Sweet Stuff

Titleist New ProV1 for 2019

Titleist has hit the market with its upgraded version of the ProV1 franchise—the most played ball on the professional tours—but this time the company has made a colorful splash—literally!

For the first time, Titleist is issuing its flagship golf ball in a high optic yellow version to go along with the traditional white—so players have the option of playing a colorful rendition of this tour-quality ball.

While golf ball color can be a personal preference matter—many studies and consumer feedback have indicated that for many players--the bright yellow ball is easier to see—both in the air on longer shots and around the green, than a white ball. Again, much of the benefit of the yellow ball is personal preference—but so is just about everything else in golf. And while some studies seem to indicate that older players or those with less than perfect eyesight see the yellow ball better, there is no doubt that it stands out on the course much more than traditional white.

And even though the performance of the new ProV1 and its sister ball—the ProV1x is the same in white or yellow— reproducing these in yellow was not as simple as it might appear.

“As the demand for yellow Pro V1 and Pro V1x started to grow, our material scientists got to work on what we knew would be a significant R&D undertaking,” said Michael Mahoney, Vice President, Golf Ball Marketing for Titleist. “The performance and durability characteristics of our cast urethane are the best in the industry. It’s because we formulate and manufacture the cover ourselves that we

can control the material with such precision and consistency. While it may seem pretty straightforward, recreating those properties in yellow required a new and complex chemistry with considerable iteration until we got it just right.”

Under the hood, both colors of ProV1 for 2019 provide some new advantages for more ball speed leaving the club face coupled with lower spin to create more distance—yet maintaining tour-level softness and feel for saving strokes around the green.

“When we set out to develop the 2019 models, we found that golfers at every level are extraordinarily satisfied with the performance of their Pro V1 or Pro V1x. At the same time, golfers keep telling us they would still like more distance--as long as they don’t have to give anything else up,” added Mahoney. “Through the prototyping process, our chemists and engineers discovered a way to cast an even thinner urethane cover, and therefore increase the percentage of speed-enhancing materials in the overall construction. Pro V1 and Pro V1x are now even faster, as a result, all while maintaining the scoring performance and feel characteristics that golfers demand from these golf balls.”

Both ProV1 models are noticeably longer off the tee and with the irons, because the 17% thinner cast Urethane Elastomer cover system delivers increased ball speed. The advancement of Titleist’s thermoset urethane casting technology has allowed their engineers to cast a thinner layer of the proprietary cover formulation, developed exclusively for Pro V1 and Pro V1x, while retaining its trusted Drop-and-Stop™ greenside control and soft feel. Beneath the thinner cover, the speed enhancing casing layer has thickened by 14% on Pro V1 and 11% on Pro V1x, creating higher ball speeds with lower driver and long game spin.

A new 2.0 ZG Process Core is formulated for more distance, and the outermost portions of the solid core Pro V1 and dual core Pro V1x have increased in stiffness while maintaining their soft centers, creating faster engines with higher ball speed and lower long game spin.

As in previous editions of the ProV1, the feel and spin factors have become almost identical, while the real difference is that the ProV1 has a higher trajectory and the ProV1x has a more penetrating trajectory and a firmer feel as a four-piece golf ball.

More than 200 professional tour players are playing the ProV1, which is available in golf shops and major sporting goods retailers worldwide.

For more information: www.titleist.com

Swing Align

As most golf instructors will tell you, proper alignment is one of the building blocks to having a good golf swing. A new practice aid called Swing Align is proving to be a great teaching tool for instructors and can be a valuable addition to anyone’s practice arsenal by helping get into and practice with the proper setup and continuing on to promote the necessary rotation into the swing.

In addition to alignment and proper set-up to the target, this easy-to-use tool also helps players to keep their arms and body in sync and promotes the proper rotation that is so important to increased power and distance.

Developed by golf industry veterans with more than 60 years of experience, along with input from PGA Tour players and top golf instructors, the Swing Align provides instant visual feedback and helps develop muscle memory by using it in practice sessions at home or at the driving range.

“Two of the biggest issues golfers have are setting up properly and staying connected throughout their golf swing,” explained Chris McGinley, co-founder of Swing Align and 30year golf industry veteran. “The Swing Align training aid was designed to help golfers set up square and hit it solid by providing a strong visual indicator they can use to line up square to their intended target. The device uses muscle memory to develop a repeatable golf

swing with more power and accuracy by keeping their arms and body synchronized when rotating.”

Swing Align is a wearable dev ice featuring a highly visible alignment rod that runs through adjustable arm cuffs that swivel and are held together by a flexible connection belt. This allows golfers to use the training device to make an athletic swing with any of their golf clubs, from the driver to irons, wedges or putter. The training aid comes in standard or XL sizes and has an optional, ground-based alignment product with a sliding ball position indicator puck.

Visualization of the proper alignment and setup becomes much easier in practice with this tool, and the sensation of hitting golf balls wearing this device is much like having an instructor next to you holding a club on your chest to keep in the property alignment and sequence.

According to Devan Bonebrake, a Golf Channel Academy Lead Instructor and a Golf Digest Top Young Teacher (2017-2019), the Swing Align is the perfect swing training aid for golfers and instructors with their students.

“Most golfers, including many of my students, struggle with alignment, rotating the body correctly, or staying connected during the golf swing,” said Bonebrake. “The great thing about Swing Align is it works on all of those aspects --whether you’re a scratch golfer, or brand new to golf. I don’t know of a more versatile training aid than Swing Align.

“One of the great things about Swing Align is how you can use it to hit balls with fullswing shots and stay connected developing important muscle memory in the golf swing. The connection belt guides your movement, and because it holds the arms together you can’t help but properly deliver and release the club squarely. There is no need to hold back. You can set up and take full speed swings with any club and be confident that Swing Align will keep you better aligned and connected.”

McGinley notes that Swing Align is being used by golfers of all skill levels. Highly skilled golfers who want to reinforce the proper fundamentals, serious golfers committed to learning and improving, recreational players who need a quick tune up, and beginning golfers interested in learning what the proper golf swing feels like.

For more information on Swing Align, go to: www.swingtrainer.com

Footjoy New StaSof Glove

FootJoy has engineered a new even softer and more durable edition of its industryleading StaSof golf glove that produces improved fit and feel for its 2019 edition.

Worn by more than 800 professional around the world, the StaSof glove has been the mainstay of the FootJoy golf glove lineup for more than 35 years—and the company keeps looking for ways to improve the product through research and development (R&D) and feedback from top tour professionals— such as Adam Scott.

“I’ve been wearing StaSof my entire professional career because it fits the best, performs in all conditions and gives me fantastic feel on the club,” said Scott. “It’s amazing how the feel and the fit actually improve when your hands are sweating.”

By utilizing the most advanced Cabretta leather along with premium Taction3™ Advanced Performance Leather®, FootJoy has produced its latest StaSof glove with a softer and lighter feel, improved all-climate grip and long-lasting durability. The fit is also improved along with the tackiness for a non-slip grip.

“The StaSof glove franchise has always been the leader and is a clear demonstration of the difference that owning the process gives FJ, from design, construction, materials all the way through manufacturing and to the end consumer,” said Maria Bonzagni, Senior Director Acushnet Golf Gloves & FJ Gear. “The FJ heritage is founded on our commitment to golf and our passion for

pushing new ways of working to advance all of our products.

“The performance of this glove is founded in the new leather technology and how it is crafted with the golfer in mind. It is designed to give golfers the ultimate grip with the best fit, flex in the right places and consistent wear over time. It features advanced moisture management technology and is engineered to stay softer for longer. Our sole purpose is to provide products that deliver a higher standard of performance where golfers need it most.”

Among the advanced features of the new StaSof glove is the feel of the Taction3™ Advanced Performance Leather® that is tanned exclusively by Pittards® of England and designed to optimize and retain softness longer. It also maximizes water and perspiration resistance while optimizing grip performance.

The tailored construction and precision placement of moisture wicking elastics improve fit consistency and overall comfort, while the proprietary angled ComforTab™ Velcro® closure secures a better fit. A strategically placed perforation and PowerNet™ mesh improves breathability and flexibility for a better feel.

For more information on the new StaSof glove, visit: www.footjoy.com