Company
Profile:
Paax Golf Shoots
from Down Under
By Shane Sharp,
Contributing Writer
MATTEWS, N.C. – In the little town of Matthews, just outside
of Charlotte, sits a little store with a big mission. Paax Golf,
Inc. is an Australian based golf club manufacturer that believes
that buying a new set of clubs shouldn’t be rocket science,
and it shouldn’t set you back a college tuition payment.
Paax is the largest manufacturer of golf clubs down under, and CEO Tom Rapone hopes to tap the lucrative U.S. market with a straightforward strategy – offer clubs of high quality at a low price.
“Golf is a very competitive market. The only way to break through is to offer a quality club at a very competitive price,” says Rapone. “We have all that in the Paax line.”
Paax clubs are handcrafted from components to exact specifications in the Paax facility in South Australia. Rapone says this creates a top-notch product, and he points to research by the engineering department at the University of Adelaide in Australia that suggests there isn’t much difference between Paax clubs and name brands dominating the market at higher costs.
“They tested them against the higher ends and they actually
rated above two of the major manufacturers and even with a third,
as far as quality of clubs and consistency,” Rapone says.
Paax’s contention is that most golfers won’t be able to tell a measurable difference between its moderately priced clubs, and those that sell for three and four times as much. Rapone also believes that the Paax clubs that you can buy off the shelf should be an ideal fit for 95 percent of golfers out there.
“We will hand make and custom fit the clubs if the need be, for free,” says Rapone. “The average golfer can play good with the standard club we sell in the store.”
For now, those clubs are coming in two models.
Paax is initially selling its two most popular models – the Olympus 2000 and the Black Opal – in addition to bags, balls, gloves, umbrellas and other accessories. The clubs come in complete sets of 3-iron through pitching wedge, plus three woods, and are available only at the Paax Golf Center and at golf pro shops.
John Gamble, a long-time clubmaker and owner of Carolina Golf Manufacturing in Charlotte, recently evaluated a set of the Paax Olympus clubs and gave them a positive grade.
“They have good components, they set up well and have a good
feel,” says Gamble, who also compliments the craftsmanship.
“I’d say these are first class clubs.”
As for prices, suggested retail for a set of men’s or women’s Olympus 2000 is $399 for steel shafts and $550 for graphite. The Black Opals come with True Temper steel shafts and retail for $450. Those prices include three woods and a full set of irons. All clubs carry a five-year guarantee on components and workmanship.
It will be a challenge for Paax to sway the American public to swing its clubs. But Rapone has a conservative business model with realistic goals for distribution and sales. The company won’t pay millions for star endorsements and advertising campaigns, electing instead to start slowly and build a customer base in the Carolinas before moving to other states.
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“We want people to know Paax is golf. We only do golf, we don’t do football, tennis or soccer,” says Rapone. “Everything that Paax does is golf, and the Carolina Blonde Tour is all golf – pure and simple.”
Paax clubs are available at its golf center at 11014 Monroe Road between Charlotte and Matthews, but the easiest way to purchase them is through your local PGA pro shop. Paax is determined to return club sales to these “green grass” locations, where sales have been decimated because of large discount retailers.
“We made a conscious decision to support the PGA Professionals and only sell clubs through them,” Rapone explains. “Club sales have gone out the door at most courses and we’re trying to bring that back. Nobody else is doing that.”
Paax also emphasizes a “try it before you buy it” philosophy. The company has placed demo sets at courses, and will host demo days throughout the Carolinas on a regular basis.
The Paax Lineup
Clubs
Olympus 2000 – This line debuted in January 2000 and is a top seller in Australia. The Olympus 2000 is ideal for all level of golfers, particularly mid to high handicappers. With its cavity back, low center of gravity and perimeter weighting, it is very user-friendly and offers maximum forgiveness. These clubs also feature precision shafts that are frequency matched for consistency shot after shot. Suggested retail for a set of irons and woods is $399 for steel shafts, and $550 for graphite shafts.
Black Opal – The Black Opal features more of a modern design and is perfect for mid to low handicappers. Like its Olympus 2000 counterpart, the Black Opal blends a cavity back with perimeter weighting for excellent forgiveness. However, the Black Opal club heads are cast out of 431 stainless steel, a softer steel that provides better feel and shot-making potential. The Black Opals are equipped only with True Temper steel shafts, and suggested retail is $450 per set.
Putters
TRP – The TRP is Paax’s most popular putter. It offers toe/heel weighting, an offset head and a tri-alignment feature to help ensure accuracy. Suggested retail: $29.95.
Pro Touch Series II – This is a mallet head putter with a
polymer, “soft feel” insert and a milled face for ultimate
touch on the greens. The polymer insert also applies instant roll
to any golf ball, especially harder, two-piece balls. Suggested
retail: $39.95.
Golf Balls
Tyrant – The Paax Tyrant is a two-piece ball designed for maximum distance. Its core includes a mix of titanium and other metals, and it’s Ti-Blend cover offers greater spin than normal distance balls. Tyrants come individually boxed by the dozen. Suggested retail: $19.95.
TDT – The second ball to hit the U.S. market is the Tour Dual Titanium. It features a Ti-enriched surlyn ionomer cover for a softer feel and unequalled spin, while still producing good distance. The TDT also has a 442 aerodyne extra carry dimple pattern and comes in 15-packs for suggested retail of $24.95.
Bags
Muirfield – The 9” deluxe Muirfield bag is Paax’s top of the line model. It features a durable, leather-look exterior, full-length dividers to protect clubs, several zippered pockets, padded and embroidered shoulder straps and matching head covers. Suggested retail is $199. St. Andrews – This 9” bag is strong and lightweight with graphite-friendly full-length dividers. It features more pockets than the Muirfield, including a side pocket perfect for cellular phones or other electronic devices. Suggested retail is $199.
Troon – This model, which is also 9” in diameter, is the perfect bag for the budget conscious golfer. It is lightweight and strong, with plenty of space and full-length dividers. Suggested retail is $149.
For more information on Paax clubs or accessories, call (704) 708-5770. or look them up on the web at www.paaxusa.com.
