Oem Vs Components

[Chieflongtee]

Do you believe original equipment clubs hit the ball farther than components clubs. If so please elaborate.

[jvincent]

It's that time of year again is it?

You know my answer. Inherently there is nothing that makes an OEM longer.

Of course, if you get an OEM that is a better fit for you than a component the answer will be yes. But the same is true the other way.

[1972Apex]

Uh.... no...

[downhillslider]

Do you believe original equipment clubs hit the ball farther than components clubs. If so please elaborate.

Wich club Chiefy ? Drivers, irons, hybrids, ???

[Chieflongtee]

Wich club Chiefy ? Drivers, irons, hybrids, ???

All Les.

[hackzaw]

JV and I are on the same page. Whichever club happens to be more properly suited to the individual swinging the club will most likely have better results. Some people might just get lucky with an OEM, in the sense that it just so happens to be a match for their swing.

An anology to custom club fitting and OEM, would be a shoe store that sold a variety of shoes but only size 9.5 (the national average) shoes, in comparison to a shoe store where the customer got to select every aspect of the shoe and have it built to size. Which customer would run faster?

Forgetting entirely about the indivual swinging the club, and strictly comparing an OEM head to a component head.... for the driver, it all comes down to COR. If one driver head has the max 0.830 COR, then if this is compared to any other head that also has COR of 0.830, then they would be equal. Irons would be difficult to compare - my intuition tells me that if they are similar design (i.e. cavity back, blade, etc.) of identical loft, they should go similar distances (presuming identical everything else). The CG location of the head may have some influence on the trajectory which in turn impacts distance.

I'm thrilled with my Wishon 919 THI (which does have 0.830 COR and a whopping 5200 MOI), and it certainly falls into the component category.

[BC MIST]

Forgetting entirely about the indivual swinging the club, and strictly comparing an OEM head to a component head.... for the driver, it all comes down to COR. If one driver head has the max 0.830 COR, then if this is compared to any other head that also has COR of 0.830, then they would be equal. Irons would be difficult to compare - my intuition tells me that if they are similar design (i.e. cavity back, blade, etc.) of identical loft, they should go similar distances (presuming identical everything else). The CG location of the head may have some influence on the trajectory which in turn impacts distance.

I'm thrilled with my Wishon 919 THI (which does have 0.830 COR and a whopping 5200 MOI), and it certainly falls into the component category.

Having the wrong shaft may rob the golfer of some distance, too.

Assembled a 919 this week and noticed two things. A little more distance than my 455 Deep Bore, but the dispersion was noticeably better. Playing 27 holes with gbower on Tuesday, he stole, well borrowed the 919 for each of his tee shots and he was obviously longer than his 455, but I think his dispersion improvement was even better than mine.

Properly fitted components RULE!!!

[jvincent]

Did you get the 919 back?

It's unfortunate that TWW isn't submitting the 919 for USGA testing. Otherwise I'd probably be adding one to my collection of drivers.

[BC MIST]

Did you get the 919 back?

It's unfortunate that TWW isn't submitting the 919 for USGA testing. Otherwise I'd probably be adding one to my collection of drivers.

I had to take it back out of his bag on more than one occasion. When I first introduced him to the 455 a couple of years ago, I never got that one back, and he's been stealing clubs from me ever since. 560's, 321's. I also made a couple of 915's that will probably walk, too.

[gbower]

I think I'll stick with the hybrids I have now. They go tooooo good. Can't wait to get my hands on the 919 again. Don't know whether it was the shaft or head but was a hell of a lot straighter and longer.
You just have to quit getting all those new clubs in to try out.

[Chieflongtee]

just here. could it be that you were in a rare driving form? Or could it be that we have not had any rain in over 2 weeks Blah blah blah

[gbower]

My driving is always in rare form. I was just comparing to what I had been hitting the day before and the day before that. Fairways aren't giving the extra long rolls yet but when playing most days if I can get an extra 15 yds from yesterday I'll take it.

[BC MIST]

I think I'll stick with the hybrids I have now. They go tooooo good. Can't wait to get my hands on the 919 again. Don't know whether it was the shaft or head but was a hell of a lot straighter and longer.
You just have to quit getting all those new clubs in to try out.

I replaced the V2 with the Epic for today's game at Mississippi and noticed that the trajectory was higher. Will be interesting to see what your flight is tomorrow when we play. Only hit 13 of 13 fairways today, making it 33 of 35 for the holes that I have had the 919. I normally blame myself for my bad and good days, but there is something about this head that just won't let the ball go crooked.

[Chieflongtee]

there is something about this head that just won't let the ball go crooked.

Are you comissionned based?

[sillywilly]

Here is my take on components. They are great, just as good as OEM and if they were cheaper than OEM I'm sure more people would use them but they really aren't cheaper. Once you factor in the install and the custom fitting some even work out to more expensive. You would think that something with hardly any marketing behind it would much cheaper and when you take out the added costs they are but people don't look at it that way. The consumer looks at it as "how much is this costing me."

Then there is the resale value. Components get no respect. I was speaking my Mr. Kilbank about this a few weeks back and he were both a little suprised that I was able to pick up a set of KZG irons 5-pw for $51us+ shipping. Picked up another set for $400 which was 3-pw and had project x shafts. I ended up selling that set online for $300. How am I able to pick up a set of irons (5-pw), which cost the very first owner atleast $900, for only $51us? You won't ever recover what you put in. I think that has to be looked at when deciding to go OEM vs. Component.

If only there was a cost effective way to get custom fit for OEM clubs the way the component builders fit you. You could have the best of both worlds. Clubs that fit you and not losing a butt load of coin when you sell your comp. set

[jvincent]

Then there is the resale value. Components get no respect.

This is generally true.

On the other hand, if you get your component set properly fit you are less likely to go through multiple sets of clubs so in the end you might end up saving money. Unless of course you just like to get new clubs every once in a while.

OEM sets also lose a lot of their value after the first year or so when the new models come out so if you are constantly changing those you aren't going to be saving anything.

[sillywilly]

agreed. I would say the best way to do this is go and get your comp. heads on ebay. Pay for your custom fitting ($80 for irons, $50 for driver) and then buy those shafts on ebay as well. Don't cheap out on the install, thats important. This would save you a lot of money and you didn't pay a ton of cash and you actually took advantage of the fact that comp gets no respect because you are picking them up for much less than retail.

[jvincent]

Unfortunately generally like my stuff to be all new and shiny when I put it together.

[Chieflongtee]

Unfortunately generally like my stuff to be all new and shiny when I put it together.

Same here as I never know what work was done on the pull outs etc..

[Chieflongtee]

Assembled a 919 this week and noticed two things. A little more distance than my 455 Deep Bore, but the dispersion was noticeably better. Playing 27 holes with gbower on Tuesday, he stole, well borrowed the 919 for each of his tee shots and he was obviously longer than his 455, but I think his dispersion improvement was even better than mine

Loft? ,length?, jumbo grip or not?

[BC MIST]

Loft? ,length?, jumbo grip or not?

46"

8* handpicked.

Crossline Jumbo over 18, 14, 10, 6 layers of 2" tape.

[amac]

Having the wrong shaft may rob the golfer of some distance, too.

Assembled a 919 this week and noticed two things. A little more distance than my 455 Deep Bore, but the dispersion was noticeably better. Playing 27 holes with gbower on Tuesday, he stole, well borrowed the 919 for each of his tee shots and he was obviously longer than his 455, but I think his dispersion improvement was even better than mine.

Properly fitted components RULE!!!

OK...now I'm drooling! I loved my Deep Bore, love my SMT Indio even more, and you are telling me that (for you) the 919 is longer and tighter dispersion? Either this one or the new (as yet to be announced) SMT driver head will have to be in my bag for 2008!

[Andy4Par]

Why do professional golfers from all the different tours play oem clubs? Granted they have them tweaked and custom made but they still prefer oem. The general public is always going to play the same as the pro's play. Monkey see monkey do!

I really have no opinion because I've never used components. Just curious to the thoughts and opinions of others.
Is it marketing? Quality? Availability?

[jvincent]

Is it marketing? Quality? Availability?

It's money. The pros get paid, sometimes very big bucks, to play with a certain manufacturers equipment.

Mike Tait, of SMT Golf, has given some first hand accounts of what it costs to get clubs into the pros hands and the numbers are huge.

[Andy4Par]

Not all pro's can get paid to play certain clubs though. I would venture a guess that less than 5% play with component clubs. I could be way off on that figure.
So do the pro's that don't get paid just choose oem then? If custom built clubs help you shoot lower scores, thus making more money on tour wouldn't it be in each players best interest to play non oem clubs then.

I think that if I played custom components after getting used to them I would probably play exactly the same.

[scanner_66]

Make no mistake - every club in a tour pros bag is custom fit by the staff pros employed by the OEM's, furthermore they have been known to take 30-40 new heads to the range and find the individual head they like best, they also can try every conceivable head shaft combo going. When players switch brands like Phil did a few years ago or Ernie just recently they literally spend many days getting the best possible combo prepped before it becomes official.

Custom fitting a pro is also much easier than a non pro as they have a completely different level of swing compared to us. The average golfer when getting custom fit tends to overstate their good qualities and understate bad. The most successful fittings I have done have been for golfers I have actually played at least a couple of rounds with.

Geoff

[Big Johnny69]

Not all pro's can get paid to play certain clubs though. I would venture a guess that less than 5% play with component clubs. I could be way off on that figure.
So do the pro's that don't get paid just choose oem then? If custom built clubs help you shoot lower scores, thus making more money on tour wouldn't it be in each players best interest to play non oem clubs then.

I think that if I played custom components after getting used to them I would probably play exactly the same.

Andy, you can get custom fitted OEM clubs. Custom built does not just refer to components. You can bet most pros have their equipement tuned just the way they like it.

And believe it or not, most pros that don't have a big endorsement contract still get to used equipment for free or even get paid a small amount to use. From what I've heard some of the big names will offer their products and services to some of the lesser knowns each week on tour early in the week. They'll offer up their stuff for a player to use free of charge or even offer to pay them a small amount. I've heard stories of players being paid $500-1000 or more just to put a certain club in their bag for a tourney (even with no guarantee of the player making the cut).

[jvincent]

I'll see if I can find Mike Tait's post. It's very informative on this subject.

[Andy4Par]

I realize that Geoff. Oem clubs are fine tuned for each tour player. Begs the question then, If component heads are longer/straighter(apples to apples) why are tour players playing oem heads?

Chiefs question is kind of like 'Which came first the chicken or the egg?' No correct answer just opinions.

Unless, oem heads are better quality and longer/straighter than component. The proof is tour players prefer oem even if they have to tweak the playing characteristics.

Does being paid to play outweight the desire to shoot better scores. I rather doubt Tiger or any of the top pro's enter tournaments solely to make money.

[Big Johnny69]

I realize that Geoff. Oem clubs are fine tuned for each tour player. Begs the question then, If component heads are longer/straighter(apples to apples) why are tour players playing oem heads?

Chiefs question is kind of like 'Which came first the chicken or the egg?' No correct answer just opinions.

Unless, oem heads are better quality and longer/straighter than component. The proof is tour players prefer oem even if they have to tweak the playing characteristics.

Does being paid to play outweight the desire to shoot better scores. I rather doubt Tiger or any of the top pro's enter tournaments solely to make money.

I'm not sure where you're getting the idea that components are straighter and longer than OEM??????

Chief's question was "Does OEM hit the ball longer than components?". And to my knowledge there is no proof that one is longer than another. If fitted properly to the golfer both should perform just as well.

And is some cases, pros choose OEM because of the availability. When's the last time you saw a Golfsmith trailer at a PGA event??? With OEM the pro is pretty much guaranteed to have a replacement readily available should something break/crack etc.

And to give a partial answer to you, for the fringe player, getting paid to play a certain brand will outweigh the chance to play better if it means putting some money in his pocket to pay the bills. And by this I mean playing OEM or components, it doesn't matter.