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My fitter got me graphite shafts for irons, what?

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willybilly

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Ok, I've never been fitted or anything before today. I own the Titleist AP2 714 irons and had them in dynamic gold R300s. The problem was I had major ballooning issue. So considering I just paid a lot of money for these clubs I was mad.

So I called a reputable fitter near me and decided to make an appt. to talk about re shafting. The dude just talked to me for five minutes and asked what my budget was exactly. I told him about 400 bucks.

Immediately he asked if I'd ever tried graphite. He said they'd be perfect for me. Tour Ad 65i shafts.

He then had me take two swings outside to watch me. After that he said regular flex would be perfect for me.

That was it. He never saw me hit a ball or anything. I feel very upset that I finally tried to get fitted and nothing but guesswork (in my opinion was done). Of course I got talked into buying the shafts and all bc I was pressured.

But maybe that's all some good club fitters do? I don't know.

I don't even know the benefit of graphite. My swingspeed for driver is 95-100 mph mark. So I'm just confused.

This post is a mess because I'm still in disbelief. I just wasted 400 bucks on crappy graphite shafts.

And to top it all off-- I have never swung a graphite shafted iron. So I have no idea what I'm in for

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Unfortunately man it sounds like you didn't see a fitter at all, you saw a salesman. Is the stuff you typed literally all he did, or is there more?
 
Those are some nice shafts dude.

Also, what is your launch angle currently? Plus, for me, balloon balls with irons tends to be a swing issue. Not as much as shaft issue.
 
My fitter got me graphite shafts for irons, what?

Yeah, Evok-- that was literally it. I mean he explained a lot of technical stuff like swing weights and kick point, but he never saw me hit a ball. I'm a 15 handicap, but he didn't even ask. I told him I'm not great. I just told him I was losing some distance compared to my last irons. My swing has no tempo and it's not smooth, so I wondered if a stiff shaft would do better.

Ah, what a mess!!

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Blugold-- no idea on launch angle. I thought he would check it all out for me. You're right, I'm sure it's my swing. I need to find an instructor again. Mine moved away about two years ago.


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I switched over to a Project X 5.5 graphite for my irons and I've never hit my irons better.
 
I would call and cancel the order and go to a real fitting
 
A good friend of mine is an instructor and good fitter. He is old and old school. He said he can watch someone hit half a dozen balls mad properly fit them based on ball flight. He says he doesn't need a trackman or any other LM to tell him what his eyes see. Launch, spin shaft load etc. that said he doesn't want to be considered not willing to embrace technology. So he will use one if the customer really wants it to conform what he sees and to make the customer feel like they are getting a true fitting with specs.

That said I can't understand why your guy didn't have you hit some shots. But don't hate on graphite. It's not your grandfathers graphite these days.
 
willybilly said:
Blugold-- no idea on launch angle. I thought he would check it all out for me. You're right, I'm sure it's my swing. I need to find an instructor again. Mine moved away about two years ago.


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I'm generally trusting of the fitter I have seen. Unfortunately, other people have different experiences. I'm not saying you're wrong for feeling this way.
 
I'm not sure if you are upset at him or yourself. You could have walked away and not purchased a thing. I'm sorry you aren't happy but you had the option of walking away.

You say you balloon them. Since you haven't been a monitor and dont know your spin rate or launch, it all based on what you see. How do you know they aren't right? I'm asking because they might be perfect. Chances are they aren't because it wasn't a true fitting but mayne you should get some numbers to be sure.

I was part of a fitting today that took into account so much raw data it wasn't funny.

The good news is, you can always pull the shafts and recoup some of the funds to make it right. Sorry it didn't go how you wanted but you have options to make it better.
 
My fitter got me graphite shafts for irons, what?

No, you're right, Blugold. This guy has been in business for 20 years. He's very reputable. I'm just weary because I've never hit graphite in irons. I'm sure it will work out. I'll keep you posted.

Tadashi-- I'm just upset with myself.

Not him at all. I guess I was just expecting to hit a ball in front of him. You're right about ballooning too. I have no idea if it was actually ballooning. It just seemed to climb really, really high and then just drop out of the sky.

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willybilly said:
No, you're right, Blugold. This guy has been in business for 20 years. He's very reputable. I'm just weary because I've never hit graphite in irons. I'm sure it will work out. I'll keep you posted.

Tadashi-- I'm just upset with myself.

Not him at all. I guess I was just expecting to hit a ball in front of him. You're right about ballooning too. I have no idea if it was actually ballooning. It just seemed to climb really, really high and then just drop out of the sky.

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I hope I didn't harsh out on you too much. You can make this right by either getting a real deal fitting or adjusting your swing a bit. I'd do the first and spend a little more cash to gain positive time with what you have.

The shafts can be tipped to make them stiffer if that is what you need or you can sell and get new ones.

Fwiw, I have graphite shafts coming in a set of irons I will play soon. Graphite in irons isn't a bad thing. Improper shafts of any material is the bad thing.

Go kick your arse and then go get fit .
 
My fitter got me graphite shafts for irons, what?

Tadashi-- you weren't harsh at all. I seriously blame myself. I'm a guy who only golfs by myself because I get very nervous around people I don't know. So, this guy had me intimidated. But he seemed to know his stuff. As far as ballooning goes-- I don't really know what it is--To me the flight was cool because it was really high. It helped me get over trees and even some telephone lines that are actually crossing the one hole. I don't know what ballooning is. Lol. This past weekend I went out with a buddy and he said it looks like my shots were ballooning. I took his word for it even though he's golfs 4x a year and I golf 3x a week.

I think maybe the money was burning a hole in my pocket. Ha! I'm just stuck in the old graphite mindset. My buddy has used old northwesterns with graphite for 20 years and loves them. I just heard horror stories about graphite used in years past.



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I feel bad for you willybilly because a couple years ago I had a similar thing happen to me. I decided enough was enough and I was off to get fit properly. Well after an "amazing" 5 minute fitting session that didn't include any numbers or a lie board or anything besides this "fitter's" opinion I walked out with some irons that were completely wrong for me. I was told that if I bought the irons the "fitting session" was free and if I didn't I would owe $75 for the "fitting". Feeling pressured I bought them.
 
I'm about and 100 driver SS as well and I was fitted to stiff steel. I don't have ballooning issues, but I'd think that graphite would amplify rather than reduce that problem.
 
TMAdidas said:
I don't have ballooning issues, but I'd think that graphite would amplify rather than reduce that problem.
Click to expand...

That is not necessarily correct at all.
 
JB said:
That is not necessarily correct at all.
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On the Golfsmith website it says that these create a mid-high launch with mid spin. I could be totally off here, but I'd think that this wouldn't help the ballooning. It
might not have any effect at all on that though.
 
JB said:
That is not necessarily correct at all.
Click to expand...

Qft, I thought I would hit ridiculous moon balls with my current clubs but it didn't happen.
 
If you're leaning in the graphite direction, have you thought about Aerotech?
 
There is nothing wrong with graphite iron shafts if they are properly fit. The concern I would have with what shafts he sold you look to be 67 grams and the DG R300's you currently have are 127 grams. That is a big change without trying them first.

It seems to me that when he asked budget and you said $400 he jumped to a higher price point shaft. The only AD 65i's I can quickly find on the internet are huge money. Over double the most expensive steel shafts I have seen. Sorry you are going through this, I would be looking to cancel the order if it isn't too late and find a new fitter. Too many red flags for me.
 
Aerotech's might just be as bad for him without a proper fitting. They may be great but there is no way of knowing.

TMAdidas said:
If you're leaning in the graphite direction, have you thought about Aerotech?
Click to expand...
 
I should have considered everything. He had those ad 65 i shafts and gave me a good price. He only had 6. So I guess I'll be using a hybrid in my 3 and 4 instead of 3 and 4 irons. Heard good things about Aerotech. They were probably out of my price range. What kills me is I should just have gotten fitted before I bought my irons. But, no, I thought reg shafts sound good. I'm not that smart.


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For future reference, in my experience anyone who asks you what your budget is before figuring out what you want or need is simply after your money. What he (or anyone selling anything) should be doing is figuring out what product or service delivers what it is you're looking for, regardless of the price. Only then, if the price is too high, should budget become a concern, compromises made, etc. In my 20 or so years of sales experience (in my own business as well as working for others) this is almost a universal rule.
 
Those are very nice shafts and they go for about 65 to 85 bucks a piece. But they are also mid-high launchers. Not sure they'll help much with a ballooning problem. You'll soon find out though. I might have suggested just bending the lofts down a degree or two. That would cost about $35 total and would lower the launch while maybe giving you an extra yard or two.

I sympathize with you though. I've had or witnessed several such bogus fittings in the past year. Beware the fitting that begins by asking you how much you want to spend-
 
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