San Diego Business Journal Nominates Polara Golf as Finalist for 2012 Innovation Award

It is with great respect for great ideas and innovation that the San Diego Business Journal introduces our inaugural Innovation Awards. This special awards program was created with the vision to honor and acknowledge the people and organizations that continue to stretch boundaries and to recognize those individuals and companies who demonstrate how the innovative spirit drives economic value.

Nominations Criteria:
Must be located in San Diego County
Judging:
An independent panel of judges selects the winners
Categories:
•Public Company (publicly traded)
•Privately Held Company
•Nonprofit Organization (e.g., 501(c)3)
•Business Nonprofit (e.g., credit union)
•Government Agency
•Education

“Polara Golf is honored to have been nominated for this prestigious award and we are humbled to be included among the list of San Diego’s most innovative companies, said Dr. Dave Felker, Polara Golf Inventor.  Our Ultimate Straight and XD golf balls are the most innovative in history. No other golf company has ever invented golf balls that actually reduce hooks and slices by 75%, making golf much more fun for the recreational golfer."

 

The Breakfast Ball Named Polara Golf Ball as Official Ball in Death Valley Challenge

More good news for the DVC!

I admit it, trying to set up and pull off this Death Valley Challenge has been a bit exhausting. Everyday I’m trying to figure out a new way to get the word out about the event. That part of this entire process has been a blast. Using my social media platforms and making some great contacts throughout the golfing industry has been more than satisfying. The hard part has been getting the donations. Asking people to donate money to two people playing golf doesn’t seem to be the blueprint for continuous donations. So revamping my marketing strategy is now tops on my list of things that need to change to make this event more successful. This being the first fundraiser I’ve ever attempted I knew that the road to Death Valley was a rough one but I was absolutely clueless to how rough that road really is.

Well something happened today that hopefully is going to smooth that road out for us! I’m happy to announce that Polara, the makers of the straightest, most accurate ball in golf, have joined with us in our efforts to raise money for the First Tee of Southern Nevada and are now the Official Golf Ball of The Death Valley Challenge.

This couldn’t have come at a better time. I was starting to question my decision about the entire event when I was approached by Polara. It was fantastic, for once, to hear someone on the other end of the phone have the same passion and excitement about the concept of The Death Valley Challenge as I do.

There are some big things planned and as the details come forward I’ll be sure to pass them along to everyone! Needless to say I am VERY excited about this!

Go to: http://www.thebreakfastball.com/dvc/ to make a contribution to The First Tee of Southern Nevada!!

I also want to thank The guys over at Three Guys Golf for helping me promote the DVC. They were kind enough to put up a post about the event on their site, which if you have never been to GET YOUR ASS OVER THERE RIGHT NOW IT’S AN AWESOME SITE!

Also a quick shout out to Fresh. They also helped us out with post on their Facebook page which was much appreciated!

I love seeing Bloggers helping Bloggers! From the bottom of my heart guys I can’t thank you enough!!

I promise in my next post I’ll talk about MY golf game. I had a super high followed by a super low this past weekend so I have plenty of good and bad to talk about. I’ll also be talking about the GolfShot App so stay tuned for that!

Polara Golf sponsors the Ken Singleton Celebrity Golf Classic

Polara Golf Sponsors the Ken Singleton Celebrity Golf Classic to benefit Cool Kids Campaign

Carlsbad, CA - Polara Golf (www.polaragolf.com) announced today that they will be sponsoring The Ken Singleton Celebrity Golf Classic scheduled to be held June 23rd – 25th in Baltimore. The Golf Classic, hosted by Hall of Fame Center Fielder for the Baltimore Orioles, Ken Singleton, raises money each year for the Cool Kids Campaign.

“It’s just something that is near and dear to my heart. Both my parents died from Cancer. I just felt that you had to get involved in the community and that’s the way I chose to do it, and hopefully we are helping a lot of people.” – Ken Singleton

The foundation formally began in 2004 in loving memory of two parents. Rob Belanger’s dad, Mark, was a shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles for 18 years. Chris Federico’s mom, Susannah, had raised 7 kids. After Mark succumbed to lung cancer in 1998 at age 52 and Chris’s mom died of leukemia in 1995 at age 66, the two friends formed the Belanger-Federico Foundation. In their “spare time” they created an annual Celebrity Golf Tournament with many of Mark’s former teammates and gave all the proceeds to lung cancer research.

After two very successful fundraising years, Rob and Chris were looking to shift the focus of the foundation away from research and onto something more tangible. Little did they know how good their timing would prove to be.

In 2006, Sharon Perfetti had just finished serving as the general coordinator on the Annie’s Playground project in Fallston, MD, and was looking for a way to stay involved with a not-for-profit organization that worked with children. Around the same time Kimmie Meissner, the 2006 World and 2007 National Champion Figure Skater, had lost two close friends to cancer and was looking for a children’s charity to support.

As things tend to happen, Chris and Rob met Sharon and Kimmie through mutual friends, and the idea of the Cool Kids Campaign was born. While deciding on the name of the new foundation, the four co-founders kept in mind that kids are kids, healthy or sick, and that every kid wants to feel “cool” even when they don’t feel well.

Today, as Cool Kids Campaign decides how to best designate dollars to help the kids, their decisions are based on whether the campaign’s actions will directly affect the children and their families. We aim to distract them – at least for a while – while they are fighting for their lives.

For more information on Cool Kids Campaign visit www.coolkidscampaign.org

Polara Golf selects charity golf outings throughout the country to participate with and donates self-correcting golf balls to help golfers of all skill levels hit more fairways, speed up play and make the day a more enjoyable experience. In the Polara Straight Drive Challenge, flags are placed out in the fairway at 160 yards, similar to field goal posts in football, and contestants are given the opportunity to win FREE sleeves of Polara golf balls for hitting their drives through the uprights.

“Our Polara Self-Correcting golf balls are perfect for scramble events and charity outings,” said David Felker, PhD and Head of Technology for Polara Golf. “They straighten out hooks and slices up to 75% and allow the recreational golfers who attend these events the chance to just have fun on the course and focus on the real reason they are there….to raise money for a great cause.”

About Polara Golf
Over 85% of golfers struggle with a severe hook or slice and are looking for a “quick fix” for their game. Polara Golf has the answer, and it’s not magic, it’s physics. The unique dimple design of the Polara Self-Correcting golf ball transforms hooks and slices into longer, straighter shots…GUARANTEED!

Polara Golf uses the best available technology to create demonstrably better products that are limited only by the Laws of Physics. All of the Polara golf balls are designed for use by recreational golfers who want to take advantage of technology improvements designed to help them enjoy the game more.

For more information about Polara Golf, visit www.polaragolf.com or call 866-556-3100.

Media members interested in field testing any of the Polara products for an editorial review should contact Joe Wieczorek joe@themediagroupinc.com of The Media Group at (847) 956-9090.

PGA Tour Pro Donnie Hammond's 5 Tips to Hitting Every Fairway

Check out the first edition of Donnie Hammond's Column. Donnie will be a guest blogger every month, detailing how he made it on the PGA Tour and his tips to helping you get better at the game of golf.

Donnie Hammond's 5 Tips to Hitting Every Fairway

1. I believe one of the most important aspects in your pre-shot routine is getting the club face lined up precisely in the direction that you intend to start the Tee shot. I achieve this by picking out a spot 4-5 feet in front of you, maybe a twig, old divot, or some discoloration in the grass. Now just line the face up to that spot, line your feet up square to the club face, and swing with all the confidence you can muster. It takes a little training to have it become natural but i think you will hit a few more fairways.

2. One important thing I have learned about driving the ball straight is the importance of an aggressive right knee drive on the downswing. Many times the arms start too quickly on the way down and the result is an over the top swing . Shortly thereafter you can hear the golfer yell DOWN!  It usually doesn't help but keeps you in the game. Drive that right knee on the way day for more consistent and solid shots.

3. Most golf balls these days really enjoy being launched with a higher trajectory.  The Polara self correcting golf ball takes this to a new level mostly because it has such a lower side spin capability and the longer it stays airborne the further down the fairway it goes. I recommend a 3 inch tee for the Polara and a loft between 9-11 degrees on the driver. You will see the difference in your distance and a higher launch angle with Polara’s no slice golf ball.

4. Shaft technology for drivers these days is mind boggling. Even more complicated than it used to be to program a VCR. I think the best combination for modern equipment is a light graphite shaft around 50-60 grams paired with a stiffer shaft. You get the benefits of a little more speed in your swing with the consistency of a shaft with less torque. Find another 10-15 yards off the tee and let me know how your handicap starts to drop.

5. Develop the core: situps, a little weight training, biking, swimming, walking the Jack Russell terrier. All physical activity will not only improve your distance and coordination off the tee, it will give you that endurance you need to neutralize your opponent and bring home the cash or bacon depending on the bet. Usually around the 15th hole is when I announce during my pre shot, THIS is where the training comes in! 

Good luck with your game and I wish you very much enjoyment throughout the years.
Donnie Hammond, PGA Tour Pro and Polara Golf Spokesman

Golf Tips Magazine Golf Ball Hot List Features Polara Golf

Check out the Polara XD and XDS golf balls featured in the July Issue of Golf Tips Magazine: Golf Ball Hot List.

Key Feature: The XD has an asymmetrical dimple pattern that self-corrects hooks and slices by up to 50%. Unlike last year's offering, these golf balls can be used with lower-lofted drivers.

Who It's For: Golfers who want to hit their golf ball straight and far and don't want to compete in USGA-sanctioned tournaments. (Polara’s anti-slice golf balls don't conform to the rules.) These self-correcting balls can now be used with drivers with lofts of 9 degrees to 10.5 degrees to help improve your golf game. The XDS version spins more than the XD.

Specs: Two-piece; look for the three-piece XDS.

polaragolf.com

A Golf Ball So Straight, It's Banned by the USGA

The Polara golf ball is so effective in correcting hooks and slices that the USGA banned its use in PGA sanctioned tournaments.  Polara’s patented asymmetrical dimple pattern technology is the reason the golf ball reduces slices and hooks by up to 75%.  No other golf ball on the market has the patented self-correcting dimple pattern technology of the Polara ball that fixes golf slices and hooks.  The Polara golf balls are the straightest balls in golf. Period.

Today, mulligans, gimmie putts and range finders all fall into the same category as playing the Polara self-correcting golf balls.  The USGA and R&A’s job is to regulate rules and equipment for the golf professional and for competitive amateur handicap play.  The scramble format commonly used in outings is not USGA legal.  Neither are gimmie putts, mulligans or other shot concessions.  But all are part of the fabric of golf as it is actually played by recreational golfers as social golf, versus competitive golf.  Polara Golf’s goal is to help recreational golfers get better at playing their game. We believe our self-correcting golf balls will grow the game by reducing the frustrations of improving among recreational players who struggle with severe slice or hook problems. If a player sees improvement in their game and tap into the joy of golf, they’ll keep playing.  

“We respect the USGA, but what about the other golfers out there that have trouble hitting it straight?”

As a company, we are focused on game improvement technologies for recreational players and the 150 million plus former golfers around the world who all quit the game in frustration, based on the game’s inherent difficulty and restrictive rules designed for the tournament pro or low-handicap amateur.

Q&A with Polara Inventor, Dr. Dave Felker, PHD

Industry Corner - Polara Golf

Boxgroove likes to share with our community of golfers some of the latest products and services that are making an impact on the game of golf. While these products and services might not be for all of our members, certainly a few of you may enjoy trying something we discuss in the Industry Corner. Boxgroove had the pleasure of chatting with Dave Felker the inventor, CEO, CTO and Chairman of the Board for Polara Golf Company. Dave has a PHD in Chemical Engineering and spent years with Dupont Chemical and Callaway before starting Polara in 2007. Engineers made man fly, now engineers are making golf balls fly straight!

Q. What is the Polara golf ball and what does it do for golfers?

A. Polara has created a golf ball with a dimple pattern unlike any other. All other golf balls have uniform dimple distribution on the surface of the ball. Not Polara - the dimple pattern has 3 distinct regions: shallow truncated dimples surround the equator (seam) and there are deep spherical dimples clustered on the poles. The physics and aerodynamics are quite complicated, but the bottom line for the golfer is - the Polara golf ball's dimple pattern greatly reduces the sidespin that is the root cause of hooks and slices. If you have a bad hook or slice problem, then the Polara Ultimate Straight balls are the ones for you - they reduce up to 75% of the hook & slice, assuring most every shot lands in the fairway. If you are the type of golfer who has an occasional slice and your #1 priority is distance,then the Polara XD ball is right for you – this extra distance golf ball corrects up to 50% of the hook or slice dispersion and delivers distance that is as great or greater than most other golf balls.

Q. Golf Ball manufacturers have been claiming for years that they can improve your accuracy or reduce your hook or slice...does the Polara golf ball really work?

A. Yes, but don't take my word for it, check out what third parties have written about Polara’s self-correcting golf balls:

Ryan Heiman of IndependentGolfReviews.com
http://www.independentgolfreviews.com/polara-self-correcting-golf-balls.html

Ron Claiborne, ABC Good Morning America
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZY_TTx-rTy8

Bill Pennington, golf writer for the New York Times
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo5i5B87I2w

PGA teachers are now incorporating Polara golf balls into their instruction plans. New golfers are using Polara golf balls to allow them to enjoy the game more from the start – they are keeping their shots in the fairways, cutting the average time for a round of golf because less time is spent looking for balls in the woods.

Q. How do you think this ball will change the game of golf?

A. Polara’s anti-hook and anti-slice golf balls make golf more fun for recreational golfers. They remove some of the frustration (especially on the first tee), make it easier to learn, speed up play, lower the cost (lose fewer golf balls),and improve your golf game...making the game more fun, which will ultimately translate into more rounds played, which will help grow the game of golf!

Q. I heard that you worked in the golf industry before Polara Golf. Is it true that you were associated with Callaway?

A. Yes, I was one of the founding members of Callaway Golf Ball Company. Ely Callaway hired me to lead the R&D effort from the start. Our first product was the most advanced 3-piece polyurethane covered high-performance ball at the time – the Callaway Rule 35. Titleist came out with their ProV1 ball in response to the Callaway Rule 35. This change marked the end of wound golf balls for tour play.

Q. Where can people find your products?

A. Go to our website, www.PolaraGolf.com, to purchase on-line or to find the nearest Polara retail location.

Polara Golf Sponsors National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Golf Tournament

Polara Golf Sponsors National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Golf Tournament

Carlsbad, CA - Polara Golf (www.polaragolf.com) announced today that they will be holding their popular Polara Straight Drive Challenge on Friday June 8th, at Rising Star Casino and Resort in Rising Sun, Indiana for the 4th Annual Greater Cincinnati Regional NFFF Golf Tournament.  This scramble tournament is one in a series of nation-wide golf events organized by local volunteers to raise funds for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF).

Polara Golf selects charity golf outings throughout the country to participate with and donates self-correcting golf balls to help golfers of all skill levels hit more fairways, speed up play, correct golf slices and make the day a more enjoyable experience. In the Straight Drive Challenge, flags are placed out in the fairway at 160 yards, similar to field goal posts in football, and contestants are given the opportunity to win FREE sleeves of Polara golf balls for hitting their drives through the uprights.

“Our Self-Correcting golf balls are perfect for these scramble events and charity outings,” said David Felker, PhD and Head of Technology for Polara Golf. “They remove some of the frustration from the game and allow even the occasional golfer who normally struggles from a severe hook or slice the chance to have fun and focus on the real reason they are there….to raise money for a great cause.”

Whether you’re a scratch golfer or just want to enjoy a day on the links, join members of Colerain IAFF Local # 3915. The tournament is open to the public and the $90 fee includes golf with cart, beverages and food on the course, buffet lunch or dinner at the Casino, awards, auctions, door prizes, and gift bag. There are morning and afternoon start times, and separate prizes will be awarded for both groups, including Longest Drive, Closest to the Pin and Longest Putt contests, and top three teams will receive awards. Morning shotgun start is at 8:00 AM; afternoon is at 1:30 PM. For an additional $60, golfers can participate in both morning and afternoon events.

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for individuals, groups and area businesses.  For more information about the tournament, including registration and sponsorship opportunities, go to www.greatercincynfff.org.

In 2011, the NFFF Memorial Golf Tournaments collectively raised approximately $300,000 for the Foundation.  The proceeds benefit the Foundation’s mission to honor firefighters who died in the line of duty, provide resources for surviving family members, including scholarships, workshops and conferences, and educate firefighters on preventing future fire service injuries and fatalities.

About the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF)
The United States Congress created the NFFF to lead a nationwide effort to remember America's fallen firefighters. Since 1992, the non-profit foundation has developed and expanded programs to honor fallen fire heroes and assist their families and coworkers.  The NFFF also works closely with the U.S. Fire Administration to help prevent and reduce line-of- duty deaths and injuries.  For more information on the Foundation and its programs contact us at (301) 447-1365 or visit www.firehero.org.

About Polara Golf
Over 85% of golfers struggle with a severe hook or slice and are looking for a “quick fix” for their game. Polara Golf has the answer, and it’s not magic, it’s physics. The unique dimple design of the Polara Self-Correcting golf ball transforms hooks and slices into longer, straighter shots…GUARANTEED!

Polara Golf is offering four different Self-Correcting golf balls for 2012 - the original Ultimate Straight™ and Ultimate Straight XS™ and the new advanced XD™ and XDS™.

“We gave the new XD™ and XDS™ golf balls a different lift and drag profile to make the ball fly higher, resulting in more carry distance for golfers who tend to hit the ball with a lower trajectory,” said David Felker, PhD, and Head of Technology for Polara Golf.  “Now recreational golfers can choose the ball that is best suited for their game, the original Ultimate Straight™ or Ultimate Straight XS™ with up to 75% Self-Correcting Technology, or the new advanced XD™ or XDS™ with up to 50% Self-Correcting Technology.   Depending on how much slice & hook control a golfer needs and how a golfer hits the ball will dictate which Polara ball best fits their swing.”

Like the original Ultimate Straight™ and Ultimate Straight XS™ golf balls, the new XD™ and the XDS™ golf balls are designed to cure golf slices and help golfers increase their enjoyment of the game, and are perfectly fine for the recreational golfer to use every day on the course.

Polara Golf uses the best available technology to create demonstrably better products that are limited only by the Laws of Physics. All of the Polara golf balls are designed for use by recreational golfers who want to take advantage of technology improvements designed to stop golf slices to help them enjoy the game more.

For more information about Polara Golf, visit www.polaragolf.com or call 866-556-3100.
Media members interested in field testing any of the Polara products for an editorial review should contact Joe Wieczorek joe@themediagroupinc.com of The Media Group at (847) 956-9090.

It's OKAY To Play Golf For Fun

IT’S OKAY TO PLAY GOLF FOR FUN

GUILTLESS WAYS TO MAKE GOLF MORE FUN WHILE LEARNING

from PGA.com – Play Golf America

1. It’s okay to not keep score.
2. It’s okay to play from the shortest tees or start at the 150 yard marker.
3. It’s okay to give yourself a better lie by rolling the ball around a little. It’s okay to tee the ball up anywhere when you are first learning.
4. It’s okay to only count swings when you make contact with the ball.
5. It’s okay to throw the ball out of a bunker after one try.
6. It’s okay to forget about a ball that may be lost or out of bounds. It’s okay to drop a ball where you think it might be…or where you wanted it to be.
7. It’s okay to play a scramble with your group…scrambles are very popular.
8. It’s okay to just chip and putt on a hole when you feel like it.
9. It’s okay to pick up in the middle of the hole and enjoy the outdoors and scenery.
10. It’s okay to skip a hole if you need to take a break.
11. It’s okay to play less than 9 or 18-holes and call it a round of golf.
12. It’s okay to move your ball away from trees, rocks or very hilly lies.
13. It’s okay to hit the same club for the entire round, while using a putter on the putting green.
14. It’s okay to play golf in your sneakers. Be comfortable!
15. It’s okay to get enthusiastic! (High fives, fist pumps and big smiles are encouraged)
16. It’s okay to talk on the golf course…enjoy a nice conversation or tell a few jokes.
17. It’s okay to bring your kids to the course, whether they are 5 or 35.
18. It’s okay to PLAY GOLF JUST FOR FUN!

Golf 2.0

What started at the employer roundtable discussion at the 2009 PGA Annual Meeting in New Orleans has evolved to the new strategic direction of The PGA of America, known as Golf 2.0. It was at that meeting where the Association acknowledged the prolonged impact of the recession and the term “reset” was born. In 2010, the PGA hired the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) to gain the perspective of one of the world’s leading consumer research and consulting firms. Their findings, which included interviews withindustry leaders, surveys of some 2,700 PGA members and employers, consumer focus groups, and more than 2,000 quantitative consumer studies, are the foundation of Golf 2.0.

The findings showed that, left unchanged, our industry might face 10 years of flat participation and
revenues, but the opportunity exists to engage an interested and willing population of lapsed golfers
referred to as “Latent Demand” to take up the game. The goal is to increase the number of golfers from the current 27 million to 40 million by the year 2020.

excerpt from July/August 2011 Career Notes, PGA Employment Services