The New Golf Lab

I love when this happens.

Just when I needed a good case study – Matt Kuchar wins the Player’s Championship playing 95 gram graphite shafts in his irons.

Winning PGA Tournaments with graphite shafts is a rare occurrence.  Very few Tour players have tried lightweight graphite shafts.  Why should they?  They’re playing well with True Temper heavy steel shafts that they grew up with.

There have been a couple of notable exceptions.  Johnny Miller won the Open at Oakmont in 1973 with Aldila prototype graphite shafts in his irons.  That round is recognized as one of the best ball-striking rounds of all time.  John Daly played UST graphite shafts in his irons when he won the British Open in 1995.  Big John is not the kind of player you’d expect to get serious about graphite.

Matt never would have tried Lightweight graphite on his own.  His father bought a new set of custom irons that came with Aerotech Steel Fiber shafts.  He thought they felt unusually good and handed them to Matt.  Matt tried them and was surprised.  He ordered a set.  He played Aerotech Steel Fibers the next weekend, finished second and went on to win the Money Title.  That’s the short version.

What caused Matt to try his father’s irons?  Who would think they would have anything in common?

Unlike most golfers who “know what they like” and don’t see much reason to change equipment, Matt was looking for that special edge.  Did that one day he tried his father’s irons make the difference?  Was that a coincidence?

Matt’s quick results demonstrate what my old friend Mitch Voges used to say about golf clubs.  “New golf clubs should be like new glasses.  When I buy new glasses, I see better right now.”

Brandt Snedeker was a winner with Steel Fibers earlier this year.  Dozens of Tour players at all levels are evaluating Aerotech Steel Fibers.  All of the major OEM Custom departments have either approved or are testing Aerotech Steel Fiber shafts.

Link to the Aerotech website: http://www.aerotechgolfshafts.com/

Link to Aerotech iron shafts: http://www.aerotechgolfshafts.com/irons.php

It won’t be long before Aerotech is represented in all the fitting carts.  After fifteen years, Aerotech is poised to become an “overnight success”.

Aerotech “under the covers” – what the Pros are Really Playing

Aerotech has been the dominant graphite shaft line for custom clubmakers for over ten years.  The reason is the extensive choice of weights and flexes that Aerotech offers.

With Aerotech, the unique designs that are the most interesting.  Aerotech is the only graphite shaft company that offers a broad range of “weight designed” shafts.

Tournament players favor traditional steel shaft designs that call for each shaft to be slightly heavier as they get shorter.  Each shaft then weighs the same when trimmed to playing length.  That’s “constant weight” for shafts.  The belief is that constant weight shafts make better sets.

The problem with constant weight shafts is complexity and cost.  Each set requires eight different shafts.  Sets have to be kept straight.  That’s a severe test for most golf club factories which is why “parallel tip” shafts were invented.

Manufacturing efficiency demanded parallel tip “blanks”.  All blanks are the same.  You cut half an inch off the tip for the three iron and keep going up the set.  Most graphite iron shafts are supplied as blanks – one size – and weight – fits all.

So it came to pass over the years that high quality sets for good players would continue to be made by the old method – strictly taper tip shafts for classic forged irons.

Parallel tip shafts came to be the “mass market option”.  Tapered was expensive and parallel was cheap.

That led to confusion about premium graphite iron shafts.  Since practically all graphite is manufactured on the parallel tip model there’s a tendency to distrust graphite quality.  Until now, mounting parallel tip shafts in forged heads required drilling the head to accommodate the shaft – an option that requires above average experience.

The golf world thought it needed a quality taper tip graphite shaft.

95 gram Constant Weight, Taper Tip Graphite

The Big Boys are playing taper tips.  Aerotech I95 Steel Fiber taper tip iron shafts were engineered and manufactured individually to a constant playing weight of 95 grams.

Link to more details on iron shafts: 

http://www.aerotechgolfshafts.com/steelfiber_iron.php

That solves the problem of the short irons feeling too light.  That is the most common complaint from most players testing lightweight graphite shafts.  It’s not that the shafts feel loose.  It’s that they feel too light.  They should, because a 95 gram parallel tip graphite shaft in an 8 iron might end up only be 85 grams trimmed to playing weight.  That’s good reason to wonder . . .

If you think you need heavy steel shafts – for whatever reason – ask yourself “why?”  If 95 grams is just right for Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker, why would that be too light for you?

And, if Tour Pros are playing 95 gram graphite shafts – doesn’t it also stand to reason that a normal amateur might do well with something lighter than that?  Maybe 80 or 70 grams?

So that’s the Big Bet.  Will changing your shafts help you win the Money Title?  No guarantee on that.  Will you play better with irons that are built differently from anything you’ve ever tried?  There’s only one way to find out.

Golf Lab High Performance Demo Program

We created a new way to test our theories.

It seemed doubtful that customers would be convinced by argument – or even a launch monitor – to buy a new set of irons that were totally different.

We built twenty sets of irons.  Each set is a “fantasy set”.  We combined the best of the Japanese boutique foundry forged iron heads with the latest graphite shafts – in weights from 70 grams to 125 grams.

Players wondering about shaft weights can check out demo sets of custom irons built with Aerotech Steel Fiber shafts in 70, 80, 95, 110 and 125 weights.  You can make a sure choice on shaft weight only one way:  hands-on testing on your own course hitting your own ball to familiar targets.

Of course we have the newly famous Aerotech 95 gram, constant weight, taper tip Steel Fiber shafts if you want to know exactly what Kuchar’s irons are like.

Heads include the best of the Japanese boutique foundries – Miura 501′s and the newest Passing Point.  From Vega we have the competition blades and the fabulous VC-03′s – chosen by most players as the best feeling, most forgiving forged head on the planet.

For players who like familiar names we have Mizuno and Adams.

It is no longer necessary to wonder about how your own fantasy set might play.  We probably have a set that’s close to your own Dream Set in our showroom.

Special Offer for Golf Lab “Members Only”

Assembling our extensive demo sets was a significant investment – but a necessary investment.  For the first time, players can test a full set of high performance irons under home course conditions.

I’m going with Mitch Voges – “play better right now”.

Many of our demo sets are valued up to $2000.  Our rental program is $300 for a month.  You can swap your set four times.  The rental fee does not apply to purchases – except for Golf Lab members who take schedule an “Iron shaft fitting” in the next week.

Golf Lab customers who book any fitting or fitting update this week receive one week of on-course experience free. That’s a $125 value.

Do your iron game a favor this week.  Book an update fitting and see what Matt Kuchar found out about Aerotech Steel Fiber shafts.

Best regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang:  JR, JT, BP, CS, DT and Joel.

What a weekend!!  We started out at Mariner’s Point at 8 AM on Friday and we didn’t finish until we cleaned up the last of the Korean banquet at Han’s in Palo Alto on Saturday night.  Forty-eight hours of all golf – all the time.  Jamie Pipes is the Iron Man of shaft fitting.

Over thirty Golf Lab customers took advantage of multiple opportunities to meet up with Jamie.  We worked with wedge shafts, performed driver shaft fittings, played golf and performed more driver shaft fittings.

Four players broke the code.  Jeff Segol, Dirk Godsey and Rick Kehr completed the foursome and returned to the Golf Lab for the launch monitor fitting after golf.  I have said this before – absolutely, positively the most accurate and efficient way to start a clubfitting is on the golf course.

The best information I can give any player is which clubs are performing so well that it doesn’t make any sense to challenge them.  If your current driver is performing within 2% of your potential, why waste time and money testing and buying drivers?  Focus on what’s most important – and exactly the clubs that have the most upside for your game.

Free On-Course Clubfitting – Mornings at the Muni

I made it a tradition to meet up with new customers at the Palo Alto Muni to play nine holes.  No charge.  “You just buy your own “Breakfast Special” for $32.  The Bay Café is the only place I know that serves a passable corned beef hash with poached eggs and San Francisco sourdough toast.  The perfect breakfast after breathing fresh air for two hours.

We then return to the Golf Lab to complete the fitting – knowing exactly what a player’s ball flight and consistency are on the golf course.  That allows me to zero in on exactly the clubs that will make the biggest difference.

Starting out with a morning at the Muni is the best way to complete a comprehensive clubfitting in a single day.

Some Golf Lab customers work for a living and can’t get away for the 8 AM Wednesday morning round.  I’m scheduling a Sunday round – in the afternoon for the first couple of weeks.  This is a good way for old customers to update their fitting.  Go to the course.  Come back to the Golf Lab.  If you have not been fitted with radar – you’re not playing with a full deck.

It doesn’t matter that it’s a Muni and it might be a slow round.  Who cares?  We’re out there to dawdle around, enjoy some conversation, hit a few extra practice shots.  Sunday afternoon at the Muni is a perfect pace of play for what we want to do.  Call Bob to reserve a spot this week or next.  (650) 654-1770.

Fitting for Torque – Jamie Pipes’ Tour Bag

Watching and listening to a Tour Fitter for two days was a great learning experience for the entire Golf Lab staff.  Here’s how fitting for torque works:

A player starts with his own driver to establish a benchmark.  We are interested in “ballistics” – ball speed, launch angle and spin rate – usually shortened to “speed, spin and launch”.

When we go “under the covers” with radar we find more useful information.  The radar records and remembers where each shot went.  That becomes the “shot grouping” display where each driver is compared for accuracy.  Radar also reveals the movement of the clubhead milliseconds before impact.  That reveals shaft performance by direct measurement.

We are early in the testing cycle.  Kaz Hoffman is still playing the UST VTS shaft in the “Black” (low torque) version.  If you plan to follow up launch monitor testing with range or on-course experience, we can supply the correct shafts and an interchangeable head.  Alternatively, we have the entire UST shaft line mounted on Taylor Made fittings so you can check out any UST shaft to hit with your own driver if you have a Taylor Made adjustable driver – all the way back to R9.

In the “Big Picture of Clubfitting”, my view is that fitting for torque is an interesting starting point.

Even for accomplished players who play other brands – it is good to know the torque value that produces the best results.  That would be valuable information to have before making a shaft choice.

I wanted more – and so did Jamie.  That’s where things got interesting.

The Concept of “Shaft Bend Profile”

For the last twenty years – graphite shafts have been pretty much the same.  They were designed to be “stiff in the butt” and then get gradually softer toward the tip – kind of like a fishing rod.

The Mitsubishi “Blue Board” driver shaft was a watershed product when it came out.  At one point, seven out of ten of the top players in the world were playing the same Blue Board.  That’s the closest thing to a Perfect Storm that’s ever happened in the golf business.  The Blue Board called attention to the “stiff tip” concept – key for Tour Players looking for control.

Mitsubishi took the concept of “bend profile” to the Bank.  The introduced the “Redboard” – designed with a stiff butt section and soft tip – ideal for players who need more spin and help getting the ball in the air.  They followed with the “Whiteboard” – a soft butt section and super stiff tip designed for the “dragger, dropper” (Sergio Garcia) style of swing that loads the shaft early.

The concept of “shaft fitting” started with Mitsubishi and their “Red, White and Blue” series.  For the first time accomplished amateurs could influence their ballistics with a driver shaft.  Since then, most of the refinements have been very subtle – too subtle to see or feel and measure in many cases.

“Too subtle to see or feel” presents a problem.  You have to trust the launch monitor to convince you that it’s worth it to go through a lengthy testing process.  What’s more boring than testing driver shafts?

How do you measure success?  Would it be that Kaz Hoffman has improved his “fairways hit” from 9 to 11 per round?  Do we believe that the reason is a low torque driver shaft?  How could anyone know?  We only know that looking at performance statistics – at whatever level of detail you can stand – is the only way to tell the difference between driver shafts – and any other golf club for that matter.

UST on the Rise

We should have expected that the best outcome would be unexpected.  I explained bend profiles to help explain the exciting part of UST’s shaft line.

UST is almost two companies.  There’s the Japanese headquarters and management.  That is the Mamiya side – one of the best of the Japanese shaft companies.  UST is also one of the major suppliers to the Mass Market – so they’re still going for those million piece orders.  The American interface is pure Texas.

The key ingredient in any company is innovation.  That’s where UST shines.

The first UST product that produced a spotlight success in the last couple of years is the Nunchuk – a Jerry Hogan invention marketed by Inventix.  We learned from Jamie that this version of the Nunchuk is actually the third time UST manufactured a shaft built to Hogan’s specifications.  We love the Nunchuk.  That’s another story.

The Nunchuk lead UST to hire Ralph Mann – the top independent engineer focused on the golf industry – to understand the science of energy flow down the shaft.  That led to some important breakthroughs in shaft design.

The one that stood out in testing with nearly every player last week was the Element.  It comes in three models.  Since you’re now up to date on what EI Curves look like, here is the “picture” of the three models of the new Element shaft.  Notice how the smooth slide now looks like a snake that swallowed a rabbit.

Every player who tested shafts for torque this weekend also tested the Element.  The Element was a shaft that every player could “feel”.  The Element came out the winner.

It is now in our driver shaft fitting system.

Upgraded Challenge for Driver Optimization and Shaft Fitting

Last week I made an unprecedented challenge in the clubfitting world. Guaranteed results or you don’t pay.  That challenge pertained to irons.  I’m expanding the challenge to the much more difficult world of improving driver performance.

Here’s the offer:  I will test your driver to establish a benchmark and make sure that the “ballistics” are within acceptable ranges.  Assuming that your driver is producing “correct” numbers – I might modify the length – longer or shorter – the balance – heavier or lighter and add the magic “Accurizer” in the handle.  We’ll hit another series of shots.

Your driver will go farther, straighter or both.  Your “smash factor” will go up.  Your spin rate will come down.  You will see and feel improved performance.  You will smile.

From there, we “test the extremes”.  From experience, I know that no current driver beats the trusty old Taylor Made R9 for technology.  We test lighter and heavier shafts with different flex profiles.  We watch the radar graphs.  We find the shaft that works the best from direct measurement of the shaft – not by looking at the ball and guessing “why?”

The performance of your current driver will be optimized and we will test it against the best competition.  If you are leaving yards on the tee, you will know how many.

You will also know the best that current technology can deliver.

1.5 hours.  $150.  Better measured performance improvement – guaranteed.

“Rhythm of the Week”

The “New Golf Lab” is really a startup.  Much more complicated than the old place.  Organizing collaboration.  Creating a weekly schedule.  Getting the word out.

Our communication is beginning to make sense.  This is the “Tuesday Update” (an experiment) to bring local customers up to date on what’s happening in the next few days.  All emails are archived on the Golf Lab Blog.  Go here to follow the history of our emails most recent first.  Please send this link to your friends.  http://calgolflab.com/blog/dashboard/ .

Call in.  Refer your friends.  We need the business.

Best regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang.

May 1st - Special Combo Deal this Week Only

The Golf Lab is known for “testing the extremes”. Over the years, our major success in building high performance golf clubs has been for women. Golf Lab clubs have helped win State, Junior and City Championships for some very good players.

It’s a simple fact. Weight matters more for women than for men.

Big improvements are not reserved for tournament players. Normal golfers make golf more difficult than necessary by playing with clubs that are too long and too heavy.

That goes double for wedges and putters.

We have some special offers for women this week only. (Please bring your playing partner and It’s OK if he’s your husband.)

Iron Shaft Weight Breakthrough – Matrix 49 gram shafts

We finished testing the brand new Matrix Radix 40 gram shafts. That might not mean much to players who are not well-versed on the relative weight of the parts of her golf clubs – grip, shaft and head. But 40 gram iron shafts have never been available before. They are the first ultra-light iron shafts that are strong enough to be serious. Until now, all ultra-lightweight shafts have been soft as spaghetti.

Our first fitting was Melanie last Friday. She is a long-time Golf Lab customer who bought her irons five years ago. They are still in her bag. Her irons are state of the art from back then. Shafts are the venerable Nippon 850 – still the best 90 gram steel shaft. Her iron heads are Mizuno 23′s – still a good game improvement model.

We tested the extreme. We shaved another half inch off of the length and mounted a 40 gram Matrix Radix shaft.

BANG!! Ten yards of carry distance. New shafts for the Mizunos.

What happened? We changed the relationship between Melanie and her irons. The lighter weight and shorter length allowed her to change her swing to a more powerful, precise, descending blow – something she couldn’t make happen with her old clubs. The new shafts gave here the strength to make the swing she always wanted to make – but couldn’t because the clubs were too long and too heavy.

Second Most Important Breakthrough – Wedge Shafts

There’s another club in most womens’ bags that will benefit from a quick out-patient procedure. Your wedges. If they have steel shafts – they are surely too heavy. If you bought them “off the rack” – it is a sure thing that they are too long.

Combine all that with a grip that fits your and lets you choke up comfortably and you’ll see your wedge game improve immediately.

We always look at your wedges when we do a shaft fitting.

Don’t Forget Your Putter

John Ruark has distinguished himself over the last many years as a serious student of putting and the short game. He became a fabulous putting teacher. You will probably find that the most significant thing you can do to lower your scores is to improve your putting.

In an hour and a half, John will give you a thorough introduction to “The Science of Putting” – in very simple terms. You’ll work on your setup to make sure you’re in the best position to make a repeatable stroke. He’ll work on tempo – making sure to take the “hit” out of your putt.

He’ll check your aim with our Edel Fitting system. He’ll check your stroke with the Science and Motion Putt Lab. Finally, he’ll introduce the concept of thought control to enhance your pre-shot routine.

A good way to book a John Ruark session is to come with one of your favorite playing partners. A coach with a good eye is important. Working together with a strong technical foundation is the best way to improve your putting. Better putting is a long-term project.

Book a Shaft Fitting and “Introduction to Putting” this week. “Two for One” pricing. Two sessions, for two people – just $150.

If you have any questions and would like to talk by telephone first, please schedule a time with Bob Pegram (650) 654-1770.

Best Regards, Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang: JT, JR, Clint, Dian and Joel.

Golf Lab – Video Blog Proof of Concept

This is an exciting moment for me.

I’m a storyteller. I love golf equipment and playing the game. The “Golf Equipment Chronicles” covered the evolution of custom clubs and clubfitting from 2002-2009. That contemporary history is preserved on the original Golf Lab website: www.calgolftech.com.

Video is the communication medium of the future – so we are told.

Tim Tucker has an interesting story. He applied experience from years of competitive golf and clubfitting to bring a new idea to market. As an Edel putter fitter, he knew that alignment marks on top of a putter can help a player aim. Why not drivers?

He created a series of decals that go on top of a player’s driver. In testing, one or more of the shapes appears to go straighter than the others. You put that shape on your driver. You hit straighter drives. The company is called True Aim Alignment Decals.

Tim was on the tee line at the Nationwide event last week in Hayward. He came to the Golf Lab one rainy afternoon to tell the True Aim story on video. If you want to know “why” – you can hear from the inventor himself. Please have a look and send me your evaluation. That will contribute to the evolution of our video skills. leithander@gmail.com.

Tim Tucker TrueAim Video

Chapter Two – On Tour with True Aim – Sean Foley Endorsement

I wanted to know more about what it was like to be out on Tour. Tim and his partner Jason Goldsmith were on the tee line at every PGA Tour event on the West Coast Swing. What was that like?

Here’s another five minutes that covers early adopters, reception on Tour and Sean Foley. Is that a good hook?

Tim Tucker TrueAim on Tour Video

Golf Lab Communication Strategy

I need some advice.

If I had to write the True Aim story it would never happen. Writing the story in depth would take twenty-four hours. It wouldn’t be as good as the video. You can see Tim’s passion. It’s impossible to write passion. Video brings a story to life that would never be told.

The same goes for golf equipment reviews. What can you say in three paragraphs with two pictures? Boring.

I think I’m going to have a lot of fun doing video reviews of golf equipment. Not boring.

Please spend a few minutes reviewing and critiquing the videos.

Why am I begging? I’m worried.

Over the last few months we have sent quite a few emails with video links. Our email management program, Constant Contact, informs us if a reader “opens” the message. It also keeps track of “click throughs”. The percentage of readers who click through to linked videos is very small – well under 10%. That is a disconcerting reality for a guy who has spent a year “perfecting” video – thinking that it was surely the medium of the future.

Did we all get that wrong?

Is the YouTube video mania destined to subside like every other fad?

Inquiring minds . . .

Best regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang, JT, JR, Bob P, Dian T, Joel W, Clint S.

Not that many years ago the golf industry was debating whether swappable shafts and adjustable heads would become popular for drivers.

That debate is over.  Who could have imagined drivers as advanced as they are today?  Modern drivers are a wonder of adjustability.

But there’s a problem.  You can’t know the true loft or face angle of your driver by reading the number stamped on the bottom.

Driver heads are manufactured by the millions.  The published tolerance is plus or minus one degree – both ways.  The actual variance is more than that.  We have measured 9* drivers at 11* – and at 7*.

When you change the loft, you change the face angle.

If you don’t know where you started, how will you know where you end up?

You need to match the loft and face angle with your swing to reach maximum distance.  Optimized ballistics and desired shot shape are not a matter of trial and error.  Random experimentation on the range hoping to hit the magic combination is a waste of time.  Clubfitting determines the correct specification.  Then, professional gauges measure your driver.

If you’re a right-handed player who wants to hit a draw your swing path must be inside-out between two and six degrees.  Four degrees is a good target.

Face angle at impact “open to target and closed to path” produces a draw.  Here’s a simple example.  Swing 4* inside-out, put the face angle at 2* open and you get a nice draw.

That means that the most amateurs – including very good amateurs – would do very well with a driver with correct loft and 2* CLOSED face angle.

The “conventional wisdom” in driver fitting today says that “open face angles are good”.  Nonsense.

Open face angles can be good for PGA Tour Players.  Their swings are different.  The more flamboyant players like Bubba Watson will vary their swing paths wildly from inside-out to outside-in.  They adjust face angles “on the go”.  That is not advisable for most amateur players who don’t play and practice for six hours every day.

PGA Tour players have more extreme inside-out swing paths.  The reason they like open face angles is that they add a little clubhead speed at impact by “rotating” the clubhead just prior to contact.  That requires complex timing.  The more extreme the swing path, the faster the rotation of the clubface, the more difficult the timing.

Step One:  Measure Your Driver

Find your current driver specifications.  We measure your driver on the only “PGA Tour Gauge” quality instrument in the Bay Area.  This is what the gauge looks like.  Ours came from the Callaway Tour Van.

 You will know the true loft and face angle of your driver.  You will also know the length, swingweight and flex.

Step Two:  Adjust Your Driver to Your Swing

You hit your driver with Flightscope radar launch monitor analysis.  The Flightscope records swing speed, ball speed, launch angle and spin rate.  It crunches the numbers and tells you how close you are to mathematically perfect.

We adjust the loft and face angle of your driver to improve “launch ballistics” – if we can.  This should not be a worry.  Half of the drivers that come into the Golf Lab for performance testing are just fine the way they are.  That’s nice to know.

Step Three:  Accurizer Test

If you haven’t been getting Golf Lab email recently – we think we’ve discovered a gizmo that is really, really good.  It is the Balance-Certified Accurizer for Drivers.  It reinforces the shaft just below a player’s lower hands – the point of maximum deflection.

Fred Sherburne is a very strong young player who came in for a “shaft fitting”.  He was hitting an extremely stout shaft – a 73 gram Mitsubishi Whiteboard in “X” flex.  Fred was a great Accurizer tester for us.  We got indoor results on the Flightscope that showed a “minor improvement” – keeping in mind that all launch monitor testing should be viewed with suspicion.  To begin, you’re only recording a few shots from each club with each player.

We were interested to know what “minor improvement” (six yards increased carry distance) would look like outdoors.

Here’s what Fred had to say:

“It was almost night and day between swinging my driver with and without the Accurizer.  I hit a few solid drives with the Accurizer installed and the trajectory seemed quite a bit straighter than before.  Not convinced that the Accurizer was the reason for this I took it out and tried a series of shots without it.  The high draw I saw with the Accurizer quickly went right back to hooking more than 35 yards to the left just like normal. 

So now being about 50-50 convinced I put the Accurizer back into my driver.  Sure enough my hook turned back into a high draw.  With this new piece of equipment I pictured my drives holding fairways and not trickling ten yards into the left rough.  I’m looking forward to playing with the Accurizer.”

—Fred Sherburne, March 21, 2012

Measure and Test Your Driver – Optimize Your Driver – Special Offer – $75 for an hour of analysis, testing and recommendations.

For this Saturday, and next week only – our complete “test and measure” package.  Everything I just described plus a loft and lie test.  Everything you need to make sure your golf clubs aren’t holding you back from making the “next level”.

If you’ve been lurking email – thinking about making your move to come into the Golf Lab and start getting better at golf faster – this is your invitation. 

If you just want an Accurizer with no testing, stop by any time and we’ll install one in your driver.  Straighter drives.  $60.  Guaranteed performance or your money back.

Best Regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang

The Accurizer Phenomenon Continues

P.S.:  Please forward this email to your golfing buddies. Thanks.

This article is for golfers who know that balancing golf clubs to improve consistency is an effective upgrade.  Why not tweak your current irons with a handful of counterweights and make them work better- right now?

Even better – drop a chunk of kryptonite into your driver shaft and hit straighter drives immediately.  That’s a low-grade miracle.

Balance-Certified and Tour Lock are the two companies that supply golf club balancing systems – “gizmos” that go down the shafts.  Each is effective in different ways.  If you are planning to counterbalance your clubs, this article will be helpful in choosing your supplier and your method.

Balance-Certified “Accurizer” – the latest invention from Jeff Lindner. 

I heard a rumor that Sergio Garcia was considering an endorsement contract with Balance-Certified.  If you search the Internet you will see plenty of pictures of Sergio with inserts sticking out of his club handles.  Those are Balance-Certified Accurizers.  Sergio is giving Accurizers credit for improving his world ranking from over number 80 to under number 17.

 The Balance-Certified Accurizer adds a new dimension to balancing golf clubs – structural reinforcement of the golf shaft.  The Accurizer is designed with bushings that expand when tightened to create a rigid section precisely where the shaft deforms during the swing.

Limit shaft distortion?

Does that matter?

Needless to say, “limiting shaft distortion” is not a popular topic with shaft manufacturers.  What if Jeff Lindner “proves” that all shafts need reinforcement?  That possibility makes the Accurizer very interesting.  Imagine shaft companies admitting:  “We can’t make a shaft that stands up to high swing speeds.   We need help.”

Robot testing is conclusive.

 Link to Balance Certified here.

The Accurizer is coming out at a time when it seems intuitively obvious that the market will pay attention.  In early testing at the Golf Lab we have found measurable performance improvement with our ultra-lightweight iron shafts – Accurized.

The Golf Lab is equipped for “human testing”.  We installed Accurizers in our high performance demo sets.  If you want to end the wonder – once and for all – just take an Accurized set to play on your course hitting to familiar targets with your own balls.  That’s Testing – with a Capital “T”.

If you’re keeping tabs on the viral marketing buzz – we ordered an extra twenty Accurizers for drivers this week.  Five sold on Friday, six on Saturday.   We do not require fittings for Accurizers for drivers.  No one has brought one back yet.  By Golf Lab standards the Accurizer is becoming a hot product.

If you are at a distance – you can order an Accurizer Kit.  Installation is simple if you have the right tools.  Accurizers are $60 for drivers and $30 for irons.  They are easy to remove and re-use.

It’s been years since the golf industry had a truly “hot product”.  The last one the old timers remember is the Orlimar Tri-Metal from fifteen years ago.  Before that Adams had a nice run with the “upside down” fairways.  Callaway set the standard with the Big Bertha run in the early 90′s.

Nothing is perfect.  We began to find the limits of the Accurizer this week.

Is the Accurizer Too Heavy?

The Accurizer weighs twenty grams for irons.  That was a red flag for me from Day One.

Over the last ten years, I’ve conducted more launch monitor counterweight fittings and installed more counterweights than any clubfitter in golf.  Practically all Golf Lab customers over the last ten years who indulged in “tweaking” their clubs came away with some form of club balancing.

The problem with fitting counterweights in irons is that the process is tedious and doesn’t always yield definitive results.

Our procedure is to test a player’s own clubs – normally the six iron – with a series of counterweights – 8 gram, 12 gram and 16 grams.  It is highly unusual for a player to test the best with a 20 gram counterweight.

I almost never go heavier than 20 grams for irons.

We measure improvement.  The launch monitor keeps track of swing path and face angle at impact.  The deviation in swing path from shot to shot tightens up.  Face angle at impact also becomes more consistent.  There is usually a distance improvement.  But increased distance does not come from faster swing speeds.  It comes from solid contact.  The very best result with counterweights is that a player’s swing speed goes down but ball speed goes up.  That’s the “smash factor” at work.

Those are all good things.  The downside is it takes an hour of launch monitor testing to find the best weight.  After that, installing a set of counterweights costs $200 – in round numbers.  So, counterweighting is a $300 investment in “tweaking” your clubs.  (Weights are re-usable.)

Put $300 into set of clubs I already own?

That might be a very good investment if you’re thinking about “new irons” that will just be another set of what you already have.

It is very rare when balancing golf clubs does not yield a measurable improvement in consistency.  Over the years, the main reason that we have been so successful with junior girls is that counterweighted clubs are a clear advantage for juniors.  All of the very good junior players we have worked with – minus one – are using counterweights in their irons or driver.

Definitely Too Heavy for Some Players

The key for all of the gizmos is to “test the extremes”.  You can be sure of one thing when it comes to golf – nothing works for everyone.  The trick is finding where the gizmo works, and where it doesn’t.

We know from testing that the Accurizer is NOT too heavy for most players.  That includes Kaz Hoffman who put Accurizers in all of his irons and described irons without Accurizers as feeling “broken”.   He added 20 grams to 130 gram shafts without problems.

We have installed Accurizers in some of our high performance test sets – lightweight graphite shafts – and that’s where they shine.  If you were going to imagine a perfect scenario it is to bring back a little “heft” and provide reinforcement for lightweight iron shafts.

The Downside

A couple of weeks ago one of the top women on the San Jose State team came in looking for a hybrid she could hit 200 yards.  That was easy.

I took a close look at her irons.  Stock Callaways – soft, lightweight shafts – just exactly the perfect setup for Accurizers.  We installed them in every other club and she took the set to play for a week.

Perceived loss of distance.  Always bad.

We went back to the launch monitor and re-tested.  Sure enough, her irons with Accurizers were “shorter”.  That’s when we ran the counterweight fitting sequence.  The result?  8 gram counterweights added 10 yards of carry distance over the Accurizer – and over her irons without balancing.  Conclusion?  Total weight matters.

That was an important finding.  We always want to think that the “Next Big Thing” will obsolete everything that came before.  Never so.

It is important to note that for at least one very good player – the “plain old counterweight” produced the best performance.

What does that mean for slower swing speed players?  Be sure to test counterweights in 8 and 12 grams against the Accurizer.

Reward for Reading this Far Offer – Free Balance Your Clubs Fitting

It’s time for incentives.  You’ve probably been thinking about coming in for an updated fitting with the latest Flightscope radar.  I’ve talked about how effective the new tools are so I won’t go back over that ground here.

Book any custom fitting service – from “Driver Optimization” to “Shaft Fitting” – for $150 – and we’ll spend another hour working on tweaking your clubs for balance – no charge.  If you’re a bit skeptical, that should calm the fear.

Call Bob for an appointment.  650-654-1770.

Best Regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang

PS:  This was the first “warning” I wanted to get out.  There are times when Balance-Certified works better and times when Tour Lock works better.  I’ll do an in-depth article on the two companies in the very near future.  It is an interesting competition – Jeff Lindner “against” John Johnson.  Both are captivating personalities with great stories – and quite a bit of competitive spirit.  All markets are better when there are two great competitors.

P.P.S. - Please forward this link to your golfing buddies. Thanks.

PGA Show Report – New Ideas in Shaft Fitting

In this Edition:

1) Behind the Scenes at the PGA Show
2) Choosing Quality Colors
3) Fitting for Torque
4) The Rise of “Shaft Appliances”

This article is for equipment geeks – and for normal golfers – who are wondering if they can still “buy a game” with a new shafts for their driver or irons.

Behind the Scenes at the PGA Show

I’ve been watching golf shaft technology from a front row seat for ten years. That’s recent history for two Old Timers in the room while we were filming an Aldila interview – Jeff Williams and Mike Rossi. They were on the front lines in the mid 90’s when the graphite shaft industry came of age. Thirty years of history.

The conversation focused on why graphite shafts never took off for irons. Jeff surprised everyone with the fact that Johnny Miller used Aldila graphite shafts in his irons the day he shot 63 to win the US Open at Oakmont in 1973. By some opinions that was the best ball-striking day in the history of golf. That was thirty years ago – before graphite got “good”. John Daly used UST graphite shafts when he won the PGA at Crooked Stick. Twenty years ago. Where did those memories go?

At the business level the Holy Grail is the Hit Product. It was interesting to hear events remembered by people who were there. It was March 1997 and Fred Couples had just won a tournament with a UST shaft – of nondescript color – and no one noticed.

In desperation, someone sitting the table in the UST lunch room picked up a French’s mustard jar and said “how about yellow?” Of events that changed the course of company history you wouldn’t think it was because they were eating hot dogs at UST.

UST was in dire straits – deep in debt to its parent company in Japan – in fear of shutdown. The ProForce was not a new model. Within a year, on the back of French’s yellow and purple, UST paid back its debt and had millions in the bank.

You could say that the most important technical innovation in golf shafts in the last 20 years was the paint job.

The Best Color Secret for Golf Shafts

If you need to paint a product to make it look high quality, where do find your colors? There’s a simple answer. BMW and Mercedes dealers spend the biggest money in the world on color choice. Where does color matter more than your luxury ride?

If you drive a late model Mercedes or a BMW, you might recognize a similarity between the colors in your new ACCRA shafts and your car. The colors the automobile companies pick is public information. Why not effective re-use?

Could that be the reason you think your ACCRA shafts appear to be exceptionally high quality?

Fitting for Torque

UST is launching a new shaft line built to fit to a single degree of torque. UST designed each weight and flex in their new SPX line with three torque values. Precise shaft fitting now matches weight, butt flex, EI flex profile and torque.

The level of complexity for fitting jumped up. Instead of two shafts – 65 and 75 gram SPX shafts in X flex – UST now has six shafts. Three torque values for each weight and flex.

The breakthrough is the ability to produce shafts that are identical in weight and flex to a single degree of torque. That degree of precision goes well beyond prior state-of-the-art.

The new UST model is “VTS” standing for Velocity, Torque, Speed. UST theory is that shafts should be fitted for torque just as they should be fitted for flex and weight. That is a completely unique idea. No other shaft manufacturers are making a big deal out of torque – at least this year. But it’s a safe bet that the “Industry is watching”.

The marketing game gets interesting when a major shaft company like UST bets the ranch on torque – an idea no company has promoted as an element of custom fitting – until now. They have even developed a completely new program aimed at supporting professional clubfitters. UST has stepped the high performance and precision fitting game up another notch.

OK, who goes first? The Golf Lab, of course

UST provided a set of VTS shafts for the Golf Lab to include torque in our driver shaft fittings. Last Saturday, Kaz Hoffman hit through three 65 gram X flex shafts and three 75 gram X flex shafts – each in three torque values.

I was surprised. There was no contest between weights. Kaz hit the 75 gram weight in all torque values better than any of the 65’s. I did not expect shaft weight to be so definitive. The hoped-for result was that one of the 75 gram shafts appeared to be much straighter than the other two. That happened. It was the “Red”.

Our testing is indoors with the Flightscope. We never rely on indoor testing alone, but indoor radar is very reliable to find the best test clubs for outdoor testing.

Kaz took the Red home for a week on the course. In the end, that’s all that matters. Will this be the “Hero Club” – the one that delivered the perfect shot at an important moment? Fingers crossed on that question.

The UST Story:

Here’s what UST says about the importance of torque. Quoted from the UST web site.

“UST spent two years working with tour players and amateurs isolating each parameter of the shaft in order to define what players associate with feel. We started by creating shafts that were identical in all aspects except for weight, or flex or torque. What we discovered was that players who thought shafts were stiff or soft were not necessarily feeling the flex of the shaft but the torque. Consequently, by raising or lowering the torque without changing the flex, players noticed a significant difference between the shafts. Words like boardy, or soft, weak or harsh were used to describe the differences they felt.”

“In addition, the stiff or soft feel created by raising or lowering torque was not isolated to a player’s swing speed or physical strength. To the contrary, we discovered that many high swing speed players actually preferred high torque and many slow swing speed players preferred low torque. In support of this discovery, we observed firsthand many long drive champions using high torque shafts, and senior players choosing low torque shafts.”

Golf Lab on Torque

Golf Equipment Chronicles readers know Russ Ryden – the leading independent shaft technologist in the world. Russ pioneered understanding shaft flex profiles with his EI machine and software. Russ thinks torque is extremely important. If Russ thinks torque is important, it must be important.

I’ve heard Russ refer to torque as “the next frontier” in shaft fitting. He’s the kind of guy who will set out to prove that.

The truth is that the whole world is overwhelmed by the complexity of current shaft technology. We have reached technical level where you have to be a true techno-nerd to care.

The world is ready for a simple concept. Get the weight right, get the flex right and then see if torque matters. How many fairways did you hit?

Better than 2 MPH of ball speed.

The Incredible Rise of the Shaft Appliance

The main reason you have to pay attention to the “Next Big Thing” from Balance Certified is that Jeff Lindner has thirteen years of inventions that fit inside golf shafts. Jeff is responsible for the acceptance of balancing golf clubs. He deserves that. He founded Balance-Certified in 1999.

The new category is “Shaft Appliances” – inventions designed to fit in the shaft to alter feel, performance or both. The concept of a “shaft appliance” should be a shocking wake-up call for shaft manufacturers.

The very first shaft appliance was the “wood dowel” – still a favorite of clubmakers looking for a softer feel from steel iron shafts. The concept of shaft appliance goes back fifty years.

Shotmaker caught our attention last year. Shotmaker is a gizmo that looks like a tiny golf shaft made for a Barbi Doll. It drops down in the shaft and lodges at the tip. I have described the Shotmaker as a random over-ride of whatever the shaft designer had in mind.

Nevertheless, the Shotmaker has been a miracle for some players. There is no doubt that the Shotmaker makes some drivers better – always defined as longer and straighter – right now.

The “Next Big Thing” – the Accurizer

Is it possible to design and produce a golf shaft that does not distort under stress from a golf swing?

Jeff Linder is an engineer. He spent a couple of years testing where stress occurs in a shaft. Most of his work was done with drivers. Jeff improved the design of his Stabilizer with a “dual bushing” extension that creates a combined effect of counterbalancing and shaft reinforcement.

He conducted robot testing. The robot liked the Accurizer. It goes straighter. The “longer” part comes from more solid contact. The fundamental goal of the Accurizer is “hit the ball on the sweet spot”.

Jeff generalized the concept to “Accurizer for Irons”.

Kaz Hoffman tested the Accurizers for irons and declared that any iron without the Accurizer felt “broken”. He installed a complete set immediately. A week later they are still in his irons and he says “no change”.

We put the Accurizer for Drivers in four drivers this week – that’s all we had. Every player kept the demo in place.

If you’re reading this far down you’re getting the idea that this could actually be the “Next Big Thing”.

If so, the conclusion will change the course of the shaft industry. That’s one to watch.

Driver and Iron Shaft Fitting Special

Anyone who reads this far deserves a reward.

Book a Shaft Fitting this week for $150. I’ll add a complete Accurizer fitting.

Plan on spending three hours. 1.5 with me and the radar. An hour at the range and another half hour for wrap-up when you get back.

You will know which shafts work with your swing – and why.

If your last fitting was not by radar, it is obsolete.

Best Regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang: JR, JT, Clint, Joel and Dian.

Contact: Bob Pegram, 650-654-1770. bobpgolf@dslextreme.com
Leithander@gmail.com.

In this Edition:

1) 2012 PGA Show Report – Golf Lab video blog

2) Edel wedge and putter fitting

3) Video Shoot at the PGA Merchandise Show

The PGA Show was better this year. The deep depression in the golf industry is over. The show had an upbeat feeling. Foreign buyers arrived with checkbooks open.

Our Golf Lab video project gained access to the highest level executives. We talked to presidents instead of sales reps. The camera sucks the stories out of people. It took me four 1500 word articles to cover the best products and ideas at the Show. It was an amazing experience.

My PGA Show articles will come out over the next three weeks. I’m going to mix in some videos to show what we have in mind for 2012. It’s a preview of the Golf Lab video blog.

That will be a lot of email – but just for three weeks. Our goal is to find devoted golfers who want a deeper level of golf knowledge. At the end of the three week test period we’ll send out an email so you can evaluate the work.
Then, we’ll make some decisions.

You can see from the personal tone that this is the natural voice of the Golf Lab video blog. I’ve been a story teller for a long time. There are a lot of stories to tell. I’m looking for the players who want to hear them. (You can opt out of Golf Lab email any time. Or you can request a monthly digest to keep your inbox uncluttered. Call Bob for that – 650-654-1770).

Demo: Writing Compared to Video

A year ago I was excited about the new Edel wedge line that included a unique fitting system. Edel “fits for bounce”. The test of a properly fitted Edel wedge is a wedge shot off the green without leaving a scar.

To accomplish that, the new Edel custom wedge line includes eight bounce angles for each loft. It is unique. Here’s a link to that article: http://calgolflab.com/blog/2011/03/16/2011-pga-show

This year we found David Edel with Mike Adams on the tee line on Demo Day at the Show. Here’s a link to that video:
http://www.youtube.com/devotedgolfer

See what I mean? For product descriptions, strategy and personalities, it’s hard to beat video. And now you’ve met our “new best friend” – David Edel.

I’ve admired David Edel and his company from a distance for years. Edel putters are in a class by themselves. Who would imagine interchangeable face plates so your putter can be optimized for local green conditions?

David brought that same attitude to wedges. Eight bounce angles per loft? Titleist just beefed up their Vokey line and went from two bounce angles to three.

I’m hoping that you’ll look at the Edel video and consider testing Edel wedges yourself. Our fitting system (24 wedges and 11 shafts) will be shipped this Friday. We’ll be ready to go with Edel wedge fittings next week. Check out the “early bird special” and give Bob a call to schedule – 650-654-1770.

A video on their fitting system is here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53A1JtPfsCc

Special Offer for Edel Wedge and Putter Fittings

Edel wedge fittings can only be conducted outdoors. We have a fabulous location lined up.
For the first ten Golf Lab clients who call Bob Pegram, schedule both Edel putter and wedge fittings for $125. Two fitting sessions. That’s a very cool half price offer. Wedge fitting only? $75.

Special Offer on Shaft Fittings

If you haven’t been fitted with radar, your shaft fitting is obsolete.
We changed scheduling this year. An hour is not enough time for a detailed fitting. We now schedule an hour and half for each fitting – driver and fairways or irons and hybrids. All of our fittings now include outdoor range testing. It’s much fun to choose your own golf clubs. Still $150.

February special: the second fitting is free.

Driver and irons are best fitted in two sessions. Book an irons fitting for $150. Driver fitting is free. The free second fitting offer can be any Golf Lab fitting – including “Optimizations” with Tour Lock counterweights, Harrison Shotmaker and Balance-Certified Accurizer and Power Transfer Inserts.
Links: http://tourlockpro.com/
http://www.harrison.com/product/shotmaker-golf-shaft-insert
http://www.balance-certified.com/

2012 PGA Show Articles

Here’s what’s coming in my show coverage.

The first article should appeal to everyone. What did I buy for myself at the PGA Show? Hint: I spent $149, $2.99 and $350. Beyond the gizmos, the article describes three products that could make a significant impact on your improvement. None of the purchases were golf clubs. I also make the argument that practice should start at home.

The second article answers a big question. Should I buy any new golf clubs in 2012? Which models by which manufacturers? Taylor Made, Titleist and Adams stand out for hybrids wedges and fairways. I’ve studied the Hot List and felt the buzz at the show. No buzz, just the facts. Three specific recommendations.

Article number three covers shaft news in depth. The article is written for golf geeks and players who take a technical interest in shaft technology. Includes a description of the new Balance-Certified inventions.

Number four names my top product choices – some companies you’ve never heard about and little guys ready for a breakthrough.

If you would like to stay in touch but would rather not receive frequent newsletters please send Bob Pegram a message. (bobpgolf@dslextreme.com) He’ll put you on our “monthly digest only” list.

Golf Lab Video Shoot at the PGA Show

We were in Orlando to master “next generation” communication technology – expert, high definition, professionally edited video.

Results were way better than expected. Russ Ryden created a “60 Minutes” format to express his vision for DevotedGolfer.TV – his “Internet Video Magazine”. DevotedGolfer.TV provides “intelligent, in-depth coverage” of important subjects and events.

My goal was to shoot video that captures personalities and explains products.

Our band of reporters and videographers included Russ and Cynthia Ryden, Chris Como and Mark Maness from Dallas, Biv Wadden from Chicago and John Taylor from San Francisco. The cameras – and professionalism – opened a lot of doors. Everyone wants to tell their story.

TV stations think feature length is a minute. The Golf Channel allows two minutes. We conducted several interviews that lasted thirty minutes and some extended over an hour. We are editing them down to the essentials.

We recorded 240 gigabytes of video files. That’s a semi-load of tape. 64 gigabyte chips at $50 and Terabyte drives $200 help. The essence of breakthrough technology is that motivated amateurs can obtain professional results. The reality is professional video takes lots of practice.

The Best Videos from the Show

Preparation paid off with Bob Vokey. Mr. Vokey said his interview was “the best I ever gave” the next day in a speech. Vokey fans are going to love it. The uncut version is 16 minutes long. It’s more than a powerful sales pitch. It’s a record of history from the most important wedge designer in the world.

Here’s a link to an edited version: http://blog.fit2score.com/

John Taylor conducted a detailed interview with Daniel You – the Chief Designer, President and CEO of Matrix Technologies. Daniel provides a deep look at Matrix technology and strategy. He used his internal presentation to explain his technology and strategy to his customers. I have never heard a CEO laying everything on the table. After watching the interview in person, Matrix is a company I want to support.

Final edits are in process. DevotedGolfer.TV – the Internet Video Magazine will be out when it’s ready. Soon.
Meantime, we have the raw Orlando PGA Show video at the Golf Lab. We’d be happy to show it off by appointment. We would like to know any Golf Lab clients who might have video editing skills who would be interested in getting acquainted by barter. Call Bob Pegram to schedule. 650-654-1770.

Keep watch on your inbox.

Best regards, Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang
John Ruark, John Taylor, Bob Pegram, Clint Smith, Joel Whittom, Dian Terova, David Balbi.

The New Miura Hybrids – Hot Product Alert

A new idea every 400 years

Introducing Bob Pegram

Hi from San Carlos,

A couple of weeks ago I wrote an article about “long range fairway clubs” focusing on distances to the green between 150 and 210 yards.

For some of us, that distance is getting longer. It doesn’t seem like that long ago I was hitting eight iron from 150. Now, I need a nice warm day to get to there with a seven iron. When I really want to be sure, I go with a six.

I’m coming back to golf myself. After a year of not playing a single round, I’ve been out every Wednesday morning since September for nine holes at the Palo Alto Muni – and then eighteen on Sunday morning. I’ve started posting scores again. I’ll probably go out for a tournament or two in January.

I slipped five strokes in the last five years and I want to reverse that trend.

My most important breakthrough – in addition to a completely new golf swing – is I’ve overcome the most common mistake most amateurs make in club selection – choosing the shortest possible club for any shot.

Think about what Ben Hogan said: “Don’t tell me how far it is. I don’t want to know.”

I want to know. If you are not checking your distances with a range finder or GPS device, you are probably overestimating your average distance. The key to consistency is a controlled swing at much less than 100%.

Mitch Voges (1991 Amateur Champion) asked a very good player about distance with a six iron. The player responded: “I hit my six iron 175 except when I’m really playing good. Then I hit it 165.” Think hard about that.

Golf clubs talk to you. Clubs that are built for maximum distance assume your fastest swing speed. That always translates to the stiffest possible flex.

That is a huge mistake. The stiffest possible flex means you have to make your fastest swing for the club to perform. Your fastest swing is dangerous. Why not choose a club that gives you the best feel and performance at 90%?

You can do that at the Golf Lab.

The New Miura Hybrid

Every once in a while a club comes out that is truly different. After 400 years of trying to figure out a different way to shape 243 grams of metal, practically every possible design has already been thought up.

Old-time clubmakers shaped the face of drivers and fairway metals with “bulge and roll”. Miura is the first to produce a metal hybrid shaped like the handmade woods of the past. What’s that all about?

It is the weirdest looking club from the business end. Looking down at irons, we’re used to a flat face. With the Miura hybrid, you see the face is “rounded”. The rounded face makes shots go straighter. You’ll get used to it.

The show-stopper for me with some other hybrids is the size of the face. Most hybrids – including the most popular Adams models have a shallow face. That is very scary in the rough or off a tee. Here’s a view of the Miura face.

The final design innovation is the sole shape. The Miura is built with a little contour to allow solid contact on tight fairway lies and a little more security from the rough.

This is an “alert” for good reason. Since the last article about Miura hybrids, six customers came in to have a look and take the Miura hybrid to the range. They all came back and placed their order. Six for six is extraordinary. That’s why I wanted you to know that there’s something good about the new design.

We are uniquely set up for testing this weekend, if you’re out and about. We’ll be in Palo Alto on Saturday morning. You can stop by and pick a couple of demos for a quick trip to the range. You’ll want to test a couple of the best shafts. The practice will do you good and you might discover a club that can help you get better at golf.

If you can’t come out Saturday, we can work the new Miura hybrids into any custom fitting service.

If you would like to see the “full story” from Miura, here is the link. The price is $300 decked out with a premium shaft.

Miura Hybrid Details

The New Golf Lab – Customer Service Upgrade

Let’s face facts; it’s great to deal with a small business for the quality of the product and personal attention. But communication can be difficult.

We’re solving that problem. Bob Pegram has joined the Golf Lab Gang as our customer service rep – we’re also calling him our “sales guy”.

We have spent the last three weeks showing Bob everything we do at the Golf Lab. He has taken all the “treatments” at the Spa. We have played six rounds of golf together – and he can play. Call him at our San Carlos number, (650) 654-1770, or at his cell phone number, (424) 903-9959. You can call him anytime during business hours. He will answer if he can. If he can’t he will call back right away.

We’re thinking that Bob’s roll will evolve into “Concierge”. Bob is working to contact every old customer. We want to know as much as we can about your interests. We’re preparing for the future. We have the world’s smallest implementation of Salesforce.com Enterprise Edition. Only the best for Golf Lab customers.

If you have time, please give Bob a call to get acquainted. You can make sure we have your information correct. He can answer any questions and send more detail about any Golf Lab service. He always has some “specials” to talk about. Bob is at the Golf Lab four days a week. Drop ins are welcome. Appointments are preferred.

Email is still a better method for basic communication. You can get to Bob directly at bobpgolf@dslextreme.com. My email is leithander@gmail.com.
My cell phone is (650) 743-2816.

San Carlos is now fully functional. If you haven’t been there, you’re missing something. Here’s a peek.

Call Bob to schedule a treatment or a fitting. Let’s meet up at the Golf Lab and get better at golf.

Best regards, Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang.

David, JT, JR, Bob, Clint, Joel and Dian.

For More Information . . .

Link to Edel Putters Website: See the best custom putter system in the world.

Link to Balbi Golf Website: Information about David Balbi.

Link to John  Taylor’s Website: Information about our Titleist K-Vest Fitting expert.

Link to John Ruark in the blog: Information about our putting expert.

Link to an introduction to the Focus Band: Improve your thinking on the course.

Or contact me by email: Any questions answered. Email always more reliable.