North Mimms
Tour Winner
Kryptonite?
The club manufacturers next move.....
- Thread starter bobmac
- Start date
DappaDonDave
Journeyman Pro
PVC repelant for driver and iron faces to increase power off the tee
Dave B
Q-School Graduate
Have shafts and drivers really improved that much over the last few years? I bought one of the original FT3's when they came out with a standard NVS regular shafts. I've tried numerous drivers since and to be bluntly honest despite being old by modern driver standards it stood up proud, did a good job and was rarley found lacking.
Many tour players still use models that have been superseededby several generations of drivers and are there really many shafts that out perform the old Aldila, NVS, NV and the old Grafalloys?
I spent £15 on a lesson two weeks ago, learned that all of my swing or I should say lack of swing, (1/2 to 3/4 at best), were caused by a lack of wrist cock which was rectified in ten minutes, giving a very good 3/4 to full swing and extra distance and accuracy to my general play.
I can still hit my ten yr+ old steel shafted McGreggor steel shafted woods almost as far as my R11 and MD fairways so I'd rather take a lesson over marketing and hype any day as I'll be a better golfer for it.
Many tour players still use models that have been superseededby several generations of drivers and are there really many shafts that out perform the old Aldila, NVS, NV and the old Grafalloys?
I spent £15 on a lesson two weeks ago, learned that all of my swing or I should say lack of swing, (1/2 to 3/4 at best), were caused by a lack of wrist cock which was rectified in ten minutes, giving a very good 3/4 to full swing and extra distance and accuracy to my general play.
I can still hit my ten yr+ old steel shafted McGreggor steel shafted woods almost as far as my R11 and MD fairways so I'd rather take a lesson over marketing and hype any day as I'll be a better golfer for it.
Adjustable irons were around years ago. There's not much new in golf. The engine -shaft- is key and there's one out there to suit everyone. Most of us play with the wrong flex/weight IMO.
MashieNiblick
Tour Winner
I have no idea what the next technical "advance" will be, and it is hard to see how the performance of any of the equipment now available can be greatly improved. However whatever it is will be accompained by ever more persuasive, spohisticated and expensive marketing and advertising. That I think is where the big brands will be spending ever more of their budgets.
What I'd really like though would be some simple things like grips that don't need replacing and premium balls with covers that don't scuff.
What I'd really like though would be some simple things like grips that don't need replacing and premium balls with covers that don't scuff.
Foxholer
Blackballed
FT3 was/is a surprisingly long club. Quite a few Callaway staffers continued to use it rather than the (shorter but more forgiving) FT5. Still got one, with a Code 6, one of 2 excellent purchases through the old BombSquadGolf!, in my spares bag. It was previously my away bag Driver. Only 'problem' is the 'donk' sound it makes!
ScienceBoy
Money List Winner
And putting, don't forget putting!
I do think a good long/mid game is also important, you have to be next to or around the green in two for a good short game to have its effect. If not then getting up and down for a triple bogey is not the same.
DappaDonDave
Journeyman Pro
I proclaim negative degree Bounce wedges are the future!
bobmac
Major Champion
This is the whole point, there's not.
If you have a rubbish swing, no new club/shaft/iron/putter is going to help you.
Ethan
Money List Winner
I think what he means is that given the massive range of shafts available, there will be one (or more) which is a better fit for any individual golfer. That is not the same as saying there will be one that fixes any or all swing faults, or that they are a substitute for lessons.
bobmac
Major Champion
I'm well aware what he meant.
Ethan
Money List Winner
OK, touchy this morning, or was that just "humour"?
bobmac
Major Champion
No, just touchy
S
Snelly
Guest
What percentage of difference do any of you think having the perfect set of clubs would make to your game / score / handicap? The absolute best fit for you from the perfect manufacturer to suit your game when compared to what you currently have? I am genuinely interested to hear...
My own view is an optimistic 0%. Thoughts?
Ethan
Money List Winner
Depends what you have at the moment and your potential. If you have a set that is hideously unsuitable, then you can easily improve a lot, but could also do most of the same with a more obvious off the shelf set. It also depends what your potential is. If you have 55 mph driver swing and an action that looks like an octopus falling down the stairs, then the potential is probably rather modest.
But there are younger improving players who have still the set they started with, which they now hit too high and with too little control, and they could easily get improvements with more suitable equipment. Equally there are old duffers who still have the stiff shafted blades they got when they first saw Tom Watson play, which they can no longer flight properly and who would play better with more suitable equipment.
You may or may not have had a good personal experience with fitting, but in either case, it would be misleading to generalise that to everyone else.
S
Snelly
Guest
That sounds fair enough so I will clarify that I'm not asking in general terms. I am asking the forum members. All seem pretty clued up on kit and have good gear albeit with what would have to be varying degrees of potential.
Ethan
Money List Winner
Well, in my case, I have been fitted for irons and woods and know my swing and stats pretty well (100mph driver speed, inside attack, left spin and good to lowish launch). The inside attack and active hands which sometimes lead to a snapper, and that requires swing changes (keeping the club outside my hands more, avoiding overswinging and trying to get a good hip turn to quieten the hands, holding the clubhead off a bit, amongst other things), but fitting clubs has helped me offset some of that set of issues (by choosing a decent loft driver, tip stiff low spin shaft, medium launch low spin shafts in irons).
The other problem is that with family and work, the amount of golf I play is ever declining, now to one game every one to two weeks, and I think having the right equipment has allowed me to maintain my handicap despite that, and during the occasional periods of more intense play, play quite well. In 30 years of playing, I have never hit the ball as far as I do now, although that is a mixed blessing when Captain Cook is on board.
Foxholer
Blackballed
I reckon a couple of shots at least - maybe even more. And that's just from the experience of having a set of irons (not my current bagged ones, but prospective...) with shafts that were stronger than seller thought they were - and were too strong for me. Likewise, when I went to a shaft in my Driver that suited my changed swing-speed, I regained the 30 yards that I'd lost by not being able to load a stiff shaft sufficiently. With that 'real' benefit and the increased confidence, there's as much benefit as the change from blades to CBs - which was 2-3 shots when playing only occasionally.
Slicer30
Q-School Graduate
What about filling the grooves of irons a la Nike Method putters? would this even be allowed?
ScienceBoy
Money List Winner
There are lots of advancements in the area of material science around polymers that actively do things.
I suspect fancy things club happen like clubhead materials that glow when you hit the sweetspot or things like that.
I suspect fancy things club happen like clubhead materials that glow when you hit the sweetspot or things like that.
