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A group of Callaway custom fitting experts has finally caught up on sleep after recently spending five days trekking around Alaska offering a series of rare demo days to golfers in the last (golf) frontier. The trip culminated with a 24-hour demo day at Anchorage Country Club, made possible due to nearly 24 hours of daylight in Anchorage at this time of year.

Along the way, the Carlsbad, California-based team provided custom fittings to more than one thousand golfers and saw huge crowds turn out for demo days at five different courses from Palmer down to Kenai. They covered 300 miles and ran 53 hours of demo days—including stops at two military base courses, Eagleglen Golf Course and Moose Run Golf Course.

“The week in Alaska was an amazing experience for our custom fitting team and our customers in Alaska,” said Pete Stamatis, Callaway’s Director of Custom Fitting & Events. “Of course, the scenery was breathtaking, but we were amazed at the passionate golfers we came across on the trip. They have a short golf season but when the golf season hits they come out in droves. One gentleman told us he played 168 rounds of golf during his 4-month golf season in 2010.”

The 24-hour demo day at Anchorage Country Club took place on July 8th and 9th featured an Odyssey Putter Clinic, live music from local bands, food (including breakfast) and beverages on the range, and a “kick off” happy hour that began the round-the-clock golf party at 6 p.m. the 8th.

“Every community we visited up there was so hospitable towards us, and the fishing at the end of the trip wasn’t bad either,” Stamatis added. “The acceptance of our RAZR wood and iron line and Diablo Octane drivers and fairway woods was incredible. The trip was so successful that our customers have asked us to return in 2012 and you better believe we are already looking forward to next year’s trip.”

www.callawaygolf.com

In the spirit of making your golf equipment work for you on and off the course, TaylorMade Golf Company is launching a unique customer loyalty program that will land one lucky golfer a once-in-a-lifetime clubfitting opportunity.

Consumers who register their TaylorMade products through the company’s website are entered into a “Tour Pro for a Day” sweepstakes*. TaylorMade will visit the home of one lucky winner, pick them and three friends up in the iconic white TaylorMade Tour Truck – the same high-tech van that the PGA Tour professionals visit to get their custom equipment built during tournament week – and drive them to a local golf course where they will each receive a full set of custom golf clubs built on the Tour Truck by famed Tour fitters Wade Liles and Henry Luna.

“When consumers make a purchase, they’re not just buying the product, but buying into our entire company,” said Bob Maggiore, TaylorMade Golf Company’s vice president of global brand and product creation. “This is an incredibly unique opportunity where we’re not just rewarding our faithful customers with additional goodies or equipment like other programs, but an experience to step into the shoes of a Tour player for a day.”

The sweepstakes is part of a larger consumer registration program in which new owners of TaylorMade’s metalwoods – including the white R11 and Burner SuperFast 2.0 drivers and fairway woods – can submit their product information at www.taylormadegolf.com to receive the company’s latest news and information. The program kicks off on the heels of one of the most successful product launches in golf’s recent memory – the TaylorMade R11 driver in February – which in the 2011 timeframe of January-April, according to Golf Datatech, contributed to the entire golf industry’s first metalwood dollar share increase in those months since 2007.**

*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN; Promotion begins at 12:00 am Pacific Time on 6/3/2011 and ends at 11:59 pm on 8/31/2011; open only to residents of the 48 contiguous US states or DC who are 18 years of age or older; see Official Rules at www.taylormadegolf.com for additional eligibility restrictions, prize descriptions/restrictions/values, odds, and complete details; void where prohibited.

www.taylormadegolf.com

Tom Stites, Nike Golf's Director of Golf Club Creation

Tom Stites is Nike Golf’s Director of Golf Club Creation and at the 2010 PGA Merchandise Show Outdoor Demo Day, we had the opportunity to interview Tom about the following topics: The new SQ MACHSPEED driver, the technology behind the MACHSPEED driver, how the average golfer can benefit from adjustable face drivers, cub fitting, and the future of golf club technology.

Special thanks to Nike Golf and Tom Stites!

aboutGolf is known for making the best golf simulators on the market today and now they are taking launch monitors to a whole new level with two new products: aG Studio indoor launch monitor and aG Mobile indoor/outdoor launch monitor.

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What is 3Trak?
Launch monitors have been around for a while, but aboutGolf has taken the same technology used in its PGA Tour Simulators called 3Trak and applied it to its new line of launch monitors designed for golf instruction, club fitting, and club sales.

3Trak launch monitors use three-dimensional, high-speed photography to provide unyielding dynamic performance. The most accurate data in the industry from the only technology to directly measure spin and spin axis. The 3Trak simulator tracking technology makes no assumptions or calculations…it simply measures ball performance — on EVERY plane. So how you hit the ball in the simulator is how you hit on the golf course.

aG Mobile Launch Monitor
The aG Mobile is a lightweight portable unit that can be used both indoors and outdoors, which is great for golf lessons and club fittings. Utilizing the same 3Trak technology of the PGA Tour Simulators and Perform Software, your golf instructor now has access to multiple dashboard views, live ball flight and data manipulation options.

You’ll now have access to information like clubhead speed, ball speed, vertical and horizontal launch angles, spin, carry distance, total yards, and more. 3Trak doesn’t use a special golf ball to gather this data, the high-speed cameras get this data by photographing a white line sticker that’s affixed to the top of your golf club.

The early release model of the aG Mobile I saw, required you to hook up the launch monitor to a PC to run the software. In a future version, all you’ll need is a monitor, because the Perform Software will be running on the aG Mobile unit. Also the updated model of the aG Mobile unit will have a smaller footprint, than the one pictured. This will make it very easy for outdoor lessons and providing instant feedback.

aG Studio Launch Monitor
The aG Studio is designed for fixed indoor installations and mounted above the golfer as an integrated part of a performance bay. If you watch the Golf Fix on the Golf Channel, you may have noticed aG Studio on the set.

aG Studio uses the same software and technology like aG Mobile and provides the same ball and club data too, but in an indoor setting only. Taking performance data and turning it into actionable feedback with reliable data, will make your golf lessons more insightful and effective.

I’m really impressed by how aboutGolf continues to evolve its product line and put reliable data in the hands of teachers, fitters, and golfers.

Visit aboutGolf.com for more information.

I reviewed the TaylorMade Performance Labs at Olympia Fields last year and now TaylorMade Performance Labs, the premier custom golf club fitting company, announced the opening of its sixth U.S. location at The International in Boston. Beginning April 27, TaylorMade Performance Lab’s certified professionals will fit men, women and junior golfers of all ages and abilities to a custom set of TaylorMade® golf clubs using an exclusive technology previously available only to Tour professionals, called Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade (MAT-T).

“After visiting The International and seeing the fabulous golf courses and great facilities, I knew we had to bring our exclusive fitting system there,” said Herb Meistrich, President and CEO of TaylorMade Performance Labs. “The International is steeped in tradition and we know golfers from the Northeast will take advantage of the opportunity to enjoy an unparalleled custom fitting experience at a world class facility.  With our tour-proven technology developed by TaylorMade, we are confident that we can improve the scores and enjoyment of golfers of all ages and abilities by fitting them into the perfect set of custom golf clubs.”

Dan Weadock Jr, President of The International added, “With the introduction of the TaylorMade Performance Lab, The International reinforces its commitment to providing a world class golfing experience to our members, guests and the golfers around the world who come to play our two fabled courses.”

 Using motion capture technology – the same technology used to make today’s video games and movies – 34 reflective markers are placed on strategic points of the golfer’s body as well as on the shaft and head of the fitting club to capture a number of swings with the driver, iron , wedge and putter. Six special high-speed cameras detect the reflectors and display a three-dimensional computer-animated image of the customer viewable from every angle, allowing the pro to make accurate critiques and recommendations. The two and one-half hour custom fitting experience includes recommendations for a driver, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges, putter and even the correct golf ball.

Following the swing analysis and club recommendations, demo clubs are built on-site with the customer’s correct swing specifications and the player can then validate the system’s recommendations on the driving range.

 New custom TaylorMade clubs built to recommended specifications are shipped directly to the player in as little as 48 hours.

To date, TaylorMade Performance Labs has six U.S. locations including The International: The Four Seasons Resort in North San Diego, The Desert Springs Marriott in Palm Springs, The Hyatt Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Olympia Fields Country Club in Chicago and Reynolds Plantation in Greensboro, GA. There are also three international locations in South Africa, Spain and Dubai.

For more information and to book the ultimate club fitting experience visit  http://www.tmplabs.com

Today’s golfer has a lot of different choices available to them when they buy their golf clubs, what type of club (cavity back, blade,etc), Shaft (graphite or steel), etc. But often the most overlooked aspect of purchasing new clubs is the fitting of the golf clubs to match your swing characteristics. Last month I had the opportunity to get custom fitted at the state of the art TaylorMade Performance Lab at Olympia Fields Country Club, Olympia Fields, IL (25 miles south of downtown Chicago) and experience “Golf’s Ultimate Fitting Experience”.

I’ve read about the importance of getting fitted for golf clubs and what a dramatic difference it can make in your game, but I never thought it was worth the trouble. How wrong could I go with with stock offering from any of the major golf club manufacturers?  I have an average build and height, so club length isn’t an issue. I don’t get as much distance on my shots as I would like, but this is something I’m working on with my golf instructor and not an equipment issue in my opinion. What else could I be missing from the equation? At the TaylorMade Performance Lab (TMPL), I was about to find out how wrong my assumptions were about my existing golf clubs and how much more there was to learn about my current golf swing.

The TaylorMade Performance Lab at Olympia Fields Country Club is only one of four locations in the United States, that just opened this past June. The process of the fitting takes about two hours and it covers every club in your bag, from wedges, irons, hybrids, fairway woods, driver, and putter. At the end of the fitting your given a folder with your club recommendations and CD-Rom containing all your swing data, and you have the option to purchase the custom clubs from TaylorMade based on your specs, but rest assured there is no obligation to do so.

The Fitting Process
When you first arrive at Olympia Fields Country Club, you are escorted by TaylorMade’s Master Club Fitting Professional Brad Syslo. Brad takes me through the Pro Shop and leads me upstairs to The TaylorMade Performance Lab, where I’m greeted by a huge stainless steel vault like door with the TMPL Logo. Behind the vault door is the TaylorMade Performance Lab, the nucleus of the operation where you’ll be spending part of the fitting process. The room is simply amazing!  The room is nicely appointed with sever large flat screen TV’s, an extremely comfortable leather sofa, and plethora of TaylorMade golf clubs.  The atmosphere is completely relaxed and Brad does a great job of keeping you at ease during the entire process, with his great sense of humor and relaxed demeanor.

You begin by warming up, hitting your existing golf clubs like you normally do at the range, while Brad asks you a series of questions about your golf swing and tendencies, etc. Brad also asks about what are your strong points and shortcomings in your golf swing, favorite golf ball, what you are working on with your golf instructor. During this brief warm up process you are not hooked up to any of the motion sensors or being recorded via one of the nine high speed cameras. Brad is just observing the flight path of the ball and not judging your swing. I’ll admit, I do get a bit nervous around strangers watching me swing my golf clubs, but that wasn’t the case during my fitting. I felt completely relaxed.

The next part of the fitting process is where the fun begins and you get suited up to begin capturing your swing with the Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade (MATT), which captures every aspect of your swing in 3-D, swing data, and club recommendations. Prior to the TaylorMade Performance Lab, the motion capture technology was only available to PGA Tour professionals and movie studios, but now you can get access to the same amazing technology. In order for the nine high-speed cameras to capture your swing data, you need to put on several articles of clothing with specially reflective markers that are strategic located on your body and on the golf clubs as well. The clothing consists of hat, a vest, cumber bun, elbow straps, knee straps, shoe covers, and wrist straps. The clothing takes very little time to get used too and fits right over your existing clothes, so you don’t have to worry about restriction of movement. Once your suited up, your asked to stand tall, with your arms raised to shoulder height so the system can get an accurate measurement and scale of your body. I discovered during this setup, that my one arm was hanging slightly lower on one side.  Now your ready to begin the journey of the “Ultimate Fitting Experience”.

What does it show you?
We started out the club fitting process by fitting my irons first. Brad instructs me that I can swing my golf club once the red light flashes and I hear beep. I was little nervous about waiting for a visual and audio cue, and that it might throw off my tempo. It took very little to get used to this and actually became ingrained, almost Pavlovian like. Brad had me hit at least six to eight golf balls to get enough data for MATT analyze. After each swing of the club the MATT software renders all the data captured, along with data from a launch monitor. The results were simply amazing and extremely detailed. After one swing Brad was able to tell me exact clubhead path, In/Out Path of the club, backspin, swing speed, loft of clubhead at impact, ball position, and more. The amount of data was invaluable in understanding my swing characteristics and tendencies. For example, I learned that I have an Out to In swing and play the ball a little too far forward in my setup. This is one aspect of my golf swing I’ve been working on with my instructor.  Brad was able to explain in plain English what all the data means and gave me some valuable tips for correcting these swing flaws, its more than just a club fitting. After you complete six to eight swings MATT crunches all the data and gives it recommendations for what irons would work best for my swing.  You also get to see your swing rendered in 3-D that can be rotated and viewed from multiple angles in full motion to see what your swing is doing. This was extremely amazing and so cool to look at, and gave me such valuable insight into my swing.

The next step is where you get to try the latest equipment from TaylorMade based on the systems recommendation. It turns out, I have a slow swing swing speed (about 70 MPH), which is partly attributed to my steel shafts being too heavy. So when trying the various irons, I try out graphite shafts and light weight steel shafts. I ended up liking the lightweight steel shafts best and noticed a big difference, in how much lighter and easier to swing the TaylorMade clubs were. I never realized what a difference selecting the proper shaft makes until now. This especially rang true when getting fitted for my driver. For my driver, I thought that the stock regular flex graphite shaft was all I needed. I couldn’t believe the difference a properly fitted graphite shaft, with the correct flex and tip could make with your swing. You do this process for all of your other clubs from your wedges, hybrids, fairway woods, driver , and putter.

Once you complete the fitting inside the TaylorMade Performance Lab, you are taken outside to the driving range to validate the recommended clubs for the remainder of the two hour fitting. After this is completed, Brad gives you a folder and CD-ROM containing all the data and club recommendations from MATT to take home with you. There is an option to buy any of the clubs that were recommended during the fitting directly from TaylorMade, which includes any customizations required (length,lie, loft, shaft, grip) at no extra charge. There is no obligation to purchase any of the equipment you test during the fitting process.  I did end up getting an entire new set of clubs based on the recommendations and I will be writing a follow up post on whether my custom clubs have made a difference.

Overall, I highly recommend you get fitted at the TaylorMade Performance Lab, it’s an experience like no other and you’ll learn so much about your golf swing than you could ever imagine. It’s worth the small investment of time and money and you’ll be glad you did.

TaylorMade Performance Lab at Olympia Fields Country Clubs costs $400 for a two hour fitting.

Other TaylorMade Performance Lab Locations: Aviara Golf Academy-Four Seasons Resort in Carlsbad, California; Reynolds Plantation-Ritz Carlton Lodge in Greensboro, Georgia; Grand Cypress Golf Academy at the Grand Cypress Resort in Orlando, Florida.