“This club will shave 5 strokes off your game or your money back”, “Hit more fairways without changing your swing”, “Putt like the pros in just 10 minutes” … I’m sure you’ve all seen the TV ads pushing the new latest and greatest golf technology. It’s just amazing how people can knock strokes off their scores after trying these “magical” clubs. It’s even more amazing how many people come into my store looking to buy golf clubs that they see on TV.
All golfers are looking for a edge and they want something that will give them the upper hand when playing with their friends. New clubs that promise longer, straighter and more accurate shots pop up in stores and on TV almost daily. It’s easy for golfers to go to a store or demo day to try out new equipment… but it’s much more difficult to try a club that is only available on TV. I’m lucky because I have some regular customers that are obsessed with these “TV clubs” so I get to try all of them out. I’ve been compiling notes over the summer and thought I’d share some of my findings to give you an idea of what to expect when your next “TV Club” purchase arrives at your door.
The Perfect Club – I see a lot of these now that they are available in stores. Most people seem to like them but many have been replacing them with hybrid woods… saying a hybrid does the same thing but looks a lot better.
F2 Wedges – We get a lot of requests for these… even though they could be one of the strangest looking clubs on the market. I can sort of see the benefits of the technology but most people I talk to say they take some real getting used to. So you can either go to the range and get used to these ugly wedges… or go to the range and learn to hit traditional wedges… it’s your choice.
Guerin Rife Putters – This is one “TV club” that I really like. I had a chance to use one of these over the summer and was very impressed. These are now available in stores and are worth a look if you are after a mallet putter.
The Short Game Wizard – They should call this the “Heavy Wedge With No Feel” because that’s exactly what it is. They say you can use this as your everyday wedge but I’d suggest that it stays on the practice range. The heavy shaft makes it easy for the club to fall down to the ball but it makes it really hard to control distance.
The Lovett Wedge – Next time someone is breaking into your house… race to your golf bag and grab your Lovett wedge. That should disable him until the police arrive. I don’t know if I’ve talked to anyone that likes the Lovett Wedge… yet I’ve talked to many people that own them. Do the math…
The Air Hammer Driver – Yes… I’ll admit… I’ve hit the Air Hammer. It feels awful, looks awful and has the most annoying infomercial of all time. Most people that I have talked to feel pretty ripped off after buying this club. They had some serious stock issues over the summer and people were waiting months for their drivers to come… only to realize that it was a big waste of money.
There you go… a few thoughts on “TV clubs” based on some of my personal experience. We here at SirShanksAlot.com always preach that you should try before you buy… something that is pretty hard to do when you can only get a club off of the TV. Most clubs that you see on TV eventually come to stores and you’d be wise to wait if you are unsure about a purchase. And remember… if it looks too good to be true… well… you know the rest! Have a great day.