| Zero Friction Golf Tee Test /
September 2011
GolfTest USA was retained by Zero Friction to
develop the testing protocol and methodology and then conduct a test comparing the Zero Friction ZFTour
3 Prong Tee and the Zero Friction ZFXtreme Tee to a standard 2 3/4 inch wood tee and two other performance tees.
Throughout the rest of this report the tees shall be referred to as follows: Zero Friction ZFTour 3 Prong tee
is Tee ZF, Zero Friction ZFXtreme tee is Tee ZFX.
The two competitors in the performance tee market shall be designated as Tee E and Tee T. The wood tee is Tee W.
Test Part A
In this portion of the test 25 golfers hit 10 shots each
using each of the 5 tees in the test. The makeup of the 25 golfers who participated in the test was as follows:
10 testers who had established handicaps from 0 to 10 and 15 testers whose established handicaps ranged from 11
to 20. The sequence in which each of the 5 tees was hit was changed and rotated to as not to give an unfair
advantage to any one tee. The number of shots was also limited to 5 recorded shots during each session and
then the testers would move to another tee until each tester had hit the required 10 shots using each tee.
Each shot was recorded using the FlightScope Prime launch monitor. Criterion measured during the test was
carry distance, total distance, lateral dispersion and smash factor.
To insure additional controlled conditions and consistency GolfTest USA had each tester use the same model driver. GolfTest
USA picked the new Williams FW32 driver as the driver that was used by each tester. Each tester was fitted with the proper
flex and loft. The average results that were compiled are listed below.
Test Part A Results
| Tee Model
|
Carry Distance
|
Total Distance
|
Dispersion
|
Smash Factor
|
| Tee T |
178.2
|
198.9
|
12.1
|
143.5
|
|
| Tee E |
180.1
|
203.2
|
6.1
|
144.1
|
| Tee W |
181.7
|
205.1
|
6.8
|
143.9
|
| Tee ZF |
186.9
|
209.8
|
6.9
|
144.6
|
| Tee ZFX |
188.2
|
211.1
|
5.8
|
144.7
|
The clear leader in this group was
the Tee ZFX. It was tops in all measured criteria. Following closely behind in distance was
the Tee ZF. Also, both the Tee ZFX and Tee ZF were superior in the important Smash Factor rating.
The Tee E rated high in the Dispersion rating very close to the Tee ZFX. We were bewildered by the
low rating across the board for the Tee T as its performance was outside the statistical norms we
usually see. In the many tee tests we have conducted over the years there in normally no more than
1 to 2% difference in performance from one tee to another. We are at a loss to explain why Tee T
performed so poorly. The high Average Smash Factor for both the Tee ZFX and the Tee
ZF directly correlate to the longer distance both Zero Friction tees recorded compared to the
other three tees in the test.
Test Part B
In this portion of the test
the same 25 golfers played one round with each of the tees in the test. Once the round
was complete for each tee they immediately evaluated several criteria so that how they
performed was still fresh in their minds.
They were asked to rate each question on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best. The averages
of all the responses are shown below.
Test Part B Results
1: Rate how much you think this tee improved
distance:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
6.3 |
5.9
|
5.4
|
6.3
|
4.4
|
|
2: Rate how durable the tee was:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
8.1 |
7.9
|
7.8
|
8.9
|
4.6
|
| 3: Rate how easy it was to insert the tee into the ground:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
8.2 |
7.1
|
7.6
|
9.1
|
7.9
|
| 4: Rate the quality of the tee:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
7.4 |
7.3
|
7.6
|
8.4
|
5.9
|
|
5: Rate how easy it was to place the ball on the tee:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
5.9 |
3.9
|
5.8
|
7.9
|
7.7
|
|
6: Rate how easy it was to maintain a consistent height:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
6.7 |
5.4
|
5.4
|
7.9
|
5.7
|
| 7: Rate how strongly you would recommend this tee to other golfers:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
6.6 |
5.1
|
4.9
|
7.1
|
4.9
|
| 8: Rate how eco friendly you think each tee is:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
7.9 |
7.6
|
6.3
|
7.2
|
5.1
|
| 9: Rate the design of each tee:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
7.1 |
7.1
|
6.8
|
7.7
|
5.2
|
| 10: Rate each tee for overall performance:
Tee ZF
|
Tee ZFX
|
Tee T
|
Tee E
|
Tee W
|
7.1 |
6.6
|
6.3
|
7.7
|
5.1
|
|
Summary Overview
Based on the objective results of this test in Part A
it is clear that the Zero Friction ZFXtreme Tee performed at a high level. It achieved the best distance while
at the same time maintaining the lowest dispersion rate. Generally the longer the distance a drive is hit the
higher the dispersion rate is. Combining greater distance with the best accuracy is a significant achievement
for Zero Friction ZFXtreme Tee.
In Part B of the test the results compiled were subjective based on the evaluations the testers made while playing rounds
of golf with each tee. Golfers can have good and bad days on the course so the average totals tend to be a little more
spread out across the range of a standard bell curve. Having said that the ratings in this part of test do offer a good
insight into how the testers felt about each of the criteria they evaluated.
GolfTest USA is awarding the both the Zero Friction ZFXtreme Tee and the Zero Friction ZFTour Tee our GolfTest USA Seal of Excellence.
We are also awarding the Zero Friction ZFXtreme Tee our 5 star
rating which is based on the results achieved in this test. We are confident that golfers who use the Zero Friction
ZFXtreme Tee will find that they are using a golf product that will live up to the claims made by Zero
Friction Golf and that the Zero Friction ZFXtreme Tee will help golfers hit longer and straighter drives.
For more information on Zero Friction Tees and other Zero Friction golf products
go to www.zerofriction.com.
The Testing Staff at GolfTest USA
Special Note
In October of 2011 Zero Friction sent out a
press release explaining the
results of the test. We are posting it below for golfers to read.
Zero Friction Proves Superiority in Distance and Accuracy
10-12-11 (Oakbrook Terrace, IL) - In an age when golf tees
continue to become more of a commodity than ever, Zero Friction set out to test its superiority compared to other
tees in the marketplace. Most tees not made from the conventional wood or bamboo products consider themselves to
be performance tees. When Zero Friction hit the marketplace in 2005,
we did just the same; the difference being that Zero Friction wanted to prove its supremacy.
Six years ago, Zero Friction had the original ZFTour (3-prong) tee tested at Golf Laboratories, Inc., located in San Diego, CA,
under perfect conditions, using a mechanical arm. The test came back with staggering results favoring Zero Friction compared
to the other tees (50% less dispersion compared to a conventional wood tee). Since 2005, many more "performance" golf tees
have entered the marketplace and once again, Zero Friction wanted to demonstrate the advanced design of the product lines.
In this second round of testing, Zero Friction choose to use a non-mechanical method, using actual golfers because golf isn't
played by a mechanical arm, thus ZF retained GolfTest USA based in Green Valley, Arizona to perform the testing.
GolfTest
USA came up with a methodical testing method using five different golf tees, two being the Zero Friction ZFXtreme (4-prong)
and the Zero Friction ZFTour (3-prong). To perform the test, 25 golfers were acquired (10 ranging in the 0-10 handicap and
15 ranging in the 11-20 handicap). These 25 golfers hit each tee a total of 10 times in two rounds of five shots. In each
round the tees were placed in front of the golfer in a different order to ensure no unfair advantage to any one tee. Each
shot was recorded using the FlightScope Prime launch monitor to record carry distance, total distance, lateral dispersion
and smash factor. In addition to the tees rotating in front of the golfer, to ensure consistency,
Golf Test USA had each golfer use identical drivers that were then fitted with the proper flex and loft.
The results show once again the superiority of the Zero Friction Performance Tees in both the 3-prong and 4-prong versions.
The fact is that although tees are the rarely thought about item in a golfers bag, one thing is known for sure, they are 100%
necessary for every golfer
hitting the course and when they do, why wouldn't they choose the proven Zero Friction™ brand to help their game.
(Excerpts of this press release were reprinted with the permission of Zero Friction.)
Email us at info@golftestusa.com to make any comments or
at requestatest@golftestusa.com to ask us to
test other golf products.
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