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Jan 6, 2003

Dave,

Virtually every golfer I know, with a few notable exceptions -- primarily pros, ex-pros or exceptional amateurs -- hit clubs with shafts in them that are improperly installed and simply do not "fit" their individual swings. Most of those shafts are too stiff but, more importantly, production clubs manufactured today, regardless of the company, are not matched club to club to any recognizable standard or fitted to any individual golfer, despite the industry hype.

The simple truth is that we, the public golfer, regardless of our ability, buy clubs made from the "left" side of the factory, those production line clubs assembled with no measurable regard to shaft spine angle, frequency, flow, consistent swing weights or proper lofts and lies. (If you doubt this, take your newly purchased clubs to a professional club fitter, one outside the industry. Have him check the lofts, lies, spine angles and frequencies of your new clubs. You'll be amazed by the inconsistencies, the obvious lack of quality control.)

The irony, of course, is the industry's tacit position that fitted clubs do not matter because the far greater percentage of golfers are not able to tell, or more specifically, feel the difference between individually fitted clubs and mass produced ones anyway. They may, of course, be right, at least from a production standpoint. It simply is not cost effective to build each club in each set properly.

At the same time, the industry is acutely aware of the benefit of properly fitted clubs. Note the number over the last decade of manufacturers who now welcome golfers to their on-site fitting centers. Also remember that no professional golfer worth his salt hits the same golf club you and I hit, regardless of the label on the club head. Those clubs are built on the "right" side of the factory with a far greater concern for proper individual fit and personal tolerances.

So how does the public golfer get to the "right" side? One way is to become a professional golfer and get on somebody's staff. OK. Or, you can drive to a manufacturer's fitting center. There you will be fitted for golf clubs. Then the problem starts: you will order or purchase your newly fitted clubs from either your pro shop or any number of retail outlets in the area. And those clubs will be virtually no different than any other clubs made on the "left" side of the factory, except maybe for the swing weight and lie angle because, in effect, that's all the manufacturer has fitted you for. (If you're still skeptical, take those newly fitted clubs to that professional club fitter. Have him measure the frequency of the shafts, club to club. Have him test the spine alignment and flow, club to club. Have him measure the swing weight, club to club. If nothing else, you'll soon realize how much time you wasted at the manufacturer's fitting center. You would have done as well by hitting balls off the mat at Roger Dunn's and buying a set of clubs off the floor. It's the same set the manufacturer will send you.)

So what's left? Where does the public golfer - the scratch, the single digit, the 18 handicap, the guy who insists he doesn't care if he improves or not, which is a lie of course - go to find clubs that truly fit his golf game, his own individual swing. Try this: a professional club fitter outside the industry, not inside it; someone who will take the real time necessary, regardless of your handicap, to fit you with clubs that give you the best chance possible to play golf successfully given your ability.

Needless to say, I've found one: David Dugally at Golf Coast, Incorporated in Huntington Beach, California. Dave is a perfectionist. He not only knows club building, he also enjoys building clubs. After explaining to him that my 55 year old back had paid the price of 40 years of golf, along with every other sport that relied on a ball of some kind, David spent several hours diagnosing and computer diagramming my current swing as well as explaining in what way certain shafts, both graphite and steel, would be best suited to my particular ability. In addition, Dave provided a wide variety of custom iron club heads from which to choose - forged cast, cavity back to blade. The irons Dave built form me are precise in every way: the frequencies are dead perfect for each club throughout the set, the spine angles are properly aligned, the swing weights are dead on, the lofts and lies exact; the 90 gram steel shafts are not only lighter but more forgiving. My distance control and ball flight are the best they've been in years. The graphite shafts Dave installed in my existing 3 wood and driver are far superior to the original manufacturer shafts. In my first full round with my new irons and metal woods at The Village course in Maui, I hit 12 fairways and 15 greens. (If David can now figure out how to help me read grainy bermuda greens that run to the sea, I'd be dangerous)

The point here is obvious: if you want to get on the "right" side of the factory, don't go to the factory. Even if you can't break a hundred, you will feel the difference of clubs personally built to fit your own swing. And get over the notion that good clubs must have Titleist or Taylor embossed on them. The gram weights of my new iron heads were better matched than the industry set I was hitting. It also should not surprise you that my entire new set of 11 irons, 3 through lob wedge, cost less than the original price of my existing set of 8 irons, 3 through PW.

Here, however, is the best of all reasons to visit David: you'll only have yourself to blame for hitting lousy shots because it certainly won't be the clubs.

David, I thought you might like this expose as my way of thanking you again for taking the time to build my clubs. Where were you 25 years ago.

[signed]

Larry Milne

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