Review of the SUNICE Halifax Pullover Jacket

A little while back I received a package from SUNICE containing their Halifax Flexvent^TM Full Stretch 1/2 Zip Waterproof Pullover.  The jacket comes in three colour schemes and I was sent the midnight blue / charcoal / pure white version of the product to test out.  This pullover is part of the SUNICE Tornado Collection and, at first glance, it's a great looking jacket which I couldn't wait to put to use.


I've owned several pullovers from other manufacturers, but when I put the Halifax on for the first time, it definitely felt different.  What I mean is that I didn't feel restricted in my movement yet the jacket didn't feel like it was moving around much when I raised my arms or attempted a golf swing.  Living in Vancouver, BC, Canada allows me to play golf pretty much all year round (if time permits), but it also means that it can be cold and wet at times.  I've never been a big fan of wearing a jacket when I golf as they always seem somewhat restrictive or the sleeves move up and down whenever I make a swing.  Instead, I layer my clothes and wear an outer shell (like a pullover) to keep me dry.  This can be a bit of a hassle sometimes when it gets warm during a round and I have to peel off layers in order to stay cool.  Also, depending on how cold it is, the increased number of layers can be a bit restrictive on the golf swing.  To date, I haven't been able to find a jacket with the perfect balance between comfort, warmth and 'playability'.

So it's 6 degrees Celsius outside on a cloudy day and I'm at home getting ready for my round of golf that morning.  I decide to put the SUNICE Halifax pullover to the test and I put on a long sleeve t-shirt, a golf shirt and my new midnight blue pullover, courtesy of the folks at SUNICE.  I'm hoping that this will keep me warm enough through my round as it's only supposed to get up to a high of 8 degrees throughout the day.  I head to the driving range at the Riverway Golf Course in order to warm up for my round.  Immediately, I notice some of the great features of this pullover such as the Pro Trim™ Waist Cinching System (which allows the jacket to hug your waist) and the adjustable velcro self fabric cuff tabs (which prevent the sleeves from moving up and down your arm when you swing).  I can tell the designers of this product over at SUNICE have done their best to pay extra attention to detail with the golfer in mind.  After my warm-up session at the driving range and practice green, I head over to the first tee, eager to get my round started.  When I put my hand in the right pocket of my pullover to put some tees in, I notice something in the pocket.  It's a ball cleaner shammy...what a great idea!  Now I don't have to use my pant leg to wipe any dirt off my ball when putting.

For the next 4 1/2 hours, I plugged my way through 18 holes and never once did I feel uncomfortable, restricted, too hot or too cold.  The temperature that day got to a whopping 8 degrees Celsius, but I never had to peel off any layers even though it can get warm (even on a cold day) since I always walk the course and carry my golf bag.  Another big plus...my pants didn't have any dirt or grass stains from cleaning my golf ball since I had that handy little shammy tucked away in my jacket pocket!

The Halifax passed the test on a cold day, but how would it perform on  a warmer day when it's windy outside, but not quite warm enough to just wear a golf shirt with no jacket?  Well, I had to find out so I waited until a nice spring day when it was sunny and the temperature was 12 degrees Celsius.  I was simply wearing a short-sleeve golf shirt and my SUNICE Halifax pullover that day as it was a bit windy and I would've been too cold just wearing a golf shirt.  As usual, I walked the course and carried my bag, but never had to peel off the jacket even though the temperature got up to 15 degrees Celsius during my round.  The wind blew pretty hard at times, but I wasn't affected by flapping sleeves or the bottom of the jacket feeling like it's blowing back and forth while I'm standing over the ball getting ready to take a shot.  You know how annoying that can be as you get in your stance as it adds another thing to throw off your concentration when making a swing.  This jacket really hugs your body well and is quite breathable so you don't get overheated.

The only drawback I found with the Halifax pullover was with the main zipper.  For some reason, I can't get the zipper to sit properly as the handle has a tendency to not stay down all the time.  I find this a bit frustrating as I have to keep pushing the handle down and it can be a bit annoying at times.  Not a big deal, as I'm guessing this isn't always the case and not a dealbreaker for me.  All in all, I think that this is a great product and I would highly recommend this jacket to anyone who wants a high quality product which keeps you protected from the elements and still allows you to perform at your best.

The suggested retail price for the SUNICE Halifax pullover is $209.95 USD and can be found on Amazon.com. 
           
Here's the details of the SUNICE Halifax pullover from the manufacturer's website:

HALIFAX

Tornado collection

SKU: S21000 - Color Code: 318504

• HIGH PERFORMANCE

• ULTRA-BREATHABLE LAMINATE ULTRA QUIET AND SOFT HAND FEEL

• FULL STRETCH PULLOVER

• STRETCH TRICOT LINING

• PRO TRIM™ WAIST CINCHING SYSTEM

• BALL CLEANER SHAMMY IN RIGHT SIDE POCKET

• CLOSE-TO-THE-BODY FIT

• EXPOSED WATERPROOF YKK VISLON ZIPPER WITH LOCK DOWN PULLER

• SIDE ENTRY ZIPPER

• LYCRA ACTION CUFF TABS

• ADJUSTABLE VELCRO SELF FABRIC CUFF TABS

• ADJUSTABLE BUNGEE AT HEM

• CONTOURED TOP COLLAR FOR ULTIMATE COMFORT AND PROTECTION

• SUNICE DOUBLE BAR PATENTED V COLLAR WITH NEOPRENE FINISH

• SUPER WXTECHTM COATING

• 20,000MM / 20,000MVT

• 4  YEAR WATERPROOF WARRANTY

Social Media Mastery Conference - Tips and Tricks Revealed by the Experts

A week and a half ago, I had the privilege of attending the Social Media Mastery Conference which was put on by Ricky Shetty, the founder of Daddyblogger.com.  How does this relate to golf, you ask?  Well, as an entrepreneur and golf instructor, I'm always looking for new ways to grow my businesses and expand my knowledge base.  What better way then attending an event specifically designed to help me do that using the power of social media.  Rather than posting golf tips, today's blog post is about tips to help you expand your business and network using the information I learned from the conference.

Going into the conference, I had no idea what to expect in terms of what sort of information I'd be receiving and what I'd actually get out of the event.  I've attended events in the past put on by social media platforms where they try and sell you on paid advertising etc. and, to be honest, I was a little hesitant going into this conference as I didn't want to be bombarded with sales pitches and useless information all day long.  It was a beautiful, sunny Saturday in Vancouver and as I made my way to the Diamond Ballroom early in the morning, I kept thinking to myself that I should be out on the golf course rather than being cooped up at a conference all day.

Well, I can honestly say that I'm glad I attended #SMMastery as it provided me with a wealth of information and opened my eyes up to a whole new world of social media.  I spent the entire day in a room of 200+ entrepreneurs who were eager to learn and soak up all the tools and tips that were shared by the experts.  Not only did I learn a lot, but I also had the pleasure of meeting many new people and making some great connections.

Here's a summary of the speakers and what they had to share:

Ricky Shetty
www.daddyblogger.com
As organizer and host of the conference, Ricky started the day off with a very inspirational story of his background and his journey through life  Ricky and I actually attended the same high school and lost touch with each other for many years.  We reconnected through a group that he put together called the YVR Bloggers and I've come to realize how passionate he is about family and fatherhood as well as his goal of helping others and making the world a better place through #OneSimpleAction which he launched at the conference.  What a great start to the day and you could feel the buzz in the room as we prepared to hear from the first speaker.

Matt Astifan
www.webfriendly.ca
Matt is a Facebook expert and shared his insight on how to use your personal Facebook profile for business.  Not once did Matt plug Facebook ads, instead he spoke about how to use Facebook to expand your reach and grow your network by completing your entire personal profile and using the power of Facebook to create relationships by finding things you have in common with other people.  He stressed the importance of getting a professional head shot done to use as your profile pic as well taking the time to fill in everything in your personal profile so that you get the most reach.  I found Matt to be very insightful and his presentation was well done even though he had to work his way through a few technical difficulties, which he handled like a pro.

Wendy McClelland
http://www.WendyMcClelland.com
Wendy is a LinkedIn expert and her recommendations were similar to Matt's in that she stressed the importance of completing your full profile and having a professional head shot done to use as your profile pic.  She also taught us the best way to make connections with others, how to develop and nurture those relationships and build your network to help your business grow.  Again, a great presentation with lots of great information to take away.

Michelle Castillo
http://castillomediagroup.com
Michelle is a Google Plus "expert" although she herself admitted that it's hard to call someone an expert when referring to this social media platform.  To be honest, I didn't get a whole lot out of this presentation other than it's important for your business to have a presence on Google Plus for SEO.

Steve Dotto
www.dottotech.com
Steve is a YouTube expert and a very entertaining speaker.  He's extremely energetic and his presentation shared with us how he's used YouTube to build a business by becoming an expert at what he does and doing it regularly.  Steve showed us things we need to do in order to make the most of this platform and how to gain the most exposure.  Currently, I don't use YouTube, but it's something I'm planning to use in the near future as I'd like to share my knowledge of golf through video lessons.  Again, lots of great information to take with me and put to use.

Cadi Jordan
http://www.cadijordan.com
Cadi is an Instagram expert and her presentation focused on how you can use this platform to help grow your business.  Just like some of the previous speakers, she stressed the importance of completing your Instagram profile as well as putting in keywords that pertain to your business.  Providing relevant content is key and researching hashtags helps you to see who else is using those hashtags in addition to using hashtags to grow your following.  I'm relatively new to Instagram and Cadi's presentation was great in terms of what to focus on and how to use this platform to my advantage (especially with my jewellery company).   

Vincent Ng
www.mcngmarketing.com
Vincent labels himself as a Pinterest geek and I found his presentation to be the most insightful and engaging of all the speakers.  He's a very dynamic presenter and he opened my eyes up to the power of Pinterest.  Before this conference, I was vaguely aware of this platform, but now I've come to realize how great Pinterest is and what a great fit it is for K.I.G. Fine Jewellery & Custom Design.  Vincent showed us how visual social media is the way of the future and how Pinterest is both a social network and a search engine.  I never knew that this platform is second to Facebook in terms of driving traffic to websites.  I learned exactly what pins are, the best way to create pins and how to use them in order to direct traffic back to my websites.  What a powerful tool and I can't thank Vincent enough for his amazing presentation!

Katt Stearns
www.kattstearns.com
Katt is a Twitter expert and, again, she stressed the importance of completing your full Twitter profile.  Your bio should be a story of what you do, how you can help others and what you're passionate about.  Her presentation was very engaging as she worked her way through the audience and captured everyone's attention the entire time.  I found the information she provided very useful and she's given me some great ideas on how I can use Twitter properly to grow my network and gain more exposure.

Jonathan Christian
www.wemakestuffhappen.com
Jonathan is a Snapchat expert and I found his presentation to be OK.  Before the conference, I had little knowledge of Snapchat and he provided some useful information although I don't think I see much benefit (at least at this point) of spending my time on this platform.  He spoke about how this could be the future of social media and how it's becoming more popular, but I'm not totally sold on it yet.

Kemp Edmonds
www.hootsuite.com
Kemp is an employee of Hootsuite and he spoke about how it's a software for social media management and how it helps create more efficiency by allowing you to manage all of your social media platforms in one place.  I'm somewhat familiar with Hootsuite and it definitely helps with time management which is something that everyone can benefit from.

In summary, there was a lot of information provided by the experts at the conference and I found most of it to be very relevant and helpful to me.  As you can see, there are many social media platforms out there and each has its own purpose.  One thing I definitely learned is to pick and choose what works best for you and then focus on using those platforms to the best of your ability.  This way you can focus and use your time wisely rather than just doing a little bit here and there.

A few suggestions I have for future conferences that are similar is to extend it over two days so that each speaker has enough time to answer questions immediately after his/her presentation when the information is fresh in our minds.  Since this was a one-day event and there were so many speakers, it felt a bit rushed at times (plus, we started a bit late and didn't manage to catch up and get back on time).  Also, the wifi was an issue throughout the day and I know that Ricky and his team did their best to make it work.  I'm sure that they learned from this event and those wifi issues won't come up in the future.

Kudos to Ricky and his entire team for putting on a spectacular conference and I look forward to attending more of his events in the future!

Sandra Garcia, the winner of a free golf lesson with me!

Thanks to The Shiatsushaman for my free massage that I won!

  

Our panel of social media experts

Review of the Powerbilt Air Force One DFX Tour Black Driver

Welcome to my first product review.  Going forward, I plan to test out several different products including clubs, equipment, training aids and apparel.  After testing them out, I'll be providing my readers with honest reviews of each in order to help you come to a decision when making a purchase.  I hope that you find the information useful and insightful and please feel free to post comments about your experiences with the product or any questions you may have.

Today I'm going to be reviewing the Powerbilt Air Force One DFX Tour black driver.  A few weeks ago, I spoke with a rep at Powerbilt and he had me fitted for a driver with 10.5 degrees of loft and a Fujikura Pro 63 stiff flex shaft.

Overview

When most people think of a driver, they immediately look to the well-known brands such as Ping, Taylormade, Callaway, Cobra and Titleist (just to name a few).  It's a competitive market and consumers are ultimately looking for a driver that provides them with the best combination of maximum distance and maximum forgiveness.  Powerbilt is not necessarily a household name in the driver market, but the company is hoping to make a name for itself with the AFO DFX Tour black driver.

This driver is available in lofts of 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 12.5 degrees.  The 8.5 and 9.5 degree drivers are only available in right hand models.  Standard length for this driver is 45.5 inches.  You're offered a choice of several stock shafts:  Aldila NVS, Aldila RIP Beta, Fujikura Fuel, Fujikura Pro 63 and Graphite Design G Series.  Custom shafts are also available for an additional charge (Diamana, Fubuki, Fujikura and Oban).

What makes this driver different from the rest is Powerbilt's patented Nitrogen Charging technology.  This method is designed to reinforce the face of the club without adding any weight.  Compressed nitrogen provides tremendous support to the club face so every golfer can benefit from maximum C.O.R., maximum C.T., maximum trampoline effect and maximum smash factor, thus resulting in maximum distance.  After I read about having compressed nitrogen behind the face of the club, I was very eager to test this out for myself to see if it really made a difference.

Aesthetics

This driver is very simple and clean looking with a matte black head and a deep black face.  It has an aerodynamic look to the club head and has a very pleasing look at address.  There's nothing about this club that looks cheap and Powerbilt has done a great job giving it the look of a premium driver.  I don't like to see a lot going on with a club when I'm at address and getting ready to swing.  My focus is on making a good swing and not a flashy club head.

One thing I've noticed with many of the new drivers these days is the unappealing sound that they make when striking the ball.  Since this club is injected with Nitrogen, it definitely has a different sound to it and I like it much better.  It has a 'smack' to it, but one that sounds more solid than many of its competitors.

How the Club Performed

 Well, I must say, I was very impressed with the overall performance of this driver.  Powerbilt definitely has a winner here and I'm not sure if it's due to the Nitrogen Charging technology, but I was hitting the ball longer and more consistently.  On average, I was gaining an extra 16 yards in carry distance, 6 mph in club head speed and 11 mph in ball speed.  My normal ball flight with a driver is a baby fade and that was also the case with this one.  In addition, my misses were less exaggerated and I felt like I had more control over the ball when hitting my fade.  One thing I did find difficult was turning the ball over and hitting a draw.  My current driver is set for a draw and I can usually turn it over when needed, but it wasn't so automatic with the Air Force One driver.

One thing to note about this driver is that it's not adjustable and I'm totally fine with that,  Once I was fitted for my current adjustable driver, I never touched it.  So, as long as you're fitted for the correct AFO driver (loft, shaft, flex), there shouldn't be a need to have it adjusted at all.

Conclusion

Overall, I'd say that this is a great driver and can easily compete with the name brands.  MSRP for the driver I tested is $299 US.  That's much lower than its rivals and I can honestly say that it performs as stated by Powerbilt.  Their patented technology is something for you to consider when making your next purchase for a driver.  For more information on the Air Force One and entire line of Powerbilt products please visit the Powerbilt website.

A Simple Drill to Prevent 3-putts and Lower Your Scores

Do you know how many times you 3-putt during a round of golf?  The average golfer does this as many as three to four times a round, if not more.  A great way to shave some strokes off your scores quickly is to eliminate those dreaded 3-putts.  40% of the shots you take during a round of golf is with your putter.  Many golfers face an average of their first putt being outside of 30 feet.  The big problem is that the average golfer leaves it well short or knocks it five feet past the hole.  That puts a lot of added pressure on you when you're trying to make par and usually results in a 3-putt.  You need to make pars if you want to lower your scores, so the goal to better putting is to knock those 30 footers within two feet of the cup.  If you can do that, your chances to make par (or at worst, bogey) will rise by 80%.

With that being said, here's a great drill to help you gain control of your distance on long putts.  When you're on the practice green, take the flag stick or a golf club and place it two feet behind the hole (as in the picture below).

Walk off a point on the practice green that's about 30 feet away from the hole.  Next, place three balls in a row about six inches apart.  Now, while looking at the hole, take some practice swings and 'feel' the distance you need to swing the putter in order to get the ball past the hole and not touch the stick (or club) behind the hole.  This allows you to get a feeling for the distance.  Address the first ball, look at the hole and the stick behind the hole and strike the ball while looking at the hole.  Don't worry, you'll definitely hit the ball and I bet you won't leave it short.  Hit all three balls like this and see how many you can get in between the hole and the stick without touching the stick.  To make things more interesting, make a little game out of it and associate points with where the ball ends up.  If you leave it short, count it as zero points.  If you go past the hold and hit the stick, that's also zero points.  If you get between the hole and the stick, count that as one point.  If you hole the putt, count that as three points.  When you get to ten points, move ten feet further away from the hole and start over.

Do this drill from 20 - 30 - 40 - 50 feet before your next round and I guarantee that when you get out on the course and face long putts, you'll knock it closer than ever before and you'll be well on your way to shaving some strokes off your score.

Some Simple Tips to Help Improve Your Chipping Around the Green

Are you looking for ways to shave a few strokes off your scores?  Do you have trouble getting the ball up and down when you miss greens in regulation?  When you're standing over a chip, are you thinking "just get the ball on the green so I can putt...it doesn't matter how far I end up from the hole"?  If you answered yes to any of these questions, let's go over some basic fundamentals so that we can get your chipping back on track.  By following these tips, hopefully you'll be able to 'knock it tight' and leave yourself with a 'gimme' from anywhere around the green.

Choke Down on the Grip
This seems like an obvious mechanic, but choking down on the grip actually does a lot more than simply get your body closer to the ball to make a delicate stroke. Choking down also counterbalances the club, meaning added weight above the hands work to make it easier to make less than full shots without flipping the hands over too soon. As for your body, remember as you choke down: Don’t hunch your upper body. Instead, choke down with your hands, and get your body lower by adding more flex in the knees, as opposed to hunching over.

Keep Your Stance Open and Narrow
Many of my students assume the best way to chip is to align their body either at or parallel to the target. I advise against this, since it’s important for the body to rotate (unlike a putt where it doesn’t rotate) just as with a full shot. Also, when it comes to chipping, because the hands have a delayed or lesser release than they do with a full swing, it’s even more important that the body be poised to turn. Think of it this way: If you’re too square, the body will resist rotating, and the hands will take over and get too active. That is, they’ll start to flip! Instead, make a narrow and open stance (don’t just flare out one foot) and let your body turn through the shot.

Weight Forward and Ball Back in Your Stance
Why? Simple. Keeping your weight predominantly on your forward side with the ball back in your stance (toward the target) helps to ensure a steeper downward blow into the ball. This prevents fat and thin shots and helps you make consistent contact with the ball. Also, by keeping your weight leaning toward the target, this helps maintain a consistent impact position, which will help you better control your shots and gauge different distances. As for the ball position, I like to play my shots just off the inside of my back toe. But you may prefer it slightly farther back or slightly farther forward. It’s okay to be flexible, but try to keep it consistent. And stay away from placing the ball too far forward in your stance. If you move it forward, you’d better be ready to hit a flop or lob shot—which is a different lesson for a different day.

Keep Your Head Up
Let’s get this straight: Keeping your head down is never a good idea, especially with your chips. If you stuff your head into your chest, your upper body loses its ability to rotate and, once again, the hands will try to take over. When that happens, the hands get flippy, and even if you manage to make decent contact, you’ll have a hard time trying to control your distance and direction. Instead, keep your head upright and your neck in line with your spine. This will free your upper body to rotate. And, by the way, keeping your head up doesn’t mean taking your eyes off the ball. 

Always Be Sure to Choose the Right Club
When chipping, I like to mix up my club options, depending on the amount of height and roll I want. This allows me to maintain the same chipping stance and ball position, and lets the club do the work for changing the way the ball flies and rolls. More often than not, try to carry the ball just onto the green and then let it roll out to the hole.  This will allow you to have better control over your distance.  I like to use an 8-iron when I'm just off the green so I can carry the ball over the light rough and fringe and have it roll to the hole.  My pitching wedge does the same, except that I use it in deeper grass.  When I need to carry the ball in the air a further distance to get it onto the green, I suggest using a 56-degree sand wedge (rather than a lob wedge).  Reason being, a lob wedge is for lob shots, not chip shots. A 56-degree sand wedge gives me the optimal height/spin combination, and, because of the bounce, making solid contact is a lot easier than with a low-bounce lob wedge.

Make a Single-Lever Swing
Steve Stricker does it best. Next time he’s on TV, check out his single-lever chipping style. What that means is he hinges his wrist at the setup, then maintains that hinge all the way through the chip. The body rotates the clubhead through, and because of this, Stricker is able to consistently reproduce a stacked impact position. What’s that mean? It means Stricker, like many good players, can better gauge different distances by adjusting his swing length. So, longer chips require a longer swing; shorter chips need a shorter swing. He doesn’t have to make big changes to his ball position, how he releases the hands, etc. Instead, by using a single-lever method and rotating the body through the shot, Steve Stricker is able to get up and down a whopping 75 percent of the time.  Copy this method and you’ll become a better chipper in no time. 

Of course, as with all other aspects of the game, it takes time and practice in order to make improvements and have them feel natural.  The more you can practice and work on these fundamentals, the more improvement you'll see in your game and the lower your scores will be.  So, next time you're at the driving range or at your local golf course, head over to the chipping green and work on these fundamentals.  Be sure to post your comments and let me know if these tips helped you improve your chipping.