Weekly Release Rewind

Well folks, another week, another avalanche of golf gear hitting the shelves faster than your tee shot finds the adjacent fairway. Let’s dive into what’s new, what’s noteworthy and what’s making me roll my eyes while my credit card weeps in the corner.

Tech and loosely related accessories

Foresight × Vessel dropped a Premium Sling Bag designed specifically for GC Quad and Quad Max (also works with GC3). Now you can carry your $20,000 launch monitor in something that screams “I spent all my money on golf tech but still had enough for this fancy-boy bag.” It’s the golf equivalent of putting gold rims on a Ferrari – unnecessary but damn if it doesn’t make you feel special.

Arccos released their annual distance insights report, providing further evidence that the only thing average golfers need less than a rollback is a few more three-putts. “Sure, let’s make the ball go shorter!” The USGA: Proudly solving non-existent problems since 1894.

“Game-changing” footwear

True Linkswear just dropped their LUX² collection which they claim was “shaped by Tour insight, refined over years, tested, tweaked, and torn apart until perfect.” Funny, that’s exactly how I’d describe my marriage after I explained how much these shoes cost. I suppose the cost is justified because, hey, they “didn’t rush it”.

PAYNTR released their Trainer X 001 LE with a “full-grain leather upper.” Apparently, normal synthetic materials weren’t cutting it for those high-intensity wrist exercises needed to text your buddy that you’ll be late for your tee time. Finally! Cow-based technology for your half-hearted pre-round stretching routine.

ECCO and Random Golf Club collaborated on the Biom H5, a golf shoe “crafted for the wild.” Because your local muni with its half-dead grass, questionable cart paths and that one mysterious puddle that never dries up (even during drought conditions) is basically the Serengeti. Nothing says “I’m ready for adventure” like paying $250 to wade through goose droppings in style.

NIKE’s Scottie Scheffler Shoes, surprisingly, aren’t awful which, given NIKE’s recent golf footwear efforts, counts as breaking news. The bar was so low it was practically a tripping hazard, but they cleared it! It’s like being excited that your toddler didn’t draw on the walls today: the bare minimum becomes cause for celebration.

Just roll with it

Stewart Golf launched two new golf bags – the NEXAS Hybrid and NERO 2 Cart bag. Both are “designed to work seamlessly with Stewart golf carts” which makes me wonder why they don’t just throw in a bag for free when you buy their $3,000-plus carts. It’s like selling someone a swimming pool and then charging extra for the water.

Hip to be square (and not particularly original)

PXG launched its second zero-torque putter. The strangest thing about it is that it almost looks normal. Almost. Like when your weird uncle shows up to Thanksgiving in a suit instead of his usual tinfoil hat, but you spot the telltale shine of Reynolds Wrap peeking out from his socks.

Speaking of familiar putter technologies, Odyssey just launched their Square 2 Square Max series. The concept feels strangely reminiscent of something we’ve seen before, although we can’t quite put our finger on it. Must be one of those cases where the industry collectively evolves in the same direction. Simultaneously. Years apart.

You’ve got some balls

Callaway launched two limited-edition golf balls: the requisite major-themed Queen City Chrome Tour for the upcoming PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and Supersoft Canada because … why not, eh? Nothing justifies limited-edition golf balls like national pride and a major championship.

See ya later

That’s it for this week’s release roundup. Remember: Your equipment isn’t the problem (it’s definitely your swing) but that won’t stop any of us from buying more gear. Until next time, keep your wallet open and your expectations unreasonably high.