What Exactly Is a Golf Club Fitting?
- Staff Writer
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Explained in plain English, by a British PGA Golf Professional
There’s a phrase I often hear on the lesson tee:
“Surely a golf club is just a golf club, isn’t it?”
Well… not quite.
If you’ve ever borrowed a mate’s clubs and felt as though you were swinging a broom handle — or a sledgehammer — you’ve already had a taste of why club fitting matters.
Let me explain it in simple terms.
In Layman’s Terms…
A golf club fitting is simply the process of making sure your clubs are built to suit you, rather than you trying to adapt your swing to suit the clubs.
Think of it like buying a suit.You can pick one off the rack — and it might look decent.
But a tailored suit?That’s a different level entirely.
Golf clubs are exactly the same.
What Happens During a Fitting?
When you come in for a fitting, we’re not guessing. We’re measuring, observing, and testing.
Here’s what we look at:
1. Your Swing Speed
How fast you swing determines what type of shaft you need — stiff, regular, lightweight, heavier.
Too stiff? The ball won’t launch properly.Too soft? It can balloon or feel unstable.
2. Club Length
If you’re 6’4” and playing standard-length irons, you’ll likely be hunched over like you’re putting the kettle on.
If you’re 5’6” and using long clubs, you’ll struggle to control the strike.
Correct length helps you stand comfortably and strike the centre of the face.
3. Lie Angle
This is the angle between the shaft and the clubhead.
If it’s wrong:
The ball can constantly drift left or right
You’ll feel as though you’re making good swings but getting poor results
A small tweak here can make a massive difference.
4. Shaft Type
The shaft is the engine of the golf club.
We assess:
Weight
Flex
Launch profile
Feel
Different shafts can change launch, spin, distance, and consistency.
5. Clubhead & Loft
Modern drivers and irons vary dramatically.
We adjust loft to:
Optimise launch angle
Reduce excess spin
Increase carry distance
With irons, we ensure proper gapping — so you’re not hitting two clubs the same distance.
6. Grip Size
Often overlooked.
Too small? You may over-rotate the clubface.Too big? You may struggle to release it properly.
Grips are your only connection to the club. They matter.
The Technology Behind It
Modern fittings often use launch monitors such as:
Foresight Sports (which I use)
TrackMan
These systems measure:
Ball speed
Launch angle
Spin rate
Club path
Face angle
In short, they remove guesswork.
It’s not about opinion — it’s about data.
What a Fitting Is Not
Let me be clear:
A fitting is not about swinging harder. It’s not about chasing someone else’s distance.And it’s certainly not about buying the most expensive model in the shop.
It’s about efficiency.
A properly fit club helps you:
Strike it more solidly
Hit it straighter
Gain effortless distance
Enjoy the game more
And we all want that, don’t we?
Who Should Get Fitted?
In my professional view:
Beginners — yes
Mid-handicappers — absolutely
Single-figure players — without question
If you’re investing time and money into golf, your equipment should support your swing, not sabotage it.
Final Thought from the Lesson Tee
I’ve seen players gain 10–20 yards without changing their swing — simply by being properly fit.
That’s not marketing. That’s physics.
You wouldn’t wear someone else’s prescription glasses and expect perfect vision.
So why play someone else’s specification of golf clubs?
If you’re serious about improvement, a proper club fitting is one of the smartest investments you can make in your game.
And as we say on this side of the pond —
Let the clubs fit you… not the other way round.
If you are interested in a Club Fitting, schedule one with me here:
-- Brian
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