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Equipment Golfshoes

Under Armour sets the new standard with Drive Pro and Drive Pro SL footwear

The new Under Armour Drive Pro and Drive Pro SL golfshoes of the 2024 season. (Photo: Under Armour)
The new Under Armour Drive Pro and Drive Pro SL golfshoes of the 2024 season. (Photo: Under Armour)

Designed with direct feedback from three-time major winner Jordan Spieth and Under Armour’s other PGA Tour athletes, including Maverick McNealy, Under Armour works closely with its golf athletes to create performance-enhancing products that meet the needs of golfers of all skill levels in both Spiked and Spikeless models.

Under Armour Drive Pro golf shoe: Stability, traction and performance

The new Drive Pro and Drive Pro SL deliver golfers the ultimate stability, traction, and performance through the innovative Swing Support System TM.

Developed with world-renowned biomechanist JJ Rivet, the revolutionary 3-layer Swing Support System TM supports the natural motion of the foot, with biomechanically correct diagonal and lateral support for golfers to unlock the power of their swing.

The Swing Support System is made up of three key advancements to take performance to new levels, while being lighter than common tour shoes in the market.

Starting from the ground up, smarter traction is delivered through a combination of Under Armour’s new custom S3 Spikes and the Tour Flex Pro Spike. Developed exclusively for Under Armour with CHAMP MacNeill Engineering, the S3 Spikes are utilised in the medial heel and lateral forefoot at the optimal angle to resist rotation in the golf swing, allowing you to harness more power.

(Photo: Under Armour)

In the midsole, Under Armour has developed the only dual-density midsole in golf. Featuring Under Armour’s HOVR TM foam and more supportive Charged Cushioning TM where it’s needed to help guide the foot in the golf swing. By using softer HOVR foam in the medial side, your foot is able to sink into the shoe when you apply your peak force and helps transition your weight more efficiently through the ball.

In the upper, Under Armour’s Swing Support Strap is fully connected to the with the S3 Spikes and integrated lacing system, providing optimised 360-degree lock-in from lateral ball to medial instep.

Under Armour Drive Pro SL: The innovative spikeless model

The Drive Pro SL replicates the same innovations in the midsole and the upper but with some notable innovations in its spikeless outsole. With a traction control plate and a hybrid outsole utilizing rubber and TPU, the Drive Pro SL provides ground penetration & torsional rigidity through the use of TPU, with rubber adding flexibility and friction to ensure there’s no compromise in performance by moving from a spiked to spikeless outsole.

Every spikeless traction point has been mapped to different heights and positions throughout the sole to ramp up performance further. By removing uniformity, Under Armour has been able develop an outsole that truly performs at the same level as spiked tour shoes.

“We’re excited to kick the new year off by releasing industry-leading footwear that help golfers take their game to the next level. The Drive Pro Series is years in the making, and we’re excited to get golfers’ reactions as they test them out on the course. Utilising Under Armour’s unique technologies, such as HOVR and the Swing Support System, we were able to create a golf shoe that pushes the boundaries of performance innovation to stand out in the market.” – Jake Haley, Senior Product Line Manager for Golf Footwear, Under Armour.

“Being a golfer isn’t a traditional 9-5 job. You’re on your feet walking the course for such a long time so it’s so important to be equipped with footwear that will help your body achieve its best on the course. I’m ecstatic that Under Armour has developed the Drive Pro, that combines comfort, style, and performance throughout the long days that we endure on the green. I look forward to showing firsthand the impact that Under Armour makes on the course with the release of the Drive Pro.” – Jordan Spieth

The Drive Pro Series can be found on UA.com and at golf retailers throughout the UK. The Drive Pro and Drive Pro SL retail for £150 GBP (EUR €170) and £130 GBP (EUR €150), respectively and carry a 1-year waterproof warranty.

Text: Under Armour

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Panorama

Full Swing: Netflix releases trailer for the second season

full-swing-season-2
The next season of Full Swing will be available on Netflix from 6 March. (Photo: Getty)

Full Swing is finally entering its second round. Netflix has now released another trailer for the hit golf series on YouTube. The anticipation among golf fans is growing. The golf year 2023 once again had a lot to offer and the streaming provider shows this impressively in its latest clip with insights into the second season. In addition to the all-important potential merger between the Public Investment Fund and the PGA Tour, the 2023 Ryder Cup is also in the spotlight.

Full Swing: The trailer for the second season on Netflix

As usual, the stars of the scene have their say in the newly released trailer. Rory McIlroy, LIV golfer Dustin Johnson and Jay Monahan give their views. But fans can look forward to seeing professionals like Joel Dahmen again. In the second season, the cameras will once again follow the pros up close and show their tough everyday lives during the season. The wait is finally over at the beginning of March. Netflix will release the next season of Full Swing on 6 March.

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Live

Korn Ferry Tour: The Panama Championship 2024

Korn Ferry Tour Live Blog. (Photo: Getty)
Korn Ferry Tour Live Blog. (Photo: Getty)

The Panama Championship 2024 Live Scores

The The Panama Championship in the season 2024 is being played in Panama City, Panama at the Club de Golf de Panama. The tournament starts at the Thursday, 1st of February and ends at the Sunday, 4th of February 2024.
The The Panama Championship is part of the Korn Ferry Tour in the season 2024. In 2024 all players competing for a total prize money of $1,000,000.
The course for the tournament at Club de Golf de Panama plays at Par 70.

After kicking off the season with two tournaments in the Bahamas, the Korn Ferry Tour travels to Panama. The Panama Championship is the first stop on the South American mainland before moving on to Colombia, Argentina and Chile.

Korn Ferry Tour live

The Korn Ferry Tour is a professional golf tournament series that serves as a development pathway and stepping stone for golfers who want to make it onto the PGA Tour. The tour provides a platform for professional golfers to gain experience, improve their skills and secure a place on the more prestigious PGA Tour.

Qualification for the PGA Tour via the Korn Ferry Tour is based on money ranking or performance in the Korn Ferry Tour Finals. Each year, the top players on the tour receive PGA Tour cards, which for many golfers is the main goal of their participation. The tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour take place mainly in the United States, but attract players from all over the world. This makes it an international stage for up-and-coming talent.

The name of the tour has changed several times over the years and depends on the respective main sponsor. Since 2019, Korn Ferry, a global management consulting firm, has been the name sponsor. The structure and format of the tournaments on the Korn Ferry Tour are very similar to those of the PGA Tour, with four rounds over four days, starting on a Thursday and a cut after the first two rounds.

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Live

Challenge Tour: SDC Open 2024

Challenge Tour Live Blog (Photo: Getty)
Challenge Tour Live Blog (Photo: Getty)

SDC Open 2024 Live Scores

The SDC Open in the season 2024 is being played in Limpopo, South Africa at the Zebula Golf Estate & Spa. The tournament starts at the Thursday, 1st of February and ends at the Sunday, 4th of February 2024.
The SDC Open is part of the Challenge Tour in the season 2024. In 2024 all players competing for a total prize money of $350,000.
The course for the tournament at Zebula Golf Estate & Spa plays at Par 72.

The Challenge Tour kicks off the year. The SDC Open marks the start of the Road To Mallorca 2024 in South Africa.

Challenge Tour live

The Challenge Tour is a professional golf tournament series that acts as the second tier below the DP World Tour. It serves as a development league and offers aspiring golfers the opportunity to develop their skills at a higher level, gain experience and qualify for the European Tour.

The Challenge Tour is internationally orientated, with tournaments held in various European countries and outside Europe. This offers players a varied experience on different golf courses and in different competitive conditions. The tour attracts golfers from all over the world who are interested in furthering their careers in professional golf.

As with the Korn Ferry Tour, the top players on the Challenge Tour qualify for the higher tour, in this case the European Tour, at the end of each season. This is usually based on the Challenge Tour ranking, with the best players receiving a Tour card. This promotion is a key goal for many players on the Challenge Tour, as it allows access to more prestigious tournaments, higher prize money and greater visibility in the world of golf.

Overall, the Challenge Tour is a crucial step for many golfers who want to make the leap to the highest level of European golf, the European Tour. It offers a mix of challenge and opportunity that is crucial for the career development of golfers.

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Live

European Tour: Bahrain Championship 2024

Bahrain Championship 2024 Live Scores

The Bahrain Championship in the season 2024 is being played in Kingdom of Bahrain at the Royal Golf Club. The tournament starts at the Thursday, 1st of February and ends at the Sunday, 4th of February 2024.
The Bahrain Championship is part of the European Tour in the season 2024. In 2024 all players competing for a total prize money of $2,500,000.
The course for the tournament at Royal Golf Club plays at Par 72.

The DP World Tour returns with the Bahrain Championship to the Royal Golf Club after 13 years.

European Tour live

Through the Golf Post Live Blog you can follow all results on the DP World Tour live. The DP World Tour is the top golf league alongside the PGA Tour. Originally started on the European continent, it now includes tournaments all over the world. With events in Asia, Africa, Australia and the Middle East and partnerships with the PGA Tour, the DP World Tour has a truly global reach. The official name of the organization is PGA European Tour and the DP World Tour is headquartered at the Wentworth Club in Virgina Water, England.

In the 2024 season, a total of 45 tournaments will be held in over 25 different countries. This versatility and the many different venues are what make the tour so appealing to golfers. The prize money is slightly lower on average than on the neighboring PGA Tour and ranges between 1.2 million dollars and 10 million dollars (DP World Tour Championship).
Since 2009, the official money ranking of the DP World Tour has been the “Race to Dubai”. This includes all relevant tournaments (including the major tournaments) from a season for the ranking. The overall winner of the Race to Dubai receives a five-year playing license on the DP World Tour, the Harry Vardon Trophy and bonus prize money of six million US dollars.

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Live

PGA Tour: Follow the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2024 live

AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am 2024 Live Scores

The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in the season 2024 is being played in Pebble Beach, California, United States of America at the Pebble Beach Golf Links. The tournament starts at the Thursday, 1st of February and ends at the Sunday, 4th of February 2024.
The AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am is part of the PGA Tour in the season 2024. In 2024 all players competing for a total prize money of $20,000,000.
The course for the tournament at Pebble Beach Golf Links plays at Par 72.

As usual, the PGA Tour plays in Pebble Beach in February. Last year, Justin Rose became the first European to win the prestigious tournament at the event, which was founded in 1937.

PGA Tour live

Through the Golf Post Live Blog you can follow all results on the PGA Tour live. Alongside the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour), the PGA Tour is the world’s largest tournament series in men’s professional golf. The tour attracts prize money that is just as high as the level of the international elite that comes together at quite a few of the tournaments. The annual highlights of the season are the four major tournaments (co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour), the Players Championship and the final FedExCup playoffs, which conclude the season every year. Signature events were created for this purpose. These include the three FedExCup playoff tournaments, The Sentry, the invitational tournaments (Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational and Memorial Tournament) and four other tournaments, which can change annually.

The PGA Tour has gained its importance primarily through its ability to retain top players through the attractiveness of the tournaments and the size of the prize money, which has risen steadily in recent years. The FedExCup is the American equivalent of the European Race to Dubai, with players collecting points throughout the season until the FedExCup winner is crowned in three tournaments in August. The FedExCup playoffs consist of three tournaments: the FedEx St. Jude Championship, the BMW Championship and the final Tour Championship. The winner of the Tour Championship also becomes the winner of the FedEx Cup and secures the record jackpot of 25 million US dollars.

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Top Tours

Rory McIlroy with a changed attitude towards LIV Golf

Rory McIlroy has changed his mind about the LIV Golf League. (Source: Getty)
Rory McIlroy has changed his mind about the LIV Golf League. (Source: Getty)

As the LIV Golf Tour unveiled a new team just ahead of the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, boasting the likes of Jon Rahm and Tyrrell Hatton, Rory McIlroy shared his thoughts on these significant player migrations. McIlroy, a staunch supporter of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, surprised many with his altered perspective on players making the transition to LIV Golf.

Rory McIlroy: “At the end of the day, everyone has to do what’s right for them.”

Days before teeing off at the iconic Pebble Beach Links in California, McIlroy delved into the topic during a press conference on Tuesday. Expressing his views on Tyrrell Hatton’s move, McIlroy emphasized the importance of each golfer making decisions that align with their personal journey. “At the end of the day, everyone has to do what’s right for them. I had a lengthy conversation with Tyrrell on Sunday, and I completely understand where he’s coming from. They’ve reached a point in negotiations where he feels comfortable. He has to do what he believes is right, so I won’t stand in anyone’s way of making a living. And if they view it as life-changing money, absolutely,” McIlroy stated.

The multiple Major-winner also touched upon the topic of potential sanctions for players looking to return to their original tours. McIlroy firmly stood against punitive measures, advocating for mutual understanding and collaboration between tours to propel the sport forward. This marked a significant departure from his earlier stance, as McIlroy emphasized his changed perspective, fueled by a desire to ensure the best for the sport as a whole.

Justin Thomas on the latest additions to LIV Golf: “I’m done with it”

Adding to the discourse, Justin Thomas shared his thoughts on the recent influx of players into LIV Golf during the Pebble Beach event. “I feel like at this point, I’m done with it. It is what it is,” Thomas commented. Reflecting on the diversity of opinions surrounding the moves, he acknowledged that people make decisions based on what they believe is best for them. While expressing disappointment over Hatton’s departure, Thomas displayed understanding and refrained from passing judgment, acknowledging the individuality of each player’s choices.

Categories
Equipment Satellite Tours

TaylorMade: Look to the Next Generation with New Team TaylorMade Athletes

The new TaylorMade Golf Team-Members. (Photo: TaylorMade)

TaylorMade Golf Company, an industry leader in product innovation and technology, announced today the signings of some of the youngest and hottest prospects on the Challenge Tour to play TaylorMade equipment from 2024. With an average age of 22 they join an already incredibly talented stable of athletes plying their trade on both the DP World Tour and Challenge Tour as part of Team TaylorMade.

Four new players for Team TaylorMade Golf in the 2024 season

Angel Ayora

Angel, who won the first stage of Qualifying School at Donnington Grove Golf Club at the end of September, 2023, joins Team TaylorMade after he secured his Challenge Tour card for 2024. At just 19-years-old from Spain, Angel played both the AfrAsia Bank Mauritius Open and ISPS Handa Australian Open at the beginning of the 2023/2024 DP World Tour season, making the cut on both occasions, finishing 33rd and tied-21st, respectively.

Angel Ayora sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)
Angel Ayora sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)

Angel is one the quicker players so getting him dialled in was very important. Tour Representative Sam Day started with a heavier driver shaft which offered him more control with little to no trade-off in club speed. Because of the better strikes and more connected feel with the driver, he was able to gain ball speed and play something that is designed to be more stable. His miss is to the right, so going down in head loft and using the FCT sleeve to change loft and face angle helped fix this problem (9.0 head set two clicks higher playing at 10.5 – the more loft added to a driver will close the face angle and therefore less likely to miss right).
During golf ball testing, the soon-to-be-released 2024 TP5x was testing 3mph quicker with the driver, and when it came to irons, Sam actually moved his iron lofts a full 1 degree weaker to help him get better spin rates and land angles into the greens. Angel constantly works with his coach to increase his peak height, and with the new ball and iron lofts he gained 20 feet with his longer irons helping that stopping distance coming into greens.

Angel Ayora Expected WITB

  • Qi10 LS 9.0 driver
  • Qi10 16.5 3HL fairway
  • P770 3 iron
  • P7MC 4-9 iron
  • MG4 46.SB, 52.SB, 56.TW and 60.TW wedges
  • TP Reserve B13 putter
  • 2024 TP5x golf ball

Martin Couvra

Former French Number One Amateur, Martin Couvra, joins Team TaylorMade after becoming only the seventh player in history to win on the Challenge Tour as an amateur. Following his victory at the Challenge de España in September, 2023, Martin made the decision to turn professional. Martin finished the 2023 season ranked 46th on the Road to Mallorca rankings, solidifying a full Challenge Tour card for 2024 for the 21-year-old.

Martin Couvra sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)
Martin Couvra sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)

Martin likes to see a fade with the driver so he likes to see the ball starting left and falling to the right. Tour Representative Mark Thistleton worked with Martin a lot around face angle, and they found that the more Mark opened the face, the more fade Martin produced, reacting to what he saw at address. Couvra settled on a 10.5 head set a little lower playing at 10 degrees with a little open face angle that gives him the look of a fade club at address.
Mark then worked on wedge options to better fill his distances after spotting that Martin previously carried a 52 & 58 degree Hi Toe wedge and left himself a 20-metre gap between PW & 52. Martin ended up in the new MG4 50 & 54 wedges to have his approach play dialled in ahead of the season. They both spent a lot of the session working with the new TP5 ball, which Martin loved right away. Martin is not one of the longer hitters out there and found speed especially in the top end of the bag with the new ball which he was sold on right away.

Martin Couvra Expected WITB

Mark Power

Two-time Walker Cup star and Wake Forest University graduate, Mark Power (23), has put his trust in TaylorMade equipment as he starts the next phase of his career. Prior to heading to the US College system in 2019, Mark was a three-time winner of the Irish Boys Order of Merit (2016, 2017,2018) and two-time winner of the Irish Open Boys Championship (2016, 2017). Mark graduated in 2023 before making his professional debut on the DP World Tour at the Horizon Irish Open last year, finishing tied-33rd. He also made the cut at the ISPS Handa Australian Open this season on the DP World Tour and will ply his main trade on the Challenge Tour this year.

Mark Power sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)
Mark Power sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)

Mark likes to play with a draw, and with the new Qi10 LS driver he was able to match the correct amount of launch and spin to make his go-to shot a lot easier and perform better. His drop-off in spin with his previous gamer was penalising his miss shot and therefore performance off the tee.
Again, during ball testing, Mark gained 2mph ball speed switching into the 2024 TP5x golf ball from the 2021 TP5, and this was a massive step forward for him. Tour Representative Sam Day looked at the wedge and putter performance with the new ball to make sure the feel and sound married up with performance, which it did. The soft feel and low spin numbers he gained at the top end of the bag made this a clear winner.

Mark Power Expected WITB

  • Qi10 LS 9.0 driver
  • Qi10 Tour 15.0 fairway
  • P7MC 4-PW
  • MG4 50.SB, 54.SB and 58.LB wedges
  • TP Reserve M47 putter
  • 2024 TP5x golf ball

Maximilian Steinlechner

North Carolina State University scholar, Max Steinlechner (24), from Austria, completes the roster for 2024. Max, a former Austrian Number One Amateur, had a stellar amateur career before heading off to play for the Wolfpack. He won the Austrian International Amateur Championship as a 17-year-old with a score of 11-under par, and won the Austrian Boys Strokeplay Championship for three consecutive years between 2015-2017. Max played the majority of his golf on the Challenge Tour in 2023, where he will look to build on a strong foundation moving into 2024.

Max Steinlechner sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)
Max Steinlechner sings with TaylorMade. (Photo: TaylorMade Golf)

Max is very much a feel player and likes to focus on feel when testing clubs almost as much as performance. He does not change equipment easily or without validation, but he very quickly fell in love with the Qi10 driver. Tour Representative Mark Thistleton tested a couple of new shaft options, settling on the new Graphite Design VF in a 60 TX, tipped 1.25”, which is a little more than standard. Max has lots of speed and an extremely good ball striker, he offers precise feedback and any small changes Mark made to his equipment were seen instantly in the resulting ball flight.
During pre-season was Max’s first testing session with a TaylorMade Golf Ball. This made up a huge part of the testing procedure, testing the range of TaylorMade golf balls, diligently looking at the numbers and giving his precise feedback on sound and feel. Mark and Max soon concluded that the soon-to-be-released 2024 TP5x ball was the perfect fit for his game. It controlled his spin in the long game and offered great feedback and feel through the rest of the bag.

Maximilian Steinlechner Expected WITB

  • Qi10 LS 9.0 driver
  • Qi10 Tour 15.0 fairway
  • P7MC 4-6 iron
  • P7MB 7-9 iron
  • MG4 46.SB, 50.SB, 54.SB and 58.SB wedges
  • TP Reserve M47 putter
  • 2024 TP5x golf ball

“The golfing world all sees the success stories at the top with the likes of Rory, Tommy and Nelly when they win golf tournaments. But what they don’t see is how much work goes on behind the scenes in Team TaylorMade to find and develop the next generation of top class players. We believe this crop of talented young players from across Europe all have what it takes to compete and succeed on a world stage in the very near future. Each has their own successes as an amateur to be proud of, but more than that, we see a maturity and an attitude in these guys that stands them apart from their peers and because of this they are a great fit for the TaylorMade family. We are excited to continue this journey with them and look forward to seeing the individual success stories from each of them over the coming months and years.”

-Mark Thistleton, Tour Representative, TaylorMade Golf

Text: TaylorMade Golf

Categories
Products

“Everyone benefits from the right golf ball” – Titleist expert in interview with Golf Post

Titleist in an interview with Golf Post about the new golf balls for the 2024 season (Photo: Titleist)
Titleist in an interview with Golf Post about the new golf balls for the 2024 season (Photo: Titleist)

This season, Titleist is launching three new versions of its AVX, TruFeel and Tour Soft golf balls. The brand’s 2-piece and 3-piece golf balls are designed to appeal to a wide range of golfers. In this interview, Jeremy Stone from Titleist explains the differences between the models and provides exciting insights into the brand’s development process.

Titleist golf ball expert Jeremy Stone in an interview with Golf Post

Golf Post: Three new golf balls coming this year from Titleist. Can you briefly talk us through them first of all?

Jeremy Stone: Yes. So, three new golf balls from Titleist for 2024. New AVX, new Tour Soft, new TruFeel. AVX is an alternative to Pro V1 and Pro V1X. It flies lower and spins less than than pro V1. So if you’re looking for a golf ball that has that lower flight, lower spin or softer feel, AVX might be your ball. What we’ve learned from AVX players is that they love the distance of AVX. They love the soft feel of AVX. If there’s one thing golfers wish they had was maybe a little more greenside spin.

So new for this year, we have a reformulated Core. That reformulated core lowers the long game spin. We also have a new softer cover that gives us softer feel, but increased green side spin. That’s the magic of AVX. So a golf ball where folks love the distance and love the feel, it gets longer and softer, but it also gets a little more green side spin for players that are looking for just a little bit more.

The new Titleist AVX golfball 2024. (Photo: Titleist)
The new Titleist AVX golfball 2024. (Photo: Titleist)

The new Tour Soft is a golf ball designed for people with very specific preferences about their game. If a golfer just wants to play their best, they should be looking at ProV1 or ProV1x or ProV1x Left Dash. Those are the golf balls that through a fitting process we can fit you into the best ball for your game.

But we do know there are golfers who have preferences for the colour golf ball they use. Maybe they want to use a yellow or a green golf ball. We also know there are golfers who have a price point preference. Tour Soft is at a lower price point. It’s a two piece construction golf ball. It has our largest core. The core is a bit of the engine.

This core is faster, giving us longer distance, but it also gives us a little bit more spin into the green with irons. So it’s a more playable all around golf ball designed to be soft, designed to be at a lower price point than a ProV1 as well.

And then finally TruFeel, I mentioned preferences. TruFeel is going to be our lowest price Titleist golf ball. It’s a very welcoming golf ball. There’s a lot of people coming to the game. But they want to trust the golf ball they play and they trust Titleist. TruFeel is the perfect golf ball for them because it connects them to our brand in a really unique, special way, but comes at a really agreeable price point.

It still goes through all of the rigorous Titleist quality testing because we know that every swing that you make, if you make a good one, you want to be rewarded for a great swing. TruFeel delivers on that promise. TruFeel comes in a white, yellow, and a matte red finish. So again, leaning into those preferences.

Golf Post: I assume that, in terms of customers you’re aiming for, in terms of ability, you went from top, I don’t want to say bottom because, that doesn’t sound very nice.

Jeremy Stone: No, but you know, what’s interesting is I wouldn’t use the word ability. I’d use the word mindset. Right? The way we look at it at Titleist is every player can benefit from the benefits of a well fit golf ball. Our well fit golf balls are going to start at the top. Pro V1, Pro V1X, Left Dash, AVX. And so If you want to play your best and that could be different for a lot of golfers, for some golfers that might mean they have a goal this year to break a hundred for the very first time.

Other golfers, they might have a goal to win their first PGA Tour tournament. Whatever your goal is, a well fit, high performing golf ball can suit you. And that stands out regardless of skill level. And so certainly if a golfer raised their hand and said, I want to play my best this year. We’re going to gravitate towards Pro V1 and we’re going to fit you for that golf ball.

The Titleist Pro V1 golfball. (Photo: Titleist)
The Titleist Pro V1 golfball. (Photo: Titleist)

But if you have a preference, if you are price point sensitive, we get that. We understand that. We want to have offerings because you shouldn’t have to compromise on the quality of your ball just simply because of the price point.

Golf Post: The ProV1 and ProV1x are still your flagship products. Are there any plans to replace it at some point?

Jeremy Stone: The answer is yes, always. It’s just a matter of when our research and development team is constantly looking for ways to improve performance. And when there comes such a technology that absolutely outperforms Pro V1, that would be the time where we would look to replace our own product with something better.

And that’s happened multiple times throughout our company’s history. Most recently, when we introduced Pro V1 in 2000, it was replacing the current number one ball, which was the Titleist Professional. The Titleist Professional was absolutely the number one ball played on planet Earth.

It was the number one ball across the worldwide professional tours. And it just simply didn’t have the same performance opportunity that this new Pro V1 had due to the innovation of research and development. So, we don’t know when that will happen, but we know it will because this research and development team is constantly tackling the challenge of taking the best golf ball on earth and making it even better. And when that day comes, that will be when we replace Pro V1.

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Golf Post: Generally in research and development, what is currently the main focus? Is it more about enhancing the performance of the current products? Is it about widening the range of products, to suit more different types of golfers? Is it both of it?

Jeremy Stone: Yes, it’s both. So we’re always looking at what golfers are striving for, and we’re always looking at how dedicated golfers play the game. That’s going to define the attributes we pursue in new golf ball development. And so when we look at new golf ball development, and we’re investigating the appropriate constructions and the needs of the golfer.

That’s what’s going to drive our decision making. We’re always looking at, to oversimplify it, the flight, the spin, and the feel. If we can fine tune the flight, spin, and feel for you, you’re going to play your best. And so, in the midst of that, we’re going to look at aerodynamics, we’re going to look at chemistries, we’re going to look at construction ratios between different layers of golf balls, and everything that would go into a core, a dual core, a casing layer, a cover, and the dimple pattern in the aerodynamics.

Through that process, we’re also going to look at ways the world around us and golfers are demanding more custom options, more alignment options, different elements to personalize their golf ball. And we love the opportunity to do that as well. So lots of different areas for us to innovate. Um, and that’s why the research and development team has over 80 scientists of a variety of disciplines to help us do that.

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LIV Tour

LIV Golf: Rahm’s Team Name and Members Confirmed

Jon Rahm's LIV Golf Team. (Photo: Getty)
Jon Rahm's LIV Golf Team. (Photo: Getty)

Three days before the start of the 2024 season in Mayakoba, LIV Golf announces the line-up and team name for the 13th team, which will be under the direction of Jon Rahm. Under the name “Legion XIII”, inspired by the Legion XIII Gemina in Ceasar’s Army, the new team will play with the mantra “Together we play. Together we conquer.” Captain Jon Rahm will be joined by Tyrrell Hatton, former amateur Caleb Surratt and Kieran Vincent. There are no more big surprises, the details have already been circulating in the social and traditional golf media with varying degrees of certainty. It was only on Monday that the apparently recent signing of Tyrrell Hatton attracted a great deal of attention.

LIV Golf: Jon Rahm and his 13th Legion

Legion XIII is the first new team to join LIV Golf since the tour’s inception.“We’ve come a long way in a short period of time and are extremely proud of the team and brand we are building,” said Rahm. “As we were developing the team’s brand it became clear that I wanted to fight alongside a group of guys who aligned perfectly with what the team stands for. Tyrrell is a fierce competitor, proven champion, and of course my Ryder Cup teammate. Caleb is one of the brightest next gen stars of the game. And Kieran is a steady, talented ball striker who earned his promotion to LIV and is elevating his game every day.”

Rahm explained more about the meaning he sees in the team name: “The XIII portion of the name was appealing early in the process as it fit the structure of captain (X) and the three players in the lineup (III),” said Rahm. “Plus, we are the 13th team in the league. As for the logo, that was something I was also very passionate about. The soccer team I grew up following (Athletic Bilbao) is called the Lions. It’s just a fierce animal that everybody respects and fears at the same time.”

Rahm’s Legion XIII will consist of:

Jon Rahm, two-time major winner and reigning Masters champion with a total of 20 wins in his professional career.

Tyrrell Hatton, Rahm’s Ryder Cup teammate and 6-time winner on the DP World Tour. “I’m really looking forward to this next chapter, working with Jon Rahm and Legion XIII and getting started this week in Mexico,” said Hatton.

Caleb Surratt, number 10 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking with a successful performance at the Walker Cup 2023

Kieran Vincent, who qualified for the league via the LIV Golf Promotions event and whose brother Scott is already a permanent member of the Iron Heads team.