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DV Golf builds custom golf clubs
RICHARD WEINER
Legal News Reporter
Published: February 21, 2012
With winter in full swing, now is the perfect time to take the game of golf indoors. At DV Golf, newly moved to 1544 Home Ave. in Akron, the winter golfer can do a lot more than that.
DV Golf offers professional swing guidance and custom-made clubs for every level of golfer. Even though many people may think that custom-fitted clubs are only for low handicap players, owner David Freed says that nothing could be further from the truth.
How, he asked, can one expect to even learn how to play the game, much less improve, when the player’s swing is hampered by ill-fitting clubs?
Dave Freed opened DV Golf in Akron in 1990, after having spent many years making and repairing golf clubs as a hobby. Today, Freed said that nobody in the area does exactly what he does.
Freed is a master club maker, master club fitter, and unique golf instructor. He has been named “club fitter of the year” numerous times, and is on the list of the top 100 golf club fitters in the country.
DV Golf is under contract with the custom golf club company KZG, which only provides golf clubs to custom fit shops. “It was a good fit for me when that company came along about ten years ago,” said Freed.
When a person comes to Freed for help, every part of the golf swing is analyzed before the clubs are made. “We start with a swing analysis,” he said. “They hit a lot of golf balls. We look at technique, grip, setup-- how they are going to be able to strike the ball. We go through a contact analysis, and try to get them to the point where they are making good contact with the ball, and that it is going in the proper direction.
“Then we compile data—club head speed to the tenth of a mile per hour, and elapsed time to the hundredth of a second. When we get consistent numbers, we then use them to determine what the strength of the clubs should be. Then we do measurements for length, lie angle, and grips.”
Then the players can play with DV’s demo clubs, said Freed, “to see what clubs they like the best.” After that, the clubs are chosen, based on length, grip, and strength of shaft.
DV will then help the player construct the proper golf bag. Some players need more irons, composites, or fairway woods than others, depending on these measurements.
Anyone who buys KZG clubs from DV also gets free golf lessons.
The cost of these custom-made clubs may be surprising. “We have been fighting the misperception that custom-built clubs have to be in the thousands of dollars,” said Freed.
But the prices are about the same as at a pro shop, and maybe less. A full set of eight irons will run from about $300 to $1100. Hybrids run from $99 to $149 each; drivers from $179 to $399; and fairway woods from $99 to $220.
DV does not sell used clubs, but will sell demo clubs and discontinued clubs. Freed also takes pride in the fact that he has continued to update his club making skills by keeping up with the latest technological breakthroughs.
Freed, now 71, runs the shop with his wife, and said that he has exactly as much business as he can handle. He makes about five or six sets a week, and is happy to be in a very specialized business. “People don’t come in here shopping around,” he said. “They know that we focus on club fitting.”
Because of that, Freed does not sell golf clubs over the Internet. He said that he did try that for a while, but that it was antithetical to his business approach.
Freed also offers club repair and a swing “quick fix,” where he will correct one fault with your swing (hook, slice, etc.) for $25. Many local club pros, and several local major high school and college players, work with DV. Freed also repairs clubs for several local country and golf clubs.
For more information, sales, and contact info, go to DV’s website at www.dvgolfclubs.com.