Within less than a year of launching its innovative GEL Groove Putters, the Hong Kong-based golf manufacturer is making its mark at the top of the Asian Tour leaderboards.
In last week’s Hanna Bank Vietnam Masters over the Hanoi Phoenix Golf Resort a record 13 players in the field placed their confidence in a GEL putter and three were rewarded with a top-10 finish.
American Anthony Kang had his third top ten in eight events when he finished nine under par on 279 to clinch fourth spot just three shots behind Thai winner Chapchai Nirat and joint runners-up Chawalit Plaphol, also from Thailand, and England’s Simon Griffiths.
These performances have secured over US$140,000 in prize money for Kang and catapulted him from outside the top 40 in the Asian Order of Merit into 15th position.
David Gleeson, who first started using his GEL putter when he made his Open Championship debut at Carnoustie in July, also made the top ten with a joint ninth slot. Gleeson’s performance secured him a position in the top 60 of the Asian Order of Merit and his Tour card for 2008 whilst the third player to relish a top ten finish was a European Tour regular.
“I am delighted to see that our GEL putters are really making an impact on the results of professionals on the Asian Tour and hope that other players will be encouraged to trial our putters to see for themselves how they reduce skid on the ball, create more topspin and keep the ball rolling more truly,” said Alec Pettigrew, managing director of GEL Golf.
“It is the innovative aluminium, precision-cut horizontal grooves in the GEL putters that produce greater grip with the golf ball at the moment of impact, therefore enhancing a putter’s ability to produce the desired topspin roll on the ball.”
GEL putters are all built from 431 stainless steel with a Black Nickel finish. They all have an aluminium putter face insert, which is softer and more responsive than the stainless steel face inserts of other groove putters. Of the six models (Jade, Emerald, Opal, Diamond, Topaz and Ruby) in the GEL range, two putters come in ladies specifications and three in left-handed specifications.
Tour professionals were also consulted during the design process which resulted in manufacturing the GEL putters with larger, heavier and more balanced heads, to encourage an even smoother and more rhythmical putting stroke.
GEL putters retail at around £100.
GEL putters www.GELGolf.com