High Plains Golf Clubmakers, Lundbreck, Alberta

A little extra knowledge about what golf clubs can and can not do for your play will go a long way toward increasing your confidence and playing enjoyment. Our customers often ask us about their equipment and listed below are the most common questions we encounter. If we haven't answered your questions, please complete the form below and submit it to us. We will personally answer them for you.

To a large extent, the amount of actual game improvement that you can expect will vary depending upon how poorly fit your current set is. By the time a professional fitting is completed, you will have a pretty good understanding of the results you can expect from new custom clubs. Interestingly, less skilled golfers usually benefit more from well fitted clubs than good players do.

It would be nice to say that custom clubs will guarantee that you achieve a quantum leap in your golfing ability. They will not. It will always require a good swing movement to hit the ball long and straight. Golf clubs alone cannot enhance your playing skills. They will not add to your physical ability, but when properly fit they can enable you to achieve the most playing potential you have. Poorly fit clubs can detract from your natural abilities to the point of severely limiting your potential to play well. Properly custom fit clubs are realistically intended to help you make the most of your swing and avoid losing anything from your ability rather than to completely erase swing errors.

When you shop for a pair of slacks you do not go to the store for an average size. At the very least, you want a waist size and leg length that suits you. An average set of golf clubs could well be the typical sets we see displayed in the stores. (1,3,5,woods & 3-PW irons). Apart from all the individual club performance specifications which will be a mystery to both you and the sales clerk, the actual make-up of this standard set is a good match for very few players.

Three wood heads are designed with lower centers of gravity than drivers. This along with the increased loft causes the #3 wood shot to fly higher and have more back spin. This results in a more accurate shot for all players and for players with slower swing speeds the higher the launch angle often means more distance. Another reason for the three wood being more reliable is that because of its shorter length, it is easier to control. For most players, the driver is one of the hardest clubs to hit well. Often changes in length and loft can make this club easier to handle.

The longer a club is the harder it is to get it into motion and accelerate. In the process of lengthening clubs, everyone reaches a point where their actual club head speed decreases. Unless you possess above average strength and athletic ability your optimum club length will probably be close to traditional lengths. Another point to be aware of is that the longer a club is, the harder it is to hit the ball on the center of gravity (sweet spot). Missing the club head center of gravity at impact is the most definite way to loose distance. Studies have shown that for each 1/2" that contact misses the center of gravity, about 7% of distance can be lost. One of the most effective ways for you to gain distance is to use a club with design features that enhance your ability to hit the ball on center more often. Longer clubs will not lead you in this direction.

For most of us, the pain we feel from miss hits is usually worse in the long irons. Sometimes the sweet spot seems smaller than a looney and just as weak. Hit those babies thin and your tooth fillings can hum like a tuning fork. When building new custom clubs, we employ design features that encourage more consistent solid contact. Some of these features like vibration dampening inserts can also be used to improve the feel of existing clubs.

Lessons from a competent teaching professional benefit everyone who wants to play better and I highly recommend that you take swing lessons and practice the changes that are suggested. You must, however, realize that your swing is individually yours and actually making a significant fundamental change is very difficult. No matter how many lessons you take, your height is not going to change, nor will your hands change size, nor will you swing with significantly more speed. Your physical being has a big effect on your swing and club needs. Custom fit clubs will enable you to get the best results possible from your natural swing and the improvements you learn through lessons can be accommodated with minor club adjustments. Conversely, when playing or practicing with poorly fit equipment, you will be constantly making subconscious swing adjustments to compensate for any poorly fit specifications. This game is already hard enough, we don't need extra complications. An excellent source for practical information on swing and playing improvements is: http://www.albertaconceptgolf.com

Essentially that would mean building clubs that are too long and too heavy for them now. The longer any club is, the harder it is to control. If children start playing with clubs they can not properly control, they will develop poor swing movements and not play their best. In fact they may lose interest in the game. A better option is to get clubs that fit now and annually have them checked for proper fit. If they need to be lengthened this is a fairly simple process.

At this level you are probably looking for the two shots that will make you a scratch golfer. They could be in your driver by hitting one more fairway, your irons by hitting two more greens, your wedges by getting two more shots stiff, or by your putter rolling in two more of the "jitter" putts. A detailed fitting session and analysis of your current clubs will reveal any equipment deficiencies you may have. If it turns out that your clubs are now well fit, you will at least know that the strokes are hiding somewhere else.

It is pretty easy to find someone who glues heads and shafts together and who can also slide on grips. Sometimes the people who do this call themselves clubmakers. You need to ask if they are competent clubmakers and also competent clubfitters. The best way for you to ensure that you are dealing with a trained professional, is to ask to see their certification by the Golf Clubmakers Association or the Professional Clubmakers Society. You can also check the clubmaker locator at: www.twgolftech.com

Yes. In addition to taking the appropriate courses, I have been tested and certified by the major clubmaking organizations. The Golf Clubmakers Association has accredited me as an Advanced Professional Clubmaker and the Professional Clubmakers Society has certified me as a Class A Clubmaker. I have been building, repairing and custom fitting golf clubs since 1994. My customers say I am pretty good at it. (See our Testimonial page)

Virtually all products available in the market place have some versions that are of high quality and others that are not. Golf Club components are no different. If you are looking for inexpensive golf clubs that look cheap, play cheap and are cheap, then you only need to go to the nearest department store. If you want "knock-offs" or copies of well known brand name clubs, you can probably find someone to supply them , but they will not be in our shop. These products are generally of inferior quality so don't expect to find them in shops operated by golf equipment professionals. Our shop specializes in the supply of professionally custom fit clubs that are locally hand assembled from very high quality, original design components that have the correct specifications for your individual swing style and playing needs.

"We operate from our home in the hamlet of Lundbreck, Alberta. As a home-based business we have the flexibility to be available for our customers during regular and non-retail times. If you are not familiar with our area, give us a call and we can provide directions. In order to provide prompt individual service we operate on an appointment basis so please call to confirm a time that suits your schedule."

"This is a very valid concern for anyone who has had the misfortune of needing factory assembled clubs repaired or adjusted. Typically, the people you purchased from will send your club back to the factory and it will be several weeks or months before you see it again. During the playing season this is no fun. Our shop is a fully equipped club repair facility. We can repair virtually all golf clubs and provide prompt, dependable service."

All of the parts, components, and workmanship applied to golf club repairs are guaranteed for a full year . Our quality guarantees are better than you can get on golf equipment anywhere. Essentially, we cover everything except abuse or normal wear and tear.

Golf is a difficult game that I am sure you want to play as well as possible. If you want help with your golf swing, do you go to a store clerk? No, you go to a professional who has been trained, tested and certified as a competent swing instructor. If you want competent help with your golf equipment you need to go to a qualified clubmaker.

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High Plains Clubmakers Inc.
521 Wood Avenue (P.O.Box 83)
Lundbreck, Alberta, Canada, T0K 1H0
Phone: (403) 628-3268 Cell: (403) 308-5167 paul@highplainsgolf.ca

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