Custom fitting disappointment

[Hobbit]

In truth, it felt more like one huge big con! And the culprits; Taylormade. I went along because the results with my current 4&5 iron are not quite what I'd like to see. I explained this to the fitter, and then did a warm up with my 7 iron and the 7 iron S'blade that he recommended - same shaft in both.

The results; my 7 iron went 145 yds on a cold windy day. Speedblade 7 iron about the same. Then, after a static measurement, a 1/2" longer shaft was fitted, gaining 7 yds. Not a huge improvement but it tickled my interest a little.

Then he gave me the 4 iron to try... the results were appalling. I just couldn't get it up in the air.

Got home and Googled the specs. My Titliest 712cb 7 iron is 35* but the S'blade is 30.5*. I'd have thought the 4.5* difference would have given about 10yds + another 5yds for the extra half inch in the shaft. The difference in the 4 irons, mine is 24*, TM is 20*... and loft is supposed to be your friend...

In some respects it doesn't matter what the number on the bottom of the club is, nor the loft, so long as the end result is the ball goes how far, and where, you want it. BUT how can you honestly be comparing like for like if you're told to hit your 7 iron against their 7 iron?!!

That's 2 custom fit sessions I've had with TM, for irons, in the last few years, and both have been very disappointing. Still loving my bought 'off the shelf' SLDR though.

 

[moogie]

Thought the i25 irons were "talking" to you Bri.......??

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Lofts being made stronger isn't anything new with TM (and Cobra did it for a while as well) so it always gives the impression you are hitting it further, when in fact, you are actually hitting one club more. If you are still interested in custom fitting for irons, there is only one company that have it spot on, in my opinion, and that is Mizuno. Lofts aren't cranked horrendously, and the DNA fitting system is a winner

 

[SVB]

Before I start - Warning: he said, she said alert!

I asked our pro about this as TM have a strong foothold at our club. The TM logic / explaination he passed on when they asked TM is that the 'speed pocket' slot allows deformation at impact, therefore the loft of the iron striking the ball is different to that when measured on the club face normally, ie the deformation at impact effectivly adds loft hence are comparable.

Now, I'm not sure I buy this explaination totally but that is the recieved wisdom I have (via some others hence warning) of TM position.

My view is probably a more balanced, slightly synical one, that we all love to hit our new 7 iron 20 yds past our old one and are more likely to shell out the big bucks if this is the case. therefore there is a clear and constant pressue, given TM advertising strategy focussed on distance, to achieve this no matter what. However, this cannot continue forever as for me, distance is a factor but forgivness and shot dispersion are more important than extra distance that I can equally achieve by hitting some more club.

Anyway, my 2c.

Simon

 

[Martin70]

My irons are 'jacked' with decreased lofts. Always amuses me when my playing partners ask what club I'm using on a par 3. In my mind once I have told them about the lower lofts once then my duty is done so when they forget and copy me and land 10 yards short I get a sick pleasure out of it

 

[Hacker Khan]

Before I start - Warning: he said, she said alert!

I asked our pro about this as TM have a strong foothold at our club. The TM logic / explaination he passed on when they asked TM is that the 'speed pocket' slot allows deformation at impact, therefore the loft of the iron striking the ball is different to that when measured on the club face normally, ie the deformation at impact effectivly adds loft hence are comparable.

Now, I'm not sure I buy this explaination totally but that is the recieved wisdom I have (via some others hence warning) of TM position.

My view is probably a more balanced, slightly synical one, that we all love to hit our new 7 iron 20 yds past our old one and are more likely to shell out the big bucks if this is the case. therefore there is a clear and constant pressue, given TM advertising strategy focussed on distance, to achieve this no matter what. However, this cannot continue forever as for me, distance is a factor but forgivness and shot dispersion are more important than extra distance that I can equally achieve by hitting some more club.

Anyway, my 2c.

Simon

Crossfield has kind of proved that the speed slots do chuff all if you hit a TM club with the same loft and shaft length against another manufacturers club with the same specs.

And Amen to the highlighted bit.

 

[Oddsocks]

Wasn't it discovered that the new cranked lofts were actually a proven formula that was justified.

New clubs launch higher due to better head technology, with this manufactures have cranked the lofts to bring the flights down respectively, this has equaled more distance.

 

[bluewolf]

Wasn't it discovered that the new cranked lofts were actually a proven formula that was justified.

New clubs launch higher due to better head technology, with this manufactures have cranked the lofts to bring the flights down respectively, this has equaled more distance.

thats how I understood it.

 

[Hobbit]

I asked our pro about this as TM have a strong foothold at our club. The TM logic / explaination he passed on when they asked TM is that the 'speed pocket' slot allows deformation at impact, therefore the loft of the iron striking the ball is different to that when measured on the club face normally, ie the deformation at impact effectivly adds loft hence are comparable.

Simon

One of the issues with this explanation is that the Speed Pocket isn't in all the irons but the degrees difference between the irons remains the same... how can you have deformation in some irons but not in others AND retain the distance gaps between the irons? More TM guff?

 

[Oddsocks]

thats how I understood it.

The other option is true lofts meaning your 7i only flies as far as your current 7i, but has the flight of either your 8i or even 9i

Lofts may have changed, but ball flights do remain relative to the club number and not loft

 

[Hobbit]

Thought the i25 irons were "talking" to you Bri.......??

Its the i20's that are singing to me... I know my spec for these, and may just buy on Ebay then get them set up for me... not overly fussed with the i25's.

 

[moogie]

Bri
Why not just try and demo 4 & 5 irons in the AP range and stick to Titleist...??

 

[MadAdey]

Wasn't it discovered that the new cranked lofts were actually a proven formula that was justified.

New clubs launch higher due to better head technology, with this manufactures have cranked the lofts to bring the flights down respectively, this has equaled more distance.

This is what I understand. They are aimed to help golfers of all abilities hit hte ball more consistent. When I got fitted for my irons last year I hit the TM Rocketbladz Tour, they did not go any further than my MP33 blades, despite being 3* less loft on equivalant iron. With the naked eye they looked to go on a similar trajectory and distance, so I believe that these cranked lofts are actually giving a similar launch angle to an older iron that isn't jacked up.

 

[Imurg]

Wasn't it discovered that the new cranked lofts were actually a proven formula that was justified.

New clubs launch higher due to better head technology, with this manufactures have cranked the lofts to bring the flights down respectively, this has equaled more distance.

This is it, in a nutshell.
The weighting of modern heads is such that they launch high, especially GI clubs, to help get the ball in the air.
Stronger lofts are needed to bring the flight down and this increases distance. So hitting a new 20° 4 iron against an older 24° , you ought to get an extra club's worth of distance with similar flight and ease of use.
That's the theory..

As for the face-flex on a club with a slot - perleease.!!!!
Do they expect us to believe that an iron face will flex 4° when it hits a golf ball...?
Are their 8 and 9 irons especially soft so they flex that amount without needing a slot..?

 

[srixon 1]

Before I start - Warning: he said, she said alert!

I asked our pro about this as TM have a strong foothold at our club. The TM logic / explaination he passed on when they asked TM is that the 'speed pocket' slot allows deformation at impact, therefore the loft of the iron striking the ball is different to that when measured on the club face normally, ie the deformation at impact effectivly adds loft hence are comparable.

Now, I'm not sure I buy this explaination totally but that is the recieved wisdom I have (via some others hence warning) of TM position.

My view is probably a more balanced, slightly synical one, that we all love to hit our new 7 iron 20 yds past our old one and are more likely to shell out the big bucks if this is the case. therefore there is a clear and constant pressue, given TM advertising strategy focussed on distance, to achieve this no matter what. However, this cannot continue forever as for me, distance is a factor but forgivness and shot dispersion are more important than extra distance that I can equally achieve by hitting some more club.

Anyway, my 2c.

Simon

With reference to the text in bold above. What a load of guff. How can a lump of metal compress when it is hitting a lump of rubbery plastic? Surely the metal "wins" this contest every time? (Unless you use a pinnacle ball). Also, drivers with compressible faces were banned years ago so does this not also apply to irons?

 

[HawkeyeMS]

One of the issues with this explanation is that the Speed Pocket isn't in all the irons but the degrees difference between the irons remains the same... how can you have deformation in some irons but not in others AND retain the distance gaps between the irons? More TM guff?

Exactly my issue with the speed pocket when TM first introduced it.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Just get out and hit the I20's and get those. Lovely looking iron with a much nicer head than the TM speedblades to look down on

 

[davidy233]

I rented Rocketbladez 2 when I was in the Algarve in September and my first impression was 'these fly much higher' - couldn't say they went any further than my six year old Callaway irons but definitely higher - fine for a sunny, windless day in Portugal but hardly ideal for a links here - would be ideal for someone who struggles to get the ball in the air - my problem is the opposite.

I tried out Ping G25s on Monday and asked the pro if there was anything else I should try - he said new Callaways and Rocketbladez - so I'll be hitting them again tonight - will be interesting to see if my impression from September still applies when compared with another couple of sets of GI irons.

 

[groundskeeperwilly]

Just to respond to the OP - I had a fitting with TM the other week and their main interest when I arrived and had a chat was in gaining me distance. I warmed up with my own 7 iron and clearly he could see my distances were good and that I was looking for feel, control etc rather than distance so he immediately moved me towards the more appropriate MB and MC clubs rather than Speed/Rocketbladez type designs.

I think if you'd had a fitter worth his salt he would have looked a bit more in depth at what you're currently hitting and tried to give a better comparison. I think the TP CB irons would have been worth a look for sure.

Did they not look at hybrids as options too?

 

[Region3]

Unless you're a very short hitter, why on earth would anyone want to hit their irons further?

All it means is you need another wedge to fill the big yardage gap you just made.

As for the speed slot... assuming the 'hole' is biggest at the bottom, then squishing the face into that gap is delofting surely, not adding loft.