Cleveland Golf Blog

Happy Monday, Readers!

A stop in the Coachella Valley is always an exciting one for the PGA Tour, and this year was no different. With President Bill Clinton serving as host for the first time, there was certainly a vibrant, more exciting atmosphere at the event. Not surprisingly, he was the talk of the tournament from Day One and a fixture on TV sets when he teed it up Saturday. President Clinton was even spotted having a nice chat with David Toms on Friday (presumably about David’s golf equipment!)

Speaking of Toms, the 13-time PGA Tour winner had a solid T6 performance this week thanks to rounds of 63, 65, 72, 68. Toms, who last week said making the World Golf Hall of Fame is his biggest motivating factor in his 40s, finished inside the top 20 in the field in driving accuracy, birdies, strokes gained (putting), greens in regulation and sand saves.

In David’s bag was:

Driver: Classic 10.5°

Irons: CG7 Tour

Wedges: 588 Forged 54° and 60°

Putter: Never Compromise Limited Dinero Tycoon

Other Cleveland Golf/Srixon staffers with solid finishes were George McNeill, Joe Durant and Jeff Overton, finishing at -10, -10 and -9, respectively. McNeill’s performance was highlighted by a Friday round of 65, and he hit 75 percent of the greens in regulation for the week using 588 Forged MB Irons. Ted Potter Jr. was the top CG/Srixon rookie in the field, carding a -9 total.

Golf in the California desert is often referred to as “Golf in a dome” or “Groundhog day,” and this week certainly fits the bill.  It’s literally perfect every day this time of year out here – 70 degrees, no wind, and not a cloud in the sky – so look for quite a few really low rounds this week.

The Humana Challenge, still called the Bob Hope by many in reference to its long-time host, gave itself a serious shot in the arm this year by partnering with President Bill Clinton and his foundation. President Clinton, as a result, now serves as the tournament’s host.  His influence and strong humanitarian efforts, coupled with a revised pro-am format, brought one of the strongest field’s the desert has seen in some time.

I’m happy to report it was a relatively mild week in our Tour trailer. This generally means the majority of our players are really happy with their gear.  In addition, this tournament is played on three different golf courses, making practice rounds a significant portion of the players’ preparation.

After gaming the Classic Driver for the first time at last week’s Sony Open in Hawaii, Jerry Kelly realized it wasn’t “perfect”.  He prefers a relatively flat flight that allows the ball to run out on firm fairways, and he felt his gamer last week just launched a bit too high.  After testing a couple of different loft and tipping options, he now has the one he needs going forward.

We also did some great testing with Jeff Overton and the Classic Driver.  Granted, he currently plays the Launcher Ultralite TL310 and loves it, so a switch for him will not be easy. But on Tuesday at the driving range, he put on an absolute show with the Classic (see monitor numbers below).  At its peak, we achieved an increase of 3mph more ball speed and increased his launch angle without sacrificing any spin.  This is a club engineer’s dream scenario!  On that note, as much as we love the Classic Driver, it may not be the best option for every single player.  Check out the Driver Series Guide to help you figure out which driver best fits your game!
We were also joined by Graeme McDowell on Tuesday.  G-MAC was kind enough to make the special trip to the desert and do filming for upcoming Cleveland/Srixon commercials before he starts his season in Abu Dhabi.  Honestly, commercial shoots aren’t always a barrel of laughs, but this one was an absolute blast.  Just call Graeme “one-take” next time you see him.  We were also able to do some testing with the Classic Driver post-shoot and it went quite well.  He was excited about the two he is taking home to test this week and we’re looking forward to the results.

Next, we’re headed to the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego, CA, where we look forward to another great venue and phenomenal weather.

‘Til next week…

Readers,

The Classic Driver, one of this winter’s most buzzed about golf clubs, is officially available for pre-order today online! This comes on the heels of a pretty big week for the Classic on the PGA Tour. Rookies Jason Kokrak and Charlie Beljan – a pair of Cleveland Golf staffers making their Tour debuts at the Sony Open in Hawaii – gamed the Classic and finished first and second, respectively, in driving distance! Kokrak averaged 328.0 yards off the tee, while Beljan wasn’t far behind with an average of 324.8 yards.

In case you haven’t seen the Classic Driver yet, here it is:

With the styling of a persimmon wood (the club that Cleveland Golf originally made a name for itself with), it’s sure to turn some heads. Looks aside, this club has serious technology under the hood. In line with the RightWeight fitting system of the 2011 Launcher Ultralite Drivers, the Classic comes in three different models to help every player find the right driver: The Classic 270 is for maximum head speed, the Classic 290 provides a strong combination of distance and accuracy, and the Classic Tour (weighs 310 grams) is for tour-caliber workability and precision.

To optimize each driver with Ultralite Technology, we’ve once again included the premium performance of Miyazaki graphite shafts. The 270 features a C. Kua 39 (the lightest shaft ever played on the PGA Tour), the 290 boasts a C. Kua 43, and the Tour has a Kusala Black 61, a favorite among better players for its feel and stability.

The head of the driver is where this club really comes to life. While the gold-colored trapezoid section on the face brings you back to the days of yesteryear, it also is a phenomenal alignment tool to help keep the ball in the center of the club face. Speaking of the club face, the Classic has the largest and deepest face ever produced by Cleveland Golf, which leads to the largest effective hitting area and promotes a penetrating ball flight.

Needless to say, the Classic is a club that will be coming out of the gates hot. It will hit shelves on February 17, but you can pre-order yours here right now.

What do you think about the Classic Driver?

Readers,

Let me begin with wishing you all a Happy Martin Luther King Day! This year, MLK Day falls on a very busy week for us here at CGHQ. First and foremost, the PGA Tour season is back in full swing. The other thing (and brace yourself, because it is a biggy) is that new clubs will be available for pre-order tomorrow! We always love when we can launch new gear for the world to see. Check back here tomorrow as we unveil it all.

But first, on to our Tour Wrap-Up. As stated before, the Sony Open in Hawaii was the first full-field event of the year, and the Cleveland Golf/Srixon team was out in force. This week was a great chance to introduce our incredible rookie class, as Michael highlighted last week.

The rookie star of the week is definitely CG/Srixon staffer Ted Potter, Jr. who tied for 13th to lead all PGA Tour newcomers in the field. Potter had rounds of 68, 68, 66 and 70 (272) in his first ever Tour start to earn $97,166.67 – a sum that should prove to be a weight off his back moving forward. In his bag this week, Potter carried:

Launcher Ultralite TL310 Driver (10.5°, Miyazaki Kusala Indigo 61X shaft)
Launcher Ultralite FL Fairway Wood (15°, Miyazaki Kusala Indigo 83X shaft
CG1 Tour Irons (4-PW)
CG14 Wedges (52°, 56° and 60°)

Another rookie who made a little noise this week was Jason Kokrak. The noise he made was commonly mistaken for thunder, but was actually the sound of him crushing 345-yard drives. Kokrak, who played three rounds before falling into the MDF category, averaged 328 yards off the tee to grab the early lead in 2012 for the PGA Tour’s driving distance crown. In the legendary words of Harry Caray, “HOLY COW!” Kokrak, who led the Nationwide Tour in driving distance during his two-win 2011 campaign, was gaming the new Classic Driver this week. Also in Kokrak’s bag was:

588 Forged MB Irons
588 Forged Wedges (52°, 56° and 60°)

That brings us to Keegan Bradley. The reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year and PGA Champion was coming off a tremendous Sunday at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions last week and was looking to keep his momentum. Keegan, who was one of eight players with the new Classic Driver in his bag at Sony, averaged 312 yards off the tee to rank seventh in overall driving distance. Luckily for Keegan, the great distance didn’t make him sacrifice any accuracy, as he finished tied for 13th in driving accuracy and tied for third in greens in regulation. Bradley turned in rounds of 67, 67, 68 and 70 (272) to share 13th place. Also in Keegan’s bag this week were:

CG7 Tour Irons
588 Forged Wedges (54° and 58°)
Srixon Z-STAR Golf Ball

Overall, this has been a pretty exciting January so far, wouldn’t you say? Check back tomorrow for the official launch of the Classic Driver!

Which tour event are you most looking forward to in the next few weeks?

This week marks the first full-field PGA Tour event of 2012 – the Sony Open in Hawaii at Honolulu’s Waialae Country Club. It’s always a pleasure to start the season off at one of the most amazing places on Tour.

This year, Cleveland Golf and Srixon have a tremendous staff of professionals competing on the PGA Tour. It’s a great mix of accomplished veterans, some youngsters that have already more than proven themselves, and an extremely talented group of young rookies eager to show what they can do.

It’s always a blast to see rookies prepare for their debut as PGA Tour members, and this week is no different. I dare say this class has the potential to do some amazing things – even right out of the gate during the West Coast Swing. This is an important time for rookies to do well since the first “reshuffle” occurs right after the West Coast events, meaning enough prize money before the reshuffle gives them better entry status into tournaments as the year progresses.

Keep an eye on these rookies representing Cleveland Golf/Srixon inside the ropes:

Charlie Beljan: The 28-year-old resident of Mesa, Ariz., first made headlines by winning the 2002 U.S. Junior Amateur, and after dominating the Gateway Tour in Arizona the last few seasons, he gained PGA Tour exempt status by tying for 13th at Qualifying School. The University of New Mexico graduate hits it forever and has great touch around the greens. Look for Charlie playing the Srixon Z-STAR Tour Yellow golf ball. He’s a tremendous believer in its benefits.

Russell Knox: A 25-year-old native of Inverness, Scotland, Knox is a phenomenal ball striker who finished 12th on the 2011 Nationwide Tour money list to earn his card. Russell, now a resident of Jacksonville, Fla., won last year’s Chiquita Classic and ranked inside the top 10 for the year in both driving accuracy and greens in regulation. Waialae sets up great for Russell’s precision game, so don’t be surprised to see him get off to a great start here.

Jason Kokrak: Expect the 25-year-old Kokrak to contend for the PGA Tour’s driving distance title. The Charlotte, N.C., resident powered his way to a fourth-place finish on the 2011 Nationwide money list with victories at the Albertsons Boise Open and Miccosukee Championship. There just aren’t many people that will ever hit it by Jason, who had a Nationwide-leading driving average of 318.9 yards. He simply overpowers most golf courses and combines that with some great putting.

Ted Potter, Jr.: When Ted gets in his groove, he’s a lot of fun to watch. The 28-year-old Ocala, Fla., native nearly won the 2011 Nationwide Tour money title, winning the South Georgia Classic and Soboba Golf Classic to finish second. The left-hander might be the most aggressive player you’ll ever see – there’s rarely a pin he won’t shoot at. And, get this – Russell Knox says Potter is the best he’s seen play in person.

It’s hard to believe that at this time last year, Keegan Bradley was in the exact same position as the above foursome. Now, Bradley is a star, joining David Toms and Vijay Singh as Cleveland Golf/Srixon major champions on the PGA Tour.

Keegan and Toms began their years at Kapalua last week for the Hyundai Tournament of Champions. A closing 65 and an impressive week of ball striking netted Bradley a 16th-place finish, and he’s excited for what’s to come. “Ball-striking wise, it was one of the best four days combined I’ve had in my professional career,” he said.

D.T. is a little down after his LSU Tigers laid an egg in Monday night’s BCS National Championship Game, but playing two events in Hawaii is always good medicine. He won the Sony Open back in 2006 and always feels he has a chance to win at Waialae.

Vijay says he’s healthier than he’s been in quite a few years and is really excited about this season. He switched up his practice routine a little bit this offseason, incorporating more time playing golf on the golf course – something he’s never done very much of. He was in great spirits this week and looking forward to playing a course where he won in 2005.

Singh is one of many Cleveland/Srixon players gaming the new Classic driver at Sony. Players are raving about the look, feel, and performance of our latest offering. We’ve been blown away by some of the numbers we’ve seen in testing, and the guys are seeing similar results on the course.

The new 588 Forged wedges and irons have been phenomenal as well. Almost every staffer has already switched into the irons, and the wedges have been adopted by more players in a shorter amount of time than any wedge we have ever introduced.

Needless to say, the word “feel” has been uttered a lot lately. While most players have some experience with forged irons, our guys have been blown away by the difference our Precision Forging process can make in the feel of a wedge. The equipment lineup for 2012 is simply phenomenal, and our players’ early adoption of the products is proof.

Check out some pics below of our players’ new equipment and their 2012 staff bags, and check back next week for another Tour Report.

–Michael Jolly, Cleveland Golf/Srixon Tour Representative

Til Next Week…

Charlie Beljan’s Bag:

Jerry Kelly’s Bag:

Jeff Overton and Ted Potter, Jr.’s Bags:

Cleveland Golf would like to congratulate Keegan Bradley on being named the 2011 PGA Tour Rookie Of The Year! The award was announced Tuesday from PGA Tour Headquarters in Florida by PGA Tour Commissioner Tim Finchem.

Keegan’s rookie campaign is sure to be talked about for years to come. The clear highlight of his season – and of his career to date – was the dramatic come-from-behind PGA Championship win at Atlanta Athletic Club in August. Being five shots down with just three holes to play didn’t rattle the 25-year-old St. John’s University alum, as he made stunning birdies on holes 16 and 17 to hold a share of the lead at the end of regulation. When the dust settled following the ensuing three-hole playoff, Bradley was indeed the PGA Champion, becoming only the third player ever to win in his first major start.

Before the PGA Championship, Keegan broke through with a playoff triumph at the HP Byron Nelson Championship in May for his first career PGA Tour victory. The native of Woodstock, Vt., capped his two-win regular season with a pair of off-season wins, one at the PGA Grand Slam of Golf in Bermuda in October and another this month at the Franklin Templeton Shootout in Florida.

All told, he ranked 13th on the money list with $3,758,600. Not bad for someone who had never competed in a PGA Tour event prior to 2011.

“I’m thrilled to win the Rookie of the Year,” Bradley said “it’s an award you can only win one time, that you only get one chance to win. It’s a huge honor.”

Because of his accolades inside the ropes, Bradley, a devout New England sports fan who now resides in Jupiter, Fla., was selected to throw out the first pitch at Fenway Park prior to a Boston Red Sox game and handle the pre-game coin toss for a New England Patriots game at Gillette Stadium. Keegan even received a congratulatory text from Patriots Super Bowl MVP quarterback and childhood hero Tom Brady, who said he’d like to tee it up with Bradley following the NFL season.

So congrats on a great year, Keegan!  May it be the first of many!

How does Keegan Bradley build on the success of his breakthrough 2011 PGA Tour season?

He keeps on winning.

The 25-year-old Cleveland Golf staffer teamed with Brendan Steele to capture the Franklin Templeton Shootout by three shots over the weekend at Tiburón Golf Club at The Ritz-Carlton Golf Resort in Naples, Fla.

Bradley, a Tour rookie who has also won the PGA Championship, HP Byron Nelson Championship and PGA Grand Slam of Golf in 2011, notched his fourth victory of the year by relying on the proven performance of new 588 Forged Wedges and the amazing distance technology of the new Classic Driver.

The Classic Driver, which takes on the look of an old persimmon wood, has some serious style to it. The dark mahogany and gold finish allows for easy alignment off the tee, and an old-fashioned RetroBarrel headcover is sure to make the rest of your foursome extremely jealous. However, the Classic is not all about aesthetics. The 460cc club head has an incredibly deep face and MaxCOR2 technology, which promotes a hot, penetrating trajectory – even on off-center shots. It’s fueled by Ultralite Technology and the inclusion of a premium graphite shaft from Miyazaki, giving the golfer increased swing speed with the same swing effort for more distance off the tee.

Needless to say, Bradley is enamored with Cleveland’s newest driver offering.  We were able to catch up with Keegan last week, here is what he has to say about the club:

Keegan was also gaming 52- and 58-degree models of Cleveland’s new 588 Forged Wedges. Originally introduced in 1988 as Cleveland’s fifth wedge design, the 588 has a versatile, confidence-inspiring shape that’s the standard by which all other wedges are judged. The new 588 Forged maintains that shape while adding the soft, solid feel made possible by Precision Forging and increasing spin thanks to Tour Zip Grooves, Laser Milled technology and the Tour Concept Wedge Shaft.

The 588 Forged Wedge is available now at leading retailers and at clevelandgolf.com. It’s also available as a completely customizable club via the interactive My Custom Wedge website.

What do you think of the new products? How excited are you to see what Keegan can do in 2012?

Readers,

Today we are proud to announce the launch of a new website: MyCustomWedge.com.  As you may know, the 588 Wedge is highest selling wedge of all time, it has won more majors than any other wedge, it has won more PGA Tour events in general than any other wedge.  Now the 588 is back and better than ever.  The 588 is now a Forged Wedge, increasing the amazing feel while maintaining the look that made it one of the most successful wedges of all time.

This wedge has the same classic shape that it did in 1988.  However, when we looked at the 588 Precision Forged Wedge, we wanted to truly take it to the next level.  The best way to do that is to allow custom options.  Simply put: Go wild.  There is almost nothing you cannot do to these wedges.  If you are looking for a specific grind, we can customize it.  If you are looking for certain paint fills, we can customize it.  If you want your name engraved in the club, we can engrave it for you.

The wedges start in a raw form, with no engravings or paint fills whatsoever.  It is up to you to whichever custom options please your eye.  To be clear, you can leave this wedge almost completely logo free if that is what you want.

How will you customize your 588 Precision Forged Wedge?

Readers,

We gave you a sneak peak of the CG Black Line earlier this fall, now we want to show you the whole thing.  As of right now, the CG Black is available for Prebook!  CG Black is a fully inclusive line of Ultralite golf clubs, and a sleek black golf bag.  The clubs, Driver, Fairway Woods, Irons and Wedges, are available for Prebooking today online and will be in retail stores on November 25th.  We caught up Cleveland Brand Manager, Adam Sheldon and lets just say that he is excited about the CG Black:

“We’re excited about the CG Black line because we’ve enhanced Ultralite Technology and made it available in irons and wedges in addition to woods. These clubs truly are an incredible combination of distance and forgiveness. With the help of Miyazaki and Golf Pride, we’ve engineered a driver that weighs 265 grams – our lightest ever. The Speed Crown Design profile is the most aerodynamic wood shape we’ve ever created. Plus, the Ti face and Deep Undercut Technology in the irons and wedges makes them powerful and very easy to hit, just like the woods.”

Driver:
With a sleek and striking look, the Cleveland Golf CG Black series driver weighs only 265 grams, making it the lightest driver on the market to help players generate measurable increases in swing speed and distance with the same swing effort. The advanced aerodynamics found in the driver’s Speed Crown Design – an innovative, teardrop-inspired crown profile – maximize distance by reducing drag at all angles of airflow during the swing. MaxCOR2 Variable Face Thickness Technology reduces face weight and increases trampoline effect on off-center hits, meaning higher ball speed and more distance on off-center hits. Plus, a high-density weight screw at the rear of the sole plate positions the center of gravity lower and deeper to promote a high, draw-biased trajectory with optimal launch conditions for effortless distance. Like Cleveland Golf’s highly successful Launcher Ultralite, the CG Black driver features a Miyazaki C. Kua 39 Limited Edition graphite shaft – from the worldwide leader in ultralite graphite shaft technology – and a Golf Pride Ultralite grip, a combination that decreases overall club weight for faster swing speed.

Irons:
With a sleek and striking look, Cleveland Golf CG Black irons are engineered for maximum distance and forgiveness. Their multi-material construction incorporates a thin, high-strength Ti face for increased ball speed and maximum distance, while a larger face area and full cavity back maximize forgiveness on off-center hits. Deep Undercut Technology positions the center of gravity lower and deeper in the clubhead to optimize launch angle, spin and playability. Plus, the combination of a Lamkin Lite grip and a Miyazaki C. Kua 59 graphite shaft – from the worldwide leader in ultralite graphite shaft technology – reduces the overall weight of the CG Black irons and helps increase swing speed for more distance while maintaining incredible accuracy. CG Black irons also feature Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled technology to maximize spin in accordance with USGA regulations.

Wedge:
With advanced technology and classic design, Cleveland Golf’s CG Black wedge line is ideal for players seeking an optimum blend of distance and forgiveness in the scoring zone. Its multi-material construction incorporates a thin, high-strength Ti face for increased ball speed and maximum distance, while a larger face area and full cavity back maximize forgiveness on off-center hits. Deep Undercut technology positions the center of gravity lower and deeper in the clubhead to optimize launch angle, spin and playability.  CG Black wedges also feature Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled technology designed to maximize spin in accordance with USGA regulations.

What do you think of the new CG Black Line?

Readers,

As announced earlier this fall, the 588 Forged wedge is coming to the marketplace on November 25th.  The wedge, which is forged from 1025 carbon steel, is one that is particularly exciting for us here at Cleveland Golf.  The 588 wedge was originally introduced to the world in 1988 as a cast design, and has since become the highest selling wedge of all time with over 3 million clubs sold.

Along with it’s commercial success, the original 588 also saw a massive amount of success on tour over the past 20+ years, winning  over 300 PGA Tour events and 25 Majors.  The new wedge, which also features Laser Milled Face Technology for maximum spin, has already seen success on the Tour level.  Jason Kokrak was the first to get a professional win with the forged wedges, winning the Nationwide Tours Miccosukee Championship earlier this month.  Keegan Bradley’s bag also featured the wedges when he won the PGA Grand Slam of Golf event in Bermuda to cap off a phenomenal rookie campaign.  In fact, the majority of our professional staff has already switched into the 588 Forged wedges in only three short weeks.

“When the 588 wedge was introduced in 1988, it raised the bar significantly with its timeless design and versatility. To this day, the 588 shape remains the standard by which all competitors’ wedges are judged. Not too many golf clubs have that kind of longevity. Now, we’ve managed to make the 588 even better than it was before. The 588 Forged will have immensely improved feel thanks to the advanced Precision Forging process, as well as the ability to generate incredible spin thanks to Tour Zip Grooves and Laser Milled Technology on the face.” -Brand Manager, Adam Sheldon said.

The new 588 Forged will be available on November 25th in both Satin and Chrome finishes, you can place your Pre-Book order today!