It has been a while since I last just posted a blog entry about anything other than a top 100 course picture review! However, I have recently had the opportunity (early Christmas present) to be fitted by one of Scotland's top golf club builders. Scott Gourlay of Scott Gourlay Golf Technology based at Craigmillar Park Golf club in Edinburgh is a talented guy, he specialises in bespoke custom fitting. I am using the term "bespoke custom fitting" to try and differentiate between what you get at SGGT and what you may have experienced at a golf retailer. I describe it as the difference between getting a suit from a high street shop that is then altered to fit you (golf retailer custom fitting) and a Savile Row handmade suit (bespoke custom fitting). What is this difference? In my opinion it is time and extreme personalisation.

SGGT started me off with a 3 hour session at their centre using trackman. They let me hit with my normal clubs to gather a base line data and also asked me some details about the feel, my normal golf game, biggest weaknesses etc. After trialling a number of different shaft options (weight, length, etc) Scott had the basis for my new clubs. He then spent a week or so building demo clubs for me to test. I returned the following week for another 2 hours session to test out 3 sets of demo clubs from UK based golf club manufacture Orka. I tried the GS5 OS, GS5 Tour SC and RS1. I have to say the RS1's felt amazing but being forged blades I am just not good enough to get the best out of these precision tools. However, I was surprised to find that the forged SC Tour was the club that I felt most comfortable hitting and gave me the best results after some tweeking from Scott! I also trialled their Hybrid and wedges which are all now part of my set up! For driver and 3 wood the decision was between TaylorMade, Orka and KZG and as good as the other options were KZG had some phenomenal results for me.

All in all I have spent 5 hours hitting balls, checking results and speaking with Scott to make an informed choice about which clubs are best for me. Scott even helped me to decide on how best to set up my bag - I would have had more woods but as I am not the longest hitter on the golf scene Scott has advised that more clubs at the top end are actually all running into one and I would be better with a better range at the lower end of my bag. This attention to detail is the key, Scott explained everything that he was doing and I have never felt more involved or confident in a set of clubs. In my previous experience of custom fit this meant hit some balls on trackman. Most of them did check the loft and lie but that was about it. A standard set of clubs but more importantly a standard shaft. I can't tell you how important it is to make sure you have the correct shaft for your swing. The bespoke custom fitting experience, like Savile Row suits, costs more but it is worth it.

The KZG & Orka clubs are now here and have had a few rounds and I am absolutely delighted. They look gorgeous in the bag, perform on the course and I am very confident that these clubs will help me to slash my handicap.

Driver KZG Driver GF 460

3 Wood KZG Q 3wood

Hybrids Cobra Baffler DWS 22* Loft

Hybrids Orka GS 5 25* Loft

Irons Orka GS 5 Tour Sc 6-PW

Wedges Orka J29V 52* & 56*

Putter Orka Type 1 P46