Gooder Golf Custom Fitting

Yup, GOODER......and MORE BETTER too!

NOTE: If you do not see the menu bar to the left, please click HERE.

This is where things get interesting, it is the real "meat and potatoes" required for true custom club fitting and building. This is what sets true custom fitted clubs apart from the "cut and glued" versions. Ideally (if you're in the Regina area), our fitting session should take place at the driving range. If you're not in the Regina area, and we cannot do an actual "in person" fitting session don't worry - we can still accomplish a very accurate "long-distance" fitting for you - it will involve a great deal of quality communication between us (emails, telephone calls), you will have to provide me with some accurate information/measurements - remember that the more accurate the information you supply me with, the "more better" your new clubs will be.

A typical "ideal" range fitting session will involve;

You bringing your current clubs and golf shoes with you.
A friendly discussion (interview) where I will ask you several questions about your game, your swing, your shot tendencies, ball flight, your consistency, etc.
Some warm-up time for you swinging and hitting balls to get loose
Once you're warmed up, you will hit your "regular" shots with various clubs in your bag so we can observe certain elements of your swing, record your swing tempo, observe your release point, record your stance, how you address the ball, ball position, and ball flight. During this stage, please don't try to impress me by trying smash your 7-iron 190 yards when you can only hit it 145 with your regular swing. The "more better" the data is that we acquire, the "more better" your new clubs will be.
Swing speed (done with an actual swing speed meter) is measured with your 5-iron, and your driver. Your swing tempo, and release point are observed and recorded also - this will help us determine a proper shaft, and shaft flex that is right for you.
Video of your swing is taken from down the line, and face-on with a 5-iron and a driver. I upload the video to my computer and load it into golf swing analysis software I have to help me acquire certain key data elements of your swing.
Physical measurements are taken to help determine things like proper club length and grip size.
Lie angle in relation to your swing with your current clubs is checked.
All of this will be followed by a general discussion on what you want to achieve with your new clubs, recommendations on set make-up of your new clubs, grips, heads, and shaft recommendations for your new clubs. We have many quality components to choose from, we will work with you to help you select the components, and build options that will give you the most bang for your buck for your new clubs.

There is a modest $25.00 charge to do an in-person custom fitting session - payable before the custom fitting session begins. This fee is credited towards your balance if you purchase 3 or more clubs (at the same time).

Typical "long-distance" (communication) fitting will involve;

A great deal of quality communication - email, telephone, etc. - we want your clubs to be as good as possible, the better the information you supply us with, the "more better" your new clubs will be for you.
If by chance you have a short video of your swing (like an .mpg video file), or can get one made fairly easily, I will ask you to email it to me. Preferably it will show an angle with you facing the camera at address, and also one from behind the target line.
Our "long-distance" fitting will start with me sending you a very in-depth email questionnaire asking for several measurements, and many other detailed questions. Once you complete the questionnaire and have all of your measurements, you either email or fax the completed survey and measurements back to me to review.
This will be followed up with a telephone call within the next day or two (I will call you when we can arrange a mutually acceptable time) - we will have a friendly discussion (interview) where I will ask you several questions about your game, your swing, your shot tendencies, ball flight, your consistency, etc. In addition to that, we will also review a lot of the information on the email survey you sent back to me.
I will ask your swing speed with a 5-iron and a driver. Don't worry if you don't know your exact swing speed, as we can get it fairly close - this is directly related to carry distance (in yards) of the various clubs in your bag - be prepared to answer several questions regarding your carry distance and ball flight for each of your clubs.
We will discuss swing speed, swing tempo, release point and how they relate to shaft requirements.
We will also discuss many other things - such as your current clubs, your current set make-up, grips, your hand size, your current grips, your grip preferences, your swing tendencies, your mis-hit tendencies, your regular ball flight/trejectory, common slice/hook/straight flight pattern, your likes/dislikes with your current clubs, what iron(s) you hit the best, what wood(s) you hit the best.
We will finish off by discussing your new club recommendations for grips, heads, shaft flex and material, and set make-up (which irons/wedges/hybrids/woods to use). We will also discuss the different build options at this time.
Hopefully we will have covered everything necessary. I will be making notes as we speak on the telephone, and may have more questions as we go along. Remember - we want as many details as possible in order to make your new clubs the best they can be.

All it takes to initiate the process is to send me an email inquiring about a custom fitting session. Hopefully before you do that, you will have looked through our components and picked a few favorites out. There is a contact link on the left-hand side of this screen (at the bottom of the menu area).

Frequently asked questions;

What happens after the fitting?
After the fitting we know the specifics for your ideal club or set of clubs. You have the option of having your existing clubs retrofitted to meet your specifications as close as possible, or buying a club or set of clubs custom made to those exact specifications.

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, video and computer swing analysis. Any clubs you purchase or any retrofitting of your existing clubs will be a separate charge.

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 response to that question is "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, and a brand new fully loaded Cadillac - they are both cars, but there is a rather significant difference between the two. Do you see what I mean? Much of the cost for custom clubs depends on which heads/shafts are used. 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. Depending on the heads and shafts, some are a little less and some are a little more - but what a bargain they are - far better fit and far better constructed for you than anything else on the market.

Once I have the information from my fitting, can I buy clubs fit for me at my local golf store or pro shop?
Possibly, but probably not. Our process usually fits you to a variable you might call sub flexes between the typical flexes you will find in a golf store or pro shop. If you happen to land on the exact flex the golf store or pro shop sells you may be able to purchase your clubs there if the length and weight is also a match for you too. Our fitting process will find the best length, flex, weight and swingweight 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, 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?

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?
The answer is Yes and No. Most of the calls we get with this question are asking to get their lofts and lies adjusted - and yes we can do that. We perform a dynamic lie fitting on each club in the set of irons and adjust them individually to your golf swing. And if you're prepared to have the shafts from your new off-the-rack clubs removed (and likely replaced with different shafts), yes we can retrofit your set to your specifications and very likely make them a lot better than they are, but they are still not totally custom fitted to you in the truest sense. Most custom fitting systems do not predetermine what head or shaft or grip you will end up with. We measure and test your swing, you will hit various clubs with various shafts. Through this testing we will determine the head design and shaft configuration, the lofts, lengths, flexes, and set make up that is best suited for you. But ordinarily, we will not know until we have completed the testing what those are. It is best to be fitted prior to making any purchase and you will have a better set of clubs. If you bought first, come on in anyway and we will fit you and make the adjustments need to make them play better. We can’t guarantee the results will be as good as doing it right, but we can make them better.

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. 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 and “kick” points virtually anywhere on the shaft they want and virtually to the degree they want. Graphite shafts today are anywhere from 45 grams in weight to up to 120 grams in weight. With the major contribution of the golf shaft being weight control, this allows the fitter to fit your shaft weight exactly where it needs to be for your swing.