Anyone else not happy with custom fitted clubs

[OssiansFolly]

21 hours ago, IndyBonzo said:

I had a bad result from a fitting in March.  Was it my swing or the fit?  Regardless, the light shafts for which I got fitted have been awful - so bad I have already abandoned the clubs completely and will be selling them soon.  With the exorbitant prices charged for those clubs, I will be out at least $1K when it's all over, even after a sale.

I've had three fittings in my lifetime.  One (driver/FW woods/hybrids) was excellent.  One was middling (good result, but only stock shafts involved, so I think it could have been better).  And this one (awful).

I doubt I do it again unless I find a wizard.

I find it weird they didn't have some kind of a satisfaction promise or something. The shop I go to has a promise to help correct things if you find that something isn't right up to 90 days after you get the clubs. Like I didn't like the grips, so they swapped them free of charge. If something is off they work to make sure you didn't waste as much money.

[Motoboss]

On 6/15/2023 at 2:20 PM, IndyBonzo said:

I had a bad result from a fitting in March.  Was it my swing or the fit?  Regardless, the light shafts for which I got fitted have been awful - so bad I have already abandoned the clubs completely and will be selling them soon.  With the exorbitant prices charged for those clubs, I will be out at least $1K when it's all over, even after a sale.

I've had three fittings in my lifetime.  One (driver/FW woods/hybrids) was excellent.  One was middling (good result, but only stock shafts involved, so I think it could have been better).  And this one (awful).

I doubt I do it again unless I find a wizard.

https://www.golfschoolofindiana.com/
 

Great fitters with years of experience

[rx1232]

chiming in to say that i too went to club champion for a fitting. the fitting itself was fine since i was upfront about costs.

 

what wasn't fine was the build quality of my clubs. they fitted me down to swingweight, and all of that was off. They also didnt even grip my clubs properly as some of the grips weren't fully on the shaft, making my 9i as long as my 7i (and feeling floppy).

 

the place where i get lessons also has a mini shop. I asked them to cut my clubs to length (because i initially thought all the club lengths were just off) and turns out the grips were just on incorrectly. They blow grips on, so it was an easy fix.  swing weight i fixed myself. 

 

at least, as far as i can tell, i was only charged MSRP for my clubs. 

[Coachbutnotgolf]

On 4/29/2023 at 8:50 PM, Docdent said:

Anyone else here not happy with your custom fitted clubs?  About a year ago I went to club champion and got fitted for new irons.   I feel that the fitter pushed me to a certain brand (ping G425) and after the fitting was very pushy. Almost like a used car salesperson. 

 

When the clubs came in they were easy to hit. So, I sold my current irons. After a short period of time I realized the new irons were 1-2 clubs shorter. 

I went back to a different club champion (closer to my home) and the fitter reviewed everything. I was fitted at 2 degrees upright. But, the irons club champion built had different lie angles for each club. Some were 4 degrees upright and other 4 degrees flat. He fixed that. But, that still didn't fix my problem. 

I work for a custom fitter (I am not a fitter, nor would you want me to be. Haha). A quality fitter will never be brand specific. They use the data, and their experienced eye and try to give you the best Club to help your game. If you let them know you have a smaller budget, they will do their best to stay within that budget, yet still get you the best fit possible. We also are a small business. Owner is a fitter and one other fitter. Myself and another guy are PT. No chain, no club affiliation. Repeat and referral business is key. Just life-time golf guys helping you out. If you were/are pushed to a brand, look elsewhere. Not all fitters are the same and that includes “club pros”. Just my humble opinion. 

[USMCSnyper]

So...here is my experience with CC. I enjoyed the process as I am a gear junkie. I was fit for Irons and Driver.

My fitter was apparently new (didn't know that at the start) and fit me in a 60g, D9 SW Rogue ST Max. My SS is 80-85 with a driver. After playing with it for a while, I went back and said it was just too heavy. My drives were AWFUL.  He said that he learned more about fitting and now would never fit someone for a D9. I am now in a 5.5 SW. 

I like my irons, but concerned I may have been mis-fit for those as well. Since it has been a while (1.5+ years), I don't think I can go back and complain.

Its a great process, but the fitter makes the difference, 100%.

Edited June 28, 2023 by USMCSnyper
typo

[Golf2Much]

In the last three years, I've had two putter fittings, a full bag fitting, a driver fitting to replace a broken driver and an iron fitting to support my recent MGS review. 

Each was with two nationally recognized club fitters and custom club builders.  With the exception of the full bag fitting (fitter couldn't offer me anything better than I had..I guess that's a success) and the last iron fitting, I walked away with a bad taste in my mouth from the experience.  I felt rushed, pressured into buying something that really didn't need and was given specifications that were different from what the fitter and I discussed.  I was either talked down to or I knew more than the fitter. 

What made it worse is that living at the end of US 1, I had to drive 4-5 hours both ways to be fitted.  The trips up to the fitters were filled with great expectations and positive thoughts.  The four to five hours home gave me time to reflect on how I didn't enjoy the overall experience that I just paid for.  

In the end, it's the quality of the fitter that makes a difference in both the clubs you get and the overall experience you have.  Maybe what we need are "fiduciary club fitters" that legally and ethically put their customers' interests ahead of their own. 

Sometimes I just crack myself up!

[RyanJohnson_Official]

On 4/29/2023 at 8:50 PM, Docdent said:

Anyone else here not happy with your custom fitted clubs?  About a year ago I went to club champion and got fitted for new irons.   I feel that the fitter pushed me to a certain brand (ping G425) and after the fitting was very pushy. Almost like a used car salesperson. 

 

When the clubs came in they were easy to hit. So, I sold my current irons. After a short period of time I realized the new irons were 1-2 clubs shorter. 

I went back to a different club champion (closer to my home) and the fitter reviewed everything. I was fitted at 2 degrees upright. But, the irons club champion built had different lie angles for each club. Some were 4 degrees upright and other 4 degrees flat. He fixed that. But, that still didn't fix my problem. 

I have been disappointed several times with fittings, especially with drivers. On one occasion the best result was a draw bias because I had a swing issue that day. Now obviously, everyone says get your swing sorted out before you get fit, but you also don't choose when you don't have your A game and unfortunately, many fittings aren't free and there isn't much you can do about it.

The other thing I have noticed is that the common time frame for a fitting is 1 hour and that hasn't been enough for me to try the combinations I'd like to. I suppose it's better than nothing.

I worked at a golf store for 2 years and even did fittings, but my most recent driver purchase was without a fitting and it worked better than both drivers I was fit for. 

After a while, I feel like I know what is need (which flies in the face of traditional GET FIT messages). I think there is value in understanding the process. Now I just wish I had 2 hours and a launch monitor and I could do it myself without them trying to direct me to the latest brand with a sales rep promotion (yes that happens, i.e. sell 10 G425s and we'll give you one) or moving on to the next customer.

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, RyanJohnson_Official said:

On one occasion the best result was a draw bias because I had a swing issue that day. Now obviously, everyone says get your swing sorted out before you get fit, but you also don't choose when you don't have your A game and unfortunately, many fittings aren't free and there isn't much you can do about it

This is where the separation bewtween a fitting and a good fitting is. There’s lots of golfers that don’t have their best swing on their fitting day. Some because they are trying to swing for the fences to see how much distance they can get and they either end up buying a club that’s not playable on the course and then they blame the fitter/fitting. Others have an off day and a good fitter is going to be able to talk to the golfer to see if the ball flight is normal for them, along with being able to watch their swing and see what’s going on. Use that info to give them a club that works for their swing when it’s good and bad

1 hour ago, RyanJohnson_Official said:

The other thing I have noticed is that the common time frame for a fitting is 1 hour and that hasn't been enough for me to try the combinations I'd like to. I suppose it's better than nothing.

It’s not a demo day and not a hey I want to try this combo, that combo or whatever. The fitters job is to get you into a setup that works for you and it’s not possible to go thru every possible combo or things that the golfer would like to try. The fitter is maximizing the time of the golfer and his/her time to get the golfer in the right combo. If there’s something you want to try go to a golf shop before your fitting and hit that combo.

Two of my best fittings for driver took 30 minutes to find the best setup and one of those came when I was a 20+ handicap. I’ve had an iron fitting where we were dialed in with shaft for the head I wanted in 15 mins. 

1 hour ago, RyanJohnson_Official said:

After a while, I feel like I know what is need (which flies in the face of traditional GET FIT messages). I think there is value in understanding the process. Now I just wish I had 2 hours and a launch monitor and I could do it myself without them trying to direct me to the latest brand with a sales rep promotion (yes that happens, i.e. sell 10 G425s and we'll give you one) or moving on to the next customer.

After awhile some golfers learn what works and what doesn’t and can self fit themselves to a serviceable club. I self fit most of my clubs especially when it’s something I’m going to tinker with. I can also blind buy and get a setup that works for me. If I’m looking to replace a club and want the best fit because it’s going to be what makes my bag I will go get fit by fitters i trust. 

[RyanJohnson_Official]

27 minutes ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

This is where the separation bewtween a fitting and a good fitting is. There’s lots of golfers that don’t have their best swing on their fitting day. Some because they are trying to swing for the fences to see how much distance they can get and they either end up buying a club that’s not playable on the course and then they blame the fitter/fitting. Others have an off day and a good fitter is going to be able to talk to the golfer to see if the ball flight is normal for them, along with being able to watch their swing and see what’s going on. Use that info to give them a club that works for their swing when it’s good and bad

It’s not a demo day and not a hey I want to try this combo, that combo or whatever. The fitters job is to get you into a setup that works for you and it’s not possible to go thru every possible combo or things that the golfer would like to try. The fitter is maximizing the time of the golfer and his/her time to get the golfer in the right combo. If there’s something you want to try go to a golf shop before your fitting and hit that combo.

Two of my best fittings for driver took 30 minutes to find the best setup and one of those came when I was a 20+ handicap. I’ve had an iron fitting where we were dialed in with shaft for the head I wanted in 15 mins. 

After awhile some golfers learn what works and what doesn’t and can self fit themselves to a serviceable club. I self fit most of my clubs especially when it’s something I’m going to tinker with. I can also blind buy and get a setup that works for me. If I’m looking to replace a club and want the best fit because it’s going to be what makes my bag I will go get fit by fitters i trust. 

Great perspective Ricky! I agree, it is tough, but better to have the option and pursue than to throw the whole thing out because it isn't perfect.

[aircoty]

I too had a fitting within the last year. I also ended up with the G425 irons. My handicap has gone up, I don't feel I am making solid contact, I am not happy with my selection. I have went back to my previous I25's and playing much better. So much for a professional fitting.

[Bob Jerabek]

I used Club Champion in 2017.  I will never go back.  The shaft in the driver was a discontinued model. The irons came with all different lies and lofts. 
Fool me once, shame on you.

[Harvito]

I’ve been fitted by a PXG fitter and CC fitter. PXG came first and in the beginning I hit the driver well. I was coming off Callaway Rouges which I liked but was told getting fitted was the only way to go and honestly it made sense. I also use to shoot trap. Getting the right stock, trigger etc is so important so it followed golf is the same. I liked the PXG fitter but after a few months and his tweaks I hated the driver and 3 wood. I also hatted the putter. So, I went to CC - I was fitted into a Ping G430 with Aldilà Ascent Red 50 regular shaft. It’s made a world of difference. Almost night and day ~ the fitter was young so when I went back I booked with a more experience fitter for putter. Ended up with a seemore and the jury is still out but I’ve only had it a week so it will take time. I just went back for wedges and got a 52 and 58 Callaway ~ I never felt pressure to buy. I always felt it was agnostic ~ I’m a numbers guy ~ I hit a lot of shots with different heads, shafts, lofts et al. I compared the data and the recommendations made sense ~ I just read a book by Tommy Armour “How to play your best golf all the time”. Great book by the way. Chapter 5 ‘How your clubs can help you’ He states “Properly fitted clubs are the only part of improved golf that anyone can buy”. 

I believe it will help my game but practice, instruction and playing helps to strengthen my skills. 

[Duffer_E]

I had a fitting at Club Champion a couple of months ago. I had the fitting done because I had completed a one-year series of lessons from Golftec, and I believed that I had progressed beyond my previous set of clubs; that lesson package came with a fitting, (only the five major brand names, though). The most significant outcome was that the fitter said I should be fitted into stiff shafts. My set at that time was the following:

• Rogue Driver/stock (R) shaft
• Epic Rogue Heavenwood/stock (R) shaft
• TM M4 Hybrids (4h/5h)/stock (R) shaft
• TM M4 Irons 5-AW/stock (R) shaft
• Cleveland CBX Wedge (54*/58*)/stock shaft
• Odyssey Stroke Lab Seven S putter

All with default lie and loft angles. Armed with the knowledge that I should probably get stiff shafts, I headed to Club Champion for a more ... optioned (?) ... fitting. I was aware, and on my guard that CC fitters tend to push pricier solutions. Don't let them pressure you!

I ended up with the following recommendations:

• Srixon ZX5 9.5* driver w/ Fujikura Ventus Blue 5-S shaft
• TaylorMade Stealth 2 Rescue Hybrids 3h/4h/5h with Fujikura Ventus Hybrid Blue 7R shaft
• Mizuno JPX-923 Hot Metal HL Irons w/Fujikura Pro 95 shaft (S)
• TaylorMade Hi-Toe 3 wedges (54*/58*) w/stock shaft
• Bettinardi 2022 BB1 Flow putter (a blade) w/stock shaft

I ended up purchasing the driver shaft only, and fitting it to my Callaway Rogue driver head

I ended up buying the Mizuno irons, as per the fitting specs, with a 2* upright bend

I ended up buying the TM Hi-Toe wedges as per the fitting specs

I did NOT buy the putter.

 

My overall assessment of the fitting is the following:

Overall: Generally positive

Driver fitting: Perfectly fine, however, simply by buying the upgraded shaft, my current driver performs just as well as the Srixon I was fitted into (same distances +- 2-5 yards, dispersion the same +- 2-5 yards)

Hybrid fitting: Did not spend a lot of time on this, not particularly happy with it.

Iron fitting: Very happy with that part of the fitting, very happy with the Mizunos

Wedge fitting: Also very happy with the results

Putter fitting: Was a joke. CC uses the SAM PuttLab system. The fitting consisted of me hitting 3 putts with my current gamer, then hitting 3 putts with 2-3 putters that I liked (based on nothing other than looks). Each putt had the SPL sensor attached to the shaft, which IMHO, could alter your default swing path. It then spit out I should buy the Bettinardi. No talk about toe hang/putter neck types. No discussion about swing type (SBST/Slight Arc, Moderate Arc/Heavy Arc). The system did say that my putting stroke is the only one I consistently hit with a draw (lol) - my path is apparently pretty straight, but on an in-to-out angle.

To sum up:

I save a lot of $$$ by buying a new driver shaft, instead of a whole new driver. I spent $$$ on the irons with the new shafts -- definitely worth it. I bought the Hi-Toes (I like them better than my original CBX wedges), and I can't complain about the results. I did not buy the putter. I eventually bought new Ping G425 Hybrids (3h/4h/5h) -- when I tried them at another store, the stock Ping shaft (again, (S) type) felt REALLY good to me. Much better than the TM Stealth Hybrids. Oddly, the Pings were not suggested by the CC fitter.

For my next fitting (whenever that may be, 5 or 10 years from now) I will probably go to a local fitter at a golf course, rather than CC. I think the fitters in a smaller shop will be more attentive to the golfer's need, and not push pricey (unnecessary) "upgrades".

[GolfSpy_APH]

I have had great luck so far. My biggest complaint or difficulty is how often it is hard to find LH clubs for fitting purposes...

[JSH1177]

When covid hit and my golf went from 6 rounds a year to 40+ I decided to bite the bullet and upgrade my 10 year old clubs.  Decided to do a Club Champion fitting taking advantage of 50% off fitting.  The strong up sell should have been a red flag but I was too excited to get new clubs.  They sell you a lot of BS about how high quality their build shop is vs OEMs.  Long story short FULL bag upgrade from driver to putter, we're talking about full upcharge for $400 driver and fairway shafts, $250 for hybrid shafts, $60+ per iron wedge shaft and installation fees for all.  I would say I was over charged probably by over $3k than what I should have purchased.  After about 15 months of having the clubs I bent my 8 iron by hitting a root that wasn't visable.  Went to a local club repair and the guy asked my why were my irons over half an inch longer than they should be.  He checked all my clubs and CC's superior build shop got lave and hit my swing weight by just leaving the shafts longer, all 13 clubs were off by different lengths.  My loft and lies were off but I not sure how much of it is due to build or use.  The shaft connection on my driver was starting to fall apart from the expoxy going.  I was unfortunate to have my clubs stolen from the back of an SUV 3 months later but this gave me a perfect excuse to get refit.

Scheduled a fitting with my local Titlesit rep.  Went through full bag and although I did have custom shafts on all my clubs I was recommended shafts that were all Titleist's zero cost upgrade options.  The only additional cost were the grips that I wanted.  Got my clubs a few weeks later and they felt great.  Went to a local shop to get length, loft, lie all checked and ALL THE CLUBS WERE PERFECT TO SPEC.  The Titleist fitting was $100 but it was applied to the clubs when I purchased so basically free.  The CC full bag fitting was discounted to $250 and I was overcharged by $3k and given s***.

Club Champion makes their money by selling you FULL price shaft upgrade, installation, and on the fitting.  I will never go to one again or recommend one.  I would recommend talking to golfers you know and get recommendations.  There are local club shops with great fitters that can work with you to get properly fitted equipment or you can utilize OEM fittings.      

[Hans...not Franz]

First , ping offers 3 loft selection to get the launch squared away . 
I have had fittings where it does see “ used car sales ish “

I’ve also had a fitting where the guys helping the process said “ oh we happen to have that in stock ‘“ . When i asked for my information the fitter got an attitude and resisted giving me what I’ve paid for . ( hod golf) Richmond 

I understand if the fitting is free with purchase , but when I hand you money for the process I’ve paid for that information .

for your situation apples to apples comparison with launch monitor set up with equal clubs . Don’t get hung up on a number . The Richmond club champion does a great job . I was freaked out about bending clubs weak , the distance gaps are what’s important. It’s not how far can you hit it , it’s how far do you need to carry it . 

[Sandybogey]

I’ve been to club champion twice and have been disappointed both times. First time was a full bag fitting. Do not ever do this! No way you can swing that many times and accurately represent your golf swing the whole time. I ended up only buying a driver shaft that worked pretty good on trackman but was terrible in play. Too much spin and I lost carry and total distance. 
The second time was just last year and it was even worse. I went for an iron fitting and got fit for Titleist T100s with LA golf shafts. Couldn’t miss them in the fitting bay and the dispersion was like a small blanket. After waiting months for the irons, when they arrived I couldn’t hit them to save my life. They were a club short and dispersion was terrible. I had my club maker check lofts and lies and they were all over the place. I’m 2 degrees flat and some were 4 degrees upright. Some lofts were off up to 2 degrees and swing weights were all way lighter than I like (in the C weights). I realize much of these complaints should be with Titleist but club champion should have corrected all this before shipping to me. Even with lead tape I couldn’t get comfortable with these new irons. 
Finally, I don’t think a fitting where you hit 6 irons from different manufacturers can fit you for all your irons. Should be having you try a short, middle and long iron. And, the head weight of the fitting club should be considered since they have a screw hosel in them. I don’t know if the fitting clubs are heavier or lighter but I do know they felt much different than the clubs I received. So yeah, I’ve been disappointed with custom fit golf clubs before

[Wicki]

I have not heard great things about Club Champion with club fitting.  I have not done a club fitting in a long time.  I have stuck to standard settings, knowing that they could be set to slightly flat!  I am actually hitting the further this year than I have ever hit clubs. I'm 49!

[Beavercreek 45440]

Had one down recently at a PGATSS.  Was not impressed.  Fitter definitely pushed certain brands.  I was told that a couple clubs I wanted try were not available.  Went with the driver that the fitting recommended, while it good, I’m not impressed.  Putter fitting was skipped due to machine down.  Emailed PGATSS corporate, and they didn’t care.  Went into fit anticipating replacing the whole bag, and walked away with a driver that I don’t necessarily think is best, but what he wanted to sell.  I’ll have to do a full bag elsewhere.  Should start a new thread of who does the best fittings.

[Bowmanmw12]

I generally think there’s an issue with getting clubs based on one fitting. Since I’m not a professional (or a scratch golfer for that matter), my swing may be different from one day to the next. I don’t really know if that’s my everyday swing or not. I also am very sensitive to my clubs feeling different, so the right club may not be right for the first 5-10 swings. I’ve recently been doing my own research then buying used. I figure whatever the delta between buying and reselling is equal to the fitting with better results. 

[PJVicary]

I to have seen the high pressure sales tactics at CC. The other thing I saw was them pushing two year old shafts to an unsuspecting customer. 
 

Don’t be negative on all custom fitters because of this experience. There are many great guys out there that can properly fit without any pressure whatsoever. Being fit with the right gear is a critical component to improving your game.

[Tallwood88]

I've gone through iron fittings 3 times with 3 different club fitters and the outcomes have been quite different. Last year I was fitted with a set of Ping 425's. I played them the whole 2022 season and was never really happy with them. I always felt the length and lie was a bit off. Over the winter I had an opportunity to go to a Ping fitting event and the Ping rep himself said these irons were ill-fitting and it would be better getting them adjusted or replaced. So how does a club fitter get it so wrong? Did my specs get switched with someone else? I'd like to think there was an honest mix-up rather than think about incompetence. I ended up trading them in towards a set Mizuno 923's, which I'm really enjoying. 

[WiTerp50]

While I do favor Titleist, the same can be said of Ping or PGX. Other big 6 OEMs  that assemble custom orders in the US likely also have equal quality control to ensure the build specs are met. Can the same be said of a couple of hundred local builders?  Some, sure. All?  I love hitting off mats and having the simulator juice the numbers. But for a fitting, nothing beats terra firma. Other than being brand agnostic in principle, these boutique stores charge more by added fees. The fitters are salespeople first, and their personal preferences also come into play. …I don’t trust salespeople under 40. I think a pro that teaches as well as fits will fit you and not his sales quota. 

[Hacker60521]

@Docdent I’m really sorry that you had a bad fitting experience and regret the purchase. I had a fitting from CC a few years ago and experienced the same high pressure sale. I was hitting in a bay with a trackman so I could see the data from the various club combos. Long story short I didn’t see a huge improvement in distance or shot dispersion so I walked out without making a purchase. 
 

I was fitted earlier this year with TrueSpec and the experience was so much better. Ended up replacing my irons and wedges, and am absolutely pleased.  TrueSpec couldn’t find a better driver combo than what I was using (10 yard dispersion for shots) so they gave me a rain check to come back another time if I want to try the driver fitting again a. 

[RCGolf]

I usually fit myself, with great luck usually. Understanding the dynamics of “why”, having a good relationship with a local shop with a GC4, and a love of the process, it’s been fun. But, I have been to two (about to be my 3rd) separate Team Titleist fittings, the first being for research purposes, seeing what parameters they key on. I had fit myself into what they did, 718 AP2 PX 6.0. The wedge fitting I went to was also great. Although, Vokey’s website can give you all the information you need. Conditions you play in and attack angle will basically get you there. But getting a chance to hit an L, D, or K grind out of actual bunkers, or off of tight lies, was so informative. Yep, I’m an M -Grind guy in the 56 and 60, just like I thought, but for 150.00, hitting mint Pro V1X’s on a perfectly manicured short game complex, and talking shop with experts who know tons more than I do, was more than worth it. The last one will be to see if I’m ready (at 48 years old) to move out of my AP2’s and into something a little more forgiving, or move into a different shaft before. I’m most interested in the T-350 in LZ 6.0 or 5.5, or Modus 105. I’m scheduled in a few weeks at The Wigwam. But, like most have said, it’s all about the fitter. If you are ready and the time is right, I would highly recommend a Titleist fitting.

Edited July 28, 2023 by RCGolf
Misspelled words

[SpanishHands]

I have had my share of fitting experiences. Most of them did not end happily. I have to say that I do not blame the fitters, but I do blame the process. 

In my case, I do not hit the ball the same way in a simulator as I do on the course. Tension creeps in, and I need easier clubs and conditions on the course than with a launch monitor. As a result, my swing speed goes down on the course, and I also need lighter and less stiff clubs. Even though the data suggested I could swing faster and hit further and straighter. But my body overswings when I hold a heavier, more "difficult" club, rendering the fitting process useless.

To illustrate my point, I spent some serious cash on clubs (with some reputed fitters/clubmakers), and I was usually fitted for heavier and stiffer clubs than the ones that really optimize my performance on the course. A few times, I have found that I played much better and easier with off-the-shelf sets, than the expensive fitted/custom built sets that I just got. 

Since then, I have started building some of my own clubs, learning a lot about equipment and using my own launch monitor and trying to understand all the aspects from a scientific point of view (after all I am a professor in engineering).

I have also been fitting some colleagues for clubs without monitor data (but with logic and great success) and also accompanying some seriously good golfers (+1 handicap) with swing speeds and numbers matching the PGA Tour averages to serious fitting sessions.

These would be my takeaways

1) In my opinion mid handicap amateurs are not consistent enough with their ballstriking to guarantee the success of a fitting session. Wether it is because we perform differently on a mat or on the course, or because we have too many mishits to trust data sets of 10-20 strokes, I believe there is a significant chance for error in the average club fitting session for the amateur. 

2) This should not be taken to mean that clubfitting is not the way to go or the best possible option. I believe we can all benefit a lot from the right set of clubs. However, the average fitting process does not guarantee a success in the selection. 

3) If possible, trying the clubs on the course after a previous fitting session could be the ultimate factor to include in the decision-making process. Monitor data are great, but trial and error on the course is even better. 

4) I find static fitting (length, lie, grip) and some dynamic variables (swingweight, loft) can be determined by hitting balls to a net with a launch monitor. However, I would strongly recommend to involve a teaching pro (if possible your teaching pro) to advice on some of these (lie has a significant impact on stance, ball flight, etc., and is not just a static variable. A chart may recommend to have a certain lie for the club, and dynamically you may need something different). I agree with the mantra that fitters should not try to change your swing or give you lessons, but at the same time a great fitter should have a very good understanding of the swing mechanics, your problems and how clubs may help you. Perhaps you may need to involve two people in the process.

5) I believe that at my level and even well below (anything short of people with exceptional swings, feel and results on a course) getting a "good enough" fitting is more than enough. The marginal improvement from a well fitted club to the optimum fitting club may not even be determined given how variable we are when we play. In other words, having a good or a bad day will have much more impact on the score than the difference between two similar shafts. We may never know, for certain, which of the two shafts is actually better for us. 

6) In my experience (and for my level or worse) shaft weight and swingweight are far more important than flex. I am not saying that a player should not play a shaft matching their swingspeed and flight pattern. I am saying that 10 grams can make a world of a different and you may even go down one flex and notice it less, in feeling and performance.

7) I believe that most brands offer now enough OEM shaft options to avoid having custom shafts fitted. I do not thing the typical amateur needs to search outside the 5-10 options offered for each flex and this will usually mean a much affordable price. Having said that, I have nothing against custom shafts as long as the price is competitive (as I mentioned before I do not expect significant change in performance if the OEM shaft is properly chosen). 

9) Your knowledge of the swing is a key factor. Which clubs do you find more comfortable, does your swing change depending on the club (e.g. with heavier steel shafts or graphite), do you like to take one more club and swing easier or give it all, do you need to shape the shots, do you hit many shots from under the trees... These knowledge NEEDS to be factored in when deciding. Regardless of the fitters opinion, you need to make decisions on facts, but this information is also part of the equation, not just numbers. And you need to apply all these also when selecting heads. 

9) Finally, club heads are CRITICAL. 

Easy iron heads are a must for high handicappers, but I personally believe that an improving golfer with time and commitment to improve (with proper training and lessons) should try more demanding iron heads aiming towards player irons. An incremental evolution away from game-improvement irons will allow to learn how to shape shots, work on height, recover more effectively and improve ball striking (provided that there is work, effort and some wisdom placed in improving the swing). 

Regarding fairways, hybrids and driver I believe most people would benefit from easier heads (even for many very low handicaps) and lighter, softer and shorter shafts (in driver especially). Many of these are often heavily fitted based on distance, and I think most people would benefit from a dispersion fitting and even a mishits fitting (how about NOT removing the mishits with these clubs in those sessions).

All of these thoughts are opinions, but heavily based on a lot of research and some experience. Personally, these days, I will not get fitted for clubs any more. I learnt all I needed to learn about my swing with the ones I have done so far. 

I know all my static variables and will look for shafts in a weight range that suits my swing and in a flex that makes sense for my swingspeed and ball flight. And I have never regretted so far a club selection with such process. Quite the opposite, I love my current clubs. And they are far cheaper than if I got fitted every time. 

 

 

 

 

[NDEX]

The OP really has two or three problems and each one led to the next. As soon as you felt a push to one brand or another - walk. Pushy sales pitch - run.  Finding out the lies are mismatched return, report and either get fixed or replaced. If that still didn’t work for you Club Champion has a reputation to uphold and a guarantee - hold them to both. 

[Beavercreek 45440]

I would like to find a good fitter and have a constructive fitting.  My PGATSS fitting, it was just a fitter handing me clubs.  I could have done that.  Didn’t care about Lie or length.  Literally handing me different 7 irons and said, “that’s the one” even though my priority was dispersion and that club did not have the tightest pattern.  Not sure why he came to that conclusion.  I literally could have hit stick 7 irons and picked one.

[Patrick Idoux]

From my experience,  club champion is doing substandard work when orders are filled.  The person who did the fitting was quite good and professional.  The issue was when the clubs came back.  My 60 lob wedge was in fact 62.5.  The 56 was 58.5 and so on down the road.  I was told when orders are filled, they are double-checked.  Turns out, it is done with all the effort of the person who processes the drive thru orders at McDonalds.  Come on Club Champion.  Are you not marketing yourself as elite club fitters?  Isn't that supposed to mean you deliver what you are promising?  60 degrees should mean 60 degrees on a wedge.  

[Bcorny]

YES!  I was fit for a set of Callaway Apex irons for $1500 at Golf HQ.  I never could hit them well.  I always hit them left with no distance and poor dispersion.  I had the lie angle adjusted one degree flat, which helped the shots to the left, but still poor distance and still not great dispersion.  I assumed it was just flaws in my swing, which I needed to work on.  I took my wife to get fit for new PXG irons and talked to the fitter about my iron fit.  He took a quick look at my swing and did a couple of static measurements and told me the shafts were too short and were regular flex, where I clearly needed stiff.  He hooked me up with a free fitting and I got re-fit for some PXG irons which have been amazing and cost 1/3 the price of the Callaway irons.  In the meantime, my $1500 set of Callaway irons are collecting dust in the garage.