Managing a Mismatch: Possible Signs Your Clubs Do Not Fit!

By Ryan Williams, Player Development Professional at Woodbridge Golf & Country Club

One of the most common things I hear among new players is “I need to get my swing in shape before I get fit for clubs.” There’s a logical side that of me that empathizes with that statement; golf clubs are expensive and a player’s fundamentals are likely to change for the better as they play more, especially if they take lessons. However, I have seen countless examples of students and friends who have developed bad habits over time as a result of poorly-fitted equipment. Balancing improving the swing, fitting the equipment to the player, and the finances of it all is the reason why I feel strongly that the individual guiding a player’s improvement (the coach) should be the one that fits the player. The coach will have an idea as to the direction the player’s swing needs to go and a proper fit can lead the player closer to their ideal swing. Here are some ways that your clubs may not be leading you to the promised land!

Length:
One of my close friends, Dave, is a very tall man, about 6’5”. Being in his mid-60s, Dave began playing as a junior golfer in the Bay Area in an era when all clubs where the same length, regardless of the player’s height. Because of his height, Dave developed a habit of a pronounced dip to simply get down to the ball, a move he still fights 50-plus years later! He even has a derogatory nickname for this compensation! A trend I have noticed amongst fitters is that they are hesitant to lengthen clubs more than a quarter or half-inch. Dave now plays clubs that are 1.5 inches overlength and his swing is better for it!

Too Short!
Lie Angle:
A club’s lie angle is the angle the sole of the club sits relative to the shaft and is among the most important details of a fit to get correct. A well-fitted lie angle allows the club to interact with the ground in as neutral a fashion as possible. For a right-handed player, a lie angle that is too flat will cause the toe to dig and the ball will drift to the right; club that is too upright (many times from being too long) will cause the toe to dig and the ball to start or curve left. Like Dave with the length of his club, players will develop all sorts of habits to fit a poor lie angle fit. Too upright, the player will swing more around their body a develop a push/hook shot pattern. Too flat, the player will develop a more upright swing and develop a pull/slice pattern.

The Shaft:
A club’s shaft has been described as the engine of a golf club. The way I like to describe it is that every golfer’s swing has its own melody and the shaft of the club needs to fit the melody. Just recently, Callaway had a demo day here at the club during which I hit a 3-wood with a shaft that clearly fit my swing’s melody. Managing the direction of shots felt easier even than the 3-wood with which I had been playing and the ball launched through the same ideal “window” each shot. It made me realize that I had been managing a driver and 3-wood that weren’t quite as good.

The right shaft, especially with the longest clubs, can give your shots “the look.” “The look” happens when the ball appears to have air underneath it but is still soaring down range with energy. A ball falling out of the sky is a ball without enough backspin; one that climbs or appears to be laboring downrange is one with too much backspin.

The new shafts in my driver and 3-wood are stiffer and sturdier than what I had been playing with. In my case, a shaft that is too playful requires a much more patient feel, like I’m waiting forever for the clubhead to catch up in the hitting area. If I’m not patient enough, I most often will block the shot to the right. Years ago, I had a driver with the opposite problem in that it was too heavy and stiff. Over time with that club, I began pulling down on the club to start my downswing. Becoming too steep and narrow in transition caused many shots to leak to the right. The point being, when you find a club that feels easier to swing and play your best shots, it is probably a great fit for you and I suggest holding onto it!

Wondering if your clubs are ideal for you? Or wondering how much of it is you versus the equipment? A trained PGA Professional can provide the clarity needed to play your best golf moving forward! Luckily, we have no shortage of those hear at Woodbridge!