Callaway and Titleist’s Legal Battle, Round 38

Short answer: you’ll still be able to buy Pro V1s this year. Don’t believe everything your buddies at the club tell you – there’s a lot of misinformation about this lawsuit. Here are some of the facts.

Recently Callaway celebrated a minor victory in their long-running legal battle with Titleist over patents related to the manufacturing process used to create Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls. A few weeks back, Titleist celebrated their own small victory when the U.S. Patent Office ruled the four applicable patents invalid.

Despite the now invalid patents, a Delaware judge recently granted Callaway a permanent injunction against Titleist for the sale and distribution of Pro V1 golf balls manufactured under the patents in dispute in the U.S.

However, Titleist quickly responded to point out that since September, they’d shifted their manufacturing process to a new one clear of these patents, and that production, distribution, and sale of Pro V1 and Pro V1x will not be hindered. This shift in manufacturing has been planned for quite some time and is not the result of the lawsuit. Please see paragraph two of Titleist’s official response (below) for more on that. If you were wondering whether there would be new Pro V1s in 2009, you’ll also want to read the response.

Titleist Boxes

For those deeply interested – or for those who are as confused as I am about how what are now invalid patents can be used to form an injunction – I recommend you check out David Dawsey’s golf-patents.com in the coming weeks.

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UST Releases Proforce AXIVCore Shaft Series

Time to hit the launch monitor!

Bag DropGraphite shaft technology seemingly grows by leaps and bounds with each new release from the various manufacturers. There is some exciting, cutting-edge technology being used for the making of the next generations of graphite shafts and it will be very interesting to stay abreast of what is available now and what is coming down the road.

With that, the folks at UST have just come out with their new Proforce AXIVCore Shaft Series which will give you at least 30 extra yards of distance and pinpoint accuracy with your woods and hybrid. Okay, I made that claim up but they do utilize some pretty neat technology to give you a graphite shaft that fits you like a glove and provides performance that you’ve come to expect from UST.

Join me as we take a look at the Proforce AXIVCore Shaft Series.

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Volume One Hundred Sixty Eight

The season is over, Davis Love III gets his lifetime exemption, and some guys are headed back to Q-school

Hittin' the LinksGood day fellow golfers and welcome again to Hittin’ the Links. This is a special HTL this week as it marks my one year anniversary as the author. Hopefully, everyone has enjoyed reading it as much as I have enjoyed writing it. But enough reminiscing, on with the column.

In this week’s volume, we see what changes have been made for next year’s Masters, investigate who still hasn’t received their Masters invitation, and find out why Anthony Kim got to go home early from Shanghai. Also, we take a look at our President Elect’s golf game, find out how Nationwide Tour Champion Matt Bettencourt spent Wednesday night, and congratulate Davis Love III for his 20th PGA Tour win. Read on!

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Adams Idea Pro Gold Irons and Hybrids

These are not your grandfather’s clubs (unless you happen to call Tom Watson “Gramps”).

Adams Idea Pro Forged Gold SetDon’t let the two hybrids fool you. The Adams Idea Pro Gold Irons are intended for better players of all ages. Adams has taken it upon themselves to do you a favor and remove the temptation of those 3- and 4-irons by replacing them with easy-to-hit hybrids. Chances are, after you play these clubs for a little while, you won’t even miss the long irons.

Adams Golf has been making some great equipment for years, though at times the general golfing public has seemed oblivious to their efforts. Adams is out to change that. While Champions Tour star and PGA Tour legend Tom Watson is probably the best known Adams staffer, the company is beginning to get some exposure with PGA Tour players.

Last year, Adams signed Aaron Baddeley and Rory Sabbatini to endorsement deals (not to mention Tommy “Two Gloves” Gainey from Golf Channel’s Big Break). There are Adams staffers on the LPGA and Nationwide tours, as well as on the Long Drivers of America circuit. All of which should help convince more “Joe Golfers” to give Adams clubs a try, and they’d be well advised to at least take a look.

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A Brief Look at the PGA Tour Exemption System

There are a variety of ways to acquire an exemption on Tour, but the bottom line is that you have to play well to get it at some point in your life. That time is now for many.

Thrash TalkAccording to the PGA Tour’s website, there are 33 ways in which a player may qualify for an exempt status. Now that the FedExCup has been decided, and the Fall Series is drawing to a close, the chief drama on Tour revolves around who will secure a spot among the exempt next year, mainly by virtue of appearing in the top 125 of the season money list.

Last week, at the Ginn sur Mer Classic in the developing region of Palm Coast, Florida, Ryan Palmer, who was previously on the “bubble,” (he was ranked 143 entering the week), secured himself a spot in the aforementioned 125 with a victory (and a two-year exemption, of course, for winning). Exempt status often seems to be a vague, mysterious, and perhaps sinister thing, even though the qualifications for such a status are laid out on the Tour’s website and the information is readily available to any seeker.

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Callaway Golf Releases X-22 Irons and FT-iQ Drivers

What’s your iQ?

Bag DropYou would think it’s the holiday season as golf equipment manufacturers are busy getting their latest and greatest out a bit early in an attempt to entice you spend some of your hard-earned money (and provide a boost to their revenue) on the promise of straighter and of course, longer shots from the tee box, fairways and well, for me anyway, the rough.

The folks at Callaway Golf think they have a few products that might tickle your fancy, including some new game-improvement irons and an updated version of their squarish driver which looks like it could put a serious hurt on a golf ball (besides looking quite sinister as well).

The only question for you is will one or the other (or perhaps both) end up in your golf bag this fall? Join me as we take a look at the X-22 irons and the FT-iQ driver.

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Volume One Hundred Sixty Seven

Callaway’s bringin’ sexy back, Daly’s spending time in the slammer, and Anthony’s going to be spending more time overseas.

Hittin' the LinksHello again golf nuts, and welcome to another fact filled edition of Hittin’the Links. The end of the golf season draws closer by the day, but there’s still lots of excitement out there in the golf world. So sit back, turn your monitors so the boss cannot see what your doing, and follow along as we take a tour of the goings on around golf.

In this most recent edition of HTL, we first check in on the players who have recently signed on in Europe, investigate John Daly’s latest brush with stupidity, and see what some Tour caddies will doing this silly season. Also, we find out how Ely is bringin’ sexy back, see who won the Order of Merit, and do a full wrapup of this weeks tour winners. Read on!

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What’s to Like about Cold Weather Golf?

Swinging into winter.

Trap Five LogoWell, once again, November is breathing its chilly breath on all golfers in the northern latitudes. I’m not happy about it, but what can you do?

Now, those of you with true four-season golf weather will have trouble relating to this one. But for all my fellow northern golfers who have either already put up the clubs for the season or are contemplating doing so in the near future. To them, I say, don’t do it.

Yes, the best golf of 2008 is probably behind us, but we can still get out there and win a few bucks from our friends, or, at the very least, chase a few Canada Geese around the fairway. I say, if you can get out there without icing up, why not tee it up. Throw on a few, or several, layers. Start with a warm, thin mockneck and build from there.

Not convinced that cold weather golf can be fun? Here are five reasons to play golf all year long.

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The Significance of Seve

Seve Ballesteros is in the self-described “fight of his life” against a malignant brain tumor.

Thrash TalkAs anyone remotely attuned to the goings on of the world of golf is surely aware, Seve Ballesteros is in the self-described “fight of his life” against a malignant brain tumor. The Spaniard has had multiple surgeries within the past few weeks. The most recent, a six and a half hour procedure, occurred Friday. As we collectively wait for relevant updates from the medical staff at La Paz hospital, where the golfer is presently in “stable but serious” condition, it seems fitting to both express the obvious — we hope and pray for Mr. Ballesteros’ speedy recovery — and to discuss the significance of the man from Pedrena, Spain who was such a dynamic figure in the world of golf from the late 1970s until the early 90s.

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