Got back into playing ~3-seasons ago. Bought some used 2011 TM Burner 2.0 Irons.

Took lessons 2014/2015 and went from over 100 all the time, to ~18 handicap with a personal best 85 earlier this year (+14). Consistency is definitely my biggest issue right now (last time played it was par, par, par, 3-putt for +1, then triple, triple, double, birdie, +1 for overall of +9). Always seem to have a few blow up holes and it takes me what seems like forever to recover. Putting has been much improved this year (more like 1-2 three-putts per round not 5-6).

Friend who plays said he was in my same boat 2-years ago, got fit clubs and is now much more consistent and regularly shoots in the low 80's. His iron play seems light years above mine. We played 15 after work last week before dark and I hit 9/11 fairways, he hit maybe 3. Yet he was GIR almost every hole and beat me by ~12-strokes.

I read several stories on line that suggest 70-80% of golfers are playing the wrong clubs. Maybe just manu. hype but I would not be surprised either. Having the wrong clubs forces you to make adjustments to your swing that are not natural and leads to inconstancy, or maybe the same mistake time after time. My biggest fault is definitely hitting the ball fat more than any other error.

Anyone here go from standard to custom fit clubs and notice an improvement in their game?

Just got my irons adjusted based on my coaches recommendations. I went +1" and 1 degree upright. I had no idea how big of a difference it would make. My consistency shot through the roof. I blade less. I hit the sweet spot more.

do it.

My 13 year old son and I got fit and wow, what a difference. I'm a hacker who almost looks like a golfer now.

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My 13 year old son and I got fit and wow, what a difference. I'm a hacker who almost looks like a golfer now.

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Is there a real benefit to get kids at that age custom fit? I know that between 13-15 I grew nearly a foot. My clubs would have been useless almost immediately after getting fit like that.

Ping will refit him as he grows.

He's hitting his 7 iron the distance he hit his 5 iron before.

I have a question about custom fitting that I'll piggy back off of.

Can you go get a fitting and get your current clubs adjusted? I have a set of clubs that I bought off eBay, and have been good for me, but they're all standard lengths, lie, and flex. I always wonder if I'm playing clubs that aren't benefitting me because I'm 6'5" and a decent athlete to swing the club. However, I'm not really looking to drop a ton of money on a new set of clubs on a teacher/coach's salary.

Club fitting is about a lot more than just length. It's about swing speed, swing plane, weighting, and some other stuff I dont understand.

Having the right type of club is just as important as the right size of club.

Had a discussion at work this week on which should come first.
Lessons or custom fit clubs? Both are going to be a decent investment, but which do you get first?
I went with getting lessons first, because if you get custom fitted clubs, and have swing flaws... well, it becomes the Indian not the arrow story.
Thoughts?

To me, it makes the sense that you don't get fit until your swing is generally correct and repeatable.

I don't know the answer but I suspect golf pros would suggest fitting before lessons. Seems lessons first would teach you to compensate for I'll fitting equipment.

My son and I got fit some time back and it's a different game now.

The length and lie of your club you can get from your instructor on the first lesson.

Yesterday I played Traditions for the first time since getting my fitted irons. My goal is 90 or better. I shot 82 with 2 doubles and 2 lipped out outs.

The 2 doubles were caused by bad position with the driver.

I'm a believer.

Went to a Titleist Demo day at my local golf course. Hitting off the grass at the range.

Tried the AP1's and AP2's. AP1's felt a lot like my old clubs (TM Burners). Rep said he gave me a shaft set up so the clubs would be close to the same. AP1 did seem to get the ball moving a little better.

Tried the AP2's as well. After a couple of mis-hits, started to hit it a lot better. Kept hitting all 3 back to back. AP2's I got a much better draw with while the other just went straight.

I then hit the AP2 off a lie-board with impact tape on the face and sole. After several hits, the guy reset the club/shaft +2 as the impact tape showed I hit the center of the face, but way out towards the toe on the sole of the club. Hit some more and much better hits of the lie board after the adjustment, t Then hit more off the ground. He set me up with the KBS Tour shaft (he asked if I wanted higher ball flight and I said no b/c I don't usually have trouble getting the ball in the air - to which he agreed it didn't not look like it having watched me hit all 3 clubs).

My handicap is ~18. Best round this year is an 85 on a par 71. Last time I played I par'd the first 3 holes, bogied the 4th on a 3-putt..by #7 I was +8, Birdie's #8 and 3-putted #9.........seems to happen to me a when I play that I'll just get into a funk for 3 holes and can't drive/iron/putt or all 3. Then things go back to good ball striking.

A rep and the club pro were watching/talking to me the whole time and said I strike the ball well and felt I could play the AP2's.

They did not take any other measurements (like height/wrist length) but looking at the chart's I'm a standard club length. They did have a trackman there but were mostly using it for people hitting drivers and comparing them to their existing driver. All in I was there for an hour.

5-W (6 clubs) was $800 with KBS Tour Shafts and +2 lie angle (+ unlimited 1-month range pass and 1-hour lesson with course pro of my choice)....I need to confirm but since I'm a patron I believe I get another 10% off that price.

Should I have bought them? I'm worried I'm not good enough for the AP2, but I do strike the ball well (usually), my poor scoring is quite frankly my 'get into funk mode for 3-holes' virtually every time I play.

n/m

What should I expect to pay for fitted clubs that will satisfy a casual golfer?

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What should I expect to pay for fitted clubs that will satisfy a casual golfer?

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that would all depend on what clubs you buy?

The AP1's I hit were $125/club
The AP2's he ended up fitting me for were $135/club

Different shafts or grips could have increased the price of both clubs.

Calloway, Ping, Mizuno are also different price levels.

To prevent creating its own thread do you have store recommendation to get fitted in the DFW area?

no, i don't live in dallas. search, iirc it's been asked before for Dallas area.

anyone else have comments on my club selection and fitting?

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anyone else have comments on my club selection and fitting?

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There's no such thing as not being good enough for AP2s.

They are a great semi-GI/Players club. I mention semi-GI because Titleist has CBs and MBs to fill the 'Player' category (whatever that really means).

Bottom line is, if you like the way they look at address, (which it sounds like you do) and are confident hitting them (which it sounds like you are), pull the trigger.

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anyone else have comments on my club selection and fitting?

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There's no such thing as not being good enough for AP2s.

They are a great semi-GI/Players club. I mention semi-GI because Titleist has CBs and MBs to fill the 'Player' category (whatever that really means).

Bottom line is, if you like the way they look at address, (which it sounds like you do) and are confident hitting them (which it sounds like you are), pull the trigger.

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Agree on the first statement. That said, it doesn't mean these are the best for his game.

Personally, this is what a fitting should help with. You should see the numbers and know the difference in the two clubs. Once you have that, you can then make a choice.

For what it is worth about which should come first the lessons or the fitting....I am a beginner, I just took the sport up a few months ago. I emailed Matt Swanson of Matt Swanson School of Golf here in the Houston area as well as one of his fitters that I found from his website. I asked this very question, they both responded almost immediately and their recommendation was to take lessons first and then get fitted later. They even mentioned they had some clubs I could borrow for the lessons, but they highly suggested the lessons first. I am 46 and admittedly badly out of shape, so my plan is to get in better shape, then take the lessons, followed by the fitting. I think for me the fitting is going to make a big difference, I'm short...5'5" and bought an inexpensive set at Golfsmith that I play with (Zevo is the brand), I have to choke up on the driver quite a bit and I always have the sensation that I'm going to hit the ground about a foot or two behind the ball, it is a tough mental thing to overcome. We shall see, I will find this thread again when I do get fitted sometime early this summer.

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anyone else have comments on my club selection and fitting?

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There's no such thing as not being good enough for AP2s.

They are a great semi-GI/Players club. I mention semi-GI because Titleist has CBs and MBs to fill the 'Player' category (whatever that really means).

Bottom line is, if you like the way they look at address, (which it sounds like you do) and are confident hitting them (which it sounds like you are), pull the trigger.

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Agree on the first statement. That said, it doesn't mean these are the best for his game.

Personally, this is what a fitting should help with. You should see the numbers and know the difference in the two clubs. Once you have that, you can then make a choice.

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I never saw any numbers, only ball flight and the impact tape off the lie board.

For fun I stopped at golf smith on the way home and asked to hit the AP2 with the KBS Tour and +2 lie angle. The guy set me up and let me hot a bit then asked why I was hitting that set up so I told him. He asked about my game, handicap, etc. and said he would be surprised if I was really a +2 and based on the launch monitor data I would be happy with a stiff shaft. He felt the Titleist fitter may have gone to the +2 to compensate for the Stiff shaft. He said going from an 88g R shaft to a 120g stiff is a big switch.and said I might start trying to throw my back shoulder out to get the club head around as the my round progresses and I get a bit tired and now I have a nice pull/hook going on.

He put a R flex shaft on the club with a standard lie and let me hit it. Had some good swings and he said watching me for the 20m I was there I have a good, steady swing, not over powering (and it's not, 7I goes ~150) and he said I'd probably be much happier with a lighter R flex shaft and maybe +1 on the lie angle.

He suggested I set up a fitting appointment and let's get some good data together. He did not try to sell me anything and I felt like he was just being honest about what he saw....obviously he eventually wants to sell me clubs but that was never brought up whole I was there.

Honestly I was very surprised at what the Titleist guy came up with and he was not exactly watching me the whole time as there were several people at the range coming/going while I was there.

Lie angle should be independent of shaft. Not sure I understand the correlation there. I think you said no measurements were taken, and that is the best place to start for lie angle.

Sounds like he made some good recs and I'd suggest going forward.

Depending on shaft flex, the lie-angle will affect where the face of the club is at impact as the shaft bends while you swing and strike the ball.

I ended up not ordering the clubs. I can still get the clubs for the price quoted thru my local course since I am a patron, just not the free lesson or free range balls.

I think it's worth the cost of a round a golf to have golf smith fit me and see what they recommend. I'm not going to ask for for a specific brand and just go to the fitting and see where it goes.

Titleist also has a "Titleist Thursdays" where they will spend 45m fitting you at a local course will all their clubs/shafts, track-man, lie-board, etc. and there several here in May so I signed up for one (different course than above). I figure between the two sessions, I would hope the two fitters come up with something similar and I can make a good choice for new clubs.

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I think it's worth the cost of a round a golf to have golf smith fit me and see what they recommend. I'm not going to ask for for a specific brand and just go to the fitting and see where it goes.

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Disagree. Unless you know of a specific employee that knows and cares about what they are doing.

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Titleist also has a "Titleist Thursdays" where they will spend 45m fitting you at a local course will all their clubs/shafts, track-man, lie-board, etc. and there several here in May so I signed up for one (different course than above).

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You have a link for the schedule/locations?

http://www.titleist.com/thursdays

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http://www.titleist.com/thursdays

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Thanks!

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I have one nearby. Maybe I'll make the drive to Humble.

Golfsmith in Champions is having a demo day Saturday.

If you want to be able to work the ball flight, then you need to go with AP2's.

AP1's are more forgiving for the higher handicap players which makes misses not so bad, but due to their design, they are much more difficult to work. I played AP2s for 8 years before purchasing my current set and loved them! I do hit fades and draws depending on the shot I want to hit, so AP2's were the choice for me.

Need recommendation for club fitting in Dallas.

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Need recommendation for club fitting in Dallas.

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Club Champion

Park and Preston

Thank you!

Talked to the guy I've been taking lessons from the last few years. He agreed with the guy from Golf Smith and said he would be surprised if I would be happy with a stiff shaft. By the end of the round I would be killing myself to hit that club/shaft well and suffer as a result.

I Went to golfsmith Saturday for a fitting. Store manager did my fitting.

Asked me my handicap, goals, etc. what I wanted to do. Told him I was not fixed on one manu.

He had me hit several head/shaft combos. Probably 8 in all between Calloway, Titleist, Ping and Mizuno. Tried not to look at the manu. name or shaft he was having me hit so my bias would not come into play. It was interesting as I could tell which shafts were more stiff, or maybe had different flex points as the swing/hit just felt so different from other combinations.

Ended up hitting the Mizuno MP-15 best of all the clubs. Ball spin, flight, distance, direction was better than all the others. I was surprised b/c it's tagged as a muscle back but looking at the construction it's more of a game improvement muscle back (if that makes sense) with KBS Tour 90g Regular Flex shafts. $125/each. I also hit the MP-25 pretty well with the same shaft.

I'm going to keep my appointment with Titleist Thursday and see what they set me up with. I'm curious to see if the same guy is there and tries to put me in that stiff shaft KBS club.