Hey, Team Titleist.
Paul Schubring, Titleist’s sales representative in the San Francisco area, shared a great story that we'd like to pass along. Paul learned that one of our PGA staff members made Titleist history recently.
Andrew Black is the Head Golf Professional at Burlingame Country Club. Situated about 15 minutes south of San Francisco airport, Burlingame was founded in 1893 and is the oldest still-operating club west of the Mississippi.
Earlier this month, Andrew took a group of Burlingame members on a golf trip to sample some great regional golf around the country. They hope this trip will become an annual tradition and for the inaugural edition, they flew to Wisconsin. They started at Milwaukee Country Club, then played Erin Hills, and wrapped the trip up at Sand Valley, where they played Mammoth Dunes in the morning and Sand Valley in the afternoon.
On August 10th, it was on the back-9 at Sand Valley where a great golf trip turned into an unforgettable one. Andrew was playing in the second of three Burlingame groups that teed off that afternoon. The group ahead had just cleared the green at No. 14, a 158-yard par-3. Andrew pegged his Pro V1 as his caddie leaned in with advice. As Andrew told us:
“My caddie said, ‘Hit something 150’ - because the hole location was front left, and he said, ‘We just need to carry it to the front edge of the green and it'll roll out a little bit.’ I asked him, ‘Is 155 okay?’. I had recently been fitted for the new T100 irons and I knew that 155 was a stock 7-iron for me.
He was like, ‘Yeah. Just don’t fly it 160.’ There was a little breeze into us, so I was confident that I could hit my number.
I went through my routine and made a good swing. My ball started a little right of the hole, with a tiny draw and landed right where it needed to, I guess. It just covered the front edge of the green, a couple paces short and left of the hole. Then it just took the little slope there and rolled right in. Just like my caddie drew it up.
The guys on 13 all rushed over and the guys in the group ahead on 15 could hear the commotion so they started cheering in the distance. It was pretty special. Pretty awesome for my first hole-in-one. I was so glad that it happened on a hole where we could see the cup and actually see it roll in. I was happy, too, that it happened on a good shot, you know? I couldn't have hit it better. It was pure.”
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Andrew’s first-ever ace was also the first-ever hole-in-one recorded with a new Titleist T100 iron. Andrew had been fit in early July at Olympic Club and he shared some insights into the new irons and his fitting:
“Since high school (I turn 34 this fall), I’ve played Titleist CBs, starting with 690CBs, all the way through until the last version of the AP2, the 718s, which I got fitted into because I needed a little bit more spin. And then the T100s came out, and I got fitted for those by (Titleist Product Specialist) Chris Bainjo.
The look and the feel, it's fantastic. At address, the look is very similar to the AP2 but a little cleaner, a bit closer to the CB topline that I always loved. And then, the turf interaction, the sole is a little smaller on the T100, so it kind of gets through the turf a little better. I definitely get that, I felt that sensation, which is a good thing. For all golfers, regardless of ability, the clubs we're playing have to look good to your eye, and it has to feel good. These irons give me what I need for my golf game to play my best golf.
In my irons fitting, I would say in conjunction with getting a consistent flight, the most important factor for me is stopping power on the greens. The T100s checked those boxes right away. Probably the biggest thing about my fitting though, is that this is the first time that anyone has ever recommended me going two degrees flat for my lie angle.
I've got long arms. My wingspan is about three inches longer than it should be for my height, and fitters in the past had recommended me going a little shorter or just choking down, but Chris experimented with a flatter lie and it made total sense. I could release the club and not have to worry about the ball going left. Which is huge, because then you're not holding the face off to keep the ball flight straight. Definitely a straighter ball flight and tighter dispersion, for sure.
I feel like my last two fittings were the best two I have ever had. My previous fitting was for the TS line of metals when those came out last summer. And now with my T100 fitting - I don't know, things just seemed to click a little bit and, you know, I’m just totally confident.”
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As a PGA professional, performance fitting is a big part of the service that Andrew provides to his members. He shared his thoughts on the importance of proper club fitting:
“It's critical. I tell members all the time that you need the right arrows in your quiver. Yes, a lot of it is your golf swing, but if you don't have the right clubs for you, then you're going to be trying to manipulate what that club does. It's our job to help you with equipment, and get you those right tools. When you play clubs that fit your game, you get the right results when you make a good swing. A good, natural swing.”
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A lot of golfers who share their stories on our Hole-In-One blog talk about their post-round celebrations, so we asked Andrew how he capped off his day:
“After the round we had 8:00 PM reservations at Aldo's Restaurant, there in the main clubhouse at Sand Valley. Before heading up to our rooms to shower and change, I spoke with the general manager and we arranged that I would buy the first round of cocktails at dinner. So once we were seated, our waitress brought everyone an Old Fashioned. I made a little toast and said thank you. It was a nice moment. And probably the most rewarding Old Fashioned I've ever had.
But maybe the most special thing happened just before I got to dinner. So, I'm walking back to the main club house from my room and it's 7:50 PM, 7:55 PM, and as soon as I walk into the bar, I get this standing ovation from like, 100 people. I guess a couple of my members had gone around to everyone in the bar and told them that their pro had a hole-in-one on the Sand Valley Golf Course.
And they applauded for like, a minute or two. It was unbelievable."
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Thanks for sharing your great story with us, Andrew, and congratulations! We hope there are many more great shots in your future with the new T100 irons, which will be available in golf shops worldwide beginning Aug. 30!
T-Series Iron fittings are available now. Click here to schedule your appointment.
And if you've recently had a Hole-In-One, please share your story on our Hole-In-One blog.