Global Edition

TaylorMade Centre of Excellence opens

7.59am 14th May 2009 - Corporate

TaylorMade-adidas Golf has achieved another milestone on its way to expanding its technological leadership in golf equipment. Based at Golf Club Herzogenaurach in the home town of the adidas Group global headquarters, the TaylorMade Center of Excellence™ opened on Monday in the presence of Sergio Garcia, currently No. 3 in the world golf rankings and Franz Beckenbauer.

Built in just six months, the Center of Excellence™ provides all golfers, whether tour pros, ambitious club players or recreational golfers, with the opportunity to find their optimum equipment, using the very latest in fitting technology.

“We are proud to have Europe’s most modern custom-fitting center for golf clubs and balls here in Herzogenaurach. Through the use of innovative technology, the Center of Excellence will provide golfers with the opportunity to have TaylorMade clubs custom-fitted to their swing and individual requirements, thus ensuring a notable improvement in their game,” commented Herbert Hainer, CEO and chairman of adidas AG.

Ben Sharpe, managing director for TaylorMade-adidas Golf Europe, added, “TaylorMade-adidas Golf has long been at the forefront of technology, developing equipment that has revolutionised the game of golf.’ The Center of Excellence‘ is a clear demonstration of just how hard we strive to be the best performance brand in golf and how through relentless innovation and a determination to provide the best custom fitting offering in the game, we can help golfers, all over the world, play to the best of their ability”.

At the heart of the Center of Excellence™ is the Motion Analysis Technology by TaylorMade (MAT-T) System, an innovative computer system that gathers vital swing data using multiple high-speed cameras and specially designed software. The MAT-T System distils this information to create a three-dimensional computer-animated swing image that is viewable from every angle. Based on the data captured, a multitude of calculations and measurements are executed, enabling the player to be provided with an in-depth set of exact, personal, data-driven recommendations for every club in the bag.

The TrackMan™ System also plays an important role in the Center of Excellence™. This high-tech, computer-driven tool uses Doppler Radar technology to capture and deliver real-time data and graphics, including a 3-D image of the ball’s trajectory. TrackMan™ breaks down the elements of the golfer’s individual shots and reports on launch angle, spin rate, smash factor, initial velocity, carry distance, roll, total distance and even altitude. Widely used by many of TaylorMade-adidas Golf’s Tour Staff professionals, TrackMan™ frequently shows the difference between the perceptions golfers have regarding the quality of their shots and reality.

The MAT-T system and TrackMan™ deliver data, that, combined, is invaluable to the process of “dialing in” the club and ball specifications that will maximise the golfer’s distance and accuracy. Center of Excellence™ guests can choose solely a MAT-T System experience, solely a TrackMan™ experience or both.

TaylorMade experts on-site can immediately go to work building the desired clubs to the exact specifications recommended. The professional tools and materials guarantee perfect execution of the data gathered. Specialised technicians are able to combine heads of varying characteristics and shafts of differing make, flex and kickpoint, in the desired length. United with the multitudes of different launch conditions made possible by TaylorMade’s Flight Control and Movable Weight Technology™, there are innumerable options for putting together a set of clubs.

The Center of Excellence™ is the only custom-fitting center of its kind in Europe, offering the possibility to analyse a golfer’s requirements and produce a complete set of personalised clubs on the same day.

TaylorMade www.taylormadegolf.com

In related news...

GolfBusinessNews.com (GBN) is for the many thousands of people who work in the golf business all around the world.

We cover the full range of topics both on and off the course. We aim to supply essential information both quickly and accurately in a format which is easy to use. We are independent of all special interest groups.

Subscribe

Click here to sign up for our free twice weekly golf industry news summary

View the latest newsletter here