Blueprinting

[Vandal]

I'm searching for a new set of irons and have fallen for the MP-60s after a recent demo day. I found a guy who can do a set at a decent price. He also offers a blueprinting service that adds an extra $30/club. Is this something that has a true $180 benefit (5-PW)?

[neil]

I'm searching for a new set of irons and have fallen for the MP-60s after a recent demo day. I found a guy who can do a set at a decent price. He also offers a blueprinting service that adds an extra $30/club. Is this something that has a true $180 benefit (5-PW)?

Vandal I don't know what you mean by blueprinting-is it a record of the specs of your clubs?

[drewitgolf]

I've been fitting clubs for over twenty years and have never heard of Blue-Printing (maybe its semantics for clubfitting?). $30.00/club? Is the Brooklyn Bridge involved in this transaction? What is he charging for the irons?

[Vandal]

I think he calls his whole process blueprinting. Basically, he disassembles the factory clubs, then he will spine/flo the shaft, reassemble, set lofts and lies, cut to length, swingweight match, install weight matched grips.

[Sbark]

Do a search on www.4GEA.com, particulary Dana Upshaw down in Georgia someplace......excellent reviews

has a thread under club building folder detailing the whole process he goes thru...quite extensive.....

he has been featured on The Golf Channel etc etc
spine and floes the shaft, matches swingweight, will go thru and discard shafts to find exact same weight, MOI match etc etc

[Sbark]

Dana Golf, 500-D Russell Parkway, Warner Robins GA 31088
Phone 478-328-7888

[Vandal]

Yeah, but is it really worth it for the average player?

[psheehan]

Vandal,
That is an interesting question. I've gone to Dana, and I think he is very talented and capable, and a heck of a nice guy. I guess the fitting and the blue printing cost about $400 over the off the shelf clubs. What is interesting is wether it is 'worth' it or not. First, I hit my irons straighter than I hit my previous irons....but I have trouble determining how much of that is blueprinting and how much is TGM....
Second, ALTHOUGH my irons are much straighter and more solid, I have trouble translating that to a 'score' reduction. I've had some wonderful scores this year (68, 69 two 71s) but on average I'm similar to what I did last year. I might be .5 .7 strokes a round better, but I actually attribute that to the fact I'm more consistent and that I would more likely associate with TGM...

So, I can't answer your question directly. I would probably go back to Dana because he did a very complete job of fitting along with the blueprinting. But I'm not sure how much it helped my game.

[efnef]

I guess this is subjective, but I had my irons reshafted this winter by Gary Usher in Savannah, GA, another very respected club builder (Chipandputt.com). He told me that he does not believe that all of this extra is relevant with steel shafted irons. He does, however, have all of the latest equipment, and does spine driver/fairway wood shafts.

I don't know if I could tell the difference, myself, but in spite of a finger tendon injury that is limiting my playing/practice time so far this year, I am hitting my irons really well, and can tell the difference (subjective again) in the feel of my clubs (I went from Apex 3's to 4.5 Tour Flighted Rifles--I have one set of each with the same heads--Hogan Directors ca. 1980-85). This is without any blueprinting, just a different shaft design. The ball flight is definitely improved across the spectrum (3-E Wedge).

[Vandal]

Dana's reputation is outstanding, and if I lived near him I might think about splurging for the extra cost, but we're talking about an over-the-phone type thing. Only thing I really think I should worry about is the shaft, loft and lie. I'd love to be able to afford the works, but I'm leaning against it at this point.