We’ll accept entries until the first group tees off Saturday morning.

Note: Must be a legal U. S. resident age 18 or older to enter. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited.

Distance/Accuracy

The biggest area the X Hot driver falls short in, for me, is distance. It’s painfully average for a modern club, giving me zero added yards compared to my now-three-year-old TaylorMade driver, and coming up short of my expected carry yardages with alarming frequency. In exchange for its lukewarm distance off the tee, the club provides only average accuracy, doing no more to keep my ball in the fairway than any other club I’ve hit, modern or otherwise. As quickly as other companies and drivers are stepping up their games, you’re simply not getting my money if you’re not adding yards; there are too many other better options available.

Forgiveness

Again, nothing to write home about here. The X Hot driver gives you a little leeway on off-center hits, but less than you’d expect from a driver sold in 2013. It’s not at all unforgiving, but it’s not going to blow you away. Much like with the club’s overall distance, unless you haven’t bought a driver in the past ten years, you’ll likely find yourself wondering what improvements over your previous club you’re getting.

Workability

Intentional draws and fades are fairly easy to pull off with the X Hot driver, but dialing in the precise amount of curve you want out a particular tee shot can be tricky. Ultimately, though, I found little remarkable with the club’s shot-shaping ability.

Look/Feel

If there’s one element I did really like about the Callaway X Hot driver, it’s the sound. Many of today’s drivers sound like a trainwreck at impact, an explosion of sound designed, I imagine, to make a player feel like he or she is imparting a herculean force upon the ball. The X Hot, being very traditionally designed with a surprisingly small clubhead and classic, rounded profile at address, has an equally traditional sound, an understated “ping” reminiscent of the way an old persimmon wood’s satisfying “click” when you got one right on the screws. The club’s aesthetics are so retro-feeling, in fact, that I can’t help but wonder, given the way the club lags behind the times from a performance aspect, if the X Hot wasn’t designed as something of a persimmon-style metalwood for the modern era.

Overall

I certainly don’t mean to make it sound as if the X Hot is a terrible club. It’s perfectly acceptable on its own merits, outside of the context of its competition. My problem with it is that it feels like such a rehash of clubs released two, three, or even more years ago that I can’t figure out what the point of making this particular club designed this way might be. Technology or design advances from previous models don’t seem to show up in increased ball speeds or fairways hit, meaning that this feels like Callaway making a new club just to have a new club to sell. Unless they’re aggressively targeting the golfer who pines for the days of persimmon woods, I can’t figure out who this club benefits. Like a cheese sandwich, it’ll get the job done, but you could probably find something much better with just a little bit of effort.

Look & Feel
TaylorMade has always put out a product that looks as good as it performs, and the RocketBlades are no exception. I would definitely give them an A+ on the bling factor. From the top at address, the look is minimal with no hint of the larger sole. I have never been attracted by good looks alone; I knew a little range time would be in order to put these irons through the paces. The RocketBladez are buttery smooth at impact, with no vibration and a solid crack. The grips felt comfortable, although my preference would be for a nice cord grip. Many customization options are available, and grips are a common first modification.

Distance & Accuracy
One word of caution — or elation, depending on your point of view — these irons hit long. It was a good thing I chose to hit a bucket before tee time, or I would have been flying every green. I usually hit my 7-iron 165 to 170 yards, but the RocketBladez 7-iron checked in at 190. In the accuracy department, the sweet spot of these irons is larger and lower on the face than most irons, which resulted in shots that stayed on line, even when not hit perfectly square. The initial launch trajectory was high with a very sharp descent. Shots held the green when landing with the scoring irons with very little rollout.

Forgiveness & Control
The large sweet spot of the RocketBladez, combined with the high launch trajectory, make this set of irons extremely forgiving. Middle to high handicappers will appreciate the increased distance and the enhanced ability to make solid contact. Backspin was created without effort, aided by the high launch and sharp descent if these irons. One compromise with the iron is that the ability to shape shots is somewhat hampered by the larger sweet spot, it was possible, but took a more exaggerated motion.

Overall Impression
TaylorMade has put together the full package with the RocketBladez irons. They look great, they perform great, and with the customization options that are available, they can be set up to meet the preference of golfers of any skill level.

Having worked with kids of all ages, and having a father who’s taught junior golfers for the better part of the last 25 years, we were talking the other day about kids being exposed to the game and the best ways to do so. Since we’re approaching that time of the year when school is out and summer programs are going to be starting nationwide, we put together some do’s and don’ts for junior golf.

Getting Your Child Hooked on Golf

First off, when should you start exposing your child to golf?  What does that look like? How much is too much?  Here’s what I mean by exposing: take them to the range and let them have fun, have them watch golf with you. On the range just let them hit balls with little to no instruction – a pointer here or there isn’t going to hurt, but whatever you do, don’t try to teach them the swing or make corrections. If they’re young and just getting exposed, let them hit away and, if they want to, mimic swings that they see.

So how do you know if they’re taking to the game, and if they like it? A few signals to be aware of is, first and foremost, don’t force anything on them. Let them tell you if they want to play, if they want to go to the range. If they start asking to go play golf then by all means take them. The last thing you want to do is force it, because while they might go along with it for a while, even for a few years, they will undoubtedly rebel and quite possibly walk away from the game for good. I’ve seen it happen multiple times with kids and their overbearing parents who pushed and pushed. Don’t be that parent. There’s no set age to get them started in the game, but it’s dependent on the child and their maturity level.

Finding a Junior Golf Instructor

What, then, is the next step if they are showing interest and starting to get a little bit older? I wouldn’t recommend this until they’re 6 or 7 at the earliest, but once they showing interest, that is the time to look into getting them some formal instruction from a professional. How do you find an instructor who’s good with kids? Do some legwork to investigate some programs, and ask around. Most facilities will be proudly promoting their programs and will be happy to answer questions for you.

It’s at this stage that you’ll want to get them into camps so they can interact with other kids, learn new skills like sportsmanship, respect and honesty. It will also increase their exposure and love for the game. Learning the game with other kids will foster a sense of belonging, and independence.

Managing Expectations

Lastly, a mistake I see a lot of parents make is that if they’re child shows an interest and ability in the game is to think that they’re going to be the next Tiger Woods and that they should drop everything else and focus solely on golf. Bad idea: chances are your child is not the next Tiger and by isolating them into golf you’re denying them some very valuable experiences. Let them play other sports and experience other activities, because this aids in the development of their coordination and athletic ability. This will only serve to help them in the long run, in their future golf game, and their life paths.  

2^nd Swing: You’re in Florida at The Players Championship to announce the new line. Is anyone talking about the anchored putting ban?

Bob Bettinardi: I just talked to Keegan Bradley about five minutes ago on the putting green — we made him a putter about a month ago — and I asked him, “Keegan, what’s happening with the outlawing of the belly and anchoring?” He said, “It’s over,” meaning that the USGA ruling from a few months ago (banning anchored putting strokes in 2016) is going to prevail, and take effect on Tour, as well. So I believe that if you’re a PGA Tour player or a player that wants to play in high-end tournaments, or just want to follow the rules, and you cannot putt with a standard-length putter, you’re going to have to go to this Kuchar-style method of putting, the arm-lock style.

2S : What was it like working on this putter series with Matt Kuchar, one of the best putters in the world and a player at the forefront of this new putting style?

BB: When Matt Kuchar came up to me and said, “Hey, we should do a collaboration,” I was very excited. It was great working with Matt, first of all, because he’s an unbelievably nice guy. Secondly, Matt has, I think, transformed his whole game by using this arm-lock putting stroke. Using Matt’s inspiration, and also his specs, to create this line helped us to create something truly unique.

2S: What can you tell us about the Kuchar Series putters?

BB: Basically there are two models: the model that he’s using right now (the Model 1, a widened blade) and a mallet, so there’s something for everyone there. For each model, there are two styles to choose from. You can buy each one in the Kuchar-style, 42-inch length, or in the standard style – same putter head but with traditional, 33-, 34- and 35-inch lengths. So really, there are two models but four products.

2S: Besides length, what are the other differences between the Kuchar-style and standard putters?

BB: A big difference is loft. The Kuchar style has seven degrees of loft (due to the slight forward press the arm-lock style promotes), while the standard versions have just our normal three degrees of loft. The Kuchar-style putters are 400 grams, while the standard putters are 350 grams. The offset on the Kuchar-style is around 2.5 shafts, while the standard style has just one shaft of offset. The lie angle for each is 71 degrees, they all use our F.I.T. Face technology, and as always, as you guys know, Bettinardi controls their own metals. All of our models are made from very soft, proprietary carbon steel. This gives our putters a very nice feel and makes them perfect for fitting with, as well.

2S: Speaking of fitting, how can the average golfer determine which length is right for him or her?

BB: I’ve been asked that quite often. Here’s the answer: Kuchar puts the grip part of the putter in his forearm, so think of your forearm from your elbow down to your wrist – that’s six inches or more of length there. Kuchar has that grip right up to his elbow or just below, and he’s six-foot-four – his putter length is 44.75 inches. Our standard length, then, for our Kuchar-style putter is 42 inches long. At 2^nd Swing Studio B, the same fitting principles as always apply: get the eye over the ball at the inside heel. Once we’ve got that down, we’re going to just line it up on the forearm, and if it feels comfortable there, just below the elbow, that’s what we’ll cut it at, and if it’s comfortable two inches below the elbow, then we’ll cut it there. But we’ll sell it at 42-inch standard.

2S: Any final thoughts?

BB:  I recently talked to Mike Shannon — a renowned putting coach at Sea Island for Kuchar, Brandt Snedeker and others — who said the same thing I’ve heard from others about Kuchar’s arm-lock stroke: “This is the new style of putting.”

Looks

I’ve yet to find a person that doesn’t like the looks of a Bettinardi putter. They are practical, useful works of art. The Matt Kuchar Series is in similar to the BB series for 2013, with its pewter finish and white and blue paint fill. The arm-lock model is heavier, longer and bigger. It is close to a belly putter in some ways, but is played with the arm-lock stroke. You can get these in conventional sizes too.

Feel/Sound

This putter line is made out of Bettinardi’s standard mild carbon and then PVD finished. The real difference with this model over the standard Bettinardi line is the extra weight. The arm-lock putter head comes in at 400 grams — noticeably heavy. The feel is also a little softer because of the extra weight. It has the FIT-face technology that Bettinardi uses to make it feel even softer than his normal Honeycomb face. The solid thud at impact is excellent

Forgiveness

There is a reason Matt Kuchar is such a hot putter right now: the arm-lock method is a legitimate alternative to a belly putter. It really takes the wrists out of the stroke and creates one less variable. Another nice feature is that it trains you to dominate the putting stroke with your left arm. The larger, heavier head seemed to be less resistant to twisting — not only the head, but the method really secures this putter for a straight stroke.

Accuracy

This putter has some features that are specifically designed to help with accuracy. The one thing I noticed is the surprisingly high loft on the face and the extreme offset. That really is the only way to make the arm-lock method work. If it was less offset you would have trouble seeing the putter and if it had less loft, you would probably pound the ball into the ground. It is also face balanced which wouldn’t fit my typical stroke, but feels perfect for the arm-lock stroke. If you lock it in and roll the ball, this thing is deadly accurate. When I tried it at 2^nd Swing indoors and I missed the cup almost every time, but the good thing was that I missed in the exact same spot. (If I would have moved the cup over 3 inches I would have made every putt.) Once I got it on the course, I fixed my alignment and started sinking everything. There is a level of consistency with this putter that is impressive.

Matt Kuchar is on to something with this arm-lock stroke. It works best with a putter designed for it, and you won’t find too many out there that will work. The Special Edition Bettinardi Matt Kuchar Series is a great design to help you make more putts.

The most recent S Series iron set, the S56 line, has performed exceptionally well since its launch in 2010; it certainly helped when Louis Oosthuizen used them to win the 2010 British Open. The S56 has been a favorite of PING staffers on all major tours across the world, along with many amateur golfers who prefer the look of a traditional clubhead.

This is why the S55 is such a highly anticipated launch for PING: with its product life cycles typically running at two years, many thought the S55 would be launched in 2012 to keep in that trend. That deadline came and went, and the reluctance to introduce a new S Series iron may be attributed to the fact the S56 has continued to sell well. Another possibility – and what I’m hoping is true – could be that PING knows it has a winner on its hands and really wants to make a splash with the S55.

In looking at the patent photos you see many of the PING S Series staples:

• Tungsten weight in the toe, which provides high trajectory in the long irons and, when placed deeper in the scoring irons, provides a penetrating ball flight
• Stabilizing bar, which allows for a more controlled ball flight from long to short irons
• Thin sole and topline for traditional look at address

Things that we don’t know just yet, but are likely to find out soon include finish and shaft options. For the finish, I’m hoping PING sticks with the Satin Chrome look of the S56 and S57 irons. PING has created a darker, more modern finish for the 2013 Gorge wedges and G25 iron sets, which, don’t get me wrong, is very nice, but to my eye the Satin Chrome is a better look for a traditional set of clubs.

For shafts, it would be great to see PING continue to offer the hottest shafts on the market as stock options; the buzz in the industry is now on the KBS C-Taper shafts which have a really appealing look and even smoother feel. The good news for all of us is that through PING’s custom department, PING WRX, all the major shafts and grips are available, so no one should be left unhappy.

I know there are many PING fans (including myself) that are very excited for what PING has in store for the S55 irons. Seeing these patent drawings gets me more and more excited for the release.

Grip

Whether you are just starting in the game of golf or are looking to improve, a good place to start is the grip. The grip is your connection to the golf club, and you want this to create a bond between you and the club. There are three basic grips: the ten-finger, the overlap and the interlock. All three are perfectly acceptable; it just depends on which one is most comfortable to you. (Just a side note: if you are left-handed, reverse left and right when you are reading this.)

The club should lie in the fingers of the left hand, with the butt end of the club resting against the pad or heel of the palm. Avoid letting the club lay in the lifeline of the left hand. As you close your hand on the club you should see two or three knuckles, with the “V” formed by the thumb and index finger pointing to your right shoulder. The thumb should be positioned down the top of the shaft. Place your right hand on the club below the left, letting the club lay in the fingers. Simply slide your hand up the grip of the club leaving four fingers on the grip if you want the ten-finger grip. Lay the little finger of the right hand on the top of the index finger of the left, if you want the overlap grip. For the interlock grip, slide the little finger under and around the index finger, keeping the remaining three fingers on the shaft. As you close your right hand on the club, place the right thumb on the left side of the shaft, pinching the shaft between the thumb and the index finger of the right hand. The left thumb should fit into the lifeline of the right hand. The grip pressure should be firm but not tense.

Stance and Posture

Take your stance to the ball; this is called your address position, and should be a balanced position with your weight from the center of your feet towards the balls of your feet. Your legs should be shoulder-width apart, measuring from the inside of the feet. With a slight knee flex, bend slightly forward from your hips, keeping your back straight and letting your arms hang freely from your shoulders. Distribute your weight evenly so you feel as though you could move from left to right and back again without losing your balance.

Setup, Alignment and Ball Position

After taking your grip to begin your setup, place the clubhead behind the ball with the clubface pointing at the target. Hold your hands slightly forward from the ball, aligned over the inside of your left thigh. Place your feet parallel to the line of the clubface — to help with this, imagine a railroad track with one rail from your clubface pointing at the target, and the other rail from your feet running parallel. Never line your feet up first, ALWAYS line your clubface up first. The ball should be placed slightly left of center for the shorter irons, and gradually move the ball forward in your stance as the club length increases, until the ball is off the instep of the left foot for the driver.

The Swing

The golf swing should begin by starting the clubhead back. Let the left arm, left hand and golf club work together as a unit in a low, smooth motion. This “unit” will wind up the body, moving your weight onto your right side. The lower body should remain quiet and stable, but if needed the left heel should release (rise slightly) to allow your weight to get to the right side. During the backswing, allow the left wrist to begin to hinge, so that a 90 degree angle between the golf club and your forearm is created at the top of the backswing. Allow a slight pause at this position, then allow the weight to return to the left side, letting the lower body unwind and bringing the arms and club to impact. Let the motion continue through impact with the arms finishing over the left shoulder and your belt buckle pointing to the target and 90 percent of your weight on your left leg. The golf swing is a constant motion; try to avoid going from slow to fast or fast to slow. Whatever speed you go back, come through at the same speed.