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April 2008

Let's Play a Greener Game of Golf

Today is Earth Day and we're all reminded of how and why we should be more environmentally conscious of our impact on the planet. Now there is hype and there is fact about what is truly good for the environment, so these are a few ways we can be good earth citizens while on the golf course:

Okay action: Ride an electric cart.
Better action: Walk with your clubs in a Bag Boy Express 3 Wheel Cart.
(We have plenty of them available for sale, with Free Shipping).

Okay action: Recycle your plastic water bottles when you leave the course.
Better action: Get a metal, lined water bottle and fill it as you go along. (Bottled water is rarely better than tap water, especially from the Great Lakes).

Other Tips:

--Repair your divots.
--Replace your divots.
--Stay on the cart paths.
--Car pool to league events; it only takes a phone call.
--Trade your clubs in before they become worthless.
--Keep headcovers on your woods during the round so they maintain some value.
--Don't litter; trash on the course or along the cart paths is low life.
--Keep your spikes clean and in good shape; the greens will thank you.
--Don't buy gear, clothing or accessories you won't use or don't need.

These tips are good for the game, good for the environment and good for the golfer.

Posted on Apr 22, 2008.

The Cobra Baffler DWS –>Power + Distance < $150

TaylorMade may have coined the word ‘Rescue' for hybrids clubs, but the Cobra Baffler DWS is probably the best selling ‘rescue' club at our shop. (Customers routinely ask for a ‘rescue' club with a brand name attached. Kind of like asking for a Band-Aid when any small bandage will work).

I'm not surprised to see that Golf Magazine used the Baffler to compare with other Cobra 4-irons as an overall example for its readers. Cobra has irons for a whole range of golfers, along with two versions of the Baffler (DWS and Pro).

The Baffler DWS and 4-irons from the ProCB, FP and S9 models were struck from a fairway lie and recorded using a launch monitor. All clubs had stiff flex shafts. The Baffler DWS went 171 yards (carry) and generated the fastest ball speed (118.7mph). These scores were as much as 10% better than the S9 and 7.5% better than the ProCB. The FP was in between.

In other words, the Baffler could gain you as much as 15 yards over your current 4-iron if you're playing – or plan to play with – Cobra clubs. But whether you play with Cobra irons or not, if you don't use any iron above a 5-iron it really makes sense to try a hybrid.

Posted on Apr 16, 2008.

Adversity Hones a Winner

Facing the end of one's career, future--or life--can work like heat on steel: strengthening a person in ways not imaginable unless experienced. Today, Trevor Immelman won The Masters tournament after an exhausting year struggling with what looked like career ending illnesses. I saw him win the last Western Open in 2006, which was one of only two events Mr. Immelman played successfully until today.

Granted, no one expected much from Immelman given his 2007 season, so he didn't have the pressure that the fans and media put on Tiger Woods, Phil Michelson or some of the other top seeded players. However, he had his own psyche to deal with, one that was certainly affected by what he has gone through.

History is filled with stories of people like Ben Hogan, Lance Armstrong or Jackie Speier, who finally won a seat in Congress this week. These people have put their lives back together after suffering major catastrophes and have gone on to win tournaments, races or elections. (In the case of Jackie Speier, she survived getting shot multiple times during her visit to Jonestown back in 1979, as well as personal traumas that would keep some people from getting out of bed in the morning.)

Immelman was able to prove to himself today that he has overcome the physical challenges that dogged his game last year. His Sunday game was up and down, but he held on to the lead and won the Green Jacket. Maybe his final round would have been different if he had been paired with Tiger Woods. And maybe he'll find out.

Posted on Apr 13, 2008.

Titleist Broadens Its Appeal

Serious Clubs for Serious Golfer is Titleist's tag-line, one that has made the brand attractive to low handicappers and psychologically off limits to aspiring golfers.

In fact, Titleist has designed irons for aspiring golfers for years: 755, 981, 822OS, 804OS, and DCI Oversize + are such models. Golfers with 15+ handicaps can play these clubs and enjoy the game - or even get better. Yet, these models have never appealed to this kind of player the way Callaway's X line, TaylorMade's Burner line or Ping's i-line have.

This year Titleist is ramping up its efforts to reach the aspiring golfer segment with the new AP1 and AP2 irons. The AP1, in particular, has the features you expect in a game improvement club: medium progressive offset, wider soles, less workability for straighter ball flight and light-weight steel shafts.

The AP1 game improvement features do not resemble the Cobra S9II or even the FP2. Titleist's idea of forgiveness is not the same as Cobra's. The new AP iron models look like Titleist clubs. What is different this year is how many of our customers have heard that the AP1 is designed for them: the aspiring golfer.

The AP1 model is priced to compete against the Ping i10, Callaway X-20 and Mizuno MX-25, all irons that are designed for aspiring golfers with 10-15 handicaps. Possibly because of Titleist's aggressive market launch, the fact that the AP line is actually new for 2008, and the price point of the AP1 we are selling more of these sets than expected.

Klees Golf Shop has always offered the full Titleist and Cobra line. This year we will be getting the Sure-Fit iron fitting system, which will make it even easier to try out the new irons.

The Titleist name has a certain cachet for many golfers who buy hats, towels and bags, but not clubs with the Titleist logo. 2008 may be the first year since the advent of the DCI line when iron sales could exceed accessories sales.

Posted on Apr 08, 2008.

Manners Make the Man

I'm always slightly shocked when I hear a customer swear at the golf shop. Swearing in a public place, even one as low key as our business, is bad form. Swearing in front of thousands of people during a golf tournament is bad form compounded 1000%.

Athletes are held up as examples, whether they like it or not, and swearing on television during a game reveals a lack of control that jars with who they are supposed to be. I'm singling out Tiger Woods for this issue because his swearing over a bad shot, a camera flash or other distraction makes him look stupid and arrogant.

As others have pointed out, Tiger was raised to play golf with his dad calling out all kinds of nasty things to train Tiger to focus in spite of distractions. If that's actually what happened Tiger is definitely capable of coming up with another reaction besides curses when his shot is off--for any reason.

My guess is that all of the players are advised about decorum when they play Augusta National. No smoking, swearing or behaving like Happy Gilmore at the Masters. Golf is supposed to be a gentleman's game, and being a gentleman has nothing to do with money. It has everything to do with manners and manners count.

Let's encourage good form on the golf course, no matter who is playing or what the stakes are. Players who keep their cool look good, make the sport look good and probably reduce the fans' antics, too.

Posted on Apr 06, 2008.