Mickelson with RocketBallz 3 wood?

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

No comment means, no comment to me? Nothing bad, or good. And it doesn't give the media a juicy quote to use.

No comment.

[mvmac]

Originally Posted by Datsyuk

How bad are the current Callaway 3-woods? I can't imagine such a difference that you'd potentially embarass your sponsor, unless he's looking at a change?

I don't think the Callaway fairway woods are "bad", TaylorMade just designed and marketed the hell out of a 3 wood that goes longer because it reduces spin.  That slot really does something as well as the forward COG.  But it won't go longer for golfers with slower swing speeds because they can't get the initial launch high enough.

[Mr. Desmond]

Originally Posted by mvmac

I don't think the Callaway fairway woods are "bad", TaylorMade just designed and marketed the hell out of a 3 wood that goes longer because it reduces spin.  That slot really does something as well as the forward COG.  But it won't go longer for golfers with slower swing speeds because they can't get the initial launch high enough.

Is that why TM has a "high launch" 17 deg RBZ 3 wood?  Makes sense.

[newtogolf]

Phil had the need for a 3w that goes longer than the Cally.  He went to Cally and they couldn't create a 3w for him that went longer than RBZ, that's a big deal from a marketing side.  If I'm TM, I show a video of Phil teeing off with their RBZ 3w in China and the caption "RBZ is the longest 3w on the market, just ask Phil."

Originally Posted by GaijinGolfer

IMO, people are making a big deal out of nothing on this one.  Cally didnt make a 3-wood that suited Phil, so, at least for now, he went with something else.  Its not as if he said Cally woods are junk, they just dont make one in the specs that he wants.

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Phil had the need for a 3w that goes longer than the Cally.  He went to Cally and they couldn't create a 3w for him that went longer than RBZ, that's a big deal from a marketing side.  If I'm TM, I show a video of Phil teeing off with their RBZ 3w in China and the caption "RBZ is the longest 3w on the market, just ask Phil."

Did you miss where Callaway is in development on their competing fairway wood and it wasn't ready when Phil needed it? I'm guessing that as always, when the new Callaway woods enter the market they will be longer than the RBZ and will be marketed as such.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by newtogolf

Phil had the need for a 3w that goes longer than the Cally.  He went to Cally and they couldn't create a 3w for him that went longer than RBZ, that's a big deal from a marketing side.  If I'm TM, I show a video of Phil teeing off with their RBZ 3w in China and the caption "RBZ is the longest 3w on the market, just ask Phil."

Or... replace Phil with... "Callaway."  You and I are on the same wavelength here.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by MSchott

Did you miss where Callaway is in development on their competing fairway wood and it wasn't ready when Phil needed it? I'm guessing that as always, when the new Callaway woods enter the market they will be longer than the RBZ and will be marketed as such.

This makes me chuckle.  Yeah, and Microsoft just released a tablet.  Mean while, Apple has shipped over 100 million units since it announced the iPad.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

This makes me chuckle.  Yeah, and Microsoft just released a tablet.  Mean while, Apple has shipped over 100 million units since it announced the iPad.

Does the better sales prove that the iPad is better than the Microsoft tablet or could it be just a marketing thing?  Is there any proof that RBZ's are actually 17 yds longer than anything else, or are we all just believing it because Jason Day and Camilo Villegas said so?

Not saying that I believe one way or the other that Callaway's new woods will be better or worse than TM's, but you have to admit a lot TM's success is from marketing, no?

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Does the better sales prove that the iPad is better than the Microsoft tablet or could it be just a marketing thing?  Is there any proof that RBZ's are actually 17 yds longer than anything else, or are we all just believing it because Jason Day and Camilo Villegas said so?

Not saying that I believe one way or the other that Callaway's new woods will be better or worse than TM's, but you have to admit a lot TM's success is from marketing, no?

My point with the tablet comment is that while Callaway is working on releasing their improved fairway wood, TM is kicking their tail with capturing market share.  Callaway's fairway wood could end up being superior to the RBZ (questionable - as we haven't seen, nor tested it).... But while they are testing internally within their R&D; lab, the RBZ 3W is being purchased and placed into golf bags.  Time to market is huge... And Callaway has missed the boat with regard to the 'long' fairway offering.

TM has great marketing on the RBZ... But the performance of the club speaks for itself.  Guys are using it because it is longer than any 3W they have ever gamed to date.

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

My point with the tablet comment is that while Callaway is working on releasing their improved fairway wood, TM is kicking their tail with capturing market share.  Callaway's fairway wood could end up being superior to the RBZ (questionable - as we haven't seen, nor tested it).... But while they are testing internally within their R&D; lab, the RBZ 3W is being purchased and placed into golf bags.  Time to market is huge... And Callaway has missed the boat with regard to the 'long' fairway offering.

TM has great marketing on the RBZ... But the performance of the club speaks for itself.  Guys are using it because it is longer than any 3W they have ever gamed to date.

But the bold part is all that Mschott was saying, albeit with a lot more confidence than somebody outside of Callaway could possibly know.

By the way, what do you know about Callaway's testing and R&D; lab???

[ORazor]

As a casual player, I think that their statement was great.  I tend to buy products from companies that I like.  The fact that they were open and transparent really upped their stock in my eyes.  It makes me feel like they are much less likely to mislead me in others things, such as product descriptions, etc.

Maybe those who need to be on the cutting edge see it different, but I thought it was great.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

By the way, what do you know about Callaway's testing and R&D; lab???

I don't know much about the R&D; lab... That was on the 2nd floor.  They didn't let us TST hacks up there! :D

[Datsyuk]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Does the better sales prove that the iPad is better than the Microsoft tablet or could it be just a marketing thing?  Is there any proof that RBZ's are actually 17 yds longer than anything else, or are we all just believing it because Jason Day and Camilo Villegas said so?

Not saying that I believe one way or the other that Callaway's new woods will be better or worse than TM's, but you have to admit a lot TM's success is from marketing, no?

They were able to alter the default settings and hit an average of 17 yards longer. If I bought an adjustable driver and didn't hit 17 yards longer, or hit almost 100% FIR I'd ask for my money back.

[MSchott]

Originally Posted by Beachcomber

My point with the tablet comment is that while Callaway is working on releasing their improved fairway wood, TM is kicking their tail with capturing market share.  Callaway's fairway wood could end up being superior to the RBZ (questionable - as we haven't seen, nor tested it).... But while they are testing internally within their R&D; lab, the RBZ 3W is being purchased and placed into golf bags.  Time to market is huge... And Callaway has missed the boat with regard to the 'long' fairway offering.

TM has great marketing on the RBZ... But the performance of the club speaks for itself.  Guys are using it because it is longer than any 3W they have ever gamed to date.

The reality is that golfers have always bought the latest and greatest. If the new Callaway fairway woods are proven in some test that no one other than a scratch golfer can duplicate than you can bet that the next TM woods will improve on that. It's all marketing and golfers are the biggest dupes there are in this regard. Meanwhile I buck the trend, play with a 7 year old TM driver, 6-7 year old Ping G5 irons and obsolete TM hybrid metal woods.

[bigwave916]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Does the better sales prove that the iPad is better than the Microsoft tablet or could it be just a marketing thing?  Is there any proof that RBZ's are actually 17 yds longer than anything else, or are we all just believing it because Jason Day and Camilo Villegas said so?

Not saying that I believe one way or the other that Callaway's new woods will be better or worse than TM's, but you have to admit a lot TM's success is from marketing, no?

I don't know about iPads or Microsoft tablets, and I don't know if RBZs are actually 17 yards longer than "anything else", but I know my new Rocketballz 3 wood is at least 17 yards longer than my R7.

With that being said, I'll still admit that marketing at TM is just about the best in the golf business.

It seems that there must be more to the story here though. Why hand TM another marketing gem when they are kicking butt already? Phil couldn't make adjustments on a couple of holes with his current set of clubs?

Damn what I wouldn't give to in between clubs in the  275 to 305 yard range.

[Beachcomber]

Originally Posted by bigwave916

Damn what I wouldn't give to in between clubs in the  275 to 305 yard range.

I know, right!? Just shows how much better the pros are...

[Golfingdad]

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

... Besides, because it is black, how may people would even notice (that aren't on this thread)?

This weekend I turned on the coverage and at one point, Tom Abbott (who we all know and LOVE from Big Break) made a comment along the lines of Phil really playing well with his new "prototype" 3 wood.  He went on to say something about it being secret and them not knowing anything about it.  If mvmac and others already knew that it was a Rocketballz, I would think it would be common knowledge among inside-the-ropes people, right?  So, why would he say something like that?  Just being nice to Callaway, or what?

There was nothing that I heard (maybe it was talked about more, I don't know) over the weekend that would alarm me if I was Callaway.  The average fan (who's not reading this thread) is not going to think that was a TM club.  They rarely, if ever, show bag close-ups on TV that would make it easy to see - especially in all black.  In fact, I think ears perk up at the word 'prototype' and people get excited about the idea that something new is coming out.  And with Callaway written all over his bag, clubs and clothes, they are all going to assume (rightfully, sort of) that the prototype coming out is from Callaway.

If TM doesn't jump on this (I have no idea how marketing and copyright and that sort of thing works) and get an ad out there regarding Phil using their club, they might inadvertently have helped promote Callaway's new clubs.

[newtogolf]

Phil is saying he hit the off the shelf (except for color) RBZ 3w 10 - 15 yards longer than the best customized 3w Callaway could offer him, so that's not TM marketing hype, that's reality.  Phil has no reason to make these claims and Callaway didn't dispute them, instead they gave some hype about their new woods being longer.

Callaway (which I like) can claim anything they want in their marketing about these new woods, but fact is TM kicked their butt this weekend.

Originally Posted by Golfingdad

Not saying that I believe one way or the other that Callaway's new woods will be better or worse than TM's, but you have to admit a lot TM's success is from marketing, no?