LEAWOOD, KANSAS (March 22, 2006) – It’s only fitting that in Chicago, The Windy City, Accu-Length was blowing people away at the recent Chicago Golf Show with its revolutionary line of expandable junior golf clubs.
"Our sales were better than anything we ever could have expected," says Rick Rutter, President, COO and Founder of OnTrack Sports, LLC, makers of Accu-Length, the only Expandable Junior Golf Clubs. "People were amazed at the quality of our products, as well as the fact that they can save several hundreds of dollars over the life of the product because the clubs don’t have to continually be replaced as the youngster grows.
"Even more importantly, they see that our clubs grow right along with the child, allowing them to develop the proper swing motion and muscle memory that will stay with them for life. Parents we spoke with totally understood the potential damage caused to a child’s swing by having to constantly adjust for clubs that are ‘shrinking’ on them as they grow 3 inches per year. Comments ranged from ‘brilliant idea’ to ‘how do I purchase stock in your company!?’"
Accu-Length, whose one-of-a-kind spacer system lets a child grow with his or her golf clubs, was led by its new 250cc driver, which is perfect for young golfers either learning the game or wanting to develop their skills. The 11-degree driver has a stainless steel head and a large sweet spot. It’s available in Accu-Length’s top selling lengths for golfers 51 to 59 inches tall and 55 to 62 inches tall and has the same custom fit and expandable shaft technology that’s the trademark of all Accu-Length shafts. The driver comes in both right-hand and left-hand models and is sold separately from Accu-Length’s boxed starter sets.
Those starter sets, one of the cornerstones to Accu-Length’s continued march towards the forefront of the junior golf club market, also enjoyed solid sales at the Chicago Show. So did Accu-Length’s new stainless steel mallet putters and the new Accu-Length Junior Golf Glove. Simply put, anyone seeing Accu-Length’s line of products at the Show lost their winter golfing blues in Chicago.
"I can’t wait to give my child his set of Accu-Length clubs this spring so he can begin playing with me," said a father buying one of the starter sets. "I want him to enjoy the game and enjoy playing with me and this is definitely the right way to go about doing that."
Retailers echoed the parents’ responses.
"Finally, there is a set on the market that keeps up with the growth of a child. Not only do the clubs make sense, the quality is excellent. Kids now have a chance to do well with proper fitting equipment," says Rob Miller, Chicago Tennis and Golf.
The Chicago Golf Show was just another indication of how quickly Accu-Length is continuing to grow. The company, which is just in its second year of existence, has watched sales double over its first year in business, and is trending to exceed all of last year’s sales in the 1st quarter of 2006. "Consumers are looking for our products from coast to coast, and we are trying like heck to make them available in every major city by the end of the year" says John Dougherty, VP of Sales for Accu-Length. We’re now in sold in 5 countries and several more are ordering right now"
"We forecast that sales will continue to go onward and upward," says Rutter. "Why buy junior clubs that are going to provide an average fit – or sock fit — for 1-2 years, when for a few more dollars you can now purchase
custom fit clubs that last around five years and allow kids to learn better and faster on proper fitting equipment?"
Proper fitting and sustained savings aren’t the only reason consumers and retailers are flocking to Accu-Length. The one-of-a-kind spacer system, where spacers made from high-grade aluminum lock into the shaft to allow it to grow with the young golfer, and the quality stainless steel used in the manufacturing of the product, are other key elements in Accu-Length’s products.
"This is real technology — the latest technology — and consumers want it," says Rutter. "It’s something that’s been needed for a long time in the golf industry. We’re proud that we’re the company that’s producing products that youngsters can use to really learn the game of golf and establish it as a lifetime sport.
"At the Chicago Golf Show we heard one youngster exclaim about our products, ‘Wow! These are really cool’," adds Rutter. "We wholeheartedly agree."
Accu-Length will continue to introduce consumers to its products in the upcoming weeks. Accu-Length will be atjust returned from the World Golf Expo in Dallas and the Long Island Golf Show, and will be exhibiting in April at the Haggin Oaks Golf Expo.
Accu-Length was named Best New Equipment Product at the 2005 PGA Merchandise Show. It was also named a Top Holiday Pick in 2005 by Sports Illustrated For Kids magazine. Numerous parenting and golf publications agreed with Sports Illustrated”s assessment and also named Accu-Length a top pick for the Holiday season.
Accu-Length is the only expandable junior golf club on the market. A one-of-a-kind spacer system allows Accu-Length to grow with the junior golfer without any sacrifice to the product’s quality. Accu-Length’s product line is known for its professional quality, with stainless steel heads and filament wound graphite shafts.
Consult your local tournament director for use at USGA sanctioned tournaments. Interested retailers may contact Jeff Sharpe, TOLL FREE, at 1.800.376.0716 and Todd Jennison, TOLL FREE, at 1.866.589.GOLF (4653). For more information on Accu-Length contact Mary Deatrick at 407 332-5212 or visit the company’s web site at www.acculength.com.
Contact:
Mary Deatrick
(407) 332-5212
mdeatrick@cfl.rr.com
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