Frequently Asked Questions (and stuff like that there)

The official FAQ's are further down this page. Before we get to that, a bit of important knowledge and wisdom.

First and foremost * VERY IMPORTANT *, ** MUY IMPORTANTE **....... no components, and I'll say it again..... no components (whether it be head, shaft, or grip) are pre-determined when you walk into my shop, and they NEVER should be. It is impossible to know what head or shaft will perform the best in your hands until we can test it. We let the data we acquire from the fitting, and your feedback on FEEL govern which combination is best for you * VERY IMPORTANT *, ** MUY IMPORTANTE **.

Keep in mind that off-the-rack clubs are mass produced to one standard. Of all the sets I have built (one at a time by hand) over the years, I have yet to build two identical sets of clubs. This tells me that we all swing a golf club differently, and require different individual specifications. We believe it is easier to fit the equipment to the golfer than force the golfer to adapt to ill-fit equipment - the golfer will find it easier to excel at the game and improve when the equipment is made to work with their swing and athleticism.

A few things to keep in mind if you're considering off-the-shelf clubs over custom fitted clubs;

• If you wear eyeglasses, you didn't just purchase any old pair and "hope" they correct your vision

  • No, you go to see a QUALIFIED eye doctor first - his tools, equipment, and experience will help you determine what correction is required for YOU to see clearly
  • Chances are, your perscription is NOT the same as your neighbor's, or your son, or your daughter, or anyone else for that matter
  
  

• You don't just buy a nice pair of "size 8" shoes for yourself just 'cuz they are on sale

  • No, you buy the right SIZE pair of shoes for YOU, and generally we try shoes on before we purchase them just to make sure they're gonna fit
  • YOU may require a size 11 or 13 shoe

The common message to the above points is to get fit first, and then purchase the right product for your needs.

I have witnessed with my own eyes a "fitting" in a retail golf store that took about 20 minutes from start to finish. In my humble opinion they didn't even scratch the surface - there is much more to a proper fitting than knowing swing speed and a wrist-to-floor measurement. A typical "Gooder Golf" irons fitting lasts between 3-4 hours to complete. There are more than 20 variables to consider when it comes to a proper fitting, we try to leave no stones unturned. If you're only addressing one or two of these variables in the "commercially convenient fitting", you're leaving an awful lot on the table still, and there's a good chance you'll be spending a lot of your hard-earned money incorrectly.

Something else I find baffling with the golf industry is the amount of technology they have applied towards golf clubs in the past 15 or so years. Yes, technology in golf clubs can be a wonderful thing, however it is not worth a pound of poop if it's not applied correctly, or if it's used in the wrong application. The same "technology" does not benefit every golfer in the same manner - it is possible that some of this "technology" can actually hurt a golfer's performance. According to the National Golf Foundation - "The average 18-hole score for the average golfer remains at about 100, as it has for decades". Now please tell me that with all of this technological "hoo-haa" they have put into golf clubs over the past few decades to make us straighter, longer, easier to hit - why hasn't the average score decreased by even one measly stroke?

Point of note; "Don't mistake a large advertising budget for top-shelf quality". You do not see most of our boutique brands advertised a lot on TV, or in golf magazines, or tossed about by golf pros who get paid to promote them.  Nor do you see a lot of advertising for the most exotic cars in the world like Rolls Royce, Lamborghini, Pagani, Ferrari, and others - mostly they rely on their industry leading excellence to bring customers to them. Regardless, many of our proprietary brands are designed by some of the industry’s best designers and manufactured in many of the same foundries the nationally advertised brands are manufactured - typically with even more exacting standards.

We're just about to the FAQ's - my last comment has already been made as one of my earlier comments. The fitting comes first - don't buy the equipment then try to get it fitted. Get a proper fitting, then buy the equipment to match your needs - that way you get the best possible combination of everything FOR YOU. Now, on to the FAQ's.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

Does this fitting stuff really work for IRONS?

Here is a "before & after" impact labels picture of my friend Kyle, and shows what we have the potential to accomplish in about 4 hours of fitting. The before picture on the left is Kyle with his old set of off-the-shelf irons (he played to a 10-11 handicap at the time). The picture on the right is the "after" about 3 hours of fitting/testing (or what I like to call being "Gooder-ized"). Ever since he's been playing his new clubs his index now ranges between 5.5 and 7.5 - Kyle is a BIG believer in proper clubfitting too!!! NOTE: Not every iron fitting has a perfect result like this, but it just goes to show you that testing with different length/weight/flex/head design can REALLY make a difference.

Does this fitting stuff really work for DRIVERS?

Here is a "before & after" impact labels picture of my friend Roy - we fit/built a beautiful set of Wishon irons for Roy in Summer of 2018, in early 2019 Roy came back for a driver fitting. On the left was 6 swings with his off-the-rack driver (46+ inches long - way too long, shaft too light, the club was just WRONG), and on the right is 5 impacts with our best performing test club (which was a full TWO inches shorter than his off-the-rack driver - and we actually GAINED DISTANCE with the short driver because quality of contact was soooooooo much better). We built a matching 3w and 5w to go with the driver. NOTE: Not every driver fitting has a perfect result like this, but it just goes to show you that testing with different length/weight/flex/head design can REALLY make a difference.

I just bought a set of Callaways, Nikes, Pings, etc. and I want to get you to fit them for me. Can you do that?

I get asked this question more and more each season. The answer is yes, and no. Remember in order to get things as "right" as possible for YOU (1) No components are pre-determined when you walk into my shop, and (2) The fitting comes first. Please don't buy equipment and then hope to get it fitted properly - get the fitting first, then purchase the proper equipment that suits your needs. It's the only way we can get everything as close to "right" as possible. In situations like this, the clubs are much harder to fit than if we were to start from scratch with a clean slate. We can check (and possibly adjust) loft & lie angles, but that's about the extent we can go. Due to certain metal compositions - some heads cannot be bent for loft & lie adjustments or breakage will result. To make the clubs properly fit you, a re-shaft will be required (very labour intensive - and expensive). A proper fitting not only considers length, but shaft material, shaft weight, shaft flex, shaft bend profile, head weight, head design, weight distribution, total club weight, club swingweight or MOI - it's the only way to get the right combination of all these elements. I have no way of testing your existing clubhead with other shafts to find the best length/weight/flex combination for you. This is where the retro-fitting becomes tricky. Remember - in proper fitting, no components are pre-determined.

IF you are absolutely stuck on your current set of irons and are very serious about getting them fitted properly (as best we can with pre-determined components), one suggestion is for you to purchase an extra "sacrifice" 6-iron (from eBay or somewhere) of that EXACT MAKE AND MODEL of golf club. This will enable me modify the head (in most cases) and install one of my Conex fittings on to your "sacrifice" head so we can test that particular head with my multitude of test shafts. The reason I call it a "sacrifice" head is that when we are done with it, that head can no longer be installed on to a golf shaft to make a proper golf club (the hosel is extensively modified, and the clubhead weight is also extensively modified). This is the only way to know for certain that (1) this head really is right for you, (2) exactly what shaft performs best in that particular head, (3) exactly how much head and shaft weight YOU require while swinging a particular head/shaft combination with this head. If you are truly serious about retaining your existing set of irons, please strongly consider acquiring a "sacrifice" 6-iron BEFORE your fitting date - I will need the sacrifice club 1-2 weeks before your fitting date so I have sufficient time to modify it.

Does the fitting fee include the golf clubs?

No. The modest fitting fee helps to cover the time and expertise of the fitter, also the high-tech equipment required for swing data acquisition (this specialized equipment is worth several thousand dollars). Any clubs you purchase or any retrofitting of your existing clubs will be a separate charge over and above the fitting fee.

How much are your custom clubs?

This is probably the question I get asked the most often, but can be a tricky question to answer. My two favourite responses to that question are [1] How long is a piece of string? and [2] "I want to buy a new car, how much will it cost me?" There is quite a price difference between a bottom of the line economy model "puddle jumper", and a brand spankin' new luxury Rolls Royce - they are both "cars", but there is a rather significant difference between the two. Do you see what I mean? Custom ANYTHING costs money. Much of the cost for custom clubs depends greatly on which heads/shafts/grips are required, and the number of clubs purchased. Most custom club prices are comparable to other quality top of the line golf equipment you might purchase in any golf store or pro shop across the country - an iron set that consists of (8) clubs can range anywhere from about $1400.00 up to over $4000.00++. Some iron sets contain 10 clubs (with wedges). There are soooo many variables - how many woods, what wood heads, what wood shafts, how many hybrids, what hybrid heads, what hybrid shafts, how many irons, what iron heads, what iron shafts, how many wedges, what wedge head, what wedge shaft, what grips? They may seem expensive, but what a bargain they are - far better fit and far better constructed for you than anything else on the market. The bitterness of POOR QUALITY will linger on long after the sweetness of LOW PRICE is gone.

Once I have the information from my fitting, can I buy clubs fit for me at my local golf store or pro shop?

VERY unlikely. Few (if any) golf stores or pro shops have the capability of having clubs made to ALL of your required specifications. Our process fits you to a variable you might call sub flexes between the typical flexes you will find in a golf store or pro shop. Pro shops and stores cannot do this. Our fitting process will find the best length, flex, weight and swingweight/MOI value for your swing and few golf stores or pro shops are capable of having their clubs made to the exact specifications you might need. For example: You might need a 43.5 inch Driver with a D-2 swingweight and a 80 gram shaft with a particular flex profile not available from the companies they sell. They only offer 45 or 45.5 inch drivers with 2 or 3 shaft selections and their flexes may not match up to your ideal flex. They cannot order a 43.5 inch driver with a D-2 swingweight because all of the heads for their drivers are manufactured to be assembled at 45 or 45.5 inches.

I’ve heard that custom clubs do not have the re-sell value that the clubs I buy in golf stores or pro shops have, is that true?

This probably is true. Your clubs are fit for you just as a fine custom fit suit is - it is not likely you would find someone to match you exactly any more than you might find someone who will be a perfect fit for your custom made suit. Also, most people hit their custom clubs so much better there should be no need to resell them unless you make a dramatic change in your swing or ability. Our customers are generally more interested in playing better golf and enjoying the game more than buying and selling clubs. If you are buying clubs for an investment, custom clubs are probably not what you want - you are far better off with a commodity product like the major name brands that everyone is aware of.

OK, suppose I fit pretty close to Store bought clubs and they are on sale, why shouldn’t I save some money and buy these clubs?

If your purpose is to save money you probably should not waste your time getting fitted at all, these days custom ANYTHING is expensive and requires an investment in time and money. You can ask your local Pro to recommend something close for you. Our fittings are very precise and we spend a lot of time testing for exactly the right specifications for you clubs - it is a time consuming and an expensive process. Why would you spend that much time and that much money and waste it away on as set of clubs that do not fit?

Can I go to see a PGA Professional for my next set of custom clubs?

Yes you can, but it would probably be better to see the PGA professional for your swing problems and see a qualified clubfitter for your club fitting. A PGA professional is a "Swing Professional" and a good clubfitter is a “Fitting Professional”. We have training in fitting and building custom golf equipment, we understand that shaft frequencies, shaft torque, head lofts and all of the critical engineering specifications that go into the menu to come up with a perfect set of clubs for you.

I have heard a lot about "Frequency Matched" clubs; Is that something that will help me?

"Frequency Matched" is a special process of measuring shaft flex, using specialized electronic equipment. Frequency matching enables us to MEASURE the flex, rather than rely on an ambiguous word or letter (such as "Regular", "R", "Stiff", or "S" - those terms are essentially meaningless). Yes, this process improves the set tremendously for most golfers. We go to great lengths to measure, test and optimize the way shafts are installed in all clubs.

Loft and Lie Angle Adjustments - Is it important for my game, and how often should I get them checked?

Loft angles should be set to achieve a proper distance gap between each club in the set so the golfer can best judge which club is needed for a particular distance from the target. If the lofts on your clubs are maladjusted you will have problems judging which clubs to use at different distances from the pin. Lie angle determines direction of the ball at impact - if your lie angles are improperly adjusted you may get varying results from what you think is a good shot. It is probably a good idea for most of us to get this checked at least once a year.

I have been reading a lot about graphite shafts in irons; are they as consistent as steel shafts?

The answer is YES! The improvements in graphite shaft production and quality control has been dramatic over the past dozen years. In the early days of graphite shafts, they were very inconsistent, whereas today shaft designers can achieve bend profiles they want (soft or firm in the tip, mid-section, or butt) and virtually to the degree they want. Graphite shafts used to be installed for their weight savings only - it wasn't until recently that heavier graphite shafts have become available for people whose swings require heavier shafts. Graphite shafts today are anywhere from 45 grams in weight to up to 125 grams in weight.

How long does your fitting take?

The typical iron fitting alone will average between 2.5 - 4 hours in length (sometimes even more). Occasionally the iron fitting goes exceptionally smooth and we can do a driver fitting on the same day. In many cases though, by the time we're done the iron fitting the golfer's swing is "out of gas" - in which case we would have to address the driver fitting on a different day. I've heard some big-box retail stores claim they can fit you in 15 minutes or so, I don't know how thorough that could be - I'm not sure you can quite cover ALL the details in 15 minutes.

I should also note that fittings are performed in the order they were booked. Many customers book months in advance for their personal fitting experience, and many of them make arrangements to travel here from out of town - so it is only fair that I honour the appointment. In peak golf season, it is not uncommon to be booked ahead 2-4+ weeks.

Some technical common sense:

12 Myths that can wreck your golf game

12 Myths That Could Wreck Your Golf Game is a 32-page booklet of key excerpts from Tom Wishon’s award winning and best selling book, The Search for the Perfect Golf Club. Intended as a teaser for the full Search book or as a means for busy golfers with a short attention span to glean the key information from the Search book, the 12 Myths booklet is a quick resource for learning the most important facts about golf clubs today.

You can download your FREE copy of the "12 Myths" right now, just click your desired format below;

• DOWNLOAD "12 Myths" in .pdf format (new updated version)

Both of the above are FREE to download, please read the myths - you'll be glad you did! Save a copy on your own computer for future reference. You can learn more about Tom Wishon and his designs in the Vendor Partners area of the site.

Now that we've got the myths out of the way, please take a few minutes and watch the video links below. These videos might explain a little bit about golf clubs and what I do for fitting them. These videos are produced by Wishon golf (same fella who did the 12 myths you just read) - Tom tells it straight-up, just like it is;

Custom Fit vs. Standard

What does custom fitting actually do for golfers?

The "facts of life" about the golf club industry

The basic elements of professional shaft fitting

The low-down on "power grooves" or slotted heads

The state of modern driver head design

I hope you took the time to watch the above videos - they are well worth the price of admission (FREE), and hopefully you learned a thing or two.