You want to improve your game, right? You’ve probably planned more practice time, a few extra rounds per month and a series of lessons. But, have you considered custom fitting? If not, you may have overlooked the key aspect of finding your best game.
If you have a size 7 foot, would you wear size 10 shoes? Of course not. However, when it comes to golf clubs, most golfers think one size fits all. But, this is not the case. After all, golfers are various shapes, sizes and ages...aren’t we? Club length, grip size, shaft material and flex, are just some of the variables that need to be considered before you find the clubs right for you. If you love your golf and you’re seriously keen to improve, then custom fitted clubs can make a huge difference to your score.
Why Custom Fitting Is Important
Research indicates that up to 70 percent of golfers don’t play with the right clubs for their swing. That means most golfers will enjoy an immediate improvement in their game after a simple 30-minute custom fitting.
A golf swing is very much like a fingerprint - therefore your swing is unlike another. Your body characteristics affect how you swing the club. Thus, your height, weight, leg strength, hip rotation, shoulder turn, arm strength, posture, and overall flexibility make a difference. Then, there are factors such as speed, load, and tempo that make your swing different.
The following are the variables that need to be considered to get you custom fitted for the right clubs to shoot lower scores.
Length - The combination of your height, the length of your arms and swing determine the length of club that’s right for you. Club length influences how consistently you return the club to impact. Your body will try to compensate for clubs that are not properly fitted. For example, a taller individual with shorter length clubs will be forced to slouch, thus changing posture and swing.
Lie Angle - The lie angle of the club is the angle of the shaft of the club relative to the sole and the ground. This plays a large bearing on your ball flight. If your club is too ‘flat’, the toe of the club will impact the ground and the ball will tend to push to the right (for a right-handed player). If your club is too ‘upright’, the heal of the club will impact the ground and the ball will tend to pull to the left.
Grip Size - Grip size affects hand rotation. Your ability to square the club face at impact for better ball striking depends on being correctly fitted for grip size. As a general rule, if your grip is too large, it inhibits hand rotation and promotes a slice. Grips that are too small increase hand action and promote a hook.
Shaft Flex - As the engine room of your golf club, shaft flex is the timing devise that allows your clubface to square up at impact. Shaft flex affects accuracy and distance. The shaft flex matched correctly to your swing will improve distance and shot dispersion. As a general rule, if your shaft flex is ‘too flexible’, it’s likely to promote a hook. And, if your shaft flex is ‘too stiff’, it’s likely to promote a slice.
Loft - The loft of the your club produces the trajectory of your ball flight. And trajectory affects distance. Loft is extremely important with drivers. If you wish to optimise the distance you reach off the tee, you must have the correct loft on the driver. Do you believe less loft equals more distance? Many golfers think the ball hit lower with more roll will travel further. In reality, optimal trajectory produces more carry, less roll, but greater overall distance.
Find Your Perfect Fit With MiMatch
For decades, Drummond Golf has led the market in custom fitting. And in 2014, Australia’s biggest took custom fitting to the next level with the release of their state-of-the-art MiMatch fitting system. Exclusive to Drummond Golf and available across their entire national network of stores, MiMatch is a revolution in golf. This latest advancement follows twenty years of research and development.
The MiMatch experience begins with gathering important information about you and your game. A certified MiMatch fitting staff member will measure your physical characteristics such as height, reach and hand size and put this information in the system. This data gives MiMatch a starting point in terms of selecting your optimum club length, lie angle and grip size.
In order to match you with your ideal clubs, your fitter will also record data in MiMatch relating to your handicap, playing style as well as how often and where you play golf.
After the theoretical assessment is complete, it’s time for the fun part - your practical assessment. You’ll hit some shots to fine-tune your personalised fit even further. Using the launch monitor and a set of sophisticated MiMatch test clubs, the MiMatch system determines your exact specs. This includes lie angle, shaft flex & shaft weight.
The MiMatch test clubs are a critical point of difference in themselves during the fitting process. Developed by MiMatch, these irons, hybrids and woods are distinctly different from other fitting systems in that the clubs aren’t biased to any particular brand. This provides a more neutral ‘baseline’ from which your swing will be evaluated by eliminating any brand-specific variables or other anomalies. In short, the software will more easily match a your swing to the best possible clubs for your game.
In addition to being brand-neutral, MiMatch includes a ‘Price Point’ parameter. This allows you the option of choosing a club or set of clubs within your budget.
After analysing your shots from the launch monitor and assessing your budget, the MiMatch software searches the entire MiMatch database to return a selection of potential club/brand matches. The data in MiMatch is provided by the manufacturer. Therefore, the club selection process is made based on the manufacturers specifications. And with a full-range of top quality clubs supported by golf’s major brands to choose from, you can be sure you’ll get the best clubs for your game.
Being properly custom fitted is not a science attributed for the sole benefit to assist the game’s elite players. Custom fitting will benefit your game. At Drummond Golf, MiMatch is available to all golfers. And, it’s free! Head into your nearest store and get fitted today.
