The Golf Lab

Hello from the Golf Lab,

I am excited to show the results of our video project.  We wanted to bring the experience of attending the PGA Show to life.  This is the closest I’ve seen to the true-life experience.

Biv Wadden is the perfect guy talk to Bobby Grace.  He is a former financial analyst turned teaching pro.  His hobby is the golf swing.  He has taken hundreds of lessons from every famous teacher over the last thirty years.  If you want to stay up past midnight discussing every possible swing motion, Biv is your guy.  Biv knows the Bobby Grace line because he played Bobby Grace putters for fifteen years.  What better guy?

Bobby Grace has a unique theory of putter design.  If these videos are good –  you will want to try out the new Bobby Grace models.

Here’s my invitation to join the conversation:

Orlando PGA Show 2013 Introduction

If you’ve been out of the putter market recently, Bobby Grace is one of the BIG NAMES in putters.  He looks like a young man – and he once was – back in the day when his “Fat Lady” helped Nick Price make one very long putt at a crucial time to win THE OPEN.  Annika Sorenstam played with a Bobby Grace model in her bag.  For a brief period, Bobby Grace putters were #1 on both the men’s’ and women’s Tours.

You win the trivia prize if you name the senior tournament that Bobby Grace putters covered first through tenth place.

Why is Bobby Grace relevant today?

Alas, Bobby has been out of style for the last few years.  He’s trying to get over his “Celebrity Designer” phase and revert to “plain old Bobby”.

In recent years, the most popular putters have been milled in the style of Scotty Cameron – conservative in design – and aimed at collectors.  There is zero technology in milled putters.  All responsibility for performance belongs to the player.  Thank Tiger for that.

Bobby Grace designs putters to help a player get better results from a less-than-perfect stroke.  He was the earliest supporter of extreme head shapes to resist twisting at impact.  His “zero loft theory” is well-explained in the videos along with his belief in face balanced putters.  His “variable rebound” face technology is “the one the USGA should have outlawed”.  If you want to know why Bobby thinks his designs and technology are on the cutting edge you will see him tell his story just like you’re standing in his booth on the PGA Show floor.

Here’s the link to Bobby’s discussion of variable rebound face technology, his “zero loft” theory of putter face design and Bobby Grace putter success on Tour:

2013 PGA Bobby Grace Putters Intro

Face Balance, Toe Down or MOI (heel down)?

One of the interesting debates over putters is balance.  Face balanced?  Toe down?  Or, David Edel’s concept of heel down for maximum MOI.  Here’s Bobby Grace’s view:

2013 PGA Show Bobby Grace Putters Face Balance

In this video Bobby describes the design concepts behind his new “MOI Face Balanced” putter – tentatively named the “Ass Kicker” – and misconceptions about loft.  Biv initiates a debate, but backs down.

2013 PGA Show Bobby Grace Putters

And then there’s the Veteran’s marketing brilliance.  Bobby de-coded all of the likely outcomes with putter length and concluded that the only method that allows a form of anchoring will be the “Arm Anchored” method – employed by Matt Kuchar on Tour – and specifically exempted by the USGA.

Bobby analyzed the Arm Anchored putting style and concluded that the only way to make it work is a custom designed putter – fit to length and lie – but with up to 15* of onset.  If you are thinking of going to the Arm Anchored method you are wasting your time by trying to add a little length to your putter to make it work.

I made a quick Internet check for indications of current interest in the Arm Anchored style.  Callaway is out with an “Arm Lock” model – note the competition in trademarked terms.  If you’re thinking about adopting the last remaining advantage in putting – be sure you see what Bobby has to say.

Here’s the link to the Bobby Grace “Arm Anchored” putter information:

2013 PGA Show Bobby Grace Putters Arm Anchor Putter

There are still plenty of times that the WRITTEN WORD is the best medium – but I don’t think that I’ll ever write another product review.  I am so excited and anxious to hear what readers think.  My email is  leithander@gmail.com.  Please let me know.

Best regards,

Leith Anderson, Bob Pegram and John Ruark

Hi from Orlando,

One of the important trends that emerged at the 2013 PGA Show is the proliferation of swing and performance analysis tools – the category is “training aids” – but the new gizmos are way more than simple gadgets.  In some cases, they are third and fourth generation inventions that cost less than $200 and fit in your pocket.

Others like 3-D motion analysis (several vendors) represent research systems that used to cost tens of thousands and are now fit the budget of golf teachers.  Radar is becoming a mandatory tool at three levels:  clubfitting, swing coaching and training.

The underlying concept is to really get better at golf you have to do something every day.  Most instructors are happy with a few minutes of practice a day.  That demands drills and exercises that you can do at home.  If you need a gizmo, it has to fit the budget.

Examples include the E21 launch monitor at $199 (show special) to the SwingByte (under $200 show special) that came out last year and now might be ready for prime time.  The Focus Band is not quite in that “consumer” price range at $3000 but it is an example of technology that you take home and work with every day.

The Focus Band and Mike Weir

For the last three years, we have worked with practically every golf gizmo from the bleeding edge of technology.  The most exotic of those is the Focus Band.  You wear the Focus Band.  It detects the source and frequency of your brainwaves.  Go to the  http://calgolflab.com/blog/dashboard/  for past articles that tell the Focus Band story in detail.

The key to adoption of any technology is answering the question “Does it work?”  That normally means “What Tour Pros are using the gizmo with success?”

That has been a challenge for the Focus Band.  To begin, the entire company is just two people so that sets tight boundaries.  Second, they’re all the way down in Australia making communication difficult.  Third, progress is slow – especially when you’re trying to help a PGA Tour professional get better.

How long should it take to show results?  If there are no answers, it’s hard to crank up enthusiasm to spend time and treasure working with unproven technology.

Rod Pampling

The first Focus Band True Believer was Rod Pampling.  His wife is a psychologist and she has collaborated with the Boultons to develop Rod’s program.

 Picture of Rod Pampling at Golf Lab

Rod had better results but his performance was mixed.  He missed his 2013 Tour Card by a few strokes.  He finished high in his last tournament in Australia – bogeying the last two holes to lose the tournament.  So far, the Pampling example is good but not convincing enough to cause a rush to Focus Band.

Mike Weir Results

Now we have a story for you to follow this weekend.  Mike Weir bought a Focus Band just eight weeks ago.  He worked closely with Henry Boulton – in from Australia – and Jason Goldsmith – a Southern California golf teacher and entrepreneur.

He shot 66 on Thursday and came back with a 75 on Friday.  That’s the first cut he’s made in a long while.

Here is link to a very good blog article from an accomplished writer about Mike Weir’s use of Focus Band.

http://globeandmail.golfcanada.ca/blogs/lorne-rubenstein/article30981.ece

And finally, here’s what Mike Weir himself had to say about how much the Focus Band has meant to him after his 66 on Thursday.

Links to Mike Weir interviews:

http://youtu.be/Z6SO0arq818

http://youtu.be/gGphK_iNy2s 

This is the first indication of quick improvement.  Mike Weir knew nothing of Focus Band eight weeks ago.  He is now crediting his Focus Band training for significant improvement.

John Ruark – Focus Band Practitioner

We are fortunate to have one of only two US experts in Focus Band in the Bay Area.  That’s John Ruark.

 John Ruark (right) with Rod Pampling

If you want to improve your putting, it’s going to take a program.  If you really want to improve, here’s an example of the kind of program that can get results.

Link to “under 30 putts” Article:

http://calgolflab.com/blog/2012/10/18/30-putts-per-round-five-session-program-to-break-the-barrier/

Call Bob Pegram if you would like more details on “Under 30 Putts” 650-654-1770.

Best regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang – Bob Pegram and John Ruark – and associate Joel Whittom in Sacramento.

Hi from Orlando,

Wednesday, January 23 and Thursday January 24, 2013

Hi from Orlando,

Hi from Orlando, 

OK Guys, it’s Christmas Season which means somebody, somewhere must be thinking about a present for someone they know.  Here are a few suggestions that will make a big difference in a couple of weeks when the New Year starts.  The weather is getting better.  We’ll be playing golf seriously in a month.

This will be your last chance to take advantage of some of the fabulous Golf Lab “one of a kinds”.  Going into next year – we’ll be doing away with all of the cool things that take too much personal attention.  Stop by any time this week or next.

We’re open in San Carlos until the end of the month.  After that, we’ll meet up at Mariner’s Point or your own golf course.

Number ONE DOORBUSTER SPECIAL – Doesn’t that sound like Target?

Enough hype.  If you are looking for a very interesting buy – for a very exotic club – the Nakashima driver is a great choice.

The True Nakashima Story

This is going to sound a little strange coming from a guy who doesn’t sell Nakashima products.  Nakashima could be the “best of the best” drivers ever made.  We bought a small Nakashima inventory and we’re moving them along for a low price.  This is strictly a chance opportunity.

The original Nakashima driver was created by a brilliant club designer, Scott Son.  He was one of the first to combine the “sculpted face” with the removable, adjustable hosel that can adjust lie angle, face angle and loft at the same time.  There is no doubt, Nakashima drivers were ahead of their time.

Going back ten years, Nakashima drivers have been top performers.  As an example, Emily Childs played her amateur career and right through Cal with the Same Nakashima 420 cc head (10* marked loft, 12* actual loft).  It’s still as good as anything out there.  Can you even imagine hitting the same driver in competition for that ten year period?

Nakashima was small and didn’t have much marketing muscle so the early versions of Nakashima drivers didn’t sell all that well.  At one point the financial partner behind the company said:  “The only way this business makes sense is if we double the prices.”

That did it.  It just didn’t make sense for “the Best” not to be the most expensive.  John Nakashima doubled his prices and the Nakashima driver instantly became the most popular driver among serious tournament players – especially seniors – in Northern California.  It was the Perfect Storm.

From that time forward, Nakashima has been the most popular high priced driver in the market.  If go to any NCGA Seniors event, you will see Nakashima drivers in about half the bags.  No other driver comes close for senior following.

$800 Nakashima Drivers are now $300 – while they last only.

What makes a driver worth $800?  There is only so much you can do with a driver head.

Balance and weight distribution are major factors.  Most of the guys who really know their driver heads agree that a cast body provides the best way to move weight around inside the head.  The club designer then fits the face to the head.  The face could very well be a different, more resilient material.  It could have “sculpted shape” behind the hitting area.  The sky’s the limit when it comes to driver head designs.

I think that Nakashima offers the most elegant of the adjustable hosel designs.

Here’s a picture of the inventory.  We have a nice selection of hosels.  We can adjust your Nakashima driver to precise specifications assured with our Tour Gauge.

Picture of Nakashima Drivers

Our special fitting offer for the week.

Come in for your driver shaft fitting.  We’ll find the perfect shaft for your new Nakashima driver with our Flightscope radar.  We have a killer offer to come in this week or next.  While they last:  Nakashima drivers $300 each – per head.  Combined with a Golf Lab Driver fitting – we’ll put the whole premium deal together with a premium Accra or UST Shaft that passes the radar fitting test.  The whole shebang – Nakashima driver, shaft fitting and shaft – $450.  Call Bob Pegram for an appointment.

If you ever wanted a Nakashima, this will save you $500.

OR, Measure and Adjust Your Taylor Made Driver

Here is another one of our “quick fix” services.  Bring your Taylor Made driver in to the Golf Lab.  We’ll test your swing with your driver.  Considering swing path, face angle at impact and angle of attack, we will adjust your Taylor Made driver to the best specifications.

We are sure of the adjustment because your driver will be measured on our precision Tour Gauge.

Most Taylor Made drivers are 2* to 4* different from the number on the bottom.  Incorrect face angle adjustment can cause inconsistent results.

Test, Measure and Adjust – just $75 – by chance or appointment.

Here’s a picture of that Tour Gauge

The Thriver is on the Charts

If you have not bought your Golf Lab “Thriver” yet, you need to make plans now to come in and get one made to measure.

There are two theories behind the Thriver – each one designed to help players play better golf.  You are probably prejudiced – you think that a 43.5″ driver that has 14* of loft is for a beginner.

Tell that to John Dillon.  John is a low index player who likes to play for a little money.  To give you an idea of the level of “club junkie” that John is – we just finished liquidating his garage full of clubs.  John has the Thriver in his bag as his gamer.  Distance is not an issue – that John has decided that “14 Fairways” is his next reasonable goal.  His Taylor Mades are all gone.  He’s playing the LaJolla “Big Ti” Thriver.

Then there are the players who are true beginners.  The Thriver is great for them because it puts a normal player in the correct position to make a swing with perfect balance and alignment.  It so happens that 43.5″ is a very good length for a driver.  That’s probably why it was the standard for 100 years.

A 43.5″ driver with 14* of loft is a lot like a 3 metal in every dimension except for face size.  That’s even better.  The Thriver offers the specifications of a 3 wood with the forgiveness of a driver face.  The Thriver will make it much easier for any player who is working on developing a repeatable swing.

Here’s what the Thriver looks like:

The Coolest Putter for the Collector

I’m saying “for the collector” because I truly believe that the only way to decide what putter goes in your bag needs to be fitted – first for aim – then for tempo and timing.  Fitting a putter is even more complex and sensitive than fitting a driver.

But, if you just like cool putters, here’s a good one for your collection.  You might even find that it has all the right features to take to the golf course.

There was a guy a while back who commissioned one of the better milling houses to make his own putter design.

That’s the Kokopelli.

This is what it looks like.  It is very cool.  Here again, we found a small inventory left over.  Come in to the Golf Lab over the next couple of weeks and we’ll build you your own Kokopelli putter.

That’s just a few ideas for the Christmas season.  If there’s anything that you’re looking for that we can help with – let us know.

Best Regards, Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang.

Hi from San Carlos,

I finished my first article on the Focus Band just last week. That was a hard article to write. It just scratches the surface. I think that mental game coaching will be the “Next Big Thing” in training for elite level performance.

And then something like this comes along. Here’s a feature article from the New York Times. The article references “The Quiet Eye” – Joan Vickers seminal work that has been incorporated into the Focus Band.

When our subject starts getting that kind of coverage, it shows that there’s an undercurrent of interest that’s beginning to boil up.

http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/11/28/keeping-your-eye-on-the-ball/ 

Then John Ruark was talking to Graham Boulton last week. Graham reported working with a couple of the professional clubfitters at the Callaway Fitting Center in Melbourne, Australia. He said that after a short spell of Focus Band Training they were each able to increase their swing speed almost 10 MPH.

Now that gets our attention.

Can we offer and deliver 10 MPH higher swingspeed with just one hour of Focus Band Training? It sounds preposterous, but it’s worth a test. Besides, the golf courses are no fun this time of year.

We’re going to try that experiment this Friday. I’m going to work with John Ruark. We’ll test your swing with a six iron and driver to establish a benchmark. Then you’ll spend some time getting acquainted with your right brain – with the help of the Focus Band.

Until now, we have assumed that Focus Band training required a long-term commitment. Graham’s report suggests that might not be true.

Remember, your goal is to suppress conscious thought and trust your athletic performance to the instinctive control of your right brain. The Focus Band enables an athlete to train himself to enter the state of “Mushin” on demand.

The acid test is to see if you can learn to stay in Mushin through your complete “Performance Routine” – from visualization through execution. Does staying in Mushin through the shot improve swing speed?

If you’re interested in giving the Focus Band a try this Friday – we’re offering “Donate Your Swing to Science” sessions.

Call Bob Pegram at the Golf Lab (650-654-1770). Discuss your game and your goals with him. If it makes sense to give science a try – we’ll schedule a session.

We’re making this “free” – but we’re asking for donations for Bob Hoover’s junior program at Palo Alto Muni.

This is exciting stuff. All of the work putting together a comprehensive putting improvement program “Under 30 Putts” is beginning to pay off. If you’re ready for a breakthrough, call Bob.

Best regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang.

Here is a link to the Focus Band website with videos taken at The Golf Lab: http://www.focusband.com/#/how-it-works/4563704055

The Focus Band in place:

Hi from San Carlos,

I ask an interesting question to you to ponder:  “If you were to pick one thing about your golf game to improve yet this year, what would it be?”  Here are my three best recommendations to make a change that works.

Pick one and give us a call.  Bob is waiting at the switchboard.  (650) 654-1770.

My personal high point this year was building my “best ever” set of irons – Vega VC-03 forged heads – Aerotech 70 gram Steel Fiber shafts in “S” flex – soft stepped once.  The complete story about my “Greatest Ever” iron sets starts with moving to ultra-lightweight graphite shafts.

I found success with players all the way down to 40 gram iron shafts from Matrix – previously unheard of light weight.  I thank my buddy Craig Allen for trying that idea – and buying the result.

We tested 50, 60, 70, 80 and 95 grams.   The favorite weight on the PGA Tour is 95 grams – pioneered by Kuchar and now championed by Snedeker.  Most amateurs will choose graphite shafts in the 60-80 gram range.  Standard steel shafts weigh around 130 grams.

There is no doubt.  Moving to lighter graphite iron shafts can produce dramatic performance improvement.  Players changing from 125 gram shafts to 65 or 70 grams are rewarded with longer distance and better accuracy.  With lighter weight, you take an easier swing and make better contact.

My next unlikely choice was “game improvement” heads.  No experienced club fitter would ever recommend oversize Vega VC-03 heads for a low-index tournament player.  Forget looks, they perform the best.

For comparison take a close look at this year’s Mizuno MP-59 played by the most consistent ball striker on the PGA Tour – Luke Donald.  MP-59′s are surprisingly large.  Do not be afraid of larger sizes in iron heads.  Be sure to test the MP-59 if you can’t find a Vega VC-03.  The conventional wisdom that says forged iron heads must be small is wrong.

Finally, we complete the tweak with “shaft reinforcement and balancing”.  Success with lightweight graphite requires more than simply swapping shafts.  Balance is important.  My irons are state-of-the-art when it comes to unconventional.  Nevertheless, it is the best setup I’ve ever played.

I played better golf with my unlikely set than any other I’ve ever owned.  My Vega VC-03′s go all the way from the 3 iron at 21 degrees to the Pitching wedge at 46 degrees.  No hybrids improve on the super-forgiving VC-03 heads.  Vega added a Gap Wedge to the VC-03 lineup – filling the hole at 50* and providing a nice progression to my preferred 54* and 58* combo to finish my iron set.

If this saga interests you, test 40 to 80 gram graphite shafts chosen to match your swing for weight, flex, torque and feel.  Your test clubs will be a tad longer than normal.  The iron heads will be a tad heavier than normal.  That will lead to solid contact and improved distance with the same swing.

Here’s a description of our “Advanced Calibration and Tuning for Irons”:

1)    Start with our “Iron Optimization Fitting”.  We compare the performance of your current irons against “bionic irons” from the Mizuno fitting cart.  We compare custom shafts from Aerotech, Matrix, UST and ACCRA together with Balance-Certified shaft inserts.  Any performance improvement is detected and pinpointed.

Our mantra is “light weight graphite shafts” but we go beyond swapping shafts and heads.  Adjusting balance by adding weight inside the shaft can improve consistency and feel while improving distance and accuracy.  Radar reveals subtle differences in shaft performance.

Utilizing radar to optimize shaft fitting is on the “bleeding edge” of shaft fitting – where art and intuition merge with science.

Balance-Certified Accurizer – Structure and Balance for Stability

The essence of lightweight iron shafts is that they’re THIN.  The new Balance-Certified Accurizers provide structural reinforcement at the point of maximum pressure – where the shaft might “oval” at transition or impact and become a bit unstable.  Earlier versions of Accurizers have proven themselves by delivering improved accuracy.

Bulletin:  Lightweight graphite iron shafts are not just for “oldsters”.

Tyler Garrett, a young tournament player chose 70 gram AeroTech Steel Fiber shafts for his gamers.  He added Accurizers after lengthy testing for consistency and feel.   He is our best evidence that expert players like the consistency and feel of Accurized iron shafts.  Tyler played the set all year and so far they’re going into next year.

Improvement in stability with Accurizers is not limited to lightweight graphite shafts.  Kaz Hoffman, another tournament-player who tests equipment reported that his KB CT shafts in X Flex felt “broken” without Accurizers installed.  We didn’t expect that – CT’s are very stout.  Kaz is in his second year with the same setup with no desire to change.  Kaz chose Vega MB-1 blades.

Test an iron from your current set.  Try first without the Accurizer and then with.  Let Flightscope radar judge the winner.  Improved iron play may be no more elusive than adding Accurizers to the irons you already own.

Shaft Reinforcement and Counterweight Too?

In addition to improving stability, the Accurizer provides a measure of counterweighting.  The effect of increased weight under a player’s hands is frequently more consistent swing path and face angle at impact.  It is easy to measure “before and after” with Flightscope radar.

Accurizing and counterweighting are “tricks of the trade” that cover “tuning and tweaking” to improve a set of irons that’s already good.

Accurizers come with a money back guarantee.    That means that indoor testing will be proven with play on the course.  We stand by that.

The new model for irons weighs 19 grams.  This is what it looks like:

We helped Balance-Certified launch their new line of Accurizers last summer.  One thing we didn’t like was that the Accurizer was a little heavy for irons.  Jeff Lindner went back to the drawing board and brought out a new model that is under 20 grams.  We now have the new model in house.  Jeff sent them to us before Sergio.

2)    Get a Putter You Can Aim. Check your Stance and Alignment.

This is not a “chicken or egg” choice.

The first step in any putting improvement program is tomake sure that your putter allows you to aim inside the hole with your stance and alignment within normal means.  Fundamental putter fitting is a question of length, loft and lie.  Your putter must fit your stance and your stroke to optimize consistency and touch.  That should not be a surprise.

We have followed “Aim is Paramount” theory for years which lead to our close association with Edel – a putter company that bases its fitting method on aiming inside the hole.  In the Edel world, shape influences aim.

Aiming is a rare skill among golfers who have not been trained.  Most players require coaching to set up correctly, eyes over the ball, forearms aligned with the shaft with upper arms held firmly against the body.  That’s the form I learned in my putter fitting with Mark Timms at Cool Clubs, Mariner’s Point, San Mateo, CA.  If you want to putt like a tournament professional, you might as well copy the key things they all do alike.  That made sense to me.

With Mark’s preferred setup, my putter was too short.  I had been guided by the popular conventional wisdom of putter fitting that advocates “swinging arms loosely like an elephant’s trunk”.  That is not correct according to Timms – based on personally fitting more than 50 PGA Tour players.

Mark’s experience is that very good putters among PGA Tour players hold their upper arms closely against their body – thus stabilizing the stroke.  There are no loose-hanging arms in his model.  You can compare yourself side by side with your choice of Tour Players.  Mark chose Camilo Villegas for me – a compliment.

Another key common denominator among tournament players is that forearms and putter shaft are in alignment.  The ball is positioned under the player’s eyes.  You should be bent over between 40 and 50 degrees.  That is probably more bend at the waist than feels comfortable.

A final check point is an extremely stable lower body.

Mark’s theory is that correct setup and posture is paramount.  The face angle at the moment of impact is responsible for 85% of direction.  Mark’s focus is lengthening the distance the putter face stays square through impact.  He doesn’t care about the path of your putting stroke as long as it is consistently repeatable.  His comment:  “Tour Pros are not pretty.”

I adopted Mark’s suggestions and now have a putter, setup, stance and aim that will allow me to groove a consistent stroke.  Bring your putter to the Golf Lab and we’ll make sure that it’s the right length, lie and loft.

The following question is “What’s Next?”

That’s where our ”Under 30 Putts” Program comes in.

There’s a progression of skills that is required to go from “good” to “great” in putting.  Those steps include calibrating your stroke and adjusting pace and tempo to promote “rolling the ball”.

Check out the link to the Golf Lab “Under 30 Putts” program archived on our website at http://calgolflab.com/blog/2012/10/18/30-putts-per-round-five-session-program-to-break-the-barrier/.

Players who are planning the journey from “good” to “great putting” will appreciate the experience that allows us to facilitate your performance at the “next level” – whatever level that might be.  “Under 30 Putts” is presented by the Golf Lab Professor of Putting – John Ruark.

3)    Get a “Thriver” – Hit the Fairway. 

Here’s our “most spectacular golf club ever” – that came out of a fortuitous eBay purchase.  We found an orphaned trove of very good driver heads – if you value playing from the fairway and having a lot of fun.

Do not confuse the Thriver with a lollipop.  It is a full-fledged driver that was made to precise specifications a few years ago.

The maker of our Thriver head was LaJolla.  Back in the Day, LaJolla was among the best of the “component” providers.

The batch of LaJolla drivers that we found was built for players needing extra loft but with a square face to promote a healthy inside-out swing.  The lofts are 14* and 15*.  It is a very rare combination to find a high loft driver with a square face angle.  Most high loft drivers are designed to help players fight a slice – with closed face angles.

This is what they look like.

You can stop by or call any time this weekend – we’re here all day Friday and Saturday.  Karnak will be available all weekend to make inspired shaft selections from our extensive collection of very high quality pullouts.

Can you believe that your new Thriver will only cost $200 including a hand-picked premium shaft.  For $500 we’ll sell you five so you can give them as Christmas gifts.

Stop by the Golf Lab this weekend or next week.  We’re here all the time, plying our trade to help you shave a few strokes from your game.

Best Regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang, Dian, Bob, John, Joel and Clint.

This might be the most important article that I’ve ever written.  It describes new ideas about weight and balance in irons.  I also explain how we use radar as the ultimate tool to fit shafts.

With over a year in development and testing the “Golf Lab Build” for irons is a proven success.  We discovered a better way to build irons with lightweight graphite shafts.

The “Golf Lab Build” could be controversial.  As far as I know, no other clubfitter in the world recommends 65 to 80 gram graphite iron shafts for low index players with high swing speeds.  It goes against tradition.

It’s about time for a change.  60 years of the “same old thing” in irons is enough.

$2000 sets of irons require hands-on testing to appreciate feel and prove performance.  To be sure, we built ten complete sets of custom irons for on-course testing.  Miura and Vega forged heads – AeroTech, Matrix, UST and ACCRA shafts in weight ranges from 65 to 95 grams.   Best of Breed across the board.

In head-to-head testing over the last year, 30 out of 36 players chose the “Golf Lab Build”.  That is a severe test.  The minimum price for our Miura and Vega irons is $250 per club.  The “competition” is half that.  When players buy at double the price, you know there’s something special happening.

“Golf Lab Build” irons feel better and perform better than any iron you have ever hit.  (Probability:  85%)

AeroTech Steel Fiber Acceptance on PGA Tour

We are in a new era for iron shafts.  Matt Kuchar and Brandt Snedeker have been playing 95 gram Aerotech Steel Fiber shafts on Tour with great success.

Two dozen PGA Tour players are testing AeroTech Shafts.  Every major shaft manufacturer is trying to get their graphite iron shafts in play on the PGA Tour.

There is no doubt.  If you are over 40 and still playing heavy steel shafts, you will achieve measurable, immediate improvement in distance and dispersion with lightweight graphite iron shafts.  That claim is easy to test indoors with radar and outdoors with your hands, eyes and ears.

Lightweight shafts are not for seniors only.  Tyler Garrett – a professional tournament player – has been using 70 gram Aerotech Steel Fiber shafts in his irons for the last six months.  He wouldn’t still be playing them if they didn’t perform better.

If you are wondering “which brand?” – the choice is easy.  All the buzz on the PGA Tour is about AeroTech Steel Fiber.  If you are buying your first lightweight shafts, AeroTech is the logical choice.  Why not take the Pros’ choice?

In one of the most interesting examples of “it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, AeroTech has not changed their Steel Fiber shafts in twelve years.  Not even the paint job.  Your clubs won’t go out of style in a year.  That’s nice.

The Simplified Physics

With Tour Players moving to 95 gram graphite shafts from 130 gram steel shafts, there is room for normal amateurs to go even lower.

Substitute a 65 gram graphite shaft for a 130 gram steel shaft.  That’s two ounces of club weight.  In the golf club world, that’s a ton.

Lighter weight shafts produce higher swing speeds.  That’s a natural result – but not our main goal.  We’re looking for more efficiency from the same swing.

We change the balance between the shaft and the head.  Our custom irons take 6-9 grams of extra head weight.  That adjustment increases head feel in contrast with the light shaft weight.

Extra head weight promotes a subtle change in a player’s swing.  More club head mass transfers more energy to the ball with the same swing.  Most players see an immediate five yard increase in distance with no increase in swing speed.

We don’t fit for distance.  We fit for accuracy and consistency.  Distance is a nice extra.

Any irons can be rebuilt with lightweight graphite shafts.  You can revive your favorite set from the past for a whole new set of memories.  Rebuilding a set of irons with AeroTech Steel Fiber shafts is $85 per club.

The Key to Shaft Fitting for Irons is Radar

After thousands of launch monitor fittings – I know that traditional launch monitor “fitting by the numbers” doesn’t work for irons.

Radar looks at the player and the club.  If you haven’t been fitted with radar – you owe it to your game to book a radar shaft fitting.  The key to fitting with radar is that shaft performance is displayed visually.

Swing Speed Graph

We rely on two graphs.  The first is speed of the clubhead from waist level to impact:

This graph tells us a lot about the player’s swing.  A player with consistent swing speed lays tracks down one on top of another.  If there is a “power leak” in a player’s swing – this graph reveals it.  Notice the little dip just before impact.  That’s a power leak.  There is some inconsistency in swing speed.

Radar is becoming increasingly important as a teaching tool.  You can see why.

Club Head Acceleration Graph

This graph reveals the magic.  It tracks clubhead acceleration in a “window” from belt level to impact.

If there is a “perfect graph” this is a close example.  The “hump” is the player’s maximum acceleration – the moment of release.  It is well inside the radar window.  Declining acceleration with no random movement just before impact is the pattern that indicates consistency.

Shaft fitting with radar is an emerging science.  Look for continuous updates on the Golf Lab Blog.   www.calgolflab.com/blog/dashboard.

Understanding Shaft Flex Profile

Each shaft has different characteristics.  Shaft design is revealed in an “EI Graph”.

The guru of shaft analysis is Russ Ryden.  He invented a machine and wrote software that produces the only professional, independently verified EI Graphs.  He built 15 of the machines.  The Golf Lab is a licensee of the Fit2Score System.

This is what a Fit2Score EI Graph looks like:

You read an EI Graph from right to left.  This is the UST ATTAS 3.  The graph indicates a very stiff butt with a relatively soft mid-section.  The tip firms up.  The Fit2Score system allows side by side comparison of any common shaft in the North American market.

What We Learn from Your Radar Fitting

We know the flex profile of every shaft that we test.

We know how every shaft we test performs with your swing.

When we find the shaft that produces the radar tracing with the correct pattern and consistency, we will have found the shaft that performs the best with your swing.

That’s the most certain and accurate way to fit shafts.

Radar Shaft Fitting:  1.5 hours.  $150.

Best regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang.

Donate your Swing to Science?

I apologize for the headline.  I wrote it to get you to open the email and consider an new iron design that – as far as I know – is unique in the world.

As usual, I want to go into some depth to describe where this model comes from – why it is different – and why it has a chance to be very successful.

The Brand is UNITED.  UNITED is a creation of Graham Webb and Peter Lord.  I’ve introduced Graham and Peter to Golf Lab readers.  Peter is the designer.  He has ten years of experience as chief designer for a Spanish golf company in the last decade.  He knows his way around the best factories in Asia.

The UNITED line is multi-cultural.  Imagine this:  designed in the UK, produced in Japan, finished in China for worldwide release in KOREA.

The most dynamic market for golf in the world is KOREA.  Imagine that.

So while all attention is focused on KOREA – Graham and Peter are letting me handle the USA.  You could call this a “soft launch”.

Here’s what the heads look like:

The STORY:

The UNITED SBC2 – is a CONSTRUCTION.

The next wave in iron heads – the best chance for rejuvenated interest in irons – is delivering longer distance.  That actually happened over the last couple of years.  Mizuno was the most successful in the “game improvement irons” category with their JP – 800 and 900 series.

All SUPER HOT irons share one characteristic:  They are hollow.  They are just tiny little hybrids – designed and engineered to give POP OFF THE FACE – and combined with strong lofts – a little more distance.

I never thought that was an advantage.

The downside of the HOT HEADS has always been the NUCLEAR REACTION that propels the ball when hit dead center.  Players came in with stories of 290 yard three irons – layups.

The UNITED SBC2 is not that kind of construction.

It is not hollow.  It is a FORGED BODY with a “Maraging steel” face.

“Maraging” is one of those MYSTERY WORDS.  Maraging steel faces were what made Adams and Orlimar hot back in the 90′s.  The goal is to put less spin on the ball.  The underlying concept is a clean, consistent hitting surface.

The plague for many players is “too much spin” – low index and high index alike.  Today, players look for “boring ball flight”.

Too much spin “rides the wind” going that way and “climbs and drops dead” going the other way.  After all these years of pursuing “more spin” – the new Holy Grail is “less spin”.

The reason is simple:  DISTANCE CONTROL.  You’ve got to know when your ball is going to come down.

One more technical detail . . .

The unique part of the SBC2 construction is that it is a POCKET CAVITY design.  That allows the steel face to “free float” in the forged body.  The design concept behind that idea is “maximum forgiveness for off-center hits”.

Never been done before.

Here’s another angle on the pocket cavity.

Testing Results

I’ve built and tested two sets of SBC2′s.  The first one was set up with OZIK 80 gram Program shafts that are stock with Adams irons.  I wanted to see how the OEM shaft compared to the aftermarket version.

We built the second set with Matrix Kujoh shafts.

In two rounds, I’d put the UNITED SBC2′s neck and neck for performance with my current favorite – the Vega VC-03.  The big difference is head size.  The SBC2 will be a welcome alternative for the players who just can’t stand the large head size on the VC-03.

I love the ball flight.  It is easy to see less spin – even with high spin shafts.  I had a very good ball-striking day with the OZIKs – less spin into the wind an obvious advantage that day.  I hit some beautiful little soft draws and then made a five iron go right to left.  I found I could work the ball.

I think that the SBC2 head could become the STANDARD for low spin – NON-NUCLEAR REACTION – iron heads.

The Challenge

I have the last six sets of SBC2 heads in the WESTERN WORLD.  The rest of the world is sold out.  (KOREA bought everything.)

I’m including the SBC2 in our HIGH PERFORMANCE DEMO program.

A natural follow-up – after a fitting – is to test a couple of sets on your own course for feel and ball flight.  No more “I wonder . . .”

I have them for testing – right now.  If you were thinking about new irons – the UNITED SBC2 is a NEW IRON.

You should at least give it a test.

New Mizuno Fitting System in House

All of the new Mizuno designs for 2013 arrived this week – heads for the Mizuno fitting system.  We rely on the Mizuno system for fitting iron shafts and heads.

In addition to all of the Mizuno custom shafts, we have all of our favorites set up for radar testing with the Flightscope launch monitor.

Complete Iron Fitting:  $150.

Give a call.  We have plenty of openings this week.  With the season drawing to a close – the season for playing with new golf clubs is starting.

I struck a chord with my last article on “The Driver that Could Change Your Game”.

You might not know that you’re playing a high loft driver – but you probably are.  Our average difference in measured loft – compared with the number stamped on the sole plate is 2.5* on Taylor Made Drivers.  If your driver says 9.5* on the bottom it is probably a 12*.

We found a Taylor Made Super Tri 11.5* driver last week that measured 17*.

That should make a difference in your thinking about your driver swing.  The problem is that even 12* is probably too low a loft for the average amateur.  I’m only saying that because Tiger Woods is playing 11.25* with his driver.

Don’t Forget Face Angle

The current “style” in drivers is to prefer an open face angle.  That’s what the PROS LIKE.

Open face angles on drivers are DEATH to players who “fight the rights”.  The real danger in the HIGH LOFT CONSPIRACY is not high loft.  It is open face angles.  We have seen Taylor Made drivers with 4* and 5* open face angles.  That’s Vijay Singh country.

If you’re “losing it right” even when you make a good swing – an excessively open face angle is probably the culprit.

How do you fit a driver if you don’t know the true loft and face angle of the driver you’re fitting?  Since there could be several degrees variance – either way – matching driver head measurements to player swing characteristics requires precision.

Do you know your driver loft and face angle?

Drop in to the Golf Lab at 1100 Industrial, Unit 10, San Carlos, CA during business hours 9-5 and Bob Pegram will give you a free driver measurement.  Might as well start with knowing the facts.  We’re one minute off 101 going south.  Exit at Brittan and left on Industrial.

Bottom Line Recommendation:

Most golfers would shoot lower scores immediately if they chose a 14* driver at 43.5″ length.

If that sounds like a preposterous claim to you – schedule a driver fitting at the Golf Lab.

If our recommended combination of driver head and shaft does not beat your current driver – measured by shot dispersion and improved launch ballistics – the fitting is free.

No risk in that.

From a Distance:  It is not necessary to do a COMPLETE FITTING for a 14* or 15* driver.  Think of your new club as a 3 wood with a very big head that you hit off a tee.  If you’re picking a shaft – I recommend stiffer and heavier rather than lighter and more flexible.

The goal is to put a club in your hands that you don’t try to hit for crazy distance.  You hit the short, high loft driver into the fairway.  Then you hit your next shot onto the green.  Then you make the putt.  Birdie.  No lost balls.  Any questions?

The La Jolla driver was “top shelf” back in the day.  Five years ago, LaJolla drivers were $500 – with a cheap OEM shaft.  Today, we can match up that 14* or 15* head with a premium shaft for $200.  We found a “lost shipment” on the Internet.  This is a top quality driver head with very rare measurements.  You get a bargain.

This is not a clubfitting decision that requires two hours of sophisticated radar work.  Three woods are much less shaft-sensitive than drivers.  The shaft for a fairway metal should be a little heavier and a little stiffer than your driver.  We can make that match over email, by phone or in person in a few minutes.

LaJolla 14* or 15* driver – your choice – paired up with a premium Fujikura, Matrix or Aerotech Shaft – $200 – plus shipping.

It’s the best deal in golf because it will change your thinking about what you’re supposed to do off the tee.

Break the belief that “longer is better”.  Hitting your drive into the fairway is better – every hole.

How about “Fourteen Fairways” as your new goal?

The Great Bridges Challenge

There is no doubt; The Bridges in San Ramon is one of the most diabolical golf courses in Northern California.  I can’t count how many players have reported “I’m never going back there”.  Some lost a dozen balls.

I feel that way myself.  I’ve never finished a round at the Bridges with the same ball.  I hate that.  For me, good golf means “no penalty strokes”.

I hit the shot that went “over the cliff” – I can’t blame the golf course for that.  You get some of the most scenic shots in the Bay Area at The Bridges – and some of the most challenging.

I’m dedicating My Sundays for Golf.  My program is two hours at the Pleasanton Golf Center from 10-12 – then heading out to The Bridges for the Ultimate Test.

I’m looking forward to reporting the day that I finish a complete 18 hole round with the same ball at The Bridges.

I’ll be playing a 14* driver at The Bridges until I accomplish that goal.  No BIG DRIVERS until I finish a round with the same ball.  Swear on a stack of Bibles.

But not this Sunday.  They’re punching the greens at The Bridges this Sunday afternoon so anyone who wants to join the Golf Lab Gang on Sunday can meet up at the Palo Alto Muni – twilight rates start at 2:00 and that’s when the wind blows.  You can work on your “wind game” Sunday.

If you want to join the Sunday Morning Session at Pleasanton and then play golf on Sunday afternoon – give Bob Pegram a call at the Golf Lab – 650-654-1770.  He’ll set you up.

Next Sunday – Back at The Bridges.  They’re a little sensitive at The Bridges about punched greens.  But when you’re focused on finishing the round with the same ball, you can give a little slack for the greens.  Next Sunday, you get a REPLAY CARD for a second round – no charge.  That’s a good enough deal to risk your self-esteem on a golf course.  Schedule next Sunday and you’ve got two weeks covered.

Schedule “Tweaking”

Pleasanton on Fridays – Mariner’s Point Sessions Now “By Appointment”

If you have control of your weekly schedule to make time on Friday, Saturday and Sunday mornings from 10-12 – the best deal for improving your performance on the course is to join up with Eric Jones at the Seaver Golf Academy at the Pleasanton Golf Center Driving Range north of Bernal Road on Valley Ave.

Golf runs in Eric’s blood.  He named his Golf Academy after his grandfather, Charlie Seaver – a former California Amateur Champion described as “Legendary” when he died in 2004.  Here’s the link to that announcement by the USGA.

http://www.usga.org/news/2004/October/Legendary-Amateur-Charlie-Seaver-Dies/

Charlie was Tom Seaver’s father – the Hall of Fame Pitcher for the Mets.

The setting is fabulous.  The Seaver Academy “owns” the back end of the rage at Pleasanton.  It is spacious – plenty of grass and plenty of targets.  Downrange is set up with cones at measured distances for calibrating your bag.  It is a serious environment to work on your game.  It is private.

Eric charges a monthly fee for his “Coaching Program”.  Up to twelve sessions is $265 per month.  Up to six sessions (half month) is $165.  His fee includes coaching, instruction and all the balls you can hit.

As time goes on, we’ll bring our sophisticated Golf Lab fitting services to the outdoor environment.  For example:

“Gapping your Bag” – a vitally important job for any serious player can take weeks by hand and by eye.  It’s a simple one hour job for the Flightscope launch monitor.

“Shaft Fitting” – is another service that can’t be completed well indoors.  The nuance of shaft fitting requires seeing ball flight and swinging from a natural surface.  We have the only shaft fitting system in the world that really works – from Edel Golf.  The key is “quick change” – you need to hit a couple of shots – swap shafts – hit a couple more – swap back.

“Fairway Metals” – how can you choose the best performing fairway metal or utility until you it off of grass?  That goes for hybrids, irons and wedges too.

Mariner’s Point by Appointment

The “Wedge Fitting and Short Game” sessions at Mariner’s Point are another great way to improve your game.  Since Mariner’s Point is a short, 12-minute drive from the Golf Lab – we’re opening Edel Wedge fitting sessions to “any convenient time”.

I will meet you any time at Mariner’s Point with the Edel Wedge fitting bag.

New “Friends and Family” Program Session Pricing

One of our goals at the Golf Lab is to make top teaching talent, facilities, technology and equipment efficiently available for an accessible price.

Our “rack rate” is $150 per hour.

Our “Friends and Family” program is $100 per “session” – with a 10 session commitment.  We’re not clock-watchers.  If a normal session is 1.5 hours – it is recorded as a single session.

We like to think that’s the best value in advanced golf analysis, instruction and training on the planet.

With the range of Specialized Analysis and Instruction available at the Golf Lab and now with the “outdoor option” – it is a simple matter to work out a “Program” of five or ten sessions with specific performance goals.

Eric Jones – the Seaver Golf Academy – and the Pleasanton Golf Center – provides the ultimate serious training environment.

The First Step

Start with a personal fitting session with Leith Anderson – Golf Digest Top 100 Clubfitter.  We’ll analyze your bag, tweak what needs tweaking and get well-acquainted.  We’ll fit iron shafts and driver heads.  That’s a good way to spend the first two hours.  Then we can work out a program of five or ten hours – including Mariner’s Point, Pleasanton and on the course.

If you’re working on a program to get better at golf – the Golf Lab is a great partner.

Call Bob Pegram at 650-654-1770 and he’ll set you up.

Over the last few months we’ve brought a lot of good ideas to the Golf Lab Community about how to get better at golf. So many choices. The most common question is “what should I do first?”

Getting better at golf requires dedicating time to preparation, practice and playing. Keeping preparation and practice to a minimum means that you have more time for play. That’s good.

If you want to do ONE THING that will be the biggest “bang for the buck” this is it:

Fit your Wedges. Two Hours.

We’ve spent a lot of time at the Mariner’s Point short game practice area with some very good teachers and players over the last few months.

Many thanks to Bobby Dean and John Ruark for their contributions.

The acid test is the players.  I have relied on Kaz Hoffman, Lawrence Fu and Emily Childs when I needed a tournament player’s opinion.  Thanks to them for the final check.

How do you fit wedges?

Here’s the scenario:  I’m standing with John Childs – Coach for two State Champions – his daughters Emily and Carly.

We’re watching Emily and Carly working with Bobby Dean – the top wedge fitter from Edel Golf.

John Childs – Mini Tour Player years back said: “I bought a hundred wedges out of every used club barrel for twenty years. I never understood anything about fitting wedges. It was all pure guesswork.  Never really found a good one.”

We watched Bobby Dean hand over a progression of Edel wedges. Each with slightly more bounce and a slightly different sole grind. The progression was designed to go from “less bounce” to “more bounce”.

Fitting a wedge is all about the grass, the roots and the dirt.

Bobby wants to see a player disturb the grass – pull the roots – but leave the dirt alone.

In about half an hour, Bobby found the grind that matched each girl’s natural swing. They are “Diggers” and “Drivers”.

That means that wedges that fit had over 20* of bounce. To put that in perspective – it’s more than twice the bounce of other high loft wedges. Edel wedges are different.

After the fitting John said: “That’s the most amazing thing I ever saw. I never knew that you could fit a wedge.”

Why Fit Wedges?

There is a Goal. The Goal is to get more spin on the ball.

There is one best way to get more spin on the ball. FORGET THE GIMMICKS AND BALONEY THAT HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW THE PLAYER STRIKES THE BALL.

If you want more spin: YOU HAVE TO PUT MORE SPIN ON THE BALL WITH A STEEPER ANGLE OF ATTACK. You need to hit the ball first.

That is a lot easier to do with a high bounce wedge design.

Wedge Fitting Theory – Start Here:

Think about how you hit your high loft (58*-61*) lob wedge.

If you play your lob wedge like every good player I’ve seen, it’s a tricky move that requires a lot of skill.

Most high loft lob wedges are designed with very low bounce. Low bounce lob wedges require a long, flat bottom on your swing.

A long, flat bottom on your swing means you are sliding the club under the ball. That’s no way to increase spin. Why do you think they call it a LOB Wedge?

I did not find a single player who HIT THE BALL FIRST with the lob wedge. Rather, the club head was “disturbing the grass” from up to 3″ behind the ball.

There’s a better way.

The Shot You Don’t Have

Mariner’s Point has the best public access short game practice areas in the Bay Area. Only the exclusive private clubs are better.

There are some smooth green aprons at Mariner’s Point that extend forty yards down the fairway – closely mowed. A little like a Links course. Not quite Augusta – but with the attitude.

What shot do you play from forty yards, tight surface, when the pin is deep in the green? How about same setup – but with a “bare” lie?

When I handed Kaz, Lawrence and Emily their own 60*lob wedges for that shot from that surface – they handed them back. They begged for a 48* pitching wedge or a 52* gap wedge. Cowards.

That tells the story.

We didn’t even need to move to a position where the same shot needed to cary a bunker.  That would have been an impossible shot with the old wedges.

A Lob Wedge with low bounce is manageable from lies where there is a little daylight between the ball and the dirt. No daylight = no chance.

The Edel 21* Bounce Alternative

We focused on a 21* “Digger Grind” and a 22* Driver Grind. 21* is double the bounce of any other high loft wedge on the planet. Standard bounce on a lob wedge is 6*.

After a few months of experience with the new wedge line, Edel has found that a high percentage of fittings end up in Digger and Driver grinds.

The measured bounce angle is only part of the story. The Digger Grind includes a channel carved behind the leading edge that turns dirt upside down – that feature has been popular with classic “dual bounce” wedges.  Effective bounce of the Digger is 27*.

Your Lob Wedge shot is now different.

With a high bounce wedge, it is no longer necessary to slide the lob wedge flat across the grass for 3″ before you get to the ball. Look at the back of the ball – focus on a single dimple – hit down on the ball. Just like a normal wedge shot. YOU HIT THE BALL FIRST. Hitting the ball first increases spin – crucial for short wedge shots from tight lies.

Lawrence summed it up: “That’s a shot I don’t have with my lob wedge.”

Edel Wedge Fittings at Mariner’s Point

One of the unique features of the Golf Lab is that we make hands-on testing part of the fitting process.

Sometimes you need a little help to know just what to look for. That goes double for wedges.

A modern wedge swing is different from an iron swing or a driver swing.

A player’s weight must favor his left side. The modern wedge swing takeaway features a sharp wrist break. The strike is downward and the finish is low left.

We help you with setup and swing. Then we step through the fitting procedure – progressing from lower to higher bounce angles.

You will see results immediately.

The first thing you notice is that ball flight doesn’t look anything like you’re used to. The shot takes off with spin and holds its line. That’s not possible with a “scoopy” lob wedge swing.

Accuracy is better. We test “before and after” the fitting. No player has ever gotten worse.

The “Complete Edel Wedge Fitting”

We offer Edel wedge fittings every Friday morning at Mariner’s Point. Sessions are “one on one” John Ruark joins me on Friday mornings.

We have six spots for Friday wedge fittings. The very best option is to make the 9 or 10 AM appointments. The basic wedge fitting takes an hour. You are then welcome to stay and practice for another hour or so.

Private wedge fittings are available at any convenient time.  Please call Bob Pegram at the Golf Lab to schedule.  650-654-1770.  Evenings and weekends are open.

Another option is to simply check out a set of Edel wedges for a long weekend.  You can see for yourself in private.  Check with Bob for availabilty.

Collected Articles on Edel Golf

I’ve covered the Edel story for a year and a half. Mike Adams provided the inspiration and the model. Here’s are links to earlier articles about Edel.

Edel Wedge Pamphlet:

http://calgolflab.com/blog/the-new-golf-lab-for-2012-2/pamphlets/

Edel Wedge Bling – Fancy treatments that are available:

http://calgolflab.com/blog/2012/07/26/edel-wedge-bling/

Help Us Find the Guy – or Gal – Edel Wedge and Putter Fitting:

http://calgolflab.com/blog/2012/07/11/help-us-find-the-guy-or-gal-edel-wedge-and-putter-fitting

Golf Lab Open Week – Celebrities, Edel Wedge Fitting, History:

http://calgolflab.com/blog/2012/06/12/golf-lab-open-week-celebrities-edel-wedge-fitting-history

Bobby Dean – Edel Golf Visit – Day One Results:

http://calgolflab.com/blog/2012/06/08/bobby-dean-edel-golf-visit-day-one-results

Introducing Edel Golf – “Edel Week” at the Golf Lab:

http://calgolflab.com/blog/2012/06/04/introducing-edel-golf-edel-week-at-the-golf-lab

Edel Wedge Photo:

Edel wedges have 8 different amounts of bounce so you can get a wedge with exactly the right bounce to fit your technique. In addition to making your short game shots easier and more successful, Edel wedges are available with all sorts of fancy treatments limited only by your imagination. Some examples are shown below.

Our wedge fittings are usually on Friday mornings at Mariner’s Point. Call Bob at 650-654-1770 to sign up. Here is a link to to our wedge fitting and other pamphlets: http://calgolflab.com/blog/the-new-golf-lab-for-2012-2/pamphlets/

More photos are here:  http://edelgolf.smugmug.com/Wedges/Edel-Golf/23924834_2PkQsj#!i=2056774758&k=5KvKnVK

Bonus:  Why You Will Want a High Launch Driver

Executive Overview:  Although this article starts with an historical discussion of Taylor Made Drivers – it is actually about fitting drivers by matching loft and face angle of the driver head with a player’s ideal swing path and angle of attack.

The driver head is more important than the shaft.

That should get your attention.  My opinion is contrary to Conventional Wisdom.  But a mistake choosing correct driver head loft and face angle cannot be corrected with an expensive shaft.  This article explains why.  Taylor Made proves my argument with their fitting strategy.

A Tour Van fitting determines a player’s most efficient swing and matches driver specifications to that.  How do you find the correct loft and face angle to match your ideal swing?

Why Taylor Made Drivers Work Better

Taylor Made created a miracle with their Driver marketing over the last six years.

When all other golf equipment manufacturers gave up hope for new driver innovation – blaming USGA restrictions – Taylor Made invented the future with AWT – “adjustable weight technology”.  Taylor made introduced the concept of weight adjustability with the R5 (2005) – offering two removable weight ports.  It was a huge breakthrough to allow players to adjust swingweight – and change club balance – on their own.  The TM R5 was a breakthrough design.

The R5 led to the R7 Quad (2007).  The R7 took cutting edge technology from 2 weight ports to 4 weight ports at 380 cc’s.  The 4 weight ports promised to affect shot shape.  Add toe weight, eliminate “lefts”. Add heel weight, eliminate “rights”.  Another breakthrough.

The R7 was popular on the PGA Tour.  V.J. Sing made headlines when he chose a 10.5* loft R7 “TP”.  TM R7′s were very good.

Then Taylor Made increased the head size to 425 cc’s with four weight ports.  That was the R7 425 – still a Classic.  The R7 425 was a step forward in forgiveness due to size.

Finally – the Coup de Gras - the SuperQuad.  The Holy Grail in 2008 – four weight ports and 460 cc size for ultimate forgiveness.  The Super Quad was “Maxed Out”.  In keeping with Taylor Made practice – the SuperQuad came out in multiple versions – covering the landscape of price points – another example of Taylor Made attention to detail and dedication to smothering the competition.

All that only took three years.  2006-2008 might be one of the most prolific periods in driver design history – given that USGA limits on everything that sent everybody but Taylor Made into depression.  Taylor Made owes its success to its Chinese partners who mastered building titanium balloons that stand up to 100+ MPH swing speeds.

Then came the Taylor Made R9 (2009).  Taylor Made released a flood of designs that year – Standard, Tour Prefered, SuperTri and SuperDeep – enough to intimidate (and bury) their competitors and make sure you’ll never know exactly what is “best”  or even “what is what?”.  By the end of 2009, Taylor Made dominated the driver business.

The R9 Series of Taylor Made drivers sealed fate on another subject – “Interchangeability”. In a strange quirk of fate – when other companies were trying to increase their profits by clawing back the exotic, high performance shaft business – Taylor Made went “open source” on the adapters that connect Taylor Made drivers to interchangeable shafts.

Today, a single adapter fits any Taylor Made Driver from the R9 through the R11 and the soon-to-be-announced – R13.  As a result, Taylor Made drivers are the best way to test shafts.  You can try any shaft in your Taylor Made driver for the price of a $25 adapter.  You can do the “testing” yourself on the range or you can get a good partner – Flightscope radar – to tell you how the shaft performs with your swing – with a well-chosen head.

The entire Golf Lab library of over 200 shafts is available for on-course testing in your Taylor Made driver – or in ours.  The old days of “buy it to try it” are OVER.

(BTW:  We are now extending the Taylor Made shaft fitting system to fairway metals and hybrids.  The Golf Lab does not have a Taylor Made account.  With TM, we sell “recycled”.)

The “Perfect Storm” – 2011 – 2012 – Taylor Made Domination Continues

And then the most unexpected thing happened.  Taylor Made invented “white”.

Nobody knows how or why Taylor Made decided that the color white would be the “Next Big Thing”.  But the R11 (2011) and the R11S (2012) have been the dominant drivers on Tour for the last two years.

Did I forget RocketBalls?  Another breakthrough – this one based on naming conventions.  We love three letter acronyms – RBZ.  RBZ come in white.

The “technical breakthrough” in the latest TM versions has more to do with the adapter than the driver head itself.  Taylor Made (and aftermarket) adapters are now supplied with a more extreme “knee bend” in the adapter.

The most recent adapters now allow a 1.5* adjustment each way.  That’s huge for drivers.

**The Great “Measurement” Experiment – Fitting Discussion Starts Here

Obsessed by wanting to understand “why?” we bought a precision measurement gauge a while back.  We measure every driver before launch monitor testing.

We fit drivers in the simplest way possible at the Golf Lab – we turn driver fitting into a geometry problem.  We measure and add up the angles to match player’s most efficient swing.  Driver loft and face angle matter.  There’s no point wasting time with driver heads that don’t match a player’s ideal swing.

To make solid contact – measured by “Smash Factor” – a player must deliver the club on the most direct path possible.  Thanks to modern technology – radar launch monitors – clubfitters can monitor a player’s swing – swing path and angle of attack precisely.

Combined high speed video and biomechanical analysis – a player’s most efficient positions can be measured and mapped.

If you want a nice soft draw – the “perfect” swing path is 4* inside-out.  Face angle needs to be closed to swing path – but open to the target line – so 2* is “perfect”.  Those are very small angles – difficult to conceive and impossible to see.

Then we turn attention to launch angle.  That’s where things changed the most.  The new golf balls don’t spin.  Normal golfers who want maximum distance – from “high launch, low spin drivers” – must launch the ball at 16* or higher.  That’s a lot higher than anything that looks “normal”.  Most players don’t know what optimal trajectory looks like.

Launch angle comes from a combination of driver loft and angle of attack.  If you need 16* of launch angle, you can get that with 10.5* driver – if your angle of attack is plus 5.5*.  Alas, only the strongest, most athletic Long Drive Competitors can swing “up” at that angle.  Most amateurs hit “down” on their drives – many not aware that a driver swing is different from an iron swing.

Simple Arithmetic

2-3* upward angle of attack is a reasonable swing goal for most amateur golfers.  If your maximum distance requires 17* launch angle or higher – you’re going to need a 15* driver.

Unfortunately, most golfers still choose their drivers to match their personalities.

It wasn’t that long ago that most manufacturers didn’t bother to offer a driver head that was marked higher than 10.5* loft.  No point.  No self-respecting golfer would buy one.

That’s the world that Taylor Made understands.

Measuring Discrepancies

We picked up a trend measuring driver heads.  Taylor Made drivers all measure 2-3* higher loft than the number stamped on the sole plate.  11.5* on the sole plate can easily measure 15* on the gauge.  We have never measured a Taylor Made driver that was under marked loft.

The normal response from a player who gets their driver measured at the Golf Lab – our free service – is to deplore Taylor Made quality control.  “How could my 9.5* driver be 12*?”

Because Taylor Made planned it that way.  Taylor Made sells hundreds of millions of dollars in drivers every year.  In years past, it was no problem to deliver drivers within a degree of stated loft.  If Taylor Made wanted their drivers to be perfect for loft – they would be.

Taylor Made knows better.

The Taylor Made marketing department figured out golfer psychology long ago.  They know that no ordinary golfer will buy the driver that fits – left to his own methods.  Since most drivers are sold by self-service at Big Box stores – TM provides their own version of Steve Jobs’ “reality distortion field”.

If you own a Taylor Made driver with 11.5* on the sole plate – it will measure 13-15*.  That will probably be just about perfect – assuming the face angle matches your swing path.

There you have it.  If Taylor Made left their future for golfers to know what he should have – rather than what he wants – they would be in the doldrums with all the other driver companies.

Taylor Made would never admit that they think that their customers are too dumb to make their own decisions – but how else would you interpret the facts?

Taylor Made drivers work better because they are not what you think.  What better explanation could there be?

Taylor Made’s Reward?  They are the most successful golf equipment company on earth – measured by sales.  The results are in.

Have no fear.  Buy a Taylor Made R9 11.5 Super Tri.  It might be a very good 15* driver with a 2* closed face angle – once you get all of the settings measured.

It might be “perfect”.

Buy Your 15* Driver – no settings required

If you know your driver goes too low and you want to test the extremes – we have a great -high quality – low price alternative. We’ll customize it five ways and deliver it for $200.  What could be better?

It just so happens that we found some 15* driver heads from a manufacturer’s liquidation.  (We found them because we were looking.  High loft drivers are scarce.)  The manufacturer is LaJolla.  Golf Lab customers will remember LaJolla as a high quality supplier from five years ago.  LaJolla went broke when they lost their confidence – like dozens of other small companies that found they couldn’t compete against the Global Conglomerates.

This is what the driver head looks like.  It measures 14-15* and the face angle is square to 1* closed.  We measure them all.  These are from the “old days” when the number on the bottom was close to reality.

We can hand pick a driver head with the exact specifications that match your “swing geometry”.

Custom Build Your 15* Driver

The open questions are shaft length, shaft weight, shaft flex, grip and balance.

If you hit your 3 wood almost as far as your driver, you’re on the right track.  Most 3 woods are 15* loft.  The “Thriver” is simply an easy-to-hit driver-size head with 3 wood specifications.

Your 15* driver is not a long drive club.  For most players, 43.5″ will be a good length.  That’s just a hair longer than your 3 wood.  The deep face on the LaJolla driver allows you to tee it up and make a mighty wallop without fear of pop-ups and whiffs.  We add a little weight to the head to compensate for the shorter length.

The goal of a high loft driver is to get every drive into the fairway.  No misses. For most high handicap players – “no misses” with a driver means a 6 stroke improvement in score.

Your 15* driver is not a long drive club that you try to swing as fast as possible.  Shaft weight means little.  The best choice is a middle-of-the-road graphite shaft – 65 or 75 grams.

Your 15* driver is a “training club”.  You use it to get the best possible results from your swing.  There are two logical choices for shaft flex.  As stiff as possible or as flexible as possible.  Players who hit from the top and fight an outside-in swing path should go stiff as possible.  Stiff shafts resist “early release”.

Players who are working on tempo and timing should take the most flexible shafts available.  That’s the best way to “feel the club”.

Your final choice is grip size.  For a “training club” it’s a good idea to go larger with grip size.  The reason is that it’s hard to squeeze a large grip.  Bad swings frequently come from squeezing hard at the top and then “holding on”.

Lay the grip in your hands.  Grip strong enough to keep the club from flying loose – no more.  Then, keep your hands “under the shaft” at the top of your swing.  That’s the best natural antidote for “over the top”.

Call Bob at 650-654-1770 to reserve a fitting time with Leith.

High Loft LaJolla Drivers – set up to your custom specs – $200.

Thanks to the Internet – Golf Lab emails go all around the world.  For all Golf Lab customers who are outside of drive-in distance – we’ll make a “guaranteed” offer.  Get in touch by email and we’ll design a very interesting LaJolla custom driver.

We’ll build it and send it out anywhere in the USA for $200.  Outside the US, just add actual shipping charges.

If you end up not liking it – sell it to one of your friends for $250.

Stay Tuned Next Week for ”How Drivers Ruin Your Swing”.  Another Public Service Announcement from the Golf Lab.

This Article Will Change Your Ideas about Driver Fitting

“The Next Big Thing” – fitting drivers for Swing Path and Angle of Attack (AOA) – is not good for driver sales.  I only sold one driver last week.  But a bunch of Golf Lab customers straightened out their tee ball without buying a new driver.  They found that their drivers were just fine (after adjustment).  A simple swing change made the difference.

Why not do that?

Yesterday’s Happy Surprise

I’ve been a Todd Koss fan for years.  Todd is a golf guy who has spent thousands of hours studying ball spin while developing his OptimalFlight and OptimalClub programs – designed to model ball flight.  Until now, I found OptimalFlight a little too complicated.  For some mystical reason I updated my OF and OC versions yesterday and caught Todd’s attention.  We compared notes.  Egad!!  We’re working on the same idea.  Here’s how he describes his vision:

Current development is on a revolutionary product that completely breaks down the launch data into a swing recipe (clubface and path angles), enabling golfer to define and shape any shot.

Wow!!  Now I know this is a BIG IDEA.

Bottom Line:  If Todd and I are right, you’ll buy your next driver based on accurate measurements of loft and face angle that match your most efficient swing.  You’re going to “fit by the numbers”.

Demo days where you hit random drivers with unknown specifications – experimenting with any swing that works – are a waste of time.  If you order a driver from a Demo Day you have zero chance of matching the driver – and the settings – that you tested.

However, Demo Days are good physical exercise and a worthwhile social experiment.  You also get to know what color the Big Guys are selling this year.  I’m keeping everything positive.

The Concept of the “Neutral Driver”

The Neutral Driver matches a player’s most efficient swing – path, face angle and angle of attack – with square contact at the player’s most efficient impact position.

For most of us, that simplifies to “fewest moving parts”.

The Neutral Driver concept takes the guesswork out of driver fitting.  From swing analysis we know the exact loft and face angle of the driver that produces optimal launch angle and desired shot shape with your swing.

Why not do that?

Fitting Example:  Soft Draw

A player who wants to play a perfect soft draw needs a swing path 4* inside-out.  The perfect face angle is 2* open at impact.  By the laws of nature, those angles produce the perfect draw.

Swing Path is 4 Degrees Inside to Outside

 Face Angle is 2 Degrees Open at Impact

Angle of Attack (AOA) is just as important as swing path and face angle at impact.  AOA is how much a player swings up – or down – on the ball.

For maximum distance with a driver, most players need to start the ball at 17* or higher.  That’s a lot higher than you’re used to seeing.

Launch angle is a combination of driver loft and Angle of Attack.  Assuming a True Driver Loft of 10* – a player needs a positive Angle of Attack of 7* to get to 17*.  That’s a problem.

No amateur can swing efficiently with that angle of attack.  Worse.  Most amateurs swing down on the ball.  That’s where high spin starts.

Typical Incorrect Downward Angle of Attack with Driver

If you want maximum distance your Angle of Attack must be UP.  Your launch angle must be HIGH.  There’s no way around that.

When you schedule your driver fitting at the Golf Lab, we analyze your swing and tell you if you can produce the results you want with the swing you have.

If not, we’ll suggest a simple swing change.  If that is not enough we’ll find a high loft driver that will work.

Proof? No problem.  Before and after launch monitor data supplemented with on-course testing.

My Personal Choice

Here’s where I ended up.  I chose a 10.5 Taylor Made R9 TP with a “true loft” of 13*.  The face angle is 2* closed.  (Notice the 2.5* discrepancy).

I’m practicing a 4* inside-out swing path.  I can manage a 3* positive angle of attack.

Leith’s Launch Angle

My swing matches the specifications on the driver.  4* inside out with a 2* closed face angle puts the driver in perfect position at impact.  My upward AOA of 3* matched with driver loft of 13* gives an optimal launch angle of 16*.

The shaft matters.  Shaft fitting is another artistic science.  I’m assuming we’ve chosen a shaft that delivers the club square at impact.  See other articles about shaft fitting.

If you’ve got a bunch of drivers in your garage, treat yourself to a “measuring party”.  Figure out why some worked and some didn’t.  It will be an eye opener and uncover a lot of past mysteries.  We can do that in a Driver fitting.

NOTICE:  the measured loft on my driver is 2.5* different from what it says on the bottom.  In a world where 1* matters the first thing you should do is get your driver head measured for loft and face angle.  Your last chance to do that for free is this weekend at the Golf Lab.  After that, driver measurement service on our Tour Gauge is $10 per club.  Drop-ins are welcome Friday afternoon and Saturday.

Once you know your swing you can choose a driver that matches your swing – assuming that you can measure the driver you choose.

This Weekend at the Golf Lab

“Total Driver Optimization” includes all of the fitting tricks described above.

Your driver gets fitted in every dimension.  We make it work if possible.

Ultimate Driver Fitting and Optimization – $150.  1.5 hours.

Next Week:

The best way to start a fitting is with a “Morning at the Muni” – I have an opening next Wednesday.

If you’re following the Golf Lab Saga – one theme stands out.  Our professional staff is all “senior”.

We’re looking for “young blood” – and from our perspective that leaves quite a bit of room.

Here’s the reason:

We have established an important relationship with Edel Golf.  Edel Golf is unique in the world.

“Over the top attention to detail” – is the Edel mantra.  Edel is the world leader in custom putters – no other company even tries to compete.  The new wedge line has turned out to be revolutionary.

“Revolutionary” deserves explanation.  Edel provides eight sole grinds in a single loft.  That’s five more than the next best.  Edel sole grinds are progressive – STARTING AT 12* for their Sweeper and progressing to 27* EFFECTIVE BOUNCE in their Digger.

To put that into perspective, Edel wedges start where all other lines end – bounce wise.

If Edel theory about bounce is correct, most wedges are obsolete.  That would be “revolutionary”.

The Edel fitting system requires a player to employ a “modern wedge swing” that “activates the bounce”.  That’s not controversial.  On the range, a properly fitted wedge identifies itself with “no torn roots”.

The unique opportunity that Edel offers is THE ONLY FITTING SYSTEM FOR PUTTERS AND WEDGES.

As club fitters, we look at a bag of clubs in five categories:  Drivers, long range fairway clubs, irons, wedges and putters.  Edel clubs – putters and wedges – cover 60% of your shots.

No other company covers such a broad spectrum so well.

If Edel is a new name for you, spend some time perusing their website: www.edelgolf.com.

If the Edel Story strikes your fancy, we have openings at Mariner’s Point Friday morning for Edel wedges and Friday and Saturday afternoons with John Ruark for putter fittings. Call Bob for an appointment.  650-654-1770.

The New Edel Business Model

Edel is expanding.  The company is releasing a line of off the shelf putters later this year that will compete with Scotty Cameron. They have irons in development – based on their design theory for wedges – that irons should be fitted for bounce.

Edel is partnering with the Golf Lab to bring specialized professional fitting services to Bay Area clubs.  Edel hired an internal sales rep to work the phone and build relationships with Northern California clubs.  His compensation is based on scheduling fitting days.

The new strategy is recognition that the most expensive part of a custom fitting is the time it takes. Offering Edel custom fittings conveniently will be a welcome relief for players who don’t have time for travel.

The Golf Lab will perform Edel fittings in our Northern California Bay Area territory. We’re going to need some help.

The Ideal Candidates

There’s no getting around playing ability. Low single digit handicap is a requirement. Also, competitive playing experience. The main qualification is a deep interest getting better at golf. The ideal candidate will be thinking about making golf their life’s work. There are no age limitations.

This is not a full-time job – yet. Key times will be evenings and weekends. It is a perfect supplement interest and income for a serious golfer who wants to take their own game to the “next level” – by learning Golf Lab fitting methods.

Extensive experience is required.  The candidate will work alongside Leith Anderson and John Ruark – experiencing the depth of a Golf Lab fitting and receiving custom clubs, putter and wedges in the process.

If you know the person, or if you are the person, please get in touch with Bob Pegram to set up a personal interview. 650-654-1770.

Tim Cleary Case Study

Tim would be the first to tell you that he’s not a great golfer. He is dedicated to getting better.

Tim took an Edel putter fitting and a session – a putter fitting is free with a sale. Tim bought a new Edel putter that matched his correct putting stroke. John Ruark helped Tim understand his stroke. Teamwork. $375.

First Rule for Putting Improvement: Make sure you aim inside the hole and your form is correct. Never practice mistakes. That means your putter has to fit your stance and stroke for length, loft, lie, offset, head shape, top markings, shaft flex and grip type. Then, balance for tempo and feel.

How long would it take to figure all that out yourself?

If you’re driving in a race, would you choose a Model T or a Corvette?

Tim then came out for our Edel Wedge Fitting at Mariner’s Point. The fitting comes with a “model wedge swing”. Tim took that to heart as well. He bought one Edel 60* wedge for $200 that matched his new correct wedge swing. The wedge fitting was $75.

The net result? Ten strokes improvement in his game – from better wedge play and better putting. That was an immediate result – with just a few weeks of work.

Total cost? Add time and travel, quite a few buckets of practice balls and a few hours at the Mariner’s Point short game area. Figure an investment of $1000. Two custom clubs and a few hours of personal attention come with the deal.

If I could buy improvement for $100 per stroke, my only question would be “What’s the limit?”

The most efficient path to lower scores is to keep your driver out of the trees, short of the water and inside the white stakes. After that, get on the green from 50 yards in one try. Third most important: tap in second putt. That’s ten strokes for a 20 index.

Average Players Benefit More from Custom Fitting

If you keep track of improvement by counting strokes, you’re in luck if you’re a fifteen index or higher. That means that there is plenty of low hanging fruit – easy ways to cut strokes.

Scratch players work a whole season to shave one stroke.

Average players can improve by five strokes or more by simply eliminating clubs that don’t fit – together with developing an understanding of correct swing form. Miracles happen.

One of the unique features of the Golf Lab is that we break down a player’s talent, swing, practice time available and commitment to improve. We predict the number of strokes a player might improve, how long it will take, the probability of success and the cost. We help you develop a program and prioritize activities.

Who else does that?

Enjoying golf requires matching expectations with reality. No one ever gets better on two rounds of golf and two large buckets a month. When you plan to step up to the next level, the Golf Lab is your best partner in Northern California.

Special Offers this Week:

Totally open Wednesday morning for “Morning at the Muni“. The very best way to start a fitting. No charge. Wheels up at 7:45. List closes at 5 PM tonight.

Friday “Edel Wedge Fitting at Mariner’s Point”. One hour sessions. Players can follow the fitting with an hour of practice – utilizing the Golf Lab fitting bag. $125. Two hours total time (with practice).

Friday and Saturday. “Combo Deal” with Leith Anderson and John Ruark. Driver Optimization and Fitting from Leith and “Introduction to the Science of Putting” by John Ruark. Two 1.5 hour sessions. $250 this weekend covers 3 hours for both sessions.

Saturday Sale: We’re starting up our Vintage Blades Internet Store. There are a few sets that won’t go along with us to the future. Rather than get nothing on eBay, we’re going for slightly more than nothing this weekend. So far, we’ve picked out six sets that will go on the block for $99 – the whole set. These are good sets – very good for a standby set for visitors.

We have a nice handful of Mizuno wedges – still in the shrinkwrap – that we’ll put out there like chum in the water for $75. They all have the new “Spinner” wedge shaft from True Temper. By Saturday, there will be more tempting bargains. Watch your email for details.

Re-Grip While You Wait. Also Saturday. Book an appointment. Bring your clubs. When you’re done, they will be too. Golf Pride Tour Wrap and Tour Velvet and Lamkin Crossline. Undersize, Regular, Midsize or Oversize. $9-$12.

Best Regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang – JR, JT, DT, BP, JW and CS.

PS:  If you can add names to initials and recite them in person – you get a 10% discount on your next purchase or service.

Free this Friday and Saturday Only

Adams “Super Hybrid” available for Testing at the Golf Lab

You might have noticed that we’ve had nothing to say about the new Adams hybrids.  There was good reason:  we didn’t have any.

That’s a pretty good indication of popularity.  “Worldwide Sellout”.

Here’s what they look like:

Adams makes a wild claim:  “30 percent hotter than any other hybrid.”

One Player’s Experience

Greg Montefort walked in just after we opened the box from Adams.  Greg is a good, low-index player.  He has a hybrid in his bag that has survived three generations of “new technology”.

We hit Greg’s Taylor Made with the Flightscope looking on.  The result showed why it’s been in his bag so long.  Near perfect.

Greg overpowered the shaft so the ten yards he gained fell short of the claim.

However, the “Smash Factor” jumped from 1.36 to 1.46.  That is a lot.

Refresher on “Smash Factor”

If you’ve got room in your brain for one number to compare golf clubs, choose the “Smash Factor”.  It is the best indicator of which club transfers the most energy to the ball.  “Theoretically perfect” is a ratio of 1.5 – 100 MPH swing speed = 150 MPH ball speed.  That’s the best you can do.  Only drivers yield Smash Factors of 1.5 or higher.  It is unusual for a hybrid to score 1.46.

This Friday and Saturday Only – Donate Your Swing to Science

As we frequently do to get the pump primed, we’re offering a free “Challenge Test” this Friday and Saturday.  Drop by, bring your favorite hybrid.  Hit it against the new Adams Super Hybrid.  Compare results.

Fair warning:  we have no inventory.  If you get great results we will place an order for the earliest possible delivery.  Keep in mind, this is a worldwide sellout.

See you this weekend. Call 650-654-1770 or drop by. We may be too busy testing to answer the phone right away.

Regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang.

Thanks to Golf Lab customers who came out for the Jason Goldsmith visit.  We filled the schedule in a few hours.

Jason has been working with the best players on the planet for six months.  He fitted dozens of Tour Pros and hundreds of amateurs with his True Aim visual alignment system.  A thousand hours.  That’s enough to develop serious expertise.

Jason Goldsmith of TrueAim

Link to the TrueAim website: http://www.mytrueaim.com/

TrueAim Optical Decals

Golf Lab customers who had a chance to work with Jason were just as lucky as the customers who worked with Jamie Pipes from UST two weeks ago and will have the chance to work with Bobby Dean from Edel two weeks from now.

Link to the UST-Mamiya shafts website: http://www.ustmamiya.com/

Link to the Edel website: http://www.edelgolf.com/

Several times I heard “I learned more in the last hour about my golf swing than I have in the last five years.”  (Most experienced fitters sneak a little lesson into their presentation.)

We will continue to bring the best experts in the golf world to the Golf Lab.

Our “Cause” – Raising money to stomp salamanders!

We raised $150 in donations for Sharp Park.  Even though that sounds pitiful, $150 can take a chunk out of the monthly operating budget for the Save Sharp Park Committee.  If you’re out and about this weekend – stop by for a little “golf talk”.  If you want to leave a few bucks in the can for Sharp Park, Rich Harris will be very appreciative.  We all owe Rich a big “thank you” for the work he has done at Sharp Park and Stanford.

The real “endangered species” is the golf course. It has been there for many years and the salamanders have done fine.

Link to “Save Sharp Park”:  http://sfpublicgolf.com/

NCGA more info.: http://www.ncga.org/2011/12/13/save-sharp-park/

The “Expert’s Eye”

The entire Golf Lab staff watched Jason closely.   The main purpose of the visit was to learn his method.

Jason’s first instruction:  “Aim the line.”

The key question:  When you aim your driver, what do you aim?

Score lines?  Top line?  Sole?

How do you aim something that’s round?

You can’t.

You need a line to aim.  Human beings do well with alignments like “perpendicular”, “parallel”, and “square”.

That’s fundamental principal number one.

“Aim the Line”.

It sounds so simple and so logical.

Results were Immediate and significant.

We do not jump on every bandwagon that comes by.

We have been very slow to warm up to True Aim.

Our first experiments were self-guided and inconclusive.

Watching Jason, I was surprised that the shape AND POSITION of the decal matters.

Jason positioned a “square C” shape on the top of a player’s driver.  The next four drives landed in a bucket.  Launch angle was still too low.

Then, Jason turned the “C” around and moved it back on the head.

Launch angle went up.  Changing the shape and position of the decal made a measurable and immediate difference.  To say that I was surprised is an understatement.

That was one of those dramatic events that are only explainable as low grade miracles.

After witnessing Jason fine tune shot shape with True Aim, I’m eager to work his new, ultra-sensitive fitting technique into my own bag of tricks.

A New Dimension in Driver Fitting

A True Aim decal on the top of your driver might make a very significant difference in the accuracy of your drives.

A packet of True Aim decals is $30.  You can buy them online.  The packet comes with a “fitting chart” that aids self-fitting.  That’s the second best alternative.  A launch monitor is a big help choosing the shape and recording the results.

We’re adding True-Aim as the final step in our “Complete Driver Optimization” fitting.  Once you have the driver that gives optimal ballistics – ball speed, launch angle and spin rate – it makes sense to do all you can to keep it in the fairway.

If you already have a driver that works well – it takes an hour to test the range of True Aim shapes.  Each shape is recorded for three swings.  “Dispersion” is the key factor.  Most of the time, one shape is a clear winner – showing the tightest pattern.  Choose that pattern.  Install the temporary decal.  See if it works on the course.

Spend a couple of hours with Leith Anderson in therapy with your driver – $150.  You’ll fall back in love.  Call the Golf Lab for an appointment.  650-654-1770.

Your reward will be straighter drives.

Are You “Good Enough” to be a Golf Lab Customer?

The Jamie Pipes visit uncovered a problem.  Several customers got in touch to say that they thought that Golf Lab “advanced services” were just for low handicap tournament players.

Not so.  Players working on their game at any level will get better faster with a little professional help.  We are especially effective working with beginners and players returning to the game who want to bring their knowledge up to current standards.

If you need a little encouragement, stop by the Golf Lab.  We’re there all the time.  You can always see what’s going on and take a walking tour.   If you want to be sure, call ahead and we’ll set aside half an hour to discuss your plans – no charge.

John Ruark’s Complete Putting Program

One of the dedicated teachers who are making an impact in the Bay Area is John Ruark.  John has made a study of all forms of putting with particular emphasis on the current rage – belly and long putters.

John takes his putting style and fitting expertise to another level – “Face-on”.  If you’re interested in exploring all alternatives with a complete fitting system fully adjustable for length – John can save months of self-experimentation.

The first step in a serious putting improvement program is benchmarking current performance and introducing the methods and tools.  That’s John’s “Introduction to the Science of Putting – for Beginners”.  Two hours, $150.

John works with clients to personalize a program that covers aiming, stroke improvement, distance control, green reading and mental game.  Depending on the depth of interest – five and ten session programs are offered.

Serious students can complete extensive programs for $500 to $1000.

Call the Golf Lab to schedule your first appointment.  Note that the first two hours of analysis and instruction is only $150.

Best regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang, JR, JT, DT, JW and Clint.

This is an inside tour tip on True Aim Company. True Aim is a packet of decals.  You pick a shape that suits your eye.  You stick that shape on the top of your driver.

The decal gives you a consistent, square, visual aiming reference.

Drivers are all about round shapes.  With drivers, it is a well-accepted belief that players see “square” as “closed”.  How do you aim if you can’t see “square?”

What is your reference when you aim your driver?  Is it the leading edge?  Score lines?  Top line?   None of those visual references is square.

You buy a driver for $399 and you need a $5.00 decal to make it work better?

Sean Foley Joins True-Aim – What Does He Know?

Sean Foley has been a True-Aim supporter for many months.  He was happy to put a testimonial video on the True-Aim website.

Why would Sean Foley do that?  It’s a reasonable deduction that Sean Foley believes that True-Aim works.

It also shows that Sean Foley has a lot of confidence in Jason Goldsmith and his partner Tim Tucker.

Jason Goldsmith at the Golf Lab this Wednesday to fit True Aim

Jason Goldsmith and Tim Tucker took their True Aim aiming system to the PGA Tour this year.  They followed the West Coast Swing.

Along the way, they picked up several True Believers in addition to Sean Foley.  One was Ben Crane.  Ben put True Aim on his driver and cashed his biggest check of the year the first week.

One of the most interesting things that we do is to bring experts and personalities to Golf Lab customers.  Jason is an expert and a personality.  He gives real “Tour Fittings”.  You can meet Jason and experience the same Tour Fittings that he performs with the best players on the planet.

Call ahead for an appointment.  You need about half an hour.  We’re starting at noon.  If you can get away during lunch, we’ll start with a round table discussion.  Jason will stay as long as necessary so evening hours are not out of the question.

If you’re out and about and just want to stop by to check out the event – you’re welcome all day.

Call Bob Pegram (650) 654-1770 for an appointment.

Working Together for a Cause

We would love to charge Jason’s time at what it’s worth.  (Private clients are $200 per hour.)

We have a cause to support.  Our dear friend Rich Harris is nearing the end of a long ordeal to save the Sharp Park Golf Course.

Jason’s True Aim fittings are free.

We will accept donations on behalf of Sharp Park.  No minimum donation required.

Best Regards,

Leith Anderson and the Golf Lab Gang:  JT, JR, DT, CS, JW

PS:  There are no handicap restrictions on Golf Lab programs.  The Jamie Pipes visit rang a bell.  Some Golf Lab customers wrote back and said that they didn’t think they were “good enough” for Golf Lab programs.

Let’s put a stop to that feeling.  Players who are just getting started with golf need equipment that will take them to the “next level”.  It doesn’t have to be expensive equipment.  It does have to be the right length, weight and flex.  The grips need to fit.

We created the Golf Lab for players of all skill levels who share a common goal – to get better at golf.

We’re in the thick of the season.  Some custom club tweaks are working so well you ought to consider improving your bag before the serious tournaments start.

There are significant developments in the “Aerotech graphite shafts in irons” story.

The first email is from a dear friend – PGA Show Interviewer (see video on our website) Biv Wadden.  Biv is as traditional as they get.  His resume speaks for itself.  One of these days, we’re looking to bring Biv to San Francisco for a little taste of “Chicago Style”.

It took 6 months get Biv to try Aerotech Steel Fiber shafts.  That’s dedication for a friend.

Hi Leith-

Another nicely done email. I’ve been playing the i95 stiff in my irons now for the past three weeks and they are nothing short of fantastic. I’m done with steel never to return.

Aerotech could capture 30% of the tour market share during the next two years. KBS did it with a worse shaft…why not Aerotech? By worse, the tip characteristics are so different in the Aerotech vs KBS Tour. The i95 stiff has a really stiff tip while the KBS Tour is very soft. The KBS Tour was really never appropriate for tour players, hence the development of the C-taper, which is just a disguised Project X.

I got over the flatter CPM profile displayed in both the parallel and taper tip version. I have the taper tips in my set. The 3-iron measures a bit stiff and the wedge a bit soft, and I think I like it that way. Piercing ball flight on the long irons and a little extra kick on the shorter irons. It’s also my first MOI matched set. I’m not big into that but the constant weight tapers produced it on their own. I think I like the MOI match as well.

You are right…this shaft is poised to take off like a rocket. Good for Chris Hilleary. He is a smart, honest, nice guy.

Hope all is well with you.

Best Regards,

William M. (Biv) Wadden IV

The Wadden Golf Academy

Level I PGA Apprentice Professional

That was the first good thing that happened.

Then, on Saturday Lawrence Fu decided that he would keep the 80 gram X Flex Aerotech Steel Fiber shafts in his 3-5 irons – “Accurized”.  Lawrence is a very good Bay Area amateur – senior in high school – headed for Santa Barbara on scholarship next fall.  He’s been a great club tester for years – and if he sticks with something – it’s usually REALLY good.

On Monday Tyler Garrett – a mini-Tour player and constant thinker about his game and equipment decided he would go with a “graduated, Aerotech set”.  He was one of the first to go with lightweight steel shafts in his last set that mixed Mizuno hybrids in the long irons with forged irons in scoring irons.  That was five years ago.  They served him well.

Link to Aerotechwebsite:  http://www.aerotechgolfshafts.com/irons.php

Tyler finished a week-long test with the Aerotech 70 gram Steel Fiber shafts with Accurizers in the handle.  The heads he tested were the Vega VC-03′s.  In subsequent testing, the Vegas showed no improvement over the Mizunos.  We’re rebuilding his Mizuno set with Steel Fiber and Accurizers.

Rick Kehr joined the Demo Program and won two tournaments on the Players’ Tour with clubs that he took out for the first time.   He’s agonizing – trying to understand the difference in feel.  David Olmeda is an example of a player who is just too strong for lightweight graphite.  If you saw him, you’d understand.

And then Walt Joyce came in and asked “how about . . .”

And Greg Monteforte called and asked “how about . . .’

And Jeff Segol volunteered to “Donate his swing to science. . .”

THESE ARE ALL STRONG PLAYERS.  Please pay attention.  If you’re looking for something different, you’ve got to try something different.  STRONG PLAYERS INVITED.

The New Golf Lab “Space Age Iron Build”

All of our early successes with lightweight graphite shafts and balanced irons focused on seniors and women.  That was a slam dunk.  Would the same setup work for STRONG PLAYERS?  That’s what this is all about.  Reinforced, re-balanced lightweight graphite shafts are good for all players.  If you don’t sign up for one of our free “Space Age Iron Shaft Fittings” you deserve to shoot 90 in your Club Championship.  (That’s the curse of the Graphite God).

Short description is to reduce shaft weight by two ounces (58 grams).  Add back 8 grams head weight.  You now have a “lighter hammer, heavier head”.  It is intuitively obvious that swing speed should increase and energy transfer should increase.  The Accurizer provides counterweight performance and shaft reinforcement.

Accurizers Forever

What would happen if every golfer in the world became convinced that his driver shaft needed reinforcement?  That shouldn’t be a surprise.  All big GRAPHITE SHAFT COMPANIES refer to “reduced ovaling” in their marketing materials.

Think about what “ovaling” means for just a moment.  It means “distortion”.  The big idea behind shaft performance is “keeping the tube round”.

That’s what the Balance-Certified Accurizer is all about.  It is a machined part that creates a rigid structure under a player’s lower hand with a driver.  That’s the point of maximum distortion.  Why not firm it up?

The Accurizer is more important for players who get good results from lightweight shafts.  The lighter the shaft, the less resistance to power.  The Accurizer is “resistance to power”.

We don’t require a fitting for Accurizers.  No need.  One size fits all.  Your driver will be straighter and a little longer.  $60 installed.  Money back if it doesn’t work for you.

Link to Accurizer website: http://www.balance-certified.com/

Why your next driver should be a Taylor Made

Something strange happened in the Taylor Made legal department five years ago.  They failed to file a patent to protect the design of their “shaft adapter” – the part that attaches the shaft to the head.

It may not be that they “failed”.  It’s quite possible that there’s been so much prior art in previous years – 400 previous years – that they knew that they couldn’t defend a patent.

Then another accident happened.  Taylor Made adapters (with a single exception) fit any Taylor Made driver.  Since there has been little technical improvement in the last few years, any Taylor Made driver can now be tested head to head against any other Taylor Made driver.

Suppose that you want to test your current Taylor Made R9 or R11 driver against the new “RocketBallz” – head on head – same shaft – with a launch monitor as the referee.  Assume that you want to test it under “real world” conditions.  That means the same shaft at the same length, same lie, face angle and true loft settings.  You can only do that under controlled conditions.

How are you going to measure the specifications?  The only precision loft, lie and face angle gauge for drivers in the Bay Area is at the Golf Lab.  Measure and you know.  Anything else is guesswork.

A customer came into the Golf Lab last week and reported that his ball speed increased 8 MPH with the RocketBallz.  I was motivated.   I bought a brand new RocketBallz and we tested it immediately. No increase in ball speed.  If you want to test the new RocketBallz – or any other TM head with the shaft of your choice, you can do that at the Golf Lab.

If you own a Taylor Made driver you now have access to another important Golf Lab service.

We have championed the idea of “interchangeable shafts” for years.  The best way to test a driver is to take it to the course.  The best way to find the driver that you want to take to the course is to spend some time with a radar-based launch monitor to tell you which shafts “work the best”.

Our “library” of test shafts is now available for short term rental.  If you’re thinking about buying an exotic, high performance graphite shaft for $400 or more – you don’t have to gamble your money.

You can know for sure if the shaft works for you.

Best value?  I like Taylor Made “TP” Tour Proven R9 heads.  Available on eBay for $150 – $200 at the Golf Lab.  We always have a nice selection of lightly used heads – measured for true loft, face angle and lie.

Walk-ins OK this Friday and Saturday

If you’re out and about this Friday or Saturday, we’re one minute off 101 at Brittan.  If you’re coming from the north, exit at Holly and pass the Holly exits to Brittan. Take a left at the light and quick right into the parking lot.

From the south, it’s a little more roundabout.  Get off at Whipple.  Go west to Industrial, north to Brittan, left on Brittan and then duck left into the parking lot.  Proceed around the building to unit 10.  Easy.

The best way to find out about Golf Lab services is to stop in.  Let us show you around.

Best Regards,

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

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.