Fitting - swing consistency to old shafts? How best to find new?

mike_snowden

Active Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
HCP
21.8
Local club/country
UK
Irons
JPX-800 Pro 5-PW (Project-X 6.0, 1" longer, 2° upright, Steel headweight, MCC+4 Align). FliHi 4 Hybrid, MP-T11 50/5, 56/13 (bent 1° strong), 60/6
Driver
Callaway Rogue 9 degree, currently 1 up/straight, Project X 5.5R
#1
Going for my first fitting in a few years. And that followed a wrist severe injury that I have, over years, regained much strength from. At the time, I went from Steel S300s to Project X 6.0 graphite, so a big change then. (Edit - yes, I really was that injured, I couldn't play full shots even from a fairway for nearly a year)

One thing that worries me is how ingrained my current shafts and swing are now - consistency of course being a huge part of golf. I do feel my current good shots come within a swing that is "well within" myself. And I'm not sure whether that all is my athleticism (or lack of it) or partially that I could handle a stronger shaft. I hit an odd hot one, but control is more important than power to a consistent score

Any advice on how to improve my shaft choice? How do I best move through my current selection to something new.
 
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PaulBoy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2012
HCP
WHS 7.0
Local club/country
Army GC
Irons
Mizuno Pro 223 (4-AW) Modus3 120s
Driver
Titleist TSi2 Graphite Design Tour AD XC-50s
#2
Hi Mike ... Your first sentence says you had a fitting to find the graphite shafts you switched to from the S300? - You need another fitting & I'd suggest one with a reputable fitter rather than one from a big box store - If staying with Mizuno, their fitters are all very well trained & knowledgeable (in my experience) - There are also some very good independent fitters, but this will depend where in the UK you are - Jason McNiven at Golf Principles, Basingstoke is one of the best I have used - Good luck & if we can help further with advice, please ask ... Paul
 

mike_snowden

Active Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
HCP
21.8
Local club/country
UK
Irons
JPX-800 Pro 5-PW (Project-X 6.0, 1" longer, 2° upright, Steel headweight, MCC+4 Align). FliHi 4 Hybrid, MP-T11 50/5, 56/13 (bent 1° strong), 60/6
Driver
Callaway Rogue 9 degree, currently 1 up/straight, Project X 5.5R
#3
Hi Mike ... Your first sentence says you had a fitting to find the graphite shafts you switched to from the S300? - You need another fitting & I'd suggest one with a reputable fitter rather than one from a big box store - If staying with Mizuno, their fitters are all very well trained & knowledgeable (in my experience) - There are also some very good independent fitters, but this will depend where in the UK you are - Jason McNiven at Golf Principles, Basingstoke is one of the best I have used - Good luck & if we can help further with advice, please ask ... Paul
I'm going to a reputable fitter AGAIN - My last fit ended up with multiple visits to confirm an - unusual - mix. JP800 Pros, 1 inch longer, 2 upright STEEL weight heads(!), 4 layers of tape under my weak hand 2 on the other. We kept fitting until we were happy it was the same spec every time. What I'm trying to say is that I'm concerned that I will swing for my current shafts, rather than to the potential that I can play to now.

Before my injury - a badly broken wrist that did not set straight, I had a late release and a 250 drive; a year after, when I had recovered enough to hit full shots again I had a soft, sweepy swing letting the club do most of the work. And my drive was down to 200.

My wrist continued improving and reshaping, and I'm now back up to 235 average, despite being 10 years older, but swing consistency is what I've worked on, to eradicate the wild ones. I know I hit an odd hot one by accident and can squeeze out a power up one - but always within 9i-7i. I also know to hit a good 6i, I hit them well inside the envelope - powering those up just goes wrong..

I'm afraid I'm going to do the swing that works with my current shafts, and not push for what I am now capable of, and get some more power in.
 
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PaulBoy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2012
HCP
WHS 7.0
Local club/country
Army GC
Irons
Mizuno Pro 223 (4-AW) Modus3 120s
Driver
Titleist TSi2 Graphite Design Tour AD XC-50s
#4
Your injury sounds awful & you have done well to get back to where you are in my opinion - I would rely on the fitter you know & trust to get the shaft that works best for you? - Not quite the same, but for over 20 years I have had issues with my back, including a recent flare up which stopped me playing at all from Feb - June this year - My swing has definitely changed several times, especially in terms of how much I hit down & through the ball - I now try to concentrate more on better timing & with lighter shafts in all my clubs, though still steel ones in my irons, I am still able to play to a reasonable standard & be competitive amongst my peers
Good luck with your search
 

mike_snowden

Active Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
HCP
21.8
Local club/country
UK
Irons
JPX-800 Pro 5-PW (Project-X 6.0, 1" longer, 2° upright, Steel headweight, MCC+4 Align). FliHi 4 Hybrid, MP-T11 50/5, 56/13 (bent 1° strong), 60/6
Driver
Callaway Rogue 9 degree, currently 1 up/straight, Project X 5.5R
#5
@PaulBoy it wasn't good. One side (radius) broken with an inch and a half of overlap. I spent one entire summer just chipping, and built it up gradually. Nearly 3 years before I played to handicap again. The first time I tried to play a chop shot, I missed the ground - 3 times.

To today's fitting. I had played 18 in the morning, warmed up properly again, and then did the Swing DNA. Pleased that the club is now closer to a 7i than a 6i, which for me is a better consistency. Hit 2 or 3 to get used to the club, and then 4 in anger. Basically the same numbers on all, despite feeling increasing power transfer through each successive impact.

We went out and went through about 7 shafts, various steel and graphite. The one I liked was a lightweight steel, I think Modus (waiting for the paperwork to come back), Then we tried various heads. The 921 Hot Metal gave me the most distance, carry by a long way, and the most consistency. What was more important was
  1. that it was the one that let me commit to a full shot - consistent, straight and penetrating (we had a 45 degree wind towards us), and
  2. that the misses were pull fades, coming back and landing slightly shorter but almost on the same line. A GREAT miss.
  3. Despite the bulkier look, the turf interaction felt less than my current JPX800 pros. I wasn't expecting that.
It felt as soft as my Project X graphite combo, but according to the fitting pro, it's a shaft that fits a stronger swing better than my current - and I tried that one with the 921 heads, Nope, felt awful.

Now to see what happens with my full spec in, including MCC +4 Align grips, which also help me accelerate the club without tension.

Also tried wedges, T22s rather than ES21. I'm a very good wedge player, but my bad one is a divoty duff, particularly if the ground is soft, so we upped the bounce, more on the GW (S grind) than the LW (C), A little more apprehensive about that, as my current loft & bounce would have needed X. And S on the SW too, as the only way to get gap and high bounce - surprised there are not more high bounce in mid D
 
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PaulBoy

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 18, 2012
HCP
WHS 7.0
Local club/country
Army GC
Irons
Mizuno Pro 223 (4-AW) Modus3 120s
Driver
Titleist TSi2 Graphite Design Tour AD XC-50s
#6
Sounds like you have all the bases covered & you should end up with as close to perfect as you could be? - Great work by you & your fitter :cool:
 
Likes: mike_snowden

mike_snowden

Active Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
HCP
21.8
Local club/country
UK
Irons
JPX-800 Pro 5-PW (Project-X 6.0, 1" longer, 2° upright, Steel headweight, MCC+4 Align). FliHi 4 Hybrid, MP-T11 50/5, 56/13 (bent 1° strong), 60/6
Driver
Callaway Rogue 9 degree, currently 1 up/straight, Project X 5.5R
#7
Sounds like you have all the bases covered & you should end up with as close to perfect as you could be? - Great work by you & your fitter :cool:
Final order:

Men’s Right Hand
Mizuno JPX 921 Hot Metal 5-PW (Previous - JPX 800 Pro, Steel weight heads)
Shaft – Modus Tour 105 R (Previous - Project X 6.0)
Length – Plus 1 Inch
Lie – Plus 2 Degrees
Grip – MCC Align Plus 4 (Standard)

Mizuno T-22 Wedges Denim Copper 49.06 (S Grind), 55.13 (S Grind), 60.10 (C Grind)
Shaft – Modus Tour 105 R
Length – 35.25 + Plus 1 Inch
Lie – Plus 2 Degrees
Grip – MCC Align Plus 4

What surprised me was the absence of a high bounce SW (~55) in D grind and a low/mid bounce LW (~60) ( in C grind. I'd visualised S -> D -> C as a progression from "almost iron with iron bounce" to "Mid wedge with sand wedge bounce" to "high loft off tight lies", with X as an expert. You can't do that.
 
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DennisMiller

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2014
Location
Miami, Florida
HCP
Old Age
Local club/country
Killian Greens Golf Club
Irons
MX-1000
Driver
ST-180
#8
I agree with Paul...

And I like your final order.

I'm curious, how tall are you? I'm 6'7", so my specs are similar, but 2" over long, 2 degrees upright. I use a Project X graphite shaft, senior flex, (4.5), in the JPX900 Hot Metal irons. (6-GW) After trying some newer woods, I went back to my old JPX800 driver and 3 wood. I have a 2019 5 hybrid Fli Hi that fills the gap and an old MP SW that was 56/14 and I had bent to 55. Occasionally, I even pull out an old Mizuno 0803 putter that, (otherwise), guards my closet.
 

mike_snowden

Active Member
Joined
Apr 10, 2011
HCP
21.8
Local club/country
UK
Irons
JPX-800 Pro 5-PW (Project-X 6.0, 1" longer, 2° upright, Steel headweight, MCC+4 Align). FliHi 4 Hybrid, MP-T11 50/5, 56/13 (bent 1° strong), 60/6
Driver
Callaway Rogue 9 degree, currently 1 up/straight, Project X 5.5R
#9
I'm curious, how tall are you? I'm 6'7", so my specs are similar, but 2" over long, 2 degrees upright.
Just under 6', but between belly and wrist injury, a flattish shaft angle seems to suit me. Before I broke my wrist, I had standard length clubs with stiff shafts and a late release. What it cost me was the ability to release around my body through impact. I now swing with something like a cricket off drive, a little bit Nick Price - interestingly, my father who was 6'4" also swung like Nick Price, right down to the bounce at the end. And guess whose clubs I first used as an adult?

A good swing for me has a quiet body; at the point the left arm is parallel to the ground, it's pointing one way down the line in the backswing, and in the follow through the right arm goes though parallel and down the line towards the target. Momentum then carries the club up and over with an elbow fold, and my body finally comes through into an almost conventional-looking balanced position

I assume the relatively flat swing also means a high degree of dynamic bend.
 
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