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  COMMON SENSE GOLF CLUB FITTING - WHAT REALLY MATTERS

 January 2008

   Are you confused about the significance of the many terms and measurements thrown at you by the

 golf club manufacturers and salespeople? Join the club! We finally begin to grasp a rudimentary 

 understanding of "shaft spining" and suddenly "COR" becomes critical. No sooner does that term

 become part of our lexicon when "MOI" makes an appearance.  Each of these things can be

 measured by sophisticated scientific equipment, but I will contend that a well-struck ball is more of an

 art than a science.

   Today, many people believe a computer analysis spit out by a launch monitor will give them the 

 best possible fit. As a golf club repairman and custom fitter, I have had to make a conscious business

 decision between using high tech equipment such as launch monitors or relying on basic fitting aids,

 customer feedback and extensive experience. The computer approach appeals to today's reliance

 on technology as a cure for all our ills. Being fitted on a launch monitor is fun, interesting and often

 convinces us that we now have the perfect club. It also adds a lot of expense and results in a large

 percentage of of disenchanted buyers who hit the ball no better or even worse than with their

 previous clubs. All these numbers offered up by the computer are open to many interpretations

 and are subject to the salesman's personal agenda.

   Don't get me wrong! Fitting of golf clubs is very important. After 33 years of full time experience

 in this business, I am positively certain the following measurements are critical to a good fit.

 In descending order of importance:

 1. SHAFT FLEX as determined by club head speed and tempo

 2. SHAFT LENGTH

 3. WEIGHT of overall club and the shaft in particular

 4. LOFT of driving club

 5. LIE of irons

 6. GRIP SIZE

 7. TORQUE of graphite shafts

 8. OFFSET features

 9. VOLUME of heads

10. APPEARANCE of club at address

   Other variables such as MOI (moment of inertia), COR (coefficient of restitution), and "spining" (the 

 most stable orientation of a shaft) are all factors though while measurable, are not significant to our

 everyday results. Anyone with a background in the sciences or engineering will tell you that not every-

 thing we can measure is "significant". For example, do you honestly believe that 1/8" in shaft length,

 1/4 of a swingweight or 1/4° in iron lie, each of which can be measured, are significant? Of course

 not!  The reason is our human inconsistencies intervene long before those small differences impact

 the result. On one occasion the first measurement might work slightly better and the next time the

 second measurement would serve one better.

   The following chart is a common sense attempt to quantify these measurements:

 CHARACTERISTIC BEING MEASURED       LEVEL OF SIGNIFICANCE (plus or minus)

                   Shaft frequency                                                        4 cpm

                   Shaft length                                                               1/4"

                   Torque of graphite shaft                                           .5°

                   Loft of driver                                                              .5°

                   Grip size                                                                    1/64"

                   Lie of irons                                                                 .5°

                   Swingweight                                                              1 point

 These plus/minus ranges pertain to the very good players and could probably be doubled

 for the bogey+ golfers.

   In summary, golf fitting today, as it was fifty years ago, is more of an art than a science.  What else

 would explain all the frustrated clients coming into our shop after being fit by "Tour Van" technicians,

 Launch Monitor operators, or nationally acclaimed fitting experts in white lab coats? Success for the

 golf professional as well as the weekend warrior will always be the result of a good golf swing first, and

 the appropriate equipment second. The next time you are fit for clubs have a very experienced fitter

 address the significant categories mentioned here. Then take lessons and practice, practice, practice.

 DO YOU WANT TO HIT LONG, OR STRAIGHT?  

May 2005

In a never ending search for a better golf game, customers show up in droves this time of year

  seeking a better shaft. This 'Holy Grail' quest, while not limited to driver shafts, is most often focused

there. The principles we will explore this month apply to all the

clubs, but we'll examine specifically how they pertain to the big

stick: the driver.

  The golfer looking to upgrade their driver shaft should first

  determine what their priorities are. My first question to them invariably is: "Are you looking to hit it

  farther or straighter?" Their response is predictable: "both." Unfortunately, the cruel reality is these two

  goals are often mutually exclusive (unless the golfer was very poorly fit with the existing shaft).

    HIT IT LONG: Distance=Mass x Velocity Squared is a time-tested scientific principle which also

  applies to golf. To increase distance of your shots, you must either increase the mass (weight) of the

  club or increase the velocity (club head speed) of your swing. Many golfers mistakenly believe they're

  addressing the increased mass issue when they get a larger volume titanium head. In truth, today's 

  larger titanium heads weigh virtually the same as the old wooden ones, approximately 198 grams.

  Furthermore, increasing the static weight of the club has proven to be counterproductive because

  it decreases club head speed. The only effective way to increase the distance of your shots is to 

  increase that speed with a longer and lighter shaft. The downside of this combination is an almost 

  inevitable loss of control.

    HIT IT STRAIGHT: Physics dictate that the further from the hands the ball is, the more likely a strike

will miss the center of the clubface. A shot struck just 1/2" off the

sweet spot will negatively impact not only the direction but also

the distance achieved. If your goal is to stay in the fairway as

much as possible, then reduce the shaft length and increase the

shaft weight of your driver. It is ironic that the pros, who are the

best ball strikers in the game, tend to use drivers a full inch

  shorter than the average golfer. Just for fun, pull out that old persimmon or maple laminated, 43" steel

  shafted driver you've put away and see if you don't stay in the fairway more often.

    POINT OF DIMINISHING RETURNS: Golfers need to experiment with shaft length and weight in 

  order to determine what what is best for their tempo and ability. That 46", 52 gram graphite shaft may

  yield excellent distance and adequate control for a well-tempoed disciplined player. However, most 

  will need to find a shorter length shaft to keep them on those tight fairways, even if it means sacrificing

  those extra 15 yards from the occasional perfect strike. Decide what your game will tolerate: 40% of

  fairways hit and 15 extra yards, or 80% of fairways hit and 15 less yards.

    THE SOLUTION: Golf retailers will love the answer to this dilemma: serious players as well as

  weekend warriors should have two drivers. A shorter (i.e., 43 1/2"), possibly steel shafted club to be

  used on narrow fairways, when money is on the line, or when you are not at the peak of your game.

  Plus a longer 45" or 46" graphite shafted driver to pull out for those courses with wide open fairways,

  when you're in scramble tournaments, or when you are playing extremely well.

    Remember,  just because you have terrific success with that new driver today does not guarantee

  that it will be successful for long. Give yourself an option for those slumps that everyone goes through.

 DO YOU NEED (OR JUST WANT) A LARGER GRIP?

  April 2005

   While regripping is a common repair at any time of year, it always peaks in the spring. Many golfers

  will show up over the next few months requesting new grips and, often times, will believe they need a

  larger size. Some have tried their buddy's clubs with the bigger grips and enjoyed the comfortable 

feel. Other times they want to 'demonstrate' to me their need for a larger grip. They

hold the club head up with the shaft perpendicular to the ground while squeezing their

fingers into the palm, as shown at left. The problem with this method is that a golfer

rarely has to hit a shot from a lie 3 feet over their head! I have a relatively small hand

  and yet can easily dig my fingers into my palm when held in this manner, even using this oversized

grip. In the actual playing position, seen at left, our hands at address are naturally

elongated down the (proper size) grip, and we are hopefully holding it only lightly.

Too large a grip poses many problems for a good golf swing. It makes it difficult

for the hands to release, thereby encouraging a block, or push. To compensate, the

  golfer has to alter their stance, or hand positioning, or tries to 'muscle' the shot to keep it straight.

    I have always been struck by this observation: better golfers usually use standard or even 

  undersize grips while the higher handicappers tend to think they want oversize grips.

Now, the disclaimer: There certainly are golfers who genuinely need larger grips.

If one truly has large hands or has a physical issue (i. e., arthritis, bad fingers), then

a larger grip is in order. Be aware that most regrippers are installing .580 core

grips on .600 butt diameter shafts, which results in a size already 1/64" over

standard.

    To summarize, always remember that the large comfortable grip is often not the correct choice.

  Good luck and let's all get a good grip on the new season.

  Which hybrid is right for me?

     One of the few innovations in golf equipment in recent years that has real merit is the "hybrid" golf

  club. Hybrids combine features of both woods (cambered sole, larger head, roll and bulge) and irons

(heavier weight and shorter shaft). A hybrid tends to be easier to hit than the testy long

iron, usually the nemesis for all but the strongest, most precise player.

    Hybrids generally are separated into two basic styles. A wood hybrid has a slightly lighter gram

  weight, more pronounced sole camber, face roll and bulge, and is fit with a .335 or .350 tip shaft. 

 They are usually played at a slightly longer length than their iron counterpart. The iron hybrid tends to

  have a heavier gram weight, little or no roll and bulge, and a .370 shaft played 1/2" to 1" shorter

  than its wood counterpart. Either design can be very effective, and the style may influence which

  one you prefer.

     The most important criteria in choosing a hybrid is to find one that fits a specific gap in your set. If

you are replacing a #3 iron, then get one that will give you the same yardage.

This is where you may need the help of a knowledgeable golf professional 

(Golf Club Hospital) or take advantage of the opportunity to field test your options.

   The shaft type, flex, length and grip must be appropriate to your abilities.

     The number stamped on the club can be very misleading. A hybrid club with a #3 on it will almost

   always hit the ball further than a #3 iron because it has a longer shaft and probably a stronger loft. 

   The loft of the club and the length of the shaft will determine its distance. Also, graphite shafts may 

   give you several more yards of distance but at the expense of accuracy.

     So go ahead and jump on the bandwagon. Get rid of those pesky long irons, and stop by the

   shop for a custom fitting. 

  What is your opinion of spining or PUREing a golf shaft? 

    This falls under the category of: "If you think it helps you, it will." The principle is sound, but whether

  it is practical for most golfers is a different story. Spining is another entry in the long line of "new"

  innovations in the golf industry that aren't really new at all, such as bore-thru heads, shaft butt

  weighting, freezing, shock absorbing, and magical pendants. The TrueTemper Company espoused

  spining in the 1970's with very limited success, and there is a good reason why.

    No two golf shafts are identical nor perfectly round, and there is usually an almost imperceptible 

  seam or spine resulting after manufacture. A metal shaft is welded along its axis, but the resulting

  torque is so low on a metal shaft that any resulting spine effect is practically inconsequential. A

  graphite shaft is produced by the wrapping of several layers, or plies, all beginning and ending at

  different points to form the body of the shaft, leaving several seams present. Shaft manufacturers

  have made great strides towards perfecting consistency and have nearly eliminated any weak or

  strong sides of the graphite shaft, effectively negating the need for spining.

    The basis of spining or PUREing is finding the neutral plane of the golf shaft so any unnecessary

deflection is minimized. Spining is the generic catchall term for this

process: from simply clamping a shaft in a vise to see where it

wobbles, to PUREing, which employs specific trademarked proprietary

software and equipment.

    Always keep in mind companies that tout spining or PUREing have expensive apparatus to pay

  for, and they'll insist you must have it done to achieve maximum performance of your equipment. The

  reality is, different companies will produce different test results, all proclaiming theirs to be correct. If

  you examine their findings you'll see they can't even agree where the shaft should be rotated in the

  club head. 12:00? 3:00? 9:00? In fact, using the most popular shafts available, we doubt any of these

  companies would be confident to challenge a player to a $100 payoff if they could positively tell

  whether their shafts have been spined or not.

    A shaft that has been spined or PUREd won't fix a slice or a hook. Ever wonder why tour players,

  who have all the latest "can't miss" procedures applied to their equipment, still miss fairways? Even

with a perfect shaft, as incredibly expensive as it would be, the weakest factor will

always be the golfers themselves. Club fitting on humans can never be as precise

as machines can dictate. Only parameters are possible because your swing

speed and tempo today will be different tomorrow, next week, and next month.  

    Our rule-of-thumb at the shop is: a high quality, low torque shaft needs no orientation during the

  shafting process. Just remember to keep your spine straight, and then confidently strike the ball. 

  What does it mean to "soft step" or "hard step" a set of irons?

    Stepping shafts is a method of reshafting that zeros in on a flex between the specific designations, 

  say, between a regular and a stiff flex. "Hard stepping" would make a shaft stiffer, "soft stepping,"

  more flexible. The effective change in flex between immediate lofts from stepping is 1/3, or 5 cycles

  per  minute, a practically negligible change in performance for most golfers.

    Because each shaft length is different throughout a set, head weights and flex patterns must vary

to achieve constant overall club weight and uniform performance. Imagine a 1

iron length shaft with a 9 iron head, it would be way too heavy and flexible.

Conversely, a 9 iron length shaft with a 1 iron head would be too light and stiff.

Assuming original shaft flexes are equal, a 5 iron shaft installed in a 6 iron

  head would be soft stepped, made more flexible by a 1/3. A 6 iron shaft installed in a 5 iron head

  would be hard stepped, made stiffer by a 1/3.

    If stepping from already-installed shafts, the resulting reshafts must then be shortened or extended

  to proper length, and keep in mind there will be one 'odd man out' head in need of a new shaft. When

  step reshafting using raw shafts, simply cut each shaft to proper length, as per the usual finishing 

  procedure. Stepping can be done with parallel, taper-tipped or stepless shafts.

   How can I find out if an old set of clubs has any value?

    We see a lot of dusty relics from the 1930's and 40's, and there are more of them out there

  than you would think. A common belief is because the clubs are old, then they must have value. Like

  all collectibles, a golf club is only worth what one is willing to pay, and more often than not the cost of

  refinishing will exceed its value.  

    "Old" is a relative term, of course. Using wooden shafted clubs as antique criteria, the rarest and

most sought-after clubs are from the 18th and 19th centuries, made

in England or Scotland. Early 20th century clubs made in America

signaled our golf boom. However, any mass-produced club in good

condition, while not rare, will look nice mounted on the wall of somebody's

  den or office. Most golfers like to play the new stuff and admire the vintage equipment.

     Here's a general guideline to use for both steel and hickory shafted clubs:

  Look for original condition clubs that are clean and well-cared for. Specialty clubs like putters and

  wedges are always desirable. Full sets, including woods, irons and the canvas bag are very unique.

  Look for classic drivers and fairway woods that were made without face inserts, using elaborate

  cross-hatching instead.

     Unfortunately, many older clubs were stored in the garage or basement, where moisture and

  temperature fluctuations distressed them. Metal heads and shafts should be free of rusting and pitting.

  Wooden shafts straight, with no warping. Wooden heads shouldn't have cracks and loose or missing

  inserts or soleplates. Are leather grips still tightly bound, with the whipping string intact? Shaft bands

  were so easily scuffed that finding them intact is unusual.

     Be realistic. If you think you have something truly valuable, try a Web search. The professional

   collectors are always excited to see what you have.

   As a dealer, can you explain the benefits of the KZG line?

      KZ Golf has found a niche with the custom pro line, a hallmark of component golf club heads.

   From the casual golfer to the accomplished player, there is a KZG model made to suit your game.

All of the KZG forged iron manufacturing processes: forging, grinding, plating and

polishing are done solely in Japan, where the highest quality and attention to

detail are the industry standard. 

Essentially, all the finished forged and cast heads come directly to us, where

we'll fit you with the appropriate shaft and install it professionally. Your savings are

  substantial because you've avoided the middleman (think: retailer). You'll be the owner of beautiful

  custom made clubs that  rival any in the golf business, and a great deal to boot.

   Is it the arrow or the Indian?

    Most likely the arrow. If it was the Indian, Tiger could compete using a motley assortment of rental

clubs, right? Practically speaking, if your handicap is 20 or better, then using properly fitted

   equipment is vital to your performance. Above a 20, then the rental clubs are "same difference."    

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