If you could remodel fitting could it be feasible to do what you're doing on a much larger scale. Or do you think that's your advantage of being a an independent retailer that you can do it in the way that you do it obviously you'll know there's anybody eyes with custom fitter. And you think i did no right job at it not bad not the best. And i've done a few little things recently on the podcast that's kind of gone down well with some and not well with other people we've kind of again played devil's advocate a bit tongue-in-cheek and that fitting is overrated stirring the pot down is a little bit the reason i've said fittings overrated isn't that fitting's pointless. Or useless it's just that i think some people kind of see this whole thing of fitting. And thinking that going buying out of cycles that are fitted are going to make them suddenly shoot 10 under power. And it's like if i'm for trainer fitting it might be good for my feet or something i'm going to run as fast as mo farah. But you know with your experience now 29 years as a pro and you've got obviously an amazing facility in the driving range in your golf shop what do you think if you could say this is what's the most important part of fitting. Or is the most important part. So yeah i've got my own philosophy. And i fit for me you come and have a fitter with me we don't just fit you in that one hour and off you go because that is. And that's i think that's what you're touching on. For a lot of people how are they hitting the ball that day how are they feeling that day are they a bit anxious because they're with a coach are they wanting to hit it well because it's new product. So certainly for it's easier for a driver fitting but definitely for an iron fitting as well if you come for an outfit with me we'll fit you for the core of the product so like five to wedge maybe and we'll get you providing your swinging okay. And you're happy with how you're hitting it the coach the fitter has to listen they have to understand a bit about that golfer don't just see him off the street and you come fit got to get some information how he plays and then.
See if that stacks up during the fit if he's telling you the truth obviously we all have a visualization of our game that might not be there when he's done that and he's happy with his strikes using tech we use quad we get all the head data we use the shaft we try all the shafts out we find what's the right kind of ballpark for them get them understanding the difference between brands if there is a difference look at their brand preference once they've decided on the product again sticking to this core of irons we might go ahead. And order that day we might wait and do it a week later we might not let them buy a set that day because the way they're swinging the club. And i'll explain look today's not the day and maybe we'll do a bit of coaching. And we'll get you in a position to buy them they've come in to spend a few thousand pounds and i've said you're not buying them today.
That's quite how does that go down honesty yeah i think well they're gonna come back to me they do come back to me because i'm being honest someone who's desperate to get rid of that money might well that's not what i wanted i want to buy new toys today.
But there's less of them because golfers are pretty educated aren't they. So for me going through that process if we do decide on a product. And i also say when they come back for a handover session in that handover session we check the lives again make sure they're happy following on from that three months later we're going to go through the live process again because you might be having some coaching you might have changed your swing you might be swinging a bit differently. And we'll make alterations to the clubs for the lifetime of the clubs we'll make alterations free of charge so that means the fitting isn't just a one hit off you go the fitting is going to evolve over the next.
Three years potentially. And even easier with the driver to tune a driver five minutes in the studio you can twist you know tweak the face. And there you go i mean that sounds class that's the dream in it really that's how it if it should be really. But it's not reality is it it's. For for damn in my world yeah yeah i'd hate to think that well i know what will go on in some facilities i guess. So yeah. But we if you if you could obviously that's the dream scenario you get time to work with these customers that come and see you that trust you that want to work with that want to buy from you obviously we also experience there's there's retail stores out there that's just a smashing grab and they just want to take the money straight away because it's a business if you could um if you could remodel fitting could it be feasible to do what you're doing on a much larger scale. Or do you think that's your advantage of being an independent retailer that you can do it in the way that you do it i think any retailer needs to look after his customers. So i think any retailer can do what we just said they can research when that customer makes a first call. For the booking even if it's online they're going to get some information surely that information about the golfer how often he plays once they've got that they're going to learn about the client it's good. For me that mine is a member because i'll know them. But i do fit a lot of non-members obviously. And i'll get as much when that that retailer might have a well-trained coach or expert custom fitter he should be listening to the client he shouldn't just be imparting his information on he should listen to what they want he'll know what they need and again you've touched on the guy in the ballpark most people are going to be a certain kind of fit the key though is the after sales whether you buy a car whether you buy a pair of trainers it's how good that after sales is now if that retailer is sticking to a good after sales policy. And looking after the client after we spent a couple of thousand pounds potentially then.
The client will just keep coming back. So you're good at that because you have like a what you call it like a pickup server so a handover session yeah. So the handover session for me is it's twofold really one it's great that the customer comes in hits a few shots with me again. Or one of the coaches in the studio but but you're under selling this describe it because you really go out and pull out all the stops don't you because don't you box it in a nice damn webster box yeah. So we've done getting a little towel and is that still something yeah we do we again it's. For me it's making that purchase as special as possible i hate the thought that clown will come in collect his clubs. And off he goes i don't want that he might because he's time short maybe or wants to go and and that can happen if a customer wants to come. And collect his clubs he can get them he'll take them. But we will bring him back in. And go through the handover again but yeah i've given nice little gifts away. And made it an experience how would how would i want that kind of purchase to go for me that's what i try and recreate i do think that's something that i think retailers. Or anybody pros doesn't have to be a branded retailer but it can look overlooked the fact that you know in this day. And age now you don't think much of a set of irons costing a thousand pounds. But to most people a thousand pounds a lot of money so that bit of service is good. But another question i thought of then.
And i struggle with this when fitting was that most golfers think they hit it further than they do now obviously your members are members of a lynx course. So let's say whole what how hol how long's hold one at your point 3 30 but i bet most members in the summer when it's driving probably up towards the green on that hole with a good drive if they haven't smashed it or not you can get there. So in their head they can hit the driver 270 comfortably 280. get them on gc quad indoor. And it's now going 250. how does that hard. And sell them not to sell them to get them into a new driver because i think united further than this what's going on yeah there is always that conversation. But when you explain a bit about swing speed club speed the fact that i can set you can set the software on quad to replicate link's course i said i can have written at 290 if you want. But it's still only carrying 240 and that's what you're doing out there the more honest you are with the purchase the more i show the customer the better surely that's that's the life of retail. And you look at maybe where you've subconsciously or consciously taking this motivation from i mean i know obviously you you your family are also into cars. And things like that as well like when you go and pick up a nice new car like it is an experience like you want it to be an experience sometimes you have a nice cover on the car. And they'll unveil it and you have a nice cat like a key with with oh this is your new key. And they'll walk you through every single bit of the vehicle you think this is pretty good i like this. And when you ring them back up they've got your number saved on the system so that when you ring up they go oh hi mr shields how are you doing today.
It's like all those little things are. So important aren't they yeah do you know do you not think i mean we're in a i'm going i'm definitely going off tangent now. But we're in a challenging time retail is up against this biggest challenge it's ever had due to what's going on however. i. And i i'm still investing in it because i believe there is a place. For retail out there as a place for humanization rather than all this automaton because we still crave that you've just discussed it like you want that feeling yes you will be one day ordering your car from a website. And it'll get delivered to your home it's going to happen well it already is like tesla does it pretty much yeah. So we can't fight that that battle however. if we can keep delivering. And this goes out to any small independent retailer you keep delivering a good service you will succeed you'll be okay well that's one thing i wanted to touch on then.
That you kind of always alluded into those is again one thing.
