Harrison Shotmaker Shaft Insert

Thoughts-
good idea, and should increase accuracy--I'd like to see some Iron Byron/Trackman data
will it theoretically decrease distance a tad? Is there a trampoline/elastic rebound effect of the lower part of the shaft deforming then reforming at impact?
not many golfers serious enough to mess with their driver/3 wood/5 wood shafts like this
effect on swing weight?
shaft compatibility issues?
why not make a better golf shaft? The Harrison Shotmaker Shaft

I saw a few guys over on another golfing forum going crazy about it. Very interesting but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't skeptical. They have sold quite a few already though and from most reports guys say it is the bees knees. Could be placebo effect though. Have to hit it myself to know for sure and I'm not going to stump up a few hundred $$ to find out my suspicions were right

I have 2 (one D flex, one E flex). The jury is still out but here is what I've noticed thus far;

- Spin is lower and I'm seeing more roll out, thus a few additional yards.
- Carry distance is unchanged.
- Launch is roughly the same.
- Swingweight is up 1 point.
- Good swings still result in good shots.
- Moderate swings result in slightly better (straighter) shots.
- Bad swings still result in bad shots.
- I've been in the fairway more often.

I have 2 identical drivers (Callaway 9.5' FT Tour, Diamana WB) that I've been hitting side by side, one w/the ShotMaker, one without.

Thus far this appears to be the real deal. I've only had them for about a week and haven't had much time to hit balls or play (I'm actually in the PICU w/my son at the moment). I'm hoping to get some more time to really put these through the paces next week. At this point though, confidence is up and that alone is half the battle (or more).

Here are a few quick pictures that I took when my SM kit first arrived;

The full kit. Includes Shotmaker, installation tool, drill bit, documentation and caps.


The drill bit is more of a single round blade. It's pretty sharp and should do the job with no problem. It has a guide in it that slides back and forth as seen in the pics (works great to remove the portion of the grip that gets drilled out).




Fixed caps, intended to be glued in place. My kit came with 5 of these.


The installation tool is a telescopic screw driver. The yellow handle is actually a torque wrench of sorts so that you're sure to use the correct torque when installing the Shotmaker. As you can see in the pictures, the wrench tip includes both a hex tip and threaded end. This allows for installation and removal of the Shotmaker as seen in the various videos provided by Harrison.




The Shotmaker itself comes in a hard plastic sleeve (which is a good thing based on the damage the box endured during shipping). The weighted/removable grip plug was included in the box.


The removable grip plug is secured in the same manner as the Shotmaker itself. As you can see, by tightening the bolt the rubber ring will expand and lock the plug. Using this plug will drop the swingweight by 1 point thus canceling out the affect of the SM (depending on how you feel about counterbalances that is).



The shotmaker itself.

I was finally able to spend some time on the driving range with the ShotMaker. I worked w/the SM in both my driver (E flex) and my 3-wood (D flex). Conditions were ideal for this type of test. It was 84 degrees out and I was hitting directly into a 7-8mph headwind. The range that I went to has Callaway Tour i range balls so the it's a comparable ball to what I play on the course (TM Penta), or at least more comparable than your everyday range rock.

I have two drivers that are almost exact copies of one another so I installed the SM in one and left the other one alone. For this test, I used the weighted SM grip plug. I picked a small target about 250 yards down range with the goal of hitting the ball directly over it.

I started with my SM equipped driver and proceeded to drive ball after ball almost directly over the top of my target. I did have one that got away from me to the right (a big block exasperated by the wind) and another that I pulled hard left (not coincidentally this was the ball that I hit directly after the block). Once I settled back down, I started hitting balls directly over my target with a the tiny baby fade that I like to play off the tee. Trajectory was exactly what I've gotten used to with the SM, just a touch lower than without the insert. The feel was also very good but even with the weighted grip plug, the swingweight felt a touch heavier (I have yet to weight it though). Almost as if I had a SensiCore insert in my driver. On good swings, dispersion was very tight. Balls were practically landing in the same spot time after time. I even had one hit another as it was bouncing down range!

After hitting a number of balls with the insert I swapped to my other driver with the same goals in mind. Hitting into the wind was perfect for this test because if I'm going to lose a drive, I'm going to lose it when I'm hitting into the wind. The first thing that I noticed right off the bat was trajectory. The ball came off the tee about the same but rather than holding it's line it continued to climb and reached a much higher apex than balls hit with the SM. It defiantly didn't balloon but you could tell that there was more spin. On that note, my favored "tiny baby fade" was more of a fade. Rather than moving just a few yards to the right, the ball kept drifting rightward as much as 10-15 yards. Certainly controllable and expected into the wind. I did lose a few balls with this driver as well. Every one that I lost was a block to the right which is my typical miss with the driver, I think that it's more a mental problem with my release than anything else but I digress. Anyway, these blocked shots ended up further right and not nearly as far down range as the block that hit with the SM. This is consistent with what I experienced on the course as well (I hit a ball that I swore would be OB in a tournament last Sunday, instead I found it about 5 yards in bounds and 10 yards further than I expected it to be which setup a nice birdie). After hitting a number of drives with the SM, the feel without felt softer and more active, not quite as stable either.

Just to be sure, I started swapping back and forth between the driver and continued to experience the same results as the bucket of balls slowly dwindled.

The results with my 3-wood was exactly as I realized with my drivers. This test wasn't nearly as apples to apples though as my SM equipped 3-wood has 13' of loft and my other 3-wood has 15'. For that reason alone, I won't get into the, mainly subjective, details.

Personally I really like the SM thus far. Hitting driver into the wind has always been one of my more difficult shots since I'm a higher spin player. I have a tendency to lose the ball into the wind which just crushes my confidence off the tee which, as you'd expect, results in tentative swings and just exasperates the issue (blocks). The lower spin/trajectory that I get with the SM helps my ball flight but I think that it helps my confidence even more. I'm convinced that being more confident over the ball is the biggest difference for me and has given me the biggest performance gain with the SM.

I'm impressed enough with the SM that I'm really intrigued by the Mugen Prototype shaft now as well. I'd love to see how this shaft performs side by side with my Whiteboard but, for some unknown reason, I'm still sitting on the fence and can't quite pull the trigger. I think that part of my hesitation comes from the fact that I know I'm going to need yet another SM insert once I get that driver put together (I have a 909D3 head just waiting for a shaft). I've also had a really hard time finding some real world reviews of this shaft. As Harrison products become more popular however, this should become less of an issue. Does anybody have one of these shafts that they'd like to part with?

>>> HARRISON SHOTMAKER - THIS THING IS FOR REAL <<<

Hello members ... First time, Long time ... First time poster and Long time reader I had a chance to install the Shotmaker into my driver and noticed an overall improvement in my accuracy.  This is no joke.

 

Here's my story.

 

I play to a 14 and an average-to-above average ball striker.  I get out on the course at least 1X per week, depending on the "honey-do" list.  I try to get on the range at least 3X per week.  I game a TM SFTP 2.0 with a Fuji Rombax 7Z08, play it at 44.5-inches with a D5 SW.

 

My SS averages about 108-111, and have gone as high as low teens and as low as 105 on the off days.  My ball speed is about high 150's to the occasional low 160's.  I have a slightly negative AofA, which I don't think is too much of a bad thing.

 

At first, I was a little skeptical at first but, it's better being skeptical than being a non-believer, eh?  So, I ended up trying the E-flex.  The installation was super easy and took all but 15-minutes from start to finish.  I was so excited that I rushed off to the range to hit a small bucket of balls.  I warmed up by stretching and hitting about 10-wedge shots.  Next, the big stick!  I like playing driver with heavier SW's, so the insert weighing about 4-grams added another point.  When you waggle the club, you can quickly feel something different.  I tee'd up the first ball and hit to the back of the fence at my local range, which was about 255-yards out.  Nothing out of the ordinary.

 

I was beginning to wonder to myself, "what am I supposed to be feeling?"  Well, the first shot that I missed out towards the toe (and I could tell that I missed), what should have been a big sweeping draw (almost OB on some courses) ended up being a more "tame" draw for lack of a better word.  Hmm, I thought.

 

I went back to my local shop and asked if I could try the F-flex and we exchanged without any hassles (thanks to Dennis at Blind9 Golf).  I packed up the back and headed straight for a quick back-9 at my local course. 

 

Hole 10 is a blind, downhill par 4, measuring about 389 yards to a blue flag tucked in the back right corner of the green.  I mean blind because at about 250 yards from the tee box, the fairways heads downhill and slight dog left right.  I usually layup with my 3-wood hopefully somewhere in the middle.  I try to play a high fade so I can position myself better for the second shot, but when I miss, it goes to far right and I am tinkering with possible OB or a horrible second shot. 

 

I said, "today i am going to hit driver."  I tee'd up a Pro V1X and took a few practice swings.  I took my position and let her rip with my normal swing and the sound the head made at contact was something pleasantly different.  Not to say that I can't hit my driver, but for those that experience that one super flush, pure nutted hit can attest to what I am saying.  The ball flight was penetrating and had a soft fade to it.  I saw the ball clear the peak of the fairway as it started to slope downwards.  By the time I got to the ball, I had about 65-yards to the flag.  "Wow," was all I kept thinking to myself.

 

I proceeded to finish the round only keeping track of the FW's hit, and I hit 6 of 7 fairways, where 5 of them were with the driver.

 

I stopped back by the shop and told them thanks for the new "weapon" and informed them the F-flex was for me.  So, for those that have heard of the Shotmaker, this thing is for real.  Just make sure you put a little time into making sure you get fitted for the right flex.  Originally, I was fitted for the E-flex, but the F-flex had my name written all over it.

 

Thanks for letting me share.

The Shotmaker does two things: it dampens impact shock (but not residual vibration), it significantly reduces or elminates shaft deformation. The part about dampening impact shock is easily understood. The part about interrupting shaft deformation is not.

Shaft deformation is inherent in every golf shaft. Below is a link to a high speed golf swing video of Tiger Wood available on Youtube.

 

From the video, we can all see that the shaft deformation process is apparent and inherent throughout most of the swing. Shaft deformation contributes to a significant increase in inaccuracy. Reducing shaft deformation has been the quest of shaft designer everywhere. But as long as there is only one shaft body, shaft deformation will always be there, and this Tiger Wood video is one example.

The Shotmaker interrupts the shaft deformation process because it is a foreign body sitting inside the golf shaft. It made it difficult for the shaft deformation to manifest itself during golf swing as to produce up to a 40% increase in accuracy. Another site's tests also documented a 38% reduction in side spin.

What the Shotmaker does to reduce shock impact also contributes to a higher degree of accuracy. Human hands are not the hand of a robot. Human skin and flesh are soft. Lower impact shock has its benefits. That said, the Shotmaker does not dampen residual vibrations like Sensicore because it does not contain any soft elements on its exterior. Residual vibrations transmit feel, and we want them to pass through to the golfer.

The Shotmaker sits at least 6" away from the tip of the golf shaft and below the flex point. It is positioned to preseve the playing characteristics of the original golf shaft. The Shotmaker is locked at one point only. It allows the golf shaft to bend and twist around it.

It took Harrison 7 years to develop this product. Harrison has received 4 patents and has pending patent on the Shotmaker design.  

A quick announcement from Harrison: With the exception of the E insert, all other inserts, insert tool and cutting tool are all in stock.  E insert will be in stock on 8/25. 

I've heard a couple of things --

 

It works.

 

It work best for players with a consistent swing.

 

One sees better results in OEM shafts -- which are most of the time tuned down versions of the aftermarket premiums.

 

It does not fit into all shafts.

 

You've got to get fitted on a monitor to try different SM flexes and see which one gets you the best results - typical issue is that golfers get too stiff of a SM flex.

 

It takes a while to get fitted correctly.

 

It's expensive.

 

It even works for slower swingspeeds.

 

But if you've got a swing, it seems to be a great tool.

I had this installed last week and have 3 rounds with it so far.  It has cut my draw down from 15-20 yards to about 10 yards.  My miss is a hook and this will not do anything to change that.  This will make your good shots better but will not keep you from making bad shots.  A 60 yard hook is still a bad shot if it is cut down to a 55 yard hook.  I still have to get used to my alignment with this installed.  I used to start my shots way over the right rough and draw it back to the middle/left side of the fairway.  Now the ball will land just off the fairway to the right.  Sometimes it will hit the very right side of the fairway and sometimes it will hit the rough.

 

I would recommend having one of these installed.  There is no downside of having it installed and you can reinstall it if you ever change drivers.  It works for me and will keep using it in all of my future drivers.  Given how hot of an item this is right now, you can easy sell it if you end up not liking it.  Just go into it knowing that it will not turn a slice into a fade or a hook into a draw.  This will tame your draw/fade to a more playable flight.

An announcement from Harrison:

 

For golf shaft makers, if you are interested in making Shotmaker compatible shafts, we are happy to supply you with Shotmaker compatibility specifications so that you can make golf shafts that are fully comptible with it. Pleaes contact us at 818-834-7600 and ask for Mike.  

Numerous users have suggested that a centralized location be created to host the Shotmaker compatiblity information.

Therefore, we have added 2 primary threads at Harrison.com forum. One is for users to list compatible shafts and the other one is for incompatible shafts.
This is the link. http://www.harrison.com/forums/

At your convenience, please login your personal compatibility or incompatiblity experience. You do need to register as a user to post. Thank you. 

Since Shotmaker’s introduction, thousands of users have posted their reviews online. Most of them are descriptive in nature. The two launch monitor screen shots below were taken during a Shotmaker fitting by a user. During the fitting, Haydn compared three scenarios: without insert (STD - blue), F insert (F FIT - red) and G insert (G FIT - green).  As can be seen from the screen shots, Haydn achieved the best results with the F insert. His accuracy increased by 60%, side spin decreased by 48%, and he picked up 17 more yards.

 

To view more user reviews supported by launch monitor data, please follow this link.  http://www.harrison.com/articledetail/user-reviews-supported-by-launch-monitor-data

 

I'm always sceptical to inventions that sound too good to be true, but this one seems to hold some merit. I wonder if it might be banned if it turns out to be too good.

I read everything with a critical mind, but I do value your opinion higher than most in matters like these Erik, so I'm really looking forward to your review.

I haven't heard of this until today.  Sounds cool, look forward to the review!

Wow, VERY interesting.  I think I may try this out.

What does the USGA have to say about this?  Isn't this sorta like corking a wood bat?