Stitch Headcover Review: If you are golf gear nut, you know old school leather and wool headcovers are making a big comeback. One newcomer to the party is Stitch Golf. Founded in 2012, Stitch Golf is charging out of the gates in part because company founder Charlie Burgwyn has been around golf nearly his whole life. Coincidentally, I only live about 30 minutes from Stitch Golf so I took the opportunity to personally meet with Charlie to learn more about the company.

Before we get to Stitch the company, let’s go ahead and review the look of the headcovers. Stitch has two main lines, leather and wool. The leather headcovers come in a number of styles and colors but all are made with high quality leather giving them a wonderfully soft feel. If you look closely, you will notice that the headcovers have small imperfections and sometimes stray string as a result of the fact that each one is hand cut and sewn (in America by the way). To me this gives each headcover its own unique personality as no two are exactly the same.

As I mentioned, Stitch Golf headcovers come in a ton of styles each of which can be customized to fit your particular color and pattern preference. Since these are all handmade, custom orders take about three weeks. However, Stitch Golf also maintains a large selection of stock styles which you can purchase online, at many clubs, or even in some big box stores. From a price standpoint, the Stitch leather covers are a great value as you can get a 3 pack for about $100 – significantly less than most of the competitors. For example, many leather headcovers ask $85-$125 for just one driver cover.

During my conversation with Stitch founder Charlie Burgwyn, I learned that he not only worked in the golf industry for over 10 years but is also an accomplished golfer who played at the collegiate level. Beyond golf, Charlie and his team have deep experience in apparel and manufacturing industries, which is another reason why they have been able to grow so quickly. Just as important, the company seems very grounded in its values and commitment to quality and customer care. Judging from the pictures and testimonials people have sent into Charlie, it would seem that the product is being well received.

On the wool side, Stitch Golf offers a bunch of styles that are reminiscent of years gone by as well as some “alternative” versions (like the skulls). Stitch uses a 80% Merino Wool / 20% Acrylic mix which gives the covers a soft feel but is also a bit stretchy so that they can easily go on and off your club. The wool versions run about $100 for a set of four. While I dig the wool headcovers, I do think leather versions are the real flag-bearer for Stitch.

After spending 90 minutes at the Stitch Golf Headquarters I came away convinced that the company is for real. It is hard to believe how far they have come in such a short time which is a testament to Charlie and his team. There is a real sense of urgency and belief that the company can become the preeminent headcover manufacturer. Beyond headcovers, I would expect Stitch to move into other leather golf accessories such as shoe bags, score card holders and other related items. In the meantime, if you are looking for high quality, high style headcovers at a very reasonable price, I would encourage you to check out Stitch Golf.

You can see more high resolution images on our Facebook page and the whole Stitch Golf product line on their website.

Criquet Shirts: Every so often I bump into a company and instantly fall in love. Unfortunately this is a rare occurrence since stated company must possess a great product, superb marketing, and have a certain je ne sais quoi (yea, I had to google the spelling). Truth be told, I stumbled upon the Criquet Golf website late one evening while doing some “internet research”.

As you know, most golf websites are fairly boring: shirt, shorts, accessories, blah, blah, blah. On the other hand, the Criquet website has a unique blend of  humor, style and hippie culture. Normally, I don’t post pictures from a company website, but this one I think is just brilliant and gives you a real sense of their brand.

I am at a loss for words

Coincidentally, one of the founders of Criquet Golf spent some time in my town, Chapel Hill, during his studies at the University of NC, which is perhaps why I can relate to their “crunchy” attitude. Founded by Billy Nachman and Hobson Brown, Criquet is now located in an equally hippie town, Austin TX, where they are making wonderfully styled and tailored cotton golf shirts.

Four buttons and a pocket, that’s it, that’s the list. Design is funny in that it comes down to how similar features are put together to create a vibe. The Criquet shirts are available in two basic varieties, solid or striped with some having a flap on the breast pocket. Simple, sure, but both the 4 button placket (which is a bit longer than most shirts) and the pocket with small logo, demonstrate how great design does not need to be overly complicated.

It’s hard to put my finger on why exactly the Criquet shirt is so appealing to me but my hunch is that I am subconsciously reminded of the cotton shirts from my 70’s childhood. Not that Criquet shirts look like the 70’s but they are just hipster enough to bring back that feeling.

Speaking of feel, the shirts are plush and soft, but  in the spirit of thorough product testing I wore the Criquet shirt for 18 holes of golf in 103 degree weather (I kid you not). Yes, there were visible sweat marks on the shirt but in no way was the shirt heavy or uncomfortable. In fact, it was totally dry by the time I got home (a little air-conditioning helps). So come fall, this is gonna be one of my absolute favorite golf shirts. In the meantime, I wear the Criquet shirt all of the time as it is just plain great looking for the office (if I went into one), the club (if I belonged to one) or the bar (now we are talking).

So lets talk cotton for a moment. As a reviewer of golf attire I am starting to see more high end golf shirts made with cotton. As I have noted in a few other posts, clearly cotton is not a wicking or dry fitting as the new high tech material, but what none of those other newfangled shirts can give you is that cotton feel. Sure that is a stupid obvious statement, but you know what I mean. Cotton just feels better and it is so much more versatile. Personally, I never wear a golf shirt unless I am playing golf because to me it is like wearing a basketball jersey to lunch. But with a cotton shirt like Criquet, no one will be the wiser that you are coming from or going to the links. Finally, it is worth noting that Criquet shirts are made with organic cotton. Nope, not a clue what that means but I figure if my wife buys free range chicken, I am all for organic cotton!

While I am on a little bit of a soapbox, the other compelling reason for me to endorse Criquet is because they are a small business. Now I’m as guilty as the next guy for getting a deal at a big box store, but when I get the chance to support a small company who makes a great product at a fair price, I am all in. While the Criquet shirts are not cheap, they are absolutely priced comparably with the competition, giving me just one more reason to throw my support behind these guys.

A note on sizing. Criquet shirts run very fair and I was perfectly fit with my standard medium. So when you are looking for a versatile golf shirt, look no further than Criquet.

You can see all of the styles on their website.

Adidas Puremotion and Crossflex Review: Anyone checked out the shoe section of a local golf store lately? It’s insane. What was once 1 standard wall of Foot Joys, Etonics and Nikes has exploded into a – well, a big-ass section full of all kinds of styles, colors, etc.  The Three Guys have already made it clear that we are fans of this movement – finally the footwear is catching up to the rest of golf attire by shaking things up a bit. And as golf continues to get hip to what the rest of the footwear world is up to, it is only a matter of time until the newest advances in running shoe and cross-trainer technology make their way into our golf kicks.

According to Adidas, that time is now, as they roll out their Puremotion and Crossflex models. The Adidas Puremotion incorporates the same “natural motion” concept that you’ll see in a lot of cutting edge running shoes – basically, the idea is that the more a shoe allows your foot to behave as though you are barefoot, the better off you are, as your toes and natural foot contours can help out with balance, force, etc. The Adidas Crossflex is more like a proper running shoe, but a super-lightweight version that allows for more connection with the turf than the standard golf shoe-and Sergio Garcia is now wearing the Crossflex.

Very good. Once I understood all the science, I had to give the Adidas Puremotions a try. From a looks standpoint, they were right up my alley – I like a little funk, but I also want to look like I’m playing a sport, not plotting my next graffiti mission. The Puremotions are athletic at heart with some disco thrown in – primarily with the bright blue color but also utilizing some neat little trim touches to funk things up.

Once I put the Puremotions on I knew Adidas had a winner. They are just flat-out comfortable – they seem to be a bit wider, which works out great for my dogs. Even the toe area is squared off a bit, retaining that width all the way to the end of the shoe, as opposed to coming down to a point (whose foot does that anyway?).

The Adidas Puremotions are spikeless, instead utilizing hard rubber ridges (for lack of a better term) on the sole to provide grip. I recently indicated a curmudgeonly skepticism towards anything other than spikes on golf shoes, but these suckers have made me a believer. These soles feel so legit that, for the first three rounds I played in them, I kept worrying that I was leaving marks on the greens just based on a nagging feeling that I was sinking in and causing some kind of damage. That sounds cheesy, but I’m serious. Oh, and something my playing partners would point out at least once during a round as I posed off another velvety pull-hook – these things look crazy!

“Sir, we think Bigfoot has been in the bunker on 8.”

More on the soles – the truth is, I wouldn’t be able to survive in shoes that really made me feel like I was barefoot. I have plantar fasciitis so bad that I can only do barefoot for about half an omelette in the morning before the running shoes have to go on. So I can see how Adidas is shooting for the natural foot concept by allowing room for the toes to move, having different channels on the sole for each toe, etc., but ultimately it’s actually a very substantial sole that provides a good amount of support. Now, there are some shoes on the market that hype the “you can feel the contours of the earth”, and while the Adidas Crossflex are low profile, the ony word I can think of for these soles is “substantial” – on the ground side the ridges feel hard and durable while the human side provides support and what I believe to be a ton of stability.

Moving on – these suckers are waterproof. The fact that they say so on the side of the shoe is my only bone of contention with Adidas on this one (seems a bit much), but I have played several rounds in wet conditions and they have certainly lived up to their own billing. The uppers are made of breathable mesh, so they’ve got that going for them, which is nice, but not something I ever really notice one way or the other.

“Excuse me, sir, are these waterproof?”

Bottom line review- I have several pairs of nice shoes now, and conventional wisdom tells me to mix things up from round to round. Once I got the Puremotions, however, they’ve been the only shoes I’ve worn for all subsequent rounds, including a 36 hole tournament. I figure, why wear anything but the best, right?

You can check out the whole line of Adidas shoes on their website.

Energy Athletic Golf Shirt: Skeptic, yup I am a huge skeptic. So when I was charged with reviewing the new Energy Athletic Ionized shirt, I immediately put away my Ouija board to give it a go. The way I figure, if Bruce Banner can experiment with Gamma Rays, who am I to shy away from wearing a shirt laced with negative ions. Really, what could go wrong?

Seeing that I did not have a tee time scheduled this week, I decided I would give the shirt a go in a more casual environment to see what kind of reaction it would elicit. On that particular evening I was entertaining some friends and partaking in a friendly game of scrabble, the board version mind you. Yes, we also carry Persimmon woods. Ok, the part about the Persimmons is not true but we were playing scrabble. The truth is we all swing baby grand pianos but who is counting?

What is also true is that the orange Energy Ion shirt really brings out my olive skin tone (did I just say that out loud?). Anyhow, my partners in scrabble crime all were highly complimentary, throwing out remarks normally reserved for rock stars and AA baseball players.

The shirt is extremely comfortable, super light, and while solid in color it has slight textured ribbing that gives it depth. But what my colleagues did not know is that this shirt also is cased with Ion technology. On my late grandmother’s couch I swear I could feel the “power” of the shirt. I truly did. There is something very tangible . . . again, tangible . . . in this technology. Mind you I am only a History major so when it comes to the science of the shirt I will defer to Dr. Al Ouimet who developed the IonX technology.

From the Energy Athletic website I have learned that while the shirt is 95% polyester and 5% spandex, it is also embedded with negative ions in the structure by way of a their X Ionized treatment. This is what is supposed to give you increased power. Like Matt who discussed the powers of Trion-Z, I am not exactly sure how the whole magic works, but I figure if Paul Azinger gives it the thumbs up, their is no harm in adding a little giddy-up to my game.

On to the course. I wore the shirt on Tuesday, July 10 in New Hampshire, 90 degree heat (that’s Fahrenheit for those working on their visas) and boy was I comfortable and ready to roll. As my less enlightened friends used to say, “do you think you can crush balls now?”.  Yes, but it is just one ball and I can play with it all day in this shirt – and let’s play from the tips.

Oh, and one final note on sizing, they are an American cut meaning they run fair a touch big. Matt and I typically wear a large but we could have probably taken a medium and been happy.

You can learn more about Energy Athletic shirts on their website.

The Golf Swing Shirt Review: Swing trainers are a tricky business, no doubt. Caddy Shack, Tin Cup and other golf movies have well-documented the lengths people will go to find a swing worthy of Augusta National. Unfortunately, it is just not that simple. Nope, no one device can magically give you all the answers. However, there are some training aides that can help give you a ‘feel’ for a more sound technique.

One such aide I recently discovered is the Golf Swing Shirt. After spending a few weeks and multiple practice sessions with the Swing Shirt, I can honestly recommend it to anyone. Coincentally, the the Golf Swing Shirt has been well recieved by one of my golf heroes, Jimmy Ballard. In a recent interview I had with Jimmy, we discussed the Golf Swing Shirt and he reiterated his support for the product.

If you know anything about Jimmy Ballard, you know his main teaching philosophy is  “Connection”,  and the one thing the Swing Shirt does very well is promote a connected swing. This is particularly important since staying connected is one of the most critical elements to a consistant and powerful golf swing.

If you look at their website you will find that the Golf Swing Shirt philosophy is partially derived from Hogan’s book and his “Five Lessons”; specifically, as it relates to the importance of connection of the arms to the upper body. This was something Hogan learned from Sam Byrd who was Jimmy Ballard’s teacher. What the Swing Shirt does is give you the feel of the triangle that Hogan and Ballard describe where your arms form a triangle with your chest that you move to the right, and then move to the left, using the ground and your legs as leverage to move the triangle.

The Swing Shirt is made out of a moderate-weight stretchy fabric, and it looks like a basketball jersey, with an extra ‘trunk’ on the front that you put both arms through. This ‘trunk’ or extra sleeve on the front of the shirt keeps your arms on top of your chest, and connected to your chest during the swing, so that you can feel the sense of using your chest to support and move your arms back and forth, rather than just using your hands and arms to flip the club around your body. After you’ve hit some balls with your arms in the sleeve, you can move your arms to the ‘normal’ arm holes, and then hit some balls while keeping the shirt on to see if you can repeat the feeling.

The result is that you are able to use your big muscles of your legs and core to move the golf club, rather than just flipping at the ball with your hands, or getting into the dreaded ‘chicken wing’ of the left arm, and the ball flight is much more consistent, and much straighter.

A couple of quick ideas that I think will help anyone use the Golf Swing Shirt:

-Get the correct size. Sizing is on their website and is based on height/weight. It needs to fit to work correctly.

-Good posture, including standing as upright at address as possible is the only way to have connection keep the club on plane, and not go ‘around’ your body.

-The shirt is good at keeping your arms on top of your chest, and together through the swing, but you shouldn’t ‘tuck’ your right elbow at address, or setup with the right shoulder lower than the left. Hogan had a balanced, upright address, where his shoulders were fairly level, and his right elbow pointed loosely at his right hip socket. During the takeaway, the right arm is higher than the left, if being viewed face on, or in a mirror; and it needs to stay that way, as the triangle moves to waist high on the backswing. From waist high, the right arm simply folds and moves up into the ‘throwing’ position, as the shoulders finish coiling. If you ‘tuck’ your right elbow, the golf swing shirt won’t keep you from going around yourself, losing connection, and introducing all kinds of timing issues.

-Make sure not to forget chipping and putting. Connection is the heartbeat of the golf swing, and this tool will help you with all of your clubs!

You can learn more about the Golf Swing Shirt on their website.

Antiqua Golf Shirts: Just before I embarked on my summer vacation to the outer banks of North Carolina, Three Guys Golf (hey, what about the girl?) received a package from Antigua. Antigua is a designer and marketer of men’s, women’s and children’s lifestyle apparel and sportswear. As usual, my first thought was “ok, it just a shirt with a collar, buttons and needs to be tucked in. How can these shirts be different or better than any other?” Well, it was my duty to give it a try and see what I think.

Antigua Women’s Golf Shirts

In Georgia, every summer day feels as if global warming is beating down your door, and no type of shirt on the golf course is going to make a huge difference . . . we all wear some type of quick drying material to combat the heat as best we can. I set out for the course with my new Antigua golf shirt and hardly any expectations. How different can it be? Oh how little I knew. It was a relatively cool 93 degrees on that Friday with the humidity at about 70 percent. I do not profess to be an expert in the textile industry but I do know what I like and what I don’t.

Being a mother of two very active kids, I am well versed in the moisture wicking materials and I can absoluetly say the Antigua shirts are top notch in that regard. It was an extremely busy day on the course and slow play is an understatement – I spent more than my fair share of time waiting at each tee box baking like a Georgia peach pie. However, the best way I can describe this shirt is tissue paper. If you could wear tissue paper without it ripping and getting soaking wet, this shirt would be it. Seriously, at times, I felt as if I didn’t even have anything on. I was truly impressed.

Fast forward to my vacation on the tiny island of Ocracoke, NC. I went into a shop one day with my sister and ran into another vacationer in a golf shirt. The shirt had an LGPA logo on the front and the Antigua brand on the sleeve. Well, there isn’t a golf course within a two hour drive of this island where tanks and tees rule so this lady stood out. I approached her and started talking about her shirt. She was a golfer, and it was her favorite and coolest shirt, so she brought it with her to this island hot spot. There you go, it wasn’t just me that thought so much of this shirt, she too had high praise for the brand.

On the men’s side the styling is also very pleasing. Like the women’s, some of the Antigua golf shirts have sleeves that are longer than usual but we found it to be a nice change from the euro cut. Additionally, we dug the heavy contrasting over stitch on the shoulder and sleeve which is prominent on the Antigua Journey shirt.

Mens Antiqua Journey

Mens Antiqua Journey

The Antigua men’s golf shirts also feature the Desert Dry technology. While the Journey material was a bit thicker, the Antiqua Relay was extremly light which of course is wonderful for those burning hot days. In short, we were very impressed with both the styling and material of all the samples we received. Moreover, the Antigua product line has a huge offering with many color combinations in each style so that you will have little fear of ever running into someone with the exact shirt as you (am I the only one who worries about this?)

Mens Antigua Replay

Mens Antigua Replay

Antigua started out as company with roots firmly in the golf market. It has since moved into the growing corporate market as well as other sports leagues. They currently hold licenses with the NBA, MLB, and NHL among others. Antigua clearly wouldn’t be where it is if were not a good product. My endorsement might not be much, but having lived my entire life in the south and now almost half of it in “Hotlanta,” I do know that beating the heat is never going to happen. But I also know I can do my best to try, and now Antigua is at the top of that list.

You can find the whole line of Antigua shirts on their website.

Taylormade RocketBallz Fairway Wood Review: Some clubs we have no loyalty to (driver), some we nearly marry (putter), some we just  hang on to for no particular reason (irons) and some we barely think about (fairway woods). For me, I have aways been pretty happy with my 3 wood whether it was an old Taylormade or Ping G10. I just wanted to be able to hit it 200ish and know it would go pretty straight. Mostly it was to knock the ball down the fairway on a par 5 or make an easy swing on a short par 4. However, there are those times in which you need to carry water thats 215 so you want to feel good about your 3 wood (or your 7 iron if you are Tiger Woods). Given the fact I have never been accused of being a long hitter, I was therefore more than willing to give the Taylormade RocketBallz fairway wood and its promised 17 yard gain a test drive.

From a distance perspective, we at Three Guys Golf try to give you the scoop but without launch monitors and all that, all I can tell you is that I hit it farther on my home track than I usually do. I know my distances well enough to clearly say that much. The one area I did struggle with the Taylormade RockeBallz fairway wood was hitting it off of a tight lie. I think because the club is taller than most, I was catching it thin and hitting it low. The good news, is that it runs like the devil. With that said, I did get it figured out and can now hit it from any lie. While I may only hit it 3 or 4 times a round, I do love when it is “RocketBallz Time”

The club itself is really good looking (unless you are not a fan of the white club). On the back you will notice the “speed pocket” behind the face. This is supposed to create the extra distance. One draw back of the speed pocket is that it is akin to a dustbunny magnet. Depending on the conditions of your course, you may find yourself regularly having to use a tee to dig out the dirt or grass that has been forced inside of it. Not a huge deal but something I never had to worry about with my other fairway woods.

So lets just talk Taylormade for a moment. I sure get the sense that these guys are ahead of the curve in terms of driver and wood technology. Again, if you have come to Three Guys Golf looking for specs or actual evidence you have come to the wrong place, but if you want a review based on opinion and pure conjecture – bingo, I’ve got that for you. From what I have read, Taylormade went back to the drawing board with the Taylormade RocketBallz and designed the whole thing from the ground up. Hence the deeper face, speed pocket and large head. I know every company is trying to make a great wood, but it sure feels like Taylormade is laser focused on making the best darn woods in the business.

Finally, I just wanted to touch on the sound. While it has no real effect on the ball flight, I dig the springy whack the club makes. It just seems to tie the whole club together. When I picked up golf seriously in 1999, Taylormade was the first 3 wood I owned, now 12 years later it is again back in my bag, and likely to stay there for quite a while.

Sun Mountain KG3 Cart Bag Review: To those of you who primarily ride when you play golf – you know that beyond style there are a few must have features in a cart bag. Like a well seasoned business traveller, we understand the benefits of good luggage and since the only time we are going to carry this baby is from our car to the cart there is no reason to skimp on features.

Over the past 6 months I have worn about 7 pairs of golf shoes. Some I really like, some I kinda like. So when I had the opportunity to finally test out the Ecco Street Premiere shoes I was eager to see how they stacked up against the competition. Let me be clear, I am an unabashed Ecco fan. Over the past years I have purchased four pairs of Ecco golf shoes and to this day I cannot bring myself to get rid of a single pair of them, despite the fact I have more shoes than I know what to do with. Basically, I just think that Ecco not only “gets it” but they have the technology to back it up.

I still remember the first time I saw the Ecco Street shoes. It was during the Masters a few years ago when Fred Couples was in contention so the TV was regularly showing him strolling down the fairways of Augusta National in his Ecco’s san socks. Like other golf geeks I actually Googled “what kind of shoes does Fred Couples wear?” . . . they were just so cool and so unique. Now of course, everyone and their brother thinks they can make a street shoe – there are some good ones out there, but there is also some junk. In my mind Ecco still represents best of breed in the street shoe department in part because they are not only focused on design, but equally involved in developing new materials and improving ergonomics.

What do I love about the Ecco Street shoes? Well we can start with the style which is simply classic cool. They are not “hopped up on hip”, but still stand out from the pack. For me it is the little things that make the difference. Whether it the orange laces, raised orange nubs or the fact that the seams are clean and straight, Ecco shoes are easily recognized and always admired.

On the sole you have tons of spikes which provide ample grip and will not wear down like some of the other “alt shoes”. So sturdy are these spikes that I really don’t even try to avoid the pavement. And they are so comfortable, I often forget to take them off after returning from a round of golf. Oh, and I never have to change shoes on my bumper.

Sure, other street shoes can go from the house to the course and back, but the Ecco Street Premiere can actually serve as a regular shoe and I have heard from many an Ecco fan who say they wear them all of the time. Really the only downside for me is that they are not water-proof which makes them impractical for morning rounds when there is heavy dew. Other than that they are a perfect warm weather shoes and despite the fact they are leather, they do no feel hot.

So yes, my expectations were absolutely met by Ecco. While they are a bit pricey, $150, you will be hard pressed to find a better street shoe (unless it is the new Ecco Biom Hybrid shoe).

You can see the whole line of Ecco Golf shoes on their website.

Golf Buddy Voice Review: “Hey, what’s that sprinkler head say?” That’s how most of us grew up getting yardage. Now it seems like everyone has a laser, phone or some kind of GPS unit. Don’t get me wrong, I am as big a gadget geek as the next guy, but similar to my relationship with Facebook, I’m just not sure I am still that into it.

Sure, when I got my first golf GPS unit I was kinda jacked about being able to get yardage to every spot on the course, but I secretly suspected this information overload was actually having a negative effect on my swing. Plus, I have started to feel burdened by all the buttons and electronics I seem to be toting around the course. Therein lies the problem – I want to enjoy the zen of golf while still having easy access to reliable yardage. With the Golf Buddy Voice I finally feel like I have bridged that gap – in fact, it took me only one round to appreciate how well the Golf Buddy balances technology and aesthetics – Steve Jobs would have been proud.

In my opinion, Golf Buddy Voice has essentially said “less is more,” which goes directly against the philosophy of every other GPS unit that is packing more features and buttons into every release (not to mention the increase in size). The Golf Buddy Voice is only about 1.5″ x 1.5″ and can clip on your belt, hat, or just be put inside your pocket. Instructions? Here they are:

1) Turn it on

2) Wait a few minutes for it to find your course

3) Press the button to hear a nice lady tell you the yardage

4) Shank the ball into the woods

Well actually, #4 is optional, but with over 35,000 courses pre-loaded and no annual fee, the Golf Buddy Voice is essentially your personal caddy. The first time I played with the Golf Buddy, I felt completly freed of gadgets and was able to get back to hitting shots (I shot a 79 that day, which is about 2 strokes lower than my average for what that’s worth). And to be honest, I am probably delusional to think I can dial in much more than the center of the green (don’t fear, Golf Buddy Voice has yardage to back and middle as well).

The only goofy thing I encountered is that the unit once thought I was on a different hole because the course layout was tight. However, you can simply hit the select button and the + button to toggle to the correct hole. Again, this only happened to me once, but until I went back to look at the instructions I was at a loss as to what to do because it is kind of like an iPad with only one button (it actually has about 5 but you really only use one of them).

So this is what you get in the box: Golf Buddy Voice unit, USB or wall charger, rubber protector. Despite the simplicity, the Golf Buddy Voice still packs a punch. Namely:

• Audio distance information (it tells you the distance)
• 40,000 course capacity (from all over the world)
• No annual or download fees
• Distances to Front / Center / Back of the green
• Automatic course & hole recognition
• Shot distance measurement
• Multi-lingual
• Dynamic green view
• Volume control
• Supports multiple greens

What this means for me is that I simply clip the Golf Buddy Voice on my belt, turn it on, and forget about it. When I get to my ball, I just hit the button and I get the distance to the center. You can also look at the screen, but I prefer to have her tell me the yardage. I can toggle through using the button to get distance to the front and back, and I can also mark my ball after a shot to get carry distance. In terms of the battery, you can easily play a 6 hour round with no problem.

Again, the key difference from a larger GPS unit is that I don’t have to tote it around or look like an IT geek with it clipped to my belt. When I compare it to a phone app, the big advantage is that it frees me from the device I hate when I am on the golf course (my cell phone). Yes, I know that sometimes getting yardage to carry a hazard is important, but that’s what I have friends for, right? Seriously, sure there is some information you give up with the Golf Buddy Voice but in terms of ease of use and freedom from bulky devices, I have never seen anything like the Golf Buddy Voice. I absolutely love the Golf Buddy Voice!

You can learn more about the device on their website.

Molhimawk SwagBag: Plastic or Paper? Yup, bags are a staple of our life and one piece of equipment all golfers must have. During my visit to the 2012 PGA Merchandise show, I got the opportunity to meet with the founders of a new golf bag company called Molhimawk.

Sundog Eyewear: So there I was…Wollaston Country Club, Milton MA, 1st tee with my two buddies, Rob and Martin. Temperature: 95 degrees, relative humidity: ask the devil since he seemed to running the show. First order of business, after making friends with the cart girl, was to set the odds to give myself a fighting chance against these two hustlers. Truth be told, l’m an index of 12 of 13…well I’m a 9-10, but I want one stroke per nine. Sandbagger? Sure, but heck I have a big money round next week against Karl and he feigns back pain – all fair in love and golf right? What’s that? Where did I get these shades?

So yea, the shades, they call them Sundogs. Groovy name, cool style, great lens and reasonably priced-we call that the whole ball of wax. Speaking of balls, how bout that big ball in the sky bearing down on me all day. Lucky these puppies are full coverage wrap around (Louis Oosthuizen style). Lens, yup, they have those too but no ordinary lens. Nope, the Sundogs have what is called a Mela-Lens. This patented technology is really what makes these guys rock. See, Sundog created these lenses to filter the harmful rays and make everything crystal clear.

Now you might ask, “Hey Skip, you said it was hot, but how freakin’ humid was it?” Well, Danny, it was damn near unbearable and for a while there we nearly had to call in the EMT’s to head off Martin’s heat stroke. As for me, sure I looked cool, but my brain was turning to mush by the 13th hole. Fortunately, the Sundogs were staving off the glare and refused to fog up despite the sauna like conditions.

Head down, thirteen foot putt…(that’s for dramatic tension)…sweat rolls off my forehead onto the lens and onto my ball…mind you no streak on the lens. I was able to finish for an 8, but that’s not important…Sundogs can bark for you when its hot and there’s meat on the bone…although gambling is illegal at Bushwood.

Check out the whole line of Sundog on their website.

Linksoul Golf Shirt: You know what is always in? Cool. Cool is always in and I think that is the essence of what Linksoul is about. Linksoul is the brainchild of long-time fashion designer John Ashworth. Now I would love to tell you more about the company, but their website is a virtual DaVinci Code that either requires the aid of Tom Hanks to decipher or the coolness of James Dean to comprehend.

So when we had the opportunity to review a Linksoul Golf shirt I literally had no idea what to expect other than hopefully something cool?  From my research, I surmised that Linksoul made comfortable clothes but honestly the catalog is so mysteriously cool (Blogger Matt called it something else) that I was hopelessly confused as to what Linksoul makes. Seriously, you think I am joking-I challenge you to check out their website and figure out what they make or how to buy it in less than 10 minutes.

So in the end, what I got was a black cotton shirt with a single pocket. No big deal, right? Well I am not going to say it is earth changing but it is one hell of a good looking and comfortable shirt. This thing can be worn anywhere with anything and you will always look money (especially when you go to the bar with no name).

So where is this bar? oh, and by the way, that shirt is money!

Seriously, it does not need to be ironed, you can tuck it in, not tuck it in, wear it with jeans, go out on the town or wear it on the golf course, it just does not matter – you will always look great. Oh, and it is about the softest cotton I have ever worn. So you get the point, this is a crazy hip company but they back it up with crazy comfortable stuff.

So yes, I am making fun of the incredibly hip nature of Linksoul, but let me be clear, they make really cool stuff that is brilliantly well made and versatile. Unfortunately, we only saw one item of their line and without my decoder ring, I cannot really tell you what their other stuff looks like but my guess it that it is all super cool, super soft and super well-made.

Linksoul is can be found in a number of golf clubs across the country. You can learn more (or try to) on their website.

Arnie Wear: Ever find yourself watching reruns of the 1971 US Open and being mesmerized – not by the shotmaking but by the idea that somehow these men were not told by their wives to go back and put on a pair of slacks that actually fit? Well my hand is raised for sure, but as it turns out, there were apparently some hidden gems of style buried amongst the ill-fitting, poorly matched fashions of yesteryear . . . all we needed was access to the closet of perhaps one of the coolest men to walk the fairways – Arnold Palmer!

Can I get those in a size 40?

Coming off of their recent success, the guys at Quagmire Golf teamed up with Arnold Palmer to design a new line of clothing called…..wait for it…Arnie Wear. The idea is simple, take the essence of Arnold Palmer’s style throughout the decades and modernize it to make it 2012 fashionable.

The story of how this was done is actually just as cool as the product itself. From what I was told, the Quagmire team literally raided Arnold Palmer’s closets to photograph hundreds of outfits he had saved. Apparently Arnie has not heard of the PTA Thrift Store.

From that exercise in hoarding has come three lines of clothes, one for each decade: 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. While not as dramatic as the original Arnie duds, you can definitely see the DNA of Arnie’s old outfits in every item. The three shirts we looked at all came from the sixties – specifically, we saw the “Role Model”, “Albatross” and “Sam”. Here at Three Guys Golf Blog central, we all agreed that by far, the “Sam” and its wide green stripes was pure money!

The “Sam” is 95% polyester so technically it should be a product of the 70’s. Fortunately, this polyester is a bit lighter and cooler than its predecessor. Like most high performance shirts, Arnie Wear is breathable, moisture wicking and anti-bacterial. However, what makes this shirt pop is the large stripes and huge Arnie logo (Ralph Lauren Polo eat your heart out). So while the “Sam” shirt looks completely unique, it does not look over the top or out of place on the course. I would go so far as to say it has become one of my favorite golf shirts. Plus I actually saw Ryan Moore wear this exact same shirt during the Wells Fargo Championship, and that dude has serious style.

They say fashion always comes around so I guess it should come as no surprise that we are willing to go back 50 years to re-define cool. Fortunately, Arnold Palmer was and is one cool cat (and makes one heck of a good iced tea too). As I said, I love the “Sam” shirt, but to be honest, some of the Arnie Wear styles do seem to be directed toward an older crowd or are at least hindered by the fact that not all fashions in the 60’s were necessarily cool.

With that said, there is plenty of good stuff to choose from in the catalog and what I really like about all of the styles is that they are incredibly wearable by regular guys with regular builds, which as we all know is not par for the course with the euro trends these days. Arnie Wear can be found at many high end golf clubs and also in select online retailers for about $80.

Channel your inner Arnie!

You can learn more about the whole line on the Arnie website.

Even though I am the smallest male in my family, no one except my brothers has ever called me scrawny. I am not heavy mind you, just “big boned” as they say. So if  you are built anything like me, you know you need a little more room in your golf shirt than some of the current tight-fitting fashions provide. And no, we are also not wearing a lot of white belts and plaid bell-bottoms. Nope, we like a shirt that is comfortable, breathes well and helps you look like you’ve still got some muscles under the bit of winter layering that you still like to keep around, in case of… well in case of winter.

So, along those lines, was I very glad to have the opportunity to review the Oxford Golf shirt. I will tell you that I don’t hype something without cause and as Adam will attest, it’s pretty clear which gear I like as I tend to put it into the heavy rotation once I decide I like it. Of course the added bonus (for me at least) is that my wife digs the Oxford Golf shirt too (and she does not give the universal thumbs up).

The first impression you get from the Oxford Golf shirt is that the material is a true ‘cut above.’ This muy-breatheable fabric is really lightweight, soft, and it’s as well-fitting as anything I’ve tried (and better than most). In terms of performance, I walked an 18-hole round recently in 90 degree heat and came off the course exhausted and dying of thirst, but the shirt was dry.  Check one.

I’ve already mentioned that it’s roomy, but the material also has a bit of stretch which gives you that extra room to swing and play without any rub or tension from the shirt, but it doesn’t look like it’s drowning me either. It’s long enough to wear untucked but it also looks sharp when tucked in. One of the ways you spot a really nice shirt from just your average golf shirt is by looking at the details. With the Oxford Golf shirt, the stitching is top-notch, buttons sewn on securely and the seams are clean and sturdy. As a sizing note, the Oxford Golf shirts run true or just a little big. For example, Matt always gets a large but was totally happy with a medium.

Even though I mentioned that I’m not in the white belt crowd, these shirts come in really good-looking colors and patterns. The orange and white one I wear has absolutely gotten a number of compliments (and I don’t even tuck my shirt in). However, if you’ve got the physique for it, I would think you could pair this with a white belt (who am I kidding? I have no idea if it goes with a white belt since I have never nor will I ever wear a white belt).

While the Oxford shirts are not the cheapest shirts on the shelf (around $80), the quality is absolutely legit. Here at Three Guys Golf Blog Central we get to check out a lot of stuff, and for me, the Oxford shirt is definitely one of my favorites. Between the fabric, sizing and style, Oxford is a keeper. Plus, David Toms wears Oxford Golf shirts and we all know he is one of the classiest dressers on tour (oh and he is pretty good too).

You can see all of the Oxford Golf Styles on their website.