Benefits of custom fit for inconsistent ball striker?

[groundskeeperwilly]

Hey guys

I was at the range today and got talking to the fellow beside me who Id played with in a comp a few months back. he was booked in for a driver custom fit and had arrived early and was going through a bucket of balls warming up.

Based on his warm up and the round I played with him his driving was at best erratic. He said as much himself and his ball flight went all over: from big hook to wild slice.

My question is this - will the custom fit be effective for someone with such variation in their swing? I understand a low 'capper or pro with a very repeatable swing will be able to find the optimum head/loft/shaft etc as each swing will be pretty near their 'usual' but for this guy (and others like me!) how useful is it? Will it find the club best suited for him to gain more consistency and control?

 

[Alex1975]

A static fit will be a good start.

 

[bladeplayer]

Im thinking he would need a fairly decent / consistant swing 1st mate , no point getting fitted if the swing is wrong , CF wont solve that

 

[groundskeeperwilly]

That's what I thought but I'd say he's a fair representation of an average golfer and CF is being touted as the way to go by most I speak to. I've had a CF last year and really didn't get on with the irons recommended by the fitter and I'm wondering how many folk are on a similar boat (especially with drivers).

 

[Rooter]

if the fitter is decent, he should be able to get a driver sorted that at least is best fit for the guys swing. then the fella has no excuses and any bad shots are him and not his tools. you don't know, the driver he is using badly right now may be completely wrong for him, hence the erratic results...

 

[Ethan]

Depends how inconsistent. If the guy genuinely can't hit a cow's arse with a banjo, then probably not much good. But it could be that he is all over the place with his driver because it has a piece of spaghetti for a shaft and is totally unsuitable.

I think CF benefits average players more than the great players. Great players can swing anything. I saw Michael Campbell switch from his X shafted driver to one with a Ladies' flex and he hit it basically the same, long high and pretty straight. Of course he could shave a few 100 rpm off his spin and change his launch able or angle of descent a few degrees and tighten up, but the average handicapper couldn't hit that same L flex driver and keep it on the course.

 

[London mike 61]

I would say he should start with a lesson and go from there.
i went through a phase early on where my drives were erratic and considered changing drivers, but I'm glad I had some lessons and read a few good articles that explained what I was doing wrong and what I needed to do to be more consistent . The best piece of advice I was given was to sort my swing out in this order:
1. Grip
2. Stance
3. Ball position
4. Swing
and that works for me!!

 

[Garush34]

I dont think a CF would slove your issues but it could help reduce them. Your sig shows you have a stiff shaft in your clubs it could be a case that the shafts are wrong for your swing speed, AoA etc. A fitter should be able to work out if these are correct for you or if they should be changed.

Then it would be a case of lessons to get more consistancey in your swing, obviously you'll not be perfect every time but you could work on it so that you know what should be happening and try to repeat it.

 

[groundskeeperwilly]

the driver he is using badly right now may be completely wrong for him, hence the erratic results...

Could well be the case - he was striping irons down the middle! So maybe the driver needs addressing.

I dont think a CF would slove your issues

It's not my issue but I think the consensus is that the CF will not 'fix' anything.

 

[JCW]

To answer your question in another way , if you put a new and very much more powerful engine in and old car , what would get if you don't set up the suspension and cars other handling gear to match the engine , the car at much higher speed will have a job staying on the Road ( fairway )