Testers Announced: Galway Bay Rain Gear

[GolfSpy_BEN]

Galway Bay is known for producing high-quality, all-weather golf apparel, and we’re looking for four golfers to test their latest products. You’ll be testing the Corrib Golf Rain Jacket, Claddagh Chino Rain Pant, and either the Cappagh Performance Hybrid Vest or the Foyle Performance Hybrid Mid-layer. These products are designed to protect golfers from the elements while ensuring comfort and performance on the course. The Corrib Jacket in particular includes changes that were direct results from feedback given in our previous Forum member review. So can these products live up to their claims of weather resistance, comfort, and mobility?

Key Products:

• Corrib Golf Rain Jacket: Promises waterproof protection with breathability and stretch for easy movement. How does it hold up in heavy rain, and does it allow for a full range of motion during a swing?
• Claddagh Chino Rain Pant: Designed to keep you dry without sacrificing style or comfort. Does it really provide the mobility needed for a full round of golf in wet conditions?
• Cappagh Performance Hybrid Vest or Foyle Performance Hybrid Mid-layer: Testers can choose between these two versatile layering pieces, both aimed at adding warmth without compromising flexibility. Do they offer the right balance of warmth, breathability, and mobility on the course?

The Testing Opportunity
We have selected the following four golfers to test these products, assessing everything from comfort to how well they hold up in tough weather conditions. Your feedback will be shared with the MyGolfSpy community to help golfers understand if Galway Bay’s rain gear is worth the investment.

Please welcome and congratulate our testers:

@slash25rc

@mwade4040

@RajMahal

@djahubes

[slash25rc]

Introduction

Thank you to the MGS staff and Galway Bay for this amazing opportunity to test and review these products. I cannot wait to see how they perform in various elements!

My name is Rustin—I am 33 years old and live in Morganton, North Carolina. I grew up around the game due to my father constantly playing while I was growing up. He has worked at the same place since I was born and worked 12-hour shifts allowing him to have 2 days off one week, and 5 off the next allowing a lot of time to play. He and his work friends on the same schedule used to pack an ’87 conversion van up and play all over NC, SC, TN, and VA every day they had off. In the summers, I was fortunate to accompany him on these golf trips and learned a lot about the game. There was one major downfall in this: I didn’t care much for the game. I was interested in football, playing guitar, and singing (I cut a gospel album when I was 7 which occupied a lot of my childhood time). I played one year of high school golf my freshman year, but that was primarily for the perks of getting to walk around on a private course with my friends every evening after school in the Spring. The one tournament I qualified to play in, using my father’s clubs, I shot a whopping 122 in the rain. I did not touch a club for over a decade afterwards.

Fast forward to 2 years after graduating from Appalachian State University with a BS in Healthcare Management, I was bartending at Appalachian Mountain Brewery, and I met my now wife in 2016. After we realized things could be getting serious, she happened to mention, “Do you play golf?”. I responded with, “I have, even a little high school golf”, not knowing where this was going. Turns out, her father was a member at 3 private courses and had a home on one of them and lived and breathed the sport. So, essentially, the game creeped back into my life because I knew I would not have anything in common with my girlfriend’s father. I went to Golf Galaxy and bought an entire set of M3 clubs with regular flex shafts and started playing. Within 3 months, I was asked to play in a member-guest with my future father-in-law, and even with his 4-hcp index at the time, we came in dead last. He still gives me flack on introducing the “I played golf in high school” angle to him.

After that, I became determined to figure this game out—upgraded my clubs over time, joined the public course in Boone, NC, and eventually felt I was good enough to get fit for clubs. When we moved down the mountain, the pandemic hit. This allowed for several things: I went back and got my MBA, we purchased a house together, got married, and I joined the local private course, Mimosa Hills GC in the Spring of 2020. Having time off from work and only going to school remotely, I was at the course every day that I could. Over the years, I have lowered my handicap from an *infinity* to as low as a 9.3 breaking 80 4 times.

Currently, I am playing at a 13-index due to life changes. After graduating from UNC Wilmington with my MBA, I was offered a job at a group ophthalmic practice in the area overseeing 4 locations and over 20 providers. I handle all of our quality data reporting and shareholder compensation for the practice in my role on the Administration team. This has kept me busy from 8a-5p most days! More importantly, my wife gave birth to a beautiful girl 18 months ago. While this has been a change, it has been an exciting and fruitful adventure and have enjoyed easing her into getting on the course more and more with me. I look forward to her getting older and will embrace any interest she has in the game fully.

 

Overall, I am a bogey golfer and happy with rounds in the low to mid 80s—honestly limiting 3 putts and keeping doubles off the cards are my biggest concern. Over the last few months, I have really worked on my approach shots, short game, and putting to the point that has really improved. Now, I am struggling on the tee box so constantly having to scramble after an OB or hazard drop to muster up a bogey. I hope to improve upon that part of my game now! Outside of the courses we play at, I have a nice little practice set up at home with a hitting mat, net, and Full Swing Kit Launch Monitor that my brother-in-law and I trade back and forth every couple of months. At the family beach house, we are grateful for a Full Swing Simulator where the men can be found into the wee hours of the night.

Alongside being a member at Mimosa Hills GC, my wife and I are also currently in the membership process at Linville Golf Club at the Eseeola Lodge 40 minutes away in Linville, NC. This beautiful Donald Ross course designed in 1924 has been our second home and the location of our engagement, marriage, and where we hope our family can spend our summers moving forward. It is by far the greatest course I have had the opportunity to play.

The photos above showcase the beautiful holes 11 and 8/9 at Linville Golf Club with Grandfather Mountain providing a wonderful backdrop.

The photo above is from this summer, when the club celebrated its Centennial celebration. In 1924, the first tree was cut on what would be hole 1; where this tree stood, there is a plaque commemorating the location that was placed a century ago. During the Great Depression, many members headed to the mountains to stay, and the President of the club would challenge members to see how close they could hit a ball towards the plaque for $5 (which was a lot of money considering the time!). So, to celebrate this tradition, we hit old hickory sticks from around 130 yards out to this plaque—thankfully, no betting was involved since I feel the stakes would have been higher now.

Currently, I play a mixed bag to what suits my needs. The only thing I wish to upgrade at some point would be my irons as I feel like I will benefit from moving to a Player’s Distance iron compared to a true Game Improvement set. The complete WITB is listed in my signature, but below are photos of my current set up!

Now, to the nitty gritty:

Galway Bay Rain Gear!

When playing in the mountains and foothills regions of Western NC, the weather can change without notice. Luckily, at Linville GC, some of the storms in the high country can be diverted around the course once fronts smash into Grandfather Mountain sitting at 5,946’, but rain gear and a sturdy umbrella are a must, even on the sunniest of days. With the cooler months approaching, the courses close down for the winter in the mountains, but pins are still in place and for use unless any maintenance is being performed. I look forward to using the products over the coming months as the temperatures begin to drop. I have never been this excited to play golf in the cold and potential rain!

I plan to test the Corrib Jacket, Claddagh Chino Pants, and either the Foyle Performance Mid-layer or the Cappagh Performance Hybrid Vest in several ways. The obvious routes would be playing golf, walking, and performing daily activities in adverse conditions. On weeks where rain seems to be outside of the forecast, we have the ability to drive somewhere where it may not be as desired to get in cooler/wetter conditions with the mountains so close by. I will also do forced testing and have my wife spray me with the rain shower setting on the water hose if need be--I am sure she will accept the task gladly. For the layering options, the temperatures will have to drop a bit more to fully utilize these products, but I may or may not have access to a few walk-in brewery coolers in the event the coming Winter months are mild.

Comparison wise, I will review the Galway Rain Gear against my current set system, the Foot Joy Hydrolite Rain Jacket and Pants, see below. While FJ is a staple among the golfing community, I have my quarrels with the products I currently have and cannot wait to see how the Galway Bay line performs.

In order to make it in the bag, I want a product that is obviously waterproof. Galway Bay boasts a waterproof and breathability rating of 30,000 which is incredible. In my experience, some rain gear products have felt like a trash bag and end up in an infrared sauna in the summertime rain rounds. Breathability is a major determining factor in if it stays in the bag or not. Also, with golf being a game of movement, range of motion in the swing should not be hindered. Again, other systems can be too tight in the shoulders and other areas inhibiting a quality swing. No one wants to feel like they are in a straitjacket playing golf!

I am excited about the Galway Bay products after reading previous reviews on their products, despite never hearing about this brand until the testing announcement was made. I hope these tests and reviews can bring even more positive recognition of the brand and their products. At their price point, materials used, waterproof/breathability ratings, and overall quality Galway Bay states, I expect these to meet and exceed all expectations!

Stay tuned for Unboxing & First Impressions coming soon!!

 

Edited Thursday at 02:59 PM by slash25rc

[mwade4040]

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[RajMahal]

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[djahubes]

Introduction:

            I would like to take this opportunity to thank MGS Forum staff, Galway Bay, and forum members for allowing me this opportunity to test and review Galway Bay’s rain system.  My name is Dave, and I have been in the Navy for 25 years.  The nature of my work has afforded me the opportunity to golf all over the world.  I have been playing golf pretty much my whole life.  Like many who get into the game, my father was a huge part in fostering my interest.  This picture is when he and I finally broke through and won the father-son tournament, probably the best day I have ever had on the course, both in terms of play, and memory.  I was also able to get him out to Pebble Beach for father’s day, another amazing memory.  That really is the best part about golf.  It is more than a game.  It is a place to build relationships, spend time with those we care about, and cultivate memories.

 

                                                             " PCC Father-Son (2014)"                                                                                                                 Hoping to win with this kid in 2030

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                       

                                                           

"A Spy in Hawaii"

 

Currently, I am stationed in Virginia Beach, VA.  My game these days is pedestrian at best and my handicap has slowly crept north, moving from a 7 to and 11 over the past few years.  Multiple factors at play, but I have recently put a lot of time into getting better; hitting the range and working on some speed training to try to get the mojo back.  I recently went through a fitting and have found a setup that works……for now.  Anyone who knows me knows that I am a complete gear schizophrenic.  Nothing is safe in the bag.  The longest tenured club in my bag was an Evenroll ER2 that just got the boot! 

I really do not know much about Galway other than that they consistently get high marks from MGS.  I have all Dryjoy rain gear, pants, jacket, layers etc.  My plan is to review each Galway piece, Pants, Jacket, base layer separately as individual items, then as a system as a whole.  What I am really looking to test is Form, Fit, Function (Sorry I am military).

Form - Design, Style, and Fabric

Fit - Shape and Size

Function - Activity and Purpose

I will test on the range, course, and just walking around whenever it rains.  The key piece for me with any rain gear is freedom of movement and keeping me dry.  If I am braving the weather to play golf, I want to play unrestricted, otherwise, I would prefer to sit in the bar and wait for the weather to cooperate. 

Here's hoping for BAD WEATHER - - - - GO BILLS!!!

 

 

Standby for Unboxing, First Impressions, and Detailed analysis.  I will do my best to test Galway in the conditions that provide the most insight.  If anyone is going to invest significant money, then it should perform as advertised.  I intend to be fair, open and honest in the review process with the hope that if you chose to make the investment you have as much information as possible.  Feel free to let me know of anything specific you would like to see and I will try to include it or with any questions that come to mind. Thanks again. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited Tuesday at 09:17 PM by djahubes
testing functionality

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations testers! 

[Shrek74]

3 hours ago, GolfSpy_BEN said:

Please welcome and congratulate our testers:

@slash25rc

@mwade4040

@RajMahal

@djahubes

Congrats, testers!!! Quick, head over to FL/GA/SC with your gear!!  Good luck with the test. Stay dry!

[TJ Hall]

Congratulations testers!  Interested to hear your thoughts on any improvements that were made since the last test.

[RemingtonR]

Congrats guys, I can't wait to hear the results and see if the juice is worth the squeeze!

22 hours ago, Shrek74 said:

Congrats, testers!!! Quick, head over to FL/GA/SC with your gear!!  Good luck with the test. Stay dry!

Lets hope they stay dry 

[slash25rc]

Big thanks to MGS and Galway Bay for this amazing opportunity! I cannot wait to see how the Galway Bay products perform and what changes were made from previous testing recommendations. You have got to respect a company that values user recommendations! 

[LeakyValve]

Congrats testers. Now go get wet!

[rkj427]

Congrats. to this group.

Hope that you find this rain gear as high quality, and keeping you both warm and dry as many others have.

[Mrich2021]

Congratulations to the testers! Hit it far when wet!

[WaffleHouseTour]

Testers- please give us an update on if the new jacket addresses the issue of getting in the way of your putter when bent at the waist like I experienced here:

 

[Shapotomous]

I wore my Galway Bay rain pants yesterday for the drizzly scramble and was very dry and comfortable.  They didnt get me all sweaty and swampy so the breathability factor definitely works.

I look forward to the reviews of the latest gear.

[Rearviewmirror]

3 hours ago, Shapotomous said:

I wore my Galway Bay rain pants yesterday for the drizzly scramble and was very dry and comfortable.  They didnt get me all sweaty and swampy so the breathability factor definitely works.

I look forward to the reviews of the latest gear.

Were they the type you wear over your pants or the standalone ones?

I'm playing Pebble in December and will need to make some rain gear investments just in case, so this Galway Bay gear test is very timely!

[Shapotomous]

23 minutes ago, Rearviewmirror said:

Were they the type you wear over your pants or the standalone ones?

I'm playing Pebble in December and will need to make some rain gear investments just in case, so this Galway Bay gear test is very timely!

They are the renmore 5 pocket rain pants - standalone type.  They just had a 30% off code for the forum members, mgs30.  Not sure if it is still viable or not.