As of this week, Srixon has two players in the world's top five. Henrik Stenson, on the strength of his victory at the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship, moved to the No. 5 position, joining second-ranked Jim Furyk in the top five.
Stenson signed with Srixon in late November, after he used the company's equipment at the Nedbank Challenge. Since then, Stenson has finished in the top 10 in each start, including two second-place finishes and a win at the Dubai Desert Classic three weeks ago.
"Obviously winning back to back is something I haven't done before, and it's two great tournaments, as well," said Stenson, who had not played since Dubai.
While Stenson has made several changes -- including having veteran caddie Fanny Sunesson on the bag and working with new coach Pete Cowan -- his equipment change may have helped him fine-tune his game.
Stenson uses a set of Srixon I-506 irons and a prototype Z-UR golf ball, as well as a Srixon hat, bag and glove.
BELLY UP TO THE WIN: Stacy Prammanasudh joins the growing list of professionals who have used a belly putter to win on tour this year. Prammanasudh picked up her second LPGA win at the Fields Open on Saturday while using a Ping G5i Craz-E B mid-length putter.
"I was just playing with a friend who is also a head pro back home. I couldn't hit the hole from two feet, it was ridiculous," she said. "He was like, 'Just putt with your 3-wood like a belly putter.' And it felt decent.
"I was going out to Ping the next week and I just got fit for one. Brought it back home, made everything the first week; played great, first tournament."
That first tournament was the 2006 SBS Open. In the year since, Prammanasudh has improved her putting stats. So far for 2007, she is ranked second in putts per round with a 26.50 average and is tied for fourth in putts per GIR (1.69).
One of the criticisms of the belly putter is judging distance. Prammanasudh, though, does not appear to have that problem. In Saturday's final round, she two-putted from 40 feet on the par-5 fifth hole and from 30 feet on the par-5 13th for birdies.
TWO TO CHOOSE FROM: TaylorMade's recent introduction of two new drivers, the Burner and the r7 SuperQuad, give players a choice. In advertising, the Burner is geared to players who like to "grip it and rip it," while the SuperQuad with its changeable weight system is pitched to the golfer who likes to tinker with equipment.
Apparently Darren Clarke could not make a decision, so he asked TaylorMade to fit him for both models.
"He has a tendency to hit more of a draw, so we took a 9.5 (in the SuperQuad) and bent it to 8.5 with an extreme fade bias set up," said John Steinbach, TaylorMade's senior director of corporate communication via e-mail. "The outcome really straightened out his ball flight. As for his Burner, we took a 10.5 and bent it to 9 to optimize the trajectory for most distance."
Clarke, a 13th seed at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, lost his first-round match in extra holes to No. 4 seed Sergio Garcia, also a TaylorMade staff player.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Tour Van: Odyssey Attracts Putter Buzz with Tour Wins
Odyssey's White Hot XG putter is not a new club -- in fact, it was introduced to consumers in April. Phil Mickelson used one model to win the Masters, which increased consumer buzz.
But why pay attention to this putter now, especially when Odyssey is about to introduce a brand new line called the Black Series? Because the White Hot XG putter is a winner on tour.
Fred Funk put one in his bag this year, the #7 mallet-style version, and has won twice already. His win on Sunday at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico made him one of only two golfers in history to win on the PGA and Champions tours in the same year.
"It was a magical putting week," said Funk said after sticking the putter in his bag and winning the Turtle Bay Championship. "No question the three days of putting was by far the best I've ever had. It was just one of those on a roll."
And in Mexico, Funk said he also relied on his putter to get him into -- and then through -- a playoff with Jose Coceres.
"I made a lot of really good par saves today," he said after his win Sunday. "It was not an easy day for me out there today at all. I owe it to my putter and I think my intestinal fortitude and the mental program that I've been running."
Henrik Stenson, who was using a White Hot #5 model, also put a White Hot XG #7 in his bag this week to earn his first PGA Tour victory at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
The #7, called "The Thing" for its two weighted prongs that help alignment, was also in Tom Watson's bag when he won on the Champions Tour two weeks ago.
"It's the No. 1 selling model," said Rob Arluna, director of brand management for Odyssey Golf. "It's doing pretty well in both in the marketplace and gaining ground on tour. It's hard to measure (impact on sales from a tour player's victory) but we certainly see a spike in interest and in sales."
Pros may have taken a little while to decide they liked the idea of a face insert. While feel is enhanced with an insert, some golfers struggle with gauging distance on longer putts when using a soft insert. The White Hot XG uses "multi-layer insert technology" with an elastomer core material that is covered by a thin, firm outer surface for more responsiveness.
"It depends on each player and what he likes (for feel)," Arluna said. "The nice thing about the White Hot XG is that the ball comes off the face (softly) but there's still resilience."
Odyssey is hoping that some of the buzz surrounding its increased presence on tour will pay off for its new Black Series putters. Charles Howell III used one to win the Nissan Open.
"Charles Howell's win is opportune because the putter started shipping (this week)," Arluna said. "It gives a little extra buildup to the launch."
How much can the recent wins Odyssey has had help overall sales?
Take the case of the XG's debut in Mickelson's hands. Mickelson, who had never played a putter with an insert before, chose a heel-shafted White Hot XG #9 in his win at the BellSouth Classic, which he followed with his Masters victory.
"In the past, heel-shafted putters were for better players who used an open-to-close stroke," Arluna said.
After Mickelson's wins, and aided by a promotional sticker on each putter, the #9 became Odyssey's No. 3 best seller.
"It goes to show you just how strong a tour player can promote sales," Arluna said.
But why pay attention to this putter now, especially when Odyssey is about to introduce a brand new line called the Black Series? Because the White Hot XG putter is a winner on tour.
Fred Funk put one in his bag this year, the #7 mallet-style version, and has won twice already. His win on Sunday at the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico made him one of only two golfers in history to win on the PGA and Champions tours in the same year.
"It was a magical putting week," said Funk said after sticking the putter in his bag and winning the Turtle Bay Championship. "No question the three days of putting was by far the best I've ever had. It was just one of those on a roll."
And in Mexico, Funk said he also relied on his putter to get him into -- and then through -- a playoff with Jose Coceres.
"I made a lot of really good par saves today," he said after his win Sunday. "It was not an easy day for me out there today at all. I owe it to my putter and I think my intestinal fortitude and the mental program that I've been running."
Henrik Stenson, who was using a White Hot #5 model, also put a White Hot XG #7 in his bag this week to earn his first PGA Tour victory at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.
The #7, called "The Thing" for its two weighted prongs that help alignment, was also in Tom Watson's bag when he won on the Champions Tour two weeks ago.
"It's the No. 1 selling model," said Rob Arluna, director of brand management for Odyssey Golf. "It's doing pretty well in both in the marketplace and gaining ground on tour. It's hard to measure (impact on sales from a tour player's victory) but we certainly see a spike in interest and in sales."
Pros may have taken a little while to decide they liked the idea of a face insert. While feel is enhanced with an insert, some golfers struggle with gauging distance on longer putts when using a soft insert. The White Hot XG uses "multi-layer insert technology" with an elastomer core material that is covered by a thin, firm outer surface for more responsiveness.
"It depends on each player and what he likes (for feel)," Arluna said. "The nice thing about the White Hot XG is that the ball comes off the face (softly) but there's still resilience."
Odyssey is hoping that some of the buzz surrounding its increased presence on tour will pay off for its new Black Series putters. Charles Howell III used one to win the Nissan Open.
"Charles Howell's win is opportune because the putter started shipping (this week)," Arluna said. "It gives a little extra buildup to the launch."
How much can the recent wins Odyssey has had help overall sales?
Take the case of the XG's debut in Mickelson's hands. Mickelson, who had never played a putter with an insert before, chose a heel-shafted White Hot XG #9 in his win at the BellSouth Classic, which he followed with his Masters victory.
"In the past, heel-shafted putters were for better players who used an open-to-close stroke," Arluna said.
After Mickelson's wins, and aided by a promotional sticker on each putter, the #9 became Odyssey's No. 3 best seller.
"It goes to show you just how strong a tour player can promote sales," Arluna said.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Upgraded Golf Balls Keep Same Identity
How often do you try a brand new golf ball? If you are like most golfers, you're comfortable with your tried and true favorite, or you might shift slightly depending on course and weather conditions.
In order to buy a different brand, or even a very different model, you probably need to be convinced by price or by "buzz" -- the attention that tour players or the guys in your foursome give to a new ball, for example.
So, especially when the changes to a new ball are not wildly new and different, golf ball manufacturers are opting to offer "improved" versions of the same brand and model that are already earning your affection. Rather than come up with a new name, the newest offerings from golf ball manufacturers build on an already established brand.
Note the introductions this month of the new "better than ever" Titleist Pro V1 and the Nike One +Platinum balls.
"Adding the plus sign lets consumers know that the One +Platinum and One +Black are the updated and most recent versions," said Beth Gast, Nike's public relations manager. "The One Platinum and One Black names are very familiar to consumers. It's a strong brand and we didn't want to alienate the consumer by giving it a new name."
Because manufacturers spend so much time and money building up consumer interest in a model or name, they are reluctant to move to something new that they will have to introduce to the consumer. In the case of Titleist's Pro V1, the company would not want to risk the high market share in on-course sales for the ball.
According to Golf Datatech, the Pro V1 earned more than 43 percent of all dollars spent on-course for golf balls in 2006, and had better on-course market share for the year than Bridgestone, Callaway, Nike, TaylorMade, Top-Flite and Maxfli combined. A name change could actually be harmful if consumers do not immediately turn to the new model.
As well, when the consumers are asked, they show preference for a familiar name -- even if the product is different.
"We were planning to keep (the Pro V1 name) that way, but we also wanted to get consumer feedback," said Joe Gomes, director of communications for Titleist. "We sent out several thousand questionnaires to a portion of our e-mail database with the option to choose to retain the Pro V1 name. The response was overwhelming to stay with Pro V1 and Pro V1x."
Over at Nike, Gast agrees: "There definitely is a marketing advantage in keeping the same name. There's a level of trust that comes with that name and the assurance they will be getting a high quality product that performs."
There's another good reason not to change names. The new models simply aren't that different.
In 2000, when Titleist updated its popular Professional golf ball to the Pro V1, the changes were dramatic. The Professional was a wound ball with a liquid-filled center, while the Pro V1 has a large solid core. Although the Professional name carried a lot of weight with high-end amateur golfers, the name change indicated that the Pro V1 was a very different offering.
With this revision, the changes are not as dramatic. It's somewhat like software makers upgrading a program from version 1.0 to 1.5 instead of to 2.0 -- it may have improvements, but it's not a vastly different product.
"The refinements (to the new Pro V1) were evolutionary as opposed to revolutionary," Gomes said. "There's such equity in the name and the construction differences were not that dramatic."
To make sure that consumers know the balls, which were introduced this month, are new, both Titleist and Nike have new packaging and will be advertising about the changes.
The Nike One +Platinum and Nike One +Black sell for $54/dozen. See more at www.nike.com/nikegolf/oneball. Titleist's Pro V1 and Pro V1x sell for $58/dozen. See more at www.titleist.com/prov1.
In order to buy a different brand, or even a very different model, you probably need to be convinced by price or by "buzz" -- the attention that tour players or the guys in your foursome give to a new ball, for example.
So, especially when the changes to a new ball are not wildly new and different, golf ball manufacturers are opting to offer "improved" versions of the same brand and model that are already earning your affection. Rather than come up with a new name, the newest offerings from golf ball manufacturers build on an already established brand.
Note the introductions this month of the new "better than ever" Titleist Pro V1 and the Nike One +Platinum balls.
"Adding the plus sign lets consumers know that the One +Platinum and One +Black are the updated and most recent versions," said Beth Gast, Nike's public relations manager. "The One Platinum and One Black names are very familiar to consumers. It's a strong brand and we didn't want to alienate the consumer by giving it a new name."
Because manufacturers spend so much time and money building up consumer interest in a model or name, they are reluctant to move to something new that they will have to introduce to the consumer. In the case of Titleist's Pro V1, the company would not want to risk the high market share in on-course sales for the ball.
According to Golf Datatech, the Pro V1 earned more than 43 percent of all dollars spent on-course for golf balls in 2006, and had better on-course market share for the year than Bridgestone, Callaway, Nike, TaylorMade, Top-Flite and Maxfli combined. A name change could actually be harmful if consumers do not immediately turn to the new model.
As well, when the consumers are asked, they show preference for a familiar name -- even if the product is different.
"We were planning to keep (the Pro V1 name) that way, but we also wanted to get consumer feedback," said Joe Gomes, director of communications for Titleist. "We sent out several thousand questionnaires to a portion of our e-mail database with the option to choose to retain the Pro V1 name. The response was overwhelming to stay with Pro V1 and Pro V1x."
Over at Nike, Gast agrees: "There definitely is a marketing advantage in keeping the same name. There's a level of trust that comes with that name and the assurance they will be getting a high quality product that performs."
There's another good reason not to change names. The new models simply aren't that different.
In 2000, when Titleist updated its popular Professional golf ball to the Pro V1, the changes were dramatic. The Professional was a wound ball with a liquid-filled center, while the Pro V1 has a large solid core. Although the Professional name carried a lot of weight with high-end amateur golfers, the name change indicated that the Pro V1 was a very different offering.
With this revision, the changes are not as dramatic. It's somewhat like software makers upgrading a program from version 1.0 to 1.5 instead of to 2.0 -- it may have improvements, but it's not a vastly different product.
"The refinements (to the new Pro V1) were evolutionary as opposed to revolutionary," Gomes said. "There's such equity in the name and the construction differences were not that dramatic."
To make sure that consumers know the balls, which were introduced this month, are new, both Titleist and Nike have new packaging and will be advertising about the changes.
The Nike One +Platinum and Nike One +Black sell for $54/dozen. See more at www.nike.com/nikegolf/oneball. Titleist's Pro V1 and Pro V1x sell for $58/dozen. See more at www.titleist.com/prov1.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Tour Van Notebook: Watson Finally Wins in Florida
What had Tom Watson never done before Sunday? Won a tournament in Florida.
He took a one-shot victory at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in Lutz, Fla., but it may have had something to do with the cold weather. Temperatures in the low 40s made the five-time British Open champion feel more comfortable.
"I guess after all I've played in Florida it has just never been cold enough. It took Kansas City weather to make it happen," Watson said.
Watson is an Adams Golf staff player, and he carried a 9.5-degree Redline RPM Dual driver, Insight BTY 3-wood, Idea Pro hybrids in 18 and 20 degrees and Idea Pro Forged irons for his win.
Adams has a higher presence on the Champions Tour than other tours. In the last event of the 2006 season the company was first in four equipment categories, and the company's presence continued to be felt Sunday, with three other Adams Golf pros finishing in the top 10: R.W. Eaks (T4), Scott Hoch (T7) and D.A. Weibring (T10).
LENGTH DOESN'T MATTER: Driving distance is where it is at for golfers on the PGA Tour. But how important is increasing distance for the LPGA players?
"I wouldn't even hit it 10 percent or 5 percent further" than in the mid-90s, said Karrie Webb at last week's tour-opening SBS Open at Turtle Bay.
"I don't stand there and measure how far I hit my drive. I know I hit it long enough out here to compete," she said. "If I was a short hitter I know I would be thinking more about it, but I feel like I'm above average. I'm not long out here by any means, but I hit it long enough to compete. I hit short enough irons into holes to play successfully."
Last year's Rolex Player of the Year, Lorena Ochoa, who is working with a new Ping driver in 2007, agreed that she didn't spend much time working on her driving distance.
"I want to say maybe 15 percent," she said.
ODDS AND ENDS: Nissan Open winner Charles Howell III is in love … with his putter. And after his performance last week, why not? "This is the longest I've used a putter since I've turned professional," Howell said. "I switched to this new Odyssey putter last year in Oklahoma. And I have gone the whole off season and the beginning of this season without even ordering another one." ... In the ongoing saga of which driver Phil Mickelson will use at Augusta, it looks like both will be in the bag. "I'm not going be changing drivers. I'm going to be using this FT-5 I've been playing with. What I may do is add the FT-i, the square one, for Augusta for three or four, five of those driving holes, because I take out a sand wedge anyway," he said. ... LPGA Tour rookie Paige Mackenzie changed from Ping clubs to Nike in November. Doing so required a mental adjustment. "What I didn't realize when you change equipment is that when you stand over the club how many good memories come back to you with the old clubs," she said. "With the new clubs there are no good memories yet so that is why I played a lot the last several weeks because I wanted to build good feelings and thoughts." It must have worked all right; Mackenzie tied for 17th in her first tournament as an exempt player.
He took a one-shot victory at the Outback Steakhouse Pro-Am in Lutz, Fla., but it may have had something to do with the cold weather. Temperatures in the low 40s made the five-time British Open champion feel more comfortable.
"I guess after all I've played in Florida it has just never been cold enough. It took Kansas City weather to make it happen," Watson said.
Watson is an Adams Golf staff player, and he carried a 9.5-degree Redline RPM Dual driver, Insight BTY 3-wood, Idea Pro hybrids in 18 and 20 degrees and Idea Pro Forged irons for his win.
Adams has a higher presence on the Champions Tour than other tours. In the last event of the 2006 season the company was first in four equipment categories, and the company's presence continued to be felt Sunday, with three other Adams Golf pros finishing in the top 10: R.W. Eaks (T4), Scott Hoch (T7) and D.A. Weibring (T10).
LENGTH DOESN'T MATTER: Driving distance is where it is at for golfers on the PGA Tour. But how important is increasing distance for the LPGA players?
"I wouldn't even hit it 10 percent or 5 percent further" than in the mid-90s, said Karrie Webb at last week's tour-opening SBS Open at Turtle Bay.
"I don't stand there and measure how far I hit my drive. I know I hit it long enough out here to compete," she said. "If I was a short hitter I know I would be thinking more about it, but I feel like I'm above average. I'm not long out here by any means, but I hit it long enough to compete. I hit short enough irons into holes to play successfully."
Last year's Rolex Player of the Year, Lorena Ochoa, who is working with a new Ping driver in 2007, agreed that she didn't spend much time working on her driving distance.
"I want to say maybe 15 percent," she said.
ODDS AND ENDS: Nissan Open winner Charles Howell III is in love … with his putter. And after his performance last week, why not? "This is the longest I've used a putter since I've turned professional," Howell said. "I switched to this new Odyssey putter last year in Oklahoma. And I have gone the whole off season and the beginning of this season without even ordering another one." ... In the ongoing saga of which driver Phil Mickelson will use at Augusta, it looks like both will be in the bag. "I'm not going be changing drivers. I'm going to be using this FT-5 I've been playing with. What I may do is add the FT-i, the square one, for Augusta for three or four, five of those driving holes, because I take out a sand wedge anyway," he said. ... LPGA Tour rookie Paige Mackenzie changed from Ping clubs to Nike in November. Doing so required a mental adjustment. "What I didn't realize when you change equipment is that when you stand over the club how many good memories come back to you with the old clubs," she said. "With the new clubs there are no good memories yet so that is why I played a lot the last several weeks because I wanted to build good feelings and thoughts." It must have worked all right; Mackenzie tied for 17th in her first tournament as an exempt player.
Tour Van: Furyk Hunts for the Perfect Driver
Some tour players can pick up a new club, take a couple swings, and pop it into their bag for the tournament ahead. Others struggle and fight to return to the feeling they had with one special driver in the past.
That's been the case for Jim Furyk, who has been working to find just the right TaylorMade driver for his swing.
For much of 2006, Furyk relied on a 450cc Srixon W-506 driver that had exactly 10.9 degrees of loft, an X-flex UST ProForce 65 Gold shaft and was 44-3/4-inches long. Clearly, this is a guy who has some specific requirements for his driver.
But then disaster struck -- the driver face cracked while Furyk was competing in the HSBC Champions event last November.
"I played a different one at that time, [PGA] Grand Slam, then I played at the [Nedbank] Million Dollar [Challenge]," he said. "So that was two. Then I played the same one in the two Hawaii events [Mercedes Championship and Sony Open], a different one last week, and a different one this week."
Although Furyk won at the Nedbank Challenge in early December with a similar Srixon driver, it wasn't exactly right. And a subsequent attempt at using a Titleist driver in Hawaii didn't quite work for Furyk, either.
"You know, you think in this day and age with as good as we are at making equipment, measuring equipment would be easier than that to get a replacement, but I really haven't been that happy with my driver," said Furyk at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. "I wasn't happy with the driver that I played in Hawaii. Or the one I played actually even when I won in December, the Nedbank, I still wasn't real happy or confident with that driver. And I just had a hard time matching up with the rest of my set and I was a little disappointed."
So, at Pebble Beach, Furyk started working with a TaylorMade r7 SuperQuad driver with the UST shaft he favored from his Srixon driver. He continued to tinker with the club and put another new TaylorMade into play for the Nissan Open.
"Every head is different," said Furyk after his Thursday round at the Nissan. "Every shaft is slightly different, and trying to put the whole puzzle together has been difficult."
The TaylorMade driver Furyk used at Pebble Beach, he said, had a little left bias in it and his new club at the Nissan Open was an attempt to remove that bias.
"I tested a couple of (TaylorMade drivers), quite a few drivers this week and they seem to be the best that I have right now for the launch and straight-wise," Furyk said.
Furyk said his biggest issue after Pebble Beach was trying to get more height on the ball.
"I can hit it relatively straight, but too low," he said. "So that's why I'm lacking my carry and some distance. And when I want to try to get the ball up in the air, I'm hanging back and hitting it just to the right.
"They brought the launch monitor in this week, and we literally got some ideas and maybe that will work out. In the meantime, I'm also checking out this other driver and I'm hoping that it's better. It's better. I'm not ready to put the stamp of approval on it for one day. But it's better."
After one round at the Nissan, Furyk had more praise for his driver.
"I drove the ball pretty well," he said. "You know, it takes time. One tournament round or a couple of days of practice isn't enough time. I spent a lot of time here on Monday, trying to dial in again. It's better than last week … I will know a lot more by the time this week's over."
Furyk must be getting closer, though. He finished in a tie for third at the Nissan Open, where his driving distance increased over all four days.
On Thursday, he started with a 275.5-yard average. That increased to 281.0 on Friday, 290.5 on Saturday and 298.5 on Sunday -- a tournament average of 286.4 yards that ranked 55th overall.
That compares to an average of 269.9 yards for the season, or 173rd overall.
That's been the case for Jim Furyk, who has been working to find just the right TaylorMade driver for his swing.
For much of 2006, Furyk relied on a 450cc Srixon W-506 driver that had exactly 10.9 degrees of loft, an X-flex UST ProForce 65 Gold shaft and was 44-3/4-inches long. Clearly, this is a guy who has some specific requirements for his driver.
But then disaster struck -- the driver face cracked while Furyk was competing in the HSBC Champions event last November.
"I played a different one at that time, [PGA] Grand Slam, then I played at the [Nedbank] Million Dollar [Challenge]," he said. "So that was two. Then I played the same one in the two Hawaii events [Mercedes Championship and Sony Open], a different one last week, and a different one this week."
Although Furyk won at the Nedbank Challenge in early December with a similar Srixon driver, it wasn't exactly right. And a subsequent attempt at using a Titleist driver in Hawaii didn't quite work for Furyk, either.
"You know, you think in this day and age with as good as we are at making equipment, measuring equipment would be easier than that to get a replacement, but I really haven't been that happy with my driver," said Furyk at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. "I wasn't happy with the driver that I played in Hawaii. Or the one I played actually even when I won in December, the Nedbank, I still wasn't real happy or confident with that driver. And I just had a hard time matching up with the rest of my set and I was a little disappointed."
So, at Pebble Beach, Furyk started working with a TaylorMade r7 SuperQuad driver with the UST shaft he favored from his Srixon driver. He continued to tinker with the club and put another new TaylorMade into play for the Nissan Open.
"Every head is different," said Furyk after his Thursday round at the Nissan. "Every shaft is slightly different, and trying to put the whole puzzle together has been difficult."
The TaylorMade driver Furyk used at Pebble Beach, he said, had a little left bias in it and his new club at the Nissan Open was an attempt to remove that bias.
"I tested a couple of (TaylorMade drivers), quite a few drivers this week and they seem to be the best that I have right now for the launch and straight-wise," Furyk said.
Furyk said his biggest issue after Pebble Beach was trying to get more height on the ball.
"I can hit it relatively straight, but too low," he said. "So that's why I'm lacking my carry and some distance. And when I want to try to get the ball up in the air, I'm hanging back and hitting it just to the right.
"They brought the launch monitor in this week, and we literally got some ideas and maybe that will work out. In the meantime, I'm also checking out this other driver and I'm hoping that it's better. It's better. I'm not ready to put the stamp of approval on it for one day. But it's better."
After one round at the Nissan, Furyk had more praise for his driver.
"I drove the ball pretty well," he said. "You know, it takes time. One tournament round or a couple of days of practice isn't enough time. I spent a lot of time here on Monday, trying to dial in again. It's better than last week … I will know a lot more by the time this week's over."
Furyk must be getting closer, though. He finished in a tie for third at the Nissan Open, where his driving distance increased over all four days.
On Thursday, he started with a 275.5-yard average. That increased to 281.0 on Friday, 290.5 on Saturday and 298.5 on Sunday -- a tournament average of 286.4 yards that ranked 55th overall.
That compares to an average of 269.9 yards for the season, or 173rd overall.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Bionic Aids Arthritic Golfers
One of golf's attractions is the ability to play the game for many years, even with physical ailments. Sometimes, though, those very ailments make it more difficult for golfers to continue to play the game.
Arthritis is one of the most common, and debilitating, physical issues that force golfers to give up the sport. But at the same time that golfers with arthritis struggle to grip the club without pain, the exercise that a round of golf provides may be one of the best things for them.
"If you're walking and playing golf, you're not sitting at home being inactive," said Joe Chiarella, vice president of strategic marketing alliances at the Arthritis Foundation. "Anything that strengthens the muscles around the joints is a good thing."
As baby boomers age and the golfing population gets older, there will be more products on the market that can help arthritic golfers, Chiarella said.
Bionic's Silver Series golf gloves are one such product. The gloves, which are sold in pairs because arthritis sufferers typically have discomfort in both hands, were designed by Dr. Jim Kleinert, an orthopedic surgeon.
Kleinert said that in understanding how the gloves work, it helps to think of the 14 joints in the hand as mountains and the areas in between as valleys.
"You fill in the valleys (with padding) to improve surface contact,"
Kleinert said. "The gloves work in concert with the natural ball mechanism of the hand by filling in the valleys so there's more surface contact."
A wrist support system in the gloves also keeps the base of the wrist more comfortable as the golfer plays.
Kleinert, who has studied the role the hands play in the golf swing for more than eight years, says that amateur golfers grip lightly or not at all with the last three fingers of the left hand.
"That means the right hand plays a big role or takes over completely," he said, which means that two gloves are important for many players.
Plus, a more comfortable grip means that golfers can play more holes with less pain. After nine holes, grip strength is almost equal in both hands, but Kleinert said that in playing 18 holes it falls off dramatically.
"Playing 18 holes is a sport," he said. "Yes, there's fatigue. Yes, you use hand strength. That's a factor that influences play."
In a pilot study of independent testers around the United States, 99 percent recommended the gloves for relief of pain and fatigue in their hands. Responses to the testing included comments about less pain, better ability to grip and more distance on the ball.
"It's about quality of life," said Cheryl Fink, Bionic's golf glove marketing director. "We're thrilled to be the golf glove company that's helping people with hand problems get back out on the course and enjoy the game."
Bionic's Silver Series gloves also carry the "Ease of Use" certification from the Arthritis Foundation. "Ease of Use" is given to designated products that have been tested by an independent third-party lab at Georgia Tech for their ability to improve the quality of life for arthritis sufferers. About one in three products tested earn the designation.
"We want to recognize companies like Bionic as doing a great service," the Arthritis Foundation's Chiarella said. "Arthritis is a major health problem, costs $128 billion a year and is the number one disability in the United States. The main thing is getting awareness."
The Silver Series gloves will be available later this spring and will sell for $49.95 for a pair.
For information, go to www.bionicgloves.com.
Arthritis is one of the most common, and debilitating, physical issues that force golfers to give up the sport. But at the same time that golfers with arthritis struggle to grip the club without pain, the exercise that a round of golf provides may be one of the best things for them.
"If you're walking and playing golf, you're not sitting at home being inactive," said Joe Chiarella, vice president of strategic marketing alliances at the Arthritis Foundation. "Anything that strengthens the muscles around the joints is a good thing."
As baby boomers age and the golfing population gets older, there will be more products on the market that can help arthritic golfers, Chiarella said.
Bionic's Silver Series golf gloves are one such product. The gloves, which are sold in pairs because arthritis sufferers typically have discomfort in both hands, were designed by Dr. Jim Kleinert, an orthopedic surgeon.
Kleinert said that in understanding how the gloves work, it helps to think of the 14 joints in the hand as mountains and the areas in between as valleys.
"You fill in the valleys (with padding) to improve surface contact,"
Kleinert said. "The gloves work in concert with the natural ball mechanism of the hand by filling in the valleys so there's more surface contact."
A wrist support system in the gloves also keeps the base of the wrist more comfortable as the golfer plays.
Kleinert, who has studied the role the hands play in the golf swing for more than eight years, says that amateur golfers grip lightly or not at all with the last three fingers of the left hand.
"That means the right hand plays a big role or takes over completely," he said, which means that two gloves are important for many players.
Plus, a more comfortable grip means that golfers can play more holes with less pain. After nine holes, grip strength is almost equal in both hands, but Kleinert said that in playing 18 holes it falls off dramatically.
"Playing 18 holes is a sport," he said. "Yes, there's fatigue. Yes, you use hand strength. That's a factor that influences play."
In a pilot study of independent testers around the United States, 99 percent recommended the gloves for relief of pain and fatigue in their hands. Responses to the testing included comments about less pain, better ability to grip and more distance on the ball.
"It's about quality of life," said Cheryl Fink, Bionic's golf glove marketing director. "We're thrilled to be the golf glove company that's helping people with hand problems get back out on the course and enjoy the game."
Bionic's Silver Series gloves also carry the "Ease of Use" certification from the Arthritis Foundation. "Ease of Use" is given to designated products that have been tested by an independent third-party lab at Georgia Tech for their ability to improve the quality of life for arthritis sufferers. About one in three products tested earn the designation.
"We want to recognize companies like Bionic as doing a great service," the Arthritis Foundation's Chiarella said. "Arthritis is a major health problem, costs $128 billion a year and is the number one disability in the United States. The main thing is getting awareness."
The Silver Series gloves will be available later this spring and will sell for $49.95 for a pair.
For information, go to www.bionicgloves.com.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Tour Van Notebook: Titleist's New Old Ball Making Headlines
The first time that Titleist's self-proclaimed "better than ever" line of Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls was in play at a PGA Tour event, at the 2006 Chrysler Classic of Greensboro, Davis Love III won with it. Through the first five events of the 2007 PGA Tour season, four players have won with the balls.
And now the general public can use them, as Titleist has made them available to the mass market.
"As soon as the ball was ready, I was ready for it," said Love in a promotional video for the company. "When I went out and won, it really wasn't a surprise to me. It was a surprise to many people that you could win with a brand new ball, but as we've seen in the past, the first week out, somebody's got to win with it."
As of this week, more than 50 players on the PGA and European tours are using either the new Pro V1 or Pro V1x.
"Evidence of the overwhelming acceptance of the Pro V1 and Pro V1x among the world's best players is the early-season success and validation of both new offerings on the PGA Tour, as well as throughout worldwide professional tours," said George Sine, vice president of golf ball marketing and strategic planning at Acushnet.
So the balls have quickly become a hit on tour. Now the question is whether members of the general public will be awed, too. Perhaps, if they are among the "serious golfers of all levels" to whom Titleist is marketing the ball.
The ball has two especially notable new features. The first is what the company calls a Staggered Wave parting line. The parting line, which typically runs along the equator of a ball and is where the two halves of the cover meet, is necessary as part of the manufacturing process. Titleist has changed the design of that line to put more dimples on the surface of the ball, to create a slightly higher trajectory and better aerodynamics.
"Our new Staggered Wave design allows us to more densely pack the dimples on the New Pro V1 and Pro V1x, creating the highest surface coverage ever on a Titleist golf ball," said Bill Morgan, senior vice president of Titleist Golf Balls Worldwide. "The combination of the new Staggered Wave parting line, improved surface coverage and dimple dimension changes will provide golfers with greater distance off the tee."
The second new feature is a bit more straightforward. A.I.M. Technology is actually a fancy way to describe markings on the side of each ball showing the ball name and arrows to help in putting alignment.
"Based upon tour player, club professional and amateur golfer feedback, the acceptance and reception to the A.I.M. sidestamp from golfers who have experienced it has been effusive," Sine said.
A simple, but useful, change.
Now, what is the difference between the two models? The Pro V1 is a softer ball, while the Pro V1x will be longer off the tee for most players. Golfers can choose entirely on the feel they prefer off the tee and around the greens. Of 50 pro golfers on men's tours around the world who have been using the new ball, 37 use the Pro V1x.
The balls will be available at retail stores Feb. 15 and will sell for $58 per dozen. As a side note, golfers will be able to purchase balls with numbers 5 through 8 -- not only 1 through 4.
AMATEUR COUNT: The amateurs who play in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am range from corporate bigwigs to celebrities -- busy guys whose first priority is not necessarily golf. But it seems that a lot of the amateurs take cues from the pros with whom they play.
The unofficial amateur counts for the week showed TaylorMade to be the No. 1 name for drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. That mirrors the company's popularity among the pros, where this week, for example, 70 pros used TaylorMade drivers, compared to 47 with Titleist and 23 with Ping.
LPGA START: With the 2007 LPGA season beginning this week, players have been finalizing sponsorships. The latest is Cristie Kerr, who will use United Sports Technologies golf shafts in 2007.
And now the general public can use them, as Titleist has made them available to the mass market.
"As soon as the ball was ready, I was ready for it," said Love in a promotional video for the company. "When I went out and won, it really wasn't a surprise to me. It was a surprise to many people that you could win with a brand new ball, but as we've seen in the past, the first week out, somebody's got to win with it."
As of this week, more than 50 players on the PGA and European tours are using either the new Pro V1 or Pro V1x.
"Evidence of the overwhelming acceptance of the Pro V1 and Pro V1x among the world's best players is the early-season success and validation of both new offerings on the PGA Tour, as well as throughout worldwide professional tours," said George Sine, vice president of golf ball marketing and strategic planning at Acushnet.
So the balls have quickly become a hit on tour. Now the question is whether members of the general public will be awed, too. Perhaps, if they are among the "serious golfers of all levels" to whom Titleist is marketing the ball.
The ball has two especially notable new features. The first is what the company calls a Staggered Wave parting line. The parting line, which typically runs along the equator of a ball and is where the two halves of the cover meet, is necessary as part of the manufacturing process. Titleist has changed the design of that line to put more dimples on the surface of the ball, to create a slightly higher trajectory and better aerodynamics.
"Our new Staggered Wave design allows us to more densely pack the dimples on the New Pro V1 and Pro V1x, creating the highest surface coverage ever on a Titleist golf ball," said Bill Morgan, senior vice president of Titleist Golf Balls Worldwide. "The combination of the new Staggered Wave parting line, improved surface coverage and dimple dimension changes will provide golfers with greater distance off the tee."
The second new feature is a bit more straightforward. A.I.M. Technology is actually a fancy way to describe markings on the side of each ball showing the ball name and arrows to help in putting alignment.
"Based upon tour player, club professional and amateur golfer feedback, the acceptance and reception to the A.I.M. sidestamp from golfers who have experienced it has been effusive," Sine said.
A simple, but useful, change.
Now, what is the difference between the two models? The Pro V1 is a softer ball, while the Pro V1x will be longer off the tee for most players. Golfers can choose entirely on the feel they prefer off the tee and around the greens. Of 50 pro golfers on men's tours around the world who have been using the new ball, 37 use the Pro V1x.
The balls will be available at retail stores Feb. 15 and will sell for $58 per dozen. As a side note, golfers will be able to purchase balls with numbers 5 through 8 -- not only 1 through 4.
- Construction: Three-piece, multi-layer.
- Core: Polybutadiene, solid, 1.530 inches.
- Casing layer: Ionomer blend, 0.045 inches.
- Cover: Urethane Elastomer, 0.030 inches.
- Dimples: 392 in five different sizes and an icosahedral pattern.
AMATEUR COUNT: The amateurs who play in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am range from corporate bigwigs to celebrities -- busy guys whose first priority is not necessarily golf. But it seems that a lot of the amateurs take cues from the pros with whom they play.
The unofficial amateur counts for the week showed TaylorMade to be the No. 1 name for drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. That mirrors the company's popularity among the pros, where this week, for example, 70 pros used TaylorMade drivers, compared to 47 with Titleist and 23 with Ping.
LPGA START: With the 2007 LPGA season beginning this week, players have been finalizing sponsorships. The latest is Cristie Kerr, who will use United Sports Technologies golf shafts in 2007.
Tour Van: Mickelson Settles in With Callaway's FT-5
Phil Mickelson could not stop talking about his comfort level with his driver following his win at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am last week.
"I've never had this kind of feeling on the tee box," he said. "I'm not worried about if it's going to go left or go right. I'm just so comfortable right now."
Mickelson attributes his improved driving performance to the new FT-5 driver from Callaway Golf. Previously, he played a FT-3.
"There's a whole different center of gravity, MOI, all that technical stuff," he said of the Fusion Technology. "It's not because of anything with the swing, although I've been working on a couple of technical things, but the club just performs well."
The FT-5 was designed with a carbon fiber body so that more weight could be freed up to distribute throughout the clubhead. Callaway's OptiFit Weighting System puts that weight in the heel and toe of the club in one of three configurations to produce a draw, neutral drive or (with the Tour model) fade. Mickelson can encourage a draw or have more success hitting a low shot into the wind, as he did at Pebble.
The fusion aspect comes into play with the way that Callaway engineers attach the carbon body and the CT/VFT titanium cup face, which is wider from heel to toe than the FT-3 to increase ball speed and allow more distance even when the ball is hit off-center.
The FT-5, as well as the FT-i driver getting a lot of attention because of its square shape, will be available for consumers to buy on Feb. 15 -- great timing with the promotion that Mickelson has been giving his driver.
"Most avid players know what's in the bag, they pay attention, so it authenticates our product," explained John Melican, senior vice president of brand management at Callaway Golf. "It gives a lot of visibility to the driver.
"We've had a lot of anticipation and buzz. (The FT-5 driver) has been covered in a lot of editorial, and won [Golf Digest's] 'Hot List Driver of the Year.' Charles Howell III has gotten off to a phenomenal start and he's used the FT-5."
Melican said that Callaway highlights the successes of its tour players to promote products through e-mails to the consumers in its database.
"Phil's driving distance was over 285 [yards] and I think he missed one fairway on Sunday, so we talk about his performance," Melican said.
With all the talk about square drivers, will the FT-i overshadow the more traditional FT-5 when both are introduced to consumers this week?
"I don't necessarily think so. The media likes to go to whatever is new, different, thought-provoking," Melican said. "The Fusion Technology (in both drivers) is what's really the story for us."
But it doesn't hurt to have a spokesman as happy with his game off the tee as Mickelson.
"I've never driven it as well as I'm driving right now," he said after his win Sunday.
"I've never had this kind of feeling on the tee box," he said. "I'm not worried about if it's going to go left or go right. I'm just so comfortable right now."
Mickelson attributes his improved driving performance to the new FT-5 driver from Callaway Golf. Previously, he played a FT-3.
"There's a whole different center of gravity, MOI, all that technical stuff," he said of the Fusion Technology. "It's not because of anything with the swing, although I've been working on a couple of technical things, but the club just performs well."
The FT-5 was designed with a carbon fiber body so that more weight could be freed up to distribute throughout the clubhead. Callaway's OptiFit Weighting System puts that weight in the heel and toe of the club in one of three configurations to produce a draw, neutral drive or (with the Tour model) fade. Mickelson can encourage a draw or have more success hitting a low shot into the wind, as he did at Pebble.
The fusion aspect comes into play with the way that Callaway engineers attach the carbon body and the CT/VFT titanium cup face, which is wider from heel to toe than the FT-3 to increase ball speed and allow more distance even when the ball is hit off-center.
The FT-5, as well as the FT-i driver getting a lot of attention because of its square shape, will be available for consumers to buy on Feb. 15 -- great timing with the promotion that Mickelson has been giving his driver.
"Most avid players know what's in the bag, they pay attention, so it authenticates our product," explained John Melican, senior vice president of brand management at Callaway Golf. "It gives a lot of visibility to the driver.
"We've had a lot of anticipation and buzz. (The FT-5 driver) has been covered in a lot of editorial, and won [Golf Digest's] 'Hot List Driver of the Year.' Charles Howell III has gotten off to a phenomenal start and he's used the FT-5."
Melican said that Callaway highlights the successes of its tour players to promote products through e-mails to the consumers in its database.
"Phil's driving distance was over 285 [yards] and I think he missed one fairway on Sunday, so we talk about his performance," Melican said.
With all the talk about square drivers, will the FT-i overshadow the more traditional FT-5 when both are introduced to consumers this week?
"I don't necessarily think so. The media likes to go to whatever is new, different, thought-provoking," Melican said. "The Fusion Technology (in both drivers) is what's really the story for us."
But it doesn't hurt to have a spokesman as happy with his game off the tee as Mickelson.
"I've never driven it as well as I'm driving right now," he said after his win Sunday.
Thursday, February 8, 2007
Handheld GPS: What to Look For
Although there are numerous cart-based GPS devices already in place, the market for handheld GPS in golf is just getting started. Look for more to come over the next year. When choosing a handheld GPS, check the following:
Can I see the screen in a variety of lighting conditions?
The best screens are backlit for viewing on overcast days or during twilight rounds, but also can be viewed in bright sunlight.
How does this work while I'm on the course?
If you the kind of player who loves to analyze as you go, or likes to stay busy between shots, you might prefer a device that allows you to input your round details, like the SureShot. If you want something that tells you the distance and doesn't require as much interaction, like the GolfLogix model, make sure that's what you get.
How can I add new courses?
If you are the kind of golfer who sticks to a couple of courses and rarely travels, it's not as important what the database for new courses is like or how easy it is to swap out courses. Make certain, however, you can download the details for preferred courses. If you like to travel, be sure you can easily change courses.
Is it compatible with my computer?
Most software accompanying GPS devices, including the programs that come with the SureShot and GolfLogix, is compatible with PCs running Windows. If you have a new Intel Mac running Parallels, you can use the Windows software, but otherwise, Mac users may have a problem.
Can I see the screen in a variety of lighting conditions?
The best screens are backlit for viewing on overcast days or during twilight rounds, but also can be viewed in bright sunlight.
How does this work while I'm on the course?
If you the kind of player who loves to analyze as you go, or likes to stay busy between shots, you might prefer a device that allows you to input your round details, like the SureShot. If you want something that tells you the distance and doesn't require as much interaction, like the GolfLogix model, make sure that's what you get.
How can I add new courses?
If you are the kind of golfer who sticks to a couple of courses and rarely travels, it's not as important what the database for new courses is like or how easy it is to swap out courses. Make certain, however, you can download the details for preferred courses. If you like to travel, be sure you can easily change courses.
Is it compatible with my computer?
Most software accompanying GPS devices, including the programs that come with the SureShot and GolfLogix, is compatible with PCs running Windows. If you have a new Intel Mac running Parallels, you can use the Windows software, but otherwise, Mac users may have a problem.
GPS Systems Zero in on Distance
More than a year has passed since the U.S. Golf Association approved the use of Global Positioning Systems in golf.
Gone are the days when golfers had to find the 150-yard marker and then pace off the distance from the pin, or spend minutes searching for a sprinkler head or other labeled distance in the fairway.
Gone, that is, if they happen to own one of the handheld GPS devices that has popped onto the market in recent months. From bare-bones versions that offer yardage only to mini-computers that boast color LCD screens and enough tools to analyze an entire game, GPS devices can speed up pace of play and instill confidence in club choice.
SureShot is one of the nicest of the newer handheld versions available. With a color 2.2-inch LCD custom screen that is backlit and covered with a polarized filter, it is easy to see in most lighting conditions.
"We've debuted a new generation (SureShot) for the North American market," SureShot co-founder Simon Webb said. "It has the latest chipset for a technically higher degree of accuracy. It synchs up to satellites very quickly. It's also got a functionally brighter screen."
The refined SureShot allows users to download course information -- both professionally mapped and from other users -- and keep up to 10 courses at a time. It is also easy for users to map their own course if it is not available. The maps for each course can show the placement of and distance to hazards as well as trees, rocks and other features of the landscape.
With a USB connection to any PC, the SureShot can download new course information and analyze player statistics with the included Sureanalysis software while being charged.
For example, a golfer can record the number of fairways and greens hit, the number of putts per hole and score for each hole.
"You can (go back and) look at the statistics," Webb said. "Then you can go back to your club pro and say, 'Hey, I'm not hitting the fairways,' or 'My putting is lousy,' and get help."
Webb said that since using SureShot for this purpose, he has gone from an 18 handicap to an 11.
It's also possible to record distances with each of the 14 clubs in the bag, creating a better idea of yardages. A player indicates that a shot was hit and with which club, then walks to the ball. The device calculates the yardage and tracks the average distance with each club in the bag.
The device retails for $399 -- not one of the cheapest on the market, but packed with features that make it a worthwhile investment. One downside is that in some areas of the country, like the Pacific Northwest, for example, there are not many professionally mapped courses in the database. Golfers will have to rely on maps that other players have made available or create their own.
If a simple GPS device is all that is needed, the new GolfLogix unit may fit the bill. With a black-and-white screen, it is not nearly as flashy as the SureShot, but is simple to use and does not require much maintenance during play. Instead, golfers can automatically scroll to each hazard or to the green and see the exact yardage while they walk.
GolfLogix, which is powered by Garmin's GPS technology, shows the distance to the front, back and center of each green, as well as the location of major hazards. Course information is downloaded through the computer, but to get more than the initial course requires a $29.95 annual fee.
The GolfLogix device will be distributed by ForeFront and will cost $349.
Gone are the days when golfers had to find the 150-yard marker and then pace off the distance from the pin, or spend minutes searching for a sprinkler head or other labeled distance in the fairway.
Gone, that is, if they happen to own one of the handheld GPS devices that has popped onto the market in recent months. From bare-bones versions that offer yardage only to mini-computers that boast color LCD screens and enough tools to analyze an entire game, GPS devices can speed up pace of play and instill confidence in club choice.
SureShot is one of the nicest of the newer handheld versions available. With a color 2.2-inch LCD custom screen that is backlit and covered with a polarized filter, it is easy to see in most lighting conditions.
"We've debuted a new generation (SureShot) for the North American market," SureShot co-founder Simon Webb said. "It has the latest chipset for a technically higher degree of accuracy. It synchs up to satellites very quickly. It's also got a functionally brighter screen."
The refined SureShot allows users to download course information -- both professionally mapped and from other users -- and keep up to 10 courses at a time. It is also easy for users to map their own course if it is not available. The maps for each course can show the placement of and distance to hazards as well as trees, rocks and other features of the landscape.
With a USB connection to any PC, the SureShot can download new course information and analyze player statistics with the included Sureanalysis software while being charged.
For example, a golfer can record the number of fairways and greens hit, the number of putts per hole and score for each hole.
"You can (go back and) look at the statistics," Webb said. "Then you can go back to your club pro and say, 'Hey, I'm not hitting the fairways,' or 'My putting is lousy,' and get help."
Webb said that since using SureShot for this purpose, he has gone from an 18 handicap to an 11.
It's also possible to record distances with each of the 14 clubs in the bag, creating a better idea of yardages. A player indicates that a shot was hit and with which club, then walks to the ball. The device calculates the yardage and tracks the average distance with each club in the bag.
The device retails for $399 -- not one of the cheapest on the market, but packed with features that make it a worthwhile investment. One downside is that in some areas of the country, like the Pacific Northwest, for example, there are not many professionally mapped courses in the database. Golfers will have to rely on maps that other players have made available or create their own.
If a simple GPS device is all that is needed, the new GolfLogix unit may fit the bill. With a black-and-white screen, it is not nearly as flashy as the SureShot, but is simple to use and does not require much maintenance during play. Instead, golfers can automatically scroll to each hazard or to the green and see the exact yardage while they walk.
GolfLogix, which is powered by Garmin's GPS technology, shows the distance to the front, back and center of each green, as well as the location of major hazards. Course information is downloaded through the computer, but to get more than the initial course requires a $29.95 annual fee.
The GolfLogix device will be distributed by ForeFront and will cost $349.
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Tour Van Notebook: Putter Helps Baddeley to Win
Precision putting seemed to be the key to being on the leaderboard at the FBR Open.
Winner Aaron Baddeley averaged 26.0 putts per round and had 1.577 putts per green in regulation at the event. He attributed some of the improvement to something that many business travelers and casual amateurs can relate to -- putting practice in his hotel room.
"I've been struggling with my putting and the last couple weeks I had off I've been working on my putting," he said. "Last week I went to a wedding. I was best man at my best mate's wedding, and I took my putter with me and was putting in the hotel room because I wanted to work hard on it."
Baddeley has stuck with a Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport putter through his two PGA Tour wins -- at Phoenix and last year at the Verizon Heritage at Harbour Town.
BETTER DRIVING: Charles Howell III has been spending a lot of time with the folks at Callaway. He also put the company's FT-5 driver into play this year.
"For me that was a great switch because it's a bigger head, a little more stable and I hit it a little straighter," Howell said. "I'm going to them saying, okay, guys, these are things I'm trying to work on, although I understand that you are equipment, it's sort of the Indian arrow thing, I still want to know how can you guys help me the most."
Howell's driving distance was an average 301.6 yards in Phoenix, ninth best in the field. He's sixth best on the PGA Tour in 2007.
While he's been considered a fairly long driver, the few yards he's improved since last year, when he had a 295.4-yard average, brought him up from 51st on Tour.
"I just know that throughout the beginning of the year here I've driven the ball a whole lot better than I have in the last couple years," he said. "You know, I attribute a lot to (the FT-5 driver). It's a little larger face, a little more forgiving. It's nice to hit the ball a long way, but you have to put the ball in the fairway."
SQUARE DRIVER REPORT: Phil Mickelson is known for experimenting with drivers, and he has been trying to find a version of Callaway's FT-i, its square driver, to put in play at Augusta.
"Last week I was experimenting a little with the one I was going to use at Augusta, and I think I found that. It's going to be one of the FT-is, that square-headed driver," he said.
But in the meantime, Mickelson's been using the FT-5, a more traditional driver, in play.
"I'll use this club a lot," he said.
Stewart Cink, who experimented with a Nike Golf Sumo2 square driver in Hawaii, has put it away for now. Though he liked it, he said, the strange noise it makes on contact was an issue.
PROTOTYPES: Titleist is not the only company to have a hot, winning golf ball on tour. While a Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x prototype has had four wins in five events on the PGA Tour this year -- and was used by nine of the top 10 players at the FBR Open -- a Srixon prototype ball has been winning on other tours.
Notably, Henrik Stenson bested Ernie Els and Tiger Woods at the Dubai Desert Classic using one of the Z-UR prototype.
Stenson started using the ball in November and has had a top-10 finish in all three European Tour events he's played. He hit 51 of 54 greens in regulation during the first three days of play in Dubai, and then had 15 of 18 in tough conditions the final day.
"That sort of mind-set I had going into the week, just try to grind it out, fairways and greens and give myself chances and try to wear the other guys out, and I guess I succeeded in the end," Stenson said.
Winner Aaron Baddeley averaged 26.0 putts per round and had 1.577 putts per green in regulation at the event. He attributed some of the improvement to something that many business travelers and casual amateurs can relate to -- putting practice in his hotel room.
"I've been struggling with my putting and the last couple weeks I had off I've been working on my putting," he said. "Last week I went to a wedding. I was best man at my best mate's wedding, and I took my putter with me and was putting in the hotel room because I wanted to work hard on it."
Baddeley has stuck with a Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport putter through his two PGA Tour wins -- at Phoenix and last year at the Verizon Heritage at Harbour Town.
BETTER DRIVING: Charles Howell III has been spending a lot of time with the folks at Callaway. He also put the company's FT-5 driver into play this year.
"For me that was a great switch because it's a bigger head, a little more stable and I hit it a little straighter," Howell said. "I'm going to them saying, okay, guys, these are things I'm trying to work on, although I understand that you are equipment, it's sort of the Indian arrow thing, I still want to know how can you guys help me the most."
Howell's driving distance was an average 301.6 yards in Phoenix, ninth best in the field. He's sixth best on the PGA Tour in 2007.
While he's been considered a fairly long driver, the few yards he's improved since last year, when he had a 295.4-yard average, brought him up from 51st on Tour.
"I just know that throughout the beginning of the year here I've driven the ball a whole lot better than I have in the last couple years," he said. "You know, I attribute a lot to (the FT-5 driver). It's a little larger face, a little more forgiving. It's nice to hit the ball a long way, but you have to put the ball in the fairway."
SQUARE DRIVER REPORT: Phil Mickelson is known for experimenting with drivers, and he has been trying to find a version of Callaway's FT-i, its square driver, to put in play at Augusta.
"Last week I was experimenting a little with the one I was going to use at Augusta, and I think I found that. It's going to be one of the FT-is, that square-headed driver," he said.
But in the meantime, Mickelson's been using the FT-5, a more traditional driver, in play.
"I'll use this club a lot," he said.
Stewart Cink, who experimented with a Nike Golf Sumo2 square driver in Hawaii, has put it away for now. Though he liked it, he said, the strange noise it makes on contact was an issue.
PROTOTYPES: Titleist is not the only company to have a hot, winning golf ball on tour. While a Titleist Pro V1 or Pro V1x prototype has had four wins in five events on the PGA Tour this year -- and was used by nine of the top 10 players at the FBR Open -- a Srixon prototype ball has been winning on other tours.
Notably, Henrik Stenson bested Ernie Els and Tiger Woods at the Dubai Desert Classic using one of the Z-UR prototype.
Stenson started using the ball in November and has had a top-10 finish in all three European Tour events he's played. He hit 51 of 54 greens in regulation during the first three days of play in Dubai, and then had 15 of 18 in tough conditions the final day.
"That sort of mind-set I had going into the week, just try to grind it out, fairways and greens and give myself chances and try to wear the other guys out, and I guess I succeeded in the end," Stenson said.
Thursday, February 1, 2007
Nicklaus Golf Equipment in Underdog Role
A company named after one of the game's biggest legends has one thing going for it at the outset -- great name recognition. But Nicklaus Golf Equipment is a relatively small player in the golf equipment arena.
"We know we are the David of the golf equipment industry … and that's fine with us," said Bob Kelly, CEO for Nicklaus Golf Equipment.
And when the man who has made the Golden Bear's clubs on and off for nearly 25 years is a club designer, there is a bit more of an advantage.
Clay Long, who for years designed Nicklaus' equipment at MacGregor Golf Co., has created the premium products in the Nicklaus line since 2001. His newest offering, Nicklaus Golf's Dual Point Technology 460cc driver, starts with a four-piece forged titanium head in black and silver with just a touch of orange. If you care about how your club looks, this one should satisfy.
"It doesn't always come out in the final product like what you draw on paper -- that's the nature of the beast," Long said. "But I'm very pleased. This came out almost perfect."
The devil is in the details, as they say, and Long knows how important the details are from his years working with Nicklaus.
"You could never wing it with Jack and the product," he said. "A number of times I've gone to him with products and he would say something about it and I would say to myself that there's no way you can tell that. I'd find out later when I'd go back and take it apart and look at it closely and measure it, that he was exactly right."
Long's newest design moves the center of gravity to align with the optimal point on the face for maximum transfer of energy to the ball. He has accomplished this with weighting low and deep in the clubhead and a multi-layered face that is thinner on the edges of the face and slightly thicker in the center.
"If you have a driver where the center of gravity is not in the center of the most flexible point of the face, then the solid part of your driver is not the hottest part of your driver," Long said. "When you couple these two things together and have everything lined up, then you have everything working in concert. You have the center of gravity on the hottest or sweetest spot on the face so everything works together to give you most solid and the fastest ball speed you can get out of your driver when you hit it on that spot. Anything other than that is not as efficient and not as hot.
"It's no more complicated than that."
Many other club manufacturers have developed drivers that use similar technology. What Nicklaus offers is a club that puts this technology to the best possible use for a range of different abilities.
"It's not earth-shattering technology, but more a perfection of the itty bitty things that make a big difference," Long said. "We've got as hot a driver as we're going to get or be illegal."
The Dual Point Technology driver is available in right-hand lofts of 8, 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees, left-hand lofts of 9 and 10.5 degrees and offset lofts of 10.5, 12 and 15 degrees. That variation allows everyone from the professional to the casual amateur to use Dual Point Technology.
"We make different versions of it," Long said. "We design in the middle and make an iteration for the tour, then backward design (for the higher handicapper)."
The Fujikura SG Pro 3.01 shaft that comes standard in the driver was developed specifically for the club. It's available in A, R and S flexes, and the Fujikura S comes in S and X flexes. Women's clubs feature the Nicklaus SG Pro 3.01 shaft.
Dual Point Technology is also available in 3-, 5- and 7-woods and hybrids in the Nicklaus Premium Golf Equipment line.
"We know we are the David of the golf equipment industry … and that's fine with us," said Bob Kelly, CEO for Nicklaus Golf Equipment.
And when the man who has made the Golden Bear's clubs on and off for nearly 25 years is a club designer, there is a bit more of an advantage.
Clay Long, who for years designed Nicklaus' equipment at MacGregor Golf Co., has created the premium products in the Nicklaus line since 2001. His newest offering, Nicklaus Golf's Dual Point Technology 460cc driver, starts with a four-piece forged titanium head in black and silver with just a touch of orange. If you care about how your club looks, this one should satisfy.
"It doesn't always come out in the final product like what you draw on paper -- that's the nature of the beast," Long said. "But I'm very pleased. This came out almost perfect."
The devil is in the details, as they say, and Long knows how important the details are from his years working with Nicklaus.
"You could never wing it with Jack and the product," he said. "A number of times I've gone to him with products and he would say something about it and I would say to myself that there's no way you can tell that. I'd find out later when I'd go back and take it apart and look at it closely and measure it, that he was exactly right."
Long's newest design moves the center of gravity to align with the optimal point on the face for maximum transfer of energy to the ball. He has accomplished this with weighting low and deep in the clubhead and a multi-layered face that is thinner on the edges of the face and slightly thicker in the center.
"If you have a driver where the center of gravity is not in the center of the most flexible point of the face, then the solid part of your driver is not the hottest part of your driver," Long said. "When you couple these two things together and have everything lined up, then you have everything working in concert. You have the center of gravity on the hottest or sweetest spot on the face so everything works together to give you most solid and the fastest ball speed you can get out of your driver when you hit it on that spot. Anything other than that is not as efficient and not as hot.
"It's no more complicated than that."
Many other club manufacturers have developed drivers that use similar technology. What Nicklaus offers is a club that puts this technology to the best possible use for a range of different abilities.
"It's not earth-shattering technology, but more a perfection of the itty bitty things that make a big difference," Long said. "We've got as hot a driver as we're going to get or be illegal."
The Dual Point Technology driver is available in right-hand lofts of 8, 9, 10.5 and 12 degrees, left-hand lofts of 9 and 10.5 degrees and offset lofts of 10.5, 12 and 15 degrees. That variation allows everyone from the professional to the casual amateur to use Dual Point Technology.
"We make different versions of it," Long said. "We design in the middle and make an iteration for the tour, then backward design (for the higher handicapper)."
The Fujikura SG Pro 3.01 shaft that comes standard in the driver was developed specifically for the club. It's available in A, R and S flexes, and the Fujikura S comes in S and X flexes. Women's clubs feature the Nicklaus SG Pro 3.01 shaft.
Dual Point Technology is also available in 3-, 5- and 7-woods and hybrids in the Nicklaus Premium Golf Equipment line.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)