Club fitting yesterday

[deauxrite]

After playing golf for more years than I would like to admit (50+) I attended a fitting (my first) at our club yesterday.  The fitting was sponsored by a Mizuno rep and was conducted by him and a local club fitter/maker.  The process was both interesting and informative.  I admit that I was a bit skeptical going in that much would be revealed, but I left as a convert to the technology and science that was involved.  After warming up on the range, the fitter gave me a 7 iron with swing device attached.  I hit several golf balls with that club and the device recommended three different shaft possibilities (out of hundreds of shafts that were available).  The first shaft was attached to a club and I hit several shots with it..then the second and third shafts.  I was amazed at the difference.  The second shaft had all of my shots wandering to the right, the first just felt odd, but the third had all of the shots going right down the aim line.  After trying several different heads JPX hot metal, forged and one other, we went back and changed the shafts again..same result..the third shaft resulted in much straighter shots.  The launch monitor and lay board provided additional information that demonstrated that my slightly upright swing required a small adjustment to the lie of the clubs from 4 iron to 8 iron..then standard from 9 iron through wedges. 

The point here is to encourage you, especially if you have never had a fitting, to try it.  You will learn a great deal about your swing and will be able to make some decisions about your clubs that will be based on fact rather than just a guess.  The ability to change shafts, heads and even grips for demonstration purposes makes selecting clubs and customizing them a real joy.

BTW I hit that 22 degree hybrid straighter, higher and slightly longer than that 4 iron that I had my heart set on. 

[revkev]

Really nice write up on what a fitting is about.

There are really 3 steps to a fitting IMO.

1. The willingness of the golfer to go.

2. The interaction between the fitter and the golfer during the fitting.

3. The willingness of the golfer to trust and the implement what he learned.

Of those three steps the ones with the most break downs are 1 and 3. That’s why so many golfers are playing with an ill fit set of clubs for their games.


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[GolfSpy_APH]

Great write up and insight.
I won't ever not get fit again for a set of irons or any other club for that matter. Even if it costs more in the end it saves money by not buying a product that won't work effectively.

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[Golfspy_CG2]

Very nice deaux. The mizuno shaft optimizer is a simple and accurate device.

Glad you got to try several combos. So what was your final winning setup?


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[deauxrite]

So,  my final fitting turned out to be the JPX 919 Hot Metal irons with Project X shafts (Graphite 90 gram).  Upright lie by 2 degrees for the 4-9 irons and 1 degree for wedges.  I have to tell you that I am really stoked to get these clubs and go to the range!!  I am a 4+ handicap right now and I am really thinking that with these clubs that I can get to a 3 or maybe even a 2 next summer.  The last few strokes for a low handicap are really difficult..but I think that if I can hit one or two more greens in regulation..who knows ..

[deauxrite]

One final thought on fitting.  If you think that it just will not make enough of a difference to justify the cost...please think again.  I do not have any skin in this game, but I do have a passion for the game.  I used to teach juniors, now I try to teach seniors.  I don't teach "new to the game"  players, but I love to teach guys and gals that are older and still love the game.  Those of us that still have some years to play and want to play to our potential are a big part of the golf community.  Get a fitting, take a lesson, learn to chip and putt ( you don't have to be a Bruce Koepka to chip and putt) enjoy the game to your fullest.  If you cannot drive the ball 280..take what you can get and learn to get up and down from the bunker.  Golf is a great game..great sport..have some fun out there and play your best.

[PlaidJacket]

Nobody has to sell fitting to me. I also like Revs comment. #1 and #2 are to me the most important. Getting fit for a good playing set of irons - woods too, takes effort on one's part. It doesn't come to you. You have to go. Sometimes that might require a road trip even. But it's worth it IMO. It's very important to have good repore between player and fitter I think. Heck, I wouldn't buy a pair of shoes from a guy I didn't like. Same with my clubs. But... I also have to have confidence in my fitter and that might mean meeting and "interviewing a few". I did. #3 isn't entirely important to me. I certainly trust my fitter but I don't really care about all the technical details of the actual fitting or the specs of my clubs and how they are set up for me. The end results are all that's meaningful in my book. And I see that manifest itself on the course. I will add one more important aspect that I like in a fitting. And that's also having the fitter build the clubs. That option might not available to most but if possible I highly recommend it. I've personally seen several fittings go bad after the fitters specs are shipped off to a factory and the clubs returned either poorly built out of spec. 

I do have a friend that's been a scratch or + player forever it seems. He just has a ton of natural talent for this game and great hands.  I've tried to talk him into getting a fitting several times but he poo-pooed the idea and plays OTR clubs and never suffers one bit. He's just one of those guys I guess who could play with 2x four and shoot no worse than even par.  Wonder how much better he might be with a proper fitting? Honestly, I suspect not much in his case.