Custom Fitting questions

So Mizuno had a demo day at my local driving range, and I was eager to try the MX-300s and the Shaft Optimizer. I did the fitting, but I came away a little curious of the results. I am 5'6" and 150lbs, but quite athletic.

I didn't get a printout ... but I saw the readout and am fairly sure the numbers came out as below.

Headspeed: 85
Tempo: 5
Toe Down: 2
Kick Angle: 5 (may have been 3)
Release: 3 (may have been 5)

I hit off the lie board as well. So he told me the recommendation is
1/2" shorter shaft
1* flat lie angle

This didn't surprise me as I have suspected I should have a flatter lie. However, the shafts suggested were

Dynalite Gold XP R300
Dynamic Gold SL R300

My question is this. I just started weight training again after a year layoff, so I know I am going to get stronger. The last time I clocked my driver swing speed, it was 105mph normally and I can hit 110mph if I step on it. Do these shafts seem too soft for me? I think my normal iron speed might be around 90mph as I get back into lifting.

DamonRipper wrote:

So Mizuno had a demo day at my local driving range, and I was eager to try the MX-300s and the Shaft Optimizer. I did the fitting, but I came away a little curious of the results. I am 5'6" and 150lbs, but quite athletic.

I didn't get a printout ... but I saw the readout and am fairly sure the numbers came out as below.

Headspeed: 85
Tempo: 5
Toe Down: 2
Kick Angle: 5 (may have been 3)
Release: 3 (may have been 5)

I hit off the lie board as well. So he told me the recommendation is
1/2" shorter shaft
1* flat lie angle

This didn't surprise me as I have suspected I should have a flatter lie. However, the shafts suggested were

Dynalite Gold XP R300
Dynamic Gold SL R300

My question is this. I just started weight training again after a year layoff, so I know I am going to get stronger. The last time I clocked my driver swing speed, it was 105mph normally and I can hit 110mph if I step on it. Do these shafts seem too soft for me? I think my normal iron speed might be around 90mph as I get back into lifting.

Are those figures for a 6 iron? if so, a driver speed of about 100mph would be expected, which is probably closer to stiff than regular, unless you have a very smooth tempo and transition.

At 105-110, I would have thought you would comfortably be in an S shaft in a TT, and a 5.5 or 6.0 in Rifle or PX.

I am about 102 driver, and 86-88 6 iron and moved from TT DG S300 to PX 5.5.

For comparison my readings from the shaft optimizer were:
head speed 80
tempo 5
toe down 4
kick angle 5
release factor 6

The shafts suggested were Dynalite Gold XP S300, Project X 5.0 and KBS stiff (soft step). To a layman I think it would suggest you should have S300s as well.

mjtoal, thanks. Your specs look quite in line with mine. I was swinging the optimizer smoothly, not trying to crank it.

lessel, yours is similar as well. Do you typically have a nice smooth tempo? My swing is and I am curious how you would describe yours.

I found this on Mizuno's USA site, which indicates I should definitely play stiff shafts. http://www.mizunousa.com/glfcustfit.nsf/WebPages01/5BD346789DDAF38E8525707B0066FD24?OpenDocument

I want to go as flexible as possible for easy distance and height, but I am worried about too high, especially with the 8/9/PW. I just found out that my local range is having another demo day in a couple weeks, so I think I will do it again and try hitting some irons with the XP shaft in R300 and S300.

I would have said my swing is quite smooth, but a tempo of 5 is half way between fast and slow.
When I was trying out the different shaft options I found that I got on better with the Dynalite Gold XP R300, better consistency and club head speed (average carry with 6 iron 158yds according to the computer).
The clubs have only just been delivered so I have yet to use them in anger! We'll see what happens.

So the optimizer recommended stiff but you felt fine with the regulars? I hit the ball fairly high anyway, and the MX-300s with Dynalite XP R300 I definitely hit high. It was bordering on almost too high though. I tried some with the DG SL in R300 and it was definitely lower, but it didn't feel as nice as the Dynalites.

Did you try any other shafts: KBS, Rifle, etc. in your session?

I would like to hear how you get one with them, after you try them a round or two.

I was using the MP 68s which have a lower ball flight than the MX 300.

I did try the other shafts, but lost club head speed and carry. The difference between the XP reg and stiff was not much. My figures were:-
Club - Carry - Club speed
MP68 DN XP S300 - 152 - 74
MP68 DN XP R300 - 158 - 75
MP68 PRO X 5.0 - 143 - 69
MP68 KBS REG - 136 - 68
MP58 DN XP R300 - 145 - 75
MP33 DG S300 - 146 - 75

Hope this helps, though you can't beat trying the shafts for yourself.

So went back to the second fitting day, and hit a bunch of different shafts, along with another swing with the optimizer. My swing speed was pretty consistent around 85mph with 6 iron. Here is what I found, FWIW:

* Dynalite Gold XP R300: Hit high and far, bad for dispersion
* Dynalite XP S300: Hit high and far, with good feel & dispersion
* KBS Tour stiff: Lower, boring trajectory. Feel was muted to me.
* DG S300: Lower, boring trajectory. Good feel.


Surprisingly, out of all of them I liked the Dynalite XP S300 the best. Although high trajectory, it didn't balloon and I could see it dropping on the green like a feather. The feel of them was perfect to me as well. If I played somewhere that was consistently windy, I might opt for the lower trajectory shafts, but in south Florida I think the high trajectory will suit my game fine. I hit some with a PW also, and they did go quite high but not out of control.

So it seems the first session was wrong, I definitely need to be playing stiff shafts. Now to order them up!