Titleist introduces new Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls
Golf Canada
Increasing performance through every single layer of the golf ball, the new Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x models are designed for longer distance, even more greenside spin and control and softer feel – with the unmatched ball-to-ball consistency and quality that golfers expect from Titleist.
2021 Pro V1 and Pro V1x are the result of new core, casing layer, cover and aerodynamic technologies – including proprietary 388 (Pro V1) and 348 (Pro V1x) dimple designs optimized for extraordinary distance and consistent flight – that combine to make the most trusted and best performing golf balls in the game even better.
2021 PRO V1 & PRO V1x PERFORMANCE
From the best players in the world to amateurs of all skill levels, new Pro V1 and Pro V1x are designed for golfers who prioritize performance above all else. Both new 2021 models deliver longer distance, increased Drop-and-Stop™ greenside control, softer feel and long-lasting durability – while maintaining their differences in flight, feel and spin. New Pro V1 offers the greatest combination of speed, spin and feel in the game, providing the best fit for the majority of golfers. Pro V1 flies lower than Pro V1x with a penetrating trajectory and has a very soft feel. 2021 Pro V1x has a fast, high flight and delivers spin when and where a golfer wants it. Pro V1x is designed for players who want a higher trajectory and increased spin relative to Pro V1, with a slightly firmer feel.
“When a golfer chooses Pro V1 or Pro V1x, they are choosing absolute performance,”
said Jeremy Stone, Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball Marketing. “Our R&D and Operations teams have spent years engineering new technology into each and every component of 2021 Pro V1 and Pro V1x. When it comes to the performance and quality of these products, we will continue to go to every length possible to help golfers play their best and shoot their lowest scores.”
2021 PRO V1 AND PRO V1x TECHNOLOGY
Advancements in Titleist’s industry-leading multi-component technology are precisely designed to work together, providing total performance and extreme consistency on every shot:
Reformulated 2.0 ZG Process Cores deliver increased distance in the solid core Pro V1 and dual core Pro V1x.
Faster High-Flex Casing Layer adds speed and lowers long game spin. This highly-resilient, high-speed ionomer was initially developed for and validated by Pro V1x Left Dash.
New, Softer Cast Urethane ElastomerCover – the softest cover formulation ever used on a Pro V1 or Pro V1x – increases greenside spin for more control in the short game.
New Spherically-tiled Tetrahedral Dimple Designs– featuring a 388 dimple layout for Pro V1, and 348 for Pro V1x – are optimized to each model to maximize distance and flight consistency. Pro V1 maintains its penetrating trajectory while Pro V1x will fly higher than the prior generation.
AERODYNAMIC BREAKTHROUGHS
The new dimple designs on 2021 Pro V1 and Pro V1x – the first entirely new patterns since 2011 – are the result of Titleist’s unparalleled commitment to understanding and improving the flight of the golf ball.
Since the original Pro V1 debuted 20 years ago, Titleist R&D has designed, manufactured and tested more than 1,900 aerodynamic patterns. That includes more than 60 different iterations of 2021 Pro V1’s 388 dimple layout, and more than 30 versions of Pro V1x’s 348 dimple design.
“When we find a pattern we like, the next step is making sure we find the best possible version of that pattern by building and testing different variations of dimple depths, diameters, shapes and surface coverages,” said Mike Madson, Titleist R&D’s Director of Aerodynamics & Research Engineering “It takes years of work – we’ve been working on these new packages for almost a decade – but it is that commitment to research that ensures each golf ball is optimized to fly at its longest and most efficient trajectory.”
PRECISION MANUFACTURING
The continued investment in advanced technology and quality control at Titleist Ball Plants 3 and 4 – where every Pro V1 and Pro V1x are manufactured by Titleist associates to the industry’s highest performance and quality specifications – ensures that every new generation of Pro V1 and Pro V1x are the best performing and most consistent models ever. Consistency from ball to ball, and dozen to dozen is critical to allowing golfers to consistently execute the same types of shots, round after round.
PLAYER VALIDATION
Since their October 2020 introduction on the PGA Tour, many of the world’s best players have teed up new Pro V1 and Pro V1x in competition including Adam Scott (Pro V1x), Justin Thomas (Pro V1x), Tony Finau (Pro V1), Ryan Palmer (Pro V1x), Scottie Scheffler (Pro V1) – and Cameron Smith, who became the first player in the history of The Masters to finish with all four rounds in the 60s while playing new Pro V1x.
“When I first tested it, it was a bit hotter off the driver, which was great,” Smith said. “The ball flight and windows were great. But the biggest thing that stuck out was the control coming out of the rough and around the greens. I can control my shots – especially those difficult, soft shots – so much better.”
The new 2021 Pro V1 and Pro V1x White (play numbers 1-4, 5-8) and High Optic Yellow (play numbers 1-4) golf balls will be available in Canada beginning Jan. 27, 2021. Custom play numbers (00, 1-99) will be available beginning March 15.
FootJoy, the #1 Shoe in Golf, has been trusted by the greatest golfers in the world for a singular dedication to the game of golf and relentless commitment to innovation performance, style, comfort and quality. In fact, FootJoy has been the #1 shoe chosen by players at every PGA Tour tournament for 75 straight years.
As part of their continued commitment to performance innovation, FootJoy introduces the all-new HyperFlex, tuned specifically for golf to deliver crazy-soft comfort and performance along with support that returns energy to the golfer.
HyperFlex features an advanced midsole/outsole combo that includes two new technologies that provide unrivalled comfort and performance where you need it out on the golf course.
STRATOFOAM CUSHIONING: FJ’s StratoFoam cushioning is a proprietary foam blend that provides optimal support and comfort in any conditions. This midsole design provides the perfect blend of cushioning which helps absorb shock while maximizing energy return to reduce foot fatigue.
OPTIFLEX™ OUTSOLE: The all-new OptiFlex outsole design features dual flex grooves that flex naturally with your foot for comfort as well as a thin, semi-rigid TPU flex plate that promotes multidirectional flexure and traction where you need it in the golf swing.
“When you take the first steps in HyperFlex, you’ll notice that the shoe moves in unison with the foot,” said Chris Tobias, Vice President, FJ Footwear. “This new outsole technology is designed to mimic the natural flexure of the foot, so not only are you getting a great walking shoe, but a shoe that will maximize the ground force throughout every movement in the golf swing.”
WRAPID, powered by the BOA® Fit System
HyperFlex features breakthrough performance fit technology, delivered with athletic-inspired styling and materials in both a laced version as well as the all-new WRAPID, powered by the BOA® Fit System. This innovative new system features an asymmetrical configuration that ensures a dialed-in, precision fit with a reduction in pressure on the top of the foot. It enables the shoe to move with you, wrapping your foot in complete security, all while providing powerful support through the swing.
Tour players have already made the switch to incorporate HyperFlex in practice and in play at tournaments around the world, including Rafa Cabrera Bello and Bernd Wiesberger.
“They look and feel so athletic,” said Rafa Cabrera Bello. “Super comfortable the moment you put them on.”
“It’s a great looking shoe that you can just slip into,” said Bernd Wiesberger. “You get that great stability without sacrificing on comfort.”
Launching in unison with the HyperFlex footwear is the all-new HyperFLX® glove and HyperFlex Pullover, featuring the same commitment to innovation performance, style, comfort and quality.
“As the leader in gloves and apparel, we have a commitment to enhance the golf experience through golf-specific innovation, which is evident here with these new product launches,” said Whitney Trimble, Vice President, FJ Apparel, Gloves and Accessories.
The new HyperFLX glove features a Premium Cabretta Leather Palm that provides a super-soft, comfortable feel, and a lightweight MicroVent™ FiberSof™ material on the back of the hand for added breathability. The Powernet™ Mesh along the knuckles is placed with purpose, increasing moisture control and fit consistency.
Designed to deliver where it matters most, the new HyperFlex Pullover features a lightweight stretch woven fabric that is windproof with a DWR finish, engineered to best protect you from the elements. The lower back pocket acts as a self-stowing pocket that easily stores in your golf bag, providing easy on-the-go removal as conditions change.
FJ is the #1 Shoe and Glove in Golf and the leader in on-course apparel, founded on a heritage of innovation and focus on delivering the ultimate in performance for golfers around the world.
Footjoy reimagines classic with Premiere Series shoe
FootJoy shoes have been trusted by more professional golfers than any other brand through an uncompromising commitment to quality, unrivaled design, and a single-minded focus on golf performance. In fact, FJ has been the #1 shoe on the PGA Tour for 75 consecutive years, an impressive streak in any sport.
That same pioneering spirit of innovation continues today, driving FootJoy to elevate the standard of performance and style in golf footwear.
As part of FootJoy’s continued brand innovation, FJ is excited to introduce you to The Premiere Series, a modern representation of the classic golf shoe for men and women.
INSPIRED BY THEN
Designed in collaboration with several PGA Tour players, The Premiere Series will feature three new upper designs, inspired by the past but made relevant for today. Influenced by the discerning taste of the modern golfer, each collection uses soft, supple premium leather uppers and ultra-lightweight materials, as well as exquisite detailing that deliver distinctly modern classic styling.
THE TARLOW
The Tarlow collection is inspired by Bill and Dick Tarlow, who bought the FootJoy business in 1957 and focused the brand primarily on golf. The Tarlow collection, a modern interpretation of the timeless cap toe design, uses a natural grain leather in the vamp and the quarter, complimented by a coordinated croc print in the heel, cap toe and eyestay. The midsole is complimented by a natural leather welt and contrast stitch.
THE PACKARD
The Packard collection is inspired by Frederick Packard, FootJoy’s founder and a shoe pioneer who drove the adoption of many modern manufacturing and design innovations still employed today. The Packard collection features exquisite detailing and a pebble grain leather in both the vamp and the quarter. The collection uses a calfskin croc print accent in the saddle area, complimented by a natural leather welt and contrast stitching.
THE FLINT
Inspired by Perley Flint, a young Harvard graduate and avid golfer who designed FootJoy’s first golf shoe in the 1920’s, this collection is clean and refined. A smooth ChromoSkin leather is used in the upper, highlighted by a nice embossed detailing on the saddle area, a refined FJ ornament as well as a nice piping on the side. Inside the shoe, you will find premium lambskin linings and a new fitbed for exceptional comfort.
SUPERCHARGED FOR NOW.
While timeless in design, the Premiere Series is infused with performance innovation, led by the all-new VersaTrax+ outsole. This revolutionary anti-channeling tread pattern is engineered to provide grip for any lie or angle, providing total traction coverage, reducing any slippage. VersaTrax+ utilizes multiple TPU compounds to grip any surface – a harder TPU for on-course grip and a softer TPU for traction on harder surfaces.
“We saw a terrific opportunity to completely reinvent the classically inspired golf shoe from the ground up,” said Chris Tobias, Vice President, FJ Footwear. “And to accomplish that, we leveraged every ounce of innovation, as well as direct input from the world’s best players, to deliver next-level performance with a distinctly modern take on classic design.”
The Premiere Series also delivers on comfort, featuring a Ortholite EcoPlush FitBed® that delivers perimeter stability in the heel as well as super-soft and comfortable custom underfoot cushioning.
Tour proven, The Premiere Series will be worn by more Tour players in 2021 than any other golf shoe, including Justin Thomas, Adam Scott, Ian Poulter, Webb Simpson and many, many more. In fact, even during testing, the Premiere Series was the shoe chosen by more players at the 2020 Masters Tournament than any other.
“I was lucky enough to work with the team over the last several years to talk about what’s needed for the best golf shoe out there,” said Adam Scott. “My big belief is that FootJoy should have the best golf shoe out there and I believe they’ve achieved that with The Premiere Series.”
“I love ‘em,” said Webb Simpson. “They are a bit classic, which remind me of what I wore growing up, but definitely have a super modern twist while keeping that FootJoy look.”
“They feel super comfortable the moment you put them on,” said Ian Poulter. “They don’t need breaking in which is a massive plus, and I also obviously love the fact I can customize them!”
For those looking to design their own golf shoes, The Premiere Series is available on MyJoys. Create custom MyJoys with millions of possible combinations of colours, prints, laces and more, available for both Men and Women in both Laced and BOA.
FEATURESANDBENEFITS
Soft, supple, waterproof Pittard’s leather uppers featuring patterns that are modern interpretations of classic style
Estane® TPU, provides enhanced traction on all surfaces
Ortholite EcoPlush FitBed® for enhanced stability and comfort
Featuring Pulsar Low Profile Cleats by Softspikes
Luxurious, soft and supple sheepskin linings inside Tarlow and Packard. Flint utilizes super soft microfiber linings in order to achieve a distinctive pop of color
Laser Street Last (Men): Full rounded toe character, standard forefoot and instep with a slightly narrow heel. Refined toe shape for a classic profile
Performa Last (Women): Full rounded toe character, fuller fit across forefoot, narrower fit in heel
Two-year waterproof warranty
MyJoys customization available
The Premiere Series is available in Canada on March 1 starting at $299.
From zero to full in 40 seconds, and other strange tales from the 2020 golf season
GreyHawk Golf Club (ClubLink)
Just how busy were golf courses across Canada in 2020?
Early one morning at the beginning of the season, Stephen Jardeleza positioned himself in front of his computer at GreyHawk Golf Club. On his screen was a blank tee sheet for the Ottawa club where he is the Director of Operations.
In a few minutes, the computerized tee-times reservation system would open for members to begin booking tee times for the upcoming Saturday. Up for grabs were 130 tee times across the club’s 36 holes, which, if fully booked, would work out to 520 golfers.
At 7 a.m., the tee sheet came alive. “In 40 seconds, our tee sheet was fully booked,” Jardeleza said. “And this happened every day.”
The 2020 golf season—and the year—will go down in infamy as one of the strangest that most of us will ever experience.
Faced with a mysterious and deadly nemesis, golf provided a beacon of badly needed joy amid fear and frustration. We were smitten. We couldn’t get enough golf.
“It didn’t matter that there was a worldwide pandemic,” said Simon Bevan, General Manager of Riverbend Golf Club in London. “Golf was like a drug. We all wanted to hit the little white ball.”
Now that the season has ended, the golf club industry in Canada is celebrating a record year in which rounds skyrocketed to historic proportions. Thousands of people took up golf—some for the first time, and some came back to the game—and veteran golfers played more than they ever have.
But right out of the be-careful-what-you-wish-for playbook, the industry faced the challenge of how to mollify established golfers frustrated that they could no longer get to the first tee when they wanted.
Back in April, with cities around the world looking like ghost towns, and major league sports and the PGA TOUR shut down, golfers held on to a slender thread of hope that a golf season might be possible.
By early May, golfers in Ontario and Quebec had endured two months of a gruelling lockdown, made worse by a tantalizingly warm spring that screamed golf. Golfers ached for their game. A friend said, “Golfers can distance. I play golf with people. I don’t dance with them.”
After weeks of consultation with the golf industry on safety measures, the Ontario government said courses could open May 16. Quebec set May 20 as its opening day.
Golf clubs had only a few days to finish their preparations in order to keep golfers safe. Staff removed ball washers, water coolers, benches and outfitted flagsticks with doo-hickeys that allowed you to extricate your ball without having to touch the stick.
Held back from their usual start to the season, golfers were ravenous. On May 15—the first day that tee times could be booked—thousands of ClubLink Members went online to reserve their tee times at 7 a.m., causing the system to crash.
Many technology platforms serving the golf industry were overwhelmed. When Golf Ontario opened its online tournament registration on June 24, 17,000 people visited its site in a matter of minutes, causing it to crash for the first time in its history, according to executive director Mike Kelly.
On those first wonderful days of the 2020 golf season, golfers were over the moon to play and golf club personnel were cautiously nervous.
“We were hoping that members wouldn’t contract the virus just from touching things,” said Paul Carrothers, Director of Golf at Royal Ottawa Golf Club.
Thousands of golfers wanted to play the game—not just because they are an extremely obsessive bunch—but also to escape the same four walls at home. Without having to travel for work or commute, working from home also afforded many golfers the freedom to play when they wanted. More or less.
With offices and schools closed, and nearly every other option for having fun shut down, golf became the ‘it’ activity. Spouses, friends and kids who had not tried golf, and those who had given up the game, were playing.
“Almost all of the guys that I played slow-pitch with every Tuesday for 20 years were now playing golf,” said Kevin Thistle, CEO of the PGA of Canada. “The way we play golf, work, watch sports—it’s all changing, and forcing us to adapt.”
From the once-a-year golfer to the 100-rounds-plus player, everyone played more—and wanted more.
“Players who would normally play 30 to 40 rounds played 70 to 80 rounds,” said Adam Tobin, Director of Golf at Whistle Bear Golf Club in Cambridge.
Even with most corporate events cancelled at most clubs, tee times became a precious commodity.
By the end of June, Canadians had played more than 1.5 million rounds during the month, an increase of 17 per cent over June 2019. And that’s a monumental feat folks when you consider June is THE busiest and best month to play. For an industry that faced media reports a few years earlier that it was declining, business was booming.
But for avid golfers who routinely play three or more rounds a week and were used to convenient tee times, it was not all sunshine and rainbows.
“There was a lot of frustration,” said Jason Wyatt, Head Professional at Sunningdale Golf & Country Club in London, where demand shot up 52 percent over 2019 with the same number of members. “There were people who wanted an 8 a.m. time but had to settle for hours later.”
Even playing ‘executive’ or nine-hole courses was a challenge. “There were times that we had six groups lined up to play our nine-hole course,” said Dennis Firth, Head Professional at Royal Montreal which experienced a 30 percent increase in rounds over 2019. “It was unprecedented.”
As a golfer, and the fellow in charge of tracking golfers across the country for Golf Canada, Adam Helmer said he could no longer just head out to play. He had to become organized in scheduling his golf.
“A downside of golf being so popular was that not everyone was able to get the tee time they wanted,” said Helmer, senior director of Golf Services for Golf Canada.
The problem was simple. Demand for tee times appeared limitless, but every course has a finite number of holes and daylight. And to keep golfers from getting too close to one another, most clubs spaced out tee times, which meant fewer golfers on the course.
John Finlayson, Chief Operating Officer of ClubLink, says that—as a general rule of thumb—a private golf club with 18 holes carries about 400 full dues-paying members to sustain its business.
But even in June when the days are longest, there’s only enough room to accommodate about 225 golfers. “If 300 people want to play that course that day, you have a problem,” said Finlayson, whose ClubLink courses saw a 29 percent increase in rounds in 2020 compared with 2019.
Many private clubs responded by restricting the number of guests that members could bring, and restricted access for certain classes of memberships.
“To make room for our full members, we had to restrict our legacy and out-of-town members,” said Ian Leggatt, General Manager of Summit Golf Club in Richmond Hill. “We had to communicate to them that these are unusual times,” said Leggatt, who has since moved to the same position at St. George’s Golf and Country Club in Toronto.
Initially, Leggatt and other senior club managers wondered if golfers would “drift from the game” because they couldn’t socialize in the clubhouse restaurant afterwards,
and the on-course experience was altered.
But with fewer golfers on the course, no need to rake bunkers, and single riders on carts, the speed of play improved dramatically.
“The measures were taken for safety, but it provided a better experience,” Finlayson said. “Most golfers expect to play 18 holes in 4 to 4.5 hours, but this year a 4-hour round was considered a bit slow.”
Nonetheless, many golfers were frustrated about access, and many golf clubs stepped up their communication efforts to help their members adapt.
“You couldn’t over-communicate,” Leggatt said. “This whole thing was shifting, and there was no template on how to make it work better.”
It affected everyone, including ClubLink Member and CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association of Canada, Jeff Calderwood.
“I’d jump on the computer five days in advance at 7 a.m. this fall, and there were often no times at Eagle Creek (his Home Club in Ottawa),” he said. “It illustrated the dilemma we had.”
Industry leaders such as Calderwood are thankful golf provided a silver lining during a pandemic, but they are also mindful that the industry is challenged by how it satisfies core golfers while retaining new players.
“I don’t claim to have all the answers. You could restructure and find that, perhaps with a vaccine, demand doesn’t stay so high, and then you’re not sustainable if you got it wrong.”
Mike Kelly of Golf Ontario was among the industry leaders who consulted with the Ontario government to allow clubs to open this season, and he’s grateful golfers turned a possible disaster into a banner year for golf.
As a golf administrator who represents the sport in Ontario, as well as players who want to play and have fun, Kelly says he can’t lose focus on what’s truly important.
“Our job is to provide a safe environment. That’s our No. 1 priority during this pandemic. We can’t screw this up. The game has grown and the industry will evolve, but the priority must be safety.”
Tim O’Connor is a golf and performance coach, writer and author of four books, co-host of the Swing Thoughts podcast, and webinar presenter. He is the 2020 winner of the Lorne Rubenstein Media Award given by Golf Ontario. tim@oconnorgolf.ca
Faster from the tee and turf, the new Titleist TSi fairway metals are engineered with advanced speed-tuned technologies – including Active Recoil Channel 4.0 – to drive faster ball speeds and higher inertia for longer distance with incredible accuracy.
Available in golf shops Nov. 12, with fittings beginning today at locations nationwide, the new Titleist TSi2 and TSi3 fairways are the longest, straightest, best looking and best sounding Titleist fairway metals ever – taking after the breakthrough performance of the new TSi drivers, which have quickly become the most-played driver models on the PGA Tour.
From the top of the swing, TSi’s player-tuned aerodynamics propel the clubhead fast toward the golf ball. At impact, Active Recoil Channel (ARC) 4.0 creates greater face flex, launching the ball with increased speed. High inertia properties produce an extremely stable clubhead, providing players with more consistent speed and spin across the face for longer, straighter shots:
TSi2 launches high with incredible speed and forgiveness across the face, with a deeper, lower CG to maximize distance.
TSi3 is for players looking for added workability or requiring more precise control over CG placement, with a new SureFit CG Track
Design for advanced speed-tuned performance and shot control.
“Our metalwoods engineers continue to find new ways to generate speed and distance in our fairway designs without giving up any of the performance characteristics that players demand from a Titleist golf club,” said Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf Club Marketing. “TSi fairways are faster, straighter and easier-to-hit than ever – and deliver an experience at impact that many golfers would never expect from a fairway wood.”
TSi FAIRWAY TECHNOLOGY & PERFORMANCE
The superior speed and performance of TSi fairway metals are driven by several key innovations:
Active Recoil Channel (ARC) 4.0 launches the ball off the face with high launch, low spin and more speed. The improved design of ARC 4.0 – featuring a shorter channel wall – produces greater face flexibility for higher ball speeds. The more compact geometry also provides weight savings (5 grams) that are redistributed for higher inertia properties.
“The fourth generation of Active Recoil Channel continues to drive incredible speed performance for us in our fairway designs,” said Stephanie Luttrell, Director, Titleist Metalwood Development. “It is such a key technology in fairway metals because of where the impact happens, low on the face. Typically those strikes from the turf would come off the face much slower, but ARC keeps the face flexing through impact to preserve the speed players need to reach their target.”
High-Speed VFT Face works in concert with ARC 4.0 to maximize ball speed and forgiveness across the face. A new high-contrast graphic face design highlights the face center for easy alignment at address.
Player-Tuned Aerodynamics allows the clubhead to move fast through the air – from the top of the swing to the ball – and deliver a powerful impact. The improved head shapes feature a tour-requested softer toe profile that looks square at address. TSi feels fast in a golfer’s hands and is complemented by meticulous sound engineering that manages vibrations within the club head to deliver a Tour-Quality Sound.
Optimized Weight Distribution with refined crown and face thicknesses creates a low CG for high launch and low spin. The high-MOI design delivers a powerful combination of speed and stability.
• SureFit CG Track Technology in TSi3 models offer three unique positions – Toe (T), Neutral (N) and Heel (H) – to adjust clubhead CG and fine-tune ball flight. After adjustment, the new track design disappears into the sole of the club to allow for smooth turf interaction through impact.
Both TSi2 and TSi3 feature Titleist’s patented SureFit hosel with 16 independent loft and lie settings, plus headweight adjustability (in two-gram increments, ranging from -4g to 4g) to create a more consistent and optimized ball flight through precision fitting.
TSi2
: PURE DISTANCE
For players seeking incredible speed and accuracy across the entire the surface of the face.
For players who create more consistent contact and require more precise control over CG placement.
Precision performance and dynamic forgiveness.
• Improved Active Recoil Channel 4.0
Three-setting SureFit CG track and adjustable swingweight
Mid/high launch, low spin
Improved aerodynamic traditional shape (175c)
Available lofts: RH: 13.5°, 15°, 16.5°, 18°; LH: 15°, 16.5°
FEATURED AND PREMIUM SHAFTS
The TSi shaft selection has been assembled to offer world-class options for every swing speed and profile preference. Golfers can choose from four high performance featured shafts or upgrade to one of three premium shafts available through Titleist’s new partnership with Graphite Design.
The TS fairways featured shaft lineup features four new aftermarket models – KURO KAGE Black DC (High launch, mid spin), TENSEI AV Series Blue Raw (Mid launch and spin), HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX (Low/mid launch and spin) and TENSEI AV Series White Raw (Low launch and spin) – developed by the game’s top shaft manufacturers using insights from Titleist’s industry-best motion capture and consumer testing.
Graphite Design’s premium offerings include three of the most coveted shaft models on tour and throughout the golfing world – Graphite Design Tour AD DI, Graphite Design Tour AD IZ and Graphite Design Tour AD XC (Xtra Carry) – engineered with aerospace-quality carbon-fiber materials for incredible stability, consistency and feel.
In addition, Titleist offers an industry-leading number of custom shaft choices.
INSTANT TOUR ADOPTION
More than 150 players around the world have switched to new TSi2 and TSi3 fairways since they debuted on the PGA and European Tours in September.
Top players include Ben An (TSi2), Lanto Griffin (TSi3), Charley Hoffman (TSi3), Charles Howell III (TSi2), Mark Hubbard (TSi2), Matt Jones (TSi2), Patton Kizzire (TSi2), Peter Malnati (TSi3), C.T. Pan (TSi2), Ian Poulter (TSi2), Davis Riley (TSi3), Robby Shelton (TSi3), Cameron Smith (TSi2), Jimmy Walker (TSi2) and Will Zalatoris (TSi3), among many others – several of whom play them without an agreement.
FREE TRIAL & FITTINGS
Beginning Oct. 15, golfers can experience the speed and performance of TS metals by attending a Titleist Fitting Day (including Titleist Thursdays) being held at locations across the Country. To find an event, golfers can visit https://www.titleist.ca/fitting/golf-club-fitting/experience.
AVAILABILITY
Titleist TSi fairways are available in golf shops beginning Nov. 12 at $399 CAD.
But despite unprecedented schedules, navigating a global pandemic and extreme heat in the country’s two biggest provinces, golf’s superintendents were there as they’ve always been – solving problems and giving golfers an opportunity to play the sport they love.
That’s why International “Thank a Golf Course Superintendent Day” means even more in 2020.
On September 23, the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association, in concert with other global superintendent groups, recognized those who keep the game going and enjoyable. All together the global groups represent more than 31,000 golf course management professionals. Look for a commercial to run on the Golf Channel and other media outlets, along with social media content.
Golfers and others are encouraged to join in the conversation online using the hashtag: #ThankASuper.
“Supers aren’t just people who grow grass. They’re an integral part of a team at any golf course,” says Kathryn Wood, chief operating officer of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association.
Just as most superintendents were gearing up for their season, that’s when COVID-19 really spread aggressively worldwide, with sports leagues – including the PGA TOUR – pressing pause. Luckily superintendents were able to maintain an essential, minimal level of maintenance at golf courses (British Columbia was different insofar as courses were not mandated to close).
Wood says she has been so impressed by the resilient, smart, group across the country.
“Looking back, there have been challenges presented for every person in the pandemic, but golf course supers are pretty ingenious, proactive and flexible and can come through any type of challenge pretty well,” says Wood. “They are very flexible and able to deal with the different challenges they’re faced with.”
At Cutten Fields in Guelph, Ont., head superintendent Bill Green tells a story of adaptability – a key for 2020, more than ever, he says.
He says he had one-person work for him this year – Ashton DeBello, a second-year chemistry student – who last summer worked in the halfway house at the club. Her bosses loved her and wanted to her back in 2020. But when the course opened, there was no halfway house due to COVID-19. She joined Green’s team – along with a chef and a clubhouse maintenance worker, who pivoted gigs to help keep the course in top shape – where DeBello learned construction skills.
Now? She’s operating an excavator, installing drainage and building bunkers.
“It’s brought the entire club, staff-wise, closer,” says Green about having people from other parts of the club’s business see what it takes for superintendents to get their jobs done. “Even if it’s just a few people, they understand what we’re doing on the golf course a little more. The members know my staff. Usually we’re in the trees and no one sees us.
“I think anybody in any business or any walk of life… everybody has had to adjust and change their life in many ways in a lot of cases and we’re no different.”
In Manitoba, Darren Kalyniuk is president of the Canadian Golf Superintendents Association and the superintendent at St. Boniface Golf Club. He, like Green, says the staffing and budget issues were the biggest challenges they had to face in 2020.
Still, superintendents did what they always do – persevere.
“A lot of superintendents put on their rally caps and really did whatever they had to do with limited resources to get the courses back up and running properly,” says Kalyniuk.
“Everyone was asked to work with limited staff because there were so many uncertainties with revenues at the beginning and it put a little bit of a challenge on the courses and supers to do more with less.”
Doing more with less has been demanded of so many across Canada. Combine that with the increased safety measures installed at workplaces, and you’ve got a challenging season – not to mention there were record-breaking numbers of people coming out and playing golf, too.
But David Hunter, the superintendent at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s Hoot and North Courses says he’s seen his staff embrace the challenge.
“We’ve been really excited to provide great course conditions for the whole season,” says Hunter. “It’s been a banner year for our staff and we’re incredibly proud of this group of people.”
As Canadian golfers, we should all be incredibly proud of superintendents from coast to coast.
And to them, on September 23 and every day, we say thank you.
Kim Locke announced as recipient of GJAC’s Dick Grimm Award
Kim Locke (Golf Journalists Association of Canada)
TORONTO – The Golf Journalists Association of Canada (GJAC) announced on Monday that Kim Locke is the recipient of the 2020 Dick Grimm Award, the association’s highest honour.
A committee of past GJAC Presidents selected Locke, whose leadership in founding and publishing SCOREGolf have contributed richly to the discourse and coverage of Canadian golf for four decades.
Named in honour of Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Richard “Dick” Grimm, whose legendary service to the Canadian Open and the Canadian golf industry is unparalleled in Canadian golf history, the Dick Grimm Award is presented annually to those who have made a significant lifetime contribution to Canadian golf.
“It’s truly an honour to be this year’s recipient of the Dick Grimm Award,” said Locke. “When I first broke into the golf media business 40 years ago Dick was extremely influential as a mentor and trusted advisor. He was also a dear close friend who epitomized the game’s values the entirety of his long distinguished career. My sincere thanks to the Golf Journalists Association of Canada for bestowing me with an award that embodies what Dick Grimm meant to golf right across Canada.”
Under Locke’s leadership since launching as SCORE, Canada’s Golf Magazine in 1980, SCOREGolf has made countless contributions to Canadian golf media including editorial coverage in print, TV and radio, course rankings and platforms for diverse voices across the Canadian golf industry. In January, SCOREGolf was awarded the PGA of Canada’s George Cumming Distinguished Service Award.
“Over the course of his career Kim’s work has contributed immensely to the Canadian golf community,” said David McPherson, GJAC President. “We’re proud to present him with this award in the name of Dick Grimm, whose tireless efforts to promote the game of golf in Canada had so much in common with what SCOREGolf has achieved over the past 40 years.”
Grimm, who passed away in 2014, was a true giant of the game in Canada, and in the world of golf. He was an energetic supporter of GJAC, and the association’s highest annual award is named after him.
Golf is both thrilling and maddening, a way to have a singular escape or meet with friends, and a game for a lifetime that can be played by both the health-conscious and those who take it as an opportunity to raise a Steamwhistle and crush a hot dog.
But, when you’re looking for something even more for your next 18 holes, we’ve got you covered with an explainer of some fun games you could play with your group.
Games played on the course can be as simple as a match against a friend or family member all the way to a complicated tracker of accomplishments (or lack thereof) resulting in, perhaps, a couple of loonies passed between hands.
While the new Golf Canada app is perfect for posting scores using regular stroke play, we know that not everyone takes to the course to play nine or 18 holes counting all his or her shots. Playing games in a group is way to spice up your usual round. Even for the most experienced golf group, there may be something new below that you’ve never tried!
Read on to learn more about some of our favourites.
1. Alternate Shot
Otherwise known as ‘foursomes’ this is a completely different kind of golf that North Americans usually only see on TV during the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. Trying this out with your friends will a) make you understand why the best players in the world struggle with it and b) maybe make you try to find some new friends, depending on where your partner leaves you to hit from.
Alternate shot is, well, that. One player hits then the next player hits from where she or he ended up. It could also be modified to where each twosome hits a drive, you pick the best one, and you alternate shots from there to the hole.
Must play with four golfers.
2. Six-Six-Six
This is a simple match-play format that allows you to play with everyone else in your group and not just a single partner for the duration of the round.
The 18 holes are divided up into three six-hole matches and you can use any scoring format you choose. Even if you get defeated soundly in one of your matches, you have two others to try to redeem yourself.
Must play with four golfers. If you are riding in carts, the usual format is ‘carts’ (those in the same cart), ‘drivers’ (those who are driving), and ‘opposites’ (a driver and a passenger).
3. Wolf
A points-based game, this one takes a little planning and some concentration (perhaps try to find an accountant to play with?) but it’s a dramatic one that makes for some great stories by the time the day is done.
There is a ton of other ways to track points and add bonuses to your Wolf game, but here are the basics:
The order of play is determined on the first tee. The ‘Wolf’ always tees off last. The order in which golfers tee off, regardless of score, rotates every four holes so each player becomes the Wolf on a continual basis.
Once each player hits his or her tee shot, the Wolf decides to either take a partner (based on the locations of the tee shots) or go as the ‘Lone Wolf’ and try to beat the other three players on his or her own ball.
Variation: You could also be the ‘Blind Wolf’ and declare, before any of the tee shots are hit, that you are going to go at it alone
Points are collected as follows
Wolf and partner win the hole: two points
Non-Wolf partners win the hole: three points
Lone Wolf wins: four points
Lone Wolf defeated by any player: The other three get one point
Must play with four golfers.
4. Bingo, Bango, Bongo
Another fun one that doesn’t need to involve four players, and it’s perfect for golfers who have a higher handicap but still want to get in on the action during a round. It’s another game of points but one that’s wrapped in being ‘first’ to do something.
The first player to hit his or her shot onto the green gets a point (Bingo!), the player whose ball is closest to the pin when all balls are on the green gets a point (Bango!), and the first person to hole out gets a point (Bongo!).
At the end of the round whomever has the most points wins.
Can be played with two, three, or four golfers.
5. Vegas
Another team game, this one can get out of hand if you’re applying a monetary value to each point – but it’s a unique twist on a usual ‘scoring’ game.
Teams are decided on the first tee and scores are not added, but combined. If Player A makes a 4 and Player B makes a 5 then their score is 45. If Player C makes a 5 and Player D makes a 7, their score is 57 and Team AB wins the hole by 12 points.
The lower score always goes to the front of the combined score.
Must play with four golfers.
6. Best Ball
A Best Ball match is just that, and can be combined to any number of other team matchups on the course. Teams of two play straight up, but as the name suggests, the ‘best’ score on the hole counts as the team score.
‘Best Ball’ is not to be confused with a ‘Scramble’ (very popular for family or corporate tournaments) where all four members of a team hit a tee shot and they continue on to hole out by choosing the ‘best ball’ out of the bunch every time.
Must play with four golfers.
7. Skins
Golfers apply points (or dollar amounts) to each hole and the lowest score wins the pot.
If any two golfers tie the hole then the point or dollar amount carries over to the following hole. Things can add up quick and make the holes later in the round even more exciting!
Can play with two, three, or four golfers.
8. Stableford
Another opportunity for the higher handicap golfers to earn points against their lower-handicap friends, the Stableford system of scoring is so popular even the PGA Tour uses it for one of their events.
Points are applied to scores and the higher the better, in this instance.
For example: Three points for an eagle, two points for a birdie, one point for a par, no points for a bogey, and minus-1 point for a double-bogey or worse is a good way to start.
Can play with two, three, or four golfers.
9. Nassau
Playing a Nassau is the most popular of golf games and the one with the most variations, too.
At its simplest, a Nassau is broken out in to three games: low front-nine score, low back-nine score, and low 18-hole score. Dollar amounts or points are applied to each match. Say you were going to play a $5 Nassau, the most you can lose is $15. If you win all three, you win $45 ($15 from the other three players).
A popular move when playing Nassau’s is to ‘press’ (basically double-or-nothing on the original bet), which you could do if you were down a few strokes and wanted to try for a late-round charge.
Fun add-ons, called ‘junk’ can be added to the original Nassau game.
Hit it in the water but still made par? You could add a ‘Fishy’ to your Nassau. Knocked it off a tree but still made par? Congratulations, you made a ‘Barky.’ Chipped in? Well done, you earned a ‘Chippie.’
Golf is a fun enough game as it stands, but over 18 holes and with the same group round after round, there is no shortage of little games you can bring to the course the next time you tee it up.
Titleist introduces Scotty Cameron inspired by Justin Thomas putter
Scotty Cameron is celebrating the long-running success of Titleist Brand Ambassador Justin Thomas with the introduction of the new Inspired by Justin Thomas Phantom X5.5 putter.
Available Sept. 22 worldwide in select Titleist golf shops, the limited-release model is designed to the specifications of the trusted gamer that Thomas has used in capturing 12 of his 13 PGA Tour titles – including the 2017 PGA Championship – and most recently, the 2020 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational. Scotty has created exactly 2,020 Inspired by Justin Thomas putters for worldwide distribution.
Each Inspired by Justin Thomas Phantom X5.5 incorporates the custom setup that Scotty crafted for JT in the summer of 2016 – combining the high-MOI wingback head style with a welded small slant neck that promotes an arced putting stroke more commonly associated with a blade.
To commemorate this special release, Scotty and team created a “Circle JT” emblem that is engraved on the heel of the putter face.
“Justin Thomas is one of those unique players who only comes around once or twice in a generation. He first visited the Scotty Cameron Putter Studio as a young amateur when he played a Newport 2,” said Cameron. “JT loved that traditional putter look. But even after getting his first tour win with the blade, he started to consider a change. He poked around our putter bag on the Titleist Tour Van and was initially drawn to the Futura X5 – the compact mallet shape really suited his eye. After some back-and-forth discussions, I welded him a small slant neck as a prototype setup and here we are. Twelve PGA Tour wins later and still counting with the same putter – including a major championship, two World Golf Championships and a FedExCup Championship. Players are always asking me for a welded-neck putter like JT’s. It’s a special setup that deserves this kind of treatment.”
“This was an extremely cool project for me to work on with Scotty,” said Thomas. “When I first saw the 5.5, I immediately noticed how nicely it sits down on the green. The neck just makes it sit so square. In the beginning, I was only thinking it would give me something different to look at for a couple weeks – yet here I am – four-something years later and still gaming it. So, I guess it’s worked out pretty well.”
PERFORMANCE & TECHNOLOGY
The Inspired by Justin Thomas Phantom X5.5 has been created in the spirit of JT’s tour-winning prototype with the following key features:
Multi-material head with solid face technology features a standard-milled, 6061 aircraft aluminum face that extends back and through the flange area surrounded by heavier 303 stainless steel wings for high-MOI and stability.
Tour-winning setup – crafted at 34.5 inches with 10-gram customizable stainless steel heel and toe weights for proper balance and increased stability throughout the stroke.
Welded small slant neck – hand welded on every putter like JT’s original prototype – provides increased toe flow for the mallet head style.
Signature markings – including a special “Circle JT” emblem engraved into the face heel, and Thomas’ signature designed into the aluminum sole plate – complete the “Inspired by” look and feel.
Solid milled stainless steel construction – is milled in the United States from a block of solid 303 stainless steel for legendary performance and playability with consistent sound and soft feel.
AESTHETICS & ACCESSORIES
Every Inspired by Justin Thomas putter features a raw stainless steel finish and a unique bead blast for a radiant yet glare resistant appearance. Additionally, Scotty’s signature three red dot pattern has been included in the back cavity.
The putter is accessorized with a new Pistolero Plus grip in cement gray with black lettering. This grip complements an elegantly embroidered, custom Inspired by Justin Thomas headcover and a Scotty Cameron Fine Milled Putters Seven-Point Crown shaft band.
AVAILABILITY
A limited run of 2,020 Scotty Cameron Inspired by Justin Thomas Phantom X5.5 putters will be available beginning Sep. 22 at select Titleist authorized golf shops worldwide. MAP $1150.
Titleist introduces T-Series Player’s Distance Irons in limited black finish
The striking long-range performance of the Titleist T-Series T100•S and T200 player’s irons – powered by breakthrough technology for explosive distance in a player-preferred shape – can now be experienced in a stealthy all-black setup.
Available Aug. 28 for a limited time, the new T-Series T100•S and T200 Black irons are finished with a sleek High Polish Black PVD coating continually requested by tour players and members of #TeamTitleist. Each model is complemented by a glare-reducing matte black shaft – DG Onyx AMT Black (T100•S) or Project X LZ Onyx (T200) – and an all-black Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip.
“T100•S and T200 have proven to be incredible feats of engineering that really show what it takes to be a Titleist iron,” said Josh Talge, Vice President, Titleist Golf Ball Marketing.
“It’s the ultimate blend of classic shaping and modern technology. You’re getting the look and feel of a true player’s iron, but with the added speed, launch and forgiveness that allows you to take aim from farther away. We’ve heard from many golfers asking us to build these all-black editions – the combination of the Black PVD finish with the matte black shaft and matching grip is just stunning.”
T-SERIES BLACK ON TOUR
T-Series irons have quickly become the most-played iron model on the PGA Tour, where Titleist has been the longstanding #1 iron since 2005. Cameron Smith won the Sony Open in Hawaii playing a set of T100 Black irons. Lanto Griffin, who put in his request for black T100’s after seeing Smith post a picture of them in Instagram, used them to win the Houston Open.
“The first time I saw these irons they looked so good I didn’t want to put a scratch on them,” said Smith. “The black finish just looks tighter to me and really fits my eye. It also helps to keep a little bit of the shine off which I really like.”
T100•S TECHNOLOGY
T100•S irons are the only fully-forged player’s distance iron in the category, designed to deliver the same tour-level precision and signature feel as T100 in 2-degree stronger lofts for longer distance. Each iron has been individually calibrated to give better players the added distance they need to score lower, while preserving the feel and precision required for superior shot shaping.
T100•S BLACK SPECIFICATIONS
DEXTERITY: Right Hand
FINISH: High Polish Black
SET MAKEUP: 4-P, W48
SHAFT: Project X LZ Onyx
GRIP: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 (All Black)
T200 TECHNOLOGY
T200irons deliver powerfully playable distance in a tour-inspired shape – with Max Impact Technology, a striking innovation that extends maximum speed across the entire face of mid and long irons while preserving superior sound and feel. A super thin forged face is backed by a unique polymer core – developed in partnership with Titleist Golf Ball R&D – to provide consistently better distance from every swing, without sacrificing looks, feel, trajectory or stopping power.
T200 BLACK SPECIFICATIONS
DEXTERITY: Right Hand
FINISH: High Polish Black
SET MAKEUP: 4-P, W48
SHAFT: DG Onyx AMT Black
GRIP: Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 (All Black)
AVAILABILITY
Titleist T-Series T100•S and T200 Black irons are available for a limited time beginning Aug. 28, 2020. MAP $270 per club ($2,159/set of 8).
