Snake oil or panacea?

[JohnnyDee]

Do you subscribe to the view that with each new 'improvement' in major manufacturers' equipment, that the newer version is significantly better than the immediately preceding one?

I'm not talking persimmon v titanium or feathery v 3 piece here, what I mean are the little changes which are sold as groundbreakingly amazing, and a massive step up from something that was "staggeringly phenomenal" only six months earlier.

I know that equipment manufacturers, bless them, are commercial businesses, and that consequently they have to make a buck; it's just to me it seems that the bigger and better innovations are so frequent nowadays that these claims are just becoming nothing more than the same as those we listen to in respect of soap powder year in and year out.

Of course when I buy the latest driver or irons I too want the state of the art, so I suppose I'm my own worst enemy and am part of the whole hype, perhaps wanting at that point to believe in the grand illusion.

 

[Imurg]

If you read the blurb carefully you usually find that any performance gains are made over a model that's 2 generations back....so its not going to be much different from the model its "replacing".
There will be a difference but, more than likely, only a robotic swing would show it.

 

[tugglesf239]

The depreciation on Cally kit is frightening. Even the newest models go for a song on flea bay.

I saw a set of XR pro 4-pw with stiff KBS shafts go for £350 just yesterday.

Thing was.

They were brand new!

I also saw an older (18 months?) x hot hybrid go this morning for 20 quid plus postage.

The constant stream of new gear keeps prices low.
Great dor buyers yes, but poop if you are selling a few months down the line.

 

[davidg2010uk]

I don't see everyone hitting 300yrd + drives so I reckon even going back 10 years there isn't much difference in distances clubs go for human beings. Having said that everyone loves new clubs 😀

 

[Hobbit]

The first blurb I read about increased distances was circa 1973-ish. A golf ball that gave an extra 6 yards. And down the years there's been numerous claims about clubs and balls. Surely, all these advances mean that guys at the top of the game regularly knock it close on forum distances now.

Maybe we should invite some top pro's to the H4H day to see if they can cut it with the good guys...

 

[JustOne]

Hobbits 5-wood was a revelation, can't remember what it's called now but the 'power slot' thing seemed to really make the ball fly

 

[Hobbit]

Hobbits 5-wood was a revelation, can't remember what it's called now but the 'power slot' thing seemed to really make the ball fly

Your marbles are rattling James. Its a TM RBZ 3HL wood, and still going strong. Although it did get rested just after Christmas for a SLDR 3 wood, but it was poor by comparison.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

Do you subscribe to the view that with each new 'improvement' in major manufacturers' equipment, that the newer version is significantly better than the immediately preceding one?

I'm not talking persimmon v titanium or feathery v 3 piece here, what I mean are the little changes which are sold as groundbreakingly amazing, and a massive step up from something that was "staggeringly phenomenal" only six months earlier.

I know that equipment manufacturers, bless them, are commercial businesses, and that consequently they have to make a buck; it's just to me it seems that the bigger and better innovations are so frequent nowadays that these claims are just becoming nothing more than the same as those we listen to in respect of soap powder year in and year out.

Of course when I buy the latest driver or irons I too want the state of the art, so I suppose I'm my own worst enemy and am part of the whole hype, perhaps wanting at that point to believe in the grand illusion.

No, I think most of it is marketing guff. I honestly believe you need to go back 3 generations to find a significant perforamce improvement, maybe even further.

 

[JohnnyDee]

No, I think most of it is marketing guff. I honestly believe you need to go back 3 generations to find a significant perforamce improvement, maybe even further.

Bang on! I agree.

I used to sell hi-fi way back through the mists of time and I'm struck by just how much the guff factor relating to that equates with the golf gear guff of today.

Mind you it's probably the same for most sports, but for me the quasi-scientific justifications are what's suspect.

Improvements can probably be 'proven' in the lab by robot strikes under controlled conditions, but out on the course with muppets like me is a completely different kettle of fish.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's generally al marketing spiel, certainly for most club golfers. As an example, The G25 and G30 driver. I've tried both and apart from the funky "turbulators" I get more or less the same numbers. There are clubs out there that I hit better (Titleist 915 D2) but I really don't think at the end of the day it's really going to give me much more (maybe 5-10 yards and perhaps one more FIR). Most clubs are at the limits of the rules and so there isn't too much more they manufacturers can really do in my opinion

 

[Tiger man]

I think the big innovation is forgiveness. Distance gains are very difficult to achieve from one model to the next.

 

[duncan mackie]

Do you subscribe to the view that with each new 'improvement' in major manufacturers' equipment, that the newer version is significantly better than the immediately preceding one?

I'm not talking persimmon v titanium or feathery v 3 piece here, what I mean are the little changes which are sold as groundbreakingly amazing, and a massive step up from something that was "staggeringly phenomenal" only six months earlier.

I know that equipment manufacturers, bless them, are commercial businesses, and that consequently they have to make a buck; it's just to me it seems that the bigger and better innovations are so frequent nowadays that these claims are just becoming nothing more than the same as those we listen to in respect of soap powder year in and year out.

Of course when I buy the latest driver or irons I too want the state of the art, so I suppose I'm my own worst enemy and am part of the whole hype, perhaps wanting at that point to believe in the grand illusion.

Without incremental gains you don't get the overall gain such as that of the current ProV1 against a ProV1- 392 (about 20 yds to the pro)
What the value of each increment is to you can only be decided by you - ask a Tour van and you will find 3 yds on a driver to be significant and at 5 yds those without contract locking will be using another manufacturers product!

This is of course dealing with realities - you have posted more about the marketing claims; in a world of social media, unlimited reviews and the ocassional protector of total independence on you tube....why would anyone buy on false marketing claims? Note, with UK marketing regulations it's unlikely that any are actually false!