NEW! – The Most Complete, Comprehensive and Detailed Golf Gear Reviews PERIOD!

Ever since I started the MGS network of sites my goal has been the same for all of them.  To do my best to make something better then what was already out there or to fill a need the that the industry had not already met for the consumer.  Which brings us to our article today…and it is about product reviews.  Typically before golfers are ready to pull the trigger on a driver or iron set purchase a large majority of them look to the internet to research their future purchase.

This usually includes a trip to Google and searching for a phrase something similar to this “Taylormade R9 Driver Review” or maybe “Titleist Vokey Wedge Review”.  Well both of those you would think would give you the answer you are looking for…right…actually it will result in hundreds of thousands of results for you to sift through.  Or if you are an avid golf gear head internet guru then you already know 4 or 5 sites that have some of the better reviews of golf products out there.  Which is great…but the majority of the time you have to piece the info from all of them together to get the EXACT information YOU are looking for…which can take hours sometimes even days.

(Consumer Reports For Golf) by: MyGolfSpy

So we decided that we needed to try and fix this.  We wanted to have the ULTIMATE GOLF EQUIPMENT REVIEWS on the web for golf equipment…so what does this exactly mean…this means that we feel our new review system will be so thorough that this will be the LAST site you need to search for to get your answers to help you make a better informed decision. Kind of like the “Consumer Reports For Golf“.

So it is now our stated goal here at MGS to provide the most complete, comprehensive, and detailed golf club reviews you will find anywhere. Of course, it’s also important to us that our readers know exactly what we test and how we test it. We’ll always include the full club specifications in all of our reviews, but we also think it’s important that we’re upfront, open and honest about all of our testing methodologies. Any deviation from these, our standard testing protocols, will be disclosed in the review itself. We may be spies, but we don’t believe in keeping secrets about the equipment we review.

What We Test

The evidence suggests that the majority of golfers still buy their equipment “off the rack”. In many cases, even so-called “custom fitting” options involve little more than guessing at what the most appropriate shaft flex might be.  With that in mind, when MGS requests equipment for testing, we ask the manufacturer to send us the loft and shaft combination (from the list of available “stock” options) that best fits our pool of primary testers.   Because our new SpecCheck system is based on each manufacturer’s stated specifications, we ask for all clubs to be “standard” for length, loft, and lie.

From time to time we might find a compelling reason to request a club with a non-standard configuration, however; we fully expect these instances will be rare, and any change from stock will be fully disclosed. The overwhelming majority of our tests will be conducted on stock equipment; the same stuff you’d buy off the rack at your local sporting goods store.

How We Test

All testing for MyGolfSpy Ultimate Reviews are done using PGA TOUR Simulators, powered by 3Trac, from aboutGolf. Testing takes place at Tark’s Indoor Golf Club; a state-of-the-art golf training, club fitting and repair facility located in Saratoga Springs, NY.

Total Scores and awards are calculated based on feedback and scores in the following areas:

* SpecCheck (25%)

SpecCheck is something brand new at MyGolfSpy and something we felt other internet and magazine golf equipment review sites were missing.  While we certainly don’t think it’s our place to tell you (or the manufacturers), what the proper specifications of a golf club should be (although we will point it out when published specifications fall outside of industry norms), we do think that it’s important that the product each and every manufacturer delivers matches their own stated specifications for a given club or set of clubs.  The goal of SpecCheck is to find out if the clubs you buy are the clubs you get.

The overall SpecCheck score will be calculated based on the results of the following tests:

• Lie/Loft (irons only) - Each and every club within a set of irons is measured for loft and lie on a STEELCLUB® Plus Angle Machine from Mitchell Golf.. For each iron that measures outside of MyGolfSpy’s acceptable tolerances (.5° for both lie and loft), points are deducted on a sliding scale.

• Length – All clubs we receive will be measured for length. We’ve seen far too many off the rack clubs measure ½” or more shorter (or longer) than the manufacturer’s stated specifications. Our acceptable tolerance for club length is a fairly liberal 1/8″. Points will be deducted for any club measured 1/8″ or more longer or shorter than the stated length.

• Frequency (Flex) – While there is no industry standard for shaft flex, there are widely accepted ranges. MyGolfSpy uses a DigiFlex Frequency Meter from Mitchell golf to measure shaft frequency. For any shaft that falls more than 4 CPM outside of our frequency range for the specified flex (in most cases “stiff”), points will be deducted.

* In Depth Look – For iron sets, we will graph the frequency of each iron. Ideally each iron in a set should be 4 CPM (Cycles Per Minute) from the next.

** Super Detailed Look – Although there is no direct impact on the score, we will also make note of oscillation patterns, especially in those cases where a club (or set) performs particularly well, or particularly poorly.

• SwingWeight – Each club we test will be placed on a swingweight scale to measure the actual swingweight as compared to the published specifications. MyGolfSpy’s stated tolerance is 1 swing weight +/- the stated specs. For any club for which the actual swing weight falls outside our tolerances, points are deducted on a sliding scale.

A Word About Tolerances

MyGolfSpy understands that in most cases industry-wide and individual manufacturer tolerances are less strict than our own.  With this consideration in mind; for each spec we measure, points are deducted on a sliding scale.  As an example, a club that is 1.5° out of spec is penalized more heavily then one 1° (the industry standard) out of spec.  In this respect, even though our own tolerances are tighter, the standard is applied equally.  Indeed, our tolerances are strict, but believe that for a club to receive a perfect SpecCheck score, it should be perfect.

We think that those manufacturers who deliver their products within stricter tolerances, and as 100% as specified, should be rewarded for their higher standards and commitment to quality.

It is our belief that each and every club we test should receive 100% of the points available through SpecCheck.  Achieving a perfect score is as simple as giving the consumer exactly what you say you are giving them.

Sample SpecCheck Chart

SpecCheck Frequency Analysis

SpecCheck accounts for 25% of the total score.

* Subjective Feedback (25%)

Users will be asked to rate the club(s) in each of the following categories:

Looks - Testers will be asked to rate the aesthetics of the clubs on a scale of 1-5 (with 1 being hideously ugly, and 5 representing an exceptionally beautiful club).

Feel - Users are asked to rate the feel of the club on a scale of 1-5 (poor-excellent).

Sound – (woods and hybrids only)

Although sound and feel are closely related, we feel it’s important to separate them as much as possible. When we can, an audio sample of impact will be included in the review.

To ensure that our results are as balanced as possible, subjective testing is conducted using Bridgestone B330-RX golf balls with ball flight tracking disabled (users have no indication of how long, or how straight their shots are flying).  By using the Bridgestone B330-RX we’re able to provide sound and feel testing consistent with what the golfer would likely experience on the golf course.

Additionally, testers are not informed of the results of our SpecCheck.  We believe by isolating subjective testing from SpecCheck, as well as from our distance and accuracy testing, we can prevent other factors from influencing the outcome of our subjective ratings.

To further separate the subjective from the performance driven, MyGolfSpy uses a two survey method to collect data. Rather than wait until performance testing has been completed, golfers are required to complete an initial subjective analysis survey prior to start of performance testing.

After performance testing has been completed, users are asked to complete a second survey, which in additional to illicing more detailed thoughts and comments for inclusion in our review, asks the golfer to provide an overall value rating; based on performance as it relates to cost.

Subjective Testing accounts for 25% of the total score.

* Performance Data (50%)

While we think our subjective testing and SpecCheck are important, it’s performance that matters most when you decide what to put in your bag. For this reason,

Performance testing accounts for 50% of the overall score.

How We Test Performance

First, we think it’s important to acknowledge that no ball flight analysis system is perfect. Radar and other outdoor testing systems can be influenced by wind, temperature, humidity, and even distance above sea level.  Indoor systems are not without their quirks as well.   While we’d love to provide perfect, irrefutable data, we don’t believe that system exists today.  What we can provide is consistency.

MyGolfSpy has partnered with Tarks Indoor Golf in Saratoga Springs, NY.   All performance data collection (as well as SpecCheck) will take place at Tark’s on their state-of-the-art PGA TOUR 3Trak equipped simulators from aboutGolf.   We believe aboutGolf provides the most advanced, and accurate simulator technology available on the market today – and we’ve talked to hundreds of golfers who share this opinion.

Most importantly, the aboutGolf PGA Simulators at Tark’s Indoor Golf provide us the ability to test year round in a consistent and controlled environment, which is especially beneficial when providing the detailed “apples to apples” comparisons you’ll come to expect from our future reviews.

Simulator Configuration - During our tests, the following simulator options are configured:

• Windspeed: calm
• Fairways: dry.

Testing Procedures - Our procedures vary slightly depending on the type of review we’re doing. In each case a small number of golfers representing low, mid, and high handicap golfers is selected from our general pool of testers and asked to participate in more detailed peformance testing.  When possible we try and find golfers who generate a wide range of ball speeds.

For individual club reviews, testers are asked to hit a series of shots with both their current club(s), as well as the club we’re reviewing.  The results are compared side by side.  Scores are based largely on whether the test club(s) meets, under, or outperforms the users current club(s).

For head to head competitions, users are asked to hit a series of shots with each of the clubs being tested.  Data is collected for side by side comparisons and points are awarded accordingly.

To make the tests as fair and reliable as possible (and to account for the occasional simulator mis-reads) a shot will ocassionally be removed from the dataset.  These shots include:

Obvious mis-reads

• Shots with missing data
• Shots with negative spin rates (indicative of a mis-read)
• Well struck balls where the result exceeds the realistic capabilities of our golfer
  • For example: a well struck shot 30 yards longer/shorter than any other

Grossly mis-hit balls

• Anything hit off the crown (sky balls)
• Balls struck with the extreme bottom of the clubface
• Severe slices or hooks that land in the wooded areas of the virtual driving range

Although not included specifically in the ratings, forgiveness at either end of the spectrum will be discussed in the review.

All valid shots will be included on a per-golfer basis to calculate averages for:

• Carry Distance
• Total Distance
• Ball Speed
• Launch Angle
• Spin Rate
• Deviation from the target line

For every review the results will be posted in table form.

Performance Table for MGS SuperComp5 Driver (*example)

Finally, each review will include a summary detailing what we liked, didn’t like, as well as our overall thoughts on the club(s), including. For individual club reviews a final score will be awarded. For head to head reviews, we’ll include ranking information from our surveys and Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals will be awarded. Unlike some other publications, advertising dollars will have no impact on our rankings, and we promise that, failing an absolute tie in the overall score, only one gold medal will be awarded.

MYGOLFSPY 2009 RUMOR NOW CONFIRMED! (PUMA BUYS COBRA GOLF)

MGS was the first to give you this possible big golf news back in August of 2009 when we were hearing lots of rumors from credible sources and we also ran across some interesting Puma driver drawings that made us think they were thinking more and more about jumping into the equipment side of the industry.  And today that news was confirmed!  Puma is set to buy Cobra Golf!  Amazing news for Puma.  We just hope they handle this great brand and product the right way.  There is amazing potential for this brand.  They year in and year out fly under the radar with some of the best golf products on the market.

The press release with all the info is below about the sale and we also wanted to include some of the earlier drawing and a link to the previous article we highlighted way back in August of last year.  READ AUGUST 2009 ARTICLE

DEERFIELD, Ill., Mar 10, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — Fortune Brands, Inc. /quotes/comstock/13*!fo (FO 46.45, -0.03, -0.07%) today announced a definitive agreement for the sale of its Cobra golf brand to PUMA AG. The sale includes the Cobra brand, as well as related inventory, intellectual property and endorsement contracts.

“Divesting the Cobra brand will enable us to drive shareholder value by concentrating our golf investments behind Titleist and FootJoy, which represent our highest return growth opportunities in golf,” said Bruce Carbonari, chairman and chief executive officer of Fortune Brands. “With Titleist and FootJoy, we will continue to have the leading worldwide position in the attractive golf consumer products category, and we are very well positioned to drive growth as the market stabilizes in 2010 and recovers in the years ahead.”

Titleist is the #1 ball in golf and FootJoy is the #1 shoe and glove in golf. As the company’s flagship golf club brand, Titleist generates the majority of the company’s sales in the golf club category. In 2009, Titleist golf club sales grew in a global golf club market that declined at a mid-teens rate.

“With the sale of Cobra, we have the opportunity to devote all of our resources to the global growth of our industry-leading Titleist and FootJoy brands,” said Wally Uihlein, CEO of Acushnet Company, the golf business of Fortune Brands. “As we continue innovating, competing for market share in the U.S. and expanding internationally, we believe Titleist and FootJoy will be the industry’s most powerful platforms for profitable long-term growth. At the same time, Cobra is a strong brand with a heritage of innovation, and we wish the quality associates guiding the brand future success.”

Acushnet will provide transition services to PUMA on behalf of Cobra — including production, distribution, field sales and customer service — for an agreed-upon period of time beyond closing of the sale. All Acushnet employees dedicated to the Cobra brand are expected to become employees of PUMA upon completion of the transaction.

Fortune Brands expects the sale to be approximately two cents dilutive to 2010 earnings per share before a one-time gain on sale of approximately five cents per share. Financial terms of the pending transaction were not immediately disclosed.

The sale is subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The companies anticipate the transaction will close early in the second quarter.

The Story Of: Ontic Golf Putters

Today at MyGolfSpy we wanted to introduce you to man with an immense passion for designing putters.  We met Bernie a couple years ago at the PGA Show…we had seen his putters before (Ontic Golf) although we never got to meet the man behind the designs.  There are a lot of believers in his putter system out there so we struck up some conversations with the owner and over the past few months we have gotten to know more about him and his incredible drive to get his putters in more golfers hands to see what they are all about.

I always enjoy hearing how a product got dreamed up and brought to life.  And the concept Bernie developed for his putters is one many golfers struggle with and that is having the correct lie angle on their putters…which this system all but eliminates.  We will soon be testing and reviewing the Ontic Putter line and will give you more feedback in the coming weeks.  Below are some testimonials from previous users.

Testimonials:

• “The Ontic mallet putter is the best putter we have seen for making straight putts in the 4-10 ft range, which is really the most important distance where a putter can really help a golfer. You have really got something here. All of my testing administrators have used the putter you sent and each one feels it is one of the best 5 or 10 putters they have used, which is really saying a lot.” Wayne Williams

  Testing Director
  Golf Test USA
  Green Valley, AZ

• “The Ontic™ M-Pulse is simply an engineering marvel. The ease in which you can adjust the lie angle while maintaining complete face balance is amazing. Knowing that your putter is always square to your target is amazing, and it gives you that added confidence to make more putts. The soft feel of the aluminum face allows you to control your speed on today’s fast greens. I believe that a custom-fit putter is the wave of the future. You would be hard pressed to pry my Ontic M-Pulse out of my hands!” Kevin Arnold

  Teaching Pro
  Diamond Springs Golf Course

• “Your putter is a very interesting design and high-quality machining. All the weight is in the center of the putting head, or directly behind the ball, which makes the putter feel very solid. I love the lie angle adjustment feature, which is great for custom fitting.”
  
  Jack M.
  Golf Works

It Started With A Dream

It started with a dream around 2 am in 1987; a dream so vivid that I shot out of bed to sketch the idea and write a short note.

The dream concept would change the shape of the putter sole. The new sole would both lower the heel and toe shape and add mass for more weight in the heel and toe of the putter.  The new design would be called “Dynamic Sole Technology (DST)”.  DST is the perfect sole platform for custom fitting the putter for the precise lie angle to the individual golfer. It is the only sole design to insure a consistent lie angle, then for a consistent length.  The result would produce consistent set-up, consistent eye and ball position for the individual golfers set-up ritual.  The dream was the beginning of the journey to design putters around this DST sole, the Flag Ship design for all Ontic Putters.

Our DST design would increase MOI long before the concept of MOI became a popular term.  The test data on our DST design showed that a putter resting flat to the surface produced straighter line roll and distance control.  Also, the data showed that a face loft angle between 2-3 degrees would produce better roll rates, and consistent distance control. We started making putters at 2.5 degrees in 1987 when the rest of the Industry was 4 degrees or more.  Today many putters are below 3 degrees and Tiger is around 1.5 degrees.

I had no idea at the time what it would take, or the costs involved to keep moving forward.  I was naive as to what it would take to market our innovative designed putters and to get out the message about the features and benefits of the DST sole.  After making the first sketch, it was more than two years before the first investment cast die was made and we poured our first, original putter head. The original design, The Pinnich, was only made for a few years.  It would be another 1 ½ years to get our Patent approval and USGA conformance.

The next design would be our Signature Series Tour Blade.  This putter is still being used and has set a few course records by amateur players.

And Ontic Golf Was Founded

It is impossible to detail all the events from the start of the process to now. From 1987 until 2003 I was content to custom make putters for individuals, work on new design concepts, and instruct putting and the short game. From the beginning, the putters I made were mostly a hobby that continued to grow strictly by word of mouth. It was a hobby for me because my career path was outside the golf industry, and I could not devote enough time just making putters.

Ontic Golf Group, LLC was founded in 2003 after a few players convinced me my design needed to be made for the rest of the golf community. It would be a rough start, since only one person was a PGA member.   We introduced a new putter, The Classic, and soon followed with the Signature Series Tour Blade.  However, trying to custom fit our putter designs on the web site was a major challenge.

The Importance Of Lie Angle In A Putter

To educate the golfer as to the importance of a custom fit lie angle and to over come the fitting process, we engineered our M-PULSE Series designs. The M-PULSE series putters took over seventeen months to develop, and to complete the USGA conformance and patent process.   A breakthrough in lie angle adjusting and locking system.  A quantum leap in putter innovation.

The M-PULSE made its debut at the 2008 PGA Show.  Strong reviews, excellent test data reports, other course records, 2nd place finish in Junior Nationals, Orlando, sales in six countries would soon follow.   However, breaking into the national market has been difficult for our small company financially, but we continue to press forward.  There has been some pressure to cut our cost by going off shore, but I totally reject the thought.  Being made in the USA is important to me and to our country.

It started as a dream;  it has become much more.  Having a custom-fit putter will make you a better putter. After all, the real scoring game is on the green, and making putts will significantly lower your score.  Johnny Miller said it best during the 2009 Ryder Cup, “It’s the putter that lights the fire.”  The Ontic M-PULSE Series putters will “LIGHT THE FIRE TM”.   I guarantee a custom- fit putter will make you more consistent, and only the DST sole can make that statement.  You can not have a consistent lie angle on a convex sole.

Getting Our Message Out There

We have much to do to get our message out. Great things are propelling us forward, but it has not been easy.  It is much more difficult today because the major players in the golf industry can buy the markets.  New innovation and ideas are coming from small companies.  Hope you will give us a try.

Just one more story I would like to tell.  In 1963 I was being interviewed for a Sales Engineer position. I was asked if I played golf.  Without hesitation, I stated, “I am NOT going to play that stupid game.”  Now I have a number of golf patents, own a golf company and in 1990, attempted to qualify for the Senior Champions Tour through the Q School, two Senior US Open qualifiers, and a few Monday qualifiers.  I soon learned it takes more than a good game.

Have a dream, define it and be persistent.  It takes a never, never give up attitude.  Stay tuned for more innovation and announcements soon.

“VISION IS BEYOND SEEING”

Bernie Pinder
President
Ontic Golf Group, LLC

For More Info on Ontic Putters: CLICK HERE

Have You Ever Putter With An Ontic?  If So Tell Us What you Think.

Alright guys…I think you are going to love today’s article!  Today you get a SUPER inside look at the type story I love to hear and read myself.  In my golf career I have been fortunate enough to get to meet some of the best golf club designers there are in the business.  And probably my favorite thing to hear about is how some of the old designs came to be…and the whole process behind their creation.

And today that is just what you are going to get to see!  This one comes to you from Jeff Sheets from Sheets Design Group.  The members of the Sheets Design Group have participated in the design and development of hundreds of golf club models over the past two decades. From tournament player designs to game improvement models the Sheets Design Group has had a hand in shaping the direction of today’s high tech golf equipment industry.

Some of the companies they have designed for include: MacGregor, Ben Hogan, Wilson Staff, GolfSmith, Lynx, Founder’s Club, Top-Flite and many more.

And today you get to hear about how an interesting fairway wood design came about while working hand and hand with Lee Trevino.  This is a story you will not want to miss!

Design Retrospect:  The Trevino Spoiler Sole Woods

By Jeff Sheets
Sheets Design Group

As a golf club designer, “How do you come up with many of your golf club concepts?” is a question I am asked rather frequently.  Every design goes through a metamorphous on its way to the market but some have pretty interesting roots to them.  A project I recall from many years ago is a fairway wood family with a bounce sole design that led to some rather intriguing performance benefits.  Why place bounce on the sole of a fairway wood?  It was one of those brainstorming questions that gets tossed back and forth between two designers who are trying to think outside of the box.  The two designers in this particular case were Lee Trevino and me.

Working on Prototypes w/Lee Trevino

I had the privilege of working closely with Trevino over the course of four years when I headed up Spalding Top-Flite’s golf club R&D group.  Even though I had a large professional staff and a close working relationship with Payne Stewart, Craig Stadler, D.A. Weibring, Rick Smith, among many others, it was Lee who I enjoyed conceptualizing with the most.  Not only was his candid approach to creation a great pleasure, but his insights to club performance and anticipating expectations from various golfing abilities was very much on his radar.

The amount of time spent testing prototypes on the driving range was invaluable.  I remember on one occasion, after showing up with an incredible amount of test clubs for Lee to hit, I wore him down to the point where he was hitting clubs shirtless.  Lee was sweating so much his caddie Herman Mitchell wouldn’t get near him.  Not exactly the professional touring pro image people think of, but in Lee’s case, he wasn’t going to let me down when we had an important chore like club testing ahead of us.

24-Hours Later The Bounce Sole Concept Was Born

But I digress.  Back to the bounce sole concept on the fairway woods.  The bounce concept was a seed that had somehow evolved in Trevino’s thoughts.  The only way to dispel his concept was to create a prototype and test it.  When Lee would come up with ideas he would contact me.  “Jeff, what if we were to stop polishing the face of the wedge and instead left it naturally coarse following the casting process?”  Thus, the Top-Flite ‘As-Cast’ wedges were born.  “Jeff, could you create me a fairway wood with a sand wedge sole on it?”  Twenty-four hours later, Lee had a mocked up prototype in his hands.

The prototype was quickly created by applying some automotive Bondo to the sole of a Top-Flite 5-wood.  “Bondo Bob” Vokey introduced me to the quick modeling technique when we worked in R&D together at Founders Club in the early 1990’s.  Lee had his model in hand the next day but I never heard back from him if the sole shape was what he was looking for.  I did however receive a phone call from our Top-Flite tour rep telling me “whatever it is you sent Lee, he put on a clinic yesterday hitting a variety of shots from the driving range bunker . . . . oh, by the way, he’s also on the cover of the Palm Springs sport section swinging the club.  Is that okay?”  Well of course it wasn’t okay.  The model was never intended to be shafted up, much less hit or used in an exhibition.  Lee was letting the cat out of the bag long before we applied for our patent on it or targeted a launch date.

The Birth Of A Golf Club!

As we continued to test the concept I was able to model the design into a product that Top-Flite introduced as the Intimidator 400 fairway woods.  The concept was quite novel.  As the loft of each fairway wood increased so did the amount of bounce on the sole.  Bounce is the angle of the sole in relation to the ground line.  It is most prominent on sand wedges but most irons have a progressive amount of sole bounce as the lofts increase.  As the golf swing becomes steeper there is a need for bounce to keep the wedge from creating too deep of a divot.  Less bounce is required on more sweeping swings associated with lower lofted irons.  Woods have virtually no bounce to their soles.  Instead they use a radius.  But in the case of the Intimidator 400 woods the bounce angle to the sole created some interesting dynamics.  The concept was termed as the “Spoiler” sole because the bounce angle created a shape reminiscent of an automotive spoiler as each wood sat propped in a golf bag. The “Spoiler” sole virtually eliminated fat shots with the fairway woods.  As the sole would make contact with the turf, the trailer edge with the bounce would make contact with the ground first.  This would force the leading edge to centrifugally ride along the turf ahead of it. This worked well with the sole slightly concave.  It would also make hitting a shot laying submerged in a divot a rather simple execution.  In fact, Lee would often step on a golf ball to bury it half way and then hit it cleanly using one of the Intimidator 400 fairway woods to show how well it worked.

Naturally hitting shots from the fairway bunkers could be executed with the ease of a sand club.  The higher bounced 7 and 9-woods were outstanding clubs from 150-190 yards out.

Many higher handicap golfers greatly praised the Intimidator 400 woods. For many of them their slices straightened out.  A simple understanding of bounce angle to turf relationship easily explains this phenomenon but to many golfers it was pure ‘magic’.  If you have never hit a wood with bounce on the sole it can easily be imagined by understanding your sand club.  Take a sand wedge with a high bounce angle (10° or higher) and set it in the center of your stance on a firm surface.  Because the trailing edge of the sole projects lower than the leading edge the wedge rotates to a closed face angle when you let go of the grip and allow the club to rest.  The higher the bounce angle the more it will rotate closed.  The Spoiler sole acted in this same manner.  In fact, the firmer that the golfer hit the turf with the Intimidator woods the more dynamically the face would rotate closed upon impact.  For golfers who display difficulties rotating the clubface to a square position the dynamics from the sole automatically executed this for you.  While being ‘magic’ to higher handicappers I had to do some custom sole grinds for our touring staff just as I would custom grind a sand wedge sole. Because the woods were cast in thick soled titanium there was plenty of material to work with when grinding. Ultimately the Intimidator 400 fairway woods offered versatility for shot making under a wide range of lie conditions.  It was even a breeze off of concrete (my clubs have the scars to prove it).

15 Years After The Concept Was Created

It’s been nearly 15 years since I created that first bounce sole fairway wood prototype for Trevino. He used at least one loft of that set for many years to come, long after the product was no longer sold by Top-Flite.  The concept proved out so well with fairway woods that I eventually created a set of Intimidator irons that incorporated the bounce sole.  However due to posturing of different product lines and a change in marketing direction Top-Flite never introduced the iron set.  I was eventually able to bring the irons to market about six years later when I carried the concept over to Golfsmith’s Special Force woods and irons.  Today, you can find Intimidator 400 fairway woods for a song on the internet.  For a 100% titanium fairway wood head they are a tremendous value.

You can learn about some of the other unique golf club models I have developed over the years on my website Sheets Design Group and more Tales From The Tour in my book The Perfect Fit at SheetsPublishing.com.

RELATED ARTICLES:

- How It’s Made! – {SeeMore Putters}
- How A Golf Club Head Design >>> Comes To Life!

Dynacraft Prophet Tour Review

While the sad reality is that most golfers probably won’t look any further than the big name manufacturers when shopping for their next set of irons, we think it’s always worth bringing some of the smaller, lesser-known component companies into the discussion.  Really, should a quality component manufacturer be ignored simply because their logo isn’t stitched (in orange thread no less) across Rickie Fowler’s backside? Not only are many component companies you may never have heard of churning out products that are often on par with those of the major OEMS, but because smaller companies don’t have to worry about things like PGA sponsorships and multi-million dollar advertising budgets, these less-than-household names can afford to offer competitive products at significantly lower cost to the consumer.

What We Tested, and How We Tested It

Our new testing methodology, which we think will prove to be the most comprehensive and unbiased set of club testing procedures found anywhere (online or in print), includes a balance of subjective feedback  (look, feel, sound), as well as detailed ball flight analysis.  The next generation of reviews from MyGolfSpy will include what we call SpecCheck; a series of tests designed to determine if the clubs you buy are truly the clubs you get.

A full overview of our new testing procedures will be posted soon, and rest assured future reviews will be much more data intensive.

For this review Hireko Golf sent us a set of their Dynacraft Prophet Blades (3-PW), equipped with TrueTemper Dynamic Gold S300 shafts.  Because Dynacraft is a component company, this review features a less comprehensive version of both SpecCheck and our performance tests.  Here’s how we tested:

• All performance testing was done on state-of-the-art 3Trak equipped simulators from aboutGolf at Tark’s Indoor Golf; an indoor golf, club fitting and repair facility located in Saratoga Springs, NY.
• Prior to performance testing, the entire set was measured for lie and loft on a STEELCLUB® Plus Angle Machine from Mitchell Golf.  For any head that measured outside of MyGolfSpy’s tolerances for lie or loft (± .5°) points were deducted accordingly.
• A group of golfers consisting of high, middle and low handicap golfers was asked to hit several shots with both the 6 iron and pitching wedge so that we could accurately calculate averages for both overall distance, and deviation from the target line.
• When possible, golfers were asked to hit several shots with their own clubs so that comparative data could be collected.
• Our 3 testers, as well as several testers for whom comprehensive data was not collected were asked to subjectively rate the irons for looks, feel, and overall value.
• Points from all scoring categories were tallied to arrive at our final score.

Looks – Simply Exquisite

The Prophet Tours feature a glossy black PVD coating that gives the irons a distinct, sophisticated look.  No matter who we showed it to (man or woman) everyone we showed the Prophet Tour to absolutely loved the smokey black finish.  Most of the golfers we spoke with feel the Prophet Tour looks as good, or better, than anything they’ve seen from the major OEMs.

Apart from the finish, the Prophet Tour feature a reasonably compact blade style head.  It is worth noting that the Prophet Tour has more offset than one might typically find in a blade – especially in the longer irons.  Some low handicappers may not approve, but since the Prohpet Tour is billed as more of a transitional iron (for the mid-handicapper closing in on single digits), the additional forgiveness provided by the offset should make the club more appealing for the mid-low handicap golfer.

Visible on the back of the clubhead is what Dynacraft calls a stability slot.  Basically they’ve milled out a section of the head so that more of the overall mass is shifted to the bottom of the club.  Those of you familiar with Mizuno’s “pocket cavity” design will not doubt find similarities.  It’s a design that for the most part we like, however, Kent, our low handicap tester felt the cavity was unnecessary in the shorter irons. It’s a point we’re inclined to agree with.

>> Looks: 8 out of 10

Feel – Pretty good…no more, no less

We had three golfers (low, middle, and high handicap) take several swings with the Prophet Tour 6-iron and pitching wedge.  While no golfer who tested the Prophet Tour would classify the feel as great or outstanding, the general consensus among our middle and low handicap golfers was that the Prophet Tour felt “pretty good”.  As one might expect our low handicapper hit nearly every ball on the center of the clubface, so he really couldn’t say how mis-hits feel.  Anthony, our high handicap golfer, who felt the Prophet Tours felt just ok on solid shots, labeled the Prohpet Tours “downright uncomfortable” when less than solidly struck.

We’re less than concerned about the prospect of the Prophet Tours feeling harsh on mis-hit balls.  These are, after-all, better players clubs, and most better players demand exactly the kind of feedback provided by the Prophet Tours.  It’s also not unrealistic to think that golfers who’ve grown accustomed to oversized cavitybacks designed to make hosel rockets feel as buttery soft as grandma’s biscuits, aren’t going to enjoy the less than subtle vibrations that come from a ball struck 1/4 inch from the toe.

What we took away from our feel testing is that although the Prophet Blades don’t feel quite as good as a forged iron from Mizuno or Titleist, the feel as good as many cast irons on the market today, and significantly better than department store junk.

>> Feel: 7.5 out of 10

SpecCheck – Not up to par

A new feature of MGS club reviews is a little something we like to call SpecCheck.  We’ll be comparing the actual specifications of the clubs we test against the manufacturers stated specifications.  We want to make sure that the manufacturers are delivering what they say they are.  You can expect future iterations of SpecCheck to include an unprecedented amount of detail, but since we’re reviewing the Prophet Tour irons as components, and not a complete set, we limited our tests to loft and lie measurements.

Through our testing we discovered that 6 of the 8 clubs we received actually fell outside of MyGolfSpy’s .5 degree tolerances (when compared to published specifications) for lie, loft or both.  The biggest discrepancy we found with with the loft of the 3 iron.  Although the published specifications for the head call for 21° of loft, we measured the club at 24° - meaning that the 3 iron and the 4 iron (which measured within our tolerances), were effectively the same (apart from the longer shaft of the 3 iron).  It goes without saying that we find a 3° discrepancy unacceptable.  From a consumer perspective, it’s safe to say that we’d sent the head back.

Dynacraft Prophet Tour SpecCheck sheet:

With the exception of the 3 degree discrepancy in the loft of the 3 iron (bending a cast head 3° is a hairy proposition at best), it would be reasonably easy to bend the clubs to spec, but realistically, the average golfer probably has neither the tools nor the inclination to do so.

>> SpecCheck:  21 out of 25

Performance

While I’d never dream of telling you that looks don’t matter (nobody wants to play with an ugly club), but performance is where the rubber meets the road, or at least where the steel meets the surlyn.

While we didn’t collect the kind of detailed data you’ll find in our future reviews, we did have our golfers hit shots with both the 6 iron and the pitching wedge.

• HIGH-HANDICAPPER – Anthony, our high handicapper was all over the map with the  Prophet Tour blades.  He quickly learned that, like most irons designed for the better player, there are sometimes severe distance penalties to be paid for mis-hitting the golf ball.  From an accuracy standpoint Anthony felt that they were about the same as his current irons – a notion that supports the contention that the Dynacraft Prophet Tours are an easy to hit blade.  Surprisingly, Anthony felt that the Prophet Tours were nearly a full club longer than his current irons; an notion fully supported by the raw distance data we did collect.
• MID-HANDICAPPER – Dan, our middle handicapper also felt the sting of distance lost on mis-hit balls – at least in comparison to his current cavity backs.  For well struck balls, however, Dan found distance to be lockstep with his current setup.  On the day we did our testing he didn’t have his own clubs with him, but since he’s used the simulator on several prior occasions we don’t have any cause to doubt him.
• LOW HANDICAPPER – Kent, our low handicap golfer (and PGA teaching professional) also found distance right in line with his current irons.  Watching him hit shot after hot nearly straight down the target line was hard for this average golfer to stomach, but it wasn’t until we looked at the numbers and discovered that he averaged just a hair over 3 yards off the center line did we realize that the Prophet Tours, when placed in the right hands, are very much a serious players iron.

“These things have razor blades for grooves” – Kent T (low handicap golfer)

While overall the Prophet Tours outperformed our first expectations, it’s worth noting that the grooves, especially those on the pitching wedge, are absolutely brutal on the cover of a golf ball.  I’ve tested a number of clubs over the years, but have never seen anything (Vokey SpinMilled and Callaway MacDaddy wedges included) shred the cover of a golf ball like the Prophet Tours.

The golf balls provided by aboutGolf for use on their 3Trak equipped simulators are just a hair softer than the average steel pipe, and yet by the time we were done our simulator mat looked like somebody had been grating cheese over it.   While we suspect the grooves will dull over time, we’re wondering how many $4 golf balls get chewed to the mantle before that happens.

>> Performance: 38 out of 50

Value – A good product at a great price

All 3 of our formal testers said that overall they liked the Prophet Tour blades.  Dan, our mid-handicapper (who looking for new irons) said he’d definitely consider the Prophet Tour blades, especiall when we told him that the cost ($35,95 each / 287.60 assembled – 3-PW) was roughly one third the cost of similar OEM blades.  While based on performance alone, our low handicap golfer rated the irons as a 7 out of 10, from a value perspective, they’re easily an 8 out of 10.  Our other testers thought that number might actually be a little low.

>> Value: 8.5 out of 10

Conclusion – Not for everyone, but an excellent value proposition

While the Dynacraft Prophet Tours received low marks on our SpecCheck (which put a significant ding in the  total score), overall, we came away pleasantly surprised and even a little bit impressed.   Not surprisingly our high handicap golfer said he probably wouldn’t consider buying a set for himself, but both our middle and low handicap golfers thought enough of the clubs to say that they would at least consider Dynacraft’s Prophet Tour irons when it comes time to buy their next set.

>> Total Score: 83 out of 100

(MORE INFO ON DYNACRAFT PROPHET IRONS:)  CLICK HERE

11,210 Reasons To Join – The “NEW Top-Secret Golf Forum!”

It has been a long time coming but the wait is finally over.  The MyGolfSpy forum officially launched today and it’s doors are now open!  And we are giving away $11,210 in golf equipment for those that join.

And we just turned the site on…so now is the time to get ahead of the competition and go sign-up…right here, right now:

The “Biggest Golf Forum CONTEST Ever!” will start today and run from (March 1 – April 1) and whoever accumulates the most points over the next month will WIN a Golf Package Worth $3,940 in Golf Equipment! But…you can’t win if you don’t join…so go right now and become a member of the MGS Forum.  There is no deadline to sign-up but if you go sign-up right now and start posting you can get ahead of the crowd and start accumulating points before all the competition.

If you have not clicked one of the links above yet…we figured we will show you what is up for grabs for those who join and win!  We have put together an absolutely HUGE list of prizes (actually $11,210 in Prizes) for you guys to win. There will be 10 Winners like we said previously with the Grand Prize Winner Getting $3,940 In Golf Gear! And we want to thanks all the sponsors who took part in what we are sure will be the BIGGEST 1-Day Golf Forum Launch Ever!

>>>>   WHAT THE WINNERS WILL GET (1st -10th Place)   <<<<

Grand Prize

• Solus Golf (Tour Only)Package = $2000
• Mizuno MP-58 Iron Set = $1000
• Cleveland DST Launcher Driver = $350
• Bettinardi Studio Stock 3C Putter = $365
• Adams Golf FAST 10 Fairway Wood = $225

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $3,940

Second Place

• Callaway Golf Diablo FORGED Iron Set = $1000
• Callaway Jaws Wedge Set = $400
• Cleveland DST Launcher Driver = $350
• Bettinardi Studio Stock 3C Putter = $365
• Cleveland BRZ Putter = $100

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $2,215

Third Place

• Cleveland DST Launcher Driver = $350
• Cleveland CG15 Wedge Set  = $390
• Byron Custom Putter Package = $650
• Cleveland BRZ Putter = $100

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $1,490

Fourth Place

• Scratch Golf HANDMADE Putter = $425
• Wilson Golf Padriag Harrington Tour Golf Bag & Autographed Pic  = $400
• Wilson Golf FYbrid Wood or Hybrid= $200
• Never Compromise NCX Putter = $170

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $1,195

Fifth Place

• Scratch Golf HANDMADE Wedge = $425
• Seemore Golf m2 Platinum Putter = $325
• Adams Golf FAST 10 Fairway Wood = $225
• Cleveland BRZ Putter = $100

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $1,075

Sixth Place

• Seemore Golf m2 Platinum Putter = $325
• Wilson Golf FYbrid Wood or Hybrid= $200

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $525

Seventh Place

• Wilson Golf FYbrid Wood or Hybrid= $200
• Never Compromise NCX Putter= $170

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $370

Eight Place

• Never Compromise NCX Putter= $170

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $170

Ninth Place

• Never Compromise NCX Putter= $170

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $170

Tenth Place

• Never Compromise NCX Putter= $170

>> TOTAL PACKAGE = $170

STILL NOT CONVINCED?

Still not convinced about joining the new golf forum…well maybe this will push you over the edge if that didn’t.  If you like all the killer sneak-peeks photos and top-secret golf news on the blog…then you will surely want to join the forum.  Because you will get tons more top-secret pics and news on the forum.  That is because the forum allows us to post all the items that might not make it to the blog.  So if you want to get even more inside scoop about the golf industry the forum is a must.

“Biggest Golf Forum Launch Contest Ever!”

OK MyGolfSpy’ers…it’s almost officially time to launch the brand new MyGolfSpy forum (Launches March 1st). We have gotten so many emails from you guys asking us to start one that we decided to make it happen for you guys. And because we want to make this the most incredible golf forum we thought we would start it off with a BANG! With the “Biggest Golf Forum Launch Contest Ever Contest!“.  This will most likely be the largest first day launch of any golf forum ever to take place on the web!

We have put together an absolutely HUGE list of prizes (actually $11,210 in Prizes) for you guys to win. So how do you enter? And what are the prizes (listed below)? Well, all you have to do is become a member of the new MGS Forum when it launches on March 1st…and then start posting about the topics of your choice…that’s it! But if you want to gain some serious extra points in the contest make sure to read below:

How The Contest Works:

Ok…The contest will run from (March 1 – April 1) and is based on points that you accumulate through various means. You can get points in many ways so make sure to read below for all the ways to accumulate the most points for the contest.

* Become Member at MGS Forum (10 Points) – New Registered members get 10 points!
 How easy is that…just become a member and you already have got 10 points.
* Posting on Forum (1 Point Each) – Each post from the start date of this contest gets you 1 point.
 Well we mean actual posts not just a couple letters or a one word answer. We want this forum to be the most informative and educational on the web…just keep that in mind.
* Twitter & Facebook (3 Points) – Post a link on your Twitter or Facebook account about the launch gets you 3 points.
 With a max of (3) posts which equals (9) points total allowed. Simply post the following into to your account: “BIGGEST GOLF FORUM LAUNCH EVER!”  {$11,210 in Prizes!) … http://budurl.com/MGSforumLAUNCH
* Refer-A-Friend (15 Points) - Each referral gets you 15 points. LEARN MORE SOON
* Article Submission (15 Points) – Each article you submit will earn you 25 points. 
Have a blog or do you want to contribute to a blog? If so and you get your article posted about the new launch of the MyGolfSpy forum and you will get 25 points.

THE $11,210 WORTH OF PRIZES!!!!!

1. SOLUS GOLF

- (PRIZE!) – Tour Issued FC-10 Wedges  (52, 56, 60)

• BUILT ON PGA TOUR VAN! - These wedges will be shafted with KBS Tour “Black Nickel” wedge shafts – these are the “Tour Issue Only” model.  The clubs will be set at Solus pro specs for loft and lie angles and gripped with the Golf Pride Black/White Multi-compound grips.  These clubs will be custom built on site at a PGA Tour event in our Tour Van and will be marked accordingly.  These club heads and shafts are only available to PGA Tour Pros and cannot be purchased by the consumer!

TOTAL VALUE = $2,000

LINK: Solus Golf

2. CLEVELAND GOLF

- (PRIZE!) – (3) Launcher DST Ultralite Drivers

• New Launcher® DST™ Driver – Lighter, faster and longer, the Launcher® DST™ driver uses Sub 300 gram Ultralite Technology to make it 25 grams lighter than standard drivers, producing faster clubhead speed for longer drives.  The pear-shaped 460cc clubhead has a look, sound and feel geared toward the player looking for high performance with an eye on tradition.

- (PRIZE!) – (3) Cleveland CG 15 Wedges

• Cleveland® Golf/Srixon® – is pleased to announce the introduction of the ultimate wedge to their wedge family, the CG15™. The new CG15™ combines classic wedge design with advanced manufacturing technology. Adding to our breakthrough ZIP GROOVES™ technology, the CG15™ features a revolutionary surface roughness technology called LASER MILLED™.

- (PRIZE!) – (3) Cleveland BRZ Putters

• Cleveland BRZ Putters – Inspired by the classics and crafted for performance, these classic putters feature a bronze finish with a copper infused face insert for a soft yet responsive feel. All four models have heel-toe weighting which increases MOI for added forgiveness, while helping to limit unwanted twisting on off-center hits.

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $1740

LINK: Cleveland Golf

3. CALLAWAY GOLF

- (PRIZE!) – Diablo Forged Iron Set

• The Forged Iron for the Rest of Us – Callaway has reached a new level of performance in a forged iron, offering avid players the chance to play with irons featuring all the benefits of a Tour-level set. These clubs provide golfers the best distance they have ever seen in a Callaway forged iron with unprecedented feel, accuracy and forgiveness.

- (PRIZE!) – Callaway Jaws Wedge Set (52, 56, 60)

• Designed by Callaway Golf’s Chief Designer Roger Cleveland and named by Callaway Staff Professional Phil Mickelson, the X Series Jaws Wedges produce maximum spin and versatility for the short game results you’ve always dreamed of. Plus, the forged carbon steel provides Tour-level feel.

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $1400

LINK: Callaway Golf

4. MIZUNO GOLF

- (PRIZE!) – Mizuno MP-58 Iron Set

• Introducing the new MP-58 irons with revolutionary DUAL MUSCLE TITANIUM™ Technology, “Editor’s Choice” award winner in Golf Digest’s 2010 Hot List.  During the complex Grain Flow Forging process, a high-tech Titanium metal is forged into the outer muscle of the iron, which not only delivers the feel, workability and shape every MP player desires, but also takes playability in an MP iron to a whole new technological level.

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $1000

LINK: Mizuno Golf

5. WILSON GOLF

- (PRIZE!) – The Official Padraig Harrington 9.5” Tour Bag
- (PRIZE!) – Autographed Picture of Padraig Harrington w/Claret Jug and Wanamaker trophy!
- (PRIZE!) – (3) Wilson Staff FYbrid Fairway Woods or Hybrids

• “Be the lucky one to win an official Wilson Staff tour bag from Padraig Harrington!  You’ll also receive an authentic autographed photo of Padraig and your very own FYbrid 5 wood that he used to win the British Open!”

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $1000

LINK: Wilson Golf

6. NEVER COMPROMISE

- (PRIZE!) – (5) NCX-RAY Putters

• Never Compromise® proudly introduces their latest NCX-RAY™ line of putters. In a recent GOLF.com putter test, conducted by Hot Stix Golf, the NCX-RAY™ outperformed a dozen top competitor’s mallet putters in distance roll on heel, toe and center hits.  The NCX-RAY™ is rapidly growing in popularity on the PGA Tour, already having found its way into the bag of eleven PGA Tour professionals, including the likes of Vijay Singh, Joe Durant, Kent Jones and Stephen Marino.

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $850

LINK: Never Compromise

7. SCRATCH GOLF

- (PRIZE!) – Scratch Ultimate Custom Short Game Package!

• Hand-Made Putter – custom putter made by Scratch Putter Designer Jeff McCoy
• Hand-Made Custom Wedge – custom made wedge by famous wedge grinder Don White!

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $850

LINK: Scratch Golf

8. BETTINARDI PUTTERS

- (PRIZE!) – (2) Bettinardi Studio Stock 3C

• This new face-balanced mallet design features simple and elegant milling, which artfully executes the optimum weight distribution for a top performing putter. The Model 3 has a classic mallet profile at address and incorporates arched pocket muscles on the heel and toe for enhanced perimeter weighting. The putter head weighs 345 grams and is finished in a luxurious triple black oxide finish.

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $730

LINK: Bettinardi

9. SEEMORE PUTTERS

- (PRIZE!) – (1) SeeMore M2 Platinum

• Classic small blade, and is the only true heel shaft putter in the SeeMore mSeries line. Alignment benefits of RifleScope Technology (RST). The m2w is offset version. Full toe hang straight down on m2, slightly less on the m2w, which is best for those who prefer offset anser-style. 100% milled stainless steel, with milled aluminum back cavity insert behind the face for enhanced feel and enlarged sweet spot. Platinum finish.

- (PRIZE!) – (1) SeeMore M3W Platinum

• Midsize mallet style putter with two small vents cut into the back flange. Alignment benefits of RifleScope Technology (RST). The m3w is offset version. Toe hang 60 degrees down on m3, slightly less on the m3w, which is best for those who prefer offset small mallets. 100% milled stainless steel, with milled aluminum back cavity insert behind the face for enhanced feel and enlarged sweet spot. Platinum finish.

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $650

LINK: SeeMore Putters

10. BYRON PUTTERS

- (PRIZE!) – (1) DH-89 Anniversary Double Torched Putter
- (PRIZE!) – (1) New Sally By The Beach Towel
- (PRIZE!) – (1) Byron Surfboard Divot Tool

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $650

LINK: Byron Putters

11. ADAMS GOLF

- (PRIZE!) – (2) Speedline FAST 10 – 5 Woods w/Wasabi Shafts

• Want Easier‑to‑hit And Longer Shots Off The Tee? Or From The Fairway? This new generation Speedline FAST 10 Fairway Wood features precision milling for exacting design specs, optimized center‑of‑gravity and premium aesthetics. The sole camber was also increased for playability from all lies.

TOTAL PACKAGE VALUE = $450

LINK: Adams Golf

Adams Golf – Goes All Black!

No secret MGS loves most of the stuff that Adams is pumping out lately and this year looks like it will be no different.  Well at least looks wise…with their recent success of the Pro Black Hybrid which won 1st place in the 2010 MyGolfSpy PGA Show Awards they hope to continue the success of the Pro Black line with golfers.  We will have to hit them to be able to give them the official MGS thumbs up but again from first looks the news all black sticks look like they might shake up some of the big boys out there.

Let Adams know what you think about their new line-up…Give them your opinion on the NEW! Pro Black 2010 Line-up!

Adams Pro Black CB1 Irons

Adams CB1 Irons

Adams Pro Black CB2 Irons

Adams CB2 Irons

Adams Pro Black Super Hybrid

Adams Black Super Hybrid

Adams Black Puglielli Wedge

Adams Puglielli Wedge Black

Photos from: Primetimegolf.com

FORUM LAUNCHES – MARCH 1ST! ($10,000 In Prizes)

Next month MyGolfSpy will have been online for 2 years…crazy when I think about it.  And over 2,500,000 million golfers have come to visit the sites…really crazy when I think about that.  I think this is because our motto was always simple and one that was needed in the industry.  And that is a voice that tells it like it is and speaks the truth about how we really feel about the industry and its products.  It sure seems to be catching on…we see sites all the time popping up with similar mottos now…and I hope it continues…it is what this and every industry needs.  And I feel you will see this trend grow even more in the near future.  More and more blogs like this and less and less people buying subscriptions to biased based magazines.  Actually that is already happening.

What E-Mail Do We Get The Most?

So out of the 2.5 million golfers that have come to visit us in that time…what is the most common email we get from readers?  Well…the one email we get the most by far from the readers is “Do you plan on starting a forum?”

And up until about 6 months ago I always answered that question with the same answer…”probably not”.  Although we have since changed our minds…because one email after another continued coming in from guys all over the world either un-happy with the other forums they are apart of or just because they simply wanted a place they could come and have a more open discussion with other golfers and actually have their voice heard not shot down by moderators.  So we felt there was another need out there to be filled for golfers. Initially I didn’t think it was a good idea…because there were already some great golf forums out there on the web.  Many of which have been around for a very long time and have accumulated thousands of members and tons of incredible resources for their guests.  But like we said…you guys convinced us that there is a need for a new golf forum with a fresh outlook on the game and how members can interact without be moderated so heavily.

Great Golf Forums…But Missing The Point

So we decided since we were going to do this…we had to improve on what was already out there.  And during the last 6 months I have thought long and hard about that.  What were many of the already great golf forums out there missing?  This quickly became apparent.  Almost none of these so-called forums were actually doing what a forum is supposed to be about! - And that’s a place where you can actually speak your mind. A forum should be a place where you can come to speak your mind and say how you feel about a certain topic or particular interest you have .  Sounds simple right?  Well after years of being online they have almost all seemed to stray from that intention.  Many of them have become more like a dictatorship and less like a democracy.  People getting banned…members getting suspended….getting put in adult time out.  HUH?  We will have rules (actually don’t like that term ours will be called Moral Codes) but they will be the obvious ones that you apply to your regular lives.

So How Will We Improve On The Forums Already Out There?

So if we were going to launch a MGS forum we had to figure out how to improve on what was already out there…that was a must.  So we spent hours going through all the other forums out there and all the hundreds of emails we get from readers having issues with other forums…and came up with a plan on how we would approach each of their downfalls and improve on them for the new MGS Forum.

1. Be 100% Non-Biased – Running a forum costs money that is an unfortunate fact…so most forums to stay up and running look for advertisers to offset those costs…which we will have to do as well.  But what has happened with the majority of these other golf forums out there is that have become biased to their advertisers products.  If they are not nice to them they wont continue to advertise and the forum ceases to exist.  So…if you say something negative about one of those advertiser’s products you might actually be BANNED from ever coming back to that forum.  What is this…Germany back in the old days?  I actually have a email folder full of emails from members of other forums telling me about how they got banned for expressing their opinions. It amazes me how many posts actually get deleted from other forums out there.  We had to fix this issue.  So we decided that in order for the MGS forum to improve on that we will have to do a couple things:
   • One…we will always be honest and un-biased about any product we review or discuss even if it is from one of our advertisers.  The cream will always rise to the top in our opinion anyway…so just tell the people the truth.  Quite simple…if you don’t want bad things said about your product make sure you put out a great product.
   • And secondly, we want this to be a place you guys can give your actual honest opinion as well about anything and everything you feel like discussing about golf.  So if you like a product we want to hear all about it and even if you don’t like the product or have something you want to say we still want to hear about it.  It is best for the consumer to hear all the honest opinions from all the other members.
2. Educational Approach – We want the MGS forum to be the most educational golf forum on the web and be based on educating the golf consumer.  We are going to reach out to and welcome all golf business owners both instructional and non-instructional to take part in this forum.  This way you get the scoop not only from the non-professional members but also from the all the professional golf business owners in the business as well.   Typically people come on forums for a couple reasons: one is to meet other golfers and chat about golf and the other is to learn something.  Sounds like a simple concept once again but most the other forums are not doing this either.  WHY…YOU SAY? Well it has to do with the advertisers that pay the bills again…they have the power on most of these forums…and they have not figured out how to treat non-paid advertisers (vs) paid advertisers postings on the forum.  Paid Advertisers get upset at forum owners for allowing Non-Paid Advertisers to post info about their business for FREE.  Which is understandable but we feel we have  a simple solution that will allow any and every golf business owner and golf professional to participate on the MyGolfSpy forum.  Which in the end…once again is best for the members.
3. Golf Product Reviews -  we have found that there is also a lack of super detailed product reviews on forums by the owners.  And not only on forums but magazines as well.  The Golf Digest “Hot List” has almost become a joke to the consumer.  They only rate the big dogs and they almost all get Gold, Silver or Bronze Medals …once again to keep their advertisers happy.  So we will encourage every member to review and post their reviews of products to help other consumers make a more informed decision on their purchases.  But in addition to that we want our reviews that we do to be “The Last Search For A Review You Will Ever Need To Look For” kind of review.  We have put in place a new system to test products that we feel will give the absolute best data and information you need to decide if that product is right for you.  Many people go from site to site reading reviews trying to piece together all the info they need.  So we plan to fill that gap with the be all and end all type product review for you guys.
4. And Much More… – we have all kinds of other exciting projects that we feel will fill the needs that needed to be met not only from other golf forums but from other golf sites as well.  We have a couple built into the forum and we also plan on launching a couple more in the near future.  One of those being GolfBagCheck.com which is still in BETA testing (so pardon the mess).  But when finished we feel this will be another great addition to the growing MyGolfSpy family of sites.  We also have a new FREE Classifieds system that we think is an improvement on other forums classifieds sections.  So keep sending us your ideas for what you think needs to be done and we will keep on trying to build them for you!

P.S. – Keep checking back this week and next to see all the special things that will be going on with the forum launch.  We will be giving away over $10,000 worth of golf gear to new members of the forum.  You want want t miss that post…so keep your eyes peeled to MGS!

RELATED ARTICLES:

- COMING SOON! – (3) New Websites From MyGolfSpy.com!!!

Want To Win Tickets To The Masters? (Sign-Up & Comment To Win!)

For all you guys that want a chance to go to the Masters for FREE this is your shot!  That’s because MyGolfSpy.com teamed up with GPPGolf.com to giveaway (2) Tickets to the Matsers.  This is one of the hardest tickets to come by in all of sports.  You have to put in an application an entire year ahead of time just to be considered.

How To Enter

MyGolfSpy readers…entering the contest is simple…all you have to do is follow the instructions you see below and you are entered to win…it’s that simple!  We are also giving BONUS entries in the contest for doing things like Twittering about the contest or posting the contest link and info on Facebook.  All in all you can get a maximum of 4 entries into the contest.  Here are all the ways to get an entry and more chances to win:

1. (1 Entry Point) - In order to officially be entered you MUST sign up on GPPGolf.com at this link:  ENTER CONTEST
2. (1 Bonus Entry) – Post a comment on this post here…on what you think the 4 day total score will be for the winner of the Masters.  Winner will receive an extra $25 gift card to GPPGolf.com
3. (1 Bonus Entry) – Post the text below on your Twitter account and get a bonus entry in the contest!
@MyGolfSpy – (CONTEST) – Win (2) Tickets to the Masters! … go enter here … http://budurl.com/MASTERSmygolfspy #mastersMYGOLFSPY

4. (1 Bonus Entry) – Post the text below on your Facebook account and get another bonus entry.
MyGolfSpy.com – (CONTEST) WIN (2) Tickets to the Masters! – go enter here … http://budurl.com/MASTERSmygolfspy

Winners Will Be Announced…

After all the entries are tallied up…GPPGolf.com & MyGolfSpy will be doing a random drawing and announce the winners on MyGolfSpy, Saturday March 6th…so make sure to check back on the site.  A $25 gift card to GPPGolf.com will also be awarded to the reader who posted the score closest to the 4-Day winning score from the Masters.  The winner will receive the following:

- One winner will receive (2) Tickets to the Masters for the Tuesday Practice Round.
- One winner will receive a $25 gift card to GPPGolf.com for guessing the closest 4-day winning score for the Masters. (Post Your Score on This Post)

Hope you guys enjoy this one   Look forward to hearing about the winners trip!