Q&A at the Mizuno National Fitting Centre
Picture: Mark Duncombe - Mizuno Custom Fitting Specialist
Earlier this month, Mizuno announced an extension to its public testing service with the opening of an English National Fitting Centre at Pachesham Park in Surrey which compliments Mizuno's first Fitting Centre in Cumbernauld, Scotland.
The new Mizuno National Fitting Centre is run by two hugely experienced Custom Fitting specialists in Mark Duncombe and Mark Yonwin whose task it is to help golfers discover which equipment best helps their game, without the pressure of being sold to.
Martin Park went to experience a one hour full fitting service in the hands of PGA Professional Mark Duncome to find out how the fitting process can benefit golfers.
Mark, it's been just over a month since you began with the new fitting centre, how has it been received by the public so far?
We've had an excellent start . Before we started we anticipated around 60 appointments in the first month , but we actually had 81 full fittings, which was way above our estimation.
What were you doing before you joined Mizuno at Pachesham Park?
Both Mark Yonwin and I worked at the Callaway fitting centre.
Can you describe to us which type of golfer is interested in being fitted for clubs?
We've had a great variety of people come in so far, men, women, young and old with all sorts of handicap ranges, so it's across the spectrum. We have had an average of 3-4 playing professionals each week, too which is testament to the quality of the centre here. The beauty of it is, everyone gets the same type of fitting whether you are a playing professional or a mid to high handicap player.
It all seems very modern and up to date with regards to technology here.
Yes, it is. We have some state-of-the-art equipment here such as the Vector Launch Monitor with Accusport software which measure ball speed, club-head speed, the launch angle, sidespin and the degree of direction where the ball starts. We can double check the measurements for accuracy with our own Mizuno radar. There is also a driving range simulator which tells you exactly where the ball is going, how far, carry, roll, everything.
While the technology is simply mind blowing to the average golfer, how do they know it's accurate when it comes to hitting the ball for real?
That's the beauty of working here at Pachesham Park. When we get all the right measurements and when the customer is happy with a particular type of club after comparing several styles that he or she is hitting well, we can nip outside the door and watch them hitting balls on the range. It's just so convenient to have an indoor and outdoor facility in one place. No other manufacturer in the UK has anything like this. Fitting from other manufacturers tends to be indoors purely and when they finally get to hit the ball outside, the ball flight can be vastly different. Here, we can physically see the results both indoors and outdoors.
So how is one hour of fitting spent with you?
We'll start with an indoor fitting to get the static measurements correct, which means the measuring for the right length of shaft by taking a hand-to-floor measurement to find the right length of shaft, the grip size and work on to checking for the right lie of club by using a hit-board with some tape underneath to show us which part of the club is connecting with the ground. We'll adjust the lie accordingly to how you hit the shot. After that, we'll take the dynamic measurements and find the correct shaft for your swing speed and tempo so we can find the middle of the clubface each time you swing. Once we have taken these measurements, the Mizuno fitting system can actually throw up options of clubs and shafts to try out on the launch monitor and compare each club and get a rating of how you perform with each individual model, shaft type, grip size and lie angle'and then of course on the range to see the ball in real time. When we've finally got somewhere close to the right club, we can really fine tune it on the Vector Launch Monitor and if needed, adjust the lofts to give maximum carry and the correct spin rate from the irons or any woods. This is an important part of the process and can really get you hitting the ball the optimum distance for your individual swing.
Many customers may have had fittings with other companies, would those measurements be the same for Mizuno clubs, too?
Actually, no. Each manufacturer has different standard settings and what we encourage our clients is to have an in-depth Mizuno fitting. That way, we can know exactly which are the best irons and woods, lofts, lies and shafts suits their game from a Mizuno point of view. We do things differently here as we do all the measurements and cross reference everything to get the exact clubs to suit each individual player. We use face tape to find out where you are hitting the ball on the club face, to make sure the shaft is correct, tape on the sole to make sure the lie is correct and once we've decided on a few options, we can head to the Vector Launch Monitor to compare various types of clubs. You'll be amazed what such a small difference in lie angle or shaft type or even club head type can make to your game.
But golfers being golfers, they can be quite set in their ways can't they, choosing to play a blade or a low handicap type club because they think it's best for their game?
This is true, but it doesn't often work to their advantage. Thinking you have the right club and knowing you have the right club are two different things altogether. We had a chap in recently who insisted he can play with his MP37 blades and hit the ball well with them. But when we measured him and after he tried out various clubs with several shaft options, he was hitting the ball so much better with a softer shaft than his own clubs in the MX23 irons, a large cavity back. All I asked of him was to keep an open mind and he went back to his pro and ordered a set of MX23s because they were by far a better club for him. That's the beauty of seeing your swing with the Vector Launch Monitor and comparing clubs, then going on the range five yards away and hitting balls to prove it.
Is the process the same with woods as well as irons?
Very similar indeed. The advantage we have here is that we have almost every conceivable combination of clubs, especially woods and the new MX Driver. We'll do all the measuring like we did with the irons and compare various clubs to see which gives you the best flight, carry and roll and most importantly, the one which help you hit the middle of the clubface each time. It's amazing what difference the right shaft and loft combination makes in the driver. Get it right and you could add some serious yards to your game. Get it wrong and you're fighting your ability all the time, which nobody likes! Again, we can help fit you with the right driver and fairway woods and now with Mizuno, you can even mix and match some iron sets so you have the best of the long irons such as the MX900s and work up to either MP60s or MP37s in your shorter irons. And then of course there are the wedges, another personal choice to make. The options are endless, but that's why we're here to help you choose the right set for you.
Is it somewhat of a myth that Tour players all use blades then?
Certainly with our players, yes. We have many tournament professionals on the European Tour, the Challenge Tour and the PGA Tour who use both the MP37s, the new MP60s and even the MX23s, which are very popular among many players, simply because they are so easy to use.
If someone wanted to come down for a fitting, can they just turn up?
No, not at all. All bookings have to be made in advance through their local Mizuno stockist and they can make an appointment through them. We don't sell any clubs here at all, we just do the fitting correctly and give the fitting details back to the pro, who will order them for you, should the customer wish to purchase a set.
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