The results are in from the voting for the first annual NEGM Equipment Awards sponsored by aboutGolf PGA Tour Simulators. It was a smashing success with over 700 votes received from average golfers plus members of the golf media and industry.
So, thank you for participating and in case you didn’t know, we will be sponsoring another vote at the end of the 2012 season. Be ready when the time comes. In addition to making your opinion heard you will be entered automatically for a prize drawing even better than this year.
NEGM took a different approach for our awards. Rather than the method other “best of” list makers use, we did not use a panel of experts or rely on a few swings at a glorified demo day. We chose to ask average golfers their opinion after they had all season to try and evaluate clubs. We think the difference in approach is significant. Those who voted were overwhelming male (8 to 1) but there was a reasonable spread of skill levels with 20% having a five or less handicap, 30% from six to 12, 33% 13 to 20 and 15% over 20. Not perhaps exactly reflective of the general golfing population but most assuredly a good picture of avid golfers who pay attention to the best and latest equipment.
In reporting the results we are showing only the top vote getters in each category since statically that makes the best sense.
Drivers
TaylorMade Burner Superfast 2.0/Superfast 2.0 TP ……………………….30%
TaylorMade R11/R11 TP ………………………………………………………………..17%
Titleist 910D2/910D3……………………………………………………………………….13%
Cleveland Launcher SL290/TL310………………………………………………….10%
Note that these results are almost the same as is being reported in the marketplace, i.e., TaylorMade is far and away the dominant brand with Titleist moving into a strong second position. The TMaG Burner Superfast 2.0 and R11 models have white clubheads which makes them distinctive on the course and on television. The Superfast – without the multiple adjustments of the R11 – was number one presumably since the street price is $100 or more less than the R11.
Fairways:
TaylorMade Burner Superfast 2.0 Fairway………………………………………17% Titleist 910F Fairway ……………………………………………………………………….14% Adams Speedline Fairway ………………………………………………………………12%
Callaway Diablo Octane Fairway ……………………………………………………10%
Fairways have gone a long way in performance with some manufacturers saying there is more performance to be gained. Here again TaylorMade was the big winner with three models totaling over 30% of the votes.
Hybrids:
Cobra Baffler Rail H Hybrid …………………………………………………………….20% Adams Idea Tech V3 Hybrid ……………………………………………………………17% Adams Idea Black Super Hybrid ……………………………………………………..12%
Cleveland Mashie Hybrid…………………………………………………………………10%
The hybrid and fairways categories are losing their distinctiveness. Several of the hybrids look and play a lot like fairways but reporting results separately for now seems to be a good idea. The Cobra Baffler Rail and Adams hybrids are very popular with Cleveland showing strong support from golfers.
Irons:
Adams Idea a7/a7 OS ……………………………………………………………………..21% Mizuno MP-63 …………………………………………………………………………………16% Cleveland CG16/CG16 Tour Black Pearl ………………………………………..12%
TaylorMade Burner 2.0 ………………………………………………………………………7%
Irons show less of a distinction in results than some of the other categories. Players in general like game-improvement or super-game-improvement models – the Adams and Taylormade but there may be significance to the fact the Cleveland and Mizuno models finished a strong second and third, even though they are made for better players.
Wedges:
Titleist Vokey Spin Milled C-C Tour …………………………………………………37% Cleveland CG16/Tour Zip Groove ……………………………………………………24% Cleveland CG15………………………………………………………………………………..17%
Titleist’s Vokey brand and Cleveland’s models own the wedge market so there are no surprises here.
Putters:
Odyssey White Ice 2-Ball ………………………………………………………………….32% TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost ………………………………………………………17% Ping Karsten Craz-E …………………………………………………………………………11%
Titleist Scotty Cameron …………………………………………………………………….. 9%
Callway’s Odyssey brand, Titleist’s Cameron brand and Ping continue to fight it out every year with TMaG’s Ghost line making a strong showing too. Remember though there are literally dozens of different putter models on the market. At last year’s PGA Merchandise Show I counted over 50 different putters without trying to do an in depth survey. Additionally many golfers change putters so frequently that their garage looks like a golf club outlet. Put those facts together and the picture is one of an extremely competitive market segment with no anticipation of that changing any time soon.
Balls:
Titleist Pro V1/Pro V1x………………………………………………………………………..23% TaylorMade Penta TP…………………………………………………………………………20% Bridgestone B330/-S/-RX-RXS ………………………………………………………….13%
Bridgestone e5……………………………………………………………………………………10%
The only surprise in the voting for best golf balls is that Titleist’s Pro V1/Pro V1x was in first by only 3%. The Pro V1/Pro V1x is by far the best selling brand and along with the Titleist NXT and Pinnacle brands gives the company over half the ball market.
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the 2012 Voting for a Chance to Win!
About Greg Sampson
I am the Sales and Marketing Manager for NEGM. I am a member of the International Network of Golf & the Golf Writers Association of America. I specialize in customized all-inclusive programs across a multi-media platform.
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