Moving Time

Well, I just wanted to take the time to thank all of my readers over here in this tiny corner of the internet. I decided to re-brand myself getting away from alexandertothgolf.com and to a lesser extent here at blogger.com.

With a need to change comes the opportunity for us to evolve. I have re-branded myself as Until The Next Tee! It seems more professional and it just made sense that when my domain expired January 10th to make switch. Besides, after all of my posts I always said "Until The Next Tee!" so I thought that I should employ it.

Please follow me over at untilthenexttee.blog where I will be growing the site, the brand and myself.

See you on the next tee!

Alex

Review - First Impressions

I am very fortunate to get the opportunity to test and review various golf products. An important part of the process for me is gathering my first bits of observations. Sometimes these initial impressions last and other times they can be swayed.

Through Irlianna and Holly at Golf Marketing Services (golfmarketinginc.com) I have been handed the opportunity to test and review some great products. The L2 Traditional from Lateral Line Putters designed by John Ambrose is the most recent product sent to me.

I was contacted by Laurie from Forte Golf a company that is new to the golf ball industry. They wanted to send me a few samples of their golf balls. I was sent their 3-piece Tour Performance S and 6-piece Apex golf balls.

An unexpected thaw saw our snow melt here in Niagara and allowed me to play nine holes on New Year's Day. A terrific opportunity to put the products from their respective companies to the test. In this video I give my first hand impressions of my first on-course experiences with the products.

Until The Next Tee!!

Video Log - Hazards of Winter Golf

Winter golf means at times frozen greens, challenging lies and fats greens.

Until The Next Tee!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year. I ushered in 2017 by playing nine holes. Also, I introduce Forte Golf which sent me two models of ball for testing. The 6-piece Apex and the 3-piece Tour Performance S.

Review - Carnoustie Sportswear

Before commencing with this review I would like to take the time to apologize to Mary Beth Lacy and the terrific folks at Carnoustie Sportswear. Due to an administrative issue (expired passport) and a lost shipment... this review is quite tardy in being released.

It seems like evolution seems to be a theme for me at the moment. Evolution can take place in many ways and we have seen a real evolution in golf apparel over the last 15 years. Out went pique polo styles and eventually technical pieces became the norm. If there's one thing that I love about writing and reviewing products from golf manufacturers it's the opportunity to see brands develop and evolve.

Last year, I had the opportunity to test and review some pieces from premium apparel brand Carnoustie Sportswear. The pieces went through their paces and ultimately tested fairly well. The one sample piece had a minor issue that was more of a nit-picking thing for me. I hate it when the collars of my golf shirt roll.  Other than that I liked what I received to test. When Mary Beth Lacy of Mary Beth Lacy Inc. offered me the opportunity to once again test a piece from Carnoustie's Fall 2016 line there was no way that I would decline the chance. Especially, after seeing some of their range first-hand while attending the 2016 PGA Merchandise Show. The line-up looked amazing with terrific colour stories. I'm still stuck on this "magenta" colour that I saw on several of their pieces.

In case you are not familiar with Carnoustie Sportswear they are an apparel company that has been delivering premium apparel to consumers for over 20 years. The Irvine, California based company is known for their elegant styling, outstanding design and first-class workmanship. I was excited to learn that I would be receiving a piece from their Performance category. Some of the features of Carnoustie's Performance line include...

• Easy care (terrific for unpacking from a suitcase)
• Fabric that is lightweight
• A poly blend with Spandex that has wicking characteristics
• Anti-Microbial
• Polos that offer UV Protection (great for long days in the sun)

When I finally received my parcel I unboxed a piece that looked as elegant and as tasteful as any piece of apparel that I have reviewed up to this point. My particular polo to review was the Classic Player's Stripe Performance Polo. Upon removing the cellophane packaging in my hands was a piece that had a "silky" hand of fabric. Aesthetically speaking the polo was sharp and the mostly black fabric with stripes featuring orange and creamy hues. These are colours that one can easily connect with autumn. The 3 white buttons of the placket contrasts nicely while the black knit collar is orange on the underside. This is perfect for the golfer that wants to "pop" their collar. A look that I haven't personally used myself for a long time but would do with this polo. On the reverse side of the shirt you will find the Carnoustie logo emblazoned between the shoulder blades.

Testing for this piece would involve a few different phases. Because this piece got to me so late I had to be creative with putting it through it's paces. The first test was the "Easy Care Test". Execution of this test was simply to see how it would perform after being laundered. Honestly, I was real curious to see if there was any roll of the collar. So after putting it through the wash (Carnoustie recommends machine wash cold and tumble dry). I simply observed that there was no roll of the collar and for the most part the shirt was wrinkle free. Exactly what the "jet-setter" looks for in attire. If needed, you may iron this fabric but the recommendation is to use a warm iron. 

The second phase of the testing was "The Wear Test". One thing about last year's models was that the fits were definitely traditional as opposed to "Euro-style" (see Slim Fit). This still rings very true of the Classic player's Stripe Polo that I tested. Honestly, I should have went with a large as opposed to an extra large. The fit was baggy which is of course was no fault of Carnoustie. Simply put the onus was on me. On carnoustiesportswearonline.com they have a fitting guide and my recommendation is to use it accordingly to ensure the best possible fit for you. I would wear the polo on the course for nine holes and a practice session indoors. After all it is golf in the "Great White North". I was pleased with the lack of constriction. Even though the polo did not fit properly in the shoulders (thus making the sleeves longer than they normally would be) my swing was not hindered and the polo remained very comfortable. The Classic Player's Stripe Performance Polo wears very well. I would love to get my hands on a large the next time around.

So if it's cold outside and comfortable enough in a dome so as not to break into a sweat... how do we test the all important moisture-wicking qualities? The answer is... use the sauna at the gym where you're a member. I was determined to see how the wicking qualities were and although it was unorthodox I would use the sauna for the "Sweat Test". So after a workout I wore the polo into the sauna. It's a dry sauna and it is a comfortable 90* inside. Eventually, I began to glisten and beads of sweat came from my pores. The test was underway and after 15 minutes in the sauna I was able to conclude that the polo in question wicked away the moisture from the body. In combination with a breeze on the links, the Classic Player's Performance Polo would keep golfer's comfortable a dry during their round.

In conclusion,  the Classic Player's Performance Polo is a very nice piece of golf apparel. Smooth fabric of hand, performance and styling that doesn't quit it would be a great piece to add to any golfer's apparel collection.