Henry-Griffitts Golf Equipment

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

This equipment was brought up in another thread, and I wanted to start a discussion. Anyone ever game any of the Henry-Griffitts equipment?  Got to try some at a Golf Simulator display at a Home Builder's show a couple of weeks ago, and thought the irons were pretty interesting.

 

They seems to be in the same vein as Alpha golf - sold through custom fitters - just wondering if anyone has ever tried them and what you think....

 

Henry-Griffitts - USA

[NiftyNiblick]

They're one of the four brands sold at our pro's shop--Edel, Henry-Griffitts,  Nakashia, and Wishon.  

Nothing is off the rack. Nothing is available at big golf store prices.

 

I would say that for a fairway wood guy--one who still bags a few of them as in the old days--H-G's Praxis and Purist models are first rate.  I've hit the demos.  Really good and bendable for lie angle. 

 

But I need a second rectum more than I need more fairway woods.  I love the vintage ones that I have.

[GolfSpy Barbajo]

 

But I need a second rectum more than I need more fairway woods.  

 

Another finalist for Forum line of the year right there!

[PlaidJacket]

I've known two guys through the years that played HG irons. I recall both loved them at the time. One guy was from Houston and his father was a pro at a club there that sold/fitted them. The other was a local guy that bought his here at my club back when they sold/fitted. Locally my club doesn't sell them any longer or any clubs basically aside from a few OTR drivers and wedges. I really don't hear much from HG these days but I'd imagine they are still pretty good.

[jaskanski]

Does HG offer anything that the "mainstream" golf equipment manufacturers don't?

The answer is no - and that's pretty much all there is to it. 

[BIG STU]

I have a friend of mine that is a lifetime PGA of America member. He has been trained on the Henry Griffiths fitting system. He has played a set of those for years. I had a chance to buy a set that was at a local big box store from a trade in about 8 years ago. They were a set of blades looked good but for some reason I passed. Told him about them and he called down and bought them over the phone He had me go pick them up and keep them at my house until he came down 2 weeks later.  He only paid $50 for them and ended up selling them for $300. He did give me a little "comission" on that deal though

[NiftyNiblick]

It's not that H-G and the other three brands carried by our pro in his shop (Edel irons and wedges, Wishon full line, Nakashima full line) offer something that TaylorMade and Callaway and Ping don't (or at least can't if they want to) offer.  It's just that every single club, jaskanski,  is custom fit. 

 

Callaways and T-Ms can obviously be custom fit, but at Dick's, they can be bought off the rack as well.  The local pros can't compete with the big box stores when it comes to in-stock goods and prices. But  EVERY Henry-Griffitts fairway wood, for example, has the loft, lie angle, and face angle that the buyer needs (or just wants). Without dials.  The clubhead weight can be even changed so the club can be the length that you want and still match the rest of the set in swingweight.  People willing to pay a little extra for that--not every recreational player, obviously--certainly don't get an inferior product viv a vis the major OEMs.

 

No product is for everybody.  But a product or service that I or somebody else may not particularly value can be just the ticket for the next guy walking in.

 

I spent a lot of money on Hogans this year, so I have to weigh a couple of things. On the one hand, I don't have the resources to buy very expensive clubs every year just because they appeal to me. On the other hand, I'm not going to live, or even be able to play, forever. 

 

But a nice new set of H-G metals and Edel irons and wedges is probably the way I should have gone this year.  I love the Hogans because they're drop dead gorgeous, but at my age, stainless steel cavity backs might have been the smarter move. I've always played better with stainless in the past, not that I can explain why.

[jaskanski]

It's not that H-G and the other three brands carried by our pro in his shop (Edel irons and wedges, Wishon full line, Nakashima full line) offer something that TaylorMade and Callaway and Ping don't (or at least can't if they want to) offer.  It's just that every single club, jaskanski,  is custom fit. 

 

Callaways and T-Ms can obviously be custom fit, but at Dick's, they can be bought off the rack as well.  The local pros can't compete with the big box stores when it comes to in-stock goods and prices. But  EVERY Henry-Griffitts fairway wood, for example, has the loft, lie angle, and face angle that the buyer needs (or just wants). Without dials.  The clubhead weight can be even changed so the club can be the length that you want and still match the rest of the set in swingweight.  People willing to pay a little extra for that--not every recreational player, obviously--certainly don't get an inferior product viv a vis the major OEMs.

 

No product is for everybody.  But a product or service that I or somebody else may not particularly value can be just the ticket for the next guy walking in.

 

I spent a lot of money on Hogans this year, so I have to weigh a couple of things. On the one hand, I don't have the resources to buy very expensive clubs every year just because they appeal to me. On the other hand, I'm not going to live, or even be able to play, forever. 

 

But a nice new set of H-G metals and Edel irons and wedges is probably the way I should have gone this year.  I love the Hogans because they're drop dead gorgeous, but at my age, stainless steel cavity backs might have been the smarter move. I've always played better with stainless in the past, not that I can explain why.

 

Horses for courses I guess, but I still fail to see that HG can offer anything better (custom fit or otherwise) that the majority of OEM's offer at a similar price point. The advantage the OEM's seem to have is a wider choice of options and frankly, a product line that doesn't look gruesome. 

If HG really want some sort of credibility, then they might want to reconsider calling their cast stainless 431 blade "better" than a traditional carbon steel forged offering and perhaps stop trying to fool consumers that their fitting methodology is superior than anything else a qualified fitter can deliver. 

Don't even get me started on their "PURE" BS either...

[NiftyNiblick]

Which major OEM can give me 17, 20, and 23º fairway woods with lie angles like old fashioned wooden fairway woods and 1º open face angles?  Without adjustable dials?  TaylorMade could with 1981 Pittsburgh Persimmons but not now.

 

Also, I HATE club numbers. H-G and Edel can, like Hogan, give me clubs with NO club numbers stamped on them. 

I'm sure that most players don't care, but if you grew up with a 32º 5-iron, perhaps you might not like to see a "5" stamped on your 25º iron!

 

All I'm saying is that companies like H-G and Edel can give me both the specs and cosmetics I like. I think that moderrn OEM clubs have horrific cosmetics.  Classic cosmetics are how the new Hogan irons seduced me.