Custom Fitting ...... An alternative view.

[madandra]

Right lads and Ali, I am not posting this to rekindle the heated debate of the last couple of posts but here is my question regarding the subject;


Do mid-high handicappers swing the club concistently enough to get the full benefits from a fitted shaft/club.

The reason for my question is my brother in law made the comment on Friday that when he was on the swing monitor he rarely swung the irons at the same speed in succession.

So when you are lashing out with a driver or long iron are you infact altering your swing speed to the point that the shaft flex is no longer suitable or effective.

 

[Marko77]

in short, no.

If it gives the player more confidence and belief then yes, there is some benefit. At the end of the day a custom fit isn't instantly going to reduce scores, there's got to be some sort of solid swing there first for the fitted clubs to aid. the fitting process might just be the catalyst for discovering a swing for some?

what came first, the chicken or the egg?

 

[GB72]

I can see the benefit of fitting for a high handicapper. I seriously could not hit a driver straight. Went to see a clubmaker and he built a club with a higher loft and a shaft that was suited to my swing and shortened to make it easier to control.

With this club I am now hitting fairways on a fairly regular basis.

I am sure that many of the services being offered as custom fitting do little but the 2 hours spent working out a driver that worked for me were massively beneficial.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think there has to be some definition here. If you were to measure the swing speed of an absolute beginner or a 28 handicapper there will be a degree of variance because by the nature of their handicap/ability there isn't a repeatable swing.

If you were to measure the swing speed of say the next handicap group say 25-20 whilst I believe there will still be a difference in the swing speed, the benefits of custom fitting will come into thier own more readily (more flexible shaft, different grip size, cavity heads etc).

Taking that several steps further, the lower the handicap the more consistency you find, i.e. a more consistent repeatable action and it is perhaps here in the 15-8 bracket that custom fitting opens up the most doors in terms of playability.

There are a larger number of heads to choose from (less cavity back more blade type) the argument for stiffer shafts for those with stronger, quicker swings, more swing weight, etc.

I think the custom fitting benefits then peter out as you get into the lower single figure and scratch bracket. Here I think most good players will have a repeatable reliable action. They will be playing softer forged bladed clubs (not always but in the main) and their scores will be built more around good ball striking and a well honed short game.

My views on custom fitted are well documented. This is just how I see it. I'm prepared for people to disagree and present valid counter arguments.

 

[viscount17]

a significant part of golf is the mind game; custom fitting is another part of that.
at the moment I couldn't hit an iron to save my life. would getting cf irons change that - no. once I get my swing back, would cf irons help - they won't make things worse and I will be willing (financially) to take the chance that they could.

 

[Parmo]

As the old saying goes... golf is 80% mental.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

As the old saying goes... golf is 80% mental.

What are you talking about?
Everyone knows that golf is completely mental!

 

[MVP]

Do mid-high handicappers swing the club concistently enough to get the full benefits from a fitted shaft/club.

Once again, i am a mid handicapper. the reason being is i am sh*t at putting if i wasnt id be maybe 8-11 you never know. Point im making despite being a mid handicapper ive got good ball striking so handicap is not a factor to compare with custom fitting, there maybe a couple of reasons for your brothers swing benig inconsistent

1. He is in a different environment, ive done it my self when your on a launch monitor or Lie board you may swing different because your not use to the environment, your brotherinlaw perhaps would swing better when on the course because his mind is focussed on the game and where the ball is going, rather than the swing itself, and we all know what happens when we concentrate on swing technicalities on the course...

2. He could just be an inconsistent swinger and if it wasnt for his excellent/good shortgame and putting he would be a high handicapper.

Most of the poorer swingers with high handicaps I play golf with and see at the range still have a repeatable swing, and would reap the benefits of being fitted.
Lets go back to the old scenario of the 'AVERAGE' golfer goes in a shop and buys a stiff 9degree driver off the shelf. You know he would of been better of with an 12 degree regular flex.... well maybe anyway Depends on what everyone here calls and 'AVERAGE' golfer.

Hope this makes a bit of sense to old and new forum members... And DOESNT get slated.


Further to this Pick up your MARCH 2008 copy of GOLF MONTHLY
And turn to page 114 and Look at Graeme Bunn's Stats before and after a bit of Custom Fitting.

He is a high handicapper!!!

 

[madandra]

Ok, good responses and tempers are still in check but I have a CF driver but now and then I 'go for it' thus increasing my swing speed outwith the peramiters the shaft was fitted to. Surely I am not the only one that likes to go for the glory drive.

 

[USER1999]

Surely when you get custom fitted for a club, you have many swings with it (I had about 10 with each driver), so an average can be taken, and the fitter (if he is any good) can interpret the results, to give you a best fit. This should take out any variation.

If you buy a club which is a best fit for your swing, you will probably find that even if you try to lash it, your swing probably isn't as different as you think. How much further does it really go, because often I find it doesn't even go as far as a well struck shot with my normal swing. I can't blame this on the club (well, it was custom fit for my other swing, so no wonder I have hooked/sliced/topped that one).

 

[madandra]

MTM, good point but the lesson I have learned from this topic is that the next time I play I am going to try and swing comfortably with the driver just to see if I am more consistant. I think any loss of distance will be more than compensated by improved consistancy.

 

[viscount17]

mad, you'll just have to have two drivers. The one you were fitted for and the one the mind craves, extra-stiff, extra-long, oversize head for those mad moments and when you compete in the long drive competitions. Look forward to seeing you on Setanta!

 

[Parmo]

I feel bad from buying a driver and fitting my swing around that because it was cheaper that way

 

[teetime72]

Not exactly custom fitting,but has anyone had their shafts
" pured" and felt it make a difference.

 

[Nico]

Hi everyone,this is my first post so be kind!!!

I want to comment on a couple of the posts in this thread.

Firstly my opinion is that custom fitting is essential for all golfers,the only difference is the level of detail you go to. Whatever level of golfer you are the clubs must at least physically fit you,by which I mean lie,length etc.

I agree to a point with Homer but he is completely mistaken about low handicappers,this is when you gain most benefit from the process. I had the good fortune to be taken by a friend to a custom fit specialist (no names but in Camberley) where I had my whole set fitted and pured. I had Driver,3 Wood,Rescue,3 - pw, gap wedge and sand/lob wedge (with the soles ground)built for me. The outcome is that my handicap has dropped 2 shots (not easy from 6).

I would not suggest that this is the way forward for everyone as it is not cheap,but it has certainly worked for me.

-------------------------------

In my Bag :-

Titleist 905R Accra tour shaft
Cleveland Launcher 3 wood Accra tour shaft
Makser 21 degree rescue Accra tour shaft
3 - PW Vega blades Precision tour shafts
54 Titleist Vokey spin milled bent to 52 and sole ground
58 Titleist Vokey spin milled sole ground
Ping Redwwod Zing putter 32"

(And yes I do know how lucky I am!!!)

 

[stevelockie]

Good comment andra. One I can relate to up to a point. My first cf session at Mizuno, I shanked all my warm up shots.

When it came to the actual measuring, my swing was based around not shanking rather than just hitting the ball. Did this affect the shafts of my irons? Maybe! I was fitted with Regular Superlights. Maybe regular would have done (which I now have).

I would like to think my situation was unique to me. Generally speaking I think a good fitter can get a good idea of what's required for someone, even if (or perhaps especially if) they don't swing the club consistently.

As for your driver, well if your going to swing out of your shoes at it from time to time, there's no point having for example an X-stiff shaft for those one or two occasions.
If your anything like me, if your club was set-up in such a way you would be going after it on every tee shot!!