New clubs - can't hit them worth squat - please help!

Sand Trappers:

I need your help – for the past three years I have been playing off the shelf TaylorMade rac OS2's. Everything was standard. I was recently fitted for Ping G15's with a lie angle of 4 degrees upright and +1/2” shafts (Golf Galaxy). I have played two rounds with this set, and I seem to be topping almost 90% of my shots (including some of the tee!).

I know I need to go to the range to work this out, but “what should I work on?” I do not have an instructor, so any advice will be appreciated: stand more upright, bend down more, move closer to the ball, away from the ball, give up the game, etc.

Thank you in advance!!

Well, we don't always know what you're doing wrong by one thing, other than a guess that maybe your swing evolved to accommodate standard length, and now that you have longer shafts, you're pulling up through impact because you think the swing will bottom out before the ball?  Just a guess.

Maybe post your swing for us to see it : http://thesandtrap.com/forum/thread/38240/my-swing-video-threads-rules-please-read

There are tons of people here who might be able to help once they see video.

Make sure your knees are flexed, and start with half swings.  Literal half swings, not 85% instead of 100%.  Keep hitting pitch shots until you've got perfect contact grooved and move up from there.  It doesn't feel like it, but you're doing something different with these clubs.

Id agree to start with half swings and just work your way up.  When I got my new MX-100s last week I struggled hitting them well at first, but I got used to them by hitting half swings with the PW and working my way up to full swings until I got used to them.

Even if your new clubs have the same shaft length and lie angle and whatever else, its possible that the swingweight is a little different and its throwing you off.

After a little bit you will get used to them and will be fine.  Hang in here.

As others said, just hang in there - go to the range, spend a little time and just hit shots to get used to the new sticks.    Remember that the reason you were fit was to get clubs that match your body geometry and swing dynamics.   If you try to do something different like stand more upright, then you're changing your geometry and the sticks you were just fit for are no longer a fit.

Your new clubs are a significant departure from your old ones; 4 degrees upright and +1/2 inch are quite a departure from your stock RAC's.   Assuming the fitting was accurate, is is likely that you were having to do some odd compensations in your swing - probably completely subconsciously - to hit the ball well.   With your new clubs if you do those same compensations you'll hit poorly.   So you just need to give the subconscious brain a little time to correct itself.

Don't overthink this - just spend some range time and you'll get comfortable quickly.

funny how you keep topping the ball even with the extra 1/2 inch club length. you are probably lifting your head a little early is all. or like what shindig said. you could be thinking that you have to pull up before contact since the club is a little longer than the rac's

It could be a few things, you could be losing your posture on your back swing, down swing or both. Try and think of keeping your chest the same distance away from the ball that it is at your set up

Topping the ball with a 4 deg+ lie sounds right if you have a conventional swing.

Were you fit using a lie board?

The 1/2" longer shaft is typical of whats being sold with new clubs.  But the 4 deg lie angle is not, a lot of cast clubs can't be bent 4 deg.   I would have your swing checked out again on a lie board before doing anything.   It will take some strange compensations to make up for a lie that's totaly off. (While there are no set standards: 2 deg+ brings a modern club to the lie of 30 years ago, not 3 years.)

Try a few swings with your knees locked, weight on heels, ball close to your body - if this works get the lie changed unless there's a reason for a "ferris wheel" swing path.

Mark5: The pro at GG did use a lie board - that was the last thing he did before we 'finalized' the order.

In all fairness to fitters everywhere, it must have been a b*tch to fit me, as I'm pretty certain I don't have the same swing twice

Thanks everyone for the advice - I plan on spending a couple of hours at the range, and I'll start with the 1/2 swings.

In the past, my swing has been described as "Furyk meeting Daly".

I bought a new iron set this year and was topping them a lot at first.  At the range, it really helped me to tee them up while getting the feel for them.

Good luck!

Get those things dirty! Maybe in your mind you don't want to take a big divot with brand new clubs? :)

There could be a lot of things creating this - most of which could be between your ears as they say - or not.

One thing I know for sure - I DO NOT trust these people who do fittings at the stores -most of them are salespeople NOT fitting specialists.  Golf Galaxy, Roger Dun, Golfsmith etc...

nothing against them - but here is why I say this:

• you can NOT see the actual ball flight
• They are going off two or three swings - which unless your a pro or very low cappers - like 2.5 and down - you don't have as repeatable of a swing as you might think - therefor you are not getting an accurate reading.
• Mentally hitting a ball off a plastic lie board,indoors ,standing on artificial turf is WAY different then hitting a ball outside.

there are more reasons but this should be enough. Getting fitted a by a fitting specialist, outside where you can see different shafts, lie angles etc is invaluable.

Thanks to everyone for your advice; I am happy to report that the clubs are now "broken in".  The 1/2 swings at the range really helped, and with a couple of rounds under my belt, I am happy with the results.  In fact, I tied my lowest round score three weeks ago (86) on a course I consider to be a challenge.

FYI - I recently got fitted for the 910 D2, and in my first round I was spanking the sh*t out of the ball.  I hit 8 fairways - it would have been 10, but I "ran out" of fairway!  Loving it...

Another monthly update: Handicap is now 17.7 (from 19.1).  I also bettered by lowest score (82 from a 86) - granted it was on a Par 71, but I'll take it.

A good summer so far!!

i had the same problem when i got my clubs fitted to a +1"