Written by Adam Schwartz
Class A PGA Professional/Head Pro Oasis Golf Club
For the majority of the southwest United States, February is the final month of cold weather, and cabin fever sets in. The perfect antidote can be as simple as going outside for a walk, but for golfers it’s time to test out new clubs and gear up for the new season. It’s also time to get a jumpstart on the swing and get properly fit for your current clubs or a new generation of irons.
April is generally proclaimed “free fitting month” for the PGA; however, I would like to take this opportunity to invite golfers of all levels for a free 15-minute fitting (booked by appointment) in February here at Oasis Golf Club. Simplification and ease of club fitting have revolutionized the ability for players to easily understand the concept of getting custom fit for clubs. Even if you have been fit for clubs in the past, technology and instant feedback utilized now through software and mobile applications ensure hundreds of options can be narrowed down to one solution at the end of the process.
Golfers come in all shapes and sizes with countless unique swings. Beginners to advanced players will reap benefits of club fitting. The most important clubs to fit are the irons, which demand precision shots and accurate, consistent swings; and I believe getting fit for the right wedges and putters is essential to scoring.
To get fit properly, static measurements need to be precise. These measurements include height, arm length, length of fingers, and grip. The most notable club fitting companies are some of the major club manufacturers in today’s market, including PING and Mizuno. Both companies utilize fitting carts that are available at a variety of golf retail stores and select golf shops, including the Oasis Golf Club. Fitting carts allow golfers to hit a variety of different irons, shafts and grips in countless combinations.
Mizuno’s performance fitting system utilizes a patented and extremely useful tool named the “shaft optimizer.” This device measures consistent swings rather than actually striking the ball. The theory is that, good contact or bad, every individual golfer has a swing DNA, and the shaft optimizer’s job is to find it. The device measures club head speed, tempo, shaft toe down (bend of shaft downward towards downswing), shaft kick angle (bend of shaft during downswing) and release factor.
The original club fitter is PING. Their website, www.ping.com/fitting, introduces a club fitting module for the average golfer in an easy, step-by-step process. PING has a simple, fast way to acquire static measurements via their fitting app, known as nFlight web. PING has also developed a free application for putter fitting known as the iPING putter app, which includes using your own mobile device to help measure stroke type, impact angle, tempo, lie angle and shaft lean.
A recent PGA accredited study, Play Golf America, indicated that 52 percent of golfers bought new clubs within the past year, but less than 6 percent participated in getting fit for clubs. Simple translation: It is possible that over 94 percent of all golfers who bought clubs would potentially benefit from a club fitting.
