Henrik Stenson Makes Senior Tour Debut With Invitation-Only Golf Ball

Stenson is one of 21 major champions in the field this week at the Senior PGA Championship. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

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Stenson, the 2016 Open champion, is one of 21 major winners in the field at the Senior PGA Championship, which is being contested from April 16-19 at The Concession Golf Club in Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida.

“I can feel the difference in quality and consistency," said Stenson, who developed a reputation over the years as a precise ball-striker. “I’ve put in the time testing it, I trust it, and I’m really looking forward to getting it out there in competition.”

Member-only golf balls from The Underground. Similar to the way some equipment manufacturers sort golf balls with tighter quality control process to send to tour professionals on their staff, The Underground enforces stricter quality control protocols to ensure every ball is perfect.

The Underground

The Underground occupies a decidedly unusual space within the golf world. Rather than retail rollouts or challenging legacy golf ball brands, the group – which got its start when its well-connected founders decided they wanted to create the best ball possible just for themselves – has an application process to join.

If selected to be a part of The Underground, members get limited-edition apparel, accessories and gear (including some branded “drip” from Wahlberg’s Municipal brand), but the hook is a golf ball that its founders say is held to a level of quality control that exceeds the standards of the game’s largest manufacturers. Members receive an annual allocation of 12 dozen golf balls, the same ones Stenson will be putting to the competitive test this week at the Senior PGA Championship.

This article was originally published on Forbes.com