I’m a 3 handicap index golfer and while over the last few years, the gear in my bag despite much temptation hasn’t changed that much, this year I’ve made some big changes to what’s inside. You'd be surprised at how much of an impact a small equipment change can make, not just to the ball flight or the results of your shots but the confidence you feel stood over the ball. So if you're looking to give you game a boost, you may well take inspiration from the items Joel has added. Be sure to read to the end as the last one may well surprise you!
1. An into the wind ball
The overwhelming majority of tour and elite amateur events employ the one ball rule, that is where players must use the same make and model of golf ball throughout the tournament. However, there have been some majors where this was not in play (Phil Mickelson used different balls during last year’s PGA Championship) and at amateur level, this is rarely enforced. But it’s not something many golfers know about or take advantage of. Recreational golfers are permitted to utilise balls that have different flight characteristics in certain conditions or specific holes. For example, using a lower spinning and flying ball like the Titleist 2024 AVX golf ball when the hole plays into the wind, or a spinnier ball on short par fours where the pin is tucked at the front of the green. But remember - you have to use the ball for the entire hole.
Putting a sleeve of the Titleist AVX balls in my bag to use on into the wind holes has really blown my mind - it got me wondering why I haven't done it sooner! The flight is much stronger, and therefore less affected by the wind. Providing I can get the ball straight, it runs a lot further too and the short game control is comparable with the Pro V1x ball I'm used to playing.
2. Lie Angle balanced putter
New in the bag this year for me is the L.A.B. Golf DF3 putter. L.A.B. stands for Lie Angle Balanced and it works slightly differently to conventional putters in that it keeps the putter face square to the arc throughout the stroke - it doesn’t want to twist open or closed like most of the best putters do. The unusual look of the DF3 does take some getting used to, but with a short amount of practice time the squaring of the putter face felt almost automatic and I have been way above average from between 10-15 feet with the DF3. Along with a bespoke grip that encourages the ideal forward shaft lean, it’s a well designed and thought out putter that delivers the performance it promises, especially from short and mid range.
3. Thicker grips
This is not necessarily a trend on tour but I was surprised to discover how many players are using much thicker grips than I use - Scottie Scheffler uses six layers of double sided tape, Tony Finau has 13 wraps under the bottom hand, then we’ve got Bryson DeChambeau with his Jumbo Max grips. I used to use two layers of tape under a standard Golf Pride Tour Velvet grip but then I tried switching up into a midsize, which is the equivalent of four extra layers of tape, and it just felt more comfortable. I wasn’t missing to the left as much, particularly with my driver, and my dispersion certainly seem to be tighter. I've transferred this size of grip over to my Titleist T150 irons and SM10 wedges and I'm really enjoying how they feel and perform.
4. A Rain glove
This has been a really valuable addition to my bag - we’ve had a lot of rain in the UK this year and I’ve typically persisted with using the best golf gloves made of cabretta leather in rotation when playing in the rain, but it’s a lot of faff to rotate them and try and keep them dry. So I finally committed to actually keeping a pair of rain gloves in the bag and it has been a game changer. I’ve only really been using the left glove as a replacement for a normal glove because using both just felt a bit too strange, but it’s been a godsend in the rain. I can leave it on, even after it stops raining and the grips are still wet, and the traction improves the wetter it becomes. I use the Mizuno RainFit but there are plenty of others available. Certainly one to think about if you don't mind playing in all weathers.
5. Higher bounce lob wedge
I came to the realisation recently that I only really use my lob wedge for bunker shots. I only really chip and pitch with my 54° wedge and can hit it high enough when I need to, so my lob wedge was predominantly a bunker specific club and I needed something that got through the sand better. So having a lob wedge with a little more bounce has really helped, especially given my home course Burghley Park Golf Club has just topped up all the sand in the bunkers. The extra bounce just stops the club from digging, which helps propel the ball out more consistently.
6. Apple Watch
I've recently been sent the Apple Watch Series 9 and there's no doubt it makes using Arccos shot tracking and GPS much easier - I don’t need to have the Link Pro device in my pocket to detect shots. While using the Arccos app in full on Apple Watch drains the battery quite significantly, you do get the Ai rangefinder distances on there and you can even set the pin position, which adds to the experience.
The other app for Apple Watch I've enjoyed using is Golfshot - thanks to the improvements in the accelerator and gyroscope - I can use the Apple Watch to analyse my swing and work on things like rhythm, tempo, transition and wrist path. You can even view swings you’ve made during your round - I’m really looking at the angle of the wrist in the backswing, my swing path and hand speed.
This is in addition to the GPS functionality, which is excellent. I love the full colour hole maps and it is really easy to navigate through the various features. It's certainly one of the best golf apps for Apple Watch for players that are serious about their game.
7. A bag with no zips
Minimal is a brand that gets its name from wanting to make products that have a minimal impact on the planet. Its golf bags are made of Seawastex nylon, which is constructed from abandoned ocean fishing nets. The founder, Sam Goulden, also discovered that the number one reason a golfer throws away a bag is because of broken zippers - which is why Minimal bags feature magnetic closures rather than zips to extend the lifespan of the bag!
The model I've been using the Terra SE1 stand bag. I love the way it looks and the magnetic closures are certainly easy to access. The build quality overall could be improved and if you get caught in a heavy shower, there's a chance your kit will get wet (it isn't classed as waterproof), but for fair-weather golfers it could be an option worth considering.
