There are times in golf when you are playing well . You have found the fairway and hit the green in regulation but cannot get the ball in the hole no matter how hard you try. The Itsy Bitsy is a 20% smaller version of the Rossa Spider and having had it in my bag it has elevated my putting towards an aura of putting invincibility. It is a superbly balanced club and the smaller head sits perfectly behind the ball and the alignment aid on top draws the eye towards the correct line.

The face promotes a firm feeling and is designed to start the ball rolling without skidding to get longer putts to their destination. Even on the slow winter greens at my home club it does exactly what it says and long putts roll with ease and hold their line. Those knee tremblers from three foot are becoming a fading memory as the balanced head goes back and through without twisting. Pick a line and trust it.

Putters are a personal thing and whilst the looks may not be to everyones taste, my advice is to get one in your hands and feel how good it is. It is available in a number of different lengths and two hosel designs and all come with a comfortable and visually distinctive grip which sits perfectly in the hand. Hit a few balls and bask in the radiance as one after another they roll smoothly towards the bottom of the cup.

Happy Golfing

Martin Bedborough

We all know the feeling, you have had a week out the game and you step on to the fist tee in front of your fellow members and the nerves start to hit you.
You tence up and you begin to think of all the different things the club pro has taught you.

I am 14 and a 15 handicapper, i have recently purchased the 2007 model Taylormade Burner and it is a welcome addition to my bag to say the least. I love the triangular shaped head on it, it may not be a triangle to be exact, but its close enough. I feel confident in it when i step up because i know i have some seriously good equipment going to hit the ball. It gives me the ability to be able to draw and fade the ball, something i could never do with old drivers and the way the ball explodes of the face is trully remarkable.

When i feel low on confidence with the driver, i like to recall a good shot with it. I remember my first ever shot with the Burner at my local golf club, I hit the ball 260 yards with about a 230 yard carry distance, now to you older men this may seem quite small but i am only 5"8 so that is quite a healthy distance for me with a casual swing.

I thoroughly beleive that this is one of the best drivers out on the market because it gives nice distance, good ball height and looks nice on address, if you need a confidence builder, this driver is certainly the one for you

Enjoy those long walks past your oponents and watch your playing partners jaws drop

Happy Walking

Nik Taylor

my golf course is north weald rayley lane essex, for 2 years we are undertaking a massive reconstruction of the course layout, extending fairways, building mounds, tree planting, as a regular player i praise the head green keeper for maintaining the course which can be a bit muddy at times. we are still holding our regular weekly, monthly competitions and scoring good rounds dispite the conditions. The club members are updated on course progress with regular evening forums, more impressive of all is to see the glub owner getting personally involved in the building process.

regards

john

Callaway FT-IQ 10.5 Stiff shaft Driver.

A friend arranged a fourball at Remedy Oak and while waiting I saw the new Callaway Driver in the pro shop.I picked it up to see how it sat, the weight etc. Everyone turned up and we were about to head to the first tee when the pro, Nigel Tokely came over as he had seen me looking at the driver and said why don,t you give it a try.

Having not used a square headed driver it was defiinately different on looking down it did sit well behind the ball. There was a tendancy to aim slightly left/closed at address.

On swinging the club it had a good balance and felt confortable from the off.

The shaft being lighter at 65g than my own driver I was concerned that It may accentuate my fade. These became unfounded when I continually hit the ball down the slightly left/middle of the fairway.

The club was very forgiving and easy to use. Although I did not hit as far as my own driver losing at least 10 yards.

The look with its aerodynamics and white shaft is different but I did not find it off putting.

It makes a good sound and flies well of the face.

If you need a driver that will help accuracy then I would take a look at this driver although the price is quite high.

I enjoyed the experience of using it but on balance with less distance than my existing driver and nominally better accuracy I would not buy it.

My names liam copp iam 13 years old and i tryed the ping rapture v2 driver and irons.

To start with the driver is a great club for a high handicap 19.5 and above as my handicap is 18 i think it was the right for me as i hit ever on dead strainght,i could hit fade or a draw if i wanted to.The club at address looks great and has a high moi so it will stay square at adress.

On to the irons.The irons have quite a large cavity but a big sweet spot and high forgiveness so if u hit the odd shot it would still go straight,even if i fatted a shot it still went really far,as i cant hit a ball quite far with these clubs i hit the ball an extra 10 yards witch means i can get better scores.

Thnanks for reading and happy golfing
Liam Copp

re the Taylor Made Burner i tried on e in NC in October and got on well with it so bought a used on ebay when i returned . It looks good ,feels good , stays low an d more imprtantly i feel confident stood over it .

Jack Nicklaus CD2 Woods

I’ve recently returned to golf and am willing to put a lot more heart and soul in it than I ever have before (coaching, new equipment, and practice, practice, practice). In terms of equipment, when I looked at what clubs I had in my bag, the woods were definitely the place to start. My strategy wasn’t to go straight for the proven, and more expensive, woods. Instead, I wanted to pick mid-range less expensive woods which would aid the development of my new swing, so that a year down the line, I could purchase better clubs with a better understanding of what I would need. I tried several and was happy to buy a driver, fairway wood and rescue wood from the Jack Nicklaus CD2 range. Compared with others of a similar price, they offered a lot of feedback and straightaway were comfortable to use. I’m hoping that my choice will help the development of my game, and which will ultimately end up being the one that gets the most value out of the money I spend on my clubs.

Taylormade Superquad Driver.

One of the best from Taylormade. Easy on the eye and once set up I found that it's a lot straighter and longer than my old G5. The setting up of the weights is a bit fiddly but it's also a laugh trying the hard draw and full slice setup's.

A club that I have full confidence when stepping onto a tee on tight fairways, so for me that's a big plus.

Tee it up and enjoy yourself.

Whilst shopping around for a set of game improvent irons, I tested all of the major brands and only one make gave me any kind of consitancy and feel, PING! And the best of these by far were the outlandishly expensive PING Raptures. At every distance the low disperson of my shots was delightful and I would definately have purchased these if only I had the money. Instead, I ended up buting a second-hand set of PING G2s from e-bay that have proven to be great value for money. May your balls fly true, Rob Wood.

King Cobra f speed LD Driver - What a golf club ! Golf monthly tester reviews spot on ,great feel and the draw bias keeps the ball straight.If you struggle with your current driver, test one of these,you will not be disappointed.my old driver was the old f speed and I thought that was good ,but this new one is even better,longer and more forgiving.
go on spoil yourselves ,I bet you'll be glad you did!
Terry legg

I recently played The Old Course at Letham Grange Golf Course up in Arbroath Scotland, as a winner from my local club in the International Pairs event hosted by Letham Grange. Letham Grange is often referred to as the "Augusta of the North" and has some truely memorable holes particularly 8, 9 & 10 which are really picturesque and testing. The course makes great use of water and natural hazards to makes for a great test of the amatuer golfer. It's a real thinking course which requires accuracy over length. The back nine is a true test of golf and plays really tough. You tee off from the first tee with the Mansion House in the background and the 18th finishes again approaching the Mansion House. Letham Grange is also close to Carnoustie and St. Andrews and is a worthy alternative on your travels about Scotland. From my perspective after my visit and the rounds I played it is well recommended for a visit by all keen golfers.

Ping G10 Driver, stiff shaft

After using a Taylor Made Burner Driver for slightly over 10 years, bought brand new in Singapore for a song, I felt it was time to upgrade to a more modern driver. I was not aware of the massive improvements in golf equipment that have occurred in only 10 short years! But after having a couple of hours at our local range with half a dozen of the 'modern' drivers I was convinced that huge developments have taken place. With the help of the Pro I narrowed it down to the G10 and then finally the correct shaft.
The G10 is so much easy to hit straight and far far longer than my old Bubble Burner. Although more difficult to shape left and right, it more than makes up for this by its shear consistency. Drive after drive either go down the fairway or only slightly miss, gone are the days of big fairway misses.
I mark my ball with a red pen and can see some of the hits on the face of the driver, they are all over the place! Therefore suggesting its remarkable ability to compensate for off centre shots.

Kind regards

Nike Ignite PW through Hybrid set

I own a Nike ignite PW through 3 Hybrid set and i couldn't be happier with them! They are fantastic clubs and really have helped my game out tremendously. they are geared more to the higher handicapper and do their job quite well. With the perimeter weighting they have it really makes getting the ball up in the air and straight easier. The hybrid also has the same forgiving weighting on it and makes the ball rocket off the face. Overall I could not be happier with the clubs and

There are two certainties when you visit The Dunluce Course at Royal Portrush : A real Ulster welcome accompanied with two words before you leave the first tee, "Play Well".

Like most famous links all the holes bear names of those or places associated with the club, founded in 1888.

Don't be fooled by a good drive at "Hughies", depending on the pin placement on the elevated green, your second will determine a par 4 at best .

On the front nine, the 7th." PG Stevenson's", named in honour of the club's esteemed professional, who retired in 1977 after 55 years devoted service, is a par 4 and without due diligence can easily become a double bogie, as can the 8th, "Himalayas", leaving you seeking refreshment after putting out at "The Tavern" the 9th.

Do not be led to false conclusions when you reach "The Feather Bed" tee at number eleven on the inward journey, it's a par 3, but not as easy as it appears and be conscious your real trials have yet to come.

Scores of cards have been wrecked at "Calamity Corner" the 14th. This par 3 drove Arnie Palmer "around the bend" during The British Seniors Open in 1995.

Then the trials and tribulations of "Purgatory" must be faced on the 15th and on escaping without penance, up to the 16th tee "Babington" a difficult par 4 measuring 432 yards.

Slicers beware the 17th "Glenarm", where the massive "Big Bertha" bunker will severly severly punish those who stray. It was here Bobby Locke destroyed his chances of winning the British Open Championship in 1951.

Finally,strolling up the 18th fairway "Greenaway", cast a glance over the road, towards the little church yard on the hill, where rests the body of Portrush's famous son, Fred Daly, the first Irishman to hold "The Auld Claret Jug"

The nineteenth hole is a must to all who visit this famous course.

Momeorabilia from days of yore and personalties abound and it's just the place to celebrate a good round or drown sorrows if that be the case

Cead Mile Failte !

Peter Hughes

Thornbury Golf Centre
I took the game up four years ago and i was lucky that my local course was Thornbury. From day one everyone was friendly and helpful. After messing about on my own for a few weeks I took my partner's advice and got some lessons. Head pro Mike Smedley was excellent, and had a reservoir of patience, which came in handy! He could tell me in technical terms what i was doing wrong and then translate it into english and put me right.

All the facilities are there - large floodlit driving range, chipping area and an excellent, testing putting green near the first tee. They have an 18 hole par 3 course, the stand out hole being the 12th with its 100 foot drop from tee to green.

The main course isnt excessively long (just under 6000yards from the yellow tees) but it gives you plenty to think about. There isnt too much water, but you need to be accurate to score well as a lot of the rough is punishing. A lot of the greens have subtle borrows and a few would make Ben Crenshaw pause for thought!

The noticeboard says a lot about the club - lots of different events, strong senior and junior sections, notices of monies made for charity and a "Thornbury Tigers" programme to get youngsters into the game. It all points to a friendly, thriving club, and the coffee in the bar is excellent too!

Seaford Golf Club

The idea of reviewing golf course is purely subjective and in many cases is a result of the writer having a played a good round during his visit. Having said that many of the ‘top rated’ courses deserve their accolade.
I have been fortunate to have played many golf courses but one stands out for me is Seaford Golf Club in East Sussex often referred to locally as Blatchington (this being the area of the coastal town about two miles inland where the course is located)

Being a chalk downland course designed by J H Taylor in 1896 is playable all year round and boasts great views of the English Channel. Many will think of hills when you mention a Sussex Downland course but Seaford was cleverly designed that it is built on a gentle slope and the only hills are on the 1st and 18th for a very short distance.

Measuring just 6546 yards from the medal tees, a par 69 with a standard scratch of 71 a degree of difficulty and with 7 par fours over 400 yards and indices 1 & 2 nearing 450 yards, long straight hitting is essential.

The 436 yard second hole beautifully lined with Gorse, Hawthorne and Blackthorn narrows down to just 20 yards at the 150 marker, which gives the long hitters something to consider when taking their shot.

An old flint quarry is a feature on the sixth hole and is thought provoking especially when the prevailing wind here is usually in your face. Do you lay up or go for it!

The par three 12th like all the pars 3’s here offers little room for error. Your tee shot is to a raised green with a cleverly designed cross bunker that tricks the player into thinking that it is at the front of the green – the fact is there is another 20 yards of hidden ground between the bunker and the green.

The dogleg right 17th of 398 yards is the signature hole. A semi blind tee shot over Gorse aimed at a Sussex barn is fairly intimidating with out of bounds on the left and bushes all up the right which will certainly block you out. Often the card wrecker of many a good round.

The course is always presented in great condition with fast greens and quality fairways where the ball sits up enticing you to hit it. As with all downland courses the biggest hazard is the elements and the breeze will most certainly bully you into having a variety of shots available and keep you focused.

Way back in the 60's when professionals were prepared to sit and "yarn" with members, Fred Daly listened patiently for over an hour, as we, " young-uns", as he called us, discussed and argued the pros and cons of the new matched clubs that had suddenly flooded the market.

Overnight we had suddenly become world beaters and the game of golf had become "easy-peasie" !

Throughout his career, Fred was loyal to John Letters, who had provided him with support during his days as apprentice, consequently he only used clubs manufactured by his benefactor.

Eventually he broke his silence saying "You guys are talking through your hats".

Fred Daly often referred to clubs by their original names rather than the modern numbers system.

He continued: "I'll go out in the morning with only my brassie, my mashie-niblick and my putter "(he used an old hickory shafted "Calamity Jane"),"the rest of you can come behind with all your modern weapons, and to all who better my score, off your handicaps, I'll give a quid"

The SSS for Balmoral GC was 70, Fred returned a 69 !

Not one of us got within a "beagle's gowl" of bettering his score and we all were taught a valuable lesson that summer's morning.

Fred's strategy was simple. Keep the ball straight, avoid the bunkers and rough and never three putt.

Ben Ross V6 Trimass fairway

I have always been impressed with this fairway either off the tee, rough or fairway. The draw option is ideal for us lower mortals and a real game saver if your driver gets the unthinkable. I have played this fairway for about a year now and have nothing but praise for it, so much so I bought the 5 wood within weeks of trying out the 15*, its forgiving and long and the best part it can be picked up for less than £50.

HENDON Golf Club
I have known this course for over 40 years and it gets better each year. It is located in North London, surrounded by busy roads and houses, but once on the course you soon forget you are in London. The trees and wildlife that surround you take you away from your busy working life. This course was designed by the famous H S COLT. and is over 105 years old
The course is only 6300 yards which may seem short, but if you play to your handicap here you will have played very well. Six of the par 4's are over 400 yards, and the two par 5's, the 8th and 12th at 542 yards and 511 yards are no push over. The par 3;s are all very good holes. The shortest hole is the 9th at only 109 yards. Sounds easy, but miss the green and you will be in a deep bunker. The course has 80 well placed bunkers, and you will visit a few so your sand play needs to be good to save par.
The golf equipment of today could make the course defenceless. however over the last 20 years bunkers have been moved to the new landing areas of tee shots and the fairways narrowed to again place the premium back to hitting fairways. The greens are small and the bunkers are set close to the greens. Miss the green and you will be in a bunker.
Best hole, number 6, a par 3 at 192 yards uphill with trees on each side,Stroke index is 3 , which says it all!
Most members play weekend morning and the course is quite in the afternoon. No 5 hour rounds here. When you get back to the clubhouse, relax with great food and drink on the large balcony overlooking the course working on your tan, hopefully. You will feel this is a friendly members club, and you will have a very enjoyable day . Best time of year to play the course is April to October. If you turn up on your own, you will always find someone to play with. To get the best enjoyment from your round you do need to be able to play to a reasonable standard, this course is not for the beginner.
The club does not stand still, and great investments in the course continue to be made, For example work on wooded areas has allowed more light and air to get to the greens and fairways, and drainage work to make the course more playable in winter.
As far as clubs go in North London, taking everything into consideration, this has to be the best.

Boat of Garten Golf Club - a review.
In the Highlands of Scotland lies Strathspey. In the middle of Strathspey you'll find the village of Boat of Garten. At the the east end of the village you'll find the village Golf Course. I love playing Boat of Garten golf course, I've never played any other course quite like it.
Visually it's as attractive a piece of golf heathland as you're likely to encounter in the UK. The course rises and falls, meandering it's way through mainly birch woods with heather, gorse and juniper in abundance beneath the trees lurking to catch the less than straight hitters. The course lies on the north side of the Cairngorms Mountains offering tremendous views from most holes. There is even a steam railway running adjacent to the 1st, 2nd and 4th holes with happy holidaymakers waving at you as they pass by. The course is set out in abundant space so as you play round you are largely unaware of other holes or other players on the course. Holes do not run parallel to each other. This adds to the wonderful feeling of seclusion when you play which is a great plus point. The course is quite short by modern standards but don't let that fool you. It is tight so straight tee shots are essential as the heather is brutal to get out of. The greens are varied in slope and undulation so you need to be careful with approach shots and with the flatstick. The fairways and greens look almost links-like in places so you need to be prepared for above feet and below feet lies. This country is full of moraines deposited by glaciers from the last ice age and these moraines give the course much of it's undulating character.
The course opens with a straightforward but deceptively difficult par 3, but as you walk up the incline to the 2nd tee you are met with a breathtaking view looking at a dog leg right par 4 that dips then rises to an elevated green. Hole 3 is a tremendous par 3 where anything short right will roll back down the hill. Hole 6 is my favourite hole, the tee shot is crucial and demands a straight shot to put yourself in position to get round the corner of the dogleg right. The second shot feels like being at Augusta, the ground drops away below you as you try to hit the raised green about a 7 iron away. The risk and reward short par 4 15th everyone enjoys (just keep it straight) and 16 is another fabulous view and a very good par 3 which usually plays crosswind. The 17th is reasonably easy but you can't relax as 18 is one of the toughest par 4s I've played. In at least 10 attempts I've never made par and for a 5 handicapper that's not great scoring! The yards on the card aren't too intimidating but the second shot plays really long and uphill to a plateau green. It's a great closing hole on a course that will live long in the golfing memory.
There isn't a bad hole on the course but for me holes 2,3,4,6,9,10,12,16 and 18 in particular are exceptional. It still seems like a "secret spot" to me as green fees are very reasonable and tee times are easy to obtain, even on weekends. This is a tremendous test of golf set in a very beautiful part of Scotland. The facilities are 1st class and a warm welcome awaits in the clubhouse and pro shop. For those heading north to famous courses such as Nairn or Dornoch you should divert the mere 4 miles or so off the A9 to Boat of Garten, I guarantee you will not regret it! Looking at the Golf Monthly top 100 courses I perused the list and though slightly disappointed that "The Boat" wasn't in there, secretly I was quite happy because after all if it's not on the lists then it'll remain the relatively unknown gem of the Highlands it is, so why would we want to share it?

Callaway TourX Driver - review
I have been playing this wonderful, but often frustrating, game for only eight years. On the wrong side of fifty when I first got the golf bug – I have steeped myself in all aspects of the game. I am an avid student of golf theory and lap it up in books, DVD’s, TV programmes and magazines. I‘ve had lessons from three golf pro’s and bought more golf clubs, training aids and gizmo’s in eight years than most players would buy in twenty. I even admit to buying golf instruction off the net – how stupid can you get! My only excuse is, that at my age, I just don’t have time for a sensible, gentle progression from course hacker to being able to play a good game of golf. This rather long preamble is by way of introduction to the story behind my latest costly waste of hard- earned cash.
Early in 2008 I treated myself to a fitted set of KZG irons from Pro-Fit. That exercise convinced me that fitting is the only way to go when changing clubs. The new clubs helped me to knock 2 shots off my handicap in a few months. Before long I began to think that if I could only keep my drives on, or even near, the fairways my game might improve quite a bit more. My old Nickent driver looked a bit sad and never instilled great confidence in me on the tee. Of course, once the idea of changing it was born it didn’t take long for me to start looking for a suitable replacement. I thought I found it in Premier golf in Dublin.
The shop “expert�, an American chap with a deep tan that he definitely didn’t get in Dublin, spotted me looking at the bewildering array of new drivers on display – all claiming deadly accuracy and prodigious length. He approached me with the skill of a good fisherman who knows that the fish is already half way into the net! To give him his due, he asked all the right questions and let me try several drivers. Finally, having convinced me that the launch monitor showed that my ball flight had the right shape and that the distance hit was remarkable – for a man of my age – I left the shop the proud new owner of a new Callaway Tour X 460 driver. Two months later I resigned myself to the fact that I couldn’t hit the bloody thing to save my life. I went back to my trusty 3 wood and left the driver in the boot of the car. It killed me to think that I could hit every other club in the bag pretty well and the thought that it might be the ‘arrow rather than the Indian’ kept nagging at me. My local driving range always has a few used clubs for sale and from time to time I would try different drivers. Invariably the results were disappointing. Then one day I tried a Taylormade Tr7. It had a regular shaft, the same loft as the Callaway, 10.5 degrees, and looked like it was well used. I was well warmed up when I tried it. To my absolute amazement, I found I could hit balls consistently with a slight draw and never more than ten yards off centre. Still not convinced, I took the Callaway out of the boot, got another bucket of balls and hit 10 balls with each club. The Taylormade won hands down. I bought it for the princely sum of ninety euro and we have been firm friends ever since. The moral of the story is never to take anything about this great game on face value – if you are hitting your favourite clubs well but struggle with the ‘ego stick’ then you just might be using the wrong one!
Noel Corcoran, Hollywood Lakes golf club, Dublin, (handicap 16)

Snake Eyes 675C

Having seen these beautiful set of irons in the July issue (page 136) I decided to check with my local pro, as he deals in Snake Eyes and see if he could fit me up a set. I had been looking to replace my old set of irons that I had been given by my dad, Mizuno Comp EZ, these were nearly as old as I am :). Anyway back to the review in hand, my pro had me hitting both models the XC and C, the C model was definetly the club for me, due mainly I have to say is aesthetically with the smaller club head than the XC. However that shouldn't really sway the buyer but the feel should. The feel from the middle of the club head is sublime, definatly something that I wasn't expecting from a club that I had only seen in my pro's bag, when hit out of the toe or heel of the face, I can guarantee that there is almost no loss in performance and you will hardly have noticed that you diid miss the middle of the face apart from the slightly harder feel, but you will get that with any club that you try. I doubt that there is a difference between these and the Mizuno MP - 62, a top of the range club, apart from the fact that the Mizuno maybe slightly softer at impact. Don't get me wrong though, the Mizuno's are a lovely club but I just wouldn't be pursuaded to buy them. These Snake Eyes just fill me with confidence everytime I stand over the ball, not only do they go a damn sight further than my older set, at least 10 yrds more, but you get a real sense that you hardly have to hit them for the club to work to their highest expectaions but the price is a real winner aswell. In the GM issue they were advertised at £549, however now sometime has passed since they were released they have come down in price significantly, I got mine for under £400 and by the time I have used them to their fullest extent, I will most certainly go down the Snake Eyes route again. So I would like to thank the GM team for bringing these beautiful irons to my attention and I hope that this review will help anyone looking to get some new irons. I would highly recommend them.

Broadstone Golf Club, Dorset.
In 1977 whilst on a family holiday on the south coast in Poole,I played a round of golf at the nearby Broadstone Golf Course. Back then, you had to walk from the clubhouse across the railway lines to get to the first tee. Today, both the railway lines and old wooden clubhouse have gone. In 1985 a new clubhouse was opened on the course side of the railway. However, what of the course ? Well, back in 1977 I thought is was so good, that when given the opportunity, through redundancy in 2002, we moved to Dorset and I became a member.
How can I describe it,well, let's start by saying it's primarily a heathland course dating back to 1898. The majority of the holes are separated from each other and totally individual. As you stand on the par 5 1st tee, you are faced with heather all down the right side of the fairway, beautiful to look at when in bloom, but really difficult to play out of. This gets you started, and as you meander up the 2nd hole, a long uphill par 4 with a two tier green you'll begin to appreciate what may be in store. Having walked north,south ,east and west you will reach the peak of the course the 9th. Here you are confronted with fabulous views of the Purbeck Hills, Wimborne Minster and far beyond. In the summer, a simple way to get your bearings is to look for the air balloon in the south which is positioned in the park in the middle of Bournemouth, a few miles away.On completing the 9th, you'll walk down to the isolated 10th where along the right side of the fairway you'll find "The Oakley Arm", a hole in the ground providing a permanent supply of pure spring water which gently flows from underground. Taste it, cool and crystal clear. Wonderful ! Some holes have elevated tees giving you a full view of everything that is in front of you.Other holes demand accurate tee shots into fairways that slope from one side to another. Then there are the par 3's ranging from 152 to 202 yards ,all of which will get your attention. Added to that, you have several good old fashioned deep bunkers, which should you go into them will definately test your sand shot ability. To suggest which hole is best would be unfare, so it's best left to you.Anyway, once you have negotiated you way to the putting surfaces, you'll be faced with subtle breaks on quick undulating greens testing your putting stroke to the full !
It is my opinion, that if you can remember the majority of holes on a course, weeks after playing, then it must have left a good impression. Well, that's Broadstone, a quality memorable golf course.
Although by today's standards Broadstone is not a long course, just 6349 yards, it is not a course that you can take for granted, escpecially when the breeze gets up. With only 2 par 5's on the course, the par of 70 can provide a stern test for all category players.
Finally, not only does the course ooze quality but once your round has finished, you can sit out on the balcony which overlooks the 18th green, enjoy a drink and take in the views. Don't take my word for it, go and play it !
For a taste of what's in store,check out the web site....................www.broadstonegolfclub.com
Regards
Daryl

Burner TP 5 Wood -
I have always been searching for good 5 wood that I am able to hit off the deck consistently and get some degree of workability.
These are lightweight, have a nice balance, springy clubface and pleasant ping sound at impact. Excellent off the tee although you will have to tee it low.
These woods just seem to want to go straight and long all the time and I was able to shape my shots to suit almost at will.
It has a fantastic smooth feeling at impact, and the ball flies high with a penetrating flight off any lie.
An excellent looking club and it is the most consistent wood I have ever hit, bar none.
I have found a 5 wood that is both long and reliable and will be staying in my bag.

The Nike SQ SUMO Driver is a great addition to the bag for those persons that want longer drives, nice feel and more forgivness, with the Nike Powerbow Geometry that positions a lower center of gravity and the SQ SUMO Weight below the Nike Powerbow Geometry makes your drives to be longer and straighter. Maybe Nike its not the favourite company of all, but if you want to upgrade your game you should buy this driver.

I own a Sasquatch Sumo driver and the club is really good for all players. I am a higher handicapper and it has really helped me to get my swing in check over the years. I have had it for about two years, and it has helped my game so much. I strongly recommend it for all players of all skills even if it is marketed towards the better player. This club gets me long and straight off the tee and that is what everyone really wants...RIGHT?!

HillBilly terrain electric trolley


I have a Hillbilly terrain, in piano black with a 36 hole battery. This was ordered from the manufacturers website and was delivered the next day. It looks very smart, is easy to assemble and several playing partners have complimented it, surprised that the "industrial" look of previous models has been updated so successfully. The 36-hole battery is quite big, and heavy, but this makes the trolley reassuringly stable. It took some fiddling to adjust the front wheel so that it tracks in a straight line, but once done, is something that won't need to be revisited. The speed adjustment is a wheel-type device, which is easy to use, unless wearing winter mitts, when it is next to impossible. The handle of the trolley is comfortable to use, and the trolley is easy to steer with either hand. I have the optional umbrella holder, which is fine for parking my brolley when the trolley is stationary, but feels a bit flimsy to lock the umbrella in when on the move. I also have the carry bag, which keeps the boot of my car nice and clean.

The golf bag straps to the trolley with two Velcro straps, which can be adjusted to pull the strapping tight. This is easy to do, but I still find the bag rotates, which is an annoyance. This may be a result of the combination of trolley/bag I have chosen.

The trolley wheels have a tread pattern on them, to give added traction. This works fairly well, and I haven't had any trouble with wheel spin, except in snow, when I guess no trolley will be without fault.

There is a button on the handle, and with one press the trolley goes 10 metres, two goes 20 and 3 goes 30. This has been very useful for times when you pass the next tee on the way to the green. You can send the trolley towards the tee, ready for when you finish the hole. The 10 metre and 20 metre functions are excellent, and easy to predict, but I have had a few mishaps with the 30 metre which is harder to predict. Somehow the guys I play with still find it funny when my trolley disappears into the woods and turns upside down. Lucky we don't have any lakes really.

The main issue I have had with this trolley is that there is insufficient clearance between the front wheel and the wheel housing. In autumnal conditions, a combination of sticky mud and leaves gums up the front wheel, and I have resorted to carrying an old wire coat hanger to poke the resulting mess out and enable the front wheel to rotate freely. This has taken a bit of gloss off the ownership of something so new and shiny.

This is my first dealing with powered trolleys, and overall I am quite impressed. If they could give a bit more wheel clearance, and find a better strap device for holding the bag, this would be a fantastic trolley for the money.

Panmure Golf Course
Barry
Nr Carnoustie

The mention of golf in Carnoustie instantly conjures up images of historic victories for Lawrie and Harrington and the notorious Barry Burn. However, were you to travel a mile or so down the road, you would come across one of Scotland's lesser known gems. The Panmure Golf Club may not quite match up to its more illustrious neighbour, but then again very few courses do. However, what Panmure does offer is a fantastic challenge for all levels of golfers.

The course is set back from the sea and is a unique combination of tree-lined woodland during much of the front nine, with relatively open terrain bordered by gorse bushes and heather during the latter part of the course. However the recurrent humps, bumps and hollows give the whole course a definite links feel to it.

You really need your wits about you to play this course with the highlight for me the fantastic 6th where you drive over the heather to a generous fairway that narrows into the slight dog-leg at the landing area. The green sits up on a shelf with gorse on the left and a well-positioned bunker and steep fall-off on the right

+ Very quiet and natural course. Distinguished looking Clubhouse that oozes character
- Will always be in the shadow of its more notorious neighbour

Titleist RC08 cart bag.

Since getting an electric trolley, I have had to buy a cart bag to put on it, as I don't like putting stand bags on trolleys. I have no experience of what to look for in a trolley bag, so I chose a Titleist RC08 bag, in a fetching blue and white colour, as most of my clubs are from this manufacturer. The bag is extremely well made and has some interesting design features. For instance, there is a metal rail on one side, for attaching your golf glove to. This is excellent for hanging a golf GPS device from, as it is easily accessible, secure and has a clear view of the sky.

There are plenty of pockets, some of which are a more useful shape/design than others. The valuables pocket is waterproof, which is good, but is labelled valuables, which isn't, as if you leave your bag anywhere, it tells the thief where to look for your car keys and wallet. The pocket next to this is perfect for storing the aforementioned GPS.

There is a ball chute pocket, which is upside down, the wrong shape, and doesn't hold many balls. This really can't be described and needs to be seen in the flesh to get a real appreciation of how useless it is. I use it for stuffing a rain cape in, as I can't otherwise see a use for it. Luckily there is a more suitable ball pocket lower down. Likewise, the tee pocket is way too small, so I keep my tees etc in a tin in the lower pocket with my golf balls. When I carried, I would only put about 4 balls in my bag, but now I am not carrying, I often find I have more than 20. I am not sure when I will ever need 20 balls in one round, as if I lose more than 4, I would probably walk in while I still have some clubs left.

There is a handy slot for keeping your score card in, which is easily accessible on the front of the bag. However, the pen pocket is placed in a position that will be covered by the trolley straps, so this really doesn't work. I keep a toothbrush in this pocket, to clean my grooves. They don't get cleaned very often as it is difficult to put back, once removed.

The side pockets aren't the biggest, but I have a spare fleece, and a w/proof jacket in one, and the other one has a woolly hat, a pair of winter mitts and the rain hood (which is white, daft colour as it will age really badly).

There is a shoulder strap to carry the bag from the house to the car, which could be longer, as if I ever had to carry it any distance, it would not be comfortable. I could take the strap off, and carry the bag "briefcase" style, however, instead of a grab handle, Titleist have opted for a series of strange flaps to pick the bag up by. There is one at the bottom of the bag, and one on either side near the top. These are awkward to use, and I would have preferred a simple handle at the top, and a strap at the bottom, but I guess the flaps are cheaper, and the handle would have had to go where the ball chute is (I wouldn't miss it).

The umbrella fits inside the bag, with the rest of the clubs. There are dividers for 14 clubs and the umbrella, but they are not all full length, so the grips do bind together some times. It would have been nice if the umbrella pocket was fully lined, as once wet, you can't put it back into this pocket, as it will make all your grips wet. There is a strap on the outside of the bag to hold an umbrella, (does anyone carry two?) but this is not easily accessible once the bag is on the trolley.

I use a rain cape to protect the bag from the rain, but even with this covering most of the bag, I am still finding water leaking in and making my grips wet. I guess they won't make a fully waterproof golf bag, as idiots would leave wet clubs in it, which would never dry out, and go rusty. However, the rest of us have to pay for this stupidity. At least the bag dries out quickly when I get home, and it does brighten up the kitchen when it is sat on the boiler.

Best feature is definitely the glove rail for my gps, worst feature is the ball chute.

Ping Karsten Piper Putter.

I have tried numerous flatsticks down the years, from cheap ones to the more expensive varieties and have struggled. Struggled to find one that I can aim, one that feels good in the hands, and one that feels good when used. Never being a fan of insert putters - I just can't feel anything at all when I hit the ball - the 2-balls etc were never going to work. I like a face-balanced mallet so most Scottys are out. Then there's the BIG putters - too much to look at. Finally I found this Ping Piper at my local pro shop and immediately fell in love with the look (and the price!). There is enough to help you line the ball up and keep the face in the right place. It has enough weight to flow in a pendulam fashion without having to force a swing and to me the feel off the face is great - I can actually feel it!.

In the last 6 months I have turned from a very streaky putter to one that can generally sink most putts less than 10 feet and almost always 2-putt anything else. The dreaded 3-putt has been all but banished to obscurity and for the first time I actually want to hit the green rather than have to chip and putt.

Long live PING!!

Scotty Cameron Square Back

I've always liked the traditional Scotty putters over his more "different" creations, but they have always been very much feel/purist putters, but having just popped a 35" one of the new squarebacks in my bag I can't rave enough about how they finally come up with the greatest putter of all!! Go and buy one it'll be the best money you've ever spent....after all you'll be using it a lot more than a new driver per round!!

Johnny

Cleveland HiBore XLS driver review.

My driving accuracy has always been a little bit shakey with an exagerated fade but that all changed when I bought this club. I had previously used Callaway drivers but this is miles better. I bought the 10 degree standard version which comes with the excellent quality Fujikura shaft. The first thing you will notice is the impact sound which is much louder than other drivers. I personally like this and there is no better feeling than looking up and seeing you ball arrowing towards the middle of the fairway. It has definately improved the quality of my driving and I would urge anyone thinking of buying a new driver to give it a go.

Ben

Dear all, I would like to submit my review for a Mizuno Bettinardi C05 putter.
As a born again golfer 5 months ago after about a twenty year break I came back to the game bemused by the technology flying around. I replaced my 30 year old Uniroyal Arnold Palmer irons and wooden woods with namely MP30 irons and Taylormade V steel woods finally finishing off with a custom fitted Mizuno MX560 driver (mainly because they are on offer as the model is being replaced).
Anyway as a high handicap beginner golfer one area which I believed could reduce my handicap faster than any other would be putting. Simply putt (excuse the pun) when it came to performing on the green I was a major blood group i.e. "O plus" at putting.
I spent a lot of time on the internet looking for tips and advice along with time in pro shops looking at various putters designs etc. in addition I boughted a 4 metre strip of carpet for practising.
Having spent many an hour practising with my old putter to find a technique which was better and more consistent I finally plummbed for a Mizuno Bettinardi C05 putter. It is a mallet design with the textured machined face favoured by Mr Bettinardi.
I chose this putter because I found it just the right weight for me as I don't like heavy putters, but what really impressed was that for me it felt just right and I was able to get a consistent swing on line through the ball. Distance control, feel and alignment with the line facing you on the top of the putter is also excellent and the finish is superb. The blue grip with a white band near the bottom I find perfect for making sure I hold the putter at exactly the same height every time.
Using the putter on the course, which is where it matters, has really improved my scoring. Previously I was typically taking 3 putts on at least 4 or 5 greens on a round of golf and more importantly for me I was missing so many putts between 1 and 3 feet (yes even 12 inches terrified me) it was soul destroying. Since switching to the practised technique and the C05 things have looked much better and when I played at the weekend for the round I 3 putted only once and single putted 3 of the greens and crtically those short putts are dropping in without a second thought.

To conclude a lot of the improvement I have achieved with putting has been down to practising and developing a technique which really works for me but with the addition of the C05 my confidence has really come along and putting really is about confidence. Some may say at the rrp of £169 it is expensive for a putter but most golfers don't think twice about paying £300 - £500 for a new driver and in my opinion the right putter has much greater potential to improve the scores of the average golfer than any bling bling space tech driver.
Jeff Cosby

Morgado Golf Course Portugal.

I recently spend an enjoyable 5 nights playing Golf in Portugal. The pick of the courses played was Morgado. It is a stunning course without a poor hole. The only downside was the long drive from the main road upto the carpark and clubhouse along a dusty track past the buillding sites currently developing a number of houses on the course surrounds.
The driving range is close to the 1st and 10th tee and is sufficient to allow a significant number of golfers warm up in safety. The staff are also friendly and there is no pressure from the starter or marshalls unlike on some other courses in the Algarve. As the course is in the western Algarve there are less tourists playing as opposed to the courses in Villamoura.
The courses commences with two gentle Par 4's. The third hole is a superb Par 5-stroke index 1.
The Par 3's are superb and a true test of ball striking.
Perhaps the best hole on the course is the 14th a short dog left right Par 4 from an elevated tee. The hole is drivable for the long hitters who are prepared to cut the dogleg, however pull the tee shot and the ball will find a watery grave. As befits a superb course the 18th is another great finishing Par 4-an elvevated tee leading to a generous fairway with bunkers at landing distance is you miss the fairway.
The only downside from a palying perspective is the lack of a Strokesaver but this is a minor quibble.

I would throughly recomend this course and its sister course Alamos which is a shorter and more undulating course.

A message for people who've never been fitted for any sort of club......After having a go with a mates Ping g10 driver and hiting it what seemed like miles and straight !!!! I thought to myself, i need one of these !(especially since i've not had a driver for a few months and need some more distance in my game)He said to get fitted first, which i thought was weird as i'd just hit his a right pearler and therefore could go to a shop and get what he's got, but i listened and got booked in to Ping, six weeks later i was in.
So off i went in to the fitting room and all i could remember about my mates driver was it was 10 degree's with a stiff shaft, with a rough texture. The man at Ping said i know what you're on about, got one and said to have a few hits.
Well! could i hit a good shot...No! cavemanitis kicked in and i was swinging faster and harder, and making a big mess of it all ! The guy got me to calm down and slow down but still couldn't repeat the magic that i did that day. He had a look at the computer which was taking note of my swing and he then suggested i tried a different shaft, still no joy. After trying a few more shafts he said that a lighter shaft made my swing slower and more controlled . Then we went from a 10 degree to a 12 degree as i would get a better and higher ball flight.
Boom Boom Boom it was starting to work,slight fade, slight draw and even some straight shots were happening, NO slice/power fade lol (as long as cave man didn't kick in) i was buzzin, not had so many good shots with a driver for a long time and with such a good repeat ,one after the other.
He then asked if there was any other club i wanted to try, i said yes a 4 wood. He asked why and i said because i don't want a 3 or a 5 wood because i wouldn't know which one to choose and when to choose it !
So off i went again, same shaft as the driver as it suited my swing style. Nice and steady i hit a few balls and thought, yeah, this is good i've found another magic stick.!!!
Went over to the computer to have a look and he wasnt to sure about a 4 wood for me. Ball flight wasn't high enough so the distance wasn't as good as it could be. He said to try a 5 wood as it had a bit more loft and therefore was a bit easier to hit . He was right, i was hiting the same sort of shot but because the loft was a bit higher it was going the same distance and on the odd hit a bit futher....magic!
So again to all those people who've not been fitted get it done its well worth doing. Ive purchased the driver and am now saving up for a 5 wood. Can't wait untill i'm ready for some new irons.......

Ping G10 4 wood.
I have failed to gain any consistency with 3 or 5 woods, but having read good reviews of the G10 4 wood thought I would try to replace both with something in between that I could get on with. Magazine articles have been accurate - I have found the Ping 4 wood to be easier to use off tee or fairway and can recommend it.

Ping G10 irons review.

An ultimate game improvement iron, with a chunky design that inspires confidence rather than generates feelings of nausea. Solid from the middle with a flight that is a little higher than many would desire however controllable even into strong winds due to the versatility the wide soul offers, allowing you to choke down and close the face and still gain a crisp strike. Off centre hits are inevitably very forgiving, however on these poorer connections they do lack in distance for what they gain in accuracy. As for aesthetics they have a lovely darkened finish and an attractive differentiation between the lowest groove (white) and the rest (black) which encourages the cleaning of them after each shot.

Admittedly they are strong lofted however the low centre of gravity ensures a high flight generating equal distance to many traditional lofted players’ irons making the transition from perhaps standard lofts to these much easier. This in turn allows for a softer landing shot hit an equal distance: allowing higher handicappers to reap the benefits of stopping the ball on the green, whilst better players can attack the pin with greater ferocity.

There is undoubtedly an array of technology within the club head, including the redesigned, patented custom tuning port which Ping installs to generate an extremely low centre of gravity. These technological advancements combine superbly and produce a large and stable hitting area designed to boost the clubs Moment of Inertia- an effect desirable to all standard of golfer.

The feel out of the middle is highly responsive and whilst forgiveness is the emphasis on the design, this feature leads to those with the ability being able to consistently manipulate the ball flight in a desirable fashion further emphasising the Ping G10s versatility of attraction to a plethora of players.

Overall they are a very solid game improvement iron that would be equally well liked amongst 10 handicappers as they would players off of 28.

James Mansfield

Mp52 test morning at Clays range.

And what a great morning I had.

I was booked in for 10.30 and arrived at 10.00, the chap I had my fitting with was called James Davies. Very nice chap good at his job. The range was dead and his last fitting had already gone so we started early. Bonus, He took me to the indoor bay and we had a quick chat about what I was there for. I put my shoes on and started to warm up (outside) with my own(x20) 6 iron. And would you beleive it, I was hitting it pretty darn well.

After 20 or so balls James joined me to see what was going on, he agreed with my comments earlier that I didnt have a very consistant ball flight it was launching too low. Quick trip back into the fitting bay to grab some irons and out come the 57's and 52's both with Nippon shafts reg flex.

James had very kindly set up the trackman device outside in the lesson bay so I could see the flight aswell as all the stats, not what they normally do, but can if its quiet.

I started with the 57's and they were lovely but were launching a tad too low. (which James told me they would, genius)
Moved onto the 52's and without to much difference in terms of feel, weight, feed back they were popping out like a dream, launching high, climbing, and landing softly. The dispersion from these was excellent with the about 6 of 8 balls landing within a 10 ft radious. I tried the 52's with 5.5's and Dynamic gold's but the nippon was the clear favourite.

The spin from the 6 iron should be 5000rpm, my X20's were only producing 4100. the 52's was 4950.

Carry from X20's was anything between 135 and 160. Roll was far to long at sometimes as long as 15 yards.

James explained that he was trying to improve my carry and decrease my roll,getting the ball to stop quicker, and more accuratly, to do this, it meant getting the landing angle right, with the 6 iron it should of been 45*, the X20's was averaging 35*(thats why the ball was rolling out too far) The landing angle of the 52's was 44* I cant remember what the launch angle was but I know i was only a a degree out at worst.

We popped back to the bay for a coffee and to discuss the the stats, on the way back, James said these clubs/stats were almost as perfect as anyone could hope to get, but he still wanted me to carry on trying out shafts. You would think this guy was charging by the hour but, the whole session was all free with no obligation to buy.

I did try out some more combinations that I didn't get on with but it just cemented the 52's with the nippons.

Loft and lie check next, and I actually came back as 1/4 upright. The fitting chart also suggested having the shafts shortened but from my posture James was more than happy for me to stay standard lentgh.

We then discussed wedges and after looking at my current set up, he suggested that I drop one of the 4 and go PW, 52, 58. (the 58 playing as a SW come lobwedge) and bin the 60. Makes sense. We went back out onto the range to try the wedges, I loved them (T-series they were)

Wrapped up all the loose ends and got down to numbers, £75 an iron with the wedges at £89. BUT they would do me Bogof on the wedges, fit any grips I wanted (Multicompounds in red obviously) and if I order in 30 days, I can pick up any bettinardi putter for £50 fitted (rrp £200) Needless to say, I was taken

To summerise, The mp52's where by far the best clubs I have had the good fortune of trying. With the nippon shafts I could work the club as I pleased. The sense of pleasure and acheivement you get from middling a shot to exactly where you want it, is exactly the reason we all play golf for. I have orded the 52's and beleive my handicap is going to drop dramtically in the next few years. Definitly worth the weight in forged metal.

THE OLDEST CLUB IN LEICESTERSHIRE.

If you are among the large number of golfers whose cards have been ruined by continuous visits to sand bunkers, Charnwood Forest should be high on your list of clubs to play.

Since formation in1890, this delightful and friendly club has be devoid of "sand traps" and in spite of numerous attemps over the years to have them introduced, all have been in vain.

However, be under no illusions, this nine hole course, is no "cake walk". The SSS is 69 (34/45) due to different tees being used on the inward half.

Rock formations reportedly over 2 million years old dominate the landscape and can play havoc with erratic drives, whilst trees and heather can also cause headaches to those who fail to keep their shots on the fairways.

1 "The Lodge" is 361 yards and a par 4.
2 "Beacon View" 433 yards, par 4
3 "Blackbird's Nest" 360 yards, par 4
4 "Outwoods" 283 yards, par 4
5 "Whiting's" 183 yards, par 3
6 "Hanging Stone" 446 yards, par 4 Back 9. 490 yards, par 5
7 "Grunters" 203 yards, par 3
8 "Herrick's Ride" 347 yards, par 4
9 "Herd's Way" 313 yards, par 4

The course was designed by the old maestro, James Braid, who was never known to his make creations simple and thsi one is no exception.

To use an old colloquialism : To play Charnwood Forest for the first time requires a lot of balls !

Titleist Vokey spin milled wedge review.
I purchased a 60.04 wedge a while ago which had helped my short game immensely.Very comfortable grip. Sits comfortably behind the ball at address due to the good head size. It creates a good back spin - just as the reviews about the spin milled grooves says. My control over the shot has improved with this magnificent wedge. Everything about the club - feel factor, accuracy, control and the spin is superb. Surely confident booster. No wonder it is used by so many tour players as well.

Wilson Staff Di7 irons

The Wilson Staff Di7 irons feature a welcome return of fat shaft technology, made popular in the 90s for the way it stablises the swing and helps resist against unwanted twisting and turning of the club. Accompanied by some more modern twists in technology; lower profile faces, and undercut cavities that areused in parralel to lower the clubs centre of gravity and encourage a more solid hit, making the ball flight higher and longer. But of course they would say that right? Well actually it works. The fat shafts make the clubs seem a lot heavier then my previous clubs (graphite shafts) but this encouraged me to slow down my swing slightly and in turn increased my accuracy. The long clubs are easy to hit and the wedges have great feel.

Still available in the shops, these clubs are the older version of the new Di9s and essentially are a slightly less spec’d club. But less spec’d and less new, means less expensive. If your handicap is higher then your income I would definetly recomend these clubs. Reasonably priced irons for players wanting to bridge the gap between starter clubs and harder to hit blades.

Lansdowne Course Blairgowrie

Lansdowne is the lesser known of the two courses at Blairgowrie but should definitely not be ignored, designed by Peter Alliss and Dave Thomas the Lansdowne course opened in 1979.
As well as the trademark tree lined avenues the Lansdowne also features heather lined fairways that help provide a fine challenge for any golfer.
Longer than the Rosemount course the Lansdowne Course is a very stiff test of any golfer’s nerve, you have to find the fairways to have any chance of scoring well.
The opening and closing holes are what stand out in my memory.
Starting as the course means to go on the first measures 461 yards and is a par four from forward tees, but a par five from all others it is an extremely intimidating drive from an elevated teeing position onto a fairway lined on both sides with thick woodland.
There is a slight dogleg to the left and the approach shot will always be tough due to the narrow entrance to the green, a par here is always welcome.
The next big challenge is the 7th a par 4 measuring 449y. A good drive is required to bring this tough Par 4 in range of 2 shots but watch out for the bunker short right of the green can make the second deceptive.
On the back 9 my personal favourite is the 14th a demanding Par 3 measuring 211 yards. It's all carry to the green so you have to ensure you have enough club, it is a generous green that will reward a well struck shot
The 18th is a wonderful finishing hole. With a dogleg left you also have to aim slightly left from the tee as the fairway will throw your ball to the right. It's all carry to the green and try to hit the correct part of this 2 tiered green that is well guarded by bunkers - 3 putts up or down the slope are not uncommon.
Clubhouse facilities are also excellent with a large visitor's locker room, pleasant bar area, and catering available all day. Buggies are allowed on the course and are available to hire.
Visitors are always welcome, with some fantastic winter golf deals running from November through to March and visitors can book times through the course starter or via the club's website.
This is one of Scotland's finest inland courses which some American visitors have described as being similar to Pinehurst.
I have played the course many times with my last visit being in November this year, and never tire of playing here.
If you are in the area do not miss the opportunity to play this fine course.

Cleveland XLi Irons

Minger isn’t a term usually associated with a golf club, however, take a look at the Cleveland Xli irons and you may raise an eyebrow at their unconventional looks.
Would you take these ugly sisters to the ball??

They fall into the category of hybrid irons, hence their bums certainly do look big. A quick look at the Cleveland website shows claimed characteristics of increased distance, highest M.O.I., improved accuracy and distance. I am a new golfer, of 11 months standing and took the claims of Cleveland very seriously as I was desperately seeking all of those characteristics.

I had myself fitted for a set, that’s how seriously I took Cleveland’s claim and handed over 400 notes (for that is the rrp) in the hope that my game would improve. Was I disappointed with these aesthetically unpleasant irons?

Standing over a club a addressing a ball, the true size of these clubs is apparent, they have an “oversize cupface� and the clubface is huge. The longer irons, the 4 and 5 produce an effortless long shot, just let the science do the work……….and I guess that is the idea! Even what I have felt to be miss hit shots ended up in the right ball park……..or fairway should I say. Perhaps this confirms Cleveland’s claim of a 28% larger sweet spot than the average iron.

As the irons become shorter, they also become progressively slimmer, and perhaps by the time you reach the 8 iron you can only just notice the “oversize cupface�, and when standing over the 9 iron and PW it has disappeared. Albeit the clubs retains their inherently chunky appearance throughout the set. The short irons also seem to have the same forgiving nature, although I think the 9 & PW provide a shorter distance than my previous clubs…….time and practice will tell.

An unexpected bonus with these irons is their ability around the green, their weighty construction and low centre of gravity makes low chip and run type shots with the 7 or 8 iron very easy and controlled.

It is important to ignore looks with these clubs. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Prior to owning a set my best round on my local par 70 course was 93. My first round with the Xli’s was 86, and in the 2 weeks I have owned them I haven’t shot a round over 90. Suddenly a score of 80 is now my apparently realistic target!

Has my golf improved or is it the clubs……..I think we all know the answer.
Whether these clubs hold any benefit for mid/low handicappers I cannot say, but anyone looking for a reliable and consistent shot………..these are the beauties!!

Nike SQ Sumo 2 square fairwood woods 3 and 5 review:
I had tried fairway woods in the past but never felt confident. Untill I tried the nike sumo 2 square woods. The square head was a immediate confident booster. If felt like having a large head with a larger sweet spot to hit. The 3 wood is very good both off the tee as well as off the fairway. I had never used a square wood before. But the head of the wood sits so well at address. It hits straight and distance is not a problem. The 5 wood is great off the fairway. I am now a big fan of square shaped woods. As soon as you place the head behind the ball the club tells you that you can hit the shot well. What more can you ask fron a golf club.I was so impressed that I then purshased a new Nike SQ sumo 5900 because square felt good and accurate.
Nike SQ Sumo 5900 driver review:
I was impressed with the square driver again. My previous Callaway Big Bertha driver with a regular shaft still felt a bit stiff. It affeccted the swing speed. Square shape of the driver is better than the previous models. The head confidently sits square at address. The reqular flex of the shaft felt comfortable with a full swing. The square head hits the ball straight. There was not much loss of distance. I disagree with reviews that says it looks odd with the yellow colour.It looks good. It surely hits sraight as advertised by the company. It does not make a loud sound either. I strongly suggest to buy golf clubs at a shop with a driving range with shop staff who can make measurements like swing speed,etc. I had actually hit couple of dozen balls with various drivers including Taylormade Burner before I purchased nike 5900. It is much better to try out the clubs properly before you buy them. Because if you feel comfortable using them before you buy them then you know that you are investing in game improvement clubs and not just a big brand.
Direct-golf retailer( Huddersfield branch) review: Very friendly staff.Helpful. No pressure. Good advice. Good choice of golf equipment. Will surely use the retailer again.

Willesley Park Golf Club review: Ashby-de-la-Zouch

www.willesleypark.com
Par: 70
SSS: 70
Out 36, In 34
GF: £20-30
T: 01530 414596

Tucked away on the edge of Leicestershire’s finest and most historic market town, this gem of a woodland course, laid out in 1921, offers a challenge for golfers of all abilities. Willesley’s narrow tree-lined fairways, smallish greens and well-placed bunkers mean that you’ll need guile, craft and accuracy as well as raw power to play to your handicap.

On half of the par 4 and 5 holes, where steep slopes and rolling gulleys are a feature, you’ll be lucky to see more than the top of the flag on your approach to the green, while shots out of the rough usually involve threading your ball between or under mature trees.

Highlights on the front 9 include driving through an avenue of trees on the first, the delightful par 3 sixth – lined with woodland on three sides and a 434 yard par 4 eighth where the green sits in a valley flanked by mature forest.

The back 9 includes a par 3 tenth where the tee sits 100 feet above the green, a delightful par 5 14th which will test your thinking as well as your muscles and a wide open 15th fairway where you can open your shoulders on the elevated tee and watch your ball soar over the valley. The final hole is widely acknowledged as one of the most testing in the county – a monster uphill par 4 of 430 yards.

The all-important 19th is formal without being stuffy and the friendly catering staff serve excellent food and drink. A worthy contender for your top 100 list!

+ mature woodland, undulating fairways, no winter greens
- no water hazards, par 3 16th is a bit boring

TP Black Golf Ball

There has been a lot of competition in the premium ball market in the last few years with a number of big names looking to muscle in. One of those names is Taylormade who have enjoyed success with their TP black and red balls. The cynics will say that it is fine for the professionals who get their balls for free, hit it into the next postcode and get it to settle on the green like an old family dog in front of the open fire, but what about us golfing mortals.

I am a recent convert to the TP black having received a free sleeve with my new Taylormade clubs. It is slightly firmer than its TP red brother. It is a 3 piece ball and has a solid feel to it. On the green it gives a nice feel of the putter head and a pleasing noise as you send it on its way to the bottom of the cup. I am not a spin king with my short clubs but I have found that there is a receptive feel to the ball with wedges on those tricky shots around the green and that I can control the spin well. On approach shots I can fire with confidence at the flag as the Taylomade design promotes a good spin rate without being excessive.

However it is with longer shots, particularly the big dog off the tee that the TP black comes into its own. This three piece ball has been designed with what Taylormade have called

TopFlite ‘Freak’ and ‘Gamer’ Balls

During the relatively short period that I have been playing golf, my history with TopFlite golf balls has been a little chequered. One of my first boxes of balls was a large box of Titanium X which I found a little hard and unresponsive to say the least. Based on that early opinion, it was a long time before I bought another TopFlite ball. I was given some sleeves of Strata balls a couple of years ago and, again, they did not really suit me. Spurred on by some more positive comments, however, I did give their last generation of balls a try and was far more favourable in my opinions. The ‘Soft’, ‘Straight’ and ‘Distance’ balls were not bad at all and they did find their way into my bag on a few occasions. Admittedly, however, these tended to be at times when I was playing particularly badly and wanted a cheaper ball to lose. TopFlite balls, if nothing else, have always been a bargain. Herein may lie the problem that Topflite have at the moment, they are always a second or third choice ball, always an OK alternative to what you really want but not the first choice that they want to be. The Freak and Gamer balls are the latest attempt to bring Topflite to our attention, the Freak being a 2 piece distance ball predominantly aimed at the higher handicapped player, and the Gamer being a softer 3 piece ball aimed at the more accomplished player looking for more control around the greens.

I was determined to test the latest generation of TopFlite balls with an open mind. Having tried the last generation of ball and been reasonably impressed, I could say that I was at least free of the prejudices that some people still hold towards the TopFlite brand.

The first point to comment on has to be the names. I talked to a number of golfers of differing ages and the results were to be expected. The older golfers felt that they would be unlikely to play a ball named ‘Freak’ or ‘Gamer’ however good it may be, the younger golfers really liked the branding whilst those in my age group, those in the mid thirties, seemed more ambivalent. Whether it is a good idea to choose a name that has clearly polarised the market in this way is something that only time will tell. What the younger golfers did point out, however, was that the sleeve of the Freaks showed a ball with a striking claw motif on it and many felt that they could me more inclined to buy if the actual ball looked like the one on the sleeve.

The first outings that I made were with the ‘Freak’ ball. The winter conditions had left me looking for a little extra distance off the tee and this was what the ‘Freak’ was designed to give. When possible, I would take 2 drives, one with my usual ball (currently a Nike Karma) and one with the new Topflite. When comparing ball carry, the Topflite excelled. Almost without fail the Topflite ball travelled about 10 yards further than the drive with my regular ball. I was reaching parts of the fairway usually reserved for a good shot on a dry summer’s day and, considering the damp conditions, this has to be chalked up as a score in favour of the Freak.

One aspect that will prove particularly attractive to the higher handicap player, such as myself, was the fact that it was also very straight off tee. There were a number of occasions when I hit shots that would usually have found me trudging through the long grass but, to my surprise, I often found the ball nestling in the light rough. Whilst not a panacea for all slicing problems, I certainly found that the side spin was much less than with my usual ball.

It was also softer than I expected. There was certainly no jarring sensation up my arm on impact, a feeling often associated with rock hard distance balls, and I actually felt pretty good coming off the centre of the club face. They were also not bad around the greens, certainly comparable with other balls at the top end of the distance market. I will be the first to admit that my short game is a bit hit and miss but I certainly managed to get some stop on the more receptive winter greens. Overall, I feel that the ‘Freak’ has achieved exactly what it set out to do. It gives superior distance and flies straight without losing too much control around the greens. I can certainly recommend the ‘Freak’ as an ideal ball for the higher handicap player, for those looking for more distance or to those looking for a good winter ball to put into play.

The ‘gamer’ ball, I feel, has chosen itself a far more difficult sector of the market to compete in. Whilst I can count the number of decent distance balls that I would use on one hand, the market for a reasonably priced softer ball aimed to give control around the green contains at least a dozen balls that I would put into play. Whilst there was nothing intrinsically wrong with the ‘gamer’ ball, it just did not quite measure up when compared to other, better known, balls in this area. The ball that I keep coming back to when looking for something soft and reliable is the Wilson Staff DX2 soft and I used this as a comparison. The ‘gamer’ felt harder off the club face and more difficult to control than my regular ball. It may have been slightly longer off the tee than my usual ball but that was not enough for me to ignore its mediocrity in other areas. To be honest, the ‘gamer’ would probably fall comfortably into my old opinion of Topflite balls, not bad for the money and useable on days when I am off form and likely to lose a few but unlikely to become a regular feature in my bag.

Overall, a mixed bag from Topflite this year. The Freak is a really good distance ball, easily in the same league as my old favourite, the Callaway Warbird. It offers some stunning distance and good levels of forgiveness whilst maintaining a reasonable degree of feel and spin around the green. The Gamer, however, whilst not a bad ball simply does not stand out against other, more established, entrants in the market. Unless the price is significantly lower, the ‘Gamer’ would be hard pushed to compete against the Titleist NXT, Srixon AD333, PX3 and other such popular brands. In a suitable price bracket, however, it may well find a market competing with balls such as the Nike Distance Soft and the Srixon Soft balls.

In conclusion, I would probably buy the Freak balls, certainly for winter play and maybe even in the summer just to see how far they will fly in prime conditions. Certainly the lack of side spin and the distance produced were attractive features. A lower handicap golfer, however, may be concerned at whether they could generate enough spin to stay on a hard, dry summer green and they may be a little hard for some golfer’s tastes. The Gamer, however, would be less likely to become a fixture of my game, not because it is a bad ball but because it is simply not as good as the alternatives. It is softer than the Freak but not by much; it has more spin than the Freak but not by much and not as much as the competition and so falls into the category of simply being ‘OK’. Certainly it does not have anything that would drag the better golfer away from the more prestigious brands unless it competes at a bargain price.

Under Armour ColdGear

After playing golf on a very cold morning recently I was thoroughly chilled and unwell. Looking around for a garment that would keep me warm without restricting the golf swing, I settled on the Under Armour ColdGear Mock. This arrived in royal blue and when trying it on I thought it was rather constricting particularly around my trunk.
However I need not have worried. I wore it for a session on the range and found it warm and not at all restricting. So on my next golf outing I gave it a full test. The weather was ideal for a full evaluation: perishing cold for the first eight holes, pouring rain with wind for the next six and fair with sunshine to finish.
My swing was not affected in the least. I felt completely comfortable all the way round and in the clubhouse afterwards I was not over warm. This garment will be a great asset for the rest of the winter.

Titleist NXT Tour Ball

I like a soft feeling ball for around the greens so I normally play a Prov-1. However, as well you know, they are a mite on the expensive side so I have been looking for an alternative. The NXT Tour is a mid-range ball that promises distance as well as feel around the greens. Well, the distance part is certainly true - it flew every bit as far as my Prov-1 and on a good mid-arc trajectory giving plenty of carry. it also didn't seem to be blown offline by the wind like some balls can. the feel around the green was respectable, considering the ball I normally use. Decent levels of spin mean a not quite drop and stop but not far off. So all in all a decent ball at a decent price.

But there is a problem that I found. The NXT Tour shreds very easily. I use Callaway X-20 Tour irons and Ping Tour-W wedges - neither of which have razor sharp grooves. With a new ball straight from the sleeve I used 3 wood, pitching wedge and 2 putts to par the hole. When I picked the ball from the hole it looked like a white spider! Shreds of the cover had already started appearing and after 3 holes I was reaching into the bag for another ball - not the most durable of balls and I can imagine that with razor grooves the problem would be even worse.

Dear Sir, What a joy it is to read the reviews of the many wonderful courses both here and abroad, how fortunate some people are, please, let me tell you about my course which I love dearly:- The course is called Brackley Golf Club, although we the members like to refer to it as Royal Brackley Country Club and Spa, irony is alive and well up here int north, so sit back and allow me to describe this pearl in Manchester's crown. Years ago it was a thriving club with a full compliment of members but as times changed and authority decided that vandalism should be tolerated our course became a dumping ground for stolen and burned out cars, a place to practice motocross on off road bikes and we even had a local moron dig up some of the ninth fairway in order to turf his garden (he actually thought he was being hard done to when he was made to replace it by the local "bobby". We had, on nice summer days (remember them?) mothers off the local estates playing in the sand bunkers with their youngsters and, when they were advised as to the danger they were in we were sworn at and accused of putting their offspring in danger!! We solved that problem by removing the sand and encouraging rough grass to grow in its place, incidentally, these bunkers are if anything more penal than the regular sand type. So, as a result the vast majority of the members left and joined many of the more select clubs in the area, leaving "the few" to soldier on. We are now predominantly a pay and play course although the club still exists with competitions played every week right through the year, and what a delight it is to see our members striding on to the course clad, for most of the year, in waterproofs to protect against mud splatter with the trousers tucked into spiked wellingtons (that's right "wellies") because apart from roughly 4 months of the year the mud comes over the top of your shoes, and as our green staff comprises of one man with no previous experience, a more or less permanent local rule is "lift, wipe and place" and you have not enjoyed golfing Ecstasy until you have watched your putt veer from a football stud mark, leap over an old divot (vandals not members) and bounce into the hole, actually that is quite interesting as our putts spend most of their travelling time off the ground rather than than on it, I wander if "C" groove putter manufacturers have an answer to that, over the years we have had the "cups" set on fire, the occasional drunk asleep on the side of a green, and modesty won't permit me to describe items found amongst the trees.
Why do I love it you may ask, well, the answer to that question is very easy, the members that are left are indeed the backbone of the game and epitomise all that is good in the spirit of the game, sure there is the odd grumble now and again, especially if you happen to be the first match out because you have to take the flags with you as we dare not leave them out overnight, I'm told they make quite a good, if colourful, curtain pole, but if a repair or a lick of paint is required in the clubhouse (a draughty old barn with a coffee machine) we are never short of volunteers. As for the golf, play is as determined and as keenly fought as it ever was when we were "tigers" stalking the course, now we are more likened to the Red Arrows travelling the rough and occasional fairway in formation just enjoying each others company no matter who you play with because unlike the majority of clubs, every member is a friend of every other member, oh yes another local rule is the winner buys the coffee (20p per plastic cup).
Would I like to play on beautiful fairways and fire shots into manicured verdant greens, watch a putt following the contours of the ground before dropping with a satisfying rattle into the beautiful white cup, you bet I would, but would I ever think of leaving all of those lovely people behind, not for all the tea in China. Roll on my next game !