90% of U.S. Golfers May Be Playing With the Wrong Equipment for Their Swing
A new, wide-ranging study reveals a golfer’s natural ability and swing are not the only things holding them back; 90% of U.S. golfers may be playing with clubs that do not fit them properly. Nearly 6,000 avid golfers across the country took part in the survey. The findings show players who were custom fit using advanced technology such as launch monitors, saw scores improve, hit the ball more accurately and had more fun playing golf than golfers who were not custom fit. The findings were unveiled today at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Florida.
“This study is a wake-up call for every golfer who wants to get better. We spoke to thousands of golfers coast to coast and the majority had no idea of what true custom fitting is all about and how it can shave strokes off of score cards,” said Jon Last, President of Sports and Leisure Research Group, which conducted the research. “The magnitude of the differences in perceptions between those fit and not fit was among the most significant I’ve observed between two test populations in my 20+ years of researching American golfers.”
The highlights of the research findings include:
- 92% of those golfers who were custom fit for their new equipment on a launch monitor realized immediate benefits with their new equipment.
- 80% of custom fit golfers hit the ball more accurately and consistently. Read more
Callaway Golf new FT-iZ Driver, Fairways & Hybrids
Polar Weighting, Aerospace Materials Deliver the Longest, Straightest Woods in Callaway History
Callaway Golf Company announced the retail availability of the new FT-iZ(TM) lineup of drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. Leading this new line of Fusion® products is the FT-iZ Driver, engineered from the world’s finest materials to deliver the longest, straightest ball flight ever produced by a Callaway driver.
“In engineering the FT-iZ Driver, Fairway Woods and Hybrids, we used new knowledge in aerodynamics, face design and weight placement to deliver breakthroughs in ball speed and accuracy,” said Dr. Alan Hocknell, Senior Vice President of Research & Development, Callaway Golf. “The FT-iZ Driver represents the latest in our use of carbon fiber, aerospace-grade materials and head shaping to optimize performance.”
The FT-iZ Driver marks the launch of a groundbreaking and proprietary design feature called Polar Weighting(TM), which optimizes stability at impact and yields incredible ball speeds. Polar Weighing strategically localizes weight at the front and back of the multi-material clubhead, creating a heavy face and significant in-line power source for unprecedented performance. The driver of choice for PGA Tour Professional Ernie Els, the FT-iZ also features an aerodynamic body design that reduces drag in the downswing for higher impact speeds. The result of this progressive shape is Callaway’s most efficient high inertia clubhead design ever.
The FT-iZ Driver also features a new chem-milled hyperbolic face that delivers consistently high ball speeds. The chemical reduction process selectively removes unwanted materials from the titanium cup face for unprecedented precision thickness control. FT-iZ Tour models come in half lofts with a slightly more open face at address for a look preferred by skilled players. The FT-iZ Driver is now available at retail and features a new product introduction retail price of $399.
The FT-iZ Fairway Woods build on Callaway’s industry-leading heritage in the category. Offering an unprecedented combination of distance, stability and feel, the FT-iZ Fairway Woods are the longest, straightest fairway woods Callaway has ever produced. Like the FT-iZ Driver, the fairway woods utilize Polar Weighting for a heavy face and heavy in-line power source that delivers screaming ball speed. The FT-iZ Fairway Woods are now available at retail and feature a new product introduction retail price of $299.
The FT-iZ Hybrids utilize Callaway’s advanced Fusion Technology to deliver the Company’s most forgiving hybrid design ever. A stainless steel body and sole combine with Metal Injection Molded (MIM), high-density weights to maximize perimeter weighting. That, along with the FT-iZ Hybrid’s larger clubhead design, leads to an increased moment of inertia (MOI) with an optimized center of gravity. The result is increased feel and accuracy with high, powerful trajectories that fly far and land soft. An offset hosel is designed to provide a look that boosts confidence at address and provides greater workability. The FT-iZ Hybrids are now available at retail and feature a new product introduction retail price of $199 with a graphite shaft, and $179 with a steel shaft.