Driver Custom fitting- a cautionary tale

[AlchemyGolf]

your'e getting too involved with the technical aspects of the game.

I think Bobmac is right,
I know you guys like to put the golf world to rights on here but jeeezzzz you guys have to many things going on between the ears for me.

I play to a pretty decent standard,not one of my clubs are custom fit and I keep the game as simple as I can.
In the week I have 2 drills I have used for years that know are key for me but on a saturday its there's a ball,there's a target, let it happen.

I will probably get people saying its alright for you to say that off your h/cap but trust me this applies to everyone.
This game is complicated enough without making it far more complicated.

 

[scottyfan]

SammyBee,
I did not ask for different length as I believed it wasn't an option so call me stupid if you want. In addition I hit the demo so solid I reckoned I would be Ok. The fact is I couldn't reproduce anything like the same consistency with the actual purchase. So as the club was going back for investigation I pressed to get the shaft shortened.
I'll summarise my thoughts then I'm not bothering with this again.
I have discussed driver fitting with several pro shops and never once has any one suggested that my driver should be fitted for length nor that any of the fitting carts have this possibility.
Every model that comes out appears to be longer than the last model for reasons best known to the manufacturers
In some instances I think its a knee jerk marketing reaction to other manufacturers fed by the hype that if you make the shaft longer A. Punter can be convinced he can hit it further (into trouble usually).
Over the past few years we have seen driver length increase from 43 inches upto 46 inches. The rationale appears to be that we are then able to hit the ball with more clubhead speed. (Keeping clubhead speed constant makes for very little distance increase (around 5yds at 100mph).
What does increase is our inability to control such clubs.
So wouln't it be great if instead of this direction the manufacturers actually took time to deliver a product that made the game more enjoyable by enabling A. Punter to hit more balls out of the centre of the clubface. Ask any decent clubmaker and he will tell you that usually means shortening the driver shaft.
If the only way to handle future generation big name drivers is to grip down then frankly I'm not going to bother buying one.
Instead i'll do to a clubmaker who can offer driver custom fit including without prompting appropriate length adjustment.
And no I'm not naming the company as this is a view about the industry in general.

 

[Herbie]

Scottyfan, Im not meaning to be rude or insult you but I think you should just get out there and practice a lot more without thinking about tech stuff at all. Dont be offended but a lot of golfers get to a very good standard without a single technical thought going through their minds, a good pro will know all the tech stuff but a good pro wont teach it in my view so why do you feel you need to know so much about it, is it just an interest, a need to put the practical in the same bed space as the technical or are you doing a thesus or something?
In every aspect of life there are occasions where you can THINK too much about something and hamper the end result.

 

[andiritchie]

Ive got Cobra pro which was fitted at a demo day where i get lessons,it was fitted at 44 inch,in the driver head there is a weight in the centre which gets changed to get the right swing weight.

I pretty sure Titleist drivers have something similar to get the shaft and head weighted correctly for the golfer

You say you hit the demo well but no so your purchase i would get the shaft pured then put back in,iam so sure when at demo days everything is pured(could be wrong) so they get the best out the club,but aftersale clubs just have the shaft put in logo down

 

[Tommo21]

The same way they fixed my driver. The companies produce thousands of heads They have a weight tollerance in production. For a head of say 200 grams you could have weights ranging from 194 to 206. They go through them and check weights selecting heads for the tour van best suited to specs ( length /swing weight/shafts/ grips) of the players. They also use tip weights and other techiques to add weight inside the head. Info gathered from articles by prominent clubfitters / designers.

So what you're saying is you only got offered your CF with a standard shaft, rather than a shorter or longer one then?

So if you wanted a shorter shaft, why didn't you ask for it when you went - I am sure they could have found you something...

I'll ask again what manufacturer was it as I know at least one that offers different length shafts by way of a 'quick fit' system.....

Come on Sammmebee thats reads quite aggressive to me. Scottyfan has just joined and your giving him the third degree.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I have to agree that and say that I'm surprised a so called big name wouldn't offer shaft length options as part of a C/F process. I know a number of talented 12-18 year olds that have been C/F'd for drivers and you wouldn't expect them to swing a full length driver. I am 99% certain it can be done and this seems to be a case of buyers remorse as the club isn't behaving as it did on the demo day (you're not alone - been there done that. A couple of buy now regret laters are gathering dust to my left as I write)

Regarding pured shafts I don't recall any of the TM, Cally, Ping or Mizuno ones I tried at demo days last year being pured but just coming in a range of flexes and kick points. I know the TM and Cally were quickly changed by snap and click head/shaft combos.

I would actually go back to where you were C/F'd and explain your concerns about shaft length and see what the options if any are open. Sadly I don't think industry specs will change anytime soon and I feel that if you limit yourself to specialist club makers rather than getting a C/F through an approved XX specialist will be a shortsighted and ultimately more expensive avenue.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

your'e getting too involved with the technical aspects of the game.

I think Bobmac is right,
I know you guys like to put the golf world to rights on here but jeeezzzz you guys have to many things going on between the ears for me.

I play to a pretty decent standard,not one of my clubs are custom fit and I keep the game as simple as I can.
In the week I have 2 drills I have used for years that know are key for me but on a saturday its there's a ball,there's a target, let it happen.

I will probably get people saying its alright for you to say that off your h/cap but trust me this applies to everyone.
This game is complicated enough without making it far more complicated.

Please dont all get hung up on this stuff.
Im not saying you shouldnt do it but your putting far to much emphasis on all this and in danger of suffering from
"paralysis by analysis"

Take there advice on board but its not written in stone.
For my height and other measurements im supposed to have blue dot(.75 upright) and 1/4 inch added to my shafts.

I have standard black dot and 1/4 inch off my shafts
WHY
because it feels better and gives me more control and improves my play.
The pros who do this are a completly different animal to us mere mortals.
Go with what feels right not what they say is right!!
AND PLEASE KEEP IT AS SIMPLE AS POSSIBLE
NO MORE THAN 1 SWING THOUGHT AT A TIME
THATS VERY VERY VERY IMPORTANT

 

[haplesshacker]

your'e getting too involved with the technical aspects of the game.

I think Bobmac is right,
I know you guys like to put the golf world to rights on here but jeeezzzz you guys have to many things going on between the ears for me.

I play to a pretty decent standard,not one of my clubs are custom fit and I keep the game as simple as I can.
In the week I have 2 drills I have used for years that know are key for me but on a saturday its there's a ball,there's a target, let it happen.

I will probably get people saying its alright for you to say that off your h/cap but trust me this applies to everyone.
This game is complicated enough without making it far more complicated.

Come on.

I post a thread about how good it is to see more lower handicap players on here (yes that includes you Alchemygolf), and as things have heated up a little, you get a little self rightous. I'm not disagreeing with you about the fact that some of us 'worry' too much about 'unimportant' things, (balls thread discussion included in that), but one of the things that makes this forum good is that we can debate, have opinions and disagree on things without getting tetchy. See comment in bold above. I hardly think we qualify as wanting to put the golf world to rights.

Must be something in the water tonight, or it's because of the lack of golf due to the bad weather!

 

[AlchemyGolf]

There is no bad weather up here,played 15 holes in sunshine on a full course again this afternoon after work.

Believe it or not I am HONESTLY trying to help you guys as much as possible going from my experience.
Please dont get to technical.
ive witnessed natural scr golfers go down that road and now they cant break 80.

Bobmac is a pro and he has said the same thing!
Are we both wrong?
Well thats the debate,make up your own mind!

 

[bobmac]

I have read all of this thread several times and its proof that all of us are different.
Some golfers play because their boss plays, some play because their friends play others play because they want to play.
Some like to practice, some dont.
Some like to play on their own, some dont.
Some swear by Go Kart, some dont
Some love Pings, some dont.
Some enjoy the technical side and some dont
and I think we have at least one of each category in this forum.
It's quite surprising there's not more e-punch-ups in here lol
It just shows how hitting a ball with a stick can be such fun and bring so many different types of people together with one common love, the game of Golf which we all serve.
Good luck with all your endevours this year and I hope we can all get back on the course soon.

 

[haplesshacker]

Nope, you're not wrong, as it's something I used to 'preach' when I was coaching sailing professionally on yachts. People would worry about wind sheer and twist, and yet they couldn't do the simple things properly.

I guess I just took slight umbridge at the 'to rights' comment.

May I refer you to the other post that I posted. It still applies!! That goes for Bobmac too.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

If you think this is bad.....

We have had some right old ding dongs on here from time to time and it has got quite bitch and nasty but the great thing is that in time everything tends to be forgiven and forgotten (and best resolved via PM) and that normality will break out again.

There are a lot of strong willed members on here so clashes are to be expected but providing everyone behaves as if this were a virtual clubhouse then a sense of decorum normally comes back. Everyone has a right to their opinion and it is an open forum. If a guy like the OP has an issue with shaft length then he is perfectly entitled to express his views concerning how it will affect his game.

I personally don't agree with him on this subject as my previous comments indicate but I still respect his view. If you really feel strongly about a person or opinion a PM is a much better way of dealing with a problem rather than airing it in public

 

[AlchemyGolf]

Hey Im not trying to come across all high and almighty and If I do then its not meant.

I just read things on here and IN MY OPINION I think NNNNNNNOOOOOOOOO,why would you do that!!!!!!

Please disagree if you like,no problem with that but my advice is trying to help.

I had a very rough start to this forum from the natives and would have been perfectly within my rights to say stuff this why should I try to help these people.
BUT FOR SOME REASON
I came back!!

 

[haplesshacker]

Good grief guys.

This isn't an 'e-punch-up', and I believe that it's been blown out of all sense of proportion. When compared to some other comments in this site, I thought that I was being polite, and defending the forum as a whole.

I was in the process of pm'ing Alchemygolf, but felt that it had already been said on here, and on the other post about seeing low handicappers and pros on here.

I don't think there was any intention for this to appear 'out of hand' from either party. So on my part, apologies if it came across as antagonistic, or troublesome. That was not the intention.

Deal or no deal

 

[HomerJSimpson]

alchemy

For what its worth I at least have enjoyed some of the stuff you've posted but there has to be some give and take on both sides. I've been criticised on here for being a range junkie who practices way too much (especially last year) and those people were probably right in saying it. However there are some on here that like the technical side and putting the golfing world to rights so you need to given them their space even if you don't agree.

Stick around. It's not always this bad!!!

 

[Herbie]

There are many strong willed on here, myself included but like Alchemygolf, Im only here in open forum to help if I can.

I listen to anyone from any level in golf as you never know where the next valuable tip may come from, but when it comes to play, I tend to listen to those who are better at the game than myself, there are very good reasons they are better. Some may have difficulty putting it over as we all sometimes do, but generally speaking the better players are more likely to be right than not. This doesnt mean a great player is always going to be able to communicate the information nor does it mean they will always be right, but overall I think the odds are stacked in the better players favour.
One thing Ive seen in golf is similar to the mentality of drivers, who DOESN'T know a basically qualified driver who knows everything about driving? Thats not meant to offend anyone its just a reasonable analogy in my mind.

One thing I have noticed with the more seasoned and capable of players in here, is less talk about the technical and more talk about the practical and common sense.

We can all talk about data and technology, but data/technology/statistics do not play the game for you and the only way that stuff benefits is when practical application is successful. You can have the best,latest thing, talk of the town golf club in your hand, yet without the right practical application you may as well have the worst.

If you have a passion for the absolute details thats fine, please enjoy,but maybe a different thread just for that is in order, I must say that reading some threads starting with a simple question that should only require a practical solution, yet ends up off topic and off at a tangent till it becomes another techno study can be quite tiresome to me, I love golf but if I need all the data, I can ask in a shop should I fancy the product or pick up one of the many publications, I dont know about any of you, but I never have a single technical thought in my mind when I play.

 

[viscount17]

alchemy and others, when getting into a 'heated' thread (and believe me, this isn't one!) always bear in mind the time of year.

once cabin fever sets in, the brakes come off, but at the first hint of ball on tee, all is sweetness and light.

 

[AlchemyGolf]

I don't think there was any intention for this to appear 'out of hand' from either party. So on my part, apologies if it came across as antagonistic, or troublesome. That was not the intention.

When did this get thought of as being nasty.

JJJEEEZZZZZZZZ
it was just a bit of banter,,we have been at it all day on a number of subjects

If you expect me to wrap my views up in pink wrapping paper with a bow on top then its not gonna happen.
The things im telling you are things that have been said to me by some of the best teachers in the land 15 years ago.

I will always put my point across firmly but im going to lose any sleep if you say F Off dickhead

 

[SammmeBee]

I have to agree I do have some sympathy with our new man, who apparently I have been nasty too....

I actually believe that there are no 2 drivers exactly the same - I saw a Tour Pro nearly in tears once when his caddy dropped his driver and dented the face - sure he could get one made up the same...but it was not the 'same' at all....

I have a driver that now works for me....it was close enough to what I wanted when I got it but I had to get used to working with it to make it work for me as best I can get it - if I could only get it to go a little further....

My point was that it seems like our new man is complaining after the horse has bolted - as we all know hindsight is a wonderful thing...

The reason why standard shafts are getting longer is that it makes the ball go further...and 95% of golfers just want a club that makes it go further...if it goes further into the cabbage then sobeit.....

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Wise words. It seems that distance is king - all hail the king. I'm not the best driver in the world and definitely not a long hitter (220 average) so why would I want something to hit longer into the rough or never to be seen again and have to reload for 3.