How to get the most from a custom fitting

We speak to Paul Rymer, head of the Ping European Fitting Centre at Gainsborough Golf Club, to find out how to get the most from a custom fitting session

You should ALWAYS get fitted for your golf clubs, regardless of your age, size or ability. It’s the only way to know for sure that the clubs in your bag are tailored to your swing, rather than having to change your swing to suit your clubs.

But some golfers go into a fitting session worried they’re not going to get the most out of it. There can be a lot to squeeze in within a short space of time and so it can be difficult to know how best to maximize it.

Watch: TaylorMade M1 driver fitting in action

The fitter you’re working with should know the best process to go through but sometimes they can miss something that seems trivial to them but is actually crucial for you to get from your precious time with him.

First off should come an Interview stage – a quick chat about what you have in your bag, where they came from, what you like and don’t like about them and anything you’re thinking of changing.

Before you start hitting balls, most fitters will take some static measurement. Things like height and wrist-to-floor measurements give the fitter a good starting point as to the length and lie angle you need on your golf clubs.

But this can all change when you start to hit golf balls. All swings are different and golfers deliver the club to he ball in hundreds of different ways. Hitting shots off a lie board will help determine the length and lie angle you need based on your swing.

Then it’s over to the launch monitor to see exactly how your old clubs perform and where improvements can be made. We’d always recommend trying a few different brands of club if you can and then you can make a more informed decision rather than being taken down a certain route with one manufacturer, but if you’ve got your heart set on one manufacturer that’s of course fine too.

One final piece of advice is to get rid of pre-conceptions or assumptions you have about your game and go in to it with an open mind. You may discover something about your game or your gear than surprised you and was holding you back.