Local golf manufacturer looks to put a Pole-Kat in your bag
andyHALL Special to Florida Weekly

Recently, two Europeans, Padrig Harrington and Sergio Garcia, provided all the drama one could ask for in battling for a British Open championship. The 27 year-old Garcia was defeated by Harrington, but he made it to the final round primarily on the strength and control of a belly putter he adopted two weeks before. Innovation of the long putter dates back to 1985, when Pole-Kat Golf, a local Fort Myers company introduced the club.

Pole-Kat manufactures their own line of golf equipment including irons drivers, fairway metals, and a variety of putters including the long and belly putters. "People like the long and belly putter because it takes the things that cause the yips out of their stroke," says Jason Walden, vice president for sales. "The long putters are great for putts at 10 feet or less, and improve your chances of sinking it dramatically," he adds.

Walden points out that many golfers transition to longer putters as their fine motor skills influenced by the shorter muscles in the arms lessen with age. He surmises that there is clearly a correlation between age and length of putter, which is perfect for a company who invented products sought by a population of older golfers.

PHOTO ANDY HALL Jason Walden, vice president for sales for Pole-Kat Golf Company, demonstrates the company's signature belly (or long) putter at their Fort Myers store. Golf professional Sergio Garcia started using the club and lost in a playoff at the recent British Open championship.

Pole-Kat started their company on the attributes of the original long putter used by touring pros and even the first President Bush. "There's less stroke required in a long or belly putter making distance and speed more important. You may experience less feel for the long putts, but accuracy for shorter putts goes up," he says.

Since Garcia's dramatic improvement in putting at the Open, something seen as a routine weakness in his game, Pole- Kat's sales and inquiries of long and belly putters have increased significantly. Exceptional performance by PGA professionals using unique equipment in major championships has a direct impact on golf sales around the country.

"We've seen sales in long and belly putters go up by over 30 percent in the past few weeks, and most customers calling in are inquiring about availability of the unique clubs," Walden mentions. Pole-Kat sells a lot of clubs, especially for a local golf manufacturer not that well known outside of Florida.

Pole-Kat's Web site, http://www. polekatgolf.com, says their business philosophy is to deliver value, excellent equipment performance and quality at a reasonable price. They keep prices down by not spending large sums on promotions, marketing and advertising. They rely on word of mouth by satisfied customers to let others know where to find their products.

"We use the same technology employed by the big name companies, producing our clubs in the same overseas foundries, but sell them here for about one third the cost to our customers," says Brian Terski, Pole-Kat's vice president for operations. This allows them to sell their top of the line full golf set for $700, including driver, three fairway woods, and 3-PW irons, which can be custom fit at their local store. Putters range from $40 for a variety of conventional styles, to $60 for their belly and $80 for their trademark long putter.

Terski is also the company's club design innovator who created their current best selling product, the 3D (3 wood/driver). Engineered for the average golfer, Terski combined the loft and accuracy of the 3 wood with the larger sweet spot and distance of a titanium driver. The company sells more of these clubs than any other product.

If you're looking to try a switch in your putter, or you're considering purchase of an entire custom fit set of clubs, this local golf manufacturer is looking to put a Pole-Kat in your bag. It's clearly worth the visit to their local store in Fort Myers.

Pole-Kat Golf Company

>>What: Purchase of unique golf putters and equipment.

>>Where: 4101 Colonial Blvd, Fort Myers, 936-7977, email to info@polekatgolf.com

>>How Much: Putters $40-$80; hybrids $40- $90; iron sets $250-$480; complete golf sets $400-$700