Head To Head

TEST CENTRE

ASK OUR EXPERT

How should a perfectly fitted pair of golf shoes feel? AdamW, GM Forum Your golf shoes should feel relatively snug –excessive movement inside the shoe could lead to blisters, a loss of power potential due to reduced traction and the inside of your shoes wearing out quicker than they should. Listen for a ‘whoosh’ sound as you slide your foot in –this is the sound of the air leaving the

inside of the shoe and a correct fit. FootJoy offers shoe fittings to help you get the right-sized shoe.

I’m looking for a new waterproof jacket but don’t have a big budget. Any recommendations? Jamie23, GM Forum Be careful, as with waterproofs you generally get what you pay for –mostly in terms of durability. That said, FootJoy’s new Hydroknit has really impressed us and it comes in at a mere £180. The Adidas Climaproof jacket is a bargain at £129.95 and the Mizuno Nexlite (£135) comes with a pack-away pouch. There are also some good options from ProQuip and Sunderland. If you want Gore-Tex, try the Under Armour Storm Gore-Tex Paclite jacket.

JOEL TADMAN ON...

New year’s resolutions for your golf bag

Anew decade is upon us and now is the time to replace those dodgy clubs in your bag. Here are five new year’s resolutions for you to consider in 2020.

1. Get your driver retuned It’s only natural for your swing to change over time and bad habits to creep back in. Sometimes, a tweak of the loft, lie angle or shaft spec under the eye of a PGA pro can make all the difference.

2. Say goodbye to your long-iron You’ve been ignoring the fact that your 4-iron goes the same distance as your

Try to tick these goals off in 2020

5-iron for years. Seize the day and swap out said redundant lump of metal for a shiny new hybrid that will not only better fill the gap to your 3-wood, but also be easier to hit. It’s a win win.

3. Upgrade your wedges Grooves don’t last forever. Fresh wedges provide more spin and control, helping you get up and down from tricky positions and giving you consistency, something we could all do with more of.

4. Replace your ‘trusty’ putter You’re still clinging on to the memory of that 40-foot birdie putt you holed 18 months ago, but since then you’ve been losing shots on the greens. Perhaps it’s time to embrace modern technology and upgrade your putter.

5. Do a ball fitting Is it time to try a new ball more aligned with what you really want? A ball fitting is a great environment where your needs can be discussed and then met with an appropriate match.

M Y ON-COURSE REVIEWS

JOELÕS TEST REPORT

Are these budget balls worth the money?

Low-cost golf balls from wholesalers and sports retailers have been grabbing headlines recently. So, we tested the Kirkland Signature (£26 for two dozen from Costco) and the Inesis Tour 900 (£19.99 from Decathlon), both urethanecovered balls, on the Foresight Sports GCQuad launch monitor to see how they compared with a reputable, premium tour ball from a major brand.

● Off the tee The Kirkland Signature suffered here. While ball speed was okay at 154mph, high spin averaging 2,600rpm led to

THIS CAUGHT MY EYE...

Two relatively unknown brands making some big performance claims

carry distances averaging 257 yards, a good 15 yards short of the premium ball. The Inesis Tour 900 spun less at 2,300rpm and averaged 264 yards, but was still well short of the tour ball.

● Iron shots The Kirkland again offered good speed, but a lower launch and high spin –300rpm more than the tour ball –resulted in four-yard-shorter carries at 160 yards. The Inesis combined a higher launch with lower spin for more comparable distances at 164 yards.

● Short game Both the Kirkland and the Inesis provided excellent spin comparable to, and sometimes exceeding, the tour ball on a 50-yard pitch shot. Both also felt very soft off the face.

● Verdict Both came up short off the tee, but of the two, the Inesis Tour 900 seemed to provide better all-round performance closer to that of the premium tour ball.

Golfin What is it? A new online coaching platform that combines convenience with a bespoke, one-to-one service with a PGA Pro. GM verdict It’s nice that the app has a free library of useful drills, but the tailored coaching programme is a faster way to improve. It’s still in its infancy, but is easy to use and could represent the future of amateur coaching. Price Programmes from £50

Golfin provides a remote swing analysis service Wilson Staff Launch Pa iron It looks like a cross between an iron and a hybrid, which won’t suit everyone, but it feels very light and seemed easy to hit a long way. Price £549

Honma XP-1 driver It’s a lot of money, but it gets the ball in the air easily and offers impressive forgiveness for golfers who struggle to find the centre of the face often. Price £559

Golf Pride Pro Only putter grip It’s traditional in shape and there are three subtly different sizes and weights to choose from. The soft, tacky material enhances the feel. Price varies

H E A D T O H E A D

Callaway Jaws Mack Daddy 5

Price: £149 Loft: 56° Bounce: 10° Grind: S Shaft: Dynamic Gold 115 S200 Tour issue

It appears a touch slimmer than the T20, with a lighter platinum chrome fi nish. Some will prefer a squarer leading edge, but the micro-ridges between the grooves arguably assist with alignment.

In no way fi rm or clicky, the MD5 creates a buttery soft sensation through your hands, assisted by the soft and tacky Lamkin UTX grip. The clubhead feels stable on full shots and the fl ights were consistent.

The 56° MD5 produced consistently higher spin on full shots. It also launched and fl ew lower, another indicator that the face is more eff ective at gripping the ball’s cover. Partial shots also checked up nicely.

The S grind is more suited to full shots, while the C and W grinds allow for greater shot-making and forgiveness respectively. Having multiple grinds in the same loft should cater for more player types.

One of the most comprehensive wedge ranges, delivering total performance and excelling when it comes to spin, feel and versatility. A fi tting will ensure you create the best set for your short-game needs.

LOOKS

9 8

FEEL/SOUND

8

SPIN CONTROL

9 9

VERSATILITY

9 8

OVERALL APPEAL

99

Mizuno T20

Price: £140 Loft: 56° Bounce: 14° Grind: M Shaft: Dynamic Gold S400 Tour issue

It has a slightly more rounded profi le, a duller fi nish and a noticeably thicker topline at address. The spots of rust from the raw fi nish we tested were also coming through, which not everyone will like.

You could certainly make a case for the Mizuno feeling a touch softer. It has a

ore muted sound to it that is just nt on full shots as it is on pitches and chips.

It wasn’t quite as spinny on full shots, but it did produce more spin from 50 yards and in, perhaps due to the rusting creating extra friction. Spin levels were a little more consistent from diff erent lies.

The M grind in the mid-to-high lofts provides ample heel relief to pull off most shots. But as an example, the 56° is only available in one grind and in low (7°) or high (14°) bounce, so options are more limited.

Many will fi nd the extra spin on shorter shots more useful, and that the limited grind options per loft won’t hinder their short games. Three fi nishes on off er further enhances the appeal.

WEDGES

Jaws grooves have steeper 37° wall angles, making them sharper for maximum grip and spin from all types of lies. Raised micro ridges between the grooves increase friction Each T20 wedge is spinweighted, with weight placed high up for increased spin and vertical stability. Hydroflow Micro Grooves maintain spin in damp conditions

Performance averages (56° full shot)

Ball speed (mph) Launch (degrees) Spin (rpm) Peak height (yards) Carry (yards)

Callaway Jaws MD5 79 29 11,310 22 90

Mizuno T20 80.7 30.2 10,401 24 94

We gave both of the wedges a thorough test

Two of the bestlooking wedges on the market

The GCQuad assessed shots from grass