It's Show Time!

[golfdigest]

GOUGE: Day One of the annual PGA Merchandise Show is complete (I think 12:56 a.m. might constitute a full day by anyone's estimation), and while I don't have time or the inclination to take you everywhere Bomb & Gouge went in our day's travels (I counted 13 separate meetings, but I missed a few), I thought it might be fun to pick out a few of my favorite things that will be coming to a shop near you in the very near future. Here's a start for now: Ping's nFlight ballflight simulation with adjustable fitting clubs. The real way for golfers to establish a foundation for improvement is by getting them in the right clubs, and that possibility seems greater than ever these days. The software from a company that first came with a fitting matrix more than three decades ago is a total overhaul that reflects the knowledge of the past decade of research and understanding of ballflight. The new system features video game quality ballflight simulations that through in-house developed software home in on the optimized combination of launch conditions and the recommended equipment that allows each individual golfer to achieve those conditions. Ping engineers have analyzed some 30,000 shafts, all in an effort to help golfers reach a more confident result in their search for the right specifications of club and shaft. As interesting is a component that shows the golfer his entire set makeup (after hitting only a mid-iron, a short iron and a driver) and distance gaps in a way that lets him or her see how more wedges might produce better spacing or how a single hybrid might replace two long irons. Expect the new fitting system and computer software to be in place at a number of locations before the end of the spring.

The return of the classic look to MacGregor. After a few years wandering away from its heritage, MacGregor will try to come back yet again. As late as July of 2007, the company did not have a set of irons or specific plans for what the company might be doing. Thursday morning we saw seven (yes, seven) sets of irons, two wedges, a hybrid, a fairway wood and a new driver, as well as a completely new line of putters. Impressively, the irons all follow a clean, non-klunky look that old school fans will appreciate, with a range that stretches from pure blades only company owner Greg Norman could play to cupface design irons that are oversize without being overdone. Even better, none of sets come with obscene price tags and some are damn-near bargains.

Finally, from my perspective one thing that worried me is the uncertainty surrounding niche-brand Sonartec Golf's product line. A fixture among good players (Zach Johnson used a Sonartec hybrid in winning the Masters last year), the company's current state of limbo means the availability of its interesting TriBrid hybrid (a Hot List Silver selection this year) is also up in the air. Let's hope stability gets quickly restored somehow.

BOMB: Uh, partner, that was 20 meetings, not 13. And we have another 20 scheduled today so I'll keep it brief. Count among the cool things at the Show Sun Mountain's Zero-G bag. We were impressed last year with the company's Hug technology (where a fitted bar around the hip helped relieve some of the stress from carrying the bag) and now the company has taken it one step farther, now using a strap with Velcro instead of the bar. Simply put the dual-strap bag on your shoulders and fasten the strap (think a Velcro-fastening belt, but slightly above belt level) and it was simply amazing how the bag felt like, well, nothing. Anyone who walks and carries their own bag would be well advised to check out this one.

Next up for me was not necessarily a product, but a couple of announcements involving SkyGolf. The company's SkyCaddie rangefinder was announced as not only the official rangefinder of the Canadian Golf Association (allowing it to be used in all of the association's national championships), but will be allowed in play by the Great Britain and Ireland PGA, thus allowing the device to be used in such events as the Irish PGA Championship. I know, this is not exactly the U.S. Open, but you know what, it might be headed that way. Anything that helps speed up play (and these devices do) is good for the entire game of golf. The USGA allows them as a condition of competition, but quite frankly, they should be a Rule of Golf and allowed universally. We'll be spending some time today with the USGA's Dick Rugge so perhaps we can ask him about that.

As for what I don?t like, well, I?m not exactly a big fan of operating on five hours sleep. I know, cry me a river.

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