When it comes to the future of golf, it’s tough to call things a “trend” when only one company is doing it (whatever it happens to be). I think 3D printing in some capacity is here to stay and I think it’s a safe bet that TaylorMade is going to stick with this carbon-face thing for the foreseeable future.
In both cases, what we don’t know is whether any competitors will jump into the fray with either technology.
Also, you’re going to see laces continue to be for suckers.
No. I’m not sure the technology is ready to support repeated high-speed collisions. Then again, I think most of us would have said the same thing about a carbon-fiber driver face.
Cost is the biggest factor and 3D printing doesn’t currently scale at an affordable level. So I think we’ll see the continuation of what’s already been done: more putters and more accessory pieces for clubs … badges and things like that.
One of my rules in life is to never say no to a free T-shirt. What does have to do with virtual fittings? Most that I’m aware of are also free, so what do you have to lose?’
When it comes to fitting, that good, better, best thing is always in play and while I can’t swear that every virtual fitting qualifies as good, I’d wager most are better than bad or nothing at all.
If, for some reason, you can’t get to a good (in-person) fitter, move down your list of options until you find something you can do.
There’s isn’t one.
That’s the upside of an industry driven by marketing. There’s always something new and better. Game-changers are a dime a dozen (even if your game never actually changes because of them).
I think we all understand that golf balls are at the limit and so we’re mostly tweaking spin profiles, playing with compression and trying to make covers softer. I think we can get more spin around the green but distance is tapped out.
On the club side, there’s still room. Whether that’s more ball speed from the driver, more forgiveness from the irons or a new material that disrupts the equation as we know it, stuff can still improve even if it’s only by a little.
It’s so hard to pick just one. The calendar says it’s a JPX year for Mizuno—and I’m definitely a JPX guy.
We know the PING G430 driver family is coming (the fairway wood is already on the USGA list).
TaylorMade almost certainly has Version 2 of carbon face in the mix.
I’m also curious to see if Callaway finally disrupts its Epic/Rogue cadence and drops something that actually feels new and different.
We’re also coming into one of those rare years where the big manufacturers’ driver release cycles all align. We’re going to have new drivers from all the big OEMs (and damned near all of the small ones). I love when that happens.
