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Summer may be winding down but with a Ryder Cup on the horizon, the golf season hardly feels like it's over. And heading into September there is still a steady stream of product releases from soft goods to new clubs as brands get a head start on the holiday rush.
While reports of supply chain issues in the golf equipment industry means your new set of custom clubs may take awhile to be delivered (on our staff, we're waiting for a golf bag that isn't expected until February), there are still plenty of stocked shelves full of equipment at brick-and-mortar and online stores alike. Here is a look at some of the new items released this September as we approach the holiday season.
Mizuno drops new clubs
The big club release so far in September is Mizuno, which just unveiled a new driver and wedges and will ship starting October. The ST-G 220 driver takes adjustability to a whole new level for a super-precise fitting. The driver has shorter lateral weight tracks. which allows space for a new center/back weight port. The combination of three tracks and two moveable weights mean golfers have more flexibility in how they adjust the club for the preferred ball flight. The ST-G can be transformed from ultra-low spinning bomber into a highly playable mid-spinning option, with fade or draw bias in both. $499.95. Meanwhile, the T22 wedges, the newest iteration of Mizuno's teardrop wedges, are available in three finishes - Denim Copper, Satin Chrome and Raw - and four grind options. The Raw finish comes without the copper underlay, but it will rust over time for a look requested by many of the Mizuno tour players. $159.95.
Reef reveals USA, Europe golf sandals
Sandals after Labor Day? Why not. If you're still in the market for sandals - and golf sandals no less - Reef has just unveiled a seasonally appropriate model. Their Fanning Spackler, a golfer's version of sandal complete with soft spikes that released in June, just dropped a limited edition USA and Europe edition of the model (available in both men's and women's). We can't vouch for how high performance these sandals are compared to more traditional golf shoes, but at least the bottom comes equipped with a bottle opener. $100
Cuater Moneymaker golf shoe
Not quite ready for a golf sandal? Here's a model that's a little more traditional from Cuater by TravisMathew. Their Moneymaker model features extreme comfort in a lightweight, waterproof shoe with lots of cushioning and a bottom designed for versatility. Choose from four colors (Heather Microchip pictured). $159.99
WHOOP unveils new 4.0 device
WHOOP has received a lot of attention over the past year due to many top athletes wearing the device (including golfers Rory McIlroy and Nelly Korda). At a launch event last week, WHOOP CEO Will Ahmed unveiled their latest model, the WHOOP 4.0. Ahmed called the 4.0 the "most exciting technology they've ever developed" and was 10 years in the making. Among the new features is the band is 33% smaller with similar, 5-day battery life. It now tracks Pulse and Blood Oxygen levels and skin temperature. It has four times the number of photodiodes on the sensor and five LEDs for increased data accuracy, features haptic feedbacks for vibrating alerts, and a waterproof battery pack with a light that shows how much power is remaining. The 4.0 is free with membership. Learn more.
The device ships starting September 27 (GolfPass members, you can access your Whoop benefit, which includes your first month free and a free device, on our benefits page).
Game Golf
One of our most popular articles of 2020 was our summary of shot-tracking options for amateur golfers. At the time, we didn't cover the O.G. in this space, Game Golf, because during our research, the product appeared to not be supported anymore. But as of this summer, Game has been reborn after its acquisition earlier this summer by inpixon, an indoor intelligence company.
The featured product at Game Golf is Game Golf Pro ($299), which features smart sensors for your clubs that track shots, enabling strokes gained analysis of your game as well as a coaching dashboard. It also has a Smart Caddie that uses artificial technology. We plan to review the Game Golf Pro system this fall to see how it compares to the new leaders like Arccos and ShotScope.
