ITASCA, IL. – May 3, 2007 – Excel Golf Products, manufacturer of the "Winningest" high performance golf tee with 29 professional tour victories and over 175 Top-10 PGA Tour finishes announced today that the company and Connie DeMattia, PGA Teaching Professional at Cantigny Golf, have agreed to team together in hopes of developing LDA Champion Mike Dobbyn into a PGA Tour Professional.
Dobbyn is the 2004 Long Drive Champion and the 2004 Long Drive Rookie of the Year. In 2006, he reached the RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship finals with a drive of 372 yards. He has earned an exemption to the 2007 WLDC.
The former collegiate baseball and basketball player exhibits golf skills not necessarily associated with LDA Players. His short game and overall course management resemble a Nationwide Tour Player not a long driving talent of the LDA. His aspiration to become a PGA Professional inspired the Business Development Manager of Excel Golf Products, Mike Herron, who arranged for Dobbyn to be evaluated by former Medinah Director of Instruction, DeMattia.
DeMattia, a recipient of the prestigious Golf Digest "Best Teacher in Your State" award has eighteen years of professional golfing experience. Before becoming a PGA Teaching Professional, De Mattia played on the PGA, Nike, and Hooters Tour. His ability to teach from a player’s perspective has earned him the Illinois nomination as the National PGA Teacher of the Year award and the Illinois PGA Teacher of the Year award. His teaching experience includes the Golf Digest Schools, Medinah Country Club, and is presently in his first year with Cantigny Golf.
"Connie has the ability to transform Mike from a long driving champion to a PGA Tour player. He understands what it will take to be a playing professional," sites Herron.
DeMattia, Dobbyn, and Herron agreed that the LDA Champion needed to be formally evaluated before time and money were invested in this venture. The trio traveled to Arizona where the warmer climate was conducive for a formal evaluation. Their trip proved worthy. After days of golf on the long Grayhawk Golf Club, DeMattia was convinced Dobbyn has the ability to become a PGA Professional and agreed to coach and mentor Dobbyn.
"I’m living large, no pun intended. Connie, Mike and the folks at Excel are giving me a chance to live out my dream. How many people can say that? I’m going to work as hard as I can to make this dream a reality. I can’t tell you how much this means to me," states Dobbyn.
Dobbyn will move to Chicago and diligently work with De Mattia for the next six weeks. Initial training and practices will be conducted at the White Pines Golf Dome in Bensenville, IL. Weather permitting the duo will eventually move their efforts to the Cantigny Golf and Tennis Club.
DeMattia’s development plan also includes tournament play on the Butch Harmon Tour where Dobbyn will have an opportunity to play in all thirteen tournaments. The experience will prepare him for Q-School and if he does well, the leading money winner will receive a paid entrance to the PGA Qualifying Tournament.
"Mike is a hard worker. His physique is a testimonial to that. On the LDA you need strength and this guy has spent hours, no, months in the gym preparing for the RE/MAX events. That same drive is present in his golf game. I’m energized being part of this process," states DeMattia.
"Connie and I are so excited about this endeavor. Not only do we get to help a really good guy but the public has never seen such a golfer. He measures in at 6’8 and weighs almost 300 pounds, yet he has amazing grace around the greens. This is going to be fun to watch," states Herron.
Dobbyn joined the Zero Friction Golf Tee Professional Staff in March. He plays the 4-inch Zero Friction Performance Golf Tee in all competitions. He recently transitioned into the new Vibration Dampening Tocare Grips. He wears both respective logos on his golf shirt.
In addition to Dobbyn, The Zero Friction Golf Tee Professional Staff includes PGA Professional Dean Wilson, PGA Professional Ryan Palmer, and LDA Champion Sean "The Beast" Fister.
Zero Friction Performance Golf Tees provide both professional and amateur golfers less resistance between the golf ball and the golf tee for longer, straighter drives. Its reduced spin rate fights dispersion, thereby keeping the ball on line and in the fairway.
Zero Friction Performance Golf Tees are environmentally safe and are made with Biodegradable materials. They are manufactured by Excel Golf Products, Inc. of Itasca, IL, a full-service distributor of wooden golf tees serving the golf industry. For more information, visit the company web site at www.excelgolftee.com or call the company directly at 800-915-5115 or 630-775-9300.
For media information on Excel’s entire line of products, including the Zero Friction Performance Golf Tees please contact Vanessa Price with Read The Greens, at 714 544-6515 or at readthegreens@aol.com. Images can be found and downloaded on the Zero Friction Golf Tee web site at www.zerofrictiontees.com/media.
Contact:
Vanessa Price, READ THE GREENS, 714-544-6515
Danyl Porter, Excel Golf Tee, 630-775-9300 x125
