The rough winter gave way to a hit-and-miss March, but with April and the Masters on our doorstep, golfers are set to swarm back to the links in a big way. Keeping fitness and pleasure in mind, we offer our 2011 product listings, designed to help you enjoy the game, especially for those brave souls that prefer to walk the course.
Anatomy inspired footwear
Danish
footwear maker Ecco is bringing comfort and performance to the game
with its new Biom Golf. The new shoe was designed using decades of
research into the human foot and from ultra lightweight construction to
climate control, the Biom Golf gets points for both performance and
style.
Ecco Biom Golf shoes, $225, www.golfsmith.com
Smart socks
Kentwool’s
CEO was standing on the 18th hole, worrying more about his bleeding,
blistered feet than his eagle putt. That’s when he decided his textile
expertise should be used to create the world’s best golf socks. A blend
of merino wool and high-tech fibers give Kentwool golf socks moisture
management, odor control and oh-so-comfortable socks.
Kentwool socks, $20-$25, www.kentwool.com
Walk tall
There’s
nothing like walking the golf course without lugging your bag, but the
pushcart can sometimes be a hassle. Sun Mountain’s Micro Cart addresses
that with a model that folds down 25 percent smaller and at 13 pounds,
weighs 20 percent less than other options. This four-wheel cart is
nothing like that trolley your grandma dragged around the muni, thanks
to storage compartments, variable handle height and a design for better
stability on hills.
Since there will be times you want to carry and
times you have to ride, Sun Mountain’s Superlight 3.5 stand bag
(pictured) blends the best features for both. The entire line has been
redesigned in 2011 to include a cart-friendly bottom, lockable legs and a
“tunnel” for the cart strap to maintain access to all pockets.
Sun Mountain Micro Cart $239; Superlight 3.5 $179, www.sunmountain.com
Find the fairway
Long
known for offering some of the best players irons, Mizuno’s metal wood
offerings can get unfairly overshadowed. This year they have unveiled
the JPX-800 series of clubs designed to use “both the horizontal and
vertical moment of inertia, allowing explosive distance from anywhere on
the face.” The driver features a low, deep center of gravity, ideal for
players seeking forgiveness. Similarly, the JPX-800 fairway woods and
hybrids focus on maintaining ball speed, even when you miss the sweet
spot.
Mizuno JPX-800 woods, Driver $299; Fairways $199; Hybrid $169, www.mizunogolf.com
Follow Ron Varrial on Twitter at @RonVarrial.
