As a kid, I loved Batman. He was the superhero I could someday be, or so I thought. He didn’t have super powers, which obviously were beyond my reach. All he had were superior intellect, unparalleled physical training, and billions of dollars – all perfectly attainable in my 6-year-old mind.

With his vast fortune, he could create a gadget for every occasion. And I LOVED the gadgets. I tried to make my own utility belt at one point, but all I could fit on it were a tape measurer, magnifying glass, and egg whisk. None of these items turned out to be effective in defeating super-villains…or neighborhood bullies.

As a grown-up (sort of) golfer, though, modern technology and a competitive marketplace have provided some measure of Batman-worthy golf: The sport has a gadget for nearly every occasion, starting with the 14 allowable weapons one can carry during a round.

This year’s wave of adjustable clubhead drivers has the potential to increase the Bat-golfer’s Bat-arsenal even further.

Take Nike’s SQ Dymo Str8-FIT driver. The company’s top-end big-stick offers eight different loft-lie combinations, each one requiring a simple adjustment, taking just two minutes tops. From 2-degrees open to two-degrees closed face-angle and from +2 to -2 lie-angle, the Str8-FIT caters to players who make a consistent enough swing so that they know what to expect and how to adjust the club to correct their normal off-kilter tendencies.

The club is a veritable utility belt in and of itself. The adjustment system involves a clever compass-like marking on the butt-end of the grip, and a headcover with a secret pocket. In that pocket is the best part: A custom wrench to fit the gear-like hosel that makes loosening and tightening the shaft a cinch. And, get this, the wrench actually beeps and lights up when you have tightened the hosel enough.

I call it the Bat-wrench. Seriously.

I’m still not at all convinced I like this adjustable head technology. Quite frankly, I think that if your game is off, you should focus on fixing your swing, not wondering if it’s your swing or if you simply don’t have the clubhead adjusted properly (since the clubhead cannot, according to the rules of golf, be adjusted during a round). In addition, the price tags of these clubs (the Str8-FIT’s MSRP is $540) practically require a Bruce Wayne-like bankroll.

A feature review of the Str8-FIT and the competing TaylorMade R9 is forthcoming, so until then, the verdict on this new innovative technology is out.

Still…Holy Secret Weapon, Batman!

Nike’s SQ Dymo Str8-FIT is unassuming, until it breaks out the super gadgetry.

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