I was out of the game for 10 years, got fitted a few weeks ago, saw 2 different fitters and chose one before I bought a brand new $3200 complete golf set.
Not everything went smoothly, and for you professional fitters out there, here is a few major criticisms. (Summary is in bold).
Here are my specs: 6'1 height, 37.5 inch wrist to floor, swing speed 100-105mph, aggressive tempo, ~250+ yards carry with driver, high spin around 3000-4000, high ball flight with a slight fade, handicap around ~12 now, but used to be down to 7. My long irons and driving is pretty good, my wedges are very average. I have a high swing and tend to fade the ball, but I can adjust my swing to hit both a fade and a draw.
1. First of all, the different fitters couldn't even agree on what lie angle I needed for my 7 iron, which I hit high and about 165 yards+ carry. One said 4 flat, the other 2 up. I went with the 2 up because it was a driving range and they had more facilities etc. I think this was a problem because I can adjust my swing to the club relatively easily.
2. They both got the length right, about 3/4 to 1 inch over. They both only tested 7 iron and driver. They didn't ask to test any other clubs. The fitting for one cost $118 which I went with, the other was free.
3. I was recommended Mizuno JPX EZ forged, all 2 up, 1 inch over, S300 steel irons, and XR 16 Pro driver/pro 3 wood/3 pro hybrid all with X stiff flex. Vokey Wedges were also 1 inch over, and I was told they were also 2 up.
4. However when the clubs arrived, that isnt what I got.
I was hitting them all well left with some hooks, so got some second advice and a check of lies. Turned out the irons were all 3.5 up, 1 inch over (making them effectively 5.5 up). Moreover I got the XR 16 9.0 standard driver/fairway wood /hybrid -the standard model not the XR 16 PRO, which was not what was decided at the end of testing. The driver/fairway/hybrid shafts were all X flex, even though my swing speed is only 100-105mph.
When I tested the XR 16 pro afterward it felt lower, better, and longer. The XR 16 went too high, even with X flex, and I had to put it at its lowest setting of 8 degrees at neutral, which worked ok, but the XR 16 pro was lower and longer and lower spin.
The vokey wedges were not 2 up either, I was hitting them well left and when checked, they were both 4 up, making them, with 1 inch over, effectively 6 up. Who uses 6 up wedges???
5. I went back and showed them some shots on the range which all went left, and they agreed to flatten the irons by 3 and the wedges by 4. They now hit much better, but why did they change the lies to such high angles in the first place? even to above what I was told I was actually getting when they arrived?. Did they just stuff up the order???
I got the distinct impression of being just put through the motions, with no-one really checking anything, or the proper order. They saw a high fade and high swing, so probably thought lets just order 4-6 up to correct the swing, even though I'm really not bad, can hit the ball up to 290 yards roll and have a handicap around 12. The Mizuno EZ forged suit my ~12 handicap, although its coming down, so could have gone a bit more pro/bladey.
I'm now ordering the M1 driver/fairway/3 hybrid with S flex, because the XR 16 driver/fairway/hybrid goes a little left and a little too high, and might even get the MP25 irons , which suits a 5-10 handicap, because my iron game is good, my handicap coming down from 12 is probably a touch better than the JPX EZ forged, although this was only a minor criticism, as these irons can also be used by lower handicap players.
But why didnt they give me what they said, and why did I have to then go out and waste time checking and adjusting??? Not impressed.
(By the way, the tested I didnt go with was a bit miffed, but I thought he would have done a better job (he was also closer with the 4 flat) and so am ordering new clubs through him.)