Club fitting......

[irish_OG]

so i'm reading up about club fitting for the mid-capper -me - average between 84-92 ....i was told by a guy at golf town that the standard clubs (length) are good enough.....

has anyone gone thorugh this - and if so have you noticed your control increase??

i'm ok with not bombing every single shot - i'm more focused now on accuracy and consistency...

[orangeTANG]

Your handicap has nothing to do with the length of clubs you use.Club length varies with height, posture and arm length.

Long story short, Golf Town told me the same thing when I started playing golf 2.5 years ago when they sold me a set of standard R7 irons they had on clearance. The following year I took a lesson at Kevin Haime when the instructor noticed my clubs where too short. He build me a 6 iron that was +1 inch and it was night and day hitting the club. I ended up getting a fitting and ordering a custom built set a few weeks later.

Since I now believe in custom fitting, when my wife started playing I went directly to Don at Artisan and had a 1/2 set built to her spec. Don built a set with a womens flex, that was +1.25 inch (touch longer than mens standard). He also built it to get the ball higher in the air, something high handicappers often struggle with. These clubs work unbelievably well for her and she was able to build her swing around proper equipment.

What a lot of people don't understand is that the cost of the fitting aside, clubs can be ordered with many options without increasing the price. My Burner irons I got with S300 stiff shafts +1inch, the grip I wanted put on and the lie adjusted right from the factory for the same cost as the ones off the shelf.

Consider it an investment. Go get fitted (for shaft not just length) and get the right clubs to start. You won't develop a proper swing if you don't have the right equipment to allow you to.

[irish_OG]

solid response - the clubs I have now - irons/woods - can they be cut to size or do i need to have all new shafts once i'm fitted with the correct length and flew type.

Your handicap has nothing to do with the length of clubs you use.Club length varies with height, posture and arm length.

Long story short, Golf Town told me the same thing when I started playing golf 2.5 years ago when they sold me a set of standard R7 irons they had on clearance. The following year I took a lesson at Kevin Haime when the instructor noticed my clubs where too short. He build me a 6 iron that was +1 inch and it was night and day hitting the club. I ended up getting a fitting and ordering a custom built set a few weeks later.

Since I now believe in custom fitting, when my wife started playing I went directly to Don at Artisan and had a 1/2 set built to her spec. Don built a set with a womens flex, that was +1.25 inch (touch longer than mens standard). He also built it to get the ball higher in the air, something high handicappers often struggle with. These clubs work unbelievably well for her and she was able to build her swing around proper equipment.

What a lot of people don't understand is that the cost of the fitting aside, clubs can be ordered with many options without increasing the price. My Burner irons I got with S300 stiff shafts +1inch, the grip I wanted put on and the lie adjusted right from the factory for the same cost as the ones off the shelf.

Consider it an investment. Go get fitted (for shaft not just length) and get the right clubs to start. You won't develop a proper swing if you don't have the right equipment to allow you to.

[Kilroy]

Go see Don and he'll stear you right.

[DenisO]

You can definitely have your current clubs lengthened or shortened. They just rip off the grip, cut off whatevers needed and reapply. Don took about 10 minutes with my putter and took off 4 inches I've been putting a lot more solid since.

However if you do go somewhere with a launch monitor, what you should really do is take some shots with your current clubs, and then ask him for a recommendation. He'll put together a club really quick based off your numbers and have you shoot again. Even if you don't plan on buying new clubs/shafts, just do it for comparison sake to see what difference a fitted club can do for you. So when you do decide to buy a new set if irons/driver/woods, you'll be convinced to get fitted first

[downhillslider]

You can definitely have your current clubs lengthened or shortened. They just rip off the grip, cut off whatevers needed and reapply. Don took about 10 minutes with my putter and took off 4 inches I've been putting a lot more solid since.

However if you do go somewhere with a launch monitor, what you should really do is take some shots with your current clubs, and then ask him for a recommendation. He'll put together a club really quick based off your numbers and have you shoot again. Even if you don't plan on buying new clubs/shafts, just do it for comparison sake to see what difference a fitted club can do for you. So when you do decide to buy a new set if irons/driver/woods, you'll be convinced to get fitted first

How/did he replace 48 gr. of feel/heft ( 1" = 6 swingweight pts X 4" = 24 sw pts @ 2gr per sw pt = 48 gr. ) that was lost from the head after shortning the shaft ?

[DenisO]

He didn't. We weighed it and he told me that 48 grams was taken off, told me to try it out and either increase the weights in my putter head (its a scotty with 2 10g I believe, so I can buy bigger ones and put it in), and if I still want more we can do something about it. I got used to it very quickly and am fine with how it is now, still feels great to me.

[imozzie]

I went to Don at Artisan this year to ensure that the clubs that I purchased last year (TM Burner 09s) were proper length, grip etc. for me. Just so you know that there is at least one club fitter not out to simply make a buck, not only did he measure lie, loft, shaft and grip for every club for me - end result - just the cost of the measure. Correct lie, loft, shaft and grip for my height, weight and swing style. And this, a set right off the rack... I too am a mid-handicapper (14).

Second best money I've spent on golf...the best was taking lessons to better package the swing! Well worth the while....

[downhillslider]

He didn't. We weighed it and he told me that 48 grams was taken off, told me to try it out and either increase the weights in my putter head (its a scotty with 2 10g I believe, so I can buy bigger ones and put it in), and if I still want more we can do something about it. I got used to it very quickly and am fine with how it is now, still feels great to me.

You hit the nail on the head. As long as it feels good to you, it's all good, especially with the wand !

[Kilroy]

Yup.

[Chieflongtee]

Funny thing about swingweight? Why restore it when it did not feel good or did not work in the first place?

[irish_OG]

where might I find Don?

Go see Don and he'll stear you right.

[bobblehead]

where might I find Don?

http://www.artisangolfco.com/

[Bill Wood]

I don't have a Don in my neck of the hills. I have lead tape - masking tape - and a high end account at Golfworks.

[irish_OG]

thnx - sent him an email - i'il post my results

http://www.artisangolfco.com/

[Shushu]

Im kinda in the other realm on this subject. I had a bad experience with club fitting. Previously I had owned Taylormade Firesoles and they were straight off the rack. They were stolen so I had a set of Ping i3+ blades "customized" to me. I almost quit golf after using them for a few months. I had to go for lessons on how to use them. Since then my handicap went north and I gained about 5-8 strokes. I now have mizuno MP-52's and they are also right off the rack. Now my handicap is about where it was back before the Pings. They were 1/2 inch longer and bent to blue dot (which i believe was 1 degree up). It's interesting as I tend to choke down on the clubs about that 1/2 - 1 inch anyways so I don't think they needed to be longer. I'm not completely sold on clubs that are supposed to be built for your body and swing as your swing probably changes day to day.

Just my 2 cents

[downhillslider]

Says a alot about that particular OEM"s fitting system don't ya think ??

[Shushu]

ya...I certainly can't dispute that. But it left a bad taste in my mouth that's all. I wouldn't mind getting my irons checked out for Lie and loft to make sure it's all the way it's supposed to be. I've heard that they can be off by a boat load.

[jeffc]

mizuno irons are generally 1 deg flat off the rack compared to most clubs.

[Chieflongtee]

Im kinda in the other realm on this subject. I had a bad experience with club fitting. Previously I had owned Taylormade Firesoles and they were straight off the rack. They were stolen so I had a set of Ping i3+ blades "customized" to me. I almost quit golf after using them for a few months. I had to go for lessons on how to use them. Since then my handicap went north and I gained about 5-8 strokes. I now have mizuno MP-52's and they are also right off the rack. Now my handicap is about where it was back before the Pings. They were 1/2 inch longer and bent to blue dot (which i believe was 1 degree up). It's interesting as I tend to choke down on the clubs about that 1/2 - 1 inch anyways so I don't think they needed to be longer. I'm not completely sold on clubs that are supposed to be built for your body and swing as your swing probably changes day to day.

Just my 2 cents

Blue dot is .75 upright. Were you fitted for flex? Was it an online fitting? Did you try them before buying? Swingweight/MOI ?Shaft bending profile? Launch monitor?iWere you fitted for grip size?Ping's standard lengths are different than some other manufacturers i.e 5 iron 37.25. other things to consider is blade length and amount of offset? Imho Ping"s fitting is better than most OEM but it is only a static fitting therefore it is only an attempt at club fitting.

[Shushu]

There wasn't too too much with the fitting really. I was fitted at Chuck Brown's when the Ping i3's + blades first came out. They did shaft flex, length, grip size, and I guess the tape on the bottom to see where the head was hitting. While hitting them they felt like butter, I specificaly went in to buy the latest (at the time) Taylormades...which I beleive were the RAC's....I tried everything and the Ping's just felt unreal to me. They had a screen to hit into but it wasn't as sofisticated as the ones they have now. This was 10 years ago.

Blue dot is .75 upright. Were you fitted for flex? Was it an online fitting? Did you try them before buying? Swingweight/MOI ?Shaft bending profile? Launch monitor?iWere you fitted for grip size?Ping's standard lengths are different than some other manufacturers i.e 5 iron 37.25. other things to consider is blade length and amount of offset? Imho Ping"s fitting is better than most OEM but it is only a static fitting therefore it is only an attempt at club fitting.

[Weazl]

mizuno irons are generally 1 deg flat off the rack compared to most clubs.

So to us who don't speak this what does it mean as I am playing Mizuno MX-15's at the moment and am a 17 handicap right now. Are these good clubs for me or the wrong ones?

[Husband]

Im going to see Don next week. Dropped by the other day and he seems very friendly and knowledgable. I love my irons but am anxious to see what he has to say about the loft, lie and flex. Im sure they could use some tweaking.

[Husband]

Don definitely knows his stuff. 180$ tx in for a full fitting though. Not cheap! Happy with my purchase though. Learned a lot.

[irish_OG]

nice - that price was to do all your clubs --- have u been out since - have you noticed any diff in ball striking?

Don definitely knows his stuff. 180$ tx in for a full fitting though. Not cheap! Happy with my purchase though. Learned a lot.

[Husband]

He didn't make any changes yet... I was also under the impression that minor changes in lie and loft were included, but alas they are not. Just so everyone knows what to expect!

He also gave me some handy swing tips and equipment advice. Found out that my swing tempo is completely out of whack... very inconsistent. I also learned that the shafts on my irons are buttery soft and not ideal for me.

I've probably got a good 500$ in adjustments (shafts + lie adjustments) to make over the winter months doh! Can't wait to see the difference next year though.

[irish_OG]

ok i see - the intial visit was more of a consutation - thanks for the info

He didn't make any changes yet... I was also under the impression that minor changes in lie and loft were included, but alas they are not. Just so everyone knows what to expect!

He also gave me some handy swing tips and equipment advice. Found out that my swing tempo is completely out of whack... very inconsistent. I also learned that the shafts on my irons are buttery soft and not ideal for me.

I've probably got a good 500$ in adjustments (shafts + lie adjustments) to make over the winter months doh! Can't wait to see the difference next year though.

[Chieflongtee]

So to us who don't speak this what does it mean as I am playing Mizuno MX-15's at the moment and am a 17 handicap right now. Are these good clubs for me or the wrong ones?

It does not mean anything as everyone is different( arm length ,posture,trunk length etc) Only way to find out for each individual is to do a dynamc lie test. But in all honesty if your handicap is 17 your short game probably needs a lot of work and 1 or 2 degrees off in lie angles will not bring down your handicap to below 10. What 2 degrees off will cause is shots to go the right or to the left depending on how you swing.