Club fitting will not only improve player confidence but also lead to better scores and a more enjoyable time on the course.

Every one of our Golf Town fitters has “that” story. The one where a customer came into the store prepared to purchase a stock club, when it was suggested they take a few minutes to go through a basic fitting process.

Steve van Putten, a PGA of Canada member and teaching pro who works at our Golf Town Markham store, remembers just such an instance.

“I recall a particular driver fitting with a gentleman who had a club that was a poor match for his swing, as his driver had too much loft and was too flexible,” van Putten explains. “When I gave him a heavier driver with less loft, we saw a huge change. After a little more tweaking, he ended up gaining 25 yards and tightened his dispersion.”

All it took was 30 minutes.

Geoff Pinheiro, Golf Town’s VP of Merchandising for clubs, is baffled when asked why only slightly more than half of golfers get their clubs properly fitted.

“You wouldn’t go into a store and buy a pair of shoes without trying them on,” he says. “But, unfortunately, a lot of golfers are willing to spend $1,500 on a set of irons without trying them out. There are so many benefits for your game when you get properly fit!”

The goal of every golfer should be to get the right mix of equipment—from driver to putter— that fits their game, the courses they play, and offers them the best mix of distance and forgiveness, says Chris Melbourne, who works at our Golf Town store in Red Deer, Alberta.

With that in mind, we spoke to several of our experts about their insights into the fitting process, which golfers should engage in the process, and the benefits they’ll find.

Why don’t people get fit?

There’s a concern among many that fitting is only for the best golfers—those low handicappers who battle for club championships. “I’m not good enough to be fit,” is a common refrain among mid to high-handicap golfers. But that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Average golfers can see immense improvement from the forgiveness and benefits of having clubs fit appropriately for their swing, says van Putten. “You don’t have to be a 2-handicap to see incredible benefits from fitting,” he says. “In fact, average players will see their shot dispersion is tighter, and their misses are better after they’ve been fit. It can be the difference between finding and missing the green.”

But don’t think you need to swing like Brooke Henderson or Adam Hadwin to be fit for clubs. Our Golf Town experts fit the clubs to your swing, getting the most out of what you bring to the game.

Franco Sirianni, a PGA of Canada member who works at our Golf Town in St. Hubert, Que., says a good fitter can work with a coach to assist in the process.

“As a PGA of Canada member, I know golfers want to improve their swings,” he says. “In all honesty, why not get fit during the process of working on your swing, where we can work with your coach and find out what aspects of the swing are effective and get fit accordingly?”

Consider a Fitting for Your Whole Bag

The age-old question is should you simply have your driver fit, or your irons, or your entire bag? Everyone loves smashing the big dog, but Sirianni says you should invest in having an expert fitter consider your entire bag, from driver to putter to help you assess what will benefit your game from the tee to green.

“People love smashing a driver—there is no greater feeling on a golf course then piping one right up the middle,” he says. “But irons and wedges are a key part of your gear and put you in better scoring positions more often. And manufacturers are offering so many no-charge shaft and grip options now that you are leaving a lot on the table by not working with one of our fitters.”

And while the latest drivers are readily adjustable—TaylorMade’s new Stealth driver has more than 1,000 combinations—it takes a skilled fitter using the latest tools, like a radar that captures the nuances of the club, to recognize what each individual needs.

While some players will have their irons and woods fit, they’ll often overlook their putter and wedges. Those are the clubs that are key to scoring, so having them fit for your game—and the courses and conditions you regularly play—is key to your success. Golf Town expert fitters can assist you there as well.

“Wedges and putter fittings are often left behind even though the benefits to your game can be astronomical,” says van Putten. “The wrong bounce, grind or lie angle on these delicate shots around the green are the big difference between saving pars or making big numbers.”

Have you ever thought of having your putter fit for your stroke? If not, you should, it is the only club you use on every hole. Even taking a few minutes to determine what putter style (face-balanced or toe-balanced, or mallets or blades) is right for each individual’s stroke will yield better results on the green.

Benefits Without Additional Cost

Some golfers are reluctant to get fit for fear there will be additional costs. But that’s often not the case, says van Putten, noting that many equipment makers offer a wide variety of stock shafts, allowing the fitter to find one for each individual swing without running up the bill.

“When a driver is properly fit to a golfer, it is common to pick up as much as 10 to 20 yards, and with the amount of adjustability most drivers now possess, there is no reason to live with a big slice,” he says. “And more often than not the process leads to a driver that costs the same but is fit for you. A fitting makes the club work for your swing.”

Fitting is Fun

Don’t be worried about not understanding concepts like spin, smash factor, launch angle and other phrases thrown around in fittings. A good fitter, says Melbourne, will help educate you along the way and make it an enjoyable learning experience.

“The process of fitting is a fun, interactive learning experience for many that teaches you a lot about your swing and golf game,” he says. “As a fitter I spend countless hours researching club and shaft technology to be able to offer the best possible service available. With the addition of the latest in launch monitor technology, we can improve your game regardless of current skill level. If a golfer can be open-minded about the product and focus more on the benefits, we will be able to show them significant gains.”

Contact your nearest store to book your custom fitting with our experts today.