Fitting question

[ILMgolfnut]

That maybe some of the Spies can clear up.

When I got fitted two years ago, I expected him to put me on hybrids instead of long irons. No long irons all right (5i is my longest iron), but he said my swing was not suited to hybrids and he put me on a 7-wood instead, with the same loft as a 4-iron.

I didn't get clarification from him then (he no longer works there) and I'm wondering what it might have been that made me unsuited to hybrids. Any ideas?

[GolfSpy_APH]

18 minutes ago, ILMgolfnut said:

That maybe some of the Spies can clear up.

When I got fitted two years ago, I expected him to put me on hybrids instead of long irons. No long irons all right (5i is my longest iron), but he said my swing was not suited to hybrids and he put me on a 7-wood instead, with the same loft as a 4-iron.

I didn't get clarification from him then (he no longer works there) and I'm wondering what it might have been that made me unsuited to hybrids. Any ideas?

Likely more that you have a sweeping type swing? Less divots which can help with woods.

That or the added height and ball speed from the fairway gapped better for you.

[ILMgolfnut]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

the added height and ball speed from the fairway gapped better for you.

That's probably it then. I would not describe my swing, then or now, as sweeping.

Edited January 17 by ILMgolfnut

[Jim Shaw]

2 hours ago, ILMgolfnut said:

That maybe some of the Spies can clear up.

When I got fitted two years ago, I expected him to put me on hybrids instead of long irons. No long irons all right (5i is my longest iron), but he said my swing was not suited to hybrids and he put me on a 7-wood instead, with the same loft as a 4-iron.

I didn't get clarification from him then (he no longer works there) and I'm wondering what it might have been that made me unsuited to hybrids. Any ideas?

wow, a mystery, that is fun... was your index about the same 2 years ago? 

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Likely more that you have a sweeping type swing? Less divots which can help with woods.

 

I'd agree here,  it comes down to club delivery.  

[ILMgolfnut]

11 minutes ago, Jim Shaw said:

was your index about the same 2 years ago? 

I didn't have an index 2 years ago. After I decided to take up golf again following a 25 year absence, I also decided I needed to take advantage of the technology advancements during that time. Thus I went for the fitting, then actually started practicing/playing and re-established my index. This summer my HI was about the same as it was 30 years ago, the last time I was playing regularly. So the swing I was showing him during the fitting was pure muscle memory from the mid-90s.

[Jim Shaw]

12 minutes ago, ILMgolfnut said:

I didn't have an index 2 years ago. After I decided to take up golf again following a 25 year absence, I also decided I needed to take advantage of the technology advancements during that time. Thus I went for the fitting, then actually started practicing/playing and re-established my index. This summer my HI was about the same as it was 30 years ago, the last time I was playing regularly. So the swing I was showing him during the fitting was pure muscle memory from the mid-90s.

Interesting, the plot thickens lol... I think @GolfSpy_APH and @cnosil are correct, I believe you stumbled upon a good fitter that probably recognized you bottom out your club at a certain spot. Just so you know some of the best golfers in the world in the late 80's throughs the 90's swept the ball, Greg Norman, Tom Watson etc. 7 woods, 9 woods, 5 woods are showing up at the highest amateur level even today, so you are going in the right direction. 

[Cfhandyman]

On 1/17/2024 at 3:13 PM, ILMgolfnut said:

That maybe some of the Spies can clear up.

When I got fitted two years ago, I expected him to put me on hybrids instead of long irons. No long irons all right (5i is my longest iron), but he said my swing was not suited to hybrids and he put me on a 7-wood instead, with the same loft as a 4-iron.

I didn't get clarification from him then (he no longer works there) and I'm wondering what it might have been that made me unsuited to hybrids. Any ideas?

A number of factors come into play. First they will look at your gapping to ensure there are no large gaps between your clubs. Next are your swing mechanics, ball speed, angle of attack (are you steep or shallow), path, height, spin etc. They will also ask you how low an iron you are comfortable hitting. E.g 5, 6 iron? They will also take into account of how you tend to use those clubs.  Then there’s the old fashioned eye ball test, as some players hit higher lofted woods much better than hybrids or vice versa versus a 3, 4 or 5 iron.  I.e  consistent distance with adequate height and spin to ensure proper gapping between your clubs. Hope that helps.

[ILMgolfnut]

9 minutes ago, Cfhandyman said:

A number of factors come into play. First they will look at your gapping to ensure there are no large gaps between your clubs. Next are your swing mechanics, ball speed, angle of attack (are you steep or shallow), path, height, spin etc. They will also ask you how low an iron you are comfortable hitting. E.g 5, 6 iron? They will also take into account of how you tend to use those clubs.  Then there’s the old fashioned eye ball test, as some players hit higher lofted woods much better than hybrids or vice versa versus a 3, 4 or 5 iron.  I.e  consistent distance with adequate height and spin to ensure proper gapping between your clubs. Hope that helps.

Interesting. I don't recall any questions about how I hit the long irons, but he knew I was just getting back into golf after 20 years away, so I wasn't hitting anything very well then. My old set (Slotlines, if you're old enough to remember them) had 3 and 4 irons, and I don't remember hitting them often or well way back when. I would guess that my angle of attack was (and probably still is) pretty steep; that's something I'm working on now with my driver.

One quirk: He recommended Stealth 3- and 7-woods. But I bought clubs as I could afford them, the 7w was the last one on my list, and by the time I got around to buying that, TaylorMade and all the online shops were out of that year's Stealth 7-woods and the new models weren't out yet. So I took the specs he gave me, called PXG and got an 0211 with those specs, and right now I like it way better than the Stealth 3w.

Edited January 19 by ILMgolfnut

[Cfhandyman]

54 minutes ago, ILMgolfnut said:

Interesting. I don't recall any questions about how I hit the long irons, but he knew I was just getting back into golf after 20 years away, so I wasn't hitting anything very well then. My old set (Slotlines, if you're old enough to remember them) had 3 and 4 irons, and I don't remember hitting them often or well way back when. I would guess that my angle of attack was (and probably still is) pretty steep; that's something I'm working on now with my driver.

One quirk: He recommended Stealth 3- and 7-woods. But I bought clubs as I could afford them, the 7w was the last one on my list, and by the time I got around to buying that, TaylorMade and all the online shops were out of that year's Stealth 7-woods and the new models weren't out yet. So I took the specs he gave me, called PXG and got an 0211 with those specs, and right now I like it way better than the Stealth 3w.

PXG are sneaky good. In the end, it’s about finding the combination that works best for you and your game and have fun in the process. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

On 1/17/2024 at 3:13 PM, ILMgolfnut said:

That maybe some of the Spies can clear up.

When I got fitted two years ago, I expected him to put me on hybrids instead of long irons. No long irons all right (5i is my longest iron), but he said my swing was not suited to hybrids and he put me on a 7-wood instead, with the same loft as a 4-iron.

I didn't get clarification from him then (he no longer works there) and I'm wondering what it might have been that made me unsuited to hybrids. Any ideas?

Definitely club delivery. Fairway woods have more mass which make them easier to elevate over a hybrid.

But without seeing the swing at the time and launch monitor numbers it would be speculation as to what in the swing was happening to recommend that route. But generally it’s to get the ball in the air easier

[McGolf]

typically,,,,, if a golfer tends towards hitting irons well, has a steep attack angle or demonstrates they dont like woods is a candidate for hybrids.

the opposite is true for fairway woods. 

A 7 wood, is the bridge between to the two sets of clubs. it is shorter and more upright design as compared to a 3w.