Key to Golf Club Fitting

My keys to Clubfitting

by Roy Nix

Use this in conjunction with my Fitting Poster shown below

1. Adjust total weight for swing path by testing different shaft weights to find the best swing path,
2. Once you have the best swing path adjust head weight for face angle. If your golfer has best path but is still having an open face at impact you might need to try a lighter weight shaft to decrease MOI then add the desired weight for path back to head or use a counter weight in the butt to accomplish both best path and best face angle.
3. Shaft selection is based on total weight and face angle to produce best path and highest swing speed in addition to center face contact and consistency
4. Usually when you find the best path and face angle that also results in the best swing, swing speed, consistency etc. to boot.
5. Once you get weight right you can tweak shaft flex based on same basic weight and create balance by adjusting head weight. Try several shafts of the same weight but with different flex characteristics to tweak swing speed, center face consistency, etc. This is the point at which flex and profile play a key role. After proper total weight, balance point etc. have been achieved. Total weight is an “A” priority and once achieved Flex is a “B” priority and can enhance the fitting by slightly increasing the benefits of the proper weight by finding the feel the golfer is most comfortable with to allow him to have confidence in his swing. You can often find additional swing speed and create more distance once the best feel is found.
6. You can build same total weight with different MOI by changing ratio of shaft weight to head weight.
7. Hooker gets heavier head and lighter shaft than slicer who gets heavier shaft and lighter head for same total weight and different MOI to help slice or hook. Both can be same flex.

Keep in mind that you are not fitting for Swing Weight or MOI as your primary goal. You are fitting for swing path, face angle and feel. The only targets you should have in mind is to find the best swing path for your golfer then to adjust the head wight to get plus or minus 2° ration of swing path to face angle.

Swing path to face angle, not swing path to target.

My goal is to produce straight shots regardless of alignment. I found that best swing speed and consistency along with best shot shape is more important than conforming to arbitrary standards of alignment with golfers who have been playing the game all or most of their lives.  I also found that alignment varies from golfer to golfer when accomplishing their best swing. For this reason I want to find the best swing that produces the best results then I adjusted their alignment to put that great shot on their target. Lining up a little left or right of their target to accommodate their best shots seems easier to me than adjusting their swing to conform to their alignment.

My primary examples for this are Sam Snead and Lee Trevino. Sam Snead aligned with a closed stance and played a pull draw to great effect in his career. Lee Trevion aligned with an open stance and played a pull fade during his career. So, I reason that consistency and repeatability are keys and alignment can be adjusted to them. Let your golfer tell you what works best for him through the results of his testing.

Once you achieve the proper fit by testing you choose the building technique you believe will benefit your golfer the most. Swing Weigh matched or MOI matched. Your test club is your model to build to and nothing more. Regardless of build technique your job now is to match the set, or club to your test club exactly. Same head, same shaft, same flex, same swing weight or MOI and same grip. Clone your test club.