Driver Fitting

I got fitted for a driver last night with a company rep for Titleist.  It was a dynamic fitting where I hit about 50-60 drivers while we honed in on the right shaft.  I hit the Rip 60 (was a bit light, so we added head weight, didn't like feel), Ahina 72, Ahina 82, and Project X.

The Ahina 72 seemed to feel the best, but the Ahina 82 provided the best numbers and ball flight.  I didn't care for the extra weight of the 82 so we discussed tipping the 72 a half inch to keep the weight with what I'm comfortable with while trying to match the ball flight with that of the 82.  I think tipping the 72 a full inch will throw it in the "extra stiff" category, which is probably a bit more than I can handle (SS = 107 mph, ball speed is approx 159).

Does this make sense?  It seemed to make sense last night when we were discussing it, but I'm nervous about buying a club that I haven't actually hit yet.

How much difference in numbers between the 82 and the 72?

To be honest, we didn't even measure the 82.  I hit it to give me an idea of what the 72 tipped would feel like.  The 72 was at a launch (910D3, 8.5 setting D4) off 13-13.8, Ball speed up 159, spin of 2700-2850 (on good swings).  We turned the monitor off once I narrowed it down to Rip 60 and Ahina 72 as both numbers were very good.  Only reason I hit 82 was to get an idea of where it would stand.  The 72 was fine, Im more curious what the tipping of the half inch would mean.

don't buy a club you haven't hit!!!!!!!!!  you are under absolutely NO obligation to buy a club based on what you've done so far.  if yer gonna go about it the way you are now then keep hitting clubs out on the range or on the course and buy THE CLUB THAT YOU HIT BEST- NOT ONE LIKE IT- THE VERY CLUB THAT YOU HIT BEST. otherwise it's a crap shoot.  getting fitted based on a machine indoors isn't worth the gamble.  i know because i've used three different launch monitors in my ten years of club fitting and outdoors has always worked best.

just sayin'

Gee, I would say that a SS of 107 could easily handle an X shaft.  Tipping an S shaft 1/2" probably accomplishes the same thing, though.  And it would make the club 10g lighter.  Sounds like you got a pretty good setup.  And doesn't Titleist have a return policy if you buy a new driver from them, so that you can return it if you don't like it, up to a certain time?

I may be able to handle an X, but I'm on the lower end of spectrum and I'm not getting any younger.  I'm pretty comfortable in an S, so no worries.  I feel fairly confident with what I saw.  Bein able to live flight the ball on the range was nice.  I have a pretty good idea what the ball flight and weighting will feel like, it's just much different for me.  I hit the Ahina 72 and if I were gonna buy that setup, I know what it does, but I'm right in between.  No way does he (or probably any fitting center) have a half inch tipped shaft, but I feel like it's the right thing based on how I hit the 72 and 82.

No idea on that return policy, but I'll ask for sure.

cutting 1/2" off the tip does not lighten the club by 10 grams, more like 1/2 gram or less.  and as far as it's effect on the tip stiffness it may or may not change anything.  unless it's checked on a frequency analyzer you don't know what it does.  people who don't have the proper equipment with which to measure are just assuming based on hearsay.  every shaft is different as to what happens when they are trimmed and must be treated as their own entity.

just sayin'...

The 10 grams I was referring to was the difference in raw shaft weight ( a tipped 72 grams vs an untipped 82 grams).