January 24, 2007
Bridgestone Golf Dispels Industry Myth With New Custom Golf Ball-Fitting System
Bridgestone Educates Consumers That Most Popular Choice Isn't Always Best for Their Game
Covington, Ga. — For a number of years now consumers have reaped the benefits of being custom-fit for golf clubs.
With the ability to dial in shaft choices, grip choices and clubhead lofts and lies, players are maximizing their games
and scoring better as a result. While custom club fitting was a significant improvement to the industry, it is only half
of the equation. Today, Bridgestone is pleased to announce that it will now offer consumers the ability to get custom fit
for their golf balls, as well.
The Bridgestone Golf custom-fitting system – "The Bridgestone Golf Challenge" – is a real playtest for consumers to learn
first-hand how their current golf ball-of-choice stacks up against the Bridgestone offering, through a series of swing analyses.
The Bridgestone Golf Challenge uses a sophisticated computer system named Science Eye, which allows Bridgestone to analyze
each individual's swing in a complimentary 15-minute session. The Science Eye measures clubhead speed, ball speed, launch
angle, backspin, sidespin and total distance of the consumer's current golf ball choice and then compares these same statistics
to the results the consumer receives when using the fitting team's recommended golf ball model. Beta-testing of the ball-fitting
system has documented that 73% of golfers in our sample are not playing the ball best suited for their swing.
National Rollout of "Challenge"
The Bridgestone Golf Challenge is set to launch this spring and will feature five teams of specially trained golf ball fitting
professionals (Northeast, Southeast, Southwest, Mid-West, and West regions). These professionals will visit private and
public golf course venues across the U.S. encouraging consumers to "take the Bridgestone Golf Challenge."
"We believe that when intelligent consumers are presented with facts and all the information, they will choose the proper
golf balls for maximizing their game, not just the most popular," said Dan Murphy, Senior Director of Marketing, Bridgestone
Golf, Inc. "There is a myth among golfers that if you're not playing a certain kind of ball, you're not a serious player.
We hope that ball-fitting dispels this myth and is the first step in changing the dynamic of the golf industry – creating
marketing based on proven science and technology, instead of pure emotion."
The Bridgestone Golf Challenge will kick-off nationwide in April of 2007 and will run through June. For information on how
to schedule a fitting or to track when the Bridgestone Golf Challenge will be available in certain areas, visit www.bridgestonegolf.com.
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Bridgestone Golf, Inc., based in Covington, GA, manufactures and markets premium golf balls, clubs and accessories under
the Bridgestone and Precept brand names. Bridgestone is represented on a world stage by a number of internationally famed
golfers including
Fred Couples, Paula Creamer, Charles Howell III,
Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker.
Bridgestone Golf, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bridgestone Sports Co. Ltd., whose headquarters are in Tokyo.