We had lots of fun up at Close House building up to the British Masters. It’s great to have a European Tour event so close to home.
Spending some time with Graeme McDowell on the Monday evening was a real treat and we’ve got some great video content as a result.
Good laugh with @Graeme_McDowell chatting @ClevelandGolfEu wedges and being shown how to chip properly ?#BritishMasters pic.twitter.com/F4CxNHRcR5
— James Savage (@JamesSavageNCG) September 25, 2017
It was also fascinating to go behind the scenes with FootJoy as they brought a new shoe to the tour for the first time.
Thongchai Jaidee has just popped in to switch from 7.5 extra wide to a 7. He's very happy now. New colour combo too… #BritishMasters pic.twitter.com/8NNhFxZUdg
— James Savage (@JamesSavageNCG) September 26, 2017
We got some initial reactions from players like Andrew Wall and Thongchai Jaidee – who have been wearing the shoes this week.
And we got to see Rory hitting his new TaylorMade P790 2-iron…
Here's @McIlroyRory and @TaylorMadeTour P790 2-iron – 266 carry, 279 total. "That's a rocket launcher" – say the group of watching caddies pic.twitter.com/UfuTanrSLL
— James Savage (@JamesSavageNCG) September 26, 2017
It’s still a relatively quiet period though for new gear releases but we’re certain some of the big brands have some exciting stuff to show us over the coming months…
TaylorMade TP Red putter collection
So far 2017 has been the year of the red putter. We saw Sergio Garcia win the Masters with the TaylorMade Spider Tour Red.
That model was then seen in the hands of dozens and dozens of other players. Odyssey then brought out their own range of red models.
So it comes as no surprise to see TaylorMade update their arsenal of red putters including a new Spider Tour, Chaska (as used by Justin Rose) and five Ardmore models.
They all feature the same ‘pure roll’ insert as the Spider but the Ardmore models have different alignment and shaft options.
More information on the TaylorMade TP Red putters, which have an SRP of £239, can be found on the TaylorMade website.
Mizuno Japanese clothing launched
Mizuno have been making some really stylish golf clothing over the past couple of months and their new autumn winter 2017 range certainly stands out.
The brand have introduced clothing from its Japanese apparel line-up into Europe for the first time.
There’s a range of cool technologies to keep you dry and warm throughout the winter.
A key item is the Impermalite F20 Rain Jacket – tailored from fabrics so light and soft you can happily wear the jacket as a windtop.
To see the range in full visit the Mizuno website.
Titleist 718 irons and 818 hybrids on sale now
We hope you enjoyed all our review coverage from the Titleist 718 irons and 818 hybrids launch.
And now you can get your hands on the new gear in your pro shop.
With six new irons to chose from and a couple of hybrids, make sure you try it all out with your pro or a good fitter to find the right models for your game.
For more information or to find a fitting event visit the Titleist website.
Jordan Spieth President Cup shoes
Anyone watching the Presidents Cup may have noticed Jordan Spieth rocking a limited edition pair of Under Armour Spieth One shoes.
They feature a new red, white and blue design with USA etched on the back of the heel.
There’s even star-spangled comfort lining…
Rickie Fowler is also in on the act…
Rick's kicks. ?? pic.twitter.com/MnD4NnKn0M
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) September 29, 2017
Read our review of the Spieth One golf shoe here.
Golf Pride MCC align grips now available
We learned all about the Golf Pride MCC align grips at the PGA Show in January.
It’s been a long time coming but they are finally available to buy for UK golfers.
The Align grips feature a dedicated raised ridge that extends down the back of the grip for consistent hand placement allowing the golfer to feel alignment.
The technology is available in the MCC family in both the traditional MCC taper profile and MCC Plus4’s larger lower hand profile.
More information can be found on the Golf Pride website.