Sporting his new lapband-thin physique, John Daly branches out in an area we never thought we’d see: underwear model. He’s signed a contract with a company called Slix, which makes premium underwear for men.

Good for him. And it actually looks like an interesting product, especially the torso slimming t shirts.

Heh. At least here’s one golfer who knows how to keep his underwear on.

Equmen Golf Shirt Review

Grade: An incomplete A
Teacher’s Comments: Works for back pain and slimming. Not yet sure about golf.

I woke up Sunday with a telltale pain in my back—the sort that generally leads to several days of hobbling about, feeling as though I can’t stand up straight and my hip is dislocated. Several trips to the chiropractor usually are required to straighten it all out.

It was then that I spied the Equmen long sleeve shirt that’s been sitting on my dresser for a couple of months now. It was sent to me by the company, asking that I review it after wearing it for a round or two of golf. Unfortunately, the weather has not been at all conducive to golf—the usual January thaw just didn’t materialize.

But upon seeing it, I recalled that the literature in the package said that the shirt’s “helix mapping” compression was designed to support the core muscles and that it could help reduce back pain. Figure I had nothing to lose, I wrestled it on.

Wrestling is exactly the word I wanted to use there, because it’s a devil of a thing to don. At first glance, the “large” looks like it’s designed for a twelve year old boy. But I tugged and pulled and managed to get it on.

I thought it would feel terrible, but it is in fact incredibly comfortable. The very tight, compressing shirt fits like a second skin, with no bunching or rubbing. Moreover, the weave works to warm the muscles in a very therapeutic way. I felt warm, without being hot or sweaty.

As for the back, it worked. The expected pain never materialized, and I credit that to the shirt’s designed core support and the muscle warming. I felt terrific wearing it all day, and only regretfully took it off that night.

A nice side effect: it has an immediate slimming effect in its look. I think I looked years younger in the Equmen.

I can’t wait to see if the core support works to improve my golf game.

My only regret about this is that I don’t have a half dozen of the short sleeve models to wear every day. At $99 to $109 each, I can’t possibly afford to buy them.

Trammel Golf Boots

GolfLocker has some good deals running now on last year’s Adidas and Nike golf shirts.

UNDER ARMOUR Men s Stableford II Vest

One of the two keys to staying warm on a cold round is keeping your core well insulated (keeping the head warm is the other). Fortunately, that’s not at odds with the golf swing, since a thermal vest will do the job nicely. The Underarmor Stableford II Vest is constructed with UA’s ColdGear technology; a bonded outer layer with a thermal microfleece inner layer that traps heat to keep you warm while the moisture transfer system ensures that you stay dry and comfortable. The Stableford II Vest also offers wind protection, a low-profile front collar for maximum mobility and a bonded Napoleon chest pocket.