Custom Fit only brands - Orka / Snake Eyes / Wishon

[JoshuaSouber]

Hi all,

I have recently been to see Jeff at Hatton Golf, had a brilliant time getting fit for a new driver.

I was really drawn to Orka, being British, unique and reviews seemed really good relating to performance, without getting stung (too much) on the wallet. Just over £200 for a new driver with a great quality shaft.

So my question is - How different are clubs compared to each other?

Now I appreciate that getting custom fit is massively important and having experienced it, I would recommend it to everyone.

I am now considering going back to go through the rest of the bag. I really couldn't care what brand was stamped on my clubs, if they give me the best chance of regularly scoring well. I should also say I have recently begun to get regular coaching, which takes out the side of it that that is where your golf budget is best spent. Coaching or no coaching, relative to your skill at this time, is there any real difference in manufacturers clubs?

Another reason I think its a bit of a gimmick is releasing new clubs every 6 months for the new ground breaking technology that only we know about, but in 6 months is supposedly rendered obsolete by the same message.

Looking at most irons, and all clubs for that matter - they all have incredibly subtle differences, but game improvers have huge cavities, blades are blades, drivers are all pushed to the legal limit regards to size and material use - So surely it doesn't matter what brand you go with, but the really important thing, if you want to improve, is to go to a club maker/fitter and see what works best for you.

Are you really going to see a huge difference if you pick up Titleist AP2's, Taylormade PSi's or even Orka SC Tours for that matter, providing you are custom fit for each one?

If anybody wants to chip in with their reviews on their experiences with Orka as well, I would really appreciate it, as I am sure other potential suitors would!

 

[louise_a]

I have Orka irons, I went for a club fitting and tried various brands, the ones I hit the best were Orka & TM. I couldn't decide which to get so the fitter said, are you bothered about having a well known brand in your bag, I said No, so he said get the Orkas they are £200 cheaper.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

There are several folk on here that use Orka clubs, and I have always had very good personal attention from Alex Comben who is the Sales Director, custom fitter and all round decent chap.

After a major back problem last year, decided after consultation to have my shafts changed from regular to senior A flex, I expected the price to be almost the same as a set of new clubs, but I was happily surprised.

Had my irons for about 4 years now, very happy with them

 

[MendieGK]

I'm an ORKA user through my entire bag, and alex is one of my best mates. Have been for 5 years now.

Phenomenal clubs. My RS1s are a thing of beauty.

Ignore all the marketing crap of other brands, the quality of their irons is second to none. Forged in exactly the same place as miura (a brand which everyone gets very excited over) but are 1/2 the cost.

 

[MendieGK]

I had the SC2s for 3 years before getting a new set. So can give you any info you need. If not, speak to Alex direct on FB or Twitter. He'll help you in any way possible

 

[JoshuaSouber]

Alex is a top bloke, as is Stu. I have only communicated with them through social media, but it's another big draw to the brand. What brands would you be able to approach the people right at the top for a quick chat/query.

It's interesting someone has had a fitting that has provided contrast between the usual brands and a unique brand like Orka. Most places I have researched are either fitters of the big boys, or proper club makers who supply components from the custom suppliers.

I suppose that's my main issue, I love the look of their clubs and the potential to have someone think/say "Na mate never heard of them" before I rip one down the middle or pepper the greens. But I would love to contrast between these and their main rivals, to prove my theory that, when all is said and done - most clubs are very similar in their respective brackets, proper custom fitting is king and the big boys charge more (and vice versa with the lesser known brands) because of their overheads.

Thanks guys, keep them coming - now I've had the experience of a proper custom
Fitting, it baffles me why anyone would buy off the shelf. Maybe people don't want to lose the excuse that their kit isn't right when one goes a tad wayward! Just a thought.

My experience with Jeff Hatton was fantastic. Just the fact he has and still is coaching a tour player, that happens to be his son is a vain attraction for me. But his insight into the attributes of His components was brilliant. He showed me why my shaft wasn't right for me on my current driver and after hitting a variety of heads and shafts, why we landed on the one I chose, backed up with the stats on GC2.

 

[Midnight]

I was fitted a few years ago by Alex and I can not fault him , the clubs and the aftercare. I will be going back again when I think I need to update my clubs.
Out of interest does anyone know if Orka do a equivalent to ping crossover or driving iron sort of club.

 

[MendieGK]

I was fitted a few years ago by Alex and I can not fault him , the clubs and the aftercare. I will be going back again when I think I need to update my clubs.
Out of interest does anyone know if Orka do a equivalent to ping crossover or driving iron sort of club.

No mate. They only do hybrids and standard irons

 

[Midnight]

No mate. They only do hybrids and standard irons

That is what I thought but thanks for confirming it mate.

 

[Alex1975]

Okra, Snake Eyes and Wishon are all awesome, honest clubs that I would be happy to play.

 

[louise_a]

It's interesting someone has had a fitting that has provided contrast between the usual brands and a unique brand like Orka. Most places I have researched are either fitters of the big boys, or proper club makers who supply components from the custom suppliers.

I got fitted by the guy I go to for lessons, he is an authorised Orka fitter but does other brands too. He does not build the clubs himself but sends the specs to Orka.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I don't think there is ever a wrong answer when it comes to what brand people should use

There are so many different characteristics of each brand whether that is one of the OEM or the other more custom brands

What one person thinks look visually stunning someone else might think they are ugly - it's all about what fits to each of our eyes and what we feel confident with in our hands. The Edel putter are a perfect example - for me every one I have seen look ugly as sin - all those holes just look awful but some will love their look - same with Orka irons - I have never seen a set I like the look off , the PXG ones don't look great as well , same with Muira that I have seen - none of them look nice to me but I know to others they will look stunning - for me the best looking irons I have seen are the Srixons

But the good thing is there is always something out there to suit everyone - there will always be a driver or irons or wedges or a putter that you will feel comfortable and confident with.

It will always be a case of finding out what fits you best

 

[Alex1975]

I don't think there is ever a wrong answer when it comes to what brand people should use

There are so many different characteristics of each brand whether that is one of the OEM or the other more custom brands

What one person thinks look visually stunning someone else might think they are ugly - it's all about what fits to each of our eyes and what we feel confident with in our hands. The Edel putter are a perfect example - for me every one I have seen look ugly as sin - all those holes just look awful but some will love their look - same with Orka irons - I have never seen a set I like the look off , the PXG ones don't look great as well , same with Muira that I have seen - none of them look nice to me but I know to others they will look stunning - for me the best looking irons I have seen are the Srixons

But the good thing is there is always something out there to suit everyone - there will always be a driver or irons or wedges or a putter that you will feel comfortable and confident with.

It will always be a case of finding out what fits you best

And sometimes a week after thinking something is ugly it can suddenly look appealing.

 

[Driven2Distraction]

I'm a long time user of Wishon 575mmc irons... can't fault them, great piece of kit - fabulous forged irons

(Only built my current set last night coz they're a little more forgiving)

All of the "component" guys do great stuff, but the re-sale value is poor, if that's a factor in anyone's choice of bats

 

[fundy]

Im another Orka user, been fit by Alex a few times for irons and wedges, wont hesitate to go back to Alex when I next need new again. I have a combi set, that was built to my specs for me, have had the loft and lies checked each year, couldnt recommend him, the brand or the product highly enough

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I was fitted a few years ago by Alex and I can not fault him , the clubs and the aftercare. I will be going back again when I think I need to update my clubs.
Out of interest does anyone know if Orka do a equivalent to ping crossover or driving iron sort of club.

Are you going back to get a sweetspot inserted?

To be honest, having bought may brands over the years either off the shelf or through a fitting and to be honest I've never really let the name sway my decision and always gone on a) the best performing, b) the best visually (aesthetics very important to me) and c) cost in that order.

Many happy users of Orka on here and they clearly have a great reputation both during and after the fitting and produce clubs that people are happy with and work. It's not a brand I've ever been drawn to personally. Is there really a world of difference between any brand in their GI, cavity and better player models and surely a lot of it does come down to looks and costs, assuming you get a decent shaft that works to the swing you have.

 

[JoshuaSouber]

I did start the thread aiming to get people's ideas about differences between clubs, but it is definitely taking the route of discussing Orka!

I suppose that is the main difference, what suits the eye. Because the likelihood is, even if technically, the clubs are suited to the player - if he/she doesn't like them at address, subconsciously they probably sabotage the shot anyway!

As for Orka - the comments about resale have popped into my head, but I'm probably looking at the Rs models, sc tour or RS10 (if the budget allows!) basically the forged blade-esque clubs which I will have for a long time. The plan is that these clubs will be custom fit, easily bent for loft and lie adjustments and stand the test of time. Hybrids and woods are a slightly different matter, but I also plan to keep them for a good 4-5 years, how much resale value does any club have nowadays once they reach that age?

I think the biggest element is the trust I will have in these clubs that are built by someone with extensive knowledge of the products at his disposal and of my golf swing.

What are people's thoughts on the best time to get custom fit? In relation to their handicap. I was always in the camp of thinking that you should be a better player. Reasoning is that your swing is changing and developing all the time at a higher handicap. However, having done my driver fit, I wish I had done it sooner. It's key to have a shaft and loft combo that suits your swing speed, tempo etc at any stage of your golf journey.

For example, my Ping G15 had a regular flex shaft, rated at 75mph. My swing speed was 101mph avg on the GC2. So I was basically swinging a piece of bungee cord! Couple that with what I am reliably informed as a shaft that violently oscillated (apparently as a result of the stock shafts put on off the shelf clubs) it is a wonder I would ever middle it. If this visit happened two years ago, it's possible my current handicap would have been achieved some time before, along with the level of consistency iI/we crave!

 

[3565]

I'm a long time user of Wishon 575mmc irons... can't fault them, great piece of kit - fabulous forged irons

(Only built my current set last night coz they're a little more forgiving)

All of the "component" guys do great stuff, but the re-sale value is poor, if that's a factor in anyone's choice of bats

I can also vouch for the Wishon 575mmc. I use the MBs but I do have a demo 575 in cavity and use a cavity 4i in my set and are milled on the back and a soft forging. I'm a big fan of the none OEMs, and don't like OEMs to a point where I don't even look at them. Another company called Smith Custom Fit do a great looking blade and is a distributor of possibly the best blade I've seen in years called Grindworks from Japan. If it wasn't the fact that I've just built my own 575's recently I'd of got a set of the Grindworks.
Personally just go with who you feel comfortable with the fitting and keep an open mind to the lesser companies.

 

[dewsweeper]

I got fitted by the guy I go to for lessons, he is an authorised Orka fitter but does other brands too. He does not build the clubs himself but sends the specs to Orka.

Where is that Louise?
Should be near enough for me to see if he can help an aging golfer.

 

[louise_a]

Where is that Louise?
Should be near enough for me to see if he can help an aging golfer.

James Curtis, he was at Chorlton cum Hardy when I got fitted for my clubs, he is now at Altrincham, its a muni but he has a good setup with a driving range there.