Equipment
GolfWRX Archives: Economics of an independent club builder
The golf season is slowly gearing up, and the next step many are taking is getting their clubs tuned up and dialed in. Whether it be new grips, lie and loft checks, or getting into the nitty-gritty details of a launch monitor gapping session, it’s a mad rush to be ready for the first tee shot.
With so much of this work being done by smaller companies or local club builders, I wanted to revisit a piece I wrote around this time last year that showcases the economics that smaller shops face since a large part of the discussion often revolves around price.
The Economics of an Independent Club Builder
I build clubs, not a ton, but for a one-person operation, I keep very busy during the season. I work on clubs for people locally, help a couple of the local golf courses get work done quickly for members, and I do a lot of my own tinkering (which I acknowledge is akin to if Walter White was also his own biggest customer).
What I have noticed over the last few years when talking to, or reading about, golfers inquiring about having work done, is the great discussion and sometimes misinformation about the cost associated with club work. From high-end custom club fitting, to just a simple repair or grip change, there’s a lot of confusion. This is a constant topic here on GolfWRX with many of the same replies being summarized by
“No way a (insert club or repair job) should cost that much! It’s an easy thing to do with a torch, a vice and some epoxy.”
I’m not saying building clubs isn’t relatively simple, heck it’s my goal to try and teach people how to do it and better understand it, but when it comes to doing things right and making sure the specs are just as they should be, well that’s an entirely different story.
To properly equip a shop with all the tools required to take on any club building task aside from grinding wedges and milling putters, the cost is roughly $5,000 for proper top-of-the-line gear including safety equipment — not an over-the-top investment, but something that is mostly beyond the average hobbyist. I’m lucky in that I’ve never relied on building clubs (as an independent builder) as my only source of income and slowly built up my vast collection of tools, some of which I’ve had for over 15 years.
My argument for the cost of any repair is quite simple: The club builder needs to be able to make a reasonable profit (not a bad word) based on the time associated with completing the task, which is essentially the MO for any individual or business.
I compare it to getting an oil change: Do I know how to do it? Yes. Do I have the ability to get all the required tools? Yes. Does it take a relatively short amount of time to do it by a trained professional? Yes. Do I want to get under my car to do it? Absolutely not!
Same can be applied for the building of a set either from scratch or with previously used parts (which is WAY worse and actually takes longer by the way) pulling and gluing steel taper tip golf shafts isn’t really a big deal but here are the things many people fail to consider
- Getting head weights right to make sure swing weight, or in some cases MOI, match the desired spec.
- Cutting to the exact length and potentially accounting for grip cap length
- Having on hand the proper tools do the prep work including disposables like sanding belts, buffing pads etc.
- Stocking ferrules in a variety of sizes for different clubs
- Epoxy – making sure to have relatively “fresh” quality stuff on hand — a single tube of 3M can run over $25 alone
- Grip tape
- Solvent, and catch tray or actual gripping station
- Final lie loft – making sure to leave as few marks as possible
Let’s consider one of the most common repairs: a broken wedge shaft (I don’t ask questions about how things get broken)
For a small shop that might not carry a lot (if any) shaft inventory, something as common as a True Temper Dynamic Gold is $24 from a supplier like GolfWorks, add on a single grip, say, Golf Pride Tour Velvet ($5), you’re almost at $30 COST. Now, if we consider that there is potential for a 15 percent savings if the shop gets a “dealer” discount, we’re still looking at just under $25 before tax. You add shipping onto that and time, it’s understandable that this is going to be at least a $50 repair.
Yes, you can get new previous model wedges for around $100, but they have the opportunity to buy at HUGE volume as an OEM, that’s the difference. Small shops need to be able to cover costs and make a small profit to exist. Prices might seem high compared to buying a new full club as a single unit, but you are truly supporting a small business.
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
From the seller: (@lasallen): “For sale is a BRNR mini 11.5 deg head only in brand new condition. $325 shipped.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: TaylorMade BRNR mini driver head
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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Equipment
Coolest thing for sale in the GolfWRX Classifieds (4/18/24): Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals that all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.
It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.
Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, there is a listing for a Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made.
From the seller: (@DLong72): “Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made. ?: $1150. ?? 100% milled collectors item from the limited releases commemorating when Ping putters won every major in 1988 (88 putters made). This was the model Seve Ballesteros used to win the 1988 Open Championship. Condition is brand new, never gamed, everything is in the original packaging as it came. Putter features the iconic sound slot.
Specs/ Additional Details
-100% Milled, Aluminum/Bronze Alloy (310g)
-Original Anser Design
-PING PP58 Grip
-Putter is built to standard specs.”
To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link: Ping PLD Limited Anser – 1988 Open Championship – #2 of only 88 Made
This is the most impressive current listing from the GolfWRX BST, and if you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum you can check them out here: GolfWRX BST Rules
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As you probably know by now, Collin Morikawa switched putters after the first round of The Masters, and he ultimately went on to finish T3.
The putter was far from the only change he made last week, however, and his bag is continuing to change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage.
On the range of The Masters, Morikawa worked closely with Adrian Reitveld, TaylorMade’s Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, to find the perfect driver and 3-wood setups.
Morikawa started off 2024 by switching into TaylorMade’s Qi10 Max driver, but since went back to his faithful TaylorMade SIM – yes, the original SIM from 2020. Somehow, some way, it seems Morikawa always ends up back in that driver, which he used to win the 2020 PGA Championship, and the 2021 Open Championship.
At The Masters, however, Rietveld said the duo found the driver head that allowed “zero compromise” on Morikawa’s preferred fade flight and spin. To match his preferences, they landed on a TaylorMade Qi10 LS 9-degree head, and the lie angle is a touch flatter than his former SIM.
“It’s faster than his gamer, and I think what we found is it fits his desired shot shape, with zero compromise” Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday at the RBC Heritage.
Then, to replace his former SIM rocket 3-wood, Morikawa decided to switch into the TaylorMade Qi10 core model 13.5-degree rocket head, with an adjustable hosel.
“He likes the spin characteristics of that head,” Rietveld said. “Now he’s interesting because with Collin, you can turn up at a tournament, and you look at his 3-wood, and he’s changed the setting. One day there’s more loft on it, one day there’s less loft on it. He’s that type of guy. He’s not scared to use the adjustability of the club.
“And I think he felt our titanium head didn’t spin as low as his original SIM. So we did some work with the other head, just because he liked the feel of it. It was a little high launching, so we fit him into something with less loft. It’s a naughty little piece of equipment.”
In addition to the driver and fairway wood changes, Morikawa also debuted his new “MySymbol” jersey No. 5 TP5x golf ball at The Masters. Morikawa’s choice of symbols is likely tied to his love of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team.
Not enough changes for you? There’s one more.
On Wednesday at the 2024 RBC Heritage, Morikawa was spotted with a new TaylorMade “Proto” 4-iron in the bag. If you recall, it’s the same model that Rory McIlroy debuted at the 2024 Valero Texas Open.
According to Morikawa, the new Proto 4-iron will replace his old P-770 hollow-bodied 4-iron.
“I used to hit my P-770 on a string, but sometimes the distance would be a little unpredictable,” Morikawa told GolfWRX.com. “This one launches a touch higher, and I feel I can predict the distance better. I know Rory replaced his P-760 with it. I’m liking it so far.”
See Morikawa’s full WITB from the 2024 RBC Heritage here.
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A. Commoner
May 24, 2020 at 4:55 pm
Excellent article. Spurs thought so often repeated: “If people would only realize.”
Tom Duckworth
May 23, 2020 at 1:41 pm
I will change my own grips and ad length to my irons but I stop there. It would be fun to build my own clubs one day but the cost saving is not enough. Buying a set of forged iron heads on eBay is just as expensive as a complete set of irons. I’m happy if I can have a good conversation and fitting and get the information I need to find a set that fits me. I mostly buy used because getting clubs a few years old is a major cost savings and the technology just doesn’t change that dramatically.
I would be happy to support someone working out of their home but I have never found any locally. I admire the investment it takes to do it right.
Breiman
May 22, 2020 at 6:21 pm
I had a small shop in the 80s that did mostly custom woods and forged iron sets and some repairs. The investment into heads, shafts and grips alone was 20k in 1985 $$$$. Let alone the tools. Running a small shop is a labor of love.