Screw or Glue?

As most of you have read by now, a few companies introduced interchangeable club components at the recent PGA Merchandise Show. This year the Show was ruefully short on any new technology and consequently the only thing that seemed to generate any sustained buzz was this new concept that allows golfers to adjust clubs by changing shafts and clubheads between stipulated rounds. So far it only applies to drivers but there is no rule to stop manufacturers from applying the concept to other clubs too.

Callaway, TaylorMade and Nickent have each introduced their own version of interchangeability. Callaway pitches their version on the basis that a player could own the FTi and the FT5 clubhead  along with several different shafts and interchange them as needed to suit weather conditions, course set-up or even the player’s current physical or emotional state. Changing is as simple as unscrewing the shaft from the clubhead and screwing in a different one. 

During a panel discussion at the Show, representatives from both Callaway and Nickent touted this as the next wave in club design where clubs can be tailor made by the individual to suit their personal specs. (bad pun intended). Opposing this idea was John K. Solheim from Ping, grandson of Karsten, whose position was that his company already went to great lengths to properly fit players for the right equipment and any further personal adjustment was unnecessary. According to John, “if you need to hit the ball on a lower trajectory on any given day, playing it back in your stance would do the trick. You certainly don’t need a different shaft or clubhead to do that.”

The idea of adjustable clubs is supposed to make us believe that we can get better by changing equipment. Most of us know that only goes so far. There is still the matter of ”operator error” and no mater how much research goes into design, space age materials and personal fitting, the organism on the business end of the shaft ultimately controls the outcome.

Some manufacturers are suggesting this could be the next big wave in selling golf clubs. I can’t see how it will appeal to much more than a narrow band of gear heads who either own their swing or like to tinker in the garage. It’s hard to imagine a golf shop or even a retailer trying to keep tabs on hundreds of components so players can mix and match.

If this is in fact the next big wave and golfers take to the idea of having a couple of clubheads and multiple shaft options, then shouldn’t manufacturers try to adopt a universal technology for connecting clubs. Currently if you want to use your Fujikura shaft on your Callaway FT5 head, then switch to the TaylorMade r7 head tomorrow, you’ll need a second Fujikura shaft because the components aren’t compatible. Kind of like VHS and Beta only much worse. Imagine X number of manufacturers multiplied by a couple of different styles of clubhead multiplied by 3 or 4 different lofts times Y number of shaft makers multiplied by countless variations of shaft specs. And the answer is ….. well, you do the math.

The adjustable club proponents want you to believe that interchangeability can help you improve. At a time when club sales are pretty flat and there is no new technology to hit it longer or straighter, they want you to believe that this is a “tech story.” Apart from a screw mount versus the traditional glue mount, there isn’t any game improvement technology in these clubs. Interchangeability is supposed to give you options but you could get much the same result by owning multiple drivers or better yet, learning how to hit different shots under different conditions with the club you have.

This isn’t a tech story, just a marketing story.