Fitting and Club Advice - Club Champion Set up

[Agee238]

Hi Everyone!  First time poster, long time lurker.  Lot's of great information on this forum.  I'm a relatively new golfer, about 4 years now, been taking some lessons on and off at Golftec for the last 2 years.  Went from a 20 handicap to a 14 last year, which i'm extremely happy about!  Lots of range time and got in about 45 rounds over the course of the summer.  The clubs I've been playing were hand me down clubs from a friend of mine, Callaway X16's and a Big Bertha Driver.  I've decided it's time to upgrade my clubs and get properly fit.  

I decided to go check out Club Champion since they are doing a 50% off full bag fitting.  I won't go into the full details since many people have already provide thorough reviews of their experience.  All in all, it was a fantastic experience!  I was able to test out a variety of clubs and shafts.  I'm not embarrassed to admit that I have zero familiarity of the types, weighting, brands of the different shafts and not very understanding of the numbers the trackman was spitting out. 

I really was just there swinging what the fitter gave me, 5-6 swings (sometimes more if it was feeling good) a head/shaft combo (irons, then wedges, then driver, then fairway woods, then SAM putting), with him looking at the numbers, and me identifying what felt good and the shape of the shot on the screen.  I thought the fitter was great, patient, and able to explain in layman's terms what he was looking at.  He asked if there was anything specific I wanted to try out, but not knowing I really let him take over that experience.  

I told the fitter at the very beginning that i was getting fit for the first time, not overly consistent in my swing (surprisingly I was swinging relatively consistent, with only a handful of shots removed from the data), and budget around $3k for a full bag.  I knew going in and reading reviews about Club Champion that pricing was likely going to be expensive.  When all said and done, he provided me with the following recommendations. 

 - Callaway Rogue Pro Irons ($750) with Nippon 850 Shafts ($360)

 - Callaway Rogue Driver 10.5* ($499) with Diamana RF Shaft ($395)

 - Callaway Rogue 3 and 4 Hybrid ($249)  with Fujikura Atomos Tour Spec Red Shafts ($215)

 - Callaway Wedges 50*/54*/58* ($149 each) 

I was a little surprised by the pricing of the shafts, especially the driver shaft.  I did hit that one the best out of all of the combinations that i tried, and there were many.  And i guess the numbers don't lie, gaining about 35 yards compared to my gamer with lower dispersion off of about 15 hits.  So i guess I'm extremely happy with that, but wanted to get opinions before i pull the trigger.  I know that folks have tried sourcing the individual components and self building, but that's not something I have the expertise on.  Plus with the Rogue being new, i'm not sure how that would work.  

As I'm typing this, I guess I'm really asking if there are any reasons, outside of cost that should prevent me from just ordering through Club Champion. And secondly, will I just look like some big douche bag with these nice clubs and shafts and not being a low handicapper!  Ha.

[dennyjones]

Welcome to TST.  We're glad you've decided to participate in the forum.   

Getting fit is always good.    If cost isn't an issue, I'd place the order and not worry what others think.  

Pictures or it didn't happen!!!!

 

 

[WUTiger]

Club Champion is expensive, but the fitters really work with you.

One of the better players at my club got fitted by CC. He said he went back three times so the fitter could do final tweaks on his new irons.

It turned out that although the clubs were all measuring to spec, the lofts on two irons had to be weakened so he could maintain 12-yard distance gaps.

[GetItIn]

On 1/25/2018 at 1:10 PM, WUTiger said:

Club Champion is expensive, but the fitters really work with you.

One of the better players at my club got fitted by CC. He said he went back three times so the fitter could do final tweaks on his new irons.

It turned out that although the clubs were all measuring to spec, the lofts on two irons had to be weakened so he could maintain 12-yard distance gaps.

Do you think there is enough justification of purchasing clubs through Club Champion for a mid handicapper, rather than spending less money and going through a good fitter and purchasing clubs at a golf specialized store (Golf Galaxy, PGA superstore, etc...)? It seems like Club Champion does give a lot of service add ons but will that be enough to lower handicap at the end of the day for a mid handicapper? Is it necessary?

[WUTiger]

It's all a matter of how good a fitter you can find. Of the two best fitters I know, one is at GG and the second runs a small non-chain shop with his partner.

Some people use Club Champion for the 60th birthday self-present to get refitted for the final golfing stretch.

Club Champ is more upscale, but it depends in part on how much $$ you have. Key thing is to find a fitter who will listen to you and whom you trust.

Also consider GolfTEC, a place that blends detailed tech-assisted lessons with clubfitting.

A decently fitted set will lessen the equipment wobbles in your swing and likely will trim a few strokes. After that, it's up to you to get lessons and practice properly to lower your score more.

[Vinny Cap]

I say go for it!  If you got the money and want a nice, new, complete setup that's customized to you... don't worry what others think.  You gotta like the gear you are playing.

As @WUTiger said, a new setup will not lower your scores... you have to work at that!

As @dennyjones said, Pics, we need pics!

Going to check out the Rogue Irons as I have not seen them yet.  Plus, nothing wrong with Callaway X16 irons and a Big Bertha Driver!

[GetItIn]

11 hours ago, WUTiger said:

A decently fitted set will lessen the equipment wobbles in your swing and likely will trim a few strokes. After that, it's up to you to get lessons and practice properly to lower your score more.

Thanks for the advice. What would constitute a decently fitted set?

[WUTiger]

5 hours ago, GetItIn said:

Thanks for the advice. What would constitute a decently fitted set?

A decently fitted set? For starters, one that won't hurt your game. You want one for the swing you have right now, not the one you hope to have in 2019.

Specifics:

• Heads that give you confidence when you look down at them; and, heads that have proper loft gapping for you.
• A shaft that is proper flex and length for you, and fits your swing tempo (deals w/ heavier vs. lighter) 
• Proper head-shaft combination in that the two work together
• Proper grips, both for thickness and feel/preferred texture
• Dynamic lie angle fits, especially for irons, so that you get square hits when you strike the ball
• Gap analysis, to determine where in set you should switch from numbered irons to hybrids (looks like your fitter has already done this)

Launch monitors can help you thin down the choices. But at the end, it's probably either club A or club B - go with the one you trust the most.

[Typhoon92]

Irons will cost u around a grand...that was fine.

Wedges, that's normal price...also fine

Hybrid...I think u are spending too much money on the shaft

Driver...definitely spending too much money on the shaft.  $900 for a driver.  NFW.  I bet one of the Callaway stock offerings would save u all the shaft money and get you within a few yards of the diamana.

Like vinny  cap says, " if u got the money..."  But it sounds to me like if u told them your budget was $5000 the would have came in at $4800.