What are Custom Golf Components?
Custom golf components are parts of a golf club -- the grip, shaft, head etc. -- that are specifically made to match the unique attributes of your swing. The best way to think about custom golf components is to compare them to the different parts of a tailored, custom suit. When you want a suit that fits perfectly, you go to a tailor and have numerous measurements taken. Those measurements are then combined to create a one-of-a-kind suit that fits your specifications. The same idea works for golf clubs. When you want to play your best, you need to have your golf components customized to fit your swing. For suits, there are arm length, inseam, waist, chest and other measurements, and for golf components, there are loft, lie, shaft flex, grip and other attributes. The point is, the custom tailored suit looks better than one off a department store rack because it was designed specifically for you. Just as clubs made from custom golf components play better that clubs off a store shelf because they were designed just for you.
Why You Should get Custom Golf Components
At this point you are probably wondering if there really is a big difference between off the shelf clubs and clubs composed of custom golf components. Simply put, there is a significant difference in performance, and if you think custom golf components are only for advanced players, guess again. In fact, high-handicap golfers need custom golf components more than advanced golfers ("Fit to a Tee"). Here is a rundown of how custom golf components can improve your game:
Improved Distance: Your club's loft, length and weight all greatly affect how far you can hit a ball ("As and Bs of Fitting"). If any one of those is off, you won't be getting the most distance possible out of your swing. In fact, 90 percent of golfers aren't getting the most distance out of their clubs because of incorrect loft alone ("Fit to a Tee"). If 90 percent are losing distance because of loft, imagine how many more are suffering from other miss fitting club attributes.
Improved Accuracy: Accuracy is all about having a squared clubface at impact. Lie angle, shaft weight and club length all affect your ability to square the clubface and hit straight shots ("As and Bs of Fitting"). Consider this statistic: if you clubs are off just one degree in lie, your shots will be off-target by five yards (Anderson). If that small amount of lie angle can spoil a perfectly good swing, your shots will be doomed if other golf components aren't matched to your swing.
Improved Consistency: To hit a golf ball consistently, you must be able to reproduce the exact same motion over and over again. If the golf components of your clubs don't fit you properly, you will have to compensate each time you swing, and it is almost impossible to compensate on a consistent basis. For example, something as seemingly insignificant as the size of your grip can cause inconsistency. If it is too big you will be prone to slice, but if too small, you will have too much hand action and hook the ball (Foley). Other club attributes such as lie, face angle, club length and swing weight also affect your consistency. They all must be the right fit for you to be able to consistently hit the ball.
Golf Components You Should Customize
To achieve the distance, accuracy and consistency you desire, you need to customize several golf components. Once you get the right fit for each part and put them together, you will be able to hit farther, straighter and more consistently. Below is a list of the golf components you should customize on your clubs.
Shaft: The shaft affects trajectory and accuracy. It also generates much of a golf club's power (Foley). To maximize the effectiveness of your shaft, you need to have its length, flex and weight customized for you ("As and Bs of Fitting"). Having a shaft that fits your swing will make an immediate impact on your performance.
Club head: Your club head affects distance, accuracy and consistency. You should find club heads with the appropriate lies, lofts, face angle and offsets to match your swing ("As and Bs of Fitting"). The perfect combination of those attributes will allow you to shoot straighter, drive farther and hit more greens.
Grip: For the best feel, consistency and accuracy you need to customize your grip's size, weight and texture ("As and Bs of Fitting"). The grip is your only connection to the club, and it needs to fit and feel just right to perform well. If there is an improper fit, you'll have a harder time hitting fairways and making greens.
You can get custom fitted golf components from a variety of locations. PGA Professionals and custom club makers can help you fit golf components to your swing. Also, some online retailers have club-fitting software that helps you find the right specifications for your golf components. Regardless of how you get fitted, to play your best you need the right equipment for your unique swing, and custom golf components are the way to make your clubs fit like a glove.
