At what stage should you custom fit ?

[bayjon14]

This may sound to many to be a stupid question, as most sources would encourage a custom fit as soon as you start playing golf.

As a relative newbie to the game of golf and a player committed to improving at what stage is a custom fit going to be of most benefit.

Their is no doubt of the advantages, and everyones rate of improvement differs but is their a magic stage were you should bite the bullet.

If for instance after a year of playing competitive golf you knock 4 strokes off your handicap and then plateau is this the time ?

 

[chrisd]

Everyone to their own but I would say it's a good idea from 18 handicap and less. By then, whilst your swing may not be perfect it should at least be the basis of how you will swing for a good while and therefore custom clubs should help


Chris

 

[SammmeBee]

When you're happy with your swing and you don't intend on takign any more lessons or swing changes.....

 

[RGDave]

When you're happy with your swing and you don't intend on taking any more lessons or swing changes.....

is a good answer.

Learn with any old regular sticks, get half decent with a similar swing every time and then think about it.

 

[bayjon14]

those are the responses I am looking for really. I was thinking along the lines of when you have the fundamentals too a good level and you are no longer knocking chunks out of your handicap.
Naturally we all room for improvement and obviously equipping yourself with the tools most suited to your ability will help make further chunks in reducing the magic handicap number.

 

[RGDave]

Naturally we all room for improvement and obviously equipping yourself with the tools most suited to your ability will help make further chunks in reducing the magic handicap number.

Maybe. Maybe not. I got C/F clubs after getting down from 24-8 over 3 years or so. I hated them and they did nothing for me.

However, IF you are in the market for new clubs - why not?

 

[chris661]

When you're happy with your swing and you don't intend on takign any more lessons or swing changes.....

So once you get custom fit you should never get another lesson????

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It is horses for courses. I've known guys get it done as soon as they start (usually the rubbish AG one but a C/F of sorts anyway) and others that wait until they feel they have something approaching a repeatable action. I've had C/F clubs and off the shelf and to be honest both have their merits although IF I was going to change again (ideally to the new TM's) the I'd look at a C/F purely for the choices of shaft alone

 

[SammmeBee]

No...if you get custom fit then you have a set of clubs that are made to suit best you, your current swing and set-up....change the set-up, swing and anything else then the clubs are then probably not the ones best suited to your 'new' swing.....

 

[Region3]

If you're buying new and it costs no extra to have it done then why not, unless you'd be too self-conscious hitting balls in front of a fitter/pro.

If you're buying second hand then I'd get someone's opinion on what flex shaft you should look for.

Whilst your swing is likely to evolve and get better it probably doesn't make a huge amount of difference in getting a particular lie angle or head shape, but playing with the wrong shaft can make a very difficult game even harder imo.

 

[Ethan]

When you're happy with your swing and you don't intend on takign any more lessons or swing changes.....

That should be never.

Custom fitting, at least a basic one, should be part of the purchase price of clubs, so you should never buy clubs without some consideration as to their suitability. That should at least involve someone seeing a few shots being hit.

For me, the basic question is head design (although that is not as big a deal as it seems) and shaft choice and fex. That IS a big deal. Whether the lies need adjusted by a degree or so is helpful but not necessary unless you have a stable swing.

 

[ScienceBoy]

If you're buying second hand then I'd get someone's opinion on what flex shaft you should look for.

Retro fitting is an option, the guy who put new shafts in my woods and driver offered to do the same for my irons and do any loft adjustments needed. I have recently got my MP-52s, got them second hand and they are standard ATM.

Worth doing I thinks after the great job he did on my woods.

 

[SammmeBee]

When you're happy with your swing and you don't intend on takign any more lessons or swing changes.....

That should be never.

Custom fitting, at least a basic one, should be part of the purchase price of clubs, so you should never buy clubs without some consideration as to their suitability. That should at least involve someone seeing a few shots being hit.

For me, the basic question is head design (although that is not as big a deal as it seems) and shaft choice and fex. That IS a big deal. Whether the lies need adjusted by a degree or so is helpful but not necessary unless you have a stable swing.

Depends whether you term that 'custom fit' or what any good Pro would do anyway when they are selling them to you...

 

[Alex1975]

When you think you MX100 have done there job(super game inprover clubs) and you want new irons you should get custom fit IMO.

If you still love the way they feel right now and were not looking to change your irons, stay with them maybe, less your well off for money.

 

[bayjon14]

thanks guys, all great views and each have their merits.

I am thinking along Alex's train of thought. I have a long way to go before I have out "outperformed" my current equipment.

Too add further debate, on a limited budget and when you have got to a game improving plateau what clubs are you better getting custom fitted:

Driver & Woods, hybrids (graphite shafts)
4/5I to PW
Short game wedges
Putters.

These questions may sound a little daft. But as a person who wants to get the most out of my ability and the game of golf your own experiences and tales of woe are very beneficial.

I am also sure I am not alone in this predicament and in reality we all take the advice of shop assitants with a pinch of salt.

 

[JustOne]

Money permitting I would be tempted to get custom fit straight away just to see whether or not there's any major flaws with your swing/setup etc (eg: you set up with the toe 4° down).... then I'd go home and work on my swing without buying anything

 

[viscount17]

My next clubs will be custom fit and the search is on.
Those I have at the moment were off the shelf in a sale with no effort by the retailer to check suitability - I hit a few balls with 4 different clubs and that was it. I hadn't found the forum then.

A club builder I've met has <u>very</u> strong views on fitting - not wholly unsurprising really. some of these are probably more than a little contentious, eg
c/f is of more benefit to high handicappers, and
the first thing a pro should do when you go for lessons is check that your clubs fit

As a new set is going to cost over £400 it makes no sense not to get fitted.

 

[Alex1975]

My experience is thus. I got all my woods/hybrids changed over the last year or so, all off the peg and all regular shafts. I tried all the clubs in their respective ranges and against the competition and picked them on feel and look, however I never considered anything but regular flex. I have just recently been fitted for irons and it turns out that I require a stiff shaft. I am not going to and cannot afford to replace my woods and am actually happy with them all apart from my 3 wood that I may change the shaft in. I will never buy another club without being fitted and I think anyone buying any club new club at any point should be custom fit.

 

[Split_Fairway]

i reckon you should get custom-fit once you get consistent shot-shape as that shows that at that stage you have a repeatable swing that is unlikely to change and possibly make any previously custom-fit clubs obsolete

 

[peterlav]

In my opinion, for anyone starting out, get custom fitted for your woods and hybrids and shop around for a second hand model in those specifications, and try and find a driving range with a chipping and putting green. Spend an hour on the range, then half an hour on the chipping green and half an hour on the putting green. Once you find a repeating swing and start to improve, then look at custom fitting other clubs in your bag.

Most important of all, Enjoy!!!