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Interview - Club Making Icon

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JB

JB

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Over the last few days, news has broken that Dick’s Sporting Goods has purchased the name Nickent Golf and will be coming out with some new clubs featuring that company’s name very soon. In the Spring 2010 issue of THP: The Magazine, THP had a chance to sit down with legendary club maker John Hoeflich and chat about his life in golf and his career that includes many highlights. Here is that interview in its entirety.

Things such as:
What is Feel?
Amateurs playing blades?
The first hybrid created.
Milling grooves in wedges.
And so much more

http://thehackersparadise.com/home/?p=12943
 
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Thanks for posting that, I'd missed it since it was before I joined THP. Very good article.
 
I love this interview and could read it over and over. JH is one smart guy and we could all really learn a lot from him.

"More golfers screw up their game for ego reasons than just about any other reason." That's gold right there.
 
Thanks for posting the link JB, I had not stumbled across that article in my short time here. I really found it interesting in what he said about feel being 80% sound, Retief on hitting MB's, square grooves, hybrids, the new super light drivers, tour issued equipment & really everything he said. That was a great interview.
 
Pretty incredible interview with J.H. I love how he just tells it like it is. Makes me feel so much better for playing shovels. Pretty interesting to hear about what he's working on now with weight distribution in clubs. I guess it makes sense. The guy's had his hand in the evolution of golf equipment for the past 30 years. Thanks for sharing.
 
Thanks for the refresher! I could read his opinions/thoughts or listen to him all day. Meeting him in person in the THP dining room in January and talking to him if only for 10 mins was a joy. A very Moses and the Burning Bush moment for me. I mean, it's John Hoeflich! I told him that my first set of irons was the TA 845s and he seemed genuinely interested to see what I thought of them, what I liked/disliked about them, and how I'm hitting now compared to when I had those in the bag. Super nice guy who oozes knowledge and experience but doesn't let you know it if that makes sense.
 
I love what he said about ego and club purchasing.... soooo true!!!
 
When I was looking for a particular radio show the other day, I happened upon this article and had to read it again. Here is a radio show with Hoeflich as well. What a wealth of knowledge and information.

http://thehackersparadise.com/home/?p=8095
 
He was such a great interview. I love the story about Retief not wanting to play the muscle back/blade club and wanting to play the more forgiving club (made me LOL at the office). It's true, people should just play what works for them, and not what they think they are supposed to play. That segues into the last story about the rich dude flying across country to more or less fit himself at The Kingdom. If I was fit for a rake and a shovel and it shaved strokes off my game I'd put them in my bag.
 
Hawk said:
I love this interview and could read it over and over. JH is one smart guy and we could all really learn a lot from him.

"More golfers screw up their game for ego reasons than just about any other reason." That's gold right there.
Click to expand...

The same thing our club pro has been saying for years and the OEM's marketing just makes it worse. Great read for sure.
 
Great read.
 
Glad everybody is enjoying it. It truly is one of the best interviews about equipment I have ever been a part of, and frankly ever read. JBH covers everything in this.
 
Loved this interview when it was first done, just went through ti all again and still love it.

I hope Hoefy ends up designing clubs again, I'm a MAJOR JBH fan.
 
Wow, that was great. Not every day you get a chance to read something from a top club maker. The part about feel is 80% sound was very interesting. I never thought of it like that.
 
Great article. The part about ego being the average players downfall is very insightful.
 
Just a fantastic read and very informative. Would love to see him designing clubs again soon.
 
Great interview. I have carried some of his clubs in my bag over the years. Lots of great thoughts.

But don't you all wish you had $20,000 and a private jet to fly out to the Kingdom and fit yourself for new clubs? ha
 
Awesome interview. He pretty much confirmed all of my thoughts about guys playing equipment that gives the "cred" as opposed to what is good for them. Retief quote is awesome too!! :)
 
My comments are redundant but that is too good of an article not to chime with another comment on this being a great article.
 
Yeah that was a really great interview. Anytime you get the oppurtunity to have a guy like John tell you whats on his mind and give you some insight into the club building world its a good time to sit down and take note of everything the man says. Thanks for another great read THP.
 
Thats the second time I've read that article. Honestly I think the second time was more enlightening than the first. He is so right on point about everything its scary. It really makes you want to buy a set of clubs he designed just to say you have one of the truly great sets to ever be made.
 
Thanks guys, glad you enjoyed it.
 
I like where Retief Goosen said he was not good enough to play the Muscle Back irons.
 
Does it make a difference that Retief is currently gaming muscle backs? :mean: I guess not all blades are equal in terms of user friendliness. Great article, anyway.
 
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