At GOLF.com, golf isn’t just our job but its also our passion. In this month’s editor’s picks, we’re dishing on the best clubs, apparel and tech discovered in May 2022.
What we’re putting in our bags
For the first time in seven years, I have new irons. It feels good just typing that. What’s even better is that for the first time in my life I was actually fit for irons, via the experts at GOLFTEC. With these Titleist T300s, I improved my ballspeed, launch and distance, and few things give you more confidence than that new-club feel on the golf course. I can’t wait to take the plastic off of these. — Josh Berhow
What we’re wearing
I’d always heard Lululemon was the gold standard for golf pants, but its $130 price tag always deterred me. I just couldn’t justify spending that much on pants. They can’t be that good, I told myself.
Then, my girlfriend gifted me a pair as a part of a wardrobe overhaul. As soon as I slipped them on, I was a convert. The comfort. The durability. The aesthetics. The pants have it all. Within a week, I was online ordering another pair. Price be damned. And worse yet, I was pushing my Lululemon propaganda on anyone who’d listen.
I know the price is steep, but trust me — you need these pants. My wallet might be thinner, but I regret nothing. A third pair may be on the way soon. — Zephyr Melton
Lululemon ABC Pant Slim
What tech we’re using
Has the internet made the world better or worse? Most days, I would argue the latter. But this morning, I’ve got a cheerier outlook, having just spent a few hours in the ether with Malaska Golf.
The Malaska in the name is Mike Malaska, former Tour pro-turned-esteemed instructor who got his start as a swing guru nearly 40 years ago, working alongside Nicklaus whisperer Jim Flick. A GOLF Magazine Top 100 Teacher, Malaska is old school in the no-nonsense way, but he’s long been forward thinking. He’s also tech-hip.
On Malaska Golf, he delivers his wisdom on all aspects of the game — from setup to strategy and beyond — through scores of beautifully shot and engaging videos. Malaska has a gift for simplifying complex concepts, and for dreaming up inventive and productive drills. Working through them, I was filled with hope that, yes, I really do have a crack at getting better, and that the process doesn’t have to be a dreary grind. If having access to this kind of golf instruction means I also have to put up with TikTok and Twitter, I guess that’s a price I’m willing to pay. — Josh Sens
Where we’re staying-and-playing
When the temperatures start to rise in Arizona, locals have two choices: board a plane to the coast, or hop in the car for a ride up I-17 — the gateway to the mountains of Flagstaff — and a 20-degree reprieve from the heat, depending on where you go.
While Phoenix has only recently breached triple digits, my husband, Paul, and I decided to take a long overdue trip to Sedona — a 90-minute drive from our home in North Phoenix. We have two young kids, so we kept it short — one night only! — but packed as much as we could into the 30 or so hours we were away.
We started with a round of golf at the course across the street from our hotel, the Sedona Golf Resort. The views of the red rocks are the course’s main selling point, and I can’t overstate how stunning they are. Though the course is surrounded by homes and condos, there are no nearby roads, so noise is minimal. All you hear is the wind and an occasional chirping bird. It was an impactful quiet that I hadn’t experienced in a long time — if ever!
The course was playing a little soft, but the greens were in good condition. Despite the foursomes ahead, we managed to get around in about 4 1/2 hours, then grabbed a cocktail by the pool. We drove into Sedona proper — about 15 minutes — to have dinner alfresco at a beautiful creek-side table at Cress on Oak Creek at L’Auberge de Sedona — the culinary highlight of the trip. Afterward, we had a nightcap back the hotel in an Adirondack chair by outdoor firepit.
The next morning, we visited the hotel spa, trekked to the Chapel of the Holy Cross (a popular destination that offers an incredible vista) and had lunch at the Hudson, a chic eatery with an expansive patio overlooking the red rocks.
We hopped back in the car and were home in time to pick up the kids from school. Though the trip was short, Sedona felt like being a world away. A quick Google search revealed several other nearby courses to try, and we’re already excited to plan our next escape. — Jessica Marksbury