Most important fitting

[shome]

I was looking at the 2021 Best data for putters, drivers (mid swing speed) and game improvement irons.  The strokes gained spread across the clubs in a category is approximately...

Putter 2.2 strokes

Driver 0.769 strokes

GI Irons 0.1276 strokes

I did not see specific strokes gained numbers for wedges.

Doesn't this mean that far and away a putter fitting can make the biggest difference in your game?  Yet I see and hear of people fitting their driver and irons.  Driver fitting is important but if you only do one fitting then choose a putter fitting.  

 

[PBH3]

2 hours ago, shome said:

I was looking at the 2021 Best data for putters, drivers (mid swing speed) and game improvement irons.  The strokes gained spread across the clubs in a category is approximately...

Putter 2.2 strokes

Driver 0.769 strokes

GI Irons 0.1276 strokes

I did not see specific strokes gained numbers for wedges.

Doesn't this mean that far and away a putter fitting can make the biggest difference in your game?  Yet I see and hear of people fitting their driver and irons.  Driver fitting is important but if you only do one fitting then choose a putter fitting.  

 

makes sense but my dumbass will probably just keep throwing away a couple hundred dollars every time my putter loses the magic.  

[cnosil]

2 hours ago, shome said:

I was looking at the 2021 Best data for putters, drivers (mid swing speed) and game improvement irons.  The strokes gained spread across the clubs in a category is approximately...

Putter 2.2 strokes

Driver 0.769 strokes

GI Irons 0.1276 strokes

I did not see specific strokes gained numbers for wedges.

Doesn't this mean that far and away a putter fitting can make the biggest difference in your game?  Yet I see and hear of people fitting their driver and irons.  Driver fitting is important but if you only do one fitting then choose a putter fitting.  

 

I think the answer is yes, no, maybe.     

The most wanted results are a combination of results over a group of golfers and individually those results could be significantly different.  Wedge testing is a little different since they do both a full swing, partial wedge, and wet wedge test.  Wedge fitting is important too since you have to consider bounce and grind and how you interact with the turf.

The large strokes gained numbers do point to a perspective that having the right putter is important and fitting is an ideal way to accomplish that.  I am a proponent of putter fitting and believe there is more to selecting a putter than looks and feel.    The putter strokes gained number could be related to the fact that the testers are bad putters.  Would probably need lots more analysis to figure out the details of that number. 

When looking at improving your game you need to understand your game to figure out where improvements are necessary.   If you are a good putter,  a putter fitting may just confirm  that you are already playing with the best putter.    If you struggle off the tee,  a driver fitting may be most important.   

You could be in a position where all your clubs are properly fit and you need to work on your swing skills or on course decision making.

 

[revkev]

I think that csnoil had a very fancy way of saying what I'm going to - I don't think that is the intended use of the most wanted testing numbers.  

Ultimately they are not fit to the equipment that they are testing for us - it's off the rack with tweaks, exactly what the average Joe might do when he walks into Dicks or Golf Galaxy.  They are trying to give us starting points for various swing types within each category of clubs.  From there one needs to judge for himself.  For example a number of years ago I was in need of a different set of irons - I looked at the Most Wanted testing but not the overall results - overall results including a long iron category - I don't game long irons so I created my own chart as it were. 

If your budget is limited and you can only be fit for one portion of your equipment you need to know your own tendencies - what's most important for you may not be for me.  No doubt there's some fruit to be found in each area of the game if you've not been fit but which one will bear the most fruit only you know and that by careful analysis.

[silver & black]

If you're not on the green, what good does your putter do you?

[tony@CIC]

22 hours ago, shome said:

I was looking at the 2021 Best data for putters, drivers (mid swing speed) and game improvement irons.  The strokes gained spread across the clubs in a category is approximately...

Putter 2.2 strokes

Driver 0.769 strokes

GI Irons 0.1276 strokes

I did not see specific strokes gained numbers for wedges.

Doesn't this mean that far and away a putter fitting can make the biggest difference in your game?  Yet I see and hear of people fitting their driver and irons.  Driver fitting is important but if you only do one fitting then choose a putter fitting.  

 

I don't pay much attention to 'Most Wanted' for clubs. An actual fitting (not online ) that result in clubs that suit my swing is far more important to me in the decision making/purchase process. And I would go for a complete bag fitting - driver to putter.  

[BMart519]

On 11/13/2021 at 9:01 AM, shome said:

I was looking at the 2021 Best data for putters, drivers (mid swing speed) and game improvement irons.  The strokes gained spread across the clubs in a category is approximately...

Putter 2.2 strokes

Driver 0.769 strokes

GI Irons 0.1276 strokes

I did not see specific strokes gained numbers for wedges.

Doesn't this mean that far and away a putter fitting can make the biggest difference in your game?  Yet I see and hear of people fitting their driver and irons.  Driver fitting is important but if you only do one fitting then choose a putter fitting.  

 

This is an interesting way to look at it... My personal opinion on fitting in order of importance is:
Driver > putter > wedges > irons

A poorly fit driver can easily cost you 20 yards per hole (0.2-0.3 strokes), but you could learn to putt with almost any putter with enough reps and it would be rare to magically drop 4 strokes with a new putter and no change to practice routines. The sheer volume for putter still makes it important. Wedges are so specialized for grinds, turf, partial/specific shots, on top of generic gapping. Irons is mostly gapping similar to long game, but there are specific shots and trajectories to consider in long game as well.  

I haven't made up my mind on long game (woods, hybrids, utilities) but it would probably be before or after wedges. 

[Larryd3]

I'm a big believer in putter fittings.  A couple years ago my wife bought me a putter fitting at Club Champion.  Was a great experience and I learned a lot about my putting stroke, type of putter best for me, lie angles, loft, etc.  I'm still using that same putter for 2 + years now.  But you've also got to be able to get to the green reasonably so those fittings are important also.  

[GaDawg]

On 11/13/2021 at 2:00 PM, PBH3 said:

makes sense but my dumbass will probably just keep throwing away a couple hundred dollars every time my putter loses the magic.  

You are not alone

[Kenny B]

2 hours ago, Larryd3 said:

I'm a big believer in putter fittings.  A couple years ago my wife bought me a putter fitting at Club Champion.  Was a great experience and I learned a lot about my putting stroke, type of putter best for me, lie angles, loft, etc.  I'm still using that same putter for 2 + years now.  But you've also got to be able to get to the green reasonably so those fittings are important also.  

Same here.  I've had one putter fitting and that was at Ping HQ in 2017.  My putting improved immediately and have no reason to even look at another putter.

[dlow206]

Just now, Kenny B said:

Same here.  I've had one putter fitting and that was at Ping HQ in 2017.  My putting improved immediately and have no reason to even look at another putter.

I need to go and get my putter dialed in, hopefully on Quintic. Need to get the loft and lie angle right on my armlock putter. 

[MNUte]

On 11/13/2021 at 3:42 PM, Riverboat said:

For high handicappers, assuming for the sake of discussion 14 drivers per round, 20-30 irons (not including wedges) and 36 or more putts, of course the stats will tend to show the putter can improve the most. Doesn't mean it's "the most important" fitting. Putting is, in general, the easiest place to improve with even a little practice, so a new putter that inspires a little practice is bound to have a big effect, even if it's no better fitted than the old one. 

I'd also add onto this by a arguing that because your putting motion involves such a shorter and more controlled kinetic chain than your iron/driver swing, you can work/fight through a poorly fit putter than a poorly fit iron or driver. Even with the Happy Gilmore slapstick or a mini golf putter, you can generally hit a putt in a forward direction. And with enough practice, you can figure out how far back and how far forward your motion will have to be to move the ball a certain amount in that direction. Would it be as easy as if you had a fitted putter? Absolutely not. But would it be doable? Yup.

In contrast, TXG and many other youtube channels has shown us just how much a poorly fit driver or iron can affect the results. Having the weight out to the toe instead of in the heel can significantly increase the numbers of hooks you have. Having the club in an open versus closed configuration can also have dramatic results. Having too spinny or too low launching of a driver can completely tank your ability to go for the green in 2 on a par 5. Just like with a putter, you can work/fight through it. But: 1) most of us aren't Matt and Ian with enough experience to know HOW to work/fight through it: 2) iron and driver swings have much longer motions and incorporate much more complex kinetic chains, so it's much harder tweaking everything in that chain to compensate; and 3) if your concentration slips for even one tee shot, the repercussions can be a 50 yard slice OB rather than a bad putt where you're still on the green but 10 yards past the flag.