Manchester Lane Fitting

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By Rick F

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  • 7 Replies
  1. Rick F

    Rick F
    Dedham, MA

    I’ve narrowed it down to Titleist and Brand B. Both would be 100% (14 clubs) whichever company I choose. I am 45, a 2 handicap, two children under the age of 5 so I only get to play 9 holes a week and don’t practice except for maybe a few balls before the round or if I am playing in a tournament. It’s time to check my ego at the door and remove any biases I may have towards certain equipment. I have tennis elbow in both elbows, sore shoulder that I can barely lift after a round, sore back and every year the list grows and grows. Right now in order to play I put KT tape on both elbows then cover that with copper compression sleeves, 4 Advil before I play and 4 Advil after I play plus ice. This past weekend I had a match play tournament. During qualifying I shot a 78, winning a 3 way playoff for the final spot in the champ flight. Around hole 14 is where I started to lose it. Shafts felt like rebar! The next day I played the 1 seed and lost 1 down despite shooting a 74. Right around hole 14 is where I started to lose it again. Half swings, one armed swings, just trying to finish somehow. The main aspect of the Manchester Lane fitting that intrigues me is how detailed they get. The driver may have one shaft and setting, the fairway wood may have a different shaft and setting and the same with the hybrids, irons and wedges. Plus the 100 yard short game area. I make my living with the short game. Distance is no longer there. With the amount of balls I will be hitting, I’m worried the results will be skewed due to fatigue and pain. I can only play 9 holes right now which is between 34-37 shots. With everything that I have said, is it worth the fee or are my better days behind me and I should go with Brand B and a bag full of regular flex shafts and call it a day.

  2. Don O

    Don O
    Madison, WI

    Based on your current injury report, you need to be fit through each type of club. Even if you don't want to pay for or wait for a date at Manchester Lane, you can still consider using a Premier Fitting site. These fitters are barely below the TPI/Manchester Lane staff and have access to a wide range of shafts. They can also pull shafts from Titleist if necessary to tweak one for flex or characteristic that isn't in their larger matrix. For a full bag, the Premier sites will be very gracious in how they work with you (reschedule if y'all agree to try a shaft coming from CA) and be flexible on fitting fees.

    Manchester may already be booked until closing and may not open for appointments until April or May.

    Buying Brand B off the rack will not be satisfactory. You are so far from the "average" golfer, if such a golfer really exists.
  3. Rick F

    Rick F
    Dedham, MA

    I have an appointment in 3 weeks. I just want to make sure I'm not wasting my time or the fitters time.
  4. Darryl M

    Darryl M
    Wichita, KS

    I think you would get a better assessment at Manchester Lane than anywhere else in the world....just my opinion. Even with your issues they will assess what you can can't do & maybe even put you in that regular flex, but it will be the right regular flex.....then you might have a mixed bag. My uncle is regular with driver & FW's but stiff with irons as he doesn't swing the big dog as well as his irons at 74 years of age.

    Hope it goes well for you in selecting new clubs


    DM
  5. 19hole

    19hole
    Reading, MA

    In your situation, I would attend one or more Titleist Thursdays. They are free and are usually done by a Titleist employed fitter. They have more than enough shaft options to get you fit properly. They are 45minutes long. Do the irons one week and the metals the next.....
  6. Charles P

    Charles P

    Manchester Lane doesn't walk you through the entire bag at all. I went there this season and its only 7 irons. Same level of fitting as if you went to a titleist thursday for free and you still kinda come out of the fitting unsure.

    The reality is that fitters don't have the time to properly fit everyone that comes through the door. The demand is way too high and they can realistically only devote an hour of their time to you. Pretty sad honestly, considering how much manufacturers tell you to go out there and "get fit".

    The entire fitting process need to be reworked in my opinion and an "iron fitting" should include a proper gapping session 4-PW. Especially if they are going to charge you hundreds of dollars.
  7. Allan

    Allan
    California

    Team Titleist Staff
    While Manchester might focus on 7 irons due to available components, they do fit for proper gapping and land angle throughout the bag including drivers, fairways, hybrids, utilities, wedges, and again, primarily the 7 iron from the iron set.
  8. Charles P

    Charles P

    I understand that it's difficult to fit for every iron at something like a Titleist Thursday, as they would need every shaft combination and every length at every location. However, I think it's something that should be looked at for TPI, Manchester, and Premium fitting experiences alike. Some of the premium club fitters charge $800 for a full bag fitting and don't even use GC quad. I'm a fan of the Trackman as well, but GC quad should be used by fitters to show where you are hitting it on the face. Hell, I went to a club champion this year as well and they were still using lie boards..

    I don't mean to pick on Titleist, but a premium fitting should leave the customer completely sure of their gappings in an iron fitting. Blending options is discussed so much now by fitters, yet the customer does not get to try out a blade in the 8/9/PW at the fitting.

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