Wooden clubs are back!

Persimmon-headed clubs are alive and well and living in Louisville. News of the death of clubs with wooden heads is somewhat premature.

Louisville's Smart-2 driver.

That’s the latest exclusive news I can reveal from Kentucky where Louisville Golf has produced the new Smart-2 Persimmon driver, which in tests claims to have out-driven a similar-specification Titleist 975D titanium by two yards.

"We told Golf Labs, who use a computer-controlled robot, that we wanted everything in the test to be the same except the head material," Mike Just, President of Louisville Golf revealed. "We felt confident about the results because of all the customer feedback we receive about how well golfers hit our original Smart club. But we felt we needed new testing to prove to the industry that persimmon still deserves to be a choice for golfers."

The test, says Just, is a confirmation of what Louisville Golf has believed since 1996 when its original driver out-hit Callaway’s Great Big Bertha.

Deeper face is the key.

The company claims to be the only one left in the world promoting persimmon-head clubs

"Of course, we are battling against millions of marketing dollars, but we stand by our claims that our persimmon clubs can go toe-to-toe with the most popular drivers out there," says Just "This test verifies our beliefs and gives us confidence as we introduce our new line of drivers and fairway woods.

The Smart-2 also proved more accurate.

"We lost a little distance on toe and heel shots, about two to four yards, which we expected. But the persimmon club has greater ‘gear effect’ due to the positioning of its centre of gravity, and its greater roll and bulge. This effect brings mishits back to the target line."

Louisville Golf says it has always maintained that distance in the wrong direction is useless and golfers using their clubs are enjoying their game more.

Adds Robert Just, one of four brothers who work at the factory: "The Smart-2 has a deeper face, which raises the centre of gravity, so we preserve the correct launch angle, while inspiring confidence at address."

The new driver will be launched at this month’s PGA trade show in Orlando along with a range of fairway woods in a mahogany or blond finish and with steel or graphite shafts. Price will be around £330 for the driver and £230 for fairway woods, plus shipping costs.

The company is currently looking for a European distributor. If anyone is interested, contact: Louisville Golf, 2500 Grassland Drive, Louisville, KY 40299 (Tel: 001-502-491-5490).

Is there likely to be a second-coming for the persimmon-headed golf club? Do you still use them? Tell us on the Forum.