There is a moment that almost all golfers hope to experience – the “Aha” moment, or more specifically, “Did I just hit that ball perfectly straight, right down the middle of fairway?!?!?” At Rankmark’s most recent test, I experienced that “Aha” moment.
On January 15, we staged a 3 wood test at Costa Mesa Golf and Country Club. Over 20 manufacturers submitted their clubs for testing. We had plenty of products to test from all of the major manufacturers and well as many of the lesser known brands. As the number of testers thinned out, just for fun, I took advantage of the break to swing the clubs myself. I hit about 15 of the clubs, making mental notes of which clubs I liked, which clubs offered the most forgiveness, which clubs looked the most appealing, just as the testers had done throughout the day. Then it happened. I picked up “THE” club.
Now, I suspect that you want to know which club I am talking about. If I told you which club created an “Aha” moment for me, you may decide to buy it. That would be a mistake. The fact that this club amazed me is really inconsequential. It is one data point, and one data point does not make a test. (In my previous article, I talked about the limitations of a golf club review versus a test).
But, read on…….
Back to my “Aha” moment – my first shot with “THE” club sailed down the range on the prettiest line I have ever seen (ok, I am biased, but it was a GREAT looking shot). As I followed the ball in flight, I literally leaned forward in amazement. “Did I just hit that ball?” On shot number two, I did what many golfers tend to do. I tried to hit a bad shot to show that the previous shot was just lucky. I swung the club again and the ball launched on an even prettier trajectory and landed approximately 20 yards past my first shot. I looked at the club in utter disbelief. I could not believe that I had hit both shots so effortlessly. But, could I do it a third time? No chance, I thought. But let’s just see…….again, the ball sailed down the range. I started laughing like a little kid. This is just fun! I hit three more shots in quick succession, all of them looked, and felt perfect. Rest assured this club is already in my bag.
My “Aha” moment was certainly not the only time a golfer found “their” club. I talked to numerous golfers that found the club that worked for their swing. There is nothing more gratifying than watching a golfer smile to themselves as they looks down the range at a shot that he they are proud of hitting. Throughout the day, we heard testers say, “I really didn’t know if I would like that club, but when I hit it…..I really liked it!” or words to that effect. I talked to at least five golfers that told me that they didn’t even carry a 3 wood in their bag, yet they had just tested a club that they planned to buy.
The testers that had an “Aha” moment obviously ranked that club accordingly. Alternatively, there were a number of clubs that testers uniformly disliked. I stood by one station and watched golfer after golfer hit a well known brand. After “spraying” shots down the range, they often stuffed the club back in the bag with disdain.
The key point to remember is that by testing all of the clubs that we had gathered, the testers had the opportunity to go play with clubs that they typically would not have considered due to brand loyalty, their fellow golfer’s recommendations etc. By reading the test results on Rankmark.com you will be able to determine the best 3 wood for your game (men’s high handicap, men’s low handicap, seniors or women). Our testing goes beyond the marketing message that numerous manufacturers present, “Buy OUR club. You will drive the ball further and straighter” or “Buy OUR club, we have a larger face so it is more forgiving”. None of the clubs we test have a marketing message attached to the shaft; the club must submit to the ultimate test, can the golfer hit the ball straight and true?
In essence, Rankmark’s tests are a collection of “Aha” moments, as well as “That was ok, but not great” and the dreaded, “What was that!” when the ball shoots off the club at an angle that appears to defy physics. Our mission is simple; we want you, the loyal visitor to use the test results to narrow the search for your next club. I know that next time I am on a par 5 and trying to get home in 2, I’ll be reaching for “THE” club.
P.S. For those of you that read the whole article, here is your reward. “THE” club did place in the rankings. Where? That’s a secret…..
