PGA "Show Week" - Report from Orlando
 

In January, everyone in the golf industry who can afford a plane ticket to Orlando finds their way to the annual "PGA Merchandise Show".

Last week, for the seventh year in a row, I made the trek from the Golf Lab to the Orlando Convention Center. With a Press Pass to gain access to restricted news conferences and "VIP Only" events - I had access to the "insiders' network". Here's a preview of my article that will appear in the February issue of Golf Today Magazine. The article covers the "USGA Club Adjustability Decision" in more depth than you can imagine. If you're thinking about an adjustable driver, this will save you a lot of time.

Link to PGA Show Article. 

 The Best Iron Design for Your Game
 

If you're thinking about a new set of irons, you have a lot of choices. We've been doing our homework and think that we've got the best models picked out for 2008. Miura and Mizuno are going to continue as top recommendations. Adams is going to be a leading player with their game improvement models, already named to the "Hot List". The "new kid on the block" is MacGregor. Greg Norman took over the company as Chairman and returned the company to traditional designs. They've also created a "heads only" program for a few custom shops around the country. We'll have the complete MacGregor irons line.

But how do you make a choice? I've done some thinking about that question and wrote an article that discusses iron head design features that you should consider. What is the difference between game improvement models, cavity backs and blades? What is the effect of bounce, radius, offset and head size? You might be surprised with some of the conclusions. The article will appear in the February issue of Golf Today. Here's your copy.

Link to "Best Iron Design" Article. 

 Industry Awards and Honors
 

Each year our suppliers recognize their customers with a variety of Awards and Honors. That happens at the PGA Show - the traditional start of the year. We're proud to report our success. Here are the prizes we collected:

"Top 100 Clubfitter of the Year - Worldwide" from KZG
"Top 50 Shaft Technologist" - ACCRA Shafts - UST
Miura Golf Top Ten Sales - USA
Fujikura Shafts - Number 21 in Sales - USA
Aerotech Golf Shafts - Top Ten in Sales - USA
Balance-Certified "Fitting Technology Specialist"

We now have access to "Tour Only" products from True Temper, UST and Matrix

True Temper "Tour Concept Program"
UST "Tour Shop" Program
Matrix "OZIK Specialist"

And most important for our customers, we nurture special relationships with our suppliers. We pioneered access to "heads only" from key Name Brand companies. If you're going to get a set of Name Brand custom clubs, you're going to want to be sure that they are as perfectly matched to your fitting as possible. That requires building the set from the ground up to control balance, flex and feel. It saves a lot of time and effort if we don't have to start with an assembled set, tear it apart and then rebuild it. If we get "heads only" you get better value with your custom clubs. Most companies choose very few custom shops for partners. For some companies their "heads only" programs are very limited, sometimes to fewer than a dozen shops in the US. We are currently working with: Miura, Adams, Bobby Jones, Nickent, MacGregor, Sonartec, Scratch, Nicklaus and KZG. We have traditional relationships with Mizuno and Nike.

 

 Early Tour News
 

One of the benefits of being included in all of the "Tour" programs is that we get constant updates about the products that are being played on Tour. We also do our independent research. If you'd like to know the top shafts in play at the Hope last week, click on this link.

Link to Early Tour News - January 2008 

 Driver of the Year?
 

There's going to be a lot of buzz about "exchangeable shafts" this year - but the biggest story might be Nike. The new SUMO2 has been out on Tour for several months and has already picked up three wins. "Sumo Saturday" is February 3rd, a day before "Super Bowl Sunday". We have a complete selection of SUMO drivers - the square and the round - for your fitting and testing. The first day you can get "hands-on" is next Saturday. One of the options that show Golf Lab exceptional customer service is that fitting customers can check out a current driver to test at the range or even play with on your own course. You don't have to buy the club, only to take it back. Plus you can test multiple clubs. We save your time.

 

 Unraveling the Utility Club Mystery
 

The hardest clubs to find for your bag are probably your utilities. Your three iron is now obsolete and your four iron is an endangered species. Your five iron is at risk.

Most utilities that you find off-the-rack are too long and the shafts are too light. Your utilities should match your irons, not your fairway metals.

Then, there's the question about head shape. We have made our choices: The Adams Idea, Nickent 4 DX and the Bobby Jones are our favorites - and the favorites of our customers because they perform. The new design that's gaining momentum is the Nike SUMO. We fit each of them with Aerotech iron shafts in the correct weight and flex for the player: 70 g, 80 g, 95 g and 110 grams are options. If you really want to know the utility that gives you the "magic" - you've got to get fitted and then do some testing. It's the only way to know for sure.


Nike SUMO, Adams Idea and Nickent 4 DX

 

 Preview of the new MacGregor irons.
 

If you're over 50, into "retro" and would like to help a proud old Brand restore itself - here's a look at the new MacGregor irons. We have them for demo at the Golf Lab.



If you are a low to mid handicap player and you're practicing and playing to get better, here's another alternative. For the last few years, the best iron design for amateurs looking for feel and a little game improvement has been the Mizuno MX-23 and MX-25. MacGregor has reworked the classic look with new features including a "hot face" and deep cavity back. It's nice to see Mizuno get a little competition. Here's a look. Available for fitting and testing at the Golf Lab.

 

 Trackman Fittings at your Club
 

We're constantly chasing the "state-of-the-art" for club fitting and club making. We now have the Trackman in our arsenal to complement the EDH Flightscope - Cheetah and KUDU models. We're gaining experience with this new technology.

We believe that our indoor fittings use the best technology available - thanks to our partner Max Out Golf Labs. The Max Out Shaft Max is unique in the industry.

But in club fitting, there are some things that you can only do outdoors. Tracking the ball with radar reveals exact trajectory and distance. "Gapping" your clubs with radar is the only way to know for sure how far the ball travels. Plus, if you're testing wedges, utilities and fairway woods, there's nothing better than hitting your shots from a natural grass surface.

You can now book Golf Lab fittings at your club. We need a minimum of four players. We will bring our Trackman and bags of test clubs. You will have the best possible outdoor fitting experience - just like the PGA Tour players.

If you introduce the idea to your club professional, he might thank you for helping him make his next mortgage payment. We offer compensation to the host professional that will make him very happy. In addition to commission on fittings and sales, our close relationship with Mitsubishi allows us to fit him with a Mitsubishi Blue, Red or White Board shaft - SST PUREd and installed in his driver absolutely free. That's a $350 incentive, just to listen.