Titleist Fittingworks Rocks!

[Scotty Gilbert]

My session yesterday........

Guys,

If you like Titleist products and want to get the best equipment for your game then I highly suggest you find a fittingworks session now!

I spent an hour yesterday in the company of 2 fantastic guys over here in Scotland - Gary and Aaron.

Gary did the fitting / recommendations, and Aaron was on hand to build custom clubs.

Im going to try and write this in some kind of logical fashion:

Arrived there a few mins early, introduced to the two guys, then hit some 6 irons to warm up, then a few drives. Nice staight pushes, and a couple of cutty ones too - great!! I began to think I was going to struggle....

I have a 905R at present, and was struggling to control the face angle at impact. I had origionally installed the shaft untipped, and inserted 1.75" turns out that this wasnt stiff enough at the tip. The high torque (3.8) whilst feeling nice and smooth, was not giving me enough control.

So, after another disasterous driving round on Wednesday night, I decided to pull it and insert it further.
It ended up full bore, and extended back to 45"

Played on Sunday, hit 50% of fairways, and the rest were just into the semi. Shot 6 over, (3 under my handicap) and got my second cut of the year :cheesy:
I hit the driver very well, nice high, but penetrating flight with lots of roll. Hitting soft draws, and was able to alter trajectory a couple of times with tee height.

So, I went to the fitting somewhat hopeful that Id picked a good shaft for my swing.

Back to the session.

I hit about 8 drives, couple of bad strikes removed, and the figures were averaged out.

I achieved the following (from memory)

Ball Speed - 145.5mph
Launch angle - 13*
Backspin - 3000
Ball type - ProV1
Carry - 235
Overall - 245

145 ball speed, translates roughly into 100mph ss - which is where I have been measured previously, so that has been fairly consistent in the last few years. (Definately a swinger, rather than a hitter. Have a longish swing, and a late hit)

Wasnt interested in the distance figures at all. Really have had enough of inflated distance claims, and all the BS that goes along with that. I know where I hit it on the course, and I know where my swing puts me.

I hit a few with quite a bit of cut spin on them. Ranging to the 600rpm cut, with 3100 (roughly) backspin. Gary explained that if you detract the side spin from the backspin I would be in the 2500 range, which is pretty much perfect.

He advised me not to change loft or shaft. Launch angle was good, but spin rate was a little higher than optimum.

We talked about my misses: I get caught 'inside' right elbow in my right pocket! ha ha!
So my miss is either a straight high push, or I turn it over with my hands to compensate.

Gary reckoned that the slightly higher backspin component would help couteract the draw spin when I got a little too handsy. Should help to keep those strong draws (hooks! :man_in_love: ) in play.

So, driver shaft, loft, head type, spin rate, etc all sorted. Very pleased I dont have to lay out more cash for a new set up!! (Even though I secretly wished I had to!)

I hit some 735cm's - obviously turning up to a Titleist fitting with TM irons was an opportunity for them to show me how good the Titleist sticks were!
I agreed, they were very nice. Ended up 2* flatter than standard (Titleist standard) same as my TM 300s.

We tried a number of different shafts - DGS300 SL, Nippons, something else, then found the DG S300 standard was the best (what I have in my 300's)

Got my spec sheet, and put under no pressure to buy / order, etc. Very nice, good advice, with no heavy sales patter.

Then I tried a few Spin milleds, talked about replacing them each year - sounds like a good idea, as I am starting to lose a little spin with the 52* oil can I have. Tried the new SM oil cans - man are they soft! Beautiful feeling wedge. May be replacing the chrome one I have now with that.

Had a challenge between the three of us, 70 yard shot, water all round the green, and about 6 yards front to back! I managed to land 2 balls on the green, but they bounced over. Tough shot, Gary had stuck it to 2 feet earlier in the day. Was interesting to see the difference between the SM and the standard grooved TC wedges - BIG difference in spin, even with range balls.

"Have you got your own wedges with you?"

"We can stamp them if you like?" - eerrr, Ok!!

I got "scotty" stamped on the back of my 52* (didnt have my 58* with me! :cheesy: ) will stick up a pic later today.
Inside the custom club van. Just like a tour van set up, all the tools and machines, drawers full of head, etc.
And they had Aircon which was a nice restbite from the 30* heat outside!

Aaron noted that he had just come back from The Open last weekend. " Who did you see?" I asked - "Oh, just about everyone!"

The guy on the tour van had been giving him tips on handstamping, so he was delighted to have another wedge to practice on! I was pretty pleased too! ;)

Finished off by hitting a few shots with my 904f - had a 26.3 driver pull in it, bit of lead tape above the hosel to get the shaft kicking a little more.

Hit 7/8 shots - 3 good ones, the rest poor.....they commented that the balance was way off for a FW, too light a shaft too (69g)
Tried a YS7+ FW (80g, 3.4 torque) nice feel, could feel the head weight in my hands, good high flight, not too spinny though, and much longer than the bloody shaft that was in my one!!

(So, last night it got pulled, and the DG S300 replaced.)

To summarise:
Driver - checked, confirmed that the shaft and loft worked for me. Very pleased.
Irons - will replace my 300's with a set of Titleist's at some point. No rush, plently of life left in my current set.
Wedges - will replace these both at the start of the season, just to keep the grooves fresh.
FW - change shaft, am currently looking for the YS7+ FW shaft
Hybrid - they commented about the new one coming out, but couldnt see any heads on the van, and they had none to try.

(No mention of the new FW)

Two very knowledgeable guys, friendly with no major sales patter or pressure. Didnt get forced into trying something else when my own driver was giving me good numbers, and the irons were a thought for the future.

If you like titleist, I would advise you find one of these sessions at a club near you! Fittingworks WORKS!!

Scott :)

[cambo3295]

Great stuff Scotty. Did you show them the SM Vokey you've ground?!

 

Sounds a really useful fitting.

 

Well played too!

 

Iain

[Scotty Gilbert]

Iain,

 

I was looking in the bag of Vokeys, and happened to mention that Id ground my lob wedge - thats when the offer of stamping cae up. I thought I had it in the boot of the car, but ID left it at home - like a plonker!

 

Im going to get a stamping kit, think they are about £20 from the 'bay...do my wedges when I replace them next year.

 

Thanks re the score. .....about frickin time! I was heading for an enforced 2 week layoff if I didnt start performing! ha ha!

 

Really good fitting, right through the bag. Yes, its all Titleist equipment, but that wasnt a problem to me at all.

 

 

Scott :man_in_love:

[Extreme Firepower]

Hi Scott,

 

where did you get fitted??

 

I'm in Central Belt and I think I know where you got fitted (might be wrong)

 

Let me know,

 

I've got a rake of Titleist stuff and I'd love to get it all check out on the LM

 

Cheers

 

John

[Scotty Gilbert]

John,

 

It was at Kings Acre, near Edinburgh.

 

I happened to be playing there a month or so ago. Whilst I was checking their website it noted that their first Fittingworks session was so popular that they had to book another two days to satify demand.

 

Over the last two days they had 15 sessions. Pretty busy!

 

Scott :man_in_love: