This weekend I did some testing with a player who was presently playing lightweight steel iron shafts - about 95 grams raw weight - and we were looking to see if a different type of steel shaft would get better results. He had pretty high swing speed, and he has always played steel iron shafts.
At the end of the tests, we also did some tests with a few 75 gram graphite shaft types - and there was a large jump in shot distance - more than 10 yards, sometimes 15. Admittedly I did not expect that this would happen - but I was glad we did not eliminate the possibility of using lightweight graphite shafts.
These results reminded me of something that is really the difference between great club fitting and just so so fitting. Fitters all have some preliminary ideas on what shafts might work best and what flexes and weight profiles might work best. But it is better to be open to testing across a range of possibilities of types of heads, shafts, flexes, and weights and determine what is the best fit based on performance. Preconceived notions on what will work can be a starting point, but having a wide group of test clubs to work with and test can sometimes yield results that are surprising and maybe even better than expected!
Tony
Monday, July 26, 2010
Monday, July 19, 2010
Are There "Magic Clubs?"
I have been playing with 3, 4, and 5 hybrids in my bag for the past year or so. But this past week I decided I wanted to see how a 7 wood would play and if it would feel easier to hit than my 3 hybrid.
So I bought a Wishon 915 F/H 21 degree head, and built a 41 inch 7 wood to the flex and MOI values that I believe are a good fit for me. I used an SK Fiber TT 80 shaft, and tip trimmed the shaft to a PCS flex of 4.8. I matched the club to the MOI of my present fairway woods and my driver (I swing my fairway woods pretty aggressively).
Well.................I put this club in play this past Sunday, and it was absolutely amazing. I have never swung a club that was so easy to hit. Great ball flight, easy to hit strong shots out of pretty deep rough, and it feels like it swings itself! Today I ordered the 9 wood equivalent of this club and am hopeful that club will play as well as the 7 wood. Some of it might be the 919 F/H head, but I am sure that is not all if it................the club is a perfect match to how I swing.
Is every club built based on clubfitting going to be what I call a "magic club?" For some players I have built clubs for the matching of the right flex, MOI, shaft, and club length has resulted in clubs that are very easy to hit and that feel absolutely wonderful. The object of all of my fittings is to find a set of club specs that would achieve this.
I do believe, though, that the likelihood of finding clubs that truly have a magic feel to them and that produce superior results is higher when they are built on the best possible fitting for a player.
Tony
So I bought a Wishon 915 F/H 21 degree head, and built a 41 inch 7 wood to the flex and MOI values that I believe are a good fit for me. I used an SK Fiber TT 80 shaft, and tip trimmed the shaft to a PCS flex of 4.8. I matched the club to the MOI of my present fairway woods and my driver (I swing my fairway woods pretty aggressively).
Well.................I put this club in play this past Sunday, and it was absolutely amazing. I have never swung a club that was so easy to hit. Great ball flight, easy to hit strong shots out of pretty deep rough, and it feels like it swings itself! Today I ordered the 9 wood equivalent of this club and am hopeful that club will play as well as the 7 wood. Some of it might be the 919 F/H head, but I am sure that is not all if it................the club is a perfect match to how I swing.
Is every club built based on clubfitting going to be what I call a "magic club?" For some players I have built clubs for the matching of the right flex, MOI, shaft, and club length has resulted in clubs that are very easy to hit and that feel absolutely wonderful. The object of all of my fittings is to find a set of club specs that would achieve this.
I do believe, though, that the likelihood of finding clubs that truly have a magic feel to them and that produce superior results is higher when they are built on the best possible fitting for a player.
Tony
Monday, July 12, 2010
Short Game - Short Game - Short Game!
Every few weeks there is a post on the AGCP forum that just seems to get lots of attention and responses.
The latest one relates to wedge bounce and wedge sole width - how important are they to wedge play, how does one do correct wedge fittings? So far over 25 responses to the initial question on this one, and a lot of good ideas on how to do wedge fitting. Mostly I am talking about sand wedge fitting.
For me the key lessons learned from the posts are.....
1. Getting good at wedge play is well worth the effort. If you can find a good teaching pro who can teach you good wedge technique and particularly sand play technique, you can overcome many of the missed shots that are part of a normal round of golf.
2. There is no one wedge that is good for all conditions of play. Some will play well in soft sand, some in harder sand. Some in soft fairways, some in tight fairways. And some can help you if you tend to "pick" the ball, where some others can help you if you tend to hit your wedge shots fat.
3. If you can find a fitter who has a variety of wedges with different bounces and sole widths, you should consider hitting shots will these different types of wedges and see what works best for you. Experiment.............see what wedge type can work well for you and your game and course conditions.
4. Finally............and this was not in the post but is my personal view............most players are better off not attempting to use a lob wedge. You might consider, in fact, carrying two sand wedges - one with a "normal" amount of bounce and sole width, and one with a wide sole design. Then you will have the tools to hit shots from a wide variety of lies and sand types.
Tony
The latest one relates to wedge bounce and wedge sole width - how important are they to wedge play, how does one do correct wedge fittings? So far over 25 responses to the initial question on this one, and a lot of good ideas on how to do wedge fitting. Mostly I am talking about sand wedge fitting.
For me the key lessons learned from the posts are.....
1. Getting good at wedge play is well worth the effort. If you can find a good teaching pro who can teach you good wedge technique and particularly sand play technique, you can overcome many of the missed shots that are part of a normal round of golf.
2. There is no one wedge that is good for all conditions of play. Some will play well in soft sand, some in harder sand. Some in soft fairways, some in tight fairways. And some can help you if you tend to "pick" the ball, where some others can help you if you tend to hit your wedge shots fat.
3. If you can find a fitter who has a variety of wedges with different bounces and sole widths, you should consider hitting shots will these different types of wedges and see what works best for you. Experiment.............see what wedge type can work well for you and your game and course conditions.
4. Finally............and this was not in the post but is my personal view............most players are better off not attempting to use a lob wedge. You might consider, in fact, carrying two sand wedges - one with a "normal" amount of bounce and sole width, and one with a wide sole design. Then you will have the tools to hit shots from a wide variety of lies and sand types.
Tony
Monday, July 5, 2010
More on Drivers.....
I got to read the latest Golf Digest this weekend, there was a good article related to Hank Haney and his relationship with Tiger - worth reading.
The part I remembered most is that Haney said that when Tiger was hitting the ball furthest he was playing a 43 inch driver.... And that now he is playing a 44 inch driver. This info. is for sure food for thought about driver length and whether most of mortals should be playing the 45 and 46 inch drivers you can buy in stores. I have been playing a 44 inch driver for at least a year, and there is no noticeable difference in how far I hit the ball.
The other "driver" item that I have run into twice this weekend relates to face angles of 460 degree drivers. Twice this weekend I was with players who I believe are playing drivers with about 2 degree closed face angle. Both can draw the ball pretty easily - and so the closed face is exactly what they do NOT need to hit the ball well. Closed face drivers have come from the fact that 460 cc driver heads are hard to close by lots of players - so a "fix" for this in drivers in stores is to sell drivers with closed faces - for the "masses." If you are looking to buy a new driver, it might be a good idea to be careful you know what you are REALLY getting and be sure it is right for you - it is a shame to pay a lot for a driver that will not work for your swing.
Tony
The part I remembered most is that Haney said that when Tiger was hitting the ball furthest he was playing a 43 inch driver.... And that now he is playing a 44 inch driver. This info. is for sure food for thought about driver length and whether most of mortals should be playing the 45 and 46 inch drivers you can buy in stores. I have been playing a 44 inch driver for at least a year, and there is no noticeable difference in how far I hit the ball.
The other "driver" item that I have run into twice this weekend relates to face angles of 460 degree drivers. Twice this weekend I was with players who I believe are playing drivers with about 2 degree closed face angle. Both can draw the ball pretty easily - and so the closed face is exactly what they do NOT need to hit the ball well. Closed face drivers have come from the fact that 460 cc driver heads are hard to close by lots of players - so a "fix" for this in drivers in stores is to sell drivers with closed faces - for the "masses." If you are looking to buy a new driver, it might be a good idea to be careful you know what you are REALLY getting and be sure it is right for you - it is a shame to pay a lot for a driver that will not work for your swing.
Tony
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