Why do people get 'fitted' for clubs?

[bluewolf]

If I had a shop and that assistant worked for me he would be undertaking some staff training or be out on his ear. There is a lot more to it than that, how long are your arms? (wrist to floor measurement), what does your swing look like? (eg very upright or very flat circa Kuchar), these factors alone will impact on length and lie angle. How he can say you don't need to be fitted without even seeing you hit a ball is beyond me.

But 10 years or so ago, custom fitting was the exception, not the rule. If you were lucky you got a quick swing on a swing board to check lie angle. People didn't spend time obsessing about the minor intricacies of every item of hardware. I'm not saying that it was a better system, just that it's what happened.

In my experience anyway..

 

[Wildrover]

So, would you suggest that a CF is useful when buying your first set of clubs. To ascertain your ideal shaft length, lie angle etc. After that, well, you have the correct specs so you can buy off the shelf and be confident that they'll fit.

NB, when I buy clubs, I get my pro to check the loft/lie angles to ensure they are as advertised.

Whether they are as advertised is one thing, whether they are right for you is something completely different.

I would say you need to get custom fit every time you change equipment as your swing may evolve over time, especially if you're having lessons or are edging towards senior status. Also technology doesn't stand still and there may be something much better for you now than when you bought your first set of clubs.

 

[Mozza73]

If I had a shop and that assistant worked for me he would be undertaking some staff training or be out on his ear. There is a lot more to it than that, how long are your arms? (wrist to floor measurement), what does your swing look like? (eg very upright or very flat circa Kuchar), these factors alone will impact on length and lie angle. How he can say you don't need to be fitted without even seeing you hit a ball is beyond me.

Totally agree, its just a shame that the reality of getting fitted clubs is not as simple or straightforward as it should be for many.

 

[CMAC]

LOL. I still remember buying a set of Mizzies 12 years ago from a large Golf Store that isn't AG, but has similar initials. The salesman took 1 look at me and said "You're a big lad, you'll want a stiff shaft". Strangely enough I'm still using the same shaft now. The guy must have been a genius...

maybe he was coming on to you

 

[One Planer]

maybe he was coming on to you

:rofl:

 

[bluewolf]

maybe he was coming on to you

He looked the type TBH.. .. Got the right kit out of it though, so it was a good day all round..

 

[Wildrover]

But 10 years or so ago, custom fitting was the exception, not the rule. If you were lucky you got a quick swing on a swing board to check lie angle. People didn't spend time obsessing about the minor intricacies of every item of hardware. I'm not saying that it was a better system, just that it's what happened.

In my experience anyway..

30 years ago we were playing with wooden headed drivers and fairways, steel shafted woods, long irons, balls that were hard to keep straight and cut easily. Times change, technology moves on, if the technology is there why not use it? You are putting yourself at a disadvantage to others in the same comps who have been fitted.

 

[bluewolf]

30 years ago we were playing with wooden headed drivers and fairways, steel shafted woods, long irons, balls that were hard to keep straight and cut easily. Times change, technology moves on, if the technology is there why not use it? You are putting yourself at a disadvantage to others in the same comps who have been fitted.

I've never stated the CF is wrong, just that I don't think its the be all and end all of equipment buying. I bought may last set of irons after a demo day. I knew what shafts I wanted, but I did want to check the shaft length as my previous irons were 1/2" longer. My current shafts are standard length. My next set will most likely have the same shafts and will therefore have the same shaft length.

 

[Wildrover]

I've never stated the CF is wrong, just that I don't think its the be all and end all of equipment buying. I bought may last set of irons after a demo day. I knew what shafts I wanted, but I did want to check the shaft length as my previous irons were 1/2" longer. My current shafts are standard length. My next set will most likely have the same shafts and will therefore have the same shaft length.

But who is to say that your current shafts will be the best performers in your next set? What happens if your next irons spin the ball more, you may need something a little heavier or stiffer to take some of the excess spin off. They would still cost you a considerable amount of money and may not be the best available just because it's what you've had in the past.

 

[bluewolf]

But who is to say that your current shafts will be the best performers in your next set? What happens if your next irons spin the ball more, you may need something a little heavier or stiffer to take some of the excess spin off. They would still cost you a considerable amount of money and may not be the best available just because it's what you've had in the past.

But if I take out a set of irons that balloon the ball up into the clouds, then the heads are wrong for me, not the shafts. I know my ball flight and when i'm looking for a new set I'll compare ball flight on the range with my current set. I'd prefer not to change shaft as I suffer from elbow problems that would be exacerbated by a heavier shaft.
It's just my way of choosing clubs. Out on the range with a bucket of balls checking ball flight, distance and dispersion. Other people may prefer some guidance from a Pro. Horses for courses and all that..:thup:

 

[Wildrover]

But if I take out a set of irons that balloon the ball up into the clouds, then the heads are wrong for me, not the shafts. I know my ball flight and when i'm looking for a new set I'll compare ball flight on the range with my current set. I'd prefer not to change shaft as I suffer from elbow problems that would be exacerbated by a heavier shaft.
It's just my way of choosing clubs. Out on the range with a bucket of balls checking ball flight, distance and dispersion. Other people may prefer some guidance from a Pro. Horses for courses and all that..:thup:

I'm sorry but that's not true, if you are trying an iron you like but are ballooning then having a fitting can make them work for you. The shaft is only one option, you could go stiffer without having to go heavier, shafts are getting lighter all the time. The lofts could be made slightly stronger, say 1deg or so, which would launch the ball slightly lower and reduce spin slightly.

 

[bluewolf]

I'm sorry but that's not true, if you are trying an iron you like but are ballooning then having a fitting can make them work for you. The shaft is only one option, you could go stiffer without having to go heavier, shafts are getting lighter all the time. The lofts could be made slightly stronger, say 1deg or so, which would launch the ball slightly lower and reduce spin slightly.

I appreciate that the shaft is only 1 option, but it's my preferred option. It's 1 less thing to worry about when hitting a small white ball around a muddy field. I prefer not to overthink things. Give me a shaft that I know works for me and I'm a customer for life. I have tried other shafts (The Mizuno swing DNA recommended a KBS Tour Stiff shaft that never worked for me on the course). I'm comfortable with my specs.
My swing won't change enough over the next 15 years to require a rethink. In all honesty, I probably won't change my irons unless I have no choice. As I stated previously, I wouldn't try to persuade anyone to avoid a custom fit. I would heartily recommend it to some people, but it's not a priority for me at the moment...

 

[Wildrover]

I appreciate that the shaft is only 1 option, but it's my preferred option. It's 1 less thing to worry about when hitting a small white ball around a muddy field. I prefer not to overthink things. Give me a shaft that I know works for me and I'm a customer for life. I have tried other shafts (The Mizuno swing DNA recommended a KBS Tour Stiff shaft that never worked for me on the course). I'm comfortable with my specs.
My swing won't change enough over the next 15 years to require a rethink. In all honesty, I probably won't change my irons unless I have no choice. As I stated previously, I wouldn't try to persuade anyone to avoid a custom fit. I would heartily recommend it to some people, but it's not a priority for me at the moment...

Fair enough, as long as you're happy:thup:

 

[bluewolf]

Fair enough, as long as you're happy:thup:

:thup:

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I am in the same boat. no lessons has made me learn the game my way. my grip wont even be the same over two shots if I am trying to play a different kind of shot. a few years ago I worked out that I was unable to hit the ball straight. what I can do is 9/10 make it move one way or the other. this means I can to a certain degree know where its going to end up or if I over cook it, ill know where it will miss. this is really important to being able to manage a score.

I despair when I hear people saying that they say my bad shots are pulls, fades, slices and hooks. if you don't know if your ball is going to finish up left or right of the target in this game it becomes very difficult. it makes it very difficult to plan your way through the course.

when I practice its usually my short game as I can get it down towards the green most times with any of the dodgy swings in my arsenal. its about getting up and down when I miss the green.


maybe one day ill attempt to learn how to swing in a textbook fashion. Ill do this we I stop progressing. No major jump this year but I have definitely improved as a golfer!

sounds just like me - and also about short game. As I will have said sometime before - I learnt my grip, stance and swing reading Ben Hogan's Lessons/Modern Fundamentals book - matching my legs, body and arms positions with the pictures in the book while watching my reflection in the big side window of my parents garage (I was 13-15 at the time). And that's been it as far as 'lessons' are concerned. Everything else I've learned on the golf course. And I WILL get back to 6h/cap

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

My view when I changed clubs was that if I was going to spend a large amount of money on clubs, I might as well get the best setup for me. Whether it makes any real difference I don't know, but I would always do it again, partly because it takes away the doubts and partly because I enjoyed the whole CF process.

Now I agree with this - just that I have never spent >£300 on golf clubs - even when I bought my current set (which I bought without even picking one up ) Don't know that it would make any difference but if my pro was offering it as part of the purchase then I would. Whether it would do me any great good I have my doubts.

 

[coxyripit]

I used to hook the ball quite a lot when I used to play Callaway Big Bertha irons years ago. They had a standard uniflex steel shaft. For my 21st I got a set of custom fit Mizuno MX-200's from my parents. The difference these custom fit irons have made to my game is beyond belief. I'm 6ft 2 and have a pretty quick swing. After being set up on the Mizuno Swing DNA I ended up with Project X 6.0 Precision shafts that are 1/2 inch longer than standard. These feel amazing to play with and I couldn't imagine playing with anything else now. The distance I've added is unreal, and that nasty hook is gone because I'm not too powerful for these shafts. Would recommend the Mizuno Swing DNA to anyone, my handicap has tumbled down from 24 to 8 in 2 years.

 

[markgs]

stupid stupid question, if you were 85 years old and had a swing speed of 75mph and bought a 7.5 degree driver with xxx stiff shaft should you just get use to it or get fitted with the correct shaft and loft?? no brainer

 

[macca64]

Yep .... OVERRATED.
I can name a couple of dozen Cat1and Scratch players at my club who have never been custom fitted.
Gosh!, Some have even been Cat1 for 20 years or more. Well before the first mention of 'Custom fitting' from the manufacturers

I'm guessing they got there with plenty practice, sensible course management. Good putting and chipping.

Remember Faldo saying when he first started on the tour, he played different makes of clubs in his bag,no custom fitting back in the early day's

 

[granters]

I got custom fitted 2 years ago for a set of fg tour v2's. Played off the shelf blades all my life until then. Handicap rose from 5.0 to 5.9 over the season. Finally gave up the ghost with them halfway through last season and went back to off the shelf fg62's. Handicap immediately fell back to 5.1 over the course of a few months. In my case I'd learned to use "standard" clubs and maintained a pretty good handicap with them over the years.

On paper the numbers from the custom fit made sense, longer shafts, thicker grips etc etc . In reality I lost all the feel I had developed over the years , and I didn't enjoy my game as much.

My point is custom fit is a useful tool, but I'd rather play with something I'm comfortable with than something a computer says is best for me. I'm not playing for a living after all