Equipment
Why True Spec Golf’s acquisition of Club-Conex is so important
Custom club fitter True Spec Golf has purchased what is arguably one of the most important companies in golf club fitting, Club-Conex.
Club-Conex, based in Rockford, Ill., produces universal adapter systems that allow for the interchangeability of club heads and shafts regardless of manufacturer. Founded in 2004, Club-Conex’s products have helped consumers, instructors and custom fitters compare the performance of different golf club heads and shafts without the need to purchase multiple models of the same shaft.
Here’s how the testing/fitting process works without Club-Conex. Say a golfer is using an adjustable club head and shaft from Brand A, but wants to try that shaft in Brand B’s adjustable club head. Since each brand’s adjustability systems are incompatible with each other, the golfer has two options:
- Remove the shaft adapter from Brand A’s shaft, and install Brand B’s shaft adapter.
- Purchase an additional shaft and install Brand B’s shaft adapter in order to compare the performance of the two club heads at the same time.
Option 1 eliminates the ability to simultaneously test the clubs, while option 2 is expensive, forcing golfers to purchase an additional shaft and shaft adapter.
While only a small percentage of golfers will go to such lengths to compare products on their own, the ability of custom fitters to compare different models of club heads and shafts is essential to their businesses. Custom fitting companies can stock anywhere from a few to a few dozen different brands of golf clubs, each with their own unique adjustability systems. Many premium club fitters have taken the costly route of stocking multiple shafts for each type of club head in order to please consumers who are increasingly interested in trying a variety of expensive, aftermarket shafts, while others have turned to Club-Conex.
Forty of the top 100 club fitters in the U.S., as well as more than 1,000 club fitters worldwide are currently using Club-Conex, according to Hoyt McGarity, co-CEO of True Spec Golf, which has plans to expand on the five custom-fitting centers it has located in the U.S., Bahamas and Switzerland. McGarity and co-CEO Kyle Monfort were the leading forces behind the acquisition, which was rooted in concern that another custom fitting company would purchase Club-Conex.
“Imagine if I had to have designated shafts for each company?,” McGarity said. “I’d have 800 shafts on the wall. It wouldn’t be cost effective, and I’d be bankrupt.”
Club-Conex’ management and production will remain in Illinois and it will be “business as usual” for the company, according to a True Spec press release.
“We’re looking forward to assisting them in product evolution and marketing,” said Jeff Sparling, Director of Business Development for True Spec.
In 2014, Club-Conex’ UNIT-FIT driver assembly, which consists of a universal tip adapter and specific hosel sleeve that is paired to each manufacturer’s driver head, was approved by the USGA and R&A for tournament use.
McGarity said that he and Monfort plan to improve Club-Conex’s products as they examine current market trends, and will develop new options for teaching professionals at the PGA Merchandise Show in January.
Club-Conex’s products will continue to be sold through its website.
“The determination to sell the company was not only driven by financial reward, but one where the new ownership and I share a common vision for the growth of the company,” said Eric Burch, Club-Conex Founder. “I look forward to continuing to design products that help the club fitting business run more efficiently and I am eternally grateful for the past and continuing support.”
- LIKE126
- LEGIT15
- WOW11
- LOL2
- IDHT2
- FLOP0
- OB3
- SHANK19
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
- LIKE1
- LEGIT0
- WOW0
- LOL0
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB0
- SHANK0
Equipment
Inside Collin Morikawa’s recent golf ball, driver, 3-wood, and “Proto” iron changes
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.
- LIKE27
- LEGIT2
- WOW2
- LOL4
- IDHT2
- FLOP3
- OB3
- SHANK2
Equipment
Why Rory McIlroy will likely use the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper at the RBC Heritage
Although we spotted Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper last week during practice rounds at the Masters, he ultimately didn’t decide to use the club in competition.
It seems that will change this week at the 2024 RBC Heritage, played at the short-and-tight Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head.
When asked on Wednesday following his morning Pro-Am if he’d be using the new, nostalgic BRNR Copper this week, McIlroy said, “I think so.”
“I like it,” McIlroy told GolfWRX.com on Tuesday regarding the BRNR. “This would be a good week for it.”
View this post on Instagram
According to Adrian Rietveld, the Senior Manager of Tour at TaylorMade, the BRNR Mini Driver can help McIlroy position himself properly off the tee at the tight layout.
Here’s what Rietveld told GolfWRX.com on Wednesday:
“For someone like Rory, who’s that long at the top end of the bag, and then you put him on a course like Harbour Town, it’s tough off the tee. It’s tight into the greens, and you have to put yourself in position off the tee to have a shot into the green. It kind of reminds me of Valderrama in Spain, where you can be in the fairway and have no shot into the green.
“I’m caddying for Tommy [Fleetwood] this week, so I was walking the course last night and looking at a few things. There’s just such a small margin for error. You can be standing in the fairway at 300 yards and have a shot, but at 320 you don’t. So if you don’t hit a perfect shot, you could be stuck behind a tree. And then if you’re back at 280, it might be a really tough shot into the small greens.
“So for Rory [with the BRNR], it’s a nice course-specific golf club for him. He’s got both shots with it; he can move it right-to-left or left-to-right. And the main thing about this club has been the accuracy and the dispersion with it. I mean, it’s been amazing for Tommy.
“This was the first event Tommy used a BRNR last year, and I remember talking to him about it, and he said he couldn’t wait to play it at Augusta next year. And he just never took it out of the bag because he’s so comfortable with it, and hitting it off the deck.
“So you look at Rory, and you want to have the tools working to your advantage out here, and the driver could hand-cuff him a bit with all of the shots you’d have to manufacture.”
So, although McIlroy might not be making a permanent switch into the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper, he’s likely to switch into it this week.
His version is lofted at 13.5 degrees, and equipped with a Fujikura Ventus Black 7X shaft.
See more photos of Rory testing the BRNR Mini here
- LIKE25
- LEGIT2
- WOW0
- LOL2
- IDHT0
- FLOP0
- OB1
- SHANK3
-
19th Hole1 week ago
Dave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
-
19th Hole3 weeks ago
Things got heated at the Houston Open between Tony Finau and Alejandro Tosti. Here’s why
-
19th Hole1 week ago
Tiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Report: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
-
19th Hole4 days ago
Two star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
-
19th Hole4 days ago
Neal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
-
19th Hole3 days ago
Report: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
-
19th Hole2 weeks ago
Addiction, spinal fusion, and scam artists – Everything Anthony Kim revealed in candid interview with David Feherty
Pingback: TSG / Club-Conex feature on GOLFWRX.com - True Spec Golf
lew
Nov 12, 2015 at 2:50 pm
Im lost on why people think this is not great for golf. If you have shafts and adapters for a few different heads and brands you can use these to test between without the issues of pulling and re-glueing eventual killing the shafts.
From the fitters point the saving over having many shafts for each adapter passes is amazing.
From a customers view they should see some savings as it costs the fitter less too.
Win win win if u ask me.
Styles
Nov 10, 2015 at 6:33 pm
The article claims conex is important but doesn’t backup the headline assertion that the acquisition by true spec is important. It also doesn’t explain why conex is important. Are independent club fitters relevant to the 99% of golfers?
Steve
Nov 12, 2015 at 9:32 am
Definately makes no sense. Is it “so important” when it effects only 40/100 U.S top clubfitters and return effects less then 1/1000 golfers? This is a infomercial more or less, most likely paid by the company to write it.
Mat
Nov 10, 2015 at 4:12 pm
It sure would be nice if they sold to consumers…
Apprenti23
Nov 10, 2015 at 9:40 pm
They’ve been available for purchase by Joe Schmoe for the past ten years. You can buy them online through golfworks or either golfsmith, i can’t remember who sorry
Mat
Nov 11, 2015 at 1:27 am
Let me rephrase; it would be nice if they offered “off the shelf kits” or a simple online store that would let me just buy the parts I need, and take them to a club shop.
JD
Nov 11, 2015 at 11:11 am
http://www.clubconex.com/#!shop-all/cav5
Mike
Nov 10, 2015 at 2:40 pm
I wish this would be put out of business by an industry standard adapter…
Charlie
Nov 10, 2015 at 1:34 pm
Seriously, why? Did I miss part of the article?
George
Nov 10, 2015 at 1:01 pm
Nice advertising for True Spec, important not really
cho
Nov 10, 2015 at 2:36 pm
George.. they arnt sponsors but nice try.
Two clubfitters in the area I live has this setup and it is awesome. I can test any shaft I want and not just the ones the manufacturer has in their fitting cart. It also allows the small guy to only buy one shaft to cover all heads.
Steve
Nov 12, 2015 at 9:35 am
You would go to a fitter with only one shaft to try?
SKip
Nov 10, 2015 at 12:48 pm
Soooo, this acquisition is important because…..?
Joshuaplaysgolf
Nov 10, 2015 at 2:28 pm
Because the name on the building/products will be changing. ITS ASTRONOMICAL!!!!!
Actually, it’s huge because the dudes that started the company can move out of Rockford. I grew up about 30 miles west of there down route 20 and it’s gone steeply downhill in the past few years from quiet, mid-size Midwestern city to major drug hub riddled with daily violence. Not awesome. Good for those guys.
Tom
Nov 10, 2015 at 12:09 pm
This is great for the industry.