SAN DIEGO, Calif. (June 7, 2011) – Nippon Shaft finished runner-up at the Saab Wales Open on Sunday (June 5) at Celtic Manor Resort in Wales.
The 40-year-old Danish pro, who’s ranked No. 37 in the world, used the N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 shafts in his irons and shot 7-under par 277 on rounds of 70-70-66-66-71. He earned 180,000 Euro and now has three top 10 finishes for the season.
“Nippon Shaft is proud that its products proved effective for a veteran European Tour player who has made the cut in 10 of his 11 starts and ranks fifth in the Race to Dubai,” said said Hiroyuki Fukuda, head of sales and marketing for Nippon Shaft.
The player now has a season stroke average of 70.5.
Meanwhile, another player in the field used Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 to make two holes-in-one on the same hole on different days. Both aces were scored at the 194-yard par 3 17th, the first on Thursday with an 8-iron and the second on Sunday with a 7-iron
So far this season, the N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 model has recorded victories on the PGA TOUR (Mayakoba Golf Classic in Puerto Rico, Feb. 27); the LPGA Tour, and the Japanese PGA Tour (Tsuruya Open, April 24).
“Nippon Shaft is committed to manufacturing the world’s best shafts for the world’s elite players, as well as for avid amateurs and casual golfers,” Fukuda said. “We are pleased and excited that the men and women pros who have been using our products have been performing so well.”
The new N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 is the first new shaft to come to market since Nippon Shaft began researching the needs of top PGA touring pros in July 2009. Other MODUS3 models are still in development.
Consumers may purchase the shafts directly from major golf retailers, such as GolfSmith and The GolfWorks.
As always, the shafts are available through Shaftology – Nippon Shaft’s dedicated clubfitter network – and through the custom club departments of top club manufacturers.
A number of PGA touring pros – including former Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup team members – are playing prototype versions of the MODUS3 shafts in PGA and European PGA tournaments this year. The Tour 120 model weighs between 114 and 126 grams and comes in S, X, and Tour X flex options. Other models still in the testing phase weigh as little as 106 grams and as many as 139 grams – but all meet the requirements of top players.
The N.S. PRO MODUS3 series shafts are popular with touring pros because they offer optimal performance in the three key areas:
1. Desired trajectory, which comes as a result of the unique shaft structure;
2. Accurate distances, thanks to the shaft’s unique raw steel material and accompanying heat treatment;
3. Tight dispersion, which comes from the exacting tolerances of the highest quality level.
Nippon Shaft made its reputation in the late 1990s by developing the first high quality lightweight steel shaft. The revolutionary N.S. PRO 950GH became the industry’s first sub-100 gram steel shaft, combining the stability and consistency of heavier shafts with extremely light weight. Soon, Nippon Shaft grew to be the No. 1-selling shaft in Asia, controlling 80 percent of the market, and No. 2 in North America. Along the way, Nippon Shaft recorded more than 100 pro tour victories worldwide and became the dominant shaft on the LPGA Tour.
Nippon Shaft manufactures all of its steel and graphite shafts in a state-of-the-art factory at its headquarters in Yokohama, Japan. The company’s integrated production lines are strictly monitored and controlled with thorough checks conducted responsibly through the entire production process, Fukuda said. As a result, Nippon Shaft is able to control high product quality – from material selection to final testing.
Nippon Shaft has more than 100 professional victories worldwide. Based in Yokohama, Japan, Nippon Shaft is the No. 1-selling steel shaft in Asia, where it controls 80 percent of the golf shaft market. In North America, Nippon Shaft is the No. 2-selling steel shaft and is growing.
Nippon Shaft is a privately-held subsidiary of NHK Spring Co. LTD, a Japanese automobile parts manufacturer. Nippon Shaft’s North American headquarters is in San Diego.
Contact:
Barry Cronin
Cronin Communications, Inc.
847-698-1801 (office)
847-867-3032 (mobile)
bcronin@cronincommunications.com
