Never Off-the-Shelf!

​There was a time when several component companies offered real value, quality, and performance in their products. However, many of the industry’s major players have since faded from relevance.  Golfsmith, for example, was sold to a group of investors who had little interest in the component side of the business.  Their rapid expansion ultimately led to bankruptcy.  Likewise, Tom Wishon has effectively retired, selling his brand to a company based in the UK.

 

I currently offer custom-fit component clubheads from Maltby, a division of The GolfWorks. I believe Maltby provides the best combination of value, quality, and performance.  However, I also recognize that there are other reputable component manufacturers in the market, and I’m happy to accommodate a client’s preference for a high-quality component from another brand when requested.​

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Component Clubs vs. Major Brand OEM Golf Clubs

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​​​​Why Consider Component Golf Clubs?: Most golfers are familiar with the big-name OEM brands such as Callaway, TaylorMade, Ping, Titleist, Cobra, PXG, and others.  Their marketing is everywhere, their tour presence is massive, and their annual “new release cycle” makes a lot of noise.  But there’s another side of the industry that many golfers never discover:

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High-quality, precision-engineered component clubheads, designed by respected industry experts such as Ralph Maltby, Britt Lindsey, Jeff Sheets, Jeff Summitt, and many others past or present.  These fine component clubheads are produced in the same tier-one foundries that manufacture heads for major OEM brands, but without the inflated marketing costs.  When these components are properly custom-built by an experienced fitter, they deliver equal or superior performance, often with tighter quality control, greater build consistency, and exceptional overall value.

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Advantages of Component Clubs Over Major OEM Clubs

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1. Better Custom Fitting – Built for Your Swing

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Major brand clubs are designed for the masses; Component clubs are designed for you.

 

With component clubs:

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• Every club is custom-built to your exact specs

• Shaft weight, flex, and EI profile are selected for your swing; not a stock “S” or “R”

• Lofts, lies, and lengths are dialed in after real fitting data

• Clubhead weight and tolerances are controlled more precisely

• MOI matching or swingweight matching is performed to your preference

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OEM downside:

Stock sets are mass-produced with wide tolerances.  Even “custom orders” often mean simply length/lie adjustments with standard shafts and head weights.

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2. Superior Consistency and Tighter Tolerances

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Component companies like Maltby place extreme emphasis on:

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• Accurate head weights

• Tight loft/lie tolerances

• Consistent CG placement

• Honest engineering (no “hype lofts” or marketing claims)

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OEM clubs commonly vary: 

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• 1–3° in loft

• 1–2° in lie

• 3–7 grams in head weight

• Shaft specs that differ from label to label

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These inconsistencies affect gaps, dispersion, and overall confidence.
Custom component builds eliminate this variability.

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3. Tour-Level Performance Without the Tour-Level Price Tag

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When you buy a major brand club, a large portion of your money pays for:

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• National TV advertising

• Tour sponsorships

• Product placement

• Retail margins

• Annual “new release” cycles

• Brand image and packaging

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Component clubs skip all of that.  Your money goes into:

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• Better materials

• Better engineering

• Better quality control

• Professional custom assembly

• Precision tuning

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The result is premium performance at a far better value.

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4. Total Transparency – No Gimmicks or Marketing Spin

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OEMs often use:

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• “Jacked” lofts to make irons seem longer

• Stock shafts designed for mass production

• Lightweight, tip-soft “made-for” shafts branded as aftermarket equivalents

• Hollow claims about “15 more yards” each season

 

Component manufacturers focus on:

• Real engineering

• Honest lofts

• True aftermarket-quality shafts

• Designs built for functional performance—not hype

 

What you see is what you get.

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5. Customization Major OEMs Can’t Match

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Component clubs allow complete control over:

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• Shaft brand and profile

• Grip size, weight, and texture

• Swingweight or MOI matching

• Ferrule style and color

• Length progression

• Set makeup

• Weight progression

• Lie progression

• Spine/FLO orientation (if desired)

• Tolerance checking on every part

 

OEMs—especially at big retail stores—simply don’t offer this level of precision.

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6. Ideal for Retro-Fitting and Upgrading Existing Clubs

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Component clubs also integrate perfectly with:

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• New shafts in existing OEM heads

• Loft/lie correction

• Weight optimization

• Gapping and flow adjustments

• MOI matching to refresh an older set

 

You’re not forced into expensive new OEM purchases just because the factory build was inconsistent.

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7. Built by a Competent, Accredited Club Fitter, Not a Factory Line Worker

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The #1 advantage: craftsmanship.

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A quality component build is assembled by hand, by a professional, often with 25+ years of experience who:

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• Measures every part

• Confirms every spec

• Tests every club

• Builds with purpose, not speed

 

OEM clubs are assembled on production lines where speed is prioritized over precision.

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Conclusion: A Better Performing, Better Fitted, Better Value Solution

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Component clubs offer golfers:

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• Higher quality

• More precision

• More customization

• Better consistency

• Pro-level performance

• A dramatically better value

 

For golfers who want the best fit, the best feel, and the best performance without paying for marketing fluff, component clubs deliver unmatched results.

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