Getting Fitted for Irons - Any Crucial Advice?

[jscham 6]

New to the Forum, first post. Maybe too late for this, but I'm getting fitted for irons tomorrow and I'm not entirely sure what to expect. I'd love any advice, fitting experiences, questions to ask, etc. that anyone has before I get in there.

Background: Currently I've improved to a 17 handicap and have stalled there. Had been casually playing for years with mostly hand-me-down clubs, but over the past 2 years starting to invest in my clubs and game. Current irons are 2002 Big Bertha's (graphite shafts) that I got from my dad 10 years ago. Current distances: 9-135, 7-158, 5-180 (worked hard to know these pretty well this year).

Going into my fitting, I'm not leaving tomorrow purchasing immediately. I'd like to spend in the $1,000-$1,200 for a new set all said and done, but I don't know if that's realistic?  

What should I go in thinking about? What questions do I need to ask? 

In terms of clubs in general, I like the idea of a players distance iron (Apex 19, T200, etc.), but maybe I'll be better off with a game improvement iron (Maverick, T300) as my contact isn't the best and I could use some forgiveness.

[Chip Strokes 3,092]

welcome to the forum! 

my advice going in to your fitting is to have an idea of what you’re looking for, but definitely stay open minded because sometimes the best clubs for you are ones you weren’t even considering. 

another thing i’d advise is to ask as many questions as possible. ask why a certain club is performing the way that it is, and why the fitter is choosing this next setup and what he’s looking for in terms of numbers and ball flight as you progress through different head and shaft combos 

above all, have some fun and put some good swings on the ball!

[cnosil 15,674]

6 hours ago, jscham said:

New to the Forum, first post. Maybe too late for this, but I'm getting fitted for irons tomorrow and I'm not entirely sure what to expect. I'd love any advice, fitting experiences, questions to ask, etc. that anyone has before I get in there.

Background: Currently I've improved to a 17 handicap and have stalled there. Had been casually playing for years with mostly hand-me-down clubs, but over the past 2 years starting to invest in my clubs and game. Current irons are 2002 Big Bertha's (graphite shafts) that I got from my dad 10 years ago. Current distances: 9-135, 7-158, 5-180 (worked hard to know these pretty well this year).

Going into my fitting, I'm not leaving tomorrow purchasing immediately. I'd like to spend in the $1,000-$1,200 for a new set all said and done, but I don't know if that's realistic?  

What should I go in thinking about? What questions do I need to ask? 

In terms of clubs in general, I like the idea of a players distance iron (Apex 19, T200, etc.), but maybe I'll be better off with a game improvement iron (Maverick, T300) as my contact isn't the best and I could use some forgiveness.

Don't know where you are going to get fitted,  but retail on those irons is probably a bit higher than your range and if you are going to club champion,  you are probably at half of what they will charge you.  I would suggest you tell the fitter your budget which will probably keep you in the stock no upcharge shafts.  Tell the fitter what you are trying to accomplish with the new irons....distance priority, control priority, or a balance.  Ask questions;  you need to communicate what you are experiencing,  ask what the fitter is trying to accomplish, etc.   The fitter should be able to tell you why something works better than other clubs.   

Get rest and drink fluids;  you will be hitting a lot of shots.  

[Kansas King 232]

I agree with what the others have said. The other thing I recommend but it isn't always possible is seeing if you can test a club outdoors and see what it is like of actual grass. Mats hide a lot of sins and can make hitting the thinnest of blades even seem easy. Also, don't forget to wear your golf shoes in the fitting as they may impact your length and lie angles. Another thing about hitting shots in a bay is that it is easy to start trying to chase certain numbers (spin, distance, etc.) if you are seeing them after every shot. Try on some shots to imagine looking at a real shot going into the green. If you're getting fit with the seven iron, imagine you're in the fairway and have 155 yards in. I think it's interesting to see how certain setups react on shots where you may not need to swing 100%. 

Best of luck with the fitting. I think you will probably get fit into some steel shafts that will make your irons far more accurate and pleasurable to use. 

[jscham 6]

Update: Thanks everyone! I had a blast and the fitting went great! It was a local shop, but one with good reviews and that I've trusted for a while. 

I went in with my eye on the Apex 19s but completely open to other options. I worked through a bunch of options - Apex 19, T200, P790, JPX919, and a few others. 

In the end, I went with the P790s which I didn't know anything about going in, but I love them. The Apex were a close second, but the P790 just felt a lot more consistent and better in my hands, not to mention I was getting better numbers with them. None of the others were very notable besides the T200s, I could not hit those well to save my life. This speaks to my ball striking, but I probably took 15 swings with the T200 and not one of them felt good off the face. The fitter wasn't surprised and was just testing me with giving me that one which I appreciated.

Final Setup: P790s (5-PW, waiting to see how I feel with the 5 to get the 4 or go with another option). KBS 120 stiff shafts, midsize grips (Golf Pride MCC+4), standard length and lie. I don't have the consistency in my swing to need to adjust the lie, so I was fine with that. 

[Manimal26 532]

On 11/20/2020 at 1:45 PM, jscham said:

New to the Forum, first post. Maybe too late for this, but I'm getting fitted for irons tomorrow and I'm not entirely sure what to expect. I'd love any advice, fitting experiences, questions to ask, etc. that anyone has before I get in there.

Background: Currently I've improved to a 17 handicap and have stalled there. Had been casually playing for years with mostly hand-me-down clubs, but over the past 2 years starting to invest in my clubs and game. Current irons are 2002 Big Bertha's (graphite shafts) that I got from my dad 10 years ago. Current distances: 9-135, 7-158, 5-180 (worked hard to know these pretty well this year).

Going into my fitting, I'm not leaving tomorrow purchasing immediately. I'd like to spend in the $1,000-$1,200 for a new set all said and done, but I don't know if that's realistic?  

What should I go in thinking about? What questions do I need to ask? 

In terms of clubs in general, I like the idea of a players distance iron (Apex 19, T200, etc.), but maybe I'll be better off with a game improvement iron (Maverick, T300) as my contact isn't the best and I could use some forgiveness.

Any time I do a fitting I ask a few questions depending on the situation. Did he ask any of these;

• What are you looking to gain from this fitting? 
  • I keep in mind and note this answer, but I make it clear that this is not instruction but a way to maximize your current state of play and give you the ability to work towards your improvement goals with confidence.
• Do you keep a HDCP, and if so what it is it? If not why not?
  • This is more just to guide me towards so club heads that might be the right fit
• I will ask some other questions like these:
  • What is your average rounds per month during season
  • How many total rounds do you play a year
  • How many hours a week to you spend practicing
  • When you practice do you just hit balls or do you have a practice plan
  • Have you ever taken lessons?
• I will also ask if you have any pain when you swing or physicals limitations.
  • lets me know if we might want to try graphite or light weight steel.
• There is a lot that can go into it, but I feel golf should be fun first and fore most and I would go with the set that allows you to maximize your current ability and where you are today. As you improve you can grow out of them and into something else.

Also where are you going to get fit?