Worth the gamble? 20% discount without a fitting

[linley888]

Hoping this is relateable to the folks here. There's a fairway wood you wanted, and an online retailer is offering 20% discount (which is more than you've ever seen before given it's the latest gen model).  You have not been fitted for it before and the nearest place to get done for that model is an hour away.

There are some choices given around shaft type (not length), and loft.   I know folks here will bias towards getting fitted, but I'm also a bargain hunter.  Is it always the inferior choice to chase the bargain?

[sixfootnick]

Seeing a fitter is not as important as seeing the numbers on a launch monitor or at the very least seeing the ball flight.  I would never buy a club/shaft without hitting it first.

[BirdieBoy1]

I mean don’t most new golfers buy stuff off the shelf without a fitting?

 

hell, I’ve been playing a few years, slowly getting better but still haven’t been fitted 

[Jim53]

If you have a history with the shaft choices and flex you should be able to make a pretty good guess if it will work without getting fit.

 

IMO fitting is good to put you in the ballpark but 1st hand experience with a shaft profile is more important than beating balls into a screen for numbers that mean nothing on the Golf Course. 

[North Butte]

What matters isn't hitting a few balls into a net indoors on a launch monitor. Ultimately you've got to try the club in the real world, on-course and it may or may not work for you. If you don't have a good reason for thinking the club will work for you, buy it from somewhere you can return it.

 

Absent a return option at least with a 20% discount you only lose $150 instead of $200 if you try it, don't like it and end up selling it on. 

Edited May 18, 2023 by North Butte

[philly2kuk]

I nearly bought a new driver online no fitting as it was cheaper by a good £50/£60. I’m glad I didn’t as I I’d have gone 11 degree with same shaft as my fairway, and my fitting proved that didn’t work for me. It’s always worth hitting on a sim to get your numbers.

[jholz]

I'll buy clubs off the internet without hitting them first. But, I am a gambling man...or perhaps a man willing to take a gamble on an educated guess.

Edited May 18, 2023 by jholz

[Abh159]

I was fit for my driver, but not for my 3 wood or hybrid.

 

If you know what shaft profile tends to work well for you then you should be fine buying something without hitting it. That being said, I wouldn't buy something I had never at least seen in person. Go to your local store and see if this club fits your eye when you're looking down at it. 

[bekgolf]

1 hour ago, linley888 said:

Hoping this is relateable to the folks here. There's a fairway wood you wanted, and an online retailer is offering 20% discount (which is more than you've ever seen before given it's the latest gen model).  You have not been fitted for it before and the nearest place to get done for that model is an hour away.

There are some choices given around shaft type (not length), and loft.   I know folks here will bias towards getting fitted, but I'm also a bargain hunter.  Is it always the inferior choice to chase the bargain?

 

Out of curiosity what club is it?

[DBreslin417]

I’ll buy used clubs on occasion without a fitting, as long as the club is fitted directionally to me (ie, not buying an 8 degree driver with X flex shaft when I play a 10 degree with S flex).  Fitting is great but sometimes you’ll find a club doesn’t suit you after using it for a while.

 

The first club I was fitted for was a 2016 M2, 10.5 degree.  I can’t recall what shaft I ended up with, but it was a great club.  2 years later, my garage was broken into and my clubs were stolen.  Insurance picked up most of the tab, so I had a full bag fitting done indoors on Trackman.  I ended up with a 2017 M2, 10.5 degree with Atmos Black shaft.  I hated the driver in every way once I got it on course.  The M2 fairway wood and hybrid, which also had Atmos Black shafts, are great and are still in the bag.  I eventually got frustrated with the driver and on a whim picked up a used SIM Max, 10.5 degree with Diamana S+ 60 sight unseen.  The driver completely changed my game and I played it for 3 years.  I would occasionally hit it on a launch monitor and it tended to be slower ball speed-wise and higher spin than my ideal launch conditions, but I kept it because it was a fairway finder and looked/felt great to me.  This winter I got the itch for something new, so I picked up a lightly used TSR2, 10 degree with 1k black shaft.  Numbers-wise it outperforms the SIM and has been as reliable in terms of accuracy, so the SIM is definitely benched notwithstanding that I love the look and feel of it.

 

Moral of the story is that on course performance for your game is what matters.  I may have left some yards on the table with the SIM relative to other clubs, but it delivered what I needed from a driver after the M2 debacle, which was confidence I could hit a fairway.

[Roejye]

I would guess it depends on how much of a discount it would end up being. I've bought some clubs sight unseen before, but the price has been really good and I've read reviews and just took a risk. Seeing as how it has some shaft options, if they have something that should fit, why not give it a try?

[Sp4zRX]

If the deal is good and you have some expendable cash, then I would. Worst case scenario, you get real on course experience with the combo and know it’s not for you. If it doesn’t work, then you could probably resell for a small loss, which imo, is worth the cost of the experience. You could also pull and sell the shaft and try something different in the head. I like trying out new things, even if it doesn’t ‘fit’ me. It gives me a better understanding of what I like, and don’t like. 

[elsie451]

Haven't you seen how many clubs on bst are listed as having only ever hit 2 balls indoors on a launch monitor, or brand new never been hit?  If it is a reasonably popular club you should be able to get (most) of your money back of it doesn't work for you.

[Arlin964]

I’ve had as many indoor fitted clubs be duds for me out on the course as I have random purchases from BST or the Bay. In fact, some of my most beloved clubs are ones I took a chance on without hitting first, or cobbled together via my own experiments. 
 

For example: I’ve been trying to find my “go-to” 3 wood for about a year. I’ve played the OG SIM Ti with PX Hzrdus Smoke 70 6.0 since it came out. Well, over time my delivery has changed and it just was missing that special something I was looking for. 
 

I was recently fit into a VA Drago 65X shaft for a driver, so I tried the 75X in a Ping G425Max 3W. Makes sense right? It didnt work out.
 

Fast forward, I was fit into a 16.5 TSR3 3W with a shortened Ventus Blue 7X (I play a Ventus Blue TR 6X in my driver now and love it). Makes sense right? Tried it on course a few times and it’s just not working. 

 

On an impulse decision here, I bought a 43” Ventus Blue 6S shaft with a Ping adapter from another member. I threw my g425 3w head on it and BAM. Instant love. So easy to hit, it feels exactly the way I need it to. 
 

So it doesn’t make sense on paper to go 6X in driver and 6S in three wood…normally…

 

Just me saying “of course buy something on a discount!!” haha. 
 

Good luck!!

[Joepa324]

Do it, do it.

[PEI_Golfer]

If you can pick something up at a good price and be able to move it for basically the same if it doesn't work out, you do it...   Welcome to the world of ho'ing...

[AZ_JHWK]

Just did this exact thing last weekend. I wanted to drop in a new 5 wood and PXG is selling the 0211 for $149.99. I dropped in without an appointment, so all of their monitor bays were booked for the day. At that price, I just took a leap of faith. 

 

I have been fit in the last 2 years for new Irons and a Driver. That's a much bigger investment to go without a fitting. 

[Colby327]

Really think it comes down to how well you know your swing and what fits you best.  If you know what you need regarding forgiveness, loft, lie angle, etc, and this club seems like a match, then I'd go for. 

 

Also, if the discount is good enough, then you'll probably be able to recoup most of the cost if it ends up not working out.   

[LumpyPockets]

I blindly got a lower degree driver that I’ve yet to hit the sweet spot on that is longer than any other driver I’ve ever had. 

[golfinbrad]

If it is what you want, go for it.  With today's adapters, you could always pick up another shaft to try. 

[Davidv]

If you know what flex and loft you want buy it. Fitting is like having your car ceramic coated that latest and greatest waste of money. 

[golfinbrad]

5 minutes ago, Davidv said:

If you know what flex and loft you want buy it. Fitting is like having your car ceramic coated that latest and greatest waste of money. 

[ephmen]

Could it be fake? I am not aware of any companies discounting their product by 20% this early into the current launch cycle. If they do, you can typically get the same deal anywhere. Be concerned.