Troon Partners
GEAR EXPERTS
Fixing Golfers with Equipment
By Scott Kramer
True Spec Golf is the world’s leading clubfitter, with 32 locations around the globe — including at the Boulders in Scottsdale, Ariz. — plus a partnership with Troon that deploys five mobile fitting units to Troon properties across the country. We recently spoke with Kris McCormack, True Spec’s vice president of tour and education, to find out the latest trends in golf equipment and fitting.
TROON: What are the hottest products out right now that you fit golfers for?
McCormack: Starting with drivers, there are a couple of really hot products that people are excited about coming in and asking for by name. Callaway’s Paradym has gotten a ton of traction on tour with Jon Rahm making it look really good. And the same kind of story with the Ping G430. TaylorMade Stealth 2 and 2 Plus — watching Tiger Woods come back and outdrive Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas using TaylorMade’s drivers was definitely a good boost in the brand’s market. Titleist’s TSR 2 and 3 have been extremely good for us. Everybody out there is making really good product. It’s just whether that product matches well for how golfers deliver it to the ball and where they strike it on the face.
What about irons?
There are a bunch of good irons, depending upon the player type. The new Cobra King series is solid top-to-bottom with the King Tour, CB, and MB. The new redesigned TaylorMade P770. A sleeper for higher-handicap players is the TaylorMade Stealth HD — for a player struggling to get the ball airborne or with a little bit of a right miss, it’s built with a lot of hybrid technology. So, it’s extremely easy to launch, is very forgiving across the face, and just wants to hit the ball high with spin which most players in that category need. And if you’re looking for something with a ton of ball speed behind it and hits the ball a mile, that’s the Callaway Paradym iron. It’s just an absolute beast when it comes to ball speed.
True Spec is brand agnostic, yes?
Correct. We educate our fitters to fit the player and not the product. We often have clients come into their fittings with brand bias or brand loyalty towards a certain manufacturer. They say, “I’m a “Titleist guy,” or “I’m a Callaway fan.” But we simply let the numbers dictate what equipment is best for their swing and their game. We also take into account what “feels” right for the client, because feel is one component that we can’t fit for.
What’s been the biggest equipment surprise of 2023 for you?
The TaylorMade Stealth 2 Plus fairway wood’s versatility and adjustability fits a huge spectrum of players. And it really does give you an opportunity to fine-tune launch and spin with moving the loft sleeve and that big 50-gram block of weight in the sole.
What are the most common requests you get during fitting sessions?
Everybody’s chasing distance. Players want the Holy Grail of higher, further, and straighter. More-seasoned players are trying to regain distance or to essentially keep the distance that they have.
How often do you realize golfers are playing the wrong specs for their swing?
When you purchase clubs off the rack, you’re playing the golf club lottery. The likelihood you find something that actually fits and is what you need is virtually slim to none. Most people who come to us, I can find something in their bag that I can improve upon. Players who have never been fit, I’m looking at a 14-for-14 club improvement.
Can you help people with their putting?
You use the putter more than any club in the bag. But since everybody’s chasing distance, the putter often gets neglected. Many times, I’ll bring that up during a driver or iron-fitting session that if we really want to improve scoring, let’s take a look at wedges and a putter. There are so many different putter features to dial in to control the face angle through impact, help with alignment, and match models to a stroke. I wish more people did putter fittings.
For more Information, visit www.TrueSpecGolf.com.
