Australian Senior Golfer

DO YOU  lose at least one Titleist Pro-V golf ball a week? Every week of the year? You must say bugger a lot.

If you do, then maybe you will be interested in revolutionary new technology that will help you find many of those wayward balls. But not the ones lost at the bottom of creeks or dams. You just need plain old scuba gear for that.

For the same cost of that year’s worth of lost Titleist balls, $249 to be exact, you can get the brand new Ballfinder SCOUT^TM.

Of course, it is not just the cost of losing balls or the annoyance of wasting time searching for them in the rough that is the problem, it is losing all the penalty strokes when they can’t be found.

The Ballfinder SCOUT^TM is the work of the Sarnof Corporation, apparently “one of the world’s most respected technology facilities, famous for their work in optics and “finding things”, (they also invented Color TV, Satellite TV, HDTV, and digital TV.)[and they have] have put their talents to work to help find a golf ball..”

According to Cliff Nunn from Golf Clubs Down Under: “There are no trick balls. No embedded micro-chips, No gimmicks or illegal devices.  The new Ballfinder SCOUT^TM finds ordinary white golf balls by employing a unique combination of technologies from digital video cameras and colour recognition systems.  The easy to use hand held device equipped with a high end LCD screen and colourful LEDs, vibrates and leads you to the ball’s location.

“Fully endorsed by Nick Faldo, the Ballfinder SCOUT^TM is no bigger than a mobile phone and can search up to 600 square feet in one second or almost 1/7 of an acre in 10 seconds using a video-like camera.  Each of over three million pixels is scanned in nanoseconds and analysed pixel by pixel using proprietary GLS (Golf ball Locating System) technology to look for the unique colour signature found on any standard white golf ball.”

If you us one of those new fluoro pink golf balls, and you’re not a lady golfer, you may be out of luck. And acting questionably. 

Cliff says the Ballfinder SCOUT^TM is a bargain at $249.00 and includes the Nick Faldo’s Recovery Shot instructional DVD; two free Celebrity Instructional Video programs, batteries, carry pouch, belt clip, instruction video, 12 months manufacturer’s warranty and 30 days money back guarantee.  It’s available on-line now through Golf Clubs Down Under (www.golfclubsdownunder.com.au)

“We can’t promise that Ballfinder SCOUT^TM will find every ball. It won’t help if a ball is in water or if it is totally covered. But if as little as 1% – or about three dimples of the ball is visible, Ballfinder SCOUT^TM will find it even though the naked eye can’t,” Cliff says.

Some of those golf balls, especially the expensive shiny new ones, can be very good at hiding.

HAVING a mid or later life crisis and can’t afford a new sports car? Perhaps Callaway ‘s new FT-iQ Driver will fit the bill.

Among all the usual technical babble and sales hyperbole – we’re talking about the “New dawn” of the “World’s Smartest Driver” here – Callaway claims the club was styled on the Lamborghini Reventon sports car. As well as the odd stealth jet.

In fact, it seems Callaway can’t quite decide on which futuristic image to push with the FT-iQ.

If you look at the short video here that as of this post date breathlessly announces there are only 26 days until “A new dawn in power and control” and that “Straight distance has arrived”, you will see that the FT-iQ driver is depicted more like a Star Wars style space fighter blasting into hyperspace.

The FT-iQ was unveiled at Callaway Golf’s national sales meeting in Rancho Bernardo, California this month and what all the hype seems to be aimed at is getting over the perception (and user comments) that the previous FT-i models hit straight all right but lacked distance.

“FT-iQ is a smart driver because power without precision is useless,” said Jeff Colton, Senior Vice President, Research and Development, Callaway Golf. “Not only is FT-iQ the longest driver we’ve ever developed, it’s also 35% straighter than FT-i, our previous benchmark for accuracy.”

According to the Callaway investor press release, it is the most technologically-advanced driver in the company’s history.

“FT-iQ is the result of a multi-year, multi-million dollar program undertaken by Callaway Golf’s world-renowned Research and Development team. Pushing multi-material Fusion Technology beyond previously held limits, the FT-iQ melds several cutting edge components into a sleek shape inspired by stealth jets and futuristic concept cars. Callaway Golf’s designers believe it is the smartest, most advanced driver in the world,” the release said. Whew.

FT-iQ is available in men’s and women’s versions in both standard and Tour models. The standard models feature 9, 10, 11, and 13 (HT) degree lofts. The 10 and 11 degree models are available in left-handed versions. The Tour version has a slightly more open face, and is available in 8.5 and 9.5 degree lofts; the latter is also available in a left-handed version.

The club will be available in Australia from October 15.

Having said all that, I want one. I think the new Callaway FT-iQ Driver would look good in the back of the not very new Camry station wagon. Might give it a bit more power and class and inspire it to greater performance.

Callaway Golf says its new FT i-brid iron set can help change your game and is the latest in a long legacy of innovation aimed at helping to make the game a little easier.

 Callaway says their “most technologically advanced game-improvement set” yet includes three “i-brids”, hybrid-like clubs designed to replace hard-to-hit long irons.

 The company says the i-brids “blend the control and accuracy of irons with the forgiveness, distance and versatility of hybrids. The low, deep center of gravity (CG) helps get the ball in the air quickly and easily, and the wider sole improves turf interaction.”

 The set then “seamlessly progresses” to game improving short irons that are designed for the ultimate in forgiveness and playability.

 The Mid and Short Irons have an oversized design with an increased offset, a large effective hitting and a wide sole for better turf interaction.

 The company says the clubs incorporate its “Fusion Technology, the superior weight shifting science created by Callaway Golf”.

 ”Multi-material construction enables weight to be shifted for optimal performance,” it says. “The lightweight titanium body allows for an oversize club head with increased offset for greater forgiveness and an increased effective hitting area. Heavy Tunite® weighting in the sole has been concentrated more toward the heel and toe for a higher MOI and better stability while keeping the CG low and deep. The TPU SenSert® is composed of a chemically engineered thermoplastic urethane that decreases vibration and creates an incredibly solid feel.”

You often hear discussions about the benefits of “clone” golf clubs versus brand name equipment. You also hear the comment, “they’re all made in the same factory in China anyway.” For many people it is not just a discussion about club performance, quality and value, the name on the back of the club is of major importance. Some say it is just like the fashion industry, all about perception.

Here, Cliff Nunn from Golf Clubs Down Under gives his side of the story. Others are welcome to comment. Just click the “Comment” tag at the end of the story or email ASG.

Clones V Brand Names 

by Cliff Nunn

In the family car market we have Ford, GMH, Toyota, Hyundai, and on and on. They all look very similar. Each of these companies learns from the other and “clone” or “knocks-off” the other’s design concepts. They all do this legally, ethically and with great vigor. It is a game of leap frog.

Well, so do we at Golf Clubs Down Under, but we do it in golf.

The most popular name brands in golf today are Callaway, Ping, Titleist, Cobra and TaylorMade. These companies (and we too) are just like the auto makers – leap frogging each other with innovative new product concepts, materials and fashion statements.

People say that a Honda looks like a “Merc.”, or that a Mercedes “looks like a Lexus”. Well, it is the same thing in golf. Consumers attribute a particular look/design to an advertised brand name and that is why we describe our clones as “Similar to …” to help you relate to the clubhead..

The goal of Clones in golf, as in cars (or computers for that matter), is to provide all of the performance features of a big name brand with a better value to the consumer.  We do not spend millions on marketing nor do we pay Tiger Woods to use our equipment.  These are costs which the brand names have to recover in the price of every club sold.  Money you pay over and above the true value of the club.

Essentially, clone clubheads are made from the same materials and employ the same design principles as the brand names they seek to flatter. Assembled with your choice of shaft and grip, they perform similar to or, (according to our customers) often better than the name brands.

The number of quality golf clubhead manufacturers world wide (mostly today in China) is very small and, very often, the clone club head is produced in the same foundry using the same materials, same machines as the brand name.

Illegal knockoffs and counterfeits have been a significant problem in the golf industry. The Name Brands talk about illegal clubs ripping them off, but counterfeiters also rip us off and you, the consumer, too. Be wary when you travel overseas. That set of Titleist or Callaway’s that look to be a “Steal” probably are a steal and, with anti-counterfeiting import measures now in place, you could loose them before you get home or get home to find they’re constructed of rubbish materials. We at Golf Clubs Down Under do not want that to happen.

Golf Clubs Down Under is very careful to not violate the valid rights of other companies. The clubheads we sell are legitimate clones that may look like and do play like but cost a lot less than the brand names.

Be my guest.  Call in and have a look at the range of Acer, Turbo Power, Power Play, Dynacraft, Raven and other clubs we offer at sensible prices at www.golfclubsdownunder.com.au  Have you been fitted recently?  You’ll play better with clubs that properly fit your person and your game; http://www.golfclubsdownunder.com.au/Fitting.asp

Photo inset:  A clone driver. Look Familiar?

Titleist says it went to lots of trouble to test its new DT Carry and DT Roll golf balls with “average golfers”.

The company claims the new balls are the most targeted and “average player validated” Titleist DT products in the microbrand’s 30 plus year history. 

It must have been an exhaustive search by Titleist just to find enough “average players” to test the balls on. Where I play regularly nearly everyone is a champion (apart from a couple of hackers nobody likes to mention). In a recent media release the company unfortunately didn’t supply any photos of the “average players” so we could determine how right they got it. I know exactly what “average players” look like.

Nevertheless, Titleist says the new range enhances the performance for DT loyalists, average and recreational golfers, as well as competitive golf ball users, by providing two distinct approaches to distance – longer distance through greater carry and longer distance through greater roll – based on the average golfer’s varied and diverse launch characteristics.

“The positioning of the New DT Carry and DT Roll was derived from some of our most extensive product validation, target golfer feedback and consumer insights to date,” said George Sine, Vice President, Golf Ball Marketing and Strategic Planning.  “A common thread throughout the research was that average and recreational golfers wanted the products to speak to their needs, with distance optimisation serving as the most apparent, while still providing exceptional feel for greenside control and accuracy.”

Wow to that.

ASG likes the existing Titleist So Lo balls, and even more the much more expensive Titleist Pro VI balls when we happen to find a good one and we live in hope that one day a nice company like Titleist will give us some. We’d be sure to mention it.

We’re so fond of Titleist golf balls we’ll publish most of the details of their recent press release below. This is one more decision for “average golfers” to make: more roll or more carry?

DT Carry:  Longer Distance Through Greater Carry
The New DT Carry golf ball combines new, large and soft core technology with a new, high lift 252 dimple design, delivering greater carry distance through a higher ball flight for golfers with low launch.
- Large 1.595″ low density, soft polybutadiene core for longer distance.
- Large dimple, 252 icosahedron design aerodynamics in four different sizes for higher ball flight and greater carry.
- Soft, Surlyn cover for increased spin and greenside control.
- New, staggered wave parting line.
- New, A.I.M. (Alignment Integrated Marking) sidestamp.

 - Cut-proof guarantee.

DT Roll:  Longer Distance Through Greater Roll
The New DT Roll golf ball combines new, soft and resilient core technology with a lower trajectory 392 dimple design, delivering longer distance via penetrating ball flight and greater roll.
- High velocity, 1.565″ polybutadiene core for longer distance.
- Low trajectory, 392 icosahedron dimple design aerodynamics in five different sizes for lower ball flight and increased roll.
- New, staggered wave parting line.
- New, A.I.M. sidestamp.
- Soft, Surlyn cover with cut-proof guarantee.

“History of the DT Golf Ball:  The equity of and established loyalty to the Titleist DT microbrand is unprecedented in the golf ball category and is rivalled only by its flagship Pro V1 and aspirational NXT microbrands. 

Since its inception in 1974 as the longest wound Surlyn golf ball which was supported by “just like the Pro’s favourite ball only tougher” positioning, the Titleist DT has stood for quality and consistency for over 30 years.  Throughout its existence, the DT acronym has evolved from the Durable Titleist to the Distance Titleist, all the while remaining constant in delivering long distance, optimum performance and cut-proof durability for its designated target audience.  More than three decades later and with over 1 billion DT golf balls sold worldwide, Titleist launches the next generation of the “red box” legacy in the tandem form of New DT Carry and New DT Roll.

“Respecting the needs and opportunities for average golfers, we involved the target audience throughout the New DT Carry and DT Roll development process from the initial concept stage through the product validation stage,” added Sine.  “Presently, no golf ball brand has afforded attention to – nor committed the necessary research and consumer input – to determine what is best for the games of the moderate to slow swing speed golfer.”

Titleist consulted over 3,000 Titleist DT loyalists and/or average and recreational golfers before finalising what ultimately became DT Carry and DT Roll golf balls.   

“The New DT Carry and DT Roll are golf balls created by the average for the average golfer,” said Sine.  “From product to naming and packaging to advertising, the average golfer will relate to and appreciate the New DT Carry and DT Roll products as they reflect their input, recommendations and cited requirements as to how we could add more distance and performance to their games.”
 
Research and Concept Validation:  Three major player tests were conducted toward determining the direction for the next generation DT golf ball models.  An overwhelming majority of these golfers, those who typically hit their drives in the 200-yard range, said they could, in fact, discern a distinct difference between the two options.  However, there was a clear split as to the best way they could achieve the distance and performance utopia they were seeking, with half citing a preference for the higher ball flight of the DT Carry and half for the lower ball flight of the DT Roll.

“The DT Carry and DT Roll two-model strategy addresses a sizeable opportunity for average golfers to optimise their distance and playability,” added Sine.  “Most importantly and impressively, consumers embraced the benefits and value of having two distinct product options available.  The ultimate credibility of our strategy was realised when several consumers cited that they genuinely felt that Titleist was the first brand to make such a dedicated effort on their behalf.”

Features and Benefits:  Many golfers within the moderate to lower swing speed segment desire and require a shot shape, trajectory or visible point of difference toward achieving maximum distance.  The objective for the Titleist DT Carry is to provide a higher flying DT product option suited for those that prefer or require more carry to achieve more distance.  The objective for DT Roll is to provide a DT product option with a lower trajectory and more piercing ball flight suited for moderate to lower swing speed golfers that prefer or require more roll to achieve added distance.  An additional benefit of the distinct performance attributes of the carry biased or roll biased offerings is the flexibility for golfers who encounter different course conditions during their travels to various golf courses.

Bill Morgan, Senior Vice President, Golf Ball Research and Development, Acushnet Company, explained the technology behind the new products: “The cores of the DT Carry and DT Roll are vastly different and contribute to the distinctly different flight characteristics of each.  The low density core of the DT Carry lowers the effect of gravity, and in combination with a softer Surlyn cover, contributes to the increased lift.  Conversely, the high velocity core of the DT Roll lowers the launch and contributes to its penetrating ball flight and increased roll.”