Company That Eliminated Spike Marks From Golf Greens & Saved Industry Billions In Maintenance, Now Sets Sights On Ball Marks; Professional Grade Divot Tool Uses Push Technique To Correctly Repair Ball Marks Without Damaging Roots
Brentwood, Tennessee, February 9, 2009 … 15-years ago Softspikes golf cleats were invented, thus eliminating spike marks on golf greens, saving course operators millions of dollars in repairs and improving play for golfers throughout the country. Today, with metal spikes banned at virtually every golf course in the U.S., Softspikes is taking on a new menace to golf greens … the ball mark. PrideSports, maker of Softspikes® cleats, the #1 cleat brand on TOUR, today unveiled the Softspikes Push Tool™, a professional grade divot tool that uses a simple push technique allowing golfers to correctly repair ball marks without damaging roots.
According to industry research, one of the most common complaints at golf clubs nationwide is ball marks and the negative impact they have on the golf green putting surface. Further research has shown that while most golfers do fix ball marks, they unintentionally do it wrong using standard repair tools. In fact, today’s divot tools encourage golfers to stick the prong in the ground and pull up on the turf, which kills the roots under the ball mark, leaving dead grass and brown spots. This process actually extends the healing process of the ball mark, sometimes by weeks, and dramatically impacts a smooth putting surface for golfers. As a result, private, public and resort courses nationwide spend millions of dollars to constantly repair damage from balls marks, which number in the thousands on average golf course greens.
With the innovative Softspikes Push Tool, golfers repair a ball mark by simply “pushing” around the mark, rather than pulling up or digging into the turf. This technique does not damage the roots and allows the mark to heal quicker than ever. Moreover, the ergonomic design of Softspikes Push Tool is user-friendly, fitting comfortably in a golfer’s hand and promoting the push technique using the thumb and fore finger.
“In keeping with the philosophy that made Softspikes successful, we have developed an economical, user-friendly product that can improve play for all golfers, while once again saving the industry millions in course repair,” said Joe Zeller, President, PrideSports. “When Softspikes eliminated spike marks, ball marks became the new enemy, so now we’ve developed a product solution that can once again make golf greens pristine.”
The Softspikes Push Tool is available to consumers in a metal design, with either a polished or satin finish, as well as in a plastic design, offered in black or white models that can be printed with a logo of choice. Individual Softspikes Push Tools have a Suggested Retail Price of $8.99 and are packaged with a FREE Easy-See Ball Marker. The Softspikes Push Tool is also available for retailers in bulk quantities. For more information, visit www.softspikes.com.
About PrideSports
PrideSports was formed in January 2003 following Pride Manufacturing Company’s purchase of Softspikes, Inc., and its sister company Trisport, Ltd. of England. This acquisition essentially formed the world’s premier golf accessories company, as Pride and Softspikes are the world’s leading golf tee and golf cleat lines, respectively. Today, PrideSports is the world leader in the design and manufacture of cleats, spikes and receptacles for the entire golf footwear industry.
Contact:
Glenn Mastro (gmastro@mastrocomm.com)
Stefanie Schiavello (stefanie@mastrocomm.com)
Mastro Communications, Inc @ 732-469-5700
