Cross Golf Pro Jacket – click to zoom
Finally winter is fading away and spring is coming. The snow has melted, for now, and I’m able to get back out on the course here. I’ve had quite a backlog of golf reviews to do, products which have been patiently waiting for the snow to melt and the courses to open. Time to get on it.
Cross Golf Pro Jacket
I’ve had the great pleasure of enjoying a fabulous golf outerwear item from Cross Golf. Cross Golf is an industry leader in Sweden. The jacket I’ve been testing is called the “Pro Jacket.” I guess since I’m wearing it, I can now call myself a “pro.” Lets take a look at the Cross Golf Pro Jacket.
Technology
There are several layers in the Pro Jacket. The outer layer or shell is made of 100% polyester. An inner “membrane” for insulation is made of 100% polyurethane. The inner lining is 100% polyester. Pockets and crucial parts of the inner area of the jacket are lined with fleece for comfort and warmth.
Functionality
There are several well thought out and well implemented functions in the Pro Jacket. Obviously the jacket is great in terms of being weatherproof and wind resistant.
The collar is adjustable, great for times when it is raining or windy. Just tighten up the collar and keep the elements out. Keeping the neck warm and dry is very important. See photo:
Pro Jacket collar adjustment
The same adjustability applies to the bottom of the jacket. Keeping out the elements is easy when cinching down the bottom.
Velcro straps allow the wearer to seal out the elements from finding their way in through the end of the sleeves.
The front zipper has a coating on it which keeps the wind from blowing through the front of the garment as well as keeping water out.
The pockets, as mentioned, are fleece lined which is great for warming up the hands and protecting personal items.
There is also a “security” pocket in the inside chest area which is practically hidden and not easily seen. The security pocket is vertically aligned with the zipper. Photo:
Secret security pocket…
Style
The Swedes know their style and the Cross Golf Pro Jacket has plenty of it. This is a very classy and stylish jacket with a great cut and stylish design. Even my not- so-girlish figure is complemented by the Pro Jacket.
Comfort
The comfort of this jacket is amazing. The inner lining is extremely soft and smooth. The sleeves are very comfortable.
The jacket is luxurious and moves freely through the entire golf swing without binding or restricting any movement.
Colors/Sizes
The Pro Jacket is available in six colors: Scarlet Red (pictured), Dazzling Blue, Black, Flare Blue, Patriot Blue, Light Gray Melange.
Sizes range from small to triple extra-large.
Conclusion
At $285, this is not an inexpensive golf jacket. Many say “you get what you pay for” and nothing could be more true in the case of the Cross Golf Pro Jacket. The style, fit, performance, weatherproofing, and comfort are all best in class. The comfort level is so high with this garment, I wear it whenever I can, not just on the golf course.
I hope this isn’t a precedent here. Golf Digest and Fox News are reporting a story on Florida police cracking down on golf courses who are participating in their league’s gambling. They’re calling the golf courses “gambling houses.” Last time I was at my home course I don’t remember seeing any slot machines, blackjack dealers, hookers, and Elvis impersonators. And they didn’t serve me free drinks. Wait a second. I did see some hookers… and slicers.
Let’s face it, the majority of golfers do gamble on the course. 99.9% of those wagers are “friendly” bets of $2.00 or perhaps just a victory beer.
Personally I think it is a big waste of time for any law enforcement agency to go after this kind of thing. What’s next? Cracking down on office Super Bowl pools? Don’t they have bigger fish to fry, like say burglars, murderers, rapists…. I could go on.
And how much do you want to bet (pun intended) that any of those law enforcement officers, or any other folks who work in the justice system in Florida, wager in their league via nassau’s, skins or other games?
Besides, I look at these exchanges of cash (when I collect from my opponents) on the golf course as “donations to my son Seve’s college fund.”
FootJoy Mystery Box 1
Back on December 11, 2013 I received an interesting box from FootJoy. Inside was a strange, flexible, soft object with a odd shape, somewhat like a bat. This mystery item was a small part of a new shoe which would not be released to the public until mid January.
On December 20th another box arrived with a somewhat oval shaped item, mystery #2. It had a cool texture and a soft yet strong rubber frame.
On December 26th a more obvious item arrived, the sole of a new golf shoe. I can’t imagine how many CAD and research & development hours were spent on the sole alone. It was obvious at this point that these new FJ shoes would have some serious traction. The featured material in the sole, “NitroThin TUP thermoplastic urethane.” That was going to be my first guess.
FootJoy DNA FitBed
On January 7th (this is getting fun) a new mystery box contained the “Xtra-Thick FTF FitBed.” In plain english, the bed of this new golf shoe. FTF is short for Fine Tuned Foam. On this day I learned that FootJoy has led the shoe count on the PGA Tour since they started counting shoes in 1945. I also learned that the PGA Tour started counting shoes in… 1945.
The last and final box was no mystery. Inside was a pair of stunning FootJoy D.N.A. golf shoes. Since a picture is worth 1000 words, here are 1000 words below.
FootJoy D.N.A. Golf Shoes – click for more
There’s one problem with receiving a stunning pair of golf shoes on January 15th in northern Utah. That problem is snow. Courses can be closed here anytime ranging from late October to earlyk April depending on how heavy a winter it has been. As much as I wanted to get on my FootJoy D.N.A. review right away. It would take a trip south to get the first rounds in.
Fast forward nearly two months later and the snow has melted. I’ve had the chance to put in a sufficient number of rounds to formulate my conclusions about the FootJoy D.N.A. golf shoes. Lets do it.
Technology
From the ground up…
The NitroThin TPU outsole provides a great amount of traction. The platform is not too stiff, which is a big deal. The model I tested has real spikes, real traction thanks to the outsole design.
FootJoy D.N.A. traction! click for more
Next is the “Nitro Last” full rounded toe. Not all golf shoe makers can pull this toe design off. FootJoy does it magnificently.
Some cheap and poorly designed golf shoes do not provide enough arch support, or improper support which could even be worse. The Xtra-Thick FTF FitBed supports the foot perfectly.
The real “ChromoSkin” leather upper of the shoe is beautiful as you should see in the photos I’ve shot. The leather is soft but durable. It comes with a two year waterproof protection.
FootJoy D.N.A. sole and upper – click for more
The “SnugFit” tongue with “MicroVent” technology molds to the foot and helps the foot breathe. I sweat most from the knees down, so breathability down there is a big deal.
The 3D FoamCollar (ahem), also mystery item #1, molds to the ankle for comfort and fit. This particular piece, along with the tongue, have a very soft and silky surface.
Looks/Style
If by now the photos haven’t translated the fantastic looks and style of this shoe, go back and look at them again and pay attention this time!
Seriously, these are very sharp and classy golf shoes.
On The Course
The most important part of a golf shoe is the performance in my opinion. All the sharp looks and technology don’t mean a thing if the player is not supported with a solid base which includes great traction from the sole and no movement from the foot inside. The traction and performance of the D.N.A.’s is as good as any shoe I’ve tested.
I have put the D.N.A. shoes into play in countless situations, from dry desert sand to muddy courses still partly covered in snow. In all temperatures, ground conditions, and environments, the shoes perform fantastically.
Critiques
The FootJoy M:Project golf shoes I reviewed last year were possibly the most comfortable golf shoe I’ve ever worn right out of the box. No break-in period.
I can’t say the same about my D.N.A. shoes. The first couple of rounds caused some irritation in my right foot on top of the right three toes. There was a bit of soreness there.
That bit of friction disappeared as the shoes broke in, so no worries at this point.
Colors/Sizes
The FootJoy D.N.A. model is available in sizes ranging from 7-15, depending on shoe width. There are seven colors available, the primary color scheme being the sole of the shoe though a couple of the uppers come in different colors than white.
FootJoy DNA Golf Shoes
Conclusion
The process of seeing all the elements which go into a golf shoe before it is assembled was quite educational and very fun to participate in. There is much more R&D in golf shoes than most people realize I’m sure. That R&D and FootJoy’s dedication to quality, performance, and traditional style, comes together to produce a fantastic golf shoe.
PGA TOUR
WGC-Cadillac Championship
Dates: March 6-9
Venue: TPC Blue Monster at Trump National Doral
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 1-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay)
Friday 1-6 p.m. (Live) / 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday Noon-2 p.m. (Live) / 2-5 p.m. (Live, Spotlight Coverage) / 9:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
(Replay)
Sunday 1-3 p.m. (Live) / 3-6 p.m. (Live, Spotlight Coverage) / 10:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m.
(Replay)
Tournament Airtimes On NBC (Eastern):
Saturday 2-6 p.m. (Live)
Sunday 3-7 p.m. (Live)
In the field: Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, Henrik Stenson, Jason Day, Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Justin Rose, Zach Johnson, Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson and Matt Kuchar.
PGA TOUR
Puerto Rico Open
Dates: March 6-9
Venue: Trump International GC-Puerto Rico, Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Thursday 6:30-9 p.m. (Tape Delay) / 2:30-5 a.m. (Replay)
Friday 6:30-9 p.m. (Tape Delay) / 2:30-5 a.m. (Replay)
Saturday 6:30-9:30 p.m. (Tape Delay) / 3-6 a.m. (Replay)
Sunday 7:30-10:30 p.m. (Tape Delay) / 3-6 a.m. (Replay)
In the field: Steve Flesch, Brooks Koepka, John Daly, David Duval, Trevor Immelman, David Toms, Scott Brown, Y.E. Yang, Fabian Gomez, Alex Cejka and Lee Janzen.
LADIES EUROPEAN TOUR
World Ladies Championships
Dates: March 6-9
Venue: Mission Hills Hainan’s Blackstone Course, Haikou, Hainan, China
Tournament Airtimes On Golf Channel (Eastern):
Saturday 6-9 a.m. (Tape Delay)
Sunday 6-9 a.m. (Tape Delay)
Ranked players in the field: No. 1 Inbee Park, No. 2 Suzann Pettersen, No. 5 So Yeon Ryu, No. 7 Shanshan Feng.
FootJoy DNA Golf Shoes
<rant>
I submit to you that one cannot write a fully informed and accurate review of a golf apparel or equipment item within 24 hours of receiving it, especially a golf shoe. I debuted my FootJoy DNA’s back on January 15th, the day I received them. Within 24 hours a certain website which I’ll refrain from naming posted a “review” of these shoes. Let me get this straight, a golf writer can play enough golf in 24 hours to review a brand new pair of golf shoes? I don’t think so. Obviously their goal was to get the “scoop” and I suppose they did.
And now back to the “whats in the bag?” photos…
Real Golf Reviews
One thing I really try to do here is be as no nonsense and honest as possible with my golf equipment reviews. There’s no way I’m going to write a phony review about FootJoy golf shoes, or anything else for that matter. If I don’t play it enough to REALLY evaluate it and reach a solid conclusion good or bad, I will not post a review. That’s why I didn’t post my FootJoy DNA review a month and a half ago. I hadn’t played enough rounds in them, on a real golf course, hitting a real golf ball, walking on real grass. I have now.
</rant>
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