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USGA Proposes Rule
Change for Scorelines
TWGT Clubmakers:
As many of you know by now, the USGA recently issued a proposal
to change the Rule governing the shape and area size of scorelines.
After an extensive and expensive study, the USGA is proposing
to decrease the radius of the top edge of scorelines and impose
a new rule limiting the area of the grooves. The TWGT E-TECHreport
wanted to explain and discuss this important new announcement
to all TWGT Clubmakers, but after reading industry business
reporter Terry McAndrew’s article on the matter, we felt
no one could explain it any better, including all of the foibles
within the USGA’s proposal. So without further adieu,
here is the best possible explanation of the new scoreline rule
proposal.
Big brother, check that, the big brotherS are at it again.
The USGA and R&A both have announced changes to the Rules
governing golf clubs. The gist of the first one has to do with
new regulations for grooves. The second one concerns adjustable
features of woods and irons.
The ruling bodies have become concerned with the direction
the game has taken in recent years towards a bomb and gouge
type approach by PGA Tour players. “The skill of driving the
ball accurately has become much less important in achieving
success on Tour than it used to be,” USGA Senior Technical Director
Dick Rugge stated. “Our analysis of statistical data measured
by the PGA Tour since 1980 shows that historically driving accuracy
was as comparably correlated to winning as putting. Beginning
in the early 1990s, however, driving accuracy became much less
important. Today, the correlation between driving-accuracy rank
and money winning rank on the PGA Tour is very low.” Essentially
the penalty for missing a fairway is no longer what it once
was, that is, at the elite level. So the respective brain trusts
have independently and yet collectively proposed on precisely
the same day that a change is now in order.
|
| Groove edges must have an effective
radius which is not less than 0.010 inches (0.254 mm) when
measured as shown above. Deviations in effective radius
within 0.001 inches (0.0254 mm) are permissable. |
To the rank and file it may appear on the surface that the
proposed amendments toward grooves are minor, but it would be
inappropriate to think that way. First up sharpness of the groove
edge is to be limited to an effective minimum radius of .010
inches, which means the new groove edge will be twice as rounded
as what is conforming now. The second would limit the total
cross-sectional area of a groove divided by the groove pitch
(groove width plus separation between grooves) to 0.0025 square
inches per inch. This new measurement forces companies to make
their grooves more shallow, which in USGA minds means less area
to channel moisture away from being between the ball and the
face, As indicated, it appears to the naked eye that nothing
has changed, at least by that much, but the trickle down effect
could be quite contrary.
As has been the case in the past with the USGA, the current
rule proposal phase is soliciting feedback. But it isn’t considered
to be going on out a shaky limb to suggest that this will eventually
become a hard and fast rule some time either later this year
or early in 2008. The comment period concludes on August 1,
2007 for interested parties to share any relevant thoughts on
the topic with the USGA. Don’t bet on the ruling bodies to take
a mulligan on this since it would be out of character.
The USGA is further proposing that these new groove rules become
effective for all new clubs that are manufactured after Jan.
1, 2010. A related Condition of Competition would be added to
the USGA Rules of Golf to become effective Jan. 1, 2009. This
Condition would allow a Committee to require the use of clubs
that conform to the new groove rules for competitive events
conducted after Jan. 1, 2009. Similar to other equipment-related
Conditions of Competition, the USGA would recommend that the
Condition apply only to competitions involving highly skilled
players, although it didn’t define just who is represented in
this segment. The PGA Tour is a given, as is likely the worldwide
tours, but whether the NCAA is to fall into this, it isn’t clear.
USGA competitions (male, female, juniors and seniors), equally
are a given as likely are PGA Section events but how that is
interpreted at the state and local levels (club championships)
for competition is also murky for the time being. Nor is it
readily apparent how a Competition committee would be able to
identify conforming grooves unless it has the equipment companies’
cooperation to note which of their respective products are kosher
in the eyes of the ruling bodies’ sets of rules.
|
| The cross-sectional area (A) of
a groove divided by the groove pitch (W+S) must not exceed
0.0025 square ounces per inch (0.064 mm2/mm). |
The slippery slope picks up some speed with the treatment of
existing golf clubs that currently conform to the Rules of Golf,
but would not under the proposed new rules. The USGA is floating
the idea of grand fathering their use for a lengthy period of
time (at least 10 years) for handicapping purposes. The USGA
is proposing that its new groove rules become effective for
all new clubs manufactured after Jan. 1, 2010, meaning what
you own today or buy tomorrow may be a waste of money if you
want to play by the rules in the future.
If one’s head isn’t pounding at this point from attempting
to process where this is all going, consider this added nugget
from the blue blazers in Far Hills, NJ. The changes in grooves
required under the proposal would have very little effect on
the performance of Surlyn cover balls, which according to the
USGA, are favored by most golfers. It stated that more than
two-thirds of golf balls sold in the U.S. are Surlyn covered.
The impact of its proposal would be felt primarily by “highly
skilled” players using urethane-covered balls, the USGA said.
So the needs of the few, in effect, outweigh those of the many.
Where this hits potentially the hardest is with equipment companies.
Sales of clubs overall in the industry, including irons haven’t
exactly been robust. At best they have held their own, as noted
by sales figures revealed from some of the larger equipment
companies throughout the past several years. However, the cost
of doing business is going up in the form of retooling charges
(wax injection die changes, CNC machining changes, face polishing/grinding,
plating, etc.) to comply with the rules for highly skilled players
starting as early as possibly 2009. The opportunity to recoup
these re-tooling costs in the form of commercial sales are thus
destined for further down the road for the club companies. China
is the initial benefactor since it handles most of the equipment
companies’ manufacturing these days and equipment companies
have a relative short amount of time to get the product squared
away for its pyramid of influences - PGA Tour players since
its likely they would need them starting in 2009, assuming this
is when it would go into play. If the rule changes are successful
in reducing the amount of spin Tour players can create out of
the rough, it could be argued that the USGA has forced the club
companies to create a diluted product compared to today’s irons.
For the masses that play a Surlyn ball, it’s a moot point, according
to the USGA. The opportunity for innovation for all companies
without the context of the rules would be smaller should this
proposal take effect.
And last but certainly not least, is the plight of the PGA
Tour itself. After all it appears this is something that is
being created due to the scoring proficiency of its constituents.
Keep in mind the PGA Tour plays by the USGA Rules, literally.
Does less spin mean the likes of Tiger, Phil and company, win
more, less, or the same going forward?. Or does it mean that
Fred Funk can come back in his 50’s and teach the young guns
a thing or two about finding fairways and winning FedEx points?
What hangs in the balance is the entertainment factor the Tour
possesses in hearts and minds of its loyal fan base, which are
the same people who buy the equipment, including the Surlyn
balls which do not spin any different with V or the current
sharper edges U-shape grooves. If the entertainment factor isn’t
the same, then television is going to feel it first and foremost.
E-TECH: If you think it is not wise to issue a rule proposal
without a clear decision for how long current irons are going
to be conforming, or without a clear designation for which events
on all levels of play are to be compelled to compete under the
new Rule, we would urge you to write or email the USGA to express
your opinion. After all, the USGA’s proposal states that a period
of comment will be in effect until August 1, 2007. It is the
opinion of TWGT that the new scoreline rule proposal is not
in the best interests of the game or the vast majority of golfers.
Since the matter of increased spin with current clubs exists
only with players who possess much higher than average swing
speeds and who use a urethane cover ball, and since 2/3’s of
all balls sold are Surlyn covered, it seems a far wiser way
to reduce spin for such players and increase the penalty for
hitting the tee shot into the rough would be to either change
the cover material of the balls or grow the rough longer at
the elite (aka Tour) tournament venues. To compel manufacturers
to change their groove edge and area to new specifications poses
a potential risk to the golf companies for loss of club sales
and equally forces golfers for whom the rule will make NO difference
and who feel an obligation to play with conforming clubs to
buy new clubs. If you feel strongly enough about this proposed
Rule change, we ask you to write the USGA to express your opinion.
Terry McAndrew is the publishing/editor of the Web Street Golf
report newsletter located at http://www.golfbiz.net.
It is published weekly and devoted to the current events surrounding
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USGA Alludes to Future
Changes in the Rules Regarding Adjustability of Clubs
While the USGA taketh on the groove side of the ledger, it giveth
back, in a sense, by offering an adjustment. The USGA is considering
modifying its position that woods and irons must not be designed
to be adjustable, except for weight. It’s the belief of
the ruling body that changes regarding adjustability can help
many golfers obtain clubs that are well suited to their needs
without causing any harm to the game. In accordance with past
practices, no adjustments to clubs would be allowed during a
stipulated round.
“After we informed club manufacturers that we were looking
into relaxing this rule, some of them told us that allowing
more club adjustment would allow them to create new types of
golf clubs that could help average golfers,” USGA Senior
Technical Director Dick Rugge said. “The USGA believes
that helping average golfers without taking away from the challenge
of the game is a good thing for golf.” Ah … hum
… okay, not exactly sure how that could work, but it sounds
good!
Rugge continued, “PGA Tour players have long had the
opportunity to have their clubs adjusted or modified quickly
and often. This has allowed them to fit their clubs to their
swings as they feel the need to do so. By relaxing the rules
to permit club adjustability, average golfers can enjoy similar
fitting benefits.” Does this mean manufacturers will be
backing of their Tour trailers at golf courses across America
to help the common man before they hit the first tee?
Consider this to be a token gesture by the USGA, under the
heading of public relations spin, especially since it was announced
simultaneously as it shared how it wants equipment manufacturers
to get their respective groove on. The proposed rule change
to allow more adjustability of golf clubs, if adopted, would
become effective Jan. 1, 2008.
While no specifics about what adjustability features may be
allowed, it is expected that interchangeable shaft mechanisms
and adjustable lie angle mechanisms which could be locked in
a way to prevent adjustment during a round could very well be
allowed at some point in the future.
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Former USGA Executive
Director Speaks Out on Recent USGA Equipment Policies
The name and face of Frank Hannigan is not unknown to most
golfers. The former Executive Director of the USGA from 1961
to 1989, Hannigan was also a regular commentator on network
telecasts of major championship tournaments. Now retired, Frank
Hannigan has recently come back into the eyes and ears of golf
through a series of letters written to veteran golf writer Geoff
Shackleford in which he offers his insights and opinions on
the recent equipment limiting actions of the USGA.
Hannigan’s letters share insights that only a person
with a long history inside the workings of the ruling body of
the game can know. Never known as a man to seek the limelight
of political controversy, TWGT thinks all Clubmakers and golfers
need to read and think about what Frank Hannigan feels strongly
about to share publicly on writer Geoff Shackelford’s
web site.
To access and read Frank Hannigan’s letters, head to
the following link: http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2007/3/5/letter-from-saugerties-march-6-2007.html
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Moment of Inertia
vs Clubhead Resistance to Twisting
In an effort to continue expanding our scientific basis for
design and clubfitting research, TWGT works closely with a few
university engineering departments around the country. Most
recently, we were able to have two engineers from one of our
consulting universities construct a computer model to predict
the effect of the MOI Izz on the actual amount of resistance
to head twisting from an off center impact. While other engineers
have checked and labeled the science behind this modeling project
to be sound, at some point in the near future, TWGT plans to
use a high speed camera to duplicate the model in real life
and thus determine if the model we are about to discuss is fully
and completely accurate.
|
| The MOI shown in this line art is the MOI Izz and is the
pertinent MOI being increased through new driver design
technology today) |
FYI, the MOI Izz is the designation of the Moment of Inertia
that is now being measured and reported in the marketing of
the new square driver heads. This is the MOI that affects how
much the head will twist about a vertical axis through the head’s
Center of Gravity. Heading into the 2007 playing season around
the country, the golf industry’s newest design technology
being hyped to golfers are the drivers heads which claim a higher
MOI Izz than before. Some companies are using a square shape,
some a more extended back shape, to move mass farther from the
CG and achieve the higher MOI numbers being advertised.
As a frame of reference for better understanding this discussion,
it should be known that the highest MOI being claimed for one
of the new square drivers is a measurement of 5200 g-cm2. Other
high MOI drivers being marketed to golfers this season claim
an MOI of 5000 g-cm2. More conventional shaped 460cc driver
heads created in 2005-2006 have an MOI that ranges from approximately
4100 g-cm2 to 4900 g-cm2. So the question that begs to be answered
is, “How much do the new higher MOI drivers reduce head
twisting, and from that, improve off center hit performance.”
The computer modeling project for identifying the effect of
higher MOI on head twisting was constructed to compare head
twisting differences between a driver with an MOI of 3800 g-cm2
and 5200 g-cm2 for a clubhead speed of 109mph, with impact located
½” above face center and ¾” toward
the toe side of face center. For modeling purposes, air cannon
testing on a major OEM driver revealed a COR at the off center
impact position of 0.73.
The computer modeling results predict that a 109mph impact
with a driver head with an MOI of 3800 g-cm2 at a position ¾”
horizontally and ½” above face center would produce
a twist of the head of 1.5 degrees. If the MOI is increased
to 5200 g-cm2, for the same impact conditions the head will
twist 1.0 degrees. This means for an increase of 1400 g-cm2
in the MOI, the head’s resistance to twisting is improved
by only ½ degree.
If you consider that the modeling impact speed of 109mph is
quite high compared to the swing speed of most golfers, it can
be said that for the vast majority of golfers, the improvement
in head twisting for an MOI increase of 1400 g-cm2 will be substantially
less than ½ degree. When you consider that any golfer
who bought a 460cc driver in the past two years is currently
using a driver with an MOI of 4100 g-cm2 or higher, the amount
of improvement in resistance to head twisting offered by the
new drivers will be in the area of ¼ degree!
One of the most important points that Clubmakers have to keep
in mind when talking to golfers and answering questions about
high MOI driver head models is that the design of the face is
extremely important for determining the “forgiveness”
of a driver. Based on our engineers’ modeling study, a
well designed face that can reduce the loss in face flexing
for off center hits will deliver much more distance on off center
hits than a higher MOI.
When the COR at the off center impact point in the computer
model was increased from 0.73 to 0.79, ball speed for a 109mph
impact speed was found to increase by 5.1 mph. At an average
of 1.8 yards of carry distance per 1mph increase in ball speed,
it is pretty clear when comparing that figure to an improvement
in head twisting resistance of ¼ to ½ degree,
that a well designed face on a driver with an MOI of >4000
g-cm2 will hit the ball farther for off center hits than a driver
with an MOI of 5200 g-cm2 and a lower quality face design.
Better yet is a full custom fitting of the driver for all golfers
which can pinpoint the best length, loft, face angle, shaft,
swingweight/MOI and grip size. So when it comes to discussing
new technology with your golfers, be smart and get them to focus
on the total benefits of full custom fitting rather than hyped
up individual clubhead marketing claims.
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Shaft Swing Speed
Ratings – The State of the Situation and When to Deviate
or Not in Shaft Fitting
Thank gosh the concept of awarding a swing speed rating
to shafts came about in the early 1990s as a way to begin
the shaft fitting process. When the fact that no standardization
exists for letter flex codes in the shaft industry first came
to light in Tom Wishon’s 1991 book, The Modern Guide
to Shaft Fitting, determining a way to describe the overall
flex of shafts through a swing speed rating has become the
only way Clubmakers have to begin the task of fitting the
right shaft to each golfer.
The first swing speed ratings for shafts were offered in
Wishon’s 1991 book. Thanks to the able assistance of
Tom’s technical assistant at the time, Jeff Summitt,
a method for combining the butt frequency with the torque
was used to allow Clubmakers to be able to identify shafts
that could be the starting point for matching golfers to the
right shaft. Since that time, both Wishon and Summitt have
modified their original swing speed rating method several
times to incorporate more about what all goes into determining
the overall stiffness of shafts.
Fifteen years ago the butt frequency was the primary determinant
of the swing speed rating of a shaft. Today it is completely
possible to see two shafts with quite different butt frequencies
end up with the same swing speed rating because of the influence
their different bend profile designs will have on a golfer’s
perception of the overall flex feel of the shafts. Likewise
it is possible to see two shafts with the same butt frequency
be ranked with different swing speed ranges for the same reason.
How valid are today’s swing speed ratings for shafts?
Because of the critical importance of individual golfer desires
for the bending feel of the shaft, the swing speed rating
of any shaft cannot be used as the sole criteria of matching
the golfer with the overall stiffness of a shaft. Some golfers
prefer a very firm feel while others a more flexible feel
for their preferred sensation of the bending action of the
shaft during the swing.
No matter what, with literally thousands of different shafts
from which to choose to fit their golfers, Clubmakers must
have a swing speed rating for shafts to which to refer as
a starting point for shaft fitting. While TWGT only designs
and sells its own shafts, to be able to offer swing speed
ratings for all of the shafts in our TWGT Bend Profile Software,
we had to study as many sources for shaft swing speed ratings
as possible to evaluate their accuracy.
As a result of that work, we believe that the swing speed
ratings offered for a wide variety of vendor branded shafts
by Golfsmith and by Dynacraft’s new owner, Hireko, are
more currently accurate than the swing speed ratings offered
by other shaft sellers. For example, after a quick inspection,
it is evident that all shafts of the same letter flex are
awarded the same swing speed rating by GolfWorks. Clubmakers
must know this cannot possibly be accurate because of the
lack of flex standards among shaft makers as well as from
their experience in fitting shafts of the same letter flex
from different shaft companies.
Once you have a list of the swing speed ratings for many
shafts, what next? To assist Clubmakers, following are a number
of tips to follow which will make your shaft fitting a little
more accurate for all types of golfers.
-
Among all shafts of the same swing speed rating being
used by golfers with a swing speed that lies in the middle
of the range, shafts with a stiffer butt section bend profile
design will always feel stiffer overall to most players
with a perception for shaft bending feel. Likewise, shafts
with a stiffer tip section bend profile design will tend
to display their increase in stiffness feel right before
and through impact. However, this also depends on just how
stiff the butt section may be in any tip stiff design, and
vice versa. While very soft butt + stiff tip and stiff butt
+ soft tip shafts are pretty rare in the game, the softer
of the two sections in any shaft will typically influence
its feel more to players with the ability to detect differences
in bending stiffness. Remember, we are talking about shaft
bending FEEL, not strictly performance.
-
Golfers who begin the downswing (the transition move
in the swing) with a faster, more sudden and forceful strength
are typically going to be better matched for overall stiffness
feel and performance with shafts that have a swing speed
rating that is HIGHER than the golfer’s measured swing
speed. For example, if the golfer with such a forceful transition
move has a 90mph swing speed, shafts with a 90-100mph swing
speed rating will typically be a better starting point for
fitting the overall flex. Only if the golfer wants the bending
feel to be even more stiff and has an extremely forceful
transition would the swing speed rating of the shaft need
to be more than 10mph higher than the golfer’s swing
speed.
-
Golfers who begin the downswing (the transition move
in the swing) with a smoother, more gradual application
of strength are typically going to be better matched for
overall stiffness feel and performance with shafts that
have a swing speed rating that is LOWER than the golfer’s
measured swing speed. For example, if the golfer with such
a forceful transition move has a 100mph swing speed, shafts
with a 90-100mph swing speed rating will typically be a
better starting point for fitting the overall flex. Only
if the golfer wants the bending feel to be more flexible
and has an extremely forceful transition would the swing
speed rating of the shaft need to be more than 10mph lower
than the golfer’s swing speed.
-
f the shaft is being fit with an eye toward changing
launch angle, spin and trajectory, the first task is to
identify if the golfer has the required swing movement of
a later to very late unhinging of the wrist-cock angle that
is necessary to allow any shaft to display its launch, spin
and trajectory differences in response to the golfer’s
swing. In such cases, choosing a shaft with a swing speed
rating that is 10mph lower than the golfer’s actual
swing speed should result in a higher launch, more spin
and higher trajectory. Doing the opposite and selecting
shafts with a swing speed rating that is 10mph higher than
the golfer’s actual swing speed should result in a
lower launch, less spin and lower trajectory. This approach
of deviating from the swing speed rating vs golfer swing
speed will always bring a change in stiffness feel with
the height and spin difference, so you will need to evaluate
if the golfer is going to be in agreement to that feel change.
If not, this is where you can select shafts to change launch,
spin and height of the shot which are within the golfer’s
swing speed, but which have either a stiffer tip section
(lower flight, lower spin) or more flexible tip section
(higher flight, higher spin).
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12 Myths Now on
Audio CD
Do you have prospective customers for custom fitting who
commute daily in their cars? If so, the new professionally
done audio CD of the 12 Myths of Golf will be a superb way
to get the message out that custom fitting beats standard
off the rack, and turn those golfers into your custom fitting
customers.
Read by a professional voice talent and professionally produced,
the audio 12 Myths CDs are not as low cost as the 12 Myths
booklets, but for people who don’t have the time to
sit down and read, popping the CD into their car stereo will
be a much better way to get the message of custom fitting
into the ears and minds of golfers in your area.
We recommend all Clubmakers get at least 2 copies –
one to show and one to loan out for prospective customers
to listen to. TWGT has again chosen to forego the profit to
be able to get the word out in as many ways and to as many
different golfers as possible.
One hitch though. We can’t put them into the hands
of your golfers. You have to do that. But just like the Search
books and the 12 Myths booklets, the more golfers you turn
on to the message of custom fitting, the more fitting sessions
you will book and custom clubs you will build and sell!
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Tom Wishon Confirmed
to be Keynote Speaker at 2007 European PGA Teaching and Coaching
Conference
While each European country has its own organization of
professional golfers, every two years all of the European
PGA organizations get together for a week of seminars and
discussions aimed at collectively increasing the awareness
of all European PGA members. The 8th PGA’s of Europe
Teaching and Coaching Conference will be held at the Exhibition
and Convention Center in Malmo, Sweden from October 11-13
this year, with the theme being, “Aiming to Simplify
the Game for Golfers.”
Hosted by the PGA of Sweden, more than 1,000 European PGA
professionals and guests will convene in the southern Swedish
city of Malmo to listen to a program of presentations by leading
specialists in the game, and discuss a ranch of searching
questions.
“A lot of people give up golf because it is too time
consuming or just too difficult,” says Swedish PGA Managing
Director Mikael Sorling. “The speakers for this year’s
PGA Europe conference will provide an excellent platform for
European PGA professionals to come together to discuss these
critical issues and work together to strengthen the integrity
of the sport all over Europe.”
TWGT’s Tom Wishon has been asked to be one of the keynote
speakers, to travel to Europe to share his knowledge of how
full custom fitting can make the game a little easier for
all levels of golfers from beginner to expert. Other speakers
scheduled to present at the 2007 conference include the “teacher’s
teacher” Chuck Hogan, the much lauded Swedish teaching
duo of Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, Greg Rose and Dave Phillips
from the Titleist Performance Institute, Callaway Golf VP
of advanced design Alan Hocknell, Director of Coaching for
the English Golf Union Peter Mattsson, and others.
Wishon’s presentation will encourage European PGA pros
to learn and launch custom fitting in their shops as a way
to help golfers overcome some of the difficulties in achieving
a level of play that sustains their interest and participation
in the game. His talk will be from 10AM to 12:30 PM on Friday,
October 12 and will follow a 90 minute presentation by Alan
Hocknell from Callaway Golf.
“I’m totally pumped and excited the European PGA’s
asked me to come over to talk to their members about custom
fitting,” said Wishon. “With more than 1,000 European
club pros expected to be in attendance, I really can’t
wait to spread the common sense of how full custom fitting
services can and will make for happier golfers who will be
able to enjoy this great game a little more. This comes on
the heels of the great news that the British PGA has officially
selected my book, The Search for the Perfect Golf Club as
required reading and curriculum for all British PGA apprentices
in training to become full members. All of this tells me the
European pros are ready and willing to begin to make a real
effort to incorporate custom fitting into the services they
offer their golfers and members.”
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MOI Matching
and TWGT Featured in April Issue of Golf Digest
For Clubmakers who offer MOI Matching of their custom
fit clubs, the wish for publicity that will enable you to
convince golfers of the validity of the process has been
granted. The April issue of Golf Digest magazine includes
a feature article about MOI Matching within an article in
the Golf Tech section of the magazine titled, The Innovators.
TWGT knows that golfers feel better about their equipment
purchases when significant publicity from a respected publication
highlights the company and the product. With such a feature
on page 204 of the April issue of Golf Digest, Clubmakers
now can show the feature article to their customers and
know the power of publicity can help them convince golfers
that their custom fitting needs are in good hands.
The same article on TWGT and MOI Matching can also be seen
on the Golf Digest web site at the following link: http://www.golfdigest.com/search/index.ssf?/features/gd200704techwishon.html
Because of the publicity value of this article, TWGT will
be creating re-prints for Clubmakers to keep in their shops
to show to prospective custom fitting customers. Availability
of re-prints for this article will be announced in the next
edition of the TWGT E-TECHreport.
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New Design Profile
– 949MC Fairway woods
Prior to 2004, the golf industry said it was not possible
to design a fairway wood with a COR of 0.830, the limit
imposed for driver heads. That year, TWGT proved the industry
wrong by utilizing the combined elements of cup face construction,
no vertical roll and a special new high strength steel alloy
from Carpenter Specialty Metals to create the 515GRT fairway
woods and their 0.830 COR. The 515 fairways went on to win
a position on the 2006 Golf Digest Hot List and have proven
their classic, traditional shape with high ball speed performance
to tens of thousands of golfers.
Then the industry said it was not possible to design a
more shallow face height fairway wood with a COR of 0.830,
and this year, TWGT again proved them wrong with the introduction
of the new 949MC fairway woods. With a face height of just
32mm to ensure easy playability for all golfers, the early
season reports from Clubmakers and their golfers who are
using the 949 fairways all center on the expressions of,
“man is that hot”, or, “this is stupid
easy to hit off even the tightest fairway lies.”
“The smaller the face area, the more difficult it
is to design the face to flex inward enough to reach the
COR limit of 0.830. At 32mm face height, the 949 fairway
woods are 3mm more shallow than the 515 fairway heads. Utilizing
a brand new cup face construction with TWGT’s unique
GRT fairway wood face design helped in the challenge. However,
the goal of a full 0.830 COR was not reached until TWGT
employed the use of a new and higher strength steel alloy
which allowed the faces of the 949 fairways to be produced
at an incredibly thin, but durable face thickness of 1.6mm.
With more and more golf courses mowing their fairways closer,
the old “cushy lie” for fairway wood shots is
becoming a thing of the past. In addition, the 949 fairways
are designed with a more radiused sole from heel to toe,
which will help in hitting shots from the rough.
One of the fitting theories behind designing the 949 fairways
with loft numbers only on the sole is for Clubmakers to
offer a “two-fairway woods” fitting option to
golfers who wish to use four wedges and/or more hybrids
in their 14-club set makeup. For better ball strikers who
have no problem getting a lower loft fairway wood well up
to fly, the 949 14° and 18° make a solid fairway
wood make-up for the better player. For less skilled players,
choosing the 949 16.5° as the player’s “second
longest hitting wood” after the driver, in conjunction
with the 949 21.5° wood proves to be an ideal “two-fairway
wood” make-up.
949MC Fairway woods – Available now in lofts of 14°,
16.5, 18° and 21.5° in RH with 0.830 COR and 32mm
face height for ease of play.
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All eTECHreport (ISSN
1551-1103) articles written by Tom Wishon unless otherwise
noted. Please refrain from unauthorized reproduction of
text, photos, and/or graphics.
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