Tailored to fit: tips for getting your clubs customized

With so many different body types, why is it that so many people buy the same stock golf clubs? Someone who is six feet tall wouldn’t buy the same pants or shoes as someone who is five feet tall, nor would someone who has large hands buy the same gloves as someone with small hands. The same logic should apply when it comes to golf clubs. Getting your clubs custom-fitted doesn’t only help with your score on the course, but with your comfort level while playing.

“The advantage is that they’ll be custom fit to specs, which is to say that they’ll fit you properly,” said Tim Watt, head professional at D’Arcy Ranch Golf Club in Calgary.

The grip

All parts of the club can be customized to the individual player, including grip size, length, flex and clubface angle. In terms of shot direction, Watt explains the importance of grip sizing.

“If the grip is too small, you’ll usually end up pulling the shot,” he said. “If the grip is too big, then you’ll end up slicing or pushing.”

Fitting your body

What’s interesting when it comes to height specifications is that being short does not necessarily mean you’ll have a short set of golf clubs. A shorter person who uses regular-length clubs will end up with less angle, so that the ball sits farther away, but the club length will remain the same because of the lie.

“This is helpful because the shorter the club, the shorter the distance that you’ll be able to hit the ball,” said Watt. “Having that length allows you to maintain the club hit-speed up.”

Golfers should take care when purchasing a new set of clubs to not simply take their height into account, but their arm length as well. The most important measurement is the distance from fingertips to the ground.

“For instance,” said Watt, “a tall person with long arms doesn’t necessarily need longer clubs, but a tall person with short arms will want to lengthen their clubs.”

Golf club customization is helpful to all golfers, though it is particularly advantageous to the non-standard player.

“If you have something different about your game, like a funny swing, then a custom fitting can really help,” said Watt. “Like if you usually come down with your toe in the ground, you’ll want to get a flatter head face. Someone without a standard body type or standard swing can really benefit from getting their clubs adjusted to fit their game.”

The mental game

There’s also a certain placebo effect that comes with getting golf clubs tailored specifically to your body type and game style.

“Guys come in here all the time who have a pretty average swing,” said Watt, “but because they are getting their clubs custom fit, in their mind they will swing better.”

As any regular golfer knows, golf is an immensely mental game—so having a good feeling about the clubs you’re using can really be helpful to your play. Getting your clubs custom fit, even if you’re an average golfer, can be very beneficial.

“It’s kind of like buying a ring,” said Watt. “If you don’t buy the right size, you might still wear it, though having it fit custom to you will, in the end, make it fit better. But some will prefer a tight fit and some will prefer a loose fit. It’s all about finding what is comfortable and best for your game.”