Virginia Golfer September / October 2014 | Page 39

(continued from page seven)

Alterations to Keswick Shows
Pete Dye in Vintage Form
risk increasing or decreasing based on the
directional line of the drive.

TOUR EDGE
Exotics CB
PROh irons
Although a set of Tour Edge
Exotics CB PROh irons
consists of two distinctively
different types of irons, the
feel and performance is
consistent throughout all
nine clubs. Featuring an
inviting look at address, this
is truly a hybrid iron set. Its
2- through 7-irons are fully
hollow inside, combining
a hybrid’s distance and
forgiveness with an iron’s
shot control and workability.
An ultra-thin forged face
creates a fast ball speed
and a soft, responsive feel
at impact. In addition, the
hollow design noticeably
expands the sweet spot
to achieve more distance
and accuracy on off-center
strikes. Meanwhile, the
8-iron through pitching
wedge have a blade
design that helps
golfers with more
precision and
trajectory control.
The short irons
are made of soft
stainless steel and
feature a multi-material,
vibration-dampening plaque
in the cavity.
($600-700, depending on
the shaft; touredge.com)

TAYLORMADE UDI driving iron
It certainly helped TaylorMade’s continued

growth when Justin Rose captured the two
events leading up to the British Open—the
Quicken Loans National and the Scottish
Open—with the company’s then-prototype Tour
Preferred UDI (Ultimate Driving Iron). The day
after the Scottish Open, TaylorMade officially
introduced UDI to the public. Offered in 1-,
2- and 3-irons, it features hollow construction
with a carpenter steel clubface and milled score
lines. The Speed Pocket allows the clubface to
flex more on shots struck lower on the clubface,
for consistent distance. A lightweight steel shaft
adds stability and control. The company claims
the club delivers hybrid performance, as it
launches the ball high and features an advanced
sound dampening system for enhanced feel
and feedback. At the same time, the club helps
golfers get the accuracy and workability of an
iron. “It gave me a higher launch than my other
long irons, and the feel was so solid,” Rose
says. “It’s definitely more consistent for me on
mis-hits.” ($199; taylormadegolf.com)

PING G30 driver
PING’s G30 adjustable driver brings a new look to the course. Aerodynamic turbulators on
the crown of the 460cc titanium clubhead reduce drag, which boosts clubhead speed and
ball velocity for long and accurate drives. The turbulators also help with aim and alignment,
because of the way they’re spaced. The high strength-to-weight ratio of the TS9 titanium
clubface material saves internal weight, allowing for a thin and hot face that also enhances
power at impact. Additionally, the center of gravity is lower and farther back than in any
Ping driver. The result is high-launching shots with optimized spin and a high moment
of inertia. The club also features a high-balance-point shaft, and the center of gravity is
closer to the grip end, allowing for a heavier clubhead that increases energy, momentum
and inertia for distance with accuracy. Two standard lofts of 9 and 10.5 degrees can be
adjusted so golfers can fine-tune their launch conditions. The driver is also offered in an
SF Tec version that promotes a draw ball flight. ($385; ping.com)

Author Scott Kramer is a writer from Carlsbad, Calif., and a regular contributor to Virginia Golfer.

w w w. v s g a . o r g

A SITE REBRED AND REBORN
With a new links-like golf course, this
resort with its 48-room hotel will get more
“golf-y” in a hurry. The original Findlay
course was one amenity among more
than a dozen devised by the leadership
of Keswick, an institution born of this
property’s unfortunate failure as a private
estate. Mr. and Mrs. Robert B. Crawford,
a pair of Gilded Age types, built their
“Villa Crawford” on the original 311acre site on the parcel. They didn’t last
long, giving way to a snake-bitten series
of other private owners during a chaotic
35-year period. At Keswick, you could
tee it up, play tennis, swim in a massive
oval pool, sip cocktails in the cabanas and
generally cavort about.
The dominant golfer in Virginia State
Open history, Chandler Harper, who won
the event a record 10 times, took the title
both years that the VPGA championship
was played at Keswick, in 1969 and again
in 1970. After that, hard times returned.
The country club had been privately
owned by a