The second question to answer is shaft flex. A common fitting flaw is belief that stiffer shafts will be more accurate because shaft will not torque as much as a more flexible shaft. (torque is twisting of a shaft because of a miss hit shot). However, with today’s technology many manufactures make a softer flex shaft without sacrificing torque. Players can determine what flex they need by simply knowing what club they hit from certain yardages.

The third question to answer is determining what kick point would best benefit that player. Most golfers would love to hit ball a little higher. A lower kick point would achieve a higher ball flight. Alternatively, if player tends to have a rather steep outside-inside swing, a mid to high kick point shaft would help them keep ball flight lower.

The final question to answer is, “what length should golf club be?”. Most graphite wood shafts come 45”-46” and once installed, overall golf club will be over 47”. So determining appropriate length for that golfer is critical. With titanium drivers, a lot of folks subscribe to “as long as you can control it” mentality. However, it is critical that irons be cut at a length that is suitable to that particular player’s height & distance from their hands to floor. With today’s technology and vast amount of products to examine, an experienced club fitter can truly solve shaft mystery.

I was now feeling a little more confident when Sensei pointed out that there were six young dan grades who had arrived late and were respectfully waiting for permission to come onto mat. Sensei asked me to show them what we had been teaching so far, they were all wearing black gi's and when I approached and invited them on mat, they scowled as if to say "hey, we have not traveled all way from London to be taught by a women" as I showed first technique "nikkyo" a wrist locking action, first guy tried to resist me, I applied technique as shown to me so many times by Sensei and almost put him through mat. I thought he would be upset with me, but as he got up he asked "How did you do that?". He then wanted me to do technique on all others, now I had their attention and they were a great bunch of guy's. I really enjoyed teaching them. At end of seminar, as we were leaving hall to head for car park, these six guy's were waiting in a line and bowed to me simultaneously with a smile and said to Sensei Ellis " You have a strong lady assistant there ,sensei" Sensei replied " That is why she is my assistant". That was my first seminar and one that I will never forget.

I have been involved in many other seminars with my Sensei and they were always good, but I was never so overawed as I was at my first one, or so I thought. Then Sensei Ellis asked if I would like to visit New Mexico in USA for a seminar. The seminar was to be held in Alamogordo NM, where Sensei's USA representative in US lives and works at Space Museum. Sensei visits New Mexico every year and we have another Ellis dan grade in Texas, Al Montemar. I had always wanted to visit US and jumped at opportunity. We made trip into a vacation for friends and family. We taught members of USAF and German Air Force at Holloman AFB, which included a guided tour of base and various fighter aircraft, including Stealth bomber. Sensei Rogers is an instructor who teaches students from USAF, Highway Patrol, police and some members of United States Marshals.

While in US, I also visited Grand Canyon and Phoenix. I intend to move to Phoenix to live within next two to three years. Sensei Ellis has a book on aikido coming out next spring in US titled "Positive Aikido" which I am pleased to be featured in, Sensei Rogers is a journalist by profession and has worked on this book for past two years and it will be published in US. There are several publishers interested in book so we are all very excited about this latest project. I hope to be visiting US again next year and I hope to be there for launch of book.which was released in December 2004 by www.Trafford.com

For martial artists out there I would like to add one more comment about book. Where as most Aikido books spend a great deal of time harmonizing with planets and universe, there will be none of that in this book, Sensei always tells students to come out of clouds and get back on tatami because "This is where it all happens" and he also often says " leave dancing to Fred Astair" (who is Fred Astair?).

Anita Wilson Assistant to Sensei Ellis