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Are club attributes absolute?

• DarthMo0 43 Posts

  Wed, Sep 12 2018 3:59 PM

  For example, is a spin of 3.5 on a Callaway identical to a TaylorMade?  Or for the sake of gamesmanship, is one actually closer to 3.4 and the other 3.6?  Or for example, one brand's forgiveness is actually higher than reported while the spin is actually lower.

  I do occasionally see a 3.2, so that's why I'm wondering if there is some variance from brand to brand for variety.  I'm aware that you can't reproduce shots perfectly in the game, so this can't really be tested.  But I do wonder if people's preferences are more of a mental thing or if there is actually some fine programming that can manifest and shape people's bias.

  This isn't something I'd want to chart or anything, I'm just curious if they do tweak each brand a little so they actually do have some "feel" outside of the reported attributes.

• K7JBQ 1,468 Posts

  Wed, Sep 12 2018 7:20 PM

  Not that I'm aware of, or have ever experienced.

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Sep 13 2018 5:34 AM

  DarthMo0:

  I'm just curious if they do tweak each brand a little so they actually do have some "feel" outside of the reported attributes.

  I think they do, always have. The earliest sign of this was when the Satin wedges came out. They had the regular Satins and they also had the oilcan versions-the ones with the darker finish. The oilcans always outperformed the other ones even though the specs were the same. 

  That's just a small example and really doesn't prove anything but the recent addition of Titleist balls to the mix highlighted the same thing--the TM ball that has the same specs as the discontinued 71 Nike does not play the same way even though the specs are identical. That tells me there's more to the equation than those specs. 

  In the end it's all about finding what "feels" right to you.  :-)

• Luckystar5 1,641 Posts

  Thu, Sep 13 2018 6:27 AM

  That brings up a question that was asked before, but never really answered.  Why would wgt put an item, such as a putter in the pro shop, with lower attributes, but at a higher level, than one with better stats?  With the lower stats, does it perform better?  Are the stats universally the same?    

• YankeeJim 25,827 Posts

  Thu, Sep 13 2018 6:59 AM

  Luckystar5:

  Why would wgt put an item, such as a putter in the pro shop, with lower attributes, but at a higher level, than one with better stats? 

  Why does WGT do anything that they do? Nothing has ever been confirmed about equipment other than for WGT to swear they never modify what you already have. Anything else is conjecture, just as my own personal opinion is my own reality. IDK if what I think is actually the way it is but I know what I see.  :-)

• Luckystar5 1,641 Posts

  Thu, Sep 13 2018 1:52 PM

  Because the programmers have no idea how, or have ever played golf?    (Trying to be nice) 

• mystry78 880 Posts

  Fri, Sep 14 2018 5:17 PM

  Yes, the club forgiveness ratings are an absolute lie! Frank

• MainzMan 9,591 Posts

  Sun, Sep 16 2018 9:29 AM

  My take on it is that, yes, they are absolute.  However, don't forget those circles....

  Not the Olympic ones, I mean precision and forgiveness.  Once you take those into account then you become far more relaxed about shots not quite ending up as planned.

  And let's not even get started on rental gear and the unbelievable way it plays, only for the real stats to kick in when you actually buy it.................

• MainzMan 9,591 Posts

  Sun, Sep 16 2018 9:32 AM

  And don't forget that club attributes are now numerical, not out of 5 blobs.

  Back in the day, 4.5 blobs out of 5 blobs meant you had pretty much perfection at whatever attribute that was referring to.

  Today though, 4.5 out of what? 

  5? 

  10? 

  6,000,000?

  They left themselves a LOT of wiggle room there.