MISTWOOD GOLF CLUB’s booth at the Tinley Park Golf Expo, Mistwood professionals are giving free golf lessons at the show all days. Mistwoodgc.com. THE NEW SM7″S by Bob Vokey coming soon to a pro shop near year. Please visit Titleist.com or Vokey.com. ______________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content, follow Rory to Innisbrook’s North Course, and on Twitter @GogBlogGuy Linkedin and Facebook.

TITLEIST-ACUSHNET has announced new products for 2018.

The new golf ball for 2018 is the Titleist Tour Soft golf ball. It replaces the NXT Tour ball that has been taken off the market. Tour soft is now available in white or high-optic yellow.

Titleist feels that golfers looking for a better feel golf ball, will find the Tour Soft golf ball will deliver what they are looking for. The Tour Soft has the largest core ever engineered into a Titleist Golf Ball, with an ultra thin cover to provide the golfer with a responsive feel, and a fast ball speed for commanding distance, and improvement on one’s short game.

The new dimple pattern designed at Titleist Ball Plant 2 is the 342 cuboctahedron dimple design. Titleist Vice President of Golf Ball Marketing Michael Mahoney feels, the new ball is the longest ball in the category and is a great break through from the Titleist R&D department. The ball is now available in pro shops, and sells for $34.99 per dozen.

Click here to hear our interview with Frederick Waddell Sr. Manager of Golf Ball Product Management, talk about the new Titleist Tour Soft golf ball.

The new Titleist Tour Soft Golf balls, in white and Bright optic Yellow.

Titleist putting guru, Scotty Cameron has created the next generation of his select putters for 2018.

The improvement in the putters come from what is being called a new four-way sole balancing technology. The new line of select putters will hit your local pro shops on March 30th.

The new putter face inlays come from either the 303 stainless steel, or the 6061 aircraft-grade aluminium with stainless steel bodies for superior balance, sound and feel.

THE NEW SCOTTY CAMERON 2018 Select Putters.

This select line now includes seven tour validated modern blade and mid-mallet models. The Select Laguna joins the Scotty classic select Newport, Newport 2, and new Newport 2.5 blade styles.

The Fastback and Squareback are back with a new style mid-mallet offering. Closing out the new additions is the heel shafted mid-mallet Newport 3.

From a SIGHT standpoint. Contours and sight cues were refined to enhance the alignment opportunities and instill confidence. Scotty thinned the topline appearance by giving a slight rounded radius. The SOUND and feel have changed due to a 30 percent more vibration dampening material connecting face inlays with the putter bodies. Professionals and top amateur players will get feedback on distance control and understanding of mishits. SOLE, a new first from Scotty here, as he has introduced a four-way balanced sole design, for a quicker set up and easier alignment at address. The balance point of each 2018 Select putter’s sole has been shifted forward to allow for the weight of the shaft and grip, and their impact at address.

“Everything I have learned from refining and redesigning Newport-Style putters over the last two decades has gone into this 2018 Select line,” Cameron said. “I always try to raise the bar by incorporating new materials, milling and manufacturing techniques. I am at the point with the Select line that now I’m hyper-focused on the finest details. Tour players pick up on details that most people don’t but those details can make a big difference in how a putter performs.”

Scotty Cameron (L) at the PGA Merchandise Show-File Photo

The new Scotty Cameron Select line of putters will be in Titleist authorized pro shops world wide on March 30th. the first 500 putters will be available at $399.00.

Smaller double-milled “cherry dots” on the heel and sole-inspired by Scotty’s familiar three bright red dot theme-with simplified, engraved typography represents this modern refined line of Cameron putters.

The Black and Silver Matador-mid-sized grips are featured to provide a bigger and larger grip, while maintaining a solid and comfortable feel. More information online at Scottycameron.com/2018-select.

ACUSHNET HOLDINGS CORP-ACQUIRES, LINKS & KINGS, designer of handcrafted Leather Golf Products.

Links and Kings a Utah based company known for luxury leather products has been acquired by Acushnet Holdings Corp. Links and King founded by Adam Heindorff a skilled craftsman, and with a passion for golf, has created leather products in both a timeless and modern styles.

Those products include, head covers,belts, travel bags and scorecard holders. The company will continue to operate from it’s location in Alpine Utah, where Heindorff and his team of master craftsmen will continue to hand cut and stitch the product line. Both Links and Kings, and Acushnet Holdings are excited about the new partnership.

More on Titleist gear and new golf balls coming up tomorrow.