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The Responsibility of a Fitting Customer


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              I decided to put this together in response to all of the “Fitting Gone Bad” threads I have read over the years. As we all have seen, golf club fitting processes vary considerably. Some are extremely thorough and others are far from it. However, if those seeking a fitting will do their homework take certain precautions, they can greatly turn the odds in their favor! With that, I have put together the following suggestions.

Are You Ready?

                Getting a fitting is never cheap. The worst thing that can happen is to spend the money and time, but come away still unhappy. The first thing to make sure of is your swing. If you have serious swing flaws and are working to fix them, it’s not time to get fitted. Your swing is going to change for the better and it’s best to wait until you get to that point before spending money on a fitting. However, if you have serious swing flaws and just want to play the best you can WITH THOSE FLAWS, then getting fitted might just help. But remember to be realistic. There’s only so much you can do with equipment to compensate for shortcomings in the swing. The best candidates for a fitting are (1) golfers with a grooved swing that have never been fitted, (2) golfers who have been fitted but have had their game affected by age and/or health issues and (3) golfers who were fitted and have gained strength/ability since the last fitting. All of these golfers are most likely playing with clubs that don’t fit their games very well. A huge percentage of golfers play “off the rack” clubs. Some may have been fortunate enough to find the right clubs for their swing, but the odds are stacked against them. Golfers who have been previously fitted, but have encountered swing speed or ability changes will typically need a re-fitting, but again, we have to be realistic. Odds are, new equipment can’t bring back the performance you had if you’ve lost considerable swing speed.

Educate Yourself!

                Knowledge is power and the more you know about equipment, the better you can participate in the fitting and good fittings ALWAYS require customer participation. Read through the equipment and fitting threads here at MGS and use the search feature to find older threads that can still be relevant. Knowing the particulars about heads, shafts, grips, epoxy and processes will be priceless when discussing options with the fitter. Also, knowing how to describe your swing and club feel is extremely important. Clear precise descriptions of what you feel, along with the launch monitor data, let the fitter know when progress is being made.

Finding a Fitter.

                As I mentioned in my opening paragraph, fitting processes can vary a lot. It’s best to use a fitter as close to where you live as possible as subsequent visits are often needed to get things just right. Many times your clubs may need to be fine tuned after the fitting and proximity is a big deal. Usually places like Club Champion or Golf-Tec have considerable reviews online that are easy to find. However, getting information about independent fitters is often more difficult. Wishongolf.com has a great selection of fitters that have been vetted by Tom himself and they carry other brands along with his. Online forums are also a great place to ask questions and find out about these fitters from actual customers. Also, don’t be shy to contact the fitters and ask them questions prior to setting up a fitting. Checking to see what type of launch monitor they use and what products they carry will help you decide which fitter is best for you.

Come Prepared.

                You’re about to make a sizable investment in your golf equipment and golf game. You and the fitter both want a successful fitting. Make sure to bring your own clubs and balls, dress as if you were going to play and make sure to bring your golf shoes. You’re not going to play golf in a fitted shirt, tie and dress shoes, so don’t show up at the fitting wearing them. I recommend eating least an hour before your fitting and avoid eating a heavy meal. No one swings their best with a pound of ribs and a few beers in their belly. It’s also a good idea to bring a bottle of water, especially if it is a full bag fitting. Lastly, bring a zip lock bag with the following items: A roll of lead tape, A small sealed bottle of alcohol and 2 small pieces of cotton cloth (maybe 4” square). It’s possible the fitter will be prepared to do reweighting during the fitting, but if not, YOU ARE! LM numbers play a huge roll in fitting, but so does the feel of the club to the golfer. If the feel of the club can’t be changed to suit you during the fitting, the odds of failure are greatly increased.

Pace Yourself and Communicate.

Make sure to warm up the same way you do before a round. If you stretch before playing, stretch before the fitting. Get your golf muscles ready to perform at their best. Remember that the more you swing, the more your swing can change due to fatigue. Take frequent breaks so that fatigue doesn’t set in. If you feel yourself getting tired, let the fitter know. A 1 hour fitting doesn’t have to be continuous. Taking a 15 min break in there while the fitter takes care of other work can be greatly beneficial. Pay close attention to the swing, club and ball data, but also let the fitter know if you feel you have to do anything extra to make the club work. The fitter can easily see the data, but they can’t know what you’re feeling unless you tell them. The better the club fits your swing, the more effortless it will feel to swing. If you feel you have to manipulate the club to square the face or swing harder than usual to load the shaft, let the fitter know immediately.

Get your DATA!

                Lastly, you’re paying to find out what works for your swing, so make sure you get a full report of your data to take with you. You want a record of club and ball data so you’ll have it for reference in future fittings or if you happen to want to try other equipment.

BT

Edited by RI_Redneck
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Dang, should’ve edited out the comment, “look through the threads here at WRX...”

😂

Good info, though! Thanks.

Driver: Ping G430 Max 9*, Ping Tour 70X

Fairway: Ping G425 15*, Ping Tour 70X

Hybrid: Ping G425 22*, Ping Tour 80X

Irons:  Ping i230 4-GW, TT DG X100

Wedges: :edel-golf-1: SMS 50D/54V/58D:Nippon:Modus 130 stiff, +1”

Putter:  :edel-golf-1: EAS 1.0

Ball: Titleist 2023 AVX

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5 minutes ago, RI_Redneck said:

Thanks for pointing that out. I don't want to get a lifetime ban or anything. I cleaned it up.

BT

You’re welcome! Happy New Year!!!

Driver: Ping G430 Max 9*, Ping Tour 70X

Fairway: Ping G425 15*, Ping Tour 70X

Hybrid: Ping G425 22*, Ping Tour 80X

Irons:  Ping i230 4-GW, TT DG X100

Wedges: :edel-golf-1: SMS 50D/54V/58D:Nippon:Modus 130 stiff, +1”

Putter:  :edel-golf-1: EAS 1.0

Ball: Titleist 2023 AVX

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On 12/30/2020 at 9:35 AM, RI_Redneck said:

              I decided to put this together in response to all of the “Fitting Gone Bad” threads I have read over the years. As we all have seen, golf club fitting processes vary considerably. Some are extremely thorough and others are far from it. However, if those seeking a fitting will do their homework take certain precautions, they can greatly turn the odds in their favor! With that, I have put together the following suggestions.

Are You Ready?

                Getting a fitting is never cheap. The worst thing that can happen is to spend the money and time, but come away still unhappy. The first thing to make sure of is your swing. If you have serious swing flaws and are working to fix them, it’s not time to get fitted. Your swing is going to change for the better and it’s best to wait until you get to that point before spending money on a fitting. However, if you have serious swing flaws and just want to play the best you can WITH THOSE FLAWS, then getting fitted might just help. But remember to be realistic. There’s only so much you can do with equipment to compensate for shortcomings in the swing. The best candidates for a fitting are (1) golfers with a grooved swing that have never been fitted, (2) golfers who have been fitted but have had their game affected by age and/or health issues and (3) golfers who were fitted and have gained strength/ability since the last fitting. All of these golfers are most likely playing with clubs that don’t fit their games very well. A huge percentage of golfers play “off the rack” clubs. Some may have been fortunate enough to find the right clubs for their swing, but the odds are stacked against them. Golfers who have been previously fitted, but have encountered swing speed or ability changes will typically need a re-fitting, but again, we have to be realistic. Odds are, new equipment can’t bring back the performance you had if you’ve lost considerable swing speed.

Educate Yourself!

                Knowledge is power and the more you know about equipment, the better you can participate in the fitting and good fittings ALWAYS require customer participation. Read through the equipment and fitting threads here at MGS and use the search feature to find older threads that can still be relevant. Knowing the particulars about heads, shafts, grips, epoxy and processes will be priceless when discussing options with the fitter. Also, knowing how to describe your swing and club feel is extremely important. Clear precise descriptions of what you feel, along with the launch monitor data, let the fitter know when progress is being made.

Finding a Fitter.

                As I mentioned in my opening paragraph, fitting processes can vary a lot. It’s best to use a fitter as close to where you live as possible as subsequent visits are often needed to get things just right. Many times your clubs may need to be fine tuned after the fitting and proximity is a big deal. Usually places like Club Champion or Golf-Tec have considerable reviews online that are easy to find. However, getting information about independent fitters is often more difficult. Wishongolf.com has a great selection of fitters that have been vetted by Tom himself and they carry other brands along with his. Online forums are also a great place to ask questions and find out about these fitters from actual customers. Also, don’t be shy to contact the fitters and ask them questions prior to setting up a fitting. Checking to see what type of launch monitor they use and what products they carry will help you decide which fitter is best for you.

Come Prepared.

                You’re about to make a sizable investment in your golf equipment and golf game. You and the fitter both want a successful fitting. Make sure to bring your own clubs and balls, dress as if you were going to play and make sure to bring your golf shoes. You’re not going to play golf in a fitted shirt, tie and dress shoes, so don’t show up at the fitting wearing them. I recommend eating least an hour before your fitting and avoid eating a heavy meal. No one swings their best with a pound of ribs and a few beers in their belly. It’s also a good idea to bring a bottle of water, especially if it is a full bag fitting. Lastly, bring a zip lock bag with the following items: A roll of lead tape, A small sealed bottle of alcohol and 2 small pieces of cotton cloth (maybe 4” square). It’s possible the fitter will be prepared to do reweighting during the fitting, but if not, YOU ARE! LM numbers play a huge roll in fitting, but so does the feel of the club to the golfer. If the feel of the club can’t be changed to suit you during the fitting, the odds of failure are greatly increased.

Pace Yourself and Communicate.

Make sure to warm up the same way you do before a round. If you stretch before playing, stretch before the fitting. Get your golf muscles ready to perform at their best. Remember that the more you swing, the more your swing can change due to fatigue. Take frequent breaks so that fatigue doesn’t set in. If you feel yourself getting tired, let the fitter know. A 1 hour fitting doesn’t have to be continuous. Taking a 15 min break in there while the fitter takes care of other work can be greatly beneficial. Pay close attention to the swing, club and ball data, but also let the fitter know if you feel you have to do anything extra to make the club work. The fitter can easily see the data, but they can’t know what you’re feeling unless you tell them. The better the club fits your swing, the more effortless it will feel to swing. If you feel you have to manipulate the club to square the face or swing harder than usual to load the shaft, let the fitter know immediately.

Get your DATA!

                Lastly, you’re paying to find out what works for your swing, so make sure you get a full report of your data to take with you. You want a record of club and ball data so you’ll have it for reference in future fittings or if you happen to want to try other equipment.

BT

Good info, thanks.   Happy New Year.

Edited by SlowNLow
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