Finding Fitter for junior girls who actually has smaller grips/shorter shafts for fitting

[rlee323]

Has anyone found a good fitter that actually stocks smaller grips/shorter shafts (but stiff enough for faster swing speeds)?  Happy to pay for a proper fitting versus having fitters say a club combination is a good fit when the swings are made with big grips and choking down on the grip.  

[mrshinsa]

Depends on the region.  Where are you located? 

Our area has lots of competitive junior golfers and fitters who catered to them.  

Some fitters will even cut down shafts during the fitting.  

 

Having said that, it could all be a non-issue.   

If she's still using junior clubs, no need to get fitted.  If she's ready for adult clubs, then nothing wrong with chocking down a bit.  

Edited July 30, 2021 by mrshinsa

[rlee323]

Located in the northeast, willing to travel if it's an actual custom fitting where you can hit the shafts that are right length/flex and with smaller than standard grips.  I've already paid for fittings with oversized grips/overlength shafts which isn't good enough for what you are paying IMHO.  Serious junior golfers with high swing speed who are shorter in height and strength are not being served nearly as well as other golfers - understand most fitters (even custom ones) don't have a strong business reason to stock for tail ends of golf fitting curve but hoping there are a few fitters out there who cater to serious junior players.  As a standard spec person, I certainly wouldn't want to pay for a "custom" fitting if I had to hit midsize grips/overlength shafts.

[mrshinsa]

Yah, we're on the west coast.  Stay where you are.

 

You said serious golfers, so hasn't her coach recommended some stuff?

Are her hands and height not big enough for ladies grips/shaft?  

What kind of swing speed are we talking about?  

[chipa]

IMO based on my experience with my three daughters if they are ready for adult clubs I would look at getting players irons with as little as much toe weight as possible. You might have your daughters try them and tell you which feels lighter.

 

In my case since I am on a budget I bought used Titleist DCI's and my daughters tell me they feel much better than the modern GI irons I bought them. The next step is to change out the shafts they are taper tip so I will soft step x2 some cheap regular shafts. Good luck. 

Edited July 30, 2021 by chipa

[ShortGolfer]

16 minutes ago, chipa said:

In my case since I am on a budget I bought used Titleist DCI's and my daughters tell me they feel much better than the modern GI irons I bought them. The next step is to change out the shafts they are taper tip so I will soft step x2 some cheap regular shafts. Good luck. 

Good point,.  GIs may give better results in terms of where the ball lands but better feedback or "feel" may be what you need if you want to perfect your swing.

Edited July 30, 2021 by ShortGolfer

[chipa]

5 minutes ago, ShortGolfer said:

Good point,.  GIs may give better results in terms of where the ball lands but better feedback or "feel" may be what you need if you want to perfect your swing.

 

That's a good point but what I was referring to is the weight on the toe makes the club feel a lot heavier that it is really so much so that my daughters wrists would hurt. Maybe its because I teach them them my swing method, hands first like Mike Austin. At any rate they like the older DCI's much better. I don't think so much toe weight is really necessary for short and mid irons, they will only play at most a 6 iron after that its fairway woods.

Edited July 30, 2021 by chipa

[mrshinsa]

22 minutes ago, chipa said:

 

That's a good point but what I was referring to is the weight on the toe makes the club feel a lot heavier that it is really so much so that my daughters wrists would hurt. Maybe its because I teach them them my swing method, hands first like Mike Austin. At any rate they like the older DCI's much better. I don't think so much toe weight is really necessary for short and mid irons, they will only play at most a 6 iron after that its fairway woods.

 

 

Feel or actual? 

 

It's my understanding that adding tungsten weight to the toe doesn't actually increase the overall weight of the head, it simply takes the weight away from the center.

 

If feel, then there should be ways to make the toe-weighted clubs "feel" lighter by increasing the grip/shaft weight etc...  

 

 

[chipa]

27 minutes ago, mrshinsa said:

 

 

Feel or actual? 

 

It's my understanding that adding tungsten weight to the toe doesn't actually increase the overall weight of the head, it simply takes the weight away from the center.

 

If feel, then there should be ways to make the toe-weighted clubs "feel" lighter by increasing the grip/shaft weight etc...  

 

 

 

It is both and the increased force can be calculated. It is enough to twist the club in the hand - no doubt that we are all short(I'm the tallest at 5'6") gives us a flatter lie angle which increases the force on the hands. Still, I feel like this is one reason pros prefer to have more weight near the hosel at least in their short irons because it is much easier to turn the club open which is needed for short pitch shots. BTW, I changed out my modern blades for older ones because the heavier weight made it difficult for me to get the club open with the shorter irons so I had a tendency have the clubface closed at the top. I have already hit the lob wedge, I have never hit a wedge better in my life.

[tiger1873]

You just want a fitter that lots of shafts and clubs.  You really do not need to worry about the grips on the shafts that much.  Just hitting different shafts and irons should be good enough on a launch monitor to help guide you to the correct shaft.  At some point any decent club fitter can put  smaller grips on shafts after you narrowed down the shaft.

 

Worse case paying for a new couple of new grips should not be a big deal.  

 

If you have a problem with them gripping down and using bigger grips then getting a fitting is not worth it. There probaly better with Junior clubs.

 

If your looking for a fitter check out Golf Digest list of fitters.  Not all of them are good and you should avoid places like PGA Superstore but there are some good ones on there if you call around and ask questions some people here also might be able to help .  

 

https://www.golfdigest.com/story/clubfitter-directory-americas-best-clubfitters

 

 

Edited August 1, 2021 by tiger1873