Magazine Cites Expandable-Shaft Technology As Key Reason For High Position
LEAWOOD, KANSAS (July 27, 2006) – Accu-Length is listed second among junior golf club products, according to the latest edition of Golf Digest and its famed "Hot List".
And the company couldn’t be happier with its position as it continues its rapid rise to the top of the category.
Accu-Length, which debuted its revolutionary Expandable Junior Golf Clubs at the 2005 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando where it was awarded the show’s Best New Equipment Product, was listed second – out of 16 companies – on Golf Digest’s Hot List of Junior Golf Sets, in the magazine’s August 2006 edition.
The listing was – in terms of being No. 2 – no "rara Avis" occurrence. In beating out the junior products of such long-established companies as La Jolla Club, Nike, Ping, PowerBilt, Cobra, Dunlop, and Cleveland, plus others, Accu-Length proved to the Golf Digest judges that it is the real thing.
Rick Rutter, President, COO and Founder of OnTrack Sports, LLC, makers of Accu-Length, the only Expandable Junior Golf Clubs, knows that’s exactly the case.
"This is a great distinction for us to receive, considering that we are at least several years behind most of these competitors in terms of time in the market," says Rutter. "We are so excited that we were rated this high. Our technology advantage is being noticed more and more every day. We have a small but mighty team here at OnTrack Sports."
Golf Digest’s judges saw that technology advantage loud and clear. In making their assessment on Accu-Length’s spacer technology, which allows the club to grow as the youngster grows, Golf Digest writesâ?¦
"Adjustable-shaft inserts allow clubs to be lengthened as your child ages," the magazine says. "Anybody who thinks this doesn’t matter hasn’t experienced the pants-size difference between a 5-year-old and an 8-year-old." Or for that matter, the difference between one 8 year old and anotherâ?¦ Rutter: "there is such variability in height at the same age, and the annual growth rates from one kid to another just vary incredibly, and that is why Accu-Length is so well received by consumers—Accu-Length takes the guess work out of the purchasing equation for parents and teachers."
According to Golf Digest, the Hot List voting was conducted by editors covering equipment for Golf Digest, Golf World and Golf For Women. Scores are based on the following five criteria: performance/playability; technology/innovation; personal preference; buzz factor; and value.
"This is great news. It shows that we are being noticed on a large scale and we should all be proud of what we are accomplishing with all the hard work," says Rutter. "Like the folks who work at the car-rental company that’s No. 2, we’ll continue to try harderâ?¦and harderâ?¦and harder.
"We just beat out Ping, Nike, Cleveland, Ben Hogan and some other pretty big names at their own game," adds Rutter. "It is very positive and exciting for our little company that we, a virtual David, have been ranked higher than such Goliaths. It adds fuel to the fire of our growth with teaching pros and retailers worldwide that want better fit and the BEST NEW TECHNOLOGY in junior golf."
The hot finish was just another example of the respect Accu-Length has continued to garner this season.
At Golfsmith’s Junior Golf Demo & Event Day on June 3, Accu-Length outsold all other junior golf clubs. Accu-Length also experienced outstanding sales at the Brandon Pro Golf Demo Day in Tampa, the largest West Florida Outdoor Golf Demo Day.
This summer, Accu-Length is the presenting sponsor of the Northern Texas PGA Junior Golf Association’s 2006 NTPGA Ewing Buick Prep Tour. The Tour includes 44 scheduled events and runs through August 10 in the Dallas-Fort Worth marketplace. Accu-Length has also displayed its products during the Green Magazine Golf Tour.
"We’ve had a hot finish on a prestigious Hot List, and hot sales at great consumer events. You couldn’t ask for much more for a company that’s been in existence for less than three years and grew out of the basement," says Rutter. "As I said earlier, being No. 2 is very nice, but it’s not as good as being on top. " Consumers will vote with their pocketbooks and I like our odds of moving on us the ladder."
Accu-Length has rapidly moved to the forefront of the junior golf club market because of its one-of-a-kind spacer system, which enables the club to lengthen and grow as the child grows, thereby eliminating the need to constantly purchase new clubs year in and year out. Over a 5-year period, that equates to a savings of up to $600.
Savings are only one important reason why parents are finding that Accu-Length’s custom fit clubs are the right fit for their youngsters. Accu-Length’s expandable club technology creates consistency in their swings for juniors that has long been so important to adult golfers. This helps junior golfers develop a repeatable swing motion and muscle memory which produces more consistent swings, resulting in straighter shots, longer hits, lower scores and most importantly, a more enjoyable golf experience for kids.
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
mary@deatrickpr.com
