Steve Hatton Club Fitter

What matters & Why They Matter

Professional golfers have long understood that how each club is configured can dramatically impact on-course performance. Often amateurs’ clubs are poorly configured for their level of play and their swing dynamics. This is why club fitting services benefit amateurs even more than professional golfers.

Our goal is to equip each golfer with clubs that are perfectly matched to their unique swing characteristics. Here are a few of the most important club specification metrics that we carefully evaluate during the fitting process:
 

Club Length

For each club being fitted, we measure the precise length of the club. Based on the golfer’s height, arm length and posture during the swing, the fitter can then define the ideal length of club for the golfer. Swinging clubs of improper length can create inconsistency in ball contact, improper club path to the ball and an ineffective swing plane.
 

Club Loft

The loft of the club is how many degrees the club is open from vertical. It affects the trajectory and spin rate of the ball on contact with the club and therefore the distance the ball will travel. Our club fitter will carefully measure the exact loft of the club prior to taking launch monitor readings. For irons fittings, we’ll measure the loft of all irons to determine if the club-to-club variances are correct (often they are not consistent in sets purchased off-the-rack).

If the loft is not set properly for the unique characteristics of the swing, the golfer may have difficulty getting the ball in the air or may lose significant distance due to hitting the ball too high. During the club fitting, our fitter will capture statistics to help define the ideal club loft for your swing.
 

Club Lie Angle

The club lie angle measures the angle between the bottom of the club head and the shaft. The lie angle increases as the clubs get shorter. The lie angle of the club needs to be set correctly for each golfer depending on their height, arm length and unique swing dynamics. Different manufacturers have different standard lie angle settings, which makes it difficult to buy standard clubs with the correct lie angle for your swing.

If the lie angle is too upright, the heel of the club will tend to hit the ground first. If too flat, then the toe of the club will tend to hit the ball first. In either case, the ball contact is less than solid causing loss of distance and inaccurate direction. Our club fitter will define the ideal lie angle for each golfer and make sure that all clubs are set properly.

Stiffness of Shaft, Kick Point of Shaft

The improvement in shaft technology has been dramatic in recent years and has a major impact for all skill levels. The composition material (steel, graphite, composite blends) the weight, torque, stiffness and kick point (where the shaft bends the most during the swing) of the shaft all impact swing speed, your ability to square the club face at impact, the distance the ball travels and the accuracy of the shot.

Swing Weight

The swing weight of a golf club is the unit of measurement used when describing how heavy or light a club feels while holding onto the grip and swinging the club. Total weight is the combination of head, shaft, and grip. Total weight affects swing weight, but swing weight incorporates a “feel” aspect.

It is important for each golfer to use clubs with an appropriate swing weight for their unique swing. If too heavy, the golfer will have a hard time generating enough club head speed. If too light, the golfer may have a hard time hitting the ball accurately toward the target.

During the fitting, our launch monitors provide the fitter extensive data that enables us to identify the proper swing weight for the golfer. By swapping out both club heads and shafts, and by collecting and comparing data on the results, our fitters identify the swing weight best suited to your swing.
 

Identify Your Ideal Club Specs Before You Buy Golf Equipment