Five stars isn't enough for the experience I had at Austad's, and I want to make sure one name in…read moreparticular gets mentioned: Nick.
I walked in without an appointment, carrying about four clubs to trade in, and honestly expecting to be told to come back another day. Instead Nick took me straight to the bay and gave me the kind of fitting I'd expect from somebody who'd blocked out two hours for me. That alone would've earned a good review. What happened after is why I'm writing a long one.
I've only been golfing for about five months, and I told him that up front. He didn't talk down to me and he didn't just sell to the number on the launch monitor. He watched me swing a few times and already had a read on where my game was headed and where it actually was right now. He saw the good swings and the bad ones, including a few misses that went 295, and instead of pretending the bad ones didn't happen, he used them. He even took a few minutes to give me a couple of pointers on my swing, which wasn't his job and wasn't something I asked for. It was just him caring about the result instead of the sale.
I came in gaming a Titleist GTS3. Nick was honest with me and said he liked where I was with it. He could have stopped there. But he could also tell I had an itch I needed to scratch, so he let me hit all the low-spin heads I'd been reading about so I could see the numbers for myself and either confirm what I had or find something better. No pressure, no steering, just data and a straight opinion. I eventually landed on the Callaway Triple Diamond, and it was a decision I felt confident in because I'd actually tested my way there instead of being told.
Here's the part that sold me on Nick for life. They didn't have the exact shaft I needed in stock, and I was ready to just grab the stiff flex and go home with a new driver that day. Nick stopped me. He said, basically, "You're swinging 109, 110. If we do that, you're going to be standing right here in a few months trading this one in too." And he was right. I was caught up in the golf moment, the new-club excitement, and he was the voice of reason I didn't know I needed. He talked me out of the faster, easier sale because it was the wrong one for me. That's rare. Most places would've taken the money.
This was not an easy fitting. I'm a newer golfer with a fast swing and inconsistent misses, I showed up unannounced, I had trade-ins to sort through, and I was trying to make a decision I'd been going back and forth on for weeks. Nick handled all of it, took real time out of his day, and never once made me feel like I was a hassle.
I know Austad's gets some mixed reviews, and I understand people have had different experiences. Mine was outstanding, and the reason it was outstanding has a name. If you're going in for a fitting, especially if you're newer to the game and don't want to get sold the wrong thing, ask for Nick. He knows his stuff, he's honest even when honesty costs him a quicker sale, and he'll leave you more confident in your bag than when you walked in.
Thank you, Nick. Genuinely appreciate you.