A season of solid performances, plus the leader in Total Strokes Gained, Rory McIlroy wins his second TOUR Championship in Atlanta to collect the $15m FedEx Cup first prize.
Carlsbad, Calif. (August 25, 2019) – Team TaylorMade athlete, Rory McIlroy, caps off a stellar season on the PGA TOUR by winning the FedEx Cup using an M5 driver, featuring Injected Twist Face technology and the 5-layer TP5 golf ball.
FEDEX CUP “NEED TO KNOW”:
Wins $15m first prize to add to his $7.78m already won this season
Second time he has won the FedEx Cup (2016)
Joins Tiger as only the second person to ever win the FedEx Cup twice
Has now won a record five FedEx Cup playoff events surpassing Dustin Johnson and Tiger Woods with 4 wins each
TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP “NEED TO KNOW”
Started 5 strokes behind the leader heading into the TOUR Championship
Second time he has won the TOUR Championship
Second year running he has played in the final group
PGA TOUR SEASON “NEED TO KNOW”
Leads in Strokes Gained (SG) TOTAL for the 2018-19 season with +2.5* (*subject to final stats)
Best individual season in SG on the PGA TOUR since Tiger averaged +3.189 in 2009
Also leads in SG stats: Off-the-Tee, and Tee-to-Green
Three wins this season: TOUR Championship, THE PLAYERS and RBC Canadian
Finished no worse than T6 in his last 7 starts of the season
Led the Tour in Top 10 finishes during the regular season
From 19 starts, he has had fourteen Top 10s
Second in scoring average with 69.2* (*subject to final stats)
RORY + TAYLORMADE “NEED TO KNOW”:
Jumped to 25th in SG Putting in 2019 vs. 159th in 2018 with his Spider X putter featuring Pure Roll™ technology
Switched into TP5 from TP5X earlier this season to increase his short game spin
Has played M5 driver with Injected Twist Face all year since TOC Sentry
Recently added a P730 PW to his bag after playing a Milled Grind 48° most of the season
Leads in SG off-the-tee with his M5 driver
Has#22 stamped on his TP5 golf ball
Likely to jump to #2 in the OWGR* (*subject to final stats)
It’s my favorite time of the year. While it saddens me that the death of summer is nearly here (and with it the 2019 golf season will see its untimely demise in due time) it also means one thing. It’s football season baby!!
Not that crappy, boring “smashmouth football” that is the NFL. No sir (or ma’am) we’re talking about the NCAA. The pomp, the pageantry, the student bodies, and the marching bands. Football, the way that it was meant to be played. I’m not the only excited by this. So is STITCH Golf.
As a University of Florida Gators guy… It pains me to post a pic of anything ‘Bama.
The fabricator of premium golf bags, headcovers, travel bags and more launches a new range of products. Collegiate Putter Covers. Now you can support your alma mater or favorite university in style. For more details, please see the press release as shared by Stuart Goldstein from RG Narrative. Go Gators!!
Until The Next Tee!!
#SeeUOnTheNextTee #FightAndGrind
Arrive in Style™
(APEX, NC, August 12, 2019) —STITCH Golf is pleased to announce the launch of its
officially licensed line of NCAA collegiate putter headcovers to meet the needs of today’s serious golfer and serious fan.
“Our new collegiate putter headcovers enable golfers the opportunity to proudly support their favorite school or alma mater in style,” stated Brad King, CEO of STITCH. “These eye-catching putter covers are sure to grab the attention of your golf buddies while providing the most important club in your bag with exceptional protection.”
Using STITCH’s classic and timeless designs, these blade putter headcovers come in
premium leather with the university’s logo beautifully embroidered throughout the cover. University headcovers currently available include: Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Kansas State, Kentucky, LSU, Michigan State, Mississippi, NC State, Oklahoma, SMU, Texas A&M, UNC, South Carolina, Virginia, Vanderbilt, and Wake Forest.
“Like all STITCH products, these collegiate headcovers are designed and engineered to help golfers look their best,” continued King. “By focusing on details and premium components we were able to create unparalleled headcovers for the die-hard fan”. Additional features of the collegiate headcovers include:
Premium leather
Plush inner lining
Magnetic closure
Water & stain resistant
Fits most blade putters
About STITCH
Founded in 2011 as a headcover company, STITCH is known for designing and creating products with precise attention to detail, all the way down to the last stitch.
Based in Apex, North Carolina, STITCH gives a unique experience, whether it’s the high quality leather used in our headcovers, the durable waterproof fabrics in our bags and gear or the fashionable color schemes seen in our apparel.
STITCH products are designed to be effortlessly fashionable, allowing you to create a stylish, comfortable and color-coordinated look-on and off the course. Designed with details that perform, our line of golf bags and gear, travel bags and apparel combine function and fashion with three themes in mind: DRESS YOUR GAME™, ARRIVE IN STYLE™ and FROM WORK TO PLAY™. STITCH products are available at leading golf, country clubs and select retailers around the world and at http://www.stitchgolf.com
UTILIZING A COMBINATION OF ZTP RAW GROOVES, LASER ETCHING AND CNC SURFACE MILLING, NEXT GENERATION OF WEDGES TAKE SPIN, FEEL AND PRECISION TO NEW LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE IN POPULAR RAW FINISH
Carlsbad, Calif. (Aug. 12, 2019) – TaylorMade Golf Company, an industry leader in product innovation and technology, today announced the second generation of its globally successful line of Milled Grind Wedges – Milled Grind 2 (MG2). Building upon years of research and working closely with many of the best players in the world, MG2 expands on the success of the Milled Grind franchise while introducing a new raw face designed for optimal spin for precision wedge play.
Similar to its predecessor and also found in the new P·7TW irons is the company’s proven CNC milling technology, which allows for the production of wedges to exacting specifications; each leading edge and sole grind is individually CNC milled for unparalleled accuracy and consistency from club to club and grind to grind. This process faithfully reproduces the master design of the surfaces most impactful on the performance of the wedge.
RAW FACE DESIGN
With the new MG2 wedges, engineers have utilized the combination of face and groove design to create the ultimate spin for ultimate performance. Raw Face design produces a more precise geometry designed to optimize spin and feel.
ZTP Raw Grooves offer sharper, deeper and narrower grooves and a sharper radius, which further combined with a rougher surface from the laser etching between the grooves, enable the golfer to create more friction between the clubface and the ball generating more greenside spin. Compared with plated grooves, the raw face design increase in friction reduces the ability for the golf ball to potentially skid up the clubface before it grips the face leading to a more consistent ball flight enabling golfers to get closer to the hole.
Our Tour Players have long benefited from the performance raw wedges offer and it’s great to now be able to offer these performance gains to golfers of all levels. We’re confident they will enjoy the look, feel and performance that a raw face has to offer.
Unique to the MG2, each raw wedge head will feature an air-tight 3M adhesive sticker which has been specially designed for the wedge and is applied on the face to prevent rusting before purchase/use. When the golfer removes the adhesive sticker, the face will immediately begin oxidizing, which in turn, begins the rusting process.
CREATING THE BEST FEEL: THICK-THIN HEAD DESIGN
To create optimal feel, TaylorMade’s engineers have altered the geometry of the clubhead to create a Thick-Thin Head Design using a design optimization tool previously only used in the metalwood and irons design processes. This tool illustrated that having a thicker backing combined with a thin outer section optimized frequency and duration for the desired sound and feel.
The different material thickness in MG2 is highlighted by the movement of weight placement in the clubhead. The face thickness of the head has increased from 5.1mm in MG1 to 6.5mm in MG2. To enable a thicker clubhead without adding weight, engineers were able to move weight by creating a TPU Insert in the back cavity. The TPU Insert is designed to provide vibration dampening to create a solid, positive feel at impact.
CREATING THE BEST PRECISION: CNC MILLING
The implementation of machining technology, first introduced in Milled Grind Wedges but more recently in the new P·7TW irons, enables each leading edge and sole grind to be individually CNC milled for unparalleled accuracy and consistency from club to club and grind to grind. By producing wedges not by hand but through CNC milling machines, the CNC tolerances of a milled sole far exceed what a human can do in a repeatable fashion, thus enabling each wedge to be replicated so there is no variance.
Likewise, the sole geometry, consisting of contour, angle and surface area must be designed and maintained to interact properly with the turf in the desired manner. Different ground and sand conditions also require variations in sole geometries to facilitate play depending on player type. A low effective bounce (LB) grind provides the least amount of ground resistance and a standard grind (SB) has a median ground resistance.
CHOOSING LOFT & LIE IN THE MG2
MG2 Wedges Satin Chrome
MG2 Wedges Matte Black
AVAILABILITY, SPECS & PRICING:
Available at retail starting September 6, MG2 Wedges are available in two different Satin Chrome and Matte Black finishes, each with an MSRP of $219.99 CAD. Both finishes will come equipped with True Temper’s Dynamic Gold S200 (steel) shaft and a Golf Pride Tour Velvet Burgundy 360 grip.
HI-TOE BIG FOOT
In addition to the new MG2 wedges, TaylorMade has also announced the addition of the Hi-Toe Big Foot to the rapidly expanding line. The company’s Hi-Toe wedges, which first launched at the beginning of 2018 and have seen phenomenal success both on Tour and at retail, now welcome a game-improvement option with Hi-Toe Big Foot. Designed to deliver the same optimal short-game control for a multitude of shots and conditions around the green as the original Hi-Toe, it’s now even easier to play with its super wide sole.
We have one of the best wedge line-ups on the market but realized that there was still one golfer out there that wasn’t catered for, with Big Foot we now have a game improvement wedge that’s easier to play regardless of course conditions, especially for those who struggle out of bunkers. The Hi-Toe Family of wedges now cover every aspect of the game; versatility, playability and game improvement.
Built for versatility around the green, Hi-Toe Big Foot wedges offer an asymmetric C-Grind that is both flatter and has a wider sole at 32mm (compared to traditional wedges which have a sole width of 26mm). Combined with an anti-dig leading edge with maximum bounce of 15°, Hi-Toe Bigfoot significantly enhances playability and ease of use from the sand and rough.
The leading edge of the Hi-Toe Bigfoot is blunter and has a bevelled leading edge radius. Additionally, the middle is now flatter at 32mm wide and with added bounce towards the toe apex to help golfers with an outside in swing path and tendency for the strike location to be towards the toe. The trailing edge offers relief with a slight heel side reduction to help keep the leading edge low alongside allowing for versatility.
Deep CG pockets have been developed to increase spin, flight control and allow for mass to be redistributed to the sole. By creating bigger chambers this has allowed engineers to maximize the width of the sole.
Hi-Toe Big Foot benefits from the same Hi-Toe design technology with an increased toe height upwards of 5mm allowing a higher centre of gravity for a lower launch and more spin. Big Foot’s full-face scoring lines ensure consistent ball contact out of the rough and help increase spin on off-centre strikes.
AVAILABILITY, SPECS & PRICING
Available at retail beginning September 6 at an MRSP of $219.99 CAD, Hi-Toe Big Foot wedges will be offered in 58° & 60° lofts (RH only) and come equipped with a KBS Hi-REV 2.0 115g (steel) or UST Recoil w/SmacWrap 65g (graphite) shaft with a Golf Pride Tour Velvet burgundy 360 GEC grip.
MERGING UNRIVALED TECHNOLOGY WITH A CLASSIC DESIGN, TP PATINA PUTTER COLLECTION FEATURES A NEW PURE ROLL™ INSERT, PREMIUM PATINA FINISH AND NEW SIGNATURE TP SCREWS
Carlsbad, Calif. (August 12, 2019) – TaylorMade Golf Company announced today the anticipated release of the TP Patina Putter Collection, featuring a refined aesthetic paired with unparalleled craftsmanship. Comprised of seven distinct models, the TP Patina Putter Collection is a modern take on a classic design, built with TaylorMade’s patented, Tour-proven Pure Roll insert. All in, TP Patina is a look from the past that plays like the future.
Delivering a rich and classic colourway to the line of TP Putters, the TP Patina Putter Collection features a naturally tarnishing patina finish. Through combining black nickel and copper properties, we created a unique reveal on the edges and sole of the putter. The TP Patina Putter Collection is built for golfers who favor a smooth and traditional putter shape still backed by unrivaled performance and technology.
Built to optimize roll characteristics in all models of the TP Patina Putter Collection, a new and thicker 5mm aluminum Pure Roll insert is specially engineered to bring the grooves into direct contact with the ball. As compared to a solid face, the Pure Roll insert’s 45° grooves improve forward roll, helping the ball start and stay on its intended line.
This third-generation release of the TP Putter Collection features new signature TP screws that securely fasten the Pure Roll insert to the putter face. Through this process, voids and air pockets beneath the insert are minimized, creating an improved and solid feel on impact.
Soto, Juno & Del Monte
The three blade-style putters in the TP Patina Putter Collection, Soto, Juno and new Del Monte all feature a clean build with a single sightline on the back cavity. Each blade putter is complete with a Pure Roll insert designed to give golfers optimized stability, control and feel.
As with every putter in TaylorMade’s TP Collection, the naming convention for the putters within the patina range draw on inspiration from areas, regions and landmarks of some of the world’s greatest golf destinations and historic courses.
SOTO
The Soto provides a smooth appearance at address with 47° of toe hang and a full-shaft offset.
JUNO
Shaped with squared contours, Juno’s appearance is complete with 36° of toe hang and a full-shaft offset.
DEL MONTE
With a single sightline on the back cavity, the Del Monte putter features a slight toe hang of 8°and a firm feeling on impact.
Ardmore 1, Ardmore 2, Ardmore 3 & DuPage
The mallet options for the Patina Collection are equally as impressive with four options including the Ardmore 1, Ardmore 2, Ardmore 3 and the new DuPage. Each mallet putter is constructed with a Pure Roll insert designed to give golfers optimized stability, control and feel.
ARDMORE 1
A face-balanced mallet designed with dual cavity sightlines and one top sightline. Ardmore 1 features a full shaft offset intended to promote a linear stroke.
ARDMORE 2
With double cavity sightlines for a straight back, straight through stroke, Ardmore 2 features a face-balanced toe hang and single bend TM hosel.
ARDMORE 3
Incorporating a 42° toe hang on a short slant hosel with a single cavity sightline, the Ardmore 3 completes the Ardmore line up.
DUPAGE
The all-new DuPage mallet putter completes the TP Patina Putter collection with a new take on the traditional mallet design incorporating a single bend, face-balanced design.
ALL-NEW ADJUSTABLE WEIGHTING
New to the TP Patina Putter Collection, the TP adjustable weight system enables the TP sole weights to be unique to each stock length to hit a specific swing weight. Weights ranging from 2.5, 5, 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 grams are available for sale separately.
The entire TP Patina Collection is available in 34” and 35” lengths in both RH & LH models. Each putter comes equipped stock with a KBS CT Taper Stepless Chrome Putter shaft and a Super Stroke Pistol GT 1.0 grip at an MSRP of $319.99 CAD.
With his inspired finish, Ancer ensured he will become the first Mexican player to represent the International Team in the Presidents Cup this December
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. August 13, 2019 — Miura Golf is pleased to congratulate brand ambassador Abraham Ancer on his hard-earned runner-up finish at this past weekend’s Northern Trust. With a deep field that included 122 of the top 125 ranked players in the world, the determined and reliable Ancer finished strong by making birdie on two of his last three holes. His stirring performance vaulted Ancer from 67th to 8th in the FedEx Cup standings.
The strong showing at The Northern Trust allows Ancer to secure a spot on the 2019 Presidents Cup international squad, while also enabling the rising young star to join the field this week at the BMW Championship. He will also be a part of the 30-man TOUR Championship next week in Atlanta and has qualified for next year’s Masters, where he’ll make his debut.
Ancer has been playing Miura irons since 2017 and became the company’s first brand ambassador in February 2019. As the most prominent Mexican national on tour, his involvement in growing the game in his home country includes a partnership with Dead Solid Perfect (DSP) Golf Mexico, the official distributor of Miura Golf in Mexico.
Over the course of the four days at The Northern Trust, Ancer relied on Miura prototype forged irons built specifically for him to finish an impressive -15.
“When Abraham joined the Miura team, we knew we were partnering with a really special player who approaches the game with the same respect and an understated class our brand embodies, and who was also on the cusp of breaking out,” said Hoyt McGarity, President of Miura Golf. “Happily, judging by his recent achievements, he has far exceeded our expectations. We look forward to more great things in the weeks and months to come.”
Ancer’s rise to prominence on the PGA Tour has been impressive. When Nike stopped manufacturing equipment and Ancer elected to start playing Miura irons without a sponsorship in place, he was ranked 606th in the Official World Golf Ranking; today Ancer has climbed to 39th in the world.
The 2019 Presidents Cup will be held in Australia in December — coincidentally, in the country where Ancer won his most recent professional tournament, the 2018 Emirates Australian Open.
About Miura Golf
Miura Golf makes the world’s finest forged golf clubs, which are designed and manufactured by the Miura family in their factory in Himeji, Japan. The entire family works hands-on in the factory and continues to carry on the Miura legacy.
World-renowned craftsman Katsuhiro Miura began hand-crafting and grinding irons in 1957 and has created one of the most respected brands in the golf industry. Miura’s endless quest for the perfect club has brought to the world more than 10 product series, a number that grows as the next generation of the Miura family-led by sons Shinei and Yoshitaka – continue their meticulous refinement and evolution of product lines. Each club is individually handcrafted and will never be mass-produced, as generations of steel-making skill and passion bring us the world’s finest golf clubs.
About 8AM Golf
Miura Golf is part of the 8AM Golf family. 8AM Golf was created by golf entrepreneur and philanthropist Howard Milstein as the holding company that oversees his golf companies — all of which help golfers at every level enjoy the game more. In addition to Miura, other 8AM Golf companies include the Nicklaus Companies (in partnership with the legendary Jack Nicklaus); GOLF Magazine and the GOLF.comwebsite; True Spec Golf, a brand-agnostic club-fitting company that has fit more than 30,000 golfers worldwide; and GolfLogix, the most-downloaded GPS app in golf.
COMBINING PROVEN SPEEDFOAM™ TECHNOLOGY WITH REFINED SHAPING, NEXT GENERATION OF COMPANY’S MOST POPULAR PLAYERS DISTANCE IRONS REACH NEW LEVELS OF PERFORMANCE
CARLSBAD, CALIF. (August 12, 2019) – Following the resounding global success of the irons that catapulted the model to among the best-selling in company history, TaylorMade Golf, an industry leader in product innovation, technology and performance, announced today the second generation of the P·790 irons. Like its P700 series siblings, the P·790 irons are a meticulously crafted set combining performance, feel and aesthetics.
By way of its forged face and soft, hollow body construction with SpeedFoam™ and the debut of the Thru-Slot Speed Pocket, speed and forgiveness were the key performance attributes that helped the first-generation P·790 rise to the upper heights of the players distance category.
MAKING THE BEST BETTER
To improve on an iron as successful as the original P·790, engineers faced the challenge of taking everything learned from its design, refining and emphasizing many of the unique design elements that made it so successful without drastically changing its DNA. The result is a forged iron that continues to deliver remarkable distance and playability combined with exceptional feel in a medium-compact head design with a refined topline, more compact blade length and reduced offset preferred by discerning players.
PERFORMANCE
The original P·790 was – and still is – widely considered one of the highest-performing irons in the industry. The all-new 2019 P·790 features a 7% thinner face designed to produce a faster COR and for the first time includes Progressive Inverted Cone Technology (PICT) designed to improved accuracy throughout the set, minimizing the right tendency often found in the long irons. The thinner face also maintains sound and feel but enhances feedback regardless of where the ball is struck on the face.
Behind the face of the new P·790 is one of TaylorMade’s most advanced technologies to date: SpeedFoam, a proprietary construction which serves a dual purpose of generating ball speed as well as the management of sound and feel. Injected into the clubhead, SpeedFoam provides the face support and damping properties that make the performance of the P·790 unlike any other iron in the TaylorMade family.
Inside the P·790, a larger mass of tungsten – 15% more than first generation P·790 – has been reshaped to deliver a deeper centre of gravity. This was accomplished through the mass savings in the thinner face as well as by removing mass in the iron frame (high toe area) and repositioning it by way of the larger, low profile tungsten design. The new tungsten design helps to lower the CG and increase the launch angle of the new 2019 model.
SHAPING
The product creation team implemented some refined shaping changes to the new generation P·790 in the continued pursuit of the perfect players distance iron shape. Working from the ground up, the designers tweaked the sole radius for less propensity to dig. The long irons (6-3i) have progressively less offset and the blade length was shaved down slightly in the scoring irons (7-AW) for more compact players iron proportions. Finally, the topline shaping was refined by increasing the face height in the toe for a cleaner progression through the set. The result is a visually appealing shape proportion preferred by better players without being visually intimidating for those who appreciate the forgiving nature of the P·790 design.
SPECIFICATIONS, PRICING & AVAILABILITY
Available at retail on September 6, the new P·790 irons will be offered in 3-PW, AW equipped with True Temper’s Dynamic Gold 105 VSS steel shafts ($1,599.99 CAD) or UST Mamiya’s Recoil 760/780 ES SmacWrap graphite shafts ($1,799.99 CAD) with Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grips. Numerous other custom shaft options are also available.
P·790 UDI
Once again complementing the P·790 irons is the P·790 UDI, a forged driving iron designed with Tour-inspired shaping and incorporating a multitude of proven TaylorMade technologies – including SpeedFoam. Like the other irons in the set, the P·790 UDI is constructed with a soft, 8620 carbon steel body combined with high-strength forged 4140 carbon steel with a wrapped-face construction in a hollow body design.
The new P·790 UDI also features an ultra-thin forged face with Inverted Cone Technology for an expanded sweet spot within a slightly smaller face area. Similar to the first generation P·790 UDI, the new, smaller Inverted Cone in the new P·790 UDI allows for reduced face thickness at the edges of the face, thus increasing flexibility from heel to toe and low on the clubface and optimizing ball speed across the entire face. Once again, the Thru-Slot Speed Pocket is engineered to increase ball speeds and forgiveness for exceptional playability for those desiring additional options off the tee or fairway.
For forgiveness and playability, the new P·790 UDI features the re-engineered internal metal-injection-molded (MIM) tungsten weighting for precise CG placement and higher moment of inertia (MOI).
SPECIFICATIONS, PRICING & AVAILABILITY
Available at retail starting September 6 at $299.99 CAD, the new P·790 UDI will be offered in RH only models as a 2-iron (17°) and come equipped with Project X’s popular HZRDUS Smoke Black shaft 90g (S) or 105g (X) flexes – designed for low launch/low spin and gripped with a Golf Pride TV 360. Additionally, the P·790 UDI will be available for custom build with an extensive offering of steel and graphite (.355) options.
Additional specifications:
Loft: 17°
Lie: 60°
Offset: 3.2mm
Length: 40” (steel 39.25”)
Swingweight: D2
P·790 Ti
Following an exploration of ultra-premium materials and our engineering knowledge, we created a high-performance set of irons in a new, first-of-its-kind iron package. The P·790 Ti; a triumph of engineering and the most premium iron line TaylorMade has ever created.
A complement to the P·790, the P·790 Ti was designed from the ground up to be an extreme performance P·790; a game improvement iron loaded with technology packed into an aspirational players’ preferred shape while maintaining the critical ratios between blade length, offset and topline width.
MULTI-MATERIAL CONSTRUCTION
The body of the P·790 Ti is comprised of a 9-1-1 titanium. Titanium has a high strength to weight ratio, meaning it is both light in weight but also remarkably strong (this is also one of the primary reasons it is used in metalwoods and just this year, the M5 fairway, too). The use of titanium allowed engineers to increase the amount of tungsten (up to 119g – nearly half of the iron head mass) in the sole of the iron for an ultra-low centre of gravity – the lowest CG in any P Series iron. The P·790 Ti was designed to showcase its use of premium materials in a technical, elegant package with the extreme tungsten weighting fully visible across the full backbar of the iron.
Due to its titanium construction, the iron features a lighter face and a large sweet spot by way of TaylorMade’s patented Thru-Slot Speed Pocket – the company’s most flexible Speed Pocket™ design to date. The Thru-Slot Speed Pocket expands the flexible area of the face to generate faster ball speeds. The face design also includes the Progressive ICT design and an additional Speed Pocket in the 8i intended for more consistent yardage gapping through the set.
SHAPING VS. GEN 1 P·790
Compared to the original P·790, the P·790 Ti has a slightly longer blade length (2mm), taller face (2mm) and .5mm of increased offset. It also utilizes a slightly wider sole with increased bounce for added forgiveness.
SPECIFICATIONS, PRICING & AVAILABILITY
Available at retail on November 8, the new P·790 Ti irons will be offered in 4-PW/AW and come equipped with Nippon 950GH NEO steel shafts ($3,399.99 CAD) or Mitsubishi’s MMT graphite shafts ($3,599.99 CAD) in 75g (S), 65g (R) and 55g (A) flexes, each with Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grips. Numerous other custom shaft options are also available.
I would like to extend a deep, heartfelt thank-you to Jay Armour who is the Director of Marketing for Sub 70 Golf. Jay, without you this review, could never have come to light. Thank-you!!
Several months ago, I wrote a scathing editorial that deeply criticized the “Goliaths” of the golf industry. In that article, I pointed out that golf is no different than the major sports leagues around the world (NHL, MLB, NFL, NASCAR, Bundesliga, Premier League, etc). Namely, when it comes to the soaring costs of golf equipment. It is us, the minions or pawns that buy equipment which in turn supports the manufacturers which goes a long way in paying the player’s endorsement deals. Think of it as “The Circle of Life”. A point that the players of the PGA TOUR should be reminded of.
Isn’t it refreshing though, that there are still golf equipment manufacturers out there that does it right? Offering high-quality equipment to the golfing public without the hefty price tag because they’ve either eliminated the middle man and/or don’t have massive endorsement deals to payout. Or maybe, just maybe they realize that not everyone can mortgage their house for a new set of irons.
SUB 70 Golf. The independent golf equipment manufacturer headquartered in Sycamore, Illinois had a mission. To provide golfers premium golf equipment without the premium price tag. The quest was led by the Owner of SUB 70 Golf Jason Hiland and a love for the game of golf. It should be noted that Mr. Hiland has experience in the golf business. If you’re familiar with brands like Diamond Tour Golf, Hurricane Golf or, SMT Golf those were his as well. SUB 70 Golf wants to let golfers know that when you play their products you’re receiving products that are forged from the finest carbon steel thus offering you (the golfer) the finest in feel and metalwoods that are technologically sound but void of marketing hype. Equating to saved dollars in your golfing budget.
Through conversations with the Director of Marketing (Jay Armour) I arranged to test one of their new Pro Fairway Metalwoods. A golf club designed to target “better players”. However, much to my pleasant surprise when the box showed up, I noticed that it weighed a little too much for one graphite-shafted fairway wood. Upon opening the “Black Box” I saw the reason for the heftier weight. Unexpectedly, SUB 70 Golf also included a 6 and a 9-iron from their 699 irons set.
***I should point out that inside of the box was a hand-written note thanking me for doing the testing. Gents, all of the thanks are from me to you for providing me this opportunity.
Pro Fairway Wood – The Pro Fairway Wood was designed to provide the better player “optimal launch and distance parameters” with the ability to work the golf ball. The Pro Fairway goes further and spins less according to SUB 70 Golf literature. The Pro Fairway sets up square at address and has a very clean and neat appearance in the address position. Think… “traditional”. There is no alignment aid on the Pro Fairway and the high-gloss black paint on its black face makes it appear “stealthy” (I love looking down at this head). While the head itself is bonded, the sole features two weights (9-gram and 2-gram) that are interchangeable allowing golfers to further optimize their preferred launch conditions. If you desire lower spin the 9-gram weight would be placed in the front. Conversely, if you need assistance in attaining a high launch you place the 9-gram weight in the rear.
*Note: When adjusting the weights only make them snug. If you tighten until you hear a click you won’t. All that you’ll do is strip the head of the screw.
699 Irons – The SUB 70 Golf 699 Irons are a set of game-improvement irons. The face is designed to be hot while not taking away from the looks. There is key technology built into these irons that feature a face constructed from 17 mm of 455 Carpenter Steel. This material is known for being malleable which contributes to spring-effect as the golf ball comes off of the face. The 699 irons are “hollow-bodied” and are injected with a TPE insert. TPE is a “resin-like” material that has qualities that aids in improving sound and feel.
The Transition
Pro Fairway Wood – I love the aesthetics as I’ve already alluded to. It’s black, clean, and sexy. I love how the golf ball sets up in behind the black on black (crown/face). I also love how the sole looks as well. The “SUB 70” branding is present and understated while there is a little bit of paintfill that breaks up the “monotony” of the all-black. Even the headcover is nicely done as it’s easy to take off and place back on but it also doesn’t just fall off on its own.
When it came to the performance of the Pro Fairway Wood it was almost a tale of two clubs in a way to that of “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. Immediately after the unboxing I took the Pro Fairway Wood to the range and started to put it through its paces. Immediately, I was enamored with the performance of it. The launch was perfect whether it was from a tee or off of the deck, it carried long and was easy to control. The first impressions were amazing. At the time, I had the weights configured with the 9-gram set as the weight closest to the trailing edge. I should point out that the shaft is a proprietary “Made for SUB 70” Project X shaft in a 6.0 flex.
Admittedly, it was a period of time when I was really fighting my swing and trying to sort things out. A freakishly wet start to the season up here led to me playing no golf until well into May/June.
I would at other sessions adjust the weight configuration. I placed the 9-gram weight in the front and noticed a couple of strange things. The feel and the acoustics in my ears changed dramatically. In particular, I was able to really feel the change in the CoG (Center of Gravity) of the Pro Fairway Wood. I thought that I would prefer the Pro Fairway in this configuration but the acoustics alone really “put me off”. Ironically, the performance of the club seemed to drop off for me and I hit plenty of wayward shots. All before hitting a shot on a golf course. For a golf club that won me over real fast, I suddenly had zero confidence with it.
Fortunately, it was the guy holding the club and not the club itself as I found out. All the Pro Fairway Wood on the golf course was hit fairways on a piercing trajectory and it quickly regained my confidence. The ease of launch and control from the tee makes this a golf club that I would easily turn to on a hole where I NEED to hit a fairway. Since my golf swing started to really “fire” over the last 2-3 weeks I have seen me hit nothing but fairways with it with distances being in the 240-250 yard range. Off of the deck, the Pro Fairway Wood yielded results that were nearly as good. I’ve hit greens in two on Par 5’s and the control is there off of the deck as much as it is from the tee. Yardages from the deck have been in the 225-235 yard range through on-course testing.
(Believe it or not, the yardages could theoretically be better. I have yet to hit a shot with a ball that’s my gamer. All shots have been with golf balls that are in for testing).
699 Irons –The 699 irons were another that I really liked the looks of upon seeing them from the first time. Having gawked at them on-line through social media feeds I will say this much. As much as I liked the looks of them through digital means they are even nicer to look at in hand.
The 699 irons are another offering from the SUB 70 stable that I find appealing. Looking at them, the heel to toe length looks longer than something more compact (player’s set) but aren’t necessarily longer than my gamer set. To be expected in a game-improvement chassis. The head is pretty minimalist from a graphics or badging point-of-view. Just some basic SUB 70 branding and paintfill to let everyone know that they are the 699 irons. This point is a huge winning point for me. I don’t need flash and pizzazz I need performance. What I love about them is the milling on the rear of the head. They look… smart. Looking at them from the toe side you will see a little “screw”. This is where the TPE resin is inserted into the head. The 699 irons might be one of the nicest looking sets of game-improvement irons that I’ve seen. Looks are great but how about performance?
The 699 irons are solid performers. Sorry, did I say solid? They are terrific. From my strikes early on at the first driving range to current the 6 and 9 irons have performed better than my gamer set. They have proven to be easy to work (remember that these are a GI iron), they feel “hot” at impact and have proven to be a 1/2 to a full club longer than my gamer set. Maybe, the slightly lighter shaft (KBS Tour-V 90 vs KBS Tour 120 S) allows me to pick up a little more clubhead speed. Or maybe, there is something to the Carpenter Steel face married to the TPE insert that are the main talking points about their technology. All that I know is this much both 9-irons share the same 40* of loft. In the case of the 6-irons however, my gamer set is 2* weaker. Distances were 190-200 yards with the 6-iron whilst the 9-iron was 140-150 yards (depending on conditions).
The 699 irons are very easy irons to control. From a trajectory standpoint, I found that the 699 irons had a fairly penetrating trajectory. Especially when it came to the 6-iron. But what I liked about them was that hitting a baby draw is simple. A little cut was easy to obtain. But the “bread and butter” seemed to be straight. Toe hits weren’t severely punished and the golf ball didn’t wander too far off line, which speaks volumes about their forgiveness. Is there a yardage loss in these cases? Yes. But if the miss is straight then who cares? Punch shots and knockdowns are a “breeze” for playing into the wind.
Speaking of the TPE insert. The feel of these 699 irons is mean. The acoustics of the golf ball coming off of the face is one that I would describe as “mean and nasty”. When impact is made, you know. It’s a sharp sound. A crack. It’s satisfying and gratifying.
The 699 irons are winners!!
The Finish
When it comes to purchasing new golf clubs I would recommend any of my audience to consider SUB 70 Golf. Much like their vision is you have a golf company that offers high-quality equipment without forcing golfers to mortgage their house or help pay for endorsement deals.
The components used in the assembly of golf equipment from SUB 70 Golf are top-notch. Shafts from Project X and KBS are featured. Meanwhile, Tour Velvet 360 from Golf Pride are the stock grips. Admittedly, I’m not a huge fan of Tour Velvet. I don’t hate them but they aren’t my favorite either. Consequently, I changed them.
The Pro Fairway Wood was an interesting test. It went from impressing out of the gates to forcing me to lose confidence in it. Ultimately, however, it won me over in a big-time way. For added incentive, you look at the price tag attached to them. The Pro Fairway costs $149 USD. Significantly less than similar technology form other manufacturers in 2019.
The 699 irons. Extremely impressive during the testing process. Long, extremely forgiving and irons that do what you tell them to. They simply go! They were an iron that made me feel younger than my current age in that they gave me another 10 yards. It was nice hitting a 9-iron 150 yards again. These irons are a tremendous value as a set of 5-PW will cost $426 USD. You get a lot of iron technology at a fraction of the cost of similar golf clubs from the “Goliaths”.
There is no doubt in my mind that I’d game a full set of 699 irons tomorrow. Yes, they are that good. The Pro Fairway, quite frankly is more of the same. Based on this small sampling, I wouldn’t hesitate to put any clubs from the SUB 70 stable into my bag.
