Many golfers are surprised to learn that a custom club fitting can take their game to new heights and lower their handicap!
It may surprise you to learn that more than half of all golfers haven’t had a proper club fitting. Playing with ill-fitted equipment makes the game harder and less enjoyable, and can make you more prone to injury.
Since most golfers don’t have access to a personal launch monitor (such as SkyTrak), we’ll need to go elsewhere for an in-person club fitting.
Taking a set of off-the-rack clubs requires a golfer to adjust his or her swing to each club, throwing off your stance. Custom fitting takes the opposite approach.
For example: having a driver that’s fit to your swing can help you optimize your ball flight, which will increase both your distance and accuracy. In fact, the majority of golfers who went through a custom fitting added over 20 yards to their drive and lowered their scores by as much as five strokes per round. Sounds great, right?
Why See a Professional Club Fitter?
One of the most important things a professional club fitting can do for you is analyze your swing- something that’s quite difficult to do on your own, especially without the advanced technology used in the process.
Big box stores, your local golf shop, or maybe even that fancy van on the course typically don’t have the tech, resources, or equipment selection to properly fit you for clubs.
Having The Right Mindset
Some golfers can get hung up on preconceptions they may have when going through the fitting process, which can bring challenges for both the golfer and the fitter.
It’s important to have an open mind and put your ego aside for this process.
What Do I Need To Bring To A Club Fitting?
Consult with your fitter for specifics, but as a rule of thumb you’ll want to bring the clubs you usually hit with, along with any additional equipment (gloves, shoes, and your preferred golf ball).
How Long Does a Club Fitting Take?
Fitting a player for a full set of clubs usually takes around three hours from start to finish.
Most professional fitters have the option of fitting for the full set, but also provide fittings for specific club types. Refer to the table below for some common guidelines:
| Fitting Type | Average Time Requirement |
| Full Bag (All Woods, Irons, Wedges, & Putter) | 3 hours |
| Long Game Fitting (Drivers, Fairways, & Hybrids) | 2.5 hours |
| Driver Fitting | 1.5 hours |
| Iron Fitting | 1.5 hours |
| Fairway Wood or Hybrid Fitting | 1 hour |
| Wedge Fitting | 1 hour |
| Putter Fitting | 1 hour |
What is the Club Fitting Process?
It’s important to understand the process before going in for your fitting – being prepared can give you a much better experience and ensure you’re getting the best value for your time and money.
The Pre-Fitting Interview
Most professional club fitters start the process with an interview consisting of a short question and answer session between the fitter and the golfer.
This allows your fitter to better understand your needs, goals, and concerns about your game. Having this knowledge allows them to achieve the best outcome for you.
Fitting for Clubs
Once your interview is complete, the fitting process can begin. First, your fitter will analyze your performance using your current set of clubs with the assistance of a launch monitor.
Using a launch monitor will help your fitter to get very specific details on your club delivery and ball flight- two critical components of your fitting. Your fitter is also paying attention to your swing style, posture, and overall approach while this process is happening, giving them all the details they need.
Once you’ve been analyzed using your current clubs, the true fitting will start. Expect to hit over 100 shots during your fitting while using a variety of club heads and shafts. Depending on the fitter, you may experiment with different adjustments to the lie of each club face.
This process will be repeated for each type of club you’re being fitted for (drivers, irons, wedges, and putters – all can be custom fit). We’ll cover each of these unique processes next.
Driver Fitting
Your driver will be optimized for feel, playability, and overall performance.
- Length is fit to optimize for consistency and distance.
- Loft is determined to maximize your launch angle and spin rate required to get the greatest distance and ball flight.
- Shaft flex is decided based on your swing characteristics to optimize your distance, trajectory, and feel.
- Grips will be optimized based on your feel preference and characteristics
Iron Fitting
Each club in your set will be customized for your swing using dynamic and static measurements.
- Club length is fut to optimize for accuracy, distance, and posture.
- Club head design is chosen with look, feel, and desired level of forgiveness in mind.
- Based on the characteristics of your swing, your fitter will recommend shaft material (graphite or steel), shaft weight, and shaft flex. This will help you achieve greater ball flight trajectory, distance, control, and feel.
- Using an impact board and lie-angle impact tape, your fitter will match you for the proper lie angle, which will help with directional control and ball flight.
- Lofts will be addressed in this process in order to help with distance control and gapping.
- Grips will be optimized based on your feel preference and grip characteristics.
Wedge Fitting
Your swing and wedge technique will be analyzed to help you determine which wedges will best suit your play style.
- The fitter will help select the best sole design to optimize the club’s turf interaction.
- Your fitter will help determine the proper amount of “bounce” in your wedges to prevent it from digging too much in the sand or ground.
- Wedge gapping will help optimize for the correct lofts you should carry to best address your short game (120 yards and in from the pin).
Putter Fitting
The putter accounts for 40% of your game, making it the most-used club in your bag. Having a properly fit putter can make a huge impact on your game.
- The fitter will help determine which head style best matches your putting style. Once you’ve selected a putter, it will be fit for length, loft, and lie.
- Proper putter length will help your stance, line of sight, and improve your overall consistency – both distance and control.
- Finding the best loft for your stroke will help with your putt’s roll and distance control.
- The lie of your putter is critical for maintaining directional control.
In-Depth Club Fit Analysis
By measuring your original club performance, your fitter can now compare those stats with the new customized shaft and head combinations, fine tuning a customized recommendation.
Recommendation of Clubs
Once all data has been gathered, you and your fitter will walk through a complete breakdown of your results and a recommendation will be made by your fitter.
If you prefer hybrids rather than long irons, your fitter will perform a gapping analysis to ensure the yardage gaps near the top end of your bag are optimized.
The makeup of your set will allow you to get the best performance out of every club.
Quote and Ordering Your Custom Clubs
Your fitter will provide you a detailed price quote and can typically order from the manufacturer(s) the same day. Certain fitters offer financing of clubs as well.
Club Delivery
When your custom built clubs arrive, your fitter will inspect them to make sure the fit is perfect. You’ll come in to verify your clubs, which may involve shooting them on the launch monitor to confirm performance.
Now you’re ready to try out your new custom fit clubs on the course!
Ball Fitting
Some professional club fitters also offer golf ball fitting services. If offered, your fitter will take all of the data already collected in your club fitting process – along with your personal preferences – and use that information to make some recommendations on the best golf ball for your game.
How Much Does A Golf Club Fitting Cost?
The average club fitting for a full bag runs around $350. Individual club fittings for drivers and irons cost an average of $150, while fittings for putters and wedges will be closer to the $100 range.
Some fitters offset the price of a custom fitting by discounting against a purchase of new equipment.
Conclusion
Having a set of properly fit golf clubs can be expensive – as can be the fitting process – but most golfers will tell you it’s money well spent.
Many golf instructors and course professionals agree that a fitting holds the most value in improving a golfer’s game. You’re now well prepared for the process- it’s time to find a qualified professional fitter and take your game to the next level!
