Ram puts its money on nickel

Friday, January 24th - Orlando, Florida. While the golf industry is trumpeting the age of all titanium , titanium inserts and othe new developments, Ram Golf has banked its future on nickel for its oversized irons.

"We've tested and evaluated virtually every metallurgic option known for the past twelve months", said Jerry Fortis, Ram Senior vice president, marketing. "We found all titanium simple didn't make it in irons. It has very poor impact and feel properties.Titanium's benefits in wood heads are not transferable to an iron head. However, we've determined that titanium inserts perform best in speciality clubs where the degree of hardness in the titanium inserts can be made to match specific function of the club. For example, you want soft titanium in a wedge for added feel and spin control. In contrast, in a driving iron, you want hard titaium for minimum spin but maximum velocity. The insert also allows for much greater and more effective design balance and perimeter weighting."

Fortis also pointed out that it was important to understand that nickel isn't nickel. "There are almost endless formulations and compounds that can produce something called nickel. The nickel developed for use in our new Fx Nickel Oversized was the best of several nickel formulas tested and was superior to any of the compound metals we evaluated." He also said that the Fx Nickel had three distinct advantages and benefits.

1. It felt as soft or softer than the finest forged carbon steel.

2. The density and consistency of the metal deliver a more solid and superior ball impact.

3. The metal is quite moveable, permitting virtually infinite fitting adjustments.

Tom Watson has played a hand in determining which nickel formulations were ultimately used in the Fx Nickel Oversize irons.

The Fx Nickel Oversize follows closely in design to the Ram Fx Stainless Steel Oversize that was introduced 18 months and has become Ram's best-ever selling model.

The new Fx Nickel's standard offering is total custom fitting for men, women and seniors in Ram Golf's TempoWeight graphite shaft. The TempoWeight is available in three flexes - 80+mph, 90+mph and 100+mph. Club length can be fit plus or minus one inch versus standard. Lie angles can be fit three degrees flat or three degrees upright versus standard. Grips can be 1/16th oversized or 1/32nd undersized. The Fx Nickel is also available in a custom fit for men only in Ram's SteelSeries shaft with SensiCore. Both the Fx Nickel and Stainless have available matching sand, middle and lob wedges. Only Fx Stainless Oversize is available in left-hand.

Prices for the Fx Nickel Oversize in TempoWeight graphite is abput $999 for a set of eight irons or $125 a club. Fx Stainless Oversize in TempoWeight graphite remains at the '96 price of $799 for a set of eight or $100 a club. Fx Nickel Oversize for men in SteelSeries with SensiCore is $799 for a set of eight of $100 a club.