Here in the US, spring is approaching and some of us will be out to buy new clubs. Considering the beating the golf industry has been taking in a down economy, the major brands are still spending millions in advertising to get your business. Everybody knows about the big boys like TaylorMade, Callaway, Titleist, Cleveland and a few others who dominate the market, but there are many more companies out there that make great golf clubs. Here are just ten club companies that tend to fly under the radar.

1. Piretti Putters – Founded in 2008 by Mike Johnson, Piretti makes top notch milled putters. His designs are a little different, in that they tend to use more weight (15-45 grams more) in their putters and less loft than most for a smooth, consistent roll. As a result, their putters are some of the best feeling flat sticks I’ve ever used, and the Cortino LN model is a personal favorite of mine.

2. James Patrick Golf - Having studied under some of the finest club builders and grinders in the world, James Patrick started grinding his own wedges a few years later and the rest is history. His wedges are forged by Kyoei in Japan, one of the finest forge houses in the world. Building custom, hand ground wedges isn’t cheap, but the finished product is more than a golf club. For serious golfers, his wedges are works of art.

3. Royal Collection – While virtually unknown in the USA, Royal Collection has been ranked #1 in the fairway woods and hybrids category for 7 consecutive years, according to the Darrel Survey. Once known outside Japan as Sonartec, they’ve since dropped the brand. Known mostly for their fairway woods, they offer a full line of premium quality clubs, including the popular and gorgeous looking Tour VS forged irons.

4. Feel Golf - Having designed and built clubs for PGA Tour winners for years, Dr. Lee Miller has created some interesting clubs over the years. The most popular club in their lineup is the 73 degree wedge. Feel Golf is maybe the only company out there to reject the latest USGA groove rule  and is still designing and selling square grooved irons and wedges. Since the average golfer won’t have to switch until 2024, why not?

5. Tour Edge Golf - Many readers will be familiar with Tour Edge, but I feel that they probably don’t get the credit they deserve. Their premium Exotics CB4 and XCG5 line of clubs are as good or better than any on the market, especially the fairway woods. Priced at $499, the Exotics CU irons are probably the best “bang for the buck” iron set in golf.

6. Henry Griffitts – Since the 1980s, Henry-Griffitts has been a pioneer in custom club fitting, and those who have played with their clubs tend to remain loyal for many years. Available only at select golf clubs, each player is fit for his set by a certified club fitting professional. Their new T12 forged blades are sure to appeal to the purists and low handicappers out there.

7. Byron Morgan Putters - Another small putter maker, Byron Morgan has built a cult following on golf websites such as The Putter Place and Puttertalk.com. Byron’s putters are all made one at a time to the exact specifications of the buyer. If you’ve always wanted a putter made just for you, Byron Morgan is one of the few people out there that can make it happen.

8. SCOR Golf – President Terry Koehler has come up with a short game scoring system that is unlike anything in the golf industry. His system replaces your short irons with his, which are precisely fit for your swing and set makeup. They offer every loft available from 41 to 61 degrees to come up with the best matched set of scoring clubs available. There’s too much info to go over here, but check out their wesbite for more info, and look for a full review of SCOR very soon!

9. Carnahan Golf - Carnahan is a boutique golf brand, available only in select golf course pro shops around the US. Carnahan’s wedges are as good as any major OEM’s offerings. In fact, my good buddy Tony from hookedongolfblog.com swears by them. Using heavier head weights and a longer shaft for versatility, these wedges are great scoring clubs. If you get a chance to try these clubs, don’t miss out!

10. Fourteen Golf – Another Japanese brand, Fourteen is picking up momentum in the competitive US golf market. Having signed PGA Tour players Ryuji Imada and Arjun Atwal to endorsement contracts, their awesome new RM-11 wedges are being played by many other touring pros without an endorsement. I’m also playing the RM-11 wedge, and I try dozens of different wedges every year. Fourteen’s wedges really are that good.

Well there you have it. Just ten of the golf industry’s lesser known brands. I’m sure I left off some good companies. There is also the accessories, apparel, golf balls and more. Maybe we’ll cover those next time. What company did I leave off? Which do you think belong or don’t belong on this list? Let me know what you think!

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Big news in the golf business world today! TaylorMade-adidas Golf (TMAG) has announced their agreement to buy a majority interest in Adams Golf. You may recall that Adams bought putter maker Yes! golf just a few months ago. This purchase will strengthen one of the industry leaders and make life a bit tougher for the other players out there. It looks like the golf industry is starting to look a bit like the cell phone world, with companies buying each other to consolidate and increase market share. I’m not sure if this move is good or bad for the industry, but I guess we’ll soon see.

I speculated a few months ago about the Rocketballz design feature using a scooped out cavity behind the face that appeared to infringe on Adams’ design of the Fast 12 fairway woods. Now that TMAG has purchased Adams I wonder if this fairway wood design will be protected, or if others will imitate or duplicate it. I’ve reached out to both companies for more info. In the meantime, here’s the official press release:

Herzogenaurach and Carlsbad, Calif. (March 19, 2012) – The adidas Group and Adams Golf, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADGF) today announced that the TaylorMade-adidas Golf business segment has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire all of the outstanding shares of Adams Golf for $10.80 per share in cash. The transaction value is approximately $ 70 million (approximately € 53 million), which represents a premium of approximately 71% to the share price prior to Adams Golf’s announcement that it was examining strategic alternatives on January 4, 2012.

Through the acquisition of Adams Golf, TaylorMade-adidas Golf reinforces its position as the world’s number one player in golf. The addition of Adams Golf enables TaylorMade-adidas Golf to broaden its product range and to extend its presence across a wider array of golfers.

“This acquisition reflects our commitment to continued growth in the golf category,” said adidas Group CEO Herbert Hainer. “The proposed combination of Adams Golf and TaylorMade-adidas Golf brings together two highly complementary sets of brands, combining Adams’ focus on game-improvement as well as senior and women golfers with TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s focus on the younger and the low-to-mid handicap golfer.”

“We are very excited to team up with Adams Golf, whose management team we have respected for many years,” commented Mark King, President and CEO of TaylorMade-adidas Golf. “Our mission is to be the best golf company in the world across all geographies, products and customer demographics, and adding Adams Golf is another important step in achieving that goal.”

“This merger provides strong opportunities for our employees, suppliers and partners,” said Barney Adams, Interim CEO of Adams Golf. “The Adams Golf brand will fit nicely into TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s stable of brands, and together we will be able to increase our reach and better serve our customers by leveraging a wider set of resources. We are also excited that TaylorMade-adidas Golf has decided to maintain Adams Golf’s headquarters in Plano, Texas.”

The Board of Directors of Adams Golf has unanimously approved the transaction. Certain insiders, who include John M. Gregory, Joseph R. Gregory, SJ Strategic Investments LLC, B.H. (Barney) Adams, Russell L. Fleischer, Mark R. Mulvoy and Robert D. Rogers, collectively own approximately 35% of Adams Golf’s outstanding shares and have agreed to vote their shares in favor of the transaction. The adidas Group plans to finance the acquisition with cash on hand or through existing credit lines. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals as well as approval by Adams Golf shareholders. The transaction is expected to close mid-2012.

In connection with the transaction, Barclays is acting as financial advisor to the adidas Group, and Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP is serving as legal counsel. Morgan Stanley is acting as financial advisor to Adams Golf and Haynes & Boone, LLP is serving as legal counsel.

About the adidas Group
The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry, offering a broad range of products around the core brands: adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade, Rockport and Reebok-CCM Hockey. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 46,000 employees and generated sales of over € 13 billion in 2011.

About Adams Golf
Adams Golf designs, assembles, markets and distributes premium quality, technologically innovative golf clubs for all skill levels. Recently launched products include the Speedline Fast 12 drivers, Fast 12 LS drivers and the Speedline Fast 12 fairway woods, along with the Idea a12 OS irons and hybrids, Idea a12 hybrids, Idea Pro a12 irons and hybrids, Idea Tech V3 irons and hybrids, Redline irons, Idea a7 and a7 OS irons and hybrids, and Speedline 9088 UL drivers. Adams Golf also develops new products under the Yes! Putters, Women’s Golf Unlimited, Lady Fairway and Square 2 brands. In 2011, net sales were approximately $ 97 million (€ 73 million).

Additional Information About the Transaction
In connection with the proposed transaction, Adams Golf will file a proxy statement and other relevant documents concerning the proposed transaction with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The definitive proxy statement and other materials filed with the SEC will contain important information regarding the merger, including, among other things, the recommendation of Adams Golf’s board of directors with respect to the merger. INVESTORS ARE URGED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND OTHER MATERIALS THAT ADAMS GOLF FILES WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE MERGER AND RELATED MATTERS. You will be able to obtain the proxy statement, as well as other filings containing information about Adams Golf and the merger, free of charge, at the website maintained by the SEC at www.sec.gov. Copies of the proxy statement and other filings made by Adams Golf with the SEC can also be obtained, free of charge, by directing a request to Adams Golf, Inc., 2801 East Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75074, Attention: Investor Relations.

Participants in the Solicitation
The directors and executive officers of Adams Golf and other persons may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies in respect of the proposed transaction. Information regarding Adams Golf’s directors and executive officers is available in its Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 6, 2012 (as it may be amended from time to time) and its Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed with the SEC on April 8, 2011. Other information regarding the participants in the proxy solicitation and a description of their direct and indirect interests, by security holdings or otherwise, will be contained in the proxy statement and other relevant materials to be filed with the SEC when they become available. Investors should read the proxy statement carefully when it becomes available before making any voting or investment decisions.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. One can identify these forward-looking statements by the use of the words such as “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “may,” “will,” “estimate” or other similar expressions. Because such statements apply to future events, they are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause the actual results to differ materially. Actual results and trends may differ materially from what is forecast in forward-looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: the ability to obtain regulatory approvals of the acquisition on the proposed terms and schedule; the failure of Adams Golf’s stockholders to approve the acquisition; the risk that the acquisition may not be completed in the time frame expected by the parties or at all; the parties’ ability to satisfy the closing conditions and consummate the transactions; and Adams Golf’s ability to maintain its existing relationships with its employees, customers and suppliers. Additional information regarding factors that may affect future results are described in Adams Golf’s filings with the SEC, including, without limitation, Annual Reports on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.

All forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made. Neither Adams Golf, Inc. nor TaylorMade-adidas Golf undertakes any obligation to update or publicly release any revisions to any forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances or changes in expectations after the date of the press release.

Spring is fast approaching, and those who live in a cold-weather place are probably itching to get out and play golf again! There are tons of new products coming out this year and it promises to be an exciting year for golf. With the new season on its way, here are just a few products that caught our eye.

Golf Buddy Voice
The Golf Buddy Voice is a golf GPS that speaks to you. Simply clip the tiny unit on your hat, push the button and it will speak out the yardage to the front, middle and back of the green. It comes pre-loaded with a ridiculous amount of golf courses and even detects which course you are playing automatically.

Tattoo Golf Clothing & Accessories
Tattoo Golf makes cool shirts with patterns inspired by tattoos. The shirts feature skulls and crossed golf clubs, dragons and other cool designs. Tattoo Golf’s accessories also garner attention, with the ultra-slick switchblade style divot tool being a very popular item. Check out their full line at Tattoogolf.com.

Wilson Duo Golf Balls
Remember the days of the old balata golf balls that felt like marshmallows? Wilson Golf is doing its best to bring that feel back with the Duo golf ball. Claiming the ball has a compression rating around 40, this is one of, if not the softest golf ball on the market. Bouncing the ball on the pavement may give some clue, as the ball hardly makes a sound compared to most modern golf balls. For slower swing speeds and those looking for a super soft feel around the greens, the Wilson Duo is a must have.

Nike VR_S Family of Clubs
Nike is all about speed with the new VR_S line of clubs for 2012. Replacing the popular MachSpeed line, the VR_S Driver features Nike’s ST8 Fit adjustable hosel system, a 55 gram premium Mitsubishi Rayon Fubuki shaft, and Nike’s NexCOR technology, which creates faster balls speeds all over the face of the club for greater distance on mishits. The clubs looks sharp and are designed for more distance. Look for a full review soon right here!

Super Stroke Splash Putter Grips
SuperStroke grips started to catch on a few years ago when KJ Choi used one of the original models on the PGA Tour to help quiet his hands while putting. Several more players on tour are also using them, as as the tour goes, the consumer market goes. Parent company TigerShark is introducing a new line of putter grips for 2012 called the Super Stroke Splash with pastel colors and various sizes and weights. I’m a big fan of the Super Stroke Ultra Slim myself. Check them out and maybe they’ll help your putting too!

Let’s face it – these days to compete in the very competitive golf club market you need to have something unique. Companies like TaylorMade and Callaway spend lots of time and effort (and cash) in promoting their new clubs with flashy ad campaigns and PGA Tour endorsements. With every new driver model that comes out, the golf manufacturers almost always make claims to add distance and/or accuracy to your game, but let’s get real. If all these claims of more distance were true, we’d all be flying it 400 yards by now. I see lots of new club introductions every year, so when something truly unique hits the market I take note.

Cleveland Golf/Srixon made a splash last season with the Z-Star golf balls, the new XL, SL & TL series drivers (which I think are the most underrated on the market) and the re-birth of Never Compromise as a premium putter brand. Not resting on their laurels, they reintroduced one of the most popular wedges of all time in the 588 series, and this time around they are forged. Coming in 2012 is a new line of 588 forged irons in both a cavity back and blade model, and a complete line of Mashie fairway woods, hybrids and irons for the mid to high handicap players. There is also a fantastic new golf ball called the Srixon Q-Star. But the most exciting new product introduction for Cleveland in 2012 are the new Classic drivers.

With drivers becoming more and more complicated with adjustable weights and hosels, interchangeable shafts and busy graphics, Cleveland went the other way with the Classic Driver. With a unique design and color scheme inspired by the persimmon drivers of the 50s and 60s, the Classic driver is sure to turn heads. I know this for a fact, because every time I pull it out of the retro leather barrel head cover, people want to see it. The Classic driver has a traditional pear shaped profile and a large, deep club face. In fact, it’s the deepest club face Cleveland has ever produced. The sweet-spot of the driver is framed in by a brass colored section, just like a brass insert from a persimmon driver of yesteryear. The paint is a nice deep reddish brown, as most wooden drivers would have been painted back in the day. The word “Classic” is written along the top as an alignment aid, but I could have done without that as I prefer a clean look with no marks on the top. Either way, this club truly is a modern representation of a persimmon driver, but how does it perform?

I put the Classic up against my current gamer, which is Cleveland’s awesome Launcher TL310 driver (8.5 degrees loft). When I switched to the Launcher TL310 from the Cleveland Launcher DST, I went from a 43 gram shaft at 46 inches long to a 56 gram shaft at 45 inches, and picked up 10 yards in the process. Not only was I hitting the sweet-spot a bit more with a shorter shaft, but the head and shaft combo on the TL310 worked better for my swing. For this test, Cleveland Golf sent me a Classic 290 driver (7.5 degrees loft) along with a custom Miyazaki C.Kua 56x shaft. This is the same shaft that is in my Launcher TL310. My club maker then built the Classic driver to match the playability characteristics (frequency, shaft deflection & swing weight) of the TL310. As a result, both drivers feel much the same while swinging, and the shafts perform almost identically.

After about two months of testing, both in practice sessions, casual play and even some competitive rounds, I can conclude that the Cleveland Classic 290 driver is going to stay in the bag. I can’t say with confidence that the Classic is any longer than my Launcher TL310 driver because I’ve hit bombs with both clubs, and there are too many variables like ambient temperature, wind and course conditions to take into consideration. I’ll have to get on a launch monitor for a while to determine which is longer, and if I do I’ll be sure to update everyone on the results. What I can say is that the Classic driver spins less than the TL310 and other drivers I’ve hit recently. In my two months with the Classic, I’ve noticed that the ball flight is more penetrating and solid shots launch with less spin and seem to knuckle through the air with no ballooning, even into a strong headwind. When you catch a tee shot on the “hot area” of the driver (A shot struck just above the sweetspot), it launches high with very little spin and goes forever. Less spin means more fairways, and I’ve noticed that I’m hitting the ball with less movement left to right and right to left with the Classic. I’ve never been a very straight driver so I really notice when my tee shots don’t curve as much. If I had to make an educated prediction, I would say that tee shots with the Classic driver carry less but roll more, and the Launcher TL310 hits a ball that carries more but rolls less than the Classic driver.

The sound and feel of the Cleveland Classic are a little different than most titanium drivers on the market today. I have to admit I prefer the sound and feel of the TL310, which is a nice high pitch click. At impact, the TL310 feels like the face is flexing, almost like a trampoline. The Classic driver however feels a bit harder, and you can’t feel the ball on the face as much at impact. Perhaps this is part of what makes the driver spin less than the TL310. It certainly doesn’t feel bad, but its not as smooth as the TL310. If you hit a hard two-piece distance ball with the Classic driver, you might want to wear ear plugs. I recently played in a “glowball” night golf event and the sound of that hard glow in the dark golf ball with the Classic driver left my ears ringing. Check out the video below and you’ll see what I mean.

I had a chance to ask Nate Radcliffe, Cleveland Golf/Srixon’s Metalwoods Development Manager, a few questions about this driver:

ITG: What was the origin of the design and the retro theme of the Classic driver?
NR: The design of the Classic driver was inspired by our heritage and history in creating persimmon woods decades ago. Cleveland is one of the few remaining OEMs that originally produced a Tour quality persimmon wood.

ITG: Is the brass colored face insert area actually an insert, or simply painted differently?
NR: The brass colored trapezoid is actually a thin metallic coating that is deposited over the titanium face and sole. The trapezoid hints at original persimmon designs but has drawn many extremely positive comments from our tour staff regarding alignment.

ITG: Is the driver a one piece construction, or several pieces welded together?
NR: The driver is created from several pcs using multiple, and carefully selected titanium alloys.

ITG: How does the Classic driver differ in performance compared to the TL series clubs?
NR: The Classic’s deep face provides the potential for players with elevated tee heights to produce a high launching yet penetrating ball flight. Relative to the Launcher Ultralite, the Classic will spin slightly less for most players.

As far as specs go, there will be something for just about everyone in the Cleveland Classic Driver. There are three different models to choose from: The Classic 270, 290 and Classic Tour. The number designations refer to the club’s overall weight. The Classic 270 is the lightest model, with a 460cc club head and a super-light Miyazaki C.Kua 39 shaft and a 25g Golf Pride grip, making it one of the lightest drivers on the market to help slower swingers to gain a few yards by swinging the club faster. The Classic 290 is a bit heavier, with a Miyazaki C.Kua 43 shaft and 36g grip. Also 460cc in size, this one favors a wide range of golfers that want a stronger shaft and more playability. Both the 270 and 290 drivers have a square face angle at address. The Classic Tour driver has a smaller club head that measures 440cc, and sits one degree open at address. Designed for better players and strong swingers, the Tour driver is fitted with a premium Miyazaki Kusala Black 61 shaft that promotes a penetrating trajectory with a very stable feel. This model weighs in at 310 grams.

Model: Classic 270
Size: 460cc
Lofts Available: 9, 10.5, 12
Shaft: Miyazaki C.Kua 39
MSRP: $299

Model: Classic 290
Size: 460cc
Lofts Available: 7.5, 9, 10.5, 12
Shaft: Miyazaki C.Kua 43
MSRP: $299

Model: Classic Tour
Size: 440cc
Lofts Available: 8.5, 9.5, 10.5
Shaft: Miyazaki Kusala Black 61
MSRP: $379

The Cleveland Classic driver will be available in retail locations on Feb 17, 2012. You can also pre-order from Cleveland at shop.clevelandgolf.com

Conclusions & Recommendations

Because the Classic driver is a low spin club, I suggest hitting this one before you buy. You may find that you’ll need a bit more loft than usual, which will produce the ideal high-launch, low spin ball flight that is desireable these days for maximum distance. The Classic 290 will probably be the most popular model, with loft options from 7.5 to 12 degrees and a square clubface. With so many custom shaft options it’s a good idea to get fitted by a reputable club fitter, should you choose to go with a custom shaft. For 90% of golfers out there I’ll recommend the stock Miyazaki shafts. I’ve been playing them for a few years and they are among the best in golf for stability, consistency and light weight.

Cleveland Golf keeps coming up with great clubs, and the Classic driver is no exception. I thought the Launcher XL, SL and TL series drivers were as good as anything on the market, but with the Classic driver they have managed to make a uniquely styled, high performance driver that separates itself from the pack. Not only that, but its price point is better than most of the clubs it competes with. This driver is going to make a big splash in the marketplace, and in my opinion it is worth a demo for everyone serious about their game!

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For many years, the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida has brought together many of golf’s greatest minds and influential people for its annual trade show. Over one thousand golf companies will be there along with tens of  thousands of golf industry insiders, PGA club pros and media. But for some of us, the PGA Show isn’t the highlight of the week. No, for a select few golf bloggers, there is an event even more important than the PGA Show itself. It’s the Battle of the Golf Blogs!

This match-up that pits the editors of four internet golf blogs against each other in a friendly competition is being held for the fourth time in 2012. This year, the annual competition is being held at Reunion Resort on the challenging and beautiful Nicklaus Course. Its namesake, Jack Nicklaus, designed the course as a parkland layout with long horizon lines and elevated tee boxes and greens. Forced carries, undulating greens and plenty of hazards on the 7244 yard course should provide a worthy challenge to the players. Speaking of which, here’s the lineup for this year’s contest:

John Duval of  www.intothegrain.com hails from Daytona Beach, FL and carries a +1 handicap. He most looks forward to the lefty challenge, where he plays one hole left handed against Dave Lair with his own clubs. A former ski instructor and professional tennis player from Montreal, Canada,  He’s adept at playing golf in cold and/or wet weather and loves a good old fashioned hockey fight. John has kind of a “home course” advantage this year, as he’s the only one that has played the Reunion Resort’s Nicklaus Course.

Dave Lair of www.orlandogolfblogger.com lives in Orlando, FL and carries a bag full of left handed clubs. Dave is terribly worried about losing to John in the lefty challenge. A dedicated family man, Dave is the proud father of three future Masters champions. Given more time to practice and play he would be a single digit player in no time. Dave currently plays to a handicap in the high teens, but has been known to throw down a round in the mid 80s and destroy his low handicap playing partners. Like me.

Rob Hayashida of www.sandbox8.com comes from Chicago, IL and probably hasn’t touched a club since October 2011. Rob has all the cool gadgets, including a sweet DSLR video rig that even cooks him breakfast. Rob is a cool cat. I mean, just look at him! One of the better guys in the golf blog world, he enjoys photography and loves to follow the pros around when they come to town during the FedEx Cup playoffs. The BOGB is early in PGA Show week this year so he’ll have to defrost his golf swing in a hurry!

Tony Korologos of www.hookedongolfblog.com lives in Sandy, UT and can play the drums like nobody’s business. Tony was injured last year in an unfortunate parking lot skiing accident and had to watch from a golf cart, and being the sportsmen that we are, we didn’t let him live it down. Watch out though, because he’s looking for vengeance this year. Tony claims to be a 3.4 handicap, but I think he’s sandbagging a little bit…

The format for this year’s contest has yet to be determined, but we’re leaning towards a stableford scoring system with handicaps. One thing’s for sure, there will be more photos and video shot at this year’s event than ever before! As a result of this coverage, potential sponsors have been breaking down the doors to be a part of the action. So far we’ve welcomed Srixon Golf as our golf ball sponsor to provide their Z-Star and Q-Star golf balls. Our good friends at Loudmouth Golf have agreed to outfit us all with some awesome shorts & pants. Kentwool will be providing the unsung heroes of any golfer – socks! Asher Golf will be providing some of its ultra-cool looking gloves. Frogger Golf will supply some of their amazing brush-pro tools and amphibian towels. We’ll be using Champ Flytees exclusively, and you may even see a few other surprises along the way. The four of us will also be providing a full WITB (What’s in the bag) as part of our post-round coverage.

To get you ready for what’s to come, here’s a look at last year’s contest at Falcon’s Fire Golf Club in Orlando, and the dramatic finish:

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For decades, the material of choice for iron shafts has been steel. Compared to the hickory shafts of yesteryear and composite shafts of the present, steel shafts proved to be more consistent and stable. On professional golf tours around the world, steel shafts have been the overwhelming shaft of choice for irons for many years. There are several great steel shafts available for irons, like the new KBS C-taper shaft and the venerable Dynamic Gold shaft that has been around for what seems like forever. There has also been many advancements in composite shaft technology in the last decade. Graphite shafts are getting longer, lighter and more stable, but there hasn’t been a significant advancement in steel shaft design in a long time. Until now.

Earlier this year while watching coverage of the PGA Tour on television, I noticed tour players Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker playing iron shafts that weren’t like the rest. They appeared to be composite shafts, but after some research I found out they were Aerotech Steelfiber shafts. I reached out to Aerotech Golf for more information on the shafts and they agreed to send me a set of the very same constant weight, taper tip Steelfiber i95 shafts played by the PGA Tour pros. To help me test these shafts, I had them spine aligned and installed on a set of Cleveland CG16 Tour Concept iron heads by my club maker extraordinaire Glen Belden. He’s been building and fitting amateur golfers and touring pros since 1979. These iron heads are similar to the retail version but have a smaller head with less offset preferred by their tour players. They are also made of softer metal for better feel . In this case – 8620 with a raw satin finish.

Founded in 1991, Aerotech Sports was the first company to produce an NHL approved composite hockey stick. They made helmets, bike components, fishing rods and more until breaking into the golf industry in 1994 when they produced their first golf shaft. At first Aerotech operated as an OEM supplier, making shafts for companies like Cleveland, Adams, Fenwick, Zevo and Pure Spin. In 2002 they launched their own line of branded shafts, and in 2005 Aerotech Golf was born.

The Aerotech Steelfiber shaft is like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Aerotech has managed to combine materials to create a shaft that has all the best properties of composite and steel shafts without any of the drawbacks. The innovative Steelfiber shaft is a high modulus graphite core wrapped with very thin steel fibers. Each steel fiber has a diameter of only 8 microns, or approximately 1⁄10th the diameter of a human hair. That means there is over 59 miles of steel fiber covering the entire surface of each shaft! This construction translates to a shaft that is very stable & consistent like steel, but is light weight and absorbs vibration like a graphite shaft.

I’ve played with heavy (130+ gram) Dynamic Gold X100 steel shafts in my irons for most of my golfing career, so I was a bit worried when switching to a 95 gram Steelfiber shaft. Before even hitting the first shot with my new irons, I knew that these shafts were going to be special. Just flexing these shafts with my hands, they felt stiffer than any graphite iron shaft I’ve ever tried. In my hands they felt as stiff as my old X100 shafts, even though they are 35 grams lighter, and after hitting a few hundred ball on the range my predictions were confirmed. This shaft is remarkable. After playing with these shafts in my irons for over 20 rounds, hundreds of range balls and several months in temperatures ranging from 50 to 95 degrees, I can say that the Aerotech Steelfiber shaft is a winner.

The first thing that stands out about this shaft is the vibration dampening. The Steelfiber shaft does a great job at mitigating the shock and vibration of hitting the ground with an iron swing. As a result, they make your irons feel softer. My cast 8620 irons heads feel like butter on a solid strike, and on a cold day they eliminate that “stinger” you get if you hit the ball a few grooves low. The second thing I noticed was the stability and consistency of the Steelfiber shafts. It took me almost 72 holes to adjust to the shaft’s tendency to want to go straighter than my old shafts. I’m used to working the ball left or right with my irons, but these shafts hit it straighter than my old X100s and I had to make an adjustment and play less fade or draw. This sounds like a good problem to have for most golfers! The steel fibers woven around the shaft make them incredibly stable too. I’m able to hit knockdown shots, high shots and everything in between with no fear of losing control or ballooning the ball like a graphite shaft. Finally, the lighter weight of this shaft allows me to swing the club a bit faster, producing a little more distance. For me the gain wasn’t much, maybe a half club, but for others it will be more significant. Compared directly to the Dynamic Gold X100, the Steelfiber i95 tends to hit the ball slightly higher.

Aerotech offers the Steelfiber shafts in five weight classes: 70, 80, 95, 110 and 125 grams. On the lighter end of the spectrum, the i70 and i80 shafts will benefit players looking for more distance and/or a more stable composite shaft option for their irons. The i80 shaft is the most popular shaft in the Steelfiber line, and the one I would recommend for most golfers out there. The i95 shaft that I tested for this review is a great transition shaft for those wanting to move into a lighter weight iron shaft without going too light and substantially changing the feel of the club during the swing. The 95 gram weight allows the player to see some good improvement in distance while still maintaining accuracy and incredibly consistent distance control. The Steelfiber i110 and i125 shafts are generally preferred by stronger players that are looking to maintain the overall effort it takes to swing their steel shafted irons, but want to benefit from the vibration dampening characteristics of a composite shaft. Aerotech Golf is able to maintain the playability of the 125 gram shaft by minimizing the wall thickness with the use of metal to increase weight instead of adding more graphite. Because graphite is 1/5th the weight of steel, it would take 5 times the amount of graphite material for the same weight increase, which increases wall thickness and gives the shaft a boardy feel.

As with many other golf products, the biggest measure of success for a company can be adoption on the PGA Tour. Aerotech shafts are used by several players on the PGA Tour without paying the players to use them. Most notable is Matt Kuchar. Using the Steelfiber i95 in his irons, Matt was #1 on the 2010 money list, scoring average, all around ranking and top ten finishes. He also finished second in the FedEx Cup standings. ”When I switched to Aerotech Golf shafts, I was looking for a lighter weight iron shaft that could provide me with consistent ball flight and spot on distance control. Aerotech’s SteelFiber shafts fit the bill perfectly. The SteelFiber technology has allowed me to take advantage of all the benefits of a graphite shaft yet still maintain complete control over my golf ball.” 

The only negative I can find about these shafts is that for a player like myself who is used to playing heavy clubs, the adjustment to light weight shafts can take some time. Despite my love for these shafts in my irons, I’m hesitant to install them in my wedges. I think I would have to go with the i125 to maintain the same weight and feel I prefer in a wedge. That being said, if you get these I highly recommend a skilled club maker installs them in order to get the gram weighting of your iron heads right, or they may be way too light on the swing-weight scale. This is often an issue when moving from a steel shaft to graphite in your irons.

Aerotech Golf really has something with the Steelfiber shaft. To me it’s the most significant advancement in iron shaft technology in my lifetime. The construction is unique and the performance of the Steelfiber shafts far exceeded my expectations. Any golfer who is looking to take advantage of the benefits of composite shafts without sacrificing the control and consistency of steel shafts needs to take a look at these. The Steelfiber line of shafts is also available for woods and hybrids, and they have a composite wood shaft called the Claymore that has taken the world of professional Long Driving by storm. The Steelfiber shafts are priced comparably to other premium steel shafts, and I believe they are a better value. Give them a try, I know you won’t be disappointed. Let us know what you think or what your experience with them is like by leaving a comment.

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Some time last season on the PGA Tour, I spied Ryan Moore wearing some funky looking shoes on the golf course. They didn’t look at all like your typical wingtip or saddle type golf shoe. They looked more like mocasins or slippers. After doing a bit of research, I found out that he was wearing shoes from a new company called TRUE Linkswear. I reached out to the company and was able to get a pair of my own for review.

Being a golf blogger means I end up with lots of equipment and accessories laying around. It also means that I have more golf shoes than regular shoes. After a year of testing just about every type and style of golf shoes on the market, I keep going back to just 2 pairs of shoes for my every day play. My “Tenny” shoes from Kikkor Golf, and the TRUE Tour from TRUE Linkswear . Now that I think of it, The TRUE Linkswear shoes aren’t just the most comfortable golf shoes I own, they may be the most comfortable shoes I own period!

TRUE Linkswear makes shoes that are designed to work with your body and be super comfortable. While most shoe companies design a shoe from the top down using other shoes as a model, TRUE Linkswear builds them from the ground up, using the human foot as their inspiration. They have come up with a shoe that sits very low to the ground (10mm) and is very light weight. The result is a super comfortable shoe that provides ample traction and allows the player to really feel the ground beneath him at all times.

As someone that enjoys walking when possible, these are the perfect shoe. Because they are built so low to the ground and the toe box is so wide, they are a joy to walk with and the spikeless soles provide a great combination of traction and comfort. Because they are spikeless I usually just wear them right out of the house which saves me time in the parking lot of the golf course. Walking a few holes in these is like walking around the back yard with slippers on.

While the styling certainly isn’t classic in terms of traditional golf shoes, they aren’t ugly, and there are several color combos available for all tastes. Still, some people will prefer to stick with the old school golf shoes with firm soles and stiffer leather uppers. While I don’t have an issue with stability, some people might find these shoes aren’t up to par with traditional golf shoes for stability. That will depend on the player and your particular swing.

Since I got these shoes, I’ve gone virtually 100% spikeless when I play golf. I alternate between the TRUE Tour, Ecco Streets that Fred Couples made famous and my Kikkors. Only occasionally do I bring out my traditional Ecco World Class GTX golf shoes. Overall, the TRUE Linkswear line of shoes are must-haves for anyone that wants premium, well built, walking shoes for golf. Anyone that struggles with their golf shoes being uncomfortable or too narrow will definitely want to try these.

Look for new and improved styles with even better traction and comfort for 2012. See the entire line at http://www.truelinkswear.com

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For years, TaylorMade Adidas Golf (TMAG) has been known for technical innovation and marketing acumen. Last year they introduced the R11 and Superfast 2.0 drivers and fairways painted all white. Every time a player on a professional tour took the head cover off and you saw a white head, you knew instantly that it was a TaylorMade club. A club’s usage on the PGA Tour has a huge influence on consumers and drives equipment companies to come out with new designs constantly. If you don’t believe me, just walk into your local golf superstore and count how many belly putters are for sale this year versus last. The white driver was a marketing coup for TaylorMade, and they will continue being “..all in with white.” as one TMAG staffer told me. This year, the prolific company has a whole bunch of new clubs out which will make their debut at the annual PGA Merchandise Show on Jan 26-28. Here’s a first look at all the new wood offerings from TaylorMade Golf. (Click the title header for the official press release, and click the photos to zoom in for a closer look)

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R11S driver

An update to the popular R11 driver, the R11S driver can be tuned for 80 separate launch settings, making it the most adjustable driver in golf, and maybe the most confusing too. The all white 460cc club features a 3 degree Flight Control Technology (FCT) sleeve, Movable Weight Technology (MWT) and the new 5-way Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP) that allows the golfer to find their optimum address set-up. In terms of TaylorMade’s lineup, this club will probably appeal to a larger cross section of golfers than any other on the market, because of the custom shaft options and the club’s adjustability.

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R11s & R11s TP Fairways

Like the new R11S driver, the white R11S and R11S TP fairway woods from TaylorMade are classically shaped and feature the Adjustable Sole Plate Technology (ASP) and an upgraded Flight Control Technology (FCT) sleeve for added adjustability. These new features allow for up to 24 different settings, promoting maximum performance and increased distance through tuning. The new FCT sleeve allows the golfer to make an adjustment in the range of 3° of lie and 3° loft/6° face angle. The R11S fairways provide up to approximately 54 yards horizontal trajectory adjustment and 3° and 1500 rpm of launch condition change.

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RocketBallz & RocketBallz Tour Driver

This is the one everyone is talking about. The RocketBallz (RBZ) name alone has been discussed, joked about and ridiculed by people I have spoken to about the new clubs, and the performance has been raved about by TaylorMade staff pros. Of course, when a paid endorser raves about a club you have to take it with a grain of salt, and TaylorMade’s YouTube Videos seem a bit over the top with the distance they are claiming, but we’ll get to see for ourselves in a few short weeks and let you know if there’s any truth to the hype. Heck, the full name doesn’t even fit on the club. They had to use the initials “RBZ”. RocketBallz drivers are being offered in two models: RocketBallz and RocketBallz Tour. According to TaylorMade, The RocketBallz driver boasts a larger appearance at address with a standard face height, while the RocketBallz Tour driver is mid-sized at address with a deeper face. Both are traditionally shaped and feature improved aerodynamics thanks to what TaylorMade calls their Ultra-Thin Wall (UTW) casting process and Thick-Thin crown design.

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RocketBallz Fairways & Rescues

“The RocketBallz fairway woods and Rescues represent a game-changing breakthrough in performance comparable to few products in the history of our industry,” said Sean Toulon, Executive Vice President of TaylorMade. “To hold a RocketBallz metalwood in your hands is to possess confidence, power, speed and distance potential that will regularly and quite literally redefine the long game for golfers.” OK, marketing hype aside, these are being billed as some of the longest fairway woods and hybrids ever made. Here’s what TaylorMade says about the new woods: Major challenges had to be surmounted to develop RocketBallz technology, including the need to create a durable yet flexible sole/face structure with a deep sole pocket. Additionally, we needed a deeper face design and low CG to maintain excellent playability off turf. Lastly, the products needed a front-low CG without sacrificing playability and control. To achieve these qualities, the RocketBallz fairway woods and Rescues were developed with a high-strength 455 steel face plate welded to a cast body. They incorporate improved sole geometry and a “Speed Pocket” to improve overall head and face flexibility and a slightly deeper face with a further-forward CG location than traditional designs. So what does this mean for golfers? According to TaylorMade it means distance gains of up to 17 yards for better players.

I’m looking forward to seeing the new clubs, and stay tuned because there’s much more coming from TaylorMade, including new irons, wedges and golf balls! For now, here’s a video from TaylorMade talking about the origins of the RocketBallz name…

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When listing some of the premier golf destinations in the United States, The Sea Pines Resort on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina is always near the top of the list. The flagship golf course at Sea Pines is the legendary Harbour Town Golf Links. Designed by Pete Dye in 1969, it remains one of the most beloved and admired courses in the US. It is a favorite of PGA TOUR professionals also, who come to Hilton Head Island to play in the prestigious Heritage Tournament every year. The iconic finishing hole, bordered by the Calibogue Sound and framed by the famous Harbour Town Lighthouse, is one of the most recognizable holes in golf. Heralded by Conde Nast Traveler as one of the “World’s Best Places to Stay”, I decided to see for myself what the Sea Pines Resort is all about.

My first observation of the Sea Pines Resort was how vast it is. Occupying the southern third of Hilton head Island, the resort is located along 5000 acres of oceanfront property that stretches across the island to Calibogue sound on the north side. Because the resort area is so large, you never get the feeling of being cramped or rushed. Sea Pines really has an old southern feel and pace to it. My only concern was having enough time to explore the entire resort! One thing is for sure – This isn’t simply a golf resort. It’s  much more than just golf.

Visitors have several choices for accommodations when booking a stay at Sea Pines. The villas and homes are perfect for small groups and families, and there are four distinct areas to choose from for your stay. The Oceanside villas are just as the name implies – a short walk to the beach or directly on the beach itself. Many are also a short distance to the Sea Pines Beach Club as well as the Heron Point and Ocean golf courses. Harbour Town’s villas and homes allow quick access to the famous Harbour Town Lighthouse, boutiques, galleries, waterview restaurants , cafes, lounges and more. Here guests can also enjoy the nightlife and dinner cruises after spending a day on the water with jet skis, parasailing and fishing charters. At the center of the resort, the Plantation villas and homes offer something for nature buffs. Set among huge oaks and miles of nature trails, guests can enjoy bike rides, cook outs by the pool or just watch the world go by.

For those looking for a more upscale, full service experience there is the Inn at Harbour Town. This AAA Four Diamond European style boutique hotel sits adjacent to the Harbour Town Golf Links, the Sea Pines Resort Racquet Club  and the Harbour Town Conference Center, and is also walking distance to Harbour Town’s shops, restaurants and marina. The Inn offers luxurious suites and rooms, private butler and concierge service, imported bed linens and soaking tubs, among other luxuries. The service is second to none, and the all British staff gives the Inn a distinct European charm. Our room on the third floor overlooked the first tee and putting green of the golf course. I thoroughly enjoyed the peace and quiet while sitting on the balcony in the early morning watching the sun rise over the inn, drenching the clubhouse and golf course with its warm rays. The Inn at Harbour Town is the perfect place to stay in my opinion. It is close to everything, wonderfully staffed and comfortable enough to stay in your room all day if you so choose. The overall feel is intimate and uncrowded, and because there are only 60 guest rooms I imagine it will always feel this way.

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With the golf courses that await visitors at Sea Pines, you won’t want to stay in your room very long. While there is certainly lots to do here, golf remains the focal point of the resort for good reason. Famed course architect Pete Dye (With input from Jack Nicklaus) created the Harbour Town Golf Links in 1969 and it has played host to the best golfers in the world ever since. Not a long course by today’s standards at 7101 yards (The course was lengthened by the addition of several new tee boxes since the PGA TOUR played it last April), it remains a stern test of golf, sporting a slope rating of 147. Pete Dye utilized  large waste areas, railroad ties, water hazards and huge oaks draped with Spanish moss to create a modern golf masterpiece. The resort has taken steps to ensure the course remains in fantastic shape, and as such motorized golf carts are relegated to cart paths only. You’ll want to leave the heavy staff bag at home however, because the combination of a classic design and strong caddie program makes this a perfect course to walk. Studying the design, there seems to be a pattern for how to attack each hole that alternates with an uncanny rhythm. For example – The first hole must be approached from the right side, the second from the left side, and the third from the right again. The same pattern emerges again on the back nine on holes 12 through 15. (Left, right, left, right)

As I just alluded to with regards to the design, most of the holes move in one direction or the other and golfers must approach the green from a specific side of the fairway to get at the pin. A perfect example of this is the par 4 eighth hole. As if measuring 473 yards from the back tees wasn’t enough, you must hit your tee shot to the right side of the fairway to even have a chance to go for the green. After a 280 yard tee shot that split the fairway, I was still left with a shot of some 200 yards that I had to draw 15 yards from right to left around the towering oaks on the corner of the dogleg. I was pretty happy to leave that hole with a five. Not only does a player have to think about which side to approach the greens from, but some holes require you to decide how far away you should be to approach the green. Hitting a tee shot too far on the 9th or 16th holes could leave you with an impossible shot around or over trees, or in the case of the 16th hole, a tree. There is a sole palm tree in the middle of the fairway that can reek havoc on a poorly placed tee shot. On the 15t hole, should your lay-up shot not go up the right side, far enough past the corner of the trees, you’ll be left with no shot to the green. Every hole at Harbour Town requires thought and a sound strategy. The reward for a well played hole is relatively small and flat putting surfaces and a chance for birdie. With only four feet of elevation change, the course is very flat, but you won’t even notice. That is just part of the genius of this design.

While I didn’t play my best, I was very happy with a solid 76 from the Heritage tees, given that the course rating is 75.6 and I actually played a longer course than the PGA TOUR guys did (until the 2012 Heritage at least). My round was highlighted by a wedge shot from 83 yards on the second hole that spun back into the hole for eagle, and a closing birdie on 18 after a crushed tee shot and solid 8 iron approach as the sun was setting over Calibogue Sound. The new tee box on the 18th hole stretches it to 472 yards, up from 444. Just aim at the lighthouse and swing hard! I’m proud that I managed to make par on all four of the par three holes at Harbour Town. As I discovered first hand, Harbour Town’s par 3s are among the finest collection of short holes in the world. In fact, the 14th hole (which measures 192 yards and is protected by a small green with water all the way up the right side) is consistently ranked as one of the toughest par 3s on the PGA TOUR. We finished the day with our own ceremonial tee shots into Calibogue sound, minus the cannon of course.

Our second day at Sea Pines Resort included a round of golf at Heron Point, another Pete Dye design. On its own, Heron Point would probably be the highlight of any golf trip at most other resorts, but in the presence of Harbour Town Golf Links, it is forced to play second fiddle at Sea Pines. Compared to Harbour Town, the landing areas at Heron Point are more generous and undulating. To compensate, Dye made the greens more undulating as well and surrounded them with deep sand bunkers, water hazards lined with railroad ties and his signature mounding. A complete reconstruction in 2007 gave this course new life. Some who have played it may call it “Harbour Town lite”, but Heron Point is no easy track as evidenced by the almost identical yardage, rating and slope as its big brother on the other side of the property. Joining us at Heron Point that morning was Josh, our caddie from the previous day at Harbour Town, and Adam who also works at the resort. I really had to be on my game, as Josh was a member of the 2011 division III collegiate golf national championship team. We had a great time trash talking each other all day, and since Josh and Adam had to work the bag drop after our round I took the opportunity to avail myself of their services, rudely barking out orders for fun. In all seriousness, Josh was a good sport, great caddie and an ideal playing partner. He knows the courses at Sea Pines intimately and his yardages were always spot on. His ability to learn his player’s game and provide club selection is a trait that separates very good caddies from all the others.

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The third course at Sea Pines Resort is the Ocean Course. It is the original golf course built on Hilton Head Island back in 1960 by George Cobb, and was rebuilt in 1995 by Mark McCumber. It is the most friendly of the three courses and a favorite of casual golfers and beginners, measuring 6906 yards from the longest tees with a slope of 142 and a 73.4 rating. Despite its name, there is only one actual oceanfront hole – the 210 yard, par 3 15th. This doesn’t detract from the overall experience however. The Ocean course shares a clubhouse with the Heron Point course on the east end of the resort, and is a short walk away from the beach club. I didn’t get to play the Ocean course during my stay on Hilton Head Island, but I hope to return and see it for myself one day soon!

While golf may be the focal point at Sea Pines Resort, it is also just the beginning. To me, a perfect compliment to a great golf resort is a world class tennis club, and that’s what you get at the Sea Pines Resort Racquet Club. Under the direction of former Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion Stan Smith, the racquet club has been consistently ranked as one of America’s top tennis resorts by TENNIS magazine. It boasts 23 green clay courts and a wealth of instructional programs led by the staff of USPTA-certified professionals. All guests get two hours per day of complimentary tennis, and more time can always be booked if you are in the mood. Being a former tennis professional myself, I can really appreciate a facility like this. Walking out of the front entrance of the Inn at Harbour Town puts you within a stone’s throw of the tennis club, and I took the opportunity to watch as several nationally-ranked young players went through their paces with the pros in fast paced practice sessions.

To review thus far, if you love golf and tennis you’ll fall in love with the Sea Pines Resort. Compared to most other resorts of this caliber it would more than hold its own with 3 world class golf courses and a top notch tennis club, but there is much more! Being on the ocean, it goes without saying that beach access is a primary attraction. Guests have five miles of pristine shoreline to explore for swimming, sunning and relaxation. There is also fishing, kayaking, charter boat tours, sailing, paddle boarding, water skiing and even jet ski rentals. Visitors can also enjoy a bike ride through a 605 acre forest preserve that is home to over 130 species of birds. In fact, a bicycle may just be the best way to get around the grounds, with 15 miles of trails that interconnect every area of the resort. The resort’s bicycle shop offers a wide selection of bikes for everyone. If you prefer to let someone (or something) else do the work for you, head over to Lawton Stables and take a horseback ride instead. Lawton Stables is a full service equestrian center offering trail rides, pony rides for kids and a petting farm. On top of all that, guests can also take alligator boat tours, forest preserve hayrides, use the fitness center for a work out, get a spa treatment at Le Spa and enjoy some shopping at the Harbour Town Shops. Whew!

I know what you are thinking – after doing all that, you are going to be hungry! Fortunately you have many dining options at Sea Pines Resort. Every corner of the resort is covered, and guests can leave the cash at home and simply charge the meal to their rooms. Be careful though, it adds up pretty fast! Not only are the restaurants at the resort very good, but Hilton Head Island has a large number of dining options too if you feel like something different. You aren’t tied down to the resort area here.

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My time spent at Sea Pines Resort was far too short to see and do everything. Even a full week packed with activities would not be enough to explore all the activities, dining options and locations of this 5000 acre destination. To further augment the already impressive list of things to do, the resort guide lists special seasonal events and activities that are far too numerous to list here. The sheer size of the resort area, world class accommodations, superb golf & tennis, incredible array of activities and a knowledgeable staff combine to make Sea Pines Resort a must visit. Before playing Harbour Town Golf Links I would not have placed it in my top 10 favorite courses, but after playing it twice, it has taken its rightful place in my personal top three. Golfweek Magazine recently ranked Harbour Town at #12 on its list of the best resort courses. Considering the company it is in (Pebble Beach, Pacific Dunes, Whistling Straits, Pinehurst and TPC Sawgrass to name a few) Harbour Town deserves to be on everyone’s must-play list, but perhaps the greatest endorsement I can give is this: I could have spent an entire week at Sea Pines Resort without playing a single round of golf and still been very satisfied with my stay. But common, that’s crazy talk! Spending a week on Hilton Head Island without playing golf? That should be a felony.

INSIDER TIPS:

If you are planning a stay at Sea Pines, here are a few tips to make your stay a little more enjoyable.

• Stay an extra day or two. With so many things to do, you’ll have more time to explore or just relax.
• Play Heron Point by Pete Dye and the Ocean Course first, or you may suffer a bit of a letdown after playing the Harbour Town Golf Links first.
• At Harbor Town, make your tee time about four and a half to five hours before sunset. That way you’ll arrive on 17 and 18 just as the sun is going down for an unforgettable experience.
• Bring your carry bag and walk Harbor Town with a caddie.
• Go up the lighthouse at sunset, and bring your camera!
• Take a lesson. Golf or Tennis, the pros on staff here are among the best anywhere.
• Check the calendar for seasonal events and plan ahead so you don’t miss anything.
• When dining off resort, check with the locals for recommendations. My favorite was China Bistro, just a few minutes from the main gate.
• Bring your friends! Everything is more fun in a group, and you get discounts.

For more information about the Sea Pines Resort and to book your stay, visit http://www.seapines.com

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19-year-old Hannah Yun is preparing to begin her rookie season on the LPGA Tour in 2012. However, when you consider what happened the first day she began playing the game, it’s amazing that she plays golf at all. When Hannah was just seven years old her father, Changsu, took her out to a golf course in San Jose, California, to play her very first round of golf. In one of her first swings, as dad was standing a bit too close, Hannah took a big rip at the ball and accidentally hit him right in the mouth with the club, knocking out three of his teeth.

For most parents that would have been a strong clue to guide their young daughter into another sport, perhaps one where no potential weapons are employed. However, the Yuns saw a lot of natural ability in their little girl and they also saw the way she loved to play the game. So with some dental work behind him, Changsu kept taking Hannah to the golf course and watched her grow and develop as a young talent. A few years later the Yun family moved to the San Diego area. As Hannah continued to improve, her parents began signing her up to play in some junior golf events in the southern California area. Hannah started winning and winning. She also caught the eye of those in the California golfing community. Many people, including Ken Cherry, the head pro at Lomas Santa Fe Country Club, began recognizing Hannah as a true child prodigy in the game of golf.

The game of golf does not come easily for most people. Most find it very awkward to stand over a little ball and swing the club with the right technique to launch the ball into the air with any accuracy, consistency, or power. Ask just about any golfer about their earliest memories of trying to play the game. They will tell you what an ordeal it was just to begin hitting the ball squarely. For the rare few, however, the golf swing comes naturally. Hannah Yun is one of those rare few. As they say, she seemed born to play the game.

In her little girl’s mind, Hannah must have realized that as well. When she was ten she told her parents that she wanted to be a professional golfer. They signed her up for lessons with teaching pro Kip Puterbaugh, at his Aviara Golf Academy in Carlsbad. Puterbuagh was quick to recognize Hannah’s rare innate ability. As he told the San Diego Union-Tribune in a recent interview: “As a teacher this is what you look for, a chance to work with somebody with a V8 engine and make them into a racer. It’s an opportunity that doesn’t happen very often.”

Hannah’s game steadily improved under Puterbaugh’s guidance. She was becoming one of the very best young junior golfers in the United States. When she was twelve, Hannah asked her parents and they agreed to move the family to Bradenton, Florida, so that Hannah could enroll in the IMG/David Leadbetter Golf Academy with over 200 other junior student/golfers. It is considered the best training ground in the country for boy and girl golfers actively considering a future as touring pros. At the academy her skills developed rapidly. She earned many awards, including the IMG/Leadbetter Golf Academy MVP and Player of the Year, her high school MVP after winning the Florida High School State Championship, and the Sarasota-Herald Tribune Tri-County Athlete of the Year two years in a row.

Hannah was just as talented in the classroom as she was on the golf course. She skipped two grades between elementary and middle school. In middle school, she earned the Academic Achievement Award signed by President Bush and the Secretary of Education. In high school she was an A student and was inducted into the National Honors Society. She graduated high school with high honors at the age of 15, two to three years earlier than most students.

With her exceptional talent both in golf and academics, Hannah accepted a full scholarship to the University of Florida (UF) in Gainesville in the fall of 2007. At just 15 years old, she became the youngest student/athlete in the history of the NCAA to play competitively in college events. While she was playing for Florida, the women’s golf team won the SEC Championship for the first time in 12 years. Hannah competed against University of Arkansas sensation Stacy Lewis for the SEC individual title, finishing in second place by one shot. The team also won the NCAA Regional Championships for the first time in the history of the program. At the end of the season Hannah, as a 15-year-old freshman, was named the MVP of the Florida women’s team and was selected as an NCAA, SEC, and Golfweek first-team All-American.

In the summer of 2008, Hannah played as an amateur in eleven events on the Duramed Futures Tour (which later became the LPGA Futures Tour and is now the Symetra Tour). There she began competing with young women pros, primarily college graduates, who were on track to make it to the LPGA. Hannah returned to the University of Florida for her sophomore year, but in the fall of 2008 she decided to withdraw from college. She had her sights set on a career on the LPGA and felt she was ready to pursue her dream. At the age of 17 she applied for and was granted a waiver by the LPGA to play as a professional on the LPGA Futures Tour, beginning in the spring of 2009. That made her the youngest golfer to ever play as a touring pro in the United States. It seemed like just a matter of time before she would graduate to the LPGA.

However it was in 2009 that her meteoric rise in golf began to level off. The success and victories that came so easily during her junior golf years and brief college career did not materialize. She was very competitive on the “Futures,” but she usually had trouble putting three very good rounds together in events. She had several top 10 finishes in ’09, and last year, but she never won a tournament or finished high enough on the tour’s money list to earn her way onto the LPGA Tour. She worked as hard as any player on the tour, putting in countless hours on the driving ranges and putting greens. She got instruction from several different coaches, but nothing seemed to be working.

About a year ago she came close to giving up the game altogether. She had lost her love for golf. It appeared she was “burning out” and she was still just a teenager. “My whole life I had defined myself as a golfer,” she told the San Diego Union-Tribune in a recent article about her. “To think about not playing was against everything I wanted to do as a kid. It was scary. But I told my parents, ‘I’m unhappy. I don’t want to do this anymore.’“

A family trip to her parent’s homeland of South Korea may have saved her career. While in Korea she did not pick up a golf club for three months and she spent close to two months living in a Buddhist temple with several other teenagers. Hannah and her parents are devout Christians and while she may have picked an unusual place to get away from it all, the time with the Buddhist monks seemed to work wonders on her. Her time at the temple was filled with yoga, meditation, martial arts, archery, and community service. She says she had the time to reflect on who she really was and she learned how to enjoy life. As an overachiever whose young life was dedicated to becoming one of the best golfers in the world she had never really learned how to just have fun.

Hannah also made another big discovery while in Korea. She still loved the game of golf. She still wanted to pursue her dream. She was anxious to get back at it. This past summer, Hannah began working again with her childhood coach, Kip Puterbaugh. Together they were able to rediscover and improve upon the natural swing that she had as a child. Hannah then set her sights on preparing herself for the LPGA Q School process. With her game becoming more solid under Puterbaugh’s guidance, Hannah competed in the second stage of LPGA Q School. In the four-day event, held in September in Venice, Florida, Hannah finished tied for 8th place in a field of 230 players. She shot 5 under par over the four days and easily advanced to the all-important final stage of LPGA Q School.

Many veteran LPGA players will tell you that the final stage of Q School remains the most intense and nerve-wracking tournament in which they have ever competed. The grueling five-day event is held in early December on the Champions and Legends courses at LPGA International in Daytona Beach, Florida. Only the top 20 finishers earn their “full status” LPGA card for the upcoming season. It is the ticket to “the big time” in women’s professional golf. For the next year, at least, they will be competing with the best women golfers in the world on the world’s biggest stage. The next 20 finishers at Q School earn “partial status” on the tour, but that only gets them into a few LPGA events. All of the 140 players in the field, including many current LPGA players trying to re-earn their tour status, are desperate to finish in the top 20. It is the path to fame and fortune in women’s professional golf.

Hannah Yun came to the final stage in Daytona full of confidence. The week before Q School she played in a mini tour event on one of the Q School courses. She shot 9 under par over the three day event (69-69-69-207), finishing in 5th place in a field of 70 players, most of whom would be among her competitors at Q School the following week. However, the first round at Q School did not go as planned. Hannah shot a discouraging score of 4 over par 76, and she was well down in the middle of the pack after the first day. Her father had caddied for her that day and believed that he may have placed too much pressure on Hannah to perform, and she had not been relaxed out on the course. He and Hannah asked a family friend to caddy for her over the next four rounds of the event. (author’s note: I am the family friend who caddied for Hannah) The plan worked. Hannah settled down and went on to shoot 74-71-72-71 over the final four days, in very windy conditions. She moved up the leader board each day. In the end, her combined five-day score of 4 over par was good enough to earn her a tie for 15th place and her full LPGA card for the upcoming 2012 LPGA season.

So, at just 19 years of age this former child prodigy has achieved her goal. Hannah will be teeing it up next year with Yani Tseng, Paula Creamer, Suzann Pettersen and the rest of the top women players in the world. She will now see just how far her natural talent and years of dedication and hard work can take her. Her parents will be smiling broadly when they watch their daughter compete in her very first LPGA event. When he smiles, Changsu Yun may often think about the three natural teeth he sacrificed for Hannah’s golf game. There is no doubt he considers it a small sacrifice now that Hannah is living her dream.

About the Author: Dave Andrews is a Harvard-educated former television news reporter. Dave is an avid golfer who has become a fan of the Duramed Futures Tour and is the author of Pops and Sunshine, a novel and screenplay about life on tour. His home course in New Hampshire is annually the site of one of the tour’s events.