What Golf Clubs Do the Pros Play?
by David Lake
I recently read an article in Golf Digest about Tiger Woods being fitted for irons by TaylorMade. In the article they were talking about tweaks being made to the clubs that were required by Tiger such as changes in loft angles, lie angles, center of gravity, as well as shafting options, etc. This is a very normal process when a professional golfer switches from one brand to another.
As you know, touring pros make the vast majority of their income through endorsement contracts with the major golf club brands. Every few years you will see them switch brands, not because they have found better equipment but because they are offered more money by another company. Obviously, the pros have their own preferred specifications and in switching brands they have these specifications incorporated into whatever lines of clubs that the particular brand sells.
As an example, quite a few years ago a major brand was purchased by a large golf component company. A friend of mine who was with this company at the time told me that when they received the clubhead casting molds they found an extra set of casting molds with the brand’s major endorsed player’s name on them. Although these casting molds produced replicas of the brand’s clubheads, the specifications were completely different: lie angles, loft angles, center of gravity, bounce angles, weight, etc. In fact, even the steel composition to be used in the casting was different. Consequently, the only thing that these clubs had in common with what they were selling was the brand name on the clubhead.
In reality, this is true with virtually every brand of golf club played on tour today. So do not be fooled by the stable of professional golfers who are highlighted in the advertising of the major brands because they are certainly not playing the same clubs that you buy.
We have never played this game which we consider nothing short of a deception to the customer. That being said, our golf clubs have been played on tour and are played by PGA/club pros and golf instructors world-wide although we have never paid a dime for them to do so. They play our single-length golf clubs simply because they want to improve their game.
