Having played Cobra clubs most of my life it was a big step to change to Karsten Solheim's PING family this year. I've always been happy with my Cobra sets and never had plans on changing brand. Having said that, my ancient Zing putter has been by my side through all my sets and my curiosity to find out whether the rest of the PING range was as good made my trial some of its new products.
 
At this year's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth I found myself at the PING stand booking an afternoon fitting session. In the boiling heat with far too many people watching and a pair of regular Converse on I expected somewhat of a disaster when gripping the G15 7-iron. Much to my surprise, and clearly the people around me, my ball flight was great and accurate and it went further than expected.
 
Before I knew it, a set of regular shafted G15 irons were delivered to my flat together with the new K15 driver and fairway woods and a beautiful looking Redwood Zing-putter.
 
The wider sole positions the centre of gravity lower and more towards the back of the club, which generates added yardage and higher-flying shots. As a single handicapper I wasn't too happy hearing how the clubs are designed for game improvement and extreme forgiveness as I wanted to believe I do all the work myself. To be fair though, the design allows for a comfort and consistency that I haven't experienced earlier.
 
When it comes to the Straight Flight Technology the heel weighting in the K15 woods helps to make the clubface square, generating not only straighter, but subsequently longer shots.

My new irons might not look as impressive as PING's new S56 irons when
they're sitting in bag, but to be honest I couldn't be happier with my
new friends.

As a nomad golfer I was looking forward to using the new Garmin Approach G5 golf GPS. As much as I love playing courses I've not ventured to before, I'm a big fan of having my yardage worked out for me. Arriving at Penha Longa, Portugal, on a championship course that is hosting this week's Estoril Open, I was certainly in need of my GPS.

The touch-screen technology enabled me to really play my own game. Penha Longa has more than its fair share of water hazards and bunkers and is certainly one of those tracks that requires careful planning. So, being able to adjust the screen in an instant to ascertain exact yardages was the biggest plus point for me.

The Garmin Approach G5 is a robust unit and even in the heaviest of rain, there's no need to worry about causing it damage. With a sturdier bag clip than most other units, the ergonomics are spot on leaving it a question of how well it performed in terms of accuracy and ease of use. 

In short, the Garmin Approach G5 ticks all the boxes here as well. After a few holes I was happily recording my own stats and calculating yardages to exact parts of the fairways. The drag-and-drop touch-screen was helping me shift the pin position, leaving me in no doubt as to what iron to take. There are 1,200 UK courses already loaded and although it's not the largest database, updates are free and more courses are being uploaded all the time. 

See also: Golf GPS reviews

With the PING G15 driver a regular in my bag, I must admit that I have few complaints in the driving department, although I'll never pass up on the opportunity to test a club that could give me more yardage. So what did the TaylorMade Burner SuperFast driver have to offer?

My first impressions of a driver often centre on the looks - before I've had the chance to put it through its paces - and I can't pretend that I was a fan of the new Burner look.

The dual crown has been smoothed out and this gives the driver a stretched look, therefore it's far from a traditional appearance. That said, I'm not opposed to large clubheads and after a few strikes I was more interested in the performance.

And, on the performance front, I'd have to say that the driver did deliver. At 14 grams less than the Burner 09 driver, the theory is that players are able to generate a wider swing arc to help generate added yardage. This was certainly the case and I'm sure those who find themselves in possession of the new TaylorMade Burner SuperFast driver will have no concerns on the distance front.

In  terms of trajectory, the dual-crown technology lowers and moves back the centre of gravity, so the driver was producing an impressive high, penetrating flight.

Whether this is enough for me to change my current driver, I'm not so sure, but I would recommend it to anyone in search of a few extra yards off the tee.  

Where next?

Equipment news: TaylorMade Burner SuperFast driver pictures
Reviews: Latest golf equipment reviews

Is my lifelong search for the perfect 3-wood finally over following the arrival of TaylorMade's R9 this season? Maybe, maybe not, but for the time being it's the best, most confidence-inspiring 'spoon' I've ever had the good fortune to possess. And this despite it being passed to me by deputy editor, Neil Tappin, with a slightly dismissive, "Do you want to try this? You'll probably find the head too small, but you might as well give it a go."

Too small? I don't think so, and as someone who prefers to look down on something erring on the compact rather than the oversize at address from long range, a quick glance suggested it fitted my eye perfectly.

Several months ago now it debuted in the Ellwood bag, and that is precisely where it remains to this day following some of the most solid, consistent and reasonably long 3-wood shots of my life. Further proof that when it comes to golf clubs, one man's meat is indeed another's poison. For now, I will continue to feast on the extra dimension the TaylorMade R9 3-wood has brought to my occasionally suspect long approach play.

Where next?

TaylorMade R9 460 driver blog

Over the next few months all the major equipment manufacturers are going to be pushing their latest and greatest, such as PING's Rapture V2 or TaylorMade's R9 460, but did you know the Japanese golf market has been able to get hold of the R9 460 for quite a few months now, and that the Japanese version of the Rapture V2 irons have less offset and 1 degree stronger lofts.

Japan has always had a strong relationship with high quality forgings that date back to the days of the samurai sword, and although their forgings are far less dangerous these days (unless you're using golf clubs to chop your opponents limbs off), don't be fooled into thinking the quality is any less than the very best.

Mizuno and Miura are synonymous with the ‘buttery' soft feel their irons produce, providing a feel few other manufacturers are able to produce, but most of us will be familiar with their work. So instead I'm going to provide an insight into some other renowned Japanese brands, that some may argue produce far more innovative designs, whilst still producing that ‘feel' that can only come out of Japan.

Miura's biggest rival in terms of feel and performance is Epon, and if you are serious about your golf equipment then there is a strong chance that you have used a golf club forged by Epon, or to be more precise, Endo, who are Epon's parent company. Titleist and Nike have called upon Endo to forge their irons in the past, as they have largest forging house in the world at their disposal, forging steel to extremely high tolerances, meaning there are fewer anomaly's in each of their heads.

Endo consider themselves leaders in golf technology, and have taken all their knowledge from forging for other companies and put it into their own brand, Epon. Epon have been forging golf equipment for decades, whilst leading the field with their output. Their most recent offerings include drivers (their latest being the AF-151 and EMS), have crafted a hugely forgiving blade (AF-Tour) and players clubs such as the AF-501/2, irons that look like a blade from above, but in the long irons possesses an undercut that provides forgiveness on miss-hits, which is the same technology that TaylorMade have employed for their Tour Preferred irons.

One of Japan's ‘trendier' brands is PRGR, who brought out the odd-looking 'Egg' series. I say this because when you look down at the hybrid you see that half the cavity is missing, helping to create a low centre of gravity, which when paired with tungsten weights in the sole, equates to a higher and longer ball flight.

Pro Preference Model are a brand that have a very minimal output, although they recently released a beautiful blade at the beginning of the year, but this butter-knife isn't your average piece of kit. PPM has ground an undercut into the sole of each iron (something you may have seen on wedges in recent years), which they say cuts through the rough and uneven lies with ease.

Club-head technology isn't the only thing that the Japanese golf manufacturers excel at though, as graphite shafts have long been something they have exported around the world. You may be familiar with names such as Fujikura, Diamana and Graphite Design, as these manufacturers names have long been amongst the leaders of shaft technology, with players such as Tiger Woods, Ernie Els and Sergio Garcia all having them in their bags, but there are also many ‘boutique' brands within the country that aren't very well known this side of the Pacific.

Names such as Quadra, Roddio and Mamiya Op are all names synonymous with shafts in Japan.

Quardra's Fire Express shafts are made from the highest quality retail carbon, which, to you and me, is 80t. Their shafts contain more glass than rubber particles, leading to shafts that kick back to their original shape far quicker and more predictably, meaning it's far easier to square the clubface up at impact. Wondering why they can do such high-grade carbon and no one else can? Its because they own the plant that ships out the graphite and Crazy decided to get in on the act and start making golf shafts themselves.

Roddio recently brought out their Pentacross range, which they say dampens vibrations and can also control the ball even when the sweet spot isn't hit, so if you hit it out of the toe or the heel, the shafts is able to minimise the damage by getting the ball to work back to somewhere near your target.

One of the most popular shaft companies in Japan is called Mamiya Op, who cater for all golfers swings and abilities. They recently helped out their sister company UST, in bringing out the new ATTAS shaft, which is aimed at players who are looking to bring their spin rates down, whilst still maintaining a medium-high ball flight, oh as well as hitting the ball further due to the high energy transfer. This shaft has been a massive hit on both the European and PGA tours, most notably making it into the bags of Ernie Els and Adam Scott.

Golf is treated in a very different manner in Japan compared to the rest of the world, as they treat the sport as a lifestyle instead of a game, meaning it's not unheard of for them to buy a set of irons for upwards of £10,000 and unfortunately for us, all of these products come at a premium price.

There are websites on the internet that enable you to get hold of this kit, but unless you live within reasonable distance from their shops you wont be able to try before you buy and so you'll be buying it blind. Be wary if you buy the gear from foreign websites though, as you'll probably have to pay the shipping price and you may also have to pay the taxman when your clubs reach these shores. But don't let this put you off, the craftsmanship and quality of materials that goes into making some of this kit is second-to-none and there's nothing more exciting than trying something new out.

Hopefully you'll find out why Japanese golf equipment has gathered such a cult following around the world.

February's release of the TaylorMade R9 driver (420cc clubhead) was exciting but the 460 model that hit the shelves in May was more appealing considering my level of golf (12 handicap). With a larger clubhead and deeper face I felt far more confident of making a sweet strike.
 
The 460 felt quite light and encouraged me to achieve a nice rounded, sweeping action through the ball. Despite playing into strong winds first time out with the R9, I also found myself recording some impressive distances with a penetrating ball flight. Confidence high, I also found it possible to shape my drives both ways.

The occasional off-centre strikes as a result of poor swings were not pretty but still travelled good distances. I've never opposed using clubs that may not look so appealing if they achieve good results, but this driver has the added bonus of good looks - the bullet shape just one of many appealing factors.

For those who like to tweak, the Flight Control Technology (FCT) also allows players to easily change the club's face, loft and lie angle. Whether this aspect of technology is appealing or not, this driver ticks more than enough boxes and will be staying in the bag for an extended trial.

Where next?

Review: TaylorMade R9 driver review
Video review: TaylorMade R9 video reviews

While a trip to Dallas-Fort Worth promises the excitement of real life cowboys and a traditional Texan welcome, it is also home to one of the most impressive research a development facilities in the world of sport - 'The Oven'.

I made this special trip to the Nike Golf test facility in order to test the company's brand new golf gear that will be released in 2010. It offered a chance to meet up with the team that design and create the world's greatest golfers clubs.

New Nike golf clubs Nike has developed two great looking and very different ranges for 2010. The VR woods look fantastic and are clearly designed for the confident ball striker. The SQ MachSpeed woods produce a noticeably higher launch and will appeal to a wide range of abilities. All of Nike's new products will feature in up and coming issues of Golf Monthly including the new Method range of putters that have already caused a stir on the PGA Tour.

The immense test facility is called 'The Oven' because great ideas are cooked up there combined with the humidity you are greeted with in the Deep South. While Nike has been previously known for trainers and athletic garments they have been committed to producing high quality golf equipment since the early 90's. A look round "The Oven" highlights how seriously the company takes the sport and the dedication to making great golf clubs.

This is where the best golfers come to offer their feedback on the latest Nike designs created by engineers and designers who have been in the industry for decades. The man who now creates all of Tiger Woods' clubs has also worked on the clubs of Jack Nicklaus and Ben Hogan over the years. Tiger visits here to try out the latest equipment and provides valuable feedback on the latest designs.   

The testing and development labs offer a real insight into the precision and accuracy behind building golf clubs. Each new design is tested for performance, durability and even the sound the club makes is tuned to suit the golfers ear. Robotic hitting machines are used to test the forgiveness and distance that prototype clubs provide.

Having just graduated from University with a student loan to pay, spending money on a new set of irons is not on the cards. I am more than happy, however, to stick with the trusty TaylorMade SuperSteel irons that have been in my bag for many years.

The SuperSteel irons were given to me six years ago on my 15th birthday and they continue to give me good results. At that stage I was playing to an 18 handicap and I am now playing off five, reaching the National Public Schools Final on the way.

Yes these clubs are out of date and probably won't give you as much feel or workability as the latest TaylorMade irons but I guarantee you that their solid cast cavity backs are extremely forgiving and at a very reasonable price for the mid to low handicapper.

I have also found that the graphite shafts in these irons have had a major impact on my distance. The shafts have enabled me to generate greater swing speed compared to my previous steel shafted clubs.

From the tee I use a TaylorMade R7 460 TP driver. I have used this club for a couple of years now and it is a very impressive piece of golfing technology. The movable weights in the back of the club help you to adjust the clubhead's centre of gravity, lie and loft of the club to suit your swing.

The 460 CC titanium head has straightened my drive with an average distance of 260 yards from the tee. The club is very useful in windy conditions when there is a premium on finding the centre of the fairway.

Similar to my irons, I use a stiff flex graphite shaft to help generate the speed into my downswing - longer drives mean shorter second shots after all.

When you hit the perfect drive down the middle of the fairway there is a premium on solid wedge play into the green for the second or third shot.

A couple of years ago I was given two Ben Hogan Carnoustie wedges from a relative of mine who sadly passed away and I continue to use them in his honour.

The 52 degree Ben Hogan Carnoustie wedge gives me fantastic feel from 70 yards in. I don't use a 60 degree wedge so the 56 degree wedge is used for the shots around the green.

The wedges are designed with a state-of-the-art precision milled face to provide incredible accuracy and its very own tungsten EDM face also helps to create the spin from the fairway or the sand. They are steel shaft and of regular flex. The black chrome finish to the bottom of the club adds to its impressive look.

On the greens, I use a Scotty Cameron Titleist Studio Design Newport 2 putter. The Studio Design putter has given me greater confidence over long distance putts as the putter blade hits the ball with a very solid contact. Long putts are all about feel so if you want to eliminate the dreaded 3-putt it is a worthwhile investment.

With the putter, I use a different grip to the rest of my clubs – a Titan Minus ION grip made of soft silicone rubber. I am not sure why, it is just something that helps me as I stand over the ball. The Titan Minus grip helps keep my wrist and hand movement still as I strike the ball.

When I speak to other golfers I find it amazing to find out how little they change their grips. Most professional players on tour change their grips frequently to give better consistency to their swing and for greater feel and comfort around the greens. A lack of grip can cause problems on the downswing – as you lose grip, the club is likely to turn over.

Always use clubs, shafts and grips that feel comfortable to you. It will reflect in your score.

The Titleist Vokey Spin Milled wedges. I’ll be honest, I was under no illusion when I grabbed the 60º one out the cupboard that the ‘spin’ I would generate would only result out of a clean contact. Thus, my short game would not spectacularly improve just because my bag had. Furthermore, I was really after the 60º version as I was becoming increasingly frustrated short-siding myself and not having a good flop shot at my disposal.

I’m not one for finding too many greens in regulation, but have begun breaking 80 recently, largely due to an improvement in my chipping around the greens. I can’t say this is all down to my new favourite wedge, but I have at last found a club I consistently use with confidence, and from all lies, when trying to get down in two.

I’ve been particularly impressed with the stop I can now generate, even from some really thick lies. Like all clubs, skill level will determine the outcome to the greatest degree, but the Vokey Spin Milled wedge has certainly played a part in my game improvement and given me more shots at my disposal.

I’ll continue to use my standard 56º Nike Victory Red wedge from further out, since I’ve found the Vokey a little too heavy from this range, but that’s merely a personal feel thing. This club is also a popular choice from the sand, generating good levels of spin. I wasn’t able to control that spin, but just talking about spin control makes me think I may have reached the next level…

Where next?

Tour news: 91st USPGA Championship 
Amateur news: England win 2009 Boys Home Internationals
Equipment: PowaKaddy Freeway II trolley review
Competitions: Win some great new golf prizes
Golf blog: Chris Wood at the USPGA