High hopes for new Top-Flite®Tour™Ball in 2003

TOP-FLITE, the most widely played golf ball brand in North America and known for offering great products at superior value, has positioned the TOP-FLITE TOUR for 2003, as its first value-priced, three-piece, multi-layer golf ball. Senior PGA Tour Professional, Lee Trevino, who was instrumental in the testing and development of the ball, debuted the TOP-FLITE TOUR golf ball at last year's Battle at Big Horn, televised on ABC.

"Without question, the new TOP-FLITE TOUR golf ball is the best a twenty-dollar bill can buy," said golf great Lee Trevino. "It's providing me with great distance and excellent control. There is no other ball out here like it at this price - just wait and see."

"TOP-FLITE has always made premium performing golf balls that are affordable and of great value to the consumer," stated Mike McAuliffe, director of Top-Flite category for Spalding. "We changed the world with TOP-FLITE (distance), and then again with TOP-FLITE® XL2000® (long and soft), and now we're breaking new ground with the multi-layer TOP-FLITE TOUR."

The TOP-FLITE TOUR's patented multi-layer three-piece construction consists of a soft, sheer resistant Spintack™ cover for shot-stopping control, a 66 compression, high molecular weight energy core for superior Top-Flite distance, a proprietary high-coverage dimple design to increase aerodynamic efficiency for long ball flight, and a firm, ionomer mantle layer for regulation of spin and distance.

TOP-FLITE TOUR is for any golfer who would play a tour product and will compete for Titleist's NXT and HVC, Callaway's CB1, Maxfli's Noodle, and Precept's MC Lady users.

"There is no doubt that this is the best performing ball within the $20 price point ball segment," added McAuliffe. "For more than three months, we focused on developing and testing a ball that provides Top-Flite distance and tour performance. The multi-layer TOP-FLITE TOUR is that ball, and given that 95% of all tour balls are multi-layer, we realized consumers want comparable technology at an affordable price."

Just how significant is a multi-layer golf ball to consumers? In the July 2002 Golf Digest "Special Report: The Best Buy In Golf?," Frank Thomas, Golf Digest's Chief Technical Advisor, noted: "Today's premium balls are typically multi-layer in construction . . . This is the combination that the very best golfers want . . . All golfers can benefit from using this type of construction . . ."

The TOP-FLITE® XL 3000® golf ball line, which includes the SUPER LONG, SUPER STRAIGHT, SUPER FEEL, and SUPER SPIN, will continue to be sold. With the TOP-FLITE TOUR golf ball, players will now benefit from a complete ball offering -- traditional Top-Flite distance that competes on tour and helps take your shot from the tee to tap in.

Also see: golf balls.

Author Notes:

Sharon Madison contributes and publishes news editorial to http://www.1st-in-golf.com. A source of information on golf equipment, golf manufacturers, supplies, tips and more.