Author: benbastelpga

So far in the Process Series we took a dive into how to develop a process. From goal setting to assessing our current situation to creating your plan. In this fourth episode, let’s move beyond our plan and discuss how we implement this process, every day. In the next few paragraphs I will provide you with some examples of how we’re going to do this.

PLANNING

We have already talked a little bit about planning, but let’s break this down even more. Regardless of your mindset, this planning procedure should look more like Sheldon Cooper’s daily bathroom log and less like your dog’s Sunday afternoon agenda. To prepare for what this planning might look like take a day, preferably one in which you’re playing golf, and break it down into 10-15 minute increments. (Side note: quick math tells us a 4 hour round of golf will mean 10-15 minutes a hole. See what I did there? I know, smart.) What is your plan for those time blocks? What are you trying to accomplish? Here’s an example:

• 10:00 am – Leave work to head to course
• 10:15 am – Arrive to course, Shoes on, pay course fees, load cart, head to practice range
• 10:30 am – Pre-round warm up (Wedges, Mid Iron, Long Iron, Tee Shots); Have a warm up plan and keep it consistent
• 10:45 am – Putting and Short Game Warm Up; Same consistency here
• 11:00 am – Tee Time
• 11:15 am – Hole #1 done…on to #2!

I know this would be just a short snippet of a day but it IS the type of detail you want to see when planning a day like this. Feel free to break down each of these areas even further if you like. But regardless, you will see more detail arrive as we move further into this process.

JOURNAL

Ok, so we’ve broken down your day, maybe in more detail than you’ve ever had it. Now is the time for us to take a look at each of these time blocks. Just like we spoke of in earlier posts, carry your journal with you (phone, note pad, or notebook), and make a note about each of them. Keep it simple! The key is to reflect in the moment. We’ll talk more about what to do with this later. Here are a few things you should think about recording:

• How’s your self talk? What are you saying to yourself?
• How’s your attitude?
• Did the plan go the way you expected?
• What did you like? Not like?
• Did you give yourself enough time to complete the task?
• Were you able to account for any idle time?
• Did you experience any anxiety?

AFTER ACTION REPORT (AAR)

Now here is where it all comes back around to you. You’ve planned your day, implemented your day, and recorded your day, now finally, we review your day. An After Action Report, or AAR, is typically used in the military arena. It can also be a great tool for us to use in our daily business, personal, and sporting lives. In this AAR we will use one of the most commonly used tools for assessment and growth, the SWOT Analysis. The Strengths-Weaknesses-Opportunities-Threats Analysis is a time honored system for businesses and organizations all over the world and we will use it here to assess our own personal performance. To accomplish this we will answer the following questions:

• Which of our strengths helped us to perform to our standards or beyond?
• Did we show any weaknesses today? How did these weaknesses affect our performance?
• What opportunities were presented today and were we able to take advantage of them? Could we create these opportunities again and if so, will be be ready to take advantage of them then?
• What potential threats presented themselves today that could derail our chances of success in the future?

Ask yourself these questions each day and you will find that in future situations your chances of success or fulfillment each day will dramatically improve.

CONCLUSION

The take away from the above strategy is that it is not just a one time thing. It’s an every day thing. It’s a, you guessed it, PROCESS. And each time you complete this daily process you will find it becomes easier and easier to implement until eventually you find yourself entrenched in a new habit loop. Your time management skills will improve dramatically, your practice sessions will take on new meaning, your rounds of golf will steadily improve, and you will be able to see it happening right in front of your eyes. I wouldn’t doubt you are also looking at this strategy as an opportunity to improve many other aspects of your life, not only golf. And you’re right! This is a wonderful tool to take with you in every endeavor. The process is simple; plan, implement, assess, and repeat. But don’t wait! A new day is close ahead and the time to start is now!

Have you ever found yourself playing a round of golf, spraying the ball all over the yard, and wondering why? Or I’m sure you’ve often hit shots where swings feel good, your mind is focused on your swing thought, and still you mis-hit a shot or sail one off line. Often the one common denominator between all of these missed shots is your eyes. Eyes are an incredibly important and underrated aspect of a player’s golf game. It’s not enough to simply say “keep your eye on the ball.” We also need to know when and how you are doing that.

WHAT ARE THE EYES RESPONSIBLE FOR?

The eyes are responsible for more than you could ever imagine in a golf swing. Think about a situation in another sport. How often have you seen a wide receiver in a football game drop a ball because they visually lose the ball and, out of self preservation, pick up that safety coming in for a big hit across the middle? That is nearly exactly what happens when your eyes don’t stay focused on a point whether that’s a football coming at you across the middle or a golf ball sitting perfectly still on a tee. A common scenario during a golf swing is eyes moving forward (toward the target) at the start of the downswing. Once that happens, anyone’s natural reaction is your head following. Once your head moves so does your upper body, and when that happens your lower body will stop it’s rotation and stall out. This one moved of your eyes can cause almost any shot you can imagine (slice, hook, push, pull, top, skull, chunk, chilly dip, and yes, the occasional decent shot) and force you to rely simply on perfect timing to hit a decent shot.

HOW CAN YOU PRACTICE EYE CONTROL?

Practicing your eye focus or movement might seem like it’s unnecessary but consider any other movement we make during a golf swing. We’ll practice the take away but not what our eyes do during the take away. There is an assumption that our eyes are looking at what they need to be looking at and we are in control of that. But we don’t often have as much control over what we’re looking at as we might think. The next time you are driving to work I want you to actually consciously think about where your eyes are looking. What you think you’re looking at and what you actually are might surprise you. To practice eye control, focus consciously on what you are looking at in one of these next few situations:

• Hold a pen or finger up if front of you with a moving background (a tv would work). Try to focus on the tip of the pen or finger as long as you can.
• The next time you exercise, fixate on a specific point in front of you. This works especially well when you’re running.
• Take short golf swings or roll putts and don’t let your eyes move until you hit the golf ball or it goes in the hole.

THE EYES EFFECTS ON YIPS

If you have played golf for long you’ve probably struggled at some point with the yips. A lot of you probably have without even knowing. Contrary to popular thought, the yips are not a mental condition requiring counseling, medication, or lobotomy. It’s caused by unconscious and unaware eye movement typically at the moment the club moves away from the ball. Playing collegiately at Miami University I had the unfortunate privilege of having the putting yips. I discovered during a long, frustrating practice session that I never actually saw the ball get hit and along with it had developed an involuntary muscle movement in my hands. Once I discovered this I developed a practice routine that forced me to consciously keep my eyes on the ball through impact and after several hours of practice I was able to rid myself of my yips. I have found this concept to stand true in nearly every aspect of golf and sport since then. Great eyes equal great consistency.

CONCLUSION

Mastering your eye movement is not something that comes terribly easy. It is something, however, that can be learned and practiced. I encourage you to try some of the tips above to help you practice your eye control and of course contact me at benbastelgolf.com for help in developing your own practice regimen.

When it comes to any endeavor, motivation and momentum are really the glue that make your change stick. As a golf instructor I find people fighting the battle to find motivation and maintain momentum all the time. Just like a new year’s resolution, when a new student decide’s to take the plunge and get some golf lessons they are typically very motivated. They have obviously had enough with their current game and have sought professional help (this is usually after a slew of “unprofessional” help from friends and of course…YouTube). Motivation can skyrocket once they see some results and develop their plan for improvement. The later term, however, is arguably more important, maintaining momentum. When the motivation created from the initial lessons, practice, and improvement have worn off you need to somehow find a way to maintain momentum. Below are a few things to think about as you try to stay motivated.

Make it a Habit

Habits are engrained in all of us, good or bad, and they hold more power over us than we’d ever care to admit. That’s why it’s so important to understand 1) how to develop them and 2) how to maintain them.

Development

Once you have found the motivation to improve or succeed, it’s time to engrain that motivation into positive forward momentum. The next time you find that positive change developed from lessons, research, or just a great epiphany find out what makes that motivation happen. That’s your “cue”. This cue is what will move you into the next aspect of your habit, “routine”. Sounds pretty mundane, huh? Maybe, maybe not. The routine is important because it is the one thing you actually have in your control. When you feel the cue (motivation), slip into your routine. This should be simple, focused, and process oriented. Think of the swing change you want to make. When the cue or thought comes to you your routine could be, pick up a golf club, wherever you are, and rehearse the move a specific number of times. Try 5 times to start. It’s simple, focused, and gives you just enough rehearsals to get it right. If you’re at the golf course, even better! Try it at the range. Go through the same routine with multiple clubs and be sure to set a time limit! No rake and hit, rapid fire nonsense. Slow it down and focus. Finally, and this is probably the most important aspect or the this system, is the reward. When you’re done with your routine, enjoy the last good shot on the range. Let it resonate through your hands, watch the ball soar out onto the range, and enjoy… This reward is so important because without it, you’ll have no desire to come back and repeat it again. Let yourself enjoy it.

Maintaining Your Habit Momentum

This is where its easy to get lost. Many people are really pretty effective at developing their habit. Maintaining it is the difficult part. This is due to a couple of reasons. 1) The cue isn’t internal. If your only cue to go through a routine and develop a habit is when you’re on the range (which happens maybe once or twice a week) you’ll never have enough reps to keep the habit going. This cue needs to be internal. Here’s a tip, keep a golf club in all of your most frequented places. Living room, office, and obviously the golf course (not the bathroom, we all know you spend a lot of time there but that’s just weird). When the thought comes to your mind because you’re watching golf on tv, or see the golf club in the corner of your room, pick it up! Go through the routine. Feel the perfect move after 5 moves, and set it back down. That’s an internal itch (cue) that you can always scratch. 2) The routine is too complex. Like I had mentioned earlier, keep your routine simple. Or as I like to say, KISS, Keep It Simple Stupid. Don’t have your routine be an elaborate enterprise, or you will never have the time, motivation, or desire to maintain it and it will never develop into an effective habit.

Enjoy the Process

Momentum is easy to maintain if you’re having fun. Think about it, there’s a reason why a diet can seem so hard to follow. No one ever says, “I can’t wait to starve myself and live off rice cakes for the next two months!” But when you focus on small changes, new recipes, and fun ways to eat healthier it can have a really positive effect long term. Enjoy the process of learning to eat better and you never really have to go on a diet. That same process is true when trying to improve your golf game. Don’t reinvent the wheel, take your changes one step at a time. Develop a positive habit, and give yourself time for reward and you will find that the changes aren’t arduous and difficult, but rather fun and exciting. And don’t forget to share your changes as well. Friends or an adoring spouse is great but this is often with your golf instructor. Either way, we tend to work better when we are held accountable.

The next time you embark on a positive change in your golf game or in your life, I hope you take into consideration the points above. These are tried and true methods of positive change. They can be simple, personal, and highly effective if you can muster up the patience to stick to them. My advice, Enjoy the Process!

In episode #1 we talked a little bit about the first step in a change process, dreams. Like a drop pin on your Apple map, you need a destination. We can’t get anywhere without knowing where we’re going. We also hinted at the next phase of the process, assessment. I may have included the bubbled answer sheet to bring back scarring childhood memories of of standardized tests but that’s not exactly what I mean. This assessment has more to do with knowing where we’re at. Back to the map analogy, it’s knowing where we’re starting, what car we’re driving, who are the passengers (and should we dump them at the next intersection), and how much gas is in the tank.

Where are we now?

This is the first question we need to ask. When it comes to a skill like golf it’s important to know what the current state of your game is. For most amateurs we consider this a handicap, but we need to look deeper than that. We need to put a “why” behind your 10 handicap. Why are you a 10 and not a 15 and why are you a 10 and not a 5? What are the reasons why you can’t play better? This starts with a good look inside you. What are your habits? Like we hinted at in Episode #1, understanding the habits that make you tick is important to learning how to change them. Keep a journal! This may take a week, two weeks, or two months of consistent journaling but you will be amazed at the habits in your life and how they may be holding you back from achieving your golf goals without your knowledge. Tell me if this sounds familiar?

You: Alright, 39 on the front is pretty good, but my back nine scoring is always horrible. I’m going to focus and do better this time.

Also You (location half way house): Uhhh, can I get 2 hotdogs, a bag of chips, and six Bud Lights please?

Build an awareness of your habits, and use this knowledge to create a plan.

How to use statistics to create knowledge

When most people hear the word statistics they almost immediately sweat when remembering that worst of college finals. We’ll look at this in a simpler light. Like we do at the beginning of any Performance Improvement Program we collect stats. In it’s simplest form that would be Fairways Hit, Greens in Regulation, Up and Downs, and Putts. This gives you a general overview of how you played. What I typically want to see, however, is all of these statistics as well as what club is hit and from what lie. And, if you have the ability, what your yardages are. There are many apps and programs out there to collect these stats including Get Real Golf Stats and Arccos. I typically like to record these stats by hand, as it allows you to immediately reflect on your shot or hole. Once these stats are collected we take this one step further using a proprietary formula to calculate practice times. We split these into four areas; tee shots, approach shots, short game, and putting all weighted based on the percentage of shots typically played from these areas. The remaining stats, including where you’re missing shots and what clubs you’re typically using can be used to develop a practice plan. That’s a lot of detail to consider but the important take away is the use of these numbers. When rounds are assessed on a statistical level it doesn’t mean we need to over analyze ourselves, but it can tell us where we are at and how to start getting better.

Mental Approach

Mental acuity is a tough aspect to measure. But this is where a deeper dive into your round statistics can provide you with a clearer image of your mental approach and how it relates to your current state of golf. When looking at your mental approach, be sure to answer the question, “Why?” Why did I make that decision? What can I do to improve my decision making? Like Bobby Jones said, “Golf is a game played on a 5 inch course – the distance between your ears.” For most of us, we play golf like Hulk, not Bruce Banner, the head might get bigger, but the brain gets smaller. Dive into your own head, or better yet, have someone else do it. These are all questions addressed during P.I.P. assessment phase.

Physical Assessment

When it comes to making lasting changes to your game or swing, this is major component. It may seem easy to say, “This is what I need to do.” but the real question to ask is, “Can I do what I need to do?” Injuries, surgeries, and self inflicted abdominal expansion (PC way of saying beer belly) are all aspects that need to be considered when assessing your ability to make the necessary changes to swing and game. Now we don’t need you to strap up like an astronaut on a stress test to assess your physical fitness. There are easier ways to do this. For starters, I couldn’t recommend more the value of assessing yourself with a certified TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) professional. It’s the most comprehensive way to assess your body’s preparedness to hit a golf shot. Endurance is another important factor. The easiest way to assess this aspect of your fitness is simply this. Hop on a treadmill or walk around your neighborhood for a brisk 4 mile walk. When you finish your walk, ask yourself how you feel and maybe even take a few golf swings. How do your legs feel? Do you have full energy swinging the club? Most rounds of golf, especially walking rounds will have you walking miles around the course. And when you get to hole #18 you want to be making the same swings you made when you were fresh on hole #2.

Conclusion

Assessment is the second step of the Performance Improvement Plan and is paramount to continuing forward. Just like the road map, you cannot know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’re coming from. This step can’t be skipped. So where do you think your game is at? Start with the steps above and you’ll know.

Well, it feels weird to say it but, it’s Masters Week! Arguably the greatest golf week of the year. Covid has not done us any favors this year but what a better way to end a year that many wish would have just not existed?! This will be a truly special year for an event marked by beautiful Spring foliage and color but the thing that any golf nut is wondering is, “How will the golf course play?!”

Weather Patterns

The weather patterns in Augusta have the fortune of being fairly consistent throughout the year. Temperatures don’t deviate too much, which makes for a great place to create such a consistently spectacular golf course such as Augusta National. That being said, there is typically an 8-10 degree difference in temperature between the traditional April Masters date and November. In light of that, we are seeing an interesting pattern develop. With a local heat wave next week (10 degrees higher than average) and the addition of an active tropical depression pattern we’re going to see a warm and wet Augusta this Fall. That’s just my assessment, I’m no weather man but as a club professional, I’ve studied more weather radars than Al Roker.

Turf Wars

I know we only get to see Augusta once a year at an absolutely perfect time where Augusta’s agronomists can wow us with perfectly manicured turf but we might see something slightly different this year. In the Spring, as Augusta National comes out of the winter months, we see a beautiful green over seed of perennial rye grass that makes for perfect playing conditions. This year will be slightly different. Coming out of a warmer season and unseasonably warm late summer, the golf course has not rid itself of it’s normal Bermuda grass. Some of the professionals have already commented on the native Bermuda grass creeping it’s way through the rye over seed. This will make for a slightly stickier and slower surface that many of the veteran Master’s participants will have to get used to.

Who do these conditions favor?

In light of the changes we may see to the golf course, it’s difficult to predict exactly who may win this year but it could be a year for a first time winner, with the real winner being the golf course. Here are the keys for the winner in this year’s Masters:

Length is key : A soft golf course will require length to give the potential winner access to the pins close enough to score. Bryson, Rory, and DJ come to mind.

Your short game must be as sharp as ever : Even those players most comfortable at Augusta will have a challenge this week. The patchy Bermuda grass will make for shots around greens that many players have never seen before.

Putting will still favor the veteran player : The greens are, as always, the purest bent grass anywhere and that will not change this year.

My prediction : I won’t supply a name but I expect a first time winner that is long, has meticulous technique around the greens, and has enough experience to understand the greens and perennial pin locations.

What can you learn from the year at Augusta?

Preparation and process are key and this year at Augusta players’ processes will be tested intensely. Players must approach this year like it’s a new venue. I would encourage you to take this lesson into every round you play and prepare for, even if it’s you’re own course, treat it like it’s a new course and new experience. Comfort can lead to complacency and complacency is the killer of improvement. Every day is a new day and every round a new round and you are only as good as today. Prepare for it like it’s going to be your best.

I have been fortunate enough to be teaching and club fitting with a TrackMan launch monitor for the last four years. In that time I have studied and learned numerous applications for this amazing technology and I want to pass on some of that information to you. As we approach the winter months, many of you may be making your way indoors to an indoor range or studio similar to the Golf Learning Center at Worthington Hills, where I teach. Understanding what the technology is telling you is incredibly important to making true improvement in your game over the winter months. Otherwise your indoor practice might be as affective as learning to drive a car without the gauges.

What Type of Data is There?

There are really two main types of data. Golf ball data and golf club data. And depending on your set up (what launch monitor you’re using) you may not be able to get both. If you’re using TrackMan, the Flightscope X3, and the Foresight GC Quad you’ll be able to track both. Most other models may only track the golf ball data. There are other options to view golf club data, including the Blast Golf system, but I will review that in a later post.

Golf Ball Data

At the end of the day, the golf ball is ultimately what we care about. There are plenty of horrible swings that produce beautiful results and and plenty of shanks with posed finishes. The style of the swing often doesn’t matter. Here are a few crazy boring definitions for the few important data points you need to know:

Carry Distance: Pretty self explanatory here. Carry Distance is the distance the ball travels in the air. This is arguably the most important number we want to track. If you don’t know how far you carry the ball the ability to control distance is far more difficult.

Launch Angle: Launch Angle is the angle above the horizon that a golf ball is launched. It’s measured directly after impact. This will vary based on the club hit, how fast your swing is, and how you swing the golf club.

Apex: Apex is a fancy way of saying how high does the ball go? This also varies based on how much club head speed you generate and how you deliver the club to the ball. Most people should typically look for this number to be somewhere between 70-90 feet high.

Spin: Spin is a very misunderstood number. Measured in “back spin revolutions per minute” people generally believe lower is better. But it must be noted that lower club head speed players may need more spin to maximize carry and total distance. The key is to find what spin rate for each club will maximize performance. Iron spin rates are also a tricky business. The traditional view of iron spin was to take the number of the club being hit, multiply by 1000, and subtract 10% (i.e. 7 iron = 7000 – 7000(10%) = 6300 rpm). With the advent of higher launching, lower spinning irons the traditional “drop and stop” saying now has less to do with spin and more to do with higher launching conditions. Stay tuned for future blog posts with more detail on what all this means.

Ball Speed: Ball Speed is also a fairly self explanatory number. It is the speed the golf ball is traveling directly after impact. Unlike club head speed, ball speed will give you a better depiction of the distance a ball will travel.

Golf Club Data

Although golf ball data is arguably the most important type of launch monitor data to keep an eye on, it’s important to understand why the golf ball does what it does. That’s where golf club data comes into play. What is important to understand with golf club data is that beautiful swings don’t always translate to great shots. Think Jim Furyk. What does matter is what the club is doing when it goes through the golf ball. And that is what we will focus on in our numbers to watch below:

Club Head Speed: Again, defines itself to an extent. It’s the speed the club is traveling at the moment of impact. What I tell people all the time though, is that your club is like a car in a drag race. If I’m racing a 1/4 mile track against a another car and I have to stop at the finish line whereas they can drive through it, I would have to slow down as I get there and inevitably lose the race. Think the same way for your golf swing, don’t stop at the finish line (golf ball), swing through it!

Attack Angle: This number is essentially how far up or down you swing at impact. Generally, you will swing down with irons and hybrids and up with a driver to maximize performance. The key is that whatever your attack angle is, it must be consistent.

Club Path: This is the direction the club head is traveling through impact. This could be left or right of the target. The easiest way to think about this number is a left club path = “over the top” and a right club path = “inside out”.

Face Angle: Face Angle is also measured directly at impact and is the direction that your club face is pointing when you hit the ball. It is important to note that the face angle is roughly 80% of the reason a golf ball starts where it does. If your ball continually starts left, check your face angle, it’s probably left as well.

Face to Path: This number combines the above two numbers to tell you which direction the ball will travel. If this number is left or negative you will see the ball curve left and the opposite is true for a positive number. If you are looking to change your ball flight, you need to change both of the above numbers. If you fade and want to draw, change your club path from left to right and your face angle from right to left. Easy right?! I recommend you consult your teaching pro.

Summary

Although this seems like a boring topic, if you want to improve, these numbers will be important for you to understand for indoor or outdoor launch monitor practice. And a word of warning, I don’t recommend paying attention to the remaining twenty numbers. I’ve seen plenty of exploding heads in our own simulator when people practice with too much information. I recommend avoiding needing to make corrective measures and keep the numbers simple. Before you start your off season practice, take some time to understand the numbers that will be important to you.

In the modern game club fitting is certainly a hot button topic and for good reason! Being an avid club fitter I can attest to the benefits of having a properly fit set of clubs. The questions fitters often get asked, however, are, “I’m a 20 handicapper, is it even worth it for me to get fit?” Or, the question we will address here, “I would like to take some lessons but I also need new clubs. Should I take lessons first or get fit first?” The short answer to that question is, yes! I was fortunate enough to attend a National Club Fitting Conference on Wednesday hosted by PGA Magazine and this was definitely a topic that garnered ample discussion. Here are a few of the take aways and considerations to account for before you embark on this confusing topic.

Product Timing

It never fails. The year and season have flown by, the leaves are changing, kids are heading back to school, and you can set your calendars on it, it’s discount season baby! Clubs are flying off the shelves and sticker prices are falling like the leaves on the trees outside. This seems like the perfect time to get your fitting and buy your clubs before the new product comes out and prices head back north. What most people don’t account for, however, is why prices go down. Yes, inventory must be moved, but that’s just it. It’s inventory! And as that inventory dwindles, so does the selection. If actual game improvement is your goal, the best time to get fit is right in the heart of the season. Here in Ohio, that’s early to mid June. Inventory levels are high, you have a firm grasp on the state of your golf game, and you actually have the opportunity to use the club for most of the rest of the season. The next time you look to get fit for clubs, ditch the discounts and focus on what’s best for the improvement of your golf game.

What is the Fitter’s Job?

Tricky question. Is the fitter there to sell you golf clubs? That may be the ultimate goal but it’s not always the clear solution. I’ve had countless fitting sessions that should have been lessons, and other countless lessons that should have been fittings and a good fitter or teacher won’t hesitate to let you know which one you need. Finding a club fitter that has your best interest in mind is imperative to getting the best possible outcome for your time and money. It’s really a matter of trust and it’s important to know and feel that you can trust your coach or teacher to do what’s right for your game. Don’t hesitate to ask questions of your fitter regarding what direction you need to go, lessons or a fitting. If you do you’ll probably be able to pick up on their motivations fairly quickly. Their motivation should be your improvement.

What first? Lessons or a Fitting?

Seems on the surface to be mutually exclusive, right? Wrong! This was a major topic in our discussion at the fitting conference. And I recommend one thing for anyone pondering this age old question, have an assessment. If I have students who are stuck between these two topics I have them come in for a quick 30 minute game assessment (If you’re on a Performance Improvement Program discussed in an earlier post, this is SOP). In this assessment we can look at your swing, your clubs, the state of your game, and most importantly, your goals. From this we can truly answer the question: lessons, fitting, or some combination of the two. In almost all cases it’s a combination of the two that really provide the most lasting results from a fitting.

I’m as Unique as a Snowflake and My Clubs Should Too

Don’t get me wrong, I’m a major proponent of custom club fitting. Finding the right set-up for your game is incredibly important. But there is also a reason why every company makes what we call a “stock” spec (short for specification). And depending on your goals, certain stock specs might be your best option. When I fit people for clubs I try to balance two things, immediate improvement and long term benefit. If we are planning on making changes to your golf swing in any way erring toward the “stock” specs may provide you with the best possible opportunity for both. We can certainly find the right shaft, grip, and club head for your goals but must keep in mind what length, loft, and lie angle you may need depending on where you would like to improve. So next time you’re getting fit, don’t let your shining individuality overshadow your goals.

Conclusion

There are many things to consider before your next fitting session but the biggest thing to take away from this article is keep an open and inquisitive mind. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and put trust in your fitter and coach to find the best time to add fitting to your game improvement efforts.