GolfBarons

If you were to ask many golfers, they would say that the first metalwood was TaylorMade, that the first hybrid was mid-90s, and that Sand wedges had been around as long as there was sand. In this Reboot, we'd like to do our bit to set the record straight. Thanks to Australian Golf Historian (and legend) Ross Baker, for the assistance with the equipment. Incredible.

A lot of golf brands like to expand their product line-up, often because they think they can. It doesn't always work out. With the new line of RB Tour golf balls, Kippa tries to determine if they should have stopped when they had the chance.

Callaway has developed a version of Big Bertha for men, and one for women (REVA), with specifications matched to the most common needs for each. But what if one suited you better? Is it purely ego that would stop a man from buying REVA?

There was a missing piece in Mizuno's pursuit of the optimum driver; something to give it a little boost to maximise distance and forgiveness. The CoreTech chamber gave the driver the extra magic it needed, but we figured it needed a different name. One that clearly explains what it delivers.

To play your best golf doesn't always require the most expensive equipment, particularly when it comes to technology. Despite being the entry level unit, the Garmin G12 is not just for the budget conscious. This device is small in size but packed with features, and delivers every number you need. Affordable technology. Makes a lot of sense.

When it comes to choosing a putter, we'd all like to think we know enough about our own game, and stroke, that we know what putter suits us best. Or do we? If we put our faith in technology like iPING, do we get a better match? Does the wizard choose the wand, or does the wand choose the wizard? Philbert headed to the Ping Lab in Melbourne, to find out. (From Season 4, Episode 8)

Have you ever thought about when you should hold 'em, and when you should fold 'em, particularly when it comes to bad lies? Often, we'll try and play from deep rough, or even water, with no sense of potential cost or shots (or dry cleaning). Kippa and Phil try and answer this question, once and for almost.

Sometimes a swing is so set that it becomes too hard to add speed, or in Phil's case, he's just no good. But all is not lost. It just means the focus needs to shift to optimising the equipment. The 3 models within the Callaway Paradym are created to suit a variety of swing types (issues), and with the fine tuning of both hosel and weights, it gives hope to everyone, including Phil.

If you want to hole more putts, it starts with being able to line the putter up at address and impact. With the high contrast Versa lines, various head and hosel shapes, we reckon the Odyssey Versa has you covered. You just need to work out which option delivers for you.

For all the tech packed into PING's G430 irons, there's one element that most appeals to Kippa: PurFlex. If ever anyone was going to understand technology by relating it back to his quest for awesomeness, it's Kippa. And the G430 irons really are awesome.

With the proposed changes to the ball by the governing bodies, in order to reduce the distance Pros hit it, they've overlooked an area that has had a greater impact on distance: apparel. Forget Bifurcation, this is Stylefurcation.

Imagine having a PGA Tour Caddie by your side. What would they say to look out for? What advice would they give? In this segment, Kippa shows Philbert the key things he would take into account when caddying on the PGA Tour, and in doing so, highlight how to get the most out of the Garmin G80. To quote Kenny Loggins, it's a "Highway to the danger zone!"

One of the most misunderstood elements of a wedge is how different bounces and grinds interact with the turf or sand. With the help of the Glide 4.0, Kippa tries to impart some of his wisdom on Phil, and in doing so discovers that getting the most out of grinds can be a very personal thing.

All of us are restricted in some way when it comes to golf; Philbert is giraffe-esque, Shooter is compact, Kippa has red hair. Some of us have restricted backswings be it due to body type, flexibility or otherwise. In this Challenge from Season 2, Kippa tries to teach Shooter and Philbert how to make the most of their limitations, especially when finding themselves beached. The method is weird but the point is surprisingly helpful.

A small golf club in the inner-North of Melbourne is not somewhere you'd expect to find a glimpse into the future of golf, but it finds itself leading the way both as course offering and club. From The Island, the 5-hole, OCM designed short course, to the club in general, to the blue tree. This is how golf should look and feel. Soul. Lots of soul.

Simple, accurate, packed with features. If everyone was made to have one of these the game would be a lot faster.

Like many brands, Slazenger enjoyed the highs and lows of golf. From being connected to every superstar, to becoming irrelevant. At its peak, Slazenger irons, made and shaped in Australia, we 'must haves'. The why comes down to two elements: Lithgow, NSW, and Sandy Faichney.

Leongatha. A golf course we had heard a lot about but never played. A course with deep connections to the finest the sandbelt has to offer, yet a couple of hours away, South-East of Melbourne. One thing is for sure; if you've played the likes of Kingston Heath, Victoria, or Royal Melbourne, you'll immediately find something familiar about Leongatha. And the Burra Brewery is the perfect launchpad.

Amazing how often something packed with technology looks so simple. The Spider GT is a great example of that. Simplicity behind the ball, compact, yet incredibly stable. And My Spider GT is fun, even if only to dream. As for eye dominance and hosel type, hopefully, it gets you thinking, or at least asking the question.

There's nothing better than escaping the big smoke for a couple of days golf, and when the escape takes you to 13th Beach on the Bellarine Peninsula, you're luckier than most. We were lucky enough to spend a little time there, and this is what we found; bliss.

This Reboot takes us back in time to when golf was more about the craftsman than computers. A time of hickory, clubs and cleeks. Special thanks to the club and cleek-making guru, Ross Baker, of Melbourne, Australia, for both the gear and the education.

With the T22 wedges, Mizuno has gone to the trouble of creating 4 different grinds: S, D, C and X. The least we could do was show how best to match each of them to a particular shot in much the same way as wines would be matched to food. Genius. Filmed on the 9th hole of the short course at 13th Beach Golf Links, with the skill of Kippa, and the outrageous accent of Philbert.

A number of launch monitors have emerged in the last few years, and all are packed with tech. Beware: With much tech comes much responsibility. The key is knowing what to do with it. In this Garmin R10 review, SuperCoach and Caddie to the Stars, Kippa, takes us through the key elements to focus on in order to get the greatest benefit for your game.

For many of us, the 3-wood is our backup plan for when Driver has stopped getting the job done. Therefore, it makes sense to ensure you have the best backup plan possible in your golf bag. The TaylorMade Stealth 3-woods (standard and Plus) both have their strengths, but with a bit of testing, it becomes clear how different they really are.

There's a heap of technology built into golf equipment, the PING i525 being no exception, but it's always left to the golf nerd to learn about it. Well, no more. Kippa is set the challenge of becoming a golf expert so that Philbert can enjoy the serenity of the balcony at The National Golf Club and enjoy his breakfast (and lunch) in peace. But the real hero, is the i525, as Kippa discovered.