The Perfect Putter (for every 25 handicapper dressed like a tour pro and insists on playing the tips)
We all know the guy. He joins your group on the first tee, dressed like he is on the Tour,
Read moreWe all know the guy. He joins your group on the first tee, dressed like he is on the Tour,
Read moreRemember a few years ago when Callaway first introduced their “Truvis Technology?” Majority of golfers thought it was gimmicky and
Read moreI am back! Hard to believe it is already that time of year; specifically the time of year that I
Read moreIn March I reported that Costco sues Acushnet regarding the popular Kirkland Signature golf ball. As you may recall, the
Read moreLike most, I assumed Slick Golf was just a bad name that was in the running and was abandoned once
Read moreA few weeks ago a design patent issued covering a new iron design, and I sat on it because I
Read moreAny guess as to what segment of the golf equipment industry has annual sales of over $1.79 billion (at least
Read moreWell, it finally happened – Costco has sued Acushnet. Yes, you read that correctly; Costco sued Acushnet. Costco is seeking
Read moreTake a guess, which big club manufacturer intends to include Trap Door Construction technology into their clubs, and what could
Read moreHave you been itching for a driver with a small face and an unusual shape? If not, I suspect you
Read moreI recently came across an invention titled “golf club head having a device for resisting expansion between opposing walls during
Read moreHave access to obscure Japanese golf clubs? If so, I would appreciate your assistance in getting my hands on a
Read moreThis week a design patent issued that may give golfers a glimpse of “technologies” in upcoming PXG products. Check it
Read moreAfter a brief hiatus, I am back and ready to ruin the day of marketing departments across Carlsbad! I kid,
Read moreIf a 3 piece ball is good, and a 5 piece ball is better, one can only imagine how good
Read moreBoy did I miss an opportunity for an April fools’ day post because you won’t believe this (and golf purists
Read moreIn the past few years Callaway / Odyssey has started to move away from their reliance on the 2-ball design
Read moreSeveral golf gear head media outlets fueled speculation about a potential PXG golf ball back in December when a photo
Read moreAs if Parsons Xtreme Golf (PXG) isn’t getting enough press this week, check out a new driver design and a
Read moreYesterday Triple Tee Golf teed off a new patent infringement lawsuit against Callaway Golf, continuing its quest to monetize US
Read moreIt seems like Nike has their hands in everything, and heads up displays for sports is no exception. In fact,
Read moreHopefully you picked up on the sarcasm in the title. Last month the USGA was issued patent USPN 9,180,350 titled
Read moreA patent issued this week to Callaway Golf and suggests that they have been doing some serious brainstorming regarding the
Read moreAfter seeing Cobra Golf’s new KING F6+ driver splashed all over every website today (except mine – I understand, the
Read moreYes, that is a totally fake headline and I made up the “Fly-Z+ Squared” name. There is no evidence that
Read moreTrademark applications generally aren’t all that interesting, but two trademark applications filed in the past week by Callaway Golf have
Read moreWhat major golf brand is the least likely to produce a set of blades or musclebacks? Easy, PING of course.
Read moreIn a post on January 29th I predicted the look of a PING driver that would be on the market
Read moreIn a post last week I pointed out several reasons why the Wilson driver design contest should fail; primarily because
Read moreThis week Max Out Golf, LLC sued COOL CLUBS, LLC / M&P GOLF, LLC and WORLDWIDE GOLF, INC. for alleged
Read moreBe prepared to be disgusted and embarrassed for the companies involved in this contest, which it too bad because they
Read moreThe new Russian Roulette golf ball by Nike Golf; a nice politically incorrect name, something “The Donald” would come up
Read moreWhich manufacturer do you think came up with this lubricated design? The drawing comes from a patent application
Read moreYes, as usual, if my prediction is wrong I will go out and buy one! Interestingly, despite standing alone when
Read morePlease, we are never going to see one of the Nike Golf players gaming these sticks, but the concept is
Read moreCan you guess which club maker intends to launch clubs under the Vortec name? Based upon a recently filed trademark
Read moreNew golf club products are coming under the names Dagger, Mustang, and Drone. Can you guess the manufacturer associated with
Read moreCan you guess which manufacturer will soon be blasting us with marketing regarding a new “sound chamber” and/or “sound core”
Read morePlease… of course not, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t working on one, as evidenced by a recently published patent
Read moreYes, this week Parsons Xtreme Golf had their first utility patent issue, and yes Bob is the first listed inventor.
Read moreBy now any true golf gearhead is familiar with Parsons Xtreme Golf’s mallet putter, irons, and driver , so it
Read moreLast month I supplied my prediction regarding Callaway’s next new technology, today let’s look at PING. I predict that sometime
Read moreI hate to be the bearer of bad news but apparently if you frequently top your golf shots the problem
Read moreYou have to feel for the engineer sitting in the R&D department deep in thought, dreaming of the ideal golf
Read moreIt is a pretty safe bet that the next new turbulated driver will look like this… The
Read moreForget about the first half of 2015 as we are unlikely to see any totally new product launches containing “technologies,”
Read moreI recently stumbled across an old putter patent application that made me think of that lovable hillbilly Boo Weekley. While
Read moreI can’t believe it has been almost 6 years since I last poked fun at the profession and some of
Read moreI will go out on a limb and state that it is unlikely that we will see this Nike golf
Read moreLast month I posted about a design patent by a club manufacturer having similarities to a 1990’s tribal tattoo. This
Read moreI would imagine their love child would look something like this! In an odd twist of fate, or careful patent
Read moreYou may recall this prior post regarding the GoDaddy founder starting a golf equipment company named Slick Golf. Golf gearheads
Read moreIt has been a while since a golf training invention has provided me with a good laugh. Fortunately along came
Read moreWant to increase your ball speed by 7 mph? Work on your toe shot! That’s right, the impact position of
Read moreThe guys over at @GolfClubWankers would love to get a picture of a 70 year old, 20+ handicapper, wearing a
Read moreA recently issued design patent caught me by surprise. It was filed last June, which generally means it should be
Read moreLast week Nike filed a trademark application indicating their intent to use an interesting trademark directed to golf clubs. Based
Read moreSay what? A recently published Cobra Golf patent application discloses that some day such a ridiculous combination may be possible.
Read moreIs this Jetsons-esque golf invention a birdie or a bogey? Last week Callaway Golf was awarded USPN 8,801,537 titled “Adjustable
Read moreDo you really want golfers accessing the inside of a new driver? Sure, it would be something different, but would
Read moreYes, the marketing department at one golf company has marketer’s block (similar to writer’s block, only much harder to treat)
Read more**UPDATE :: This is the Legacy Black product line released in Japan. You can pick one up here for $945.
Read moreFat shovel-like soles, thick top lines, huge offsets, faces as big as a tennis racket; all club head characteristics that
Read moreWhile utility patent applications are often pie-in-the-sky dreams of designs and technologies that may never make it to the market,
Read moreThe concept of iron adjustability is nothing new, but the major manufacturers are adding their own spin on the concept
Read moreHopefully you visit the blog enough to know that there have been problems lately. To cut to the chase, the
Read moreCould this design be a next generation OptiForce driver, or is it simply a dream that will never leave R&D?…. True golf geeks know that spoilers, fins, and wings are nothing new (just check out these posts, exhibit a, exhibit b, and exhibit c). The drawings come from USPN 8,753,224, which was recently awarded to Callaway Golf after a pendency of only 16.5 months (kudos to the patent office). The patent describes the invention as….
Read moreIt was only a matter of time before the increasing popularity of electronic swing training devices resulted in patent litigation. There is no doubt that these are fun little gadgets, but whether they will help you improve your game is still up for debate….. The first swing trainer patent infringement Complaint was filed a few weeks ago by iTrainer Golf Ltd., accusing Swingbyte, Inc. of patent infringement….
Read moreIt was only a matter of time before the increasing popularity of electronic swing training devices resulted in patent litigation. There is no doubt that these are fun little gadgets, but whether they will help you improve your game is still up for debate….. The first swing trainer patent infringement Complaint was filed a few weeks ago by iTrainer Golf Ltd., accusing Swingbyte, Inc. of patent infringement….
Read moreA couple of recent trademark applications filed by Acushnet have tipped their hat regarding their “intent to use” a few technology trademarks. I anticipate that the next Titleist line of woods will incorporate….
Read moreDrum roll please. The next PING fairway wood is …. (probably). Yes sir, check out those crown turbulators! THIS prior post explains the PING turbulators. I must admit, I never thought they would do it; but then again I never thought they would produce a driver with a racing stripe. However, I would bet that, like the i25’s racing stripe, the crown turbulators will be real low-key and blend right into the overall design so they are hardly noticeable (if that is possible). Crown turbulators on what is likely the G30 fairway wood suggests that the associated driver is likely to also have crown turbulators. This is getting interesting!
Read moreThe inventor of this club head clearly falls into the “more is always better” camp. Think you could hit this club?….
Read moreIf so, this head cover is for you (and may perfectly compliment your vehicle’s TruckNutz)!….
Read moreTwo years ago I posted about an articulated hosel design by Callaway Golf. It was rather crude and I commented that a worm gear has no place on a golf club. This week a patent (USPN 8,708,836) issued that revealed a more refined articulated hosel design. What do you think?… All I have to say is wow! Could such a joint withstand repeated impacts?
Read moreBecause every hacker, myself included, thinks that they can pull off a 1 in 100 shot at least 50% of the time. This makes for great comedy if you aren’t afraid to laugh at your playing partners, or yourself in my case. A few years ago I shared a video with you about my Bill Haas shot from some slick smelly old pond mud. Recently I found myself in the same pond, only this time the ball was just under the surface of the water. Like any good hacker I looked at it, thought about the day’s bet and the fact that my partner and I were only 1 up (he was in his pocket on this hole), and I quickly came to the conclusion that I had this shot, despite the fact that the ball was under water and at least 8 inches below my feet. There was no doubt in my mind, I had this shot.
Read moreAs I have often said, the major club companies tend to only file design patent applications on products that have secured a spot in their product line-up. Check out this design from a recent Acushnet design patent. Notice there is no sole-entry shaft sleeve adjustability port; and is that a rotating triangle? Pretty radical for Titleist! Do you think we will ever see this on store shelves?…
Read moreEarlier this month a Callaway Golf patent issued directed to the Bertha driver. Sure, it contained all the usual drawings that we would expect of the product that is on the market, but is also contained some interesting alternative designs. Place your bets, is this a design reject or possibly a future version of the Bertha?….
Read moreLast week a patent application caught my eye because it listed the Golf Channel’s Matt Ginella as an inventor. Yes sir, Matty G played a part in the invention titled “Determination of Custom Information Based on Golfer Performance Data.” What’s next, a training aid designed by Damon Hack, a line of cotton tank tops designed by Gary Williams, or maybe a vegan cookbook authored by Charlie Rymer?….
Read moreCheck out this beauty!….
Read moreA recently published patent application discloses a pretty interesting fitting concept, plus I just love the image of the golfing robot. The patent application published this month as US Pub. No. 20140074425 titled “System for Remotely Swinging a Golf Club,” which describes the invention as…. Interesting idea, but boy a purchaser would have to put a lot of faith in other people. Although, it is fun to imagine a line of 10 robots, each outfitted with a different driver; you take one swing, all 10 robots mimic your swing and hit a ball, and then you instantly get feedback on all 10 shots. Perhaps some day.
Read moreOn March 19th NovelPoint Tracking LLC filed at least six patent infringement lawsuits regarding USPN 6442485 titled “Method and Apparatus for an Automatic Vehicle Location, Collision Notification, and Synthetic Voice.” One of the lawsuits named Cobra Golf Inc. as the defendant (see Complaint). This got my attention. Within 90 seconds I could see that the allegedly infringing product was the Cobra 5600 LM (a GPS navigation system), add another 30 seconds to drop that into a Google search, and clearly it is a product that is not made by Cobra Golf. Generally I think non-practicing entities (NPE’s), or patent trolls as some refer to them, get a bad rap; but come on, how do you make that mistake? Sure, they have sued a lot of golf retailers (check out this list of retailers they sued over golf GPS products), but that is no excuse for naming the wrong company in a patent infringement complaint! This just one reason why NPE’s get so much negative press. Sadly, today I am disappointed in my profession.
Read moreNo one would dispute that Phil can pimp a product, and the iron design found in a Callaway patent that issued today is just odd enough that he would probably love to tell the world about it. Check out this iron design…. In what seems to be a recent trend with Callaway, the associated application was filed with a nonpublication request meaning that Callaway wanted to keep this under wraps (away from the eyes of competitors or pesky golf blogs). The patent describes the invention as…. At this point can anyone pull off a low & forward CG location story without it appearing as a “me too” play?
Read moreNo one would dispute that Phil can pimp a product, and the iron design found in a Callaway patent that issued today is just odd enough that he would probably love to tell the world about it. Check out this iron design…. In what seems to be a recent trend with Callaway, the associated application was filed with a nonpublication request meaning that Callaway wanted to keep this under wraps (away from the eyes of competitors or pesky golf blogs). The patent describes the invention as…. At this point can anyone pull off a low & forward CG location story without it appearing as a “me too” play?
Read moreAs I stated in a post back in April regarding some Nike Covert variations, golf equipment companies come up with a lot of club head designs in the process of developing one commercial product, majority of which golfers never get to see. Fortunately their patent applications often reveal some of the hidden gems that for one reason or another did not survive the process, or may be a glimpse of a future generation product. Check out these potential Covert driver designs!…. Will we ever see these designs in a commercial product? My guess – not anytime soon; too radical….
Read moreSelecting a good product name is hard work. For every ten good names that the marketing guys come up with, one may survive a proper trademark clearance and protectability analysis. In the past Cleveland Golf has not been known for creative and catchy product names, however that may be a thing of the past. Last week they filed a trademark application for…. Not bad, not bad at all! Place your bets; is it a new line of putters or drivers?….
Read moreJust imagine the look on the faces of your golfing partners when you stroll up to the first tee with the latest _____ _____ brand golf bag, balls, and clubs!…. Boy, that is one heck of a list! You can check out the trademark application HERE. How is that for hard-hitting golf reporting!….
Read moreWhat would Titleist’s core market of “purists” think of this design?…. Place your bets; will this design ever become an actual Titleist product? My prediction; not a chance!….
Read moreWhat do you think: safe effective training aid or merely a maker of a raw ring around your neck?…. Birdie or bogey? I would try it….
Read moreLet me start by saying that I am a pretty frugal guy, but golf equipment is my weakness. I am always searching for that product that somehow allows me to show up 5 minutes before my tee time and shoot in the 70’s despite no warm up or practice since my last round. Needless to say I am still searching for that magical club. My annual equipment purchases generally include at least one set of irons (three this year), multiple hybrids, and at least one putter (generally more). Surprisingly I am rather loyal to my driver and fairway wood. Therefore I decided to share with you my single best purchases and my single worst purchase of 2013….
Read moreBut you need to also have thick skin because there may be some laughter at your expense. Check out this helmet design!….
Read moreA PING design patent issued today that may give us a first look at a new PING hybrid. Check it out….
Read moreNo, not a swing training device; it appears that Nike Golf has been working on a golf club head with a contoured backstop. Backstops to control the maximum face deflection are nothing new, but they are generally flat and a fixed distance behind the face. See what you think of what the Nike engineers have disclosed in a patent application that recently published as US Pub. No. 20130331202 titled “Golf Clubs and Golf Club Head Structures Having Contoured Backstop,” which describes the invention as…. Place you bets; will this ever make it into an actual product? How much extra would you pay for the customization aspect?
Read moreDrum roll please…. ______ ____ of Scottsdale Arizona. Golf gearheads are undoubtedly familiar with the rumors surrounding the GoDaddy founder starting a golf equipment company and cherry picking some of the local Karsten (PING) engineers. Well, it looks like they also got one of their attorneys. On Monday the attorney filed two trademark applications, namely Slick Golf and Slick! So the rumors look to be true. Check out their website here…. What do you think of the name?
Read morePerhaps Nike Golf is betting on it! One of their patent applications recently published as US Pub. No. 20130324323 titled “Golf Ball Having A Cover Layer With Two Different Hardness Values.” Yes, a cover with 2 different hardness values!…. Would you play such a ball?
Read moreWell, if you read my post yesterday then you already know the answer. Yesterday’s post titled “Introducing the Gravity Core by Cobra Golf” suggested that vertical center of gravity adjustability was indeed an innovation back in 1922, but not in 2013! Why do I say this? Because vertical CG adjustability seems to be a hot topic this week, and the truth is that it rubs me the wrong way when any golf company goes too far in patting themselves on the back and suggesting they were the first to do something. After all, golfers have been tinkering with clubs since the first smother hook. As I mentioned yesterday, the word “innovation” is thrown around way too loosely in the golf industry. There is no doubt that there are lots of elegant solutions found in today’s club designs, and there is no doubt that these elegant solutions required a lot of creativity and engineering hours, but are they really “innovations” or just a unique implementation of an older innovation? You decide. Elegant solution or innovation? Check out these designs!….
Read moreYep, that’s right, Cobra Golf, not Callaway Golf. Why am I posting this? Dumb luck. A Cobra Golf patent application published today while I was working on another post regarding vertical center of gravity adjustment systems in light of this week’s launch of the Big Bertha. Let’s be honest, the word “innovation” is thrown around way too loosely in the golf industry. In fact, if you work in the golf industry and ever catch yourself starting to say “this is the first club to…,” or “our new innovation…”, then you should really demote yourself because eventually someone will call you out. Plus it makes you sound like you are on an infomercial and kills your credibility! After all, golfers have been tinkering with clubs since the first worm-burner. Sure, there are lots of elegant solutions found in today’s club designs, and there is no doubt they required a lot of creativity and engineering hours, but there are very few real innovations. Later this week I will illustrate that vertical center of gravity adjustability was indeed an innovation back in 1922, not 2013!….
Read moreMost golf geeks are well aware of last week’s media schmooze fest put on by Nike Golf (if not, read about it here and here). Apparently my invitation got lost in the mail; probably smart given my distrust of anything associated with over the top marketing. I prefer facts, technical data, and generally boring “spin-free” information; you know, like the information found in patent applications. Most of the lucky invitees seemed to be most impressed with their 2014 RZN golf balls with Speedlock Core Technology. I have to admit, the pictures are pretty intriguing. Recently a Nike Golf patent application published as US Pub. No. 20130288825 titled “Golf Ball Core Having Radial Appendages,” which describes the invention as…. The application appears to be the first of many directed to the Speedlock Core Technology concept….
Read moreI wouldn’t bet on it because these “backstryke” driver designs could take down any golf company. Check out these beauties!…. The drawings come from a patent that issued today as USPN 8,585,510 titled “Golf Club Head With Improved Aerodynamic Characteristics.” The associated application was filed with a nonpublication request meaning that Callaway wanted to keep this under wraps (perhaps in fear of a shareholder revolt…. I kid). The patent describes the invention as…. Interesting stuff but could these designs ever really find their way into an actual product line?…
Read moreCheck out the designs disclosed in a Cobra Golf patent application that published this week…. Sure, I could see them incorporating phospholuminescent or glow-in-the-dark pigment, heck it might even be pretty cool, but “LEDs or other illumination elements within or around window” – give me a break. Prove me wrong and I will buy one!….
Read moreRumors are circulating that G-Mac has been testing this golf ball design and is going to put it in play in early 2014. OK, I haven’t actually heard any of these rumors, but they might be out there (and it makes this post a little more interesting). Check out the latest bizarre golf ball dimple design patent that was issued to SRI this week!…
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