I recently attended the PGA Magazine National Club Fitting Conference at the Concession for PGA and LPGA professionals. One of the sessions involved fitting a man into some new irons, as he was not hitting his own irons solidly and his shots were spraying left and right.

What was interesting is that he bought his irons off the rack some years ago. He never got fitted for them and he assumed he irons should be at the men’s “regular” (standard) length, and a men’s “regular” shaft flex. He was asked how he managed to play with his clubs for so long and kept hitting them so poorly — he just said “I just managed to play them like that” and “never thought about” seeking a PGA or LPGA golf professional to get fitted. OR take a lesson! Believe me, if he would have taken ONE lesson, that professional would have told him his clubs were not correct for him.

Well, in the process of 45 minutes, it was found that he needed his irons not only a lighter weight shaft, but 1/2″ shorter in length and 1 degree flatter in the lie angle of his clubs. (Lie angle is the angle between he shaft and the club.)Through trial and error, the club fitter was able to dial in on the proper “specs” of his irons and in the process, straighten out the ball flight. The gentleman was beyond happy! He could make his “natural” swing and not have to fight the club!

For those of you who remember Michelle McGann, she was a big  hitter on The LPGA tour a few years back —  and some may remember her for her signature straw hats. Anyway, I was teaching at a corporate clinic for female executives in New Jersey, and she had stated that she was playing clubs FOR YEARS that were not fit for her. She is tall, about 6’1″, and she had at that time just started to play clubs that were 1″ longer than the  standard men’s length. What a difference for her, she stated. She said at address her posture was better, she felt that she didn’t need to bend down to the ball so much, and as a result her motion through the ball was freer and she was hitting better quality shots.

There are many, many countless stories of golfers who play poorly and think it is they who have to adjust to the golf clubs. WRONG! For the club fitter, the secret is not the make of the club but how the fitter makes it suit YOU. Shorter an inch? A more upright lie angle? Smaller golf grip? You won’t know unless you get fitted. so please stop by SchiavettaGolf Academy and make an appointment to get fit for your clubs. You will be amazed by the results — just like that gentleman at the Concession.