| Custom golf clubs are anything from a single club to a | | | | by a very few companies, but normally China, |
| full set of woods, irons and putter which have been | | | | Bangladesh, Japan, etc. None of the big names make |
| custom specified and assembled just for you. They | | | | their own shafts, the majority fitting True Temper |
| may work for somebody else and other people will | | | | shafts, sometimes branded with their own name but |
| probably love your custom built golf clubs, but they are | | | | never manufactured by them. |
| yours. | | | | Now when you pick up the magazines or discount |
| To make an analogy that most of you will be familiar | | | | shop offers are you looking for what suits you best or, |
| with we will compare buying a new set of golf clubs to | | | | more likely, the same clubs you thought Tiger or Vijay |
| buying a new suit or dress, there are three ways you | | | | or Ernie or Annika were winning with last weekend? |
| can go about this; | | | | This is a good time to dispel a widely held belief, the |
| Option 1 - You go to a clothes shop and browse | | | | only similarity between the clubs you can buy and the |
| around until you see something fashionable and then | | | | clubs winning major pro tournaments is the branding. |
| buy it and hope it fits you OK and is comfortable. That | | | | These pro golfers are paid anything up to seven figure |
| is the normal way most people buy their golf clubs. | | | | sums of money to use these brands, they and their |
| Option 2 - You can go to the same shops and try a | | | | coaches specify every head, shaft and grip that |
| few different designs, maybe even mix and match top | | | | makes up that set and somebody has to pay for that. |
| and bottom of the outfit, and eventually you will get | | | | So when you buy your set of Z43 Super Pingaway |
| something that fits OK but you may need to have | | | | irons you are paying for the components, the plush |
| altered, within the leeway the existing clothing gives on | | | | headquarters and the massive advertising and |
| sizes and lengths and quite a lot of people will get a | | | | endorsements that made you notice them in the first |
| reasonable fit. This is very similar to custom fitting your | | | | place. |
| new golf clubs, you are still limited to the small number | | | | A good custom club builder will use components made |
| of shafts and flexes that that manufacturer provides | | | | from at least as good raw materials as the big boys, |
| and most will only extend or reduce by 1/2" and at the | | | | often from the same factories to produce the heads, |
| most 2 degrees loft and lie. The shaft flexes will only | | | | they offer the same shafts and grips AND take the |
| be those stamped on the side of the shaft and are | | | | same sort of time to analyse your game and physique |
| different for every shaft manufacturer, very rarely are | | | | as those top pros get, but because they don't pay for |
| these actually measured and you better match one of | | | | the names on their components, that set of clubs, |
| the five or six flexes available. For a lot of people that | | | | designed just for you, is an affordable possibility. |
| just isn't enough, and this can still take many weeks. | | | | Again a good clubmaker, and there are bad ones as in |
| Option 3 - If you wanted something that would last a | | | | any walk of life, will be more concerned about the |
| long time and fitted really well from day one you would | | | | results of your fitting than you spending money. |
| go to a bespoke outfitters, they would take all your | | | | There are many ways of fitting but during the fitting |
| measurements, find out exactly what you wanted the | | | | ask your clubmaker what they think of your game, |
| item for, how often it would be used, etc. This would | | | | does it match with your and your friends impressions |
| cost a relative fortune but gives great results every | | | | of your shot shape and distance or are they just telling |
| time. This is the same as custom club building, but the | | | | you things to make you sepnd money. If it doesn't |
| good news is, unlike the clothing market this is normally | | | | meet expectations can they justify their statements |
| less expensive, and rarely more expensive, than the | | | | without resorting to technobabble? |
| first option. So how does that work? | | | | The best part about about custom building should be |
| Well, almost all golf club heads, with very few | | | | when you go back to your clubmaker and tell them |
| exceptions - if any - are made in the far east, mainly | | | | "I've just shot my lowest ever score" or "I've just won |
| China. We believe that all heads are made there but | | | | my first ever competition" or "I've just hit my best ever |
| several of the big manufacturers just will not give a | | | | shot" or, and my favourite, "That's the most I've |
| straight answer, try them! | | | | enjoyed a game of golf for years". |
| Shafts, the most important part of the club, are made | | | | |