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Lessons vs Club Fitting

skidaway

By skidaway,
in Clubs, Grips, Shafts, Fitting

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MS256 Great Member

MS256

Have only so much to spend. Lessons or club fitting?


If it has to be one or the other it's a no-brainer. Get lessons.

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newtogolf Incredible Member

newtogolf

Have only so much to spend. Lessons or club fitting?

Welcome to the site.

It might be better if you told us about your game, how many years have you been playing, what's your handicap, what kind of clubs do you own and what do you feel is holding back your game at this point.

Joe Paradiso

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David in FL Incredible Member

David in FL

A club fitting is relatively inexpensive. Are you saying you can either get fit or afford no more than a lesson or two? I'll defer to the instructors, but my thought is to get properly fit first, then save and take lessons as you can afford them, even if that's a lesson/follow up every other month or so.....

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw
Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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newtogolf Incredible Member

newtogolf

A club fitting is relatively inexpensive. Are you saying you can either get fit or afford no more than a lesson or two?

I'll defer to the instructors, but my thought is to get properly fit first, then save and take lessons as you can afford them, even if that's a lesson/follow up every other month or so.....

If his handicap is really 20 I was thinking the same thing.

Joe Paradiso

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Dirtyzecret Established Member

Dirtyzecret

Why fit if you do not know what your stroke really is? One of the main thing about fitting is to be able to repeat your swing time after time, that is just my opinion tough...

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achadha7 Well Established Member

achadha7

Lessons vs Fitting.-  Lessons with a basic fitting- they will provide you some consistency in your swing and with an in consistent swing no matter how fitted your clubs are you will not be able to make the best out of them.also ill fitted clubs will make you mis hit so clubs which are the correct length and shafts which are correct flex with some lessons. but if just 1 of the 2 .... lessons

In the :tmade: san clemente 14 way bag: :ping: G30 Stiff shaft driver 9deg upped to 10 :tmade: RocketBallz 4-sw Steel Stiff Shaft :callaway: 50 degree wedge :wilson_staff: 58 deg Wedge :cleve: Center shaft putter :titleist: Balls & :footjoy: BOA shoes

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David in FL Incredible Member

David in FL

Why fit if you do not know what your stroke really is? One of the main thing about fitting is to be able to repeat your swing time after time, that is just my opinion tough...

Whatever his stroke is, it is what it is now and as a 20 hcp, I imagine that it's pretty consistent. If we all waited to finally get the swing we ultimately want to achieve, most of us would never get fit. Again, I'll defer to @iacas and the other instructors, but it seems to me that given limited funds, well fitted clubs would give a better foundation than one or two lessons. 6 months from now when a few more $'s have been tucked away the lessons can start....with clubs that fit. But, as you said, just my .02 worth.

In David's bag....

Driver: Titleist 910 D-3;  9.5* Diamana Kai'li
3-Wood: Titleist 910F;  15* Diamana Kai'li
Hybrids: Titleist 910H 19* and 21* Diamana Kai'li
Irons: Titleist 695cb 5-Pw
Wedges: Scratch 51-11 TNC grind, Vokey SM-5's;  56-14 F grind and 60-11 K grind
Putter: Scotty Cameron Kombi S
Ball: ProV1

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iacas Hall of Fame Member

iacas

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  • I think club fitting tends to be over-rated.
  • Done properly, it can cost several hundred dollars.
  • If your swing improves subsequent to a fitting, the fitting is somewhat wasted.
  • Fitting becomes quite important as you get to lower handicaps. It's quite important on the PGA Tour.
  • Upvote 1

Erik J. Barzeski — ⛳ I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
Director of Instruction Golf Evolution • Owner, The Sand Trap .com • Author, Lowest Score Wins
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newtogolf Incredible Member

newtogolf

More curious than disputing the advice of those more qualified but;  it would seem if you're using clubs that are too long or short or with an incorrect lie angle that you could engrain an improper swing that would need to be corrected when you are properly fit.

Joe Paradiso

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MS256 Great Member

MS256

More curious than disputing the advice of those more qualified but;  it would seem if you're using clubs that are too long or short or with an incorrect lie angle that you could engrain an improper swing that would need to be corrected when you are properly fit.


Just my two cents (and I'm not qualified in any aspect of golf).

I believe, as you do, that really poor fitting clubs could cause swing problems. We don't know if the OP has really poor fitting clubs or not but if it's simply something like a length problem the instructor would probably spot that pretty quickly and have them choke down during the lesson. It's not very hard to retrofit a set of clubs into something that is at least acceptable temporarily.

Better to learn, and start working on, good mechanics from the start.

P.S. I also can't see fitting and lessons having to be an either/or thing. Either could be done by skipping a few rounds of golf and provide more benefit than those rounds of golf.

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mvmac Incredible Member

mvmac

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Have only so much to spend. Lessons or club fitting?

Hi @skidaway , welcome to the site!

I would personally recommend getting lessons. More below.

Why fit if you do not know what your stroke really is? One of the main thing about fitting is to be able to repeat your swing time after time, that is just my opinion tough...

Even though higher handicappers can still have "repeatable" swings, it doesn't make sense to get fit for a swing that might be changing in a few months. If that's what the goal is. If the path goes from 7 across to 2 across and you pick up some speed, specs will probably be different.

More curious than disputing the advice of those more qualified but;  it would seem if you're using clubs that are too long or short or with an incorrect lie angle that you could engrain an improper swing that would need to be corrected when you are properly fit.

Possibly. No disrespect to the OP but he probably already has some bad habits in his swing. Better to improve his technique and then get fit. Being fit when you're a 20 won't have as much benefit as getting some lessons and improving the swing.

You can give a good player a club that doesn't fit them at all and they would still be able to hit it reasonably solid. Like you said, long term they might change the swing to accommodate the club but it's not like they'll go from hitting it solid to all a sudden chunking and thinning every other ball.

Better to learn, and start working on, good mechanics from the start.

Yes agree very much with that.

Mike McLoughlin

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skidaway Newbie

skidaway

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Thank you for the contributions. I am away from home for the winter skiing. When I get home in a few weeks I'll provide info on my equipment. I am 82, and have been playing for 55 years. My lowest handicap was 9 about 20 years ago, lowest score 74. Where I used to hit a 7 iron, I am now using a 3 wood. Lost a lot of distance in the last few years.

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Lefty-Golfer Great Member

Lefty-Golfer

this is classic - get lessons so when you improve you can save for fitting...but i am 82 and have been golfing 55 years...and i am away skiing for the winter....

LMAO sir you do whatever you damn well please - niether one is going to have much an impact. i certainly hope i am as fortunate as you to be golfing and sking at 82!!!

Driver- Callaway Razor somthing or other
3W- Taylor Made R11S
3H Rocketballz
4I-PW- MP-59
Gap- Vokey 54

Lob- Cleveland 60

Putter- Rife

Skycaddie SG5  

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RandallT Super Member

RandallT

I think it depends on where you are in your golf journey. To start playing, you need a set that is not grossly misfitting. Since your swing is likely in need of work, there is little sense fitting clubs to your swing pattern. The focus should be on improving your swing. From there, it's iterative over the years. Swing improvements, club adjustments, swing improvements, club adjustments, rinse, repeat.

My Swing

Driver: :ping: G30, Irons: :tmade: Burner 2.0, Putter: :cleveland:, Balls: :snell:

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MS256 Great Member

MS256

this is classic - get lessons so when you improve you can save for fitting...but i am 82 and have been golfing 55 years...and i am away skiing for the winter....

LMAO sir you do whatever you damn well please - niether one is going to have much an impact. i certainly hope i am as fortunate as you to be golfing and sking at 82!!!


^^^ :beer:

Yep. Continue on having fun.

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