Is Club Champion worth it?

[ChitownM2]

So my father has a fitting at CC booked for monday and I'm planning to go with him and am trying to do a little more research before we go.  He's 71 and has always shot in the 80s-90s and continues to do that albeit now from 1-2 tee boxes up from where he used to play.  He still plays 2-4 days a week but is pretty much done with lessons and any major swing changes so things are what they are at this point. He's never played anything other than stock club options and I'm pretty positive that he has zero interest in any exotic or aftermarket options unless there is some voodoo magic that is going to give him 30-40 yards of distance back. 

Reading around on various threads I've got the following questions:

1) Does club champion have standard fitting carts from most of the manufacturers?  My dad is currently playing OEM graphite shafts and may elect to go that route again but he is only going to be willing to pay the ~$10-15 up charge per club for the OEM stock graphite options and not the $40-60 it will cost to get the aftermarket graphite shaft options like MMT, steelfibers, etc that CC typically pushes.  I'm concerned that they really won't have any of these "standard" options to even try, meaning there would be almost nothing for him to get fitted into without incurring large up-charges.

2) Does CC charge a build fee on an "all stock" club purchase?  As in we order iron heads with a certain loft/lie and no-upcharge "stock" shaft and grip offerings.  Will CC charge more than retail for this because they are going to re-build it?  Part of the reason he is doing the fitting there is the 20% gift card bonus they are currently offering but that becomes moot if they are going to charge $30-50 build fee per club.

 

Edited December 2, 2023 by ChitownM2

[Josh Parker]

7 minutes ago, ChitownM2 said:

So my father has a fitting at CC booked for monday and I'm planning to go with him and am trying to do a little more research before we go.  He's 71 and has always shot in the 80s-90s and continues to do that albeit now from 1-2 tee boxes up from where he used to play.  He still plays 2-4 days a week but is pretty much done with lessons and any major swing changes so things are what they are at this point. He's never played anything other than stock club options and I'm pretty positive that he has zero interest in any exotic or aftermarket options unless there is some voodoo magic that is going to give him 30-40 yards of distance back. 

Reading around on various threads I've got the following questions:

1) Does club champion have standard fitting carts from most of the manufacturers?  My dad is currently playing OEM graphite shafts and may elect to go that route again but he is only going to be willing to pay the ~$10-15 up charge per club for the OEM stock graphite option and not the $40-60 it will cost to get the aftermarket graphite shaft options like MMT, steelfibers, etc that CC typically pushes.

2) Does CC charge a build fee on an "all stock" club purchase?  As in we order iron heads with a certain loft/lie and no-upcharge "stock" shaft and grip offerings.  Will CC charge more than retail for this because they are going to re-build it?  Part of the reason he is doing the fitting there is the 20% gift card bonus they are currently offering but that becomes moot if they are going to charge $30-50 build fee per club.

 

My experience was they charge you for the "build".  Mine ended up being stock options and they basically wanted $100 per club over the manufacturer price.  Fitting was good and worth it, but I went and ordered my clubs from the manufacturer. 

[GolfSpy_KFT]

@ChitownM2 I had explored CC when setting up my fitting for the Cobra challenge earlier this year, and the fitter told me they had zero stock shaft options for Cobra, so I wouldn’t have been able to swing anything that I was going to be able to select for that challenge. That may not be the case everywhere, this was a newer location, but I had no interest in a $350 full bag fitting that would not have allowed me to swing any shafts available to me. 

Since I see you’re in the burbs of Chicago, if a drive up to Brookfield, WI isn’t too far for you guys to go, call the Golf Galaxy there and ask for a fitting with Robert Dries (pronounced drEEs). He’s a friend of mine and did my driver fitting for my TSi3. Extremely knowledgeable, has been in the industry for a very long time. You’ll save some money, not feel pushed or pressured into upcharge shafts, and have a really good experience. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

On 12/1/2023 at 8:38 PM, ChitownM2 said:

1) Does club champion have standard fitting carts from most of the manufacturers? 

Tell the fitter you want to be fit into the OEM no upcharge offerings. They have they but they are a high end fitting and club building business so they will always push aftermarket product. They will also push their club building service which is a separate charge. Get the fitting, get the specs then go to a pro shop or store and if the fitting producers the OEMs standard loft, length and lie then just buy that off the shelf at a golf store or order it on the OEMs website. It will save you money.

On 12/1/2023 at 8:38 PM, ChitownM2 said:

2) Does CC charge a build fee on an "all stock" club purchase? 

They will charge you for any services they do. Again order it via the oem website per the fitting specs of the fitted option isn’t available off the shop.

If the fitter ir manager doesn’t want to fit you to oem no upcharge offerings then ask for a refund and go to a place like 2ndswing and do their tour van fitting for a similar price and where no upcharge or the basic uncharged shafts can be tested in the fitting 

[ChitownM2]

4 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Tell the fitter you want to be fit into the OEM no upcharge offerings. They have they but they are a high end fitting and club building business so they will always push aftermarket product. They will also push their club building service which is a separate charge. Get the fitting, get the specs then go to a pro shop or store and if the fitting producers the OEMs standard loft, length and lie then just buy that off the shelf at a golf store or order it on the OEMs website. It will save you money.

They will charge you for any services they do. Again order it via the oem website per the fitting specs of the fitted option isn’t available off the shop.

If the fitter ir manager doesn’t want to fit you to oem no upcharge offerings then ask for a refund and go to a place like 2ndswing and do their tour van fitting for a similar price and where no upcharge or the basic uncharged shafts can be tested in the fitting 

This was our plan all along, but my concern is that they won't have the OEM graphite shaft offerings to actually hit.  When  you're buying steel it isn't that big of an issue because most of the major manufacturers offer the most popular steel aftermarket shafts (Modus 105, 120, KBS Tour, tour lite, etc), but when it comes to OEM graphite shaft offerings at the "no upcharge or $12-15 upcharge" the options are much more limited and in some cases are shafts that aren't available at retail which makes me think they won't have such niche offerings, especially in senior flex. 

FWIW, I called CC but got directed to the national call center and they said they have all the offerings from the major OEMs but as Jnoble said above, that wasn't the case for him and I'm guessing all the stores have different options depending on who the fitters are and what they tend to recommend most.

Edited December 3, 2023 by ChitownM2

[RickyBobby_PR]

23 minutes ago, ChitownM2 said:

This was our plan all along, but my concern is that they won't have the OEM graphite shaft offerings to actually hit.  When  you're buying steel it isn't that big of an issue because most of the major manufacturers offer the most popular steel aftermarket shafts (Modus 105, 120, KBS Tour, tour lite, etc), but when it comes to OEM graphite shaft offerings at the "no upcharge or $12-15 upcharge" the options are much more limited and in some cases are shafts that aren't available at retail which makes me think they won't have such niche offerings, especially in senior flex. 

FWIW, I called CC but got directed to the national call center and they said they have all the offerings from the major OEMs but as Jnoble said above, that wasn't the case for him and I'm guessing all the stores have different options depending on who the fitters are and what they tend to recommend most.

They have access to what the OEMs have in their offerings. I have had friends on varying locations get fit to what the oem offers.

They will tell customers that they don’t have it because it’s not their business model to sell oem offerings. They are an upsell business so they will avoid whenever possible going with oem offerings. But many either don’t push back or don’t tell the fitter that they have a budget. It’s also going to A depend on the fitter. The ones who don’t care about the customer and their experience are going to tell the customer they don’t have oem no upcharge or the uncharged shafts, which in many cases are recoils, steelfiber and maybe Accra. They carry these brands for fittings. That fitter isn’t someone you want to get fit by anyways.

Its going to sound over simplified but if you talk to the fitter and they push back on doing and oem offering then walkout. Ask for a refund on the fitting payment and go somewhere else. The fitter and manager will have a change of heart because they want the potential sale plus the fitting cost. They will tell you they do have the offerings and will work with you.

 

[ChitownM2]

10 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

They have access to what the OEMs have in their offerings. I have had friends on varying locations get fit to what the oem offers.

They will tell customers that they don’t have it because it’s not their business model to sell oem offerings. They are an upsell business so they will avoid whenever possible going with oem offerings. But many either don’t push back or don’t tell the fitter that they have a budget. It’s also going to A depend on the fitter. The ones who don’t care about the customer and their experience are going to tell the customer they don’t have oem no upcharge or the uncharged shafts, which in many cases are recoils, steelfiber and maybe Accra. They carry these brands for fittings. That fitter isn’t someone you want to get fit by anyways.

Its going to sound over simplified but if you talk to the fitter and they push back on doing and oem offering then walkout. Ask for a refund on the fitting payment and go somewhere else. The fitter and manager will have a change of heart because they want the potential sale plus the fitting cost. They will tell you they do have the offerings and will work with you.

 

That is what I told my father.  Tell them at the beginning he is looking for only OEM offerings in the $15-20 range that the OEM charges and that he plans to have the OEM build the clubs.  No $60 steelfibers or Fuji Axioms, etc.  If they say they don't have them then the plan is to walk as it's pointless to be fitted into anything else because he isn't going to pay an extra $100/club for th eexotic options and extra build fees.  We'll see how it goes, I plan to go with just to ask questions and take notes so he doesn't get talked into something different but I'll probably be arriving about the time he finishes warming up as I'm supposed to be working

Edited December 3, 2023 by ChitownM2

[bens197]

On 12/1/2023 at 8:38 PM, ChitownM2 said:

So my father has a fitting at CC booked for monday and I'm planning to go with him and am trying to do a little more research before we go.  He's 71 and has always shot in the 80s-90s and continues to do that albeit now from 1-2 tee boxes up from where he used to play.  He still plays 2-4 days a week but is pretty much done with lessons and any major swing changes so things are what they are at this point. He's never played anything other than stock club options and I'm pretty positive that he has zero interest in any exotic or aftermarket options unless there is some voodoo magic that is going to give him 30-40 yards of distance back. 

Reading around on various threads I've got the following questions:

1) Does club champion have standard fitting carts from most of the manufacturers?  My dad is currently playing OEM graphite shafts and may elect to go that route again but he is only going to be willing to pay the ~$10-15 up charge per club for the OEM stock graphite options and not the $40-60 it will cost to get the aftermarket graphite shaft options like MMT, steelfibers, etc that CC typically pushes.  I'm concerned that they really won't have any of these "standard" options to even try, meaning there would be almost nothing for him to get fitted into without incurring large up-charges.

2) Does CC charge a build fee on an "all stock" club purchase?  As in we order iron heads with a certain loft/lie and no-upcharge "stock" shaft and grip offerings.  Will CC charge more than retail for this because they are going to re-build it?  Part of the reason he is doing the fitting there is the 20% gift card bonus they are currently offering but that becomes moot if they are going to charge $30-50 build fee per club.

 

I'm a little late to the thread but I can already tell that you're not going to enjoy this process.

Edit** I read several quality replies and they addressed what I wrote.

This is from my own experience.  I had a pleasant one and was able to test shafts in stouter flexes I would not have been able to elsewhere.  

Edited December 3, 2023 by bens197

[ChitownM2]

1 hour ago, bens197 said:

I'm a little late to the thread but I can already tell that you're not going to enjoy this process.

Edit** I read several quality replies and they addressed what I wrote.

This is from my own experience.  I had a pleasant one and was able to test shafts in stouter flexes I would not have been able to elsewhere.  

That's very possible, it's not my decision to go there.  On the surface it shouldn't be unreasonable to go to a quality fitter and ask to be fitted into the clubs that will provide the best balance of performance vs cost for them but that is not the way CC operates apparently.  I'm a firm believer that there are almost no scenarios where a player shooting in the upper 80s or 90s would see substantially better results from exotic upgrades vs a properly fit set of "stock" offerings.

I'm hoping it doesn't go south and there is no reason it has to but it should become apparent right away if this location prioritizes bilking every last dollar out of their customer or if they would rather earn a nice fitting fee and a healthy margin on selling some clubs.  I'm hoping for the latter.

[bens197]

1 hour ago, ChitownM2 said:

That's very possible, it's not my decision to go there.  On the surface it shouldn't be unreasonable to go to a quality fitter and ask to be fitted into the clubs that will provide the best balance of performance vs cost for them but that is not the way CC operates apparently.  I'm a firm believer that there are almost no scenarios where a player shooting in the upper 80s or 90s would see substantially better results from exotic upgrades vs a properly fit set of "stock" offerings.

I'm hoping it doesn't go south and there is no reason it has to but it should become apparent right away if this location prioritizes bilking every last dollar out of their customer or if they would rather earn a nice fitting fee and a healthy margin on selling some clubs.  I'm hoping for the latter.

I hope it's a pleasant experience!  Let us know how it goes.

[Guam135i]

I did the CC full set fitting and it cost me $$$$. I think if you were to optimize club fitting one should invest first in golf lessons and develop a proper swing before one can take the maximum advantage of club fitting. I am a 19 handicap and the fitting at CC just cost me money the putter fitting was the most beneficial to me, aside from the that to this day I still struggle with the fitted clubs maybe because my swing is also inconsistent. I used to play 60 gram shaft on my driver when they fitted me it was 40. Irons were 70 now they are 60..... just my honest experience

Was it a pleasant experience , yes it was but is it worth it at my skill level, not it was not

Edited December 4, 2023 by Guam135i

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Guam135i said:

I think if you were to optimize club fitting one should invest first in golf lessons and develop a proper swing before one can take the maximum advantage of club fitting.

I know multiple fitters and coaches that disagree and that doing a fitting without lessons especially for high handicaps are beneficial and those same people agree that they should be done in conjunction with each other. 
 

you don’t want to take lessons with equipment that doesn’t fit you because it requires more manipulation of the club to get it to do what the instructor wants 

[GolfSpy_APH]

6 hours ago, Guam135i said:

I did the CC full set fitting and it cost me $$$$. I think if you were to optimize club fitting one should invest first in golf lessons and develop a proper swing before one can take the maximum advantage of club fitting. I am a 19 handicap and the fitting at CC just cost me money the putter fitting was the most beneficial to me, aside from the that to this day I still struggle with the fitted clubs maybe because my swing is also inconsistent. I used to play 60 gram shaft on my driver when they fitted me it was 40. Irons were 70 now they are 60..... just my honest experience

Was it a pleasant experience , yes it was but is it worth it at my skill level, not it was not

There are definitely two schools of thought on it. Here is my take which of course you can take it or leave it. 

Fittings can be beneficial for all. Regardless of skill level and handicap. 

A good fitter should be able to see what they are working with and help educate the golfer on why they are being fit in to club X with setting X over Club Y and setting Y. There must be discussion and feedback between both sides in order to make a higher handicap fitting work. If it is all one sided then there is no way value will come out as expected. 

I say this from personal experience both being fit and being the fitter. It certainly can be a challenge, but simple things such as length and lie can go a long way to help a high handicapper. Forget weight and shafts and all that stuff. A high handicap fitting I believe should be paired down a bit with the focus on simpler club fixes, not to mention those (length and lie) are ones that can be adjusted, adapted and changed as the golfer progresses and gets better. 

Just my two cents. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

4 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

Forget weight and shaft

These are probably the most important part of the fitting. The shafts are responsible for weight and feel. Feel plays a role in how we swing. A bad feeling setup will cause the golfer to have to force a swing to achieve a result rather the an having the club work with for what they are trying to do. Length is also key, lie can be off a couple degrees and not have a huge impact on things. 
 

It’s why with wood fittings the best fitters start with head and loft to get in the right window, then find the right weight and feel and then fine tune.

Depending on the fitter with irons it can be shaft to get the right feel for the golfer then head to get in the right launch window, then tweak lie and loft or length depending on their approach for how they want to improve contact point.

[GolfSpy_APH]

12 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

These are probably the most important part of the fitting. The shafts are responsible for weight and feel. Feel plays a role in how we swing. A bad feeling setup will cause the golfer to have to force a swing to achieve a result rather the an having the club work with for what they are trying to do. Length is also key, lie can be off a couple degrees and not have a huge impact on things. 
 

It’s why with wood fittings the best fitters start with head and loft to get in the right window, then find the right weight and feel and then fine tune.

Depending on the fitter with irons it can be shaft to get the right feel for the golfer then head to get in the right launch window, then tweak lie and loft or length depending on their approach for how they want to improve contact point.

I would say depends on the person. Of course they will play a part and role. The situation I am referring to is a high handicapper who is going in first time, little knowledge and has an improving game.

[Trevor613]

For what it is worth, CC does not require you to buy the clubs from them.  You can just pay for the fitting and take your specs somewhere else; even to an off-the-shelf big box store or direct from the manufacturer.  Yes, the fitting is not inexpensive ($400 for the full bag, $100 for a driver), but they do offer specials throughout the year that make it more cost effective.  In my experience, the fitter was NOT pushing anything on to me and was not pushing me to buy new clubs.  In my 20+ years of playing and being fitted at different times and different methods (static fittings, lie board fittings, Trackman fittings, etc.), the CC process was by far the most beneficial and most educational.  Not to mention, it was fun to see the numbers and the consistency improvements. Like I said prior...there is no obligation to buy from them and my fitter was not pushy at all.  It was a fantastic experience.  Also, fittings are for everyone...and you don't have to go into the process after taking lessons.  The fitters are there to help fit you into clubs that will help you with your game and your swing as it currently exists.

[10Hockey]

Getting fitted indoors works for a driver ; but not for irons. When you get fitted for irons you must be able to feel and judge what real turf interaction does to your shots.  Hitting off of a mat is not reality with irons and you will miss out on a key factor in making a head and shaft selection.   You will not be able to see your different divot patters, you will not be able to see the sole interaction marks when hitting the ground,  you will not be able to see what the wind can do to your different shots you may try to hit etc......

[bens197]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I would say depends on the person. Of course they will play a part and role. The situation I am referring to is a high handicapper who is going in first time, little knowledge and has an improving game.

If I read it correctly…what you’re saying is don’t walk in telling the fitter what you need.  Keep an open mind and find what works best for you based upon what equipment you swing.

[bens197]

9 minutes ago, 10Hockey said:

Getting fitted indoors works for a driver ; but not for irons. When you get fitted for irons you must be able to feel and judge what real turf interaction does to your shots.  Hitting off of a mat is not reality with irons and you will miss out on a key factor in making a head and shaft selection.   You will not be able to see your different divot patters, you will not be able to see the sole interaction marks when hitting the ground,  you will not be able to see what the wind can do to your different shots you may try to hit etc......

If you’re hitting the ball almost perfectly every time and know exactly where the ball is going, then yes I would say this is correct.  Too many golfers get too immersed into the minutiae of what they need from a club.  It’s a law of diminishing returns for many simply because they think they need something that just may not be the case. 

For 99% of the world, indoor fitting for irons is absolutely OK.

I was a club fitter for 4 years and complemented that experience by spending a week at PING to become a certified club fitter.

[GolfSpy_APH]

7 minutes ago, bens197 said:

If I read it correctly…what you’re saying is don’t walk in telling the fitter what you need.  Keep an open mind and find what works best for you based upon what equipment you swing.

To an extent sure, don't have to tell them something hard I want or need this. Of course if there is a club you are dreaming about then get fit for that. I will always be of the mind you need to keep options open and use what is best for you regardless of brand etc. However there are some (and nothing wrong with it) that have an allegiance to certain brands or types of gear. 

I guess what I am trying to say that in my experience for fittings there needs to be clear communication on what the golfer wants to get out of the fitting, what their budget is and their perceived state of game. The fitter also needs to have clear communication on what they are doing, why they are doing it and the reasoning to the outcome. 

There is nothing worse than a golfer leaving a fitting with just as many if not more questions than they had going in.  

[Josh Parker]

As someone who finally had their first fitting this past year, I walked in with very little expectations. 

I had a discussion with my fitter about my game, where I wanted my game to be and my goals.  We talked about typical flight, desired flight and what I liked at my best.  

Once we got into the fitting it was him making adjustments and tweaks to clubheads and shafts.  I let the "pro" work his magic. 

At the end, I wished I would have done a fitting sooner. Communication is key with any fitting.  I chose to get a club for my 7-pw that didn't show as good of numbers at the fitting but we both agreed with my goals that they would be the best fit in the near future and we were right. 

Understand your swing, your goals and how much practice/time you can give to it and then let the fitter do their thing. 

At the end, make a decision either collectively or solo and trust it. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I would say depends on the person. Of course they will play a part and role. The situation I am referring to is a high handicapper who is going in first time, little knowledge and has an improving game.

That’s he best person to be put into the right shaft and weight. Lower handicaps can and do adjust better to equipment that isn’t a right fit.

Higher handicaps benefit the most from fittings. Limiting them to only length and lie is not going to help them improve and will more than likely lead to more bad habits to try and find a swing to hit the ball. Length and lie are more important when addressing ball flight and contact. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

6 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

That’s he best person to be put into the right shaft and weight. Lower handicaps can and do adjust better to equipment that isn’t a right fit.

Higher handicaps benefit the most from fittings. Limiting them to only length and lie is not going to help them improve and will more than likely lead to more bad habits to try and find a swing to hit the ball. Length and lie are more important when addressing ball flight and contact. 

[Shrek74]

As Josh said, Communication is key to a quality fitting. Followed right on it's heals is Honesty. Without these two parts, the fitting will not provide the proper outcome you would desire.

Honesty has 2 parts - be honest with yourself, and be honest with the fitter.

Being honest with yourself is simple to understand, but tends to be more difficult to put into play. We need to be truly honest with ourselves about our game. How long each club flies, how well do we strike each club, how well is each club performing on the course when we need it, and more are all questions you have to really evaluate before the fitting. I'd highly recommend sitting down with a blank notepad or Word open on your computer and work through each club in the bag, thinking about these types of questions and then making notes about them. Do each iron individually as well, as certain irons may show themselves to be good or bad and may also lead to where the proper break of the iron set really needs to occur. No one's watching or saying anything, so being open and honest with yourself should be easier than when you're face to face with the fitter and ego tends to creep in.

Being honest with the fitter isn't as easy as it sounds. This is where that ego character I just mentioned rears it's ugly head. This is where the previous section really comes in handy. Me personally, I'd print out my thoughts and bring them with me. You can use them to refer to during the pre-fitting conversation, and then you can give them to the fitter and let them use them as reference during the fitting. This helps remove your ego from the equation which should lead to a more comprehensive and accurate fitting.

Then let the fitter do their magic. They'll ask questions along the way, so be honest in the answers. If you don't like something, say so but give reasons why that are beneficial for the fitting. Not liking the font or the color of the fill isn't beneficial. If something isn't feeling right or you don't seem to be catching the face well or the shaft is dead in your hands, those are all examples of things to let the fitter know. A good fitter will pick up on most of this, but we come back to the communication portion of the discussion and that back and forth during the fitting is important to help prevent wasteful swings (energy) and help zero in quicker and more accurately.

In the past, I've gone and found a few different pre-fitting questionnaires and worked through them at home on the computer (my handwriting is terrible). Then I would collect all the various data into a single, understandable document and bring it with me. I can be very overkill with stuff like this, it's just my personality. But I've found it helps me before the fitting to get it all on paper, and if it helps the fitter dial me in, then that's a win all around.

Make the effort ahead of time, be honest, and communicate. You do all this, any fitting will have a super high chance of strong success, which will in turn help you play better and more enjoyable golf.

[Owengeorge13]

I think it’s worth it!  Brand agnostic places truly are the best.  Great deals for fittings going on right now.  If the products are too expensive you don’t have to buy!  I’d give it a try, nothing to lose.

ive tried club champion, pga superstore, and truespec.  Truespec was the best.  

Edited December 4, 2023 by Owengeorge13

[Jim Shaw]

wow, some really interesting and educational discussion on this thread. My takeaway is that this company would not be my 1st. choice at club fitting. I have heard this from more than one person in the circles I play with. 

I would think if you live in or close to a large community or city you will have lots of options, and MGS is a great place to get feedback. 

@ChitownM2, if you reach out on this site and ask the local spy's for fitting options I am sure you will get lots of options. 

 

[Delaware Joe]

CarlH’s response was pretty much dead on. You need to have an honest evaluation of your own game, and what you can realistically expect. Do you want more distance? Well if you’re using a Ping 400, I would venture to say that gaining distance will probably be an easy task.  Do you want a tighter dispersion? Do you hit your irons consistently the same yardage every time?? I went for an iron fitting with a few preconceived ideas about what clubs I wanted. I had an honest discussion with the fitter about what I was trying to accomplish,  which was not to hit the ball as I did 10 years ago, but rather to have a tighter dispersion and be able to consistently reach the green in regulation from the tees I play. I left with a whole lot of information, and learned about the pouring of shafts, the “smash”factor, Launch angles and spin rates and decent angles. For me never having been Professionally Fit for clubs this was a worthwhile experience. I ended up with a set of irons that weren’t on my radar and they have been performing beautifully for the last year. If your looking at irons, come up with a ballpark figure that you are willing to spend per club, and go from there. I think that the most important thing is to be honest with yourself and your expectations. I had a great fitter who listened to what I had to say and what I was trying to accomplish and he was extremely helpful. I did pick up a few yards with the irons, but more important to me was I really tightened up my dispersion. For me it was a great experience.

[ChitownM2]

39 minutes ago, Jim Shaw said:

wow, some really interesting and educational discussion on this thread. My takeaway is that this company would not be my 1st. choice at club fitting. I have heard this from more than one person in the circles I play with. 

I would think if you live in or close to a large community or city you will have lots of options, and MGS is a great place to get feedback. 

@ChitownM2, if you reach out on this site and ask the local spy's for fitting options I am sure you will get lots of options. 

 

I've got a couple other options my father can go to if need be but the fitting is more expensive and they're ~ 1 hr away instead of 5 min so that was the real driver in him choosing CC, plus his unfamiliarity with all of the above pitfalls.

Honestly though there aren't as many options as your would think even in a major city.  True spec and cool clubs have a similar business model to CC and then after that you're looking at PGATSS where you risk getting a guy who watched a 1 hr video being your fitter.  Most of the courses that have pros who offer fittings only have affiliations with one or two brands so you can't get a full brand agnostic fitting.  And even then I haven't gotten great responses as to who the good ones are when I've inquired before.  

At this point I'm hoping this goes well today.  I spent a lot of time this weekend going through each mfr site and making a list of the shaft options that each offers in the budget of what my father is willing to spend.  I don't expect the fitter to have memorized the list of stock options for each mfr so that's why I am going so I can help with that info if necessary.  He's playing a senior flex now and even in his prime only ever played regular so that helped narrow the lists substantially.

[Jim Shaw]

26 minutes ago, ChitownM2 said:

I've got a couple other options my father can go to if need be but the fitting is more expensive and they're ~ 1 hr away instead of 5 min so that was the real driver in him choosing CC, plus his unfamiliarity with all of the above pitfalls.

Honestly though there aren't as many options as your would think even in a major city.  True spec and cool clubs have a similar business model to CC and then after that you're looking at PGATSS where you risk getting a guy who watched a 1 hr video being your fitter.  Most of the courses that have pros who offer fittings only have affiliations with one or two brands so you can't get a full brand agnostic fitting.  And even then I haven't gotten great responses as to who the good ones are when I've inquired before.  

At this point I'm hoping this goes well today.  I spent a lot of time this weekend going through each mfr site and making a list of the shaft options that each offers in the budget of what my father is willing to spend.  I don't expect the fitter to have memorized the list of stock options for each mfr so that's why I am going so I can help with that info if necessary.  He's playing a senior flex now and even in his prime only ever played regular so that helped narrow the lists substantially.

sounds like you have done your homework, I am sure it will go just fine for your dad, enjoy

[Steve S]

57 minutes ago, ChitownM2 said:

I've got a couple other options my father can go to if need be but the fitting is more expensive and they're ~ 1 hr away instead of 5 min so that was the real driver in him choosing CC, plus his unfamiliarity with all of the above pitfalls.

Honestly though there aren't as many options as your would think even in a major city.  True spec and cool clubs have a similar business model to CC and then after that you're looking at PGATSS where you risk getting a guy who watched a 1 hr video being your fitter.  Most of the courses that have pros who offer fittings only have affiliations with one or two brands so you can't get a full brand agnostic fitting.  And even then I haven't gotten great responses as to who the good ones are when I've inquired before.  

At this point I'm hoping this goes well today.  I spent a lot of time this weekend going through each mfr site and making a list of the shaft options that each offers in the budget of what my father is willing to spend.  I don't expect the fitter to have memorized the list of stock options for each mfr so that's why I am going so I can help with that info if necessary.  He's playing a senior flex now and even in his prime only ever played regular so that helped narrow the lists substantially.

Your doing a great thing for your dad.  I hope he brings his "typical" swing.  One of things I always wanted to try was to go for a fitting 3 or 4 times on different days just to see if the "optimum" club selection would change depending on the day, the fitter, my swing, etc.  I'm not independently wealthy so it'll have to be a dream for now.