Penn, Prince court share of golf market

Penn and Prince are well-known names in tennis equipment, but they have more in common than that. Both are also involved, via licensing agreements, in golf.

Even further, both entities are positioning themselves as technological innovators, offering clubs that are value-priced.

The Penn brand carries strong awareness as a top name in the tennis industry, said Bob DiNunzio, national sales and consulting director for Penn Golf. People can associate that name with their golf games, knowing that true R&D has been carried over to the golf side.

Most recently, Penn Golf, based in Florida, introduced a Pro Penn Ti/Fusion titanium/graphite driver.

Meanwhile, Prince, based in Bordentown, N.J., has dabbled in golf for about 10 years, building a small following of devotees with its ThunderStick drivers, fairway woods and oversize irons. Most recently, Prince has introduced a Thunderstick 5000 EX forged titanium driver and a hybrid set of ThunderStick EX irons.

"Our aim is to deliver quality golf clubs that provide game improvement characteristics to the value-conscious consumer," said Rick Gorsline, Prince Golf sales manager.

Here's a closer look at the latest in golf offerings from Penn and Prince.

PENN

Head Sports, which owns the Penn name, has licensed it for golf purposes to UniSport USA in West Palm Beach, Fla. UniSport, in turn, is marketing a variety of equipment, including the new Pro Penn Ti/Fusion driver.

With a 44-inch Patriot shaft, the driver has a 400cc head featuring a titanium face and sole fused with graphite crown. It is designed to compete against other new composite drivers from such larger companies as Callaway, Mizuno and Yonex, but with a lower price tag.

Suggested retail price for the Pro Penn Ti/Fusion driver, offered only with a 10-degree loft for now, is $199.

"The Pro Penn Ti driver offers the same playability, accuracy and consistency as the top brands," said DiNunzio.

In testing among a variety of players assembled by GolfWeb, reviews for the Pro Penn Ti/Fusion driver were favorable. Better players, looking to control the ball in addition to achieving distance, were the most positive, citing "workability" and "feel," and drives that were "hot off the face." Some higher handicappers said the driver was "not that forgiving" but that it did have a "very solid, smooth feel at impact."

ProPenn has made inroads already in placing the club among specialty shops, including chains such as Special Tee, Nevada Bob's, Supreme Golf, Golfers Warehouse and Golf Etc, with a deal pending for Golfsmith locations.

A set of Prince's ThunderStick EX irons range from $399.99 to $499.99. (Provided to GolfWeb)

PRINCE

Available at many off-course specialty shops, Prince's latest products include the ThunderStick 5000EX driver and hybrid ThunderStick EX iron set. The company also makes a series of shallow profile fairway woods, MidPlus Tour wedges and a line of FlatStick putters, all targeted at players seeking low- to medium-priced equipment.

"Prince, in tennis, is known for its 'sweet spot,' and our goal is to transfer that association to golf too," said Gorsline. "Our game-improvement technology also means shock-absorption comfort and lightweight clubs with optimum weight distribution."

The name of the forged Titanium 5000EX driver stands for the face size, 5,000 sq mm. With a 360cc head and 45 ½-inch shaft, the club is offered with face lofts of 9 and 10.5 degrees. The driver is also equipped with a bi-material, tapered Big Butt shaft combining graphite with a titanium tip; the result is a weight shift toward the head. A Grafalloy Ultralight shaft is optional.

Available in five flexes with a chart to help golfers determine which is best, suggested retail price for the Ti 5000EX driver is $299.99.

The ThunderStick EX irons provide a two-piece head for Nos. 3, 4 and 5, along with traditional steelheaded irons 6-PW. Like other hybrids, the idea is to help average golfers get the ball airborne with long irons while providing playability with the shorter irons.

Suggested retail price for a set of irons is $399.99 with steel shafts and $499.99 with graphite.

In fairway woods, Prince makes a unique, shallow oval face promising an expanded sweet spot, in lofts of 13, 16, 19 and 24 degrees. The MidPlus Tour wedges are shiny musclebacks in 52, 56 and 60 degrees of loft. The FlatStick putters have three models: mallet, faced-balanced and heel-shafted, with face inserts.

Suggested retail prices are $79.99 each for the fairway woods, and $59.99 each for the wedges and putters.

Testers polled by GolfWeb provided very good reviews for both the new ThunderStick 5000 EX driver and counterpart fairway woods. Particularly noted was ease of swing, solid feel at impact and high-lofted trajectories.

Editor's note: Chuck Stogel writes about golf equipment. Look for his columns each week on GolfWeb and PGATOUR.COM.