TaylorMade Golf Fiesta 2013: A game-changing new product line invades the Philippines
Before anything, I’d like to start by commemorating what should be my mother Chari Zarate’s 66th birthday today. She passed away on New Year’s Day of 2012 but continues to be our beacon of light and fortune from Heaven. I miss her very much, but I’m sure she’s got the best seat in the Great Beyond watching her son hammer away at keys to bring y’all as much good news as possible.
Here’s one that will most likely pique the interest of the multitudes of golf aficionados across the archipelago: the new line of TaylorMade® has landed on our shores and it was kicked off in grand fashion with the first ever “Golf Fiesta” last Saturday, March 16 at the Villamor Air Base Golf Club Driving Range, attracting literally hundreds of enthusiasts hoping to up their game with some new toys.
The grand launch, which featured a percussion ensemble, a high-tech launch monitor and the opportunity to handle firsthand the latest drivers, woods and irons from one of the most renowned equipment and accessories developers in the world had an “Amazing Race” aura to it. Golfers of all handicaps and backgrounds initially were tasked to brave the sweltering heat to register and were given “passports” for the activities inside the range. The participant was to pass through three different stations: the R1 Station which introduced the company’s newest and most awesome driver, the RocketBallz (RBZ) Stage 2 Station which introduced a new generation of woods and rescue clubs and the RocketBladez Station which acquainted the partaker to the irons. Each person was to hit three balls using the clubs available in a given station and also attempt to achieve certain tasks within the sortie i.e. in the RocketBladez Station , the participant had to achieve a distance of at least 140 yards with the RocketBladez seven-iron—which, depending on your game, could be a tall order even for a six-iron.
The participant then gets a stamp on the passport and moves on to the next challenge. Once all three stamps have been affixed on the passport, the participant received a giveaway set that included a huge golf bag, a dri-fit shirt, a playing cap and a box TaylorMade Lethal®; the golf balls which according to acclaimed golf blogsite www.golfalot.com “… a very good premium golf ball that is as good as the best in the market,” and “…a golf ball that we could see good amateurs using,” alluding to its being handy for the non-professional as well.
Television personality Isabel Roces, news anchor Arnold Clavio and host of pros and amateurs alike got their first crack at TaylorMade’s new line—the first time the company has launched an entire set of new clubs.
Well, my troublesome back—which has led indirectly to me ceasing golf activities altogether—was once again acting up during the Golf Fiesta that all I got to try was the RocketBladez Station. The first ball I launched immediately sailed right so I didn’t count that. However (after a slight stance adjustment), the second ball I hit stayed in the air longer than I’ve ever seen on a seven-iron, then the ball (a range ball and not the Lethal) landed right smack at the 150 sign. I didn’t believe it. I hardly put any extra effort on the swing and I landed it ten yards longer than normal. I tried putting a little more muscle into my third ball. It sat in the air until the 140 mark before gliding down and making it past 160. I’ve never hit a seven-iron 160 yards before. It was still a bit sliced, but it went beyond 160. It almost made me want to try the RBZ Stage 2 Station, but I could really feel the pinch in my slipped discs so I decided to stop and talk to TaylorMade-adidas Senior Marketing Manager Dennis Chong, who had flown in from Singapore to oversee this first ever undertaking in the Philippines.
“What made your shot longer is something called the ‘Speed Pocket’,” Chong explained. “It’s like getting the technology from the metalwoods and integrating them into the irons. TaylorMade knows all about the distance enhancing qualities of metalwoods because TaylorMade invented them in 1979.”
Thanks to the contribution to the modern game by TaylorMade founder Gary Adams, metalwoods allowed golfers to reach new heights over the past few decades and woods made out of, well, wood is no longer seen on the golf course.
Now with the advent of the “Speed Pocket” technology, it is alleged to be the first major innovation in golf irons since the perimeter-wedged cavityback was first employed over half a century ago. The Speed Pocket is a two-millimeter slot in the sole of the iron that flexes on impact; increasing the speed of the face to promote faster ball speed, a higher launch angle and a higher, stronger ball flight that lands on a steep, quick-stopping descent angle. The Speed Pocket helps increase the trajectory of the golf ball in areas amateurs and struggling pros have due to low-face miss-hits—a common problem especially for those who don’t have the luxury of honing their game on a daily basis. In short, the RocketBladez are more forgiving to golfers who have a tendency to commit fundamental stroke errors. That’s great news to the weekend warriors in their efforts to conquer the fairways by improving their short game.
The RBZ Fairway Woods and Rescue Clubs created such a stir in the industry when they first were introduced to the public in the summer of 2012 that the release of the RBZ Stage 2 Fairway Woods and Rescue Clubs not even a year after will surely make the avid golfer curious enough to try it out. The new high-strength TaylorMade RocketSteel is the soul of the innovation. RocketSteel provides a thinner and faster flexing face and an upgraded Speed Pocket is touted to give ten yards more to those who are already using RBZ Stages 1’s—which already boasts of a 17-yard gain over previous versions.
But, of course, TaylorMade is known worldwide for its drivers, and the new R1 Driver will challenge one’s realities about the use of the “long stick”. I think I shall even coin it, “Long Slick” or “Long Sick”.
TaylorMade already made waves in 2010 with its revolutionary R11 Driver, the first of its kind in tunable clubs which allows the user to change the face angle and loft independently while the addition of Movable Weight Technology (MWT) even allowed for more influence on the flight of the ball. It was a breakthrough that created a whole new category in golf equipment: The Hybrid. The R11 was such a useful tool that it installed TaylorMade as the Number One golf company in the world when it came to drivers. Legions of converts began shaving strokes off their game due to the flexibility of the options before them and now that the R1 makes its debut in the market two years later, it prompted me to ask an expert on what the R1 brings to the table.
“The first thing I noticed is it was a lot more quiet than any driver I’ve used,” exclaims Mike Besa—the man referred to by some as “The Golf Scientist” because of his reputation of having tried virtually all the clubs in existence, and to have critiqued them all on the television program “A Round of Golf”, Impact Golf Magazine and his blogs which are required reading for the golf aficionado.
“Before using the R1, I have to say my personal favorite (driver) is Calloway’s XHot. But this rivals it now. I really want to bring the R1 to the fairways. I think it could really be a game-changer,” Besa says.
The R1 is so tunable that it can be fitted for amateurs and tour professionals alike. It has seven standard and five upright loft options between 8° and 12° (±2°) to obtain the optimal launch angle. It also has seven face angle options: N/square, open, medium-open, maximum-open, closed, medium-closed, and maximum-closed. Now I’ll always hit it straight and slicing could be a thing of the past for me—if ever I can play again. The Inverted Cone Technology (ICT) is milled into the inner side of the clubface expands the portion of the face that delivers an extremely high ball speed. Improved aerodynamics also reduces drag over the head to promote faster club-head speed. In short, it’s a light, durable driver that allows for so much tweaking that it’s definitely a must-have in your bag.
But best of all it’s here in the country and TaylorMade-adidas made sure it was presented with a bang. It really could be a game-changer for all golf enthusiasts, regardless of handicap and skill level.
Kudos goes to the event organizers from Singapore, led by TaylorMade-adidas’ PR and Marketing Consultant Marie Moñozca and the friendly and hard-working staff of Villamor for a splendid shindig. The festive atmosphere coupled by good food and great company always makes for a great combination. But bring in a set of clubs that could transform the game again, then that’s ushering in history in a uniquely Filipino way.
Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate)
