Published Articles by Mike Bednarcik

Article 1 - Let's Get Fitted
Article 2 - Spring Club Primer - Are Your Clubs Ready for Spring
Article 3 - It Pays to Get Fitted - Loft and Lie - Part 1
Article 4 - It Pays to Get Fitted - Shaft Flex - Part 2
Article 5 - A Game Improvement Q & A
Article 6 - It Pays to Get Fitted - Clubheads - Part 3
Article 7 - Putter Fitting? - Why Not!
Article 8 - Seven Technology Factors to Improve Your Game
Article 9 - Are You Having Iron Distance Control Problems?

Article 1

Let’s Get Fitted
by Mike Bednarcik
Owner - Custom Clubs of Frederick
Certified Class A Clubmaker – The Professional Clubmakers Society
Advanced Professional Clubmaker – The Golf Clubmakers Association

As published on www.GolfinAmigos.com - 2/06/04

It’s time to make the move to custom clubs. You have seen the pros shoot lower and lower scores. You have read articles touting its benefits and you have probably even heard the TV announcers talk about getting custom fit clubs. But you still have questions. What exactly happens during a fitting? Does this mean I have to buy a new set of clubs? Does a high handicapper benefit from custom clubs? These are but a few of the many questions my clients ask me before their fitting session. Let’s address the first question. What happens during a custom club fitting session?

After filling out a comprehensive player information sheet that includes set makeup, current club specifications, swing tendencies and playing goals, we move onto the first and most important fitting criteria which is club length. Swinging clubs that are either too long or too short could result in the golfer developing bad habits as well as inconsistency and accuracy problems. During this fitting phase, the golfer hits various length clubs with impact labels on the clubface to determine the longest length club they can hit for both distance and accuracy. The club that he/she hits the most consistently on the center of the clubface with the most accuracy and feel is the optimum club length for that particular golfer. The golfer is also asked for any feedback regarding weight, length and overall feel of each of the different length clubs.

Once the proper length is determined, we move onto lie angle. The second most important fitting parameter, lie angle is the point on the bottom of the clubhead that makes contact with the ground during a swing. For example, clubs that are too flat for a golfer will tend to show hitting marks more on the toe. This could result in the golfer hitting most of his/her shots to the right of the target because as the toe digs into the turf first, the clubface tends to open, pushing the shot to the right. A lie angle that is fit to the golfer is where the impact mark is directly in the center on the bottom of the clubhead. Each and every club should be checked and adjusted for proper lie angle, but the scoring clubs (6-PW) are the most important. In order to test for lie angle, I place impact labels on the bottom of the club head and have the golfer hit a few shots off a hitting board. Depending on where the impact mark is on the label will determine if the clubhead needs to be bent more upright or flat.

After lie angle is determined, shaft flex and torque are measured. Shaft flex is the relative stiffness of the shaft and its ability to bend or flex during the golf swing. It is important to note that no two shafts are alike in regard to flex. A Callaway R flex shaft is not necessarily the same as a Titleist R flex shaft and so on. Each company measures their shafts using different performance criteria and therefore you can’t assume that just because it says R on the shaft that it will perform like an R from another company.

Torque is the ability of the shaft to resist twisting. It is the combination of both flex and torque that make up the overall stiffness of the shaft. To determine shaft flex and torque, I measure the swing speed and tempo by using a machine called the Golf Achiever. This is a state of the art laser swing analyzer connected to a computer which allows me to not only measure a golfer’s swing speed but also ball speed, launch angle, club path, face angle and distance carried, just to name a few. Without some sort of measuring device it is very difficult to accurately determine swing speed and tempo, which are the cornerstones to fitting the proper shaft flex.

Tempo has a direct impact on torque. The faster a player swings from the top of the back swing to the ball, the more load or torque that is placed on the shaft. Therefore, a fast swinger will require a lower torque shaft to help square the clubface at impact. Along with the Golf Achiever to help determine flex, the golfer hits various clubs with different flex shafts, giving feedback on anything from a very flexible senior shaft all the way to an extra stiff shaft. We observe the performance of each of the different flex shafts in addition to the feedback from the golfer to further identify the proper shaft flex.

Once shaft flex and torque are determined, the last fitting procedure, if for new clubs, is to pick out the actual club head. Based on the questionnaire and the fitting results, I make a recommendation about a specific type of club head that the golfer will most benefit from. Does the golfer prefer/require a blade, a cavity backed head or maybe an offset? Does he/she prefer a thin or thick top line? Each of these types of club heads has different performance characteristics and is better suited to a specific type of golfer. The golfer test hits various component companies’ club heads comparing performance, look, and feel, and we finalize the club head best suited to him/her.

If the fitting is not for new clubs, the fitting is complete once the shaft flex and torque are determined. I then retrofit the golfer’s existing clubs. This may consist of bending the clubs for lie angle, cutting the shafts down or even replacing the existing shafts with something that is a better fit to the golfer’s current ability level.

Although there are other fitting items to consider such as swing weight, grip size, steel or graphite shafts, etc., this completes the basic fitting process. These are all great topics to learn more about and we will address them in future articles. A certified Clubmaker will insure your clubs are frequency matched, swing weighted to within one swing weight point and back them up with an unconditional warranty. Should you have a specific question please feel free to call me at 301-471-4825 or email me directly at Mike@CustomClubsofFrederick.com or visit my web site at www.CustomClubsofFrederick.com.

Mike Bednarcik
Custom Clubs of Frederick
Certified Class A Clubmaker – The Professional Clubmakers Society
Advanced Professional Clubmaker – The Golf Clubmakers Association
301-471-4825
CustomGolfClubs@aol.com
www.CustomClubsofFrederick.com

Article 2

Spring Club Primer
Are Your Clubs Ready for Spring?

by Mike Bednarcik
Owner -Custom Clubs of Frederick
Certified Class A Clubmaker – The Professional Clubmakers Society
Advanced Professional Clubmaker – The Golf Clubmakers Association

As published on www.GolfinAmigos.com - 3/23/04

After this long, cold winter, I’m sure you’re probably not physically ready to start playing golf – and how about your clubs? Are they in the best shape possible? If not, what can you do to get them ready for the upcoming golf season?

Perhaps the most important and often most overlooked is getting your clubs evaluated for the proper loft and lie. Golf clubs can easily work their way out of alignment (loft and lie) by simply hitting balls on the range or off hardpan, hitting a tree root, rocks, or just during normal play. And, most name brand clubs bought over the counter are never evaluated and measured for loft and lie specifications. It is always a good idea to insure your clubs are set to these manufacturer specifications by having them checked at least once a year.

If the lie of a club is off by as little as 1 degree, this could mean that your shot direction could be off by 3-4 yards. You may not notice this in your long irons, but being off 3-4 yards in your wedge could mean the difference between being in a bunker or being on the green.

Loft is equally important. There is only a 3-4 degree loft difference between clubs as you progress through the set. If you had a 6 iron that was a bit weak and a 7 iron that was a little strong, you could, in effect, not notice any difference in distance between the two clubs. Think about that for a moment. Do you have two clubs in your bag that you may hit about the same distance? You should see about an 8-10 yard gap between each club. A simple loft check and alteration will cure such distance gaps.

How about your shafts? Are their dent marks in your steel shafts or unusual wear marks or fraying on your graphite shafts? Both of these conditions could lead to premature shaft failure. It is better to correct these conditions now then to have it happen on the golf course or driving range and potentially injure someone.

Do your hear a rattle in your shafts or clubheads? This could be caused by loose weights or epoxy could have broken loose. Although this doesn’t affect play-ability it could be a distraction.

Check your ferrules as well. These are the plastic trim pieces where the shaft enters the clubhead. If there is a separation between the ferrule and head it could mean that the ferrule is loose and can be epoxied back into place. On the other hand, the ferrule could be in place and it could be the head that is actually sliding off. Although this is unusual, it pays to at least have them looked at and corrected if necessary.

Check your grips for unusual wear. Are there indentations caused by your thumb or forefinger? Are they slick or hard to hold onto? Do you remember the last time you changed them? If not, you are probably in need of new grips. While you’re at it, have your Clubmaker check your grip size. You may be surprised at what a different size grip could mean to the feel of the golf club.

What about set make up? What type of clubs are you carrying? Do you ever hit your 3 or 4 irons? If not, take a look at the new hybrid clubs. These new clubhead designs are much more forgiving and a lot easier to get airborne. Do you consistently hit a fade (slice)? Perhaps a driver with a closed or offset face will help straighten your drives. These designs will help you return the clubface in a more square position at impact and could result in straighter drives.

If you are a serious golfer, you should have a frequency analysis done on your clubs. This high tech specification check compares each of your clubs to one another to see if they match. Each club is placed on a frequency machine and oscillated. The number of times the shaft oscillates is stated in cpms or “cycles per minute.” Throughout the set, there should be an equal number of cpms between each club. If a club shows a higher or lower cpm than the others, that club could play noticeable different than the rest. The numbers are then plotted on graph paper to show a visual image of how the shafts compare to one another.

What does this mean to your game? Well, if your clubs are not frequency matched, they may not perform in the same manner. A club that is not in line with the others can easily be corrected by changing the shaft to insure it matches the rest of the set. Having your clubs frequency matched will ensure that they will feel and play as consistently as possible.

Whether it is the loft, lie, shaft, or grip, it is wise to have a Clubmaker perform an equipment check-up at least once a year to ensure that you have equipment with the correct specifications to match your individual playing characteristics. The best players in the world are constantly evaluating their clubs. Doing it on a regular basis will help you do the same.

Questions? You can contact Mike through his website at www.CustomClubsofFrederick.com or by phone at 301-471-4825. Mike is a Certified Class A Clubmaker through the Professional Clubmakers Society

Article 3

It Pays to Get Fitted
By Mike Bednarcik, Custom Clubs of Frederick

As published in the March 2004 issue of "Golfin the Good Stuff"
a local monthly Baltimore Golf Publication

There are four basic fitting parameters: length, lie, shaft flex, and clubhead. This month we’ll take a look at length and lie and their importance in clubfitting.

Swinging clubs that are either too long or too short could result in the golfer developing bad habits as well as inconsistency and accuracy problems. During this fitting phase, the golfer hits various length clubs with impact labels on the clubface to determine the longest length club to hit for both distance and accuracy. The club that he/she hits the most consistently on the center of the clubface with the most accuracy and feel is the optimum club length for that particular golfer.

Next we evaluate lie angle. Lie angle is the point on the bottom of the clubhead that makes contact with the ground during a swing. Clubs that are too flat could result in the golfer hitting most of his/her shots to the right of the target because as the toe digs into the turf first, the clubface tends to open pushing the shot to the right. Each and every club should be checked and adjusted for proper lie angle, but the scoring clubs (7-PW) are the most important. For each degree (1 degree = 1/4” off of center) your lie is off could result in a misdirection of 2-4 yards. In order to test for lie angle, I place impact labels on the bottom of the club head and have the golfer hit a few shots off a hitting board

Next month, we look at the importance of shaft flex.

Questions? You can contact Mike through his website at www.CustomClubsofFrederick.com or by phone at 301-471-4825. Mike is a Certified Class A Clubmaker through the Professional Clubmakers Society.

Article 4

It Pays to Get Fitted – Part 2 – Shaft Flex
By Mike Bednarcik, Custom Clubs of Frederick

As published in the April 2004 issue of "Golfin the Good Stuff"
a local monthly Baltimore Golf Publication

Shaft flex is the relative stiffness of the shaft and its ability to bend, flex or load during the golf swing. Having the correct shaft flex to match your swing speed will insure that the clubhead will return to square at impact.

It is important to note that no two shafts are alike in regard to flex. Each company uses different performance criteria and therefore you can’t assume that just because it says R on the shaft that it will perform like an R from another company.

To determine proper shaft flex for the golfer, I measure swing speed and tempo by using a machine called the Golf Achiever. This is a state of the art laser swing analyzer connected to a computer which allows me to not only measure a golfer’s swing speed, but also ball speed, launch angle, club path, face angle and distance carried, just to name a few. Without some sort of measuring device, it is very difficult to accurately determine swing speed and tempo, which are the cornerstones to fitting the golfer with the proper shaft flex.

Along with the Golf Achiever, to help determine flex, I have the golfer hit various clubs with different shaft flexes, giving me feedback on anything from a very flexible senior shaft all the way to an extra stiff shaft. To further identify the proper shaft flex, I observe the visual performance of each of the different flex shafts on the Golf Achiever along with the verbal feedback from the golfer

Next month we look at the importance of clubhead and set make-up.

Questions? You can contact Mike through his website at www.CustomClubsofFrederick.com or by phone at 301-471-4825. Mike is a Certified Class A Clubmaker through the Professional Clubmakers Society.

Article 5

A Game Improvement Q & A
by
Mike Bednarcik
Owner - Custom Clubs of Frederick
Certified Class A Clubmaker – The Professional Clubmakers Society
Advanced Professional Clubmaker – The Golf Clubmakers Association

As published on www.GolfinAmigos.com - 5/06/04

Has the High-tech era passed you by? Are your clubs more than 5-10 years old? If that’s the case, it might be time to take a look at some new clubs – or at least look at updating or upgrading what you currently have. Today’s models are longer, lighter, larger and more forgiving then even clubs from 5 years ago. There are more options with the new Hybrid clubs. If you answer yes to a few of the following questions then it might just be time to go club – or club upgrade – shopping.

1. Are you the shortest hitter in your foursome?

If so, take a look at your driver. Today’s drivers are longer and lighter and offer more potential for greater distances. The shafts are lighter which allow the clubs to be made longer. With longer and lighter shafts there is a potential for greater club head speed and therefore longer tee shots.

Over 60% of all drivers today are made from some sort of Titanium. Titanium is a very strong yet lightweight material that allows the club head to be made larger and more forgiving on off center hits. Larger clubheads increase the “sweet spot” by twisting less on off center hits. A club that twists less when hit on the toe or heel means the club has a high MOI or moment of inertia. This is a good thing. Less twisting results in straighter shots on off center hits. We can all use this.

How about your irons? An easy fix to add a few yards to your current set is to have the lofts adjusted 1-2 degrees stronger. One degree usually will lead to an increase of 3-4 yards. If you go more than 2 degrees strong, you may adversely affect the performance of the club by creating a negative bounce condition, which will result in hitting more shots fatter. This we don’t want. A qualified clubfitter will be able to mesure and adjust your clubs to get the most out of them.

2. Do you always hit the ball to the right or left?

If so, the next time you’re on the range, take a look at where most of your shots go and the flight pattern. With your irons, if you feel as though you are hitting the ball solid yet your shot consistently goes a little right or left of the target (especially with the short irons), it could be that your lie angles are incorrect. If your irons are too upright for your swing, you will tend to
pull the ball. If your irons are too flat, you will have the tendency to push the ball. If you think this is a problem you should have your lie angle tested and then have the irons measured and adjusted if necessary.

How about your driver? If you tend to slice or hook a majority of your shots then the club’s face angle may not match your swing. If you slice (like most of us), your clubface is probably open at impact. A more closed clubface (1-2 degrees closed) will help square your face at impact and improve your accuracy. The converse is also true. If you always hook the ball, then you should look at a clubface angle with a more open face.

3. Are you uncomfortable at address? Do you have to hunch over or stand too upright?

If so, either the lie angle or length of your clubs may be incorrect for you. A club’s length is an important element in how a player stands at address. Any unnatural posture or set up at address usually results in inconsistent swings and poor results. A club that is too long may lead to hitting behind the ball a lot (fat shots). If the clubs are too short you may be topping the ball.

Another important element is making sure the lie angle is correct. If the lie angle of the club is too upright, a player may have to raise his/her hands at address. This may feel very awkward or unnatural and usually leads to inconsistent swings or at best a bad or negative feeling to start the swing off with. It is very unlikely for that player to deliver the club at impact in that same position. If the club is too flat, the player’s hands will be too low, again a difficult position to match at impact. Therefore, if you feel as though you have to unnaturally adjust your hands at address to make your club look or feel “right”, chances are your clubs have either a length and/or lie that are not matched to your swing.

4. Do you hit the ball unusually high or low?

Watch the height and trajectory of your tee shots and compare them with your playing partners. If there is a big difference either high or low, the loft of your driver may need to be changed. If you hit the ball too high, the ball will balloon up in the air, reach its peak early and drop to the ground with little or no roll, usually at the cost of distance. If you hit the ball too low, the ball will not generate enough lift (backspin) and therefore the ball will reach its apex early as well and drop to the ground. This tee shot will, however, roll a lot but you are still not getting the most out of your drives. A driver with a low loft creates a lot of sidespin (slice-spin), which is the precursor to a slice. In order to maximize your driver distance you need to create more backspin to counteract the sidespin.

If you have trouble hitting your driver, do you hit your 3 wood well? If so, it is most likely due to the fact that is has more loft (usually 13-15 degrees), which is creating more backspin and less sidespin. This increases the likelihood of hitting the ball straight. By going to a driver with more loft you will add more backspin to your tee shots which will help straighten them out.

By utilizing a launch monitor like the Golf Achiever, we can determine the optimum launch angle for your swing and recommend the appropriate loft, length and shaft flex. Come in for a fitting on my launch monitor to determine what driver loft will work best for you.

Questions? You can contact Mike through his website at www.CustomClubsofFrederick.com, or by email at Mike@CustomClubsofFrederick.com or by phone at 301-471-4825. Mike is a Certified Class A Clubmaker through the Professional Clubmakers Society.

Article 6

It Pays to Get Fitted – Part 3 – Clubheads

By Mike Bednarcik, Custom Clubs of Frederick

As published in the May 2004 issue of "Golfin the Good Stuff"
a local monthly Baltimore Golf Publication

Once shaft flex and torque are determined, the last fitting procedure, if for new clubs, is to pick out the actual club head. Based on the questionnaire and the fitting results, I make a recommendation about a specific type of club head that the golfer will most benefit from. Does the golfer prefer/require a blade, a cavity backed head, an offset, or maybe a perimeter weighted head? Does he/she prefer a thin or thick top line? Each of these types of club heads has different performance characteristics and is better suited to a specific type of golfer. The golfer test hits various component companies’ club heads comparing performance, look, and feel, and we finalize the club head best suited to him/her.

Questions? You can contact Mike through his website at www.CustomClubsofFrederick.com or by phone at 301-471-4825. Mike is a Certified Class A Clubmaker through the Professional Clubmakers Society.

Article 7

Putter Fitting? – Why Not!

by
Mike Bednarcik - Your Golf Equipment Professional
Owner - Custom Clubs of Frederick
Certified Class A Clubmaker – The Professional Clubmakers Society
Advanced Professional Clubmaker – The Golf Clubmakers Association

As published on www.GolfinAmigos.com - 7/23/04

If a player shoots a 72 on a par 72 golf course, most likely 50% of that players score (2 putts per hole x 18 holes = 36 putts) is from putting. Many times golfers look to buy the latest drivers or irons to help their game. But why not start your search with the club you use the most – the putter.

You’re probably like most golfers who simply go to a pro shop or large discount golf chain and take a few putts with the hottest new advertised putter or one that the last winner on the PGA tour used. Well, that is not always the best thing to do.

One of the quickest ways to improve your scoring is to examine your putting, not only your technique, but your equipment as well. When a golfer comes into my shop for a putter fitting, we go over the five basic parameters of putter fitting:

·        length of the putter
·        lie of the putter
·        swing weight
·        loft of the head, and
·        head design

Putter length is perhaps the most important fitting parameter. Through testing, it has been determined that length accounts for 50% of your distance control and 50% of your directional control. Having the correct length promotes a comfortable posture and helps to make sure that your eyes are over the ball.

I use a mirror with a ball placed on it and an adjustable putter with a sliding shaft that can accommodate anything from a 30” putter to a belly putter. The player steps up to the mirror with the ball on it and slides the adjustable putter until he gets into a proper putting position. Once in the proper position, I tighten the sliding shaft and read the correct length that the putter will be cut to. I then have the player hit a few putts at that length with impact labels on the face of the putter to determine exactly where the ball is contacting the face.

Lie angle is the second most important putter fitting parameter. If you’ve read some of my previous articles, you know how important it is to have the correct lie on your irons. The same holds true for the putter. In putting, the lie angle accounts for 95% of the putts directional control and 5% of the putts distance control. On a typical 22-foot putt, if the putter’s lie angle is four degrees up, the ball will be pulled 1 3/16” to the left. That is enough to miss the hole completely.

To determine the correct lie angle, I have the player get into their putting stance in front of a special lie angle board with lines on it. I observe the player from the front to see if the putter’s lie angle matches the lines on the board. If the shaft is above or below the line, I need to bend the putter to make sure the putter has the correct lie.

Loft accounts for 90% of the putts distance control and 10% of the putts directional control. In putting, there are three ways to contact the ball at impact. One is to de-loft the putter with a forward press. The second is to increase the loft by having the hands behind the ball at impact. The third is perfectly vertical or straight up/down. To test for the correct loft, I again have the player take their putting stance with a lined board between their legs. If the shaft is ahead or behind the line, I need to adjust the loft of the putter to compensate. It has been shown through testing that a putter should have four degrees of loft to obtain the most consistent roll. Therefore if a player de-lofts or increases their loft, I need to adjust the putter to obtain that 4-degree optimum loft.

The next putter fitting parameter is head weight. Head weight accounts for 85% of a putts distance control and only 15% of a putts directional control. To measure a putter’s swing weight, the club is placed on a 14” fulcrum scale and the measurement is taken. The range should be between C4 and D6 or for better results the swing weight should be between C6 and D4. If the putter is too light, the player will not have a good feel for the distance and therefore consistency will suffer. If the putter is not heavy enough we need to add weight (either by lead tape or lead powder) to get as close to this range or to the correct feel for the player as possible.

The last fitting parameter is head design. Head design accounts for 50% of the putts directional control and 50% of the putts distance control. A typical 18 handicapper misses the center of the putter face by 1 1/2'” on a typical 22-foot putt. Research shows that if you miss the “sweet spot” by 3/10” you will miss a 22-foot putt.

Pros seldom miss the center of the putter but amateurs do. This is why most of us would benefit from a more forgiving putter head style or a putter with a very high moment of inertia (MOI). MOI is the measurement of the objects resistance to twisting. The higher the MOI, the less likely the head is to twist on a putt struck on the toe or heel. With a low MOI putter, not only do we lose the power on and off center hit but with the head twisting, the direction of the putt also suffers.

There is no doubt that a high MOI putter will result in better distance control and directly contribute to a golfer’s ability to putt more consistently. Every one of us can benefit from playing a putter with a high MOI. Come in and get fitted.

Keep your questions coming. I will try to answer each one of them either through my monthly articles on www.GolfinAmigos.com or individually.

Article 8

Seven Technology Factors to Improve Your Game
By Mike Bednarcik
Custom Clubs of Frederick

As published on www.GolfinAmigos.com - 9/23/04

2004 GCA Maryland Clubmaker of the Year

We are all looking for that little extra something that is going to make this wonderful game a little bit more forgiving. Here are a few suggestions:

Technology Factor #1 – Shorter Driver Length and More Loft

Today’s drivers that are sold “off the rack” are made in lofts from 8-11 degrees, and in lengths of 45” to 45 1/2”. However, only 10% of all golfers have the required swing mechanics and athletic ability to warrant playing such equipment. If you swing over the top or have an inconsistent tempo, and your wrist to floor measurement is less than 40”, then a 45” driver is probably too long for you. If you’re swing speed is less than 95 mph and you are using a driver with a loft of 9-11 degrees, then you are probably not maximizing your distance off the tee. If you hit a 3 wood better and more consistent than a driver, you can definitely take advantage of higher lofted drivers.

Technology Factor #2 – Closed Wood Face Angle

Wood face angle is the BEST equipment correction device for driver accuracy. Face angle is the direction the face points when the head is placed in playing position or soled.

It is a design factor that helps correct minor swing path faults or the inability of the golfer to square the clubface at impact. How many golfers do you think have that problem? Most golfers with driver problems either push or slice the ball off the tee. Yet, when you purchase “off the rack” drivers you have very little opportunity to alter the face angle. They just don’t offer that as an option. Most drivers will only have a closed face angle of 1 degree. A face angle with a 2-4 degree closed face angle will cut down a slice from 5-15 yards.

Technology Factor #3 – Set Make-Up

Today’s 7 iron has the same loft as a 5 iron of 15 years ago. Ever wonder why it is so difficult to hit today’s 3 and 4 irons? With today’s stronger lofted long irons, many golfers are going to higher lofted woods or hybrids. Which one is best for you? That depends. If you are currently having success with higher lofted woods, then staying with woods makes perfect sense. However, if you are not consistent with the fairway woods, then the shorter lengths of the “hybrid” clubs may make you more consistent. Each option has its pros and cons. The lower and deeper center of gravity of the wood heads will tend to hit the ball higher and are easier to hit. But the shorter lengths of the hybrids should be easier to hit on center and with more control. Either way it is probably time to get rid of your 3 and 4 irons and take a serious look at higher lofted fairway woods or hybrids.

Technology Factor #4 – Use the Most Flexible Shaft You Can Control.

By using a more flexible shaft, you will probably hit the ball a little higher, the shot will feel a little bit more solid, and the face might close a little more at impact. These are all things that will allow you to score better. By using a stiffer shaft you will probably hit the ball a little lower and with less distance, and the impact will be slightly harsher while the clubface may remain slightly open. Therefore, consider dropping down a flex and you might just be rewarded with a tighter shot dispersion and lower scores.

Technology Factor #5 – Use Cavity Backed Irons

Cavity backed irons truly are more forgiving on off center hits. You have probably heard this before, but take a cavity-backed iron and muscle-backed iron to the course and take a 10 shots with each and plot the results (when the greens keeper is not around). Plotting these shots will show you which type of iron performs best for you. I’m sure you will see better results with the cavity-backed iron.

Technology Factor #6 – Go With a Wider Sole on the Sand Wedge

If you tend to leave the ball in the sand from digging too deep under the ball, look for a sand wedge with a much wider (thicker) sole than on your current sand wedge. Also, if you tend to have a very steep downward swing plane, look for a wide sole angle and more bounce to get out of the sand more consistently. Sole angle will allow the club head to create lift as it travels through the sand to get the ball out. Bounce allows the leading edge of the head to glide through the sand because the trailing edge is actually lower than the leading edge. Having a wider sole angel and more bounce together creates favorable conditions to get out of the sand consistently.

Technology Factor #7 – Add weight to your Putter – In the Grip

More golfers are starting to notice a more consistent stroke with a heavier putter. But not just by adding weight to the head. I’m talking about counterbalancing your putter by adding weight to the grip end. I will be talking more about this in future articles, but many of my customers are noticing huge performance gains by adding weight to the butt end of the putter. The method is called “Balance-Certified Golf” and Custom Clubs of Frederick is one of only a few shops in the area that can perform this service. Give me a call.

Questions? You can contact Mike through his website at www.CustomClubsofFrederick.com, by email at Mike@CustomClubsofFrederick.com, or by phone at 301-471-4825. Mike is a Certified Class A Clubmaker through the Professional Clubmakers Society and is the 2004 GCA Maryland Clubmaker of the Year.

Article 9

Are You Having Iron Distance Control Problems?

By Mike Bednarcik
Custom Clubs of Frederick

Clubs to Fit Your Swing

2004-05 and 2005-06 Maryland Clubmaker of the Year

As published on www.GolfinAmigos.com - 12/30/05

Do you know how far you hit each of your irons? Do you know the loft and lie angles of your irons? Do you typically hit two clubs about the same distance? Are your clubs the same specifications as when you first bought them? Wow, way too many questions.

DistanceCaddy Personal Yardage Appraisal John Smith
Club	Long	Short	Avg.
Driver	254	239	246
3 Wood	238	227	231
4 Wood	220	208	217
5 Wood	206	195	203
1 iron	226	214	221
2 iron	211	203	209
3 iron	203	194	199
4 iron	192	181	184
5 iron	182	170	177
6 iron	171	157	166
7 iron	162	145	154
8 iron	151	140	146
9 iron	142	125	133
PW	128	110	121

First, if you haven’t done so, measure the distances for each of your irons and woods and write them down on a small index card, have it laminated and keep it in your bag for easy reference. Write down the shortest, longest and average of each of the clubs in your bag. This is very important, as well as a time saver, when you play new courses. It is also comforting to know what your shortest shot with any club is in case you have to carry a trap or hazard. You can do this on a driving range, golf course or better yet on a dependable launch monitor.

I have a machine called the distance caddy which accurately measures these gaps. I have my clients take 10 shots with the 3 wood and then 10 shots with the highest lofted club in the bag.

We then divide by the total number of clubs the client carries (excluding the driver and putter) to come up with a “gap” between each club. We call this gapping a set of clubs. Problems become obvious when we see similar distances between two or more clubs. We then perform an evaluation on those trouble clubs to determine if the lofts are similar.

If you have two irons that always seem to go about the same distance or you do not have consistent distance gaps (typically 10 yards or so) between each of your irons, then you might have 2 iron lofts that are too close to each other.

A typical set of irons will have 3 degrees of loft between the long irons (3, 4, 5 and maybe 6) and 4 degrees of loft between the shorter irons (7, 8, 9, PW, AW and SW).

Most high quality manufacturing companies have tolerances which allow for a +/- of 1 degree on loft off of specifications.

Let’s say, according to the manufacturer, your 6 iron loft was supposed to be 31 degrees and the 5 iron was supposed to be 28 degrees. If we allow for the tolerances of +/- 1 degree and assume the 6 iron is at the low end and is actually 30 degrees while the 5 iron is at the upper end at 29 degrees. What potential problems might you have with only 1 degree of loft separating these two clubs? Of course the distance gap between the 5 and 6 iron will be very small if any.

How often do you think this occurs with clubs bought “off the rack”? In over 8 years of evaluating clubs, it is very rare that I don’t find at least 2-3 noticeable irregularities between a set of irons during a specification evaluation for just loft and lie. I’m not even going to mention swingweight and frequency. That is for another article. How can we begin to be consistent if our clubs are not even the most consistent they can be.

Another problem, even if your clubs were checked for loft and lie is hitting off of hard services like those on most driving ranges. If you hit off of mats that are on top of concrete or another very hard service, chances are either the loft and or lie angle of your clubs has been altered. The constant pounding on these types of services or even “hard pan” on the golf course can cause clubs to go out of specification.

But I’m playing cast clubs? Yes, this happens very easily with forged clubs as compared to cast clubs but none-the-less all clubs can go out of specification with repeated use on hard services, not to mention the stress on the graphite shafts. Bring your clubs to a qualified clubmaker once a year for a specification evaluation and checkup.

If you have article ideas or specific questions, please forward them to me or go to the Amigos forum and post them in the new “Golf Club Lounge”. Stay warm!