|
|
| Greetings!
Wow!! A new decade. If you're like me, you're not going to be too sorry to see the old one disappear. Next week we open the tournament season at the Palo Alto Muni. It won't be long until the Monster PGA Show in Orlando. The "Hot List" is out and new models are showing up every day. The fun is about to start. |
|
|
Golf Lab Survey Update
Thanks to the 755 Golf Lab customers who responded to our survey. We are making the results available to all of our clients. Hopefully, you will find it interesting. Here is the link:
Go to survey
We spent a lot of time reading and thinking about the suggestions. Over the next few weeks, you will begin to see our response to the suggestions. Here are some of the immediate changes for 2010.
|
|
Changed Plans
We're not moving (for another year)
Palo Alto is not known as a town that's friendly to developers. That's being proven once again with the redevelopment of the Edgewood Center. There is now a plan before the Palo Alto City Council that looks like it will pass. Even so, it will be at least another year before they can start to build. Our landlord offered us a 12 month lease - we had been on month to month. With a full year of certainty, we're comfortable to stay put. We don't have to face the disruption of a "surprise" in the middle of the season. Even though the "Cave" is without heat and air conditioning, we're ensconced.
It won't last forever. By this time next year we will be pretty deep into moving plans - next time for real.
|
|
Strategic Alliance - David Balbi
Our moving plan was to join David Balbi at his teaching studio in San Carlos. He is located just across the street from the Best Buy on Industrial Ave. - a block south of the Golfsmith.
The alliance made sense to us. Over time, it has become obvious that a golfer's equipment and a golfer's swing have an intimate relationship. Helping a player improve his game always requires swing analysis and sometimes modification before new clubs will make a difference.
A few years back we had a great relationship with Eric Jones and we were able to offer lessons in the shop. A lot of Golf Lab customers took advantage of that opportunity. (Eric went on to earn his PGA credentials and is working out of the Pleasanton Golf Center. He's a little too far away.)
David is a Class A PGA Member, Teacher of the Year for California in 1999, and a highly respected teacher for over twenty years.
David has assembled a state-of-the-art system for teaching golf. In addition to an expert eye, he has all of the professional video and electronic gizmos that allow a player to "see" his own swing. Personally, I think that working with David as a club fitter will lead to an outcome where the sum is greater than the parts. Over the next few weeks, I'll be describing David's methods so you can judge whether tweaking your technique might make sense.
Our working plan is for me to schedule time at David's studio - we're thinking Wednesdays - perhaps afternoons. We'll work together for Golf Lab clients who want a professional swing analysis along with their club fitting.
One of the options that I'm investigating with David is entering the PGA program and earning a teaching credential. After almost ten years of working with golfers of all ability levels - with the benefit of electronics - I think that the next step for me is to help golfers develop the swings they want as well as help them find the clubs that work with their swings.
That could very well make an interesting story to follow. Not too many guys try to pass the "Player Ability Test" (PAT) at age 65.
|
Schedule Change - Closed Mondays
New Evening Hours
One of the suggestions that came through loud and clear in the survey is that readers love the "inside information" - particularly on technical subjects. That requires time to cultivate relationships and write the articles. I'm going to take Mondays to do that. I will be working from the office at the Golf Lab with a little practice time later in the afternoon to wind down.
The Golf Lab will be "technically" closed on Mondays but Dian Terova will be in the office from 9:30 until 12:30. You can call if you have questions. The front door will be open for drop offs and pickups. And, if you absolutely, positively have to get in touch, I'll be there - most of the time.
Clint will not be working Mondays during January and February. If business demands more time in March and through the season, Clint will be back on Mondays.
|
|
Thursday Golf - Evening Hours
"Equipment Tester" Program
Another suggestion that came through loud and clear was a great interest in reporting hands-on experience - not only from low index seniors and tournament players but also women and mid-handicap golfers.
Thursday is a good day to play during the week. There's a seniors group based at Bayonet that I joined and there's a group that plays every Thursday out of Palo Alto. I'll also be available for Golf Lab customers who want to play the Palo Alto Muni. If you can play hooky on a weekday morning get in touch to see if we can make a connection.
The first tournament at Bayonet is next Thursday. Anyone want to carpool?
I'll be back at the Golf Lab on Thursday afternoon when possible and stay through until 9 PM if necessary to allow time for players who can't get away during the day.
One of the unique programs that I've started at the Golf Lab is the "Equipment Tester" program. The idea is to find golfers who have significant time to play and practice and who are in a position to "spread the gospel" of the Golf Lab. The most successful equipment testers have been players who work around golf, especially starters and marshals at local golf courses. The "Deal" is pretty good. Free continuous fittings and free equipment to use. Testers that want to buy their equipment, do so at cost.
If you have an interest, get in touch.
|
|
Saturdays on the Range
Another theme from customer suggestions was to make it easier to get to the Golf Lab. Four years ago, we tried the Tour Van idea but it was too early. For 2010, we're going to team up with Miura and schedule Saturdays at Bay Area ranges - preferably at private golf clubs - but OK at any course with a grass range.
Miura is keen to put their product in front of a new population of golfers. The traditional retail route doesn't work for them and we look forward to bringing our Flightscope radar systems (we think they're superior to the Trackman) outdoors for equipment evaluation and fittings.
We will start our outdoor fittings when the weather improves, probably in mid March.
You can really help with this program. If you would like to see us bring the "road show" to your club, please get in touch. We'll provide materials to describe the Miura products and our fitting services. We will definitely work by appointment so reservations will be required - probably an Internet-based system.
There are a limited number of Saturdays that we can work. We'll plan on starting our outdoor fittings as soon as the weather warms up and drys out. If your club has a good range, please help us schedule a visit.
When we make our arrangements for outdoor fitting days, we will do our best to make sure that the event is open to all Golf Lab customers. This will be a welcome opportunity for players who have wanted to try the outdoor fitting option for the things that you can only do outdoors.
The outdoor radar systems shine for driver optimization. The difference between indoors and outdoors is that the launch ballistics are captured and the player can see the trajectory at the same time. The single defect of indoor fitting is that it's hard to visualize what the "best shot" looks like.
Another thing that you can do outdoors with radar is "gap" your bag. Very few players know exactly how far they hit every club. Radar eliminates all of the guesswork. Hitting every club in your bag and recording the results might be a surprise. Even players who had a good idea of their correct distances were frequently surprised by the inconsistency of the gaps. Sometimes, unconventional changes in your club loft angles can be very effective in closing the gaps.
Finally, radar is the best way to compare the performance of two golf clubs. Hitting outdoors, you get to take aim at a familiar target, not a net that's ten feet away. The radar keeps track of where each shot ends up and it's a snap to compare the "dispersion". Each club is represented with a different color dot. Overlaying the clubs makes the best performer stand out. It will be a great way to compare the performance of Miura irons against your current gamers
"Saturdays on the Range" will cause us to cut back on Saturday hours. Clint will be in the Golf Lab from 9 until 1 for "while you wait" help where possible. We will not have Saturday fittings during the outdoor season.
Don't despair if you are afraid that we won't be available. We will always set up a special appointment for a fitting with any customer. Even if we have to work Saturday nights or Sunday. Those needs will be answered by appointment.
|
|
Website Update
The "thorn in our paw" has been our website. The basic structure was completed in 2002 with few updates. All of my energy went into writing the monthly Golf Today articles and Members Only emails.
The "archives" were hidden on the landing page so a lot of readers never found the fresh material. Too many of our customers never even knew about the Golf Equipment Chronicles We're fixing that.
We'll have completed descriptions of our services - in depth - and our products. There will be an "online store" that will allow us to showcase the rare and one of a kind products as well as our standard custom clubs.
We're hoping that this will be interesting to our customers who live nearby but have a difficult time scheduling shop visits as well as our widely dispersed customers who will find it convenient to be able to get their custom clubs built and shipped to them.
|
|
Tighter Scheduling
Since we're trying to do more in the same time we're going to have to make some changes in how we communicate.
If you want to be sure to talk to a person, Dian Terova will answer the phone Monday through Wednesday mornings between 9:30 and 12:30. She will be able to follow up with any questions.
When Dian is not available, most of the time we will allow the phone to roll over to messages. We will answer messages and return calls several times a day so you won't have to wait long but we need to focus on efficiency in the back room. That efficiency goes way down when the phone heats up.
The best form of communication is by email. Leith lives on email. Most questions can be answered easily by email. Leith@calgolftech.com will get quick results.
For January and February, Leith will be in the shop all day on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday afternoon and all day Friday. Those days will be open for fitting appointments. For the next two months, we'll offer limited fitting appointments on Saturday. Customers who can't work with those hours will be accommodated on an appointment basis.
|
|
Getting Down to Business
It's one thing to say "how" you're going to do it and something else to really get down to business. The recession of the last two years seems to be subsiding - at least we're feeling more action. Our sales are up month over month for the last six month but we need your business this season. Please don't make us beg.
We'll cover the "new technology and new products" story in the next few weeks but for now we have a few winners that might deserve a place in your bag.
The VEGA wedges are gaining a strong following. We sold through our first shipment - all fitted with custom shafts. You can't beat VEGA for spin and the sole grind is a sophisticated low bounce with a slight leading edge relief that prevents digging. We have a special get acquainted price of $165 including your choice of premium shafts - the Aerotech Steel Fiber 125 being just one option.
On the shaft side, the big winner from last year was the OBAN Devotion. That's the shaft that ended the season in Jim Furyk's driver when he won the Tiger Invitational. Time and again players took a handful of shafts to the range for their final selection and came back holding up the Devotion saying "this is the one". If you're wondering about the shaft that will turn out to be your winner in 2010, the Devotion is one that has to be on your list to try.
Another big surprise in shafts has been the UST "Tour" Shafts. Late in 2009 UST came out with a line of new shafts - based on the "AXIV" technology popularized by ACCRA last year. They are "color codes" red, blue, black and green. We ordered one of the red version in the "XX" flex. On the frequency machine, it is stiffer than stiff. On the course, it doesn't play that way. Three players have picked it after their trip to the range for final selection of the "Magic Shaft" based on feel and ball flight. UST has never been our first choice in shafts, but something is going on here. This could be the "sleeper" for 2010.
Once again it's been proven that after all of the research, analysis and testing the only way to know for sure how a golf club is going to feel is to hit it.
|
|
Update your counterweight fitting
In the last two years we have fitted players, one by one, with Balance-Certified Stabilizers. 550 of them. Each one tested in a player's own driver. 99% of the time the player found a measurable improvement in ball speed, swing path, face angle at impact and trajectory.
The same technology works in irons. Recently, there has been an improvement in the systems that fit irons. We can now match the performance of the Stabilizer for drivers with the Opti Vibe system from Tour Lock. There is nothing that you can do that has a chance to improve your ball striking more than counterweights. Schedule your appointment today. We'll keep it "free" for our best customers for another month.
One of the most popular promotions that we ran in the last few months was the "buy the shafts, get the heads for free". The way things are going in the market, our practice of haunting eBay looking for bargains lets us make that extraordinary offer. The selection is constantly changing, but if you're thinking of having a little fun with a new set of irons this Spring and don't want to break the bank, see what we have on the "free" shelf.
| |
|
|
|
Thanks for your support. We look forward to a great season in 2010.
Best Regards, |
Leith Anderson, Clint Smith, Dian Terova
The Golf Lab
2103 St Francis
Palo Alto, CA 94303
(650) 493-1770 |
|
|
