Every year or two, some non-golfer commentator decries golf courses as environmentally disastrous or socially corrosive, or both. Calls to “liberate” golf courses for the masses ignore the fact that 75% of American courses are public. Criticisms of golf courses as chemical-laden monocultures are not without some merit, though: in the US, those private clubs and some high-end public courses do have a history of environmentally unfriendly maintenance habits over-reliant on pesticides and herbicides.
But the vast green spaces that golf courses represent are increasingly more sustainable, developing low-impact herbicides and drought-resistant turfs, and fostering biodiversity. Here’s an incomplete list of the wildlife I’ve seen on the municipal course that I call home: red fox, woodchuck, otter, muskrat, white-tailed deer, bald eagle, red-tailed hawk, great blue heron, snowy egret, great horned owl, snapping turtle, painted turtle, black snake, pileated woodpecker, Cooper’s hawk…the list could go on for a full page. It is hard to see how converting green spaces into, say, tracts of housing, would improve the environment.
Golf equipment has lagged somewhat behind golf courses in its evolution towards sustainability, although some of the clubs themselves can last for many decades. There are notable exceptions like bamboo and biodegradable tees, bamboo-fiber clothing, and electric golf carts. Sun Mountain’s 2024 Eco-Lite Stand Bag ($250) and Eco-Lite Cart Bag ($280) are prime examples of this new breed of sustainable golf equipment.
Eco-Lite Bags are made with Repreve® Fabric, which is woven from recycled plastic bottles. Approximately 25 20-ounce bottles go into the construction of each Eco-Lite golf bag. Sun Mountain has partnered with 1% for the Planet, a global network of businesses, individuals, and environmental organizations tackling our planet’s biggest environmental issues. They donate a percentage of Eco-Lite sales to Montana Rivers, Inc., an organization dedicated to conserving and protecting rivers through outreach, restoration, and advocacy.
How does the Sun Mountain Eco-Lite Stand Bag play?
We’ve established the “eco” bit of the bag’s moniker. What about the “lite” bit? The Eco-Lite Stand Bag weighs in at just 4.1 lbs. It has a roomy 9-inch top with a 4-way divider, along with 6 pockets.
Despite the light weight, the pocket configuration is extremely accommodating. There’s room for the rain hood (included) and rain gear, extra towel, extra balls, and an umbrella. The specialized pockets include a lined valuables pocket, a pocket for a range-finder, and an oversized bottle sleeve. The clips at the top are convenient for a towel and a bag of tees. The graphite legs are very stable, and the well-padded, dual-straps are easy-on, easy-off.
The Eco-Lite is ideal as either a carry bag, a pushcart bag, or as a cart bag when riding is in the cards. But if you ride, hopefully the cart is electric – sustainable golf isn’t paradoxical, after all.
In 1955, Dutch Cragun graduated from the University of Minnesota. He called his father and asked if he could make a living running the family’s small fishing resort on the shores of Gull Lake in the heart of the Brainerd lakes region. His dad said, “Hell no.” Nevertheless, Dutch headed north and began a legendary process of renovation, acquisition, and expansion of Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake.
The Legend, Dutch Cragun, expands his legacy. He and Tom Lehman joined the U of MN Alumni Band for a 1st-tee fight song.
By 1997, he’d acquired enough land to solicit bids on a championship golf course from two of the biggest names in golf course design at the time: Robert Trent Jones, Jr., and Rees Jones. The two famously combative brothers were set for a showdown on Gull Lake when Rees pulled out and RTJ, Jr., traveled all the way from Siberia to survey the property.
In 1998, Cragun’s Legacy Course opened. In 2000, Jones had expanded the Legacy Courses to 36 holes. In 2020, Dutch wanted to expand further – the resort comprises over 1,000 acres today, after all. He asked three course architects to submit plans. Former (British) Open Champion and Minnesota native Tom Lehman came to town to watch his son compete in the Minnesota State Amateur. The then-86-year-old Dutch approached the fellow University of Minnesota grad and asked if his firm might be interested in submitting a plan. Within two months, Lehman’s firm had a plan, and after two days of talking, Lehman was “all in” – not just for the new course, but also for a radical redesign of the original holes.
Map of The Lehman 18, The Dutch White and Blue, and the Dutch Red, currently being rebuilt in the final phase of the multi-million-dollar project.
Now, in 2023, The Lehman 18 and The Dutch 18 are fully in play, with the radical facelift of the final 9 now underway. Thus, Cragun’s Resort on Gull Lake is poised to wrestle the golf crown from the adjacent Madden’s on Gull Lake – whose owner graduated college with Dutch and which vacillates between a Hatfield-and-McCoy and cozy “frienemies” sort of relationship with Cragun’s.
“The Everything Bagel”
The Lehman 18 is an amalgam of brand-new holes and redesigned holes from the original 36 holes, and it encircles the land those holes occupied. During construction, Cragun’s GM, Eric Peterson, dubbed it “The Everything Bagel,” and the moniker stuck like a good bagel sticks to your ribs. In the opening-day media interview, Lehman said the development and building of his eponymous course was “a really fun process of discovery,” and “a completely collaborative effort.”
One of the hallmarks of the design are the pseudo-stacked-sod bunkers, the sharp, steep lips and revetted faces of which strike fear into the hearts of weekend warrior players. Lehman said he wanted to evoke the sandbelt courses of Australia on the glacial deposits of northern Minnesota, so the bunkers filled with white (Ohio) sand and the firm, fast fairways and greens are central to the homage.
The revetted faces of the bunkers on The Lehman 18 are reare in the upper Midwest.
Although the routing of the course makes for some long distances between greens and tees (and reduces walkability), the flow of the routing is smooth and logical. There are three par-5s on the par-37 front nine, and just one on the par-35 back nine. Like the Dutch 18, the main defense is those par 5s, which heave and twist as they skirt the edges of wetlands and woods.
From the championship tees, the Lehman stretches to 7,491 yards, but can be played as short as 4,707 yards, with six sets of tee boxes. Green fees as of opening are $159. At just under $9 a hole, it’s well worth the price.
For a resort course, the Lehman 18 presents a number of daunting tee shots to blind landing areas that are, at times, penally crowned. Late in the front nine, players are faced with a number of these, and without careful study of the GPS display on the cart, they will likely take lines that result in apparently good drives running off into the underbrush. Or, as in my case, they’ll miss their lines and just hit directly into the woods.
Fortunately, moments of beauty and pleasure outnumber lost balls. Take the par-3 6th Hole, for example. Tom Lehman says this is his favorite hole, as tree-removal behind the green revealed a picturesque pond complete with a large beaver lodge.
The Lehman 18, 6th Hole, with beaver lodge in the background, behind the right-center of the green
Lehman tagged the 2nd Hole as another favorite. It combines the old 2nd and 3rd holes to make a demanding par 5 with a devilish 2nd shot into a bottleneck landing area with marsh both left and right.
The Lehman 18, Hole 2
Prior to the 2nd, the first-time golfer’s hopes will be raised by the gentle, mid-length par-4 opening hole, only to find those hopes buffeted – if not dashed – by the 2nd and the long par-3 3rd, where a raised green perches over wetlands to the right. From the tips, the 3rd can stretch out over 220 yards. From any tee, just hitting the green feels like a birdie.
The par-3 12th Hole, Lehman 18
Speaking of greens, the Lehman 18’s putting surfaces are fast – running around 9.5 on the Stimp Meter – but very true. Speed, though, is key, as many greens resemble potato chips in their contours. The only exception is the massive and relatively level 17th green, which used to be “The Gambler’s Green,” where residual bets could be settled on the original 18-hole course.
The 10th green on The Lehman 18 has two halves, separated by a 3-foot-high mound bisecting the putting surface.
Dutch 18
Unlike the orbital Lehman, the 7,001-yard, par-70 Dutch 18 is an excellent walking course ($139 green fees currently, with cart). Its proximity to the grand clubhouse and Legends Grille also make it the obvious host for the Canadian PGA Tour CRMC Championship. But like the Lehman, the current 18-hole design – really the combination of the Blue and the White nines – is actually an amalgam of new, old, and radically re-imagined old holes. The remaining Red nine is currently closed for a deep facelift (reopening 2024). It is a testament to the Cragun’s team, especially Superintendent Matt McKinnon and his crew, that they have been able to build a new course and renovate another 27 holes while always keeping at least 18 holes open for play.
This is the team that has ushered in a new era of golf at Cragun’s Resort. From left to right: Eric Peterson (GM), Matt McKinnon (Superintendent), Judd Duininck (Shaper/Construction), Dutch Cragun, Tom Lehman
It’s rare for a golf resort – and at Cragun’s, the golf is front and center, even though the fishing and watersports are outstanding – to have 45 holes that will be, after the final renovation by Lehman’s firm, essentially by one designer but with such different feels. Whereas the Lehman 18 has those revetted bunkers, the Dutch 18 has sprawling, natural-looking bunkers with thick fescue “eyelashes.” As the starter warns at the first tee, players should keep their eye on all balls heading toward bunkers, as they can disappear in the blink of a human eyelash; you’d rather your ball gets into the pristine white Ohio sand. And if you do find your ball in those eyelashes, your best bet is to just wedge it out. Trust me.
The Dutch 18 and its wild and wooly “eyelash” bunkers
Logan Jackson, Cragun’s Head Professional, calls the Dutch “more gettable” than the Lehman, but warns to “play to where you can see.” Like the Lehman, there are several blind shots here, including tee shots over marshland, that demand players pick a number and hit to it…and trust. Also like the Lehman, the par 5s are the major defense, with some awkward tee shots and lay-up areas.
The par-3 3rd Hole on The Dutch 18 can be stretched to over 260 yards from the tips.
The renovation, though, was geared towards, “making the course more playable,” according to Lehman. “We focused on creating width,” he stressed, “There were a lot of places where a mishit would make the next shot unplayable.” Increasing playability required removing a large number of trees, as well as removing bunkers from areas 180 yards out and to the right of the tees. “Who were those bunkers meant to punish?” asked Lehman. “Average players. Golf is hard enough without punishing the people you want to enjoy the course the most.”
Lehman and his team may have thinned a lot of trees from the Legacy Courses, but there are still plenty to deal with. The Dutch 18, 1st Hole
The number one handicap hole is the long par-4 1st Hole, with fairway bunkers left and trees to the right making for a demanding drive. But the hardest hole according to Jackson is the even longer par-4 14th, which plays like a par 5 as it doglegs left around wetlands that collect as many golf balls as they do raindrops.
Thepar-4 14th Hole on The Dutch 18 is a microcosm of the course: winding fairways, trouble on both sides, and large, relatively flatter greens.
The Dutch 18 crescendos at the lovely 18th, a reachable par-5 – really the only receptive par-5 on either course – with a green partially fronted by a serene pond and framed by the ruggedly handsome Legacy clubhouse.
The Dutch 18, 18th Hole
Cragun’s Resort
In the Legacy Grille, the BLT or the wings are excellent choices for a post-round snack. If you hanker for something more upscale, head over to the main resort buildings to Irma’s Kitchen, where Northwoods ingredients meet fine European preparation. Seriously, the best piece of walleye this Minnesota native has ever eaten.
Walleye and wild rice at Irma’s Kitchen
Behind the main lodge is a large marina, with pontoons and other flavors of floating fun available for rentals. The fishing on Gull Lake is, according to local sources, the best in the area, with its almost labyrinthine collection of bays and inlets. Book the dinner cruise for both the delectable prime rib and a luxurious tour of the lake.
When I say the fishing on Gull Lake is good, I’m serious. Hooked into both of these within 20 min of finding my spot.
Golfers and families alike are recommended to consider renting one of the several entirely renovated houses for rent. These have multiple bedrooms and baths, generous kitchens and common areas, and former garages renovated into poker and poll rooms. I can imagine a boys’ trip with golf, fishing, pool, and poker on the docket during a winner-take-all battle royale long weekend.
In case you want to try to recoup your losses from the golf course…
In short, Cragun’s Resort offers a veritable cornucopia of Northwoods activities year-round (ice-fishing and cross-country skiing, anyone?). For those really looking to exploit the area’s under-rated and oft-overlooked northern Minnesota golf courses, The Gravel Pit short course is across the street, and Madden’s at Gull Lake’s The Classic are highly recommended, along with several other area gems.
Tom Lehman takes the first ceremonial shot on his new Lehman 18 Course at Cragun’s Resort
Residents of and visitors to the Brainerd lakes region can be awfully glad Dutch Cragun didn’t listen to his father when he came north to take over the family resort. Tom Lehman calls Dutch “a Minnesota treasure,” and what he’s built at his namesake resort is priceless. Fortunately for us, and for the world of golf, he’s strived to share his bounty with the rest of us in legendary fashion.
Every once in a while, you pass through the entrance to a golf course or resort, and something suddenly changes. You feel the buzz and hum of the world die out behind you, and the destination envelops you in peacefulness. Erin Hills in Wisconsin is one of those places. I imagine Bandon Dunes in Oregon is, too.
In the Great Lakes Sate, there are hundreds of beautiful courses, and dozens of luxurious golf resorts, but of all the ones I’ve visited, Forest Dunes has, more than any other, the magical feel of complete and total golf nirvana. Mike Keiser, progenitor of Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley, once famously said something to the effect of, “One golf course is just a golf course. Two golf courses make a destination.” Forest Dunes is now a full-fledged golf destination. And as the facilities keep expanding, it is arguably the best “pure golf” destination in “Pure Michigan.”
Forest Dunes opened in 2002 as a private club, but has been fully public since 2011, when it was purchased by Arkansas trucking magnate Lew Thompson. The layout, which Tom Weiskopf has described as “one of my top-five all-time designs,” can be played at five different lengths, from 7,116 yards all the way down to 4,993 yards. For purists, one of the most welcome aspects of the course is that – unlike most Northern Michigan tracks – it’s extremely walkable. Forest Dunes doesn’t have the lake views of Arcadia Bluffs, but the layout has been voted as the best in the state by multiple publications and is perennially ranked as one of the top 25 public courses in the nation.
In 2017, a second course opened at Forest Dunes—well technically, a second AND a third. The Loop debuted as the first, and only, fully reversable 18-hole championship course in the U.S. After playing this brilliant design, I would wager that several similar courses will be opening very soon, though, as it allows operators to maintain just one set of holes while offering two very different courses.
In 2020, The Bootlegger – a 10-hole “short course” designed by Keith Rhebb and Riley Johns opened. It’s perfect for juniors, beginners, and anyone looking to squeeze some golf into a broader itinerary, with green fees of $49 for unlimited play (based on availability. The Bootlegger takes its name from the legend of The Purple Gang, Detroit-area gangsters who reportedly ran liquor from Canada through the area during Prohibition. Finally, a new putting course, the Hilltop Putting Course, occupies two acres of rolling terrain, is free to play and ideal for post-round putting contests.
The Bootlegger short course opened in 2020 (courtesy Forest Dunes)The Hilltop Putting Course is ideal for practice and for post-round big-money putting contests.
With the addition of The Loop, Forest Dunes is a full-fledged destination. Luxurious accommodations are provided in the AuSable Lodge and golfers’ villas (more on these later), and the food in the clubhouse ranks as some of the best I’ve ever tasted in Northern Michigan (more on that later, too). In 2020, a new par-3 course will open on the property as well. But let’s begin with The Loop.
The Loop Red
Forest Dunes owner Lew Thompson long wanted a second course that would entice golfers to stay on the property longer – á la the golf destinations mentioned above. He also wanted a course concept that would “wow” him. World-famous golf course architect and Michigan native Tom Doak delivered a plan for a fully reversible course.
3ed green, Loop Red
“The appeal of a reversible course is people would want to play it both ways. You are getting two golf courses in one,” Doak said in a press release from August 4, 2014.
According to the press release, Doak said the idea of reversible course is not as revolutionary as it sounds. Many Scottish links, including The Old Course at St. Andrews, were played in reverse in winter to spread out the wear and tear of divots.
The term “one-of-a-kind” has been applied to countless golf resorts, but given the top-ranked status of Forest Dunes, and the uniqueness of The Loop, this one is fully deserving of the description.
6th tee, Loop Red
The Loop switches playing directions every other day, and, amazingly, for the most part, it feels like you are playing two completely different courses. It is very difficult to identify fairways and greens from one day to the next. Only the 18th green is same playing both directions. On the Red Course, it’s wide and shallow, with a pot bunker in the back. On the Black Course, it’s deep and narrow, with the pot bunker on the left.
The Loop has a strong caddie corps, and players would be very wise to hire one, especially their first couple times around each “course.” This design is like nothing I, or you, have played. It feels, sounds, and plays like a seaside links course, but it’s here in the woods of Northern Michigan. The lines off the tees – which are simply three small flags stuck in the ground for each hole – are not at all obvious. Our caddie, Marcelo, told us where to aim. Sometimes we missed those lines badly and though we had lost our balls for sure. But Marcelo would almost always say, “You’re fine there!” How he found those balls, I have no idea. It was uncanny.
The same goes for the approaches to the greens. Most of the time, Marcelo advised us to take less club than the yardage would indicate, given the course’s firm, linksy character. Shots bounce and run quite a bit, and run-up shots to the amazingly contoured greens are preferred.
We played The Red Course first, from the 6,054-yard middle tees (back = 6,805, front = 5,006) and already at the green of the 551-yard, par-5 2nd hole, I was hooked. “This is the hardest green on the course,” Marcelo said, as we gazed upon the putting surface, which is bisected by a deep trench I had to putt down into and back out of.
The greens of The Loop are the wildest I’ve ever seen: the aforementioned trench, yawning bunkers all around, crazy but mostly natural humps and mounds – and these various carnivalesque features appear in both directions, but provide utterly different experiences from one day to the next.
How does one pick out highlights on a course whose holes change from day to day? On the Red Course, the 125-yard 6th was maybe the most fun, with its benign distance but malignant bunkering. The 442-yard 8th is a cool dogleg downhill and back up to a green that seems to be floating in the air. And the green of the 185-yard 14th is perhaps the craziest green I’ve ever seen anywhere, yet somehow avoids feeling tricked up.
Approach, Hole 8, Loop Red
The Loop Black
“Good morning!” said Marcelo, whom we also engaged for our second round on The Loop. We could not imagine figuring out where to go and how to play the holes in the other direction without his skilled guidance. He kept asking, “Does it look like the Red Course? Do you recognize where you are?” My son and I just kept shaking our heads dumbly. With the exception of a couple of greens, it truly felt like we were on a completely different links. Doak has performed some incredible alchemy here. In a different era, they may have burned him as a witch.
Our caddie, Marcelo, found balls we thought were lost forever. Uncanny!
My favorite two holes might have been the 414-yard 11th, which Marcelo described as “not long,” although it plays uphill and was directly into the wind. A single sentinel pine and a deep pot bunker make for a difficult approach. The 381-yard 12th features the prettiest approach on the course, which is a downhill shot to a three-tiered green, with bunkers like mortar craters dotting the fairway and greenside.
Approach, 12th hole, Loop Black
From there, the back nine of the Black Course takes an evil turn two brutish long par-3s (#13, 222 yards; #15, 195 yards) bookend the 489-yard, par-4 14th. My son and I played these three holes in a combined 11-over, but you know what? We still had a blast.
Approach, 11th hole, Loop Black
The Black Course plays at 4,982 yards, 6,078 yards, and 6,704 yards from the front, middle, and back tees, respectively. Although modern-day recreational golfers might think a course of ~6,000 yards will be too easy, I recommend sticking with the middle tees for both the Red and Black. There are plenty of challenges and plenty of places to bomb a drive, no matter the yardage. Doak is a genius, and you will never feel bored or untested.
Forest Dunes
Tom Weiskopf may have listed Forest Dunes in the Top 5 of his designs, but it is #1 in my book. The design is characterized by generous landing areas, each portion of which poses subtly different challenges and angles toward the large, rumpled greens. The approaches into the greens are multifarious, and the greens themselves rank as some of the smoothest and purest I have ever been privileged to putt on. Tee boxes allow players to choose from five different yardages, ranging from 7,116 yards down to 4,993 yards. My 15-year-old son and I chose the II tees (6,550), but numbers reported here reflect the yardage from the tips.
On the tee of the 403-yard par-4 1st hole, the first-time visitor is presented with a classic resort-course opener: easy bogey, reasonable par, if the correct club and line are chosen for the sharp left-to-right dogleg. The 451-yard par-4 2nd is rated as the #1 handicap hole on the course, but is not all that difficult, as long as your drive moves a little right to left around the corner of a stand of pines.
By the 605-yard, par-5 5th hole, it becomes apparent why they named the course “Forest Dunes”—the moniker is not as contradictory as you may have imagined before arriving. The equally picturesque par-5 7th (dubbed “Goalposts”) has all the bucolic charm of a par 3, with its green nestled into trees and ferns and sand.
Forest Dunes, Hole 5, approach over the ever-present waste area
Forest Dunes is one of those rare courses that keeps getting better on every hole. The 443-yard 8th may offer the prettiest approach on the course, with a marsh left, bunkers right, and the clubhouse and lodge behind the green.
Forest Dunes, Hole 8
After the turn, the interest level builds further. The 439-yard 10th hole (named “Decision”), with its forked fairway and forked green, might be the most memorable of all, as it’s disorienting and delightful all at once.
A hallmark of Forest Dunes Golf Club is ever-present waste areas, from which the course derives its name. You see, just below the turf lie acre upon acre of sand, deposited millennia ago by receding glaciers. Not only does this mean the course drains beautifully, it also allowed Weiskopf to expose vast stretches of it create natural hazards. Just wait until you get to the 233-yard, par-3 16th and the drivable, risk-reward, 302-yard, par-4 17th—the type of hole Weiskopf became famous for. There is so much sand from tee to green on these holes, you’ll feel like you’re on some ocean-side course in Florida rather than deep in the Michigan woods.
Behind the green of the 17th hole, Forest Dunes
Lake AuSable Lodge, Villas, and Cottages
Forest Dunes has evolved into an idyllic golf destination. The original course and The Loop provide three top-notch rounds. Toss in The Bootlegger and Hilltop Putting Course, and devoted golfers have enough entertainment for days.
In short, Forest Dunes represents a veritable golf theme park for golfers of all skill levels. Lake AuSable Lodge stands just 35 yards from the first tee of the original course, and the clubhouse restaurant offers excellent food and drink (the gourmet mac-n-cheese and the Forest Dunes burger are highly recommended, and the made-to-order breakfast sandwich is a pre-round must). Prices are surprisingly reasonable as well, considering the virtual monopoly they have. The back patio is one of the most peaceful post-round spots you’ll find on any course, anywhere, so eat outside if the weather allows.
Ausable LodgeKitchenette, golf condos
The Villas consist of 2- and 4-bedroom condos, ideal for buddy or family trips. My son and I frankly did not want to leave, we had grown so comfortable after just two nights in the princely digs. If you want even more space, or to spend extended time in this golf haven, there are 7 cottages (i.e., full-fledged houses) on site, which sleep from 4 to 8 people in total luxury. My son is already imagining buddy trips when he gets older, and this is now his ideal destination.
The back patio of the clubhouse at Forest Dunes is an idyllic setting for dinner and drinks.
Indeed, there are few golf destinations as peaceful as Forest Dunes. As soon as you enter the grounds, the world melts away and you are enveloped in world-class golf. There is a rumor a third 18-hole course is in the planning stages. If true, there are some people—like me and my son—who will never want to go anywhere else.
As I milled around the interview room at the 2023 US Senior Open, which just wrapped up at SentryWorld in Stevens Point, Wisconsin, I heard the same refrain from nearly every player:
“This is a U.S. Open challenge. We’re just putting ‘Senior’ in front of it.”
Brett Quigley, whose final round 66 (-5) vaulted him to a T4, was asked if the 1982 Robert Trent Jones, Jr. course (which has been renovated twice by Jones himself) could host a U.S. Open – ignoring the remote location and lack of local infrastructure. “Definitely. There’s more room behind where we were playing. It’s as good as any U.S. Open course I’ve played.”
Clear evidence for this assertion could be found on Day 2, when the scoring average on every hole was above par. And Day 2 scoring was about a stroke better overall than Day 1.
The cool thing about the U.S. Senior Open is that the fields are so diverse. Fans get to see true legends of the game – World Golf Hall of Famers like Mark O’Meara, Ernie Els, Bernhard Langer, Vijay Singh, and Padraig Harrington – along with worldwide golf icons like Miguel Angel Jiménez, Y.E. Yang, and Darren Clarke. And then about half the field is guys you’ve probably never heard of who qualified, including a handful of amateur graybeards living every older weekend warrior’s dream.
Ernie Els, Tom Lehman, and Justin Leonard shake hands at the end of Round 2. Between them, they have 6 major championships. All three made the cut.
The amazing thing is that even though some of the big names don’t make the cut, a respectable number of the latter categories do, even at a brutish test like SentryWorld. It just goes to show you how dang good these players are.
Take Mike Small, Head Men’s Golf Coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His teams have won the Big Ten title 13 of the past 14 years, and qualified for NCAA Team Matchplay several times. His former players can be found on pro tours all around the world, including the PGA Tour. His former college teammate is Wisconsin native and 2023 Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker – the two played together at Illinois. Small ended Day 1 on the front page of the leaderboard at -1. A 78 (+7) on Day 2 still left him inside the cut line.
Illini Men’s Golf Coach saves par on the 9th Hole, Day 2, helping him make the cut.Takashi Kanemoto cards the best round on Day 2 to make the cut by two strokes.
What’s making SentryWorld – one of Wisconsin’s original “destination” daily fee courses – so rough? Well…the rough, for one thing. But that’s not all.
Two-time Masters Champion Bernhard Langer explained on the second day why the scores were so high like this: “Obviously, there’s the rough, but there’s a lot of water in play. Then you have the greens that are quite severe at times too. Four or five of them are really firm. And the undulation. They hide the pins behind knobs and behind bunkers. That’s the U.S. Open … well, every week really. It’s vital to come from the fairway and control your distance and control your spin, and the rough is just extremely tough to play out of.”
Langer’s assessment of the course can be believed: He’s won 45 Champions Tour events, including 12 Senior majors. At 65, he would be the oldest player to win a Senior major by seven years. Although he’s not as long as most out here, he can hit a green with a hybrid as easily as most can with a mid-iron.
At the end of Day 3, there were a grand total of five players under par. Just two were Americans, both from Wisconsin: Jerry Kelly (-4) and Steve Stricker (-3). They both birdied 18 for a nearly storybook end to the round.
Jerry Kelly after Round 3Steve Stricker after Round three, looking up at the TV and saying he had hoped Bernhard Langer would stumble.Berhnard Langer, Leader after Round 3. He didn’t stumble.
“We couldn’t have scripted it any better,” said Kelly. “Well, we both could have been in the final group, I guess.”
So the question was: Would Day 4 turn out to be a Hollywood ending no one would believe if it were a script? Or would it be thwarted by a taciturn German (who really is a nice, engaging guy and a legitimate legend of the sport)? And of course, some other contender might rise to the top in a totally unexpected plot-twist. Twelve players began the day within 8 strokes of the lead, including four PGA Tour major winners.
The sun rose on Day 4 bright and hopeful, the northern air redolent with pine and the thousands of flowers surrounding Robert Trent Jones, Jr.’s “Mona Lisa” – the 16th Hole (a.k.a. The Flower Hole).
“The Flower Hole” — Hole 16, SentryWorld
In the second group out, Coach Small repeated his respectable Day 1 score with another -1. His caddie said, “He found something out on the course. He pured every shot on the last eight holes. He shot as high as he could have, really.” The caddie of Tom Lehman, Small’s playing partner for the day, agreed. “[Small] nearly rolled in a half-dozen more putts.”
So low scores were out there. Would the leader – or pursuers – find the magic like Small did? Langer seemed to find it right out of the gate, with an easy birdie on Hole 1 and an improbably long birdie putt on Hole 2, while Stricker went par-par, and Kelly par-bogey.
But it was on the par-5 5th hole where Langer all but laid claim to the title. His second shot came up just short, in the mud of the lake fronting the green. He walked up, assessed the ball, and proceeded to remove both shoes, roll up his slacks, and splash his third to about five feet. Of course, he made the birdie, for a five-shot lead over Kelly.
Coming down the stretch, though, the ageless marvel showed a few hints of mortality. Bogeys on 16 and 17, combined with a Stricker birdie on 17, left Langer with a 3-shot lead standing on the 10th tee. Up ahead, Stricker had a putt from the back fringe to put on even more pressure, but his birdie putt came up a little right and short. This half of the home-state hero duo ended up at -5.
The stage was thus set for Langer to take his 13th Senior Major title, along with the all-time Champions Tour win title, for which he’d previously been tied with Hale Irwin. Langer’s approach ended in the right fringe – by design. “18 was a bogey on purpose. No way was I going left, where all the trouble is.” Langer marched up to the elevated 18th green, stopping half-way and waiting for Kelly – a classy move for a tournament winner (it’s usually the vanquished who pay their respects to the victors).
Langer, again, played conservative to secure the win. “I told my caddie I would be leaving the putt from the fringe 20 feet short to two putt from there.” And that’s what he did.
After the round, Kelly was visibly disappointed, with so many friends and his mother on hand watching. But he was sanguine about the third-place finish: “Langer wins. Stricker beats me. What’s new?”
More seriously, Kelly applauded Langer: “It was incredible to have a front row seat to [Langer’s wins number] 45 and 46. And Bernhard’s a really good friend of mine.”
As for his post-victory opinion of the course, Langer said, “It’s one of the best courses I’ve ever played.”
Regarding the win – which gives him more wins than anyone on the Champions Tour and more Senior Majors than anyone, Langer said, “This one is right up there. My two Masters wins probably rank ahead of it. But having more Senior Majors than Nicklaus, or Trevino, or Player – this is very special.”
Special win. Special course. Special week in Wisconsin’s north woods. A “senior moment” worth remembering.
Your 2023 U.S. Senior Open Champion, Bernhard Langer, and the slightly spitoon-like trophy, thinking about where this one ranks in his career.
In 1835, Carlos Lattin built the first log cabin in the town that came to be known as Sycamore, Illinois. Today, on that same site, is the fitting center of Sub70 Golf, one of the fastest-growing direct-to-consumer boutique golf club companies since 2018. The recipe for this success is a combination of the highest quality equipment at prices about 40% less than the big-name clubmakers, seasoned with the best customer service in the business.
I spent the morning recently with Jay Armour, Sub70’s Director of Marketing, and Kevin Healy, PGA Professional and Director of Fitting and Instruction, at Sub70’s sparkling new fitting center HQ in downtown Sycamore (about 65 miles west of the Chicago lakeshore). The space is large and attractive, with a mix of original hardwood floors and exposed brick along with state-of-the-art simulator bays, comfy furniture, flat-screen TVs, putting area, jukebox, Golden Tee game, selection of the company’s new apparel line, and a bar.
Sub70 CEO Jason Hiland had been in the golf business for nearly 30 years, having founded the companies Diamond Tour Golf and Hurricane Golf. The former is a seller mainly of club components, and the latter an online golf equipment retailer. Eventually, Hiland grew tired of selling other companies’ equipment and wanted to offer something of his own. He landed upon the idea of direct-to-consumer sales, while also keeping prices low, by dispensing with the advertising budget and eschewing paid player endorsements. Hiland had all the industry contacts – shafts, grips, clubhead fabrication plants, etc., etc. So work began on designing the best possible forged irons and, eventually, hybrids, woods, and putters, that can be customized for every single buyer.
“We have an incredible reputation for customer service,” says Armour, “and being transparent and open.” Most direct-to-consumer club manufacturers don’t allow returns. “Or you can only hit one of your clubs,” explains Healy, “and then you only have two weeks to return them, based on that one club.”
In contrast, Sub70 has a firm 60-day, no-questions-asked policy on returns. But this good-old Midwestern trustworthiness doesn’t start with the sale. It is the very foundation of the entire process. Every single set of Sub70 clubs is custom-made, by hand, according to each individual customer’s specs. How do they get these specs? Well, several different ways.
The most obvious of these is, sitting in the Sub70 fitting center, an in-house fitting by Healy or another Sub70 fitter. “We have visitors from all over the country,” says Armour. “Lots of them are in Chicago for business or vacation, and they hop over here for a fitting. We do about 50 fittings a week here, by appointment.”
So, they must rake in dough on those fittings, right? “Nope. All fittings are free. And if Kevin looks at your numbers with your clubs and ours and there’s no difference, he’ll tell you. No obligation. No up-selling, no pressure to buy anything at all from us. It’s very casual.” (Hence the bar in the fitting center.)
The atypical nature of the fitting process doesn’t end there, though. Healy is a PGA Professional who’s been giving lessons at some of Chicagoland’s top courses and clubs for decades. Unlike every single fitting I’ve gone through, where the fitter doesn’t comment on your swing (or help you fix flaws), the Sub70 process may include a lesson, too. “If I see something, I say something,” admits Healy. “I don’t want to fit someone’s bad swing.”
If you aren’t able to get to Sycamore, you can contact Sub70 online or by phone with specs of your current clubs (if you’re happy with them) or with specs from a different fitter. “We figure it out with them from there, usually with some back and forth to make sure we get everything right,” explains Armour. “We have heads that are comparable to just about everything out there. And every shaft and grip you can think of.”
“And if something seems off,” interjects Healy, “we’ll ask. You see some strange things from some other fitters – things that don’t seem right. Specs are like medical notes. They can be read by any fitter, but sometimes a second opinion is helpful.”
Once the specs are all nailed down and the order is placed, turn-around is usually 7-10 business days.
Once customers have their new sticks, they have a year until the next “longer, straighter” clubs come out, right?
“Sub70 doesn’t have any product life cycles,” says Armour. “Unlike the big names, who put out ‘the next best thing’ every year – or even every six months – our clubs are built to perform for however long they still fit you.”
“And the USGA regulates all club performance tolerances anyway,” says Healy. “If you think that this year’s version of last year’s driver is going to give you 30 extra yards, you’re fooling yourself. Performance hasn’t changed much in the last 30 years – USGA doesn’t allow it. It’s all just tweaking here and there.”
So even though Sub70 is always innovating in various ways, there’s no timeline for the “next” line of clubs. “We’ll have a new driver coming out in 1.5 – 2 years,” says Armour. “And a couple new putter models. But our focus is on adding more fitting carts and training more independent fitters across the country [who do charge for fittings, as that’s their business], so more golfers can have access to our clubs. We don’t want to or need to come out with anything ‘new’ until we can confidently say we’ve made an improvement or that we’ve filled a gap in our offerings.”
Access is important, including cost-related access. For example, the Sub70 line of putters are all CNC milled from solid blocks, and come with customizable weight sets and headcovers for about $169. Compare this to other “boutique” putter makers whose flatsticks can range up to $800. The Sub70 849 Pro Driver runs just $279, earning it and all of Sub70’s offerings the “#1 Direct-To-Consumer Golf Brand Award” from MyGolfSpy.com.
The same philosophy applies to the new Sub70 apparel line. Polos run, for example, from $35-$50 each, compared to $80+ for logo wear at pro-shops. And the Sub70 logo (the numeral 70 with a line above it) is already pretty iconic.
Although Sub70 doesn’t pay players to use their clubs, many at the elite touring pro level do. “Zack Fischer plays our irons and wedges,” says Armour. “He just won the Argentine Open. And several guys on the PGA Champions Tour play them, but we can’t use their names since we don’t pay them for it.”
In short, Sub70 has clubs for players of all skill levels, “From 30-handicaps to Tour players.”
Some of the “staff bags” from notable players who play Sub70 clubs (for free, just because they love them(.
Sycamore, Illinois, might not be the first place that comes to mind when you think “boutique golf clubs,” but Sub70 is building a customer-centered golf empire on the very spot where Carlos Lattin built that first cabin. Who knows whether Carlos had ever even heard of golf, but he’d probably be impressed that an innovator like Sub70 is following in his trailblazing footsteps.
I just returned from an annual 3-day golf trip with a group of guys who’ve been playing together once a year for 33 years. We don’t all go every year, and sometimes we don’t see someone for a half-dozen years. Yet somehow, I feel like I recognize these guys better than my own neighbors, and I am certain I know more about their lives than I do most of my co-workers. Nearly all of us are fathers—except for some of the yearly new crop of “rookies”—and we particularly revel in stories of deep discomfort and profound privation we often faced in the early years of the trip, when we had more stamina, fewer health concerns, and less money. Today, we all agree that tops on our list for the trip is COMFORT. We’re getting up there – many of the group are retired – so we’re willing to pay more if need be to sleep in an actual bed, find cabins with new furniture and full amenities, and not have to wake up before sunrise to snag discount rates.
I bet your dad would appreciate a little comfort, too. So here’s a list of golf gift ideas focused on the theme of making Pop’s life a little more comfortable.
ASICS GEL-KAYANO ACE Golf Shoes
You know who knows comfortable shoes? Runners. So ASICS took the design features of their widely acclaimed running shoes and adapted them to golf shoes. The GEL-KAYANO ACE Golf Shoe ($170) is a spikeless, waterproof golf shoe offering comfort with every move. The lightweight frame and flexibility of the GEL-KAYANO ACE is aided by ASICS FlyteFoam Technology, providing lightweight shock absorption and plenty of support. An improved upper mesh and PU film coating help keep golfer’s feet dry in wet conditions, while its TPU Heel Cradle helps maintain stability while walking and throughout the swing. If Dad happens to be into speed-golf, these are definitely the shoes for him!
PUMA x Volition America Collection
Ol’ Pops needs comfort on the rest of his body, too. The PUMA x Volition America Collection brings red, white, and blue to the course in the form of patriotic patterns, hi-tech materials, and innovative designs, all of which are aimed at honoring US military veterans. A portion of the proceeds from the Volition line will go directly to Folds of Honor Foundation to support the families of American military heroes. The designs run from splashy to subtle, but all are stylish and comfortable. There’s also a Volition America Golf Bag ($350), various accessories, and a special edition AEROJET Driver ($599), if you want to set Dad up with a full-blown tribute to America.
Sun Mountain Mid-Stripe Dual Strap Stand Bag
Hopefully Dad still walks a few holes now and then, but even if not, he deserves a lightweight stand bag with cushy shoulder straps, maybe to encourage more walking. Perfect for either walking rounds or riding rounds, the Sun Mountain Mid-Stripe Dual Strap Stand Bag ($370) is a retro-cool beauty. Weighing in at just 5.6 lbs., the Mid-Stripe features loads of spiffy detailing (like leather external tee holders), a 9” top with 4 dividers, and 7 functional, spacious pockets. I just love the way this bag looks and feels on my shoulders. I have received more compliments on this bag than any I’ve ever owned, both from Dads AND from their children.
Stewart Golf Apex Remote Trolley
If your goal is to provide Dad with the ultimate in comfort, you need to get him a remote-controlled trolley so he can stroll the links leisurely without having to lug or push his clubs around. World-renowned golf trolley manufacturer Stewart Golf has announced a brand-new model to join its award-winning electric cart fleet—the APEX Remote ($1899)—what the company is calling the “ultimate remote machine,” giving golfers total control of their trolleys from up to 100 yards away. Stewart Golf manufactures the world’s most advanced, remote-controlled golf carts and is a pioneer in follow technologies, many of which have been incorporated into the APEX Remote. A world first in golf—Active Terrain Control (ATC)—is a sophisticated operating system that gives the user ultimate control of their trolley on any course, no matter how challenging its landscape and is the hallmark of the APEX.
ATC allows APEX to automatically redistribute power independently between twin super-charged motors depending on elevation grades. Unlike basic downhill braking, ATC keeps the APEX travelling at a desired speed and direction—uphill, downhill, and on side slopes. The innovative ATC system is powered by the new AP1 Cortex Microchip, which monitors power requirements from each motor up to 1,000 times per second. This new system also adjusts to different golf bags, allowing smoother response when holding a lightweight bag. In the APEX, Stewart Golf debuts the longest range in the trolley market. Its second-generation SmartPower Lithium battery now provides enough power for 27 or 45 holes of operation. The plug-and-play battery offers users the ability to monitor usage and capacity in real time using the free Stewart Golf smartphone app.
SuperStroke Putter Grips
Perhaps the best feeling in golf is feeling comfortable – and confident – on the greens. An essential part of achieving this blessed nirvana-like state is your putter grip. Your putter should feel so natural in your hands, that it’s like an extension of your body. SuperStroke Putter Grips ($30-$40) have in a very short time become ubiquitous on greens everywhere from local municipal courses to the PGA Tour. Two recent Tour winners, Davis Riley and Wyndham Clark, play SuperStrokes, in fact. SuperStroke’s stroke of genius is widening the lower part of the grip, removing the taper and thereby minimizing the tendency for the lower hand to get over-involved and inappropriately manipulate the putter face. These grips come in several different sizes and designs, not to mention color combinations, and they work – just ask Tour winners.
Bridgestone e12 Contact Golf Balls
Another great feeling in golf is being comfortably in the fairway off the tee. The key to finding the short grass is contact: contact between the clubface and the ball. Bridgestone has drawn from its long history as a manufacturer of racecar tires to bring golfers the e12 Contact. The fourth iteration of the e12 creates 46% more surface contact at impact over competitor balls. Borrowed from Bridgestone Tire, Contact Science optimizes the moment of impact, yielding faster speeds on more powerful contact and higher spin rates on less powerful contact. Designed for players looking for a combination of maximum distance, straighter overall shots, exceptionally soft feel, and enhanced short game performance, the new e12 CONTACT golf balls are loaded with technology, highlighted by the brand new FLEXATIV Surlyn cover.
The new FLEXATIV cover is designed using impact modifiers that allow it to react to the amount of force applied at impact. When struck with a driver the cover behaves like a firmer material for faster ball speed and more distance, and also less sidespin for straighter shots and enhanced forgiveness on off-center hits. When struck with a wedge or short iron, however, it behaves like a softer, slower material.
High Camp Fairway Flasks
Finally, for me, peak relaxation can be achieved with a nice adult beverage, whether it be on the course, after the round, or watching golf on TV on a rainy day. The High Camp Fairway Flask (standard 375 ml with tumbler, $85; Custom-engraved 375 ml with tumbler, $109) is brilliantly crafted for your bar top and at the same time ruggedly built for the rough and tumble of the course. The Integrated Magnetic Locking System allows you to seamlessly attach your tumblers to your flask (and even create a goblet for refined tippling). It fits perfectly in the cart drink holder and the magnetized cup keeps it from tipping over. The Firelight 375 is built for your longest rounds—it’ll keep half a bottle of your favorite spirit at the perfect temperature all day long.
There you have it. This Father’s Day, resist Dr. Suess’s call to “Hop on Pop!” Instead, shop for pop, and give the gift of comfort on the golf course. He’s earned it!
Depending on which statistics one looks at, the percentage of golfers who never break 100 is somewhere around 50%. Of course, this estimate also depends on how you define “golfer.” Is someone who plays once or twice a year a golfer? We could argue about this all day.
Irrespective of these statistics, though, everyone who plays golf at all can agree that it is a frustratingly difficult sport. Recent calls to “roll back” the ball or limit the power of drivers for Tour professionals would not – and should not – apply to recreational players because we recreational players, us regular folk, need all the help we can get.
Let’s face it, golf IS more fun when you hit the ball farther. Heck, I know people who’ve toyed with the idea of playing. Then they go to a practice range and fail to get even a single ball into the air and simply quit before they ever even play an actual hole. A lot of factors work against “growing the game” – cost, time, exclusionary culture. But frankly, the single factor that keeps golf from being more popular is golf itself. Golf is HARD.
Fortunately, more and more equipment companies are developing lines of clubs to help regular folks have more fun playing golf. The latest entry into the “Max Game Improvement Iron” category are the Cobra T-Rail Irons ($999, PW-4 hybrid). If you’re trying to entice friends or family into playing golf with the thrill of hitting high, long shots, these are the clubs you will want to have them try.
Playing the Cobra T-Rail Irons
Let’s be honest: if you’re looking for sleek irons with a thin topline, these are not for you. Every iron in the T-Rail set has a hollow, hybrid-like design. However, the black carbon back does go some way towards camouflaging the bulbous profile.
But forget about the set-up aesthetics. These irons, which come stock with Cobra Ultralite 50 (55g) graphite shafts, are light but beautifully balanced. You can ramp up swing speed without losing the feel for the position of the clubhead. The oversized head remains stable on off-center strikes, and the patented namesake T-Rails on the sole provide consistent contact with the turf.
I tested the T-Rails at my local driving range and during a 9-hole round on my local course. Naturally, the range session consisted of one nearly flawless strike after another, with the ratty old range balls sailing easily 10-20 yards father than with my normal irons. And the ball fight was so incredibly high that I thought I’d popped up the first couple of shots until I realized how far they had traveled.
On the course, nothing ever goes as well as on the range. Nevertheless, when I wasn’t trying to over-swing, the T-Rails delivered effortless power. I had to club down on several shots in order to not go over the green. With some practice, I was even able to work the ball both right and left with the T-Rails (an accomplishment that, as with any of my clubs, was less consistently achieved on the course).
The verdict on Cobra T-Rail Irons
Iron sets that are basically full-set hybrids are not for every golfer. But if we’re being brutally honest, about 50% of golfers could probably benefit from playing them. For me, the T-Rail 4-hybrid (20 degrees, 39.75 inches) is the club I’ve been looking for for years. I’ve been having trouble with my fairway woods for nearly a decade, and the 4-hybrid T-Rail is an ideal replacement for my 19-degree 5-wood. The shorter shaft and more compact head give me the feeling of more control, and Cobra’s brilliant engineering gives me more height, more control, AND more distance despite the shorter shaft. And in my semi-psychotic golfer brain, I can tell myself “It’s just an iron” and take a normal swing. This is a vast improvement over my fairway wood swing thought, which is something like, “Oh, gawd – I hate fairway woods! What’s going to happen this time?”
Come to think of it, it really is a miracle that I ever broke 100.
Your putter is the only club you use on every hole. This intense familiarity tends to breed a manic relationship between golfers and their flatsticks. One type of player largely ignores their putters – they’ve played the same one for 20 years, and the grip is glassy smooth, the head is dented, the shaft might not even be straight anymore. The other type of player is obsessed – haunting the putter section of every pro shop and big box sports store they enter, these players squirrel away part of their lunch money every week to save up for the latest $700 wand by Cameron or Bettinardi because it will definitely, this time, save strokes.
I’m here to tell you that there is a middle ground, a calm eye of sanity in the psychological hurricane that is putting. Cleveland Golf consistently produces putters that represent the best combination of performance and affordability on the market. In November, 2022, Cleveland introduced the Huntington Beach (HB) SOFT Milled Putter Line ($200), which consists of seven models designed to fit the full range of putting strokes.
Playing the Cleveland HB SOFT Milled Putter
Putting strokes basically fall into two styles: straight-back-straight-through and closed-open-closed, often termed “straight” and “arc” (or “gate”), respectively. Great PGA Tour pros have played both, so one’s not any better than the other. The key is to find a putter whose weighting and grip fit your stroke. With seven models—and their respective grip shapes—the HB SOFT line offers a match for every golfer.
For arc putters, Cleveland recommends the Golf Pride PRO ONLY Red Star grip, with a pistol shape that promotes the opening and closing of the putter face. For straight putters, there is the Golf Pride PRO ONLY Green Star grip has a more rounded, oval-back shape that helps the hands stay still through the stroke.
Once you settle on a grip, the next decision is the putterhead shape. What looks best to your eye? Now, arc putters often prefer Anser-style or flanged blade shaped heads, whereas straight putters often prefer some flavor of mallet. But this generality is not absolute. Toe-hang is another reliable indicator: face-balanced putters tend to work best for straight putters; some degree of toe-hang tends to work best for arc putters. The HB SOFT models are 1, 4, 5, 8, 10.5, 11, and 14. Smaller numbers are smaller heads, ranging up through mid-mallets to full mallets, and every model offers variations with different face- and toe-balancing.
I chose the 11: 370g, single-bend neck, 3-deg loft, face-balanced, 35”. The 11S is for arc putters; the 11 is for straight putters, which I am (when I’m putting well). The head shape is in the “sabretooth” style: two flanges extend back from the toe and heel ends for exquisite stability.
All HB SOFT Milled putters are, well, milled, meaning that both the front and back of the head are milled. The face is diamond milled for optimal contact everywhere on the face. The back milling just provides a really sharp, clean profile at address.
How did it perform? Well, every year, I think I’ve settled on a forever-putter. Last season, it was actually another Cleveland model, the Frontline ISO Putter. I putted great with that model. But after a half-dozen strokes on my living room carpet with the HB SOFT 11, and a simulator-league season that ended with a 20-foot holed (simulated) putt to secure second place in the league, it has now become my forever-putter.
Until next year, maybe.
The verdict on Cleveland’s HB SOFT Putter Line
The double-barreled greatness of Cleveland putters combines consistently top-notch quality with a reasonable price point. The HB SOFT Milled Line is the next great generation of this long and proud tradition. If you really do want to change putters every season, you can do it without busting your budget. If, on the other hand, you want to keep a putter in your bag for the next couple of decades, Cleveland makes a product that will last and perform in perpetuity.
Just please, for me, change that glassy grip now and then.
It feels like just yesterday that I first received a dozen Srixon golf balls to review, despite it being nearly 20 years ago. I called them “The best balls whose name you can’t pronounce.” Srixon golf balls continue to be some of the best balls for the money at every price point. Moreover, Srixon has become a familiar name for most golfers, thanks to multiple player sponsorships on all professional tours and an ever-growing, consistently high-quality line of golf clubs.
Despite the wider name recognition, though, Srixon is still sometimes overlooked by golfers shopping for new sticks. Whenever someone on “golf Twitter” poses the question of which irons or drivers are most underrated, Srixon’s name is certain to pop up, followed by a chorus of devotees who profess their loyalty to the brand.
The reason for this loyalty? My view is that Srixon consistently produces rock-solid, high-performing equipment at an affordable price. The new ZX MK II Series Drivers ($500) continue this tradition in impressive fashion. ZX MK II drivers come in three flavors. The ZX7, with its more compact head, targets low-handicap players who seek to work the ball in all directions off the tee. The ZX5 offers consistency and forgiveness, with a larger footprint and weight deeper in the sole. The ZX5 LS is new in this line, with an adjustable forward weight to reduce spin rate to maximize distance while maintaining much of the ZX5’s forgiveness.
Playing the ZX5 MK II
Over the past 15 years, my once-bulletproof driver swing has suffered some serious wounds. So I chose the ZX5 MK II in hopes of building back some confidence. I loaded the ZX5 into my new Srixon Sunday bag (by Jones) along with several of the latest drivers from some competing companies, and headed to the simulator and launch monitor at Lake of the Woods Golf Course. Accompanying me was my son, a former HS golfer who regularly launches 300+ yard drives, so if my swing turned balky, I could trust him to give the variety of big sticks a fair test.
We both loved the ZX5 MK II at set-up. The traditional shape and matte-finish crown felt both calming and powerful. We left the adjustable head at the factory 9.5-degree setting, and admired quality of the stock Hzrdus Smoke RDX shaft (stiff). Although my swing was inconsistent that day, drives with the Srixon were the most consistent of all the clubs tested that day: lots of fairways hit (playing a simulated Pebble Beach), spin rate that was slightly higher than some others, but with a mid-high ball flight and very acceptable distance.
The real test was my son, whose swing was still as smooth and as powerful as ever – oh, the joys of long levers, youthful flexibility, and grooved tempo. He hit all the drivers we tested well, but the real comparison for the ZX5 was against a competing driver that retails for $225 more than the Srixon. The competitor was described by my son as “a beast,” and when he hit it on the sweetspot, it seemed like the simulated ball would never come down. When it did, we both just sort of whistled at the low spin rate and 300-yard carry. But when he missed the center of the clubface, distance and direction were dramatically reduced—we’re talking 50+ yards shorter and well off the fairway. “This one feels too good for me,” he said.
Next up, the ZX5 MK II. “This one doesn’t give me the same anxiety over the ball,” said my son, setting up with the Srixon. His first swing was tentative, and a slight mishit still traveled beyond 270 and found the short grass. “I’ll take that,” he said. Next swing, all out, delivered a dead-straight, towering 310-yard bomb.” We both just smiled. “The spin rate is a bit higher than the other one,” he observed, “but that’s why both of those shots landed in the fairway. It doesn’t feel like I can miss.”
Srixon ZX5 MK II: The verdict
Srixon touts a catalog of design innovations for the new series of drivers: Rebound Frame (with multiple flex zones to focus energy on the point of impact), Star Frame Crown (ultra-thin titanium with internal ridges for strength and energy transfer), Variable Thickness Face (for maximum forgiveness all over the face), Cannon Sole (for maximum ball speed), and a deep center of gravity. But the bottom line for most is how a player feels over the ball and where the ball ends up after the swing.
So here’s the bottom line: Srixon’s consistency breeds confidence. Go ahead, swing all-out. Even most mishits will still play. And even the most forgiving of all the new ZX MK II Series produces distance that rivals every other driver we’ve tested so far this year. Underrate Srixon if you want, but real players – from golf Twitter all the way up to the professional tours – know the high level of performance Srixon continues to deliver.
Golf equipment companies introduce “new” clubs two or even three times a year. Every time, without fail, these new clubs are “longer,” “more forgiving,” “better performing.” Heck, they’re regularly trumpeted as “the best ever!”
I’ve been writing about golf equipment for over two decades now, and I am not the only person in the industry who is skeptical of this never-ending train of improvement. Over the years, I have reviewed a number of “best ever” clubs from putters to drivers that performed no better—and sometimes worse—than the model that had debuted just six months earlier.
Less than a year ago, I reviewed the Titleist TSi2 driver, and I kept it in my bag throughout last season. In all honestly, I enjoyed more confidence, control, and power off the tee this past year than I had for many, many years. Forgive me, then, for allowing that old skepticism to creep in: Could Titleist do even better with the TSR2 such a short time after the TSi line debuted?
I communicated this to Titleist. They were glad to hear of my satisfaction with the TSi2, but were confident some model of TSR—TSR2, TSR3, or TSR4—could convince me. They wanted me to get custom fit, though, so an appointment was arranged. Preceding that fitting, I had played The Pfau Course in Bloomington, Indiana, where I had driven the ball quite well most of the round. Then I drove five hours to just make the fitting appointment. I hopped out of the car, hit a few wedges, and then proceeded to make the most confounding, inconsistent collection of swings—and lots of them. I felt bad for the expert fitter, who was sure he had me figured out until I changed my swing again (and again, and again). He finally settled on an R-flex shaft for both a TSR2 driver and 3-wood, which surprised me, as I’ve always played an S-flex. But to be fair, the only balls I hit straight during the fitting session were when I slowed my swing down toward the end because I got tired after 50-some balls. But maybe…
Playing the Titleist TSR
My TSR2 driver and 3-wood arrived with just a couple of outdoor rounds left in the season: windy, cold, swing out of sorts. They both looked sleek and felt solid. The TSR2 is the “max” performance driver that offers optimized distance across the entire clubface. And if my fitting taught us anything, it’s that I make contact all over the clubface.
Rather than just tweak the TSi2 driver clubhead, though, Titleist redesigned the TSR2. A “boat tail” weight port at the very back of the sole calls to mind the SIM2 driver by TaylorMade. (The TSR3 has a sliding weight port in the back of the clubhead for maximal adjustability.) The sound and feel at impact do as well. The 9.5-degree TSR2 launches as high or higher than my 10.5-degree TSi2, but with less spin. A few shots on the course with the 3-wood were respectable, but the driver felt hard to control and not as long as the previous version.
Enter simulator golf weather. I tested the TSR2 on the new Quad Pro launch monitor at Lake of the Woods Golf Course with my son, a former high school golfer who routinely launches 300-yard drives, and the local high school girls’ golf coach, who plays off a low single-digit handicap and also rips 300+ yard drives more often than not.
My son noticed the radical change from the TSi2 clubhead design, as well as the difference in sound. The TSR2 sounds more muted than its predecessor. We both noticed that purely-struck balls didn’t feel like we’d hit them at all, a feature shared by the TSi2. We swapped out the R-flex shaft for the S-flex of my TSi2, and my son especially noticed better control. (The R-flex resulted in several hooks for both of us, actually.)
The local golf coach was fitted a couple years ago for a TaylorMade SIM2. “I feel like I could look around for a new driver this year,” he said. His first drive with the TSR2 (S-flex) carried 280+ yards and rolled out to 304. After three more drives, all dead straight and all over 300 yards on the simulator, he turned to me and asked, “How much do you want for this?” I believe he would have gone to the ATM right then. (He’s still asking me about it.)
Even I, the old man of the group who doesn’t really like simulators or launch monitors, noticed lower spin and slightly higher ball speed. Eventually, I banged out some 270-280 yard drives. Titleist touts the TSR2’s and TSR4’s “Multi-Plateau Face Thickness Technology” as accounting for the hotness and forgiveness of the face. Essentially, there are concentric donut-like layers stacked inward towards the center to provide maximum ball speed across the entire clubface. The TSR3 boasts “Speed Ring Variable Face Thickness Technology,” which basically focuses the maximum power on the sweetspot—for those annoying players that hit the sweetspot consistently.
The verdict on the Titleist TSR2 woods
Honestly, I thought the TSi2 would be in my bag for the long haul. Then along comes the TSR2 driver to usurp the role as go-to. And it brought along its 3-wood sidekick, even – which, by the way, consistently delivers straight, 225-250 yard shots. The R-flex in a fairway wood actually seems helpful, as in order to make solid contact off the turf, I really do need to slow my swing down.
The TSR2 driver, though, matched with my older stock S-flex shaft, is—miraculously—an improvement over its predecessor. Titleist, somehow, has done it again.
Midwestern Golf 