Major innovations are on the horizon for this coming golf season, and the leading developers are no exception to this trend. Companies have also chosen to give the player more control over his or her golf equipment which should be welcomed with open arms by all players, regardless of skill level.
New Innovation in Irons
The biggest innovations and adjustments made across the golfing board includes those made to new iron sets available for golfers of all skill levels. Many major club manufacturers are offering never-before-seen technology and ideas meant to help any golfer shoot lower scores. For example, TaylorMade Golf has decided to individualize each iron, claiming that "the set is dead" and that each club must be designed in order to successfully complete a specific mission. Each individual club (3 iron through PW) has a unique sole, lie angle, and even center-of-gravity aimed at promoting ball lift and spin accuracy. On the contrary, NIKE Golf has shifted focus away from compete club individuality and more towards getting the average golfer and weekend hacker on the green more frequently. Iron-Hybrid sets like the SQ Sumo series are meant for golfers who play less-often than lower-handicapped players, who would focus more on the Tour quality Victory Red product line.
Drivers Become More Custom
Perhaps the most commonly-replaced club in the average golfer's bag, drivers have also received a major face-lift for 2010. Most notably, Callaway Golf's FT-9 Driver boasts the ability to change lie angles to promote either a fade or draw via the use of a shaft wrench included with purchase. Granting the player the additional ability to change driver lofts on a single club provides any golfer custom options never before seen in the sport. While not able to be adjusted mid-round, NIKE Golf's SQ DyMo driver offers the player the ability to customize perimeter weighting to again promote a specified ball-flight. Available in both round and square head shapes, the SQ DyMo hopes to provide every golfer the ability to find a driver comfortable to the player's eye. While many companies still offer multiple driver options, customized clubs may prove to be a shift in both club manufacturing and purchasing for years to come.
Putters Focus on Ball Spin
Introduced by RIFE Putters in 2009, the notion that a struck putt will stay on-line more often if the ball starts moving with topspin has been the craze among all major producers. For example, NIKE Golf just recently introduced the new Method Putter which features a "Polymetal Groove Technology" aimed at promoting forward roll and highly-responsive feedback to the player. Fans of the brand will undoubtedly be drawn to the fact that many PGA Tour players have already won with the Method Putter prototype last golf season.
Adam Fonseca - Adam Fonseca is a certified Lean Six Sigma Change Agent and an accomplished golf writer. He currently works in health care ...
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