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Best of both worlds
New clubs incorporate graphite, steel properties
Posted: Tuesday November 14, 2000 11:22 AM
Updated: Tuesday November 14, 2000 11:23 AM
High tech can start out as low tech. Seven years ago, clubmaker Barney Adams wanted the best of both worlds in a shaft -- the consistency of steel and the shock absorption, vibration and light weight of graphite. So he chopped up one shaft of each kind, glued them together with five-minute epoxy, stuck a head on the shaft and went to the range.
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| THE SHORT GAME |
| All right, I admit I probably wouldn't pay $450 for a pair of golf shoes, but after test-driving a pair of Michael Toschi spikeless shoes, I may be hooked. They're made from Italian leather, are hand sewn and have an interior lining made of goat skin, which doesn't shrink or crack when it dries out after getting wet. If you're as unfashionable as I am (pity the fool), you may not have heard of Michael Toschi shoes. They're high-end. He decided to start producing golf shoes when he heard that some of his loyal customers were getting his regular shoes re-soled with golf spikes. The best thing about them is they seem to mold to your foot the more you wear them. In short, they're way too good for the likes of me. They're not for everybody at those prices, much like Toschi's other new product, the Mach ($360), a moccasin for the sports car driver who's tired of catching his heel on the clutch of his Alfa Romeo. Yeah, I hate it when that happens. ... The other contender for the title of Favorite Shoes I Currently Have in My Possession (now that I've finally retired two pairs of four-year-old FootJoy Classics) is a pair of Etonic eComfort shoes. They're light, soft, really comfortable and feel as good as a $450 pair but retail for around $99. I'd wear them more often, but my 13-year-old son likes them so much he's always stealing them. Since possession is 9/10ths of the law, I guess I'm going to have to buy another pair for myself. ... If we weren't trying to impress someone, we'd get rid of headcovers and just use socks. I know, a headcover is a headcover, but I ran across a useable new wrinkle called CoverUpz. They're slim, durable and made of neoprene, which wetsuits are made of. So they're lighter, water resistant and don't take up as much room as that gorilla headcover you're currently using. CoverUpz can be purchased with long necks, long enough to guard your graphite shaft. The best gimmick is the Velcro clasp that keeps the headcover where it belongs: on your club. Which is good, since I lost a headcover and a putterhead cover on my last round of cart golf. | |
"I hit a very good shot the first time and a terrific shot the second time," Adams said.
What about the third shot? "I went looking for the head. It flew off," Adams said, laughing.
That was then. Technology has improved, and Adams Golf has just introduced its new product, the Tight Lies GT irons, which uses both materials. A graphite tip connects a steel shaft to the head. The newfangled combination minimizes clubhead oscillation, Adams said, which helps the golfer get the clubface square at impact and hit a more-solid shot. "If you're a world-class player, squaring the face at impact isn't a big deal," Adams said. "For an average golfer, it is a big deal. We have a multi-material shaft. I maintain that this is the beginning. I predict you're going to see more of it, not just from us. I think you'll see multi-material shafts just like you saw multi-material clubheads, although I'll go to my grave believing that's just a marketing story."
Adams started playing the prototype irons last summer and noticed a difference. "The shots felt more solid, and I know in my heart of hearts my swing didn't get any better," he said. "I actually got excited about playing again. I started making some birdies and was hitting my irons so well, for me, I looked forward to playing. My handicap went down to a four. I haven't been a four for 10 years. I hit some really neat long irons, shots that are fun where you're kind of proud of yourself. Which is ironic for us, the Tight Lies fairway woods guys. It's been fun playing golf again."
The Tight Lies GT irons arrive at stores this month. I haven't tried them yet so I can't give you a first-hand opinion, but I have heard two tour players under contract to other companies rave about them. The irons will retail for around $799 a set. I'm looking forward to trying them out sometime this winter, but if you beat me to it, let me know what you think of them ... or any other new stuff you try.
Sports Illustrated senior writer Gary Van Sickle is a regular contributor to the magazine's Golf Plus edition. Click here to send a question to his Golf Mailbag.
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