Another Round Of Holiday Deals!

As the holiday season is now nearing the "point of no return" for online ordering, I took a gander through one of my favorite "budget sites" GolfEtail to see if they had anything left on the shelves worth picking up before the end of the year.

First, get started at Rakuten. Rakuten is a "cash back" affiliate program that allows you to earn a percentage of the sale back through a rebate check that is mailed out quarterly. As a bonus, if you use this link, you will get a $10 bonus when you make your first $25 in purchases. Rakuten works at sites like Rock Bottom Golf, GolfEtail, Callaway, TaylorMade and many others, so check out the full list when you sign up.

Next up, after you've signed up for Rakuten, you can head over to GolfEtail for an additional $10 savings on any purchase of $75 or more when you sign up for their newsletter. With GolfEtail's already low prices, it can be tough to get to $75 in a single order, but it's still pretty easy if you find the right items. What I always look for during GolfEtail's sales are consumables (balls, tees, gloves, etc...) and long term accessories like bags, clothes and shoes. The trick to handling GolfEtail is that you need to get a bit lucky with sizes to get a killer deal, but watch for them, they come up often.

The New Balance Minimum Spikeless shoe is one such deal. If you've been fitted for NB in the past, these $100+ shoes can be had for just $54.99 and they ship for free. These shoes feature a 2 year waterproof guarantee and a moisture wicking insole to keep your feet dry during the warmer summer months as well. As of this post, there are sizes ranging from 7 to 14 available in a variety of colors. 

If you're working on the consistency of your swing, there's not much better than the Swing Caddie SC200 Personal Launch Monitor. While I'm currently using the Flightscope Mevo monitor (it integrated with my phone to track data long term) the SC200 was my first experience with a PLM system. During my time with the SC200, I was very impressed with the accuracy and consistency of the unit. The SC200 measures carry distance, swing speed, ball speed and then computes the smash factor based on the taken measurements. Overall, it's great for building a tighter dispersion pattern on your wedges and seeing the club head speeds of your longer clubs.

One that I recently discovered was that many retailers sell "mint condition" used balls. One such offering from GolfEtail is the ball I play, the Titleist AVX. These balls sell for $40-50 a dozen but can be had for almost a fraction of that cost in "mint" condition. The 3 dozen pack of AVX balls at GolfEtail are currently marked at just under $60, or about $20 a dozen. Not bad for a ball that may have been hit a few times and left somewhere. There are plenty of other great options on GolfEtail as well, so check them out here.

Another product that I never seem to have enough of is good hats to wear to the course. Hats are good for keeping the sun off our heads during the summer months and keeping the heat from escaping during the colder months. With selections from just about everyone and lower prices, you may be able to save a bit of cash and still look amazing on the course, or maybe find a few gifts for some of your friends without breaking the bank.



Now with all of that said, what should you avoid from places like this? Well, that depends on how serious you are about your golf game. Retailers like GolfEtail usually provide a very small amount of first run clubs. Instead, they tend to focus on slightly older models. For example, Their driver selection at the moment includes the Cobra King LTD Pro, King F8 and King F9 drivers. The prices are $199.99, $179.99 and $379.99 respectively. The F8 at $179.99 is quite a deal, but keep in mind that this particular club is only available in Senior Flex shafts. This means you can find a great deal, but for the most part, fitting options are non-existent, so don't buy something based off a great price that won't fit you down the road.

Next up, do not, ever, under any circumstances, purchase shoes that you have never tried on from any online source. While most shoes have a 14-30 day comfort guarantee, the chances of getting them out on the course enough to know if they are going to destroy your ankles during that time is almost zero. With that said if you have a favorite shoe style and size that happens to pop up, grab them if the price is right. Like the New Balance deal above, there are some fantastic prices available if the shoe fits.

The last item to avoid is the classic "bagged sets" of clubs. While these may seem like a great way to start playing the game, the quality of many of these boxed retail sets is low at best. Companies that were once big names in the industry have been absorbed by others and now those names may not mean what you think anymore. Great ones to skip out on would be Orlimar, Nitro, Precise, Aspire and Intech. most of these sets are made from the cheapest components possible and will fall apart in no time at all. For just a few dollars more, you can opt for a complete set from Callaway (Strata), Wilson  (Profile) or Tour Edge. The higher quality gear will make a difference starting out and last you longer than the cheaper options.

So that wraps up a quick look at GolfEtail's deal and some "what should you buy and what not to buy" options from discount golf retailers. If you have any that I missed, feel free to leave them in the comments below.

- By clicking on the links in this post I may receive a referral commission if you make a purchase.

Going Pro: Year End Recap And What's Next? - Episode 5

Although 2019 didn't have all the forward movement I wanted in my aspirations of becoming a PGA Member, some big steps were made towards the bigger goal. As the year comes to a close, I am still officially "Pre-Qualified" for the Professional Golf Management course, my game is slowly finding it's way back to being decent and my work-life balance is much better right now than it was during those 80-90 hour summer weeks.

2020 should be a big year for goals as my next shot at the playing test will come in April (if the schedule holds as it is set now) and my lesson books begin to fill up for the summer months. I'm hopeful that I can have more time to commit to the process and teaching this year, but we will see how those plans come together as the winter progresses.

For now, enjoy Episode 5 of Going Pro and let me know in the comments on the YouTube page or even in the section below what you'd like to know more about. see me cover more of or even just generic questions you may have for me, I'd love to answer what I can for you.

Golfer's Gift Guide: Five Great Gift Ideas For Golfers

Yes, it's the season of giving once again and now that Black Friday has past and we are down to the nitty-gritty of the gift finding season, I felt it was only right to once again break out the blog (not a video this time) and put up a few of the best items I could find that should help every golfer play better, without breaking your budget. These may be stocking-stuffer class for some people, for those on tighter budgets, gifts like this are more than able to stand on their own (they are also great "from the kids gifts" as well!)

PuttOUT Pressure Putt Trainer

Yes, this annual favorite once again makes the list of amazing deals. This sub $30 putting trainer is something that everyone can use (the entire family can have a blast with this one) and will make everyone with a few feet of carpet a better putter in no time. If you team it with some of the single item coupon deals, you'll find this guy well under $25. 

BagBoy Golf 62" UV Umbrella

Most people only think of an umbrella for rainy day use on the course. While not everyone is an all-weather golfer, a good umbrella is still a must have item. A proper umbrella by today's standards are extremely useful for providing shade during the hotter summer months as well. While the BagBoy model above ticks all the boxes that a good umbrella should, it's not the only one out there. What you should look for is a dual canopy model that offers UV protection. That way, your golfer is covered both in the rain (and wind) and during the heat of day. A good buying tip here is that if you don't know what brand your golfer loves at the moment, stay away from branded items. You never want to give a Callaway fan a TaylorMade umbrella, if you know what I mean. While there are "good, better, best" options out there, you shouldn't need to spend more than $30-40 to get a quality umbrella, especially when you find one on sale.

GolfPad GPS Golf Tags

So, this one is near and dear to my heart as it was the one thing that really pushed me to lower my scores quickly. The App for iOS or Android is totally free (ad supported) but for $19.99 a year, you can access the Premium Functions of the App as well as the Web Portal of playing data. This data will prove amazingly valuable in determining where you need to put in the practice time to lower your scores. For example, one may think their putting is the weakest part of their game because they 3 putt too many times a round. What they fail to see is that they are putting from 50+ feet on almost every green they hit. Instead, it's their approach accuracy from 120 yards in that needs work. GolfPad GPS will shows you exactly what the weakest part of your game is in just a few rounds of use. While you don't need the Golf Tags to use the system, it's much easier to just tap your phone to the end of the club rather than having to manually enter the data on each shot, but it is an additional $70 to get a full set of tags. That said, it's well worth the investment if it's in the holiday budget. The part I like the most about this setup is that the only item it uses is a phone, which most people already have. I even set it up to work with an older phone that isn't hooked up any more. I simply download the courses via Wi-Fi before heading out (just open a new round at the course you are playing next from home and scroll through the holes to load the maps into the cache of the App) and then go hit the course for perfect mapping every time. It's a great way to improve quickly and do so without spending a ton of cash.

Creative Covers - Assorted Character Club Covers

I think one of the reviewers said it best... "If you take your golf very seriously, perhaps you should stay with your Odyssey cover, If you like to laugh off your weekend misses, get the Superman cover.." 

Yes, personalizing a bag can be a lot of fun, especially if the golfer in your life is your "Superman" or "Batman". This one targets the kiddos out there as the perfect "sub-$25" gift idea for anyone's bag. The best part about this one is that you can't really miss with any of the 'creatures' that are out there because if they remind you of the golfer in your life, then it's a win-win for everyone. 

Tin Cup Ball Marking Template

Everyone has their own way of marking their ball on the course. Some use a blue marker to make three dots, others use a red one to circle the number on the ball. The great things is there's no right or wrong way to make your ball more identifiable, which is where Tin Cup comes in. These metal templates slip over the ball and then a Sharpie is used to fill in the shape cut into the template to make a mark on the ball. From flags to 4 leaf clovers, there's something for everyone on your list and at $15-20 before any discounts are applied, these are a great budget gift idea that just makes the game a bit more fun.

Going Pro: What's In My Bag For 2020 - Episode 4

I have to admit that I love the What's In The Bag segments that everyone posts on YouTube. It's one of my favorite things to do, and obviously, if you're reading this right now, you must like them as well. Now, take this for what it is as there's no way you should play what I play (unless you are fitted for it) but here is my bag line up for 2020.

Driver - 9.0° Wilson Cortex with 76g Fujikura Speeder 757 TS X-Stiff Shaft

  -  The Wilson Cortex was the winner of Driver Vs. Driver Season 2. The popular Wilson Golf show aired on the Golf Channel in November of last year and was probably most remembered for the gaff where they showed the winning design in an on-screen graphic about 5 minutes before it was actually revealed. The Cortex is still the most technological piece of gear that Wilson has ever released. The carbon fiber crown allowed Wilson to position more weight where needed for a greater level of forgiveness and the weighting system proved to offer performance as good as anything else on the market at that time. Unfortunately, the $499 price tag put it square in the sights of TaylorMade's M5/M6 and Callaway's Epic Flash series drivers, which killed any momentum it had gained from the show. Still, it was a Wilson driver that performed as well as anything on the market, but as well doesn't sell against the big boys. Fast forward to the end of 2020 (or about a year) and the price has been cut in half and it is one of the best value drivers in the game today. I've swapped out my stock Fujikura Atmos Black 7X shaft for my trusted Fujikura Speeder 757 Tour Spec and love the performance of the club.

Irons - 2-PW - Wilson Staff Model Blades - KBS C-Taper X130 Shafts

 - Wilson has won more majors than any other manufacturer, most recently with Gary Woodland's victory in the 2019 US Open at Pebble Beach. Woodland used the Wilson Staff Model Blades with the blacked out KBS C-Taper shafts in them to notch that victory and that is the exact same setup that I have in my bag today. The custom specs on the irons are 2° upright and 1/4" longer than standard. They are outfitted with the KBS C-Taper (standard finish) shafts and Golf Pride Tour Velvet grips with just one wrap of tape. The Staff Model Blades were an easy upgrade from the FG100's that I had been using that had become damaged over the few seasons that I had them. They play almost the same as the 100's, but the extra bit of toe weight allows the face to square up a bit more for me, which eliminates that short right shot that was an issue with the 100's.

Wedges - Wilson PMP RAW - 52°, 56° & 60° - KBS C-Taper X130 Shafts

 - The PMP wedges have been in my bag for a few seasons now. This year, after experimenting with the TaylorMade Milled Grind wedges, I ventured back to the Wilson brand, but opted for the more "blemish hiding" RAW finish. While most people associate the RAW finish with rust, the reason why I liked it more than the frost finish that I've used in the past is that it hides the scratches and dings better. Currently, I'm carrying three different lofts, but there is a good chance that the 60° model will find a place in the garage bag going forward as the 56° model is spaced out perfectly with the 52° and my 46° pitching wedge. It's in the bag for now, but if I find a driving iron or decide that the 2 hybrid needs to get back in the bag for the wetter months, it will be the one that gets pulled.

Putter - Wilson Staff Infinite Lake Shore - 35"

 - When you pick up the perfect putter, you just know it. For me, finding something that could replace my nearly 20 year old Odyssey Tri-Hot has been almost impossible. As I was working in the shop, I kept trying the Lake Shore model and just found that it set up almost perfectly for me from the start. Once I mad a small forward press on the shaft, the club felt absolutely perfect and swung like a dream. The excess length (I typically use a 34" putter) helped balance the heavier head and really forced a smoother tempo from me. I can't see anything dethroning this one anytime soon, but I do love to test out putters.

Ball - Titleist AVX Yellow

 - "Soft Is Slow" has become an anthem on the internet since the My Golf Spy Ball Test Results hit the airwaves. Unfortunately, what the tests failed to show was that the flight of the ball can have almost as much impact now how well it fits a player as the speed of the ball off the club face. Now, kudos to MGS for doing this test because what it really did is bring into focus the ball itself and how different factors can impact your game. For example, I could get more distance from a different ball, but I may sacrifice control. I could get more spin from a ball, but I may not be able to flight it as low as I want. So many things go into a ball fitting and MGS highlighted the need for every golfer on the planet to consider having one done - or at the very least, the importance of using the same ball consistently. After nearly 4 months of ball testing, and two false starts, the Titleist AVX became that ball for me. The lower, penetrating flight combined with the lesser spin into the green created the perfect blend of performance for my game. If you are a high ball hitter, I highly recommend trying the AVX over the Pro V1 or Pro V1x.

Bag - Wilson Staff Exo Carry Bag

 - Bags are really just an accessory for me, but honestly, I love the design of the Exo bag's stand. The stand allows the bag to sit a bit flatter and lower than previous models, which is a good thing for me. As someone that likes to carry, I appreciate the little things like being able to pull a club out of the bag without having to dislocate a shoulder by pulling it 10 feet in the air. It's a small thing, but a very nice detail. There is also plenty of storage, good water resistance and a very well padded strap system. My one complaint about the bag is the center section of the bag strap isn't the most comfortable I've had, but it's a very small complaint overall.

Shoes - Skechers Go Golf Elite V3

 - The now discontinued Skechers Elite V3 shoes have been my favorite since trying them on a few years ago. The new V4 series is just as comfortable, but seeing as I grabbed a few pairs of the V3 models before they were gone, I'll be keeping my feet comfortable with these for a while yet. That said, Skechers team, if you want to send me a 10.5 in the new model, I'd love to test them out for you. Of course, the one thing that I wish is that the V3's or V4's came in a spiked design as well as the spikeless that I have now. During the winter months, courses in the Pacific Northwest get more than a bit mushy and it would be nice to have a tad more grip, but it's not a deal breaker for me at all.

Cart - Clicgear Rovic RV2L - Sun Mountain C130 Cart Bag

 - When the need arises for a round where I will be pushing a cart, I went with the value-line ClicGear Rovic RV2L push cart and use the Sun Mountain C130 Cart Bag on it. I picked up a 2017 model of the C130 last winter and love the storage and the individual club dividers that it offers. If I didn't carry so much in the evenings, I would easily have made it my daily bag, but I'm just not able to cart as often as I'd like to, so a stand bag is a must.

So, that's the bag for the start of 202 and what should be in my bag for the PAT in April of next year. Things are getting dialed in nicely and feeling much better than they were in August of last year. It's hard to remember that I only had about a month of play on that bag when I attempted the PAT last time, so this should be a much more successful run this time. I'll keep pushing numbers through my Flightscope Mevo and getting the bag dialed in on the course so I am ready to go low when I need to.