Clubfitting 101: To Only Know Where Clubfitting Should Go

Over the last couple of posts I distinctly separated two options of fitting golf clubs to players, those being based directly on one’s swing performance and directly to ball travel.  The conclusions are quite clear.  While each approach in and of itself could essentially be utilized on its own to fit clubs, shortcomings that can produce catastrophic fitting results have been decidedly exposed with respect to each of these strategies if one is attempted in a way that sacrifices the other.  Yet one of these is in essence sacrificed very routinely in the course of typical clubfitting procedures today, principally because of the inability of the current clubfitting “establishment” to develop more correct theories and practices.  Along the same lines, I also examined the everyday occurrence by golfers and clubfitters of attempting to consider both of the above fitting aspects as part of the same “variable” in a clubfitting equation so to speak, leading to clubfitters confusing even themselves regarding efficient clubfitting procedure let alone those being fit.  It is at this very root level of clubfitting that present fitting theory and practice begins to fall apart, and from there it gets even worse.

If the current state of the clubfitting industry surprises you, be aware of how small and rather ignored (and also fragmented) this industry still really is despite its best efforts to convince all golfers to be custom fit for their golf clubs.  (That is a different issue I will comment more on later).  This situation is probably as it should be given that industry’s lack of success at noticeably and consistently improving golfers’ scores relative to off-the-rack clubs, often making things worse with a “true custom fitting.”  The clubfitting trade has a base of knowledge regarding golf swing and clubfitting structures that has basically been formulated from the opinions of a small handful of individuals whose true “specializations” really lie elsewhere in the field of golf.  To this day and to the best of my knowledge, not one of them has been able to demonstrate an accurate understanding of certain, even very rudimental, clubfitting concepts.  Noting just one of many examples, golf club swingweighting is based on the very simple (and very accurate) premise that a golf swing and golf club will be manipulated throughout a swing in accordance with what is perceived about a golf club right at address.  This single-sentence statement provides more relevant insight into the workings of a golf swing, clubfitting, and swingweighting than some others’ entire books on the subjects.  Had an equivalent statement been made at any point in the past by anyone attempting to detail clubfitting facts, the trade would have evolved into something vastly different than it is today.  So are you really still surprised?

Notwithstanding its current predicament, there might still be an extremely bright future for the custom clubfitting industry.  I know that much of the industry’s problems are self-inflicted, have little to do with some of the external factors most custom clubbers readily blame for their problems, and they are problems that can be internally overcome.  I see at least the possibility for the independent clubfitting and clubmaking industries to negotiate the use of patent-pending methods and/or products, copyrights, and more to help fit golf clubs to players superiorly and which much more “famous” (at any given point in time) club manufacturers may potentially be prohibited from using for some time.

On the other hand, a situation completely the reverse of what I just described may easily exist instead in the very near future, with the independent clubfitting and clubmaking industries perhaps being the only ones not allowed to utilize such improvements.  With an advanced swingweighting technique (Waggle Weight) already having been introduced to and dismissed by most of the “leaders” of the “organized clubfitting movement,” and depending upon the final disposition of several pending patent applications, much if not all of the independent clubfitting and clubmaking trades may soon find themselves being prohibited from using the advanced golf club specification, plus other things, for many years to come.  While this would be ironic indeed if most self-proclaimed “world’s finest clubfitters” were not legally allowed to implement such improved technologies, it should not really be surprising or unexpected if that were in fact to happen soon.  In light of this, perhaps caution should be exercised at this time if contemplating joining or continuing on with club fitting/making organizations that may all soon be prohibited from using critical advancements or considering using the products or services of those accredited by such organizations.  It will be very interesting to see if and how things change in the golf club fitting and making industries in the near future.

But let me briefly get back to business and begin to implement both fitting directly to one’s golf swing and directly to ball travel into the same comprehensive clubfitting program.  Is this even possible?  Not only can they be implemented within the same fitting agenda, but they absolutely must each be fully and independently integrated to their maximum effectiveness into the same clubfitting curriculum in order to achieve a fitting program from which to expect superb and consistent success.  Anything less will produce substandard fitting results and will be doomed to ultimate failure.  Although I will most certainly restate this in the future, let me assert here that this only truly correct, supreme process of fitting golf clubs that I am about to disclose is also a patent pending method.  This is a separate project than the Waggle Weight™ golf club specification particulars and achieves an unprecedented way of learning any type of golf swing style, intimately and further tied to the very best way to fit golf clubs to players.  If learning something from Waggle Weight Wisdom that you intend to make use of in your own product(s) or services(s), it is suggested you contact the WaggleWeight Company before proceeding in order to avoid potential legal problems later.  Having said this, next I will continue detailing clubfitting’s future.