Haabaa Golf Blogs - Golf News Equipment & Resources

High Rolling Balls

daniel — Tue, 03 Oct 2006 07:04:56 +0000

Five high-performance balls that’ll do what you tell them
Experienced players know that the right ball can not only maximize your shots off the tee, but also help you control those delicate pitches and chips around the green too. But finding the ideal orb to match your game can be tricky. Learn more about five options that are worth a try.

TaylorMade Tour Pro Red
$55/dozen; taylormadegolf.com
TaylorMade re-enters the ball market after a three-year absence. Both TP Red and TP Black have urethane covers and soft, lively, lowcompression cores for the sought-after combination of faster ball speed and lower spin. The Red has the thinner mantle layer, which translates to softer feel.

TaylorMade Tour Pro Black
$55/dozen; taylormadegolf.com
TP Black has a smaller core and a thicker mantle than TP Red. The effect is a firmer feel, plus a higher launch angle and ball flight.

Callaway HX Tour 56
$50/dozen; callawaygolf.com
The updated HX Tour 56 boasts a more durable cover than its predecessor. A thicker, softer cover delivers more spin and feel on scoring shots than HX Tour.

Callaway HX Tour
$50/dozen; callawaygolf.com
A thinner, more durable urethane cover than the previous HX Tour produces softer feel off your irons (but a harder impact feel than HX Tour 56). The larger core and boundary layer deliver longer carry.

Nike Ignite
$35/dozen; nikegolf.com
This ball serves two masters: singlecore/double-cover construction produces adequate feel and control for those who can shape shots. Those who shape them but don’t want to (slicer alert!) will get extra distance and reduced sidespin.
Source: golfonline.com

Bridgestone Golf J33 Fairway and Utility Woods - “Burn Rubber on the Fairway”

daniel — Sat, 30 Sep 2006 07:32:00 +0000

“Bridgestone,” may evoke images of automotive tires. But, for those who have experienced the new line of golf clubs from Bridgestone’s Golf division, you know that their line of clubs is all business and geared toward the better player, with recent offerings such as the GC Mid and GC OS irons reaching out to mid and higher handicap players as well. I had experienced Bridgestone’s J33 460 driver and J33 Forged Combo irons, and had come away very impressed with both products. In their J33 Fairway and Utility clubs, it appears the technology and performance that better players demand has been executed in fine fashion as well.

My test clubs that arrived were the J33 15 degree fairway wood with Aldila NV75 stiff shaft, and the J33 18 degree utility club with Aldila NV85 hybrid stiff shaft. They were both finished with a beautiful black paint and void of any alignment features on their crowns- a small detail appreciated by many lower handicap players. Also, both clubs sit square to almost slightly open at address. This is another feature geared toward the better player, as often times, a lower handicap player will struggle more with over-drawing their clubs. In this sense, the J33 fairway and utility are pure class without even swinging them. But, looks alone cannot get you home in two on a long par 5. On to the testing!

First up: the Bridgestone J33 15 degree fairway wood. Constructed of 17-4 stainless, I was a little surprised in the choice of material by Bridgestone. Most fairway clubs are utilizing 455-carpenter steel for higher rebound and ball speeds these days. Once I made contact with the J33, however, I realized there was no need for any hotter ball speeds off this club. The distance came very easily with this club. Easily as long as any fairway club I had hit previously, in fact. The feel was absolutely superb. Bridgestone utilizes a rubber elastomer compound inside the club head -which is said to reduce vibrations, and in turn, increase ball speeds. It seems to do the job nicely. The feel at impact is soft, yet quite hot. The 17-4 material seems well suited to providing good feedback as to where the ball has struck the clubface.

At the rear of the J33 Fairways is a tungsten weight. This seems to shift the club head’s center of gravity low and back. I found the J33 easy to hit off the deck. The club’s face is of a mid-height, and is of optimal size for hitting off the deck as well as off a tee. The clubface features the same alignment markings found on the J33 460 driver, which I found more than adequate in assisting with aiming the clubface, as well as a welcome visual transition.

The Aldila NV75 as a fairway wood shaft, with it’s mid-launch, and stable nature, is a good fit. With the center of gravity further back in the head, I had no issues elevating the J33 with this stock shaft. The ball flight was fairly high, in fact, but had a nice flatness that was still penetrating into a headwind. It was workable in both directions, and I was able to control the trajectory nicely with high, soft-landing fades, and hotter draws that had some run out on them. Finished with a stock Tour Velvet grip, all in all, the J33 fairways are pure class. The NV75 did seem to play slightly soft to flex for me, and in retrospect, I may have gone up to the next flex. But, with proper fitting and demoing of these fine fairway woods, their performance could be easily optimized. With a .335” hosel size like that of Tour clubs, they are ready for any re-shafting you care to tinker with.

Last, but certainly not least, we have the Bridgestone J33 Utility club. This is the more wood-like club hybrid in their lineup, not to be confused with their “Airmuscle” utility irons. The J33 Utility wood has a good shape to it at address. It has a fairly compact size, which I found to be small enough to be effective from the rough. Yet, it is still large enough to not be intimidating at all when hitting from a tee or from the fairway. Again, Bridgestone used 17-4 steel for the club head and face. It has the same hot, yet soft, feel as the fairway woods. They again utilize the rubber “elastomer” inside the club head and a tungsten weight low and back in the club head. I was honestly surprised how easy the J33 Utility wood was to elevate, even from tight fairway lies. Normally I would use a 19º or even 20º club head for my 5-wood/ 2-iron replacement. The 18-degree J33 Utility launched on the mid/high trajectory I normally look for. The Utility wood retains the same ease of workability as the fairway woods, with trajectory control, as well as directional maneuverability being easy to attain. The offset if very minimal, and it sat very square behind the ball with a neutral weighting that added to its sense of workability.

I found the J33 Utility wood to be very long when using it off a tee, and even from the fairway. The ball seems to really come off the face with a lot of ball speed. The Aldila NV85 was a good fit for this club, offering a mid/high trajectory. Again, it seemed to play slightly soft to flex, and I would have gone with the next flex stiffer if I had to do it again. With a .355” hosel size, there are numerous manufacturers that offer that size, so re-shafting to optimize performance as you see fit should not be an issue. One thing that I wished would have carried down from the J33 fairway clubs and drivers was the easy-to-aim alignment markings on the face of the club. The full-face scoring lines did work nicely, however, in aligning the clubface.

I came away from my time with the Bridgestone J33 3 wood and Utility wood very impressed. I thought they would perhaps not feel as “hot” as the competition, given their 17-4 steel construction. But, with Bridgestone’s extensive experience in the rubber industry, the “elastomer” inside the club heads made them very hot, solid, and responsive. They possess a muted feel at impact that does not come at the expense of negating feedback. I definitely was not left wanting with regard to distance, or accuracy. The highly workable nature of these clubs was exactly what lower-handicap players are after. But, with the tungsten weighting in the rear of the club heads, they offer enough “easy-up” assistance that mid-handicappers will probably be able get along with them as well. Whether its teeing off on a tight driving hole, or going for it on a long par 5, the Bridgestone J33 fairway and utility clubs will allow you to “burn rubber” from the fairway.
Source: golf-gear-review.com

Louisville Slugger parent sues USGA over its rejection of a golf glove

daniel — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 07:58:30 +0000

The suit claims the USGA rejected the Bionic Golf Glove because its padding doesn’t conform to a rule allowing only “plain” gloves.
Whether a padded golf glove should be accepted by the sport’s governing body is the subject of a lawsuit filed by the glove’s maker, the company that also makes Louisville Slugger baseball bats.

Hillerich & Bradsby Co. said in its lawsuit that the United States Golf Association rejected the Bionic Golf Glove because its padding doesn’t conform to a rule allowing only “plain” gloves.

The Louisville company’s lawsuit said the glove does play by the rules and that other similar gloves have received USGA approval.

Association approval is “a necessary prerequisite for a successful golf accessory product in the marketplace,” the lawsuit contends, and without it, retailers won’t stock the $25 glove, golfers won’t buy it and professionals can’t wear the glove in competition or endorse it.

The lawsuit over the glove — designed by hand surgeon Dr. Jim Kleinert of Louisville and promoted for its ergonomic, high-tech features — was filed last week in U.S. District Court.

H&B accuses the USGA of arbitrarily rejecting the Bionic Golf Glove, violating federal antitrust laws, prohibiting competition and innovation in the marketplace and damaging its business prospects and reputation. Its suit seeks unspecified damages.

H&B officials declined to be interviewed, but the company issued a statement saying it hopes for an “amicable resolution.”

The Equipment Standards Committee of the USGA — golf’s exclusive governing body in the United States and Mexico — is considering an appeal from H&B on whether to approve the glove, said USGA Senior Director of Communications Marty Parkes in Far Hills, N.J. It is the company’s fourth attempt to win association approval since June 2000, according to the lawsuit.

“We have not issued a final ruling through the appeal process,” Parkes said, adding the USGA was a “little surprised and puzzled” by the timing of the suit.

Otherwise, Parkes said the association has not reviewed the suit and couldn’t comment on its specifics.

H&B said in the suit that the USGA had in effect rejected the Bionic Golf Glove.

Parkes said USGA product approval decisions are guided by a “joint statement of principles” with the Royal & Ancient Golf Club in St. Andrews, Scotland, which governs golf in other parts of the world. The principles emphasize skill rather than technological advances.

H&B began promoting its glove nearly a year ago, awaiting the USGA’s ruling.

Company literature said the glove’s “patented anatomical and ergonomic design equips golfers with comfort, control, confidence and durability” and can aid golfers with arthritis or diseased hands.

Kleinert was quoted in one promotional release as saying the pads “are a key feature because they fill in the valleys of the fingers to give the golfer better contact with the club grip.”
Source: pga.com

Autumn brings about season-finale for equipment

daniel — Thu, 28 Sep 2006 08:21:39 +0000

Autumn is not only a time when temperatures begin to drop and leaves begin to fall in many climates, but the season is also a time when golf equipment manufacturers begin to launch new products to finish off this year and head into next.
Clubs, balls, bags, apparel and other accessories are all being upgraded or introduced by the likes of Srixon, Sun Mountain, Bionic, Etonic, Yes!, Accu-Length, KZG, G.R.I.P., along with major introductions from Ping, Titleist, Bridgestone, Cleveland, Cobra and TaylorMade.
“The cycle of new product introductions has really been advanced in the golf equipment industry,” observed Gidge Moody, TaylorMade director of product marketing. “It seems like, just about every time you turn around, something new is coming out. Often, it’s because the state of research and development is moving faster than ever before, and companies want to get to market with whatever is new as fast as they can.”
The following is a closer look at a variety of interesting new products across the equipment and accessories spectrum.
SRIXON
“We have made the new Soft Feel-2 Piece a better ball for the everyday golfer by reengineering the core and applying new aerodynamics to optimize performance,” said Richard Stamper, president of Srixon Sports.
The low compression Soft Feel-2-Piece features a soft E.G.G. (Energetic Gradient Growth) core, highly resilient Rabalon elastomer cover and newly developed 328 dimple pattern.
The new dimple pattern covers a greater surface area and helps produce a higher lift force. The dimples are also shallow and should help golfers with lower swing speeds achieve a higher flight trajectory.
Testing among a variety of players assembled by GolfWeb yielded highly positive reviews. Testers labeled the new Soft Feel-2 Piece playable for a wide range of amateur handicaps, specifically praising a smooth feel at impact along with distances achieved. The ball was also judged very workable around the greens.
The Soft Feel-2 Piece balls are in the mid-level price range, with a suggested retail price of $25 per dozen.
BIONIC
Made by Hillerich & Bradsby of Louisville Slugger fame, Bionic has upgraded its revolutionary golf glove for 2007 while also adding color to a new women’s collection.
Designed by Dr. Jim Kleinert, a noted hand surgeon, the Bionic glove features patented anatomical relief pads placed between the hand’s bony prominences. Blessed with an Ease-of-Use Commendation from the Arthritis Foundation, the gloves are especially beneficial for golfers with hand problems, along with helping all golfers avoid “hand fatigue.”
“This [fatigue] is especially important as you progress through a round of golf,” said Kleinert. “While the first few holes may feel fine, the hand wears down the more you play.”
Made from top-grade cabretta leather, GolfWeb testers have verified the durability of Bionic gloves, which are machine washable. Some testers have reported getting up to 25 rounds out of single glove with virtually no wear and no tear.
New Lycra color schemes for women include light blue, pink and champagne, in addition to all white.
The glove has been ruled conforming to the Rules of Golf by the USGA only for those with hand problems.
Suggested retail price is $24.95 each.
YES!
Maker of the C-Groove putter, Yes! Golf has expanded its lineup with the introduction of Hanna, a center-shafted midsized mallet.
Made of 304 stainless steel with a head weight of 355 grams, the face-balanced putter has a heel/toe weight distribution designed to stabilize the club at impact and provide enhanced forgiveness.
With a long, single sight line for alignment, Hanna has a 2.5-degree loft and is offered two degrees flat or upright. Shaft lengths range 32 to 37 inches.
Available in right-handed models only, list price is $190.
ETONIC
The G-Sok XCR golf shoe incorporates outdoor technology into the Etonic line.
The XCR model is a nonclassic golf shoe which promises to be extremely durable in all types of terrain and weather. The Gore-Tex membrane, which also is used in running shoes, is waterproof and breathable. The G-Sok outsole provide sure-footed traction for all types of lies.
The G-Sok XCR is available in a men’s two-tone black sporty style, with sizes ranging 7-14 in medium width and 7-13 in wide. List price is $125 per pair.
KZG
The latest from custom equipment maker KZG is a set of double-forged CB-III irons, promising a mix of feel, workability and consistency coupled with an oversized body design and cavityback. The clubs are geared toward mid to higher handicap players.
The irons feature a moderate offset, expanded hitting area, wide stable sole, lower center of gravity and optimized perimeter weighting.
Generally, clubs in this realm are investment cast, but KZG’s CB-III irons have been forged in Japan from S25C carbon steel. The softer metal also allows the irons to be more easily adjusted for loft and lie preferences.
“Not only are they adjustable six to eight degrees upright or flat, but the deep cavity makes them ideal for mix and matching in a blended set,” said Jennifer King, KZG president. “The soft, smooth feel of KZG forgings has always been our hallmark.”
Available in 3-PW, with a 50-degree gap and 54-degree sand wedge, suggested retail prices for the CB-III irons are $114 per club with steel shaft and $134 with graphite.
SUN MOUNTAIN
A player in both the apparel and accessories categories, Sun Mountain has introduced a “jacket in a jar” and a new, upgrade Superlight 3.5 bag.
The jacket, called Micro J, rolls up and fits into a plastic container not much bigger than a sleeve of balls. When opened, it unfurls to become a waterproof, lightweight rain jacket for play on warmer, rainy days.
It can easily fit into a golf bag pocket without adding weight or bulk.
Made in both men’s and women’s versions, there’s a wide selection of colors with contrasting zippers, including palm green/black, black/red, red/granite, saffron/black and more.
Suggested retail price is $53.99.
The new Superlight 3.5 standbag has a built-in top handle, top-molded stand attachment, roller-bottom stand mechanism, improved X-Strap Dual Strap and a water bottle pouch. At 3.5 pounds, there’s a six-way top with full-length dividers, plus seven pockets.
There are 14 color patterns available overall, including black/baltic, black/apple, black/pink, navy and others. Further, a left-handed model is also available.
List price for the Superlight 3.5 bag is $159.
ACCU-LENGTH
Accu-Length specializes in clubs for junior golfers. This fall it is introducing its first hybrid for younger players.
Called a 4/5 Hybrid, it is designed to replace a 4 or 5 iron, and will be available in colors that coordinate with the company’s 1000 (yellow), 2000 (red) and 3000 (gray) series. The three styles match up with playes’ ages and sizes.
“Hybrids are easier to hit than long irons, which is why junior golfers will benefit greatly from our new 4/5 model,” said Rick Rutter, president of OnTrack Sports, which makes Accu-Length clubs.
The company is noted for its expandable clubs as youths grow. The expansion is accomplished by a unique spacer system, and the clubs come with assembly tools.
The new hybrid is made with a filament wound graphite shaft and stainless steel head, with 29 degrees of loft.
Suggested retail price is $39.99.
G.R.I.P.
Golf Research In Play, which began operations this past spring, recently introduced CNC milled wedges for women: a 52-degree gap wedge, 56-degree sand wedge and 60-degree lob wedge.
The G.R.I.P. wedges, with a classic teardrop shape, are cast from 8620 mild carbon steel and engineered to provide enhanced spin rates and feel around the greens.
The company is making a special pitch to casual players.
“The club most commonly used by recreational golfers for shots within 100 yards is the pitching wedge,” said Michael Blair, G.R.I.P. director of golf club development. “The pitching wedge is often too much club from these distances.”
List price for the wedges is $49.95 each.
Source: www.pgatour.com

Nickent Golf offers both looks and playability

daniel — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 07:49:15 +0000

If you’re looking for a set of mid-priced clubs with a wealth of technological enhancements, Nickent Golf is a lesser known name but a brand of equipment you may wish to consider.
Based in City of Industry, Calif., Nickent is relatively new to the golf equipment business, having been organized in 1995. Since then, it has been manufacturing a full portfolio of drivers, fairway woods, irons, wedges, putters and accessories.
Nickent’s motto is “performance-specific design engineering,” and it’s clear from just a glance at its array of clubs that the company is a serous player at the forefront of technological advancements.
Recently, Nickent introduced a hybrid iron set that, in early GolfWeb testing, has won solid praise for its looks and playability. Along with the new Genex 3DX Hybrid irons, the company produces one of the widest selections of hybrid ironwoods available along with a very credible oversized forged driver.
Here’s a closer look at selected Nickent Golf equipment.
HYBRID IRONS
The new Genex 3DX set is just one of five models of irons offered by Nickent. The other models include Genex Titantium and Genex GH Plus, both with undercut cavitybacks, GH Plus Tour with a shallow cavityback and the Genex ARC Blade.
The Genex 3DX irons come in two configurations: men’s 3-4 ironwoods and 5-PW irons; women’s 4-5 ironwoods and 6-SW irons.
“The success of the rapidly expanding hybrid category is hardly surprising,” said Michael Lee, CEO and co-founder of Nickent Golf. “Every golfer wants to play better golf and hybrid technology makes it easier to do that.”
The new clubs derive their name from a proprietary 3D weighting system which strategically places weight lower, deeper (back from the clubface) and towards the heel. Both the ironwoods and the irons are hollow-cast with visible weight pads at the rear, and are fine-tuned to provide an optimal launch angle and trajectory based on relative loft.
In playing terms, the Genex 3DX irons help getting the ball airborne from a variety of lies while also delivering a soft landing. The unique weighting enhances both stability and directional control. Although playable for all skill levels, the 3DX set should most help players who have been struggling with their long and mid irons.
“With the Genex 3DX irons, we take the technology a step further, introducing a hollow architecture for the entire set,” said Lee, a former club pro who is also Nickent’s head of product development. “The three-dimensional hollow-cast construction allows us to radically manipulate the center of gravity for each club, building in easy-playing characteristics while maintaining consistency.”
http://images.pgatour.com/tournaments/britishopen/photos/img6949885.jpg
In testing by a group of players assembled by GolfWeb, the 3DX clubs were noted for some resemblance to other brands of both irons and ironwoods. With a wide sole designed to reduce turf draf and a wide topline, the 3DX irons were praised for setup, feel through impact and trajectory achieved. The ironwoods, with a deep burgundy top finish, received considerable praise for looks, feel and playability.
As an eight-club set, suggested retail prices for the Genex 3DX Hybrid irons are $599 with steel shafts and $699 with graphite.
IRONWOODS
On their own, Nickent makes five lofts of ironwoods: No. 2, 17 degrees; 3, 20 degrees; 4, 23 degrees; 5, 26 degrees; and 6, 29 degrees. These clubs are meant to supplant regular irons with the same numbers.
As mentioned, in testing, GolfWeb found universal praise for Nickent’s ironwoods, rating them as good or better than any competing brand.
Made with three flex choices in steel shafts and five speed-rated flex choices with graphite, suggested retail prices for the ironwoods are $109 with steel and $149 with graphite.
FORGED WOODS
Nickent’s Genex 425 Forged driver actually comes in two sizes: 425cc for clubs with face lofts of 10, 11 and 12 degrees; and 428cc for lofts of 7, 8, and 9 degrees.
All the drivers are four-pierce titanium construction, featuring a thin SP700 forged faceplate and SP700 alloy body, geared strategically for launch angles and directional control.
There are six counterpart titanium fairway woods with mid-sized faces: two No. 3s, with lofts of 13 and 15 degrees; 4, 16.5 degrees; 5, 18 degrees; 7, 21 degrees; 9, 24 degrees.
Both the drivers and the fairway woods offer a wide selection of graphite shaft flexes, ranging from X and S, to R-Firm, R and R-Light, to L.
Suggested retail price for a Genex 425 driver is $299; fairway woods are listed at $229 each.
Source: golfweb.com

Bankrupt 2nd Swing closing its doors

daniel — Tue, 26 Sep 2006 07:45:21 +0000

The Plymouth-based retailer of used golf equipment is closing its stores as it goes into bankruptcy. Liquidation sales could last months.
The saga of 2nd Swing Inc., a fast-growing golf retail chain, has nearly come to an end.
Stung by a nationwide slump in golf equipment sales and increased competition from larger merchants that began to cut into its core business of selling used clubs, the Plymouth-based retailer will close its more than 50 stores in order to raise money for creditors as 2nd Swing moves into bankruptcy.
Golf participation has been in the rough for the past five years, yet the number of stores selling golf gear has mushroomed.
“Eventually, something had to give,” said Michael Turnbull, director of golf business at TeeMaster Corp., an Internet-based golf-course reservation and marketing company.
A federal bankruptcy judge in Minneapolis approved a plan Thursday for the complete liquidation of 2nd Swing’s stores, including its four Twin Cities locations. The company had filed Aug. 23 to reorganize itself.
The company had been negotiating to sell itself to a Denver-based private equity firm, Gart Capital Partners, which owns stakes in sports equipment companies. The two companies had a signed letter of intent and a purchase agreement. But the deal fell apart a week ago after Gart did its due diligence, leaving 2nd Swing with no choice but to liquidate.
“Each day or week that went by, in which the company was exploring a sale possibility, it was also losing money,” said James Baillie, a Minneapolis attorney representing 2nd Swing.
There are no closing dates yet for the stores. Merchandise will be sold at discounts until everything is gone, Baillie said. The whole process will take as long as 10 weeks, he said.
2nd Swing was founded in 1997, just as millions of new golfers were taking up the game and exciting new products — from oversize drivers to $400 range finders — were hitting the market. The retailer took advantage of the golf boom by opening stores at a healthy clip. By the fall of 2005, it had 77 stores, mostly in the Midwest.
But an industrywide slump hit after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, leaving the golf-equipment business in the rough. In Minneapolis, the number of weekend golf rounds played at public golf courses has fallen 34 percent, to 38,332 in 2005 from 58,569 in 2001.
“It’s a cultural thing,” Turnbull said. “Golf is pretty slow. And with the advent of the Internet and [personal digital assistants], people will set aside an hour, but they’re less willing to set aside five hours” to play 18 holes of golf.
Even so, the liquidation is a dramatic reversal for a retailer that just a year ago was still adding new stores at a fast pace. In 2004, 2nd Swing raised $14 million from Minneapolis-based Oak Investment Partners and an undisclosed venture capital firm, and in 2005 it raised $3.5 million from Oak and another firm, Invesco Private Capital.
During liquidation, customers who hold store credit vouchers can redeem them for merchandise. Holders of store credits who don’t redeem them for merchandise will become unsecured creditors in the bankruptcy case.
So far, golf enthusiasts have wasted little time taking advantage of the discounts. The Bloomington 2nd Swing store was crowded during the lunch hour Monday with shoppers who had already heard about the liquidation or had seen the huge “Going Out of Business” signs on the front window. One customer asked if he could buy the large net that surrounded the store’s practice tee.
John Griffin, a truck driver from Broken Arrow, Okla., stopped into the store after delivering a semitrailer full of clothes to a nearby Kohl’s store. He was disappointed that the 2nd Swing store didn’t have what he was looking for — a Ben Hogan pitching wedge from the early 1970s — but he was impressed by the inventory. “They have a lot of merchandise that you can’t find anywhere else,” he said.
The store’s sales manager, Dan O’Malley, had already assembled about $15 in a jar that said, “Tips — going out of business means will be unemployed very soon.” Just a week ago, he had planned to move to Phoenix to manage a 2nd Swing there. “It’s too bad,” he said. “I think we had a pretty good thing going, while it lasted.”
Source: startribune.com

Horsepower Golf announces it has added the Versus line of clubs

daniel — Mon, 25 Sep 2006 07:44:11 +0000

Specializing in custom-fit clubs that go the distance, Horsepower Golf proudly announces that it has added the Versus line of golf clubs to its equipment options. Versus is a premium golf equipment brand known for outstanding feel, forgiveness and distance.

“Versus is a relatively new company, but they work with premier engineers in the golf world, experiment with different exotic materials and production methods. We’re very happy to make Versus golf equipment available to our customers,” says Pat Dempsey, owner of Horsepower Golf and 2002 RE/MAX World Long Senior Champion.

Versus Golf is a premium golf equipment manufacturer dedicated to providing golfers outstanding feel, forgiveness and distance options in its lines, which has initially consisted of drivers and fairway woods. The VS.1 line of drivers and fairway metals have been greeted by golfers with tremendous enthusiasm for its unique combination of performance and attractive appearance. Versus Golf’s RCRX limited edition driver was greeted with similar enthusiasm upon its introduction as well. Among the Versus clubs, now available at Horsepower Golf, are: RCRX Driver, VS.1 Driver, VS.1 Fairway Wood and VS.1 Hybrid.

Offering an amazing array of custom-fitting equipment for golfers of all ages and abilities, Horsepower Golf is dedicated to custom-building the finest drivers and golf equipment on the market today and also provides a fully equipped Tour Van, regularly on-site at the driving range at Angeles National Golf Club in Sunland, Calif. The mobile facility features state-of-the-art custom-fitting and allows players to improve their distance and consistency with Dempsey-designed, fully forged wedges and irons as well as the award-winning drivers that Dempsey personally plays in World Long Drive Championships.

For more information on the Horsepower Golf visit www.horsepowergolf.com, call 818-951-4214 or email pat@horsepowergolf.com.

Owned and operated by World Long Drive Senior Champion Pat Dempsey, Horsepower Golf is dedicated to custom-building the finest drivers and golf equipment on the market today. Unlike many golf equipment fitting facilities, Horsepower Golf specializes in using the highest-quality clubheads and shafts that consistently drive the ball in excess of 370 yards - components that, until recently, have only been available to Tour and Long Drive professionals. For more information on Pat Dempsey or Horsepower Golf, call 866.284.0151 or visit wwwhorsepowergolf.com.
Source: worldgolf.com

TaylorMade Launches r7 and r7 TP Irons

daniel — Sat, 23 Sep 2006 07:30:00 +0000

Two new sets of irons plus a new wedge are the latest pieces of equipment produced by TaylorMade. The irons are the r7 TP, aimed at professionals and low-handicappers, and the r7 for the rest of the us. The wedge is the rac Satin TP. Here’s a brief look at each new TaylorMade offering:

TaylorMade r7 TP Irons
The r7 TP is, as differentiated from the r7 Irons discussed below, aimed squarely at the best golfers - professionals and low-handicappers. The “TP” in this and other TaylorMade products stands for “Tour Preferred” and stamps the equipment as TaylorMade’s top-of-the-line.

The r7 TP has a compact head, thin topline and thin sole, elements designed to produce blade-like feel for workability in a club that otherwise incorporates technology aimed at improving forgiveness.

The r7 TP iron has a cavity back that is large by the standards of player’s irons, increasing the MOI for forgiveness.

The center of gravity is higher than in game-improvement irons, helping achieve a more controlled “tour trajectory.” Other player’s elements include minimal offset, a slightly flatter lie angle and a tour-configured sole.

Also, on the back of the clubhead, positioned inside the cavity, is what TaylorMade is calling the “shock-absorption web.” This is a thin layer of soft aluminum that reaches out to each corner of the clubhead. It is bonded by a special double-sided acrylic foam tape developed by 3M whose properties include extra shock absorption and sound softening.

The MSRP for a 3-PW set is $1,000 with steel shafts and $1,200 with graphite shafts. The r7 TP irons will be available at retail beginning in October, 2006.

TaylorMade r7 Irons
Most of us are not the “professionals and low-handicappers” to whom the r7 TP is aimed; so the r7 iron is sure to have a wider audience of consumers.

The r7 is a more typical game-improvement iron, with an oversized head and a deep cavityback that results is greater perimeter weighting and a center of gravity that is positioned farther back and deeper. These elements are designed to increase forgiveness and assist with a higher launch angle to get the ball airborne.

Like the r7 TP, the r7 irons have the same shock-absorption web positioned inside the cavity. Unlike the r7 TP, the r7 irons have moderate offset to assist the golfer in squaring the clubface at impact.

A set (3-PW) of TaylorMade r7 Irons carries an MSRP of $840 with steel shafts and $1,080 for graphite shafts. The clubs will be available at retail in October, 2006.

TaylorMade rac Satin TP Wedge
The rac Satin TP wedge is identical to the previously introduced rac Black TP wedge except that, of course, this one comes in a satin finish. This wedge will be available at retail beginning in mid-October 2006.

The rac Satin TP wedge utilizes TaylorMade’s “Y-cutter” grooves, designed to generate more spin and promote a lower launch angle. First, the clubface is CNC-milled flat. Then, the grooves are individually milled with sharper edges and added width. TaylorMade says these groove edges are as sharp as the company could make them without damaging the high-performance balls most likely to be in play by golfers carrying these wedges.

The rac Satin TP wedge’s sole is ground low on the trailing edge, toe and heel. This configuration allows players to open the clubface wide to play high, soft chips and pitches; but also to hit low, controlled shots without digging thanks to the radiused leading edge.

The rac Satin TP wedge comes with several different loft and bounce specifications: 52.08 (52 degrees loft, 8 degrees bounce), 54.10, 56.12, 58.08 and 60.06. MSRP is $140 per club.
Source: golf.about.com

Callaway Golf Apparel Announces Its New Release For Spring 2007

daniel — Fri, 22 Sep 2006 07:37:38 +0000

Carlsbad, CA - Ashworth, Inc., a designer of golf-inspired lifestyle sportswear, recently announced the Spring 2007 debut of an array of new product releases for Callaway Golf apparel. The Tour Authentic™ bottoms program and the X-Series™ Performance Center will be presented to the golf industry, including leading PGA golf professionals throughout the U.S., with first product deliveries arriving in stores by December 2006.

According to Ashworth, the Tour Authentic bottoms program will be announced to over 3,500 select accounts throughout the U.S. in a custom Callaway Golf mailer providing product information and an actual fabric swatch attached to the inside of the mailer.
Source: textileweb.com

Hard-hitting Richard is on the way to becoming a pro

daniel — Thu, 21 Sep 2006 07:28:54 +0000

A WISBECH man is on the verge of winning a life-changing sum of money and becoming a professional golfer after winning a European long drive championships.

Next month, Richard Allen, 22, will be travelling to the United States and gunning for a first prize of a cool $125,000 at the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championships after winning the European title, in Ireland.

His drive of 346 metres, or 378 yards, saw off a field of 30 of the biggest hitters in Europe and catapulted him in to the world finals, which will be held in Mesquite, Nevada, at the end of October.

Both professional and amateur players can play in the competition but their equipment must conform to strict guidelines and the ball must land within a 45 metre-wide grid.

There were several surprise eliminations during the course of the competition held earlier this month but Richard, who began his challenge when he won the national title earlier this year, held his nerve.

Richard, who works for golf equipment manufacturers Titleist, in St Ives, said: “It was very nerve-wracking in the early stages and I was shaky in the early rounds, but I got better and better as the competition went on and it was great to shoot my best drive in the final.

“As soon as the ball left the club face I knew it was good and I went chasing after the ball!”

Richard, who plays off a handicap of four, only got involved with long driving four months ago after visiting a golf show. He explains: “I went to the London Golf Show where I had a go on a launch monitor and I obliterated a guy who had been doing it for years so I was taken to one side by the organisers and invited to take part in the championships.”

And now, Richard has his eyes set on the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championships, one of the most prestigious tournaments of its kind, and where a huge purse of $500,000 is up for grabs in four categories including senior and women’s competitions.

But it is the open division’s top prize of $125,000 that Richard has his sights set on. He said: “I am actually quite confident that I can do well and I am aiming for an improvement in my driving distance.

“I have been consistently driving 370 to 380 yards this year and I have recorded 400 yards. If I can do that again I will be right up there with a chance.”

Richard will be taking on 128 other qualifiers, the majority of whom are based in the United States, and going for the big prize. He said: “It would be fantastic to win the money - it would be truly life-changing.”

However, winning the tournament would also lose Richard his amateur status. “He said: “I would then have to turn professional and then I would consider going out to the Unites States to compete there.
Source: cambs-times.co.uk