Why are swing robots rarely employed for new products?

Great question!  I have often wondered this myself.

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Originally Posted by PinnacleGold 

Is it because golf technology has peaked? Is it because marketing BS sells better than facts? Is it because there's almost nothing that can be done do to improve a golf iron in the last 15 years? I think so...I mean you can't expect someone to pay $900 for a extra 14 inches in distance with their 8 iron.

 

I want to see Taylor Made's latest/greatest irons v Ping's latest/greatest irons vs 20 y.o Ping eye 2's etc.

 

I want to see Nike v Titleist v Bridgestone v TM v Noodle v Top Flite etc. golf ball comparison done by a swing robot.

 

Instead we get some "Pro" Momo or forum hackier Momo probably on payroll or just a idiot giving us his biased opinions using his far from perfect crappy swing.

 

I want to see much more maybe even all new product testing done by precision robotic swing machines and not some "pro" or forum geek.

 

Is there some massive cache of robotic testing i'm not privy to, or cache of YouTube vids showing product comparisons via robot?

Wouldnt that be great. The problem is that it's the big bad golf company's fault, it's OUR FAULT. They just tell us numbers and we believe them. They dont lock us in a basement and force us to buy their "new longer" product. We just do it. So blame the the golfers not the company. They are trying to make money and doing a really good job doing it.

Hahaha. Swing robots would benefit no one but the consumer (er, the victim).  Face it friends, it's all corporate America, Japan, China at their best.  One of the basic principles of advertising is convincing the buyer that he/she is inadequate, ugly, weak, fat, short in stature, or short off the tee.  When you accept the idea that what you have, or are,  is not good enough, you are easily sold. Until someone shows me convincing proof otherwise i stand by my statement that, considering the golf score, the ball counts for 1%, the sticks 3%, and your technique, skill and confidence 96%. Of course, it is your money and you are free to spend. 

Quote:

Originally Posted by PinnacleGold 

Is there some massive cache of robotic testing i'm not privy to, or cache of YouTube vids showing product comparisons via robot?

Basically, yes.

It is a robot called Iron Byron.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PinnacleGold 

"We just do it." literally lol'd for some reason, don't choke on all that Kool Aid:).

 

I would be happy to see even a spring loaded, homemade version, iron vs iron hitting a green from 80 yards out etc.  Nobody's doing this? I find that hard to believe.

 

   

Imagine if the Mythbusters were trying to find out which club/ball was best. Maybe some Golf equipment employee will see this and deliver.

Yes, we just do it. Taylormade has the highest market share so clearly they are doing something right. The way people buy products in the real world is they see advertisements, go look at the product, then make a buying decision (buy or not buy.) The key word is decision. We as consumers have the choice to buy whatever we want for whatever reason. Some people buy into the claims of the big companies and that is their choice and some people go through rigourous research and testing to find the right product which is also the their choice. Having robotic testing would be the smart and fair way, but thats not how the world works. These companies want to make money and if you have a problem with that, you should probably just forge your own clubs.

Some types of things swing robots do nicely. The Iron Byron swing, however, does not use the same mechanics as a human hitting the golf ball.

Iron Byron will swing club the same way every time until it is adjusted. Humans, however, will start adjusting stance, grip, etc. to try to make a new club perform better. This goes from mid-HDCP down to scratch.