Golfest Kuala Lumpur 2007

Golfnick recently spent a few hours during the weekend to visit this once a year affair held in the Kuala Lumpur Golf & Country Club. The 3-day event organized by the club from the 13^th to 15^th April 2007 certainly lived up to its expectations. There were plenty of good bargains and almost every major brand was holding their positions in the driving range bays to explore and show off their newest products. Among the participating brands like Taylormade, Nike, Callaway, Cleveland, PING, ORLIMAR, Srixon and plenty of others were there for Olaf to try their latest products.

Olaf arrived at about 12 midday and although the parking bays were cordoned off, parking is a ease to park outside where the organizers have taxi vehicles to bring you in. Upon entering the exhibition driving range bays, the place was packed.

While making my way through the crowd, Golfnick caught a great view of the demonstration by Medicus Golf Institute, teaching Professional Mr. Justin Tang. He had a small crowd gathering within his area and there he was showing his prowess to the small crowd on how to gain the extra power within your own swing.

Upon introducing myself as a golf blogger, Justin was really now more interested to show his expertise as well as agreeing to allow us some pics taken by Golfnick. I believe this is an added feature for 2007. Golfnick was there in 2006 and there weren’t any teaching pros to show us any tips. Kudos to Justin, remind me to keep in touch with you. I personally felt that your teaching methods were an inspiration to beginners like myself.

I went to another bay where a small crowd had gathered and found myself looking, touching and feeling the latest from Nike Golf. The new Sasquatch 2 or SUMO 2 as you would call them. Now, this new product had been getting a lot of stick from the golfing world recently. There have now asked the purchasers of the product to return its goods when it was recently revealed that the product is a no-go from the USGA. However, the Marketing Manager for Taylormade Mr. Arshad Boucher or Eric as he introduced himself to me, revealed a different aspect to the recent rumor. Whilst it is true that the first batch of product had not passed the USGA test, the now recent batch especially for Asia is a conforming club. Eagerly, Olaf asked to try both versions. Now, please note that Olaf is still using a 420cc POWERSHERE driver from Burrows Golf. And compared to this S2, it looks like a dwarf by comparison. I did the normal warm up routine (two empty swings) and off we go!

After having a small introduction to power swing (by Justin), I loaded up wrist cock and…… I flat topped it. And having something like 200 eyes on you, it can be quite embarrassing. But anyway, after a couple of swings later….. Smack! I heard it and saw it and I couldn’t believe it! The driving range is about 250metres to the fence and my drive had just hit the fence.

Looking rather smug, Olaf turned behind and had some spectators showing some admiration (I would love to think so, anyway). Thinking probably, a lucky hit! I swung and voila, another one and another followed. 5 good hits, all relatively straight and as far as Olaf had ever hit it! And yes, this is the non conforming US version. Eric suggested I try the conforming version and yet again, I couldn’t help but hit drive after drive straight as an arrow (no mean feat for Olaf). It proves how much technology can help. However, I do feel that the non-conforming US version gives a much better confidence booster.

I tried the CGI irons next, a 5-iron. To Olaf, the distance should be about 150metres. But no! Nike had different ideas about it. The first hit and it soar about 150 meters before dipping down. Final landing mark 170meters. Talk about improvement clubs! I stayed and hit about 15 balls before heading down to other bays to try out the other new products. But guys at Nike, I didn’t just do it. I couldn’t believe it.

Next Stop, Callaway. Took me a while to collect myself on how well I had been hitting it but like they say life goes on. The newest offering from Callaway was their FTI square driver. After trying the Nike S2, I was eager to try this out! I was waiting my turn at trying out this beautiful crafted product. Needless to say, my turn arrives and I swung at it like I did about 10 minutes ago. Again, I flatted it and the ball went like say 20 meters. Never to give in, Olaf swung at it again and again but somehow it just didn’t feel right. Luckily, the kind gentleman at the booth decided maybe, I should try a different shaft flex. I did and within a few tries, it flies. I still have it! As a comparison, and I try not to be bias my vote goes to Nike. The FTI whilst more likely perform as good as the S2, I wasn’t really comfortable with all three shaft flexes.

Next stop, PING. Olaf tried the G5 last year and quite impressed with the performance of the club. This year, I wanted to try the Rapture Driver. However, probably after trying two square looking drivers (looks more like a brick connected to a stick) I was rather disappointed with the Rapture. Sorry, guys! It’s definitely me not the club!

I have a always been a fan of Taylormade clubs. So I went back down the bays and YES! TAYLORMADE. I haven’t really heard anything much from them apart from the R7’s. But today, there is a latest offering. The 460 burner. I have never been much of an advocate for the Burner Series. Olaf’s friend owned a much earlier version and I felt that the shaft was handling like a licorice. I always thought it to be a senior golfer’s gift. But I’m already here, so why not. Why not indeed, this is by my records the best of the lot for conventional heads. This driver is a real smitter. It can really smack! Honestly, if anyone out there looking for a new driver this is as good as it gets!

I tried a lot more new products whilst I was there but if I had to give my vote (as a beginner) for the best drivers out there this time round. It would be in this order;

1^st place: NIKE SASQUATCH 2

Tied 1^st: Taylormade Burner 460

2^nd place: Callaway FTI 460 Square (cosmetic for this club is magnificent)

3^rd place: PING Rapture 460 (Sorry, my cat ate the pic for this one)

After about 3 full hours there, I visited the goods clearance area. A really good assortment of bargain priced items. But before leaving, I visited some of the lifestyle booths. And introducing myself, I actually had a very nice conversation with Susan, a senior writer for Golf Malaysia. If you are reading this, glad to have net you and hope to keep in touch! And many thanks to all you guys at the demo bays. Special mention to Stephen from Nike, Eric from Taylormade and Justin from Medicus. Also a word to KLGCC, keep up the good work and expect me back the next time round.

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