What Clubs Does Ralph Play?

(Plus A Lot More Information You Need to Know about Fitting Golf Clubs to You)

One of the most frequently asked questions that The GolfWorks receives is: “What clubs does Ralph play? What shaft does he use and what are his specifications”? Well, this will be fun to answer because it allows me the opportunity to share with you my comments, what I play and the adjustments I have made over the years to accomplish two goals. First, to play with clubs that improve on my weaknesses and compliment my strengths. My second goal is to adjust for all the things that happen when you reach 63 years old and the last 15 years has seen your handicap go from 2 to 7. Scores on my difficult home golf course with a slope rating of 134 are usually 80, 81, 82 or 83 on my good days and a 79 or better every once in a while. The USGA handicap system always tosses out my not so wonderful 87’s and 88’s or worse.

I have always been a big supporter of maximum game improvement golf clubs rather than the classic, so-called better, players’ type clubs. Don’t get me wrong, I can and do appreciate a great looking classic design but I cannot overlook the playability advantages of many modern golf club designs that really are easier to hit. I have been amazed at statements many tour players have made that they prefer not to play game improvement irons because they work so well that they do not get feedback from their mis-hit shots. I have the opportunity to test high game improvement irons with a number of touring professionals and most agree that the performance and consistency is better than the irons they are currently playing. However, some of them still say that they prefer a more traditional look. It is true that each year more and more tour players realize the advantages and are changing over to higher playability iron designs and that the true muscle back blades are becoming rarer. Remember there are also a number of low playability cavity backs (see the MPF listing for the playability factors for most all irons), and as a matter of fact, some muscle back blades actually have higher playabilities. Regarding irons, my latest book, The Maltby Playability Factor for Irons can provide a lot of interesting information on this subject. I hope to have The Maltby Playability Factor for Wedges published this fall.

Here is something to think about which is a paradox out on tour. Virtually every player is using the highest playability drivers, designed to push the USGA’s maximum allowable specifications but some of these same players still play very low playability irons. I feel that these players are leaving too much on the table for the money for which they are playing. When I catch the ball slightly out toward to toe on an iron shot I would much rather the ball just land over the bunker and on the green and not in it.

Every year I design a number of new golf clubs with the idea of expanding the limits of playability. This makes it very hard for me and others at the GolfWorks to pick one design over another. Myself, the Maltby Design Team and a number of selected golfers including tour players personally test all our new designs from prototypes to the final product. This makes all of us very familiar with the actual performance differences of each design.

You can play clubs like mine. Visit www.golfworks.com or stop in any Golf Galaxy store and visit the GolfWorks department.

In the past I tended to stick with the same set of golf clubs for the entire year or sometimes longer. If something worked well for me I simply stayed with it. This is not the case anymore as I basically go back and forth with 2 and sometimes 3 sets of irons, I change out fairways and hybrids occasionally looking for a better set makeup, but I usually stick with the same driver, wedges and putter. The main reason for the occasional iron changes is that it reinforces how the various design attributes of each model affect performance in different ways. Still, I will not play any iron that falls below 701 points in Maltby Playability Factor (Super Game Improvement).

The irons that I currently have in my bag are the Glider-X. The other two sets that I switch between are the Logic Tradition M-05’s and the RDM Recoil irons. Note that for 2007 we changed the name of the M-05’s to MTF Forged which is essentially the exact same club. I had basically split my play with the M-05’s and the Recoils for the last two seasons but the testing that Britt, Pete, Jack, Ed Sneed and I did on the newer Glider-X convinced me completely that I had to play the absolute easiest to hit iron we ever tested. This iron definitely isn’t for everybody because it is not even close to traditional looking, but for many golfers it will be quite eye opening and it will change them into solid ball strikers overnight. The Glider X iron is in the Ultra Game Improvement category which is 851 points and higher. This iron is over 1100 points, which is unusually high.

I consider the M-05’s (MTF Forged) to be the best all-around iron to play for the player that wants a good looking traditional blade shape with high playability. They are true forged and fall into the Super Game Improvement category. I had to make a number of prototypes on this model during development because it is quite a feat to move metal (mass) around to get an extremely high playability factor (MPF) on a great looking blade shape that even the finest players in the world will play.

The RDM Recoil irons have a unique quality to them besides being very easy to hit since they are in the 851+ points playability factor (Ultra Game Improvement). This is one of the first hollow irons to have a face designed to create a spring effect at impact and it works very well. The ball tends to launch higher, spin slightly less and carry longer than the more traditional MTF Forged even though the lofts are the same. The combination of a low center of gravity and the spring effect face causes this to happen. The Recoil irons were redesigned for 2006 (and are currently in the 2007 lineup) so I will be alternating this model into the starting lineup occasionally. I have tweaked and improved the new model’s playability by slightly changing the shape, lowering the center of gravity, widening the sole and modifying the face to have a greater spring effect (it really does work). Visually, a medallion has been added and the finish has been changed to high polish.

So, here is the entire 14 club roundup of the clubs currently in my bag. 5 through PW Glider-X irons, CT250 driver, 3,5,7,9 Trouble-Out Plus utility woods, M-Series 1.62 sole 56º sand wedge, 60º Lob Slider wedge and the Max Moment Design 07 putter.

Okay, now for the explanation: I have never been what I would consider a good long iron player. I have a tendency to hit my long irons more toward the toe resulting in a less than solid hit. I also tend to hit my irons lower than normal. The new stronger lofts in the modern clubs don’t provide much help here either. For example, a #5 iron today averages 27º loft. Some #5 irons are even stronger with only 23º, 24º, 25º or 26º lofts. Unfortunately this is getting more common in the OEM’s race for distance supremacy over their competitors.

The older #5 irons had 31º or 32º loft. So, I figure my #5 iron is the equivalent to a #3 or #4 iron of past years. I hit the Glider-X #5 iron about 165 yards with my average smooth swing and 170 yards maximum with concentrated effort. The assembled lengths of my irons are based off of a 39 1/2” #2 iron which makes my #5 iron 38” long.

My strengths are my woods. I hit the driver solid and straight and my fairway metal play is very consistent. I selected the 2007 Trouble-Out fairway metals because I like a very low center of gravity. This model has very heavy tungsten weights in the sole to lower the center of gravity and the special sole design also helps to dramatically extract the ball from the rough. This new sole design is very unique and has never been done before. I classify the playability similar to that of the Glider X iron, but the good news here is that these fairway metals are great looking classic head shapes in the playing position. Even though these are actually fairway metals I feel they are easier to play than most all hybrids. The main difference is that they are fairway metal club lengths.

The #5, #7 and #9 fairway metals replace my long irons. I hit the #5 195 to 205 yards, the #7 from 180 to 190 yards and the #9 from 165 to 175 yards. I consider the #5 metal to be my #2 iron, the #7 metal my #3 iron and the #9 metal my #4 iron. The fairway metals (and hybrids) are much easier to hit than most all long irons. I hit the fairway metals higher, just as long or longer, straighter and the ball stops when it lands on the greens. All this and I also have greater confidence in hitting the required shot because I consistently hit my fairway metals more solid than I ever could my long irons.

One side note needs mentioning here. The Glider-X iron design has the lowest center of gravity ever designed into a set of irons. This was a goal of mine during the design process. The result of this and some other features allows the long irons to play more like hybrids making them quite easy to hit solid and get the ball well up into the air. Even though I can actually hit good shots with the Glider-X long irons, I still prefer to play the fairway metals and hybrids. This is mostly because I like the more flexible feel of fairway metal shafts vs. iron shafts. Also as another side note here be sure that if you are playing a hybrid that it has a special designed hybrid shaft preferably or a fairway metal shaft. Iron shafts in hybrid clubs tend to cancel out the playability advantages of the design as do shafts with excessively stiff tip areas.

Determining which wedges to carry is a very personal choice for golfers, but it is often made incorrectly because of a lack of understanding on how wedges work (read “How And Why Wedges Work” on this Web site). I will talk here about my rationale in selecting wedges and how I solved one of my biggest weaknesses regarding wedge play. First, I am a good bunker and full shot sand wedge player. I prefer a 56º lofted sand wedge with a lot of “effective” bounce created by a wider sole width. My sand wedge is 35” long. Full shots from the fairway carry a maximum of 95 yards. I have played the newly introduced M-Series 1.62 UC Sole sand wedge for a year (original prototype). It has a much wider sole width. The bounce on this wedge is 8º instead of 12º because of the wider sole design. The effective bounce is however much greater than a conventional wedge with 12º or so bounce. In testing, I found that on sand shots in particular, I can square the face up more than I do with the normal sole width sand wedge and I can hit more accurate and consistently good bunker shots. Another great advantage of wider sole wedges (more “effective bounce) is that this type design reduces or eliminates my chances of chunking the pitch or chip shot which I have been known to do with more frequency than I like to admit.

My “go to” wedge for chip, pitch and some approach shots during any round is the 60º Lob Slider. I have gone back and forth with the 56º Sand Slider and it also worked very well for me. I just feel that because I am using the M-Series 1.62 UC Sole 56º, the 60º Lob Slider was my best choice for a high loft wedge. This wedge has a length of 34 1/2”. The Lob Slider saves the day for me and shaves a number of strokes off every round because I play a course with very tight fairways and as already mentioned I have a strong tendency to hit fat, chunky shots when pitching or chipping with a wedge. To correct for this, I usually ended up hitting thin shots and obviously my confidence deteriorated. The Lob Slider (and the Sand Slider) eliminates this problem because it will not hit fat shots. This was a design that I worked on for a number of years until it was perfected. The secret is in the sole design. The sole is a full 2” wide with 4º of bounce and very little front to back sole radius. With this wide a sole, only a very small amount of bounce is needed so the leading edge is not raised too high off the ground. This wedge has gobs of effective bounce. The secret to playing this club is to keep the face square and aimed at the target. If you try to roll the face open on this type of wedge the leading edge of the clubface will raise up too far above the ground and this is not good. Set up with a square stance and play the ball slightly forward in the stance and simply hit it anywhere from close to 1/2” to 1” behind the ball. The club will slide into the ball and lift it up perfectly every time and you will never need to worry about hitting a fat chip or a pitch again. The only problem that can possibly occur is to hit it thin. This is the reason for aiming and hitting behind the ball as it dramatically reduces the margin for error.

Since I have been working for a number of years on the Maltby Playability Factor for putters, the research and subsequent product testing has shown me that high Moment of Inertia putters really are the way to go (see “Moment of Inertia, What Is It?” on this Web site). Putter heads don’t necessarily need to be bigger oversize models to have a high MOI, but the more normal size putter heads need to have serious design applications in materials and proper head weight distribution to achieve it. The putter I play is the newly introduced Max Moment Design 07. I have played it for almost 1 year since I am playing with the original prototype. It has the highest MOI of any putter ever made which basically means that I can hit the ball most anywhere on the face and still get good results in distance and direction. Yes, it is one of the bigger putter head designs and it is available in center shafted only. The proper length for me is 32 1/2” and the Maltby weave putter grip is installed oversize (four extra tape wraps). The 32 1/2” length fits me (my height is 5’8”) because I use a pendulum stroke with both my arms hanging directly under my shoulders. The head weight is 400 grams for this particular model which for me provides the best distance control on any length putt (see “Fitting Putters” article on this Web site).

The driver is a critical club in any golfers’ bag and can definitely make or break a round of golf. Every golfer needs to take advantage of today’s driver technology which is mainly the result of modern new materials, welding techniques and heat treating. I play the Maltby CT-250 driver with 9.5º loft. This head is 450cc’s in size and designed so it takes advantage of the built-in driving accuracy that a high moment of inertia head provides. My driver is 44 1/2” long with a Maltby CT-250 ultra light weight graphite shaft in “stiff” flex. This shaft is played by most everyone at the GolfWorks and is one of the best playing designs on the market. The shaft weighs 51 grams and has a medium/high bend point making the tip end medium/firm.

Keep in mind that longer length drivers can generate greater clubhead speeds hence greater distance; however, there is a tradeoff in driving accuracy and sometimes solidness of hit. I prefer the shorter length driver which increases my accuracy even more and also increases the chance of a more solid hit. Simply stated, the longer the club’s length the harder it is to hit the ball in that one most solid spot on the club face. A shorter driver length will many times hit the ball more consistently solid and the ball will carry farther than a longer driver length hit off-center. Definitely something to think about if you do not have the ability to always hit it on the center of the face.

The grips I use are the Maltby Weave grips on all my irons and woods. The grips are installed 1/32” oversize under the left hand (measured at 2” down from the top of the grip) and 3/64” oversize under the right hand measured at 5” down from the top of the grip. This makes the right hand grip 1/64” larger in proportion to the left hand grip. I don’t have large hands with longer fingers but I prefer the oversize grips because I have a tendency to over draw the ball and this calms my hand action down a bit resulting in a more consistent draw shot. I actually measure into 1/64” oversize grips. The Maltby weave grip was developed by me a number of years ago and is far and away my favorite grip for the following reasons. When damp or wet it still has very good grip and does not get slippery or slimy as do some other grips. It wears very well and usually only needs replacement every 2 or 3 years assuming 15 to 20 rounds a year. If it gets dirty, simply wash it with a little dishwashing soap and put in under warm running water to rinse it.

The shafts in my irons, wedges and fairway metals are the super light weight alloy True Temper® TX-90. This is basically a 100 gram shaft that finishes out in the 90 gram weight range after cutting it to length. This shaft has a mid bend point with medium tip stiffness and for my swing type and speed produces a nice ball flight and a great feel at impact. I have this shaft in all 3 sets of irons that I mentioned earlier. I feel this shaft helped me to get back some of my lost distance as I became older. It has definitely increased my swing speed because of its lighter weight (compared to the True Temper® Dynamic Gold® shafts I previously played which were about 30 grams heavier). Here’s the rule of thumb: The lighter the shaft weighs, the heavier the head must weigh to obtain the same swingweight. This still produces a club with an overall lighter total weight. So, you can swing a lighter overall total weight club faster and as a bonus you have the heavier head weight coming into impact, therefore the energy applied to the ball is greater and it will fly farther. The launch angle of the ball will be strongly influenced by the shafts flexing characteristics. This is why I picked the TX-90 because it has a medium bend point. I tried the TX-90 Tour version but it has a high bend point meaning that it is stiffer in the tip of the shaft and will not launch the ball as high with my swing. The correct shaft properly fitted to any golfer can make a huge difference in hitting a golf ball consistently straight, long, solid and with the desired trajectory.

This has been quite a bit of information to simply tell you what clubs I play, but there is a very good lesson here for every golfer. I logically took you through my thinking on selecting and building the right clubs for me. You can do this for yourself in a similar manner by simply being honest with yourself and analyzing your game and your present golf clubs. You can make a significant difference in your ball striking and play by understanding the options that are available to you. This process I call “Dynamic Golf Club Fitting”. You have all the resources at your finger tips: read my books, study the GolfWorks catalog, ask questions on this Web site, attend one of our in-depth hands on clubmaking schools or work with a knowledgeable and experienced Maltby Certified club fitter at your nearest Golf Galaxy store. The choice is yours in how you go about it. The most fun in golf to me, besides playing, is to fiddle around with golf clubs. Whether it’s a hobby, a part or full time business or whatever, get involved in the sport you love by assembling, repairing, altering or simply experimenting with your own or custom golf clubs. Whatever you do, I promise that you will play better.

Regarding equipment, the biggest factors in playing better golf are to understand golf club fitting principles, mechanics of golf club design and then learning how to apply this knowledge to your golf clubs and your golf game.

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