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GEEK OUT on GOLF GEAR


THE ANNUAL PGA MERCHANDISE SHOW IN ORLANDO EXHIBITS THE NEXT GREAT THING IN EQUIPMENT


BY SCOTT SEWARD


While the recession has certainly


impacted the golf


industry, one aspect of the game that hasn’t suffered any ill effects is equipment design. The relentless pace of innovation in golf


gear, best displayed at the annual PGA Merchandise Show


in Orlando’s 42-acre driving range stuffed


with latest and greatest, can be dizzying.


White is the color of


choice in clubheads in 2011. Perhaps the highest-profi le product to be introduced, the adjustable TaylorMade R11 driver, sports a striking white head that looks like a NASA tool amongst the normally staid appearance of golf equipment. “With the R11 we tested 10 colors, and with white the contrast between the crown and the face helped with align- ment,” said Mike Ferris, the Carlsbad company’s vice president of product marketing. “White also cuts down the glare of the sun.” With TaylorMade’s


complete return to the PGA Show—the company took out seemingly a city block of exhibit space— the January show’s relevance has never been greater. With the full support and participation of equipment manufacturers after several years with notable absences (TaylorMade and Titleist), show attendees were able to make comprehensive comparisons unlike any other venue. Longer and lighter


shafts in drivers is a new trend in many equipment lines. Those who remem- ber the days of a standard 43” shaft just a short time ago might be surprised by


White is the color


of choice in clubheads in 2011


the 46” standard now in play. “The 45” shaft is not standard anymore,” said Tour Edge Vice President of Marketing Jay Hubbard. “The MOI’s (moment of inertia) are high enough now that you don’t lose control with a longer shaft.” Tour Edge’s approach to


marketing differs markedly from its competitors in that the company does not have a single paid endorser. “It takes a lot of money to buy a tour player,” Hubbard said. “And in the end the consumers are going to buy what works for them. The Tour gives you credibility but it doesn’t necessarily im- pact sales. Not having any endorsers allows us to price


58 / NCGA.ORG / SPRING 2011


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