Geek Talk For Gearheads
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Bomb & Gouge
Drivers a la carte
Q. I hear there are new drivers coming out with shafts that I can easily pop in and out or heads that I can change with a wrench. Are they worth it?
BOMB It depends on what your definition of worth it is. Some of these clubs cost $1,000. Not sure about you, but I might have trouble getting that past the missus. But if money isn't an issue, there are reasons to consider them. We're in an age of customization. This is just taking it to the next logical level.
GOUGE Oh, they're a great idea. If you're a delusional schizophrenic. I really have to wonder what value there is in having average golfers guess which driver setup might work best today versus next Thursday. Golfers can't hit a stationary target consistently. Imagine how hard it might get when they start flip-flopping their implements. For average golfers, fitting is a dynamically approximate kerfuffle. Therefore, when impact is a random event, the goal is to get close to optimum. So get fit and stay with that setup, provided you've spent the requisite time with an accomplished clubfitter (not some guy whose name is written in erasable ink on a "How can I help YOU!" ID badge at Sportstuff R Us). The whole point of a genuine fitting experience is to put you in a position where you are most capable of taking advantage of your abilities. Adjustability is a card trick, and card tricks at best indicate someone who is really bad at playing cards.
BOMB But that's the point, my thick-headed friend. I agree with you that good players who have reliable swings are better off getting fit well and sticking with what they have. However, the proper fit for most golfers changes the minute they leave the hitting bay. The everyday player has a swing like Sybil. So the proper fit changes. That's why adjustability is a decent idea. Sure, it's a little like slapping a band-aid on a compound fracture, but it will work for a while, even if it's just a placebo effect. The fact is, when everyday golfers change their equipment, they tend to perform better--at least in the short-term. It's like the kid with new sneakers who's convinced he runs faster. If a guy slaps a higher-launching shaft in his driver because he has been hitting line drives, he'll probably see some benefit. What's wrong with that?
GOUGE In other words, take more drugs. Where does the search for the right combination of fixes end? To say nothing about whether my Callaway head will be compatible with my new TaylorMade shaft, which it won't be. Adjustability clearly presents interesting fitting scenarios, but a good fitting should be about eliminating variables, not expanding the range of possibilities. Adjustability says great things about the potential for more golfers to get in the right club. Singular. Plural is just an expensive guess.
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By E. Michael Johnson and Mike Stachura
Photos By Jim Herity April 2008
- NICKENT's Evolver 4DX (based on the 4DX head design) comes with two shafts (one higher launch), and others can be added ($480, nickentgolf.com).
- TaylorMade's r7 CGB Max Limited has a clubhead with three movable weights, additional weights and three shafts ranging from 55 to 75 grams ($1,000, taylormadegolf.com).
- Callaway's i-Mix technology combines individually purchased FT-i and FT-5 heads with a range of 1,600 combinations ($435 to $500 for heads, $185 to $435 for shafts, callawaygolf.com).
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