Do driver fittings work?

[phillarrow]

I don't mean the kind of quick fitting available in major stores, where they're generally just looking at what flex shaft your swing speed puts you in, I mean the kind of full fitting from places like TourX, Scottsdale etc. where they're looking at a wider variety of shafts, heads, lofts etc?

For those that have been for 'proper' fitting, did it make much of a difference? Was it worth the time and money?

 

[SimonC]

It all comes down to whether or not your current driver fits you well or not. Some people can gain significant yardage whilst others may not. I've seen plenty of videos where people have an ill-fit driver and they gain 40 yards but I do t think this is the norm. For me I know my numbers are pretty much optimal so a driver fitting wouldn't make as much of a difference, more than likely for me it would be a tighter dispersion.
I've got a Stealth Plus arriving on Monday but I will be going to Tour Issue Golf for a driver fitting once my swing is closer to where I want it. I know I may be wasting money with the pre-ordered Stealth but I got it at a discounted price so probably won't lose much if any money on it if something else beats it during the fitting.

 

[Bratty]

I went to Precision Golf to get fitted for my driver and it was absolutely worth every penny.
I now have a driver I feel confident reaching for. Even if I don't then hit a good one it doesn't stay in my head.
Tried 6 driver heads with 2 shaft options and it was a night and day between some of them. The Sim Max only needed 3 hits before I handed it back. Carved everything right, which is what I was trying to fix.
Ping G425 SFT just refused to miss way right. Still faded, but I really couldn't smash it miles right.
Was great to see the numbers and be more assured of what each driver did compared to each other.
If I hadn't got fitted, I would likely have gone for the Radspeed which was getting rave reviews or a Mizuno to match the 3 wood and hybrid. So glad I didn't, as neither suited.
I was very clear in the fitting i didn't care aniut increased yardage, I wanted decreased dispersion. And that's what I've ended up with.
Made a big difference for me.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Yes. Although it is always dependent on the quality of the fitter. I think if you go to a reputable fitting centre like the ones mentioned (although I'd add Silvermere locally to me) then you won't go wrong. Most are good and if you are hitting your own driver and they can't find something that adds a degree of distance or dispersion they won't give you the hard sell

 

[SteveW86]

I went to Precision Golf to get fitted for my driver and it was absolutely worth every penny.
I now have a driver I feel confident reaching for. Even if I don't then hit a good one it doesn't stay in my head.
Tried 6 driver heads with 2 shaft options and it was a night and day between some of them. The Sim Max only needed 3 hits before I handed it back. Carved everything right, which is what I was trying to fix.
Ping G425 SFT just refused to miss way right. Still faded, but I really couldn't smash it miles right.
Was great to see the numbers and be more assured of what each driver did compared to each other.
If I hadn't got fitted, I would likely have gone for the Radspeed which was getting rave reviews or a Mizuno to match the 3 wood and hybrid. So glad I didn't, as neither suited.
I was very clear in the fitting i didn't care aniut increased yardage, I wanted decreased dispersion. And that's what I've ended up with.
Made a big difference for me.

Like a small child waiting for mine to arrive

 

[Deleted member 15717]

Yes. Massive difference.

I went to Golf Principles for my driver fit (and other woods too), and the driver I have now is a revelation. I don’t fear a big right miss unless I put a very, very bad swing on it.

it wasnt the cheapest, so you have to go in expecting to pay a bit more - but it is what it is.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

Yes

 

[Bratty]

Like a small child waiting for mine to arrive

What did you go for and who did your fitting?

 

[SteveW86]

What did you go for and who did your fitting?

TSi2 , fitted at Precision by Mark.

 

[2blue]

Yes

& a Yes from me

 

[Bratty]

TSi2 , fitted at Precision by Mark.

Nice. Hope it works as well for you as mine does for me. And hope it arrives soon!

 

[SteveW86]

Nice. Hope it works as well for you as mine does for me. And hope it arrives soon!

They have all the parts there, just need to build it so shouldn’t be too long now.

 

[Backsticks]

They have never provided any evidence that they do, so the jury is out, at best. Nor is there any theoretical rationale provided that they will improve your golf, generally limiting themselves to fenced-in talk of things like optimising your spin rate and so on, without quantifying the effect of that on real world golf performance. A good test is to let them run their measuing equipment with you swinging your current driver, and then ask how many shots handicap reduction do they think they could deliver by changing your driver or its specs. If they follow that, your mileage will vary, hard to say, etc, then walk.

 

[Bratty]

They have never provided any evidence that they do, so the jury is out, at best. Nor is there any theoretical rationale provided that they will improve your golf, generally limiting themselves to fenced-in talk of things like optimising your spin rate and so on, without quantifying the effect of that on real world golf performance. A good test is to let them run their measuing equipment with you swinging your current driver, and then ask how many shots handicap reduction do they think they could deliver by changing your driver or its specs. If they follow that, your mileage will vary, hard to say, etc, then walk.

Buy they can't answer the question about handicap reduction because that will be down to more than just the club(s) they're fitting someone for. A new driver won't stop me 3 putting or duffing chips, and new wedges won't stop me taking 3 off the tee every now and again.
My fitter asked me what I wanted from a new driver, and I replied more consistency and a reduction in slices. When he observed my swing, he noted that my path was out to in, but repeatable. What I did struggle with was squaring the face. The Ping g425 SFT has a 23g weight in the heel which encourages the head back to square.
No talk about spin or launch angles or any of that. Just an answer to what I asked for.
I now hit far more fairways and even the misses aren't huge. 3 off the tee and chipping out of trees is certainly reduced.
Has it improved my handicap? No.
Has it seen me unbeaten in 5 league matches and through the semi-final of mens and mixed pairs? Yes.
Has it given me far more confidence? Yes.
Good enough for me.

 

[Boomy]

They have never provided any evidence that they do, so the jury is out, at best. Nor is there any theoretical rationale provided that they will improve your golf, generally limiting themselves to fenced-in talk of things like optimising your spin rate and so on, without quantifying the effect of that on real world golf performance. A good test is to let them run their measuing equipment with you swinging your current driver, and then ask how many shots handicap reduction do they think they could deliver by changing your driver or its specs. If they follow that, your mileage will vary, hard to say, etc, then walk.

Utter cobblers ?

 

[garyinderry]

A driver fitting can optimise your good shots. If you have a seriously I'll fitting driver it can reduce the things that make your bad shots really bad. Face always open they can close that a bit. Launching the ball to high or low, they can adjust that.

Make no mistake. People still hit fitted drivers all over the shop.

 

[Larry long dog]

Guessing all the aforementioned fitters do iron fittings too? How much time do you get? I think I’d need an hour and half for irons and maybe an hour for woods? Guessing there’s a charge if you choose not to buy?

 

[Larry long dog]

Previously I’ve ruled out irons on the basis they weren’t as aesthetically pleasing to the eye-I’ve been Mizuno for 20 years…but think I’d be more open to change if the feel and numbers were working out if I had a proper fitting (instead of the likes of AG). Granted there would still need to be an element of attractiveness to them as if I started hitting them badly, I’d put it down to their looks and not my swing ?

 

[Boomy]

A driver fitting can optimise your good shots. If you have a seriously I'll fitting driver it can reduce the things that make your bad shots really bad. Face always open they can close that a bit. Launching the ball to high or low, they can adjust that.

Make no mistake. People still hit fitted drivers all over the shop.

Of course they do. The best players in the world still hit drivers all over the shop at times. But as you say, getting fitted and getting the set up fundamentals right at least gives you the best chance to hit your best shot.

 

[Bratty]

Guessing all the aforementioned fitters do iron fittings too? How much time do you get? I think I’d need an hour and half for irons and maybe an hour for woods? Guessing there’s a charge if you choose not to buy?

Precision Golf does:
1.5hr driver fitting, £125
2 hrs iron fitting, £175
1.25hr wedge fitting, £85
and loads more, but I couldn't be bothered to go through them all.
You pay in advance. If you don't buy anything, no refund. If you do buy something, no discount on clubs. I had no problem with that.
London Putting Academy, Matthew Johns, at Royal Blackheath golf club, charges £80 for an hour's fitting and you get 50% discount if you buy a putter. I had no problem with that either.
Some companies offer discounts or refunds, others don't. These are the only two companies I can speak of though.