I’ve spent some time now with two of True Linkswear’s 2012 models, the Tours and the Stealths.  The short version is that they took an already great shoe line-up and made it even better.  Click continue for the long version.

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of True Linkswear.  They’ve by far the most comfortable golf shoes I’ve ever used.  The only downside was that due to the “barefoot” design, they looked a little unique compared to most golf shoes.   True basically spent the last year taking all of the feedback they received and using it to create an awesome line-up for 2012.

A couple of months ago, True Linkswear sent over a pair of the 2012 True Tours for me to check out.  I was intrigued.  The two biggest changes that jumped out at me were the styling changes and new outsole.

From a styling perspective, you occasionally heard people say that they felt like they were wearing clown shoes when trying on the 2011 Trues.  I disagreed, but I think it will be very hard for anybody to make that statement about the 2012 models.  True has slimmed down the overall width of the toe box.  It’s not much narrower, but they’ve managed to shape it in a way that retains the barefoot comfort of the 2011 models while looking more like a traditional golf shoe.

They also switched to from a TPU outsole to a rubber outsole with a new tread pattern.  The new tread pattern seems fine to me.  I haven’t noticed a difference in performance compared to the 2011 models.  The nice thing about the rubber however is that it no longer squeaks on concrete or hardwood floors.  This was probably my biggest annoyance with the 2011 models and they’ve done a great job of fixing it for 2012.

True sent me the black pair of True Tours pictured above.  The Tours come with 2 sets of laces.  I think the grey laces look really slick and go well with the shoe.  From a comfort perspective, I would put the 2012 Tours just about on par with the 2011 Stealths.

I will note that the sizing is slightly different for the new models.  The 2011′s fit a little bit small for me (I had to go up 1/2 size).  I don’t have to do that with the 2012′s.  They fit right on the money.  The nice thing is that the shoes are now carried in many golf shops around the country so you can probably go try them on in person to make sure you get the right fit.

I liked the Tours so much that I wanted a second pair.  I decided to purchase a pair of white/mud Stealths.  One True Linkswear employee told me that the Tours were great but that the Stealths were “like putting your feet in a tub of butter”.

The update outsole on the 2012 True Linkswear Stealths

I thought that was a pretty weird analogy, but after getting them, I think it’s correct.  With the 2012 Stealths, they took everything about the 2011 models and kicked it up a notch.  The leather is ridiculously nice.  They’ve replaced the mesh liner with a super supple leather liner.  It really is the softest and most comfortable golf shoe that I’ve ever worn.  And with the updated 2012 styling, they really do look as nice, if not nicer than anything on the market.

The 2012 Tours retail for $150 and the Stealths go for $200.  They’re both great shoes, but I would encourage anybody considering the Tours to at least think very hard about the Stealths.  Yes, they’re $50 more, but in my opinion, they’re more than worth the difference.

True also listened to feedback that they needed to introduce a more budget friendly shoe and released the $100 PHX model.  I haven’t tried the PHX model personally, but I have played around with them a bit in the store.  They’re definitely not as flexible as the Tours or Stealths and they lose the 2-year waterproof guarantee that the other two models carry.  But at $99, they will reach a segment of the golf population that isn’t going to spend $150-$200 on a pair of shoes regardless of how great they are.

All in all, I think that True has released a great lineup for 2012.  My opinion hasn’t changed from 2011 that the True Tours and Stealths are the best golf shoes on the market today.  I can’t wait to see what they have in store for 2013.

True Linkswear

Hirzl Trust Control, Trust Feel, Soffft Flex

I first came across Hirzl gloves back in January at the PGA Merchandise Show.  Hirzl claims that the gloves maintain or even improve their grip when wet and demonstrated this by spraying the glove down with water and then having you hit a few iron shots.  The gloves seemed to work and I was impressed.  So of course I jumped at the chance to conduct a longer-term review.  What did I think?  Click on continue to find out.

A couple of months back, Hirzl sent me a set of their new golf gloves to test out.  They’re a Swiss company dedicated to designing and producing performance gloves for a variety of sports.  They currently offer 3 golf gloves, the Trust Control, Trust Feel, and the Soffft Flex.

The two Trust models feature Hirzl’s GRIPPP technology that they claim delivers significantly better wet performance than traditional gloves. Both feature kangaroo leather palms and cabretta/mesh backhands.  Hirzl claims that the Control model offers 3x more grip in dry weather and 5x more in wet weather.  Similarly the Feel model offers 2x more grip in dry weather an 4x more in wet weather.

You can see the difference between the palms of the Trust Feel (left) and the Trust Control (right)

Hirzl claims to achieve this through a special leather tanning procedure.  This process causes the glove to absorb less water and consequently provides a better grip.

20 minute palm water absorbtion test

All I can say after using these gloves is that they perform as advertised.  The Control model does offer slightly more wet grip than the Feel model, at the expense of less feeling due to the gripping “ridges” on the palm of the glove that add thickness.  I’ve now played in some both very wet and very humid conditions and find that either glove offers plenty of grip for “normal” conditions.

Additionally, they both wear like iron.  As long as you let them dry out between rounds, they will last you a long, long time.

The Soffft model features Hirzl’s Soffft technology, designed to provide a very soft, long lasting glove.  The Soffft model is made from Cabretta leather and uses a manufacturing process that takes 72 separate steps.

The Soffft model next to the two Trust models

It’s not meant to be an inclement weather glove, but rather a competitor to high-end gloves like the FJ Sta Sof.  I think in this regard, it does a fine job.  And considering that it’s a premium cabretta glove, it’s reasonably long-lasting, although it certainly doesn’t wear like the Trust Control and Feel gloves.  It’s a great glove, just nothing that floors me like the Trust Control and Feel models.

Personally, if somebody asked me which of these gloves to buy, I’d give you two answers.  If you’re looking for a great wet-weather (or really hot humid weather) glove, get the Trust Control.  You won’t find anything with better wet grip on the market.

If you’re looking for an all-around glove that gives you excellent feel along with incredible wet performance for those times you get caught out in the rain, look no further than the Trust Feel.  As an added plus, both of the Trust model gloves wear like iron, so while they’re not inexpensive, I do think they represent a good value.

You can buy them here.*

*If you buy these through the link, I get some beer money.  Cool, huh?

The Spotless Swing Towel is a new 3-in-1 towel that provides an area to clean your hands/grips, an area to clean your clubs, and then a built-in “microbrush” fabric that keeps your grooves nice and clean on the course.

Honestly, I’ve always been a $2 towel from Walmart kind of guy, but the Spotless Swing Towel generated a surprising amount of buzz at the PGA Merchandise show.  So does it live up to the hype?  Read on to find out.

A towel is a towel, right?  Maybe not.  I’ve always used cheap white towels that can be found at Walmart for a few bucks (or borrowed from a hotel room).  They certainly work, but they have a couple of drawbacks.  First, they’re made of cotton, which isn’t a particularly absorbent material (compared to microfibers).  Second, they don’t do the best job of getting crud out of your grooves.

The Spotless Swing Towel caught my eye at the PGA Show.  I spoke with the guys at the booth and they agreed to send me one to test out.  The idea is that the outside of the towel is meant for drying off your face/hands/grips.  And the inside of the towel is meant for cleaning your club-heads.  That way you’re not trying to wipe off your grips with the same section of towel that’s covered in dirt from your club-heads.  It’s a neat idea.

But what really separates the Spotless Swing Towel is that they’ve also added a “microbrush” fabric to the inside of the towel.  You can use that section to really scrub the clubface and get your grooves clean.  It’s important to have clean grooves in order to maximize the performance of your golf clubs.

The "microbrush" fabric inside the towel

In my testing, the microbrush fabric worked surprisingly well.  It’s not the same as a regular brush, so it’s not going to get really caked on dirt out of your grooves.  But it definitely does a better job of keeping grooves clean on the course than a regular cotton towel.

The Spotless Swing Towel comes with a carabiner and two grommet locations to attach to your bag.  You use the top grommet when your bag is on a golf cart, and you use the bottom one when you’re walking.  This makes sure you always have easy access to the opening for your clubs.

Is the Spotless Swing Towel worth the money compared to a regular cotton towel?  At $20 it’s priced competitively with most golf towels on the market.  I certainly prefer it over the typical cotton “golf brand” towels that often sell for $30 or more.

So if you’re looking for a way easily keep our club grooves clean out on the golf course, the Spotless Swing Towel is definitely worth a look.  You can buy it here – if you buy one through the link, it helps keep the lights on around here.

Spotless Swing Towel

The week prior to my trip to Ballyneal, I received a nice present in the mailbox from the folks at TRUE Linkswear: a pair of the new black TRUE Stealths.

After walking in them for 5 rounds at Ballyneal, and several more since getting home, I’ve come to the conclusion that TRUE did what I thought was impossible: improve on the already amazing TRUE Tours.

The design for the TRUE Stealths came about due to the direct input of Ryan Moore.  They’ve basically taken the extremely well received TRUE Tours and made a few tweaks (if you’re not already familiar with them, check out my review of the TRUE Tours).

The first think you’ll probably notice is that the Stealth’s sport a cap-toe design instead of a saddle like the Tours.  Personally, I think it’s a nicer look that gives you more off-course flexibility.

Second, they used a higher quality leather upper.  You can tell when handling or wearing the shoe that the leather feels more “substantial”.  It definitely feels more in line with the price tag.  I’ll also just throw out there that when I first pulled my $250 Adidas Adipures out of the box, all I could smell was glue.  When I pulled the Stealths out of the box, they smelled like leather.

Better leather - still flexible

The third significant change is that they tweaked the last (the form/shape that they use to create the shoe).  On the Tours, the toe-box actually curls up just a little bit near the end of the shoe.  This has the effect of making them feel just a bit smaller than they actually are.  The Stealths have a completely flat last, which effectively makes them fit about 1/4 size larger than the Tours.

Additionally, the shape of the last is just a tiny bit narrower in the toe box.  They still don’t look like regular golf shoes, but they don’t stand out quite as much as the Tours.  For me, the fit of the Stealths surpasses the Tours, which I didn’t think was possible.  The only negative I’ve heard is that the Stealths don’t accommodate super wide feet (EEE’s) as well as the Tours.

Other than that, the Stealths are very similar to the TRUE Tours.  They still embody the same “barefoot” approach to golf shoes.  They feature the same outsole, the same waterproofing, and the same slipper-like comfort and flexibility.

In my opinion, these are the best golf shoes on the market.  At $200, they’re not cheap, but with the improvements they’ve made over the TRUE Tours, I think they compare very favorably with high end Adidas or Nike shoes, which run in the same price range.  They’re available in either Brown or Black, and for the time being, only on TRUE’s website.

And be sure to keep your eyes peeled for some really cool new stuff coming from  TRUE Linkswear as we get into 2012.  From talking with their President, Rob Rigg, about some of their plans, I think people are going to be very impressed with what they’ve got coming down the pipeline.

TRUE Linkswear

I had a chance to spend a few weeks with the GolfBuddy World GPS unit and thought I would share my thoughts.

The GolfBuddy World is a GPS unit similar to the SkyCaddie SGX that I personally own.  I think it’s safe to say that SkyCaddie has set the standard by which other GPS units are judged.  So how does the GolfBuddy World stack up?  Pretty darn well.

First things first, the GolfBuddy World comes preloaded with 33,000 courses from around the world on a removeable MicroSD memory card (it can store a maximum of 40,000 courses).  I used it around my home state and while traveling on vacation and didn’t have any issues with the course library.  With the SkyCaddie, you have to pay a yearly fee for map access.  At $50 for a nationwide plan, it’s not cheap.

But the real problem that I run into isn’t the cost, it’s that I often forget to download the courses into my Skycaddie SGX before leaving on a trip.  With the GolfBuddy World, you don’t have to worry about any of that – the courses are already there.

The GolfBuddy features a removable battery, which is very nice for those of us that sometimes forget to charge our GPS’s after a long day on the course.  And the battery itself lasts a long time.  I believe the official rating is for 10 hours, but I was able to get through 50 holes over a 2 day period before running out of juice.  That’s not bad at all.

The accuracy seemed to be on a par with the Skycaddie as well.  Generally speaking, the units were within a few yards of each other while standing on the teebox of a long hole.  When hitting approach shots, I almost always found them to be within 2 yards of each other.

When marking drive distances to see their relative accuracy, both units seemed to be within 2 yards or less of each other.  I didn’t have a laser to see which unit was closer, so I have to call it a wash between them.

The GolfBuddy World was also much faster to boot up and automatically find my location and select the course I was at.  The only area that it had some problems (and I think this could be fixed with a firmware update) is that the “auto next-hole” feature was a little too sensitive.

On courses that criss-cross back on themselves, I sometimes found the GolfBuddy jumping from hole 4 to hole 12 as I drove to the 5th tee box.  It was easy to go in and manually select hole 5 instead, but dialing back the sensitivity of this feature could improve it.

When holding the units in your hand, the GolfBuddy World is overall noticeably smaller than the SkyCaddie SGX.  At first glance, the screen appears smaller, but when you put them side by side, you can see that the screens are actually about the same size.

Obviously the GolfBuddy doesn’t have an antenna sticking up, nor does it have a joystick on the bottom.  All navigation is done via touchscreen and the 5 buttons on the front.

The Golfbuddy World uses a resistive touchscreen that has its upsides and downsides (I’m going to get a bit techie on you here for a minute because I have some professional knowledge of this area).  A resistive touchscreen works by putting an overlay on top of the glass.  Inside that overlay are two conductive layers separated by a spacer layer.  When you press on the screen, the spacer layer compresses and the two conductive layers meet which draws current, which in turn registers a touch.

It’s a nice technology because it’s a) less expensive to use than projected capacitive screens commonly found on smartphones and b) you can use any type of input device, such as a gloved hand, a fingernail, or even a golf tee.  The downside is that it’s possible to wear through and break a resistive touch screen with heavy use.

In particular, if you use a tee to touch the screen like they show on the GolfBuddy commercials, you will wear through the screen much faster than if you just used your finger.  You will also have to periodically calibrate the touch screen to ensure that it remains accurate (this is easily done through the settings menu).

Overall though I suspect that the touch screen will outlast the life of the unit for most customers (use your fingers, not a tee or anything else with a sharp edge/point!).  And the touchscreen navigation itself is very intuitive to use and allows you to quickly and easily move targets, select menu options, etc.

The GolfBuddy World will also track your score and keep all of the relevant stats that you might want to know about your round.  You can upload your rounds into the GolfBuddy Course Manager software (which can also provide course updates, manage profiles, etc) but you can’t do much other than look at the scores once they’re uploaded.  Some type of analysis or export capability would be nice.

This is an area where SkyCaddie really separates themselves with their ClubSG offering.  It’s great to be able to see how you’re performing relative to others as well as get a complete statistical breakdown of your golf game.

The GolfBuddy World sells for $299 with 33k pre-loaded courses from around the world.  The SkyCaddie SGX is selling right now for $349 and requires an annual membership for full course access.

Am I going to go out and replace my SGX with a GolfBuddy World?  No.  But if I was in the market right now for a GPS unit, the solid performance, lower price and lack of annual fees would put the GolfBuddy pretty high up my list of potential purchases.

If you’re interested in purchasing a GolfBuddy World, you can do so here. If you buy it through the link, it helps keep the lights on around here.  Thanks!

Ever heard the saying that golf is “10% physical and 90% mental”?  I don’t know if that’s completely accurate or not, but clearly, what goes on in your head during a round of golf can have as much to do with your score as anything happening in your swing.

Play Your Best Golf Now is a new book from Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott that’s focused on helping you play to your potential by improving your mental golf game.

Nilsson and Marriott may not be well known to your buddies in your foursome, but they are well known in professional golf.  They are both Golf Digest top 50 teachers and are the Golf Digest #1 and #2 Women Teachers, respectively.

They’ve worked with players that have won more than 100 times on professional tours around the world, including 5 major championships.  They clearly know a thing or two about harnessing someone’s full potential.

8 Essential Playing Skills:

1. Leave your mind behind
2. Decide and commit
3. Find your balance
4. Feel your tempo and dance to its rhythm
5. Tame tension
6. Build emotional resilience
7. Store memories
8. Drown self-talk in useful thoughts

2 Essential Practice Skills:

1. Simulate golf
2. Integrate skills

The meat of the book boils down to the “8 Essential Playing Skills” and “2 Essential Practice Skills.”  And the great thing about them is that you don’t have to be a great golfer to benefit from them.

The essential skills remain the same regardless of the skill level of the golfer (although my guess is that most really good golfers have stumbled across at least a few of these skills and incorporated them already).  Nilsson and Marriott recognize that not everybody is going to be a scratch golfer.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t continue to improve your game and shoot better scores by making sure your head is in the right place, both on the course and the practice tee.

This book is a masterclass on the mental side of golf.  Over the course of years, you might pick up these skills and really do something great with your game.  Or you might not and you’d end up struggling to put the pieces together every time you walked onto the tee box. Play Your Best Golf Now is basically a road map that will save you lots of time and effort in learning how to get your head in right spot during a round of golf and make the most of your (probably too limited) practice time.

Each chapter discusses a skill concept, provides examples, and then gives exercises that you can use to develop your mastery of the skill.  The book is an easy read and while it won’t take you long to get through the 170-odd pages the first time, you’ll likely be coming back to it again and again as you focus on improving your essential skill levels.

I’ll also just throw out there that while Play Your Best Golf Now is certainly a golf focused book, many of the skills could be applied to other areas of your life as well.

Play Your Best Golf Now by Pia Nilsson and Lynn Marriott is available now from Barnes and Noble.  I highly recommend it to anybody looking to take their game to the next level.   If you buy through my link to B&N, it helps keep the lights on around here – Thanks!

Vision54

I got an e-mail from James Lepp, the founder of Kikkor Golf, yesterday and I realized that I was way behind in writing this review.  So I finally got my act together and wrote-up my thoughts on the Kikkor Tenny (more on the e-mail at the end of this review).

I first met with Kikkor (pronounced Kicker) back at the PGA Show.  James had sent me a note prior to the show, letting me know that he enjoyed reading the site and asking if I had time to stop by their booth.  I made some time in my extremely busy schedule (that was sarcasm) and was glad I did.  The crew at Kikkor is a great bunch of guys and they were mixing up some great drinks.

James was kind enough to send Phil and I each a pair of shoes after the show.  First things first, these are a really nice looking pair of shoes.  The style isn’t for everybody, but that’s kind of the point.  James founded Kikkor because he was tired of not being able to find golf shoes that reflected his off-course style.  I personally think these these look much better with a pair of cargo shorts out on the golf course than traditional saddle golf shoes.  They also go really well with the apparel from companies like Sligo.

Second, these shoes are very comfortable.  You may have read my review of the TRUE Tours and are wondering how these compare.  The Kikkors are a much more “structured” pair of shoes and they don’t give you the feeling of being barefoot.  They’re basically a pair of skateboard shoes with spikes.  I actually really like skateboard shoes for a wide variety of activities (I have  pair to work out in).   The reason is that they’re flat and stable, meaning they don’t significantly elevate the heel above the toes.  In my opinion, this helps your balance, and lets your feet work closer to how they were designed.

The TRUE Tours basically feel like a pair of slippers with traction.  The Kikkors feel like a really comfortable pair of skateboard shoes with traction.  They’re not as flexible and feel much more “built-up” around your foot.  Depending on what you’re looking for, that may be preferable.  I personally think that both are far better than typical golf shoes.

You may have noticed that the Kikkors sport some unusual looking soft spikes.  They are actually built in, non-replaceable spikes.  The reason they went this route is that traditional cleat systems add height to the sole of the shoe.  The lower you can get to the ground, the more stable you’ll be.  Initially I was concerned about the durability of the spikes, but after playing a number of rounds in them, I’m convinced they’ll last a long time.  I’ve seen virtually no wear on the spikes after several rounds and numerous range sessions.  I would typically start having to replace soft spikes at this point on other golf shoes.  Plus, this design has an added benefit: when you wear them out, you can wear them out.  Get it?

I’ve played in both wet and dry conditions and the design provides plenty of traction and stability.  I really like the built-in spikes, but if that’s not your thing, they do offer models with traditional replaceable soft-spikes.  The only real downside to the Tenny is that the suede is only water resistant, not waterproof (they have other models that are completely waterproof).  But so far, I haven’t had a problem with moisture getting into the shoes – that said, I’ll play when it’s wet or muddy outside, but if it’s raining hard you probably won’t find me on the golf course.

All in all, I really like the Kikkor Tenny.  They’re extremely comfortable and provide excellent traction and stability out on the golf course.  I also love the style.  Not everybody does, but as I said before, that’s the point.

Kikkor isn’t currently sponsoring anybody on tour, but I did see a certain Canadian long drive phenom hanging around their booth at the show.  I’m willing to bet that if you checked out his shoes on the course this year, he’ll probably be sporting a pair of Kikkors.

The Tenny’s retail for $115, which seems downright reasonable compared to many other shoes on the market right now.  You can get them in Clayburn (my favorite), black or white.

If you decide to pick up a pair of Kikkors, you can use the code “72strokes” to receive a 10% discount at checkout. Yes, if you use the code, I get some beer money.

Oh and back to the e-mail that kicked all of this off.  You may have seen the “Day at the Office” video from Kikkor that I posted a few weeks ago.  They’ve now launched on Facebook.  Upload a video of your best golf shots around the office and you could win free Kikkor kikks for 3 years.

Kikkor Golf

In honor of this past week’s Transitions Championship, I thought I would post my review of the Transitions SOLFX lenses.  If you’re not familiar with Transitions from all the commercials over the weekend, they’re a photochromic lens.  This means that the lenses change tint based on the amount of UV light they’re exposed to.  You can go from out in the sun to indoors or the shade without having to take off your sunglasses (or vice-versa).

The folks over at Transitions sent me a pair of Callaway’s Mag 101 sunglasses, which feature SOLFX lenses rebranded as Neox by Callaway.  Neox’s color is a blend of green and amber called G22, which is optimized for enhancing clarity, depth perception, and comfort.  It blocks 100% of UV light as well as HEV, or blue light, which allows for crisper vision when outdoors.

The lenses transition from a fairly light tint indoors to a fairly dark tint in direct sunlight.  They work extremely well out on the golf course – particularly on partly cloudy days where the sun is constantly being blocked by clouds.  You don’t notice the lenses changing tint, you just notice that the brightness level stays constant.

They do give everything a bit of a greenish-yellow tint, but they work exceptionally well at enhancing contrast on the greens and making the golf ball stand out against the sky.  It’s almost startling how much they make the greens pop when you first put them on.  When you take them off, everything looks a bit dull and hazy by comparison.

After sun exposure

The lenses can get light enough to be comfortably worn indoors and dark enough to be worn outdoors in direct sunlight.  The picture at the begining of the post was taken under overcast sky and the picture directly above was taken after exposing the lenses to direct sunlight for approximately 30 seconds.  As I said ealier, the brightness levels are really ideal out on the golf course.

However you should be careful when using Transitions lenses in the car.  This is a problem area for photochromic lenses in general because they require UV light to trigger a tint change.  Car windows block UV light and consequently prevent the glasses from darkening.  It’s probably a smart idea to keep a second pair of non-photochromic lenses for use when driving.

In addition to Callaway, the SOLFX lenses are available from Oakley (their G40 Transitions lenses) and Definity Fairway.  They can also be ordered as a prescription lens.

Interestingly, Transitions is owned by PPG.  As I mentioned in my review of the Tifosi Scatto FC, PPG also supplies Tifosi with their lenses.  Tifosi offers a photochromic lens (branded Fototec), but it’s apparently not the same as the Transitions SOLFX lens (although I’m not clear on the differences).

The Callaway MAG 101′s with the Neox Transitions SOLFX lenses have become my “go-to” golf sunglasses.  The lenses are clearly a step above anything else I’ve ever tried out on the golf course and really makes the course “pop” in a way that I haven’t seen even with other golf-optimized lenses.

Transitions SOLFX

You can buy the Oakley Transitions sunglasses here.  If you do, it helps keep the lights on around here.  Thanks!

I’ve talked about the TRUE Linkswear TRUE Tours shoes several times on this site.  Back in September I previewed their debut shoe line-up.  And at last month’s PGA Show, I gave everybody an update on their upcoming styles.  But now, after having played several rounds and walked numerous miles in my pair of TRUE Tours, I’m finally ready to post my review.

As I mentioned in my post about the TRUE Linkswear booth at the PGA Show, Rob Rigg, TRUE Linkswear’s President, set me up with a pair of TRUE Tours.  I wore them all around the show, probably walking 10 or more miles.  There was clearly a lot of buzz in the air as a number of people stopped me to ask if I was wearing the new “Ryan Moore” shoes.

Ryan Moore is one of the co-founders and co-owners of TRUE Linkswear, but the shoe design itself is the brainchild of Sean Edison (CEO) and Rob Rigg.  Sean was playing at a local course in the Dallas area when he met a golfer that was wearing Vibram Five Fingers on the course.

He recognized the potential to bridge a “barefoot” shoe like the Vibrams with traditional golf shoes, bringing the benefits of both to golfers.  He showed an initial sketch to Rob and TRUE Linkswear was born.

Make no mistake about it, the TRUE Tours are a “barefoot” shoe.  When you first try them on it almost feels like you’re leaning backwards on your heel.  That’s because the TRUE Tours provide a flat surface for your feet (just like being barefoot) rather than pushing your heels up and shifting your weight forward to your toes like traditional golf shoes.

The TRUE Tours also feature a wider-than-normal toe box.  This gives your toes room to flare out a bit, just like they would when barefoot.  Additionally, the shoes feature a very thin and flexible outsole (2.5mm) without a traditional midsole.

When I said "flexible", I meant flexible.

The midsole is where traditional shoes provide “support”.  As I’ve talked about before, there’s a strong case to be made that the “support” that many shoes provide is actually the cause of a number of the foot/knee/hip/back problems that people experience.  By leaving out the traditional midsole, the TRUE Tours allow your feet to work as they’re designed.  It also makes them extremely comfortable.

A couple of Nike reps that I played golf with in Orlando asked me if the lack of structure made my feet hurt.  I just laughed and asked them if walking around barefoot made their feet hurt.  The best way I can describe the TRUE Tours is to say that they feel like a pair of slippers with traction.  They are extremely comfortable.

After walking around at the show, I knew the shoes felt great but I was concerned about traction and waterproofness.  I’ve now played over half a dozen rounds in both wet and dry conditions and can vouch that the spike-less design provides excellent traction and my feet stayed completely dry.  The other nice thing is that the tread design doesn’t seem to pick up a lot of grass and leaves (I was always getting leaves stuck to my feet with my Adipures).

The spike-less design also has the benefit of letting you wear the shoes before and after your round.  Yes, you’ll wear out the tread faster, but it’s very convenient to be able to wear your shoes straight to the course and out and about after the round.  This is also a killer feature for PGA professionals that are constantly walking back and forth between the pro-shop/range/course.

Are the TRUE Tours perfect?  Well, I do have a few hang-ups.  The first is the price.  They retail for $159, placing them on the upper end of the golf shoe market.  Why is it that as shoes become more “barefoot”, they seem to cost more money?

Right now, TRUE Linkswear is a new shoe brand.  So hopefully as the demand for these shoes increases, they will be able to capture economies of scale, decrease their per-unit cost and pass that savings on to consumers.  I do think they’re a good value at $159 but many people aren’t going to spend that much on a pair of shoes.

The second point is a bit of a minor quibble.  The rubber used on the out-sole squeaks on hardwood floors.  It’s not a big deal but it’s something that I’ve noticed when wearing my shoes out after a round of golf.  And my final issue is more of a warning for people really hung up on keeping their shoes new looking.  My TRUE Tours have a black sole, but I’m told that the white soled versions will eventually turn yellow-brown after a few rounds.

All in all, the TRUE Tours are one of the most comfortable and best performing golf shoes that I’ve ever worn.  They’ve displaced my Adidas Adipures as my “go-to” golf shoe.  And it’s apparent that I’m not alone in that opinion.

TRUE Linkswear has been running through inventory on their website every time they get a new shipment.  The PGA Tour Superstore has started stocking them at select locations and Golfsmith is now carrying them online and in select stores.

The upcoming TRUE Linkswear Stealth models

TRUE Linkswear isn’t resting on their laurels though.  They’ll be releasing a white/brown saddle model in April along with 2 new Stealth models that provide a more low-key solid black or brown color design.  They’re also working on a very limited edition Masters shoe that looks really great.  Update:  You can view my review of the Stealths here.

The TRUE Linkswear Masters Edition

If you’re in the market for new golf shoes and can swing the price tag, the TRUE Tours definitely deserve a hard look.

TRUE Linkswear

You can buy TRUE Linkswear shoes here from Golfsmith.   If you do, it helps keep the lights on around here. Thanks. – Derek

Are you looking for a pair of sunglasses that have high end performance but don’t have the high end price tag?  Then you need to take a hard look at Tifosi Optics.

I met with Tifosi at the PGA Show last month and walked away very impressed with their offerings and holding a pair of their Scatto FC sunglasses to review.  The bottom line is that they’re a really solid piece of eyewear.  And when you consider that the list price is $39.95, they might just be the best dollar for dollar value in the market today.

The Scatto FC’s feature Tifosi’s Grilamid TR-90 frame material.  The net is that the frames are darn near indestructible.  They’re lightweight (the glasses weigh in at 22 grams or about 3/4 of an ounce) and very flexible.  The Tifosi rep demonstrated this flexibility by bending a frame around 180 degrees and showing how it snapped back into place with no ill effects.  As somebody who has previously broken frames by stepping on them, or bending them the wrong way, this is a really nice feature.

Additionally the nose and ear pieces are adjustable.  I really like having an adjustable nose piece as it helps get the glasses positioned squarely on top of my apparently odd shaped nose.  I’ve never taken advantage of adjustable ear pieces, but one nice feature of both the ear and nose pieces is that they are covered in a hydrophilic material.  Basically moisture doesn’t cause the ear pieces to slip around.  If anything, they hold on tighter when wet.  The combination of an adjustable fit and the frames flexibility, makes for one very, very comfortable pair of sunglasses.

The Scatto FC’s that I received featured the GT (Golf and Tennis) lens.  This is an amber lens that helps you see the golf ball in the sky.  It also seems to make the greens really pop.  Previously, I’ve found that in the past I needed to remove my sunglasses in order to read putts on the greens – they just didn’t provide enough contrast.  I haven’t had that problem at all with the Tifosi GT lens.  If anything, I think I’m reading lines better with the glasses on.

The lenses are dark, but not too dark.  I would definitely go with a darker tint if I was going to be out boating, for example.  But I’ve found that they work great both on the golf course and driving home in the car.  While the Scatto FC model features a fixed lens, Tifosi offers a number of models with interchangeable lenses.  They’re even now offering Fototec lenses, which adjust their tint to match changing light conditions.  I didn’t have a chance to test them out, but they did demonstrate the speed at which the tint adjusts to changing light conditions – about 10 seconds to go from fully dark to light.  The Fototec lenses are available in the GT tint.  You can also get prescription lenses from Tifosi as well.

One other nice feature of the lenses is their impact protection.  They meet ANSI Z87.1, which means that they can shoot a 1/4″ ball bearing into the lens at 150 ft/sec without shattering.  Or, as in the video above, they can smash the lens with a hammer without damaging it.  This seems like a nice bit of insurance for your eyes when you’re smacking a little white golf ball around at 150 mph.  I bet this guy wishes he had been wearing a pair of these.

As I mentioned before, I think that Tifosi is probably offering the best value on the market for eyewear.  Their lenses are made by PPG, who makes lenses for most of the “big boys’ in the eyewear market.  And as I mentioned previously, the frames are very comfortable and durable.  I currently own Oakleys and these are easily as nice, if not nicer than any pair of Oakleys I’ve ever owned.

And the fact that I can buy an entire new pair for less than the price of a set of replacement lenses for my Oakleys is pretty sweet.  In fact, Tifosi’s most expensive model lists for $89.95 and features the Fototec lenses.   Just about everything else falls in the $40-60 range.  And every pair comes with a lifetime warranty.

If you’re in the market for a pair of sunglasses that perform really well but won’t break the bank, Tifosi is where it’s at.

Tifosi Optics

You can buy Tifosi Optics sunglasses here.  If you do, I get some beer money.  Pretty cool, huh?