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Why fitted golf clubs? Let's take a look at some examples of golf club fitting. Example #1 You hit some shots with the provided clubs at a driving range or retail center. This is a trial-and-error "Demo Day" approach. You can be fitted with any club you want-as long as it's one of theirs and they happen to have it in stock. Example #2 This is "Demo Day" on vitamins. You hit several drivers while an electronic device called a launch monitor analyzes your swing. Assuming the $9/hour sales person has a clue as to what the launch monitor is telling him, again, you can be fitted with any club you want-as long as it's one of theirs already sitting on the rack. Example #3 You grip a club or three from a nifty "fitting cart" parked at the range. This is fine for measuring one or two fitting parameters, but not the 20 or so factors that a professional club maker can individually tailor for your swing. Example #4 Now we're getting into what I consider to be a true custom fitting. It usually starts with you being interviewed concerning your past playing tendencies and desired improvements. You will then be manually measured for club length and electronically measured for swing speed. from this information, the clubmaker will present you with a variety of shafts, grips and heads that he feels are acceptable. You make your choices from among those recommendations. Next, he will build a pilot club that you can test out, and alterations will be made from there. After this test period, needed changes will be noted and the final club built. Example #5 This example would consist of everything mentioned in example #4, plus a detailed analysis of your existing set and careful analysis of the proposed set as it is being built. Attention is paid to matching shaft frequencies or club MOI, swing weights, loft and lie tweaking, grip buildups, spine alignment, dead weight, balance point and so forth. This process, exclusive of the club building, takes about eight hours or so spread over multiple visits. Fitted golf clubs are only for really good golfers. NOPE!!!!!!!! The truth is exactly the reverse of that. Look at it this way. The pros and very low handicappers are skilled enough to be able to play well with almost any club they put in their hands. You, on the other hand are not; which means YOU need properly fitted golf clubs even more than THEY do. You need professionally fitted clubs to minimize your swing errors and to maximize your swing strengths. What I'm saying is, that a professionally fitted set of clubs, not your ticket onto the PGA Tour. However, a professionally fitted set of clubs, built to your swing characteristics, should/will make your golfing experiences more enjoyable.
**The preceding was taken in part from "The Search For The Perfect Golf Club" by Tom Wishon.** |