By Rob Wakeling
Associate Head Coach, Men's Golf
Scott Sullivan, who is Ping's senior player development manager, visited us on Wednesday with all of the latest and greatest demo equipment … the new S55 irons, G25 drivers, G25 fairway woods and hybrids.
He took about an hour with each of our players. We had the TrackMan and the computer out, checking spin, launch angle, ball speed, and all of that stuff. They were all fit with new drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, all new wedges, and he even brought some of the new Scottsdale putters.
The new S55's are the hottest thing right now, so they will be coming in as soon as they are available. But Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith both got a set because they are top-50 in the world. If you are top-50 in the world rankings, you get your sets right away. Corey and Taylor both love them. Those S55's went right into their bag and they'll be using them this weekend at Northwestern. That's pretty cool.
Ping comes every year in the fall, about a week or two after the start of the season. We tell our guys if the new Ping equipment is better than what you have or you need a fresh set of irons, go ahead and put it in.
We are one of only 10 Ping schools across the country, so we have full equipment support from Ping. The equipment is property of Kent State, but the players can use it all through their careers. When they are done, if the still use it, they can then purchase it at a discount.
Ping has been so good to us. The relationship is unbelievable.
I think Scott must have brought 36 different shaft combinations, so our guys were trying every single one, different flexes, different weights. With the computers and TrackMan we have, it's pretty easy for guys like Corey and Taylor to have the trust to take that equipment and put them right into play that week.
When they do put that equipment in play this week at the Windon Memorial, it will be at a new course. It's called the Knollwood Club, and it is in Lake Forest, Ill.
We don't know much about the course except that it hosted some U.S. Amateurs back in the 1950's and 60's. I'm sure it is another great north side of Chicago club. Northwestern always puts on a great event with beautiful courses.
There will be some very good teams there. We have a very nice pairing in the opening rounds with Ohio State, Arkansas and Northwestern.
The Windon is a very comfortable tournament for us because it is an easy flight and we always stay in the same great hotel. But it will be interesting to play a new course. It's a shorter course, from the looks of it, so we are expecting an old-school country club that isn't real long, but is very challenging around the dreams.
In our qualifier this week, Corey, Taylor and Josh Whalen were exempt based on their play last week. Josh, for a true freshman, came out and did a great job in his first tournament when the No. 1 and 4 teams in the country were in the field. He shot 69 in the first round and finished top-20 against a nice field.
For the last two spots, it came down to Kody Fry, Kyle Kmiecik and Jake Troyer on the last day. That three-for-two battle was pretty good. Jake was ahead most of the tournament, so it came down to Kyle or Kody. Kyle and Jake ended up shooting 217. Kody shot 219.
So, the lineup is Corey, Taylor, Josh, Kody and Kyle. Next week we won't have time for a qualifier because we leave right away for Columbus next Friday night. So, the guys who are in the lineup this week control their own destiny for the next tournament.
No comments:
Post a Comment