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The Cobra ZL Driver: A Closer Look

by James on April 3, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Cobra, Drivers with 3 Comments

The Cobra line has long fascinated me. The brand image is young, hip, and by all accounts the clubs are top performers. Through the years I’ve been a Callaway, Cleveland and Titleist fan, having interchanged iron sets, putters, drivers, etc. between these companies… But one of these days I know I’m going to crack and put a Cobra in my bag.

Last fall, I purchased a S9-1 driver, 3-wood and 5-wood for the lady in my life. She’s long had Cobra in the bag, with a set of King Cobra ss-i irons as her iron of choice. The clubs setup nice, have a larger head, and the graphite shafts make them light and a pleasure to swing. With the nagging Cobra ‘bug’ always in the back of my head, I took her S9-1 driver to the range, and even though the ladies-flex shaft was just a tad to whippy for me, I was impressed. With each swing (was just taking smooth, slow swings to get the shaft to kick at the right point) the ball was clearing the fence at the back of the range. NICE. If I can do that with a ladies S9-1, clearly the new Cobra ZL driver would knock the ball into the next county, right? 😛

The Cobra ZL Driver is a multi-material driver engineered for max distance. Aren’t they all? 😛 The crown and sole are made of carbon fiber, the body and face are made from titanium, and the swing weight screw located near the back of the sole provides an ‘optimal’ CG, MOI and spin rate for a high launch with big carry and control.

The ZL also features the ‘9 Point Face Technology’ that we first got wind of with the S9-1 series. All you really need to know here is the clubhead is ‘hot’. Hit the ball almost anywhere on the face and you’re going to experience tremendous launch speeds. I can attest to this.

Another cool thing built-in to the Cobra ZL Driver is the Adjustable Flight Technology (AFT) feature. You can use it to adjust the face-angle settings from open to neutral to closed. This is a handy feature for sure, as it can not only help you straighten out slice or hook symptoms, but better players can tweak the face as they go to help shape their drives with little to no change to their actual swing.

The Cobra ZL Driver is available now in lofts of 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5. An Aldila VooDoo shaft is the stick of choice, available in a regular and stiff flex. Of course, additional shafts and other customizations are available, but I’d recommend you talk to your local fitter before you even consider ordering something custom. It’s a must to have your clubs tailored to your swing, but please, make sure you have a professional fit you for your needs!

For more information I highly recommend you check out the ZL page on Cobra Golf. More images below!

Note: Forgot to mention, ‘ZL’ stands for ‘Zero Limits’… just sayin’.

Adams Golf Launches Idea Pro Black CB1 Irons

by James on April 3, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Adams, Irons with No comments

Adams Golf Idea Pro CB1 IronsIn a new arrival from the folks at Adams Golf, the Idea Pro Black CB1 Irons are now available. The irons are said to be for the lower-handicap golfer, and feature tour-styled forged carbon steel heads. Each iron features a nickel-chrome plated and black physical vapor deposition (PVD) finish. Kind of reminds me of Cleveland’s CG1 ‘Black Pearl’ irons. The Pro Black CB1’s are more of a cavity, where as the CG1’s were a full out blade, but if you know clubs, you know what I’m talking about.

The Idea Pro Black CB1’s are made from 8620 carbon steel for control, feedback and performance. Each head is precision milled, and the grooves do comply with the 2010 USGA competition requirements. As I expected when I first laid eyes on these, they feature a thin top line and a beveled trailing edge, two features that are preferred by most low-handicap golfers.

Chip Brewer, President and CEO of Adams Golf commented on the new CB1’s:

“Originally developed exclusively for our professional staff players like Tom Watson, the overwhelmingly positive comments about the feel and performance of the CB1s from the tour inevitably led us to make this set an integral part of the successful Idea family of irons…This stealth-looking set has already received high marks from golf enthusiasts plugged into the online community so we look forward to bringing the CB1s to low-handicap golfers everywhere who appreciate the control and workability of this forged set of irons.”

Pricing? You’re looking at a suggested retail of $899.99 for steel and $1,099.99 for graphite. Rifle Project X flighted steel shafts are available, or if you prefer graphite, the Mitsubishi Rayon Javln FX i95 shaft gets the nod. Shafts are available in regular, stiff or extra-stiff.

[Via: TheGolfWire]

Titleist Wins Decision In Pro V1 Patent Dispute With Callaway

by Annie Latham on March 31, 2010 in News, Golf Balls, Titleist with No comments

The manufacturer of Titleist, the #1 ball in golf, Acushnet Company, just announced that they won a jury verdict in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware in its golf ball patent dispute with Callaway Golf.  Callaway had asserted that a previous generation of Titleist Pro V1 golf balls had infringed on four patents originally owned by Spalding and subsequently purchased by Callaway Golf. The jury agreed with Acushnet’s position that the patents in question are invalid.

Looks like the decision may finally put the dispute to rest.

Acushnet has explained throughout this process that they independently developed the technology in question.  In fact, the Titleist Pro V1 family utilizes technology from 74 Acushnet patents and was first introduced to our PGA TOUR players in October 2000, well before any of the Spalding patents were issued in 2001 and 2003.

In January 2006, before Callaway filed this litigation, Acushnet petitioned the U.S.  Patent & Trademark Office (PTO) to reexamine the four patents in the suit. Since then, the PTO has repeatedly found that all claims of all four patents are invalid. During this process, seven separate PTO examiners were involved in evaluating the validity of these patents and all seven concluded that they are invalid.

By the way, Acushnet currently holds over 715 of the nearly 2,000 active patents related to golf balls – more than any other manufacturer.

TaylorMade Penta TP Golf Ball: a Five-Tool Equivalent for your Golf Game

by Annie Latham on March 29, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Golf Balls, TaylorMade with 1 Comment
TaylorMade Penta TP

TaylorMade Penta TPIn baseball, if someone is called a five-tool player, it means that they excel in five key areas:  hitting for average, hitting for power, base-running skills/speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities.  It is rare to find someone who can do all those things really well.

When it comes to golf balls, you’ll find ones that emphasize either feel or spin or control or launch or distance.   Perhaps, the ball will do a combination of some of these.  But up until late last year, there wasn’t a ball specifically designed to excel in all five areas.  Then came TaylorMade Golf’s Penta TP – the industry’s first 5-layer golf ball.

Announced in September 2009, this is the first golf season it has found its way onto the golf course.

Penta TP is the first tour ball with five solid-layers, with each layer engineered to optimize performance in five key shot categories that skilled players need – driver, long-irons, middle-irons, short-irons and partial wedges. The five layers of Penta TP include the core, inner mantle, middle mantle, outer mantle and cover, and each one plays a critical role in optimizing the performance of each of the five key shots.

  • Layer 1 – Cover: The Penta TP has a soft, durable Urethane Cover that delivers the coveted combination of lower launch angle and higher spin rate, while also providing soft tour feel.
  • Layer 2 – Outer Mantle: Promotes optimum spin off the short-irons to stop the ball quick without sucking it off the front of the green or drawing it back too far from the hole.  Of the four mantles, the outer one is the fastest.  Positioned just beneath the cover, it is easily compressed by slower swingers (ball speeds 120 mph and below), helping them to generate higher ball speed for increased distance.
  • Layer 3 – Middle Mantle: Consists of a fast material, allowing medium-slow swingers (who average from 120 to 140 mph in ball speed) to generate more ball speed and distance, as they will compress only the two outermost mantles underneath the cover.
  • Layer 4 – Inner Mantle: Consists of a fast material, which helps players who average from 140 to 160 mph in ball speed to generate more ball speed and distance, because although they don’t swing fast enough to activate the core, they are able to activate the three layers between the core and cover including the inner mantle, which is the deepest of the three.
  • Layer 5 – Core: This is most critical layer to promoting high launch and low spin off the driver.  The Penta TP has an extremely soft, low-compression core.

But the thing that has reviewers raving is TaylorMade’s LDP technology which uses improved aerodynamics to promote increased lift to keep the ball in the air longer for more distance on the most common types of driver mis-hits, which occur on the top half of the clubface.

Showing up on the Tour:

The Penta TP is already being used on the PGA Tour by Sergio Garcia,  Retief Goosen, Y.E. Yang, Justin Rose and Jason Day.  Dean Snell, head of TaylorMade golf ball R&D remarked, “It usually takes players several weeks or even months of trial before they’ll change balls.  We’re seeing players switch into Penta TP after testing it for nine holes. That’s proof that Penta TP offers a dramatic improvement in performance.”

In January, TaylorMade Tour Staff professional Martin Kaymer used the Penta TP to win the Abu Dhabi Championship.  It was the first worldwide Tour victory for the Penta TP golf ball. “I switched to Penta TP from another brand only one month ago and,” said Kaymer. “It’s easily the best ball I’ve ever played.”

Not Just for Pros:

The Penta TP is not just for the pros.  It was was designed to benefit all levels of player.   However, the price point is on the pro side:  $45.99 for a dozen with no discounts found anywhere.  But if you want to treat yourself, this five-layer ball is a nice change from Titleist Pro V1s or other high-end balls.

SeeMore Intros the DB4 CS Gunmetal with RST2 Technology

by James on March 24, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Putters, SeeMore with 1 Comment
SeeMore DB4 CS Gunmetal with RST2 Technology

SeeMore DB4 CS Gunmetal with RST2 TechnologyYou may have first became aware of SeeMore back in 1999, when Payne Stewart used a SeeMore putter to win the U.S. Open. That was quite awhile ago, and ever since the brand was re-launched in 2007, it seems as though more success is shining through. Most notably was Zach Johnson’s 2007 Masters victory in which he stroked a SeeMore. In 2009 Johnson ended up 4th on the tour money list earning a cool $4.7 million, no doubt in part to the smooth-rolling SeeMore in his bag. I could go on with more highlights from the brand, but simply know that 10 players out of the top 125 on the money list used a SeeMore in 2009… and now they’re expanding their line.

New from the SeeMore Putter Company is the DB4 CS Gunmetal. The new putter features SeeMore’s RST2 technology, which helps you get yourself aligned and in proper position to make a great stroke. The ‘RST2’ technology is an update to the ‘RST’ technology currently built-in to the current lineup, as the update takes on a blade design with offset hosel for the first time ever. The main difference between RST2 and the traditional RST technology is the location of the markings. With an RST2, you’ll find the alignment system housed on top of the hosel, vs. the RST system which was (is) found on the top heel portion of the putter.

Jim Grundberg, SeeMore’s Managing Partner commented on the release of the new DB4:

“The new DB4, like all of the SeeMore putters before it, is one that solves one of the most fundamental problems in putting, that of consistently accurate alignment at address. It offers the confidence to make a fundamentally solid and repeatable putting stroke each and every time… The RST2 patented alignment feature is extremely exciting in that it has been developed with the input of the world’s best tour players over the past 2 years and simply makes a great putter design better by improving a player’s ability to set up square to the intended target line.”

More images of the SeeMore DB4 CS Gunmetal with RST2 technology are below. The putter is 100% milled in the USA, and is available in carbon steel with a proprietary multi-layer black satin finish. Price? MSRP $295.

SeeMore DB4 CS Gunmetal with RST2 Technology - Side ViewSeeMore DB4 CS Gunmetal with RST2 Technology

More info: SeeMore.com

[Via: TheGolfWire]

Cobra Golf’s New S2 Max Irons Unveiled

by Annie Latham on March 23, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Cobra, Irons with 1 Comment

Cobra Golf has just unveiled some new high-performance sticks in a line that has been dubbed Cobra S2 Max.  Available in both iron and iron-hybrid integrated sets,  the S2 Max clubs are designed for maximum forgiveness and high launch for mid- to high-handicap players.  With the S2 Max Iron-Hybrid Set, you get ” Baffler-style hybrids” that provide proper distance gapping throughout the set for players who prefer hitting forgiving hybrids over long irons.

There are several options available:

  • Men’s Graphite set includes 3/H, 4/H and 5/H hybrids, and 6-PW irons, featuring Aldila DVS-HL shafts ($776 SRP).
  • Men’s Steel set includes 3/H and 4/H hybrids with Aldila DVS-HL graphite shafts, and 5-PW irons with FST steel shafts ($632 SRP).
  • Women’s and Seniors’/Lite sets include 4/H, 5/H and 6/H hybrids, 7-PW, and SW irons with Aldila DVS-HL graphite shafts ($776 SRP).

Note: You can find these clubs for significantly less at Golfsmith and TGW.com.

The Cobra S2 Max line has received a Gold Award in the 2010 Golf Digest Hot List. For more information about the Cobra S2 Max Irons and Cobra S2 Max Iron-Hybrid Integrated Set, go to www.cobragolf.com.

Nike Steps Up to Sponsor Tiger Woods’ Bag at The Masters

by James on March 21, 2010 in News, Bags, Nike Golf, Players with No comments
Tiger Woods Golf Bag
Tiger Woods Golf Bag

Move on over, Frank. Nike is Coming in.

We had a little fun a few days ago speculating what sponsor’s logo would appear on Tiger Woods’ bag when he returned at The Masters. My gut told me that Nike would probably be the brand of choice… and when you consider how Nike has stuck side-by-side with Woods through his recent trials and tribulations, it seemed to be the most reasonable choice.

Sure enough, late last week word came out that Tiger’s own ‘TW’ Nike brand will be emblazoned on the bag. The brand will be front and center, so expect to see the ‘TW’ logo along with a handful of Nike swooshes adorning the equipment of the world’s #1.

If you take a look back through the years, the change to Nike will make it 4 logos to adorn Tiger’s bag. Back in 1996, Tiger started out with Titleist. From there he moved on to Buick, in a deal that lasted quite a long time until 2008 when GM filed for bankruptcy. Over the past year or so the AT&T logo had been found on-the-bag, until Tiger’s recent ‘indiscretions’.

Should be cool to see what the new Nike bag looks like. Any ideas?

Golfsmith Announces Callaway Driver Contest: If Phil Wins…

by Annie Latham on March 12, 2010 in News, Contests, Callaway, Drivers with 1 Comment

Golfsmith, the golf specialty retailer, has teamed up with Callaway Golf to offer folks an opportunity to win a new driver if Phil Mickelson is victorious this April in Augusta at the 2010 Masters.

The announcement states:

Starting today and ending April 7, golfers who purchase one of three new Callaway drivers – the Diablo Edge™, FT-Tour™ or FT-iZ™ – at any Golfsmith store across the country will have the purchase price of their Callaway driver fully refunded by Golfsmith if Phil wins the Masters at Augusta, April 8-11.

The rules say, “No purchase is necessary.”

To enter without buying a driver, what you have to do is go to a Golfsmith retail location and ask them for an official “Win With Phil” entry form to fill out and mail in.

Golfsmith estimates thousands of people will take advantage of the promotion, which is available through more than seventy stores from coast to coast. To learn more about Golfsmith’s promotion with Callaway Golf, stop by any Golfsmith store or visit www.golfsmith.com/winwithPhil. This promotion is available only in Golfsmith’s U.S. stores.

Puma Acquires Cobra, Acushnet to Focus on Titleist and FootJoy Brands

by James on March 10, 2010 in News, Cobra with 1 Comment

Now this is big news. The latest out of GolfWeek has the Cobra brand (owned and run by the Acushnet Co.) sold off to the rising stars at Puma AG. Of course, no terms of the deal have been disclosed as of yet, but this could be a great win/win for both sides. Let me explain why.

Ricky Fowler in Puma GearPuma has been making strides in the last year or so, making more and more of an effort to penetrate the North American golf market. Chances are you’ve seen the young gun Ricky Fowler out on the course in his colorful gear. Well, you guessed it, Fowler has an apparel deal with Puma, and I have a feeling more deals are to come.

For the Acushnet Company, the deal will allow them to focus on their core competencies, or in this case, their core offerings from Titleist and FootJoy. Wally Uihlein, chairman and CEO of Acushnet commented on the deal:

“With the sale of Cobra, we have the opportunity to devote all of our resources to the global growth of (the two brands).”

So there you have it. Cobra is sold off to Puma, and Acushnet is now focusing their efforts 100% behind the FootJoy and Titleist brands. Sounds like a winning formula on both sides. I wonder how long it will take until we see Ricky Fowler hitting some Cobra blades? Oh, and I just thought of this… David Feherty is always out and about promoting Cobra gear. Maybe he’ll be a key face for their marketing efforts in North America (and around the world)? And what about Ian Poulter? So many marketable Cobra staffers are on-board. Big things are surely on the horizon for Puma!

Guerin Rife Island Series Bimini Blade Putter

by James on March 9, 2010 in Golf Equipment, Guerin Rife, Putters with No comments
The Guerin Rife Island Series Bimini Blade Putter

The Guerin Rife Island Series Bimini Blade Putter

I’m a huge fan of the old-school blade. Doesn’t matter where it is, on the fairways I currently pull out my Titleist 690MB’s, and on the greens, I’ve got a nice selection of blade putters I roll the rock with. At the moment, I’ve got a Scotty Cameron Circa 62 No. 1 in the bag, and while it’s a slightly different take on the classic blade… I love it. So buttery.

At any rate, getting back to the matter at hand here, the other day I was checking out some of the specs on the Guerin Rife Bimini Blade, and gosh darn it, the putter looks darn sweet. Based on the classic Wilson blade, the 8802, the Bimini Blade caught my eye the moment it arrived on the market. Part of Rife’s Island Series line, the Bimini has a slightly raised toe, and Rife’s patented ‘RollGroove Face Technology’ to help you get the ball rolling early and true. The top line of the Bimini Blade is free from notches and alignment lines. From above, all you’ll see is the 303 stainless steel head. A classic look.

Guerin Rife Bimini Blade PutterThe stock Guerin Rife Bimini Blade Putter comes built to the following specs:

  • Loft of 2 degrees
  • Lie angle of 71 degrees
  • 33″, 34″ and 35″ lengths available
  • Headweight: 345 grams
  • Swingweights available: D6-D8, E0-E2, E4-E6
  • 303 Stainless Steel head material
  • AVS Winn Custom grip
  • Island Series Blade Headcover with magnet clips

Last I checked, the Guerin Rife site and other large retailers were completely sold out of the Bimini Blade. A true sign this baby is a hot item. I’d love to get my hands on one of these for a round or two, so if anyone from Rife is reading this, please give me a dingle, would ya? 🙂

For more info on the Bimini Blade, visit Guerin Rife.

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