Arnold Palmer Invitational

3/24/10

Today at the API we had a big pro-am which was going off with tee times instead of a shot gun start. This process really drags the day out!

I decided to work on a request from Bernhard Langer. He wanted a new 56 FC-10 but we needed to put his adjustments on it first. Bernhard likes the leading edge about 1/2 shaft behind the hosel. In other words the off-set will move the leading edge back the width of 1/2 of the shaft tip. This puts the leading edge in the off-set position. What we call on-set basically means the leading edge is in line with the ball side of the hosel when you look down on the club in the playing position.

Here are a few shots of the process it takes to do this. I was very pleased to find that the hosel has sufficient length to accept the adjustments and the head material is pliable enough to take the stretching necessary to make this adjustment without breakage.

His spec calls for a slightly longer than stock length which required a head that was light accordingly. Here is what I started with.

The wedge needed to be chucked up in the loft/lie machine so it can be held in place for bending. I am starting to make the first adjustment which is grabbing the wedge in what is considered the "par" area or heel contour and pulling or bending forward towards my chest at close to a 45 degree angle. The wedge will have to be bent upright then to around 75 degrees loft in order to start the process of "goose necking" the hosel to achieve the offset.

Here you and see how much adjustment has been made and how the wedge is held in place for bending. You might make note how upright the club looks at this point.

  

Here the wedge is now ready for the final adjustments, the loft/lie angles need to be put back to the correct number while finishing the smooth transition up the hosel.

It came out perfect and in fact looks really good to my eye! This is naturally in the playing position. When I finish the club next week in Houston I will set a stock wedge next to it so you can really get the idea of what has happened here!

Here you can really see the "gooseneck" effect from the back side.

If done correctly the hosel will have a smooth bend on the back side of the hosel leading to the bottom of the club. This is spot on!

Here is a front view. It really came out great he will be very happy with this look! We now have the offset he needs and maintained the full function of the sole contour and bounce angles. I am really excited as you can tell that the new club will accept these kinds of adjustments!

We will keep you posted on the progress of Bernhard's new club and we will share his feedback once he has had a chance to test it and put it in play.

Well it's been a really good week and we have got a lot accomplished! I will load up this afternoon and start my travels back across the country to Houston, Texas and the Shell Houston Open! Until next week have a great weekend!

3/23/10

Solus was the first on the tee this morning although it was still a little dark players were already on the tee warming up for their Tuesday am practice rounds. The first tee time was 07:30. I have had good luck this time of the morning, it’s quite and a perfect time to catch a player or two before the circus starts!

It was so dark I thought I would take one with the flash! Just in case you couldn't see the bag! Ha-Ha!

I caught Jason Gore first thing and had him take a look at the FC-10. He said they were beautiful and said we were on the right track. Naturally Jason has a deal with Cobra/Titleist but things will change soon since Puma is the new owners. I wanted to plant the seed now so when he needs a new wedge set Solus is the first in line! You never know what will happen, things could change tomorrow!

True Temper engineers were out testing their new "spinner" wedge shaft. They had all of the big boys wedges but seemed to overlook Solus, Scratch and Fourteen? We all have wedges! Oh wait the three of us don't own enough of the count collectively out here, I wonder why? Duh.......

I thought you might enjoy taking a look at all of the new groove configurations side by side. This collection from left to right are Vokey, Cleveland, Taylormade and the last two are Callaway. Does any one or two of these stand out over the others? You know what you see!

Here is another view which gives you a look at the new "spinner" shafts.

OK, let’s compare the new FC-10 this time from right to left, first the FC-10 the two Callaway's and then the Taylormade on the left end. I am not sure how Callaway has got around the USGA but something doesn't look quite right does it? I thought Solus was the "rebel"? UMMM.....

  

Here is good friend, Don White. Don is considered one of the best club grinders in the business! He is the "Grinder from hell" in my mind. He is a seasoned vet coming from years with Macgregor Golf. He has now been picked up by Scratch Golf to assist them with their new iron and wedge program. Don took a look at our new FC-10 and had a lot of good things to say. He said the shapes were really good and the sole contour excellent. He said we made the right move going to forged, they were perfect and really nice! His comments meant a lot to me about this new design, we have worked very hard to get it right! Here is one of the best giving his opinion! All good!!!

I started working on my list of targeted players for the day and caught up with Joe Ogilvy. He really like the look and feel. One problem he has a thirteen club deal with Taylormade! Oh well you never know?

I thought it would be fun to compare the new FC-10 side by side, one on one with each of the "big boys!" The first look is next to the Vokey on the right.

Next up the new Taylormade on the right. Of course the FC-10 on the left! You'll get the trend.

Callaway you know on the right. I still don't know how this is going to play out. I am going to ask some tough questions! I really don't see any advantage here, but it gives you the sense that something isn't quite right?

Finally the Cleveland, yes on the right! FC-10 left!

 

Hey check it out I ran into Davis Love III and he told me to go take a look at his "Tour Beast", here it is. Pretty cool but dirty! Can't have that! It needs a little detailing compared to the Solus TAV! Oh, for those of you that need to be caught up, the TAV stands for "Tour Assault Vehicle" or "The Beast".

Here is Solus player David Huffman looking over his new FC-10's. David plays the Tarheel Tour, Nationwide and will try to Monday "Q" for the Byron Nelson. Although he said he loved the 4.1's and 7.1's the FC-10's look, shapes and feel are the best! He really liked them. I put the personal touch on them by stamping his initials on them and setting them up to his spec.

David Huffman ditto!

Hey, I told you nine time buffet close you go home! HIHI!! Things a little more crowded a little after 1:00pm don't ya think?

I had four spectators hail me down on the tee to let me know they love the new "Tour Blog" and have been tracking me here all day on Twitter and Facebook! They all love it and thought I was doing a hell of a job. They had no idea how hard this duty was! Guess what the first thing they were NOT going to ask me? Yep, "how many clubs do you have in play?" They now understand and thought it was pretty funny to rib me a little. I told them to stay tuned that we had a new series starting soon call the "Tour Gig". This golf business is tighter than you think. I have made a lot of new friends over the years but nothing that compares to this now that we have started the new internet programs. They are coming out of the walls. This is the second week in a row that I have been called over to talk to the gallery! Pretty neat!

Not having all of the lofts right now is starting to manifest. D.A Points came by to look as did Rory "Sabo" to pick up a couple of wedges. Both wanted either a 54 and 58 or just the 58. I told them as soon as they arrived I would look them up!

Briny Baird told me to look him up in Houston next week! This week wasn't good and he apologized but was having difficulties with his swing and didn't have the time today. That's fine I respect that and will catch him next week!

Gabriel Hjertstedt from Sweden came looking for me! This is something different! He is currently on medical leave and is now starting his comeback. He is allowed to work on his short game now. He had heard through another player that our new wedges were really good. We got him fixed up with a 56 and 60, but he would like a 58 just as soon as I get them. We went ahead and adjusted the 60 to 58 for now and he said he would let me know how it worked. I explained my concerns and he understood. He said they look so good he would make sure they worked, regardless. He really fell in love with them! This is a good hit for us he is a very good international player this will spread the word of Solus!

It is really difficult now that there are three small wedge companies all going after the same player group since the pickings are few and far between! Hey there is still enough to go around and we all respect one another enough that we have fun helping each other in times of need! Pretty cool and a great working relationship!

3/22/10

I had a really pretty busy Monday! I was picking and choosing my targets for Tuesday morning. We had a big pro-am go off this morning so the work time was shortened. The wind was blowing at close to 25-30mph not a good day to test a wedge! Mt Tuesday plan will be to take the FC-10 to Chad Collins, Joe Ogilvy, Matt Every, Tim Herron and Vaughn Taylor. I got in front of Billy Mayfair and built him a 60 first thing.

Man this week we are packed in here like sardines! When we are this close together the sound and fumes from the generators it’s all you can do to be in the area!

The Golf Channel here crew getting ready for Mr. Palmer. They are shooting a piece for the Golfix segment to air on Monday night.










Players in the Monday morning pro-am got to select their gifts from the make shift pro shop that was set up right on the practice tee!

Good friend Boo Weekly gave the FC-10 a look and feel for me. Although he cannot play them he will still put an eye on things for me and give me his thoughts.



OOOH, it looks like there's an opportunity

in John Mallinger's bag take a close look! Doesn't appear there is a "full" bag deal here?

Looks like another target there appears to be room for one wedge in Vaughn Taylor's bag!

The King arrived on the tee preparing for the GC shoot with Boo Weekly. Mr. Palmer is in the purple sweater.

 

Like Father, like son! Rory "Sabo" brought his son out to the tee to practice with him. It appears is son is also on the Taylormade staff!

Another peek in John Mallinger's bag, if you look closely there appears to be two opportunities once I looked closer.









Here is Roger Cleveland finding out how hard it really is. Here he is showing the new Callaway wedge to Ping staffer Hunter Mahan. I do not believe there is any way he will get in his bag!

We have had several requests for more photos from inside our "Tour Van".

Here is my first club build in process this morning.

It is a FC-10/60 for

Billy Mayfair. I am setting the loft and lie angles.

Here's another view inside.

This is our technician, Don Parker at work.

Ditto

Don got pretty covered up for a Monday! If you look close you will see the new FC-10 heads in the lineup for assembly. It seems all of the shaft reps had quite a few to re-shaft today for some reason.

Here are two work orders for my requests this morning. This is a typical Tour order request form that we use internally in the van. This request has all of the pertinent build specs on it. These two requests were for clubs that I will be testing with the new KBS Tour Hi-Rev wedge shaft.

I built two sets one with standard size grips and then a set with a new build up grip which is a lot like Phil Mickelson uses. Basically we start with a mid-size grip and then build up is used to basically take out the "tapered" end of the grip making the diameter consistent from the butt cap to the end. This build up or oversize grip slows the hands down through the shot making them less active and more passive. This build up produces the same results as if you were to install a bigger pulley on a motor, this would slow the RPM's down and conversely you install a smaller pulley the motor will increase in RPM's. This is the same principal as this oversize grip with no taper. I think for wedge play this is ideal! We have a special grip coming that will allow this same feel without the buildup. I see more time than not amateur players using grips that are too small on their entire set make up. The grip is where it all starts. I think players need to pay closer attention to this aspect of their equipment.

These are the two sets ready for gripping.

This is the grip station, in fact this is the set that I am getting ready to install the buildup grip.

Billy Mayfair testing.

I no sooner got done delivering Billy's new wedge, here came Callaway and Roger Cleveland right behind me! Here is a shot of Billy looking at their new wedge. Billy didn't take one! The FC-10 was setting in his bag looking right up at Roger! Hihi...

3/21/10

Some might say the week was pretty slow for me! I think not. You see my attitude with this tour and all of the money and contracts is just this, R&D. This is absolutely the greatest R&D lab on earth when you are in the golf business. Where else would you get this sort of testing and feedback from the best players of the game! This is where the real benefits come in. I validate the design and make changes, test shafts and listen. If you think for one minute we are going to come out here and have 90 wedges in play you are sorely mistaken of how this game is played! If you can’t handle rejection, the ol Heisman move or the word “NO” or get discouraged easily due to player contracts you need to find other employment! This is a game and not a cheap one either, but if you are in the golf club manufacturing game you have to be here on the PGA Tour. I don’t care how good your mousetrap is you have to pay to play and the size of Solus will not yield the opportunity, say Taylormade has. They are a full line golf company and have the dollars to buy up the players! I will expand on this process over the next few weeks in a step by step walk through of the “Tour GIG”!

My main goal with our new FC-10 is to make sure every player that I can get to takes a look at the new design. I don’t want the players thinking that I came out like the rest with the same models as last year with nothing more than a groove change. I want all of them to know we have come out with a completely new offering not just a groove change! I will continue, plus you never know I might pick up one or two players along the way! There are always opportunities just around the next corner! If one door closes another one will open! You can defiantly tell times are tight, the equipment isn’t going out to the players quite as swiftly and abundantly as it has in years past!

I have started next week’s player target list. It consists of JB Holmes, Jimmy Walker, Briny Baird, Brandt Snedeker, Jonathan Byrd, Paul Goydos, Arnold Palmer and Luke Donald. I will update this list over the Next few days. Please standby!

I am in Orlando getting myself organized for next week’s event the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Organizational duties include laundry, dry cleaning, truck cleanup and misc duties. I am going to visit a few old friends over at the Edwin Watts stores. There are quite a few fellow reps staying out between Tampa and Orlando so there will be a few adult beverages taken in at some point over the weekend!