I received my first-ever club fitting — here’s why you should, too

Getting fit for clubs can be intimidating. You might think you’re not good enough to get fit or feel some impostor syndrome when you finally get up the nerve to make the appointment. These are natural feelings, but from someone who just went through their first fitting, allow me to attempt to put those anxieties at ease.

Gear

For a little context about what kind of golfer I am, I’ve never had formal instruction. I’ve had a lesson here and there, but for the most part, my game is self-taught. I’ve had that same ethos with gear during my career as well. Most of my bag is the result of a good deal at a retailer or a hand-me-down from a friend. There is nothing flashy about it. But because of this, I feel like I’m leaving some strokes out there.

Having gear tailor made for my swing could shave off strokes and take my game to the next level. So I finally decided to put my worries aside and made a fitting appointment at True Spec Golf’s midtown Manhattan location. (TSG is owned by 8AM Golf, GOLF.com’s parent company.) Anxieties be damned, I was ready to find the perfect weapons for my game.

Here are five things you need to know about a club fitting from a club-fitting rookie.

Be ready to make A LOT of swings

Unless your range sessions are comparable to Vijay Singh’s, getting fit for clubs will be a workout. Because of all the options available, you’ll be hitting shots fairly consistently for up to two hours. This might not sound like a lot but firing off shot after shot for that long can take its toll. Luckily, refreshments are offered throughout the process and there is plenty opportunity to rest if you feel a little gassed.

You’ll learn about your swing

I knew True Spec had some pretty sweet technology at their disposal, but getting to try it all out for myself was revealing. Hitting into a simulator while seeing my numbers on a Foresight launch monitor (other locations utilize TrackMan technology as well) in real time was a real treat. And the top-of-the-line technology they use to analyze your putting will blow you away. It makes you feel like a pro getting to diagnose your game throughout the process. It might be a little dense for some people to understand, but your club fitter will help you decipher all the numbers that are thrown at you so you get a comprehensive understanding of your swing.

There’s no reason to be anxious

As I noted above, anxiety is normal when getting fitted. But in reality, it’s silly to feel that way. No one is going to judge you for trying to improve your game — that’s what everyone is trying to do after all! Sure, you’ll hit some bad shots (I hit a couple hosel rockets myself), but that’s normal when beating balls for so long — no one is perfect. Just have fun with it and remember that ultimately the experience is about trying to improve your game.

It will provide insight into your true distances

Most golfers think they know their distances. Most golfers are wrong. We often overestimate our true yardages due to that one time we pured a 7-iron 175 yards. That won’t be an issue after getting fit for new clubs. They take the distance of your current clubs and test them against the sets you’re trying out, showing you exact improvements (on average) in the distance and accuracy departments. It was fun to see this in action, and the gains went with me to the course as well. Now I know for certain how far my driver carries, and I won’t be guessing when I’m under the gun.

You will never want to use stock clubs again

After getting fit for clubs, you’ll never want to use stock clubs again. Once you see the benefits of a set made for you, the thought of using just any old set off the rack will seem horrific. It might seem spoiled, but golf is the most fun when you’re playing well and playing with fitted clubs gives you the best chance to play well. After your fitting, it might be time to invest in a handy travel bag. You’ll also never be content with rentals again.