JFlores
Active member
Have fun and look forward to hearing about your fitting. Drink lots of water and eat lots of snacks, it is a long process.
Baldguy's Club Champion Fitting - Dallas
I am really curious as to how the club pricing is going to work out. They say, for example, for a $399 driver that that is what you'll pay, except now add the new shaft to that. Do they basically then order the shaft separate and charge full retail added to the $399 or do they order the club from the manufacturer to your specs with the new shaft so it would be an "upgrade" charge instead of a full charge for the shaft? I had a fitting several years ago just swapping shafts on the set of irons I owned at the time and that cost me almost as much as the set of irons did originally.
baldguy
Part-Time Sasquatch
- Thread starter
- #54
they order the heads and the shafts you select based on their fitting. They don't, for example, order a Bio Cell + with stock shaft and grip, then throw away everything but the head and sell you a new shaft and grip. It does cost a bit more than ordering them online or picking them up in stock form from a retailer. That said, they also add the value of expert assembly and adjustment to your exact specs. You can also pay for the fitting by itself without buying the clubs from them if you like. As far as I know there is no discount for doing both... they are a premium service and they charge what they charge. I personally have not yet decided if I will be doing the assembly myself or if I will have them (or someone else) do it using the build sheet I got from club champion.
JFlores
Active member
they charge full retail for club and shaft. What I did is I took fitter recommendations, purchased shaft(s) online and grips, took to them to assemble. He just charged me what I think is a nominal cost to install shaft to length/lie and swing weight. I think it was around $20.
baldguy
Part-Time Sasquatch
- Thread starter
- #57
interesting. the price they gave me for an aftermarket shaft and a new head was less than the full retail for a club with stock shaft plus the aftermarket one. My example was a Big Bertha with a Fujikura Pro 73 TS. Full retail would have been $400 for the BB plus $230 for the shaft and another $10 for the grip, so $640 assuming no charge for the tip and install. The price they quoted me was $599. Maybe some of them operate differently from others.
JFlores
Active member
It's my understanding that all orders come from Chicago that is where it's build. I was basing my assumption off of my buddy who got his clubs through club champion, I went through gettin everything myself and taking to club champion to build to my spec.
baldguy
Part-Time Sasquatch
- Thread starter
- #59
I'm pretty sure that each club champion location builds the stuff themselves. that was one of their selling points: "you have one guy building all of your clubs right here".
I think I might do what you did though... see how much they will charge me to build everything out to the specs they provided, if I buy the parts myself. I wasn't very impressed with their sold+installed pricing. with SST PURE it would run me $95 per shaft for the c-tapers to buy from them and have them install. $65 without PURE. I can order the shafts from golfworks or golfsmith for half that. As long as they don't charge $30 per club to install iron shafts...
definitely not upset about spending the money to get fitted, but I do need to bargain shop for the actual gear. I did try to get them to work with me on price, but that wasn't very well received.
I think I might do what you did though... see how much they will charge me to build everything out to the specs they provided, if I buy the parts myself. I wasn't very impressed with their sold+installed pricing. with SST PURE it would run me $95 per shaft for the c-tapers to buy from them and have them install. $65 without PURE. I can order the shafts from golfworks or golfsmith for half that. As long as they don't charge $30 per club to install iron shafts...
definitely not upset about spending the money to get fitted, but I do need to bargain shop for the actual gear. I did try to get them to work with me on price, but that wasn't very well received.
So you are saying that all the manufacturers will sell them just the heads? My main area of interest in irons right now are the recent Ping offerings, i25, G25 and Karsten. Ping will sell them only the heads?
-CRW-
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Trevor at the Houston location said that they could just order the heads and shafts seperately. He also stated that shafts are weight sorted by them and that if they build you a set they can/will show you that each club weighs as it should and has the proper swing weigth. I assume that the clubs in an iron set should progressively weigh more as the clubs get longer?
He said that they have the machine locally to spine align clubs, but that the SST Pure process was only done in Chicago.
He said that they have the machine locally to spine align clubs, but that the SST Pure process was only done in Chicago.
JFlores
Active member
That is correct, but when you are ordering a brand new set through them with all the shafts, grips, they are built out in headquarters well that is my understanding. Once they are received at the local store you come in hit, them make sure the fit is right and adjustments can be made on the spot. Now if you buy the parts over ebay, internet whatever you bring it in and they build it to your spec on site.
baldguy
Part-Time Sasquatch
- Thread starter
- #63
unsure of which of the fitter's recommended iron shafts I wanted to go with, I bought one of each in 6i length. Since I had an extra speedblade 6i head, WardF helped me build matching swingweight, grip, length, head, etc. One ctaper 120 and one RIP 115. I bagged both 6 irons on the range and on the course today and came away really impressed with each. I hit them back to back on the range many times when warming up. The front 9 I played with the RIP and the back I played with the ctaper. A couple of times, since we were backed up behind a foursome, I was able to hit both from the same lie on the course. My plan is to keep doing this for at least a couple more rounds before I decide between the two.
I can definitely tell why the fitter liked the heavier iron shafts for me. it takes basically no effort to get the clubhead on the ball. Make a smooth swing and the contact is going to be solid. both of these shafts performed incredibly well for me. I think the RIP might be a bit longer but I'm not ready to call that one yet. It definitely feels amazing - something akin to the way a forged head feels versus a cast one. Hard to put your finger on it, but you know it when you hit it. The ctaper doesn't feel quite as amazing (still *very* good) but it does give a slightly more stable feel through the swing. Ultimately I think either of these shafts is going to be a great fit, I'm just trying to figure out which one is the most perfect. Right now I'm leaning towards the RIP just because of the feel, but I'm doing my best to remain impartial and let the results be the determining factor. Hitting off of the indoor mats on the trackman, the numbers for both were so close that the fitter deemed them identical for my swing.
I never would have guessed that an iron shaft could make this big of a difference. I'm a believer now. Where my normal iron game consists of quite a few flares, pulls, and pushes sprinkled with more than my share of fat shots... hitting these two 6irons was a nice, consistent draw that is on target significantly more often. getting fit may be the single best thing a person can do for their game. I can't wait to get all of my iron shafts swapped out - I just hope that the consistency I gained with these two will translate to the rest. I'm pretty optimistic that it will.
I can definitely tell why the fitter liked the heavier iron shafts for me. it takes basically no effort to get the clubhead on the ball. Make a smooth swing and the contact is going to be solid. both of these shafts performed incredibly well for me. I think the RIP might be a bit longer but I'm not ready to call that one yet. It definitely feels amazing - something akin to the way a forged head feels versus a cast one. Hard to put your finger on it, but you know it when you hit it. The ctaper doesn't feel quite as amazing (still *very* good) but it does give a slightly more stable feel through the swing. Ultimately I think either of these shafts is going to be a great fit, I'm just trying to figure out which one is the most perfect. Right now I'm leaning towards the RIP just because of the feel, but I'm doing my best to remain impartial and let the results be the determining factor. Hitting off of the indoor mats on the trackman, the numbers for both were so close that the fitter deemed them identical for my swing.
I never would have guessed that an iron shaft could make this big of a difference. I'm a believer now. Where my normal iron game consists of quite a few flares, pulls, and pushes sprinkled with more than my share of fat shots... hitting these two 6irons was a nice, consistent draw that is on target significantly more often. getting fit may be the single best thing a person can do for their game. I can't wait to get all of my iron shafts swapped out - I just hope that the consistency I gained with these two will translate to the rest. I'm pretty optimistic that it will.
WardF
#TeamDOTCOM Member
I have to say I am a believer too in the fitting not just because of watching Josh hit that club so much better all day--which is a big part--the misses were even better on that club. For me I was moved off the Ctaper on to something with "more forgiving" torque--I would often get way left with ctaper and had to compensate with altering my swing path for more of a cut feel. My fitter put me is a similar weight but higher number tip torque. Today was my second round with the new shafts and honestly it took some time to just trust the "natural swing" again instead of some compensation. I would end up right at first giving it too much compensation like I did before. By the end of the round my last 3 approaches in a row with a natural swing were just all on. All Greens and just a touch short due to a bit of wind miscalculation. So add me to the believer column on fitting--as this is golf I will say at least for this week!
New shafts for me were Nippon Modus 3 tour 120.
New shafts for me were Nippon Modus 3 tour 120.
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baldguy
Part-Time Sasquatch
- Thread starter
- #65
after I had to reschedule the final session due to a short-notice work trip, I finally got back to Club Champion today for wedges, hybrids, and fairway woods. The experience was eye-opening as usual. One common trend though - for me, heavier is better. heavier shafts, heavier heads, and more swingweight. I was surprised that "matching" shafts, woods and hybrids didn't fit me the same way. For instance, I was fit into the SLDR-S 3W and hybrid (with the 588 hybrid as an alternative), but the driver didn't work for me. I was fit into the Bio Cell+ driver (with the BB as an alternative) but the bio cell fairway didn't work for me. The fitter liked the Fujikura Pro 73 TS for my driver, but not for the other clubs. So my perfectly fit set will have several different brands of heads and shafts. Very interesting.
Overall, Club Champion was very accommodating to my schedule and my stamina. The level of expertise was unmatched. The technology and selection of tester clubs and shafts was incredible. Good customer service and a good experience means I give them a big thumbs up!
Overall, Club Champion was very accommodating to my schedule and my stamina. The level of expertise was unmatched. The technology and selection of tester clubs and shafts was incredible. Good customer service and a good experience means I give them a big thumbs up!
Congratulations on a great fitting session(s)! Are you going to order any of the recommended clubs? Did they quote you a cost for any of it?
baldguy
Part-Time Sasquatch
- Thread starter
- #67
they did quote me costs on all of it. I already ordered and received (yesterday!) the iron shafts from golfworks which I will install myself. The driver shaft I will probably order from elsewhere. The hybrids and fwy woods will possibly be ordered from them... but I'm a bargain hunter 
it's really hard to deny how much better the fitted stuff worked for me. I feel like if I want my game to benefit from this effort, I owe it to myself to at least try the recommended equipment on the course. So, I will buy. I just don't know from whom yet.
it's really hard to deny how much better the fitted stuff worked for me. I feel like if I want my game to benefit from this effort, I owe it to myself to at least try the recommended equipment on the course. So, I will buy. I just don't know from whom yet.
Yeah the prices to build from club champion were pretty nuts imo. I went to my local shop after the fitting and could build my clubs at around half the price I was quoted
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Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
baldguy
Part-Time Sasquatch
- Thread starter
- #69
what I don't understand is that if they would simply match the prices I can get elsewhere (or at least get close), they would make money from the sale. Sticking to their inflated prices loses the sale for them. It sure seems like a small piece of something is better than a big piece of nothing... oh well. They were paid for the fitting and I think I got a good deal on that part. Still a happy customer.
Golds
Active member
This really makes me want to get fitted, I am sure within my set there are things that don't match my swing. I feel like I need to get more consistent with my swing before I get fitted though. Is it a waste of time for a 20-22 handicap to get fitted? Should I wait until I am in the 15-18 handicap range before I get my swing analyzed and everything matched up with it?
baldguy
Part-Time Sasquatch
- Thread starter
- #71
I don't think you should wait, but then you might need to go back once you improve your game. people put way, way too much emphasis on handicap. high scores happen for any number of reasons. I've been beaten by guys who had nothing that resembled a "proper" golf swing and I've beaten guys who looked like pros on the range. I have no idea where your game is on that spectrum and IMO your HCP isn't a good indicator of how much you can benefit from a fitting. properly fit equipment really does help you get to the ball more consistently, which will help no matter what issue you are working on. One thing for sure though, it won't hurt. It might just make this game a lot easier!
JFlores
Active member
Like it was said to me by my fitter, a guy with a higher handicap benefits from being fitted because they need something that fits there swing while a guy that is scratch or low hdcp can adjust to an off the rack irons/driver/woods if that makes sense.
-CRW-
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I second this. I went to club champion originally just to learn more about what I would need and found that I needed heavier clubs with at least stiff shafts. I bought cheap and used because I had a lot to learn about the swing to gain some semblance of consistency.
I still have tons/years of work to do on my swing, but now that I have some consistency with my irons that I'm happy with I plan to go back and do another iron fitting to really fine tune the shaft for me (and because I want new irons as opposed to "new-to-me" irons...).
ETA: I will be sticking with AP2's and will order them custom through The Golf Warehouse, TGW.com to the specs I want.
A lot of equipment can be adjusted after the fact, so even as your swing changes, you can change your equipment with you.
Golds
Active member
I agree about the handicap statement, I just use it as an easy way to tell how my golf game is. I average in the 90's and on good days I am on track to shoot mid-high 80's until I blow up one or two holes. I am almost certain my shafts are wrong for me, they are stock R flex Rocketballz and who knows if they are really R flex with how bad Taylormade's quality control guidelines are. I'm not the fastest swinger but I think I would be fitted for a stiff aftermarket shaft and most likely a much heavier one. Taylormade's stock shafts are so light that I think they may hurt my consistency more than help me gain swing speed. I would probably see dramatic improvement in my ball striking after hearing your experience with new shafts and how they have helped with your thin and fat shots. The only thing really holding me back is the overall cost of getting a real fitting instead of a retail "fitting."