American golf fitting good/bad?

macca64

Q-School Graduate
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
965
Location
Wilts
After deciding gainsborough is to far, wot was your fitting like ? ta all
 

markgs

Tour Rookie
Joined
Mar 21, 2013
Messages
1,167
Rubbish, all they want to do is sell you something so they can make commission on the sale, i have complained about this in particular there was one member of staff in swansea. It was like being in a market in turkey
 

BTatHome

Tour Winner
Joined
Sep 15, 2011
Messages
4,116
Location
Hampshire
I had no issues at all with my local AG and being fitted for my ping irons. I went in with an idea of what I liked the look of and tried a few options before deciding on the i20's. we then went through quiet a thorough testing of lengths/lies to figure out what my fitting was, all the time trying different head/shafts to get the optimal fit. Checked grip sizing too. Then all was sent off to Ping for them to make and got a price match with the lowest price I could find on the Internet.
 

stevie_r

Tour Winner
Joined
May 1, 2011
Messages
3,199
Rubbish, all they want to do is sell you something so they can make commission on the sale, i have complained about this in particular there was one member of staff in swansea. It was like being in a market in turkey

Depends on the shop. Clydebank is fine - plus it has a range there. Went for a fitting one freezing December morning and made it clear to them at the time that I would not be purchasing for a few months, once we were done I was told to pop back any time before ordering to check and double check if I wanted.

Missed out on a £100 discount deal just before I went to actually put my order in (missed it by a day) - they still gave me the discount. No grumbles about AG from me.
 

Wolfman

Tour Rookie
Joined
Dec 27, 2011
Messages
1,349
Location
Suffolk
Good reports for AG in Suffolk for me, excellent service and help selecting my PING G25 irons and good discount too

Its not the company its the staff, most AG in our area have excellent staff in general
 

Ethan

Money List Winner
Joined
Jun 30, 2009
Messages
11,788
Location
Bearwood Lakes, Berks
Obviously AG stores and staff vary in their knowledge, willingness to help and affability, but they are all operating under the same pressures and incentives . They want to sell you something and as chance would have it, that will often be the items with this months staff incentives attached. We also know that they tend to mess around with the launch monitor in order to enhance the results to make a sale.

I would go to a pro with fitting facilities. If you are prepared to go down to Basingstoke, Jason at Golf Principles is excellent and will fit you for any brand. If you don't want to go that far, Jonny Draycott at Drayton Golf Range near Didcot is a great guy and has trackman and other fitting tech.
 

Dan1984

Club Champion
Joined
Nov 23, 2012
Messages
88
Location
Stoke on trent
As above really, I suppose it vary's from store to store but from my personal experience I would steer clear from any fitting from them, I had a very costly bad experience with my local AG last year with some ill fitted "rocketbladez"
Unless I'm after something specific off the shelf I'll be staying away!
 

CMAC

Blackballed
Joined
Aug 5, 2011
Messages
15,122
Obviously AG stores and staff vary in their knowledge, willingness to help and affability, but they are all operating under the same pressures and incentives . They want to sell you something and as chance would have it, that will often be the items with this months staff incentives attached. We also know that they tend to mess around with the launch monitor in order to enhance the results to make a sale.

I would go to a pro with fitting facilities. If you are prepared to go down to Basingstoke, Jason at Golf Principles is excellent and will fit you for any brand. If you don't want to go that far, Jonny Draycott at Drayton Golf Range near Didcot is a great guy and has trackman and other fitting tech.

allegedly......... as a moderator I'd be wary of such statements without evidence, or can you present it?
 

mikee247

Challenge Tour Pro
Joined
Jul 6, 2011
Messages
618
I had no issues at all with my local AG and being fitted for my ping irons. I went in with an idea of what I liked the look of and tried a few options before deciding on the i20's. we then went through quiet a thorough testing of lengths/lies to figure out what my fitting was, all the time trying different head/shafts to get the optimal fit. Checked grip sizing too. Then all was sent off to Ping for them to make and got a price match with the lowest price I could find on the Internet.

I second this I had a selection of clubs to choose from and we went for the I20's and via AG. They didnt try and push the most expensive ones but I did know the manager there and hes an ex pro so knows his stuff.

I think its a bit of a lottery depending on individual shops for customer service but they do say that most of their managers are trained ex or current pros.
 

CheltenhamHacker

Journeyman Pro
Joined
Apr 22, 2013
Messages
1,933
Location
Cheltenham
If you don't want to go that far, Jonny Draycott at Drayton Golf Range near Didcot is a great guy and has trackman and other fitting tech.

Having just been down to Drayton, went in wanting a Taylormade RBZ, Jonny was brilliant and fitted me out for a new Ping Wood and Hybrid. I can thoroughly recommend him, and his ability to price beat the cheapest of websites was exceptional.
 

Iain.faulkner

Club Champion
Joined
May 19, 2013
Messages
75
I think for my local AG it's quite difficult to do the very best fitting they can as they don't have a range. I bought my beginners set and my first driver/iron set from my local AG and I was pleased with the service I got and felt that I came away with the right clubs for me. More recently, I went back for my second Iron set and found the service wasn't as good, there was definite pressure to purchase a particular set of clubs even though for me it didn't feel quite right (and I was told a few things that blatantly weren't true regarding buying Ping clubs). Best thing I did was go to my local pro, I explained the situation to him and he let me take out a 7 iron from the Ping G15 and the G25 and said play with them for a week come back and make the choice from there. He then did a custom fit and the irons feel amazing (plus I think it's a good thing to support the club in some way). I think what the majority are saying is right though, AG as a company aren't bad at fitting, it is probably more down to the individual. Definitely consider going to see your local pro, as mine said to me, he doesn't want to sell me a set of clubs that are wrong, as he will have to see me every week trying to play with them and having me complain to him.
 

macca64

Q-School Graduate
Joined
Jan 25, 2011
Messages
965
Location
Wilts
Ta all, opted for Tony Valantine in Swindon today, never pushy in anyway, and once even advised me not to buy a putter until I sorted the odd thing out stoke wise,
 

Coatsy79

Q-School Graduate
Joined
Dec 4, 2012
Messages
942
Location
Wiltshire
Ta all, opted for Tony Valantine in Swindon today, never pushy in anyway, and once even advised me not to buy a putter until I sorted the odd thing out stoke wise,

Was just about to suggest Tony's some good guys in there who know there stuff
 

Ethan

Money List Winner
Joined
Jun 30, 2009
Messages
11,788
Location
Bearwood Lakes, Berks
allegedly......... as a moderator I'd be wary of such statements without evidence, or can you present it?

A former manager told me so, but it was pretty obvious. I demoed a driver at an AG a couple of years ago and my 100 mph swing propelled the ball 280 yards through the air, apparently. That is impossible except at serious altitude. When I queried it, the sales guy looked rather sheepish and hummed and hahed about the settings sometimes going wrong.
 

HomerJSimpson

Hall of Famer
Joined
Aug 6, 2007
Messages
69,721
Location
Bracknell - Berkshire
Wouldn't touch AG for a fitting if they were the last option available. Some horrendous experiences at three different stores locally. I would try and use a manufacturer's fitting centre, an independant fitter or a club pro. I've heard good things about Direct Golf but having been burned by AG I'd be reticent to try another store
 

Imurg

The Grinder Of Pars (Semi Crocked)
Joined
Mar 15, 2008
Messages
35,774
Location
Aylesbury Bucks
I've only used their LM's in conjunction with my own club to get a comparison. As Ethan says, you can't be sure their numbers are right. I once hit several 3 woods nearly 270 on the fly.......

Interestingly, a while back, there was a fitting day at Milton Keynes for fairway woods.
In the write-up someone - possibly Fundy - was fitted for a Callaway FT 3 wood. Now I know for a certainty that this club had been on their shelves for nearly 6 months.

Not saying they were trying to get rid of it

Just sayin'.........
 
Top