Hybrids, weight plugs among highlights at PGA Show
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Hybrids and strategically visible weighting on all sorts of clubs were prominently on display as the 54th PGA Merchandise Show began to unfold this week at the Orange County Convention Center.
Produced by Reed Exhibitions in conjunction with the PGA of America, the annual trade show -- with more than 700,000 square feet of equipment, apparel and accessories -- concludes Sunday. It is not open to the public.
"It looks like everyone who makes clubs has a hybrid model of some sort this year," said one local club pro from the Northeast region as he visited booth after booth to see and try, and possibly buy, the latest offerings from the likes of Nike, Callaway, Cleveland, Ben Hogan, MacGregor, Sonartec, Tour Edge and the rest.
Also very noticeable were a variety of clubs with weighted cartridge plugs, a trend that was launched just last spring by TaylorMade with its r7 Quad driver. Now, that strategic technology has spread to dozens of other manufacturers in not only their drivers, but in some cases fairway woods and, yes, even putters.
In most clubs, though, weighted cartridges are getting prominent use in drivers. Some, like the r7 Quad, are interchangeable, allowing golfers to add or subtract total weight while also positioning the club for a draw, neutral or fade bias.
In other offerings, the plugs are permanently set at the factory, but similarly are designed to provide golfers with a choice in clubs geared to produce various trajectories.
Here's a selected look at the latest in new products for the upcoming season.
|
|
| A general view of the sales floor during the 2005 PGA Merchandise Show. (Getty Images) |
CALLAWAY: This season will see numerous introductions by Callaway, including a putter with an interchangeable "vision" strip in the center of the oversized mallet-style head. Called the I-Trax, the putter also features three strategic weight plugs -- two in the face and one in the back sole -- that are permanently set to help balance the stroke and provide a deep center of gravity. Among other new products, Callaway unveiled a Big Bertha 454 titanium driver, Big Bertha Heavenwood hybrids and X-18 irons. A set of Big Bertha Fusion game-improvement irons are already drawing considerable early praise.
WILSON: This venerable company has brought back the Wilson Staff name with the introduction of a premium lineup of performance clubs and balls. Most notable are the Fi5 irons, the company's first forgings since 1998; Pi5 cast irons designed for better players; Di5 irons for golfers seeking more forgiving features; and the new Wilson Staff Tx4 (Tour/4-piece), Px3 (Performance/3-piece) and Dx2 (Distance/2-piece) balls. All three balls feature Nano-Tech cores that are reinforced with nano-sized particles that strengthen the core along with a unique Pan-Head dimple pattern.
TOUR EDGE: The folks at Tour Edge have been making hybrids for several years. Their latest offering is the Bazooka JMAX Tour Iron-Wood with a thin, blade-like topline, minimal offset and a clean, classic look. With a super heavy sole, the idea is to provide a higher trajectory with less spin for workability and distance.
SONARTEC: The new SS-2.5 and SS-3.5 fairway woods are the latest in Sonartec's SS-Series, providing slight but significant changes. Modifications include a new ST-385 "hot face" alloy to step up ball velocity, re-engineered weight placement and use of the ultra-premium Fujikura Tour Platform 26.3 shaft. There are six lofts available with each of the metalwoods.
MIZUNO: The Fli-Hi CLK is the latest addition to Mizuno's Fli-Hi hybrid series. It features a composite crown with a stainless steel face and body for a low, deep center of gravity; Cortech variable face thickness technology; variable sole weighting; moderate offset; and a sole design with a blunt leading edge and dramatic heel and toe relief areas. The clubs come in lofts of 17, 20 and 23 degrees.
MACGREGOR: There was quite a bit of buzz at the show surrounding MacGregor's new MacTec NVG driver and fairway woods, which are infused with numerous technological advances. The driver, especially, has a dramatic look with its combination of dual beta titanium clubhead and permanent tungsten cartridge weights. Less visible is a highly developed Quadra-Action shaft with three flex points and four regions of varying thickness and stiffness. The design is meant to yield a major increase in swing speed, thus providing more distance, without sacrificing accuracy.
SRIXON: Already put into play and providing a win overseas for Miguel Angel Jimenez, Srixon's new Z-UR three-piece ball offers a soft, shear-resistant and membrane-thin (0.02-inch thin) urethane elastomer cover, high velocity inner ionomer boundary layer and large EGG (Energetic Gradient Growth) core along with a 330-dimple pattern for high initial velocity and a high ball flight. The company also unveiled its Srixon AD Hybrid utility woods featuring an Autoturn Design and tungsten nickel weight. Both help lower the center of gravity and get balls airborne. The Hybrids come in lofts of 18, 21 and 24 degrees.
NANCYLOPEZGOLF: NLG, which specializes in women's clubs, offers a Hybrid 4 and 5 blend of wood and iron in its Ashley SE set. The Hybrids, with 21 and 25 degrees of loft, respectively, are meant to replace comparable irons. The two clubs feature brass inserts to help lower the center of gravity.
NEVER COMPROMISE: Made by Cleveland Golf, there are two new putters in the familiar black-gray-black pattern: Milled series and Speed Control. Milled features soft Japanese carbon steel with tour-inspired shapes and a tungsten sole weight. Speed Control has two versions because "not all greens are created equal." The Gray series, with four different models, has a polymer insert designed for a soft, responsive feel on faster greens; the Red series, also with four models, has a harder, stainless steel insert in the face for slower greens.
BRIDGESTONE: The company that has been making Precept in the United States the past several years will continue that line as a mid-tier product while it introduces its own namesake, Bridgestone Golf, to America. A major player in both ball and club sales in Japan, Bridgestone now has a lineup that includes a J33 forged titanium driver series, J33 forged combo irons, J33B forged blade irons, the J33 AirMuscle Utility clubs and the Tour B330 three-piece, urethane-covered ball for advanced players. Fred Couples and Stuart Appleby have already had successes using a selection of the Bridgestone products.
NIKE: Tiger Woods has taken to using a big-headed driver, the Ignite 460. With a 460cc head, the driver was used in winning the recent Buick Invitational on the PGA TOUR. Among other featured products at the Nike booth were the new Pro Combo OS irons, and the Nike One gold and black balls.
