GOLF: PHILIP REIDon the phenomenal success of the adjustable white driver and other must-have clubs
WHAT IS it about drivers? More than any other club in a golfer’s bag, the driver is the one which seduces. It is the one which causes most angst when a ball slices or hooks, and it is the one which causes most pleasure – that feeling of invincibility as you draw a deep breath and watch a drive rise high and true down the centre of the fairway – when the strike is pure.
So, hardly surprisingly, the hottest club in golf retail this year – by all accounts – is the TaylorMade R11 driver.
“The top seller is the R11 – the biggest selling factor is you’re hitting it straight,” says Carl O’Keeffe of McGuirks Golf in Swords. “It’s the hottest driver around, a phenomenon,” remarks Dermot Heggarty of Total Golf in Derry.
“The biggest seller? The TaylorMade R11 . . . and the Ping G15,” says Dick Maher of Maher’s Golf in Cork.
In the hard sell of golf retail in these recessionary times, the R11 is bucking the trend. Unquestionably, the fact that so many tour players are using the club – even those who are not contracted to use TaylorMade – has influenced many club players.
The old adage of imitation and flattery comes to mind but in this case it would seem that the marketing ploy of a white-headed driver is actually backed up by serious research and development which allows the player to adjust the club to his or her own desire.
“This white (headed driver) has been a big thing this year. Some of it is down to marketing, the white head is totally new to the golf industry, but they’re actually very good clubs,” says Heggarty, whose online site – www.golfstoreeurope.com – has grown into one of the largest golf retailing sites in Europe and he has been able to assess the demand for this revolutionary driver to a Europe-wide base and not just in Ireland.
What’s so special about the R11? The spiel from the manufacturer is impressive and sounds more complicated than the actual process: as far as technical matters go, the driver combines “Adjustable Sole Plate (ASP) Technology, Flight Control Technology (FCT) and Moveable Weight Technology (MWT) . . . the introduction of ASP allows players the ability to adjust the face angle independently of the loft, which is controlled by FCT . . . . you can create three lofts with the same face angle, or you can further accentuate a face angle or counter a negative face angle.”
In layman’s terminology, O’Keeffe supplies a clearer perspective. “It doesn’t hit it much further than the other drivers, maybe a couple of yards, but the biggest selling factor behind it is that you’re hitting it straight. I had a five yards dispersion rate with the R11 whereas I had anything up to 15 yards with another driver, which is a big difference. So you are talking five yards left or right of centre where I hit it.
“The beauty is that it is one of the few drivers you can custom build yourself so, when you are slicing the ball, you can change it to a draw scenario to square up the head. It is actually golfer-friendly due to the fact that it is not complicated to change it around. A lot of other drivers are using this technology but this is the easiest one to use. You can’t obviously change a golf club in mid round, so it can be done five minutes before you play if you hit a few balls before you go out.
“You change there and then, comes with its own little wrench, so easy to do,” he adds.
There are those who maintain the white colouring is more gimmick than based on science, although TaylorMade assert it is white for a reason. “The white crown colour and black face provides optimum contrast against the ground to make the R11 easier to aim. This advantage is even more pronounced in lower light, such as when the tee box is in shade or shadow, on overcast days, or when the sun is low in the morning and the evening.”
Hmmm. Time will tell about the longevity of the white head. For now, though, consumers can’t seem to get enough of the driver.
In terms of the best-selling irons, it would appear the Mizuno MP53s, the Ping G15s and the TaylorMade 2.0 irons are the ones most in demand. The new Callaway Laser brand comes with a big reputation but has ground to make up on its rivals.
“The Mizuno appeal to better players, the Ping have a broader field and suit most golfers,” says Heggarty. “The 2.0 irons come in steel and graphite, it is the first steel shaft produced which is responding like a graphite. It is only 85 grams in weight.
Normal (steel) shafts are about 110,” explains O’Keeffe, adding: “They’re outgunning everything else (in irons).”
What of putters? The old blade is the most-used club on the course and also the one players change more frequently than any other. Again, TaylorMade has a big share of the market – with, again, the white-headed Ghost series making a big impact in sales this year but it is Odyssey which seems to be retaining its lustre as the biggest seller.
In what Maher concedes is a “quieter” market due to the fact less people are playing golf, with clubs feeling the bite of the recession in terms of membership numbers, there remains optimism that two influences will entice more golfers back out onto the fairways: the first is the weather, the second is more coverage on terrestrial channels, with the upcoming BMW PGA at Wentworth a case in point.
“The weather over the winter was terrible but, in store, we notice an improvement with the better weather recently and a big factor is always when there is golf on terrestrial television. That pushes business along,” says Heggarty.
For his part, O’Keeffe sees an improvement.
“Yes, it’s starting to pick up. The improved weather has made a bit of a difference but there was also a massive surge after the Masters due to Rory (McIlory) being up there. That got a lot of people interested in golf again. . . . . but the weather is the major factor.”
HOTTEST GADGET: GolfBuddy GPS
The Marketing Spiel: "The GolfBuddy will help you gain confidence by knowing exactly how far and where to go. With its unmatched 50 channel reception, anywhere you are in the world the GolfBuddy World Platinum receives robust and powerful GPS satellite signals. Our worldwide course library features courses that are professionally verified to accuracy and precision for our game.
"The GolfBuddy's large, vibrant, and easy to read touch screen gives you the accurate readings distance to greens, bunkers, lakes, lay-up points, hazards, and other points throughout the course. With its unique automatic course and hole recognition feature, the GolfBuddy will automatically know which course you are playing and which hole you are on. There is no need for aiming or manual operation to obtain distance information to the green when using the GolfBuddy. Courses from around the world are preloaded with no annual or activation fees."
Is it legal? Rule 14-3/0.5 of the RA states: Q. May a Committee, by Local Rule, permit the use of distance-measuring devices? A. Yes. A Committee may establish a Local Rule allowing players to use devices that measure distance only. However, the use of devices that gauge or measure other conditions that might affect a player's play (e.g., wind or gradient) is not permitted.
In the absence of such a Local Rule, the use of a distance-measuring device would be contrary to Rule 14-3. (New)
Why is it selling? It features 40,000 course storage capability and also features a statistics analysis module and a digital scorecard, all packed in a water and shock resistant case . . . . and it is simple to use.
Expect to pay: In the region of €429.
HOTTEST CLUB: TaylorMade R11 Driver
The Marketing Spiel:"The more a driver is tuned to you, the farther you'll hit it. With R11's 3D tuning, you can independently tune loft, face, angle and flight path to your swing to maximise your distance. Only R11 is this adjustable. Only R11 gives you this much control over your distance."
Who uses it: Dustin Johnson . . . . and a host of tour players. “I’ve never been so dialled in on the tee box. The fitting was simple: three steps and the R11 was totally customised to my swing.” – Dustin Johnson.
Why it’s selling: 440cc white head with a reputation as a “straight shooter” with consistent accuracy off the tee.
Expect to pay: In the region of €359.
Main rivals: Ping G15, Callaway RAZR Hawk, Cobra ZL, Nike VR Pro, Titleist 9 10.
