Custom fitted Golf Clubs

ESTABLISHED PLAYER

Now if you are an established player it is more important to get custom fitted.
To help you to see if you are getting a professional service these guidelines will help you to ask the right questions and receive the best possible clubs for your game.

There are 2 areas in which you should be fitted Static fitting and Dynamic fitting.
Static fitting is done in by taking 4 simple measurements and getting an idea of what clubs you will need and then there is dynamic fitting which is on the range or practise ground striking balls of a strike or lie board and also recording your swing speed.

The 4 measurements are:

• Height
• Wrist to floor
• Hand Span
• Index finger length.

All of these measurements will give a picture of what you will need.

WHY IS CUSTOM FITTING IMPORTANT.

Golf clubs can be likened to golf shoes, you wouldn't want to play the game of golf in a size 7 if you are a size 10 now would you?
A good custom fitting will ensure that the sole of the club is completely flat on the floor when you strike the ball.
If you clubs are too upright the first contact with the ground will be with the heel of the golf club, this will make the club turn over quickly producing low hooked shots very similar to the way the club can react in long grass.
If the clubs are too flat for you the first contact will be with the toe of the club producing high weak shots to the left.
The main factors in custom fitting are:

• Grip size
• Lie angle
• Length of club
• Shaft flex

If the grip size is too small the wrists can become too active in your shots and this can produce hooks.
If they are too large you hands and wrists become too passive causing blocked shots to the right.
We have covered Lie angle in the previous paragraph, too upright- hooked shots, too flat pushed shots.
Length of club if the club is too short it can lead to thinned or topped shots
If the club is too long it can lead to heavy or fatted shots

Shaft flex

The shaft is the engine of the club it bends more than you would imagine in the downswing if the shaft is too flexible or whippy the maximum club head speed will have been reached in your downswing before you have hit the ball and as you strike the ball the shaft will actually be slowing down causing the club to increase in loft and point left at impact causing high pulled shots.
If the shaft is too stiff the shaft will have not reached its maximum speed at impact causing the club to lag behind the shaft at impact causing you to hit low shots to the right. Correct shaft fitting will ensure the club is going at is terminal velocity as you strike the ball and this is done by measuring you club head speed with a swing speed meter.
With a 6 iron if you swing speed is below 50 mph then a graphite shaft would suit
50 - 65mph then a steel regular shaft would suit.
65+mph then a steel stiff shaft would suit.
CLUB HEAD DESIGN
Club head design choice is entirely up to you. Don't rush your choose make sure you like the look of the iron when you address the ball because this will breed confidence and a confident player is a better player.
Most players choose a cavity bladed iron which will give you the pure clean lines which aid accuracy and alignment and the forgiveness of a cavity.
If you are more of a feel player you may want to choose a bladed golf club, many pros such as Tiger Woods, Sergio Garcia, Adam Scott and Ernie Ells to name a few used bladed clubs.
These clubs are made of 431 steel which is softer more malleable steel which will offer you better feel as opposed to the cavity 17-4 steel which is harder and more durable.
The 431 steel will dent very easily so if you choose these clubs a decent bag with good dividers is advisable or even some iron covers or face savers.
If you have brought second hand and have gone for a bladed club which have a few dents in them you can restore them to their former glory by a professional technique called sand blasting.
This will strip the irons of most dents and even rust and make your irons sparkle again; the machine to do this isn't cheap so you may have to search round for this service in your area.