Get fit or not?

[NewToGolf19]

Every club review or thread about what equipment to buy includes some variation of “get fit. Everyone’s swing is unique”. 
 

However, having done multiple fittings at various locations (big box golf store, boutique golf shop, PXG in person, Club Champion), I’ve come to realize, at least for me as a 20 HCP, that the wrong equipment hurts my game but the right equipment doesn’t seem to make big improvements. 
 

Specifically, I am looking for new irons because I don’t think my current shafts (modus 120 stiff) are the right fit for me (7 iron Carry 145 yds, SS with driver 93-96). I am tempted to try a few GI irons at the local PGA tour superstore with regular flex shafts and just buy what works the best.

 

Any advice for someone who is pessimistic about fittings for high HCP is appreciated.

 

yes, lessons are the best bang for the buck, and the one exception was my putter fitting- took strokes off my score card immediately.

 

thanks

[MattM97]

You want to buy multiple sets, test them and see what works best with the potential of not finding what works best, then having to sell everything and losing money on your purchases if the items even sell. Verses paying $100-200 for a fitting, trying basically everything and more cause heads and shafts can be changed, on the same day so the swing is the same with data to back it up. 

 

One makes sense and the other doesn't both time wise and financially. 

[Louis_Posture]

4 minutes ago, NewToGolf19 said:

Every club review or thread about what equipment to buy includes some variation of “get fit. Everyone’s swing is unique”. 
 

However, having done multiple fittings at various locations (big box golf store, boutique golf shop, PXG in person, Club Champion), I’ve come to realize, at least for me as a 20 HCP, that the wrong equipment hurts my game but the right equipment doesn’t seem to make big improvements. 
 

Specifically, I am looking for new irons because I don’t think my current shafts (modus 120 stiff) are the right fit for me (7 iron Carry 145 yds, SS with driver 93-96). I am tempted to try a few GI irons at the local PGA tour superstore with regular flex shafts and just buy what works the best.

 

Any advice for someone who is pessimistic about fittings for high HCP is appreciated.

 

yes, lessons are the best bang for the buck, and the one exception was my putter fitting- took strokes off my score card immediately.

 

thanks

Good post!

The perspective I've heard from fitting company employees and OEM employees is that the overwhelming majority of players do want to learn or practice swing technique change, so they (fitters) consider their job to be improving the shot (s) produced by faulty swings. 

In other words, if a customer arrives at a fitting slicing his tee shot 20 yards and a newly fit driver reduces the amount of slice to 15 yards, the fitter believes he has done his job well.

[JustAPlusGuy]

14 minutes ago, NewToGolf19 said:

Every club review or thread about what equipment to buy includes some variation of “get fit. Everyone’s swing is unique”. 
 

However, having done multiple fittings at various locations (big box golf store, boutique golf shop, PXG in person, Club Champion), I’ve come to realize, at least for me as a 20 HCP, that the wrong equipment hurts my game but the right equipment doesn’t seem to make big improvements. 
 

Specifically, I am looking for new irons because I don’t think my current shafts (modus 120 stiff) are the right fit for me (7 iron Carry 145 yds, SS with driver 93-96). I am tempted to try a few GI irons at the local PGA tour superstore with regular flex shafts and just buy what works the best.

 

Any advice for someone who is pessimistic about fittings for high HCP is appreciated.

 

yes, lessons are the best bang for the buck, and the one exception was my putter fitting- took strokes off my score card immediately.

 

thanks

 

It sounds like you have the right ideas about how to get better. Lessons are the best, but even more than that is finding a coach/teacher whose swing methodology fits what you believe is the best. I.e. I know of many coaches/teachers who take vastly different approaches to their teaching. Some work on teaching players with higher handicaps how to "play" golf, which includes on-course lessons showing trouble avoidance, picking correct clubs, etc. to go along with the drills to better swing fundamentals. While others work on force plates, TPI testing, etc to make sure the body can handle the moves that they want to teach. You have to find someone that fits what you want to do with your game (goals, swing thoughts, etc).

I'm of the belief that if you are making consistent contact on the face (not perfect, but not shanking/topping/etc) then you definitely need to work to get in the proper clubs with fittings. No clubs on the planet are going to help someone who can't hit the face of the golf club on a regular basis. 

If you are looking for in person lessons then you can see who around you works with good players and improves the players they work with (this is the most important thing to me personally). If you are looking for something more non-traditional then Skillest and someone like Toby McGeachie might be a good investment as he works with all types of players and people make marked improvements working with someone like him on their fundamentals.

 

GL!!

[Sp4zRX]

My unprofessional and likely unpopular opinion is if you are 20+ cap and serious about putting in the work to get better and are in this for long term results, then you should just get statically fit a set of players irons and learn to hit them. 
 

On the other hand, if you are a weekend warrior that doesn’t have the time or the desire to put in the work and you want immediate improvement, then go get dynamically fit for a set of SGI clubs. 

[Jeff58]

1 hour ago, NewToGolf19 said:

However, having done multiple fittings at various locations (big box golf store, boutique golf shop, PXG in person, Club Champion), I’ve come to realize, at least for me as a 20 HCP, that the wrong equipment hurts my game but the right equipment doesn’t seem to make big improvements. 
 

Specifically, I am looking for new irons because I don’t think my current shafts (modus 120 stiff) are the right fit for me (7 iron Carry 145 yds, SS with driver 93-96).

 

My driver swing speed is only a bit faster than your and my 8 iron carry is around 155. While carry distance obviously isn’t the entire fitting consideration, I have to wonder how you went to all these (often) well regarded places and came up with this solution.

 

While giving up on fitting may seem reasonable at this point, I’d be interested in understanding how and why you got to this point first.

[YAMS49]

At your handicap, if you want to improve your scores/game, then your better investing your money in lessons from a good coach/pro. 

 

Iron out any obvious swing faults and get that side in order first. When you feel your swing is somewhat consistent then go for a fit. 

[LRick]

i’ve been fit a bunch of times. but i rarely stick with the clubs for long. for me the fitting is fun and helpful to try something new, but i’m too much of a headcase to commit for long. 

[Jeri6gt]

1 minute ago, LRick said:

i’ve been fit a bunch of times. but i rarely stick with the clubs for long. for me the fitting is fun and helpful to try something new, but i’m too much of a headcase to commit for long. 

You are not alone

[rsballer10]

2 hours ago, NewToGolf19 said:

Every club review or thread about what equipment to buy includes some variation of “get fit. Everyone’s swing is unique”. 
 

However, having done multiple fittings at various locations (big box golf store, boutique golf shop, PXG in person, Club Champion), I’ve come to realize, at least for me as a 20 HCP, that the wrong equipment hurts my game but the right equipment doesn’t seem to make big improvements. 
 

Specifically, I am looking for new irons because I don’t think my current shafts (modus 120 stiff) are the right fit for me (7 iron Carry 145 yds, SS with driver 93-96). I am tempted to try a few GI irons at the local PGA tour superstore with regular flex shafts and just buy what works the best.

 

Any advice for someone who is pessimistic about fittings for high HCP is appreciated.

 

yes, lessons are the best bang for the buck, and the one exception was my putter fitting- took strokes off my score card immediately.

 

thanks

What are you looking to accomplish?

 

[Mascot]

New clubs will not increase your ability as a 20 handicap.  Your statement "the wrong equipment hurts my game but the right equipment doesn’t seem to make big improvements." is true.  At your level as a 20 cap you just need to get equipment that is generally a good fit as your golf game is likely too inconsistent for a club to magically fix your inconsistencies.

 

What is your goal with getting new irons? Do you want more distance? More control? A sleeker look? 

 

Id start with answering this question first and then you get irons that can help you achieve that.  No new iron will lower your handicap but they can help you produce different results which MAY end up lowering your handicap

Edited November 20 by Mascot

[Bigarch]

I think sometimes people go into a fitting with ideas that are just too grand.  You won't find the holy grail with some exotic and expensive combination during a club fitting.  Find a fitter that will stick with just a few basics....

• A shaft that produces some well shaped golf shots
• A shaft length that allows you to find the center of the face consistently
• And then adjust the lie angles on the clubheads accordingly.

Then go practice, play and enjoy.

[jholz]

I've never been formally fit outside of demo day, static, L/L/L. I've had that done several times. Getting a baseline on basic measurements is good. 

 

But, beyond that, I'd say buy something of quality, stick with it, and see how it goes. 

 

In my bag presently, I've got X Flex shafts in driver and 3w, stiff in hybrids, regular in irons, heavier and stiff in wedges. 

 

Somehow I manage to get around the course. 

[Dan Drake]

Yes, although my 2023: 185/185 challenge is looking a WHOLE lot more like a 180/205 challenge!!!😂🤣😂. There’s still plenty of time, right?  Right?

[Louis_Posture]

I consider the promotion in recent years by fitting businesses and OEM equipment comany employeesto "get fit" has been harmful to the game.Specifically,if these businesses are truly interested in "growing the game" there are much better ways to do it than soliciting sales of fitting services.

For example, if the OEM's partnered with the PGA to offer coupons for lessons this could be a win-win-win for the OEM's, PGA member instructors, and consumer players.

I

[llewol007]

You are correct with your statement that with your game, it would not help or hurt. Just depends if you want to shell out the money. Most a player can honestly play with equipment they can buy at Costco and be fine. As your game becomes refined and your addiction to this website as well as improvement in your game increase, you will start to realize and tell yourself you need new stuff. Nothing wrong with that. Most important things are really the flex and weight of the shafts that you use in your clubs. Most times, if you are young you tend to fall into steel shafts with either a firm or x firm flex. In terms of weight, most shafts tend to be around the 100 gram +\-10 grams weight so you can go with somewhere in that general area. As far as heads are concerned, it has to fit three basic things, feel, look from address and the sound it makes on contact. If you are starting out, you can make the big investment now and grab a set that you can keep for 3-5 years. There are great deals on here that can be an upgrade to any bag out there. Go to PGA store and pay for a simple fitting to get your swing speed and see what you fall into. Good luck.

Edited November 20 by llewol007

[Chunkitgood]

I’ve never been fit in the modern sense but one thing that seems from the reports here that I read to be possibly neglected is the lie angle/length combination.  If the lie is wrong, even with a very good swing the ball will tend to go either left or right causing you possibly to alter your swing to your detriment.

 

I always felt that clubs whose lie angle could be easily adjusted such as forged irons were inherently superior despite any “tech” that may be developed.

 

I’m old and recommend clubs that require proper technique.  The added benefit is that you will have to get a good idea of what proper technique is in order to get some.

[MelloYello]

I started golf in 2009 when I was in my early 20's. I bought a set of Nike blades off Ebay because TW played them and quite honestly, I haven't looked back. Purchasing equipment and trying different things is part of what fueled my obsession with golf over that first decade.

 

The notion that a single, 1-hour fitting could replace a decade of on-course experience is obviously naive. And the idea that equipment purchases are about finding what's "right" as opposed to what's "right now" is also naive.

 

It wasn't until I'd played golf for ~10 years that I even knew what I wanted my set to look like anyway: woods, hybrids, utilities, iron type, wedge assortment, etc. Heck, I came into this year thinking I'd change one or two small things and I ended up spending $2,000 on a completely new set of Titleist TSR woods. And I love them! They're the best set of woods I've ever had. Part of that was fitting but will I not show right back up in a couple years looking to try the next generation of stuff? Eh....I probably will. 

 

At the end of the day, that early process of trial and error worked for me because I was young enough. I had a reasonable amount of physical potential and I had time on my side. I had time to spend playing and learning about gear and decades to invest in gradual improvement. And sometimes it was fun to try the wrong stuff just as much as it was the right stuff. 

 

To me, there's something almost self-evidently short-sighted about a 20-index going in to get "fit." Do you want to remain a 20-index forever? Do you think you'll find the perfect clubs in that fitting? Heck, maybe you do? I don't know your age or level of interest. Golf sucked me in and if you really get sucked in there's no "wrong" club or downside to trying stuff yourself.

 

Here's a revelation...even guys who get fit for clubs still go back and try next year's model. They end up purchasing as much (or more) as the guy who surfs Ebay does nickel-and-diming his way through one used thing or another. You'll find your way to what works and what you want to try out. And the journey will be part of the fun. 

 

So honestly, I don't think it matters a ton. I never got fit in the beginning and I'm sort of glad I didn't. Be ambitious. Shoot high. Buy what you like and if you're a 20 index there's probably a lot you can work on, too. The more ambitious the club, the more it'll push you. It'll frustrate you when it's hard. It'll make you appreciate what clubs can (and can't) do for you. 

 

There's no right answer. Either get fit or be the guy surfing Ebay for that used set of Titleist 690s. Either way, you'll end up about where you would've anyway. 

 

I will say that I appreciate Trackman and stuff like that now more than ever but that doesn't mean it would've necessarily meant anything to me when I started out. What would've helped me was the sort of education you get by trying things and obsessing about gear for some period of years. 

 

IMHO, fitting is as much about what you learn as what clubs you end up with. If you learn the right stuff, it's a win. If it's merely so someone else can hand you something and say, 'buy this one,' I think it's pointless and probably a waste. 

 

.

Edited November 21 by MelloYello

[PuffyC]

I’ve been fit 3 times - once by an OEM, once by a golf store that no longer exists, and once by an independent who is considered one of the best in a metroplex of over 7 million. Did any improve my ball striking or scores? No, but they gave me a chance to try a bunch of different things before buying so that was nice. I’m sure if you’re a consistent ball striker it might help a bit but the idea that hitting 10 shots with a 7 iron will translate across an entire set of sticks and your entire game as it ebbs and flows from one week to the next as a 20 just doesn’t pass the smell test. That said, I’d still do it, but only because in the grand scheme of golf it’s cheap, and it’s a great way to try a lot of things you can’t try any other way.

[NewToGolf19]

Thanks for all the replies. To answer the question how did I end up with this dilemma:

-I did a fitting at a highly rated boutique fitter. He made some swing change suggestions and I hit some of my iron shots very well. His response, “it’s you, not the irons”

-club champion- I did a hybrid fitting. The cost for one club without an exotic shaft was $500. The charge for an iron set through them would be significantly higher than ordering directly from a manufacturer. However, their response would invariably include that the set from the manufacturer may not feel the same due to lack of puring or a possible swing weight difference 

-I did a driver fitting through PGATSS/GG. The guy handed me three stock drivers. I hit one better than the other two. His recommendation- “there you go, that’s the winner.” No adjustment of loft, shaft or flex.

 

My hope is that there is a weight/flex/feel that will allow me to make better swings than I currently do. That might be wishful thinking though. 

[PedronNiall]

Sounds like you had pretty bad experiences overall. I've stayed away from CC specifically because despite their insane shaft & component selection, their adapters are notorious for pushing up swing weights well beyond anything approaching normal. I could deal with their prices if they produced meaningful fittings. The PGASS fitting doesn't sound all that great either, but at least the norm there should be that you can try different heads and a reasonable number of shafts on a monitor so long as you're up for taking the time and don't let them rip you off. 

 

All that said, I agree with the five or so posters above who all recommended that you get a static fitting for length, lie, and a good flex for your swing speed and call it a day for the moment. Those things will make a difference in learning your swing or learning a swing that allows your body to accommodate poorly setup clubs. "I've always fit my equipment to my swing, not the other way around." -Tiger Woods

 

It could go either way regarding your mix of height, torso & limb length being just right for standard lengths & lies to work, and finding out either way is quick, cheap, and will save you a lot of time, money, and unnecessary frustration. Then you can get back to focusing on creating a decent, repeatable swing. You can worry about something more in-depth when you're making good contact. 

[chisag]

4 hours ago, NewToGolf19 said:

Thanks for all the replies. To answer the question how did I end up with this dilemma:

-I did a fitting at a highly rated boutique fitter. He made some swing change suggestions and I hit some of my iron shots very well. His response, “it’s you, not the irons”

-club champion- I did a hybrid fitting. The cost for one club without an exotic shaft was $500. The charge for an iron set through them would be significantly higher than ordering directly from a manufacturer. However, their response would invariably include that the set from the manufacturer may not feel the same due to lack of puring or a possible swing weight difference 

-I did a driver fitting through PGATSS/GG. The guy handed me three stock drivers. I hit one better than the other two. His recommendation- “there you go, that’s the winner.” No adjustment of loft, shaft or flex.

 

My hope is that there is a weight/flex/feel that will allow me to make better swings than I currently do. That might be wishful thinking though. 

 

 

... I taught full time in the 90's. Most of my students were higher index players. I always felt my job was to understand their potential based on athletic ability, desire to practice and stick with minor changes and really help them do what they already do, only do it better. As much as many forum golfers think others have their love and determination to get better, most don't. And there should be no judgement because everyone is different with different goals. I had some students that needed to not embarrass themselves with clients and just wanted to be respectable with no love for the game. I had others in their 50's just picking up the game, never having played any sport and wanting to get to scratch with zero understanding of what kind of dedication playing any sport really well takes. 

... I would recommend anyone take lessons with an instructor they enjoy and believe in. That instructor should be working with you and not trying to fit you into their mold of what a swing should look like. The game is very difficult for some and I had students spend 2 years with me and didn't improve a whole lot because they didn't put in the work. I often had them tell me they didn't have time to practice between lessons. I had others that improved radically right out of the gate. I am the first to say any fitting is beneficial but that said, and over the top cast that releases the angle long before impact is just dragging a pole at a ball and a fitting isn't gonna help a whole lot. 

... If you can't make a free throw 50% of the time, getting the very best basketball shoes for you isn't gonna help you start sinking 3's. Productive practice and the desire to get better while willing to put in the work will make you better. How much better is always up to you. And a good instructor will help. Unfortunately a different weight, flex or feel won't.