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My Fitting Experience Today

Nippon Shafts
Golf Dawg

Golf Dawg

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My golf instructor’s group has a Foresight GC Quad monitor, along with the other fitting equipment, so I decided to do my club fitting with them.

We started out getting baseline data with my M4 irons and GBB woods. We quickly saw that the stiff shafts weren’t a good fit for my game these days.

I ultimately tried a Project X LZ Graphite shaft in R flex. The first thing I noticed is that my left pinky didn’t ache after several shots. While the R-Flex produced better numbers, an A-flex shaft was the ticket. It had the best ball speed, spin and carry based on the QC Quad.

We moved to the lie board, where I was consistently scuffing the tape at the toe. It was determined that I need a 2* upright lie. We measured height and arm length and found a need a -1/4” off a standard length shaft for each club. Here’s a little video my wife took in slow motion with the proper shaft and head.

bd0766d401868cbb4c807904d11b2bc6.jpg


aa84fffbece5dc67b7918b080be91fc9.jpg


d4ac25d5e82cd07cf18c25771c839eca.jpg


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I also found that I hit a Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal iron markedly better than the M4s. So I will be ordering a set of the JPX 919 Hot Metal irons, 2* upright, with Project X LZ Graphite A-flex shafts and Midsized Golf Pride MCC + 4 grips.

16607b8e6267620b1dfc8fab3cffcc69.jpg


I will have my M4 irons, Callaway MD PM Grind wedges and Callaway wood shafts with OptiFit adapters in R, S and X to sell...

It was a interesting experience for a stat geek. It was great to see the metrics as I went through the different combinations. To end up with appreciable improvement in swing and ball speed, with appropriate spin with my balky arthritic body, was great.

To consistently strike shots solid and consistently straight with NO hand or shoulder pain (even with a standard grip) was great! I definitely recommend getting properly fitted to maximize your performance.


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Nice write-up. thanks for sharing the experience! Those Mizuno's are beauties!
 
Golf Dawg said:
My golf instructor’s group has a Foresight GC Quad monitor, along with the other fitting equipment, so I decided to do my club fitting with them.

We started out getting baseline data with my M4 irons and GBB woods. We quickly saw that the stiff shafts weren’t a good fit for my game these days.

I ultimately tried a Project X LZ Graphite shaft in R flex. The first thing I noticed is that my left pinky didn’t ache after several shots. While the R-Flex produced better numbers, an A-flex shaft was the ticket. It had the best ball speed, spin and carry based on the QC Quad.

We moved to the lie board, where I was consistently scuffing the tape at the toe. It was determined that I need a 2* upright lie. We measured height and arm length and found a need a -1/4” off a standard length shaft for each club. Here’s a little video my wife took in slow motion with the proper shaft and head.

bd0766d401868cbb4c807904d11b2bc6.jpg


aa84fffbece5dc67b7918b080be91fc9.jpg


d4ac25d5e82cd07cf18c25771c839eca.jpg


5e69a450d4cec761fa193db0e207c092.jpg


I also found that I hit a Mizuno JPX 919 Hot Metal iron markedly better than the M4s. So I will be ordering a set of the JPX 919 Hot Metal irons, 2* upright, with Project X LZ Graphite A-flex shafts and Midsized Golf Pride MCC + 4 grips.

16607b8e6267620b1dfc8fab3cffcc69.jpg


I will have my M4 irons, Callaway MD PM Grind wedges and Callaway wood shafts with OptiFit adapters in R, S and X to sell...

It was a interesting experience for a stat geek. It was great to see the metrics as I went through the different combinations. To end up with appreciable improvement in swing and ball speed, with appropriate spin with my balky arthritic body, was great.

To consistently strike shots solid and consistently straight with NO hand or shoulder pain (even with a standard grip) was great! I definitely recommend getting properly fitted to maximize your performance.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Happy to see another golfer not let ego or the supposed "stigma" of playing "A" or Senior flex shafts get in the way of what works best!
 
Thanks for sharing!
I hope you enjoy your new clubs.
 
Sounds like a great setup! Glad the fitting worked out well for you and thanks for sharing it.
 
Phil75070 said:
Happy to see another golfer not let ego or the supposed "stigma" of playing "A" or Senior flex shafts get in the way of what works best!
Click to expand...

I’ll be 60 in March. My years of athletics and other “guy abuse” have left me full of metal and arthritis. Whatever works and make it better and more fun!
 
I was really interested in learning how this would work out for you. Sounds like a great outcome, knowing how much you like the M4s! Congrats!
 
It's fun to do a fitting. Sounds like you had a great experience..enjoy the new clubs! The 919s look so nice.
 
Congrats on the nice looking clubs.


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Reframmellator said:
I was really interested in learning how this would work out for you. Sounds like a great outcome, knowing how much you like the M4s! Congrats!
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The biggest thing is that I need 2 degrees of upright lie. I was consistently hitting near the toe with the lie board tape. The best thing is that the graphite shafts felt really good on my hands and shoulders. The Project X LZ shaft was hitting on a lazer, consistently, with the JPX 919.

The GC Quad monitor was amazing! My instructor is trying to sent me the screen shots.


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It’s great seeing all the numbers, can be information overload if you aren’t familiar with what they all mean, but seeing you enjoy the stats this must have been a really cool experience. Fun seeing how changes can work in your favor huh? Great job!!
 
Glad you had a great experience!!! That combo should be great, I really enjoy my Hot Metals. Keep us up to date when you get them.
 
Golf Dawg said:
While the R-Flex produced better numbers, an A-flex shaft was the ticket. It had the best ball speed, spin and carry based on the QC Quad.
Click to expand...

I really appreciate the write-up. I followed everything except the quote above, which seemed contradictory. Would you mind clearing that up? Also, did you get a tighter dispersion pattern? To me, that is the most important set of data with irons.
 
Great write up and thanks for sharing. A fitting is a must at least once in a while to make sure your in the right flex shaft wise imo. Glad you found a combo that works.
 
leftshot said:
I really appreciate the write-up. I followed everything except the quote above, which seemed contradictory. Would you mind clearing that up? Also, did you get a tighter dispersion pattern? To me, that is the most important set of data with irons.
Click to expand...

The dispersion was pretty decent with the R and A flex shafts. However I increased my club head and ball speed with the lighter flex shaft, without impacting the dispersion. With my shoulders and back, I don’t get as full a back swing as younger days, and the A flex helps.




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Sounds like it was a really good experience. I’m always curious to see how different places do fittings since I’ve never had one done. I like the idea of incorporating the strike pad.

Those 919’s sure are pretty. Thanks for sharing!
 
YukonLiving said:
Sounds like it was a really good experience. I’m always curious to see how different places do fittings since I’ve never had one done. I like the idea of incorporating the strike pad.

Those 919’s sure are pretty. Thanks for sharing!
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I was talking about getting fitted with Todd Sones. He mentioned that they have a Foresight Quad GC launch monitor, which gives a great deal of information about club/ball contact, along with smash factor, club head speed, etc. I work with his lead instructor, Mason Wall, which I felt was an advantage since he knows my swing and tendencies.

Mason measured my swing speed and smash factor with my M4 seven iron. From there, were able to eliminate stiff and x-stiff shafts, and worked with a couple of R and A flex shafts. We then worked with the lie board. I hit a dozen balls, which marks all gravitated toward the toe, around the last marker stripe on the tape. He then pulled out a different head, which he put on the PX LZ, and had me hit some more. He also measured arm length and got my height for the final statistics.

Another benefit was that I didn’t have to hit hundreds of golf balls, like I would have with a person who wasn’t as familiar with my game. That was great on my back shoulders and hands - and I didn’t tire out and impact the swing consistency as much as would have with fatigue.

I definitely recommend getting fitted. It will definitely help to eliminate equipment variance in your game - physically and mentally.
 
Golf Dawg said:
Another benefit was that I didn’t have to hit hundreds of golf balls, like I would have with a person who wasn’t as familiar with my game. That was great on my back shoulders and hands - and I didn’t tire out and impact the swing consistency as much as would have with fatigue.

I definitely recommend getting fitted. It will definitely help to eliminate equipment variance in your game - physically and mentally.
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I would definitely appreciate that all your swings would be as good as they can be since you’re not exhausted from swinging hundreds of times. Sounds like they really know their stuff!

Getting fitted is definitely on my list of must do’s. Just tricky since I’ll have to plan on doing one when I travel - no fitting centres within 1200 kilometres of me that I know of.

What balls were you using?
 
Good to see you got fit into something that will help your game!

Looking forward to seeing how it works out for you!
 
YukonLiving said:
I would definitely appreciate that all your swings would be as good as they can be since you’re not exhausted from swinging hundreds of times. Sounds like they really know their stuff!

Getting fitted is definitely on my list of must do’s. Just tricky since I’ll have to plan on doing one when I travel - no fitting centres within 1200 kilometres of me that I know of.

What balls were you using?
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They were standard range balls. We were in an indoor range.


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Thanks for posting - I do think it's helpful to have some numbers to look at & someone who knows what they're doing to explain them. It helps make decisions a lot easier & backs up what you're feeling too.

Good luck with the new clubs - the Mizunos look great!
 
Great write-up GD, so happy you had a great experience. Those Mizzy's are so awesome, I'm sure you'll luv'em. As a fellow golfer in the back 9 of my golfing career (61 in couple of months), I as well have multiple aches and pain and have been playing graphite in my irons for past 3 years...you won't miss steel imo. Thanks again.
 
Great write up and boy do I love the look of those clubs. Glad you found something you love!
 
Molten said:
Great write up and boy do I love the look of those clubs. Glad you found something you love!
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I decided last year that I would get a new, fitted set of clubs for my 60th birthday. Since that's around the corner, I set the plan in motion. Getting the M4s to test was a bonus. I REALLY like those irons, and a shaft change would be no biggie - but a 2* upright change is lie is a hot potato that no club repair/builder person wants to take - so i have no choice. As I was playing them this year, I felt they were not the right lie for me. I used to play a blue dot Ping Eye 2+ irons.

With my previously broken, now arthritic hands, I need graphite shafts. It was amazing the immediate difference I felt when testing different graphite shafts. With the KBS MAX 85 S, I felt a sharp sting in my left pinky first knuckle with every shot. I could give a rat's ass what flex I have. I'm closing in on being a senior - with a body held together with bailing wire and duct tape. - If a senior flex shaft does the job, sign me up! I just want the most-optimized clubs in my hands, to remove that thought from my pea brain. I was striping the shots straight, with a touch better length and a whole lot less pain. Check, check and check.

Having my instructor have the ability and technology to fit me was a bonus. It saved my body from a crap load of extra shots, since he already knew my swing and tendencies. I also didn't have to deal with upselling. We're ordering custom, stock materials from Mizuno, no fluffing, puring or padding. Mason did a great job, with all the trimmings (swing speed/smash factor initial check, lie board, body measurements, etc.) that I thought I would get from a good fitting. I even took extra shots when he wanted to confirm his thoughts (or a dorked a few)...

At the end, I actually wanted to play more with the set up 7I. It was fun to hit them fairly straight. He was also pleased that my swings looked fairly good and consistent (using the GCQuad) We have a little work to do with closing my club face a little at impact, but much better than 1.5 yrs ago!).
 
Jimmy3864 said:
Great write-up GD, so happy you had a great experience. Those Mizzy's are so awesome, I'm sure you'll luv'em. As a fellow golfer in the back 9 of my golfing career (61 in couple of months), I as well have multiple aches and pain and have been playing graphite in my irons for past 3 years...you won't miss steel imo. Thanks again.
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I had BB Fusions with stock graphite shafts before I got the M4s. I knew I would change the shafts, but I wanted to give them a go as is.
 
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