Welcome aboard

Many of you logging onto golf-monthly.co.uk will notice that we’ve recently revamped the old girl. Swinging into the heart of the season with a sparkling new website has given us the opportunity to devote more time to certain areas of the game we feel need greater attention. What better way to devote more time to testing the latest kit!

Barely a day goes by without a member of the GM postroom (yes, we have our own postroom) appearing with a big brown box and asking for a signature. Whatever might be lurking inside that box – driver or putter, balls or clothes – the excitement within the office begins to brew. Quite simply, seeing the latest kit before anyone else is of the best perks of this particular job.

As new kit makes it’s way round the office, with everyone having a waggle or even a full swing, we soon start to develop our own opinions. Being in such a unique and privileged position we felt it was important to share our first impressions with you, the readers.

So welcome to the first Golf Monthly equipment blog of 2008 – it’s good to have you on board. In the office at the moment are the new Callaway Tour Authentic X-prototype irons. Much to my surprise these have as thin a topline as the skinniest blades on the market. Beautiful to look at in the bag they might however seem a little scary at address.

Also recently received were TaylorMade’s new Burner TP fairway woods and hybrid. TM have stuck with the recipe that has worked so well for them in terms of fairway woods – the shape is classic and the low profile face makes this look easy to hit off the deck. The hybrid was smaller than I imagined with an almost triangular shaped sole.

Over the next few weeks Ping and Titleist will be launching new ranges. It’s all very hush hush at the moment but I expect to see, in particular, new drivers from both brands. I’ll report back when I get the chance.