Some people just love to golf. I mean LOVE to golf. They get up early in the morning -- raining or sunny, pack up the clubs and golf gear and maybe a few bottles of water and away they go. At the course they may opt for a golf cart or choose to carry the clubs, but either way, they are anxious to start the game. Maybe they will pair up with another person or two; someone that golfs the way they do and won’t hinder the game. Either way, they are ready for the challenge of a competitive game. They tee off, spot their ball and the day begins.

And, that’s when the fun begins. Comparing clubs, golf balls, tees, what manufacturers of golf clubs are better than the other one, who has the best golf grippers and golf shoes, who will get a hole in one and who has the best new golf gadgets. Maybe they will try out each other’s gadgets just to make sure that they won’t need one, or maybe they might.

Either way, gadgets are unique in that they tend to be something that we could actually use. Take for instance that day on the course and it starts to rain. You forgot the umbrella and don’t really care if you’ll get wet, but you don’t want the clubs to get wet. A towel will help, but it will eventually get wet, too. I have been in these circumstances many times and have wondered what the solution would be.

Recently, a manufacturer contacted me to try out some of their new golf gadgets. The first one was a towel. It wasn’t just any ordinary towel; it could be both wet and dry at the same time. The towel is called the Amphibian towel and is made of 100% bamboo, making it able to hold three times more water than a cotton towel and it is anti-fungal, too. It also has a carabineer that attaches the towel directly to the golf bag.

I tried out the towel on a sunny day on the course and was still impressed with its unique properties. I wet one side of the towel to clean the dirt off my clubs and used the dry outside to dry them off. No need to carry 2 towels and worry about where to put them. It was soft, easy to carry and came in a pretty shade of blue that matched my golf bag. The Amphibian towel took care of all my needs.

Presently, the Amphibian Towel is sold online at the Frogger website: www.froggergolf.com. The towel can be purchased for $24.95 and comes in different shades of blue, orange, and black. This is a big “10” in my rating.

Next on the list of golf gadgets was an item called the Brushpro. This unique brush is designed to remove dirt and grime from the grooves in the golf clubs. Made of 100% nylon bristles, the Brushpro gets into even the tiniest of grooves to get out that dirt that causes shots to go astray. It also has a retractable snap back cord making it even easier to clean the clubs. Plus, a huge factor when I am reviewing something is that it is “green” conscious and the Brushpro is, with its replaceable parts.

I really liked this brush in that it was small enough to keep in my golf bag, kept my golf clubs always clean, is “green” conscious, comes in different colors: gray, blue, red and orange and is priced reasonably at only $14.95. Brush head replacements sell for $4.95. The Brushpro is sold online at the Frogger website: www.froggergolf.com.

The last golf gadget that I received was an item that is designed to protect the shaft of the golf clubs. It is the manufacturer came up with a catchy name for the shaft protecting, naming it Shaft Skinz as works just like a skin to protect the golf club. The main function of the Shaft Skinz is to protect the golf shaft from those nasty scrapes, scratches and nicks which will eventually turn into a rust spot. It is golf sleeve that fits easily over the grip and shrinks to fit the contour of the shaft, with the help of heat from a hair dryer. While this lightweight skin provides protection an important fact is that it does not affect the playability of the shaft.

The Shaft Skinz can also reflect your personality, since it comes in many different styles and colors, ranging from red champagne, camo, confetti, new fire, puzzle, skull and blue snakeskin. Since I am a bubbly type of person, I would opted for the red skinz. Though I am not one to opt for the fancy club coverings that some players like, there are those that like to go golfing in style. What did appeal to me was the fact that the skins did protect the shaft from getting nicked and eventually turning into a rust spot.

The Shaft Skinz can be purchased at your local golf pro shops. To find a local retailer, please visit the Shaft Skinz website at: www.shaftskinz.com.

And, now with all of my really neat golf accessories, I am headed for the course, come rain or come shine.

FORE!

About the author, Linda Eagleson: Linda Eagleson has been a writer for as long as she can remember. She has been published in local papers, anthologies, and columns, and participates in poetry slams throughout the state.