SOME ADVANCED IDEAS FOR BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPING

  MISTWOOD GOLF CLUB will host it’s annual Black Friday Sale starting at 7Am this Friday-Black Friday. Director of Golf Andy Mickelson and the Mistwood Team welcome you to the Mistwood Golf Pro Shop on Renwick Road in Romeoville. So remember the BF Sale-is NOT at the golf dome. See the details at MistwoodGC.com (815)-254-3333.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS-Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter-X @GogBlogGuy or connect LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram

Rory Spears on the putting hole at The Evans Course at Canal Shores-Evanston Illinois. With a LAB DF3 putter. Photo by Susan Crampton.

SO AFTER PLENTY OF TIME RESEARCHING IDEA’S.

Here are some idea’s based on what I use on the golf course, or wear off the golf course.

My favorites include, starting with golf clubs.

Callaway Paradym Woods, Irons and Callaway Jaws wedges, with a wedge upgrade likely in the year ahead. But I was tested this year on the Callaway AI Smoke clubs. However my gain was only 1 yard, with both the woods and irons. So I stuck with my Paradym’s for another year.

I am looking forward to seeing what Callaway will produce for 2025.

PUTTERS-my putting experiment is not over, maybe because the three putters I have been using are all very good. Due to my summer health issue that keep me off the course for three months, I did not test the putters as much as I wanted to. But it’s becoming apparent that maybe the putter of the day depends on what course I am playing.

In the Bettinardi Oakbrook IL. putting studio. The best putting facility in the Chicago area.

NEED A GREAT GIFT for the golfer who needs help on the putting green.

Putting fitting at the Bettinardi Studio B on 22nd Street in Oakbrook. Because here you can learn more about putting, and your putting stroke than maybe anywhere else in the Windy City.

But even better news, is if you pick out a new putter, Bettinardi builds it for you right there. So depending on your order, most golfers go home that day with new putter in hand, or in the golf bag. But for you Bears fans-a special limited edition Bears logoed putter is out right now. But they will go quickly. My best putting round of 2024, was with my Bettinardi Inovai Rev. 6.0. 28 putts on the challenging greens at Heritage Oaks in Northbrook.

LAB GOLF PUTTERS, my DF3 is something special. So special that many of co-workers at Heritage Oaks have been borrowing it, and my DF3 has spent more time in other peoples golf bags than in mine. Because the new technology LAB brings to the table is catching on, it’s forcing other putter brands to adapt. See LABGolf.com and check out the LAB Golf experience. It’s different but might help your putting.

LAB Golf-The DF3 is worth checking out if your in the market for a new putter.

CALLAWAY-ODYSSEY AI Putters came out this past year-but now comes word a new Odyssey Square to Square is out (some suggest it’s a response to LAB’s growing popularity). So these new putters are worth a look before you buy. This year I acquired an AI Odyssey-One Milled Two-T, with the gold insert. Because if you like blade putters, or have been a Scotty Cameron Newport person like I was for years. You should be able settle into the AI very easily.

So if it’s time for a new putter, you can’t go wrong with any of the above selections. Because my handicap has dropped 2.2 since I made the decision to use the putters listed above.

Odyssey AI-putters with gold insert.

BUT I AM NOT A Hybrid or Rescue Club user, if you wish to go in that direction you are on your own. OR check out My Golf Spy-they are a pretty good place to review golf products.

GOLF BALLS-always a great idea for a golf gift. Because all golfers could use new golf balls from time to time. So quit using the golf balls you found on the golf course, or stole from the driving range. I’m playing the Callaway Chrome-Black Box Series, with plans to check out the Callaway Chrome Gold Box in 2025. But my Plan B is always the Titleist Pro-V1x edition, it plays better for me than the straight Pro-V1. Plan C is Bridgestone-they do make a good golf ball.

Callaway Chrome Tour-Triple Track, the Gold Box.

GOLF BAGS-and there are plenty of golfers who need a new golf bag. I have a Titleist bag, their styles and color schemes are well done. Callaway and Sun Mountain are other good choices. So is just getting a bag with the logo of someone’s favorite golf course on it-never a bad idea.

GOLF SHOES-I wear the Sqairz Speed 2. Sqairz is the best golf shoe I have ever worn in terms of traction-look and comfort. So checkout Sqairz.com, and add some distance to your shots on the course.

KEEPING THE HANDS WARM on the cool days outside. The G-Tech pouch is the best, and prices have come down over the last year. GetGtech.com your hands and fingers will thank you. So hit your next shot with warmer hands and avoid some of the stingers from the cold. I wish I had got mine years sooner.

        SQAIRZ SPEED II at the dome. G-Tech the handwarmer pouch for the rounds of golf on cold days.

YARDAGE LASER GUN-Bushnell, another product I should have acquired sooner than I did. Bushnell.com for when you need the exact yardage to the flag, and it’s not posted on the course. Great for when your golf cart doesn’t have GPS, and the course doesn’t have yardage markers on the sprinkler heads.

Golftini Owner and designer Susan Hess at the PGA Show. Golftini is now a Chicago based company.

APPAREL FOR WOMEN and now MEN. Chicago based Golftini is very stylish, and now that owner and designer Susan Hess has created Golftini for Men, she has all golfers covered. So guys when you need something for the lady-Golftini is a sure winner. The logo is really well done as well. Perfect for on and off the golf course, Golftini has a Black Friday Sale-see Golftiniwear.com.

MORE REALLY GOOD APPAREL, slacks I go with Dunning, FootJoy or Polo. Shirts that fit really good and look sharp, Greg Norman, Peter Millar and Adidas. Leaders in the socks category are Kentwool, FootJoy and Adidas. But for low cuts, get some Sqairz Socks with the shoes.

So that’s the recap of what I use after plenty of years of research. So what’s holding you back-start shopping. RS

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About Rory Spears

Rory spent over 8 years growing up working at Rob Roy Golf Club in Prospect Hts.IL, then two years at Chevy Chase in Wheeling. He has covered golf in Chicago since 1986. Rory was one of the initial members of WSCR all-sports radio Chicago and covered golf there for 5 seasons, before moving on to work for ESPN/Sportsticker and ESPN Radio. In addition to hosting Golfers on Golf Radio on WCPT AM820 Chicago, he writes for both the Chicago District (CDGA) Magazine, and formerly Chicagoland Golf. Rory has played over 525 courses in 39 states, and rates golf courses. He does golf course management and communications consulting, within the golf industry.