06/02/2023
TAYLORMADE’S TOUR BUILDERS | STORIES FROM THE CRAFTSMEN BEHIND TAYLORMADE’S TOUR EQUIPMENT
Thousands of clubs are assembled in mass production every day, coming in standard lengths and specs for golfers around the world. However, in this game, one size doesn’t necessarily fit all – especially when it comes to the world’s best.
With a combined 240+ years of industry experience, TaylorMade’s Tour Technician team puts the best equipment in the hands of the world’s best players and some of the world’s most well-known A-listers. The clubs built by these expert craftsmen have won major championships and graced the finest golf courses across the world.
And whoa, do they have some stories to tell. For instance, there was the time a tour pro stuck his finger in the curing cell, which reaches temperatures of 370°F to speed up the adhesive process.
“A lot of players like to be hands on when they visit us to build equipment,” explains Jose Ochoa, who has 34 years of experience. “I tried to warn him to be careful because it gets really, REALLY, hot. I don’t think he could play that next week.”
This crew has built clubs for every president dating back to George Bush Sr., and some of the world’s most iconic athletes – each with their own unique set ups. For example, there’s a certain sporting GOAT that requests 18 wraps on his grips.
“When you can palm a basketball the way he can, I guess it makes sense,” says Tafu Tuitasi, who also has 34 years of club building experience at TaylorMade.
This team is all about quality over quantity. Precision over speed, even though they can build a complete set in 20 minutes when they work as a team. Let’s dive in a little deeper and find out more about some of the most experienced club builders in the game.
NANOSCOPIC PRECISION
The world’s best players demand the best from their equipment. As the cliché goes, players know their clubs like the back of their hand.
“It’s amazing how precise these guys are, they’re freaks when it comes to knowing the intimate details of their clubs,” says Abner Salida, 36-years' experience.
The team built a driver for a five-time PGA Tour winner and upon picking it up he immediately said the club was too long. It was 1/16 of an inch over length.
“Most golfers couldn’t tell the difference between ½ inch, let alone 1/16,” continues Salida. “The world’s best demand precision down to the finest details.”
A FAMILY AFFAIR
The majority of the team has worked together for 30-plus years, which makes them more like family than friends. With his 20 years of experience, Oscar Santiago is the baby of the group. The team must be meticulous, because their job has no room for error. The special bond and standard the team hold themselves to truly make them a family.
“Most of us have been working together for over 30 years, all doing our part. For half of our lives, we are here. We are a family,” says Ochoa.
The gifted team gets along better than any other group, and no job is too big or demanding for their talents. Furthermore, some of the team members are bonded by something greater, shared DNA.
Brothers Abner and Arnel Saliba have a combined 70 years of experience. Abner came to TaylorMade in 1986 and Arnel followed two years later. They worked on the custom equipment line for 10 years before moving to the PGA department. Over the decades, the Saliba siblings have had their fair share of unique builds, stories and shared memories.
“I was really surprised when we were tapped to build clubs for President Bush (41),” remembers Arnel. “I get home and I was so excited to tell my kids I built clubs for the president. That was my most special build, I still feel honored and proud of it.”
From the Oval Office to pop stars like Justin Timberlake, Abner and Arner have built golf clubs for some of the most recognizable people in the world.
AN EVOLVING PRACTICE
The process of building the perfect club has evolved tremendously through the years, as technology at TaylorMade has paved the way for the team to build the best-performing golf clubs in the industry. Back in the day, finding the perfect driver for a tour pro might have taken a dozen or more different builds. The team remembers building 25 separate Burners for a six-time major champion back in the early 90s before he found the one.
“Thank god for FCT Loft Sleeves,” laughs Tafu. “There used to be a lot of trial and error: building five or six different clubs for one player. But with how far clubfitting has come and us being able to twist a wrench and change the shaft, loft or face angle, we’re able to be a lot more efficient with our time and builds.”
No two players are alike, and each wants something different out of their equipment – and the team has seen it all. From bending the face 4° shut to making it as open as possible.
“The tools make it easier now, but it was tough bending drivers when I first started,” says Abner. “A lot of pros wanted them so open to be able to turn the toe over and still avoid hooking shots. So many times back in the day, drivers would break when we tried to push the limits of bending. There was a ton of pressure, because that’s the pro’s livelihood in your hands – and if it broke, it was tougher to find a replacement that was exactly the same.”
He remembers consoling a former LPGA Tour pro after her favorite 300 Series driver snapped. The titanium drivers were harder to bend, and he knew it would be a risk.
“She loved this driver and wanted to make a few tweaks. I told her it was going be challenging, but she insisted we give it a try. I could see the tears welling up when that thing broke.”
So many things go into success at the professional golf level. As fans of the sport, we are treated to amazing shots week after week. The equipment used to create many of those moments over the past 30+ years was made by this team. Often their work goes unnoticed by the masses, but it’s fully appreciated by the game’s greatest players.
