Some people never listen

[medwayjon]

Thought I would tell you this story.

I was talking to a pro about buying some new irons and he said how nice it was that I took his advice. He told me about a guy off 23 who came to him for new irons. This guy simply had to have a set of titleist blades and would not take any advice off the pro, who despite his insistance that they were not right for the guy, sold them to him for a peaceful life.

2 weeks later the golfer returned to the pro complaing how crap the irons were and how they must be faulty as he was hitting the ball all over the place. The pro demonstrated the irons were fine in capable hands on the range so the golfer decided to replace them.

He was however, under the dillusion that the pro would buy them back in p/x at £50 less than he paid for them. When the pro said that he didn't particularly want them as p/x as they would sit around for ages the guy had the gall to accuse the pro of stitching him up by mis-selling him.

Who would be a shop-pro eh!

Apparently this happens quite a lot. Through business we have free golf days and we see so many people out there with very limited ability but fat wallets and the most expensive gear money can buy.

 

[birdieman]

'All the gear and no idea' comes to mind!
I dont buy off club pros, not cos I dont think they know what they're on about, simply becuase they charge too much. The prices at my club shop are unbelievable, like £185 for a used Ping G2 driver -not on your nelly!

 

[OOB]

It's a difficult balance- I bought my irons (new in the spring) from the Pro at my local club- I have had lessons with him, so he knows my game, he spent 15 minutes talking me through the various options he had in the shop, sent me off to the range with a few different 6 irons to try, and then called me up a couple of days later to ask how I had got on with them (and presumably to try and sell them a bit). He also took my cavity back set with a pretty generous PX. Of course I could have then gone to the internet and got the set for £30-40 cheaper but it is against my personal priciples to do so.

On the other hand he only stocks a limited number of iron sets in the shop,

 

[John_Findlay]

I wouldn't be a shop pro, even if I had the ability! My home pro simply refuses to sell a set of irons to a member without having a half hour look at them on the range with the clubs in question in their hands.. If they're not right for them he suggests they buy them elsewhere for a quiet life. That usually gets the member thinking!

At the end of the day too many golfers suffer from this macho syndrome and don't like to be told they should play with cavity backs the size of a shovel if they stand any chance of hitting the ball. It's the same with "extra stiff shaft syndrome"

 

[birdieman]

John
Wee bit guilty on your last point, back on regulars now!

 

[John_Findlay]

Me too. And not ashamed of it either. We've all been guilty of it. I just want to play my best golf and if that means going back to a regular shaft and enjoying my golf again then it's a no brainer.

Had another custom fitting for a 4 wood the other day. Clubhead speed was 103 mph apparently and the Titleist boys say you shouldn't go to stiff unless you swing over 110. That's mighty fast. I'd have my drives back down to 200 yards with an extra stiff shaft!

 

[madandra]

I got a set of taylormade TP Combo's against the advice of the Pro just 'cos I liked them. They were absolutely and utterly amazing ............. IN THE BAG !!!!!!! I couldn't hit them even if my life depended on it. They were the sexiest clubs I have ever owned and if my wife had lines like them I would NEVER look at another woomin. However I did have the balls to go back to him and trade them in at a loss for cavity back Cobras.

That was another hundred quid out the 'UNDECLARED FUND' she doesn't know about.

 

[John_Findlay]

Know how you feel, Madandra. It's like looking at an old Persimmon Wood. They're works of art. I could hang one on my wall and just look at it but you just know you'd have the 460cc titanium back in the bag within the week.

Some of the new blade or muscle back-irons look like a samurai sword maker has produced them - just beeeaaauuutiful. But give me my MP30s any day.

This new 18 degree fairway wood I've ordered is tiny and ugly as sin but I couldn't hit a bad one and the launch monitor says I'm hitting it 255 yards (I had to ask the pro if it was working properly!)

Will never buy a club without getting custom fit again, no matter how cheap those lovely new shiny blades are on ebay!

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Out of interest John, Where do you go to get fitted?
I can't use my cheat stick after this year and I am on the look out for a new one. I think I'll go and get fitted for it after reading about everyone else's experiences.
I know there's a place in Cumbernauld, but do they just deal with Mizuno?

 

[John_Findlay]

Hi Atticus,

I've used the Titleist Fitting Works tour van which travels around various clubs. Find out where it visits by following this link;-

http://www.intheswing.info/fittingworks/

However, in your part of the country, there is the custom fit centre at St Andrews, which I know does Ping and Callaway. Here's the link;-


http://www.standrewslinksgolfacademy.com/defaultpage121ac0.aspx?pageID=313

Not sure who does Mizuno but check their website. I bought my MP30s off the shelf around 4 years ago before I knew better!

 

[John_Findlay]

Found the local Mizuno centres, Atticus, and here they are;-


http://golf.mizunoeurope.com/store/showstores.php


Don't know if they'll use the technology that the National Fitting Centre at Cumbernauld will though. Probably just a Pro with a good eye and some impact tape!

Cheers

John

 

[RGuk]

Had another custom fitting for a 4 wood the other day. Clubhead speed was 103 mph apparently and the Titleist boys say you shouldn't go to stiff unless you swing over 110.

Hmm, interesting.....read this....
REGULAR FLEX
Driver speed swing 75-84 mph (120-135 km/h). Driver carry distance 210-240 yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 5 or 6 iron.

STIFF FLEX
Driver speed swing 84-93 mph (130-150 km/h). Driver carry distance 240-260 yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 6 or 7 iron.

X-STIFF FLEX
Driver speed swing over 93 mph (150 km/h). Driver carry distance 260+ yds. Club used from 150 yds. a 8 or 9 iron.

I'd take a second opinion on a 103 mph clubhead speed......(if that's correct)....I remember hearing (after swinging on/with a machine) that 90 mph was about right for a regular flex....if the stuff above is correct then the figures are coming down....
???? dunno ??? 103 seems jolly fast to me, certainly way over regular....

Dave

 

[John_Findlay]

I've read that too, Dave. Looked into it a lot before my first custom fit session and the numbers vary hugely from site to site. Those quoted to you are hugely misleading, I'm afraid.

Remember that there are regular shafts and regular shafts and the technology has changed everything. Remember shafts are longer too now because they are so much lighter. Those figures could be with steel shafts?

Can only tell you what I saw with my own eyes off the launch monitor. Ties in with my driver clubhead speed from a previous session.

They want to find a shaft for you which pings the golf ball off the club at approx 1.5 x clubhead speed. With my old stiff shaft my ballspeed was 140mph. Now 150 with a regular which is more like it. That equates to between 2 and 3 yards per mph, so 20-30 yards increase. I got my new driver in May and I'm definitely hitting the ball the farthest I ever have. Well worth the effort.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Cheers for that John. I'll wait until my Christmas bonus comes in and I'll get right on that.
Do they charge for this service?

 

[John_Findlay]

Apparently it's £30 for a 30 minute fitting at St Andrews. The price list for other services is on the website page I sent. They're not the cheapest. Others don't charge on the understanding you'll buy from them. Worth it when you think you'll have the clubs a few years at least.

 

[Atticus_Finch]

I agree. I would have thought that the fitting wiould be free if you go on to buy the club from them. (which I probably will).
Anyway, what you doing up at this time ? peed the bed?

 

[John_Findlay]

My shameful secret is out!

Actually, sad to say, I'm never early to bed and I'm monitoring a wood on ebay which has a deadline any mo which has the EXACT specs of the club I ordered at the custom fit the other day, except it has less loft. Hoping to get a bargain on something I was planning buying later in the year anyway.

You still mending shoes?

 

[Atticus_Finch]

Making tree heads for the North sea actually.
Yes I'm at work. Last night though and I've got a tee time for tomorrow and Tuesday. First hit in over a fortnight. I had an absolute holocaust of a round a while back and I made a conscious(sp?) decision to give it a break for a while. Couldn't hit a fairway to save my life, fluffed chips and a dose of the shanks thrown in for good measure. Putting wasn't bad though.
This time tomorrow, either my clubs will be on ebay or I'll be back on here raving about how much I love this game of ours.

Hopefully the latter.

4 hours to go.

 

[madandra]

Did you get the club John? What was it?

I was in Greaves Sports today looking at new irons and they charge £30 for fitting but if you buy from them they give you a free Ralph Lauren T-shirt. I would rather pay for fitting than buy off the peg. I have spent most of my life adjusting to the clubs I am using now it's my turn to treat myself.

 

[thebelgie24]

my last day of a 3wk holiday/crammed as much as i could,peaceful last week,kids back to school,girl back to work,you could have heard my jaw hit the floor when she announced she had managed to get the 1st 2wks off as well.just back from my last 18 before work tomorrow,played ok but just enjoyed the moment before reality bites my bum !