USER1999
Grand Slam Winner
I went to Titleist at Brampton for a custom fit session for a 909D2 driver, as I have recently been struggling with my 907D1. This feels light (the addition of some lead tape just made it feel heavy, without ever feeling right), and my bad shots are a high weak fade, a massive carve right, or a big pull left. The odd shot can be awesome though, with my best recorded drive out there at 283 yards. A more common value is 240.
My D1 was a 9.5 degree head, on a not quite stiff shaft.
On the day, I was hitting my D1 a little lower than normal, and with a bit of a fade. I did reasonably middle one, which although not in the awesome category, was probably representative of an average strike. This showed up as having too much back spin, at about 4500 rpm, and about 400 rpm side spin. The back spin probably kept it straighter than it would otherwise have been. Carry was about 200 yards for a swing speed of 96 mph.
96 mph rates as being borderline for stiff or regular.
So onto the 909s. Luckily the fitter though D2 rather than Dcomp, as the comp is a bit of a munter to my eyes. Would have been nice to go D3, but I guess he looked at my swing and figured there was no chance. So I started with a 9.5 degree with a regular voodoo. Now I tried the stiff voodoo with a 9.5 head before, and loved it, so I was expecting good things. However, it resulted in the same 4500 rpm back spin, so no good. Same for the Aldila proto buy you stiff (never got on with this shaft in my D1 either, so no surprise to me). We went through a couple more options, before the fitter figured I would benefit from a lower loft head, as this would generate less back spin. Now most golfing 'experts' tell us that we average players (and I am depressingly average at this game) need more loft, like 12 degrees. I am clearly odd in this, but then most apparently don't hit down on their drives (which I do, although I don't think I do, and also have the ball tee'd miles forward to try to avoid it).
So onto the 8.5 head. Combined with a Matrix Ozik Xcon 5 stiff shaft. This produced a fantastic flight, with huge hang time, 3000 rpm spin, and 220 carry. Impressive. I could have settled for this there and then, but the tester wanted to try the same shaft but a bit heavier, the Xcon 6. This I found very comfortable to swing, (as the 5), and produced probably my best drive of the day. The fitter thought I looked more comfortable with the heavier shaft, so that is what I ordered. I did hit 3 or 4 in a row that were more than acceptable, with no real shockers either.
Fast forward a couple of days, and the new stick arrives. I won't say what it cost, as that would be telling, but it wasn't cheap. I never thought it would be, but my Pro has never been one for under charging.
Once in my possession, off to the driving range, as I figured having a bash in more controlled circumstances would be more useful than just playing a quick 9, and hitting it 4 times. My favourite range is a bit of a drive, especially through rush hour traffic, but with a shiny new stick to try, I couldn't get there quickly enough.
50 balls, £3.50. Just took the new stick and a glove, as I wasn't going to faff about hitting irons today, oh no, driver only. Shot off upstairs, where it is nice and quiet, and also where I normally hit from, as then I know how far to expect a decent strike to go. A bit of a warm up swing, some stretching and then off.
Now here comes the interesting thing with c/f. They can only fit you for the swing you have on the day. On Friday, the day of the fitting, I had a nice languid back swing, and a very consistent 96 mph club head speed. On Tuesday night, I had a swing like a strimmer, and no matter how hard I tried to find some tempo it wasn't happening. Now this could be excitement, it could be the stress of the comute, the pressure of wanting to hit my new bat well, whatever, but it wasn't good. I managed to hit a few ok ones, which were comparable with a decent drive from my old driver, but the rest weren't exactly what I was expecting. Now I am realistic in this, I am changing drivers because I have fallen out of love (and run out of confidence) with my old one, and so am not expecting another 30 yards or anything. Just a nice solid feel, a nice flight and a good strike.
So after my 50 balls, I drove home, not exactly dispirited, but not exactly happy either. However, the plan was to play a quick 9 holes on Wednesday after work with a good mate, so I figured maybe it would all come together on the course.
So, Wednesday, standing on the first tee, I am thinking 3w, just to get away from the clubhouse and all, before pulling out the big stick away from prying eyes. So a duffed 3w, duffed rescue, fat 6i, thin sw later I have played 5, and off the back of the green (par 4), and in a foul mood. Spitting blood. Concede the hole, on to the 2nd.
First chance for the driver to be hit in anger (and boy was I angry). But..... a nice swing (amazing) and a smack straight down the middle that while not quite how I was hitting it on Friday was more than acceptable. 4i in, two putts for a 4.
3rd hole, another smooth drive, a 5w, 9i, 2 putts, par. Parred the par 3 4th (from a greenside bunker), Nice drive on the 5th, just into a fairway bunker on the left, but it was a nice strike, and would have been long, but got a par out of it, and onwards.
So after a shonky start, I finish the front nine with a blob and 8 pars (very hot putter, almost white hot, 11 putts not including the 1st).
Right, the verdict on the 909 (a long time coming for those still reading). This is a lovely club to look down on, it sits nice and square, and the red shaft is very sexy too. It is very comfortable to swing (I always felt I was fighting my 907D1), and feels really well matched to me, such that it is almost just an extension of me. The swing weight is perfect, and if I can get a nice smooth transition into the down swing, I hit it pretty solidly. If I thrash it, less so. My worst shots with it so far are much more controlled than before, such that I have not visited the woods with it yet (left or right). The strike feels solid and powerful, the flight is nice, and the sound is just right. I still haven't hit it with the tempo I had on Friday though. That is yet to come. Unless Friday was a fluke.
I have not yet hit 'the ripper' with it. I do get the feeling that my D1 is longer (maybe only because I know I have hit some really long drives with this club), but only on that 1 in a 100 that really goes, and the rest of the time there is not that much in it, it just takes a different route to get there. Maybe when the ground is softer then the increased carry will come into it's own. Or, maybe I haven't hit it enough yet to really get it away, it still feels very new at the moment.
Considering I have had my 907D1 for two years, my 909 already feels like home, and I won't be changing back any time soon. If it continues to be consistent, then I will be very happy with it. I will be trying it again over the full 18 tomorrow, and again on Saturday. Luckily there are no medals until the 28th, so there is time to get used to it before the pressure of competition.
And the head cover is dead sexy. Useless, but sexy.
Question: Why don't modern head covers protect the shaft anymore?
My D1 was a 9.5 degree head, on a not quite stiff shaft.
On the day, I was hitting my D1 a little lower than normal, and with a bit of a fade. I did reasonably middle one, which although not in the awesome category, was probably representative of an average strike. This showed up as having too much back spin, at about 4500 rpm, and about 400 rpm side spin. The back spin probably kept it straighter than it would otherwise have been. Carry was about 200 yards for a swing speed of 96 mph.
96 mph rates as being borderline for stiff or regular.
So onto the 909s. Luckily the fitter though D2 rather than Dcomp, as the comp is a bit of a munter to my eyes. Would have been nice to go D3, but I guess he looked at my swing and figured there was no chance. So I started with a 9.5 degree with a regular voodoo. Now I tried the stiff voodoo with a 9.5 head before, and loved it, so I was expecting good things. However, it resulted in the same 4500 rpm back spin, so no good. Same for the Aldila proto buy you stiff (never got on with this shaft in my D1 either, so no surprise to me). We went through a couple more options, before the fitter figured I would benefit from a lower loft head, as this would generate less back spin. Now most golfing 'experts' tell us that we average players (and I am depressingly average at this game) need more loft, like 12 degrees. I am clearly odd in this, but then most apparently don't hit down on their drives (which I do, although I don't think I do, and also have the ball tee'd miles forward to try to avoid it).
So onto the 8.5 head. Combined with a Matrix Ozik Xcon 5 stiff shaft. This produced a fantastic flight, with huge hang time, 3000 rpm spin, and 220 carry. Impressive. I could have settled for this there and then, but the tester wanted to try the same shaft but a bit heavier, the Xcon 6. This I found very comfortable to swing, (as the 5), and produced probably my best drive of the day. The fitter thought I looked more comfortable with the heavier shaft, so that is what I ordered. I did hit 3 or 4 in a row that were more than acceptable, with no real shockers either.
Fast forward a couple of days, and the new stick arrives. I won't say what it cost, as that would be telling, but it wasn't cheap. I never thought it would be, but my Pro has never been one for under charging.
Once in my possession, off to the driving range, as I figured having a bash in more controlled circumstances would be more useful than just playing a quick 9, and hitting it 4 times. My favourite range is a bit of a drive, especially through rush hour traffic, but with a shiny new stick to try, I couldn't get there quickly enough.
50 balls, £3.50. Just took the new stick and a glove, as I wasn't going to faff about hitting irons today, oh no, driver only. Shot off upstairs, where it is nice and quiet, and also where I normally hit from, as then I know how far to expect a decent strike to go. A bit of a warm up swing, some stretching and then off.
Now here comes the interesting thing with c/f. They can only fit you for the swing you have on the day. On Friday, the day of the fitting, I had a nice languid back swing, and a very consistent 96 mph club head speed. On Tuesday night, I had a swing like a strimmer, and no matter how hard I tried to find some tempo it wasn't happening. Now this could be excitement, it could be the stress of the comute, the pressure of wanting to hit my new bat well, whatever, but it wasn't good. I managed to hit a few ok ones, which were comparable with a decent drive from my old driver, but the rest weren't exactly what I was expecting. Now I am realistic in this, I am changing drivers because I have fallen out of love (and run out of confidence) with my old one, and so am not expecting another 30 yards or anything. Just a nice solid feel, a nice flight and a good strike.
So after my 50 balls, I drove home, not exactly dispirited, but not exactly happy either. However, the plan was to play a quick 9 holes on Wednesday after work with a good mate, so I figured maybe it would all come together on the course.
So, Wednesday, standing on the first tee, I am thinking 3w, just to get away from the clubhouse and all, before pulling out the big stick away from prying eyes. So a duffed 3w, duffed rescue, fat 6i, thin sw later I have played 5, and off the back of the green (par 4), and in a foul mood. Spitting blood. Concede the hole, on to the 2nd.
First chance for the driver to be hit in anger (and boy was I angry). But..... a nice swing (amazing) and a smack straight down the middle that while not quite how I was hitting it on Friday was more than acceptable. 4i in, two putts for a 4.
3rd hole, another smooth drive, a 5w, 9i, 2 putts, par. Parred the par 3 4th (from a greenside bunker), Nice drive on the 5th, just into a fairway bunker on the left, but it was a nice strike, and would have been long, but got a par out of it, and onwards.
So after a shonky start, I finish the front nine with a blob and 8 pars (very hot putter, almost white hot, 11 putts not including the 1st).
Right, the verdict on the 909 (a long time coming for those still reading). This is a lovely club to look down on, it sits nice and square, and the red shaft is very sexy too. It is very comfortable to swing (I always felt I was fighting my 907D1), and feels really well matched to me, such that it is almost just an extension of me. The swing weight is perfect, and if I can get a nice smooth transition into the down swing, I hit it pretty solidly. If I thrash it, less so. My worst shots with it so far are much more controlled than before, such that I have not visited the woods with it yet (left or right). The strike feels solid and powerful, the flight is nice, and the sound is just right. I still haven't hit it with the tempo I had on Friday though. That is yet to come. Unless Friday was a fluke.
I have not yet hit 'the ripper' with it. I do get the feeling that my D1 is longer (maybe only because I know I have hit some really long drives with this club), but only on that 1 in a 100 that really goes, and the rest of the time there is not that much in it, it just takes a different route to get there. Maybe when the ground is softer then the increased carry will come into it's own. Or, maybe I haven't hit it enough yet to really get it away, it still feels very new at the moment.
Considering I have had my 907D1 for two years, my 909 already feels like home, and I won't be changing back any time soon. If it continues to be consistent, then I will be very happy with it. I will be trying it again over the full 18 tomorrow, and again on Saturday. Luckily there are no medals until the 28th, so there is time to get used to it before the pressure of competition.
And the head cover is dead sexy. Useless, but sexy.
Question: Why don't modern head covers protect the shaft anymore?
