Ernie Els is Trying a Belly Putter

Golf Magic have recently reported that Ernie Els is trying a belly putter and this is what he had to say on the subject of his new golf equipment

Ernie Els has admitted he’s had to brush aside the banter from his fellow pros as he prepares to try out a belly putter at this week’s Ballantines Championship

The South African has been having troubles on the greens as late and believes he has finally found a solution.

“The guys are giving me a lot of stick about it,” he said. “But these are legal tools. I want to give it a go.

“All the guys come up and said, ‘you’re not going to need that’ and gave me a lot of stick, but it’s fine. I’ll give it a go and we’ll see. It’s a bit of a new process but I’m working on it.

“For a while now, the normal swing, you’re on plane, or you’re not on plane. My putting, basically, my path became very awkward. I became too squared back and I cut through the ball a bit.

“You don’t put a good roll on it and from short distances, I was becoming really not good. I started practicing with a belly a little bit, and when you stick it in your belly, it stays on plane.

“And that’s basically what prompted me to use the belly. It feels very awkward to use it in a tournament to be honest, because I’ve always putted with a normal putter.”

New Powakaddy Golf Bags

If you’re going to treat yourself to a new PowaKaddy electric trolley you may as well invest in a bag that’s designed for one thing; to sit on it!

Because it’s designed to work in unison with your PowaKaddy – you’re not planning on carrying it great distances or using it as a flower pot for example – all the bag’s features are concentrated around convenience, style and organisation. The fact that these latest models happen to be lighter than their predecessors is purely a bonus.

Four new models are available; the Powakaddy Deluxe IV Nylon & PVC, the Sport and the Ladies. Click below to see what each has to offer.  

DOES A SOFTER GOLF BALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE

I spent a few hours reading web sites and examining the packaging on Golf Ball boxes and it is easy to get confused if you are looking for a soft Golf Ball with great feel around the green. Each manufacturer talks about their soft covers and soft cores and soft feel on almost every Golf Ball I checked. So how do you choose a Golf Ball that offers you a softer feel off the Putter and Wedges around the green? The first point to note is that the ‘day of the brick’ has just about disappeared. The manufacturers are right. Courtesy of new cover materials and even more inventive materials for the core, they have found ways to drive extra distance out of golf balls with a softer feel. But there is a difference between Golf Balls. You are going to pay for it though. Generally across all manufacturers the covers on their multi-layer, premium, golf balls are thinner and provide a more responsive feel. While the difference between 0.3 or 0.5mm softer feel material and a cover that is 1.5mm might not seem much, you will notice it. The same will go for the core. On the more expensive golf balls they have created softer cores that still provide high levels of energy transfer to maximise distance.  Many will argue that, given the fact that we spend most of our time with either a short-iron or Putter in our hand, we need to focus our thoughts on the ball that helps you most around the green.

There’s some sense in that argument. Compare the performance between a top player and a regular or improving golfer and you’ll see the difference in the short-game. So anything you can do to improve your shorter game will translate to a better score.   

New Footjoy Clothing Lines

New Footjoy Golf Clothing Range

FootJoy has announced it is taking significant steps to develop its Footjoy golf clothing with a new line of designs and fabrics ready for shipment into Europe in March 2012.

Already the best selling golf brand in golf shoes and gloves, FootJoy says the new lines will  be supplemented by new and contemporary colours and patterns in a variety of styles purely for golfers.

“Following our success in the outerwear category, including the popular layering system, the time has come for FootJoy to enter the full line men’s golf apparel business,” says FootJoy's Andy Jones. “This strategic initiative has been carefully considered for several years and is supported by an extremely sophisticated and comprehensive study of the golf apparel category.”

FootJoy launched DryJoys rain wear in 1997 and with regular innovation leads the category in the US and has established itself as one of the leading brands in the UK.

Comprised of clothing designed for wet, windy, cold and warm conditions, its layering system has the aim to 'make every day playable.'

One of its biggest fans is former World No.2 Steve Stricker who says: “I'm impressed with the quality, fit and comfort FootJoy's layering system. It allows me to regulate my body temperature based on changing conditions." 

Whats in Snedekers Bag?

Brendt Snedeker had an astonishing 64 in the last round Hilton Head Island, This win kept Luke Donald from taking the world number one slot and his weeks work contained 21 birdies which is a superb effort on the tree lined Harbour Town course. Snedeker won on the 3rd extra hole of a playoff with a solid par 4 however Donald cam close to extending the playoff as his chip shot lipped out.

For those that are interested Snedekers Clubs are listed below

• Driver: TaylorMade Burner SuperFas

t (10.5°) with a Fujikura Morore F1 2.0 shaft

Fairway Wood: TaylorMade Burner SuperFast (15°) with a Mitsubishi Diamana Blue Board 73 shaft

Hybrid: Adams Pro A12 Proto G (20°) with an NVentix Nunchuk GH 2660 shaft

Irons: Bridgestone Tourstage GR C-1 Irons 3-P (TT DG X100);

Wedges: Bridgestone Golf J38 54 Degree (TT DG S400), Cleveland 588 (60°) with True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 shafts

Putter: Odyssey White Hot XG Rossie

Golf Ball: Bridgestone TOUR B330-S

The New Cobra S3 White Driver

Cobra Golf announces the introduction of the Cobra White S3 Driver, loaded with E9 Face Technology and Adjustable Flight Technology, plus an upgraded premium Aldila RIP all-white shaft. Limited quantities of the White S3 Driver will be available globally starting early May - offering consumers a choice between a white S3 Driver or black S3 Driver. 

"We're excited to be the only brand to offer both a white and black driver model to golfers this season - complete with our latest 2011 technologies," says Brian Zender, Senior Vice President and General Manager of COBRA-PUMA GOLF. "This is Cobra's second white driver, following the release of the white ZL Driver last year that sold out immediately and won on tour even before it was released." 

This exclusive product is ideal for the accomplished player who wants to play a technologically advanced driver with Tour-caliber performance. It offers golfers outstanding forgiveness, along with superior distance and accuracy. The White S3 Driver features the revolutionary, patent-pending E9 Face Technology that expands Cobra's Sweet Zone™ by 30 percent, taking into account all areas where golfers hit the ball on the clubface, to make it the smartest clubface in the market. 

E9 Face Technology™ 
Cobra's new E9 Face Technology - in both the white S3 Driver and black S3 Driver - makes the clubface more intelligent. Most clubfaces are designed with a circular sweet spot around the center of the face, the assumption being that the center of the club is where golfers hit the ball on every shot. Cobra tested golfers hitting 25,000-plus shots and discovered that golfers actually hit shots across the face in a canted, elliptical pattern that wasn't always in the center. In fact, 99% of shots hit by golfers were in this elliptical pattern from the low heel to the high toe. So we redesigned the clubface to take advantage of this phenomenon - resulting in Cobra's new E9 Face Technology with a 30% larger Sweet Zone. 

"We looked at tens of thousands of hits across the driver clubface and saw a distinct ball impact pattern from the low heel to high toe," says Tom Preece, Vice President of Research and Development for Cobra Golf. "E9 Face Technology maximizes distance and accuracy from any point on the clubface, especially where golfers hit most often." 

Adjustable Flight Technology (AFT)™ 
The Cobra White S3 Driver also features Cobra's popular Adjustable Flight Technology (AFT) offers three simple face-angle settings (Open, Neutral and Closed), which allows golfers to easily dial in their optimal ball flight for maximum distance and accuracy. 

Aldila RIP Beta Shaft 
A revolutionary shaft design with optimum flex and torque characteristics promoting incredible feel for maximum shot control, optimal spin and launch characteristics. 

The Cobra White S3 Driver is available in lofts of 9.5° and 10.5° in men's right-handed, and 9.5° in men's left-handed, with an Aldila RIP Beta shaft - the 9.5° model comes in S flex only, the 10.5° in choice of S or R flex - with a white-colored Golf Pride Tour Wrap 2G grip. This special release also includes a unique white headcover, plus a white AFT torque wrench in a white pouch. 

New Powakaddy Sport Trollley 2011

A new, sophisticated but user-friendly electric golf trolley is released today by PowaKaddy looking to reinforce its position as the leader in the developing powered trolley market place.

A important function of the new PowaKaddy Sport Trolley is an ergonomic handle style and speed control roller which adjusts to an easy walking pace and can even be sent off ahead to stop at a pre-determined distance.

The PK Sport's revolutionary and simple soft grip handle features a built-in, responsive finger-tip speed controller mixed with an built-in LCD display screen and independent Digital distance button.

It combines sturdy, lightweight components - which folds into a small unit to fit into the boot of nearly any car - with a impressive, whisper-quiet 200 watt motor.

A battery-life monitor, digital clock, lightweight lithium or lead acid battery, universal bag stay and soft grip pads suitable for all bag types, complete the package.

"We challenged our designers to come up with the most technologically advanced and high-performance trolley we have ever-produced, but also to make it very simple and easy to use. We feel the PK Sport will set new boundaries for electric trolley performance," said Simon Homer, sales and marketing director.

As well as the standard Powakaddy Sport Trolley 2011 18-hole and 36-hole lead acid battery options (from £399) the trolley is offered with a top of the range, lightweight Lithium battery (£629). The compact design of the Lithium pack allows the trolley to be folded with the battery still in place. A Lithium version with a brake is available for £699.