Adidas has recently introduced the new TOUR360 4.0, which sounds like a new operating system software for your computer but is presumably a fourth generation golf footwear style.

According to the company, the TOUR360 4.0 “is engineered with advanced THiNTech – a revolutionary low-profile technology that brings golfers closer to the ground. A lower center of gravity equals a higher level of performance: greater stability. Better balance and footwork. Increased power and feedback. All of which promotes more
consistent ball-striking.”

Surely these are comfortable shoes. And, certainly wearing low-profile shoes are better than playing golf in stiletto spike heels or ’70s style platform boots. But golf marketing has taken hyperbole to a whole new level lately.

Taking the new TOUR360 4.o for example, this shoe offers PINS (Performance INsert System), which is apparently 32 percent lower to the ground than conventional cleats. The POWERBAND CHASSIS helps increase energy transfer during your weight shift for increased power at impact. FitFOAM molds to the contours of your foot. adiPRENE absorbs impact for comfort. adiTUFF minimizes abrasion for all those times you drag your foot on the cart path. Really? It’s a shoe. Come on, man!

Meanwhile, earlier this year TaylorMade introduced the Penta, a new five-layer golf ball.

I thought I’d seen it all when the shaving industry came out with a five-blade premium disposable razor cartridge. Then there was the battery-powered disposable razor. Now there is a five-blade battery-powered razor with an extra blade on the back for trimming. What will they come up with next? A five-layer ball is like the razor and the blade. One is a break-even introductory product while the other is the high profit margin recurring revenue stream.

With the current global economic funk, the market won’t support higher priced golf clubs, and certain rules and restrictions prevent club manufacturers from making significant advances in club design. Instead they have turned their attention to the golf ball market where proprietary polymers and fewer legal limitations can stifle their innovation or marketing creativity. 

Major manufacturers such as Callaway have recently indicated they expect $299 as the predominant U.S. price point for drivers at retail in 2010. That’s down from roughly $399 in recent years. But premium golf balls cost $40 or more per dozen and the avid golfer goes through several dozen each year. Why not sell the golfing public on premium golf balls? There’s more upside and greater recurring revenue potential.

My own game has benefited from the technological breakthroughs in golf equipment. Titanium club heads. Graphite shafts. Multi-layer balls. It’s all good, and I appreciate the help. But consumers need to know the difference between true innovative enhancements and marketing crap.

As marketing and communications professionals, the NiceBallz staff knows a thing or two about selling to consumers. We’re not picking on Adidas, who also owns TaylorMade. Frankly, I’m unemployed and I’d love to work for either brand. And, other companies offer similar proprietary technologies and equally bold marketing claims.

The new TOUR360 4.0 is just a premium golf shoe, not a miracle cure for your slice. And, the Penta golf ball is an impressive ball for highly skilled players, but is unlikely to help most high handicappers break 100. Splurge on these and similar products if you like. They are among the best gear on the market. But, a five blade razor doesn’t really shave any closer than one with two blades, and a fourth generation shoe isn’t likely to help you improve.

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For one, you can’t buy clubs with the specifications Tour pros use. And, if you did, you couldn’t play them. Shafts as heavy as a hammer and as stiff as a telephone pole. Special sole grinds for “maximum turf interaction.” Whatever.

NiceBallz introduces Baggage, a new feature that provides you with a look inside our golf bags at the clubs we carry — and the real deal behind the specs. Here is a peek inside GolferWriterGuy’s bag, and the baggage he brings with him to the golf course each week:

Driver- Callaway FT-5 Tour (9.5 degree loft, Aldila NV stiff shaft 65 grams). Average approx. 265 yards. I bought this club for the 460 cubic centimeters of forgiveness and the open clubface, which took the snap hook out of play but brought a big banana ball as my main miss. Fore right! Nah, I can’t complain. After a sale, a coupon and a trade-in I got this club new for about $92. What do you want for less than $100?

Hybrid- Adams Golf Idea a2 (20 degree, Aldila NV stiff shaft 85 g). Average approx. 210. Great on short par 4s and long par 3s, this hybrid hits the ball low and long. The only problem is it will go as far as about 225 when I pure it, outdistancing some players’ 3-wood, but on miss hits it only goes about 180. That’s a huge gap. When it’s good, it’s real good. Otherwise, it’s not. That’s not good.

Irons- Titleist DCI 962 (4-PW, True Temper Dynamic Gold Sensicore stiff S-300 steel shafts). These are classic clubs, with a thin topline, a modest progressive offset and a reasonable cavity back. These irons are two degrees upright, and I often hook the hell out of them. However, I do love these irons and have owned them about 12 years. Why change? I’m too cheap to buy a new set. But, my ego does take a beating because most modern iron sets feature clubs with lofts that are 2- to 4-degrees stronger. In essence, the contemporary 7-iron is what they used to call a 6-iron. That’s why they go farther today. At least that’s what I tell myself.

Wedges- Titleist Vokey Design Spin Milled (52, 56 and 60 degrees, True Temper Dynamic Gold wedge flex). These wedges go anywhere from about 75 yards to about 105 yards — unless I chunk it or blade them. They are versatile with great feel, but the square grooves have spun balls off the front of a green more often than they have helped. Regardless, all that backspin makes me feel cool. It’s sad, I know.

Putter- Boccieri Golf Heavy Putter BM-2. I stole this putter from Hack. No, really. Took it right out of his garage, though I did eventually pay $75 for it. My stroke was so bad with my old stick that I constantly missed 2- and 3-footers. A serious case of the yips. That’s pretty bad for someone not yet 40 years old. But the counter-balanced Heavy Putter got me straightened out. Lag putting is more difficult, but then I make more 5-footers than I used to. It all works out. However, this club is a heavy load. Double up on the Advil before you tee off or book a chiropractic appointment for Monday. Maybe both.

Misc.- My bag includes several other miscellaneous items including a rules booklet that I never consult, and a huge poker chip of a ball mark that really pisses people off on the greens. I have some Blistex in my bag. I once went on a date with an heiress to a lip balm fortune but she wasn’t into me. Maybe my lips were too dry. Anyway, I also carry a ton of groceries so I can graze during a 5-hour round. Two Gatorades, two apples, two energy bars and one banana. I’ve got it down to a science because I’m freaky like that.

That’s all the baggage I care to share. Stay tuned soon when Hack shares his baggage with the world.

Do you have any baggage? Lay down on the couch and tell us.

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You might be geeked for golf if: 

• You clean your clubs or scrub your grips before you playYou review the online scorecard or take the virtual golf course tourYou download the course into your GPS distance measuring device a few days before just to be safeYou wash off your dirty pull cart before putting it in the carYou buy so many Gatorades and Powerbars that the grocery bagger asks if you want help to your carYou pick out your stylish head-to-toe golf outfit the night beforeYou color coordinate your outfit with golf partners a day ahead (not everyone in Paula pink or Tiger red)You play a practice round ahead of an important tournamentYou change the configuration of your adjustable clubs for each courseYou check to make sure none of the spikes on your shoes are loose the night beforeYou mark your golf balls before getting to the first tee or, worse, even before arriving at the parking lotYou make next weekend’s tee time before getting to work on Monday or, worse, right after your round

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Not everyone has $1,000 for a set of clubs or $100 for a round of golf. NiceBallz recently told you about some great recession deals on gear and green fees. But, even half off new equipment is beyond the reach of many beginners, and what about lessons?

There are a number of ways that people can begin playing golf without breaking the bank:

- Take a community college golf class. Courses, including physical education classes, can cost as little as $15 per unit. For about $50, less than the cost of a video game, you can play golf and practice under the watchful eye of an instructor for a full semester in many places. Try getting 12 weeks of tips for less anywhere else.

- Sign up for group lessons through the local parks and recreation department. Many cities offer low-cost education and training at schools and community centers. You know, swimming lessons, needlepoint and beginning photography. Many municipal golf courses are home to similar low-cost lessons and can be a good way to learn the basics and meet fellow beginners.

- Shop for clubs at garage sales, thrift shops or used sporting goods stores such as Play It Again Sports. Meanwhile, many of the major manufacturers are opening their own “pre-owned” and “outlet” stores online. You don’t have to pay full price to get good gear.

- Buy “experienced” balls online or from the neighbor kid who finds them in his backyard. At $2 and $3 apiece, golf balls can be an expensive part of the game when you lose more than you find. High handicappers can save some cash by buying used balls that still have some life.

- Consider volunteer opportunities. Assistant golf coach at the local high school? A field trip at your daughter’s school? Crowd control at the nearby mini tour event? Often you can earn a free round or practice privileges by donating your time to the cause. Do well for yourself by doing good. Entirely altruistic? Who cares. You’re on the course.

From real estate costs to research and development, golf has always been a costly hobby. But there’s no reason for beginners to pay full price when they can learn the same skills and have just as much fun on a budget.

Even though the economy may be in a recession your game doesn’t need to go out of business.  Drive your own golf stimulus package with a few of the tips above or share your own with other NiceBallz readers at http://blog.niceballz.com.

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One of the recurring features we at the NiceBallz blog plan to provide are product reviews.  While one of our contributors (Corey) is a single-digit handicap who delivers highly thoughtful analysis (see here for his latest ball review), well let’s just say this poster represents a more, ahem, ‘every man’ point of view?

The first product for a Hack-a-view (i.e. a review done by a Hack in case that needed explaining) is Cleveland Golf’s Niblick.  I purchased the Niblick, on a bit of a whim, a few weeks ago and have played with it approximately three times since then.  The Niblick can be described as a Jack of Many (and nearly all) Trades.  While on the surface it looks like a standard ‘chipper’ specialty club, to gaze upon it in such a limited way would only be going skin deep on this little marvel.

I have been playing with the 37 degree version and have found it to be a solid performing chipper around the greens.  A nice substitute for my gap wedge for bump and run shots and a full on replacement for my 9-iron on full swing shots.  Just a chipper?  Um, no.

While it does take some getting used to in the chipping department, it fundamentally dumbs-down what your average golfer, which we should always keep in mind still sports about a 16-18 handicap, needs to do to get the ball from the rough around the green to a place where they can have a putt to try and save bogey or par.  The 37 degree can be a little hot on short chips, which personally has me considering adding the 42 degree to my bag, and again practice with it is highly encouraged in order to reap the true rewards.

But where I think the Niblick really shines is on full approach shots.  It’s not uncommon for a mid-high teens handicapper to chunk their share of wedges and even short irons.  I’ve found that the heavier weighting of the Niblick and solid feel you get from it greatly reduces that risk and instills more confidence.  Even on shots that are mishit the odds of having them cover a good expanse of ground is greater than with a typical iron.  In my first round with the Niblick I used it 4 times for 4 style of shots in the first 4 holes: a full approach (which landed softly and even spun back slightly thanks to the Zip Groove technology), a bump and run shot, a chip and short pitch.  It was love at nearly first swing.

“Better” players may scoff at such a club (and by better I mean 10 or less handicappers) and expect a little ribbing the first time you pull it from your bag.  But soon the regular players in my foursome were making statements like “That’s a good club for you…” and “The Nibbler strikes again!”.  Yes, the short, heavy and somewhat homely club that was originally joked about, had risen above ridicule to earning its own nickname and grudging admiration by the end of one of my rounds with it. 

I’d highly recommend the Niblick for anyone who struggles with 9-iron distance approach shots, bump and run type shots (or thinks they can hit a lob wedge for 50-70 yard flop shots – really???) and of course chipping.

Hack

Hack is a ‘high-teens’ handicapper who can sometimes break 90 but usually ends up breaking his own heart after 3-4 snowmen a round.

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