Harrison Shotmaker - THP Preview

I have an honest question about this product. Since it will not fix bad swings that cause the slice or hook (nor should it be expected), but can help with shaft deformation that can cause issues, why are those playing at the highest level not using this product. I would think that with their face angle being near perfect (comparably to us amateurs) and their swing speed being what it is, that this would be a product that would be absolutely perfect for almost every single tour player. Why is it not being used?

I think there are 2 reasons why it is not played yet. 1 is that it is very new, and according to the Harrison owner they had to pretty much cancel all tour representation the past couple of years to stay in business due to the economy. Because of this, it has not yet gotten into many professionals hands. Second, and more important, I think there are still issues with its completely staying put (not getting loose or moving) during the course of a round. I am pretty sure that professionals would not want to risk penalty or have it in the back of their mind that their club could either become illegal or not perform to specs at any given moment.
 
We both know that the average golfer does not do a lot of homework, and whereas a club can make a claim that might not be true, at least its still a club that you can hit. It might not be the longest club in the world like it says it is, but its still a golf club. If this doesn't work for you, you are left with a thin piece of graphite.

If you discover this within 30 days, then you get your money back so it is relatively risk free.
 
If you discover this within 30 days, then you get your money back so it is relatively risk free.

While thats great that they do that, most companies offer this cause the average consumer NEVER sends it back. But yes you could send it back.
 
I think there are 2 reasons why it is not played yet. 1 is that it is very new, and according to the Harrison owner they had to pretty much cancel all tour representation the past couple of years to stay in business due to the economy. Because of this, it has not yet gotten into many professionals hands. Second, and more important, I think there are still issues with its completely staying put (not getting loose or moving) during the course of a round. I am pretty sure that professionals would not want to risk penalty or have it in the back of their mind that their club could either become illegal or not perform to specs at any given moment.

The part of it being new, does not really translate though. The tour always has things far before any consumers. While not having tour reps can cause issues in getting some stuff out there, if something really really works, it usually finds it way on tour. There are many many shaft companies and club companies that have lost tour reps and access and still get used, if even by a single person.

For a product like this, you would think that it would be perfect for every single tour player to have in their shaft. Not a single one having it makes some have to ask the question. Now that should not mean that it does not work for consumers, because it still may work for many. But it does bear the question, especially after my testing.

Im going to do a little tour van research and digging next week and see if they have thoughts on it. Might as well get info straight from the source rather than have any of us guess.
 
I think the problem here is simply the marketing. If you tell the masses this product, can help reduce sidespin by 40% thats a big claim that is hard to back up. Someone would have to be playing a shaft that is totally wrong for them to see results like that and have all their sidespin come from shaft deformation and not from swing path and face angle. While I do think this product can help some golfers, I think the majority of sidespin produced by the amatuer golfer is from swing path and face angle, so I fear there are going to be a lot of people who buy this $160 dollar product thinking it will fix their slice, only to find that it does nothing for them.

I don't believe Harrison does not say it reduces sidespin by 40%. They say they can increase accuracy by up to (key words, as 2% is within the "up to" range :act-up:) 40%. So, if on average you are 20 yards off of center, then using the Shotmaker you can find your shots improved by up to 8 yards off of center.

I agree with you in that most people's slices are caused by combo of path and face angle. At the extreme, this will not help (or help enough to make any difference within the field of play). But the shots that would head into the second cut might find themselves in the first cut or at the edge of the fairway.

The great thing is if you buy it and it does not work, then you return it and get your money back.
 
How would those shots be closer to the first cut? How does this make a swing fault any better? Have you tried it?
 
We both know that the average golfer does not do a lot of homework, and whereas a club can make a claim that might not be true, at least its still a club that you can hit. It might not be the longest club in the world like it says it is, but its still a golf club. If this doesn't work for you, you are left with a thin piece of graphite.

I agree the average golfer doesn't, I agree completely on that. Still though, in the end though the consumer is the one that spent it knowing it wasn't a shiny new club, although it may not meet the claims for each person, it does for others.


I think we're on the same page CB, just different angles lol
 
The part of it being new, does not really translate though. The tour always has things far before any consumers. While not having tour reps can cause issues in getting some stuff out there, if something really really works, it usually finds it way on tour. There are many many shaft companies and club companies that have lost tour reps and access and still get used, if even by a single person.

For a product like this, you would think that it would be perfect for every single tour player to have in their shaft. Not a single one having it makes some have to ask the question. Now that should not mean that it does not work for consumers, because it still may work for many. But it does bear the question, especially after my testing.

Im going to do a little tour van research and digging next week and see if they have thoughts on it. Might as well get info straight from the source rather than ha.

Excellent - I'm very interested in hearing the straight scoop from the Tour Vans. I am simply relaying what I heard Mike from Harrison himself say. Perhaps this is an offseason thing to test and put into the bag for the new year. I actually showed this concept to a Hooters tour player, and he was completely uninterested after about 10 seconds of my telling him about it. Not sure why, but it did not resonate with him.

I do think the issue with it coming apart from the shaft during normal course of play is a problem that they need to address for the Tour Pros to use. For me, no biggie. If it were to happen I would either not care too much or just tighten it during the round. But we know the Tour Pros cannot do this. It needs to create 100% confidence in Pros that it won't become undone during the round.
 
I agree the average golfer doesn't, I agree completely on that. Still though, in the end though the consumer is the one that spent it knowing it wasn't a shiny new club, although it may not meet the claims for each person, it does for others.


I think we're on the same page CB, just different angles lol

We're on the same page Jman. I guess I was just dissapointed by this product as I was really hoping that it would work for me. I hope it works for many though, it just didnt' for me.
 
Do any other them help speed up play?

Yea they sure do! Did yours help you in a scramble hahahhaa


PS how is this relevant to the shotmaker review?
 
We're on the same page Jman. I guess I was just dissapointed by this product as I was really hoping that it would work for me. I hope it works for many though, it just didnt' for me.

I feel ya CB, sorry it didn't, mine might be more mental than anything but hell, I'll take that too lol

I have the E in my attas

I've really thought about dropping to the E, I've smoothed my tee-ball tempo WAY out. Thanks for the info CG.
 
I feel ya CB, sorry it didn't, mine might be more mental than anything but hell, I'll take that too lol



I've really thought about dropping to the E, I've smoothed my tee-ball tempo WAY out. Thanks for the info CG.

I think te E gave me the best "feel". The F to me felt way to solid. The D way too whippy.
 
Yea they sure do! Did yours help you in a scramble hahahhaa

I'm going to be the much larger man here and let this go.
 
How would those shots be closer to the first cut? How does this make a swing fault any better? Have you tried it?

I have not tried it yet, but the concept makes sense to me. I have read reviews from dozens of other people and serious clubmakers who have tested it using state of the art technology, and have seen the results that demonstrates the Shotmaker works. Most are not showing a 40% improvement in accuracy, but most are showing an increase. It is up to the individual to determine if that increase is worth the $150. And I 100% agree it will not work for everyone (nothing does).

Not sure what your definition is of a swing fault. Every swing I make has a fault in it compared to the previous one since no two are alike and produce the same results. I am speculating that if I hit a drive that starts out straight and fades 20 yards into the second cut due to an open clubface, the Shotmaker has a good chance of keeping it something less than 20 yards right. That is all. And even if I do get to use it and it does not work for me, I would still say that it works overall based on the data I have seen.

I am not saying that if I come 8* from the outside with a 6* open face and hit a gigantic banana slice that goes 50 yards to the right that the Shotmaker will all of a sudden put me in the fairway.
 
I have not tried it yet, but the concept makes sense to me.

To be fair, if you look at just concepts, doesnt almost every piece of equipment make sense? I mean the concepts behind every single piece of equipment we get seems to make all the sense in the world.
 
I still don't know how it changes the outcome of the shot you talk about. What do vibrations have to do with an open clubface?
 
To be fair, if you look at just concepts, doesnt almost every piece of equipment make sense? I mean the concepts behind every single piece of equipment we get seems to make all the sense in the world.

I see what you are saying, but there are some concepts that intuitively to me don't make sense for most people (such as lighter is better but let's not go there!), but are marketed to most people. To me, the Shotmaker is a concept whose benefits can apply to the majority of golfers. And I have been able to confirm my belief based on the data I have seen. If the people are rigging the data, that is another story.

I am not discounting that it did not work for Hawk or you - I believe that 100%.

Look at me - I bought the Powerbilt Nitrogen driver because I had some credit at Rockbottom and it went on sale for ridiculously cheap, and I thought is a fun experiment. I knew at my swing speed chances are I would see no increase in distance (they state benefits are seen at under the COR testing limits and I swing around that speed), and I have not. I like the way it looks, not so much the way it sounds, and will probably give it to someone with a slower swing speed than me to see if they can eke out a few more yards.
 
I still don't know how it changes the outcome of the shot you talk about. What do vibrations have to do with an open clubface?

Have you had a chance to read the literature from the website? Here is the explanation:

***
Shaft deformation contributes to a significant increase in inaccuracy. Reducing shaft deformation has been the Holy Grail of shaft designer everywhere. But as long as there is one shaft body, shaft deformation will always be there, and these two videos are perfect examples.


The Shotmaker interrupts the shaft deformation process because it is a foreign body sitting inside the golf shaft. It made it difficult for the shaft deformation to manifest itself during golf swing as to produce up to a 40% increase in accuracy and up to 30% reduction in side spin
***

The shaft will deform less with the Shotmaker installed and produce less sidespin. I believe the Aldila with the "Score" technology and high end Matrix shafts try to build something to this effect within the shaft itself. If you don't believe the quote from Harrison above, then you won't believe the concept could work.
 
I've read all of their marketing material. It was sent to me with the product that I've been using.
 
Im going to do a little tour van research and digging next week and see if they have thoughts on it. Might as well get info straight from the source rather than have any of us guess.


I am extremely interested as to what they think. The only person I know in the industry has a definite opinion on it and to say that he is not a fan, is a huge understatement. His main gripe with the Shotmaker is that these shaft companies spend huge amounts of time and money developing shafts with very specific flex profiles. He believes that but inserting the Shotmaker changes that profile in a manor that is impossible to control or predict. So I am interested to hear what others in the business think.
 
I am extremely interested as to what they think. The only person I know in the industry has a definite opinion on it and to say that he is not a fan, is a huge understatement. His main gripe with the Shotmaker is that these shaft companies spend huge amounts of time and money developing shafts with very specific flex profiles. He believes that but inserting the Shotmaker changes that profile in a manor that is impossible to control or predict. So I am interested to hear what others in the business think.

I am on it already.
 
I've read all of their marketing material. It was sent to me with the product that I've been using.

Maybe exchange for one 2 flexes softer and see if there is a difference in performance. That would be an interesting augmentation to the test.
 
Back
Top