Finding The Right Club Takes Time!
Doug Wisness
Many golfers enjoy the search for the right clubs. Rarely is it a hardship to lay one’s hands on the rows of shiny new clubs. You know the brands; you have committed to memory the exact clubs your favorite and most noteworthy icon uses win after win. It takes a mere second to grab a club and quickly endorse it-if it worked for Tiger than it will certainly work for you! Just as quickly as you see yourself on Tiger’s heels, reality hits and you realize that the wedge he hits 135 yards only goes 90 yards for you-it also tends to go right. Hmm, could it be that Nike has fit Tiger’s swing to a tee? That they have custom fit him to the best of their abilities? Or is it due to the fact that he works with that wedge more hours in a week than you might in one year?
Disciplined practice aside, fitting clubs for golfers takes some time and many things must be considered. We are not all 5′11, 35 years old or well-trained athletes. We want Tiger’s driver swing speed of over 100 mph, 5 iron speed of 94 mph, and every other essential skill to take us to the Master’s as more than a spectator. So, while you envision yourself keeping pace with your golf idol, whomever that may be, you owe it to your own game to invest in the right clubs and the worth of a properly fitted set.
Beware the salesman who lets you out the door with the stock set, as is, with little regard as to how your game might end next Saturday. Ask for a fitting and be prepared to show your swing-for better or worse-so that those new clubs keep you in love with the game. The professional golf fitter will have a laundry list of things to address, but this is standard. The club head, shaft, and grip will all be scrutinized with the hope that your game will be enhanced and you will have bragging rights at the 19th hole.
Lie and Loft: A matter of personal height is the lie of the club head. A taller golfer needs a larger lie angle; shorter golfers require a lower lie angle. If this component is not addressed, the clubface will be in a poor position upon impact, resulting in a lackluster shot. If you’re after distance and height, ask your professional fitter about the loft. A quick adjustment will help you get the ball off the green, down the fairway, and closer to the hole.
Flex and Torque: The non-golfer might not realize that there is a science to choosing a shaft; however, the shaft requires a great deal of thought. It is a tricky art to match the shaft according to skill and personal swing pattern.
The flex is categorized extra stiff, stiff, regular, ladies, and seniors. While we would all like to think our swing is as strong as that of the legendary golfers, most of us do not require an extra stiff shaft. But why is the flex important to understand? Shaft flex impacts the accuracy, trajectory, and distance of your shot. As the shaft flexes, the position of the club head changes. Since the face of the club must be square at impact to get the most out of the shot, your shaft choice needs to be chosen according to your personal swing.
The term torque is taken to mean the shaft’s designed resistance to twisting during the downswing. If you want more resistance, you need a lower torque. The torque value is expressed in degrees, so the higher the degrees of torque, the less resistance the shaft will have to being twisted by the weight of the club head.
Grips: Equally important as how you physically hold the club, the grip that lies beneath your hands can have an impact on your game. The grips that come on those shiny new sticks, or even your well-loved existing set, are not necessarily the right one for you. There are a variety of styles and widths to choose from-even grips tailored to suite golfers with arthritis. Knowing that your wrists are a key point in delivering a great strike to the ball, you need to ensure that your physical grip is not affected by a poorly chosen club grip.
Finally, keep in mind that as your game improves, your grips will wear and need replacing. Your shaft might hinder your outcome because you are ready to move from regular to stiff. You might need to have the lie adjusted and weight removed. Perhaps you will indulge yourself in a new set like the well-paid pros or simply revisit the golf shop for a new fitting on the old set. Regardless, get your sticks tailored to fit you!
Doug Wisness is the owner and resident golf club specialist at Golfstix By Wiz in Puyallup, WA. He can be reached at 253-841-8810 or visit http://www.golfstix.biz/ for more information.
