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The story of the brand new Penfold Ace golf balls is definitely two tales.
The story of the golf ball itself is fascinating in a “retro-brand-bringing-back-a-classic-name” kinda approach.
However the story of how that ball got here to be, and the trail Penfold needed to take to make it a actuality, is a bit more fascinating.
Let’s discuss concerning the ball first.
Penfold Ace Golf Balls
We’ve given you the big-picture scoop on Penfold earlier than so right here’s the quick model. Penfold is a long-forgotten British golf ball model that at one time may lay declare to creating a few of the finest balls in golf. Founder Albert Penfold, whereas working in R&D for Dunlop a century in the past, developed the very first golf ball to hold the identify Maxfli. He began his eponymous firm in 1927 and instantly started making a reputation for himself on either side of the Atlantic.
Penfold was killed in 1941 when his cargo ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat. The corporate soldiered on, led by Penfold’s son Dick. He finally bought to Colgate-Palmolive in 1973. A collection of possession adjustments later and Penfold pale into obscurity. The corporate was revived within the U.S. just a few years in the past as a retro-lifestyle model, offering distinctive attire, gloves (together with MyGolfSpy’s Best Direct-to-Consumer glove in 2022) and equipment together with golf balls.
The unique Penfold Ace golf balls date again to the early Sixties and had been performed by the likes of Gary Participant and Lee Trevino. Seve, in reality, gained his first professional occasion within the UK with a Penfold Ace.
This new Penfold Ace gained’t essentially carry again the glory of days passed by however it’s a good high quality, four-piece urethane ball. And in case you’re the kind who likes to recreation one thing distinctive, it’s one thing you’ll undoubtedly take pleasure in enjoying.
Reality and Figures
As talked about, the Penfold Ace is a four-piece ball with a 332-dimple, injection-molded urethane cowl. So far as urethane balls go, it’s on the softer facet of agency, coming in at a compression of 80. Its finest comp for launch and spin traits would seemingly be the Bridgestone Tour B RX.
Every sleeve of balls is labeled with a enjoying card swimsuit so that you’ll be enjoying both an Ace of hearts, golf equipment, diamonds or spades.
In case you’re on the lookout for the newest, best and most revolutionary ball going, it’s not the Penfold Ace. It’s, in reality, an off-she-shelf open-model ball that Penfold is sourcing from Launch Applied sciences in Taiwan.
“That is an OEM ball,” says Penfold co-owner Gavin Perrett. “We haven’t gone down the highway of designing our personal golf balls. We did produce other samples from different producers however we went with Launch Tech as a result of it was a greater golf ball, though it value us more cash.”
The brand new Penfold Ace golf balls will run you $40 per dozen. Once you examine it straight up in opposition to the brand new PXG Xtreme, Vice or Maxfli, you’d in all probability assume there’s a joker within the deck someplace. However Perrett says your entire Penfold aura isn’t about competing within the golf ball arms race. It’s actually extra about one thing nostalgic that you simply’ll take pleasure in enjoying.
“Have enjoyable with it however know you’re getting a high quality product,” he says. “We’re not aiming for a budget and nasty. With the Penfold identify comes high quality. You’re not shopping for a bit of crap. You’re shopping for high quality and you may have some enjoyable whereas enjoying it.”
Penfold Ace Golf Balls: The Nassau Connection
The story of how the Penfold Ace got here to be is probably extra fascinating than the ball itself. Penfold was certainly one of a number of small, direct-to-consumer corporations that had been unceremoniously jettisoned when TaylorMade purchased out the Nassau golf ball manufacturing unit in South Korea.
As MyGolfSpy first reported a little over a year ago, TaylorMade determined its new facility would produce solely TaylorMade-branded merchandise. That call caught Penfold, and others, off-guard.
“They simply minimize free anybody and everybody,” says Perrett. “We had a relationship with Nassau for 30 years.”
Perrett says he spent weeks making an attempt to get in contact with Nassau about upcoming orders with no response. He lastly needed to hound the manufacturing unit supervisor to search out out what was occurring.
“They don’t even have the decency to succeed in out and clarify the state of affairs to clients of Nassau, to say, ‘That is the state of affairs and I’m sorry however we gained’t be carrying you on.’ If that they had simply stated that, that will have been superb.
“I’ve no downside with them shopping for out Nassau. Why would you? That’s truthful sufficient. I get it. We’re in the course of ball shortages throughout. It was a troublesome state of affairs for everybody. However to do it within the method they did it …”
MyGolfSpy reached out to TaylorMade for a response. They selected to not remark.
Assist From an Surprising Supply
Perrett had discussions with Callaway after dropping his Nassau connection.
“They stated if push got here to shove to allow them to know. They had been very constructive and supportive of our model. We’re all making an attempt to realize the identical factor. We’re all making an attempt to carry some pleasure and a few enjoyable to the individuals who care concerning the recreation essentially the most.”
In the end, Perrett didn’t want Callaway’s assist, as he was in a position to supply balls by Launch Tech, which has turn out to be the go-to ball provider for DTC corporations. The brand new OnCore Elixr is made there as are balls from upstart DTCs equivalent to Renegade. And Callaway’s ERC and Supersoft are made at Launch Tech.
From what MyGolfSpy has discovered, TaylorMade has eradicated all subcontracts from its Nassau plant which is now often known as TaylorMade-South Korea. We don’t know, nonetheless, whether or not that additionally consists of longtime Nassau buyer Snell. In any case, the Taiwan-based Foremost is the one semi-independent manufacturing unit able to making forged urethane golf balls. TaylorMade additionally owns a serious stake in Foremost.
Penfold Ace Golf Balls: Last Ideas, Worth and Availability
Given its place within the golf ball world, the Penfold Ace will in all probability register as a novelty. However after one February bonus spherical in Massachusetts, we will say it’s a superbly first rate and playable golf ball. Distance actually stored tempo with expectations. And we had been pleasantly stunned with its hop-‘n-stop efficiency on the greens. As Perrett says, it’s a golf ball you’ll take pleasure in enjoying.
Nevertheless, there’s one necessary word concerning the Penfold Ace: It isn’t listed with the USGA.
Which isn’t the identical as saying it’s non-conforming.
“We haven’t submitted it,” says Perrett. “If the ball sells properly and other people like them and need to use them in tournaments, then we are going to.”
He provides, nonetheless, that for the reason that Ace is an open-model OEM ball, it’s seemingly the identical ball bought beneath one other identify is listed with the USGA.
As talked about, Penfold Ace golf balls promote for $40 per dozen. They’re out there now on Penfold’s website
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