Puetz Golf • IN THE BAG

PRODUCT REVIEWS AND EQUIPMENT NEWS YOU CAN USE

Roll it and hole it with these perfect holiday gift ideas

BY TONY DEAR • CG EDITOR

Christmas is coming so it’s time to start thinking about what the golfer(s) in your family wants or put your order in with loved ones. And if you’re not in the habit of specifying exactly what you want, then it’s time to drop a few hints by leaving this magazine, open at this page, on the kitchen island or dining room table with a big, fat, red circle around the items that take your fancy.

You’ve spent the year making new(ish) clubs old, wearing out your golf wardrobe, not looking after your golf shoes (possibly), being ill-prepared for changes in the weather, missing greens or putts, and losing golf balls (again, possibly) so now you need to rethink and restock.

As we say in every issue, there’s no better place for your family members to purchase your holiday golf stuff — or for you to buy golf gifts for others, of course — than Puetz Golf where you’ll always find what you need.

The gifted golfer, or rather the golfer with gifts, is a happier golfer and one that will stride confidently into the new year eager to lower his/her handicap, shoot a course record perhaps, or make their first hole-in-one. So, we wish you a very happy golf gift-buying/receiving season, and hope that whatever you purchase for your family or friends, or whatever Santa leaves under the tree for you, will help you all play more, and better, golf in 2024.

1 • CALLAWAY

Paradym STAR Driver 1

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: Driver $699.99 • Fairway $399.99 • Hybrid $349.99 • Per Iron $249.99

While ‘speed’, ‘low-spin’, ‘dispersion’, ‘multi-material’, ‘AI’, and a few other well-worn buzzwords continue to pepper club reviews, it’s better players and equipment geeks that tend to air them in public. The most important term for the new golfer or higher handicapper, though, is ‘lightweight’. ‘Forgiveness’, ‘stability’, and ‘Moment of Inertia’ are significant too, certainly, but it’s the influx of ‘lightweight’ clubs that is having a marked effect on the industry with premium lightweight components — head, shaft, grip — being used to create clubs that are considerably easier to swing than standard clubs. The reason, of course, is that lighter clubs make it possible for golfers with moderate swingspeeds to get the ball off the ground and carry it farther down the fairway. That allows those players to hit shots that resemble those of better players which makes the game a lot more fun. A few companies are making ultra-lightweight clubs now (not too light though — there’s a point at which too light a club gets diminishing returns, failing to generate speed and power) though it’s a couple of Japanese brands — XXIO and Beres (a Honma model) — that have been leading the way. Callaway joined in a couple of months ago with the release of their Paradym Star family of clubs led by the Star driver (10.5-degree, 12-degree lofts with a UST Mamiya Attas Speed Series shaft) which is 38 grams lighter than the standard Paradym driver. Star fairway woods, hybrids and irons (33 grams lighter than the Paradym iron) are also available.

2 • MIZUNO

T24 Wedges

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: $179.99 Each

Wedges whose Center of Gravity is raised to affect a flatter, more penetrating trajectory have been a thing for a while now. Loft gets the ball up in the air, but the higher CG prevents the ball from ballooning and coming up short. Modern wedges create the shot where the ball flies relatively low but grabs quickly spinning to a halt somewhere near the flag. The flared upper portion of the blade does that for Mizuno’s T24 wedge introduced in August. Like the Japanese company’s highly acclaimed irons, the T24 Wedge is Grain Flow forged for exquisite feel. Mass has been taken from the toe area and the hosel altered slightly to create a smaller profile wedge which better players appreciate. Hydroflow micro-grooves between the main grooves prevent moisture from reducing the amount of greenside spin you can put on the ball while the main grooves, called QuadCut, increase spin (techy part — adjusting the camber of the groove shoulder and tapering the groove profile allowed engineers to move the grooves closer together which results in more spin. With lofts from 46-60 degrees, levels of bounce ranging from four to 12 degrees, and five different sole profiles (S, D, C, V, and X) you will find a wedge(s) that suits your angle of attack and the type of turf/ground at the course you play (higher bounce for softer ground and steeper attack angle, lower bounce for firm conditions and shallower attack angle). Available in three finishes — Soft White Satin, Tour Raw and Denim Copper.

3 • MIZUNO

M.Craft OMOI Putters

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: $349.99

Mizuno’s popular M.CRAFT putters, forged from 1025 carbon-steel and CNC-milled, arrived in 2020 with the first M.CRAFT Omoi models being introduced early last year. In the very simplest terms and for the purposes of using short words that can fit on a golf club (and with apologies to our Japanese-speaking readers for any inaccuracies), ‘Omoi’ is Japanese word meaning ‘heavy’ but more in the sense of deep thought or willpower than elevated weight. That seemed perfect for a range of putters that had taken much thought to create, and which did, in fact, feature heavier heads — yes, ‘heavier’ in the sense of weighing more. Depending on the model, Omoi putters weigh as much as 28 grams more than the original M.CRAFT. The extra weight comes predominantly in the head though, with a lighter shaft (KBS Tour Black Ion-plated) and grip preventing the overall size and weight of the putter from exceeding what’s acceptable. The newest models are the 04, 05, and 06 which are available in three finishes: Double Nickel, Blue Ion, or Black Ion. Weight ports in the toe and heel (with interchangeable weights), that enable you to find the exact weight/feel you’re most comfortable with, add to that sense of stability. The three 2023 models are the 04, an Anser-style head with extended, square back and 40 degrees of toe hang (good for players with arcing strokes); the 05, a center-shaft, face-balanced mallet; and 06, a winged mallet with slant neck and 30 degrees of toe hang.

4 • TaylorMade

P790 Irons 2024

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: $199.99 Per Club

TaylorMade’s best-selling iron, the superb player’s-distance P790, was first introduced in 2017 and has been updated three times. The fourth and latest generation has all the features that have made it so popular. Features include: elegant, sophisticated looks; hollow body filled with TaylorMade’s proprietary SpeedFoam Air to improve the sound of contact and dampen vibration; speed pocket to help the face flex and create greater ballspeeds; internal tungsten weighting to raise the Moment of Inertia (MOI), making it more forgiving. Additionally, the wrap-around L-Face to improve feel and ensures the highest possible ballspeed — but the new club uses AI (but, of course) to create a thick-thin back wall which optimizes the position of the Center of Gravity (called ‘Fltd CG’). The CG is lower in the long irons which helps you launch the ball and rises steadily as the club gets shorter to flatten the shot’s trajectory keeping it out of the wind and making it easier to control. A new internal sound stabilization bar combines with the SpeedFoam Air to improve the club’s feel (as if it needed improving), and the 4140 carbon-steel face is just 1.56 millimeters thick at its thinnest location. Combined with the new internal shaping, this incredibly thin face (gets slightly thicker in places) creates what TaylorMade is calling an ‘Intelligent Sweet Spot’ which is said to ‘capture more shots ensuring consistent ballspeed across the face’. That means even when you hit the ball off-center, it still leaves the clubface at a speed not dissimilar to that following a solid strike.

5 • TaylorMade

MG4 Wedges

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: $179.99

In it’s fourth generation is TaylorMade’s Milled Grind Wedge which has a more refined shape than its predecessors and which was inspired by the company’s Tour staff players, and in which the mass has been redistributed to ensure better feel. Milled Grind is all about precision though, each club milled to create tolerance levels difficult for a human to repeat. The grooves have laser-etched diagonals on the flat areas between each scoreline which increases spin on partial shots and prevents spin-loss when conditions are wet. TaylorMade says up to 65 percent of a shot’s spin was being lost when moisture got trapped in the grooves of previous MG wedges, but that the 45-degreee angle of the diagonal mini-grooves on the MG4’s face, together with the Raw finish which increases friction between club and ball, creates a 50 percent improvement. The process is like what happens when tires prevent skidding on wet roads — hence TaylorMade’s name for their groove technology — ‘Spin Tread’. The MG4 line introduces six more loft/bounce options than the MG3 possessed, and the flange has been thickened slightly (a lot of wedges these days add weight by increasing the height of the toe to raise the CG) which is designed to improve the sound of contact. MG4 wedges are available with 46 to 60 degrees of loft and 7 to 14 degrees of bounce. The head is made from soft-feeling 8620 carbon-steel, and it comes with a chrome finish. The True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue is the stock shaft. These wedges will be some of the most popular for the coming season at Puetz.

6 • CALLAWAY

Apex Pro 2024

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: Per Iron $215 • Utility Woods $299.99 • Hybrid $349.99 • Per Club $279.99

Callaway purchased the Ben Hogan company in 2003 and sold it in 2012 while retaining the rights to famous Hogan brands such as Apex and Edge. In 2014, Callaway launched its first version of the Apex along with a model for better players called the Apex Pro which had less offset, a narrower sole, and a thinner top line. The Apex Pro has evolved into one of the most popular player’s-distance irons on the market, the newest version featuring a multi-material construction and Callaway’s patented urethane microspheres inside the hollow body to improve feel. The progressive face ensures each club can do the job it’s designed for. The long irons have a forged 455 face-cup to increase forgiveness and help get the ball airborne while everything from the 6-iron on up is built with 1025 soft carbon-steel to enhance the performance of the scoring clubs. The Dynamic sole design has a pre-worn leading edge to cut through the turf and a trailing edge that ensures a clean exit. The Utility Wood has a mix of fairway-wood and hybrid technologies to form a club that looks like a wide, flat-bottomed hybrid but which flies higher than a hybrid with relatively low spin for soft-dropping approach shots. Callaway’s Jailbreak with Batwing technology stiffens the face to impart more energy — available in 17-, 19- and 21-degree options. The forged 455 face-cup in the Apex Utility Irons aids with both distance and forgiveness. Though powerful, it remains workable — available in 18-, 20- and 23-degree models.

7 • ODYSSEY

AI-One and Ai-One Milled Putters

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: Ai-One $299.99 • Ai-One Milled $499.99

AI-designed driver faces are built using technology that allows manufacturers to create tens of thousands of possible scenarios very quickly allowing clubs to evolve considerably faster than they would have otherwise. The tech helps companies create clubfaces with larger sweetspots, meaning they perform better on off-center hits than they did a few years ago. Though the gains are much smaller with a putter because better contact is made more often than it is with a driver, Odyssey still believed, after years of testing and with a lot of feedback from PGA Tour players, that it was worth borrowing the tech from sister company Callaway to minimize the effect of off-center hits. Odyssey says it produced 50,000 designs to get to the asymmetrical shaping on the back of the faces of the Ai-One, shaping that’s visible through a clear window on the back or sole of the new putter — the tech will not be visible on the Ai-One Milled putters. The Ai-One features a co-molded insert with a grooved urethane layer and aluminum backer, designed to produce a feel similar to Odyssey’s famous White Hot inserts. The Ai-One Milled is made from titanium and paired with a milled, stainless-steel head. In Odyssey robot testing, the contours on the back of both inserts resulted in putts that finished 21 percent closer to the hole. There are five Ai-One style and eight Ai-One Milled. The lightweight SL 90 shaft has 20-30 grams (depending on the grip) of counterbalance weight in the butt end.

8 • FOOTJOY

Hydro-Lite X H20

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: Jacket $194.99 • SS Jacket $164.99 • Pants $144.99

Winter rain tends to be cold, of course, and in Scotland and Ireland it seems to be cold no matter what time of year it is. But what if it rains during a golf trip in Hawaii or Mexico where the wet is usually a bit warmer? For times like that, FootJoy has developed a line of waterproof garments that are designed for warmer playing conditions with specifically placed knit panels in the arms and back that let you swing the club with a much wider range-of-motion than waterproof gear traditionally has. The Hydro-Lite X jacket has a seam-sealed, 2.5-layer construction that is stretchable, waterproof, breathable and easily packable. It comes with a two-year waterproof warranty. The front zipper is waterproof as are the cuffs which are also adjustable — available in six colorways (Charcoal/Black, Black, Navy, Blue, Acid Green, and Navy/ Gray). The Hydro-Lite X SS Jacket has the same construction and waterproof abilities of the mother jacket but with short sleeves. It may seem odd to offer waterproof clothing with short sleeves, but the SS lets you swing with freedom while keeping the rain from your body — likewise available in six colorways (Gray/Navy, Black, Blue, Acid Green, Charcoal/Black, and Navy/White). Hydro-Lite X Rain Pants are constructed from advanced materials that deliver 100 percent waterproof, breathable protection for golfers in cool, windy, and rainy conditions. Like the jackets they allow unrestricted movement with a lightweight, flexible fabric. They, too, are seam-sealed and come with a two-year waterproof guarantee — available in black only.

9 • BAG BOY

Freestyle / ZTF Travel Covers

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: Freestyle $179.99 • ZTF $159.99

With cross-country and international golf travel booming following the miserable, stuck-at-home, COVID years, a golf travel bag has become an absolute necessity. Though videos of baggage handlers carelessly throwing around golf travel bags and other large items of luggage lack context and the images we see are never entirely trustworthy, it’s probably a good idea to get a top-quality product that not only eases your passage through the airport, but which also provides dependable protection. Bag Boy’s Freestyle Travel Bag weighs 9.5 pounds and has six wheels for easy upright or tilted rolling. The side panels fold into the base to keep it compact, and an internal compression strap stabilizes the bag during travel. The top is thickly padded, and the corners reinforced. A lockable, full wrap-around zipper simplifies access and packing, and deluxe skid bars on the back add to the bag’s durability. There is an oversized shoe/garment pocket, and its folded dimension are (in inches) 16 x 14 x 12 — available in three colorways (Black/Charcoal, Navy/Red, Black/Royal). The lighter (6.4 pounds), less-expensive, two-wheel (tilted rolling) ZTF Travel Bag shares many of the Freestyle’s features — the lockable full wraparound zipper, internal compression strap, thickly padded top, and deluxe back skid bars — but it also features interior Diamond/PVC protection on all four sides, exterior anti-burst straps to keep the bag secure in transit, and an exterior stash pocket big enough for a pair of shoes. The ZTF is durable and made with 800d polyester.

10 • TITLEIST

Pro V1 / Pro-V1X Holiday Packages

PUETZ GOLF PRICE: Two Dozen $99.99

Adozen Titleist Pro-V1s has become the go-to gift for golfers, be it a major outlay from kids aged 12-20, say, or for stockings filled by spouses and partners. A box of Pro-V1s checks boxes if you know what we mean. They are always in good supply so easy to get hold of, and if the numbers are to be trusted, by far the most popular golf ball on the planet. This year’s version of the ball that has been the best-selling golf ball in the world since it was first introduced in 2000 is very similar to the version it replaced. That’s not entirely surprising, of course, because when you make something this good and this successful there’s very little reason to change it. The only reason Titleist does so is because the competition gets ever-better meaning Titleist must make changes, however minor, just to stay in the lead. The major difference between the previous model and the latest is the new ‘high-gradient’ core which is softer in the middle and becomes increasingly firm as you move outward. This type of core has become common in high-end balls and reduces spin with the longer clubs which, along with the number, size, and depth of the ball’s dimples (388 tetrahedral-designed dimples), creates greater ball-speeds — and players love greater ballspeed. The Pro-V1x is a higher-compression version of the Pro-V1 thus preferred by players with extremely fast swingspeeds who need a higher compression to retain some control of the ball. This holiday offering of $99.98 for two dozen balls will be a bestseller this season.