Lessons vs Fittings

[AndrewPlunkettPGA]

Asking as a PGA Professional coach. How much would you want a fitting incorporated into your lessons? In the scenario, the coach is not a retailer, so there is no sales motive within the context of the lesson.

 

Edited August 6, 2021 by AndrewPlunkettPGA
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[Curmudg3on]

As a golfer, I'm discouraged from going to a coach that pushes a fitting.   I realize it would/could help but don't want the added pressure of dealing with sales and lessons at the same time.   I've been fitted but at a separate facility than my golf instructor.    I see advertisement from Golftec frequently about lesson, practice and fitting combinations, it's not for me.    The combination almost gives the appearance of "buying" your golf game.

[AndrewPlunkettPGA]

On 8/6/2021 at 5:54 AM, DennyJones said:

As a golfer, I'm discouraged from going to a coach that pushes a fitting.   I realize it would/could help but don't want the added pressure of dealing with sales and lessons at the same time.   I've been fitted but at a separate facility than my golf instructor.    I see advertisement from Golftec frequently about lesson, practice and fitting combinations, it's not for me.    The combination almost gives the appearance of "buying" your golf game.

Thanks for the feedback! If in the scenario, the pro is completely independent, and any changes to your equipment would be recommendations and you source them from wherever you feel most comfortable,  not directly from the pro. Would that change your concerns?

[Fairway14]

On 8/5/2021 at 9:20 PM, AndrewPlunkettPGA said:

Asking as a PGA Professional coach. How much would you want a fitting incorporated into your lessons? In the scenario, the coach is not a retailer, so there is no sales motive within the context of the lesson.

 

 

I think a competent instructor should first have a look at the clubs within the student's bag. After watching the student strike shots, if the instructor notices that the student's equipment specs may be improved, such as grip size, shaft weight or flex etc...  at the conclusion of the lesson the instructor should make equipment spec recommendations.

 

[AndrewPlunkettPGA]

On 8/7/2021 at 12:29 PM, Fairway14 said:

 

I think a competent instructor should first have a look at the clubs within the student's bag. After watching the student strike shots, if the instructor notices that the student's equipment specs may be improved, such as grip size, shaft weight or flex etc...  at the conclusion of the lesson the instructor should make equipment spec recommendations.

 

Thanks for the feedback!!

[Fairway14]

16 minutes ago, AndrewPlunkettPGA said:

Thanks for the feedback!!

 

Grip size is usually overlooked by both instructors as well as fitters. For determining correct grip size I believe the illustration below is helpful.

For shaft flex I believe too stiff a flex promotes over swinging and, or, too fast of a tempo. I believe that if an instructor has available with him/her on the lesson tee 6-irons in regular, stiff, and extra stiff flex this can be helpful for a student (as well as the instructor) to learn the effect that shaft stiffness may have to swing tempo-rhythm.

 

[Evan B.]

I believe there are pros and cons to it. In my head the ideal professional coach should be most concerned with finding what was will improve a players game the most. Sometimes its as simple as suggesting looking at a different club or clubs for a portion of the bag that isn't performing well. As a player, if the coach can clearly and succinctly demonstrate that the clubs will be a significant improvement, I'm all for it. But if the coach is suggesting a fitting without spending real time observing my swing dynamics looking at everything that's happening first, then I'd be a little suspicious.

I actually had something similar happen earlier this year when taking lessons with a pro. I explained how my driver game was horrible but give me a 3 wood or an iron and i'm fine. So when we had the first lesson, he had me hit a few irons which I was striping, a few 3 woods which I also striped, and then the driver which was snap hooking off the range. He had a perplexed look on his face and then looked at my clubs for a moment and said he'd be right back. He came back with a driver he put together and told me to try it. Instantly I was hitting the driver significantly straighter and at the yardage I should be. The drive I had was just an absolutely horrible fit for me and I couldn't get the sequencing right. He then suggested we have a full fitting in a later lesson because there were a few things he wanted me to work on first related to my setup. 

[Curmudg3on]

On 8/7/2021 at 12:31 PM, AndrewPlunkettPGA said:

Thanks for the feedback! If in the scenario, the pro is completely independent, and any changes to your equipment would be recommendations and you source them from wherever you feel most comfortable,  not directly from the pro. Would that change your concerns?

 

That would make a huge difference.   This would give the appearance of the instructor having the best interest of the student as opposed to trying to buy a golf game.  

[tacklingdummy]

Lessons can definitely help more for many mid to high handicaps and beginners. However, ill fit clubs can produce ball flights all over the map. Well fit clubs can definitely help. A good instructor will know if the clubs are ill fit for a golfer.  I don't see a problem with a golf instructor advising a golfer to get fitted if it is in the best interest of the golfer and not trying to sell them product. A large amount of golfers I see at the local public golf courses are in ill fit equipment. 

[dubbelbogey]

I agree with the sentiment that instruction shouldn't have any overtones of selling gear. I would not like that from an instructor and, in fact, would be cause for me to not choose (or leave) an instructor that brought that element to our lessons.

 

That said, an instructor should be able to a good first order fitting of clubs by checking and verifying length, lie grip size and flex. Just to make sure that nothing is amiss in those categories.

 

I really dislike the fact that the term "getting fit", more often than not, now means selling some new piece of gear. It shouldn't. 

 

Teachers should teach - that is the product I'm buying.

 

 

[412BryanC]

As someone who is just starting to get into golf for a few years and have been taking some lessons. For the most part I have wanted to work on fixing my swing faults to find a consistent swing. As a fitter I wouldn't want to be pushed to buy new clubs but I think it would be helpful to know when there might be issues or when it might be time to look at different clubs based on skill level. 

[A.Princey]

You gotta be able to strike any sort of club consistently, regardless of fit/model before fitting even becomes relevant. Unless your proportions are grossly abnormal, learning on standard equipment is the way to go. If you cannot in some sense control a standard setup, you have serious swing flaws to fix before the club even enters the equation.

 

Mid-level GI cavity clubs are a good entry point, and this level can be used by ALL handicaps, regardless of many folks’ preconceived notions.

Edited May 3, 2022 by A.Princey

[straightshot7]

Fitting=clothes

 

Lessons/Practice=the body