Club Champion...is it even an option for a guy on a budget?

[WristySwing]

No, you're paying for their time. You don't get a refund from your lawyer because the advice you found online is the same, do you?

[WristySwing]

I mean, I agree with you. Just because they charge MAP doesn't mean they are gouging you. That is the price they agree to sell the product at with the shaft and head manufacturers and they have to abide by that or risk losing their account. Could they do without Puring? Probably. But just because they charge full retail (aka the going rate) doesn't mean they are gouging you, in my eyes, it means they are charging the going rate for something. Gouging to me would be increasing the price by 50% or charging what they charge and taking the clubs to GG to get made up.

Not to you, but to the others in this thread about feeling ripped off because they found used product cheaper. That isn't how retail works. Everything used is cheaper, and if you wait long enough, it gets even cheaper. You don't see new cars selling for the same price as used or you don't go to the high end clothing shop in town and call them a rip-off because they sell the tailored Hugo Boss suit jackets for $$$$ when you went to the local thrift shop and happened to find the same cut and style that fits well for $10. It's not comparable, sorry.

[I'_rather_be_golfing]

I get what you are saying. I said the exact same thing a few post back. I went through iron, driver, and putter fitting with club champion. But I bought everything I needed on BST classifieds. They quoted me for my driver which was a Ping G410 LST with GD Tour AD XC over $800. Irons were another $12-1300. I can honestly tell you I spent half that on my driver and more then half of that on my irons just by going used. I just used there equipment to find what I needed. And it worked out great. Both my driving and putting has improved. Still working on the irons.

My intentions were to inform the OP to go through the fitting. And used that information to purchased used equipment.

Club Champion is having a huge sale right now for there full bag fitting. They don’t even try to force you to buy any equipment from them. That’s why is said they aren’t trying to gouge anyone. And it’s really hard for some to find a good fitter. But Club Champion seems to be around in a lot of cities.

[propman]

I agree with this if indeed the CC pays the OEM map prices for the heads and shafts. Also, what is CC charging for club assembly (excluding the puring charge) ?

[WristySwing]

I am not sure. I'm not affiliated with CC and I haven't been to one either. I am just familiar with their business practices being in the golf industry and working at a fitting studio similar to what they do. However, I don't think CC pays full retail for their heads and shafts. They would pay wholesale cost just the same as everyone else +/- a little % depending on the volume they sell at. This is the same as everywhere.

[dcmidnight]

My biggest complaint was that CC will charge you full retail for a shaft - even if its available on the OEM website for no upcharge.

Sub complaint - their fitting fee is not deducted from any product you buy unlike every other fitter I've used in my life.

So if you get fit into an M5 with say a Rogue Silver - just using it as an example - they will charge you 549 for the head, ~240 for the shaft and full price for the fitting fee. And thats how a $500 driver turns into a $1000 driver.

Again - its up to them to run their business how they want and most people know it going in. Thats why I say its worth it to pay the fitting fee for access to all their heads/shafts but no way can I recommend buying from them.

[hahanice]

The sticker shock is one thing, and I've also found today what works well on the Sim during a 2 hr period of time not work well on course over years. I got a fitting elsewhere and paid the full 899 for a driver (I was new to golf). The results on course we're fine but I've had much better results buying, trying, and selling used on bst

[bourbonandbirdies]

How did you get the fitting for $175? I live in atlanta and they are charging $350 for the bag!

[BYK]

they have a special every year

[DFS PFD]

Late to the party but seems like a great option for someone on a budget, go pay the fitting, get your exact specs and know what you need. Buy everything used and know the gear fits your game best, no need to constantly swap gear out searching for bigger and better because you had a REAL fitting.

[AThompson_3]

Nope. I was there for a driver fitting this time last year and hit everything they had in every shaft combo and nothing beat my gamer (which I technically fit myself for) including putting my gamer shaft in the Epic Flash Sub Zero and despite ball speeds being higher with the Flash. About 3 months later my OG Epic SZ cracked and Callaway replaced it with a Flash SZ so that's my new gamer. But the guy was very upfront and honest about the whole experience. He told me he would love to sell me a driver, but there was nothing he could do to beat what I was currently playing for dispersion or distance.

[smac1]

I've read through all these posts, but I'm wondering when you get the specs from CC and you build the entire set on your own from those specs, are you still getting the increased distance and accuracy with those specs by not having CC build the set for you?

[D0ch0l1d4y]

5 hours ago, smac1 said:

I've read through all these posts, but I'm wondering when you get the specs from CC and you build the entire set on your own from those specs, are you still getting the increased distance and accuracy with those specs by not having CC build the set for you?

 

You should be getting the same performance as you saw in your testing, but you have to understand that fitting and performance indoors into a net may not translate 100% to outdoors and turf. There's nothing magical about how they build the things...even if they try to tell you no one can build them like they do...

[Jeff58]

5 hours ago, smac1 said:

I've read through all these posts, but I'm wondering when you get the specs from CC and you build the entire set on your own from those specs, are you still getting the increased distance and accuracy with those specs by not having CC build the set for you?

 

You might try a search in the Club Techs forum (and sub-forum). The question comes up regularly.

 

IMO the basic outlook is that having CC build your clubs is effectively a form of insurance. If you take their fitting solution elsewhere and it doesn’t work well for you, you’re on your own. Even though the basic issue is with the fitting rather than the actual clubs, they will point out that it’s an integrated process and you had a choice. If they built them, at least in theory they will work with you until it’s acceptable.

 

If you’re doing a full bag fitting, the likelihood of complete success is quite low, and the “insurance” is likely money best spent.

[third-times-a-charm]

5 hours ago, smac1 said:

I've read through all these posts, but I'm wondering when you get the specs from CC and you build the entire set on your own from those specs, are you still getting the increased distance and accuracy with those specs by not having CC build the set for you?

Of course you are. If you have the exact specs, theres nothing special CC is doing over any other builder.