MB 2011 Golf Equipment Guide

April 8, 2011

In this part of the country, The Masters is the unofficial start of golf season (even though courses aren't open 'round here yet). With that in mind, we've got a few equipment recommendations to keep your style out of the Woods.

	BAG The Original MacKenzie Walker $735 A disposable nylon stand bag this is not. Hand-crafted in Portland, OR, from leather with stainless steel hardware, this is the last golf bag you will ever own. A side pocket for balls and tees, another for a windbreaker (or just leave empty), it's as simple — and as good — as a golf bag gets.
	TRAVEL CASE SKB Small Travel Case $136.99 As the soft vs. hard golf travel case debate rages on, MB comes down firmly on the side of hard. An SKB travel case may outlast your MacKenzie golf bag. These things are as solid as a rock and SKB's customer service is second to none. After about 20 years of use a wheel broke off one of ours last year and they send a free replacement wheel via 2-day shipping. (NB: Only order the small SKB travel case if you have a small bag, like a Jones or a MacKenzie.)
	DRIVER Nike Victory Red $400 These days, finding a traditional pear-shaped driver that doesn't come with an instruction manual is as rare as a Tiger Woods Tour win. Even longtime MB standby Titleist has gone high-tech with its SureFit^™ adjustment system. Speaking of Woods, while he's got a terrible eye for strippers and porn stars and clothes, his eye for golf clubs is superb, as he's largely responsible for the design of Nike's best clubs, like this one.
	DRIVER HEADCOVER Jan Craig $70 Nothing can ruin everything we've discussed so far faster than using the logoed polyester headcover that came with your driver. Throw it in the garbage. Jan Craig has been making hand-knit wool headcovers in Chicago, IL since 1962. If they were good enough for Nicklaus and Watson, they're good enough for us. (Get the 8" pom.)
	IRONS Mizuno MP-11s ~$150 There isn't a more beautiful piece of forged steel on earth than the Mizuno MP-11. Except for maybe the MP-14. Or MP-9. Or MP-29. You get our drift. If you've got game, there is nothing quite like the feel, not to mention look, of vintage Mizuno forged blades.
	SHOES Puma Club 917 $89.99 No one shops harder for cool golf shoes than Magnificent Bastard. In what's turned into a quest, each season we look at every shoe from every golf shoe manufacturer, and usually just end up wearing old Adidas we stocked up on five years ago. This year, however, we discovered two pair worth your consideration: The Nike Air Range in dark grey, and the black/white/cherry tomato Puma Club 917, pictured. Best prices online are at shop.pgatour.com, and both run small. Size up one.
	CART Are you fucking kidding? Unless you have a note from your doctor, or dictator, this game is walked.