N.S. Pro Modus 3 Tour 120 helps Dane navigate treacherous Atlanta Athletic Club
SAN DIEGO, CA (August 15, 2011) – Three months after installing Nippon Shaft’s N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 (X flex) steel shafts in his Titleist irons, a 40-year-old Danish pro was the top European on the final leader board Sunday at the PGA Championship, finishing solo third just one stroke out of a playoff.
The European Tour veteran used a final round 4-under par 66 to finish at 7-under par 273 and earned $545,000 and a trip to The Masters next April. For the week, he played the AAC’s difficult – and for many players, disastrous – final four holes in even par.
His outstanding performance on Sunday followed runner-up finishes earlier this summer at the Saab Wales Open and the Open de Espana in which he also used the Nippon Shaft N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 steel shafts in his irons.
“Nippon Shaft is extremely proud that its N.S. PRO MODUS3 Tour 120 shafts were able to play a role in the fine performance of a player who has improved to No. 23 on the Official World Golf Rankings from 44th earlier this season,” said Hiroyuki Fukuda, head of sales and marketing for Nippon Shaft. “We congratulate him and wish him the best for the rest of his season on the European Tour.”
Eight other players in the field at this year’s PGA also played Nippon Shaft steel shafts in their irons.
“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 and meeting the needs of top PGA touring pros in 2009, according to Fukuda. Company representatives traveled regularly with the PGA TOUR, talking with players, allowing them to sample prototypes, and refining the shafts to fit the players’ unique requirements. A number of players used the shafts in competition last season on both the U.S. and European PGA Tours.
This year, for the first time, 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 Yokahama, Japan, Nippon Shaft is the No. 1-selling steel shaft in Asia, where it controls 80 percent of the golf shaft market. Globally, 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, California.
Contact:
Barry Cronin
Cronin Communications, Inc.
847-698-1801 (office)
847-867-3032 (mobile)
bcronin@cronincommunications.com
