Custom fitting DOES work!

TonyN

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At least for drivers anyway!

Wanna here the storey? Listen up.

So fed up of the FTI thats getting me nowhere past 200 yards i decide that today is the day to seek out a new loyal driver!

Was thinking of Warrington American Golf however Fore Golf in Chester have a vector launch monitor and everything to choose from (vision a kid in a big sweet shop) That was me this morning.

Arrives at 12:50, chaps introduce them selves, i respond by telling them my problem and that i want a magic wand but will settle for the best driver they can make for me.

My lucky day it seems, someone cancelled the 13:00 appointment so i can go straight in if i want! Why not! Cost me £25 quid for 45 mins and if i bought the club they would knock this off! Fair enough i thought, and off we went.

So Danny gives asks what irons i use, X20 i reply and then just like that there is one in my hand, here warm up! i'll get the vector going! After a few swings danny askes me what i usually drive and i tell him on the range about 200 if i'm having a good day. He told me to start hitting some drives with my FTI and starts to look at the results on the launch monitor. Not good, the launch angle is plop, the rpm is only about 1,500 and the shots are going way left. So he quickly selects some different shafts and heads and starts to put them together! I notice you are a callaway man he says handing me the FT-5, what a head to look down on. Confidence is massive, not like the head on this thing, it looks compact yet broad, wierd i know. First few shots went like a dream, Rpm gets up around the 2,700 mark and the flight is longer, higher and seems to play in slow motion. Much better Danny says, and i agree, with a big smile on my face! Lets just try that head with a different shaft, He explains that a soft tip shaft will promote spin and that is what i need, more! So whilst he's making the changes he hands me a cleveland hi-bore (no good) and a new cobra (no good either)

Right then, this should do the trick! FT-5 in hand with the altered shaft i bang right down the middle, 237 yards, 3,300 rpm, off the middle hangtime about 10 minutes. Thats the one Danny says, try again. Same results! And again, and again. My club head speed was now at about 90mph and the ball leaving the clubface at about 135 ish. The shots kept getting longer and i think i managed to hit the 250 mark a couple of times. (this is the back fence at my usual range :D )

So what do you think Danny says, I think i need to sell my driver! And buy this one! He continues by asking what grip i would like, (i opted for multi compound.He asks what size glove i take and i tell him small cause its snug, He responds by measuring the lentgh of my hand and fingers then getting me to hold the club ''like an umbrella'' and notices a bit of pressure on my thumb from my middle finger. One layer of tape it is then!

So we wrap things up and head back to the pro shop, chatting about local courses and stuff. When we get back in the manager prices my fti through golf bidder at 110, i almost died. He then explains that if i give him 140 less the 25 quid for the session plus my driver its a deal. So dissapointed at this i tell him i need time to think it through. He says no probs and i then start to have a look around the shop.

After a couple of minutes he comes over and says, i have an idea, In the back is a demo FT-5 all the same spec as you just used only its a tour head (half degree more loft and £40 dearer) The shaft isnt exactly the same but has all the same characteristics. (but again dearer) So he brings it out and shows me, Looks lovely for a demo driver, not a mark on it! Best part is, he says i will give you it for £100 quid plus your driver. Not conviced without actually trying it, Danny whisked me off the vector room again. He quickly made one up and the results were equally as staggering! He then explained that the club, to build would cost £360 quid. This soon made the deal a little easier to digest. On the way back to the pro shop (for the second time) i asked if he would still do the grip and tape and he said of course!

So i go back tonight to pick up my new driver and plan on using it tommorow! All in all the club cost £100 minus my £25 vector session so had to pay £75 plus my FT-I worth £110 . £210 for a £360 club optimised to suit me perfectly. I am a happy man, the mrs isnt to impressed but she doesnt really understand!

Big thanks to Danny at Fore Golf in Chester and i hope the club serves me well!

(forgot to mention, i tried the new hyper x and this was also excellent but not quite as good as the FT-5.)

I will Post the proper stats of the club later when i pick it up as i cant quite remember the lot!

Thanks for listening and good night!
 

theeaglehunter

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Glad your happy with the results, they are pretty impressive stats. I may have to think about getting a fitted driver to go wtih my fitted irons! Remember though that clubs always go well on the range and then have a bit of a honeymoon period and will probably get worse with time, but hopefully the performance won't deteriorate too much.
 

TonyN

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this is what i thought, but when he explained my needs from a club and shown me that the driver i had was the opposite, well more the shaft it really pleased me to see the results.

And i normally play shat on the range compared to the course cause i hate the tee's and balls. He said it was quite unusual to get get someone in and improve thier yardage by an extra 40 -50. Normally 10-20 is good apparently!
 

Parmo

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Sounds great, I wouldnt mind something like that myself, I drive about 200-230 with my cobra and wouldnt mind a little more distance and consistancy.
 

pjaz

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FT-5 in hand with the altered shaft i bang right down the middle, 237 yards, 3,300 rpm, off the middle hangtime about 10 minutes.

10 minute hang time for a 237 yard drive - you've been had. :D :D :D Only kidding. Sounds like a bargain.
 

medwayjon

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Definately works.

I was fitted for my Ping G5 and I can hit it 260 this time of year. I am really hoping that in the summer with a bounce and good roll that I can hit a 300yd drive.

Glad you had a result, just don't check what FTi's are making on ebay :D
 

Nico

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Go On With Your Bad Self!!!

I too like the FT5 head particularly the Tour as it sits better. The weighting gives me a better feel too.

Please let me know how you go tomorrow!!
 

TonyN

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Glad you had a result, just don't check what FTi's are making on ebay :D

Yeah i know! I checked before i left this morning. Thats why i almost walked away. But when he came back with the tour head and a reduced priced, it was as if i was getting more for mine anyway so it wasnt too bad.


Ok full spec is:

Callaway FT-5 10.5*(tour head) draw bias (although it actually looks open behind the ball)

Aldila NVS 65-R 350 shaft with red Golf Pride multi-compound grip.

I dont think i am gonna sleep tonight in anticipation of tommorow!

Will report back with the results!!!
 
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