Think Golf Companies Aren’t Listening To You…Think Again!

Blogs & Forums – No Longer Just Guys Rambling In Their Underwear

It was not that long ago that blogs like MyGolfSpy and forums on the web were merely thought of as personal ramblings by some guy sitting in a cafe or lounging around in his underwear on the couch.  Well much has changed since these type of sites inception.

1. Magazines and newspapers have become less relevant and prosperous.
2. Many of the writers from these popular publications now own their own blogs.
3. Blog and forum audiences are growing everyday.
4. Consumers seem to appreciate the more un-bias approach many bloggers and forums have compared to the typical publications.
5. And companies are slowly but surely becoming more aware of these types of sites actual presence and influence with consumers.

We have seen this coming for a few years and an email we received today will show you what we mean.  A couple weeks ago we wrote and article about Callaway releasing to the public the putter that Phil Mickelson won the Master’s with.  In the article we touched on the fact that many of the Odyssey Limited Edition Prototypes did not sell as well as many other putter names out there when it came to these short run putter offerings.  We gave examples of why we thought it would not do well when released which you can read about in the previous article.

Have Your Voice Heard

Well it seems like they are changing their mind about what type of product there are now going to be releasing to the public…interesting.  Many sites like MyGolfSpy and other popular forums were quick to point out that they most likely would not be buying the club because it was not what Phil was actually putting with when he wonthe Master’s…so they felt like “why would we buy it then”.  Well your voices were heard!

Because we just received an email from a Callaway Rep with a statement they made on another popular golf forum with how they felt about the response and what they were going to change because of it.  So like we said if you think golf companies aren’t listening to you…think again!  The readers of sites like MyGolfSpy and others are the true die-hards of the sport and guys out there they know that are very influential to many golfers across the country.  So remember…when you see an article you read on MyGolfSpy or another site asking for your opinion make sure your voice is heard by commenting.  They do listen.

Portions Of The Statement From Callaway/Odyssey Golf:

“I’d first off like to thank you for all the feedback you guys give on a regular basis. Trust that we read it and take it into account when developing products.”

When Phil won the Masters we set out to react as quickly as possible to capture the moment and release a putter inspired by Phil’s design. The fact that it wasn’t exact was due to a number of reasons. Based upon feedback we’ve received and specifically on this website we’ve decided to make some changes. We’ve been working as fast as possible to figure out ways to bring a putter to market as close to Phil’s as possible, with the caveat that his name can’t be used on the putter for contractual reasons.

Here are the specifics of the putter we’re going to bring for this limited edition, the only difference from Phil’s gamer will be the engraving on the bottom and not having “Odyssey” engraved on the edge of the flange:”

Material: 1025 Carbon Steel w/ Tungsten piece behind the insert and extended white sight line

Headweight: 320 grams

Insert: XG Insert (This is the retail insert and Phil loves the soft feel. He plays around with a bunch of different inserts and materials, but this one has been his go to as of late. He has used the White Hot Tour version in the past with a red swirl, but hasn’t used it for some time.)

Cosmetics:

• Vintage Finish
• ProType logo and PT82 engraving
• “Limited Edition” engraved on bottom
• PMS 342 green highlights to commemorate his victory at Augusta
• “Odyssey” on hosel

Specs: (Matching those of Phil’s at Augusta exactly)

• 4 Degree Loft
• 69 Degree Lie
• Phil’s True Temper YHSF Shaft
• Black Series (4+1 wraps of tape)
• 35″

ProType is something that hasn’t really been seen or talked about on the site before. There will be more news to come in regards to this line. At this point, there are a handful of one off putters on tour made specifically for tour players. Some are 100% milled, some have inserts, but all have been made with interaction between our tour staff, the players and our Chief Designer Austie Rollinson. Keep an eye out for these in the future.