Question:
I agree with Richard: get custom fitted clubs. But shop around for them too. Talk to a few clubmakers, ask about the components they use and why they’d choose particular components for you. Good clubmakers like to talk about their work–like the guy you saw apparently did. The "Class A" clubmaker certification is also probably worth finding, to avoid the fly-by-night club assembler building one-size-fits-all cut-n-glues. With a clubmaker, you don’t have a national (typically public) company to complain to (or to sue) when things go bad, so in general you have less recourse. In other words, Callaway, Cobra, etc. can’t afford to have anything other than top-notch customer service, or at least top-notch customer response. So spend a minute or two with the clubmaker, and ask him for referrals of past customers (or ask your golfing friends where they go). It almost always makes more sense to pay for the club fitting than to pay for the corporate structure, the advertisements, and the "top-notch customer response." (What I really mean there is the quick replacement/ tuning for a $1000 set which upon measurement turns out to be $200 in components–that don’t fit your swing–and $20 in cut-n-glue manufacturing.) I’m less sure about Richard’s comments about the club advantages being for the pros. In fact, I’d argue almost the opposite, despite the recent advances in technology aimed at the 15 index player, the pros are still able to get custom-built clubs well-matched to their swing. Tiger’s 43 (+1/2?) inch (X) steel-shafted driver isn’t for the same swing dynamics as the latest 46-inch 50-gram graphite-shafted bread-box- on-a-stick. Count how many pros use the super oversize balloon irons with low-kick-point graphite shafts we see around the stores. But Richard’s point is again right on: if the off-the-rack clubs aren’t fit to you, then they won’t work well. Good luck, Steve
| … | stores, smaller stores etc. On a whim I went to a man who owns his own | small shop. I did not recognize the names on any of the clubs. He said he | built his own and explained the process. He showed me some that he said | were close to Cobra’s. He measured me up and down, I hit several balls, | then I went to get my swing computer analyzed. The clubs felt great! Even … | the name on the clubs were Vortec. It seems like a good deal, but for some | reason I am a "name brand" person. Any comments or suggestions would be | greatly appreciated. |Go for custom clubs. The name brand clubs work for the pros for two |reasons: 1) They are much more talented than the average golfer so the |innovations used in these clubs can be exploited to their advantage; 2) |The manufacturers custom fit these name brand clubs to the golfer. | |The average golfer is better off buying custom "no-name" clubs for the |same reasons: 1) The average golfer is not talented enough to take |advantage of the innovations incorporated into brand name clubs; 2)The |custom club fitter will custom fit your clubs so you can get the most |out of them. | |By the way – go to a "Class ‘A’" club maker. These people are |accredited and the best qualified to make you a set to suit your swing. |Avoid those people who just assemble clubs. Their advantage is price |but they don’t build the clubs to your specs. The Class ‘A’ club maker |is still cheaper than most off the rack sets of brand name clubs and |will provide the best value by far. |– |Richard Bungay
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ok here is the deal. I had to stop playing golf a few years ago due to other things going on in my life. Well I’m done to one job and finished with school and it is time to play again 8). I spent most of the day shopping for clubs. I wnet to the large "discount" golf stores, other stores, smaller stores etc. On a whim I went to a man who owns his own small shop. I did not recognize the names on any of the clubs. He said he built his own and explained the process. He showed me some that he said were close to Cobra’s. He measured me up and down, I hit several balls, then I went to get my swing computer analyzed. The clubs felt great! Even after not touching a club for a few years. He has a lifetime warranty, and will build them for over $100 less than I can get "off the rack". I think the name on the clubs were Vortec. It seems like a good deal, but for some reason I am a "name brand" person. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. David
Go for custom clubs. The name brand clubs work for the pros for two reasons: 1) They are much more talented than the average golfer so the innovations used in these clubs can be exploited to their advantage; 2) The manufacturers custom fit these name brand clubs to the golfer. The average golfer is better off buying custom "no-name" clubs for the same reasons: 1) The average golfer is not talented enough to take advantage of the innovations incorporated into brand name clubs; 2)The custom club fitter will custom fit your clubs so you can get the most out of them. By the way – go to a "Class ‘A’" club maker. These people are accredited and the best qualified to make you a set to suit your swing. Avoid those people who just assemble clubs. Their advantage is price but they don’t build the clubs to your specs. The Class ‘A’ club maker is still cheaper than most off the rack sets of brand name clubs and will provide the best value by far. — Richard Bungay Time is an illusion. Lunchtime is doubly so.[D.Adams]
Response:
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ok here is the deal. I had to stop playing golf a few years ago due to other things going on in my life. Well I’m done to one job and finished with school and it is time to play again 8). I spent most of the day shopping for clubs. I wnet to the large "discount" golf stores, other stores, smaller stores etc. On a whim I went to a man who owns his own small shop. I did not recognize the names on any of the clubs. He said he built his own and explained the process. He showed me some that he said were close to Cobra’s. He measured me up and down, I hit several balls, then I went to get my swing computer analyzed. The clubs felt great! Even after not touching a club for a few years. He has a lifetime warranty, and will build them for over $100 less than I can get "off the rack". I think the name on the clubs were Vortec. It seems like a good deal, but for some reason I am a "name brand" person. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. David
David, the Vortec heads come from a component distributor called Golfworks, one of the three most respected distributors in the business. If you hit the clubs well, I’d say go for it. Another bonus is that if your swing changes as you improve, this guy will be able to adjust your clubs to match. Mark Georg
Response:
He measured me up and down, I hit several balls, then I went to get my swing computer analyzed. The clubs felt great! Even after not touching a club for a few years. He has a lifetime warranty, and will build them for over $100 less than I can get "off the rack". I think the name on the clubs were Vortec. It seems like a good deal, but for some reason I am a "name brand" person. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
1. $100 less than what? On a set of Cobras, you can usually wait for a sale and they’ll drop $100. 2. A lifetime warranty only means for the lifetime of the business. I had a driver custom-made by an outfit called Bing’s that had two shops, one that was located in a really high rent district in Carmel, California, which is where I bought mine. The club came with a lifetime guarantee, including grips for life. The place closed down a year later. 3. Nevertheless, custom clubs can be great. Even name brand clubs have to be tweeked to fit you. Obviously, custom clubs, by definition, don’t need tweeking, or at least, as much. Since you’re coming back to the game after a few year’s layoff, you might want to consider getting a good used set, until you re-develop your swing, and then think about getting a set to stick with.
Response:
Ok David, here’s the deal. The clubs you buy should be clubs you WANT and that are right for your swing and set up. If you don’t like the Vortec’s, you will probably never be satisfied with them. I have made my own clubs and have also purchased Hogans, Callaways, Palmers, and Lynx clubs just to name a few. I believe that the clubs that I have made are at least as good as these brand names, but it does feel good to swing a Callaway Big Bertha or a Palmer PHD or Hogan Edge or Lynx Black Cat. The big problem is to decide which clubs to use on any given day. Bottom line, get what works and makes you happy (or you think will make you happy the day you buy them). – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ok here is the deal. I had to stop playing golf a few years ago due to other things going on in my life. Well I’m done to one job and finished with school and it is time to play again 8). I spent most of the day shopping for clubs. I wnet to the large "discount" golf stores, other stores, smaller stores etc. On a whim I went to a man who owns his own small shop. I did not recognize the names on any of the clubs. He said he built his own and explained the process. He showed me some that he said were close to Cobra’s. He measured me up and down, I hit several balls, then I went to get my swing computer analyzed. The clubs felt great! Even after not touching a club for a few years. He has a lifetime warranty, and will build them for over $100 less than I can get "off the rack". I think the name on the clubs were Vortec. It seems like a good deal, but for some reason I am a "name brand" person. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. David
Response:
Ok here is the deal. I had to stop playing golf a few years ago due to other things going on in my life. Well I’m done to one job and finished with school and it is time to play again 8). I spent most of the day shopping for clubs. I wnet to the large "discount" golf stores, other stores, smaller stores etc. On a whim I went to a man who owns his own small shop. I did not recognize the names on any of the clubs. He said he built his own and explained the process. He showed me some that he said were close to Cobra’s. He measured me up and down, I hit several balls, then I went to get my swing computer analyzed. The clubs felt great! Even after not touching a club for a few years. He has a lifetime warranty, and will build them for over $100 less than I can get "off the rack". I think the name on the clubs were Vortec. It seems like a good deal, but for some reason I am a "name brand" person. Any comments or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. David