The subtitle says it all: “Equipment myths that could wreck your golf game.” The Right Sticks, by Tom Wishon with Tom Grundner, covers 37 myths about golf equipment that could be costing you strokes.

The book tackles equipment myths about club heads, shafts, full clubs, club fitting, balls, grips and more.  Wishon covers myths, misunderstandings, and outright marketing lies that pervade the golf equipment industry and keep most of us from reaching our golfing potential.

Tom Wishon has an extensive background in the equipment industry.  He has been designing clubs for over 33 years and has designed clubheads that have won on the PGA Tour, Champions Tour, and the Ryder Cup.  He has over fifty design firsts to his credit, has written more than 200 magazine articles on golf club technology and has been a member of the Golf Digest technical advisory panel since 1994.

Wishon brought his extensive experience into The Right Sticks to help players overcome marketing hype and maximize their own potential.

Some of my favorite myths from the book:

• Modern golf clubs hit the ball farther than the older ones (Myth #1)
• Your new driver has a larger sweet spot (Myth #5)
• The shaft is the engine of the golf club (Myth #13)
• The faster your swing, the stiffer your shaft should be (Myth #15)
• The longer the club, the farther you’ll hit the ball (Myth #18), which I covered in a post previously
• My clubs are just like the ones the pros use (Myth #35)

The Good

• It’s an eye-opening book that shoots down several myths that are passed along as fact through pro-shops, super stores, and grill rooms.
• The book is organized well and categorized by the various facets of equipment.
• Wishon’s vast experience is a valuable, proven resource.
• Wishon doesn’t simply criticize the industry, he offers a number of suggestions about how the golf equipment industry can reform itself.  There’s something to be said for someone that doesn’t just criticize, but offers solutions too.

The Bad

• Some of the myths are not quite as clear cut as their titles suggest.  For instance, the myth (#18) that longer clubs hit the ball farther.  It’s true that longer clubs can hit the ball father, but the myth is that most of us have the skill required to make it happen.  We don’t unfortunately.  But it’s a fact that many long drive champions use drivers up to 50 inches in length because they give them the extra distance they need, but they also have the athleticism and skill to make them work.

Conclusion

The Right Sticks is an eye opening book that any serious golfer would benefit from.  Being able to see through some of the most common golf equipment myths gives us the knowledge we need to make our equipment work for us.

It’s quite an interesting read, and by the end, Wishon will also have you convinced that custom fitting is well worth the investment.  I highly recommend this book.

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Further Reading

Tom Wishon’s Home Page (WishonGolf.com)

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