Hello! My name is Don Thompson and thanks for visiting my Owner’s Corner.

I started this company in the fall of 2009 the result of frustration on my part finding the 304 stainless steel components I desired for my own irons. I searched everywhere until I discovered Sun Valley Golf only then it was more frustration in dealing with the outlet I tried doing business with. Because I was nearing retirement and have been a club builder for more than 20 years it was exactly then I decided to development a web site and build a business around golf irons made from soft 304 stainless steel material.

As I have continued to develop Tempo Golf Components I have tried to select supporting component products that offer the greatest value without sacrificing performance. I could offer just about every shaft and grip product out there as most of my competitors do but that really serves no one’s best interest.

I have chosen a different business model and only offer a limited selection of shafts and grips that support my personal knowledge of exactly what it takes to build a quality performance based golf club at a price we all can afford.

I have so much information and passion about this endeavor and industry that I desire to share with folks looking for the satisfaction of building their own clubs or choosing the route of playing with game improvement custom clubs built by someone else that I have chosen this forum, my “Owner’s Corner”, as a way to pass some much needed information on to the public; along with a little editorial free of charge.

I sincerely hope you find all these entries of value.

8/28/2010: Sharpro DualCord Grip: Well, I think I may have discovered the perfect grip, at least for me. I honestly wasn't that familiar with Sharpro, although I had heard of them, and then one day several samples showed up at the golf shop and I have been hooked since. About the same time I also received samples from Pure Grip and their wraps most likely will be my next purchase for inventory for the folks that prefer a simple tacky wrap. But, back to the Sharpro grips; Their first design was the DualCord with cord on the lower area for what would be the gloved hand if you wear a glove and velvet rubber for the upper hand with a hand placement guide. This same grip is also offered in a postal style putter grip which is slightly larger than standard and I just love it too. All of my clubs are now playing with Sharpro's Dual cord. Since the intro of the DualCord Sharpro has come out with the Dual Performance in cord and non-cord, the Dual Matrix, again in cord and non-cord, the Dual Compound and the DualCord Wrap. Basically these are all just variations from the original DualCord, the one I like. The feel is just so firm, there is absolutely no slip even gripping the club very lightly and even on the hottest of days when the grip gets pretty damp from perspiration. Until Sharpro found me, I had personally not been a big fan of cord type grips but this has now changed. One last thought, check out the colors, they're fun even though I've started my inventory with only four of the available eight different colors.

8/2/2010: Understanding Torque and what it does in your shaft: Torque is maybe the least understood and overlooked factor in choosing the right shaft, especially in your driver and fairway metals. We pay attention to flex, weight, bend point and most players think lower torque is always better because they do not want the head to twist on the downward swing of the club. Well, according to the definition of torque this is correct but torque or lack of torque in the shaft does something else. If your shaft's torque is too low for your swing you are going to have difficulty in getting the ball airborne. Your drives are going to be low and to the right. Having the right torque in your shaft is like getting that final little upward kick from your shaft. 90% of all golfers should play a shaft in their driver with a torque value of 3.5 degrees minimum to 4.5 degrees. Your fairway metals for sure need a higher torque number to assist in getting the ball airborne. A softer tip also helps in your fairway metals. Callaway Golf discovered years ago that shaft torque needed to be up around 4.0 to 4.5 and it's one of the main reasons they have been so successful. Callaway clubs are easy to hit because of the generous torque values of their OEM shafts. The torque value in your irons is not as big an issue because you have greater loft in these clubs to create the desired trajectory. A few shafts I offer that are just about perfect for the average golfer are the SK Fiber Pure Energy for $35.00, the Tour Trac 80 for $23.00 and finally the entire Graman M Series line-up all priced under $26.00. You do not need to spend a fortune to find the perfect shaft for your clubs. What you do need is assistance from a good professional club builder in choosing the right shaft.

6/6/2010: Light Weights vs. Heavy Weights: In just the last 2-3 years several light weight steel shafts have made it to market as technology within the steel shaft industry advances. Apollo has introduced its Acculite 75, Acculite 85, Acculite 95 and the Phantom shaft. True Temper has introduced the GS-95 and GS-75. What most have in common because of their light weight is a low bend point, soft or medium soft tip and a higher torque number approaching 2.9° – 3.0°. They may all claim a “graphite feel” but it's my opinion they do not perform like the traditional weight shafts with higher bend points and lower torque values. One such shaft that really delivers and is a great value in a steel shaft is the Harrison Professional. If you are looking for a lighter weight steel I suggest you take a look at the Apollo Phantom stepless. If you have a medium to fast swing speed, what I refer to as a strong player, and are not all hung up in this latest craze to increase head speed by playing lighter weight shafts, lighter weight grips etc. then I suggest you stay with a “Professional” weight shaft offering a more boring shot trajectory, maximum control especially on shorter irons and still the highest degree of all around performance. I’m in my early 60’s and I still play my Harrison Professional stepless R flex steel shafts, frequency modulated with a raw weight of 129 grams in a 43 inch shaft, torque of 2.2°, mid high bend point and for me, these are as good as they get and still priced at $10.00 per shaft. What I like especially about the Apollo Phantom for a light weight is it's not too light at 105g raw to lose the desired feedback and it has a mid bend point and is manufactured to tighter tolerances than most other light weights. If you're going light give the Phantom a try.

5/31/2010: Titanium drivers: Forged vs. Cast I recently read a technical paper at the Harrison Sports website written by Michael Cheng, President of Harrison Sports. This all relates to the release of their new Hathaway V4/V6 driver.  Mr. Cheng takes the position that their new driver, because it is investment cast, is superior to most component heads which are forged. He also points out that most name brand heads are cast and that cast heads are superior to forged heads because of dimensional accuracy, reproducibility and thinner wall thickness. He continues to claim they cost twice as much to make. After reading this I visited every name brand website and what I found was not one single manufacturer made any statement regarding whether their heads were forged or cast. Truth of the matter is more and more name brands are exploring forged process heads or have already switched to the forged process. The forged technology has progressed to the point that the pieces, usually 3 or 4, that make up a forged head are so dimensionally exact that plasma welding has replaced arc welding reducing the weld to a minimum. The process has even advanced itself itself to the point of a forged single piece body and crown so only the face needs to be welded to the body the same as with a cast head. The final reason the name brands are exploring the switch to forged is the bottom line. They exist to make profit and forged heads are less expensive to manufacture. The cost differential is not that important when you can command a $300 to $500 price tag but one year after initial release and the price being down to $150 for the same driver the cost differential does make for concern.  In closing, remember, it's the shaft, not the head that gets you the extra yards. Put your money in the best shaft that fits your swing profile and budget and do not be too concerned about whether your driver head is forged or cast.  Quality forged component heads are every bit the equal to quality investment cast heads and do not believe otherwise.

5/29/2010: Quality of Components: Without a doubt the most frequently asked question of me as a club builder is "are component clubs as good as name brand OEM clubs". My answer is "yes they can be but only if quality components are used". Actually, the end product can be better because custom component clubs can be better tailored or fit to your swing profile. My rule of thumb: If the component manufacturer does not place his name somewhere on the head stay away from it. For example: Every component on this website somewhere identifies the mfg as SVG Sports or Sun Valley Golf. If Tempo Golf Components goes out of business and you have problems with your clubs you know exactly who to contact - Sun Valley Golf. There are so many bad components sometimes custom clubs get a bad wrap. Take a look at Ebay for example. You have absolutely no idea of where many these heads come from other than China. Same thing for shafts: Without a manufacturer's name on the shaft how can you really believe the specs? Stay away from it! Tempo Golf Components only sells name brand shafts and only what I consider to be among the best and not a single shaft will be over $100.00 because beyond this dollar amount you're probably getting ripped off. The quality of SVG components is second to none and certainly every bit the equal to the standard set by name brands. The SVG Model 8040, 8041 and 2007 hybrid heads for example all feature the stainless face wrapping up over the crown so the leading edge doesn't get all marked up should you accidentally sky one. The finish is just perfect on every head. Where else can one find this? 304 stainless steel irons, try finding these elsewhere. I can go on and on but what's the point. I'll wrap this Owner's entry up by just saying one last time, "if the manufacturer's name isn't on the product look somewhere else" and just be careful. there are some fantastic components out there and the best set of clubs you'll ever play can be 1/2 the name brand price.

5/6/2010: Clones: An interested party last week asked me if I had any concerns or felt any remorse selling cloned golf heads. My response was that my business is built around 304 stainless steel irons which all by itself qualifies my irons as original but even if they are considered clones by some here are the facts: Some people think clones are cheap counterfeit clubs made out of inferior materials in some shady factory in a third world country. This is not true! Fact is clones simply provide a reference to a certain club style without infringing on the design patents of the brand names they compare to. Clones are manufactured from similar premium materials with similar features to the brand names many times in the same exact manufacturing plants but at a much lower price because we don't mark it up like the big names to pay for marketing. Golf Digest estimates that a $500 driver actually costs about $77 to make and I think that might be on the high side. That's $423 to spend on marketing less a significant profit percentage and a few dollars for other overhead expenses. Of that $77 very little is spent on the shaft. I say it over and over, the graphite shafts in OEM drivers and other clubs are not of the highest quality. If one wants a premium shaft there will be a significant price adder. Check this out on your own. Remember, the shaft is the engine. The clubs I sell are cast from 304 stainless steel that allows for easily made loft/lie adjustments. And all of this is done at a fair and reasonable price so you have money left for green fees and maybe a few brews on the 19th hole.

4/24/2010: Choosing a Shaft: The shaft is the engine of every golf club and if the shaft does not fit your swing profile you can never play to your potential. Probably better than 75% of all amateur golfers play a shaft in their clubs that is too strong for their swing profile. The perfect shaft is one that is as flexible as you can control. Remember, more flex for distance and less flex for control.

FLEX: The flex designation, L, A, R, S, X, means very little if you are comparing the shaft flex from one manufacturer to another. There is no industry standard so flex is only relative to that individual manufacturer. The only real way to compare flex is to know the raw length frequency and finished club length frequency. Trimming an inch from the butt end of a shaft to final length will add approximately 2-3 CPM to the raw length CPM. Trimming an inch from the tip end of a graphite shaft will add approximately 10-12 CPM to the raw length CPM (cycles per minute on a frequency test stand).

TORQUE: Torque is the measurement in degrees of how much rotational movement there will be in the head (twisting) as a result of the downward swing. It also plays a significant factor in one's ability to get the ball airborne along with tip stiffness. Torque is the most mis-understood criteria of choosing the correct shaft. Most persons think the lower the torque the better. Wrong!!! Professionals likely play a shaft in their driver with a torque value from 2.5 to 3.2. 90% of all amateurs would be best served to play a driver with torque from 3.5 to 4.5.

BEND POINT: All shafts have what is called a bend point. The bend point is not near as important as flex and torque but it can make a small difference. Low bend point increases the ball trajectory. High bend point decreases ball trajectory and promotes a more boring lower flight pattern but the differences are fairly small.

WEIGHT: Shafts, both steel and graphite, come in all different weights. Until recently steel shafts were pretty limited in weight reduction but in the last couple years several ultra-light steel shafts have been introduced. The lighter the shaft the more club head speed one can generate. The draw back to an ultra-light shaft is they can get quite expensive if one also requires low torque in that shaft. Low torque in a heavier shaft is fairly easy for manufactures to achieve at a reasonable price.

LENGTH: While the laws of physics suggest the longer one’s driver the farther one can hit the ball extensive testing has shown just the opposite for most amateur golfers. A standard length driver of 44.75” to 45.0” has been found to be best for most. Many players even find a 44.0” driver will provide greater distance and certainly better control. Why do the pros play their 3 metal on tight holes?

LOFT: Loft can affect the trajectory of the ball’s flight but one’s swing profile is also responsible for ball trajectory. The greater the loft on your driver the easier it is to control and keep it in the fairway. Again, I refer to the 3 metal being played on tight holes. Play as much loft as you can on your driver but if it’s causing you to lose distance you have little choice but to play a lower lofted driver head. If you do hit a very high ball make sure you are playing a shaft with a high bend point.

4/14/2010: Soaring Steel Shaft Prices: Today I received the 2010 second edition of Golfworks catalog. (Golfworks by the way is an excellent company and does an outstanding job servicing the needs of our industry with tools and supplies. I purchase some of my shop supplies from Maltby.) As I glanced through the pages I paid special attention to the section on steel shafts. I am just amazed at how expensive Project X, True Temper and KBS shafts have become. Maybe this is why I no longer carry these brands but really? TT's GS-75 which specs out nearly identical to Apollo's new Acculite 75 costs 2.5 times as much. Is this for real? Dynamic Gold's are up to nearly $17.00 a shaft. Could the reason be that True Temper filed Chapter 11 in October 2009 and they are trying to make all the money lost over the years from poor management back over night? Apollo steel shafts today lead the industry in new light weight technology and I understand there are more new shafts in the works. Hopefully one of the new shafts will be a traditional weight steel. Keep it up Apollo, your shafts are second to none and your pricing makes it possible to still build a new set of custom clubs or re-shaft existing irons at a reasonable cost.

3/01/2010: Graphite Rip-off? I truly wish everyone building clubs and purchasing components understood the graphite shaft business. How can one shaft sell for $25.00 and another for nearly $1000.00? Yes, there really are shafts selling for $1000.00. Crazy!!! Perhaps golfers think if one doesn't spend big bucks the shaft can't be a high performer. How wrong they are? The pricing of graphite shafts in my opinion has gotten out of control. There are only so many ways to make a quality shaft and the materials are pretty much the same for all shaft manufacturers. Why the huge price discrepancy? Welcome Robin Arthur's (AXE) XCaliber shaft line along with Charles Blume's SK Fiber. The new XCaliber shaft line offers unparalleled performance and not a single shaft costs over $50.00. SK Fiber's line up, winners of several long drive competitions includes nearly every shaft also priced at $50.00 or less with just a couple exceptions. Both of these gents understand what is going on; they've been in the industry most of their life. Shaft people are getting rich at the expense of the average Joe trying to hit it longer and straighter. It is my firm opinion that unless you're on the tour no one should need to spend in excess of $100.00 for any shaft, it just plain isn't worth it and it will not fix your swing. One can trust that the shafts on my website are flat out the best valued shafts on the market today. Take a look at their specifications and take a look at the pricing. Case closed!

2/24/2010: Understanding your shaft: There is no standard within the industry so one manufacturer's regular flex can be another’s stiff flex. A few shaft manufacturers no longer even label their shafts with that A, R, S, X because it really doesn't mean anything at all relative to other shafts. Golfers need to understand the CPM or frequency of the shaft that works for them. This is what you need to look for. Example: If I were to play an EnZo Zone 50 shaft ( raw at 52g and 46" long) in my driver I would choose their R flex with a raw length CPM of 230 and end up tip trimming about an inch and butt trimming to my final playing length of 44.75 inches. It would play at around 241 CPM. In a similar shaft from SK Fiber, their Helium UL (raw at 55g and 46" long) I would need to drop back to an A flex with raw length CPM of 236 and butt trim 1.25 inches to end up with 241 CPM. Maybe shaft manufacturers don't want you to know this information so you keep buying shafts trying to find the perfect one but the information is available if you ask for it. Note on my website I provide the CPM for nearly every graphite shaft. Understand what happens to the frequency when you tip trim the shaft or butt trim the shaft. It does change the shafts profile. Understand the difference in shaft performance based on tip firmness and bend point. The shaft is the engine of every club and it needs to fit your tempo and swing speed for you to maximize your abilities. Without the correct shaft you don't have a chance.