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PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. - Freddy Villarta could sense my frustration.
I had gone from flushing a Stealth 5 Rescue during my club-fitting session at the TaylorMade Performance Center at the Pebble Beach Golf Academy to completely struggling with a Stealth 3 Rescue.
A good clubfitter like Villarta, an Experiential Rep and San Francisco/Monterey Manager with TaylorMade, knows when it's time to dial up a new club. Within minutes, I was grooving again, striping a Stealth 7-wood - a club so popular that it's sold out. Can you guess which clubs are soon to be on order for my bag?
Pebble Beach isn't just a dream golf destination for playing some of the best courses in the country. Why not take advantage of a world-class club fitting that could change your game long after you're home again?
The TarloyMade golf club fitting experience at Pebble Beach
When Pebble Beach built its golf academy in 2014, it was a game-changer for the resort. The new range is spacious, and the indoor studio caters to lessons or fittings during inclement weather. There's also a putting green and separate green for bunker practice.
If you've ever had a fitting at an indoor facility, then you know how much better they are outdoors, where golfers feel more comfortable and can see the ballflight of each club they're testing. Although the cool November temperatures and headwind affected how far I was hitting the ball, I was happy to be swinging away outside.
My first time hitting TaylorMade's new Stealth line was eye-opening. The new "Carbonwood" era is a promising one. The contact noise off the new clubs is muted, yet the ball jumps off the face. It's a new, dynamic feeling.
Since most of my current clubs are at least 8-10 years old, I gained distance immediately. Villarta used a TrackMan Launch Monitor to analyze which new clubs gave me the most consistent spin and launch conditions.
The last two drivers I've played have been fitted with three-wood shafts and high-lofted club faces. Villarta was the first fitter I've met who could properly explain why that combination works for me but rarely for others. He said the kick point in my flat swing requires a shorter shaft. My limited ball speed, due to a short back swing, needs help launching balls with an optimal trajectory. Turns out, loft is my best friend, a trait not uncommon with millions of mid- to high- handicap golfers out there.
I tested well with a Stealth HD driver with 12 degrees of loft, the highest offered. Long approaches on par 4s and second shots on par 5s have always been my biggest weakness, so the new hybrid and 7-wood might immediately save me at least three or four strokes a round. According to GolfNow Compete, my game-tracking app, I'm averaging 5.8 strokes on every par 5 I play. Compare that to most better players who look at par 5s as great birdie opportunities.
"Combined with the shallower head of the fairway wood and the lower and back center of gravity, [more loft] is a big win for you," Villarta told me. "We were able to get more of the club below the center of the golf ball. Anytime that happens, it’s easier to get in the air and hit solid."
Golfers can get fit for one specific club for an hour or work through their entire bag for 90 minutes. The cost of $100 is actually more affordable than most fittings and can be applied to any new purchase. If the club's components are in stock, Villarta can build it for you to play right away. If not, any new club will be shipped directly to your home or office.
After all that grinding on the range, I went out to lunch next door on the patio of Hay's Place, my favorite hang at the resort when I'm not playing. The view of the Monterey Bay is stunning. It's also fun to watch the golfers tackle The Hay, the new short course by Tiger Woods and Beau Welling. Plus, the menu is fantastic with a good mix of specialty drinks and excellent Mexican fare.
Every golfer who visits Pebble Beach loads up on souvenirs, right? Even better than that hat or shirt just might be the shiny new club or clubs you bring home after a fitting. Every time you play well, it'll serve as the perfect reminder of that dreamy golf vacation to the Monterey Peninsula.
Have you ever gone through a club fitting? Tell us you liked or disliked about the experience in the comments below.
Comments (1)
Informative, complete, but most of all illuminating article.
I'm a believer in the value of a perceptive clubfitter like Villarta. The money expended seems to be worth the payback in improved performance.