What has your fitting meant to you in terms of improvement?

[OldandStiff]

An exchange between rollin and Brassie about how many people spend money on clubs, but don't get fitted for the clubs they buy got me thinking about that.

I've never been fitted for any clubs. I played 15 year old irons until the end of July, at which point I was a 2 handicap. I made a purely internet-informed decision (THP included of course) to buy a newer set that seemed like it would suit me better. We don't have a golf store or launch monitor or anything within hours of here, so we do what we can. I feel lucky that I'm a consistent enough ball striker to be able to judge visual results to some degree. My handicap and specifically my iron play has improved fairly dramatically imo since that purchase. I think it would have continued to improve, but probably not at the rate or to the level that it has. They are a good 'fit' for me, luckily. I just bought a new set I'm hoping will be an even better fit for my game. 'Hoping' being the key word.

I'm sure the confidence alone from playing clubs you've had fitted for you and have seen the relevant data on could make a difference in on course results, but confidence is fickle for most.


So for those of you that do game fitted clubs, how much has that improved your actual scoring?

 

[Kay-Dee]

An exchange between rollin and Brassie about how many people spend money on clubs, but don't get fitted for the clubs they buy got me thinking about that.

I've never been fitted for any clubs. I played 15 year old irons until the end of July, at which point I was a 2 handicap. I made a purely internet-informed decision (THP included of course) to buy a newer set that seemed like it would suit me better. We don't have a golf store or launch monitor or anything within hours of here, so we do what we can. I feel lucky that I'm a consistent enough ball striker to be able to judge visual results to some degree. My handicap and specifically my iron play has improved fairly dramatically imo since that purchase. I think it would have continued to improve, but probably not at the rate or to the level that it has. They are a good 'fit' for me, luckily. I just bought a new set I'm hoping will be an even better fit for my game. 'Hoping' being the key word.

I'm sure the confidence alone from playing clubs you've had fitted for you and have seen the relevant data on could make a difference in on course results, but confidence is fickle for most.


So for those of you that do game fitted clubs, how much has that improved your actual scoring?

What did you buy?

 

[Architex]

In two words A LOT

My driver I got fitted and I picked up 30 yards carry but more importantly I lowered the spin from 35-3800 to 2400-2600.

My irons are similar. I am a high spin player so I got my irons and more importantly the shaft fitted and now I hit a much more penetrating ball flight.

And all of this has lowered my HC from mid 7s down to a low of mid 3s and current of 5.


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[tahoebum]

Other than lie adjustments, I’ve only been fitted by a PGA Pro a couple times for irons and a few times for a driver. One of the driver fittings I would call a success but both iron fittings actually hurt my game. The lighter shafts that seemed to work on the Trackman actually made my proximity to the hole worse on the course.

I tend to do my own fittings by buying extra shafts and find the ones that work through on course and range testing.

 

[OldandStiff]

What did you buy?

Just a newer Apex set. A 19 combo. Going with a C-taper this time to start. Still want to try the new Cobra Forged Tec, so if these work out pretty well I'll trade the old CF16s in on them.

 

[-CRW-]

Early on, a lot. I followed the basic idea of going regular flex as a new golfer. I learned I needed heavier, stiffer shafts. The game was much tougher early on than it should have been.

I’ve been fit multiple times in the past and haven’t seen much difference between a few shafts in my irons (X100, C-Taper X, PX 6.5). I miss left (over draw) frequently and just went back for an fitting to see where I could improve. I overdrew most clubs again, even TT X7’s, but learned that PX 7.0 went straighter and longer for me. At 180 with a 7i I hit 2 of 5 approach shots with X7’s and 4 of 5 with PX 7.0 with the one miss being slightly left of the pin but long. Now I want new shafts...I’ve liked the feel of X100’s better, but I’ll sacrifice a little feel for an increase in GIRs.

 

[Chef23]

For me pretty much nothing. I have been pretty aware of what works for me and I did a recent TrueSpec full bag fitting and the only club I wound up changing was the 3W. I love the new 3W but it doesn’t have a huge impact on my scores.

 

[InTheRough]

It has been trial and error. Iron "fitting" has been hitting a standard length 7 iron to see if I liked "the feel", getting a static measurement then ordering the set according to "the chart." For me that meant +1" and 2 degrees upright. This summer, I spent some time with a set of clubs on the launch monitor and found that I should be 1 degree upright. It was a guess on my part because the standard lie went too far right. 2 degree upright went too far left. So there it was. Cobra made me a new set this summer according to the specs I gave them. They've been easier to control.

And like tahoebum, when I got my 3-4 utility iron, I was fit for the lighter graphite recoil shaft but sprayed it all over the place. I ended up ordering the heavier steel shaft because I could hit darts with it. I tend to like heavier shafts because I can feel the club drop better.

Then it was off the rack hack with the drivers for years. I was "fit" based on, oh you hit that one furthest. But I kept the Big Bertha in the fairway best. Honestly I haven't had a driver I've really liked since my old Amp Cell. It wasn't the longest driver in the world but it was a fairway finder. Last Monday I went in to get fit for a driver. My GBB Epic was so new that they tried shafts and could do nothing with me. So it was buy a 3W and get some lessons with your driver. Well to be honest the driver would go into the garage. I kept my old 2014 BB and I was contemplating bringing that out of mothballs... until I called Ping and talked through the problem with them. Then I went down and got fit... with shaft length and with a 12 degree 410 Plus. So we'll see how this works out. It's only 1/2" longer than my Cobra 3W. We'll see.

I know it's a pipe dream that I'll keep all 5 of those drives that went into the woods on the fairway and save 5 to 7 strokes per round. But if can keep 3 of those on the short grass that's 3 to 5 strokes, and maybe those other two might not go in quite as far.

 

[TheDoctor]

For me, it has improved my game a lot

Admittedly, I have spent the last couple years working on my swing with lessons, but a by-product of the lessons and subsequent swing change has meant that the clubs I was previously fitted for were no longer suitable for my swing as I was launching everything way too high and spinning it too much

Since my fitting earlier this year, I have gone from a handicap of 12 down to 9, and if the last competition I played in had been a handicap qualifier I would have been cut down to 8 (the reason it didn't qualify is because there was a temporary green and a couple of temporary tees due to the weather we have had)

Confidence with the clubs is a big thing, but my consistency in terms of distance control and ball control has benefitted massively from this confidence and I am striking the ball so much better which has resulted in some very good scores and handicap reduction

 

[SquirrelyDave]

I was fit last year. My handicap is down about 1.5 strokes. I think some of that is the fitting but not in a “my clubs are now magically going where I want them” kinda way.

It’s more that I know that the clubs are right for me, so when I start screwing things up, I know it’s me fighting the clubs instead of working with them. I know I don’t have to swing extra hard, or go easy on them, they will work just fine with my swing, so I need to just swing.

 

[GoldenBuff]

I’m sure getting fit for lie, length, and shaft has had some tangible benefits for my game. At a minimum, it gives me confidence. What I haven’t done well with fitting is let a fitter put me in specific clubs. I have gone into each of my 2 fittings with an internet golfer agenda.

 

[M2Giles]

I've been fit in the past and I'm a little dumbfounded on how much variance I've gotten. The items that are consistent is length and lie angle, but the club head and shaft has been all over the place.

I've been fit into players cavities and I've been fit into GI irons. I've been fit into DG X100, and then C-taper R. Wedges I've been into high bounce and low bounce. Putters are very weird. Driver is somewhat consistent for fittings.

To say I'm a little skeptical of fittings where I'm not buying is an understatement. I may have to go a few years before I get over the baggage of my club champion fit.

 

[Brassie]

I've wondered how exactly you can extract the fitted improvement portion, from the natural improvement.

For decades prior, we had a few shaft options and getting the shaft flex right for our swing speed was the important bit. During the blade era, we that were dedicated on improving, worked tirelessly on minimizing mishits and finding the middle of the club face. I've always wondered if the GI club designs are a potential detriment to the player in not getting instant feedback on ball strike and making improvements to maximize well struck balls.

I'm still a bit skeptical of the whole fitting thing. I've been around so many great players that use off the shelf clubs they like, with the appropriate shaft in them. I remain open minded though.

 

[rollin]

fitting has done nothing for me. But neither has most my lessons and practice and great efforts. Im just not one the lucky ones who can repeat a swing enough times before failing to execute that swing just too often. None the less I did choose my clubs with a fitted length and lie and shaft that works best and offered me the greater chance at slightly improving my odds when I do swing my good swing.

 

[DG_1234]

. The lighter shafts that seemed to work on the Trackman actually made my proximity to the hole worse on the course.

I've never thought the common fitting process including striking shot after shot with one club, from a hitting stall, made good sense. For example, at no time does anyone play golf making a dozen consecutive 6-iron swings from a perfect level lie.
Playing a course means making a swing with a tee box club, then playing an iron approach shot from a sloped lie, followed by a chip or pitch or lag putt,. So, I think the best fitting process is taking clubs to the course and playing rounds of golf with same.

 

[rollin]

one of the issues with fittings is that especially as the caps get higher , our swings generally are more inconsistent. And so then are our swings while going through a fitting process. Or we may actually find a swing that is decently repeating during that process but then may not be the same one we had yesterday. Then also we may get lessons or simply adjust our swings on are own and now in either case it may be different from wht we used while being fitted.

Im a fan of fitting and i do believe in it, but imo it doesnt make a 11 capper out of a 18 capper. And swinging different shafts as well as different lies and lengths with the same head design does produce different results via one feeling and suiting so much better to one set up vs another. But people who dont struggle all too much with general ball striking seem to be able to play on with most any clubs they may have in hand regardless.

Like i say in many threads....you just have to be lucky that your able to play this game at a decent level. And some of us just dont have that luck.

 

[OldandStiff]

one of the issues with fittings is that especially as the caps get higher , our swings generally are more inconsistent. And so then are our swings while going through a fitting process. Or we may actually find a swing that is decently repeating during that process but then may not be the same one we had yesterday. Then also we may get lessons or simply adjust our swings on are own and now in either case it may be different from wht we used while being fitted.

Im a fan of fitting and i do believe in it, but imo it doesnt make a 11 capper out of a 18 capper. And swinging different shafts as well as different lies and lengths with the same head design does produce different results via one feeling and suiting so much better to one set up vs another. But people who dont struggle all too much with general ball striking seem to be able to play on with most any clubs they may have in hand regardless.

Like i say in many threads....you just have to be lucky that your able to play this game at a decent level. And some of us just dont have that luck.

That's why I feel fortunate to be a consistent enough ball striker to gauge the differences in the few clubs I do get to swing.

And that's also part of why I started this thread. The couple times I've been on a monitor for a few swings didn't seem to offer much. I wasn't very warmed up, and I can pretty much guarantee something would be hurting or feel different physically just about any other time and the results would change some. I feel like to make use of a limited swing sample, whether it be limited by club/shaft selection or total chances, you'd have to do it again over multiple sessions with the exact same equipment settings to get a real feel for the results. I'm always jealous that people get to do it and have the information, because as with any obsession I want more data!! That's countered by my doubts and curiosities of how much it actually helps though.

 

[baylrballa]

Nothing. The only money I feel like I truly wasted getting back into golf this year.

 

[Matthew]

My recent fittings made a world of difference in my game. I was fit into way heavier shafts than I would have expected but fitted clubs & a bunch of work have shaved 4-5 strokes off my handicap this year alone.
I know, or at least feel, that these are the best tools available to me & the rest on is on me to perform.


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[Johan185]

Other than lie adjustments, I’ve only been fitted by a PGA Pro a couple times for irons and a few times for a driver. One of the driver fittings I would call a success but both iron fittings actually hurt my game. The lighter shafts that seemed to work on the Trackman actually made my proximity to the hole worse on the course.

I tend to do my own fittings by buying extra shafts and find the ones that work through on course and range testing.

Won't it be nice and less expensive if the fitting results matched the on course results.

 

[Flipit]

I had 2 fittings. One indoor and one outdoors. Hitting off a mat indoors is just not for me. Basically I can hit just about any club off a mat but in grass it all changes. The outdoor fitting is what I went with, somewhat. The shaft length, flex and lie angle. What I did not do was buy a game improvement iron as they suggested. Simply I wanted to learn to hit the club the best I could. Honestly I didn’t care for the bulk of the game improvement irons. It’s taken a bit of practice but the rewards are great.

So I’d say it helped but mostly as a push in the right direction. I am wanting a driver fitting with hopes of it helping me, time will tell.

 

[Johan185]

That's why I feel fortunate to be a consistent enough ball striker to gauge the differences in the few clubs I do get to swing.

And that's also part of why I started this thread. The couple times I've been on a monitor for a few swings didn't seem to offer much. I wasn't very warmed up, and I can pretty much guarantee something would be hurting or feel different physically just about any other time and the results would change some. I feel like to make use of a limited swing sample, whether it be limited by club/shaft selection or total chances, you'd have to do it again over multiple sessions with the exact same equipment settings to get a real feel for the results. I'm always jealous that people get to do it and have the information, because as with any obsession I want more data!! That's countered by my doubts and curiosities of how much it actually helps though.

The other unmentionables are The Fitter.

Imagine a guitar played my Bob Dylan and one played by Eddie Van Halen.

The same thing applies to fitting. Even at a Certified Fitting center.

Not all fitters were created equal.

A friend of mine, over thirty years ago walked into a Roger Dunn golf store. Inside was a older gentleman who asked him what was he looking for.

A Hybrid. back when Hybrids were first coming out.

No launch monitor, no video analysis.

Just good eyes and a nose for golf. He was asked to take a few swings with a pitching wedge and a 6 Iron. He then handed a Taylormade Hybrid and asked to see how he liked the club.

He loved it. And purchased the club on the spot.

The old man was none other than Mr. Roger Dunn Himself.

Till this day that Hybrid is still in his bang. And he can honestly say that no other club has ever felt as good in his hands.

A good club fitter is going to help you understand the data and pick out a set of clubs that fit you and feel natural to your game.

A great club fitter is like a genie, like magic, the right club is built to your specs. there after only the Grips need replacing.

Until we read the latest New Equipment review on THP.

 

[leftshot]

First of all, there are fittings and then there are fittings. What some call a fitting is pretty sad...and yes, the expertise of the fitter does matter, even with today's launch monitors and fitting equipment.

Generally speaking, here is what you are looking to achieve with a fitting.

DRIVER - Consistent, optimized length and reasonable dispersion.

FAIRWAYS & HYBRIDS - Consistent length and gapping with reasonable dispersion.

IRONS - Minimum dispersion side to side and length. Proper gapping.

WEDGES - Proper gapping, right bounce and grind for your typical playing conditions.

How this will [immediately] affect your scoring will depend on other factors in your game. Examples: If you are struggling to reach the green in regulation where you play and pick up 20 yards via a driver fitting, you could see a significant drop in your scores. If you are a good putter and your iron fitting reduces your dispersion so that you have 3 more approaches inside of 10 feet in a round, you are going to see your scores drop. If you are a poor putter and rarely make a putt outside 3 feet, you are not going to see much difference until you address your putting.

 

[Flipit]

The other unmentionables are The Fitter.

Imagine a guitar played my Bob Dylan and one played by Eddie Van Halen.

The same thing applies to fitting. Even at a Certified Fitting center.

Not all fitters were created equal.

A friend of mine, over thirty years ago walked into a Roger Dunn golf store. Inside was a older gentleman who asked him what was he looking for.

A Hybrid. back when Hybrids were first coming out.

No launch monitor, no video analysis.

Just good eyes and a nose for golf. He was asked to take a few swings with a pitching wedge and a 6 Iron. He then handed a Taylormade Hybrid and asked to see how he liked the club.

He loved it. And purchased the club on the spot.

The old man was none other than Mr. Roger Dunn Himself.

Till this day that Hybrid is still in his bang. And he can honestly say that no other club has ever felt as good in his hands.

A good club fitter is going to help you understand the data and pick out a set of clubs that fit you and feel natural to your game.

A great club fitter is like a genie, like magic, the right club is built to your specs. there after only the Grips need replacing.

Until we read the latest New Equipment review on THP.

And this is the issue I’ve found. If your new to the game and don’t know this it can be frustrating. My first fitting was a joke. I realized this after the fact. Fortunately they had a 90 return policy so I was able to replace that first set of clubs and not be out the cost.

 

[Johan185]

And this is the issue I’ve found. If your new to the game and don’t know this it can be frustrating. My first fitting was a joke. I realized this after the fact. Fortunately they had a 90 return policy so I was able to replace that first set of clubs and not be out the cost.

A good fitting is like tuning your instruments before you play. If all 14 instruments are tuned to the same tuner. You make beautiful music.

Likewise, when your clubs are fit to your swing and game. Each swing, stroke and round of golf blends into each other perfectly. You improve not just immediately, but continue to improve everytime you play or practice with your clubs. The Player and the clubs become a Single unit. With only the lie and the target varying.

When your equipment isn't built to match your swing, game etc. Each swing is an adventure. Not only do the clubs not match you swing, tempo, stroke or power but they don't even match up to each other. Ever club is a different feel. A different touch, approach, sensation with equally varying results.

Playing golf successfully is dependent on you playing as consistently as humanly possible. But unless you can practice each shot on the driving range before each stroke, how are you going to be able to remember if this club requires a strong grip or a weak one. Which club was 2 degrees flat, standard or built with an upright lie.

There have ever been clubs that I purchased off the rack with the 6 iron and 7 have the same lofts, but different lie angles. The pitching wedge was 47 degrees loft and the gap wedge was built to a 49 degree angle of loft.

Needless to say, properly fit, custom built clubs take a lot of the guess work out of playing golf. And that includes proper gapping of you irons and wedges, to give you 12 different distances covered by your irons, wedges, Hybrids and fairway woods.

But in improper fit, or incorrect build of your clubs is useless. You are better off buying a lie and loft machine and bend your discount, Ebay self purchased clubs.

So yes a good fit saves you time, money and most importantly improves your game. Which is most likely your goal.

A untrained fitter or poorly built equipment is useless.

Golf is hard. Getting a proper custom built, correctly fitted set of clubs driver through putter should be the easiest part of your golfing experience.

Best of luck.

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