TRUE TEMPER INTRODUCES MULTI-MATERIAL SHAFT TECHNOLOGY

New York, NY - January 16, 2001 - Today, True Temper Sports introduced a revolutionary new golf shaft with the launch of BiMatrx™ technology. This innovative breakthrough in materials and design will provide golfers with the performance benefits of steel and graphite in one complete wood shaft.
“Prior to BiMatrx, a player had to choose between the distance and feel of graphite or the control of steel,” says Scott Hennessy, President and CEO of True Temper Sports. “After years of development, we’ve combined the two materials using computer-aided design and a state-of-the-art manufacturing process.”
BiMatrx technology utilizes a high modulus, lightweight graphite body with a specially designed, high-strength steel alloy tip section. A patent-pending bond technology transitions the two materials together. The result is a shaft that provides the distance and feel of high performance graphite with the stability and control of steel.
“Bringing together two entirely different materials posed quite a challenge,” says Hennessy. “We had to create a single component that would give the player the inherent benefits of both materials.” The finished product weighs in at 75-grams. The lightweight property of the shaft enables golfers to generate more clubhead speed, which leads to longer distance. The graphite section also helps to deliver a smooth, more solid feel at impact.
The steel tip section provides greater torsional stability, which delivers a more controlled ball flight with increased accuracy and consistency. This increased stability is particularly important with today’s oversized wood head designs. “BiMatrx technology delivers the distance advantages of graphite while reducing shot dispersion by up to 40 percent,” notes Hennessy.
The BiMatrx shaft is designed to withstand the tremendous load and stress generated during the golf swing. The shaft was subjected to a battery of tests before it was deemed ready for play. “Through exhaustive R&D and the most extensive player and robot testing in our company’s history, we now have a shaft technology that delivers the best qualities of each material,” adds Hennessy. The player test results revealed that over 80 percent of all golfers sampled improved their accuracy while increasing their distance as well. With BiMatrx technology, golfers can now truly enjoy the best of both worlds.
This revolutionary concept is being launched as the True Temper Rxi™ [The Innovative Prescription for a Golfers Game] with BiMatrx Technology. It will be offered as both a driver and fairway wood shaft. The new Rxi driver and fairway shafts will be listed as either the stock or custom option with most major equipment manufacturers in 2001.
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 and Grafalloy brands and sells these brands in over thirty countries throughout the world. True Temper Sports employs over 800 people in eight facilities located in the United States, Europe, Japan and Australia.