Why Should I Be Fit For My Golf Clubs?

As we near the beginning of Summer and golf season is pretty much in full swing, now is a great time to consider checking the specs of your current equipment or even purchasing new and improved clubs.  At SMART Golf & Fitness Instruction we are heavily involved in the club fitting process in golf and believe this is a sure path to success. When getting fit properly for a set of golf clubs, we will take you through a series of measurements to ensure the equipment you are playing with is the best equipment for you. Just as you would be fit when buying a suit, the same holds true when buying your golf clubs.  

A qualified golf club fitter is going to check your specifications on several different factors. These include the club shape, club head make-up, shaft flex, shaft material, lie angle, grip style and size, and overall club length.

Club Shape & Club Material    

Club shape and make-up of the club material will vary depending on the skill level of the player.  Higher handicap players tend to need a more forgiving club head, that is usually made of a cast iron. On the other hand, a lower handicap player will generally fit into a smaller club head that is forged.  

Shaft Flex

Shaft flex and material largely depend on the overall strength, speed and tempo of the player.  A swing that produces very high speeds will generally need a stiffer flex in the shaft whereas a swing that produces slower swing speeds will need a more flexible shaft.  Shaft weighting is usually tied to overall swing tempo.  A faster swing tempo tends to match with lighter weight shafts whereas slower swing tempos tend to match with heavier shafts. 

Lie Angle 

Lie angle is going to be measured based upon what angle the golf club comes back to at impact.  If the toe of the club is up in the air at impact, then the club lie angle will need to be flattened.  If the heel of the club is up in the air at impact, then the lie angle will need to be more upright.  Lie angle is something that I check on an annual basis with my players as it can change when swing characteristics change.

Grip Style & Size

Grip style and size is going to depend on hand size as well as hand and wrist action during the swing.  If a player has a very fast hand action in the swing a larger grip can help to slow this down.  Whereas, if a player has very slow hand action during the swing a smaller size grip can help to speed this up.

Club Length

Club length is generally tied to the height of a player but actually can depend on a few other variables.  A taller player doesn’t always need longer clubs because of arm length just like a shorter player doesn’t always need shorter clubs.  Height certainly does play a role in this but where the arms hang play a role as well.  Certain swing characteristics can determine club length also.  If a player has the tendency to hit the ball on the heel of the club you might consider a shorter length, whereas if the player tends to hit the ball on the toe of the club you might consider a longer club.      

As you can see there are many factors that determine the make of a golf club.  If you are serious about your game and want to get serious about your equipment, contact us today.

We can help!

About the Author

Todd Russell is a Lead Golf Coach at SMART Golf & Fitness Instruction. He is a PGA of America Member and is recognized as one of the best golf instructors in the state of Illinois. Todd has been teaching and growing the game of golf for over 20 years. Working with thousands of students throughout his career, ranging from true beginners to high level tour players, Todd has developed the ability to make anyone better at golf.

Click here to learn more about Todd.