From the new Harry Potter movie:
words spoken to Harry Potter from an elder wizard, who by feeling a wand, testing it’s flax, estimating its length, can tell who’s wand it is.
Not sure I agree or not, but an interesting thought to let percolate.
Certainly the golf club will tell you how to swing it to some degree. Flat, heavy and stiff is going to suggest in a very big way how it would like to be handled. Likewise, upright, light and whippy will suggest something else.
I know I could recognize a club out of lag’s set if it ended up in my hands! 
flat lie telephone pole