Editorial:
More Outstanding Performances from Scotland's Elite Players
Eric Ramsay's performance in the recent Open Championship at St Andrews was magnificent. His last round of 68 was one of the best of the day. Then in August George Murray won the prestigious Standard Life Gold Medal event at Leven with Jamie McLeary a close runner up, whilst at the same time on the European scene, Andrew McArthur was winning the Czech International Amateur Championship. This week's special performance comes from Krystle Caithness who battled her way through to the last 8 of the British Girls Open Amateur Championship, losing to Anna Nordqvist of Sweden, the eventual winner of the tournament. Krystle beat quality players on the way, such as England's Felicity Johnson and Spain's Beatriz Recari. To achieve this at age 16 is a measure of her undoubted talent. What do all of these Scottish elite players have in common? They have all had their clubs customized at Applied Golf Technology. We congratulate them all. They are all wonderful ambassadors for Scottish amateur golf.
KZG have recently launched their long-awaited Gemini fairway woods, incorporating the award-winning Gemini twin-face technology. If you are seeking greater accuracy and control, then these are definitely worth considering.
For you big hitters out there, we have added the Alpha Version 2 (425cc) to our product range. This has fast become the most popular driver on the Remax World Long Distance Driving Tour. Every week the Alpha Version 2 is being used to hit drives in excess of 400 yards by power hitters such as Mike Gorton, Carl Wolter and Danny Luirette to name but a few. If you appreciate stunning good looks, outstanding performance and a solid feel at impact, this could be the driver for you.
Feature Article:The Importance of Set Make-Up
Introduction
To most players a set of golf clubs comprises 9 irons (#3-PW + SW), 3 woods and a putter. As a result many players are carrying clubs in their bag which are too difficult to use. If you cannot hit a 3 or 4 iron then join the club. There are literally thousands of golfers out there who struggle with long irons. Since the Rules of Golf restrict us to 14 clubs in our bags, it makes a lot of sense to replace clubs which are difficult to use with others which are much easier to use. If you haven't done so already it is time to take a long and hard look at your set make-up. Break the mould and consider your options. It's likely that you will be pleasantly surprised by the resulting improvement in your game.
It is a fact that most amateurs struggle with the long irons. For most players a 5 iron is the longest iron they can hit with any degree of confidence. The small head size, longer club length and lack of loft on the long irons are the prime causes of the problem. The trend nowadays is to replace the 3 and 4 irons with lofted fairway woods or utility / hybrid clubs. If you are happy using fairway woods then you don't need to stop at a 5W (19 degrees loft). A 7W (23 degrees loft) or a 9W (27 degrees loft) are good substitutes for a 3 or 4 iron respectively. However fairway woods are generally more costly than irons so you might want to consider the utility / hybrid clubs as a cheaper alternative. Their head size is significantly smaller than a fairway wood but considerably bigger than an iron. Most players find these clubs very easy to hit.
When choosing a utility club to replace an iron in your set, select one with the same loft and length as the iron you want it to replace. If you choose one which is longer or stronger lofted you may end up hitting it further than intended, resulting in yardage overlaps or gaps in your set. Some utility clubs are designed to produce a high ball flight and soft landing. Others are designed for a more penetrating flight with more run. You have to decide on which type of shot you want to play. If you intend to use it often from the tee, you may find the more penetrating flight a better option.
Selecting Your WedgesNot every player has the physical power to reduce par 5's to a drive and a mid iron. However every golfer does have the potential to significantly improve his or her short game. Your choice of wedges plays a key role in this. It is unlikely to find a good short game player with anything less than 3 wedges in their bag. This often means replacing a wood or long iron with clubs designed for saving shots around the greens. When selecting wedges you should pay particular attention to loft and bounce angle. Your choice of loft should not depend solely on yardage. You should select the optimum loft and bounce angles for the type of shots you are seeking to play. This may vary from course to course
The modern pitching wedge has a loft of 47-48 degrees whilst the sand wedge loft is generally around 55-56 degrees. For many players this leaves a yardage gap between these clubs which can be bridged with a 52 degree gap wedge. If you don't want to add another wedge to your set then you can always weaken the loft of your pitching wedge to 49 degrees and strenthen the loft of your sand wedge to 54 degrees. However after reducing the loft and bounce on your sand wedge, you may well have to open the face of the club more than usual for successful sand shots. More and more players are using lob wedges with 60 or even 64 degrees of loft in order to play very high approach shots which land softly at the target. However in choosing a lob wedge, bounce angle is often overlooked. The only wedge which requires more than 8 degrees of bounce is your sand wedge. The last thing you want on your lob wedge is too much bounce. This will result in skulled shots from tight lies. Remember too that if you open the face of a wedge you increase the bounce, making this problem even worse.
When optimizing your wedges, lie angle is another major consideration. Your wedges are your scoring clubs and as such, accuracy is paramount. If you are consistently hitting shots right or left of target then you would be well advised to have the lie angles checked out by an experienced equipment professional.
In summary then, when considering your set make-up, the aim is to make the game of golf easier to play. If you are in any doubt and require technical help then please don't hesitate to contact us in the usual manner. Proper selection and customisation of clubs is our speciality.
Product News :The New KZG Gemini Fairway Woods
The KZG Gemini driver with its innovative twin-face technology has gained industry recognition as the most forgiving and accurate driver on the market. Numerous accolades and awards have been heaped on the Gemini driver by independent testers and industry reviewers since its introduction in 2004. As a result of this, KZG's launch of matching Gemini fairway woods has been eagerly anticipated. The good news is that they are here at last and well worth the wait.
First impressions are always important and in this respect KZG haven't let us down. The mid-size stylish head has a fresh modern look about it. The heat-treated DAT 51 beta titanium outer face insert has 60% greater tensile strength than 6/4 titanium. This provides a thinner hitting surface for greater performance and a better feel. And of course behind this is the innovative second face which provides unmatched accuracy and forgiveness on off-centre strikes.
Traditionally, the head sizes of fairway woods get smaller as the loft increases. However KZG has introduced an innovative uni-size head for the Gemini FW range. This achieves a larger hitting area for each club, resulting in improved ball velocity and control.
For further information on the revolutionary Gemini fairway woods check out our KZG products page or visit the KZG website.
Product News :The Alpha Version 2 (425cc) Driver
The first thing you notice about the Alpha V2 driver is its stunning good looks (see photo above). Apart from the pleasing design, the special black polished finish sets this club apart from the rest. Whether by chance or by design the black face shows up the point of ball impact which is really useful when you are adjusting tee height and address position for centre strikes. The 15-3-3-3 ti-forged active beta face insert provides a really solid feel and sound at impact with explosive ball velocity. The COR from centre strikes is just within the limit set by the R&A and the USGA, whilst the deep face design offers considerable forgiveness on off-centre strikes. Its 2-piece titanium construction provides the added strength and durability required by the world's biggest hitters.
Little wonder then that so many Remax Long Distance Tour players opt to play this clubhead. They are seeking maximum distance, improved control and a head which will stand up to swingspeeds in excess of 160mph. The Alpha V2 provides all of this and much more. At this year's Alpha Long Driver Classic event at Chatsworth, California, six out of eight of the top finalists in the open division and three out of four of the top finalists in the senior division chose Alpha as their driver of choice. So if you have an above average swingspeed and are in the market for a new driver then this one is well worth considering.
To find out more about the Alpha V2 driver and Alpha's dominant role in the world of long driving, you can visit the Alpha website or just contact us in the usual way.
Footnote :Back Issues
The two previous back issues will be kept on-line for reference purposes (see links below) and, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions for future subject material, then please don't hesitate to contact us by e-mail. Reader input / feedback will always be most welcome.
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