What Good Golf Club Fitters Do.
I'm going to be doing myself out of a few sales here, because I'm going to write about my competitors. But understand me right, its about integrity and knowing what I'm talking about enough to not be scared to say that someone else does a good job too.
My biggest retail competitor as we all know is falling on its knees. And the moral of that story is if you always do, what you've always done, you'll always get what you always got. Key point here - motivated by commission, your sales lose integrity. When you trade on price alone, you have nothing else left, upon which you sell your wares.
The competitors that I have in the fitting trade are few, but they, like I, trade on technology, experience and doing a damn good job. They fix stuff, they optimise other stuff and they know their all their stuff. They all work hard, are independent and you can rely on them, to tell you - the player, what they believe to be the absolute optimum set up for you game. The options open to you the customer with these fitters are in abundance - you don't have to stick with "CFS Steel, two degrees flatter than standard," and above all else, can fit you into a wide range of brands. If money is no object, one brand can often outstrip the competition, so fitting a customer into a brand that suits them and their budget is the objective of everyone in an operation like mine. And getting it right, first time, with a thorough studio fitting is the quickest way to your best game of golf, especially if you're spending a lot of money. You can rely on them to be completely unbiased.
Not all of the individuals I'm going to mention are focussed on marketing, it's not how they became great fitters. They did that by working on tour, working with professionals for a bunch of years, and training in their craft working for a whole lot of manufacturers, studying different club technology and in the end, came away working for themselves- providing an unparalleled service for the golfer which is hard won - you can't just become it by working for the competition motivated by commission.
So, here is a shout out to all of my competitors, for doing an damn good job, and for knowing what you're talking about. For quietly assessing the market place for great products and getting on with fitting it.
A shout out, for their integrity. And here's an accolade chaps, Gene said he'd trust you all to build his clubs, and thats hard won - as he had to rebuild his current clubs himself.
And if you're the customer, and not close to us - find our recommendations below.
Gene Fulton Golf Addiction, Newark & Leicester, Unit 4 Robin Hood Walk, Newark, NG24 IXH. Telephone: 01636 676 856
Jason MacNiven BASINGSTOKE CENTRE Unit 7 Vickers Business Centre, Preistley Road, Basingstoke, RG24 9NP Telephone: 01256 359865
Pure Forged Golf, Unit 3, Ailsa Buiness Park, Ailsa Road, Irvine, Ayrshire, KA12 8LN Telephone: (0)1294 446020
Nick Hibbs Unit C, Wigan Enterprise Park, Enterprise Court, Seaman Way, Wigan, WN2 2AG