Golf News – January 4, 2017

XXIO LAUNCHES NEW XXIO PRIME GOLF CLUBS AND XXIO FORGED IRONS

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – January 3, 2017 – XXIO^®, a golf equipment leader in Japan and one of the fastest growing golf equipment brands in North America, has launched its new line of XXIO PRIME golf clubs and XXIO FORGED irons. These premium, high-performance drivers, fairways, utilities and irons are now available for sale at authorized XXIO dealers; for a full list of dealers, visit XXIOUSA.com.

XXIO PRIME golf clubs are globally renowned for their luxurious look, ultra-lightweight design and incredible distance. The newest edition – the ninth generation – features refined head constructions and shaft profiles to provide evolved distance performance for players with slow-to-moderate driver swing speed.

NEW XXIO PRIME DRIVER

The new XXIO PRIME driver, the most famous product of the XXIO PRIME family, has four key performance features that help generate longer, more consistent distance performance for the target player:

• The new XXIO PRIME SP-900 graphite shaft. Made by XXIO in Japan, the SP-900 promotes faster head speed. The unique layered structure and materials allow the SP-900 graphite shaft to be extended to 46 inches, and it is also 2 grams lighter than the previous shaft model to help increase head speed. The lighter shaft has also allowed for the creation of a driver grip that is 2 grams lighter, helping promote more speed coming into impact.
• A powerful draw bias. An advanced material called Stretch-fill in the tip section of the SP-900 shaft adds flexibility to help the user more easily square the head at impact and encourage a draw. By contouring the toe and back of the club head and expanding the size and body thickness of the heel area, the new XXIO PRIME driver head shape provides a draw-biased image at address to promote a straighter, more powerful trajectory.
• Head designed for increased forgiveness. The new XXIO PRIME driver features the Wing Cup Face. Developed for the XXIO9 series, it expands the size of the high-COR area in the heel and toe for a wider sweet spot. Combined with the new Sole Channel Structure, which allows for better face flexibility at impact – especially in the lower face – the new XXIO PRIME driver provides increased forgiveness to promote faster, more consistent ball speed.
• Lower, deeper center of gravity. Two grams have been saved in the new lightweight crown, enabling an optimal redistribution of surplus weight. In combination with the shallow back shape, that facilitates a lower and deeper CG, and a higher MOI. Overall, these features promote better launch and accuracy.

The new XXIO PRIME driver features many luxurious details. Accenting the traditional gold coloring of the XXIO PRIME series with a platinum color scheme gives the new line a sense of added maturity and opulence. The addition of royal dark purple to the head provides a finished elegance that complements the platinum gold sole to give the entire XXIO PRIME series a renewed image. The three-toned shaft has silver coloring at the top, gold in the middle and black at the bottom end. The tonal coloring expresses the flexibility of the top and bottom ends, and the head has been color coordinated to match. XXIO PRIME DRIVER: $849.99 ea (plus tax), 10.5° / 11.5° in R, SR shaft flexes (RH only).

NEW XXIO PRIME FAIRWAY

In addition to being ultra-lightweight, the new XXIO PRIME fairway is highly playable. The redesigned, high-performance SP-900 graphite shaft promotes a powerful draw bias, just like the XXIO PRIME driver. The XXIO PRIME fairway helps increase ball speed with a full titanium cup face structure, increasing the size of the high-COR area for improved distance forgiveness on off-center impacts. The XXIO PRIME fairway also has a shallow back shape that promotes a lower, deeper CG to encourage a higher, easier launch both off the tee and from the turf. XXIO PRIME FAIRWAY: $579.99 ea (plus tax), #3 / #5 / #7 in R, SR shaft flexes (RH only).

NEW XXIO PRIME UTILITY

The new XXIO PRIME utility combines a versatile design with similar features as the XXIO PRIME driver and fairway for long, consistent distance performance. The XXIO PRIME utility includes a cup face made of high-strength HT1770 maraging steel for faster ball speed across the face, and a new crown blade and shallow back shape promote a lower, deeper CG for a stronger launch. It also features the SP-900 graphite shaft for utility. XXIO PRIME UTILITY: $379.99 ea (plus tax), U5 / U6 / U7 in R, SR shaft flexes (RH only).

NEW XXIO PRIME IRONS

New XXIO PRIME irons feature the lowest, deepest center of gravity in the history of XXIO PRIME irons. All irons feature a tungsten-nickel sole weight, and the 5-7 irons also integrate a high-density tungsten-nickel inner sole weight to pull the CG even lower and promote a higher, easier launch. Adding forgiveness is an all-titanium face, which has been slightly enlarged at the sole for longer, more consistent distance performance on low-face impacts. XXIO PRIME irons feature the SP-900 graphite shaft for irons, and also luxurious design touches – the tungsten-nickel sole weight material has been subtly emphasized with laser engraving, and a combination of gold and violet lends elegance to the badge and effortlessly color-coordinates with XXIO PRIME woods. XXIO PRIME IRONS: 4-piece set (7-9, PW) is $1,039.99 (plus tax), individual pieces (5, 6, AW, SW) are $260.00 ea (plus tax); available in R, SR shaft flexes (RH only).

NEW XXIO FORGED IRONS: PURE DESIGN TO INSPIRE YOUR GAME. PRECISION XXIO.

XXIO FORGED irons target players who prefer a luxurious iron look and fantastic feel in a design that delivers precise distance performance with forgiveness. Each iron is forged from mild carbon steel and features the new V.T. Sole for XXIO FORGED, which improves shot consistency by minimizing turf resistance through impact. This stabilizes head speed for tighter dispersion and improved accuracy. The bottom, heel and toe portions of the cavity back have been made thinner, which helps improve face flexibility for faster ball speed on off-center impacts and more forgiving distance performance.

XXIO FORGED IRONS: With Nippon N.S. PRO 930GH D.S.T. steel shaft, 6-piece set (5-9, PW) is $1,019.99 (plus tax), individual pieces (4, AW, SW) are $170.00 ea (plus tax); available in R, S shaft flexes. With XXIO MX-6000 graphite shaft, 6-piece set (5-9, PW) is $1,259.99 (plus tax), individual pieces (4, AW, SW) are $210.00 ea (plus tax); available in R, S shaft flexes (RH only).

For additional information on XXIO products, please visit XXIOUSA.com.

Volvik Inks Bubba Watson To Play Different Color Golf Balls On PGA Tour

Pink golf ball would be the 1st in history of PGA Tour

Volvik announced today that Bubba Watson has officially signed a multi-year deal to play and endorse the company’s line of extreme performance golf balls. Watson is set to choose from three different color Volvik golf balls, starting with their pink, pearl blue/white and green versions of their S4 4-piece, 105-compression golf ball.

“I was naturally intrigued by the colors Volvik offers,” said Watson. “Then I started testing the ball and saw what I could do with it. It does everything I want it to: go high, go low, curve, spin and it has the distance I’m looking for. I’m always trying to find new ways to grow the game and have fun out there and Volvik’s approach is the same. I couldn’t be more excited to have a colorful start to the year with Volvik!”

His first time playing a Volvik golf ball in an official PGA TOUR event will be in Thursday’s first round of the SBS Tournament of Champions, an event he qualified for by winning the 2016 Northern Trust Open at the Riviera Country Club last February.

“We had a special new shade of pink made up just for Bubba in our S4 golf ball,” said National Director of Sales and Marketing for Volvik USA Jon Claffey. “If it makes it into play at the Tournament of Champions, it will be the first time a pink golf ball has ever been put into play in PGA TOUR history. It has been USGA approved and is currently in production to bring in to sell to the consumer. The green S4 he has requested should be ready by the Waste Management Phoenix Open. We are forming a pre-order list for anyone interested in playing the same exact ball that Bubba is playing.”