The Taylor Made Burner Rescue Hybrid, new on the market in 2007, is Taylor Made’s best product yet in this area. The 65 gram graphite shaft and the light weight grip are perfect matches for the relatively light weight club head. I have been trying out hybrids for the past two years in a effort to replace some of my aging Orlimar TriMetal fairway clubs. I even tried the expensive Bobby Jones clubs made by the maker of the TriMetals, Jesse Ortiz. I found the Boby Jones clubs too heavy for me and too unlike my TriMetals to replace any of them. I’ve tried most of the new hybrids and find the Burner the best fit for me. I am 66 but still use regular shafts rather than senior shafts. I still carry a single digit handicap. I found the burner hybrids very easy to swing with a solid feel. They feel light weight compared, for instance, to the Cleveland hybrids and similar relatively heavy feeling bybrids. I think this is a plus for the average player. I can, however, still shape my shots although the club does seem a good deal easier to draw than to fade. This is probably a help for the average player. Although the manufacturer tauts the larger clubhead size, the club is easy to get airborne and I find it plays and feels comperable to my very low-profile TriMetals. This extra size, when combined with the ease of getting the ball airborne from tight lies, might also be a plus for the average player. The extra size of the clubhead and low center of gravity are definitely helpful in getting the ball out of light rough - the only weakness of the old TriMetals. I also find I can choke down on the grip, even down to the shaft, and still have a good feel when playing partial shots and punch shots. They are $179.99 new but there are a few of them starting to show up on E-Bay for significantly less. There are still only a few used ones coming to E-Bay but that should change as the next few months pass and newer models come out from all manufacturers. I definitely prefer them to the Cleveland Golf, Srixon, Adams, Orlimar, and Nickent products. If you are looking for one of the best hybrids for the average player on the market as of August 2007 you will probably like the Burner hybrid. I think the 5 (25 degree) and 6 (28 degree) iron substitutes are especially helpful. They are also currently made in 19 and 22 degree models. Have fun!

A step in the right direction for Acushnet. Steering away from the dated designes of the 900 series. These clubs offer an new technology found in the forging process, that allows them to utilize a thinner face and bolster the back of the head with an attrative dampening chip. The redistributed weight is now used where it can do the most good. The average player now has a modern club with feature found in more expensive modles. This is a well designed club. Comfortable to swing, with predictable results.

This club is excellent for hitting straight fairway shots over 170 yards. A friend of mine had one and I just had to get one myself. Ebay was the perfect place to look. While she paid over $150 for her club, I only paid $41. A great bargain!

This is perhaps the most forgiving and powerful fairway wood I have ever hit. I have hit both the steel and graphite versions of this club and both felt lighter then they actually are. The compact head lends toward workability and works it’s way through rough nicely.

I bought a set of X-12s for my father 6-7 years ago. I recently bought him a set of Fusions but he can’t seem to hit it well as the X-12s. He liked his old set of X-12s so much that I bought him a used set on e-Bay to replace his well-worn X-12s. I really like the Fusions, but if I have to pick a favorite, I too like the X-12s better than X-14, X-16, original Big Bertha, and Hawkeyes, VFTs. Cosmetically, X-12s look better than X-14s and are more forgiving. I played them all, and the ones I like the best are X-12s and Fusions (not the new widebody). X-12s have the game improvement features without being bulky. All Callaway irons, with exception of X-12s, X-14s and Fusions, are bulky with thick topline that many people object to. They all hit great.

Over the years Ping has put out some very nice clubs, but the new Rapture hybrid might just be the best they have ever produced. This is a great scoring club from long distance. It is head and shoulders above the G5s. You won’t be sorry if you put one of these in your bag.