PING Launches TiSI Tec DRIVER

Aug. 23-Golf innovator PING has achieved a major technological breakthrough in drivers that should help all golfers hit the golf ball longer. Called the TiSI Tec(TM) and cast from Ti 6-4 titanium, the new PING driver offers club head and performance improvements that have been field tested in prototype models with impressive results on the major Tours worldwide.

"The TiSI Tec is definitely the longest driver that we've ever built," said John A. Solheim, PING Chairman & CEO. "It's longer by design."

The PING TiSI Tec driver is also providing significant results in field testing at the company's R&D Test Facility in Phoenix.

The PING Chairman introduced the TiSI Tec driver at the company's national sales meeting today in Phoenix.

TiSI Tec Optimizes Spin, Lift

"The club is hot. We've optimized the spin and lift characteristics of this driver," said Solheim. "The TiSI Tec imparts the correct amount of spin to the golf ball. As a result, players are experiencing a more optimum, boring ball flight and more forward momentum when the ball hits the ground."

The weighting is lower and more forward, nearer the face, on the heel and toe in the PING TiSI Tec driver and this helps reduce spin to optimize distance, according to Solheim.

Another feature of the new TiSI Tec driver is the ease with which golfers can establish and control their ball flight pattern. Golfers will find the club easier to make the ball draw.

PING Introduces Effective Trajectory

A key feature being introduced by PING in its TiSI Tec driver is a new PING concept called "effective trajectory" or ET(TM). ET is the dynamic loft of the TiSI Tec driver, or the "effective loft" at impact with the ball, and as a result, ET will differ slightly from the static loft of the club. An 8.5 TiSI Tec driver has the same launch angle as an 8.5 TiSI driver when tested under controlled, identical conditions, even though the static loft of the TiSI Tec is slightly higher than the TiSI.

The ET of the TiSI Tec driver will be displayed on the sole plate. PING officials remind golfers to be professionally custom-fit for the new TiSI Tec driver for optimum driving results. The ET's in right and left-handed models will be 5.5, 7, 8.5, 10 and 11.5 degrees.

TiSI Tec Features Chem Milled Technology

PING is using an aerospace industry process to produce the TiSI Tec driver called chem milled technology (CMT(TM)), a non-traditional and highly sophisticated process.

The PING chairman said his company has filed a patent application for this technology.

"Chem milled technology, applied during the manufacturing process, permits us to more than double the durability of our driver, and allows us to locate the club head weighting for optimum performance," said Solheim.

TiSI Tec Offers Multi-Functional Hosel

Another key feature of the TiSI Tec driver will be the club head's multi-functional, thermoplastic hosel, a patented device introduced by PING with its highly successful TiSI driver more than three years ago.

Each PING TiSI Tec driver will be manufactured with a pre-set hosel position inside the club head. This custom-fit hosel position will determine each driver's shaft insertion angle. The desired custom-fit hosel position, of which there are eight, will help golfers with any type of swing hit longer, straighter, more accurate drives. Because of the difference in weight distribution in the club heads, the TiSI Tec hosel specifications will be slightly different from those of the TiSI driver.

Driver Shape Transfers More Energy

Because all PING metal woods are engineered with nearly parallel tops and soles, minimal club head distortion occurs at impact, which in turn provides greater transfer of energy.

"We introduced this feature into our metal woods more than three years ago, resulting in increased driving distances," said Solheim.

Patented Variable Face Thickness

Another important feature that helps the TiSI Tec driver achieve greater distances is variable face thickness.

"This patented technology, which the company began working on in the early 1990's, positions more mass in a large, central impact area and less on the face's perimeter to optimize performance. This variation in face thickness creates an efficient energy transfer to the ball for greater distance," said Solheim.

Variable Weighting Control

A small elliptical-shaped weight, measuring 1.25 inches by one-half inch, plays a very important role in the performance of the TiSI Tec driver. The controllable weight is placed directly behind the center of gravity at the back of the club head.

"This back weight is positioned as far from the center of gravity as possible. This helps stabilize the club head during impact," said Solheim, "and it provides resistance to twisting on heel or toe shots for greater accuracy, while also reducing loft changes on shots hit high or low on the club face."

Graphite Shafts Offered in Five Flexes

The TiSI Tec driver will be offered in custom-fit, precision matched graphite shafts, available in five flexes to give golfers the ability to select the proper shafts for their golf game, no matter their skill level.

Called the "350 Series," these high quality graphite shafts are proprietary to PING, and will provide golfers with the optimum in consistency and performance. The five flexes will include an L flex, A flex, R flex, S flex and X flex.

"The overall weight of the shafts is light, which complements the TiSI Tec head design for greater club head speed," said Solheim, "and that also translates to increased distance."

Custom-fit driver lengths will range from 44 to 46 inches. Standard length will be 45 inches.

Tour Players Praise TiSI Tec Driver

PING Tour professionals who have used prototypes of the TiSI Tec driver in competition have this to say about the performance of the club:

BOB MAY: "It's great. It's the complete driver. I'm getting much better trajectory into the wind. The ball reacts better once it gets on the ground. It seems to run out more. And that translates to better distance."

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ: "Playing with the TiSI Tec is like having a golf ball in my hand. I can move it in any direction ... left, right, high, low and any combination thereof. I could not do these things with other drivers. Now, I can play all the shots with the TiSI Tec."

MARK CALCAVECCHIA: "It is a good 25-30 yards longer into the wind. The engineers have done something with the TiSI Tec to make my ball flight more penetrating and lower. I've improved my driving average on Tour this year from 31st to 19th position with the TiSI Tec driver."

RORY SABATTINI: "The TiSI Tec has better feel. It is much improved and stronger. My ball flight is more consistent."

LEE WESTWOOD, no. 9 ranked professional in the world, used the TiSI Tec driver to win the long drive segment of a made-for-television skills challenge at Wentworth, England earlier this year with drives of 318 and 326 yards. His drives were the longest in the competition.

ANGEL CABRERA used the TiSI Tec driver to belt his tee shot 345 yards in the first round of the US Open this year on the PGA Tour hole used to measure drives of all competitors.

Fall Deliveries Planned

Orders for the new TiSI Tec driver are being taken now with deliveries of right and left-handed models scheduled for this fall. Suggested retail price is $550.

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