Hybrid clubs

“What’s really driving the industry right now is hybrids,” said Liz Ogle of Gold Mountain Golf Complex. “They’re making golf much easier for people.”

Hybrid clubs, which have been on the market for a few years, combine elements of both woods and irons into their design. This combination results in technical features — such as a larger sole, or bottom, of the club — that aid in getting the ball airborne and reducing mishits, and allows golfers to substitute hybrids for long irons and fairway woods.

“They’re a lot easier to hit,” said Bjorn Bjorke of McCormick Woods Golf.

TaylorMade developed some of the first hybrids, but these days all the major golf equipment manufacturers — including Ping, Calloway, Cobra and Nike — offer them.

“All the big names have very good hybrid clubs,” said Ogle.

GPS rangefinders

GPS guides designed specifically for golfers are among the newest technology offerings in golf. These GPS rangefinders are available as handhelds, such as SkyGolf’s SkyCaddie, as well as cart-based systems, such as ProShot. They offer some of the most accurate positioning and yardage readings available on the market.

But perhaps the most exciting thing about these GPS units for golfers today is that 2006 rule changes made by USGA and R&A — the two governing bodies of golf — now allow golfers to use the devices during tournament play, as long as the tournament organizers allow them.

“I think the GPS stuff is going to be smoking with the rule changes,” said Bjorke.

Using GPS rangefinders golfers can much more accurately pinpoint their location from the hole. Bjorke noted that while some courses use markers to help guide players on the course, those markers are not exact.

“With GPS you can tell exactly how far you are from the front and the back of the green,” he said. “It can tell you you’re exactly 136 yards from the hole.”.