Mizuno began rolling out its Performance Fitting System in late October and noticed a significant uptick in custom clubfitting sales. The success is attributed to Mizuno’s Shaft Optimizer – a device that, in a matter of a few swings, can help golfers identify two or three shafts best suited for them.
Mizuno’s Shaft Optimizer collects swing data, which are used to recommend shaft options. This drastically reduces the time it takes to custom-fit clubs, and provides critical swing data that previously were unobtainable in basic fitting sessions.
“The shaft is the most difficult to diagnose as well as the most time-consuming,” said Bill Price, Mizuno’s custom fit program manager. To address that issue, Price said Mizuno researchers focused on “determining what’s happening to the shaft as it’s bending through the swing.”
The Shaft Optimizer is an LCD gauge that attaches to a 6-iron, and instantly measures swing vitals such as clubhead speed, tempo and shaft bend. It also calculates “release factor,” which indicates whether the shaft releases early or late–vital when selecting tip stiffness.
Information is uploaded into a software program that has logged the swing profile of the 44 shafts available in the fitting system. The computer provides the best matches. A golfer finishes the fitting session by testing the recommended options before making a final choice.
Over 1,300 retail golf and club locations are using the Mizuno Performance Fitting System. In addition to the shafts, it is stocked with four MP and four MX iron models.
(www.mizunomatch.com & www.mizuno.com)
Published on 15 April 2010
