Equipment
Scratch Golf returns to its roots, opens Detroit-area fitting studio
It’s not what you’d expect from a small golf equipment company, a storefront-fitting center in Metro Detroit that showcases Scratch Golf’s wedges, irons, putters and accessories.
But Scratch has never been the average small golf equipment company, and if company founder Ari Techner has it his way, it never will be.
Techner founded Scratch in 2003 with a simple premise – he wanted average golfers to have access to the same custom equipment options that were available to the pros, particularly the sole grinds on forged wedges. And he was way ahead of his time. Ten years later, leading wedge makers Cleveland and Vokey are just now scratching the surface of their custom wedge grind programs.
So what has Scratch been doing in the last 10 years? According to Techner, a little too much
[quote_box_center]“We were trying to be everything to everybody, instead of just sticking to what we’re good at,” Techner said.[/quote_box_center]
Trying to be everything to everybody resulted in Scratch creating a line of cast wedges that competed directly with offerings from Cleveland and Vokey, brands that dominate usage on the PGA Tour and have much larger marketing budgets. It also had Scratch shipping off-the-rack sets of irons to big-box golf retail stores, where they sat on shelves next to more familiar names like Callaway, Ping and TaylorMade.
[quote_box_center]“We did all that in an attempt to get our name out there,” Techner said. “We had some success with some of the stores, but it didn’t really work.”[/quote_box_center]
Industry insiders can name several reasons while Scratch has struggled to capitalize on its early success, which saw the company grow from a garage venture into one of the most respected small golf equipment companies in just a few years. But the important thing to know is this – the Scratch mantra, custom clubs for anyone, is the enemy of large-scale retail success.
That’s why Scratch’s new storefront in Metro Detroit and rededication to the custom market makes perfect sense. It’s a return to the company’s roots.
Michigan is where Scratch Golf got its start. Techner was raised in Birmingham, Mich., and attended Ferris State University in Big Rapids. That’s where he he met Jeff McCoy, a Port Huron, Mich., native who became Scratch’s chief design engineer and master grinder.
Neither Techner nor McCoy will be far from home in Berkley, Mich., the site of Scratch’s new store, which is about 2.5 miles north of Detroit’s city limits. Despite the close border, however, Scratch’s location has little resemblance to Detroit, whose financial troubles have made national news headlines due to the city’s recent bankruptcy filing.
By design, Scratch’s location is just minutes from many of Metro Detroit’s trendiest bars and restaurants. The store’s lime-colored awning and 21-foot-tall golf tee should peak the interest of motorists, and its proximity to many of Detroit’s best private clubs means that some of the passers-by will be potential Scratch customers.
But Scratch’s success won’t be as tied to where the company is located as much as how efficiently the company can fill its custom orders, which has been a problem for Scratch in the past. That’s why Techner has decided to make major changes to Scratch’s business plan – no more cast wedges, and no more sales in big box stores. That will allow Scratch to do more of what it does best, he said, make the most customizable golf clubs on the planet.
[quote_box_center]“The most (blank)” is a phrase that is used so much in the golf industry that it’s rarely taken seriously any more. Golfers are bombarded with marketing campaigns that claim that a company’s clubs are the “most forgiving” or the “most adjustable,” etc. But when Techner says that his clubs are the most customizable, it’s no marketing ploy.[/quote_box_center]
Scratch has built irons for customers that were based on napkin sketches. They’ve designed wedges for golfers who want their bounce angle accurate to one-half of a degree, with finishes that are unlike any others used in the industry.
Take, for example, Scratch’s color-case hardened finish (pictured above). The finish requires a wedge to be is exposed to a mixture of ash and bone, among other things, which is kept in place by wrapping the wedge in tin foil. The foil is then heated on and off for 30 days, which creates the finish’s unique look.
While aesthetics are important to Scratch, the company’s bread and butter is its custom fitting system, which includes about 30 stock grinds. But those grinds can be customized in any way — the bounce, camber, sole width, leading edge grind, etc. — creating a virtually unlimited amount of grinds. Scratch can also create just about any head shape, tweaking the style of a club’s topline and toe shape to a golfer’s preference.
Scratch has also made changes to its more stock products, its 1018 Forged Wedges and “AR-1” and “EZ-1” irons, which are also forged from 1018 carbon steel. The new wedges and irons have swapped Scratch’s old english “S” logo on the back of the club for the company’s name, which Techner said was done to create more brand awareness. Scratch’s logo still remains on the clubs, but it has been moved to the toe section.
Above: Scratch’s AR-1 Version 2 irons. Below: Scratch’s EZ-1 Version 2 irons.
[quote_box_center]”A lot of people have told me that they’ve never heard of Scratch golf, but when the saw the ‘S’ logo on my clubs, they said, “I know that brand,” Techner said.[/quote_box_center]
Both the wedges and irons also have subtle design tweaks that reflect the company’s most popular requests for custom clubs. The AR-1 V2 irons, Scratch’s most compact forged cavity-back model, have less offset, a more square head shape and a thinner sole than the original AR-1 irons. The EZ-1 V2 irons, Scratch’s largest and most forgiving model, also have a more square head shape and reduced offset, but they’ve kept their wider soles to aid forgiveness.
Both sets of irons come stock with Scratch’s DS (Driver-Slider) grind, but are available through custom order in either the company’s DD (Digger-Driver) grind, which is best for golfers with steep angles of attack, or the SS (Sweeper-Slider) grind, which is preferred by golfers with shallow angles of attack. The irons will retail for the same price as the original models, $1199 in all three grinds, and come stock with either Nippon’s N.S. Pro Super Peening Orange shafts in R Flex or the N.S. Pro Super Peening Blue shafts in S Flex.
Scratch’s new 1018 Forged Wedges have a different leading edge shape than the company’s previous wedges. Scratch’s original line of 1018’s had very straight leading edges, while its 8620 Cast Wedges had very round leading edges. The leading edge shape of the new forged wedges is a tweener — not as square as the old 1018’s, but not as round as the 8620’s.
Golfers who live near Detroit, or are able to visit will be able to maximize Scratch’s custom-fitting abilities.
Scratch partnered with Arizona-based custom club fitter Cool Clubs and will use its Trackman-based system to fit wedges and irons (Scratch doesn’t make woods), as well as select Callaway and TaylorMade drivers, fairway woods and hybrids. Scratch also has Cool Clubs’ video-based putter fitting system, which will allow Scratch’s staff to fit golfers for the company’s James Ingles Bespoke putters, which are handmade in London (Click here to learn more about James Ingles putters).
Above: A James Ingles bullseye putter with a color-case hardened finish.
According to Techner, the Detroit-area fitting studio is just the start of Scratch’s relationship with Detroit. For more than a year, Scratch has been planning a custom-club program called “The Armory,” which will allow golfers to purchase Scratch irons and wedges with pre-made custom finishes, head shapes, grinds and stampings. That will allow golfers to get Scratch’s most popular custom club finishes and styles without the 6-to-10-week wait time that it takes from Scratch to produce a totally custom product.
Techner said “The Armory” will be launched before the end of the year on Scratch’s website. He also confirmed that Scratch’s club making facility will be moved from Chattanooga, Tenn., to the Detroit area before the end of the year. The only Scratch team member who will not be making the move to Detroit is legendary club maker Don White, who will continue to build custom Scratch irons and wedges from his home in Chattanooga.
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Whats in the Bag
Sam Burns WITB 2024 (April)
- Sam Burns’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.
Driver: Callaway Paradym Triple Diamond S (9 degrees @10)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 7 TX
3-wood: Callaway Paradym Ai Smoke Triple Diamond T (15 degrees @16)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
Hybrid: Callaway Apex UW (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus Blue 8 X
Irons: Callaway Apex TCB ’24 (4-AW)
Shafts: Project X 6.5 (4-PW), True Temper Dynamic Gold X100 Tour Issue (AW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (56-14F @55), WedgeWorks Proto (60-T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold S400 Tour Issue (56, 60)
Putter: Odyssey Ai-One #7S
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Align
Ball: Callaway Chrome Tour X
Check out more in-hand photos of Sam Burns’ WITB in the forums.
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Whats in the Bag
Will Zalatoris WITB 2024 (April)
- Will Zalatoris’ what’s in the bag accurate as of the RBC Heritage.
Driver: Titleist TSR2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Black 7 X (44.5 inches)
3-wood: Titleist TSi2 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T350 (3), Titleist T150 (4-PW)
Shafts: Nippon N.S. Pro Prototype G.O.S.T. 10 ST X (3), True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100 (4-PW)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (50-08F, 54-10S @55, 60-04T)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Putter: L.A.B. Golf Mezz.1 Max
Grips: Golf Pride Z-Grip Cord
See more photos of Will Zalatoris’ WITB in the forums.
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Equipment
New Level launches new 480-DB irons, blending performance and forgiveness
New Level has been making some really good golf equipment since the company started up in 2018. Offering irons that are more geared towards the better player, precision has been a fundamental philosophy for New Level in creating irons and wedges.
The 480 line of irons has been the flagship of the brand, and the newest member of that team is the 480-DB iron that is now open to pre-orders. A new cavity design is what the whole 480 line is about, and the 480-DB takes advantage of that with added ball speed and a larger sweet spot.
For players who require their irons to offer the best feel, rest assured the DB is a fully forged (from 1020 carbon steel) one-piece golf club. No multi-piece, hollow design with this iron.
While the 480-DB is the next generation of the popular 902-OS, New Level didn’t follow the current trend in golf by chasing distance with the new iron. They actually weakened the lofts on the 480-DB with the spec sheet showing a 33-degree 7-iron and 45-degree pitching wedge. These lofts allow the DB to have less offset while still offering consistent distance off the face.
A traditional design was also at the forefront of the new irons to make sure that golfers with an eye for detail can look down at them with confidence that they will perform under any condition.
A weight low in the back cavity will allow their master club builders to dial in the perfect weight for the golfer, no matter the length or shaft being used. New Level believes that the new 480-DB is one of the most forgiving one-piece forged irons on the market today. A pre-worn leading edge on the sole should get through the turf quickly and with reduced digging for better turf interaction.
You can pre-order the New Level 480-DB right now on the New Level website.
Pricing specs availability
- Irons: 4-PW
- Price: $149/oron
- Availability: Pre-order
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David
Oct 15, 2013 at 6:44 pm
This was pointed out before with the scratch wedge design. Wondering why they still went with two different script fonts. Looks just as bad as it did on the original wedge. Not saying I would not play their wedge. I do. I still play the original forged wedges. IMO, this two script font just looks like an amateur designers work. Love you Scratch!
evenStephen
Aug 19, 2013 at 11:18 am
I live in the Metro Detroit area and I am thrilled about this news. Looking to get fit for some new irons for next season. Been trying to work with Scratch for awhile to get some wedges to try out. Now I will to hit and buy some New Irons, Wedges, and Putter.
Great article and even better news for me.
Jack
Aug 17, 2013 at 12:36 am
Scratch makes good stuff. The putters on their website are just works of art, but a BIT pricey starting at 999.
Desmond
Aug 17, 2013 at 12:14 am
The lime green store front must be a tribute to its bombsquad roots….
Tyler
Aug 16, 2013 at 7:04 pm
I wish i could test these. I’m not comfortable about being fitted online and having them show up on my doorstep. Would like to be fit at my local shop.
Does anyone know if they are in any golf shops or do you have to order from the site?
J
Aug 16, 2013 at 4:27 pm
Proof of all will be when they deliver in timely fashions. Like their stuff so I am rooting for em.
Curt
Aug 16, 2013 at 5:56 pm
Yep, fulfillment is key if they want to be successful.
8thehardway
Aug 16, 2013 at 3:56 pm
” The store’s lime-colored awning and 21-foot-tall golf tee should peak the interest of motorists, … ”
I agree.
Steve Barry
Aug 16, 2013 at 2:47 pm
Store looks good, but I’m a fan of the S4 parked out front. Zak, is that yours?
Stephen S
Aug 16, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Will definitely have to check it out since its so close to work!
Nick W
Aug 16, 2013 at 3:34 pm
Store is sick. Just did a free fitting for the grand opening.The putter fitting is unreal & and selection of shafts/heads for the trackman is huge.
Shane
Aug 16, 2013 at 5:42 pm
That’s actually an RS4.