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Indoor vs. outdoor fitting: Which one is better?

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Indoor vs. outdoor club fittings are one of the most highly contested arguments among golfers. All things being equal, both should yield the same results although the experiences are vastly different.

Whichever option you choose, you can be assured that both fitting types offer the ability to confirm results and ensure a proper fit, thanks to the advancement of club and ball tracking systems like Foresight’s GC Quad and TrackMan.

We have compiled a comparison of some of the biggest differences to help you figure out which option is best for you.

A controlled environment

True Spec golf via Twitter

From a customer perspective, being able to hit shots in a controlled environment offers the best opportunity to eliminate variables and quickly get down to finding out which clubs will offer the best results. This is especially helpful in climates where being outdoors in extreme heat or cold will have a huge effect on a golfers performance. Another plus for golfers is every amenity is within reach, from bathrooms to snacks, allowing you to focus on the experience and making good swings.

On the business side of things, having an indoor facility means fitters don’t have to rely on nice weather to be able to do fittings and allows them to operate a consistent schedule to meet the needs of golfers year-round.

In my opinion, the best of both worlds is a facility that offers the ability to hit from inside a controlled environment to an outdoor range, but that requires a lot of property and isn’t a viable option, especially in urban areas.

Hitting off mats vs. grass

This is the component that creates the most discussion when comparing indoor to outdoor fittings.

Depending on the golfer and the type of mat used there can be some variance in data, especially when it comes to shots hit fat (hitting the ground before the ball). In that situation, a mat is much more forgiving than real grass, but a good fitter can still go through the process, analyze data, and help the golfer find the best club combo.

Moral of the story would be the mat CAN play a role, firm mats will cause the ball to launch lower and spin higher due to lower strike location. Softer Mats will do the opposite launch higher with less spin. Therefore with some due diligence a very similar surface can be found.
– Ian Fraser, Founder TXG

Mat quality plays a big role in this argument, but as demonstrated below by the team at TXG a great quality mat offers identical results to real grass
.

Ball flight vs. screen

Rory McIlroy at Payne’s Valley opening exhibition

When it comes to seeing ball flight vs. a representation on a screen it comes down to the individual golfer. Be rest assured that when using properly calibrated technology the differences in clubs being represented inside will be exactly the same outside since any launch monitor is simply interpreting the data it collects.

From a golfer’s perspective, it can take some getting used to if you have never gone through an indoor fitting before, and seeing ball flight can be a confidence booster. On the other side of the coin, having conducted fitting both inside and outside I will attest that when working in a situation where a golfer can see ball flight, whether hitting off a mat or not, fittings generally go a little quicker since its easier to confirm results.

What about wedges?

Beyond mats vs. grass, the next big debate topic is wedges.

There are a number of ways to conduct wedge fittings and for highly skilled players to truly figure out what will work best, I believe it is vital to conduct them outside. The difficult part is replicating the course conditions of where the golfer generally plays but through the interview and fitting process, a highly skilled fitter can make adjustments for the player.

For what I would call the vast majority of golfers, hitting shots inside using a launch monitor as well as going through the process with a skilled fitter can still result is a great wedge fitting. The most important part of this process like with any fitting is being completely honest with yourself and your fitter about your strengths and weaknesses.

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.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. Jay

    Sep 30, 2020 at 10:35 am

    As a former full-time fitter I firmly believe there is no problem with fitting indoors, but you MUST verify what you’re seeing indoors with some final testing outdoors. Players deliver the club differently and have different speed indoors vs/ out and even on-course compared to on the range. A good fitter is aware of these differences and will factor it all in (including the impact of the mat vs. grass) during the process.

  2. joro

    Sep 30, 2020 at 10:30 am

    Outdoors! Sure, indoors is good but Golf is not played in a controlled environment. Outdoors on grass is the only way to see what the results are. You can hit all kinds of shots into the wind, downwind, etc and see the actual results. That is my opinion as a teacher and fitter for 30 years.

  3. Butch Taylor

    Sep 30, 2020 at 10:07 am

    I am very suspicious of golf fitting results! I generally hit the driver that they want to sell me 15 – 20 yards longer during the fitting than my current gamer – that gain never materializes in the real world! I have been fitted by specialty fitters, PGA pros, big box stores, etc. I no longer trust any of them!

  4. Richard Gula

    Sep 30, 2020 at 9:53 am

    NEVER get fit for forged irons solely on mats. Impossible to get true feel of the irons designed to impact turf and ball, not just the ball.

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GolfWRX’s Father’s Day Gift Guide (2026)

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A reminder from your friends at GolfWRX: Father’s Day is June 21. And as we do every year, we’re rounding up the best gifts for dad.

As we say every year, there’s no better golf-related Father’s Day gift than a round of golf with pops. Be it a country club or your favorite muni, take the time to get together to play 18 if you can.

Let’s get to the gifts.

Ghost Golf Qualifier Diamond Polo

We like the new polos that Ghost is offering, as the fabric and fit are so good. These new Qualifier Collection polos breathe well, are lightweight, stretch with your swing, and of course look great. You can wear them on the course, in the office, or just out at a casual event and they will fit right in.

Buy here.

STR8-Strip Grip Tape Remover

If your dad is an equipment aficionado and tinkers with his clubs, this tool works wonders. Removing grip tape has never been easier, just put a little head on the tape and the STR8-Strip peals it right off the shaft without any damage.

Buy here.

Why Golf: Putting Thing

When it comes to practice, it is good to have a purpose. This “Putting Thing” sure does it. We know from personal experience how challenging it can be and how rewarding it is on the practice green. This also provides some competition for your kiddo to see who will unload the dishwasher or do the next chore around the house.

Buy here.

OluKai Lae‘ahi Men’s Breathable Slip-On Shoes

Riding to and from the course in style and comfort is always a good thing. If you’re in a hurry, it’s a nice feature to slide into your shoes and get to the tee time. For the post-game shoe, at your locker or while putting your clubs away in the car. Nice to slide into a shoe that looks good anywhere. Pair that with meeting the family for dinner, no need to change!

Buy here.

Therabody Theragun Relief

A little wellness goes a long way. Keeping loose is a good way to go when it comes to the weekend game or treatment during the week. If there is a little ache or pain, the Theragun is there to help out. Help loosen up the back for a pre-game warm-up or cool-down. 

Buy here.

World Cup golf apparel

Something for the soccer dads. Embrace the World Cup fever this summer on the course with custom gear to support the nation of your choice.

Buy here.

FootJoy Pro SL spikeless golf shoes

Give the old man a break and save his feet with the Footjoy Pro SL Men’s Spikeless Golf Shoes for some added comfort on the course.

Buy here.

Bushnell Wingman 2 GPS speaker

Combine all the hits as well as some game improvement with the Wingman 2 Golf GPS Speaker by getting audible distance readings from 38,000+ courses worldwide through the Wingman 2 remote or speaker.

Buy here.

Personalized Titleist Pro V1 golf balls

The No. 1 ball in golf is a safe bet, and the Pro V1 fits the largest chunk of the bell curve if you don’t know what ball pops plays. Add personalization for a, well, personal touch!

Buy here.

 

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Tour Photo Galleries

Photos from the 2026 OccuNet Classic

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With the PGA Tour across the border in Canada this week, GolfWRX Tour Photographer Greg Moore stayed stateside and headed to the OccuNet Classic presented by Amarillo National Bank in Amarillo, Texas.

It’s always interesting to see what the guys are playing on the KFT, and this week certainly hasn’t disappointed so far, with some incredible wedge stamping on display.

Check out links to all our albums below.

General Albums

WITB Albums

Pullout Albums

Luke Potter’s custom Cameron putter – 2026 OccuNet Classic (KFT)

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From the GolfWRX Classifieds: Scotty Cameron GOLO 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition

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At GolfWRX, we are a community of like-minded individuals who all experience and express our enjoyment of the game in many ways.

It’s that sense of community that drives day-to-day interactions in the forums on topics that range from best driver to what marker you use to mark your ball. It even allows us to share another thing we all love – buying and selling equipment.

Currently, in our GolfWRX buy/sell/trade (BST) forum, @HuskerFlyer is sharing a Scotty Cameron GOLO with a BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition shaft. While the putter is certainly enviable, the Augusta-inspired shaft is equally noteworthy.

 

From the listing:

Scotty Cameron Golo 6 with BGT Stability Tour2 2022 M Edition Scotty Headcover 34″ $375

To check out the full listing in our BST forum, head through the link. If you are curious about the rules to participate in the BST Forum, you can learn more here: GolfWRX BST Rules.

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