I purchased the full-bag fitting at the Rockville, Md., branch of Club Champion Golf. Nick Gunawan was my fitter. I was thoroughly pleased with my experience.

First of all, this place takes care of the customer. During my initial fitting, we were unable to go through the entire bag. We worked through a lot of shaft/head combinations to fit me for a set of irons. For whatever reason, that process took a long time. We finally came up with the ideal setup. But after taking so many swings, by the time it was time to move into the driver/woods fitting, I was completely fatigued. My swing speed was down and my muscles were beginning to tighten.

So we moved over to the putting lab and did some putting analysis. By this time, I had been there far longer than the three hours they allot for a full-bag fitting and I had to get going.

However, despite the excessive time we spent, Nick scheduled me for a follow-up session the next week. I didn't have to pay for this. It was included in my fitting because we didn't finish fitting me for a driver/woods.

I returned the next week and completed the fitting.

The thing I want to stress is, most placed would have made me bare that cost. It wasn't CCG's fault that I couldn't finish. They basically gave me two fittings for the price of one. I think that is worth noting.

As for the experience itself, what can I say? I mean, if you're a golf junkie, how can it get better? I equate this to a kid's bday party at a cool destination. It's just a complete blast to hit so many different club/shaft combinations. And I learned a lot while I was there. It was just a very fun experience.

I have not received my clubs yet so I cannot tell you if they have shaved strokes off my handicap. But I can tell you, the difference in shot/strike quality between my current clubs and the custom fit clubs was very recognizable.

I'll wrap this up by saying this: if you take golf seriously....if you're spending a lot of money buying different clubs or paying greens fees, this is really a no-brainer. Golf is an expensive sport. And we all want to get better and lower our handicap. It's a logical choice once you reach a certain level of commitment to the game that you should be custom fit.

You can get fit and walk out of there without making a purchase. They didn't pressure me to make a purchase. They gave me my specs and went over the price sheet. I was then able to tell them which clubs I wanted and which I would hold off on. (The great thing is, they keep a record....so if at some point you decide you need a club you chose not to buy, they can have it built without you having to go back through the fitting process.)

One last thing....this place isn't cheap. They aren't gouging you, either. But, you're paying for high-quality equipment and it's not cheap. So, prepare for sticker shock when they show you the price sheet. But for that cost, you're getting a club (or set of clubs) that are built specifically for you and your swing. To me, it was worth it. But each individual will need to make their own determination.

Overall, it was a fantastic experience. I have already recommended it to many of my golf buddies.