Tools of the Trade ()

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Five products for male and female golfers to keep them on course as a new season gets into swing.

Cobra Speed LD driver ($299.99)
Buy it: Similar to the L4V model Cobra released last fall, this new driver comes in three models (F, M and the M OS) depending on your club speed. The LD driver has "frequency tuning," which Colorado Discount Golf owner Tony Pucci describes is "matching the shaft to the head based on a golfer's profile." The enhanced fast-back crown on the LD is similar to the Cleveland HiBore woods used by Vijay Singh. The LD is thinner of the back side of the club to "get more weight at the end without making it a square head (like the Nike brand," Pucci adds. "They are real stable at impact" and more forgiving. J.B. Holmes, winner of the 2008 FBR Open in Scottsdale, Camilo Villegas and 2006 U.S. Open champ Geoff Ogilvy use Cobra drivers.

Available: At most golf retail shops in April
Web site: www.cobragolf.com

SKY CADDIE SG5 ($429.99)
Buy it: This hand-held GPS system tracks distances on thousands of golf courses and is legal for regular rounds in Colorado. Check with tournament directors about using it in tourney play. Though you do not need to purchase yearly memberships, they are available in several plans for use on courses by state, nation and globally. Memberships offer more security and access to more courses. The SG5 offers a color screen, longer battery life and a tougher case than the less-expensive SG2.5 ($259.99).

Available: At most golf retail shops
Web site: www.skygolfgps.com

Clicgear 2.0 push cart ($199.99)
Buy it: The Clicgear product is unique in that it folds up to 24 inches high by 15 inches wide and 13 inches deep. That's "40 percent smaller" than other golf push carts, which fold up to 40 to 42 inches high, says Todd Hansen, national sales manager for ProActive Sports, based in Oregon. The Clicgear 2.0 converted the 2008 model to maintenance free airless tires. The tires are made of a combination of rubber and a foam called EVA. Hansen says "the wide design of the tire is course friendly because it won't leave tire tracks behind." Clicgear also sells accessories, including a "boot" that covers the three wheels when you store your cart and a hook for hanging it up in your garage.

Available: At Colorado Discount Golf in Aurora and some other Denver golf retail shops
Web site: www.clicgearusa.com

Stewart Golf X3R remote caddie ($1,995)
Buy it: This remote control golf cart, manufactured in the United Kingdom and marketed and distributed by Boston-based Stewart Golf USA, is for the male or female golfer who has everything. Weighing 26 pounds, it folds compactly into the trunk of your car and has a remote control range of more than 50 yards. With a 12-volt battery that takes six hours to recharge, the X3R offers a three-year warranty. You can even pimp your cart – or customize it – to look like your favorite car or whatever.

Available: Online or at 877.783.9872
Web site: www.stewartgolfusa.com

POWERBAND SPORT ($120-$140)
Buy it: Boasting a Powerband chassis that promises increased support with a TPU midsole, this shoe for men and women has become a classic on the PGA and LPGA Tours. The Fit Foam allows the shoe to mold to your foot for a better fit. Of course the familiar three parallel stripes remain on every Adidas shoe as it has since the company's birth in 1948. Did you know Adidas is the shortening of the name of its founder, Adolph "Adi" Dassler, and it also stands for "All Day I Dream About Sports."

Available: At most golf retail shops and online at www.shopadidas.com. Available in men's and women's sizes (wide version also) and in several colors.
Web site: www.adidasgolf.com

Issue: 
Spring 2008
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