| The club fitting process differs from club maker to club maker. Some use what
I'll call the static method. This is taking measurements like the distance
from the floor to your middle finger, glove size, height etc to determine
what specs the club should have for you. Ping does it this way. The specs
they are going after are, length, lie and grip size.
I prefer a more dynamic style of fitting. This is done on the range. A shag
net is ok but, I prefer to see the flight of the ball, height and direction as
well as the swing itself. Also I like to see the clubs you have been using to
look at wear on the sole to get an idea of what lie angle you need and wear
on the face if any to see where you hit the ball. It also involves hitting
several differnt clubs to see what impact differnt specs have on your swing and
the flight of the ball.
The real question is what are we trying to accomplish with all this? Well it's
length, lie and grip size. The difference between the static and
dynamic method
in determining the lie is, we can see what the club is doing at impact and not
at address. (I think this is a better method myself). Also by watching the
flight of the ball and trying different clubs, we can get a better handle on
what the swing weight or overall weight should be, and what type of shaft
(flex, bend point etc), face angle on woods and recommend a clubhead
style. Putting this together with some "rules of thumb" and your
preferences we come
up with a club design and a set of specs and glue it up. Of course if
you know what you want, we can skip all the ball beating.
I know it may sound confusing because it is. But then again you as the
customer
don't need to understand the technical details of the process, just the
results that you want. As a relatively new player, I wouldn't worry
about this approach, just by a good set of knock offs with "normal"
specs until you're
ready. You'll know when you're ready for this type of thing.
KO
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| Pat,
I've been hackin' and whackin' at this game that should've been named
"if" for 5 years now. For the first time, I just bought new clubs and
I was "fitted" by a custom club maker. Although "it ain't always the
bow...but usually the bow-er", I believe being properly fitted is a
very big part of getting the most out of your ability and thereby
having some real fun.
I'm 6' 7". I played for 5 years with clubs that did not fit.
Consequently, I developed a lot of bad habits trying to compensate for
the equipment that didn't fit properly.
The club maker I went to is in the business as a fulltime career. He
has his own shop in a business park. I mention this because he is a
trained professional who I believe brings a lot more to the table than
someone who makes clubs as a sideline business. He's been doing this
for 20+ years and truly knows his "stuff". He's also a damned good
golfer.
He fitted me utilizing a computer system as well as the necessary
conventional measuring methods. The whole process took about an hour
and was not filled with a lot of techno-babble-rap. His analysis was
very clear and easy to follow. There was no pressure to purchase; in
fact, the opposite held true.
To close, I offer two observations about my experience:
1 - I have knocked between 5 and 10 strokes off my game. My scores
are still stablizing as I adjust to my new equipment, but I can
tell you that my shots are now going where I aim them vs.
playing a deliberate fade and hoping for the best.
2 - the person I am referring to is one of the most easy going,
non-assuming people I've ever had the pleasure of meeting.
He's my personal "pro" from here on....
To wrap this rap...
...I suggest you try a computer analysis fitting...and I suggest you
find someone you feel comfortable with on a personal level.
If you would like this person's name, please feel free to contact me
and I will be happy to provide you with the info and fill you in on
whatever else you might want to know about him and his business.
Good luck, happy hunting, and....keep 'em the short grass...
Regards,
tt
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Thanks for the tips. I do know of a place that does the computer
analysis. It's amazing that you can take a dozen swings and know
speed, weight shift, face angle, etc. I have decided that I should
spend a little more time adjusting my grip/swing before being fitted,
even though it will require a lot of patience. See, I have this really
strong grip - my right thumb is almost perpendicular to the shaft!
My father-in-law told me that had a lot to do with why I pull the ball
often. Now I have weakened my grip and it feels totally foreign to me.
Now I have to worry about my elbow and I feel about as strong as a
kitten. Probably be a while before I can get fitted...
beginner blues!
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