Over the Rainbow

After six months of snow, forget dusting off last year’s pastels – brighten up the golf course with the season’s bold statements, available in a rainbow of colours.

The cotton polo
Blue, coral, orange, yellow and green polo shirts by Lacoste, $95 each, Morrison, Grant Park Shopping Centre, 478-8877; blue striped polo and pink polo, $125 each, and lime striped polo, $145, all by Boss Hugo Boss, Hanford Drewitt, 354 Broadway St, 957-1640.

Put a lid on it
Forget that baseball cap, these hats look cool on or off course.Paper straw fedora, $60 and cotton cap, $40, both from Morrison.

Technically speaking
If fashion isn’t your only priority, these technical shirts promise breathability, wickability and antibacterial properties, so no matter how stressful the game you’ll look cool as a cucumber.

Lime shirt by Antigua Golf, $49, Caddy Shed Golf Stores, 2630 Portage Ave, 837-5854; coral shirt by Nike Golf, $79, Caddy Shed Golf Stores; red shirt by Nike Golf, The Golf Store with More at The Golf Dome, 1205 Wilkes Ave, 489-7776.

CLUB KIDS - THE 5 ESSENTIAL CLUBS

Winnipeg Men Magazine checked in with Niakwa Country Club golf pro Wade Nybakken for his advice on the five must-have clubs. His picks? A driver, a fairway metal or hybrid, 7 iron, a wedge and a putter.

When purchasing new clubs, Nybakken says there a few key factors to consider: Playability: The club should compliment your playing ability; aesthetics: The club should be appealing to the player visually; a proper fit: The club should be professionally fit to your swing by a CPGA professional.

Technology in golf clubs evolves every year as manufacturers attempt to improve your game by changing the structure of a club. Nybakken says the end goal is generally for weight in a club’s head to be as far back and as low as possible, to make the ball fly high and straight when hit. Also harder materials on the club’s face help increase ball speed and distance.

When it comes to having a club that best benefits your game, it’s all about tapping into a pro’s knowledge. “It is so important to be fit by a CPGA professional.” Nybakken says getting a fitting is vital in finding a club that’s right for you.

From left to right:

Cleveland CG14 wedge, Ping Rapture V2 iron, Cleveland Launcher wood, Callaway FTIQ driver and Titlest Scotty Cameron
series putter.

The wedge:

The Cleveland CG14 wedge features a gel cavity center which helps cut down on vibrations and improves weight distribution. This wedge is highly recommended for its feel and easy use. $139.99, The Golf Store with More.

The iron:
The Ping Rapture V2 irons are one of the most forgiving iron sets out there, with a large, lightweight titanium face and high trajectory. $1,099 for entire set, Caddy Shed Golf Stores.

The wood:
For fairway woods, the new Cleveland Launcher series is one of the season’s must haves. With a significantly larger face than previous models, the Launcher’s new configurations also include more rear-weight. $229.99, The Golf Store with More.

The driver:
The Callaway FTIQ driver is one of this year’s most talked about new clubs. Utilizing new square-head technology, the driver is said to straighten ball paths while boasting quiet acoustics and minimal vibration. $529.99, The Golf Store with More.

The putter:
The Titlest-produced Scotty Cameron series of putters are receiving rave reviews. The square-back is rear-faced balanced with a smoothly playing steelhead. $349.99, The Golf Store with More. 

Caddy Call

Now that you’ve got your brand new clubs, you’ll need something just as awesome to carry them in. You may not play like a PGA-er, but one of these golf bags will have you looking like a pro.

From left to right:

Cleveland stand bag, $139, Caddy Shed Golf Stores, 2630 Portage Ave, 837-5854.

Taylormade mini staff bag, $249, Caddy Shed Golf Stores.
 

Ogio Syncro cart bag, $199.99, The Golf Store with More at the Golf Dome, 1205 Wilkes Ave, 489-7776.

Golf for all
For serious duffers, the thought of not hitting the links as often as possible each summer is tantamount to a prison sentence. After a buddy contracted a spinal infection that made golfing nearly impossible, Butch Hochman set out to bring him some freedom by getting him out on the golf course. Hochman and his friend talked to their club, Larter’s Golf and Country Club, about bringing in an adaptive cart that allows locals with limited mobility a possibility to play. The single-person cart features hand controls and a swiveling, supportive chair that allows a golfer to have support, while swinging their club. Thanks to initiatives by Hochman, his friend, The Manitoba Adaptive Golf-Cart Initiative Coalition and The Active Living Alliance for Canadians with a Disability—Manitoba, we’ll hopefully be seeing more of these carts on local golf courses.