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Before I started Practical Golf in 2015, I didn't know much about golf clubs and how they worked. I was naive about the subject in general and fell victim to many of the same myths that most golfers believe.

Although I do not consider myself a gearhead, I am fascinated by what makes equipment perform differently for every golfer. I used that knowledge to my advantage and hopefully trained some of you.

In this article I want to discuss some of the most important concepts about golf clubs that I have learned. I have been lucky enough to study with some of the best club fitters in the industry. I especially have to thank Pete & # 39; s Golf, and in particular co-owner Woody Lashen. Many of their employees took me under their care and showed me the truth about the equipment industry.

Here are four concepts that I think every golfer should know when it comes to equipment …

They are usually great, but not the same

All major golf equipment manufacturers make excellent products. They employ top talent (think of space engineers) who constantly try to push the limits of performance. Nevertheless, every OEM has different design philosophies, making their clubs unique for every golfer.

For example, I have a very low rotation speed for my driver, but most golfers have the exact opposite problem. OEM & # 39; s try to serve as many golfers as possible in their design. That's why many modern drivers are designed to reduce the spin to create more distance. So if I use multiple clubs, my spinning speed falls too low outside of a functional range and I lose distance and accuracy.

There are more options than ever for golfers to choose from, which becomes a double-edged sword. Club fitters can match golf clubs with tens of thousands of possible combinations. However, if you choose the wrong combination without testing, you might miss out on some performance.

There are no standards

It is important to understand that there are no universal standards in the golf industry. Asflex, loft, lounge corner and various other important equipment specifications are not made equal. You can argue that the shaft industry suffers the most from this problem. Where one company could state their shaft as a rigid flex, another might consider it regular. There is no wave watchdog organization that keeps them to a performance standard. Unfortunately, golfers base their purchasing decisions with minimal knowledge and assume that they are all made equal.

Another realistic example is the driver's cabin. Many golfers believe that regardless of who makes the driver, the loft will perform the same. Moreover, they usually assume that a lower loft can lead to more distance to the tee. Both assumptions are incorrect. I tested different drivers from different manufacturers on a start monitor and discovered that my results were very different when using the same lofts that were listed in the club. Much of this has to do with where each OEM decides to focus its center of gravity (perhaps the most crucial feature of the driver's design). I found optimal results by setting a driver to 12 degrees at one company and using only 9 degrees loft at another company.

In general, do not assume that all specifications are made equal.

Marketing hype

The golf industry is incredibly competitive. There is a finite amount of dollars available and companies are battling each other to convince golfers that their products are better for your game than their competition. Although I would not go that far to call their marketing practices fraudulent, some companies go a bit overboard with their claims. In other words, don't believe the hype.

Most companies have a product cycle of 12-24 months. Every year they come with a new driver, irons, wedges and putters. It is their job to convince you that what you have now is not good enough, and their newest options will dramatically improve your performance. I do my best to test some of the newer equipment releases every year and to measure any changes that I notice. I think the word is more marginal than a breakthrough.

That does not mean that you cannot upgrade your performance with new clubs. If you were playing with an older driver that was unsuitable for your swing, a newer, more suitable model would add 20-30 meters away and improve your spread. A new set of irons can help you launch the ball a little higher and improve your accident. Both improvements can help you get 2-3 more green in the regulation, resulting in a decrease in multiple strokes in your handicap.

Once you have the right clubs, you do not have to upgrade every 1-2 years. Believe me; you do not miss any explosive benefits. The only equipment that needs to be replaced semi-regularly is your wedges. The right driver or irons can last you 5-10 years.

When To Get Custom Fit

If you have not noticed it yet, I am a strong supporter of golfers tailor-made for clubs. As I said before, there is more opportunity than ever to refine your equipment. In short, it can make your good shots a little better, but more importantly, limit the damage to erring fluctuations. There are tangible gains that can lead to lower scores. Consider equipment as a refinement. Don't expect the course to appear as a completely new golfer.

Custom assembly has also caught more in recent years. Not all club fitters have the same level of knowledge (and ethics). But you have a much better chance of finding one now than 10-20 years ago due to improvements in technology such as launch monitors.

So when do you need a custom fit? I believe it makes more sense to do it when your swing is more established. If you are an absolute beginner, it is probably more logical to take some lessons to follow a more permanent technique. So if you plan to make swing changes (at whatever level you are), it's probably best to wait.

For example, years ago I was fit for clubs when I had a very vertical swivel plane. I delivered the club to the ball in a completely different pattern than now. Before I made the change, the irons I played with were well aligned with my technique. After that they were completely wrong for my new swing, and it took me success on the job.

Another persistent myth that exists is that custom adjustment is only for advanced golfers. This is not true. The opposite is usually good. Golfers who are less skilled at hitting the ball need all the help they can get. Why would you make the game harder for yourself? Conversely, a highly skilled attacker can make subtle adjustments to compensate for clubs that are not necessarily suitable for them.

In general, I believe that custom adjustment can help you improve your results during the course. If you get the right clubs, this could save you a lot of money in the long run. It is not necessary to buy new releases every year (no matter how hard that is to avoid). Also, having the right golf clubs can give you more confidence in the job because you know that you are not fighting your equipment.

Wrapping It

Golf equipment certainly has many more details and nuances. Nevertheless, the topics I have covered are important to make you a smarter consumer.

Remember the following:

Modern technology is excellent, but not all clubs are not the same. There is a specific combination that works best for your swing, regardless of brand name.
There are no standards for most golf club specifications. Do not buy blindly on the assumption that numbers like loft and shaft flex are the same across the board.
Do not believe all marketing hype! New equipment can help, but it will not change your results completely.
Custom adjustment gives you the best chance of finding the right clubs for your game.