Proper fitting breeds success, which breeds confidence, which leads to better results

[BamBooBender]

What are your thoughts on this statement?

I think it has some merit, although leaving out the huge variable named perception.

Edit: I should clarify that I'm not talking about getting fit, per se, but about those clubs that just work for you, regardless of how they ended up in your bag.

 

[Iceman!]

Agreed %

 

[Knot Right]

I can say first hand that every golfer would benefit from getting fitted after they have somewhat of a grooved swing. I see too many guys out there who just keeping trading their sets looking for the holy grail. They end up spending 10 times more than a person who has taken the time and effort to be fitted properly.

I just came back into the game recently and I had all stock lies Adams in the bag. (I gave all my clubs away to my son in law 4 years ago) This didn't work out very well. I was OK on the range with them but I had to manipulate my swing to make them work. When I got on the course, I was stressing over mechanics instead of just playing golf. I was a mess.

My specs were always about 1.5 upright in the shorter irons, and about 2 or so upright in the longer irons depending on the model club. I played Pings off and on for many years and I would have the green dot color code irons tweaked.

I bought another set of green dot Pings early this week and the results have been fantastic. My stance feels more like it's old self, the visual aspect at address looks right, and I am taking the club back more freely and upright. The wedges are a little too upright right now, but I will have them tweaked by Ping in a few weeks, as I do not trust any of the local people around here to do it for me.

My specs are fairly close to stock, but it is amazing what a what a little tweak "here and there" can do for you................whether it be length, lie, weight, grips, etc. etc. etc.

Oh yeah...... proper fitting is a no brainer.

 

[McLovin]

Personally, I don't agree. Here's why.

There is no fitting facility in the world that has every single head, shaft and grip combination available for testing. It's just not feasible or economical. Not mention things like immediate lie adjustments, addition of sensicore, soft or hard stepping, etc.

Second, for the facilities that do have an extensive (though never comprehensive or all-encompassing) selection to test, very few of us have the physical stamina to make it through the entire fitting bringing our best stuff with every swing. A fitting can be absolutely exhausting, and by the end you may be testing a different setup but making garbage swings.

And lastly and more conspiracy theory/pessimistic, there is a profit motive that I just can't dismiss. The fitter is incentivized to achieve a cattle call and sell max clubs. There is more money in volume than quality, so there is always the doubt in the back of my mind that they landed on a good recommendation to wrap things up instead of continuing to try other sets, as there is another customer scheduled soon.

I don't deny that fitting can breed success. I was fitted for many clubs in my bag and I love them, but I don't have the confidence that they are the best possible fit for me among all clubs on the market.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mach2]

Sure, a proper fitting with your golf clubs lead to better results. I remember the first time I had a fitting for the clubs I was using, what a difference in my game after the fitting. More consistent impact and therefore more consistent results. When you get fitted to your clubs you know they're your clubs, which breeds confidence, which breeds better results.

 

[rollin]

Personally, I don't agree. Here's why.

There is no fitting facility in the world that has every single head, shaft and grip combination available for testing. It's just not feasible or economical. Not mention things like immediate lie adjustments, addition of sensicore, soft or hard stepping, etc.

Second, for the facilities that do have an extensive (though never comprehensive or all-encompassing) selection to test, very few of us have the physical stamina to make it through the entire fitting bringing our best stuff with every swing. A fitting can be absolutely exhausting, and by the end you may be testing a different setup but making garbage swings.

And lastly and more conspiracy theory/pessimistic, there is a profit motive that I just can't dismiss. The fitter is incentivized to achieve a cattle call and sell max clubs. There is more money in volume than quality, so there is always the doubt in the back of my mind that they landed on a good recommendation to wrap things up instead of continuing to try other sets, as there is another customer scheduled soon.

I don't deny that fitting can breed success. I was fitted for many clubs in my bag and I love them, but I don't have the confidence that they are the best possible fit for me among all clubs on the market.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The OP (as he indicated) is really talking more about liking the clubs one is playing with and not necessarily professionally fitted clubs. None the less, to some of your points above I can understand your thoughts. Imo even after a professional fitting one may still be as far from his truly "perfect" set of clubs as when he started. I say that only because the sheer number of clubs, shafts, heads, grips, etc in existence... finding that truly perfect combination (which also includes personal feel and tatse) fit imo could in a way be a needle in a haystack stroke of luck.

As to the OP's suggestion, yea I think having clubs one is happy or happier with for whatever the reasons is a benefit. But that being said it doesn't mean its the best club/s for him. At least until he/she tries or comes across something else that works better. One can imo get stuck thinking something is good only because of familiarity which although offers comfort and even confidence may still be far off from something that (given some time) would prove to offer the same while also being a much better play for his game. And that would mean even more comfort and confidence so it does all work from either direction.

 

[Knot Right]

Personally, I don't agree. Here's why.

There is no fitting facility in the world that has every single head, shaft and grip combination available for testing. It's just not feasible or economical. Not mention things like immediate lie adjustments, addition of sensicore, soft or hard stepping, etc.

Second, for the facilities that do have an extensive (though never comprehensive or all-encompassing) selection to test, very few of us have the physical stamina to make it through the entire fitting bringing our best stuff with every swing. A fitting can be absolutely exhausting, and by the end you may be testing a different setup but making garbage swings.

And lastly and more conspiracy theory/pessimistic, there is a profit motive that I just can't dismiss. The fitter is incentivized to achieve a cattle call and sell max clubs. There is more money in volume than quality, so there is always the doubt in the back of my mind that they landed on a good recommendation to wrap things up instead of continuing to try other sets, as there is another customer scheduled soon.

I don't deny that fitting can breed success. I was fitted for many clubs in my bag and I love them, but I don't have the confidence that they are the best possible fit for me among all clubs on the market.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

You are looking from the perspective that fitters are club pimps. The average golfer doesn't need to be fit into specific OEM gear, but would certainly benefit from knowing what what fits his or her game more closely as far as club specs. Even a basic swing fitter with minimal equipment on hand can do this. I was fit 35 years ago with only a few clubs that the the man kept tweaking on for me. He was the most knowledgeable man I ever met in the game, and he never tried to sell me a thing. He also took me from a 24 hdcp. to a 14 in one season, and the next season I played to a 9. All this while stationed on a ship.

 

[rollin]

You are looking from the perspective that fitters are club pimps. The average golfer doesn't need to be fit into specific OEM gear, but would certainly benefit from knowing what what fits his or her game more closely as far as club specs. Even a basic swing fitter with minimal equipment on hand can do this. I was fit 35 years ago with only a few clubs that the the man kept tweaking on for me. He was the most knowledgeable man I ever met in the game, and he never tried to sell me a thing. He also took me from a 24 hdcp. to a 14 in one season, and the next season I played to a 9. All this while stationed on a ship.

I get the gist of your post and somewhat can agree. That said, I highly doubt your success of going from 24 to 14 is because he took you there. If you went from 24 to a 14 in one season you can believe (if you wish) it was due to your fitter but that is far much more about you than any fitted clubs. Heck if that were the case than so many people would be knocking on the door to the tour pro level simply due to being fit and tweak fitted.

Being fit can help one hone their skills but 24 to 14? is way over the top. This game is far more about the indian than it is the arrow. Not at all a knock on being fit as its something I have done and agree is something that is better for anyone to do. One does not go from 24 to 14 because his fitter took him there in one season. In fact going from 24 to 14 in one season is not a norm and is attributed much more to the ability and/or natural gifts a player has than any fitter.

 

[Tedfroop]

Proper fitting breeds success by:
-Promoting proper posture.
-Setting clubs up so you get consistent contact with the turf. (or as consistent as you can get)
-Finding the clubs that suit your game best.
-Fitting the right shaft to the clubs for proper launch and spin rates and ball flight.

Confidence comes from hard work and practice.

Better results come from proper fitting equipment, hard work and practice, and a mental attitude that allows you to expect improvement.

The mental attitude is one of the most important. I don't know how many threads I have read here about "I was having a really great round ....... an I shot my usual score." Getting rid of the self sabotage and getting to where you expect to shoot lower scores is the hardest part of golf.

 

[Wakit300]

You hit the nail on the head Tedfroop! I agree properly fitted clubs can help you with a more consistent result and therefore inspire more confidence in your swing/results but you've got to put in the work to improve. The most overlooked area of improvement is the mental game and IMO without working on that part of your game you can get the best fitting clubs in the world and it's not going to make that much of a difference in your long term results on the course.