Books by Tom Wishon
1. Wishon, Tom; The Golf Club Identification and Price Guide; Newark, Ohio; The GolfWorks, 1984, 584 pgs.
The Golf Club Identification and Price Guide is a compendium of the premium market golf clubs manufactured by over 40 different golf clubmaking companies from 1950 to the 1984 publication date of the book. In full written detail as well as through selected photographs, the Guide describes all indicia markings on the golf clubs and offers the author’s opinion of the trade in value for each model. The Guide also offers readers a brief history of each of the golf clubmaking companies included.
2. Wishon, Tom; The Modern Guide to Clubmaking; Newark, Ohio; Dynacraft Golf Products, 1986, 319 pgs.
The Modern Guide to Clubmaking was Tom’s first “how to” book written to teach custom clubmakers and club repair people the proper techniques of assembling golf clubs. Hundreds of photos and illustrations were incorporated to show clubmakers the details of each procedure of clubmaking. The book also touched upon limited custom fitting techniques and explained aspects of the design and manufacture of clubheads, shafts and grips.
3. Wishon, Tom; The Modern Guide to Clubmaking with The Graphite Shaft Addendum, Second Edition; Newark, Ohio; Dynacraft Golf Products, 1989, 386 pgs. and 64 pgs., respectively.
The second edition of The Modern Guide to Clubmaking was a complete re-write over the first edition. New clubmaking and fitting techniques as well as new technologies in clubhead, shaft and grip design since the writing of the first edition necessitated the writing of the second edition. Also included was a ‘tag-along’, separate book titled The Graphite Shaft Addendum to educate clubmakers about the technology of clubmaking and fitting graphite shafts, which at the time were exploding in popularity in the golf market.
4. Wishon, Tom; The Modern Guide to Shaft Fitting; Newark, Ohio; Dynacraft Golf Products, 1991, 246 pgs.
The Modern Guide to Shaft Fitting was a milestone book in the golf industry for its pioneering explanation of the function and fitting of shafts. For the first time, differences in the design and performance of shafts were explained in quantitative terms to enable custom clubmakers to gain a much more clear understanding of how shafts differed and what golfer would benefit from which type of shaft design. The book was accompanied by an addendum of shaft measurements which was published annually after the release of the book to enable clubmakers to keep up to date on the latest shaft designs that were introduced by the shaft industry each year.
5. Wishon, Tom; The Practical Clubfitting Program; Austin, Texas; Golfsmith International, 1997
Upon its publication, the Practical Clubfitting Program instantly became the leading resource in the golf industry for technical information about clubfitting. Noteworthy in the book’s approach was its identification of a limited number of golf club design specifications that would be able to exert a definite and visible effect on all golf clubs’ ability to improve distance, accuracy, trajectory, backspin and feel of the clubs for all golfers.
6. Wishon, Tom and Tom Grundner, ed., The Search for the Perfect Golf Club ; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Ann Arbor Sports Media Press, 2005
“ The Search”, as it has become referred to, was Tom Wishon’s first book written to educate regular golfers about their golf clubs. Never before had there been a truthful, easy to read explanation to guide everyday golfers in making far more accurate buying decisions for golf clubs. Available through all major bookstores and booksellers, The Search has achieved “best-seller” status, and was recognized by the International Network of Golf as the best golf book of 2006. It has been called “the one book all golfers need to read to get the most from their golf equipment investment.”
7. Wishon, Tom; Common Sense Clubfitting: The Wishon Method; Durango, Colorado; Tom Wishon Golf Technology, 2006
As the follow-up and upgrade of Wishon’s 1997 Practical Fitting book, Common Sense Clubfitting teaches custom clubmakers all of the most modern and up to date techniques and information to be able to fit golfers with the best possible set of custom made clubs to get the most performance from each golfer’s swing and playing ability.
8. Wishon, Tom and Tom Grundner, ed., The Search for the Perfect Driver; Ann Arbor, Michigan; Ann Arbor Sports Media Press, 2006
Scheduled for release in the fall of 2006, through all major bookstores and bookselling outlets, “Search Driver” offers the same conversational discussion as “The Search”, but isolated to anything and everything all levels of golfers need to know before selecting the best driver to fit their swing and manner of play.
