AG185-February2016 by Asia Pacific Golf Group

I N N OVAT I O N ED

LARGER CENTER DUAL CORE TECHNOLOGY

E SP

N X T TO U R LONGER DISTANCE

NXT TOUR S SOFTER FEEL ON ALL SHOTS

SOFTER FUSABLEND COVER

T HAT

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M A T T E R S.

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AND

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Experience technology that can help you shoot lower scores. NXT Tour has a new, larger center dual core designed to produce low spin and fast ball speed for even longer driver and iron distance. This new core technology combines with a soft Fusablend cover for excellent shot stopping control and soft feel. NXT Tour S has a new softer core and cover formulation producing its softest feel yet. Along with remarkably softer feel, NXT Tour S delivers outstanding distance in the long game and commanding scoring performance for precision in the shor t game. Your game matters and this is performance innovation that matters.

titleist.asia

ISSUE

185

FEBRUARY2016

Why is the Philippines being singled out as the next frontier of golf growth in Asia? Given its rich heritage in the game, and with the local population growing and with returning Filipinos with hard earned foreign exchange, aspirations to want to play the game, all the ingredients for growth are in place, waiting to be tapped. The Philippines has a roaring “tiger economy” that is bounding along at an enviable rate of over 6.1%, the highest of any member country in the ASEAN bloc and it is now Southeast Asia’s strongman! Against this projected robust growth, it cannot be denied that the country offers ideal conditions for the growth of golf.

THE ORLANDO 2016 POSEDOWN! 26 A 100 Years Old And Pushing 200! Wilson Staff has kicked off 2016 with a revolutionary new set of irons. The spanking brand new C200 have been engineered for the crossover player and is designed to dramatically improve player distance and accuracy.

28 Meet The ‘World Softest Golf Ball’ Wilson Staff starts 2016 with a new chapter as it continues to transform golf ball technology, further solidifying its claim to offering the softest golf balls. The new 55 compression DUO Urethane is the latest addition to the revolutionaryy DU DUO line which

also includes the 29 compression DUO and the 35 compression DUO Spin.

32 Callaway Golf’s On The Mend! Callaway Golf seems to have something new up its sleeve. It has just introduced the XR16 and XR16 Pro drivers for 2016. What’s special is that Callaway has worked with experts at Boeing (yeah, the guys who make aircraft) to redefine what’s possible with ball speed and aerodynamics. Check out what’s in store.

36 The Big Battle Of The Balls Like any leader in business, Titleist has organized its resources and its strategy for 2016 by lining up a very formidable arsenal of fire-power

that will send all faint-hearted competitors scurrying for cover. Its R&D team has dreamt up, conceptualized, designed, engineered and tested a variety of golf balls that have raised the performance bar on golf balls. Just imagine, in one model year, Titleist has launched four new dimpled wonders.

42 M2 – Power Hitters For Everyone! We still have vivid recollections of how the M1 blew us away when we put the driver to test. It was simply incredible – it gave a new meaning to victory especially in the context of how Jason Day whacked the field at the BMW Championship just a few months ago to his fifth PGA Tour win. The M1 was a winner from

SPECIAL FEATURE

16 Ayala Southlinks Golf Club: Public Golf – A Template For All To Follow Public golf courses – bah, who the heck needs them! More often than not, this is the sort of reaction one encounters when the subject of public golf courses is brought up amongst golfers – both officials and players alike. It is a very discriminatory outlook towards public courses and this is quite understandable because the majority of golfers today were weaned off private and members only golf courses.

18 PING’s G Driver: Inspired by Nature One of the qualities that set PING apart is its unique, time-tested approach to engineering, design and research. Its process of developing and applying knowledge keeps it at the forefront of the industry and produces the game’s highest-quality, best-performing golf equipment. The story behind the new G drivers – its fastest, longest, most forgiving, most consistent model ever – offers a compelling case study that illustrates how inspiration leads to innovation.

22 A New Journey Of Hope Begins A new dawn has set over the Asian Tour and after having given the new elements that are in place and being put in place, one can only conclude that the groundwork is being laid for a future that augurs well for the tour.

the moment it hit the deck on tour. And now, comes along the M2, embodying everything that is good about the M1 plus more! It’s that special icing on the cake and that’s what the M2 is all about.

50 Gloire G – Distance Re-deﬁned! TaylorMade Golf has launched the Gloire G series – a premium dream set for golfers in Asia who demand greater distance from a driver that smacks of great quality and superior aesthetics.

GAME-IMPROVEMENT 66 Pathway To Better Golf (Part 2.) Last month’s article explained the Club-Focused Concept and introduced one of the first physics principle - Direction. Again, explaining these principles help substantiate club-focused instruction and have made it easy for golfers to understand why it’s so important and effective for your own game!

70 How to Practice Golf Target Skills In this article Lorrie and David will teach the correct way to hit practice shots when you are not working on improving your golf swing technique.

56 Biomimicry – Harnessing The Power Of Nature

a new club category with the G Crossover, combining the best of hybrid and iron technology.

Developing knowledge and drawing inspiration from sources as diverse as dragonfly wings and 18-wheelers, PING has launched its new G series of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons, again advancing speed, distance and forgiveness to unprecedented levels without sacrificing other performance attributes. This year PING went one step further, creating

62 Nike Golf – Watch It Soar!

42 6 Asian Golf Editorial Team

Nike Golf has fired its boosters and it’s in full flight displaying a sense of its new vitality and gusto. This renewed air of confidence is clearly manifested in the brand new Vapor Fly series of driver, woods and irons – clubs that embody a bold and revolutionary technology designed to provide an overall higher launch angle.

7 Shared Thoughts From Publisher

56 72 Next Issue

MIKE SEBASTIAN Chief Executive Officer/Managing Editor

ANGELA RAYMOND President

[ mike@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

[ angela@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

RAQUEL M. ARCEGA Art Director & Ezine Development [ raquel@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

WAYNE LWEE Social Media/Video Editor

LAWRENCE YOUNG Editor (New Equipment)

[ wayne@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

MYRA PARAS Accounts Executive

[ myra@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

Contributing Professionals

[ lawrence@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

ALICE HO Marketing Executive

[ alice@asiapacificgolfgroup.com ]

IMG ACADEMY, TONY MEECHAI, DAVID MILNE & LAWRIE MONTAGUE (PRO TOUR GOLF COLLEGE), JEFFREY BOSE, JIM PRUSA (INTERNATIONAL ROVING EDITOR)

Correspondents

ROBIN BARWICK (EUROPE), RISHI NARAIN (INDIA), ALAN CAMPBELL (MIDDLE EAST)

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SHARED THOUGHTS From The Publisher

e live in a day and age where virtually anything you want can be purchased on-line and delivered to your door-step, hassle-free. So, why can’t the same be done for golf equipment? Why have golf equipment manufacturers not gone on-line? We’ve been asking this question for years and the answers that we have received have ranged from being baffling to being absolutely incomprehensible! But finally, as we were about to give up in total disgust, lo and behold, our wish has been granted. The golfing gods have heard our pleas and have showered their blessings upon us by inspiring TaylorMade Golf to take a leap of faith to introduce the first on-line golf store in Southeast Asia. Now, let’s ask you – how cool is this? It’s bloody cool especially when you consider how frustrating it is when you want something from a brick and mortar store and it is not in stock or can’t be found. In unveiling this long overdue on-line facility, TaylorMade has established an important milestone for not only itself but the greater golf industry at large.

9 ASIAN GOLF

Everything golfers love about TaylorMade will now be accessible with the click of a button. And let’s hope that this action will release the floodgates and result in more brands starting up on-line stores.” Why was Singapore selected for this historic initiative? To this Ryan Hart, senior director, strategic planning, TaylorMade Golf Asia said, “Singapore is a very important market for us and the store will enable us to service our loyal customers better and also reach out to a new range of customers. We are aware of the increasing younger, tech savvy consumer

base and the online store would provide the perfect platform for them”. The on-line store will offer the latest gear from the in-store collection for men and women, giving customers access to a wide range of clubs, golf balls, accessories like gloves, bags, caps, and much more golf equipment at their fingertips. The on-line store will also allow customers to learn more about golf and the right equipment to use and to help set up an appointment with a master fitter for a club-fitting consultation. In addition, promotions exclusive to the on-line store will be held regularly and customers will enjoy free shipping across the island (this is not permanent – it may later change to have a minimum purchase requirement). Customers can also sign up for the free newsletter to be the first in Singapore to find out about new products, special offers, events in Singapore and exclusive content. Everything golfers love about TaylorMade will now be accessible with the click of a button. And let’s hope that this action will release the floodgates and result in more brands starting up on-line stores.

NEW STEEL, SOLID FEEL. Softer-feeling 431 stainless steel head delivers workability and trajectory control with just the right amount of forgiveness.

A PLAYERS IRON ANYONE CAN PLAY.

The new i Series iron relies on the high strength-to-weight ratio and softer feel of 431 stainless steel to deliver players-style iron performance with wide-ranging appeal. The progressive set design is engineered for workability and trajectory control to give you the precision to play with conﬁdence. A concealed Custom Tuning Port (CTP) creates a clean cavity design with expanded perimeter weighting for added forgiveness and consistency. Get ﬁt today or visit ping.com. You’ll be better for it.

CONFIDENCE & CONTROL PROGRESSIVE SET DESIGN. Larger, forgiving long irons inspire conﬁdence to attack from any distance. Smaller short previous PINGgreens models. irons and wedges provide precision and control.

THE NEW

IRON

LONGER AT ITS

COR.

INTRODUCING COR-Eye TECHNOLOGY TM

In the new PING GMax iron, we’ve created our longest iron ever through COR-Eye Technology, a revolutionary design that increases ball speed across the entire face. Consistent with PING’s commitment to engineer without sacriﬁce, the GMax iron provides everything you need to hit more greens and, just as importantly, hold more greens. Get ﬁt today or visit ping.com. You’ll be better for it.

HIT THE GREEN. HOLD THE GREEN. The simultaneous activation of the sole, face and top rail creates a diving board-like effect that springs the ball off the face up to three miles per hour faster than previous PING models.

MAXIMUM DISTANCE MAXIMUM FORGIVENESS

COVER STORY Focus On Philippines Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club

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FEBRUARY 2016

In the very expressive Tagalog language of the Philippines, the headline simply translates into “We Are Ready For Golf!” This should come as no surprise because this incredibly friendly and beautiful country has all of the makings to ILJVTL VUL VM [OL ÄULZ[ NVSÄUN KLZ[PUH[PVUZ PU (ZPH HUK PM UV[ TVZ[ KLÄUP[LS` it will qualify to rank highly when stacked up against the best in the world. This is no exaggeration because some of the best golf courses in the world can be found in the Philippines. It was not too long ago when the Philippines was riding the crest of golf’s growth in the region and it was known to produce professional golfers who went on to become legends – golfers like the mighty little Ben Arda, Dorothy Delasin, Frankie Minoza and Jennifer Rosales.

COVER STORY Focus On Philippines Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club

n the post Marcos era, which resulted in this Southeast Asian nation’s economic fortunes hitting the pits, it’s golf gems were forgotten. Till today, with the exception of golf tourists from Korea and Japan, many golfers will not think of the Philippines when it comes to golf. But it must be noted, as stated earlier, that the country has world class golf facilities and golf courses that not only provide sports facilities but beautiful scenery, service and ambiance. Why is the Philippines being singled out as the next frontier of golf growth in Asia? It’s a fair question and begs a good, logical answer. The answer really lies in the fact that amongst the five giants of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), the Philippines has a roaring “tiger economy” that is bounding along at an enviable rate of over 6.1%, the highest of any member country in the ASEAN bloc and it is now Southeast Asia’s strongman!

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Economists reckon at this rate of growth, by 2030, the Philippines will become a US$1 trillion economy. Against this projected robust growth, it cannot be denied that the country offers ideal conditions for the growth of golf. Given its rich heritage in the game, and with the local population growing and with returning Filipinos with hard earned foreign exchange, aspirations to want to play the game, all the ingredients for growth are in place, waiting to be tapped. The anticipated resurgence in golf is only one small part of what is being done to transform the Philippines from the “sick man of Asia” to one of its fastest growing econo-

mies. The giant, multi-billion dollar Filipino conglomerate Ayala Land is a central player in this economic upturn and its vision is perhaps best captured by its chairman, Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala who in reference to tourism growth in the country was quoted as saying, “There’s a whole ecosystem that must be in place and part of our emphasis here as well as a country, let’s be an attractive place for people to want to come and invest.” This vision is being played out across many levels in various parts of the country in which Ayala Land is investing billions of Philippine pesos. For this special country focus, ASIAN GOLF has selected a showcase

There’s a whole ecosystem that must be in place and part of our emphasis here as well as a country, let’s be an attractive place for people to want to come and invest.” – Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala

PHOTO CREDIT: RAQUEL ARCEGA

ISSUE 185

development known as the Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club which is being developed by Ayala Land Inc. It’s a breath-taking resort set on an area that sprawls over 470 hectares that gently hugs a 3.5 kilometre coastline of pristine white sand and azure waters and rises majestically to a spectacular elevation of over 130 metres above sea level. “The golf course at Anvaya Cove occupies some of the best land parcels within Anvaya but we think it was a right decision to take because we now have a golf course like no other, one that can compete with any golf course in the world,” declared Jose Juan Jugo, managing director of Ayala Land Premier (ALP) and president of Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club. Touching on ALP’s vision for luxury community developments, Jugo said, “Wherever applicable, we will use golf courses as an attraction and we will place all the attention needed to make them excellent in their own ways.” Regarding ALP’s massive investments in golf course real estate development and its impact on the growth of golf in the Philip-

FEBRUARY 2016

Wherever applicable, we will use golf courses as an attraction and we will place all the attention needed to make them excellent in their own ways.” – Jose Juan Z. Jugo pines, he said, “If that strategy leads to the positive development of golf in our country, than I am most delighted to know that our contribution is helping golf to grow in the Philippines”. Currently, Ayala Land has a majority stake at Anvaya Cove, the Southlinks Golf Club which is wholly-owned by Ayala Land and the Capitol Hills Golf and Country Club. Ayala Greenfield Golf and Leisure Club is a joint venture company between Ayala Land and the Greenfield Group. It has also been reliably learned that there are “three or four more projects in the pipeline”. Sustainability of land utilisation is central

in the planning of this resort which would easily qualify to be a “small piece of heaven on earth”. In fact the name “Anvaya” means “family” in the ancient Sanskrit language, a return to meaningful family traditions is at the core of everything at Anvaya Cove. “Careful planning has gone into keeping the natural lay of the land - splendid panoramas, open expanses, wetlands teeming with life, abundant forests -seamlessly transitioning into the architectural guidelines of the development, said George Cadhit, managing director for Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club. Amidst this setting of God-given beauty is a world class golf course that has been

MAIN PAVILLION

COVER STORY Focus On Philippines Anvaya Cove Golf and Sports Club

SWIMMING POOL

BEACH RESORT

Careful planning has gone into keeping the natural lay of the land - splendid panoramas, open expanses, wetlands teeming with life, abundant forests -seamlessly transitioning into the architectural guidelines of the development.” – George Cadhit intricately carved onto the flowing landscape. This award winning course was designed by the American golf architecture firm Golfplan Dale & Ramsey. In 2014, the Anvaya Golf Course was awarded the Best New Golf Course at the Asian Golf Awards, the golf industry’s answer to Hollywood’s “Oscars” awards. In 2015, Anvaya snapped up the coveted top award in the Best Golf Course in the Philippines. “The golf course aims to be as environmentally sustainable as possible by minimizing earth movements, saving mature trees, landscaping with endemic flora and designing the fairways and tees so that the course feels as if “it has always been there,” explained Cadhit. The course sits on approximately 82 hectares of land and is an 18-hole all-weather 7,200 yard, par 72 GOLF CLUBHOUSE

62 14

63 ASIAN GOLF 15

championship golf course that is designed to be both challenging and enjoyable for players of all skill levels. The beauty of Anvaya is that it takes full advantage of the natural terrain – the front nine course is situated at or near peaks and ridges, providing elevated vistas of the sea and the impressive Zambales and Bataan mountain ranges. Likewise, the back-nine which meanders along the coast, the layout and design is reminiscent of popular seaside courses. It combines panoramic sea views amidst nature preserves providing a truly unique golfing experience. The Golf Clubhouse is located at the northern portion of Anvaya Cove. Its Asian Tropical architecture follows the same theme as the Anvaya Cove Beach and Nature Club, but is distinct in its elevated lo-

cation and panoramic views. The Clubhouse Veranda opens to dramatic views of holes 1, 9, 10 and 18, with the South China Sea towards the western horizon and the Bataan mountain range in the east. For a sense of how this award-winning golf course plays, the services of the course’s general manager, Steve MacDonald was commissioned and this is how he describes the golf course at play: “Rewards and challenges await every golfer who prepares to step up to the #1 tee. Anvaya Cove is a shot makers golf course, where the golfer can maneuver his ball freely from tee to green. A golfer will be rewarded for his good shots. An important key to playing well here at Anvaya Cove is to know your capabilities and play within them. From November to May, the wind will

TAP IN BAR & RESTAURANT

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SPORTS COURTS

come from the east or in from the mountains and in May the wind will shift and come in from the west or from the ocean. Both winds present its challenges. However, the course will play more than a stroke more difficult when the mountain winds blow. Anvaya Cove is a “target golf” golf course. Accuracy will reward the golfer. On some holes, the driver may not be the wisest choice. The fairway is very wide in some points and quite narrow in some. You will want to avoid the fairway bunker and play your ball to the wide part of the fairways, giving you an easy shot to the greens. Hole #11 is a great example. Hole #11 is a short par 4 playing 332 from the gold tee, 305 from the blue, 272 from the white and 237 from the red. When the golfer arrives at the tee, he is excited because the hole is short and seems like a very good

GYM

birdie opportunity. The player is tempted to hit his driver in the hope of getting his ball very close to the green for an easy chance to make a birdie. However, there is a very large bunker on the left side of the fairway waiting to grab any tee shot that is a little off line. The fairway to the right of this bunker is a very small target. While the fairway just before the bunker is almost 50 yards wide. If a player chooses to play to a point before the bunker, he is left with a 100 yards to the green still giving him an opportunity for par and even a birdie. Playing hole #15, has truly taught me what the saying “one shot at a time” really means. Hole #15, properly named Strength, is a 613 yard par 5. Not only is it a very long hole but it is also a dogleg. Just before the bend of the dogleg is a creek that every golfer will be forced to carry. Therefore, on

your second shot, you will be faced with the decision to try and carry the water hazard or to lay-up. If you are successful in hitting over the water, you have a straight forward shot of less than 120. If you choose to lay-up, you will have to decide to try and carry the corner of a tree to the green or hit to a relative safe shot to the right of the green and depend on your short game to get up and down. So how does one play this hole? When asked how to play this hole, I would tell the member, I do not think about my second shot after I hit my tee shot. Once I see the result of my tee shot I will weigh all of the options for my second shot. I do not think about my third shot until after I can see the result from my second shot. Come an experience Anvaya for yourself – there really is no better way to appreciate this course which most definitely ranks as a world class facility.”

Anvaya Cove is a shot makers golf course, where the golfer can maneuver his ball freely from tee to green. A golfer will be rewarded for his good shots. An important key to playing well here at Anvaya Cove is to know your capabilities and play within them.” – Steve MacDonald VEDA SPA

LAGOON TERRACE

COVER STORY Focus On Philippines Ayala South Links

Public golf courses – bah, who the heck needs them! More often than not, this is the sort of reaction one encounters when the subject of public golf courses is IYV\NO[ \W HTVUNZ[ NVSMLYZ ¶ IV[O VɉJPHSZ HUK WSH`LYZ HSPRL 0[ PZ H ]LY` KPZJYPTPUH[VY` V\[SVVR [V^HYKZ W\ISPJ JV\YZLZ HUK [OPZ PZ X\P[L \UKLYZ[HUKHISL ILJH\ZL [OL THQVYP[` VM NVSMLYZ [VKH` ^LYL ^LHULK VɈ WYP]H[L HUK TLTILYZ VUS` NVSM JV\YZLZ

outheast Asia is a large landmass with a population of more than 600 million people, making it the third most populous region in the world after China and India. At the latest count, it is believed that there are more than 800 golf courses in the countries that make up the region. One would imagine that in this mix of golf courses, there would be quite a few public and public access courses. Unfortunately, the truth be told, there are too few such golf courses in Southeast Asia. The typical model that is predominant in the region is the exclusive country club model, both private and proprietary. Every time the topic of public golf courses is placed on the table, it invariably gets shoved aside, and for good reason because there hasn’t been a good working model for a true

17 ASIAN GOLF

public course proving that it could be run efficiently and productively. However, there is now a fantastic model for the successful operation of a public golf course and it comes from the Philippines. Who would have ever thought that the Philippines would be able to take on the challenge and make it work? Well, the nation of a million smiles has done it and the push for the perfect template for a public golf course was spearheaded by Ayala Land, the largest developer of sustainable communities in the Philippines. The result - Ayala South Links – a golf course located in an Ayala Land developed neighbourhood not too far from the heart of the capital city, Manila. It is an inland links design that was built by the American design firm of Golfplan Dale & Ramsey and as the club’s general manager Jose P.

Dagdagan puts it, “It’s a great design that appeals to all golfers”. ASIAN GOLF visited South Links to find out why it stood as the perfect example for a public golf course – an example for all to follow in Asia. It all started with the design concept being firmly entrenched in a strong belief on sustainability. “We wanted to build a golf course that would complement the environment and yet be able to offer a wonderful experience for golfers without busting the bank so to speak,” said Dagdagan. This meant to keep the high cost of building an 18-hole golf course in check, effective control had to be maintained on the size of the course’s footprint. “A regular golf course would normally occupy on the average anywhere between 27 to 35 hectares of land but for Southlinks we were able to squeeze it down to just 19 hectares,”

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explained Dagdagan. Although land use has been economized dramatically, this does not show in the lay-out of the course although parts of the fairways are kept tight. Coupled with a tighter physical footprint, Southlinks has been turfed with grass that is native to the Philippines. “We decided to go with Zoysia, a native Bermuda grass that has been used on all the fairways and a Mini Verde micro Bermuda grass on the greens,” Dagdagan pointed out. The reduced land utilization and the use of native turf has automatically translated into substantial savings without compromising quality. Savings? Yes, that’s what you read! According to Dagdagan, “The smaller footprint and native turf grassed fairways mean the course requires precious little inputs to maintain

playing quality – water use is cut down appreciably and the same goes for the application of fertilisers and pesticides.” He went on to add, “Our bunkers have been designed in a manner whereby we do not need too much sand and this contributes towards savings.” During our drive around, Dagdagan was quick to point out that most of the natural vegetation, which does not come into play, is left in its original state. “This means that we only maintain those areas requiring maintenance while everything else is left untouched and this is how we approach the issue of sustainability on a golf course,” he explained. It is important to note that Southlinks is a modern facility built to very high stan-

FEBRUARY 2016

dards and that it is owned and operated by one of the most prestigious real-estate conglomerates in the Philippines, if not all of Southeast Asia. Add to this the fact that Southlinks, as a public golf course is turning in a neat profit and all this is achieved by the operation having a minimal impact on its environment. Both Ayala Land and the Philippines have shown that a public golf course can work and help grow the game of golf. It has been done and the business template is there for Asia to adopt. Any developer, who is interested, can contact Ayala Land as they have the resources and expertise to build courses like Southlinks anywhere in the world on a turnkey, design, build and maintain programme.

We only maintain those areas requiring maintenance while everything else is left untouched and this is how we approach the issue of sustainability on a golf course.” – Jose P. Dagdagan

SPECIAL FEATURE PING’s G Driver

BY JOHN K. SOLHEIM PING Executive Vice President

19 ASIAN GOLF

One of the qualities that set PING apart is our unique, time-tested approach to engineering, design and research. Our process of developing and applying knowledge keeps us at the forefront of the industry and produces the game’s highest-quality, bestperforming golf equipment. The story behind the new G drivers – our fastest, longest, most forgiving, most consistent model L]LY VɈLYZ H JVTWLSSPUN JHZL Z[\K` [OH[ PSS\Z[YH[LZ OV^ PUZWPration leads to innovation.

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+YHNVUÅ` ;LJOUVSVN` A few years ago, before we’d even heard of the term “biomimicry,” my dad, John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO, returned from a trip with some great close-up photographs he’d taken of a dragonfly. He was mesmerized by the amazing details in the wings and the engineering that God had put into them. One day at a meeting he presented the photos to a group of engineers and asked them to try and incorporate the dragonfly’s lattice-type wing design into a driver design, believing it could have measurable performance benefits. Inspired by biomimicry, they proved dad right…eventually. Even with the brightest, most creative engineering minds in golf tackling the assignment, biomimicry didn’t have immediate results. (When is emulating nature’s design ever easy?) Our first prototypes fell short, but our perseverance paid off. After years of research and rigorous testing and analysis, PING engineers were able to simulate the dragonfly’s intricate wing pattern by designing ultra-thin crown sections in the G driver’s Ti 8-1-1 head. To achieve the highly engineered thin crown pattern, we employed centrifugal vacuum casting, a high-precision spinning process that allowed us to cast the crown to .017”, saving 8 grams, discretionary weight we used to attain the lowest, deepest CG of any PING driver – no easy task! This CG position generates greater distance by increasing dynamic loft and maximizing MOI on both axes for extreme forgiveness. On the crown of the 460cc head, Dragonfly Technology is identified by horizontal lattices, and inside the club are vertical lattices, providing an intricate support structure.

FEBRUARY 2016

SPECIAL FEATURE PING’s G Driver

Vortec Technology Dragonfly Technology is just one example of how we draw inspiration from the world around us. In this case, nature helped us make the club more forgiving. To minimize drag and make the club faster and more stable, we found inspiration in another unlikely source: 18-wheel semi-trailers. Our designers were intrigued by the vortex shedders (essentially wind panels) that minimize turbulent wake behind the big trucks. They saw an application for the G drivers, and today we’re using our own Vortec Technology on the back of the club to shed vortices Inspiration for the G drivers: the dragonfly’s complex wing pattern.

At PING, we’re constantly studying new steels and alloys, combining different materials, testing, keeping our eyes and ears open for fresh ideas and inspiration. Our process leads to breakthroughs like Dragonfly Technology and Vortec Technology, two of many attributes that give the G drivers unmatched speed, distance and forgiveness.”

and increase speed and stability. Verified in wind-tunnel testing, the combination of Vortec Technology and turbulators on the crown contribute to reduce drag forces 37% in the impact zone, yielding greater clubhead speed and ball velocity for sizeable

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Vortec Technology minimizes turbulent wake to reduce drag and increase speed in the impact zone.

distance and accuracy gains from all swing speeds. Dragonfly and Vortec aren’t the only contributors to performance. The variablethickness T9S face undergoes our patented heat-treating process and is precision-machined thin to increase flexing, ball speed, and distance. Golfers can optimize launch conditions further by adjusting loft up to

Vortex shedders behind 18-wheel semis inspired PING engineers.

+/- 1º with five settings utilizing a lightweight, aerodynamic and high-strength 7075 aluminum hosel sleeve. To fit a player’s preferred trajectory, G drivers are available in three models: Standard, G SF Tec (Straight-Flight Technology), which offers right-to-left shot bend, and G LS Tec (LowSpin Technology), for the golfer who desires low, stable spin with forgiveness. At PING, we’re constantly studying new steels and alloys, combining different materials, testing, keeping our eyes and ears open for fresh ideas and inspiration. Our process leads to breakthroughs like Dragonfly Technology and Vortec Technology, two of many attributes that give the G drivers unmatched speed, distance and forgiveness. When will inspiration strike next? What will spark the next PING idea? Stay tuned. In the meantime, I encourage you to test the fast and forgiving G drivers at your favorite golf shop and see how a fragile little dragonfly can give you a lot more power.

SPECIAL FEATURE Asian Tour

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The Asian Tour billed as the principal men’s professional golf tour had its embryonic start back in 1994 and by 1998, it became the sixth member of the International Federation of PGA Tours. It has had a much checkered history that has always been fraught with internal political turmoil and personality clashes. While it has had its moments of glory, it is a tour that will be best remembered for clashes between the board members of the tour and its members, the players. Everything came to a head late SHZ[ `LHY ^OLU [OL IVHYK TLTILYZ ^LYL HSS Z\TTHYPS` ÄYLK ;V VIZLY]LYZ [OPZ KPK UV[ come as a surprise as there was a huge groundswell of ill-will and distrust that was coming to a boil and this cauldron of misgivings was stoked to a point of eruption by merger talks between the European Tour and the Asian Tour. A new board of directors was formed and although it is very early days, a sense of calm seems to have settled over the heated heads of members of the tour.

new dawn has set over the Asian Tour and after having given the new elements that are in place and being put in place, one can only conclude that the groundwork is being laid for a future that augurs well for the tour. It would also be fair to conclude that everything that transpired over the last few months that led to the old board of directors being dismissed summarily is now water under the bridge. Like any project that is given a chance at a second shot, it is indeed heartening to learn that the installation of a new board of directors has come as both a welcome relief and a mark of renewed confidence. All members of the new board, excluding player representatives, are men who come with hugely proven track records from the world of international business. Each new director is personally responsible for massive multi-million dollar enterprises and with this comes world-class management skills and experience that is going to put the Asian Tour in good hands. The new chairman of the board is no newcomer to the professional golf scene in Asia. He is Jimmy Masrin, a multi-millionaire Indonesian entrepreneur. He is an avid golfer with a passion for the game that matches his passion for his globally-spread business interests. He is the founder of the Indonesian Masters professional golf tournament, an Asian Tour sanctioned event. He is president director/CEO of PT Caturkarsa Megatunggal, a holding company with interests in chemical, mining, fuel distribution, supply chains and other industries and is responsible for more than 4000 employees. Masrin holds a Master’s degree from the American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) in Arizona and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Oklahoma. Amongst Masrin’s many activities outside his mainstream business is his involvement with global housing NGO Habitat for

SPECIAL FEATURE Asian Tour

EMMET HSU

ENRIQUE K. RAZON JR

Humanity International. He is only one of two Asians who serve on the international board of this body, the other person being Fernando Zobel de Ayala from the giant Ayala Corporation of the Philippines. Joining Masrin as non-member directors of the new board are: Q EMMET HSU - chairman of the Yeander Group, Taiwan; Q ENRIQUE K. RAZON JR - chairman of ICTSI, Philippines; Q JATURON HIMATHONGKOM - sports marketing director for SinghaCorp, Thailand; The other directors are members representing the players and they are: Q Zhang Lianwei – China Q Jeev Milkha Singh – India Q Mardan Mamat – Singapore Q Pariya Junhasavasdikul – Thailand He revealed that the Tour’s long serving strongman, Kyi Hla Han will continue to serve on the board and has been retained by the board to serve in a dual capacity as the interim commissioner and interim CEO.

ZHANG LIANWEI

JATURON HIMATHONGKOM

The new board is comprised of highly influential entrepreneurs and highly respected members of the Asian Tour and collectively, all eight board members can be expected to play a key role in moving the tour forward. As business leaders with proven international track records, Masrin and his fellow directors hope to dive deep to get a thorough understanding of the challenges, misgivings and problems faced by the tour before any substantive course of action can be considered. “We are starting on a brand new slate and this provides us with a unique opportunity of working on a set of objectives and values that will serve as a guiding beacon for the Asian Tour going forward,” Masrin pointed out. As the astute businessman that he is, Masrin was careful to explain that the tour belongs to the members, who in this case are the players and as such, one of the primary functions of the board is to help structure the foundations of the tour on solid bedrock. “The new board will

JEEV MILKHA SINGH

look into how we can restore confidence in the tour on the part of its many target audiences and it will be our primary responsibility to help provide the proper management and business guidance to grow it into a viable and sustainable body that will address the needs and aspirations of its members.” Masrin is very cognizant of the need to build the credibility of the tour because as he puts it: “Everything centres around trust and confidence – these values need to be boosted and bolstered and once full confidence is restored, we will have a credible pathway upon which to start re-building a tour that will be strong and focused on delivering value to its members”. When asked to comment on the root cause of the old board being sacked, Masrin said that his board was “open to re-negotiations” with the European Tour. In a very fair and level-headed manner, Masrin said, “The merger talks will resume from its current stalled position and the board will review the terms and conditions.”

MARDAN MAMAT

PARIYA JUNHASAVASDIKUL

That said, merger talks are not off the table. The talks are on the table but given the fact that it is talks that are not between two equals, the terms of reference have to be drawn up very carefully. While there may not be equality between the two tours in terms of size and strength, it must also be noted that the negotiators from the Asian Tour, given the fact that they are all world class businessmen worth hundreds of millions of dollars, pushing through what was once perceived to be a one-sided merger may now prove to be a very daunting task for the European Tour. Whatever the case, all negotiations will be conducted in a fair and just manner with any outcome weighing on the scale of justice in favour of what is best for the tour and its members. This is something that can be counted on given the honour and integrity of the men who make up the new board of the Asian Tour. It would not be out of order to declare that never before has the Asian Tour had a board of directors made up of men with such strong character, discipline, integrity, vision and passion. A new age has begun and there is new hope and promise which all point to the arrival of a “born again Asian Tour”. 24

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Titleist tleist BBalls alls 22016 016 POSEDOWN Tit

The annual golf merchandize circus has come and gone. Over 1000 exhibitors participated in this year’s massive show-and-tell extravaganza and as always, the big draw were the booths of the major manufacturers of golf clubs. Every organisation had something to show and shout about. Asian Golf would like to showcase all of the brands but space limitations restrict us to writing about those new products that we think will make a mark this year. We’ve decided to call our review the BIG EQUIPMENT POSEDOWN. In bodybuilding parlance, a posedown is a period during contests when contestants pose to demonstrate their physique and muscular development, often including all contestants on stage together attempting to outdo their fellow competitors. So, we thought we’ll bunch the big brands together for an editorial posedown. Enjoy!

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2016 POSEDOWN Wilson C200

>PSZVU :[HÉ&#x2C6; Â¶ Z[HY[LK PU HUK HM[LY `LHYZ P[Â»Z Z[PSS NVPUN Z[YVUN 0U MHJ[ VM SH[L [OPZ NVSM JLU[LUHYPHU PZ ILNPUUPUN [V WHJR ZVTL YLHS WV^LY HNHPU 0[ PZ [OL VUS` NVSM LX\PWTLU[ THU\MHJ[\YLY VU YLJVYK ^P[O HU LU]PHISL THQVYZ \UKLY P[Z ILS[ 5V V[OLY NVSM IYHUK JVTLZ L]LU JSVZL [V [OPZ YLJVYK 0[ PZ H UHTL [OH[ ^HZ \ZLK ^P[O NYLH[ WYPKL I` ZVTL VM [OL NYLH[LZ[ NVSMLYZ [OL ^VYSK OHZ ZLLU HUK HTVUNZ[ [OL NYLH[Z HYL Z\JO S\TPUHYPLZ HZ :HT :ULHK (YUVSK 7HSTLY 5PJR -HSKV 7H`UL :[L^HY[ )LU *YLUZOH^ =PQH` :PUNO HUK 7HKYHPN /HYYPUN[VU ;OL` HSS WSH`LK >PSZVU :[HÉ&#x2C6; LX\PWTLU[ HUK [OL SLNLUK HUK [YHKP[PVU JVU[PU\LZ ^LSS PU[V [OL Z[ *LU[\Y`

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ilson Staff has kicked off 2016 with a revolutionary new set of irons. Like all of Wilson Staff’s game-changing products, the new irons were conceived, conceptualised, designed, built and tested at Wilson Labs, the innovation hub at Wilson Sporting Goods Company in Chicago. The irons, the spanking brand new C200 is designed to dramatically improve player distance and accuracy. These revolutionary irons have been engineered for the Crossover player whom Wilson Golf defines as a mid to high handicap player seeking distance and accuracy, but in a more playable, midsize offering. At the core of the C200 clubs is cutting-edge, proprietary, patent-pending FLX Face™ Technology. What is FLX Face technology? Great question! According to Wilson, this technology minimizes the contact points between the body and thin face. In fact, 76% of the thin face is actually free from the body of the iron, allowing for maximized face flex upon impact. These voids, known as Power Holes, are literal holes that go completely through the head and provide the space for the face to flex. They are then filled with a TE031 Urethane to provide outstanding feel for the game improvement player. “We are extremely excited and proud to introduce the C200 irons and FLX Face Technology” said Michael Vrska, Global Director of Golf Innovation for Wilson Labs. “This iron is designed to provide incredible distance and the testing feedback from amateur players and our Wilson Advisory Staff pros have validated that.” “We knew we wanted to create a completely new club – one with easy-tounderstand, visible technology. The distance, forgiveness, and feel of the C200 irons exceeded even our high expectations. In our Wilson Labs play-testing, we are seeing results that far surpass what traditional irons currently offer,” added Vrska. Keep a look-out for more gamechanging equipment from Wilson Staff and also keep a look out for how their brand ambassadors perform on the main professional tours over the 2016 season.

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This iron is designed to provide incredible distance and the testing feedback from amateur players and our Wilson Advisory Staff pros have validated that.”

2016 POSEDOWN Wilson Duo Way back in 1954 Wilson began producing the Wilson :[HɈ IHSS ^OPJO ^HZ ZLLU as revolutionary due to its ability to launch up to 40 percent faster than the golf club’s head speed. Since then, the company has been constantly evolving P[Z IHSS [LJOUVSVN` HUK PZ ^PKLS` YLNHYKLK HZ [OL SLHKLY PU SV^ compression golf balls.

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Our testing has consistently shown that the majority of golfers, regardless of handicap, prefer a softer feeling golf ball. As the industry trend is toward softer feel balls, we remain committed to providing the softest feeling golf ball in all product categories.”

ilson Staff starts 2016 with a new chapter as it continues to transform golf ball technology, further solidifying its claim to offering the softest golf balls. The new 55 compression DUO Urethane is the latest addition to the revolutionary DUO line which also includes the 29 compression DUO and the 35 compression DUO Spin. In launching the new Duo Urethane, Frank Simonutti, Global Director of Innovation - Golf Balls at Wilson Staff said, “We have been working on a low compression solution for urethane since we first released the original DUO to the marketplace.” He continued, “Our testing has consistently shown that the majority of golfers, regardless of handicap, prefer a softer feeling golf ball. As the industry trend is toward softer feel balls, we remain committed to providing the softest feeling golf ball in all product categories.” Unrivaled is the best way to describe the new DUO Urethane golf ball, which is the World’s Softest Golf Ball. The low 55 compression results in a softer feel while still providing exceptional distance. With a

new multi-layer construction players, can also expect an exceptional level of spin, required for the better player. The following are the new models under the Duo urethane branding:

Urethane | 55 compression

the world’s softest urethane ball

z Designed for the “Feel” player seeking accuracy off the tee and tour-quality spin around the green

3-piece Ionomer | 35 compres-

sion – the world’s softest multilayer ball

zDesigned for the “Crossover” player seeking soft feel, maximum distance off the tee and spin around the green

T2-piece Ionomer | 29 compression - the world’s softest golf ball

zDesigned for the “Distance” player seeking ultimate soft feel, distance and accuracy What do we at ASIAN GOLF think of the new Duo golf balls? They are all terrific! We have to agree that the Duo ranks amongst the softest balls we’ve ever hit. That’s a fact. Go check it out for yourselves!

2016 POSEDOWN Callaway XR 16

For all Callaway Golf watchers, the one-time market leader has seen its fortunes tumble from great heights. For many, it was painful to witness a great name get dragged through the gutters. But all that is now water under the bridge. It all happened when the company hired a turn-around super-star in the form of Chip Brewer as president and CEO and since this business rock star came on board in 2012, Callaway is back on the pathway to becoming a darling of investors again! Investment analysts are putting a “Buy” rating on *HSSH^H`»Z ZOHYLZ ^OPJO OHZ THKL ZPNUPÄJHU[ WYVNYLZZ KLZWP[L OLHK^PUKZ HYPZPUN MYVT KPYLJ[ JVTWL[P[P]L PZZ\LZ KPɉJ\S[ ^LH[OLY ZJLUHYPVZ HK]LYZL MVYLPNU L_JOHUNL [YHUZSHtions and poor industry and market dynamics. This turnaround has manifested itself in YHUNL VM L_JP[PUN UL^ WYVK\J[Z [OH[ *HSSH^H` OHZ SH\UJOLK MVY 32

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nder Brewer’s expert guidance, Callaway Golf seems to have something new up its sleeve. It has just introduced the XR16 and XR16 Pro drivers for 2016. What’s special is that Callaway has worked with experts at Boeing (yeah, the guys who make aircraft) to redefine what’s possible with ball speed and aerodynamics. And out of this crucible of creative energy has emerged Callaway’s “most forgiving shape ever and Boeing made it fast with a re-engineered Speed Step Crown.” ASIAN GOLF checked out the new arrivals and the following are some of our observations: XR 16 Driver – this is a big stick that is fast and forgiving and the collaboration with Boeing has helped Callaway achieve a new threshold in ball speed with this driver. By pin-pointing the size and placement of the re-engineered “Speed Step Crown”, engineers have saved weight and lowered drag which has resulted in an increase in clubhead speed and, in turn, more ball speed. The extreme forgiveness of the XR 16 driver is accomplished by the larger, high MOI shape with a stretched crown, and a lower and deeper centre of gravity. All that forgiveness leads to more ball speed at every impact location, which can add more distance

2016 POSEDOWN Callaway XR 16 Game improvers represent the widest demographic of golfers but we know one size does not fit all. With XR OS, we wanted to use the ball speed advantages of our second generation iron Cup Face in a way that helps them gain carry distance through the air.” – Dr. Alan Hocknell for golfers of all ability levels. Callaway’s next-generation R*MOTO Face Technology is nine grams lighter and thinner than in previous models, yet still stronger due to the use of new 8-1-1 titanium. The body is lighter, too, which leads to more ball speed across the entire face. Next on deck is the XR 16 fairway wood which is bigger, hotter, and more forgiving, with a new face cup and lightweight crown for even more speed and distance. Callaway’s recent fairway wood advances have helped the company become the #1 fairway wood in golf. The new XR 16 fairway woods are designed with a bigger, more forgiving head shape and Callaway’s highest MOI, a low centre of gravity, and the highest COR (a technical term for face hotness) in a fairway wood. The XR 16 woods also boast Callaway’s lightest fairway wood crown ever, which has allowed engineers to move club head weight where you need it most. The company’s industry-leading Forged Hyper Speed Face Cup has been made hotter and thinner for even more speed and a large sweet spot, while a more aerodynamic head shape helps create even more head speed, which translates into greater ball speed and distance. As easy to hit as they look to be, the XR 16 woods are also highly versatile and are playable from all lies. Both the driver and fairway woods

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come in “pro” configurations designed for the better player. And this is not the end of the story. Callaway was quick to follow the launch of the new driver and woods with an extension to the popular XR family, with the introduction of new XR OS Irons and Hybrids. The new XR Iron range, has been developed as an oversize design featuring second generation 360 Face Cup technology to deliver even greater ball speeds across the clubface, allowing golfers to hit shots further. In addition, a 28% wider sole, compared to the standard XR model, it provides enhanced turf-interaction and a lower CG, making XR OS Irons easier to launch and more forgiving, whilst still promoting maximum distance. Dr. Alan Hocknell, Head of Research and Development at Callaway Golf, said: “Game improvers represent the widest demographic of golfers but we know one size does not fit all. With XR OS, we wanted to use the ball speed advantages of our second

generation iron Cup Face in a way that helps them gain carry distance through the air.” On the hybrid front, Callaway has launched the new XR OS Hybrids, which feature the company’s enhanced Forged Hyper Speed Face Cup, delivering the hottest ball speeds, even on off-centre strikes. With a centre of gravity (CG) 46% lower than in the X2 Hot Hybrids, the new models feature a completely re-designed head shape, while a re-engineered Internal Standing Wave refines how Callaway increases MOI, offering even greater forgiveness and higher ball flights. With higher lofts, more offset and a super-deep CG, compared with the standard model, the XR OS Hybrids are even more forgiving, making it supremely easy for mid to high handicap golfers to launch the ball from all conditions.

2016 POSEDOWN Titleist Balls

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What is the winningest brand amongst golf balls? You don’t even have to think – it goes without saying that the bragging rights for the best golf ball in the golf world carries the brand name Titleist. Titleist is best known for its legendary Pro V and Pro V1 golf balls which are the unmatched muscle-brands in both the professional and amateur games of golf. Titleist is a name derived from “titlist” which means title holder. This goes without saying – it is the undisputed king of golf balls! Amongst the various brands that it puts out under its stable, besides the Pro V branding are Titleist NXT Tour, Titleist NXT Tour S, Titleist Velocity and the new DT TruSoft.

2016 POSEDOWN Titleist Balls Every new Titleist golf ball model is the end result of a rigorous research and development process rooted in golfer research and feedback, technological advancements, intellectual property leadership and comprehensive prototype testing and validation. Titleist’s precision manufacturing process ensures each new model delivers the superior performance, consistency and quality that golfers expect from Titleist.”

ust barely four weeks into 2016, Titleist has fired the first salvo and has sounded the battle cry that it intends to protect its territorial rights to the claim as being the manufacturer of the world’s best golf balls. After all, it is a crown that the brand has worn proudly for many decades, especially with the Pro V range and it has every justification to jealously protect this lofty title. Like any leader in business, Titleist has organized its resources and its strategy for 2016 by lining up a very formidable arsenal of fire-power that will send all faint-hearted competitors scurrying for cover. Its R&D team has dreamt up, conceptualized, designed, engineered and tested a van load of a variety of golf balls that have raised the performance bar. Just imagine, in one model year, Titleist has launched four new dimpled wonders and included in this impressive line-up are:

Titleist NXT Tour Titleist NXT Tour S Titleist Velocity DT TruSoft

The common thread that runs through all the new ball offerings is that each new ball claims to “deliver best-in-class performance”. This is achieved through new core and cover innovations. Titleist is not given to making claims laced with braggadocio. It is always based on sound, conservative and substantive facts. Every new Titleist golf ball model is the end result of a rigorous research and development process rooted in golfer research and feedback, technological advancements, intellectual property leadership and comprehensive prototype testing and validation. Titleist’s precision manufacturing process ensures each new model delivers the 38

39 ASIAN GOLF

superior performance, consistency and quality that golfers expect from Titleist. Now, let’s do a drill-down on each new model and see how best it suits players of different skill sets beginning with the NXT Tour and NXT Tour S. Both new balls are high performance golf balls designed with advanced distance and short-game technologies to help golfers shoot lower scores. The features incude: New NXT Tour has a larger centre dual core that produces low spin and fast ball speed for even longer driver and iron distance. The new core technology combines with Titleist’s soft, proprietary Fusablend cover for excellent shot stopping control and soft feel. New NXT Tour S provides similar high performance benefits as NXT Tour with a remarkably softer feel. A reformulated softer compression core combines with a softer Fusablend cover to produce the softestfeeling NXT Tour S yet, while maintaining outstanding distance in the long game and commanding scoring performance for precision in the short game. Comparatively, NXT Tour delivers longer distance with a higher flight, while NXT Tour S provides significantly softer feel. New NXT Tour is engineered for high performance and distance and has been designed using advanced multi-component

technology to provide even longer distance with excellent scoring performance and soft feel. NXT Tour’s dual core has been reengineered with a larger centre that lowers driver and iron spin while delivering fast ball speed for more distance. A soft, thin Fusablend cover, maintains NXT Tour’s excellent scoring performance with shot stopping control into and around the green. A spherically tiled 302 octahedral dimple design with shallower edge angles delivers a higher ball flight (than NXT Tour S) with a deep downrange peak trajectory. “Performance can be measured with robots and instruments, but ultimately we measure our performance by the feedback we receive from golfers. And those golfers asked us to deliver an even longer NXT Tour,” said Matt Hogge, Titleist Golf Ball R&D’s Director of Product Implementation. “The challenge for R&D was in re-engineering the technology to increase distance while retaining the exceptional scoring performance that these golfers rely on. When you look at the dual core technology of NXT Tour, one of the critical elements is the relationship of the softer inner core to the firmer outer core. We’ve increased the size of that softer centre so that by volume it’s about 66 percent larger. That’s a significant change which allowed us to knock

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down spin on full shots for longer distance. When you combine that with our thin, soft Fusablend cover, you also get great performance on shots into and around the green, the shots that really matter the most for scoring.” So how do these engineering and design innovations benefit a player. It’s quite simple really – player benefits include: Longer driver distance Longer iron distance Shot stopping short game control Soft feel Excellent durability Next on the drill-down test bed is the NXT Tour S – a ball that is softer from core to cover and is designed for players seeking the tee-to-green performance of NXT Tour – outstanding distance, consistent flight and excellent short-game control – with a significantly softer compression feel. New NXT Tour S has been reengineered with an even softer compression core and softer Fusablend, resulting in the softest-feeling NXT Tour S ever. A spherically tiled 302 octahedral dimple design delivers a piercing and stable ball flight. “Golfers who play NXT Tour S value very soft feel, and they still want Titleist performance. They want to hit it long off the tee and have great control around the greens. For 2016, our design goal was to further differentiate NXT Tour S from NXT Tour in terms of feel, while still delivering on those performance expectations,” said Scott

Cooper, Titleist R&D’s Product Development Manager. “With new NXT Tour S, we’ve reformulated the core to be lower in compression so it will feel softer. We’ve also softened the cover by increasing the percentage of the softening agent used in the cover formulation. The cover is soft but it’s also durable, and it’s exclusive to Titleist.” The player benefits include: Softer feel on every shot Outstanding long game distance Piercing and stable ball flight Shot stopping short game control Excellent durability From the NXT series, we shift gears to check out the New Velocity. Titleist R&D has reengineered the new Velocity golf ball to deliver even more explosive distance on all full swing shots while providing a more playable feel in the short game. New Velocity is designed with a larger, faster LSX core that produces higher ball speed for more distance. The low spin construction and 328 dimples in a spherically-tiled tetrahedral design deliver a soaring, penetrating ball flight that produces long carry distance with more rollout. A thinner NAZ2 cover combines with the larger core to deliver more playable greenside feel. “The core is the engine of the golf ball. We’ve made the core of the new Velocity even larger – it’s now 1.575 inches in

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diameter. A larger core means a thinner cover. That combination gives Velocity great ball speed. Add in Velocity’s aerodynamic package and you have an incredible formula for distance,” Hogge said. “But this is still a Titleist golf ball – and every golf ball we design is about tee-to-green performance. While Velocity is built for distance in the long game, it also launches high with a steep angle of descent, which help golfers who don’t generate a lot of short game spin to stop the ball close to the pin. The thinner cover also provides a more playable feel. All of these benefits will help golfers feel more confident from tee to green.” Player benefits include: Explosive initial velocity for powerful distance Low long game spin Precise, consistent ball flight Playable short game feel The final ball on the test bed is the all new DT TruSoft golf ball which Titleist says is “precisely designed and manufactured to provide supremely soft feel on every shot with the exceptionally consistent performance and quality of Titleist.” It features a new core and cover formulation engineered by Titleist R&D to

With new NXT Tour S, we’ve reformulated the core to be lower in compression so it will feel softer. We’ve also softened the cover by increasing the percentage of the softening agent used in the cover formulation. The cover is soft but it’s also durable, and it’s exclusive to Titleist.”

2016 POSEDOWN Titleist Balls Velocity is built for distance in the long game, it also launches high with a steep angle of descent, which help golfers who don’t generate a lot of short game spin to stop the ball close to the pin. The thinner cover also provides a more playable feel. All of these benefits will help golfers feel more confident from tee to green.”

deliver incredibly soft compression feel with impressive distance and short game playability. “DT TruSoft is the latest generation of Titleist’s soft compression core and cover technology. In each of our past three introductions of DT models, we have continued to provide golfers with softer and softer feel,” said Michael Mahoney, Director, Titleist Golf Ball Product Management. “Through our extensive testing with golfers, we know there is a growing interest for extremely soft feel, yet these golfers still want performance into and around the green. DT TruSoft represents the best combination of very soft feel and the all-around performance of distance and playability you expect from a Titleist golf ball.” “This is the softest, best performing DT model we’ve ever made,” said Hogge. “We’ve balanced our core and cover combination to deliver a great feeling ball with performance on every type of shot. When it comes to making low compression golf balls, what’s often sacrificed is spin performance on shots into the green. Any shot to the green without sufficient 40

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spin will hit and release quickly, making it extremely difficult to stop the ball close to the hole or hold the green. There is clearly a point of diminishing returns. We’ve moved away from that trend with DT TruSoft by maintaining really good short game spin relative to those products.” “We’ve learned a lot from our experience over the years with very low compression core technology, which we’ve used in

the centres of our dual core products,” Hogge said. “We know how to make the formulations and manufacture them consistently, so that every DT TruSoft feels and performs the same every time you tee it up. We know that golfers depend on that consistency, from ball to ball and dozen to dozen.” Well, it looks obvious that Titleist has delivered the best performing products it possibly can, and the new NXT Tour, NXT Tour S and Velocity represent the best performing golf balls in their respective categories. In wrapping up Michael Mahoney, Director, Golf Ball Product Management at Titleist said, “When we look at the results of our extensive robot and player testing, we are exceedingly confident that golfers will experience new Titleist golf ball models that outperform their competition and deliver on their meaningful performance improvements relative to distance, short-game performance and soft feel.”

DT TruSoft represents the best combination of very soft feel and the all-around performance of distance and playability you expect from a Titleist golf ball.”

2016 POSEDOWN TaylorMade M2

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2016 POSEDOWN TaylorMade M2 M2 also features a redesigned Speed Pocket. It allows for greater face flexion than with a traditional, more rigid connection. More flexibility means greater energy transfer at impact made low on the face and thus, more protection of ball speed.

e still have vivid recollections of how the M1 blew us away when we put the driver to test. It was simply incredible – it gave a new meaning to victory especially in the context of how Jason Day whacked the field at the BMW Championship just a few months ago on his way to his fifth PGA Tour win. The M1 was a winner from the moment it hit the deck on tour. And now, comes along the M2, embodying everything that is good about the M1 plus more! It’s that special icing on the cake and that’s what the M2 is all about. In M2, TaylorMade’s engineers have utilized the same proprietary multi-material combination, including the seven-layer carbon composite crown found in the M1, to develop a line of products that deliver two highly sought-after performance benefits: Q Distance Q Forgiveness Similar to M1, the M2 product line meets the challenge of delivering more performance to players of all skill levels with the utilization of multi-material construction (driver and fairway). From the outset, the key product deliverable for the M2 line has been to deliver maximum forgiveness without sacrificing distance. TaylorMade has achieved this by leveraging the weight savings from the carbon crown and redistributing the discretionary weight to the sole of the club, resulting in a low and slightly farther back centre of gravity. This ultimately gives many golfers what they want: distance and forgiveness, without

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compromise. The result is a family of clubs that deliver hot trajectories with massive sweet spots and maximum forgiveness. Similar to the composition of M1, the use of TaylorMade’s carbon composite crown design in the M2 driver has resulted in a significant decrease in overall crown weight and with that, engineers have been able to lower the CG considerably. The total weight savings of 5g creates a dream scenario for our engineers, giving them enough discretionary weight savings to generate a remarkably hot trajectory with maximized forgiveness. Whereas the savings in weight in the M1 was used to develop the company’s revolutionary T-Track System, the combination of the carbon crown with titanium casting technology in the M2 driver has enabled engineers to move the CG into a position of simultaneous speed and forgiveness. With forgiveness a priority in M2, TaylorMade engineers focused on three key performance features that deliver ball speed protection on shots struck away from centre-face: inverted cone technology (ICT), a redesigned Speed Pocket; and increased moment of inertia (MOI). The M2 driver utilizes inverted cone technology (ICT) to increase the size of the high-COR area of the clubface. ICT utilizes a thinner clubface, which would be above the legal limit for COR at the centre if it were uniform thickness. However, the inverted cone feature is then added to the centre of the clubface to bring that section back down to the legal range, while the higher COR remains out on the heel and toe areas of the face. M2 also features a redesigned Speed Pocket. It allows for greater face flexion than with a traditional, more rigid connection. More flexibility means greater energy transfer at impact made low on the face and thus, more protection of ball speed. Lastly, the centre of gravity in the M2 driver has been positioned low and slightly further back in the clubhead. In M2, the moment of inertia (MOI) is among the highest of any club TaylorMade has ever produced. The increased MOI resists twisting at impact, resulting in farther and straighter shots when struck off-centre. Like M1, the M2 driver head is designed with a classic club head shape and fast, aggressive aesthetics where the black

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carbon meets the white titanium. The design suits the eye of better players from address but delivers performance for all, with maximized aerodynamics, face area, and a low centre of gravity. The structural changes in the design of the club head include a lowered front face area that still has the traditional rounded face shape from address, as well as a raised front crown and sloping rear crown section to maximize low CG without compromising the aerodynamic benefits. Complementing the M2 driver are the M2 fairway woods and hybrids. First, we check out the woods - multi-material carbon crown on the M2 fairway has created 5g of discretionary weight savings, allowing for an extremely low CG. The shallow head design delivers versatile playability from the tee and fairway. A new, fluted hosel design provides superior sound and feel without compromising distance. In all, the M2 fairway is engineered for dominant performance in every detail of the club, delivering exceptional distance and superior look and feel. A new, completely redesigned Speed Pocket significantly increases the flexibility of the low club face area; the most flexible Speed Pocket the

FEBRUARY 2016

company has ever designed. The increase in low face flexibility translates into a higher COR, which results in higher ball speed for shots struck low on the face. This is primarily achieved by creating more flexibility in the Speed Pocket. The M2 Rescue is designed to deliver effortless launch and maximum distance from anywhere on the course. The redesigned open channel Speed Pocket creates a large sweet spot for maximized distance and forgiveness with low spin, and the low centre of gravity delivers a hot trajectory for longer, more consistent shots. Aesthetically, the low profile shaping more closely mirrors the shaping of a fairway wood, leading to a more confidence-inspiring, easy to hit product. For the last word on the M2 series, we turn to Brian Bazzel, TaylorMade’s Senior Director of Product Creation who said, “The M2 line utilizes our new advanced multi-material construction to break yet another performance barrier, delivering once again the hot trajectory that TaylorMade is known for while at the same time providing game-changing forgiveness ….. with the entire M2 line of product, we’re delivering golfers what they want and need; distance, trajectory and forgiveness.”

2016 POSEDOWN TaylorMade M2

ey innovations with the new irons are a new, proprietary fluted hosel, 360° undercut, Inverted Cone Technology (ICT), a new 3D badge and TaylorMade’s patented Speed Pocket technology. The new fluted hosel design removes discretionary mass from the hosel, redistributing it lower and further back in the clubhead. The M2 iron also features an advanced topline construction – a 360° undercut that functions to increase the unsupported face area while saving weight to lower the CG, creating a canvas that lends itself to a unique combination of high ball speed, optimized launch angle and spin rate which yields exceptional distance 46

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The materials and technologies that went into the M2 iron allowed us to combine metalwood-like launch conditions with exceptional shot height and excellent control and feel,” said Tomo Bystedt, Director of Iron Product Creation. “In M2, we’ve achieved maximum distance and peak trajectory metrics to an extent that even shocked those of us who designed and engineered it.”

and high peak trajectory. This technology has resulted in an iron that outdistances the competition while maintaining a higher peak trajectory than other products. The newly designed Speed Pocket and a thin face with Inverted Cone Technology is one of TaylorMade’s most revolutionary technologies, engineered to increase launch angle and ball speed while providing added forgiveness for shots struck low on the face. M2 irons employ a 3D badge to manage sound and feel – a considerable challenge in an iron that produces this much ball speed – that features multimaterial V-shaped struts to improve sound qualities and dampen unwanted vibrations. To accomplish this, the badge was designed to be extremely stiff without inhibiting ball speed, a balancing act that TaylorMade engineers were able to execute flawlessly. Together, these product innovations work to push the limits of distance performance in an iron to successfully deliver golfers tremendous distance and high peak trajectory in a product that has the potential to change the landscape of distance irons as we know it. “The materials and technologies that went into the M2 iron allowed us to combine metalwood-like launch conditions with exceptional shot height and excellent control and feel,” said Tomo Bystedt, Director of Iron Product Creation. “In M2, we’ve achieved maximum distance and peak trajectory metrics to an extent that even shocked those of us who designed and engineered it.”

EQUIPMENT FOCUS TaylorMade Gloire G

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What does every amateur golfer strive for and live for? Desire to play a better game? @LZ [OH[ ^V\SK UV[ IL MHY VɈ [OL THYR ;V ^PU PU H MYPLUKS` IH[[SL HNHPUZ[ ÅPNO[ mates? Yes again! But what if we said that what matters most of all is distance – the sheer ability to drive a golf ball a country mile and to give you the best chance to NL[ [OL IHSS VU [OL NYLLU HUK [V ZPUR P[ PU [OL OVSL ;OPZ ^V\SK IL [OL PKLHS KYLHT of every golfer – give me distance and the chance to win!

FEBRUARY 2016

ell, your prayers have been answered! TaylorMade Golf has launched the Gloire G premium dream set for golfers in Asia who demand greater distance from a driver that smacks of great quality and superior aesthetics. More importantly, the Gloire G is designed, engineered and built to be tailor-made for Asian golfers. Why so, you may ask? Well, the DNA and the pedigree of the Gloire G is essentially Japanese, hence it is better suited to an Asian physical build. The Gloire G product line is designed to provide great distance based on an easy to hit design concept which is based on the premise that it is easy to address, easy to draw, and easy to swing. It a nutshell, the ability to gain distance on a drive has never been so easy maintains TaylorMade. Asian Golf’s tester took the Glorie G for a test drive and the first observation from the tee-box was that the club launches a high ball flight which sends it hurtling on a trajectory that

EQUIPMENT FOCUS TaylorMade Gloire G

The Gloire G product line is designed to provide great distance based on an easy to hit design concept which is based on the premise that it is easy to address, easy to draw, and easy to swing.” helps generate good distance. Interestingly, the Gloire G driver features the biggest Speed Pocket in Taylormade history – it measures in at 14mm wide and 12mm deep. This design obviously helps to maintain ball speed on off-centre hits which is something that is fairly common with most amateur golfers. Secondly, utilizing a shallow streamlined club head design that comes with an enhanced aerodynamic head-shape which helps generate better club head speed. Net result – a driver that is easier to play! Another observation is that TaylorMade has incorporated a forged alpha-beta Ti face with new draw bias Inverted Cone Technology and this gives the Gloire G an incredible draw bias rebound off the club face and great feeling on all shots. According to TaylorMade, the “easy to address” concept begins with a new, stable looking white-crown design that is highlighted by double black buttons for easy alignment at ad-

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dress. The Gloire G driver, meant for slower swingers, comes with a shallow crown measuring 10mm lower than Gloire F driver for more skilled golfers. This shallow club head design along with the new crown design produces a stable look at address and a club designed for ease of play. This design concept is featured also in the metal-woods range of this new series. Another feature of the Gloire G is its “easy to draw” technology that utilizes a unique enhancement in face construction. By engineering the heel side of the face to absorb more draw bias rebound than the toe side, this new draw bias Inverted Cone Technology CNC milled into the back of the face enables off-centre hits to come off with more draw tendency. Complementing this face technology is a new 13g fixed heelposition weight cartridge that allows for faster face rotation at impact. By aligning the CG location closer to the heel side with the new face design, this combination of technologies produces high and long draw ball flights. The Gloire G is a neat package of innovations and one of this has to do with weight. TaylorMade’s engineers have been able to produce the lightest weight driver ever – a total weight of 263g (R flex). In the Gloire G’s club head, engineers have been able to incorporate a 9-1-1 Titanium

cast material construction that saved 5g of weight when compared to the original Gloire driver, and it utilizes Thick-Thin crown technology to build portions of the crown as thin as 0.4mm. Along with this improved head construction, the driver is equipped with a new GL5000 graphite shaft co-engineered with Fujikura. This exclusive Gloire G shaft uses a super elastic material in the tip area and low resin material within a multiply structure that allows the shaft to flex and kick at the moment of impact to ensure maximum feel and increased distance. The ultra-light weight design in the Gloire G driver is easy to swing faster and promotes maximum energy transfer to the ball resulting in high draw distance. Complementing that Gloire G driver are the matching fairway woods and rescue clubs. The “easy hit design” concepts and technologies carry-over from the driver to the fairway woods and rescues, but key technologies distinguish these fairways and rescues from previous Gloire models even further. According to TaylorMade the new Speed Pocket paired with a 1.8mm new Japanese grade C300 Super alloy face, produces consistently high ball speeds across the face especially the lower part where shots tend to come off slower. Next, more draw bias was engineered by adding dual fixed heel-weights into the fairway woods. The same applies to the rescue clubs to help generate higher launch and controllable backspin shots. Completing the new Gloire G family are

FEBRUARY 2016

the irons which utilise the latest distance enhancing technologies to produce the easiest to play distance irons. Every iron from #5-PW features trademark TaylorMade technologies like Speed Pocket, Face Slots, 360° Undercut Cavity, high strength steel faces, and new shallow face head shape design. The elongated Speed Pocket increases forgiveness on the lower part of the face, while Face Slots provide more uniform flexion across the face, both of which help protect ball speed on off-centre hits. Add a 360° Undercut Cavity with high strength 450SS steel face, and the Gloire G irons produce increased distance on all shots and in every iron throughout the set. The new shallow face head shape design makes Gloire G irons “easy to address” and “easy to swing”, just like the Gloire G metal-woods. The thin topline matches with the wide sole and body design to inspire confidence at address. The original wide sole for ultra-low CG combined with new shallow face design makes it easier to launch and create higher trajectory shots. Similar to the “easy to draw” technology mentioned earlier, it seems TaylorMade’s engineers were able to develop a new draw bias Inverted Cone Technology into the iron face producing more flex in the heel side in order to help golfers hit that easy draw they have been dreaming to hit. The key to Gloire G irons amazing solid feel and sound is made possible through a new damper system – a high-performance thermoplastic polymer by HYBRARTM (Kuraray). This material is excellent in vibrationdamping performance, which is optimized to reduce high and low frequency vibrations resulting in superior sound and feel. Wrapping up the Gloire G range is the Gloire EF wedge which complements the irons nicely. The Electroformed Nickel Cobalt grooves embedded in the body forms highly accurate grooves from super wear resistant nickel cobalt material, not to mention the most durable, tour proven high spinning face in a wedge possible.

CONTROL YOUR ROLL. Engineered to fit a golfer’s stroke tempo and feel preference, Cadence™ TR models advance putter fitting with two weight options. Traditional-weight models feature an aluminum insert (blue) for mid-to-faster tempos and improved lag putting. Heavy-version inserts (black) are stainless steel to fit slower tempos and improve results on shorter putts. Get fit today or visit ping.com. You’ll be better for it.

TRUE-ROLL TECHNOLOGY ™ PROVIDES FORGIVENESS Grooves vary in width and depth from the center of the face, normalizing ball speeds for unmatched consistency.

FOUR NEW MODELS

FIT FOR TEMPO AND FEEL Aluminum (Traditional) and 17-4 stainless steel (Heavy) inserts are used to vary the head weights and match a golfer’s stroke tempo and feel preference.

The new Anser® W, B65,™ Rustler™ and Tomcat ® C join proven favorites Anser2, Anser2 CB (counter-balanced), Ketsch® and Shea® H.

“ HANDS

DOWN...THE MOST FORGIVING DRIVER IN GOLF.” - GolfWrx Gear Trials

“ THE

TOP-RATED MODEL IN THE TEST.” - Golf Magazine Club Test (Max-Game Improvement)

G30 ® All-around performance

SF TEC™ Right-to-left shot bend

LS TEC™

Low, stable spin

Since its introduction, the PING G30 has been the #1-selling driver in golf. Its performance is proven in the labs and on the course by golf’s most respected clubtesters and ﬁtters. Most importantly, it’s proven every day by golfers of all skill levels who rely on the G30 driver’s added distance, forgiveness and consistency. Get ﬁt today and see why more golfers have put a G30 driver in their bags than any other brand since last summer. You’ll be better for it.

2016 POSEDOWN PING G-Series

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Back in 2014 when PING launched its revolutionary G30 driver, many industry observers felt that the club’s shape was just a gimmick. Naysayers claimed that odd shapes VU [OL KYP]LY ^LYL Q\Z[ ¸ZWLLK O\TWZ¹ /V^L]LY [OL ZJPLU[PÄJ JVTT\UP[` [VVR [OL speed humps seriously and recognized the feature as “turbulators”. This was solid validation by a community that only believes in facts. The speed humps really place special emphasis on stability and represented a continuation of PING’s tradition of its G-series drivers dating back to the debut of the G2 in 2003. The turbulators are a series of angled ridges on the crown of the G30. They are deZPNULK [V PTWYV]L [OL ^H` [OL HPY ÅV^Z HYV\UK [OL JS\IOLHK ;OL YLZ\S[ HJJVYKPUN [V a study by PING engineers delivers an average increase in clubhead speed of nearly 1 mile per hour when compared with a similar G30 head design without the crown features. It’s all about science and this is what’s behind everything that PING does.

2016 POSEDOWN PING G-Series

ast forward to January 2016, and PING engineers have been dabbling with science again and this time around, the spirit of innovation had them drawing knowledge and inspiration from sources as diverse as dragonfly wings and 18-wheelers for the development of the new G-series driver. Get a load of this - a close-up photograph of a dragonfly taken by John A. Solheim, chairman and chief executive officer of PING, was the inspiration for the primary innovation in the driver. Solheim was intrigued by the wing structure of the insect and shared the photo with a group of engineers. Inspired by biomimicry, an approach to innovation that emulates nature’s time-tested patterns, they created “Dragonfly Technology”. “It’s a credit to the imagination and the disciplined approach of our engineering, design and research teams that we’ve elevated performance across every category in new and exciting ways, innovation that

will make the game easier for golfers of every ability level,” said Solheim. “Our design process is different, as we gather information from the world around us, study new materials, and test rigorously to make sure our products give golfers meaningful results. The process leads to breakthroughs like Dragonfly Technology and Vortec Technology, found in the G drivers. We’ve also created a specialized heat-treatment process and COR-Eye Technology to make the G irons longer, higher-launching and more forgiving, a combination that’s very difficult to achieve.” The complex exoskeleton design yields PING’s thinnest (0.43 mm) and lightest crown to date, saving eight grams while creating an intricate and stable structure. The weight savings helped drive the centre of gravity lower and deeper than any PING driver, increasing dynamic loft and elevating MOI significantly for maximizing distance and forgiveness. Besides the “flight of dragonflys” PING researchers also studied the base flaps

that minimize large-scale vortex shedding behind 18-wheel semi-trailers and integrated their learnings into the G drivers to improve aerodynamics and increase speed. Vortec Technology on the back of the club and turbulators on the crown contribute to reducing drag 37% in the impact zone, yielding greater clubhead speed and ball velocity for measurable distance gains from all swing speeds. The variablethickness T9S face has a high strengthto-weight ratio, allowing for a thin face to increase ball speed. Now that you understand the science behind the new G-series, allow us to introduce you to the new G-series of drivers, fairway woods, hybrids and irons – all of these clubs share a common platform in that they all advance speed, distance and forgiveness to unprecedented levels without sacrificing other performance attributes. ASIAN GOLF has not seen the new clubs up front as yet, but this is what PING has shared with us:

It’s a credit to the imagination and the disciplined approach of our engineering, design and research teams that we’ve elevated performance across every category in new and exciting ways, innovation that will make the game easier for golfers of every ability level.” G DRIVERS (STANDARD, (STANDARD,, LS TEC, SF TEC) The G SF Tec driver is custom-engineered with weight closer to the heel to produce a right-to-left shot bend (f i ht h d d golfers) lf ) and d steer t th ball b ll back b k into i t (for right-handed the the fairway. The G LS Tec driver features a centre of gravity that is extremely low (slightly forward of the standard G driver), for the player who desires low, stable spin with forgiveness. Golfers can optimize launch conditions prior to a round by adjusting loft up to +/- 1º with five settings utilizing a lightweight, aerodynamically efficient and highstrength 7075 aluminum hosel sleeve.

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G IRONS The G iron utilizes revolutionary COR-Eye Technology (introduced in the GMax irons), which activates speeds across the hotter face. The entire G the sole, face and top rail in flexing for consistently faster ball spe set is heat treated using a specialized process that creates Hyper 17-4 alloy, which is 40% stronger than combined with COR-Eye Technology provide traditional 17-4 stainless steel. Metallurgical advancements comb four times the face flexing with improved stability. “The results are big distance gains and a higher peak trajectory for better stopping power so you can hit and hold the green,” Solheim said. “One benefit of that is a player might be able to club up and hit a 7-iron, for example, instead of a 6-iron.” Weight saved from the face was allocated to the low toe and perimeter, creating a high MOI for extreme forgiveness. Connecting the Custom Tuning Port to the sole creates a deeper CG that helps elevate the launch angle while increasing MOI. At address, the iron’s refined look is created by a thin top rail, satin-blast finish and appropriate offset. An enlarged multi-material damping badge joined to the cavity works with COR-Eye Technology to provide exceptional sound and feel.

PING “CROSSOVER” IRONS PING created a new category – the Crossover – to combine the precision, workability and control of an iron with the ball speed and forgiveness of a hybrid. “People love the look and feel of the Crossover because they haven’t seen anything like it,” Solheim said. “It shouldn’t be confused with a driving iron; it’s higher-launching and much more forgiving, and offers a lot of versatility. Our extensive player testing has revealed this to be a very attractive option.” The high-strength Carpenter 455® steel face is precision machined to an optimal thickness for greater face flexing, faster ball speeds and longer results. The flat face, narrow top rail and appropriate offset deliver iron-like accuracy and workability. An innovative cascading internal sole engages the entire face, sole and top rail in flexing to maximize distance. Extreme heel-toe weighting helps locate the centre of gravity low-back and expands the perimeter weighting to create a high MOI for maximizing forgiveness.

2016 POSEDOWN PING G-Series G FAIRWAY WOODS (STANDARD, SF TEC, STRETCH) Nearly all golfers struggle getting the ball in the air easily with fairway woods. To solve that, the G fairway woods have a lower lead edge that yields 12% higher face impact, relative to the G30 series. “The face sits lower so it’s much easier to hit the ball high in the air,” Solheim said. “Contact occurs higher on the face, which makes this club perform beautifully off the ground and tee.” High-strength Carpenter 455® steel allows for a thinner, precision-machined, variable-thickness face. The cascading sole design engages more of the structure in face flexing, resulting in faster ball speeds and higher launch. Our thinnest crown ever in a fairway wood means discretionary weight has been used to move the CG lower and farther back, making it easier to get the ball airborne. A unique process adds friction to the face for reduced spin. Crown turbulators provide a captured appearance and help with aim and alignment. Golfers can optimize launch conditions prior to a round by adjusting loft up to +/- 1º with five settings utilizing a lightweight, aerodynamically efficient and highstrength 7075 aluminum hosel sleeve. The G SF Tec fairway woods have weight closer to the heel, a lighter swing weight, and higher lofts to produce right-to-left shot bend for players whose typical miss is to the right. The G Stretch 3 is custom-engineered to stretch a player’s distance off the tee and on shots into the green with its larger head, slightly forward CG, 13º loft, and reduced spin.

G HYBRIDS An innovative tiered internal sole helps activate face flexing to power the ball off the face faster for greater distance. The ultra-thin crown allows for a low-back centre of gravity to ensure high launch, reduced spin and a higher MOI for maximizing forgiveness. The high-strength Carpenter 455® steel face is precisionmachined to variable thickness, which saves weight and maximizes flexing to generate faster ball speeds across the face for consistently longer results. Like the G fairways, a unique process adds friction to the face to reduce spin. Crown turbulators and contrasting grooves on the face help provide a captured look and assist in aim and alignment, creating a consistently centered impact position.

NEW AWT 2.0 SHAFT (MANUFACTURED BY NIPPON) Contributing to the improved performance of the G iron are PING’s proprietary Ascending Weight Technology shafts, an optimal combination of physics and feel. The shafts get lighter as they progress from the short irons and pitching wedge to the long irons. Lighter long-iron shafts help square the clubface to increase clubhead speed and optimize flight for distance and accuracy. Heavier short iron shafts improve trajectory control and feel.

EDITOR’S FOOTNOTE: PING, in keeping with its fine tradition of innovation has taken club equipment to a whole new level. A level that will be hard to match and more importantly, with its offerings, PING has created a pathway for more golfers to enjoy their game of golf. Thank you PING! 60

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2016 POSEDOWN Vapor Fly

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In case you are wondering what we are talking about, we’ve got to be transparent and share some of our frustrations with you, the consumer. For close on two years, as the only serious regional golf magazine in Asia, we’ve had no contact whatsoever with Nike Golf. Although we thought it strange, we decided [V IHJR VɈ HUK NP]L [OL JVTWHU` [OL ¸ZWHJL¹ [OH[ ^L [OV\NO[ P[ ULLKLK /V^L]LY ^P[O [OL KH^U VM HUK ^P[O UV ZPNU VM HU` LɈVY[ [V THRL JVU[HJ[ ^P[O us, we decided to do some snooping around.

hat really bothered us was what seemed to be a company in Southeast Asia that was being managed by remote control. By whom and from where continued to remain a mystery! This was not just any company – it was a multi-million dollar corporation that had some good products on offer! Note that our relationship with Nike Golf goes back to the early 2000’s and we knew all of the early executives of Nike Golf, including its first president, Bob King. We decided to make a couple of

probes and ran up against brick walls. Undaunted by this, we decided to do a “Wiki” check and guess what – we were surprised to learn that Nike Golf was no longer a “stand-alone” company and that it had been brought under the wings of Nike Inc., the massive, muscle-bound US$30 billion corporation. The Wall Street gang was aware of it but we just had no clue whatsoever! There must be a very good reason for Nike Golf being brought into the “core business” because this is the seat where the power of “Swoosh” branding resides. This is the engine that ignites the Nike brand and it’s the force that has

made NIKE Inc. the power-house that it is today. We needed this preamble to set up our story because as part of the “core business” of Nike Inc. we can only expect the golf business to soar. The company has the resources, the know-how and skill sets and the best brand ambassadors in the business to make it the stand-out brand in golf. Nike Golf has been a laggard for too long and it’s time for it to step up to the plate and JUST DO IT! All the ducks now seem to be in a row and we think that like its name-sake, Nike, the legendary winged goddess of “Victory”, Nike Golf is set to soar!

2016 POSEDOWN Vapor Fly

Up, Up And Away! Nike Golf has fired its boosters and it’s in full flight displaying a sense of its new vitality and gusto. This renewed air of confidence is clearly manifested in the brand new Vapor Fly series driver, a club that embodies a bold and revolutionary technology designed to provide an overall higher launch angle – it is the culmination of years of work from the teams at “The Oven” (Nike Golf’s crucible of creation- its research and design facility in Fort Worth, Texas). Commenting on the new Vapor Fly series which has hit markets in Asia, Nate Radcliffe, Nike Golf Director of Engineering said, “As we’ve learned more and more about golf athletes while researching advanced materials and evolving manufacturing technologies, we’ve verified that if we can launch the ball higher while managing spin, it will ultimately fly farther.” He explained, “We’ve found ways to accomplish that in our entire 2016 line, from the drivers to the long irons. We are using innovative designs that consider mass distribution, tuned compliance and stiffness to help the ball consistently fly high and long.” The Vapor Fly series of drivers look simply vibrant, distinguished by their bold

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blue crown with the iconic Volt colour in the compression channel. Central to the performance of the driver are three key technologies which add up to fast ball speed, high trajectory and less spin. These are: Flightweight Crown HyperFlight Face Compression Channel The new Vapor Flex 440 driver was built with more than 60 percent carbon fibre reinforced RZN, a proprietary material that Nike uses in both clubs and golf balls. RZN is said to be an extremely light, yet strong material that allows for even more weight to be repositioned forward and down for adjustability and forgiveness. It has a new HyperFlight face which is thinned out around the perimeter. The Vapor Flex 440 also incorporates FlexFlight technology, which is a re-engineered compression channel, There is also the FlyBeam Reinforced Covert Cavity Back and FlexLoft 2.0, that was seen in earlier generations of Nike products. For the better player, there is the Vapor Fly Pro model - it utilizes a familiar 460cc pear shape head. It relies on a Flightweight Crown (30 percent reduction in crown weight versus last year’s model, HyperFlight Face (same as that found in the Flex 440)

and compression channel (also the same as that found in the Flex 440). Companion clubs of the new Vapor drivers are the Vapor Fly fairway wood that comes in five models with a FlexLoft Fairway hosel that allows for lofts from 12 degrees to 22 degrees, at a standard or upright lie angle for a tour-level fit. Bringing up the rear are the Vapor Fly Pro Irons which Nike Golf maintains are irons that launch the ball higher and farther, offering forgiveness with more workability than a traditional game-improvement iron. Hollow RZN cavity long irons (2, 3, 4, 5) feature a FlyBeam reinforcement. The Vapor Fly irons feature three RZN-enhanced, game-improvement constructions, pushing weight lower and toward the perimeter for consistent, high and long-approach shots. It’s all about ultimate forgiveness and distance - the Vapor Fly driver, the fairway woods and the irons - all the clubs have been finely tuned to help golfers perform at the highest level. From what we have seen of the new range of clubs and the technology behind these products, we can only conclude that Nike Golf has come out to play some serious golf. Fly Nike Fly …. Up, Up To The Sky!

GAME IMPROVEMENT

Last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s article must have made a IPN KPÉ&#x2C6;LYLUJL MVY THU` YLHKLYZ ILJH\ZL 0 YLJLP]LK NYLH[ MLLKIHJR ;OHURZ MVY [OL LTHPSZ HUK -HJLIVVR TLZZHNLZ ( IPN JVUNYH[\SH[PVUZ MVY NL[[PUN `V\Y NVSM NHTL VU [YHJR MVY @V\ HYL UV^ VU `V\Y ^H` [V IL[[LY NVSM ^P[O *S\I -VJ\ZLK 0UZ[Y\J[PVU *-0

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s mentioned in the last article, I want 2016 to be the year that your golf game really improves because you really understand your swing clearly and practiced properly! I am excited to continue to share Club-Focused Principles that were taught to me by Manuel de la Torre and Ed LeBeau. After over a decade of coaching using these principles, I still find it the most effective way to improving your game. Last month’s article explained the ClubFocused Concept and discussed the first physics principle - direction. Explaining this principle helps substantiate club-focused instruction which has made it easy for golfers to understand why it’s so important and effective for your own game! My goal is for you to read and comprehend so that you can make your golf swing simple and fun! Let’s continue.

Principle #2 Swing PHYSICS PRINCIPLE: A swinging motion produces the greatest speed within a given range of motion (picture 1). APPLICATION: When a player swings a golf club, his hands travel at a given speed along a circular path of a given length. By definition, if he is swinging the club, the butt end of the grip will arrive back at address at the same time as the clubhead. The butt of the club will be traveling at the speed of the player’s hands. However, since the path of

2 the clubhead is traveling along a longer arc, it must travel at a greater speed in order to arrive at address at the same time as the butt. As a result, the length of the shaft has the effect of multiplying the speed able to be produced at the player’s hands. For instance, when I make a backswing, the butt end of the club travels a distance of one feet. But, the clubhead has traveled a distance twice that of the butt end of the grip. When the club is then swung forward, the butt and head arrive back at the same time, which means that the head traveled more than twice as fast.

Principle #3 Force PHYSICS PRINCIPLE: The force created by a swinging object is always at a tangent to and perpendicular to that object (picture 2).

APPLICATION: The force created by a swinging golf club is always at a tangent to the path of the clubhead and perpendicular to the club (picture 3) .

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For instance, if a student took a basketball and made an underhand toss to me, you will notice that his arms were creating a circular motion. The arms were traveling back to parallel with the ground and then in the forward toss, the arms were parallel to the ground. If he repeated this tossing motion, his forearms would be traveling in a circular motion, and the ball will travel along the target line straight to the target. The circularity that results from the arms swinging the club is an effective motion for producing straight ball flight (picture 4).

Principle #4 Centre Contact PHYSICS PRINCIPLE: A pendulum will always retrace its circular path as long as the centre of the circle maintains its position. APPLICATION: A swinging golf club acts as a pendulum and will retrace its path when the player maintains the location of the centre of the swing. The player can maintain the location of his centre by balancing his weight at address and then maintain that balance during the swing. This is the means by which the player can consistently achieve centre contact on the clubface (picture 5).

Principle #5 Distance Control PHYSICS PRINCIPLE: The speed of a swinging object is a function of the size of the arc along which the object travels. The bigger the swing, the greater potential for the object’s speed (picture 6). APPLICATION: To increase the distance the ball travels, the golfer increases the size of the swing. For instance, using a putter, if a golfer makes a putt with a backswing that is approximately one foot in length, the ball will travel accordingly. Now, using the same stance and stroke, make a backswing of two feet in length and notice how far the ball travels. It’s

the size of the arc that is created that helps determine distance. With club-focused instruction based on the above principles, to produce a golf shot that travels along the target line and travels at the correct trajectory, the club must be moving in the direction of the target and in a manner that delivers the centre of the clubface to the ball with the clubface and club shaft square to the target line. Accomplishing this task results from employing the correct: “SETUP” - This involves correctly setting the club at the ball, correctly orienting the club to the target, correctly setting the body to the club, and correctly holding the club with the hands. “MOTION” - This is achieved by moving the club in a swinging motion of adequate size in the direction of the target. Based on the principles described, these two elements (setup and motion) are the primary subject matter for all my teachings. The singular objective is for golfers to be able to “propel their ball to their target”. I am delighted that many readers are engaging me and wanting to know more and more about how simple these teachings are. Please review and study these principles. Look out for the next edition when I will share some very simple and easy to understand tips based on these principles! Let’s really improve your golf game this year!

ABOUT TONY MEECHAI Born and brought up in the United States, Tony Meechai won his first golf tournament at the age of nine. He began working in the golf industry when aged 15 and competed in various Mini-Tour and PGA Tour qualifiers after turning professional in 1994. Armed with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from New Mexico State University and a degree in Marketing and Professional Golf Management, he has made a name for himself in Asia over the past decade, during which time he has served as Director of Instruction at Thailand’s Heartland Golf Schools and Springfield Royal Country Club as well as presenting tips on numerous region-wide golf television shows. His signature Black Hat Golf Camps and Schools offered at various clubs in Thailand, including Lotus Valley Golf Resort, portrays the unique curriculum and teaching philosophy. Recently, he co-founded the International Preparatory Golf Academy at The American School of Bangkok, which combines an academic and golf education program for junior golfers. Voted 2015 Top 3 Best Professional Golf Coach in Asia Pacific, he continues to strive to grow the game of golf in Asia. For further information, please visit www.tmggroupasia.com or email to tony@tmggroupasia.com.

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GAME IMPROVEMENT Pro Tour Golf College

David Milne (left) and Lawrie Montague (right).

ou may recall in our last article that we discussed a golf practice technique known as block practice. Block practice is a method of practice where you basically hit lots of golf shots with the explicit purpose of making a technique more or less automatic. Block practice is repetition practice where you might be performing a particular golf drill your instructor wants you to practice, and you need to perform lots of repetitions to develop it and habituate it. The reality is that the way you practice your golf skills really matters because the whole idea of golf practice (as we’ve already mentioned) is to transfer your golf skills successfully to the golf course.

Targeting or Shot-Making Skill Development Now we know that your intention is to hit your golf shots confidently and competently on the golf course, so you’ll need another type of golf practice method that shifts your mind-set from thinking about technique perfection on the golf range, to shot-making or targeting management on the golf course. Shot-making skills or targeting skills are skills designed for the golf course. It is what we call transference practice because the idea behind it is to hit golf shots to random targets with different golf clubs simulating the types of situations you will likely face on the golf course. So targeting practice is quite different to block practice because you are continually varying your shot-making distance, direction and trajectory to improve your shotmaking adaptability. You do this by hitting golf shots to different targets that vary in the length and also in orientation to where you are on the golf range. An example of a practice routine like this would be to hit a 7 iron to one target green, a 9 iron to another target, then maybe a hybrid to yet another target. You might finish the routine with a short wedge shot to a close green. You can see with this type of practice that you are developing your shot-making adaptability. You are continually varying your shot-making to include a variety of shot types from short to long. This random type of golf practice really helps you to develop and enhance your playing skills and ability on the golf course. 70

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In our last article we discussed the importance of the right way to practice golf skills on the driving range so you can transfer them onto the golf course as easily and quickly as possible. In this article we will share with you the correct way to hit practice shots when you are not working on improving your golf swing technique. This random style of shot-making practice is also very helpful leading into tournaments because it gets you out of golf swing thinking and into golf shot feeling mode.

The Random Shot-Making Practice Routine One of the most helpful practice routines that we use with our students is a random shot-making practice routine where you hit sets of 10 golf shots to different length targets on your golf range that measure in distance from 50 metres to 200 metres. In a routine like this you might only hit 5 sets of 10 golf shots or 50 shots in total, but you keep changing the distance of the shots to keep adjusting your stroke length and feel. Using our simple score card will help you to measure the success you achieve with the different clubs and shots that you practice. For example, tit one set of 10 golf shots to various targets on the range and award yourself 1 point for every shot you hit that goes the correct distance, and 1 point for every shot that hits the green but doesn’t necessarily go the correct distance.

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The idea here is to achieve a high percentage of shots that travel the correct distance and also hit the target. By practicing this way, you will start to notice which clubs in your bag achieve better results –that is, you achieve more 2 point results compared to other clubs. Don’t worry if they are curving a little, as the idea here is to develop confidence in your shot-making ability with all the clubs in

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your bag, it’s not about how you are swinging the golf club. You need to really think about how you are practicing your golf skills and which style you favour. Both of these styles of practice are very important and you should sit down with your golf instructor and design a practice plan that distributes the proportion of time you need for block style practice for your technical development, and balancing it out with a proportion of random style practice for your targeting development. RANGE SHOT-MAKING SCORE CARD Get the mix right and practice will 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Points never seem boring to you ever again. You will discover that by practicing block and ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 5 random style that the hard work that you perform on the practice ground will trans✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔ 6 fer to the golf course more easily, leading 9 5w Pw Hyb Sw 8 5 3w Dr to better performances and a lot more fun.

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ASIAN GOLF ISSUE 186

Callaway Golf Is On The Rise

no denying that Callaway Golf is on the come-back trail under There’s the leadership and guidance of its hot-shot Chairman and CEO Chip Brewer. The impact of his drive is also being felt in Asia where Callaway Golf has re-structured its operation for the region. ASIAN GOLF will bring you all the details of its discussion with the President of Callaway Golf Asia, Alex Boezeman.

PING’s Visionary Chairman Speaks John A Solheim, Chairman and CEO of PING has granted ASIAN TheGOLFlegendary an exclusive talk session. The full proceedings of that interview will be published in ASIAN GOLF in its March edition.

The Latest From FootJoy its wildly successful launch last year of the FJ Hyperflex, a deAfter sign that drew its inspiration from the Leonard P. Zakim Bunker Hill Bridge in Boston, Massachusetts, its latest shoe model draws inspiration from a frog. A tree frog! Read all about the “Freestyle” in our next issue.

For all the latest news and views from the Asian golf scene, subscribe to Asian Golf – Asia’s most powerful golfing voice!

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Owned and managed by The Peninsula Hotels and often voted as possessing the “Best Clubhouse in Asia” and “Best Course in Thailand”, Thai Country Club is less than 45 minutes from downtown Bangkok and is renowned for having the friendliest staff of professionals in the Kingdom committed to providing the Ultimate Golfing Experience. For registered guests of The Peninsula Bangkok, We are happy to arrange a tee-time at a substantial reduction from our normal visitor’s rate. Extend your business trip in Bangkok, or book a get-away golfing package. When it comes to exclusive golfing with impeccable hospitality – we play off scratch.

1997 Winner: Tiger Woods

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2005 Winner: Shiv Kapur

2006 Winner: Thongchai Jaidee

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2008 Winner: Lam Chih Bing

1998 Winner: Vijay Singh

Thai Country Club www.thaicountryclub.com Tel: +66 (38) 570-234 inquiry@thaicountryclub.com The Peninsula Bangkok www.peninsula.com Tel: +66 (2) 861-2888 pbk@peninsula.com

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Comfort Never Quits. TITANTOUR IGNITE is stacked with IGNITE FOAM for maximum energy return and long-lasting comfort fort

IGNITE FOAM Ultra-responsive comfort foam base lets you play your best all day long.

PWRCOOL SOCKLINER OCKLINER nagement Active heat management layer keeps your foot cool in all conditions.

DUOFLEX SOLE Flexible sole segments help transfer maximum power through your swing.