How Long Should a Club Fitting Take? Take Your Time!

When considering a custom club fitting, one of the most common queries for golfers is the time it takes.

For players used to grabbing clubs off the rack, the prospect of a detailed fitting session can seem both intimidating and uncertain.

Not just because of the technical elements, but also due to uncertainty about how long it will take for the fitting.

As a general rule a golf club fitting can take anywhere between 45 minutes and 3.5 hours. 

Full bag fittings naturally demand the most time, typically requiring 3+ hours to thoroughly assess all 14 clubs.

“Group” fittings for all your woods or irons generally run 1.5-2 hours, while individual club fittings for a driver or wedges only for example require at least 45 minutes and often extend to 90 minutes for a comprehensive assessment.

Having personally completed eight different golf club fittings across six venues over several months, I’ve gained firsthand perspective on this important aspect of the fitting process and would say focusing solely on the clock misses the key point.

The time invested in a proper fitting is directly related to the process a reputable fitter follows – a process that can’t and shouldn’t be rushed if you want the best results.

My own fitting journey for example led to gaining 40+ yards off the tee and breathing new life into my 20-year-old irons.

These big improvements didn’t happen through rushed sessions, but through methodical assessment of my swing characteristics and careful testing of multiple equipment options.

So in this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore exactly what happens during fittings of different lengths, what to expect from the process, and how to make the most of your time with a fitter – regardless of whether you’re a high handicapper or a seasoned player.

And before we go we’ll consider a key timing point which is often missed when it comes to fitting – how long will it take to get any custom clubs recommended to you actually into your hands!

Golfing Focused Takeaways For Time Pressed Golfers

• Fitting sessions vary in length by type: Full bag fittings take 3+ hours, while individual club fittings (driver, putter) typically require 45-90 minutes – allocate sufficient time to avoid feeling rushed.
• Quality fittings follow a structured process: Expect an interview, measurement of existing clubs, systematic testing with launch monitors, and data-driven recommendations – beware of “express” fittings!
• Delivery timeframes matter too: Custom clubs typically take 2-12 weeks to arrive after ordering, depending on component complexity and manufacturer processes – ask about current lead times during your fitting.
• The time investment pays dividends: A properly executed fitting (even if longer) can deliver significant performance gains – my driver fitting alone added 25+ yards without changing my swing.

Golf Club Fitting Times Vary By Type.

A key thing to remember when looking at how long a club fitting should take is that there are multiple types of club fitting.

This flexibility means the time a club fitting ‘should’ take can vary a lot in duration.

Here’s a comprehensive breakdown however based on the my fitting experiences and research across multiple fitting venues:

FITTING TYPE	TYPICAL DURATION
Full Bag Fitting	3 to 3.5 hours
Driver Fitting	1 to 1.5 hours
Long Game Fitting (Driver, Woods, Hybrids)	1.5 to 2 hours
Wood Fitting (Driver, Woods)	1.5 to 2 hours
Fairway Wood Fitting	1 to 1.5 hours
Hybrid Fitting	45 minutes to 1 hour
Iron Fitting	1 to 2 hours
Wedge Fitting	45 minutes to 1.25 hours
Putter Fitting	1 to 1.5 hours

These timeframes vary based on three key factors.

First, the number of clubs being fitted – you can choose to get every single one of your clubs custom fitted or a subset such as a driver or putter in isolation.

Someone with four fairway woods or hybrids also for example will naturally need more time than someone carrying just one or two.

Second, the complexity of the club type being fitted.

Wedges are typically the easiest clubs for expert fitters to assess with you while irons, need more time to get right because what you end up with determines much of the rest of the makeup of your bag.

What a fitting determines is the longest iron you should be playing for example is key to working out the combination of woods and hybrids that will work best for you.

And then at the other end that will then also affect how many wedges you end up with.

The third key factor is then your familiarity with the fitting process itself.

Information Overload: The Hidden Challenge

One aspect many first-time fitting participants don’t anticipate is the learning curve associated with interpreting launch monitor data.

As I discovered during my extensive fitting journey, custom fitting introduces you to hundreds of club options at the same time as countless launch monitor metrics including:

• Club head speed and ball speed
• Smash factor
• Attack angle
• Dynamic loft
• Launch angle and spin rates
• Club path and face to path numbers etc etc

While professional fitters are there to ‘translate’ these metrics into actionable insights, processing all this information can be mentally taxing.

As master club fitter Simon Cooper of Precision Golf explains, “Trackman (launch monitor) doesn’t give you answers; it gives you data. You’ve got to know why you’re getting that data to get to an answer.”

First-Time Fittings: Start Small

Based on my own fitting journey therefore, I strongly recommend that first-time fitting participants avoid full bag fittings initially.

And here’s why:

1. Information saturation – Processing 3+ hours of technical data at a full bag fitting about your swing and equipment is overwhelming
2. Physical fatigue – A full bag fitting requires hitting 100+ shots, which affects both performance and decision-making
3. Learning opportunity – Starting with a single club fitting (like driver or irons) helps you understand the process without overwhelming you.

Remember, a quality fitting shouldn’t be rushed.

Even individual club fittings require a minimum of 45 minutes to properly assess all variables.

And in my own experience across multiple fittings the investment in time directly correlates with the quality of results you’ll experience on the course.

FREE Club Fitting Checklist

A quality golf club fitting can massively help your game.

​

But not all fittings and fitters are created equal.

​

So download our FREE 10-point checklist based on my experience of multiple different venues to help evaluate fitting services near you.

DOWNLOAD NOW

We respect your privacy. Unsubscribe at any time.

What Happens During a Club Fitting is What Matters And Why It Takes The Time It Does

The length of time a club fitting should take is fundamentally a by-product of the process that a reputable fitter must follow.

Rather than focusing solely on timeframes, understanding what happens during a quality fitting reveals why rushing through the process compromises results.

And a comprehensive golf club fitting should follow this systematic approach regardless of club type:

• Initial interview to understand your goals, current game, playing history, any physical constraints and budget
• Measurements of your existing clubs specs (e.g. loft, lie, length, weight), performance, and if required of your physical dimensions (height, wrist-to-floor, hand size etc)
• Dynamic and systematic testing of options with a launch monitor of options changing one variable at a time (shaft, then head etc.) to compare against your current equipment (e.g. of distance, launch conditions etc)
• Strike pattern analysis using technology or impact tape
• Data and visually driven recommendations with clear answers of why certain options outperformed others
• Recommendations with clear explanations based on launch monitor data combined with visual observations of club behaviour.

Getting through all these stages is not the work of a moment and you can quickly see why a custom club fitting with a reputable specialist club fitter can take an hour or two.

Be wary therefore of any “express fittings” that claim to custom fit your clubs in under 30 minutes and simply involves you hitting a few shots off a lie board followed immediately by a series of recommendations!

These abbreviated sessions typically skip critical elements of the process whether that be:

• Limited baseline testing of your current equipment
• Minimal options tested (often pre-selected based on sales goals)
• Little time for education about why certain options perform better

During my own fitting journey and comparison of different fitting venues, I found the most valuable fittings allowed time for thorough testing and detailed explanation, rather than rushing toward a purchase recommendation.

The approaches of quality club fittings will also involve distinct approaches for different club types:

• Driver fittings emphasize launch conditions and attack angle optimization for those wanting to maximize distance.
• Iron fittings focus on consistent gapping and trajectory control
• Wedge fittings look at bounce and grind assessments for your typical playing conditions
• Putter fittings use specialized technology like SAM PuttLab rather than launch monitors.

A quality fitting for any club requires time to properly assess these specialized variables — yet another reason why comprehensive fittings can’t be rushed without compromising results.

From Fitting To Fairway: Delivery Timelines for Custom Clubs

When discussing fitting timeframes, many golfers focus solely on the session duration.

However, an equally important question is: how long does it take until you get your fitted clubs and you’re actually playing with them?

As a general rule it can take between 2 and 12 weeks from placement of the order for custom fitted clubs to them being delivered.

And how quickly your clubs arrive is affected by several key variables:

1. Component complexity: The more specialized your configuration, the longer the wait. Custom shafts or specialized components typically extend delivery times.
2. Manufacturer processes: Different brands handle custom orders differently, affecting turnaround times.
3. Retrofitting vs. new builds: When I opted to retrofit my existing irons rather than purchase new ones, the time needed to change the shafts was different to the ordering of my new custom driver.
4. Exceptional circumstances: Supply chain disruptions, such as those experienced during the global pandemic, can significantly extend wait times beyond normal expectations.

So it is easy to see how the timelines from order to delivery of your fitted clubs can vary significantly.

I recommend explicitly asking about current lead times during your fitting session, as these can also fluctuate throughout the year.

The fitter should also explain any variables that might affect your specific order.

In my own case where the fitted clubs I ordered consisted of – a new driver, set of woods, driving iron and wedges supplied by different manufacturers including different custom shafts as well as new shafts in my current irons – it took 7 weeks for them to be delivered.

The specialist fitter had told me upfront that “new equipment orders could take up to 6 weeks” while “single club orders may be closer to 4 weeks subject to availability of components” so it wasn’t far what was expected.

Whatever happens though just make sure your custom fitter is open and upfront with you and the best fitters will also keep in touch during the process to let you know if there are any supply and timescale problems.

While waiting several weeks for new custom clubs can test your patience though, properly fitted equipment can deliver some fantastic long-term benefits.

My custom driver by itself for example added 25+ yards to my tee shots.

And that was a performance improvement that I was more than happy to wait for!

Before You Go …

Since club fittings represent a significant investment of both time and money, many golfers wonder how often they should repeat the process.

If you’re also curious about when to schedule your next fitting, check out our comprehensive guide on how physical changes, performance shifts, and equipment wear provide more reliable indicators than arbitrary timeframes.

How Often Should You Get Fitted For Golf Clubs? Use These 3 Tests.

Other Top Articles Related To This Post:

• Know When To Replace Your Golf Clubs: A Club-By-Club Guide
• Best Places To Get Fitted For Golf Clubs – THE Complete Guide (With Best Fitter Search List)
• Should High Handicappers Get Fitted Clubs? The Benefits Apply to All
• Should a Beginner Get Golfer Fitted for Clubs? Focus On Enjoyment
• Is a Putter Fitting Worth it? It Removes a Variable or Three
• Should I Get Fitted for Golf Clubs Before Lessons? Get Both Together
• Are My Golf Clubs Too Old? It’s Performance Not Age That Matters
• Are My Golf Clubs Too Heavy? Trust Your Feelings
• Should All Your Golf Clubs Be The Same Brand? Results Matter More
• Should Your Driver Match Your Woods? Don’t Waste Your Money!
• Should Your Wedges Match Your Irons? Consistency Is Key
• Should All Your Wedges Be The Same? Focus On Gaps & Variety
• Should You Have The Same Grips On All Your Golf Clubs?