Jeff Summitt Explores Marketing Misconceptions and Inaccuracies in Golf Club Design – Center of Gravity
As a technically inclined person, I take information seriously. I shouldn’t matter whether the information is laid out as written text or appears as a diagram trying to describe something complex, but there should be a level of truthfulness in the context. One of the pet peeves I have (and I have many) is when companies exaggerate claims of shifting the center of gravity in one of their designs
One example of what you might see is the following hybrid. The yellow/black icon shows the center of gravity of the original clubhead, while the blue/black icon represents the center of gravity moving rearward as the clubhead is expanded. While there is some truth to the CG placement becoming more rearward; it is no where near the proportionality that really occurs.
(or outside agency) to tout the claims and benefits of a product and come up with a marketing angle to help sell it through. In what starts out as good intentions becomes exaggerated. For instance, the engineers / technical staff present the diagrams to the marketing department. In reality it looks like the following.
[...] As a technically inclined person, I take information seriously. I shouldn’t matter whether the information is laid out as written text or appears as a diagram trying to describe something complex, but there should be a level of truthfulness in the context. One of the pet peeves I have (and I have many) is when companies exaggerate claims of shifting the center of gravity in one of their designs. Continue Here. [...]
Jeff, amen!
I’m also technically inclined (professionally) and have been known to have a few pet peeves. What always amazes me is how other technically inclined golfers (I play with a number) tend to believe these “exaggerations”. There seems to be no end to what golfers will believe in their search for the “holy grail”.
If we believed the cumulative technical hype over the years from the golf industry, then every weekend hacker should be able to play Kim Jong Il flat — his official bio claims that he scored 18 for a round on a championship course (besides being a fighter ace and other major accomplishments).
Keep up the good fight and thanks for all you have done for golf.
MW
Jeff,
Good Job. Keep it up.
David
Jeff,
I always enjoy your articles and your advice!
John
(from Florida)
Jeff,
As a mechanical engineer ,I can only say keep up the good work. It is refressing to have an honest opinion
I’m as guilty as the next duffer of anxiously seeking the next big thing. I think the best perspective is to be thrilled that there is so much innovation and accessability to new products.
Hireko Golf is a prime example of both.
Well then, make all marketing guys play to a single digit index and have an engineering undergraduate. Their job is to get people to buy the product. Remember PT Barnum’s admonishment.
As a retired Development Engineering Manager, I really do understand the marketing delema…! While we want to be precise, we also want to stay in business. The competition is always looking for a way to gain an advantage at the retail level, and inoder to keep up, marketing must do something competitive. Granted 99% of it is pure hype, but that is the reality of the market place we all enjoy! I actually get some real good laughs at some of the things claimed. As a custom clubmaker, I am always looking for new and better ways of building clubs that perform for an individual rather than the public at large. I would love to find a research archive that contains things like how to teak spine position to affect ball flight. I am sure that kind of information is carefully guarded. !$#^%@*&!!! Best thing we technocrats can do is keep an information flow going that focuses on the real issues of making a better performing club. SO.. keep the technical discussions flowing and THANKS !