Scotty Cameron Explained Scotty Cameron Scotty Cameron Explained Don T. "Scotty" Cameron (born November 8, 1962) is an American golf club maker primarily known for making putters for the Acushnet Company, which operates the Titleist brand of golf balls and clubs. The Scotty Cameron putter brand has been part of Titleist since 1994. Cameron was born in Glendale, California . He later moved to Fountain Valley where he grew up, attending high school in nearby Huntington Beach Edison High School . He now lives in Carlsbad, California with his wife and two daughters. In 1991, Cameron designed and manufactured putters and worked directly with select golf equipment manufacturers, including Maxfli, Cleveland and the Ray Cook Golf Company. During this year, he manufactured his first retail production putter, nicknamed the Fry's Pity Putter. [1] Later that year, Cameron began producing putters exclusively for Mizuno . In late 1992, Cameron and his wife, Kathy, set up Cameron Golf International and began selling the Scotty Cameron Classic line of putters.

In 1993, Bernhard Langer won the Masters Tournament using a Cameron [2] prototype putter. Langer's Masters Tournament win helped to jumpstart the Camerons' new company. In August 1994, Titleist fought off competition from five other companies to contract with Cameron to make putters exclusively for the Acushnet Company. [2] Since then, the Scotty Cameron brand has grown to be one of the leading names in golf. [3] In 1996, the first Scotty Cameron Putter Studio was established in San Diego’s North County where the top players in the world would come to analyze and understand their putting strokes and have custom putters created by Scotty. In 2004, the Acushnet Company expanded the Putter Studio’s square footage and capabilities. Cameron and his team moved to a new research and development facility built from the ground up. Additionally, the Putter Studio houses the Custom Shop, where anyone can prepare an order online and send a Scotty Cameron putter for restoration and/or customization. In 2007, the Scotty Cameron Museum & Gallery was opened in Japan near Tokyo.

It houses many one-of-a-kind Scotty Cameron products, putters and prototypes, including many personal artifacts. On May 20, 2011 - Fortune Brands , Inc. announced an agreement for the sale of its Acushnet Company golf business, including the Scotty Cameron brand, to a group led by Fila Korea Ltd., for $1.225 billion in cash. [4] According to Gene Yoon, chairman of Fila Korea, the acquisition provides them with well-known brands to sell in emerging markets in Asia. [5] Future plans include opening a new Scotty Cameron golf gallery and boutique in Encinitas, California open to the public where amateur golfers can experience the same fitting experience as professional tour players. Tiger Woods using Scotty Cameron putters Tiger Woods used a Scotty Cameron for the majority of his career and during 13 of his 14 major championships (he used a different Scotty Cameron putter in his 1997 Masters victory). It is made of 303 German Stainless Steel. It has a single sight dot and a red "cherry dot" on both the face and in the back cavity.

The putter also has a blank sole and has "Tiger" on the left bumper and "Woods" on the right bumper. Tiger uses a Ping grip on his putter. Woods had used a Scotty Cameron putter for all of his professional golf victories up to December 2011. His most used Scotty Cameron putter was first put into play in July 1998. In 2010, Woods switched from the putter he had been using since 1999 to a Nike Method 001 putter. [6] This change was not without controversy and Woods spent almost a year experimenting with different Nike models before settling on a configuration he liked. [7] Major victories A number of other professional golfers use Scotty Camerons including those that are on staff of many other major golf companies (Nike, Taylormade, Callaway, etc.). Since 1993, more than 500 worldwide tournaments and about 1/3 (Tiger Woods has won almost 1/2 of these with his Scotty Cameron putter) of the four majors have been won by a player using a Scotty Cameron putter.

In 1996, The Scotty Cameron brand won its first putter count on Tour via the Darrell Survey. Scotty Cameron putters rank second in wins in the modern era, behind Ping. [8] Santa Fe, Newport 2 and Sonoma models were added. 1997 Teryllium series was introduced, featuring an alloy face insert . Three models were initially released: Newport, Newport 2 and Santa Fe. 1998 Oil Can Classics, a revision of the Classics product line was released with a new oil can finish. Teryllium Del Mar 2, and "Long Neck" versions of the Newport and Newport 2 were released. 1999 The second generation Teryllium II series was launched, with a polymer cushion added behind face insert to soften the feel. Pro Platinum series was introduced, featuring a non-glare finish, and available in four models: Newport mid-slant, Del Mar 3, Laguna 2, and Sonoma 2 mid-slant. 2000 The Oil Can Classics series was discontinued. Mil-Spec Newport putter was released, featuring different length, weight, and lie angle options to allow for custom fitting.

2001 Studio Design series was introduced, featuring a classic blade-style design, and were the first Cameron/Titleist putters missing the familiar California names. There were four models: 1, 1.5, 2 and 3. Bulls Eye, Cameron's interpretation of the classic design in a "pro platinum" finish, was released with two models options: flange and non-flange. 2002 The Teryllium II series was discontinued. Studio Stainless series was introduced. They were milled from 303 stainless steel and available in four models: Newport, Newport 2, Newport 2.5 and Newport Beach. 2003 The Pro Platinum series was discontinued. Futura model was introduced with a radically different design from anything Cameron had produced in the past, and available in standard and mid (44" long) models. 2004 Red X, mallet-style, series was introduced, featuring a high-grade stainless steel face insert intended to enhance feel. 2005 The Studio Stainless series was discontinued. Studio Style series was introduced, mimicking the appearance of the Studio Stainless while incorporating the insert technology of the Red X.

This series featured four models: Newport, Newport 1.5, Newport 2, Newport 2.5. The Futura series was renamed Futura Phantom and its appearance updated, with two mallet-style putters added to the line. 2006 Circa ’62 series, referring the year Cameron was born, was introduced, featuring a classic design similar to that of the Studio Design series, with models named in the same numeric fashion (1,2,3 & 5). Red X Mid (43") and Long (48") models were added. Detour model was introduced featuring a very unconventional design. Napa Valley limited edition was released, with 2006 pieces (1,800 right-hand and 206 left-hand) available. 2007 The Circa ’62model line was updated with a new "Charcoal Mist" finish, and the number 5 model was replaced with the 6. The Red X series had two new models introduced that did not feature the face insert of the originals. The Detour series was adapted for use in two "conventional" putter models: Newport and Newport 2.5.

Teryllium Ten (T10) limited edition was released, featuring a brilliant black pearl finish, stepless chrome shafts, and a hand-stitched leather grip. There were 2007 pieces available in each of the Newport 2, and Newport 2.5 models. Catalina Classic limited edition is released with 2007 pieces available. 2008 The Studio Style series was discontinued. Studio Select series was introduced. An update to the studio style, it had a higher toe designed to prevent pulling putts to the left, factory adjustable weights near the heel and the toe, a solid stainless face and the tour "cherry bombs" on the back and on the head cover. It was available in Newport, Newport 1.5, Newport 2 and Newport 2 midslant models. Button Back Newport and Button Back Newport 2, similar to the Studio Select line but with a copper insert in the face, was introduced. It was available in limited quantities of 4000 each worldwide. Cameron introduced what he called one of his "finest creations", the Damascus 009.

2009 Studio Select Kombi, Studio Select Kombi Mid and Studio Select Kombi Long, all mallet style, were added to the Studio Select series. The "California" Series was released, bringing back older models Del Mar, Coronado, Sonoma, Monterey in a honey dipped finish with interchangeable weights similar to the "Studio Select" line. The "Napa California" was also released in a Gun Blue finish and a leather headcover. It was the first limited edition putter to feature the "Pittard's" leather stitchback grip, with 3,500 made (3,250 right-hand and 250 left-hand) available. 2012 The previous models "Studio Select Kombi", Newport, Newport 2, Newport 1.5, Newport 2.5, and the Newport 2.5 Notchback remained large favorites. Most of these models were improved upon with the edition of a black matte finish. The California series models continued to be produced, The Del Mar, Coronado, Sonoma, Monterey, and Napa models.

Cameron introduced the newest edition to the putters offered, the "GoLo." The GoLo and the Kombi are offered in 3 sizes continued from 2009, the Kombi/GoLo Regular(33 in, 34 in, and 35 in), the Kombi/GoLo Mid(43 in and 44 in), and the Kombi/GoLo Long(47–49 in). Players Tiger Shelves Scotty Cameron Newport 2 for Nike Method 001 Tiger Shelves Scotty Cameron Newport 2 for Nike Method 001 By Rick Young Created: July 13, 2010 Rick Young Comments Comments Share on TwitterShare Share on FacebookShare Whether it’s a permanent exile is anybody’s guess at this point but when Tiger Woods opens play Thursday at the Open Championship at St. Andrews he’ll do so without his trusty Scotty Cameron by Titleist Newport 2 putter, the same flat-stick he’s employed for 13 of his 14 major championships. In its place the world’s No.

1 player will put his faith in a Nike Method 001 putter, a product drawing rave reviews this season for its Polymetal Groove technology. The Method 001 is the same putter design used by Nike tour staff members Stewart Cink and Lucas Glover to win the 2009 Open Championship and U.S. Open respectively. For almost the entire Nike Golf tour staff the Method has become the putter of choice. At his presser yesterday at St. Andrews Woods announced the change, suggesting slower greens speeds at the Old Course this week prompted the decision to switch. Here’s Woods’ take: “It’s one of those things where I’ve always struggled on slower greens. I’ve always putted well on faster greens. This putter does come off the clubface faster with the new groove technology. It rolls the ball better, and rolls it faster. So these greens, I’ve had to make very little adjustment in how hard I’m hitting it compared to if I had my older putter.” Based on Woods’ statement, the putter switch might only be temporary until he returns to the United States although there is no doubt Nike Golf would love to see this putter change made permanent.

Personally, I think the company has been hurt by Woods’ continued loyalty to his Newport 2, although nothing Nike has done previously in the category compares to the Method. It is no doubt Nike’s strongest technology platform to date. In an interview I did last year with Nike Golf putter designer David Franklin at the Oven in Fort Worth, Texas, he mentioned Woods had input in the Method design (as he often does with other Nike golf products) and has tinkered with many of the company’s putters in the past. He has maintained a Nike putter as his backup for quite some time even using it on occasion. Woods used one at Nova Scotia’s Fox Harb’r a couple of years ago during a made-for-television special. Never though has he used a Swoosh putter product during a PGA Tour event or major championship. Prior to the Newport 2 built for him in 1999 by Cameron, Woods employed a Ping Anser putter through his amateur days and early in his pro career. John Solheim, Ping’s CEO, showed me the series of gold Ansers in Ping’s putter vault in Phoenix a couple of years back to commemorate Woods’ three straight U.S. Amateur victories.

Interestingly enough, Tiger still employs a Ping pistol putter grip (with the letters blacked out) and remains loyal to that same heel-toe weighted Anser design. He’s used that style of putter since his junior golf days. Woods has been asked previously, including by yours truly, about switching putters to match the rest of his Nike golf bag. His answer remains fairly standard. “I’ve tried other putters and some of them do feel better than mine but it’s tough to get my gamer out of there,” he told a group of us at a Nike product event in Las Vegas in 2007. “Coming down the stretch on Sunday when I need to make a putt, I know my putter has done it.” It might not have quite the same impact as Lebron James leaving Cleveland but in golf equipment terms this switch is certainly breaking news. It should be interesting to see how this Scotty Cameron Newport 2 vs. Nike Method putter confrontation plays out this week at St. Andrews and beyond.

Related Articles: Rory McIlroy won't renew with Titleist | Golf.com (RELATED: Nike Homepage | Titleist Homepage | See-Try-Buy) Woods and David Duval also became close toward the end of 2000, when they played together in the World Cup in Argentina and then flew together on Woods' private jet to start the year at Kapalua. It wasn't long before Duval, in a legal dispute with Titleist, signed on with Nike. A Nike official said it would not comment on ``rumors and speculation,'' not even when it would announce its roster for the 2013 season. Nike has money to spend, and McIlroy won't be the only player added to the Swoosh stable next year. Two people with knowledge of his plans say Nick Watney is headed from Titleist to Nike. It might look as if McIlroy is headed down the same path as Woods, but the difference is in how they change equipment. Woods spent five years switching out his equipment from Titleist to Nike, with an additional five years to leave his old Scotty Cameron putter. McIlroy would have only two months.

When he turned pro in 1996, Woods had a five-year deal with Nike that was mainly about brand and apparel. He also had a five-year deal with Titleist for equipment. The long-term deal with Nike (renewals of five years and seven years, with the stakes going up each time), allowed Woods to change equipment at his own pace. He went to the Nike golf ball at a European Tour event in Germany in 2000, and then went on to win the next four majors. He didn't go to the Nike driver until February 2002 at Pebble Beach, and then he won the first two majors that year (though he briefly went back to the Titleist driver in the summer). Woods went to the Nike irons at a World Golf Championship in Ireland in 2002, one week before the Ryder Cup, which led to a memorable exchange. Asked why he would switch irons a week before such a big event like the Ryder Cup, Woods said to a reporter, ``Off the record?

Because the majors are over.'' When asked for a comment on the record, Woods paused and said, ``Because the majors are over.'' He won that WGC event and contributed 2 1/2 points in a losing cause at The Ryder Cup. Woods went another year before adding Nike's 56-degree wedge, and three weeks later he went to the lob wedge. The 3-wood was added at Doral in 2005 and the 5-wood came into play at the Tour Championship seven months later. The last change was the putter, first used at St. Andrews in 2010. Before leaving Malaysia, Woods reflected on his process of change, noting the ball was the ``huge switch'' because he went from a wound ball to solid construction, which is the model everyone now uses. Yes, there are players whose game suffers after an equipment change. Woods was quick to point out guys like Ernie Els, who has won majors with three brands of equipment (Lynx, TaylorMade and Callaway). Is it better to change slowly or all at once? ``Whatever is best for them,'' he said.

``It's all dependent on what they want to accomplish and what do they feel like they can play their best in. Granted, I know sometimes the (financial) numbers may persuade it, but also some of the guys that I've known over the years have turned it down because they know that they can play better in certain equipment.'' Change for McIlroy comes at a crucial time in his burgeoning career. Along with new clubs, there will be more scrutiny. And if success doesn't come right away, Faldo said there could be doubt. ``It's the feel and confidence of knowing that your equipment will perform how you want it to perform on Sunday afternoon,'' Faldo said. ``You can't mess with that at such a young age.'' More From the Web Pressure surrounds Rory McIlroy, Nike 5-year deal -- golf comment ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates -- That waterfront home Rory McIlroy recently bought in South Florida for just less than $10 million? No problem. The Nike deal announced Monday should take care of that -- in less than a year. Such are the spoils of success that a young golfer from Northern Ireland who already has captured two major championships should be set for life.

McIlroy was trotted out to amazing fanfare on Monday in this capital city, a presentation that featured lasers, loud music, video tributes and even the unveiling of a new Nike commercial featuring McIlroy and Tiger Woods that will debut Wednesday -- a day before Nos. 1 and 2 in the world are scheduled to play together in the first round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. It was a day that has been coming for months, ever since reports began to circulate that McIlroy would be leaving Titleist at the end of his contract and joining Woods at Nike, which didn't even make golf clubs when Woods signed on in 1996. Initially, stories trickled out that McIlroy would be paid a whopping $250 million over 10 years, numbers that appear inflated. A source said McIlroy's deal is for five years, which seems more realistic (Woods never got 10 years), with the annual haul still quite lucrative. Incentives (i.e., major championships) are clearly in play, and McIlroy will undoubtedly surpass the career earnings of all but a few players with the Nike deal alone.

He is still free to put a sponsor on his golf bag, and there will be numerous opportunities to collect appearance fees, as is the case at this European Tour event, while earning a nice sum on the course, too. So what about the golf? Now comes the part when a good deal of scrutiny will be in play. McIlroy seemed to do just fine with the Titleist clubs and balls he was using, winning two majors at an earlier age than even Tiger. Although golf clubs today are highly refined with mountains of technology that allows players to fine-tune launch angle, spin rate and all manner of measurements to determine how to hit the ball far and straight, such a switch does not come without risk. Certainly, Nike doesn't want to pay this kind of money without the rewards of seeing McIlroy perform well with the clubs. And that, you would think, brings a certain level of uneasiness to the player, although McIlroy had no trouble tackling that issue. "The most pressure I feel is the pressure I put on myself," he said. "I know if I live up to my own expectations, I know I'll more than live up to everyone else's.

I'll play as well as I can, and hopefully that turns into tournament wins and more major victories." Rory McIlroy will be playing a full slate of Nike clubs as well as the company's golf ball starting this week at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship. Matthew Lewis/Getty Images McIlroy raved about the new cavity-backed driver he will put in play Thursday and seems comfortable with the firm Nike golf ball he has tested, one that helps limit the enormous spin he puts on the ball. He will also use the Nike Method putter, but would not answer a question posed as to whether he is allowed to go back to his Scotty Cameron model. For years, the putter was the lone club Woods did not switch out in his bag, sticking with the Cameron, a Titleist brand, until 2010. For Woods, the situation was far different, as he put Nike clubs in his bag over a period of years, and he made the switch despite no hard evidence of success by the company in golf. "I wouldn't say trepidation, but any time you make a change in equipment, it can have a huge impact on your game," Woods said in an email.

"I haven't put anything in my bag unless I felt it was better than what I was using. What you're looking for is success on the golf course. Is the equipment going to help me win golf tournaments? If the answer is yes, then it's in the bag. If the answer is no, then it's not. "I still spend significant time with Nike on equipment. There's testing and tweaking involved, and it's very time consuming. It's hours and days at a time. We're coming up with some cool, innovative products, but it's a lot of work and a lot of hitting balls." Although Woods and McIlroy got to be friendly over the past year, McIlroy said in a brief interview after the festivities that Woods never tried to recruit him to the company, nor did McIlroy reach out for any advice. "I didn't speak about it to Tiger," McIlroy said. "I didn't say anything, and I don't think he wanted to influence me, either. We didn't talk about it at all -- not until after it was all done. "I was comfortable with what I was doing. I talked to the people who were closest to me about it. I trust their judgment 100 percent.

I was really excited, and it's something I really wanted to do." The fear will come if McIlroy struggles -- even though his clubs could have no bearing. What happens the first time McIlroy has a fall-off in form? He did have a stretch last summer when he missed four of five cuts. It probably had nothing to do with his equipment, but inevitably a rough patch will elicit questions about equipment. "It would be very short-sighted of us as players to accept financial reward for equipment that's not going to take us places long-term," said McIlroy's friend, Graeme McDowell . "Rory is 23, 24 years old. He's never going to struggle for cash. He's perhaps one of the most marketable sportsmen in the world right now. "I'm thinking he's probably looking beyond the money; he's looking about what they can do for him, brand building and making him a household name and a global superstar. I really don't think -- of course, a dollar amount comes into it, but he's not going to be taking a dollar amount for a company who has inferior golf equipment, also.

He wants to win majors, and he wants to win golf tournaments." McIlroy maintained that was the case. He feels better about his ability to hit the Nike driver he will use, saying he has gained distance off the tee in the testing he has done. Then again, McIlroy is so talented that McDowell said he could probably succeed "using a shovel." Over time, plenty of players have switched equipment. It is part of the game, and it doesn't always work out for the best. In McIlroy's case, he'll get paid handsomely for us to find out. GolfCrunch.com - Golf Equipment News and Reviews - Part 9 by James on March 19, 2011 in Golf Equipment , Irons , Manufacturers , Mizuno with No comments Tweet Mizuno irons have long been the cream of the crop. In fact, when Tiger was rising to prominence, I believe he had a set of Mizuno blades, which, Titleist ‘copied’ for him when he played Titleist clubs (someone please correct me if I’m wrong).

That said, the Mizuno MP-68 irons are some of the most beautiful blades you’ll find on the market… if not THE most beautiful. If you get a rush from classic styling, look and feel, the MP68’s are the ultimate. The MP-68 irons incorporate Mizuno’s 3D muscle technology. The muscle design is the result of intensive research, and is designed to deliver a center-of-gravity (COG) much lower on the face to provide a penetrating (and workable) ball flight. If you like driving the ball low, with the ability to shape your shot… the MP-68’s should be on your short list. The Mizuno MP-68’s also feature a Tour Confirmed sole shape. The shape of the sole allows for just the right amount of turf contact for perfect contact every time. To top it all off, Mizuno puts the irons through their ‘Grain Flow Forging Process’. This process enhances the flow and tightness of the grains of metal in the head. In the end, this maximizes the strength of the club without sacrificing any bit of feel. When the process is finished, you end up with a buttery-soft shot-shaping delight.

by James on March 17, 2011 in Golf Equipment , Cobra , Drivers , Manufacturers with No comments Tweet As part of their 2011 lineup, Cobra recently released the brand-spanking new S3 Driver. Building upon the foundation laid by the S9, and then the S2 , the S3 features a new ‘E9’ face technology… a technology that creates a 30% larger sweet spot. Plus, the Adjustable Flight Technology built into the club head and shaft allows you to make adjustments to fine tune your shot shape or compensate for shot tendencies. So what is the Cobra E9 Face Technology all about? It’s pretty darn simple, really. The face of the S3 features a taller elliptical face with a beveled perimeter. The end result is a 30% larger sweet spot, allowing you to grip it and rip it down the middle more often. Distance, accuracy and forgiveness are all built-in. Digging deeper into the E9 Face Technology, Cobra has tested and proven that 99% of shots hit by golfers miss the center of the face in a tilted, elliptical pattern from low heel to high toe.

With that in mind, they created a taller and more elliptical face to mirror that miss-hit pattern. The S3 offers a ‘hotter’ club face in comparison to the S2 driver … take a look at the comparison of the S2 and S3 clubface below. The Adjustable Flight Technology (AFT) built into the shaft and head is exactly the same as previous models (the S2 and ZL ). The club comes with three settings, open, neutral and closed. While these three settings aren’t as many as some of the other technologies available today, some might argue that anything more than 3 settings is overkill. I do enjoy the simplicity of the Cobra AFT… Open, neutral or closed… pick your poison and work with it. Easy as that. The Cobra S3 is available in 8.5, 9.5, 10.5 and 11.5 lofts. All models are available in 45.5″ lengths with D5 swing weight (the 11.5 is available in a D4 as well) and multiple shaft flexes. The Fukijura Blur is the stock shaft of choice, available in the TX006 and TX005 models.

The tX006 is available in regular, stiff and extra-stiff, all having a mid kick and 5.5 degrees of torque. The TX005 comes in lite flex only, with a low kick point and 5.6 degrees of torque. Cobra S3 Photo Gallery by James on March 15, 2011 in Golf Equipment , Cleveland , Drivers , Manufacturers with No comments Tweet Listed on the GolfDigest HOT LIST for 2011, Cleveland Golf’s Launcher TL310 Driver is the real deal. The ‘TL’ stands for Tour Lite, with the driver weighing in at 310 grams. Despite the lightness of the club, it is still said to offer stability and feel demanded by the scratch golfer… with room for error for higher handicaps as well. Yes, the club is a good fit for almost any golfer, no matter if they’re looking for shot-shaping or forgiveness off the tee. For what it’s worth, the TL310 is just part of the ‘Right Weight’ fitting system. The Launcher Ultralite series consists of 3 weights (310g, 290g and 270g).

Each of these models is tuned to help players of different swing types and speeds. The Cleveland Golf Launcher TL310 Driver features a 202 gram head, a 59-series shaft from Miyazaki C. Kua, and a 46 gram Lamkin grip. These of course are stock options, so if you’re looking to tune something specifically for your game, your best bet is to hit up an authorized Cleveland Golf retailer to get started. Image Gallery: Specs: The TL310 is available in lofts of 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5. The 9.5 and 10.5 lofts are available in left-handed models as well. All models pack a 440cc club head, feature a shaft length of 45.25, feature a D4 swingweight and tip the scales at 310 grams. For more, head on over to Cleveland Golf . by James on March 15, 2011 in News , Manufacturers , PING with No comments Tweet If you play PING, chances are you keep an eye on the latest technology from the company.

The legendary manufacturer, founded by the one-and-only Karsten Solheim revolutionized the golf club by introducing perimeter weighting… allowing average and skilled players alike to benefit from a much larger sweet spot. I could babble on for awhile about PING, but that’s not the point of this post. The point is to tell you about the PING app for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad! This official application if free to download, and packs quite a few features. Inside you’ll find the ability to locate the nearest PING authorized retail centre or fitting centre with AFS or nFlight capabilities. You’ll also be able to view an up-to-date product lineup… it’s always fun to browse through clubs, right? Right! In addition you’ll also find an in-depth library of educational and historical videos… and finally, you can get club and set recommendations via the nFlight web tool. All in all, the PING app for iPhone is a must-have for any PING fan. It’s free to download, keeps you up-to-date on the company… and heck, it’s just a lot of fun to play around with.

by James on March 14, 2011 in Golf Equipment , Drivers , Manufacturers , TaylorMade with No comments Tweet With the TaylorMade R11 Driver dubbed as the ‘it’ club for the first half of 2011, golf fanatics are scrambling like mad to get their hands on one. From head-to-toe, this driver is a unique piece of work. From the white paint job to the almost endless customizations of lie and loft… the R11 has found its way into many a tour pro’s bag, with much success. To help feed the addiction to all things TaylorMade, and more specifically the R11, we’ve put together a small photo gallery for your viewing pleasure. You can go ahead and check ’em out below. by James on November 5, 2010 in Golf Equipment , Cobra , Drivers , Manufacturers with 1 Comment Tweet When it comes to stylish and powerful golf clubs, one of the names that comes to mind (for me, anyways) is Cobra Golf. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they’ve graciously sent me their Cobra S2 Driver and Cobra ZL Driver for review… Yeah, you know what, that’s what it is!

🙂 But seriously, the folks at Cobra-Puma Golf are on more of the ‘cutting edge’ when it comes to combining solid golf clubs and stylish apparel. This story is perhaps a mesh of the two. A wonderful, wonderful mesh of the two. Cobra Golf has announced a limited edition ‘all-white’ ZL driver . How awesome is that!? You thought the TaylorMade Rossa Corza Ghost putter looked slick, wait until you feast your eyes on this bad boy. To start, below are a few images of the all-white Cobra ZL driver in-use by Ian Poulter : Only 500 of these drivers have been made, and each is marked with a production serial number. Also of note, Cobra staffer Ian Poulter is using the all-white ZL Driver at the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions event in Shanghai, China. Gotta love that Ian Poulter. So stylish. I’ve included the official press release after the jump for your reference. All of the club specs and features are there, so you may want to give it a read if you’re interested in this one.

It’s certainly a one-of-a-kind, er… well, perhaps a 500-of-a-kind item… and speaking from experience, the Cobra ZL is a very solid, workable and explosive driver off the tee. Let it be known… I want one of these. by Annie Latham on September 29, 2010 in Golf Equipment , Manufacturers , Putters , Yes! with No comments Tweet It’s not often that the K.I.S.S. philosophy is applied to golf equipment. But that was the case of the putter Jim Furyk used to win the Tour Championship ($11.35 million) and FedEx Cup. Furyk played with a heel-shafted, Yes! Golf Sophia putter which he purchased used at Joe & Leigh’s Discount Golf Shop just outside Boston. According to the “The Tour Van” story posted by Jennifer Gardner, Furyk found the flat stick after putting poorly at the Deutsche Bank Championship, held at the TPC Boston. He was looking for a heel-shafted putter with no alignment aids – “I just wanted it as simple as it could be, heel shafted,” he said – and found the Yes! Sophia putter.

He shelled out a whopping $39 for it. The little putter that could is now on its way to Wales for the Ryder Cup. ### by James on September 28, 2010 in News , Golf Equipment , Manufacturers , More... , Nike Golf , Putters with 1 Comment Tweet Perhaps I’m seeing things here… But take a peek at the picture above. Is that Tiger Woods with another Nike Method Putter in his hands? Well yessir, it certainly is. Snapped during practice for the 2010 Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor, one can clearly see the Nike Method 003 under his arm. Oh no Tiger, say it ain’t so. We all know what happened the last time Tiger made a putter change … at the 2010 British Open he gave a Method putter a go in the bag. But that experiment was short lived, and after some mediocre putting on the greens, his trusty Scotty Cameron went back to its rightful place. What should be interesting to see is if Tiger sticks with the Method during continued practice, and into the matches on Friday.

Conventional thinking would have one believe if his Scotty Cameron was good enough to win 14 professional majors, it should be good enough for another 14. When it comes to putting, I’ve found it’s more of a deal with the space between one’s ears than the putter in one’s hand. Obviously Tiger feels otherwise. What’s your take? Should Tiger be fiddling around with his equipment? Or should he be more focused on getting his mental game back to the state that brought him so much success? Should be an interesting weekend… can’t wait! by James on September 28, 2010 in Golf Equipment , Drivers , Manufacturers , TaylorMade with No comments Tweet Besides being one of the ‘sexiest’ looking drivers to come out of TaylorMade ‘s workshop in recent memory, the Burner SuperFast TP Driver also features a lot of brawn to go along with its beauty. First off is the aerodynamic head shape. TaylorMade promises that the shape will help you get the club through the air faster during your backswing and downswing, therefore increasing your clubhead speed… which translates to more distance.

If you’ve seen the TV commercials, TaylorMade is all about pushing how ‘Fast’ the driver is. Guess that’s why they named it the ‘SuperFast’. Makes sense. The clubhead itself is maxed out at 460cc’s, and features a dual crown to promote a higher flight. If you prefer to keep the ball low, or like to see a more boring trajectory, the R9 is probably a wiser choice. Not only will the R9 come off lower off the clubface, but if you don’t like the launch angle or trajectory, you can always tweak up the loft and face angle. Finally, the Burner SuperFast TP Driver comes stock with a Matrix HD6 65 gram shaft for optimal trajectory and of course, ball speed off the clubface. 8.5, 9.5 and 10.5 degree options are available on all right-hand models… But sadly, only the 9.5 degree model of the SuperFast TP is available for lefties. That is, off the shelf anyway… 🙂 For more information on the Burner SuperFast TP Driver, or any other club in TaylorMade ‘s lineup, you can check out their website at TaylorMadeGolf.com .

Stuart Appleby wins Australian Masters, Tiger 4th Stuart Appleby wins Australian Masters, Tiger 4th November 15, 2010 Stuart Appleby received hardly any fanfare at the Australian Masters until he slipped on the gold jacket that a year ago belonged to Tiger Woods. He wasn’t among the five faces on promotional posters around Melbourne, nor was he invited to the gala dinner. And even though none of the others had more wins this year—and none had ever shot a 59 to win a PGA Tour event—that was fine with him. “I noticed it, but it was not even close to annoying me,” Appleby said Sunday after closing with a 6-under 65 for a one-shot victory. “I have an ego, no doubt about it. But it wasn’t like, ‘Oh, they haven’t got me up there?’ It’s the Tiger Woods show, and the others. You know what? It didn’t play out that way.” The only entertainment value from Woods came in his final hour, when he made two eagles over the final four holes and shot 65 to match his best score of the year.

He still ended a full year without winning, as he finished in fourth place as the defending champion. “I didn’t play good enough,” Woods said. “I didn’t make enough putts. That’s what happens.” Appleby was as golden as the winner’s jacket he wore. He rallied from a seven-shot deficit in the final round, stayed in the game by making a 30-foot par putt on the 16th, pulled ahead with a 25-foot birdie on the 17th and two-putted for birdie on the final hole. Adam Bland, who had a three-shot lead going into the final round, was the last one with a chance to catch him. Bland hit 6-iron to 10 feet on the par-5 18th, but missed the eagle putt that would have forced a playoff. Appleby already had reason to celebrate this year, winning The Greenbrier Classic with a 59 on the last day. This might have been even sweeter. It has been nine years since he won on home soil, dating to the 2001 Australian Open. It wasn’t from a lack of effort, or attention.

“We play around the world for big money and big tournaments and big fancy ratings and everything like that,” he said. “But you come home to Australia, and it’s real. That’s probably hurt me too many times, really wanting to win.” Not many would have given him much of a chance going into the final round seven shots behind. With four birdies on the front nine, he got back into the game, then holed the two long putts to finally win the third leg of the Australian Slam. He previously won the Australian PGA and the Australian Open. Appleby finished at 10-under 274 and won for the 12th time worldwide. About his only mistake was nearly missing the trophy presentation. Coming out of the bathroom, he saw what looked to be the closing ceremony on a big video screen, then heard his name announced as the winner and sprinted under the grandstands and onto the 18th green. Another big gallery—the Sunday attendance approached 18,000—stuck around to watch him. Appleby thanked them, realizing that they weren’t all there to watch him.

Woods was not quite the same character they saw a year ago at Kingston Heath, when record crowds topped 100,000 for the four rounds and the world’s No. 1 player—at the time, anyway—delivered a memorable performance with a wire-to-wire win. That was his 82nd victory around the world. It remains his last. Twelve days later, Woods was in a car accident outside his Florida home and soon after came revelations of extramarital affairs. He sat out for nearly months, struggled through the year with his game, was divorced from his wife and is still piecing his game together with a brand new swing. It remains a work in progress. He didn’t show up on the leaderboard at Victoria Golf Club until the final hour. The culprit all week was putting, and Woods replaced his reliable Scotty Cameron putter with a Nike Method version, which he uses at home in practice. It was the second time this year he swapped out putters, also doing it for three rounds at the British Open. Both times, he attributed the switch to slow greens. It wasn’t terribly effective either time.

Woods missed two par putts inside 4 feet on the front nine and fell as many as 12 shots behind. He played the final six holes in 6 under, highlighted by the eagle putts on the par-4 15th and a 15-footer on the par-5 18th that brought the only fist pump of the week. “It would have been nice if I had gotten off to that start,” Woods said. He finished three shots back at 7-under 277, the closest he has been to the winner all year. He also was three behind Graeme McDowell at Pebble Beach in the U.S. Open. Woods now gets two weeks at home—including Thanksgiving, where his troubles all began—before finishing out the year in California for his Chevron World Challenge. “I can do this in streaks,” he said of his final six holes, and referring to his Ryder Cup singles match when he played the last seven holes in 7 under par. “Unfortunately, I haven’t done this for an entire round. It takes time. The streaks are now lasting longer. I still need to do it for an entire round.

Obviously, I didn’t do it for 72 holes.” Appleby finished his amazing day by signing dozens of flags, along with a couple of posters that featured Woods, Geoff Ogilvy, Robert Allenby, Sergio Garcia and Camilo Villegas. “They could have put, ‘Mr. 59’ in capital letters down the bottom,” Appleby joked. “I don’t need a picture.” After 12 years, 72 wins and 13 major championships, Tiger Woods has a new putter in his bag After 12 years, 72 wins and 13 major championships, Tiger Woods has a new putter in his bag By Doug Ferguson, AP more images After 12 years, Woods leaning toward putter switch ST. ANDREWS, Scotland — After 12 years using the same putter, Tiger Woods finally is switching to the swoosh. Woods said Tuesday he will use a Nike Method putter at the British Open when he tries to become the first player to win the claret jug three times at St. Andrews.

In an era when some players switch putters during a tournament — Jesper Parnevik once carried two putters during a round — Woods has not changed the most important club in the bag since the 1999 Byron Nelson Classic. Over the next 12 years, he won 72 times around the world, including 13 majors. He did bring his Scotty Cameron putter made by Titleist — a Newport 2 model — with him to St. Andrews. But as he made his way through a practice round, he said, “I think I’m going to stick with this one.” It will be the first time that all 14 clubs in his bag were made by Nike. Woods attributed the change to the greens, which are slower than usual on links courses, especially this week at St. Andrews on what has been a relatively green course because of rain leading up to the championship. “It’s one of those things where I’ve always struggled on slower greens,” Woods said. “I’ve always putted well on faster greens. This putter does come off faster with the new groove technology. It rolls the ball better, and rolls it faster.

So these greens, I’ve had to make very little adjustment in how hard I’m hitting it compared to if I had my older putter.” The Old Course was so firm when he won with a record 19-under 269 in 2000 that the fairways were faster than the greens. The greens were also faster in 2005, when Woods won by five shots. Woods is coming off one of his worst putting performances two weeks ago at Aronimink, where he tied for 46th in the AT&T National. The putter is the second equipment change in as many tournaments. Woods also decided at Aronimink to play a different Nike ball with a slightly harder cover, giving him more distance and reducing the spin. He has the same ball in play at St. Andrews. Even so, it was the putter that made news because of how long he has had it. Woods signed with Titleist when he turned pro in 1996. He switched to the Nike ball in 2000, to the driver in 2002 and the irons that fall before the Ryder Cup.

The wedges and 3-wood eventually had the Nike swoosh, but not the putter. Until now. It was not clear whether he would switch back to his old putter when he played faster greens later this summer. Woods previously had used a Ping Anser 2 that once belonged to Mark O’Meara, who finished one shot ahead of Woods at the 1998 British Open at Royal Birkdale. O’Meara later joked with him, “Why do you think it was my backup?” Woods has been tempted to change putters before, mainly on slower greens. “My stroke has always been, even from when I was a junior golfer … I always feel more comfortable when the greens get quick,” said Woods, who has won four times each at Augusta National and Muirfield Village. “Some of my best putting rounds were when the greens were running at 14 or something like that on the stimp like at Memorial. I feel so comfortable on those type of greens. But on slower greens, I’ve always had a hard time. “I’ve always experimented with other putters throughout the years, but I’ve never put one in play until now.”

Question: In 2010, when Tiger Woods announced that would change to a Scotty Cameron, he was referring to a type of what?
Answer: Putter