Callaway RAZR FIT Driver: Tour version vs Retail version

[GQMike]

Starting this thread to get a little conversation going about why companies make clubs in 2 different versions (Tour vs Retail). Callaway's new RAZR FIT driver, which is phenomenal and should be a huge hit this year, has 2 versions. Retail is the version we are all going to be able to buy and game - it has an adjustable face angle of 1.5° closed, 2° open, neutral & adjustable perimeter heel/toe weights. For me, along with several better players I've talked with, we wouldn't ever take the club off neutral with those extreme of adjustments. Tour (or Tour issue) is the version I've seen that is much like the Titleist 910 with a letter/number system of adjustability - loft, lie, face angle adjustability (unsure to which degree you can adjust each as there are no details) & adjustable perimeter heel/toe weights. Why wouldn't you release that version as a tour version of the driver at retail? They have done this in the past with the RAZR line & FT line of drivers (smaller heads in tour version). From what I've seen, it splits the 1 ring on the hosel of the retail version into 2 rings with letters on top, numbers on bottom. *INSERT - THIS THREAD IS USELESS WITHOUT PICS COMMENT* Only pix I've seen is of Colt Knost testing it on a competitor forum, so unsure if I can post.

While I understand the tour players are the best in the world, and get the best equipment on the planet, why don't the OEM's release what they're making for tour players with limited availability to the public? You see them come on the market every now and again at exorbitant prices (think Circle T putters), wouldn't OEM's want to capitalize on that? Or make the tour version available at the higher pricepoint like they have in the past? Thoughts?

 

[JF]

Tour players are in a world beyond ours. They want their world to be exclusive to themselves. Think greens. It would be fun to watch tour players struggle on extremely slow greens that they haven't putted on in their lives. They don't do it because they feel they are too good and cannot be put in the same party as the weekend hackers and parking lot pros.

 

[Super Tuna]

Because most people don't need the Tour version of things?
Besides they are readily available if one actually wants one and they aren't really all the badly priced since you are in effect getting a custom made driver head. Razr fit tour heads can be had for $600 or less and given the lower production and custom nature of them, I'd say that's a pretty good price. Much better then what DOT heads are still going for.

 

[Wicked Cool Bearded Man]

Thanks GQMike for posting your question and thoughts. I agree that if someone wants to pay a more substantial price, they should be able to. Every company is different I guess where some make the exact same products available and others don't. I love your bag set up as well. Can't wait to set mine up in a similar fashion soon!

 

[Perkins Rooster]

I actually agree with the OP. Of course an OEM is free to choose what they sell, but people who go to the store and buy a Razr Fit driver are probably thinking they're getting what they see in use on the tour (yes I understand that what is on tour is probably not best for them).

 

[GQMike]

Well I guess this thread should have been more specific to the RAZR FIT Tour vs Retail. While I definitely understand that tour versions aren't for everybody, your better players and club professionals would probably prefer a fully adjustable driver. I guess I need to make friends with the Callaway tour rep! Why are they making an extreme face angle adjustable driver, when it's just as easy to release the fully adjustable driver? Just doesn't make sense to me, then again I'm not employed as someone in charge of marketing or product development.

 

[GQMike]

Thanks GQMike for posting your question and thoughts. I agree that if someone wants to pay a more substantial price, they should be able to. Every company is different I guess where some make the exact same products available and others don't. I love your bag set up as well. Can't wait to set mine up in a similar fashion soon!

Thanks! Callaway is making some fantastic gear, and I'm very privileged to be on staff with them. You will definitely have a great set come Morgan Cup time! Just hoping somehow I'm gonna be able to land myself the tour version of the new RAZR FIT for 2012.
:dont-know: