My custom fitting. (long)

[User101]

So, further to my earlier topic about Callaway custom fitting today was the day and this is how it went.

I received an email from Callaway saying to bring my full set and I would be fitted for irons, woods and hybrids, which was fine but I was only really interested in getting fitted for irons, anyway I took the whole bag. I arrived about an hour before my time as I just wanted to check in and was going to have a wonder up the town, I should say the fitting was done at the Gold Academy in St Andrews.

Chap on reception was cool and asked if he wanted me to see if they would take me earlier, which he did and they said they'd be ready in about 15 minutes, which was grand, so he gave me about 20 balls and said I can go warm up at one of the bays.

In to the bay, few stretches, few swings, out with the wedge, draws a ball over....boom ! SHANK :mmm: now on and off I've played the game around 40 years and I could count on the one hand how many shanks I've had in that time so this was not a good start :whoo:

Balls hit, guy comes for me and off we pop to the fitting bay, and very nice it is to...



First of all the chap asks me what I'm after, I explain that I've been away from the game and just fancied a new set of poles and really fancy the Apex cf16s, so out with the Apex cf16 head...but first he asks me to beat a few with my 7 iron....which is fine but there is now 3 of them standing there watching, now I know how Tiger feels when everyone is watching him

I'm asked my height and they remark on the lie angle of my 7 iron and I can see it toeing way up in the air.

I then get handed the apex and beat a few, stop, change shaft beat a few and this happens a fair few times as they discuss which shaft they are putting in etc but what I immediately noticed was they lie angle was much better, looked at the head 2fl it has on it (2 degrees flat)

I probably did about 5 shaft changes all in and went back to a couple. We then stopped, probably for me to get a rest and looked at the numbers. So each shaft has a colour which comes up in a circle type shape of your dispersion and distances. First up was white which was my iron, clearly miles back from the others, so there was a clear distance gain, which is always good but these Apexs are stronger lofts and a springboard face, so you'd expect that.

At no time did I look nor ask what shafts were going in, I wanted them to tell me what was best on numbers rather than me have any preconceived opinion. What was very noticeable was my spin rates, they were apparently very low for a 7 iron, I don't have the figures here but less than 5000, now watching Crossfields vids he has said these Apex cf16s are very low spinners and he'd expect around 7000 on a 7, so the reason for all the shaft changes was to try and get my spin rates up, then he changed head....and this is where is gets very interesting...

Bear in mind I've probably hit 100+ balls and I'm starting to flag badly, he put in an Apex pro head....boom...what a feel, what a strike, what a flight, felt fantastic, spin up just under 6000 and using range balls, it felt just ace. Then, he changed head again and put in a steelhead pro again, booming them good spin rates etc...we stopped there and discussed things.

Now I recall someone in my other topic saying that their mates went there and they felt they were pushing the steelhead on to them, well that's exactly how it felt right at the end of the session. He said he didn't think the apex cf16s were for me and when I said what about a combo set, he said, not much point in buying them there are new clubs coming out in January. Had I not read in the other topic about them pushing the steelheads I'd have been none the wiser but I sussed this was now like a sales pitch but overall it was a good experience and very interesting in the numbers but now I've went from only wanting the cf16s to not actually sure what I want now

It's a long read but hoped you enjoyed in and in the meantime, here is some old duffer knifing one up the range there..

 

[Curls]

Interesting write-up thanks Cabby, Callaway were never really among my preferred brands but this would put me off if I'm honest. As you say, steelhead push was mentioned elsewhere, that said they were among the better performers that day and when you asked about combos he did say to wait until the new range was out (possibly another good sales tactic). I'm not in the market for anything at the moment but if/when I do go about this I think I'll try to find an independent recommended on here for not being pushy. There's nothing worse than the feeling they're trying to hoik something on you you don't really want.

More than anything after the long lay-off you can see how far things have come, and I'd say in terms of shafts as much (if not more-so) than heads they've come a long way!

Ps. that's some lag you're generating!

 

[User101]

I didn't think my post was visible with no replies til now

To be fair they didn't push the steelheads til the very end, though I do wish I had more time with the pro apex as that was superb. As for my lag, not sure if that's a good or a bad thing :mmm:

 

[Curls]

Good thing! If it's there just before impact, plenty use it up on the downswing. Yeah don't worry about the lack of traffic, not many folk check in to this section, you could have easily put this in the Lounge and got lots more response, people put custom fitting write ups in there all the time, you could ask a MOD to move it if you like? Else folk will be along eventually.

 

[chrisd]

Good write up.

I did a Titleist fitting last week and my spin on the 7 iron was around 5500 I think that's about the number with the newer technology and I tend to look at the decent angle more than the spin rate. I think that anything over 45* is reckoned to come down high and stop quick even with a lower spin rate.

I did my fitting with my club pro who is an accredited Titleist fitter but he didn't push me into anything as he'd hear about it later if his fitting ended up with me getting the wrong clubs.

 

[User101]

It's a pity I've came to the game at the end of the current line of apex heads as they are now a two year old model and feels like buying an updated car as the new ones are out soon, not sure what to do now.

 

[pendodave]

re the lag, I think that the way camera sensors work has some bearing....

Not saying that you're not Sergio, but ...

 

[Curls]

It's a pity I've came to the game at the end of the current line of apex heads as they are now a two year old model and feels like buying an updated car as the new ones are out soon, not sure what to do now.

I'd say the improvement between this model and the next is so marginal you won't notice, do you know what shaft was the best one you used? Could always have a look on Golfbidder (or ebay if you're so inclined, personally I think it's great but many on here have been stung).

 

[User101]

They emailed the specs to my pro as it was him that booked it through callaway. KBS tour stiff is the shaft though not sure the weight, 2 degrees flat.

 

[Curls]

Loads of Apex Pro 16 irons on Golfbidder, not sure if thats the right model but a lot to choose from (they offer a 12 Month Warranty on all used clubs and a no-quibble 7 working day money-back guarantee). You can probably get them cheaper on ebay - but you don't get the above!

 

[User101]

Having hit the pro head it's unlikely I'll go for a full set of cf16s a combo set sounds like the perfect set up apart from the 7 is a cf16 where I'd rather it was pro.

 

[pendodave]

Seems like you're in a good situation to me. You've had a fitting and got the basic information you need (shaft and lie) to take your pick of new or second hand options.

Although you seem disappointed that the callaway iron range is towards the end of their cycle, I would see it as a plus - you can surely negotiate a deal if you want to go down the brand new route. I wouldn't worry about the amazing qualities of the next model, I'd be astonished if they delivered anything different that an amateur golfer would notice.

 

[User101]

On the basis that new models are dues out early next year though that really shouldn't bother me I intend to have my next set of irons for a good few years. I'm not entirely sure I'll get a new old model set that much cheapness though.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Which set actually gave you the best combination of numbers (distance, spin, dispersion etc)?

 

[User101]

Well I only hit about 6 or so with the apex pro and same with the xr pro.

I haven't seen the email that they sent my pro yet so need to speak to firs.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Be interesting to see what they come out as.


I recently went to my club for a Titleist iron fitting.
The numbers, the fitter and my own impression all came out with the same answer. AP2's throughout the set (but keep my TM-B 4 iron).
The fitter told me that his opinion is that the extra little bit of help can make a huge difference over the CBs I currently use, even though I am good enough to generally get away with the CBs)

SO I'm on the look out over the next few months to try all the different brands clubs which are similar to the AP2s, for comparison purposes.

 

[User101]

It was my impression he was suggesting I should get xr pros which my pro intimidated in a txt today about the email. I just find it a bit strange that at the very end of the session he thinks I should go for them, seemed like a sales pitch despite them not being a retailer, and they are hideous