yerrp so if your definatley going to buy the club book a session in and the custom fit is free..
you could also get custom fit anyway and buy else where but you have to pay £50 which i think you get back as vouchers for the shop or summat. you would have to ask.
But further to my last post, given a straight choice between an expert fitter outside with a great eye for the ball flight, and a launch monitor inside, I would have to plump for the fitter.
IMO if a golfer is and has been a really good player and very well coached originally, he/she SHOULD be able to choose a driver himself from FEEL, distance, flight and shape of shot without advice from a fitter!
I currently play off 16, having taken up golf 10 years ago at age 50. I use Mizuno MP30's, standard loft and lie, with DG Lite S300 shafts (fitted for me by a club pro in 2004) and last year achieved my lowest ever score of net 60, even with a blow out on the 18th.
Now, I want irons custom fitted, to get even lower, but even with all the above information, I remain confused. In the Surrey area, I have access to Precision Golf, Premium Golf (Worplesdon), Gilroys Golf and IronWRX, and no doubt others, all offering custom fitting services, but not necessarily with the same head/shaft options. I still like the look and feel of Mizuno MP irons, but there are dozens of others out there.
Given all the permutations and without the experience of some of the GM members, what is the best starting point - find a clubhead that one likes, ie Mizuno, Titleist, or even a non mass market club ie Nakashima and then find somebody who stocks that head and a shaft to match or do you suggest a different course.
My initial instinct is to have an outside fitting, as I feel that testing clubs indoors with the inevitable height/width restrictions of a testing booth could subconsciously affect my (occasionally erratic) swing. All comments appreciated.
I have to disagree quite strongly with the statement regarding launch monitors. It's essential for a proper fitting to know your angle of attack, clubhead speed, launch angles and spin rates. A fitters eye is no match for decent scientific analysis.
I had a set of irons custom fit for me using the fitters eyes and my subjective feedback along with a couple of bits of impact tape. Theyre quite simply the best set of irons i've ever hit. I didnt need to know any stats relating to what the club or ball were doing becasue I could see the results of ball flight with my own eyes and feel the impact quality for myself.
The trouble with LM's is that folks become overly reliant upon them becasue they think they are providing black and white answers to what are really subjective questions. Its easy to lose sight of what you are trying to achieve when the focus is on reducing spin from 3000rpm to 2950rpm becasue the LM tells you that will give you 1mph of extra ball speed and a yard and a half of extra distance.
Rather than being essential, LM's are simply just another tool in the fitters kit to help him find the right setup for you.
GJM - I think the starting point is more a decision on the type of fitting you think you would enjoy most and get most benefit from. While there are many fitting locales, they basically fall into two camps, a more "traditional" method, and a Launch Monitor method. I personally prefer the former, and some prefer the latter. Alternatively you could arrange a session with both, take their input and then decide. You say you think you would prefer the outdoor approach and generally that will be with a more traditional approach to fitting.
I think you would most likely do better with a softer shaft in your irons, and any decent fitter will be able to guide you on this. In terms of iron heads, a fitter can advise but also personal preference comes into it, do you prefer bladed club, or a larger header cavity back. There really is a wealth of choice.
My recommendation would be to set up an initial fitting session with one of the known GM fitters, and take it from there. You may well be very happy straight away, and if you have doubts of course you can always go somewhere after for a "second opinion".
Just as an additional point I would always prefer to see my ball flight and feel the strike from grass not a mat. I find that I get far more height from mats than grass and wished I had realised this when getting my MP-57s fitted.
Had a custom fitting session at Gilroy's back in December. Was initially just looking to have my existing clubs checked for loft and lie etc but after going on the launch monitor it was clear that I was not generating enough height and spin with my existing irons - Great Big Bertha Tungsten Ti's. After hitting some other irons I decided to go for the Wishon 560MC's 6-AW, plus Wishon PCF Micro Tour Sand Wedge all at D3 with reg KBS Tours. Also had my TP Mills putter adjusted for loft and lie and swapped my Matrix Code 6 over to a Wishon THI from a Geek DCT at D4. I can't understimate the transformation in my game. I've hovvered around the 18-22 handicap mark for several years. I'm not lucky enough to play every week. Play about a dozen full rounds a year and a few 9 holes with the Mrs. In only a few outings with my work society I've had my handicap cut to 14 and hit 81 (10 over) - my lowest ever score - over the weekend. I've never hit so many fairways and hitting my irons and putter with much more consistency. I've spent a lot of money on several iron sets (mostly off ebay) in recent years. I could have saved a lot of money (and time) If I'd tried custom fitting before.
Anyone got any reviews on Custom Golf Studio, near Cambridge regarding a fitting using the Trackman.
Yes.
Mark is very very good at what he does. I've been to see him on a couple of occaisions....(mainly minor tweaking / shaft recommendations rather than a total "full fitting" ) but I know a lot of guys over on another couple of forums who have used him and all speak very highly about his service.
Anyone got any reviews on Custom Golf Studio, near Cambridge regarding a fitting using the Trackman.
Spent an hour with Mark when he brought his Trackman up to South Yorkshire.
It ended up being an excercise in checking my existing equipment, as the specs I needed were nearly exactly what I already had. But Mark is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk to. No pressure selling.
Trackman is state of the art and is pretty good being fitted up on that you cant go far wrong.
I have been on the trackman and its impressive if wanting even more detail you may want to try totalgolfanalyiss.co.uk (i have some interesting data from them too! they have tested many top tour pros and longdrivers and sister company in the US produced this clip)
http://trackman.dk/Media/Videos/The-Open.aspx
Demonstrates trackman also shows Norman hitting it 310 (Always been a fan of his so nice to see he can still do it)
Trackman is the Rolls Royce of fitting devices but as it is ridiculously expensive most people have to use alternate systems, saying that for the tiny difference its debateable whether its worth paying extra unless you are a tour pro.
I would not pay to be fitted on trackman as cheaper fittings can offer the same information.
Trackman is the Rolls Royce of fitting devices but as it is ridiculously expensive most people have to use alternate systems, saying that for the tiny difference its debateable whether its worth paying extra unless you are a tour pro.
I would not pay to be fitted on trackman as cheaper fittings can offer the same information.
K
I wont talk on Marks behalf about his business model, but, whilst I accept that many fitters using Trackman will factor in the cost of the device into what they charge for a fitting session, surely the vast amount of what you pay for is the fitters expertise?
For all the data that these devices provide, they dont then splutter out a list of shafts that will turn the player into the next Tiger Woods do they. (Actually, I'm sure they probably can/could but any fitter relying on this feature isnt a club fitter at all in my book!!). You still need the fitters knowledge and experience to be able to suggest a shaft (or head etc.) that will improve whatever is trying to be improved...this suggestion must also be based on feedback from the golfer themselves as well as the "numbers" provided by the Trackman.
It is this level of skill on the part of the fitter that you are really paying for.
... surely the vast amount of what you pay for is the fitters expertise?
For all the data that these devices provide, they dont then splutter out a list of shafts that will turn the player into the next Tiger Woods do they. (Actually, I'm sure they probably can/could but any fitter relying on this feature isnt a club fitter at all in my book!!). You still need the fitters knowledge and experience to be able to suggest a shaft (or head etc.) that will improve whatever is trying to be improved...this suggestion must also be based on feedback from the golfer themselves as well as the "numbers" provided by the Trackman.
It is this level of skill on the part of the fitter that you are really paying for.
I recently went for a driver fitting with James at Lindfield GC who had been recommended by a lot of people I know. I hadn't seen Creo's article beforehand (btw, good report!) and have to say that James carried out everything that Creo recommended and more.
James is a club maker who takes a great deal of pride and enjoyment doing his job. He openly admits he is a geek about it and enjoyed sharing all the details with me as we worked through the fitting.
I started by hitting a lot balls with my current driver and using the launch monitor was really amazed looking at all the stats, ie swing speed, spin etc etc He also told me I was hitting it on the down rather than the up and that the face was open on contact. BTW, I was hitting my irons on the down as I am supposed to !!
James then got me to hit a couple of different options with his drivers (snake eyes) and analysed the results on the lm.
He then told me that he couldn't come to an instant decision and explained that he wanted time to work out which variant would be the best for me. I was so impressed as he didn't just jump to an immediate conclusion.
So at the moment he is working out which he feels will best suit MY game and when I go to collect my club will hit a few more, take it out onto the course for a week or so and then if it's right, pay for it !
His eye for detail, time for consideration, sheer love of golf and good service made it a really positive experience and now the only way I would go if I needed new clubs.
