Ping Open’s 2012 Sales Meeting To The Masses

Article first published as Ping Open’s 2012 Sales Meeting To The Masses on Technorati.

In a brilliant marketing strategy Ping opened its doors to their 2012 sales meeting to just about everyone that had an internet connection. With a combination of various media outlets, mainly social media venues such as Twitter, Facebook, and a live updating stream on their website, Ping brought the sales meeting to their fans. Updating readers with pictures, videos, and snipits about each new product for the upcoming season. They even responded to comments during the meeting via Twitter. It was an extremely refreshing to see a golf brand interact with their audience in such an integrated way.

Of course all the golf equipment hounds out there were pretty impressed with the new line up and all the new features Ping has added to there soon to be new golf clubs. The big news included unveiling their G20 line of drivers, irons, and hybrids along with revamping there putter lines including the Anser and Scottsdale collection.

The G20 driver has a great design with external weighted pads for better launch and balance. This was easily the most buzzed about item before the meeting and the soonest to launch into golf stores August 11. The G20 hybrid has a new shape that compressed the clubhead into a smaller more compact design. Ping’s G20 irons were created for the every type of golfer out there. As for the Anser collection they added a new set of forged wedges to compliment the Anser forged irons. Promising to be a versatile and optimized for better MOI. The Anser milled putters will be offered in 7 new models that fit with their 3 stroke types found on the iPing app. The stroke types include Straight, Slight Arc, and Strong Arc, specifically referring to the degree of toe hang from each model. It helps golfers understand the type putter balance is right for them and their stroke style. The Scottsdale line got a whopping 7 new putter models added to it.

If you want the full recap of the meeting which includes the videos and pictures of the new line, you can check it out here.

Another Victory For TaylorMade at Open Championship 2011

At 42, Darren Clarke knew he still had some great golfing left in him. Finding his first major victory this weekend at the Open Championship Clarke after his 20th try. Though the weather may not have been perfect it was definitely true to a links course with unpredictable wind and rain. A very deserving player to win this tournament. He felt the pressure from the American players who weren’t expected to be in contention for this tournament ending up placing in 6 of the top 10 spots. This is the 3rd major win from the small nation of Northern Ireland in the past 2 years.

Clarke a TaylorMade Tour staffer used his golf clubs wisely. Another win for the extremely popular TM R11 driver. This actually marks the 32nd worldwide win for TM drivers but the first major championship victory. If you saw hit putter it was a Scotty Cameron for Titleist Tour Rat prototype (pretty sweet looking).

The Open Championship More Like The British Open

The 3rd major of the 2011 season has officially begun (well yesterday that is). But we have all the highlights for you and what golf gear players or rocking this year.

Some surprising finishes during the first round at the Royal St. George Golf Club. The Toms were having a battle of who’s best: Amateur Tom Lewis tied for second after everything was said and done posting the best amateur score since 1968. Thomas Bjorn is a seasoned pro at age 40 he navigated the course with perfect strategy tying for 1st.

Round two of The Open Championship was just at entertaining. By the end of the day everyone who made the cut was within 7 strokes of the leader making this one wide open tournament. Making up 7 strokes may be more difficult then it sounds though while the forecast forebodes a storm warning. The world’s best ranked players did put on too much of a show both Luke Donald and Lee Westwood didn’t make the cut #1 and #2 respectively. Martin Kaymer #3 barely squeaked by to make it through to this weekend. By the end of the second round crowd favorite Rory McIlroy was still in contention but surprising leaders including American Lucas Glover who fired a 70. Darren Clarke used favorable conditions to make his 68 score. Let’s not forget to mention Phil Mickelson who has a history for poor links play managed to shoot low and stay in contention. Let’s not forget about today bit news: Tom Watson shot an Ace! good for him. This 60 year old said he feels like he’s playing like a kid again. Still has as amazing swing if you ask me.

If you want to see what golf clubs these players are using at this year’s British Open check out our friends at the Golf Bag Blog who are updating players bags throughout the tournament.

Here is a great video of Watson’s Ace:

Golf Tour Wins

A roller coaster weekend both on the PGA Tour and LPGA. The two great events were the Women’s U.S. Open and the John Deere Classic.

At the John Deere Classic defending champion Steve Stricker was up and down going from incredible birdie shots to bogies on the back nine. Finally after hitting a bad lie on a fairway bunker he found his groove and didn’t stop. This was his 3rd straight win for this tournament, winning by one stroke over Kyle Stanley.

After storm delays in Colorado Springs the Women’s U.S. Open finally finished this morning after a 3-hole playoff between So Yeon Ruy and Hee Kyung Seo. A very unknown golfer Ruy finished on top and won her first major championship on the Tour.

Callaway’s Limited Edition 2011

While golf manufacturers decided to make their clubs white this season Callaway did the opposite. With the launch of their limited edition putter and driver Callaway is going for a look all their own.

First their driver went all black. Callaway is set to produce about 5,000 limited editions of their Diablo Octane Tour Driver donned in an all black finish. Expect it to perform just like their regular Diablo Octane Driver, made with Callaway’s innovative Forged Composite lightweight carbon material. The Tour model is of course for those more advanced players out there. The Tour model has a slightly smaller head and designed to deliver increased workability with low, penetrating trajectories.

What makes this Limited Edition driver special? Aside from the obvious all black club head; the driver also comes with a black 45 ½ inch Project X 7C7 graphite shaft and a black and white Golf Pride new decade grip.

Callaway also revealed a redesign of one of their Odyssey putters. The Odyssey PT 10 is the all special edition all black follow up to their PT 82, which was released last October. You may recognize the PT 10 putter because it is the same design that Ernie Els used to win the South African Open back in 2010. Expected to only release 2,000 to golf retail stores. This limited edition putter was milled from 1025 carbon steel with heel toe weighting and a classic blade style. This putter is also designed for Tour advanced players.

Callaway also announced that they will be turning their popular aid assisting putter into a black model as well. Odysseys White Ice D.A.R.T Tour Black putter still has all the technical advances but now with a dark nickel finish instead of the chrome. The darker finish is supposed to create that contrast and enhance your aim.

Why did Callaway go all black instead of all white? The black finish gives golfers the same non-glare that the white clubs do but it’s also more durable and won’t show as many dings and scratches as an all white golf clubs would.
GolfClubs.com carries both limited editions clubs.

Top 10 Books in Golf

Whether you enjoy reading a good story about a young golfer making it to the masters or just want to learn a better technique for your short game. Here are the top 10 golf books on the market today:

#1 Five Lessons The Modern Fundamentals of Golf by Ben Hogan
#2 Putting My Way by Jack Nicklaus
#3 Essentials of the Swing by Hank Haney
#4 Golf For Dummies
#5 The Art of Putting by Stan Utley
#6 Golf is Not a Game of Perfect by Dr Bob Rotella
#7 A Good Walk Spoiled by John Feinstein
#8 The Caddie Who Won The Masters by John Coyne
#9 Secrets of The Short Game by Phil Mickelson
#10 The Greatest Game Ever Played by Mark Frost

New Field, New Talent

New talent has been the theme of golf on Tour recently. First Rory McIlroy cleaned house at the U.S. Open, typically the toughest major to win and instead he broke records and won by an astonishing 8 strokes.

Then this weekend Yani Tseng basically lapped the field at the LGPA Championship winning her 4th major by 10 strokes. All this new talent at such a young age, both players are only 22 years old. Tseng is on her way to a grand slam if she can win in two weeks at the U.S. Women’s Open. She is already ranked the #1 women’s golf player in the world and has been playing  up to that role ever since she was crowned with it.

Wrap Up 2011 Golf U.S. Open

The U.S. Open has always been labeled as the toughest major to win and it still could be but one player diminished those stereotypes. Whether or not weather and favorable course conditions played a part is minuscule in the overall picture which Rory McIlroy painted throughout the tournament.

With a record breaking 16 under par 268 he was still 8 strokes ahead of the player behind him Jason Day to finish the tournament on Sunday. Making him the youngest player to win the U.S. Open since Bobby Jones in 1923. Rory proved that he has what it takes to be a world class golf player and that he plans to stay there for a while. After his Masters fumble he may have felt he had something to prove as the next major and boy did he ever prove his point.

With flawless execution and a swing that makes even Tiger jealous, Rory won the U.S. Open with class and confidence. 

The Heritage is Saved

Looks like The Heritage Classic will return again to Harbour Town. As we reported earlier the tournament failed to find a title sponsor and had to use a loan from the town in order to pay the bill. Lady luck found the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) to sign up for a five year sponsorship so the tournament can rest soundly knowing it can carry on it’s legacy. The South Carolina tournament has been held on the same ground since it’s induction and it will fight to stay that way. Glad to see it’s back!

US Open Round 2 Tee Times To Watch

Round 2 tee times for the U.S. Open

• Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson: 7:55 AM
• Francesco Molinari, Matteo Manassero, Edoardo Molinari 7:55 AM
• Ian Poulter, Rickie Fowler, Hunter Mahan 8:17 AM
• Luke Donald, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer 1:46 PM
• Louis Oothuizen, Graeme McDowell, a-Pter Uihlein 1:35 PM

Courtesy Congressional Country Club

McILroy is already off to a bogey free start and leaving the rest in the dust. It will be interesting to see if anyone will be able to close the gap between him and the crowd following behind him. He’s what many are referring to as the next Tiger (not that he’s trying to be) but his skill on the this type of a course is just unheard of. Hitting only fairways and greens he’s playing golf like it’s meant to be played.