We’re back from the PGA Show in Orlando and eager to report on LOTS of developments in our business and in the golf industry. Special thanks for vineyard vines who generously outfitted the Grey Dogs for the show!
First, the things that you—our audience—asked us to look into at the Show:
Bobby in Hobe Sound, FL, wanted to know if there were any thoughts on improving iron play from tight fairway lies. We consulted with several highly-rated teaching pros and coaches in Orlando and the consensus is that seniors topping or chunking fairway iron shots is usually due to a player’s arms working independently of one another (meaning, not in unison along a correct swing path), AND not completing a full turn, back and then thru. The prescribed solution is to drill by taking the club back only about a third of your normal backswing, stressing the feeling of the two arms working together in an almost stiff-ish manner, through contact with the ball and into the follow through. Repeating that move 20 or so times, before extending it to the halfway point of your normal backswing (and follow through) for another 20 reps. Remember, your focus in this drill isn’t concerned with ball flight or distance…just groove that feeling of both arms working together and making solid contact. You can easily do this drill anywhere that has enough space, and it does not even require hitting a ball. Next, extend that swing drill to 2/3 of the normal backswing for 20 reps, and then, finally, finish with 20 FULL swings (with the same feeling of your arms working in unison). Work this drill a few times a week until it really feels natural and comfortable. If you have trouble gaining that sense of the arms working together, consider a training aid such as the Tour Striker Smart Ball or the Shirt Swing Trainer. A secondary cause that was commonly mentioned by the pros was this: older, less flexible golfers get fearful of chunking this type of shot (because of these off-path swings); at our age, these chunked shots HURT! Especially if you’ve got a little arthritis, like Bobby does. There is an equipment consideration in this case where a couple of clubmakers (Srixon’s ZX-4 irons with the Tour V.T. sole is the most visually obvious) provide a higher bounce on the leading edge in their iron sets, which helps to prevent digging and allows for better ball contact. This helps us to overcome that fear of badly chunking the shot from tight lies.
Steve in Englewood, NJ, and John in Orangeburg, NY, both suggested we talk to clubmakers about any plans to reduce the size of driver heads as a means for seniors to generate more clubhead speed (and distance). We asked the major manufacturers and were disappointed to hear of no one with any such plans to reduce the size of driver heads. (Disappointed because the clubmakers are—in our humble opinion—overlooking the needs of fully half of the golfing market– seniors!). We continue to point out this important fact to the industry and all who will listen, along with the fact that the senior market spends MORE than half the dollars spent on golf! Our contention is that clubmakers are overly-focused on Tour professionals and how they can sell their wares to millions of amateurs based on what the pros are achieving with select clubs. In any event, clubmakers grudgingly acknowledge the swing speed challenges of senior golfers and claim their efforts are in the vein of making club heads more aerodynamic (vs. smaller) to help us increase swing speed. Ping shows the most evidence of placing a genuine focus on incorporating cleaner aerodynamics. Along a different but related vein, XXIO is a brand that is uber-focused on making clubs from the lightest available components (heads, shafts and grips) and balancing them optimally for more distance, with an aim keenly on seniors and ladies and our slower swing speeds. Though Taylor Made wasn’t in attendance at the PGA Show, they do produce a “mini-driver”, the 304cc “Brnr” which is available in two lofts (11.5 and 13.5 degrees). This is aimed primarily at the golfer who has a hard time controlling the 460cc driver head but who doesn’t want to give up too much distance. It’s a real consideration for seniors in that situation as we know that we score consistently better from the fairway, even if we’re shorter off the tee.
Ralph in New York City asked us to see what we could find out about the increasing cost of a round of golf when travelling. While individual Clubs were not represented at the PGA Show, there was an entire section having to do with Golf Travel. In talking to folks there, it appears to us that the “economical” way to plan golf travel is through one of the dozens of companies that specialize in putting such tours together. Due to the volume of business these tour operators bring to Clubs and resorts, they’re able to achieve significant savings (which they then partially pass on to groups). We spent some time with one operator–Fairways to Heaven Golf Travel–that seemed to be particularly well-positioned and approachable (but we suggest doing a little homework in your local market to find someone you’re comfortable working with).
Other noteworthy observations from Orlando:
- We had the chance to attend a presentation entitled, “When Stretching Doesn’t Work” by Golf Mobility Club Founder Pam Owens, one of Golf Digest’s 50 Top Golf Fitness Trainers. By “loading” the main muscles involved in the golf swing, we take stretching to another level. Pam explained and demonstrated—in easily understood and easily applied terms—the physiology behind stretching and the limitations thereof. Further, her program works through isolating key body parts (for example, “arms & shoulders”, “wrists & elbows”, “hips”, etc…) for extreme focus on gaining swing flexibility and building swing power & speed. We definitely recommend a look at www.pamowensfitness.com
- Technology. One of the most popular topics at the Show was simulators. There is so much developing in this arena that we will dedicate a separate article to this subject in the next week or so, complete with our thoughts on some of the latest offerings in the marketplace. We invite you to lean in hard on our unmatched access to the best minds and innovators in the industry, including launch monitors and range finders!
- We’re deeply engaged in discussions with the PGA of America and USGA about grassroots level education for senior golfers and these organizations are beginning to pay more attention to our under-served market. This is good news for all of us! Given the audience we enjoy with these influential bodies, we’re at your disposal to advance the topics that are most important to you….just tell us what those topics are!
- As a member of the National Golf Foundation, Grey Dog Golf enjoys access to some of THE best industry data and we are pursuing an even closer relationship wherein our own research can support the NGF mission. While the NGF is primarily focused on providing information to aid golf business professionals and executives in decision-making, we are exploring a deeper exchange of ideas that will assist efforts across more levels of the industry.
- Shoes. We’ll be expanding on the discussion of shoes for seniors but two names to watch are Boxto and Skoni. Boxto is a premium brand of classic design golf shoes (and belts) with modern performance considerations, executed through handcrafted leather workmanship. Skoni is a moderately-priced casual golf and “apres-golf” shoe that combines a supportive sole with a very modern upper that evokes the “Hey Dude” shoe brand. Two very distinct approaches, each with its own unique characteristics, that deserve a look.
- Bridgestone introduced a very interesting concept with it’s “Mindset” golf ball technology, designed in collaboration with Jason Day, who calls it a “game changer”. While the ball itself incorporates few genuinely “new” elements, it features a visual aid that triggers a three-step pre-shot routine aimed at training us to Identify the target, Visualize shot path, and Focus on a single spot on the ball. It’s particularly helpful to senior golfers in terms of building a simple and repeatable pre-shot routine that promotes great focus.
-Sunglasses. We’ve previously posted about the benefits of wearing sunglasses on the golf course that offer UV protection and reveal contours that the naked eye can miss. Like simulators, the sunglasses offerings at the PGA Show were plentiful. There are many, many quality products in this space, across a wide price range. One of the lines we discovered that provides real value was from Goodr. Multiple attractive models and colors all with an emphasis on comfort/fit, stability (they don’t slide down your sweaty nose bridge!), and durability. Really a nice product especially for seniors at a very affordable price range of $25-$35. Importantly, they’ve recently introduced prescription lenses.
-Our friends at JumboMax Grips premiered a brand-new online grip fitting system that brings a professional “fitting” experience directly to your home (or office). As you’ve read here, we are enthusiastic advocates for getting fit for all components of your game (and Tommy, in particular, swears that his JumboMax grips aid his accuracy and distance).
-Golf Bags are another area where there is a multitude of quality options and this was also evident at the PGA Show. One of the most notable brands—particularly for seniors who like to walk–Sunday Golf offers several super lightweight bags that have more than enough storage pockets for all you need to carry. They also have a neat “auxiliary” bag, which can hold 4-5 clubs and hangs on the main bag. Why? It’s REALLY handy for those “cart path only” days when you want to leave your bag on the cart and carry just a few clubs to your ball on the other side of the fairway!
Watch for more in-depth articles on these and other exciting discoveries relevant to seniors over the coming weeks. And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter for proprietary news and analysis!!