Titleist FittingWorks/SureFit Irons System

The Titleist SureFit interchangeable fitting cart has more options than a Swiss Army knife.

Bag DropBeing fit for a set of irons can be a wonderful experience. Not only can you gain more knowledge of your swing and why you hit the ball the way you do, but you can gain equipment knowledge regarding launch angles, shaft flex, lie angle, grip size, and more – and how it all affects the golf shots you can hit.

The flip side? Occasionally a bad fitting will leave you more confused and frustrated about golf then you were when you went in. And with an ill-fitting set of clubs to boot.

Titleist is helping remove those potential frustrating fittings situations by introducing the SureFit Interchangeable Iron Fitting System.

Let’s take a look at the Titleist approach to getting fit for a set of their irons.

Options
The SureFit system comes with 10 interchangeable heads and 15 shafts, offering the fitter 150 possible iron combinations to find the best fit for your next set of Titleist irons. Gone are the days in which you had to hope the golf shop you were getting your fitting at had the exact shaft/head combination in addition to the correct lie angle to match your swing.

Titleist SureFit Cart
This one cart holds 150 possible combinations to find the best fit for your next set of Titleist irons. In the fall, it will carry driver heads and shafts as well.

Having this many combinations available while at the same time making the fitting process more precise, easier to do, and a less time consuming makes the SureFit system a great way to get fitted. By making it easy to use, Titleist’s network of fitters can more easily demonstrate which specifications will work best for the golfer while eliminate any possible confusion that can occur during your fitting.

The engineering folks at Titleist were able to match up the center of gravity (CG) locations, headweights as well as shaft flex properties of the SureFit irons to those of epoxied clubs within 0.1° launch angles and spin rates that within 10 rpm. What that means for you is the clubs you try out on the SureFit are nearly identical to the ones you get from the factory.

The Titleist network of expert fitters go through a rigorous training process which include online training courses with various modules on different aspects of the fitting process, small, in-person workshops to get hands-on experience, and Fitter’s Forum Events – large-scale events that allow the fitters to spend time and try out Titleist equipment as well as meet with the various component partners that Titleist uses. You can rest assured your the expert fitter who is fitting you for some new Titleist irons has gone through a quality training process.

SureFit Wrench
A quick turn of the wrench and you are on to the next shaft/head combination to try out.

The Fitting Process
I went through a fitting process several years ago that was, to put it kindly, a bit “too detailed.” Though attention to detail is good, the two-plus hours was a bit more then I bargained for and needless to say, I walked out more confused about what I needed than when I went in.

Thankfully, the SureFit process is much easier to follow. First off, the expert fitter will conduct a short interview to learn about your tendencies as a golfer. He’ll ask you questions about your typical ball flight and trajectory. He’ll ask about your distances, what kind of courses you play, and what you are looking for from your new set of irons. Remember, you are trying to get better as well as get a set of irons that fit you better so now is not the time to embellish your current level of ability. Being upfront and honest will make it a much more enjoyable fitting experience for both you and the fitter.

Once the interview is over it’s component selection time. First off is the selection of a club head that looks good to you and will provide the level of forgiveness and feedback you desire. The clubhead is then matched up with various shafts to find the best launch condtions for you based on your swing characteristics and desired trajectory. Impact tape is used to provide instant feedback on your impact position and to help determine proper length. Proper lie angle of your irons is then determined to ensure your clubs fit your standard, not some off-the-shelf standard.

SureFit Iron Shafts and Heads
Choosing a shaft and head combination has never been so easy.

Rounding out the fitting is the selection of grips as well as to determine the proper grip size in order to relieve tension and to help with making the proper release. All told, the fitting done by a Titleist expert fitter will take about 30-40 minutes of your time. Considering the investment you are making, that is a short period of time to ensure you are maximizing not only your dollar but your golfing enjoyment.

Final Thoughts
When you go for your fitting there are several items of note that are important to ensure you are making the most out of your experience. First off, wear your golf shoes. You don’t golf in dress shoes or sneakers so why would you get fitted for your new clubs in them? Second, wear the same style clothes you golf in as dress clothes and blue jeans can be restrictive.

Finally and most importantly, and this pertains to whatever equipment manufacturer you decide upon using for your drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and putters is to do some research and find a fitter who knows what they are doing. Just because they work at a golf store and know some “fitting lingo” doesn’t make them qualified to ring up your purchase, let alone fit you for your next set of clubs.

6 thoughts on “Titleist FittingWorks/SureFit Irons System”

  1. This type of fitting system is going to be the wave of the future. The manager of a local golf shop said that this new system has greatly improved the fitting process. I’m sure many companies will follow suit.

  2. Do the other major brands have this? I remember seeing a Ping box with many options. What aobut Cleveland, Callaway, or Mizuno?

    Cliff

  3. I used the Fittingworks system when trying out the AP2 irons at a demo and it works really well with lots of quick change options.

    However this isn’t anything groundbreaking, I tried a taylormade setup last yeat that is almost identical and have heard of nike’s 360 fitting and I’m sure the rest of the big companies all have something similar. Titleist’s is effective but they aren’t accomplishing anything new or groundbreaking.

  4. “Finally and most importantly, and this pertains to whatever equipment manufacturer you decide upon using for your drivers, fairway woods, hybrids, irons, wedges and putters is to do some research and find a fitter who knows what they are doing. Just because they work at a golf store and know some “fitting lingo” doesn’t make them qualified to ring up your purchase, let alone fit you for your next set of clubs.”

    The first shop had a ‘fitter’ who only spent 10 minutes with me and made his recommendation. Next shop spent 1 hour ! guess who I bought my AP1’s from?

  5. Just finished a complete fitting which took 3 hrs at Sea Isand GC which started as a process to get new wedges. It soon ballooned into a full fitting session including irons, driver and fairway metal. The Titleist system was quick and concise using a contact board, impact tape and, most of all, feel to fine fun the shaft and head selection. Bottom line; an increase of 5-10 yards with the irons along with greatly improved accuracy (AP2), driver (Ping I15) increased distance from 245 to 265, again with improved consistency; fairway metal (Tour Edge Exotics CB3 15deg) is incredible with avg distance of 250yds and deadly accuracy. The cost was $250 for the fitting and all the club data was given to me so I could purchase the equipment from whom I wanted. Needless to say I bought the equipment at Sea Island which included a follow up session upon delivery. I’m a 7 handicap golfer and if anyone plans to play this game seriously, proper total club fitting is an absolute must.

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