We hope this golf club fitting page will help you in your quest for the optimal set of clubs! Throughout the years we've tried different methods of getting you proper fitting information, including "fitting wizards" where you plug in a few bits of information and it spits out fitting recommendations. Honestly, they just don't work. Your best bet is to get fit in person by a professional. If you can't get fit in person, take some time to read the comprehensive fitting information below to help you choose a set of clubs. We've been doing this for many years, and this is the culmination of our experience.


The Head:

 

Drivers/Woods:

 

Possibly the most important factor in choosing the proper driver on our site is choosing between an offset or “draw” version driver and  a standard version. Drivers generally fall into two categories, offset (or “draw”) versions and standard versions. The offset/draw version drivers can be a great choice for a golfer that slices the ball. We won’t go into a detailed difference here between a true offset driver vs. a draw biased driver (manufacturers often incorrectly interchange these terms anyway) but just keep in mind that if you are a slicer and aren’t inclined to change your swing, then look to a driver that says either offset or draw in the title. On the other hand, if you don’t have that swing flaw that so many weekend golfers have that produces a slice, look to the standard version drivers without offset or draw in the title.

The USGA has put a limit on the “legal” size for driver heads. The maximum size is 460CC plus or minus 10CC. Using the maximum size allowed by the USGA is almost always a good idea for most golfers. In fact, not many driver heads are made smaller than around 450CC. Most of the drivers we sell are the maximum allowable size. We do carry one or two smaller driver heads for those that prefer a smaller look at address or that have the ability to “work” the ball using a smaller head. We also carry one or two “illegal” drivers (larger than 460CC) for those golfers that don’t give a hoot about the USGA.

One other factor that the USGA limits is CT, or Characteristic Time, and this is a measure of impact efficiency.  CT has recently replaced what used to be measured as Coefficient of Restitution, or COR. Higher CT impact efficiency equals more efficient energy transfer from clubface to ball, and that means more potential distance. This is basically a measurement of what people sometimes refer to as “spring effect”. All of the driver heads we sell are at the USGA limit for these tests and will give you the maximum distance allowed. Again, we do sell one or two “illegal” drivers that exceed the test limits for those that want to thumb their nose at the USGA.

 

Irons:

 

Your main choice in choosing a modern iron set is choosing between a game-improvement style iron vs. a “player’s style” iron. How can you tell the difference? Your best bet is to read the individual iron set descriptions on the site. Generally a game improvement iron will have a cavity back design and a little more offset, while a player’s style iron will have a blade-like appearance and lower offset specifications. Our descriptions and images on the site should help you decide between the different styles.

 

What is offset?:

 

Offset refers to the distance between the front side of the hosel of the head and the front of the bottom of the face of the head. (see illustration below)

In irons, offset is usually measured in millimeters. When a head has more offset, the clubface arrives at the ball a split second later than a clubhead that has little or no offset. This split second of time allows the golfer to continue rotating his hands around and allows the clubface a little more time to rotate around into a more square (or less open) position at impact. So, more offset can help a golfer that slices. A better golfer may prefer low offset because they have the skill to square the face at impact without additional offset. This allows a better ball striker to “work” the ball right or left if they have that ability. The more offset, the less a golfer will have the ability to “work” the ball. Most golfers fall into the category of needing a fair amount of offset. If you’re priority is hitting the ball straight, you probably can benefit from a game-improvement set of irons with a decent amount of offset. Offset also moves the center of gravity of the ironhead back a little which can raise the ballflight slightly, which is something a less skilled golfer also can usually use help with.

 

Wedges: 

 

Of course the first consideration when choosing a wedge is the loft. You’ll want to choose the proper amount of loft needed from different distances from the pin. A very general wedge set up (in addition to the pitching wedge in your set) would be a gap (or AW) wedge, a Sand Wedge, and a lob wedge. Gap wedges usually are around 50-53 degrees, Sand Wedges are usually 54-57 degrees, and lob wedges range from 58-64 degrees. As you choose your wedge make-up, you will generally want a 4-5 degree difference in loft from one wedge to the next.

Another important consideration when choosing a wedge is the bounce angle.(see illustration).Bounce is the angle of the sole to the ground. Wedges that have a higher bounce angle work better out of looser or fluffy sand and higher grass. A lower bounce wedge works better on courses with tighter fairway lies and thin or hard bunkers. Sand wedges almost always have more bounce (12-16 degrees) for looser sand and these clubs are also good for shorter shots from the rough or higher grass. Lob wedges can vary in bounce anywhere from 0 to 14 degrees, so choose these carefully according to the conditions you expect to play in and situations you expect to encounter. Keep in mind that a true sand wedge (with high bounce) may not work well for a full shot from a tight fairway, so you may want two wedges in the 54-57 degree range, one true sand wedge, and another wedge around the same loft with lower bounce.

Wedges have different finishes too. This is purely cosmetic, so choose a wedge that has a finish that appeals to your eye.

 

Putters:

 

In general, choose a putter that fits your eye. It is generally true that a mallet style putter can be more forgiving on an off-center putt than a blade-style putter. One thing that can make a difference for some people is the size of the putter grip. An oversize putter grip may be awkward to some, but for others it can help steady the hands (or help decrease or eliminate the wrist breakdown) through impact. This can help on short putts where some golfers get the “yips”.

 

The Shaft:

 

Shaft Flex:

 

Shaft flex is a very important consideration when choosing new clubs. If you get the flex of your clubs correct, you will maximize your distance and accuracy. It’s true, you may be able to adjust when you are playing an incorrect flex – but it’s best to get your flex dialed in if possible. There are no hard and fast rules as to what an incorrect flex can do to your distance and accuracy, but a common result of too flexible a shaft would be a hook, and a common result of too stiff a flex would be a slice.  Too stiff of a shaft can also cause a loss of distance.  Again, these results are by no means universal, but these are common results we see. 

 

How can you determine the flex you need?  There are 2 main ways:

 

1) Get your swingspeed measured by a professional clubfitter with a launch monitor. One word of caution: Sometimes if you get your swingspeed measured on a launch monitor at a “big box” store, the results could be skewed. In an attempt to feed your ego, a launch monitor can be tweaked to yield a higher swingspeed than you are really producing. This may sell clubs, but it does you no favors. Shaft flex determination is a case where you should check your ego at the door in order to produce the best fitting results. If you do get a swingspeed number you trust, below is a very basic guideline as far as flex:

If your swingspeed is less than 70 MPH with a driver, you should use a Ladies Flex.

If your swingspeed is 70-80 MPH with a driver, you should use a Senior (or A) Flex.

If your swingspeed is 81-95 MPH with a driver, you should use a Regular Flex.

If your swingspeed is 95-105 MPH with a driver, you should use a Stiff Flex.

If your swingspeed is 105+ MPH with a driver, you should use an Extra Stiff Flex.

 

2) Determine which club you would use from 150 yards. If you don’t know your swingspeed  and don’t want to get it checked, this can be an alternate method of determining your correct flex. Below is a basic guideline:

 

If you use a 3 iron or a 3 or 5 wood from 150 yards, you should use a Ladies Flex.

If you use a 4 or 5 iron from 150 yards, you should use a Senior (or A) Flex.

If you use a 6 or 7 iron from 150 yards, you should use a Regular Flex.

If you use a 8 or 9 iron from 150 yards, you should use a Stiff Flex.

If you use a PW from 150 yards, you should be on the PGA Tour - what a stud!


Are there any other factors in determining my correct flex?

 

Yes. One other factor in determining your correct flex would be your swing “tempo”.  What is swing tempo? To put it simply, it is the intensity of the transition from your backswing to your downswing. An example of a smooth tempo, or transition, would be Ernie Els. You can see a video of his tempo here.  An example of an aggressive tempo would be Nick Price; you can see that here.  If you find yourself to have a smooth tempo, you may want to err on the side of a softer flex. If you believe you have an aggressive tempo, you may want to err on the side of a stiffer flex. If you are in between, then tempo may not be a factor as far as affecting a flex choice.

 

Shaft Material:

 

In drivers and fairway woods, everyone should use graphite. As one graphite shaft manufacturer once said: Thou Shalt Not Steel. Even though they obviously said this because they sold graphite shafts, it happens to be generally true for drivers and fairway woods. You will be missing out on maximum distance if you’re not using a modern graphite wood shaft. Irons, on the other hand, are a different story. Most golfers still prefer steel in their iron shafts, although graphite can be a good choice for senior or lady golfers that are looking to either 1) maximize distance, or 2) have maximum vibration dampening due to arthritis or other pain.

 

Shaft Weight:

 

In both graphite and steel shafts, in irons or woods, weight can be another consideration. The lighter a shaft, the higher the swingspeed you can generate, which in theory would equal more distance.  However, one possible disadvantage of too light a shaft would be less control by the golfer.  A heavier shaft can have the effect of “steadying” the swing. Weigh these factors in choosing the shaft you believe if best for you.

 

Shaft Kickpoint:

 

Shaft Kickpoint is one thing that can affect the height of your shots. This is not as large a factor as the loft of a club head, but can have an effect. A low kickpoint shaft will launch the ball higher, while a high kickpoint shaft will produce a lower launch. Obviously a mid kick point shaft will produce a mid, or regular, ball flight. In woods, you will want to mainly control your ball flight with the loft you choose. With irons, kick-point can be a factor to consider.

 

Club Length:

 

To determine what length of irons you need, you can use a simple method called “Wrist To Floor” measurement.  Take a yardstick, and while standing straight with your golf shoes on, have someone measure from the floor to the crease of your relaxed wrist.

Most golfers are in the “standard length” range, which will be a measurement of 34 to 36” from floor to wrist. Here is a general chart to help choose an iron set length:

Wrist-to-floor Length
27" to 32" Minus 1 Inch
32" to 34" Minus 1/2 Inch
34" to 36" Standard Length
36" to 38" Plus 1/2 Inch
38" to 40" Plus 1 Inch

The length you would choose for your Driver and Fairway woods may be a different story.  While you can follow the same general fitting rules as irons for length, it is not as critical. For example, someone who is 5’ 4” with a Wrist to Floor of 30”, might still prefer a standard length driver, instead of minus one inch (according to the above chart). The reason for that is, the longer a driver length is, the more distance is possible, and the lie angle (see below) is not as critical on a wood as it is an iron. Modern standard lengths are longer than in the “old days”, since distance is often a priority for the modern golfer.  The downside to a longer driver is that it is harder to control for some golfers. You’ll want to play the longest driver that you can control well. For some that is 44”, for others it can be as long as 46”. Many (like this writer) prefer a longer driver, but choose standard length in every other club. All of this is up to you and what’s best for your game.  If you are unsure, just choose standard length.   

 

Shaft Vibration Inserts:

 

If you are a golfer that has arthritis or joint pain, shaft vibration inserts are something to seriously consider. We offer a product called Sting Stoppers that are a proprietary foam material that can be installed in a golf shaft to seriously reduce vibration upon impact with the ground. They work in steel or graphite shafts. When combined with a graphite shaft, they will offer the maximum vibration dampening possible. In steel shafts, they work so well that some golfers with arthritis or joint pain can continue to use steel over graphite shafts if they prefer.  

 

The Grip:

 

Choosing a grip comes down to 2 main considerations. Grip Size and Grip Material:

 

Grip Size:

 

One way to determine a grip size that’s right for you, would be to go off of your golf glove size. Here is a basic chart to guide you:

 

Glove Size:

 

Mens X-Large Glove – Midsize to Jumbo Grips

Mens Large Glove – Standard to Midsize Grips

Mens Med-Large Glove – Standard Grips

Mens Small to Medium Glove – Standard Grips

Another consideration may be just personal preference. Many choose grip size based on what feels right to them. They may (according to a chart or conventional wisdom) be supposed to be using a standard size grip, but prefer the feel of a midsize or jumbo grip. A midsize or jumbo grip may also feel better to someone with arthritis or joint pain because they feel they don’t have to grip the club as tightly.

 

Grip Material:

 

Grip material generally has no effect on performance, it’s just a matter of personal preference. The following are general categories of grip material:

“Velvet” Style – This is the most popular style of grip. If you are in a golf store and pick up a club, it will generally have this style of grip. The word velvet simply refers to the non-slip surface pattern in the grip. This is a style that works well in any atmospheric conditions, even rain. 

Wrap Style – This style is also popular. It is the tackiest feeling grip. This grip style has the barber pole look of the old leather grips.

Dual Materials – Many grips produced now try to combine the best of both worlds when it comes to grip technology.  The material under one hand is different from the material under the other hand (for example corded material and softer rubber material).  

Corded – These grips have “cords” or “threads” running through the material. Although these are firmer feeling grips, they are the best for traction. If you prefer to not wear a glove, these are a good option. 

 

The Lie:

 

Lie angle on drivers and fairway woods is generally not a factor you need to consider. Lie angle on your irons may be a factor in contributing to the accuracy of your ball flight. As a very general rule, too upright of an iron lie angle could make the ball go left of the target (in the case of a right handed golfer), and too flat of an iron lie angle could produce the opposite.  Unless you know your personal exact specifications, fitting for lie over the internet is nearly impossible. You need to determine locally if you need your clubs adjusted for lie.  We do offer lie adjustments on our iron sets if you know what you need.