Gapping Session?

[Orikoru]

My bag has been haphazardly assembled over the years, I'm now happy in terms of hitting each club, but I've never done a proper gapping session with them - just rely on my experience out on the course for approx yardages, which may or may not be reliable, I don't know. Moor Park near me says they'll do an hour-long full bag gapping session for £50. Is it worth doing? Maybe at 16 going on 17 handicap my long game isn't going to be consistent enough to get usable data? I know they take an average, but if I hit a huge variance with a club, like 160 to 200 or something, I'm not sure how worthwhile the data will be.

But I guess I have two distance concerns that I hope it will sort out:
1. Last year I noticed a big gap between the PW and 50°, which I remedied by adding a 46°. This has done the job, I think, but I might be better served changing the wedge set up completely for better gaps.
2. My G20 27° hybrid - it's pretty easy to hit and I like it generally, but it seems to go really high - higher than my 7 iron and as a result I'm not sure it goes that much further than it. Obviously it was added to replace the 6 iron, I'm not sure if it's doing that distance-wise.

Who here has done a full bag gapping session, how much did it cost, and would you say it was worthwhile and you got a lot out of it?

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Mark Crossfield has just done a gapping session for his new clubs, the hybrids in his bag. It was interesting to watch but what struck me was how consistently he hit the ball. He was nearly always straight, the balls generally landed in the same area. Impressive ball striking but then we should not be surprised at that. Worth watching and what it emphasised is how consistency is so key to a session like that.

If you go ahead with it please post how it goes, I would be interested to hear how someone around your handicap finds it, I am just above you so it could be comparable.

 

[slowhand]

I did one and found it very useful. My ball flight data showed me my 4 iron actually went less than my 5 iron, due to not hitting it very high at all, so it was replaced by a hybrid. At the other end of the bag the data for my wedges was quite consistent, so I had confidence that I was hitting the right one for the yardage out on the course, which meant I made a much better swing, hence accuracy improved.

They will discard the obvious duffs, thins etc as these don't give any useful information, and you can ask the guy doing the session to remove really flushed shots as well if you want, so you will have a reasonable idea of how far you hit an average shot.

 

[Swinglowandslow]

Hmmm... a lot of money to pay to give someone the opportunity to inform you your gaps are "wrong" and that you need to buy some different clubs to achieve proper gapping?
I can't see any other result, can you? Unless your gaps are already as they should be.
Would not a session or two on the range , playing with gripping your present clubs further up or down the shafts , not achieve a passable result.?
Save the professional gapping until buying a new set of irons, and then being properly fitted might be a better route.

But then, I'm someone who hasn't had a gapping session, so my suggestions may be all wrong. ?

 

[Orikoru]

Hmmm... a lot of money to pay to give someone the opportunity to inform you your gaps are "wrong" and that you need to buy some different clubs to achieve proper gapping?
I can't see any other result, can you? Unless your gaps are already as they should be.
Would not a session or two on the range , playing with gripping your present clubs further up or down the shafts , not achieve a passable result.?
Save the professional gapping until buying a new set of irons, and then being properly fitted might be a better route.

But then, I'm someone who hasn't had a gapping session, so my suggestions may be all wrong. ?

He can advise that if he wants but I wouldn't be buying them from him if I did!

Hitting balls at the range is useless, they don't travel the same distance as proper balls.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Hitting balls at the range is useless, they don't travel the same distance as proper balls.

In addition, you don't know how far they have gone as you can not measure the shots.

 

[sunshine]

I imagine this could be useful for wedges, especially less than full shots understanding how you hit it 60 yards, 80 yards, 100 yards etc.

If you play the same course regularly, especially if you use a distance measuring device, you should already understand how far you hit your irons, because you are faced with the same distances regularly and know what club to hit.

And as for your woods, not sure there is much benefit knowing exactly how far you hit them, as consistency will be the major issue. No point knowing that you can fly that bunker at 230 with the driver when you can reliably control the flight and trajectory anyway.

Finally, knowing how far you hit a 7 iron on a simulator is only the first step in understanding how far you hit it on the course, where you need to factor in wind, elevation, uphill / downhill lie, ball above / below feet etc.

 

[TheDiablo]

He can advise that if he wants but I wouldn't be buying them from him if I did!

Hitting balls at the range is useless, they don't travel the same distance as proper balls.

Go to a proper range.

Don't think you're too far from Silvermere - pay a tenner off peak for 120 balls and do it using top tracer. 100% distance balls, good 2 piece Srixon, replaced regularly.

At your level (my level) that will be more than enough.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

In addition, you don't know how far they have gone as you can not measure the shots.

If it's a range with the shot tracker thingy they are all putting in you can.
Personally, I would "collect" a load of balls over a period of time whilst playing, and have a session or 2 at the range.

 

[Orikoru]

I imagine this could be useful for wedges, especially less than full shots understanding how you hit it 60 yards, 80 yards, 100 yards etc.

If you play the same course regularly, especially if you use a distance measuring device, you should already understand how far you hit your irons, because you are faced with the same distances regularly and know what club to hit.

And as for your woods, not sure there is much benefit knowing exactly how far you hit them, as consistency will be the major issue. No point knowing that you can fly that bunker at 230 with the driver when you can reliably control the flight and trajectory anyway.

Finally, knowing how far you hit a 7 iron on a simulator is only the first step in understanding how far you hit it on the course, where you need to factor in wind, elevation, uphill / downhill lie, ball above / below feet etc.

Not sure if you're saying do it or not? lol

 

[Orikoru]

Go to a proper range.

Don't think you're too far from Silvermere - pay a tenner off peak for 120 balls and do it using top tracer. 100% distance balls, good 2 piece Srixon, replaced regularly.

At your level (my level) that will be more than enough.

Thanks for that suggestion. Ranges in my local area are pretty bog standard - the best one has the automatic variable height tees and that's it. Top tracer is a good idea if the balls really can be relied upon for distance. Cheers.

Edit: Silvermere is an hour's drive and I don't drive, but might be able to rope in a friend as well. Or perhaps there is another similarly equipped range in London somewhere.

 

[fundy]

Have done several times in the past at EM Golf courtesy of Alex at Orka. Find the game much easier when you know how far you hit the ball. Personally dont think you should just be looking at the average yardage, its good to know how much distance you lose on your bad one, how much further your sunday best goes etc Should make pulling a club for each shot and trusting it far easier.

Having been injured and getting older, will certainly be something I do again when I get back to playing regularly again as expect my numbers to have decreased (sounds like a good excuse for new shinies lol). Think Ed charges £30 for an hours gap test which for me I would see as money well spent.

The alternative is to get an hour on a simulator somewhere, get them to email all your shots to you then adjust and analyse to get the info you need, not sure whether that would be any cheaper though

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Thanks for that suggestion. Ranges in my local area are pretty bog standard - the best one has the automatic variable height tees and that's it. Top tracer is a good idea if the balls really can be relied upon for distance. Cheers.

Edit: Silvermere is an hour's drive and I don't drive, but might be able to rope in a friend as well. Or perhaps there is another similarly equipped range in London somewhere.

Are you anywhere near Rayliegh?
Centre Golf has them now.....and thats a nice range.

 

[chrisd]

You can always DIY, if you have a measuring device eg a GPS or Bushnell. Carry a small note book and when conditions are satisfactory and you hit a club you're happy with just note down the distance, it won't take long to build up a gapping record

 

[Orikoru]

Done some Googling and apparently Wycombe Heights has TopTracer in place now. That's not too far away if I can rope a mate in to drive us (I'll just offer to pay for him as well probably).

 

[Lord Tyrion]

If it's a range with the shot tracker thingy they are all putting in you can.
Personally, I would "collect" a load of balls over a period of time whilst playing, and have a session or 2 at the range.

That is a fair point. They are rare up here still so it is not something that sprung to mind. You still have the problem of rubbish range balls but your point stands

 

[Orikoru]

You can always DIY, if you have a measuring device eg a GPS or Bushnell. Carry a small note book and when conditions are satisfactory and you hit a club you're happy with just note down the distance, it won't take long to build up a gapping record

Thanks for the idea, I think that would only work if I'm on a course that's empty so I can hit a few balls from certain positions - otherwise it would take quite a long time to build enough data on the longer clubs I think. I might do this in later in the year when we have the summer evenings back.

 

[albie999]

Just wondered if there is anyone on this forum, near you who has a home setup? I setup a skytrak last year (just before my injury - good timing), and a mate came over the other week and did a basic gap test (free of charge) on my setup .. just wondered if there are any nice members who you could use

 

[patricks148]

Done some Googling and apparently Wycombe Heights has TopTracer in place now. That's not too far away if I can rope a mate in to drive us (I'll just offer to pay for him as well probably).

i think someone had hacked Oricoru's account

 

[Orikoru]

i think someone had hacked Oricoru's account

It's only 9 quid for 100 balls I think.


Another thing I'm wondering though, if I go and do it at an outdoor TopTracer now I'm only going to get winter yardages aren't I? But I suppose you can still get the gaps on a relative scale.