The most common way in the industry for a player to get fit is fit them based on how they swing on the day they are fitted. That type of fitting is called “fitting for compensation,” which is a mistake if a player is trying to improve. If on the day a player is fit, they are coming over the top and the fitter is not a qualified teaching professional, the player ends up getting fit into specifications matching a poor swing. When a player is fit to match a poor swing, they are being rewarded for a poor swing and end up worse off than not being fit prior. In the industry today, many people are buying credibility through technology. Just because you can buy an x-ray machine doesn’t mean you are a radiologist. Last summer I had a student who was in the process of improving and was fit using a generic launch monitor during a demo day at their country club. The “fitter” told him his launch angle was too low and wanted to sell him a 12° driver; fortunately, he called me first. I told him not to buy the driver because presently his down swing or angle of attack, was too steep and as a result was de-lofting the face of his driver producing a lower launch angle. As we moved his approach closer to the proper swing plane, creating better launch angle and angle of attack, it became apparent the 12° driver would launch the ball too high. Again, the wrong fitting would have rewarded him to continue to make a poor swing. Today’s fitting technology is valuable if someone knows how to read and apply the information to the player. The proper and most efficient way for a player to be fit is to be “fitted through instruction™.” A teaching professional who has been trained in instruction and who understands the various ball flights which result from certain swing flaws has a much better chance of helping a student into golf equipment that can make a positive impact on their game. An experienced golf instructor can help make a decision as to what is the proper lie angle, shaft flex, shaft material, grip size, club length and the set make up as a whole. Since I have had Trackman III, it is much easier for me as an instructor to fit you properly and provide you the knowledge to understand why you’re being fit the way you are. The great thing with Trackman III is it produces concrete, irrefutable data allowing you to compare any two pieces of equipment giving you a black and white picture as to what is best for your game. Without being fit using today’s technology, you’re giving up distance, accuracy and shots to the field. The bottom line is if you are considering buying equipment this year, the biggest mistake you can make is buying off the shelf. Your equipment should be customized to fit you to play your best. The second biggest mistake you can make is allowing a “fitter,” who doesn’t understand your golf swing, to determine the specifications of your equipment. During my lessons one of the most difficult things I have to tell someone is that their new custom equipment doesn’t fit their improved golf swing. In effect, they wasted their money. The value in golf equipment is not in the price, it’s in the performance. If you save $100 on a driver because you got a “good deal” and it doesn’t lower your score, then you wasted whatever money you spent on it. Club Fitting Rates:

1. Driver Equipment Comparison
2. 716 vs 714 Irons