Mizuno Launches Swing To Win Challenge

by Annie Latham on April 6, 2011 in Contests, Golf Equipment, Irons, Manufacturers, Mizuno with No comments

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

by Annie Latham on April 6, 2011 in News, Style & Fashion with No comments

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…

by Annie Latham on April 6, 2011 in News, Courses with No comments

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

by Annie Latham on April 6, 2011 in News, Golf Tips with No comments

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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The “Must Have” Towel of the Pros…

by Annie Latham on March 31, 2011 in News, Style & Fashion with No comments

Usually after a tournament, an email will drift in talking about what was in the bag of the winners. I was caught off guard this week when I got an email touting a performance towel that dominated the PGA and LPGA tours. Really?

Indeed, the company, also named Players Towel, put out a press release stating their “high performance microfiber waffle technology” towel dominated the PGA and LPGA Tours over the past weekend recording a combined nine top ten finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill and the KIA Classic. This brings the total top tens to 22 for the last three weeks for the PGA, Champions and LPGA Tours.

Patrick Le Vine, the founder of the Players Towel, remarked, “With a dominating 22 top ten finishes over the past three weeks, the Players Towel is clearly identified as the one piece of equipment golfers and caddies alike depend on and need to perform at the highest level by keeping their clubs, ball and hands free of moisture and debris.”

Available in custom logos, signatures, colors and an optional “Putterslit,” the Players Towel, starts at $20 (with price breaks for volume). For more information, go to www.playerstowel.com.

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New Allen Edmonds Honors Collection Features QR Technology

by Annie Latham on March 31, 2011 in Style & Fashion, Technology with No comments

Here’s a novel idea which is sure to gain traction (pun intended)…

The new Allen Edmonds Honors Collection™ golf shoes are being shipped with QR code technology on hang tags that can access a special video showcasing the new line’s fine craftsmanship process, Ben Crenshaw’s commentary about the Honors Collection and the line’s five shoe styles. The intent is to provide a push at the point-of-purchase. Of course, shoppers will need a smartphone with a QR app to be able to scan the image of the QR Code and connect to the web via the phone’s browser. Yeah, that’s a lot of steps. But for a $300 pair of golf shoes (actually $295), some folks may be willing to make the extra effort.

The videos are also available on the Allen Edmonds website (www.allenedmonds.com).

For those not wanting to bother with QR, here’s one of the videos.

Source: Allen Edmonds

http://www.thegolfwire.com/stories/234271

Nike VR Pro Wedge Arrives with X3X High-Frequency Grooves

by James on March 25, 2011 in Golf Equipment, Nike Golf, Wedges with No comments

The VR Pro Wedge from Nike Golf is the latest in Nike’s line of scoring clubs to hit the scene. The VR Pro features precision forging and top-of-the-line craftsmanship… which, in the end will provide optimal spin rates and ‘feel’ for the accomplished golfer.

Key features:

  • New X3X high-frequency grooves for consistent ball flight
  • 21.5% more volume under the impact area of the ball
  • Material used is tried and true S20C forged iron
  • Precision-forging ensures shot-making consistency
  • Available in satin chrome and brush oxide raw

The forging process used to produce the VR Pro wedges is precise to say the least. Nike Golf reports that the process is the most exact wedge face the company has ever created. In the end, I suppose what we can take away from this is from sketch drawings through to computer models, the finished product ‘as built’ in the real world is spot on… exactly how the designers intended.

The Nike VR Pro wedges feature more grooves than your typical wedge. The resulting effect is not only more spin (and control), but a cleaner and more consistent ball flight will result on those short game shots. While more grooves are found on the wedge itself, don’t go thinking there’s something unconforming here. The new wedge conforms to the new USGA and R&A wedge stipulations… No worries here, it’s all good!

Coming to a golf shop near you April 1st, the Nike VR Pro Wedge will be available in Satin Chrome or Brushed Oxide RAW. Loft/Bounce options will include: 50/10, 52/10, 54/12, 56/10, 56/14, 58/8, 58/10, 60/6, 60/10 (Available in RH) 52/10, 56/14, 60/10 (Available in LH).

Photo Gallery:

For more information, hit up the press release below.

Nike Golf Creates VR Pro Wedge Featuring the X3X High-Frequency Grooves

-Nike’s new VR Pro Wedge features precision forging to ensure consistency and Tour proven craftsmanship for the top players in the world-

TORONTO (March 25, 2011)–Nike Golf continues to lead in innovation with the addition of the new Nike VR Pro wedge to Nike’s successful VR Pro line.

The VR Pro wedges are developed out of a precise forging process resulting in a wedge that offers accurate shot-shaping performance.  The face of the VR Pro wedge is the most exact wedge face Nike has ever created.  From materials, to design, to construction, the VR Pro wedge is developed with craftsmanship to eliminate variance and enhance control.

Each wedge face features more grooves, resulting in cleaner, more consistent ball flight and spin while still conforming to the new USGA and R&A rules.  With more grooves closer together and deeper on the clubface, the VR Pro wedge ensures more control and consistency in all conditions off the clubface.  A precision laser crosshatch pattern is applied to the land area between the grooves.  This pattern adds three times the surface texture versus conventionally finished faces, creating more spin in all conditions.

Crafted for consistency that Nike Golf Tour Athletes demand, the VR Pro wedge utilizes a new precision-forging technique that immediately delivers the club to a near-finished level.  This precision-forging technique eliminates most hand work and ensures consistency and maximum performance throughout the set.

Each iron face is milled to a perfectly flat surface.  The face is then carefully die-stamped, pressing grooves to exact specifications for extremely low variance and shot-making consistency.

The VR Pro wedge is already in the bags of Nike Athletes on the PGA Tour, including Stewart Cink, Anthony Kim, Francesco Molinari and Tiger Woods.

Availability:  April 1, 2011 
Finish Options: Satin Chrome or Brushed Oxide RAW
Loft/Bounce Options:  50/10, 52/10, 54/12, 56/10, 56/14, 58/8, 58/10, 60/6, 60/10 (Available in RH) 52/10, 56/14, 60/10 (Available in LH)
Cdn MSRP:  $129.99

GolfNow.com iPhone App Makes Booking Tee Times Easy

by James on March 25, 2011 in Technology with No comments

Our friends over at GolfNow.com recently launched their first-ever iPhone app. It’s free to download, and pretty darn easy-to-use. While it isn’t getting RAVE reviews at the moment, I have to give GolfNow credit where credit is due. The app does what it is supposed to. Nothing fancy, it just works.

To get started, you’ll need to sign up for a new account. If you already have a GolfNow.com account, use your login credentials and you’re on your way. Once inside, you have 24/7 access to over 2,500 courses in over 100 cities in the US (Yes, this is a US-only app. If you reside elsewhere, and want to give this a try… punch in a US address and it’ll work for you).

After login, you’re presented with two options: ‘Find Tee Times’, or ‘View Reservations’. The ‘View Reservations’ area is quite straightforward. You can open that section to view upcoming (and past) tee times you’ve made.

The ‘Find Tee Times’ options is the heart of the app. Pop into that section and you can search using GPS (your current location), Zip Code, and heck, you can even enter a search radius. Want to hit up a course no more than 10 miles away from your current location? No problem! You can also select the date, time, number of players in your group, and pricing preferences. GolfNow.com will do it’s best to meet your criteria, and return some fantastic tee times, at a savings of up to 70%.

I have high hopes for this app. Speaking on behalf of all golf-hungry Canadians, I know it’d be a welcome addition to have Canadian courses tapped into this one… and I could see that being a key update down the road. Same goes for other international locales as well. Let’s face it, the sport of golf is growing by leaps and bounds, and folks all around the world are always looking for discounts on tee-times. Hopefully in updates to come, GolfNow.com expands their offering to a more international clientele!

Until then, US users can use the GolfNow.com app to their hearts delight!

Fore more on this app, visit Golf Now Mobile in the Apple App Store (and yes, this is a free download!).

Getting into the Swing of Things… With Tiger’s Help?

by Annie Latham on March 25, 2011 in Golf Tips, Technology with No comments

This doesn’t make a lot of sense. Conceptually, releasing a golf swing helper app just before The Masters, as seasonal golfers start heading to the links to get their game on, is the right idea. But a “Tiger Woods: My Swing” iPhone app? He hasn’t actually been consistent over the last year. Most consider his swing a work in process.

In a New York Times story, Woods was quoted saying,” “I have always enjoyed helping people learn how to play golf. Everything about this app is based on how I practice. To be able to do something like this, which wasn’t possible 10 or 15 years ago, is a win-win for everyone.”

I’ll admit that I learned course management from Tiger Woods on my Playstation.

The Swing’s the Thing: Among the application’s features is the ability to capture one’s swing online and evaluate it over time in a side-by-side comparison to Woods’s swing. In the role of virtual coach, Woods also offers analysis, updates, how-to demonstrations and personal tips.

Here are some highlights of the app, which was created by Shotzoom Software:

  • Enhanced video capture
  • Side-by-side swing comparison with Tiger Woods
  • Advanced swing analysis and how-to demonstrated by Woods
  • Swing comparisons, sharing and feedback tools tied to friends and community members
  • Exclusive updates from Tiger and his life on Tour**

**Might be TMI (as in too much information)

  • High quality video of each club from both Face On and Down the Line angles
  • “How-to” video directly from Tiger covering swing analysis
  • Time delay to allow for self-recording**

** This is an interesting concept. Just curious how you prop the iPhone to grab the swing. There must be tips for that.

Analyze:

  • ·Overlay “Tiger Lines” that demonstrate proper technique
  • Compare your swing side-by-side with Tiger, a friend or one of your own

Plus, there’s an for saving your videos online in a free personal profile at Golfshot.com

The “Tiger Woods: My Swing” app is a “mere” $9.99. Considering the price of other golf aid products, that’s actually not bad. But relevant to other iPhone apps, it is pricey. The proceeds of this app benefit the Tiger Woods Foundation.

“From the funds raised we can continue to give many more young people a shot at college,” said Tiger.

Might be worth a shot.

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Wilson Staff Di11 Irons: Review Coming Soon!

by James on March 20, 2011 in Golf Equipment, Irons, Manufacturers, Wilson Staff with No comments

The good folks at Wilson Golf have been in touch with us regarding their Di11 Irons… and good on ’em, as they’re sending us a 4, 7 and Pitching Wedge for testing purposes. The clubs should be in our possession this coming week, and we can’t wait to get our hands on them.

Wilson sets out some hefty claims on the Di11’s. They say the Di11’s have the largest sweet spot on the market. In fact, competitive testing and evaluation had the Di11 irons pegged with a 36% larger sweet spot than any other game improvement irons on the market (this includes iron offerings from TaylorMade, Ping and Callaway). In addition to the massive sweet spot, ball velocity off the club face was also measured at the top of the pack.

The Wilson Staff Di11 irons also feature a wide sole and low center-of-gravity. The weight is packed down low to help the average player get the ball up in the air. The perimeter weighting also promotes head stability and an arrow-straight ball flight.

Wilson has also integrated their wide-tip technology into the Di11 set. You’ll notice how ‘fat’ the shaft is at the hosel… that’s what we’re talking about here. This technology negates a lot of the twisting on off-center hits, promoting a straighter ball flight.

To top it all off, Wilson coats the Di11 irons with a lightweight elastomer to reduce vibration on those nasty off-center hits.

All-in-all, the Wilson Staff Di11 irons look to be leading the way in game improvement irons. How do they stack up? How will they play for the 3 handicap? The 10 handicap? The 20 handicap? We’ll find out once the clubs are in-house… we can’t wait!

Special thanks again to Wilson Golf and the folks at Sports Impact. For more information, read the official launch press release from Wilson Staff below: Continue reading →

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