What's the best club for any golfer? The one that fits. Your golf equipment is only as good as its match to your specific swing and individual physique--and no two golfers are exactly alike. So essentially, getting your clubs fitted may well be the most important thing you can do for your game.
Club fitting benefits every golfer, regardless of skill level. Here, you'll find an overview of how our fitting systems work, so you can get an idea of what to expect when you come into the store for your fitting consultation.
The fundamentals of club fitting involve how the club is adapted to improve your game.
The process customizes your clubs by targeting some or all of five key areas, depending on the type of club being fitted:
Length: A club of the right length should give a golfer the ability to strike the sweet spot of the ball on a consistent basis.
Lie Angle: Formed by a club's sole and its shaft, the lie angle determines which area of the club head makes contact with the ground. Proper lie angle will optimize the golfer's set-up position.
Loft: Formed by a club's face and its shaft, the loft angle determines the ball's trajectory and directly impacts how far it will travel.
Shaft: The right amount of flex in a shaft will work with a golfer's individual swing to provide optimum trajectory and distance. (See more detail in our shaft guide.)
Grip: Tailoring grips to fit a golfer's specific hand size helps maintain proper control of the club throughout the arc of the swing.
What We Learn From You
Throughout the club-fitting process, you'll be evaluated in several ways using a variety of tools. Here are the essentials of our assessment: Interview: A questionnaire is completed by the customer to indicate goals, preferences, shot patterns and other tendencies.
Interview: A questionnaire is completed by the customer to indicate goals, preferences, shot patterns and other tendencies.
Static Measurements: Height, wrist-to-floor distance and hand measurements are used to calculate a starting point.
Dynamic Swing Test: A golfer's stance and swing are assessed by a fitting specialist to determine the club head's impact position.
Ball Flight: A launch monitor system is used to discover spin rates, ball speed, swing path and club head speed.
At Dale's Winning Edge, our goal is to custom-fit every customer who buys a golf club from our store. To accomplish this goal accurately and effectively, we use three levels of fitting: Static Fitting , Dynamic Fitting and Launch Monitor Fitting.
Static Fitting : Static fitting determines a starting point for the fitting process by attaining the golfer's height, their wrist-to-floor distance and hand measurements. These three factors help us calculate proper shaft length, lie angle and grip size. For instance, in most cases, the taller the golfer, the longer their ideal club will be. When it comes to grip size, proper fitting helps prevent awkward handling, roll-overs and snap-hooks that can result from grips that are too large or too small. Static fitting is ideal for many beginning golfers who haven't yet established their swing.
Dynamic Fitting : This is the next level of our process. Dynamic Fitting involves a specialized club fitter evaluating the golfer's swing using a lie board, lie tape and a "swing mate." The lie board is placed on the ground and the golfer hits balls off the surface. The lie tape is placed on the bottom of the club to determine which area of the sole is making contact with the ground. This indicates whether the lie angle should be flatter or more upright ("toe hits" require a more upright lie; "heel hits" call for a flat lie). The swing mate measures club head speed to designate proper shaft and flex.
The Launch Monitor : The final step of the fitting process, The Launch Monitor is the culmination of the findings determined in the first two steps. The fit of the club is verified and fine-tuned here. The Vector Launch Monitor System used by Dale's Winning Edge is regarded as one of the best systems in the industry. And the numbers don't lie--you'll immediately see the benefits of your newly fitted club! The monitor reveals spin rates, launch angle, ball speed, swing path and club head speed. With this information, our experts utilize charts and ball speed data to further maximize your golf game.
The following brands of custom fitting carts are available at Dale's Winning Edge:
- PING
- Nike
- Titleist
- Mizuno
- Cobra
- Cleveland
- Callaway Optifit
- Founders
- Nicklaus
Plus, Dale's Winning Edge offers the largest selection of demos in the Knoxville area, from companies including Callaway, TaylorMade, Adams, Nicklaus and Bobby Jones.
