Drewtaylor21's Golf Journey (Swing Changes, WITB, Results)

PepsiDuck · March 29, 2017

Great video and find by Q!

I've played that funky par 4 (#16 at Firewheel Golf Park - The Bridges) several times in tournaments and casual rounds and it does indeed leave players shaking their heads. Most pars I've seen made were probably due in part to getting a bit lucky because you stand on that tee box and are clueless about what the proper play is (so you end up being uncommitted as well). Scott's strategy of 7i-3i makes total sense to me (now) but I don't think most players consider that as an option as it's so "out of the box".

Anxious to try and put Fawcett's approach into play in my next event.

Not so "out of the box" as you might think...regardless of the hole...

#housesinplay

kyle75 · March 29, 2017

For those following who are interested in Dana Dahlquist's ideas, I thought this was an solid podcast and he explained a few of his key concepts pretty nicely! It always sounds more complicated than it really is, but there's some good stuff in here. Some of the highlights included discussion on early extension and power generation (feat. Rory McIlroy's swing). Enjoy! (it's the most recent episode here)

http://www.pgatour.c...n-the-mark.html
thanks, always interested to listen to Dana talk golf, will give this a watch later
Dana has been teasing an online academy for a few months, it will be interesting to see how what he teaches compares to what George teaches. Hopefully it's soon, it's been coming very soon since November lol

Haha yeah I was excited the first time I heard about the online academy too. Still waiting....

Hopefully he is just putting content together and making sure it's all done correctly. Early launch with lots of bugs is a disaster, and he doesn't strike me as someone who is interested in half-assing anything.

He started an instagram page for the site and said he had already shot 150 videos, but I guess he's just perfecting it like you said. Interested to see how you like the new Taylormade wedges, I am in the market for new ones, and the TM wedges have peeked my interest.

robbohank · March 29, 2017

Great video and find by Q!

I've played that funky par 4 (#16 at Firewheel Golf Park - The Bridges) several times in tournaments and casual rounds and it does indeed leave players shaking their heads. Most pars I've seen made were probably due in part to getting a bit lucky because you stand on that tee box and are clueless about what the proper play is (so you end up being uncommitted as well). Scott's strategy of 7i-3i makes total sense to me (now) but I don't think most players consider that as an option as it's so "out of the box".

Anxious to try and put Fawcett's approach into play in my next event.

Not so "out of the box" as you might think...regardless of the hole...

#housesinplay

I agree......I have a feeling that the mid-iron off the tee has become a big player on that hole these days! Fool me once shame on you.....fool me twice, 3 times, etc, shame on me! Watched many a round go up in flames during that hole. :)

drewtaylor21 · March 29, 2017

He started an instagram page for the site and said he had already shot 150 videos, but I guess he's just perfecting it like you said. Interested to see how you like the new Taylormade wedges, I am in the market for new ones, and the TM wedges have peeked my interest.

Yeah I started following his academy account, but he still posts mostly from his regular page. Hopefully we'll see the academy launch in the near future, I think it could be really good!

I'll be updating you guys with my specs after my fitting tomorrow!

drewtaylor21 · March 31, 2017

3/30/17 - Full Bag Fitting* at Club Champion, Santa Monica, CA

*minus driver and putter

Hard to believe that #TaylorMade Tuesday was only a month ago! It feels like at least two, but that could just be the diaper changing and lack of sleep talking. Regardless, I finally got the rest of my bag fitting done today! As I mentioned earlier, there was a bit of a run-around trying to get this fitting set up in the last couple weeks, but I reached out to Club Champion in Santa Monica when I was researching fitting locations and have been nothing but impressed with their customer service. Jerry Azurin, the master fitter and builder at this location has gone above and beyond in his communication with me, and I was extremely happy with the fitting he provided today. I've been through a handful of fittings now, and my experience with Jerry has been my favorite fit to date! He's very knowledgeable, and explains every step of the process in just the right amount of detail, and he was more than accommodating with the requirements we had from TaylorMade. Specifically, TaylorMade informed those of us who were on the trip that they would be sending us a full bag fit to our specs, provided we selected options from their custom shop webpage: http://taylormadegol...stomshop Jerry and I both agreed that it would be interesting to find the best options within TaylorMade's custom deliveries, as well as a "real" best option when there were no limits.

Due to some travel demands, I was not able to bring my own clubs to this fit. This really wasn't a problem though, as Jerry had me warm up, then we started with the P750 in KBS Tour (S) to match something similar to what is currently in my bag. Over the next 10 minutes or so, Jerry had me hit some shots and observed my tendencies. From what he saw, he was able to eliminate a chunk of potential shafts, and we began focusing on options that would be better fits for me. Jerry explained that for my swing, a shaft with a stiffer tip and butt section, but milder mid-section would be ideal. Also, despite my higher swing speed, he fit me into stiff shafts throughout the bag today. He explained that too often people just assume shaft flex based on swing speed. However, given the heavier weight of a stiffer shaft, it would cause ME to force the issue a bit and get a little over the top, which is certainly a tendency of mine. Interestingly, stiff shafts have always felt better to me than extra-stiff, so it was enlightening to hear a potential reason as to why this might be the case.

After the warm up and some additional swings with the KBS Tours, Jerry had me hit a handful of shafts with the 750 head. Among them were Dynamic Gold Tour Issue, Oban CT-115, Paderson KG110-IRT30, Project X LZ, and Modus (120?). I may have missed one or two other options, but those were the ones I remember. Among them, I liked the feel of the Oban and Modus, but the two performers were the Paderson and the Project X LZ's. Both of these shafts feel very smooth and stable, and the Paderson gave me a very nice little dispersion pattern. The more time I spent with them, the more we were both convinced we had found a winner for the "anything goes" category.

The project X LZ's were the winner for the TaylorMade option, and while my pattern was left with these, it was very consistent, and I think it would actually be a very solid fit for my normal miss, which is right.

Jerry also had me play around with the P770 head in the same winning shafts, and we both liked the idea of a combo set, transitioning somewhere in the 6, 7 or 8 iron spot (more on that later).

Additionally, just for giggles he let me hit a few higher-priced heads with the Paderson: PXG 0311T, Miura Passing Point Neo Genesis, and Epon AF-503

All 3 of these irons felt amazing, and I was getting some silly smash factor numbers with them! Perhaps a WRX giveaway for another lifetime.... :) If you get a chance to hit the Miuras, it's a fun time!

To wrap things up with the irons, Jerry tested my lie angle and then spec'd out the winning clubs/shafts.

We then moved on to wedges. Club Champion had just gotten the full demo bag of MG wedges in the shop, so I got my pick of what to hit. We both felt it made sense to stick pretty closely to what I'm used to, so we took out a 50* and 56* in standard bounce, and the 60* in low bounce (looks very similar to an M-grind). I hit some full and partial wedges and we looked at spin and trajectory and didn't need to change much! Looking forward to having some new wedges, as mine are several seasons old (I know, I know).

Next up was fairway wood. I talked to Jerry about my current 3w, the 2016 M1 3HL and how I like the ease I have of hitting it off the deck, but sometimes off a tee it can get a little squirrely high on me. He handed me the 2017 M1 3w set a degree or 1.5* higher with a Fujikura Speeder Evo III and explained that the shaft would help do some of that work of getting the ball up, but without missing too high. Sure enough, it felt great and was giving me solid results (2nd ball was obviously very thin...lol)

At this point Jerry had a pretty good idea of what would work well for me, so we didn't mess around with too many other options. We tried a few others such as Veylix and Accra, but the Fuji was the clear winner. We also tested the M2 3HL, but my consistency just wasn't the same with it. Given that I have an M1 3HL already, we agreed it would be worthwhile to give the M1 3wood a try. The only frustrating part of our session occurred during this time, as Trackman was having difficulty picking up my shots with the TaylorMade heads. We tried some tape on the sole, but it was still very hit or miss. Not a fault of Jerry's at all, just the nature of the beast hitting indoors on Trackman with TMAG clubs.

Finally, the hybrids. This is the one section of my bag that I really don't like, as I can miss a hybrid both left and right and that doesn't sit well with me. In hindsight, I should have tried a 5 wood as well, but I was getting tired and it slipped my mind. We tested the M2 3 hybrid with the new KBS hybrid prototype shaft, a fujikura pro, and the paderson hybrid shaft. Both the paderson and fuji pro 73 were great fits and performed nicely for a hybrid. I still didn't feel 100% sold on the hybrid idea though. I mentioned that we had goofed around with the new M1 long irons at The Kingdom, and that I was interested in seeing if that might fit that section of my bag a little better, but alas, they only had the 6 iron head.

We had reached the end of our fitting session, so Jerry let me hit some putts while he put together my full spec sheets. Got to hit a few of the new PXG putters, which were so-so, then spent some more time with the Spider Tour DJ (black). Although I was fit into the Spider Platinum, there's just something sexy about the "Paulina!" It's a solid putter, and it's easy to see why they're flying off the shelves. Can't wait to get that Platinum though!

Jerry wrapped up and we talked numbers and options. Here are my official spec sheets.

The main difference is the Paderson vs the Project X shafts, and interestingly, the Paderson combo came out at C9 swingweight! Sounds crazy, but they felt golden. The other interesting note is that Jerry wanted me to strengthen the lofts on the irons by 2* to control trajectory and spin a bit better. Given my results with the RSi TP's, I think this will be beneficial.

After spending some extended time in LA traffic and pondering my results (as well as some consultation with the other #TMT guys and my boy Rob), I made one small tweak - got rid of the hybrid and put in an order for the M1 3 iron! Haha gonna give it a go and see how it works for that section of my bag. I figure I already have a serviceable hybrid (SLDR), and the newer options didn't wow me in any way, so if the M1 3 iron works out, great, if not, it's not a huge deal. Here is the official order I just sent to TaylorMade!

Again, huge thanks to TaylorMade for hooking us up beyond belief! Can't wait to get these clubs and let's just hope they perform the way they did today.

Also, another big thanks to Jerry at Club Champion! If you are in the market for new irons or wedges, I would HIGHLY recommend him to any of you. He does very solid work, and he's a good guy! I think Jerry would do a fantastic job with driver/woods as well, we just ran into some trouble with trackman/M1 crown and perhaps my swing characteristics, so that's something to keep in mind depending on your swing tendencies. All in all, it was a fun day and I look forward to keeping you all posted once they arrive!

PepsiDuck · March 31, 2017

#softsteppedX2

Dave D · March 31, 2017

great write up, I love reading all the geeky stuff with fittings like this, really makes me want to go and get fit for new stuff.

one big issue with your order though..... grip logo's up!!!

no no no , logo down! ;) :D ;)

robrey85 · March 31, 2017

Wow man! D8!? You swinging a sledge hammer or what? Did he give any info on why it's such a heavy swing weight?

With your flex information, that's very interesting. Project X are traditionally a little more stout than normal so 6.0 should work out golden! And now for your lofts! You're right near traditional TMag strong lofts now! woot woot ! Time for a 225 6i, lol.

I think Trackman 4 is supposed to get rid of that issue with the carbon fiber crowns but I'm not 100% sure.

QMany · March 31, 2017

Project X are traditionally a little more stout than normal so 6.0 should work out golden!

Exactly, PX 6.0 specs out at 6.5 which is equal to X100 (soft-stepped once) and KBS Tour S+

drewtaylor21 · March 31, 2017

great write up, I love reading all the geeky stuff with fittings like this, really makes me want to go and get fit for new stuff.

one big issue with your order though..... grip logo's up!!!

no no no , logo down! ;) :D ;)

Alright Tiger, logo down :) :rofl:

DavePelz4 · March 31, 2017

Drew...on the 6i with the Paderson, your lowest smash factor had the furthest carry. Is that a function of the 2MPH difference in club head speed?

drewtaylor21 · March 31, 2017

Project X are traditionally a little more stout than normal so 6.0 should work out golden!
Exactly, PX 6.0 specs out at 6.5 which is equal to X100 (soft-stepped once) and KBS Tour S+

The LZ's are a very different loading profile from those other options though, just fyi. I'm excited to get them in play! They felt very nice.

I have to say it again though, the Paderson's are MONEY. This is a shaft that couldn't have been further off my radar going into the fit, and I'm not someone who would normally even think about trying a shaft like that, but wow. If you guys get a chance to hit them, take it! They were pretty incredible, both in feel and result. I'm hopeful that the LZ's will be a solid performer for me, and who doesn't love free clubs, but these are going to be firmly planted in the back of my mind: http://padersonshafts.com/KG110-IRT.php

Last minute details, TMAG informed me that the LZ shafts aren't available in the M1 3 iron, so I'm going Modus 120 stiff, based on Jerry's suggestion. One more plug for him, I've emailed him a half-dozen times in the last 20 hours with questions on some additional details and he's replied right away with great info. Outstanding customer service! I'll certainly be returning and recommending him for anyone in the area who's looking for a fitter.

drewtaylor21 · March 31, 2017

Wow man! D8!? You swinging a sledge hammer or what? Did he give any info on why it's such a heavy swing weight?

With your flex information, that's very interesting. Project X are traditionally a little more stout than normal so 6.0 should work out golden! And now for your lofts! You're right near traditional TMag strong lofts now! woot woot ! Time for a 225 6i, lol.

I think Trackman 4 is supposed to get rid of that issue with the carbon fiber crowns but I'm not 100% sure.

Jerry could probably explain better than I could, and as you know, swingweight is not something I'm well-read on at all, but D8 is just what things came out to with the length, shaft weight and head weight that I was hitting the best. My SLDR driver was swingweighted at D6 at Cool Clubs, so it doesn't seem too crazy.... [shrugs]

And I believe one Jason Day also plays his irons 2* strong so.....just saying :)

Haha obviously more about optimizing trajectory and spin than trying to hit it further (I know you know that Rob, but fyi for anyone else reading)

robrey85 · March 31, 2017

Wow man! D8!? You swinging a sledge hammer or what? Did he give any info on why it's such a heavy swing weight?

With your flex information, that's very interesting. Project X are traditionally a little more stout than normal so 6.0 should work out golden! And now for your lofts! You're right near traditional TMag strong lofts now! woot woot ! Time for a 225 6i, lol.

I think Trackman 4 is supposed to get rid of that issue with the carbon fiber crowns but I'm not 100% sure.

Jerry could probably explain better than I could, and as you know, swingweight is not something I'm well-read on at all, but D8 is just what things came out to with the length, shaft weight and head weight that I was hitting the best. My SLDR driver was swingweighted at D6 at Cool Clubs, so it doesn't seem too crazy.... [shrugs]

And I believe one Jason Day also plays his irons 2* strong so.....just saying :)

Haha obviously more about optimizing trajectory and spin than trying to hit it further (I know you know that Rob, but fyi for anyone else reading)

Harveson buff!!

drewtaylor21 · March 31, 2017

Drew...on the 6i with the Paderson, your lowest smash factor had the furthest carry. Is that a function of the 2MPH difference in club head speed?

Are you referring to shot #5 in the Paderson/P750 group? Smash was only 1.39, but that was the second highest ball speed and second highest carry, and those two variables are pretty closely related, provided spin is relatively close, which it was. I've always been told to look at ball speed as the tell-all, and I believe that is even more important in an indoor set-up. Radar can be very slightly off on clubhead speed, but it's going to be pretty darn accurate for ball speed, so I think that explains things best for those shots.

drewtaylor21 · March 31, 2017

Wow man! D8!? You swinging a sledge hammer or what? Did he give any info on why it's such a heavy swing weight?

With your flex information, that's very interesting. Project X are traditionally a little more stout than normal so 6.0 should work out golden! And now for your lofts! You're right near traditional TMag strong lofts now! woot woot ! Time for a 225 6i, lol.

I think Trackman 4 is supposed to get rid of that issue with the carbon fiber crowns but I'm not 100% sure.

Jerry could probably explain better than I could, and as you know, swingweight is not something I'm well-read on at all, but D8 is just what things came out to with the length, shaft weight and head weight that I was hitting the best. My SLDR driver was swingweighted at D6 at Cool Clubs, so it doesn't seem too crazy.... [shrugs]

And I believe one Jason Day also plays his irons 2* strong so.....just saying :)

Haha obviously more about optimizing trajectory and spin than trying to hit it further (I know you know that Rob, but fyi for anyone else reading)

Harveson buff!!

Until I can fill out a bright magenta size shmedium shirt the way Kelvin does, I really shouldn't say anything

robrey85 · March 31, 2017

Wow man! D8!? You swinging a sledge hammer or what? Did he give any info on why it's such a heavy swing weight?

With your flex information, that's very interesting. Project X are traditionally a little more stout than normal so 6.0 should work out golden! And now for your lofts! You're right near traditional TMag strong lofts now! woot woot ! Time for a 225 6i, lol.

I think Trackman 4 is supposed to get rid of that issue with the carbon fiber crowns but I'm not 100% sure.

Jerry could probably explain better than I could, and as you know, swingweight is not something I'm well-read on at all, but D8 is just what things came out to with the length, shaft weight and head weight that I was hitting the best. My SLDR driver was swingweighted at D6 at Cool Clubs, so it doesn't seem too crazy.... [shrugs]

And I believe one Jason Day also plays his irons 2* strong so.....just saying :)

Haha obviously more about optimizing trajectory and spin than trying to hit it further (I know you know that Rob, but fyi for anyone else reading)

Harveson buff!!

Until I can fill out a bright magenta size shmedium shirt the way Kelvin does, I really shouldn't say anything

Michelle Wie-Chew buff!! :cheesy:

DavePelz4 · March 31, 2017

Drew...on the 6i with the Paderson, your lowest smash factor had the furthest carry. Is that a function of the 2MPH difference in club head speed?

Are you referring to shot #5 in the Paderson/P750 group? Smash was only 1.39, but that was the second highest ball speed and second highest carry, and those two variables are pretty closely related, provided spin is relatively close, which it was. I've always been told to look at ball speed as the tell-all, and I believe that is even more important in an indoor set-up. Radar can be very slightly off on clubhead speed, but it's going to be pretty darn accurate for ball speed, so I think that explains things best for those shots.

The 4th shot in that grouping (750/110) had the lowest launch angle, highest ball speed and the lowest spin to produce the longest carry.

SA790 · April 9, 2017

He started an instagram page for the site and said he had already shot 150 videos, but I guess he's just perfecting it like you said. Interested to see how you like the new Taylormade wedges, I am in the market for new ones, and the TM wedges have peeked my interest.

Yeah I started following his academy account, but he still posts mostly from his regular page. Hopefully we'll see the academy launch in the near future, I think it could be really good!

I'll be updating you guys with my specs after my fitting tomorrow!

looks like it's up. https://danadahlquistgolf.com/

I joined, but can't watch the vids yet for some reason. more teasing!

Ezgolfer · April 9, 2017

Dana is starting to look like Charlie Hoffman ....

kyle75 · April 9, 2017

He started an instagram page for the site and said he had already shot 150 videos, but I guess he's just perfecting it like you said. Interested to see how you like the new Taylormade wedges, I am in the market for new ones, and the TM wedges have peeked my interest.

Yeah I started following his academy account, but he still posts mostly from his regular page. Hopefully we'll see the academy launch in the near future, I think it could be really good!

I'll be updating you guys with my specs after my fitting tomorrow!

looks like it's up. https://danadahlquistgolf.com/

I joined, but can't watch the vids yet for some reason. more teasing!

Thanks for the heads up. Wonder if it's just a strange coincidence that the longest over the shoulder lesson is with Anna Rawson lol.

SA790 · April 9, 2017

He started an instagram page for the site and said he had already shot 150 videos, but I guess he's just perfecting it like you said. Interested to see how you like the new Taylormade wedges, I am in the market for new ones, and the TM wedges have peeked my interest.

Yeah I started following his academy account, but he still posts mostly from his regular page. Hopefully we'll see the academy launch in the near future, I think it could be really good!

I'll be updating you guys with my specs after my fitting tomorrow!

looks like it's up. https://danadahlquistgolf.com/

I joined, but can't watch the vids yet for some reason. more teasing!
Thanks for the heads up. Wonder if it's just a strange coincidence that the longest over the shoulder lesson is with Anna Rawson lol.

Working for you?

drewtaylor21 · April 9, 2017

That's some interesting pricing on Dana's site...Looks like a monthly account might be the best option if you're looking for some one-on-one input.

Anyone know who is on "Dana's Team" for online lessons?

Don't get me wrong, I like Dana and his laid back personality and pace, but I can't help but compare the output from him and George. Dana comes across as loose as a 2x4 in that intro video lol!

sethdavidsdad · April 9, 2017

He started an instagram page for the site and said he had already shot 150 videos, but I guess he's just perfecting it like you said. Interested to see how you like the new Taylormade wedges, I am in the market for new ones, and the TM wedges have peeked my interest.

Yeah I started following his academy account, but he still posts mostly from his regular page. Hopefully we'll see the academy launch in the near future, I think it could be really good!

I'll be updating you guys with my specs after my fitting tomorrow!

looks like it's up. https://danadahlquistgolf.com/

I joined, but can't watch the vids yet for some reason. more teasing!

Looks good. I may have to sign up

sethdavidsdad · April 9, 2017

That's some interesting pricing on Dana's site...Looks like a monthly account might be the best option if you're looking for some one-on-one input.

Anyone know who is on "Dana's Team" for online lessons?

Don't get me wrong, I like Dana and his laid back personality and pace, but I can't help but compare the output from him and George. Dana comes across as loose as a 2x4 in that intro video lol!

Good question. Don't know who the team is, but the 1 lesson a month might not be bad if you paid for the year

Cape · April 9, 2017

Great write up, can you provide any more details on the premium heads you hit? Based on the write up I'm assuming the Miuras gave you the best numbers? How did the pxg or opens compare, numbers and feel?

drewtaylor21 · April 10, 2017

Great write up, can you provide any more details on the premium heads you hit? Based on the write up I'm assuming the Miuras gave you the best numbers? How did the pxg or opens compare, numbers and feel?

I'm not sure what gave you that impression. The fitting was TaylorMade only, I just hit a couple balls with the Miura/PXG/Epon heads for fun at the end. Couldn't tell you any numbers on them, but they felt nice! Not that buttery feel of a real MB, but more like the hollow feel of a T-MB or similar.

Cape · April 10, 2017

"All 3 of these irons felt amazing, and I was getting some silly smash factor numbers with them! Perhaps a WRX giveaway for another lifetime.... :) If you get a chance to hit the Miuras, it's a fun time"

was just assuming based off that quote, and when I said best numbers I only meant between the 3 premium options. Not the overall fitting. I have my eyes on the epons and PXG so just wanted to see other peoples experience. great thread and keep up the good work.

drewtaylor21 · April 10, 2017

"All 3 of these irons felt amazing, and I was getting some silly smash factor numbers with them! Perhaps a WRX giveaway for another lifetime.... :) If you get a chance to hit the Miuras, it's a fun time"

was just assuming based off that quote, and when I said best numbers I only meant between the 3 premium options. Not the overall fitting. I have my eyes on the epons and PXG so just wanted to see other peoples experience. great thread and keep up the good work.

Oh ok gotcha. Yeah I don't know the differences between any of those 3 heads, as we weren't recording the data in my take-home Trackman file. I know off the top of my head that I reached a 1.50 smash on the Miura's though lol. They were also my favorite feeling club of those 3, but just barely over the PXG. That's about all I can tell you, sorry!