American Golf Tour Truck Club Fitting

[LB2107]

Morning all. New to the forum and hope ive posted this in the right spot.

I'm booked in later this afternoon with AG for a full bag club fit, but rather than in store with a salesman, its on there Tour Truck with what is supposedly their 'lead fitter'.

Presume this has been asked many times over the years, but what should i be looking for in a good fit? They'll be using Flightscope so head speed, spin and angle should all be monitored.

I suppose i'm concerned that its just going to be another salesman trying to sell me their 'latest top commission offer' or affiliated brand (Wilson) and not actually whats right for me.

Does anyone have any experience with AG for a fit?

It will be my first ever fit for my first real set of clubs. So far i've managed with SportsDirect Donnay/Dunlop woods and a set of 3rd hand Taylor Made Irons that are now about 16 years old. I've got myself down to 19 but feel to make the next step i need to update my equipment. If i'm going to be spending a fortune i want to make sure its right.

Thanks

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Morning all. New to the forum and hope ive posted this in the right spot.

I'm booked in later this afternoon with AG for a full bag club fit, but rather than in store with a salesman, its on there Tour Truck with what is supposedly their 'lead fitter'.

Presume this has been asked many times over the years, but what should i be looking for in a good fit? They'll be using Flightscope so head speed, spin and angle should all be monitored.

I suppose i'm concerned that its just going to be another salesman trying to sell me their 'latest top commission offer' or affiliated brand (Wilson) and not actually whats right for me.

Does anyone have any experience with AG for a fit?

It will be my first ever fit for my first real set of clubs. So far i've managed with SportsDirect Donnay/Dunlop woods and a set of 3rd hand Taylor Made Irons that are now about 16 years old. I've got myself down to 19 but feel to make the next step i need to update my equipment. If i'm going to be spending a fortune i want to make sure its right.

Thanks

Yes I have been fitted in the past by AG and in all honesty it was no better or worse than others including Mizuno, club pro', and The Belfry.

BTW since when were Wilson an affiliate of AG?

 

[Duckster]

I've bought clubs from AG, but wouldn't ever go back to them for a fitting. Granted, at the time I thought I was getting good service but since then I've seen proper fittings being done and AG simply didn't cut the mustard.

They are (mainly) just young lads that like to think that they are golf pro's and can fit everyone. They can't. All that matter to them is getting the sales commission.

You'll probably get a better service going to your local club pro who has been doing it for years.

Sorry about the negative reply.

 

[ger147]

I've had a few fittings from my local AG and I have had no issues at all. Friendly, knowledgeable and no pushing to try and make a sale or pusing one brand/club over another.

I'm sure others will be along shortly to say the opposite but I can only go on my personal experiences and they have all been very good.

 

[Deleted member 16999]

I've had good experiences with AG and heard some bad experiences, simply use it as another tool in the box, enjoy it, listen to what they say and if unsure, question, then you can decide to proceed or get a second opinion from another source. Difference with the truck to the shop, is that the guts on the truck always know what they're doing whereas the shop you can come across someone far less knowledgeable.

 

[Duckster]

I've had good experiences with AG and heard some bad experiences, simply use it as another tool in the box, enjoy it, listen to what they say and if unsure, question, then you can decide to proceed or get a second opinion from another source. Difference with the truck to the shop, is that the guts on the truck always know what they're doing whereas the shop you can come across someone far less knowledgeable.

I'll hold my hand up that I've never been on the truck. Paul makes a lot of sense though as they do fittings day in day out, so should be pretty decent at it.

 

[LB2107]

Yes I have been fitted in the past by AG and in all honesty it was no better or worse than others including Mizuno, club pro', and The Belfry.

BTW since when were Wilson an affiliate of AG?

Thanks for the reply. Re Wilson, i'm not sure. When i called them to make the appointment, the automated message before connecting me made reference to them being an affiliate or 'official partner'. Can't remember the exact phrasing now.

 

[LB2107]

I've had good experiences with AG and heard some bad experiences, simply use it as another tool in the box, enjoy it, listen to what they say and if unsure, question, then you can decide to proceed or get a second opinion from another source. Difference with the truck to the shop, is that the guts on the truck always know what they're doing whereas the shop you can come across someone far less knowledgeable.

Thanks for that Paul. I keep reading about how important fitting is and just want to make sure i get it right.

 

[LB2107]

As a side note/question, i'm also left handed. I presume that makes things a little more tricky in terms of choice etc when going for a fit?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

As a side note/question, i'm also left handed. I presume that makes things a little more tricky in terms of choice etc when going for a fit?

Welcome along. I knew a manger at a local AG and for a time was looking at working for them and Wilson are one of those brands (Yonex, Nicklaus as well) where their margins are biggest and I was told at the time these were ones the store staff were encouraged to push the most.

I assume you went along? How did it go?

 

[LB2107]

I was really impressed actually, thanks for asking.

It was with their main fitter, called Lewis Baker. He travels the country for AG going round their stores and golf shows etc and fitting customers. He had flightscope and GC2 with him but being indoors, got me going with GC2. My appointment was for an hour, but in the end he had 2hrs with me, and that was just for irons. Didnt have time to move onto fairways/driver as i had to leave. It was my first ever fit so he wanted to spend as much time with me as possible so i got what i needed from it. He was a really genuine, nice bloke and having done some research beforehand, knew that he wasnt bluffing me as id seen GC2 previously on various online videos.

Warmed up, then hit 10 shots with my existing 7 iron. Looked at the data then took my height, wrist to floor measurement and size of hand. He looked at my existing club, which was a graphite shafted TM burner, and straight away based on GC2 data suggested i needed steel shafts. Club head speed was averaging about 78mph, with ball speed about 90mph and high spinning (cant remember the figure for this).

He set me off with the Ping G series. My measurements put me right on the limit between standard and half longer length, so started half longer. 3 or 4 shots and it soon became clear i needed standard length and the shaft was way too heavy. In addition to the G series, i tested TM RSIs, Calloway XR 360 cup face and Wilson Staff D200, taking his recommendations based on GC2 figures which i could see for myself.

After everything i said, everything pointed me to the Wilsons. Club head speed up to nearly 90mph, ball speed 115mph and gaining 18 yards on my original club. That was with an 85g steel shaft. He then looked at strike, angle of attack and grip to make sure the head/grip didnt need altering. It showed i was hitting very fractionally out of the toe but not enough to change lie so to compensate, suggested i have a slightly thicker grip which he said should help. Webt through all the grips and settled on the right one.

All in all a fantastic experience and id really recommend it.

 

[chrisd]

I saw a fitting by the tour van guy about 18 months ago and I have to say I was impressed by his honesty and professionalism

 

[Three]

How can American Golf have a "Tour Truck"??

A tour truck is what the major manufacturers take to professional golf tournaments to service the top players, since when have American Golf done that?

Sounds like a marketing con to make people think they're getting a service that the top Pros get.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Because it's a truck set up like a manufacturer tour truck and travels the country - the best thing about AG. Always full of very good club fitters with some of them from manufacturers your trucks who fit the pros

They have been doing it for a while

 

[AMcC]

Great write up, seems to have been very well done and you certainly seem to have enjoyed it. So, when do you get the new shineys?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

They set the truck up no different to a tour truck without being tied to a brand. So much better than a shop fit and the OP sounds like they've had a great session