Building the perfect driver is an inexact science. “We’re in the business of managing the miss,” says Kris McCormack, VP of tour and education at True Spec Golf.
“We look at a variety of checkpoints to help construct the ‘perfect’ club.” Much of that work begins before a customer ever swings the stick. “It all starts with the interview,” McCormack says. “We have to understand why the golfer is there and highlight their objectives, expectations and what they don’t like about their current driver.”
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The process is data- and feedback-driven, though McCormack is quick to stress that there is never one perfect fix when helping customers. The best he or any fitter can do is give a recommendation. They can’t hit the shot for you.
With that in mind, take stock below of the main ingredients club fitters consider when constructing a custom driver. Knowledge here can make a huge difference.
GRIP
Considered a personal preference, the grip may slightly affect the club’s weight, but if a player feels comfortable with a particular grip, they go with it.
WEIGHT
Fitters measure the weight of the clubhead along with the shaft. Weight is measured stationary as well as during the swing, which helps pinpoint how a player loads and unloads the driver.
HEAD SHAPE
Fitters preselect heads while a player is warming up. The key is identifying a player’s strike pattern and where they miss on the face.
LOFT
This is a critical element to the fitting process when looking for the optimum launch window. Speed equates to loft. The faster the clubhead speed, the lower the loft should be.
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SHAFT FLEX
Speed is one component that determines whether a player should be in a regular, stiff or X-flex, but two golfers whose swing speed is 97 mph may be fitted with different shaft flexes depending on their bend profile.
BEND PROFILE
This is a combination of the butt, mid and tip stiffness. Where fitters match the golfer type and how they load and unload the golf club.
SHAFT LENGTH
Influences weight, stiffness, release pattern and strike location with a driver.
FEEL
Technically immeasurable but crucial to the process. This often boils down to acoustics or look … a player must feel confident while standing over a shot with their new driver.
Want to overhaul your bag for 2022? Find a fitting location near you at GOLF’s affiliate company True Spec Golf.
