IN THE BAG Powerbilt Air Force One PUETZ GOLF PRICE $599.95 Steel
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ne of the oldest manufacturers in the game, Powerbilt has been setting the standard for how people crush tiny white balls since John “Bud” Hillerich — founder of Powerbilt’s parent company, Hillerich & Bradsby, invented the Louisville Slugger in 1884. In the 126 years since, H&B has expanded from baseball bats to golf clubs, hockey sticks — if you can hit a ball with it, H&B are the people to see about designing it. So it was no surprise in 2009 when rumors leaked that Powerbilt, H&B’s golf division, was about to unveil a revolutionary new technology. What was a surprise, however, was when industry insiders finally found out just what that technology was — nothing. Well, not nothing, exactly, but compressed nothing, in the form of nitrogen packed behind the clubface of a new line of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and … irons? That’s right, Powerbilt even found a way to funnel nitrogen behind the ultra-thin face of an iron. The nitrogen pocket, which provides support for the face that on most clubs is provided by metal or complex polymers, allows the face to flex more at impact and creates a springboard effect that rockets balls off the clubface. I know, it sounds radical, but remember — 126 years ago, the idea of hitting a baseball 400 feet sounded pretty radical, too … until Hillerich made it happen. Now, the AFO might not have the same impact as the Louisville Slugger … but we’re more than willing to put our trust in Powerbilt, step up the plate and let it rip.
Callaway Diablo Edge PUETZ GOLF PRICE Starting at $599.95 Steel $799.95 Graphite
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f you spent any time watching the Super Bowl pregame show this year, you couldn’t possibly have missed the ads for the Callaway Diablo Edge, the new high-performance line of clubs from one of the game’s top manufacturers. The first golf manufacturer ever to sponsor the Super Bowl pregame show, Callaway’s ads ran throughout the event, while Phil Mickelson made a special appearance to help push the product. Of course, Callaway had plenty of reasons to want to crow about its new line — the Diablo Edge dominated this year’s Golf Digest Hot List, winning five of Callaway’s industry-leading 10 gold medals. So what’s so different about the Diablo Edge? For starters, Callaway’s independent research showed that most mid-to-high-handicappers tend to hit the ball lower on the clubface than a scratch golfer. Recognizing that it’s a lot easier to fix your club than your swing, Callaway lowered the center of gravity in the Diablo Edge to put it right behind the lower sweet spot of the high-handicapper, resulting in shots that fly longer and straighter. The Diablo’s wide sole helps cut through rough with ease, while the traditional cavity-back of the 5-PW (the set also includes a 3- and 4-hybrid) help mask the sticks’ game-improvement nature. Not that you should feel self-conscious about wanting a game improvement iron — after all, if the Super Bowl taught us anything, it’s that even the best athletes in sports can use a little game improvement now and then.
cascadegolfer.com
puetzgolf.com
APRIL 2010
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