Is driver fitting worth it??????

[BringerofRain]

My driver recently snapped on the car ride to the course which means I am in the market for a new driver. Fun yet depressing. Loved the F9. 
 

I am considering going to get fitted. While I think the experience could be fun it is a little pricey. 
 

My biggest question remains is it truly worth it getting fitted as an amateur. As an amateur my swing is consistently changing  and I doubt the club I got fitted for would be exact same specs  3 months into the future. 
 

I am curious to see what everyone thinks. 
 

Thank you for the input. 

[GolfSpy_APH]

Yes, yes and defnitely yes. 

Okay now to expand. Even with a "changing" swing your swing will continue to have similar characteristics, timing and patterns. While strikes may vary, swings often are much more repeatable than amateurs think. A proper fitting will help you get the best out of the swing you have, but also help make the swing more consistent. 

Also it doesn't have to be expensive!

[Rob Person]

1 hour ago, BringerofRain said:

My driver recently snapped on the car ride to the course which means I am in the market for a new driver. Fun yet depressing. 

 

Thank you for the input. 

Sorry about your driver! Oooh I feel that pain.

I have NOT been fitted yet, as I too am a novice beginner. But I do plan on it soon hopefully! Great question though.

I think with all the new technology involved with club making, there is almost a requirement for it.  Almost any major brand will have adjustable lofts, adjustable weights for swing bias control,  etc. Spending that kind of money on a quality driver and NOT getting the most out of its potential,  is akin to wasting the money on it.

 

What were you considering as a replacement?  Any chance they can refit your driver head with a new shaft? (Or did the actual club head break?)

[Rob Person]

Also, from what I've researched,  get a full bag fitting, then hold onto the results. Choose your new driver for now, based on that, and see how the rest plays out as you get better.

[Josh Parker]

Short answer.... Yes, absolutely worth getting fitted.

No one has mentioned it yet, but you have the driver head still, get fitted and put a new shaft in the head if you really like the driver.  Cheaper option than buying a brand new driver if it's not in the budget.

I am about to go get fitted for my driver shaft and after being fitted for irons this year, see the importance and difference it can make in ones game.  

There are a ton of options for fitting and deals are happening all the time.

[cnosil]

5 hours ago, BringerofRain said:

I am considering going to get fitted. While I think the experience could be fun it is a little pricey. 
 

My biggest question remains is it truly worth it getting fitted as an amateur. As an amateur my swing is consistently changing  and I doubt the club I got fitted for would be exact same specs  3 months into the future. 
 

What is your definition of fit?   You could do a fitting for high end exotic shafts, you could do a demo day, you could do a fitting at a local fitter for stock options, or you could fit yourself.  Some places the fitting is an addition fee and some credit any purchase made from the fitting.   I think the experience is fun, just be open with the fitter about your game and ensure you communicate with the fitter on what you feel and experience with each option.  
 

amateurs and higher handicaps are probably better candidates for a fitting than better golfers.  What does your swing is consistently changing mean?   Generally, the aspects of your swing that a fitter looks at are fairly consistent from swing to swing even for an amateur that hits the ball all over the place.   If you can’t get the ball in the air and barely hit the ball 25 yards I wouldnt recommend a club champion type fitting  but a fitting is still beneficial to help you get clubs that can help you make better contact.   Yes, you could be fit into something different if you go to a different fitter the next day,   That is not swing related, that is fitter preference and not all fitting experiences will lead to the exact same result.   
 

as mentioned above, if you love your driver as you indicated, and it is just the shaft that broke; snapped implies shaft in my mind, you can just buy another shaft and use the same head.  

[NCDuffer]

Yes.  I averaged 218 for drives (tracking by a V3).  Went to a respected fitter and now average 238 (via V3).  Dispersion also greatly improved.

[Preeway]

Many fitters will waive the cost of the fitting if you buy a driver. With so many options in club heads and shafts, I’d recommend everyone get fitted before buying. Especially considering the cost of a new driver now exceeds $500. Not spending that kind of money for something off the rack and based solely on what my favorite players swings. 

[russtopherb]

It's absolutely worth it. I'm a mid-handicap that doesn't pound the ball, when I was fit for my Mizuno driver as part of the testing here it was eye opening just seeing the differences between stock shafts and different degree heads. If I picked one of the stock shafts that I could have grabbed off the shelf, my dispersion and distance would have been much worse than the other stock shaft I ended up with. 

[CaptStang]

I was skeptical of the benefits of a full fitting process but I was visiting my son in Dallas when the 1st PXG retail store opened and I went in for a full fitting AFTER having purchased a PXG driver etc...

In the fitting process, I was able to see the variables of the different heads and most importantly the results of shaft selections.

I ended up with a totally different setup for my clubs and paid up for an upcharged shaft for the driver-which has proven to be money well spent.

One of the responders mentioned that after getting a full fitting to save the specs for future use-I totally agree as I have purchased several additional PXG clubs using the specs and that has worked out well.

Having said all of that-my Nephew decided to get back into golf after a multi year layoff and leave behind 15 year old clubs. He asked me to go with him to an indy club fitting studio that uses Trackman tech...I can tell you after watching his fitting sessions there is a lot to be said for spending the time and money upfront of a purchase. He ended up with a totally different bag of clubs than he was anticipating. And the technology does not lie.

FYI-and not to bore the rest of the viewers, I have also gone thru a putter and wedge fitting process with Titliest and am very pleased with the results of that choice as well.

[BringerofRain]

I appreciate all the input. To answer some questions about. 
 

Yes it was only the shaft but replacing the shaft is going to be around $300 so I figured it’s new driver time. 
 

I would actually say my biggest strength is off the tee but I am always trying to tinker chasing the dragon known as perfection. Which is foolish but what makes the game great. 
 

I have been fitted for my irons and while I enjoyed the experience I still don’t know if it significantly helped my game. I initially got much worse but now have seemed to find a good stride. 
 

while I didn’t  keep a handicap in 2023  I do expect to break 80 when I play.  My New Year’s resolution is to get a handicap again. 
 

I am currently leaning towards the PXG Gen 6. As the price is reasonable and from a Google search seems to be am impressive driver. 

[CaptStang]

I just got fitted for a PXG Gen 6 Driver-definitely worth the $$...I replaced the Gen 5, and the fitting put me in a different shaft entirely !

[Rob Person]

Pxg regularly offers $100 fitting specials. Get with their newsletter from.thr website and get notified when they do. Not sure if it's exclusive to specific regions though 

[sirchunksalot]

I would definitely say getting fit is worth the money you spend. First off, it's an enjoyable experience getting to hit different head/shaft combos. You also get time with someone who in knowledgeable in their field and it's interesting to pick their brain as to why they're choosing what they are choosing. 

You're going to get a club that's optimized for your swing. When I went to my fitting, I found out I needed a driver that had better launch and spin characteristics to help keep the ball in the air longer to maximize carry. 

I'm not sure where you live, but you can sometimes find deals whether it's from a bigger fitting store or somewhere that's more local. I had to drive about 1 1/2 hours away, but I will remember that fitter the next time I'm in the market for clubs. 

[Dweed]

Oh hell yes it is worth it. If you can't work out a deal or budget right now then continue to look but buy another F9 from 2nd swing, Global golf 3Balls TGW or such place to tide you over.

[cnosil]

9 hours ago, BringerofRain said:

Yes it was only the shaft but replacing the shaft is going to be around $300 so I figured it’s new driver time. 

Inconsistent swing that is constantly changing but play a $300 shaft?   What shaft did you have in the F9 and how did you end up picking that shaft?

[tdroma98]

18 hours ago, BringerofRain said:

My driver recently snapped on the car ride to the course which means I am in the market for a new driver. Fun yet depressing. Loved the F9. 
I am considering going to get fitted. While I think the experience could be fun it is a little pricey. 

My biggest question remains is it truly worth it getting fitted as an amateur. As an amateur my swing is consistently changing  and I doubt the club I got fitted for would be exact same specs  3 months into the future. 
I am curious to see what everyone thinks. 
Thank you for the input. 

Yes, it's truly worth it @BringerofRain to get fitted for a driver, in my opinion.  
There are some good drivers out there and one or two you may be leaning towards, yet have not hit them. A fitting will allow you to test the driver. The Feel, the driver performance & what loft you might realize the optimum results.  
In addition, the manufacturers have designated stock shafts, which may or may not fit your swing.  A club fitter can assist you with the right driver head & shaft combination.  

I went to a local PGA Superstore & tested the Callaway & Titleist Drivers.  I hit different driver heads & shafts, from X to Stiff shafts - 75 grams down to 50 grams.  I was leaning towards a 50 gram shaft, the numbers showed me the better performance was with a 60 gram stiff shaft & stiffer tip.  It's been working, right fit.  PGA Store was free fitting and they did a good job.  

PXG does a good job as well, in my opinion a fitting is a must given the number of different models they offer. Reading the threads above, those who purchased the PXG Driver went through the PXG fitting process and it was worth it. 

You're a good enough golfer at an 8 handicap to take advantage of a driver fitting.  Technology has really improved these past five years, including driver heads & certainly with the golf shafts, for you to take advantage.  
Good Luck

[BringerofRain]

51 minutes ago, cnosil said:

Inconsistent swing that is constantly changing but play a $300 shaft?   What shaft did you have in the F9 and how did you end up picking that shaft?

The shaft actually broke a couple months into buying it and I brought it to my local golf shop who had a good relationship with  the cobra rep and he covered it under the warranty and gave me a significant upgrade.  Hazardous Black shaft.  

 

[cnosil]

10 hours ago, BringerofRain said:

The shaft actually broke a couple months into buying it and I brought it to my local golf shop who had a good relationship with  the cobra rep and he covered it under the warranty and gave me a significant upgrade.  Hazardous Black shaft.  

 

I’ll assume gen 4.   You can find them cheaper if you do a little shopping.   Here’s a new uncut 60g one for $149.

https://www.2ndswing.com/stiff-60g-low-spin-d-82333488697?srsltid=AfmBOopsI9xrlhQS79K83TdA2LQPZAks7GTG9A2J8UY0cfmYcCHT1z_Ezh8

 

 

[BringerofRain]

19 hours ago, CaptStang said:

I just got fitted for a PXG Gen 6 Driver-definitely worth the $$...I replaced the Gen 5, and the fitting put me in a different shaft entirely !

3 hours ago, cnosil said:

I’ll assume gen 4.   You can find them cheaper if you do a little shopping.   Here’s a new uncut 60g one for $149.

https://www.2ndswing.com/stiff-60g-low-spin-d-82333488697?srsltid=AfmBOopsI9xrlhQS79K83TdA2LQPZAks7GTG9A2J8UY0cfmYcCHT1z_Ezh8

 

 

Thank you for providing the link. A little more to think about over the holidays seasons. 

[BringerofRain]

I have to say this was decisively more one sided then I’d imagine. I thought there would be one person who would have a conflicting argument. 
 

Thank you everyone for your thoughts and engagement. 

[Stuka44]

1 hour ago, BringerofRain said:

 I thought there would be one person

Here I am!  I have not been fit by an outside entity for anything.  I guess according to some, and I accept this interpretation, I fit myself.  Now I was replacing a 12 year old driver that I was using, and went to Dicks, and Golf Galaxy in one afternoon, and hit EVERY, LAST YEARS, OR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, I could get my hands on.  Eventually bought a last year model for $300.    A Cobra King Speedzone.

Admittedly, I was not looking at spin, launch angle or anything of this nature.  Some simply felt too whippy, some too light, some too heavy.  I settled on the one that "felt" good to me, and according to the distance compared to old Nike VR Pro, I was also hitting, that when I felt I had actually made good contact with the launch monitor, whatever Dicks has, says it went a little  farther than my old one.

Now, my perspective on the game at my level is as follows!!  You may be chasing some other specific goal(perfection,  very dangerous I believe) given your handicap.  I have hit laser straight, drives with each and every driver that I have owned.  I have hit slightly offline drives (both left and right, pretty evenly with the stats I keep), with every driver I have owned, and I have hit(not so many now) squirrel killing hooks, and slices, that don't get more than 70 yards from the tee box, with every driver I have owned.  As I have gotten better, the last has become almost non-existent, thankfully. 

DIF:  2023-46.4%   2022-48.5%   2021-42.8%   2020-47.2%  2020 and 2021 are with my old driver, 2022, and 2023 with the new(All 4 years are based on 40-45 rounds on the same courses).  Now some may be inclined to say I got these results, because I was not fit, and who knows what my results may have been.  I would be interested,  for your benefit,  if anyone who has had a fitting has DIF stats to support their fitting.  I asked the same thing about a putter fitting a while back, and received many similar comments, with beliefs that it has helped them.  I found lacking anyone who was able to tell me, that they kept putting stats, and without any additional practice their putting stats just soared.  Also some indicate, and I'm sure it does happed,  that maybe you would be informed that  a cheap, model  or what you have is all you need.  Personally I question how often this actually occurs, but that's just me.   

My belief is that, whichever drive I end up with is because of the quality of my swing(and overall almost complete lack of practice with it other than playing rounds), and not the specific club that I am using.    

I think the bottom line is this.  If you BELIEVE  it will help, or is necessary for you to achieve a playing goal, then you will more than likely find results, that confirm your belief.  Secondly if the potentially high cost isn't really a concern, and you figure, it can't hurt, then there likely is very little risk, or downside, to your game.

Just my two cents, since no one gave you an opposition comment.

 

[BringerofRain]

2 hours ago, Stuka44 said:

Here I am!  I have not been fit by an outside entity for anything.  I guess according to some, and I accept this interpretation, I fit myself.  Now I was replacing a 12 year old driver that I was using, and went to Dicks, and Golf Galaxy in one afternoon, and hit EVERY, LAST YEARS, OR THE YEAR BEFORE THAT, I could get my hands on.  Eventually bought a last year model for $300.    A Cobra King Speedzone.

Admittedly, I was not looking at spin, launch angle or anything of this nature.  Some simply felt too whippy, some too light, some too heavy.  I settled on the one that "felt" good to me, and according to the distance compared to old Nike VR Pro, I was also hitting, that when I felt I had actually made good contact with the launch monitor, whatever Dicks has, says it went a little  farther than my old one.

Now, my perspective on the game at my level is as follows!!  You may be chasing some other specific goal(perfection,  very dangerous I believe) given your handicap.  I have hit laser straight, drives with each and every driver that I have owned.  I have hit slightly offline drives (both left and right, pretty evenly with the stats I keep), with every driver I have owned, and I have hit(not so many now) squirrel killing hooks, and slices, that don't get more than 70 yards from the tee box, with every driver I have owned.  As I have gotten better, the last has become almost non-existent, thankfully. 

DIF:  2023-46.4%   2022-48.5%   2021-42.8%   2020-47.2%  2020 and 2021 are with my old driver, 2022, and 2023 with the new(All 4 years are based on 40-45 rounds on the same courses).  Now some may be inclined to say I got these results, because I was not fit, and who knows what my results may have been.  I would be interested,  for your benefit,  if anyone who has had a fitting has DIF stats to support their fitting.  I asked the same thing about a putter fitting a while back, and received many similar comments, with beliefs that it has helped them.  I found lacking anyone who was able to tell me, that they kept putting stats, and without any additional practice their putting stats just soared.  Also some indicate, and I'm sure it does happed,  that maybe you would be informed that  a cheap, model  or what you have is all you need.  Personally I question how often this actually occurs, but that's just me.   

My belief is that, whichever drive I end up with is because of the quality of my swing(and overall almost complete lack of practice with it other than playing rounds), and not the specific club that I am using.    

I think the bottom line is this.  If you BELIEVE  it will help, or is necessary for you to achieve a playing goal, then you will more than likely find results, that confirm your belief.  Secondly if the potentially high cost isn't really a concern, and you figure, it can't hurt, then there likely is very little risk, or downside, to your game.

Just my two cents, since no one gave you an opposition comment.

 

@Stuka44 thank you for your honest opinion and playing devils advocate with your well thought out discussion and answer. 
 

I agree with you there is little to no harm in getting fitted if you trust the fitter. 
 

I am also curious to know stats on accuracy and distance based on a fitting vs off the rack.  

[GolfSpy_APH]

4 minutes ago, BringerofRain said:

@Stuka44 thank you for your honest opinion and playing devils advocate with your well thought out discussion and answer. 
 

I agree with you there is little to no harm in getting fitted if you trust the fitter. 
 

I am also curious to know stats on accuracy and distance based on a fitting vs off the rack.  

Best thing you can do with your fitter if you choose to go see one is be open honest about expectations, budget, your game and your swing. They can only work with the information you provide. 

[Josh Parker]

46 minutes ago, BringerofRain said:

@Stuka44 thank you for your honest opinion and playing devils advocate with your well thought out discussion and answer. 
 

I agree with you there is little to no harm in getting fitted if you trust the fitter. 
 

I am also curious to know stats on accuracy and distance based on a fitting vs off the rack.  

Many people go buy clubs without being fitted and play just fine.  I didn't buy new clubs at all until this past year after being fitted for irons. 

I did a fitting with PXG for driver and it helped figure out the best shaft for my swing.  It also was a stock shaft as I told my fitter I didn't want to spend more than the advertised price.  He stuck to stock shafts and worked thru them until we liked the numbers.  

As @GolfSpy_APHmentioned it's all about communicating that info to the fitter.  

[BringerofRain]

51 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Many people go buy clubs without being fitted and play just fine.  I didn't buy new clubs at all until this past year after being fitted for irons. 

I did a fitting with PXG for driver and it helped figure out the best shaft for my swing.  It also was a stock shaft as I told my fitter I didn't want to spend more than the advertised price.  He stuck to stock shafts and worked thru them until we liked the numbers.  

As @GolfSpy_APHmentioned it's all about communicating that info to the fitter.  

@Josh Parker do you think the fitting added length or accuracy off the tee box. 
 

I have PXG Irons and I did enjoy the fitting process but truthfully no idea if it helped. It’s hard to know if my score got lower because I was playing way more golf or the fitting. Maybe a bit of both. 

[Josh Parker]

6 minutes ago, BringerofRain said:

@Josh Parker do you think the fitting added length or accuracy off the tee box. 
 

I have PXG Irons and I did enjoy the fitting process but truthfully no idea if it helped. It’s hard to know if my score got lower because I was playing way more golf or the fitting. Maybe a bit of both. 

It did both. He was able to show numbers showing better dispersion rates and slightly longer.  Most of these driver heads come down to sound and shape preference.  They are all pretty good.  

Knowing what head gives you the best forgiveness on bad hits and the shaft really do make a difference. 

Edited December 14, 2023 by Josh Parker

[BringerofRain]

36 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

It did both. He was able to show numbers showing better dispersion rates and slightly longer.  Most of these driver heads come down to sound and shape preference.  They are all pretty good.  

Knowing what head gives you the best forgiveness on bad hits and the shaft really do make a difference. 

Did you see the actual change on the golf course or just the simulator.  
 

Funny side note. A buddy was looking for a 3 hybrid. Went to the local golf store and incredibly he was hitting it 270 on the simulator. 
 

I have yet to see that club go 200. 

[Josh Parker]

2 minutes ago, BringerofRain said:

Did you see the actual change on the golf course or just the simulator.  
 

Funny side note. A buddy was looking for a 3 hybrid. Went to the local golf store and incredibly he was hitting it 270 on the simulator. 
 

I have yet to see that club go 200. 

So I did my PXG fitting outdoors so I could see flight and numbers. I am fine with indoors but know numbers are slightly skewed. 

If I had a choice, I would do an outdoor fitting that offered multiple brands. 

[Bosox04]

I did a Titleist fitting that turned out to be a bad fitting. I was fit into the TSR4 driver, and the great strikes may be longer than my Ping G400 Max, it is nowhere near as consistent. I spoke with the Titleist rep, and he said it was just as forgiving as the TSR2, which I responded that that was impossible since the 2 is 460cc and the 4 is 420cc. He then said I wanted to pick up distance, which I responded that distance without consistently was worthless. Just an overall bad experience.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Bosox04