Drivers - "Cheap" vs Used vs Custom Fit

[r0wly86]

Bought my first custom fit irons when I was a 16 handicap they played a very big part in getting my handicap down to 8 .

flex probably isn't something you can do by trial and error. For the simple reason that there is no standardised flex rating across manufacturers. For instance you could find that a stiff of one brand is right for you, but that is actually a regular in a different brand.

Of course you can do whatever you like, it's your money and you can do what you want. For me it's definitely worth paying slightly more once, then sticking with it for years as it is literally built for you. Rather than chopping and changing every few season trying to find something that just so happens to suite you. I've had my current irons for 16 years, I will be changing this season, but as far as value for money goes, it's hard to beat. It works out as £37.50 per year of use. If you spend £250 on a set of irons you will have to use them for 6 years to get the same value.

That is unlikely if the set doesn't work for you particular well, as you will naturally look for another set that suits you more

 

[Sats]

It's totally down to you (the consumer); if you've got a budget then cheap is fine, as is used (generally with enough "shopping" you'll find one that matches you) and custom fit if you want to splurge.

Personally if I'm going to get new equipment then it's a treat to myself and I'll go full whole hog custom fit.

Lets not forget that this is our enjoyed hobby - why shouldn't you buy what you want (provided you can afford it.)

 

[HamiltonGuy]

Yeh I went custom fit for everything after always being off the shelf. Gives me one less thing to blame and mentally I feel more confident. Perhaps it’s just in my head but so much of golf is I suppose

 

[Orikoru]

Yeh I went custom fit for everything after always being off the shelf. Gives me one less thing to blame and mentally I feel more confident. Perhaps it’s just in my head but so much of golf is I suppose

Have you scores improved as a result?

 

[Beezerk]

I'd maybe tinker with getting fitted for a driver but not irons.
As an aside, I know if a lad who recently got fitted at AG for a set of one length irons, fleeced him for best part of £600, and yes he plays off 28.

 

[Deleted member 15344]

IMO always go and custom fit - even if you aren’t going to buy from them , but make sure it’s a decent custom fit - most AG’s aren’t the best but there are a few that are good. If not then 99% of club pros will be good and then you have the independent custom fit guys - excellent

I got down to 16 with my first of clubs - cheap of the net but was custom fit from a pro for my driver and it helped. Then I bought a set off the shelf and it was clear they were all wrong. So went to the same pro who I got my driver sorted and was custom fit a full set of irons - went from 16 to 4 over the next 3 years. Then last year I upgrade my bag and went to a Independent custom fit - Custom Lab Golf in Hitchin and it was brilliant service , my swing had clearly changed and was given different shafts with different loft and lie - took my a good few months to get used to them but now I’m loving them.

Will always tell someone to go and see a pro regardless of what HC they are - if someone is struggling on the day of a fit a decent pro will not sell you clubs based on a bad swinging day

 

[HamiltonGuy]

Have you scores improved as a result?

Yes however that could be a number of factors including playing more often (if I’ve paid that much for them they’ll be getting used) I do feel better about my game and personally anyone thinking about it and with the budget I would whole heartedly recommend it. I used our pro at the course for it which was handy as for a while if I wasn’t sure then he was always there to chat about it.

 

[Deleted member 1147]

With regards what handicap benefits most from CF; lower handicaps will probably only see marginal gains (unless their previous clubs were totally wrong), whereas higher handicappers can have massive improvements from small changes in their settings, shafts &/or head design.

I once saw a 25 handicapper drive 35 yds further by using more loft and a different shaft.
The fitting cost nothing, which is better value than trial and error.

 

[Robster59]

I had my first custom fit three years ago, carried out by Callaway at St. Andrews.
Spec was graphite shafts (I'd always used steel), 2 deg flat (I'd never have known that) and really enjoyed the fitting. Result is I'm hitting it more consistently and at my lowest ever handicap (at age of 60).
Alternately, I got "fitted" by AG at the Scottish Golf show and thir lad tried to fit me with heavier shafts and didn't even look at the lie. When I told this to the Callaway fitter his expression said it all.
I just wish I'd done it earlier. Yes, I paid more for the irons but have no plans to change them.

 

[Slab]

I'm still not sure what the measure/s are for a custom fit, are they trying to fit clubs based on performance (& gains) on a players good shots or on their bad (off center) shots or a combination of both (which by definition is already a compromise)

 

[Deleted member 1147]

I'm still not sure what the measure/s are for a custom fit, are they trying to fit clubs based on performance (& gains) on a players good shots or on their bad (off center) shots or a combination of both (which by definition is already a compromise)

In my experience CF's are about getting the most out of your game.
If you are after a new driver the aim would be added distance, combined with better accuracy - one doesn't have to be found to the detriment of the other (ie long but wild, or straight but short)
Irons may be for accuracy, distance control and/or distance.

This season I may get some new irons. What I'll be after isn't length, because I hit it a decent distance, but I will be after something that hits poorer strikes better. So I'm after better consistency and distance control.

A good fitter will find out about you, your game & what you are after before fitting you. He won;t just make recommendations based on how you are hitting that day.

 

[Slab]

In my experience CF's are about getting the most out of your game.
If you are after a new driver the aim would be added distance, combined with better accuracy - one doesn't have to be found to the detriment of the other (ie long but wild, or straight but short)
Irons may be for accuracy, distance control and/or distance.

This season I may get some new irons. What I'll be after isn't length, because I hit it a decent distance, but I will be after something that hits poorer strikes better. So I'm after better consistency and distance control.

A good fitter will find out about you, your game & what you are after before fitting you. He won;t just make recommendations based on how you are hitting that day.

Cheers, your view seems in line with what I hope they do, the bit about off center hits with irons in particular makes complete sense (i'm amazed at how 'off' I can be with my fly-z irons and still get a straight'ish ball flight) Wasn't fitted for them so either just lucky in my choice or all modern GI irons perform like this as standard (I mean half a ball off the grooves at the toe end)

 

[duncan mackie]

to provide a brief update, i thought i'd take a fairly risk free option of buying a used Ping G SF Tec for £170 (looked in really great condition).

Thinking I will give it a hit for a while and see how it is, if it works, great, if not, being a Ping I should be able to recoup a fair chunk of the cost back. I'll then get a custom fit and will have learned my lesson (but hopefully not the hard way).

Having read the whole thread I'm almost surprised you posted again - well done for sticking with it!

Driver fitting is more about shafts and set up than lie, length and launch - as you pointed out more than once.
You have some options for tweaking shafts and loft with your new club (that may, or may not, produce benefits to you depending on how well the ones in your club wor out the wrapping); but unlike some clubs you don't have weighting to play with (which may or may not matter again. Yours is a heel weighted model, and only time is going to tell you whether that's a good option for you now.
Good luck.

 

[ArnoldArmChewer]

But you couldn’t be more wrong about being fitted. People that aren’t fitted (regardless of ability) swing it to counter the faults in their clubs, rather than swinging clubs that are correct for them

A good fitter (if you were hitting a hook that wasn’t normal) would have found out your issues by talking to you, and potentially have sent you away to come back another day

^^ this, I had an iron fitting at Titleist St Ives, every iron I hit that day was akin to Guy the Gorilla playing, after about 40 minutes the fitted concluded it probably wasn't the best day to try and fit me and suggested I re-book when my game was back on track (no charge for the return fitting BTW)

 

[Oldham92]

Can I just add on here, is there a massive difference between a Ping G25 and G30? found one of each on eBay I'm considering