I get sent stuff all the time — often unsolicited, though sometimes I ask for it. Tough to find the time to do specific reviews of everything I encounter, so for the next few Fridays I’m going to pick five things and write short blurbs about why I’m enthusiastic about them. This will run until the end of September:
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lvin Green Rainsuit: There’s nothing inexpensive about a Galvin Green rainsuit, but I’ve come to really appreciate this one, especially this year when it has rained regularly. I wore the jacket and pants a fair bit in Ireland in the spring, and have slipped the jacket on now and then in recent weeks. I find Galvin Green’s fitted approach to clothing to be a breath of fresh air at a time when so much of outer wear fits like a garbage bag. That said, expect to wear at least one size larger than you would in North American styles. Even in heavy rain the GoreTex used in my jacket kept me dry — and impressed.
Ping G20 driver: I won this in the Golf Journalists Association of Canada tournament in Vancouver. Truthfully I hadn’t played Ping in a decade, since the earliest big head drivers. I’ve been a TaylorMade or Titleist guy for a few years, so I was skeptical about this new one from Ping when I went to the fitting centre in Oakville. I came away averaging 280 off the tee using Ping’s system and was impressed by the classic style of the driver and the hot face. I’ve played with it for three weeks now and can honestly say I’m very impressed. It isn’t leaving the bag any time soon.
Kentwool socks: The other day I was playing and decided to wear my new MyJoys Icons shoes. These are tasty — a modern look in
which I mixed blue and black with a smart monogram. Anyway, most golfers can tell you the horrors of walking a round in new shoes. So I slipped on my Kentwool socks. Believe or not, Bubba Watson endorses these — and I’m a sucker for a comfortable pair of underwear and socks — those are key to a round in my mind. Kentwool’s socks promise no blisters — and I walked 18 holes on wet turf without issue. My feet loved them so I love them. I’m not the only one to feel this way. This cost about $20 a pair — but it is worth it.
The Swinger: A book by golf writers Michael Bamberger and Alan Shipnuck, this is a fictional telling of the Tiger Woods scandal through the eyes of a golfer named Herbert “Tree” Tremont. I read it on the way to the Canadian Open in Vancouver and laughed out loud regularly. The ending, which doesn’t parallel Woods’ actual life, was quite uplifting. I interviewed Bamberger today and will be writing a feature on the book for Sympatico next week. I’ve been a big fan of both Shipnuck and Bamberger (and specifically his book, “To the Linksland”) for a long time. This one is a lot of fun for Tiger lovers and haters alike.
AdiPure Golf Shoes: Not cheap — these are the toppermost of the poppermost at $299 — but rarely has there been a mix of style and comfort in a golf shoe. Adidas aimed at creating a shoe that links you to the ground and really wraps around your foot. I’ve been wearing these since the early summer and the classic black styling — I prefer the black-on-black to sportier styles — is subtle and fits with both shorts and pants. It is like walking on jello, except they keep you well connected with the ground when swinging. Adidas has typically made great shoes — the most recent 360 Adidas shoes have been exceptional as well — but this might be the best they’ve done.
Hey maybe you could have a contest for your favourite things.