September Testing, Reviews

by Bob Koczor

Nowadays, everyone is going green, and I’m not talking about the Boston Red Sox or the Boston Celtics. Rather, from hybrid and E-85 vehicles to all kinds of supermarket foods marked “organic”, the color of our world psychologically is green. Being labeled as “green” is almost like the “House of Good Seal” endorsement found on so many advertised household products in the 1950s and 1960s.F

 It’s good for consumer safety, it’s good for the economy, it’s good for the environment and, sometimes the most important, it’s good for sales. Let’s face it, we’re in a growing world of recyclables, a world of using only what you need, and needing only what you truly need. Big for the sake of big itself is out of vogue, and waste is a Neanderthal concept.

As most Golf Today Magazine readers remember, Tehama high-end sportswear company for both men and women was founded by Clint Eastwood and Nancy Haley, and everything they have touched since their business marriage has turned into gold for not only the company but for the wearers of Tehama Apparel.

Not to nap and become static as companies are prone to do in the journey of their successes, Tehama continues to create new styles, designs and, now again, with an eco-conscious fashion line under the umbrella called its Green Collection with a new Bamboo blend of products which are naturally soft, breathable, and cool to the touch for both men and women.

The new material is featured in a new Honeycomb pique Everest Polo made of Pima Cotton/Bamboo which Time Magazine itself hailed for its exceptional evaporative cooling, odor resistance and added UV protection to keep golfers on and off the course completely comfortable.

Nancy Haley, CEO and co-founder for Tehama, said: “Consumers are very concerned about their health and the environment. Conscientious consumers will be very pleased with the variety of our eco-friendly products.”

This eco-friendly effort by Tehama goes beyond just the bamboo golf shirt in which I take great pride. In their effort to reduce carbon footprints, Tehama has already created apparel that are made of fabrics containing coconut, recycled polyester, Vitamin C, and organic cotton. Taking care of this planet which we ourselves have inherited takes a concerted effort to pass it on in better tone, shape and health for future generations, and Tehama is doing its part, for sure, to do so.

I wore my blue-colored Tehama bamboo golf shirt recently while playing at Snowcreek Golf Course in Mammoth, Ca. It was perfect in that it looked good, didn’t get in the way of my swing, and was want of sweat stains by the time I made the turn to play the nine holes, again.

Important to me in a golf shirt is that the collars be quality, meaning double-layered which Tehama does so well.

“Tehama” is a Native American word that means “abundance of nature” and reflects a line of high-end, contemporary men and women’s sportswear. Founded in 1997 by Hollywood legend Clint Eastwood and fashion industry veteran Nancy Haley, Tehama is one of the fastest growing luxury lifestyle brands in the country. The line was named to The Robb Report’s Best of the best Apparel brands top five list, three years in a row. Tehama is now sold in high end pro shops and resorts, as well as department stores such as Nordstrom.

Most important in this global economy, high quality of apparel is still available in companies such as Tehama, but at a price that’s right and reasonable. This bamboo materialshirt retails for less than $70, making it a “best buy” for the upcoming holiday gift-giving season or for just plain treating yourself. (You deserve it!)

For this outstanding shirt plus the hundreds of other offerings made by Tehama, visit www.tehamainc.com

Dixon Golf Balls—Eco Friendly Green!

Becoming ‘green’ on a golf course doesn’t stop with the bamboo or coconut material golf shirt you’re wearing off the first tee. It goes much further, and month-by-month I’m sure we’ll see more evidence of this trend to save the planet.

Dixon Golf was recently introduced as the first 100 percent Eco-friendly golf ball on the market, meaning that if you hit a Dixon Golf Ball, you can be sure that its totally environmentally conscious from the get-go.

First of all, unlike 99.99 percent of the golf balls being hit now, there are no harsh heavy-metal pollutants like tungsten, cobalt, titanium, copper and lead in a Dixon Golf Ball.

Down to the center core, the proprietary polymers that support the playable properties of the Dixon Golf Ball ensure that it is 100% renewable and won’t waste away in tall gasses or swampy weeds during the next 25 years or more. Rather, it recycles itself back into the environment without causing pollution, damage to fauna or floral, and without loading this world with garbage like supermarket plastic bags that take upwards of 1,000 years to disintegrate.

The Dixon Golf Ball is made entirely from recycled material, from core to cover, from packaging to production—reflecting a social conscience that this earth is a living organism that can, with the help of 7.3 billion people, self-destruct.

“Bob, but how does the Dixon Golf Ball play?”

Dixon didn’t have to sacrifice playability of distance and accuracy in order to be eco-friendly. According to latest tests, just the opposite is occurring, and that is, Dixon Earth golf balls play better than most two-piece golf balls being sold off the shelves right now. Dixon has also outperformed several well-known three-piece urethane golf balls in testing.

Dixon has all the moves—including the distance, the spin, and the “feel” one yearns for on the greens.

Dixon Golf balls are backed by 100% Customer Satisfaction so that if you don’t think they’re doing the job they promote themselves as doing, just return them for your money-back guarantee.

Dixon Golf Balls are the world’s first 100% “Green” golf ball, and you might well be hearing from the brand name golf balls in future years that they too have started to produce golf balls that are eco-friendly.

Just think: improving your game is one thing, but to improve the earth at the same time with eco-friendly golf balls made by Dixon is much more meaningful.

For more information on Dixon Golf, visit their website at www.dixongolf.com or call tollfree 1-866-468-2259.

We can still have all the fun in the world on a golf course as we take one small step for mankind with eco-friendly golf balls….

Planet Earth: An Illustrated History

Okay, Okay, Okay. This is not a review of a golf product or accessory, but it is one of the most interesting coffee table books that makes for a perfect gift for the golfer in your life, especially after reading the first two items in my Testing/Review column this month.

I like gargantuan coffee table books because they self-impose themselves on whatever table top they’re placed and almost demand that the person nearest opens it up and scans through the pages. (Talk about a hard sell!)

PLANET EARTH features, on each and every page, dramatic and informative pictures and graphics, causing the reader to explore, think about, and to care a bit more about the incredible land on which we live.

The finest nature photographers in the world traveled to the farthest corners of this earth and collaborated with indigenous people, scientists and various life forms to capture nature’s most beautiful and most extreme conditions from the invisible world of the atmosphere to the frozen world of the cryosphere. It’s a very rich visual survey of Mother Nature and all her power and splendor within the land, sea and air… animal, vegetable and mineral… past, present and future. Driven by stunning images, PLANET EARTH is highly visual with oversized dimensions that turn every spread into a natural vista.

Trust me on this one: if you’re looking for a book which will attract from the get-go, you will have it at your home or to be used as a gift for the golfer in your life who is expecting a dozen new golf balls or yet another golf book on how-to’s.

PLANET EARTH will hit the stands October 14th at most book stores, so this is truly your chance to get the first of its kind before the store runs out of them. Place a sleeve of Dixon Golf balls atop this book to emphasize our need not to destroy what we inherited.

Kikuya Golf T-Shirts

Golf T-Shirts are as different to each other as children are within any family. Differences abound, some last longer, others look better, while still others take a beating, many washings come out looking like new.

Kikuya t-shirts for men golfers are made of the softest fabric available. The all-white shirts are 100 percent Ringspun cotton, making these of a higher grade fiber spun the old-fashioned method, make these incredibly soft but yet durable.

The color Kikuya syles are all 100 percent cotton, garment dyed and then washed, which result in a unique combination of color and a laid-back look.

I found the most interesting thing about Kikuya t-shirts being that they are painted with water-based, pigment inks. Unlike traditional silk screening, which irritates me before I even don the t-shirts, the Kikuya are soft to the touch because the impressions you choose react with the fiber of the shirt and becomes part of the garment. The impressions don’t sit atop, plastic-like, upon the cotton fabric.

Kikuya t-sirts are made with water-based inks which are environmentally-friendly and free of heavy metals and PVCs.

Kikuya graphic designs are inspired by sayings and visuals that resonate with golfers. I wear the Golf Today Magazine-logoed blue t-shirt, complete with subdued image of a 7-iron below the golftodaymagazine.com website above.

For my white Kikuya t-shirt, “The Reason We Play” words are embedded soft and embedded into the white cotton fabric as one, not two different items.

The makers of the new line of Kikuya t-shirts are golfers who take their golf seriously, thus the design and comfort of their Kikuya t-shirts are of the highest quality.

For more information about these impressive t-shirts by Kikuya, visit www.kikuyagolf.com

The company heralds from Canyon Lake, CA (706) 809-8171.

Pin High Golf Card Game

It’s Jacques Costeau’s kind of weather with too much rain filling those buckets out in the garden… so what are you to do?

Watch CNN televising Hillary Clinton supporters threaten to cross party lines? Listen to the Reverand Jeremiah Wright rant and rave about no opportunities for minorities as he is driven in his limo to his new $20 million home in an all-white gated community?

Golf is still a soothing choice when you get stuck in the clubhouse, and if there’s a frost or rain delay, just pull out the new card game called PIN HIGH.

Based on match-play golf, PIN HIGH is played on famous “imaginary” golf courses (don’t want to pay royalties for naming names!) playable over 9 or 18 holes. You get two to four of your buddies together in the clubhouse as it rains outside and you’re waiting for a break in this unexpected onpour. So, you shuffle and deal the cards because you already read the newspaper and caught up with the same things you’ve caught up with your buddies for the past four years, three days per week at the same muni clubhouse. And you’re probably sitting at the same table in the coffee section of the clubhouse café.

In PIN HIGH, players attempt to “hit the ball” from the tee to the green and putt into the hole. Okay, it’s not the SAME THING as real golf, but you’re only other option is standing outside in donned in foulweather gear which makes you feel like a manikin in the store front window of some mountain climbing outlet. And you wait and wait and wait to see if and only if the Superintendent gives a green light for play.

So you order your second cup of lava-java-cocoa coffee (enough to keep you fully awake till the next full moon) and you look at your hand of cards which are divided into three categories throughout the full deck.

Rules are simple, but play can become intense (just get off that caffeinated stuff!), and you’ll have a good old time waiting inside with your buddies during the frost or rain delay as Mother Nature cleanses the air of any pollutants in the air outside.

“Joe, I just hit my nine iron from 175 onto the green!”

“That’s alright. We still have seven holes left!”

(Yes, you can still make a couple bucks today at golf.)

PIN HIGH is very well-priced for what it offers, going at less than $10 retail per deck, making it a perfect stockin’ stuffer in a couple months. Or, since the fall and its inclement weather is around the corner, PIN HIGH may come in handy, as well, before Santa arrives.

For more information, call 412-88-1368, or save yourself a buck or two by calling the tollfree 800-851-6030. You can also visit www.intromark.com

Remember, the Game of Golf is but a metaphor for life. You may not be able to play the real game of golf outside as you’re stuck inside the clubhouse coffee shop, but you can still enjoy the game with PIN HIGH.

100 Classic Golf Tips From Leading Ladies Teaching And Touring Pros

New golf books are published faster than new scandals hit the headlines in daily newspapers. It’s hard to keep up with them.

So, one has to discriminate and choose those books he or she thinks most likely would be worthwhile to read in part or in toto.

I’ve done that with the new golf book titled 100 CLASSIC GOLF TIPS because it’s a 40-year voyage of women’s golf instruction reflected by images and tips from the masters. Unlocking the secrets of becoming a superior golfer can come from compendiums of thousands of books. Another way to learn better golf is via of illustrations and pictures, and that’s what classical artist Anthony Ravielli, golf’s foremost instructional illustrator, has done by chronicling the techniques of the world’s finest women golfers, from Glenna Colette Vere, Babe Zaharaias, and Betsy Rawls, plus some of the biggest stars in women’s golf today.

Editor Christopher Obetz, noted multimedia artist, is the leading authority and biographer of Ravielli. Obetz has combined his long-standing passion for the sport with his mission to preserve Ravielli’s instructional art, giving a voice to an artist who otherwise might be forgotten.

Tons of hints and tips from Annika Sorenstram, Lorena Ochoa, Se Ri Pak, Mickey Wright, Joyce Wethered, and Judy Rankin makes 100 CLASSIC GOLF TIPS worth the read topped off by the illustrations which, of course, bespeak a thousand words.

This hardcover book of 224 pages with 111 illustrations sells for $24.95. For the woman golfer in your life, this one is special and beautiful. You may well be seeing another woman on the course after you give her this book as a gift and she reads it and enjoys it as it deserves to be enjoyed.

For more information on 100 GOLF CLASSIC GOLF TIPS, visit www.rizzoliusa.com

It’s never too early to think about special holiday gifts.

Cabo Uno Perfecto Tequila

During a recent golf trip to Snowcreek Resort in the Mammoth Mountains, Eastern Sierra, my wife and I finished the day with a wonderfully unique dinner at Restaurant Lulu’s, purposely choosing to sit at the bar since we were finishing a long day of golf, flyfishing and horseback riding (plus shopping for 70% off Sales!), and we didn’t wish to wait 15 minutes for a table to be set for us.

What a treat it all was, from the mountain décor to the unique selections on the menu. Catching my wife’s attention after dinner was a square-shaped bottle of Silver Patro Tequila.

“What’s that?” I asked.

Though a teetotaler for the past 15 years, she picked up the bottle and, since the bottom was empty of liquor inside, pulled the top off and smelled the remnants of the Tequila that had been consumed. I asked for a whiff.

And what a whiff it was!

It certainly was not of the blend I had experienced at Los Cabos nightclubs where Tequila was slammed loudly on the table right before the entire jigger was swallowed, or at that nightclub where people lined up in a snake-like dance and tossed their heads back, opened their mouths, and had Tequila poured down their throats like it was going to be their last night on earth.

I asked the bartender about the empty bottle of Tequila, and he explained that it was good, but the very best was called Cabo Uno.

It was called Un Tequila Perfecto for many reasons, one of which was beyond the design of mankind. Mother Nature had her hand blended with the craftsmanship of the Rivera Family which has been producing Tequila for more than 80 years to great success.

Once in many, many years, however, the two come together to form what Tequila philes call a Numero Uno Perfecto Tequila. Cabo Uno turned out to be that.

Located in the mountains of Jalisco, Mexico (yes, just above the town of Tequila), the Rivera Family harvested a small plot of Weber Blue Agave, the selection of which was strictly made at its prime for age and size. That was in 2001.

Later, the “pinas” were slowly steam-roasted in brick ovens and pre-processed for distillation. The first sign that this was a once-in-a-century miracle of nature and man became evident when this batch of Tequila was distilled for just the first time. The agave’s character was instantly recognized by those in the know and that particular region suddenly became a sort of Lourdes of Jalisco ater that first tasting. The Rivera Family was very careful to make perfect cuts during the next distillation because they knew something special, very special, was abrew.

After the second distillation, the makings of the Perfecto Tequila became apparent to all, thus small, charred American White Oak barrels were chosen to impart just the right amount of wood character to the Tequila.

Month-by-month, the taste became smoother, finer, and with character that belies the best that Mother Nature could produce. After 38 months of care-taking, the Tequila had flawlessly married with the oak, and the Tequila was set aside to preserve its essence until bottling.

The story doesn’t end here, however, because after one more year in the barrel plus an additional 26 months of aging, “The One” became “Cabo Uno Perfecto”—a perfectly born child of Mother Nature.

Packaging had to be on par with the best, thus a distinctive lead-free crystal bottle as chosen for Cabo Uno. Housed in a handmade leather and wood box, the bottle comes sealed with a cork for shipping A Crystal stopper is provided for after the first sip.

I say “sip” because this is to be savored and not poured recklessly,

Each bottle of Cabo Uno is of Limited Edition, and numbered to earmark its allocated status.

I have Bottle 293 of 420 made and distributed, personally signed by the owner of Cabo Wabo Tequila.

Taste on the palette is an aroma of herbs and fruit with elegant reminders of chocolate, caramel, and roasted coffee. The definition of the word “smooth” is redefined by Cabo Uno, as will be your outlook on this Tequila itself.

Golfers always try to give something different as presents for the holiday season, and just another bottle of Greg Norman wines that you gave last year just won’t do it two year in a row. Ties and shirts are also has-beens.

What you need to spread the holiday cheer (to others or to yourself) is Cabo Uno Tequila Anejo Reserva, available in select premium specialty stores throughout the country for $250 per bottle.

For more information on this top of its class Tequila and others made by Cabo Wabo Tequila, visit www.CaboWabo.com

This will be the crowing glory of holiday gifts this year. Mark my word. And, savor the taste ever so slowly.

Salud!

Personal UV Detector For Golfers!

Just when you thought you had everything success could hand onto your platter, along comes a Personal UV Detector which tells you, in simple terms, how to avoid UV over-exposure and sunburn.

The small device, which clips onto your belt loop or onto your golf bag, digitally reads the current UV level (0-15 resolution 0.5) as well as four (4) skin types. Developed according to the standards of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), this UV Detector establishes your estimated exposure time (EET) calculation which is figured between your skin type and SPF values.

Five bar graphs (low, moderate, high, very high and extreme) reflect the good, bad and evil of exactly what the sun rays are doing to your exposed skin. A digital thermometer ranging from—4 degrees to 140 degrees F is another feature in this UV Detector that assists the user in determining the amount of UV radiation to which they have been exposed

This unit is more sophisticated than just the above, because it also suggests the amount of radiation that the user should expose themselves to based on information provided by the user. Both of these functions are designed as aids.

Many other factors enter the picture, such as weather conditions, user’s health and health history, the use of sun protection products, and advice from qualified medical professionals.

If you think for a moment that this device is nothing but another gadget toy of a big boy, think again: many are the golf pros of yesteryear who didn’t take precautions when faced with the sun rays hitting them for six or seven consecutive hours per day, every day of the week, having lived long enough to find out in their later years that skin cancers have turned their once supple and tan complexion into the face of the moon.

You don’t want that, do you?

For more information on this Personal UV Detector (No. UV 112), visit www.generaltools.com

Casio Makes Big Splash With Women Golfers

Casio is one of those brand names which evoke feelings of trust, value, workability, backed-up guarantees, and that the company will be here for a long time to come.

Most recently, Casio treated lady golfers to one of its newest models of watches called the Baby-G Line. Showing a style that makes women look cool no matter how high the mercury rises, the Baby-G is fit for any summer activity, from golf to tennis and from snorkeling to beach volleyball.

Its Slim Marine model, for example, is completely shock resistant and water resistant up to 200 meters. Functionally, the Slim Marine includes world time for 30 cities, five daily alarms and a countdown timer.

“Ah, dear. It’s time for another Margarita…”

The Slim Marine complements any style from early morning to late at night because it reflects an active young woman who will be even more active with a younger lifestyle during the longer days of summertime.

Colorful, convenient, and comfortable are three ways to describe the five styles of this summer’s enjoyable accessories.

The Casio Slim Marine comes in white clear with a peach dial, gray with a pink dial, and red. A special edition of the Slim Marine comes in a gold, leopard print cloth band with an MSRP of $99.

Can’t beat that pricing level for the fun and flavor obtained by wearing these watches!

Remember: Casio also is making big splashes with men’s watches, calculators, keyboards, digital cameras, mobile presentation devices, cash register and many other consumer electronic products.

You won’t go wrong with Casio which will be around as long as youth abounds—either in fact or in dreams.

For more information about Casio products, visit www.casiousa.com or www.baby-g.com

Ball Brite, The Ultimate Golf Ball Cleaner

Back in Caveman Day’s when golfers used to spit on their golf ball and rub it against their hairy chests to get the mud off, that was socially-acceptable then—even though I have seen it at least once a year in the 21st Century, notwithstanding pesticides making our greens and fairways prettier and hardier.

There are much better and acceptable ways to keep your golf balls clean, bright and functionally ready for smooth sailing—and one of them is called Ball Brite, a personal golf ball cleaner featuring a neoprene outer jacket with a non-stitched inner lining that absorbs water.

This lightweight clip-on ball cleaner eliminates the need for a towel because you can also use it for cleaning your irons. It’s made by one of the world leaders in neoprene fabric products that is proud of its 23 successful years in the business.

All you do is add one or two tablespoons of water inside Ball Brite at the start of your round. It doesn’t leak, with the outside staying dry, while the inside stays wet.

Just place your golf ball inside the Ball Brite which is hooked to either your belt loop, golf bag or waistband, and you’re good for the round. No more walking back to the cart looking for a towel.

“Hey, Joe! Can I use your towel?”

Ball Brite technology is anti-microbial treated, and it’s eco-friendly. Permitted under the Rules of Golf, Ball Brite will do nothing more than help you play a more enjoyable and successful game on the course.

After you return home, simply wash your Ball Brite in the washing machine and dry it… and it’s ready for the next day of golf just like new!

For more information on Ball Brite, visit www.BALLBRITE.com

Ball Brite comes in five different colors: black, gold, pink, bronze, and platinum. The good looks of Ball Brite reflect its effectiveness in keeping your golf balls clean for increased confidence, more accuracy, and a better score.—You can’t go wrong.

How Great Golfers Think

(Perfecting Your Mental Game, by Bob Skura)

At times, it seems not enough time is spent practicing golf, while at other times, it’s as though too much time is spent talking and thinking about the mental side of golf.

In order to become a better golfer, balance is key: you must practice and you must get your head in order. Too often have I met golfers who have had the talent to win big money on Tour only to find that the stress on their psycho causes them to abandon their quest for a Green Jacket. We all have met them.

A new approach in helping the mental side of your golf game is now available in a new book by Bob Skura whose talents include that of taking raw dry academic data and translating this dry stuff into entertaining and easy to read and conversational stories.

HOW GREAT GOLFERS THINK, in less than a 200 page paperback, tells the story of four golf buddies who find a mentor called Doc.

This teacher, Doc, teachers this playful foursome the mental skills which have been used during the past hundred years by the world’s greatest golfers.

Doc bases his advice and lessons on solid research about the greats of the game, illustrating them with examples so that the foursome and the reader can take his or her game to a higher and more enjoyable level of play by book’s end

Remember, a sound body with a frizzed out mind will never accomplish betterment when it comes to lower scores on the course. A sound mind in a sound body, however, will help you towards your goals when it comes to golf.

Read this enjoyable book and thank the author much for doing all the homework he had to do to pass onto you, within 200 pages, how the greats became greats, and how you can become a better golfer thanks to a better mental game.

Visitt www.howgreatgolfersthink.com for more info. Or, to talk with the author himself by sending an email to: doc@howgreatgolfersthink.com

ID Golf Medical Bracelets

Because all of my golf buddies are too old to play in the Senior Softball Leagues out here in Bear Valley Springs, I’ve become a stickler for safety for these 60s and 70-year-olders, many of whom think in their still at times hallucinagetic mindsthat they’re still ripe for a weekend at Woodstock.

So you might more than once have read that I encourage public places to have defribrillators on hand in case someone has a heart attack. And I’m also a rooter for ID medical bracelets which, in case of an emergency, gives some solid clues as to what may well have happened when the golfer jumped for joy after hitting a 110-yard hole-in-one at his local muni.

Life-saving medical ID bracelets have become fashionable and trendy, as well, thus opening the door wider to public acceptance.

Lauren Hope recently came out with a new Medical ID Bracelet which features a center ceramic gold bead surrounded by sterling silver and black tubing.

This complete line of interchangeable and stylish medical jewelry for anyone with a health condition is a perfect antidote for alerts that can save lives. You can choose from an extensive selection of 1K gold, sterling silver, crystals, pearls, beaded leather, cloth, stones, charms and more, Or, you can create your own custom-designed ID Medical Alert Bracelet.

For more information on this life-saving jewelry, visit www.laurenshope.com

Time is of essence when it comes to saving a person’s life challenged, say, on the course with a stroke, heart attack, diabetic seizure, etc. “Joe, I have no idea what’s going on here. He’s out cold!”

Wouldn’t it be a very wise idea for the medics to have a clue as to why they’re carrying you on a stretcher rushing to the ambulance which will race through all the green lights on the streets as quick as possible so you can be treated at the nearest Emergency Room?

Haber Vision Eyewear For Golfers

Never says it’s too late. Never. Never ever.

Case in point for all of us who are tempted to give away our ice skates or catcher’s mitt or skis, keep in mind the true story of life-long athlete and businessman Steve Haber, a sunglass industry veteran who developed the popular Bolle brand of sunglasses and goggles in the early 1980s. After going public with Bolle in 1995, Haber sold his interests to pursue his interests in fishing skiing and golf.

Then, not to be buried before his time, Haber recognized the need for an eyewear company which focused (no pun intended) on the polarized segment and that’s when he decided to get back into the ring of eyewear business.

I recently start wearing his Portofino model of polarized sunglasses because I had never before allowed myself to wear sunwear without thick frames. The Portofino features the amber lite lenses sans heavy plastic frames, and it was only afterwards that I realized that I did, after all, have one thing in common with all those young Hollywood actors (amateur political pundits) who wear the same.

Haber went the Polarized way because polarized lenses get rid of the uncomfortable sensation caused by bright light.

When I wore the Portofino for the first time, it was while fly fishing in the Mammoth area of the Easter Sierra. There was plenty of annoying reflection of light bouncing off the flowing water… until I put on my Portofino eyewear.

As explained by Haber, who sounds younger by the year, light is similar to sound. Glare is like the noise you get from cranking the volume of a stereo up to 10 and then putting your ear right by the speaker. Not a comfortable place to be!

A HaberVision polarized filter performs in the same way with sight, as an earplug does with sound It doesn’t get rid of all light, just the light that hinders rather than helps. Your brain is getting all of the valuable sensory information it needs, and none of the harmful “noise”.

That’s the HaberVision polarization advantage.

And that translates into your advantage that Mr. Haber didn’t stay retired and just float away in the enjoyments of golf, fishing, and skiing.

For more information on HaberVision Eyewear, visit www.habervision.com

The Ground

All of us have walked from our the cart to our ball in the middle of the fairway only to find out that we pulled three clubs out of the bag, not knowing exactly which one to use until we arrive there on the spot, figuring out distance, flight, and those damn bunkers.

As we make the decision on what club to use, we lay the other two clubs down on the fairway. When we pick up the clubs, we realize that there must be a better way than to get the grips moist and dirty by having put them down on the ground.

There IS a better way, and it’s called THE GROUND!

This patented hinge-design and lightweight frame provides for a quick, practical way of resting up to five clubs when you walk away from your bag. It looks chic, and sticks into the ground sturdily so that you can’t help but see it and the two other clubs standing straight up when you hit the green with the club you have chosen.

THE GROUND not only keeps your clubs clean and dry, you also don’t have a proclivity to leaving one of them behind on the fairway which becomes, for the next few holes, like a gnat eating away on your cheek while you have to stand at attention in boot camp at Perris Island.

There are more than 40 possible color combinations from which to choose your own Ground which easily fits into your bag and is as quickly removed from the bag.

Nowadays, cost is a prohibitive challenge to many items for sale in the Golf Industry. Not so for The Ground whose MSRP is only $29.95.

Think about it: if The Ground keeps you from losing one club, you already have saved as much as 10 times the price you paid for The Ground.

For more information, call 516-932-1600 or visit www.nbsdisplays.com

Pro Play Fitting System

Many are the ways to improve your golf game. Learning aids abound on the stance, alignment, grip, follow-through, etc. Most of these aids will, indeed, help you play better golf.

One such is the Pro Play Fitting System which is much more than a quality golf glove. It’s a revolutionary glove/grip system which ensures that your grip, called the single most important part of your swing, is properly aligned for your swing.

The ProPlay Glove System features a color-coded and individually-sized grip and glove combinations.

Steve Willliams, the #1 Caddy in the world, calls the ProPlay Fitting System “the best game improvement product I have ever seen.”

Following four simple steps, the ProPlay fitting system: #1) Let’s you match the grip line to the glove line; #2) Allows you to match the glove thumbpad to the grip thumbpad; #3) Let’s you place your bottom hand in with the “V” on the grip; and, #4) let’s you swing away with a Perfect Grip!

This glove and system is for every golfer of any ability level, and is available at all leading golf stores. Remember: here is a full range of color-coded gloves to match your color-coded grips for men and for women golfers.

For more information, visit www.proplayfittingsystems.com

 

I Golf Therefore I Am—Nuts!

One of the most humorous new golf books recently was created by my friend George Fuller who keeps popping up, much like those savvy political pundits on TV, who appear on this commentary show or that political forum…. “Where does he get the time to do all that he does?” I ask myself.

So likewise with George Fuller, who is one of the most prolific authors going nowadays. Originally, I knew George as a professional photographer who could made one of his pictures speak a million words, not a mere thousand. George could say with the lens what others failed to say in chapter upon chapter.

Then George delved into the world of publishing golf magazines, as the founder of the beautiful Golf Living Magazine after he served as editor-in-chief of Links-The Best of Golf Magazine. Now the energized journalist is the publisher/editor of Tee It Up Magazine which is distributed to golfers in Southern California.

How he gets time for books, fails my understanding, lest he wears a 36-hour daily watch to go by! Or, maybe he found he Fountain of Youth—which he should bottle, with me as his first customer!

His latest book is his comical look at the game of golf that leaves no stone untouched in regards to subject matter. The title of his new book’s chapters reflect is humorous observations of golf: the Patron Saint of Forgiveness: Seeking the Elusive Mulligan; The Laws of Golf (Bye-Bye, Birdie), The Par-Boiled Language of Golf; The Course of the Future (Let’s Hope Not); Putting Stroke du Jour; Golden Golf: Till Death Do Us Part; The Tyranny of Par; March of the Haggis; How to Host a U.S. Open; Top 10 New ear’s Resolutions for Golfers.

These more than 40 satirical essays provide a peak at what both recreational and competitive golfers alike will be talking about once this new book hits the shelves in November, just in time for the holidays. Fuller leaves no stone unturned, including the hype that architect and developers use when describing a new golf course. (I’ve been there too many times, myself!)

We all love golf. We all hate golf. And this takes place in the same day. You will read all about it, and see yourself and see your buddies in this book. It will sell well, because it’s one of those special golf books that deserves the author well.

For more information, call toll-free 1-800-747-4457. Or, visit ww.HumanKinetics.com. Or, email Alexis Koontz at alexisk@hkusa.com

Let’s really enjoy the nuttiness of knowing what we’re doing on a golf course!

The Floppy

Okay, it’s still raining outside, and you’re certainly not going to the local theatre to see the new movie because the flu season just started and everyone and their kids will be sneezing a storm up within those enclosed walls.

So why not get yourself a Floppy, the new Indoor Pracic Golf Ball that feeels,spins, and reacts like a real golf ball?

You won’t have to worry about breaking windows or knocking down the tons of knick-knacks that your wife has accumulated over the years.

The Floppy, completey safe, is specifically designed for play and practice of your short game at home, or your office. You can practice chip shots, putts, and what not. (“Okay, this one’s going over the lamp on the stand, right into the empty cereal bowl!”)

The Floppy itself is made of a proprietary fill, with a specially engineered liner, plus a woven cover, a description of which will satisfy anyone except an engineer.

The Floppy is truly revolutionary in that you can better your swing, bild correct muscle memory, learn what proper feel should be, and lower your scores once the rain stops.

For more information, visit www.thefloppy.com

You won’t go wrong, you won’ get the flu, and your golf game will improve.

The BrushPro by Frogger

New golf products are getting fancier and better-looking and more functional as the years pass by. The BrushPro reflects this fact with its contemporary looks, its ergonomic design and multi-functions that would not have been thought of a dozen years ago.

The BrushPro cleans your clubs and spikes in seconds. Featuring replaceable brush heads and groove cleaners, the BrushPro comes with a 100% nylon brush head to be used on forged clubs, and it comes with a bronze bristle brush which is used for the harder to clean dirt and grasses that have melded onto your soft spikes or clubs.

In addition, the BrushPro features a retractable locking groove cleaner which will get to those places that the bristles can’t do the job.

The BrushPro also features a retractable cord that you can snap onto your golf bag, your belt, or your cart.

This is one of those new golf aids that surely someone will soon be saying, “Close the Patent Office. It can’t get better than this!”

For more information on the BrushPro, visit www.froggergolf.com. Or, call toll-free 1-800-718-FROG.

It’s a winner!

The Wow Factor

(How I Turned One Great Idea and My Unbridled Enthusiasm Into a Golf Revolution), by Barney Adams

Want to know what the business side of golf is about? Ask Barney Adams, and it may take a month to explain it all.

Better yet, read his THE WOW FACTOR, and you’ll come away educated about the fact that it takes much more than a great idea to make money in the Golf Industry.

Adams’ success with his Tight Lies (the most popular fairway wood of all time) came after many, many years of hard work as a clubfitter. From this hands-on education and experience, Adams created this special fairway wood ahead of its time. It literally changed the road of modern day golf.

The book itself is a primer of advice on the good, bad and ugly of being a business owner in the Golf Industry.

I highly recommend that if you’re thinking of entering this wonderful but tough industry, read THE WOW FACTOR first. And learn from it. It has so much to offer from the practical experience ad success of a good man.

This 320-page hardcover book is published by Skyhorse Publishing Inc.

For more information, call 212-643-6816.

 

(If you want your product reviewed as above, especially for the upcoming holiday season, call Bob Koczor, Publisher/Editor, at 661-823-7842 for further information. Or, contact him at bob@golftodaymagazine.com. These reviews and pictures are available to golfers throughout the world on www.golftodaymagazine.com. Golf Today Magazine, now in its 22nd year, publishes 12 editions per year on a monthly schedule. There is no other independently-owned golf magazine with as loyal and wide-spread a readership as Golf Today Magazine.)