should people get fitted from day one?

[garyinderry]

Up until recently I was always of the opinion that people dont really need to get fitted in this game until they have a firm grasp on what they are doing. In essence an 'any old set of clubs will do attitude'.

I've been thinking recently (dangerous thing I know), does the set of clubs you first use have an impact on the way you begin to mould your swing?

For example, if the clubs are too heavy or long you may tend to favour a 10 finger grip to just hold onto the club and swing it around your body (flat) as you won't have the strength to swing it above your head.

I would never ever address a club with the sole not resting flat on the ground. It just wouldn't look right to me so that would force me to alter my stance to suit the club. Not the other way around.

So my question is, should people get fitted from the very first time they go to swing a club. A pro could set them into a correct posture then fit the correct length and lie of the club from the off. Surely this would promote a much better swing early on. Something for you think about if you are thinking of getting your kids into the game. Nip the problems in the bud before they begin.

 

[Dan2501]

I don't think beginners should be fitted as such, but getting a decent set of clubs to begin with would certainly be a good idea. I'm not talking the latest set of irons from one of the big manufacturers, but a set from a few years back bought on the cheap would be perfect. The first set I had were a set of old Dunlops and they were awful. I took them to a beginner group lesson, was struggling, so the pro had a swing, and it took him 3 balls to find the middle, so what chance would I have.

 

[Wildrover]

I think you should get fitted as early as possible, if not from the start then as soon as you know that golf is for you. Someone who is 6ft 6 will not suit the same off the shelf clubs as someone is average height, likewise someone who is 5ft3. The game is hard enough without using equipment that makes it harder.
By the way to the OP, the head of an iron should not be flat to the ground at address, it should be flat to the ground at impact, sounds like your irons may be a tad flat.

 

[garyinderry]

I think you should get fitted as early as possible, if not from the start then as soon as you know that golf is for you. Someone who is 6ft 6 will not suit the same off the shelf clubs as someone is average height, likewise someone who is 5ft3. The game is hard enough without using equipment that makes it harder.
By the way to the OP, the head of an iron should not be flat to the ground at address, it should be flat to the ground at impact, sounds like your irons may be a tad flat.

By flat I mean neither excessively toe up or heel up like you would see a million people up an down ranges when they are first starting out. You see some funky set ups at driving ranges.

 

[garyinderry]

I don't think beginners should be fitted as such, but getting a decent set of clubs to begin with would certainly be a good idea. I'm not talking the latest set of irons from one of the big manufacturers, but a set from a few years back bought on the cheap would be perfect. The first set I had were a set of old Dunlops and they were awful. I took them to a beginner group lesson, was struggling, so the pro had a swing, and it took him 3 balls to find the middle, so what chance would I have.

As I said I used to be on the any old club will do until you learn to get the ball around the course. Lots of people have learned to become very good golfers after starting out with thee most bate out clubs you can imagine.

Slightly missing my point though. You could buy a beginner any recent set of clubs and they would hit them ok but the lie, length weight and shaft flex could still be completely wrong. They would then start to mould a swing to make these clubs work.

 

[Rumpokid]

No.I do not believe you need to be fitted from day one.Do a bit of research regarding clubs,loads of stuff on the internet.Get a set, try a few of the par 3 9 hole courses, see if you enjoy the game....And then progress, fitting, joining a golf club, lessons etc.......All in the persuit of mediocrity....

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I would never ever address a club with the sole not resting flat on the ground.

I thought that the club was supposed to be slightly toe up at address?

Anyway, static fittings are available for those long of leg and short of arm

 

[LIG]

As I said I used to be on the any old club will do until you learn to get the ball around the course. Lots of people have learned to become very good golfers after starting out with thee most bate out clubs you can imagine.

Slightly missing my point though. You could buy a beginner any recent set of clubs and they would hit them ok but the lie, length weight and shaft flex could still be completely wrong. They would then start to mould a swing to make these clubs work.

No need to get fitted from day one IMHO, but to start off with lessons from a pro are more important.

A pro will sort out where you should grip the club as well as how. The trouble is when you're starting out lessons just add to the cost of golf. Obviously, there are group lessons available for total beginners but many are not comfortable having other people see their progress (or lack of it ), and pretty soon individual lessons are needed.

 

[Rumpokid]

Anyway, static fittings are available for those long of leg and short of arm

What about for those short of arm and long of pocket??

 

[StrangelyBrown]

What about for those short of arm and long of pocket??

Sports Direct?

:rofl:

 

[Slab]

It'd be handy if more places measured you for your first clubs but that's a long way off from a fitting

Generally sporting goods are already made with as broad a spectrum of users in mind:

Tennis & other rackets
Fishing rods
Snooker Cues
Cricket bats
etc etc...

... and golf clubs are no different

A golf club cant be too heavy or too long (in the same way as a snooker cue cant be too heavy or too long) but its possible you may be able to improve results with a lighter or shorter club, but how would you know unless you have existing results

At what stage in the playing career do you think a guy who plays snooker or tennis should be custom fitted for their cue/racquet? If its from day one then you probably apply that logic to golfers

However if its when a level of competence, success or competition has been achieved then why would golf be any different!

 

[drewster]

There are people with much more knowledge about this than more but for fitting to be beneficial does the golfer not need to have a swing that repeats continuously ??? I would have thought that a complete beginner will find no value in a fitting as he/she has not developed any kind of swing. There may be an argument that you get fitted around your body and measurements and then find a swing to suit but i'm not so sure that would work. I'm interested to hear what others say on this.

 

[Rumpokid]

Sports Direct?

:rofl:

Hee hee..Good un.

 

[Piece]

A basic 'fit' to start off with will help to stop beginners potentially starting with blades, 1 irons, rubbish grips, too longer shafts, etc. . I wish that had happened to me rather than play first 10 years with Mizuno Pro blades!

 

[ScienceBoy]

Absolutely not. Think of the prohibitive cost over a starter set!


Off the shelf is fine for a majority of starters and the more people that get into this game the better.

If you like it and know you are going to be playing for years to come then go get a fitting if you are not "standard" height or build.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I wouldn't get fitted if I was starting again. I would hope that as I took lessons as a beginner, and then played and learned my swing would change and evolve. Anything I got fitted for may not fit my swing in as short as six months time. There's a definite place for fitting but as a beginner isn't it

 

[garyinderry]

very few people seem to be understanding what I am getting at. I am not recommending a full gainsborogh fitting with project x shafts and a tour bag. I feel that a day 1 beginner would benefit from a custom fit in their irons simply for length and lie and possibly shaft flex if its apparent reg is wrong.

a pro can put you in the correct set up on day one. this is where you should be if you want to swing properly.

why wait years till you have ingrained a poor stance and posture to set things right then spend the next number of years trying to fix a problem that could have been sorted early doors.

I am wondering how much poorly fitted clubs impact a players swing during their formative years in the game. Be this as a child with clubs that are too long and heavy or as an adult with irons that are too stiff, soft upright etc.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

very few people seem to be understanding what I am getting at. I am not recommending a full gainsborogh fitting with project x shafts and a tour bag. I feel that a day 1 beginner would benefit from a custom fit in their irons simply for length and lie and possibly shaft flex if its apparent reg is wrong.

a pro can put you in the correct set up on day one. this is where you should be if you want to swing properly.

why wait years till you have ingrained a poor stance and posture to set things right then spend the next number of years trying to fix a problem that could have been sorted early doors.

I am wondering how much poorly fitted clubs impact a players swing during their formative years in the game. Be this as a child with clubs that are too long and heavy or as an adult with irons that are too stiff, soft upright etc.

I understand what you are saying but I've found, as have some of my friends who took the game up, that even with lessons at the beginning to get to grips with how to hold it, the posture and all the fundamentals, the swing changed and refined as they improve. To be honest most new golfers, providing they are taught the basics properly would be fine with off the shelf models to begin

 

[Liverbirdie]

Is this the time to admit that for 12 years plus, I didnt know there were different stiffness of shafts, no wonder I sliced everything for years, playing with reg shafts.

 

[Break90]

Be this as a child with clubs that are too long and heavy or as an adult with irons that are too stiff, soft upright etc.

My daughter has grown 3 inches in the 6 weeks since she got her first starter set at Christmas, so not ideal IMO. Besides, when kids start playing it should be more about having fun and wanting to hit balls than technique and results based anyway.

For adults I can see a benefit though as growth spurts are unlikely.