Bader believes adjustability has value for fitting, but from a retail standpoint it presents problems. One is that each company is designing its own system for joining heads to shafts, as opposed to using a universal connector. So you might not be able to put the shaft you're using in your old Cobra head into your new Callaway driver.
The company behind the most successful adjustable club ever most likely will be a participant in this new endeavor, as well. TaylorMade's r7 drivers, with four adjustable weight ports, have been a success on tour and in the marketplace, and TaylorMade officials are considering how best to expand the technology already present in their SelectFit fitting cart into adjustable clubs for purchase. TaylorMade chief technical officer Benoit Vincent has gauged golfers' interest in adjustability since the introduction of the r7 in 2004. He sees a niche audience for the idea.
"How many people might use something like this seems inversely proportional to its complexity," says Vincent, who believes there will be challenges in putting an adjustable connector in a position that might not be ideal for optimizing performance. "From a design perspective, you have to ask, 'Is it the best use of weight?' Certainly, I love the possibilities. On paper, it's meaningful. But practically, well, I'm not sure."
But adjustability is in its infancy, and many believe that shaft-head interchangeability might be only one part of future development. For example, Nakashima Golf is developing a driver with face-angle selectivity. It's also not that far-fetched to suggest shaft-of-the-month programs or adjustable shaft lengths for drivers, wedges with changeable bounce angles, or even hybrid clubheads that might be converted to irons. Clearly, some sorting out will take place during the next few years. One thing is certain, the new emphasis on adjustability improves fitting, and at the same time increases the challenge of understanding which components best go together. As Ken Morton Jr., director of retail at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex in Sacramento, Calif., puts it, "I'm fascinated and scared to hell at the same time."
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