Ultimate Titleist driver fitting!

While Titleist does its very best to make custom-fitting for its latest clubs a memorable experience, it can't always provide the added value of a lesson from one of its Tour Ambassador professionals.

So I was privileged to be invited to the London Club recently for a fitting of the latest Titleist 910D2 MSS driver - for those of us of more mature years or just simply with Moderate Swing Speeds - to take advantage of some friendly advice from Frenchman Victor Dubuisson one of the longest drivers on the European Tour.

This 21-year-old former World No.1 Amateur smashes his tee shots with effortless ease, on average more than 301 yards every time he competes on Tour, and is currently ranked 12th in driving distance behind the irrepressible Alvaro Quiros (312.8).

So whom better to get a tip from to enhance my driving and make the most of the latest technology Titleist is offering for those of us with slower swing speeds unable to quite handle the poker shafts and single digit lofts of the latest drivers?

"You're swing is too fast," he told me as another tee shot squirted under a cold, wicked cross wind on the range of this elegant Tour venue within earshot of Brands Hatch race circuit.

"Slow it down as you make the transition from backswing to downswing."

He revealed: "I played with Lee Westwood in Qatar and I couldn't believe how slow and smooth his swing was. In to the wind he was hitting 3-woods almost lazily but powerfully - it taught me a lot."

Though obviously I couldn't see what was going on above my head, with Victor's encouragement, I was soon able to feel a more smooth change of direction - known to coaches the world over as the transition into the downswing.

I asked for a swing thought to help remember the feeling and how to achieve it but he just smiled with that typical Gallic shrug of the shoulders.

"What can I say? Just keep the transition smooth, don't rush it."

While I prepared to talk statistics with Titleist's Swedish-born Tour fitter Matthias Jelver, Victor grabbed my regular-shaft, 10.5 degree Titleist D2 driver and proceeded to blast balls into the stratosphere and literally out of sight through an icy wind.

Even with unfamiliar equipment, these guys are good!

With that same club, albeit with a swing speed just under 90mph, I could barely make 200 yards on a good day. But Victor proved that inadequate golfers should never blame their tools.

Armed with my new swing confidence, an ultra smooth transition and a head and shaft more suited to my capabilities, I was soon delivering tee shots, that flew higher, straighter and further than I could have imagined, despite the blustery conditions.

Using Titleist's unique, inter-changeable Sure-fit hosel technology, I switched heads and shafts. From a 10.5 degree 910 D2 model (with 75gram regular graphite shaft) my club was transformed to one with 12-degrees loft and a 50g, 45-inch MSS Bassara graphite shaft (with a little more kick in the tip). Suddenly the carry on my shots was an extra 27 yards.

It was a figure that converted to an extra 42 yards distance when the Trackman computer, which measures ball flight, spin and trajectory, 'normalised' my statistics. Effectively it takes the wind out of the equation.

Matthias was impressed; I was impressed... Victor shrugged. He has come to expect that kind of transformation from Titleist equipment.  

FOOTNOTE: It's a similar experience for an irons fitting. I tried the Titleist 712 AP1 irons and discovered from hitting a sample 6-iron - and the statistics that were subsequently rolled out - that I'd need graphite shafts and a lie that was 2-degrees flat.

But for now Titleist and Monsieur Dubuisson have done enough for my game!

Find out more

Titleist recently opened a custom-fit centre at The Celtic Manor. But there are several around the UK. Visit www.titleist.co./uk for your nearest dealer who will book a session for you. Even without a Tour pro on hand is still a great experience.

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