Most golfers buy a brand name set of clubs and go straight onto the golf course without knowing all there is to know about their equipment. Big name companies churn out hundreds of sets of clubs at a time; their factories have large margins of error, which often result in various inconsistencies within a single set of clubs. A shaft labeled as a “stiff” could easily play as a “regular” or an “x-stiff.” Many of these companies also use cheap, $5-10 graphite shafts in their woods and drivers, forgoing performance for profit.
As a result of this, many golfers adjust their swing to fit their clubs, rather than the other way around. This could lead to the development of bad habits that result in slow, long-term injuries and inefficient energy transfer within a swing.
A club fitter can customize your equipment so that it complements your game, rather than detracts from it. A fitter checks your current equipment to determine whether it fits you or if there are better alternatives. Fitted clubs will help optimize your distance, increase consistency, and improve your game. There are many custom components on the market that are not available at big box retail stores.
Golf clubs are simple yet complex. They are made up of a grip, a shaft, and a head. Shafts are considered the engine of the club. They are the link between your body and the club head. No shaft comes out perfectly round and straight, however, as that would cost too much for the manufacturer. This can lead to miss-hits that are the fault of the equipment, rather than the player. SST PURE is an automated process that finds the most stable plane of a shaft so that it plays as if it is perfectly round and perfectly straight. Beyond that, there are many different types of shafts with different flexibility profiles. A professional fitter can help you determine which works best for you.
Club fitters also have access to club heads from brands like Miura, Epon, and Ikasu – high-end Japanese products that are made from steel forged in Asia and are beautifully crafted, blurring the line between art and performance. These heads are top quality and only a select few are manufactured per year.
Putters can also be fit to a golfer. A putter is used over 40 percent in the game of golf. A tap-in after a lip-out is worth the same as a 250-yard drive. A fitted putter decreases dispersion rates and improves accuracy, which will bring a player’s score down when those putts are being made. If you want to improve your golf game, get to a club fitter today.