Golf Club Fitting?

[cheshiremusicman]

I am looking to buy a new set of clubs to replace my present 12 year old Callaway X14's. I'm 68 and this will probably be my 'Last set'. I have decided that I might as well push the boat out (not too many boats left probably) and get a set 'Custom Fitted', as I realise that the shafts are the most important thing at my stage in life as a 12 handicapper. I live in Hua-Hin and wonder if anybody can give me information as to where they would suggest/recommend me to try for a fitting. I don't have any problem if I have to go to Bangkok for this service.

Any recommendations would be gratefully received.

Happy golfing to you all and don't forget what the great Arnold Palmer once said:-

"Golf is deceptively simple and endlessly complicated. It satifies the soul and frustrates the intellect. It is at the same time rewarding and maddening - It is without a doubt the greatest game mankind has ever invented."

[kenny999]

Hi I am no expert but if I was in your shoes I would be going for Regular flex which I am sure you have already, cavity back over blades, also make sure the grips are of the correct thickness, if you have the money and you think your game would truly benefit from custom clubs then go for it, personally of the peg clubs are fine as long as you choose the correct flex, the right head i:e cavity back over blades and have the correct thickness of grip, custom clubs are very expensive and the fitting service is not an exact science. all just my opinion of course. good luck with your club choice.

[cheshiremusicman]

Hi I am no expert but if I was in your shoes I would be going for Regular flex which I am sure you have already, cavity back over blades, also make sure the grips are of the correct thickness, if you have the money and you think your game would truly benefit from custom clubs then go for it, personally of the peg clubs are fine as long as you choose the correct flex, the right head i:e cavity back over blades and have the correct thickness of grip, custom clubs are very expensive and the fitting service is not an exact science. all just my opinion of course. good luck with your club choice.

Hi Kenny999.

Thanks for the advice. My irons are stiff graphite, as are my woods, but I am now looking for a bit more flexibility in the shafts and maybe a different kick point to help with the length. I'm lucky that my 'normal' shot is nearly always straight or with a slight draw. I think that I will push the boat out and go to Bangkok to the Wildings centre and get a proper analysis. This seems to be the only source of high tech analysis that I can find on the internet for Thailand. I realise that 'custom made clubs' are going to be expensive, but as I said, this will probably be my last set (if they last me as long as the old ones) so what the heck!

Cheers and happy golfing.

[kenny999]

Hi I am no expert but if I was in your shoes I would be going for Regular flex which I am sure you have already, cavity back over blades, also make sure the grips are of the correct thickness, if you have the money and you think your game would truly benefit from custom clubs then go for it, personally of the peg clubs are fine as long as you choose the correct flex, the right head i:e cavity back over blades and have the correct thickness of grip, custom clubs are very expensive and the fitting service is not an exact science. all just my opinion of course. good luck with your club choice.

Hi Kenny999.

Thanks for the advice. My irons are stiff graphite, as are my woods, but I am now looking for a bit more flexibility in the shafts and maybe a different kick point to help with the length. I'm lucky that my 'normal' shot is nearly always straight or with a slight draw. I think that I will push the boat out and go to Bangkok to the Wildings centre and get a proper analysis. This seems to be the only source of high tech analysis that I can find on the internet for Thailand. I realise that 'custom made clubs' are going to be expensive, but as I said, this will probably be my last set (if they last me as long as the old ones) so what the heck!

Cheers and happy golfing.

My knowledge of club fitting is nil, why did you go for stiff flex in the clubs you have now? I was once told if you are very strong and swing very fast the stiff is for you, I am very strong and think I swing very fast but chose reg flex which are great...

[cheshiremusicman]

My knowledge of club fitting is nil, why did you go for stiff flex in the clubs you have now? I was once told if you are very strong and swing very fast the stiff is for you, I am very strong and think I swing very fast but chose reg flex which are great...

When I bought my last set of irons I was in the UK playing off 9/10 with Taylor made Tour irons - these being of the 'blade variety'. I had tried out regular and stiff shafts on the course and even with these 'blades' I was hitting better shots with the stiff shafts as compared to the regular ones. When I bought the X14's I also tried out regular and stiff but these were 'graphite' not steel shafts and the same thing applied, so hence I stuck with the graphite stiff shafts. My swing has not altered much over the years and I probably swing with the same speed now as I did when I was 40; the swing being described by others as smooth and rhythmical. What you say about speed and shaft stiffness is according to all that we read perfectly correct, but as I am sure you are aware; golf is not an exact science and the only way to really find out what is suitable for you and your kind of swing is to try out various /shafts /heads before you buy them. I have tried other peoples clubs at the driving range and can hit 'extra stiff' to 'senior ladies' shafts. I found that I was getting about an extra 6-8 yards out of regular shafts compared to my old X14 graphite stiff clubs and over time the flexibility of the shafts does change. I still have some of my Taylor made tour irons and if anything these steel stiff shafts have become even more stiff. Upto about a year ago I regularly carried X14 1 or 2 irons and would use these both off the tee and fairways, but I have now stopped carrying anything higher than a 4 iron and use a couple of woods to replace them. I still practise with a 1 or 2 iron at the range as I find that this really shows up any swing faults; as they are totally unforgiving, so you can't kid yourself that you are hitting the ball correctly with these club if you are not.

Technology advances day by day in golf and I think that I might as was well benefit from these advances and get a 'launch monitor' analysis of my swing done and go with the flow for this 'last set. As you can see from what I have said previously I don't exactly change my clubs ever year like some people do; so I might as well get the 'best' that I can find/afford and hope that they will see my golfing days out and give me a little bit of help in my dotage.