Inside the Master’s Shop

Nick Sherburne is the Executive Vice President of Operations at Club Champion.  That title might lead you to believe he sits in an office all day rearranging spreadsheets.  However, Nick is one of the most skilled and passionate club builders you’ll find, frequently found in the build shop tinkering.  He sat down with me recently to share some secrets for elevating your club building.

The Right Tools

While you don’t need every one of these tools right away, this is Nick’s list of tools for a complete shop:

• Heat gun
• Shaft puller
• Belt sander
• Swingweight scale
• Cut off saw
• Utility knife with straight and hook blades
• Vise

You’ll also need supplies like epoxy, two-sided tape, and ferrules.

When asked about his philosophy on buying tools, Nick stressed buying quality.  Poor tools create headaches down the road.  Club Champion uses primarily Mitchell tools and Golfsmith digital swingweight scales.

Installing Grips

Replacing golf grips is one of the best ways to get into club building and save some money.  It’s not a complicated process, but Nick noted that there are several mistakes that amateur builders frequently make.

• Scratching the shaft when cutting off the old grip
• Not cleaning the old tape off the shaft
• Not using the right length of tape, leaving the grip uneven at the bottom
• Not getting the grip on all the way on or stretching it out too much

Nick also provided us with several pro tips for making the job go faster

• Having a tape dispenser makes the job easier
• Using a heat gun to heat old tape makes peeling it off much quicker
• Use plenty of solvent for faster and easier installation and alignment

Finally, on the longstanding question of gripping with pressurized air vs. solvent, Nick says that either method works, but he prefers solvent.  He finds solvent to be easier when trying to line up a grip precisely.

If you’re interested in changing your own grips, get the step by step instructions HERE.

Pulling Shafts

Removing a shaft from a club is often step two in a new club builder’s journey.  Nick repeatedly stressed the importance of a good shaft puller for this operation.  Having a quality shaft puller allows you to use less heat.  Using less heat gives you the ability to reuse the shaft and keep the head from having issues with paint or integrity.

Nick also stressed the importance of having a good pipe cleaner to clean out the hosel after a shaft pull.  If you don’t get all the debris out of the hosel, your next installation could be compromised.

I asked Nick how many times a shaft can be used before you lose performance or risk breakage.  He told me that “it’s really hard to screw up steel” but even a graphite shaft can be used many times if it’s pulled well.

On the question of separating pros from amateurs, Nick referenced the ability to pull a shaft without compromising the head or shaft.  “It’s very easy to burn the paint on the head, or discolor the chrome on steel, or in todays multi-material heads ruin the actual materials the head is made from.  Also a professional can pull and reuse a shaft 100 times due to having great pullers that allow for less heat use, keeping all materials like new.”

Weights & Measures

Weighing and measuring golf clubs seems straightforward, but Nick warned that there are several common mistakes that amateur builders make.

• Not using a club measuring jig
• Neglecting how much length the grip cap will add to a club
• Not calibrating your swing weight scale correctly
• Not calibrating your loft and lie machine

If you avoid these common errors, you should be well on your way to measuring like a pro.  Get step by step instruction on how to Measure & Adjust Swing Weight HERE

Prepping Shafts

To prep steel and graphite shafts, Club Champion uses a belt sander with 80 grit sandpaper.  Nick stressed that you do need to be careful with this method as it can remove material quickly.  Prepping the shaft by hand can be safer for novice builders.

The keys to prepping a shaft well are:

• Not over prepping
• Not prepping too high up the shaft
• Making sure you clean the shaft

The trick, of course, is knowing the difference between under and over prepped.  Nick told us that “As long as the surface is rough, you are prepped well enough.”

Get the step by step on shaft prepping HERE

Cutting Shafts

For both steel and graphite shafts, Nick uses a chop saw with a 0.035″ cut off wheel.  Nick states that this creates a thinner, more accurate cut than alternatives like hacksaws or pipe cutters.  It also helps to avoid frayed ends when cutting a graphite shaft.

Find our full Shaft Cutting 101 HERE

Golf Club Assembly

Before you actually put a club together, you need to choose the right epoxy.  Nick told us that any epoxy you buy from a reputable golf distributor – Golfworks, Mitchell – should be fine, and he pointed out the more expensive 810 and 420 from 3M as excellent, also.

Within a given brand, you’ll have the choice between quick setting epoxy – often ready to play in 30 minutes – and long setting which requires 24 hours to cure.  Nick recommended long set epoxy for novice builders as it gives them more time and often creates a better bond.

When you’re ready to glue up a club, here are the key mistakes you want to avoid:

• Not mixing epoxy thoroughly
• Not using enough epoxy
• Not abrading the shaft and hosel enough
• Not cleaning the hosel well enough
• Not having a tight fit

The solutions to these problems are all intuitive.  Take the time to mix your epoxy.  Nick says you can’t over mix, you can only under mix.  Similarly, there’s no such thing as over gluing.  Excess glue can create extra clean up work, but that’s far superior to a club coming apart.  Finally, make sure the shaft and hosel have a tight fit, using shafting beads if necessary.

Find our Club Building 101 lesson on assembly HERE

Ferrules

Ferrules don’t serve a performance function, but they’re the clearest indicator of a professionally built club.  Turning a ferrule properly requires time and the right equipment.

At Club Champion, turning a ferrules starts with a belt sander that has an Egyptian cloth belt.  Nick recommends a ferrule turning arm to make the process easier.  The next step is using steel wool to smooth the ferrule further.  Finally, they wipe down the ferrule with acetone on a paper towel to give it a shiny finish.

Nick also noted that Club Champion always glues the ferrules to the hosel.  This is a small step that ensures the ferrule won’t ride up the shaft over time.

Get the full step-by-step on turning ferrules HERE

Getting a Professional Look

Nick noted three aesthetic checkpoints that can keep a club from looking professional:

• Epoxy left on the head or shaft
• Uneven, unpolished ferrules
• Marks on the hosel from bending

Beyond the looks, Nick says that consistent, accurate swing weight is the #1 thing that separates amateur builders from the pros.

To make that leap to A Tier, Nick emphasized the importance of proper machinery, repetition, and finding a mentor who can teach you the proper technique.

The post Secrets of a Master Club Builder appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

Fad, Hype, or the Real Deal?

The Breakthrough Golf Technology RedZNE wedge shaft has become a sensation among the golf equipment obsessed.  I saw great results in my testing [full review HERE], and I know several prominent fitters who swear by it.

But as someone who always wants to see the data, I thought we should test the RedZNE more rigorously.  BGT’s strong claims of “10% tighter dispersion,” “92% better distance control,” and “lower launch” are like a ready made Golf Myths Unplugged, so we took the RedZNE into the lab.

The Myths

Myth #1 – BGT’s RedZNE improves distance control for most golfers

Myth #2 – BGT’s RedZNE improves dispersion for most golfers

Myth #3 – BGT’s RedZNE lowers launch for most golfers

Myth #4 – BGT’s RedZNE increases spin for most golfers

How We Tested

For this Golf Myths Unplugged, we built three wedges.  Each one used an identical Edison 2.0 head at 55 degrees [full Edison 2.0 review HERE].  One was shafted with the BGT RedZNE shaft at 115 grams; the other two with leading steel wedge shafts, also 115 grams.  Each wedge used the same grip and was built to the same length and swing weight.

Our test panel consisted of five players, all with handicaps below ten.  Each player made five full swings with each of the three wedges.  They repeated that process with a partial swing.  Each player tested the wedges in a different order.  All shots were captured by Trackman.

All testing was done at and with the help of Club Champion.

The Results

Before getting into this, it’s important to acknowledge that the way the myths are worded always has an impact on their final grade – confirmed, busted, etc.  It’s our hope that golfers will read our full findings rather than just looking at the graphic, because 99% of the time, there’s nuance that can’t be captured in a simple graphic.

Get ready for something you’re going to read a lot: the results here were a mixed bag.  

Looking at full swings, the RedZNE was the clear winner.  Three of five testers posted their best distance control numbers with it, and it had the lowest total distance dispersion when we averaged the whole group.

However, when we moved to partial shots, the picture got murky.  RedZNE was best – by a wide margin – for one tester.  It performed well with the other four, but was not the best for them.  Looking at the group average, it was tied for first.

Overall, the BGT RedZNE did show strong overall distance control, but we did not see anything to support their claim of “92% better distance control.” 

Dispersion is the area where the RedZNE lived up to BGT’s claims and most plausibly fulfilled the myth.

On full swings, the RedZNE had the tightest left-right dispersion for four of our five testers.  The one shaft that bested the RedZNE only did so by two yards – the RedZNE won some of its tests by as much as seven.  RedZNE was also the winner for the group average.

RedZNE claimed the crown for best dispersion on partial swings, too.  Three of our five testers produced their best dispersion with the RedZNE, and it claimed the best group average again.  In the most extreme example, the RedZNE’s dispersion was over 50% tighter than one of the competitor’s.  This far exceeds BGT’s claim of “10% tighter dispersion.”

While this myth scored a “Busted,” it should be noted that we saw very minor differences in launch angle among these three shafts.  On partial swings, the gap from highest to lowest launching was less than a degree for each tester.  On full swings it was as much as 1.7 degrees but averaged less than a degree.

On full and partial swings, the RedZNE was the lowest launching shaft for just one player.  Interestingly, it was not the same player.

Similar to the dispersion and distance control myths, the results on spin were mixed but generally positive for the BGT RedZNE.  Also, as we saw with launch angle, the differences in spin from shaft to shaft were small for the most part.

On full swings, the BGT RedZNE produced the most spin for three of our five testers.  For partial swings, RedZNE won for two of those three players.  The RedZNE was never the lowest spinning shaft, and it was close to winning for every player – it lost two trials by just 100 RPM.  On the other hand, the RedZNE’s wins weren’t huge either, averaging around 200 RPM.

Tester Feedback & Opportunities for Further Testing

Our testers universally loved the BGT RedZNE shaft.  “This thing throws darts” and “It looks so cool” were among the comments I recorded.  While not every player was looking to make the switch immediately, all of them liked the feel of the RedZNE, noting the combination of consistency and action or kick.

As for our testing, it’s always worth noting that larger sample sizes would yield more robust conclusions.  It might also be interesting to see how the RedZNE interacts with other wedges.  It’s possible that the unique properties of the Edison 2.0 enhanced or diminished the benefits of the RedZNE.  We would also like to test the other weights of the RedZNE against each other and other wedge shafts.

The Takeaway

Will the Breakthrough Golf Technology RedZNE wedge shaft turn your wedges into laser-guided missile launchers?  Not necessarily.  They’re very impressive, particularly with regard to left-right dispersion, but, like any piece of golf equipment, they need to be properly fit.  Whether it’s with the RedZNE or another shaft, working with a fitter like Club Champion is the best way to put more consistency into your short game.

The post Can the RedZNE Improve Your Wedge Game? – Golf Myths Unplugged appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

Introduction

Most golf destinations are closely tied to a particular style of golf.  Head to Arizona, and you’re going to play desert golf.  Scotland is famous for its links.  But if you’re looking for a golf destination that can deliver unparalleled variety, head to central Oregon.  It has every flavor of golf you could ask for and much more.

Bold & Daunting

My trip started with one of the most polarizing courses in the area – and maybe the country – Tetherow Golf Club.  Players that love it – like me – would describe it with words like big, bold, audacious, wild, and unapologetic.  The haters might use the word sadistic.  Objectively, the course is wide off the tee, firm and fast, with massive, undulating greens.  Whether you love it or not, it’s a clear one-of-one and a must play.

Full review of Tetherow Golf Club HERE

Tranquil & Meditative

Our next round, played at Black Butte Ranch’s Glaze Meadow course, showed Central Oregon’s range.  This course is a perfect match for its serene surroundings, offering a mix of challenge and scoring opportunities at a gentle pace.  This is resort golf in the best way – beautiful, straightforward, and welcoming.

Full review of Black Butte Ranch Glaze Meadow HERE

Strategic & Testing

The Jack Nicklaus Course at Pronghorn looks like nothing I’ve ever seen before.  The mix of high desert and juniper forest seems like something out of a sci-fi novel.  But you can’t be distracted by the unique beauty because this course requires precision off the tee and into the green.

Full review of Pronghorn’s Jack Nicklaus Course HERE

A Beautiful Beast

Our trip ended at Crosswater Golf Club, one of the most inarguably beautiful courses I’ve ever visited.  The combination of the Deschutes River and Cascade Mountains form postcard views on nearly every hole.  The course has a litany of college and pro championships under its belt, and its not hard to see why.  From tee to green, the level of variety will keep all types of players on their toes.

Full review of Crosswater Golf Club HERE

Drink It Off

There is a lot of great craft beer across America, but the scene in Bend is hard to top.  With 30 different independent breweries, you can drink something – and someplace – different every night of the month.  Many beer aficionados are familiar with Deschutes Brewery and their excellent IPAs.  If you want some eye candy to go with your beer, check out Crux Fermentation Project which is famous for its sunset views.

Central Oregon has plenty to offer if you prefer other spirits, too.  Wine lovers know that Oregon is loaded with wineries, so you can find plenty to taste.  There are also local distilleries for people that lean toward the harder stuff.  If you want that liquor crafted into a world-class cocktail, the new Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge is where you need to go.

Eat

Speaking of the Hawkeye & Huckleberry Lounge, this new restaurant by chef Brian Malarkey was the site of the best meal I’ve had in recent memory.  The term “farm-to-table” is fairly common these days, but Hawkeye & Huckleberry is ranch-to-plate, raising their own beef and chickens on Malarkey’s ranch.  They also grow much of their own produce and source the rest locally.  These incredibly fresh ingredients are put into creative dishes and served in a warm, comfortable setting that also has the capacity to host live music.

To get your day started, the breakfast sandwich at The Row at Tetherow is hard to top.  If you wake at a more leisurely pace, you can find plenty of brunch options in Bend.

Beyond Golf

While the amount and quality of golf is mind boggling, Central Oregon has so much to offer beyond the course.  If you enjoy spending time outdoors, you will love it here.  Hiking, camping, mountain biking, and skiing are all major parts of the culture in this area.  The Deschutes River adds another layer of options: canoeing, surfing, kayaking, and tubing are all available.

While my itinerary was golf-centric, I did get the opportunity to walk the Deschutes River Trail through Bend.  It was a fantastic way to start the day, observing the wildlife and the mix of solitude and community with the other people enjoying the trail.

Conclusion

Many golfers think of Bandon Dunes when they hear the word, “Oregon.”  There’s no shame in it: I was in that group for a long time, and no Oregonian that I met had a bad word to say about Bandon.  But there’s much, much more for the passionate golfer to find in Oregon, and, regardless of your taste in courses, you can find it near Bend.

The post Central Oregon Golf – Unparalleled Variety appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

Golf Course Rankings Are Stupid

People love lists, but they rarely make us smarter or happier.  This is certainly true in the world of golf.  The best known list of golf equipment is nothing but a glorified participation trophy for every OEM that buys ad space, but my ire today is fixed on a different set of lists – those that purport to rank golf courses.  My hope is that after you read this, you’ll join me in ignoring them.

Listen to the podcast version of this article HERE

What Are We Ranking?

The stupidity of golf course rankings starts to become obvious with the question above.  Most publications share their ranking criteria, but that only illustrates the inanity of the lists.

There are numerous ways that we can rank golf courses.  We can choose the most historically significant or rank them by the tournaments they’ve hosted.  We might pick the most beautiful, the most difficult, the most perfectly conditioned, or the ones with the greatest variety of holes, and this is only a small sampling of the possible criteria.  But to smash all of these things into one number, to say flatly, “Course X is better than all others,” is to miss the forest for the trees.

Would anyone make a list of “Best Spouses”?  Of course not.  Being a good life partner is a mixture of dozens of different things.  Could I conjure a list of qualities, assign them all a numerical weight, and then make the list anyway?  I could, but it would not make my list any less stupid.

Even if we accept the concept of making this list, what criteria are we using and how do we weight them?  For me, course conditions are a non-factor, but I know many golfers for whom it’s the defining characteristic.  Golfers with a love of history may care that a course was home to a famous golfer or tournament; others may wonder why that ever enters the conversation.  And that’s before we get to the issue of…

Different Tastes

Even if we selected a single criteria for a list, creating a “definitive” ranking is a fool’s errand.  People have different tastes.

This was brought into stark relief on our recent PIG retreat to Fripp Island Resort [learn more HERE].  After our first day of 36, we sat in our house and debated the respective merits of the two courses.  Even on a topic as seemingly fact-based as course conditions, we could not reach a consensus.  Two people felt the courses were dramatically different in conditions; two believed them to be peers.  This group, for what it’s worth, is comprised of four people who are all above average players who have played “good” and “bad” courses across the country.

Subjectivity is present in virtually every criteria that you could use to rank golf courses.  What is beautiful?  What makes a course historically significant?  What constitutes a fun or varied layout?

“But the list is a compilation of many peoples’ opinions, so that makes it meaningful.”

No, what it does is crush the soul out of the opinions of dozens or hundreds of players by turning them into a single number.  Said another way, it is…

The Destruction of Nuance

A large part of my issue with golf course rankings is the finality of them and the way in which they destroy nuance.  What a person likes or dislikes about a golf course is unique to them.

One of the great discussions in golf is, “What is your favorite course at Bandon Dunes?” [the PIG Staff debated that HERE].  A large part of what makes that conversation so wonderful is that no one – at least no one I’ve ever crossed paths with – has ever referenced a stupid course ranking during the discussion.  Golfers use the topic to explore what they value in a golf course and to understand the perspective of others.  I love Sheep Ranch for it’s replay-ability.  You may love Bandon Dunes for its history, the thought of it being the only course on this wild landscape.  The next time we play those courses, we can appreciate the other’s choice more as we see the course through another lens.  It’s a discussion that makes everyone love the game more.  It’s the anti-ranking, and it’s beautiful.

In contrast, course rankings are like GOAT debates.  I’ve never walked away from a LeBron vs. Jordan argument loving basketball more.  The premise of that debate pits me against you in a right vs. wrong framework.  It leads to us tearing down what someone else loves rather than appreciating their view or simply enjoying what we like.  It’s great for ESPN’s ratings, but how does it serve us?

What Is the Purpose?

Zooming out to a more philosophical point: golf course rankings are stupid because they don’t have a good purpose.

Golf course rankings are not a useful guide for where to play.  Every single golfer I know has stories of playing a “highly rated” course and hating it.  They’ll bookend that story with one about a course they love that’s never sniffed a Top 100 list.  Why is this the case?  For all the reasons we just discussed: the rankings are meaningless.

Golf course rankings do serve as a substitute for taste and developing your own opinion, but I wouldn’t count that as a good purpose.  I suspect we all know a couple of gasbags who are quick to boast that they’ve played some number of the Top 100 courses.  Those same clowns couldn’t tell you what they liked or disliked about any of them, nor could they name a single course that’s off the beaten path.

Rankings feed the egos of those who belong to or regularly play highly rated courses, but that seems like an awfully poor raison d’etre to me.

So that leaves us with the real reason that golf course rankings exist: to make money for the magazines.  I’ll get in depth on that after a short detour.

Some Truths About Course Raters

Before getting into this, I want to be clear that nothing here is written to disparage the individual course raters.  I have met numerous course raters, and I expect some PIG readers are course raters.  I’ve found most of them to be good people, and some of them are my friends.  Onward.

Golf course rankings are not handed down from on high.  They’re created by publications which get their information from an army of course raters.  These course raters are regular golfers like you and me.

That information alone may come as a surprise to many.  There is no secret society of golf savants who know the great secrets of golf course architecture.  The opinions of these raters is no more or less valid than yours.  Yes, they are generally low handicap players (every publication has its own criteria), but, again, that does not give their opinion more weight than yours.

Why do regular golfers spend time, effort, and – of course – money to rate courses?  Access.  Being a golf course rater for one of the big publications can get you access to private courses which most would otherwise never get to play.  Again, this isn’t to impugn the course raters; there are several private courses I would like to play, too.  It’s simply to emphasize that these are normal people responding to an incentive.

Another ugly truth about the ratings is that they reward inertia.  If a rater turns in a score that differs too much from the rest of the group, their rating may be thrown out and they might even lose their position.  If you, having spent time and money to attain a spot as a rater, were told that you might lose your spot if you, for example, gave Pebble Beach a mediocre rating, would you?  Most wouldn’t.  This practice further stomps the soul out of these lists, telling each individual that there is a right and wrong answer.

Hey, Must Be the Money

“Matt, if ranking courses doesn’t make sense, why do they do it?”

To quote one of my favorites, Tony Kornheiser, quoting Don Ohlmeyer, “The answer to all your questions is money.”

Golf course rankings are a huge money maker for the magazines that create them, which is why every big publication does at least one (and most do more than one – Top X in the World, in the US, Public, Private, etc).  And the different ways that the lists create revenue may surprise you.

Perhaps most obviously, these lists generate a lot of interest.  People love lists.  That means magazines sold and links clicked.  More clicks mean more ads mean more money.

Next, have you ever noticed how the golf courses that buy a lot of ad space always end up on these lists?  Funny how that works.  A brand new course jumps into the Top 100 following a months-long ad campaign.  That’s quite a coincidence.  And that sponsorship commitment will stay in place once the course is on the list, lest that spot be given to another.  “Nice ranking you got there.  Be a shame if something happened to it.”

Those courses often pay on both ends.  Having attained this vaunted status, they will want to put the Top 100 logo on their website and promotional materials.  Do you think they get to use those logos for free?  Think again.

Finally – though I may be missing other revenue streams – the raters pay the publications.  Every publication I’m aware of charges the raters for the privilege of rating courses.  Some take it a large step further, demanding that the raters attend pricey conferences every few years to maintain their status.

The Alternative to Golf Course Rankings

“But Matt, what will I do if I don’t read these lists?”  I have some radical suggestions.

Trust yourself.  Make your own lists.  Tell your own stories.

I get the allure of lists and the ability to show your “taste” and “status” by rattling off how many top courses you’ve played, but wouldn’t it be more interesting to tell people about a “no name” course that you discovered and what makes it great?

Wouldn’t the discussion be richer if we talked about the three courses you’d most like to play again rather than just enumerating how many “ranked” courses you’ve been to?

Wouldn’t the trip be more fun (and probably more affordable) if it led somewhere you’d never heard of?

Wouldn’t we all love golf more if we helped each other to see what we loved in our favorite places rather than arguing about what is “best”?

I know it’s radical, but I think it’s a good idea.

Share your thoughts on course rankings below

The post Golf Course Rankings Are Stupid appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

In this series, Matt and Andy discuss a golf topic they find interesting or important.  This isn’t an interview or a debate, just a conversation that occurred over email so that it could be shared with you.  If you like it, let us know in the comments.  If there’s a question you’d like to see discussed, share that, too.  Thanks.

MATT: To bookend our podcast about your personal swing changes [listen HERE], I thought we could do an email back and forth about the value of changing your swing for the average golfer.  I’m excited to see where this goes.

I’ll start with this: I’ve been a longtime enemy of YouTube golf instruction and the golf magazine “tips” culture.  I think I’m changing my view.  Making real, big, fundamental changes to one’s golf swing is hard.  It’s time consuming.  It takes more effort and heartache than most people are willing to endure.  So I don’t think most golfers should try to change their swings.  I think that, to the extent they want to practice, they should work on skills [more on that HERE], and I think the little bite-sized tips are fine, because they might buy someone a few swings worth of happiness.

How has your recent experience with swing changes affected your view on teaching significant swing changes?  Are you giving students a caveat that this might hurt and lead to some bad golf?

ANDY: I’ve had the crazy opportunity to spend time with Hank Haney, both watching him teach and having him give me a lesson.  I saw immediate results in the lesson, and was able to hit certain shots I wasn’t able to before.  I knew the changes were worth doing.  It made it feel better and easier to hit a golf ball.  From there I worked on what he gave me and also tried to incorporate a couple other things I had learned, specifically the new grip he showed Tiger.  Come on, who wouldn’t want to have the same grip as Tiger?!  I practiced a lot and was able to hit the ball great indoors on a TrackMan, but then had a lot of trouble when going outside.  I had to do some work to find the “sweet spot” of how much change I could handle and still take it to the course.

At The Golf Practice we mostly work with people on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.  It’s very common for someone to make some progress in a lesson, whether it’s skill improvement like being able to hit a different shot, or technical where they are able to change something in their mechanics, and then come back the next week and need to learn it all over again. Usually they pick it up much faster after having already learned it once.  As a coach, I am very cognizant of giving my students the right coaching, and not overloading them with information.  Since my swing changes, it has made me slow down a little bit, and make sure students have actually learned one concept before moving onto another.  Everyone, myself included, thinks we can make more changes than we actually can, so I see it as part of my job to help students navigate this dilemma.

MATT: When you get a new student, how much time do you spend talking about their goals?  And, relatedly, the amount of time and effort they’re willing to commit?

I think the former is the most underrated, under-asked question in golf lessons and club fitting.  So many golfers want to “get better” and haven’t spent any time thinking about what that means.  I think it’s a difficult question that people don’t grapple with enough before they start down various paths of “improvement.”

ANDY: I spend time at the beginning of our first session asking about their goals, how often they play and practice, and if they’ve worked on anything in the past.  There’s a lot of similarities.  Most people just want to get a little bit better, and reach the next scoring hurdle, i.e. breaking 90, 80, 70.  And most people are working on or thinking about something in their swing that has nothing to do with their biggest impact fault.

Often what people are working on is making them worse.  For example, a 5 handicap was struggling with chunking shots or hitting high on the club face.  He was focusing on “rotation” in the down swing.  This was keeping him from getting to his lead side, so when I coached him through not thinking about rotating and instead focus on finishing with his weight in his lead foot, he started hitting it much better very quickly.

I work on helping make students aware of what’s actually going on in their swing, help them understand what needs to be done, and give them a way to move forward.  Sometimes this is done through changing their intention: right now it’s like you’re swinging toward third base, swing toward first base.  Sometimes it’s through mechanics if something is so far “off” like a grip or club face position, that I don’t think they’d be able to get good results unless that is changed.

MATT: Let’s zoom out a bit and get away from your teaching practice and students.  What percentage of golfers should be taking lessons and trying to change their swing?  And what’s the reason for your answer?

ANDY: I think anyone who is serious about improving should take lessons. And this doesn’t necessarily mean changing your swing. A lot of people need help sifting through swing thoughts, tips from friends, and things they’ve seen on YouTube and TV.  They need to understand what their unique tendencies are, and have a good plan to move forward.  There are people who are members of country clubs, have spent thousands on a custom fit set of clubs, and yet when they are slicing they watch a couple of videos and think that will help- what are we doing here?

I know there’s definitely a financial and time commitment aspect to this question, so if someone can’t afford it, at least acknowledge that you’re doing this on your own and it will probably take longer than if you had someone helping you out.  And, don’t try to make big changes based on a 10 minute YouTube video.  A lot of golfers I meet spend tons of time and money on golf, but haven’t had lessons, and this confuses me.

MATT: We’ve finally found a point of discussion and disagreement, though I’ll ask a question first: what does it mean to be “serious about improving”?

Pending your definition, I disagree with your assertion.  I think it is based on the instructors you work with and your own teaching, which, from everything you’ve stated so far, is very thoughtful and holistic.  In my experience, there are a ton of bad golf instructors (in fairness to golf instructors, I think there are a ton of bad everything).  I don’t think rolling up to your average golf course and asking for a lesson is going to yield good results.  Most golf lessons I see could be taught by a robot: “This is your first lesson.  I don’t need to ask questions.  I will fix your grip.  You will hate it because it’s uncomfortable, but you won’t argue because I’m the authority figure.  You will express your disagreement by not coming back.”  Hopefully you read that in a robot voice.

You seem to cite country club membership and custom fit clubs as a reason that players should take lessons, but I think that’s misguided.  I enjoy golf equipment for its own sake, not because I’m under the delusion that it will turn me into a great player.  If I were to ever join a private club (unlikely), it would be because I loved the course and the pace of play, not because I’m a more “serious” golfer than people who play at public courses.

I think a golf lesson CAN be a wonderful thing.  A long term relationship with an instructor CAN be very helpful.  But we live in a time of unprecedented access to information.  If a golf instructor can’t or won’t explain to a player why they’re slicing, why shouldn’t the golfer click HERE so they can learn the physics of it?  I think a lot of players would improve faster by reading a lesson on ball flight laws than having someone force them into a new takeaway procedure.

Finally, I think that the insistence on lessons overlooks another path of joy (for some): figuring it out yourself.  I think it was on your podcast not long ago where someone was talking about Ben Hogan and how he practiced so much that he was constantly “figuring it out” and finding new keys, and that’s why he was so good.  Obviously the average golfer doesn’t have Hogan’s talent or work ethic, but I think the same idea of finding little things to improve on can apply, and that might be more fun and beneficial than having someone else give you a set of answers which may or may not apply to the test you’re taking.

ANDY: There is a common “golfer archetype” I come across frequently.  They want to get better, which means lowering their handicap.  They play a ton. They use the internet for quick tips, rather than “information gathering” or “self learning.”  And they are usually frustrated and don’t enjoy the game as much as I think they could.  This is more the type of person I’m talking about.

The answer on whether to take lessons is indeed a fine line.  I agree there are bad instructors, and so I would definitely not say to take lessons from bad teachers.  I like your robot definition.  Lots of instructors are former high level golfers who just couldn’t quite make it, so their way of saying around the game is to teach, whether or not they have a passion for it.  You should be able to tell quickly if they truly want to help you, or if they just want to sound smart and spout information at you.

This is also getting at a bigger picture point on learning something new.  I taught myself how to play guitar, and I am happy with my progress.  If I wanted to learn guitar by myself, and complained all the time about my ability, well then I should probably go get some professional help or change my perspective.  I may be arriving at a conclusion here, if you want to get better, get professional help, or have the right perspective on the situation.  If you enjoy figuring it out yourself (this is actually the bucket I tend to fall into historically with my game) then stay on it!  If you are struggling and keep trying YouTube and instagram, I think you’d benefit from finding a good coach.  I found through a lesson with Haney that I had a couple of “blind spots” i.e. things I was doing in my swing that I didn’t realize were making things harder than they needed to be.  I wasn’t able to see these on my own and found that allowing someone to give you another perspective can be very helpful.

MATT: That’s fair.  I think what you’re describing is analogous to the club junkies in my world who buy to try, read a million reviews, but never get fit.

I think one of the problems that a lot of readers will have is, “How do I know if this instructor is good?”  Paying to find out is an expensive proposition with lessons in our area being $100 and up, on average.  Do you have a suggestion for weeding out the poor instructors?

Your guitar example is funny to me because I’m largely self-taught on guitar, too, and I go back and forth about lessons.  I think it gives me more empathy toward “the average golfer” because my questions are theirs: Do I want to spend the money?  Am I going to practice enough to make this worthwhile?  How do I find a good instructor?  How am I going to feel playing in front of someone else?  All these questions lead me to a lot of YouTube (which has phenomenal guitar content) but no concerted plan for long term improvement.

ANDY: There’s a few things you can look for in finding a good instructor.  Do you know anyone who’s worked with that person before?  Do they have any reviews on Google?  Do they typically do “one off” lessons, or work with people on a regular basis?  You also don’t need to go in blind to the lesson, you should ask some questions in advance.  Be able to describe your game, and the parts of it you are stuck on.  Talk about what you’ve worked on, and how it’s gone for you.  Ask if they have any ideas on where they would start, and how long they think it would take for you to get where you would like to go.  Having a conversation and talking through these things will give you a sense on if it would be a good fit.

Ultimately, as we’ve discussed, the question on whether to take lessons has many factors.  Money, time, goals, and much more.  The biggest message I’m trying to convey is I see a lot of students who primarily work on their game through YouTube or Instagram, and in most cases it is making things worse, and not better.  Their experience is quite similar: seeing some quick results, but then losing it and needing the next tip.  So for anyone out there who feels stuck on this hamster wheel, lessons can be very beneficial.  One of my favorite coaches, Michael Hebron, describes his role as being a “traffic cop for ideas,” and this person is much more needed in the age of unlimited information.

More from Matt & Andy

Fun vs. Score

The Golf Ball Rollback

The post Should You Change Your Golf Swing? – Matt & Andy Discuss appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

The Best Golf Gifts for Dad

If you started playing golf in your youth, it’s likely that it was your dad who put that club in your hand.  Now is your chance to repay him by keeping him looking stylish and playing his best with these fantastic Father’s Day gifts.

TRUE FS Slide

Whether Dad is a golfer or not, the TRUE FS Slide from TRUE Linkswear makes a wonderful gift.  This modern mule style has a focus on comfort, yet also features traction and durability.  Water friendly and quick drying, the TRUE FS Slide offer Dad footwear he can enjoy poolside or on the putting green.

Shop TRUE FS Slide HERE

PUR Truth Prepare Putting Trainer

If you’re ready to watch Dad start draining a lot more putts, get the PUR Truth Prepare putting trainer.  This is one of the best putting trainers available, and it’s simple to use.  He can practice at the course or in his office, and it will sharpen his skills whether he’s a scratch player or a duffer.

Check out the full review HERE

Shop PUR Trainers HERE – Use code PLUG to save 20%

Caddy Splash Golf Water Brush

Make sure that dirt and sand aren’t keeping Dad from hitting premium shots with the Caddy Splash Golf Water Brush.  This brush has its own water supply for getting Dad’s clubs sparkling, and, unlike wire brushes, it won’t scratch up his clubs.  Dad will be thinking of his thoughtful child every time he sees his set looking photo-ready.

Shop Caddy Splash HERE

Check out the full review HERE

Carl’s Indoor Golf Bundle

This Father’s Day, save some money and help Dad tee off from home with this bundle from Carl’s Place that includes a HotShot hitting mat (with a variety of sizes to choose from), ball tray, and tee pack. Whether he’s a course pro or starting from scratch, Dad will appreciate the convenience and realism of practicing right at home. Give him the gift of endless rounds, rain or shine, and watch his game soar to new heights.

Shop Carl’s Indoor Golf Place HERE

Swing Caddie SC4 Launch Monitor

Whether Dad wants to take full advantage of golf simulation or just drop it down to get data off its built-in screen, the Swing Caddie SC4 is the perfect practice companion.  This affordable, accurate launch monitor will help him dial in his game and get more out of every range session.

Check out the full review HERE

Buy the SC4 Launch Monitor HERE

TravisMathew

If Dad is in need of some fresh clothes, TravisMathew is a great place to shop.  The Heater Polos are more than just great looking, they’re also crafted of either recycled or organic materials – part of TM Eco Collection.  The Legacy Featherweight Jeans are soft and comfortable, plus come in an array of colors besides denim.  The Wanderlust Shorts combine style and performance with their lightweight micro-ripstop fabric.  And for a budget friendly gift, TravisMathew has a vast array of hats.

TravisMathew also has you covered in the shoe department offering both casual and golf shoes – plus the Daily Pro Hybrid.  Beyond comfort and a stylish look, the Daily Pro Hybrid features deep, reverse traction lugs that provide traction when needed on the course.

Shop TravisMathew HERE

Shot Scope Pro ZR Rangefinder

Dads like things that are built to last, so they’ll love the new Pro ZR rangefinder from Shot Scope.  With its Durashield case, this will stand up to all types of abuse.  And, of course, it’s quick and accurate, so Dad can zero in his approach shots and make more birdies.

Check out the full review HERE

Shop Shot Scope HERE

Club Champion Club Fitting

A club fitting is the gift that always fits.  Whether your dad is in need of a new flat stick, a new driver, or a tune-up on his irons, he can get it at Club Champion.  And don’t worry if Dad’s not a gear head – the fitters at Club Champion make it easy to find the best clubs for every swing.

Find your nearest Club Champion HERE

Hyperice Venom 2 Back

If your dad ever complains about a sore back, the Venom 2 Back from Hyperice will be the perfect gift.  This easy-to-use device provides heat and massage to get Dad ready to play or help him relax after a hard day.

Check out the full review HERE

Shop Hyperice HERE

The post 2024 Father’s Day Golf Gift Guide appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

2024 – Some New Faces, Some Old Friends

Last year, I did a WITB feature [find it HERE] because of the unprecedented amount of changes in my bag.  Despite taking a measure of pride in keeping my bag consistent, 2024 saw even more changes than 2023, so here we are again.  A number of things have stayed the same, but there are nine new clubs in play, so let’s dive in.

Note: This post is accurate at the date of publication.  Changes will continue to be made.  I keep my WITB up to date HERE

The Driver: PXG 0311 Black Ops Driver

PXG won the driver spot last year, and they retained it with the new Black Ops driver [review HERE].  It’s a bigger profile than the 0311 GEN6 that I played last year, but Black Ops has better ball speed and more forgiveness.  Once I got the weighting dialed in, making this change was an easy choice.

One thing about the driver set up did not change: the shaft.  The Mitsubishi TENSEI 1K Pro White continues to be the absolute best thing going for my swing [review HERE].

The Fairway Wood: PXG 0311 Black Ops Fairway Wood

The fact that I’m consistently carrying a fairway wood might be the biggest change to my bag this year.  There have been FWs over the years that I’ve thought about bagging, but the Black Ops [review HERE] is so forgiving and easy to hit that it got me over the hump.  My fitter put me into a 17 degree head, which I hit just as far as the 15 degree but with a softer landing angle.  The shaft is a Mitsubishi Diamana S Limited, which helps to keep the ball in front of me.

The Hybrid: PXG 0311 XF GEN6 Hybrid

This is the first carryover from 2023.  Everything that impressed me during my fitting and review [details HERE] has remained true – this club is long, easy to hit, and I love the ability to put some fade bias into it with the adjustable weights.  Like my driver, this hybrid is shafted with a Mitsubishi TENSEI White shaft, which gives me a great combination of feel and control.

Generally, I don’t play courses that require me to carry a hybrid and a fairway wood, so I’ll typically carry one or the other, depending on my mood and how the clubs performed in the last range session.

The Irons: PXG 0317 T Irons

The majority of my bag turnover comes from switching to the PXG 0317 T irons [review HERE].  The PING Blueprints fought off more forgiving challengers for several years, but these irons are simply too good.  The lofts are fairly traditional, they look and feel great, and they’re built for consistency over distance.  These are a few yards longer than my Blueprints, but the reason for the change was the forgiveness: the 0317 T makes my “off” days a lot more enjoyable.

Just as with the driver, I changed the head but not the shaft.  This set was built with PURE’d Nippon Modus 115 shafts [review HERE].

The Wedges: Edison 2.0

My Edison 2.0 wedges were never in danger of losing their spot in my bag.  These remain the best wedges I’ve ever played [review HERE].  There are a lot of things I love about them, but the number one thing is how they don’t care if I practice or not.  In my first rounds of the year, these wedges are helping me to get up and down like I was grinding all winter.  If you haven’t tried Edison, you’re really missing out.

These wedges have the same Nippon Modus 115 shafts as my irons.

The Putter: SWAG Handsome Too

I flirt with a broomstick and a traditional mallet, but when I need to head to the course, this is the putter I pick up.  This is my favorite putter shape, and I think this is the best version of it that exists [full review HERE].  One day this putter will be relegated to a backup role, but today is not that day.

The Ball: PXG Xtreme

The PXG Xtreme golf ball does everything I need it to – goes long off the tee, spins into the greens, and feels great – at a cost that’s below almost every comparable ball [full review HERE].  As someone who is constantly beating the drum for more accessibility in golf, how could I play anything else?

Technology – Shot Scope V5 & Pro ZR Rangefinder

Shot Scope made two non-club changes to my bag this year with their latest rangefinder and shot tracking watch.  The Shot Scope V5 [review HERE] has the same tech as the X5, but I find the old school buttons to be a better fit than the touchscreen for my large fingers.  Shot Scope’s Pro ZR rangefinder [review HERE] is super easy to use with dedicated buttons for each function, and its durability is unbeatable.

The Bag: Koger Sunday Bag

This is the perfect Sunday bag [full review HERE].  It’s light, but the material is incredibly durable.  It has just enough structure to make it easy to slide clubs in and out.  There’s enough storage for the necessities and nothing more.  Carrying this bag makes me happy, which is the single best reason to have any piece of gear in your kit.

The post Matt Saternus What’s In The Bag 2024 appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

A Hidden Gem – For Now

When your neighbors are two of the best-known golfing destination in the country – Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach – it can be hard to get the recognition you deserve.  Tucked between these two giants is Fripp Island Resort – a gem that I don’t think will be hidden for much longer.

The Location

Fripp Island Resort is a private island just north of Hilton Head, South Carolina.  It’s a one hour drive from either Savannah or Charleston, making it easy to get to from almost any major airport.

Most importantly for our purpose as golfers, the climate at Fripp Island is conducive to year-round golf.  The locals might argue that the summer is too hot and the winter too cold, but they’re spoiled.  For a northerner, the whole year is open for golf, though I will agree that the spring and fall are the best.  Whether you’re looking to start your season a little early or keep it going through November, the weather at Fripp Island is just what you’re looking for.

The Golf Courses

There are two 18-hole golf courses at Fripp Island Resort – Ocean Point and Ocean Creek.

Ocean Point Golf Course was designed by George Cobb and opened in 1964.  It features gorgeous ocean views with several holes that take you within spitting distance of the water.  Ocean Point review HERE

Ocean Creek Golf Course is significantly younger, having opened in 1995.  It was designed by the team of Davis Love III and Paul Cowley.  Ocean Creek offers a different type of beauty, featuring South Carolina’s lowland marshes.  Ocean Creek review HERE

The two courses share some common features, most notably a high level of difficulty off the tee, but they have enough differences to make for a compelling day of 36 holes.  Because the courses are only open to those staying at Fripp Island, pace of play is brisk, and the course conditions are excellent.  Fripp Island Resort also makes itself a family friendly golf destination by allowing kids to play for free.

Where to Stay

Fripp Island is home to about 2,000 private homes, roughly 800 of which can be rented through Fripp Island Resort [check it out HERE].  Whether you’re heading down with your significant other or multiple foursomes, they have a place that will feel like your personal home away from home.  Booking through Fripp Island Resort ensures that when you’re there, you’ll be just like a club member with full access to all the resort’s amenities.

For our PIG retreats, being able to rent a house is the best.  Everyone has room to spread out, and we have a quiet space to be together.  When we want to go out to eat or drink, we have those options, but renting a house gives us the ability to recharge, cook our own meals, and debate course rankings without interruption.

The Extras

Fripp Island Resort might cringe at every other part of their resort being labeled “Extras,” but this is Plugged In Golf, not Plugged In Family Vacations.  That said, the “Extras” are extraordinary and allow you to make Fripp more than just a golf trip.

The highlight at Fripp is the three miles of continuous beach.  Even at the height of summer, you can find a place to spread yourself out on the sand and enjoy the ocean.  There are thirty beach access points across the island, so you don’t have to worry about golf cart traffic jams either.

If you like the water but not the sand, Fripp Island Resort has you covered with numerous pools at both the Beach Club and the Cabana Club.  The Beach Club also has an adults only pool, if you’re looking for a quieter swim.  Additionally, several homes have their own pools, so you can rent one of those if you want a truly private experience.

For those that want to experience the water with an intermediary, Fripp Island Resort has a full service marina.  You can rent all sorts of boats, paddleboards, kayaks, or charter a boat for a cruise or fishing expedition.  Whether you go out into the ocean or stay in the marshes and inland waterways, you’re sure to get amazing wildlife views.

Finally, Fripp Island is a great place for families.  Because it’s a private island with more golf cart traffic than cars, you can give your kids a longer leash than you might otherwise – something they’ll love.  If they want organized activities, Fripp has daily camps and activities for kids where they can interact with nature.

What’s Next

Fripp Island Resort is already a great place to visit, but they’re in the midst of making it even better.  In 2024, the Dye Design Group is renovating Ocean Point Golf Course with new bunkers, expansive waste areas, and the elimination of cart paths.  The goal is to give the course more modern playability and a feel that’s more closely connected to its beach environment.

The golf course renovation pales in comparison to what’s happening at the resort broadly.  Every restaurant is being revitalized and new ones are being added.  The Beach Club is being redesigned in 2026.  A new tennis clubhouse is being built and more pickleball courts are on the way.  A PopStroke-style mini golf course course is being built as I write this, and the Cabana Club is being modernized.  If you haven’t been to Fripp Island Resort in a few years, you might not recognize the place when you return.

Don’t Wait

The problem with uncovering hidden gems like Fripp Island Resort is that they don’t stay hidden.  If 36 holes of golf paired with miles of beaches and countless amenities sounds like a win for your next trip – golf or family – book it now.  Fripp Island is a wonderful destination that’s only getting better.

Visit Fripp Island Resort HERE

The post Fripp Island Resort – Your Next Golf Destination appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

A Quick Fix for Inconsistency?

With the return of Anthony Kim to the world of professional golf, choking up on the golf club is front and center.  Not coincidentally, a reader recently asked us whether it would be worthwhile to build their clubs over-length so they could choke up on every shot.  That sounded like a Golf Myths Unplugged if ever we’d heard one, which brings us to today’s question: Does choking up improve ball striking?

Note: some people prefer “choking down” or “gripping down” to “choking up,” but all these terms describe the same thing: effectively shortening the length of the club by gripping it closer to the club head.

The Myths

Myth #1 – Choking up improves ball striking

Myth #2 – Choking up improves accuracy

Myth #3 – Choking up reduces distance

Myth #4 – Choking up will flight the ball down

Myth #5 – Choking up improves consistency

Myth #6 – Choking up is better than playing a shorter shaft

Myth #7 – Choking up on a longer shaft is better than playing your fitted length

How We Tested

For this test we brought together six golfers with handicaps ranging from scratch to ten.  Each player selected their gamer iron shaft in their fitted length as well as +1/2″ and -1/2″, relative to their fitted length.  Every player in our test hit four sets of seven shots: one each with the -1/2″ shaft, the standard length, the standard length choked up, and the +1/2″ choked up.  The order of testing was different for every player.  Each player performed this test with the PXG 0317 CB iron head. [review HERE].

Every shot was measured on Trackman.  Testing was done at and with the help of Club Champion.

The Results

For this myth, we looked at smash factor.  Smash factor is ball speed divided by club head speed, essentially a measure of how effectively you transmit energy from the club to the ball.  This is the best single metric we have for evaluating the quality of a strike.

For all of our six testers, choking up on their fitted length club improved their smash factor.  The differences were substantial with two players seeing jumps of 0.05 and 0.06.  For a player with an 85 MPH swing, those improvements would translate to approximately 5 MPH more ball speed!  The smallest improvement we saw was 0.03 which is still worth about 3.5 MPH with an 85 MPH swing.

The conventional wisdom holds true: choking up will make it easier to find the center of the club face more often.

To evaluate accuracy, we looked at two things: the dispersion of a player’s shots from left to right and their distance from the center line.  These both need to be taken into account to get a complete picture of accuracy.  A player might have a very low average distance to the center line, but their misses could coverage a huge range from left to right.  Alternately, a player could have a very tight grouping that’s thirty yards left of the target.

Looking at left to right dispersion, we saw an even split in our test group.  Half the group had a tighter grouping with the choked up golf club, half were better when swinging the club at its full length.  That said, averaging out the group’s numbers tilted things slightly in favor of choking up.  The players who were better with the full length club were better by a small amount.  Those that were more accurate with the choked up club were better by a larger amount.

Switching to distance from the centerline, choking up won a more convincing victory.  Five of our six testers hit their shots closer to the centerline when choking up, and the margins were substantial.  For three of our testers, the standard length choked up set was their most accurate of the four sets.

On balance, it seems plausible that choking up would improve a player’s overall accuracy, though it was not true in every case.

Choking up on a golf club is most often used to “take something off” the shot, but does it actually work?  Myth #1 showed us that choking up typically adds ball speed, so this seemed worth investigating further.

We looked at the average carry distance for our six testers and found that choking up did reduce distance, though typically not by much.  For two of our testers, the difference was less than one yard.  Only one tester saw a difference that was in line with conventional wisdom – seven yards less when choking up.

Two things explain these shorter carry distances in the face of improved smash factor.  First, all of our testers saw a slight reduction in club head speed when choking up.  Second, the ball flight changed.

Finally, it’s worth noting that we asked our testers to try to make full, equal swings regardless of the club length.  It is often the case that players pair choking up with a smaller, less effortful swing.  While our testing did confirm this myth, the results might have been more in line with conventional thinking if players were allowed to do what they normally do when choking up.

Another reason that players choke up on the club is to lower their ball flight.  Our testing confirmed that choking up will flight the ball down.

Each of our testers produced a lower launch angle when choking up.  On average, launch angle was reduced by 1.78 degrees.  One player dropped their launch angle by 2.7 degrees.

Turning to spin, five of six testers produced less when choking up.  On average, our testers created 475 RPM more spin with the club at full length.  The one tester who had more spin when choked up only had a gap of 100 RPM.  The maximum spin reduction we saw when choking up was 900 RPM.

These differences in launch and spin translated to an average peak height that was 14 feet lower when choking up.  The smallest difference in apex was 5 feet and the largest was 23 feet.  I would add that, as with our previous myth, this gap might be even larger if players were using an 80% swing.

“Consistency” is a magical word in golf, but it’s rarely well-defined.  For this myth, we looked at both the accuracy and the distance dispersion to get an overall picture of how predictable a player’s shots were.  Distance dispersion is the gap between a player’s longest and shortest shots.

Since we already found it plausible that choking up improves accuracy, we’ll go straight to distance dispersion.  The picture here is similar to what we saw with accuracy: a mix of small losses and big wins for choking up.  Half of our testers had less distance dispersion with the full length club, but they were only better by a few yards.  The half that was better when choking up saw substantial improvements, sometimes cutting their dispersion in half.

Overall, we can’t go beyond “Plausible” for this myth.  While some golfers did see significant improvements in consistency, others did not.

For this myth, we compared the fitted length choked up to the -1/2″ data set.  Two things stood out clearly.  First, all of our testers achieved better smash factors with the choked up club.  The gap was not as wide as when we compared choking up to standard length, but it was consistent across our entire group.  Additionally, all players flighted the ball lower – though, again, the difference was not huge – when choking up.  This came from universally lower launch angles and spin rates.

The rest of the data was more muddled.  Some players were longer with the -1/2″ club, others with the standard length choked up.  We saw that same mix when it came to distance dispersion, left-right dispersion, and distance from the centerline.

Overall, this leads us to say that choking up is not better than playing a shorter shaft, though there does seem to be something different about it as evidenced by the lower ball flight and improved smash factor.

Finally, we compared the data from our players hitting their fitted length shaft to hitting a longer shaft (+1/2″) and choking up.  We were surprised to see the same trends continue almost perfectly.  All of our testers had lower launch and spin when choking up, and all but one had higher smash factor (one saw no difference).

Turning to distance, only one of our testers hit the longer, choked up club farther.  That player gained 2 yards of carry.  The other five testers lost an average of 4 yards of carry.  As before, this is due to the ball flight being lower than optimal.

Where things got really interesting is when we looked at the accuracy and consistency.  Four of our six testers improved their distance dispersion with the longer, choked up club.  On average, our group shrank the distance between their best and worst shots by 4 yards.  For left-right dispersion, five players were better with the longer, choked up club, and the one who was better at standard length was only better by two yards.  Finally, four players placed their shots closer to the center line with the longer, choked up club.

While there is a lot of data here to recommend playing a longer shaft and choking down, it’s not clean enough to call it “Confirmed.”  Few players are going to want to give up half a club of distance, and most golfers don’t need to hit the ball lower.  That said, the improvements in smash factor and overall dispersion are compelling.

Notes from the Test Panel

This was one of the best test panels we’ve ever had it terms of ball striking quality and how efficiently they got through the testing.  However, they were also quite terse, offering little commentary.  These two things are probably related – they were more focused on hitting their shots than expounding on the feel differences between plus or minus 1/2″.

That said, I was able to coax a couple of interesting notes from the group.  A couple said that when they were choked up they felt like they were “fighting the club.”  This was particularly true with the +1/2″ club.  It would be interesting to dig into this more and find out how often they hit shots like that on the course.  My hypothesis is that these players hit almost all their shots at full length.

Another player said that they felt that the choked up shots were more prone to go left.  This was not supported by the data, though it’s impossible to know if that player started adjusting their swing to compensate.

Finally, for those interested: each additional half inch of length added approximately 3 swing weight points.

The Takeaway

While choking up definitely has an impact on ball striking, it’s not clear that everyone should build their clubs over-length and play like Anthony Kim.  The improvements in smash factor are compelling, but the lower ball flight and shorter carry distances aren’t going to appeal to most players.

The post Does Choking Up Improve Ball Striking? – Golf Myths Unplugged appeared first on Plugged In Golf.

Golf Is Not A Journey

As soon as we start going to school, we’re told that life is best understood as a journey with a destination.  There is a goal – to get good grades, and reach the next level.  This continues through college, and into our working lives.  There’s always something more, and we won’t be completely satisfied until we reach that goal.   

There’s a problem.  Does it ever feel like you’ve actually made it?  Or are you always left with the feeling you haven’t quite made it yet?

Scoring Goals

This is the same with golf.  Ever since I can remember keeping score, I felt like I would never be satisfied until I reached the destination, which was the next scoring goal I was up against.

The initial destination was breaking 40 for 9 holes. I made it, but it didn’t quite give me everything I was looking for.  I knew exactly why.  It was because there was a true destination that would fill me with pride and set me apart from other golfers – breaking 80.  I broke 80.  Then I broke 80 consistently.  Then I broke par for 9 holes.  Then I broke par for 18 holes.  Then I broke par for 18 holes multiple times in one year.  

As I was going on this journey, any time I didn’t get where I wanted to go, I was left making excuses to explain away my bad day.  My clubs weren’t right.  I wasn’t feeling 100%.  My swing wasn’t good enough.  I needed thicker grips.  The pace of play was slow.

The Universe is Playful

There’s a philosopher named Allan Watts who says the universe is inherently playful.  The universe isn’t going anywhere, and it doesn’t have any direct purpose.  Because of this, life is best understood by an analogy with music rather than seeing it as a journey with a destination.

If life and golf would be seen as a song, rather than a journey with a destination, it would make a big difference in how we approach our games.  In golf, we’re never satisfied when reaching our scoring goal, so maybe we shouldn’t take it so seriously. 

Playing at Golf

Over the past few years I’ve played golf with a half set of clubs, with no driver, with a persimmon driver, and with hickory shafted clubs.  I shot 6 under at Sand Valley with 6 clubs, a score I somehow know I couldn’t have come close to matching if I had a full set.  I don’t keep score every time.  My favorite way to compete is by playing matches, and my best days are usually when I know the score to the match and forget what my individual stroke play score would be.  I prefer to walk in tennis shoes.  I just got a new driver and wedges, and plan to use them in a set of 10 clubs my next time out.  

I think it’s possible to understand golf as a metaphor with music and still keep count of every stroke, keep your handicap current, and always use the maximum allowed clubs under current USGA rules each time you play.  I just think it’s a bit harder.  We end up treating golf and our games like we are a music conductor who thinks their only job is to play the piece as fast as possible.  It may be an impressive feat, but at the end you’ll be left talking about how you think you could have played a little faster rather than the beauty of the song and how it made you feel.

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