ING Conference at the Landings
The spring conference of the International Network of Golf was a little (actually quite a lot) different this year. It unfolded outside of Savannah, at the sprawling low country planned golf community, The Landings. Displaying six golf courses designed by renowned architects including Arnold Palmer, Tom Fazio and Arthur Hills, pristinely groomed for good golf, unlike most host sites of ING, The Landings is not a resort. When visitors come calling, it’s to look at the possibility of ownership in the Southern lifestyle.
Years ago, at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, in a long discussion with the president of a company dedicated to evaluating golf balls, it surprised me that their research concluded that Bridgestone Golf was the best ball available on the market. He went so far as to state that based on his conversations with tour players, if given a choice devoid of financial incentives, their choice would be Bridgestone. Based on that, and my own self testing, the Bridgestone E6 had long been my ball based on price and performance. Bridgestone still has the E line of balls, but like the game itself evolution continues to adapt and refine its performance.
If you have seen any Bridgestone commercials, you have seen the creative signature of its Senior Marketing Manager, Adam Rehberg…totally hands on in his quest to be user friendly and funny in selling golf balls to the public. Most golfers know that golf balls are now manufactured to sophisticated, precise standards compared to the past, but still have difficulty deciding what ball is best for them. When I told Adam my answer when asked was simple…just read what the manufacture says the ball does on the back of the box, he agreed, but lamented that few follow this advice. The game tears at our emotions in so many ways, and the quest for the ideal ball is no different.
What is different is a new development that literally gets to the core of the issue: the golf ball’s core. Where many companies have been adding more layers to the inside of the ball, Bridgestone has ONE solid core whose properties change from center to the outer mantle layer for their Tour B Series. They call it VeloSurge, a core-mantle integration technology, which means the core material’s density changes from center to the layer under the cover. Translation: longer distance from the driver, great control and feel around the green.
Another interesting asset from Bridgestone is regarding durability. Adam said that the little slits that can still arise on golf balls are not the cover layer itself , but the paint that is applied over it, and these little cuts will cut yards off the ball flight. He told us they were the only company that dips the ball, like putting the candy coating on an apple, rather than painting, keeping the
cover pristine and smooth.
What’s in a name? Inspired by the feathery ball of golf history, Featherie is now a golf apparel from a teen founder, Kate Korngold, who started a line for junior golfers, but now includes all women. Kate’s mother, Kristy related that building on the success of the youthful line, the evolution into expanded styles for older women has given them a fresh perspective over many
other competitors.
Living in Florida, and enduring waves of perspiration has fueled my passion for lighter and shorter shorts. My observation that while modesty has prevented a return to mini-skirt styles of the past, women’s shorts and skorts are now reaching new heights. This prompted my question to Kristy on how well this is received by more mature women. Her response was for their non-GIRLS line, 14-inches from the waist line is how low you should go, still providing lots of leg room.
If you’re considering Southern living, The Landings has packages for visits, and if you want to stay with and ahead of the curves, check out Featherie and Bridgestone, the industry’s leader in ball fitting, for not only the Tour B series , but also the new e12-line of balls.
