Teacher James is top of the form

The Oxford golfer, who has been playing for less than a year, submitted his review of the club during June and along with two other Golfmagic visitors has won a dozen Callaway Warbird balls as one of the best of the month, courtesy of County Golf Direct.

"I mentioned to my local pro that I wasn't getting on with my Odyssey 2-ball DFX and he sent me off to the practice green armed with a Nike Oz T100, a Ping Craz-E and the Benross which he described as 'a bit of a dark horse'. I was about to turn my nose up at the Benross but on the strength of the GM editor’s review, I decided to give it a go," said James who took up the game when a cricketing pal took him to a driving range.

"I was thinking how I'd justify £120 for the Ping to my wife, when I holed three 10-footers with the Benross. Sold. Since then it has helped my putting immensely."

James says he has practised rigorously since taking up the game and his handicap is now down to 23 - chiefly to the strength of his short game.

"I've recently started a structured course of lessons to help with consistency and my next target is to break 90. I was standing over my drive on the par-5 18th at Hinksey Heights recently, when my playing partner pointed out I only needed a six to shoot 89; I put the drive in the water and took eight!

Ping G2 driver

He says his local course is hilly and windy with small, well-protected greens.

"Putting has become important to me and the heavy head of the Ripple SE II helps to stabilise my stroke. As a result I'm getting more consistent, "said James who contacted me later to reveal he'd final broken the 90 barrier - an 85 which included two 20-footers with his Benross Ripple.

Gilles Chandler from London, told us about his Ping G2 (460 cc) driver, which he describes as the golf version of the BMW M5. He gave it a maximum rating and said: "In its blue and chrome livery its Grafalloy ProLaunch shaft [it hits the ball] fast and deep in a straight line with a nice sound."

He reveals that he took up golf two years ago when he was paid to play the part of ‘a bad golfer’ in a US beer commercial filmed at Moor Park.

"I was a tennis player but by the end of two days filming the golf bug was in me. I studied from books, DVDs and had many lessons but refused to go on a proper course until my short game was up to a good level."

He joined Mill Hill GC near Barnet and now shoots rounds in the low 90s playing four times a week.

Dunlop Loco fairway metal

For Rory Wright from Leeds, West Yorkshire, says his Dunlop LoCo fairway metals have helped him not only combat his slice but says they are ‘for budget clubs, great for distance.’

The bright, yellow-shafted clubs can be a little intimidating in front of an audience on the first tee but adds since gambling on the purchase they have increased his confidence.

"I took the 5-wood to play a fairway bunker shot on the 18th hole recently and nutted it 230 yards! Thank you Dunlop."

The 18-handicapper, aged 27, has just switched from Temple Newsam to Marriott Hollins Hall, near Bradford and plays at least twice a week.

"I’m known to be golf obsessive and for the last two years six of us have taken a week away, to play in Galway and then St Andrews, where we completed played nine to 10 rounds in seven days!

"Last year on the final day, we held our own open at the Open qualifying course Scotscraig. I had played terribly all week, but stormed home to score 37 points and win the replica Claret Jug. I’ve also had a hole in one, which is my finest memory on a golf course," said Rory.

*Tell us about your golf equipment – waterproofs, clubs, balls, bag, shoes, etc – by submitting a user review. You could win one of the dozen packs Callaway Warbird balls we give away every month.

And if you’ve got clubs to buy or sell second hand you can do that too, in our popular classified section.