No work = Trip to American Golf

swanny32

swanny32

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Right, unfortunately, or fortunately depending on which way you look at it, I don't have any work on today, it's raining and gloomy outside so I have decided to take the first step to buying some new sticks. I'm going to make a trip to American Golf in Colchester and hit some clubs to see which take my fancy. I'm a big fan of Ping so will definitely be hitting the I20's and G20's, I have also got a bit of a crush on the Cobra Amp's so will undoubtedly give them a whirl. Baring in mind that I'm a 17 handicapper and suffer from a bit of a fade which has tendencies to turn into a slice, what else should I give a bash?

I'm starting to think I prefer a thinner top line than my current G10's but am worried in opting for a thinner club head, I'll be losing the forgiveness and ease of use.

If I can work out what I want then I can start thinking about booking myself in for a fitting at Gainsborough (if I choose Ping) or somewhere else if I opt for a different brand.

Will probably also hit a few drivers, 3 woods and hybrids, especially hybrids as I despise me G15 hybrid at the moment.
 
I know you said you're a Ping fan Swanny, but have you considered Mizuno's JPX-800's? They are a very good bat, forgiving and look the business in the bag.
Failing that, if you do want that thin top line the the MP-58's can be picked up quite reasonable.
Yep, I'm a Mizzy fan if you hadn't guessed, but that came from the same situation as you, looking for new bats and happened across the Mizzy's and was hooked by them.
 
GreiginFife said:
I know you said you're a Ping fan Swanny, but have you considered Mizuno's JPX-800's? They are a very good bat, forgiving and look the business in the bag.
Failing that, if you do want that thin top line the the MP-58's can be picked up quite reasonable.
Yep, I'm a Mizzy fan if you hadn't guessed, but that came from the same situation as you, looking for new bats and happened across the Mizzy's and was hooked by them.
Click to expand...
I was contemplating the JPX-800's as people on here bang on about them so much, my thing with Mizuno is that for some reason I don't think of them as a Golf make, I am in no doubt that they make some good sticks but I just think of them as a general sports manufacturer, pretty much the same as Nike and Wilson. I'll give them a hit though as you never know.
 
swanny32 said:
my thing with Mizuno is that for some reason I don't think of them as a Golf make, I am in no doubt that they make some good sticks but I just think of them as a general sports manufacturer
Click to expand...

Mizzy been making golf clubs since the 1930's, I would say you have the wrong impression but each to their own.
 
Scottjd1 said:
Mizzy been making golf clubs since the 1930's, I would say you have the wrong impression but each to their own.
Click to expand...

I would agree. If anything Golf is their strongest brand identifier. I personally can't think of any other sport that they manufacture as much equipment for.
They perfected the grain flow forging technique and as with most Japanese metal processes it's extremely efficient.
 
Swanny, I am off 28 and prefer a thinner top line, I am finding the g10's way too chunky. Am off ill at the mo but intend on trying the i15/i20's out soon. I had titleist 775's originally and they were much thinner with little offset and I hit em sweet as.

Let us know how it goes :)
 
G1BB0 said:
Swanny, I am off 28 and prefer a thinner top line, I am finding the g10's way too chunky. Am off ill at the mo but intend on trying the i15/i20's out soon. I had titleist 775's originally and they were much thinner with little offset and I hit em sweet as.

Let us know how it goes :)
Click to expand...

Titleist irons just scare me to look at. Excited by the I20's, really like the look of them but don't want to limit myself to just Ping as I'm sure there is other stuff available that's just as good if not better for my game. Might give the Razr irons a bash too.
 
swanny32 said:
Little bit worried that they think I'll be a time waster but I might just work my way through every set of irons in the shop! Bugger all else to do today.
Click to expand...

That's their business mate, they provide the facility you provide the potential custom :D Done the same couple of years back when I was getting new bats. For want of a better word, I abused the hospitality at AG and several other stores until I found what was right for me.
 
GreiginFife said:
I know you said you're a Ping fan Swanny, but have you considered Mizuno's JPX-800's? They are a very good bat, forgiving and look the business in the bag.
Failing that, if you do want that thin top line the the MP-58's can be picked up quite reasonable.
Yep, I'm a Mizzy fan if you hadn't guessed, but that came from the same situation as you, looking for new bats and happened across the Mizzy's and was hooked by them.
Click to expand...

He won't like the MP-58's. They are what I have and he keeps telling me I should have more forgiving irons!!
 
Short but sweet visit but one that has left me still a little bit confused but at least I have narrowed it down.

I went to the Colchester store as they have a range there so I could see a truer distance and ball flight, for fitting I would prefer to go on a monitor which they don't have.

As per usual with AG I was given a really expensive set of Yonex to try, told them no and he gave me the less expensive set. Didn't like them, sounded terrible off the face and didn't fill me with any confidence standing over them. I quickly put them in the no pile.

Mizuno JPX-800 Pro....first shot, straight out the meat of the bat, long, straight and very impressive, definitely changed my opinion of them but after the first shot I struggled a bit with them, but put it in the maybe pile.

Ping i20 - This is some stick, my goodness. Felt lovely to hit, nice slim shape to the head, decent length, nice sound off the face and very forgiving. Loved it but had the salesman telling me they were geared for single figure handicappers not high handicappers.....he probably wouldn't have said that had he actually been with me while I was hitting balls.

Cobra Amp - The Yonex sucked, the Mizzy was pretty good, the Ping was brilliant but the Cobra Amp blew the lot of them out of the water and then some. OMFG! Shot after shot after shot with the 7 iron, forgiving, long, straight, I was carrying about 145-48 with the i20, with the Amp I was carrying about 150-153 with much less effort, I couldn't believe what I was seeing, considering how inconsistent my golf is at times, I just couldn't hit a bad shot with it.

The problem is although I was hitting the Amp well on the range, and I'm pretty sure it'll be the club for me, I'm still not sure if it's the right one due to the fact that the shop didn't have a monitor to show me dispersion rates and spin rates etc. So now I don't really know what to do. If I want to go with some Amps then the Colchester store will static fit me which I don't really want as I like to see hard facts and figures on paper of how well the club is going......what do I do now then??
 
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