Instruction
Q&A with Expert Fitters: “You’re not good enough NOT to get fit”
The equipment you play can have a major impact on your performance on the golf course. Your consistency, your ability to hit different shots, and the types of misses you encounter all depend on having the proper equipment.
As a teaching professional, I like to turn to the experts on the equipment side of the game so I can maximize the performance of my students on the lesson tee and not waste anyone’s time. We can hack away all day, but if you’re swinging a regular-flex driver shaft and you need an extra-stiff shaft, we’ll never make much progress. You may actually even regress.
Sometimes, all that’s required is a simple shaft change, while other times a more in-depth change is in order, such as adjusting lofts, lie angles or swing weights. Regardless, the fact remains that without the experts in the field of club fitting, my job would be 100 percent more difficult and much less effective. In a perfect world, I would have each of my clients fit with the correct clubs before I even taught them their first lesson, since doing so would eliminate one piece of the puzzle.
For the last several years, Golf Digest has put out a list of the Top-100 Clubfitters in the country: the best of the best at getting golfers fit into equipment that works for them. Today, I would like to introduce two of those fitters that I hold in very high regard: Scott Felix of Felix Clubworks and Kirk Oguri. In this Q&A, we discuss equipment, technology, and what it all means for amateurs and professionals alike. I hope you enjoy their expert insight.
Tom Stickney: You have each been club fitters/builders for almost 20 years. How has technology evolved from a fitting standpoint to make your job easier?
Scott Felix: Interchangeable shafts in the same head have made it easier to control inventory, offer more options and be able to adjust lie/face angle. Moveable weights have also allowed us to change spin, CG (center of gravity) and draw or fade bias. The fitter must still know how to control each of the variables based on the person swinging the club, however, as well as the type of transition and swing they have.
Kirk Oguri: Technology and advancements of measurement tools have allowed for fitters/builders to be able to build and adjust equipment much faster and more accurately to spec. The guessing game has been reduced.
Stickney: How has shaft and head technology evolved?
Felix: Shaft materials gotten better and there are more options, and lighter-weight options that are still stable. The materials have gotten lighter and stronger in the heads allowing engineers the ability to move weight to make faces faster and the MOI (moment of inertia) much higher.
Oguri: Golf shafts are made at a higher tolerance and of higher quality control. Profiles are much easier to create. If the shafts are not of high quality control, it is that company’s choice to skip that process, not because they are unable to control it properly. Club head designs have evolved, utilizing different materials to move CG, displace weight, etc. Unfortunately, the governing bodies have made the evolution of club heads and designs more difficult.
Stickney: We all know the player who says, “I’m not good enough to get fit,” or “I never make the same swing twice, anyway.” How do you respond to this?
Felix: What we always say is “You’re not good enough NOT to get fit and here are the reasons why…”
Oguri: I wholeheartedly disagree with that golfer. A less-skilled golfer does not have the ability to overcome ill-fit lengths, weights, flexes, lofts, grip sizes, etc. The average golfer requires golf equipment that fits their game more than the elite golfer who has the ability to adapt.
Stickney: Should anyone carry long irons in their bag?
Felix: Slim to none. There still are players who create enough speed to hit long irons/driving irons. Some guys still feel more comfortable with an iron over a hybrid. More should play hybrids, but driving irons are getting better and more forgiving as well, so they are getting more play than before.
Oguri: Yes. Flat-faced irons have a better plus/minus for launch, spin, direction than a hybrid for some golfers who don’t require higher flight. There are also enough golfers who do not hit hybrids well due to the majority being draw bias.
Stickney: How do you fit the player who comes to you with preconceived notions of what they need and want to use, but they’re incorrect? (i.e. shaft flex, set make up, etc).
Felix: You give them the stuff that they want and let them get numbers off Trackman. Then start working a few different options and let the numbers confirm or deny. The proof is in the pudding, plus you’re able to see ball flight and confirm numbers. It’s hard for anyone to argue with numbers and seeing ball flight.
Oguri: I wouldn’t treat it any different than when a golfer comes for a golf lesson with their own ideas of what they believe is best for their game. I would discuss what they believe in, help them sort it out, and have constant feedback and discussion to help them to understand what may be better suited for their game in the long run.
Stickney: Does club fitting really help the professional player or can they “make” their clubs work?
Felix: Yes, club fitting does help the Tour player. Everyone has tendencies, even tour players. So if you can minimize flaws and give an them opportunity even when they’re a little off — that is the goal. So they can make anything work, but what works with their natural motion and tendencies?
Oguri: Elite players have the skill to overcome a golf club that doesn’t work best for them, but it doesn’t mean they will play to their best ability. I’ve worked with enough Tour players who don’t have the best equipment for their games and have helped them. Just remember, club fitting isn’t just reading numbers off a launch monitor and finding optimal. There’s much more to it.
Stickney: Every OEM claims their new driver is “longer and more accurate” than last year’s model. Is this really true, or do you feel that it’s all marketing hype?
Felix: Every company has to sell product and market their product as the next best thing. So companies can get lucky and make back-to-back great products, but most likely not. Now with some companies, things work better than others from year to year, but knowing what is hot that year vs. last year is up to a great fitter who is not biased and only wants the best product for their clients at the time. We consult, verify, and guide customers everyday into the best option possible.
Oguri: The majority of OEM’s are striving to lower CG to lower backspin. Some are doing a better job than others to not only lower CG, but to keep it as far back as possible to lower spin while also maintaining MOI. This does not always mean these new drivers are best for everyone. Not everyone needs lower spin! I’ve seen enough golfers that benefit from a higher-CG driver due to their higher strike location of the face and reduced loft at impact.
Stickney: If you have used the same woods and the same irons for X number of years, when it is truly time to take a look at the new options?
Felix: Depends on the person. When someone they play with starts playing better through getting fit, hitting the ball past them when they never did … I don’t think that you always need to get new stuff, but make sure you are not leaving anything on the table. It’s good to check every now and then. All you might have to do is add a 5 wood or hybrid, check gaps on your wedges, etc.
Oguri: In my opinion, a golfer has an idea as to when they want something different from their golf clubs. If a golfer changes their swing patterns significantly, that may be a good time to be evaluated for their changes. Or if the clubs are still made of trees, perhaps it’s also time.
Stickney: Can you really fit someone without technology such as Trackman or Foresight at the average levels?
Felix: Not anymore…..YOU HAVE TO HAVE TECHNOLOGY TO VERIFY NUMBERS AND DATA. You can’t just guess. You’re not even in the game if you don’t at least have Trackman or FlightScope.
Oguri: Yes, it can be done if that fitter/builder has a vast knowledge base and experience to know what ball flights look like, although it makes it much more difficult. But… they must be hitting real golf balls and not range balls!
Stickney: If you could tell the average player one thing in regard to what you do and the clubfitting industry, what would it be?
Felix: I hope to help people enjoy the game more by getting their equipment fit correctly for them in order to maximize scoring, minimize misses, and to score better in the game we are all so passionate about.
Oguri: I do my best to match their golf equipment to their current or future swing patterns to help them play better golf.
Stickney: Thanks guys!
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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Rodanst6
Jun 28, 2017 at 9:56 pm
I have been fit 4 times for clubs and it must be my luck but I never found a fitter that did a really good job. I read an article by Tom Wishon on all of the elements of proper fitting and none of the club makers or PGA professionals that I went to did even 50% of those things. I would love to find a fitter that would do the process correctly so that I get the best equipment for my game.
peterpro
Jun 16, 2017 at 7:46 pm
GOLFWRX admin/officers…. Do one of your contests for fitting!!! Like you did for TM and Callaway drivers this year… 10 or 20 golfers play 36 holes BEFORE fitting, then 36 holes AFTER fitting….or however you want to do the details, but this would be great information for everyone concerned????????
Steve S
Jun 16, 2017 at 2:58 pm
One of the best amateur golfers I have ever played with thinks that the fitting craze is a bit of a scam. His feeling is that a lot of golfers are “fit” to compensate for a crappy swing. Standard clubs are made for folks with “normal” physiques between 5’8″ and 6’1″. If you are outside those parameters or have unusually short or long limbs then fitting makes sense. Otherwise fix your crappy swing first, THEN maybe tweak your equipment.
Also, I think shaft flex is over-rated as a parameter. I’ve hit senior, regular, stiff and x flex shafts in the same irons and see very little difference other than the “whippier” shafts add to dispersion.
ders
Jun 16, 2017 at 11:07 am
My buddy got fit recently and it changed his game. He went from mid 90’s to mid 80’s over night and his swing looks way better: He used to goat hump and flip at the ball, now he is smooth and relaxed. …But he is also 6’4″, 270lbs+ and was playing with off the shelf lie/loft/regular flex. The clubs he has now are stiff with an extra 2″ and and +2* lie. If you aren’t anywhere close to 5’9″, you definitely should get fit.
Current_Fitting_Methods
Jun 16, 2017 at 10:58 am
Current fitting methodology is trial-and-error. It doesn’t use science to determine optimal fit (and the resulting launch monitor numbers), it instead uses the skills of the fitter to “guess” at combinations of components to work toward improved numbers. Of course, these guesses are only as good as the fitter and only as good as the swings the golfer is exhibiting during the fitting.
So the question exists; Should a fitting be based on flawed swing mechanics or should a club fitting be based on math/science (idealized club metrics based on the golfer’s anatomy, strength, flexibility, fitness, etc.)?
Nathan
Jun 16, 2017 at 3:05 pm
Exactly!
Static fit and ‘force’ a golfer into a better swing.
dcorun
Jun 16, 2017 at 10:15 am
It may not be as good as these gentlemen do since it’s their job, but if you buy your clubs at PGA Superstore or Dick’s, they will fit you for free. I have had good fittings at both (had a very good person at Dick’s which was lucky). I was able to try at least 4 shafts in each driver I demo’d and came away very happy with the results. Both places had Trackman and it helps to get fitted to get everything out the club you can. Especially at the price they charge for golf clubs now.
larrybud
Jun 15, 2017 at 8:53 pm
I don’t think fitting is going to matter to the guy who hits half worm burners and 40% chunks. Your $1000 is going to be much more effective in dropping your handicap from 20 to 10 with lessons than fitting to your crappy swing.
Talk to me when you hit the ball somewhat consistently on the center of the face and can begin to sniff 5-6 greens in reg a round.
Funny article, though, as if club fitters would say “Nooooo, you don’t need fit!”
Jack
Jun 15, 2017 at 10:53 pm
Obviously need it all. New clubs with latest technology, golf lessons every week multiple times, club fitting and tuneups ever 3 months. And on top of that play every day. Anybody can be a single digit with that process.
Club fitting could be a big or small factor depending on the person. But you never know until you try it.
larrybud
Jun 16, 2017 at 9:52 am
Except 95% of the population doesn’t care about being single digit. Most are out to drink a couple of beers and play 9 or 18 holes once a week and get the ball airborne.
KillerPenguin
Jun 15, 2017 at 3:33 pm
And this is why golf will never be more than a niche sport. I’m not qualified enough to debate the relative merits of getting fitted for clubs, but all this whole “Grow the Game” fervor runs headlong into the fact that playing golf at a high level is prohibitively expensive. I’m sure Mr. Felix and Mr. Oguri are excellent at their profession, but they don’t work for free. And for those who bring up the idea of used equipment, I’m willing to bet these gentlemen would be reluctant to fit me for my 15 or so year old Hogan Edge CFTs. Again, this is no knock on the fitters. They have to make a living, but any expectation that a significant percentage of casual golfers are going to expend the money to get fitted is a pipe dream. Customers for fittings will by and large be continue to be middle aged and older men with upper middle class and higher incomes.
Tom1
Jun 16, 2017 at 12:01 am
and I will add those whom wish to improve their game performance levels so as to make a living at it.
Richie Hunt
Jun 16, 2017 at 10:28 am
I don’t think it’s cost prohibitive to play at a high level. I played a high level and wasn’t fitted for clubs. And I could make the argument that being properly fitted in the end will *save* the golfer money. The issue with the cost prohibitive nature of golf today for golfers that want to compete at a high level is more with junior golfers working to get a college golf scholarship. They have to play in tournaments which are not cheap to enter and the costs associated with the travel are quite expensive. Add getting an instructor (important, if anything to develop a network with college coaches), equipment changes as the player gets bigger, memberships, etc…it’s very expensive.
But, if you’re out of college and want to play at a high level…unless you’re trying to be a pro…the costs are not prohibiting a golfer from doing that. It’s more about skill, knowledge and having the time to play and practice.
J Zilla
Jun 15, 2017 at 3:25 pm
Without any evidence supporting my opinion, I’m pretty confident Regular Flex off the rack clubs will be more than adequate for 95% of golfers. Hell, I’m a decent golfer who’s been playing for almost 30 years and I’d be hard pressed to tell the difference between different shaft models and flexes.
J Zilla
Jun 15, 2017 at 6:34 pm
I definitely agree, most weekend duffers don’t need 14 clubs and they certainly don’t need 3 and 4 irons. As to flex, I don’t think it really matters to a vast percentage of players at the local muni whether they play regular, senior or ladies flex. Their swings just aren’t good enough, fast enough or consistent enough to make any difference.
DaveT
Jun 16, 2017 at 10:31 am
Right… Which is why fitting makes sense. The first job of a good clubfitter is set makeup. Not flex, not swingweight… What clubs should the golfer be carrying? I played some of my best golf as a 20-year-old with just 8 clubs in the bag.
ooffa
Jun 16, 2017 at 10:37 am
More drivel. Your just an angry old man. Hey, get off my lawn you kids!
surewin73
Jun 15, 2017 at 1:29 pm
I believe in the fitting process. I have seen the benefits in my own testing of shafts for my driver. It’s amazing how ball flight, distance and feel is affected.
As for high handicap not benefitting because they do not make the same swing twice is rubbish. General high handicapper are very consistent. If they are hitting slices all day long, they are probably coming over the top and/or have a open club face.
When it comes to clubfitting, you need to go to an independent club fitter and builder. One who will actually build the clubs and make sure they are spec’d out correctly. I see that as the big problem with the big box retailers and get orders shipped for the OEM. Shafts and grips are just slapped together.
My game has improved since getting properly fit (shafts checked for frequency, length and swingweight) and not believe what an OEM says is true.
farmer
Jun 15, 2017 at 12:14 pm
Been fit for a driver-horribly. Had it not been a gift, I would have walked, and this was a top 100 fitter. People need to remember that a fitter is running a retail business, and the more money they can persuade a customer to spend means the more money they make. Unless a golfer is of odd dimensions, is playing clubs way off, ie, ladies clubs for a 6’2″ male with some speed, I question the strokes gained factor.
BlubberButt
Jun 15, 2017 at 11:09 am
The golf industry has shot itself in the foot by insisting everyone get a professional fitting; mainly because it most often goes hand-in-hand with buying new clubs, which is expensive. So, instead of bringing in Joe Schmoe and getting a set of clubs in his hands in 20 minutes and getting him out of the store, you now have everyone demanding that they hit a million balls on the simulator with every club in the shop. Then if you do manage to convince them to get a *legit* fitting session with a pro, you’re asking them to spend $100-200 more dollars on top of what they’re spending on the clubs… It was a mistake to ever create this marketing scheme. If someone is serious about their golf game, they will know the benefits of getting fitted and will likely take advantage of them. But to push the “custom fit” narrative to all the average schmucks that just want to play with their friends on the weekends is crazy. Put a set in their hands. Tell them it’s good and will work for them, get their money, and get them out the door.
Tom1
Jun 15, 2017 at 10:47 am
a 10 index buying used clubs off the internet from Joe boxer might benefit getting fitted IF they are interested in lowering scores. Technology has come along way in golf equipment the past decade. Use it to your advantage.
KC
Jun 15, 2017 at 10:26 am
I’ve been through a couple of professional fittings and every time the numbers have come out to my advantage. If you’re arguing that the numbers aren’t there to support getting fit then frankly you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.
Nick
Jun 15, 2017 at 9:37 am
I just don’t see where anyone truly benefiting from being fit unless their swing is very consistent and likely a single digit handicap. Otherwise there is just so much variability from their shot dispersion the impact would be very minimal and the money would not be worth it. The other thing to note is if someone is going to be making improvements to their swing, getting fit now will make the club not fit once their swing improves.
Duke
Jun 15, 2017 at 11:46 am
A basic fitting is more about club length, grip size, shaft flex, lie angle; sure a golfer’s swing comes into play but w/ a club that is too short/long the body is put in bad positioning from the start. I would posit most golfers are somewhat consistent enough to get fit for that criteria.
acemandrake
Jun 15, 2017 at 9:18 am
Fitting is a piece of the puzzle; the results are a starting point for club buying and bag setup.
The fun part is figuring out what you want/need to do with equipment.
Gordy
Jun 15, 2017 at 7:50 am
So, fitting is a must this has been true forever. However, even as a serious golfer who’s got the money to be fitted and buy new clubs? I think that’s the fallacy in this article.
Gordy
Jun 15, 2017 at 9:03 am
So, what I am getting at, is the money worth it? How many strokes does one actually save with fitted clubs vs. no fitted clubs. Is the juice worth the squeeze? Amazing, how these fitters say the numbers are a must when being fitted. Yet they cannot produce the hard numbers on strokes gained vs. strokes lost because a player wasn’t fitted. Amazing…
Duke
Jun 15, 2017 at 11:39 am
Wouldn’t that actually be on a player to report? How many rounds would it have to take to compile that data? My experience is most places i have been to offer a free basic fitting w/ the purchase of irons.
Someone
Jun 15, 2017 at 5:41 pm
How well you play with your equipment is far different from playing with equipment fit to you… that’s one of the main points they make about the difference in players. Tour players are able to adapt and adjust to I’ll fit clubs whereas the average joe will continue to play poorly with I’ll fit clubs because they don’t know what to do to adjust and adapt.
Example of two players using the same clubs (caveat, I may have misspoke on some terms, but the idea is that the two players are think differently about their game vs equipment):
Clubs: off the shelf, too short by .5″, lie too flat, stiff flex.
Average joe: I can hit the ball well sometimes and I get it where it needs to be but the club doesn’t always do what I want it to do. When I want to add power, i swing harder, but the ball ends up slicing or hooking. I got a stiff because I know my swingspeed is fast enough. There’s something wrong with these clubs.
Tour pro: I have to get over the ball more in order to hit it straight with a little more vertical swing plane. When I want to add power I need to make sure my swing is in sync and I hit center face, not just swing harder. I notice I have to setup with the face a little open to hit it more straight, so playing a draw isn’t as easy as a cut, so I play the cut whenever possible.
Anthony
Jun 15, 2017 at 10:04 pm
I fit golfers of all types for a living (yes I make money but not a lot) and your comment regarding strokes gained is spot on, ALL my clients gain benefits from there custom fit clubs and ALL of them reduce handicap guaranteed.
We are not all sharks out for your money as I’m sure some are but the main key is the guaranteed results I provide people. Yes, that’s right, I guarantee results!!!
Good luck in this wonderful/painful game
peterpro
Jun 16, 2017 at 7:36 pm
Thankyou Gordy,
As a pga pro that has taught thousands of lessons and done hundreds of fittings over the last 15 years I know that 99% of the people comming in and getting ” fitted ” will have no impact on their score…..that is why I love Gory’s comment…. ” expert/master fitters” talk about all the benifits… I never hear a lower score as a benifit?
Ummmm
Jun 15, 2017 at 7:27 am
People who make a living fitting golfers insist on them being fit?
This is groundbreaking stuff
sleepy
Jun 15, 2017 at 8:20 am
bingo
The dude
Jun 15, 2017 at 12:13 pm
Yet …people still buy off the rack….sobyes for some it is “groundbreaking”
kits013
Jun 16, 2017 at 3:00 am
Well, LeBron James says he’s never played for a ‘super team’