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!
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
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 “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, 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!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
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 “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, 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!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
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” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, 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’