Custom-fitting: What you need to know
A simple guide to a club-fit experience
Posted: 22 January 2009
by Joe Davies (Creosote)
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Hitting off grass is the optimal way to get fitted. A mobile radar monitor is being used to measure my swing speed.
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THE GOLF INDUSTRY constantly tells us it's no longer appropriate to choose a golf club 'off the shelf' and buy it, based on a mates' recommendation, a waggle in the shop and a swing in the net by the first tee.
And they're dead right. We're all different sizes and shapes, with dissimilar golf abilities and swings as unique as our fingerprint. So it makes sense to have our golf clubs tailored and fitted for us as individuals by a professional expert.
As a seasoned golfer, I was asked by Golfmagic.com to head down to one of my local fitters, ask the key questions, come back with some answers and report back on the experience.
What is club fitting?
Club fitting is matching the specifications of golf clubs to the individual golfer. Think of it as tailoring a bespoke suit. Just as the tailor would make sure the trouser legs aren't too short and the jacket fitted nicely across the shoulders, with golf clubs, they can be fine-tuned to your individual physique and golf swing.
Why get fitted?
Off-the-shelf golf clubs are manufactured to suit 'Mr Average.' But we're all different shapes and sizes and a club that's unsuitable will be detrimental to your game. You should not need to adjust your swing to accommodate the club. So it is sensible to use clubs that have been fitted for our personal size and needs to optimise our skill set and abilities. The bottom line is: Will it lower lower my scores? For most golfers, properly-fitted clubs will improve performance and lower scores.
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Jon Tate of IronWRX adjusts the lie angle of my wedge using a loft and lie machine.
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Who should get I fitted?
Whatever their experience or ability, all golfers will benefit from being fitted for equipment - from beginner to low handicapper.
What clubs can be fitted?
Every club in the bag - from driver to putter. Some fitters recommend starting with the scoring clubs - putter, wedges and short irons - then work through mid-irons, long irons and metalwoods. It's a seductive temptation to start with the driver but the potential gains here, in terms of improvement and reducing your handicap, are smaller than with the scoring clubs. So it's worth giving consideration to having ALL your clubs fitted, not just the ones that give you a particular thrill by being hit further!
Where can I get fitted?
Most golf retail outlets now offer a fitting service. However, with some outlets it's something of a token effort. I recommend visiting an independent specialist club-fitter whose field of expertise is club fitting rather than club selling.
What should I look for in a club fitter?
A good club fitter will have a professional club fitting qualification. They will have a wealth of experience and positive testimonials from happy customers. Ask to see them.
I recommend visiting a fitter that uses an outside hitting area (preferably from grass) rather than just an indoor mat, a net and a launch monitor. Watching your personal ball flight in the cold light of day is an important part of understanding a golfer’s requirements. As with so much in life, seek help in identifying a fitter to suit you from those whose opinion you respect. Ask around and read the related threads on the golfmagic.com forum.
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Impact tape is applied to the clubface to show where a player is consistently striking the ball. Here it's fairly central.
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Do I need to visit a fitter that uses a Launch Monitor?
Not essential. While the fashionable Launch Monitor (LM) can provide the fitter with additional information such as ball spin rates and trajectory - and in the hands of a good fitter is a useful tool - a professional who uses traditional methods is, in my opinion, every bit as good and may produce better results for your game.
How should I prepare for the session?
No special preparations are required. Take along your own clubs as a handy guide for the fitter and use them to warm up for your session.
What should a fitting cost?
Some facilities charge upto £50 - after all you're using a qualified fitter's facilities, time and expertise - and you may want to take the information learned to purchase a more attractive deal elsewhere. However, mostly I've found that any nominal charge is refundable against a purchase made from that fitter. You might even get a fitting free but ask when you book your session.
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Hitting off a lie board leaves a temporary, tell-tale mark on the sole of the clubhead to show the fitter whether the lie angle is correct.
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What will the club fitter do?
Your physique tends to determine choice of shaft length and grip size and using a variety of tools and physical measurements, the fitter will determine the key aspects of your required clubs. Fitting tools include a lie board to determine how upright or flat the clubhead needs to be in relation to your height and the way you address the ball.
Impact tape on the face of the club will show where you tend strike the ball most consistently and a swing-speed/launch monitor, if available, can measure your swing speed which largely dictates the stiffness of shaft you need. However, a good club fitter will mostly use their experienced eyes and knowledge to make their recommendations.
How long will a club fitting session take?
A good club fitter will spend at least a couple of hours discovering your needs, depending on how many clubs you want fitted. They will usually advise you at the time of booking how long the fitting might take but always allow for extra time, as most fitters are very thorough and want to ensure you're fully satisfied with their service and recommendations.
What if I'm having a bad swing day?
Don’t despair! Take your time, relax and swing smoothly. That's why it's important to warm-up first. The fitter will be used to golfers being a little nervous and their experience will enable them to see past the poor swings and focus on the ones that more accurately portray their client's normal swing.
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Joe Davies examines the club fitter’s bag demo 6-irons and pitching wedges of different shaft specifications to help the fitter to fine-tune his recommendations.
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Do I have to buy new clubs or can my current ones be adjusted?
This depends largely on how suitable your current clubs are for you. A fitter may recommend a small change such as an adjustment of their lie angle - to more flat, neutral or more upright - in which case your current clubs will usually be adjusted for a small charge. If a more radical change is recommended, this can include new shafts, grips or new clubs altogether.
Can I try before buying?
Some fitters will loan demo clubs for you to try as they want you to experience the changes on your regular course, under normal playing conditions and using your preferred ball - as opposed to harder ones on the range. But this isn’t always possible. They tend not to stock too many demo clubs required to cover every variant. You are putting yourself in the hands of the fitter and trusting their skill and judgment.
What if I can’t get on with the clubs he fits for me?
A good club fitter won't be happy until you're happy! They will tweak and fine-tune them until the clubs are working for you. Once properly fitted you will look back and wonder why you ever struggled with clubs that were unsuited to you. You will gain confidence, play better, score better, and lower your handicap.
*My thanks to Jon Tate of
IronWRX, based in Hook, Hampshire (user ' rgjusa' on the Golfmagic.com forum) for hosting my club-fitting session.
Tell us on the forum about your club-fitting experiences.
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Discuss this story
I'm wanting to get some new custom fitted clubs but dont know where to go. I might go down to The Belfry, but this is bit of a treck form Preston. Anyone know a good place to go in the north west. Also does anyone have any ideas of which clubs I should get for around £400. I've got some Macgrogor M455's at the moment but want something a little smaller now.
Posted: 24/01/2009 11:47
It depends how it is used for sure unfortunately most are just there to reinforce club sales. simple rules when you go on the monitor are you using the same ball you play with have both your own clubs and the test clubs been accurately measured, prior to fitting are you hitting off turf and not a lie board if its not yes to all of the above the results are of very little use other than playing on tiger woods wii game imo
Posted: 24/01/2009 20:29
I suppose that I am very fortunate in that my first and long-time golf coach was also Head Professional at Wentworth GC and as a major part of his training as an Assistant Pro had gained a considerable knowledge of club-fitting and renovation and he passed a good deal of that on to me. In those days in the early-mid 1950s there was only a fraction of the choice of heads shafts, grips etc, swingweighting was an inexact science, as was lofting and lying which was generally carried out with a sort of hammer as sophisticated loft and lie machines were quite some years ahead. However, THE most important factor in getting one's irons right for the individual was this aspect and as all irons then were forged they were easy to move about. At this time the only woods available were made from persimmon and Harry Busson at Walton Heath was the most celebrated clubmaker of the day. I had three of his woods-cost me a packet- and many variables were available which could be included in the specification which was agreed and logged with him for future reference! Colour(stain) usually natural brown showing off the grain, but sometimes black -which Harry loathed!- then varying lofts, clubs lying square or toed out(no toeing in as Harry refused to do this!) up to 2*, and a wide variety of inserts,ebony, ivory!!, metal, a sort of very hard composite I forget the name of, length and lie of club to suit the individual, preferred swingweight, type and thickness of grip-invariably leather as composites and rubber were not regularly used/available. Yes, those were the days and a set of John Daly Master model irons( about the size of toothpicks and almost as difficult to play with) and a Busson driver and SPOON went into my bag at the age of 17 and remained there for many years, much admired by my fellow golfers. They could not be sold for scrap today,probably!
Posted: 24/01/2009 22:00
23rdman While I do not disagree that a launch monitor can help you, don't you feel your 'angle of attack', your 'club head speed', 'spin rates' et al, will be obvious from your ball flight? Didn't John Jacobs,one of the best teachers of the recent past make great capitol of standing with his back to the striker of the ball and telling him what they are doing wrong? Angle of attack? Anyone fitter worth his salt should be able to tell you. I myself know when I'm coming down to steeply or coming 'nicely' from the inside on a given day. It's not rocket science, it's just some wish it were
Posted: 24/01/2009 22:45
23rdman While I do not disagree that a launch monitor can help you, don't you feel your 'angle of attack', your 'club head speed', 'spin rates' et al, will be obvious from your ball flight? Didn't John Jacobs,one of the best teachers of the recent past make great capitol of standing with his back to the striker of the ball and telling him what they are doing wrong? Angle of attack? Anyone fitter worth his salt should be able to tell you. I myself know when I'm coming down to steeply or coming 'nicely' from the inside on a given day. It's not rocket science, it's just some wish it were
Gentlemen- Do not confuse golf instruction ( ala John Jacobs) with club fitting. These are two entirely, different sciences that are not related to eachother...but when both incorporated properly can make you the best golfer you can be.
Posted: 24/01/2009 23:25
Indacup With Tom Haliburton my golf teacher at Wentworth and Harry Busson at Walton Heath I had masters in both disciplines looking after me!
Posted: 25/01/2009 18:11
Boa! There names are well known...even over here! You have been quite fortunate! My instructor is Larry Gladsen, who also taught Zach Johnson (who's also a club member with me).....I get a kick seeing Zach do his unique set up and pre-shot routine that Larry teaches his students...like a fingerprint...we all know who he touched ; ) Actually Zach and I are very similar in game...except he's longer, more accurate, smarter, better, richer, putts better, better shape and a proven winner.... Okay, maybe we NOT so similar
Posted: 25/01/2009 19:47
well just got back. well met a friendly guy who took me into the custom fit suite opened up the shutter to a 300 yrd massive outfield, Took my old driver with me told him why i wanted a new driver (because im taking golf serious and want something to suit me through summer etc) so he got me to hit 10 balls off the mat while the camera techno worked out my stats like ball and club speed and rpm on the ball distance carry etc etc. told him my price range and he brought out clubs of different sort tm burner ping rapture and titlist 909 i took a fancy to the titlist 909 then worked on the specs from there hitting balls seeing wat worked etc etc different shafts and degrees. in the end he improved my shot a great deal now getting a more penetrating flight that will roll on the fairway (rough) rather than drop out the sky dead. showed me the comparison between ball flights from my old cleveland to the titlist and improvements can be shown. The pro then went on to tell me how i could get more out the driver by a change of stance and grip etc and also wat balls to use for better flight. All in all i cant fault them i left the academy confident and knowing everything i needed to kno. got the driver ordered now and cant wait  if u have any questions tiger wes i work at the belfry on the greenkeeping department so i could help if needed andy
Posted: 26/01/2009 19:01
Indacup Every time you post you seem to have much of interest to give to me and to the board generally. However, I just cannot believe that you and Zach are so similar. I have a notion that you just HAVE to be better looking and have a MUCH less tortuous swing( Tom would have HATED Zach's, as I do despite him being a major winner). Why does he make everything look so COMPLICATED? The rest about him is probably undeniable I like to think that my rhythm at least is like one of my great heroes-Tom Watson- and although my swing up to the age of 55 used to be the same length, now 18 years on it is a lot shorter although it seems to work well despite my great age!
Posted: 26/01/2009 19:16
Creo - good article, very informative. Personally I went to Callaway in Chessington[presumably the indoor simulator? ED] for my iron and driver fitting and although I was initially unsure of the results as I thought I should have better players irons and a lower lofted driver. In the end I went with what the fitting recommended and have not regretted it, I am still happy with the irons 4 years on and I can't imagine changing them. Driver I have swapped and changed and come back to a newer model in the same spec as recommended. So all in all I have had a positive experience with positive feedback.
Posted: 26/01/2009 19:43
tbh ive got the titleist dcomp.. and ive not found it brand new anywhere cheaper online than £275 but i payed that including the custom fit session which lasted an hour. my mate also just bought a ping g10 £180 inc custom session
Posted: 26/01/2009 21:12
Oldboy wrote ( see) 23rdman While I do not disagree that a launch monitor can help you, don't you feel your 'angle of attack', your 'club head speed', 'spin rates' et al, will be obvious from your ball flight? Didn't John Jacobs,one of the best teachers of the recent past make great capitol of standing with his back to the striker of the ball and telling him what they are doing wrong? Angle of attack? Anyone fitter worth his salt should be able to tell you. I myself know when I'm coming down to steeply or coming 'nicely' from the inside on a given day. It's not rocket science, it's just some wish it were
I'm a big fan of John Jacobs' approach, i.e. it's all about the ball-flight, I would say that he is my biggest influence. Having done a lot of fitting last year using Trackman though, if the launch technology is there to be used, then it's definitely an added advantage. Quite often, 2 different clubhead/shaft combinations can provide similar results in terms of feel and ball-flight, the differences in launch angles, spin and distance can be almost invisible to the naked eye. If you bear in that the average player is going to make varying swings anyway, what a launch monitor can do is show the best and average performances of individual clubs over a series of 5 to 10 shots. So whilst the difference between 2 clubs may not be too noticeable over 1 or 2 shots, over 20 or so the technology can tell us which is performing better. I think Andy 206's post represents the perfect fitting: he compared his own club to several others, ended up with the one he liked most in the optimum head/shaft combination, received some tips on swinging better and left, as he said, "confident and knowing everything he needed to know".
Posted: 27/01/2009 10:26
yerrp so if your definatley going to buy the club book a session in and the custom fit is free.. you could also get custom fit anyway and buy else where but you have to pay £50 which i think you get back as vouchers for the shop or summat. you would have to ask.
Posted: 27/01/2009 16:51
pasty IMO if a golfer is and has been a really good player and very well coached originally, he/she SHOULD be able to choose a driver himself from FEEL, distance, flight and shape of shot without advice from a fitter!
Posted: 27/01/2009 18:23
I currently play off 16, having taken up golf 10 years ago at age 50. I use Mizuno MP30's, standard loft and lie, with DG Lite S300 shafts (fitted for me by a club pro in 2004) and last year achieved my lowest ever score of net 60, even with a blow out on the 18th. Now, I want irons custom fitted, to get even lower, but even with all the above information, I remain confused. In the Surrey area, I have access to Precision Golf, Premium Golf (Worplesdon), Gilroys Golf and IronWRX, and no doubt others, all offering custom fitting services, but not necessarily with the same head/shaft options. I still like the look and feel of Mizuno MP irons, but there are dozens of others out there. Given all the permutations and without the experience of some of the GM members, what is the best starting point - find a clubhead that one likes, ie Mizuno, Titleist, or even a non mass market club ie Nakashima and then find somebody who stocks that head and a shaft to match or do you suggest a different course. My initial instinct is to have an outside fitting, as I feel that testing clubs indoors with the inevitable height/width restrictions of a testing booth could subconsciously affect my (occasionally erratic) swing. All comments appreciated.
Posted: 30/01/2009 10:03
I have to disagree quite strongly with the statement regarding launch monitors. It's essential for a proper fitting to know your angle of attack, clubhead speed, launch angles and spin rates. A fitters eye is no match for decent scientific analysis. I had a set of irons custom fit for me using the fitters eyes and my subjective feedback along with a couple of bits of impact tape. Theyre quite simply the best set of irons i've ever hit. I didnt need to know any stats relating to what the club or ball were doing becasue I could see the results of ball flight with my own eyes and feel the impact quality for myself. The trouble with LM's is that folks become overly reliant upon them becasue they think they are providing black and white answers to what are really subjective questions. Its easy to lose sight of what you are trying to achieve when the focus is on reducing spin from 3000rpm to 2950rpm becasue the LM tells you that will give you 1mph of extra ball speed and a yard and a half of extra distance. Rather than being essential, LM's are simply just another tool in the fitters kit to help him find the right setup for you.
Posted: 04/02/2009 10:08
GJM - I think the starting point is more a decision on the type of fitting you think you would enjoy most and get most benefit from. While there are many fitting locales, they basically fall into two camps, a more "traditional" method, and a Launch Monitor method. I personally prefer the former, and some prefer the latter. Alternatively you could arrange a session with both, take their input and then decide. You say you think you would prefer the outdoor approach and generally that will be with a more traditional approach to fitting. I think you would most likely do better with a softer shaft in your irons, and any decent fitter will be able to guide you on this. In terms of iron heads, a fitter can advise but also personal preference comes into it, do you prefer bladed club, or a larger header cavity back. There really is a wealth of choice. My recommendation would be to set up an initial fitting session with one of the known GM fitters, and take it from there. You may well be very happy straight away, and if you have doubts of course you can always go somewhere after for a "second opinion".
Posted: 07/02/2009 02:11
It's a no brainer, custom fit from a professional clubmaker every time! Every little bit helps. Enjoyment up and handicap down from 16 to 9 in 2 years is endorsement in itself. Unconvinced that the chain stores know what they're doing although you may find a gem and if you do let us know.
Posted: 10/02/2009 11:48
Anyone got any reviews on Custom Golf Studio, near Cambridge regarding a fitting using the Trackman.
Yes.
Mark is very very good at what he does. I've been to see him on a couple of occaisions....(mainly minor tweaking / shaft recommendations rather than a total "full fitting" ) but I know a lot of guys over on another couple of forums who have used him and all speak very highly about his service.
Posted: 24/07/2009 15:16
Anyone got any reviews on Custom Golf Studio, near Cambridge regarding a fitting using the Trackman.
Spent an hour with Mark when he brought his Trackman up to South Yorkshire.
It ended up being an excercise in checking my existing equipment, as the specs I needed were nearly exactly what I already had. But Mark is very knowledgeable and a pleasure to talk to. No pressure selling.
Posted: 24/07/2009 16:05
Trackman is state of the art and is pretty good being fitted up on that you cant go far wrong. I have been on the trackman and its impressive if wanting even more detail you may want to try totalgolfanalyiss.co.uk (i have some interesting data from them too! they have tested many top tour pros and longdrivers and sister company in the US produced this clip) http://trackman.dk/Media/Videos/The-Open.aspx Demonstrates trackman also shows Norman hitting it 310 (Always been a fan of his so nice to see he can still do it) Trackman is the Rolls Royce of fitting devices but as it is ridiculously expensive most people have to use alternate systems, saying that for the tiny difference its debateable whether its worth paying extra unless you are a tour pro. I would not pay to be fitted on trackman as cheaper fittings can offer the same information. K
Posted: 24/07/2009 16:26
Trackman is the Rolls Royce of fitting devices but as it is ridiculously expensive most people have to use alternate systems, saying that for the tiny difference its debateable whether its worth paying extra unless you are a tour pro. I would not pay to be fitted on trackman as cheaper fittings can offer the same information. K
I wont talk on Marks behalf about his business model, but, whilst I accept that many fitters using Trackman will factor in the cost of the device into what they charge for a fitting session, surely the vast amount of what you pay for is the fitters expertise?
For all the data that these devices provide, they dont then splutter out a list of shafts that will turn the player into the next Tiger Woods do they. (Actually, I'm sure they probably can/could but any fitter relying on this feature isnt a club fitter at all in my book!!). You still need the fitters knowledge and experience to be able to suggest a shaft (or head etc.) that will improve whatever is trying to be improved...this suggestion must also be based on feedback from the golfer themselves as well as the "numbers" provided by the Trackman. It is this level of skill on the part of the fitter that you are really paying for.
Posted: 25/07/2009 11:54
For all the data that these devices provide, they dont then splutter out a list of shafts that will turn the player into the next Tiger Woods do they. (Actually, I'm sure they probably can/could but any fitter relying on this feature isnt a club fitter at all in my book!!). You still need the fitters knowledge and experience to be able to suggest a shaft (or head etc.) that will improve whatever is trying to be improved...this suggestion must also be based on feedback from the golfer themselves as well as the "numbers" provided by the Trackman. It is this level of skill on the part of the fitter that you are really paying for.
I recently went for a driver fitting with James at Lindfield GC who had been recommended by a lot of people I know. I hadn't seen Creo's article beforehand (btw, good report!) and have to say that James carried out everything that Creo recommended and more.
James is a club maker who takes a great deal of pride and enjoyment doing his job. He openly admits he is a geek about it and enjoyed sharing all the details with me as we worked through the fitting. I started by hitting a lot balls with my current driver and using the launch monitor was really amazed looking at all the stats, ie swing speed, spin etc etc He also told me I was hitting it on the down rather than the up and that the face was open on contact. BTW, I was hitting my irons on the down as I am supposed to !! James then got me to hit a couple of different options with his drivers (snake eyes) and analysed the results on the lm. He then told me that he couldn't come to an instant decision and explained that he wanted time to work out which variant would be the best for me. I was so impressed as he didn't just jump to an immediate conclusion. So at the moment he is working out which he feels will best suit MY game and when I go to collect my club will hit a few more, take it out onto the course for a week or so and then if it's right, pay for it ! His eye for detail, time for consideration, sheer love of golf and good service made it a really positive experience and now the only way I would go if I needed new clubs.
Posted: 06/08/2009 15:58
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