This post was first published on thoughtsfromthetrain.com in July 2025

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Unusually, I have had very little success with Titleist irons over the years. I’ve always wanted to try them at fittings, but I’ve never found a good match. T100’s have usually been a bit too difficult, T200’s a bit too strong lofted and T300’s even more so, while being overly chunky too. I wasn’t a fan of the older AP series irons either.

First Impressions

To my mind, these new T-Series irons are a significant step up in looks from the previous models, most especially in the T-250 and T-350 models. Removing the insert from the back of those models and making these look more like blades is a great move. It puts them right up against my Taylormade P770’s and the P790’s in terms of both looks and performance. I also had the chance to try the new T250U and U505 irons today, and they are equally impressive. I’ll be back to see Adam once he has them in the studio. Could they replace my hybrids or be an alternative club for different weather and course conditions? That would be a bit of a luxury purchase!

Ignore the screws in the back of the heads; these are purely for fitting purposes in order to fine-tune swing weight. The first image used in this post is a true representation.

What did I try?

We chose to focus on the T250 and the utility iron options today. The T250 7 iron loft is 30.5°, compared to my P770’s at 33° and the P790’s at 30°. Purely from a loft perspective, the T100 at 33° and the T150 at 32° are a closer match, but we wanted to compare a hollow body with a hollow body today. If I were going for a proper fitting, we would definitely try the other heads too. I also notice they have introduced a T250 “Launch Spec” iron. This has more loft than the standard T250 and is also lighter, promoting a higher launch.

So, the T250 7i (30.5°) has similar loft to the T100 6i (29°), and the T250 Launch Spec 7i (35°) has loft more like the T250 8i (34.5°). Are you confused yet? That’s why you need to see a good fitter! I’d be interested in comparing the performance of the T250 Launch Model 7i against the T250 8i to see if the lighter head makes any significant difference.

One important thing to note today is that, compared to the GT launch I attended last year, there was the welcome option of using premium balls this time. I warmed up with the standard range balls, then moved on to ProV1x balls for the testing.

Before hitting the T250 7 iron, Adam fitted the demo club with a Graphite Design shaft to make it as close to the Accra shaft I play. It’s worth pointing out that Titleist have developed a new fitting sleeve that allows your fitter to try many different loft and lie combinations with the same head. This will make it much easier for fitters to dial in the right combination for you and your swing. Upon hitting the T250, I was immediately struck by the sound at impact. It’s a bit like a gunshot and certainly gives the impression of power. It was slightly louder and higher-pitched than my P770’s, but not offensively so. Despite the stronger loft, the peak height was similar, spin was in an acceptable window, and total distance was increased. But I was left thinking that perhaps P790 irons would have been a fairer comparison, as I would put both of these irons in the same “players distance” category. I think that makes performance comparisons from this session a bit irrelevant, so HERE is an excellent video from EP Golf Studios comparing the T250’s against P790’s.

We then moved on to the utility irons, the U505 and T250U. While I am happy with my 4&5 hybrids, they’re not the best on windy days. They are great for playing at The Duke’s, but can be less than perfect on links courses. When I’ve tried utility irons previously, I’ve felt that I lack the swing speed to get the most out of them, hence the hybrids. So, while I was a bit sceptical, I tried to remain open-minded.

First, we tried the U505 fitted with a stiff flex HZRDUS Black shaft. These demo clubs came pre-built, so there wasn’t the same option to try different shafts as there was with the irons. After a couple of swings to get comfortable, the U505 turned out to be a great performer. It produced a slightly lower flight than my 4 hybrid, but it was much more penetrating and is certainly an interesting alternative. It was confidence-inspiring behind the ball and very easy to launch.

We then moved on to try the T250U, fitted with the same shaft. With a much smaller footprint, this was definitely harder to hit and produced an even flatter ball flight. Again, it looks good and is confidence-inspiring behind the ball, but it was just that little bit harder for me to launch. Adam will be adding both clubs to his fitting matrix, allowing him to fine-tune performance with different shaft options.

Likes and Dislikes

Looks (+ve): I know I’ve said this already, but in my opinion, these have taken a big move forward from the previous release. They look sleek, clean, and I’m a big fan of the satin finish too. Believe it or not, we do get sun in Scotland, and the satin finish really does reduce glare and distraction.

Sound/feel (+ve): I was really impressed with the way these irons felt, and I’ve not said that about Titleist irons in a long time.

Forgiveness (+ve): Impressive, especially the U505. I can’t comment on the T100/T150’s as I didn’t hit them.

New fitting system (+ve): This is a clever neck and unlike anything I’ve seen used on irons before. It looks similar to the sleeve used on their drivers and allows loft and lie to be altered without changing grip orientation. It’s a clever bit of innovation and should make a club fitter’s job a lot easier.

Performance (+ve): As noted above, this was a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison given the respective lofts, but it was good nonetheless. The P250’s are seriously impressive irons with good looks and performance to match. While I was less enamoured with the T250U, I was very impressed with the U505 and would like to do more testing of that with Adam.

Ability to blend a set (neutral): These clubs have been designed from the outset with blended sets in mind. This has become increasingly popular over the years, especially with fitters like SGGT, where you can try 4/6/8/PW during your fitting. I can certainly see how the T350’s and T250’s would blend well, and also if you add the utilities at the long end. However, I’m less sure about blending the T250’s with the T150’s or T100’s. Given the cavity in these irons, I’m not sure they would look good combined with the much smoother-looking T250 irons, and there will definitely be a difference in how they feel/sound. Have Titleist missed a trick by not making the T100 and T150 more “blade-like” too?

Cost (neutral): There’s nowhere to hide from it; golf clubs are expensive! 5-PW in the T250’s will set you back around £1,200 from most retailers. If you add in a custom shaft option, the price can become eye-watering. That being said, competitors like the P770’s and P790’s are equally as expensive.

Final Thoughts

If you are in the market for new irons, these should definitely be on your short list. Titleist has done an excellent job with this release, with a definite improvement in look, feel, and performance. I will follow up with Adam when he has the utility irons in his fitting matrix, as I was very impressed with the new U505, and would like to compare that against my current hybrids.

Finally, if you’ve read this far and enjoyed the post, then please consider subscribing to the blog. It doesn’t cost you anything, but it keeps me writing more posts like this one.

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My current wedges

I was fitted for these wedges when they were first released and went for the non-glare nickel finish with Modus 115 black special anniversary shafts. These progressed nicely from the SteelFibre i110 shafts I had in my irons at the time. When I later switched to my first set of P770’s, these were fitted with KBS Tour Lite shafts, and I decided to change the wedges to match. Fortunately, when I was fitted for graphite shafts, the progression to the KBS remained fine, so they didn’t need to be done again.

Why have I decided to change?

The main reason is that I don’t think the lob wedge is the right specification for me and the courses I play any more. I have always struggled with it and keep it almost exclusively for thicker rough or the fluffy bunkers. The bounce and grind make it especially difficult to use from tight links turf, so I rarely use it around the green. The 54° also has a lot of bounce, but the different grind gives more flexibility. Talking to my regular instructor, playing partners and Adam at Auchterlonies, I believe both these wedges are costing me strokes.

Why now and why Opus?

One of my regular playing partners switched to Opus when they were first released and has been very happy with them. Before my Vokeys I was playing Callaway Mack Daddy wedges and was always quite happy with them. So, when I saw Auchterlonies selling ex-demo Callaway Opus wedges, I thought it was a great opportunity to upgrade.

Being the golf nerd that I am, I am very aware of other wedges on the market, but other than maybe the TM MG5 or some of the specialist wedge names, nothing else has really piqued my interest. If the Opus options didn’t perform, I was under no obligation to buy them and would continue with my Vokeys.

I was fortunate to get to the shop quickly and was able to choose from a wide variety of different lofts, grinds and bounces. I went with 50°, 54° and 58°, all fitted with Dynamic Gold 115 wedge shafts. There were a few 60° options too, but they all suffered the same bounce/grind issue as my current wedge. With these being demo clubs (some had never even been hit), Ryan said I was welcome to take them away for a couple of days to try them out, which was fantastic. This allowed me to compare a variety of bounce and grind options to determine what worked best for me.

How did I make my choice?

The Duke’s has a couple of good short game areas, so that was my main testing ground. The 50° wedge will mainly be used for full shots and some chip-and-run options around the green, so that was the focus with it. At 10° of bounce, it is quite close to the Vokey with 12°, but it performed very differently. I liked the turf interaction, the flight I was getting, and the extra spin. First decision made.

The other two need to be more flexible. Both will be used for full and partial shots, and the 58° will also be used from bunkers and for lob shots. I needed to find grinds where I was comfortable manipulating the face to play different shots. I had a couple of different options to try, but was able to quickly eliminate some and spend more time with the final two. They were the Opus Platinum model (their premium wedge) in 54°, 12° bounce, S grind and 58°, 8° bounce and Z grind. Both provide more shot-making options than my current wedges, and I particularly liked the Z grind on the 58° from a wide variety of lies (especially bunkers).

Once I had my three choices, I then took them to the short game area at the Jubilee course to try them off links turf. Fortunately, I found they were even better there than the softer parkland turf at the Duke’s. The decision was made.

I have played a few rounds with them now on a variety of courses, and I am really pleased with my choices. The 54° wedge will likely still be the one I use the most around the green, but with the 58°, I finally have a higher lofted option that I am comfortable. With more practice, I can see that being the wedge I will end up using the most. The Z grind offers huge flexibility that allows a wide variety of shots. I’ve even had the confidence with it to hit a couple of flop shots where I’d always have been worried about thinning my Vokey onto the next fairway!

The final choice

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Gapping

In the fitting studio, the gapping is perfect, with a nice transition from my irons, through the hybrids and up into my woods. I consider the Paradym a bit like an alternative to a 5W or a 7W. It’s good off the tee and great for second shots on par 5s if the lie isn’t nice enough for my 3W. The 4H and 5H are long iron replacements, and my first iron (P770) is a 6i.

Forgiveness

This is surely the biggest benefit hybrids have over long irons. They are easy to launch from either the tee or the fairway, and they are also versatile in light rough. That, plus thinking I didn’t have the swing speed for long irons any more, is the primary reason I switched from my long irons.

My concern

Wind! This is an ever-present issue when you predominantly play links golf, and it is where the Apex Pro hybrids have shown their biggest limitation. They are easy to hit, they fly high, they land soft, but they get battered on windy days because they spin too much.

I recently put the 5H up against my 6i on a par 3 that was playing directly into the wind. The 5H shot looked perfect, flying high and straight, but it landed short of the green and stopped where it pitched. The 6i, on the other hand, landed past the 5H and also ran up the green another 10-15 yards.

Wind is less of an issue with the Ai-Smoke, which spins considerably less than the other two. The different head design and lower loft undoubtedly contribute to that.

One-dimensional. With my irons, I have more ability to flight them differently when required, but with the Apex hybrids, I find that much more difficult. Punchy recovery shots under trees or bump-and-run shots are one thing, but flighting a full shot lower is much harder to pull off.

Utility irons

Modern utility irons have come a long way and are much more forgiving than they were even just a few years ago. All manufacturers are making great strides in this area, and it’s interesting to read articles about better players switching back to utilities and away from hybrids.

At the recent launch of the new T-Series irons by Titleist, I had the opportunity to briefly try the new U505 and T250U utility irons. I was immediately impressed with how easy the U505 was to hit and the flight and performance it produced. I recently followed up with Adam Legg at Auchterlonies and booked a fitting.

Titleist U505 and Srixon ZXiU

My main purpose of this session was to try the U505, but while I was there, I also took a look at the new ZXiU from Srixon (a new brand for Auchterlonies). We tried a couple of different shafts in the U505 and settled on the Ventus Red Velocore + hybrid shaft, which provides continuity from my driver and 3 wood. With the Srixon, we stuck with the standard Mitsubishi MMT shaft.

While the results in the studio were encouraging, the real test was going to be on the golf course itself, especially turf interaction. Adam let me take the clubs away for a couple of days, and I immediately headed to the Duke’s course to try them out.

Initial thoughts

Wrong test loft. Trying these against my 4 and 5 hybrids was the wrong comparison. Off the tee, they were as long, if not longer, than my 3 hybrid, regularly rolling out to 215-220 yards (would likely be even longer on links turf). The highest loft for the Srixon is 23°, and for the Titleist it is 22°, and these would have been better comparisons to my Apex hybrids had they been available.

Looks from address. While the Srixon is the bulkier club, at address, the chrome finish on the back reflects the grass and makes it disappear. It is a clever design and makes the club look much smaller and more appealing.

Feel. I far preferred the soft but solid feel of the Srixon over the hollow and harsher feel of the U505. That really comes down to personal preference, though, and your own ears and hands will need to be the judge. There are other reviews out there that enthuse about the “powerful” sound of the U505.

Tee box monsters but tough off grass. In essence, that pretty much sums up how I found these on the course. They perform brilliantly off the tee with a mid-trajectory, penetrating flight that generates a good amount of roll when it lands. There was almost nothing between them in terms of performance and total distance, but the Titleist launched a touch higher. Off the fairway, I preferred the way the Tour V.T. sole interacted with the grass and found it easier to hit than the flatter U505. They demand concentration and require a good strike to get the most out of them.

Comparing against my 3H from the fairway, there was no competition; the Paradym was by far the easier club to hit. If I caught the utility irons well, then they were good, but the hybrid offers far more forgiveness from non-perfect strikes.

Close, but not quite right

This was a good test, but I don’t think it solves the issue I am concerned with, which is how to get more flexibility from the 4 and 5 positions. Modern utility irons have improved considerably in terms of forgiveness and playability, but I would really need to try a higher loft to decide if it could fit. Most likely, it would just replace the 4H.

These test clubs would more appropriately replace my 3H, but I would miss its flexibility and ease of use from the fairway. From studio testing, I know that the Paradym doesn’t spin as much as the Apex Pro’s and from 18 months of course time with it, I really don’t want to change it as it does its job very well.

Next Steps

Playing with the 3/4/5 hybrid setup for over a full season, coupled with this testing, has shown me the benefits and drawbacks of using more hybrids. The Paradigm’s place feels secure, but the 4H and 5H need more consideration.

Replace the 5H with a 5i. I know this may seem like a backward step, but I need a club in this position that doesn’t spin as much as the 5H currently does. While I would ideally like a bit of additional forgiveness in this club, I’m not sure the loft of the P790 5i is right for gapping and will likely stick with a P770, but with a slightly lighter version of the same Accra TZi shaft I currently use. Hopefully, that will give me a bit more swing speed to get the most out of the lower loft.

Then assess the gap. Once I have a 5i sorted, I can look at the gapping between it and my 3H to consider what to do next. Can we find another hybrid head that has adjustability and lower spin to bridge the gap? Titleist GT3 or Callaway Elyte, perhaps, or another Ai-Smoke if I can find one? Or do we go for a ZXiU in 23° to give a different option? That can be decided later.

What do readers think?

If you have gone through a similar exercise, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Please comment below.

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Separately, I also wanted to talk to Adam about my wedges. Despite using them for two seasons, I've never been completely comfortable with them. I should have gone back to SGGT earlier, but they are a long way from St Andrews and I just didn't make the time. The wedges "feel" very different from the rest of my clubs (they feel heavy) and I lack confidence, especially on full shots. Could they be improved?

On to the fitting session

Hybrids

We couldn't have requested a better day. Glorious sunshine, a gentle breeze and being fitted off the grass range! I'm looking at clubs that will predominantly be hit from the fairway, so fitting off grass with variable lies was a real bonus. The only downside was the requirement to use range balls.

Starting with my new 5 hybrid, we quickly confirmed my suspicion that it was modestly outperforming our expectations and was getting too close to my 4h. I believe the newer head feels and performs better than the older model in my 4h. Adam was less sure but we decided to look for a newer model head and swap over the shafts. It's no longer made so eBay and Callaway pre-owned are our best chances. Once done, we'll re-check the gaps and if they are still too close we may reduce the shaft length of the 5h slightly to fine-tune. Unfortunately, these two clubs have fixed hosels so there are limited customisation options. I really like the compact head shape.

Moving to my 3h, this XR16OS head is the longest-serving club in the bag, but Adam felt that the lie angle was too upright and contributing to my dominant miss which is a thin or a hook. Again, it's a fixed hosel club so there is nothing we can do to change. We talked about getting another Apex Pro but my concern with this club is that I want it to be as easy to hit as possible and that head may not suit that plan. We decided to try the new Paradym Ai Smoke hybrid. Immediately, it suited my eye, sitting flatter and with a more open face, which I liked. Most importantly, it was easy to use and performed extremely well. I thought it looked remarkably similar to the Ping G430 hybrid, but having previously tried that club previously, I preferred the feel and sound of the Callaway. But both are excellent options, and I would recommend trying both.

The new Paradym reminds me of a compact fairway wood compared to the much smaller Apex Pro. The Tour AD-DI shaft is now a very expensive upgrade compared to when I bought my original club in 2016, so we will swap that over to save some cash. The adjustable hosel provides the flexibility to fine-tune the distance gaps.

UPDATE: These changes have been made and I've had a few rounds with the new clubs. I am delighted with the improved performance of the newer Apex Pro 4h and don't see the need to make any more changes to the 5h. The new club is better than the one it replaced and has achieved the result I hoped it would.

As for the newer Paradym hybrid, I am genuinely shocked at how good it is. It's night and day better in terms of feel, sound and performance. I was always a bit nervous hitting the old model from the deck but this one has performed really well out of a variety of different lies when I've been testing it. I can see me actually reaching for this more than the 3 wood for shots into par 5's and long par 4's. You should definitely consider the Paradym if you are thinking of a new hybrid.

3 Wood

I used to hate hitting 3 wood from the fairway, but the Ping G425LST restored my confidence. However, I know from trying the newer G430 Max, that its performance can be improved (considerably). This was immediately confirmed when hitting the Paradym AI Smoke, which had more ball speed, better spin and an improved flight to boot. It appears the old Ping's days are numbered!

However, I didn't like the look/colour of the Paradym and Adam wanted to see if a shaft change could get more out of the old club, so we arranged a follow-up session back at the shop. This would also allow us to try the G430 Max again too.

The fitting at the shop was conclusive. While I was getting decent results with the G425LST, the G430Max and Paradym both left it for dust. We also tried the new model Ping LST head, which was great, but the price is simply ridiculous. I went with the Ping G430 Max as I don't like the look of the Paradym. Adam gave me the demo to try at the range and on the course, which proved decisive. The old G425LST is still a great club and has improved my confidence, but the G430Max is just a level better. I didn't want to give the demo club back at the end of the round.

UPDATE: The new G430 Max has been in the bag for a few rounds now and I am happy with the change. It's definitely easier to hit than the G425LST and performs better too. Off the fairway it's getting a run for it's money from the Paradym hybrid though!

What to do with my wedges?

Adam agreed they feel too different from my irons and he also had concerns about their length. With so much life left in them, we decided the best route would be to re-shaft them to match my irons, which was quick and easy to do (also relatively low cost).

UPDATE: The wedge shafts were a quick change and I'm happy to report that they have done the trick. There's now a nice, smooth transition from my irons to my wedges and I'm swinging them with much more confidence. Interestingly I am currently reading "Your Short Game Solution" by James Sieckmann, and he recommends using the same shafts for your irons and wedges for the same reasons of feel and consistency.

Fitting conclusion

That's two more good sessions with Adam Legg at Auchterlonies and the results are fine-tuning, rather than major changes. We also cost-effectively achieved them.

Apex Pro 4h purchased from GolfClubs4Cash and shafts swapped

Wedge shafts changed from Modus 115 to KBS Tour, grips saved from old shafts

G430 Max fairway purchased (was in stock)

Paradym hybrid ordered and the shaft will be swapped once it arrives

Odyssey TriHot 5K Seven S putter from Callaway pre-owned sale - for a future post!

Costs recovered by the following:

Ping G425 LST fairway wood sold

Spare Kaili white fairway shaft still to be listed on eBay

2017 Apex Pro 4 hybrid on eBay

2022 P790 4 iron sold

Modus 115 anniversary edition black wedge shafts spoken for

LAB DF3 - sold - that's another story!

Thanks again to Adam Legg at Auchterlonies for all the help, advice, and consistently excellent service.

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Callaway has a long association with St Andrews and their fitting centre is based here at the golf academy. The DP World Tour van has been on a "retailer roadshow" around the UK and had a two-day stop in St Andrews. The Link Trust ran an online ballot for spaces on the first day and Auchterlonies had the second day.

My visit to the Van also included a free fitting session to try the new Callaway releases for the 2024 season, but I'll cover that part in a separate post.

The Tour Van

If you've not realised already, I'm a total golf geek! I was therefore very excited to have the opportunity to look around the tour van. It was a privilege to see part of the support structure for the modern touring professional. While Brian Mason, the Scottish Callaway rep, was an excellent host, it would have been beyond brilliant if Callaway had sent a tour van staff member along too as they would have been better placed to answer some of the more obscure questions that were asked and also give a bit more "inside" chat about life on the road/in the van. "Who is the most demanding professional", "Who breaks the most clubs", "Does anyone tinker with their clubs more than Keith Muir" etc.

When planning our move to St Andrews, I briefly considered setting up a club repair business of my own. I find the whole club fitting and building process I was genuinely like a kid in a toy shop; totally in awe of the club-building equipment on display. So I was genuinely like a kid in a toy shop when I got into the van. I was totally in awe of the club-building equipment on display and the treats kept coming as Brian opened the drawers and cupboard. The array of club components they keep on hand and the "tour only" specials (who fancies a Max Triple Diamond driver) made it like an Aladdin's Cave.

The van also had a large stock of Odyssey putters, particularly the Jailbird model as it has been a massive success over the last couple of seasons. There are many non-Callaway professionals using Odyssey putters too (Wyndham Clark, Rickie Fowler) and the tour van is a great way for Callaway to showcase other products to those players too. Often they will make up irons or drivers for non-contract players to try on the range in the hope they can convince them to switch. I'd never thought of the van as a marketing tool for non-contract players before.

The van is set up to do any club work the players may require. Out of curiosity, I asked if any players ask to have their shafts SST Pured (sorry, getting geeky here) and they said that most don't. Given that players want to get every ounce of performance out of their kit that they can, I thought that was an interesting comment. I'd be interested to hear from a tour fitter if this is because the components they use are manufactured to higher tolerances or if the players simply don't see any benefit. The truck also keeps special items for certain players. Despite now being on the LIV Tour, the shaft drawer you see here contains a section at the back with shafts just for Henrik Stenson and John Rahm. Their favoured shafts are no longer manufactured, so the van keeps some in stock just for them.

Every drawer, cupboard or cubby hole was full of kit and the flow of the space had been carefully thought out. The wedge drawer had several clubs with players' names stuck on them, generally with special grinds requested by those players. The rack that looks like shoe boxes contains hats, gloves and balls for contracted players, ready for their caddies to collect at the start of a tournament week. There's a "chill out/office space" at the front of the unit but it was full of the new tour bags and putters, waiting to get delivered to players at the next tournament. It's not a big space but I'd imagine it could be a welcome escape.

The truck is close to the end of its working life and will be replaced by an even more high-tech new unit later this year. If you think of the big American motor homes that expand from the sides when parked, you'll get an idea of what's coming. It sounds like the working environment for the fitters/builders will be much better, as will the space for players. Right now, it's a pretty small space and I'd imagine it can get a bit claustrophobic during tournament week.

While this was undoubtedly a great visit, I'd have loved to have met a proper staff member and heard about life working on the truck. I'm also slightly surprised that Callaway didn't promote this more prominently than they did. The Links Trust sent an email to Links Ticket holders and Auchterlonies posted on their social media feeds, but there seemed to be little direct from Callaway.

The visit was topped off with a generous goody bag including a hat, six new Chromesoft balls and a ball marker. Thanks again to Adam Legg and Auchterlonies for having me along. Part 2 of the review - the fitting experience - will follow soon.

One of the other popular services offered by AGT was called Tour Van Gold. For a small charge, they would do an annual review of your clubs, checking loft and lie and a review of how you were getting on with them. Since that time, the academy has become a dedicated facility for Callaway and the custom fitting services of AGT were not continued. In recent years, my fittings have mostly been done by SGGT and while I could have gone back there this time, it's now almost a 3-hour round trip and I wanted to stay local. Back when I worked in Edinburgh I could pop there at lunchtime or after work.

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Having built a decent relationship with Adam Legg at Auchterlonies, I wanted to use him this time. They've done a couple of repairs for me, I had a putter session with him last year and we've chatted several times about other clubs and what I've been trying to do with my setup. He remembered the old AGT offer and we talked about his ability to do the same thing. He also knows my coach, Mike Lander, and we spoke about my golfing ambitions for the years ahead.

Reminder of my current clubs: (no changes since my last update - honest!)

• Driver: Ping G430 LST (10.5 set at 9.5) with K'aili White stiff shaft (fitted at Drumoig)

• 3 Wood: Ping G425 LST with Alta CB 70 stiff shaft (self-fitted)

• 19* Hybrid: Callaway XR16OS with Tour AD-DI 85s hybrid shaft (self-fitted)

• 23* Hybrid: Callaway Apex Pro (2017) with Tour AD-DI 85s hybrid shaft (self-fitted)

• (alternative 4i P790 with KBS TGI 80 stiff shaft - fitted by SGGT)

• 5-PW: TaylorMade P770's with KBS Tour Lite stiff shafts (fitted by SGGT)

• 50/54/60 Vokey SM9 wedges with Modus 3 115 stiff shafts (fitted by SGGT)

• Putter: Toulon Atlanta (flow neck) and TriHot 5K Three (Toulon trial and error, TriHot fitted at the Academy)

Areas I wanted to examine:

• First and foremost this was a gapping session to address a couple of concerns.

• Gapping with 9i/PW/50 isn't great and causes indecision when playing.

• My long irons/hybrids feel congested and I don't believe I'm getting enough performance out of my 5i, creating further uncertainty with club selection.

• Should we consider swapping the 19h for a 7 wood and the 5i for another hybrid?

• I'm getting older, so are my shafts still the right fit? I've played a lot of golf this year and have had a bit of elbow fatigue, so is it time to consider graphite shafts?

• If we have time, I'd like to check my two putters.

The experience:

The fitting studio is above the shop and it's a bit on the cramped side, also doubling up for putter fitting. I'm fine hitting most clubs in there, but feel a bit constrained/limited with the driver as I worry I'm going to hit something. They have plans to expand into the space behind the shop, improving retail space and adding two dedicated fitting bays. I think that will be a game-changer for them, especially given the number of brands they stock and their ability to make adjustments on-site. Add that to the second-hand shop and the potential to retrofit clubs from there makes for a great combination.

Having already discussed my aims, we went straight into the fitting session.

• Short iron gapping. I warmed up with 9i, then added the pitching wedge followed by the 50* wedge. It was immediately apparent that the gapping wasn't right with PW and 9i. We added in a few shots with the 8i to check that gap too. The 9i played short and the PW played long, creating two problems. Tweaking the 9i stronger and PW weaker made the gaps much better.

• Next, I hit a few 6i shots to get a baseline for this part of the fitting. Then 5i and 4h were added and we quickly established that I was underperforming with the 5i (we didn't even bother with the 4i I was fitted for when I bought my irons). My Apex Pro hybrid has a compact head shape and we didn't have a 5 hybrid option to match, so we had to use a Ping G430. While I didn't like the visual aspect of the larger head, it served the purpose well and proved that swapping the 5i for a 5 hybrid is the way to go. I've subsequently sourced a newer model Apex Pro 5 hybrid from Callaway pre-owned. When it arrives we will check that it fits the gap as hoped and consider re-shafting it to match the other two.

• As an aside, the Callaway pre-owned site is excellent and you can find some real bargains at times https://eu.callawaygolfpreowned.com/gb/en-gb/

• We then moved to the 3h and compared it to a 7 wood. I hit the 3h much better than the 7w and the gap to the 4h was also good, so no change required. I also didn't like the look of the 7 wood and preferred the look of the XR16OS, even though it is bigger than the Apex Pro.

• To complete the top end we looked at my 3w and driver, both of which were performing fine and didn't need any changes. The only thing we might consider is sourcing a Tour AD-DI fairway shaft to match the hybrids.

• Finally, we had a quick look at my putter(s). While the Toulon looks and feels great (and I think Adam took a bit of a fancy to it himself), I had a pronounced right miss with it and my start line was much more consistent with the TriHot. We agreed to do a dedicated SAM session (booked for Dec 21st). Adam asked me to look at different grip options from Garsen and Kotahi as he thought they may complement my recent putting lesson with Mike. He also suggested checking out the trending "Japanese" interlocking fingers grip method:

Recommended changes:

• Short iron lofts tweaked.

• For my sore elbows, install softer grips on all clubs and then re-assess after a few rounds. I have new grips ready (Lamkin Sonar) and will install them over winter.

• Sell my P790 4 iron (will wait until Spring).

• Cally Apex Pro 5 hybrid ordered. Re-shaft to match my other two.

• Stick with the TriHot 5k Three but come back in Jan for another session. Research Garsen and Kotahi grips and the Japanese Butterfly grip.

Conclusion

This was an excellent session with Adam and very enjoyable. There was no sales pitch here and it was all about optimising my current set to help me play to my maximum potential. Before going to a session like this it's a good idea to think carefully about what you want it and be properly prepared before you go. Sharing with Adam before the session certainly helped us focus our time together and get the most from it. Finding a fitter like Adam who can make club adjustments in-house so you can test the results immediately is a great advantage too.

I was mentally prepared for Adam to recommend several changes, so coming away with only one is a great result. Dropping the 5 iron and adding another hybrid is just the sad reality of getting older I guess. But why make the game harder than it needs to be? It's certainly nothing to be embarrassed about, although I'm sure my friends will take the mickey about the number of head covers in my bag (until I take the money off them).

So if you're in the St Andrews area and want some good, honest, independent advice on your clubs, then I would highly recommend getting in touch with Adam. It's best to email him at adam@auchterlonies.com or pop into the shop and see if he's around.

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I have known Scott Gourlay for over 15 years, had several fittings and built up a high level of trust in the process. He has invested heavily in the facilities here at Swanston and their new UK facility at Chesterfield. He also has partnerships with Bernadus Golf Club and Goyer Golf and Country Club in the Netherlands. While the headline fitting cost may appear expensive relative to your local pro, you have to remember the service you are receiving. Not only do SGGT fit you for your clubs, but they also build them on-site, so you can be sure they will be to your exact specifications. Also, if you make a purchase, then your fitting fee will be deducted from the price of your order.

Fitting with SGGT

My appointment today was with Scott Fraser, who is their "Lead Fitter". I've had a few fitting sessions with Scott previously (wedges, drivers), so we know each other well. He even reads this blog and quickly got a couple of comments in about my putter(s)! All friendly banter. The session was filmed and may appear on their YouTube channel at some point in the future.

Once I'd finished chatting with Scott Gourlay, Scott Fraser and I had a chat about what I was hoping to achieve today. Find a solution that would be easier on my elbow and "at least" match the performance of my current irons. I am well aware that graphite shafts are not a "cure" for my tendonitis, as I know that it needs rest and rehabilitation, but I hope that graphite will help prevent a recurrence of the issue once I've stabilised it. We discussed what I've recently tried elsewhere, looked at my approach shot data from Tangent and discussed my normal shot patterns. Tangent identifies my biggest area for improvement as approach play, with distance control being the main issue. Some of this will be club selection and course management, but some will also be from strike consistency. Scott suggested we try the new P770 head with a selection of different shafts, then try some alternative heads before considering the merits or otherwise of re-shafting my current clubs.

The session started with 6i, gathering data for my current club, then trying a variety of different shafts, including KBS, Steelfiber i95, Fujikura Axiom, LA Golf, Oban and Accra. The intangible aspect of "feel" is really important to me, and it is something that is often talked about in other graphite shaft reviews I've read. The difference in weight with some graphite shafts can have a massive impact here. Having played KBS steel shafts for several years, we thought their graphite options could be a good fit, but they didn't work. Having played them previously, the Steelfiber felt familiar, but the numbers were poor. The Fujikura Axiom and LA Golf shafts get rave reviews, but didn't work for me. The shaft that felt best and produced the optimal results was the Accra TZi95. Interestingly, we tried it early in the fitting and then Scott swapped it in and out during the session. For my swing, it consistently produced the best results and, importantly, the combination with the P770 head felt great too.

One of the issues I have with my current KBS Tour Lite shafts is that if I "go after it”, I can be prone to hooking. The Accra TZi is stiffer in the tip section, so when Scott got me to hit it as hard as I could, we didn't suffer from the same draw/hook issue. Scott had also adjusted the lie angle on the 6i to make it 2° flatter, which additionally reduces the hook tendency.

The Trackman results below speak for themselves. Strike location with the new clubs was excellent, helping produce better ball data despite a slightly slower average swing speed. What was especially pleasing was the consistency of my carry distance, which should help me with approach play and club selection.

We then discussed alternative heads. Before the P770's, I played a variety of different forged cavity back irons and always liked them for feel. We tried several different heads today, but none were able to replicate or better the performance of the new TM P770. There is a subtle difference in feel between the old and new model heads. The new one feels a touch "softer" than mine with a slightly more muted sound on contact. We used the new P770 for the rest of the session.

Next, we moved to the Pitching Wedge. First, we visually compared it to the PW from my current set and then with other specialist wedges. With a fitting at SGGT, you have the option to switch out the PW from the set and use a specialist wedge instead. I was happy with the look of the P770 and saw no reason to switch. Starting with the standard lie angle, we immediately saw some left bias (shown below in blue), but adjusting the lie angle flatter improved the consistency.

Finally, we moved to the 8 iron, and things got a bit interesting here. Despite hitting the 6i and PW well, I initially struggled with the 8i. Scott took it to the workshop and found that its swing weight was two points lighter than it should have been. It seems I'm sensitive to swing weight changes! He added some lead tape to the head to bring the swing weight back up to D2, and we tried again. The target was to get 145y carry, and we hit it with the first swing. Result!

Given the improvement in carry distance with the new 6 iron, I asked Scott if we could check the gapping to my 5 hybrid. The average carry with that was coming in at 184 yards, so the gapping is actually better than it was before. Another result.

To finish the session, we looked at grip options. SGGT can blow grips on and off during the session, allowing you to try different models. This is another useful part of the service, as grips are expensive and you don't want to get them wrong. After trying a couple of alternatives, I decided to stick with my current Lamkin Sonar Blackout grips. I switched to them earlier this year and find they offer a good combination of soft comfort and tackiness (even when wet).

Conclusion

As promised at the start of the session, Scott and I discussed the merits of re-shafting my irons. Having assessed the cost of the re-shaft and checked eBay for the potential resale value of my old clubs, I decided to switch to the new P770's. By my "man-maths”, the cost to change was similar to the cost of re-shafting, so it was an easy decision given the improved performance we had seen.

The new clubs have already arrived, which gives me plenty of time to practice and get used to them over the winter, ready for the 2025 season and beyond. There was a pleasant surprise in the box too, an SGGT valuables bag with a sleeve of balls, some tees and a ball marker. That's a nice touch! My first round with the clubs was a winter league game in very cold conditions, so not a great test, but I was happy with the result. They are certainly more gentle on my elbow, and the improved feel experienced at the fitting continued to the course. I didn't hit a single pull hook either!

This was a comprehensive fitting session, and finally, I have a result. SGGT offer an iron fitting unlike any you find elsewhere, and, if you are as fussy as I am, you should consider using SGGT the next time you are looking to change (link).

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Fitting with Auchterlonies

Trust, familiarity with my game and wanting to keep the business local were my main considerations when going to see Adam. I must thank both him and Auchterlonies for the help and service they have provided, not just with this fitting, but with all the other things we've done over the last couple of years. With Adam, we are currently restricted to the manufacturer-supplied fitting systems and shafts; therefore couldn't try all the different shafts in the same head. Ping and Callaway are also introducing new fitting systems, resulting in not all of their shafts being available to try in all of their heads. Ping, for example, only had one graphite shaft I could try, and it was both too light and in the wrong flex. That's a bit of an own goal for both of them, as neither could provide an appropriate club for me at this time.

Like most fittings elsewhere, Adam uses 7i as the core fitting club. For a large percentage of golfers, fitting clubs this way will be absolutely fine. The extra reassurance with Adam is that he has the knowledge and equipment on-site to be able to check and review your set once you receive it. So if you find your gapping isn't correct or something just feels different from your initial fitting, then he can check all of the specifications and adjust them, or send the clubs back to the manufacturer if required.

We started the process by getting data for my club before seeing if we could find any alternative, graphite shafted iron, that could match or better its performance. The initial Trackman findings proved again that my irons fit me well, and if it wasn't for my tendonitis issue, then I really have no reason to change them. They hit the windows we want from a flight, carry, spin and landing angle perspective.

The Shaft Contenders

Aerotech Steelfibre i95/i110 with Mizuno JPX Forged Hot Metal Pro heads (what a mouthful). I still like the way these shafts feel and have played with them before. Unfortunately, the JPX head was a poor comparison with my P770's. Stronger lofts with the JPX resulted in more ball speed, less spin and more carry, so we couldn't really tell if the Steelfibre shaft would work in the P770 head.

Recoil Dart 95 stiff in Taylormade P770/P-7CB heads. This promised to be the most interesting option to try, and surprisingly, I got better results with the P-7CB head than the new P770. Unfortunately, I didn't like the weight or feel of the club, and it produced a wider left-to-right dispersion.

Ping Blueprint S head with Recoil Dart 75 reg. The Blueprint S was a club I really wanted to try, but unfortunately, only one graphite shaft option was available due to the fitting system changes mentioned earlier. It produced decent results in the studio, but it didn't really get a true test.

Accra icwt i95 stiff with Miura TC-201 heads. Miura is a premium brand and was not in my mental budget ahead of this fitting, but using this head was the only way I could try the Accra shaft. Typically, it produced the closest results to my club and was a serious contender until I discovered the price!

After the studio fitting, I was able to take the three clubs away to try on the par 3 practice loop at The Duke's. It was interesting to see how they compared there against my current clubs. Again, I found the same issue with directional control with the TaylorMade and Ping clubs. The best results came from the Miura, although it had the greatest front-to-back dispersion (not the most forgiving).

Conclusion with Aucherlonies

These are all great clubs, and I am appreciative of Adam letting me take them away for more testing. The Miura/Accra combination was the best of the alternatives, but not so much better than my own clubs to make me feel comfortable with their cost. My elbow felt more comfortable, but not my wallet.

The only way I can currently try a wider range of heads and shafts with Auchterlonies is if I wait until all the manufacturers finish upgrading their fitting systems and send Adam their full range of shaft options. I know that my golf is going to be much reduced over the winter months, but I still intend to practice and play when I can. As that will likely involve more range sessions off mats, finding a more forgiving shaft soon is even more pressing (too pressing to wait until Spring).

With that in mind, I discussed the option of re-shafting my heads with the Accra icwt shaft. However, this would be a speculative decision with no guarantee that they will produce the same results as the TC-201's. I would rather be able to try them in a P770 first before committing, but that incurs further opportunity cost on my part to have one of my clubs re-shafted.

So what do I do now?

That will be the subject of my next post......

This is the first time I've been to Kings Acre. It's located in Laswade, just outside of Edinburgh. The drive up to the clubhouse snakes through the course, and I must say it looked very nice. I really should make the effort to go back and have a game there. I was early for my appointment, and the fitter, Darren, was running a little behind due to very heavy traffic. I must compliment the clubhouse on a most fantastic bacon roll and coffee I had before I went through for the fitting. It was so good, I had another before I came home!

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Darren and I had exchanged messages before the fitting, where I explained what I was looking to get out of the session, which saved some time on the day. The priority was irons, so we started with an explanation of all the heads in the current lineup and how they are designed to perform. The head that is theoretically closest to my current Taylormade P770's is the 0317T, so we started with them.

The P770's were fitted by SGGT two years ago and have stiff KBS Tour Lite shafts. I hit 10 or so shots with my current 7i to establish a baseline. On the course, I would expect to see 150-155 yards of carry with about 5 yards or so of rollout and that was pretty much exactly what we saw. Spin was good, averaging a touch over 6000rpm (range balls are not great) and the decent angle averaged 42°. Pretty much a perfect fit! If I wasn't struggling with my elbow, I would have no reason to be here.

We then tried the 0317T irons and went with KBS and Modus 105 steel shafts first to establish if we could replicate the P770's performance before moving through the graphite options. We couldn't get the 0317T's to perform as well as the P770's so Darren moved into the new Gen7P head. This is a stronger lofted head that reportedly produces more ball speed. We immediately saw a jump in distance but spin and decent angle were not good. Despite cycling through several different shafts and head weight options we were not able to improve on the performance of my current irons. The closest we got was the Gen7P with an 8g back weight and MMT80 shaft. I have to say that they felt good and performed nicely but not enough to justify a change. It would appear I need to do something else to help with the tendonitis.

Having parked the irons, we moved on to my hybrids. After several sessions with Adam at Auchterlonies, I have moved to a 3 hybrid set-up and start my irons at a 6i. My 4&5 hybrid are Callaway Apex Pro heads and my 3H is a new model Paradym, all fitted with Tour AD-DI hybrid shafts. We established that the gapping works well with my irons and that I'm generally happy with them, although I'm more comfortable with the 4&5 than I am with the 3. It was going to be a tough act for PXG to follow. Darren tried me in the Black Ops head in 5, 4 then 3 lofts. We tried the MMT shaft that worked well in the irons, but it didn't produce the same results in the hybrids. We then tried the Tensei Blue before finishing with the Denali Blue, which produced the best result. The PXG head is larger than my Apex Pro's, but smaller than the Paradym and it was easier to hit than both. With the Denali shaft, it also produced better results in terms of flight, distance and decent angle - especially in the 4&3 heads. Oh dear, I only came to try irons, this may be about to get expensive! £309 for a hybrid seems ridiculous.

Moving onto the 3W, I am very happy with my current Ping G430LST. I originally had the MAX head but found it to sit too closed for my eye and I had a nasty habit of hooking it. I found a used LST head on eBay and have been delighted with it since I switched. It's set at 15° loft but on the flat setting and has the Ping Alta CB black shaft. The baseline shots for the fitting were all bullets! Darren suggested the Black Ops 3w. There is something about the head that again just doesn't fit my eye well. It's quite a deep face and also appeared closed, I thought the head was an odd shape too and preferred the look of my Ping. I struggled initially until we switched it to a flatter setting to make it look a bit more open. The best results came with the Denali shaft again, but there was no material improvement over the Ping. Perhaps dispersion, but it was marginal. The Ping was certainly longer.

Finally, we moved into the driver. My current driver is the Ping G430 LST, 10.5° set to 9.5° and flat, which makes it look open at address. It's fitted with the Kaili White stiff shaft. Driving is one of the stronger aspects of my game and this driver is a large part of that. Darren talked me through the different head options and after seeing how I hit the Ping, suggested we try the standard Black Ops head. I really struggled with it at first as it looked so different to the G430 and also appeared to sit neutral to closed. As we had the 10.5° head he moved it to 10° and set it to the flattest setting he could, This significantly improved the visual appearance. This time the Denali didn't produce the best results and it was the Diamana shaft that worked best. I was seeing a better ball flight with more carry and roll than I get with the Ping, but I just couldn't take to the look of the head. My smash factor lagged the Ping but I was seeing 4-5mph more clubhead speed with the PXG so there was potential for it to perform even better than it already was. However, I just couldn't get comfortable with the way it looked at address, and I don't think I could play it. I should possibly have tried the Tour model, but by this time I was getting a bit fatigued and we were almost out of time.

Wedges - we established that mine are fine.

Putter - I'm not in the market for a putter. Darren showed me the new Adam model though and I thought it was much nicer than the L.A.B. DF3 that I had earlier in the year. It's a much more traditional head shape and reminded me of the Blackjack model. If it combines the tech of a L.A.B. with more acceptable looks, then I think it will be a very successful club for them.

Conclusion

I went along today to try graphite shafts in irons and came away thinking I should look at getting new hybrids and maybe a new driver (again) too. It's not done anything to help my elbow tendonitis issue (I can tell you, it's sore tonight after hitting so many balls today) and may end up costing me way more than I first imagined.

The PXG fitting experience with Darren was excellent, and I would happily recommend him to anyone. He is paid a salary as a fitter, and while he makes his recommendations and gives you prices at the end, there is no hard sell. The fitting session itself is also free. I know the PXG adverts are loud and gaudy, but the products are good and perform as well, or better, than anything else on the market. The hybrids were a real surprise! With my fitting today, I also saw the best results from their standard (no upcharge) shaft offerings, which makes a change!

However, no purchases are being made right now as my priority remains trying to find a more forgiving shaft for my irons that will help ease the issue with tendonitis. With that in mind, I have a further brand-agnostic fitting appointment booked to see if we can find a solution. Once concluded with the irons, I'll take a further look at the performance of my hybrids and driver. This could be an (other) expensive winter!