My Visit To Orka

[Region3]

I drove to Milton Keynes after work yesterday evening, with a view to being fitted for a driver.

I wasn't dead set on ordering a new driver yesterday as I already hit mine quite well, but it was a case of seeing if Alex could put something together that would outperform mine, not necessarily in distance, but dispersion is killing my (potential) scores.

After a coffee and a quick chat I hit a few 7 irons to warm up, then set about creating a benchmark with my own club. About 8 shots later I stopped and was perversely happy that my opinion on my game had been vindicated. Dispersion was 41yds equally spread both sides of the middle line.

We tried a few different shaft combinations just to go through the fitting process with the best of the bunch halving my dispersion (by eliminating the miss left), albeit losing a little bit of distance.

I said "just to go through the fitting process" above, because Alex was fairly sure he had spotted the problem while I was hitting my own driver. We carried on though because a) Alex wanted to see what effect different shafts would have, b) I'd driven a way to get there and c) hitting golf balls with different clubs is fun!

All through my communications with him, Alex was keen to stress that his main aim was education, and that there would be no pressure to buy anything.

That was affirmed when I walked away with the recommendation to have a lesson on driver technique rather than a new driver.

I can't speak for Orka clubs (apart from the drivers make a heck of a racket compared to my Titleist) but the service from Alex cannot be faulted.
Funny, knowledgeable, amiable. Top man. Thank you :thup:

 

[DelB]

Good feedback, Region.

I'm down south this coming weekend and am meeting Alex on Friday morning to test the GS5 driver. :thup:

 

[fundy]

Sounds like the process went well. Am due to go through similar with him on driver/3 wood/ hybrid, like you dont feel the need to change the clubs but will if they are the problem, expect its more likely to be me though. What was the fault and is it an easy one to fix?

 

[Region3]

Sounds like the process went well. Am due to go through similar with him on driver/3 wood/ hybrid, like you dont feel the need to change the clubs but will if they are the problem, expect its more likely to be me though. What was the fault and is it an easy one to fix?

There is so much wrong I must have the short game of a tour pro to play to my handicap!

Joking aside, he didn't point out lots of things that were wrong as that wasn't what I was there for. He thought I was reaching for the ball too much at address mainly. I'm sure there would have been other things as well but we didn't dwell on them.

The plan will be to work on that one thing until I get a lesson then take it from there.

The distances I was hitting surprised me though, and although Alex insisted the machine wasn't/couldn't be wrong, I am still a little dubious. I guess the fact that there's no wind knocking the ball down makes a bit of difference.

I'm not going to quote any numbers because I don't want this thread to descend into that, but I'll just say that if the GC2 is correct I am pound for pound longer than Bubba. :whoo:

 

[Foxholer]

Seems like a good session.

Great to see participants, as opposed to the C/F naysayers, all have positive comments.

I believe there's another 'law of diminishing returns' with regard to Driver distances. Another reason to take your own to 'calibrate' whatever LM - and the GC2 is spot on apparently, and with HMT upgrade provides 'everything that's required'!

 

[One Planer]

I drove to Milton Keynes after work yesterday evening, with a view to being fitted for a driver.

I wasn't dead set on ordering a new driver yesterday as I already hit mine quite well, but it was a case of seeing if Alex could put something together that would outperform mine, not necessarily in distance, but dispersion is killing my (potential) scores.

After a coffee and a quick chat I hit a few 7 irons to warm up, then set about creating a benchmark with my own club. About 8 shots later I stopped and was perversely happy that my opinion on my game had been vindicated. Dispersion was 41yds equally spread both sides of the middle line.

We tried a few different shaft combinations just to go through the fitting process with the best of the bunch halving my dispersion (by eliminating the miss left), albeit losing a little bit of distance.

I said "just to go through the fitting process" above, because Alex was fairly sure he had spotted the problem while I was hitting my own driver. We carried on though because a) Alex wanted to see what effect different shafts would have, b) I'd driven a way to get there and c) hitting golf balls with different clubs is fun!

All through my communications with him, Alex was keen to stress that his main aim was education, and that there would be no pressure to buy anything.

That was affirmed when I walked away with the recommendation to have a lesson on driver technique rather than a new driver.

I can't speak for Orka clubs (apart from the drivers make a heck of a racket compared to my Titleist) but the service from Alex cannot be faulted.
Funny, knowledgeable, amiable. Top man. Thank you :thup:

I have to say this only reaffirms what I've heard regarding Alex and his company.

When my current crop have worn to dust, I may have to take a visit down there!

Interesting what you say about the launch monitor. Do they have one that measures in miles so Swinger and Pieman can have a go?

 

[CMAC]

Interesting what you say about the launch monitor. Do they have one that measures in miles so Swinger and Pieman can have a go?

At Wentworth I clocked Jimbob.someroos drives all passing the 300yd mark on the monitor but they were landing just past the 260yd green at the range (cold and breeze against). I dont know enough about monitors but theres some assumption calculation done I think.

@Gareth, you'll be dust before the Mizzies

 

[One Planer]

@Gareth, you'll be dust before the Mizzies

..... Probably

 

[Rooter]

At Wentworth I clocked Jimbob.someroos drives all passing the 300yd mark on the monitor but they were landing just past the 260yd green at the range (cold and breeze against). I dont know enough about monitors but theres some assumption calculation done I think.

@Gareth, you'll be dust before the Mizzies

Great to hear you were not just sold a new club for the sake of it!

Darth, the guys at wentworth did say the machine was set up with a number of factors including perfect weather, no wind nice hard fairway for plenty of roll etc.

As long as you compare old with new on a monitor, you can judge for your self! I think the monitor at some point was saying my 7 iron was 210yrds! I wish!!

 

[User 105]

I had a similar experience at the Belfrey in Feb. Went for a driver fitting. Done a baseline with mine, then started hitting a range of drivers and shafts but was consistently sending everything right, which is my usual shape anyway.

The fitter came round and watched me hit a few more, said my grip was too weak. I strengthened it up and hey presto straightened up my drives. Solid strikes right out the middle.

Hit some more and with the new grip the Ping G25 was way ahead of mine and the rest.

I came away delighted but slightly annoyed. Delighted I had a solution to my wayward driving (6 weeks down the road I'm still nailing it long and straight) but annoyed that my pro, after months of lessons, had never mentioned anything about my grip.

When I re-checked it in the mirror when I got home I could clearly see it was wrong. Something I check and re-check now.

 

[Val]

Sounds like the guy does a pretty good job, pity he didn't stick around on here.

 

[jimbob.someroo]

At Wentworth I clocked Jimbob.someroos drives all passing the 300yd mark on the monitor but they were landing just past the 260yd green at the range (cold and breeze against).

Darth, the guys at wentworth did say the machine was set up with a number of factors including perfect weather, no wind nice hard fairway for plenty of roll etc.!

Shush you! I am John Daly!

Good to hear solid praise of the service again, have never hit/seen the clubs so wont pass comment but sounds like they're doing everything right with the way they're treating people going for fittings! Good of him to recommend lessons when a £250+ driver could have been easier to sell?!

 

[fundy]

I drove to Milton Keynes after work yesterday evening, with a view to being fitted for a driver.

I wasn't dead set on ordering a new driver yesterday as I already hit mine quite well, but it was a case of seeing if Alex could put something together that would outperform mine, not necessarily in distance, but dispersion is killing my (potential) scores.

After a coffee and a quick chat I hit a few 7 irons to warm up, then set about creating a benchmark with my own club. About 8 shots later I stopped and was perversely happy that my opinion on my game had been vindicated. Dispersion was 41yds equally spread both sides of the middle line.

We tried a few different shaft combinations just to go through the fitting process with the best of the bunch halving my dispersion (by eliminating the miss left), albeit losing a little bit of distance.

I said "just to go through the fitting process" above, because Alex was fairly sure he had spotted the problem while I was hitting my own driver. We carried on though because a) Alex wanted to see what effect different shafts would have, b) I'd driven a way to get there and c) hitting golf balls with different clubs is fun!

All through my communications with him, Alex was keen to stress that his main aim was education, and that there would be no pressure to buy anything.

That was affirmed when I walked away with the recommendation to have a lesson on driver technique rather than a new driver.

I can't speak for Orka clubs (apart from the drivers make a heck of a racket compared to my Titleist) but the service from Alex cannot be faulted.
Funny, knowledgeable, amiable. Top man. Thank you :thup:

OK I win, not going to disclose just how bad my dispersion was but 41 yds didnt come close!!!!!

Had a cracking session/lesson tonight with Alex, got plenty to work on but definitely turned a few lights on. Shall be spending some time on the practise ground the next few weeks! Not the biggest shock but we didnt get close to discussing the club the idiot was holding!!!!

 

[fundy]

Sounds like the guy does a pretty good job, pity he didn't stick around on here.

I spoke with him about that tonight and he is sad about it too, but its not worth it for him to be drawn into some of the "discussions" that take place on here. Of course he will happily discuss with anyone who wants to contact him, but he isnt going to be posting on the forums sadly

 

[Region3]

OK I win, not going to disclose just how bad my dispersion was but 41 yds didnt come close!!!!!

No wonder you hit a lot of irons off tees!

 

[pbrown7582]

Sounds great honest service, no real surprise the amount of Orlando kit continues to grow with these levels of service. :thup:

 

[Val]

I spoke with him about that tonight and he is sad about it too, but its not worth it for him to be drawn into some of the "discussions" that take place on here. Of course he will happily discuss with anyone who wants to contact him, but he isnt going to be posting on the forums sadly

He got the wrong end off the stick on that thread mate but did seem to take offence to people highlighting links in his signature.

Shame really as he could have got more from the forum had he stuck around.