Breathing new life to the golfing footwear marketplace…

How does the old golfing proverb go; take care of your feet and they will take care of your game. This has never been truer as technology improves and demands increase but what does this revolution entail?

Golfing style is undergoing a transformation and footwear has been spared no reprieve. The traditional classic design sported for generations is being overtaken by a slick, versatile and current format. The trend is being led by the latest crop of top professionals such as USPGA stars Rickie Fowler and Jordan Speith, introducing a golfing attire equally suited to modern off court wear.

The Adidas Adicross Gripmore Golf Shoe is a market leader and we took a pair for a test spin to find out if there was more than meets the eye…

On first look, they resemble a low profile dressy trainer as oppose to a ‘golf shoe’. Sporting the classic three strip look, solid flexible sole and leather exterior it appears to do exactly what it says on the tin. On reversing the shoe to reveal the base, we were hugely impressed.

The Sole

Complete with 43 mini cleats, the shoe combines the comfort features off a trainer with the golfing requirement for grip. The design team at Adidas proudly claim the shoe offers the most impressive connection underfoot available in the marketplace.

The sole features an extreme 243 points of contact with the ground for unrivalled balanced and game support. It felt extremely solid and showed no signs of struggling even under harsh British wet turf.

Comfort

The shoe is designed with all the usual Adidas technology for encouraging the expulsion of unwanted heat and moisture. Textile lining and firm padding section around the ankle and ball prevent unwanted sores. The top section of the shoe allows for exceptional breathability and temperature control – allowing out but not in. Climaproof protection makes the shoes highly weather resistant at all times.

The exterior is complete with solid, durable and premium leather which acts as a strong support but also ensures no compromise on the quality front.

The patented CLOUDFOAM sock liner technology is also placed within the shoe to offer extra support and comfort preventing foot sores and blisters.

Performance

At the end of the day, all golfers want performance from their footwear. The Gripmore includes a midsection mesh which is ultra-lightweight and offers extra movement during the swing. The shoe is designed to allow flexibility and it delivers. We found that footwork was completely unimpeded but a solid base remained in place throughout the swing.

The only issue with the design is that in the event of becoming off balance towards the heel during swinging, there is less grip than the rest of the shoe.

Overall

The Gripmore design is already appearing on the top golfing tours, with current US Open Champion Martin Kaymer sporting the new golf shoes to great effect. They will no doubt encourage scepticism from traditional stylists but the game needs to evolve.

They tick all the boxes for a top performing shoe and likely to become increasingly popular during summer golfing seasons. If you are searching for a replacement for traditional spikes or spider grips, this is the answer.

As you would expect, it comes with a two year guarantee for extra peace of mind and retailing around the middle of the marketplace, it will not price the majority of players out of buying.

Reward your feet and feel the benefit to your game today…

Electric golf trolleys are a relatively new creation and have only been used since the mid-1980s. Designed with the sole purpose of making a round easier, they have grown in popularity in the last decade and appeal to the younger golfer too.

It can be difficult to decide what electric golf trolley is best for you. The marketplace is brimming with options and gadgets but understanding what actually fits your needs the key. We examine electric golf trolleys and what makes them roll…

Types of Trolley

There are fundamentally three forms of trolley:

Standard Battery Drive Trolley

The most affordable and therefore the most popular, it is driven by a chargeable battery and will travel in a straight line or as manually navigated by the user. They are usually reliable options and suitable for golfers searching for an easy round.

Remote Control Trolleys

This is exactly as the title suggests; a motor operated trolley controlled by a remote. It can be navigated without touching the trolley meaning it prevents the need to always be in close contact with your clubs.

GPS Electric Golf Trolleys

The most modern format of trolley, it includes a GPS facility to help the user understand the course layout and ensure successful navigation. 

Advantages

The general principle of all trolleys remains the same with the aim of transporting the clubs successfully and accurately from the 1^st tee to the 18^th green.

The major advantage of any trolley is that it empowers the users to focus on their game and not pulling or carrying a set of clubs across an often wet golf course. It can extend the playing of many older golfers or those with a disability and generally make the round more pleasurable.

One of the major concerns that exists about trolleys is that they take up plenty of room when transporting. This is simply untrue with most major brands folding tidily into a boot. They can also be assembled in seconds and without any significant hassle.

Trolleys come with more than simply an active set of wheels which means they offer bespoke storage opportunity which includes scorecard holder, ball retained and brolly section.

The GPS model trolleys offer an excellent insight into the course and can aid shot making. Many players find it useful to have a detailed map available without raking through the golf bag.

Finally electrical trolleys are easy to use with simple features ad controls. It is unlikely you will ever need to fish them out of a bond of bunker unless you completely lose concentration.

Disadvantages

Different models contain varying specifications meaning that battery life spans may not be comparable. Market leading brands offer batteries that can run up to 36 holes without needing recharged.

Most models will last no more than a round and even this can be touch or go so it is usually wise to be prepared and carry a second battery which is not ideal. There have been many examples of trolleys running out of charge mid round leaving the player stranded.

One of the main issues with the electric trolley is that upgraded models are contently being produced meaning to can be difficult to source replacement parts if something goes wrong and you do not want to buy a replacement.

Prices

The price of trolleys is remarkably vast. The most basic models are available from around £250 with the market leaders fetching close to £700.

It is best to shop around because often price indicates additional features that you may not need. Focus closely on what battery comes within the price bracket to be sure it matches you’re playing time.

There are many specialist suppliers across the UK, Foremost Golf are market leaders and stock all the major brands at great prices.

Maintenance

It is important to take care of your electric trolley and keep the battery topped up and replace when need be. The battery should be left on the charger until completely charged to help lengthen the life of it.

It is also wise to clean the wheels and joints to prevent any debris build up. 

Conclusion

Electric golf trolleys are extremely useful carry items and can remove the unwanted pain of dragging clubs around a parkland course.

Aid you game and reduce your stress with a battery powered trolley today. 

One of the most effective ways to generate power in the golf swing is to use your wrists as levers. You will often hear us coaches refer to the term 'release' referring to the way in which the club should work through the ball. By 'release' we are talking about the angle in the wrists that is initially set half way through the backswing and then maintained until just before impact. As you release this angle at impact you will create an injection of speed at the perfect moment that delivers the sort of effortless power we are all in search of.

Relevance Of Grip 

Of course, this all relates back to the way in which you grip the club. If you have a strong or a weak grip you'll be giving away important power through impact with an ineffective release.

If you feel that you need help with your grip or with any other part of your technique for that matter, don't hesitate to drop into see your local Foremost Golf professional. 

Bringing the knowledge of a golfing Yoda and statistical insight of a course trained Robocop. You may be mistaken for thinking this is something from a science fiction convention. In reality the ‘Game Golf’ is the latest cutting edge creation from the IT golf geniuses striving to improve your game.

Having waited excitedly for its arrival, we were desperate to test this ground breaking device. Did it live up to our expectations, let’s have a look…

Features

Initial reports that the ‘Game Golf’ would offer detailed and comprehensive descriptions of each shot were accurate. It has the ability to map an entire round, measuring distances, landing spots and golf ball flights.

It brings an interactive element to your game and expands the involvement further than your playing partners.

It can also correlate information and express it in a format that makes sense to all players.

The Actual Device – How does it work?

The device is connected to a belt or pocket and activated each shot via a simple tap of the grip. The club is fixed with a small tag (each package complete with 18) that registers with the system and identifies the relevant information before the shot takes place. This is repeated before each and every swing.

We found it easy to setup and simple to operate although forgetting to log a club before swinging did throw the system off. 

After the round the data is logged via USB to a computer and optionally, uploaded to the world of twitter, facebook and other means of social media. It therefore serves two platforms; improving your game and sharing it globally.

It was a pleasant surprise to find the operating of the system straightforward and even useable for technophobes.

Connection

The device generally gets a signal anywhere and can carefully decode your round. The Golf GPS is pretty accurate. Like most forms of communicative technology, its ability does rest in the hands of third party satellite.

Its major selling point is the ability to produce analysis in forms of graphs, simple stats and course mapping. It does offer valuable insight in seconds which can really offer a productive improvement to your course management.

Costs

It actually hits the shelves at a price of £159.99 which is extremely reasonable given the technology involved. There are no hidden extras and it comes with a warranty and money back guarantee.

It is only available from selected sellers which includes Foremost Golf, one of the UK’s leading golf suppliers.

Overall

The developers of the Game Golf system are certainly onto something. It will seriously aid your ability in understanding your game.

For social media lovers, it brings some fun to the party.

We would certainly recommend the abilities of the ‘Golf Game’ and its easy use features.

Become the fountain of statistical knowledge in seconds and put Yoda to shame…