By Frank Thomas June 6, 2008

Our equipment guru, Golf Digest Technical Advisor Frank Thomas, has the answers to your questions. Click here to submit a question for possible use in this column and you could receive a signed copy of Frank's latest book, "Just Hit It: Our Equipment and Our Game." For more from Frank you can visit his site franklygolf.com. [Note: Each week submitted questions will be reviewed and the best one will receive a signed copy of Frank's book, "Just Hit It."]

ARE JAPANESE IRONS HOT?

Frank, are most Japanese market irons USGA conforming? I purchased a set of Japanese Taylormade 360 irons on Ebay, and hit them longer, higher, and straighter than any other irons I've hit. They are different than U.S. market TaylorMade 360's as they have a titanium face, seem lighter, and a little shorter. I'm short (5'7") and slight, so I suspect they are probably a better fit for me. However, I don't know if they conform to USGA rules and if I can legally play with them in tournaments? Would appreciate any info you can provide. Much thanks.

Sincerely,

--Kit

Kit,

The clubs you refer to are produced by Taylor Made and should conform with USGA rules which are identical to the Royal & Ancient rules which all reputable manufacturers in Japan adhere to. This is not an issue about which you need to be concerned.

I should advise you, however, that there is very little you can do to an iron club to make it hit the ball farther unless you change the length or the loft. Most iron clubs today in the game improvement category have a low center of gravity which is positioned as far back from the face as possible. This tends to launch the ball higher than a club which is less forgiving, and has a center of gravity closer to the face, normally found in blade designs.

This game improvement design, along with a slight increase in shaft length, will launch the ball higher and a little farther. However, this is not because it violates any standards.

When it comes to Japanese produced drivers on Ebay, I would be a little concerned because the Royal & Ancient for almost 10 years permitted a higher coefficient of restitution than the USGA standard. As of January 2008, all drivers produced under the Royal & Ancient jurisdiction are required to conform to a standard similar to that adopted by the USGA in 1998.

Frank

REGULAR vs. X-OUT GOLF BALLS

Frank, I'm sure you've addressed this question in previous columns, but I cannot find it. What is the difference between X-out balls and regular balls. I recently received several dozen and cannot find any difference.

Thank you,

--BN

BN,

You are correct that there are no performance differences in almost every case where the ball is X'd out.

The reason for the X-OUT stamp over the name, or on the side of the ball, is because there may be a blemish in the printing or some other aesthetic fault, not a difference in performance. This was not the case forty years ago, when some balls didn't meet the specifications.

Most major tournaments, the PGA and LPGA tournaments, and all USGA events post the list of conforming balls and only balls on the list may be used as a condition of the competition.

This list identifies those balls, which have been submitted to the USGA, tested, and found to conform to the rules. There are many balls which conform to the specifications but they are not on the list only because these balls were not submitted and are not intended to be, or not usually, used in serious competition. The X-OUT is one of those not listed, as are certain balls stamped with special logos in place of the standard markings.

You are permitted to have your name and/or even your company logo printed on a ball. These balls can be used in a competition where the list is posted. However, be sure that your name and/or the logo does not take the place of the standard markings of the ball which appears on the list, but that the special printing is in addition to the standard markings.

You can find the list of conforming balls here.

Hope this helps and enjoy your X-OUTS,

Frank

BETWEEN FLEXES

Hi, Frank. I have a question regarding shaft flexes for those who are between flexes. What should one do if, for example, one has a swing speed that is on the high end for a regular shaft and on the low end for a stiff shaft. Is it better to stay within the regular flex range to maintain better feel of the club, or is it better to go up to the stiff flex.

Thank you,

--Tim

Tim,

First let me advise you that there are no flex standards within the shaft industry, and as a result, you are going to find that shaft stiffness varies significantly even though shafts have a specific stiffness designation.

Having said this, you will find in most cases that if you are using a particular shaft model only then can you rely on a specific difference in shaft flex between regular, stiff and extra stiff, for example.

In your case, if you find yourself between shaft flexes, as in, between regular and stiff of a shaft model you like from a specific manufacturer, it will be better for you to choose the regular shaft rather than the stiffer version. This will provide you with a little more head feel allowing you to improve your timing and make a better swing. Selecting the stiff shaft will generally result in a loss of feel and only perform better when you make a harder swing.

The choice you have to make is between a stiffer shaft, which is generally a little more accurate (but you will lose some feel), or the regular shaft which will allow you to improve your timing which will result in a more efficient swing.

Let me know what you decide and how it works out.

Frank