What is Custom Golf Club Fitting? - More - Call us on 01344 893 344 Golfers come in all different shapes and sizes and there are clubs to suit every imaginable body type, however not all these clubs are available ‘off the rack’ which is why there is Custom Fitting. Custom Fitting is the process by which golf equipment is tailored to individuals’ unique needs. We all strive for any possible advantage when it comes to our sports equipment, whatever the sport. With golf we would all like to hit the ball further and straighter than ever previously imagined, knocking shots off our game. Whilst we ensure that our shoes are the right size and fit properly, very few of us do the same with our golf equipment. There are many factors to consider when deciding what specifications are best suited to a particular players’ game. 1. Length Whilst it is true that the longer the golf shaft, the greater the club head speed achieved, it is also true that distance will only be maximised if the ball is struck out of the centre of the club face  (known as the sweet spot). Scientific research has shown that a shot struck ½ inch horizontally away from the sweet spot will result in a loss of distance of 15 yards. Having a golf club that is too long or too short for the golfer will promote bad posture and swing plane, and will promote more off centre hits. Club too short The shot will come off the toe of the club face which will result in Thinned shot, falling forward on impact and excess knee flex. Club too long The shot will come off the heel of the club face which will result in Fat Shots, inconsistent striking and falling away at impact.  Ideal Club length The shot comes off the centre of the club face which will result in a longer and straighter shot. 2. Lie Angle The lie angle is the angle that the golf shaft makes relative to the ground, when the sole of the golf club is flat on the ground. The lie angle has the most significant effect on direction and accuracy. Mechanical testing using a 6 iron has shown that if the lie angle is wrong by only 2º, then the golf shot will be off the  target line by 20’ and wrong by 4º the shot will be off the target line by 40’. This could be vital when it is important to hit the green. Short irons are affected more than long irons. An individual golfers’ lie angle can be affected by many factors including build, posture, set up and other swing attributes, which is why it is so important for the fitting to be conducted by an experienced Professional who can assess all of these factors along with the golfers’ objectives before correctly fitting the clubs for the lie angle. Lie angle too upright The ball flight will be left of target line, the grip is weak and the golfer has a dislike of ‘tight lies. Lie angle too flat The ball flight will be right of target line, the grip is over strong and there is over use of hands. Correct lie angle The ball flight will be straight 3. Shaft Type & Flex Proper shaft flex allows the player to load the shaft properly and maximise energy transfer to the ball. One of the biggest misconceptions in the game of golf is that there are only 2 types of golf shafts, steel and carbon fibre, what is not always realised is that within these 2 categories are many other factors which need to be considered when choosing the shafts which are right for you. The weight of the golf shaft is important, and whilst generally a graphite shaft is lighter than a steel shaft, it is not always the case.   Quicker tempo swings generally require heavier shafts and firmer flexes, while smoother tempos may benefit from lighter weight shafts with softer flexes. Most players will benefit from the softest flex that produces controllable and consistent ball flight. 1. Shaft too flexible The ball flight will be too high, a hooking ball flight and inconsistency 2. Shaft too stiff The ball flight will be too low, weak shots right and poor distance Dynamic shaft fitting is quite an important necessity as it is the hidden truth in the shaft industry that not all shafts are labelled equally. Why is this? – Different vendors produce specs based on different testing methods. Over the years it has been found that there is a great variance in flex designations and in some cases it has been seen that L-flex shafts to be as stiff as some extra stiff shafts. 4. Grip Type & Size Although the grip type and size are based more on personal preference, a proper grip size will produce less tension in hands and forearms, and facilitate proper release. The correact size is essential to promote the correct amount of wrist turning in the golf shot. 5. Club Type Arguably the most important consideration is the actual club itself – whist it is very important to have a set of golf clubs custom fitted to the golfers swing, if the look of the golf club is less than desirable, then the golfer is unlikely to enjoy using them and unlikely to play to their potential especially as so much of the game is psychological!!   At Lavender Park we currently offer full custom fitting facilities for Ping, Titleist, Callaway, Mizuno, Srixon and Yonex.