Once again, our staff at Pointed Magazine is dedicated to bringing its readers the hottest products for 2006.The staff at Pointed Magazine have reviewed all types of products in the past but here’s a new one for you.
While its no secret that plenty of golfers love this time of year. For starters, this month is either a golfers dream where the climate is warm, or it means that Santa will be stuffing himself down the chimney and unloading something from his bag with something new for yours. What our staff found is stuffing your golf bag with a new wedge, hybrid or putter category from G.R.I.P or Golf Research in Play is a simple as making as list and checking it twice to see if these clubs are on it.
G.R.I.P, catchy name for golfing, but who are these folks you ask? In fact we said the same thing until we tossed the clubs in the bag and hit the links for the remainder of the fall golf season in the East. The G.R.I.P product not only impressed our staff, but they shaved a few strokes off the game with the products that founder, Rob Blumberg believes deliver a well constructed quality club at a reasonable price.
In 2002, Blumberg, an avid golfer himself started research that included golfers’ income levels, frequency of play, where they lived and their golf club wants and needs. What he found was there was a forgotten market that had well constructed clubs adding to the enjoyment of the game while not breaking the bank.
Our staff agreed that there are some manufacturers in the golf club industry that recognize that some products will be purchased on name alone. Some even truly lack what a mid range handicapper needs, a game improvement club. The testing of the clubs from G.R.I.P included the 2-5 Hybrids for men and women. All of these are designed to help the beginners and are good for the mid range handicappers too. The 52 degree Gap/Scoring Wedge, the 56 degree San/Fairway wedge and the 60 degree lob wedge. We also tested the G.R.I.P Sweetness putter.
While most golfers will agree the Hybrid craze is taking over the iron market and having some golfers including our staffers replacing some irons all together.
What’s the advantage of the G.R.I.P Hybrids over say a Callaway, Nike or any of the highly publicized clubs? Our testing found it is the quality from top to bottom that G.R.I.P posses. No golfer wants a club that doesn’t feel right in their hands. Some of G.R.I.P’s competitors all of the Hybrids start with a great feel when you pick up the club, but when you hit the ball, you are left wondering what you just bought.
The Winn style grip feel on the hybrid clubs in your hands gives the feeling of a properly weighted club. We felt the swing was more fluid with the type of grip used on G.R.I.P’s hybrids. The shaft is wrapped in ultra-soft, all weather polyurethane, two piece grip. While some hybrids will have you re-gripping in 6 months to a year, these are long-lasting and in our testing we did not see any wear where we simulated an eight month wear period.
We feel their testing using the Hyper Steel construction is correct and compared to a competitor, GRIP’s 3H in a 19 degree loft netted an additional 10 yards per fairway shot and 16.5 yards more in the women’s 3H. While the clubs are almost identical, the women’s shaft is one inch shorter then the men’s club. The graphite shaft is very strong and should withstand any long term breakage.
G.R.I.P’s wedges are sold in a 52 degree Gap/ Scoring wedge, a 56 degree Sand/ Fairway wedge and a 60 degree Lob Wedge. So whether your in the bunker in Las Vegas or deep in the sands of Myrtle Beach, these clubs no longer leave you searching for the right wedge to save a stroke.
Again, the quality of the wedges is above and beyond its competitors. Using the True Temper steel shafts and unique smoke-plating black QBQ finish, the only thing missing is the trophy you are sure to score in the next tournament. At 49.95 per wedge, it is like you have already taken first place with adding these to the bag.
Lastly, no one can round out their bag without a good putter. How about one that looks cool and performs at the same time. The sweetness putter is exactly what its name says when it comes to making putts you thought were next to impossible before.
This putter definitely helped two of our women’s golfers. The double bend aluminum shaft is a perfect height for female golfers in the 5’8-5’9 range. Again the all-weather polyurethane two-piece grip gives a soft feeling in the golfers hands and is an excellent way to ensure a proper roll right to the hole each time you reach the green. The best part of the putter is its price, at $69.95 this putter is easily worth $250.00 or more as it surpasses the quality of the White Hot putters and will give the Scotty Cameron ones a run for their money as well.
Overall, our testing was more than favorable for the product. The quality is there and will be for years of owning the club. The only negative, is your going to want to own one of each of the hybrids, wedges and the putter and want to hook your wife or significant other on having them too. Even with two sets, it will still cost less two hybrids and two putter from anyone in the golf market.
For more information on which club is right for your or to order the hybrids, putters, wedges directly, visit G.R.I.P’s website at www.gogrip.com, you will be glad you did. You can also order by calling 800 881-5774.
