Which is a challenging position to take. You also should bear in mind that he plays links golf on one of the coldest courses in the UK. So, the opportunity to see the ball fly straighter and further is somewhat impeded by regular freezing cold temperatures and gusts of forty miles an hour.
Having just spent the last two days in Edinburgh being trained by one of the finest minds and cutting edge leaders in club fitting I would now counter my friends position by saying that the world of club fitting has changed dramatically. Everybody has their own swing; good, bad or inconsistent, after all it’s the movement you have drilled and grooved over the past years.
What if I was to tell you that you could have the same club in your hands. Perfectly fitted for you, with the shaft aligned ideally for your swing speed and tempo. If the club fitter removed the shaft, rotated it by forty five degrees and then replaced it back into the club head you would then have a completely different feeling and performing club, for the worse. No matter how good your swing is, that club would not behave. Leaving the ball to go off in any direction other that the one desired. All of this from just rotating the shaft by 45 degrees.
The point was proven to me time and time again over the past two days. The most striking was when they used me as an example. My stock and trade shape is a draw, always has and always will be… at least so I thought. So, they got me to hit a driver which had been fitted for my swing speed, ideal angle of attack and launch angle so that I could get the most carry and run from the ball. It was the latest M3 Taylor Made driver with what would be described as a ‘tour spec shaft’ which means the same quality as the ones the tour players use, so about £300 for the shaft. It felt great, the distances I was getting reminded me of distances ten years previous. Then they took the shaft out, rotated it, and put it back in. The club started hitting it right; high block fade instead of a low draw. The club was the same yet felt completely different and the direction was completely different.
Before you start rolling your eyes and saying, “Poor Neil, how could he cope hitting a fade and having to play from the right-hand side of the fairway?” Remember that’s me, a tournament professional golfer who is getting a completely different outcome of shot. Now imagine the player who doesn’t know whether there is a fade, draw or slice coming next and they have a mixture of clubs, old and new, with a variety of shafts set for different shapes. Is it any wonder that inconsistency is the one thing I am asked, as a coach, to eradicate?
That is why the final piece of the puzzle, as far as my clients performance is concerned, is to make sure that the clubs in my players hands are able to deliver a straight shot, instead of assuming that all clubs are created equal and that it’s the player who sends the ball left and right.
Next month our Academy will be taking delivery of the latest driver and iron heads Taylor Made, Calloway, Cobra, Srixon and Cleveland have to offer. Incidentally, these were the market leaders in golf club performance for 2017. We will be able to offer a selection of the finest shafts in the market place, be able to mix and match the club heads with these shafts.
This will effectively mean, through our launch monitor, that you will be able to compare your clubs performance against the latest clubs which have hit the market, in one place. Without having to get into the car or waiting for multiple demo days, you will be able to see which brand performs best to your golf swing, in one place, in one morning or afternoon.
If I can see an average of twenty two yards difference in carry between my five-year-old driver and the latest Callaway Rogue driver, I am sure you will see a difference too.Give us a call on 912 263 555 to pre-book a fitting session.