New Approach Revitalizes Charles Howell III

It was a tough call but it was one that PGA Tour pro Charles Howell III felt that he had to make. After what he describes as a terrible performance at The International tournament last summer, his frustration had reached a peak. “That was pretty rough there,” he told a group of media members today as he prepared for the FBR Open in Phoenix. His play in Colorado was far removed from the form he has shown of late, posting hot finishes at the Sony Open and the Buick Invitational and putting him at the top of the 2007 FedEx Cup Standings.

Sitting in the airport waiting on a flight home to Orlando, Howell made a call that Sunday night in Denver to his coach of 16 years, David Leadbetter. The man who had guided his golf world from a pre-teen, through collegiate success, and on to the PGA Tour was in London, where it was 2 a.m., but Charles took a chance that a man he calls “Batman” for his non-existent sleep habits, would be up.

Not answering, Howell left a message, but was not surprised when the coach he says, “is like a father” to him rang him back almost immediately.

The duo had been separated as student and teacher for five months by that point, after what Howell describes as “pressing the panic button a bit.”

“I didn’t think I was getting any better,” he says of the impetus for the break-up. “I knew I was working as hard as anyone else but I wasn’t getting anywhere.” “I forgot I was just twenty six and that this is a marathon, not a sprint.”

With Leadbetter removed as his coach, Howell did post a tie for 2^nd in New Orleans but the lows far outweighed the highs in the months that followed. A dismal –13 score at The International, the one event where + is good, made it clear to him that he (and they) needed to get back to work.

An hour and twenty minutes of phone time to London, a few hard licks by Leadbetter (according to Howell), and some tears later the two were taking course on a new mission.

The next day Charles hit the range at Champion’s Gate, south of Orlando, where Leadbetter has his academy, and got to work.

Within a few weeks Charles would record a 2^nd place at the 84 Lumber Classic and says he knew he was on the right track with his return to Leadbetter. His reaction to the press at the time was very candid. "It's like breaking up with a girlfriend and getting back together," Howell said. "You see what else is out there and you go back."

As opposed to their first decade and half together, this time the effort was made to focus less on mechanics, on full swings right down to the putting stroke. Howell says he worked to smooth out his stroke, to take out ”the pop” and find a rhythm more like his tour peer David Toms. “You just never see that guy rush a stroke,” comments Howell.

It appears to be paying off as Howell has taken almost a stroke off his putts per round average though the first few events of the 2007 PGA Tour season. Even the television announcers are starting to comment on his putting stroke rather than at his prowess at hitting the long ball or his storied junior and amateur career.

Part of the change has to do with equipment as well. Howell, a self-admitted tinkerer, says he has been using the same putter since the Las Vegas event late last year. To choose his new weapon he relied on the fitting experts at his equipment sponsor Callaway and Odyssey who found a good option for him – one he is committed to. They showed him how and why it would work and he has faith in that – obviously the results prove that trust is not misdirected.

He also has a new driver in the bag this year, the Callaway FT-5, recognizing that he needs to hit more fairways. “It has a little bigger head so it is a little more stable so I can hit it straighter,” he says of the new driver that has also brought his driving average to over 300 yards a swat. He says he has also been working with a Callaway FT-I (the squarish one) driver as well but that the FT-5 was a little easier to get fit into for immediate play. He has conveyed to Callaway what he is trying to accomplish with his game and is finally looking to their people to get him the gear that can help him reach those goals. That is a big turnaround from his old approach of putting whatever clubs in the bag that felt right for the moment.

Always a range rat, Howell is still continuing that habit but now he is working on a wider variety of shots to take his game to the next level. ‘When I came out on tour I loved to hit the ball hard. Now I need to be able to hit that three quarter shot.” A fan, alongside his coach, of swing mechanics he admits he is not quite a “feel” player yet but that is getting there. His shot variety is improving, now he just has to be able to make them work under pressure. Something he has had mixed results with so far based on his poor back nine play in the final round of the Sony where he had a two stoke lead with nine holes to play.

Back home at Isleworth near Orlando, Howell practices with a player, who like him, was once vaunted as the next great thing. Of course, that friend, Tiger Woods, became just that but Howell does not appear to be deterred by his friend’s success, even when he is the immediate victim. In fact, he related that he is buoyed by Tiger’s dedication and marvels not so much at his full swing but at his ability to dial in his yardages for his irons so well. He tells of the two practicing back home, hitting 100 yards shots with a seven iron for example. “Tiger didn’t have those shots when he came out here,” says Howell. “Now he does.”

Obviously Howell is working towards having those abilities as well. As he does, the most refreshing part about him is that, like his buddy Tiger, he is willing to admit that he is still learning with every practice session and every tournament situation he faces.

Howell may be 54 PGA Tour wins behind Tiger but he knows he can’t worry about that and needs to stay focussed on what he needs to do to hit better shots, hit less poor ones, and find his way to the winner’s circle more often.

In the one race that is really important, the one to reach his true potential, he appears to be gaining fast.

ACCRA Debuts New Shaft Line – ACCRA with AXIV Technology

Early Exclusive To Flagstick Magazine, Ottawa, Ontario, January 23, 2007 - Three years ago, when their ACCRA brand shafts debuted at the PGA Tour’s Byron Nelson Classic, Dave Makarucha and Gawain Robertson, partners in their company, Premium Golf Management (PGMC), knew they were on to something great. Their concept had been simple when they struck a working agreement with United Sports Technologies and their parent company, Mamiya-OP - develop a premium golf shaft line strictly for high-end custom club fitters to ensure that their shafts would be properly fit.

Of course, the golf industry being as competitive as it is, it is always nice to achieve benchmarks that show you are heading in the right direction. One of those would be proving that they had a great product – what they felt was one of the best in the world. To get that feedback it could only come from one place – from the PGA Tour, where the best players in the world play.

They got their wish that May weekend outside of Dallas in 2004, when 15 shafts from their burgeoning line were put into play. From there says Robertson, “It just grew and grew, and grew.”

The fact is that three years later, they have a network of top club fitters around the world and a growing number of the worlds best touring professionals relying on their shafts to help them make their living. Stewart Cink, Paul Casey, Luke Donald – even the partial parade of players is impressive.

Their product line has also grown to include wood shafts in three price and fit ranges, graphite and steel shafts for irons, and even a hybrid specific shaft. They are revered by premium players for providing tight dispersion on all shots while still maintaining a smooth feel – a combination that is very hard to resist, no matter the price. (Shaft prices are determined by dealer and is backed by a 30 day performance guarantee)

Robertson and Makarucha, actually based in Kingston, Ontario, Canada, say that in creating those initial product lines they did several things that ensured a successful launch. “The game was changing, especially with the ball, at that point,” says Robertson, a former PGA Professional. “With the ball spinning less and not flying as high we felt there was a demand for a shaft that would help provide a higher launch angle and lower spin. To do that while making sure the shafts still had feel and were fit correctly, as golfers ourselves, we felt it would appeal to other players.”

In keeping with the philosophy of responding to the market the pair says they continually listen to their dealers as well as their end customers for feedback. The result has been a number of new shaft options but none have been as revolutionary as what they will be offering for 2007.

“ACCRA dealers around the world requested a mid-launch shaft to complement the incredible results achieved by the current ACCRA line-up,” says Robertson. With club heads (specifically drivers) reaching an unprecedented level of Moment of Inertia, the profile of drivers has been shifting and a market has opened up for shafts to match.

Their response? Instead of just altering their current line-up to change the launch characteristics, they took it a step further to not only achieve the ball flight, but also to take their shafts to a higher level of feel. After a lengthy design process involving ACCRA/UST engineers and live player testing, they came up with the ACCRA with AXIV technology shafts.

Already in use by parent company Mamiya-OP in a “J-Spec” line of shafts (designed for the Asian market), AXIV Tetra-Axial (4 axis) weave is one of the most exotic materials used in the production of golf shafts today. It is a proprietary and exclusive material to Mamiya-OP. The new line takes the best of AXIV technology and blends it with the advancements of the ACCRA line to create a product perfectly suited to the full scope of worldwide golfers.

The AXIV Open Weave material allows engineers to weave four different modulus carbon fibres in four different directions in one material. That has a two-fold advantage for the new shafts, according to the company - extra feel and greater strength. The grip section of the shaft is very susceptible to deformation so it normally has to be very strong. Most companies achieve this by adding extra plies of graphite material. This reduces feel, something that was not very desirable for ACCRA, who are especially known for smooth feeling shafts. Use of the AXIV weave was a perfect solution, allowing the strength levels to be reached while actually increasing feel.

“From the beginning we have had a mandate to use the best materials to create the product our customers desired, no matter the cost,” says Robertson. “The use of AXIV technology is just another way of not compromising, but of finding a way to produce a better product – one that addresses what the market demands.”

PGMC will debut three ACCRA with AXIV technology shaft models today to their dealers today in Florida at a special event prior to the annual PGA Merchandise Show. The XT, XC, and XE models mimic the three levels offered in the current ACCRA shaft line. In each shaft the AXIV weave is quite visible near the grip area while the body of the shafts retains a familiar ACCRA look. (Official Images will be posted immediately upon receipt.)

The XT will be offered in 60 and 70-gram categories (flexes M2-M5): the XC will debut in 65 and 75 designations (flexes M3-M5), while the XE arrives in an 80 class in M4 and M5 flex designations. All shafts are .335” tip with a 4” parallel tip length. The full weight range runs from 64-87 grams.

The company’s website will have full details/specifications shortly.

That Calming Effect: Q-Link Debuts Bracelet

When they first arrived on the PGA Tour, the Q-Link Pendant was an anomaly. Tour pros wearing what appeared to be jewellery to calm their nerves? You might as well have asked them to put a voodoo doll in their bag!

Twelve years later, you still can’t see many Q-Link pendants being worn, but they are there – hiding under the triple mercerized polos and mock necks. To date Q-Link says that more than 300 touring professionals have donned the pendants tallying more than 125 victories in that time.

In fact when it counts most, the company says that is exactly when the Q-Link can make a difference. They cite the ’06 PGA Tour Qualifying School as an example. Five of the Top 20 finishers in the final stage of the '06 PGA Tour Qualifying School - Cameron Beckman, Paul Gow, Michael Allen, Marco Dawson and Steve Allan each wore Q-Link pendants - during the pressure-filled rounds of Q-School.

"This proves that Q-Link works under the most intense pressure," said Q-Link USA President John Allan. "There is no greater pressure for a professional golfer than Q-School."

And how about Lorena Ochoa? The 2006 LPGA Tour Player of The Year is a Q-Link believer. "I feel calmer in tough situations," Ochoa says. "(Q-Link) really makes a difference under pressure."

As pendants are not for everyone the California based company is about to roll out a new Q-Link Bracelet that they are quite excited about. "The Q-Link bracelet is a product of the overwhelming success of the Q-Link pendant," says John Allan. "Many of our customers and tour players over the years have asked us when we were coming out with a bracelet. Now we've delivered for them. We expect the bracelet will be as popular and successful as the pendant, as the response has already been great."

The somewhat stylish looking bracelet (just how stylish is for you to decide) will be available in three models: Performance, Silver Cuff, and Silver/Golf Cuff with prices starting at (US) $79.95.

The “big secret” behind the Q-Link products is something called SRT-3 programming. The company says that is what allows it to, “more efficiently resonate life-supporting frequency in a person's energy field.” The end result being that the wearer has a more effective response to stress. They claim that athletes and non-athletes realize heightened energy, a quicker stress-reducing effect and experience a more rapid return to centred emotional states. In basic terms they describe it as like a tuning fork, resonating with and strengthening the life-enhancing information already present within the human biofield.

Whatever it does, it appears that many sceptics of the past in professional golf are now believers. That is even more credible when you realize that the majority are not paid to wear the Q-Link products.

We all can’t be Paul Gow or Lorena Ochoa, but with the new Q-Link bracelet you can get the same benefits that this product delivers and at least look like a little more like them.

That is, until you swing a club.

More information available at www.qlinkgolf.com

Readers in the Flagstick Region can also check out www.feel-alive.com for a Canadian Retailer.

The Funniest "Serious" Golf Tip Ever???

You decide...

Quick Hits

With the world of golf about to converge on the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, for the annual PGA Merchandise Show the air is buzzing with new golf gear news....

-Powerbilt is back in the game, announcing that they have signed Fuzzy Zoeller to an endorsement contract that we see him play new Powerbilt irons out on the Champion's Tour. It is a return for Fuzzy who played Powerbilt clubs during a large part of his PGA Tour career where he won 12 events including the US Open and The Masters. He will work with Mark Wilson from Powerbilt's R&D department to design the new forged irons. The company is also developing a new line of drivers, fairway woods, and utility clubs for tour use.

-Phil Mickelson addressed the media Tuesday from the press room at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic. He mentioned that he will have the new Callaway FT-5 driver in his bag this week (just one of them) and has tuned the driver to help prevent the left push shot that likely cost him last year's US Open championship. He has also been working with Callaway engineers on another driver to put in to play, an FT-I model (the square one) that he says goes nothing but straight for him. He mentioned that it might be in play for The Masters.

-Young sensation Tadd Fujikawa used his gear efficiently this past weekend, on his way to an impressive finish at the PGA Tour's Sony Open on Hawaii. The crack team at online forum www.golfwrx.com managed to get an up close look at his gear and spend some time with the youngster after the big weekend was over. You can see full details and photos of his gear here: http://www.golfwrx.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=67302

-Adams Golf has officially released their new line of Insight drivers and fairway woods. They have various models including those for women. See them at www.adamsgolf.com

New Product News: Rain, Rain - You Don't Bother Me Anymore!

For more than twenty years Sun Mountain Golf has been an innovative in product design. They popularized the stand golf bag with their “Grasshopper” design more than a decade ago; being the first to integrate legs into stand bags. Their pattern of creative development has continued over the last few years with products ranging from the Speed Cart push cart to Rainflex outerwear.

They clearly take the time to understand devoted golfers and their needs.

Even further illustration of this can be with the arrival of the H²0 Tech bag, what they claim is the first waterproof golf bag.

Just think, not more ruined cigars, cell phones, and rules books. Rain or otherwise, you know your equipment will keep dry.

To create this 2007 introduction the company utilized the frame of their popular 3.5 Superlight Bag. It is a wise choice as that bag was a big seller for the company. "Superlight 3.5 was designed on the premise of 'sacrifice nothing but weight'," explained Sun Mountain founder Rick Reimers. "We accomplished it! And now with H2O Tech we have further perfected it."

The waterproof pockets and rainhood on the H²O Tech use the same waterproof construction as Sun Mountain's line of rainwear including waterproof fabric, taped seams, and YKK(r) waterproof zippers.

H2O Tech features all of the innovations that made the Superlight 3.5 so popular including a top collar handle that provides a convenient spot to grab when removing the bag from the shoulder, top-moulded stand attachment for stability, patented Roller-Bottom stand mechanism with recessed Y-Spring, improved X-Strap(r) Dual Strap for added comfort, and five pockets, including a full length clothing pocket.

The new built-in top collar handle is part of H²O Tech's integrated one-piece top that combines the top cuff, the built-in collar handle, and the upper stand bracket. This six-way top with full-length dividers also offers a higher strap attachment point that effectively moves the centre of gravity of the bag resulting in a more balanced bag for easier carrying, according the company.

The H²O Tech will be available February 2007 in two colours, solid black and solid goldenrod (pictured), with a full-suggested retail price of (US) $229.99.

Adams Golf Makes Foray Into LPGA Waters

After becoming a smashing success (literally) on the Champions Tour, where they have a high number of staff players including the likes of Tom Watson, Adams Golf is taking things in a new direction with a recent staff player signing.

Brittany Lincicome, the 2006 HSBC Women's World Match Play champion has jumped ship from Titleist to become the first LPGA Tour endorsee for Plano, Texas based Adams Golf. At 21 years old, the young talent is hard to miss with her height of 5’10” and a powerful swing. She finished the 2006 LPGA Tour season, her second, at 14th on the money list.

With the cost of signing PGA Tour players to equipment contracts so high, the LPGA seems to be a logical choice for Adams, a company that prides itself in creating equipment for the average golfer through to the professional player. They have achieved some market penetration on the PGA Tour, mostly in the hybrid category, but it has been by the quality of the equipment alone, without any paid staff players, save for the struggling Bubba Dickerson. With a primary target audience of average golfers, seniors, and ladies, the LPGA tour and its players is probably a wise avenue to pursue from a marketing perspective.

“Brittany is a rising star on the LPGA Tour and we’re excited about her future success. Not only is she a champion, she also puts on a show for spectators with her engaging personality and exceptional ball striking ability,” said Chip Brewer, Adams Golf CEO and President. “Only her second year on tour and she’s made a name for herself with an impressive World Match Play Championship and a handful of Top 10 finishes throughout the year. Brittany’s ‘All-American girl’ persona and the way she plays the game with enthusiasm and aggressiveness makes us proud that she will represent Adams Golf on the LPGA Tour.”

For 2007 Lincicome will play Adams equipment (no word on configuration yet), wear the Adams Golf logo, and her caddy will carry a Adams staff bag.

Brittany Lincicome’s 2006 Rankings:
- Top 15 Money List (14^th)
- Top 10 Greens In Regulation (9^th)
- Five Top 10 Finishes
- #2 in Driving Distance (278 yds.)

Also #1 in Driving Distance in 2005

Myrtle Beach Has New Trail Mix

In a move that helps them to create their own identity among the abundant golf inventory on the Grand Strand, a number of properties in this South Carolina bastion of golf have formed a new partnership.

Twenty minutes south of Myrtle Beach (an hour north of Charleston if you need another landmark) is where you will find the 12 golf courses that make up the newly minted "Waccamaw Golf Trail." Here, in a thirty kilometre stretch of coastline, are the townships of Murrels Inlet, along with Litchfield and Pawleys Island. It is a place that boasts a lense intense pace than is found in the heart of Myrtle Beach.

The splendid dozen courses on the trail include Blackmoor Golf Club, Caledonia Golf & Fish Club, Heritage Club, Lichfield Country Club, Pawleys Plantation, River Club, Tournament Players Club, Tradition Club, True Blue Plantation, Wachesaw Plantation East, Willbrook Plantation, and Founders Club at Pawleys Island, which will open in September of 2007.

For those familiar, many of the clubs are among the most popular and beautiful in the region - having garnered many honours from the world's foremost golf publications.

With many of the courses built on the sites of 18th and 19th century rice and indigo plantation there is a heritage and beauty that is distinctive to these properties. Moss draped oaks and the gentle flow of tidal rivers only serve to enhance the settings.

"While we are just 20 minutes south of Myrtle Beach, the Waccamaw Trail offers a different golf trip than you enjoy in Myrtle Beach or North Myrtle Beach," remarked Jim Woodring, vice president of golf operations at Myrtle Beach National, which has three courses represented on the Trail. "A visit to the Waccamaw Golf Trail is a relaxed, less crowded escape from the real world, which is what many seek during vacation. Golfing along the Trail is such a unique experience with all 12 member courses committed to working together to promote this distinctive segment of the Myrtle Beach golf market."

Accommodations along the Waccamaw Golf Trail range from quaint bed-and-breakfasts to full-service resorts, like Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort. Recognized as one of the premier golf resorts in America by Conde Naste Traveller, Litchfield Beach & Golf Resort is a 4,500-acre resort that offers a wide choice of amenities and accommodations overlooking the beach, lakes and fairways.

Off the course, the Waccamaw Golf Trail offers award-winning restaurants, a treasure trove of unique shops, historic points of interest, tranquil beaches and a wide assortment of resort amenities and accommodations. Brookgreen Gardens and Huntington Beach State Park are two of the region's many year-round natural attractions available to golfers and non-golfers alike.

Preferred tee times for the Waccamaw Trail courses and accommodations packages are available by visiting www.waccamawgolftrail.com.

Appleby & Kapalua A Tight Fit

Left: Stuart Appleby celebrates Mercedes-Benz Championship victory #3, last January. (PGA Tour Photo)

Three-time consecutive Mercedes Benz Championships winner Stuart Appleby has proven he is comfortable on Kapalua Resorts’ fairways and greens- and much to the chagrin of his fellow competitors he will be getting a little more comfortable in the neighbourhood. In fact, "Apples" and his family recently purchased a lot less than a mile from the gate at Kapalua, where they will build a part-time retreat.

"…I got a lot of questions asked about, oh, you should buy property here, you're the king of Kapalua and all that sort of stuff. I got that for a couple of years and that is about it, and I knew Jim Furyk has been here for quite a long time,” he told the media today at Kapalua Plantation during his past winner’s press conference. “It's an amazing piece of property. It's not my home, but it's become my golf home in a way. Half of my victories have come out of this section of the woods, so it was a no-brainer.”

Looking relaxed and fit (wearing a shirt from the pro shop after a departure from clothing sponsor Ashworth but not having his new gear quite ready yet) Appleby says that he is excited to get the 2007 season underway, with the FedEx Cup clearly on his mind. “First of all coming here as defending champion, coming back here is a pleasure full-stop but coming back as defending champion in this event, now being my fourth attempt in a row is exciting. Brings back a lot of great memories, a lot of great golf. Each one is a little bit different because it's a different number. So I don't know if this one is any different to the last one, I don't know anything, actually, I've never done this before. Maybe Tiger has more experience in knowing what it's like but it's exciting and looking forward to it.”

With the PGA landscape changed dramatically Appleby (like everyone else) is taking a wait and see attitude and he tries to fully understand the new format’s implications. “Everything will be normal. I think everything will be pretty much normal through the year,” he said when asked about the FedEx Cup and what impact it will have on the players, particularly in regards to schedules. “There will be some discussion, but I think the real crux of where the Cup is going to come is the last five weeks of the year when people are trying to make a move and extra pressure will be on and that. Otherwise, it's just a horse race, get out of the gates, get our position and get going. We're all going to be trying from every tournament. There's none of this I'll try at the end of the year and make my run. We'll be going as solid as we can.”

As for how he will change his approach, he is not really quite sure. “The schedule is more condensed. We don't know quite how, sort of how do we position, do I play that event now because I traditionally have or now that doesn't fit as good because I need to make a run through here. A lot of guys are certainly looking at the schedule more intently than previous years because of the condensed period of time. We have to play hard.”

For this week, even in “relaxed Hawaiian mode” Appleby has his eye on the big prize, in hopes of joining just a handful of players who have won the same event on the PGA Tour in 4 consecutive years. He says he can’t quite be sure why he does so well here each January but alludes to the fact that as an international player, he normally only hangs his clubs up for a few weeks in the off season. In fact, Appleby played competitively until just two weeks before Christmas. He did take some time off, but not so much as to feel rusty. “I haven't hit a lot of balls coming into this event three, four days of balls. Flying here, hit some balls yesterday. It has not been intense practise but still feel pretty fresh.”

Fresh enough for win #4, no doubt. It would be surprising not to see him in the mix this weekend.

And whether he hoists another trophy ever again at the Mercedes-Benz Championship, the “King of Kapalua” will always feel at home on Maui.

Literally.