I was reading Golfweek Magazine, February 5th edition and on page 34 came across an article outlining a major golf ball manufacturer's new sales pitch to sell golf balls. The article is titled: 'Ball-fitting campaign preaches short game.' How about that for a new twist on marketing the sale of golf balls? Forget bombing it longer with your driver and think more about getting it closer with your wedges, chips and putts. Could be a great idea as we know the expression is you score with your short clubs.
The first paragraph states: 'Golfers may obsess about how long they hit it off the tee, but this company's officials, insist it's the short game that delivers what matters most: lower scores.'
The article reveals that this company will roll out their ball-fitting campaign this spring in what they call their 'green-to-tee methodology.' They say this strategy is not just a belief but fact. The article states that 'golfers hit more shots to the green than from the tee, and it's a big difference. And the higher the score, the bigger the difference (between the two).'
The article goes on to present their case. 'Though many golfers hit 14 shots per round with a driver, their shots toward greens can vary from about 20 to more than 50 years depending on their skill. Reducing strokes in this category ' by finding the ball with optimal spin that stops closest to the hole ' represents the best chance for better scores.'
This sounds real good, stopping the ball closer to the hole lowers scores as everyone makes more putts the shorter the putt. Heck, that is what all instructors preach in terms of chipping, pitching, bunker shots and for on the green, lag putting. The short game concept has always been getting these shots into the 6 foot circle, which leaves a putt of under 3 feet. Putts which we all should be able to handle with a high percentage success rate around at 90 percent or more. This is what I work on with students in private lessons and PPGS golf schools in short game instruction. We focus on getting their shots to finish inside the 6 foot circle to have those 3 foot makeable putts. With the putting, I have drills that work on the stroke and touch for lagging long putts to 3 feet and better, and then making the 3 footers.
The article went one step further and did a little about face, about their philosophy for marketing clubs and balls using launch monitors. The article says: 'Many golfers have misused launch monitors to select golf balls solely based on the distance they deliver.' I don't think golfers came up with this strategy as their sole purpose to go to a range on demo day and get on the launch monitor. They did it because advertising told them the launch monitor would show them which ball they would hit the farthest. And, of course using that company's driver would even be better.
The Longer to longest hitting driver wars between all the big club and ball manufacturers are what lured golfers to the demo days to find one for themselves. The sales pitch was to get on the launce monitors to find the driver and ball that launched the ball the longest with a lower trajectory and less spin. The claim was lower launch and less spin goes farther, so the right match of 460cc driver head and longer shafted driver and the right ball was all you needed to hit it farther.
As you all know, reading these daily blogs, I have been using physics and physiology to show that longer driver shafts, bigger 460cc heads hitting balls with a lower trajectory and less spin is contrary to physics. I use the example of every time PGA Tour pros want to hit it longer, they tee the ball higher to launch it higher. JB Holmes, in his playing lessons with the Pros show, pointed out to his amateur player on a par 4 hole he tried to drive, that he teed it up higher to launch it higher to get more air time and carry to reach the green.
The question to ask here is why do the pros tee it higher to launch it higher for longer shots, yet have let the ball and club companies build drivers and balls, they have to use, that launch it lower with less spin? Marketing! It sounds good, but is not sound in physics. A golf ball is the same as bullet in flight. It needs spin to hold its line in flight and for a golf ball to curve it needs more spin to shape it for intentional hooks and slices. This launch height is simply explained by the hose and watering bushes concept. You reach the end of your hose and still have one or two more bushes to reach to water. Do you lower the hose and water spray to reach the farther bushes or raise the hose and the arc of the water? You raise the hose and arc just as you do to hit a ball for a longer carry.
The article talked about how the company would roll out at their testing program called 'First Tee Experiences' at over 2000 locations. They will hand out 2 ball packs of the recommend model of the ball for trial. They also will have three mobile fitting teams equipped with launch monitors and will conduct individual fitting sessions at 500 facilities.
The final paragraph of the article starts with: 'We'll work with golfers starting with a shot that impedes their ability to shoot a lower score. It could be your 120 'yard shot or your 60 'yard shot' said the companies VP for golf ball marketing and strategic planning. Strategic planning sounds like something involving war. I guess it is appropriate as they are in the equipment and ball count wars on tour and in the shops and stores with all the other companies.
The final sentence closes with the grand finale to make us all feel good and want to run out and get on their launch monitor. 'It's as close to a Tour-like experience as an average golfer can get.'
The bottom line of this article is I like the emphasis on finding a ball that is better for the short game. This ball will likely have a softer cover and thus will give more feel and control. More feel and control, around and on the greens, will help the short game lower scores. And, I'll throw in this prediction. The ball that is better for your short game will also make your driver and long game shots better. The softer ball will also give more feel and control with your driver and all long game woods and irons.
So, if the test comes to a place near you, take advantage of it and get your 'tour like experience.'
The Surge!