Author: Donald MacKenzie

The Composite Conundrum

Lightweight carbon composite is a club designer’s dream. But it hasn’t been so dreamy in the marketplace. Where does this material go from here?

Bag Drop At the start of 2005, nearly every major driver manufacturer – with a couple notable exceptions – had a new driver made of titanium and carbon composite either in their lineup or on the way. What a difference a year makes. When the calendar flips to 2006 and golf’s heavy hitters congregate at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, only a few drivers utilizing composite materials will likely be on display. Is composite on its way out (for a second time)? Or are the companies that are sticking with composites on the right track?

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Equipment Check From The Newport Cup

Live on location from The Newport Cup, the Bag Drop examines a few real-world equipment observations.

Bag Drop The Bag Drop was on location for the inaugural playing of The Newport Cup matches in North Carolina last weekend. A hearty congratulations to the Blue Team on their victory, and to the Red Team on its punctuality and fashion sense.

While I spent most of my time at Talamore, Pine Needles and Anderson Creek hitting shots into and out of the majestic pine trees, I did have time to make some observations about the equipment The Sand Trap crew takes into battle.

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Wie’s Impact on Business Not Wee

Nike now has the two hottest players and newsmakers in golf on staff. How will the Swoosh handle adding Michelle Wie to Tiger Woods atop its professional team?

Bag DropAs expected, Michelle Wie celebrated her 16th birthday last week by turning pro and becoming part of Nike’s stable of staff professionals. This is the most celebrated signing of a teenager with no official playing status on any of the world’s tours since Ty Tryon inked a deal with Callaway Golf in 2001.

Wie’s potential – and solid results in LPGA and PGA Tour events – suggests she won’t be ending up on the mini-tours like Tryon. But what does the near future hold for Wie, and what is the ripple effect that is being felt throughout the equipment industry?

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Making A List

When the weather gets too cold and wet to play, many of us like to haunt golf shops and look for new additions to our collections. Here’s what I have my eye on this year.

Bag Drop Turning another page on the calendar makes me think about how the golf season is quickly slipping away from those of us in northern climes. For PGA Tour types, this means the Silly Season is upon us. But for those of us who are about to lose our golfing privileges for the next five months or so, we’re entering the Shopping Season.

That’s put me in the mood to start making a list for Santa Claus, since old Saint Nick and his helpers always want to know what golf goodies I’d like to see under the tree. Here’s what’s on my list so far this year; what’s on yours?

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Presidents Cup Putter Positioning

A couple of prominent equipment manufacturers are getting more aggressive in their attempt to become bigger players in the putter market. The Presidents Cup provided a few prime examples of this trend.

Bag DropIn this week’s Bag Drop, we’ll cover a few of the odds and ends of the equipment world. We’ll start with some observations of putters put in play at The Presidents Cup, then make sure to hit a few industry transactions involving a couple of old pros and some young guns.

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Looking for the Long Ball? Think 3-Wood

For most golfers, the driver is like Michael Vick: Thrilling, but often unpredictable. The majority of us would be better off with a less flashy, more Tom Brady-like club: The 3-wood.

Bag DropNext time you’re at the driving range or practice tee of your choosing, take a quick look at what most of your fellow players are doing. A couple might be hitting wedges. A handful will be on the putting green. But without doubt, the majority of the players will be banging driver. Chicks dig the long ball, right?

But what should most golfers do if they want to add yards to their drive? Put the driver away. That’s right. Clubbing down to the 3-wood is the way most golfers can take it deep off the tee.

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Here Come the Second-Generation 460cc Drivers

I’ve already noted that big steps forward in driver design have been made difficult by the 460cc size limitation. Here’s a look at how three top equipment manufacturers have come up with new products that replace exisiting 460cc drivers.

Bag DropThree highly anticipated drivers have recently been unveiled. The Ping G5 and Cleveland Launcher Ti460 drivers are already available at some retailers, and the Nike SasQuatch driver is expected in shops before Thanksgiving – and is getting a big push from Nike.

So these drivers are bigger and bolder than their predecessors, right? Oh, wait, all three models are replacing drivers that were already at the 460cc maximum imposed by the USGA and R&A. There goes a big selling point. Can drivers be better without being bigger?

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2006 Gets An Early Start

Golf equipment manufacturers are already bringing next year’s new products out today. This is another prime example of the sea change that has taken place in the golf industry over the past decade.

Bag DropSure, the calendar still reads September 2005. But from a golf equipment perspective, let’s agree that the 2006 model year is off to a brisk and early start. How is it that some of next year’s hottest clubs are already in golf shops by Labor Day?

Back in the olden days (let’s say 1995 for a ballpark figure), new products predominantly were announced at the PGA Merchandise Show in at the end of January. Every major manufacturer would introduce its lineup for the year, making for a golf equipment lover’s dream week. Rumors would build up in the days before the Show, and the companies would spend millions outdoing each other with increasingly splashy parties and golf outings.

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What the Real Golfers Are Playing

You’ve heard of the Darrell Survey? Well, this is the Donald Survey, also known as “what the people I played with on my vacation had in their bags.” It’s enough to make a few people in Carlsbad cry.

Bag DropThe big-name golf equipment manufacturers spend millions of dollars every year to promote their wares. But how much of what the average golfer plays can be considered “brand-name” or “pro-line” equipment? Even on vacation, The Bag Drop never stops working for you. Read on to see what my extremely non-scientific survey discovered about what’s really in the bags of some very average golfers.

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