In-person Fitting vs. Online Fitting Apps/Tools

[Walking Fore Birdies]

So, I just turned 50.

I've had my Titleist AP2s for 11 yrs. I don't have the chance to play as much these days, but honestly have found more enjoyment in the game over the last couple of yrs. I'm not hitting my irons quite as consistently and quite frankly feel like my swing has slowed a bit. I've been thinking the Dynamic Gold Stiff shafts may be a bit much and have mulled the idea of getting fitted.

So my question(s):

Is in-person fitting really worth it? Or is online fitting a really viable option for new club investment?

Currently I've tried the online fitting tools that Ben Hogan and Ping offer.

Would really appreciate feedback and hearing of other's experiences.

[RickyBobby_PR]

Online fittings are a place to start and get an idea but you won’t know if the results are optimal for you and your swing. They only take into account a small segment of data like swing speeds which isn’t really used in an actual fitting. Wrist to floor measurements which have gone by the way side years ago. Launch, spin, peak height, land angle, club and face path, angle of attack are several of the key data points for finding the best pairing along with possibly the use of the Mizuno shaft optimized that would narrow down shafts to use during the fitting to find the right setup.

A good fitting will do more for finding the right club than an online fitting

[BMart519]

2 hours ago, Walking Fore Birdies said:

So, I just turned 50.

I've had my Titleist AP2s for 11 yrs. I don't have the chance to play as much these days, but honestly have found more enjoyment in the game over the last couple of yrs. I'm not hitting my irons quite as consistently and quite frankly feel like my swing has slowed a bit. I've been thinking the Dynamic Gold Stiff shafts may be a bit much and have mulled the idea of getting fitted.

So my question(s):

Is in-person fitting really worth it? Or is online fitting a really viable option for new club investment?

Currently I've tried the online fitting tools that Ben Hogan and Ping offer.

Would really appreciate feedback and hearing of other's experiences.

If you actually buy clubs, there is no cost for the fitting at most places. It's always valuable to get on a monitor and see your delivery numbers which can highlight problem areas to work on. 

Online fitting can get a rough idea about length and lie of clubs, but is by no means exact. Does almost nothing for shaft type/weight/flex, wedge grind, or actually knowing what performs best from multiple brands instead of blindly committing to one companies fitting tool. (I do like the PING tool...) 

Online fitting could serve as a guide for irons to demo and narrow down options. I would never buy a full iron set having never hit them or seen how they look behind the ball. At that point you would be better off picking up a set of graphite shafts and swapping them into your AP2s. 

[Walking Fore Birdies]

2 hours ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Online fittings are a place to start and get an idea but you won’t know if the results are optimal for you and your swing. They only take into account a small segment of data like swing speeds which isn’t really used in an actual fitting. Wrist to floor measurements which have gone by the way side years ago. Launch, spin, peak height, land angle, club and face path, angle of attack are several of the key data points for finding the best pairing along with possibly the use of the Mizuno shaft optimized that would narrow down shafts to use during the fitting to find the right setup.

A good fitting will do more for finding the right club than an online fitting

Thanks for your thoughts! All good points. Will keep it in mind as I decide next steps. Thanks again!

[Walking Fore Birdies]

5 minutes ago, BMart519 said:

If you actually buy clubs, there is no cost for the fitting at most places. It's always valuable to get on a monitor and see your delivery numbers which can highlight problem areas to work on. 

Online fitting can get a rough idea about length and lie of clubs, but is by no means exact. Does almost nothing for shaft type/weight/flex, wedge grind, or actually knowing what performs best from multiple brands instead of blindly committing to one companies fitting tool. (I do like the PING tool...) 

Online fitting could serve as a guide for irons to demo and narrow down options. I would never buy a full iron set having never hit them or seen how they look behind the ball. At that point you would be better off picking up a set of graphite shafts and swapping them into your AP2s. 

Good thoughts! New shafts might be a good option. Will probably check-in with a local pro/fitter before making any decisions. Thanks!

[Larryd3]

44 minutes ago, Walking Fore Birdies said:

Good thoughts! New shafts might be a good option. Will probably check-in with a local pro/fitter before making any decisions. Thanks!

Problems with new shafts.  One is the cost involved that you'd be putting into an 11 year old set of clubs.  And secondly, how are you going to figure what shafts to put in them without some type of fitting?  Honestly it's probably way more cost effective to get an iron fitting and then maybe look for a year old set of irons with those specs/shafts or just bit the bullet and get the new irons recommended by the fitting.