Callaway RAZR Release date Feb 2011

Callaway Golf has announced its new product range - for equipment hitting the shelves early next year - at the Golf Europe Trade Show in Munich, Germany. The new range includes the RAZR Hawk line and Callaway Diablo Octane Black Driver.

The new Diablo Octane  drivers launch in November 2010. The Octane black is exclusive to European markets, in both Standard and Tour models.  

Meanwhile, the new RAZR Hawk drivers will launch in spring of 2011. The Callaway RAZR Hawk driver is the most aerodynamic 460cc driver Callaway has ever produced. They are joined by the newRAZR Hawk hybrids.

When it is available for sale we shall let you know.

New Mizuno Golf waterproofs

Never one to miss a trick, Mizuno stepped in to the waterproof debate by choosing October 1 - first  day of a drenched Ryder Cup - to announce its latest range of waterproof gear -  the  ImpermaLite GEO rainsuit with fusion welded technology

According to Mizuno, the welded seams in the all black suit eliminates stitching - the first point of entry in heavy rain - and fuses waterproof panels into one impenetrable layer.

“By completely eliminating the stitching process, there are no holes to protect and the seams are as waterproof as the rest of the garment, " says Clint Vosloo, in charge of Mizuno apparel development. "This is our ultimate lightweight waterproof for the very worst weather.”

With the American team allegedly having to raid the packed merchandising tent at Celtic Manor to shell out for a brand new waterproof jacket and over-trousers,  one American player described the previous garment like “putting a towel in a bath full of water, taking it out and wrapping it around yourself. Not to appealling

Not the best headlines for SM

While it was their regular golf equipment that played the shots that won and lost the Ryder Cup, it was the US team’s Sun Mountain rain suits that grabbed all the headlines.

Most of the US team players had to buy replacement gear from ProQuip, the manufacturers who supplied the European team - complete with European Logo when their original rain gear proved too bulky in the Welsh weather on Friday.

“My suit was fine. I had no problems. But I wasn’t playing,” said US captain Corey Pavin. “They just didn’t perform the way they were supposed to perform, and so we just went out and bought some more.”

“Some people had some problems with them,” said Bubba Watson. “Some water was seeping through, but we [with partner Jeff Overton] were winning so we were having a good time.”

In terms of hardware there were some interesting last-minute moves. Rory McIlroy used the latest 460cc Titleist 910D2 driver, while under the pressure of his first Ryder Cup, Ross Fisher switched back to the same Titleist 909D3 driver used Steve Stricker.

The putt that finally turned the tide in Europe’s favour was holed on the 16th green by Graeme McDowell, using his trusty Odyssey White Hot No.7.

Most popular ball was the Titleist ProV1x used by six Europeans and five Americans. Stricker used the ProV1.

Skycaddie SGX Gets Furyks Approval

On the heels of Jim Furyk winning the TOUR Championship and capturing the 2010 FedEx Cup, and as he prepares to help the United States Ryder Cup Team defend its title, SkyGolf, maker of SkyCaddieR, today announced that the PGA TOUR star has extended his Advisory Board position with the Company through 2014.

Highly regarded caddie, Mike “Fluff” Cowan, who is preparing to participate in his 10th Ryder Cup this weekend, and who was on the bag for Furyk’s record breaking season, is also a member of the SkyCaddie Advisory Board.

In signing a three-year extension with SkyGolf, Furyk emphasizes the importance of the player/caddie relationship. “Having Fluff by my side on the golf course is critical to my shotmaking ability, as I am always armed with the relevant course information to hit my next shot with confidence,” said Furyk.

“Fluff always walks the course prior to a tournament, checking and rechecking distances in his yardage book from every angle, which guides us through every shot during a tournament. For amateurs, without question, SkyCaddie SGX is the closest thing to the actual yardage book that Fluff and I rely on at every competition.”

“We congratulate Jim Furyk on a spectacular year, and we wish him luck as a member of the United States Ryder Cup Team as they prepare to defend the cup against the Europeans this weekend in Wales,” said Richard Edmonson, CEO, SkyGolf.

“Amateur golfers deserve the same reliable distance information that a Jim Furyk gets from his trusted caddie, Fluff.  And that’s why we are the only ones to invest the time and the money to verify distances the same way a TOUR caddie does, by walking the course.  Not a single caddie or player on TOUR trusts satellite images or flyovers for their critical distances, so why would we do anything less for our customers as we strive to help them play better.”

Cowan, who will be participating in his 10th Ryder Cup this coming weekend and has caddied on the PGA TOUR for four decades, has not only enjoyed a successful tenure with Furyk, but he has been on the bag for dozens of tournament wins, including the 1997 Masters. He has caddied for notable players such as Tiger Woods, Peter Jacobsen, Michelle Wie and other professionals.

New ProQuip Golf Waterproofs

ProQuip’s TourFlex Playing Top

As Europe sealed victory at the Ryder Cup, ProQuip, the specialist Scottish weatherwear company, prepared to respond to phenomenal international demand, especially from America, for its new range of products.

While ProQuip was the Preferred Weatherwear Supplier to the European Ryder Cup Team, in unprecedented scenes during the opening morning’s weather delay, ProQuip was asked unexpectedly to supply reserve rain suits to the American team, caddies and officials. As a result, more than 25 ProQuip TourFlex suits were sold from the official merchandise tent.

Unsurprisingly, amid the appalling weather that plagued the match, ProQuip waterproofs sold out of rain suits at the Celtic Manor Resort.

Now, the newly relaunched brand is facing a new deluge – demand for its new products.

Paul Gerrard, a Director of the Edinburgh Woollen Mill, which acquired ProQuip in summer 2009 and has invested significantly in new products, leading to a 50% increase in revenues year-on-year, said: “The response to events at the Ryder Cup has been phenomenal. We have had buyers and retailers contacting us from all around the world, and especially America. They all want to know if they can order ProQuip products.

“What I can say is that we are close to securing a deal that will enable ProQuip to re-enter the American market and re-establish a specialist brand from the home of golf, Scotland, whose expertise is focused on one product sector alone – weatherwear.”

Paul Gerrard also said that plans were afoot to accelerate ProQuip’s expansion into Continental Europe and that major distributors are being sought.

A total of 17 new ProQuip weatherwear products have been launched in the past 14 months and while the brand is best known for its ultra-lightweight, quiet rain suits, it has recently introduced an innovative Water Repellent Knitwear collection, featuring premium British lambswool and luxury Italian spun Merino, specially treated so that water beads up and runs off the wool.

“We were already enjoying a resurgence in sales before the Ryder Cup,” continued Paul Gerrard. “Now, the publicity and brand awareness generated by the Ryder Cup is enabling us to rapidly build on that success and turn demand into sales.”

Gerrard added: “While we would have never wished for so much rain at the Ryder Cup, it just goes to show that every cloud does indeed have a silver lining.”

Cobra S3 Irons and S3 Pro

We gave you an early look at the new Cobra S3 Driver a few weeks ago and the buzz is that they are going to be making a Cobra S3 Iron and a Cobra S3 Pro iron

Nothing has been confirmed yet hoever i have heard from two different sources that an S3 iron model is likely and it would make sense.

We shall up date you in due course

ProQuip Waterproofs

Edinburgh-based suppliers of Proquip waterproofs must be busting with pride when the American Ryder Cup team visited the ProQuip stire at the tented village and bought some suits for the team. (not actually sure if they actually paid for these or not) It will be interesting to see if they are actually going to wear them as the weather has been OK since they purchased these suits

The European team have the  lightweight suits to protect the players from the inspected squalls blowing across the TwentyTen course at The Celtic Manor, have reputedly had significant in put from European captain Colin Montgomerie, who has left nothing to chance in ensuring his team is best prepared.

The accompanying product publicity says 'rain or shine, when the opening tee shots are struck on Friday, Monty will know his men are fully prepared to win in all weathers.' And ProQuip's managing director Richard Head is convinced it's no idle boast - indeed it may well serve as Monty's secret weapon.

More Titleist 910 Driver Info

I have recently seen these new drivers and the technology for fitting is fantastic and this will add a new dimension to driver custom fitting.

Below is a bit more info and some of the specs available.

Titleist is set to provide amateur club golfers with its latest technology - and its answer to the adjustable-headed driver phenomenon that is proving so popular within the golf industry.

Already the Titleist 910 D3 driver with a 445cc head is in play with many players on the PGA and European Tours - and in this week's Ryder Cup. Now a Titleist 910 D2 version, with a larger, 460cc head, will be available for the rest of us.

Titleist says its 910 metals are ' the longest, most stable the company has ever produced.' 

Steve Pelisek, vice president of golf club sales and marketing for Titleist, told me at the recent launch at Walton Heath Golf Club: "910 metals feature patented, innovative SureFit Tour hosel technology that allows loft and lie to be independently adjusted and set for maximum effectiveness.

 
"These precise adjustments were born from our Tour fitting practices and are why we call SFT 'a Tour van in a hosel.'"

Both the Titleist 910 D2 and 910D3 will be available in 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5-degree lofts in right and left-handed models. The key difference is the different-sized heads and while the 910D2 is made for 'maximum playabilty and forgiveness', the 910D3 has a deeper face and lower centre of gravity to generate a boring, penetrating flight, the pros and top amateurs prefer.

It's unclear why it has taken Titleist so long to introduce the adjustable technology that other brands including Callaway, Nike, TaylorMade and Mizuno have been using for upto two years. But no doubt the company wanted to make sure its Tour pros were totally satisfied with adapting to the adjustable technology before it launched a large-headed option to a wider public.

"We knew we could make a better driver. We had the opportunity to add technology and take it to a new level," said Pelisek, himself a two-handicap golfer. "It's the best we've made - it's faster, more stable, more playable and more workable.

"The SureFit Tour hosel is a more powerful tool than anything currently in the market.  It gives our Tour van fitter the chance to dial in the club that works best for our players."

Pelisek admits that sometimes Titleist tends to be pigeon-holed into a category of 'only for better players'.

"The new drivers have given us the opportunity to focus on performance," he said. "With the 910 D2 driver, we wanted to make available to all golfers the level of customisation and adjustability only previously available to Tour pros. So we started talking to consumers, to get all players fitted to a level they had never experienced before.

"Previously we had four driver heads, four shafts and grips that would have taken 3-4 hours to fit. Now it takes less than 45 minutes."

Titleist's new pair of drivers will be available at any one of dozens of Titleist SureFit facilities around the UK, together with a modernised 'cat-in-the-hat' headcover, pouch, wrench (capable of adjusting the hosel and head to 16 settings), a performance guide and selection of high quality shaft options. 

Titleist 910D2 460cc driver will sell at around £249-£279.

New Callaway Diablo Octane 460cc Video

Callaway’s latest driver, the Diablo Octane, is made with a very specific player in mind. “It’s really designed for the guy who is interested in distance, distance and more distance,” says Dr. Alan Hocknell, Callaway’s senior vice president of research and development.

While the new Callaway 460cc Diablo Octane shares some features with its predecessor, the Diablo Edge had a chemically-milled hyperbolic cup face and titanium sole plate—the biggest difference between the clubs is the use of a new material Callaway calls Forged Composite.

Created in conjunction with (yes, the Italian carmaker), Forged Composite is actually bundles of microscopically-thin carbon fibers that are randomly held together in a resin. The material is heated in a precisely-made tool which is then heated, causing the material to liquefy. It’s then pressed by another tool so it can ooze into each area of the first tool and create the shape Callaway designers want. (Presto! A carbon fiber forging.)

In the case of the Diablo Octane, the crown of the club is created using this process. You can actually see the material in windows on the crown itself. The weight saved using Forged Composite instead of titanium allowed designers to move more weight lower and farther from the face, which helps to lower the club’s center of gravity and make it easier to get ball up in the air. You can actually see the Forged Composite in the head.

Still, the clubhead is lighter overall than previous drivers, so Callaway fitted the Diablo Octane with a 46-inch shaft instead of the standard-length of 45 1/2”. The longer shaft should help golfers create more clubhead speed and power.

According to Hocknell, the Diablo Octane is eight yards longer off the tee than last season’s Diablo Edge.

Callaway has also made a Tour version of the Diablo Octane. Designed for better players, the head measures 450cc and is attached to the shaft using a hosel. However, the Forged Composite in the crown is not visible in this driver, because, as Hocknell says, better players want as few visual distractions as possible.

http://www.golf.com/golf/equipment/article/0,28136,2022556,00.html