I have done more than 2,000 fittings . My experience tells me that 80 % of club performance is due to the shaft .”
I have done more than 2,000 fittings . My experience tells me that 80 % of club performance is due to the shaft .”
— Mitch Schneider
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ANDREW HODSON
So why get fit ?
“ Golf is so expensive . If you are going to spend that kind of money , why wouldn ’ t you get fit properly with the right shaft , head , loft , weight and draw bias ?” says veteran fitter Andrew Hodson of Hodson Golf .
“ There are more than 12,000 combinations of graphite shafts alone , and more than 65,000 combinations of shafts and clubheads ,” says Mitch Schneider , northeast regional sales manager for custom fitting specialist Club Champion . “ I have done more than 2,000 fittings . My experience tells me that 80 % of club performance is due to the shaft .”
The good news is that there are certified professionals who can help both serious and occasional golfers navigate the dizzying array of ever-increasing component options .
In June , Golf Datatech released its 2023 Overview and Analysis on Clubfitting . The 50-page executive summary ($ 6,000 for the entire survey ) is an incisive and illuminating document on clubfitting consumer attitudes and experiences . The survey maintains that “ the heart of a great custom fitting experience remains a skilled technician , who can evaluate the golfer ’ s swing and tendencies , marry it to the data , and select the appropriate combinations of heads and shafts to maximize performance .”
“ Having the very best technology to measure launch angle , spin rate , smash
Hodson Golf offers instruction , virtual fittings and outdoor fittings at their studio featured above .
factor / efficiency , ball speed , club head speed , face angle and swing path are all considered important , but the ‘ magic ’ truly happens when all that technology is married to a good fitter . … That human connection is still the cornerstone of a good fitting experience ,” the survey reveals .
One Man ’ s Experience
Charles took his search for game improvement to Hodson Golf .
“ I put my faith in fitter Robert Price with almost immediate results . For the average golfer to understand the importance of shaft selection and to be able to discern the difference between shafts and then apply that knowledge to their particular swing and abilities is an overwhelming task ,” Charles said .
“ Going in I told Robert what success I had with rental clubs , with both regular steel and better stiff shafts . With Robert , I tried a lot
vsga . org N OVEMBER / D ECEMBER 2023 | V IRGINIA G OLFER 27