Hello - Introduction & Advice

[WJHack]

Morning All,

First post & it might be a long one!

Returning to the game after a period of about 11 years out of it and have got the bug back big time! Have played loads through the summer at my local course (Ombersley - nice forgiving track) and I am going to be putting my 3 cards in shortly. Hoping to come out sub 20!

Not having played for so long I am well behind with my gear (playing with 15 yr old TM Irons) - Therefore I am going to treat myself to the following:

New Irons (4-SW)
New Driver (Never had one in the bag before)
New 3 Wood
New Hybrids (to replace long irons 2,3) - again never had one before.

I have shortlisted and read up on the clubs I want to try, however the problem I have is about where to go to get fitted and try them? What do you guys think regarding this? Bear in mind it will be my first time being fitted for clubs, as have always had hand downs before. I have the following options available:

1. AG Merry Hill Store - have all the clubs I want to try and some are in sale price territory, don't have to book, but will they be thorough enough?
2. Direct golf - Walsall, don't appear to have the Pings I want to try - but have a range attached to the store & look keenly priced.
3. Pro-Shop at my course - will price match and am sure they will be thorough, but don't have all the clubs I want to try and aren't as kitted out as others in terms of fitting equipment i.e. launch monitors etc... Does this matter?
4. Pro-Shop at other local courses specifically - Gaudet Luce - Has GC2 launch monitor & Mizuno fitting Equip, OR Bromsgrove - Flightscope equipped & Ping Fitting Centre.

Any advice or experience of your fittings much appreciated.

 

[mcbroon]

Hello WJ, welcome along.

I've never been fitted, so can't offer you any advice on that score but there are plenty who can. I'm sure they'll be along in a minute.

Get stuck into the forum and enjoy!

 

[jimbob.someroo]

Hi and Welcome.

Personally, I'd go to either AG or DG. If they're not thorough enough, don't buy. May get lynched for saying it as it's great to support your pro, but if you're going to spend a lot of money investing in clubs you want to use long-term, you shouldn't be dictated by what he's got in stock.

If you're going to go and get a full fitting and new set of clubs any assistant in their right mind would want to spend time with you to make sure you went through with the sale. Potentially don't go in with the "I'm here to buy everything now" type vibe as they may think it an easy sell and fob you off with whatever makes them the most profit.

Find out what you want to know (swing speed / dispersion etc) and let the guy know that you want to buy clubs based on how they perform using these measures. Go in with a price for each that you've found on the web so that they can price match if necessary. However, with buying the full lot, I would have thought they'd try and do you some sort of deal.

Best of luck which ever route you go down.

Let us know what you buy!

 

[MattM]

You can't be too far from the fitting centre at the Belfry. Not been there myself (yet) but heard decent things about them.

There's a £50 charge for the fitting which is given as a reduction if you buy the clubs from them.

 

[WJHack]

Thanks Guys, going to get stuck in as there seems to be plenty of decent folk about and some good info.

I definitely want to be thorough and have done a lot of research already, these have got to last me a decent amount of time so I certainly don't want to walk away with any regrets. Good point about going in and not letting on what I intend to buy.

Feel like I am supporting my pro plenty already (always needing balls, gloves, tees etc... and always get them from the club just before I go out). If the clubs I get on best with can be got through my pro-shop and the price is matched I would definitely by from there.

Any one know if there are any critical differences between the launch monitors / fitting software or are they all pretty much the same?

I fully intend to return to let you all know what I have bought, including pics!

 

[Deleted member 18121]

I had mine done at an American Golf shop and was happy....given the clubs I wanted to test, hit lots of shots on the monitors to see what gave me best results and then taped bottom of clubs to check for lie angle.

Guess it depends if you get someone who knows what they're doing or not. I wouldn't discount a chain of shops on that basis.

 

[Doh]

If I was getting fitted by a pro I would want to know all the numbers, I got fitted by our old pro who did not have the equipment like trackman so as a fitting it was very limited.
I got fitted again recently by someone who had all the gear and felt it was a totally different experience.
I would have no issues going to someone else if my club pro did not have the right equipment.

 

[pbrown7582]

hello welcome and enjoy.

it is all personel opinion regarding where to go some have good reports and others bad from the same place. I would prefer to see the ball flight on a range rather than just inside on a monitor into a net. As already mentioned consider the belfry too.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Wherever I went I'd make sure I could hit onto a range and not just into a bay with a monitor, especially in an AG store!! My take, for which I have been slated in the past, is to try these clubs wherever you can find them in the spec you want and once you have made a decision, look at who would give you the best deal, ideally using a club pro ahead of any major high street retailer. It is what I've done in the past

Sadly at this time of year a lot of companies are scaling down demo days. On the plus side, for my last purchase I ended up going to an independent fitter who had all the brands I wanted to try (TM, Ping, Mizuno etc) and a vast array of shafts to suit. That may be the best of all worlds

 

[WJHack]

Thanks MattM

Belfry is only about a 40 min drive - hadn't really thought about going to somewhere like that (could be dangerous though - would end up booking 18 on the Brabazon - wife would kill me!)

Will look into it

 

[WJHack]

Thanks Homer,

think my decision may be swayed by being able to hit them on a range, just seems to me to be the best way to try them - short of taking them out for a full 18.

First trial will be this Friday - think a trip to DG in Walsall is called for! then onto my club at the weekend.

 

[pbrown7582]

Thanks MattM

(could be dangerous though - would end up booking 18 on the Brabazon - wife would kill me!)

Will look into it

would be nice way to christen the new shinies though!

 

[RollinThunder]

I prefer to support my local pro, providing that he has the product in stock, and reasonably priced. My local AG is very good though; huge range of gear, launch monitors, good prices and laid back staff who seem to speak my language, rather than blind you with science. I'm sure they'll look after you

I'm currently looking for a new driver, but I tee my ball up very high, a lot higher than the tees at the local ranges go. Thus the only place I can properly try out some drivers is at my club, which has a grass range, so I can use my own tees.

 

[Deleted member 18121]

I prefer to support my local pro, providing that he has the product in stock, and reasonably priced. My local AG is very good though; huge range of gear, launch monitors, good prices and laid back staff who seem to speak my language, rather than blind you with science. I'm sure they'll look after you

I'm currently looking for a new driver, but I tee my ball up very high, a lot higher than the tees at the local ranges go. Thus the only place I can properly try out some drivers is at my club, which has a grass range, so I can use my own tees.

How high do you tee up?

 

[MattM]

I tee my ball up very high, a lot higher than the tees at the local ranges go.

Were your tees custom fit?

 

[palindromicbob]

Not having played for so long I am well behind with my gear (playing with 15 yr old TM Irons)

Yup, well behind. There has been about 300 new ranges since from TM and the new irons should go about 100 yards longer than your 15 year old ones

Welcome to the forum WJHack ;D

Personally my preference based on your options would be getting fitted somewhere I'd also be able to see real ball flight and also have launch monitor data. So probably 2 or 4.

 

[WJHack]

Yup, well behind. There has been about 300 new ranges since from TM and the new irons should go about 100 yards longer than your 15 year old ones

Welcome to the forum WJHack ;D

Personally my preference based on your options would be getting fitted somewhere I'd also be able to see real ball flight and also have launch monitor data. So probably 2 or 4.

Thanks, I thought I read somewhere that just by joining I have added an extra 50 yards to every drive I hit Joking aside I realised I needed something new when I hit my brother in laws Ping G10's, and even though they are couple of years old I couldn't believe the difference from mine - so much more forgiving.

 

[RollinThunder]

Were your tees custom fit?

They're just store-bought large BeesTees, but I set them on the highest mark. Drives are straighter & longer, as apparenly higher tees promote an upward sweep, rather than a downward chop. I'd reccommend giving it a try, it just means I struggle at ranges now . I'm not too bothered, as it encourages me to work on the short game, rather than aimlessly wasting sessions trying to blast drives into orbit

 

[timd77]

On a slight tangent, WJhack, how are you finding Ombersley? I live in Kingswinford and i'm looking to join a course, i've played a few in the area but not there yet.

 

[WJHack]

Hi timd77,

Definitley worth a visit, it was reviewed favourably recently in one of the freeby golf papers in Hereford & Worcester. I find Ombersley a great little course (I say little as it's definitely not the longest or most challenging), it is fun though and has a good mix of holes, my favourites are the reachable in 2 par 5 18th over water and the 17th is a straight par 3 but plays up hill like you wouldn't believe, some pin positions mean you can hardly see the top of the flag from the tee. Also the views off the back 9 towards Malvern are stunning. the front nine is fairly tame though and single h/cappers may find it fairly straight forward to play.

It does have a lot going for it. It is definitely a year round course, the drainage is superb and I am led to believe they have never had a trolley ban and closed days per year are in single figures. Fees are very reasonable and they are welcoming to visitors - a good family environment, pro-shop lends my 3yr old a little club when I go on the range - small but nice touch and the wife likes it as well.

It does lack the challenge of some of the bigger courses in the area i.e. Hagley, Bromsgrove, Stourbridge

Where have you been playing? we are looking to branch out a bit during the winter months.