7 Tips for Fitting a Driver
The Fitting Studio at Cleveland Golf
Ruben Padilla from the Fitting Studio at Cleveland Golf helped us compile these little nuggets of knowledge for your consumption – 7 Tips for Fitting a Driver. Much thanks to the Cleveland Golf Fitting Studio and Ruben for his help.
The point is drivers are not cheap, and being able to make the proper decision for you would only help you enjoy your purchase for months and perhaps years to come. We all want you to make an informed decision when purchasing a driver.
A Note from the Editor: Looking at these 7 tips, a golfer could even use them for other clubs they are going to get fitted aside from the driver. Some of these tips may seem more like common sense and others perhaps not. The aim of this article is to help you get the most bang for your buck when getting a club fitting, and hopefully these tips will come in handy.
Check out our 7 tips below. Let us know what you think.
7 Tips for Getting Fitted for your Driver
Here are 7 more tips to consider when getting a driver fitted.
- Always bring the driver you are attempting to replace. You want to test your club using the equipment the club fitter has on hand as a base line. Measuring your club and your current ability will be used as a point of reference, a starting point if you will.
- While you’re measuring your club make sure the club fitter is asking you questions about your tendencies. For example, he/she should be asking you about your normal ball flight with the club you’re using. Do you Draw, Fade or Slice normally? What is your handicap and how well do you hit the ball? Do you feel as if you hit off the toe, square, or closer to the hosel? Knowing what shot your normally shape will aid your club fitter in making the proper choice of club face. What you feel and the results of the shots taken will only confirm the data that is generated by the club fitter’s equipment.
- The club fitter will look at ball speed, launch angle, and spin rate to determine which driver head and shaft to use. Your goal here is to find the proper club you will need to fit with your swing. Don’t be disappointed that you won’t need that double extra stiff shaft and a club-head with low Trampoline Effect. Sometimes you won’t need the latest and greatest. This would be confirmed by the numbers that the testing equipment generate using your driver as the base line. Test the new club configuration, how does it feel versus your old driver?
- The typical driver fitting will take anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes.
- Ruben was adamant that although retail outlets like Golfsmith can provide the same data he strongly suggests that you visit a manufacturer only because they will have a lot more options in shafts. If you can’t visit a manufacturer getting a print out of the data and submitting that information to the manufacturer is the next best thing. Not all swings are the same. Having access to a variety of shafts with various qualities will help improve the chances you find the proper set up for your driver. Personally I have bought at retail. I suppose I have been lucky with my purchases thus far but Ruben does bring up a valid point. The manufacturers know their own product so well they can provide a combination of club head and shaft to meet pretty much any swing.
- An Experienced Club Fitter Matters. When deciding on the club fitter always ask how long he has been a club fitter. Also how familiar are they with the product you’re being fitted for. Going directly to the manufacturer really improves the chances you will find the proper fit and feel.
- Watch out for hidden charges. Not all club fitters include the fitting of the club with the price of the club. Cleveland Golf for example charges a small flat rate which is a separate charge from the purchase of the driver. Be sure to check in advance.
Our Conclusion: Be Savvy
Bottom-line, be a savvy buyer.
My personal opinion find a golf equipment manufacturer you want to work with and go from there. There are so many options available you don’t want to be handicapped because of all those options. Also with technology moving so quickly, even for golf, having an experienced club fitter help you navigate these waters will go a long way towards being satisfied with your ultimate purchase. Remember it’s an investment for months to come.
Now go play some more golf. It’s Daylight Savings, more time to play more golf!
If you would like to know more about getting a club fitting with Cleveland Golf give the Fitting Studio a call and arrange an appointment: Ask for Ruben/Fitting Studio and set up your appointment at 714-889-6495
Cleveland Golf’s Fitting Studio Rate Card: 2014-15 Cleveland Golf Fitting Studio Rates
A little about Cleveland Golf:
Cleveland Golf is an American golf equipment company based in Huntington Beach, California. Cleveland Golf began as a company known for producing replicas of classic golf clubs. Today, Cleveland Golf is a leader in wedges highly regarded for creating innovative equipment with advanced technology. Cleveland Golf is a part of Srixon Golf offering Cleveland, Srixon and XXIO brands. (Taken from Wikipedia)