A Fitting w/ Skyball - The Golf Lab

SwingMan · February 4, 2009

I was visiting Palo Alto on my way to Wine Country

Many of you have read Skyball's (Leith Anderson) posts as a member of this forum for several years.

I’ve also read Leith's Golf Equipment Chronicles with interest. In his search for knowledge, Leith has written of his quest for the perfect driver and perfect irons, for himself and his clients, who include members of the Stanford Golf Teams. You can read Leith’s monthly columns at http://www.golftodaymagazine.com/view.php?I=180

I’d always wanted a fitting for irons and not too long ago, I found myself with free time near Palo Alto, CA, home of Leith’s “The Golf Lab” and decided to visit. The Golf Lab is just west of Hiway 101. On the other side of 101 is the Palo Alto Muni where Leith plays and tests his creations.

Leith’s shop has two hitting bays with launch monitors and Max-Out Golf’s Shaft Max, which analyzes the golfer’s shaft dynamics and load efficiency. Leith also uses the SST Puring Process to stabilize shafts.

When I meet Leith, I find myself looking towards the ceiling. Leith is tall, yet a very approachable gentleman who seems genuinely interested in my game. He talks with me about my game (relatively non-existent), where I want my game to improve (consistency), strengths, weaknesses and goals. We discuss what we’d like to do, which is analyze my bag, check the lies dynamically, and see if the current shafts fit me (they don’t). I also explain that in the midst of middle age, I was open to graphite shaft alternatives.

After warming up, I keep on swinging, and Leith checks and adjusts the lie angle of my irons, makes suggestions as to my swing to improve the fitting. Then it’s on to the launch monitor where I hit 10 “decent” shots with my 6i. We analyze the findings together – ballspeed, swingspeed, spin, efficiency factors, etc. Leith hands me another club to analyze the results from another shaft, and after 10 “decent” shots, we repeat the process. We repeat it several more times with different shafts, analyze the results together, and narrow our choices.

Leith then wires me up to the Shaft Max, which is a golf club with a computer chip attached to the club and a wire to the computer – I take a few swings with the MaxOut club – it analyzes not only speed, but gives you the acceleration and tempo pattern throughout the swing, as well as your shaft load. I find out that I’m slowing down before impact and my tempo, umm, could be better, and that frankly, I don’t load the shaft well. It’s great information to tell my instructor when I return home.

We also experiment with counterbalancing the irons and look at the results with and without the weights on the launch monitor. We decide that counterbalancing does not help increase my ball speed. Leith suggests that when my swing overhaul is complete and the swing itself is more consistent, that I try counterbalancing again.

Leith and I talk about the results and decide while I’m certainly not a stiff flex, I’m not exactly a regular flex either. We discuss alternatives, weight profiles in the Aerotech Steelfiber Shaft lineup that would fit me, and make our decisions as to the irons, how they will be built, at what cpms, the length and swingweight.

It’s now 3 hours into the fitting, so naturally, we look at my 21 and 25 hybrids. Leith believes they are a little long and we decide to cut them ½ inch but retain the present swingweight in the hope they’ll play more consistently. I actually have a 30 degree hybrid and we decide to install the same model i95 shaft as in my irons.

Now it is onto the wedges. I have some new heads I’ve brought with me and we discuss which weight of Aerotechs to install. For the PW and Gap, we decide on the i110 since I use them mostly for full shots, and we go i125 on the 56 and 60 since I take a lot of partial shots around the greens with those wedges. Leith believes the additional weight will eliminate handsiness and smooth out the tempo on partial shots around the greens.

It’s now rush hour on 101, but Leith knows I’m interested in SST Puring and he shows me the machine and explains the process. He PURES a shaft, explaining what he is doing and why, and what the computer analysis says about the shaft before and after the SST Process.

A week later, I pick up my irons and hybrids. We test and adjust the lies dynamically, and it’s off to the Palo Alto Muni across from The Golf Lab to test the irons and hybrids. The irons feel great, the Aerotechs are a great success, are consistent, and are easier on my body. I’m also getting a few more yards from the clubs. I report back to Leith that everything looks great and I drive on to wine country. After a year, I still own the Ping i5s that Leith fit to me and they are in the bag.

I enjoyed working with a fitter such as Leith, who is fun, patient and knowledgeable. Leith is open to new ideas so discuss any ideas you have with him. He will explain his recommendations but is also open to your ideas and will consider them in your fitting. Always plan for plenty of time. Like many fitters I visit, they must take phone calls, do business and answer questions during a four hour timeframe. If you’re near The Golf Lab in Palo Alto, pay Leith a call. You will leave with a nugget or two. He also has lots of goodies such as Miura, Epon, Fujikura, Matrix, and Ozik. Leith is always adding new lines and ideas to help us as golfers and to expand his knowledge. Enjoy.

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Please Read this Disclaimer Which Is an Integral Part of my Post : My posts are merely my written opinions, fiction or satire. No one was intended to be harmed in the making of this post.