BBC Sportgolf

Want your golf clubs tailored to your swing?

What is custom fitting?

Everyone's golf swing is different so it makes sense to adjust golf clubs to suit the individual.

Custom fitting is the process for tailoring a golf club to suit your personal swing. Effectively golf club manufacturers know a set of clubs aren't cheap so the least they could do is make them fit.

Whatever your level, the aim is to ensure that if you do make a good swing, the club will be square at impact and should produce a straight shot.

Will it fix my slice?

It can help. If you slice the ball it means that the heel of the club is leading into the ball which opens the face of the club.

That may be down to a swing fault, but it could be because the club is too flat. So as part of the custom fitting process you can make the club more upright to help with this.

This will mean that the toe of the club will be slightly off the ground at address to compensate.

What happens during a fitting session?

There are different methods according to golf club manufacturers but ultimately they are all trying to improve your game.

To begin with simple measurements such as wrist-to-floor, height and hand size are taken and will point you to the right sized club and at what angle it should be to the ground.

Then you will take a club and hit some balls. One method is to place impact tape on the bottom of the club and an impact board on the floor.

As you hit the ball the board will leave a mark on the tape showing whether the heel or the toe of the club is striking the floor first.

The resulting mark will show whether the club face needs to be flatter or more upright.

Then things get a bit more advanced. Analysis equipment can measure everything from your club speed to the side spin of the ball so that you can get maximum distance from your shot.

You can also measure the launch angle of the ball, how much backspin you generate and impact efficiency - all which affect distance.

The angle in which the club approaches the ball and the sidespin of it can help fix your game too.

What do you need to bring with you?

Rather than bringing down your old clubs it might be better to start from scratch. It's a big misconception that custom fitting is only for good golfers. Anyone can benefit.

Each shot is subjected to a detailed analysis

That said, if you plan to upgrade a new set of clubs with the same manufacturer they may be able to adjust your old set.

In the end all you need is an open mind.

What difference will it make?

Custom fitting won't cure all your bad shots. Coaching will sort that out. But if you do make a good swing, then the club will arrive correctly at impact and should produce a straight shot at your target.

That alone will save shots during a round.

How much does it cost?

On its own custom fitting is often free of charge. But it is usually on the condition that you buy some clubs once you've been fitted. So it really depends on what your budget is.

If you're prepared to buy a new set of clubs it's definitely worth getting fitted.

Where can custom fitting be done?

Fitting is widespread in the UK with most manufacturers having fitting sites across the country. For example, Callaway has 90 fitting centres while Ping has 400.

If you want top of the range analysis and fitting, head for the manufacturers' headquarters. Otherwise there are quite often demo days which tour golf clubs around the country. Check the links above for details.

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