Callaway Announces 273-Promo Tied to Els’ Win…

by Annie Latham on July 26, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Callaway, Drivers, Golf Balls with No comments

Just got wind of a pretty cool promo that Callaway Golf is doing in honor of Ernie Els’ major championship victory at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. Based on Els’ British Open score of 273 (67-70-68-68), Callaway will — for 273 hours beginning at 12:00am PST Wednesday, July 25 – sell its RAZR Fit driver for $273 and its HEX Black Tour golf ball for $27.30 online at shop.callawaygolf.com.

The promotion will also be available at participating retailers. The Big Easy used both the RAZR Fit driver and the HEX Black Tour golf ball to propel himself to the second Open Championship victory of his Hall of Fame career.

The Callaway RAZR Fit driver has now won 10 professional tournaments worldwide, with five victories coming in the last seven weeks.

About his RAZR Fit, Ernie said on Sunday, “I hit a lot of drivers on the back nine and I was just trying to make birdies. I was right in the moment…I was really just playing the shot in the moment.”

The HEX Black Tour golf ball has been used in four of the last seven wins on the European Tour, where the ball’s aerodynamic properties help to mitigate typically windy conditions.

The offer is valid at Shop.CallawayGolf.com and at participating retailers. Pricing is determined by individual retailers and may vary. The promotion lasts from July 25, 2012 at 12:00AM PST through August 5, 2012 at 9:00AM PST.

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Source: Callaway Golf Company

Wilson Staff Black PVD Ci11 Irons

by James on May 12, 2012 in Irons, Wilson Staff with No comments

Geared towards the average player looking to improve his or her game, Wilson has introduced the Black PVD Ci11 Irons.

While we haven’t had our hands on them just yet, we HAVE played the Di11 irons, and can attest to the easy-to-hit nature of these irons. The Ci11’s are no doubt a step in a positive, more ‘game improving’ direction.

A lot of factors went into designing these game improvement irons. The black finish is all about optics. The higher contrast between the club and ball will help with alignment. The finish also helps the club appear smaller, focusing your attention on making a solid hit. The PVD finish also reduces glare from the sun. The clubhead is what Wilson calls ‘optimally’ sized… I take that to mean they’re not too big, and not too small… just the right size for someone looking to make moves into a low-teen or single digit handicap. Perhaps the most important factor (at least when it comes to setup at address) is the thin top line on these irons. Having played many muscle backs for years, I certainly prefer this look, especially if you like to shape your shots. The C11’s set the stage for any golfer looking to take their game to a new level.

Wilson Staff was kind enough to share some press shots with us, please check them out below. After that, feel free to read over the official release. If you have a set of C11’s or are a Wilson Staff junkie, we’d love to get your thoughts.

Wilson Staff Black PVD Ci11 Irons – Photo Gallery

WILSON LAUNCHES NEW BLACK PVD Ci11 IRONS

Striking black irons offer looks, control & distance for ‘crossover’ golfer

Wilson Golf, the most successful irons manufacturer in the history of the game with 61 Major wins, has launched a fourth generation of its award-winning game-improvement Ci (Control) line with the new Wilson Staff Ci11 irons aimed at ‘crossover’ golfers looking to make the transition to the better-player category.

The new, striking black PVD Ci11 irons deliver maximum playability for the aspirational golfer, as well as the power and forgiveness for those players looking for additional technology. The club’s optimal head size and shape continues the award-winning iron tradition, while maintaining a thin topline and moderately progressive offset that suits the eye of the serious player.

The model is the first iron from Wilson with sleek black PVD colouring across the entire set, helping to minimise the visual appearance of the head size and reduce any glare at address – both factors the better player looks for in an iron.

Re-engineered exoskeleton weighting in the Ci11 provides optimal MOI and stability by pulling weight away from the clubface and towards the heel and toe. The striking irons deliver a crisp feel and satisfying sound on impact through a one-piece, soft-response insert concealed in soft 431 stainless steel that helps dampen vibration even on off-centre shots.

Using the latest in club face technology, the Ci11 irons also feature a thinner, harder face that generates stronger ball flight and greater ball speed and distance.

“These irons fit perfectly into our C-style player category and we’re confident that they will deliver maximum playability for the crossover player who also wants additional technology for extra power and forgiveness,” said Bob Thurman, Wilson’s Vice President of R&D.

The Wilson Staff Ci11 irons are available with True Temper TX Flighted steel shafters, Aldila VS Proto II graphite shafts, or with Wilson’s exclusive patent-pending Half & Half shafts (4-PW) at a RRP of £429 (~$689 USD)

For further information about Wilson Staff clubs, visit: www.wilsonstaff.com.

Bob Philion, President of Cobra Puma Golf Sits Down with Golfcrunch to Talk Rickie Fowler

by James on May 9, 2012 in Cobra with No comments

Bob Philion, President COBRA PUMA GOLF

With Rickie Fowler claiming his first ever PGA Tour Title last week at Quail Hollow (the Wells Fargo Championship), the golf world has been buzzing with chatter on the young star. While other publications were all over this one, breaking down his game, the stats, and the story, we were more interested in one thing… what the heck was in his bag?!

Thankfully our good friends at Cobra Puma Golf gave us access to their president, Bob Philion, to answer a few questions.

If you want to know what ‘weapons’ and technology Rickie used to claim his first win, please read on. There’s lots of good gems in here, especially for the Cobra fan.

GolfCrunch: The AFT Technology built-in to Cobra’s woods these days is wonderful. We notice from your release that Rickie Fowler plays the AFT in the ‘Neutral’ position. Does he ever change this, or is he pretty locked-in to the neutral position?
Bob Philion: Rickie is locked into the neutral position on his AMP Driver. We worked with him for a bit to make sure all of the specs were in optimal positions to maximize his already powerful swing. The specs are working for him, he was number one in Total Driving for the Wells Fargo Championship.

GolfCrunch: We noticed that Rickie was using a set of (4-9) AMP Pro Prototype irons… what can you tell us about these prototypes?
Bob Philion: Rickie gave us some insights when we designed his AMP Pro Prototype Irons. They give him excellent feel and accuracy. At the Wells Fargo Championship, he hit just under 80% of greens in regulation, those AMP Pro Proto Irons are working well for him.

GolfCrunch: When can we expect these AMP Pro Irons to hit the market?
Bob Philion: The AMP Pro Irons are not planned to be released at this point. We have released both the AMP Irons that provide players of all abilities a versatile and accurate iron. We’ve also launched the AMP Forged Iron. Designed for better players, the AMP Forged Irons offer playability with forgiveness.

GolfCrunch: Is Rickie currently testing any other clubs from Cobra? Any changes to his arsenal on the horizon?
Bob Philion: Rickie works with our Research and Development team by providing feedback on what he wants performance wise and design wise. There might be one slight change in the future that we think our fans will be really excited about. We’ve also been working with Rickie on wedges, you could see him in Trusty Rusty sometime soon.

GolfCrunch: Rickie was dressed in his trademark orange Puma gear on Sunday. What can you tell us about the Golf Duo Swing Mesh Polo he was wearing?
Bob Philion: Rickie’s trademark Sunday shirt is the Vibrant Orange Duo Swing Mesh Polo. One of PUMA’s most popular tops, it features COOLMAX All Season which keeps Rickie warmer in cool weather and dry and comfortable in hot weather. It also features UPF 50+ for ultimate UV Ray protection, a burnout back mesh panel for ventilation and specially engineered sleeves to reduce friction throughout the swing. It’s available in a variety of colors and some patterns.

GolfCrunch: What about the pants?
Bob Philion: Rickie’s pants on Sunday were the Vibrant Orange 5-PKT Tech Pant. This style is designed to mimic denim with jean style back pockets and front pockets but have the moisture wicking properties, lightweight fabric and comfortable fit you need when playing 18 holes, or 73 like Rickie did this past week.

GolfCrunch: …and of course, the shoes. Puma has long been known for the shoes. What can you tell us about Rickie’s golf shoes?
Bob Philion: Rickie wears the Super Cell Fusion Ice shoes. They feature S2Quill technology and use our Swing Speed Chassis Pro. This combination provides the ultimate traction, comfort and flexibility for a shoe that performs through all 18 holes (or 73!).

GolfCrunch: If our readers want to get their hands on the latest Puma golf apparel, where do you recommend they go?
Bob Philion: Shop.puma.com

A heartfelt thanks to Bob Philion, Kristine Owens and everyone at Cobra Puma Golf for their time!

Cobra Puma Golf Celebrates Rickie Fowler’s First PGA Tour Win with the ‘Sweet Juicy Victory Sweepstakes’

by James on May 9, 2012 in Contests, Cobra with No comments

Rickie Fowler took home his first PGA title at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow this past weekend. To celebrate, our good friends at Cobra Puma Golf are putting on a little contest I’m sure you won’t want to miss.

In celebration of the win, Cobra Puma Golf is holding what they are calling their ‘Sweet Juicy Victory Sweepstakes’. That’s quite the mouthful, isn’t it?

The details? Well, 1 winner will take home a solid prize. They will get a PUMA Golf polo all framed up and signed by Fowler himself. PLUS, they’ll get an AMP driver.

Entering the sweepstakes is simple, and is available to both US and Canadian residents. The links are below… all you need to do is enter your name, email, handicap, stuff like that. Easy.

Sweepstakes links:

Way to go, Rickie!

Quick Look at the Ping G20 Driver

by James on May 4, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Drivers, PING with No comments

Ping has long had a soft spot in my heart. From my early days of working in the bakeshop back in the 1990’s, I knew that Ping clubs were the real deal. I’d often grab one of the latest drivers to hit the market, head out to the range and give them a good drubbing. Ping’s always setup nicely for me, seemed easy to hit… and… for some reason I was always able to pound my drives over the river adjacent to the course (not all drivers met this strict challenge). With those fond thoughts in mind, today we’re taking a quick look at the Ping G20 Driver, winner of the 2012 Hot List Gold accreditation from Golf Digest.

The G20 is made of a low-density titanium. The weight saved in putting together the clubhead is repositioned within to give you a lower centre of gravity (CG). In the end, this give you a MUCH more stable club face through impact, making for longer and straighter drives (that is, unless you’re someone like Bubba Watson that likes to hit 50 yard cuts and draws off the tee!).

The clubhead itself comes in at the maximum 460cc’s. At address, the G20 inspires confidence and power, much like most offerings from Ping these days. The shape of the clubbed was also designed with aerodynamics in mind. Ping says the design will reduce drag, and therefore increase your clubhead speed at impact.

As far as specs go, the G20 is available in lofts of 8.5*, 9.5*, 10.5* and 12*. All stock drivers come at a standard length of 45.75″, a head weight of 204 grams and a D3 swing weight.

If you’re interested in picking up the G20 (or anything from Ping for that matter), I highly suggest you point yourself towards Ping’s Web-Fit custom fitting tool. It will ask you a series of questions, and build clubs for you that fit your game to a… tee.

For more information on the G20, visit Ping.com.

Bushnell Golf Launches NEO+ Golf GPS Rangefinder Watch

by Annie Latham on May 4, 2012 in Accessories, Golf GPS with No comments

Bushnell Outdoor Products has just introduced the NEO+ Golf GPS Watch, an easy-to-use GPS rangefinder, with instant measurements for golfers in a simple, lightweight form-factor.

Simple & Comfortable:  According to the company, the lightweight watch is simple to operate and comfortable to wear, giving golfer’s accurate front/back/center and shot distance measurements on 25,000 preloaded courses with no membership fees, more than has have ever been made available via GPS.

Excellent Battery Life:  While other GPS watch devices run out of battery after just one round, the Bushnell NEO+ Golf GPS Watch allows golfers to play three rounds or over 14 hours without needing a recharge. Additionally, when the product is functioning solely in watch mode, the battery can last over 12 months.

The NEO+ Golf GPS Watch is capable of instantly recognizing courses and has an auto hole advance feature which automatically changes from one hole to the next. This great feature means that the golfer does not have to push another button for the rest of the round.

It will be available at Bushnell retailers nationwide beginning in May, with a retail price of $199.95.

>> We will see if we can get a hold of one of these to experience for ourselves how “lightweight” it truly is.<<

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Trump National to Host 2017 U.S. Women’s Open

by Annie Latham on May 2, 2012 in News with No comments

According to Bradley S. Klein of Golfweek, U.S. Golf Association has awarded the 2017 U.S. Women’s Open to Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J.

Designed by award winning architects Tom Fazio and Tom Fazio II, the Old Course at Trump National is rated among the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World.
The 2017 U.S. Women’s Open will be the first professional national championship held on a Trump-owned and -developed golf course.

This year, the Open will be held at Blackwolf Run in Kohler, Wisconsin. Described as one of Pete Dye’s crowning achievements, Blackwolf Run is a blend of beauty and peril — combining cozy meadows and rolling streams with deep valleys and charging ravines.

Point of Note: The U.S. Women’s Open is Not LPGA TOUR co-sponsored. This event began in 1946 and is the longest-running event currently on the LPGA Tour. It is one of the LPGA’s four major championships.

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Cleveland Classic Series Drivers Combine Retro Styling with Today’s Tech

by James on May 2, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Cleveland, Drivers with No comments

If you could construct a driver with the look of persimmon, with the technology of today, what would you end up with? The answer is plain to see… you’d end up with the Cleveland ‘Classic’ series of drivers!

The Cleveland Classic series are indeed beautiful. Inspired by the look of yesteryear (I’m thinking of the old persimmon woods I have in my garage right now!), with the rocket-science tech of today.

The Classics are available in 3 different models. Available now in 270 grams, 290 grams and 310 grams (also called the ‘tour’), the series is as beautiful as it is long. (As a small aside, one of the things I really love about this driver isn’t the driver at all… it’s the awesome retro headcover that comes with!.. Although, I do love the polished finish on the crown as well.)

The classics feature a pear-shaped profile with a very large and deep clubface. I dig the deep clubface, I must admit. For some reason, it always inspires confidence for me on the tee. Just feels right.

If you’re interested in picking one of these up at your local golf shop, I suggest you give each model a try. The different weights are quite noticeable, especially when you hold one in each hand. Slower swing speed? Go for the 270. Swing with tour-like mph’s? Go for the ‘tour’ 310 model.

Bottom line, if you dig the retro design combined with the classic pear shape and ultra-deep clubface, the Cleveland Classic driver could be a great fit for your bag. Although I haven’t put a Cleveland wood in my bag for a little while now, I DID play them for a very long time… and I can attest to the fact that they make a very strong product… Strong and long!

For more information, stop by ClevelandGolf.com.

Cobra AMP Driver: Sweet Like an Orange?

by James on April 28, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Cobra, Drivers with No comments

Cobra AMP Driver

Cobra appears to be taking a real liking to the color orange these days, no doubt in part to the young and vibrant Rickie Fowler. Can’t blame them for taking that direction, even if it may not ‘jive’ with the tastes of some. Fortunately for me, orange is my favorite color… and it is featured prominently on Cobra’s new AMP Driver. Let’s take a look.

Cobra dubs the AMP as ‘100% Pure, Fresh. Juicy. Sweet Technology’. No doubt playing off the ‘orange’ theme, as you can see in one of their recent commercials here:

Getting back to the driver itself, it features Cobra’s Adjustable Flight Technology. The technology has been built-in to most of their drivers for the past 2 or 3 years, and offers the player with an open, neutral and closed setting. It’s quite easy to adjust, and, as an added bonus, you can buy new shafts fitted with the AFT coupler if you like to switch shafts in and out for different conditions, temperatures or courses.

The AMP also features the E9 face technology with ‘dual roll’. This has been another one of Cobra’s successful features over the past few years, and it promises a 30% larger sweet spot. I can attest to this myself, as Cobra has been more than kind to share some of their recent driver offerings with me (ZL, S2, S3), and they’ve all been fantastic.. In fact, I’ve noticed a steady progression of improvement, especially from the S2 to the S3.

As expected, the Cobra AMP features a titanium 6-4 club head. It also packs a semi-forged, milled titanium face. This is all well and good, but what you may notice most is the white paint job on the crown, and the black club face. This MAY be in reaction to TaylorMade in their driver designs, or it may simply be that research has proven that with a white crown and black face, the visual appearance at address makes it easier for alignment… adding confidence at address on the tee. Haven’t seen any research numbers on the color combo, but it sure does seem to be a trend these days.

The Cobra AMP comes in lofts of 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5. There are also many, MANY shaft and grip combos available, if you have specific needs for your game.

For more information on this sweet swinging driver, be sure to stop by the Cobra AMP page for all the details.

Side Note: Rickie Fowler has the Cobra AMP in his bag. He plays a 8.5 degree loft, in the open position (AFT), and prefers the Mitsubishi White Board 73X shaft.

Cobra ‘Trusty Rusty’ Wedges: Rust is a Must… Or You Bust.

by James on April 28, 2012 in Golf Equipment, Cobra, Wedges with No comments

I have to admit, I love my wedges. I’ve been playing the Cleveland Golf 588 RTG wedges for MANY years now. They’ve rusted up all nice, and are simply solid. However, when I happened upon Cobra Golf’s new ‘Trusty Rusty’ wedges… I found myself saying ‘hold on a tick… what’s this all about!?’. Let’s take a look at ’em.

The Cobra Golf Trusty Rusty wedge comes in specialty rusted finishes, that some players prefer (like me!) for a soft feel. They’ve available in satin with a pre-rusted face, a black PVD face, or a plain old ‘rust’ face. If you’re wondering how they do it, the clubheads are simply un-plated carbon steel. Over time, the face rusts up, leaving a true ‘rusty’ finish that many great players enjoy.

Short game guru Phil Rodgers is responsible for the look and design of these bad boys, and from what I’ve seen so far, they’re beautiful.

Another nice feature of the Trusty Rusty is the tri-bounce sole with rear scallop. What does it mean for you? In a nutshell, it means the wedge is versatile. Open up the face to play that high flopper, or choke down and close the face to play a lower punch shot. No matter what the shot demands, the sole and bounce accommodate to help make for a successful result, close to the pin.

Also worth noting is the laser precision technology that Cobra boasts on the trusty rusty. On the face of the club itself, Cobra uses lasers to produce a surface with four distinct surface roughnesses. The result is a face geared towards producing the maximum allowable spin (we can always use more spin… right?).

The Cobra Golf ‘Trusty Rusty’ is available in degree lofts of 49, 51, 53, 55, 57, 59… and yes, 61 (flopper!). They’re also shipped stock with the Dynamic Golf S200 shaft (painted black).

For more information, pop on over to Cobra Golf.

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