So I went to Mizuno today...

TonyN

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And what a great morning I had.

(this is going to be a bit of a long one so if you can't be bothered reading, hit the back button now) :D

I was booked in for 10.30 and arrived at 10.00, the chap I had my fitting with was called James Davies. Very nice chap good at his job. The range was dead and his last fitting had already gone so we started early. Bonus, He took me to the indoor bay and we had a quick chat about what I was there for, Irons if you didn't already know. I put my shoes on and started to warm up (outside) with my own(x20) 6 iron. And would you beleive it, I was hitting it pretty darn well. :p

After 20 or so balls James joined me to see what was going on, he agreed with my comments earlier that I didnt have a very consistant ball flight it was launching too low. Quick trip back into the fitting bay to grab some irons and out come the 57's and 52's both with Nippon shafts reg flex.

James had very kindly set up the trackman device outside in the lesson bay so I could see the flight aswell as all the stats, not what they normally do, but can if its quiet.

I started with the 57's and they were lovely but were launch ing a tad too low. (which James told me they would, genius)
Moved onto the 52 and without to much difference in terms of feel, weight, feed back they were popping out like a dream, launching high, climbing, and landing softly. The dispersion from these was excellent with the about 6 of 8 balls landing within a 10 ft radious. I tried the 52's with 5.5's and Dynamic gold's but the nippon was the clear favourite.

The spin from the 6 iron should be 5000rpm, my X20's were only producing 4100. the 52's was 4950.

Carry from X20's was anything between 135 and 160. Roll was far to long at sometimes as long as 15 yards.

James explained that he was trying to improve my carry and decrease my roll,getting the ball to stop quicker, and more accuratly, to do this, it meant getting the landing angle right, with the 6 iron it should of been 45*, the X20's was averaging 35*(thats why the ball was rolling out too far) The landing angle of the 52's was 44* I cant remember what the launch angle was but I know i was only a a degree out at worst.

We popped back to the bay for a coffee and to discuss the the stats, on the way back, James said these clubs/stats were almost as perfect as anyone could hope to get, but he still wanted me to carry on trying out shafts. You would think this guy was charging by the hour but dont forget, the whole session was all free with no obligation to buy.

I did try out some more combinations that I didn't get on with but it just cemented the 52's with the nippons.

Loft and lie check next, and I actually came back as 1/4 upright. The fitting chart also suggested having the shafts shortened but from my posture James was more than happy for me to stay standard lentgh.

We then discussed wedges and after looking at my current set up, he suggested that I drop one of the 4 and go PW, 52, 58. (the 58 playing as a SW come lobwedge) and bin the 60. Makes sense. We went back out onto the range to try the wedges, I loved them (T-series they were)

Wrapped up all the loose ends and got down to numbers, £75 an iron with the wedges at £89. BUT they would do me Bogof on the wedges, fit any grips I wanted (Multicompounds in red obviously) and if I order in 30 days, I can pick up any bettinardi putter for £50 fitted (rrp £200) Needless to say, I was taken. :p But I havn't ordered......yet. But I will do soon.

Almost finished now guys dig deep, stay with me.

I would strongly suggest anyone who can be bothered getting to the fitting centre should definitly give it ago. After all it is free and at no point do they try and sell you ANYTHING. The trackman software amazing and I prefere it to the Vector any day. Its a really good way to learn and understand all the specs you are hitting, and what you should be hitting.

If you are serious about golf, this is the only way to buy clubs.....and no one does it better than the guys at Clays Mizuno. I also got an info pack with a mizuno hat clip and ball marker! :D
 

HTL

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Wrapped up all the loose ends and got down to numbers, £75 an iron with the wedges at £89. BUT they would do me Bogof on the wedges, fit any grips I wanted (Multicompounds in red obviously) and if I order in 30 days, I can pick up any bettinardi putter for £50 fitted (rrp £200) Needless to say, I was taken. :p But I havn't ordered......yet. But I will do soon.

DEAL!!!! How you get the putter for £50? That is oe hell of a deal mate, do it!

Santa come early in the TonyN household! Lucky git!
 

TonyN

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Just a little push to get you to order from Clays(the golf club where mizuno is based) and to get you to do it within 30 days. They will email the specs to any mizuno stockist so you dont even have to buy from there.
I forgot to mention that all in all the session lasted over 2 hours. He also said that they would do a free loft,lie check up after 6 months and make any adjustments for free. I even watched him do this to some clubs today.
 

HTL

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Sounds bloody awesome, I live 5 minutes from the National fitting centre and am thinking of some new irons, hhhhmmmm.
 

TonyN

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Mate, even if your not gonna bother, go anyway, you dont have to buy anything and they wont try make you either. Its free, you might aswell, even if just to use the trackman.
 

TonyN

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Well done, Tony! Another Mizuno fella in the ranks! Good report, too. Gotta agree about the putter - nice one. Will you go for the black carbon style?

I will do for the wedges but I dont know about the putter, I didn't even look at any really. I thought I best not untill I sell the Callys. :D
 

vig

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I got the hat clip and ball marker (in the bottom of my bag somewhere)
I can also endorse the thoroughness of the session.

£50 for a bettinardi is a steal! I thought that I had a good deal on mine @ £120.

T series wedges.... I went for 53 and 58 as I felt the gap was more consistent but mine weren't BOGOF :(
 

TonyN

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You didnt get the black wedges did you Dave? I opted for black, apparently it helps the ball spin more, but atleast I wont get dazzled in summer if nothing else.
 

MVP

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Hey Tony really pleased to here you had the perfect fitting session by the sounds of it!

I highly recommend mizuno equipment! i would have mizzy irons if it wasnt for the fantastic deal i got on the 735cm's

purchased a mizzy wedge today 56.13 MPR in black nickel v nice indeed . now just need to get the 52.07 wheni get some more spare cash!
 

forefortheday

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Think you've made my mind up for my new birthday present want to move on from my 17's so could be a great incentive.

Also good to hear of a company that wants to sell you the right product not just what is offering the best margin.
 

HomerJSimpson

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Great post and good to see a company interested in the person and not necessarily the £'s. The offers were great especially the putter. Trouble is you've nowhere to hide now when it all goes wrong
 

Adjani

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Went to the national fitting center for a driver fitting, very thorough, liked it alot, learnt lots about my swing from the trackman readouts.
 

Imurg

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Not wishing to cast any doubt on the merits of custom fitting but:-

Surely the specifications obtained during the fit are only valid for the way you you were able to swing the club today? AS we are all amateurs, and many in the mid-high handicap bracket, it goes without saying that we are all capable of swinging the club in a variety of ways depending on any number of variables. Can you really swing the club exactly the same, on the same plane, at the same speed every time? Even the pro's can't do that.

My point is that if you have a variable swing, which swing are you being custom fit for?

I'm not saying its bad or that it doesn't work but it seems to me there are so many variables in the golf swing that to get the real benefit you must be able to re-create your swing pretty much every time.
 

MVP

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Not wishing to cast any doubt on the merits of custom fitting but:-

Surely the specifications obtained during the fit are only valid for the way you you were able to swing the club today? AS we are all amateurs, and many in the mid-high handicap bracket, it goes without saying that we are all capable of swinging the club in a variety of ways depending on any number of variables. Can you really swing the club exactly the same, on the same plane, at the same speed every time? Even the pro's can't do that.

My point is that if you have a variable swing, which swing are you being custom fit for?

I'm not saying its bad or that it doesn't work but it seems to me there are so many variables in the golf swing that to get the real benefit you must be able to re-create your swing pretty much every time.

very very good point.. when i got fitted for my wedges my pro fitted me 3 or 4 times before we wrote the final spec down that way we could find the best avereage fit! luckily i got this for free ...on the contrary i hated them wedges and self custom fitted my self a new set!haha
 

backwoodsman

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On same topic, I went off to Titleist's national fitting centre on Friday - and felt it was one of the best mornings ever...

Spent and hour and half trying out clubs with different lies, different shafts (weight & stiffness). For a dobber like me, was very surprised how different things felt in the hand. A few grams difference made one combination feel light as a feather, and another like a brick on a stick. And also the difference that a couple of degrees change of lie would make. I know the good golfers would notice, but wasn't expecting me to though.

In the end, we settled on a set of AP1s rather than the AP2s I'd gone for - so he wasn't trying to push me down an expensive route. (I did settle for non-standard shafts & grips though)

Also tried a hatful of wedges and came away having settled on a Vokey Tour Chrome 56.11. For first time ever - in an entire golfing career - was able to get those 30 & 40 yard pitches properly airborne rather than fizzing them acrosss the green like a missile.

So thanks Dan (for he was da man) - it was then straight off back to AG to get the clubs ordered (it was they who booked the session for me). Can't wait....

No disrespect to anyone else's fitters, but if you're close to one of the national centres - pick your choice of manufacturer - then get yourself down there. A good seeing to is what they offer - and it's well worth it.
 

TonyN

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Imurg, yes, I do swing the same all the time. I have worked hard on my swing for 6 months solid to dreate the perfect tempo, speed, plane etc. Yes I play off 18 but I beleive that will drop with the new irons. My problem is I miss too many G.I.R and then have to scramble to make pars/bogeys.

Ask most of the lads I have played with in the last few months, I think I have a pretty good, repeatable swing that now produces a nice draw. (Jesus my heads swelling)

The thing with custom fitting is, getting the right clubs is a big bonus. The game is hard enough to play anyway so once you have a grooved swing, and that is very important, you get the clubs to suit it and then 9/10 when you do swing it right, your results are optimised to the maximum. It doesn't matter about the duffed shot, if your clubs cost £300 or £3000 a duff is a duff.
 

haplesshacker

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I now know what I want to do for my 40th next year. Sounds like an awesome and interesting day out. But I might have to save it until I can hit a club well enough. Mind you, a club with less offset might cure my hook......hummmm!!!!

Great report though. It's good to hear how it's done.
 

TonyN

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Imurg rasied an excellent point, It is Vital that you have a swing that is grooved and you are happy with because if you get fitted, and change your swing, the clubs may not suit you. I am happy with my swing it just needs tweeks.
 

krokodil

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Tony, it sounds like you had a great experience at the fitting service. It gives me confidence in trying out custom fitting and I just so happen to be in the mizuno camp, so I hope when I have enough sheckles i'll be able to get myself sorted out and pack away them tp9s!!
 
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