We preach fitting a lot here at THP and many times the conversation shifts to cost and/or availability. What if a local store could get you dialed in with some technology based on just a few swings and a couple of minutes? And the cost? Zero! Enter the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer 3D.
While it won’t replace or even replicate a full fitting at a place like Club Champion, the option exists and it is quite good. Rather than explain how it works, we had Chris Voshall from Mizuno in the THP Tech Studio to walk us through the entire process.
With just three swings, we have everything from shaft recommendations to lie angle and a whole lot more. The new Mizuno Shaft Optimizer 3D even offers the ability to fit for woods and balls. In the video below, watch as we take a few swings with the device connected and then go through the entire software to see the data and recommendations.
Have you tried it? Give us your thoughts below. If you haven’t, after watching this do you think it could assist you in the decision making process? For more information on any of the equipment featured here, or to find out where you could try this out, check out their website, here.
Funnily enough I get the same KBS shaft each time (C-Taper X).
Be good to know if this system has been updated/improved over the years of use.
The video above is on the new version.
Can I say I heart this video and what Mizuno has done here….. Awesome video.
@Canadan crushed it with the questions. Like the HS vs. SS options questions, set makeup questions etc..
Question for Dan: If I recall, you enjoy playing the KBS Tour V shafts. I imagine you play the X at 120g. Do the Mizzy recommendations, which from what I can tell didn’t have the V listed at all….make you rethink your go-to?
Lastly – on the "3D" device – is this a new device or is this the same one they released maybe a year ago? Curious if this device would be available at local shops now. In other words, is the device the same and they just updated the software to provide more feedback and options throughout the entire bag? Smart of them to throw the ball in there too.
This should be available at local shops now.
The set makeup recommendations are very cool.
Now, for those without a dedicated fitter if the tool could sent, used and returned, perhaps with 20 swings recorded and the really bad, if any, swings removed by the reviewer, might add more depth and get in more people’s hands?
I’d like to see it demoed by an average hack (such as myself) as well as the accomplished players.
I would venture a guess there would be zero chance of this happening. It is not an inexpensive tool. Combined with software. You would need multiple full time employees just to deal with the customer service aspect of it.
The good news is that any place that has a Mizuno fitting cart, such as retail stores, will have it and be available to use.
They used this at the Mizuno Demo Day where I got fitted for the 921 Forged irons and CLK hybrids. Interesting tech.
That’s great to hear. I’d still wonder if say a deposit or something could be employed. That said, you raise a great point – industrial espionage. Isn’t it only a matter of time before other companies get their hands on it, reverse engineer and have their own variants? Sadly, that seems to be the hand that’s played behind the scenes in so many tech forward industries. Or with new tech toys.
One thing I like about this tool, it keeps me in one family (mizuno) that I chose up front. In my fitting, as anyone who’s been at CC will attest, they have dozens of options, but most are not considered. I only hit The g425, with shaft after shaft, before I indicated that I was open to any and all. So, if a fitter had a preferable brand they may guide the client towards it.
This tool removes that and let’s the client make choices. So, in the future if some generic version came forward, it could narrow the options and a fitter could move to those heads/shafts based on the tool’s initial data, vice human ‘opinion’, hope that makes sense.
One last point about direct to consumer use, in spite of the cost and possible tampering, if it did happen, it could really pay for itself in additional sales (maybe), if you’re right in that mizuno would have to have dedicated employees to read the data and process orders, then it stands to reason, more sales as well.
Playing devils advocate here, having golfers view a device like this as a toy (which would occur) without any understanding of what it is doing would be a recipe for disaster in my opinion. If a golfer is still going to need to go to a course to hit balls to determine the outcome, going to a store that features it isn’t that much of a stretch, since generally speaking a golfer is going to want to try the clubs before buying blind.
While I understand that not all golfers want to see a fitter or want to see a golf professional, I think sending off a club with the hopes it comes back in similar working condition, only to evaluate said data and send back would be a tough task. A brand could just as easily offer a data solution to those that can gather numbers from any launch monitor (nearly every store them) and extrapolate that out with a simple screen shot sent in.
Now combine this with the alienation of retail stores and fitters to stock your equipment (buy in) and I believe the net outcome would be lesser than one might imagine.
My thoughts entirely though and have no information other than I think demo programs tend to be a bit smaller scale than we believe currently.
Still surprised that I fit into a X shaft. Ended up with the C-Taper lite X that gave me the best results. Then we moved on to trying different heads.
The battle between the Mizuno HM PROS and the Callaway Apex 21s ensued. Ended up picking the HM Pros. Here’s my readout for the Optimizer.
View attachment 9007613
You make great points, I can’t disagree. Particularly the part about it being viewed as a toy. I sometimes tend to think that most people are decent, it only takes a few screw things up. I think (maybe) there is a hybrid way to make it work – but not at the scale that I immediately considered. I can the tool being the first part of a demo day at a range or something along those lines. As well as (obviously) at fitters. I do think some kind unbranded version would be immensely helpful – but would never happen – too many competitors. I always remember back to my ‘fitting’ it was not a fitting it was a demo of clubs… the retailer kept pushing me to one brand, and one club, one specific shaft, and the data was not supporting it. That along with yesterday’s work (I got to hit the Cobra head exactly 2 times – felt good, results not too different, then back to the Ping) some fitters may have an agenda, and others may just not be equipment savvy or may have their own preferences. I know, time only allows for so many tests, but I felt that was a lot left on the table – and this tool could cut through a lot of the guesswork very fast.
I took a few swings with this device at HQ. While we didn’t go this in depth, I actually used the recommendations for my Morgan Cup irons! this is what it spit out for me.
View attachment 9007616
Which shaft did you eventually go with? Meaning how close were the results?
Well… initially I chose the Modus 3 105X. However…what I get will be a surprise haha, which is kind of exciting. There is a delay with those shafts like many others so I told them to put one of the top 3 shafts listed instead if I could get them sooner.
I actually play them in 110 because I tend to get more aggressive on stiffer shafts and it breaks down my swing a bit.
Every time I’ve done one of these, it makes me rethink everything.
golf is intimidating to me.
I’d love to try the optimizer eventually.
Is there any option to pre-select shaft options? IE: Graphite vs. Steel?
I believe so.
I’m looking forward to going back to the LGS and giving it another try so I can play with some of the set makeup and other additional fitting features.
I’m not sure they list them anymore, but do list retailers by location. Customer service would know for sure
Ask the local golf shops, they usually have a schedule out. A couple down this way have had some.