Getting fitted as a high handicapper

[ruffellprefley]

I've got a high handicap. I'm starting to figure out how to get some consistency in my swing, but I'm still not there. I've always been afraid of getting fitted because I don't know how my swing is going to be that day vs a day I'm at the range or on the course.

 

What are your guys' suggestions to deal with this? I usually come in a little too steep, and my divots generally show a pattern of hitting toe first. I assume that I could benefit from my lie being adjusted, but at the same time, wouldn't it just be better to fix my ball striking?

 

Thanks!

[wattage]

It's been well stated, especially by Tom Wishon that all skill levels benefit from custom fitting, and perhaps the high handicapper benefits the MOST. You might be surprised how consistent you are (don't confuse consistent with perfect). I understand wanting your swing 'right' for a fitting, but your swing is your swing at this time, so getting fit will help you now, which will help you improve quicker IMO.

[Z4Par]

I'm a 10 handicap and was before my lessons over the last couple months. The lessons improved my ball striking and distance off the tee tremendously. I had a very unorthodox swing before (like bringing the club past John Daly in my back swing unorthodox). The Pro switched my swing to where at first I felt like I was swinging in a phone booth. However the now "swinging in a phone booth" feels natural to me and am now hitting the ball beautifully. I recommend spending the money on lessons. Quick fixes are what we all want in the here and now (in other words a magical club that is going to give us confidence for 6 months but not fix the underlying issues long term). If you are a high handicap and you really want to improve your game spend it on lessons! Please! As you improve the levels of equipment will always be there but get that swing fixed! It will then take several 9 hole relaxed sessions to get those well struck shots you felt in your lessons to repeat. Don't make the same mistake I made and bang hundreds of range balls. An hour session each day with time in between shots is plenty at first. I was stubborn for 12 years and finally decided to seek guidance in changing my swing. Good luck and Happy Thanksgiving!

[Z1ggy16]

If you live near a big name store, what'd I'd recommend is going to do the free demo fitting, over the course of many different days. Take the average numbers of whatever it is you are hitting, and use that as your gauge.

 

Odds are as a high cap, you'd be best off just picking whatever the most forgiving club you can get for the next few years, then upgrading slowly.

[ruffellprefley]

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Sun Devil]

I would put my money on lessons 1st. Fitting 2nd. I've taken numerous golf lessons and have been professionally fitted (not big box). I don't see the point of an expensive custom fitting at your point. JMHO

[dkimbooo]

I agree with the above posters. Getting fit will help you as a high handicapper. However, if you're serious about improving, then your golf swing will probably change a lot when you become a low-capper. Which means you will have to get fit again.

 

I would say to get lessons to the point where you feel comfortable with your swing and get fitted.

[Stuart_G]

Some of the most important aspects about being fit (length, grip size, shaft weight, swing weight), particularly for a higher handicaper will not actually be effected and need to change due to improvements in the swing mechanics and will actually help the improvement process since they can have a really big influence on the consistency of the results.

 

Sure if posture improves then the lie angles might need to be tweaked later on but that doesn't require a whole new fitting. Swing speed may increase a bit but for most the flex being a bit off will not cause any major problems especially when that increase might be gradual as it is with an improving golfer. And finally the specific model head chosen will still continue to work fine with any improvements.

 

 

I've got a high handicap. I'm starting to figure out how to get some consistency in my swing, but I'm still not there.

 

It's very that you're swing is really as inconsistent as you think. Believe it or not, the level of inconsistency in the results is not an accurate reflection of the level of inconsistency in your swing. This is even more true when it comes to what constitutes a good fit for the equipment. Take some video's of your swing compare the 'best' and 'worst' swings side-by-side. Most of the time you wont be able to see any difference in the two swings.

[IsleOfMan]

I'd agree with Stuart's comments, but would say most or all of these can be captured by a basic (free) fitting like the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer process along with a free lie-angle fitting. I would save an expensive custom-order fitting for on down the road when think your swing has progressed and is comfortable, with further changes being minor tweaks that will have far less impact on equipment fit.

 

I'm wouldn't agree with it being difficult to see the differences in best vs. worst, for example. I have a pretty common amateur swing fault (outside-in + casting) which quite easily visible when put next to an inside-out or on-plane swing, even one by another amateur.

[ruffellprefley]

yeah, i think i'll for sure get length and lie checked

[IsleOfMan]

Keep in mind, if you're in this kind of situation, or even just on a budget, make the most of the free tools at your disposal. I think you can get a lot out of the Mizuno Shaft Optimizer even without any intentions of buying Mizuno clubs. It covers a lot of popular shafts and you can get a good idea of the type you're looking for at the very least and even do some dial-in comparison if your swing is repeatable enough to see small differences. Armed with this, you can shop for shaft pulls, used clubs with these shafts, etc and then make length/lie changes to match as well. Is it a full bore fitting? No... but it's far more educated than just throwing money/clubs against the wall and seeing what sticks.

[Stuart_G]

The Mizuno shaft optimizer only can provide a starting point for the shaft fitting process. It can't do the fitting by itself. You still need a knowledgeable fitter to guide the process if you want to get decent results. Now, it's not impossible to find someone who actually knows what they are doing at a free retail store 'fitting' - but it's just not very common.

[IsleOfMan]

It definitely doesn't replace a full fitting, but it can put someone on the right track that might not be ready for a full fitting, especially if the take the step of doing comparisons with the recommended shafts. I'd rather send someone like the OP into the used equipment market knowing what they can learn from a shaft optimizer session (with comparisons of the recommended shafts) than send them into the same market blind OR have them pay for a fitting of an expensive new set of clubs.

[ruffellprefley]

is a mizuno club cart a self fit thing that retailers have? i'm not sure how much is available in my area

[IsleOfMan]

The Shaft Optimizer is guided by an employee but, as long as they know how to turn it on and transfer the numbers over to the PC program, it isn't overly dependent on their knowledge. Use the store locator and enable the "Performance Fitting System" filter:

 

http://www.mizunousa.com/Golf/Store-Locator

[Stuart_G]

It definitely doesn't replace a full fitting, but it can put someone on the right track that might not be ready for a full fitting, especially if the take the step of doing comparisons with the recommended shafts.

 

It may be better but it also may not. There is no guarantees that he'll end up better off than he is now. The bottom line is that the quality of the fitting will always be much more dependent on the person evaluating the results of the different options and to be able to interpret them somewhat accurately. And how much one might benefit from a fitting at all (irrespective of the quality of the fitting) is extremely subjective and how lucky they might have been with the clubs they currently have. Given the limited info about the OP, there is no way to predict or judge how much benefit one might get either way or how much better one approach will be over the other approach.

 

I'd rather send someone like the OP into the used equipment market knowing what they can learn from a shaft optimizer session (with comparisons of the recommended shafts) than send them into the same market blind OR have them pay for a fitting of an expensive new set of clubs.

 

And I'd rather provide them with an accurate picture of what the pro's and cons are for all the different options and let them make up there own mind about the relative worth of the different approaches.

 

Yes, there is an upfront cost associated with getting a quality fitting. To many individuals that certainly could be a problem but to others it's a small price to pay compared to the risk of spending money on a set that ends up being a poor fit.

 

With a fitter, there is no commitment to buy a new set. You can get the specs and may find out the current set can be adjusted and be perfectly fine or they can use the specs to shop the used market. It doesn't mean you'll have to end up buying an expensive new set. On the other hand, the main purpose of the retail store is to sell new clubs. Now there are likely more well meaning sales folks out there than those that might push the limits of integrity in order to get a sale but you never know what you're going to get going into the store unless you can ask around the right circles for references.

 

One of the OP's initial concern was actually with the lie angles of his current set. He didn't even mention (at least initially) the thought of a new set. For just that, he's a bit better off doing some tests himself with some guidance here. Most retails stores will use a lie board - which is not always an accurate check. All it takes is a dry erase marker and he can do that himself.

 

In addition to the unreliable use of a lie board, at a retail fitting there are other potential issues. Length is predominantly fit through static measurements and not dynamically. Same goes for grip size - if they try to fit it at all. And even if they do try to fit for grip size, the rest of the fitting will be done with standard size grips - not the grip size you may have been fit for. Shaft flex is emphasized over shaft weight and swing speed is the dominant factor used. The optimizer helps out a little in that respect but even it can't account for any preference for feel (flex or weight) the individual might have, nor are the fitters adept at picking that up in the results. Swing weight is almost never a part of the fitting process at a retail store. Fitting is usually limited to a single club (6 or 7 iron) so distance gaping is rarely checked. When evaluating the results, distance is generally more important than consistency even with the irons. For hybrids, woods, and drivers it's even worse since they don't even try to fit for length or face angle and rarely for lie angle (although that's getting a little better with the adjustable clubs). And most of those specs that are not being addressed to well or missed all together (like grip size, shaft weight, swing weight, length as well as lie angle) can be important to the fitting regardless of the level of play or quality of the swing.

 

If there is some concern about the shaft selection, then it certainly can't hurt to do a 'free' retail store (or pro shop) "fitting" for irons. If they have an Mizzy optimizer than that's nice but if they don't I wouldn't worry about it too much. But instead of relying on it exclusively to make any kind of purchase, take lots of notes - what you tried (as much details of the specs as you can get), get pictures of the launch monitor results (full results, not just averages), the make/model of the launch monitor used, impact tape results (if they used it at all), you're own impression on how the different options felt with your swing, etc.. The more detail the better. Then bring those results back here and post them before committing to any purchase.