Tour Blog

With New Swing Changes, Gary Woodland Fits Best into Pro V1x

2012-02-07T14:55:00Z

Last season, Golf Digest asked 66 PGA Tour players this question: Who is the best athlete on tour?

The majority chose Titleist Brand Ambassador Gary Woodland, also considered by many to be the longest hitter on tour.

Newsflash: As the result of changes in swing mechanics and equipment, including a move from the Titleist Pro V1 to Pro V1x golf ball, Gary's gotten even longer.

Late in 2011, Gary began working on his swing with Butch Harmon, a key member of the Titleist Leadership Advisory Staff. One thing Butch emphasized during their sessions was the importance of Gary using his skill and athleticism to shape shots.

“We’re getting him to move the ball around, change his trajectory a little, change the setup and the path of his swing and get more of a variety of shots, which he needs to have," Harmon told the Associated Press last week.

As a result, a few equipment tweaks and changes followed.

Gary adjusted the SureFit Tour hosel setting on his Titleist 910 7.5º driver from C•1 (6.75º loft, 57.75º lie) to A•1 (standard; 7.5º loft, 58.5º lie), adding roughly one degree of effective loft. He made the same change to his Titleist 910Fd 13.5º fairway metal (C•1 to A•1).

After a testing session with Fordie Pitts of Titleist Golf Ball R&D on the range early last week at TPC Scottsdale, Gary also switched golf ball models from Pro V1 to Pro V1x.

Gary initially sought out Fordie having noticed an increase of spin off of his irons.

He wanted to make sure he was playing the best Titleist golf ball for his new swing.

On Monday, Fordie had Gary test the lower-spin Pro V1x in front of a TrackMan launch monitor. With Gary's short and mid irons, the data showed a reduction of about 150-200 rpm in spin as well as a slight increase (1-1.5 mph) in ball speed. With his driver, Gary's ball speed increased about 4 mph with very similar spin (2,593 rpm).

Gary was pleased with the numbers, and took the Pro V1x out on the course for more testing.

Off the irons, the Pro V1x launched a little higher and longer (3 to 7 yards), hitting and stopping faster on the greens and giving him the control he needed on his scoring shots. He had the same confidence around the greens, as well.

Off the driver, his carry yardage increased about 14 yards, to the point where the other players in his practice round group couldn't help but laugh and shake their heads. (These are extremely rare numbers, to be sure.)

On Thursday, Gary walked to the first tee with a Pro V1x in his pocket, confident he was playing the ball that best suited his game.

He would go to finish T-4 for the week in Greens in Regulation (76.4 percent), closing out the tournament with a 5-under 66 Sunday at TPC Scottsdale.

Are you playing the best Titleist golf ball for your game? To begin the Titleist Golf Ball Fitting process, please click here.

Titleist Tour Report for Week Ending February 5, 2012

2012-02-06T20:37:00Z

CONFIDENCE. TRUST. VICTORY

Titleist Brand Ambassador Kyle Stanley Comes from Behind
to Win Waste Management Phoenix Open

Fairhaven, MA (February 6, 2012) - On one of the biggest sports days of the year, Titleist Brand Ambassador Kyle Stanley charged to a victory more than worthy of Super Bowl-sized acclaim.

One week after finishing runner-up in a playoff at the Farmers Insurance Open, Stanley, one of the several young guns in the Titleist stable, authored a Sunday performance of perseverance at the Waste Management Phoenix Open that the golf world won't soon forget. The 24-year old, trusting Titleist equipment from tee-to-green, rallied from eight shots back in the final round to earn his first PGA Tour victory by one shot over fellow Titleist Brand Ambassador Ben Crane.

Stanley combined with Titleist Brand Ambassador Kieran Pratt and Pro V1x loyalist Paul Lawrie to sweep the three events played across last week’s worldwide professional tours.

WHAT’S IN KYLE STANLEY’S BAG?: Titleist Pro V1x golf ball, 910D3 (8.5) driver, 910Fd (13.5) fairway metal, 503i 2-iron, MB (4-P) irons, Vokey Design Spin Milled approach (52), sand (56) and lob (60) wedges, Scotty Cameron Timeless (GSS) putter.

Stanley fired four consecutive rounds in the 60’s, closing with a bogey-free 6-under 65 for a 15-under 269 victory total. He topped a leaderboard that included all Titleist golf ball loyalists among the top seven finishers.

Crane (Pro V1x, 910D2 driver, 910F fairway metal, 910H hybrid, AP1/5 and AP2/6-9 irons, Vokey Design SM4 wedges), who finished runner-up following a final-round 5-under 66, was followed by Spencer Levin (3^rd/Pro V1x) and Titleist Brand Ambassadors D.J. Trahan (4^th/Pro V1x, 909D3 driver, 910F fairway metals, MB irons, Vokey Design SM4 wedges, Scotty Cameron GoLo putter), Brendan Steele (T5/Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 910F fairway metal, 909H hybrid, MB irons, Vokey Design SM4 wedges, Scotty Cameron GoLo Mid putter) and Kevin Na (T5/Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 910F fairway metal, 910H hybrids, AP2 irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron Tour Rat putter), and Pro V1x loyalist Bubba Watson (T5/Pro V1x).

A total of 92 players in the field at TPC Scottsdale relied upon Titleist golf balls for their success, more than eight times the nearest competitor with 11 and more than all competitors combined. Titleist was also first in irons sets (39); sand, lob and approach wedges (128); and putters (59).

Stanley's victory in the desert was highlighted by both power and precision, not to mention some grit and determination.

Two weeks ago, Stanley paid a visit to the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, Calif., a short drive from Torrey Pines, where he was participating in the Farmers Insurance Open. There, he worked with Dr. Greg Rose on his alignment, getting himself squared up from what had become an open stance. As a result of the realignment, Stanley lost some backspin with his Titleist 910D3 7.5º driver.

TPI’s Senior Club Fitting Analyst Dino Antenucci, changed Stanley's driver head from 7.5º to 8.5º, keeping the SureFit Tour hosel in the A•1 position (standard loft, standard lie). Immediately, Stanley had a better ball flight, more shot-shaping control and about 2,400 rpm of backspin. Of course, the results speak for themselves:

In Phoenix, Stanley finished 3^rd in Greens in Regulation (79.2) and is now 9^th (75.2) on the 2012 PGA TOUR. He is also 8^th in Driving Distance to date with an average of 308.2 yards. His tee-to-green success places him atop the FedExCup Points (846) and PGA TOUR Money (nearly $1.8 million) lists.

EUROPEAN: Pro V1x loyalist Paul Lawrie (Pro V1x) moved back into the Official World Golf Ranking's top 50 for the first time since 2003 after a flawless performance earned him a second Commercialbank Qatar Masters title. Long known on Tour by the nickname "Chippy" for his short-game prowess, Lawrie chipped in twice during a brilliant closing 7-under 65 that gave him a 15-under 201 total, four shots clear of his nearest competitor. The event was shortened to 54 holes following severe wind conditions on Friday.

With the victory, Lawrie, who also won this event in 1999, earns a spot in the 64-man WGC-Accenture Match Play later this month and the 24-man Volvo World Match Play in May.

ASIAN: It was a 1-2 -3 finish for Titleist Brand Ambassadors at the Zaykabar Myanmar Open where Kieran Pratt (Pro V1x, 909D3 driver, 910F fairway metals, MB irons, Vokey Design SM4 wedges, Scotty Cameron SS Newport 2 putter) birdied the second hole of a playoff to top Adam Blyth (Pro V1x, 910F fairway metal, CB irons, Vokey Design wedges, Scotty Cameron Select Fastback putter) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (Pro V1x, 910D3 driver, 712 Series CB irons, Vokey Design SM4 wedges) to capture his first Asian Tour title.

Seven of the top 10 finishers trusted a Titleist golf ball for their success.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

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CONTACT: Joe Gomes, Director of Communications, Acushnet Company (508.979.3211) or joe.gomes@acushnetgolf.com.

Kyle Stanley Trusts Pro V1x, Bag Full of Titleist Equipment to First PGA Tour Victory

2012-02-06T16:13:00Z

On one of the biggest sports days of the year, Titleist Brand Ambassador Kyle Stanley charged to a victory more than worthy of Super Bowl-sized acclaim.

One week after finishing runner-up in a playoff at the Farmers Insurance Open, Stanley, 24, came from eight shots back Sunday at the Waste Management Phoenix Open to earn his first PGA Tour victory, authoring a story of perseverance that golf won't soon forget.

"I just tried to focus on playing golf," said Stanley, who combined with Titleist Brand Ambassador Kieran Pratt and Pro V1x loyalist Paul Lawrie to sweep the three events played last weekend across the worldwide professional tours.

"I knew I was playing well coming into this week," Stanley said. "I think the biggest challenge was seeing if I could put last week behind me. I think I did."

Trusting a Pro V1x golf ball and bag full of Titleist equipment, including a new set of Titleist MB (712 Series) irons, Stanley closed with a bogey-free 6-under 65 for a 15-under 269 total and one-shot victory, leading a 1-through-7 finish for Titleist golf ball players.

Fellow Titleist Brand Ambassador Ben Crane (Pro V1x) finished runner-up after a final-round 5-under 66. He was followed by Spencer Levin (3rd, Pro V1x) and Titleist Brand Ambassadors D.J. Trahan (4th, Pro V1x), Brendan Steele (5th, Pro V1x) and Kevin Na (5th, Pro V1x), and Pro V1x loyalist Bubba Watson (5th).

A total of 92 players in the field at TPC Scottsdale relied Titleist golf balls for their success, more than eight times the nearest competitor with 11 and more than all competitors combined. Titleist was also first in irons sets (39); sand, lob and approach wedges (128); and putters (59).

Stanley's victory in the desert was highlighted by both power and precision, not to mention some grit and determination.

At the par-5 13th, Stanley ripped a 376-yard tee shot with his 910 driver and hit his Titleist MB 9-iron to 20 feet to set up an eventual two-putt birdie. On the par-4 14th, he drove his Pro V1x golf ball 325 yards down the middle of the fairway, pitched to 12 feet and rolled in the birdie putt with his Scotty Cameron Timeless GSS.

On the par-4 17th, Stanley used his Vokey Design Spin Milled 56•14º wedge to hit a highlight-reel recovery shot from beneath a cactus (see video below), and two-putted for par. Stanley, who hit 89 percent of his greens in regulation Sunday, sent his approach shot on the par-4 18th to 12 feet above the hole. He two-putted for the one-shot victory.

"You know… this week I just kind of tried to just let it happen, not think about it, and just focus on things that I could control," said Stanley.

Two weeks ago, Stanley paid a visit to the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside, Calif., a short drive from Torrey Pines and the Farmers Insurance Open. There, he worked with Dr. Greg Rose on his alignment, getting himself squared up from what had become an open stance.

As a result of the realignment, Stanley lost some backspin with his Titleist 910D3 7.5º driver. Enter: Senior Club Fitting Analyst Dino Antenucci, who changed Stanley's driver head from 7.5º to 8.5º, keeping the SureFit Tour hosel in the A•1 position (standard loft, standard lie).

Immediately, Stanley had a better ball flight, more shot-shaping control and about 2,400 rpm of backspin.

Of course, the results speak for themselves.

Here's a closer look at Kyle Stanley's Titleist equipment:

Ball: Titleist Pro V1x
Driver: Titleist 910D3 8.5º (Mitsubishi Diamana Kaili 70X)
3-wood: Titleist 910Fd 13.5º (Mitsubishi Fubuki 83X)
Hybrid: Titleist 503i 2-iron (Project X 6.5)
Irons: ; Titleist MB (712 Series) 4-P (Project X 6.5)
Wedges: Vokey Design Spin Milled 52•08º, 56•14º, SM4 60•10º (Dynamic Gold S-400)
Putter: Scotty Cameron Timeless (GSS)

(Please visit the site to view this video)

• EUROPEAN TOUR: Pro V1x loyalist Paul Lawrie's final-round 7-under 65 earned him a convincing four-shot victory at the Commercialbank Qatar Masters.

Lawrie, whose bogey-free final 18 holes included five birdies and one eagle, finished with a 15-under 201 total in the weather-shortened 54-hole event.

"I don't think I can play much better than that," said Lawrie, who moved back into the top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking. "I've been playing well for a long, long time, but it's just nice to come out one ahead and shoot 7 under."

Titleist was the No. 1 golf ball of choice at the Qatar Masters with 74, more than three times the nearest competitor with 21 and more than all other golf ball combined. Titleist was also first in iron sets (33); and sand, lob and approach wedges (134).

• ASIAN TOUR: It was a 1-2 -3 finish for Titleist Brand Ambassadors at the Zaykabar Myanmar Open, as Kieran Pratt (Pro V1x) birdied the second hole of a playoff to edge Adam Blyth and Kiradech Aphibarnrat to capture his first Asian Tour title.

Pratt, who was five-shots off the lead after Round 3, closed with a 4-under 68 highlighted by an eagle-3 on the 18th hole to get into the playoff.

“Fantastic. It feels great to win the first event of the year," said Pratt, who finished regulation tied with Blyth and Aphibarnra at 15-under 273.

"Obviously you want to get off to a fast start but to win is obviously better."

Pratt was one of 80 players in the field that teed up a Titleist golf ball, more than twice the nearest competitor with 36, including seven of the top 10 on the final leader board.

Slideshow: On the Range at the 2012 Phoenix Open

2012-02-03T20:54:00Z

Already a month old, the 2012 PGA Tour rolls this week into TPC Scottsdale for the Waste Management Phoenix Open. (Pssst... Only 10 weeks until The Masters.)

As always, a popular topic of conversation is TPC Scottsdale's par-3 16th, the only hole on the PGA Tour completely enclosed by grandstands (and boisterous fans).

Every time a golf ball launches from the 16th tee, the roars are deafening. Most of that noise will be made with Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls in the air.

A total of 92 Titleist golf ball players are teeing it up this week in Arizona, more than eight times the nearest competitor with 11 and more than all competitors combined. Titleist is also No. 1 in iron sets (39); sand, lob and approach wedges (128); and putters (59).

Photographer Greg Moore, a loyal Team Titleist member, was on the ground at TPC Scottsdale earlier this week and sent along some pictures to share. Check them out in the slideshow below. Thanks, Greg!

Video: What's in Michael Breed's Bag?

2012-02-03T18:45:00Z

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Most of the time Michael Breed's in front of the camera on his show "The Golf Fix," he's talking about your swing (or someone else's), always offering tips on how to play better golf.

Last week at the PGA Merchandise Show, Team Titleist asked Michael to give us peek into his golf bag and talk about his game, for a change.

In the above video, Michael gives us a tour of his Titleist equipment, from his Titleist Pro V1x golf ball to his Scotty Cameron putter, and explains why his setup works best for him.

Let's do this!

Video: Focusing on the Fundamentals

2012-02-02T16:06:00Z

(Please visit the site to view this video)

The next time you hit the range, what will you be working on?

Team Titleist recently caught up with several of the PGA Tour's stars to talk swing fundamentals and find out what they're focused on as they stand over their Pro V1 or Pro V1x golf ball.

In the above video, Titleist players Zach Johnson, Adam Scott, Gary Woodland, Webb Simpson, Kyle Stanley and Rickie Fowler offer some words of wisdom for your next practice session.

Slideshow: Rory McIlroy's Commemorative U.S. Open Vokey Wedges

2012-02-01T15:19:00Z

Titleist Brand Ambassador Rory McIlroy received a package recently from Master Craftsman Bob Vokey. It was delivered in a long, cardboard box marked with the Titleist Script, standard of all Titleist club deliveries.

Who knew it was filled with gold?

When Rory opened the box, he found three Vokey Design Spin Milled Wedges with a gold-plated finish and custom stamping, a present from The Voke to commemorate Rory's historic, eight-shot victory at the 2011 U.S. Open Congressional.

The specs: 248•10º (bent to 46º), SM54•10º, and 60º•L, the same ones that helped him break eight U.S. Open scoring records.

Our friends over at Team Titleist UK & Ireland were able get a sneak peek of Rory's wedges before they were sent on to Rory, and managed to snap a few pictures to share with Team Titleist. Check out the pics in the slideshow below.

Titleist Launches Four New Golf Ball Models

2012-02-01T13:48:00Z

TITLEIST LAUNCHES FOUR NEW GOLF BALLS
NEW NXT TOUR, NXT TOUR S, VELOCITY AND DT SOLO MODELS.

Strengthens Performance and Expands Preference Options

Fairhaven, MA (February 1, 2012) – Titleist, the undisputed golf ball technology leader, introduces four new golf balls to its line - NXT Tour, NXT Tour S, Velocity and DT SoLo. Each has been designed to deliver best in category quality and consistency, while providing a range of performance and preference options for golfers across every skill level of the game.

New NXT Tour and NXT Tour S deliver the best scoring performance available with a non-urethane cover. Trusted by golfers for over a decade, NXT Tour has been improved for 2012 to deliver even longer distance while retaining its commanding scoring shot performance. New NXT Tour S offers NXT Tour-like performance with a softer compression feel. The all-new Velocity provides explosive distance via the fastest solid core of any Titleist golf ball. Titleist delivers the Softest DT yet in the New DT SoLo. Both NXT Tour S and DT SoLo are offered in optic yellow. New Velocity is also available in double-digit play numbers.

“Our golf ball product development process is the same for all Titleist golf balls,” said Bill Morgan, Senior Vice President, Golf Ball Research and Development. “It always starts with golfer testing where we identify performance improvements that will help golfers score better and determine what their preference options are. New Titleist NXT Tour, NXT Tour S, Velocity and DT SoLo are the result of this process and deliver the best scoring performance and quality within their respective segment.”

The new offerings, all of which are manufactured in Titleist’s world-class ball plants, begin shipping to golf shops in February. They also will be included among Titleist’s industry-leading mobile, in-shop and on-line Golf Ball Education, Fitting and Selection initiatives.

“Before we introduce any new Titleist golf ball, it is performance validated with golfers. Thousands of Team Titleist members tested and validated the New NXT Tour, NXT Tour S, Velocity and DT SoLo,” said Mary Lou Bohn, Vice President Golf Ball Marketing and Titleist Communications. “Along with the Pro V1 and Pro V1x, the best scoring performance golf balls in the game, Titleist provides golfers with a range of superior performance and preference choices, all with our precision, quality and consistency. “

PERFORMANCE BENEFITS AND DESIGN FEATURES

NXT TOUR: First introduced in 2001, the Titleist NXT Tour begins its second decade as the established best-performing, non-urethane covered golf ball in the game. New NXT Tour has a large dual core, three-piece construction that features a slightly smaller, soft center and higher volume outer core layer, that is engineered for increased power and longer distance than the prior model. The soft, thin Fusablend cover features a new spherically tiled octahedral design with four axis of symmetry, and 302 dimples in five different sizes. The result is a combination of long, consistent distance, commanding short game spin and control, soft feel on all shots with excellent durability. (MSRP: $42/dozen; MAP: $31.99/dozen)

• Engineered for High Performance
• Even Longer Distance
• Commanding Short Game Spin and Control
• Newly engineered dual-core with soft center, volume of high energy
outer core increased over 4%
• Soft, thin Fusablend cover
• New spherically tiled Octahedron, 4 axis of symmetry, 302 dimple
design

NXT TOUR S: New NXT Tour S is introduced as a preference option for golfers seeking NXT Tour-like performance with a softer compression feel. NXT Tour S features a new, proprietary low compression, highly resilient core, in combination with the same soft, thin Fusablend cover formulation and aerodynamics as the New NXT Tour. NXT Tour S offers a softer compression feel than its counterpart and, like NXT Tour, offers low driver and long iron spin for outstanding distance, a piercing trajectory and consistent ball flight, and commanding short game spin and control. As another preference option for golfers, the New NXT Tour S is offered in white and high optic yellow. (MSRP: $42/dozen; MAP: $31.99/dozen)

• Engineered for High Performance
• Soft Compression Feel
• Outstanding Distance
• Commanding Short Game Spin and Control
• Delivers Feel & Color Preferences
• Proprietary soft compression, highly resilient core
• Soft, thin Fusablend cover
• New spherically tiled Octahedron 4 axis of
symmetry, 302 dimple design
• High optic yellow

VELOCITY: The all-new Titleist Velocity golf ball is powered for distance and the result of leading-edge design, proprietary technology, and the unparalleled precision of Titleist’s world-class manufacturing process. New Velocity features Titleist’s exclusive high-speed LSX core technology and is encased in a NAZ2 cover formulation that delivers high initial ball speed on all full swing shots and playable feel in the short game. The combination of the fastest solid core of any Titleist golf ball, cover formulation, and 332 icosahedral dimple design aerodynamics, delivers a soaring, tight, consistent ball flight and deep downrange peak trajectory. Velocity is available in single or double digit orange play numbers. (MSRP: $35/dozen; MAP: $26.99/dozen)

• Powered for Distance
• Fast Ball Speed for Explosive Distance
• Deep Downrange Peak Trajectory
• Playable Short Game Feel
• LSX core technology delivers FASTEST solid core of any Titleist ball
• Speed enhancing NAZ2 cover blend
• High surface coverage dimple design

DT SOLO: The “Red Box” Titleist has enjoyed a loyal following for decades and the newest generation was developed with one objective in mind: design the softest compression feel possible, while continuing to deliver the long distance and control that are the DT standard. The result is the softest DT yet. The new DT SoLo is comprised of an extremely soft and fast core formulation that provides a distinctly soft compression feel. The cover blend of two soft Surlyn ionomers, in combination with the soft, fast core and 392 icosahedral dimple design aerodynamic package, provides a penetrating ball flight with long roll out for excellent total distance. The New DT SoLo is available in white or optic yellow. (MSRP: $28/dozen; MAP: $19.99/dozen)

• The Softest DT Yet and Softest Compression Titleist
• Responsive Short Game Performance
• Low flight with long roll-out for excellent driver
and iron distance
• Trusted Titleist Quality and Consistency
• Large and soft core with a soft cover

• High coverage, 392 icosahedral dimple design in five
different sizes
• Available in white or optic yellow

MERCHANDISING: The New NXT Tour, NXT Tour S, Velocity and DT SoLo golf balls will be sold in traditional dozen and three-ball sleeve configurations. Merchandising support includes launch packs, displays, a full product line trade presenter, as well as in-shop signage and point-of-sale materials.

ADVERTISING: To strengthen the connection with golfers and to generate awareness and excitement for the new NXT Tour and NXT Tour S, and Velocity, the launches will be supported with television, print and internet advertising campaigns. DT SoLo will be supported with extensive internet placement.

AVAILABILITY: The new line of Titleist golf balls will begin shipping February 1, 2012.
Titleist and FootJoy comprise the major golf brands of the Acushnet Company. To obtain additional information or photography regarding Titleist golf balls, please visit us online at www.titleist.com or contact Joe Gomes, Director of Communications (508.979.3211).

PGA Master Professional Chip Essig: Giving Back

2012-01-31T20:19:00Z

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Titleist Staff Professional Don "Chip" Essig – a PGA Master Professional and co-owner of Essig Golf Management, operating three Indianapolis-area public golf courses – took center stage at last week's PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, Fla.

Inside a theater at the Orange Country Convention Center filled with fellow PGA Professionals from around the country, Essig was honored as the 2011 PGA Professional of the Year, a testament to the overwhelming commitment and compassion he has displayed throughout his career in golf.

You may have read about Chip recently in the December edition of PGA Magazine, which highlights his work with PGA grow-the-game initiatives, the PGA Rules Committee, Indiana PGA Section board of directors and Special Olympics, not to mention his daily interactions with members, staff and fellow PGA Professionals.

The article also focuses on the relationship with his father (and business partner), Don, also a PGA Master Professional. Chip and Don are the only father-son duo of PGA Master Professionals in the history.

This month, Titleist is celebrating Chip's service to the game in a print ad that will run on the back of PGA Magazine in February.

To learn more about Chip and his career, please watch the video at the top of the page.

For a closer look at Chip's Titleist print ad, click here.

Bill Kent and Dewitt Miles Named 2011 Titleist Sales Representatives of the Year

2012-01-31T17:12:00Z

Fairhaven, MA (January 31, 2012) - Titleist, Golf’s Symbol of Excellence, proudly announces the selection of Bill Kent and Dewitt Miles as 2011 Sales Representatives of the Year. The official presentation to recognize Kent and Miles for this distinguished honor took place during the Titleist National Brand Meeting in Orlando.

Kent and Miles began their golf industry careers in 1992 as Titleist Customer Service Representatives in the company’s Fairhaven, Mass. worldwide headquarters. Each is winning the coveted award for the first time.

Kent is the Titleist Sales Representative for Long Island and Manhattan, N.Y., where he has excelled for the past 11 years. His consistent record of building strong business partnerships, delivering company sales targets, and providing best in class customer service contributed to him earning the highest honor in the Titleist sales organization. He also won his sixth Gold Circle Award in 2011, representative of excellence in annual sales performance.

Kent began his Titleist sales career in San Francisco in 1995, followed by a stop in Albany, N.Y., before settling into his Long Island territory. A native of Wellesley, Mass. and a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross, Bill and his wife, Liza, reside in Manhasset, N.Y. and are the parents of nine-year-old daughter, Jennifer.

Miles began his Titleist sales career in 1995 in Wichita, Kansas. In 1998, he moved to Dallas, Texas, where he excelled for over 11 years. In 2009, he moved to Charlotte, N.C., where he has maintained his consistency and sales excellence by being the top performer among Titleist’s southeast sales team each of the past two years. Miles’ commitment to building strong customer partnerships is unparalleled. In 2011, he earned his eighth Gold Circle award in 16 opportunities, including his fourth in the last five years. A native of New Milford, Conn., Miles is a graduate of Clemson University. He and his wife, Jocelyn, reside in Charlotte and are the parents of two children, Witt (9) and Ellie (5).

“In a competitive business environment, the performances of Bill Kent and Dewitt Miles stand apart by virtue of their sales growth, reliability and commitment to customer service,” commented David Maher, Vice President, Titleist U.S. Sales. “Bill and Dewitt, in addition to being best of friends, are terrific ambassadors for the Titleist brand and our associates. Through their hard work and customer loyalty, they have earned the respect and trust of their valued business partners. Their across-the-board performances in 2011 and consistent contributions over the years reflect the Titleist sales teams’ commitment to providing the highest levels of service and support to our valued customers.”

Contact: Joe Gomes, Director of Communications, Titleist (508.979.3211).

Robert Rock, Rory McIlroy Trust Pro V1x to 1-2 Finish in Abu Dhabi

2012-01-30T15:10:00Z

Robert Rock stonewalled one of golf's strongest fields at the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship this weekend, trusting a Titleist Pro V1x golf ball to the biggest win of his career.

Rock closed with a 2-under 70 at Abu Dhabi Golf Club for a 13-under 275 total to lead a 1-2 finish for Titleist golf ball players. Titleist Brand Ambassador Rory McIlroy (Pro V1x) finished one shot back after a final-round 69.

Seventy-three players at Abu Dhabi relied on Pro V1 and Pro V1x golf balls for their success, more than three times the nearest competitor with 20 and more than all competitors combined.

Over the first month of 2012, a total of 803 players teed up Titleist golf balls in competitions across the worldwide professional tours, more than six times the nearest competitor with 120 and more than all other golf balls combined.

"I really can't believe I have done that today," said Rock, 34, who earned his first European Tour win at last season's Italian Open.

Rock's breakthrough performance featured a third-round 66 in which he rolled his Pro V1x golf ball in for birdie five times on the back nine to move into a tie for the lead heading into Round 4.

He hit 78 percent of greens in regulation for the week, showing off the steady hand that helped him hold off an elite group of challengers down the stretch Sunday.

Rock's victory rocketed him up the Official World Golf Rankings, from 117th to 55th. It also earned him spots in a pair of World Golf Championships events.

• PGA TOUR: Five Titleist Brand Ambassadors earned top-10 finished at the Farmers Insurance Open, including runner-up Kyle Stanley (Pro V1x).

Stanley, 24, turned in his strongest performance as a professional, finishing the week at Torrey Pines at 16-under 272. He led the field in Birdies (25) and Putts Per Green in Regulation (1.632). He also finished second in Driving Distance (314.4 yards) and was third in Greens in Regulation (79.2 percent).

Titleist Brand Ambassadors Bill Haas (Pro V1x /T-4), Cameron Tringale (Pro V1x /T-4), Jimmy Walker (Pro V1 /T-8) and Martin Flores (Pro V1x /T-8) also finished in the top 10. Pro V1x loyalist Hunter Mahan and PGA Tour rookie John Huh (Pro V1) tied for sixth.

A total of 104 players trusted Titleist golf balls at the Farmers Insurance Open, more than six times the nearest competitor and more than all competitors combined.

Titleist was also No. 1 in iron sets (T-39); sand, lob and approach wedges (126); and putters (62).

Team Titleist Trivia: PGA Merchandise Show Edition**

2012-01-28T19:40:00Z

This week's Team Titleist Trivia contest comes direct from the floor of the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show!

We had a great week here in Orlando, Fla., and we'd like to thank all of the Team Titleist members that were able to stop by the Titleist booth and say hello.

For those of you that weren't able to to make it, here's your chance to get in on the action and win an exclusive prize from Team Titleist.

As the 2012 PGA Show comes to a close, we've got 12 prizes to give away...

FIVE winners will receive a Golf Fitness Academy (Season 7) DVD signed by Titleist Performance Institute Co-Founders Dr. Greg Rose and Dave Phillips and a Limited Edition Royal Blue Vintage TT Tee.

FOUR winners will receive a Limited Edition Team Titleist hat.

And THREE winners will receive a Limited Edition/Tour-Inspired Red FootJoy ProDry® Pique Solid Team Titleist Shirt.

Here's the question: What's the name of the new Titleist golf ball pictured below?

(Need a hint? Watch this.)

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: To enter the contest, log in to your Team Titleist account and then add a comment (see below) to this blog post with the correct answer to the above question by Monday, Jan. 30, at 3 p.m. EST.*

Note: You must be a Team Titleist member to enter. Only one entry per person. We will randomly draw the winners from all approved entries with the correct answer.

*DON'T WORRY IF YOUR POST DOES NOT SHOW UP IMMEDIATELY. IT WILL BE REVIEWED AND POSTED PER COMMUNITY POLICIES.

(Sorry U.S. only. Here's some more info: Why are Titleist sweepstakes U.S. only?)

• • •

**UPDATE: Thanks everyone for entering! Congrats to our winners...

Golf Fitness Academy (Season 7) DVD signed by Titleist Performance Institute Co-Founders Dr. Greg Rose and Dave Phillips and a Limited Edition Royal Blue Vintage TT Tee:
• Ethan J
• Chris B
• Evan L
• Becca B
• Rfblumer

Limited Edition Team Titleist hat:
• Gary B
• Kevin D
• Garrett C
• Sean

Limited Edition/Tour-Inspired Red FootJoy ProDry® Pique Solid Team Titleist Shirt:
• Tom S
• Jeff K
• Joe D

To our winners: You will receive an e-mail from Team Titleist this week. In the meantime, please make sure the address in your Team Titleist profile is up to date, as we will be shipping your prize to that address.

Sweepstakes Rules and Community Policy

Video: Touring the Vokey Booth at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show

2012-01-28T16:49:00Z

(Please visit the site to view this video)

Master Craftsman Bob Vokey and Vokey Marketing Manager Dave Neville have had a busy few days at the 2012 PGA Merchandise show, speaking with golfers, golf media and PGA Professionals about the new SM4 wedges, WedgeWorks Exclusives lineup and Vokey Store items.

For those of you who couldn't make to Orlando, Fla., this week, Bob and Dave also got together with Team Titleist's Eric Soderstrom to film a video tour, which you can watch in the above video.

Video: Inside the Titleist Booth at the 2012 PGA Merchandise Show

2012-01-26T15:18:00Z

(Please visit the site to view this video)

The 2012 PGA Merchandise Show is officially under way here in Orlando, Fla., and the floor is already buzzing with excitement.

Late last night, we popped into the Orange County Convention Center to get a sneak peek of the Titleist booth before the crowds arrived.

In the above video, join Team Titleist's Eric Soderstrom as he takes you on a quick tour of our new booth, featuring the newest additions to the Titleist golf ball family.

Mark Wilson's Humana Victory Extends Win Streak for Pro V1x Players

2012-01-23T15:52:00Z

With the sun dropping fast in the desert, Mark Wilson rolled his Pro V1x golf ball in for birdie on the final hole Sunday at the Humana Challenge to extend Titleist's win streak to start the 2012 PGA Tour season.

On a chilly evening at PGA West, Wilson closed with a 3-under 69 for a 24-under 264 total and two-shot victory over Robert Garrigus (Pro V1), John Mallinger (Pro V1x) and Johnson Wagner (Pro V1x), winner of last week's Sony Open in Hawaii.

Pro V1x players have now won the PGA Tour's first three events of 2012, beginning with Titleist Brand Ambassador Steve Stricker's season-opening victory at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions.

in 2011, Titleist Pro V1 and Pro V1x players won 33 of 44 PGA Tour events played, including a pair of early-season wins for Wilson (Sony Open, Phoenix Open).

Sunday's victory was the fifth of Wilson's career, not to mention the coldest.

"I played in short sleeves all day I didn't want to put my sweater on the last hole," Wilson said. "That's why I was blowing on my hands to get them warm enough to get that last hole in."

He already had the hot hand, of course, hitting over 80 percent of his greens in regulation Sunday and playing his last 8 holes in 4 under, including a hole-out from the bunker for birdie on No. 12 and the clinching putt on the 18th.

Wilson topped a leader board that featured 10 Titleist golf ball loyalists among the top 11: Wilson, Garrigus, Mallinger, Wagner, Jeff Maggert (Pro V1x), John Senden (Pro V1), David Toms (Pro V1), Ben Crane (Pro V1x), Bobby Gates (Pro V1x) and Zach Johnson (Pro V1x).

A total of 99 players in the field relied on Titleist golf balls for their success, more than seven times the nearest competitor with 14 and more than all competitors combined.

Titleist was also No. 1 in iron sets (41); sand, lob and approach wedges (123); and putters (57).

• CHAMPIONS TOUR: Dan Forsman captured the season-opening Mitsubishi Electric Championship in Hawaii, trusting a Pro V1x golf ball to

Forsman, who led the field in Greens in Regulation (81.5 percent) and finished T-4 in Driving Accuracy (81 percent) finished the three rounds at Hualalai Resort at 15-under 201, two shots ahead of Jay Don Blake (Pro V1x).

The win marked the third victory of Forsman's Champions Tour career.

"On the 18th green I couldn't even speak," Forsman told PGATour.com. "I am really humbled to top this field of guys I've admired and competed with all my professional life. The chance to be on top of a distinguished group of players like this is something I'll always cherish. You've got to be blessed to have opportunities like this and I feel like I am."

• EUROPEAN TOUR: Titleist was the No. 1 golf ball of choice at the Volvo Golf Champions event with 17 players, more than two times the nearest competitor with eight and more than all other golf balls combined.