White Rhino
SANDBAGGER!!!!!!!
As I prepare for the Morgan Cup, i know I am going to have to provide a list of clubs and shaft I will want to fill my Bridgestone bag. Like many people I know on THP and who enjoy golf in general I am virtually clueless about shafts and flexes and what is right for me. After a nice chat with Jeff from Bridgestone via their online B-Fit chatting option I was recommended to a local fitter who was highly praised. As I spent my 90 minutes with Todd, I learned he was a two time winner of regional golf fitter of the year for PING, a top 100 fitter Mizuno twice and a top 100 fitter for Titleist all in the last 10 years. Once I heard that resume I was at ease that this guy knew what he was talking about and I should try to absorb as much as I can from this man.
We started the conversation with irons, as I knew that would be the easiest discussion of the day. As he started to ask about my preference, steel or graphite, I looked at him and said "Project X 5.5 Flighted" He responded "ah stock set-up" and I knew I was going to be comfortable with Todd. He wanted to check my existing irons and immediately noticed my 5 iron was set-up rather poorly. I then went through a shaft optimizer fitting by Mizuno and that provided that I was right on with my choice of weight and flex and then Todd checked for lie angle. He determined that while I was hitting the ball fairly well, setting up the irons at 1* flat will be beneficial in the long run, so 1* flat it is. Irons.. Check!!!!
We moved on next to the hybrids. I mentioned in other threads I presently have two j40 3 hybrids in my possession. One with a stiff Motore F1 shaft and one with a Pro-Force V2 shaft in it. I noticed when I had both clubs on the range recently the V2 was about 2 inches longer than the other one and today when I held these two clubs up to a brand new 3h that was in the store I found the stiff was 1" shorts that standard and of course the V2 was 1* longer than standard. It explained why I was hitting the short club so well and I was having such an issue with the V2 shafted club. I took the shorter hybrid to the mat and used it to test my numbers. Straight as can be with just a slight push noticed. Todd suggested I get the clubs in regular flex, tipped at 1/2" which I learned today means they cut the shaft short from the end that connects to the head. By doing this it stiffens the club up a little bit and the 1/2" short would set up ok for me based on my height. (not exactly Chunky-esque but I am no Dustin Johnson either). Also we really did not want to mess around with something that was working, so hybrids sorted out. Hybrids ... Check!!!
Next up , fairway woods!! I shared with Todd my Octane 4w with stock shaft that when I connect with it, I hit very well. I mentioned I wanted to match the specs of that as close as possible and I was handed a stock j40 w/ a project X 5.0 shaft in it. I was very suspect cause I have had my share of problems with the project X shaft in my driver (5.5). Well color me surprised when I hit shot after shot that is going straight and matching the distance I see with the Octane. Todd suggest I reconsider the Project X and we move on to the driver. FW.. pause
Now the big guy, I made a slight err in judgement as I sent off my J40 driver yesterday morning to TBT for him to get some practice with it as I did not expect this fitting to happen ( no biggie). I swung my Cobra s3 with the Miyazaki black in it and put some numbers up on the screen. We talked about the low spin characteristics of the J40 head and what shaft would work best. He handed me his personal driver he had put together that had a j40 445 head and a shaft that I did not recognize (not one on the list of shafts that I had been studying). After a few more shots Todd wanted to go over the list of shafts I had to choose from and I went and got my iPad. I came back and then the coolest part of the fitting took place. I connected to B-Fit chat, and again got Jeff. Jeff Todd and I had a brainstorming session which resulted in 4 possible options for shafts for me for the driver and the fairway woods. It was really cool being part of this discussion and listening and learning as much as I could from both of these gentlemen. Todd and I put the shafts in order of preference and the bag was now taking shape. I need to do some checking on the shafts in question to see if they exist in regular flex and if they do I will get the same shaft in both clubs also tipped 1/2", like the hybrid.
Wedges, gonna keep things like the irons and go 1* flat and more than likely the PX 5.5 flighted as well, though on the way home I started thinking about other options so jury is still out on that one.... for now!
Putter was last and probably the quickest. We use the Ping App and Todd had me take 5 putts from about 10'. I sank 3 but that was not the point of the exercise. It was determined that a heel shafted putter would be the best option for me and length we decided 34" would work just fine for me. I might take 1/2" off just to do it or I might try a few different length putters at the store in the next few weeks to really see what I am most comfortable with. Putter.... Check!!
As I headed home and as I sit here now recapping my session I am comfortable and more relaxed knowing I will have a great set up clubs at my disposal and the set will be set up just right for me. This never would of happened without Jeff at B-Fit getting me in touch with Todd. Todd was a mountain of information and is someone I will continue to visit going forward and I hope to sponge more knowledge off of in the future.
We started the conversation with irons, as I knew that would be the easiest discussion of the day. As he started to ask about my preference, steel or graphite, I looked at him and said "Project X 5.5 Flighted" He responded "ah stock set-up" and I knew I was going to be comfortable with Todd. He wanted to check my existing irons and immediately noticed my 5 iron was set-up rather poorly. I then went through a shaft optimizer fitting by Mizuno and that provided that I was right on with my choice of weight and flex and then Todd checked for lie angle. He determined that while I was hitting the ball fairly well, setting up the irons at 1* flat will be beneficial in the long run, so 1* flat it is. Irons.. Check!!!!
We moved on next to the hybrids. I mentioned in other threads I presently have two j40 3 hybrids in my possession. One with a stiff Motore F1 shaft and one with a Pro-Force V2 shaft in it. I noticed when I had both clubs on the range recently the V2 was about 2 inches longer than the other one and today when I held these two clubs up to a brand new 3h that was in the store I found the stiff was 1" shorts that standard and of course the V2 was 1* longer than standard. It explained why I was hitting the short club so well and I was having such an issue with the V2 shafted club. I took the shorter hybrid to the mat and used it to test my numbers. Straight as can be with just a slight push noticed. Todd suggested I get the clubs in regular flex, tipped at 1/2" which I learned today means they cut the shaft short from the end that connects to the head. By doing this it stiffens the club up a little bit and the 1/2" short would set up ok for me based on my height. (not exactly Chunky-esque but I am no Dustin Johnson either). Also we really did not want to mess around with something that was working, so hybrids sorted out. Hybrids ... Check!!!
Next up , fairway woods!! I shared with Todd my Octane 4w with stock shaft that when I connect with it, I hit very well. I mentioned I wanted to match the specs of that as close as possible and I was handed a stock j40 w/ a project X 5.0 shaft in it. I was very suspect cause I have had my share of problems with the project X shaft in my driver (5.5). Well color me surprised when I hit shot after shot that is going straight and matching the distance I see with the Octane. Todd suggest I reconsider the Project X and we move on to the driver. FW.. pause
Now the big guy, I made a slight err in judgement as I sent off my J40 driver yesterday morning to TBT for him to get some practice with it as I did not expect this fitting to happen ( no biggie). I swung my Cobra s3 with the Miyazaki black in it and put some numbers up on the screen. We talked about the low spin characteristics of the J40 head and what shaft would work best. He handed me his personal driver he had put together that had a j40 445 head and a shaft that I did not recognize (not one on the list of shafts that I had been studying). After a few more shots Todd wanted to go over the list of shafts I had to choose from and I went and got my iPad. I came back and then the coolest part of the fitting took place. I connected to B-Fit chat, and again got Jeff. Jeff Todd and I had a brainstorming session which resulted in 4 possible options for shafts for me for the driver and the fairway woods. It was really cool being part of this discussion and listening and learning as much as I could from both of these gentlemen. Todd and I put the shafts in order of preference and the bag was now taking shape. I need to do some checking on the shafts in question to see if they exist in regular flex and if they do I will get the same shaft in both clubs also tipped 1/2", like the hybrid.
Wedges, gonna keep things like the irons and go 1* flat and more than likely the PX 5.5 flighted as well, though on the way home I started thinking about other options so jury is still out on that one.... for now!
Putter was last and probably the quickest. We use the Ping App and Todd had me take 5 putts from about 10'. I sank 3 but that was not the point of the exercise. It was determined that a heel shafted putter would be the best option for me and length we decided 34" would work just fine for me. I might take 1/2" off just to do it or I might try a few different length putters at the store in the next few weeks to really see what I am most comfortable with. Putter.... Check!!
As I headed home and as I sit here now recapping my session I am comfortable and more relaxed knowing I will have a great set up clubs at my disposal and the set will be set up just right for me. This never would of happened without Jeff at B-Fit getting me in touch with Todd. Todd was a mountain of information and is someone I will continue to visit going forward and I hope to sponge more knowledge off of in the future.
