Forgiveness.... not the myth i thought it was !

[GOLFER1994]

Evening,

Now, I've always known forgiveness has come a long way with technology and there are obvious differences in "players" clubs that have smaller heads, blades have a smaller sweetspot etc. I've never been fit for any club and i have always just bought clubs without trying them, purely based on price. I play off 20, so can hit a ball but obviously the problem is consistency. I am more than capable of playing to the low teens on my day. Ive had a problem with the driver for a long time but a recent lesson has opened my eyes and slight improvements have started to be made.

Long story short. Recently a Titleist 915 D3 with Project X stiff shaft came up local to me for a very good price so i bit the bullet. This is classed as a better players driver but I've always been one of them just give it a whack kind of guys. However, I've really struggled finding fairways with it. I decided to take the "forgiving" Callaway X Hot out for a spin instead. What a difference !!!! Now its a regular shaft and i need stiff however, i still cannot get over the difference in a slightly off centre hit to the Titleist. Played a comp this morning and carded a 38 pointer, using the driver all the way round. Even had an absolute bomb measured to 281 yards. Im getting a stiff shaft G30 off a forum member for a very good price and cannot wait to throw it in the bag and see what I can do with it. Any of my old scepticism has left and its really opened my eyes to how different the clubs reacted and the importance playing clubs designed for my level.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Next summers plan is definitely to save up and get custom fit.

 

[PJ87]

Evening,

Now, I've always known forgiveness has come a long way with technology and there are obvious differences in "players" clubs that have smaller heads, blades have a smaller sweetspot etc. I've never been fit for any club and i have always just bought clubs without trying them, purely based on price. I play off 20, so can hit a ball but obviously the problem is consistency. I am more than capable of playing to the low teens on my day. Ive had a problem with the driver for a long time but a recent lesson has opened my eyes and slight improvements have started to be made.

Long story short. Recently a Titleist 915 D3 with Project X stiff shaft came up local to me for a very good price so i bit the bullet. This is classed as a better players driver but I've always been one of them just give it a whack kind of guys. However, I've really struggled finding fairways with it. I decided to take the "forgiving" Callaway X Hot out for a spin instead. What a difference !!!! Now its a regular shaft and i need stiff however, i still cannot get over the difference in a slightly off centre hit to the Titleist. Played a comp this morning and carded a 38 pointer, using the driver all the way round. Even had an absolute bomb measured to 281 yards. Im getting a stiff shaft G30 off a forum member for a very good price and cannot wait to throw it in the bag and see what I can do with it. Any of my old scepticism has left and its really opened my eyes to how different the clubs reacted and the importance playing clubs designed for my level.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Next summers plan is definitely to save up and get custom fit.

Id of kept the callaway rather than risk changing again

 

[duncan mackie]

So this Callaway club, and the shaft that's in it, works really well for you....so you are going to get Ping with a different shaft spec.

Or have I missed something?

 

[Blue in Munich]

I

So this Callaway club, and the shaft that's in it, works really well for you....so you are going to get Ping with a different shaft spec.

Or have I missed something?

I think you missed the bit that he needs stiff, despite the fact that regular clearly works.

OP, what is it that makes you think you need stiff?

 

[Garush34]

I went the other way, had a ping G series and could not hit it well. Persevered with it most of the year then finally traded it in and got a Titleist 913 which I can now control and if is a joy to hit.

 

[User 99]

281 yards from a 20 capper in mid October ? 281 ??

 

[GOLFER1994]

281 yards from a 20 capper in mid October ? 281 ??

That was the hole after i managed to put the first drive 50 left into yards into the farmers field and top the second into the rough 50 yards in front of me ! This is the reason im a 20 capper. Ive only broke 90 3 times in the last 3 months. I cannot find any consistency for the life of me. For context it was on a 430 yard par 4, left myself 149 to the pin, left the iron short, then proceeded to 3 putt. Luckily i had 2 shots on it. In reference to me, former 16 handicapper, after a 5 year break, now 23, 5'11 and weigh 94kg so not unrealistic expectations if i find the centre of the face.

In regards to the shaft I've had a few lessons with the pro at the club and he has advised with how i swing the club he recommends i should be using stiff shafts as in my irons. Echoed by swinging a few clubs with the brother in law at AG the other day with a 101 club head speed.

 

[Imurg]

281 yards from a 20 capper in mid October ? 281 ??

Handicap standard doesn't always equate with distances....
I used to play with a 25 handicapper who belted it a mile but get him within 100 years of the green and he was rammel!
Also a low single who rarely broke 200 yards bit played off 3 for years.

 

[PJ87]

That was the hole after i managed to put the first drive 50 left into yards into the farmers field and top the second into the rough 50 yards in front of me ! This is the reason im a 20 capper. Ive only broke 90 3 times in the last 3 months. I cannot find any consistency for the life of me. For context it was on a 430 yard par 4, left myself 149 to the pin, left the iron short, then proceeded to 3 putt. Luckily i had 2 shots on it. In reference to me, former 16 handicapper, after a 5 year break, now 23, 5'11 and weigh 94kg so not unrealistic expectations if i find the centre of the face.

In regards to the shaft I've had a few lessons with the pro at the club and he has advised with how i swing the club he recommends i should be using stiff shafts as in my irons. Echoed by swinging a few clubs with the brother in law at AG the other day with a 101 club head speed.

Play what works. If that make up you have now is working why on earth mess with it just to get stiff shaft

 

[User 99]

Was this 281 yard drive on links or parkland course ? Down wind ? In to wind ?

 

[Wilson]

Was this 281 yard drive on links or parkland course ? Down wind ? In to wind ?

Why is it such an issue?

 

[Trapdraw]

Was this 281 yard drive on links or parkland course ? Down wind ? In to wind ?

Jealous ?

 

[TreeSeeker]

on the 280 drive piece am an example of what imurg said, and maybe similar to the op. On a good drive its 280+ average is around 260 but give me a wedge in ill hit the wrong green! Oh for short game. As for the topic good luck with the new stiff, hope it works!

 

[User 99]

Why is it such an issue?

There is no issue but would possibly validate it better if the conditions were available.

It's my experience in golf that many players "think" they hit the ball a lot further than they actually do. Yes we can all catch a good drive now and again and a 281 yards drive on a links course is highly possible, however, a 281 yard drive in mid October on a parkland course in my opinion, is highly unlikely.

 

[Trapdraw]

There is no issue but would possibly validate it better if the conditions were available.

It's my experience in golf that many players "think" they hit the ball a lot further than they actually do. Yes we can all catch a good drive now and again and a 281 yards drive on a links course is highly possible, however, a 281 yard drive in mid October on a parkland course in my opinion, is highly unlikely.

Maybe highly unlikely for you, if his club head speed is around 101mph he should be hitting it around that distance.

 

[User 99]

Maybe highly unlikely for you, if his club head speed is around 101mph he should be hitting it around that distance.

According to my Trackman report, I average 100.3 mph, with a carry of 223.6, though I had one really bad one in there of 173, so taking that out the average carry is 230 with a total of 254.5. granted this was in March, however, my latest session had me averaging at 96, with a carry 234, taken on the 12th September, that was with my 915 driver. so yes, either the trackman I used was way out(it was two different trackmans at two different places) or someone is talking bs.

 

[Trapdraw]

What was your smash on each session ? It more likely you were hitting it poor to end up with a lower distance with the higher swing speed on the first session.
I don’t get the rush to call his claim as bs, who cares how far he hits the ball.

 

[Jacko_G]

"stiff shaft" - its a manly thing.

I have a mate who is a respected fitter, he had a gentleman come to him had a full two hour fitting session then refused to buy after being told he was now a regular shaft. Despite being shown all the data, shown the distance, shown the flight, spin, speed you name it he refused to accept that he was now needing a regular shaft. "I always play stiff, I've been a stiff shaft for years" type quotes while he was near to tears!

 

[jusme]

Maybe highly unlikely for you, if his club head speed is around 101mph he should be hitting it around that distance.

No he shouldn't. The science is solid. You don't get those distances under normal circumstances with a 100 mph swing speed. I am not saying he didn't hit it that far. Harder fairway, downhill, down wind etc.

240ish is normal for 100 mph.

 

[Trapdraw]

No he shouldn't. The science is solid. You don't get those distances under normal circumstances with a 100 mph swing speed. I am not saying he didn't hit it that far. Harder fairway, downhill, down wind etc.

240ish is normal for 100 mph.

He never stated carry at all, 281 total was the distance! 240 to 250 is attainable for an average 100 mph swing speed. So he will have days when he’s swinging faster than that, it might have been one of those days. People’s swing speed can vary on different days, lots of different factor contribute to that. I use trackman a lot, I’ve seen mine vary from session to session by up to 15mph at times, depending on how I feel due to work, gym, tiredness etc. He never said 280 is his normal distance.