If you're like me, you enjoy a little golf with your cigars and beer. For me Golf definitely comes first and is thoroughly enjoyable but it can be ruined by bad periphery. Sub-par is not good with cigars - especially when you shell out a premium price to get it! I could have a sleeve of ProV1's for that price! So how do you protect yourself if you're not a cigar connoisseur? There are a couple things that can tell you quickly wether that cigar is worth shelling out the money:
1. Ask where they get their cigars: If the cigars are stocked by a local shop odds are they're going to be good. Cigar store owners take pride in their product. Regardless of the manufacturer, the product is what sets shops apart from each other. Likewise, if the course buys from an online store or from another "dealer" you might be looking at cigars that have been beaten or shocked in shipment if they weren't packaged and humidified properly in the process.
2. Make sure they're not dry: So you've asked and are satisfied with the answer. That doesn't mean they're being taken care of still... Just as important as good tobacco is the care taken as they're stored. Make sure the hygrometer is working and in a good range. 70-75% humidity is optimal for cigars. If in doubt, ask to see a stick and give it a GENTLE squeeze. You SHOULDN'T hear a crack and it SHOULD have just a little give. If it feels hard, or super spongy, something is wrong and you'll either be fighting to keep it lit, or having the wrapper come off in your hand while you smoke. Neither of those is enjoyable.
3. For once, the name is useful: I always say that nam doesn't matter in golf clubs. That's because you have the chance to hit them and compare. When you're making a snap decision about cigars or booze it's best to stay with what you know - especially when price is an issue. Names like Rocky Patel, Perdomo, Montecristo, Oliva & Drew Estate are big in the cigar world. They're big names and have a deep line of great cigars all. If these names are a staple in the cabinet, then you're looking at a decent stick whatever you pick - assuming they're stored properly.
It seems tedious, but it takes all of 30 seconds to find out if your enjoyment is guaranteed. If you're going to drop a premium price for cigars, be sure you're going to get a good cigar.
Locally, I'm a fan of the cigars at: Four Seasons, Landisville ; Crossgates Golf Course, Millersville ; and Meadia Heights, Lancaster. If you're there, you won't have to go through this, but take your time and make sure you get something that will enhance your round and not cause you distraction.
enjoy and hit em straight!
Friday, August 21, 2015
Monday, June 1, 2015
While they're young.....
I am not yet a father. One of these days, Marie and I will have another little golf nut in the family (hopefully) and that suits me just fine. I'd love for them to take to the game like I did and to really enjoy it so I've already thought about and read up on the best ways to go about teaching them. The thing is, even I never thought about equipment.
I played a lot of golf this weekend and I saw a lot more than a handful of junior golfers. It was great. These 8-13 year olds heading out with dad and mom to tee it forward and chase the little white ball around. I even saw a guy teaching his boy on the range during an event. One thing I couldn't help but notice though - they all looked like they were struggling to swing the club. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became. Upon closer inspection of bags, most of them were playing with cut down versions of adult clubs. Even the ones that had "junior clubs" felt like sledgehammers to me when I picked them up. The time honored tradition about moving more weight low to help get the ball up doesn't apply to children and juniors. While it's a good idea, what good is it to have a club so heavy that the player can't swing it properly or even that the club swings them? It would do nothing but engrain bad habits and wear-and-tear on their young body. Sure, it might be a good way to save some money in the short term because they'll grow into them right?....if they continue to play golf and have fun.
Let's take a look at a couple of photos - I'll expound upon them when I do my video. The first, on the right, is my first ever putter, ca. 1985, next to my current putter. It was long for me back then. There wasn't much in the way of different materials, so basically I got a men's putter cut down. It was (and still is) really heavy, even at this size that it is. Plus it was 24 inches long! That was more than half my height! (I was and still am a little short). Could you imagine swinging a putter that came up to your sternum - remember this is before the days of belly putters. I have really never been a good putter but seriously, that wasn't going to help teach me anything. Something I CAN do is hit the ball a long way and on line. I'm convinced the reason is because I got started early with the proper technique. Take a look at the second picture - that's me swinging a 5 iron. A cut down, gripped, ground to remove a ton of material and weight 5 iron. I also had a 5 wood with about 1/3 of the head cut off in the back. Why did my grandfather do this? So that I was able to learn the proper takeaway and swing the club rather than having it swing me. It's tough to judge by a photo but believe me when I tell you that I didn't get thrown around by that club and because of that, I spent hours and hours hitting balls up and down the back yard at my grandparents' house -- and less time in front of the TV!! I make no apologies for the outfit.
To be frank, I see a good many parents/ grandparents/ aunts & uncles trying to get their future tour pro to "swing right". Good teachers always mention that you shouldn't do this and should let them swing how they want to swing - moving feet, digging into the turf and whatnot. The reason children do this is because they somehow have to get this huge mass of metal moving when they themselves weigh about as much as a Neato Burrito! OF COURSE they're going to step into it.
Truth be told, it's absolutely impossible for someone of that size to swing properly if they don't have a club that's proportionally weighted for them. This is why I have lightweight junior club heads. It allows me to build a club that is lighter than most any junior set out there, but still retains proper swing weight to promote good tempo and stroke. You see, swing weight is largely dictated by your strength. What "feels" heavy to you may not be heavy to someone else. It's all a relative and personal thing. Kids are sponges. They WANT to learn things and they will retain it very well. Anyone who's ever slipped a dirty word around their youngins can tell you that one. Why not give your little golfer the best start at the game. There will be less frustration, less "I'm tired can we go in?", and more fun to be had.
I played a lot of golf this weekend and I saw a lot more than a handful of junior golfers. It was great. These 8-13 year olds heading out with dad and mom to tee it forward and chase the little white ball around. I even saw a guy teaching his boy on the range during an event. One thing I couldn't help but notice though - they all looked like they were struggling to swing the club. The more I thought about it, the clearer it became. Upon closer inspection of bags, most of them were playing with cut down versions of adult clubs. Even the ones that had "junior clubs" felt like sledgehammers to me when I picked them up. The time honored tradition about moving more weight low to help get the ball up doesn't apply to children and juniors. While it's a good idea, what good is it to have a club so heavy that the player can't swing it properly or even that the club swings them? It would do nothing but engrain bad habits and wear-and-tear on their young body. Sure, it might be a good way to save some money in the short term because they'll grow into them right?....if they continue to play golf and have fun.
Let's take a look at a couple of photos - I'll expound upon them when I do my video. The first, on the right, is my first ever putter, ca. 1985, next to my current putter. It was long for me back then. There wasn't much in the way of different materials, so basically I got a men's putter cut down. It was (and still is) really heavy, even at this size that it is. Plus it was 24 inches long! That was more than half my height! (I was and still am a little short). Could you imagine swinging a putter that came up to your sternum - remember this is before the days of belly putters. I have really never been a good putter but seriously, that wasn't going to help teach me anything. Something I CAN do is hit the ball a long way and on line. I'm convinced the reason is because I got started early with the proper technique. Take a look at the second picture - that's me swinging a 5 iron. A cut down, gripped, ground to remove a ton of material and weight 5 iron. I also had a 5 wood with about 1/3 of the head cut off in the back. Why did my grandfather do this? So that I was able to learn the proper takeaway and swing the club rather than having it swing me. It's tough to judge by a photo but believe me when I tell you that I didn't get thrown around by that club and because of that, I spent hours and hours hitting balls up and down the back yard at my grandparents' house -- and less time in front of the TV!! I make no apologies for the outfit.To be frank, I see a good many parents/ grandparents/ aunts & uncles trying to get their future tour pro to "swing right". Good teachers always mention that you shouldn't do this and should let them swing how they want to swing - moving feet, digging into the turf and whatnot. The reason children do this is because they somehow have to get this huge mass of metal moving when they themselves weigh about as much as a Neato Burrito! OF COURSE they're going to step into it.
Truth be told, it's absolutely impossible for someone of that size to swing properly if they don't have a club that's proportionally weighted for them. This is why I have lightweight junior club heads. It allows me to build a club that is lighter than most any junior set out there, but still retains proper swing weight to promote good tempo and stroke. You see, swing weight is largely dictated by your strength. What "feels" heavy to you may not be heavy to someone else. It's all a relative and personal thing. Kids are sponges. They WANT to learn things and they will retain it very well. Anyone who's ever slipped a dirty word around their youngins can tell you that one. Why not give your little golfer the best start at the game. There will be less frustration, less "I'm tired can we go in?", and more fun to be had.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
Is it more important to be VALUED or APPRECIATED?
It's a question that really has no answer that is not specific to the person answering. So why ask it? Is it more important to be valued or to be appreciated? To answer that, I think we have to look at the definition of each word in depth:
Value -
noun
Value -
noun
- 1.the regard that something is held to deserve; the importance, worth, or usefulness of something.
- 2.a person's principles or standards of behavior; one's judgment of what is important in life.
verb
- 1.estimate the monetary worth of (something).
- 2.consider (someone or something) to be important or beneficial; have a high opinion of.
Appreciate -
verb
- 1.recognize the full worth of.
- 2.understand (a situation) fully; recognize the full implications of.
Let's note that a great many people use these terms interchangeably but take a closer look. When something is "valued" it is generally because it is of benefit to the person doing the valuing. It's about saying "what am I willing to part with or do in order to possess this object. Property is valued. Stores say that something is a great value. Valuables in your jewelry box. Even people at the office are valued - which drives me up the wall when I hear it. Something is valuable because it benefits the person doing the valuing in some way - not because it's necessarily a good thing but because they're "getting something" from it. See the pattern starting to appear? Now, appreciation has nothing to do with worth or property. It's more of an emotion than a verb. When you appreciate something it's because it's there. It is not something to judge or pay for and isn't something that you can even place a partial worth on - by definition. You appreciate something for what it is and don't try to change it because it's so important it's unable to be messed with. You're thankful it's there because it is exactly what is needed.
"So Chris", you may be saying to yourself, "what does this have to do with golf?".
Well... look in your golf bag. Any names stand out to you? Maybe you just bought the newest driver released, or a new putter. Do you VALUE your clubs or APPRECIATE them? Did you buy them because of what they say or how much you will be able to trade them in for? Did you buy them because it was "recommended" by a sales person? Did you buy them because they're from your favorite tour player? Did you honestly answer these questions and were any of them "YES"? Bad news.
What did you go through in order to get them? If you can honestly say that you went through a fitting that was more than 20 minutes and gave real thought to the process to arrive at the best decision for your game - I'm proud of you. For a lot of readers, this isn't the case. For those readers it was an ad in a golf publication or a commercial during last week's tournament on TV. It's advertising speak about CG and MOI and composites and "the longest ________ ever!". This is a full example of Valuation of your clubs. You value them so much as they worked for other people now. You will de-value them as new equipment comes out because that equipment will be seen as better than what you have. The sad part is that the same equipment will have little to no value to those who you purchased it from as that new club is released. You've valued your club at a price that the manufacturer thinks you'll pay and with options that are the best value to them and their bottom line. If you wait to buy it until it's "on sale" what are you spending your money on then - outdated technology i guess? I guess at least you have the NAME right? That's the TRUE value of equipment. That's why logos are plastered all over hats, belts, and shirts. Get the name in your head.
As for me, I appreciate my clubs. I appreciate that they work just as hard as clubs that are higher priced and sitting dusty on a rack in the back corner of a golf discount store somewhere. I appreciate that time and care was taken to assemble these clubs just for me using parts that were painstakingly tested by me, outside, in the sun and on the grass for over an hour. I appreciate that I was able to use any parts that I wanted, and not just what had the highest margin for the seller. Still, when old age comes and I can't swing this flex anymore nobody will value them or appreciate them like I do. I can maybe sell them on Ebay for some golf money, but I'm ok with that because you see: when I made the investment in these clubs, I was investing in a name too. My name. I was in it for the long haul. I invested in my game to make sure that every dollar I spent on equipment went directly into my game and not into the pockets of a professional golfer or a multimillion dollar marketing campaign. People value the big names - but why? Why would you want to shell out that kind of money for something you KNOW you're going to resell because there's something better in 6 months? That wonderful paint-filled brand mark that tells everyone that you can afford a big OEM from a big store.
The point is, people value places like Dick's and Golfsmith. There are real people behind them with real jobs and that's great. They value you as well because they stay in business by selling you big names. The small club makers like myself and the hand full of others around the country appreciate your business and when you come to us with a need, I'll bet you'll start to appreciate us too. The one thing we all care about is your game. Big companies saturate the market with new new new. Everything is NEW everything is BETTER than it was. They have to. I will craft you something that will help you play better and save money. Take that money and put it into lessons, or just play more golf! Enter a tournament or put it towards that golf bucket list.
The next time you are in the market for a new club, ask yourself something. Do I want to be one of millions or do I want to be one in a million?
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
How to get the most out of your fitting
Club fittings are meant to get your hands around the best technology for your game. In the modern golf-scape, everything from shaft material, length, weight, color, grip size and material, club head weight, and top line look can be selected from a wide range of manufacturers' offerings. It's enough to make a sane person's head explode! Good thing I'm not sane, right?
What you get out of your fitting is equivalent to what you are willing to put in and accept. If you go in and say "I don't want to spend any money and I'm happy with what I play with now" then there's no reason to even have one done. If you're just going to get some numbers because you're curious how fast you swing, I have a package for 30 minutes on the range with a launch monitor where you keep all your data. Hit me up. On the other hand, going in with the idea that what you play now is completely incorrect isn't a good idea either. After all, you didn't get where you are by playing the complete WRONG equipment, we're just trying to find out if there's something better or a tweak that will make them better. The best thing to do is keep an open mind about all avenues. Maybe the difference between 30% fairways and 70% fairways is the grip on your driver, or even making all your clubs 1/2 inch shorter, or bending them 1degree upright will have you hitting more greens. Fittings don't always have to mean buying new clubs. They should never be a sales pitch. They don't always mean an expensive fix either. That's what most places want you to believe though - which is why they comp the fitting if you buy new clubs. Awesome, I'll save $50 if I buy this brand new $699 set! Don't get me wrong, I do that too.... IF you NEED a new set or new club.
So, step one. Have an open mind.
Step 2: Leave your ego at the door. It's not going to help you to swing as hard as you can during a fitting. Remember, you're going to PLAY these clubs, you're not just going to HIT them. Always warm up and use your normal on-course swings. If at the end of the day you are in a S flex instead of X, or R - it's OK because you're hitting it better. We're comparing apples to apples here, it's not about letters or brands, it's about how they compare to each other. You know how your club performs on the course already - you've been using it for a while. Compare it by the numbers and look for the improvement. Above all, its OK if you don't hit the new stuff better than your old stuff. There are other things to look at for improvement.
Step 3: Talk about what you want vs. what you heard you should have. A good fitter will listen and provide feedback. If you want someone to just tell you what you want - that's ok too, but dialogue is key to getting something that ultimately fits you and your game. Sure, you're not a tour pro and you may not be able to feel the difference between one shaft and another but you know what you like. "ooh, that felt really good" or "This feels too light for me" are perfectly acceptable and will help the fitter dial in what you need. If your fitter doesn't want to hear it, then find another fitter.
Step 4: Don't try new techniques. A fitting is not a lesson and it should never be. There are quick fixes like teeing the ball higher or moving it back or forward in your stance but don't try new things that you don't normally do like: inside take-aways and different grip techniques. Don't try "picture perfect swings" either. If you have injuries that don't let you take the club more than half-way back, then it's something that needs to be taken into account and it's nothing to be ashamed of. JB Holmes, one of the longest guys on the tour, doesn't even make it NEAR parallel at the top.
In my fittings, if I see something early that CLEARLY needs to be fixed we don't normally continue, there's no charge, and I refer the player to one of my trusted pros to get the help they need - THEN they can come back for the fitting and get it right. Equipment can help a lot but it can't fix a bad habit, and fitting a bad habit will not help the golfer improve his or her game. Did I waste my time? No. Not if I've helped point you in the direction of a better game.
Always remember, getting fit for clubs is the same as getting fit for anything else. You don't go to buy new pants and suck your gut in to get them buttoned and say "wow these fit great" when you can't sit down. You don't wear the thickest socks you can find to buy summer shoes. Same thing with clubs. Come as you are. Show off that home-grown swing. Most importantly, if it ain't broke - don't fix it.
Contact me to learn more or to schedule a fitting session. Sessions are usually 45 mins to an hour and there's a little paperwork to fill out beforehand - just the normal stuff so I can get a good sense of where you are in your game and what you currently play and are looking to improve. Actually it's more conversation and I'm doing the writing.
What you get out of your fitting is equivalent to what you are willing to put in and accept. If you go in and say "I don't want to spend any money and I'm happy with what I play with now" then there's no reason to even have one done. If you're just going to get some numbers because you're curious how fast you swing, I have a package for 30 minutes on the range with a launch monitor where you keep all your data. Hit me up. On the other hand, going in with the idea that what you play now is completely incorrect isn't a good idea either. After all, you didn't get where you are by playing the complete WRONG equipment, we're just trying to find out if there's something better or a tweak that will make them better. The best thing to do is keep an open mind about all avenues. Maybe the difference between 30% fairways and 70% fairways is the grip on your driver, or even making all your clubs 1/2 inch shorter, or bending them 1degree upright will have you hitting more greens. Fittings don't always have to mean buying new clubs. They should never be a sales pitch. They don't always mean an expensive fix either. That's what most places want you to believe though - which is why they comp the fitting if you buy new clubs. Awesome, I'll save $50 if I buy this brand new $699 set! Don't get me wrong, I do that too.... IF you NEED a new set or new club.
So, step one. Have an open mind.
Step 2: Leave your ego at the door. It's not going to help you to swing as hard as you can during a fitting. Remember, you're going to PLAY these clubs, you're not just going to HIT them. Always warm up and use your normal on-course swings. If at the end of the day you are in a S flex instead of X, or R - it's OK because you're hitting it better. We're comparing apples to apples here, it's not about letters or brands, it's about how they compare to each other. You know how your club performs on the course already - you've been using it for a while. Compare it by the numbers and look for the improvement. Above all, its OK if you don't hit the new stuff better than your old stuff. There are other things to look at for improvement.
 |
| Play the game, don't HIT to FIT. |
Step 3: Talk about what you want vs. what you heard you should have. A good fitter will listen and provide feedback. If you want someone to just tell you what you want - that's ok too, but dialogue is key to getting something that ultimately fits you and your game. Sure, you're not a tour pro and you may not be able to feel the difference between one shaft and another but you know what you like. "ooh, that felt really good" or "This feels too light for me" are perfectly acceptable and will help the fitter dial in what you need. If your fitter doesn't want to hear it, then find another fitter.
Step 4: Don't try new techniques. A fitting is not a lesson and it should never be. There are quick fixes like teeing the ball higher or moving it back or forward in your stance but don't try new things that you don't normally do like: inside take-aways and different grip techniques. Don't try "picture perfect swings" either. If you have injuries that don't let you take the club more than half-way back, then it's something that needs to be taken into account and it's nothing to be ashamed of. JB Holmes, one of the longest guys on the tour, doesn't even make it NEAR parallel at the top.
In my fittings, if I see something early that CLEARLY needs to be fixed we don't normally continue, there's no charge, and I refer the player to one of my trusted pros to get the help they need - THEN they can come back for the fitting and get it right. Equipment can help a lot but it can't fix a bad habit, and fitting a bad habit will not help the golfer improve his or her game. Did I waste my time? No. Not if I've helped point you in the direction of a better game.
Always remember, getting fit for clubs is the same as getting fit for anything else. You don't go to buy new pants and suck your gut in to get them buttoned and say "wow these fit great" when you can't sit down. You don't wear the thickest socks you can find to buy summer shoes. Same thing with clubs. Come as you are. Show off that home-grown swing. Most importantly, if it ain't broke - don't fix it.
Contact me to learn more or to schedule a fitting session. Sessions are usually 45 mins to an hour and there's a little paperwork to fill out beforehand - just the normal stuff so I can get a good sense of where you are in your game and what you currently play and are looking to improve. Actually it's more conversation and I'm doing the writing.
Friday, March 20, 2015
The Diluting of Our Golf Economy.....
The biggest complaint I hear about golf is that it's "too expensive". I would agree to a point, which is why I started my own club building and repair business to keep costs down for all golfers that I can reach. I don't understand that sentiment though when people follow in the same breath with "What kind of driver is that?" When I answer, they just reply "oh". It's more about name than anything else and people are willing to pay for a name. This is not a post about clone clubs. Clone clubs are meant to look like a particular variety, not perform like it. Most are also illegal, not to mention they perform like crap. This is about off-brand names that do their own research and their own design and create a quality performance product. They don't pay pros millions so there's no need to have drivers that are $500. They rely on competent club builders to grow the name.
Still, I've heard more often than not that getting fully custom clubs are still too expensive. One of the most common statements is "I can get a brand name set for that price". Answer: Yes, yes you can, but it's going to be off the rack and it's going to be what the COMPANY wants you to play, not what you want to play. Example: I went to a popular retailer and bought the cheapest set of clubs that I could. I didn't try to "match" sets, I used different OEMs just whatever was the most recent and cheapest - balanced. I sacrificed a little "new box" factor for some savings. I came up with Driver, 5W, 4-AW, SW, Putter for $854.83. These are all stock shafts, no options, no swingweight options, no new grip options, no length or fitting options. The different OEMs offer different brands of shaft, but I'll assume they're relatively close in flex. So you have a "good set" of big names for less than $900 before tax and buying a bag. Remember also, that these are the CHEAPEST I could find. The ones marked $200 off, and $300 off, on the rack. It does not take into account the up-charges to replace the OEM shaft with say a Dynamic Gold S300 from True Temper and does not allow for length adjustments.
I spec'd out a performance set of clubs using great components and came up with $868.44 after tax (if you're in PA). The head covers put me over, drat. Still, they all have matching grips, the driver and 3 wood have the same shaft profile. Oh wait, there's an extra wedge in there to round out your scoring clubs. Winner! Believe me when I say there's some great components that are even more on the value pricing line as well that I steered clear of just to prove a point. I didn't have to use Golfpride New Decade Plus 4 Grips *new for 2015*. Nor did Superstroke pay me to put their Mid-slim 2.0 on the putter rather than a stock paddle shaft. I certainly didn't have to use Fujikura EXS 6.0 graphite shafts *New for 2015* on the woods either but I did all that. Yes, I also find it somehow ironic that as you're reading this, there's Golfsmith ads on either side of the blog. Thanks, Google. Really.
See, here's the thing - there's money for the big names in "stock" clubs. By making a flashy club and touting some new technology, they are able to release a new club or set of clubs every 6 months. Sometimes even sooner!! It leaves you with the sense that what you have isn't good enough so you'll buy new - even if it's a new to you used club - and it's still stock garbage. Most clubs rely on something called rack appeal. That's when you look at a set of clubs and go "oh that's nice!!" without even hitting it. They look cool, different, shiny, black - you name it - and if it makes you buy the club then it's done it's job. I fell into this in my hay-day. I bought a big brand of clubs and got fit by the fitter. By the time I had them the way I was fit to them, I was well into $1000 JUST FOR IRONS!!!!!! That's no wedges, no woods, no putter! Flash forward, I built a set of irons for myself using less flashy and less expensive components but to the same specs that I was fit for and they outplay my old clubs - no contest. You can read the first tests here and here and I was completely sold after that. The USGA puts limits on clubs. It's what they do. MOI, COR, Size, and Weight are all closely monitored. Clubs have hit a wall. You're talking about differences of 1 or 2 points and flat out lies. You can't increase MOI by 15% every year. You can't, the limits don't allow it. If you DID then that means last year's model was crap or more than likely - you're being lied to.
Long story short, buying big names is stroking your ego. If you're the person who needs to have the name in the bag please go buy them. I have said it before, I want you to be happy and I want you to play what you want. Personally though, I take more satisfaction from absolutely destroying a golf ball down the middle of the fairway past my partners with my custom built "no name" than I do from someone saying "hey, I see you got that new (insert name) driver. Looks awesome". I start conversations with my clubs now because they have Clubcrowns and Shaft wraps on them and they are badass. These days when people ask "what kind of driver is that" they're following it up with "I want one".
I trust what I sell and I play what I sell. Let me help you trust your clubs.
Still, I've heard more often than not that getting fully custom clubs are still too expensive. One of the most common statements is "I can get a brand name set for that price". Answer: Yes, yes you can, but it's going to be off the rack and it's going to be what the COMPANY wants you to play, not what you want to play. Example: I went to a popular retailer and bought the cheapest set of clubs that I could. I didn't try to "match" sets, I used different OEMs just whatever was the most recent and cheapest - balanced. I sacrificed a little "new box" factor for some savings. I came up with Driver, 5W, 4-AW, SW, Putter for $854.83. These are all stock shafts, no options, no swingweight options, no new grip options, no length or fitting options. The different OEMs offer different brands of shaft, but I'll assume they're relatively close in flex. So you have a "good set" of big names for less than $900 before tax and buying a bag. Remember also, that these are the CHEAPEST I could find. The ones marked $200 off, and $300 off, on the rack. It does not take into account the up-charges to replace the OEM shaft with say a Dynamic Gold S300 from True Temper and does not allow for length adjustments.
I spec'd out a performance set of clubs using great components and came up with $868.44 after tax (if you're in PA). The head covers put me over, drat. Still, they all have matching grips, the driver and 3 wood have the same shaft profile. Oh wait, there's an extra wedge in there to round out your scoring clubs. Winner! Believe me when I say there's some great components that are even more on the value pricing line as well that I steered clear of just to prove a point. I didn't have to use Golfpride New Decade Plus 4 Grips *new for 2015*. Nor did Superstroke pay me to put their Mid-slim 2.0 on the putter rather than a stock paddle shaft. I certainly didn't have to use Fujikura EXS 6.0 graphite shafts *New for 2015* on the woods either but I did all that. Yes, I also find it somehow ironic that as you're reading this, there's Golfsmith ads on either side of the blog. Thanks, Google. Really.
See, here's the thing - there's money for the big names in "stock" clubs. By making a flashy club and touting some new technology, they are able to release a new club or set of clubs every 6 months. Sometimes even sooner!! It leaves you with the sense that what you have isn't good enough so you'll buy new - even if it's a new to you used club - and it's still stock garbage. Most clubs rely on something called rack appeal. That's when you look at a set of clubs and go "oh that's nice!!" without even hitting it. They look cool, different, shiny, black - you name it - and if it makes you buy the club then it's done it's job. I fell into this in my hay-day. I bought a big brand of clubs and got fit by the fitter. By the time I had them the way I was fit to them, I was well into $1000 JUST FOR IRONS!!!!!! That's no wedges, no woods, no putter! Flash forward, I built a set of irons for myself using less flashy and less expensive components but to the same specs that I was fit for and they outplay my old clubs - no contest. You can read the first tests here and here and I was completely sold after that. The USGA puts limits on clubs. It's what they do. MOI, COR, Size, and Weight are all closely monitored. Clubs have hit a wall. You're talking about differences of 1 or 2 points and flat out lies. You can't increase MOI by 15% every year. You can't, the limits don't allow it. If you DID then that means last year's model was crap or more than likely - you're being lied to.
Long story short, buying big names is stroking your ego. If you're the person who needs to have the name in the bag please go buy them. I have said it before, I want you to be happy and I want you to play what you want. Personally though, I take more satisfaction from absolutely destroying a golf ball down the middle of the fairway past my partners with my custom built "no name" than I do from someone saying "hey, I see you got that new (insert name) driver. Looks awesome". I start conversations with my clubs now because they have Clubcrowns and Shaft wraps on them and they are badass. These days when people ask "what kind of driver is that" they're following it up with "I want one".
I trust what I sell and I play what I sell. Let me help you trust your clubs.
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Player, please... my sh*t is custom....
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| Too much, maybe? Nahh |
The problem with gear is that there's not a whole lot of diversity out there. Your BrandX driver looks like everyone else's - you know - except for that sky mark maybe. If you want to have something customized - you've got to find a talented painter who will strip it, prime it, paint it, and seal it for you. Then you have it for a while - until it's scratched or something new comes out and you want THAT one instead. You MIGHT luck out in selling it to an individual with your same taste in art, but the likelihood that you'll be sitting on it a while is pretty high.
I like unique as much as the next guy, so The Club Nut has started carrying two new custom companies that provide some flair to your existing equipment.
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| www.camogolf.com |
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| www.clubcrownbyvive.com |
Remember, too that we also offer components from Maltby, Hireko, and Bombtech to provide you with the most options and highest performing equipment for your dollar. It really is cool that some manufacturers are so into the customization and style of clubs. I think my favorite is one designed for ladies by iBella - the obsession series. An entire line to show off your glitz and glamour. High style and high performance geared specifically toward women..... and yes, Batgirl, it does come in black.
Contact us to get your custom build quote. Remember, with our custom build fee The Club Nut checks spine and oscillation before assembling our clubs to make sure performance is maximized for each club Depending on the manufacturer's tolerances on components, shaft graphics may not perfectly align. We will match assembly prices for manufacturers sites for Basic Assembly only.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Let's talk about Fitting......
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| Try the newest 460cc with movable weights and adjustability, it's got a real nice profit margin.. |
How and why do I do this? I want you to succeed at golf. I will be the first to admit that my Club Fitting is not as cheap as the other places. At $70.00 for a set of irons, it is quite pricy to some people. I'm OK with that because again, you're not just renting my space so I can sell you something - you're renting ME for about an hours time so we can look at everything in your game. I schedule appointments and I don't offer to help others and say "I'll be back in 10 minutes, I just have to find a head cover for this guy". Oh and also, when you're done... Shhhhhhhh you get to keep your information and do whatever you want with it. What's that? Repeat myself because you had something crazy in your ear? No... it's written. Just re-read it.
I live by a simple philosophy: "The memory of bad quality outweighs the shock of high prices". In a nutshell, I charge what is fair for me to put my time and experience into the job so that you get the highest quality possible. If you don't want to pay it, that's ok. I won't hate you. Seriously, if I had money for every time I've heard and engaged in this conversation, I would be writing this blog from sunny Florida on my back deck which overlooks the 15th hole.
Guy: I can't hit this damn club.
Me: Oh? Is it new?
Guy: Yea I did a fitting (insert time frame) ago and I bought it then.
Me: So you were hitting it good but now you aren't?
Guy: No, I got fit with my old clubs. I special ordered this because the fitter said it would work based on my numbers.
Me: Numbers? Your club speed or your bank balance?
While the majority of places put you on a simulator and have you hit crap balls and take computer measurements, I do more than that:
1. We get the "life specs" on all your current clubs. Length, loft, lie, swing weight, frequency, shaft type, and take a look at the grip traction and size.
2. We will hit balls with your current set and see what's good/ bad/ what your best clubs are.
3. Using the quick connect system, we hit balls on a real range and watch what happens to them. See, this is the real good part... then we take all this and TALK about what things feel like, what you want, and even chat about the good and bad in your swing.
4. You get all this information written down and you can take it with you to -- I don't know - go buy budget clubs from eBay or whatever. Knock yourself out....
#4 kills people when I say it and write it. "OH MY GOD, how do you stay in business?!". My answer after a couple drinks is usually "Because I'm f--king good at what I do. Dick."
I don't just want you to play better, I want you to be happy. If a player is happy with off the rack clubs after getting their perfect measurements - so be it. I think they're a little screwy, but I'm happy for them.
There are some that end up learning the hard way, for instance. Guys like Jeff (we'll call him that for now). Jeff came and we talked and looked and did 1 through 4. Jeff took his information and bought a name brand set at a local box store. Had it special ordered to the specs that he wanted and were given to him on my sheet.... Sort of. Payed $1500 for them after tax and shipping and "upgrades" whatever those are. I received a call over lunch one day because he was convinced that everything I told him was wrong.
He brought the set over and I put them through the paces. Turns out, the flex the manufacturer put in was not equivalent to the CPM that I told him - I guess the guy that sold it to him talked him into "regular, stiff, or x-stiff" being acceptable terms and that "frequency matching" would be an extra charge - which it is for the most part so I don't blame him. Furthermore, the shafts weren't spine aligned or oscillated at all. Some were more off than others but they were typical "assembly line" clubs. GripA, shaftB, headC, epoxy and ship. So, after another $140, Jeff came back to the shop and picked up a set of clubs that were second to none. Same heads, same grips, but all aligned, the proper flex and weight, and he's hitting it like a million bucks. He was able to sell the pulled shafts on eBay and recoup his loss at least. More recently Jeff was in the market for a new driver. Where do you think he went? Aye, there be the moral of this story....
Name brands are expensive. Not necessarily expensive because they're "better clubs". Sometimes, not always. They're expensive because there's "R&D", advertising, and a bunch of other things that go into releasing 3 drivers and 2 sets of irons every year that are 10 yards longer than their predecessor. I swear, if I had all the yardage and stuff I was promised over the years by big names, I'd be hitting 430 yard drives and throwing 150 yard sand wedges onto the green and spinning them 40 feet backwards. The thing is, the USGA has put a max on what golf clubs can do. Remember that driver two years ago that "reached the USGA max for all attributes".... well guess what, there's nothing that this year's model can do better except have expensive moving parts that you'll probably end up spending money on tinkering with or needing a $30 wrench to manipulate.
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| I don't always put bright colors and stickers on my golf clubs.... but when I do, it's because you're more likely to buy them. |
For the eventual $1640 that Jeff ended up spending, a qualified club maker could have set him up with and entire set of the top shelf in clubs in his exact specs - all made with quality components. You may not know the name, but trust your guy - he wouldn't be using them if he didn't know how they performed. I know I wouldn't. Nothing in my shop is there because I'm being paid or because it's cheaper than something else. I don't have overhead because I don't keep inventory. I don't keep inventory because I never want to be a slave to having to "push" something on a customer so I don't lose money.
It's the same with fitting. I don't want to fit you to sell you something -- I want to fit you because I want you to play better. I've done everything I can to take the guesswork and inconsistency out of fitting. When I build a set, all my shafts are spine aligned. All my grips are the same size - If they're not, I pull them off and do it again. For fitting, all my heads and shafts are interchangeable - even the demos for independent companies like Krank and Bombtech.
Later this year, I will also be getting a Flightscope or a GC2 to add to the collection because I know how much people lean on this information. It's good to have, but don't let it rule your life. I can't wait for the snow to melt so we can all get back out there. It's echo murder on your ears hitting in the heated bays.
Next time: How The Club Nut takes the guesswork out of demos.
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