Why you no longer have manufacturers up here.

SMT · 2021-12-14T17:42:58+00:00

aka: The recent SMT hollow iron head post. A simple overview. 76 unique posts in that thread by the group of golfers, friends, clubmakers and "experts." Th...

DonM

humor deleted by me.

I get why you are upset, but I don't think the discussion was out of line.

sdandrea1

DonM I get why you are upset, but I don't think the discussion was out of line.

Agree, and don't get mad at your customer base (at least in their faces). Business management 101. I would think you'd be interested in feedback on your products.

SMT

Not upset in the least. But oddly, nobody has called me yet and I am paying for the call.

My point exactly. Now we are already heading down the path of me chasing misread comments. I'm not going to do this. I am 59 years old, I raise money for charity. THAT is my job.

Just wondering how long any on y'all would spend on just the 40 items I pointed out? I mean, chasing down 40 moving targets that are destined to have many multiple comments and opinions after EACH of my replies. How long would I need to spend on it? How long SHOULD I spend on it, especially when so many are so baseless as I pointed out?

I mean, did you read the overview of the comments? I mean, a statement of fact on the metallurgy of the head? hahahahahahaha.
Again, NOT upset, just wondering what kind of response you are waiting for? How do you respond to THAT?

As to the "goo" in the head???? Just read the website. The SMT website. Nowhere does is say that it has any foam or goo filling in it? How much time should one person spend explaining that?

The answer is, none.

That is like going to Burger King and getting upset that you can't get a Big Mac. Not Burger King's fault, no matter how many times or how loud you complain to the guy behind the screen.

Keep fully in mind that the original issue was indeed an issue, but as you ALL know, the Diamond Tour customer service is beyond any that you deal with all year long. They are the best at what they do.

It will be taken care of to the customer's complete satisfaction, there is no doubt.

Again, more than happy to chat,
NOT upset,

Can't be any more clear on this...

888-693-4001 x 1

darpar

SMT Not upset in the least.

You keep saying you're NOT upset, when in actuality maybe you should be!
I know I'd be pissed if a product with my logo on it was not up to snuff and
somebody brought it to other's attention.
Otherwise what's the point of starting this thread in the first place?

Typhoon

SMT am 59 years old, I raise money for charity. THAT is my job.

Sounds like Jeff or anyone else should only be contacting the place you bought the heads from, not Mike. He has nothing to do with clubs anymore. Sold his name off?

As a side note… at least the T- Shirts we’re all good quality👍.

Jelopster

I know a number of us, myself included, are excited about SMT’s “relaunch.” @colej was the first to get some of the new product and, admittedly, had a legitimate issue with it. I think it’s fair to try and vet out why the product had issues (bad batch? anomaly? shoddy quality? a function of the design?) so we can make a determination as to whether we want to buy. I’ve had great experiences with both DTG and Sub70 and have no doubt that they will do right by SMT’s customers- that’s not at issue. The post was not a call for resolution, @colej was already handling that. What the thread was exploring was the underlying problem with the heads. I can think of no better “forum” to discuss these issues. I would think SMT would want to demonstrate its quality to the folks trolling around here (club builders and hobbyists) as this is pretty squarely their target customers.

colej

Jelopster

The attitude I’m feeling from mike is that none of us are qualified to talk about this issue. That is bullshit. None of this has anything to do with why iron heads aren’t manufactured here. That was just a slap in the face.

Par4QC

SMT ONE sharing that "the face is not as thin as he thought it would be"
ONE going on to say that after cutting it "it was a very soft hosel and should be easily bendable"
ONE stating.. and here it is.... "head is a fairly good grade of steel, was not easy to cut"

Not really sure what I did expect, as far as face thickness. maybe I thought thinner, but had nothing to go on for even thinking that, so just posted the 'observation/measurement'.

Not too many people realize there are various grades of stainless. Some stainless will rust easily, some can't be cut without laser type machines. It's all kind of shiny, so imo, everyone probably thinks it to be all the same. But this shit was hard, excellent grade of stainless, although not at top of scale....it is magnetic!! But, the only non-magnetic head I've ever had was Vokey wedge....anything else, the magnet would stick to, readily.

The only thing I see wrong with the heads, someone screwed up the face grinding. Weights/lie/loft angles all come with a variance. If they did not, they would be marked a lot higher on the price tag. A LOT....due to the waste/rejects.
And I seriously doubt the faces would make a diff in anyone but a real Pro's game.

Do I now get a refund....due to this defective head I have? It seems to be "light". 🤣

Sparky

I have goo inside of many of my cavities.

Jelopster

Sparky I have goo inside of many of my cavities.

Coffee and Cayenne pepper will clear the goo, depending on the cavity.

Maybe put a few shakes of Cayenne in your morning coffee as a daily goo-be-gone?

Rickochet

Sparky I have goo inside of many of my cavities.

TMI

DonM

Par4QC

DonM Or until someone takes it personal. And THAT should not have happened. The OP was not about a bad company, or design. It was merely pointing out something to watch for...not only in this brand, but ALL brands.

I'm still not going to check any of mine. 😅
I like the way they play.

Jelopster

colej that none of us are qualified to talk about this issue

Not qualified?! I’ve been building clubs for over
9 months now! My uninformed subjective opinion matters!

In all seriousness, I appreciate you sharing your experience with the product, one I may still try (but will measure if I do) in the future. I also appreciate Mike’s willingness to jump in. I know he’s no longer in the day to day and was put on the spot a bit with the @.

Even this little kerfuffle highlights why I’m glad to have found the Buzz right as I got back into golf and club building. Knowledgeable and invested people willing to share their time and experience.

brownmoose13

Chuckie Brownmoose here and I am upset that I was last on the list...I need to try harder. But I never did see an answer whether they were Kobe steel or is that another subject that should not be discussed.

Par4QC

brownmoose13 Carpenter steel. 😉

brownmoose13

Par4QC
Carpenter Steel WOOD make too much sense but I think you hit the nail on the head and threw the hammer down.

ode

Same BS, different era. This forum must not have red and blue font!

Par4QC

ode This forum must not have red and blue font!

🤣

Tinker

Fact of the matter is that I don’t think you can single out SMT from any other component or OEM for that matter. Manufacturing today is about producing a product at the lowest possible cost. Low cost labor, cheapest materials, least amount of hands on craftsmanship. You sell it with “hi tech” jargon and marketing. A few years back Tom Wishon was proud of the fact that his irons where being produced with a five step forging process that created a much more precise head. Do you think any of the current companies are interested in making an iron head that is struck five times, hand ground, triple chrome plated? It’s cast a chassis, sheet metal face and sheet metal back or plastic decorations. Fill it with expandable foam so it doesn’t sound like a beer can and vibrate your fingers off. Maybe add some “ tungsten” weights( sounds much more hi tech than lead) inside to get the weight up.

Par4QC

Tinker I don’t think you can single out SMT from any other component or OEM for that matter.

I don't think anyone was. Not from my understanding, of what I read.

But, Mike should not have taken offense at any of the posts, as he most certainly did....... Why you no longer have manufacturers up here.
He should have been very thankful that someone pointed out a major problem at the foundry, their lack of quality and very lax QC. Instead, he went on the defensive & now he has even more of a problem.

DC300

Tinker spot on, I work for a manufacturer, they obsess about cost cutting, down to .03 per box in packaging on $139 items (wholesaler cost), it’s crazy how pissed they get when you suggest an extra screw in something etc. I’m a guy they hate talking to bc I believe right is right and Pennies saved that cost me sales are not ok, especially when I point out other stupid wastes that we could avoid in lieu of it.

Rickochet

Par4QC But, Mike should not have taken offense at any of the posts, as he most certainly did.......

Do you remember the Nemesis fiasco on FGI?

colej

Par4QC

It’s almost like dad yelling at his kid: this why we don’t have nice things! Why there’s no manufacturing is our fault???

garyt1957

Par4QC He should have been very thankful that someone pointed out a major problem at the foundry,

he should be happy that somebody is talking about SMT at all.