Perhaps an old dog can learn new tricks. Bob Radin, 70 years old, has found a new lease of life after being fitted for the role of driver in the first round. “I’ve had back problems for the last three years. He said that my swing speed has decreased and that the new driver compensates by having a flexible shaft with a lower kickpoint shaft. “The clubhead is more powerful with a wider sweet spot than my custom 7-year-old driver.”
Radin, a retired dentist, had issues with accuracy and speed. Radin said that he used to hit duck hooks or miss the target to the right. Radin said, “This is no longer true with my club.”
This is a great example of how a good custom-fitting session can make all the difference in players who are recovering from injuries or have been custom-fitted before.
Bob Radin
Radin completed the driver fitting at Club Champion headquarters in Chicago in March. Drew Koch, one the company’s club fitters, joined him. Koch used the TrackMan Launch Monitor to track comparative performance during the session.
Radin, a 44-year-old golfer, was impressed. “The whole [fitting] process was data-driven. He said that it was interesting to see how the equipment performed differently for my swing. “The [new] clubs all look great, but the best combination for my swing dynamics was one of the clubs.” That is true for all.
Each club was fitted with an Arccos Caddie shot tracking system. This allows us to collect valuable data on the course in real-time. Below is a summary of 20 rounds played from mid-to-late Summer.
The new club has allowed him to hit five percent more fairways statistically. Radin stated that the dispersion of off-center hits (which are most of my shots) is narrower so more balls are in play. The average drive is 19 yards longer than it was before, which is even more impressive. “I feel more confident at the tee. A shorter second shot means that there is a good chance of paring every hole.
Radin’s “strokes gained”, based on the new stick, is 0.18 strokes per shot. This is more than a two stroke improvement (based upon 12 drives per round).
Also, the improved driving contributes to lower scores. Radin’s handicap index fell from 17.3 to 14.1 this year, which is equivalent to four to five strokes each round. He said that he was considering new clubs for next season, referring to his other bag. “My current set of clubs is five years old. I wonder if a new fitting and technology would improve it. The drive is the driving force that sets up the hole, so the rest of my game is much better.
Bob, that’s a great idea. It’s worth the effort. You could even try four.
