american golf Fitting Opportunity

So who else is going?
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Me !! I'm there at 10.30. I've had a lucky streak this week, I'm gonna do the lottery on Saturday.
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Me too :)

Really looking forward to it. I've been asked to be there for 11am, although with a 3.5hr drive I'm giving myself plenty of time so will probably be there early.

Anyone know what it's like for parking? Have they got a car park?
 
There's method in my madness.

There was 2 spots in my bag I wasn't mostly happy with. One has been addressed and a club is on probabtion, my putter is the other.

If a proper (hopefully) fitting can find me a putter that suits my stroke more than what I've previously used, then the £70 in petrol and a day off work will be more than worth it imo.
 
So who else is going?
Click to expand...

Me !! I'm there at 10.30. I've had a lucky streak this week, I'm gonna do the lottery on Saturday.
Click to expand...

Me too :)

Really looking forward to it. I've been asked to be there for 11am, although with a 3.5hr drive I'm giving myself plenty of time so will probably be there early.

Anyone know what it's like for parking? Have they got a car park?
Click to expand...

A bit of parking out the front but loads around the back, turn down the lane on the left of the building
 
Had my fitting today, it was an interesting experience. It confirmed some things but opened my eyes also to all of the variables in putting. It was good to meet the other guys, hapless, region3 and swinger.

Also thanks to Paul, GM and American Golf Bournemouth for the opportunity
 
Had my fitting today, it was an interesting experience. It confirmed some things but opened my eyes also to all of the variables in putting. It was good to meet the other guys, hapless, region3 and swinger.

Also thanks to Paul, GM and American Golf Bournemouth for the opportunity
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Seconded, very nice day. Shame my game after didn't follow suit but was thinking about my putting too much!!

Got a Scotty on the way so happy days!!

Did learn a bit today which was nice and was good to meet some of the guys.

Thanks to GM and American Golf.
 
Seconded, very nice day. Shame my game after didn't follow suit but was thinking about my putting too much!!

Got a Scotty on the way so happy days!!
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I got a TM Ghost Corza, I fancied a blade but it soon became clear that I'm suited to a mallet. It has to be sent from TM though as I need a 33 inch.

Where did you play afterwards, back to Salisbury ??
 
I must say that we were looked after well. But then again we would be! Sorry but that's the cynic in me. Especially as I had bought my old XG7 from another AG store, where they weren't as attentive. But I digress. These guys, compared to my last putter experience from AG were miles ahead. So on that note I'd like to thank the team at AG in Bournemouth and GM for the opportunity.

I knew the tech behind what they were trying to achieve with me, but it was good to have someone that could also provide a solution to my putting, rather me having to work it out for myself. Which could of been time consuming and expensive.

I do believe that I've come away with something that will genuinely help, despite it being a putter that I would have never considered. It was all about reducing ball skid straight after impact, and moving away from a face balanced putter to a toe heavy putter. All of which helps with my bad putting from two / three feet.

So what did I end up with?

A TM Marrenello Ghost. Basically a mini / half mallet, not unlike my BC3, but White and not black, but toe hung rather than face balanced.

First outing could well be Blackmoor at the big meet!!!

Whilst there, I'd thought I'd take the opportunity to try some drivers, as this was my main concern in my bag. G15 was okay, but didn't feel right. Next was the R11. Just didn't get on with it. It felt very heavy and an awkward thing to swing. So I ditched that idea. Next was the 910 D3, with the Dianama (sp) red shaft. Loved it. Weight was good, etc. So I've got it on loan for a night. Which I didn't know AG did. So a plus to them for that.

Took it and my current two drivers on the range tonight. Gave myself a fairway and after warming up hit ten balls with each, giving scores to each shot. 1 for fairway hit, 0.5 for first cut, and zero for any wayward ones. To ensure it was as fair as possible, I laid down some alignment aids to make sure I was set up the same way every time.

I figured that it was a slightly scientific approach as I didn't see any point in buying a new driver for the sake of it.

The 910 won by a mile. Not only that, but the mishits were also possibly findable on some courses.

The 910 also surprised me as it was the 9.5 degree on the D3 setting. Giving an extra 0.75 loft and draw setting. I would have never of considered such a low lofted driver. But I would probably crank it to a slightly more neutral setting slightly.

Now I have a problem. I have an MX500 an MP600 and a gorgeous Bettinardi BC3 that don't suit me. And a 910 that I'd dearly love to have. Except the wife says not a chance. What do I do?
 
The 910 won by a mile. Not only that, but the mishits were also possibly findable on some courses.

Now I have a problem. I have an MX500 an MP600 and a gorgeous Bettinardi BC3 that don't suit me. And a 910 that I'd dearly love to have. Except the wife says not a chance. What do I do?
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I did try to warn you :D
 
*** WARNING - TURN BACK NOW ALL YE WHO GET BORED EASILY ***

What a day. Up at 6, out of the house just before 7 and arrived at AG around 10:15, after a very leisurely drive that saw just short of 40mpg average. Not bad from a petrol 2lt turbo!

When I walked in and introduced myself I was met by Steve, the manager. He introduced me to 2 other guys, Chris(?) (who chatted to us whilst we were waiting, and was very interesting to talk to) and the Pro who would be carrying out the fitting, Ben(?). I think. I'm getting worse and worse with names as I get older, so profuse apologies if I've got any wrong. It makes me feel slightly better that the manager kept calling me Graham on my way out. :D

After the first 2 guys were fitted and group photos taken, Graham kindly offered to let me go next as I had the longest drive (again Tim :p) home.

I explained - with prompting - the state of my putting to the pro at AG doing the fitting, along with what I'd used in the past and present, as well as what type and length of putter I preferred.
I also explained that I aimed left when I thought I was aiming straight and picked up a random blade off the shelf to show him.
"You see, how far left is that aiming?".
"It's not, you're straight at the hole".
"Oh".
Strange :eek:

Then it was a go with the test putter, that had a telescopic shaft and a hinged head. They loosen the joints then you get set over the ball ready to hit, tighten the joints and that's your lie angle and shaft length decided on.

I've always had short putters. 2 of my last 3 were 32", and my current one was only 33" because my pro suggested it might alter the balance too much by taking it down to 32".
The test putter showed 34" once and 34.5" twice!! I assume the lie angle was ok as standard as 2 of the other guys were 1° out and had putters ordered for them. Either that or they didn't want to make me drive the 180 miles back to the shop to collect it. :D

He suggested that having shorter putters 'might' have gotten me too far over the ball and caused my alignment to be out (Bob showed me at Woodhall that on an 8' or so putt I was aiming about 6" left of the hole when I thought it was straight at it!)

So we'd decided on a bog standard 34", and it was on to the type of putter. I'd made a conscious decision before I even set foot in the place that I wasn't going to pay much attention to what they had in the store, just do what I was told and go with their recommendation. Sure I'd thought about walking away with a Scotty (already 12 Titleist clubs in the bag) but it was more important to find a putter that got the ball in the hole, regardless of type, length, brand or cost. I'd not made a great job of that in the past so now it was someone else's responsibility.

I was first handed a blade. I think it was an Anser but I could be wrong. Put a horrible stroke on it and I said so. It felt like it wobbled all the way in the backswing. The pro noticed too, and gave me a face balanced putter to hit one with. Much better. I can't even remember what it was now.

Over the next 10 or so minutes I tried a Ping Craze-E, Odyssey Fang, Odyssey half mallet somethingorother, and a Rife 2-bar.
Although I generally hate the look of big weird putters, the Fang was the best of the lot, probably because of the blade-y nature of the front of it with 'attachments' off at right angles rather than lots of curves to confuse my eye. He also said it 'should' help my inconsistent distance control due to it having a very (relatively) soft insert, another thing I've never really fancied. Not really able to prove or disprove that at the fitting though because the only slight disappointment of the day was the usual 8' putting carpet to test on.

So I walked away with a 34" Odyssey White Hot XG #7.

Choosing on my own I would never have picked anything that long, that shape, or with that soft an insert. Very illuminating.

After the fitting, a chat with Paul, and a few more photos, I asked if I could have a go on the Mizuno DNA swing thingamajig while I was there. Chris gave me a forged Anser (how much for a set!!! :eek:) 7 iron to have a bash with while he found the kit. It was nice enough but nothing special imo.
After the Mizzy club was swung a few times that was it. I was given a headcover for the putter I had, and I was on my way home.

More of the same 'economic' driving on the way home until I was in a traffic jam because a vehicle had caught fire earlier, then some silly bugger had decided to put a Moto GP on at Silverstone this weekend and that delayed me a bit more, so I was bored and fed-up and wanting to get home now so the right foot got a bit heavier. Still got nearly 38mpg though so I reckon the fuel on the day 'only' cost me about £60! 4hrs to get home

Oh, and my radio decided it needed a rest about 140 miles from home so that added to the boredom with nothing to listen to. It also has my sat-nav built in to it as well so I was guessing some of the directions.

Overall though a brilliant day and so grateful I was chosen.

A HUGE thank you to Paul and all at GM, also to those at American Golf for the opportunity.

Also good to meet HaplessHacker again, and Swinger & therod for the first time. Hope to meet you again sometime on a course.

Sorry for the ramble. I tend to do that.

Off to bed now. Teeing off in 7 hours time in a comp :D
 
Seconded, very nice day. Shame my game after didn't follow suit but was thinking about my putting too much!!

Got a Scotty on the way so happy days!!
Click to expand...

I got a TM Ghost Corza, I fancied a blade but it soon became clear that I'm suited to a mallet. It has to be sent from TM though as I need a 33 inch.

Where did you play afterwards, back to Salisbury ??
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Back up to Salisbury, think I just avoided going up .1!

You'll have to come up for a game sometime soon.
 
Apologies. I meant the 910 D2. The larger headed one.

Took the loaner 910 back today. With as many clubs as I could muster for trade in. A measly £65 for Mizzy MP600, MX500 and a 17 degree Fli Hi CLK. Not AG's fault, but I guess they need to make something on them.

Ben, the chap that did the putter fitting, wanted to have a chat about the 910. Though much to my wife's surprise, I left only with my own clubs.

Which now left me scouring the web for the best price, which lead me to calling the clubs pro shop. They have about 10 different shaft options to choose from and I've been given carte blanche access to the Titleist fitting trolley to try out different shafts. So hopefully tomorrow I'll be trying that.

Gary. You were right. What have I started?!!!!
 
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