Component sources

[cglynn]

I have been building clubs for myself and family for a few years now. I have used components from Maltby/Golfworks during that time and really like their stuff. I know Wishon offers components, as do a few other sites online (Hireko, and Monarch Golf come to mind.) What I would really like to know is where do those of you who do a lot of custom work go for your components when a customer wants a set of branded clubs? Do you try to steer them towards the components you get from Wishon, Maltby, etc? Is there a place to get legit branded components that I don't know about? Or do you take the customers existing branded sticks and re shaft, tweak the lofts and lies, etc. to meet their specs?

 

Thanks

Chris

[Nessism]

With rare exception "branded" component heads are not available for purchase. Sometimes you can find new pulls from a private seller on ebay but that's very hit or miss.

 

Rebuilding an existing set of clubs is always an option.

[cglynn]

That is what I thought. That said, when building a set of new clubs for a client, what component club head manufacturer(s) do you guys prefer? Also, how have your clients responded to those clubs, being as they don't have a big name stamped on them?

 

Thanks

Chris

[mvhoffman]

Chris,

 

Diamondtour.com bought Adams golf stock out. They have a ton of components for sale. They have also extended their free shipping after 19 dollars. You may want to loo on their site. A wonderful company to deal with.

[Kingcat990]

Geotech, kyoei, traditional, kzg

 

Diamondtour does have some pretty great stuff as well.

[TomWishon]

I have been building clubs for myself and family for a few years now. I have used components from Maltby/Golfworks during that time and really like their stuff. I know Wishon offers components, as do a few other sites online (Hireko, and Monarch Golf come to mind.) What I would really like to know is where do those of you who do a lot of custom work go for your components when a customer wants a set of branded clubs? Do you try to steer them towards the components you get from Wishon, Maltby, etc? Is there a place to get legit branded components that I don't know about? Or do you take the customers existing branded sticks and re shaft, tweak the lofts and lies, etc. to meet their specs?

 

Thanks

Chris

 

I most certainly can speak about this because this very thing you talk about here has been and will be the absolute bane of existence for any serious component company and for any serious custom clubmaker trying to sell custom fit golf clubs built from a component brand/model. Big time image oriented marketing is very powerful and the big golf companies have the money and the experience to do it better than anyone.

 

I can just tell you this from all my experience. We have custom clubmakers who sell a lot of my models in their fitting work and we have custom clubmakers who struggle like heck to sell custom fit clubs made from my designs.

 

Those who are successful v not so all have the same things in common. First of all, the successful ones all have a good bit of experience in their local markets so a good percentage of the golfers who come to see them are aware they have a good reputation. But so too do some of the unsuccessful ones.

 

So what makes the real difference is that the successful clubmakers SELL THE FIT FIRST BEFORE THE BRAND. They educate the golfer about the real benefits of professional full specs custom fitting vs buying clubs off the rack. They educate the golfer about custom fitting for all 12 key specs for all 14 clubs in the bag, then accurately custom building the clubs to have those specs. They really get this point across that this is like a custom tailor for golf clubs vs buying off the rack.

 

Once they get this point established, then they talk about the brand/model that THEY RECOMMEND USING for the golfer's custom fit clubs. As the expert clubmaker with the good reputation, they use that to tell the golfer THIS IS WHAT I STRONGLY FEEL YOU NEED for the model and brand. After all, why did the golfer seek out the clubmaker to go to him? For his advice and expertise, that's why. So the successful clubmakers know this and they do stand up and say THIS IS WHAT I RECOMMEND.

 

With us at TWGT, they also tell the story about my experience, my achievements, my ten books, my many technical design firsts in head design and shaft technology, etc and so on and so forth - as a way to verify that the quality and what's behind the models is as good as it can be in the game.

 

In the end, some consumers still won't bite because there are many golfers who just cannot believe that a company or a model can good be if they've never heard of it. ANd that's the way it is in the world of big money marketing and human beings.

[Kingcat990]

When I was in Jr High, I used a set of integras. They're a very cheap component. I got made fun of a lot because I didn't have "name brand" clubs. My scores were always competitive. But they were a cheap club. My point is, that mentality exists in adults today. I had an A Grind driving iron. Its a JDM component, pretty nice club. Gorgeous Di. A few of my golf partners had no idea what it was, was almost certain it was a Srixon or titleist knock off. I sold it, went to an Adams Dhy. I got; "glad to see you bought a club that's made by a real company".

 

My Maltby wedges are apparently not a real wedge either. Wouldn't matter if I had Yururi wedges or Vega wedges, If its not shown on the golf channel or carried by Golfsmith, some golfers just don't know any better.

 

[NRJyzr]

When I was in Jr High, I used a set of integras. They're a very cheap component. I got made fun of a lot because I didn't have "name brand" clubs. My scores were always competitive. But they were a cheap club. My point is, that mentality exists in adults today. I had an A Grind driving iron. Its a JDM component, pretty nice club. Gorgeous Di. A few of my golf partners had no idea what it was, was almost certain it was a Srixon or titleist knock off. I sold it, went to an Adams Dhy. I got; "glad to see you bought a club that's made by a real company".

 

My Maltby wedges are apparently not a real wedge either. Wouldn't matter if I had Yururi wedges or Vega wedges, If its not shown on the golf channel or carried by Golfsmith, some golfers just don't know any better.

 

 

There's a not insignificant number of golfers out there who appear to believe components are similar to the golf club version of generic products in supermarkets. A bit baffling...

[cglynn]

Thanks for the responses and advice everyone, especially Tom. Your experience in the field definitely shows.

 

It amazes me how many weekend golfers are married to a club brand. I have a close friend who plays a driver that is clearly too long, too stiff, and launches too shallow. His swing is good. Not PGA good, but good enough to play better than he does. We talk about this, and I offer my thoughts on his driver. He says he would love to get a club that fits, but can't find a club with his specs from a store. I tell him I can build him a nice driver for under $150 (you know, the whole he pays for materials and I build it for free thing), and his response..."yeah, but it won't be a Taylormade..." It truly amazes me that he would rather play a name brand club badly as opposed to a component club that would at least be close to his specs. Advertising works.