There, she said it, and I have it on tape. Mary Lou Bohn, Titleist's vice president of golf ball marketing and communications, had just taken the red eye back from the West Coast, but she was awake and alert when she told me, "I think, in a perfect world, in terms of performance, the best golf balls for all golfers are the Pro V1 and Pro V1x."   The Pro V1 and Pro V1x balls are wildly popular among PGA Tour pros (who get them for free) and accomplished amateurs. But price is critical for most of us when it comes to selecting a ball, so at $48 per dozen, they can be tough to afford.   So with the Titleist NXT line, the company tried to keep as many Pro V1-like performance attributes as possible while keeping prices budget-friendly.   For 2012, the company went back to the drawing board and came out with two updated NXT balls. It's also releasing an all-new distance ball, the Velocity. Here is what you need to know about all three. David Dusek Titleist NXT Tour   Titleist NXT Tour, $31.99 per dozen "We asked [engineers] for longer distance on the NXT Tour," Bohn says, "but only do it if you can deliver similar spin control."   To do that, Titleist shrank the inner core of the three-piece NXT Tour by four percent and used a different blend of materials. That allowed the outer core—which is also designed using a new, softer material—to be bigger. The company says it was able to keep spin rates about the same, but this combination creates more ball speed.   The cover of the updated NXT Tour is unchanged, a softened blend of Surlyn, ionomer and other materials that Titleist calls Fusablend. But a new 302 dimple pattern helps the ball reach its highest point farther downrange off the driver.   You can think of this ball as the "Pro V1 Junior." David Dusek Titleist NXT Tour S   Titleist NXT Tour S, $31.99 per dozen This model has the same cover and dimple pattern as the NXT Tour, but it's a two-piece ball with a lower compression. That means it has a lower initial launch angle with a driver than the NXT Tour, but Titleist says it delivers nearly the same distance because it will roll out more.   The real benefit of the lowered compression is more feel. In blind tests, golfers told Titleist the biggest difference between the two balls is that the NXT Tour S simply feels softer, hence the S.   "For some players, especially bigger hitters with the driver, the NXT Tour ball is going to go a little farther," says Bill Morgan, Titleist's senior vice president of golf ball research and development. "Not radically, maybe a couple of yards. If that's important to you, by all means, play the NXT Tour. If feel is important to you, play the NXT Tour S."   Aside from enhanced feel, the NXT Tour S has one other feature that the NXT Tour doesn't—it's available in a highly visible yellow version. It's not the first yellow ball Titleist has made, but the company says it did a lot of research to make sure the color looked appealing in bright sunlight.   "It's a multilayer color that you're seeing," says Michael Mahoney, Titleist's director of golf ball product management. "We developed it layer on top of layer. The color of the core actually contributes to the color that you see."  David Dusek Titleist Velocity   Titleist Velocity, $26.99 per dozen The name Velocity provides more than a subtle hint about what Titleist tried to do with this ball. The first all-new Titleist ball in 10 years, the orange-trimmed Velocity is a two-piece ball that features the fastest core material in the company's arsenal. According to Mahoney, it's even faster than the outer core material used in the Pro V1x.   After researching cover designs tested over the years, Titleist engineers encased that core material with the fastest cover layer they had developed, which turned out to be a 332-dimple pattern.   Unfortunately, the first balls they made exceeded the USGA's initial velocity rules and had to be scrapped. In fact, several more versions of the Velocity were produced that also exceeded the USGA rules, but Titleist says the ball it is bringing to market is absolutely legal.   Interestingly, the Velocity is not a rock; it has the same compression specs as the Pro V1 (although the Pro V1's two additional layers and different cover material make it play quite differently).   Sure, the back of the Velocity's box mentions that the NaZ2 cover emphasizes short game playability, but that's not why someone is going to buy these bullets.   "Look, this is not our Tour ball," Morgan says. "This is a ball that you can play with in all aspects of the game, but really the focus was, 'Make this bad boy long.'"   If you really want to crank up the volume, don't settle for sleeves of balls numbered 1, 2, 3, or 4 ... the Velocity is also available in 00, 11, 22 and 33.

Keegan Bradley, the 2011 PGA champion and rookie of the year switched apparel sponsorship from Oakley to Tommy Hilfiger early this year. But at the Farmers Insurance Open last weekend, Bradley was still wearing Oakley footwear. What gives? Apparently, Oakley lost a heated bidding war for Bradley to Tommy Hilfiger, a golf line licensed to the Fletcher Group of Canada which also makes Sunice. Oakley wanted to keep Bradley, but the rising star commanded as much as five times what Oakley had been paying him to wear its apparel. Executives familiar with the action estimated Bradley's eventual deal to be in the $500,000 range. However, Tommy Hilfiger does not make golf shoes, so Bradley will continue to wear Oakley's advanced Cipher shoes -- with their sandpaper-like soles and ultralight weight -- under a separate contract. G-Mac's eyes were smiling Ireland's Graeme McDowell, who had two incredible shots last weekend -- a hole-in-one and a ricochet birdie -- also signed a new apparel sponsorshipin January, with Dublin-based Kartel. Alan Swan, the chairman of Kartel, said that when he first met McDowell to propose a deal, the two of them were wearing nearly identical cashmere sweaters. That helps. He then made three sample outfits for the Irish pro, who found that they exactly suited his style. Kartel, which dresses Padraig Harrington, too, specializes in mercerized cottons, classic fitted trousers and soft sweaters. This spring the company introduces a new full collection, G-Mac by Kartel, based on the clothes McDowell will be wearing on tour.  

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Last week’s PGA Merchandise Show was, once again, an embarrassment of riches. It’s a golden age of equipment, a time when all the big manufacturers -- and even some small ones -- make superior gear.   I’ve already named my 10 favorite items, but those were just the beginning of the most notable things I saw at The Show.   Oakley Golf was this year’s biggest surprise for me. They’d been only marginally in the golf business, to my mind, with sunglasses and efforts to spin off some of their trendy footwear as golf shoes.   So I didn’t expect much when I checked out their gear, but I was stunned. The Oakley Cipher shoe was remarkable, but so was the company's high-tech apparel. Oakley hired some talent away from UnderArmour and adidas, went all-in for technology and signed some prominent names to wear its stuff—Rory McIlroy, Keegan Bradley, Ryann O’Toole and Rickey Barnes. My favorite was a windbreaker with removable sleeves. That idea isn’t new, but this jacket had a real innovation: you unzip the sleeve partway up and then neatly fold it, still-attached, into a pouch hidden on the inside of the vest. It’s totally out of the way, and you can't lose the sleeve. Ingenious.   A Swedish outfit I’d never heard of, Cross, also impressed. The kings of raingear are FootJoy, ProQuip and Sun Mountain, but Cross is suddenly in the mix with its FTX Full Stretch rainwear. It’s soft and unusually stretchy and quiet. It reminds me of ProQuip’s Silk Touch raingear from a few years back, as soft as a sweater but impervious to water. Plus, Cross has slick European style. Only a few online outlets carry Cross gear, and keep in mind that it’s cut to European sizes. The large pullover fit me nicely, but if I were going to wear it with a sweater or vest underneath, I’d probably have to go up a size to extra large. I’m pretty sure this is going to be my next rainsuit. The jackets go for $275-$300, the pants for $225.   In addition to the RocketBallz line, I was also impressed by the new TaylorMade ATV wedges. With their beveled leading edges and versatility, the ATVs are a big improvement for TM. I like that Titleist broke out of its traditional mold ever so slightly and painted its new Velocity’s numbers in yellow-orange ink. Also impressive on the ball front was the Callaway Hex, which a fellow hacker in the industry told me was the best ball he’d ever played -- “phenomenal,” in his words. I also played nine holes in an outing with the Innovex V-Motion Tour ball and was impressed. Its playing characteristics were comparable to top-of-the-line balls, but they’re about $29 a dozen.   Nobody ever talks about spikes. Well, I do, but only to complain when I'm trying get them changed. Champ spikes has a new model out -- the Zarma -- with six longer, spidery legs that have a little more bounce, cushion and give.   I never get tired of looking at or trying out new drivers. The Adams Speedline Fast 12 has a more bulging head and a flared fantail, and it felt great when I hit it on Demo Day. I also liked the classic style of the Ping i20 driver and its flat-black paint job. No driver looks better than the Cleveland Classic, which looks like an old persimmon and gets my vote for Prettiest New Driver.   I also got a chance to swing a unique club at Demo Day, the new Exotics 11-degree 3-wood from Tour Edge. It’s got a large, flattish head and is perfect for the golfer who needs a backup driver during his round.   You’d have been hard-pressed to find more than one belly-putter in almost any golf shop a year ago, but golf’s newest trendy club was all over The Show. Everybody has a version. TaylorMade has its Ghost Manta series, a large center-shafted mallet with a white head and alignment markings. The Ping Nome has a similar mallet shape but is more rounded, and it had a really balanced feel that I liked. The Odyssey Metal-X is based on the Sabertooth model that Keegan Bradley used to win the PGA Championship last year, with two prongs behind the face. Bradley’s Tooth was white. The Metal-X is gun-metal black.   How about gadgets? Golf Buddy’s GPS rangefinders now have audio, so you don’t have to constantly check the screen. You can clip one to your belt, maybe even your hat, and it will announce distances as you move around the course. If I jack the volume up, I bet I can annoy my playing partners. I love that idea. Bushnell tweaked its classic laser rangefinder. The new Tour Z6 is more compact and attractive, and the numbers now light up in electric red instead of the usual black. It sounds like a minor change, but it makes the yardages much easier to see. Bushnell says it can hit targets up to 450 yards; from 125 yards and in, it provides distances to a tenth of a yard. It’ll be available in April.   Sky Caddie is the Cadillac of the GPS market, with accurate and up-to-date course information. Sky Golf, which makes Sky Caddie, has also expanded into a new area with Swing Labs, a launch-monitor-based fitting system that aims to help club pros, club-fitters and retailers match golfers with the perfect clubs.   I will go to extreme lengths to distract my opponents. Hence, a new Hello Kitty headcover for my driver. Hello Kitty Golf, as absurd as it seems, is going to sell a lot of accessories. Women, especially, were buzzing around that booth at The Show. They sell women’s and children’s clubs, bags and accessories. In the same vein, I may pull out some Chromax golf balls, which have colorful metallic finishes, kind of like lawn orbs. They come in seven colors, including turquoise, silver, pink and yellow, and they’re much easier to see than a standard white ball. The suggested retail price is $20 for a six-pack.   I can’t believe I’m about to write this, but I was also impressed by the Jacqueline Kennedy Collection.  It’s a line of historically accurate jewelry, sunglasses, hats and accessories that has been approved by Caroline Kennedy. Why was this company at the Show? Because the collection will be sold in golf shops. Prices will vary, but most of the jewelry will be under $100.   More on shoes: adidas has two eye-catching models, the Crossflex and the Puremotion. The Crossflex, which weighs just 10.6 ounces, has molded traction areas on its soles instead of spikes and is modeled after a running shoe. The Puremotion is a mesh shoe based on the shape of the foot, and it’s also spikeless. They’ll be priced somewhere around $100-$120 and will be available in late spring. True Linkswear updated its models from last year and made them more contemporary. The phx model has a striking red stripe on the outside of the shoe and gripping nubs in the sole for traction instead of spikes. The Stealth is a leather model. They’re all very comfortable and light and are continuing the trend away from spikes.

From Golf Magazine ClubTest (March, 2012) Category: Max Game-Improvement Drivers (See complete list) Price: $149 WE TESTED: 9°, 10.5° with Aldila NV 50 graphite shaft KEY TECHNOLOGIES: The aerodynamic, lightweight club has a sloped crown to reduce drag (improve airflow) and boost swing speed. The 9° loft has a square face angle while the 10.5° is 1° closed. Comes standard with 50-gram shaft at 46 inches. OUR TESTERS SAY: Steady yet unspectacular performer provides respectable distance. PROS DISTANCE: Several testers get distance comparable to their own driver; a few guys get up to 10 more yards; off-center hits get out there a good ways. ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: Steadyeddie driver forgives and forgets most mediocre swings and mis-hits; by and large, slices are held in check. FEEL: Subtle but perceptible feel on well-struck shots and mis-hits; head is fairly stable through impact. PLAYABILITY: Lower ball flight than most; straight, boring trajectory works well in firm conditions. LOOK: Large, deep face inspires confidence; glossy black finish. CONS Several other models deliver more forgiveness; it’s difficult for some testers to decipher center hits from offcenter ones because of dullish impact sensation; nothing sets it apart visually.

From GOLF Magazine ClubTest 2012 (March, 2012) Cleveland CG Black Category: Max Game-Improvement Drivers (See complete list) Price: $399 WE TESTED: 9°, 10.5°, 12° with Miyazaki C. Kua 39 graphite shaft KEY TECHNOLOGIES: Engineered for moderate swingers, the CG Black has an aerodynamic, teardropshaped profile to reduce drag and increase swing speed. The lightweight, 265-gram club features a Miyazaki 46” shaft. It has a shallower face than the Launcher Ultralite XL270 and generates a higher, more draw-biased trajectory. OUR TESTERS SAY: One of the top-rated drivers in its class. Receives high marks in all categories. PROS DISTANCE: Top-shelf length; many testers gain 10 yards versus their own. ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: Among the most forgiving, accurate test clubs; a real fairway finder; shots don’t travel far off-line, which is surprising for a super-lightweight driver built for speed. FEEL: Exceptionally light but stable through impact; nice explosive feel to solid shots; well-balanced club swings easily without applying much effort. PLAYABILITY: High, penetrating, straight ball flight; several testers find they can hit a gentle draw with it. LOOK: Sleek, teardrop-shaped profile, all-black head and shaft; looks like it means business at address. CONS A few testers tend to overswing because of the lighter club—it requires a smooth, even transition at the start of the downswing; a minority of guys lose the lighter head, on occasion, during the swing. Schecter Lee Cleveland CG Black (left), CG Black Tour Cleveland CG Black Tour Category: Tour Drivers (See complete list) Price: $399 WE TESTED: 9°, 10.5° with Miyazaki C. Kua 59 graphite shaft KEY TECHNOLOGIES: The teardrop-shaped “speed crown” reduces air drag during the swing to help you swing faster. A rear weight screw positions the center of gravity (CG) low and deep for improved launch conditions. The clubface (variable thickness) is engineered to bolster ball speed and carry on off-center hits. OUR TESTERS SAY: Among the higher-rated drivers. One of the longest in its class. PROS DISTANCE: In the top tier of drivers tested; a majority of testers consider it to be “above average” to “long”—some guys achieve noteworthy distance gains over their own driver. ACCURACY/FORGIVENESS: One of the top models; noticeable sidespin reduction on mis-hits keeps balls in the fairway; provides repeatable shots. FEEL: Crisp, pleasing sound and hot sensation at impact; controllable, light feel through the swing for many testers. PLAYABILITY: Consistent, medium flight; draws and fades are relatively easy to create on solid strikes. LOOK: Sleek, traditional profile; classy black and gold color combo. CONS Lightweight feel is a turnoff for some testers; a few high-swing-speed players could benefit from slightly less spin. From The Shop Blog (October 17, 2011) The ultimate boxer would be as quick as welterweight champ Manny Pacquiao but would hit like heavyweight titleholder Wladimir Klitschko. Golf club makers have a similar goal when it comes to making drivers: build something that's light and easy for the average player, but make it pack a wallop. With its new CG Black driver, Cleveland Golf hopes that it has created this combination for players whose swing speed is less 100 mph. The CG Black features a head that is aerodynamically shaped to slip easily through the air, with a crown that slopes down in the back section more sharply than last season's Launcher Ultralight drivers. Cleveland's head of metalwood development, Nate Radcliffe, says that the shape of the crown decreases the club's drag throughout the downswing, which in turn helps players generate more clubhead speed. At the same time, the 460-cc head has one of the lightest and thinnest faces Cleveland Golf has ever designed. Radcliffe says the faceplate is very thin on the perimeter, which not only saves more weight, but also broadens the CG Black's sweetspot.   Add to that mix a new Golf Pride grip that Cleveland says is half the weight of a typical grip and a special edition Miyazaki C. Kua Gold shaft and you've got a driver on Weight Watchers. However, Cleveland put a little bit of that saved weight back into the head, adding a weight screw to the back of the sole plate. By adding weight to this key area, Radcliffe says the CG Black should naturally hit the ball on a higher launch angle to maximize carry distance, which is essential for slower-swinging golfers who want more distance. "The overall package is a club that is designed to generate speed and be really easy to hit," says Radcliffe. That's music to the ears of distance-hungry golfers looking to land a few haymakers on their opponents.  

LA JOLLA, Calif. — When a golf club traveling at 130 miles per hour hits a ball, the effect can not only be seen and heard, but also felt. If you stand10 feet away from Gary Woodland when he hits a drive, you can literally feel the collision as the ball screams off the tee and becomes a tiny white dot in the distance. It's as if a giant balloon pops. When you tinker with that kind of power, even the slightest adjustments can have big implications, but Woodland, who started working with Butch Harmon just two weeks ago, is making some swing changes. Like other big hitters, Woodland has always hit a power fade off the tee, but Harmon wants the 27-year-old to be able to hit a draw as well. To help him work on those changes, Harmon asked Titleist, the company that makes Woodland's 910D3 driver, to supply Woodland with a training aid. “Titleist built me a new driver with a lot of loft to help me work on the range on the things I need to do," Woodland said. He couldn't keep a straight face when he told me, “My driver has 6 degrees of loft, but the one they built me has 10.5 degrees.” On the soggy practice tee at Torrey Pines on Monday, Woodland explained that Harmon wants him to hit down more with his driver. While the shaft in the high-lofted driver is the same 96-gram prototype Graphite Design model that's found in his gamer, the only way Woodland can avoid hitting his 10.5-degree Titleist 910D3 into orbit is by keeping his hands forward at impact and driving the clubhead down and through the hitting area instead of sweeping the ball up. As skilled as Woodland is, his first few shots with the high-lofted club looked like bottle rockets. "They went moon high," he said. "I mean, they were skyscrapers." But as Woodland worked his way through a bucket of balls, he started to get the hang of it. He slowly adjusted his swing, flattened it a touch, and started to control all that loft and the spin it created. Interestingly, Woodland has not needed to make any adjustments to his irons while implementing Harmon's swing changes. He uses a set of Titleist 712 MB irons, although his have a customized, shiny chrome finish reminiscent of the 710 MBs instead of the standard brushed chrome finish of the new model. "[Hitting down] is a little easier for me with the irons,” Woodland says, “because my swing is a little more compact. The longer the club, the tougher it gets for me.” The ultimate test of Woodland's new training aid and swing will happen on the golf course. He knows he has to work on hitting the draw every day and be willing to hit the shot in tournaments like this week's Farmers Insurance Open.  “It's going to be hard, but like Butch said, we are working towards Augusta, so I have until April,” Woodland says. "Hopefully by the Masters we'll be all ready to rock and roll."