Many golfers have a few clubs that they hit better than others. Even if a situation calls for another club, they'd rather hit the one they consider to be their "go to club" because they're scared of what the end result might be. What's even worse are clubs that you hit well one day but struggle with the next. But, shouldn't all your clubs provide you with the same level of confidence on a consistent basis?
Gordon Lilly sent in a question addressing that very issue. He has a hard time hitting his fairway woods and his custom fit set of hybrids only "work" on certain days. I don't believe the problem is the way Gordon swings the club. It's most likely his equipment.
Don,
I am 74 years of age. I have a difficult time hitting my fairway woods. I have a custom fit set of hybrids. One day is great and the next is a disaster. Can you help me?
Thanks,
Gordon
First I'll distinguish the difference between a fairway wood and a hybrid. Hybrids were built to replace long irons, so they are traditionally shorter than fairway woods. The ones I have are as much as two inches shorter, even though there's only one degree difference in the loft. Remember, the launch angle off a clubface has to have "X" amount of speed to launch the ball at the optimum height. If you play anywhere that has a moist ground, the ball will not run much so you need to increase carry.
I'll tell you the story about old faithful in my bag, my three wood. I took it out of DJ's trunk years ago because he had a few extra. I liked the head on the club so I asked if I could have it. It was too long and too stiff for me, so I had my fitter at the time put a different shaft in it. Because of the adjustments the fitter made, I had to add a lot of lead tape (magic dust) to the club to get the weight back it had lost from being cut down. But, it's starting to lose a bit of the gold standard I've always described it as. I can still hit it great off the tee, but I'm having trouble hitting it off the fairway now. It's because my clubhead speed has decreased since having my surgery a couple of years back and because I'm also getting older. Doc Griffin suggested the shaft is fine but that I need different loft. The point is that even if you've got a club that was perfect for so long, the time will most likely come that it needs some adjustment or replaced altogether.
To answer Gordon's question, I think two things are happening. His clubs are most likely too long, and there's not enough loft. Gordon's 74 so my guess is that he needs adjustments to his clubs, not his swing. It's not just a case of length; it's also the loft. I'm facing those realities now too. I will say it again. To all of us who are getting older, it's not just the shaft you need to be checking. You've got to look at the loft as well!
Keep it vertical,
The Surge
Comments
The right club at the right time
Surge
I am finding that some of the hardest things to do when doing a fitting for older players is to convince them it is time to get a lighter shaft, get a more lofted driver, let the 3 wood stay in the garage, and use a set of clubs which are shorter with more loft. You did a daily video where you talked about having to take the 3 wood out of the bag. I always share the information you gave with the older guys, and it seems to help.
Thanks for reinforcing the thought for all of us in the Surge Nation about how important it is to know when to say when on club choice. Just because a stick was our go to club 5 years ago, or even last year, that does not mean it is still going to work for us now.
Growing older is not for wimps, but it sure beats the other choice.
Thanks for all you do for us,
Dick
Flex and glasses
Hi Don,
This is another great tip. I've always used stiff shafts all my life.Now that I'm 61 and my distance isn't the same.I switched this past year to regular shafts and what a difference it made.My shots are not only higher but my distance especially with my irons has increased about 10 yards.
I have a question and hope you can give a tip on it.Its about us not so young any more golfers who wear glasses.Mine have bifocals in them.They don't bother me when I'm putting but as you know when hitting irons and woods when you look down it looks a little blurry because your looking thru the bifocal part of your glasses.Any ideas about this?I'm seriously thinking about getting a pair without the bifocal in them.I'll just let my partner write the scores down.Thanks for your time.
Gary Goetz-Cincinnati,Ohio
Bifocals are a big no no
Gary
Surge has covered the issue of bifocals several times on the daily videos. You can type in the word bifocals in the search box at the top right of the page and you will be amazed how much has been written on the topic.
Some of the guys in the nation have gone to no bifocals, some have used glasses with bifocals at the top of the lens so it does not affect you when you are looking down at the ball.
Glad you were able to get into the right shaft. It makes all the difference in the world.
Dick
Monofocal glasses and recording score by voice
Gary, I'm so glad I switched to monofocal glasses for playing golf. When playing a round on my own I use the voice recording feature of my phone to keep track of my score and any other stats.
Have fun!
Marc
Glasses
Hi Dick and Marc,
Thanks so much for the response.I'm fairly new with this site and I never realized it could make a difference until I saw a video from another pro.I guess I'll be going to Eye Mart and get two pair of glases for around $100.Thanks again,Gary
Miss my old 2 wood
Ah, thanks Surge, you brought up so many good points about lengtha nd loft- the 2L's. Boy could I hit my old (real wood) 2w back in the 70's. Was my favorite off the tee and fairway. Was a Wilson Staff and had a low profile and just the right loft (about 12/13). No clue what characteristics the steel shaft had but they worked well for that 14 year old boy :)
I am fascinated by all topics concerning club fitting and maximizing our skills to our equipment. The following is the straight up truth that all golfers face as they're swing speed and ability to here the ball solid and on the sweet spot more often or NOT;
"If you do not have the natural ability to hit your 3 wood high in the air, quit fooling yourself and hunt down a 3-wood with no less than 15-16 degrees of loft. And if you still hit the ball barely above the height of your first floor gutters, shift to a 5 wood with 17-18 degrees of loft for your next-to-longest wood." Tom Wishon "The Search for the Perfect Club" chapter 1 page 19. Great book BTW and along with his other best seller " Search for the Perfect Driver" are excellent worthy purchases. (see Amazone.com for the best prices.
68* her in LV today so Cindy and I are just getting ready to hit the links.
Good golfing to all.
Fairway woods
Probably the biggest problem in my bag right now is the distance gapping from my 3 iron to 5 wood to 3 wood.
If I ever change clubs that will be one thing I will change (IF I ever change clubs). LOL
When I am hitting the ball well there is very little, if any, difference in distance from the 3 iron to the 5 wood and I basically pick the club based more on what I am hitting the best that day instead of either one for a certain distance.
Then my 3 wood isn't enough longer than either of those to suit me.
The 5 wood is 18 degrees and the 3 wood is 15 degrees. I would be better off with a 16 degree 5 wood and 14 degree 3 wood, or better yet a 15 degree 5 wood and 13 degree 3 wood (that would be the quickest fix since I already have the 15 degree, and all I would have to do is find a 13 degree that matched).
I am sort of like Surge when he said he wanted all of the clubs built like his old 3 wood. Same for me, I can always hit that club very well with very little effort, and almost never a bad shot. If I had a driver that was that easy to hit the game would be easy.
Fairway Woods?
This will cause me a lot more thought! Before yesterday's round, except on one hole, I left the driver in the bag and used the 3W off the tee. Had the best round for years. Then yesterday had the first round for a while, due to body and weather problems : - ( Yesterday for the first few holes, it was so-so to OK. Then I made a minor adjustment and started hitting the 3W off the tee,fairway and the wet rough, with good trajectory and distance! Even hit along one hole and hit twigs on the edge of overhanging trees, to have the balls drop short. I didn't care, and repeated it twice more.This followed by a minor alignment change, and BINGO! Big smile on my raddled old fizzog! Driver,3W, have both been shortened. Driver 10.5deg, 3W 14deg. On one 200yd Par 3 where I have used the 3W and was usually 20-30yds short, relying on my chipping and pitching.Yesterday I hit the same club and watched it flying right on the pin. Lost it then in the sunny background. On arriving to look for it, found it on the back of the green 25paces past the pin. The ball's track on the damp grass was plain to see running 6" to the right of the cup!!! The ball was 220yds from the launch point. The driver was given an outing and a similar result each time I used it. On the two last holes I hit it straighter and longer than I have ever done so before on those two holes!
Now to dilemma number two. I was 'trialling' my fibreglass shafted irons in comparison to my regular steel shafted Regular Flex irons. Stunned at the results. The carbon shafted clubs hit the ball much farther!!! Had me twitching for a few of the ealy holes. On one of my many whims on one hole I chose the PW put in my bag as an afterthought, as my steel shafted one had become almost redundant. WOWEEE! Love it!!! Used it on three holes and it was Phil Mickelson accurate. It will be staying in the bag.
So as it pours with rain here [as forecast], tomorrow bright and very early, we will give it another try.
PS The 3W 14deg, 5W 17deg Usual choice. The other set, 3W 18deg, 5W 22deg, Hmmm!Choices, choices, choices? But which?????
Fairway Woods
DH, similar issue with me and my 3W, same length as the driver but much
more consistent. Had my Calloway 9W,7W,5W & 3W all re-shafted in Carolina last year, with the three wood gaining 20-30M. Won our Saturday comp. again last week with its consistency, height has never been a problem with me, Lol.
Fairway Woods
NeilofOz,
The 3W is almost the same length as the Driver, after both were shortened [separately, hence the 3W's length, being longer]. I will persevere with both, unless I see similar lengths from both. Too early to choose, but on to it for sure.
Congratulations on your win on Saturday. Consistency is my Holy Grail, not length off the tee. Give me consistent accuracy and then we will see.
Height never used to be a problem for me either. I now think that my spinal tilt was insufficient,ie, I was more on top of the ball than behind it! Time will tell.Hit them long,high, straight and consistently in Oz.
DH
Gordon, FW's or Hybrids
I hope you are monitoring the blog tonight. Will you please clarify if your woods are Fairway Woods or Hybrids. (Or perhaps you have both), It is unclear from your comment.
If they are hybrids and custom fit hybrids to boot, were they fitted by a PPGS citified fitter. I noticed that Don's answer was addressed to them being actual Fairway woods and you needing to possibly switch to hybrids or higher lofted woods, but I'm thinking, based on your statement, that they are already higher lofted hybrids. Please clear up this point of confusion.
Don,
I am 74 years of age. I have a difficult time hitting my fairway woods. I have a custom fit set of hybrids. One day is great and the next is a disaster. Can you help me?
Thanks,
Gordon
Paying attention
Wow Terry, you were paying more attention than I for sure good catch and question.
Meanwhile the wife and I played 18 today. Unusually warm, 68 and not a breeze.
I was a bit off today but Cindy had one of her best rounds. She hit the ball further with her driver and 23* hybrid than I can remember. She often hits the driver well but the hybrid, that was fun. I made some additional changes to that club two weeks ago and now they're paying off. Though it was already cut short enough for her I thought with the shafts that seem ideal she had been having a hard time getting the ball air born and down field. So I took it apart and cut it further to just 1/2 inch longer than her 5 iron her next best long club. I added an 8 gram. tip weight and re-epoxied the head/ 24 hours later re-gripped it. She loves it now and was consistently hitting it about 135 yards. It has all but replaced her fairway wood which I am going to take another look at soon. With her drives now in the 160 yard range she now has two clubs that she feels really good about.
Paying attention
Yea, It sounded just a bit confusing to me, as to which clubs he was actually having the most trouble with. FW's or Hybrids. Maybe both.
Sure wish I could get out, but the high today was about 16* with snow on the ground. Supposed to get another 1 to 2" Friday. We're more lucky than those closer to Lake Erie though. Some of those areas got a foot and more over the last few days. January is about gone, so just a couple more months, and at least the calendar will say Spring.
WRX
I occasionally post helpful or interesting golf related web sites. Rarely are they so much swing related because I am happy with the PPGS. WRX is one that many of you likely are familiar with any way. Not sure but as ususal I'll bet Surge and co. are at the PGA show in Orlando this week. Lucky dog. Here are some photos and related articles from the show.
http://www.golfwrx.com/65489/photos-from-torrey-pines/
Speaking of Phil, here is his interview. He says the reason he regrets talking about his tax opinions is that it may have been insensitive towards those out of work and looking for a check. Additionally he answers a question about the anchored putter and I agree with him 100%. It has been legal for 30 years and would effect upwards of One million golfers who are afraid and embarrassed they may miss a 3 footer so would possibly quit the game.
http://www.golfchannel.com/media/tiger-woods-farmers-insurance-open-press-conference-mickelson-012313/
Meanwhile, Phil has teed off and is even after two and Tiger tees off at 1:30pm Easterrn time
http://www.golfchannel.com/tours/pga-tour/2013/farmers-insurance-open/