We're getting near the end of Doc's fitting series, but a few more important steps still need to be explained. Today, Doc talks about club configuration. In other words, Doc determines which clubs you need to carry in your bag.
For example, by using all of the prior measurements Doc has gone over, he'll be able to tell you whether you should be hitting a 5 iron or a 5 hybrid that would replace it. Should you be carrying a 3 wood or not? Regardless of what clubs Doc determines you should play, your gapping will always stay consistent. Conversely, if you go into a sports retailer to replace your 3 iron with a 3 hybrid, you aren't going to hit it the same distance, so all of a sudden the gapping from your 3 hybrid to your 4 iron is completely different than it was before. With Doc's system, you won't have these issues and instead you'll end up with a perfectly fit set of clubs that provide you all the distances you will need on the golf course.
This is just one more reason we should all be playing fitted clubs. Great job Doc!
Keep it vertical,
The Surge!
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Comments
Doc, thank you for a rational
Doc, thank you for a rational way of approaching what clubs to carry based on swing your speeds. The rational is why waste shots on clubs that do not give you optimin return on your swing efforts. This rule is not set in concrete and anytime you wonder what is happening with my shots just take a patient second look at these recommendations.ÃÂ Cheers...
I have watched all of this
I have watched all of this seriesÃÂ and saved them because they are very informative. I will watch them several times to absorb the information as much as possible. I just wanted to let you know that there is a company that is advertising a free, personally fitted hybrid club. Garranteed to hit longer and straighter. When I called them I asked how they can personalize a club fitting over the phone. They asked me how tall I was and what my inseam is. From that information only they were going to send me a persoanlly fitted golf club. I told them that that was not possible and there was far more information needed to personalize a club fitting. They assured me thatÃÂ that wasÃÂ all theÃÂ information they needed. I knew better, and after watching your series I am positive they are DEAD wrong. I have had a set of clubs fitted at a major retailer and I now know that what they did was incomplete as well. I am sure that a PROPER fitting would improve my game. I just don't know how and when I cna get that done.
What are you receiving this
What are you receiving this on (cell phone, laptop etc)? ÃÂ it is loud and clear on my desktop.
Just click on his name above
Just click on his name above any of his comments. It is a link to his YouTube site.
http://www.swingsurgeon.com
http://www.swingsurgeon.com/Da...
;-)
I meant to ask, will a ball
I meant to ask, will a ball fly or roll further?
Doc:Really have enjoyed your
Doc:
Really have enjoyed your series.ÃÂ I am hoping sometime this year to see the PPGS fitter in Michigan.ÃÂ Hope all is well with your family.ÃÂ
DJ:
Good luck this week.
Surge:
Keep up the great work with the videos.
Surge Nation:
Hope everyone is doing well.ÃÂ Will be playing my first round of the season on Saturday.ÃÂ Calling for 70 degrees - 2nd week of March - unreal.ÃÂ One of the weirdest winters ever - I wore my winter coat only 3 times this winter.ÃÂ Good luck to all.
Jerry - Warren MI
With all of the different
With all of the different loft combinations people have these days (even pros) I wish they would just abandon the terms "3 wood, 5 wood", ect.) and just call the name of the loft.
Same with hybrids, one company's 3 hybrid can be another company's 4 hybrid.
Pretty sure my son's "3 wood" is 13 1/2 degrees and I used to have a "3 wood" that was 13 degrees.
Made a lot of eagles with that club. Never have had the distance with a 15 degree that I had with that club.
Of course I made a lot of double bogies too because I thought I could "reach" from anywhere, no matter how ridiculous it was. ;-)
Robert F:
Robert F:
ÃÂ ÃÂ You DOG!!ÃÂ Actually, "back in th day"ÃÂ when I had a 98 to 100 mph driver speed, I LOVED the 1 iron. In fact in those days, I carried a driver, 5w and 1 -thru sand wedge (we didn't haveÃÂ GW or LW then)
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ With advancing age, physical ailments and tremendous loss of Driver swing speed (now a little over 70 mph) - the 1 thru 4 CARRY about the same distance -- the only length difference is the roll out. So the the 1 thru 4 have been "retired" in favor of a 5W, 7W and 3H and a GW and LW.
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ In truth, I believe my 5W and 7W are "semi-hybryds" -- in shape they are about half way between classic FW and newer hybryds. TheyÃÂ look similar to the Bobby Jones/Jesse Ortiz hybrds - only not as pretty.
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ Keep hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ Amos
Causing we be gettin to kinda
Causing we be gettin to kinda likin tis hear moving pikture stuf. I tink somaday it may jist complettely replace tat der radio show stuf.
Imajin tat, actualy being abel to see what is goneing on that they be talkin bout.
What wheel they tink of nesxt.
I really enjoy the part of
I really enjoy the part of Doc's presentations that I CAN HEAR.ÃÂ The aduio is very weak. Put a mic on Doc. Thanks.
I watch on my Laptop and the
I watch on my Laptop and the sound is too low. I noticed at the very end Doc was talking much louder.
Thank you Robert!
Thank you Robert!
My club speed is about 80. I
My club speed is about 80. I carry both a 17degree 3 wood and a 23 degree 5 wood. Because I use the 3 wood more often than the 5, I hit it a bit better. My 3 wood is good for 170 to 190 yards. My 5 wood is good for 160 yards. Why should I get rid of the 3 wood?
*I thought usually hybrids go
*I thought usually hybrids go through rough (scrub?) much easier than an iron.ÃÂ Especially one as low lofted as a "2".
As I said, the speed with
As I said, the speed with your 5 iron is right on the margin. ÃÂ 160yd 5 iron is marginal. ÃÂ I carry a 6 hybrid that replaces my 5 iron and I can hit it 165yds nice and high and it lands soft. ÃÂ I certainly wouldn't carry that 4 iron.
True. If it still works for
True. If it still works for you hang on to it!
How many sites give FREE
How many sites give FREE instruction DAILY?! What's being done for you all for free already costs a great deal (instructors time to record, uploading video to videographer, videographer editing, marketing composing email and sending, etc.). If you want top quality perhaps we should start charging for our dailies like our competitors...
ÃÂ I'm with you Bill, If
ÃÂ I'm with you Bill, If only they made little blue pills for that!
DOC; Thanks, I am enjoyingÃÂ
DOC; Thanks, I am enjoyingÃÂ your series on club fitting; just watched the segment on club configuration. I'm a slow swinging senior. Based on distance and direction, I'mÃÂ further ahead keeping the 3W and taking the driver out of my bag. My bag is 3W, 5W, 7W, 4H, 5H, 6H, 7,8,9, PW, SW, GW, LW, Putter. I'm trying to adapt to being 70 by letting my opponents hit their drives into the woods/water. The few yards I lose with my 3W are more than made up by fewer penalty strokes. On average, trying to crush a drive is a very bad idea for me, although I know it feels very good when it works.
We also love theÃÂ twang in
We also love theÃÂ twang in his voice.ÃÂ Very soothing! ÃÂ Pictures say a thousand words!
Phillip
Lew:
Lew:
ÃÂ ÃÂ No - you are not alone
ÃÂ ÃÂ I have a very low swing speed -- yet I can consisently hit ANY iron far better than its "equivalent" hybrd - whether you go by number or loft.
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ There are reasons that I refer to myself as "different Amos"ÃÂ -- occasionaly "physics is different in my kitchen"ÃÂ ÃÂ LOL
ÃÂ ÃÂ Keep hitting them STRAIGHT and LONG
ÃÂ ÃÂ Amos
Good info but I am left
Good info but I am left asking.With comparing ÃÂ the 5 hybrid vs a 5 iron, which club is longer hitting?
Rick V
Please allow me to react.I
Please allow me to react.
I love this site and I beleive in Don's teachings, I purchased his programs andÃÂ adopted them with great success.ÃÂ
I also appreciate all members' contributions even thought I do not participate regularly.
To all watchdogs replying negativelyÃÂ to any feedback regardingÃÂ this site's PRIMITIVEÃÂ Video and Audio quality compared to any other site on Internet, worldwide, and are in DENIAL, Don's daily instructions are quick andÃÂ go on and on and on and on and lead to confusion, they need to be brief, conscise and slowed downÃÂ ( refer toÃÂ Steve Smith's description,ÃÂ among others, on road instructions inÃÂ the previousÃÂ ''Aiming arrows & allignment'').
Curse me if you want, but tonight IÃÂ feel like I have to (positively)ÃÂ intervene.ÃÂ ÃÂ
ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ ÃÂ
ÃÂ
It is impossible for me to
It is impossible for me to answer that. ÃÂ I even answered that question in a previous video. ÃÂ It would all be relative to what the current clubs are like. ÃÂ Are they close to being right, right, or way off? ÃÂ Can't say what results you would see. ÃÂ Sorry I can't be any more specific.
You probably have many more
You probably have many more watchers than you think... maybe like me, 99% of the ÃÂ time they just don't have anything to add/subtract ~ÃÂ
Bob W.
Doc, am I the only person in
Doc, am I the only person in the free world that can't hit a hybrid? ÃÂ I had both a 3 and 4 and couldn't hit either consistently so I got rid of them a while back. Now with all the rage about them I now carry a 4 hybrid. When I do hit it good, it's only about 1 out of 4 tries. I am 69 and have a 19 handicap at a difficult course. I've been told to try to address the hybrid the same as a driver, true? I hit my driver about 225 yds, my 3 about 200 and 5 wood 180 (if this helps). Love your videos. ÃÂ Thanks in advance.
LewÃÂ
Well, when I pop it straight
Well, when I pop it straight up, it doesn't go very far forward, but when I skull it, it kills worms for a good 30-40 yards. ;-)
Thanks for the suggestion. Ã
Thanks for the suggestion. ÃÂ Look on the right lapel of the vest just above zipper. ÃÂ What's that? ÃÂ It's a lapel mic.
Don't know what some (few) people can't seem to hear it and others have no problem. I can hear it loud and clear.
Chicks dig one irons! Phillip
Chicks dig one irons!
Phillip
Question for Doc:ÃÂ My
Question for Doc:ÃÂ My swing speed is in the low 80s with my hybrids.ÃÂ I leave both my 3 and 5 fairway woods (metals) home in the closet and substitute my 3H (19 degree loft) pretty much as my second shot or fairway club.ÃÂ I hit the 3H somewhere between 130 to 150 yards. Just wondering if after what you said in the video today, maybe I should drag out my 5w (18 degree loft) based on my swing speed.ÃÂ What is your take?ÃÂ Thanks,ÃÂ Jerry
ÃÂ Hmmm. You probably
ÃÂ Hmmm. You probably shouldn't. In addition your "3 wood" is actually closer to what most companies are selling as a 5 wood than a 3 wood and your 5 wood is more of a 7 wood.
For example my 3 wood is 15 degrees and my 5 wood is 18 degrees, Tailormade Burners.
Also the lower center of
Also the lower center of gravity further back from the face of the club would increase the launch angle, and thereby the carry distance, right?
You do play the hybrid more
You do play the hybrid more forward and you do hit it with the same basic motion as a fairway wood that being a sweeping motion.
Doc, Another great eye opener
Doc, Another great eye opener for me. My driver swing speed is 88-90 mph and I play to a steady 6 handicap. As I understand it you are suggesting removing the 3 metalÃÂ from the bag. I would suggest that as many of 80 percent of golfers don't swing above 90mph, so this won't be good for 3 metal sales! and will leave a big gap in terms of yardage in my bag between driver and 5 wood?
You mentioned the lob wedge is the second hardest club to use in the bag, which is the hardest ? the 3 wood perhaps for reason given,ÃÂ or is it the putter!
My 3 wood (which I actually
My 3 wood (which I actually don't currently carry in my bag) is 13*, also. Yes, I wish they'd just go by the loft as well. It's rather like why some people think they hit the newer irons farther. I checked my old 5 iron against one from a newer set of Wilson/Staffs that I have. The new 5 iron is actually the loft of my old 4 iron and 1/4" longer.
Yeah, I often use my 1 or 2
Yeah, I often use my 1 or 2 iron for low screamers out from under trees, but if those were the only kinds of shots I hit with them, I would stop carrying them. I can effectively do the same thing by intentionally blading a 5 or 6 iron.
Actually, looking at this
Actually, looking at this video, Doc IS wearing a mic, and the echo is minimal in this video. Certainly the sound level isn't a problem at my end, as I have the in-video sound level set at 20% so it doesn't blast me out and I have no problem hearing, understanding, and following what he's saying.
I'd love to answer this but I
I'd love to answer this but I just don't have any fitting data to base any suggestions on.
ÃÂ Thank you for the
ÃÂ Thank you for the clarification.
ÃÂ TEF
ÃÂ TEF
ÃÂ I'm usually pretty good
ÃÂ I'm usually pretty good at figuring out what somebody means in a comment Adel but I'm lost on this one.
All I said was TEF, which is a joke that Doc looks like Tennessee Ernie Ford, and we wouldn't see him with audio only. (Just a joke).
As to the rest of what you said, I can't tell if you liked what I said or hated what I said on the last blog.
If you liked it I'm glad. If you didn't maybe I'll do better next time. ;-)
WOW, that's deep! ÃÂ
WOW, that's deep! ÃÂ
ÃÂ Doc isn't suggesting that
ÃÂ Doc isn't suggesting that you leave any bigger gap between your driver and 3 wood than already exists.
He is saying that those who don't have adequate swing speed to hit a 3 wood on the proper launch angle will hit a 5 wood as far or farther, and more consistently, than they hit the 3 wood. Also remember that there are a wide variety of lofts that people are calling a "3 wood".ÃÂ Go by the lofts and not the number stamped on the club and get the right combination. You will likely find that you will hit anÃÂ 18* club farther than a 15* club, and with more carry which means more shot options.
Remember, getting the right combination of lofts for your woods is NOT to limit your distance or gap coverage but to enhance it.
Most people with low swing speeds that I know also would do much better if they had a much more lofted driver such as my wife's 16 degree driver.
I would guess that Doc would say the driver is the hardest club to hit because it's the longest club with the least loft. The lob wedge may be even harder to hit than a driver when factored in that a driver is almost always hit off of a tee and on relatively level ground and with a fairly big desired target area whereas we are hitting our wedges off of all kinds of lies and slopes and expect to hit the ball in a very small desired target area.
I carry a lob wedge sometimes and when I am really playing well it is a useful club for me. On my less skillful days I'm better off leaving it in the bag unless I have a "no other option" flop shot over a tall tree off of hard pan. When I know that I haven't been playing well in or winter type conditions I leave the lob wedge at home so I won't be tempted to use it.
I'm expecting that when I get
I'm expecting that when I get a new fitted set, I'll shift to hybrids rather than long irons, just for the ease of use and improved feel, actually, but for now I'll keep it in the bag. :)
ÃÂ I know what you mean and
ÃÂ I know what you mean and I agree with you that it's probably not a good idea to carry a club JUST for that.
(And I wouldn't carry them either unless I could REALLY hit those clubs on "normal" shots as well).
One slight disagreement is that a well hooded 5 or 6 iron won't go as far as a slightly hooded 3 iron (and I presume a 2 and 1 iron, even though I can't prove it by experience since I don't have those clubs). Also the more I am hooding any club, the farther the shot and therefore the harder I swing, the more it's likely to hook.
short softer shafts
short softer shafts
Now that's funny!
Now that's funny!
In the US golf seems to be a
In the US golf seems to be a target game, with lush fairways & little roll. ÃÂ In Oz, many courses are more like links, depending on the weather. ÃÂ In Cairns, where I am, you get little roll in the wet season, but in the dry, plenty, which is where the good old 2 iron comes in - it kills my 3 wood in both length & accuracy! ÃÂ I have a 22 degree hybrid, but only use it for a soft landing with little roll. ÃÂ Btw I'm 65 so have lost swing speed, but think it is a retrograde step to have sets without at least the option of long irons.ÃÂ
Doc, please tell your wife
Doc, please tell your wife that you are correct again sir. The optimum word when it comes to filling out an iron set is hybrid! For you Surge and Doc followers the hybrid is the only way to go. I have replaced both my 3 iron and 4 irons with DocâÂÂs hybrids and I canâÂÂt tell you in the space that this blog allows the benefits of this move. At 57 in age I still swing my driver at 93 â 94 mph. However I started to notice that my 3 and 4 irons were starting to be less consistent. I was only hitting 50% percent of my shots the way I wanted. By replacing them with a properly fit hybrid at both 21 and 24 degrees I am now able to consistently hit them the way I want. My percentages are now up and my shot dispersion is much tighter. I also find that if I am in the fringe it makes a great option when chipping to a tight pin location.
âÂÂA good golf swing is not something you postpone for the future; it is something that you design for the present by using both the proper clubs and swing techniquesâÂÂ.
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