Your prediction about specialized glove materials is spot on. We’re already seeing that in one-design dinghy sailing with hiking boots and hiking straps with complementary, high-friction materials.
The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
Notes from Ralph Maltby Thinking on The Edge
- Distance will be finally limited by the laws of physics. There is only 17 more yards to go according to Frank Thomas.
- 5, 6 and 7 piece golf balls will be developed that will improve even more for better feel, more bite, better trajectory control, better directional control and easier to play and score with. Also, they will all putt absolutely true with every ball having its center of gravity exactly in the middle of the ball.
- Regarding woods, irons and putters, ease of playability will increase and consumers will know the playability factor (MPF) of every golf club to eliminate any trial and error or guesswork when selecting clubs.
- Shafts will be designed with variable compensating flex points, bend points and torque depending on the input force during the swing. Shafts will be more consistent and have better feel.
- Grip materials will allow fingers to sink into them when first used and will maintain memorized personal fitted positions. They will be initially legal because the positions will not be visible or noticeable until normal grip pressure is applied for each and every swing. This will allow the golfer to grip the club the same every time. Of course, the USGA will immediately talk about banning them in a typical knee jerk reaction as they have done throughout the history of golf.
- Unique, unheard of utility clubs will be developed with specialized shot making abilities to take the fear out of difficult lies and situations. Sharp cutter blades on utility clubs will actually mow a path through the rough.
- Golf shoes will have cleats in the left shoe that release (slip) during the swing and a right shoe that never can move. The perfectly timed left foot release will allow better weight transfer and thus more force applied at impact resulting in increased distance (think Happy Gilmore). Shoes will be custom fitted to the golfers’ weight distribution during the swing and have built-in digital force readouts that are downloadable to your PC for evaluation.
- Golf Gloves will be designed to specifically grip best to a specific golf grip material. You would buy a different glove if you played a cord grip or a velvet tour grip or a Kraton grip. Gloves will have line up devices that match a special grip design so players will always have the correct grip to hit it straight or to hit fades and draws. Each glove will have a pressure indicator letting the golfer know their exact grip pressure on each finger ( think Bob Toski teachings).
- USGA announces that computerized data chips are legal in golf clubheads. A data port allows downloading to a special analysis program that provides impact force and impact location data along with clubhead path and face angle data. Also vertical and side spin is analyzed. This is done after every round or practice session. Launch monitors of all types are immediately made obsolete.
- Putters will have almost weightless wire shafts which maintain rigid qualities due to a special force field built in under the grip. This will allow the golfer to stroke the putter slower to impart the same force to the ball at impact. Off-center hit loss of distance and poorer directional control are now things of the past. The only putters sold will have the absolute highest moments of inertia and thus the highest playability factors. Golfers will finally accept that blade putters are obsolete.
- Women will only buy clubs that are designed specifically for them so that they can actually play better golf. The golf industry quits trying to sell women golf club designs for men that only have a blue or pink medallion change in the back. No women golfer in the world will allow their husbands to pick out clubs for them. Women’s’ average handicaps come down 5 strokes.
- Parents who buy junior clubs finally figure out that juniors need real golf clubs specifically designed for their kids because they hit real golf balls just like their parents.
- Riding carts for two golfers (being social is a must in enjoying golf) will split apart at the touch of a button so each player can go to their ball and hit it. At the touch of a button, the two carts will join up and latch together completely on their own for the drive to the green or next shot (Of course, Lexus developed this technology).
- Play Station 12 will plug into the golf cart and play celebrity golf. This is a 3D hologram or some way to make a real looking person sit next to you. This celebrity actually talks to you in real time and is aware of the current situation, so they can help you with your game or whatever (Tiger Woods turns out to be the only celebrity that anyone wants to play with, while the Bill Murray version gathers dust on the shelves).
- Golf carts will be equipped with a potty button. You simply push the button and a portable toilet pops out followed by a curtain which drops down around it. Also, the refreshment cart is eliminated from bothering us as we play because every golf cart is equipped with a mini bar. You simply ask for the key when you go out to play. Good news here is no tipping and waiting. Bad news is still the ridiculous cost of food and drinks.
Hey, this stuff is fun. If you have some brainy ideas I would love to receive them. Just post them in the comments below. Who knows, they may show up in a column like this someday.
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Article Discussion
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8:40PM - Dec 29, 2009RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
#13
Report Thisknh555
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4:17PM - Dec 28, 2009RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
#12
Report Thisparadigm
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Putting is about two main variables: speed, distance. The speed of a green is critical in knowing how much force a golfer must exert on the putter head to achieve the correct distance. Not only must the ball reach the target, but it must do it at a specific speed which allows the ball to travel the contour of the green correctly-break.
Since a golfer needs to have more control over club head speed and distance, wouldn’t a shaft with an adjustable, inline weight sys w/in the shaft be an advantage?
Advantages: less take-back distance reduces pushed/pulled putts; align the speed to the speed of the green, as measured by a Stimpmeter, by adjusting the position/weight along the shaft; muscle-memory Range of Movement (ROM). Now, on any course, anywhere in the world, a golfer matches his/her preferred weight and position using the exact ROM each and every time one putts.
Weights, data chips, levels etc have been used in conjunction with the putter head, but what about the shaft? Your opinion?
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6:55PM - Dec 23, 2009RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
#11
Report Thistonynelson
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Future of Golf Balls: Do you believe that the golf ball companies will be able to design 5,6 or even 7 piece golf balls that will be consistant in manufacturing and affordable? Many of the two and three piece balls tthey make today are absolutley fantastic. The current distances of many of these brands are on the verge of illegality and stretch the USGA speed and distance limits to the fullest. Some of the brands are amazing in their consistancy and accuracy as well. Ralph I look forward to hearing your opinion on where you think golf ball manufacturing is headed.
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3:01PM - Dec 3, 2009RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
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Report ThisJack Butler
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Mr. Maltby,
Here’s an idea you might be able to make happen with your design and manufacturing experience: A line of stainless steel cast iron heads custom manufactured having specifications and markings chosen by the customer. The variable specs could be loft (20 deg to 52 deg in 1 deg increments), weight (plus or minus 6 grams from normal), bounce (-2 to +8 degrees), lie angle (plus to minus 4 degrees from normal), custom markings or pet names.
Jack
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2:26PM - Aug 27, 2008RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
#9
Report ThisChristopher P.
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Easy technology is supplemented by longer shafts, rendering improvement obsolete, and maintaining an artificial ceiling of difficulty on the average golfer who doesn’t know better.
Driver technology allows a 4’ surface at the very bottom f the face, and we can all put the gap wedge back in our bag because we can use the trusty 1 wood on the green. Clubhouses everywhere are marred by ballmarks from golfers who putt with a driver and miss their birdie putt by 1 inch on the 18th green.
People slowly come around to the fact that “standard length, loft, and lie” top of the line clubs can easily be assembled in your basement with a dremmel, some tape, solvent, epoxy, and parts.
Stronger shafts and epoxies allow hosels shrink down to almost nothing, allowing the lowest possible center of gravity on the clubhead
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1:23PM - Sep 13, 2007RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
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Report ThisPGA GOLF PRO
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Try as many different types of clubs that fit you if you don’t like yours, and oh yes ask the advise of your PGA Professional for help.
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1:25PM - Sep 9, 2007RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
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Report ThisJRosado
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Hey Ralph, I have a question for you. I have read about the “clone” market and how it compares to the top companies like Titleist, Taylor Made, Mizuno, and so on. I want to know your opinion on the matter and more importantly, how you feel your clubs compare to the big golf companies. I have played them all and honestly see no difference in quality between your clubs and theirs. If anything, I prefer your clubs because they feel solid and have a much better game improvement aspect to them. It seems like most of the blades out today are the same and focus on the same type of player/swing. Your MMB iron focuses on a wider range of players/ swings and will improve anyone’s game. I don’t catagorize your clubs “clones” and only use your clubs because of the science and classifications you use in your club design. My target demographic is the average player trying to improve, on a budget. The guy willing to spend $900 on an iron set is sold on the the name and not the technology behind it.
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8:55AM - Apr 24, 2007RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
#6
Report ThisRalph Maltby
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Capoeira, I am still working on getting a model to test so I do not have an answer for you. I should have it soon.
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8:45AM - Apr 24, 2007RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
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Report Thiscapoeira
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Good morning. I wonder if you have determined the (VERY USEFUL) MPF o the Nickent 3DX hybrid iron set? Thank you!
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9:46AM - Apr 10, 2007RE: The Future of Golf And Its Equipment
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Report ThisRalph Maltby
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Tom, unless the shaft is modified by trimming from the tip or using a stronger flex, a lenghtened club will feel and be more flexible. This I assume you already knew. You would not want to purposely make a shaft more flexible by lengthening a club. However, sometimes this makes the shaft perform even better and particularly so if the golfer had the shaft a bit too stiff to start with. This is something to experiment with to get the proper shaft fit. Second Question: I have heard of Jack but I am not all that familiar with his teachings and therefore cannot comment. Tom, I too have seen Moe Norman hit golf balls and play. He had ball striking abilities that I have never seen before. Too bad more golfers never had the chance to see his talent in person.
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