Over the past few weeks I have had at least 3 instances where I measured some specs for golf clubs – just to see what they were – and they were not close to what players should be expecting. Now, I am not by nature a quite person (am sure my friends will back me up on this!) but I always get a bit nervous what what I should do when I find out information like the following….
1. An OEM driver that said it was 11.5 degrees of loft was actually 14.5 degrees of loft;
2. A new OEM 3 wood was 43-3/4 inches long, the longest 3 wood I have ever measured (and 3/4 inches longer than “standard”); and
3. I regrouped some irons for a player and his steel shafts were – by the standard I use for flex – almost XX Stiff – and I know he is not a bomber.
After I think about it for awhile, I always realize that Correct Information about golf clubs is better than Ignorance – well, at least I hope that for players. I went about a year with a driver about 10 years ago (before I became a professional club fitter) and did not know that the shaft flex in it was Way too stiff for me. So I think folks need to know the truth, so they can evaluate their golf results against what they know.
For the three instances above, I think the results turned out well. The player who uses the 14.5 degree driver actually performs well with it (because of the way he swings the golf club), and likes to hit it off the fairway – not sure he could do so if it was really 11.5 degrees of loft. For the player with the long 3 wood, I shortened it so that its weight feel was consistent with the driver I rebuilt for him. And the player with the stiff shafts has the knowledge of the truth, and may sometime decide that there may be options that can help him play better.
We all deserve to know the Truth about our Golf Clubs.
The Fit Is IT!!
Tony