Valero Texas Open

5/13/10

Today was really tough to work. We were all standing around waiting for the morning pro-am to start and looked up and they had a second pro-am which was shot gunning off of the other course! The Oak course had the normal format pro-am with scheduled tee times. There are very few events that have two pro-ams working simultaneously. The pros were allowed to wear shorts on the back course. This is something new!

I approached 14 new players this week with little success. Most of these guys are from the Nationwide Tour and haven't had a chance to see the new FC-10. I was shocked to find that the big companies have such a strong hold on even these players. Not having the other lofts hurt me here as well. I did get a few to allow me to follow up next week at the Bryon so not all is lost. It is just surprising! The SST shaft testing results rumor has trickled down to the Nationwide so the rumor is all over the tour regarding the FC-10 out spinning the competition without purring the shaft!! In the next few weeks I am going to really press this issue with the players that show interest. We continue to have an advantage over the others by design. I am hoping we will get the other lofts soon, this will really help.

I started building Rory Sabbatini's wedge for next week and will also get Daly's finished up next week for Colonial. I was told yesterday that Padriag Harrington will not play next week at the Bryon. This means the spin/shaft tests I had scheduled will be pushed back to the Colonial.

Steve Elkington's caddie came by this morning to pick up a 60* FC-10 per his request. He wanted to practice with it before next week. Little by little we are starting to penetrate the tour. Like I have said over and over if Solus could get 4-6 players out here week to week we would be doing fantastic for a company our size. We are getting close to that number. The clubs we currently have out are staying in the bag's which is more good news. The contract staff players as you know dominate this tour making it very difficult to get clubs in play. We are out here and we do have equipment in play. We have earned our stripes to be out here which is very difficult for any company our size trying to play this enormous money game!

This week in Birmingham, Mike had Gene Jones, Fuzzy and several other players take a look at the "off-set" samples I shipped over. They were a big hit! I am thinking this would be another great product line for the future. We could offer an "off-set" set which currently is not being offered by any major manufacturer that I am aware of.

I received the graphite shafts for Fuzzy's set this week. He wants a 52 and 56 with the same off-set and his shaft. Done!

I started on Rich Beem's back up and will have it ready for him on Monday morning at the Bryon.

I am also going to test this shaft from UST. Originally it was made for a putter but after talking to the rep it might make one hell of a shaft for a wedge! It is a combination of composite and steel joined together with a special fitment in the middle. You never know until you test! I will keep you posted as we go through the testing.

I told you yesterday they it if were me I would be camping out in this area, well take a look at today! Things are a little different since the greens are so hard to hold a shot on. I had my bag sitting right out in the middle but caught two amateurs helping themselves to my bag. I know better than this but thought I could keep an eye on things. I had to politely go retrieve my equipment with the help of security. The amateurs explained they thought they were there for demo? Yea, right!

It's amazing what a new Solus hat will get you! These are our ad dollars at work front and center in "Player" parking spot #1! Every amateur and pro had to walk right by here to catch the shuttles to the clubhouse. Perfect!







Our tour tech Don continues to have a downside in the "luck" department! Not only did his truck get broken into for the fourth time he encounter even more bad luck. Tuesday afternoon the wind blew so hard the steel door on the back of the trailer kept slamming shut and the clip to hold it open wasn't strong enough. After about the fourth or fifth time the door slammed this time knocking the thermostat off of the wall inside the door. Don was standing in the doorway attempting to replace the thermostat when the door blew closed yet again this time his fingers were in the jam. Yes the heavy steel door closed and smashed his last two fingers. His luck did change though it didn't break or cut them off which both were possible. So it's had been a rough road up to here. His back has two bulging discs position 4 and 5 making him walk at an angle. He is scheduled to go through therapy when he gets over to Memphis in a few weeks. In the meantime we are all pitching in to run the trailer while Don is injured! He is one stubborn dude!

Next stop Irving, TX for the HP Bryon Nelson Championship! The weather is already starting to boil up for the event. Every year we get hit at the Byron with inclement weather this year looks to be no exception! Rain, Hail and tornados are all predicted! It will also be very hot!

5/11/10

Well I know everybody's is tired of seeing the set up each week but it is important to this game we play out here! For those of you that want to see it here is the set up for Tuesday morning. This is the "short game" area. Nobody else moved in on me this week? Not sure why, maybe they knew something I didn't? It made sense to me so here I am!

Since this is a new venue for these guys most of them were hitting about 50 balls and heading straight to the course. The other factor is the wind! This course is up on a hill and the wind really blows through here, today winds were 35-40mph at times. Great day to test a new wedge! Not!

I will tell you one thing if it were me I would go play my practice round and then I would camp out at this short game area for the rest of the day! These guys will find themselves off to one side of the green or the other due to the green designs. There is a lot of undulation and run offs around the greens, additionally the greens will be hard targets in this wind. It will not be fun but your short game better be sharp and in order!

I thought I would give you a little sneak preview of the custom wedges I am building for Rory Sabbatini. Although he is not in the field this week I am getting them ready for the Bryon Nelson next week. Rory loves the "skull and cross bones" thing so away I went! Pretty cool don't ya think! Hey I will do whatever necessary to get our wedges in play sometimes you have to go to these lengths to do so! Here we go! Hold on!

I spotted John Daly and his caddie, Dee on the putting green this morning. It looks like JD is still in search of the extra spin. Out with the Callaway's in with the Taylormades! John and I have had our moments but I still really want to help him and I have the tools to do so if he will just give me a chance.

So we talked and I explained! Damn JD lost the weight but look who found it! UMM.......

Obviously I am the "big one" so to speak, hell maybe I need the lap band thing? Whew!!

Well I am finally making some head way here and the door is open. We decide to test a new shaft the Nippon Prototype wedge shaft first if this doesn't work I will build him one with the graphite shaft of his choice. But he agreed to let me see what I could do to help. JD cannot spin the ball believe it or not.

Here I go again! We will start with the 60 and go from there. If I fail today we will have another ready and waiting for him in FT Worth. This is the next event for John.

I know you have seen it before but bare with it some haven't seen this yet! We do have new friends each week on this blog so hang in there! John has a custom Master Grip leather grip which has six wraps of build up tape underneath the grip. It is like holding on to a tennis racket! No kidding......

Well we tested with mixed results. He loves the head but the dead weight of the club is too heavy for him as compared to graphite shaft he is playing. He wants to feel the club head, however it is very difficult to get him the swing weight he wants with all of the tape and leather at the other end! We did produce more spin though! As you know John had tremendous touch around the greens, the point of his "feel" is a big factor when fitting the right combinations together. I am going back to the trailer and order the graphite shaft in for next week. I will get this one built and see him in Ft Worth!





Rich Beem came by the trailer to order a "back up" wedge to match the one we spec'd him with at the Houston Open. Rich has had shoulder surgery and will be off of a couple more weeks. He did say the FC-10 is in play and he loves it! In fact his swing coach has been playing the Series 4.1's for years. He asked me if I could fix him up with a new set of the FC-10's. Rich will be at the Bryon next week and will come by the van to pick his "back up" wedge up. I started on it today and will finish it up next week. I have quite a few alterations that need to done such as the leading edge squared, 1/4 shaft off-set adjusted into the wedge and the new Nippon Prototype wedge shaft installed. It will take a few days to get everything in order!

I will get back after it in the morning!

5/10/10

Well the weekend didn't end up on a positive note for our driver/tech. On Friday while he was in checking in at the front desk of the motel his truck was broken into again! This time they broke the driver's side window out and took his computer and briefcase. He lost not only the computer but $800.00 in cash and two back up credit cards along with all passwords and banking information. Don called me Friday night to warn me of the break in. This all happened in broad daylight and nobody sees a thing! I heeded the warning and decided to take everything out of my truck and pack it in plastic tubs for storage in the bed, out of sight. Texas has not been good to Don!

The Texas Open has been moved to the new TPC of San Antonio. Although a little unorganized which is typical of a new venue. Here is a look at the new Marriott resort. No expense has spared! The parking for all of us reps was probably two miles away. The funniest thing was I parked and looked over to see a row of SUV shuttles staged and ready to take you to the clubhouse, I thought? I parked and jumped in to the first shuttle in line. The driver drove about 50 yards straight forward and turned and said "here you go!" Once I stopped laughing I said "You have to be kidding right?" The driver said no I can’t go any further! I then asked where the driving range was? Nobody knew? I arrived at the course at 6:30am and arrived after my morning stroll around 7:45am! Hard way for a fat man to start his Monday!

I am really pumped over the short game area! It is perfect and is about 30 yards from the trailer and directly behind the practice tee! Daddy likes this!

Here is another view from the practice tee. The photo doesn't do this view justice! This facility has two courses which are layout in the rolling quarrys and hills of the property. The players are saying this is the hardest course they have played yet! The greens super said they were going to hold the greens to 9 to 9.5 on the stimp meter. Otherwise there wouldn't be a player break par!

The trailers are set up right behind the practice tee. Not a bad set-up! Only half of the trailers came in for this tournament. This is usually an off week for a few since the field is primarily made up of Nationwide Tour players. So this week is pretty weak.

I was hoping to work with Sabo this week but he is not playing after all. I will share a photo of the personalized herds in tomorrow’s blog. They are cool!