To Custom Fit, or...?

[HowlingGale]

Hi Guys,

Warning, Long post alert.

Avid reader of the forum but seldom a contriubtor. That will hopefully change as I get more involved on the club golfing scene. I love the advice you guys give on here.

To cut a long story short, I bought a package set of clubs 18 months or so ago. I got them from a shop here in Glasgow on the advice of the guy in the shop as I was only playing municipals once or maybe twice a year. They only cost £200 for the lot including a bag. Last summer I started playing once or twice a week and they served a purpose. In September I joined a club but was still very inconsistent and by that point my best round was a 99 on one of the municipals. From September I was playing once or twice a week with the same clubs obviously missing out the two months that we were snowbound. During the winter I've had three lessons with the pro at the club and my game has improved markedly. It's more consistent and I carded an 85 on the tougher of our club courses on Saturday there . It was a lifetime best and as my aim was to beat 90 by September this year I'll need to find a different goal. I don't have a handicap yet but that's a different story due to the full course not being open yet.

The thing is I want to get new clubs as I felt that mine were letting me down (rather than my swing letting me down ) so I talked to my club pro and said I wanted to buy new clubs, could he help me out. I told him my budget was around £700. I could spend more but at my stage I don't think it's worth it. He said he should be able to do that and he had a think about it. At my lesson on Saturday there he mentioned that he had some clubs in mind. My golf club is a Ping and titleist stockist so if I buy there I'm limited to them. After my lesson I went out and shot that 85 with my current "crappy" clubs. On Sunday I went back in to talk to the pro and he started listing off the prices I could expect to pay. He said about £200 for a driver, £150 for a fairway, £100 for a Hybrid, £450 for the irons, and £80 for a putter. This adds up to way more than £700 I thought. I asked him if I could demo a Ping G15 and Titeist AP1 and although they felt OK I don't know if they were £1000 OK.
I have a custom fit arranged with him on Monday afternoon but I'm thinking a few things. 1: I'm starting to get a bit of consistency with my current clubs and should I change - considering they were cheap and might not last this season playing 2/3 times a week? 2: If it's going to cost me £1000 (I can stretch to that but would rather not) would I be best going to the World of Golf with an AG attached just along the road and trialling other clubs and not waste the pro's time/my money on a custom fit - but get the custom fit at WOG? 3: At my stage is a custom fit worth it due to my inconsistent swing?

Thanks Guys, will hopefully contribute more in the future and I'll let you know of progress but I suspect it'll be some time before I beat that 85...

 

[Imurg]

Get custom fit. Get an idea of the shafts you need and if a standard lie will do. Then consider 2nd hand clubs. You can get quality gear at much cheaper prices but you can dtill search for what's right for you. Golfbidder are good but a little expensive but it's all legit gear.

 

[Driven2Distraction]

^ +1

have only excellent things to say about my own recent custom fit experience. Once you know what suits, you can then spent some time scouring the suppliers for a good deal.

 

[Adi2Dassler]

I was at the wog a couple of weekends ago at the mizzy place.Had a shot of trackman after and the bay next door was a guy getting a fitting from the AG, it appeared to be pretty good, the lad hit 1/2 dozen different bats using the trackman and the AG lad took his time.

I'd book at c/f with mizzy at WOG, then go speak to the AG guys and get them to use trackman and other brands outwith mizzy.
It will give you a very good idea and it's all free...and good fun.

 

[Alex1975]

Hey,

I would go for the custom fit as I am a convert of fitting. As Imurg says, get an idea what sort speeds and angles your hitting the ball at. I would maybe get irons from your bro but I dont think you need to be spending £200 on a driver and £150 on a wood.

On the buying from the club thing, well only Titliest, Ping and Mizuno make good irons so you have 2 of the 3 to be honest Ping should not be in that line up really, but alot of people would not agree so its in.

I am sure you will beat your 85 soon enough, but not if you dont think you will.


Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

 

[HowlingGale]

Thanks I know that custom fit is the way forward. I'll talk to the pro and see what he says. Suspect I'll end up at WOG as they seem to have cheaper options and a much larger selection. Will also consider 2nd hand clubs

 

[Qwerty]

Just make sure the custom fit is outdoors.

Can recommend Mizuno,no pressure to buy and you'll get a good idea of what shaft suits you,using the optimiser.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Don't go to AG. They are very poor in the C/F stakes and a lot of their shop staff don't know how to interpret the data from their launch monitor correctly or how to offer a proper C/F service. Personally I'd find somewhere like a specialised Mizuno, Ping or whatever and get them to do the fitting. Alternatively (and I know it's not local but as an example) go somewhere like the Belfry which will give you a full C/F makeover but won't tie you to one particular brand