DAVE: The Frank Thomas thing with GD is a real source of pain for sure. Right after I left GS when I was consulting for a few foundries and companies but before I made the decision to start my own company, I had lobbied GD to hire me as their main Tech Editor on a consulting basis, but as I found out, the high ups decided to put Frank in that position because they felt Frank was more well known by consumers from his former USGA position. They felt that they needed someone in that type of visible position that the consumers already had a measure of respect for. Since that time I have cringed almost monthly on what he writes because while Frank is an engineer, he does not know fitting or the real design technologies because he never worked in those areas enough to gain the experience and knowledge. I have voiced this concern to the magazine, and some of the people there agree, but this is one of those areas where the decision makers have not listened to reason and feel a consumer awareness of Frank is more important than having the best technical advice they could dispense. So in this area, yes, I agree that GD is not doing the best they could in providing the best technical information for their consumers they could. But in my role with them, I do my best to help with the topics and pieces for which I am asked to help, so not being haughty or anything, I know those things are correct and helpful to the readers.
TOM -----Original Message----- From: Dave Tutelman [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2003 5:32 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: RE: ShopTalk: Top Clubmakers / GD / Dr. Loft At 04:17 PM 10/15/03 -0600, Tom Wishon wrote: >Good points for sure but most all of the readers of GD believe that the >custom clubs used by the guys on tour all come from the OEMS and know very >little if anything about real clubmakers like you and everyone else >here. And the worst part of it is that because they are aware of the tour >players using custom shafts, or this or that, the regular golfers tend to >believe that custom clubs are only for better golfers. So the education >process really needs to almost start all over again. Well, don't count on GD to be a part of the process. Frankly -- whoops, bad pun; you'll see why in a moment -- they're a big part of the problem. I just went to their web site, to see if I could find your article. Could not, but I did find Frank Thomas' monthly Q&A about equipment. One of his answers reinforced EXACTLY the misimpression you cite: "Q - I am a middle-handicapper looking at new clubs. Should I go through a fitting or just order a set I like? -- Sean Pahut, Shelby, Mont." "A - if you are between 5-feet-8 and 6-feet-2 and have a swing speed of about 85 miles per hour with your driver and hit your 6-iron about 150 yards, then a standard-length set with a regular-flex shaft and C-9 to D-2 swingweight should be fine. You do, however, have to make sure that the lie angle is correct (too flat, ball will go right; too upright, ball will go left). That's where a good fitter can help. A fitter also might offer advice on your set makeup, show you the benefits of different weight shafts or explain more subtle refinements like adjusting grip size and tweaking iron lofts. Of course, these adjustments matter more to a better player." No cheers this time! DaveT
