By ED TRAVIS
Each year as the golf season approaches, California Golf staffers research what is new on the market for players of all skill levels and here are some of the latest products that caught our attention and we think are worth your attention too.
Bettinardi SB3 Putter
Bettinardi Golf has added the Antidote putter SB (Simply Balanced) to their zero-torque line. The fang-style mallet priced at $450 has a milled face with negative offset and 3° of loft. The hosel connects to the shaft over the center of gravity of the head and combined with the head weight distribution tends to keep the face square to the putting arc from start to finish. Antidote SB3 Putter | Bettinardi Golf – Studio B
Bushnell Tour V7 Shift Laser Rangefinder
Bushnell’s rangefinders are the most used on the PGA Tour and at $399.99 the new Tour V7 Shift has many must-have features. The Dual-Color OLED Display with Slope First Technology shows the slope adjusted distance instantly for positive club selection and there’s a slope on/off switch to make it tournament legal. Golfers will like the 500+ yard range and magnetic cart mount. Golf Rangefinders – Trusted by 99% of Pros – Bushnell Golf
Cobra Golf OPTM Drivers
Cobra tells me their latest, the OPTM driver series makes use of a new measurement called POI which measures twisting at impact along the diagonal axis of the face. In conjunction with the usual MOI, POI was used to design the clubhead retaining the forgiveness we all want while significantly reducing dispersion by up to 23%. Four OPTM versions for various skill levels are each priced at $599. Golf Clubs – Drivers – COBRA Golf
Shot Scope LM1 Launch Monitor
PGA Show attendees were wowed by this personal launch monitor for its simplicity, ease of use and certainly by the price at $199.99, thousands less than is typical. It sets up quickly either indoors or outdoors and the 3.5” color display is visible even in strong sunlight. Using Doppler radar six data points are recorded for each swing and oh yes, another huge plus, Shot Scope does not charge a subscription fee. Shot Scope LM1 Launch Monitor | Early Access
Srixon ZXiR Irons
Srixon’s successful ZXi irons for better players now have been joined by two new models the ZXiR and ZXiR HL for players needing game-improvement and super game-improvement sticks respectively. Priced at $1,099.99 for 7-piece set with steel shafts and $1,199.99 for graphite, they use Srixon’s new i-Alloy in the clubheads and their V.T. Sole design for consistent turf interaction. Srixon ZXiR Irons | Dunlop Sports US
Tour Edge Exotics Golf Ball
Tour Edge, a company known for golfer-friendly priced lines of clubs and more recently for the premium category Exotics woods and irons, has leapt into the hyper-competitive golf ball market with the high-performance Exotics golf ball at $39.99 dozen. This three-piece premium category ball has a 318-dimple urethane cover and an ionomer mantle, a combination giving distance off the driver and scoring shot control. Exotics Golf Balls – Tour Edge
Vessel Player V Stand Bag
Vessel has done it again with a Tour-grade synthetic leather carry bag receiving rave reviews. There’s a choice of a 6-way top (6.6 lbs.) with 3 full-length dividers or a 14-way (6.95 lbs.) with 14 dividers and the special strap attachment design prevents clubs falling out and better carry balance. Vessel is known for their attention to detail such as the Player V Stand Bag ($439) has a cart strap pass through and nine pockets. Player V Golf Stand Bag | Premium Golf Bag – Black
