http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/ 8041-803 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/swingyde-201106098041/ In my Golf Equipment Review of the Swingyde I found that working with the swingyde I could get a better swing plane plane on my backswing which helps in being more consistent and a better ball strike. A great tool for practice and a great price. ]]> Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:09:38 +0100 8041-802 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/swingyde-201106098041/ In my Golf Equipment Review of the Swingyde I was really chuffed to be given this training aid as I had been battling with trying to get my backswing correct for a long time. The Swingyde does what it says on the box and sets the correct hinge position at the top of your backswing which is ideal for good ball striking. On the range Swingyde is a very simple yet effective training tool and it also comes with a DVD to explain all its different uses. ]]> Thu, 09 Jun 2011 08:49:21 +0100 4626-599 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/mizuno-retroflex-glove-201101204626/ In my golf equipment review of the Mizuno RETROFLEX Glove I was really impressed with the feel of the glove from the outset and as gloves go it is the most comfortable I have ever tried. The reason why I was trying the Mizuno is that I had just purchased a more expensive glove that had split on the palm after hitting 100 balls on the range. Sometimes with gloves it feels like they take an age to get soft but this was not the case with this glove and it felt comfortable within hitting ten shots. A great feature of the glove is its very prominent release tab that attaches tightly to the the ample velcro strip adding to the tight feel of the glove and this also makes getting it off between shots very easy. The golf glove comes in two color options namely blue and black and inside the glove you will find a unique serial number so it seems that the manufacturer has enhanced the value of the product, even though the glove is a little bit more expensive then other products in the range I think its quality easily justifies the additional cost. ]]> Thu, 20 Jan 2011 18:45:06 +0000 4430-579 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/bushnell-tour-v2-rangefinder-with-pinseeker-201012204430/ In my golf equipment review of the Bushnell Tour V2 Rangefinder with Pinseeker I found this to be one of the most useful pieces of equipment that I have ever played with. During a recent round at Burhill Golf Club I was introduced to the Bushnell Range finder by one of my golfing buddies. We used the Rangefinder on all the short holes and it was great to be able to hit a confident golf shot based on the correct yardage. Another great feature of the Rangefinder is that it has a pinseek mode which enables the user to spot the distance to the pin with 100% accuracy. Unlike a GPS this device requires line of site so it will only be useful in a situation where you can aim at the target. The Rangefinder comes in a convenient carry case so getting it out on the Golf Course is very easy and it won't cause any delays on the course. For those of you who don't mind sharing the Rangefinder can be used by the whole 4 ball on the short holes to make sure you all know what we are doing. In Summary this is one of the best pieces of golf equipment available on the market . It is guaranteed to drop your golf scores especially if you are like me and end up playing a lot of different golf courses without a yardage book. ]]> Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:27:25 +0000 4436-570 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/gore-sport-winter-pair-201012204436/ In my golf equipment review of the Masters Wind Stopper Gloves I was extremely surprised at the performance of the product during my review of the winter gloves the temperature on the range was below freezing. The first time I got the idea to try a set of gloves was when I took my kid to a very cold training session and he put on a set of gloves. So here I was thinking that you couldn't use a set of gloves without either tearing them or loosing the club on the follow through, 200 balls later on the range neither had happened. I do admit that the gloves do feel a bit strange at first but once you get used to them they work a treat and keep your hands warm. The grip on the gloves is surprisingly good and there is still sufficient feel on the short chip shots. To be honest I would say that these Masters Wind Stopper Gloves winter gloves are a must for any serious golfer who doesn't want to loose any practicing time during the really cold winter months. What I forgot to mention is that they are very reasonably priced at under £20.00 which is a small price to pay to have warm hands on the course or range. ]]> Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:39:46 +0000 4446-569 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/trionzs-dual-therapy-bracelet-201012224446/ In my golf equipment review of the TrionZ dual therapy bracelet I didn't agree with Steve Shaw about the 100% placebo effect as I thought that the product absorbs an amount of impact during the striking of the ball and this helps with tendinitis, the claims of the product increasing club head speed are nonsense this can only be done by good swinging and practice. What I like about the product is that it gives me awareness of where my wrists are during the swing which helps in setting the club and I wear the bracelet on both wrists. One weird fact is that since wearing the bracelets I don’t get any cramp pains that I class as tendinitis but this could maybe be due to not drinking alcohol and my body getting used to hitting loads of balls. Another factor is that most of my hitting at the moment is taking place off mats which at most ranges have concrete underneath so many of the impacts for bad swings could have resulted in the jarring and hence with better ball striking less jarring therefore less tendinitis. ]]> Wed, 22 Dec 2010 15:24:58 +0000 4446-568 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/trionzs-dual-therapy-bracelet-201012224446/ In my golf equipment review of the TrionZ dual therapy bracelet I’ve been thinking hard for some time about how to describe my thoughts on this product. Its essentially an elasticated cloth bracelet with magnets attached. The theory is that negative magnetic fields will “naturally improve the flow of blood and oxygen to areas of injury to facilitate healing and cell regeneration”. There is also a lot of information given about helping to rebalance the mind, body and soul. Rory McIlroy wears one, and endorses it. Perhaps asking someone like myself to review this product was bound to result in a very critical appraisal, given my medical background (I’m a doctor). But given the fact Rory is a golfer I admire, and I’m a keen golfer prepared to consider anything that will improve my own game, I gave it a go and wore it continuously for a week. The first thing that I’ll report is that it definitely contains magnets. I found this out by going to the Trafford centre one day, which resulted in me setting off every security gate I passed through. I actually got searched in Boots by the security guard who thought I was on the steal. Then I had a round of golf, and played really well in what I have to say were very challenging conditions. I probably hit the ball as well as I have done all this year. That got me thinking about the bracelet in more detail. Here are my conclusions: The concept of magnetic fields causing health benefits are unfounded and without any good evidence. I work intermittently in the close vicinity of magnetic fields many MILLION times stronger than these bracelets (MR scanners) and feel no health benefit. I actually had a scan on my knee several months ago, which diagnosed a torn medial cartilage. It took half an hour to do, and when I got out the scanner, it felt just as bad as it did before I went in. However, this is not what the benefits from such bracelets is about, and how it truly works. Yes, you heard me right - I do feel that many people WILL perceive benefits from it. Not because of magnetic fields, but because of the power of the mind. You only have to read one of Bob Rotella’s books to understand that the game of golf is 90% mental, 10% physical. Slight negative thought patterns can have a devastating consequence on your game. Anything that can give you a mental advantage should be seized upon as a positive. The same phenomenon is seen in the medical field – its called the placebo effect. It is a very real experience of symptomatic benefit, despite being a “dummy tablet”. Therefore, when it comes to the TrionZ bracelet, I wont ridicule anyone for wearing one. In fact you’ll probably see me wearing this one on my next round. Just don’t wear it shopping ! ]]> Wed, 22 Dec 2010 14:15:31 +0000 4443-567 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/mens-coldgearr-longsleeve-mock-201012214443/ In my golf equipment review for the Under Armour Men's ColdGear® Longsleeve Mock I felt that this was a terrific piece of kit. One of the advantages of the equipment is that it not only keeps you warm but it assists in blood circulation to the major muscles used in the golf swing. I have used the product in cold conditions with a golf shirt over the top and in very cold temperatures under a golf jacket and with both applications my movement wasn't restricted. Another thing that I really like about the Under Armour product is that it really fits tightly and this is better than having a loose garment on your arm that you have to adjust during the shot preparation. The product is also available for kids which is really a great way to keep the youngsters warm and motivated in the cold months. The only negative about the product is that its upfront cost is a little expensive especially if you require more than one set, the product does have Anti-Odor Technology but I wouldn't risk using it for more than one practise session. ]]> Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:04:29 +0000 4435-566 http://www.rateyourcourse.co.uk/mizuno-shoe-bag-201012204435/ It may seem odd to create a review for the Mizuno Shoe Bag but this is really and important piece of equipment as it has many functions for the winter golfer. As we all know after a game of golf in winter it is almost impossible to get your shoes clean not to mention dry so a shoe bag is a must. The Mizuno Shoe Bag bag has a double zip system with rubber ends that make it easy to grip the zip when your hands are cold so this is a nice touch. Another good feature of the bag is that it stops the shoes from stinking out the car. So for those of you looking for a great branded product at a reasonable price this product is definitely a good choice. ]]> Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:07:00 +0000