Callaway I-Mix

The sources are here , here , and here . Basically what Callaway would do is to offer heads and shafts separately, so that way you can experience different shafts and interchange between them using special made wrench by Callaway to obtain the perfect combination without the hassle of pulling and reshafting. Technically it's Plug & Play. I'd say that this is brilliant and other manufacturers should follow Callaway steps. I'd like to hear your comments.

Well I would think that it is just an update to their optifit, except you can use the clubs, not just demo them? Is that right?

That was my understanding

Similar concept, but this time you can actually own 2 or more shafts with just 1 driver head. It's like, "Hey I'm feeling good today, maybe I'll have UST Proforce V2 or ProLaunch Blue installed instead of Aldila NV." Very neat.

Oh by the way, Nike, Nickent, and TaylorMade are coming up with their own "I-Mix" too. Can't say I'm surprised. TaylorMade is introducing their $1,000 r7 CGB Max Limited Driver in a package called "Tour Van Box" where you can interchange 3 shafts (Fujikura Rombax, Mitsubishi Diamana White Board and Matrix Ozik XCon) with 9 weights. The box also includes the headcover and of course the wrench. This will keep people busy experimenting.

I'm not saying this interchangeable shaft stuff is a bad idea...

BUT

I will probably invest in a football helmet because there are going to be driver heads flying all over the place on the golf course this year.

This is a great idea. Callaway and Taylormade have done something like this for there fitting centers and now nike is doing it. It helps so much. I would be willing to pay for this because you dont have to spend thousands of hours finding the right shaft and head combo. You just turn it and test it.

Its so outrageously expensive I don't see the point, A Callaway FTI Driver with a shaft that suits you exactly will perform a lot better and will be a lot cheaper than buying a Callaway FTI Driver with 3 shafts that give 3 different ball flights.

I cant help but to get the feeling that this still isnt going to lower anyones handicap. Plain and simple. Build a better swing.

Maybe it is just me but will the club feel different at all with this? One other thing: what is the point of this when you can go to a golf store and get fit through a fitting system?

I know more and more manufacturers are doing this I personally don't like the idea. As Eric mentions there is really only a few combinations that will work for a person.

You shouldn't have to spend thousands of hours now....see a quality club fitter and going through a fitting session with him/her would solve that.

I feel this method of self-fitting is going to hurt and confuse a person more than help. I agree that a person must develop a good swing but being fit for the proper equipment is still important.

I've been using a similar system for my fittings and I think it is best served for this purpose. The problem with the cart fitting systems isn't only the fitting but also the building. When you go to a demo day and try out clubs and find some you like, you don't get to purchase the same clubs you just demoed. An order is placed for the same heads, shafts, etc but in reality you're not getting the same club you tried out. The lie angle, loft, swingweight, flex, etc could be off from the one you tried at the demo day.

Take for example most companies have a tolerance of +/- 1 degree (some companies are 2 degrees). So let's say you tried a driver that was stamped 9* but really is a 10* - Next the order is placed for your new driver and you get a driver that is stamped 9* but in reality is 8*. Then take into consideration that just because two shafts from the same company say R doesn't mean they have the same flex and bend profile. Taking factors like this into consideration is what a good club fitter/builder does. This is why I started using the Nakashima HTEC driver (see below) and soon their HTEC fairway woods and hybrids. I have over 30 shafts pre-built (and growing) that I can use during a fitting session with a launch monitor. After we find the right loft, lie and shaft combination you can purchase that exact club you just tried! Take a look at the TM version, you're going to buy a package that includes 3 shafts. So yes a person is going to tinker and change them out but after a while they'll realize that one works better than the others. So now you've just overpaid for other components that you won't use. I'm with Erik on this one, this is just a bad idea for the general public.

The thing is if you bought a shaft and didn't fit, you could always sell/trade it back.

Of course fitting would be much way better than trying out each different shafts, but may I remind you guys that certain areas or countries don't have the luxury of club fitting. The country where I'm from golf, pro shops only sell clubs, period. No club adjustments whatsoever. As far as I know there's only one store who offers club fitting (only if the owner feels like it, otherwise you just go with whatever he says) with Pro3 swing simulator. It's sad but true.

What I'm saying is that this concept of interchangeable shafts may benefit some people even if they have to purchase 5 different shafts to get 1 right.

If you put it this way, then with the interchangable head/shaft, you can actually test a shaft/head combination that fits you best and walk out of the golf store with that exact club...

I would guess 98% of all golfers wont feel a difference at all. And the other 2 % just get a professional fitting anyways.

Basiclly its the same system Callaway uses to fit players, with the difference that when you try it yourself you probably wont have a launch monitor and somebody who can interprete the produced numbers. Last year it was still forbidden to play clubs with interchangable shafts and now as R&A; obviously changed a rule allowing it, some whiz at Callaway figured they could make some money extra off it with questionable results for the consumer.

selling consumer stuff they don't use seems to be the trend/profit for these companies.

With the Nakashima yes, with TaylorMade, Callaway, and possibly others you're going to have to pay for extra shafts that you really don't need.

Yes you could but most of us have seen first hand what eBay does to resale value

I'm not saying it's a bad idea when used by fitters, bad for john doe. You're in a different situation because of where you live and going back to what you mentioned above, how well are you going to be able to sell a shaft where you are located? I'm not trying to pick on you necessarily, just thinking more continental US, follow?

Again for the majority of golfers I think this is such a poor choice and needless waste of money. Using the example of people who can find a club fitter. Let's say you spend the money and buy 5 different shafts. At the average rate of $80 per shaft (and I'm being conservative) you have just spent $400 dollars. Now a person could very well find one shaft that works but it still may not be the best fit. With $400 that could easily pay for a quality fitting session and the shaft plus have money left over.

Again your situation is apples to oranges though.

Old thread but didn't want to start a new one and since I was in the market for a new shaft and saw the I-Mix I thought I would comment.

I am a guy who likes to tinker so I like the idea but I don't like the intent of it.

I think the system could be changed and it would make a world of difference.

1) Make a standard for connecting shaft to head. I am guessing that every clubmaker will have their own proprietary system of connecting the shaft to the head. IF there was some sort of standard then all heads and all shafts would be interchangable. So when you went to a new head or new shaft you can still use the piece that you are not replacing.

2) Make the pieces rentable. I am invisioning a sort of library system where say you have a head already and are looking to put a shaft in it. You go to your local retailer or proshop and rent a shaft to try. You go and try all the possible shaft option available and see which one works best for you, then you go and buy the shaft and you know it's going to work because you have acutally used that shaft (not the exact one) in your head and you know it works. This can also work if you are planning to upgrade the head, rent the head and use the shaft that you already have.

This is going to save the consumer money in the long run by not having to buy a bunch of shafts and the labor of getting a clubmaker to reshaft for you. Also when they go to upgrade they already own the other half of the club they are not planning to upgrade.

I don't really see a large number of golfers buy different heads and shafts and having the knowledge to pick which combo to be used on which day.

As for pros, I don't see them having any use for this. It's not like they don't get free equipment anyways and I am sure each morning of a tour event involves a trip to the equipment van to get any swapouts or tweaks before the round. So why would they carry around a bunch of different heads and shafts when the equiment van does all that for them and is filled with people who's job is to know about golf equipment?