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Even the most casual stroll through last month's 2006 PGA Fall Expo at the Man-dalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas revealed an array of new products and services, all with their unique claims and guarantees. Without a scorecard, it can be quite daunting to sift through them all and find the ones most suited to your game. But that's what we did this year, heading to the main floor of the show and touching, pressing and playing with anything that interested us. Here are some of the things we found: Hill Shot Golf This is a big hit on the PGA show circuit and for good reason: It allows golfers to practice their swing techniques from a vast array of lies. Rather than merely practicing flat lies, as we usually do at the range, this portable device rotates 360 degrees, allowing for simulation of uphill, downhill and sidehill lies from numerous angles. Interchangeable turf options allow players to practice fairway, rough and bunker shots. Geared more for golf instructors, the machine retails for $149.99. Both the Tiger Woods Learning Center and the World Golf Hall of Fame have recently installed the innovative aid at their facilityies. For more information, visit www.hillshotgolf.com. AUSSIE CHILLER Here's a hot tip, mates, if you enjoy playing golf but can't stand the heat. It's the Aussie Chiller. Although they come in various styles, sizes and colors, all the Aussie Chiller hats have one thing in common: They will keep you cool on the course. Simply soak them in ice cold water, much like a towel, and then place them on your dome for an instant chill that will keep you cool during your round. You can choose from styles such as the killer fedora, the outback bushie or a baseball-style cap. The perforated fabric allows airflow to help keep you cool, but it also blocks out the sun. For more information, call (888) 412-8774 or visit www.aussiechiller.com. WINDAGE Nothing can be more aggravating for a golfer than to hit a perfect shot, only to see it travel offline because of an unforeseen gust of wind. Well, thanks to Windage, golfers will always know which way the wind blows. A simple shake and a squeeze of the golf ball-sized product will emit an environmentally friendly powder that quickly and easily reveals wind direction, which will help lead to more accurate shots. There's another benefit as well: Golfers won't have to tear up a golf course and have blades of grass blown back into their face when trying to figure out wind direction the old-fashioned way. For more information, call (612) 940-3278 or visit www.playthewind.com. Do I Get A Drop? There is no shortage of golf rules and golf tip books designed to fit into your bag or pocket. But they vary widely in terms of size, ease of use and presentation. This pocket-sized, 48-page quick-access guide is filled with easy-to-find information on rules, etiquette and golf-related snafus. The fully illustrated edition contains more than 90 illustrations that provide visual, as well as written, guides. (The pocket-sized version doesn't include the pictures). Every part of the course, from green and rough to tee and fairway, has its own section, so regardless of where you are, you'll be able to find the comparable place in the book. It's both an informative and fun read and retails for $14.95. For more information, visit www.doigetadrop.com. Glide Ball Remember playing as a kid with those pitch machines that allowed you to throw a ball into a pliable net surface that rebounded it back to you? That's a touch similar to this portable driving range, which allows you to hit a real golf ball from a tee in your home, office, garage or front lawn. Once hit, the ball glides up two parallel wires to a Y-shaped pole and then returns to the turf area, meaning you don't have to worry about retrieving the ball. The device, which fits into a small carrying case, can be set up to allow the ball to travel anywhere from 10 to 60 feet. It's the next best thing to visiting your nearby driving range. For more information, visit www.glideball.com. The G-Clip This four-in-one golf tool clips onto your belt so you don't have to worry about loading your pockets with encumbering, jangling stuff. The tool is a combination ball marker, divot tool, glove clip and tee holder and fits in nicely with any tournament gift pack. The clip weighs a mere ounce and accommodates any length tee, and standard-sized ball markers can fit. The tool retails for $13.50 to $15. For more information, visit www.finetunegolf.com. Peak Vision sunglasses For comfort, health and even style, sunglasses are a must-have item for most golfers. But they can be a royal pain if they're too dark, because you have to keep removing them to read a green or get a proper feel for the terrain. Peak Vision's dual-tint, high-performance sunglasses allow you to stop worrying about misplacing or breaking your sunglasses when removing them, because they stay on your face the entire round. The top half of the lens shields about 60 percent of the sunlight with its gray hue, while the amber-tinged bottom half shields 20 percent. The gray tinting limits glare and helps gauge distance more accurately, while the bottom half highlights the nuances of the green, allowing for reads more precise than with the naked eye. Say goodbye to glare, distorting and squinting. The glasses retail between $139-$169. For more information, visit www.peakvisiongolf.com. Sky Caddie Portable rangefinders using space-age technology were the big rage of 2006, and things are just getting more advanced, as this incredible golf distance tool suggests. Unlike many other rangefinders, in which a clear line of sight is needed to gauge a target's distance, all you have to do with a Sky Caddie is hold it up and it provides instant information within a second. The device wirelessly connects to a huge database with thorough information on thousands of courses across the world. Monthly service plans range from $20 for your five most played courses, to $60 for unlimited courses worldwide. Pros from Peter Jacobsen to Natalie Gulbis rave about the Sky Caddie, which retails for $349.99. For more information, visit www.skygolfgps.com. n |
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