Custom Clubs?

[TonyMags]

I was wondering if anyone who makes or fits people for custom clubs can give me advice on my issue:

 

I've been playing for a few years, regularly for the past 2. I'm decent to the point where I first broke 100 this year and I'm not totally lost I just can't consistently strike the ball (I know, I know that's everyone's problem but hear me out). I have a strong grip (but not like insanely strong) that I really can't change because my hands are not big for my frame (6') but I have kinda long fingers & (if it counts) long arms. I just can't physically get them on the grip (I already re-gripped to oversized) any better or even remotely comfortably/controllable. When I try any other way I either can't hold the club firm enough to keep the face open by impact or at the top of my swing my right wrist pops twice which is incredibly uncomfortable and I stop my swing. Literally sometimes I need to regrip and try like 6 swings, never completing a downswing and I just can't do it. I'm not frustrated that I'm not scoring better, I'm frustrated that I literally can't complete a swing without accepting that at least 4 out of 5 times I know the club face won't return properly.

 

Now of course sometimes I hit 5 good shots in a row, and sometimes I hit 10 TERRIBLE ones in a row. And like I said, I've played enough to know what I'm doing, I am surrounded by advice but I physically just cannot hold & swing the club the way that comes so naturally to others. I don't know if I need different irons, different loft/lie or if it's pretty much just not going to get any better for me. Since I don't think I have an actual wrist injury, if anyone has similar experience or equipment change suggestions please let me know.

[clubshack]

Can you post a photo?

[thewitt]

Find a qualified PGA Teaching Professional and drop $100 on a series of lessons.

 

You won't regret it.

 

You don't have an equipment problem.

 

Yes, I fit people for a living...

 

-t

[3step]

TonyMags,

 

The fitters think it's the clubs, the teachers think it's the mechanics, Mr. Rotella thinks it's your mindset, and the strength coach thinks he has the answers.

 

Of course it is a blend of all of these elements.

 

But- if you ignore your equipment, you will have to adjust on every single swing for the rest of your life. Plus, it makes those lessons all the more difficult.

 

Regards, 3

[TonyMags]

hey guys, thanks for stepping up with some good help. I will try to post a photo, I assume you mean of my natural grip. I don't "blame" the equipment per say, but I really do wonder if the two degrees upright that I believe my irons are is working against me or if it wouldn't really matter. I don't think custom clubs would make me shoot 80s tomorrow, but hell I'd be thrilled if I can hold a club the way I feel is comfortable and hit the damn ball in the air 10 out of 10 times. It's like if I could just twist the head of the iron a half inch I'd be cool. Or maybe not, because I know logic would say well idiot just hold the round grip a half an inch over, but it's just something about the combo of my grip, my swing, and maybe my clubs that makes it rare that I actually complete a start to finish good swing on the first try.

 

The only reason I'm hesitant to do lessons is I know what I'm gonna be told - it's gonna be some guy who doesn't even know me tell me its my grip, and this guy will think he's solved everything and write off how uncomfortable it is for me as me just having to get used to it, and god forbid I hit 6 good shots in a half hour he'll think he did his job and three holes into my next round I find myself with 3 triples already.

[Kreth]

...but I really do wonder if the two degrees upright that I believe my irons are is working against me or if it wouldn't really matter.

You did mention that you have long arms. Your wrist-to-floor measurement is more important than your height as far as club length and lie angle is concerned.

[TonyMags]

oh ok, I'll measure when I get home tonight. As an inexact science, standing up naturally, my fingers are only a few inches shy of my knees (I'm 6' & 1/2" roughly). So my wingspan is a little longer than my height. My father got me this clubs (Big Berthas) I wanna say about 5 years ago, he got them 2* upright because I'm tall - I know NOTHING about club specs, could this be adding to my problem or are those 2 degrees the right way to go (or does it not matter at all in this example)?

 

Tony

[Kreth]

oh ok, I'll measure when I get home tonight. As an inexact science, standing up naturally, my fingers are only a few inches shy of my knees (I'm 6' & 1/2" roughly). So my wingspan is a little longer than my height. My father got me this clubs (Big Berthas) I wanna say about 5 years ago, he got them 2* upright because I'm tall - I know NOTHING about club specs, could this be adding to my problem or are those 2 degrees the right way to go (or does it not matter at all in this example)?

 

Tony

I'm not a club-fitter, just a fellow hacker. But I would guess that your shafts are too long, so you compensate by grounding the club farther away from you, making the clubhead toe up and even more upright. Do you pull or hook a lot of your mishits?

[TonyMags]

a bad mishit is a hook, a good mishit could be a slice. For what it's worth I also find that my ball position is always more forward than others to keep the shaft as straight as possible with my hands to try to minimize the hooking action