Fitting - is it worth it?

[Hobbit]

Had 5 fittings down the years. Two were with independents and two were with manufacturer’s fitters. Both independents went through a range of different models from different manufacturers. One independent said “don’t waste your money, I can’t improve on what you’ve got.” The other, a few years later, made a recommendation based on the best set of numbers. I preferred one set from a particular manufacturer but the numbers didn’t stack up. He said the choice was mine but he wouldn’t recommend them. I got on well with the ones he recommended, only replacing them when they were worn out.

The experience with one manufacturer was good in terms of the fitting, but the clubs were a bit meh and stayed in the bag for a season. The other manufacturer, who I’d been to twice seeing different fitters, wasn’t great. The first fitter did the full bag, apart from the putter. Only the 3 wood and #4 hybrid stayed in the bag. The second fitter couldn’t have been more bored if he’d tried. He wasn’t happy when I said I wanted to hit a few long irons, not a 7 iron. He, eventually, got me a 4 iron. It didn’t suit me but he continued to push that set even though the results were no better than with my own irons.

If I was going for a fitting it would be to an independent fitter who had a proper set, including hitting on a range with proper golf balls. Definitely not into a sheet indoors.

 

[Imurg]

It is quantifiable
Analysis of the launch monitor data will show which set up is more consistent, longer, shorter, more spinny, less spinny, higher, lower or whatever else you want.
Whether you will be able to recreate that on the course is down to your ability to swing the club
But for a given set of delivery data you most certainly can show a good club and a bad club

 

[PJ87]

I won't be buying another new club without going for a fit again

Was worth the £40. Altho I did get back when I bought my driver

My spin was my current driver was too much. 4000 just too much . I'd really have to work for a good shot and some would look brilliant but fall out the air

So I went for a fit

Narrowed the options

But the main thing was being able to see the spin

I now have a low spin driver that spends 2800 on average

Longer and straighter drives

Sure I still hit bad shots but their further up and less wideb

 

[Orikoru]

I won't be buying another new club without going for a fit again

Was worth the £40. Altho I did get back when I bought my driver

My spin was my current driver was too much. 4000 just too much . I'd really have to work for a good shot and some would look brilliant but fall out the air

So I went for a fit

Narrowed the options

But the main thing was being able to see the spin

I now have a low spin driver that spends 2800 on average

Longer and straighter drives

Sure I still hit bad shots but their further up and less wideb

I'll be watching your handicap tumble with great interest then. Make sure you don't go too low...

 

[PJ87]

I'll be watching your handicap tumble with great interest then. Make sure you don't go too low...

Oh no the rest of my game is pony still dw

 

[Crow]

As someone who was a fitter once upon a time, you're correct, it's just your opinion, and i'm afraid, not very accurate at that

I've never denied that for people of unusual build, fitting is worth doing, but for the average club golfer I don't believe it is.

As someone who plays golf, I've seen the results of lots of fittings in the hands of their gleeful purchasers and I'm pretty certain that their scoring has not improved as a result of playing with their fitted clubs.

I'm speaking from my experience, very accurately.
You're speaking from looking at the numbers on a practice range or monitor, not on the course, and with a foot in the fitting camp.

We'll just have to differ I guess.

 

[Orikoru]

I've never denied that for people of unusual build, fitting is worth doing, but for the average club golfer I don't believe it is.

As someone who plays golf, I've seen the results of lots of fittings in the hands of their gleeful purchasers and I'm pretty certain that their scoring has not improved as a result of playing with their fitted clubs.

I'm speaking from my experience, very accurately.
You're speaking from looking at the numbers on a practice range or monitor, not on the course, and with a foot in the fitting camp.

We'll just have to differ I guess.

You can't be sure of that though. If a fitted driver saves you one chip out of the trees per round, you may not notice that different but in effect their handicap would be one lower. Similarly if a fitted putter gets them holing one more putt per round. The effect of fitting is as much on mindset and confidence as the technical side as well I think. If you've done an hour's fitting that tells you that driver is the best for you, you're going to be more confident swinging it and likely hit it better. (Perhaps this effect doesn't last forever though. )

 

[Crow]

It is quantifiable
Analysis of the launch monitor data will show which set up is more consistent, longer, shorter, more spinny, less spinny, higher, lower or whatever else you want.
Whether you will be able to recreate that on the course is down to your ability to swing the club
But for a given set of delivery data you most certainly can show a good club and a bad club

I don't think anyone is denying that spin, launch angle, etc are quantifiable.

But in the hands of a club golfer, even if they can recreate the spin numbers etc on the course, does that improve their scoring?

 

[Crow]

You can't be sure of that though. If a fitted driver saves you one chip out of the trees per round, you may not notice that different but in effect their handicap would be one lower. Similarly if a fitted putter gets them holing one more putt per round. The effect of fitting is as much on mindset and confidence as the technical side as well I think. If you've done an hour's fitting that tells you that driver is the best for you, you're going to be more confident swinging it and likely hit it better. (Perhaps this effect doesn't last forever though. )

Possibly, or you could do your shoes up with your lucky laces and feel on top of the world and shave two shots off your round.

 

[Crow]

I'm bored of this now, we all have our opinions, I've given mine and won't be entering into any more "debate".

 

[Slab]

Just an FYI, I have Lucky Laces® for sale if anyone's interested, includes free fitting, just PM your bank details

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Custom fit is always a topic that brings in differing views. There will be plenty out there that will buy off the shelf and be more than happy with it - it’s hard to judge if they would benefit from being fitted

When I started I bought the clubs of the web , full bag , they did ok for me , bought another set half price from AG from the shelf and they were awful

I then decided to go and get fitted with an independent fitter - driver and irons , they were the set that got me down to 5 , now was it because they were fitted and the right specs etc - who knows as when I got fitted for my latest set the settings with a lot different but they then took me further - same with drivers.

Each time it’s been with someone independent and the fitting cost is zero if you buy the clubs

For me that makes it worthwhile

 

[Imurg]

An aspect of fitting that is often overlooked is, as Crow says, it's not always about the score
If someone has a big slice with their driver a fitting could help reduce that slice to the point where the ball stays in play more often and the player ENJOYS the game more..
Whether he scores better, in this instance, is largely irrelevant although if he's counting 3 or 4 fewer penalties each round then the score will be better

 

[Deleted member 30522]

The Fitting Illusion relies on the principle that different inputs, in club spec, will give different output, in shot quality. And it may even be valid. But the difference in outcome is never quantified, even in any sense, by fitters. And so is smoke and mirrors. They cannot backup the fundamental claim of the industry. A fun process for some maybe to talk arcane golf twaddle and buy into a dream. But back in reality, it is not worth a second or a penny.

LOL, mate, this is utterly clueless, you have a full range of data, and the golfer has his own feedback on ones he will like and not like, that is the only bit that can't be quantified

 

[Deleted member 30522]

I've never denied that for people of unusual build, fitting is worth doing, but for the average club golfer I don't believe it is.

As someone who plays golf, I've seen the results of lots of fittings in the hands of their gleeful purchasers and I'm pretty certain that their scoring has not improved as a result of playing with their fitted clubs.

I'm speaking from my experience, very accurately.
You're speaking from looking at the numbers on a practice range or monitor, not on the course, and with a foot in the fitting camp.

We'll just have to differ I guess.

I have no association with the golf industry any more so no "foot" or even horse in the race, my thoughts are from being trained and using that training, and seeing the difference giving someone the right clubs and shafts makes.

What is it you do for a living? I'm sure I'll know more about it than you do just because "feels"

 

[Deleted member 35577]

New here, this is my fitting story.

I was fitted for a driver 4 years ago that worked well. 2 years ago I started a series of lessons that have changed my swing shape and dynamics quite a lot. As a result I am now unable to launch my driver properly. I have recently been hitting low flat hooks that carry barely 200 yards and run out to about 240ish. Had a fitting recently for one of the latest drivers and I am now getting 240ish carry running out to around 255-260 with a nice high draw.

I would urge anyone thinking of spending significant money on new equipment to get fitted first.

 

[Backsticks]

LOL, mate, this is utterly clueless, you have a full range of data, and the golfer has his own feedback on ones he will like and not like, that is the only bit that can't be quantified

You are missing my point I think. Lots of data, sure. But no data with a proven link to performance.
The technology is undoubtedly sophisticated. The array of numbers on screens large. The lingo, jargon, and hardcore club tech buzzwords almost cultlike for the initiated. And certainly, fun for some.
But none of that makes the case :
Fitting=>better performance.
It might give comfort to someone spending 500 on a new driver that they have gone through a technological and scientific process to optimise that purchase for them. And so feel better about it. And even feel that it performs well for them and so they were correct to be fitted. But that in no way confirms objectively, fitting as being worth anything.

 

[Orikoru]

You are missing my point I think. Lots of data, sure. But no data with a proven link to performance.
The technology is undoubtedly sophisticated. The array of numbers on screens large. The lingo, jargon, and hardcore club tech buzzwords almost cultlike for the initiated. And certainly, fun for some.
But none of that makes the case :
Fitting=>better performance.
It might give comfort to someone spending 500 on a new driver that they have gone through a technological and scientific process to optimise that purchase for them. And so feel better about it. And even feel that it performs well for them and so they were correct to be fitted. But that in no way confirms objectively, fitting as being worth anything.

Surely if you hit 20 drives with your driver and 3 were out of bounds right, then 20 drives with the new driver and none of them went right, you can extrapolate that that data will show an improved performance on the course? Because you won't be chipping out trees or taking three off the tee as much.

 

[Deleted member 30522]

You are missing my point I think. Lots of data, sure. But no data with a proven link to performance.
The technology is undoubtedly sophisticated. The array of numbers on screens large. The lingo, jargon, and hardcore club tech buzzwords almost cultlike for the initiated. And certainly, fun for some.
But none of that makes the case :
Fitting=>better performance.
It might give comfort to someone spending 500 on a new driver that they have gone through a technological and scientific process to optimise that purchase for them. And so feel better about it. And even feel that it performs well for them and so they were correct to be fitted. But that in no way confirms objectively, fitting as being worth anything.

LOL, oh man, I get it now, you don't understand it therefore it's hocus pocus?

Lets take driver and keep it simple. We are all looking for straighter and longer, if one shaft causes wide dispersion and another is tight, which one goes in the reject pile?

If one shaft spins too high and therefore balloons the ball losing distance, the next spins too low and doesn't create enough height, and the third has a good spin rate that sends the ball further than the other two, which one goes in the keep pile?

You tweak and tweak shafts, head settings, different makes and models until you have it narrowed down.

You crack on though and just keep buying the latest shiny shiny

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I enjoy the fitting process and trying different clubs and seeing what works and to that end my club pro is very good at letting me have a go with the latest releases. I always try and go to fitting sessions when the manufacturers come to the club as they tend to have more options to work with. Would I get another fit? Possible depending on who it was with, and what I was getting fitted for. At the moment I am not interested in changing the bag but as I get older I am thinking of moving to graphite shafts and a more player friendly head but that is a way off yet so it'll be interesting to see what is out there at the time.