The expert custom fit

Head Professional Simon Fletcher provides his customers with a full expert custom fit. Custom fits generally take thirty to forty minutes depending on the customer’s needs and wants. Each session follows a step by step process.

Step one
Deciding on the correct club head and model.
At the start of the fit we try and identify the head model and design that both is suited to the player and one the player likes the aesthetics of. We have all the following custom fit carts to choose your clubs from:

Step two
Testing for the optimum shaft length.
Once the customer has decided on the head design we then fit the shaft length. We do this by applying tape to the face of the golf club, and once the customer has hit a few balls we will evaluate the shot dispersion.

If the marks on the face are near the toe of the club this generally means that the clubs are too short for the player, and if the ball marks are on the heal of the club this means the clubs are long, in which case we would make them shorter.

Step three
Testing for the correct lie angle.
When testing the player for the correct lie angle we place lie tape on the sole of the club and allow the player to hit four to five shots from the lie board. The lie board will mark the tape and help us determine where the club is first making impact with the ground. If the marks on the sole of the club are consistently on the heel of the club it generally means that the club is too upright for the player and would cause them to hook the ball. If the marks are on the toe of the club then the clubs are too flat for the player and will cause them to hit the ball to the right.

Research from the Titleist Research and Development Centre suggest that if a club has the incorrect lie angle by 2 degrees, it will account for the shot to be twenty feet off line. This just emphasises the importance of true custom fit.

Step four
Testing for the correct loft.
We very rarely make the lofts weaker on clubs as not many people are prepared to sacrifice the loss of distance, unless a player really struggles in getting the ball airborne. It is sometimes necessary to make the lofts a little stronger, if a player has a steep angle of attack and hits the ball too high.

Step five
Testing for the correct shaft.
There is a wide variety of shafts on the market now with various features and benefits, so it is important to get the right one. At Morecambe, we test for the players shafts on the state of the art True Temper Shaft analysis. This is the most accurate way to testing for shaft type, flex and kick point.

Step six
Testing for grip type and thickness.
Grip type is a totally personal preference, some people prefer soft grips, some people prefer corded grips, it is simply what feels compatible for the player. We measure all the players with the grip measuring board to determine the correct thickness of the grip. Grips that are too thin could cause the player to hook the ball as the grip will allow the hands to release more, if the grip is too thick, it will not allow the hands to release and could cause the ball to go right.

Step seven
Deciding on the correct set composition.
This part of the custom fit has become more important with the introduction of more lofted woods and rescue clubs. Companies now also sell irons individually so in some cases we will replace the long irons with fairway woods or rescue clubs.