The battle for your dollars in purchasing new golf clubs, specifically drivers, has risen to another level: marketing the concept of speed. Two club manufacturing companies who are caught up big time in the driver war for most drivers put in play every week on the PGA Tour, both came out with a new driver campaign concept. Watching the AT&T Pebble Beach national Pro ' Am, I saw two companies' new commercials. Both had the same topic for their sales pitch.
It seemed peculiar to me that both of these fierce competitors hit the airwaves with the same exact new sales pitch at the same time, advertising at the same tournament. Either there is a leak in their marketing and 'strategic planning' departments or their ad agencies have a leak that needs to be plugged. Either way, the ads were exciting, fast paced, explosive and really quite compelling with the hope that golfers will run out like the speed of their drivers to buy one.
These ads showed fast sports cars that looked like a Ferrari or one of the other super fast ones and jet fighter planes zooming off at the speed of sound. The commercials featured the companies' top PGA Tour Professional endorsers swinging their driver at what looked like swinging at the speed of light. They mentioned new head design, but still 460cc in size. They touted new head weight distribution and longer shafts as the other keys to these clubs generating these new levels of speed. The speed looked so fast on the TV, it almost caused a vacuum, sucking the breath right out of me as well as sucking me right out of my chair and house to the golf shop or store to buy one. But guess what, it sucked me out so fast; I didn't have time to grab my wallet. What it didn't suck out or numb was my brain and thinking ability.
What I noticed were two things that were never mentioned about these super supersonic 'speed drivers.' They never mentioned that these drivers would help us hit the ball more 'SOLID and STRAIGHTER.' All they promoted is they would swing faster. They made no mention of how we would automatically swing them faster. I guess the conclusion is that you and me, without any infusion of new strength, steroids, nuclear power or just taking more multivitamins would just grip it and rip it and the ball would explode off the clubface like a jet off an aircraft carrier.
I think I just figured it out. These companies are holding back the last weapon and ingredient. They have a power pack under the grip inside the shaft so when we squeeze the grip, it powers up and helps us swing faster. Both of these companies are also warriors in the golf ball war. Maybe the ingredient needed, but not mentioned, was a new golf ball. Maybe they both have created a nuclear, super duper atomic bomb golf ball and are waiting for the USGA to put it on the approved ball list for tournament play before they announce it. They better be sure it does not come off the club face faster than USGA limits allow or it will not make the list.
Then there was another giant club manufacturing company also advertising one of its really remarkable adjustable driver heads. The add featured one of its famous PGA Tour Professionals and one of their tour club builders inside a high tech golf hitting bay. With a twist of a wrench, the fitter unscrewed the head from the hosel, lifted it and reset it in at a different angle, and tightened it up. The pro setup and swung and wham, he hit a Harbor Town Hook. Need the ball to fly the other way. Re-do the process setting the clubhead a little open, and slam bam you have the Cog Hill Cut. They must have hit around 10 shots showing the ball flight on a flight monitor with each having a flight description named after a famous golf course. This is a pretty powerful ad, showing the ability to hit the shot shape of your dreams in an instant without any practice or newly learned setup and swing skills. All that is needed is just the skill to change the clubhead on the end of the shaft to change the face orientation.
What this clubface changing ad did not tell is that you can't change the clubhead face orientation during a round if you play by the rules. You see, the rules state that what you start with you cannot change in the course of a round except for 1 exception. That is, if a club becomes damaged in the 'normal' course of play, you can get a new one to use as long as you do not cause any disruption to the pace of play. In other words, you need to call the clubhouse and have someone go to your locker or car and get the replacement club and bring it out to you or wait to the turn and do it yourself.
These were all great ads, almost worthy of being on the Super Bowl. They were powerful and explosive in the sound and video clips showing the jets, cars and Tour pros swinging the drivers explosively and fast. The message of big heads with new design features, longer shafts and more clubhead speed automatically happening was that you were going to hit it longer beyond any driver you ever had. They never used the words guaranteed longer or money back if you don't. What they also didn't say was it didn't hit it more solid or straighter for the longer drivers or that you can't change the drive head configuration during the round.
What I am saying here is the ads and hype was well done and the message of faster and longer was clear and to the point. My message to golfers is, when it comes to drivers and all clubs, and balls, the only hype that you want to hear and respond to and buy is when they are selling clubs that hit balls more solid and straight. They do state, now and then, that their drivers and clubs have bigger sweet spots and faces that do hit it more solid and straight. Bigger faces only give you more room to miss the sweet spot more and hit a worse shot. Know that sweet spots can't be expanded or have multiple ones in a club face. These points are hype and smoke and mirrors as well. (Note: I have written numerous articles on these topics that you can check out in the archives.) I would recommend testing them to see if it is hype or right before you let the speed suck money out of your wallet.
Do know this and make it your club buying and playing mantra. 'Hitting it more solid and straight, keeping your ball in play, will help you to play better and more consistent golf and shoot lower scores than just hitting it longer.'
The Surge!