Taylor Made Spec

[Fairway28]

Any feedback on TM Spec junior clubs?  Looking for 11 1/2 yr old transitioning from USK.  Thx

[wildcatden]

39 minutes ago, Fairway28 said:

Any feedback on TM Spec junior clubs?  Looking for 11 1/2 yr old transitioning from USK.  Thx

 

Agreed, would like to hear any feedback from other juniors making their way to adult clubs. My junior will likely be headed into OEM later this year.

 

When I looked at their specs, the shafts were my primary concern because the heads are just the heads (not sized down/or weighted down to my knowledge). However, their selection of shafts, possibly purpose built for juniors(?), is valuable knowledge/guidance to go by.

[hangontight]

I spoke to a few local fitters a few months back, they said that Taylormade was sending the junior spec fitting kits to the larger retailing/fitting centers.  I didn't dive too deep, but it was my understand the specs are just that - specs.  Nothing to stop anyone from building to that spec.  There is nothing different about the shafts or heads - just that the fitting shafts are basically precut to be a little shorter.  Someone please correct me if this incorrect.  

 

@wildcatden My 11 YO son went from USKG 57" to Titleist T200 earlier this year, once he was a a little taller than 60"...which is what the fitters have always told me is the point when they can feasibly get a good fitting.   In result, his irons are 1.5" shorter than "standard" length.  Yes, he had to choke down during fitting...but not by a lot that made it unrealistic.  That being said, the specs (including swing weights) provided by TM were good guidance points to pull from with his fitting.  

Edited August 22, 2022 by hangontight

[wildcatden]

21 minutes ago, hangontight said:

I spoke to a few local fitters a few months back, they said that Taylormade was sending the junior spec fitting kits to the larger retailing/fitting centers.  I didn't dive too deep, but it was my understand the specs are just that - specs.  Nothing to stop anyone from building to that spec.  There is nothing different about the shafts or heads - just that the fitting shafts are basically precut to be a little shorter.  Someone please correct me if this incorrect.  

 

@wildcatden My 11 YO son went from USKG 57" to Titleist T200 earlier this year, once he was a a little taller than 60"...which is what the fitters have always told me is the point when they can feasibly get a good fitting.   In result, his irons are 1.5" shorter than "standard" length.  Yes, he had to choke down during fitting...but not by a lot that made it unrealistic.  That being said, the specs (including swing weights) provided by TM were good guidance points to pull from with his fitting.  

 

 

Curious as to how the T200's setup panned out?  Especially immediately after switching over.  For example, after switching over did you see distance gains (example: USKG 8-iron vs TS-200 8-iron)?   The reason I ask "immediately" is because it is unlikely they have increased strength/speed within the next day (or couple weeks). Over time (6 months?) you would expect them to possibly improve in those areas due to natural growth, adjustment to new clubs, etc....

 

My kid says the Ping i525's and Cobra Copper MIM Tour fit his eye, but may be too much club for him still.  We haven't spent the time for a fitting or even spending the afternoon at a Golf Mart hitting various clubs. We might go the USKG TS3-60 route until he hits 63" tall.

[hangontight]

1 hour ago, wildcatden said:

 

 

Curious as to how the T200's setup panned out?  Especially immediately after switching over.  For example, after switching over did you see distance gains (example: USKG 8-iron vs TS-200 8-iron)?   The reason I ask "immediately" is because it is unlikely they have increased strength/speed within the next day (or couple weeks). Over time (6 months?) you would expect them to possibly improve in those areas due to natural growth, adjustment to new clubs, etc....

 

My kid says the Ping i525's and Cobra Copper MIM Tour fit his eye, but may be too much club for him still.  We haven't spent the time for a fitting or even spending the afternoon at a Golf Mart hitting various clubs. We might go the USKG TS3-60 route until he hits 63" tall.

Loft for Loft.....yes, defiantly had some immediate gains.  For example P790 and T200 are "modern" lofts as we know, so was careful to compare lofts, not what club it was.   Also keep in mind shaft was longer....so who knows, impossible to test just the heads, as no one is going through the process of putting a USKG shaft in the OEM head and not going to test with a shaft that is too short.  I guess the most practical way to look at it is testing two clubs to specific yardage, say 120 yards....who cares what you call it - 8 iron, 6 iron, 1 iron, blue iron, mashie, whatever...which club do you hit the best to get your desired result?  *also, we borrowed a USKG 60" from a freind and brought it to the fitting.

 

For him, it came down to the P790 and T200.  Both would of been very playable.. P790 gets a lot of pushback for too low spin, but there was nothing wrong with it...100% would of been playable and held greens just fine.   The T200 edged out with a little better combination of heigh/decent/spin...in short, it would hold greens better.   He ended up with the T200's 2* weak as well (and compared against P790 with adjustments to identical loft).  He also liked the look at address better, for a kid that tends to hook the ball the pretty minimal offset on the T200's is pleasing to the eye.  

 

There definitely was a transition period.  .I think thats probably the case for anyone making the jump.  But all in all, he got used to them pretty quick.  But now I am convinced the shafts are too light...geez, never ends. 

Edited August 22, 2022 by hangontight

[isgerrior]

I have 2 sons, 12 and 14.  I transitioned them both to OEM in their driver and woods starting at age 11.  We went with Ping G30 drivers in senior flex shafts, and ping woods and hybrids.  The 14 year old got fitted for P790's irons when he was 13, from US Kids TS clubs. and Hightoe wedges.  Immediate gains in distance, and forgiveness in the driver and woods.  Similar experience in the iron fittings as well.

[wildcatden]

19 hours ago, hangontight said:

Loft for Loft.....yes, defiantly had some immediate gains.  For example P790 and T200 are "modern" lofts as we know, so was careful to compare lofts, not what club it was.   Also keep in mind shaft was longer....so who knows, impossible to test just the heads, as no one is going through the process of putting a USKG shaft in the OEM head and not going to test with a shaft that is too short.  I guess the most practical way to look at it is testing two clubs to specific yardage, say 120 yards....who cares what you call it - 8 iron, 6 iron, 1 iron, blue iron, mashie, whatever...which club do you hit the best to get your desired result?  *also, we borrowed a USKG 60" from a freind and brought it to the fitting.

 

For him, it came down to the P790 and T200.  Both would of been very playable.. P790 gets a lot of pushback for too low spin, but there was nothing wrong with it...100% would of been playable and held greens just fine.   The T200 edged out with a little better combination of heigh/decent/spin...in short, it would hold greens better.   He ended up with the T200's 2* weak as well (and compared against P790 with adjustments to identical loft).  He also liked the look at address better, for a kid that tends to hook the ball the pretty minimal offset on the T200's is pleasing to the eye.  

 

There definitely was a transition period.  .I think thats probably the case for anyone making the jump.  But all in all, he got used to them pretty quick.  But now I am convinced the shafts are too light...geez, never ends. 

 

Thanks for the detail and making it a loft for loft comparison.  I think we'll have a look at the T200's, Wilson CB's as well as the aforementioned i525's and MIM Tours when the time comes to move to adult heads. 

 

On the heads, it seems to be that it needs to fit their eye, have some technology for distance (at this time) and be forgiving enough.  On the shafts, that one seems harder to to fit but graphite is the primary choice for the first move over. Many just put in some Recoils with good/great results. Not a bad idea IMHO.  Might look at the Vista Pro shafts, Steelfiber i70 shafts or something else.

 

[hangontight]

1 hour ago, wildcatden said:

 

Thanks for the detail and making it a loft for loft comparison.  I think we'll have a look at the T200's, Wilson CB's as well as the aforementioned i525's and MIM Tours when the time comes to move to adult heads. 

 

On the heads, it seems to be that it needs to fit their eye, have some technology for distance (at this time) and be forgiving enough.  On the shafts, that one seems harder to to fit but graphite is the primary choice for the first move over. Many just put in some Recoils with good/great results. Not a bad idea IMHO.  Might look at the Vista Pro shafts, Steelfiber i70 shafts or something else.

 

I would recommend you at least try the Zelos as well.  As mentioned in another thread(I think), he has them in his wedges - to the naked eye he looks very comfortable and tempo looks good.