Custom/Fitted Golf Equipment: Why don't more people do it?

[JYB]

After reading Golf_Junkie27's post :

" do believe you will see more people customizing their shafts. Instead of spending $300-$500 on a new driver, people will spend that money on a shaft that guarantees them to perform ideally to their swing. This will happen for iron shafts, too."

I came to realize that holy crap...people actually go to golfsmith everyday to purchase new drivers, new woods and new irons without knowing a damn thing about whether those clubs fit them properly or not. I would go as far as saying that 75 % of golf shoppers don't even have a thought about getting fitted for their equipment before they purchase.

Why don't people get fitted for their gear? It just doesn't make sense to me! Or wait, it kind of does.

When i went out 2 years ago and bought my CG1's, i got them because a) they felt good in my hands and b) they looked good. At that time, i wasn't aware of "fitted" clubs, i just thought okay, you go in the store, buy a set of clubs and leave. Just like you would buy a basketball or a baseball bat. You see one you like, you pick it up, give it a bounce or give it a swing, and say okay, i'll take it.

Golf customers, especially the average player golf customer, has no idea that clubs need to be fitted. And they have no idea that the cost of ordering direct from companies might often times be less than ordering off the shelf at golfsmith. There needs to be an awakening people!

[golf_junkie27]

I recently read that anyone who plays an average of six rounds of golf a year is considered an avid golfer. I'm betting that these folks have never gotten fitted for clubs. As a whole, they probably represent a large percentage of the golfing population.

Should people who take the game seriously get fitted? Absolutely. With the cost of equipment, you should get what is suitable. It's cost effective, too. I should know, I purchased two sets of clubs before I got fitted. Had I done so from the get, I would have saved money and time.

[MunkeyGolfer]

My question is, can you get the current clubs that you own, fitted to you?

[golf_junkie27]

My question is, can you get the current clubs that you own, fitted to you?

Absolutely. You can have the lies and lofts, adjusted. I will say, however, that depending on the club, there is a limit as to how much change can be made.

Also, you could change the swingweights, making them heavier or lighter. What type of clubs are you using? Is there a reputable fitter near you?

[goblue107501]

I think the biggest problem is availability.

I live in an area with about 10-15 courses and 3-4 golf stores within a half hour of my house. Not a big metro area, probably around 250,000 population within that half hour. As far as I know, there is only one launch monitor around. It is only at a store that has a inside hitting net. For me, I don't think that would do too much good. I would want to be able to see the ball flight as well as know the technical results. And after my last experience at the store, I will never go back in. So the tech stuff is not an option.

Most of the courses will have some demo clubs that can be hit, but it is usually the most popular or basic shaft and they are usually limited to the two or three brands that are sold in the pro shop or what the club pro uses. So if you want to try a different shaft or a lower loft driver head you are SOL.

There is one course that has a very wide selection of demo clubs and a pro with a good reputation for fitting, so I will be going there later in the summer to get fitted for new irons. I have a pretty good idea of what I want and need, so it will be more about fine-tuning the specs if needed.

There are a couple of demo days in the area with the full equipment options. This year one was in April, not exactly the best time since I had played once in the last 6 months. I was able to hit some different clubs and found some I liked, but I would like to try again in the summer when my swing is more grooved in. I asked one of the reps for a different shaft and lie angle and he replied "I don't have that one...we can't bring everything". So even at the demo days the options are limited.

There are a few places I have heard of that will do a complete outdoor fitting, but they are about 3-4 hours away. With my limited free time, I would rather take a day and play golf rather than travel 6 hours round trip just to get fitted. I have also heard of demo days with one manufacturer. They have the equipment truck and every option you can think of, and if they don't they will make it for you on the spot. Nothing like that is coming to my area that I know of.

Finally, there are a lot more club options than there was ten years ago. I can remember if you wanted a new driver you tried out the one your buddy just bought and then you picked between three shafts - regular, stiff, or x-stiff. You bought what you could hit straight and that was that. If you didn't hit is good, you worked with it until you could. I think a lot of people still have that mentality. They buy off the rack and figure it out later.

My main point is that typically, unless you live in a big metro area that has some of these options, or have a very high quality golf club in the area, the availabilty is not there to get truly custom fit for any club. You buy what you think will work, and if it doesn't, you try and get rid of it. I would love to spend an hour or two hitting balls and get fit for the perfect set of clubs for me, but it is just not an option.

[Cody]

I think the biggest problem is availability.

Well something like lie angle is something you don't need a launch monitor. I measured myself up and figured out i need a lie of -1.5. The clubs i play are standard so who knows what that could do to my game.

[Dent]

I have a huge golf store across town. As silly as it sounds, when I walk in there It feels as if I'm not welcomed there for some reason, nobody there really takes me seriously because Im a teen. I feel if I ask to get fitted for new irons the staff would be like

"pffft.. your kidding me right?"

[XMScott]

Maybe if the golf store offered it to me.

Really didnt know what fitting was till i started reading this forum.
I impulse bought my Pings at a good price. But was never asked to have anything fitted.

[DDBowdoin]

Its definitely an issue of availability... here in Boston we have several golf stores that have launch monitors and what not but when you take a look the information you're being given in par at best.

http://www.fittingworks.com/Home.aspx

thats a true fitting process, but your average golfer doesnt have the resources to go through with such a fitting. I have a lot of friends who have a common attitude when it comes to clubs "I like these clubs but I'll get fitted when I'm better, I'm a 26 handicap, how much will a custom club help me!"

[MunkeyGolfer]

Absolutely. You can have the lies and lofts, adjusted. I will say, however, that depending on the club, there is a limit as to how much change can be made.

I use Callaway X18's and I'm sure as close as I am to Denver I would be able to find someone there. Is it expensive to get them fitted?

[CosmosMpower]

How much does it cost to get fitted? Does the fitting just tell you what shaft and loft you should use or is it a physical process of measuring then altering the club you bought or are bringing in? Is it beneficial to get fitted for all clubs (driver to putter) or is it more important for certain ones (like driver).

[golf_junkie27]

I use Callaway X18's and I'm sure as close as I am to Denver I would be able to find someone there. Is it expensive to get them fitted?

Price depends on the fitter. Assuming that all you are doing is adjusting the lie and loft, that can be done for as little as $10 a club.

One thing to look out for. Before the fitting, make sure he weighs and measures your clubs. Make sure he especially checks the lies. Reason is if you off range mats, they will twist and bend, possibly changing the lies.

[golf_junkie27]

How much does it cost to get fitted? Does the fitting just tell you what shaft and loft you should use or is it a physical process of measuring then altering the club you bought or are bringing in? Is it beneficial to get fitted for all clubs (driver to putter) or is it more important for certain ones (like driver).

Fitting depends on the location. Some fitters will charge you and some places like Golfsmith will do it for free. However, from experience, the fitting experience I had at Golfsmith was about 10 minutes and offered zero combination of shaft and clubhead. They also offered zero information as to what the numbers meant and what they should look like.

The fitting will tell you what size shafts, flex, kickpoint and weight of the club. Additionally, the fitter should ask you how you are currently playing and how you would like to play. He can then make recommendations. You should get fitted for everything: putter, wedges, irons, driver and balls. All of this information should be provided to you and you should receive print outs of what everything looks like and means. FWIW, I bought my Mizunos on ebay and took them to a fitter. I paid $250 for the fitting. It lasted over 3 hours but included irons, driver, putter, wedges and balls. The best part about this type of fitting was that I could actually see and feel the differences in performance. Also, none of the shafts were labeled. He just handed me equipment and I said either "yes" or "no." This was great because I chose equipment that worked as opposed to choosing a brand. Hope this helps.

[iacas]

I recently read that anyone who plays an average of six rounds of golf a year is considered an avid golfer.

I think the number is eight rounds per year, and they're not "avid" but the next classification down.

Still, that's a difference of three rounds per year to transform you from a "golfer" to an avid golfer. One round a month. So yeah... Anyway, as to fitting, I think that everyone should be fit. Our reviewers (staff) all have their specs on file and all of our review equipment is fitted to us (within reason). Unfortunately, a lot of people don't know about fitting. They may have irons too flat, and they may hit the ball right all the time and not know why. So they try to adjust their swing and that gets them into more trouble.