Opinion & Analysis

Why haven’t you been fit?

Published

6 years ago

Feb 15, 2020

Ryan Barath

“Why haven’t you been fit?”

It’s a question I pose to most golfers when talking about equipment.

This conversation usually starts on the course after a few holes when playing with random golfers of varying skill levels. As someone who has worked for years as a fitter and club builder, it doesn’t take long to determine the likelihood that a golfer was fit for their clubs; seeing poor shot tendencies develop and a quick look into someone’s golf bag can put the puzzle pieces together pretty quickly.

I’m not out to shame or annoy people, rather, I’m here to try to help! Thanks to most golfers now having an adjustable driver, it can be as simple as a few quick clicks of a wrench to see improvements.

Let’s take a look at the most common reasons for not getting fit and see if we can help with your next equipment purchase.

“I’m not good enough”

This is the most common answer I hear when it comes to fitting, and if you are are in any way serious about getting the most enjoyment out of your time on the course, a simple fitting should be part of that. A basic level fitting includes: getting the right grip size and texture, length adjustment, lie adjustment, and shaft flex—including shaft material (graphite or steel). If you are a stronger player, then steel is generally the way to go. For players looking for extra speed or some shock absorption, graphite will provide the best option. At this level, it’s all about building a set that is going to provide the best opportunity to hit good shots more often.

“I always thought it was expensive”

The perception that a custom fitting is expensive has been drawn out for too long. Depending on where you are purchasing clubs, many retailers wave the cost of the process when purchasing. This can even include clubs that are being bought off the rack and getting basic adjustments. NOTE: You should expect to pay for grips if you decide to get them changed.

On the other side of the coin, getting custom fit top-to-bottom with the latest and greatest from an appointment-only independent shop is an expensive process. You should expect to pay close to $500 for the fitting, which will be on top of the cost of any clubs.

“I only buy used clubs”

This statement hits home. I love hunting down used clubs. However, the idea that used clubs can’t be fit is seriously misconstrued and often stems from the fact that with online shopping, we can’t talk to a knowledgeable person face-to-face and clubs are sold as-is. Considering the often large cost savings of purchasing used clubs, for just a bit extra, you can make sure they are just right for you.

The first option is available before you even start looking for used clubs: book a professional fitting—generally between $75 – $100 per “piece” of equipment; irons, driver and woods, etc.—and buy used based on those specs. Just be sure to let your fitter know in advance you are just looking for your specs and will buying used. This can be an intimidating thing to say, but you should know it is a common practice.

The second option is to buy based on the knowledge you have from what you may be using now and then take those clubs to a fitter and have them adjusted accordingly. Basic adjustments like lie and loft are around $5 per club, and the cost of grips varies depending on the models you are looking at. A more wholesale change like shafts can become more expensive, but you can mostly avoid that by taking some time to understand your needs before purchasing.

Everyone should have a set of clubs that allows them to get the most enjoyment from playing golf, and regardless of the avenue you take to purchasing your equipment, it doesn’t take much extra to make sure they are right for you.

(Photo Credit: Club Champion Fitting Studios )

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Ryan Barath

Ryan Barath is a club-fitter & master club builder with more than 17 years of experience working with golfers of all skill levels, including PGA Tour players. He is the former Build Shop Manager & Social Media Coordinator for Modern Golf. He now works independently from his home shop and is a member of advisory panels to a select number of golf equipment manufacturers. You can find Ryan on Twitter and Instagram where he's always willing to chat golf, and share his passion for club building, course architecture and wedge grinding.

14 Comments

JM

Feb 26, 2020 at 12:54 am

Hey Ryan, who would you recommend for a fitting in Alberta? I live in Edmonton but would be willing to go to Calgary. Love the pod!

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Mike

Feb 16, 2020 at 9:11 pm

When eBay or online retailers offer fitting — I will consider getting fit.

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Merion

Feb 16, 2020 at 7:15 pm

Club Champion is an absolute joke. The fitting process is absolutely unlike a course setting and the grip/shaft options are severely limited. A few memories from my “fitting” I went for the $150 iron fitting. Recommended jumbo grips at 30 a piece to install without letting me hit any on trackman. Recommended 2 degrees flat to help fight a hook without ever considering the divot pattern. Mind you, the fitting is indoors on a super forgiving turf may. Tried a few generic shaft options and there you have it, a ” TOUR LEVEL FITTING” yeah right. Clubfitters that work at big retail like club Champion have sold their soul. A set of $900 cobra irons was going to cost $1900 from club Champion. Ctaper shafts and jumbo grips were the only mods. Wow

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- Bay Hill
  
  Feb 16, 2020 at 8:25 pm
  
  Merion,
  
  Couldn’t agree more.
  
  Reply Report comment
- you know
  
  Feb 17, 2020 at 12:02 pm
  
  Built to swingweight and guaranteed to perform? You sometimes get what you pay for, no?
  
  Reply Report comment
- Kevin
  
  Feb 22, 2020 at 9:51 am
  
  I agree. I went to Club Champion last year. Bought into it hook, line and sinker, and I can’t tell you how much I regret it. The Trackman of a mat to a screen tells you nothing. I’ve seen no improvement in distance or accuracy. Put me in heavier shafts, then had to add hosel weights to correct swing weights from heavier shafts. Iron fittings are with a 6-iron, which I’ve realized I can’t hit consistently, so results are meaningless. I spent a ton of money, and my HCP index went up by 4 strokes.
  
  Reply Report comment
Tom S.

Feb 16, 2020 at 1:05 pm

Prove it really works first. Get a bunch of mid handicappers and give them an expensive fit and measure the results over a month or two. Then “unfit” them with the standard setup and re-measure for a month or two. Color me skeptical. Most people will simply adjust to the idiosyncrasies of their clubs and play about the same. They will hit their 150 yard club when they are 150 yards away.

Alternately compare results between an expensive fitting and golf instruction.

The marketing drive to get fit seems a little religious and data free in my view.

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Brandon

Feb 16, 2020 at 11:33 am

Some of the clubs that worked the best for me have been used clubs that I just took a shot in the dark with.

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Harpua

Feb 16, 2020 at 11:24 am

I think the main reason is the lack of quality fitters. Most fittings are just a scam. Unless you can try out irons outside on a grass range with a trackman, a fitting is useless. Hitting off mats into a screen ten feet away from you does not tell you anything. Especially with irons where it’s been proven that mats increase launch angles and reduce spin. These are not real world scenarios.

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JThunder

Feb 16, 2020 at 1:37 am

I wouldn’t get “fit” for a golf club at a big box store any more than I’d get “fit” for a suit at Wal-mart.

Playing golf with ill-fitting clubs is like running with ill-fitting shoes. It won’t be a positive experience.

Anyone who plays regularly should get fit. Either by a specialty store, a good independent golf shop, or a teaching pro.

This concept will be a hard sell in the USA, because “I know better than everybody else”, “nobody can tell me what to do”, “everything is a rip-off”, and buying 10 drivers a year to find one that “works” is much more capitalist than buying one driver properly.

Reply Report comment
SV

Feb 15, 2020 at 5:17 pm

Yes fitting is expensive. If you go to a fitter such as Club Champion, True Spec, etc expect to not only pay a fitting fee, but the cost of the club and probably an upgrade shaft of varying amounts. Your “stock” driver will now cost $800-$850 (500+150+150-200 for the shaft). I have been fit for a driver. With the fitting fee and $200 upgrade shaft the driver would have cost me $780 and this is with a half price fitting fee coupon.
My thought is that unless your handicap it less than 5 you are just as well off having a retailer fit you for either a regular of stiff flex shaft in your driver. You probably know what you need, but check to be sure.
I had irons fit by a custom club maker years ago and still use that lie in my irons. Therefore I know pretty well what I need. Again a competent retailer can check the lie angle.

Reply Report comment
- Funkaholic
  
  Feb 17, 2020 at 12:50 pm
  
  That all depends on your perspective, I don’t fit off the rack clubs, my fit is actually pretty odd and I am not a 5 handicap. When you get in the booth with endless options it is very eye opening. The booths at the PGA store are pretty suspect and lacking in useful data, track man is the way to go. It isn’t like you have to buy the club from that fitter if you don’t want to, I can build a lot of things myself, specs are important to improve. A lot of low handicap guys playing off the rack are adjusting to bad fits which is just foolish in my opinion. If you are serious about your game, get lessons and get fit.
  
  Reply Report comment
REJ

Feb 15, 2020 at 3:08 pm

It all boils down to the same thing. Keep spending your money at the golf shops. Imagine getting fit for a house or a car? I’ll fit myself thank you.

Reply Report comment
- Moosejaw McWilligher
  
  Feb 16, 2020 at 1:32 am
  
  Some people are knowledgeable enough to buy a house without a realtor or home inspector. Most are not.
  
  Would you purchase a car you had only driven in a simulator?
  
  Reply Report comment

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