A good golf fitting is all about working with someone who genuinely cares about improving your game, building clubs that really suit your game.
OEM stands for original equipment manufacturer, meaning the brand that makes the clubs. An OEM fitting is run by that manufacturer, either at a dedicated centre such as a Titleist Performance Centre, at a PXG or Mizuno fitting, or at a brand demo day. These fittings are often free or carry a small fee, the technology is excellent, and the fitters generally know their own range in real depth. The limitation is that the fitting stays within that one brand’s products.
An independent fitting is run by a specialist who is not tied to any manufacturer. It is usually a paid service. In return you get brand-agnostic advice, longer sessions and a far wider choice, often hundreds of shafts and heads from every major brand, all testable in one place. When the fitter earns no commission on what you buy (although this is not always the case), there is no incentive to steer you towards one product over another.
| OEM fitting | Independent fitting | |
|---|---|---|
| Brand choice | One manufacturer’s range | All major brands compared together |
| Fitter expertise | Deep knowledge of that brand | Broad knowledge across all brands |
| Cost | Often free or a small fee | A paid specialist service |
| Shaft options | That brand’s shaft options | Hundreds of head and shaft combinations |
| Commission or bias | Fitting one brand’s products | No commission, no brand obligation |
| Best for | Golfers set on a brand | Golfers wanting the widest, unbiased choice |
We are an independent fitter and have been since 2004. We work with major golf brands, which means we can fit you into Titleist, PXG, Mizuno or any other major manufacturer, then compare them head to head in a single session.
Our fitters are not paid commission, so the only goal is the combination that performs best for you. With hundreds of shafts on site and a tour-level build, you get both the choice and the build quality in one place.
If you are committed to one brand and simply want their latest models dialled in to your swing, an OEM fitting is a sound choice and is often free. If you want to know which brand is genuinely best for you, an independent fitting is the only way to compare them properly, because you can test them against each other rather than one at a time across different venues.
An independent fitter can also test shaft and build options not available through the OEM so the potential options for what head and shaft combinations are wider as well rather than restricted based on what options that particular brand carries.
A free manufacturer fitting is tied to that brand’s range, and is designed to fit you into their products. An independent fitting is a paid service precisely because it is unbiased and comprehensive. You are paying for choice and impartial advice rather than for the clubs. For a full picture of what fittings cost in the UK, see our fitting cost guide.
If you are committed to staying with that brand, a manufacturer fitting will dial in their latest models well, however you may miss finding an alternative brand that out performs those products. If you are open to finding out whether another brand suits you better, an independent fitting lets you test that properly before you decide.
Yes. We are independent, which means we fit across all the major club and shaft manufacturers. We work with, not for, the brands, so the only goal of your fitting is finding the combination that performs best for you.
Because it is a standalone service from individuals wanting to get the very best out of your game. Our fitters earn no commission on what you buy, the session is longer, and you have hundreds of head and shaft combinations to test rather than one brand’s range. You are paying for unbiased advice and the widest possible choice.
Yes. A good independent fitter carries heads and shafts from all the major brands, including Titleist, PXG and Mizuno, so you can be fitted into any of them. The difference is that you can also compare them directly against each other in one session and with aftermarket shaft options that these brands may not offer themselves.
Neither is simply better. A Titleist or other manufacturer fitting is excellent if you have already chosen that brand, because their fitters know the range inside out. An independent fitting is better if you want to compare brands, because it is brand agnostic and can test heads and shafts from every major manufacturer side by side and without restriction.
