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| When
faced with an opening tee shot or a mid-iron from the fairway,
who's clubs are you pulling? If they're borrowed from your dad,
brother, husband or boyfriend, it might be time to get fit for
your own game.
According to
Jane Frost, Top 50 Teacher, "There are many good golfers out
there simply hiding behind mis-matched golf clubs."
Are you
one of them?! |
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Do your clubs
fit your game?
LPGA Teachers sound off
on proper equipment |
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There are a lot of ways
to get into golf. Sometimes it happens purely by accident.
Sometimes you take it seriously from the start. Most times,
your first experience involves borrowing, renting or
throwing together a set of clubs from someone else.
Depending on how that goes, you get hooked or you decide
this game is for the squirrels - totally nuts.
Should you get hooked,
you can't go around playing out of other people's bags or
stealing old-timey clubs off the walls of themed
restaurants. At some point, you need "your own clubs." There
are many schools of thought on how to come by your own set,
but the most encouraged method by our teaching staff is to
actually be fitted for them. Before you say "I'm not good
enough yet" or "It's too expensive," read our pro's comments
and take note: if you love the game and plan to play more of
it, give yourself the opportunity to really enjoy it with
the right clubs in your bag.
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Jane Frost
Top 50 LPGA Teacher
East Sandwich, MA
"There are many good
golfers out there that are simply hiding behind mis-matched
golf clubs." |
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According to Jane: Teachers need to have an
understanding as to how equipment affects a students motion
and therefore the ability to improve. The LPGA is proud to
have this aspect included in the National Education Program
so that all LPGA members are better informed and prepared to
help students achieve their goals. There was a great quote
years ago that asked "Are you better than your clubs let you
play?" It is so true. There are many good golfers out there
that are simply hiding behind mis-matched golf clubs. LPGA
teachers can show students the way to more efficient and
effective golf swings. |
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Oneda Castillo
National Evaluator for the LPGA
Faye Heville, GA
"I had to be
certified to fit every brand of clubs."
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Oneda Castillo is an LPGA
Teaching professionals and a certified club
fitter and Department Head of Clubs at the PGA Tour
Superstore.
According to Oneda:
I always want everyone
to bother to get fitted for clubs. I believe that you can
walk to the mailbox in your husband's shoes that are three sizes
too big and probably be ok, but if a big dog starts chasing
you, well, you're done. Golf clubs are the same, can you play
with clubs that don't fit? Yes, but the results are often
sad and no fun. Many times new golfers and their friends
and relatives believe that a person shouldn't get fit until they
learn how to play. Sadly, the problem with this line of
thinking is that the person usually becomes frustrated by
their inability to get good or consistent results from their
ill-fitted hand me downs, and they quit, thus never
learning to play. There is also a misconception that
club fitting is expensive and time consuming. Not true!
A
good professional can fit a person in roughly 30 minutes,
for irons or woods, usually at their regular lesson fee
rates, or free if you purchase the clubs.
I know from working with so many people that often folks
don't really know what proper fitting should entail. At the
very least the fitter should be using face tape and
lie tape. The very greenest of golfers will understand that a
mark on the tape in the center of the club face and sole
when the ball is struck is a good thing. If your fitter
doesn't use face and lie tape for irons, and face tape for
woods and hybrids, get yourself a new fitter. The best of
fitters will also use a computerized program to look
for optimal launch angles, spin rates, and ball speeds.
"Bothering" to get fit is going to set you up to succeed. You
will find yourself hitting the ball higher, further and
straighter with less effort ... now that’s what I call FUN.
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Tina
Tombs
17-year LPGA Tour
Professional
Phoenix, AZ
"A lot of factors go
into good clubfitting." |
According to
Tina: I am a certified club
fitter for Ping golf clubs. Club fitting measures the
personalized fit for each student for the grip, stiffness of
the shaft and weight lie and loft of the golf club. There
are a lot of factors involved when club fitting, but here
are a few things I always take into consideration:
- male or
female
- age
- frequency of play
- strength of game
- physical
strength
- height of individual
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Sandy
Lemon
2006 Callaway
Clubfitter of the Year
Santa Ana Pueblo, NM
"I always asks my
students if their clubs were fitted for them." |
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According to Sandy: Most importantly the club
should fit the player and not let the player fit to the
club. All ill- and/or non-fitted clubs create compensation in the
set up or swing.
Fitting a golfer
includes:
Drivers being the most
important full swing club: I always use face impact tape for
fittings. Face impact tape is also extremely useful in
teaching.
Irons - lie angle is
easily checked with a lie board.
Shaft flex is checked by
measuring club head speed and observing ball flight
(trajectory & side spin).
Putter fittings are also
very important especially for proper length. Ladies often
end up with their husband's putter (35 inch standard) and it
is too long. This causes ladies to lose a major fundamental
in getting their eyes over the ball to see the proper line.
Ladies length standard is 33 inches. A new putter may not be needed
- the current one can be shortened. |
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Getting fit for golf
clubs can often be part of your regular lesson. Ask your
teaching professional how to get started. |
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LPGA Teacher Oneda
Castillo says getting fit is worth the "bother" you might
think it is - it can take as little as 30 minutes! |
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Clubfitting personalizes
fit for grip, shaft flexibility, weight lie and loft of the
golf club. |
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Many ladies end up
with hand-me-down putters that are too long. Men's putters
are 35", women's are 33". Check yours! |
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It is better to fit
the club to the player than to fit the player to the club. |
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