This Indoor Bunker

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Why Golf has a pretty cool product, they call the "Bunker Mate," a small, oval-shaped piece of what appears to be a soft, plush carpet that can also double as a pretty accurate simulation of bunkers.

The company sent me one of them a few months ago, and for the past few months, I have been using it to tidy up my game in my unfinished basement. While it also is ideal for the side of practice greens at your local muni, the Why Golf Bunker Mate has given me a reason to be excited about entering bunkers and other challenging short-game scenarios on the course, even though I may do my best to avoid them.

Why Golf describes the product on its website:

"Bunker Mate is designed with a top layer custom developed by WhyGolf to mimic the feel and ball flight of sand, an internal "bounce" layer with just the right amount of resistance to digging, and a bottom rubber layer for weight, traction, and durability."

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I have to admit, I was somewhat skeptical when Why Golf sent me the sample. I was eager to try it, but I was also questioning how anything on Earth would be able to simulate the challenging nature of a bunker without actually having sand present.

It comes with the Bunker Mate and two foam balls that won't damage anything. You can skull a shot, and trust me — you will when you first give this thing a go — and it won't hurt anything, especially not your wife's brand-new lamp or your precious flatscreen TV. It would probably be best to avoid testing the latter theory, just for good measure.

What I was most impressed with was how the Bunker Mate and the foam balls were able to simulate spin. I have a relatively spinny bunker shot. In my experience, my fast swing and open club face (I usually opt for my 60-degree wedge) produce a quick, high-spin shot that will stop relatively soon based on green conditions.

There is an adjustment period with the Bunker Mate, just like any new club, lie, or scenario in most of our golf games. I will say that once you get the hang of this thing, it is pretty fun to fool around with. I even like to pick a spot on the floor or put down a mug and try to land the ball close to it and get as much spin as I can.

Has this translated to better performance on the golf course?

I will say it is tough to say this with a definitive answer in terms of hitting bunker shots. However, I did find that my overall confidence with wedges increased after I spent a few hours a week with the Bunker Mate at home. I feel like I am more comfortable giving the bounce an opportunity to do its job and am more prone to not decelerate into the ball, which usually results in presenting the leading edge and walking to the other side of the green to hit another shot.

It's $79.99 on the Why Golf website, and I believe it's definitely worth it, especially if you can take it to a simulator and let it do its job on there or if you just want something to keep you fresh during the evenings or off-season.

In my opinion, I’d give this a solid 8.5/10.

I’d like to see more foam balls included, I think it could also have some sort of grip or adhesive on the bottom that would keep it from sliding on the ground. One other thing that is tough to emulate with the Bunker Mate is a proper stance, as many pros would recommend digging your feet deep into the sand and getting low. While the Bunker Mate does require your weight to be forward to consistent ball striking, there is no way to translate an identical stance while practicing with it.

Other than that, it's a really great product.

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Joey has been a journalist for over three years, covering various topics in the automotive and sports industries. He has been a passionate golfer for around six years, but has been a fan of the game for much longer. His earliest memories of golf are watching The Masters and learning the game with friends at courses local to him in Pennsylvania, which, despite the challenging climate, he plays year-round. He has attended several golf tournaments, including the BMW Championship in 2021 and 2022, and has been denied (what should be) a record 12 times for The Masters' annual ticket lottery.In his bag, Joey currently plays the TaylorMade Stealth Driver and 3 Wood, TSi2 19° Hybrid, Titleist T300 irons, Callaway Mack Daddy and Tommy Armour Wedges, and a TaylorMade Spider Putter. He plays TP5x or ProV1x.

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No other putter manufacturer other than maybe Scotty Cameron is as well known and respected as Ping. The Ping Anser putter is iconic. That classic design still plays. In 1984 Ping introduced the Ping Zing 2, and it set the world on fire. After 38 years, Ping is bringing back this legendary putter for a limited time.

Major release ➡️ Tuesday, June 13th, 2 PM (ET).

The #PLD Limited collection celebrating the "PING Slam" continues. The Zing 2 is the third of four PING putters that were used to win all four major championships in 1988.

Only 88 precision-milled versions of the winning model… pic.twitter.com/63SUfgIrcP

— PING GOLF (@PingTour) June 9, 2023

The "New" Zing 2, Inspired by the Zing model, shares much of its predecessor's design characteristics, including the flared shaft and hosel. To bring the fully-machined replica to life, PING's designers turned to the PING Gold Putter Vault to analyze the Zing 2's intricacies to ensure the original design remained intact.

Looking at my original Zing 2 and comparing it to the pictures of the rerelease, it's almost identical.

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The limited release will not be cheap. It will cost $990, and sales are limited to one per customer. For the club collector or Ping die-hard, this is a must-have.

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I’ve been using the stock head covers that have come with my drivers and woods for years, but I wanted to get something with a bit more flair. That's how I found Craftsman Golf.