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NEWS Callaway Distance Fitting

Nippon Shafts
I did my online fitting yesterday with Bryan. Overall it was a good experience and we used the full 30 minutes. We wound up going through pretty much the whole bag. I am trying to gain distance and that was my focus. I am pretty straight but short. I have some LM data from last year. I have been working on flexibility and SS but here are the numbers from last year:
Driver, Rogue 10.5 -1 D w/ Evenflow Blue S launch 12.6, Spin 2261, BS 131.4, CS 93.1, Carry 213
6i, Ping i200 Steelfiber i95 S launch 16.0, Spin 5368, BS 111.6, CS 83.2, Carry 157

Regarding the driver Bryan said my launch and spin numbers were pretty good. I play a slight fade (less than 5 yards) and talked about my desire not to miss left. Based on that he recommended the Maverik vs the Maverik Pro. For loft and configuration he recommended staying with the 10.5* -1 D configuration. We talked a little about going 9 but he thought that might result in the spin getting too low. For shaft he recommended the Riptide X 60g staying in the stiff flex. I am a bit on the edge of being able to try a regular but the combination of wanting to take the left miss out and the fact that it would likely result in a jump in spin he recommended staying with the stiff. Bryan felt I would pick up 3-5 mph of ball speed due to the cup face design.

For irons the recommendation was for the Maverik Pro. We talked about shafts for quite a while and debated the KBS Max 90 vs the Max 80. Bryan wasn't recommending graphite due to a potential increase in spin. I was a little concerned about going too light although I do have a set of irons with 85g shafts in them right now so we settled on the Max 90s.

We moved onto wedges. I have PM Grind 54 and 58s right now and I don't love the 54. His recommendation was for the Jaws MD5 with the C grind on the 58 because I like to be able to open the club up.

For ball he recommended the Chrome Soft and felt the softer ball could help add a little speed on full swings.

Overall it was a fun experience. I may liquidate some stuff and pick up a Maverik particularly because I have a couple of shafts in the house that would fit. I am also probably going to pick up a new 54.

I am definitely considering irons but want to get fit for them and see how they work before making a commitment to them.

It was definitely a good experience and if buying on line it is way better than flying blind.
 
While it isnt exactly what I was fit for, I'm giving an apex 19 3 hybrid a run.

The Mavrik pro may get a chance in a 2 hybrid spec down the road.
 
Chef23 said:
I did my online fitting yesterday with Bryan. Overall it was a good experience and we used the full 30 minutes. We wound up going through pretty much the whole bag. I am trying to gain distance and that was my focus. I am pretty straight but short. I have some LM data from last year. I have been working on flexibility and SS but here are the numbers from last year:
Driver, Rogue 10.5 -1 D w/ Evenflow Blue S launch 12.6, Spin 2261, BS 131.4, CS 93.1, Carry 213
6i, Ping i200 Steelfiber i95 S launch 16.0, Spin 5368, BS 111.6, CS 83.2, Carry 157

Regarding the driver Bryan said my launch and spin numbers were pretty good. I play a slight fade (less than 5 yards) and talked about my desire not to miss left. Based on that he recommended the Maverik vs the Maverik Pro. For loft and configuration he recommended staying with the 10.5* -1 D configuration. We talked a little about going 9 but he thought that might result in the spin getting too low. For shaft he recommended the Riptide X 60g staying in the stiff flex. I am a bit on the edge of being able to try a regular but the combination of wanting to take the left miss out and the fact that it would likely result in a jump in spin he recommended staying with the stiff. Bryan felt I would pick up 3-5 mph of ball speed due to the cup face design.

For irons the recommendation was for the Maverik Pro. We talked about shafts for quite a while and debated the KBS Max 90 vs the Max 80. Bryan wasn't recommending graphite due to a potential increase in spin. I was a little concerned about going too light although I do have a set of irons with 85g shafts in them right now so we settled on the Max 90s.

We moved onto wedges. I have PM Grind 54 and 58s right now and I don't love the 54. His recommendation was for the Jaws MD5 with the C grind on the 58 because I like to be able to open the club up.

For ball he recommended the Chrome Soft and felt the softer ball could help add a little speed on full swings.

Overall it was a fun experience. I may liquidate some stuff and pick up a Maverik particularly because I have a couple of shafts in the house that would fit. I am also probably going to pick up a new 54.

I am definitely considering irons but want to get fit for them and see how they work before making a commitment to them.

It was definitely a good experience and if buying on line it is way better than flying blind.
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Sounds like you managed to cram a lot into 30mins, which is great!
 
vgolfman said:
The plan is for this is to be an ongoing entity, assuming there is demand for it. Still, now is a great time to get fit for everyone EXCEPT those that have "Grandaddy reasons". (And really strong flex there @radiman!)
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vgolfman said:
When you sign up for a Distance Fitting online we have questionnaire... Fill that out as honestly and completely as possible. Then, come into the fitting with an open mind about what may be best for you, but as much information about your game as you can. If you have recent launch monitor data, have that ready for the call. If you use Arccos or a similar on course data app, have a summary of your last few rounds or a list of your tendencies. Still not sure? Maybe ask a friend you play a lot of golf with to be honest with you about your game. Ask him/her about where your misses go, what shots give you trouble, what clubs you have loved, and/or hated, in the past. Ultimately, your Certified Master Fitter will ask questions to prompt you as well.
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For the reasons you outlined in that second quoted post, I hope that this initiative continues well past the time we are affected by the pandemic. I have arccos, but barely any data on it due to the lack of golf. Would like to get more data in. Also have a launch monitor (consumer grade, but still should provide decent data) coming in this summer. Would love to be able to provide some type of numbers to a distance fitter.
 
Signed up for a fitting on Tuesday. Completed the on-line information. I understand why you can't attach a file to the form (security and virus protection), but it really was a pain entering all my club data. I'll let you know how it goes.
 
Completed my distance fitting with Marcellus on Friday and am very happy with the info he was able to provide. We spent more than 30 minutes discussing irons and grip size. He offered a tip to help eliminate the pull/hook I’ve been fighting and thankfully it worked. Cudos to Callaway and Marcellus for offering this experience free of charge.
 
Just got caught up on the podcast. Good info there; really hope this continues for the foreseeable future
 
Distance fitting with Justin King

What an interesting and educational experience.
I filled out the form with all the information I had available. Clubs, shafts, distance by club, swing speed, ball speed and smash factor.

Justin called exactly on time. He introduced himself and told me about his background.

We discussed what ball I was using and why. He suggested that give Supersoft a try. A soft core low compression distance ball.

I told him that I was happy with the top of my bad, but my irons had always been an issue. They are TaylorMade M4’s I got 2 years ago. There were a great improvement over my box set irons, but I still don’t feel I’m hitting them well. My usual miss is low and left. Here’s were the education began. We discussed the lie of the clubs. Now I know nothing about this subject at all. He told me how they test to make sure I have the best lie for me and what changing the lie can do.

We discussed the difference between men’s and women’s clubs slightly heavier heads and usually more loft.

We ended with his recommendation for Mavrik MAX-Lite.

All in all an excellent experience.

He followed up with a email fitting sheet containing his recommendations.

If they have the clubs at PGASS I’ll give them a try when things loosen up around here.
 
Maric said:
Distance fitting with Justin King

What an interesting and educational experience.
I filled out the form with all the information I had available. Clubs, shafts, distance by club, swing speed, ball speed and smash factor.

Justin called exactly on time. He introduced himself and told me about his background.

We discussed what ball I was using and why. He suggested that give Supersoft a try. A soft core low compression distance ball.

I told him that I was happy with the top of my bad, but my irons had always been an issue. They are TaylorMade M4’s I got 2 years ago. There were a great improvement over my box set irons, but I still don’t feel I’m hitting them well. My usual miss is low and left. Here’s were the education began. We discussed the lie of the clubs. Now I know nothing about this subject at all. He told me how they test to make sure I have the best lie for me and what changing the lie can do.

We discussed the difference between men’s and women’s clubs slightly heavier heads and usually more loft.

We ended with his recommendation for Mavrik MAX-Lite.

All in all an excellent experience.

He followed up with a email fitting sheet containing his recommendations.

If they have the clubs at PGASS I’ll give them a try when things loosen up around here.
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That's excellent feedback Maric. Thanks for the write-up.
 
Ok I’m in! I gotta dig up some numbers from SkyTrak tonight and get something scheduled.
 
Bump on this one as i just got the email. Fun process with great fitters from Callaway!

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2:30pm next Tuesday I get dialed in for a hybrid through the Distance Fitting program. I'm excited to have the conversation and see what can fill that gap between my 5i and Heavenwood.
 
mikeg_74 said:
2:30pm next Tuesday I get dialed in for a hybrid through the Distance Fitting program. I'm excited to have the conversation and see what can fill that gap between my 5i and Heavenwood.
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Interested in hearing how this works out for you
 
Parrot said:
I just finished my call with Brock Kauffman. First, I want to say he was very engaging, very easy to speak with. Second, he was fantastic explaining why and how certain things happen and what can cause them.

We spoke initially about the ball. I explained that I bounced back and forth last year between the ERC and CSX because I liked the TT each offered. He suggested that I try the CS w/TT for the best performance, spin and feel. After going through the driver fitting, he confirmed that the CS was the ball for me.

My interest was driver. Brock asked what I played. I told him I had been fitted in a EF SZ with a Diamana M+ 60g stiff shaft from a self-fit Rogue SZ with an Evenflow Blue 65g shaft. I mentioned that I didn't always have a good feel of where the clubhead was with the EF and Diamana combo but had better feel with the Rogue and Evenflow. I added that I liked the Evenflow with the EF. He explained that what I was not feeling was probably not the shaft but the lighter head of the EF. We talked about my miss which are toe hits and a low hook. We talked about my Trackman numbers from last year. Because my spin was low then and I have fought a low ball flight with the EF, even with good strikes, I expected the standard Mavrik but he recommended the SZ because it was a flatter lie and would help with my miss. He recommended a 10.5 set to N +2 to help increase spin. He said that the added loft with the flatter lie angle would give me more benefit than the slight closing of the face. Brock recommended the Riptide 60 but since I already have that shaft, he went with the Tensei AV Blue 65 at 45 inches to help with bring contact more to the center of the face. He recommended that I try both shafts at my fitter. He also mentioned that I was right on the cusp of the stiff/extra stiff line and could give that a go when I tried the club. If I wanted to try a shaft upgrade, he recommended the Ventus Blue, Oban Red, or the GD AD DI or MT.

So, going in, I didn't expect a MavMax rec because of my draw (hook). I expected the Mavrik probably matched up with the Riptide. I wasn't terribly wrong.

I recommend trying the distance fitting. It exceeded my expectations. It was really a blast to speak with someone with that much knowledge about the clubs and all that goes into getting you into the best possible fit. I'd really like to do a full fitting with Brock at some point. Hey Santa . . .

Thanks to @vgolfman and his staff for an awesome experience.
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Yesterday, I had an hour with Scott Felix in Memphis to try out the above set-up and a few other drivers. I didn't tell him I had gone through the distance fitting with Callaway but did tell him I was looking to get a higher ball flight. I tried all the Mavriks, SIM and SIM Max, XXIO 11, TS2, G410, and Speedzone heads with Fuji Pro 2.0, KuroKage Black, Tensei Orange, Diamana M+ and some other shafts I don't recall off the top of my head. The Mav and Mav Max, SIMs, XXIO, Speedzone and TS2 didn't perform for me as well as the G410 and Mavrik SZ. I got more ball speed and had a much better dispersion with the Mavrik with the Diamana M+. I picked up 10 yards more carry, more height and much better dispersion with the Mavrik at N+2 than my driver, even though my swing speed was down (98) some at the end. Carry and roll put me in the 260-70 range most often. I guess I need to own it that the Diamana M+ is my shaft and works really well for me when I'm swinging not so aggressively (when I get the low left miss).

It wasn't the exact same result but it was close enough to validate the distance fitting process for me.
 
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Distance Fitting is in the books and it went really well. One thing to remember, this isn't something you can do as a replacement for a full fitting, but it definitely fills that gap for players who have previous fitting numbers, are pretty comfortable with their current game and are comfortable without a fitter seeing ball flight.

I talked through my set up with Justin, who ironically was a fitter at ECPC during The Grandaddy. Honestly I can't picture his face, but the voice was familiar and he remembered THP and myself from this past December.

I explained to him I had a gap between my 5i and Heavenwood. We went over distance gaps and how I approach the top end of my bag. I like to see a more "fairway" look in my hybrids, but more importantly I want ball speed retention on my mishits. With my natural ball flight being left to right, we eliminated the Super Hybrid, Mav Pro and Apex. Those will have some fade bias in them with the Super Hybrid being the most fade biased of the bunch.

That left us with the Mavrik, Mavrik Max and Epic Flash. We threw out Epic Flash only because of the new technology the Mavrik line offers. The Mavrik line improved on the Epic Flash line in a lot of ways. Comparing the Max to the standard model one thing we considered was the offset and draw bias. While my natural ball flight is left to right, I've worked hard to straighten it out and not have so much movement. If the offset and look at address don't bother me, then the Max is an absolute contender, but just because I play the Mav Max driver, doesn't mean I should automatically play the Max hybrid. Like the Max, the standard model has plenty of distance and forgiveness built into it. Going back to my previous comment about this not being a replacement for a live fitting, we discussed that without seeing the actual ball flight it would be hard to tell which one is the best and this is where you have to be honest with yourself and your game. Luckily for me I am using PGA SS credit to buy my hybrid, so I am going to hit these side by side on the simulator to see which one works for me. We discussed my irons being 1* up and Justin would want to see ball flight before recommending the same for my hybrid. Ideally he wants to see ball flight before adjusting the lie angle, but mentioned 1* up is probably the safe play if that was a result from my last fitting. Shaft selection is tough as well, but if you know what shaft family suits your game it's an easy conversation. I know I like UST products as they have served me well in the past. I'm probably going with the 780 Recoil F4 Hybrid shaft when the order is placed.

Overall it was a cool experience and one I think is serving it's purpose. The program allows golfers to speak to a professional fitter about what can potentially fit based on an honest, but in depth conversation. A lot of time we try to self fit and throw away a ton of money tinkering or sometimes think " I wish I could bounce this idea off someone who knows more than me", the distance fitting helps bridge that gap from self fitting and a full live fitting very well.
 
I repeated this process for a hybrid fitting with Bryan Freeman. He was very helpful. He asked what hybrid I played now (Original Apex 4H) and what I was looking for in a new one (a 4H with a higher ball flight and more forgiveness). He explained the differences in the heads and which fit/did not fit my draw. He also explained which would give me more spin to improve the launch and flight of the shot. Mav Max and standard were out of the running quickly due to their draw bias and the Pro wasn't really a good fit for me.

He said the Flash was probably a better match because it's adjustable. I asked about the Super Hybrid but it's out of stock and would take a good while to get one. Because of height and wrist-to-floor measurement, he recommended a 1 1/2 longer shaft.

All in all, another great experience. It's awesome to get immediate feedback to the thoughts you have about your game and what you need to get better. Both Bryan and Brock were great about really explaining what fits what and what affect this change or that one can have as to how a club performs.
 
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I need to finish my to-do list this week and then I plan to get some new numbers on the SkyTrak and get down to business with a distance fitting.
 
Distance Fitting scheduled for Wedsnesday 11:15 am. I think the spot I'll most be looking at is the 3 wood, and Callaway has 3 fantastic options there that could fit me. Looking forward to it!
 
Since I live outside the US my distance fitting will be handled via email. I provided some data from a recent range session to my fitter and hopefully I'll get back some recommendations. Very cool that Callaway is providing this service! Will update once I get recommendations.
 
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We wound up going the email route. Tanner was super responsive. I provided him some numbers and the biggest trouble spot in my bag (3-4 wood). I thought his recommendation could be the BB21, but since I already draw my heavenwood and could use more spin rather than less, he determined the Max was the right head.

He suggested the Riptide 60R, or I could also look for the 50s. On the lookout for one now.

Would definitely recommend everyone give it a try.
 
Tired of searching for balls in cornfields. Finally got this scheduled for tomorrow!
 
Had my fitting with Tanner earlier this week and it was fun. I’ve never been fitted for any clubs, but we talked about driver, hybrids, and wedges.

Driver - I have a low launch off the tee, am not a big slicer, and don’t have spin issues so he recommended the standard Mavrik driver. I hit my old 2004 Big Bertha 3W really well and the shaft is 20g heavier than my current driver so he advised going with a heavier driver shaft. I had planned on looking at the Rogue or Epic Flash on CPO, but I couldn’t help myself and ended up grabbing a 9° Mavrik Max, which I plan to play at a slight draw setting. And it’s coming with a stiff Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black 70 shaft.

Hybrids - currently using the 3h/4h that are part of my Adams Idea A7 set. I’m a bit erratic with these and primarily miss left. Way left. We went right to the Mavrik Pro which don’t have any draw bias. I didn’t buy any hybrids, but I’m not sure how long I can hold off! 😆

Wedges - currently using some Top Flite wedges I got during a BOGO sale. 🤦‍♂️ I’ve never gotten along with them. Tanner recommended some Mack Daddy wedges at 48°, 52°, and 56° or 60° based on what I’m playing now. True Temper dynamic gold 115g shafts and 10° bounce / S-Grind since I’m pretty diverse with the wedges from full swing to around the green. and that’s exactly what I’m putting on my Christmas list 😎

All in all it was a super informative session and Tanner knew his stuff. Really pumped to give this driver a shot. If I can get the practice and playing time in, I’ll plan to reward it with some wedges or hybrids.
 
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