Harrison Shotmaker - THP Preview
- Thread starter
- Staff
- #153
I'm testing what they sent me to test, which was the D and E flex.
Damaikis
Fairway Finder
Just read/skimmed a lot of this thread over the past day or so. It seems like a really cool little instrument, and I'm curious to see what comes out of all the debate over it.
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
Mine will be here in the morning, I am going to play a couple more times and hit the range some more before I install it, hopefully it works and if it doesnt I will send it back.
I missed that you had 2 to test. Guess it just does not work for your swing and game.
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
my shotmaker just arrived, I am at least playing 2-3 more times and some range sessions before installing it in the Tour AD DI,
golf4life
Grip n rip
The way I see this thing, is that by putting the "foreign body" in the shaft near the tip, its basically changing the flex profile of the shaft (stiffening the tip more or less). So if your driver is not producing the dispersion results you desire, the shotmaker probably reduces the "action" in the tip by stiffening it up making for a more consistent result.
BUT, I can't see how it does this without introducing the other effects of a stiffer tip: Lower launch, less overall spin, and the probable loss of distance based on those factors.
For many golfers, their current shaft may be too whippy or launch too high or produce too much spin. IN this case, this solution probably works out OK.
But if you have a well fit shaft for your swing already, then I don't think its going to help you out very much. Possibly make you slightly more accurate at the expense of distance and optimizing your launch conditions. Not to mention the lower swing speed that has to come with a heavier shaft.
And at the price point, there's a good chance most golfers can find a shaft that matches their swing characteristics pretty darn well instead.
To me, this product seems like the middle ground between a fitted shaft and the nunchuk.
Personally, I look for a shaft thats flex profile matches my swing so that I get that "Kick" at impact that gives me optimum ball speed and launch conditions. I think I can find a shaft to do that without the shotmaker installed in it. I hope so, because the extra weight is something I don't want to carry either.
BUT, I can't see how it does this without introducing the other effects of a stiffer tip: Lower launch, less overall spin, and the probable loss of distance based on those factors.
For many golfers, their current shaft may be too whippy or launch too high or produce too much spin. IN this case, this solution probably works out OK.
But if you have a well fit shaft for your swing already, then I don't think its going to help you out very much. Possibly make you slightly more accurate at the expense of distance and optimizing your launch conditions. Not to mention the lower swing speed that has to come with a heavier shaft.
And at the price point, there's a good chance most golfers can find a shaft that matches their swing characteristics pretty darn well instead.
To me, this product seems like the middle ground between a fitted shaft and the nunchuk.
Personally, I look for a shaft thats flex profile matches my swing so that I get that "Kick" at impact that gives me optimum ball speed and launch conditions. I think I can find a shaft to do that without the shotmaker installed in it. I hope so, because the extra weight is something I don't want to carry either.
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
Its only 4 grams, its unreal how light it is, given I have not installed it yet but im not sure I would be able to tell its installed its so light
Dr. Teeth
Well-known member
Yeah the weight is negligible IMO. It is amazing that it is actually 4 grams because it feels like nothing when you hold it.
golf4life
Grip n rip
OK, yeah 4 grams is pretty light. That would most likely not affect swing speed very much.
My review of the SM:
I had this installed about a month ago. I had one installed in a G15 with a Fujikura Blur shaft. I have put in about 10 rounds so far.
I can tell that there has been a difference in my drive results after getting this installed. I play a draw with a low hook as my miss. I use to start the ball over the very right side of the right rough and have my ball draw into the middle of the fairway. Maybe about 15-20 yards. With the SM installed, the ball will still draw but land just off the right side of the fairway. Maybe about 10-15 yards. The SM does what I wanted it to. It cuts down on the amount of draw on my drives. Does it fix my hook miss? No. I cant tell the difference between a 50 yard hook and a 45 yard hook. It may not be as bad of a hook but it is still a hook.
I actually can tell that there is extra weight with it installed. Its not much but I can definitely tell that the SW is a little heavier. Not enough to make me not like it or anything though.
After about 5 rounds or so, I had a problem with the insert coming loose. It wasnt sliding up and down the shaft but it would rattle. If you lightly tap the clubhead on the ground, you could hear it vibrate against the inside of the shaft. This was a little concerning to me. I had a local shop install it for me so I didnt buy the installation kit. I had to take the club back to them and have them reinstall it. I know there are workarounds that you can do to try and keep this from happening but I am not comfortable having them put any gluestick or anything in there. I would think that any other foreign agent being introduced would affect the properties of the shaft further. I hope that it wont keep coming loose. I am sure it loses all functionality if it starts to rattle/come loose in the shaft as it is supposed to dampen vibration and not add it.
I am going to keep it in my driver and hope that the last installation fixed the problem. I will keep you updated as I get more rounds in it.
I had this installed about a month ago. I had one installed in a G15 with a Fujikura Blur shaft. I have put in about 10 rounds so far.
I can tell that there has been a difference in my drive results after getting this installed. I play a draw with a low hook as my miss. I use to start the ball over the very right side of the right rough and have my ball draw into the middle of the fairway. Maybe about 15-20 yards. With the SM installed, the ball will still draw but land just off the right side of the fairway. Maybe about 10-15 yards. The SM does what I wanted it to. It cuts down on the amount of draw on my drives. Does it fix my hook miss? No. I cant tell the difference between a 50 yard hook and a 45 yard hook. It may not be as bad of a hook but it is still a hook.
I actually can tell that there is extra weight with it installed. Its not much but I can definitely tell that the SW is a little heavier. Not enough to make me not like it or anything though.
After about 5 rounds or so, I had a problem with the insert coming loose. It wasnt sliding up and down the shaft but it would rattle. If you lightly tap the clubhead on the ground, you could hear it vibrate against the inside of the shaft. This was a little concerning to me. I had a local shop install it for me so I didnt buy the installation kit. I had to take the club back to them and have them reinstall it. I know there are workarounds that you can do to try and keep this from happening but I am not comfortable having them put any gluestick or anything in there. I would think that any other foreign agent being introduced would affect the properties of the shaft further. I hope that it wont keep coming loose. I am sure it loses all functionality if it starts to rattle/come loose in the shaft as it is supposed to dampen vibration and not add it.
I am going to keep it in my driver and hope that the last installation fixed the problem. I will keep you updated as I get more rounds in it.
Dr. Teeth
Well-known member
Thanks for the update! Having the Shotmaker come loose is a well documented thing. I think just about all of us have had that happen. It isn't a big deal for me because I have the kit, so I just pop the weight cap of my grip and tighten it, however, if you don't have an installation kit then it is a really big deal. Either way it is definitely something that Harrison needs to address.
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
Im glad I have the installation kit as well, mine just showed up this morning. I played a quick 9 and only missed 1 fairway(with no shotmaker installed) with my new Tour AD DI shaft. I couldnt wait I just installed the shotmaker into it and I am playing in the morning. It does not feel like it stiffened the shaft up at all, the added 4 grams is barely noticeable if at all. I am very excited to try this out, I put the torque wrench in my bag so if it does come loose I can tighten it up or take it out if need be. It was a very painless and very FAST installation
Wow a lot of Different thing being said I have to pay more attention. When I saw this Months ago the price Turned me off. I had in My Head I would buy a shaft b4 I would this. I will definitely follow
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
Hey guys I just got back from the course and have some videos uploading then after I do my review for the Heavy Wood I will let you know my first impressions, after today I would say IT WORKS. I will leave you with that until later
Oregon Golfer
#XBomb
Oh... a teaser!
coolbreeze
Aspiring Golferr
Glad it worked for you 10yardDraw, interested in your thoughts after a few rounds though, probably hard to say that after just one round.
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
def hard to say after one round but from what I was trying to do on range and the results I saw were awesome, I was trying to hit big nasty hooks which I can do with ease with the driver but they were all very playable draws not hooks, I will get into it in a little bit, still uploading vieos
coolbreeze
Aspiring Golferr
Interesting, so then your hooks would be the result of shaft deformation.
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
no idea im just telling you what I saw
- Admin
- #173
That would be my question.
Does that also mean that you would not be able to move the ball around the course if needed?
CharlieMoy
Well-known member
Now I'm even more confused at the concept of this device.
10YardDraw
Ex Club Ho
I was able to hit draws with it I just couldnt hit a big hook, I have no need for a big hook on the course with my driver but if I had this in a fairway wood or hybrid I would be kinda worried I wouldnt be able to hook it around something. Im not exactly sure how the shotmaker does what it does but I am liking what im seeing so far.