WAY BACK ON a rainy day in May, I went for a custom swing fitting for a new TaylorMade JetSpeed driver after an invitation to attend from SunLand Golf & Country Club general manager Tyler Sweet.
Sweet and SunLand had only just received their TaylorMade fitting cart and a new launch monitor with Doppler tracking to use with SunLand members and any member of the public wishing to up their games.
The review was an enjoyable experience, anytime you can leave work to go hit golf balls for an hour, even in a rainstorm, is an hour well spent.
SunLand’s range provides a true test of your game, there’s no downhill run or uphill crawl to your ball, just a flat expanse of former farmland that provides an accurate gauge of how far you can hit each club.
I was rusty, having not picked up a club for awhile, but I swung away, and my ball speed, launch angle, deviation angle, backspin and sidespin were all tested by the launch monitor.
Hitting a driver has never been a strength in my game.
When I was learning the sport in high school, I took my driver out of my bag and played with a Byron Nelson 2-iron from my grandfather’s collection and a 3-iron from my first set of store-bought Wilson clubs.
I could have used my grandpa’s 1-iron, but even as a novice I had heard of Lee Trevino’s famous quote: “Stand in the middle of the fairway and hold up a 1-iron. Even God can’t hit a 1-iron.”
Trouble came with every drive. I’d top the ball, or send it hooking right to left.
Later, I’d incorporate a TaylorMade Burner driver from Puetz Golf into my bag, a club that I would love when it went straight, but become angry with when, more often than not, it went awry. So I knew I needed to pick up a better-performing club.
After the fitting I received my results: I needed a highly-lofted club, one with a lower spin rate to help me get my worm burners back up in the air.
Then the club came in, with a high 13 degrees of loft, a light weight of just 49 grams and a 46-inch Matrix Velox shaft.
I’ve used the time since to improve my drives and wish I could custom fit the rest of my clubs to match this one.
The speed pocket on the club, a groove cut into the sole of the club to allow the face more flex, puts the center of gravity up near the face, helping to improve ball speed and lower spin for more distance.
It also has an adjustable hosel that can be changed up or down 1.5° in three stages.
I’ve enjoyed using the club, getting solid results, a drive of between 230 to 240 yards on average (Bubba Watson I am not) and most importantly, improving my confidence on the tee box.
The most important takeaway— if you are serious about golf, make certain your clubs are custom fitted.
Otherwise you are basically wasting your time out there.
SunLand winter rates
I skipped over SunLand last week in my roundup of winter rates at area courses.
No malice intended, just an oversight on my part and I apologize.
Sweet passed along the rates for public play on the course which is available on weekends.
Green fee for an 18-hole round of golf is $25, $15 for a nine-hole outing.
To get in the game, phone SunLand at 360- 683-6800, ext 12.
Discovery Bay update
Discovery Bay Golf Club near Port Townsend has added a new two for one green fee special every Thursday in the month of November.
This is in addition to the club’s yearlong two for one Tuesday promotion. This brings the fee down to $12.50 per person when playing as a twosome or foursome.
Discovery Bay is also hosting the club’s annual Turkey Shoot tournament on Saturday, Nov. 22.
This event will be an 18 hole individual gross and net stroke play format with honey pot included.
Play tees off at 9 a.m., with entry fees of $20 for members, $30 for nonmembers.
Players have a chance to bring home a Thanksgiving turkey in time for the greatest holiday ever invented in my humble estimation.
Anyone interested in signing up can do so by stopping by the golf shop or calling 360-385-0704.
Discovery Bay also is running a food drive to help stock Jefferson County food banks this winter.
Anyone who brings in a nonperishable food item for donation will receive 10 percent off a regular green fee (before 1 p.m.) that day.
Hilltop Open in the sun
Port Townsend Golf Club had a solid turnout of 20 teams playing in sunny skies during the 2014 Hilltop Open last Saturday.
“The sun stayed out and the course played great with the greens healing up nicely,” Port Townsend director of golf Gabriel Tonan said.
“All in all great scoring conditions to be had.
“Thanks to all those that participated and a special thanks to Judith Lundgren of the Hilltop for the traditional lasagna feed post-tournament.”
Port Townsend will host it’s own Turkey Shoot tourney on Saturday, Nov. 22.
A 10 a.m. shotgun start and two-person teams will play nine holes of best ball, and nine holes of scramble play.
Cost is $25 per player, with $10 in green fees for nonmembers.
Phone PTGC at 360-385-4547.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or pdngolf@gmail.com.
