How to get fit of golf clubs

Golf Club Fitting: Is it really Worth it?

What if buying new golf clubs actually made your game worse?

Yikes, imagine spending $500 (or more) on a brand-new driver only to figure out you hate it. Imagine spraying it all over the golf course, getting frustrated, and not shooting lower scores?

As you probably know, this is known as buyer’s remorse and it happens with golf clubs more than you know. In fact, it’s probably one of the reasons there are so many golf clubs for sale on eBay – frustrated golfers who can’t hit their new clubs!

The reason I bring this up is that it happens to a lot of people. If it’s ever happened to you, just know that you aren’t alone. But as you know, golf is a very difficult sport to play and using the wrong clubs only makes things that much harder.

So what’s the solution for golfers who want to get better?

Setting up a club fitting appointment and leaving the details to the pros.

If you’re on the fence about doing a club fighting appointment, you’ll love this article. I’ll break down who should get a fitting, who should skip it, what happens during your session, and how it can help your game big time.

Golf Club Fitting 101

If you’ve never had a professional club fitting, you might not understand the process quite yet. In fact, I would bet that a majority of golfers have never done before and instead, play off the rack clubs. While that’s not an issue for beginners and high handicaps, it can hurt your game if you’re a consistent golfer.

Here’s what you need to know before getting started…

Should You Get Fit For Golf Clubs?

First, I want to start by saying that not every golfer needs to (or should) get fit for golf clubs.

Let me repeat that, not everyone needs to get fit for clubs!

If you’re someone who just wants to get outside and swing the club, skip the fitting. Or, if you’re someone who just goes out for fun, doesn’t compete in any events, you can also skip the fitting.

Here’s the thing, the right equipment can help your game tremendously. But no clubs can compensate for a bad swing that lacks fundamentals.

Golf always rewards players who build a solid swing from setup to follow through. Paired with the right equipment, it can make things even better.

So, if you are someone who loves the game and are committed to getting better, a custom fitting can absolutely help. Paired with creating a more consistent swing and solid short game, it can help your game for the long haul.

Another type of golfer who should absolutely get fit is someone who is shorter or taller than the average male or female. If you’re shorter or taller than average, then standard golf clubs off the rack likely won’t suit your swing as well. Instead, you will want to invest in clubs that are the correct size and length to play better golf.

How Club Fitting Can Help Your Game

So how can fitting help your game anyways?

To me, it takes the guesswork out of buying clubs on your own or doing endless research to see which type of clubs will benefit your game the most. It’s better than doing some research and giving it your best guess when buying a new set of golf clubs.

Simply put, it makes the game easier by helping you play clubs that are built for you and your swing. Because here’s the thing, there are so many parts to golf that it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the information and buy the wrong equipment.

For example, you might read about some new irons in Golf Digest and decide to give them a try. Maybe the irons themselves look and work great, but the shaft isn’t right for your swing and it results in big misses. This usually leads to a ton of frustration, feeling like you like lost money, and your game isn’t any better.

But when you do a proper club fitting with a certified professional, you’ll know exactly why they recommend each club. Plus, you get to test out all kinds of different clubs and shafts to see how each one impacts performance. Getting a fitting is like Disneyland for golfers!

While the new heads and irons are great, the shafts are probably the best part. They have special clubs that they can swap shafts quickly so you can find the one that suits your ideal ball flight. Paired with the launch monitor data, it’s pretty easy to see if it’s too stiff, too heavy, or just right.

Let the data tell you which clubs are best for your game!

What Happens at a Golf Club Fitting

So what happens at a golf club fitting anyways?

Here’s a behind the scenes look of a normal club fitting with a certified professional.

Step 1: Schedule your fitting appointment. Contact them or book an appointment on their website to get a time locked in. Some places will also make you fill out an online profile so they know more about your game, while others will have you complete it the day of your fitting.

Step 2: Bring your bag to the fitting. You want to bring your bag of clubs so that you can hit your set and create a baseline to compare against any new clubs. It’s also convenient to have your gloves and any other gear that you might need. Make sure to be there 10-20 minutes before your scheduled appointment to warm up, stretch and be ready on time.

Step 3: Start hitting shots. After meeting your fitter, they’ll have you get warmed up, explain the process, and then move onto the clubs that you want to get fit for. Once you’re warmed up, you’ll hit 5-10 shots with your current club to set a benchmark for spin, distance, launch, and other metrics.

Step 4: Test out different clubs and shafts. Once you have a benchmark for your current clubs, it’s time to swing all the latest and greatest gear. Your club fitter will change out the shafts, adjust the lofts, and make other tweaks to help get you the desired results.

Step 5: Analyze the results. This is the fun part where you and your fitter will go through all the data to compare your current club(s) vs. new clubs and/or shaft combinations. A lot of times you’ll instantly see the results on the launch monitor but also feel a difference as well.

Near the end of your session, you’ll likely have a clear winner or two very comparable options. Then you will hit both of them a few more times to see which one feels best in your hands and performs the best too. A lot of fitters will also give you a printout of your results and/or email it to you so you have it for future reference.

Step 6: (Optional): The final step is to order your new clubs. You can choose to do this directly through the fitter or buy on your own once you decide which ones are best for your game.

Golf Club Fitting

How They Fit You For Golf Clubs

Club fitting is all about the numbers.

While a lot of times we might get biased toward one brand of clubs or type of shaft, a professional fitter looks at the data more than anything else. Using a launch monitor, they will evaluate your swing with your current clubs vs. new club/shaft combinations to get you the best ones for your game.

In a typical club fitting they will measure pretty much everything you need to know about your swing including:

  • Loft.
  • Lie angle.
  • Total spin.
  • Side spin.
  • Backspin.
  • Efficiency.
  • Ball speed.
  • Peak height.
  • Face to path.
  • Smash factor.
  • Launch angle.
  • Descent angle.
  • Clubhead speed.
  • Distance (carry and total).

All of these factors will help eliminate certain shafts and clubs after only a few swings. Then, you can find the ones that you like to look at and perform the best to narrow down your winner.

A good club fitter will help you decide on graphite versus steel shafts. Plus, a club fitter can determine if you need to adjust the lie of your irons and wedges. Using a few tools, they can quickly figure out if you have an upright or a flat swing and adjust accordingly. This will instantly make it easier to hit it straighter by playing the right lie angles for your own unique swing.

How to Prepare for a Club Fitting

Once you’ve booked a club fitting, make sure to show up prepared to get the most out of your appointment. You want to show up at least 10-20 minutes early so you can check in, warm up, and stretch. You can also browse through the studio and get some ideas about clubs you want to test out (if you didn’t do so beforehand).

During your fitting, make sure to look at the numbers and trust your fitter. Remember, they are the professionals and are here to help you play better golf. If you have any questions, make sure to ask them as it’s their job to help you fully understand their recommendations.

Additionally, make sure to take breaks in between shots. A lot of times golfers rapid fire through a huge bucket of balls and get tired midway through. Instead, make sure to bring extra water and take breaks so give it your best swings during the fitting.

Rules For Club Fitting

Before booking your club fitting session at any of these spots, here are some best practices to follow

  • Call ahead to talk to a fitter about what equipment they have to demo. For example, maybe you want to hit the new Titleist driver and fairway woods but they only offer Callaway, TaylorMade, and Cobra. The same goes with shafts too, always double check before going into your appointment.
  • Confirm pricing ahead of time. It’s easy to get caught up in the moment and want to buy everything right then and there. Plus, a lot of places will try to upsell you to buy from them to get the exact fit. When in reality, just pay for the fitting there, do the research on your own, and then decide if you should buy from them or find the clubs elsewhere.
  • Get there early. If you’re going to spend hundreds of dollars and your time at a fitting, make sure to show up prepared. Get there early so you can stretch, hit golf balls, and be ready to go when it’s your time. Don’t be the golfer who shows up late – it’s a fitter’s nightmare.
  • Finally, make sure you don’t try to get fit for an entire bag of clubs in one session. Instead, only get fit for your driver/woods, irons/hybrids, irons/wedges, and/or putter in one session. While you might save money by doing it all together, I don’t think it’s as beneficial. With a fitting, you hit a lot of different clubs to see which is right for your game. After 60+ minutes or so of pounding golf balls with minimal rest, you might get tired and have your best swings. Stick to one area of your bag, starting with the ones that are giving you the most trouble, and then do additional fittings if needed.

Where to Get Fit For Golf Clubs

Now that you know how the fitting process works, let’s go into where to get fitted. This will vary greatly depending on where you live but here are some of our best suggestions.

I would highly recommend researching all your available options and compare pricing before booking one. Some might even have a facility that lets you hit indoors and outdoors as well so it’s worth the extra research time.

If none of these are close to home, just do a Google search for “club fitting + (your location)” to check search results. Or, you can also search on Yelp.com as well.

Golftec

First up is Golftec, a golf studio that has grown in popularity worldwide to help golfers with lessons and custom fitting sessions. They have studios in the United States, Canada, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and China.

With prices starting at only $125 per component (ex. Driver, irons, wedges), it’s a great deal. Your club fitter will have you start with your current clubs, show the results, offer different recommendations, and find a winner to help your game. They can also order custom clubs through the manufacturer or give you the recommendations and buy on your own.

Click here to find the most convenient location and book a fitting (and/or lessons) today.

Club Champion

Club Champion is another top pick with 83 locations across the entire United States. They have over 50,000 hittable head and shaft combinations to find the right clubs for your game. Not to mention they were featured in the 2020 Golf Digest Hot List as a top fitting option.

Click here to learn more about them and find a location near you to get an appointment.

Big Box Golf Stores

If you don’t have PGA Tour Superstore close by, check for other big brand stores like Golf Galaxy or Van’s Golf Shop. Some sporting goods stores might offer fittings as well but might not offer the wide range of clubs and shafts that golf stores offer.

Local Golf Shop

Depending on where you live, you might have a local golf shop as well. While sadly they aren’t as common as they were in the past, some might still be around. Use Google and Yelp to find one locally and support your local golf retailer.

Custom Club Fitters

Finally, don’t forget to check out custom club fitters that aren’t a nationally recognized brand. For example, in Arizona there are tons of places like Cool Clubs, Hot Stix, True Spec, and others. These are usually very detailed fittings that provide a ton of additional insight into your game.

FAQs About Club Fitting

Do you have more questions about club fitting? If so, we have answers in our frequently asked questions to help you understand the process better.

How much does it cost for golf club fitting?

This is a good question as a lot of golfers usually think it’s crazy expensive. When in reality, it’s around $125-$175 for an hour of fitting. This usually includes one part of your bag like woods or irons. While a full bag is between $300 to $550 or more.

Some club fitters offer a golf ball fitting that can be done at the same time as the club fitting. We highly recommend you take them up on this since a golf ball is literally used on every shot you hit during a round.

Is club fitting worth it for beginners?

No, I would not say it’s worth it for beginner golfers.

While it can help, no club is going to fix a swing that needs work. Instead of doing a club fitting as a beginner, I would opt for finding a golf coach to help you get started with the fundamentals.

If you aren’t sure you want a coach yet, then make sure to check out some of our most popular articles. These will help you build a strong foundation in your golf game from tee to green:

As you get better and create a more consistent swing, then it would make sense to get fit for clubs.

What size golf clubs do I need for my height?

This is a great question and one that not enough golfers take into consideration. Standard length golf clubs for men are meant for anyone who is between 5’7” to 6’1”. If you’re shorter, you might want to take off .25 or more and vice versa if you’re taller by adding length to your shafts.

How much does a full bag fitting cost?

Getting fit for all 14 clubs in your bag will usually range from $300 to $550 but might more or less depending on where you get fit. That being said, I never recommend getting fit for your entire bag in one day.

Hitting that many golf balls is exhausting and it’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the clubs, shafts, and data. Instead, only do one part of your game per fitting to get the best results. While it will cost more to do each one individually, it’s worth it!

Can you get a custom fitting for a putter?

Yes! Since the majority of shots happen on or around the green, it’s vital that your putter is right for your game.

A putter fitting is much easier than a club fitting as it’s not as physically tasking. When you’re hitting tons of woods or irons, it’s easy to get tired toward the middle or end of your session. But with putting, it’s easy to go through multiple putter head and hosel options to see which is right for your game.

Plus, they can usually make quick adjustments (like grip and loft) right then and there. This will help your current putter while you wait for a new one if you found a better option.

Final Thoughts on Club Fitting

Remember, not every player will benefit from a custom club fitting. But if you are someone who is committed to getting better and want the right weapons to help you out, invest in a club fitting session.

Start by getting fit for the club (or clubs) that give you the most trouble. That could mean a driver, your irons, wedges, or even your putter.

When you show up for your session, go into it with an open mind. A lot of times we think we know everything already, but the data might show otherwise. Trust the numbers and know that custom clubs will help you have more fun and shoot lower scores.

Also, don’t feel compelled to buy the clubs at your fitter.

Oftentimes they are marked up and crazy expensive, so don’t fall into a hard sell from them. Instead, take your time, sleep on it for a night or two, do your own pricing research, and follow up if needed.

Finally, even if you don’t move ahead with a custom fitting, I would recommend getting your irons and wedges set up with the right lie angle. Because if they are too flat or upright for your swing, even a perfect swing will set your ball off on the wrong line. The little things can make a huge difference in your game.