Am I an idiot for getting "fitted" as a semi-beginner?

[cbrown1170]

Hi all,

 

So I started golfing around three months ago. I have been using a friend's clubs that were lended to me while he recovered from an injury. I have slowly been acquiring my own clubs.. Got myself a putter, 5 wood, and wedges (50,54,58). The time has come where I am about to give the bag back. So I am fully addicted to golf. I used to play sports in high school/college and I basically went inactive for 5 years after that.. Golf has brought me so much competitive fulfilment and made me so much happier.. As a lot of people know, a horrible day on the golf course is still better than just about anything in real life. 

 

So here's my question: Even though I am a beginner, I was thinking if I should just get fitted for an iron set (PW-5 or something). I have a nice budget for clubs (about $1500 to fill out the rest of the bag). My understanding is that there are still plenty of beginner friendly sets that I would benefit from. My original thought was to just buy a beginner set from Costco, but that would be slightly silly since I've already gotten some wedges and a putter that the Edge set or whatever would give me anyway. I have consistently read online that beginners should stay away from getting fitted, but if I know this is a hobby I am going to be putting a lot of time and effort into, is it the worst idea to go and get fitted? I have a 2nd swing by me, a PGA superstore, and other golf stores.. I'm also open to any suggestions about iron sets that are just well known for being good for beginners.. I just want something that will at least get me through the next 2 years or so? To give some idea, I went with the cbx4's for my wedges.. Very very forgiving wedges, and they've been going well for me.

 

Anyway enough rambling, apologies for that. Would love some feedback on which route to go with the irons. Many thanks! 

 

 

[Pepperturbo]

26 minutes ago, cbrown1170 said:

Hi all,

 

So I started golfing around three months ago. I have been using a friend's clubs that were lended to me while he recovered from an injury. I have slowly been acquiring my own clubs.. Got myself a putter, 5 wood, and wedges (50,54,58). The time has come where I am about to give the bag back. So I am fully addicted to golf. I used to play sports in high school/college and I basically went inactive for 5 years after that.. Golf has brought me so much competitive fulfilment and made me so much happier.. As a lot of people know, a horrible day on the golf course is still better than just about anything in real life. 

 

So here's my question: Even though I am a beginner, I was thinking if I should just get fitted for an iron set (PW-5 or something). I have a nice budget for clubs (about $1500 to fill out the rest of the bag). My understanding is that there are still plenty of beginner friendly sets that I would benefit from. My original thought was to just buy a beginner set from Costco, but that would be slightly silly since I've already gotten some wedges and a putter that the Edge set or whatever would give me anyway. I have consistently read online that beginners should stay away from getting fitted, but if I know this is a hobby I am going to be putting a lot of time and effort into, is it the worst idea to go and get fitted? I have a 2nd swing by me, a PGA superstore, and other golf stores.. I'm also open to any suggestions about iron sets that are just well known for being good for beginners.. I just want something that will at least get me through the next 2 years or so? To give some idea, I went with the cbx4's for my wedges.. Very very forgiving wedges, and they've been going well for me.

 

Anyway enough rambling, apologies for that. Would love some feedback on which route to go with the irons. Many thanks! 

 

 

IMO, wait until you have some decent experience and an idea of what you're hoping to accomplish in golf. If having your own set is important, buy an expensive set at the LGS; don't jump in with bucks; see how you fare. When you know you're commited and want to progress, maybe take a beginner series of lessons, and then your teacher may suggest clubs to fit your level.

 

[cbrown1170]

1 minute ago, Pepperturbo said:

IMO, wait until you have some decent experience and an idea of what you're hoping to accomplish in golf. If having your own set is important, buy an expensive set at the LGS; don't jump in with bucks; see how you fare. When you know you're commited and want to progress, maybe take a beginner series of lessons, and then your teacher may suggest clubs to fit your level.

 

Thank you. I'm already doing lessons now so a little bit ahead there (like I said, totally addicted lol). I just am trying to figure out which route to go with my irons. I know some people advise against it super early on because you wouldn't want to get fitted, pay the piper, and then quit.. But I already feel like Im a lifer.

[golfschnell]

Welcome to the gorgeous Russian meth whore that is golf. I’d find a decent set of irons and woods from Preowned sites like Callaway or Taylormade. I’d find a forgiving set like  older Callaway Apex or some of the Maltby irons that also allows you to keep getting better with them. Spend most of your golf money playing and working with a GOOD instructor. Once you have grooved a good and repeatable golf swing, then get fitted and treat yourself to whatever works best for you.

[gvogel]

If I were you, I would be looking for a nice lofted driver, 11* or 12*, with a shaft that wouldn't be too stiff.  Find one used and start having fun hitting the ball a long way.  Also, some used irons that you think would be easy to hit, and maybe they don't have to all be from the same set.  

 

As you play more and more, you will figure out what works for you.  You might get some help from a fitter, but you are the one using the clubs.  Have fun with that.

[phizzy30]

You absolutely should get fitted no matter skill level.  There's a bigger margin for improvement for a beginner to get fitted, IMO, as a beginner will see handicap drop more than someone advanced from properly fit clubs.    

Edited July 15 by phizzy30

[Phabs]

Can you hit a ball the same way three times in a row? 

[ShortGolfer]

The fitter mentioned I had a very consistent swing,  I had just one year of practice.

 

[cbrown1170]

25 minutes ago, Phabs said:

Can you hit a ball the same way three times in a row? 

Yes

[grochol17]

There are two schools of though on this:

 

1) beginners should *not* get fit because they don't have good enough swings to know exactly what all their specs should be.

 

2) beginners *should* get fit because if they buy a random set of beginner clubs they might end up with a set that is so ill fit for them that the clubs hurt their golf swing.

 

I'm in the second camp and I'll use an extreme example why... when I was growing up, I started hitting balls as a 6 yr old using my dad's 7 iron.  As you can imagine, it was too long and heavy for me, so I couldn't make a proper on-plane golf swing and ended up with an over the top move because that was how I could manage to get the club to the ball.  I've been playing for 40 years and I still fight that over the top move in my swing because I learned to hit balls with a club that wasn't right for me. 

 

Is this going to happen to everyone?  Probably not.  But, my point is that ill fitting clubs can hinder someone from making a good golf swing, so beginners should get a basic fitting to know some general things like what length works for them, what weight of shafts they are comfortable with, what driver (or 3 wood) loft gives them good distance, what mixture of woods, hybrids, irons, and wedges they need, etc.

 

You mention that you have a 2nd swing nearby... I've only ever been to the one in Maryland, but my experience there is that they were pretty willing to let me hit lots of different clubs as long as I wasn't tying up a hitting bay for too long at any one time.  If I were you, I'd head over there and let them know the deal... you're new to the game and looking to pick up some used clubs that fit your physical abilities reasonably well so that your clubs aren't the thing keep you from making a good swing.  If you don't want to feel pressured by asking a sales person for help, you can always just wander around and pick out different things to try... grab clubs that have different shaft weights, flexes, etc.  Don't be afraid to try things that someone might tell you isn't appropriate for a beginner... you're learning what feels good and how your body responds to different inputs so the more data the better.  Along these lines, when picking out clubs, don't just buy the one that gave you the longest shot.  Something that fits you well will have better consistency than a poorly fit club, so pay attention to shot dispersion.  2nd swing has a great playability guarantee, giving you the option to do a bit of on course testing to see if what you pick out in store works for you in the real world.

[bcjim]

I'd probably pass on the box set at costco but I think any modern set of clubs will do you well enough. That is assuming you are not very tall/short or have a particularly unorthodox swing or build.

 

On the other hand, a basic fitting is often free or nearly free with purchase. I don't think you need to hit up TPI at moment.

[st1800e]

Agree with the 2nd swing fitting. For a set of used irons.  You should be able to get a decent used set to fit your budget.   As you improve you can go back and get something for your improved swing.  Definitely get some in the game improvement category. Important to get shafts that fit your swing speed and tempo.  
 

Wouldn’t hurt to ask your instructor what he thinks.  

[dubbelbogey]

There is getting fit and there is getting fit.

 

The whole industry has created a monster and its customers have been sold a rotten bill of goods on what it means to "get fit". 

 

A basic fitting is to get length, lie, flex, and maybe grip size adjusted to the basic parameters of your body measurements. Not much different than getting a pair of pants hemmed to the correct length. Many places will do this for free when you buy a basic set of clubs, or do the adjustments of length and lie for a nominal fee if you already own clubs (in that case, not much you can do about flex without replacing shafts, but for a beginner, regular shafts will be most common anyway.) I say everyone who's half into the game should get this done as the cost is minimal. Bang for buck is pretty good in this scenario.

 

However, "getting fit" has somehow become synonymous with buying a whole new set of clubs, chosen from the shiny magical rack of heads, upgraded shafts, fanciful putters and various other OEM offerings. In reality, it's primarily a sales tool and sales transaction to maximize profit. Sure, this is closer to getting a tailored suit rather than getting the pants hemmed, but it's highly doubtful you need a custom suit at this point in your golf journey. This has its place but I'd argue a new golfer isn't the proper audience.

 

 

 

 

[PedronNiall]

1 hour ago, grochol17 said:

There are two schools of though on this:

 

1) beginners should *not* get fit because they don't have good enough swings to know exactly what all their specs should be.

 

2) beginners *should* get fit because if they buy a random set of beginner clubs they might end up with a set that is so ill fit for them that the clubs hurt their golf swing.

 

I'm in the second camp and I'll use an extreme example why... when I was growing up, I started hitting balls as a 6 yr old using my dad's 7 iron.  As you can imagine, it was too long and heavy for me, so I couldn't make a proper on-plane golf swing and ended up with an over the top move because that was how I could manage to get the club to the ball.  I've been playing for 40 years and I still fight that over the top move in my swing because I learned to hit balls with a club that wasn't right for me. 

 

Is this going to happen to everyone?  Probably not.  But, my point is that ill fitting clubs can hinder someone from making a good golf swing, so beginners should get a basic fitting to know some general things like what length works for them, what weight of shafts they are comfortable with, what driver (or 3 wood) loft gives them good distance, what mixture of woods, hybrids, irons, and wedges they need, etc.

 

You mention that you have a 2nd swing nearby... I've only ever been to the one in Maryland, but my experience there is that they were pretty willing to let me hit lots of different clubs as long as I wasn't tying up a hitting bay for too long at any one time.  If I were you, I'd head over there and let them know the deal... you're new to the game and looking to pick up some used clubs that fit your physical abilities reasonably well so that your clubs aren't the thing keep you from making a good swing.  If you don't want to feel pressured by asking a sales person for help, you can always just wander around and pick out different things to try... grab clubs that have different shaft weights, flexes, etc.  Don't be afraid to try things that someone might tell you isn't appropriate for a beginner... you're learning what feels good and how your body responds to different inputs so the more data the better.  Along these lines, when picking out clubs, don't just buy the one that gave you the longest shot.  Something that fits you well will have better consistency than a poorly fit club, so pay attention to shot dispersion.  2nd swing has a great playability guarantee, giving you the option to do a bit of on course testing to see if what you pick out in store works for you in the real world.

 

This is could be a good way to go, or anywhere else you can hit a variety of irons. Some people are very sensitive to variation in shaft profile, some are not, but better to find out sooner than later which camp you're in. On the same front, you can get a basic idea if any certain irons suit your eye and your tendencies better than others. 

 

Won't be perfect, as you can't get a full feel for turf interaction on mats, but like 2nd Swing, all Worldwide Golf affiliates also offer a playability guarantee. You can narrow it down to first and second picks and always swap out if you don't like the results with the first set once you get to the range or out on the course. 

 

Try a variety of heads and shafts. You won't need many swings to figure out if something's in contention or not. Can also play around with length if you're uncertain on that front. 

Edited July 15 by PedronNiall

[Howard_Jones]

i would say it depends more on the fiting offer and club fitter than the player.

- A new player will improve way faster, if the clubs he plays, dont have specs that prevent that developement. (specs thats far off from what he should play will hinder development).

This is the specs thats needed to be set right.

SET MAKE UP
- (3-PW or 5-GW with Hybrids as #4 and #3 as example)
Clubs we dont play good is bettter left at home, read we dont "need" 14 clubs in the bag, so this job is just as much removing clubs as it is to replace clubs.

BASIC CLUB SPECS
- Grip size, grip shape and model
- Play lengths
- Shaft wgt
- Total wgt
- Head wgt/SW/MOI
- Feel of flex...simply a shaft that feels good and seems to have good dispersion vs others.
We shall look at the shaft as a timing device, NOT something we change or choose for ball flight reasons, thats a head/loft question.

For loft and lie, just set it to standard unless its clear other specs should be used. A player under developement will by nature vary on both AOA, Dynamic loft, and hand position, so its often hard to fit those specs at this stage.

If you can find a good clubfitter who makes a real fitting of this parameters, it will help you to improve your game faster.

You can also thinker with this DIY by using this DIY driver tune up. Its the same method for all clubs, with some extra details for the driver.
 

 

Edited July 15 by Howard_Jones

[Ty_Guy]

When I was in your position, I went ahead and did a full bag fitting.

 

I was still primarily generating power from my torso and putting too much effort in each swing. “Consistency” was there enough to play and keep up easily on the course, but the amount of swings required to fit an entire bag was too many and too exhausting to be worthwhile.

 

Split up your driver and iron fits into two different sessions.

 

As for the iron fitting, I was able to learn length, lie, and shaft weight. On top of that, a general idea of iron head. No results were cut and dry without great consistency, but it was easy enough to see better numbers.

 

I took the information and sought out a 2nd hand set in the same family as my fitted specs. This worked great. Took me to my next fitting a couple years down the line where I was able to offer and articulate more specific desires in my clubs.

 

In all likelihood, you will be fitted to a 105 or 120g stiff shaft in a hollow bodied players distance head. A very broad category with MANY options on the second hand market. I always recommend players to start looking at Ping i59 and Mizuno JPX925 in this group. There aren’t any bad choices here, and they will all take you plenty far as you improve.

[rsballer10]

I vote yes to a pretty basic fitting, maybe a static fitting and get your grip sized right. With the help of an instructor, you will better be able to learn the basics of grip, setup, swing mechanics. If your average height with average size hands, just get standard clubs with standard grips.

 

Personally being 6'5", I place a greater emphasis on fitting as not doing so can create some problems later in the game.

 

 

Edited July 15 by rsballer10

[dekez]

Unless you are below or above average height, say 5'8" - 5'11' don't bother.

[Hawkeye77]

Of course you should get fit for a set of clubs.  You've got the money and it would be silly to buy some "beginner set" when you have the ability to get fitted for some clubs that will have specs that suit you.  If your swing ever really changes a lot or you improve to the point where you want new clubs you get to spend more - nothing wrong with that (and these days the double the trade-in specials that are running make trading in some quality clubs and buying new ones a lot better proposition than it was in the old days - will that continue forever? No, but for now it's a consideration.). 

 

If you want to get ideas of shaft/specs/whatever from a fitting and buy a quality set of used clubs - easy to find these days.  Your swing speed and swing will determine what you need for a driver, for example, so there's not an automatic answer on what you should get based on the mere fact you are a beginner for driver or any other club.  

 

Does the result of a fit depend on the quality of the fitter? Yes. That's on you to find someone but remember . . . you aren't one, lol.  

[Ri_Redneck]

IMHO, I believe the time for being "fitted" is when your swing reaches a certain level of repeatability and has sound fundamentals. As mentioned above, fitting for size, grip, weight and length is fine for ANY golfer. Fitting for loft, gapping and flex/profile is much more advanced fitting. SO, what fitting you are going for matters.

 

However, Parroting off what @grochol17 said, it is MUCH easier to learn a proper swing with clubs that suit your strength level and ability. A clubmaker/fitter can build one a proper "beginner" set and then modify it when needed going forward. I did this for several beginners back when I was fitting 80's & 90's. Golfers often need adjustments to their clubs as their swing AND game matures.

 

BT

Edited July 15 by Ri_Redneck

[ashortgame]

I wouldn't get fitted. Not for this set. If you had a few lessons with a PGA teacher I would let them recommend and guide thru this first set of irons.

[Stuart_G]

A full proper fitting is usually recommended when the player gets to the point of being about a mid to high 20's handicap.

 

But even for a rank beginner, a poor fit can significantly impede the learning process when it comes to some of the club specs.

 

The most important club specs for beginners that could impede the learning process if they are a bad fit would be:

• Grip size
• Playing length - not too long.  Static fit is fine for irons - but stock lengths for hybrids, fairways and drivers way too long for beginners. 
• Shaft weight - not too heavy or too light

 

Static fitting for all but shaft weight wouldn't be a bad starting point in irons.   

 

Playing lengths for driver, fairways and even hybrids should be cut down from stock playing lengths.  This is where a beginner is going to get in the most trouble.    A beginner would probably need some help to determine how much - but 99% of people calling themselves fitters are clueless about fitting playing lengths for those longer clubs so there is not a lot of recourse for them to get this fixed.

 

Shaft weight is bit tougher but a decent starting point could be determined just on basic assessment of the players athletic ability - maybe looking at swing speed as well.   

 

With the right shaft weight a fairly neutral swing weight (D0-D2) isn't a bad place to start - except for the weaker players which may be better off going a bit lighter.

 

Flex is only important if the user has enough experience to have developed a sense for how much of a loading feel they think they should be feeling.   That's a learned dependence.  If it hasn't been learned, it's not nearly as important.

 

Static fitting for lie angle is a decent starting point.

Edited July 16 by Stuart_G

[KevCannon]

10 hours ago, Stuart_G said:

A full proper fitting is usually recommended when the player gets to the point of being about a mid to high 20's handicap.

 

The most important club specs for beginners that could impede the learning process if they are a bad fit would be:

• Grip size
• Playing length - not too long.  Static is fine for irons - but stock lengths for hybrids, fairways and drivers way too long for beginners. 
• Shaft weight - not too heavy or too light

 

Static fitting for all but shaft weight wouldn't be a bad starting point in irons.   

 

Playing lengths for driver, fairways and even hybrids should be cut down from stock playing lengths.  This is where a beginner is going to get in the most trouble.    A beginner would probably need some help to determine how much - but 99% of people calling themselves fitters are clueless about fitting playing lengths for those longer clubs so there is not a lot of recourse for them to get this fixed.

 

Shaft weight is bit tougher but a decent starting point could be determined just on basic assessment of the players athletic ability - maybe looking at swing speed as well.

 

Flex is only important if the user has enough experience to have developed a sense for how much of a loading feel they think they should be feeling.   That's a learned dependence.  If it hasn't been learned, it's not nearly as important.

 

Static fitting for lie angle is a decent starting point.

Well said Stuart.

[DArnie]

No use in getting fit at this stage. Ask your teaching pro's opinion on a few questions such as shaft stiffness and weight, grip size, length and lie. Really rather simple unless you physique is extraordinary. This will be sufficient enough info to buy you a used set, imo Pings (G400 or newer series, irons and woods) as they are for all type of golfers and are high quality and you would be proud to have them in your bag. They might last you for a lifetime unless you like new shiny things, then you could get fit when you are consistently breaking 85. But then you will not have any excuses. Welcome to the crazy world of golf!

[Johnny Biarritz]

Not an idiot. But I would recommend you go with someone who knows a little bit about clubs so the fitter doesn't try to upsell you into some really expensive stuff that you might not understand what he's doing. Getting clubs that are correct for you are important at any level. If you don't want to drop a huge amount on new clubs, copy down the specs that the fitter says you need and check out used club sites, the BST here, eBay, 2nd Swing, etc., and find clubs that generally meet those specs.

[RogerinNewZealand]

On 7/15/2025 at 11:56 AM, cbrown1170 said:

Hi all,

 

So I started golfing around three months ago. I have been using a friend's clubs that were lended to me while he recovered from an injury. I have slowly been acquiring my own clubs.. Got myself a putter, 5 wood, and wedges (50,54,58). The time has come where I am about to give the bag back. So I am fully addicted to golf. I used to play sports in high school/college and I basically went inactive for 5 years after that.. Golf has brought me so much competitive fulfilment and made me so much happier.. As a lot of people know, a horrible day on the golf course is still better than just about anything in real life. 

 

So here's my question: Even though I am a beginner, I was thinking if I should just get fitted for an iron set (PW-5 or something). I have a nice budget for clubs (about $1500 to fill out the rest of the bag). My understanding is that there are still plenty of beginner friendly sets that I would benefit from. My original thought was to just buy a beginner set from Costco, but that would be slightly silly since I've already gotten some wedges and a putter that the Edge set or whatever would give me anyway. I have consistently read online that beginners should stay away from getting fitted, but if I know this is a hobby I am going to be putting a lot of time and effort into, is it the worst idea to go and get fitted? I have a 2nd swing by me, a PGA superstore, and other golf stores.. I'm also open to any suggestions about iron sets that are just well known for being good for beginners.. I just want something that will at least get me through the next 2 years or so? To give some idea, I went with the cbx4's for my wedges.. Very very forgiving wedges, and they've been going well for me.

 

Anyway enough rambling, apologies for that. Would love some feedback on which route to go with the irons. Many thanks! 

 

 

How Normal are you

 

Eg 5 ft 10 80kg

Athletic

= standard everything likely

So buy some 10 year old

 

Mizuno mp63 or 64

Titleist Ap2 714,716

Ping i15. Or G30 game improvement

 

These will get you started

Then start modifying

 

Cheers

[bradz1810]

On 7/14/2025 at 9:24 PM, phizzy30 said:

You absolutely should get fitted no matter skill level.  There's a bigger margin for improvement for a beginner to get fitted, IMO, as a beginner will see handicap drop more than someone advanced from properly fit clubs.    

I concur. Did a fitting a few weeks ago, with one simple change (lie angle) I went to immediately making better consistent contact. Got them yesterday and could not get over how night and day it was to my old iron set. Would have never known that had I not went and got fitted. 

 

Makes the game a lot more enjoyable when you have the right equipment for YOUR setup/swing. 

 

 

Edited July 16 by bradz1810

[Capreolus]

Do the Ping webfit. It will take you close enough to a starting point you can work with, for quite a while, if you get something (you like to hit and look at) close to the recommended:

 

Length

Lie

Grip size

Shaft weight/flex

 

 

[Mark_Tha_Tinkerer]

Unless you have some freakishly unique physical characteristics (very tall/short, long/short arms, hunchback, etc.), I don't think you're an "idiot" for thinking of getting fit but I personally think it is "silly."

 

First, try an online static fitting tool like here:  https://www.hirekogolf.com/get-fit-system .  See what the outcome is.  I'd wager that most people within a typical range of physical characteristics will be "fitted" for standard lengths, regular flex, standard lies, standard lofts and standard or midsize grips.  

 

Next, go to Golfworks and look at the KE4 Max Paks (6-GW or 5-GW).  If your online "fitting" suggests some variance from standard, they will custom build to your specifications and you will have a brand new set of customized irons which, the vast majority of online reviews, say are great for beginners as well as many better low handicap golfers.  Your total cost will be less than $300 for the irons giving you plenty of budget left to consider hybrids, fairway woods and a driver.  (You could also get a 4 AND 5 hybrid fully customized for around $150).  

 

I do not believe a personal club fitting session or two and any OEM clubs will deliver for you any significantly better performance or outcome as you grow into the game.  It will certainly and needlessly dent your wallet though.

 

,

[Pepperturbo]

On 7/14/2025 at 5:29 PM, cbrown1170 said:

Thank you. I'm already doing lessons now so a little bit ahead there (like I said, totally addicted lol). I just am trying to figure out which route to go with my irons. I know some people advise against it super early on because you wouldn't want to get fitted, pay the piper, and then quit.. But I already feel like Im a lifer.

Geting fit costs, and so does the resulting equipment, presuming you buy. Everybody talks about getting fit, which is fine. Except many quit, or you might grow out of what you're fit into within a year, maybe less. There's nothing wrong with buying a used set of standard clubs, and if the shafts don't fit, buy an expensive used set, then have grips and the lie adjusted to you. 

 

I bought a full set of Ping clubs off the shelf to learn, and 8 months later switched to Mizuno blades.