Outdoor Radar-Based Fitting
One of the most popular launch monitors is the Trackman. Less well-known is the company that pioneered radar-based launch monitors – EDH – the Electronic Data House. EDH released their flagship radar unit, the Flightscope five years ago. Last year they released a newer, less expensive model, the KUDU. We have had both at the Golf Lab and despite the popularity of the Trackman, we think that the technology behind the Flightscope/KUDU combination is superior.
In 2010 we will be conducting radar based fittings outdoors. Outdoors, radar is no more accurate than our indoor Launch Max. We prefer the Launch Max for optimizing driver performance because it is much more "expensive" to hit good balls outdoors. Driving ranges are not usually set up to give your Pro V's back.
Outdoor radar based fitting shines when it comes to "gapping" your bag. Very few players know exactly how far they hit every club in their bag. A radar-based launch monitor can tell you that.
Radar-based launch monitors are also useful for club comparisons. The software that drives the Flightscope and the KUDU does an excellent job of grouping and comparing dispersion among a set of test clubs.
Finally, it is useful very good players to understand the spin numbers behind the trajectory of their shots. Even good players can be mistaken about what a good shot really looks like. The radar eliminates those blind spots.
Outdoor launch monitor fittings are $100 for a 45 minute session.
"Private Club Maker Fitting"
For serious players who want to try everything they've been thinking about, and get it done in a single session, we have the option of the "Private Clubmaker Fitting". If you want to spend full time for between one and three days to your fitting and testing golf clubs, we make sure you complete your mission as efficiently as possible.
We'll start with 18 holes at a local golf course. Then, we'll return to the Golf Lab for the "Complete Clubfitting" sequence.
After indoor testing, we will have a good idea about club and shaft combinations that you will want to test. We will assign a full time club maker to build the clubs you want to test from our inventory of heads and shafts. You can make as many trips to the range as you have energy to complete. On every return, your personal club maker will "mix and match" whatever combination of heads and shafts that you want to try. Our record is three complete cycles per day for three days.
A Complete Club Fitting together with a Personal Club Maker is $500 per day.
Counterweight Fitting
One of the true "miracles of club fitting" is the use of counterweights to change the balance of golf clubs. We have installed more than 500 Balance-Certified Stabilizers in players' drivers in the last eighteen months. In that same time, we have installed over 3000 Tour Lock counterweights in irons.
Counterweights increase ball speed and help a player achieve a more consistent swing path and face angle at impact. Center contact is improved as is the consistency of launch angle.
Moving the balance point of a golf club toward the grip is not a new idea. Jack Nicklaus was reported to have placed strips of lead tape under his grips. The weight distribution of the new KB Tour shafts move the balance point toward the grip. There is good reason to experiment with changing the balance of your golf clubs. More distance, straighter shots – what's the matter with that?
It takes an hour to complete testing the weight and position of the weight that works the best.
Complete counter weight fitting is $100. (From time to time we run promotions offering free counterweight fittings – watch your email for notice of the next opportunity to get your counterweight fitting free.) Balance-Certified Stabilizers cost $55. The new Balance-Certified AMT Stabilizer costs $80. Tour Lock counterweights are $20 each. All prices include installation.
Fittings for Beginners are Always Free and Juniors are Always Half Price