Adjustment isn't all about clubs

http://www.golfbusinesswire.com/

Attendees on the PGA Merchandise Show last week in Orlando, Fla., could not escape the issue -- the talk about adjustability. When the U.S. Golf Association relaxed the restrictions on adjusting equipment, effective Jan. 1, the idea was to encourage innovation among clubmakers.

So far, the innovation has taken the form of changeable clubheads and shafts. Three companies -- two present at the show -- have introduced interchangeable head-and-shaft systems this month. Callaway's iMix system comes with two shafts and a driver head; Nickent's comes with a shaft and a clubhead, and consumers can purchase additional shafts; and TaylorMade is selling its "Tour Van in a Box" with three shafts, weights and a clubhead.

For now, though, there were other innovations and interesting adjustable products from the show.

CLUB GLIDER: Remember the last time you traveled with your clubs? First, you had to struggle with getting your clubs into the travel bag. Then, you had to balance pulling the bag along at just the right angle while hanging on to your other travel gear. Finally, you had to put down the bag and pick it up again as you moved through the airport check-in line.

With a few simple innovations, the ClubGlider from Sun Mountain seeks to reduce that struggle. Spring-loaded wheels that you can pop out as needed help support the weight of the bag and assist with making it smoother and easier to roll.

"The idea of this is, we put an additional leg on it with caster wheels, so now you don't have to hold any of the weight," said Steve Snyders, spokesman for Sun Mountain. "You can just push it right along through the (airport) line, and you don't have to worry about setting it down and picking it up. Not only does it hold the weight of the bag and the clubs but you can even put additional pieces on it. If you had a carry-on or a laptop with you, you can strap it on.

"The other thing people have pointed out to us is how much easier this is to load because it's sitting at a 45-degree angle. This one, you can load it when it's standing up, so you don't have to bend down to it."

The ClubGlider is based on an idea from Gary Sherrell, who appeared on The Golf Channel's "Fore Inventors Only" program. Sherrell got tired of how other travel bags were hard to move around and created a prototype that became the ClubGlider.

"We signed a licensing deal with him," Snyders said. "It's a pretty fun story -- one of those great American 'starts as an idea on a napkin' stories."