What Happens During a Golf Fitting?

Ever wondered if those custom-fit clubs you see the pros use could actually make a difference in your game? The short answer is yes, they absolutely can, and getting fitted isn't the complex, intimidating process you might imagine. A good fitting is a collaborative, data-driven process designed to match a set of clubs to your unique swing. This guide will walk you through what happens during a professional golf fitting, from the moment you arrive to the final recommendations, so you know exactly what to expect.

Before You Go: How to Prepare for Your Fitting

A little preparation goes a long way and helps your fitter get the most accurate picture of your game. Before you head to your appointment, there are a few simple things you can do to set yourself up for success.

• Bring Your Current Clubs: This is the most important step. Your fitter needs to see what you’re currently playing to establish a baseline. Hitting your own clubs first gives them valuable data on your swing tendencies and reveals the performance gaps in your current equipment.
• Wear Your Golf Gear: Dress as you would for a round of golf. That means comfortable clothing you can swing in and, most critically, your golf shoes. Your shoes affect your height and posture, which are important factors for determining proper club length and lie angle.
• Think About Your Game: Come prepared to talk about your typical performance on the course. What is your go-to shot shape? What is your most common miss (a slice, a hook, a thin shot)? Where do you feel you're losing the most strokes? Having answers to questions like, "What do you want your golf ball to do that it isn't doing now?" helps the fitter zero in on your specific needs.
• Have a Budget in Mind: Be open with your fitter about your budget. They can work within your price range to find the best-performing options without showing you clubs that are out of the question. A good fitter respects your budget and focuses on performance, not brand names.

Step 1: The Initial Interview &, Warm-Up

Think of the first part of your fitting as a consultation. It's less about hitting balls and more about having a conversation. Your fitter isn’t just a salesperson, they're your equipment advisor. They’ll start by asking about your game, your goals, and any physical considerations.

The conversation might include questions like:

• How often do you play and practice?
• What are the strongest and weakest parts of your game?
• Do you have any physical limitations or recurring injuries (e.g., a bad back, tennis elbow)?
• What are you hoping to achieve with new clubs? More distance? Tighter dispersion? A higher ball flight?

This interview is vital. It gives the fitter the context behind the numbers they’re about to see. After the chat, you'll start warming up, hitting shots with your own clubs. This isn't a performance test. The goal is just to get loose and swing naturally while the launch monitor captures baseline data on your existing set. It's all about establishing a starting point so you have something to compare against later.

Step 2: Capturing Your Swing Data

This is where the real fun begins. Your fitter will use a launch monitor - a high-tech device like a TrackMan, GCQuad, or Foresight - to capture an incredible amount of information about your swing and the golf ball's flight. It might seem likean overload of numbers, but a skilled fitter knows exactly which ones matter for you. They’ll be looking at a few key metrics to diagnose your swing.

Key Metrics Your Fitter Analyzes

• Clubhead Speed: Simply, how fast you swing the club. This is a primary factor in your potential distance.
• Ball Speed: How fast the ball leaves the clubface. High ball speed relative to your clubhead speed indicates a solid, centered strike. This is a key measure of efficiency.
• Launch Angle: The vertical angle at which the ball takes off. The right launch angle maximizes your carry distance. Too low, and the ball won't stay in the air long enough, too high, and it will climb and fall without moving forward effectively.
• Spin Rate: The amount of backspin on the ball, measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). With a driver, too much spin can cause the ball to "balloon" and lose distance. With irons, you need enough spin for the ball to stop on the green.
• Attack Angle: This tells the fitter whether you are hitting down on the ball (a negative angle, typical for irons) or up on the ball (a positive angle, ideal for a driver). It's a fundamental metric for optimizing your driver performance.
• Shot Dispersion: This isn't just one number but rather the pattern of your shots. The goal is to find a club composition that creates a tighter, more consistent shot pattern.

Don't be intimidated by the terminology. Your fitter will explain what each number means in the context of your swing and how changing equipment can improve those numbers.

Step 3: The Testing Process – Finding Your Perfect Match

With a baseline established, the fitter will now begin the building and testing phase. Using a system of interchangeable heads and shafts, they will start swapping components one at a time to find the combination that gives you the best results. This is a methodical process of elimination.

Finding the Right Club Head

The process usually starts with the club head. Your fitter will select a few different models based on your skill level and goals. For irons, they might have you test a more forgiving, "game-improvement" head against a more workable "players" style head. They're looking for the head that delivers the optimal blend of launch angle, spin, and forgiveness for your swing. You might be surprised that the head you thought you'd love isn't the one that performs the best on the monitor.

Dialing in the Shaft

The golf shaft is the engine of the club, and finding the right one is immensely important. This is about much more than just picking a flex (like Regular, Stiff, or Extra Stiff). Your fitter will have you test shafts with different weights, flex профиles, and kick points.

• Shaft Flex: This is matched not just to your swing speed but also to your tempo and how aggressively you load the club in transition. A shaft that's too whippy can lead to inconsistency, while one that's too stiff can feel harsh and produce low, right misses (for a right-hander).
• Shaft Weight: Lighter shafts can help increase swing speed, but heavier shafts can promote a smoother tempo and better control. Finding the right weight is a balance between speed and consistency.
• Kick Point: This is the point where the shaft bends the most. A low-kick shaft can help produce a higher ball flight, while a high-kick shaft promotes a more piercing, lower trajectory.

By hitting shots with different shafts in the same head, you and your fitter can see clear statistical evidence in the data showing which shaft works best with your unique motion.

Perfecting Your Setup: Length, Lie, and Loft

Once you’ve found the best head and shaft combination, it's time to customize the build. The fitter will check three fundamental specs:

• Club Length: Standard length isn't right for everyone. Your height and arm length dictate the ideal club length for you, and getting it right helps you maintain a good posture and promotes centered strikes.
• Lie Angle: This is the angle of the shaft relative to the sole of the club when it's grounded. To check this, the fitter will place impact tape on the sole of the club and have you hit balls off a "lie board." Where the mark appears on the tape tells them if the club is sitting flat, too upright, or too flat at impact. An incorrect lie angle is a common cause of consistent pushes or pulls.
• Loft: Especially with drivers, wedges, and hybrids, your fitter may adjust the loft to dial in your launch angle and spin for optimal distance and gapping between your clubs.

The Finishing Touches: Grip Size

The last step is finding the right grip. Grip size is determined by your hand size and can have a surprising effect on your shot shape. A grip that's too small can cause your hands to become overly active, leading to hooks. A grip that's too large can restrict your hands from releasing properly, leading to blocks or slices. The fitter will measure your hand and have you try a few options to find one that feels comfortable and promotes the proper hand action.

Step 4: Reviewing the Data and Making a Choice

At the end of the session, your fitter will present you with the evidence. They'll pull up the launch monitor data on a screen and show you a side-by-side comparison: your current clubs versus the best-performing combination you tested.

The data should tell a clear story - you should see improvements in ball speed, better launch and spin numbers, and a much tighter shot dispersion. But numbers aren’t everything. The final decision also comes down to feel. You have to be confident standing over the ball. The fitter will encourage you to choose the club that not only performs best on the monitor but also looks good to your eye and feels great in your hands.

A reputable fitter will give you a printout or email you your final specs. There should be no high-pressure sales tactic. You have the specifications, and you can choose to order the clubs through them or take your time to think it over.

Final Thoughts

A golf fitting is one of the most effective ways for any golfer, regardless of handicap, to improve their game. It’s a personalized, data-driven experience that takes the guesswork out of buying equipment and provides you with tools that are perfectly matched to your body and your swing.

Just as a fitting provides clarity on your equipment, we believe that having that same level of a-ha and understanding is even more transformational when applied to strategy and your on-course reps &mdash, how to translate your skills into a strategy and shot-to-shot descision makkng to help you reach your goals. I can't even tell you how many people I've seen with brand new, beautifully fit clubs who still struggle because they aren't confident about which club to hit or how to play a specific shot. That's why we bult Caddie AI &mdash, to fill the gap an your pocket, giving you expert-level advice on course management, shot selection, and handling any tricky lie the course dishes out. After you've got clubs built for your swing, the next step is building the confidence to use therm... an making informed and smart on-course choices is how you get it.