Is Getting Fitted a Waste for Those Who Tinker?

[ChipNRun]

On 9/21/2021 at 8:05 AM, dwb7272 said:

... Laid off awhile but with practice can get to single digit hc. I work on my own clubs and like to tinker and always changing clubs. ..

I have never been fitted but have an idea on what works best for me. Would going through a professional fitting be a waste of time as if I get fitted irons, most likely would still want to tinker.

Or would at least knowing what works best be beneficial for future? I'm over 60...

 

I'm 70, and have about a 10-year lead on the things you're talking about. A systematic tinkerer - one who takes notes on what has changed and what has stayed the same - can fine-tune his golf clubs. But, it's good to have the second opinion of a good fitter.

 

single digit hc... this is the zone where fine tweaks to lead to improved scores. A {fitter + launch monitor} helps in this area. Is your 3W just not launching that high any more? Does the new iron set's 9i balloon the ball too much?

 

I'm over 60... A few years back, Golf Digest had an article which said all male golfers - at age 53 - should get a diagnostic fitting to see if they should keep their stiff-flex clubs. (It must be true, or Golf Digest wouldn't have printed it.) 🤔

 

Seriously, the takeaway is that as golfers age, they may need changes to their equipment. Some have sustained bodily injuries - golf and otherwise - that make their old swing and bag mix less tenable. Or, it can simply be lifelong wear and tear - I have an arthritic right hip that gives me trouble late in most rounds.

 

And it's not just people aged 60. I know two athletic 30-somethings who have made some changes. One is a scratch golfer in upstate NY who has dropped X100 iron shafts for DG R400. The second, our club pro, has dropped the DG S300s for a shaft some 15 grams lighter. He said if he gets to play two days in a row, it was hard to swing on tempo on that last nine.

 

40 minutes ago, ShortGolfer said:

It can be hard to look at yourself objectively.  It isn't unusual for guys to project what they want to be rather than what they really are.  Which means they will buy a stiffer flex than they should.

Even skilled players have misconceptions of what works or what they're doing. The last few years, I've  seen video clips of a famous player that show what he said was happening was not what was actually happening.

 

This meshes with the idea that a lawyer should not defend himself in court. As for "stiffer flex..."  just go to our Classified section and see all the iron sets with X100 and PX 6.5 shafts that are up for sale.

[NHenson815]

Even if I had a relatively consistent swing, I don't think I would get fitted.  If someone was able to figure out my optimal set of equipment, it might take away some of my urge to experiment and make golf less fun for me.  I'm not even in pursuit of finding my optimal set of equipment anyway.  I'd rather assemble clubs with unique and fun trajectories than try to lower my score (which I don't care much about anyway).  

[ShowMe]

It depends on the fitter.  If the fitter tells you to choose the shaft that feels the best and doesn't even try to determine which one produces the best results, then quickly run away.

 

At a minimum, the fitting should be able to narrow down your shaft and club head options, and then your tinkering instinct can narrow it down until you make a choice.

[Canada8888]

I have my own Foresight launch monitor with head measurement.  I am always tying new shaft and heads and keeping track of the results.

 

But when it came to looking for a new driver this year, I decided to try a new method.  I booked a 90 Minute Club fitting with the best local fitter I know.  

 

I came in with a printout of my data on the existing driver (no need to establish a baseline). Goal was more distance and still retain the ability to control the face

 

The fitter assembled 4 clubs based on the existing data and my goals.  I did not look at the heads or the shafts during the testing.  I wanted to swing without falling into a data hole and without any preconceptions as to brands or shaft specs.

 

I stared the session dry swings (no ball) on all 4 test clubs using just my Swing Speed meter.  All the of 4 test clubs felt like they had long shafts (to me) and I needed to stand farther away from the ball.  Two of the test clubs had the highest dry swing speeds I have ever recorded.  With one of them I had no feel for head.  With the other I could feel the head – it seemed to me to be very well balanced.

 

During the session I kept telling the fitter what I would feel.

 

I then hit all 4 test clubs with a ball (one swing each and then change clubs) …. great contact with all ….

 

During the testing, I went through a process of a full set up for each swing.  Imagined a long wide par 5 in my mind with tail wind for each swing.   One warm up swing and then hit.  I did not look at the data or the flight pattern screens. I did not look at the heads or shafts.

 

The fitter then assembled the two “best clubs” with new heads (he changed the lofts) but I did not know this.  He also added a weight screw to one of the heads.  At the stage I looked at the screens. The launch monitor results were close between both clubs and I was starting to tire out (50 minutes).

 

In the end, I asked the fitter what club he would recommend.  I bought it.

 

I hit my existing driver only once at end of the session and it was a solid contact at the top of its all-time swing speed and distance range.  Perhaps it was sending me a message that it is still the best?