Go get fit.
Three of the most important words for golfers, and also three of the most intimidating, particularly for beginners to the game.
Let’s be honest, for those just getting into golf there are about a million different things to think about, starting with just making contact. How much thought is actually put into the clubs that they are using to try and do that though? For a great deal of people, it is usually a hand-me-down setup that they’re using to get their feet wet. With all that in mind, yes, the decision to go get fit is much more nuanced than many people realize, but the importance never really waivers, regardless of skill level or time in the game.
One of the constants that we hear is the question of “when” someone should finally go through a full fitting, do they need to be in the game for an extended period of time or not? We actually asked Michael Vrska, Director of Custom Fitting and Player Development for Callaway golf just that, and here is what he had to say:
“I think one of the biggest myths in fitting is a person isn’t good enough or hasn’t been playing long enough to get fit. Once you’ve been to the range a few times, played a couple of rounds and are confident golf is for you, get fit. All too many times beginning golfers get clubs that are too heavy or too stiff or the wrong length when starting out and it creates swing compensations that get ingrained, leading to long term faults that can be difficult to correct. I strongly recommended someone gets fit early in their golf life. It will help them hit it better and more consistently, and make the game more fun, both short and long term.”
All this presents the biggest part of the story of why fitting, especially for beginners, can be such a critical experience. The ability to ensure you are using the right equipment in terms of even the most basic fitting aspects means consistency, which in turn helps create the repeatability that so many golfers of all skill levels lack. To get the viewpoint of an independent fitting entity on this we reached out to Nick Sherburne, the founder of Club Champion, and he had this to say:
“Fitting matters for everyone, no matter the skill level, a big part of that is consistency — knowing how far your irons should fly each time, trusting that your shots will be repeatable, and even better understanding your misses when they happen. With a fitting, you’re getting the right club in your hand, which allows your body to move more freely instead of compensating for the wrong fit. Especially for beginners or higher handicaps, that’s imperative to creating good habits and meeting golf goals.”
Now, of course there are the financial implications which can be seen as a deterrent to many just into an already expensive game. An important thing to consider there is being fit doesn’t have to mean all new clubs, it can mean finding out the specifications and adjusting or having your own gear adjusted to better help you achieve those levels of consistency and repeatability that can make the game much more enjoyable.
Have you been fit before? Hesitant? Planning on it in the future? Let your story be heard both below as well as in the THP community!
No. Get a cheap used set and play for a year. Maybe get some lessons. Then get fitted. Game will be bery different after first yr
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[QUOTE=”fatboy, post: 9922264, member: 25666″]
No. Get a cheap used set and play for a year. Maybe get some lessons. Then get fitted. Game will be bery different after first yr
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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Truth !
[QUOTE=”jem12252, post: 9922248, member: 39425″]
Forgive me for being grouchy English major but If these 3 words are so important perhaps we should use them correctly.
Go get FITTED!
I could probably use some support from any other curmudgeons(sp?). Don’t be bashful.
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Depends who you ask.
There’s two threads about this right now haha. Obviously a debated topic. I’m in the camp of you gotta self evaluate where you are with whatever it is you are getting fitted in. If you’re trying to get fitted on a your worst gameplay ,to try to bandage swing flaws, I’m in the camp that is a total waste of money. If you’re slicing on your driver somewhat consistently…don’t get fitted as just one example.
It just depends though where your weaknesses are as a “beginner”. I’ve grasped putting from the very beginning, so I probably should have gotten a putter fitting REALLY early on. Instead I’ve gotten fittings on Driver and Irons which are the weak part of my game, and 3 short months later my swing is COMPLETELY different. There’s just very little chance that the fitting has held true. I’m 100% sure I’d go in today and get completely different results.
It’s just a tough question to answer because I think it depends on what type of person you are. Are you constantly trying to adjust your swing? Are you gonna take lessons and practice what was learned? I say don’t get fit yet. Are just going out to have beers with buddies and are totally fine hacking it up around the 100’s for now? You’re not gonna spend time on the range actually practicing anything? I say get fit in that case.
As somebody who has had a couple of full fittings over the last 6-7 years or so, I definitely see the value in it. But (and I saw this through the fittings I did) your recommendations WILL change as your swing changes. As a matter of fact, I’m getting a re-check / fit on my irons next month, which were custom fit 5 years ago, for exactly this reason. My swing doesn’t change nearly as much as a beginner’s will as they take lessons, so it’s probably unreasonable to expect any fitted gear for a beginner to stick around for a super long time. Let’s be honest, even for really good players, we succumb to new and shiny more often than we probably should!
Ideally, as others have said, you could use the fitting results to make sure at least length, lie and shaft flex are correct and get a used/box set modified accordingly. I know this is something that is offered, and I encourage any beginners I meet to do that as soon as they have a semi consistent swing
[QUOTE=”jem12252, post: 9922248, member: 39425″]
Forgive me for being grouchy English major but If these 3 words are so important perhaps we should use them correctly.
Go get FITTED!
I could probably use some support from any other curmudgeons(sp?). Don’t be bashful.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks for reading 😉
An interesting subject, but a difficult one to accept. Fitted clubs are very expensive and it appears to me that plenty of Golfers play to a decent standard without having fitted clubs.
Rick and Guy on their podcast have broached this subject several times and point out that the average handicap in Golf hasn’t changed in the last 10 years – so how has fitting benefitted the game if this is the case. Presumably, if it was so important to performance then the average handicap would have reduced.
I can understand how it can be important if you are very tall or shorter than average, but if you fit into Mr/Mrs Average then I do wonder what you gain vs buying clubs off the shelf – often then same clubs for a much cheaper price.
Or is it now the case that much like some cars, the “base” clubs are inferior versions of the “proper” fitted clubs. I can think of several cars that have an options list with a lot of items that really should be standard.
Like most sports eventually, I guess you will become so proficient in Golf that getting fitted properly will give you the edge to push the game forward a few more steps, much like diet, fitness, practice, gadgets etc etc.
As a beginner I can’t see how I would get any value out of fitted clubs, I wouldn’t know what I was buying, I wouldn’t know if the guy selling me the fitted clubs was giving me the right advice, I wouldn’t understand the value. What I do know is that they would cost roughly 25%-50% more than equivalent spec direct to consumer/new old stock clubs if I shop hard.
My other worry is that if I decided my game had got to the stage where I needed to buy a different set of clubs to give me the edge – if I’d bought a bespoke set in the first place then selling them would be an issue as they would not be standard so now I’m looking for someone with exactly the same requirements as me to buy them. Clearly, this would be a concern for buyers of these “custom” clubs.
[QUOTE=”jjgreenwood, post: 9960458, member: 65298″]
Rick and Guy on their podcast have broached this subject several times and point out that the average handicap in Golf hasn’t changed in the last 10 years – so how has fitting benefitted the game if this is the case. Presumably, if it was so important to performance then the average handicap would have reduced.
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They are incorrect. It’s commonly made argument, but according to the USGA not accurate.
[QUOTE=”JB, post: 9960487, member: 3″]
They are incorrect. It’s commonly made argument, but according to the USGA not accurate.
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Thanks, it does seem odd given the technical leap of the distance & forgiveness capabilities of modern equipment that it would stay the same. Would be interesting to know what impact the technical advancements have made.
The “technical advancements” in equipment are what inhibit individual improvement.
One of my instructors (a Top 100) says the biggest challenge to teaching new golfers is “stock” equipment that is too long and too upright. So, yes, fitting is key, but tell that to someone who may have dropped $1000 on the best clubs, only to be told in a lesson that they don’t fit.
In addition to length and lie, I believe fitting doesn’t pay enough attention to grip size. Modern “standard” grip sizes are stupid. I play a mix of larger grips (my irons at 1/8″ over; woods are Jumbomax MD at +5/16″ over). Last weekend, at the range, I watched the guy in the next stall really struggling. We were both the same height, age, and build. Main difference: His hands were huge and he was in stock standard grips. We got to chatting and I let him try a few of my clubs with Jumbomax grips. He was so happy! He said he didn’t have to squeeze or grip anywhere near as hard. He told his son in the next stall to tell “mom” he wanted Jumbomax grips for Father’s Day!
In my opinion, if fitting beginners is relevant, it needs to include length, lie and grip size.
Golfing is like fishing, what bait is the best. I still play blades well. But I’m going for a fitting in a couple of weeks to see how hot she is..
I looked up e-fitting for my height, arm length, hand size, etc. and then bought inexpensive customized clubs and molded my swing to those specifications. I am really glad that I did not get fit in my first year, my swing has gone through [I]drastic[/I] changes multiple times where I do not even look like the same person swinging a club anymore.
[QUOTE=”wazzubrew, post: 10001969, member: 60811″]
I looked up e-fitting for my height, arm length, hand size, etc. and then bought inexpensive customized clubs and molded my swing to those specifications. I am really glad that I did not get fit in my first year, my swing has gone through [I]drastic[/I] changes multiple times where I do not even look like the same person swinging a club anymore.
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Sometimes I don’t look like the same person swinging a club from one swing to the next! ?
I need to go through a good fitting. I am sure what i am playing isnt the best for me. I was fit (not great) several years ago and felt it was helpful. I am curious wjat i could find out at a better fitting.
[QUOTE=”GolfMT36, post: 9913687, member: 57994″]
It’s cool. All totally unbiased. Of course, you write for a website who derives the vast majority of its income from advertising by club and shaft manufacturers and fitting companies. But still totally unbiased.
Perhaps we should maybe say 3 of the most important words to golfers are Lessons, Technique, Practice.
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Why are you even here if it’s all unreliable biased content??