Open de Andalucia

The Titleist Tour Support Vehicle (TTSV) is back on the road this week for the first time in 2010 as the European Tour rolls into Malaga, Spain for the Open de Andalucia and a number of Titleist players took the opportunity to step right aboard and work on their equipment set-up.

Order of the week was definitely Titleist Vokey Design Wedges. The Vokey wedge is currently the #1 wedge on the European Tour and was certainly in high demand in Andalucia this week with around 40 being assembled on site for a variety of players. One of these players was Finland’s Mikko Ilonen. We told you in last week’s Blog about a change of iron specification for Mikko and the Titleist Ambassador was keen to switch to a new set of Vokeys with the same spec in Andalucia. The wedges were assembled aboard the TTSV and you’ll see evidence of Mikko working with his new wedges in this week’s slideshow.

Click here to view the slideshow

Mikko Ilonen

Model: Vokey Spin Milled C-C Raw Finish
Loft / Bounce: 54.14
Shaft: Dynamic Gold S200
Length: +1/2”
Lie: Std
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Round .580 (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D6
Custom Stamping: FF (Flying Finn)

Model: Vokey Spin Milled TVD C-C Raw Finish
Loft / Grind: 54° M-Grind
Shaft: Dynamic Gold S200
Length: +1/2”
Lie: Std
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Round .580 (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D6
Custom Stamping: FF (Flying Finn)

Model: Vokey Spin Milled TVD C-C Raw Finish
Loft / Grind: 60° M-Grind
Shaft: Dynamic Gold S200
Length: +1/2”
Lie: Std
Grip: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Round .580 (+1/64”)
Swingweight: D6
Custom Stamping: FF (Flying Finn)

Another player pictured in this week’s slide-show in Argentinean Titleist Ambassador Tano Goya. As you can see from the pictures Tano spent some time in Andalucia crushing the driver down the range under the watchful eye of Titleist Tour Technician Phil Dimmock. Tano has been using a 909D2 fitted with the Mitsubishi Diamana Kai Li shaft for some time but, whilst happy with the results, felt that the ball had a tendency to leak right when he winds up and gives it maximum power. Following a Trackman session with Phil, Tano found the new True Temper Project X 7A3 shaft gave him the added stability he was looking with the stiffer tip profile of the shaft coping better when he gave it the full treatment. The new shaft, in combination with a 1° drop in loft to 8.5° gave Tano the ideal flight and he walked off the range a happy man.

Tano Goya

Model: Titleist 909D2
Loft: 8.5°
Shaft: True Temper Project X 7A3 X-Stiff
Length: 45”
Grip: Golf Pride Multi-Compound Black/White (Reversed +1/64”)
Swingweight: D3

A regular visitor to the TTSV is Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal. Pablo really does have a penchant for a nice flatstick and didn’t need a second invitation to step on board the TTSV to check out some of the new Scotty Cameron putters we have available. Pablo couldn’t resist leaving with a new toy having taken a shine to a Del Mar from the California range. Pablo will be testing the putter over the coming weeks and the European Tour better look out if Pablo and his new putter start to gel. Anyone who saw the Alstom Open de France back in 2008 will know what can happen when Pablo’s putter gets hot.

Pablo Larrazabal

Model: Scotty Cameron California Del Mar
Length: 33″
Lie: 71°
Loft: 4°
Grip: Scotty Cameron Cord Black
Weighting: 20g (Heel & Toe)

Final word this week goes to our friends from our Korean Tour Team – Eric Kong and Mike Han. Eric and Mike were welcome visitors to the Open de Andalucia this week and spent the week with the Team seeing how things are done on the European Tour. The set-up for Korean Tour events is a little different from the European Tour as most event venues do not have their own practice facilities meaning the players visit local driving ranges for pre-tournament work. This means that Eric and Mike spend most of their time jumping from one range to the next in order to work with their players. It gets a little hectic for them to say the least!!!

The next event in the European Tour calendar in the BPI Madeira Islands Open and with the event coinciding with the year’s first major championship, the Masters, it will provide a real opportunity for some less established names to make their European Tour breakthrough. As for the Masters itself, we are of course supporting the Titleist Ambassadors making the pilgrimage to the beautiful Augusta National in the coping of capturing one of golf’s most coveted prizes – the green jacket.

1 comment March 26th, 2010

Trophée Hassan II

The European Tour returns to action this week in Morocco for the Trophée Hassan II. The event is making its debut on the European Tour and it also marks the first European Tour event in to be held in Morocco since the last playing of the Moroccan Open in 2002 where Ian Poulter emerged triumphant.

Bathed in sunshine at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, host venue for the Trophée Hassan II.

The Titleist Tour Support Vehicle (TTSV) was not in attendance in Morocco this week but, with events in mainland Europe fast approaching the team have been busy back at Titleist’s European Headquarters getting the TTSV ready for action. No TTSV meant a relatively quiet week on the equipment front with only a handful of players making any changes. With this in mind, this week’s Blog is somewhat abbreviated but rest assured we will be back in full swing next week, TTSV and all, for the Open de Andalucia.

Here is a summary of the equipment news from Morocco:

Kenneth Ferrie – Titleist Ambassador Kenneth Ferrie placed an order for new Vokey Design Spin Milled C-C wedges and a Studio Select Kombi-S putter.

Paul Waring – Another man ordering a new Vokey wedges was Englishman Paul Waring. The Titleist Ambassador opting for a C-C TVD 58° which will be delivered to him in Spain next week.

Mikko Ilonen – Mikko has been working hard in recent weeks with his coach and physio to change his posture. As part of this change Mikko has gone to a slightly longer set-up for his AP2 irons. The Titleist Ambassador has moved to +1/2” throughout the set and this has enabled him to generate more speed through the ball.

Philip Price – Titleist ball loyalist Philip Price made a change to his golf ball this week. The Welshman felt he had lost distance since switching to the new “condition of competition” grooves and has decided to make the switch from the Pro V1x to the higher spinning Pro V1.

Michael Hoey – Michael Hoey also took delivery of a new Vokey wedge this week; a 60.08 C-C. Michael has found himself struggling a little from bunkers and in wet conditions. He decided to add wedge with a slightly higher bounce to his armory to help him improve in this area.

Final word for this week’s Blog goes to Seve Benson. Seve has been out of action in recent weeks having damaged a disc in his back. He has been unable to practice, let alone play so it was good to see Seve back out on the links this week in Morocco. He seems fit and raring for his return to action this week and the team would like to wish him all the best for his comeback.

Titleist Ambassador Seve Benson is back in action this week in Morocco.

Add comment March 19th, 2010