Over the Green

An interesting item appeared in Jim Achenbach’s column in Golfweek, that one of the truly innovative putter companies of the past few years, Rife Putter of Sanford, Fla. has been sold to Innovex Golf.

To fans of Rife flat sticks this is welcome news and may be just the thing to push Innovex up to the new level of recognition. Here’s the link if you want to read the full story. “Rife Putters agrees to be sold to Innovex”

The biggest buzz at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando last January was not that TaylorMade Golf returned to the Show after an absence of several years but the immense display area they used. It was big enough to allow TaylorMade, adidas Golf and Ashworth (all owned by adidas) to introduce and showcase their new products for 2011.

The white headed R11 line of drivers and fairways of course caused a stir amongst the Show attendees and in hindsight it was the start of the domination of that category by TMaG this season. The clubs were pooh-poohed by some (mostly competitors) but have taken about half of the wood-segment pushing Callaway and the others into the status of pretender. Being fair though, Titleist has also been able to carve out more business and they seem to have a firm grip on number two with their 910D2/D3 line.

Not to belabor the point but it is worth noting TMaG will sell more than 2 million white headed clubs this year including the Burner Superfast 2.0. As I said, domination.

Back to the Show, how big was the display space used by TaylorMade? Well, it took up the entire north end of the Orange County Convention Center and had its own restaurant and its own indoor driving range.

So the word is now out that the company will again exhibit at the Show in January 2012 and from every indication will again make use of the same large space as a “clubhouse” for its customers.

Getting a gift for golfer is simple, right? Just swing by the local big box retailer and pick up some golf balls and you’re done. Not true.
Also most people know those naked lady tees and “R” rated insulated cups really lack class. Plus how do you know which golf ball matches the golfer’s game and don’t even think about a driver that requires a fitting or something reflecting strong personal preference like a golf bag.

So the question remains what to give a boss or in-law or even a spouse who is an avid linkster without totally breaking the bank or the Christmas budget.

Here a few suggestions covering range of prices.MORE…

Cleveland Golf, a division of Srixon, though best known for its wedges also has a popular full line of clubs including the highly ranked Launcher series of drivers featuring the 270-gram Launcher XL270. The premise behind the XL270 and Cleveland’s other light weight clubs is simple, if the club is lighter it can be swung faster and faster means more distance – golf’s Holy Grail.

Most titanium headed-graphite shafted drivers weight in at over 300-grams so the idea of making a club lighter, especially when matched with a more aerodynamic head shape, can produce more distance.MORE…

ORLANDO, Fla. – Salamander Resorts is forming the “Grand Resorts of Florida” by combing management of Innisbrook Resort near Tampa, Reunion Resort in Orlando, and Hammock Beach Resort in Palm Coast. Salamander’s owner Sheila Johnson announced the new arrangement after coming to agreement for a partnership with Lubert-Adler, L.P., a real estate equity firm which owns Reunion and Hammock Beach.

Salamander has taken over management of Reunion Wyndham Grand Resort and Hammock Beach Resort. Salamander has owned and operated Innisbrook Resort since 2007.

“Florida is the world’s greatest year-round and most-accessible golf and vacation destination, and we are creating an experience unlike any other,” said Johnson, who made the announcement accompanied by ten-time Major Championship winner Annika Sorenstam. “This resort concept has never before been accomplished, and because of the unique characteristics of each property, it cannot be replicated. There are numerous synergies between the resorts, and their geographic locations make them natural partners.”

There is a new web site to publicize and promote the new combination at www.GrandGolfResorts.com. Courses at the three resorts include ones designed by Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson and Larry Packard. Reunion also is the site of the only resort-based teaching facility of Annika Sorenstam.

Part of the promotional effort will be built around a “Legends of Golf Trail” covering the 200+ miles from Hammock Beach to Innisbrook.

“We are delighted to have Sheila C. Johnson and her Salamander team as our partner,” said Dean Adler, CEO and co-founder of Lubert-Adler, L.P. “At Reunion and Hammock Beach, we have created some of the finest golf and family facilities in the country, and look forward to seeing our properties and their valued membership programs flourish under this partnership.”

Prem Devadas, president of Salamander Hotels & Resorts said, “We will also develop a long-range plan for the continuous improvement of amenities and facilities at all three resorts. Ultimately, our goal is for the collection to become known as the finest golf- and family-friendly destination in America.”

Johnson also owns the NBA Washington Wizards, the WNBA’s Washington Mystics and the NHL’s Washington Capitals. Her company owns as well the Grand Resorts at Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic and manages the Woodlands Inn near Charleston, SC. Under development is the Salamander Resort & Spa, a 340-acre equestrian-themed luxury resort near Washington, D.C.

Tour Edge has been on a run in recent years producing some very good fairways and the latest to be included on that short list is the newest fairway in their line up, the XCG5.

This newest refinement is the only fairway wood to have a titanium cupped face and tungsten sole which are perhaps the “secret” of the exceptional length all the previous XCG fairways have provided. Also unique is the use a combo-brazing process to put the club head together which eliminates the typical welds other makers use and gives company engineers more discretionary weight to move around for just the right placement.

However, combo-brazing is expense. For example it is done in a vacuum chamber to ensure Tour Edge’s very tight manufacturing standards are met but it does provide a very high quality joint between the tungsten and titanium pieces of the head.

As with previous models Tour Edge guarantees the Exotics XCG5 fairway wood is longer than your current fairway wood and if not return it under their 30-day “Play Guarantee” for a store credit or refund. The XCG5 is available in a Graphite Design Tour AD 40, Exotics Fujikura Blur 65, or Aldila RIP 70 Sigma graphite shaft for an SRP of $299.

The 2011 California putters from Scotty Cameron, marketed under the Titleist umbrella, are called “extensions” of the original California line.

“My main objective for the new California designs was to take the visual flow to a new level,” explained Master Putter Designer Scotty Cameron. “When you look down at a great putter in the address position, it’s easy to imagine the putter head flowing naturally right into the ground. The refinements we made to these five new models meet and exceed that ideal. It might be a bit esoteric, but you get the sense that water won’t splash off these putters. It looks like water will just roll off the contours of the putters and shed gently off the edges.”

Angles in the face, sole and neck are milled to present a square set-up at address and from feedback of Cameron users on the PGA Tour the new California putters feature deeper milling in the face of the putter which makes for a softer impact sound. Each of the line uses a step-less shaft and a milled from 303 stainless steel with heel and toe weights.

The new models are the Del Mar, Fastback, Monterey, Monterey 1.5 and Sonoma covering both blade and mid-mallet style heads with five different neck styles. Look for them next month carrying a suggested retail of $375 each.

Following up on the recent announcement of the new 712 series AP1 and AP2 irons for recreational players Titleist is coming out with new irons for better players the 712 series MB (forged muscle back) and CB (forged cavity back). They have been out on the PGA Tour for several months starting at the AT&T National in June with wins including this past weekend; Brad Faxon on the Champions Tour and Bryce Molder on the PGA Tour.
“When we started formulating plans for the new MB and CB designs, we knew that the project would be a reinterpretation, not a complete reinvention,” said Steve Pelisek, General Manager Titleist Golf Clubs. “The original MB and CB models were so well received on Tour, as well as in the marketplace, that we knew we had succeeded in delivering the core design fundamentals that resonate with the traditional blade player. We did identify through our work with the world’s best players, however, some areas where we could make improvements, which we incorporated in the new models. The new MB and CB still embody those key design elements that made the first generation so well accepted.”

The new MB and CB irons have the classic looks and shot-shaping characteristics of the previous models updated with a new design of the back, a faceted surface nicknamed “the dog bone.” It puts more mass behind the center of the iron face from since the design is larger in the heel and toe, narrowing behind the impact area.

Both will be available November 18 and carry a MSRP of $140 per club/steel and $165/graphite.

XCG drivers from Tour Edge are the only brazed drivers on the market, having the clubhead construction accomplished with chemical brazing rather than welding as other club makers’ use. In the new XCG5 this allows for the titanium face and body to weld to an ultrathin beta titanium crown.

Brazing costs more than welding but results in full face flexing and maximum forgiveness which with a 6-point perimeter weighting lowers the center of gravity and moves it deeper in further from the face. To achieve the maximum allowable spring-like effect, Tour Edge increased the XCG5’s face size by 12% over previous models.

The XCG5 is made in regular, ultra-light and super-ultra-light versions, you choice for a suggested retail of $329.

KZG is not a name well known to the golfing public but to custom club fitters it is thought of as “top of the heap.”
Their new M-Series of triple forged and CNC mill irons and wedges are based on forgings produced in China rather than in Japan which has been their sole source for several years.

The M-Series consist of three models, ME-I (milled expert size head), MA-I (milled mid-size) and MO-I (milled oversize) plus two distinct wedge models, MW-I, MWC-I. The iron models may be mixed and matched so club fitters may create blended sets easily.

Jennifer King, President said, “We tested the M-Series at this year’s Master ClubFitter Certification Program in Germany, and the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. We can now offer the feel, consistency and workability of a forging, the precision accuracy of a CNC milled head, and the unique aspect of a blended set to form the perfect set of clubs.”

The retail price is significantly less than KZG’s popular Japanese Forged Irons starting at $129 and dependent on shaft selection. The ME-I and MA-I are available in #3-PW and the MO-I in #4-PW. M-Series Wedges, MW-I (classic players’ profile) and MWC-I (cavity back) are also triple forged and CNC milled. MSRP starts at $154 per wedge.