This week we're proudly sponsored by Golf GameBook, the app that can help improve your golf game and makes golf even more fun and social. Live leaderboards, loads of different game types and a built-in GPS system make Golf GameBook a one-stop shop for your next social round. Download now; available for free on iOS and Android.

This week, we start with a serious look at golf ball performance and testing after Joe has decided he's taken this part of his equipment choices without enough gusto over recent years. We unpack our thoughts on why starting a ball fitting from the green (recommended by many) might actually be the wrong approach for many players.

We also get our teeth into team golf after the recent additions of the Solheim Cup and Presidents Cup, and argue for bringing back mixed-team match play and classic historical formats to inject much-needed fun and whimsy back into the sport. Plus, we break down how bag setup played a crucial role in Manuel Elvira's recent breakdown at Wentworth, debate the true value and role of caddies in the modern game, and take a look at a viral weighted practice club. Finally, we give our honest review of the McLaren Series 1 irons, look through some of your fantastic vibesman golf bag submissions and introduce our new favourite word, sprezzatura!

Chapters:

0:00:00 - Introduction and waffle

0:02:20 - Joe is now taking golf ball testing seriously; why?

0:19:22 - Fixing team golf & bringing back classic formats

0:32:27 - Reigniting the modern caddie debate

0:44:57 - The Viral Weighted Practice Club

0:47:45 - McLaren Series 1 Iron review

0:59:45 - Ask The Pod & listener comments

01:05:00 - What is sprezzatura & your best vibesman bags

Watch us in FULL on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf

Get in touch with Dan and Joe and 'Ask The Pod' via our email: kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com

Sign up for the weekly Kick Point newsletter, released every Friday: https://www.golfmonthly.com/newsletter

Get three issues of the Golf Monthly magazine delivered to your door for just £5 at https://www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint

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Thanks to KBS for supporting this video! Check out Joe playing with a full set of KBS shafts and his favourite golf clubs from his childhood in our recent video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFRZm3BXfB0&t=711s

Welcome back to another jam-packed episode of the Kick Point Golf Show! This week, we are diving deep into the tech behind your clubs to see what actually drives distance and control. Joe puts a hollow-bodied iron (specifically the TaylorMade P790) head-to-head against a solid forged blade in the shape of the TaylorMade P7TW at identical lofts to answer a burning question: is face flexing actually delivering extra ball speed, or is it all just lower lofts? Would you be able to hit the And should more of us be using blades to make ourselves better ball strikers?

Later, we are also joined by one of Ping's chief engineers, Travis Milleman. In our interview, he breaks down how clubs are developed years in advance, how material choices unlock structural innovation, and how their team balances player feedback with robot data. Plus, Joe presents his DIY prototype driver to Travis, and we answer your listener questions in Ask the Pod - enjoy!

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

04:53 Strong fairway woods and unbranded gear

0:07:38 Callaway Tour equipment insights with Kellen Watson

0:21:20 Hollow body vs. blade iron testing at the same loft (P790 vs. P7TW)

0:33:16 Ask the Pod: Secondhand gear and bent adapter sleeves

0:44:25 Interview: Designing Ping clubs with Travis Milleman

01:08:08 Presenting the DIY driver prototype to Ping

Watch us in FULL on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf

Get in touch with Dan and Joe and 'Ask The Pod' via our email: kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com

Sign up for the weekly Kick Point newsletter, released every Friday: https://www.golfmonthly.com/newsletter

Get three issues of the Golf Monthly magazine delivered to your door for just £5 at https://www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Happy Friday and thanks for downloading this week's classically jam-packed episode. This week, we discuss the latest equipment releases, starting with the new Srixon ZXi irons and ZXi RKT driver family. Are Srixon's new technologies (and subsequent lack of change from the last generation) proof that we're finally at the end of history when it comes to drivers delvoped under the current equipment rules? After that, we also explore the future of golf retail, exploring custom 3D-printed irons and we dive into the mailbag in Ask the Pod, covering topics like ball fitting, the debate on lake balls versus winter balls, and gap management for game-improvement irons. Finally, stick around for an exclusive interview with three-time Major champion Pádraig Harrington, who shares his ever-insightful and considered views on the proposed golf ball rollback, his setup quirks, and stories from his career - enjoy!

This week we're proudly sponsored by Golf GameBook, the app that can help improve your game and makes it even more fun and social. Live leaderboards, loads of different game types and a built-in GPS system make Golf GameBook a one-stop shop for your next round. Download now; available for free on iOS and Android devices.

Chapters:

0:00:00 Intro and our new favourite golf app

0:05:41 The fate of the Callaway Full Toe SP wedge and other bad wedge releases

0:13:36 What is the future of golf retail & custom 3D printing

0:24:03 Srixon ZXi RKT driver reviews

0:32:35 Srixon ZXi7, ZXi5 & ZXi5+ review

0:39:31 Ask The Pod - Winter balls vs summer balls

0:51:01 Ask The Pod - Game-improvement iron gapping dilemma

0:57:00 Padraig Harrington interview on his equipment through the years and golf's distance debate

Watch us in FULL on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@KickPointGolf

Get in touch with Dan and Joe and 'Ask The Pod' via our email: kickpointpodcast@futurenet.com

Sign up for the weekly Kick Point newsletter, released every Friday: https://www.golfmonthly.com/newsletter

Get three issues of the Golf Monthly magazine delivered to your door for just £5 at https://www.magazinesdirect.com/kickpoint

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.