Jon Chapman, a teacher from Cambridge, MA, contacted us recently, saying that he’d like to share a great hole-in-one story. He supplied two versions; a short version that read “You guys keep making great balls at a great price and I’ll keep buying them” and a longer version in which Jon “gives Pinnacle at least some of the credit” for his recent aces. Always happy to receive positive feedback, we naturally posted Jon’s long version below.

Thank you, Jon, and congratulations! We’re thrilled that Dimension is working well for you.

A few years back I decided that one way to improve my game would be to start using the same ball consistently and not just play with the newest looking ball that happened to be in my bag. I’m a teacher (not a lot of disposable income) with a 12 handicap (certainly capable of occasionally hitting balls onto cart paths, into trees, or irretrievably out of bounds) so price was definitely a consideration. I wanted a ball I could hit a long way without having to give up feel on and around the green. I tried a number of the “value” balls, not wanting to pay more than $2 a ball, but also wanting to stay away from the super affordable balls that go like hell off the tee but have the feel of a large piece of gravel.

After playing rounds and putting with several different balls in the $18-24 range it was clear to me that the Pinnacle Exception stood out from the rest. I could hit it a mile and loved the softer feel on my short game shots and off the putter. I played that ball for several years and used it to card my first ace back in 2007 – a well struck 3 iron found the cup from 197 yards on a par 3 I’ve played over 100 times without a birdie. Obviously, a hole in one breeds loyalty and I was disappointed when it looked like you were phasing out the Exception.

The Dimension seemed to have taken over as the “long, soft, and affordable” ball for Pinnacle, so I grabbed a dozen this spring and have had great results. In fact, just last month I used the Dimension to score my second ace – and this one was even more special – I hit a perfect driver and managed to ace a 333 yard par 4 (a 150 foot drop from tee to green and a 10 mph helping wind didn’t hurt). The hole in question is the 8th at Connecticut National Golf Club in Putnam, CT (http://www.ctnationalgolf.com/scoreCard.asp). I was playing from the blues that day.  It was a pure stroke, a slight fade, a couple of lucky bounces, and a slow roll into the cup that I will never forget. 

So, after a grand total of zero holes-in-one over 20 years of golf, I switch to Pinnacle and then lightning strikes twice in three years, and one of those is a double eagle! I’m not in the habit of writing fan letters, but at this point I just had to let you know how much I appreciate being able to play such a quality ball, and not having to pay $46 a dozen for the privilege.

A very appreciative customer,

Jon Chapman

P.S. I was playing again with my dad the week after this and hit a 9 iron right at a pin hidden behind a bunker on a short par 3.  Our match was even and looking to get into his head a little I glanced over at him and smiled, “That’s probably in the hole.”  When we got to the green my Dimension was sitting about a foot short of the cup.  I couldn’t help but express my disappointment that it hadn’t gone in for my second ace in as many weeks.  

My dad’s response: “If you start bitching about kick-in birdies I’m going to stop playing with you.”  

Fairhaven, MA (September 9, 2009) – Building upon its position as the long-standing leader in the distance and performance value golf ball category, Pinnacle introduces its new five-model family, including an exciting new microbrand, the Pinnacle Dimension.

The second-best selling golf ball brand in the marketplace, only behind its Acushnet Company companion Titleist, Pinnacle continues to serve as the top choice for value-conscious golfers who seek distance, quality and performance. In addition to the launch of the new Dimension, Pinnacle has also reanimated its legendary Gold franchise with the introduction of the new Pinnacle Gold Precision and Pinnacle Gold Distance offerings. Pinnacle also continues its support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure®, while providing women golfers two quality offerings under the Ribbon microbrand.

Click below to download hi-res images of all
Pinnacle Fall 2009 Products.

“Pinnacle has been soundly established as the product and quality leader in the value segment for over 25 years,” said George Sine, Vice President Golf Ball Marketing and Strategic Planning, Acushnet Company. “The new and improved product offerings, in concert with reanimated Pinnacle brand positioning and personality will include a new tag line and brand attitude to exceed the distance, performance, quality and value requirements of the recreational golfer segment.”

“The Pinnacle brand strategy will continue to capitalize upon its reputation of providing golfers with distance and performance choices at a great value, as well as separate itself from the escalating price clutter in the market place where performance and quality are being sacrificed by some brands to merely deliver lower price points,” added Sine.

DIMENSION: Designed and engineered for golfers seeking straight flight, soft feel and long distance, the new Pinnacle Dimension’s new soft, thin 3D (3 Dimensional = Distance, Durability and Dispersion) Ionomer cover formulation provides cut-proof durability. New large, soft core technology contributes to soft feel with a high initial velocity and long distance with exceptional greenside control, while a high-coverage 332 Icosahedral dimple design helps provide consistent ball flight and minimize dispersion.

In concert with the new, contemporary personality of the Pinnacle Dimension product, the golf ball features the dynamic jet trail logo nameplate and “Dimension” alignment sidestamp for better putting accuracy. The packaging employs a striking new electric blue and vibrant orange color combination to pronounce its energetic personality, as well as elevate and pronounce its presence and positioning among other value products. The new “Take Your Game to a New Dimension” tagline invites golfers to experience the new level of distance, responsive feel and greenside performance attainable with the Dimension golf ball.

“With the new Pinnacle Dimension, we reinforce our commitment to long distance and superior quality and advance the performance expectations of soft feel and short game control for value conscious recreational golfers and particularly those new to the game or the Pinnacle brand,” said Sine. “The Dimension replaces the prior two-model Pinnacle Platinum Feel and Distance golf ball models to provide a simplified, single offering for competitive value products.

Comprehensive merchandising initiatives will accompany the launch of the new Pinnacle Dimension microbrand, including in-shop collateral featuring the “Take Your Game to a New Dimension” tagline. Trial will be encouraged via 2-ball packs available at the onset of the launch, as well as sustaining 4-ball and 6-ball sidekick offerings throughout the season. The Pinnacle Dimension carries an MSRP of $18 per dozen and $14.99 MAP.

GOLD PRECISION: Complementing Pinnacle’s Dimension introduction is the new and improved Pinnacle Gold Precision, which has been advanced to provide improved accuracy and legendary Pinnacle Gold distance, while delivering soft feel on all shots. Designed for competitive value conscious golfers seeking long, accurate distance with superior quality, the new Pinnacle Gold Precision features a soft responsive Ionomer cover and high speed, soft compression core. A high coverage 392 Icosahedral dimple design provides consistent ball flight with a flatter trajectory for long distance, while a new alignment “Precision” sidestamp promotes better putting accuracy.

GOLD DISTANCE: Consistent with its distance heritage, Pinnacle continues to provide a golf ball product that exceeds those golfer’s expectations whose first priority is to hit the golf ball as long as humanly possible. The new Pinnacle Gold Distance will appeal to value conscious recreational golfers who prioritize long, straight distance. Designed to deliver maximum distance for average and recreational golfers, the new Pinnacle Gold Distance features a low spin, resilient Ionomer cover and a high speed core to provide long, straight distance from tee to green. A 332 Icosahedral dimple design helps provide consistent ball flight from tee to green with a higher trajectory for maximum distance. A new “Distance” alignment sidestamp promotes better putting accuracy.

“Pinnacle Gold players are among the most loyal and enthusiastic golfers in the game, and the new Pinnacle Gold offerings will instill further confidence in the quality and consistency of the brand, as well as provide tangible and noticeable product improvements ,” said Sine. “Gold Precision and Gold Distance represent the best of what Pinnacle Gold consumers have come to expect through the years – quality, long, straight distance, performance and value.”

The new “Distance Yourself” positioning uppercases the game improvement enhancements of Gold Precision and Gold Distance, and invites golfers to distinguish themselves from others in their foursomes by hitting it farther and straighter. Gold Precision and Gold Distance feature an MSRP of $18 per 15-ball pack and $14.99 MAP. They are packaged in a new, smaller, eco-friendly 15-ball pack configuration.

PINNACLE RIBBON: The new Pinnacle Ribbon product is designed to provide value-conscious women golfers with superior distance and soft feel in traditional white and new lavender pearl cover options. A soft Ionomer cover in combination with a soft compression, faster core promotes longer distance, soft feel and improved short game control. A high coverage 392 Icosahedral dimple design helps provide consistent ball flight.

Pinnacle continues to align the Ribbon product offering with its support of the Susan G. Komen Foundation, prioritizing the importance of the awareness icon and the new Ribbon positioning. In addition to the Pinnacle “jet trail logo,” Ribbon nameplate and pink or lavender play number, the golf balls feature the Susan G. Komen for the Cure logo and accompanying ribbon. The new and contemporary packaging will feature a soft white primary color with a pink or lavender flowing ribbon design to clearly differentiate between the two offerings and establish a distinctive impression and shelf presence. The Acushnet Company is a proud member of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Million Dollar Council and is dedicated to increasing breast cancer awareness. The Pinnacle Ribbon carries an MSRP of $18 per 15-ball pack and $14.99 MAP.

The entire line of new Pinnacle product offerings begins shipping to golf shops on October 1, 2009.

“With the Pinnacle brand we strive to provide discernible points of difference and a higher realized value for the golfer,” said Sine. “With our new Pinnacle Dimension, Gold Precision and Gold Distance, and Ribbon introductions, we are committed to exceeding the distance and performance requirements of value conscious recreational golfers of all levels. This is, without a doubt, the strongest, most comprehensive Pinnacle golf ball product line in the brand’s legendary history, with products reaching a wider range of golfers that will improve their distance and performance, as well as enhance their golfing experience.”

For more information, please visit us online at www.pinnaclegolf.com or contact:
Joe Gomes, Director of Communications, Acushnet Company (508.979.3211) or joe.gomes@acushnetgolf.com.

Titleist, FootJoy, Cobra and Pinnacle comprise the major golf brands of the Acushnet Company, an operating company of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE – FO).

Check out the photo gallery below to get a behind-the scenes look for yourself.

Pinnacle Gold FX Long, the Official Golf Ball at the
RE/MAX World Long Drive Championship

Check out a couple photos from the 2008 Exceptional Driver Championship below.

DeMary got bitten by the EDC bug in 2006. Intrigued by the concept of a competition that rewards both power and accuracy, DeMary paid his $20 entry fee and participated in a local qualifier. In his first attempt DeMary hit all five balls as well as his bonus ball in the grid. He won the qualifier with an impressive score of 59 points. However, he didn’t fare as well at the 2006 Championship, where he got bounced in the first round. “It’s easy to post a good score in any one round”, explained DeMary, “but it’s another thing altogether to put up good scores round after round after round.”

Undaunted, DeMary qualified for the Championship again in 2008. He started slowly; his combined Round 1 and Round 2 scores of 31 points placed him in the losers bracket, where he’d have to compete in an extra round. However, a strong score of 42 points in Round 3 got him back on track. He then posted scores of 50, 34 and 73 and 38 points to advance through Rounds 4, 5, 6 and 7, respectively. He was now one of the eight finalists who would advance to Saturday’s match play finals.

In the quarterfinals, DeMary defeated David Dover 38 to 10. Demary’s performance in Round 7 had placed him as the #5 seed. In the semifinals, he would now face the #1 seed, Casey Fowles, who posted 55 points in Round 7. In the semis, with the pressure mounting, Fowles was only able to find the grid twice, scoring 22 points. DeMary’s fourth shot spelled the difference, a 12-pointer that gave him three in the grid, a 34-point total and the victory. In the head-to-head finals, with only two balls remaining, DeMary trailed in his match with Rick Dimick of Eagle Pointe, OR by 14 points. A smooth swing on his fourth attempt resulted in 12 points. A great drive, but not enough to overtake Dimick. He still needed a ball in the grid on his fifth and final ball. DeMary put the same smooth cut swing on his fifth drive and rejoiced immediately after impact. He knew he had caught the ball squarely. A few anxious seconds later, his intuition was confirmed. His drive had come to rest on the right side of the grid, over 300 yards downrange, for a score of 11 points. He had won the EDC Championship by a score of 35 to 28. We recently caught up with Dalen and asked him a few questions:

PINNACLE: Congratulations on your big win, Dalen. Has your accomplishment sunk in yet?

DALEN: It’s starting to, but I really haven’t come off the high yet.

PINNACLE: Tell us about the competition. What was your strategy?

DALEN: Well, I usually favor a draw when I play, but in EDC I played a high cut. I sacrificed a little distance, but with the high fade I knew the ball was going to hit the grid and hold. There were quite a few players who played a low running shot. More times than not I’d see them land in the grid and roll off. Zero points. It’s hard enough to fly the ball on line without worrying about funny bounces, too. So I definitely think my strategy paid off. It took a big variable out of the equation.

PINNACLE: So is accuracy more important than distance at EDC?

DALEN: No, I’d still say distance is key. If you look at the scores throughout the Championship, players are probably only averaging 3 balls in the grid out of 5 per round. So when you do hit the grid, you have to make sure you’re getting rewarded with high point totals. Three balls in at 11 or 12 points each is a lot easier than four balls in at 7 or 8 points each. Forty yards sounds like a wide landing area, but it really looks tiny when you’re 300 yards out. You know you’re going to miss the grid occasionally, so you have to make your good drives count.

PINNACLE: You had lots of 11 and 12 point shots throughout the competition. What kind of distance does that equate to?

DALEN: If you’re right down the middle and get the bonus point for landing in the 20-yard-wide Exceptional Zone, a drive between 290 and 300 yards will earn you 11 points. If you’re on either the left or right side of the grid, you have to hit it 300 to 310 yards for an 11-pointer.

PINNACLE: Is that a typical distance for you? Do you swing comfortably to hit it that far?

DALEN: Yeah, like I said before, I usually play a draw and I’ll typically drive it between 320 and 330 yards in an everyday round of golf. The ball also flies well in Mesquite, so I was able to put a smooth swing on it and get right in that 300 yard range with a slight cut.

PINNACLE: Were you ever tempted to hit it as hard as you could?

DALEN: I was only going to try to kill it if I found myself way behind and if I needed to do something special. The way it worked out, I was never really in big trouble, so I could focus on tempo and stick with the same comfortable swing every time.

PINNACLE: You’re a plus-1.1 handicap. What kind of advantage has your distance given you in attaining your level of play?

DALEN: I’d say it’s a big advantage. As long as I stay reasonably straight, I’m able to hit wedges into virtually every par-4 I come across. You can score a lot better hitting wedge or sand wedge into greens than you can hitting 7 or 8 irons.

PINNACLE: Did you use any special equipment for the EDC?

DALEN: No. I’ve used the same Titleist 905R driver for several years now. It’s been extremely reliable.

PINNACLE: What other equipment do you play?

DALEN: I’ve always been a Titleist guy. I play a set of 690 MB irons and I use a Scotty Cameron putter. And I play a Titleist Pro V1 ball. I have to say, though, it was fun to drive Pinnacle Platinums all week at EDC.

PINNACLE: How has this win impacted your life? Do you have any immediate plans?

DALEN: Yes, actually. The $100,000 is huge. I’m going to invest a lot of it in myself, in my game. I want to take a shot at a playing career. I plan on playing in 5-10 Golden State Tour events next year and I’ll also take a shot at some Monday qualifiers on the west coast – the Nissan, Tuscon, FBR. I’ll try to qualify for the U.S. Open, too. And I hope the notoriety of winning EDC might open some doors, too.

We hope so, too, Dalen. Congratulations from all your friends at Pinnacle! We wish you the best of luck in reaching your goals!

Dalen was also featured as Long Drivers of America’s LDA Player of the Month. Check out Long Drivers’ interview with Dalen by clicking the link below:

http://www.longdrivers.com/ldaplayer.php?id=25

And if you missed The Golf Channel’s original airing of the Exceptional Driver Championship, TGC will be re-airing their broadcast, featuring Dalen, on November 11, 2008 at 10 AM EST as well as on December 4, 2008 at 2:30 PM EST. Click below for more details:

http://www.thegolfchannel.com/core.aspx?page=26000&select2=10347

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The Golf Channel recently aired some great footage from the Pinnacle Distance Team’s recent appearance at the Deutsche Bank Championship. Check out the coverage below:

Tuesdays on Tour at the Deutsche Bank

Watch the Exceptional Driver Championship Thursday at 10pm ET on Golf Channel

EDC Television Schedule

August 28, 2008         10 PM EST PREMIERE!
September 1, 2008      3 PM EST
September 2, 2008      9 AM EST
September 29, 2008     6 PM EST
November 11, 2008      10 AM EST
December 4, 2008         2:30 PM EST

http://www.longdrivers.com/edc_cw_proam.php

Titleist Sales Representative Bobby Andrews has advanced to the Friday rounds. Bobby will be checking in to give us a competitor’s-eye view of the Finals, so be sure to check back soon!

 Bobby’s Notebook:

Friday, June 13th, 11 A.M. – Well, I cleared another hurdle.  I entered this morning’s elimination rounds as one of 50 remaining contestants and posted 48 points for the two rounds of 5 balls, good enough for first place in the group.  Two of us now advance to the afternoon rounds, where the field will be cut the the final 8.  The televised 8! 

So far I feel pretty confident.  My swing is holding up and I’m hitting the grid with regularity.  I know that anything can happen out there, though.  One of my fellow competitors had a pretty impressive 39 points in his first round, but he couldn’t hit the grid once in the second round.  Zero points, and it prevented him from moving on.  It’s tough, so I know I’ll have to be sharp this afternoon.  

Friday, June 13th, 11 P.M. – You always hear that it’s a game of inches.  Not that you need it, but I’m walking proof.  I made it this afternoon’s rounds as one of twenty competitors.  If I could score well enough to get in the top eight I’d move on to the final televised matches tomorrow.  After two rounds I finished tied for the eighth spot.  Playoff. 

I was pleased with how I was hitting it and pleased with how I was handling the pressure.  In the playoff I had a great rhythm going — bang, bang , bang in the grid.  I just knew that I had put all five balls in the grid so I reached for that all-important sixth bonus ball.  An official held me up, listening to the crew out on the grid.  My third ball had roll a yard outside the grid on the right side.  And that was the difference between the final 8 and going home.  Missed it by that much!

What a great experience, though.  I had a lot of fun and learned a little bit about myslef in the process.  LDA and Pinnacle - all the sponsors staged a first-class event.  I hope to compete again.  36 inches away is just irritatingly close enough that I need another shot.  Thanks for the support out there!

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Wednesday, June 11th — A quick preface on the format for the Exceptional Driver Championship:  In the EDC the 140-man field is broken into two groups of 70.  From each group of 70, 7 sub-groups of 10 players are formed.  So I started the day hitting with nine other guys.  The competition begins with two rounds of hitting 5 balls (plus 1 bonus ball if you hit all 5 balls in the grid).  The combined points from Rounds 1 and 2 are added up and the top three drivers from each sub-group of 10 advance to the next stage of competition on Friday.  The remaining 7 players go into the “losers bracket” and have to compete in two more rounds (Rounds 3 and 4) to try to advance to Friday. 

What an intense day!  I knew from local qualifying for the Exceptional Driver Championship that the pressure can really build in this format, but here at the finals you really feel like every ball is crucial.  You have to put points up with every shot possible and you can’t do that if you miss the grid.  As you advance and the competition gets stronger and stronger the bonus ball becomes the key to winning and losing.  I qualified for Mesquite by relying on my bread and butter, a little cut shot.  I can hit it farther with a straight ball or slight draw, but the cut is very dependable for me.  And it was working perfectly in the Round 1 – I hit 5 out of 5 balls in the grid.  I missed the grid with the 6th bonus ball, unfortunately, but I was still sitting pretty.

For some reason, I started to press a bit in Round 2.  I strayed from my cut shot in an effort to get a little more distance and paid the price, missing the grid several times to the left.  I got only 2 out of 5 in the grid.  When the combined points were added up I sat in fourth place.  Had I stuck with that cut shot I probably would have made it in the top 3, coasted into Friday qualifying and had a nice relaxing afternoon for myself.  As it turned out, though, I had to wait it out a few long hours for the next round.

I went back to basics in Round 3 and drove four out five balls in the grid.  The cut was working fine and I got back into a good groove again.  More of the same in Round 4 and I made it.  I was one of two in our losers bracket group of 7 to advance to Friday’s Rounds.  Now that I can breathe again, I think going into the losers bracket may have been a positive for me.  I think the extra rounds of competition have gotten me used to the pressure and helped me feel comfortable with the competition surroundings.

I hit a lot of balls today, warming up, trying to build a comfortable rhythm and routine, testing how hard I could go at without sacrficing accuracy.  Add to that the mental toll that the pressure takes and you have a pretty draining day.  I’m going to head back the hotel, have a good meal and get a solid night of sleep.  It was great to advance through the first day, though.  I’m looking forward to getting back out there on Friday morning.  Wish me  luck!  Hopefully I’ll have some more good news when I check back in.

–Bobby Andrews

(FROM ART SELLINGER)
Brian Pavlet and I kicked off the Pinnacle Tuesdays on Tour promotion on February 26th at The Honda Classic. I have been looking forward to the day since we put the event together at the end of last year.

Be sure to check out the photo gallery below.

The set-up on the range at PGA National was great. There was a nice buzz
with all the attendees taking a few swings at our Pavillion driving cage set-up.
All visitors were treated to samples of the new Platinum Feel and Distance balls.
Big hitters walked away with a dozen, all in all more than 500 fans had some
new ammo for their next round of golf.

Well the day progressed and it was nice visiting with several of the tour
players. I was glad to run into Jerry Kelly who was on that amazing trip to
Iraq last year with Brian Pavlet and me. The connection we all had from
that journey will last a lifetime. All the pros were very receptive to us
being at the Classic – we make no claims to play their game. They know we are
going to hit it hard and have fun with the kids that attend the clinic.

The clinic began after the regular afternoon thunder shower. Unfortunately,
the rain took some crowd from us, but a large group from the First Tee program
still attended.  I always enjoy entertaining young people and these kids were so
appreciative of the shots Brian and I were hitting.

After an hour of hitting our job was done. We signed the last Pinnacle golf
balls for the kids, took a group photo and we were off to the airport.

I look forward to a great year of “Tuesday’s on Tour” with Pinnacle. Next
stop for us is my home town of Dallas and the EDS Byron Nelson Classic. I
have been associated with the junior clinic there for more than 10 years and it
should be a wonderful event. I’ll keep you posted!

Thanks for your support. We look forward to hearing from you!