Notes from the 2011 PGA Show #2

Here are more notes about products attracting our attention at the recently completed PGA Merchandise Show.

Scheyden Sunglasses

Scheyden’s reputation for high quality sports eyewear is furthered by the introduction at the 2011 PGA Show of the Revelry Composite Hybrid model, a slightly smaller version of Scheyden’s extremely popular Revelstoke. It features composite frame with flexible, hypoallergenic NiAg temples.

The back story though is even more interesting. Company owner Jeff Herold is a pilot and one day decided he wanted better sunglasses than were available so he designed his own ultimately starting Scheyden to market his designs.

Twenty years ago Herold had a similar dissatisfied opinion about golf accessories and his efforts to make better club covers (cutting up an old wet suit was part of an early experiment) lead to a popular headcover line and subsequently to travel bags and other accessories. The name of that company Herold started…Club Glove.

Dancin Dogg Golf’s OptiShot

Swing analyzers are great tools for improving your swing but have the dual drawbacks of price (up to $50,000 for a full-blown golf simulator) and the amount of room needed to set one up. Dancin’ Dogg’s OptiShot addresses both problems with the added benefit of providing a fun version of indoors golf. It uses as little as eight and one-half feet of swing space plus a hitting net if you’re using real balls and not the foam balls that are part of the package.

The $399.95 system (www.dancindogg.com) uses a plug-and-play Windows computer interface to record readings made by infrared sensors part of the OptiShot hitting mat. Swing analysis data captured includes club face point of contact, face angle, tempo, swing path and clubhead speed. Due to the fact measurements are made when infrared beams reflect from the clubhead as it passes the sensors you can actually generate data input swinging without a ball. The system comes with eight course layouts built-in along with a par-3 course and driving range. To add additional challenge and enjoyment to simulated golf matches other courses layouts are available for $49.95 each.

Since the OptiShot system is based on infrared beam reflection it works best with irons and because today’s drivers use lots of non-metallic material like graphite in the clubhead the company suggests using their specially made driver, the OptiStix Simulation Driver, instead of your own.

Tour Edge Exotics XCG-4 Fairways

Tour Edge always seems to be in the forefront of club technology and for the new season continues to push the envelope with new offerings under their premium brand, Exotics. Particularly interesting are the Exotics XCG-4 models for 2011 with our attention focused on the XCG-4 fairways.

The company says the new fairways are even longer than the previous XCG-3 model which already had a valid claim to the top spot as the longest fairway on the market. The XCG-4 uses the same titanium cup face and tungsten sole (now 65 percent of the head weight) as the XCG-3 but adds a titanium face insert to achieve more spring-like effect and therefore more distance. XCG-4 fairways are available at retail now with a street price of about $300 in a variety of lofts.

Adams Golf Speedline F11

Adams Golf hybrids made the company’s name in the club business and gained validation from use on the professional tours but Adams also works hard to introduce design innovations in their other models. The most recent product of that work is the Speedline F11 driver and fairways line each with what the company calls Velocity Slot Technology.

Simply put, velocity slots are large curved grooves placed on the crown and sole of the club head to improve the aerodynamics – air flow – over the head and create lower amounts of drag. Lower drag translates into higher club head speed and more distance. Adams claims the F11 driver achieves six additional yards of carry compared to previous models and the fairways 12-yards more.

The Speedline F11 drivers and fairways are available now at $299.99 for the driver and $199.99 for the fairways.

Mizuno Golf

Mizuno prides itself in making high quality irons especially for professionals and better playing amateurs and showed off their impressive new MP-63 irons at the PGA Merchandise Show. The MP-63s have a traditionally shaped head, thin top line with minimal offset these being features favored by good players. Additionally the new model makes use of a cavity to move weight to the perimeter of the clubhead for improved playability with a dose of forgiveness. The cavity incorporates the familiar Mizuno diamond-shaped back weighting and becomes progressively shallower from the long to the short irons.

MP-63s have modified U-grooves in the face, come with stock True Temper Dynamic Gold shafts and carry a MSRP of $899.99 for an 8-iron set (3-PW).

Cobra S3 & S3 Max drivers

Attending its first PGA Merchandise Show since being sold by Acushnet to Puma hard-charging Cobra Golf introduced a new driver designed after their research revealed the none too surprising fact, recreational players seldom hit the ball on the exact center of a clubface.

Using that information Cobra developed the S3 and S3 Max drivers employing what they call E9 Face Technology that in essence expands the sweet spot by 30 percent by making a taller more elliptical face with a beveled perimeter.

The S3, with a street price of $300, is meant for low handicap players and boasts an adjustable face-angle with three settings (open, neutral and closed) to accommodate player preference and need. Stable mate S3 Max ($250) is aimed at mid- to high handicappers and doesn’t have the adjustability of the S3 but does have a large amount of offset which is draw-bias and slice correcting for those who need the help.

About Ed Travis

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