You've relied on a misnomer about it ain't the arrow its the Indian. The Indian uses a bow to launch that arrow and the bow has a considerable affect on results. Add to that the fact that different arrows are used for target shooting, big game hunting, and upland game hunting. The Indian's skill is directly related to the equipment he is using and the same is true for golf. Failure to understand this could certainly lead to dissatisfied customers. After all, if you suggest that it is all your customer's fault that he is dissatisfied with the clubs you made, why did you take money to provide him with fitted clubs? The golfer is not to be blamed for clubs that do not stand the test of time. The fault lies in not identifying and fitting his baseline core swing. What typically gets lost in the fitting process is determining dynamic shaft behavior for an individual, which is influenced by the physical properties of the shaft, how it is trimmed and installed (tipped, spine, and f! inished length), the amount of head weight, grip, finished frequency, and the degree to which the individual is large or small muscle oriented--all determined empirically under stringent testing parameters to eliminate outside variables. One thing you can be sure of is that you can incorporate any head into a shaft behavior that is ideal for you and play golf, but I don't care what head you combine into an ill-fitting shaft behavior, you are going to have problems. I disagree that golfers blame themselves and not the equipment. Big brand manufacturers have made a killing because just the opposite is true. Walk up and down a range and ask people having trouble if they'd like to try your club and they will almost invariably reply, "Oh, I think it's me not the club." Mass produced clubs for the general public tend to have inconsistencies fundamental to assembly line production grouped later into "sets" and the corporate multinationals' emphasis on bottom line and CEO bonuse! s has turned traditional craftsmanship into bean counting and ! widget making. They know that golfers tend to blame themselves and not the shiny, widely advertised, big brand name. Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:31:43 -0700 Subject: Re: ShopTalk: Hi-loft driver From: [email protected] To: [email protected]
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/
