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Latest  >  The Grove tees up unique Tour Truck Experience

Jun 21st, 2018, the grove tees up unique tour truck experience, words: golfpunk  .

Permanently on site as part of  The Grove's  extensive practice facilities, the pre-bookable Tour Truck Experience offers amateur golfers the opportunity to feel like a professional for the day, as they enjoy a one-to-one custom fit from a PGA-qualified technician. 

Anna Darnell, Director of Golf and Leisure at The Grove, commented: "We have always had the desire to improve our custom fitting services and take them to the next level, and having our very own Tour Truck gives our customers a very special experience."

The 11-metre long Tour Truck, which has a side-wall that opens out and provides a hitting platform onto The Grove's full-length driving range, features cutting-edge technologies such as TrackMan, as well as hardware support from leading brands including TaylorMade, Titleist and Mizuno.   

Anna added: "Whether customers come for a bespoke club-fitting service, a golf lesson or as part of a corporate event, the Tour Truck will add to our first-class service and facilities to ensure we deliver an outstanding all-round experience, on and off our championship golf course."

Head PGA Professional, Mike Shrieve, will manage the Tour Truck Experience at The Grove, and one of the first VIP visitors was the resort's golf ambassador and European Tour star, David Howell.

David commented: "This is a fabulous new facility for customers of The Grove to fine-tune their games and their equipment choices. For this level of technology and analysis to be accessible in this way creates a memorable and enjoyable experience for all levels of player."

The Tour Truck Experience sits alongside the Kyle Phillips-designed golf course, and the wider resort that offers luxury accommodation in 26 historic Mansion rooms and suites, as well as 189 rooms within the contemporary West Wing, together with an award-winning spa, Sequoia, where guests can indulge in a variety of treatments.

To make a Tour Truck Experience booking enquiry, golfers should initially email:  [email protected] or call: 01923 296129. 

Alternatively, visit: https://www.thegrove.co.uk/golf/golf-tuition/

Issue 3 of GolfPunk digital magazine out now. Read here.

TAGS: The Grove, David Howell, Equipment , Custom Fitting, GB&I, 2018

La reserva’s ‘x factor’ shines through in golf world rankings, sotogrande courses placed 30th in european top 100 ranking.

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Callaway Golf Tour Truck hits the road

Callaway Golf Tour Truck will be touring in April to offer expert custom fitting and same-day club making at a series of special demo days

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UK golfers are being offered a unique insight into life as a tour professional when the Callaway Golf Tour Truck stops off at golf venues across the UK over the coming months.

In the same way a Touring Pro is fitted and his clubs built on the same day, golfers attending these events will have their performance computer analysed by FlightScope - the radar ball-tracking system - and have their clubs made up on the spot by one of Callaway Golf’s European Tour technicians.

The 28-tonne mobile facility normally custom builds clubs for top Callaway Golf Staff Professionals including European Tour stars Oliver Wilson , Alvaro Quiros , Graeme McDowell and Major winners Ernie Els and Michael Campbell . But during April it will be at three UK venues, offering amateur golfers the ultimate Tour Pro experience and same-day club making.

Golfers will also experience the FlightScope system, newly-introduced to the Callaway Demo Day Programme. FlightScope is a 3D golf tracking radar system that follows the clubhead and the ball flight feeding back information by way of a series of screens on a computer. It shows simulated ball flight of all shots hit giving a ranked order of statistics, including carry, speed, trajectory, spin and launch angle.

So not only will golfers be able to experience the incredible new Callaway Golf 2009 product range (including the Tour winning Callaway FT-9 and the Callaway Diablo Driver ) and be treated like a Tour Pro, they will receive information about their golf swing at the same time too.

The 18-metre long Tour Truck has two seven-metre pop-out sections, and is kitted out with every cutting-edge device, to customise iron loft and lie angles, cut shafts to size, put on or change grips, measure swing weights, plus grind and buff clubs.

The Callaway Tour Truck will be visiting the following venues during April. Please call in advance to book your custom fitting appointment :

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April 10th 10am – 5pm April 11th 9am – 4pm Tel : 01932 584340

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April 16th  10am – 5pm 01923 255591

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April 18th  10am – 5pm 01179 701116

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Mark Duncombe - From Tour trucks to creating three successful businesses

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Following a 12-year period flying the world on the Tour trucks for both Mizuno and Callaway, Mark Duncombe is now enjoying success in one of the richest golfing destinations in the UK. His trio of companies - Pro Golf Products Ltd, Gatwick Golf Studio and Custom Golf Works Sunningdale, are a real step away from that of Tour life.

Taking up the game at school, Mark completed his PGA training in 1999, working at the likes of Tilgate Forest for Doug Mclleland and Holtye Golf Club in Sussex. However, it was at the turn of the decade where Mark found his feet as a position at Callaway came about.

“I quickly realised I wasn’t good enough to play full time, but I’d always been a player who enjoyed the performance side of the sport and, at Callaway, I found the technological side of the game which I quickly fell in love with,” explains Mark. “A job came up with Callaway making golf clubs and I quickly progressed into the Tour department.

“That was a huge learning curve. I started to really understand equipment, but the opportunity also gave me vital insight into the commercial side of a big company. It gave me such a huge amount of experience, especially around how I could use that knowledge to improve other people's golf games. It was just fantastic; I was particularly fortunate to look after a lot of players on the European Tour.”

Following his stint at Callaway, which included building clubs for the likes of the late-great Seve Ballesteros, a move to Mizuno was on the horizon. Moving to a company that has been used by many, many Major winners, it was over the eight-year period where Mark’s knowledge around golf and business expanded, traits that he have helped him build his line of golf companies in the Southern Region.

“I worked with some amazing club makers and designers during my time at Mizuno and, at the time, the company were the official workshops for the European Tour,” states Mark. “Suddenly, I’m learning from Barry Willet and Andy Kikidas and working with every player on Tour.

“There's 120+ guys every week who can use the official workshop of the European Tour and it opened my mind to a lot of different equipment and how different processes worked. In terms of the way Mizuno business works, rather than being a limited company, it was a family-owned business and still is to this day.

“Mizuno were focused on long-term growth which is something that I've tried to think about in my business today. I'm not thinking about the profits, I'm thinking about the performance for the players and my relationship with the players. Consequently, I want to keep them as my customers for the rest of their golfing life.

“Something that I learned at Mizuno was, it always comes down to performance over profit, with a long-term goal of helping that player develop their skills and get better at golf. Golf club fitting isn't a onetime thing and I always want to make it very clear to them that this is the start of the process. If we need to make tweaks and adjustments then come and talk to us about that. My goal is always to garner the most beneficial relationship.”

In 2013, after some 12 years on the Tour trucks, Mark set up Pro Golf Products, an online hub that specialised in all manner of equipment, specifically, those products that were perhaps slightly niche.

“Every PGA Professional will tell you that starting your own business is hard,” explains Mark, who went from running a single department to taking responsibility for absolutely everything within his business.

“Fundamentally, I've got business partners, which is super helpful, but you’re responsible for the whole business yourself. What I mean by that is the responsibility is entirely down to you and it's different in terms of working for a big corporate team to now having a small business.

“Once we started Pro Golf Products, we quickly realised that the questions that were coming through were about testing the full niche products. That’s when we knew we needed to create a studio.

“We were based near Gatwick Airport and so we created Gatwick Golf Studio, which quickly became very busy. We started to garner relationships with those on the Tour and a lot of individuals who I've worked with on Tour.”

Seeing an influx of players from the Sunningdale and Wentworth area, a third business was set up, Custom Golf Works Sunningdale: “Like any business it is always evolving and you're always reacting to the market that you're in,” states Mark.

“To me, one big difference between working in a big corporate environment and running a small business was that we could move direction really quickly. Most of our customers were coming from Sunningdale and it made sense for us to go to them.

“We looked at the financial aspect of opening a unit in the Sunningdale area, such as cost of the rental and other overheads etc and, when we opened the doors, like any business, it was quiet at the start, but we put together some excellent posts on social media and, again, over the first six months it got really busy. It’s remained that way ever since.”

Since opening, the studio has seen an array of golfers through the door, with Mark explaining that: “The amateurs are still our main focus.” Over the past three years though, he has worked with some of the world’s elite, including Laurie Canter, Olly Fisher, Colin Montgomerie, and currently, Justin Rose.

“I met Justin when I was working on the Mizuno van many moons ago,” revealed Mark. “Being away from the Tour for the last eight or nine years, I then received a call out of the blue asking if we could take care of his equipment. It was a really nice phone call to take and, I mean, the equipment seems to be helping, which is good news. I find it’s always positive to get feedback when you see him shoot his lowest round on the PGA Tour!”

Along with the elite of English golf, there have also been fittings with England rugby stars Marcus Smith, Henry Slade, Will Greenwood and former England cricketer, James Tremlett, but it’s Mark’s work with the amateurs of the game that keeps his drive going in the sport that he loves.

“If we work with an upcoming junior golfer or a regular amateur and we get a note saying, ‘I'm playing really well, the clubs are helping, I'm hitting it further and I'm performing better’, to me, that's just as important as helping Tour players to play well.

“The thing that drives me is always going to be performance and then working hard to maintain relationships with people, but I always try and go back to overall performance. Have I managed to improve that golfer and have I managed to give him better golf equipment? That's what gives me the most satisfaction.

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Fit to Be Tried: Inside the state-of-the-art putting green on Callaway’s Tour truck

PGA Tour pro Adam Hadwin rolls putts on Odyssey's Tour truck.

Courtesy of Callaway Golf

A putting green be an eye-catching addition to any Tour truck, but many have wondered if it would see enough use or turn into a novelty over time. Even on the Tour’s biggest truck — Callaway’s — space is at a premium.

“We thought it had the potential to be a really cool showpiece as you walk into the truck,” says Joe Toulon, Odyssey Tour rep and son of master putter craftsman Sean Toulon. ( Odyssey is part of the Callaway umbrella.) “It’s the first thing you see once the door opens. The only thing that gave a few of us pause was the logistics of whether we could squeeze a green on the first level. And you certainly don’t want it sitting there unused, collecting dust.”

While some questioned the green’s inclusion, Jacob Davidson, Callaway’s PGA Tour manager, saw the potential to gain an edge on the competition by adding something no other equipment truck currently boasts.

The magic behind Xander Schauffele’s Odyssey O-Works Red putter

“We wanted something that encompassed where we wanted to take our Tour team, which is more of a performance-based team,” said Davidson.

“We want to be the performance partner for our players and for them to come to us, whether they want to look at stats and see where they want to improve, for meetings regarding analytics, course strategy. It’s important that our guys know we can do it all.”

The green is impossible to miss on Callaway’s gleaming truck. Slide open the mirrored door and you’re greeted by a massive red wall, bearing the Odyssey logo, inviting you to try out a myriad of putters situated on the 12-foot-long Astroturf surface. As this scribe found out during a recent visit to the truck, it’s impossible not to roll a few putts when you pop by.

The siren call of the putting green is by design — it gives Odyssey a chance to showcase their latest putters whenever players stop by to chat or get a club regripped. It also acts as the initial jumping-off point for future putter testing and prototype feedback.

“I look at the green sort of like a putter corral in a golf shop,” says Toulon. “Anyone who’s a golfer — once they see putters on a putting green, they’re gonna hit some putts. We’ve seen everyone from players to caddies come on the truck, who might not even be there for something putter specific, and they start picking something up. Even a brief interaction helps get more putters in play.”

The green has also sparked some competition among the players. During the Masters, the first week the new truck was on Tour, a competition broke out to see who could make the most consecutive number of putts on the green.

According to Toulon, Emiliano Grillo established the record that week with “55 or 60” consecutive makes.

Of course, the green is more than just a social spot. Toulon and the rest of Callaway’s Tour team spent countless hours refining the overall look and feel of the green to ensure it was suitable for fittings and head-to-head testing. Several different Astroturf surfaces were tested out before the final version was selected, one that allows the ball to produce a consistent launch and roll. The green currently runs between 9 and 10 on the Stimpmeter most days.

It’s an ideal speed that allows pros to produce a slightly longer stroke that can be easily captured by Quintic’s highspeed camera system. Tracking the putter and ball throughout the impact zone, at 360 to 1080 frames per second, Toulon can determine if a pro’s putter is producing the ideal launch and roll.

How It Works: Odyssey Tri-Hot 5K putters offer premium craftsmanship and max forgiveness

The combination of the indoor green and high-speed camera system has made it possible for Toulon to conduct in-depth fittings and head-to-head putter battles with meaningful data in real time. The end result is a leg up on the competition.

“Having the ability to see what’s going on in real time is huge,” Toulon says. “A pro can see the face angle at impact on the screen and know if it’s a more consistent putter. It’s a big advantage for us and why we’ve seen pros not under contract with us switch after working on the green. It’s one part of the process during testing, but if you get good numbers there, it helps you feel like you’re on the right track when you head outdoors for more testing.”

Tour winner Marc Leishman can attest to the edge. Struggling to consistently square up the face at impact, Leishman worked with Toulon inside the truck on Quintic to find a better option. After testing several different putters, the data determined Odyssey’s TriHot 5K 3 was a better overall option.

“I’ve been putting noticeably better since then,” Leishman said. “What I liked was how I could see what was going on. We’re used to testing a putter and sometimes not knowing if it’s truly better on the practice green. Having the data to back up what I was seeing gave me confidence to switch putters.”

Initially considered a tour truck novelty, Odyssey’s putting green is proving to be a game changer on Tour with real-time data and analysis leading the way.

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Jonathan Wall is GOLF Magazine and GOLF.com’s Managing Editor for Equipment. Prior to joining the staff at the end of 2018, he spent 6 years covering equipment for the PGA Tour. He can be reached at [email protected].

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New Wilson Tour truck for the younger generation

Wilson Golf has modernised its Tour truck to reflect the demands of young players on the Challenge Tour, as well as European Tour stars like Open winners Padraig Harrington and Paul Lawrie, plus new champion Joakim Lagergren.

The truck features a brand-new look in a traditional Wilson red colourway, along with the brand’s historic shield logo appearing prominently on the side, back and even the roof. It houses the latest machinery for club-making and customisation, plus a comfortable interior to give Tour players an area to relax away from the course and practice range.

“We have nine players on the Challenge Tour this season, so the investment in the truck is designed to give these young stars of the future as much support as possible,” said Tour Manager, Phil Bonham. “We also continue to look after our established Tour players on the European Tour, so to have a distinctive new truck that projects the brand’s modern outlook is a real positive,” he added.

Wilson Staff players using the truck include three-time Major Champion and six-time Ryder Cup star Padraig Harrington, who has been associated with Wilson for more than 20 years, one of the longest relationships in the game; Paul Lawrie, the Open Champion at Carnoustie in 1999, who returns to the historic Angus links in July; Englishman Paul Waring, who sits comfortably inside the Top-100 in the Race to Dubai standings; and Swedish sensation Joakim Lagergren, recent winner of the Rocco Forte Sicilian Open using the brand’s FG Tour 100 irons.

The eye-catching truck will be seen at most of the lucrative Rolex Series events on the European Tour, starting with the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this week. After visiting Köln, Germany for the BMW International Open, it will arrive in Ballyliffin GC, Co Donegal for the Irish Open, before heading for two weeks in Scotland – first at Gullane GC for the Scottish Open, then a short trip north for the 147th staging of the Open Championship at Carnoustie.

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COBRA PUMA Golf elevates support of athletes with new Tour Truck

The new cobra puma golf tour truck heads to the dp world tour, challenge tour and ladies european tour. .

COBRA PUMA Golf today marks the start of a new level of support for its athletes, predominantly on the DP World Tour , Challenge Tour and Ladies European Tour, with the launch of a state-of-the-art Tour Truck.

Developed with the help of COBRA PUMA Golf ’s Tour Department, the new truck is fully equipped with all the cutting-edge gear required to service the needs of players competing on the various European Tours.

Related: Cobra AeroJet Driver Review

The new Tour truck features a state of the art work shop, armed with industry leading machinery, to best service the needs of the athletes and their games. 

“The new Tour Truck and the first-class support for our athletes are part of our overall strategy to strengthen our position, increase our visibility and help more golfers to enjoy the game.”

Related: Cobra AeroJet Irons Review

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The welcoming atrium area is decked out to give players and support staff a space to sit and grab a coffee or soft drink while waiting for clubs to be built or adjusted.

The players lounge goes a step further, offering athletes a place to relax away from the course, with all the modern amenities including plush couches, TVs, phone chargers, premium sound system, Wi-Fi, video games, and more. 

This season will continue to be a busy one for COBRA PUMA Golf athletes in Europe with upwards of 18 events being supported across a multitude of Tours and countries.

Debuting in Rome Italy for the Italian Open, the new Tour truck will also travel through Holland, Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and a number of other mainland European venues throughout the season, servicing players at every stop along the way. 

Related: Cobra AeroJet Fairway Wood and Hybrid Review

As COBRA and PUMA celebrate their 50th and 75th anniversaries this year, respectively, this investment is critical for the growth and support of the European golf business unit.

“Our number one priority in sports marketing is to ensure we offer our athletes the best service possible” said Joe Folker, Senior Manager Sports Marketing, COBRA PUMA Golf Europe.

“The new Tour truck and all of the technology it provides means we can continue to ensure our athletes are armed with everything they need to go out and perform at the highest level.” 

For more information about COBRA PUMA Golf athletes, please visit cobragolf.com