Driver Fitting - Wowzer $$$$

[Yoshimonster]

I went in for a driver fitting for the first time in my life.

Loved the process and fully satisfied with the experience at the Club Fitter known nationally that starts with C. 

I'm just more curious about the whole economics for the fitter and the buyer.

 

I came out 1.3K poorer.  Here is the breakdown.

- $499.99 for the Driver (Ping G425 Max)

- $475.00 for the Shaft (Diamana TB 60 S)

- $15 Grip (CP2 Pro)

- $150 Fitting Fee

- $50 Shipping

- $95.29 Tax

Grand Total: $1,290.28

 

Wowzer.  😢

 

I'll be getting the driver in 6-8 weeks.  (That's a good chunk of this season)

 

Question:

Isn't $499 the cost of the head, shaft and the grip for G425 Max?  Does the club fitter keep the original shaft and the grip??  Can I request these original part to be sent to me? Or maybe this just isn't how this works.  Someone please enlighten me.

 

P.S. Don't tell my wife. Thanks.

 

UPDATE

As recommended by some members of this community, I reached out to Will People and placed an order for the same set up.  Below is the price comparison. 

 

TL;DR

I've saved a total of $362.08.

 

$ Savings by Part

Driver: $99.99

Shaft: $115.00 (Note: I'm not getting the shaft Pured but Peoples golf offers it for $35)

Grip: $15.00

Shipping: $36.80 (Note:  Savings on this is even after selecting 2-day shipment from Peoples Golf)

Tax: $95.29

Total: $362.08 (~32% savings vs. the premium club fitter)

 

Other Observations and Benefits ordering through The Peoples Clubs:

- People golf offers a free hot melting on new clubs. So, yep.  I'm getting my head hot melted for better feel and to dampen that Ping 425 Max head sound. (Huge win!!!)

- Grips are included

- Turnaround time is 2 weeks vs. 6-8 weeks.

 

In conclusion, here are my final thoughts having gone through this experience.

 

1. A consistent enough player will hugely benefit from a good fitting. $150 I spent at C* premium club fitter was 100% worth it. 

2. The premium club fitters serve the premium consumer segment who are less price sensitive.

3. Great experience with Will Peoples and they seem to offer one of the most competitive prices with added benefits.  (Free hotmelt, grip and a quick service)

4. Dear my golf buddies... get ready to be WOWED!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 7, 2021 by Yoshimonster

[mcounci2]

Diamana TB is a $360 shaft brand new, and yeah you don't get to keep the stock shaft from what I hear.  If you can cancel the order, buy the club from somewhere, and get the shaft from golfworks or will peoples or the BST. Sell the shaft the G425 comes with.  You could save yourself maybe $200? More if you can find used components

[third-times-a-charm]

LOL you can easily buy those parts online at full Price and have a local builder do it for you for $700 out the door

 

Or you can get those parts “like new” on eBay and get it built for around $550

 

I just sold a diamana TB shaft for $200

 

But if you hate money, having CC build it is fine.

 

…you just bought a $1200 driver that will be worth $500 as soon as you open the box before you hit it

Edited July 2, 2021 by third-times-a-charm

[Jeff58]

I gave you a “love” button as you will likely need it.

[OKMrazor]

This is the type of thing that scares me away from fittings, despite every on-line review I watch stressing "first and foremost, get fit."

 

$150 for a driver-only fitting seems high if you buy through them, too.  I could see that as a flat fee if no purchase associated. The $50 shipping is steeper than the PXG rates everyone complains about

[magnus7319]

That’s absurd. 

[don28]

I did a driver fitting at a local, independent golf shop for $75 2 days ago. I left with a Mavrik Sub Zero head, Hzrdus Smoke shaft, headcover, and adjustment tool for just over $400 after tax. I empathize with your pain, but also feel vindicated for not allowing Club Champion, Golftec, or Golf Galaxy to fit me. 

[me05501]

A fitting fee that is applied against the cost of the purchase makes sense to me. That protects the store from people wasting their time or window shopping to buy used. 
 

Charging that fee and then charging retail for all the products, and then having the audacity to charge shipping is unconscionable. 

[Low Diamond Phillips]

The only thing you didn't get ripped off on was the grip. $475 for a shaft? IMO, unless you have an incredible amount of control over your swing, total consistency with your ball striking, and you play golf for a living, there is no need to drop that much coin on a shaft. Changing the loft one degree will make a bigger difference on ball flight than swapping the stock shaft with any other shaft in the world.

[JungleJimbo]

1 hour ago, Yoshimonster said:

I went in for a driver fitting for the first time in my life.

Loved the process and fully satisfied with the experience at the Club Fitter known nationally that starts with C. 

I'm just more curious about the whole economics for the fitter and the buyer.

 

I came out 1.3K poorer.  Here is the breakdown.

- $499.99 for the Driver (Ping G425 Max)

- $475.00 for the Shaft (Diamana TB 60 S)

- $15 Grip (CP2 Pro)

- $150 Fitting Fee

- $50 Shipping

- $95.29 Tax

Grand Total: $1,290.28

 

Wowzer.  😢

 

I'll be getting the driver in 6-8 weeks.  (That's a good chunk of this season)

 

Question:

Isn't $499 the cost of the head, shaft and the grip for G425 Max?  Does the club fitter keep the original shaft and the grip??  Can I request these original part to be sent to me? Or maybe this just isn't how this works.  Someone please enlighten me.

 

P.S. Don't tell my wife. Thanks.

 

 

@Yoshimonster: At that price... Hope the fitter bought you a nice dinner, before giving you the shaft! 😢 But hope you enjoy the g425 driver, have heard great things & my buddy is super-happy with the g425 (and got his “10-15 more yards”). 

[third-times-a-charm]

20 minutes ago, Low Diamond Phillips said:

The only thing you didn't get ripped off on was the grip. $475 for a shaft? IMO, unless you have an incredible amount of control over your swing, total consistency with your ball striking, and you play golf for a living, there is no need to drop that much coin on a shaft. Changing the loft one degree will make a bigger difference on ball flight than swapping the stock shaft with any other shaft in the world.

 

lol he paid $475 and he can get it shipped to his house with the PING adapter and grip for $360 from DallasGolf

 

https://www.dallasgolf.com/mitsubishi-diamana-tb-series-60-graphite-shaft-adapter-grip/

[Shilgy]

On 7/1/2021 at 6:16 PM, third-times-a-charm said:

 

lol he paid $475 and he can get it shipped to his house with the PING adapter and grip for $360 from DallasGolf

 

https://www.dallasgolf.com/mitsubishi-diamana-tb-series-60-graphite-shaft-adapter-grip/

But would it be pured and flo’d and sprinkled with fairy dust?

Edited July 4, 2021 by Shilgy

[robcha]

Please call them and cancel this order. Hurts my heart brother

[anser85029]

Yoshi

 

chalk it up to a life lesson ...agree with robcha and see if you can cancel the order...and you are only out $150 but now you know

 

[Yoshimonster]

Appreciate everyone's perspective on this. 

I've decided to cancel the order and will try to build one on my own as I have the spec sheet from the fitting session. 

What I forgot to mention is that the shaft included the additional cost of puring and as someone mentioned here, also sprinkled with fairy dust.  😆  🤣

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BlueDragonKorea]

That’s the right decision. Club Champion charges way too much for their builds - I’m glad you posted on Golfwrx to get a second opinion

[phizzy30]

It's good you got the driver fitting.  Not so good that you paid over a grand for all that.  The highlight is that the fitting at least gives you a good idea on what kind of shaft you fit into and with the head, you can tinker a bit as long as you know the loft you need.  That's a sweet set up but you could've gotten it done by someone like Will Peoples for 700 to 750.  Like the other guys have said, chalk it up as a lesson learned. 

[Yoshimonster]

23 minutes ago, BlueDragonKorea said:

That’s the right decision. Club Champion charges way too much for their builds - I’m glad you posted on Golfwrx to get a second opinion

 

Totally! 

It wasn't Club Champion but another fitter that shares the same initials.   Hint:  They're cool. 😃

 

[Ger21]

$50 shipping?? WTF!

They should drive to your house and put it in your bag for what they are charging.

[Yoshimonster]

3 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

It's good you got the driver fitting.  Not so good that you paid over a grand for all that.  The highlight is that the fitting at least gives you a good idea on what kind of shaft you fit into and with the head, you can tinker a bit as long as you know the loft you need.  That's a sweet set up but you could've gotten it done by someone like Will Peoples for 700 to 750.  Like the other guys have said, chalk it up as a lesson learned. 

 

I totally value the service the fitters provide us and happy to pay the fitting fee.

 

[phizzy30]

3 minutes ago, Yoshimonster said:

 

I totally value the service the fitters provide us and happy to pay the fitting fee.

 

For sure.  Good fitting does wonders.  Maximizes good contact and tightens dispersion on mis hits.  Btw, I love your dog.  Shih tzu? 

Edited July 2, 2021 by phizzy30

[Yoshimonster]

1 minute ago, phizzy30 said:

For sure.  Good fitting does wonders.  Maximizes good contact and tightens dispersion on mis hits.  Btw, I love your dog.  Shih tzu? 

 

Yeah, Shih Tzu! 

His name was Yoshi and had a good long 13, almost year 14 happy years!  Now in doggy heaven.  😇

[phizzy30]

2 minutes ago, Yoshimonster said:

 

Yeah, Shih Tzu! 

His name was Yoshi and had a good long 13, almost year 14 happy years!  Now in doggy heaven.  😇

My dog was a toy poodle and he passed away in February and he lived 15 years.  Broke my heart but I know he's in a better place I think.  Got two new rescues and they are absolute darlings. 

[Yoshimonster]

9 minutes ago, phizzy30 said:

My dog was a toy poodle and he passed away in February and he lived 15 years.  Broke my heart but I know he's in a better place I think.  Got two new rescues and they are absolute darlings. 

 

Would love to train my next dog how to look for my ball in the woods.  Will help lower my score and strengthen my bond with him/her.  😃

 

 

[tatertot]

Good to hear you made the right choice ...

 

Honest questions ... what's best case scenerio for ROI on a $1,300 driver? Assuming you're not playing total junk with the wrong flex, wrong length and gripless shaft you might get, what - 3 extra yards a drive and 1 extra fairway a round?

Edited July 2, 2021 by tatertot

[Yoshimonster]

1 hour ago, tatertot said:

Good to hear you made the right choice ...

 

Honest questions ... what's best case scenerio for ROI on a $1,300 driver? Assuming you're not playing total junk with the wrong flex, wrong length and gripless shaft you might get, what - 3 extra yards a drive and 1 extra fairway a round?

 

Pro v1's: $12

A round of golf: $75

A fitted new driver that gives you +10 yards and tighter dispersion:  Greater than $500 but definitely less than $1,300

The look on your buddies faces when you consistently out drive them 10+ yards and land it in the fairway: Priceless

 

🤣

 

 

 

[webwarmiller]

Hopefully you know the full specs on that driver you were fit into.  Loft, length, headweight, hosel position, grip etc...

[alyoo]

There were days when drivers used to come in one shaft option. I feel like i played better then ...

[me05501]

@YoshimonsterI want to commend you on how you handled all this (especially the part about canceling the order lol). A lot of guys would have gotten upset by the reaction here. Good on you. 

[alyoo]

1 minute ago, me05501 said:

@YoshimonsterI want to commend you on how you handled all this (especially the part about canceling the order lol). A lot of guys would have gotten upset by the reaction here. Good on you. 

@YoshimonsterThe guy is so Zen !