February 2012 Newsletter

With Nicklaus in Attendance, PGA Merchandise Show
Sets Stage for Optimistic 2012 Season

When Jack Nicklaus talks golf, everybody listens. It’s a fact of golf life.
Nicklaus opened the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando with a brief statement, then participated in a series of events to promote and build the game. It was the perfect start to what many believe is a harbinger for better things to come on all golf fronts, including the equipment industry.
The PGA of America reported more than 1,000 companies were on hand to greet its members and the equipment industry.
Joining Nicklaus among the high-profile guests were Ryder Cup Captain Davis Love III, top instructors Butch Harmon and David Leadbetter, golfers Natalie Gulbis, Lexi Thompson and Greg Norman, and stars from the sports world, including baseball great Ken Griffey, Jr.
Product unveilings from equipment giants TaylorMade, Titleist, Callaway, Bridgestone, Ping, Wilson and others created a buzz and had show goers anticipating big things in 2012.
Anytime the legendary Nicklaus is involved, excitement is inevitably attached to the proceedings. Nicklaus participated with PGA President Allen Wronowski, CEO Joe Steranka and others in a State of the Industry Roundtable at the Convention Center. It was about building the game and keeping it strong going forward.
"I've always been a traditionalist, but I've realized that in order to save the game we need to think outside the box," Nicklaus said.
There’s no question the original equipment manufacturers are in the “outside the box” mode with their continuing innovations.

TaylorMade Is At It Again

In 2011, it was the white-headed clubs. This time, it’s RocketBallz.
Coming off what company President Mark King called a history-making year, TaylorMade expects more of the same in 2012, this time with a new line of drivers and a retooled top-end R11S model. The RocketBallz driver is available in two models and already has made its debut on the PGA Tour. The RocketBallz line includes much-anticipated fairway woods, with steel heads, rescue clubs and irons. All have white heads, except for the irons.
The RocketBallz name comes straight from the tour. The first time Dustin Johnson tested the club, he said, “It’s like a rocket.” TaylorMade took the message and put it into action.
The new R11S features a five-way adjustable sole plate, which combined with the tuning sleeve and movable weights, creates 80 different launch settings.
The new RocketBallz fairway woods are hot and people can’t stop talking about them. They have a deeper face, improved sole geometry and a Speed Pocket that is a defining visual of the club. The center of gravity has moved forward and lower and, according to TaylorMade, and reaches USGA/R&A speed limits for the first time in a steel clubhead.

RAZR Fit – and Razor Sharp

Callaway Golf’s RAZR Fit driver and fairway woods continue the company’s long history of advanced innovations and playability. Callaway officials said their proprietary technologies offer an easy-to-understand, adjustable hosel with moveable weights to help promote draw or neutral ball flights.
“We are particularly proud of the performance gains we have achieved while adding the benefits of adjustability within the RAZR Fit design,” said Dr. Alan Hocknell, Sr. Vice President of Research & Development, Callaway Golf.
The RAZR Fit Driver and RAZR Fit Fairway Woods both feature Callaway’s OptiFit® adjustability system designed for easy use and noticeable changes in trajectory for each of the settings. The system allows golfers to adjust the club’s face angle to three address positions: Open, Square and Closed.
The crown of the RAZR Fit Driver is comprised of Forged Composite , an advanced carbon composite material that Callaway developed over several years in partnership with Automobili Lamborghini. Forged Composite allows Callaway engineers to save crucial weight and precisely control the thickness of the crown and give the driver a lower center of gravity for more forgiveness on off-center strikes.
The RAZR Fit Driver comes standard with a 45.5-inch Aldila® RIP’d NV shaft. The RAZR Fit Fairway Woods also feature the three address positions. They will be available in a 3-Wood (15°) and a 5-Wood (18°), and allow players to make adjustments based on their preferred look at address and to minimize tendencies to hook or slice the ball.

Nike VR_S: Speed

Nike Golf is calling its new VR_S line the fastest it has ever created. More speed means more distance and the VR_S hybrids are long and strong. An exclusive NexCOR variable face-thickness technology maximizes distance for the widest range of players through a new speed-expanding multi-face thickness design. The NexCOR infinity design creates a bridge for ultra-thin, ultra-hot faces.
By combining NexCOR with a compact aerodynamic design, Nike Golf engineers are confident they have been able to deliver in a hybrid the performance of a fairway wood, along with the accuracy and scoring ability of an iron. As a result, the VR_S hybrids launch easier and fly further. A technology called L Face positions the weld on the sole to allow for an expanded maximum COR zone from the middle to lower on the face, where the majority of fairway shots are struck.
The VR_S family is an extension of Nike Golf's VR franchise, which, since its 2008 introduction, has been used in three major title victories and 83 worldwide Tour wins. Beginning in March through May, Nike Golf will be conducting VR_S Speed Trials at hundreds of participating golf retail shops and golf courses across the country. Check with your Golf Headquarters about scheduling a test session.

Balls, Balls and More Balls

Bridgestone Golf’s new Tour B330 and Tour B330-S models offer Dual Dimple Technology, larger cores and softer covers. That means more distance and better spin for golfers with swing speeds greater than 105 mph. The small dimples increase thrust for greater distance while the larger outer dimples promote a shallow angle of descent for increased roll.
The new Penta TP5 offers tour grade performance for golfers of all levels, according to TaylorMade. The key to the increased performance benefits is a 25 percent lower core compression which combines with the Progressive Velocity Design for lower driver spin, more distance and softer feel.
Players with slower swing speeds benefit from added control for better results in the scoring zone without the sacrifice of distance. As in the first generation Penta ball, the performance is based on its five-layer construction which is engineered to optimize performance in the five key shot categories.
Titleist’s new Velocity ball offers “explosive distance,” according to the company, thanks to a leading-edge design and proprietary technology. The Velocity is powered by LSX core technology, a high-speed core encased in a NaZ2 cover formulation for high initial ball speed on all full swings and a playable feel in the short game. The ball also offers a deep downrange peak trajectory.
The Velocity is one of four new balls added to the Titleist line. The others are the NXT Tour, NXT Tour S and DT Solo. According to Titleist, the NXT Tour and Tour S deliver the best scoring performance available in a non-urethane cover.

The Calendar

Feb. 9-12 – AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (Pebble Beach, Spyglass Hill, Monterey Peninsula CC) Defending champion: D.A. Points
Feb. 16-19 – Northern Trust Open, Riviera CC, Pacific Palisades, CA
Defending champion: Aaron Baddeley
Feb. 22-26 Mayakoba Golf Classic, El Camaleon, Riviera Maya, Mexico
Defending champion: Johnson Wagner
Feb. 22-26 – World Bolf Championship – Accenture Match Play, Ritz-Carlton GC, Marana, AZ Defending champion: Luke Donald

The Last Word

“You never want to see anybody go through that. I don't care who it is, not even your worst enemy on the planet. Golf is such a funny game, and to have that kind of lead (3 shots) coming into the last hole and not to win is tough. But he's an unbelievably talented player, and the sky's the limit for him. And I hope he does not beat himself up too much over this.” – Brandt Snedeker on Kyle Stanley’s meltdown that allowed Snedeker to win the Farmers Insurance Open.

Articles provided by Vartan Kupelian.
Vartan Kupelian spent 40 years writing sports for daily newspapers, 37 of those at The Detroit News before he left that distinguished newspaper in August, 2008. He is the immediate past president of the Golf Writers Association of America. You can reach him at: golfstix@vartangolflive.com.