Forum > Any other business?

Lee Freestone

hi, im booked in for a club fitting on sunday, has anybody been to the solihull shop and been fitted,  the main reason im going there is they've got a driving range so i can get can get a better idea of how im hitting the ball

went to american golf leicester in the week, tried some callaway big bertha 2008 and cobra max s2 which i really liked, they only had a little hitting area though to have a swing and can be very decieving if your hitting it well or not

thanks

lee

Chris Perry

Not used them for a club fitting but have been there a few times.  Range is OK and you will get a decent feel for your ball flight.

One word of warning.  I'll lay money (and lots of it) that whatever you want to try they will try to get you to try an Adams and/or John Letters and then push these as being best for you.  These are effectively their own brand.  They used to sell Adams on "They're cheaper because we don't pay pros to use them but they're just as good".  They now sell them on "Tom Watson uses these".  Feel free to try them but if you prefer something else say so and stick with it because they will try to tell you all your stats were better with "their" clubs.  You may feel quite pressurised but you will know which feels right for you so stick with it.

I had an argument with some young oik at the Walsall brach while trying some Mizuno MP62's that went along the lines of: -

• Me - "So how much for a set in rifle shafts?"
• Oik - "4 to PW right?"
• Me - "No, 3 to PW"
• Oik - "You sure"
• Me - "Err, yes"
• Oik - "You don't want a 3 iron"
• Me - "Yes I do"
• Oik - "No you don't"
• Me - "Yes I do"
• Oik - "No you don't"
• Me - "Yes, I do"
• Oik - "No you don't, you want a hybrid"
• Me - "I don't want a hybrid, I want a 3 iron"
• Oik - "No, you want a hybrid.  The pros use hybrids now.  I've got a hybrid"
• Me - "I'm not bothered what other people use.  I've got a hybrid too.  I don't use it, I use a 3 iron.  I want a 3 iron"
• Oik - "No, you need a hybrid.  I'll go get you a couple to try.  Adams are one of the best so I'll get you one of those.  Are there any others you want to try?"
• Me - "Don't bother.  Goodbye"

Colin Coote

Chris Perry

Lee Freestone

cheers for the reply, i wont take any shite when im there, anybody been to nevada bobs in stratford

got about 300 to spend, got my eye on some cobra s2max, mixuno 100 and wilson fatshaft and d19

will report back on monday

thanks

lee 

Paul Hindmarsh

Loud Mouth b.a.

Chris,

Good for you!

I had to specially order in an Alpha C-1 Pro  2 iron from the U.S.A. (to match my new set of irons) and was mildly upset (but not in the least surprised) that I had to build my own - non-matching - 1 iron.

We are constantly made aware of the benefits of easy to hit hybrids, but what is generally omitted to be stated is that (particularly in breezy conditions) there is no substitute for a cleanly hit long iron off the fairway. Absolutely none.

I have yet to fathom why anyone with a good follow through using an 11d driver should find a 15d 1  iron challenging. Lots of high handicappers borrow my 3" over-length 15d 1 iron (a custom built warm up club) on the range and use it without any difficulty whatsoever.

John Pettitt

Jamie C

Chris, i found that pretty amusing! I work in sales and i would never tell someone no you don't 3 times! If it's what they want then i respect that.

Just curious, how good is 3 iron compare to 3 hybrid?

Chris Perry

A 3 hybrid is easier to hit and generally straighter with a higher ball flight. It is easier to play from horrible grassy lies and wet areas

When you are at a level that you can work the ball, a 3 iron is a very versatile club.  Due to it's low loft, it's brilliant when playing into a strong wind, punching the ball low (under branches for example) or for using off the tee for holes with a small target area. 

Martin Mallett

I went to the range there a few months ago, to meet a mate of mine who wanted to test a few of their drivers out. I got there before he did, got myself a basket of range balls and proceeded to hit them while I waited for him to turn up.

About 10 minutes later, he was there. By this point the range had 'run out of balls' so he went off with his arse in his hand, unable to test any clubs.

The very next day, I received a text voucher from DG offering 2 for the price of 1 on a large bucket of range balls if you show them the text in the shop! I had to send the message on to my mate, who still didn't see the funny side....!

Dave Patrick

Ivan

Is the 'secret' to well hit long irons, a good follow through?

I dont have any follow through to speak of and struggle with anything above a 7 iron off the fairway.

Dave CAC handed Geordie.

Sorry to deviate the thread.

John Pettitt

John Flood

Dave ley

Martin Mallett

Well, it was in the Walsall branch.

They speak a different language in Dingle country.

Loud Mouth b.a.

David,

All I'm saying is that over the years long irons have wrongly suffered from a bad press, in part fuelled by an industry intent on pushing hybrids. Yes, the longer a club is the more it 'magnifies' swing errors. My point was if one can drive reasonably well then one can potentially play long irons well notwithstanding that one sometimes hits off turf.

Playing a one iron nowadays is not nearly as demanding as in days of old as:

Heads are often larger and are more forgiving, and shafts generally are better quality and facilitate easier play provided that one does not buy poor quality and / or far too stiff.

You make a very good point about follow through. Yes such is key. I will try to explain using my own made up terms:   

During the downswing of long irons and woods  there is a full  360 degrees circle, or close to it. Does/ should one swing with the same amount of energy, acceleration, (call it what you will) through the full downswing circle? Definately not. There is what I call a power zone - a hot area where energy has to peak and be sustained.

Watch most high handicappers and observe that their power band zone is applied during the wrong part of the downswing. Their incorrect norm being to start it from the very beginning of the downswing to the point where the ball is struck. Sometimes the club head is over-accelerated so early that by the time the ball is struck momentum has been lost, and in some cases the head is decelerating -  any follow through quickly fizzling out.

The first part of the downswing is purely to allow acceleration to begin. The body waits  for sufficient speed to gather until the downswing enters the hot area which begins 3-4 feet before the ball is struck. As the hot area is entered the key to good striking (and power hitting) is to exactly time - behind the ball - the thrust of the right side in synchronicity with the club head. Most players attack with their wrong side i.e. their left side, and way too early. Get any part of the body ahead of the ball at impact and a massive amount of momentum / power is inevitably lost. 

As the club head and one's right side work in unison to explode power release through the ball a full right side to left side weight transfer occurs, and a strong and often high follow through follows all of which completes the hot power zone.

Some teaching pro's. advocate that one needs a high swing speed in order to get long irons to work. I disagree. What is far more important is how swing speed is optimized - that is within the correct power zone.  One can play a long iron well with a slow swing speed if one uses what power one has correctly. But yes, a slow swing speed coupled with a poorly chosen power zone are fatal with anything longer than a 4 iron. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUG_yBZxVBU

(The above MPEG is useful for illustrating the above. Adam's advanced  over-swinging and out of alignment techniques and not recommended for beginners).

Chris Perry

Tim Hawkins

Loud Mouth b.a.

Dave ley

"observe that their power band is applied in the wrong part of the downswing"

been suffering this last few rounds thankfull corrected it today

Good post , being a lover of the long Iron.

Martin Mallett

Yes, good post indeed.

Next time I'm at the range, I will be trying to match my swing to the performance of my 15 yr old Vauxhall Cavalier. Not quick off the mark but great when it gets going...

Lee Freestone

Gary Hand

I went to the Walsall branch to pick up my driver, had seen it on alternative site for a low price and new Direct golf did a price match. I went in the store with the sole purpose of buying the exact model of driver.

Now the guy was reluctant to selll m the driver I wanted retailing £250 in the store and he had to match a £126 internet price which was more than he was paying cost at the time.I asked to try the driver on the range while he checked the price on the alternative site, I went to et set up while he taped the club, to my suprise he came out with 3 drivers, the Nike I wanted and you guessed it a John Letters and an Adams.

The 2 home brands he brought out were both more than the £126 I was going to pay for the nike and looked like 2 really cheap peices of kit. Anyway to cut a long story short it took 5 flat refusals before he got the hint and took the clubs back into the store.

Loud Mouth b.a.

Lee,

I consider that your point about golf fitting centres relying on computers is so interesting, and so important, that I have opened a seperate thread concerning this. 

Golf fitting computers (when working) have their place, but possibly in not quite the way that they are presently used.

We'll see what forum contributors say.

Dave Patrick

Gary

Did he match the price of the nike you wanted, and did you buy it?

Dave CAC handed Geordie.