Fitting Fees

[pendodave]

It's his job. He has to pay tax, rent, energy, insurance etc etc etc out of the rate he charges. Let's say that it takes 3 or 4 hours to do the fitting and another hour or 2 to do the admin, ordering, checking/building of clubs when they get in. That's an hourly rate of around £50.
This is for someone that, by all accounts, is at the top of his game and has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft.
I'm not entirely sure why people think that people who provide a service shouldn't be paid for it. They have houses to buy, kids to feed, cars to run.

Now, you could argue that it's an amount of money that handicap golfers could spend better elsewhere if they wanted to lower their scores, but that's a different rabbit hole altogether.

 

[Ethan]

It's his job. He has to pay tax, rent, energy, insurance etc etc etc out of the rate he charges. Let's say that it takes 3 or 4 hours to do the fitting and another hour or 2 to do the admin, ordering, checking/building of clubs when they get in. That's an hourly rate of around £50.
This is for someone that, by all accounts, is at the top of his game and has spent a lifetime perfecting his craft.
I'm not entirely sure why people think that people who provide a service shouldn't be paid for it. They have houses to buy, kids to feed, cars to run.

Now, you could argue that it's an amount of money that handicap golfers could spend better elsewhere if they wanted to lower their scores, but that's a different rabbit hole altogether.

Absolutely, and by all accounts he provides an excellent service. Some fitters make their money through the margins on equipment especially high end kit, that driver shaft made of Vibranium. But I am sure a few have been burned by customers who get a fitting spec and then bugger off to AG to buy it.

 

[moogie]

I take it then he gets a lot of people wasting his time then to justify £225. Must be loads of time wasters in the area he works in.

Do you work for free?

 

[Sats]

Do you work for free?

Feels like it sometimes.

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

I paid £200 for a full bag fitting at Golf Principles, this isn’t deducted from the cost of clubs but was something i did enquire about.

It made it very expensive when I only chose to buy a 3 wood (and 2 stock wedges). However, I would have no complaints about the value for money, the service provided was fantastic, as were the facilities, and the 3 wood/shaft combo is absolutely mega

 

[Ser Shankalot]

I've had 2 fittings over the past few years - a paid-for at Golf Principles and a free one at a large golf equipment retail chain. Night and day difference in quality of experience, knowledge gained and all round enjoyment. It's not that the infrastructure is any different, or choice of clubs different - but it was evident in the specialist knowledge and overall approach of an experienced top class fitter. Even at my poor level of golf skill.

I didn't ask but I don't think there was a rebate versus equipment purchased. But I didn't mind since I was happy to pay for the experience and not be faced with a hard sell. They were also very happy to advise in case you could get the stuff cheaper 2nd hand.

I think it's both you get what you pay for and different people see value in different things. Both perspectives are valid.

 

[r0wly86]

When I went to designer golf, I think it as £75 for a fitting, but was deducted from a set of irons, not if just getting a wood done. He is master builder and excellent service. I just bought a 3wood at that time, but then a couple of years later I went back to get some new irons and as I was a customer he redid the whole fitting with no charge

 

[Dannyc]

We go work to earn money and enjoy life as best as we can
A proper fitting from the guy mentioned and a few others knocking about to the same standard is a very enjoyable day out trying out different makes and models etc the hardest part is choosing between looks and what suits u best to then have them made to your specs
Get your money out and enjoy it

 

[backwoodsman]

I've got mates who can tell me I'm a tosser for free......

Indeed. So have I

But part of the point being that for £250 I absolutely wont be told I'm a tosser.

 

[Smiffy]

But part of the point being that for £250 I absolutely won't be told I'm a tosser.

On the contrary.....

 

[aaajjj7589]

I have a related question re fitting if someone can give some advice please?

I'm getting fitted for new irons when the courses are open again after lockdown. Completely committed to it and want new irons that will improve my game as the current irons I have are a very, very basic set and cost £250 which included a bag too as well as other bits. Ideally I will get fitted for the new Cobra RAD Irons and then have these irons for X number of years.

However, I am going to sell my current clubs and have yesterday found a buyer who wants to pick the clubs up as soon as lockdown ends so he too can get onto the course. My question therefore is: Can I still get fitted for irons and have lessons if I don't have any clubs? Will the pro be able to to fit the clubs and still guide me etc?


And going back to the original OP, my fitter charges £40 for the fitting and then refunds that money to you if you order over a certain amount of money in the shop on clubs. So it will work out that I actually get £10 off the irons I get rather than pay £40 to be fitted and then full price. So effectively £50 saved which essentially is a free lesson.

 

[aaajjj7589]

I appreciate that but that is not my main concern. It's about whether the process could begin in theory if I didn't have clubs....

 

[Imurg]

I appreciate that but that is not my main concern. It's about whether the process could begin in theory if I didn't have clubs....

Yes it can.
The fitter will have no idea how his fit compares to what you had before but he can still get you a set that fit your swing.

 

[SteveW86]

There is no way I would sell my irons before having my new ones in the current situation.

I dont think the fitting would be a problem, but I would think it would atleast be a small benefit for the fitter to see what your swing is like with the clubs you are used to using rather than making an initial guess at the direction to go (I'm not an expert and have not had a proper fitting, so this could be complete rubbish).

I'd be thinking of the worst case scenario where you sell your clubs, then there is a delay in the new ones arriving and you arent able to borrow any clubs for your lessons.

 

[HowlingGale]

I have a related question re fitting if someone can give some advice please?

I'm getting fitted for new irons when the courses are open again after lockdown. Completely committed to it and want new irons that will improve my game as the current irons I have are a very, very basic set and cost £250 which included a bag too as well as other bits. Ideally I will get fitted for the new Cobra RAD Irons and then have these irons for X number of years.

However, I am going to sell my current clubs and have yesterday found a buyer who wants to pick the clubs up as soon as lockdown ends so he too can get onto the course. My question therefore is: Can I still get fitted for irons and have lessons if I don't have any clubs? Will the pro be able to to fit the clubs and still guide me etc?


And going back to the original OP, my fitter charges £40 for the fitting and then refunds that money to you if you order over a certain amount of money in the shop on clubs. So it will work out that I actually get £10 off the irons I get rather than pay £40 to be fitted and then full price. So effectively £50 saved which essentially is a free lesson.

If it was me I'd avoid selling my clubs and use them for the lessons and fitting. Then go for the fitting. Although I appreciate the way you want to do things.

What you have to remember is in the current climate you could be without clubs for months. I wouldn't want to be in that position.

As for the fitting prices, I think that seems reasonable. I get the feeling I wouldn't need anything but the stock offerings and the exotic expensive stuff won't make that much difference.

 

[aaajjj7589]

Thanks everyone! Appreciated.

 

[redbrownie]

I had a driver fitting with the pro at my club last year but the options were pretty limited. Ended up getting a great club for me but i’m looking for a new set of irons ahead of the new season so will look elsewhere to widen the range of choices.

I’d love to sort our pro out, it feels like the right thing to do but I also don’t want to be limited in my choices, if that makes sense.

I’d be happy to pay for the fitting, especially of the service and equipment is really good (£200+ feels excessive but I guess it’s all relative).