farfaeforfar
Assistant Pro
Sorry if this isn't in the right section as its part review and part brain dump from today.
I ventured up to a cold, breezy Kings Links in Aberdeen today for a custom fit session. I'd booked it after my Direct Golf MOT but wanted to try a few different clubs as I'm still a bit confused what to look at. It felt colder than the temperature shown in the car of 3 degrees but I think that was the wind chill as Met Office showed wind speeds around 12mph with 30mph gusts.
To warm up I hit a basket of balls before the session to loosen off. I'm still getting over a chest infection and cyst in my upper eye lid so wasn't 100%.
I hit my own 7 iron and the Launch Monitor showed me what I had been told already (and thought to myself) although the dispersion was good the average distance was a mere 138yds
. I'm still obviously getting back into things but I prefer midsize/smaller head in my irons so the Pro selected four to look at.
First off I hit the Taylormade RSI2. That was a suggested but I just didn't like the look, the feel of it either. Unsurprisingly the results weren't great. Dispersion wasn't as tight as my old (Cleveland TA3's) irons. My swing speed was a consitant 86mph so the RSI's had the KBS 105 Stiff shaft fitted. I don't rememeber many more numbers other than average carry was 148yds with a smash factor of 1.27. I didn't want to try much more as I didn't like the iron much.
Next was the Callaway Apex. First few hits were definitely feeling better and had my fade as the natural shape back. Again I only got one shaft to try in stiff which I think was the KBS tour shaft. Average carry was up again on the 7 iron to 155yds, swing speed around 87 this time, smash factor of 1.33. Dispersion was tighter than the RSI's but still a little larger than my old irons. Happy enough with it.
Tried the Titleist AP2's next and to my eye they are the nicest looking irons. I can't remember the shaft type this time but was a stiff flex. Although they seemed harder to hit the dispersion was almost identical to the Callaways with distance a little shorter at 152yd carry average. Smash factor was a little down at 1.31. Similar flight to the Apex so at least some consistency to how it looked. the only issue was the grips was knackered, had a large 1/2 inch section which seemed ribbed in comparsion to the rest. Enough to be slightly uncomfortable. More psychological but I do wonder how it'd have hit if I had a decent gripped demo club.
Last irons was the Mizuno JPX850 Pro Forged. They looked as good as the Titleists albeit a little larger in my eyes. Had a really nice sound and feel on most connections. Dispersion was virtually identical to the Apex irons, maybe slightly tighter. average carry was 157yds, smash of 1.32. It had XP105 Stiff shaft fitted. Can't remember the swing speed average though.. Ball flight seemed a little more zippy from the face with a good flight pattern, all playing my natural fade.
The pro said he thought the figures and look of the ball flight was best/most consistent with the JPX850's. So I plumped on them as I don't think there was much between them and the other clubs. Maybe the feel was a little better on the well stuck shots.
The woods turned into a bit of a nightmare. I like the Titleist so had the 915 3 wood to try. Tried a couple of Diamana shafts settling on the S+ Blue 70. Avg Carry was 225 with roll to 250-255. I think by this point I was feeling the cold and slightly brain faded. I couldn't get the 915 driver to work at all for me even with the same shaft as the 3 wood. I got to try the Ping G30 but to me it was ugly and I just didn't hit it well once.
The Pro was keen to say come back at the end of the month as they will have the new Taylormade Woods/Driver (Aero) and new Callaway alphas in stock to demo. So I may come back to them to seejust means another £30 spent for a second custom fit session!. Not sure though if I would or maybe try Kingsacre which is the Titleist authorised centre and see how it goes there, maybe get to try some more combinations of shaft in iron, wood and driver. Will need to have a ponder as it's getting close to me starting my first season back and I'd like some practice time with new sticks before going out in anger with them!
sorry it's a long post but needed to brain dump.
Ross
I ventured up to a cold, breezy Kings Links in Aberdeen today for a custom fit session. I'd booked it after my Direct Golf MOT but wanted to try a few different clubs as I'm still a bit confused what to look at. It felt colder than the temperature shown in the car of 3 degrees but I think that was the wind chill as Met Office showed wind speeds around 12mph with 30mph gusts.
To warm up I hit a basket of balls before the session to loosen off. I'm still getting over a chest infection and cyst in my upper eye lid so wasn't 100%.
I hit my own 7 iron and the Launch Monitor showed me what I had been told already (and thought to myself) although the dispersion was good the average distance was a mere 138yds
. I'm still obviously getting back into things but I prefer midsize/smaller head in my irons so the Pro selected four to look at.First off I hit the Taylormade RSI2. That was a suggested but I just didn't like the look, the feel of it either. Unsurprisingly the results weren't great. Dispersion wasn't as tight as my old (Cleveland TA3's) irons. My swing speed was a consitant 86mph so the RSI's had the KBS 105 Stiff shaft fitted. I don't rememeber many more numbers other than average carry was 148yds with a smash factor of 1.27. I didn't want to try much more as I didn't like the iron much.
Next was the Callaway Apex. First few hits were definitely feeling better and had my fade as the natural shape back. Again I only got one shaft to try in stiff which I think was the KBS tour shaft. Average carry was up again on the 7 iron to 155yds, swing speed around 87 this time, smash factor of 1.33. Dispersion was tighter than the RSI's but still a little larger than my old irons. Happy enough with it.
Tried the Titleist AP2's next and to my eye they are the nicest looking irons. I can't remember the shaft type this time but was a stiff flex. Although they seemed harder to hit the dispersion was almost identical to the Callaways with distance a little shorter at 152yd carry average. Smash factor was a little down at 1.31. Similar flight to the Apex so at least some consistency to how it looked. the only issue was the grips was knackered, had a large 1/2 inch section which seemed ribbed in comparsion to the rest. Enough to be slightly uncomfortable. More psychological but I do wonder how it'd have hit if I had a decent gripped demo club.
Last irons was the Mizuno JPX850 Pro Forged. They looked as good as the Titleists albeit a little larger in my eyes. Had a really nice sound and feel on most connections. Dispersion was virtually identical to the Apex irons, maybe slightly tighter. average carry was 157yds, smash of 1.32. It had XP105 Stiff shaft fitted. Can't remember the swing speed average though.. Ball flight seemed a little more zippy from the face with a good flight pattern, all playing my natural fade.
The pro said he thought the figures and look of the ball flight was best/most consistent with the JPX850's. So I plumped on them as I don't think there was much between them and the other clubs. Maybe the feel was a little better on the well stuck shots.
The woods turned into a bit of a nightmare. I like the Titleist so had the 915 3 wood to try. Tried a couple of Diamana shafts settling on the S+ Blue 70. Avg Carry was 225 with roll to 250-255. I think by this point I was feeling the cold and slightly brain faded. I couldn't get the 915 driver to work at all for me even with the same shaft as the 3 wood. I got to try the Ping G30 but to me it was ugly and I just didn't hit it well once.
The Pro was keen to say come back at the end of the month as they will have the new Taylormade Woods/Driver (Aero) and new Callaway alphas in stock to demo. So I may come back to them to seejust means another £30 spent for a second custom fit session!. Not sure though if I would or maybe try Kingsacre which is the Titleist authorised centre and see how it goes there, maybe get to try some more combinations of shaft in iron, wood and driver. Will need to have a ponder as it's getting close to me starting my first season back and I'd like some practice time with new sticks before going out in anger with them!
sorry it's a long post but needed to brain dump.
Ross
