Let's talk about why you aren't going for a fitting

We get it: You have concerns about whether clubfitting is right for you; whether your game is good enough, whether it’s worth the time and effort and expense. Let’s address those right away.

We know hearing equipment folks talk about why you should get fit for your next set of clubs seems a little ingenuous, but bear with us. According to Nick Sherburne, founder and executive vice president of operations for Club Champion, nearly 90 percent of the customers who walk into one of his stores walk out with something new and different (and decidedly better) than what they brought in.

“It’s very rare that we find a golf bag that doesn’t have a hole in it somewhere,” Sherburne says. In other words, whether or not you think clubfitting is a worthy endeavor, it’s obvious that the vast majority of golfers need something to change in their setups. Getting properly fit is the smartest way to go about that change. (It certainly helps that the technology today in launch monitors and simulators can show you exactly what any equipment upgrade could add to your game.)

We understand that the whole fitting experience can seem intimidating. It’s also fair to say that many golfers don’t think their games are strong enough or consistent enough to benefit from a fitting. Sherburne says he finds himself paired up with strangers on the golf course all the time and hears plenty of reasons why they haven’t been fit for a single club in their bags. He always asks them the same question:

“How much money do you spend on golf, on a club membership or green fees or lessons or even a rangefinder? Whatever you spend and whatever you hope to gain from those investments will only be enhanced by having clubs that let you enjoy the game more.”

Indeed, taking lessons would seem to be a much more valuable process if your clubs are dialed in to optimize your swing. Likewise, the cost of getting out to play makes a lot more sense when you’re shooting better scores. Even something as simple as a rangefinder is only useful when you know how far your shots are going.

On the question of playing ability, Sherburne’s standard answer is also blunt but accurate. He does not understand why in a recent Golf Datatech survey players with handicaps of 16 and higher were a third less likely to get fit for new irons than single-digit players. “You’re not good enough to not be properly fit for your clubs,” he says.

An elite player can make almost any club serviceable, but average golfers or worse need a club that maximizes their possibilities. That doesn’t mean you have to drop $3,000 for a new set of clubs (not anything like that, if you so choose), but it most definitely means you shouldn’t spend a dime on equipment that doesn’t fit your swing.

Another benefit of a quality fitting is the follow-up. Just like a good fitter interviews you extensively about your game and preferences before the fitting, your fitter is going to check back repeatedly after your fitting to make sure you’re seeing the improvement you saw together in the hitting bay. Think of it as the beginning of a long-term relationship, not a one-off.