Titleist Golf Balls

1. Titleist Golf Balls Presentation By: Steven Copp Nathan Hands

2. Why Golf Balls • In 2004, sports equipment sales topped $14 billion. • Golf equipment had the largest portion of these sales, equaling $2.42 billion. (Dr. Noble’s notes) • Golf ball sales topped $504 million in 2004 (USA Today)

3. Why Titleist Golf Balls • Titleist calls itself the #1 ball in golf, their right. • In 2004, Titleist accounted for 132 worldwide tour wins, 100 more than their nearest competitor • Titlesit has accounted for an average of 45% of the market over the past few years Charts: Chris O'Riley, Golf Digest

4. Organization & Purpose • Overview of the history of the golf ball • Describe and compare the 2005 Titleist product line based on technology, cost, and type of golfer ball is designed for • Pro V1x • Pro V1 • NXT Tour • NXT • DT SoLo • Review of Research • Golf Digest Hot List • Robot Test • Golf Balls 101 Ratings • Selecting the Right Ball

5. History of Golf Balls • Feathery Cube • 1618 – The “featherie” replaced the original wood ball. This leather-covered ball stuffed with goose or chicken feathers. was expensive and fragile and used for almost four centuries. • The Gutta-Percha • 1848 - The first "Gutta" ball created. Gutta-percha is the evaporated milky juice or latex produced from a tree and was rolled into a sphere • The Hand Hammered Gutta • Created by hammering the softened gutta-perched ball with a sharp edged hammer to give the ball an even pattern of “nicks” that greatly improved its play. Later, iron molds or ball presses were used to create markings on the ball.

6. History of Golf Balls • The Bramble • The most popular pattern of the gutta-era and was also used on some early rubber balls. • The Rubber Ball • 1898 - featured rubber thread wound around a solid rubber core. Early gutta-percha gave way to the Balata cover that was developed in the early 1900’s. A variety of dimple patterns gave way to the aerodynamically superior dimple pattern first used in 1908. • The Modern Ball • 1932 - standardized weight maximum of 1.620 oz.and diameter minimum of 1.680 in. was established by the USGA. A max initial velocity of 250 feet/second was added later.

7. History of Golf Balls • Switch From Wound to Solid Core • Early 90’s - balls had either small solid rubber center or liquid filled rubber center wound with thread • Late 90’s - Solid core 2-piece and eventually 3-piece balls were introduced, popularity grew rapidly • 2005, not a single golf ball manufacturer included a wound ball in their product offerings

8. Pro V1x • Inner Core • Material: Polybutadiene • Type: Solid • Casing • Material: Ionomer • Thickness: .035” • Cover • Composition: Urethane Elastomer • Thickness: .030” • Dimples • Shape: Spherical • Pattern: Icosahedron • Total number: 332 • Number of types: 7

9. Pro V1x • Core • Soft, high velocity dual core for lower spin and greater control • Ionomer casing layer • High velocity and low spin for long distance • Urethane elastomer • High performance cover for improved control with full iron shots • Tour level ball that is only designed for a very fast and powerful swing (105-120mph) • MSRP: $58/dozen,Golf USA: $45/dozen

10. Pro V1 • Inner Core • Material: Polybutadiene • Type: Solid • Diameter: 1.530” • Casing • Material: Ionomer • Thickness: .045” • Cover • Composition: Urethane Elastomer • Thickness: .030” • Dimples • Shape: Spherical • Pattern: Icosahedron • Total number: 392 • Number of types: 5

11. Pro V1 • Core • Soft for outstanding feel • Ionomer casing layer • Lower driver spin for longer distance • Urethane elastomer cover • High performance, soft, and thin cover for drop-and-stop greenside control • Tour quality and should be used by experienced players with a tour level swing speed (105-120 mph) • MSRP: $58/dozen, Golf USA: $45/dozen

12. NXT Tour • Inner Core • Material: Polybutadiene • Type: Solid • Outer Core • Material: Polybutadiene • Diameter: 1.580” • Cover • Composition: Soft Fusablend • Thickness: .050” • Dimples • Shape: Spherical • Pattern: Icosahedron • Total number: 392 • Number of types: 5

13. NXT Tour • Dual core • Large core provides more speed at a softer compression. • Faster, softer core lowers the spin and results in longer distance. • Fusablend Cover • Soft cover provides more short game spin and control into the green • Durable • Good ball for experienced players • MSRP: $36/dozen, Golf USA: $27/dozen

14. NXT • Core • Material: Polybutadiene • Diameter: 1.550” • Cover • Composition: Fusablend • Thickness: .065” • Dimples • Shape: Spherical • Pattern: Icosahedron • Total number: 392 • Number of types: 5

15. NXT • Core • Provides more speed and lower spin at a softer compression • Fusablend cover • Soft feel • Durable • Can suit any player in all aspects of the game • MSRP: $36/dozen, Golf USA: $26/dozen

16. DT SoLo • Core • Material: Polybutadiene • Diameter: 1.550” • Cover • Composition: Na/Zn Suryln • Thickness: .065” • Dimples • Shape: Spherical • Pattern: Icosahedron • Total number: 392 • Number of types: 5

17. DT SoLo • Core • Soft compression gives soft fell on all shots • High velocity • Lower driver spin for longer distance • Low spin helps minimize unintentional hook and slice • Longer drives for low and moderate swing speeds • Surlyn cover • Soft feel • Durable (guaranteed cut-proof) • Suitable for all players especially beginners who have trouble with straight shots. • MSRP $28/dozen, Golf USA: $22/dozen

18. Tour Performance - Balls generally have more technology and cost more. Balls that have multilayer technology designed to optimize performance off the tee and around the green for low handicap players. • Value Performance - Simpler design when compared to performance balls and are the best bargain for average golfers. They give you distance and ball-flight benefits that can help the mid- to high-handicapper navigate the golf course.

20. Tour Performance • Titleist Pro V1/Pro V1xScore: 100.0. • What THE JUDGES say: “Constitute everything a golf ball can be (provided you are not a low-speed, low-spin player). Their supremacy in the marketplace begins with their command of the technology. Under any system of evaluation, it cannot be beat.”

21. Value Performance • Titleist NXT/NXT TourScore: 100.0. • What THE JUDGES say: "Depending on your skill level, these low-spinning balls might offer more scoring potential than their big brother for much less cash. This is plenty of ball for people who work for a living. What do you give up by playing this ball? Nothing, other than the ability to spin that half-wedge from 40 yards."

22. Robot Test • A robot test conducted at Golf Laboratories in San Diego, suggested that there are some subtle differences between multilayer (Pro V1/V1x), two piece performance (NXT/NXT Tour) and two piece low compression balls. • Driver swung at an average swing speed (90 miles per hour) produced similar distances and spin (revolutions per minute) • 8-iron swung at average speed (78 mph) produced similar distances as well, however it produced more spin in the multilayer and two-piece performance ball. • Half-wedge shot produced significantly more spin in the multilayer ball than the two-piece models.

23. Distance Distance Loft Loft Spin Spin Durability Durability Price Price Pro V1x Pro V1x E E E E E E E E P P Pro V1 Pro V1 E E E E G G E E P P NXT Tour NXT Tour E E E E F F G G F F NXT NXT G G G G F F G G F F DT SoLo DT SoLo G G G G F F G G G G Ratings by Golf Balls 101 E– Excellent; G– Good; F– Fair; P- Poor

24. Selecting the Right Ball • Why do you play golf? • What is your price range • What kind of a player are you • High/low handicap • High, moderate, or low swing speed • How much do you spin the ball

25. Questions?