All posts in Fairway Woods

Skating on Rails: Cobra’s Baffler Rules!

Have  you ever found yourself off the fairway in just enough rough to truly muck with the clubhead?  I’m not talking about literal muck.  I’m talking about the stuff that seems to grab the club and keep its face open as you address the ball.  It is bad enough to be off the fairway to begin with.  But having your subsequent shot move further to the right is downright cruel — especially if that right puts you into someone else’s fairway.

That is why I am here today singing the praises of Cobra for their Baffler Rail fairway and hybrid clubs.  I added a 3 Fairway and a 4 Hybrid to my bag for the last two rounds I played and was truly amazed at the difference.  I’m usually skeptical of the marketing speak of golf equipment manufacturers.  But this time, I have to admit, the club worked as promoted:

Cobra’s Baffler Rail Fairway features a sleek-looking, 17-4 steel clubhead that has a thin, high-strength 465 maraging steel clubface designed to increase ball speed and distance. The elongated clubface and low-profile head result in a low, deep center of gravity – to help golfers launch the ball with ease – and a high Moment of Inertia for maximum forgiveness. The new four-way rail sole is designed to help the club move effortlessly through turf – to provide more consistent ball contact and improved control. The Baffler Rail Fairway features a premium, high-performance Fujikura Motore shaft for optimum distance and control.

“Golfers struggle with hitting traditional fairway woods, so we made the Baffler Fairway more like the Baffler Hybrid in terms of versatility and forgiveness, which makes hitting fairway woods a lot more fun.”

The key words to pay attention to here are “maximum forgiveness” and “a lot more fun.”  I wholeheartedly agree.  The ball just sprung off the clubface and went where I intended.  Plus I got a nice lift.  Very cool!

Here’s are the key points of the Women’s Baffler Rail Hybrid :

  • Innovative Rail Sole:  A four-way rail sole reduces the area of the club that comes in contact with the ground, resulting in improved turf interaction and maximum forgiveness.
  • 9 Point Face Technology:  Incorporated across the clubface, these create an expanded Sweet Zone that promotes more consistent distance and forgiveness.
  • High-Strength Face Insert (Utility):  A thin, lightweight maraging steel face allows for 10% of the weight to be strategically repositioned low and back, resulting in faster ball speed and improved launch characteristics.

Along with the above, the Baffler Rail fairway woods feature a unique oversize head design and a very shallow face result in an extremely forgiving fairway wood that launches the ball with ease.

For women, these clubs (roughly  $169 for fairway wood and $149 for the hybrid) are well worth the investment.  Guys should give them a test drive too.  Take advantage of the playability guarantee a lot of retailers offer and get them out on the course.  See (and feel) for yourself.  To me, the Rail technology is a true game changer.

Here’s a video clip shot during the recent Golf Expo at Haggin Oaks where Charlie Hazzard of Cobra Puma explains the rails.

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Golf Vendors Jump on Johnson’s Colonial Win…

Titleist sent out an email blast letting those who opted in know that their “Brand Ambassador,”  Zach Johnson trusted the Pro V1x golf ball and a bag full of Titleist equipment in his come-from-behind, record-setting performance at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial. Capping his seventh career win in style, Zach closed with consecutive rounds of 64 on his way to a tournament record score of 21-under par.

“When it comes to performance excellence, shot to shot, and round to round, more of the world’s best trust their game to Titleist.”

FootJoy also made an announcement about how Zach Johnson’s win was “the first for the new FJ SPORT golf shoe.

FJ SPORT is designed and developed for the player seeking bold, athletic-inspired performance golf shoes.  Utilizing striking patterns and color, FJ SPORT integrates proven performance attributes and premium materials. Zach wore FJ SPORT style #53102 and a StaSof glove during his most recent victory.

With a 21-under 259 total, Zach not only set a new tournament record, but recorded the lowest four-round total on the PGA Tour since FJ player Geoff Ogilvy won the season-opening SBS Championship at 22-under 270.

FootJoy took their announcement a step further than Titleist.  They have a campaign this PGA season called, “FJ WINS, YOU WIN.

It gives folks an opportunity to win FJ SPORT and StaSof, just like Zach wore en route to victory at Colonial.  You can enter by clicking here.

Also, here’s a FJ Sport feature overview:

  • Full Grain Leather Uppers  – for comfort, breathability, and durability.
  • 2-Year Waterproof Warranty
  • PU Coated Leather Toe Guard  – designed to prevent abrasion caused by toe-drag on the back foot during the follow through.
  • Athletic Mesh Liner  – for breathability.
  • EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) Fit-Beds  – provide lightweight cushioning underfoot.
  • Full TPU Outsole – creates a lightweight, durable and stable hitting platform.
  • Stinger cleats by CHAMP (white/black) –  provide superior traction throughout the entire golf swing.

Now the real question is, where in Johnson’s garage will he store his winning shoes?

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New Fairway Wood with a Plus 20-Yard Guarantee…

Tour Edge of Batavia, IL has an offer it hopes golfers won’t refuse — Try their new Exotics CB3 Tour fairway wood, which the company is guaranteeing will add 20-yards more than the distance your are currently getting from  your current fairway woods.  If it doesn’t deliver as promised, you can get your money back.

So what makes the CB3 so capable of propelling your ball farther down the fairway?

To start, it boasts a forged 15-3-3-3 titanium cupped face that is lighter and more powerful.  The company has also played around with variable face thickness which includes a thinner perimeter ring around the striking surface.  Thin face equals long hitting.  Who knew?

And, as they say in the informercials, there’s more!

The a high-tech, titanium cupped face is paired with a heavier hyper steel body. What they did was eliminate every single gram of excess weight  from the face area  and shifted to the rear skirt and sole for a deeper center of gravity.

The Exotics CB3 fairway wood will set you back $299 and comes with come with a lifetime warranty.  Regarding the promotional 20-extra yard guarantee, the catch is that “you can return it under the company’s 30-day play guarantee for a store credit or refund depending on the retailer’s policy.”   A quick check indicates that the CB3 can be found at Sports Authority and Dick’s Sporting Goods.  TGW.com carries it too.   Make sure you check ahead before you pull the trigger.