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Golf Fitting Today (want some feedback)

c0ncept

c0ncept

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First off I just want to hear some discussion on this and I know it should be in the rant thread so I have no problem with it being moved there.

As some of you know I have been looking to get new irons. I went into PGA SS today to get some more comparisons with a few different clubs and had by far the worst experience ever. The guy who was "fitting" me asked what setup I wanted on the R11 (the only club I ended up trying) and i told him either graphite or steel in stiff flex but with a 2* upright head and he looked at me like I was crazy for wanting an upright head and I told him that was what I have been fitted for multiple times and that no I dont hook the ball. I start hitting the club and it took a while to warm up but then I started hitting what felt like good swings that on the monitor were straight to a slight fade but only going 150 yards (My past experiences with this club were very straight and 170-180 yards on multiple occasions so I figured it was the monitor). He started talking that he didn't understand why I was fit to 2* upright because that was just stupid and I should be hooking the ball. I told him that the reason I was fit to it was because at impact if it isn't upright I dig the toe since I get over the ball for more power. When I told him I wanted to try the club in a graphite shaft because of my injury history and because I liked the feel better he again said that was stupid and that steel was way better then graphite. One of the comments he said to me during the whole event really bugged me though. "The reason you got fit to 2* upright was to compensate for something in your swing" (well duh...isn't that what a fitting is for?) but then he said something that really just kind of set me off: "It's really easy to change a golf swing". I personally didn't agree with that at all because I have gone through swing changes before and it took a lot of work and a lot of time to make the strides that I made but all I could think about was...If I wanted to change my swing I would have gone to someone for a lesson and not gone for a fitting to get the best clubs for MY swing. I ended up just leaving after hitting that one club because I didn't want to deal with this guy anymore.

I know that is a lot to read so here are the basic things I wanted to bring up:

1. I wanted to swing a graphite shaft because of injuries and he told me that was stupid because steel was better. (Graphite is what I was used to and is much easier on the body when it comes to injuries not to mention it has made huge strides from what it used to be in terms of quality)

2. What is wrong with having a club at 2* upright?

3. Should this guy even be fitting people?
 
Id take it up with the manager, fast.




c0ncept said:
First off I just want to hear some discussion on this and I know it should be in the rant thread so I have no problem with it being moved there.

As some of you know I have been looking to get new irons. I went into PGA SS today to get some more comparisons with a few different clubs and had by far the worst experience ever. The guy who was "fitting" me asked what setup I wanted on the R11 (the only club I ended up trying) and i told him either graphite or steel in stiff flex but with a 2* upright head and he looked at me like I was crazy for wanting an upright head and I told him that was what I have been fitted for multiple times and that no I dont hook the ball. I start hitting the club and it took a while to warm up but then I started hitting what felt like good swings that on the monitor were straight to a slight fade but only going 150 yards (My past experiences with this club were very straight and 170-180 yards on multiple occasions so I figured it was the monitor). He started talking that he didn't understand why I was fit to 2* upright because that was just stupid and I should be hooking the ball. I told him that the reason I was fit to it was because at impact if it isn't upright I dig the toe since I get over the ball for more power. When I told him I wanted to try the club in a graphite shaft because of my injury history and because I liked the feel better he again said that was stupid and that steel was way better then graphite. One of the comments he said to me during the whole event really bugged me though. "The reason you got fit to 2* upright was to compensate for something in your swing" (well duh...isn't that what a fitting is for?) but then he said something that really just kind of set me off: "It's really easy to change a golf swing". I personally didn't agree with that at all because I have gone through swing changes before and it took a lot of work and a lot of time to make the strides that I made but all I could think about was...If I wanted to change my swing I would have gone to someone for a lesson and not gone for a fitting to get the best clubs for MY swing. I ended up just leaving after hitting that one club because I didn't want to deal with this guy anymore.

I know that is a lot to read so here are the basic things I wanted to bring up:

1. I wanted to swing a graphite shaft because of injuries and he told me that was stupid because steel was better. (Graphite is what I was used to and is much easier on the body when it comes to injuries not to mention it has made huge strides from what it used to be in terms of quality)

2. What is wrong with having a club at 2* upright?

3. Should this guy even be fitting people?
Click to expand...
 
You did nothing wrong, try and find some place else that is willing to help you. There is nothing wrong with graphite either.
 
Sounds like a bad fitter dude. Sorry to hear that. The best experience I have had is a GolfTec where I was able to test multiple options and the guys there tend to know what they are talking about.
 
When somebody says steel is better than graphite, then ask them why Matt Kuchar plays graphite in his irons (I believe I remember JB saying he does). Nothing wrong with 2* upright heads. I don't think there's anything wrong with this guy fitting people, they should just ignore what he says. Sounds like a bad experience, sorry to hear that. Hopefully it will be better next time.
 
Damaikis said:
When somebody says steel is better than graphite, then ask them why Matt Kuchar plays graphite in his irons (I believe I remember JB saying he does). Nothing wrong with 2* upright heads. I don't think there's anything wrong with this guy fitting people, they should just ignore what he says. Sounds like a bad experience, sorry to hear that. Hopefully it will be better next time.
Click to expand...

Kuchar plays a mixed shaft. I have had good experiences in the past there (Friday was great) but today was just stupid this guy didn't know what he was talking about and didnt even bother trying to help.
 
c0ncept said:
Kuchar plays a mixed shaft. I have had good experiences in the past there (Friday was great) but today was just stupid this guy didn't know what he was talking about and didnt even bother trying to help.
Click to expand...

Well then I would talk to the manager about it. That's what all the people at my local Dick's are like, and that's the only golf store within an hour of my house. None of them know what they're talking about.
 
Like everyone else has said already I'd hit up a manager, that's freaking terrible IMHO.
 
I would have ended up planting my foot in his arse, I could fit you better than he did.
 
i dont know why he said you should go with steel graphite is like you said a lot easier on your body. But the 2 degrees upright part is correct. i have a fitter that i go to for everything and he also told me not to do 2 degrees upright. if you club is bent upright it can cause you to hook the ball a lot. Also, you will not get consistent contact everytime. He told me that even pros taller than me 6' 1" have there clubs bent down. When you do this it allows for more contact on the ball, more spin and a lot more workability.
 
I hate these types of stories. The fitter should not be asking you the questions(not about the clubs I mean fitting wise), it should be the other way around, atleast I feel more comfortable that way. Thankfully the guys at my local GG are kind/helpful. They don't try to sell me on anything(even though being a lefty sucks) and let me pick and choose their options. It's really what sold me on the driver I just kept hitting and hitting but then they put my RIP shaft in, and I was sold, without a good fitter the club is worthless in a sense.
 
Sorry for your bad experience, I would definitely talk to the manager (especially if you paid for a fitting). 2* upright is what I was fitted for as well.
 
CRISCO320 said:
i dont know why he said you should go with steel graphite is like you said a lot easier on your body. But the 2 degrees upright part is correct. i have a fitter that i go to for everything and he also told me not to do 2 degrees upright. if you club is bent upright it can cause you to hook the ball a lot. Also, you will not get consistent contact everytime. He told me that even pros taller than me 6' 1" have there clubs bent down. When you do this it allows for more contact on the ball, more spin and a lot more workability.
Click to expand...

I do not agree with this. 2* up can be correct it just depends on your swing.
 
Its a big box store. Some of their guys are experienced and know what they're doing, and some of them are idiots. You definitely should relay this experience to the store manager, because this guy could really be screwing up some people.

I don't want to sound like an equipment snob, but I wouldn't really try to get fitting advice from anyone at the large retail stores, unless maybe you know the individual you are speaking to has a good reputation. If you want fitting advice, go see a professional club fitter (preferably one that lets you hit balls outside), or at least show up at a demo/fitting day put on by a manufacturer. PGA SS is cool because you can hit a wide variety of clubs. Since you already know you want your clubs bent a little upright, then its a pretty easy matter to use their strike board and confirm that 2* or so upright would be good for you with that particular club. Don't worry about anything their sales guys tell you. They might be giving you sage advice, or they might be total idiots.
 
I went through a fitting with a young guy at a golf store several years ago and bought a set of Pings that were very ill fitted to me. Last year I went through a fitting with my teaching pro who has won several Club Fitter of the Year awards from Ping and Mizuno and it was like night and day. If you are feeling like the person you are dealing with is incompetent, then you are most likely right. It's way too big of an investment to make and have a bad fitting. Take it from me, find someone who knows what they are doing!
 
Yeah I will probably talk with the manager next time I go in even though it didn't cost me anything but my time. There is only one guy there that I will even swing clubs with now but basically I already knew what I wanted and I dont think he liked that. I really just cant stop thinking about all the people who didn't know anything and that have been fitted by this guy.

Thanks for all the comments so far everyone.
 
id take your business elsewhere.... you didn't do anything wrong.... theres nothing wrong with graphite if thats what works well with your swing or helps you with your injury. sucks you only got to hit 1 club.
 
There is absolutely nothing wrong with what types of irons you play. First, if you want to play graphite shafts there is not a ting wrong with that. Especially, if you've had injury issues in the past. As far as graphite shafts they are every bit as good as steel. The shafts now are like what they were like 10 years ago with all of the R&D invested into the industry. Recently I hit some TM irons at a major golf retailer here. The irons I wanted to hit were not available in stiff steel. I didn't want to bother anyone so I hit a demo in graphite...regular. Loved the feel and they kept up no problem. You aren't me and I'm not you but my irons are 2* up. There is nothing wrong with that.

I have no experience with PGA SS but seek a second opinion. If they use the sims for fitting like GG, Dick's and the like especially seek out a different fitter/shop. I prefer fittings that involve FlightScope or something similar. Preferably something involving real world ballflight.

Alex
 
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