For years I have been selling the concept of custom fitting golf clubs to golfers of all shapes and sizes. Of course, in the golf business, we all say that purchasing a set of custom fit golf clubs is a way to immediately and drastically improve your game. This is a great sales pitch and a great way for us to sell sets of irons, but I have always wondered how much it really works.
I have been through the club fitting experience myself recently. Let me tell you I think the results were very positive. I have been fit once before, back in 1997 for a set of Ping irons. This was done by an exceptional Ping sales rep on an outdoor range with a lie board and a variety of different clubs and shafts. The experience was great because you could really judge the ball flight and distance in a real golf environment. We ended up settling on Ping ISI irons, 2 degrees upright (Green dot), 1/2" over in length and Cushin shafts "stepped to stiffen" as Ping sets the shafts in their factory. We also discussed wedge lofts and set composition, but I ended up buying a set that ran 1-LW - thank YOU Personal Use Discount!
For over ten years, I swore by these Ping irons. I felt like they fit me perfectly. I trusted them, the way they looked, and they worked great when you mishit one or had to play from the rough. Over the course of a few months it all seemed to change. I started hitting everything with an extremely toe deep divot. Bad shots were spraying thin and way right or snipe hooking low and to the left. The worst part is, I felt like I had no idea where it was going when I teed it up on a par-3. Just looking down at the club made me feel uncomfortable. The questions entered my mind. Do I need a re-shaft? Did I outgrow these clubs? Maybe I'm just a terrible golfer and age is catching up with me? Truth be told, I am much older, my swing speed has gone down, and I have gained a ton of weight. The dynamics of my swing MUST be a lot different than they were in 1997.
In February of this year I caught a break. I finished #2 in on the American Golf Corporation Tour for 2009, which is a recognition system for AGC GM's. A great perk for finishing in the top 8 is that you get a free set of custom fit Callaway clubs. I went to the Callaway Golf Center in Las Vegas with an open mind. A lot of guys who won the free set already knew exactly what they wanted and did not want to waste their time going through the fitting process. I wanted the full experience and decided that I would put my ego aside and let the club fitter put me into the what he thought was the right set of clubs. To this day, I think this is a very important aspect of getting a true fitting. Many of us think we should be using X-shafts and forged irons, when our swings really aren't made for them.
Callaway Golf Center is a wonderful facility. I was surprised that club fitting was not being done on the range, but rather indoors on a simulator. I had a great tech named Eli help me with my fitting. He used the camera and launch monitor information to guide us through the process. The ball flight was calculated and shown on the projection screen, and vital information such as swing speed, launch angle, and spin rate were shown after every swing. Eli made me feel good about the process right away because he commented on how I was really "pureing it" and seemed to make a very consistent pass at every ball he put down. We worked through a bunch of their irons, including the X-22 and X-forged models. Being a taller golfer at 6'3", Eli really worked on getting the length right. He kept pushing me farther away from standard than I was used to, giving me longer and longer clubs until I simply could not hit them with consistency. We settled on X-22 irons, which despite their chunky look, were going dead straight with pretty much solid contact every time. I remained at 2 degrees upright with a Uniflex shaft, which I find feels very similar to the Cushin. The two biggest tweaks were the grip size and the length. Eli encouraged me to use a midsize Lamkin grip, which was much thicker than the usual method I have used of simply double wrapping the tape under a standard grip.
The length was a HUGE breakthrough for me. 10 minutes into our fitting session, Eli watched me swing a few clubs from my Ping set and decided right away that my clubs were too short for me. The reason I was hitting the ball so poorly, with such inconsistency was all in the length. I was lunging at the ball and dipping down to go get it. Any small misjudgment in the motion would cause a fat or a thin shot, which is what I had been fighting. I was asked to swing with a 1" over shaft and to stand up straighter and remain there during the swing. I immediately starting hitting everything flush. He found it. This is what club fitting from a good club fitter is all about.
I ended up with X-22 irons, 3-PW, 1" over, 2 degrees up, Uniflex shaft and a mid-size Lamkin grip. We also talked about set composition, and was fit for a Diablo 10.5 degree driver with a stiff Habanero shaft, a 19 degree hybrid, X-series chrome wedges(52,56,60), and an very sweet Odyssey Black #2 model. One thing I also found interesting is that Eli skipped the 3-wood and put me in a 22 degree 5-wood. Because I have a steep angle of attack, he felt that I was de-lofting my fairway woods and that this configuration would give me the optimum amount of carry and roll.
So, how did all of this work? Well, I have swapped out a few of the components for clubs that I already trust. I am using my Taylor Made Super Quad, my Taylor Made 19 degree rescue and sticking with my Vokey wedges. I am hitting the Callaway 5-wood great. No more low head high 3-wood line drives. The X-22 irons with the extended length have been a major improvement. I feel so much more confident with these clubs and they just feel right, something that had been missing with my Pings for awhile. I have played five or six full rounds with the X-22's and it took me awhile to get used to them. The grips are a little funny to me because they limit my hand action. I have always felt that my soft hands were an asset to my swing in helping feel the club head move through impact. I may end up switching back to a more conventional size, but I am still experimenting.
It all came together for me recently in rounds at San Clemente Muni, where I shot a 78 and a decent round at Talega, where I blew up on the back nine thanks to a balky driver. My iron play was excellent in both rounds, and I am growing more confident each time I tee it up. I can honestly say that the custom fitting process was well worth the time and effort. I am enjoying the game again and hitting the ball much better from the fairway. I am very lucky to have had two very productive club fitting sessions with two very good club fitters. When I return to the golf industry, I will certainly feel good about selling this service to other golfers. It has made a positive impact in my golf life, and I highly recommend it to anyone who is serious about improving their game.
No comments:
Post a Comment