Golf News – January 22, 2021

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Wilson Golf Releases D9 Family of Clubs

CHICAGO, IL – Wilson’s generative design process, which uses computer modeling to simulate hundreds of variations in club design and measure the resulting performance characteristics, is changing the way golf clubs are designed. Utilizing this revolutionary process, Wilson Golf, today, officially launched the new D9 driver along with their line of D9 fairway woods and hybrids for the 2021 season.

The D9 driver features a new Peak Kinetic Response club face (PKR) by dividing the face into a series of fractural zones and fine-tuning every millimeter of the surface to deliver explosive distance and performance. The PKR Face is the most technologically advanced face that Wilson has ever produced. This face design has been tested on the PGA Tour in 2020 by Gary Woodland and Brendan Steele.

The D9 driver features a three-layer composite crown to both neutralize vibration and reduce weight, ensuring a lower center of gravity for improved ball flight. Players can choose between a standard 10-gram or super lightweight 3-gram weight configuration to fine tune moment of inertia (MOI) and forgiveness.

Fairway Woods and Hybrid

Wilson Staff® D9 fairway woods and hybrid feature new Variable Face Technology. For the first time on a Wilson Staff fairway wood or hybrid, this innovative technology delivers high ball speeds and higher launch angles regardless of where on the face the ball makes contact. Both clubs feature a premium maraging steel insert to provide a thin, hot face for more speed, more feel and more distance performance.

The D9 fairway woods are available in three loft options – 15˚ (3-wood); 18˚ (5-wood); and 21˚ (7-wood) – with the Mitsubishi Tensei CK Blue shaft and Lamkin Crossline Genesis grip as used on the driver. Shaft weight options include A (50 Series – 53 grams), R (50 Series – 54 grams) and S (60 Series – 67 grams).

The D9 hybrids are available in six loft options (17˚, 19˚, 22˚, 25˚, 28˚ and 31˚) with the Mitsubishi Tensei AV Silver shaft and Lamkin Crossline Genesis grip. Shaft weight options include A (55 Series – 61 grams), R (60 Series – 64 grams) and S (70 Series – 77 grams).

Visit Wilson Golf HERE

Vokey WedgeWorks Introduces M Grind Collection

FAIRHAVEN, MA– Master Craftsman Bob Vokey’s “most favorite” grind – the M Grind – is now available in 50°, 52° and 54° lofts through the new Vokey WedgeWorks M Grind Collection.

Previously only available on Vokey Design SM8 sand and lob wedges (56º-62º), the M Grind is designed for players that like to rotate the club face open and closed to manufacture shots around the green:

  • The M grind is a medium-bounce wedge featuring a full crescent heel, toe and trailing edge sole grind and is for players looking for a versatile gap wedge playing in firm, sandy conditions.
  • The grind is ideal for players with a shallower, more sweeping swing type who play shots with a variety of club face positions.
  • It is a great option for players playing a two-wedge setup (52º/58º).
  • The M Grind is currently played on tour by Cameron Smith, Patrick Cantlay and Charles Howell III.

“The grind in the back allows you to open up the wedge and get under the ball a little easier, while the front of the wedge allows you to get out and produce that lower, stronger ball flight,” said Aaron Dill, Vokey Tour Representative.

This collection is available for custom order in golf shops and through Vokey.com in 50°, 52° and 54° lofts (right hand only) in the tour-preferred Raw finish.

The M Grind is one of Vokey’s six tour-proven sole grinds available in the current SM8 line, each resulting from years working with the best players in the world to develop wedges that best fit their swing type and course conditions. The collaborative process continues today on worldwide tours and remains the foundation of the Vokey wedge design process.

SM8 TECHNOLOGY
WedgeWorks M Grind wedges are designed with the same advanced technologies that have made Vokey Design SM8 wedges the #1 wedge on tour:

  • Reimagined Progressive CG is pushed forward from the face for increased MOI – producing improved distance and trajectory control, better feel and a club face that simply wants to square up at impact for more consistent results. To achieve this in the M Grind and all SM8 lob wedges, Vokey’s team lengthened the hosels and counterbalanced that weight with high-density tungsten low in the toe.
  • 100% Inspected Spin Milled Grooves are cut with a level of precision that is unique by finish, producing maximum spin and shot control. Micro-grooves are individually cut in between grooves, which maximize spin on partial shots. A proprietary heat treatment is applied to the impact area to double the durability of the groove without impacting feel – making it the most durable groove in golf.

ADVANCED PERSONALIZATION AND CUSTOM OPTIONS
Consistent with SM8, the M Grind features a modern, clean look, which also provides a big canvas for customization. Inspired by Aaron Dill (@VokeyWedgeRep), the WedgeWorks custom options are expanded to include:

    Six unique toe engravings;

  • Expanded stamping options: 10-character Straight/Freestyle; 15 characters around toe; 5-character staircase style; and
  • Custom paint-filled Loft and Grind markings and BV Wings logo.
  • Hand Grinds: Raw finishes can be hand ground to exact specs, including both performance grinds and profile adjustments – a true tour van experience.

SM8 wedges can also be custom ordered with an industry-leading selection of shafts, grips, shaft bands and ferrules.

Visit Vokey WedgeWorks HERE

Arccos Previews 2021 Releases After Record-Breaking Year

STAMFORD, CT – Arccos – the pioneer of big data and artificial intelligence for golf – today announced a range of upcoming innovations that continue the company’s focus on helping golfers and golf organizations harness the power of on-course data and A.I. insights to make smarter decisions and improve performance.

Planned for release starting in February 2021, Arccos’ platform enhancements will be highlighted by:

  • Player Dashboard — Fully incorporating Arccos’ acclaimed Strokes Gained Analytics into the popular dashboard to help players, coaches and fitters more easily identify and understand strengths and weaknesses across all game facets.
  • Arccos Caddie for Apple Watch — Moving from beta to a full-featured offering with new additions to the experience that more seamlessly allow players to record their on-course shot data without carrying a smartphone.
  • Smart Distance Club Averages — Leveraging new algorithms that take golf’s most intelligent and accurate club averages to the next level by accounting for recovery shots and terrain, while also supporting “what if” views for weather and elevation impacts across individual clubs.
  • Arccos Caddie Team Program — A special package combining Arccos’ award-winning platform with customized training to suit the unique needs of high school, university, college and national teams while providing coaches with the ability to access and analyze their players’ on-course data.
  • Enhanced Putting Data Insights — Combining with in-app and on-wearable hole location setting to deliver even richer insights into a player’s short game performance by supporting the ability to mark second and third putt locations.

Arccos members have recorded an astonishing 6 million rounds and 400 million shots with the system, while playing courses in 194 countries. This fed the world’s largest on-course dataset, which now includes 31 billion separate data points that are analyzed to help golfers perform their best. In 2020, the average new Arccos user improved their handicap by 5.02 strokes.

In conjunction with OEM partnerships that now include PING, TaylorMade and Cobra, Arccos’ achievements last year included:

  • A.I. Rangefinder — The world’s first A.I. powered GPS rangefinder that adjusts yardages in real-time for slope, wind speed/direction, temperature, humidity and altitude.
  • Arccos Caddie Link — A small, ultra-light wearable that automatically captures shot data, allowed Arccos members to untether themselves from their smartphone while playing.
  • Strokes Gained Analytics (SGA) — Harnesses an A.I. Neural Net to provide players with the most advanced personalized insights in the game, SGA is the first platform to allow a player to select any target handicap – from Tour player to 20 – and measure their performance versus that goal across every game facet.

Golf’s first Artificial Intelligence platform, the Arccos Caddie app syncs with Arccos Caddie sensors to automatically track your shots while delivering smart distance club averages and strokes gained analytics. The system includes an A.I. powered rangefinder and caddie advice for any hole on earth to help golfers of all skill levels make smarter decisions, improve faster and shoot lower scores.

Visit Arccos Golf HERE

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Michael Feland

Born in Houston, TX, raised in New Orleans, LA, Mike and his family currently live in Orlando, FL. Mike is a First Tee Level 1 Certified instructor and enjoys sharing his love for the game with the Orlando area youth that participate in The First Tee of Central Florida program.

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