Its really crazy, this business is. I can't count the number of "perfect" clubs I've built that, once in the hands of the player turned into duds. My theory is that during the fitting process the player is going all out to smash the ball, play with his best swing. The club is built, the guy takes it to the range, still perfect. Then onto the course. Its great for the first few rounds then "it" becomes unplayable. Its never the player, its always the club.
Now, OTOH, during demo days its different. I mentioned I had a Cleveland Launcher w/super lite 39 gram shaft, 12 degree, 46 3/4" long. I hit one on demo day and hit it farther and straighter than anything I'd used in years. Remember, I've had 5 surgeries (both hands for Dupytren's Contracture, two hernias and a heart valve replacement,) so my game was pretty much in the toilet for distance. I bought one of those Launchers. It was assembled in the "tour van" the same day. I sold the club - traded it, actually, because I hit more crappy shots with it than with my old Callaway Big Bertha or my Bang "Bangenstein." Then another demo day comes along. Callaway 13.5 Razr, R flex shaft demo. Killed it. Nearly 200 yds carry. I tried to buy the demo. Nope. So in order to close the deal the guy offered the club for $225 and he'd toss in a dozen of the new Callaway Pro balls, a Callaway hat, a Callaway glove, and no sales tax. I said no. Then I thought more about it. The demo van was gone. I called the pro. He agreed to the deal and ordered the club. I'll report on it after I use it for a while. I realize its blasphemy here on these pages to even consider an OEM club but to tell the truth, I'm kind of tired of making the "perfect" clubs for myself. There are so many heads and shafts in the marketplace to consider and try that its a whole lot easier to just go to demo days to see what's the latest. For example, a year ago I demo'd some irons, Callaway again - Diablo Edge. One of our members did so as well. He liked them but didn't want to pay the $550 (discounted demo day price) for a set. He asked me if there were any clones. Hell yes. I bought a set of clone heads and Aldila shafts (that's what were in the OEM's, spined, weight sorted, freq matched, etc. By the time I was done with them they cost for 9 clubs, close to $300 for components. Toss in my time and supplies and get to about $400 or so. Only about $150 less than OEM's. The guy used them for a dozen rounds and hates them. "They're not as good as the OEM's!" he said. I told the guy it ain't the arrow its the Indian. TFlan On Mon, Mar 19, 2012 at 8:09 AM, Eric Schoonmaker <[email protected] > wrote: > I haven't posted in quite a long time but i like listening to the golf > stories. Good job on getting the club, Tom. > > This made me think about a friend of mine who got an R11s just recently. > He was fitted for it, the pro adjusted it to the point of getting "perfect" > numbers. My buddy agreed to get the club and the pro (retail shop) said > they would order it and it would be in in a couple of weeks. I don't get > it, the R11s is supposedly one of the most adjustable drivers out there. > Why does it have to be ordered???? > > I played with the guy yesterday and I love outdriving him because he gets > so pissed. On one particular hole he hit a really good one so I knew this > was my chance. I hit my 12 yr old Raven 320cc with a PF65 shaft as well as > i can. Crap - i was just 10 yds behind him! > > I'm considering the Titleist 910D2 as my first driver purchase in a quite > a while. > > > Eric Schoonmaker > > *From:* Tom Flanagan <[email protected]> > *To:* [email protected] > *Sent:* Saturday, March 17, 2012 5:07 PM > *Subject:* Re: ShopTalk: Hi-loft driver > > Just heard back from the pro. The deal is on. > > T > > On Sat, Mar 17, 2012 at 12:30 PM, Pat Ladner <[email protected]> wrote: > > Tom, I bought a 13.5 degree Ping G15 driver regular shaft and I hit it a > ton with a nice high trajectory. I wish I could find a R11 driver head so > I can use all of the shafts I have for my 10.5 R11. You should get the > club. I get tired of people saying that this and that doesn't make a > difference. Confidence is a big part of the game. > > On Sat, Mar 17, 2012 at 1:04 PM, Tom Flanagan <[email protected]> wrote: > > Yeah, I tried to buy the demo but the guy wouldn't budge - something I've > never understood. I'll be talking to our head pro today about it. I'm > guessing a deal can still be made. > > TFlan > > On Sat, Mar 17, 2012 at 12:04 AM, Davy Hoffman <[email protected]>wrote: > > Never pass up a driver that is better than anything you've hit in a long > time. > So what if it goes sour. You can always sell it and keep the balls and cap. > One thing everybody should remember at demo days is to insist on buying > the club you are hitting well, not let them give you a new, un-hit one > "just like it." > > > Date: Fri, 16 Mar 2012 23:16:03 -0700 > > Subject: ShopTalk: Hi-loft driver > > From: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > > > > Demo day at the course today. I hit a Callaway Razr, 13.5 deg, R > > shaft better than anything I've hit in a long time. The demo guy tried > > like hell to sell one to me - $225 w/headcover, a dozen of the newest > > Callaway balls, a Callaway hat and a Winn oversize grip. I said no. > > Now I'm beginning to think that was a mistake. My pitiful lunge hit > > that driver 195+ yards in the air - carry, no wind! That's! not an > > > exaggeration either. Consider that I'm in my 7th decade and not in the > > greatest shape, and a nearly 200 yard carry of bucket of water over a > > 10 minute stroll is astonishing, let alone a tee shot.. > > > > I probably should have bought the damn thing. Problem is, likely, that > > had I bought it the damn thing would have stopped working as soon as > > the check cleared. > > > > TFlan. > > -- > > Shoptalk ** Sponsored by the new Aldila Voodoo. > > Learn more at http://aldilavoodoo.com/ > > > > > > >
