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Got game?
Taking
a swing at golf’s latest products and innovations
by
Joshua Covington
for
Virginia Business
March 2003
There is no one who ever donned those plaid pants who
didn’t dream of hitting the ball like Tiger Woods.
Consider the visceral pleasure of the crisp feel, the
parabolic loft and the soft landing of a perfect golf
shot. Unfortunately for the common golfer, however,
you often need Tiger’s paycheck to pay for all
the necessary gear.
These
days drivers are getting larger and pricier, and technology
offers up another expense: the analysis of one’s
swing. Ken Rohrbaugh, owner of Richmond Golf Center,
just plunked down $1,600 for a computer software program
used by golf professionals that can analyze a swing,
frame by frame. “We’ll be seeing the home
version of that,” Rohrbaugh predicts, at a lower
price.
For
those just starting to hit the links, most manufacturers
offer decent starter sets that include both woods and
irons for about $200. Add a bag, shoes, a dozen balls
and some tees, and you can start a round with respectable
gear for close to $350. However, for many frustrated
golfers not blessed with the ability of Palmer, Nicklaus
or Woods, cheaper starter sets simply won’t do.
Most turn to top-of-the-line clubs and balls that promise
“extreme distance” as possible anecdotes to
their grievous game.
Problem
is, the good stuff costs a lot. Irons that promise more
loft and greater spin may set you back more than $1,200.
Putters can run upwards of $300 despite their seemingly
simplistic design. And if you think those plain, white
dimpled, frequently lost balls will be easy on the wallet
— think again. They can run as much as $50 a dozen.
Most golfers believe that the driver adds to their game
like spices to Cajun cooking, and numerous club manufacturers
have answered the call. Players eager to crush long
drives have caused giants like Calloway and Titleist
to research driver technology and provide consumers
with the big distance they’re looking for. Even
the hefty price tag of $200 to $500 has not kept oversized
titanium drivers out of everyone’s bags these days.
After
you slam your drive down the fairway with that new driver,
you’ll need a trusty set of irons to put you onto
the green. Tommy Armour, Ping and Hogan are some of
the top dogs with Taylor Made and Cobra nipping at their
heels, all of which promise crisper shots and greater
consistency.
Luckily,
further options abound for those unwilling to spend
big bucks on a game they may abandon after the first
disappointing round. The Internet created a venue where
discount retailers could thrive, providing quality golf
equipment at lower-than-retail prices. Internet auction
site eBay sells equipment and so does online retailer
Rock Bottom Golf. Says Tom Rath, president of Rock Bottom
Golf, “It’s becoming more and more of a discount
sport for the common man.”
That
didn’t seem to be the case at the recent Professional
Golf Association show in Orlando, Fla., where new larger
drivers were listed at $300 to $400 each. Head sizes
have gone from 350 or 375 cubic centimeters to between
400 and 450 ccs. “That’s what people will
be looking to buy this year,” predicts Rohrbaugh.
Another new development that has the golf world buzzing
is interactive distance golf instruction. V1golf.com
has created a computer program for $89 that allows golfers
to capture their swing digitally. Then they can send
it via the Internet to one of 150 golf pros affiliated
with the Internet Golf Academy — think Butch Harmon
School or David Leadbetter Academy — who analyze
it and send it back through e-mail with their comments
attached.
Despite
the promise of an improved game, these products and
innovations won’t turn a 20 handicapper into a
PGA player. A choice set of clubs can only improve consistency,
lessen the width of your misses and lower the number
of bad shots. Titanium heads and graphite shafts, while
helping create club-head speed and more power, are not
miracle products. As Scott Baum, a PGA professional
and general manager of The River Course in Radford,
says, “You must keep in mind that your ability
is the main factor in your score, not the brand of golf
ball or clubs.” That’s advice you should take
to the tee.
Virginia
Business - March 2003
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