test equipment used at the range. Scott swung a driver and a five iron as the Swing Groover monitored his swing path, swing speed, golf ball launch speed and ball spin revolutions per minute. (SRPM). These data would be used to select a shaft with the right kick point and flex. The contact of the golf ball at impact, relative to the perfect sweet spot, was recorded by Charlie with impact tape to determine the best loft and lie angles for Scott’s irons.
Through this testing, Charlie determined that Scott’s swing parameters would be better served with a new set of clubs. His present set didn’t perfectly match his golf swing according to the Swing Groover print-out, and Scott agreed, knowing a player on tour must strive for equipment perfection. He ordered a new set built to the test specifications measured by Charlie and his machine. He kept only two clubs from his old set—his putter and the 60-degree lob wedge Sandy had given him.
He picked up his new set of clubs from Charlie two days later. They worked out fine on the range. He attempted to pay for them, but Mark Breen had left directions with Charlie that the clubs were to be complimentary.
Scott entered Mark’s office. "Hey, Mark, thanks for the donation."
"No problem. I’d do anything to help one of Sandy’s kids." He got up from his desk to shake Scott’s hand. "Good luck on tour. If you score well using our clubs and like them, we’ll hire you to endorse them."
Scott left Linksking and went out to Torrey Pines to play a round of golf with his new clubs on the North Course there. The clubs passed his on-course trial, and he was ready to test them in the real world of golf…at the PGA Tour in Kapalua, Hawaii.
NEW YORK
S cott missed the cut at Kapalua by two strokes. Then he missed five more cuts after that. Finally, the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, a familiar track, earned him a check for $8,225. Out of the next twelve tournaments his earnings totaled only $22,000, and there wasn’t any other income coming in from golf product endorsements for the fledgling Q-School qualifier. He had just missed a cut at Westchester Country Club in New York, and it was another Friday evening of disappointment and was with Matt in their motel room trying to figure out what had gone wrong with his game.
"The competition out here is more than I thought. I’ve been missing cuts by only a few strokes. What can I do, Matt?"
"Make more putts."
"Sure, just like that."
Matt took the putter out of Scott’s golf bag and ran his hand down the shaft to the head, then took a sheet of paper from his wallet that had Scott’s playing statistics on it. He scanned down the playing categories before fixing his eyes on three of them. "You’re on most greens in regulation or better, but weak in birdies and eagles after you get there. The clubs you got from Linksking are working out fine. It’s your putting that’s doing you in. That old caddie saying holds true: ‘A player w ho putts for pars is like a dog that chases cars…he doesn’t survive.’ You need to drop more putts in for birdies and even a few eagles."
Scott took his putter from Matt and started making short strokes at an imaginary ball. "It’s the same putting stroke and putter I’ve used since Pepperdine. It got me through Q-School."
"I know, but I’ve seen a change in putters make good things happen." Matt’s eyes narrowed and he looked straight at Scott. "A player’s confidence will improve after that." Matt took the putter from Scott and put it back in the golf bag. He picked up a box with a dozen golf balls in it. "Let’s go, there’s a course with a practice green near here."
They selected five putters from a rack in the pro shop. The putter heads were of different configurations. They had shafts of varying lengths and off-sets. Matt stationed himself near a cup on the putting green and rolled the balls back while Scott
Through this testing, Charlie determined that Scott’s swing parameters would be better served with a new set of clubs. His present set didn’t perfectly match his golf swing according to the Swing Groover print-out, and Scott agreed, knowing a player on tour must strive for equipment perfection. He ordered a new set built to the test specifications measured by Charlie and his machine. He kept only two clubs from his old set—his putter and the 60-degree lob wedge Sandy had given him.
He picked up his new set of clubs from Charlie two days later. They worked out fine on the range. He attempted to pay for them, but Mark Breen had left directions with Charlie that the clubs were to be complimentary.
Scott entered Mark’s office. "Hey, Mark, thanks for the donation."
"No problem. I’d do anything to help one of Sandy’s kids." He got up from his desk to shake Scott’s hand. "Good luck on tour. If you score well using our clubs and like them, we’ll hire you to endorse them."
Scott left Linksking and went out to Torrey Pines to play a round of golf with his new clubs on the North Course there. The clubs passed his on-course trial, and he was ready to test them in the real world of golf…at the PGA Tour in Kapalua, Hawaii.
NEW YORK
S cott missed the cut at Kapalua by two strokes. Then he missed five more cuts after that. Finally, the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines, a familiar track, earned him a check for $8,225. Out of the next twelve tournaments his earnings totaled only $22,000, and there wasn’t any other income coming in from golf product endorsements for the fledgling Q-School qualifier. He had just missed a cut at Westchester Country Club in New York, and it was another Friday evening of disappointment and was with Matt in their motel room trying to figure out what had gone wrong with his game.
"The competition out here is more than I thought. I’ve been missing cuts by only a few strokes. What can I do, Matt?"
"Make more putts."
"Sure, just like that."
Matt took the putter out of Scott’s golf bag and ran his hand down the shaft to the head, then took a sheet of paper from his wallet that had Scott’s playing statistics on it. He scanned down the playing categories before fixing his eyes on three of them. "You’re on most greens in regulation or better, but weak in birdies and eagles after you get there. The clubs you got from Linksking are working out fine. It’s your putting that’s doing you in. That old caddie saying holds true: ‘A player w ho putts for pars is like a dog that chases cars…he doesn’t survive.’ You need to drop more putts in for birdies and even a few eagles."
Scott took his putter from Matt and started making short strokes at an imaginary ball. "It’s the same putting stroke and putter I’ve used since Pepperdine. It got me through Q-School."
"I know, but I’ve seen a change in putters make good things happen." Matt’s eyes narrowed and he looked straight at Scott. "A player’s confidence will improve after that." Matt took the putter from Scott and put it back in the golf bag. He picked up a box with a dozen golf balls in it. "Let’s go, there’s a course with a practice green near here."
They selected five putters from a rack in the pro shop. The putter heads were of different configurations. They had shafts of varying lengths and off-sets. Matt stationed himself near a cup on the putting green and rolled the balls back while Scott
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