Precept Golf is going global with a new brand of equipment called Tourstage. The brand already exists in Japan, where most of parent Bridgestone Sports' tour staff players use Tourstage product, but the brand is making its official U.S. debut this spring.
TourStage golf clubs, according to Precept Director of Marketing Stephen Graham, are designed for low handicap players. Bridgestone engineers used input from PGA Tour players Matt Kuchar and Stuart Appleby to develop the TourStage club line, which consists of the Z350 and Z375 drivers; Z150, Z140 and Z130 fairway woods; Z101 irons; and Z-Series wedges. Kuchar and Appleby are playing TourStage clubs on the PGA Tour in 2003.
"What we really wanted to do is create a flagship global brand and bring it to the U.S.," Graham said. "We?re going to take it to Australia and Europe, too, and create a high-end global brand."
TourStage, according to Graham, does not replace Precept's established equipment line.
"We're going after two different price points," Graham said, with Precept being the lower of the two but still a premium brand.
The TourStage Z350 and Z375 drivers, according to Graham, feature a three-piece titanium body for maximum energy transfer at impact, and a forged titanium clubface that provides increased initial velocity for added distance while delivering excellent feel and playability.
The TourStage Z350, Graham said, is for the player looking to combine distance and control, while the TourStage Z375 offers more directional stability and ease in getting the ball airborne.
The TourStage fairway woods -- Z150 (3-wood), TourStage Z140 (5-wood) and the TourStage Z130 (7-wood) -- utilize 17-4 stainless steel and feature a tungsten weight screw technology that Graham said creates ideal balance and proper swingweight in every club.
The TourStage Z101 irons are forged from mild carbon steel. The long irons (2-5) contain tungsten inserts in the trailing edge, according to Graham, to create a low and deep center of gravity for ease in getting the ball in the air.
The short irons are engineered with a higher center of gravity to enhance control on scoring shots. In addition, Graham said progressive cavity depths throughout the set provide more feel in the short irons and added forgiveness in the long irons.
The TourStage Z-Series Wedges are forged from mild carbon steel for feel and consistency and are available in 52, 56 and 60 degrees.
Graham said all of the TourStage Z-Series clubs have custom fitting options, and TourStage will have a custom fitting van -- equipped with a club-fitting system called the Golfer's Dock -- traveling around the United States throughout the year.
The Z350 and Z375 drivers are available in 8, 9 and 10 degrees of loft and have a suggested retail price of $550, while the new line of TourStage fairway woods have a SRP of $310. The Z101 irons have a SRP of $990/per set of 8 irons (3-PW) and the Z-Series wedges are $150 each.
