(Londonderry, New Hampshire) – Renowned Danish shoemaker ECCO confirms that staff player Fred Couples wore its distinctive, hybrid sport-casual Golf Street Premier shoe en route to capturing the Cap Cana Championship this past weekend at Punta Espada Golf Club in the Dominican Republic.
In winning his third-straight Champions Tour title, Couples showcased the ECCO logo on his headwear and played all three rounds in the trend-setting Golf Street. Designed specifically to be worn both on and off the course, this tremendously versatile shoe features full-grain leather uppers, a sleek PU midsole and pre-molded traction bars which provide players with ideal traction, stability and comfort.
“It was an unbelievable day,” said Couples, who fired a course-record 62 in the final round. “The first six or seven holes, there was an eagle, birdies and putts going in from everywhere.”
The 50-year-old is the first player in Champions Tour history to win three of his first four tournaments, and the eighth to win three straight starts, leaving him one behind the Tour record set by Chi Chi Rodriguez in 1987.
“No one has ever designed a shoe like this and Fred’s win validates its performance at the game’s highest levels,” says Jesper Thuen, Sponsor and Event Manager, ECCO Golf. “Golf Street is unique in that it grips in all conditions and can be worn throughout the day. The response from Tour players, celebrities and discerning consumers has just been phenomenal.”
Taking its cues from modern men’s fashion, Golf Street Premier includes funky color pops and cool metal-rivet accents. The ideal combination of style and function, it comes with synthetic blend wide-flat laces in two different colors for added user customization, including a contrast option for an additional dose of flavor. Like all ECCO golf shoes, Golf Street Premier is made using a proprietary direct-injection process that creates a one-piece construction which won’t break down over time.
In addition to Couples, ECCO golf shoes are worn in competition by scores of international Tour stars, including Aaron Baddeley, Colin Montgomerie, Stuart Appleby, Arjun Atwal, John Bickerton, Bradley Dredge and many others.
Coinciding with the recently introduced 2010 golf collection, ECCO has engaged in a series of major account and customer service initiatives. These include a supporting partnership of the PGA of America Golf Retirement Plus program, a new ECCO Golf Comfort Tech Van, a web-based retailer training module and the brand’s status as an official member of the Association of Golf Merchandisers.
Guaranteeing a level of quality that cannot be matched by any major footwear manufacturer, each ECCO golf shoe is made using a proprietary, direct-injection process. Touched by more than 225 sets of highly-skilled hands during production, each model is a testament to the brand’s unrivalled attention to detail that helps discerning players look, feel and play their best.
All ECCO golf shoes feature a network of built-in technologies to create the ideal platform for the perfect swing. These include a direct-injected, PU-constructed midsole/outsole that:
* Creates a one-piece shoe construction
* Ensures unrivaled durability, flexibility, lightness and weather resistance
* Provides a superior level of cushioning and comfort that does not break down over time, unlike commonly-used materials such as air, rubber and EVA foam
Optimal performance is further guaranteed by:
* Ultra-soft, high-grade leathers with hydrophobic treatments for superb weather-resistance
* Internal stabilizer to reduce torque and create ideal swing stability
* Double-layer insole with cushion that absorbs heel force to reduce stress on the knees, hips and back
* Internal Air-Circulation System to maintain a fresh, dry and cool foot environment
* Dynamic Energy Return System that provides a trampoline effect during foot-strike and follow-through to reduce fatigue and restore energy with each step
* Green-friendly outsole designs featuring molded traction bars combined with Stinger cleats from Champ and the Q-Lok insert system to provide ideal traction and grip
About ECCO
ECCO is a world leading brand with fashionable comfort quality shoes.
Founded in 1963 by Karl Toosbuy, ECCO is the only major shoe manufacturer to own and manage the entire value chain from cow to consumer. ECCO has more than 15,000 employees, direct subsidiaries in Europe, the Far East and North America, and partners worldwide.
Based on ECCO’s many years of tradition in shoemaking, ECCO delivers uncompromising comfort and design and the products are sold in more than 3,800 shops all over the world. In 2008, ECCO sold over 17.5 million pair of shoes and reached a turnover of DKK 5.4 billion. However, ECCO’s aim has never been to be the biggest – but always to be the best.
ECCO USA is based in Londonderry, New Hampshire. For more information: visit www.eccousa.com, 800.886.3226.
Contact:
David Griffith
Buffalo Communications
703.891.3391
dgriffith@buffalocommunications.com
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