Modern technology has improved every area involved in golf. Clubs are becoming lighter and stronger due to a material known as bio-matrix — a mixture of steel and graphite. Golf balls are softer and more durable. Clothing is no longer one-dimensional.

Let’s start with clubs. Popular brands include Ping, Wilson, Taylor Made, and Callaway. Ping is noted for its popular putters. Wilson manufactures its popular selling irons known as “Wilson Fat Shafts.” The Taylor Made 300 series is also a hot-seller. Callaway, besides being a popular high-quality club manufacturer, is also noted for its ERC driver — a driver surrounded by controversy. It is the U.S. Golf Association versus Arnold Palmer, to make it short. Contact your local golf pro for more information on this, if interested. (P.S. It’s a good one!)

Shaft technology is “in” now. For the novice, a golf club consists of a grip, shaft (the straight part), and club face (the part that hits the ball). Clubs traditionally were made from either steel or graphite. Technology now has combined these two materials into the previously mentioned substance, bio-matrix. This material is very popular and helps level the playing field for all golfers. It makes for a softer shaft, reduces the torque (twist) of the club face and increases the kick of the club, resulting in a faster swing.

Popular brands of golf balls include Titleist Pro-V I, Strata, Bridgestone Precept, Nike, Spaulding, and Wilson Smart Core. Titleist Pro-V I are very popular because they have been used extensively on the pro tours recently.

The first four golf ball manufacturers (Titleist, Strata, Precept, and Nike) utilize what is known as the solid core technology. This technology makes for a softer, more durable ball. The golf ball maintains its consistency (stays round longer), has a better feel and spin to it, and offers the same characteristics of a higher price ball (i.e. Balata) at a more affordable cost. The combination of all these technological improvements has resulted in a golf ball popularity competition amongst manufacturers.

(Note: There is a new golf ball out known as “Precept Lady.” It provides a lower compression ball so one does not have to swing as hard to obtain distance. The price is half the cost of others, and it is the best kept secret around. That is until now.)

Popular brands of clothing include Polo, Haley, Sun Mountain, and Sun Ice. One local manufacturer known as Mahr is located in Gig Harbor and makes a popular golf vest. Check them out.

Technology has improved golf clothing in many ways. It has made for more popular choices since clothing can now be worn in more places than just on the golf course (i.e. multi-dimensional). Clothing is now lighter and stronger, has increased versatility, and is less climate sensitive (i.e. going from 10 to 70 degrees easily). Of particular interest is a brand called “Second Skin.” Fleece-like material is dipped into a duck wax component and becomes water repellent. Hence, water repels off the material like water off a duck’s back.

Other popular items include Nike shoes, private club logos, and Ping “Hoofer” golf bags.

In closing, we are blessed to live in an area which provides numerous top-quality golf courses in relation to our low density population. The beauty of our area alone ought to inspire you to want to get out and update your golfing abilities/items. Enjoy.

(Author’s Note: Many thanks to Dutch at Swingtime Golf Training Center in Bremerton, amongst others. Editor’s Note: Marie Buckner is a free-lance writer. Contact her at (360) 613-1085.).