Equipment Update: Callaway Fusion Irons and More

The Callaway Fusion Wide Sole Irons lead the way in our latest equipment update. Other items include a forward-facing putter (the golfer faces the hole as he putts), a training aid popular with PGA Tour pros, and a couple more interesting items.

Callaway Fusion Wide Sole Irons
They're super premium, and super friendly. The Callaway Fusion Wide Sole Irons incorporate the weight-shifting Fusion technology that Callaway introduced two years ago, but with additional game-improvement enchancements. For example, the clubhead size is 25-percent larger than the original Fusion Iron clubhead; the Fusion Wide Sole Irons have a larger effective hitting area, greater stability and increased offset.

And, of course, the wider sole, which helps the clubhead glide smoothly through the grass while limiting digging on miss-hits. There is also an "ultra-dense" alloy fused to the bottom of those wider soles, further lowering the center of gravity.

Did we mention these irons are "super premium"? The MSRP is $1,440 with steel shafts and $1,800 with graphite shafts. Standard set configuration is 4-PW with SW; 2-iron, 3-iron, approach wedge and lob wedge are available separately. Callaway Web site

L2 Lateral Line Putter
The inventor's tagline is, "If you want different results, try something different." Makes sense to us. But is a forward-facing putter it? Well, if you've tried everything else and still aren't making putts, then why not?

The L2 Lateral Line Putter (pictured at right) is "forward facing"; that is, the golfer faces the hole at address, standing straight. His hips and shoulders are square and feet pointing to the target. The putter is held to the side, with one hand gripping the top of the putter while the arm on the side of the body on which the putter is held grips low and moves the putter in a pendulum swing to and fro.

Forward-facing putters have cropped up from time to time throughout golf history, and some of their inventors have argued forward-facing putting is a more natural stroke and a better way to read greens and gauge the proper speed. A different forward-facing putter has been in use on the European Tour for a couple years. For more info, visit the L2 Lateral Line Putter Web site.

Leaderboard Swing Trainer
Stuart Appleby is out front of the Leaderboard Swing Trainer, a golf training aid Appleby (along with Adam Scott, K.J. Choi, Robert Allenby, Geoff Ogilvy and others) regularly uses and credits with helping him maintain a correct - and powerful - swing. The Leaderboard consists of a pair of lightweight aluminum rails. Two non-slip platforms for the golfer's feet slide atop the rails. The third component is an elevated, artificial grass hitting station that brings the ball level with the foot platforms, allowing the golfer to hit balls while training on the Leaderboard.

Feeling the proper balance and achieving the proper timing are essential to hitting a good shot from the Leaderboard's sliding foot platforms. Add in the Leaderboard Power Cords for resistance training, and the aid develops the golfer's core muscles. Drills designed for the Leaderboard target four components of the swing - Set, Load, Store and Explode - and lead the golfer progressively through each.

The Leaderboard Swing Trainer costs just under $200 (plus shipping) at this writing, and comes with an instructional DVD featuring Appleby. Leaderboard Web site.

Dunning Golf Apparel
Apparel company Dunning Golf, whose stable of Tour players includes Zach Johnson and Bob Estes, is out with its Spring 2006 men's collection. The collection includes long and short-sleeve polos, mock turtlenecks, pull-overs, zip-necks, compression tops and bottoms, pants, shorts, and outerwear ... that about covers it, eh? Among those pieces, golfers can choose from more than 400 different styles and colors. Prices range from $50 per piece to $190. Dunning Golf Web site

Green Friendly Golf Belt
What's "green friendly" about a golf belt? This one has a ballmark repair tool built right into the belt tip to encourage golfers to repair their pitch marks. A ball marker is also built into the tip.

The belts come in several different styles and colors for both men and women. The belts are available at Brooks Brothers and Nordstroms stores, as well as several online golf retailers. Visit the Web site for more info.

L2 Lateral Line Putter photo courtesy of Fargo Toolite Inc.; Green Friendly Golf Belt photo courtesy of The Green Friendly Golf Co.