Callaway Golf has announced that Perry Ellis International is to design, manufacture and distribute Callaway golf and sports apparel in the United States, Canada, Latin America and the Caribbean.

American equipment brand Nickent has launched into the UK and Ireland, and Phoenix Brands, a County Kildare-based company, has been appointed sole distributor. Nickent has brought in John Hoeflich to design some of the brand's hardware. Hoeflich has previously worked with Tommy Armour, Titleist and TaylorMade, and Nickent has particularly high hopes for its new, Hoeflichdesigned 5DX Ironwood, which sports wings on the back of the clubhead.

Bridgestone Golf, which had pinned its hopes of resurgence on the success of its B330 Series of golf balls, has reported rapid growth in the UK for the first quarter of 2009. Sales for the quarter were up 507% on the same time last year - although the brand's market presence for the first quarter of 2008 was negligible - but the company also claims to be 25% ahead of target.

Snake Eyes Custom has launched the Viper XT driver for Spring 2009.

Our industry is as competitive as any other retail sector, where the ever more sophisticated consumer shops in a buyers' market. The odds appear to be heavily stacked in favour of the huge retail chains or volume on-line retailers.

With the British and Irish Lions rugby union squad heading to South Africa for a highly anticipated test series this summer, Premier Licensing has launched a line of Lions golf accessories.

Clothing brand Fairway and Greene has been added to the exclusive stable of brands to be stocked at the ‘Home of Golf' by the St Andrews Links Trust's retail shops, The Old Course Shop and in the St Andrews Links Clubhouse.

Golfsmith has brought the Vector X ball monitor to the European market.

The BGIA has published an extensive study on the golf apparel and footwear market in Europe, split into three volumes: Southern Europe; Northern Europe, and Central & Eastern Europe. SGB Golf is publishing an exclusive series of country summaries from the report, the first of which covers the emerging golf market in Romania:

While Romania remains an enigma to many in the British golf industry at present, the country has a population of at least 21.6 million, which is the second biggest in Eastern Europe after Poland, and it is beginning to attract investment from major sports retailers such as Decathlon and Intersport.

The organisers of Golf Europe - probably Europe's leading trade fair for the industry - met representatives of leading UK companies recently to discuss the move of this year's show to the MOC, the venue in Munich where Golf Europe started. The MOC is a fine steel and glass facility in the north of Munich, on the airport road and five minutes from Kiefengarten on the U6 subway, which goes straight into town. Several major brands have permanent showrooms here already, so there is an element of taking the show to the industry. The move was received well in the meeting, since Golf Europe is a better event if the major brands are present - this encourages the smaller companies to attend too.

Wilson Staff takes custom fitting online

Wilson Staff has launched the Dyna-Fit Online fitting tool. The company claims that through a simple question-and-answer session it can accurately fit up to 12 clubs for a golfer, excluding driver and putter.

www.wilsonstaff.com

In the time it takes a club professional to greet a sales rep, put the kettle on and stir a mug of PG Tips, another five customers have been in, tried every club, bag, putter, waterproof and shoe in the shop, memorised their favourites' details and returned home to search the internet for the best price.

PGA professional Ian Melville claims to have invented a training aid that will help golfers hone the perfect pendulum putting stroke; the CentreCup.

The Ryder Cup European Development Trust has agreed to support a European Tour initiative to provide free coaching to members of the public at tournaments this year.

The PGAs of Europe is partnering the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). The new agreement will see the mutual usage of logos, ready exchange of knowledge and information, and a general philosophy of co-operation with a view to promoting golf tourism and instruction.

Still relatively new to the market, ProStance has been the result of three years of research and development with professionals and amateurs alike. In fact, it's the professional game which cannot get hold of the product fast enough. Over 70 Tour players already trust this unique product including three-time major winner Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley, Rory McIlory, Bradley Dredge, Philip Archer, Richard Finch and Becky Brewerton.

The golf apparel trade really has been a shuffled deck over the past 12 months. We have seen ownership and management changes throughout the sector, with TaylorMade adidas taking over Ashworth and getting entangled with Callaway; MacGregor parting ways with Greg Norman Collection and the arrival of new licensee Severn Under; and then when Nike bought Umbro in 2008, it was abundantly clear that Ping Collection Europe could not remain attached to the empire of the ‘swoosh'.

How are 2009 bookings so far?

They are fantastic actually. We have introduced the new Preferential Stockists Programme and since then we have had excellent results in very tough times. When a lot of people are cancelling pre-bookings, we are picking up some good numbers and we are certainly on target.

Golfers can alter the weight of Ping's iWi Anser with a kit of interchangeable tungsten sole weights. The putter itself is made from 17-4 stainless steel, with a softer 304 stainless steel clubface, and it comes fitted with two 12-gram weights. As an optional extra, golfers can buy the weight kit for £39 with a pair of 20-gram weights and a pair of 28- gram weights, so the club weight can be adjusted to personal preference.

One of 10 putters in Spherical Blade's 2009 range, the Emperor combines S-Blade's curved face technology with a conventional blade head shape. A northsouth curve on the putter face is designed to ensure the ball is always struck above its mid-point, to encourage a topspin roll, while S-Blade says the convex east-west curve widens the putter's sweet spot.

The Precision Milled Blackline FM-01 from Nicklaus Golf comes with a mallet head, with a view to providing a high moment of inertia. The weight of the clubhead is also concentrated where the putter should strike the equator of the golf ball, to encourage a topspin roll, and the club also features an extended sight alignment line. The club is CNC precision milled and comes with soft urethane face insert to enhance feel.

Putting biomechanics expert Dr Paul Hurrion has collaborated with Gel on a range of putters for the second time. The Rego mallet putter with a centre shaft is part of the Paul Hurrion Signature Range and comes with a multi-layer grooved aluminium insert. GEL's grooves are designed to give the ball that allimportant forward roll from impact, thereby eliminating skidding and increasing the control golfers have over their putts.

Yes! Golf has introduced the Tracy III Plus, which is available with an Interchangeable Hosel System. The CNC-milled 303 forged stainless steel blade comes fitted with a plumber neck hosel, although slant neck, z-bend and ‘pronounced heel-toe hang' hosel options are sold separately. The putter also features a single alignment line in the cavity of the putter head, and has length options between 32" and 37".

Titleist has added the mallet-style Kombi putter to its Studio Select range. The Kombi is made from 6061 aircraft aluminium and features the Studio Select weighting technology, consisting of a set of three circular weights positioned in the heel and toe of the clubhead. The Kombi is available in a variety of five shaft lengths, from 33" to 50", and the putter is finished with T-shaped red sight lines that are designed to allow precise alignment.

Custom-fit specialist Orka Golf has launched its SGS (Short Game Specialists) ‘boutique brand'. From the new line the P46 DBA Type #1 is classic in terms of shape and construction. It has a traditional blade putter-head, and bucking the trend of many contemporary, multi-material putters, it is precision milled from a single block of 303 Stainless steel. The putter face comes with horizontal grooves with a view to maximising the forward roll of putts.

Rife founder Guerin Rife believes deceleration at impact is the number-one fault in putting, which is why he designed the IMO, which stands for ‘Inline momentum'. 85% of the IMO's mass is concentrated directly behind the impact area of the putter-head, with a view to helping golfers drive trough the ball. The IMO is available in the UK from June.

TaylorMade has launched a new, premium line of five Rossa TP putters designed by Kia Ma. Vietnam native Ma stated working in putter design in the United States in the 1980s and joined TaylorMade six years ago, and his new putters have already been played on Tour by Justin Rose, Sergio Garcia, Paul McGinley and Andres Romero. The Kia Ma Daytona is one of three blades in the new series.

The Snake Eyes Tour Platinum 7803 is one of four models in the Tour Platinum series that began delivery in March. It features Snake Eyes' Advanced Roll Control milling pattern on the clubface, which is designed to minimise backspin just after impact to send the ball on line with a true roll. The milling patterns consist of a series of semi-circular cuts at an upward angle to encourage topspin.

The putter used by Jerry Kelly to break his seven-year duck on the PGA Tour last month, the Classic 3 is made from 17-4 stainless steel and features a precision milled face with a view to providing a soft yet solid feel. The clubhead is built with heel-toe weighting to maximise the moment of inertia, to resist the clubhead twisting at impact, and it comes with a hand-polished satin finish.

The clubface on Yonex's Cyberstar CP-02 mallet putter is milled from a responsive material called M2052, which is often used in precision audio equipment. The theory is that the M2052 absorbs vibrations from a limited frequency band, while allowing the vibrations through to the shaft and hands that enable golfers to receive a clear feel for the club and hence, accurate distance control. The mallet head is designed to provide a greater moment of inertia for maximum forgiveness.

Nike's iC putter range were designed with input from the company's optical research director, with a view to optimising the shape, location and contrast of the alignment aid on the putter head. The theory is that these measures will help golfers focus on the putter face, which helps to keep the putter face square to the line of putt. The putter face is CNC milled flat, and 34" or 36" club lengths are available.

RDE stands for ‘Reduced Dimple Error' and is supposed to be pronounced ‘Ready'. The scientists at Zen Oracle say the ‘precise micro ridges' on the RDE mallet's clubface improve putting dispersion by up to 50%, by reducing the deflection that can be caused by the dimple pattern on golf balls. The putter can also serve as a training aid if golfers practice their putting stroke with a ball inserted into the clubhead's aperture.

Nickent's Pipe II PP/05 features a face insert with ‘alternating groove technology'. The idea is that with grooves alternating in size and depth, the putter face will have fractionally longer contact with the ball, which should encourage a topspin roll. The club is built with a cylinder pipe alignment device with a tungsten plug at the back of to increase the putter's MOI.

Wilson Staff has combined its latest technology with the classic shape of its TPA putter from two decades ago, to make the new 8876. It was with the TPA that Nick Faldo won the 1989 Masters, but that model didn't have the urethane insert of its successor, which comes with microgrooves to encourage a topspin roll. The 8876 is one of five putters in Wilson Staff's 88 Series.

One of three putters in the Tad Moore Classic line, the HB003 is built with heel-toe weighting to resist twisting through the strike and go give the face a large sweetspot. The stainless steel clubhead has a ‘red precision' insert with a view to providing golfers with the perfect launch with excellent feel.

It sounds like a fighter jet and looks just as striking. Complete with what Callaway describes as the ‘bestselling putter alignment system of all time', the XG 2-Ball F7 has been fitted with a multi-layer insert for a softer feel, with an elastomer core and urethane surface. High-density wings also give the clubhead added stability through the stroke.

One of eight models in the Pure Red line, the Oakmont is a blade with a classic shape and heel-toe weighting, and it features the Benross interpretation of groove technology; V grooves. The grooves on the soft aluminium insert are designed to give the putter face added grip on the ball at impact, with a view to imparting a top-spin roll.

MD Golf's NV Drew Kilarney is one of three putters designed by Ireland's former Ryder Cup golfer Norman Drew. The mallet head has been CNC milled from a solid block of carbon steel and then chromium plated, and it has been upgraded for 2009 with a new face pattern designed to increase topspin.

Golf appeals to the idiot in us, and the child," said recently departed author and passionate golfer John Updike. "Just how childlike golfers become is proven by their frequent inability to count past five."

Matching Wilson Staff cart bags for a fully co-ordinated option, the Luxe Carryall comes in White with Black polka dots or Black with White polka dots. The bag features long straps for shoulder carry, and an internal valuables pocket and compartments.

The Tromb storm-proof umbrella is built with what Galvin Greens says is an ‘extra strong' 30-inch frame. It has a double-layer top cover with a pressure release vent and it is available in Black/Red.

Trion:Z's Broadband ionic-magnetic bracelets contain minus-ion producing minerals and twin 1,000- gauss magnets. The minus-ions help counter the body's heavy intake of positive ions from electronic equipment, mobile phones and physical stress-inducing machinery, and the magnets protect against radiation.

Q Link bracelets feature SRT3 technology, which is designed to strengthen and balance the body's energetic system, or biofield. The theory is that the wearer's body will work with greater efficiency, and therefore produce more energy and focus and less stress. The bracelets come in three styles for men and women: stainless steel; titanium polished and titanium black ceramic.

Champ says the all-weather Pro Stinger offers "unsurpassed traction" thanks to the combination of its durable metal centre tip and softer TPU spring-flex outer cleats. Designed to be easy to clean and change, the yellow and black Pro Stingers come with Q-Lok, Tri-Lok or Small Thread fittings.

Premier Licensing has launched a line of retro Pompom head covers in partnership with the UK's leading football clubs. The dualembroidered head covers are available in driver and fairway wood sizes.

The Wrist Brake simply clips on the putter shaft and sits about halfway up. Golfers need to keep the arm in line with the putter face, but if they don't, inventor Philip Gazeley says it shows a stroke with too much wrist action. The aid is designed to encourage the correct shoulder and spine movement for putting.

Butt Head has produced a range of animal head covers, featuring the backsides of creatures including a baboon, bear, fish and frog. All crafted in the best possible taste, they also have a range of Tiny Hiny covers for woods, hybrids and putters. The driver covers will fit clubheads up to 460cc in size. There are 30 designs to choose from, and each has a trade price of £10.

Welsh brand Asbri Golf has been growing dramatically beyond its roots in the ‘Valleys'. Now entering its fifth season, the Pontypridd-based accessories distributor/licensee has certainly made an impact on the industry with its rapidly expanding range of products.

In polished chrome with black trim, Puma's Golf Chrome Weekender comes with a padded body and base, detachable shoulder strap, carry handles and side zip shoe compartment. The Weekender is part of Puma's Chrome Collection of apparel, footwear and accessories for men and women.

The V-Towel combines a looped micro-fibre towel with a 270-degree cleaning bristle arc into one product, designed to keep golf clubs cleaner than ever during a round. A dropand- lock system ensures the VTowel is portable and easily attached to golf bags, stands or buggies. The V-Towel is an ideal product for corporate and club branding.

Following feedback from the 2009 PGA Merchandise Show, Easy Way Golf has modified its Putt Easy training aid, so that rather than catering just for golfers with a straight putting stroke, it can now be adjusted for an inside putting stroke too. The Putt Easy trains golfers to have a square putter face at impact, and to strike the ball with a slightly upward face to generate a topspin roll.

Daily Golf's synthetic snakeskin belt, which is new for 2009, is decorated with metallic golf ball medallions. The buckle incorporates a detachable ball marker and the belt comes in White, Sand, Gold, Silver, Navy, Pink, Red and Black.

Softspikes has introduced what it says is golf's first ‘self-adjusting' cleat, designed to let golfers custom-match their cleats to their swing, balance and weight. The cleats are fitted with new ‘support rings', which can be adjusted by the golfer to the ‘Tour-comfort setting' of maximum flex, or a ‘Tour-firm setting' for extreme traction and a spike-like feel.

Druh is the new belts and buckles brand launched by English Tour golfer Simon Hurd (‘Druh' is an anagram of ‘Hurd'). The handmade leather and snakeskin belts come in colours ranging from the classic browns and blacks, right through to the more daring pastels and metallic tones.

The GolfBone is a yoke-style harness for carrying golf bags that has been designed at Sheffield Hallam University, in collaboration with Sheffield golf pro Paul Shields. The ergonomically designed GolfBone system has been created to ease the strain of carrying a full golf bag over long distances by balancing the weight evenly across the shoulders.

ClubGrip is a racket-style ‘grip wrap', and PrideSports claims it will provide superior tack, comfort and moisture absorbency than traditional grips, and that the ClubGrip gives golfers the opportunity to embellish their grips without having to go to the trouble and expense of having clubs re-gripped in the traditional manner. ClubGrip comes in packs of three and in Black or Green.

Bonding golf club components together is the most critical stage of custom-fitting, and thereby the single most important ingredient in clubmaking is the epoxy used to bind the head to the shaft. Using the wrong epoxy, or just poor preparation, can result in catastrophe. Reputation and credibility could be wrecked if the wrong adhesives are used.