NORTH HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (Feb. 17, 2006) -- The attraction is mutual. When you're the world's leading manufacturer of custom pro-line golf equipment, it's only natural to associate with the golf world's finest custom-fitting professionals. And with so many loose definitions of what custom-fitting actually is, it's only right to recognize those who do it the proper way. With that in mind, KZG, the #1 Custom ProLine, proudly announces the World's Top 100 Club Fitters for 2006.
An exhaustive selection process designed by an elite panel of independent industry insiders produced the globally diverse final list, which includes members from Nevada to The Netherlands and all points in between. From retail shops serving small communities to urban mega-facilities, the World's Top 100 Club Fitters represent those who are the most skilled, the most knowledgeable, and the most committed to the process of custom fitting golf equipment.
Many of the golf industry's equipment experts contributed to the process of establishing the selection criteria, from well-known club designers like Clay Long and Art Chou, to Gene Parente of the independent testing facility Golf Labs, and Ed Mitchell, the industry's leading manufacturer of loft-and-lie machines. While input varied from panel member to panel member, there was an overall desire to find club fitters who could marry technical expertise with a distinctly personal touch.
"Certainly this list represents some of the finest minds in the golf business," says Jennifer King, President of KZG, "but our panel felt strongly that it should mean more than that. So part one of being on the Top 100 is about process: understanding equipment, incorporating the latest technology such as launch monitors, and providing first-class facilities and service. Part two is about integrity. There's a mistaken impression out there, exploited by a certain few, that custom clubs have to cost considerably more money. We were looking for professionals who put the customer's needs ahead of pure profit and understand the value of growing the game. As a result, we've identified some of the best people in golf, as well."
Applicants for the Top 100 list were required to complete a lengthy application that included several essays on equipment knowledge, club fitting process, and business savvy. Career history and education were also considered. "One of our goals for the Top 100 is to dispel the image of club fitting as a hobby or home business," says King. "The Top 100 are accomplished professionals who have studied and trained for years. In terms of skill and knowledge they're on a par with the technicians on Tour who optimize the players' clubs to fit their swings. The difference is, the Top 100 Fitters provide those benefits to the every day golfer, improving performance and ultimately making the game easier and more enjoyable."
KZG PRESENTS THE WORLD'S TOP 100 CLUB FITTERS FOR 2006
AUSTRALIA
New South Wales
Paul F. Hoffman, Advantage Custom Clubmakers
Crows Nest (0) 299664244
Queensland
Jeremy Tuerlings, New Age Golf Solutions
Bundall (0) 755923388
Victoria
Rob Grant, The Golf Workshop
Ashwood (0) 398851544
EUROPE
Belgium
Harry Stassen, Golf Innovation
Antwerp (0) 495510721
Daniel Rombaut, Golfan
Mons (0) 65340540
England
Rene Cleaver, Club Masters
Cheltenham (0) 1452715007
Ian Roberts, Huntercombe Golf Shop
Henley-on-Thames (0) 1491641241
Hugh Townend, Golfmark
Highcliffe (0) 1202593106
Germany
Clemens Mayer-Aull, Golfschlag
Berlin (0) 3030102101
Nick Smithers, Trust Golf
Haarbach (0) 8535926980
Heiko Meyer, Par 3 Golfsport
Hamburg (0) 4053029510
Ireland
Colin Kirwan, Pro-Fit Golf
Dublin (0) 312783334
John Doran, Donegal Golfworks
Letterkenny (0) 3749126563
Italy
Emanuele Rodenghi, Golf Tecnica
Milano (0) 3387167262
Netherlands
Thomas White, Golfusion
Maastricht (0) 433250626
Theo Erben, FATco Golfclubs op maat
Nieuwegein (0) 306034421
Norway
Andreas Lind, Custom Golf
Snaroya (0) 67110080
Scotland
Ed Robertson, Applied Golf Technology, Ltd. @ St. Andrews Links Golf Academy
Fife (0) 1334828090
Spain
David Poulton, Practigolf Riviera
Riviera Del Sol (0) 952939381
Sweden
Ronny Larsson, SwingFit
Jarna (0) 855150058
Johan Ek, EasySwing
Stockholm (0) 8307760
Switzerland
Giuseppe Naula, Pepe's Golf-Clinic
Frauenfeld (0) 527216762
ASIA
Hong Kong
Jeremy Li, Improve Your Game, Ltd.
Wanchai (0) 28948338
Malaysia
Aswan Baki, Aswan Custom Clubs & Repairs
Selangor (0) 129339339
Philippines
Jake Ong, Custom Clubmakers International
Makati (0) 27183151
South Korea
Hun Lee, Woods Golf Fitting Center
Gyeonggi-do (0) 317151235
Thailand
Mick Wittering, Custom Clubmakers Company, Ltd.
Bangkok (0) 32531096
Tom Massengill, GMT Clubmakers Deluxe
Bangkok (0) 29478663
CANADA
Alberta
Ron Anderson, Ron Anderson's Professional Golf
Airdrie 403-255-4653
Rick McKenzie, Alberta Golf Works
Red Deer 403-346-4653
British Columbia
Mark Middleton, Dog Leg Left Golf Services
Courtenay 250-703-0440
Terry Stav, Golf West
Nanaimo 250-758-1919
Doug Osness, Camber Golf Equipment
Kelowna 250-860-7772
Lionel Newton, Newton's Law Golf
Surrey 604-535-6492
Ontario
Rene Grandmaison, Grand Lynx Golf Center
Chelmsford 705-966-2838
Al Bezanson, Al's Clubhouse
Greely 613-860-4653
Ken Dowswell, Golf Etc.
Niagara Falls 905-374-4653
Mark Calzonetti, Oakville Golf
Oakville 905-825-5757
Joe Lavery, Oakville Golf
Oakville 905-825-5757
Brendan Ryan, Oakville Golf
Oakville 905-825-5757
Don Irving, Artisan Golf
Ottawa 613-592-0524
Claude Giroux, The Village Green Golf Range
Stoney Point 519-798-4401
Quebec Province
Bert Emond, Golf Price Canada
Ste. Adele 450-229-4879
Saskatchewan
Cam King, King Custom Golf
Saskatoon 306-373-1808
UNITED STATES
Alaska
John Gose, Full Swing Golf
Anchorage 907-344-4653
Alabama
Ernie White, Pro Golf Discount
Gulf Shores 251-968-8560
Arizona
Mike Nunes, C & M Golf
Lake Havasu City 928-706-4653
California
Rob Sirota, Tour Tech
Campbell 408-871-8275
Dale Briggs, Lake Redding Golf
Lake Redding 530-243-8527
Mike Amira, KZG
North Hollywood 818-762-3495
Andrew Brawley, GolfTEC
Pasadena 626-356-0215
Matt Coe, Bay Golf
San Bruno 650-588-9818
Mike Springer, Springer Golf Productions
San Clemente 949-388-5163
John Openshaw, Springer Golf Productions
San Clemente 949-388-5163
Sean Greenbaum, Golf Coast Equipment & Supply
Santa Ana 714-567-9257
Harland Gray, Golf Excellence International
Santa Fe Springs 562-879-5474
Terry Kim, Golf Tech - CA
Sunnyvale 408-732-8324
Colorado
Bryan Beem, Bonnie Brae Golf Club
Denver 303-777-4910
Florida
Josh Musselman, Josh Musselman's Golf Express
Bonita Springs 239-390-2508
Jim Laudenslager, Lauden Golf
Ponte Vedra 904-543-1433
Brad Yates, The Legacy Club @ PGA Village
Port St. Lucie 772-215-3444
Bill Goldy, Club Foremations
Stuart 772-463-1167
Dan Yoakam, Dan's High Tech Golf
Tallahassee 850-508-4840
Georgia
Steve Silvey, Malachi Custom Clubs & Repairs
Cumming 770-889-9161
Indiana
Kelly Mettert, Custom Golf of New Haven
New Haven 260-749-5420
Kansas
Mike Dickerson, Golf MD
Olathe 913-663-5050
John Mitchell, Golf MD
Olathe 913-663-5050
Maryland
Rob Robb, Adro's Custom Golf
Rockville 301-570-9010
Troy Suddith, Adro's Custom Golf
Rockville 301-570-9010
Michigan
Dan Langell, Precision Golf - MI
Brighton 810-225-4653
Sam Anderson, Indian Hills Golf Course
Okemos 517-349-1010
Dale May, Dale's Golf Shop
Portage 269-327-2155
Mississippi
Steve Scharnhorst, Tee to Green Golf
D'Iberville 228-396-4416
North Carolina
Mark Davis, Effortless Golf
Charlotte 704-541-5251
Ronnie Cheek, Special-Tee Custom Golf
High Point 336-889-0333
Bob Leaver, Eagle Flight Golf
Oak Ridge 336-210-2400
Herman Williams, Perfect Fit Golf
Raleigh 919-661-7100
New Jersey
Greg Rost, Club Doc
Neptune 732-668-5210
Bernie Dunne, Bernie Dunne Custom Clubs
Pitman 856-589-8313
Nevada
Ron Ota, Washoe Valley Custom Clubs
Carson City 775-883-2582
New York
John Duffy, Golfer's Edge
Penfield 585-383-9280
Ohio
Kirby Bolen, Golf Stix
Cincinnati 513-671-3033
Ted Cremeans, Rollandia Golf Center
Dayton 937-434-4911
Jim McCleery, McGolf
Waverly 740-941-4653
Oregon
Steve Benzin, North Woods Golf Co.
Portland 503-245-1910
Ed Kreite, North Woods Golf Co.
Portland 503-245-1910
Pennsylvania
Gary Ingram, Gigi Golf
Concordville 610-558-4653
Jerry Hintze, Clubmakers Shop
Bethlehem 610-865-9192
Rhode Island
Tom Spargo, Spargo Golf
West Warwick 401-828-2857
South Carolina
Connie Rockhill, The Club Maker
Bluffton 843-757-7636
Lanny Correll, Dr. Golf
Pawley's Island 843-237-3362
Tennessee
John Terry, Sweet Stix
Bristol 423-968-4885
Greg Pickett, Greg Pickett Golf
Memphis 901-757-1112
Texas
Larry Gibson, Custom Clubs by Larry Gibson
Houston 832-467-9668
Deryl Jay, Saturn Golf
Lubbock 806-785-5363
Virginia
Jim Smiley, Jim's Golf Shop @ Sunnybrook Driving Range
Manassas 703-369-0070
Andrew Hodson, Hodson Golf
Powhatan 804-475-6311
Mike Daschbach, Affordable Golf
Virginia Beach 757-425-4653
Tom Moore, Nova Golf & Tennis
Woodbridge 703-494-6020
Mickey Russell, Pro Am Golf Company
Yorktown 757-890-9392
Media Contact:
Jonathan Abrahams
(818) 762-3495
jonathan@kzgolf.com
