a REAL club fitting experience?

[yannechyba]

and how it simply blows my mind!

As I am getting ready for my first REAL fitting experience for a Driver, I find myself full of doubts about certain issues. The MOST I've gotten from 2 local "fittters" (if you can call them that way...) simply suggested shaft flex and shaft length, based on a "launch monitor" AND the items they had available. Not too many choices!

I know that there are several important factors involved, and my doubts about them:

SHAFT:
Length - Shorter = easier control, but lose distance?
Flex - The stiffer, ths straigher? Distance loss if too stiff?
Bend point - determines the trajectory (high, mid, low) at launch? ease to load?
Torque - The faster you swing, the less torque you should have?

HEAD:
Loft - Determines the ideal launch angle? Why I can hit some 9's higher than some 10.5's?
Lie angle - Does it even matter on a driver? can it really be tweaked?
Volume - are those 460 cc more forgiving? I can hit my tiny V steel 3 wood a LOT easier than ANY driver!
Shape - Shallower faces are more workable? Deeper faces are more forgiving?

Add to all those things: Swing speed, tempo, grip thickness...come on!

SOMEBODY...PLEASE HELP!!!

[Dyno]

As I am getting ready for my first REAL fitting experience for a Driver, I find myself full of doubts about certain issues. The MOST I've gotten from 2 local "fittters" (if you can call them that way...) simply suggested shaft flex and shaft length, based on a "launch monitor" AND the items they had available. Not too many choices!

 

I know that there are several important factors involved, and my doubts about them:

 

SHAFT:

Length - Shorter = easier control, but lose distance? Depends on your swing style and angle of attack. Generally if you are a better iron player than fairway wood player with a quicker harder swing, shorter will be better.

 

Flex - The stiffer, ths straigher? Distance loss if too stiff? Yes to both. Alot depends on your psychology and how hard you allow yourself to swing. I'm legit 108 and play firm flex. Most recommendation say 'full stiff' but having the means to optimize my setup, I know I am playing the correct flex.

 

Bend point - determines the trajectory (high, mid, low) at launch? ease to load? Loft determines trajectory, bendpoint fine tunes for both height and feel. Generally high bendpoints indicate stiff tips which may or may not suit your swing and primary miss. I generally fit effective loft first then complement with shaft profile

 

Torque - The faster you swing, the less torque you should have? Torque is primarily about feel, not swingspeed. Don't worry about it, trust what you feel.

 

HEAD:

Loft - Determines the ideal launch angle? Why I can hit some 9's higher than some 10.5's? Nominal loft is often different from actual measured loft. Center of gravity interacts with shaft to create 'effective loft'.

 

Lie angle - Does it even matter on a driver? can it really be tweaked? Theoretically it does not matter on driver due to the low loft but I personally think overly upright drivers above 60* are lame. It can be tweaked with shimming a 335 into a 350 hosel but it's not all that common. Clubmakers like Joe K are exceedingly uncommon.

 

Volume - are those 460 cc more forgiving? I can hit my tiny V steel 3 wood a LOT easier than ANY driver! Length and loft perhaps...especially if you are steep. 460cc is more forgiving without a doubt. You just need it set up for you.

 

Shape - Shallower faces are more workable? Deeper faces are more forgiving? Too many other factors to consider....face height is just one component

 

 

Add to all those things: Swing speed, tempo, grip thickness...come on!

 

SOMEBODY...PLEASE HELP!!!

 

 

It's part science, big part art. Basic tennents apply but also many exceptions. Hopefully your fitter has a vast array of samples to hit, otherwise it can be some trial and error. Dont' worry about that stuff. Make your normal swing and just let the results dictate where you end up. The fitter will narrow down the options very quickly at the outset then it will get more in depth as you proceed.

[yannechyba]

That was very useful, Mr Dyno. Thank you very much!

[Dyno]

4* to 4.5* of torque is the threshold where it may or may not matter. Torque affects flex feel much more than direction issues. The ball is not on the face long enough for extremely low torque shafts to respond any better than one considered 'mid torque'. I think there are other effects from using high tonnage high grade fiber that affect performance more than torque though one cannot discount torque as a factor to be considered when fitting.

 

I guess...I dunno.......I'm hungry.

[yannechyba]

I guess me, as many others out there, were always led into the idea that TORQUE is interpreted by the "resistance to twisting" of the shaft, so by a mere simple matter of interpretation, the harder/faster you swing, the higher the torque you should play. I still dont think I understand what you mean in its entirety (about the TORQUE issue), but everything else was just really helpful.

 

I guess it all boils down to hitting and hitting some more. It is funny how this works though...I ended up purchasing a virtually new Sonartec 7 wood last saturday. The owner could not hit it, period! I asked if I could try it, and well.... seems we were made for each other. Now a once-used Sonartec SS2.5 7 wood with a S flex Fujikura Tour 26.3 is now in my bag. What an amazing stick.

 

What is REALLY interesting is that I am hitting it almost as long (average 4-5 yards less) than my TM Vsteel 5 wood, fitted with a stock R flex! Besides, it flies lower and straighter! can someone explain this???

[Dyno]

I was inferring torque is an overrated spec. But the offshoot from creating a low torque shaft seem to help with shaft performance provided feel is not compromised for a given golfer. The spec in itself is not something to really focus on other than to recognize that it is low/med/high. Low torque always costs more and generally is made of superior materials.

 

Yes....it's all based on results. The Sonartec is a low hitting head due to it's relative center of gravity. Vertical CG is a factor but what really increases effective loft is a deep CG towards the back fo the head. The CG is offset from the shaft plane so as the head accelerates thru the impact zone, the CG acts with centripetal force to bow the shaft forward at impact, creating effective loft. The 26.3 is stiffer than your stock R so it does not bow forward as readily. It's all about the interaction between head CG and the tip of the shaft.

 

Werd.