It makes a big difference. It does. It can take a while for the golfer, however, to see and experience the benefits.
Lionel Go (Age 55/Hdcp index: 7.4) was patient. He injured his shoulder and back shortly after receiving a driver custom-fit for him this spring. Go, who was a former health and safety professional in the commercial construction management industry, said that the injury “really crushed my game.” “I lost yardage through my bag and my swing was in chaos.” It was unfortunate, because I was actually playing well with the new driver.” After a period of rehabilitation and rest, Go was fully recovered and his game has taken off.
Lionel Go
Go had been through a driver fitting at Club Champion headquarters in Chicago before the injury. He was paired with Patrick Hudock (one of the company’s Master Fitters). Hudock also used the TrackMan Launch Monitor to gather comparative data during the session (below).
Go, who had never before been fitted for a driver, stated that he was satisfied overall with the experience. “Patrick was very friendly and knowledgeable. We tried at least a dozen shafts and four to five clubheads. Every combination showed a marked difference in weight, sound, and swingweight.
The appeal of diving into data was also part. Go, who is a board member of two non-profit arts organizations, said, “I’m a numbers guy so it was cool to see data beyond carry range such as spin rate and height, smash factor, launch angle, and smash factor.”
The positive vibes are spreading to the course. “The new driver, Titleist TSi2 with Fujikura MotoreX F3 graphite shaft, has a heavier feel than my old gamer. This gives me a lot of confidence in knowing the clubhead’s movements throughout my swing and keeps me from going crazy. The TSi2 has a soft, pleasing sound that suits my ears and looks great. It’s not flashy but it exudes style.
Lionel’s clubs have been equipped with the Arccos Caddie shot tracking system. This is a collection sensors that track relevant data as they play on the course. This confirms that he has improved his driving skills since switching. These comparisons are based upon 22 rounds of driving through the middle-to-late season.
As Go began to play more with the custom fit club, the distances increased steadily. “I am 55 years old, so the idea that I could ‘go after it’ with my driver has become a distant memory. He said that the idea of having a solid swing and gaining 15-20 yards with a straight, high ball flight is what suits me perfectly. The Strokes Gained stat was also improved by 0.12 per shot, which is a 1.5-stroke improvement for each round with 12 drives.
Statistically, however, he is hitting fewer fairways when he uses the new club. Don’t let this fool you. Go said, “I feel so much more at ease with it [new driver]” than I was with my previous gamer. There are qualitative reasons to argue this statistic doesn’t tell all. One reliable ball flight was with my old driver. It was a high draw. It didn’t matter what hole layout it was, I would play for it. My misses were either a big push or a low snaphook. It was always way off the fairway when either of these misses occurred.
“With my TSi2 driver I have a lot of confidence over the ball. The flight is either straight or slightly drawn. The real advantage is being able to play a fade. This gives me the opportunity to play my drive in any direction, if necessary. Although I may be missing a few more fairways, they are less serious.
It is not surprising that Go’s strong play off of the tee is contributing lower scores. With a handicap index 7.4, Go started the season with 8.6. However, he was playing with the older driver. His index dropped steadily to 5.8 since he made the gear change. Go is actually close to his personal-best handicap index of 5.4. This happened “a very long while ago.”
This is quite impressive for someone in his 50s.
