Fred Couple's Signature Shoes

For the golfer whose feet have everything, ECCO announces that a Fred Couples Signature Model of its award-winning BIOM Hybrid shoe will be offered in a limited-edition of 275 pairs at www.eccousa.com.

Slated to be worn by Couples during the 2014 Masters, this unique style boasts a white/green color combo and celebrates the Tour star’s winning score of 13-under-par 275 at the 1992 championship. Each shoe is laser-engraved with Couples’ distinctive autograph on the lateral (outer) side of the yak leather upper, matched by a serial number on the medial (inner) side.

“This project is a testament to our remarkable relationship with Fred and his dynamic, longstanding connection with golf fans around the world,” says Michael Waack, Head of Global Golf at ECCO. “Fred’s power to capture the popular imagination ignited the hybrid footwear revolution, so it’s fitting that we commemorate his latest trip to Augusta National with a very special shoe.”

Retailing for $275, the Fred Couples Signature Model showcases two patented performance technologies – NATURAL MOTION and the ECCO Dynamic Traction System (E-DTS). These combine to provide a combination of comfort, stability, grip and shock-absorption.

Initially developed for the premium running market, NATURAL MOTION technology relies on an anatomical last created by scanning the feet of 2,500 athletes. It provides exceptional support along the entire footbed and utilizes the body’s evolutionary system for absorbing the impact of each step.

Unique in the hybrid category pioneered by ECCO, the E-DTS outsole has approximately 100 molded traction bars and 800 traction angles. The elements are constructed from TPU – a highly durable, wear-resistant material – to provide superb grip in a wide range of conditions.

Additional features of the ultralight Fred Couples Signature Model include:
• Extremely Low Profile – Golfer’s weight is closer to the playing surface for excellent stability, ground feel and traction
• Direct Injection – A process that yields superior cushioning, stability and comfort via a one-piece shoe that’s built without glue or stitching
• Weather Resistance – Naturally soft, smooth, breathable and strong yak leather uppers treated with HYDROMAX™ for superb weather protection
• Climate Control – Triple-component ECCO Comfort Fibre System insole for a cool, dry  shoe interior

The ECCO Golf collection is also endorsed by scores of other Tour stars worldwide, including Ernie Els, Graeme McDowell, Thomas Bjørn, Marcel Siem, Thongchai Jaidee, Will Wilcox, Andreas Hartø, Wu Ashun, JB Hansen, Belén Mozo, Caroline Masson and Gerina Piller. As cool as they are, however, none of them have a limited edition signature model!

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf

Met Golf Writers To Honor "Boom Boom" Couples

Fred Couples photo courtesy of PGA Tour

Golf Hall of Famer Fred Couples will receive one of golf’s most prestigious honors – the Gold Tee Award – from the Metropolitan Golf Writers Association at the 63rd National Awards Dinner on Monday, June 23 at the Westchester Marriott in Tarrytown, New York.

The Gold Tee is the MGWA’s highest honor. It's awarded to an individual whose career achievements exemplify the best spirit and traditions of the sport of golf.

One of the most popular golfers worldwide for three decades, Couples joins select company. The list of past Gold Tee recipients reads like a “Who’s Who of Golf” and includes Bobby Jones, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Nancy Lopez, Tom Watson, Annika Sorenstam, and Phil Mickelson.

Couples, 1992 Masters champion, won 15 times on the PGA TOUR including two Players Championships. He recently captained the U.S. to its third straight Presidents Cup victory.  A two-time PGA TOUR Player of the Year, Couples played on five consecutive Ryder Cup teams (1989-97).

Still a force on the Champions Tour, Couples, 54, has also won two Senior majors, including the 2012 Senior (British) Open Championship.   Always known for his long drives, “Boom Boom” was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame last May.

“We are thrilled to honor an all-time fan favorite,” said MGWA President Bruce Beck. “Freddie’s a class act whose overall achievements rival anyone in his era.”

Since 1952, the MGWA has recognized the game’s greatest players, contributors, and organizations at its National Awards Dinner, the longest running and often the largest golf dinner in the U.S. each year.

The MGWA has produced a special video to celebrate six decades of the Dinner:
https://vimeo.com/63849701

Long-time MGWA member Jim Nantz says, “There is no dinner in America that celebrates golf like this one.”

Golf’s leading organizations, the USGA, PGA of America, PGA TOUR, LPGA, MGA,
MetLife, and Rolex, support the dinner.  The National Awards Dinner has raised over 1.5 million dollars for Caddie Scholarship programs in the metropolitan New York area, the MGA Foundation,  and the Dave Marr Journalism Scholarship at Columbia University.

Among many other books, Dave Donelson is the author of Weird Golf: 18 tales of fantastic, horrific, scientifically impossible, and morally reprehensible golf