What are Custom Clubs?
Custom clubs are irons that are altered or adjusted to fit a player. A golf fitter will watch you hit a bucket of balls then take a few measurements and recommend a few adjustments such as lie angle and offset. Most clubs can be fitted and once altered, are custom to you and only you. One of the measurements a fitter will take is the wrist to floor height. This measurement is used to determine the lie angle which affects how the leading edge sits on the ground when you address the ball. Naturally you want the leading edge to lie flat so that your club is square to the ball.
Are you ready to be fitted?
Golf fitting is not expensive. For as low as $50, you can be fitted for custom clubs. And once you are fitted, you can take these adjustments to any golf club repair shop and they will change the lie angle of your clubs for you. Most people who are fitted are interested in having their irons adjusted so that they can optimize their iron play. Drivers, fairway woods and hybrids can be fitted but not in the same way as irons. Instead of changing the lie angle, fitters will match the shaft according to your club head speed and your swing.
One thing you should consider is whether your swing is a work in progress. The worst time to get fitted is after a golf lesson because your swing mechanics is not second nature to you. A better time to get fitted is when your swing is more stable and you are almost at the top of your game.
One thing you should consider is whether your swing is a work in progress. The worst time to get fitted is after a golf lesson because your swing mechanics is not second nature to you. A better time to get fitted is when your swing is more stable and you are almost at the top of your game.
How to Buy Custom golf Clubs
You don't have to be pro or play like a professional to own custom golf clubs. Custom golf clubs are so affordable these days that you can order one custom fit iron for as low as $25. You can choose club heads that resemble a lot of popular club heads manufactured by the big boys such as Ping, Taylormade and Callaway. Also you can order custom clubs online without paying a custom club fitter to measure you and determine the lie angle of your irons.
What is the difference between customized golf clubs and off-the-shelf clubs?
When you buy custom golf clubs, you work with a club fitter that will measure you up and build you a set of irons that will be matched to you and your swing, They will take a set of irons 'off the shelf' and customize it by changing the lie angle which affects how the leading edge of the club face sits on the ground. In order for you to hit the sweet spot, the leading edge must be parallel to the ground when you setup and address the ball.
When you buy golf clubs that are 'off-the-shelf', you are buying a set of irons that have a zero lie angle which are optimized to players that are average height. In most cases, players will adjust their setup to ensure the club sits on the ground square. |
Am I ready for customized golf clubs?
Before putting this page together, I visited the guys at the Callaway Performance Center for a club fitting session. I brought my current set of irons with me to have them tested out but you can go empty handed as well. With my own set, they got me to hit some balls on their simulator and they watched for the ball flight, launch angle, club head speed and ball speed. They also took a tape measure to my height and wrist-to-floor length. Next they took my 7-iron and measured the lie angle which was 0 degrees.
Based on my height and wrist-to-floor length, they recommended no shaft changes but lie angle had to be -1 degrees. They explained that with my 'off-the-shelf' golf clubs, I was probably compensating by leaning forward on address or raising my hands. This may have caused some unexplained shanks where I was hitting the hosel on impact. |
As you can see from my club fitting session, my set of irons were just -1 degrees off. This could have caused some of the unexplained shanks that I had all year or having the tendency to come down too steep with my irons. In minutes, they adjusted the lie angle for me. Have I noticed a difference? I have. With my customized golf clubs, I now hit more straighter and have less shots that I lose left or right. To me, it was a well spent $99. I was amazed at how small the adjustment was, however it had improved my shots considerably.
Where to Buy Customized Golf Clubs?
One thing to take note about buying custom golf clubs is that the majority of iron heads are made in China. Even the brand names like Callaway, Ping, Titleist and Taylormade have factories in China.
Where to Buy Customized Golf Clubs?
One thing to take note about buying custom golf clubs is that the majority of iron heads are made in China. Even the brand names like Callaway, Ping, Titleist and Taylormade have factories in China.
When I'm buying custom golf clubs, I choose Gigagolf because I've been happy with the quality and looks of the clubs. The clubs they carry look and feel like brand name clubs but at a fraction of the cost. My last set was the TRX v.11 irons which looks exactly like my Taylormade Burner 2.0 irons. I bought it as a result of wanting a second set of irons to travel with, that would play and feel like my Burner set but not at the same cost. A lot of golfers that I met when travelling. told me of their horror stories of clubs being dropped and wrangled in transit or airlines losing their clubs.
Now when I travel, I bring my TRX irons instead and they look and play the same as my regular set. Update: Recently I spoke with a club fitter and he told me there is a "no-bend" list that club fitters use to determine if they should bend clubs or not. Because they are fearful for breakage, club fitters will not change the lie angle of clubs that are on this list. It's always best to check with your local store rep whether they can adjust the lie angle of the irons before you commit buying them.
The reason companies like Gigagolf will bend their irons is because they manufacture their own irons. If breakage occurs, they will replace the club head before shipping it out to you. |
Shaft Flexibility
When it comes to club head speed, it is important that you select the right shaft flexibility. Shafts come in various flexes and depending on how fast you swing, your club fitter would recommend a particular shaft flex to you. If you are a senior player, the right shaft flex for you is either a 'A' or a 'R'. If you take the club back and swing easy then choose a shaft flex of 'A'. Otherwise if you swing faster and with more aggression then choose a 'R'. Lady players should choose a 'L' and average players should choose a 'R'. Fast swingers or intermediate players should choose a 'S'.
Update: Some golf stores have been recommending ladies to buy clubs with senior flex shafts. Shafts marked with an 'A' are not equivalent to "L". Other than the flexibility, these clubs are longer and heads are heavier than the clubs for ladies.
Summary
Aside from the lie angle, there are a number of adjustments and selections you can make such as the shaft length, shaft flexibility and golf grip type. All of these adjustments make a regular golf club, custom to your height, swing and strength.
Opinion: TRX 460 Driver
I don't know how many drivers you own but I personally have 4. I somehow like Taylormade drivers and so, I have a M2, a RBZ white driver and an old Burner Draw driver. My next driver may very well be the new TRX 460 custom driver from Gigagolf.
The TRX 460 driver is new and has a center of gravity that is lower and farther forward than any driver they have ever made. This allows players to launch the ball higher with less spin, which means longer off the tee and straighter. The forged VFT face causes balls to fly faster and has more forgiveness on missed hits. The sliding weight makes it fast and easy to tune the ball flight. Slide the weight toward the heel to create a draw bias or lock it down on the toe if a fade is what you like. The TRX 460 driver is only $109 base and is completely customizable with shaft options, golf grip and shaft length. |