TRUE TEMPER LAUNCHES SHAFT LAB
The Ultimate Golf Shaft Fitting System

Orlando, FL - January 29, 1999 - Today at the 1999 PGA Merchandise Show, True Temper Sports launched its state-of-the-art golf shaft fitting system, Shaft Lab™. This revolutionary system is the result of over five years of development and testing on the part of True Temper. The result of these efforts has produced a computer-based system that provides a customized shaft prescription unique to each individual golfer.

“We are very excited to be rolling out our new fitting technology,” says Scott Hennessy, President and CEO of True Temper. “Shaft Lab will provide consumers with a scientifically determined shaft recommendation that will optimize their overall performance. The system is a perfect business tool for anyone in the growing business of club equipment fitting.”

Shaft Lab requires a golfer to hit a ball into a net or at a driving range using specially equipped clubs that electronically record over 8,000 data points during the downswing. This information is then analyzed to rapidly select the specific shaft that will optimize the performance for that particular golfer. The units will be licensed to golf retail establishments nationwide. Retailers and consumers can utilize the results from the system to select the correct shaft in order to maximize the performance of the finished club. “Shaft Lab’s capabilities make it an invaluable selling aid for custom club building or in selecting the proper shaft on branded clubs,” adds Hennessy.

During the last two years, True Temper has maintained 15 test sites and evaluated over 5,000 golfers. The results revealed that over half of these golfers were playing shafts that were not the ideal flex or tip stiffness for their game. The majority of these golfers then re-shafted following
Shaft Lab’s recommendations and 95% of those golfers were very satisfied with the results. Retailers ranged from doubling to quadrupling their custom-fitting and re-shafting business once they began using Shaft Lab. The simplicity of operating the system and the objective and personal data provided to the golfer combine to make Shaft Lab a strong selling tool.

True Temper Sports is the leading manufacturer of golf shafts in the world and is consistently the number one shaft on Tour. The Company markets a complete line of shafts under the True Temper, Grafalloy, and True Temper Titanium shaft brands, and sells these brands in over thirty countries throughout the world. True Temper Sports employs over 700 people in seven facilities located in the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia.