Crocs Golf Shoes: Let me start by saying that I have never ever owned a pair of Crocs, nor have I ever wanted to own a pair of Crocs. This is not to say I have never bought a pair – it’s just the opposite as I think I have plopped down cash for at least 12 pairs between my three kids, but zippy Crocs for this guy. So in the spirit of non-judgmental reviews, I figured I was the perfect choice.

Why I never owned a pair of Crocs

I first became aware of the Croc Golf shoes at the 2012 PGA show  while strolling around the 9 million square foot venue . . . I literally made a double take when I passed their booth. What I saw reminded me of Crocs but were somehow different, somehow much cooler, somehow not as “crocish” as the Crocs my kids decorated with doo-dads and stomped around in. Well one thing led to another and the next thing you know, three pairs showed up and I was off to the races.

Croc Braydn Golf Shoe

Unlike some golf shoe companies that have basically one look with various color options, Crocs are widely styled but maintain the distintive Croc look – kinda like the Baldwin brothers. So no matter if it is in a saddle, black or wing-tip version, the Crocs vibe is apparent and unmistakeable. While I liked all three styles, I was pretty jacked that the black Braydn version was my size.

Croc Braydn Golf Shoe

One of the first things I noticed was the nubbed insoles, which is kind of like having a Sharper Image foot massager inside your shoe. Nothing new to long time Croc lovers, but a whole new ball game for me. I have no idea of the science behind the Crocs but there is definitely a springy feeling when you walk, much like a new running shoe has. I guess this should not come as a surprise as Crocs whole gig is that they make virtual sponge for your feet.

Crocs Preston Golf Shoe

In terms of the sole, I think one of the best features is the matching accent color they used to tie the whole shoe together, ie green sole with shoes that have a green trim and orange sole with the orange trim. As for the actual cleats, they are plentiful and sturdy. There is no slipping with these shoes as you have a virtual mouth full of gator teeth to grab the earth. As and added bonus, there is a nice gripping sound when you walk on pavement that reminds me of the days of metal spikes but in the rubber version. Despite the excellent traction, the spikes are not too bulky allowing you wear them anywhere without feeling like you are wearing golf shoes. In fact, I am pretty sure these are the same shoes Hank Haney wears 24/7 – or at least every time he is on TV (same thing?).

Crocs Preston Golf Shoe

For the purposes of this review, I took my new Crocs to Pinehurst for a 3 day, 5 round golf outing. I figured, what better way to see how they hold up. From a comfort standpoint, I love ’em. 36 holes in one day demands a shoe with lots of cushion and is not too bulky. Moreover, I was not is any rush to shed the shoes in between rounds or even after we finished our marathon day. In fact, I put them on in the morning and did not take them off until nearly 8pm (as opposed to a bunch of guys who would quickly ditch their spikes to throw on their flip flops as soon as they finished their 1st round).

Crocs Drayden Golf Shoe

While Croc golf shoes certainly have a “look”, I personally like the style and have made them my current shoe of choice. The only issue I found, and I think this would be the case for any non-traditional spiked shoe, is in pine-straw. While I had no problem with grip in the fairway, sand or rough, I did find it a bit hard to “dig in” when hitting out of deep pine-straw which is prevalent in Pinehurst. Other than that, I was absolutely thrilled with the Croc golf shoes.

Crocs Drayden Golf Shoe

A quick note on the Drayden shoe which is slightly different than the others as there are holes throughout allowing for added ventilation. This is a really nice feature for summer time play.

Finally, all of the Crocs are less than $100 so they will not break the bank. My only wish list item would be that they were offered in half sizes.

So there you have it, a full confession from a former Croc hater. I am going all in, these buggers have style, performance and comfort. What more do you want? Hank Haney’s name inside? Oh yea, they have that too.

You can learn more on the Crocs website.

Three Guys Golf Blog is giving away TWO FREE pairs of Crocs!

We are giving away 2 pairs (your choice of style and size). Simply leave us a comment or tweet this post. Contest ends June 22th. We would sure love for you to follow us on Twitter too!

Winners: CONGRATS to Logan and @chineline

Travis Mathew: Why does Bubba Watson button his shirt all the way? Believe it or not, this seems to be a burning question in the golf world. How do I know this? Well because when you run a blog you get to see all the crazy ways people end up on your site, and it just so happens that each day way too many people find my blog post on Bubba Watson by searching on the phrase “why does Bubba Watson button his shirt all the way up?” Unfortunately, I still do not have an answer to that question, but I am happy to report that I am now going “Bubba Style” whenever I wear this sweet Travis Mathews shirt.

It is hard to believe that Travis Mathew has only been on the scene since 2008, because judging from their monster presence at the PGA Merchandise show, you would think they have been a staple in the golf industry for a century. Plus now that Bubba Watson has broken through with his insane Masters win, in which he strode down the fairways on live TV for six hours sporting Travis Mathew, I expect bandwagon to grow exponentially.

What impresses me about Travis Mathew is that they are somehow forward thinking in their style while maintaining classic good looks. Moreover, they are also one of the few companies that is getting back to cotton. It seems that ever since the polyester fad of 8 or so years ago, golf shirts have been primarily made with some type of performance material rather than a softer cotton. Personally, I was of the opinion that cotton was going to go the way of the dodo bird when it came to athletic gear, but the new prima cotton is changing my mind. Perhaps it’s not quite as wicking as some of the poly blends, but this new cotton is a long way from the old Izod alligator shirts that weighed about 4 pounds.

My first round with the Travis Mathew shirt was in a balmy 87 degree NC day. Honestly, I was expecting to have to wring out the shirt at the end of the round, but to my surprise, it was dry as a bone. So seeing that cotton is about the most comfortable material known to man, I say “yes to cotton”. I mean there is a reason we wear blue jeans and not polyester leisure suits-right?

From a style standpoint, I categorize Travis Mathew as classic cool. In other words, you will look sharp without looking like you are trying to make a fashion statement. You just cannot go wrong with a well cut, cleanly designed, quality outfit.

In terms of the shorts, the Travis Mathews have instantly become my favorite pair of golf shorts. First, they are cut really well. Trim enough to be stylish but plenty of length with a few cool details like the white stitching on the side pocket. However, what sets the Travis Mathew shorts apart from most others is the material. It just says “polyester and cotton” on the tag, but they have a plush feel similar to suede. It’s hard to explain, but they are money – trust me.

Finally let me touch on the Travis Mathew website which is one of the few sites (frankly, the only one I know of) that tells you exactly how big the model is (ie “6’2″ 180 lbs”) – brilliant! Seriously, did it take until 2012 for someone to figure this out? I am always confused by sizing charts, but if I see a guy who is my exact size and it says he is wearing a medium – boom, even I can figure what to order. Huge kudos for the rocket scientist who added that gem to their website.

Bottom line: Top quality, well cut, reasonably priced good looking golf clothes!

You can see the whole line of Travis Mathew on their website.

A while back I wrote a bit of a rant about the Cleveland Classic Driver and its relevance in today’s market. My original take on the Cleveland Classic was that I simply did not buy into the “classic looks” concept – the fact that it was designed to evoke memories of the old persimmon woods was not something that sparked my interest. And maybe I took a few jabs at the folks who actually would buy into such a “gimmick”, but that was only because I am so charitable in nature. Well it appears that Cleveland was paying attention, because they called my shot and immediately shipped out a Cleveland Classic driver of my choice. The package may as well have had the words “eat crow” spray painted across it, because surely that was their intention.

Rife Two Bar Hybrid Putter Review: Ever go to a golf tournament to watch the pros warm up? Guess what, they spend most of their time on the putting green. You know why? Because it’s where they make their living. All those guys can hit the ball, but it’s the ones who are making the putts that are at the top of the leaderboard week in and week out. I remember my father-in-law’s caddy telling me that during a stretch of years when Hale Irwin was pound-for-pound the best golfer on the planet, it wasn’t his ball striking, no it was his putting.

Despite the fact that Rife has only been around since 2004, they have become one of the fastest growing putter companies in the world. They now boast 100 tour players and 40% of the putters that are used on the Champions Tour. Most recently, Matt Kuchar used a Rife putter to win the Player’s Championship and place 3rd at the Masters. So yea, Rife knows what they are doing.

For the past six weeks I have been using the Rife Two Bar putter in various conditions and I can tell you that I have been quite impressed. Believe it or not, my very first putt was a center cup 8 foot birdie putt, so suffice it to say we got off on a good start. Since that time I’ve used the Rife Two Bar Hybrid Putter for roughly 16 rounds and in some friendly putting green competitions. To date, I remain very happy with the Rife and have gotten a number of positive comments from those who have tried it. Actual comments include:

“good looking putter”

“great balance and feel”

“putts come off the face as smooth and clean as anything I’ve ever seen”

“this thing putts really true”

“this thing is so easy to line up”

It’s true, the Rife Two Bar Hybrid putter make getting your eyes over the line of the target a piece of cake with the sighting notch that’s on the top of the putter, and with their LieAline Fitting System, it is a snap to quickly adjust the putter to your height so that the lie is perfect for you.

The other piece of science behind the Rife Two Bar Putter is their Twin In-Line Moment of Inertia (MOI), which basically means they have weighted the putter so that the head resists twisting when you hit offline putts, even on noticeably off-center hits. When you consider the fact that amateurs do not hit the sweet spot every time, this is a huge advantage because it will allow your putts to hold the line even on mis-hits. In other words, it’s hard to hit a yippy putt with this putter; it’s just begging to hit dead-online.

Okay, you are getting the point right? So before we tackle the more technical features, let me just say that I love the AVS Winn Custom grip they’ve put on the club. I would go so far as to say that it is my favorite putting grip that I’ve tried. It has a great, comfortable feel that still allows plenty of sensitivity to the putter head.

Back to the specs: Another great feature of this Rife Two Bar Hybrid putter is that Rife provides interchangeable weights (conveniently stored inside the putter cover). This means you can go from 360 grams for faster greens to 345 grams for slower greens. The logic here is that most pros use different putters for different green speeds… a heavier putter for fast, and a lighter putter for slow. One thing I did notice to that end – I enjoyed the putter immensely on medium and fast greens with their weighting system. During a few rounds on extremely slow greens, I was aware that it’s hard to make a ‘wristy’ stroke, even if you want to… this putter wants you to make a nice smooth move at the ball, and so I might not be as inclined to use it if I was back in the era of the “Big Three” from Shell’s Wonderful World of Golf. But thankfully, most of us don’t have to play on shag carpets like that very often, and the interchangeable weights for this putter are a big plus in my book and make the putter very versatile for different conditions.

And along with it’s sharp looks and clean manufacturing, I should mention that Rife’s patented RollGroove insert made of milled anodized aluminum has a pleasing sound on impact, but most importantly gets the ball rolling right off the putter face without skidding or hopping. Many putters contact the ball and put a bit of a knuckle-ball kind of action on the putt after initial contact, that you can only see with a slow motion camera. Unfortunately, this skid creates putts that can move offline like a knuckle-ball, and as the skid transitions to rolling, the putt can lose speed from the friction involved. The grooves on this putter physically grab the ball, and get it rolling almost instantaneously. Practically speaking, this means that people will be remarking to you, as they have to me, about how beautifully you are rolling the ball across the green (and hopefully into the hole).

True story– one of the guys I putted against asked if the insert was legal, because he couldn’t believe how smoothly the ball came off the putter face. I assured him, it is! I’m not going to lie, this putter can’t read the greens for you; however, if you can do your part, this Rife Two Bar Hybrid putter will do it’s part and then some.

So, check out the Rife line on their website  and give a look at the new finish they’re putting out in their tropical series- even more styling than before. Then give one a test on a green near you.

You can see all of the high res images in our Facebook Gallery.

Adidas Samba Golf Shoes: Raise your hand if you know what Adidas Samba shoes are. To those of you with your hands up, congrats on being at least semi-conscious for most of your life. To those of you who have not raised your hand, I’m guessing you don’t know who Kim Kardashian is either, which is downright criminal. The fact is, the Adidas Samba is one the most iconic shoes in history, alongside the Converse All-Star and the Nike Air Jordan (sorry Doc Marten, a solid 90’s run does not an icon make). Born with soccer DNA, Sambas quickly went mainstream, and even through times when they’re not necessarily the hottest shoe out there, they can always be found out and about.

Need I say more?

Well folks, Adidas bought Taylor Made a while back and got serious about golf, so guess what . . . behold the Adidas SAMBA golf shoe.

I guess I’ll go ahead and let the cat out of the bag now – these things are awesome. I don’t even know where to begin, except to say that the following review, as always, is just one guy’s take on where Sambas fit into the spectrum, so please don’t be upset if your stylish shoes happen to catch some of the shrapnel.

A few years back the golf shoe industry finally started adding some new concepts to the traditional line of the ol’ Foot Joy look . . . problem was, for some reason they thought people wanted their golf shoes to look like running or basketball shoes. Not cool running or basketball shoes, mind you, but shoes that you would wear to work at a nursing home or bagging groceries. If you don’t know the type, just take a look at what my boy Tiger wears 3 out of 4 days (sigh). There was a weird timeframe a while back when a few of my buddies started showing up to courses with these behemoths on, and I could never get a read on what was up: did they just get a really bad Xmas gift from their father-in-law, had they recently incurred some mild form of head trauma, or were they just suffering through a sudden flare-up of the gout?

Okay, then in 2011 the clouds opened up and we suddenly had a whole new wave of “alternative” golf shoes – nice! Companies started coming out with a cooler version of golf shoes, and in theory I was right on board. The problem for me, however, was that still none of these offerings really put the whole package together. They didn’t look like boring golf shoes, but they also didn’t really look like legitimate cool shoes either; maybe they didn’t have the athletic slant I’d like to see, they often took on more of a “skater shoe” look, which is not my speed. Some of them seemed to struggle with keeping the soles under 2 inches thick, which puts my brain right back to nursing shoes. Others kept the sole nice and thin, but as I’m told, lacked in comfort as a result. And finally, as anti-establishment as I may sound at times (in a really lame golf-y way, of course), I have to ask – when did we decide that standard soft-spikes were no longer king? A lot of the new shoes went with different little nubs that supposedly grip the turf just as well as spikes, something I still haven’t completely signed off on yet.

Then came my pair of Adidas Samba golf shoes. Simply put, they look like normal shoes with spikes attached . . . finally someone figured it out! They have the same low lines as a standard Samba, which makes you wonder how much cushion they can actually provide. To that point . . .

I have what my podiatrist calls “the feet of a 76 year-old overweight marathon runner with bad feet”. At least once every summer someone at the beach will look over and exclaim “what . . . how do you buy shoes?”, and I can’t stand on the concrete floors of a Lowe’s or Home Depot for more than 20 minutes without putting a significant negative spin on my day. So unlike most of my golf purchasing habits, I’ve always been willing to buck up and pop for the nicest pair of golf shoes out there, or at least the second-nicest (I’m not P. Diddy for crying out loud). And those high end traditional shoes usually did the trick – I was never in pain at the end of a round, unless maybe I walked a long 18. Anyway, enough of the build up, these Sambas are the most comfortable golf shoes I’ve worn to date. They don’t feel like golf shoes, they just feel like good sneakers. Good sneakers that look a bit more stylish than the standard, look athletic and not clunky, and still have soft-spikes that are actually spikes.

If you can’t tell, I’m a fan of these buggers. I guess it all makes sense – Adidas has been excelling at making shoes for the better part of a century . . . perhaps they decided it was time to show the golf industry how it’s done.

NOTE: The only issue I have with the Samba shoes are that they are not water proof so if you play a lot of rounds in the morning with heavy dew, this will be an issue.

You can learn more about the Adidas Samba golf shoes on their website and see high res pictures on our Facebook gallery.

G Fore Golf Gloves: Is it just me or do all gloves look exactly the same? Seriously, I must have bought over 200 golf gloves in my life, but if pressed by Alex Trebec, I fear I could not tell you which version I normally buy. My eyes literally glaze over when I stand in front of the golf glove section. In my defense, there are about a million types of golf gloves that all look the same and have names that only add to my confusion. Let’s see, there is dry fit, tour select, stay soft, weather soft and the whatever else the new brand manager could dream up.

ClicGear 3.0 Review: The myth held by most non-golfers is that it is some sort of beer-and-cigar-sodden pastime played by over-weight, ex-frat boys riding around electric go-carts. While there is some truth to this, the majority of golf is played by regular people just looking to spend some time outside, socialize with friends, test their skills and get a bit of exercise, (and when I say a bit of exercise, keep in mind that walking 18 holes is approximately a 5-7 mile walk). Hence, for us walkers, having a solid, well rolling push-cart is a must have. 

Bunker Mentality Golf Apparel: Ah, jolly old England – land of Wimbledon, the English gentleman, and Pippa herself. Part of golf’s old country, Great Britain is often known for its royal family, afternoon tea, and generally refined culture. So who would have guessed that one of the loudest voices in the punk-rock golf movement would be coming from Old Blighty herself?

Sub70 Golf Apparel: Another brand name that is a cruel reminder of my mid-handicap status. Shooting in the 60’s is probably a pipe dream for me at this point but just in case the Sub70 shirts are made with golfing god karma, I am willing to give them a try. While Sub70 has been in England since 2004 it has flown under the radar for most American golfers but this may quickly change since the inception of Sub70 USA which will sell directly in the US (and it does not hurt that Aaron Baddeley wore Sub70 during the 2011 Masters).

The truth is, we dig just about every thing we get at Three Guys Golf Blog but typically one of us is particularly jacked by a given brand (and hence that person is “rewarded” with the honor of writing the post). Frankly, I was not overly excited about Sub70 based on their website since the colors seemed a bit muted to me. However, once I saw the gear in person…. I knew they were money!  We actually looked at three shirts and shorts from Sub70 so here goes.

Sub70 Fredrik Green Golf Shirt:

I love this shirt because of the two pockets on the chest which is a bit unusual but super cool. It has just enough Euro/retro look to set it apart from most of the American shirts but not too Euro to draw the ire of my foursome. You know, it’s a fine line to walk between looking sharp and looking like an idiot (this is especially true for us 40 something year olds).

In my opinion, the Sub70 shirt is a clear path to fashion success even for those us who have a face for radio. In terms of fit and comfort, Sub70 runs a touch small but I would not classify it as too small just european cut. Fabric wise, they are made from a polar dry polyester that breathes well and is very comfortable (albeit not super soft).

Sub 70 Fredrick Green Golf Shirt-Size Medium

Sub70 Plaid Shorts:

Lets face it, most of us wear khaki or blue shorts 95% of the time because we can barely match two colors or patterns. With that said, I went out on a limb and got the plaid shorts and like the shirt, I was pleasantly surprised. Mostly what I care about in shorts are that they fit well and are made from light material. The Sub70 shorts absolutely meet that criteria but they also have a few bonus features. Check out the flap over back pockets, double front pockets, wide belt loop in the back and the stitched cut on the sides – yup, they are money!

Sub 70 Issac Green Shorts

Sub 70 Issac Green Shorts

Sub70 Tristan Pullover:

Matt went with a sweater since he contends he has zero non-dopey looking cold weather golf attire. Again, the website does not do the sweater justice. Typically not one to get excited by golf clothes, Matt was genuinely giddy about the sweater.

Sub70 Tristan Pullover

Since no one ever says “I wish I had another layer so that I could feel more constricted”, having a well fitting go-to pullover is definitely a must have for the cooler months. Plus, unlike many golf sweaters, the Sub70 does not scream “I just played golf” so you can wear it pretty much anywhere.

Sub70 Tristan Pullover

Sub70 Zane Golf Shirt:

Finally we have Wade who is always the tough nut seeing he wears XXL and is not too keen on anything remotely Euro in style. In general, I think most big sized shirts end up just being larger versions of the medium rather than cut for someone 6′ 4″ and 240 lbs. With the Sub70, even the XXL is cut to properly fit with the arms and shoulders being of appropriate size. So, while Wade prefers a stock blue golf shirt, he still gave the Sub70 at least 1 and 1/2  thumbs up in part because Sub70’s description which reads “Designed with straight hem that looks good tucked in or worn out”.  Music to Wade’s ears (Wade is not a big shirt tucker). One thing to note with this particular shirt is that some of the stripes are actually made in part with a rubbery type of material which does give it a different feel.

Sub 70 Zane White and Purple Golf shirt-XXL

In the end, Three Guys Golf Blog is now a big fan of Sub70. You can see the whole line of clothing and accessories on their website.

You can also see more full res. pictures on our Facebook Gallery.

SeeMore m9 Putter Review: If the only thing you knew about golf came from watching commercials, you would surely be convinced that the driver is by far the most important club in the bag. While the big stick may be the club that we use to hit the ball the farthest, the reality is that the driver accounts for less than half as many strokes as the putter does.

Why, then, do we gladly shell out $300 for a new driver every year or two but are content with a putter we found at Play it Again Sports? Because most mid-handicappers (me included) are morons, which is why we don’t use alignment sticks, barely maintain a pre-shot routine, and ignore the multitude of good advice we read every month in golf magazines.

One of the very few cool things about writing a blog (and I mean very few) is that you get to test out golf equipment. This spring I was given a SeeMore putter to use and I must say it has been very eye opening on a number of fronts (no need to thank me for omitting the obvious pun).

First a bit of history – SeeMore Putters was founded in 1998 and got a huge media bump in 1999 when Payne Stewart sank a monster putt on 18 to win the US Open. Unfortunately, we lost Payne Stewart the following year and sales of SeeMore putters lagged to the point where they almost closed up shop. Then in 2006, former Odyssey executives Jim Grundberg and Jason Pouliot purchased the company and SeeMore was again off to the races. Since 2006 SeeMore has grown rapidly and has found a new champion in Zach Johnson who used a SeeMore putter to win the 2007 Masters (in which he putted a mere 27 times in the final round). Currently, Zach Johnson still uses a SeeMore putter and continues to be one of the best putters on tour.

Now back to the SeeMore m9 putter: the most unique feature of the SeeMore Putter is their RifleScope Technology, or as I call it, “hide the dot”. Simply put, if you line up the putter correctly you will not be able to see the red dot. If you can see any part of the red dot or if the shaft is not dead center between the lines you have either set up with the blade slightly open or closed. Stupid simple but really powerful if for no other reason than you feel totally locked in as you stand over your putt.

Hide the dot and you are good to go!

My take: I have primarily putted with an Oddessey #9 putter which is why I chose the m9 seeing as it is a similar shape. The major difference for me was that with the SeeMore m9, the shaft drops in near the center of the club rather than on the heel. It took me about two rounds to get the feel for the putter, but once I got it, I started rolling the ball really well. In fact my 3rd and 4th rounds with the SeeMore putter I had only 26 and 27 putts. While I am still only 12 rounds in with it, my putts per round have declined. Yes, I know the new putter mojo is still at work but I also believe that the riflescope feature absolutly helps me to be mentally locked into the line so I can concentrate just on speed.

Technically speaking the SeeMore m9 has a head weight of 335 grams, has 2.5 degree loft and can be shipped with a custom lie between 68-74 degrees. Additionally because the hosel is an internally milled you can always have the lie adjusted. Essentially, this feature allows the putter to be bent with greater integrity, because the stud is being bent, rather than the shaft.

In terms of look, the SeeMore m9 has very clean lines and features a platinum finish over the milled stainless steel body. Sidebar: is the term “hand milled” code for bad-ass? Either way, what it means is that there are no seams or imperfections. The entire club looks perfect with even the hosel being set with precision. If your driver is the burly lumberjack in your bag, your putter is your honey. Putters need to be hot and the SeeMore m9 is a looker!

Of course you don’t want your SeeMore putter rattling around in the bag so they provide a leather head cover that features a stitched American flag on the side – yup, it’s money!

SeeMore Putter Cover

Finally, I would be remiss if I did not mention the customer service. SeeMore offers lifetime access to their staff of helpful folks. They also provide a number of putting drills and tips on their site. Speaking of drills, I used the Putting Alley a bunch when I got the new putter so that I could make my small adjustments to my setup. You can see my SeeMore m9 in action on our Putting Alley review.

In short I love the SeeMore m9. You can see the whole line on their website.

You can also see all of the high res images on our facebook page.

The Putting Alley: What’s more fun than blasting a bucket full of balls with your driver? Nothing! Unfortunately it is also a huge waste of time since we all know the key to scoring is putting. Not only can good putting save a bad round but it is really the only way to go low. So unless you are disciplined enough to cut into your range time, you need to find another way to improve your putting. Well, help comes in the form of the Putting Alley.

While there are tons of putting aides, most are fairly weak in terms of being a true representation of the game. For me, I believe that if you can master a 27″ line you are halfway home to being a good putter. The folks who developed the Putting Alley are clearly of the same mindset. The Putting Alley is a simple 27″ inch putting surface which due to its construction lets you know exactly if you have hit it pure, pulled or pushed it. Here’s how it works.

The Putting Alley comes in both a plastic and wood version but the key is the metal rod that runs down the center of the alley. This metal rod has two sides which have a flat surface that is either 1″ or 1/2″ wide. Now you would think rolling a short putt would be stupid simple, but you will quickly find out that you have more yipps in your stroke than Vijay Singh has putters in his garage. Starting out with the 1″ side I quickly realized that I had my putter face slightly closed because I was pulling every single putt. The Putting Alley clearly showed this to me because with each putt the ball would roll half way down the alley then fall off of the rail on the inside edge.

Simple 27″ putt – not so much.

Once I made this adjustment my putting improved dramatically, but still, rolling 5 to 8 putts in a row is no easy task. Because there is less room for error, the Putting Alley not only improves your stroke but also your concentration since any mistake will result in the ball not reaching the end on the metal bar. Hence, setting up little games such as seeing how many in a row you can make will really improve your mental focus.

So here is the beauty of this training aid: the folks at the Putting Alley say rolling a pure putt on the 1″ side is equivalent of rolling a 10 foot putt and the 1/2″ side is equivalent of a 20 foot putt. Therefore, you can actually practice longer putts with just a small training aide. Moreover, rolling putts over and over again gives you great confidence when you have to face those 2 foot putts during your weekend skins game.

Below is our video explaining how the Putting Alley works.

As I mentioned, the Putting Alley comes in both wood and plastic. The wood version shown here has been through a ton of trade shows but still looks great. This is a product that absolutely stands up over time and will never be an eyesore.

While the wood versions are not cheap at $159, the plastic version is under $50. Not only is this a great tool for individuals but for a teaching pro it would be a fantastic putting tool. So fear not, you can blast that bucket of balls all day long, just make sure you leave some time at home to work with the Putting Alley.

You can learn more about the Putting Alley on their website.

Mobitee GPS Mobile Golf Assistant App: Even though I have never been much of a GPS guy, I’ve really enjoyed having the Mobitee GPS on my droid. Part of the reason I have not had a GPS is because I play 90% of my golf on the same course. I guess I was of the mindset that there is not much use for a GPS app on a course that I have played a few thousand times, but I was wrong. In terms of ease, it loaded quickly and without hassle on my phone. Here is a quick look at the features taken from the Mobitee website.

FEATURES

• Complete golf guide for each of 30,000+ courses
  (Nearby courses, addresses, reservations, rates, route guidance…)

• Precise GPS tool with moveable target to calculate distances on the course 
  (Distances for back, middle, and front of green; obstacles, doglegs, distance traveled…

• Satellite, aerial view of each hole

• Flyover videos

• Virtual coach 
  (Club advice for each hole)

• Interactive, automatic scorecard for up to 4 players 
  (Net scores, Stableford, index simulation)

• Scorecards can be shared via email  

• Updates are free

• Simple, truly spectacular interface

It was a snap to find my course given all the courses that are included, and the way they use your location to help you know where you are is excellent. One quick warning: there is an app rating query that comes up immediately and you need to close it prior to moving to the next hole. Once I got rid of the question about rating the app, by simply closing it, my world began to get a lot clearer with this app in my hands.

Mobitee GPS App is available for the iPhone and Android phones. You can learn more on the Mobitee Website

Innovex Golf Balls: The one item all golfers buy over and over again is golf balls, so finding the right one for your game should be a decision you take seriously – your choice will not only have an effect on your score but also your wallet. Therefore, unless you have P-Diddy money, price ends up figuring into the equation. Enter Innovex.

Innovex offers two varieties of balls, the 3 piece suryln cover on the e-motion (around $20/dozen), and the softer urethane covered v-motion (around $35/dozen). While Innovex has only been around since 2006 they are connected to the Rife putter folks so you know they understand the game. As a bonus, Innovex prices are lower than the big names’ comparable balls.

Generally I put balls into three rough categories: the rocks that are hard and tend to go far with little to no touch around the greens, the balls that are less hard and have some touch around the greens, and the top-of-the-line balls that are long and straight and will check back if you have some technique around the greens.

The Innovex balls are surprisingly hard to pigeonhole into one of these categories but overall I was very pleased with how they performed. I found them both to be long and straight off the driver, with the e-motion being even more so. With my irons, both felt really good with the v-motion having a softer feel, and more grab on the greens when chipping. While neither checked quite as much as my Calloway Tour i(z), the v-motion has more than enough bite for the courses I play.

Even though I did not perform any “scientific tests”, I played the v-motion right alongside my Callaway Tour i(z) and Pro V1x , and did not see any loss of performance . . . so at $15 less per dozen, the v-motion is an excellent high end ball.

As for the e-motion, most golfers will find it a great value for outstanding performance. The reality is that any mid to high handicapper is just throwing money away with a $40/dozen ball. On the other hand, being too frugal and settling for the bargain value rock is also compromising too much performance. This is where the e-motion is a great fit. At $20 per dozen, you get a high quality 3 piece ball that will perform but not break your heart when you honk it into the woods.

Three Guys take: Innovex delivers on performance and the price point is below market – it’s a buy!

You can learn more on the Innovex website.

If you read my posts on Druh or 59 Belts, you know I am a big fan of belt buckles. As a precursor, the only golf belt buckles I will not wear are ones that are simply the logo of a big name brand. Nothing against Nike, Puma or Adidas, I just have enough of their stuff in my bag without having a swoosh on my mid-section. The way I figure it, a belt buckle is of of the few golf items that project a little personality, so until I get a sponsorship deal there will be no logo from a company who is listed on the NYSE holding up my britches. Fortunately, I stumbled upon the White Ball who makes really cool golf belt buckles and straps, and even though everyone’s favorite, Rory Sabbatini, wears the White Ball buckle, I do not yet classify The White Ball as a big brand logo.

Since our site name is “Three Guys Golf Blog”, we looked at three buckles from the White Ball: the Zen, Champion and Pride. In my opinion the Zen is the standard-bearer of the line. Out of the gate, you can see it has a platinum finish which is super clean and bright. Going beyond my personal comfort zone, I paired it with a green strap, which by the way, instantly became one of my favorites. I have historically only worn black straps, but after realizing that you can wear a colored stap with nearly every outfit,  I am now a huge fan of the bright belt colors. Plus the green belt gets two thumbs up from my wife (if you happen to care what she thinks).

The White Ball Zen Belt

The White Ball Zen Belt

A little Zen cannot hurt

Beyond the simple fact the Zen belt is just a super good looking golf belt buckle, the designer also cleverly weaved in a number of themes into the logo.

• First, if you look closely, the logo is actually two letters overlapping each other. There is a “W” from straight on and a “B”  when the buckle is turned sideways (get it – “White Ball” = WB).
• The shape also resembles an Archer’s Composite Bow, who like a golfer must harness their concentration to create accurate shots.
• Finally, the logo also resembles the Zen position of the hands that a statue of Buddha is usually posed.

Enough symbolism for even Mr. Poe.

The White Ball Champion

Finally, we looked at the Pride buckle since Wade contends no man who has a 40″ waist should ever wear a large belt buckle (paging Mr. Daly). The Pride buckle is the style that 95% of golfer wear, except the White Ball version is like 1000% cooler. Again, check out the small details that you just don’t find on the belt you picked up at Dick’s Sporting Goods (apologies to Dick’s who for some reason I aways pick on).

The White Ball Pride Belt Buckle

The White Ball Pride Belt Buckle

See how both the golf ball graphic and the company name is milled into the side of the buckle as well as on the front clasp? While simple in design, this buckle is way classier than your average buckle.

Lastly, let me touch on the straps. All of the straps made by the White Ball are Genuine Italian Leather. While they do offer black and white, they also have eight other colors that I promise you will dig. Like many high end buckles, all of the White Ball buckles can be interchanged as they can be easily unclamped (and sized).

The White Ball Strap

The White Ball offers two other styles, Crystal and Dandy, and has a number of accessories that all can be found on their website. The Zen buckle and strap retail for $159, the Champion and Pride for $119.

You can also see all of the high res images on our Facebook Gallery.

ps, Ken Duke, Brad Faxon, Hal “Be the right stick today” Sutton and Bob “I can’t believe Tiger made that putt” May all wear the White Ball.

Fila Golf Shirts: With the trend in golf fashion moving farther and farther away from the standard blues and khakis, some of us are starting to really feel old. While orange may flatter Rickey Fowler, those of us who only have a six pack in the fridge usually find it hard to pull off many of today’s golf fashions. Fortunately, there are still some options for those of us who are not exactly hitting the gym everyday but still want to wear good looking, well fitting fashionable golf attire.

Normally I do not associate Fila with golf, but like a lot of sporting companies, Fila is getting into the mix (in part because of their recent purchase of Titleist). Three Guys recently got a few samples of the 2012 Fila line to check out and we can report we were very impressed. The three shirts we looked at were the Vicenza Polo, Bristol Polo and the Phoenix Polo.

Lets start with Wade, who is what we call a big guy. Going 39″ waist and a XXL shirt, Wade is always the tester for “regular guy” golf fashion. Even though I have been able to talk Wade into some Euro shirts, it is clear that he is more comfortable in a more traditional style. So when it came to the Fila shirt, Wade immediately called to tell me how much he like the Phoenix Polo. With wide shoulder panels and a stretchy material, the Fila shirt gives even Wade tons of freedom to move and is way better looking than the average golf shirt you get at a big box store. In Wades words it “fits like a jersey”.

Fila Phoenix Polo-Size XXL

The other two shirts we looked at were what I would call classic american style. Fitting was fair and the material has tons of stretch which allows for lots of movement. From a style standpoint, most of us dopes, just want to be able to put on tan pants and a good looking shirt.

Fila Vicenza Polo-This is a medium.

Fila absolutly fits the bill. They are clearly better than your off the rack shirt but you never feel like you trying to pull off a look. They are just plain old good looking, good fitting, well made golf shirts.

Fila Bristol Polo. This is a large.

Since we started doing apparel reviews we have seen quite a number of shirts. While the styles vary widely, the one thing they all have in common is that they are all much better made than the stuff I used to get at the big box golf stores. Yes they may run a little more in terms of cost (these three shirts run between $80-$100), but they are all clearly much better in terms of fit and quality. So for those of you looking to upgrade your golf wardrobe, check out the 2012 Fila line as I think you will find something you like.

You can see the whole line of shirts on the Fila website.