The breath and width of the knowledge Tom Wishon possesses in the golf equipment category has no peer.<\/p>\n

Finding truth can be a hard task in today’s constant bombardment of claims stating results that simply do not add up.<\/p>\n

Tom Wishon follows a simple reality – let the science and numbers do the talking.<\/p>\n

Those seeking to purchase equipment should follow his sage advice before spending unnecessarily and thereby adding even more to one’s frustration level because the desired results are not happening.<\/p>\n

Background<\/h3>\n

While now semi-retired, Tom Wishon began working with golf clubs in 1972 and became a clubhead designer in 1986. During his career, he has designed over 400 different clubhead models which include over 50 different design firsts, including the first high coefficient of restitution (COR) irons, hybrids, fairway woods in the early 2000s and the first adjustable hosel sleeve for changing woodhead specs in 1995.<\/p>\n

Wishon has written 11 books and over 200 articles on the technical performance of golf clubs and club fitting technology for most of the trade and consumer golf publications in the US and internationally.<\/p>\n

Two of his books won Golf Book of the Year awards and a number of Wishon\u2019s books are still used as part of the required curriculum for membership in the PGAs of Great Britain, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

The Wishon Story<\/h3>\n

Several people played major roles in Tom’s career and personal development.<\/p>\n

Dick Billehus was the head pro at Greeley CC (located halfway between Denver and Fort Collins, CO) in the city where he grew up and learned to play golf. Billehus was the first to introduce him to working on golf clubs in high school which began his interest.<\/p>\n

Chinneng Lin, owner and founder of Dynamic Precision Casting Corporation, today the third largest manufacturer of clubheads in the golf industry.<\/p>\n

Chinn owned half of Dynacraft Golf Company when Tom was the company president from 1986 to 1993. Over the course of those years Chinn allowed Wishon to spend a total of nearly 7 months in his factory learning every single aspect of clubhead engineering and production technology.<\/p>\n

Art Mittendorf, a former Air Force Top Gun instructor with two engineering degrees, Art was Tom’s engineering mentor from 1993 to 2006.<\/p>\n

During that time Mittendorf helped teach him the applicable science and engineering facts and principles he used to guide his clubhead design work and research into the performance of golf clubs as well as into club fitting technology.<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

You’ve been in the golf industry for quite some time. How are things different now than when you first started?<\/h3>\n

You’re talking to a living dinosaur when it comes to the state of golf club design when I started! Meaning I lived through, and am very proud of my contributions to the evolution of drivers and woods being made from trees to real science being the key part of all clubhead design today!<\/p>\n

But it has been a blast to be part of it and I am proud of how scientifically sound clubhead design is today. Problem is, when that excellence is used to only make clubs to be sold in standard form off the rack, it falls well short of helping golfers as much as it could.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The holiday season is now upon us. What advice would you give to someone not familiar with golf equipment who is looking to purchase something for an avid player?<\/h3>\n

Do the research to find an independent custom clubmaker \/ club fitter as close to the holiday gift recipient as possible and buy them a gift certificate for a professional club fitting analysis.<\/p>\n

And I mean independent custom clubmaker. Not a big box golf retail store.<\/p>\n

You’ve been a long-time advocate of meaningful golf club configuration in terms of the clubs used by a player. What’s the percentage of players that can carry a 5-iron and lower in their bag?<\/h3>\n

What is the percentage of golfers who cannot swing a 5-iron over 70-75mph? That’s your answer.<\/p>\n

It takes that much clubhead speed to generate the required ball speed to get an iron of today’s average 5-iron loft \u2014 22 to 25 degrees \u2014 to fly well up in the air to maximize carry distance to make having the 5-iron worthwhile in your bag.<\/p>\n

That’s pure physics and has nothing to do with the design of the 5-iron head.<\/p>\n