Fraud alert - you clubs demo day

[Lindsey Newman]

Fraud alert - your golf clubs demo day

So, because zero golf shops in my hometown stock sh!t worth having, I asked my head pro about our upcoming demo day and what I could expect. I was looking to demo some 3woods in x stiff shafts and a Trackman. He "assured" me of both. All the big companies were there.

When I arrived nothing I was "assured" of was present. I stayed a while just to take in the scene. What I witnessed was appalling. These "fitters" are nothing more than hustlers. They all had these janky-ass launch monitors which were suspect at best with mainly stock shafts. I played along with one of these dudes just to see what he had to offer. I told him that I wanted a 13.5fd head and a proforce 96x which he did not have. So he puts a 13.5 fd with a rip a 80 shaft at 45 inches. I hit it ok choking it down, but clearly not optimal. He's like " man, forget the proforce you just need to get this shaft in the right length". He says to me, " that thing is not spinning at all". IT WAS BLOWING 15 MPH STRAIGHT DOWN WIND!

Anyway, I know I can be a bit overly principled BUT DAMN! These demo days are just snuff film production were sheep go to get sheared.

"be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm"

 

[bluebird]

And "don't let a horse trader on the farm"
Were these folks flying under the name brand flags ?

 

[Kevin Shields]

I guess it's not feasible for all clubs or vendors but it's tough to take a demo day seriously without some technology to give you feedback

 

[Lindsey Newman]

And "don't let a horse trader on the farm"
Were these folks flying under the name brand flags ?

Yes

 

[bluebird]

Thanks for the heads up. Even if their monitors are antiques one could still experiment for relative improvement, no?

 

[Lindsey Newman]

As long as one realizes that the demo day is really not about getting folks into properly fitted equipment then I guess it is what it is. I was led to believe that a demo day is something that it is not.

 

[puttmaster]

As long as one realizes that the demo day is really not about getting folks into properly fitted equipment then I guess it is what it is. I was led to believe that a demo day is something that it is not.

The best Demo Day that I've seen was one where the [manufacturer's name] Tour Van was on site, along with one of their master club fitters. They had launch monitors and two knowledgeable club tech guys on site, too. After his testing session, I bought my then 9-year-old his first set of custom clubs on the spot - and he played with them that afternoon.

Since he had the opportunity to sit in the tour van and watch his clubs being built, he had an immediate player's bond and confidence with them. It's not surprising that he is fiercely loyal to that brand today. In fact, his (now 13-year-old) most recent fitting resulted in me writing a fat check for the forged version of that same brand of irons.

 

[finncox]

It's really hard to get an idea of what you really need (shaft bend profile, stiffness, etc.) without going to a qualified fitter, such as someone who fits for companies like Wishon, KZG, Miura, Alpha, etc., and has access to technology such as TM or FS.

But, once you get a good idea of what you need, I think most people are better off skipping the sales pitch and ordering from a source where you can get EXACTLY what you want in terms of custom options, lies, shaft flex/bend profile, head shape, etc. Demo days and sales pitches at big box golf shops are a black hole at best.

 

[DCgolf]

So, because zero golf shops in my hometown stock sh!t worth having, I asked my head pro about our upcoming demo day and what I could expect. I was looking to demo some 3woods in x stiff shafts and a Trackman. He "assured" me of both. All the big companies were there.

When I arrived nothing I was "assured" of was present. I stayed a while just to take in the scene. What I witnessed was appalling. These "fitters" are nothing more than hustlers. They all had these janky-ass launch monitors which were suspect at best with mainly stock shafts. I played along with one of these dudes just to see what he had to offer. I told him that I wanted a 13.5fd head and a proforce 96x which he did not have. So he puts a 13.5 fd with a rip a 80 shaft at 45 inches. I hit it ok choking it down, but clearly not optimal. He's like " man, forget the proforce you just need to get this shaft in the right length". He says to me, " that thing is not spinning at all". IT WAS BLOWING 15 MPH STRAIGHT DOWN WIND!

Anyway, I know I can be a bit overly principled BUT DAMN! These demo days are just snuff film production were sheep go to get sheared.

"be wary of any man who keeps a pig farm"

Oh so true my friend, and a noble thing to speak truth to power! I have waged this war with every faciity where Ive worked. The most you can ever say to prospective buyer is this: Of all the clubs I have here, I think this one is the best for you! Most don't realize that to do a proper fitting, the fitter must be equipped with an almost infinite variety of shafts, heads and golf balls. And they are not always within the same brand. They are called Demo days, not fitting days, because most of the people hawking them are sales reps not professional fitters. Fitting is teaching and vice versa, and Lord knows I do not want my golf swing or my investment in the hands of someone with little to no golf knowlegde. I refuse to fit unless the facility provides all the tools I need to do it professionally.

"Happiness is making a living, not a killing!"

 

[Lindsey Newman]

It's really hard to get an idea of what you really need (shaft bend profile, stiffness, etc.) without going to a qualified fitter, such as someone who fits for companies like Wishon, KZG, Miura, Alpha, etc., and has access to technology such as TM or FS.

But, once you get a good idea of what you need, I think most people are better off skipping the sales pitch and ordering from a source where you can get EXACTLY what you want in terms of custom options, lies, shaft flex/bend profile, head shape, etc. Demo days and sales pitches at big box golf shops are a black hole at best.

It's not like I don't know how to get fitted. I fit myself for a driver last year, but it was an enormous effort to get the equipment to do it. Not to mention a 3 1/2 hour drive, but it was worth it as my driver is great.

The problem with having higher club head speed is getting access to the shafts and heads in one location.

The last thing I want is anyone, including some hot stuff custom club maker, making a guess from a catalog - and that is what they do - whether they build miura, wishon or not. You simply cannot know good from bad without seeing the ball fly and feeling impact.

It really is a shame because the right equipment makes a huge difference with better players and unless you're a valued club professional or a tour player you simply have to go to the end of the earth to get fitted. You also would have to invest some serious cake as well.

An old, scruffy mini-tour grinder once said it best - "... In a world where nothing is ever easy"

 

[duckjr78]

I was excited a few months ago as Callaway was bringing a Trackman and the Razr fit to a club I was playing at on a Saturday. Not only did the carnival huckster who was running the show have me hit 10 shots in a row with a club that he wouldn't change at all, not only did he try to give me a lesson (as opposed to fitting me) after I had just finished 18 holes and had a swing going, not only did my previous driver have better numbers, mainly because he refused to alter lofts, shafts, or weights, not only did he prove that he had no concept of Trackman numbers, but the sorry SOB straight-up lied to me about how my ballspeed was 10 mph higher with the Callaway. So I walked around to see for myself. The number was 3 mph higher, along with 1500 more rpms and 15 yards less total distance.

But they offered me 10% off if I bought it that day, so I got that going for me, which is nice......

 

[ZAP]

Try going to a demo day as a lefty. Big fun.

 

[Lindsey Newman]

Exactly what I witnessed yesterday

 

[finncox]

It's not like I don't know how to get fitted. I fit myself for a driver last year, but it was an enormous effort to get the equipment to do it. Not to mention a 3 1/2 hour drive, but it was worth it as my driver is great.

The problem with having higher club head speed is getting access to the shafts and heads in one location.

The last thing I want is anyone, including some hot stuff custom club maker, making a guess from a catalog - and that is what they do - whether they build miura, wishon or not. You simply cannot know good from bad without seeing the ball fly and feeling impact.

It really is a shame because the right equipment makes a huge difference with better players and unless you're a valued club professional or a tour player you simply have to go to the end of the earth to get fitted. You also would have to invest some serious cake as well.

An old, scruffy mini-tour grinder once said it best - "... In a world where nothing is ever easy"

Didn't mean to imply that you didn't know what to look for.....more of a general observation/rant, having experienced the same unfortunate crap as yourself. It is a fun experiment now and then to talk with golf shop reps.....they will mostly try to sell you anything they can.

 

[Lindsey Newman]

No worries and I wasn't really thinking you were. We all good baby!