Adjustable Golf Clubs

Hidden in today’s headlines of noteworthy golf news is the recent ruling by the USGA regarding the adjustability of golf clubs. This one decision could forever change how golf clubs will be sold and fit in the future.  For golf club designers this is very exciting news so stay tuned. Here is the link to the USGA press release: http://www.usga.org/news/2007/august/2007_66.html

Loft and Lie Q and A

As the Hireko Technical Director, I often get asked questions about loft and lie alterations. Here are some of the most common… Continue Here

Tour Champion’s Winner R.W. Eaks Wins Dick’s Sporting Goods Open with New Image Gold Image Shaft

High Performance New Image Gold Shaft Takes the Crown At Dick’s Sporting Goods Open

R.W. Eaks etched his first Tour Champions win using the New Image Gold shaft distributed by Hireko Golf. The Dick’s Open victory caps his 8th top 10 finish on the 2007 Champions Tour.

Eaks started playing the New Image Gold Shaft at the Greater Hickory Classic last year and finished second after being edged out in a playoff. Eaks’ driving distance and accuracy have increased since switching to the New Image Gold shafts. Continue New Image Gold Shaft Press Release here.

Apollo Hump Iron Shafts Win 1st and 2nd Place at 2007 Canadian Open

The first and second place golfers at the 2007 Canadian both used the Apollo Hump Shafts in their irons. The Hump Shafts feature wider geometric design to provide tip stability for improved accuracy.

“The Apollo Hump Shafts consistently perform at the highest levels of the game and we’re proud of their placing #1 and #2 at 2007 Canadian Open,” says Rob Altomonte, VP Marketing of Hireko Golf. The Apollo Hump Iron Shafts offer a lightweight design (Regular flex is only 110 grams) and low ball trajectory for average and professional players alike. Continue Apollo Hump Shaft Press Release here.

Apollo Steel Shaft Update

Keeping you abreast of the most current information is one of the responsibilities of the technical director. For the past 18 years, it has been my privilege to provide clubmakers and consumer alike with unbiased shaft fitting information to make more educated decisions on what golfers should use. Occasionally, some shafts change…Continue Here

Fitting for Swingweight Part Two

For those truly interested in fitting golf clubs or those who have a curiosity into what exactly swingweight is and how it affects the distance and direction one might hit the ball, we have some tips and products to help you out. Continue Here…

New 2008 Power Play System Q2 Driver Testing

Earlier this summer, I wanted to test some ideas regarding both
length and swingweight using some very controlled measures. This is only Part One of a three part test, but I wanted to share the thought process with you in order to gain an appreciation of the custom fitting process and show that it does takes time and diligence to find a winning combination. Continue Here…

High-lofted fairway woods: The alternative hybrids

No doubt, hybrid clubs are the most popular category of new clubhead purchases. These clubs are a cross between a wood and an iron. Hybrids and offer improved weight distribution, more forgiveness than low lofted irons and are a mainstay in golf bags ranging from high handicappers to the best golfer professionals in the world!

Many times when speaking with customers, I am often asked which clubhead will hit the ball both high and long based on their requirements.  Often this comes down to what distance gaps they may have or what particular club they are trying to replace.  In many cases, they really don’t need a hybrid, but rather a club that has been around for some time and that is the high-lofted fairway wood.  Believe it or not, these clubs can be more advantageous for many golfers who may struggle not only getting the distance they need, but also stopping the ball on the green.

The reason is simple; high lofted fairway woods are typically broader from face to back than a hybrid.  One of the touts of a hybrid is the center of gravity is rearward or some refer to it as “deep”.  With most fairway woods being just as shallow as a hybrid, the center of gravity is actually deeper in a high-lofted fairway.  Couple this with a smaller 0.335” tipped shaft that is usually more flexible than a 0.370” hybrid or iron shaft, and the result is even higher trajectory than a comparable lofted hybrid.

The one thing to understand, however, is the length of a fairway wood has a factor in the distance one hits the ball.  A 21° fairway wood will, in almost all cases, be built longer than a 21° hybrid.  The extra length provides greater leverage and speed resulting into a longer distance.  In fact, a 24° high-lofted fairway wood would provide a closer approximation of the distance of a 21° hybrid.  When you factor that in, the fairway wood will create a higher trajectory at the same distance.  This will enable one to land the ball with less roll on a green for long approach shots.

The next time you are in a market for a hybrid club; don’t forget to give a high lofted fairway wood a look too.

Sincerely,

 Jeff Summitt
Technical Director
Hireko Golf

Does the golf shaft really matter?

Many people will argue that the shaft is the engine of the club and it makes the difference on performance of a club.  In other camps, the clubhead design is the single most important component.  Neither is exactly wrong, but think about it a different way.  Remember those old Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup commercials?  The line was something along the lines of  “You got your peanut butter on my chocolate. No, you got your chocolate on my peanut butter”.  My contention is there are no bad shafts or bad heads there are simply good or bad combinations for certain golfers.

Whenever you conduct scientific testing, you want to eliminate all variables as possible except the one you are testing.  For instance, let’s say you want to test out all of the various Apollo steel S-flex irons shafts.  In order to do so correctly, you would shaft each one at the same length using the same head design, loft and lie, same balance, etc.   Then you would go out and hit each one and see what tendencies each one exhibited. If you are testing for head design, you use the same shaft, flex, length, etc. and see the tendencies of what the clubhead does.

This type of testing is very good to tell certain things about a single component however it does not test all the options possible.  Let’s say there are 6 Apollo S-flex steel shafts, but you have 26 different irons and hybrids of the same weight.  In this scenario, there are 156 combinations possible.  To test all 156 combinations takes a long time, and is an expensive proposition.

But let say you do have that ambition.  Chances are you will find the Apollo Hump shaft, with its unique geometry at the tip, has a tendency to keep the ball low and is fade/push biased compared to the other Apollo S-flex offerings using the same head. Now testing the heads using the same shaft, you find the Acer XP 905 Hybrid has a tendency to hit the ball high and with a draw bias. By themselves in the original demo clubs, neither component might be selected because the ball flight might not have been straight nor produced the desired trajectory.  However, match the two and someone (yes, like myself) has a club that works quite well. Sometimes certain parameters will cancel themselves out and harmonize with one another.

Finding the right combinations can be a daunting challenge considering all the different combinations and permutations that can occur.  Learn as much as you can about each of the components, their traits and tendencies, but don’t forget the bigger picture on how they might be combined.  This might also explain why one shaft in one head works so well and the same shaft in another head was disappointing.

Sincerely,

Jeff Summitt
Technical Director
Hireko Golf