Faldo on fitting?

[Petunia Sprinkle]

Did any of you hear what Faldo just said about pros testing out equipment? I think he was saying, if a pro hits a club for the first time, and it doesn't go straight, it's wrong for them. He's saying when a pro hits a club and it goes too far left, or too far right, they're going to make an instant adjustment that will make it closer to straight on the next shot. In that case, it's the golfer fitting the club, not the club fitting the golfer. Does that even apply to Joe Blow, or even more to Joe Blow?

[mahonie]

I’ve heard of fitters not wanting anyone to hit more than three shots with a club as they will make subconscious adjustments which sort of agrees with what Faldo is saying. Having said that I could hit 20 shots before I hit 3 good ones so I guess it doesn’t apply to me ;-/

[IcemanYVR]

If you watch his fitting video he went through with Mizuno, he discusses this issue. It makes a lot of sense and he isn't the first I've heard to state that. These guys are good enough that they can tell right away and subconsciously make adjustments on the fly.

[ebrasmus21]

Pretty sure I've read about stories of Tiger taking one swing with a driver and knowing instantly it was wrong. Might be frustrating for the club builder that spent all that time and energy trying to make the perfect club and its all for not in one swing.

[DK<80]

Pretty sure I've read about stories of Tiger taking one swing with a driver and knowing instantly it was wrong. Might be frustrating for the club builder that spent all that time and energy trying to make the perfect club and its all for not in one swing.

 

I could agree with that. But I figure anybody being asked to build a club for Tiger Woods is willing to make any incremental tweaks at command to get it "perfect".

[ebrasmus21]

Pretty sure I've read about stories of Tiger taking one swing with a driver and knowing instantly it was wrong. Might be frustrating for the club builder that spent all that time and energy trying to make the perfect club and its all for not in one swing.

 

I could agree with that. But I figure anybody being asked to build a club for Tiger Woods is willing to make any incremental tweaks at command to get it "perfect".

 

I agree. Not saying Tiger is wrong at all - I'm certain he knows exactly what he's talking about even if it's only one swing.

[Howard_Jones]

The club is in command, it never adjust itself to the player, so its the club who forces the player to change his swing to make it work, and thats the oposit of what we want with club fitting, unless we by purpose use club specs to force a beneficial swing change.

 

The club always have a larger influence on the player than the player has on the club.

[HISPL]

I’ve heard of fitters not wanting anyone to hit more than three shots with a club as they will make subconscious adjustments which sort of agrees with what Faldo is saying. Having said that I could hit 20 shots before I hit 3 good ones so I guess it doesn’t apply to me ;-/

3-5 swings is all it takes to know if the club is right or not.

 

I do 100s of fittings a year and find the better the player is the quicker and more proficient they are at “adapting” to make an ill fitting club work for them.

 

Sometimes the hardest players to fit are the best players!

[Dan Drake]

At their level, he is absolutely right. At our level, 3 swings (or so) is plenty.

[Curious]

I find it odd that Faldo would use the word straight as most pros curve it one way or the other, Moreover when they hit one OB or left or right they don't discard that club immediately :nono:

[skraly]

Did any of you hear what Faldo just said about pros testing out equipment? I think he was saying, if a pro hits a club for the first time, and it doesn't go straight, it's wrong for them. He's saying when a pro hits a club and it goes too far left, or too far right, they're going to make an instant adjustment that will make it closer to straight on the next shot. In that case, it's the golfer fitting the club, not the club fitting the golfer. Does that even apply to Joe Blow, or even more to Joe Blow?

I think it's probably true for all golfers to some extent. Most likely it would just take a less accomplished golfer longer to adjust to the shaft. I completely agree with Faldo. 3 swings max should be enough to tell you if the shaft will work for you. Of course that's assuming you can hit the center of the club face at lease once in three swings.

[dciccoritti]

Here's the real question. That first swing, or those first 3 swings. Are they 'your' swing? or is it an adjusted swing based on your current club?

[wkuo3]

In my better days, I could play almost any golf set or even a mixed set of golf clubs.

 

Of course there would be variance of distance and ball trajectory...... but I could use L flex to X flex and Blade to Gi , Persimmon to 460 cc titanium ..... and enjoy the game.

 

A good fitter will have the golfer warm up ( without using the L/M device . After 15-25 minutes, then, put the golfer on the Launch Monitor and yes, for as few a shots as it needed to gather the data. For a golfer will tend to groove in ( make adjustment) according to the equipment at hands to certain degree.

If I needed more bounce around the green side shot, instead of go back to the bag and fetch another golf club, instinctively I would try open the face to create more bounce , first. The score card does not care which golf club I use, the result speaks for itself.

 

Faldo is one of the old school professional, I watched him and Norman played the Dunhill cup and Foldo's game on and around the greens put him ahead that day; even when the Great White struck the golf ball immaculately from tee to green.

Yes, I agree with his comment about the golfer could adapt to almost any golf clubs at hands, but probably not the best of choice for that golfer.

[dbleag]

If you have a great swing, you can make any club work.

 

And, if you have a $hitty swing, no club will work.

 

Perhaps that's why club fitting is really meant for those of us "in-between" great & $hitty.

[Cwebb]

I find it odd that Faldo would use the word straight as most pros curve it one way or the other, Moreover when they hit one OB or left or right they don't discard that club immediately :nono:

 

He could have also said... "at the intended target". They know when the make a good swing....and if a test club reacts strange and the shot doesn't go where they think it should, then they move on to the next club, instead of spending time trying to make it work.

 

They also know when they make a bad swing. So if by chance that happens on the first go with a new club, they're probably not going to blame the club after a single swing

[Brunzy]

This topic makes perfect sense. I would see it personally as going from a blade to a CB might take some more adjustment, but staying in one category and just switching iron manufacturers would prove easier to adjust I would imagine.

[Howard_Jones]

Here's the real question. That first swing, or those first 3 swings. Are they 'your' swing? or is it an adjusted swing based on your current club?

 

The "first swing" belongs to the last club you played, and thats why it so important to take a few test swings before we actually hit the bsll during play, its to Re-Program your body to the club you are about to use now.

[dlygrisse]

Here's the real question. That first swing, or those first 3 swings. Are they 'your' swing? or is it an adjusted swing based on your current club?

 

The "first swing" belongs to the last club you played, and thats why it so important to take a few test swings before we actually hit the bsll during play, its to Re-Program your body to the club you are about to use now.

 

I have a couple of clubs in my bag that feel and play totally differently than the rest of my clubs. When I try to replace them with clubs that match the rest of the set I don't like them....but I like the rest of my set......sometimes you a club just works for what you want to use it for.

[dmbrill719]

Interesting story on a PGA Pro being fit when Callaway was putting the gravity core in their drivers (think 816 black diamond). If gravity core was in high/toe position, pro would hit the ball higher on the toe. If in the low/heel position, his impact location would move lower and more towards the heel. This is without anyone telling him the position of the gravity core. Yeah...those guys are good.

[Stuart_G]

Interesting story on a PGA Pro being fit when Callaway was putting the gravity core in their drivers (think 816 black diamond). If gravity core was in high/toe position, pro would hit the ball higher on the toe. If in the low/heel position, his impact location would move lower and more towards the heel. This is without anyone telling him the position of the gravity core. Yeah...those guys are good.

 

Everyone is swinging the c.g. of the club head (that's what we feel when we swing the club - not the geometric center). Some are just more consistent about it then others.

[Colej]

When I went to a Golfworks school the instructor there talked about Faldo. He said that Faldo had so much feel in his hands that he could pick up a club and tell you how many wraps of tape are under the grips.

[CMCSGolf]

When I went to a Golfworks school the instructor there talked about Faldo. He said that Faldo had so much feel in his hands that he could pick up a club and tell you how many wraps of tape are under the grips.

 

I also heard a story somewhere about Faldo (I think) where he would not clip his fingernails during a tournament because he thought it would effect his touch around the greens. That's precise... and crazy.

[LaymanM]

I’ve heard of fitters not wanting anyone to hit more than three shots with a club as they will make subconscious adjustments which sort of agrees with what Faldo is saying. Having said that I could hit 20 shots before I hit 3 good ones so I guess it doesn’t apply to me ;-/

3-5 swings is all it takes to know if the club is right or not.

 

I do 100s of fittings a year and find the better the player is the quicker and more proficient they are at “adapting” to make an ill fitting club work for them.

 

Sometimes the hardest players to fit are the best players!

 

I totally agree with this. I'm not the best player, but I can quickly adjust to weight, flex and even lie angle. I have good hand eye coordination. Only after some time have I realized this. I don't put as much into fitting now as I did. Give it a waggle and swing. Its either tossed aside quickly or not. Over last couple years, I tend to know what is a close fit. This has helped tremendously. I have had bad fittings in the past, trying to force something that never should have been.

 

I agree with Faldo. One or two swings. It's either right or not.

[Flopper]

I’ve heard a lot of tour pros say they won’t hit anything new more than 3 times and if it doesn’t work they toss it

[Colej]

When I do fittings it’s 3 swings with each club and you’re done. I don’t even want them to hit another one if they mishit.