Monday, April 30, 2018

2018 MOST WANTED MALLET PUTTER

How to Get Your First Gig, Part 1: Finding Your Customer

freelancer getting first clientGetting your first freelance gig can feel like learning to ride a bike: you know what to do, but you just don’t know how it’ll work until you try it.

There’s good news: millions upon millions of freelancers who have come before have done exactly the same thing.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy, but it’s completely doable.

In this article, I’ll teach you how to find your customer so you can land your first freelance gig.

Step 1: Figure out who you want to serve

When you’re getting started, it’s best to think about who you want to serve. As a freelancer or consultant, there are very specific types of businesses that can benefit from your services. Starting with the types of clients you want to serve will help you focus your marketing, offering, and understanding the specific problems you can solve for them.

Now you may be wondering why I’m recommending you choose a customer type; after all, your freelance superpower could be applied to lots of different types of businesses. And you’re right, it could. The only problem is that you can only approach one potential client at a time, so choosing who to serve is a prerequisite for understanding how to reach them.

My recommendation is that you at least narrow down your customer into the following three areas:

  • Industry (i.e. finance, consulting, health care, and so on)
  • Company size (in terms of number of employees)
  • Job title (who at the company will buy from you)

Step 2: Determine what problems you solve

Problems. We all got ‘em. In business, problems are opportunities. If you can solve problems, big challenges, and expensive issues within a business, you’ll get paid handsomely for it. Here’s an example of a problem, stated in the words of a potential client:

“I don’t get enough leads.”

Now that you know the problem, it’s easier to design a solution. Note that there is practically an unlimited number of solutions to any problem—the way you address a problem may be slightly different than how other people would approach it.

The problem goes beyond the product or service your clients need, too. So instead of the above statement, you might hear clients asking something like this instead:

“I don’t have a good website. I need help.”

Okay. But why do they need a good website? And why even have a website in the first place? This line of questioning will likely bring us to answers like “I really need more leads, and my website isn’t doing its job to bring them in.”

Here’s another example: if you’re a graphic designer, you don’t really make logos. Your clients want a logo for a reason other than simply having a logo. Perhaps they want to be seen as bigger and more expensive. Perhaps it’s to reposition their marketing and start selling to a new market segment. But no one is sitting around thinking “a logo is the missing piece. That’ll fix everything!” Instead, a logo is a step toward a larger result your client wants.

Step 3: Find potential clients

You’ve come a long way if you’ve made it here. Once you define your customer and the kind of problem(s) you solve for them, it’s time to find these potential customers.

There are so many ways to find your potential clients that I can’t cover them all here, but I’d break it down into three primary options:

  1. Job posting boards: People looking for freelance or consulting help will seek out networks of service providers to recruit their hired help.
  2. Network: Your colleagues, friends, and family may need the kind of help you offer or know someone who does.
  3. Prospecting: You can go directly to potential clients to offer your services through a traditional sales model where you start conversations with total strangers.

I’ll tackle each of these in order because they’re listed sequentially from easiest to most difficult to land.

Job posting boards

Job posting boards for freelancers and consultants work the same as a traditional job posting board, except the postings are for gigs rather than full-time jobs.

The largest job posting board is called Upwork, and it has a huge variety of freelance gigs posted every single minute. Millions of other freelancers go there daily to find work, so the jobs tend to be low-paying and extremely competitive. Still, it’s a great source of work if you’re not comfortable with selling or marketing yourself when you get started. Alternatives to Upwork include companies like Freelancer and Hubstaff.

If you’re willing to pay a bit to get access to more exclusive leads, you might check out options like LetsWorkshop and Millo. These gigs are curated and sent only to paying members, and they’ll send you a new listing of gigs every day or week, depending on how many gigs they have to offer at any given time. These gigs are much less competitive than job posting boards like Upwork, but you’ll need to be savvier with your sales and marketing to get the attention of a potential client.

Overall, job posting boards are great because you know the people posting jobs are ready to buy now. This is huge. The downside, of course, is that everyone else going after these gigs knows the same thing, so they’re quite competitive and pay less than other alternatives.

Your network

One of the best sources for potential work is your network. Most companies are started on the strength of the founders’ network, so you should tap yours as soon as possible.

In fact, I believe that using your existing network is the fastest way to land more freelance projects because people who know you are likely to also like and trust you. Unlike job posting boards, you don’t know if they’re ready to buy now, but you’ve already won them over in terms of trust and credibility.

Your network should be rich with contacts that you can approach to start a conversation about helping them or someone they know, now or in the future.

Here are a few categories of contacts in your network that may benefit from your help:

  • Past or current co-workers
  • Friends
  • Family
  • LinkedIn connections

Tapping your network means working with people who are willing to pay more than people from job posting boards because they already trust you and there’s little to no competition for the works. The downside is that you’re likely to start conversations when they don’t need your help, so it’s a bit of a longer game.

Prospecting

The last method for getting work is cold prospecting and pitching.

This isn’t most people’s preferred method of getting work for three reasons:

  1. It’s slow, because the people you contact are unlikely to be in a buying cycle at the moment you contact them.
  2. It’s high effort, because you’ll only have conversations with about three or so people out of every hundred you contact.
  3. It comes with rejection because, let’s face it, people are busy.

The upshot of prospecting, though, is that you get to choose who your potential clients and you can build your rapport with them from scratch. Chances are this will be the source of your highest paying gigs.

To prospect, you’ll need a laser focus on your ideal customer type as outlined in the first step. Then you’ll need a way to find them.

Google search is a great way to find people, but my preferred source of prospects is LinkedIn.

If you can spring for it, LinkedIn Sales Navigator ($80/mo) is the fastest and most powerful way to find prospects for your first freelance gig.

You can quickly do a search for people based on particular parameters like:

  • Industry
  • Company size
  • Seniority level
  • Profit/non-profit/government
  • Geographic location
  • Department/job function

This level of granularity isn’t available anywhere else, and gives you control over who you reach out to and why.

Wrapping up and what’s next

Getting started with your freelance gig starts with choosing who you want to serve. Once you do, it’s a matter of taking steps to start conversations as quickly as possible.

Since you have three good options for starting conversations—job posting boards, your network, and prospecting—I recommend you choose one and try it for a month. Take notes along the way so you can figure out what’s working and what’s not, then make adjustments. You can’t execute three strategies simultaneously, though it might be tempting!

If you’re not sure where to start, answer these three questions:

  • How quickly do you need to land your first gig?
    • If the answer is 30 days or less, choose job posting boards
  • How strong is your network?
    • If your network isn’t strong, choose job posting boards or prospecting
  • Can you hold out for higher pay, or do you need as many jobs as possible for income and experience?
    • If you need more income and experience, go to job posting boards
    • If you can hold out for higher pay, try networking or prospecting

In Part 2 of this How to Get Your First Gig series, I’ll detail how to have an effective sales conversations. Here’s a small spoiler: The key is to focus on your client, rather than getting the sale or putting money in your pocket. That might sound strange, but I’ll explain in Part 2. Stay tuned.



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How much does your doctor actually know about nutrition?

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Eat more fresh fruits and vegetables. Cut down on sweets and processed foods. Increase consumption of fish, nuts and legumes. This rudimentary advice has been dished out to the public for decades, yet soaring rates of diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and other chronic illnesses […]

The post How much does your doctor actually know about nutrition? appeared first on News on Heart.org.



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Americans could live up to 14 years longer by doing five things

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Americans don’t live as long as people in most other high-income countries, but modest lifestyle changes could increase their lifespan by as much as 14 years, according to a new study. The study, published Monday in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, examined how lifestyle factors […]

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Friday, April 27, 2018

Pets, the not-so-secret weapon to help patients recover from what ails them

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS When Scott Vande Zande had a serious stroke 15 years ago, his beloved golden retriever Hollie was key to his recovery. “I had to learn to speak again, but there were times I couldn’t talk,” said the Seattle engineer. “I’d come home, and I was […]

The post Pets, the not-so-secret weapon to help patients recover from what ails them appeared first on News on Heart.org.



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(4) Testers Wanted: Ben Hogan Equalizer Wedges

The Ben Hogan Golf Equipment Company is most definitely making the most of the first four months of 2018. So far this year we've seen Hogan sign two PGA Tour players to endorsement contracts, launch two new sets of irons and a new line of wedges.

It sure looks as though the company's next shot has been as pure as a wedge shot struck by the Hawk himself.

And speaking of wedges...

Ben Hogan Equalizer Wedges - std feature copy

TESTERS WANTED:

It was just over a month ago that Hogan announced the new Equalizer wedges. Forged from 1025 carbon steel, the Equalizers feature enhanced V-Sole technology for better turf interaction, a progressively center of mass as the lofts get higher for optimal launch, and aggressive face milling for controllable spin.

The Equalizers have created quite a buzz on social media and in the MyGolfSpy Community Forum since their release. Do they deserve all that buzz? And are they worthy successors to Hogan's original Equalizers? We want you to help us find out.

We're looking for four avid golfers from to test, review, and keep a 3-wedge set of the new Hogan Equalizers.

Ben Hogan Equalizer Wedges - 4

HOW TO APPLY:

As you know, MyGolfSpy takes its product testing very seriously. All of our reader reviews are published in our Community Forum (click here to check them out). We expect a lot from our reviewers – writing a thorough, detailed and honest review is a full two-month commitment, requiring extensive range and on-course work as well as participation in the Forum itself to answer questions and discuss product performance with other golfers.

That means to be a potential reviewer you must be a registered member of the MyGolfSpy Community Forum, where you’ll find thousands of like-minded golfers from all over the world anxious to talk about golf equipment.

To apply to test, review and keep a 3-wedge set of Hogan Equalizer wedges, here's what you have to do:

- First, if you haven't already, please sign up for the MyGolfSpy Community Forum (click here to register).

- Second, apply ONLY in the Official Hogan Equalizer Wedge Review Application thread in the MyGolfSpy Community Forum (click here).

We'll be announcing the testers in the MyGolfSpy Community Forum next, so make sure to check back to see if you've been chosen. Good luck!

Ben Hogan Equalizer Wedges - 1

This review opportunity is open to avid golfers in both the US and Canada.



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Thursday, April 26, 2018

Cobra Releases F8 Volition America Drivers in Support of Folds of Honor Foundation

Cobra has introduced KING F8 and F8+ Volition America drivers. These special edition versions of Cobra’s latest model are available in two patriotic-themed colorways; Blue Camo and Desert Sand.

As you’d expect, the new versions come complete with every bit of Cobra driver technology, including F8’s signature CNC milled face, 360 Aero Technology, MyFly8, and Cobra Connect technology. For more details on that stuff, check out our original F8 story.

Cobra Volition-9

The new colorways are the result of an ongoing partnership between COBRA PUMA Golf and Volition America, and a portion of the proceeds go to the Folds of Honor Foundation.

Volition America is an organization built on a crusade to promote love of country, inspire people’s decisions and celebrate the power of choice. The Volition Golf Collection supports the Folds of Honor Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to providing educational scholarships to spouses and children of America’s fallen and disabled service-members.

f8desertsand

While I’m a big fan of the Blue Camo, ironically enough, my good friend Jeff who’s getting ready to retire from the Navy will likely find the Desert Sand Edition more suitable to his bland palate. The dude is passionate about khaki. Can we get some special edition pants for Jeff, perhaps something with some color? I digress…

The Cobra F8 Volition America drivers come stock with upgraded Fujikura ATMOS Tour Spec shafts (ATMOS Blue in the F8, Black in the F8+). The shafts feature custom graphics Fujikura created to help support Folds of Honor, and I’ve been assured that the shafts are 100% real deal ATMOS TS.

Cobra Volition-2

Retail price for the Cobra F8 and 8+ Volition America Drivers is $499. Both models will be available online and at retail beginning April 27, 2018.

For more information, visit CobraGolf.com.

To see more photos, visit the F8 Volition America Gratuitous Photo Thread in the MyGolfSpy Forum.



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Contest – Win a Custom Evnroll ER3 Tour Putter

To celebrate finishing on top of the 2018 MyGolfSpy Most Wanted Blade test, Evnroll is giving away an all-black ER3 WingBlade Tour.  And by all black, we mean black head, black shaft, black grip and a black head cover. Like we said, all black, and very sexy.

About the ER3

The ER3 gets its DNA from last year’s Most Wanted winner the ER2.  By pushing the heel-toe weight farther out and back, the ER3 is a more stable version of the ER2.

The lucky winner will get the Tour treatment, which includes a personal call with Guerin Rife to get the winner’s detailed specs so the ER3 WingBlade Tour can be dialed-in to perfection.

evenroll-1280-3

How To Enter

To enter, visit Evnroll.com and then use the comment section below to let us know which Evnroll model is your favorite.

If you haven't done so already, you must also subscribe to the MyGolfSpy Newsletter.

One lucky winner will be selected and notified after May 11th, 2018.

This contest is open to MyGolfSpy readers worldwide, but as always, void where prohibited.



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How black cardiologists are combating a heart problem affecting millions

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Doctors and African-American communities are obligated to learn more about heart valve disease and the lifesaving procedures available to treat it, according to a report from the Association of Black Cardiologists. “It is incumbent upon us as health care providers [to] do a better job […]

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Study – The Anatomy of a 3-Putt (Powered by Shot Scope)

We've featured putting statistics collected from golfers just like you before, but today we're taking a fresh look at the anatomy of a 3-putt. Not only are we looking at the rate at which golfers 3-putt, we're going to examine what's been dubbed The Previous Shot Effect. It's a fascinating concept that delves into the psychological impact of a poor first putt and how that influences subsequent attempts.

About the Data

Data for this study was provided by Shot Scope. The Shot Scope database currently contains data from 9 million golf shots collected over more than 250,000 rounds of golf. Shot Scope also tracks swings that don't result in contact, which leads to some interesting stats. For example, did you know that, on average, golfers take 2 practice swings before hitting a real shot?

The Shot Scope performance dashboard provides a hub for golfers to analyze their performance data collected with the Shot Scope V2 GPS watch. The dashboard is laid out in interactive graphs and charts so that golfers can drill down into every aspect of their game. We encourage you to check out a demo of the Shot Scope Performance Dashboard.

Shot Scope V1 has been used on the European Tour and Ladies European Tour, and between V1 and V2 Shot Scopes have been played with in over 49 countries but over 70% of rounds have been played in the US, UK and Germany.

The Anatomy of a 3-Putt

Our first graphic contains two separate charts.

The top half of the chart (below) shows the 3-putt percentage at different handicap levels.

Observations:

  • Scratch golfers 3-putt less frequently than higher handicap golfers. This isn't particularly surprising.
  • Scratch golfers 3-putt 7.8% of the time; higher than we'd expect.
  • The difference in the rate of 3-putts widens as handicaps increase.
  • 25 handicap golfers 3-putt nearly 25% of the time.

It makes one wonder why golfers spend so much time on the range instead of the putting green. Eliminating 3-putts entirely, while no simple task, would shave 4.25 shots of the 25 handicapper’s average score.

DataArticle_MyGolfSpy1

The graph on the bottom portion of the graphic shows the average 2nd putt distance left (distance remaining to hole after the first putt) on holes that result in a 3-putt.

Observations:

  • It's likely that longer 2nd putt distances are due to poor distance control, so it makes sense that the average 2nd putt distance increases with handicap.
  • Shot Scope believes there's a misunderstanding about what constitutes a good lag putt. The data suggests golfers should be happy when they hit their first putt to within 4 or 5 feet of the hole.
  • While not included in the charts, it's worth noting that 83% of all 3-putts have a first putt distance of greater than 32 feet.

The Previous Shot Effect

The following series of charts detail what Shot Scope terms the Previous Shot Effect. It's a really interesting take on how the result of the previous shot impacts the one that follows. To a degree, it examines the psychological reaction to a poor shot and concludes that a bad first effort on the green may lead to a poor mindset that ultimately reduces the likelihood of making the next putt.

0-5 Handicap

DataArticle_MyGolfSpy2

The 0-5 chart (above) serves primarily as a reference. The data suggest that, for better golfers, there's almost no difference in the make percentage following a shot that originated from off the green (an approach shot) and one that originated from on the green (putt).

6-15 Handicap

DataArticle_MyGolfSpy6-15

Observations:

  • Even within a group that contains a majority of above average players, the Previous Shot Effect is pronounced.
  • From within 2 feet, there's a 6 percentage point difference favoring putts that followed approach shots vs putts that followed another putt.
  • At distances of 9-10 feet, the make percentage following a shot that originated on the green is less than half of what it is following a shot that originated from off the green.

16-25 Handicap

DataArticle_MyGolfSpy16-25

Observations:

  • While the make percentages drop at every distance compared to the previous chart, the Previous Shot Effect is relatively consistent with the previous group.
  • This suggests that part of becoming a better player is letting go of bad shots before the effect the next shot.

The Takeaway

The last two graphs highlight the importance of the 1st putt on a green, especially from distance, and how quickly/easily shots can be lost. It also hints at the importance of having a short memory.

It's entirely possible that a bad attitude is contributing to missed putts.

Given how make percentages decrease significantly with distance, whether it’s through practice or putter technology, the Shot Scope data suggests that improving lag putt distance control will ultimately lead to better scores and a lower handicap.



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Wednesday, April 25, 2018

3 Things You Shouldn’t Do to Your Skin

This post first appeared on Beautiful Canadian Laser & Skin Care Clinic.

Prevention is always better than cure. If you want to avoid skin problems, the best thing you can do is refrain from anything that might cause issues. Here are some things you should not do: Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash Using too many products Both dermatologists we spoke to have seen patient after patient […]

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Managing stress at work can help employee well-being, productivity

By AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NEWS Encountering some stress at work is inevitable, especially when big projects and major deadlines loom. Some stress actually can enhance your performance in the short term. But when stress constantly creeps in and leads to unhealthy habits and illness, its impact on employees and employers […]

The post Managing stress at work can help employee well-being, productivity appeared first on News on Heart.org.



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Titleist Releases AVX Golf Ball Nationwide

After 4-months in limited release, the AVX is getting full-blown stocked everywhere Titleist and other fine golf balls are sold.

We covered AVX when it launched (albeit quietly), and biased though my perspective may be, I’d highly recommend you read that original story on the AVX. For those who don’t know what AVX is and are only hungry enough to digest the bullet points, let me give you the brief rundown of what is, in my estimation anyway, mostly boilerplate golf ball stuff from Titleist.

AVX is Titleist’s latest offering in the tour/premium ball space. It’s Titleist’s first modern ball in the category that’s not explicitly part of the Pro V1 family, though as you’ll see, the new model fills a need in the lineup and offers a new fitting option.

Sidebar: Yes, fitting matters for the golf ball as well, and while some of you may not think you’re good enough to tell the difference, I think you’re probably wrong.

Titleist, Golf Balls shoot, Palm Springs, Amateur Golfers, AVX ball, AVX, Ball Marketing

It’s also soft…Titleist’s softest offering in the tour ball category.

A good bit of the ball flight stuff coves from a core that Titleist describes as high speed and low compression (sound familiar?).

The greenside control comes from a proprietary thermoset cast urethane elastomer cover technology called GRN41.

A catenary dimple pattern (feel free to google that) delivers a lower trajectory (relative to Pro V1 and Pro V1x), stable ball flight.

It’s also available in Yellow – also a first for a premium Titleist offering.

You can get all of that for the low (not so low) price of just $47.99.

Ok, so it’s not exactly 3-piece, K-Sig pricing, but obvious lack of graphene aside, it’s not far off from where the 2018 Chrome Soft sits, and that’s notable. While Chrome Soft has unrelenting loyalists, there’s a segment of golfers for whom Chrome Soft represented a value proposition. By raising prices and firming up the feel, Callaway sacrificed some of its competitive advantage for higher margins, and in doing so, may have widened the opening for AVX.

My sense is that while consumers don’t love the new Chrome Soft Price, Titleist couldn’t be more excited about it…at least to the extent that Titleist gets excited.

The AVX Challenge

AVX began as a test case. It brought with it plenty of unknowns, and there was at least some risk that AVX could do more harm than good for Titleist. That said, most of us assumed – and reasonably so - that if things went anything but terrible, Titleist would take AVX mainstream.

You may recall from our original story (which hopefully you just reread) that we had a few questions about how AVX would fit-in alongside Pro V1 and Pro V1x.

Who is the AVX buyer? Is he a guy who would otherwise buy Pro V1 or Pro V1x? If AVX’s greatest accomplishment is cannibalizing Pro V1 sales, I don’t think that’s a win.

What about the competitors? Would AVX help Titleist regain lost market share – some of it to preference-driven products?

And about that…how does a company that’ has worked tirelessly to establish a brand synonymous with performance, succeed with a product where feel is the headline?

If you’re Titleist, how do you sell a product that isn’t a Pro V1, can’t be seen as better than a Pro V1, but also can’t be less than a Pro V1?

It’s fair to say Titleist had similar questions, which is why AVX started in only three states and its why Titleist included survey cards with every dozen and incentivized golfers to fill them out. It’s also why Titleist conducted follow-up surveys to see what golfers thought off the ball after they’d spent some time with AVX.

The reasons why golfers initially purchased AVX are pretty much what you’d expect. It’s a curiosity. A new premium ball from the market leader with an entirely different pitch (it’s soft) – that’s reason enough to give it a try. I’ve spent years trying to avoid playing Titleist balls, and even I’m curious.

Of perhaps greater importance is where those sales were coming from. A significant percentage of buyers – more than would be typical for a new ball release – came from golfers who reported playing other brands. Survey results indicated that a good portion of those golfers would buy again and while survey results aren’t remotely the same thing as sales, and there’s no guarantee that AVX’s sunbelt success will translate to the larger market, there’s at least the suggestion that AVX could help Titleist reach a segment of the market it was missing with its other two premium offerings.

Call it upside potential.

There’s no need to be coy about it, initial results have made Titleist optimistic that AVX can help it reclaim some of what it has lost to Chrome Soft and other challengers.

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Feel vs. Performance

We’ve discussed it before; the golf ball market is trending softer. Chrome Soft, Duo, Project (a), etc.; often these products don’t offer any specific performance advantage over higher compression alternatives, but there are golfers who prioritize feel to such a degree that they’re even willing to take a performance hit in exchange for soft.

When you think you can’t tell the difference anyway, why not play what feels best? I reject the premise, but I understand the logic.

To be sure, there are golfers who will buy AVX for softer feel, and that’s awkward given Titleist performance-centric position, but the company wants you to know that there are legitimate performance reasons to consider AVX.

Titleist believes that the Pro V1 remains the ball that will perform best for the greatest number of golfers. To borrow from shaft parlance, it’s a mid-mid offering in that it offers mid launch and mid spin characteristics relative to Titleist’s other two premium offerings.

The Pro V1x is higher launching, and higher spinning…think of it is the far end of the bell curve.

AVX sits at the near end of the bell curve. While Titleist is quick to emphasize that AVX is not low spin around the green (remember that GRN41 stuff), compared to either of the Pro V1 offerings, it is lower launching and lower spinning through the bag.

Take feel out of the conversation and AVX is a good fit for the golfer who has no problem creating spin and who might actually benefit from bringing ball flight down. The differences between AVX and the Pro V1/Pro V1x are likely most appreciable in middle and long irons where, for the right golfer, the lower spin of the AVX can create more distance while not negatively impacting the ability to hold greens.

There will be golfers who try AVX, love it, and stick with it. Others will decide it’s not for them and move back to one of the Pro V1 models or whatever else they may have been playing.

Effectively what you have is an updated fitting matrix that now includes three premium/tour offerings. The primary fitting differentiator isn’t clubhead speed; it’s launch and spin and the ability to optimize performance for more golfers.

AVX and the #BallWar

Now that Titleist has gone full AVX, I expect Callaway will ramp up the #BallWar it declared shortly after Titleist released its ionomer covered Tour Soft accompanied by an ad claiming it is superior to Callaway’s urethane-covered Chrome Soft. It remains to be seen what the next salvo looks like but given Titleist’s stance that AVX will also significantly outperform Chrome Soft, I expect it won’t be subtle.

Chrome Soft has its loyalists, and it’s unquestionably a good ball, but there’s enough noise among golfers to suggest that for some Chrome Soft consumers, all the graphene in the world can’t offset the extra $5 per dozen Callaway added to the price this year (prior generation balls are still available for less). For its part, while there was thinking that Titleist might price the AVX below $40, the company has decided to maintain a premium price position, and that could limit its appeal.

$40 appears to be where a healthy number of consumers draw the line. It’s at least part of the reason for Callaway’s recent success as well as why direct to consumer brands like Snell are succeeding. Consumers don’t love higher prices (thanks, Captain Obvious), but Titleist prides itself on keeping its average sale price in the premium category above $40/dozen, and it has very little company in that regard. Among its competitors, it’s likely that only TaylorMade can make the same claim.

The challenge for Titleist comes in finding an audience for a tour-level ball that isn’t a Pro V1 and doesn’t get any play on tour. For that to work in any meaningful and sustainable way, it may need to convince more golfers that the ball and ball fitting matter. That’s no easy task when golfers can walk into Costco and pick up two dozen, 3-piece, urethane covered golf balls for less than $25.

The reality is that the ball market has changed significantly in the last couple years, and there’s at least a chance that there may not be a place in it for third premium-priced Titleist ball, even if it is really soft.

The Titleist AVX golf ball is now available in the U.S. Worldwide availability is scheduled for later this year. MAP price is $47.99/dozen.

Have Your Say

Have you tried the Titleist AVX? Let us know what you think.



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