In the February Momentum, we asked club experts to give us the “Top 5″ clubs they can’t wait to test in 2012. Sean Weir, founder of the Putter Zone, said he can’t wait to test the YES! Sandy 12 Putter.

Sean said, ” After a brief hiatus, Yes! Golf is back under new ownership at Adams Golf. The Sandy 12 is a face-balanced mallet that merges Yes! Golf’s familiar C-Groove face with a new TPU backing for enhanced feel.”

Triple Milled & Multi-Material Advantage
The CB3 irons use a triple milled construction technique to enhance perimeter weighting and create an extremely thin face with precision grooves that deliver a high level of feel, performance and consistency.  The Idea Black CB3 Irons also feature a new multi-material badge in the back cavity which greatly improves vibration and sound.

Custom Fitting
The Idea Black CB3 Irons will be highly customizable.  Authorized Adams Golf fitters will have a CB3 fitting kit which has the ability to change lie angle, length, shaft flex and shaft type to fine tune the irons for each golfer’s specific game.  This set will also be integrated into Adams Golf’s HITfit application.  Based on an individual’s 6-iron launch data, the HITfit app will recommend the proper set makeup including fairway woods, hybrids, irons, and wedges in order to provide the most optimized set each golfer’s unique characteristics. *Talk to your GolfTEC Coach about scheduling a club fitting and find out what clubs are right for your swing.

Stock and Custom Shaft Offerings
The Idea Black CB3 Irons will be offered with exceptional premium shafts: KBS Tour 90 (steel) or the Matrix Ozik Program 8.1 (graphite) as the stock shaft options.  Through the custom fitting process, other shafts are available at no additional cost (see below for a complete list).

M. Puglielli Black Wedge – Improved Performance
For 2012, the forged M. Puglielli Black Wedges feature a new radial sole geometry that provides heel and toe relief to reduce turf interaction for more consistent shot making from all sorts of lies.  Increased spin performance and feel is delivered from a triple milling process (face, grooves and back cavity) along with a laser engraved face to achieve maximum permissible surface roughness.  In addition, the M. Puglielli Black Wedges will feature the DG Spinner shaft which can further increase spin up to 700 RPM for even more control.  These high performance wedges are offered in RH, LH and multiple bounce and loft combinations.

Models, Pricing and Availability
The Idea Black CB3 irons will have a suggested retail price (MSRP) for $899.99 (steel) and $1099.99 (graphite).  They will be offered in both right and left hand in regular, stiff and extra stiff flexes.  The Puglielli Black Wedges will have a suggested retail price of $149.99.  Both products will be available in stores and online beginning March 1st so keep an eye out for more information from  your GolfTEC Improvement Center on demo models of these clubs.

Available Models:

Idea Black CB3 Standard Set Makeup:         4-GW
Also available through custom order:              3-iron
Idea Black CB3 Custom Shaft Options:         True Temper Dynamic Gold
Project X
Project X Flighted
KBS Tour
KBS Tour Smoke
KBS C-Taper ($15 upcharge)
2012 Puglielli Black Lofts and Bounces:        52-08*, 54-08. 56-11*, 56-14, 58-06, 58-10
60-01, 60-06* (* Available in Left-Hand)

Doug Rikkers
GolfTEC Director of Club Fitting and Merchandise

With all the buzz on the PGA Tour surrounding belly putters, many of you may be considering adding one to your bag; and for good reason! Belly putters are a great way to lower your scores, particularly if you struggle with putts inside 10 feet. The success of the belly putters comes from anchoring the club to the body. This connection improves path consistency, which leads to improved direction, and it helps keep the body stable which leads to better face contact and improved distance control.

When it comes to belly putters, TaylorMade offers two excellent models  (Spider Ghost and the Corza Ghost). These high-Moment of Inertia (MOI) models are both designed to simplify the aiming process and provide face stability, even on off-center hits. One advantage to the Spider Ghost is the Movable Weight Technology that lets you increase/decrease the head weight, which allows you to keep the same feel if you end up changing the total length of the putter.

Odyssey has taken alignment to the next level by developing their own scientific alignment technology. The Direction and Realignment Technology (DART) works by involving your mind’s eye in the alignment process to ensure proper alignment to the target and consistent contact with the center of the face. All Odyssey putters incorporate high MOI to increase face stability.

If you prefer a more “traditional” head design you may find the Cleveland Classic Black Platinum Belly most pleasing to the eye. Unlike the TaylorMade and Odyssey models, the Cleveland Classic Belly incorporates the common toe-down weighting found in many standard length putters. Although MOI is reduced, this design promotes face rotation that is consistent with the arc created by the anchoring of the putter to the belly. Another plus to the Cleveland Belly is that it comes in four lengths (39”, 41”, 43” and 45”)

Regardless of which belly putter you choose it is critical that you make sure it fits you. As with traditional length putters, belly putters that are too long or too short can cause significant set-up flaws and lead to stroke errors that limit your potential. As always, your GolfTEC Certified Personal Coach can help identify the length that is right for you. Click here for more information about GolfTEC’s Club Fitting services.

Doug Rikkers uses the Coutour belly putter fitting tool to measure putter length.

Check out the photos below!

When used correctly, training aids can be a great way to develop a specific skill or movement in your golf swing. Practicing with the right training aid reduces the learning curve and gets you on your way to a better swing. Below are three of our favorites for fixing some of the most common swing faults we see.

Power Leg Coil – A lower body sway, where the weight shifts outside the trailing leg, is a common problem for many golfers. This fault often leads a reverse pivot and makes it difficult to shift your weight properly in the downswing. To get a feel for the proper pivoting action in the backswing we often use the Power Leg Coil. This training aid makes it nearly impossible to sway, by replacing the incorrect leg action with the desired pivoting motion of the trailing leg. Not only is the Power Leg Coil an effective tool for reducing your sway, but it also fits easily in your golf bag and can be used on the driving range or at home as part of your between-lesson practice schedule.

Swingyde – The Swingyde can be used to establish the correct amount of wrist hinge, eliminate poor clubface position at the top, create lag in the downswing and produce proper forearm rotation in the follow through. That’s a lot for a simple little device that attaches to any golf club! The Swingyde can be used indoors, or as you practice on the range or in our practice bays. The feedback provided by the Swingyde is immediate and simple to interpret; make the correct move and the Swingyde connects to the forearm of your lead arm. Make the wrong move and you’ll know right away from the resulting lack of connection.

Power Angle – If you struggle with keeping your arms extended and away for your torso at the top of your swing, the Power Angle may provide the cure you’re looking for. This unusual looking device starts with a molded grip and encourages an early wrist hinge and extended lead arm at the top. Once you’ve mastered the top position, the Power Angle helps get your trailing elbow down and in front of your right hip at impact, leading to a more powerful release of the club and more distance.

So if you’re looking for a new way to tackle that nagging swing fault that refuses to go away, ask your Coach about these and the many other training aids found in your local GolfTEC Improvement Center.