Fitted irons vs non-fitted distance irons

So the last 2 rounds I’ve tested something with pretty interesting results. I am a 9.8 hcp currently with the worst part of my game is iron play. My irons are custom fit to me with full fitting jpx 919 hot metal 5-G.

last 2 rds out of the 18 holes I would play 2 balls for the back 9 with my irons vs my senior buddies which in no way should fit me. Graphite reg shaft rogue X, also for his ball I would only use his 5 iron off the tee no driver. And his irons for each round was 4 shots better then mine. And the shot difference worked out perfectly as they were all due to greens in regulation. This baffled me, the ease of hitting them was insane. Yes I know the lofts are stronger and I was a club to club in half longer but with more height. Granted the greens were soft but had no issue holding. I’ve always been fit and play at 2 degrees flat with kbs 110 stiff and his were standard off the rack. I guess is getting fit fully necessary or r these clubs so forgiving standard loft n lie doesn’t effect results. I’m so intrigued that I might even get a set and do a Kong term test. Has anyone switched or has done a similar test

I'll probably get blasted for this comment, but getting fit is hit or miss at best. I've been fit several times over the years by different fitters and the results are a mixed bag. I think I'm done with it. I feel like I know enough tobe dangerous and would rather spend the money on trail and error. Just my take......

It’s funny cause I’m starting to believe that. I have a few putting post out there and was fitted for a putter and I’m in the belief that early on you will have the most success then slowly come back. Now I was a bad putter, I averaged 1.8 putts a hole last year and my last 3 rds with the new fitted putter 36/33/36. And not for a lack of familiarity as I’ve spent numerous days and hours on the putting green. But a cheap tour edge hp7 works the best lol. Who knows. But this iron thing has got me thinking, mainly cause the end of last year when I hit them briefly a hole here and there the results were so good. However I chalked that up to, “ you always hit your buddies clubs better”.

and I’m not a fan of simulators, I have not found a driver that worked indoors and performed the same or close to outdoors. Best driver fitting I’ve ever had was outdoors seeing the flight n distance it landed. Also the irons that are defined as “ too low spin” I have no issue holding greens though. I think ppl put too much stock on numbers vs on course performance

Being fit for clubs does not mean its done right, just like the poster above here tells....mixed results, and its way to much parameters to go into here, but there is good and bad club fitters out there, mostly bad.

Fitting works. Speed fitting is a problem. Big box stores get a bad rap because its a quick fit (though it doesn't have to be: you just pay for the time and do it more exhaustively).

I find it hard, unless you are an elite player with very repeatable swing, to dial in the fine tuned fitting in a single hour. I am not an elite player, my swing has good and bad days. Do I want to be fit on a bad day (which may be 10% of my rounds) or a good day?

I had a simple fitting session for my irons 2 years ago. It got me in the ballpark, I am not complaining about the fit. Was it spot on? Nope, but close enough vs. just buying off the shelf.

Next time I go for a fitting of some sort, I will go in with the expectation of spending money to pay for the appropriate time of the fitter, work on one thing at a time. If you are wiling to pay $100 for an hour lesson you should be willing to pay $100 for a fitters time to work with and dial in your equipment...

i agree, but its not "one or the other" (fitting or swing training), we are better off with both, and swing training becomes easier when the equipment has a decent fit to the player since misfit = need for compensating moves in the swing.

I have read stories of golfers who travel, rent clubs, and do just as well if not better than their fitted sets.

No doubt Mr. Jones and I didn't intend to say its one or the other if it read that way. I agree if you are misfit badly, you will be trying to overcome that and probably hinder learning.

I just firmly believe in paying for good professionals time (after all most of us here are professionals and compensated well), so $100 tuning my driver with respect to spin/launch is better money spent then blindly dropping $500+ on the latest 2020 hot sexy big stick.