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Oakley’s “Rolling O” Heading to Huge Golf Expo in Sacramento

We got a sneak peek of the Oakley Monster Truck. Dubbed the Rolling O, it is a demo mobile that got to Sacramento a week early.

From Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1, 2011, the Oakley Rolling “O” Eyewear Lab will be at the Haggin Oaks Golf Expo to educate attendees about the technology behind Oakley’s eyewear.

Per the Expo’s website:

Get educated across the globe. Listen up and learn the stories and facts behind Oakley’s groundbreaking technology. Experience a self-contained 40-foot motor coach with front row seats at major sporting venues. Discover the truth about today’s eyewear marketplace of ideas at the Oakley HDO® Demo Tour. Not all sunglasses are created equal —they’re taking science to the streets to show you why.

For more information on all of the events during America’s Largest Demo Days, go to www.HagginOaksGolfExpo.com.

Wish we could have gotten inside for a preview.

PETCO Park Adds TaylorMade R11 Driver Foul Pole

TaylorMade-Adidas Golf Company and the San Diego Padres just unveiled an 80-foot tall R11 driver foul pole in right field at PETCO Park as part of an innovative partnership agreement to extend through the 2013 season.

Weighing 950 pounds, the all-aluminum structure runs parallel with the existing foul pole structure, while the 14-foot wide by 8-foot tall image of the R11 clubhead is positioned on the fence in the corner of right field.

The weather- and impact-resistant grip was custom rolled out of .90″ aluminum, welded into a taper shaping and then given a vehicle, textured, bed lining coating to give it a rubber look.

It took 3 days and a total of 250 man hours to install. The R11 foul pole structure is the first of its kind in Major League Baseball.

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Ready for Some Fast Golf?

Is a dream round of golf for you one that lasts well under 4 hours? If so, then you might want to check out the Angel Park Golf Club, a busy 36-hole facility in Las Vegas.

According to GolfWeek’s Martin Kaufmann, the Express Lane fast-play program being run on Saturday mornings there requires players to sign a pledge agreeing to play in 3 hours, 45 minutes or less. Angel Park’s staff reserves the right to make groups skip holes or move to the other course if they’re not maintaining the proper pace.

Greg Brockelman, Angel Park’s director of golf noted that golfers are actually averaging less than 3:30, and the record to date is a foursome that finished in 2:48.

Angel Park Golf Club features 36 holes of championship Las Vegas golf designed by the legendary Arnold Palmer, the lighted Cloud Nine Short Course, and the world’s original natural grass Putting Course.

Express Lane tee times rotate between Angel Park’s Palm and Mountain courses. Brockelman has noticed that the groups that book those times tend to play ready golf and putt out quickly. He said Angel Park tries to facilitate fast play during Express Lane hours.

If the price was right, the Express Lane program would be the way to go.

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New Ad Builds Excitement for Nike 20XI Golf Ball

Nike 20XI Golf Ball

Nike Golf has a new ad (an incredibly impressive one) that doesn’t feature Tour Pro golfers.  Rather, the star is a magnificent black stallion that is moving quite quickly through a golf course — tearing up turf.  As it approaches a green, the stallion rears up on its hind legs and then lands his front hoofs on the green without leaving a mark (note:  I replayed it several times to confirm what I thought I saw).  Impressive indeed.

At the end of the 30 second spot, we are informed the product is the 20XI golf ball, and it will be available April 29.

??

Found out that the 20XI is the latest Nike Golf advanced technology product to emerge from “The Oven.”

It is a revolutionary golf ball that is the first ball on Tour to use a radical new core technology which delivers more distance off the tee and better control around the greens.

The analogy of the stallion makes sense.

Upon further research, I found a post by Rock Ishii, Nike’s product development director, Nike golf balls, which provides insight into the new 20XI golf ball:

  • The construction of the 20XI creates consistency within its make-up and the results it provides.
  • With the older technology, the solid rubber core, you had so many manufacturing steps, additives, curing, pressing, etc.  The new 20XI ball with its radical new resin core simplifies things.  It’s no longer about layers, but instead about a faster and lighter core.
  • In the past ball designs, we were limited in terms of MOI (moment of inertia). In the 20XI ball, we used an ionomer lightweight material around the perimeter. By moving the lightweight material to the center, we achieve higher MOI with a heavier perimeter. This MOI increase makes for a steeper spin slope; a ball that spins more off short shots and less off a driver, creating a huge competitive advantage for our athletes.

That advantage comes at a steep price:  $58 a box.
To put that in perspective, Titleist Pro Vs run $45.95.  The TaylorMade Pentas list for the same.

The ad appears below.  Nike Golf’s agency of record,  Wieden + Kennedy Portland was responsible for it.  Ellen Kuras directed it using Alexa and Phantom cameras to convey the message of power and control.

They’ve got me curious.  Now I wonder which Tour Pros will bite.  As of the last “Tour Van” post by GolfWeek, the ball breakdown for the Valero Texas Open (144-player field) was as follows:

1. Titleist (104)
2. Srixon (12)
3. Callaway (10)

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Bag Boy Unveils New Cart Bag with Clip-Lok

The Bag Boy Company just announced their new XLT-15 cart bag which features the Clip-Lok system to hold clubs firmly in place and prevent unnecessary noise and club damage during the round.

The Clip-Loks are designed to eliminate club contact by holding the shaft of the club securely in place until the club is ready to be used. The Clip-Lok system is easy to operate, simply snap the shaft into the lock.  There are 15 individual Clip-Loks integrated into the bag’s 11-way organizer top.

The 420D nylon, 10-inch cart bag comes with individual full length dividers and an external putter well with a putter Clip-Lok. There are eight easily accessible pockets on the bag for plenty of storage, including a large insulated cooler pocket and a fleece lined pocket to protect valuables. This lightweight cart bag weighs only 7 pounds.

The XLT-15 cart bag weighs seven pounds and is offered in seven color combinations – red/black, yellow/black, lime green/black, navy/silver, black, pink/charcoal/white and aqua blue/silver/white. It is available in golf shops and golf specialty retailers for a suggested retail of $159.95.

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Srixon Unveils FREE Golf WeatherFIT app

Srixon has just unveiled an app for the iTunes Store that works on the iPhone and iPad.  Called the Srixon Golf WeatherFIT app, it provides accurate 4-day weather forecasts for golf courses around the USA. In addition, the app uses the weather forecast to help you decide how to properly fit your Srixon Z-STAR driver and Srixon golf ball for maximum performance in the weather on those specific days of play.

Yes, you read that correctly.  The Srixon Z-STAR driver features the STAR Fitting System which enables you to independently adjust face angle and the internal weighting of the clubhead.  The face angle adjustment helps you produce more accurate shots. Fine tuning the internal weighting with the different weight options will optimize your desired ball trajectory and swing weight.

>> The STAR fitting system allows up to 84 possible configurations per loft offering for the ultimate in custom club fitting.

It is understandable why you’d need an app for that!

The Z-STAR driver also features Starburst(TM) variable face design, which enlarges the driver’s high COR area by 5 percent, providing added distance and forgiveness. This new driver features a Miyazaki(TM) Dromos(TM) shaft, which is the first premium custom shaft designed specifically for adjustable clubs.

The driver runs $399.99 (retail price).

The app itself is FREE.

Mizuno Launches Swing To Win Challenge

On Monday, Mizuno USA, announced the launch of their JPX-800 Swing To Win Challenge, a national contest allowing consumers to put their current irons to the test and experience the significant distance gains that can be realized through their new JPX-800 line of game-improvement irons. To validate its claims, Mizuno Golf recently had 100 consumers take the challenge with 99 of them hitting the JPX-800 6-iron further than their current 6-iron, with the collective group averaging a 12.48 yard increase in distance. Mizuno is now offering golfers across the country the ability to see for themselves at local golf retailers and Mizuno demo events, and the chance to win one of 800 prizes, including a Dream Round of golf with Mizuno PGA Tour stars Luke Donald and Charles Howell III.

From now until June 30, 2011, consumers can visit participating golf retailers or one of Mizuno’s demo events at local golf courses across the country, and take the challenge, comparing the performance of their current 6-iron against a JPX-800 6-iron. The distance gain results and a variety of “swing DNA” metrics are then provided to each consumer, along with a special entry code, for entry at the Mizuno Swing to Win Challenge microsite (www.mizunochallenge.com). Upon entering their Swing to Win Challenge data, each consumer will be automatically entered for a chance to win one of 800 prizes, including the grand prize – an ultimate golf prize package, including an all-expense-paid trip to Atlanta for a Dream Round of golf with a guest and Mizuno PGA stars Luke Donald and Charles Howell III. Other prizes include Mizuno golf equipment and accessories.

Mizuno’s JPX-800 irons were designed to be its most forgiving and explosively long irons to date, and the first model to bring Mizuno’s global JPX technology platform to the United States. The significant distance benefits of the JPX-800 irons are achieved by combining MAX COR Technology, Hot Metal™ Face construction, and an exotic pocket cavity to hit the maximum allowable limits for energy transfer. Simply put, the JPX-800 irons utilize the world’s most advanced game improvement technologies to help the mid to high-handicap players score better than ever before.

Note: Stacy Lewis, who captured her first LPGA tour victory at the first major of the year, defeating the number-one ranked player in the world, Yani Tseng, at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, was using Mizuno clubs. She averaged over 280 yards using the Mizuno JPX-800 Driver. Also in her bag were the JPX-800 Pro irons, the Mizuno Fairway Wood, Hybrid, and MP T-11 wedges.

Fila Golf’s Stacy Lewis Victorious at Kraft Nabisco Championship

Fila Golf sponsored player Stacy Lewis won the Kraft Nabisco Championship – her first LPGA Tour victory and a “major” tournament nonetheless – competing in apparel from the sport brand’s 2011 collection.

Per an announcement made by Fila , it was “Fila Golf’s superior performance fabrics kept the 26-year-old cool, dry and comfortable at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California.”

The company pointed out that Ms. Lewis wore Fila Golf’s Athena Polo and Calgary Bermuda Shorts while firing a final-round 69.

Crafted from Fila Golf’s premium, 100-percent cotton and eco-friendly recycled polyester, many pieces boast wrinkle-resistant, moisture wicking, quick-drying and antimicrobial properties.

Her attire (www.filagolf.com) was truly tested during the victory leap into Poppie’s Pond.

Note: For those that may scrunch up their nose at the thought of the plunge, according to a New York Times story, “The week before the tournament, the well water is drained from the pond and the gray concrete bottom is scrubbed. The water is replaced, and Poppie’s Pond is ready for its television close-up.”

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Augusta National for the Rest of Us…

Ready for your Masters moment?

As part of the promotion of its “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: The Masters” video game, EA Sports is giving away free digital access to all 18 holes of the course, which hosts the celebrated golf tournament, via a Facebook app. The “Course View” app uses Google Street View functionality to allow a complete, shot-by-shot, hole-by-hole walk of the course — which, for the first time ever, is also playable in the

The branded app, which is embeddable into any blog and links to direct game sales for EA, marks the first time the course has been “tourable” by the American public (except for those lucky enough to be a tournament or Practice Rounds spectator) in any form, virtual or real. According to Mike McGarry, an account director at Heat, the San Francisco agency behind the campaign, the ability to explore Augusta National was the number one requested feature by “Tiger Woods PGA Tour game players.

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Mercedes Commences Road Show to Promote & Teach Golf

Starting this week at Augusta National, Mercedes-Benz is kicking off a mobile golf tour co-branded with the PGA of America which will offer an opportunity for all levels of golfers to have their swing analyzed.  The program is being headed by two-time Masters winner, Bernhard Langer.

Mercedes Sprinter vans will be used to tote the golf swing simulators and other training systems that use digital video, motion measurement and biofeedback technology to measure a person’s swing.

Over the next several months, the automaker will take the tour to at least nine PGA events, including the Wells Fargo Championship, Senior PGA Championship, AT&T National, PGA Championship, Charles Schwab Cup Championship, and Chevron World Challenge, along with several Mercedes-Benz Dealer Golf Sectionals and PGA Play Golf America days.

The Mercedes-Benz Performance Center was conceived from a golfing center that Mercedes-Benz had at the PGA Championship last year, said Lisa Holladay, manager of brand experience marketing at Mercedes-Benz USA.  “Mercedes-Benz and PGA of America wanted to “take it out on the road to reach more people and support the growth of the game of golf,” she said.

Source:  The Augusta Chronicle

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