered unanimously perfect and new advancements will continue to offer new levels of distance, spin and control.

No matter what ball you decide to arm up with, a perfect swing will always be just that no matter the dimples on the other end.

When most players think of sunglasses it sparks images of American pros such as David Duval carrying relaxed and ice cool image around the course. But in reality they do perform an important duty of protecting vision and combating the sun’s glare.

 It is not simply about creating a contemporary fashion statement (although it does help) and with recent releases, it is a great time to take a look at what makes Oakley’s 2014 state of the art glasses tick.

 What the manufacturer say…

 “Oakley is a brand that never sits still. We constantly strive to reinvent, to push farther, to do the undone. The sunglasses in our New Release category represent the latest technology and freshest new looks to complement your lifestyle.”

It seems progressive but what does it actually mean? Take the Special Edition Heritage Shades hot out the workshop. Carrying a retro styling to mark their 30 year anniversary, they feature Polarized lenses that combat glare from pavements and water.  High Definition Optics® technology ensures unrivalled clarity against the bright rays of the sun.

The Oakley Chainlink Glasses are also brand new to the market and includes Plutonite® lens that block 100% of UVA, UVB and UVC rays, harmful to the eyes.

Comfort is also at the heart of the new designs by the global giant with Unobtainium® technology offering a softer and more cultured feel around the ears and nose. It prevents unwanted rubbing and general irritation to the wearer.

Across the range of new glasses, three point fit set up has been installed which holds the lenses in perfect and optimal alignment at all times. This is often a problem in cheaper, less formed frames which reduces the lifespan of shades.

The new releases are also accompanied by a Microclear bag for storage and lens cleaning.

Style is a big factor for many players and the latest release of the ‘Scuderia Ferrari’ Carbon Blade Glasses will tick all the iconic boxes. Featuring stunning slim line carbon frames and tinted lenses these glasses are designed for ultimate style. They are described the marketing team as the most lightweight glasses ever made.

The brands icing on the cake

The High Definition Optics technology mentioned above is setting Oakley apart from its competitors. The lens offers a sharper, clearer and less magnified look and surpasses all tests of the American Standards Institute.

It offers a view of sight that is close to perfection for any golfer and an ability to instantly deal with rapid lighting changes. 

The Verdict

Oakley has really put time and effort into improving what already was a high quality range of golf sunglasses. With a slick new styling and lens technology that will make your vision on sunny days completely unimpeded.

They are priced at the top end of the market but with good reason and an ideal choice for any player seriously suffering from sun vision problems. 

The great thing about shot shaping is that learning how to do it is good fun. The practice range is where you'll discover how to manipulate the clubface angle and swing path to hit a host of different shots and ultimately that will help you become a more complete golfer.

Place a stick on the line of your final target as shown here. Then place a second stick on the ground pointing to the left of the target for a fade or right for a draw. As you address the ball, set your body along the line of the stick on the ground and point the clubface more towards the target (do not point the clubface directly at the target). Now simply hit a series of shots aiming to start the ball either to the right or left of the target line stick, shaping the ball around it. Remember that to do this you need to swing the club along the line of your body and the difference between this angle and the angle of the clubface is what creates the shape. Have some fun with this in practice and I promise your game will reap the rewards.

To shape your shots consistently, you need the correct golf clubs. There are certain models that are designed to help you do just that, offering superb feel and distance control. For some simple, impartial advice on the right clubs for your game, please go and see your local Foremost Golf professional.

As I've previously mentioned, trying to compete with significant problems in your swing is never a good idea. Your local Foremost Golf Professional is always there to help so please go and visit them for any help.

In the meantime, here's a drill that might help. Lay two headcovers down either side of your ball, creating a pathway through impact. If you are struggling with an exaggerated in-to-out swing path you will struggle to strike the ball without clipping the headcovers. Having a clear path through which to swing is a great way to visualise what the ideal route into the ball should be.

This drill may well help you find a more neutral swing path.

Pushes and hooks are part of the same family of shots and they stem from the way in which the club travels through impact. Let's presume that you have taken a good set up position and are nicely aligned. As the club, in the images shown below the example of a driver is used, works through the downswing, it attacks the ball from too far inside the ball-to-target line. If the face of the club is square to the swing path, you will hit a straight push that finishes well to the right of the target. If the face is pointing at the target at impact, a low hook that swings viciously left is the likely outcome.

For any ambitious golfer, it is important to understand why you are hitting certain shots. The root cause of the problem in this instance could be a range of different things and identifying where it is coming from and putting it right is essential. Please go and see your local Foremost Golf professional to book a lesson if you are struggling with pushes or hooks as I guarantee that trying to play through the problem will only do more harm than good.

SkyCaddie and a Golfing Revolution…

There is always a buzz among the golfing community when new gizmos hit the shelves. Leading techno giant SkyCaddie have unveiled a staggering four new devices to make your golfing life easier. We take a look at what they have conjured up…

The SkyCaddie LINX

New golf watches are often labelled the ‘same old’ but the LINX really has stepped up to the plate. We were extremely impressed with innovative layup targeting concept, allowing the user to genuine manage their round to their ability. It is much more of a thinking golfer’s strategy assistant and sure to aid the majority of players.

It has also developed a new face making it readable in sunlight and employing IntelliGreen technology. This had allowed for up to 40 identifiable hazards per hole.

It is updated via Bluetooth for seamless and live updates throughout your round. This device is going to be a big hit with club players.

The SkyCaddie AIRE

At a surprisingly affordable price, this GPS is packed with little goodies to impress even the most sceptical of golfers. With a large easy to view screen it carries all the course details you could need. It can even calculate how many calories you have burned off on a round.

It has taken many of the important features from previous additions are packed it in a tidy shell to make you round management effortless.

SkyCaddie TOUCH

This device is a portable, easy to operate and works with your smartphone. It is a great option to carry in your bag and has a massive variety of courses to upload. The clarity of screen is sensational and the response from the touch screen even better.

The TOUCH can be linked via an App on a phone and has a variety of features to utilise. 

It is even glove sensitive making it ideal for on course management without the usual frustration.

SkyCaddie Watch

It is marketed as a superior sports watch and it does not let its makers down. Powered by Core Golfer Technology it offers an easy to use setup and superb range finder to take charge of your round.

It seems to tick all the boxes for techno fan golfers that will enjoy the interface and easy read face.

It looks stylish into the bargain and can be adapted to support your other daily exercises.

The Verdict

The devices share various standard elements and really make the use of golf technology a seamless affair. Offering speedy, weather repellent information in seconds will ensure you navigate your way round the course avoiding all potentials pitfalls.

In a marketplace packed with choice the latest helpings from SkyCaddie are a refreshing solution which most golfers will find really fun to use. 

The global trolley giant is at it again with their new release, the Motocaddy M3 Pro Electric Trolley. We took it for a test drive to find out what the fuss was all about…