Original R11 v Original RBZ

Posted on March 24, 2013 by

Yesterday I had a fitting with a player who has lost a bit of distance over the years.  A five handicap, so a decent ball striker that wanted to gain some distance but not sacrifice any control.  His swing speed was about 90 mph so normally I would fit that swing speed to a regular flex but as he wanted to keep all the control we started with a stiff flex.  He started hitting his original TM R11 with 60g Fujikura Blur shaft and was getting 88-90 mph club head speed, 207 carry and roll out to 225-235 on the GC2 launch monitor.  Launch and spin was good and dispersion was tight.  I gave him an Accra Tour Z 45 M4 (this season these will be called Tour Z 45 LS) to try in a generation 1 RBZ Tour head and instantly saw the numbers increase, swing speed peaked at 92mph ball speed gained about 5 mph and carry distance went up to 220 and peaked at 225 yards carry and a few rolled out past the 250 yards mark.  I then put the Tour Z 45 into his R11 head and the results where better than the standard Blur shaft but gains were more like 10-15 yards not the 25 that the RBZ Accra combination gave.  Some on course test will take place this week but I think it’s another customer amazed by the power and control of Accra shafts.

Posted in Accra Shafts, custom fit | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

TaylorMade R1 quick review

Posted on March 18, 2013 by

Well I have been testing this driver as I think it will be my gamer for 2013.  Initial testing showed it was matching my RBZ Tour 9 for distance but the flight was lower and it was more consistently straight.  These tests started as just by watching ball flight and seeing the ball land down range.  I started with re-shafting using an Accra Tour Z 55+ M4 which this season is called the Tour Z ST M4 I have had great success with this shaft in other heads but didn’t get on with it in the R1.  I thought it was my swing but later discovered that the R1 was so low spin and launch that this shaft also being low launch and spin just didn’t suit my swing with this head.  I am currently testing an Accra Tour Z CB M4 which set at 10.75 degrees of loft and 1 degree open face angle produced today my best results.  I will be trying an Accra Dymatch 60 ST M4 tomorrow also as I think I still need a bit more spin for my swing speed.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Accra Tour Z 45 M4

Posted on February 18, 2013 by

Driver re finishing is something I have done quite a bit this season but my own driver has been in good condition and I liked the silver finish on my Adams Fast 12 LS.  During the winter I have been experimenting with a few different shaft combinations and tried a TaylorMade RBZ tour head in 9 degrees as I felt the Adams head was a little too low spin and launch for my swing.  The RBZ instantly gave me more launch a higher flight and as much carry as I have seen from the Adams in the first session with it.  I played it while over at the PGA Trade show in Orlando and hit it very well.  I have a 100mph driver swing speed and was keen to try an ultra light weight shaft to pick up some club head speed so built up an Accra Tour Z 45 M4.  I didn’t get chance to do too much launch monitor testing apart from the 1st dozen or so balls and with those saw 251 yards carry on a cold day in January so feel my swing speed must of been just over 100 mph so the 45 gram shaft appeared to have gained me a few mph swing speed.

My swing fault is I let the club get in front of me which creates an out to in swing path and a bit more fade than I like.  As I said I played in Orlando with some other club builders and we agreed that a very light weight club can cause a player to loose feel of where the club is at the top of the back swing and also felt the flight was a little too high and lost a bit of penetration.  Now I could bring the swing weight up in the head, currently at D4 which should give me some more feel at the top of my back swing and reduce the loft on the head to lower the flight a little.  Both of these are good options but I have also been given the new Accra 2013 Tour Z Prototype CB 55 M4 to try so that is in the RBZ at the moment.  It is a little heavier and lower launch the the Tour Z 45 so testing should commence later in the week.  oh and I had to give the head a little make over for the new shaft:)

proto

facegreen

green bottom

 

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

My meeting with Accra in Orlando

Posted on February 6, 2013 by

Well this year I was lucky enough to go to the PGA Merchandise show in Orlando.  I spent a week out there and used the time to meet some of my suppliers, fellow club builders, make some new partnerships and play some golf.

Well the main reason for me going was to meet the people that own and run Accra Shafts.  Accra invited all their club builders to attend so they could showcase tell their 2013 products and let us test them and then an informal round of golf in a Ryder cup style.  I learned a lot about the process that goes into making Accra shafts so consistent which probably wouldn’t interest the average end user but rest assured these shafts are built to the highest standard using the tightest of tolerances which goes some way to explain why the make such a great product.

The Dymatch 2 range isn’t changed this season as it was new in 2012.  AC by Accra remains unchanged as does Accra i, their graphite iron shafts.

So that takes us to the Tour Z line up and it’s all change here.  As the name suggests Tour Z is Accra’s tour product. Theses are the exact products that the tour players get when they switch to Accra the only difference is that some players have them painted in team colours i.e Luke Donald’s Accra shafts all have to be painted in the current Taylor Made paint scheme.  As mentioned earlier if you want all the nitty gritty facts then email me and I will send them but here is a taste of what it’s all about.

So the 2013 Tour Z line up will be:

1. Tour Z ST, Stable Tip, for low launch low spin, great shaft for high swing speed players

2. Tour Z LS, Low Spin, for mid launch with draw bias, increased stability and smooth energy transfer.  Also makes a great fairway shaft with the mid launch and with no fear of ballooning up.

3. Tour Z CB Platinum, Counter Balance, the higher balance point provides lower ball flight without the need of a more stable tip section.  For players looking for a little extra spin, medium launch.  Designed for smooth tempo players but still maintaining the Accra feel.  This shaft is the ultimate in the Accra Tour Z line up. In testing players were seeing increased club head speed as this shaft “kicks” at impact.  This shaft also makes a great fairway wood shaft.

I have a Tour Z CB for both my driver TZ55M4CB and TZ65M4CB for my 3 wood.  Last season I didn’t really feel I found the right shaft for my 3 wood I either had a shaft that performed well off the tee then was hard to pick the ball off the fairway or easy off the fairway then ballooned up into the wind off a tee.  After discussing this with the guys at Accra I expect the Tour Z CB will be the answer to my problems.  Weather permitting testing will start soon.

You to can try these shafts indoors on GC2 launch monitor and outside with the GC2 and real balls once the weather allows.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

New driver build. Over to the dark side.

Posted on December 19, 2012 by

Well I have been playing an Adams Fast 12 LS driver this season and have had probably my best driving season, distance and accuracy.  Some of that is due to the amazing Accra shafts I use it has to be said.  I bought the Adams after it getting amazing online reviews on US forums and I new that I would have a shaft that would work with it.  LS stands for low spin and with that low spin I have struggled with launch angle with every shaft I have tried.  I am glad that I took advice and bought it in 10.5 degrees loft and it really is a low launch low spin head.

I have tired to stay away from owning TaylorMade products in the past as I disagred with their policy of creating a new driver every 6 months but more recently this has been stretched to an exceptable 12 months.  I am going to be involved with fitting TM products next season at my club, Hazel Grove so thought I would try an RBZ head over the winter.  Luke Donald uses and RBZ Tour head with Accra Tour Z shaft so went for that head built with my new demo shaft the Accra Tour Z 45 M4.  Well first test and first few hits with it were under the watch full eye of Head Pro at Hazel Grove and my swing coach James Rowlands and after James altered my position a little at impact I was hitting high long straight drives.  My swing speed is 95mph when swung conservatively and with that I was getting 250 yards carry on James’s GC2 launch monitor that we took over to the practice ground.  I know that in warmer conditions and getting used to the shaft weight I can get up to 100mph club head speed and about 265 carry.

So what did I discover?  I always take something from my own builds that gives me greater knowledge when I am fitting my customers.  I changed from a extremely low spin driver at 10.5 degrees loft to a high launch low spin driver at 9 degrees loft and gained a couple of degrees launch angle that I need to get my carry distance up.

What am I saying? Whats my point?  I guess I am saying you can’t go to the driving range borrow/demo a hand full of drivers and expect to get a club dialed in even with adjustable hosel technology, you may not even be able to play the head you really wanted even with the myriad of shaft options available if it doesn’t create the launch and spin you need.

If you do one thing next season get a proper driver fitting on a launch monitor with the balls you play on the course and get a driver that works for you for once you have done it you will never look back or buy off the rack again.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Rebuilding my irons

Posted on December 12, 2012 by

I have been experimenting with lie angles, loft, shaft strength and grips all season on my spare 6 iron and with the swing changes I have made this year finally decided on my set up and dismantled my playing set and set about rebuilding them.  I did think that when I originally built this set I may want them a bit stiffer as my new swing ingrains so my initial build was 1/4″ longer than normal to allow me to tip (shorten the shaft from the tip end) the shafts a little extra to make them a bit stiffer.  I am able to measure the frequency in a shaft which tells me the stiffness (using my shaft frequency analyzer.)  I trimmed them to about 4cpm stiffer.  I play my clubs to standard Titleist loft, lie and length and D2 swing weight. (Swing weight is the balance of the club, shaft and grip measured on a special scales.)  Swing weight determines how the club feels.  Swing weight is very much a feel thing and the only way to really determine if a non standard swing weight would benefit you would be speak to your club builder.

I have been on the practice ground with them in the last couple of days and can confirm the set just feels more matched and dispersion and distance gaps have tightened up a little so a worth while job.

Starting a new driver build next.  This season I probably tried 4 different shafts through the year and found a couple that were very good when my swing was on but still feel there is some more to be had in that area but want to choose a shaft before the season starts and stay with it for the new year.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Light is fast, fast is long.

Posted on November 15, 2012 by

Just take a moment to think about the above.  Most normal players struggle to generate the sort of club head speeds that pros take for granted.  The lighter you can get your driver shaft for most people with smooth swings the faster the club head will go.  Most driver club heads are 195-205 grams, that can’t be changed very much apart from a small amount for balancing or as club makers call it “swing weight”  I swing at between 95-100 mph with my Accra Tour Z+55 M4 which is a tour spec stiff flex low launch low spin shaft.  I am currently using an Adams fast 12 LS driver head.  I hit this set up better than anything else I have ever played but I know that I can go lighter on the shaft.  While I am waiting for my Tour Z 45 shaft to arrive I thought I would experiment with a ultra light weight grip on my current set up.  I was able to swap the grip from 48g to 26g but with swing weight (balance) all this achieves is making the head feel heavier.  Luckily the Adams head has a screw in weight port for balancing so i am able to swap the 9grm weight for a 2grm weight and now my driver with it’s new 26grm grip is balanced again the same as it was previously.  So my driver is now 34grms lighter than the previous build but with identical balance.  It feels much lighter when I swing it and I am getting better launch which I can see from the height the ball is flying, which I believe is due to higher club head speed but I haven’t confirmed this on the launch monitor yet.  I will play with this set up Saturday and see how it goes then get some numbers next week.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment