In order to improve your game, you need three things. A set of goals and a way to measure them, and a desire to learn. You also need a set of tools to get the job done. Club fitting is a process to determine what tools you need. What I’ve found during my research (online) is that there are not many articles that describe the procedure…from the fitter’s profile. Actually there are some great websites that can teach you everything there is to know about club fitting from a technical position, but few that even comment on the role of the “fit-e“.
I feel that there is a Multi-Level approach to club fitting. It is a sequence of events that ultimately produce a measured outcome.
All tool boxes aren’t the Same
I’ve stated in previous posts that “technology” is a main reason to get fit for clubs. We all can agree that Golf Club Manufactures are doing a great job in making the game easier. Shots are flying further, straighter, and stopping sooner. These manufactures understand the need/demand of golfers to have the special “edge”. The problem I’ve seen is that there are no standards in golf clubs. Other than rules defining what a club’s headsize, COR (coefficient of restitution) and groove design, Manufactures do not have a set standard for the lie, loft or overall weight of a golf club. This wild-wild west mentality can cause problems across the club fitting process. So all the tool boxes, and their tools are not the same.
Click here to see the spec’s of some of the top clubs for 2010.
What the golfer needs to do to get Fit
In the multi-level approach, the person getting fit for clubs and the club fitter need to work together to optimize the process. This is a list I developed to help fit-e’s (that means you!):
- Evaluate your goals. What do you need? More consistency? Length? Accuracy?
- Be realistic. If you hit the ball 230 yards off the tee, don’t believe that a magic club will now get you an extra 50 yards…unless the club you currently use is defective, or so behind the times (i.e persimmon woods, Pre-Watson era, etc.)
- Bring your actual swing. You need to be warmed up, hit a small bucket of balls prior to your fitting. Make sure that you are at least 80% regular (meaning you are hitting 8 out of 10 shots as you normally do)
- Trust your swing, don’t make changes during the fitting process
- Feel…Feel…Feel…every swing. Let your hands, ears, eyes give you feedback. Tell your fitter if something feels good, and or bad.
- Be open minded. Do not let a fancy name, shaft dictate your outcomes. Trust what the process is.
- Hit every club 10 times. Go with the percentages. If you select one club over the other because 1 shot went really well, then you have wasted an opportunity.
- Write down every single spec of the club(s) you are hitting. Shaft flex, type, weight. Clubhead size, material, loft. Grip size and type. You need as much information available to make the “right” choice. Failure to do so can become an expensive mistake.
- Question…Question…Question. Ask as many as needed. Understand the process. If you don’t know, damn well find out.
- Compare your current clubs to those you are testing. Have the process done on them as well. See if they really are part of the problem. Some tools can be re-shafted, bent or gripped.
- I can’t stress this enough…DON’T BUY on one fitting. If you need to, wait an hour and do it again with your top 3 or 4 choices.
These are some of the things that you need to do prior and as you are getting fit.
