On the other hand we have cotton. There is a reason cotton is the has been the material for choice for centuries and why designers keep returning to it. Unlike polyester, cotton is soft, classic, flattering, and enduring which is why cotton is pretty much all I wear now. Therefore, I was excited for my first review of relatively new golf brand called Radmor.

As someone who has worn shirts from tons of start up golf brands, I can tell you that most kind of suck and never make it past the first line but I am pretty bullish on Radmor.

Cotton is such a wonderful and natural material that it is no wonder we keep coming back to it. Recently, I was sent a single polo to check out from Radmor. Specifically, the TAYLOR BobRad Pimaformance Jersey – L / WHITE BOBRAD REPEAT.

I will spare you the details of this exact shirt but expound on what I genuinely like about the brand. Radmor was founded around sustainability and environmentally conscious design. Therefore, all of their apparel is cotton which is a million times more earth friendly than poly (maybe not a million but a lot). As a bit of a tree hugger myself, this is a good thing. However, regardless of your tree-huggary, you will love the feel and look of Radmor. Despite the alien print on my shirt, I would classify Radmor as classic. No gimmicks, just good looking solid golf shirts.

Perusing their line, you will notice pretty standard solid polos, a few stripes but nothing crazy. The collars are crisp with a touch of detail, but again, nothing outlandish. Material wise, they are cotton but not a heavy cotton. Yes, there are lots of types of cotton and not all feel the same. In Radmor’s case they mostly use Pima cotton which is very light and does not wrinkle easily. They have also added a touch of stretch making them perfect for golf or for any casual event.

Since this is my first experience with Radmor and it was limited to one shirt, I cannot personally comment on the entire line other than believe that this company is making quality golf apparel that I am looking forward to getting more of not only because I dig the look but because of the company. Specifically, Radmor carries good looking hoodies, sweatshirts, shorts and pants. The pants look exceptionally good

In today’s polarizing world, I think it is important to buy from companies that share my values and Radmor is right in line with mine. The earth is not delicate, it will shake of mankind and not look back, but humans, humans are fragile and if we are going to live on this earth we need to start taking care of it. Radmor is one of those companies who are trying to do their part by not using polyester and other material that do not decay. For that, they have my vote and my business.

Check out Radmor even if you don’t like to hug trees, cause we all like trees.

The post Radmor (it’s about the cotton) appeared first on Three Guys Golf Blog.

Specifically, a few years ago (gosh COVID just ruins all of my time estimates) True Linkswear introduced their True Knits which were super light, super comfy and appropriate for all manners of activities. To that end, I have a pair of True Knits that I have only played golf in one time but I wear nearly every day. It’s not that the Knits are not appropriate for golf, it’s more that they just do not have as much structure as I would like.

So, when True Linkswear introduced the True OG Sport I was thrilled to get what I believe is the best of both worlds. With the OG sport, you get the comfort, breathability and lightness of the Knit but the tread and structure of the older True styles (plus they are waterproof).

I first got my pair of True OG Sport just before I left on a 10 day trip to Mexico. Wanting to pack light, I brought only two pairs of shoes, flip flops and my new True OG Sport. Over the course of those 10 days, I walked a ton of miles on roads, paths and rough terrain. Not only were they super comfortable but I also really appreciated the traction while on uneven rocky hills.

In addition to lots of sightseeing I also got in a few rounds of golf which provided me the opportunity to see how the OG Sport perform on the course. Not that it was any surprise, but I absolutely loved them. Unlike the Knit, I felt like I had more stability and traction providing me with a more stable base to push off from.  We also got caught in a minor rain shower so having waterproof shoes was a bonus.

Now to one of my favorite shoe features to write about, getting them on and off. Like many people, I pretty much never tie my shoes. Instead, I prefer to find the right snugness then just pull them on. Fortunately, many shoes (including the True OG Sport) include some type of loop on the back of the shoe to make that easy. Interestingly, they have changed the loop from vertical (in the Knit) to horizontal (in the OG Sport). My guess is they did this for style reason as it is not quite as natural to use. With that said, they still can be pulled on without unlacing (gosh we have become a lazy species). True Linkswear calls this “Full Sock Fit Flexible Opening”

Finally, I want to touch on the sole and construction as it is very different than the Knit. First off, the sole is very similar to what came on older versions of True Linkswear shoes. With large Cross-Life tread, you will get all the grip you require. Additionally, they have added extra support along the seam of the tread and shoe which seems to help from lateral movement that occurs during a golf swing. To me, this was an important differentiator from the Knit.

In short, I am a huge fan of the True OG sport and have become nearly my everyday shoe (and often my golf shoe). While I have only worn them for a month now, I expect that they will hold up for years since I am still wearing my Knits two years later.

Check out these shoes at www.truelinkswear.com

The post True Linkswear OG Sport appeared first on Three Guys Golf Blog.

Cut to 2018… I was fitted at a proper facility for a new driver (‘proper’ meaning has Trackman and a PGA professional at the helm), and my entire game changed for the better. You may already be rolling your eyes, expecting me to yap about how we started with finding the right clubhead for me, then narrowing down the shaft options, all in an effort to maximize distance and accuracy. Well, damnit, that part is true. And of course, better distance and control on its own is plenty of reason to spend $75.00 on a fitting, but I am here to tell you that the benefits don’t stop there.

DISCLAIMER: The below diatribe is not to say that I’m smarter than you. I’m extremely dumb, I just happened to decide I would part with $75.00 one day and was ushered into the light.  

First off, there are some nuances that get overlooked when people talk about improving distance and accuracy via clubfitting and they are as follows – once you get fitted, you have a reliable club that handles the many varieties of your swing proficiently, and you have a club that you completely trust. I would argue that this results in two key benefits:

1. your number of wackadoo drives is drastically reduced, as the shaft chosen helps keep your shots within a tighter range.
2. If you do pump out a complete clownshow of a drive, you know damn well that your swing was way off. No reason to question the stick.  

Sounds simple and obvious, but think about what it would be like to have complete faith in your driver every time you step up to the tee. Again, not every drive is perfect, but you’ve eliminated one variable from the mindf-ck that is golf.  

Makes sense, right? Okay, follow that logic a bit further for the second main benefit of getting fitted. Imagine seeing ads for Taylor Made’s newest driver, or getting an email from MyGolfSpy about Cobra’s new driver, or seeing a great looking (or cheap) driver at a store, or reading Golf Digest’s Hot List, etc. and not giving a flying fook about any of it. Here’s a hint – it’s quiet. No more of that noise. You have the driver that is best suited for you, and you want for nothing from that point forward. You also realize that judging a driver by its looks or brand name is a silly waste of time. AND, when you’ve completed a fitting process with a professional, you know damn well that all that noise is complete BS. It’s just marketing. No one driver is longer than others – if that were the case, the others would sell zero units.  

I know there are some folks that like to tinker, buy and sell drivers, and maybe play 2 or 3 over the course of a season. I gotta go with an arrogant tone here… they think they enjoy that, but it’s asinine. I bet they’d like playing better much more, and while they will spend $400.00 on the new driver they are fitted for, they still might save some cash over the long-term after they’ve made all their moves and shakes. 

And then there are the guys that don’t think it’s worth the money to get fitted. That was me, and again – asinine.  We are all spending plenty of dough on this game, between clubs, balls, greens fees, etc…. I promise it’s worth $70-$100 to get fitted and get at least one part of your game on track. Would you skip two rounds in exchange for playing better for the next 3- 5 years? I would.  

Sticking with just the driver fitting for now, here’s a bonus – when you get fitted, you tend to get a mini-lesson wrapped in as well. The fitter wants to work with your swing, sure, but if they can tweak that car wreck into something more manageable, they’re going to do it. I’m not sure if I want to admit this, but early on in my fitting process the instructor asked “do you want to hit the ball, or just keep doing that?”. Oof, that hoyts. But, he pointed out an issue with my setup, we determined the best clubhead/shaft combo for me, and my game changed drastically for the better in that one hour.  

This is a given… once I became a believer, I didn’t waste much time heading back for an iron fitting, wedge fitting, and eventually a putter fitting. If forced to rank the value of each, I’d have to go with the following:

1. Driver- hands down, forget about it, it’s driver all day.
2. Tough to say between irons and wedges, but I have to go with irons. Would be pretty dumb to try and play with irons that aren’t right for you, with crucial factors such as lie angle, length, clubhead, shaft flex, shaft weight, etc. I can’t believe how many avid golfers are probably still doing this.
3. Wedges – commence eyeroll #2. I am not good enough at golf to care about my wedges as much as Zach Johnson or Dustin Johnson, and I certainly don’t carve my wedge shots into the green like a true artiste. So at first I figured the wedge fitting wouldn’t be all that helpful. But of course, I was wrong. What I learned was that it’s all about distance gapping. If my PW goes 125-130 yards and my gap wedge goes 110, then having my next club be a 56 degree that goes 75 or something is kinda pointless. So not only is the pro making sure you have the best club and shaft in play, he/she is also making sure you have the best arsenal to tackle all of the yardages you will face in a round. In my example, after talking about my game – strengths/weaknesses – we went with a 53 degree, a 58 degree, and a 62 degree(!). So now if I’m 50 yards out and I’m not feeling so hot about my little half-swing low wedge deal (meaning… sober), I can just reasonable-pound a full swing 62 and know I’ve got the right distance. Not necessarily the ideal shot, but I can rely on a full swing when most folks have to cook up something cute. I should also mention – my wedges were fitted with the same exact shafts as my irons… holy sh-t! What a concept.
4. Putter – This isn’t super-fair of me, because I’m a lefty and there’s typically only like three putters to choose from at a fitting, so I didn’t leave thinking I had found Excalibur per se. I did get a good analysis of my stroke, however, and learned that my game is not worthy of a blade… I was written a mallet-only prescription as it would be a more stable, consistent option for my shaky stroke. But again, the fitting session had a little lesson tucked in, as the instructor could not resist pointing out my alignment issues. 
5. Fairway woods/hybrids – At one point I asked my fitting pro if I should make sure my 3 wood and hybrids are the same clubhead and shaft as my money driver. He said “do you hit those clubs alright?” I said yes. He said “I don’t think you’ll see enough of a gain in performance on clubs you don’t hit too often to justify another $600.00”. Do with that what you will, but I’m inclined to believe the professional.

All in all, I spent $280 or so over the course of a year getting all my gear custom-fitted to my game. And yes, I bought all new clubs at rack rate pricing, so my bag costs about as much as it could. But in the 2-3 years since, I haven’t paid one second of attention to all the noise about other clubs, newer clubs, cool-colored clubs, and whatever the hell else so many golf addicts are still wasting their time on. Haven’t spent another dime on equipment since then either, which I think is more money-saving than most of us would like to admit. And most importantly, I have the right clubs for my game… you gotta do it!

The post The real reason you should get fit for golf clubs appeared first on Three Guys Golf Blog.

What is the D7 forged and how does it fit within Wilson’s current offerings? For the last few years, Wilson had a “F” (feel), “C” (Control) and “D” classification. Last year Wilson released the D7, and followed up this year with the D7 Forged. The “D” irons have been more of a game improvement iron. Rather than being a replacement for the D7, the  D7 Forged seems to fit in the Players Distance category where distance and control are at a premium over forgiveness to appeal to better players who want distance, and players using game improvement clubs who want a sleeker profile in an iron. In some respects, the D7 forged bridges the gap between the D and C classifications. While the forgiveness of the D7 is adequate, it is not a Game Improvement iron like the D7. The D7 forged is a workable, long, and somewhat forgiving iron similar to other manufacturer offerings in this category. 

Similar to a lot of newer irons, the lofts are aggressive compared to traditional lofts. The PW is 44 compared to a traditional 48 degrees, the 7 iron is 30.5, and the 5 iron is 24.5, so in terms of loft, the D7s are lower lofted to promote more distance, not unlike offerings in this category from other manufacturers. 

Let’s start with a look at the technology. Wilson uses “Power Holes” and “Power Face Technology” From their website, “Power Hole placement has been optimized for the forged heads, increasing face deflection and contact time between the ball and the face of the iron for more efficient energy return, enhanced ball speed and greater distance.” The Power Face Technology “fills the Power Holes as well as the entire chamber behind the face, resulting in reduced vibration for incredible sound and feel.” In laymans terms, the Power holes allow a thin face to flex increasing ball speed, while the Power Face fills the holes with urethane to  improve feel by dampening vibration and a more pleasing sound. 

The D7 is a forged club using Forged 8620 Carbon Steel Cavity Construction which provides the feel of a forged iron with the distance properties we have come to expect with modern clubs, meaning you get the traditional looks and feel of a forged iron with the distance associated with the longest of modern irons. 

For my test set, I requested the graphite shafts. After a back injury a few years ago sapped a good bit of speed from my swing, I have been using graphite shafts to help me maintain a decent swing speed. The standard Graphite shafts in the D7 Forged are True Temper Catalyst 80 shafts. These shafts are meant to replicate many of the properties of steel shafts in a way that other graphite shafts do not. They are meant to “maximize distance and control while providing the benefits of a graphite design.” True Temper employs Iso-6 material to achieve these ends. Based on my experience with them, they do have a similar feel to a steel shaft, particularly when you take a divot. The R flex is 5.5 which is a Regular plus flex. The standard steel shaft is a KBS $ Taper Lite, a quality shaft in its own right. 

If you are interested in custom shafts, length, lie, and/or loft, Wilson has a lot of options for you in their Custom shop for a fee depending on what you want. Their custom options are similar to what other manufacturers offer and the cost is well within the norm of what you see from other manufactures. 

Let’s talk about cost. The Wilson D7 Forged irons retail for $899 for Steel shafts, and $999 for Graphite. Similar clubs in this category cost upwards of $1400, so the D7s represent tremendous value. Wilson was also kind enough to offer Three Guys Golf readers a 15% discount code (WilsonGolf15-0), making them even a better value than they already are. 

These clubs are gorgeous. The look is understated and classic, there are no loud colors, no weird graphics, it looks like a classic iron as good as anything put out by Titleist, Callaway, Mizuno, or Ping . It looks like a players club with a thin topline.If I was to name the clubs after a movie star, I would call them Gwenyth Paltrow, a timeless beauty and full of class. They look great in my bag. Unlike many clubs on the market, with louder and more colorful graphics, the D7 Forged will look good years from now. 

I have been playing Callaway Rogue Xs for the last 2 seasons, they are super light and go a long ways. The Wilson D7 Forged looks more like a players club and is a bit heavier mainly due to the 80g shafts compared to the 55g shafts I am currently using. 

My interest in these clubs stems from a want to return to a more classic profile similar to the clubs I played prior to the Rogues. The question in my mind is whether I am good enough (HC floats between around 14) to game a set of players distance irons. 

The first range session was a disaster. I didn’t have a great swing that day with my current gamers or the Wilson. The gentleman who showed up about 2 minutes into my range session and spent the next 30 minutes having a conversation on his phone didn’t help matters. I intended to get out to the range again that week, but work and weather didn’t allow that to happen. I took the 5, 7, 9, and PW to Hyland Golf Club in Southern Pines along for a round to get an on course feel for how they play, particularly off of uneven lies.  

On the 3rd tee, I hit my current 5 iron and the Wilson 5 iron. The D7 provided the better of the 2 shots landing 175 yards away in the middle of the green, while my gamer went 10 yards right of the green. Throughout the round I hit both clubs when I had a 5, 7, 9, or PW. Distance wise, they were similar. Feel wise, the D7 was far superior. You can feel the clubhead in a way that you just cannot with a standard game improvement iron. If you make a good swing, you will be rewarded with the feel of a good swing, when you don’t you will have a harsh feel (though not the harsh feel of blades, but a harsher feel than a pure swing). While the D7 has less offset, I found that my miss was a few yards left instead of the expected right miss (my standard miss). One of my playing partners who is a 4 HC with a very high swing speed hit a few balls as well. He was really impressed with the looks, feel, carry, and ball flight from the D7s. 

Range sessions afterwards confirmed that the D7s are a good fit for me. One thing I noticed is that they forced me to be more conscious of my swing path, because I couldn’t get away with the swing mistakes my current gamers allow me to get away with. While some may take this as they are hard to hit, I would argue they force you to be a better player, because bad swings will get punished, in my case with the ball going short and right. Focusing on turning around my back leg and not swaying equates to more consistency and power, both with the D7s and my current gamers. 

The biggest revelation from the round was how easy these clubs were to hit. Contact was pure, the ball rocketed off the face, and as indicated earlier distance was the same as my current gamers. Despite being initially intimidated by the thin topline and lack of offset, I felt very comfortable over the ball and prefer the look to my Game Improvement irons. 

The benefit of the feedback you get on the D7s is that you know when you made a good swing versus not quite knowing with a game improvement iron. If you want to get better overall, the benefit of using a club like the D7 is the feedback you will get. 

After the first range session, the chances of me replacing my current gamers with the D7 was slim to none. After a few more range sessions where I increased my comfort with the topline and the feel, I am leaning towards replacing my gamers with the D7s. 

If you are in the market for a players distance iron, you would be well served to make sure to try the D7s. 

Discount Code: WilsonGolf15-0

*This code is good for all full priced golf items, including custom. Outlet Items are excluded. Code is good until 12/30/2020. 

The post Wilson D7 Irons appeared first on Three Guys Golf Blog.

For golfers who like to hit the open road, a convenient one-fold handle makes collapsing and unfolding the trolley easier than any other push cart on the market. A central hub enables the handle and legs to bend on two separate axes for a compact fold. 

Premium materials – including aluminum, waxed canvas and handcrafted leather – create a unique, elegant appearance that wouldn’t be out of place on the great links courses of Scotland during the time of Old and Young Tom Morris.  

The storage unit, made of water-resistant waxed canvas, provides an endless number of ways for golfers to customize their trolley.

Walker Trolleys Cape model will be available this spring, and a limited number of push carts will be available for preorder for $399 at www.walkertrolleys.com.

The post Walker Trolley appeared first on Three Guys Golf Blog.

Bushnell, has a long history with golf and hunting where distance accuracy is critical. While I typically would test the accuracy of other range finders, there is simply no reason to do so with the Bushnell. If Bushnell says it is 162 yards, it’s 162 yard. Where Bushnell really bring the heat is how that yardage is effected by the elements.

More than slope: 

We are all now comfortable with the slope feature and count on it to help us make adjustment to compensate for the natural elevation of a particular hole on the golf course. However, we all know there are at least other considerations that need to be considered when determining the effective distance that a ball will travel conditional on a specific impact of the club, namely temperature and elevation.

This summer I was fortunate enough to play a number or rounds in at Seven Canyons in Sedona AZ. Even though I know the ball travels farther at 5,000 feet its really unnerving to try and get your distances right. Sure is fun to bomb drives 30 yards farther than normal but airmailing green after green can become frustrating. With the Bushnell Pro XE, you can now let science make those yardage adjustments for you. 

Like elevation, temperature and pressure are also huge factors in distance. We all know to club down in the winter, but making a real mental calculation is asking a lot for at least this guy. While I have not been able to really test this feature yet, I am quite interested to see how it works as we move from summer to fall to winter. 

Unlike the slope feature which is turned on using the slider on the outside of the rangefinder, the elements feature is activated by togging the Mode button on top of the unit until the Elements icon is visible while you look through the lens.

JOLT on steroids:

Bushnell introduced JOLT technology a number of years ago and for me it was game changer. No longer did you have to question whether you were picking up the correct target. Instead, a subtle jolt from the device let you know that you were locked onto a pin. With the Bushnell Pro XE, you now have another clue that you are lock on, a red ring. While this may be overkill, it certainly does not hurt.

The big change: Magnets:

Ironically, what I love most about the new Bushnell Pro XE has nothing to do with distance calculations. Instead it is the magnet on the side which allows you do stick it to your card for easy access. First off, the magnet is crazy strong. I have driven over huge bumps, roots and curbs that may have drawn the ire of my cart partner but did not even budge the rangefinder. If you lose this device, it will NOT be because it was jarred free. With that said I have one big warning-leave the case in your cart to avoid forgetting your rangefinder.

Look this thing is not cheap and you certainly do not want to forget it. My advice is to put the case in the cart along with your phone or other items you have a habit to clean out at the end of a round. Having the case amongst those items will insure you do not inadvertently leave your rangefinder attached your golf cart. 

Durability:

 Again, Bushnell rangefinders are not cheap but they are built to last. Fortunately, Bushnell makes their devices almost indestructible. Understandably, I am always hesitant to test this feature, however I have had the occasion of dropping the rangefinder on cement without incurring any damage. Additionally, the Bushnell Pro XE is weatherproof so you can rest easy taking it out in the rain. 

Bottom Line:

If you are serious about rangefinders, there is really only one option and that is Bushnell. Typically, I would not recommend upgrading from a model that is less that 5 years old, but the addition of Elements and the magnets are really cool, making the choice to upgrade a little tougher. For those using a lesser brand, the Pro XE would make a fantastic upgrade. 

The post Bushnell Pro XE Rangefinder appeared first on Three Guys Golf Blog.

The TL-01 is billed as “a shoe created to seamlessly transition from the office to the links and everywhere in between.” The TL-01 is very lightweight coming in at a whopping 8.7 ounces and like most True’s, they are zero drop to provide natural balance and stability. Worth noting, unlike most True Linkswear models, they are “Weather Ready” (water resistant) rather than waterproof. 

First Impressions

I literally put these shoes on for the first time in the golf course parking lot so when I say, first impression, it mean it.  With just a few steps, I instantly loved the feel (which was slipper like). There was no pinching, no abrasion on the heel, or anything else that might cause discomfort. That first round in the new True Linkswear TL-01 was a hot one. Unfortunately, my game was not. Frankly, the shoes were the highlight. Traction was good and there were no issues with the shoes. Did I mention how comfortable they are? 

The quality of the shoe is very apparent when you first see them up close. The full grain Nappa leather upper looks and feels like a high-quality shoe. The shoes have held up to a good bit of walking without any of the creasing in the toe area you see in lower quality shoes. As my wife said, they are “fancy sneakers” that are just as comfortable in an office environment as on the golf course.  Without question, they are the best-looking pair of shoes that I own.  

One feature that I really love is that the tongue does not slide, I’ve never owned a shoe with this feature and I really like it. The minor drawback that I found was that if I wore socks that were a bit loose, they sometimes bunched up, but that was an issue with the socks being stretched out and not really with the shoe. My preference with them is to wear them with no socks, they do fit like slippers after all. Unlike other True Linkswear models, the toe area is not overly wide, it is closer to the standard toe width you see in most other shoes, but still wider looking than any pair of Foot Joys I have owned. 

Over the past few weeks, I have worn these shoes a few times a week, often to work. While I work in an office, there is a paved path around our campus that is just under 2 miles, and I try to do a lap every day. During this time, there were several days where I was on my feet for the better part of 8 hours. As I discovered when I first put them on, they are super comfortable, and I experienced no foot discomfort, which is remarkable considering the amount of time standing on thin carpet overtop of concrete. One item that I noticed was some minor wear on the heel of the sole, which may be due to my walking style, (I’ve been known to drag my feet from time to time).  

I have had the opportunity to wear them in the rain and there were no issues with water getting into the shoe. Granted, this was during one of my lunchtime walks and not on the course. For a shoe that is best for an unexpected round or an emergency range session, this is more than adequate. 

On the course, I found the performance to be good if not great. I chalk this up to 2 things, first these are not meant to be performance shoes, they are built to be worn everywhere including the golf course. Secondly, I am an overpronator, particularly with my left foot, so they were not as stable as I was accustomed to. For reference, I was fit for running shoes a few years back (where they have you run and check your gait) and ended up with a pair of stability shoes plus inserts that kept my arches from rolling inward. I’ve been wearing them without an insert to get the Zero Drop experience, and I love the comfort, though I could use a little more support. Over the last week, I have noticed some collapsing in the left shoe around the arch, which is not unusual for me. I have walked a couple 18-hole rounds in them, and I did not notice them at all other than a few swings where I felt my arch could have used some support. My foot shape is unusual, unless you have the same issues that I do with overpronation, they will likely perform better on the course for you than they did for me.

Bottom Line

These are great everyday shoes business casual shoes, perfect for range sessions, a quick round after work, or an informal round with friends. They truly are at home in the office, at the course, and anywhere in between. Your feet will thank you due to how comfortable they are. If you are in the market for shoes, I would recommend checking them out. 

The post True Linkswear TL-01 appeared first on Three Guys Golf Blog.

Typically, the best time to visit Sedona is in the Spring or Fall when the temperatures are perfect. I, on the other hand, decided to visit Sedona in late June in celebration of my wife’s birthday. Now before you judge me for playing golf on my wife’s birthday trip, know that she is very happy for me to be away for 4 hours each day so she can do her own thing. Additionally, we travelled with another couple so I did not strand her by herself. With that said, Sedona is not really a golf destination, but it certainly has great golf.

Ok, back to Sedona in June. It was supposed to be mid 90’s during the day which was still fine by me as it is a dry heat and nothing compared to the swelter of NC. Fortunately, we had 4 days of 88-91 degrees to enjoy Sedona (and golf at Seven Canyons). All told, we played 3 rounds at Seven Canyons in what I would describe as nearly perfect conditions. 

A note on the weather if you are not from the desert. 90 degrees may sound hot, but it really is not. Something about dry heat makes all the difference. For example, even wearing long pants is totally comfortable in these temperatures. Suffice it to say, do not shy away from visiting Sedona in the summer (just make sure you drink plenty of water). 

Seven Canyons is set up against the majestic mountains in Sedona and is currently going through a bit of a revival after taking a fairly big hit during the recession of 2008. To that end, there was visible new construction going on as we drove up to the clubhouse signaling that Seven Canyons is coming back. We would later chat with a couple who was finalizing a bid on one of the time share houses located on the course. Apparently, they had been visiting the area for many years and had decided that it would make a great home base for their frequent visits. 

After checking into the clubhouse, our first stop was the driving range which is about a 3 minute ride up the road. Normally, I would not talk about a course’s driving range, but when it has view like this, I would be remiss to leave it out. Moreover, they have a nice little learning facility and I saw the pro giving lessons each day I was there. 

Off to the 1^st Tee:

Since we played Seven Canyons in June, we pretty much had the place to ourselves after 10am. Again, it was supposed to be 95 degrees (which still would have been fine) but we lucked out with the temperature only hitting 91 (child’s play). Moreover, I had been warned that conditions might not be perfect in the summer, so I was prepared for something less than spectacular. Fortunately, they either got lucky with the long and late Spring, or my sources had set the bar extremely high. Everything from tee boxes to fairways to greens were in excellent shape providing one of the very best golf experiences I have ever had (at least from a visual standpoint).

It’s really hard to describe in words or capture in pictures the awe-inspiring views at Seven Canyons. Right from the first tee box, the view down the fairway leads to the gorgeous red rocks. What I did not know was that those distance rocks would soon encircle us. 

I have never been great about remembering holes, but I do know the 1^st six or so holes are just fantastic as each one brings you deeper inside the canyon. By the 3^rd hole, what was once a view on the sky line, becomes sheer cliff on three sides of a green. It is honestly hard to focus on golf as your eyes just want to survey the sights all around you. Even on day three, I would find myself mesmerized by yet another view I had not notice the day before. 

After you hit hole 7 (or close to that), you begin to wind your way back toward the clubhouse. This is where you find one of the few holes with water in play which helps fill the gap on the holes that are not surrounded by mountains. 

The backside is similar in that you start out near the clubhouse but are quickly pushed closer to the rocks and lifted to elevations where you can view nearly the entire course. One particular hole is a 150 yard par 3. On Friday I hit a 7 iron that went only 80 yards (and to the right) because the breeze suddenly picked up to a gust. The next day I hit an 9 iron 10 feet from the pin. In short, between the elevation and the wind, the course provides plenty of club choice challenges.

Beyond the stunning views, what I really liked about Seven Canyons was the playability and diversity. Too often resort courses are just plain boring or have maybe 3 fantastic holes. Seven Canyons is not boring and has at least 14 fantastic holes. Additionally, each hole provides a number of ways to play it making it fun to play multiple times or in varying conditions. The course itself is not too long (depending of the tee boxes of course) but where you play your shot makes a huge difference. To that end, we definitely learned a thing or two over the course of three days. That is not to say, there are holes that are tricked up. Just that there are holes where you will say “next time, I am going to play my second shot here” or “next time, I am not going to try and cut that corner so much”.

Speaking of cutting corners, there is a significant penalty for not hitting a straight ball. The course does not seem narrow but with only 63 acres of grass, a poorly hit tee ball will likely be lost to the desert. I, for one, lost about 6 balls over three rounds which is on the high side for me. 

Inside the fairway, you will find near perfect conditions. Fairways are extremely well manicured, the rough is what it should be (green and thick) and greens are smooth and true. Specific to the greens, I found them to be very fair. They were not crazy fast, but with a decent amount of undulation, you really would not want them any faster. The way I look at vacation golf, is, I want something that is challenging but not too hard. I want to be able shoot a score that is in the neighborhood of what I typically shoot and maybe have a few birdies. In this case, we played the white tees and I was able to record two birdies and post scores in the low 80’s which is about where my game is currently. 

Since I was lucky enough to play Seven Canyons three days in a row, I had plenty of time to take it all in. At one point, when we were deep into the canyon, I wondered what it would have been like for Tom Weiskopf as he rode horseback through the canyon. At that time, he would have been trudging through treacherous terrain and foliage. Having now read a few books on golf course design, I am truly amazed at how one can envision a golf course amongst geography that shows little evidence of wanting to be tamed. What I think Weiskopf did so well was realize the natural beauty did not need to be tamed or pushed around. The course just flows and provides the full array of natural elevation and scenery changes such that the individual holes do not feel manufactured. With that said, there are a few spots where water has clearly been brought in, but for the most part (even on the elevated tee boxes), you don’t sense that much was done, other than to cut fairways into what was already there. 

As I mentioned, they are currently building on Seven Canyons. There appears to be a mix of a couple of very large homes and many more smaller homes that I suspect are time shared. Fortunately, the building is just around a couple of holes leaving the great majority of the course with only “all natural views”. 

Stay and Play Seven Canyons:

Strictly speaking, Seven Canyons is a private golf course community. However, they do have an arrangement with Enchantment Resort which is about an 8-minute car ride away. As I mentioned, our golf at Seven Canyons was part of a larger trip to the Sedona area and our headquarters was Enchantment resort. While I may write a separate review of Enchantment Resort at a later time, I will give you the short story here.

Enchantment Resort:

I am not huge on resorts, but Enchantment is not your typical resort. Rooms are scattered amongst the rocks with some of the best views in Sedona. You literally cannot have a bad room. From a facility standpoint, you have your choice of three restaurants that range from a light menu to world class culinary. Regardless of which venue you choose, you will get that same close up view of the rocks. I can imagine that if you lived in Sedona the views would become common place but with just 5 days I was simply blown away by the ever changing landscape. Again, I could write another 2,000 words on Enchantment Resort but I will leave it with “it’s worth every penny”.

Seven Canyons Website

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On a cold and wet Sunday afternoon shortly after (most likely watching golf), I was mindlessly scrolling through my social media feed wishing I was on the golf course, and I saw an ad for Short Par 4 with a discount subscription code, indicating the March box would contain shoes. Needing a new pair at a low price (I decided 2 lower cost pairs was better than 1 high cost pair), I decided to take the leap. For the 2^nd pair, I got a good deal on a black pair of Footjoy Contour Fits, which I won’t review since there is already a review on this site by Adam: 

I am always looking at golf equipment, clothes, and accessories online, trying to find a good deal. I live close to an Outlet Mall and I’ve found a fair amount of stuff there over the years for a good price. For the last few years, most of my golf shirts have been purchased from courses that I have played. My work attire consists largely of golf shirts and khakis, so I like to have a good number of golf shirts hanging in my closet. Living in the south, it is essential to have golf shirts that breathe well since it gets hot and humid for a good part of the year.  

Signing up was a breeze. I chose the Fairway Subscription for $30 the first month, $59 afterwards. There are 3 different memberships, Fairway for $59 per month, Executive for $80 per month, and the Tour Experience for $125 per month. 

Fairway: “With the Fairway, you get the most bang for your buck. Our Fairway package holds the most items that will allow you to discover high-quality brands that we’re sure you’ll love. We wanted the Fairway to be curated for the cutting-edge gentleman who wants to look like a million bucks without paying a fortune for it.”

Executive: “With the Executive package, you’ll receive premium golf brands for a fraction of the price. Each monthly box will include items from leading brands such as Travis Mathew, Ralph Lauren RLX, Sunice, and Greyson. Our Executive members get the full VIP treatment with exclusive deals and VIP Customer Service so you won’t have to deal with chatbots or phone calls. We want our Executive members to look and feel like a million bucks while getting the full treatment.”

Tour Experience: “We’ve teamed up with PGA pro, Rickie Fowler, to bring you gear and outfits from his tour sponsors such as Puma, Cobra and more. On top of that, you’ll receive signed memorabilia from the man himself. But it’s a good idea that you jump right on this package deal because quantities are limited. This package may seem too good to be true, but it can be yours in only a few minutes.”

After choosing the Fairway Membership, I was asked to provide some information on my dimensions and style preference. There are 3 styles, Loud & Wild, Traditional, and Athletic. The All Styles option sends you a mix of the 3 styles. To help you choose your style, they share names of pro golfers who are your “style icons” to help you understand what you are signing up for. For example, under Loud & Wild, Ricky Fowler and Ian Poulter are listed as “Style Icons”.  I opted not to make a choice by going with the All Styles option. 

With the coupon code, my first month’s fee was just under $30. I got an email shortly after indicating my box was being prepared. On March 15^th, I got an email that my box was on the way. A few days later, it arrived. 

March Short Par 4 Box

I eagerly opened the Short Par 4 box to find a sharp looking pair of white Puma Grip Fusion spikeless shoes with a 1-year waterproof warranty. There was also a Short Par 4 branded divot tool and ball marker. Trying on the shoes, I realized they were a bit too snug on the right foot on the outside toe area. I called Short Par 4 and took care of the return. Note, when returning, you will pay a $10 fee for the shipping of the order you are returning and the replacement item. They also give you the option to purchase items from their store with credits if you don’t want or like the item you are returning.  

Back to the shoes, these are a limited edition (what isn’t these days?) collaboration with Short Par 4, basically the same Grip Fusions with a slightly different look that My Golf Spy loved so much in their 2018 Shoe Guide. After receiving a new pair, a half size up, I was ready to rock. 

The first round was a day after another period of heavy rain. The course drained well, but there were still a few wet spots. My feet stayed dry all day. There was only 1 swing where the traction wasn’t sufficient (I’ve read on this blog that spikes always do better when it’s wet).  The shoes were very comfortable the first round, my feet felt fine after riding 18 holes. Next, I wanted to test them walking my home course. I didn’t think about them all day, which is exactly what I am looking for in a golf shoe. There was no blistering and my feet felt as good as they could after walking a few miles, like what I experienced playing exclusively in Ecco’s for the past 7 years.  Ecco’s are a premium shoe sold at a premium price. The Puma Grip Fusions are not premium in materials or price, though they are built well considering I had $40 in them versus over $150 for a pair of Ecco’s. They are also waterproof as opposed to water resistant, which is reassuring. 

Recently, I wore them during a round where it rained for 45 minutes, and my feet stayed dry throughout. Traction was a bit dicey from bad lies but was good on the tees and in fairways. One thing to note about the sole is they tend not to pick up too much debris, so you won’t bring most of the golf course into your car after the round. 

The fit of the shoe is comfortable, a with a bit of support but not stiff. The feel is that of an athletic shoe, and I consider that a good thing. Apparently, I am not the only one who finds Puma’s run small, so a good rule of thumb is to go a half size up if there is any doubt. 

3 months in, I am overall pleased with the shoes performance and comfort. There has been some slight creasing in the toe area, but they have been easy to keep clean by wiping them down with a towel after each round and applying a conditioner from time to time. I plan to keep them in the rotation for quite some time. 

April Short Par 4 Box

The Short Par 4 April Box was a pleasant surprise, with a Greg Norman pair of shorts, an Under Armour Polo, a Puma Knit Belt, and a ball marker. 

The shorts have an elastic waistband (yay for us fat boys) and a bit of a gray sheen. At first, I wasn’t quire sure about the look, but reserved judgment until I put them on with the shirt and belt. Glad that I did, they are comfortable and light. With the shirt, belt, and Puma shoes, they look great! 

The Under Armour polo was a softer shirt than I am used to with them, with a slight camouflage like pattern throughout the body. This shirt does not seem to stay wet; it feels soft and dry even after a downpour on a hot and humid day. One thing to note about me and shirts, it seems like there is a fine line between it feeling like I am wearing a bed sheet or a muscle shirt two sizes too small. This shirt straddles that line well, remaining a bit loose, but not overly so. 

The belt is a knit, grey belt from Puma with a blue plastic clasp. It’s very adjustable and looks clean and athletic. As someone prone to slight weight fluctuations, the easy adjustability belt is great, I just adjust it to my size for that day. It certainly beats trying to choose between a belt notch that is too tight or too loose. 

Overall the outfit was an upgrade from any of my other golf outfits and is my current favorite outfit for the course. 

May Short Par 4 Box

The May Short Par 4 Box contained a Linksoul polo, a Short Par 4 hat made by Ouray Sportswear out of Colorado, a Short Par 4 glove and an Oakley collapsible backpack. 

The shirt is comfortable and made of cotton. Stripes don’t always look the best on me, but this shirt looks alright. The sizing is on the larger side, so the shirt feels airy and loose. It’s become part of the work rotation, I have yet to wear it on the golf course, though I will once the humidity dies down later in the year.

A word about me and hats. I have a huge noggin (7 5/8”), and have a hard time finding a hat that fits well. All too often, I see a cool looking hat, but when I try it on, it sits on the top of my head like a cardboard crown from Burger King. Over the years I have purchased several hats that did not quite fit due to being overly optimistic about how it really fit. Fortunately, with Short Par 4, they ask about head size when you sign up, so the hat they sent me fits my head well. I like the look of it, and it is well made for a ball cap. I’ll likely be purchasing another Ouray hat in the future.  

The glove is very soft with a thin and premium feel, since I have some other gloves in the rotation, I have not played with it yet, but plan to do so.

I have yet to use the Oakley collapsible backpack, though I imagine I will take it to a concert or some other event where I want to carry a small amount of stuff without having to worry about using a larger bag.  

At this point, I was paying full freight for my subscription, so I called Short Par 4 to cancel. They asked why I was cancelling, and I said the cost was the reason. They offered to extend my introductory rate for 2 more months starting with the June box, so I took them up on it. 

June Short Par 4 Box

The June Short Par 4 Box contained 3 items, a Callaway polo, Callaway shorts with the Chevron pattern, and a ball marker. 

The outfit was not something I loved right away out of the box. My wife wasn’t a fan of the blue and gold shirt, but she suggested I try the entire outfit on. Both of us were pleasantly surprised by the look of the outfit, which went well with the belt that I was sent in my April box. It just goes to show that clothes need to be tried on to see how they look on you. 

The shorts are very light, and I like the look of the chevron pattern. They will pair with a good number of my golf shirts. 

The shirt is also very breathable, and I like how the sleeves are a little tight around the biceps. Did I hear someone say, “I got 2 tickets to the gun show?”

Overall Impressions

Short Par 4 is an easy way to keep your wardrobe fresh. Not having to think about getting new golf apparel is great if you want to look good but don’t like shopping. There is also a little bit of excitement when your box arrives around the 20^th of the month. The items pair well together as a whole, providing options to mix and match shorts, shirts, hats, belts, etc.  The brands are well known, and the quality is good across the board. You certainly get your money’s worth with the Fairway subscription. Each shipment for the Fairway box is supposed to contain $100 worth of items, which seems about right based on my experience. Yes, you can probably get a better deal by scouring the web and discount racks, but that takes time, and time is money. 

Total Money Spent March through June: $174

Items received: Shoes, 3 polos, 2 pairs of shorts, 1 hat, 1 glove, 1 divot tool, 3 ball markers, and a collapsible bag. 

The total spent so far is about what I would have paid for a single pair of Ecco’s, so in comparison I feel like I got a great deal. 

You need to weigh whether the convenience of getting new gear is worth spending upwards of $60 per month, every month. Over the course of a year, that works out to $720. Granted, they cut me a deal to stay longer, so the sticker price may be negotiable, at least a little while. You can cancel your subscription at any time. If this price point isn’t a problem for you, I would recommend trying it out, especially if you find a good introductory rate. Check out Short Par 4h

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So, for the past year I have been wearing the True Original as my primary golf shoe. Additionally, I wear the black pair to work about three times a week (and sometimes the green pair which go well with a pair of green pants I have). Suffice to say I am a huge fan of the True Linkswear Original. Top of the reasons why I like this shoe so much is the ample toe room, great traction, soft feel and excellent water proofing.

In 2018 True added another model called the True Knit which was more of a casual shoe with ample breathability and comfort. I have this pair as well and it functions as my “I want the feel of slippers but have to wear a shoes). 

Finally in 2019, True Linkswear unveiled the Major which was set to be their premier golf shoe and headline for the brand.

When True Linkswear rolled out the Major I am pretty sure they used the Outsider as the starting point. Case in point, True Linkswear no longer offers the Outsider.  Regardless of where the concept originated, the Major carries all of the water proof and high grain leather found in the other models. Where the Major differs is the support. As I mentioned, the Major looks more like the now retired Outsider than the still offered Original in that it is narrower, especially in the toe box. This means that if your prefer a shoe that fits snug rather than a looser fit, you are really going to like the Major. Built to last and perform in any weather, the Major is a great choice especially if you prefer to walk and deal with wet grass or rainy conditions. Basically, this shoe is built to last. 

To that end, I have worn the Major in the nastiest of conditions and have had dry feet all day. Additionally, the sole has shown minimal wear to the extent I fully expect to get 2-3 season from them. 

Details, Details:

Having reviewed a ton of shoes, it often comes down to the small details that set a great shoe apart. For example, I have a number of great golf shoes that otherwise are fatally flawed due to the fact the tongue slides. Fortunately, there are no fatal flaw with the True Linkswear Major. Conversely, the True Major has a number of details that are not only quite unique but very useful.

For example, The Major features a paracord lacing system that makes it very easy to get the right tension across the top of the shoe. Additionally, the laces are crazy strong and never fray. Then there is my favorite detail, the heal loop. As with all True Linkswear shoes, the Major has a heal loop making it easy to pull on the shoe. This is no gimmick, as I use it every time I put on the shoes (an let you not tie and untie the shoes if you keep them a touch loose). 

Style:

Style is a personal preference so it hard for me to make a strong case either way. The Major does not look like a traditional golf shoe or shoes at a similar price point. Namely, the shoe has a running shoe look in that the toe is tapered and the sole rolls up on the toe. Moreover, it is not made from shiny leather and does not have any big logos. Instead the is a workman’s shoe. A shoe for people who value performance first and foremost

With that said, my only style knock is the sole that curls up on the toe. Maybe because I am a child of the 70’s and associate that look with first generation running shoes. Basically, I prefer the sole remain on the bottom of the shoe. With that said, I really like the semi saddle look (especially with the contrasting color-ways). I also like how they have combined multiple materials throughout the shoe giving it depth and texture. Put together, this shoe is tight! Everything is compact, thought out and secured. This is definitely a shoe you can play in every day. 

Bottom line:

Solid, well-constructed and built for comfort and longevity, the True Linkswear Major is sure to be a main staple in the True lineup for the next few years. Choosing between True Linkwear Original and  Major really comes down to if you like a really wide toe box or if you prefer a snugger fit. 

Bonus: You get this very cool shoe bag!!

Finally, I would caution that you need to order ½ size larger in the Major that you do in the Original.

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