Can’t Play with the Pros? Make Their Custom Golf Clubs
The first step in making a custom club for a client is to study that person’s swing. A clubmaker will analyze the characteristics of the golfer’s stroke on different types of shots. He/She may study the golfer’s swing by reviewing the golfer playing several rounds on videotape. Some of the more advanced clubmakers utilize sophisticated technological devices to do more in-depth analysis of the client’s golfing style. For instance, the clubmaker might use a software program that will create a virtual re-enactment of the swing in order to make calculation such as the force(s) a golfer puts on a club and then transfers to the ball.
Next, the clubmaker must take several body measurements of the customer. He/She may also perform tests to evaluate the client’s strength. Knowing the various forces applied to a club and/or ball allows the clubmaker to design a shaft and head that will enhance a customer’s game and provide the durability needed to support the style, level, and frequency of play.
After that, the clubmaker will custom-construct the grip, shaft, and head using different tools and machines. The two pieces of equipment used most frequently by clubmakers are a loft/lie machine and a swingweight scale. The process of making a club can be tedious and dirty. It can take up to 24 hours to craft a perfect club. Wittling, bonding, and roughing up shafts made out of graphite, wood, iron, and steel can create a mess or possibly a health risk. Clubmakers must wear protective clothing when making clubs, and make sure that their workshop is properly ventilated.
The next part of the process may be the most important step – clubfitting. If necessary, the clubmaker will spend some time tweaking the club to insure maximum effectiveness. He/She may need to adjust the shaft length, apply a different grip, or change the weight or angle of a head.
The process just described is very involved, and is not necessarily the standard in the business. A lot of custom club ordering is done over the Internet. In these cases, it isn’t possible for the clubmaker to do much personal observation of the customer or to do an in-person clubfitting. Clubmakers who sell primarily over the Internet will ask the customer a series of questions about their golf style, past performance, and body. They will then use special tables or charts, such as a loft-lie chart, to predict what type of club would be best to construct.
Generally speaking, clubmakers are self-employed. Many work out of their home or in small retail shops that they own. Some clubmakers work part-time, but a majority of them are full-time employees. A full-time independent clubmaker can work as many as 60 to 70 hours a week during the peak golf season. Over 90% of this time, on the average, is spend collecting data from customers and constructing, fitting, or tweaking the club. The rest of a clubmaker’s time is spent maintaining business records, generating advertising, and performing other business-related tasks. A lot of clubmakers work weekends and three to four weekdays. Ten to fourteen hour days are not uncommon during the heavy selling season.
Custom golf clubmakers need to possess a variety of skills in order to be successful in the field. First of all, they should understand the game of golf, including all of the factors that might affect one’s performance. Secondly, they should be able to operate certain types of machinery and equipment such as a loft/lie machine or a swingweight scale. Clubmakers will also need to understand key principles of physics and chemistry. They would use their physics skills when calculating force. They would use their knowledge of chemistry when working with epoxy and other bonding agents. Clubmakers should have above-average technology skills as well. They should be able to install and use software programs and collect useful information from video and audio analyses of a golfer. Finally, a clubmaker needs to have a good business sense. More than likely, he/she will be working alone. The clubmaker should understand basic elements of accounting, marketing, and public relations.
There is no formal training required to be a custom golf clubmaker. There are a number of videos, books, and other information sources that can teach someone to make golf clubs over time. However, most good clubmakers have been trained and accredited in the field. There are several private trade schools and apprenticeship programs that offer clubmaker training and certification programs. If you are thinking of becoming a clubmaker, you should take classes in Industrial Technology, Accounting, Advertising, Physics, Chemistry, Business Management, and various computer-related fields. A good percentage of clubmakers today were once employed as Tool and Die Makers, Engineers, or other production occupations.
There is no clear data on the average salary of a custom golf clubmaker. Some clubmakers never earn much over minimum wage, while others can earn three-figures. Your salary as a clubmaker will depend upon your geographic location, who you make clubs for, and how and where you are employed. Clubmakers have a better chance at higher pay in states such as California, Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina, where golf courses are abundant. Those who design and build clubs for professional golfers or collegiate golf teams will obviously earn much more than those who cater to the general public. Clubmakers who own their own retail shops or conduct business over the Internet may earn more in the long run, as their opportunities for advertising and networking are better than running an operation out of their home.
The golfing industry expects that the demand for custom golf clubmakers will increase over the next five to ten years, as more amateur and recreational golfers are realizing the value a custom-designed club can have for their game. Even though the market is expected to grow, it still will not be easy to gain employment as a clubmaker. It is a highly competitive field.
