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Exotics CB Pro Limited Edition

The strikingly handsome CB Pro fairway wood represents the latest in new technology and performance from Tour Edge's Exotics line. With one glance at the photo here, you can see why I have to start with a description of the innovative Slip Stream Sole. Using a series of wavy lines, the Slip Stream Sole minimizes interaction with the turf for faster contact with the ball. Not only that, the Slip Stream Sole makes it easy to hit the ball from the fairway or even the rough on a more shallow, slightly ascending swingpath. It's as though grass, debris, even water, channels through the waves for a near-friction-free strike with the ball. That's awesome stuff, if you ask us.

Of course, like other Exotics fairway woods, the CB Pro isn't just some shiny one-trick pony. In addition to the Slip Stream Sole, the compact (170cc) CB Pro has a Beta-Titanium cup-face design, which in simple English means this wood isn't made like many woods and even drivers are made. Here's why: Many woods and drivers are constructed with a face insert that's welded at the seams around the periphery of the face. The CB Pro employs a cup-face design, which means the entire clubface and part of the sole, crown and sides are all made of one piece of titanium. If you actually held the cup-face design in your hand facedown, it would look, well, like a cup. This cup face is then combo-brazed (a chemically induced process that joins two pieces together) to a hyper-steel body. The resulting effect is a consistently powerful and lightweight face combined with the ruggedness and strength of steel. And, last, but certainly not least, the CB Pro comes stock with Fujikura's Speeder 661 or 757 Series shafts for Tour-level performance.

What should you expect? A powerful, driver-like, low-spin launch (the loft on the wood we tried was 14.5) and more distance than you ever could have imagined from the fairway. It's workable, too, which means this is the type of fairway wood better players will love. It's not the most forgiving compared to some models on the market, but don't misconstrue that. It's still quite forgiving in the general sense. The center of gravity is positioned forward for a penetrating ballflight and spin reduction, so it's a good idea to go for a little more loft than you're probably used to. This club is just so darn long! And, by the way, this club is a "Limited Edition," meaning you better get your hands on one soon if you want to take advantage of all the power and shotmaking one fairway wood can deliver. And, yes, we know it's expensive, but hitting high draws to 10 feet from the pin from 275 yards out is worth every penny.

SPECS 13.5, 14.5, 15.5, 16.5, 17.5, with a light Speeder 661 or slightly heavier Speeder 757 shaft $499 | Touredge.com

SkyCaddie LINX

We've had GPS-equipped golf carts for a while now, and handheld GPS devices and smartphones have become common means for determining distances from the golfer to the green. But, as of late, there's a new category for golf GPS, and it seems to be gaining a lot of momentum: sport watches.

Among our favorite in the category is the new SkyCaddie LINX. The LINX is the Swiss Army Knife of golf GPS watches, with a host of features that not only help you play better golf, but will help you get in better shape, too. The LINX comes preprogrammed with 34,000 courses with distances to the front, middle and back of the green, as well as layup areas. It's easy to read in the sun (thank you, SkyGolf), and if you want, you can use Bluetooth to sync it up with a free Mobile App on your smartphone to provide you with a digital scorecard and stat analysis. We love that the LINX is fast, and because you wear it on your wrist, there's no more fiddling around with your handheld device and/or worrying about draining your smartphone battery. If you plan on using the LINX in GPS mode, it will last eight hours, but for everyday use, it can go up to 45 days on a single charge in Watch mode.

Sounds cool, right? That's just the beginning. In addition to providing the golfer with golf-centric data, the LINX is a handy (pun intended) device for your fitness regimen, as well. The built-in odometer tracks how far you walk, your pace, even how many calories you've burned. And, no, it's not just for playing golf. You can use it when running or riding a bike, too.

Question is, does it tell time? Of course, it does. Some features in the LINX require an annual fee, but even still, with so much technology built into a device that you wear on your wrist, it's totally worth it. The LINX comes in black or white, with color bands/bezels available.

SPECS Comes in black or white; preloaded with 34,000 courses and a variety of features (some require annual membership) $249 | Skygolf.comSkygolf.com