Review: Hot Stix Club Fitting
Are you sure that the clubs you play are the right ones for your game? Are you sure that they are the specs they say they are? Wouldn’t it be nice if there was somewhere to have everything tested and your swing analyzed to see what fits you best? That is exactly what Hot Stix does. They have been around for a number of years now, and have recently expanded into new markets. The location that I found close to home is at Windsong Farm Golf Course just minutes west of Minneapolis, MN. (There are some other new ones in Atlanta, Orlando, New York, Dallas, Etc.) It has only been open a couple months, but it is starting to get a reputation as the best club fitting/building shop in town. This is not a surprise since it is virtually identical to the “mother ship” Hot Stix in Scottsdale, AZ. It currently has only one fitter, Joe. But he has all the tools necessary to fit anyone. He really knows his stuff and understands what golfer need.
Upon arrival, Hot Stix will take all your current clubs and analyze them on the spot. They have loft and lie machines, frequency analyzers, swing weight machine, rulers and computers to input all the specs of your current clubs. During this time you will fill out some paperwork about your swing and what you want to accomplish with the fitting. With still some time remaining before the actual fitting, you can warm up on the outdoor range, so that you can get your swing grooved. The actual Hot Stix fitting shed is on the opposite end of the driving range at Windsong Farm. One of the nicest features about being at this high end range is that you don’t have to hit some driving range rocks, but they have buckets full of practice ProV1s waiting for you. The turf is perfect and there are a bunch of targets to hit at. Off to the side there is also a bunker, chipping and putting green so that you can get your short game analyzed too.
After getting loose, it is time to hit some clubs on the Trackman Launch Monitor. Trackman is considered to be the best in the business. (I also believe that this might be the only one in the Twin Cities, MN) It doesn’t just guess what your ball did; it tracks it from tee to landing and roll out. The day I was getting fit, I was hitting dead into the wind. It was a stiff breeze that day, but it didn’t impact my fitting significantly. Obviously getting fit on a less windy day is ideal, but golf is played in all different conditions, so outdoors you can’t always have perfect weather.
But even taking into account for the wind, I was really happy to see the numbers I expected and the results I normally get on the course. What made me even more excited was the fact that my bag was about as good of a fit for my game as I was going to find.
But if I hadn’t had my bag in order I could have had my clubs adjusted. Joe said the #1 change he makes to most peoples clubs is the lie angles. This is often the cause of those left, right or off center hits. Next he addresses the yardage gaps and club selection. If you don’t have the right clubs in your bag, like if you still carry a 2iron, I can almost guarantee he will have you hitting hybrids. If your shafts are to stiff or too soft, he will have you try some others. This is what makes Hot Stix fittings so great; they have huge barrels with just about every shaft imaginable. They also have drawers and drawers with just about every iron or wood head you could ever want. Then it is some trial and error as they interchange all the different parts until you find what you need.
After all the analysis, the swings, the demos, the numbers, now you have to make a decision, stick with what you have or upgrade to something that fits your game better. They will order and build everything you need to the exact specs you demand. Sure you might be able to go to a discount retailer and get it a few bucks cheaper, but I can guarantee that the specs will be exactly what you need. They don’t make money from any club companies so you won’t be pressured to buy one brand, but instead will have access to try/buy just about every brand. They even have access to some tour stuff, (at least shafts) as a UST/Mamiya TourSPX Dealer.
Make sure to give your self plenty of time and preparation for the truth. While you might hit that 6* XX stiff driver awesome once every 5 rounds, if it doesn’t fit best for a consistent golf game they will tell you. From there it is up to you. You can continue to buy driver after driver that doesn’t fit, or you can get exactly what is perfect for your game.
I was happy to walk away knowing that I had very well built clubs, excellent distance spacing and in general a near perfect bag for my game. If you are not sure, why not spend a little on a fitting at Hot Stixs. You will be happy to know what your game needs and have the access to get it. I probably liked it best because it is not indoors, hitting into a screen, which doesn’t work for me since I can’t hit anything well inside. While they do have an indoor set-up (hitting from indoors to outdoors), I would opt for the full outdoor fitting. In the end you get a thorough, detailed report of your clubs and your swing. It is simply the best around, I’ve never seen or heard of anything like it. (at least here in MN) If you haven’t been fit, or even if you have, I think Hot Stix is worth every penny. Sure it it is not cheap, but remember you can get fit for one club or a whole bag, depending on what you are willing to spend. So pick the clubs you need fit and go online to set-up an appointment today at Hot Stix. Joe of Hot Stix in MN will take good care of you. You can then go to the course confident that you are playing the right clubs for your game.
For more information: www.hotstixgolf.com
Quick hits
+Complete analysis
+Knowledgeable fitter
+No pressure to buy new clubs
+High-end facilities and equipment
–A little expensive
–MN location is a little out of the way
–Range faces into prevailing wind
