RxGus
Argyle Warrior
I just got home from my first ever fitting... I guess I'll share my thoughts? Not really sure if people are really all that interested. A local driving range with 5 teaching pro's offers free club fitting sessions (60 mins) so I figured I had nothing at all to loose. They also do lessons there which is going to end up being a consideration of mine as well.
The fitting was mostly for new Irons.
Current set: 2003 TM RAC-HTs (steel-stiff)
Reason for fitting:
1. I am 6'3" and play off the rack clubs
2. Iron distances don't match driver distances (260 driver, ss=105-110: 150 club 6 Iron)
Club fittings are done in a garage bay that opens up into the driving range- hitting off of a pad and with a launch monitor (though we never used it). The only major club manufacturer they don't fit is Nike. I warmed up with my 7 iron and was hitting things ok, though a fair number escaped to the right on me. I have always struggled with an outside-in swing pattern and my recent range trips have been full of the "diamond drill" which works pretty well. I'll groove several in a row- but I always end up loosing it.
I was hitting pretty average for myself today. The very first thing is the pro fixed my address. Less knee bend and more hip bend. I was making good contact, loosing 20-30% to the right. The change in stance had no noticeable change on ball flight or contact. Once I got comfortable in my new stance (comfortable is a bit of a misnomer) we started adding in new clubs.
Static fitting put me at +1/2"
X-22's off the rack- Lost a lot to the right and the stock grip was too big. When we moved to + 1/2 things got a little bit better but nothing to write home about. The grip was much larger than I was used to, so maybe that had something to do with it.
Next was a burner standard length (since they gradually get longer)- grip was REALLY worn and I had problems preventing them from spinning in my hand. I never really felt a smooth shot on them and hit a lot of fat balls.
He pulled the G15 out- I hit it well but the ball went through the clouds. I felt like I was hitting a 9 Iron and not a 6 iron.
After talking with him for a few short minutes he grabbed MX-300s to help keep my ball flight down. He was a little concerned about loosing forgiveness off the toe because of my over the top swing plane. BUT he said I would be fine with them if I took lessons.
3 shots in he looked at me and said "this is your club". It just felt right. Lower flight trajectory with a more penetrating flight, lowers spread. Good distance. Soft feel. And I could still tell where I mishit things!
Now here is the interesting thing... we moved up to the + 1/2 and I just couldnt get the club around. He said it was like watching a kid hit adult clubs :arrogant:. A few more tries and he handed me back the stock length, back to hitting the club well. So apparently I am a 6'3" golfer that needs clubs 1/2 shorter than "normal" to keep my swing speeds up.
After rotating back to my clubs and alternating with the MX300 I was hitting the ball about as well with each one. Contact was pretty consistent between the two. MX were softer, lower, longer. TMs were higher, shorter, and more prone to the occasional slice. I wouldn't say the difference in swinging them was all that large... which I take as a good thing... they just felt natural.
I didn't buy them yet. I still have a lot of work to do with my swing and I don't want to be fooling around with a new set of sticks too. The range does 30 min lessons for $50 a pop or 4 for $190 (Is that reasonable? I don't even know). I was thinking about getting a 4 pack and doing the first three lessons with my current irons, doing a new fitting and upgrading to the MX's, and taking my last lesson with the new babies.
What do you all think of that plan?
Any other irons I should swing before I settle on the MX's?
Anyone else a taller guy that still needs "stock" length shafts?
-Gus
The fitting was mostly for new Irons.
Current set: 2003 TM RAC-HTs (steel-stiff)
Reason for fitting:
1. I am 6'3" and play off the rack clubs
2. Iron distances don't match driver distances (260 driver, ss=105-110: 150 club 6 Iron)
Club fittings are done in a garage bay that opens up into the driving range- hitting off of a pad and with a launch monitor (though we never used it). The only major club manufacturer they don't fit is Nike. I warmed up with my 7 iron and was hitting things ok, though a fair number escaped to the right on me. I have always struggled with an outside-in swing pattern and my recent range trips have been full of the "diamond drill" which works pretty well. I'll groove several in a row- but I always end up loosing it.
I was hitting pretty average for myself today. The very first thing is the pro fixed my address. Less knee bend and more hip bend. I was making good contact, loosing 20-30% to the right. The change in stance had no noticeable change on ball flight or contact. Once I got comfortable in my new stance (comfortable is a bit of a misnomer) we started adding in new clubs.
Static fitting put me at +1/2"
X-22's off the rack- Lost a lot to the right and the stock grip was too big. When we moved to + 1/2 things got a little bit better but nothing to write home about. The grip was much larger than I was used to, so maybe that had something to do with it.
Next was a burner standard length (since they gradually get longer)- grip was REALLY worn and I had problems preventing them from spinning in my hand. I never really felt a smooth shot on them and hit a lot of fat balls.
He pulled the G15 out- I hit it well but the ball went through the clouds. I felt like I was hitting a 9 Iron and not a 6 iron.
After talking with him for a few short minutes he grabbed MX-300s to help keep my ball flight down. He was a little concerned about loosing forgiveness off the toe because of my over the top swing plane. BUT he said I would be fine with them if I took lessons.
3 shots in he looked at me and said "this is your club". It just felt right. Lower flight trajectory with a more penetrating flight, lowers spread. Good distance. Soft feel. And I could still tell where I mishit things!
Now here is the interesting thing... we moved up to the + 1/2 and I just couldnt get the club around. He said it was like watching a kid hit adult clubs :arrogant:. A few more tries and he handed me back the stock length, back to hitting the club well. So apparently I am a 6'3" golfer that needs clubs 1/2 shorter than "normal" to keep my swing speeds up.
After rotating back to my clubs and alternating with the MX300 I was hitting the ball about as well with each one. Contact was pretty consistent between the two. MX were softer, lower, longer. TMs were higher, shorter, and more prone to the occasional slice. I wouldn't say the difference in swinging them was all that large... which I take as a good thing... they just felt natural.
I didn't buy them yet. I still have a lot of work to do with my swing and I don't want to be fooling around with a new set of sticks too. The range does 30 min lessons for $50 a pop or 4 for $190 (Is that reasonable? I don't even know). I was thinking about getting a 4 pack and doing the first three lessons with my current irons, doing a new fitting and upgrading to the MX's, and taking my last lesson with the new babies.
What do you all think of that plan?
Any other irons I should swing before I settle on the MX's?
Anyone else a taller guy that still needs "stock" length shafts?
-Gus
