Full Answer
Why choose custom fitting golf clubs?
Custom fitting allows you to increase the chances of you hitting the ball well and consistently. The average American golfer swings a driver at around 93 mph. On tour, swing speeds with the driver are above 110 mph. So as golfers get better they tend to swing the club harder, this means that they need to get clubs that can handle this speed.
Do you plan on getting fit for golf clubs?
If you do plan on getting fit for clubs, it's important to understand a process where disconnect exists between consumers and many in the golf industry. One person who knows as much as anyone about professional club fitting is Ed Grabowy, head club fitter since 1991 at The Golf Doctor in Woodstock, Ga.
Are your golf clubs right for You?
With that expert, you should ensure that the clubs you have are right for you, or at least in the right wheelhouse. If they’re not, either have a club builder make alterations, or replace your clubs with different options.
Are too many golf clubs being poorly fit in shops?
While more golfers today are aware of the benefits of club fitting, too many are being poorly fit in local golf shops, big box stores and even by manufacturers. "I'm not sure how the fitting carts can do what we do," he said.
Do you really need custom golf clubs?
The simple answer is yes, it's definitely worth getting custom fit golf clubs. If you were to look at the back of a typical set of off the shelf clubs, they would usually have various markings on them as well as loft and lie angles.
Does custom fit clubs make a difference?
It's often misunderstood that only pro golfers should get custom fitted golf clubs. However, this is not the case! The benefits of custom fitted golf clubs are true for all golfing levels – even for beginners. Even as a novice golfer, you will have consistencies in your game.
Do I need a custom fit driver?
TAKE YOUR GAME TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH A FULL CUSTOM FITTING Also, a poorly fitted driver that has too little loft or a shaft that's too long, heavy, or stiff, will not only negatively affect your swing and produce poor shots but can also cause injuries by forcing you to over-swing.
What are the benefits of custom fitting golf clubs?
Here's ten reasons why you should get fitted for new clubs:You'll hit your irons straighter. ... Your distance control will improve. ... You will drive the ball longer and straighter by having a head and club shaft combination that best complements how you swing your driver.Your wedge game will improve.More items...
Is it worth getting your clubs fitted?
Is it worth getting my golf clubs fitted? Yes, it is absolutely worth getting your golf clubs fitted. A professional fitter will assess your swing speed, launch angle and lie angle at impact and then give you clubs that will produce the optimal flight numbers for your customised swing characteristics.
Should high handicappers get fitted clubs?
Custom fitted golf clubs can benefit every standard of golfer and particularly high handicappers. High handicappers are very inconsistent ball strikers and fitted clubs both increase the chances of hitting the ball out of the centre of the clubface and maximizing how far and straight mishits go.
Is club fitting worth it for beginners?
Getting fitted as a beginner can help build positive swing habits on the golf course. Having the correctly customized clubs can prevent problems like hooking the ball, slicing the ball, or hitting it thin or fat.
How much difference do fitted clubs make?
“The biggest thing about getting fit, and there's research about this through some of the big OEMs, 87 percent of all golfers who are fit are able to reduce their handicap by at least 10 percent,” Briand says.
How much does it cost to get golf clubs fitted?
On average it costs between $250 and $600 to get a full bag of golf clubs fitted. Driver only fittings typically cost from $50 to $175 as do 'irons' fittings. Wood/Hybrid and wedge custom fittings can be cheaper at $40 to $150 but golf club fitters will often 'refund' fitting costs if you buy clubs afterwards.
How long should I play golf before getting fitted?
The short answer is this: if you have played some golf and have clubs currently after a lesson or two I would suggest getting fit. If it is a brand new player, I recommend that we work the swing through 4 or 5 lessons and then get them fit.
What happens during a club fitting?
In short, club fitting is the process of determining which golf club allows a player to: Consistently strike a ball closest to the center of the face, with. Clubface that squares to the target line with the sole of the club flush to the ground, that. Optimizes a player's performance, feel and consistency, while.
Is putter fitting worth it?
By getting a proper putter fitting, you can improve the consistency of your short game. That is one of the main reasons to get a fitting. If you can become consistent in your putting, then your scores will improve and so will your confidence.
How to measure grip size?
When finding your grip size: 1 Measure the size of your hands 2 Look at the shape of the golfer’s shot
Is the grip too thick?
The size of the grip may also be too thick or too thin for you , if the grip size or length of club is not correct for you then you are already at a disadvantage. Image credit: Steve Cuckrov/Shutterstock.
Is custom fitted golf club good for beginners?
The benefits of custom fitted golf clubs are true for all golfing levels – even for beginners. Even as a novice golfer, you will have consistencies in your game. For example, we are not all the same height which means that using a club that is not the correct length for you can hinder your progress. The size of the grip may also be too thick ...
Why do golfers want to get fitted?
Too many golfers want to get fitted for new clubs because that's what the salesman or club pro told them to do, or because of some sense that nobody buys "off the rack" anymore. For some, fitted clubs will be money well spent, but others would be better off investing in some lessons first.
Why are my golf clubs so short?
If you strike the ball too close to the heel or toe of the club, or the sole bottoms out on the heel or toe, your clubs might be too long or short for you. The fitting process will reveal these problems, and you can have the clubs adjusted so your natural swing will regularly strike the ball on the sweet spot.
Can you fit a golf club around your swing?
You can't fit a club around your swing if you can't repeat it consistently. You will end up trying to fit your swing around the club. Before spending money in custom-fit golf clubs, invest in lessons from a PGA professional.
Can you swing the same as you normally would?
If you are tired, sore or not warmed up, you will not swing the same as you normally would. Don't come straight from work or when you only have a little time, then grab a club and start swinging. Schedule the fitting when you have sufficient time to stretch, warm up and patiently go through the process.
Why is consistency important in golf?
Consistency is the key to better golf at every level of play so that is your first goal. Once you have a more consistent action and have learned the kind of things you like in a club, you’re ready for a fitting. It always amazes me just how many people believe that bespoke clubs are just for elite golfers.
How fast does a golfer swing?
The average American golfer swings a driver at around 93 mph. On tour, swing speeds with the driver are above 110 mph. So as golfers get better they tend to swing the club harder, this means that they need to get clubs that can handle this speed.
Which is better, graphite or steel?
Steel gives you much more feel and is heavier. Graphite is best for those who need the reduced weight to help them gain some yardage. Other things that are customisable here are the stiffness of the shaft. Those who swing it harder will want a stiffer shaft to help them with stability through impact.
Does custom fit golf club help with bad swings?
Big benefits will come in terms of spin control and everything else mentioned above. Importantly though, a shiny new custom fit club will not cure a bad swing.
Do golf swings have the same action?
Golf swings are like fingerprints, no two people have the same action. For a start we all have different body shapes, levels of athleticism, height, weight and power. So why would you grab something off of the shelf when, for no extra money, you can get something made bespoke for you. The options in club-design these days are almost endless.
Neal Gladwin
I had a great experience at Callaway HQ. No stone left unturned and you end up with the ideal set up for you. The only downside is that you can't blame the clubs anymore! If you're serious about your golf, I think it's essential these days. It showed how bad my old clubs were for me. Totally unsuitable from shaft flex right through to grip tape.
Steve Fursland
I had two fittings. One was better than the other. One gave me different models and shafts to try, the other just gave me a couple of clubs and said regular shaft was okay. Having not been fitted before, I didn't know what to expect, but I thought the pro in the shop might have given more some more advice. I got a Ping G30 driver in the end.
Christopher Cockroft
I received my fitted clubs last week – irons and woods – and broke 80 for the first time ever at the weekend (taking seven shots off my previous best on the course!) and won my first competition. I was definitely striking the ball better but the confidence they gave me knowing they were made for how I swing was also a massive factor.
Mike Barker
I got fitted at my own club. It helped to identify best configuration to reduce variation in swing performance. I got the latest Mizuno JPX EZ forged with altered lie and lighter stiff shafts. Top pros switch annually so it suggests that good custom fitting will find the right club from any manufacturer.
Alex Pegler
Over the last four months I have been fitted for everything in my bag by Jason at Golf Principles. This is a real custom fit with great detail. Each time I have left with equipment it has been the maximum numbers I can achieve but far more than that it has been kit that I have a huge level of confidence in.
Colin Johnson
Club fitting is essential if you want to improve. I get fit by Lee Porter for everything. He has tour pros and top amateurs using him. Always finds the best for you and service doesn't stop once you've handed over the cash. Doesn't sell you something if you don't need it
Rich Yorke
I've been custom fit for all clubs but the main difference is with the driver, where it lowered my backspin by over 300rpm and lowered my flight significantly. It made a huge difference to dispersionand distance, and hitting it lower is always a bonus on Lyme Regis' Clifftop course!
A Golf Evangelist
Like many of you, I’m perpetually trying to get more people to play golf . From my wife (check), to my kids (results pending), to my friends (mainly failure), I want more people to enjoy the game that I love so much.
One Good Shot
Through the Plugged In Golf Podcast [listen HERE] and conversations with playing partners, I’ve asked dozens of people how they got started in golf. Almost every single person has the same answer, “I hit one good shot, and I was hooked. ”
Acceptance
Golf is intimidating. There’s a lot of equipment. We have books full of etiquette and rules. It’s expensive. And, it’s hard.
My Perspective
For background, Ricky is a good athlete, a three-sport competitor in high school. He’s also very humble about what he was able to do with his fitted clubs. To my knowledge, Ricky had not swung a club in years prior to our trip to the golf dome with his new PXGs. Without warm up or instruction, his first iron swing produced a high, straight shot.
Clubs vs. Lessons
This being not my first rodeo, I know that the most popular comment I’m going to get is, “They don’t need new clubs, they need lessons.” Please feel free to read that in the “Get off my lawn” voice.
What Should a New Golfer Buy?
If I were advising someone with a limited budget on what to get for a new golfer, I would suggest a four-piece set.
How to set yourself up to play golf?
In conclusion, here are the recommended steps to take in order to set yourself up to to play great golf and enjoy the game for years to come: 1. Get a basic club consultation from an expert. 2. Make the proper alterations to your current set, or purchase a budget-friendly starter set (anywhere from 1-14 clubs) 3.
What happens if a golf club is too short?
If a club is too short, too long, too light, too heavy, the lie angle is completely wrong, the club itself is the wrong design, or any of a number of factors are off , you could be setting yourself up for failure. The game-improvement irons on the left will be much more forgiving and enjoyable for beginners than the blade irons on the right.
What clubs should I use for Sones?
Sones recommends beginning students start with just a few clubs that fit correctly. For example, you can start with just a sand wedge, a pitching wedge, a 7-iron and a driver. This gives you a few proper tools to learn with. Once you get a few clubs or a full set that’s in the right wheelhouse for your skill level, physical size and budget, ...
Why is it important to get fit for beginners?
“It’s very important that beginners get fit because we develop our swings around the gear we use without even realizing it ,” Briand says.
Will my swing patterns change?
It is likely that your swing patterns will change after a number of lessons. Your angle of attack may change, your method of releasing the club could shift, and you will (hopefully) gain some speed and strength, too.
Does Daniel Berger use cavity back irons?
Daniel Berger uses cavity-back irons from 2011! Many amateur golfers of varying skill levels stunt the improvement of their games by believing they’re “ not good enough ” to get a club fitting. They say that once their golf game starts to improve they’ll invest in a professional fitting, but it’s not worth it yet.
Is Briand Sones a golfer?
Even though Briand is a club fitter and Sones is an instructor, both experts agreed that learning the game using poorly fit equipment is a huge hinderance on both improvement and enjoyment. “Some golfers believe they have to get to a certain level to get fit, but that’s a wrong perception,” Sones said. “Using the wrong clubs for you can negatively ...
What do the white dots on a golf club mean?
Once again, the white dots represent shots hit with the better-fit club, the yellow dots represent shots hit with the longer and more upright club and the purple dots represent shots hit with the shorter and flatter club.
What does Figure 1 show?
Figure 1 shows the same data, but removes the “outliers” to give us a better look at the clustering of more consistent shots hit with each of the clubs. You can analyze the data as deeply as you would like, but for me, just seeing the circles around the shot patterns is enlightening.
Why is club fitting so difficult?
Challenges often arise with club fitting because of preconceived notions that customers have. Those who pursue professional club fitting need to approach the process with an open mind and not let their expectations -- or egos in some cases -- interfere.
How long does it take to fit a golf club?
In terms of what to expect, Grabowy said that fitting a player for a full set of clubs will take about two and a half hours and include "educating" a player about his or her needs. The fitting process also remains pretty much the same for woods, irons and wedges.