Search the Community

ECCO® GOLF Introduces S-LITE Revolutionary Design Creates Brand’s Lightest-Ever Leather Golf Shoe (LONDONDERRY, NH) – ECCO – a leading manufacturer of innovative footwear – unveils ECCO S-LITE, a one-of-a-kind hybrid shoe which breaks boundaries as the brand’s lightest-ever leather golf shoe. ECCO S-LITE takes a fresh, innovative approach to golf shoe design by blending cutting-edge engineering and comfort to ensure an ultra-light on-course experience. A multi-injection production process offers a TPU outsole that’s 66% thinner than ECCO has previously created, perfect as a packable playing option. “By owning our own tanneries and manufacturing processes, ECCO GOLF continues to find ways to deliver golfers truly distinctive footwear,” says Jesper Thuen, General Manager, ECCO GOLF USA. “This passion for performance and design is exemplified in S-LITE.” A stylish, diamond-shaped embossing on the ECCO RICH TWO-TONE YAK leather upper reduces weight while increasing comfort, and a soft textile lining provides natural water repellency and breathability. The E-DTS™ LITE outsole offers on-and-off course traction and durability with exceptional flexibility. A molded leather heel counter and inside toe reinforcement offer additional support ensuring stable footing throughout the swing. Other unique features and benefits include: Premium, durable ECCO YAK leather, made in the company’s own tanneries An award-winning E-DTS™ LITE hybrid outsole design that adds more than 100 traction studs and 800 traction angles for excellent grip in all playing conditions FLUIDFORM™ Technology which is a ‘state change’ process that uses specialized fluid materials to form around an anatomical last, ensuring a finely-tuned balance of cushioning and rebound, while also creating an integral, flexible and durable bond, without the compromises common with stitched or glued assemblies A PU midsole with a PU wing, wrapping the sides of the foot delivers stability on and off the course A premium soft leather foot bed that offers a soft feel and natural moisture management ECCO GOLF shoes are worn in competition around the world by European Ryder Cup Captain Thomas Bjørn, Fred Couples, Lydia Ko, Minjee Lee and Caroline Masson, among others. ABOUT ECCO ECCO®, a world-leading brand of shoes combining style and comfort, has built its success on great design and leather quality, and innovative technology. Founded in Denmark in 1963, ECCO is one of the few major shoe manufacturers in the world, which owns and manages every aspect of its leather and shoe productions, and its retail sales. ECCO is among the largest producers in the world of high-quality leather, which is used in ECCO’s shoes, and own production of leather goods and is also sold to several leading luxury brands. Today, ECCO products are sold in 87 countries in more than 3,300 ECCO shops and shop-in-shops, and at more than 14,000 sales points around the world. The company is family-owned and employs more than 19,000 people worldwide. ECCO USA is based in Londonderry, New Hampshire. For more information: www.eccousa.com, 800.886.3226.

Heading to Florida Monday for an ECCO golf shoe launch event -- it's the new SS17 series. Do you guys have any questions for ECCO? Ernie Els will be the spokesman - cannot wait to see The Big Easy swing a golf club in person. Next to Freddy Couples he has to most enviable swing I've ever seen. We should be able to get some time with him -- any questions you like me to ask Ernie? The event will be at PGA National in West Palm Beach on Tuesday - weather permitting we might be able to get a few holes in. There will be some Periscope broadcasting going on, so give me a follow on Twitter if you want to catch the play by play!

Ecco Biom Hybrid 2 Walking the floor of the 2015 PGA Show this past January, I couldn't help but notice a buzz that consumed one particular booth inside the Orange County Convention Center. I am uncertain if it was the presence of their touring professionals signing autographs, or the unveiling of the new shoes set to launch this year. The atmosphere was remarkable, and I had the opportunity to spend some time inside the booth. One particular shoe captured my attention almost immediately. The Ecco Biom Hybrid 2 was that shoe and is the second coming of an already successful model for the Danish company. The Ecco Biom Hybrid 2 launched this past spring, and I had the opportunity to give the shoe a closer look. If you have read any of my shoe previews in the past, you know I am a connoisseur of the low profile, minimalist shoes. There is just something about their feel, a natural connection between your feet and the turf. For the past five years, they've been the style of shoe I have gravitated toward. The wider toe box and slipper-like comfort has a proven track record with my size 10 hooves. Out of the box, the second coming of the Biom Hybrid is 15% lighter than the original. Like my three iron off the tight fairway grass, the engineers thinned out the midsole so the foot is closer to the turf. A consistent notable feature in Ecco shoes is the out of the box comfort factor. It is difficult to find any shoemaker in the game that does this better. On the foot, and laced up, the Biom Hybrid 2 feels like shoe that's had 30 rounds on them. Ecco golf shoes are constructed by using what Ecco calls an “Advanced Direct-Injection Process.” This process is the marriage of the upper and outsole without the use of glue or stitching. Ecco explains this is important for three reasons, a water-tight seal, outstanding flexibility, and immediate comfort. The Biom Hybrid 2 are designed using Yak Leather. Yak looks and feels a bit more weathered giving it a natural or raw look to the leather. Yak is three times tougher than regular cowhide. Ecco utilizes this in golf shoes for its abrasion resistance as well as flexibility. Ecco treats the leather with a formula they call “Hydromax” for anti-stain and water resistance. Flipping the shoe over, the Biom Hybrid 2 incorporates a “Dual-Density” outsole which is harder in the stability areas, and softer where stability is less important. The maximization of comfort. Ecco scanned the feet of 2,500 athletes (missed the invite) in the design of an anatomically shaped last. On the course, the Biom Hybrid are one of the most comfortable and flexible shoes I've worn. With a wider toe box is unrestrictive and allows the toes to move with freedom. The sole of the shoe wraps up around the toe area to protect against premature wear from the follow-through of the golf swing. The Biom Hybrid 2 shoes are an absolute joy to play the game in. In your hands, the design elements are readily apparent, it's a well designed, well constructed shoe that is one of the most comfortable I've worn. MSRP: $195 www.eccousa.com

Greetings I see a lot of products over the year, much of it gets covered in reviews such as the Holiday Buyers Guides, Ball Guides or Speed Reviews, but I think it's important to let you guys know what stays in the bag or hasn't survived the test of time. This is the 2015 MBP Gear in Play thread. Featured are 22 products that are bag fixtures, I continue to scrutinize or just new pending some sort of review. I've listed a brief overview of each with general comments, but I'm starting this thread to open up each one for questions and discussion. So ask away, or maybe even leave your own impressions of a product listed here. Look forward to hearing from you guys. ACCESSORIES Best Grips Drivershoes and Puttershoes I'm constantly asked at the range; course etc where I got the driver cover. It's a serious head turner. Feels and smells like genuine leather Takes a beating an holds up well after over a year's use Soft internal lining Stitch Golf Covers The leather is good; although not quite as plush as I've seen Looks are really nice in person with nice detail and great color selection Internal lining is very thin and doesn't imply luxury Tight fit on large driver heads Garmin Approach S6 Mrs. MBP swears by the easy to read plethora of data Comfortable on wrist Data is quite accurate when verified against my laser GRIPS Best Grips Microperf I love grabbing the water bottle, soaking the grip and handing them to someone to see their “Holy crap it's even tackier!” reaction. Super tacky Love the feel of leather The stitching down the back isn't for everyone 2015 Pure Grips DTX and P2 Wraps I wasn't a fan of previous generation pure grips. They always felt as if they were dusty and instilled not confidence of not flying out the hands. Much tackier than before Comfortable with good feedback DTX tend to twist in the textured areas a little SHOES Biion I reviewed these last year and immediately fell in love. Yes, I've suffered through my detractors who I still call friend with comments like “Take off those Rubbermaid shoes”, but I continue to wear them. Super comfortable No smell after (serious I stuck my nose in) Quick and convenient to throw on and go (driving is fine) Great traction ECCO Biom Very sturdy, stable feeling Wide fit whether that's a good or bad thing – good for me Awesome toe protection – can wear on range mats without wearing out Footjoy DNA They hug and mold to your feet with their cool fitfoam system. I wasn't expecting this kind of support and will admit my feet ached for the first hour I wore them. By the end of that days round I was sold on their comfort. Fit to size Super comfy Really good traction Nike Lunar Control 3 Just took them out of the box, more to come Wide toe box Went a half size up for best fit True Linkswear Gent Wingtips Well don't I look all fancy! Fit wide Scuff easily Sole peeled back on first pair in 8 rounds BALLS From the Direct to Consumer Ball Guide 3UP, Lightning, Monsta, Nicklaus and Snell These balls all compete on a tour level but there are a few shining stars. Snell Very controlled spin Bombs off driver Feels great Nicklaus Crazy low bombing driver spin Solid feel Really good wedge touch/Spin TaylorMade Project A They claim it's like a Pro V 1 and they're pretty close. Sweet soft feel Mid-flight trajectory Surprising spin CLUBS Ping G30 Driver This club is all shaft dependent for me to ensure I keep the spin down. I've gone with a 73g Paderson and so far so good. Accurate Predictable ball flight Freakin loud Nike Vapor Pro For those who like to hit non-ballooning, line-drive bullets. I've had this driver one weekend and I look for every excuse to hit it. Talk about a perfect fit for me stock with the Diamana S+ shaft. Mishits carry much further than what I'm used to Really accurate Great soft feel face Flat trajectory TaylorMade Rsi2 Irons Love these Straight Mishits carry better Feel is really nice for a GI with forge faces Titleist 915 HD Hybrids Yes it's dirty, but you needed to see how often I use it. I look for a reason to hit hybrid because of this club. I will mention I'm test driving a Paderson Hybrid shaft in this one and the combination is great. Accurate Workable Feels good Ping Ketsch 352% more accurate from 5 feet? Yup 8 feet and in seems automatic I find it tough to adjust to for lag putting SHAFTS Paderson Irons I've got a thread already that I need to update with a mini review, but I will say these are the straightest damn iron shafts I've ever played. Distance is good, not phenomenal Good feedback Strong but smooth Great flat trajectory So there you they are, a bevy of goodies for us to discuss.

Posted this Saturday in another thread, but wanted to give it its own thread. This was my first PGA show - and I hope it won't be my last! Here's a quick rundown on the product experience highlights... 1. Talking with Jesse Ortiz -- the man is a legend in golf club design and is one of the nicest gentlemen I've met in a long time. That he spent about 20 minutes talking with a nobody like me was very flattering. He has some strong opinions about the state of golf equipment and how equipment is sold and marketed -- and he's funny as hell. Best of many gems he shared - he sees the equipment industry morphing into something similar to the beer industry - there's growing room for the micro-brews or regional brews, as well at the Buds, Coors and Millers. He sees the golf industry moving in the same direction. Oh, and the new Bobby Jones putters look awesome! 2. Hitting the Hogans -- hit a crap-ton of irons during demo day and the show, and the Hogan irons were certainly the "buzz" of the show. Their booth was an homage to the Hogan tradition, and the business cards they were handing out were badass -- with the iconic Hogan 1-iron from the US Open on the back. The irons? Nothing short of outstanding in my opinion. Not sure how the loft-idea is going to work out, but I like the fact that they're going to work through pros and fitters -- so you CAN try them through those channels. And the products will all be custom ordered - so the pro won't have to stock much of anything. They'll build them to spec every time. These are going to be interesting to keep an eye on. 3. Irons in general - it's a great time to be an iron buyer. Of all the irons I had the chance to try, my faves were - in no particular order - Hogan, Wilson FG 100 Blade, Wilson FG Tour V4, Srixon 545 and 745, all of the Bridgestones and Epon from Japan. If you're "into" forged feeling irons, these are as clean, crisp and smooth as they come. Would game any of them in a heartbeat. 4. Vega --- Vega irons were also up there, and I gotta say, I really liked their driver. You don't hear much about Vega, but they have some pretty nice equipment. It's not inexpensive, but it's very, very good. 5. Big Max push carts --- got the full demo on their entire line. Big Max is the number one line of "trolleys" in Europe, and you can see why. Versatile, easy to set up and take down, easy to store with lots - and I mean LOTS - of really cool and well thought out features. Keep an eye on them - you'll be seeing more of them in the coming months. Best push cart that I saw.... 6. DST Training Clubs -- these suckers have bent shafts. It's a training aid designed to force you to keep your hands in front of the club face at impact, so you're leveraging all your power and hitting down on the ball. It's a weird feel at first, but it's one of those training aids that will find a permanent home in my bag, seeing as how I'm a chronic flipper. 7. Royal Albatross Shoes -- Winner of the MGS Most Wanted Shoe challenge - these things are gorgeous, comfortable and gorgeous. Not to mention comfortable. Pricey, but good footwear may be the most underrated item in the game. 8. ECCO - speaking of footwear, these guys are playing chess while most of the rest of the industry (Royal Albatross excluded) is playing checkers. The new lines - especially the spikeless street shoes - are nothing short of spectacular. 9. Biion -- another shoe company. We've had reviews by GolfSpy MPB here, and quite frankly, I didn't get his enthusiasm. I do now. You really have to see them in person to get the full color pop, and they are "slip-on" comfy. I see them in my future, too. 10. MLA Putters -- from Switzerland - the aiming mechanism is really unique and effective. If you have an issue with squaring up the putter face, one of these will help you with your alignment. Again, it looks a little weird, but sometime weird gets it done. 11. Zepp -- had never tried one before, but boy are they helpful little devices. Was worried I'd be distracted by having the little sensor device on my glove hand, but once it was on I never noticed it once. And I absolutely loved the feedback and swing information it gave you. Can see this as being a huge tool for instructors and for swing-junkies. The hands don't lie. 12. Kentwool Socks - have your say, Furu! Actually, I've been a fan of Kentwool for a long time, and at this very moment wearing a pair of their compression socks on the plane. Bought these over a month ago and always wear them when flying - they are the cat's behind! Got to meet the owner of Kentwool at the show and - like Jesse Ortiz - was very friendly, frank and giving of his time to a no one like me. We had a great chat and he made me an even bigger fan of his company. 13. Golf Knickers.com -- Another product that looks way better in person than in pictures. I see an MGS Golf Knicker Invitational in our future -- great colors and styles. You want to stand out on a course? These will do it, but when you dress like that you better bring your A-game! 14. Lambda Golf Shoes -- all leather from Portugal. Great designs - awesome looking shoe. Didn't get to try them on, so can't speak to their comfort, but Golly Moses they're purdy. 15. Renegar Wedges -- liked the new forged design with the notched sole. Hope we see more of these - good looking and produced by another industry maverick. Pay attention to them. 16. iZulu Golf - from South Africa. A custom fitting system to be sold through golf pros. Irons with interchangeable faces (for fitting purposes), driver with low CG pods (not unlike NIke's, but not similar, either), and some of the nicest hybrids I hit at the show. Their mallet putter looked like a Transformer - you can move the weight back for fast greens and up for slow greens. They're a ways away from becoming a presence here - if they ever will be, but their stuff is pretty solid. 17. New Stich headcovers -- no words other than "Bad-Ass-Looking!" Really cool new designs.

ECCO BIOM ZERO GOLF SHOES Initial Impressions FROM ECCO: Improve your game with the BIOM Zero, the lightest most flexible and low-profile golf shoe ECCO has ever produced. This minimalist inspired men's golf shoe is made with a premium Yak leather upper and water-repellent Hydromax™ treatment; the second skin leather lining wicks away moisture while remaining remarkably soft. With BIOM technology this ultra-lightweight, exceptionally low profile golf shoe has dynamic traction and takes comfort to the next level with an experience that's as close as you can get to playing barefoot. UPPERS MADE OF YAK LEATHER The first thing you immediately notice freeing the Biom Zero from their box is the smell of fine leather. There is no doubt in one's mind that ECCO has produced a high end luxury shoe here and really making it apparent is just how soft they are. The outer leather has been treated with ECCO's patented Hydromax treatment and reinforced by a second skin lining to ensure your toes stay dry when it matters. BIOM ANATOMICALLY SHAPED The fit is quite remarkable even for my slightly wider than normal feet. ECCO say it's as close to playing barefoot as one can get I must agree, the shoe almost molds to your foot and being “Ultra-Lightweight” means at no time does it feel out of place. There's really good arch support and noticeable outer stability as well. The inlay is “anatomically shaped” to cradle your and pamper your feet in a very cushioned foam. I just gotta say it; these things are uber comfy. LOWER TO THE GROUND, NATURAL MOTION TECHNOLOGY There really isn't much sole to these at all, but fear not this does not come off as unnatural compared to what you normally might be used to. Those from a traditionally thicker sole should have no trouble transitioning to the BIOMs. Once again, as pointed out before there's a lot of stability to the BIOM ZERO's. ECCO-DYNAMIC TRACTION SYSTEM® (E-DTS®) HYBRID TECHNOLOGY Spike-less? Yes. Traction-less? No. ECCO's “soft Spike” Dynamic Ttraction System® is along to ensure you don't slip when the pressures on. Look for a follow up report after I've had a chance to put some serious playing time on these. FOR MORE INFO: http://us.shop.ecco.com/men-golf/ecco-mens-biom-zero-golf-lace-130314.html?dwvar_130314_color=58247#cgid=golf-men-biom http://ca.shop.ecco.com/

New Ecco Street shoe, the EVO One. I like the fact that it's in a wider platform. Maybe Ecco is starting to become an option for those of us with burger feet. ECCO Street EVO One Expands Horizons of Hybrid Golf Shoe Performance Patented E-DTS System Provides Unmatched Grip, Ground Feel and Stability (LONDONDERRY, NH) - Danish company ECCO – a leading manufacturer of innovative footwear – announces the launch of Street EVO One, a performance hybrid golf shoe combining the award-winning ECCO Dynamic Traction System (E-DTS) with an array of proprietary stabilization features. Embodying the shoemaking craftsmanship and technical advances for which ECCO is renowned, Street EVO One (MSRP $160) boasts a Direct-injected midsole with an integrated shank piece. This design cups and cushions a player's heel, delivering comfort and torsional support while creating an exceptionally stable platform from which golfers can power through each shot. Offering a slightly wider platform than previous versions of the best-selling Golf Street model, Street EVO One is built atop a patented outsole configuration of approximately 100 moulded traction bars and 800 traction angles. Constructed from TPU – a highly durable, wear-resistant material – these elements provide superb, Tour-quality grip. “The way Street EVO One looks, feels and plays puts it in a class by itself,” says Michael Waack, Head of Global Golf at ECCO. “It's yet another example of the advantages that come with our foot-first approach to designing and producing premium golf shoes.” As a key point of distinction, ECCO owns its factories and controls the entire shoemaking process – from raw materials to finished footwear. This dovetails with the company's position as one of the world's largest producers of luxury leathers. Street EVO One is offered in high-grade cow leather and genuine camel leather versions, both of which include the exclusive ECCO HYDROMAX™ tanned-in treatment for remarkable weather resistance. Showcasing an eye-catching, two-color outsole and modern classic upper, Street EVO One is part of the Spring/Summer 2014 men's golf collection that will be worn in competition by Tour stars like Fred Couples, Graeme McDowell, Thomas Bjorn, Thongchai Jaidee, Marcel Siem, Wu Ashun, Andreas Hartø and JB Hansen.