Office blog: Launch monitor

• Wednesday, 20 August 2008
• Neil Tappin
• 0 Comments

Before I get into the nitty gritty of this blog it’s important to undergo a small amount of what, in business circles is called, ‘expectation management’. I’ve just returned from a Callaway product launch and before finding out what they’ve got in store I was asked to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is a bit like signing the official secrets act- if I so much as mention the name of the product being released, I can expect to be hunted down and sent to prison (maybe not, but Callaway would certainly give me the silent treatment). The long and the short of this little story is that I’ve got no concrete facts to give you. Sorry about that.

What I can tell you however (I think) is that Callaway have been working hard to refine one of the concepts that’s central to their current range. The product that will grab the headlines looks cool and from what I could see, performs really well. I’m looking forward to getting some more samples sent through to give it an even closer look.

Ping has also been busy launching a new range of Rapture clubs. The V2 range features a driver, fairway woods, utility and irons. The driver and irons in particular, impressed me. The driver is one product that I think any golfer, regardless of ability could happily use. The irons are ridiculously easy to hit (you can find a slightly more eloquent/insightful review in the October issue of GM). Ping have also launched a new range of moveable weight putters. This is an interesting concept that allows you to tinker with your putter to cope with different course conditions or just to create a slightly different feel. I haven’t had the chance to try them yet but watch this space – I will do soon.

Mizuno are another brand launching now. Four new irons means there is something in their range for everyone. Most notable of these is a forgiving shallow cavity. It looks as classic as any of the most stunning Mizuno irons of years gone by but these are way more forgiving. They’ve also got an MX rescue club that I loved – it felt remarkably solid - but the looks might not be to everyone’s taste.