PING Golf G400 Max Driver, Glide 2.0 Stealth Wedges, G700 Irons Preview

PING Golf is going all in on new equipment releases this year, with drivers, irons, and putters that promise to be some of the most eye-catching products at the 2018 PGA Merchandise Show. 

 

I'll have detailed impressions of the new PING G400 Max driver, G700 irons, Glide 2.0 Stealth wedges, and Vault 2.0 putters at Demo Day and on the floor at the Show.  In the meantime here's some info on all the clubs that PING believes will deliver across-the-board performance gains to help all golfers play better. 

EDEL Golf Torque Balanced Putter Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 12 Giveaway

Nothing causes more stress for a golfer than putting, and so each new year we see companies lay out different putter models, sizes, weights, toe-balanced versions, face-balanced versions, and everything in between to be our saviors. 

 

In one way, shape, or form, they all promise their putters have great feel, fantastic spin, and superior control.  Most of the time however, you just have to file these promises under complete and utter bullcrap.  That is, unless the promises come from a company like EDEL Golf. 

Callaway Golf Epic Sub Zero Fairway Wood Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 11 Giveaway

Move over Kurt Warner, Marshall Faulk, Torry Holt and the rest of the 2000 St. Louis Rams, there's a new "Greatest Show on Turf" in town.  Callaway Golf's GBB Epic Sub Zero fairway woods are attack oriented clubs that run circles around the course with burner speed.  They eat up massive chunks of yardage from the fairway and the tee, and every time you take a swing, they put big shot potential in your hands. 

 

I should tell you right away the Epic Sub Zero fairway woods don't feature the jailbreak technology included in the Epic drivers, the face is too shallow for rugged titanium bars.  But trust me, it's nothing to stress out about.  The SZ still fires with the power of a .357 Magnum thanks to its lightweight triaxial crown and Callaway's latest generation Hyper Speed Face Cup. 

Cobra KING F7 Driver Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 10 Giveaway

Let’s be honest.  We’ve all grabbed a driver from our bag, stuck a tee into the ground, and then had no idea what was about to happen next.  Our ball might go left and it might go right.  We might hit it high and we might hit it low.  Stepping into the tee box can sometimes be like pulling the arm on a Vegas slot machine.  You just hope for the best. 

 

Cobra Golf's KING F7 driver takes random chance out of the equation and hits the jackpot with a three gold bar payout in distance, forgiveness, and adjustability - making it one of my top performing drivers of the year.  It leaves no doubt in all-around performance and will give you confidence to take dead aim and fire away without inhibition. 

Cleveland Golf RTX-3 Sand Wedge Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 9 Giveaway

The pros make it look easy, but hitting out of a sand bunker for the rest of us can be intimidating, and sometimes even a truly miserable experience.  Put a Cleveland Golf RTX-3 sand wedge in your hands however, and you'll start blasting your way out to lower scores in no time. 

 

I wrote a full review on the Cleveland RTX-3 wedges here earlier this week, and you can read all about why it gets my top billing, in particular for its amazing spin and incredibly versatile sole.  The RTX isn't just a game-changer from the sand however.  It will be your go-to club from 100 yards and in, and when you see your approach shots landing a few feet from the hole, it might also become the favorite club in your bag. 

Callaway Golf Steelhead XR Fairway Wood Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 8 Giveaway

Let this one bounce around your grapefruit for a bit.  Callaway Golf's new Steelhead XR fairway woods can be used with equal effectiveness on the tee, from the fairway, in the rough, and around the green.  One club.  Infinite utility. 

 

No, they're not equipped with flux capacitors and won't leave a trail of flames in the turf when you swing them.  The Steelhead XR woods don't even have removable weights or an adjustable hosel.  Callaway's gone back to the future however, and recharged one of the most successful fairway woods in history with jaw-dropping performance that will give you an edge just about anywhere on the course. 

CRU Golf Lighthouse Collection Leather Headcovers Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 7 Giveaway

From the Turnberry lighthouse off the cliffs at Ayrshire, Scotland to the Harbour Town lighthouse on the shores of Hilton Head, South Carolina, golf course watchtowers around the world are just as much a part of the game as daunting greens and tempting fairways. 

 

CRU Golf pays homage to these magnificent beacons with their Lighthouse Collection leather headcovers, and I can unapologetically say these are some of the finest CRU has ever made. 

Cleveland Golf RTX-3 Wedge Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 6 Giveaway

Here’s the scenario.  You’re in a fairway bunker, maybe 100 yards out from a back pin location.  Your ball is partially buried - the dreaded fried egg.  If you blast out too far your ball’s screaming over the green and into a pond.  Don’t clear the tall bunker lip and tentacles of shame will emerge from the trap and cripple you where you stand.  What are you going to do? 

 

If you grab a Cleveland Golf RTX-3 wedge, you’ll probably hit one of the prettiest, highest bunker shots you’ve ever seen.  Even before your club twirl is finished you’ll know that danger was averted, and while the iconic 588 name might be gone from your wedge, the legendary 588 performance has never been better. 

Piretti Firenze Black Onyx Putter Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 5 Giveaway

Golfers are an finicky bunch.  We fall in love with our putters almost as quickly as we fall out of love with them.  I'd like to tell you the Piretti Firenze Black Onyx putter will once and for all put an end to your compulsive putter buying binges, but I can't.  Putting your hands on the new Firenze is just going to feed an insatiable obsession to keep buying Piretti masterpieces for the rest of your life. 

 

Let me give it to you straight.  The Firenze is one of the best putters you'll ever hit.  Today, tomorrow, seriously... forever.  Incredible distance control and stability makes it almost foolproof.  A heavier head and deep milled grooves create exceptional roll.  And the soft, pure sensation off the face combined with its sleek and powerful appearance makes Firenze a flat-out game changer. 

Wilson Staff FG Tour PMP Lob Wedge Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 4 Giveaway

It's the high-lofted assassin you grab from your bag when you need that impossible flopper to a foot.  Sometimes it's the only option you have when you're short-sided or stuck in thick rough.  I'm talking about your lob wedge of course, and Wilson Staff's FG Tour PMP lob wedge is hell-bent on making it easier than ever to expand your shot repertoire around the greens. 

 

I already wrote a full review on the Wilson PMP wedges here, so you can read all the ins and outs about their flight, spin, and distance control.  They'll shave strokes off your game and probably also save you from more than a few tough lies.  I won't go into detail here again except to say the PMP performance is legendary.  It's a wedge you can trust completely.  And it will deliver for you when it counts the most. 

Travis Mathew Tour Cap Review & Arnold Palmer Commemorative 1960 U.S. Open Pin - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 3 Giveaway

The "M." 

 

It's minimalist yet progressive.  It's steeped in golf culture.  You know it when you see it.  It's of course the logo for the Travis Mathew brand, and its refreshing aesthetic is all about sexy, rock-n-roll, and elegance. 

Titleist Pro V1 Ball Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 2 Giveaway

Telling you the Titleist ProV1 is a great ball is like telling you the New England Patriots are a great football team.  Everyone knows that.  What you might not know about the 2017 Pro V1 however, is that it’s likely to meet or exceed every expectation you have for a golf ball.  This season, it did for me. 

 

I joked with friends that Titleist must be controlling my ball with some kind of NASA satellite because shot after shot after shot, the Pro V1’s performance was sensationally exact, particularly 100 yards and in.  It’s softer feeling than the Pro V1x and provided greater stopping power, even when greens were firm and fast.  On long pitches and full swings that translated to remarkable distance control, allowing me to be as aggressive as I wanted attacking pins. 

Wilson Staff FG Tour PMP Wedge Review - PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas DAY 1 Giveaway

Wilson Staff's FG Tour PMP wedges aren't good up-and-down wedges.  Get that blasphemous idea out of your head right now.  What they are however, are great up-and-IN wedges.  Seriously, I'm talking real wedge weaponry here... if you're into that sort of thing. 

 

Wedges don't usually get the same kind of love as the driver or the putter.  "Drive for show, putt for dough," but chip and pitch for what?  Yes, wedges are likely the least expensive clubs in your bag, but all you have to do is watch any professional tour over the weekend to see they should be your most valuable.  Cue up your new love affair with Wilson's PMP wedges right here. 

4th Annual PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway: Callaway, Cleveland, Cobra, CRU, EDEL, Piretti, Titleist, Travis Mathew, Wilson & More!

It's that time again everyone.  My PGAPappas 12 Days of Christmas Golf Giveaway kicks off tomorrow evening.  This will be its fourth straight year, and as you'll see below, also the biggest! 

 

Equipment and gear from Callaway Golf, Cleveland Golf, Cobra Golf, EDEL Golf, Piretti Golf, CRU Golf, Titleist, Travis Mathew, Wilson Golf, and more!  You can read more details about all the gifts and how to enter below. 

Titleist 718 AP1, AP2, and AP3 Irons Preview: Irons You'll Wish Were In Your Bag Right Now

I try to always be even-keel when I'm writing an equipment preview or review, but I have to throw that theme out the window this time.  Mark it down right now.  Titleist's new line of 718 irons irons are destined to be hugely successful and they're going to have a significant impact on the golf equipment landscape. 

 

Titleist is providing breakthrough technology and proven performance for players at every level of the game.  The new AP1 feature powerful distance and ultra-forgiveness of AP1.  The AP2 deliver tour-proven consistency. And the new AP3 are going to be absolutely insane.  Think of them as a combination of the AP1's distance and forgiveness along with the look and feel of the tour-favorite AP2s. 

Cleveland Golf TFi 2135 Satin Putters Preview: Perfecting Your Putting

The importance of putting cannot be overemphasized.  It's arguably the most important skill in your game.  Unfortunately it's often the most frustrating to master, too often leaving us weeping on the greens. 

 

Cleveland Golf understands putting is what separates the field, and their new TFi 2135 Satin putters promise to take the fright out of the flatstick and put you in a holing putts state of mind. 

Cleveland Launcher CBX Irons Preview: Easy To Love Shots Throughout Your Bag

Nothing beats the scenery of fall golf.  The season turns into a blur of reds, yellows, and oranges, and letting that beauty sink in makes playing an entire day out on the course something memorable. 

 

Cleveland Golf thinks that your game should be memorable as well.  And so next month they're releasing the new Launcher CBX irons, designed to make your game even more spectacular than the new autumn landscape. 

Titleist Releasing New Scotty Cameron Futura 5.5M Putter

Scotty Cameron has added a high-MOI mallet with enhanced toe flow to his new Futura line of putters that combines the forgiveness of a mallet with the feel of a blade.  The Futura 5.5M features the alignment and high-MOI characteristics of the Futura line coupled with a neck configuration that promotes a flowing, arced putting stroke more commonly associated with blade style putters. 

 

The idea for the Futura 5.5M began as a prototype when Justin Thomas came to the Putter Studio looking for a new option.  Thomas wanted a smaller mallet that he could align easily, but one that also promoted the arced putting stroke he preferred.  Cameron welded a flare neck to a Futura X5 Tour putter and sent him on his way.  Thomas went on to win three events, reporting back that some of his buddies wanted a putter like his, and the wheels started turning from there. 

Cleveland Golf CBX Wedge Preview: A New Category of Wedge For Golfers Who Play Cavity Back Irons

Occam's razor is a problem solving principle that basically states the simplest answer is usually the best answer, and Cleveland Golf has designed a new category of wedges that might be the most obvious solution to the short game woes of a majority of golfers. 

 

The new CBX wedges are modeled to complement the address profile and swing weight of the most popular cavity back irons, and built to look, feel, and play like the game improvement irons used by 84-percent of the golf market. 

Srixon Launches New Q STAR Golf Ball - A Two-Piece Ball Delivering Performance And Playability

Two-piece golf balls are basically game improvement golf balls designed for players looking for maximum distance and reduced spin to keep those undesirable slices or hooks in check.  The problem with these types of balls however is they sacrifice spin control around the greens.  And what good is hitting it longer and straighter off the tee if you can't stick it closer on approach? 

 

SRIXON Golf understands the predicament this causes for too many golfers and they've announced the release of a new Q-STAR two-piece ball that promises both performance and playability.