On to Callaway
My adventure continued at Callaway. Callaway's headquarters are located in Carlsbad, Calif. Their test center is a couple miles away. They have a newly renovated clubhouse and acres of lush fairway to hit off, another "Golfer's Paradise."When we got out to the range, I did not see any blades. Some Callaway X-20s and Hogan Apex F-T-X were sitting waiting for me to hit. I started with the Hogan Apex irons. I loved the feel, but visually they were too thick on top. I turned to Peter Booth, who was fitting me, and said, "I love the feel of the Hogans, but do you have the Hogan blade?" It took him a moment to realize that I really, really wanted a blade. Ben Hogan is one of my idols. Hogan was always tinkering with his clubs and knew exactly how he thought a club should be designed. I loved the Hogan Apex blade and was fit with the Apex shafts.
Last Stop: TaylorMade
My last fitting was with TaylorMade at their facility known as "The Kingdom." TaylorMade and Adidas headquarters are located in Carlsbad, Calif. Yes, another "Golfer's Paradise." The Kingdom is a long stretch of fairway finely mowed, with an extended tee box for hitting in prime U.S. Open golf conditions. Their short-game green is surrounded by bunkers and always running at a fast pace. Throughout all my visits to these exceptional golf facilities, I wondered if any of the club companies I had met with would allow me to pitch a tent at their locations so that I could practice there. Their facilities are pure!I had played golf with Mark Schlosser from TaylorMade a month or so prior to my fitting. Mark takes care of the VIP/Corporate clients at The Kingdom. I was really looking forward to trying out their products.
While waiting at The Kingdom, I was introduced to Masters champion Mike Weir. Mike shook my hand and wished me good luck for the coming season. Kenny Perry arrived later to work with instructor Jim Flick. And Jeff Gove was also there at The Kingdom hitting balls with his instructor, Phil Rodgers. The range was packed with Tour-quality swings and top names. I felt honored and privileged to be on that range.
With the help of Schlosser, Glenn Muncrief, one of the LPGA reps, and Shawn, I was fit with the TaylorMade rac MB TP blade with Nippon shafts. Working with a launch monitor and trying to figure out which shaft and weight felt good in my hands, I left that day with two good drivers, a pair of R7 TPs with different shafts.
The Importance of Clubfitting
I work with a personal club fitter, Brad Hardan at the Hodges Golf Center in Escondido, Calif. Brad is a PGA Professional and Professional Clubfitter (click the link for contact info). Consulting Brad, he said "clubfitting is and always will be the most important contributor to ball flight. In the course of the fitting process, (Brad and other clubfitters) are able to fit every golfer, from the touring professional to the amateur alike, because the consistency of impact and ultimately the repeatability of distance dispersion are dictated by the golfer's build more so than their ability. This means that each golfer's specifications are determined more by their height, length of arm, and ballspeed, than by their ability to return the club on a consistent path back to the ball. This is true for woods, wedges and irons."Lies and lofts should always be checked when purchasing new clubs and periodic check-ups are recommended.
Overall, my trips to each club company's test facility were great experiences and opportunities. Each of my new sets are great clubs and choosing one will be a difficult decision.
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