ORLANDO, Fla. -- The side-by-side appearance of famed teaching pros Butch Harmon and David Leadbetter to promote one product at the PGA Merchandise Show indicated that maybe there was something to the Trion:Z.
Launched at last year's PGA Merchandise Show and now up to 1,200 accounts, Trion:Z is a line of fabric magnetic/ionic bracelets and necklaces that come in several colors. The fabric, called Stayers, is infused with a mineral that gives off negative ions, counterbalancing the positive ions most people receive from computers, electronic equipment and other sources of electromagnetic energy.
"If the body is in electrical balance everything works the way it is supposed to," said company CEO Jim Uno. "If the body is in too much of a positive state, you may have excess fatigue and feel pain more intensely."
Trion:Z products also contain magnets to loosen muscles and stimulate blood flow.
"I've always been into magnets and magnetic therapy," Leadbetter said. "When I found out about these I was immediately interested."
Leadbetter says he removes his bracelet to shower, and can tell if he forgets to put it back on.
"When I came in this morning, I was yawning my head off," he said. "I looked at my wrist and I didn't have my bracelet."
With another bracelet on, Leadbetter said, he felt better.
Harmon, on the other hand, tried the Trion:Z to help him with arthritis in his hands.
"I'm not smart enough to explain how it works," Harmon said. "I just know I feel better when I wear it. It relieves my arthritis. I don't know why you wouldn't try it.
The bracelets and necklaces will not lose their effectiveness over time or by becoming wet, like some other ionized jewelry. However, wearers may wish to replace their bracelets over time so they don't look worn. The bracelets retail for $19.95 and the necklaces are $29.95.
RAIN OR SHINE: You could be blown away -- literally -- by the Gustbuster. Although it's been around a while, the Gustbuster umbrella keeps gaining momentum, and with a giant fan in the company's show booth, you can see how the product holds up.
Designed to blow up to 60 miles per hour, you will likely blow away before the umbrella breaks.
"It's unflippable, unflappable and unbreakable," said Steve Asman, president of Innoventions Enterprises, maker of the Gustbuster.
The flow-through design is the key to how these 62- or 68-inch golf umbrellas withstand up to 55 mph -- and in many cases, higher -- winds. Asman said the company sees less than 1 percent returns and they guarantee the umbrellas for life.
To balance the umbrella, Innoventions has a line of SunBuster Sports Enhancement Eyewear that help protect eyes and help golfers read putts better. PuttReaders lenses in the sunglasses are optically ground to reduce distortion and colored so they filter light for most effective vision of undulations and breaks in the green. They also help depth perception -- leading to better putting for golfers, immediately.
"Golfers shouldn't wear polarized glasses. They bounce light and are well-known to flatten contours," Asman said. "These relax your eyes and your face muscles so you're going to play better. You can see better and putt better, so you'll play better."
NAVIGATING ALONG: If you like to walk the course but don't want to mess with a push cart, the Navigator from Bag Boy is an excellent solution. The Navigator uses a remote control so you can operate it from up to 220 yards away. That comes in handy when, for example, you leave your bag on one side of the green.
"You don't have to walk back to your cart," said George West, Bag Boy operations manager. "You can take the remote control and send the cart back to you or to the next tee. It's like having a caddy."
Plus, it is extremely stable, thanks to a swiveling front wheel and retractable fourth wheel in the back.
"When a cart drives down a hill or slope, typically gravity will pull it to the left or right," West said. "With the Navigator, you can feel the resistance and you can actually see the front wheel pulling back to the original line."
The Navigator has an on-board compass; a cart seat with an inside storage area for scorecards, balls, tees and personal items; and an umbrella holder. Its 34A gel cell battery is made to last for 18 holes.
"If by chance you forget to charge it -- and that's gonna happen, no doubt about it -- you just change the position of the wheels and use it as a traditional push cart," West said.
Bag Boy also introduced The Explorer and The Cruiser at the show. The Explorer is a walk-along cart and the Cruiser is an adaptive cruise control cart that can maintain a set speed at all times on all terrains.
