AT&T National

6/30/10

Part 2

The volunteer guards were out in full force this morning and I was in no mood to be taunted. I parked in the designated lot where I was suppose to and started my three mile journey to the trailers. I arrived at the course around 6:30am and I thought I would have a nice breakfast once again in the caddie wagon. Not going to happen! The first security check point told me I would once again told to throw out my delicious Dunkin donut coffee which I had already decided to hold my ground. I refused to do so! There is no need to be treated this way especially when you have a PGA Tour credential around your neck. I am usually pretty good and follow all the rules but this time I was not throwing out my coffee. Sorry to say I told the fellow you will just have to kick my a*# to get my coffee away from me this morning. I told him that it’s just an a*# kicking I am going to have to take this fine morning! I stumped the chump and away I went. I followed my directions as to where I could walk and where I MUST walk in order to get to my destination. I made it about two miles before I was once again confronted by another DIC (Director In Charge) with badge around my neck I proceeded to the clubhouse where I was told I could not enter! This was once again a bunch of BS! I was finally escorted down to the range by another fine DIC where I had found I had lost my appetite for breakfast! The only thing it wasn’t just me it was all of us, no favorites here! I ran into Brad Elder which is one of the PGA Tour Officials and stated my case and concerns. He said I was about the fifteenth rep he had been approached by. Kind of funny, but we are all a little over this kind of treatment after all we are the “carneys” of this circus!

I built a set for Duramed/LPGA player, Lizzy Uthoff. She is going to try to qualify for the Women’s Open at Oakmont and needed new wedges. Lizzy has supported Solus since I met her and at the time she was a Women’s Long Drive competitor.


Since I wasn’t able to get to the Traveler’s in CT I missed Padrige Harrington. I had planned on testing that week and trying to get him fixed up with a new FC-10/60. It is too late, he is gone on over to play in the Scottish Open which is contested before the British. This was a bummer, he can win over there!


Mike had a little success at the Montreal Championship this week. He worked with Bruce Fleisher on getting a new 52* if you remember a few weeks back we took a 56* and moved the loft to 52*, the bounce was good but not perfect. He really liked the true 52*. Bruce has been a real supporter of solus over the past few years. All the best to Bruce this week in Canada!


Keith Fergus really likes the 52* and has put it in play. He told Mike he would like a little more bounce on his 60*. Keith put a 64* Taylormade in play replacing our 60. He felt like the TM wedge had more bounce. I explain to Mike how to go about it and getting the player what he wants. I suggested Mike take the FC-10/60 and bend it to 64* and then compare the two. This is a pretty easy situation without plugs.


Mike Donald put a 60* in play while Jim Rutledge and Daniel Talbot both took a 56*.


Mike tried to explain Gene Jones. It seems Gene Jones doesn’t know one day from the next. One day he is Solus and on another wedge the next time you look. It seems Gene changes all the time, one week Solus will be here and the next something else. One week it is Taylormade and the week after Callaway! Not quite figuring this one out!


I just received a call from the GMC dealer in Wichita and they said they got my truck fixed and running. Don’t hold your breath!!! I’m not! HIHIHI….


Well I will have to end my blog for the week! Have a safe and wonderful 4th of July holiday with friends and family!

6/30/10

Part 1

As you know in the past several days or even weeks I have been on a little downswing when it comes to luck! It does not matter what or who is the issue! Today was no exception. Since this is the "Tiger" show security has been stepped up as in the past with one exception every volunteer was a policeman. From the time we parked to the time we left we all had been scrutinized profusely over and over for some infraction. First off once we were parked we were then told where we had to walk and how, made to throw away any food or beverage since it had not been purchased on site. It was very hard to believe, but true.

I met Don and few other fellow reps in the caddie wagon for breakfast. This was a very nice start to the day! Once breakfast was over the games began. I went to take our Solus staff bag to the tee to begin my daily tasks. I got down to the tee to only discover that we were not allowed to bring the bags on the tee unless you were one of the players! At this point I had had enough of this BS. I proceeded to look up a PGA Tour Official and state my complaint, he too could not believe it either? So he said he would handle it! Handle it he did! As you can see we were able to set up even though it was a pain in the you know what!

I tried to make an "appointment" with YE Yang to follow up with the wedges and it turned out not to be the time nor the place! So I retreated...

Well the rumor was out that the "Tiger" man would be on site around 1:30pm for a press conference and then out to the course for a practice round. Here a shot of the crowds that started to build going down to the tee. The security started tightening and the FBI agents were scattered all across the property. The crowds were growing here it is 1:45pm. At this point he made his entrance and was on the tee to hit 7-8 balls and away he went! He still has the ability to draw the crowds! Once he was done it was a ghost town. You could not get close to him for the FBI agents flanking him.

I have been giving a lot of thought lately about changing up my strategy on how I conduct my business with the players. As you know the practice tee is a zoo so to speak and it is very difficult at best to get the player to take a look of test if he feels he is being watched or stalked by his staff reps. It’s like having a Fuller Brush National Sales convention every week!

I am not going to give all the details here since I do have a following on this blog of a few key reps, but I will share with you a little framework if you will. I have always felt the need to isolate myself from all of the others in order to make or get any kind of time with the player. I have talked about it and wrote about it, but now I am going to do something different. I need to make some noise and get the buzz going again. This new wedge is really good and I am not just saying that, it's good! I just need to get the player out away from this tee to do so. My thoughts are the course, anywhere on the course. I will select about three target players per week and approach them on site at an alternate location i.e.(Locker room, putting green or even the parking lot) doesn't really matter just as long as it is away from the range. I think you would have to agree especially if you have been following this blog, let alone my trip reports over the years. I watch other small companies such as Solus make the same mistake. It seems to be the method of operation which has not changed over the years. So I am going to change my routine. There is absolutely nothing to lose and everything to gain. This is just the surface of the main frame of my overall plan. As I make my way over to the Nationwide Tour I will get a little break from all of these headaches and politics and start having some fun! I will keep you posted once I have had time to work on my plan.

6/29/10

Well it felt pretty good to finally get to an event after the circumstances that have occurred over the past several days!

This week and next will be the only time I can get equipment built since I am going over to the Nationwide Tour after the John Deere. I will be on the Nationwide for four events starting in Ohio. Additionally, I need to get Mike loaded up as well. Since I lost the CT event this only gives me this week and next week to get ready. With that said we went to work. Monday proved to be a perfect day for this since there were three pro-ams.


I built up a few orders for 52's. Steve Thomas was the first on the list. He had called me two weeks ago to tell me how much he loved the 52 and during the conversation he asked if I would build him a 56 to match the 52 since the 56 he was playing was stock length. The new 52 was made 3/4" over standard which increases the swing weight dramatically. He has always played the Solus wedges at 3/4" over standard.

I also took the time to build a submission sample of the 52 going to the R&A for conformance testing. Just a little sidebar if you will. The USGA and the R&A started charging $150.00 for each club sample submitted for testing. Can you believe it?

Titleist has started player testing of their newest driver the 910. I decided to go down to the tee and see who was practicing. I was confronted by a volunteer regarding my reasoning's for being on the tee. I flash my PGA Tour badge which really meant nothing to this ol boy. He said you need to be escorted to the tee with a player and once our business was conducted I needed to go back behind the ropes. Otherwise the reps are to stay behind the ropes and off the tee! Surely they do not want to make this another US Open and create this sort of atmosphere. At least I wasn't the lone ranger!

I received the second "proto" test shaft from Penley today. I will build up a 56 for player testing. The first sample was way too soft and a little light overall. We will keep you posted on the results of our testing.

Dick's Sporting Goods Open

6/27/10

Mike had a good week at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Open in NY. We have been conducting player testing on a new “prototype” graphite shaft design from Penley. This shaft has been design exclusively for Solus and our new FC-10 wedge. We are testing and looking for a possible composite shaft alternative for both the tour and retail. Thus far the testing that we have conducted on both the PGA and Champions Tours has been pretty consistent. This first sample is to “soft” for what we are looking for. The tip section is very unstable and the overall weight is light. Penley is working on another sample and we should have it for testing in the next few weeks. We will keep you posted.

 

Mike continues to put clubs out for play. Javier Sanchez picked up a 56*. Javier has been a solid supporter of Solus on tour for the past several years. Gene Jones took to liking the new 52 and put one in his arsenal! Mike is still working with Keith Fergus on getting a 52* in play while Denis Watson took a 60 and adjusted it to 62* for slightly more bounce. His was looking for around 10* of bounce and our 60 comes standard with 8*. Lu Chien Soon picked up a 60 as well. We have had quite a few Asian players looking and testing the new wedge.


Now on to the continuing saga of my recent travels, I finally got the truck back in running condition and loaded for my trip to PA and the AT&T National. Although guarded in regards to the truck I was still ready to get back on the road. I pulled out Friday morning and all seemed back to normal! The truck was running great and rightfully so everything had been replaced on it but the engine block! I am just rolling along have a good time, I started my turn towards St Louis once again and heading east down I-70. I had planned on running around 600 miles before stopping for the night, at this point I was close to 400 miles in. I got past St Peters, MO about four miles and thought to myself I have made it, I am beyond the Bermuda Triangle! This is where I had had truck difficulties the week prior. I drove past the dealership that had tried to assist me the week before. I had traveled 421 miles last week and I hit 426 mile mark when once again the “check engine” light came on and I went into “reduced power” mode! I will not bore you with the details because it is getting somewhat redundant and quite frankly I am as tired of writing it as you are of reading it! Naturally it was 5:00pm on Friday afternoon and I was stranded. I contacted everyone but Obama and I might get a hold of him PDQ if this thing doesn’t get fixed!


I pulled into the dealership in St Peters and everyone ran! Can you imagine? I wanted to run myself! Too fat to run unless something is chasing me, and then I will have to take my chances! I called Onstar, your star, GM, Schofield GMC and BLT not to mention IOU. The decision was made by me to turn around and try to get as far as I could back towards home. GM has already filed all of the case numbers on this truck repair history so it made sense to head that way. I went into an AutoZone Parts store and used their diagnostic tool to check the engine code that cause the malfunction and once again it was the same code as the past 1,728 warning lights that have come on. I cleared the code and hit the road! I made it finally back to Wichita without another glitch! Long story short I have raised hell with GM and they are going to pick up my airfare and rental car for my trip up to the AT&T National in PA. While I am gone GM Tech Services and the dealer are going to once again “chase the internal demon” out of the truck if possible. I will return home next Thursday and have one day before departing to Moline, ILL for the John Deere Classic. If the truck isn’t finally fixed we will start the daunting task of forcing GM's hand to make this situation right or replace the truck. It is costing Solus time and money not being out on tour.


Ok my travel is set and I headed to the airport this morning for an 11:30am departure. I arrived at the airport at 9:30am this morning and got checked in early only to be called back to the gate. It seems the first leg of my journey had been cancelled! I was re-booked for a later flight which departed Wichita headed to Memphis at 1:30pm. I no sooner got my paperwork squared away the announcement was made that this flight was now cancelled! I must be getting a message from above, ya think? I am now sitting here in the airport writing this until my next flight (NFO) which is scheduled to depart at 4:30pm. There is good news though, I will make a connection in Memphis with no problem which will put me into PA at 1:00am! Oh not bad for trying to get the hell out of Dodge! I joke about it all the time but trying to get back and forth from Wichita is a crap shoot at best. I think I would have an easier time trying to get to the moon! HIHIHI….


Well lets all hope I get in to PA in time to work this week on wedges and players, not the vehicle (TAV)! At this point I hope I have nothing but positive news to report this week! I have now been put on the payroll at the GMC dealership and now I am going on the Wichita Airport Authority’s payroll! Everybody seems to know my name!! HIHIHI………. Hey I’m not cheap!

Travelers Championship

6/21/10

Good morning! What a lovely Monday, can you imagine I am sitting in Wichita once again at the GMC dealership! No, I am not at the Travelers Championship this morning starting my day out at the tournament site in CT. Why am I once again sitting at the repair shop you ask? The heart in the TAV is giving the repair doctors and ME fits! Let me explain briefly my situation over the past 10 days or so. I know some of you are tired of reading about it as much as I am tired of writing it! Bear with me you need to know the whole tour gig not just the juice. This is just one of things that can happen on the road.

During my return trip from the St Jude’s classic in Memphis the truck gave me a “check engine” light as soon as I headed west for home. I decided I better see what the issue was so I called OnStar. If you had followed me last year at this same event I had a similar situation arise. Well OnStar advised me that the code PO2E7 that set the warning off was related to the drive train, air intake and emission controls. I thought that was pretty general but was advised to take it to the nearest dealer within 7 days. I might notice power loss, reduced performance or even a “protection” feature that protects the motor which takes the truck to a reduced speed. Last year I made it exactly 100 miles from home in the middle of nowhere America traveling Interstate 35 at the top speed of 20mph! Needless to say I was picked up by the Wichita dealer and the TAV was taken home by trailer for the needed repairs.

Given my history and luck scenarios I made the attempt to get back to Wichita once again this year. I decided to buy a lottery ticket since the “warning” lights came on almost to the hour as the same time a year ago. Well guess what? Some things never change including my luck! This time I made it through Ft. Smith, AR 35 miles short of the Muskogee Turnpike. The truck went into the “reduce power” mode and I was traveling at 40mph, but wait it gets better! I made the turn onto the Muskogee turnpike and the truck went to the next power range and I was reduced to 20mph. All I can say is, horrible, horrible and horrible! I spent the next two and half hours trying to make it into Muskogee which proved to be unacceptable to my fellow travelers! I never heard and saw so many horns and hand signals, unbelievable! During my lengthy trip I had several heated discussions with MY OnStar adviser and GM (they suck)! Well long story short they put me in touch with the local GMC dealership and an appointment was made for Thursday morning first thing. Something to make note of, the last time this happened the truck was in the shop for almost 10 days and in fact a GM tech had to be flown into Wichita to assist in rectifying the issue. With that said you know my confidence level wasn’t high at this point….

Let me give you a little side bar action here. I am sure most of you were not aware that I was born right here in Muskogee, OK a short 54 years ago! Hey I am home! Not really! But to get back to golf for a minute, my Dad was the assistant pro at the Muskogee CC before taking the head pro position at the Wichita CC some 51 years ago. He was playing the PGA Tour and playing quite a few mini tour events along the way as well. Pretty cool, don’t ya think?

Well back to the ol repair saga. After 21 gallons of coffee and six donuts later somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 hours the service advisor has now contacted GM for yet another “where do we go from here?” discussion. Now you know I am really pissed! When I check in they told me they had no cars for me to use while waiting, but now they want me to vacate the scene so to speak. I could have filled this whole location with right handed upper cuts! Catch my drift here? So guess what I took the car so I could go to lunch and tour my old homestead. The tech said he had a list of options to perform which was recommended by GM. This would take about 2 to 2-1/2 hours. I went on my way. I stopped a block away in a vacant parking lot to call the office and let them know where I was and what I was doing. During the conversation I attempted to move to another location down the road towards my lunch stop, but! My luck once again surfaced, I could not get the car in gear! Now I am no dummy when it comes to cars and I had done everything I knew to get it to go in gear! No luck, now I am really pissed! I have to walk back to the dealer which they did not see me coming! The first guys didn’t have a chance, didn’t want to hear anymore BS. GET ME A CAR before I put the gloves on!

Upon my return the service advisor explained they had got it fixed but the repairs were not covered under the 100,000 mile GM drive train warranty. Now I am coming unglued at the seams of my neck and navel! Well $384.00 and 7 ½ hours later I was on my way home. OK it took 75 to 80 miles for me to calm myself down and settle in for the remainder of my trip. Remember my situation last year (above)? Guess what? Yes I once again had the “check engine” light come on. At this point I had to vent so I called the dealer back in Muskogee and released a little tension! Man at this point I could have ate gravel! I decided my only option was to do it the old fashion way, haul ass! I made the turn onto I-35 exactly 99 miles from Wichita and yes you are right the truck went yet again into the “reduced power” mode. Thank God I have friends in Wichita, once again I had go home via trailer! So not all is lost, I have a week before heading for CT for the Travelers Championship since it was impossible to make the US Open on the west coast. Repairs could be made and back on my way. Our friends at Scholfield’s GMC once again took care of the Dawg. They replaced the PCM (program control module) which had failed and appeared to be the only thing not replaced. Not only did they get the truck running and back on the road, they process a refund from the dealer in Muskogee since their repairs failed to fix the problem! All good, no worries, it was beer 30 for all of us! Hey I am ready to go! The truck has had everything under the sun done to the ‘heart” of the TAV, it’s ready, so away we go!

I said my goodbyes to family and hit the road last Friday heading for CT. I am flying along with no worries. I made the turn through KC and hit highway 70 towards St Louis. Now you know how things have been running for me, yes the damn light came on yet again! I am speechless…. I contact my friends at OnStar and ask for assistance with yet another “check engine” light. Guess what it’s THE SAME DAMN CODE! Not again? Here we go I am 40 miles west of St Louis, it is 4:00pm Friday afternoon and all the mechanics in the area are winding down for the week. The folks at OnStar locate a dealer in St Peters, MO which was 28 miles from my location on I-70. I made it to this dealer where I was told the diesel mechanic had just went home and would not be back until Monday. OnStar had told me this dealer was open on Saturday until noon and was the only one in the area that was. The service advisor said he was booked solid for Saturday but would try to have one of the other mechanics take a look at It, but no promises. Saturday at first light I am sitting at the front door. Now you need to keep something in mind here I am at their mercy. The only option I have is the truck needs to be fixed since I have everything in it that I own along with head stock of the new FC-10’s which is all we have right now. I cannot go off and leave the truck nor off load it into a rental since I am not due back through here for close to three weeks, the truck has to go! Decision has been made!

Another four hours later the advisor and mechanic came looking for me to explain what they had found; they too had already talked to the GM tech’s. The exhaust valve was bad and needed to be replaced and yes there wasn’t a part available in inventory naturally! This part is a direct buy from GM and could not be ordered until Monday and would be available Tuesday afternoon. The event in CT was not an option and this really hurts! You see the emission controls on this diesel motor controls the amount of “soot” that comes out of the tail pipe. If the truck is unable to regenerate or burn the soot off it plugs up the exhaust filter and goes into the “save” mode. The computer is showing the particulate exhaust filter plugged so it sends the warning and engine control to eliminate damage. The build of soot comes from in town driving or prolong periods at idle, this isn’t the case with me! I had just driven close to seven hours without turning the motor off, so there can’t be any soot! The mechanic tried to clear the code and force the regeneration process with no luck. Decision time once again! I really had no option other than to call my boys in Wichita and head that way. I pulled out and the mechanic said “don’t turn it off; I think you can make it!” No other options were at my disposal! I had over 200 miles back to KC and then another 170 on into Wichita, oh boy… I got down the road and ran into the strangest storm I had been in yet, naturally my luck. As you can see on Facebook the clouds didn’t look good. I had to pull off at one point due to 75mph winds which felt like the truck could be swept off the highway at anytime. I made it almost to my magic number of 100 miles from home and yet again we went into reduce power mode! Yes it did! What can I say? Thank God for my peeps in Wichita for once again I am going home on a hook!

So, no I will not be in CT for the Travelers Championship instead here in Wichita at the GMC dealership once again. My luck you say? Yep, my luck!! I have let my cup run over with complaints to GM and staff and have puked all over anyone in my path with displeasure. I am ready to dawn the boxing gloves and start in! HIHIHI……Upper cuts for all!!!

My next trip will be this Friday heading to PA for the AT&T National and you can bet your last dollar I will be taking a little road trip to test the TAV when it is done before heading that far again. GM has a tech coming in to assist in this repair and I have now discovered this issue has been a problem with all of the 08 diesels! Oh, now you tell me, short of a new engine everything has been replaced to my knowledge. Well “pissed” is the word of the day! Onward and upward it’s almost beer thirty! Did I say that out loud?

I had a busy schedule this week at the Travelers and had to call in a few favors from fellow reps. First order of the day was to follow up with Rory Sabbatini and see if he needed any help this week. As you recall he had me ship heads out to Pebble so he would have fresh grooves for the week. Our friends at Taylormade built the clubs in my absence so I needed to check in with him first thing.

Secondly, Y.E. Yang was to be my next target and is ready to test the FC-10’s. I will have to put this project on hold until the AT&T. Retief Goosen is also interested and I need to get with him as soon as possible. My good friend and fellow rep, Rusty (Fourteen Golf) will follow up with both and explain my situation. The guys (reps) on our trailer work as a team and we all pitch in to help each other which this is extremely valuable during these kinds of situations. Nobody has a hidden agenda within this group we are all small companies following the dream! Don Parker (the head dawg) has also told me that he would follow up with Rory and will build him whatever he needs. I keep all of my records in the van for just this kind of emergency, so he can build out whatever the players need in my absence.

Thirdly, I had spoke to the rep from Wilson who services Padraig Harrington about testing a new 60* wedge this week. This wedge is my response to the testing that went on during the Players Championship a few weeks back only this time I built the wedge to match his current gamer. My good friend Ron Graham said it would be great this week especially after the Open and before the British. I really want to be there for the testing but Ron knows him the best and will do whatever he can to help him test it if the time is right. If not I will follow up next week in PA.

Since we got the 52* FC-10’s in the Champions Tour players are making the requests. Steve Thomas got the first one and say he has thrown his Vokey’s to the curb! He says the FC-10’s are outstanding and he wants me to spec him a back up 56* to match his new 52*. The swing weight with his current gamer 56 is lighter that the 52* so I can fix that but I need to be on the van to do so. I hate putting players off. Keith Fergus is next in line for a custom build.

Also, I have submitted samples of the 52* to the USGA for approval. I received notice last Friday that all samples that are submitted for inspection will now need to be accompanied by a credit card number for the charge of $150.00 per club evaluation! The same holds true with the R&A. So I need to resubmit the proper form this morning to get the samples evaluated. Man what else? There is good news here, the PGA Tour has already OK’d the 52* for tour play and it is on the log! Nice!

Hey don’t forget to watch the Golf Channel’s Big Break show tonight. Taryn Durham is on the show and has the Solus wedges in play! She has been with us for quite awhile and loves our wedges! All the best for Taryn, good luck! She’s a great ambassador for the Solus brand! The show airs at 9:00 pm EST tonight (Monday)!

Stay tuned I will keep you posted on the outcome of the latest repair saga!

2nd Post

I know everybody’s is over the truck dilemma however I’m not! I spent my entire Monday at the dealer here in Wichita, some nine hours. I know some are asking, why would I sit there that long? To be quite honest I wanted to witness what is going on and who’s performing the repairs. I really thought the repairs would only take a couple of hours, after all this is GM! Low and behold they were finished around noon, NOT! I went out got in the truck and made a small circle out the south exit back in the north service aisle! As soon as I moved it the “check engine” light once again came on and the truck went back into the “reduced power” mode. Puzzled was the word for the day! Back into the shop it went. Around 2:30pm they said they finally got it, so once again I drove out the exit back in the service aisle. I am splitting at the seams and now I have lost all faith in the thing getting repaired. Everything from the front to the rear that has to do with the engine has been replaced short of a new motor. I saw the truck leave the parking lot once again around 4:30pm for testing. Upon return the truck was pulled up in front and once again they told me they finally got it fixed, no light, no worries! So at 5:15pm I got into the truck so I could get the hell out of here! I should be on the payroll here! My third attempt didn’t require any movement of the vehicle, the light came right back on as soon as I reached for the shift lever! I had had it for the day and agreed to go. They made the arrangements for another vehicle and I got the hell out of there. They have no idea what or why things are going on here. Tomorrow is another day! Ok that’s all for Monday!

St. Jude Classic presented by Smith & Nephew

6/9/10

I started to fill the back log of orders for the 52* from the players. Steve Thomas was the first to get his. The players especially on the Champions Tour have been waiting patiently for this loft. Although we have not sub mitted the sample for evaluation to the USGA the PGA Tour has added it to the log as conforming so we are good to go on tour!

The rep from Wilson and I decided to wait until Connecticut to have Padriag Harrington test the new FC-10. He is coming off knee surgery and really wanted to wait until after the Open. Well, OK!! Some time is pays not to get in a hurry!

It was refreshing to find out Ping has had the same problem with the USGA as we have! I have always thought there was a pecking order within this organization and this leaves that theory to task! They are experiencing the same service level as we are!

This time last year I had a little “defalcation” with the “TAV” (a.k.a)Tour Assault Vehicle which resurfaced this week again. I have a “check engine light” on and have talk to the dealers. I am having the same issue with the ECT or exhaust control module. I took off from Memphis this afternoon and finally made it into Ft Smith, AR almost six hours later before the truck went into what is known as the “protection mode” which keep the truck from catching fire! It is not burning off the “shoot” or reticulating. I decided to go on into Muskogee, OK which took quite a while since the truck went into the “protection” mode and I couldn’t get over 20 mph! It took forever! I have a 7:00am appointment at the dealer in Muskogee. It’s a little known fact but I was born here in Muskogee in 1955! Whew now that little piece of info could be very valuable! HIHIHI…. I hope to get out of here on Thursday with a little luck! Hey this is really the only second time this ol truck has laid down on me at least I wasn’t out in the middle of nowhere!

You all have a nice weekend and by all means enjoy the US Open!

6/8/10

Tuesday ended up being the hottest day yet this season! I had a long day making numerous attempts to get in front of over ten players with no luck. The field this week had seen several key players drop out either for the weather or more importantly the US Open. There were quite a few drops from this event to Open qualifying that followed the Memorial. The players that made the cut dropped out to head to Pebble Beach to practice and prepare.

All wasn't lost but I thought I had a real good chance to get a few clubs out since the field looked a lot like a Nationwide event. I also spoke with Padriag Harrington's rep from Wilson and set the ball rolling for Paddy to test two samples that I made up for him. If you remember these are the two clubs that I spec'd after the testing at the Players, you know the "spin" tests that were somewhat "fixed" if you will. I will leave it at that! Unfortunately he had a photo shoot offsite at another course for Wilson's new promo ads. Still he will take the clubs and test them tomorrow or even more importantly next week at the Open! This week we were all trying to push equipment for hopes it would see the US Open event.

I caught up with John Daly and gave him his new FC-10/60 custom wedge. He really liked the engraving that we had done using his signature and Lions head logo. It looked great! John hit a few shots and wanted to have just a little taken off of the heel. He explained to me what he wanted and I went to the trailer and made the adjustments.

Here is a photo of the adjustments that John had asked me to do. Although hard to see I “brushed” a little more out of the heel contour. If you look close you can see where I have buffed it out after grinding.

Will Mackenzie took the 56 and did a little testing around the putting clock. Two fellow reps watch his testing. Will is with Bridgestone but had some interest in the FC-10. Here he is testing.

The sample FC-10/52 came back today from the PGA Tour Officials. It passed and is now approved for tour play. I will now send this sample to the USGA for the "official" evaluation. I will also send a sample to the R&A for evaluation as well. We now have all three lofts on the "approved for play" log with the PGA Tour officials. We continue to stay proactive in all of these processes.

Tim Herron is interested in testing the wedge so in the next few weeks will get in front of him. I know is swing coach very well and they were working on his swing today so I stayed back until he gives me the word.

My truck had the "check engine" light come on so I am in the process of fixing it! Last year I had the same thing happen to me and I like to have not made it back home. It must be something about this area? Not sure? But it seems very strange to have the same thing happen to me two years running in the same area? I spoke to the dealer back home and at this time last year it took them almost a week to find the malfunction. They have the part in stock if I can get it home. The dealer here doesn't have the part necessary to fix the issue naturally! I am in the process of reprogramming the on board computer tonight and will make the attempt to get it back home late tomorrow night. Tomorrow is another day!

6/7/10

Well this is a new week and guess what I have a new phone! As you know I am old so change can sometime be difficult at best! I have spent the last several days getting accustom to my new "communication" device. It took me one day to figure out how to answer a call and send a text message. You will need to bear with me in regards to the Twitter and my "tweets" as I am still working through the camera and attachments let along forwarding! Until then please hang with me, I will soon be back online and sending in my updates!

With all of the regional qualifying for the US Open this week’s field will become a "shuffle fest" with players coming and going or cancelling completely. We are having a qualifier here in Memphis. The balance of the field that played the Memorial that hadn't qualified for the Open yet did so up in Ohio. Needless to say the alternate list started seeing some movement today! Once the pro-am went off at one this place was a ghost town!

I started my week on a positive note, I received the next new loft in the FC-10 line up the 52*! I am pumped to say the least and cannot wait to flaunt it around! I started laying my day out and started with leaving a head in the PGA Tour Officials office for evaluation. Since I just received these I haven't had the chance to submit the samples to the USGA. I will build my inventory up for Mike and myself so we both have something to start showing. I know Mike has several player requests for this loft. I built the samples for both the USGA and R&A.

Here we take a look at the new heads. We have made a slight modification to the top of the hosel which was the addition of the "knurled" band. This band traditionally signifies the club is forged not cast.

Yet several more!

Here is a couple of shots looking at the club in the playing position once I had it assembled. It is beautiful!

I worked on getting Rory's back ups engraved and made sure I had John Daly's club ready to go. Ready, set, go!

Taryn Durham has patiently waiting for her 52* so I got that built and shipped. You need to watch the Golf Channel's Big Break segment on June 21st at 9:00 pm est. Taryn has the new FC-10 in play for this competition. We wish her all the luck!

I also got the winner of the "mygolfspy.com" contest his new FC-10/52. This lucky winner received a three wedge set of the new "tour" only FC-10's. This will be the first and only set that has made it to the general public.

So in a nut shell having the "ghost town" on Monday was a real advantage and I got a lot done!

Principal Charity Classic

6/7/10

Mike continued to leave his mark on this week’s Champions event at the Principal Charity Classic in Des Moines, IA. Keith Clearwater and Graham Marsh both pick up on 56’s. Tom Wargo also took another 56* while Jay Don Blake snagged a 60*.

The wedge distribution has consistently tapered off since we have just the two lofts to offer. Good news, I did just receive the 52’s here in Memphis. This will really help Mike and me. I will have the PGA Tour Rules department test the new 52* here at the St Jude’s before building any tour stock and putting clubs in play.

Congratulation goes out to our good friend Justin Rose for his spectacular play today in route to winning the Memorial! Additionally, Bo Van Pelt continues his consistent placing week to week, he took a third place finish home from the Memorial!

Solus takes a T12 this week at the Memorial, so all is good!

I will build the 52* for the winner of the Mygolfspy.com contest. The winning party is really anxious to get the new wedge!

I had a chance to play a little golf over the weekend and test my new Wilson Forged Tour irons. They are awesome! I want to thank my friends out here on tour for helping me with my game! I installed the Nippon 1150 Tour Prototype iron shafts which proved to be an excellent direction for me to go. Now I just need a driver and I am ready to go!

I am expecting a little rush possibly here in Memphis since Rory Sabbatini has one. Let’s keep our fingers crossed!