What does club fitting mean to you?

There are many golf stores, golf courses, and even traveling trailers offering custom fit golf clubs featuring many brands.  If you want to play better, then custom fit clubs are essential.  But what should you consider when looking for new clubs?  Here is a general guide to help you start thinking about how to improve your golf.

1. The first thing you should think about is your entire game.  Determine where you can improve your game the most by keeping track of your stats such as greens in regulation, fairways hit in regulation, putts, and up-and-downs.  These are basic stats you can keep during a round.  You can make it as detailed as you want.  For example, find out your number of putts per green in regulation (Jonas Blixt led the tour in 2012 with 1.718 putts per green).  Be hard on yourself and you may find out something unexpected…like maybe new clubs are not the answer!
2. Based on your weaknesses, find a golf instructor that you can discuss your game with and take a lesson.   Find out the instructor’s philosophy and if you like what he has to say, become a team!  Then ask if your technique or your clubs or both(!) need improvement. 
3. If you will benefit from new clubs, then it is vital that you, your teacher, and or fitter work together to find the correct clubs.   There is a science to club fitting when you determine ball speed, launch angle and spin for example, but there is an art to matching something you like with something the instructor and or fitter likes that maximizes your potential. 
4. Once the new clubs arrive, meet with your instructor and have him evaluate your performance.  Maybe have a competition between that old putter and that shiny new putter.   Sometimes you need to double check the specs ordered with the clubs that arrive and make sure they match. 

Golf clubs continue to improve every year and it is essential you take advantage of new technology.  But your swing and your body are important as well so do not neglect them!  It might be easier to spend $400 on a new driver…but sometimes $400 in golf lessons or fitness training provides more value long term.

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