Golf Clubs FAQ

Welcome to the Golf Clubs FAQ on About.com, where we answer some of the most-commonly asked questions about the technical aspects of golf clubs. Correction: Actually, Tom Wishon answers the questions, and that's a very good thing. Tom, of Tom Wishon Golf Technology, is one of the most innovative club designers and respected members of the golf equipment industry working today. So check out these frequently asked questions, then read Tom's answers.
• See also: Golf Shafts FAQ

• What is "COR"?

• What is "MOI" (or "moment of inertia")?

• What is "center of gravity," and how does it affect shots?

• What is "bounce"?

• Do course conditions and swing type influence how much bounce I need on my wedges?

• What is "offset"?

• Will offset clubs help my slice?

• Do woods built with a closed face angle (a k a, draw bias) really help fight a slice?

• What is "lie angle"?

• How do cast irons and forged irons compare?

• How do cavity back and muscleback irons compare?

• What is a "game improvement" club?

• What is "gear effect"?

• Why does perimeter weighting make an iron more forgiving?

• Are there industry-wide standards for the lofts of golf clubs?

• Are there industry-wide standards for the lengths of golf clubs?

• Why is it easier to hit a short iron than a long iron?

• Why are hybrids easier to hit than traditional long irons?

• What is the effect of wider soles on irons?

• What is "OEM" equipment?

• What are "component clubs"?

• Are there any differences, besides cosmetics, in men's and women's clubs?

• Do muscleback irons make it easier to "work" the ball than cavity backs?

• Is it true that cavity backs are for higher-handicap players while low-handicappers are better served by musclebacks?

• Why are woods curved across their faces while irons have flat faces?

• Why do some golfers add lead tape to their clubs, and what is the effect?

About Tom Wishon
Tom Wishon has been a member of the golf equipment industry for more than three decades, specializing in clubhead design, shaft analysis, and clubfitting research and development. He is the only designer from the component clubmaking side of the golf industry whose clubhead designs have been used to win on the PGA Tour and in the Ryder Cup, having designed clubs used by Scott Verplank, Bruce Lietzke, Ben Crenshaw and Payne Stewart. Tom has written five books on clubmaking technology, he is a longstanding member of the Golf Digest Technical Panel, and serves as the Technical Advisor to PGA.com, the website of the PGA of America. Tom currently heads his own company, Tom Wishon Golf Technology, which specializes in the design of original, high-end component golf equipment for independent custom clubmakers worldwide.