So, this winter I've gotten into clubmaking...

[stiffiron]

Yeah, the pain of the long Michigan winter can turn a guy a little crazy, golf-wise.

I knew at the end of last season that I wanted to go to a shorter putter. I had taken some lessons that had really helped my putting late last season, and I was pleased. But, the new techniques had me gripping down to the metal at the end of the grip on my 33" Oddysey White Hot #8.

So I was at Golfsmith, and I saw one of these:



Almost exactly the same putterhead of what I've been using the last 6 years, but without the White Hot insert. Only 25 bones! A shaft was only $5. One of the really nice Orange and Black Winn grips was only another $6. I bought some epoxy at the hardware store, and boom--I've got a brand new putter for less than $40. Shiny, no dents or scratches, and it's made to my exacting new specification of 31-inch length!

My carpet-putting has moved to a whole new level!


So, then I read Tom Wishon's book:



Which made me start re-thinking my fairway metals. So, now I ordered 3-wood and a 5-wood clubheads and shafts and grips from Golfsmith, and when those come in I'll make myself a 42.5 inch 3-wood, and a 41.5 inch 5 wood, D-2 swingweight.

Anybody else having similar golf-disease problems?

[Shindig]

This might happen to me when I have a place to do this. But at the moment, I live in a studio condo. Maybe someday...

[stiffiron]

Hey, you're in California. You can do the work outside, in the driveway. Or on the balcony. Or at your Mom's house!

[flap]

Looks like the old 8802 what does Golfsmith call it?

[stiffiron]

Good eye! Very similar to a Wilson 8802!!

The topline is just slightly thicker than the old Wilson. But this seems to aid alignment, so I'm enjoying it.

And it's nice to go back to a solid face after years of the insert on the White Hot.

They call it a Snakes Eyes Viper Tour 1.

Nicely made. Good quality. Very shiny chrome clubface. But all the other surfaces of the head are nicely sandblasted to a matte (non-glare) finish.

I tell you, this thing has turned me into the Ben Crenshaw of basement carpet putting!!

[stiffiron]

bump it up there to the top...

[Matt P]

My brother-in-law wants to get into clubmaking. Seeing as we both have very young boys, 2 and 1 1/2 and we hope to get them into golf in the next few years, it would probably be worthwhile in the saving money department as they grow up. How have your clubmaking experiences been as far as making other clubs?

As I also live in Michigan it would be a great way to pass away the long grey winter, although it was 70 here just two days ago (30 the next...typicall Michigan)

[stiffiron]

So far, I've made the putter, and two fairway metals. I've only hit them at the driving range, but I'm very pleased with them. Even though the savings are substantial (much less than half the price of new name-brand clubs), the quality is very, very good. The shafts especially seem much better than what you get from manufactured clubs.

It's not very difficult. All you do is order the parts, and glue them together. You need to have a vise to hold the club while you put the grip on, and a rubber pad they sell so you don't dent the shaft with the vise, but other than that there aren't many tools needed.

Last season I re-gripped all my clubs, which was surprisingly easy. So this year I decided to make a couple.

I see you're a Wolverine fan. Did you ever play the U of M Blue Course?

[Fisherdude]

I've been making clubs for almost 25 years. When I started Golfsmith's catalog was a pamphlet!

It's not at all difficult, much less expensive, and very rewarding. I would suggest, though, that if you're going to start making woods and irons you should invest in a swingweight scale. It will really help you to make clubs that feel the way you like when you swing them.

As far as costs go: iron head, $10, True Temper Dynalite shaft, $7, grip $2. Times 8...not bad!

Titanium driver head, $80-120, dozens of excellent graphite shafts in the $30-50 range. New titanium driver...$150. If you want to go high end on the shaft, the Fujikura Tour shaft (67 grams) is $86. Other top of the line shafts are comparable.

If you want to make your own graphite shafted clubs, be very careful to follow the instructions for preparing the tip, and for making sure there are no burrs on the inside edge of the hosel.

All in all, a ton of fun!

[stiffiron]

Hi Fisherdude,

Yeah, I got hooked from the Golfsmith catalog too. The little online videos are a nice help, too.

[Matt P]

Although I was in Ann Arbor for six years I just played the the U of M course last year. It was a great course, and I can say Allister McKenzie kicked my but, those greens were the size of postage stamps and faster than crap through a goose, but I will be going back a couple of times this season.

Go Blue!!