Eye opener result of fitting & MOT (Footjoy & Taylormade)

[vkurup]

Lovely day for golf, but all the action for me was indoor... Both shocking and eye opening.

First off.. Footjoy had a fitting day at my club. My shoe sprung a leak last weekend, so stopped by as I am keen on a DNA. I have worn size 9 for the past 15 years if not more. So imagine my surprise when he told me my size is 7-Extra Wide!!! I tried a 7EW and look and behold it fitted like a glove. His view is that since I wear a 'regular' shoe, I compensate with a 9 size. I did not get the DNA since I did not have the money, but will look up the Lunars when I will. I have dropped 2 shoe sizes and feel a less of a man after that

From there, drove down to Golf Studio in Surbiton for a club MOT with old Laurence. My 5i-PW are off the peg Taylormade Burner 2.0 and then I have a mix of off the peg wedges and hybirds. He tested my clubs, and here are the results..

Club	Actual Loft.	Actual Lie.	Weight.
Vokey LB 60.	59.	63.	D6
TM GW 52.	51.	62.	D3
TM PW	45.	63.	D3
9i.	40.	64.5.	D3.5
8i.	34.	63.	D3
7i.	31.	62.	D2
6i.	25.5.	61.	D4
5i.	25.	61.	D3.
Yonex 4-hybrid 22.	22.	62.	C8
Baffler 3-hybrid 19.	18.	55.	D2

Interesting but not unsurprising, most of the off the peg clubs are not the same as advertised. The lies and the weights are all over the shop too. The 5i is the most interesting one for me as it is exactly the same as my 6i, but i struggle to hit it -maybe it is a tad too long?

We then got onto the GC2 and hit a few balls with 7i and driver. I will post the results when I get them on Wednesday. The stat I loved the most was my avg smash factor with the 7i was 1.35 and was consistently around it. Distance was about 170y. The spin rate on the TM meant it would roll a bit longer.

(Nike Covert 1 Driver with Stiff shaft) smash was about 1.4, but it was going way right (just as my normal game situation) incl one which was 77y right off the target line. We will try a bit more tapered grip.

I have a very misbehaving 3w (Taylormade Burner 2 regular shaft). The data just confirmed my fears. The shaft is so whippy that I was getting more spin than the 7i!!! I tested a Callaway 3W with Aldila shaft. It was way way better than mine. If I had the money would have replaced it, but instead reshafting it.

Next step: He will correct the loft & lie to industry standard. Once this is done, we will have another session where he will modify it to suit my swing and look at gaping. Also given how little my left wrist roll over for the longer clubs, he recommended a slightly tapered grip, so he is going to put some extra tape for the left hand and see if I can roll it thru.

Overall an eye opening day and I wished I had a custom set long ago. Thumbs up to FJ, and bit of a naughty step for TM for being so inconsistent within a set. Also just shows the benefits of having a custom fit. Or if like me, you are short of dosh, then go for an MOT.

 

[BTatHome]

What is this 'industry standard' loft and lie he speaks about ?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

An interesting day. Surprised about the DNA's coming up smaller but not that surprised about the club specs. I bought a set of TM Burner woods off the shelf. All were suppose to be R flex. Driver was like soggy spaghetti, the 3 wood like a scaffold pole and the 5 another Mr Whippy. I haven't much faith in TM tolerances anymore

 

[Imurg]

What is this 'industry standard' loft and lie he speaks about ?

I suspect he means the TM standard for those clubs

 

[vkurup]

What is this 'industry standard' loft and lie he speaks about ?

My understanding is that he will create loft such as having proper gap from 5i to PW as the advertise. Similarly for lie, he will make them more consistent. Quick look on the Interweb gives me these for Titelist AP1 (I can't find TM B2 specs), though he may not make a AP1 out of my sticks

AP1 Specs 3-iron 4 5 6 7 8 9 P W1 W2
Loft 20° 23° 26° 29° 32° 36° 40° 44° 48° 52°
Lie 60° 61° 62° 62.5° 63° 63.5° 64° 64° 64° 64°
Length 39.0” 38.5” 38.0” 37.5” 37.0” 36.5” 36.0” 35.75” 35.5” 35.5”

 

[Foxholer]

Very surprised about the shoe size difference! But if it works, great!

Not at all surprised about the odd specs on the OEM heads. I had an even more extreme difference with some Mizuno MP30s - the 6 iron was stronger than the 5 and 3* different to spec - a further 2* different to what i needed. Huge difference once they were all set to my requirement - the 6i changed from a club I couldn't hit well to my favourite!

@Homer It's not TM that applies the tolerances for the stock shafts; it's the shaft supplier! But as they are supplying to a very strict budget (something like $10/shaft) there's bound to be discrepancies - and TM should be checking as well! Happens with all shafts and OEMs too. I waggled a Callaway and a Ping the other day both with PX 6 Blues, but there was a distinct difference in amount of flex between them! Older TMs do seem to have been particularly poor though!

Burner 2.0 specs here http://www.taylormadegolf.asia/vn/burner-09-specifications.php

 

[vkurup]

Very surprised about the shoe size difference! But if it works, great!

Not at all surprised about the odd specs on the OEM heads. I had an even more extreme difference with some Mizuno MP30s - the 6 iron was stronger than the 5 and 3* different to spec - a further 2* different to what i needed. Huge difference once they were all set to my requirement - the 6i changed from a club I couldn't hit well to my favourite!

@Homer It's not TM that applies the tolerances for the stock shafts; it's the shaft supplier! But as they are supplying to a very strict budget (something like $10/shaft) there's bound to be discrepancies - and TM should be checking as well! Happens with all shafts and OEMs too. I waggled a Callaway and a Ping the other day both with PX 6 Blues, but there was a distinct difference in amount of flex between them! Older TMs do seem to have been particularly poor though!

Burner 2.0 specs here http://www.taylormadegolf.asia/vn/burner-09-specifications.php

Had seen this in the past, not sure if these are Burner or Burner 2.0s... Though they look pretty much B2 territory. I agree on the OEM shaft, I was lucky to get my Nike Covert in one of the first batches the did, the stock shafts are good. Just give you more confidence.

Q: Had never come across the weights thing, can it be altered?

 

[Foxholer]

Had seen this in the past, not sure if these are Burner or Burner 2.0s... Though they look pretty much B2 territory. I agree on the OEM shaft, I was lucky to get my Nike Covert in one of the first batches the did, the stock shafts are good. Just give you more confidence.

Q: Had never come across the weights thing, can it be altered?

Yes, but (apart from the hybrid) those are actually pretty close to matching, so I wouldn't bother. I am not sensitive to SW though. I know 2 of mine (the 6 and 7) are 4 points heavier than the others. It's not something I really notice - in fact I would have preferred not to have known! Wedges are traditionally a little higher SW than other irons.

You can adjust SW upwards with lead tape in the cavity or near the hosel or by pouring tungsten powder down shaft and ramming a cork in to keep it in place. It can be lowered a bit with lead tape under the grip.

Getting the lofts and lies correct and matched to you is much more important imo.

 

[vkurup]

Yes, but (apart from the hybrid) those are actually pretty close to matching, so I wouldn't bother. I am not sensitive to SW though. I know 2 of mine (the 6 and 7) are 4 points heavier than the others. It's not something I really notice - in fact I would have preferred not to have known! Wedges are traditionally a little higher SW than other irons.

You can adjust SW upwards with lead tape in the cavity or near the hosel or by pouring tungsten powder down shaft and ramming a cork in to keep it in place. It can be lowered a bit with lead tape under the grip.

Getting the lofts and lies correct and matched to you is much more important imo.

Agree.. Interestingly my go to hybrid is 4h, which has a C8 rating. I hit it around 180y in the real world and Yonex is perhaps very underrated in this department. I wonder if I should have looked at the specs for the Baffler before getting it..

Today I learnt I have smaller feet and like lighter clubs... I am officially in my 40s...

 

[pbrown7582]

Could some of the errors in actual against measured lofts be down to use?
Not saying that they are manufactured very accurately there will obviously be tolerances, machining auto sport parts we have +/- 0.5 degree as standard.

 

[vkurup]

Could some of the errors in actual against measured lofts be down to use?
Not saying that they are manufactured very accurately there will obviously be tolerances, machining auto sport parts we have +/- 0.5 degree as standard.

I am assuming the loft was incorrect in the first place.. But some minor change of the lie could be down to use, but not much ... Unless I was using it to chop wood..

 

[Andy]

My pal going thru his PGA exams was saying 100 hours of practice on mats is enough to alter the loft by 3 degrees.

 

[Siren]

How much does it cost to get the loft and lie altered?

Random question

 

[vkurup]

How much does it cost to get the loft and lie altered?

Random question

If you go to Direct Golf they do it free (I think). It happens in a single session. I am having a few more changes incl grips, tapes, 2nd session etc... So think £150-200 range

 

[Foxholer]

My pal going thru his PGA exams was saying 100 hours of practice on mats is enough to alter the loft by 3 degrees.

That may be the case for big hitters with forged clubs, but we wimpy mortals tend to only need to check them once a year or so. And those with cast clubs, which generally use a harder metal, even longer, if at all after the initial check/adjust.

How much does it cost to get the loft and lie altered?

Random question

Checking is normally/often free. Adjusting is something around £20.

 

[Siren]

That may be the case for big hitters with forged clubs, but we wimpy mortals tend to only need to check them once a year or so. And those with cast clubs, which generally use a harder metal, even longer, if at all after the initial check/adjust.


Checking is normally/often free. Adjusting is something around £20.

Per club or the entire set?

 

[Foxholer]

Per club or the entire set?

Entire set - about £3/club if done individually.

Btw. Irons/wedges only. Bending Woods and hybrids can be fatal to then - though a (very) few are designed to allow it.

 

[Siren]

Entire set - about £3/club if done individually.

Thanks mate

 

[Oddsocks]

How much does it cost to get the loft and lie altered?

Random question

I had my lies altered at AG for £3.00 a club.

I've recently noticed some weird gapping issues in my set up. 9 and pw seem close, then there's a big gap between 9 and 8, 7 and 8 are very close.

I've got a feeling my 8 and wedge are stronger and I use both of these at the range so could make sense. The clubs are back in next week and the shop doing the work has said it's £2.00 a club to alter

Glad the OP gained from the experience

 

[vkurup]

Update from the MOT.. here are the loft & lie changes..



also figures from GC2.... I have posted this in the 'Ask the Expert'