(Available 16th March)

The shoe that personifies golfing footwear class is coming to the UK and Foremost Golf.

The FootJoy Icon is currently worn by 50% of FootJoy Tour Pros and widely regarded as the most luxurious brand on the market. The shoe is not only defined by its legendary comfort but packed with footwear technology to generate leading sporting performance.

The marketing team at FootJoy stated: “We have no doubt that they [Icon Black] will strike a chord with the aspirational player seeking premium quality in their next purchase.”

It is without question the Ferrari of golfing footwear…

The Technology

The shoe sole is formed using Opti-Flex properties that allow seamless and flexible movement throughout the swing and general walking on the course.

The Golf Pulsar cleats from SoftSpikes are designed to be easily interchanged and offer numerous extreme points of contact with the ground which aid balance and movement through the golf swing. Each cleat has 8 spikes which grip the turf softly to protect the course but provide supreme performance.

The quality stitching between the base and leather segments ensures complete waterproofing with the FootJoy guarantee in place. This differs from many shoes where glue alone is used to seal the base to prevent ingress but reduces comfort and durability.

Everything about the manufacture is high end which is reflected in the detail and wear-ability of the shoes. Careful research was carried out on how to improve footwear performance and the result was this brand new format.

Performance – Why is it top of the range?

The upper leather section of the shoe is made from premium calf skin, adding comfort to the foot.

A stacked leather trim at the rear of the shoe completes the style, refining the shoe for a contemporary elegant look.

The interior contains a variety of additional padding to protect key areas, this includes the heel and arch to prevent sores building up.

The shoe also has the ability to allow internal moisture to escape, maintaining dryness at all times through various pours on the top of the leather. Breathability is key to shoe success.

Joining FootJoy Class

The shoe is available in two styles with a T-Toe Dress design in Black Patent and Tan Patent, the Split Toe Saddle will be available in White and Black.

As you would expect from premium footwear they are priced at the top end of the market, retailing at £300. What price do you place on comfort? Leading pros demand the best and so should you.

Foremost golf stock a variety of FootJoy golf shoes and offer great prices on the Icon Black model. Visit us today for details.

Become a trend setter and experience unrivalled comfort and performance with FootJoy. Happy feet equals better golf…

Event – True Thailand Classic presented by Black Mountain

Winner – Andrew Dodt

This week’s tour champion is Australian Andrew Dodt claiming his second career title in Thailand.  The victory came as a shock to bookmakers and the golfing public alike. Having only recently reclaimed his tour card via the qualifying school, he became the second graduate to win on tour this year (Indian Anirban Lahiri in Malaysia).

The 29 year old from Queensland held his nerve to win by one from compatriot Scott Hend and the home favourite Thongchai Jaidee. 

The foundation to his success was an immense tee to green performance over the four days and was a model consistency with the driver.

Stats Don’t Lie…

Hitting a remarkable 73.2% of fairways and an average distance of 301 yards, Dodt found salvation in the short stuff. He also found 79% of greens in regulation, tied 9^th in the field and 100% save success from sand traps.  

He averaged 28.3 puts per round, highlighting consistency with the blade throughout.

All round a solid performance making him a worthy, if unexpected champion.

The Winners Bag…

The coveted driver of the week is the Titlist 915 D3 producing a tournament of long, straight hitting in the heat.

Dodt is Titleist loyal, utilising the successful 714 CB Irons and Vokey SM4 Wedge Series. This was his ultimate strength of the week finding the heart of numerous greens providing extreme control.

His Newport 2 Putter helped the Aussie hold his nerve and sink the winning put after a solid week of holing out. 

When you are putting, pace is all-important. If you can't hit your putts at the right pace it doesn't matter how well you read the green or control the face through impact, you will never hole your share.

Before you head out in a competition, hit some long putts to no specific target. The idea is to get your balls to finish in a very tight dispersion. Once you've hit five balls into one area, choose another spot on the practice green to aim at and do the same. Then do it again. As you hit more putts your natural feel for the pace of the greens will improve. Then when you head out onto the course, you'll have a much better chance of hitting every putt at the perfect pace.

Selecting the right putter for your individual stroke is essential. If you are using the wrong type, you'll be giving away important shots. For some impartial advice on what to do, please go and see your local Foremost Golf professional. 

If you can hole one or two makeable birdie putts and eliminate three putts from your game, you'll never be too far off the prizes. Of course, there are certain key fundamentals that will help the consistency of your stroke. For advice on how to groove these, please book a lesson with your local Foremost Golf professional. In the meantime, here are a couple of drills designed to help your feel on the greens.

Control The Face 

As with every other club in the bag, your hands need to work together when you putt. However, a good way to think about your stroke is to think of your hands performing two slightly different roles. Your left hand (for right-handed players) controls the direction while the right hand controls the fluidity and rhythm of the stroke. To help with the former, hit some putts with just your left hand on the club. This is a great way of gaining control over the direction of the putt through impact.

Let The Stroke Flow

Now turn your attention to the rhythm and path of your stroke. Use three clubs to set up a box around the hole as shown here (the hole should be at the very front of that box). The idea is from around 20ft, to hit a series of putts that run fast enough to enter the box without hitting the shaft at the back. Once you have a feel for the putt, hit some more with just your right hand on the grip. You should notice how the stroke develops its own freedom improving your feel for the distance. It should illustrate how a fluid, unhurried motion is so important for consistent distance control.

There are certain clues with regards to the way in which putts break that you mustn't miss. One of those relates to water. Natural water hazards appear in low-lying areas and these are often used by course designers to add interest and protection around the green. If you are on a green with water surrounding it, remember that the putting surface will tend to slope towards that water.

One of the big mistakes that I see is when players think too much about their specific putt and miss some of the major slopes running through the green. How many times have you hit a putt that finishes short of the hole only to discover that you hadn't spotted the gentle slope you were putting up? For this reason, make sure that as you walk up to the putting surface, you take in the general topography of the green. Spot the major slopes, see where the big run offs are and you'll be in a much better position to go on and read your own putt.

Walk it 

When looking at your own putt, if it is long with a significant break, it makes sense to walk it. Feeling the contours in the green beneath your feet will give you a feel for how the putt will roll. Try to build a picture for where the putt will start to break from. This will be your aim point so understanding where that is, is crucial.

Reading greens is an art that many golfers spend too little time thinking about. Spotting subtle slopes and building a picture in your mind for how the ball will roll requires some careful observations. The first thing to remember however is that, essentially every putt is straight. All you can do is pick your line and hit a straight putt to the apex of the curve. Then, depending on the quality of your read and judgement of pace the ball will either go in or it won't. Before we get into the specifics of green-reading remember that once you have picked your line, aim the putter face at the point at which you expect the ball to break. I often think many amateurs get drawn into aiming too far towards the hole when they face a big, swinging putt. Don't fall into this trap.

Over-flowing with water tip

Of course, the slower the ball is travelling, the more break it will take. That's why you need to pay particular attention to the slopes surrounding the hole. A good tip is to imagine the hole over-flowing with water - where would that water drain off? Visualising this will really help you pick out those subtle slopes that many others will miss.

Worn and shiny grips can cause you to play loose shots that wreck your round. Your Foremost Golf professional can help you fix this is no time at all. Not only that but they can discuss your grip options as well. 

Our recent research revealed that 75% of you haven't been re-gripped in the last year. Furthermore, 65% of you haven't been measured for the correct grip thickness. These are stats we want to address because we know how easily we can rectify the problem.

At the 2015 PGA Show in Orlando we caught up with Golf Pride's Bruce Miller to find out why it's so important to re-grip your clubs. We also discussed the options you have in terms of new and exisiting products, plus the different sizes available.

If there is one thing I think we all want from our golf is to become more consistent. Being able to compile solid rounds time and again without any bad scores creeping in is something that even Tiger Woods strives for.

To be a consistent performer you need to be able to hit good shots from every type of lie and this includes wet, thick lies in the rough. The key here is to make a couple of small tweaks to your address position that ensure you catch the ball before the grass. Start by setting the ball back in your stance. Now place a little more weight on your left side in the address position. By moving the ball back and your weight forward you should be able to make a normal swing and find a steeper angle of attack that catches the ball before the grass.

Of course, wet lies are just one of many different, tricky scenarios you'll face during a round of golf. Why not think about booking a playing lesson with your local Foremost Golf professional, this will help arm you with all the knowledge and skill required to become a more consistent competitor.

Don’t let a little rain ruin your round or scorecard…

Unlike many sports, golf is not exclusively a summer game and played in all weather and conditions. It is therefore important to ensure the best protection from wind, rain and even snow and buying the right golf waterproofs.

It can be difficult to identify the most suitable attire for you; with an array of styles, technologies and brands, we provide a breakdown to assist your clothing dilemma.

Types of wet weather wear

There are waterproof options for pretty much every part of the human body. This includes jackets, hats, trousers and gloves.

No matter what part of flesh you are striving to keep dry there are a few general rules to ensure supreme performance. All material must be super lightweight and easily transported when not in use. It must also allow for complete freedom of movement and not impede the swing in anyway. Finally all quality waterproofs should be fast drying to help ensure comfort once conditions start to improve (with any luck).

Waterproof Tops and Trousers

Leading brands include Galvin Green and Nike that specialise in contemporary golfing wear. Their releases include tops that act as pullovers or front zips to block wind. Many now feature double zips as an extra barrier. The pullover option is ideal for wear during a round when weather is variable.

Selected tops now include hoods to help keep rain from the back of the head and neck.

Golfing waterproof trousers are also popular and usually designed with extra pockets. They are thin, tailored and designed to keep out water with draw string base sections on each leg.

It almost goes without saying -do not buy trousers that are too long, they will simply collect water from the ground with added cut grass thrown in for good measure. This will weigh you down and even reduce your grip to the ground.

Most golfing waterproofs are ideal for wear off the course in general bad weather. Their fast drying properties make them ideal for moving from outdoors to indoors quickly and can be easily removed for storage or washing.

Style

This type of clothing is less focused on attractive style and more oriented on performance. They are often produced in dark colours to hide wet patches and offer a loose fitting to compensate for undergarments. It is wise to try on any clothing before buying and be sure to consider layers you may be wearing on any given golfing day. The last thing you want is to experience a ‘hulk’ like effect with your clothes clinging to you and offering significant bulk.

Costs

As with any golfing item, the price of waterproof wear varies considerable depending on manufacturer and included fabric technology. Full outfits begin from as little as £40 but can reach £400 for leading designs.

Before buying, it is worth considering what you need from your waterproofs. Ask yourself the following questions:

1.        How often do you play?
2.        Are you especially fashion conscious or just keen to stay dry?
3.        Are you a fair weather player that will only occasionally need such items?
4.        Are you easily distracted by being wet on the course?

If you are a regular wet weather player, investing in quality proofs will be extremely worthwhile.

Material

The vast majority of wet weather clothing includes a blend of micropoly and lycra. The ability to move freely comes from the inclusion of spandex. This mix of material allows for versatile wear.

Water and wind is repelled by SwingDry TPU laminated polyester that acts as a wall against the elements with the softer undercoat providing the required comfort.

Brands such as Galvin Green and Adidas utilise GoreTex technology which enables the material to both keep out rain and clear internal moisture.

New technology is constantly being added to golf clothing so expect lighter, more flexible options to hit the marketplace in coming years.

Conclusion

It is important to make sure you commit the best golf waterproof range possible. Do not be afraid to try different brands until you find what feels best for you. At the end of the day, staying dry and comfortable is the most influential feature of any protective course wear.

If you are looking a quality supplier, Foremost Golf can offer a wide variety of waterproof clothing at great rates. They stock all the major brands and styles to meet the needs of all avid winter players.