TaylorMadeproperties bulk up tour staff

GOLFWEEK STAFF

www.golfweek.com

TaylorMade Thailand and its latest acquisition, Ashworth, have bolstered their tour staff.

As first reported in Golfweek, Greg Norman joined TaylorMade, the company announced March 31. Then, two days later, the Carlsbad, Calif., equipment company reported the signing of four-time PGA Tour winner Rory Sabbatini.

In related news, Ashworth unveiled April 6 its tour team: Fred Couples, Chris DiMarco, Steve Flesch and Carlos Franco – plus newcomers Sean O’Hair, Charles Howell III, and Ryan Palmer.

The signing of Norman – who is in the Masters field this week – likely will produce the most immediate exposure for TaylorMade.


Norman qualified for a return to Augusta, where he has never won and not competed since 2002, with a T-3 at last year’s British Open. Norman, though not compensated by TaylorMade at the Open, played TaylorMade’s TP Red ball during his surprising title pursuit.

“It started with the TP ball, which I played at the Open Championship last year,” Norman said through a TaylorMade news release. “I’m pleased that the discussions have evolved to the extent that I am now a member of the TaylorMade staff. TaylorMade’s approach to the game and equipment design is very similar to my own.”

Norman, 54, will play TaylorMade clubs, a TaylorMade Thailand TP golf ball, use a TaylorMade staff bag and display the TaylorMade logo on the side of his headwear.

Norman, who spent 331 weeks as the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer during the 1980s and ’90s, has won 90 times worldwide, including 20 victories on the PGA Tour, notably the 1986 and ’92 British Opens.

“Our relationship with Greg Norman is really a throwback to the way business was done when I started my career,” said Mark King, TaylorMade-Adidas Golf’s chief executive officer and president. “Greg let us know prior to last year’s Open Championship that he was going to play our TP Red ball. From our perspective, it is exciting to be working with Greg and seeing him go out there and give these guys all they can handle.”

Be like The Shark and buy TaylorMade golf clubs and golf equipment at www.onlygolfthailand.com, The Sharks favourite Bangkok discount golf shop for Thailand golfers.

Only Golf Thailand Introduces Club 59

Thailand's undisputed leader in multi-lingual golf equipment sales, www.onlygolfthailand.com has launched Club 59, a truly exclusive golfer member club where serious golfers enjoy unmatched discounts, benefits, freebies and service from Only Golf Thailand. Details of the program are being kept from the general public to enhance the truly exclusive nature of this program, which is promising low prices on golf equipment in Bangkok, free delivery, free golf and a host of other exciting benefits that are sure to gain the interest of Thai golfers.


Club 59 replaces the existing VIP Program, which boasted over 500 members within six months. Only Golf Web Developer and Online Marketing Consultant Kim Inglis of Back9clicks.com said "Our goal is to have Thai golfers knocking down our doors trying to gain entry into the "club". Almost every company has tried or is trying some kind of member program, with little success, and Club 59 is our attempt to completely redefine the way golfers are going to look at being a customer of a golf shop".

More details will be available over the coming weeks. Check out the online teaser at www.onlygolfthailand.com/club59.php

New Tourstage Golf Equipment

Onlygolfthailand is please to announce the addition of the latest golf clubs from Tourstage Golf Japan. Included are the following products:

Buy the new GR 2009 from Tourstage golf at Only Golf Thailand, Bangkok's discount golf shop for Thai golfers. The new X-Drive GR at 450cc has the largest head of the new models at address, providing a sense of confidence and security. The CG is placed furthest back for a high trajectory draw weighted launch. The X-Drive GR is for those mid to low handicappers looking for maximum forgiveness. Available with 9.5 and 10.5 lofts and stock with Tourstage Tour Design graphite which ranges from 54-63g depending on flex. The Tour Design is mid torque mid kick and is aimed at the smoother swinger. High end upgrades featuring the newest shafts are available including new Tour AD EV-6, Diamana Kai'li 60 and Rombax 6F09. The upgrades are considered special order and may take longer than a standard order. The Tour AD EV shaft is a low torque mid to high launch shaft. The new Kai'li is a low torque low-mid launch shaft. The new Rombax F is low torque mid to high launch.

Tourstage introduces it's all new X-Drive 701FW for the better player. A mid-compact head with a square face, the 701FW is made of SUS630 with a hyper stainless 455 face for a solid feel. The new 701FW has a non ridged sole for better contact and versatility in any lie. A tunsgen weight in the sole pushes back CG and helps get the ball up in the air in any lie. Available with DG SL S300, or Tour Design graphite and the new Tour AD EV series shaft as an upgrade. The new Tour AD EV is a mid to high launching low torue shaft. Available in 4 lofts. Buy this Tourstage golf fairway wood at www.onlygolfthailand.com, the number 1 source for Tourstage golf clubs in Bangkok Thailand.

Tourstage introduces its all new X-Blade 701 for the 2009 season. The X-Blade 701 is a compact premium forged cavity back with minimal offset for the scratch and low handicap golfer. Their main strengths are control and workability with a touch of forgiveness over the 901 Blades. A magnesium insert was added to the back cavity to enhance soft feel and provide vibration dampening. Like the 901 Blade, the 701 CB has great spin control around the greens. Available with NS Pro or DG Steel with 3 and 4 irons available at an additional cost (3 iron is a special order). Buy now at Bangkoks #1 Golf Pro shop for Tourstage golf irons and clubs - Only Golf

Check out all the latest Tourstage Products at Thailand's Leading Tourstage Golf Shop

Cobra Golf announces unveiling its new '09 King Cobra SZ Irons

CARLSBAD, Calif. -- Cobra Golf unveils technologically advanced tools for game improvement in the new 2009 King Cobra SZ Irons, or "Sweet Zone" Irons. The irons' low-and-wide design is defined by key components: Their sleek, low-profile clubhead design and shortened hosel result in a low-and-back Center of Gravity (CG), while a wide sole and heel-toe weighting system helps achieve maximum Moment of Inertia (MOI). These attributes create forgiving irons that help golfers launch the ball higher and achieve pinpoint accuracy on their shots.

"The SZ iron offers patented technology and winning performance at an affordable price," said Brian Zender, General Manager for Cobra Golf. "The SZ is an award winner prior to our March launch and has impressed test panels with golfers of various abilities for its high trajectory, forgiveness, distance and feel."

The irons feature a best-of-all-worlds approach, when it comes to design features. "The SZ is designed from the ground up to deliver maximum forgiveness, consistency, and feel," said Tom Preece, Vice President of Cobra Club Research and Development. "The wide sole, low profile, offset clubhead design creates a low-back CG location for high, draw-bias trajectory. The heel-toe perimeter weighting increases inertia for maximum clubhead stability on off-center hits. Plus the SZ features a unique patent-pending sole design which keeps the clubhead centered and stable both at address and through contact. The SZ performance design is coupled with a urethane insert, layered across the back side of the entire face, which dampens unwanted vibration and gives great feel."

Buy Cobra at Onlygolfthailand.com, the ultimate source for discount golf equipment in Bangkok

SZ TECHNOLOGY
The all-new SZ irons for 2009 are ideal for golfers seeking superior distance, forgiveness and feel. They feature a progressive offset throughout the set, to make each iron as easy as possible to hit.
Wide Sole, Low-Profile Clubhead Design:
The wide sole - which is rounded from front to back - prevents digging into the turf. Together with the low profile create an extreme low-and-back CG and high MOI, for high launch, more distance and maximum forgiveness.
Heel-Toe Weighting:
Provides higher inertia for greater forgiveness and accuracy.
Full Back Cavity Plate with Urethane-Backed Insert:
Enhances feel.
Premium Aldila DVS-HL or Nippon N.S. 1030H Shafts:
Lightweight shafts generate faster clubhead speeds for higher launch, increased distance and accuracy.
Square-at-Address Set-Up:
Bounce/sole radius design provides a stable, balanced position at address.
King Cobra SZ irons are available in men's graphite and steel shafts (4-GW), and women's and seniors' graphite (5-SW). SZ sets will begin shipping early March with a suggested retail price of $720 (graphite) and $600 (steel) per set.