Instruction
What’s the most important factor in golf club fitting?
Trackman is a wonderful tool for instructors and club fitters alike. With more than 25 data parameters, it offers extensive insight into what’s really happening between the club and golf ball at impact, and why the golf ball flies how it does. That’s why Trackman is such a powerful part of fitting and instruction; it answers the question “What’s really going on?”
Here’s a look at the typical feedback gathered by just one shot on Trackman.
I was asked a great question the other day, however, which became the inspiration for this article. What is the most important Trackman data parameter in regards to fitting? Hmm… I had my ideas. As you might know, I’m a Top-100 teacher (Golf Magazine) and Trackman University Master Partner, but I am not a full-time fitter. So I asked a few of my fitter friends to see what they had to say.
Below are my opinions, as well as the input of a few club-fitting specialists on what they believe is most important factor in fitting.
My Thoughts
In my opinion, the most universally important data parameter on Trackman for fitting golfers is Landing Angle.
Trackman defines Landing Angle as the angle in which the ball impacts the ground.
There are many factors that go into creating landing angle, such as angle of attack, dynamic loft, spin rate, spin loft, launch angle, etc., and for this reason I feel that landing angle is the most important, and most telling for fitters.
My ideal fitting result would be to carry the driver as far as possible, yet still land the ball at an angle that’s flat enough to produce run out and cause the ball to “chase” as far as it can. That strategy will create the most distance on the majority of golf courses.
With the irons, I like to see as steep of a landing angle as possible so the ball will quickly stop on the green, without adding too much dynamic loft and/or spin, which will cause the ball to come up short of the target. Therefore, if I can fit someone into a certain landing angle with their irons based on their needs then I have created maximum distance, with maximium stopping power as well.
Here’s what the fitters say!
Kirk Oguri (@kirkoguri)
- Club Fitter at Pete’s Golf Shop
- Golf Digest Top-100 Clubfitter
“Personally, I like to audit ball speed off the face of the club … you can visually determine if the ball is flying farther, apexing around the correct height, or launching correctly, but you cannot “see” the ball’s speed off the face. If I can maximize the speed and the other factors “look” ok, then I know I am moving in the correct direction with my fit.”
Scott Felix (@felixclubworks)
- Felix Clubworks, club-fitter
- Golf Digest Top 100 Clubfitter
“I like to look at the Trackman “optimizer” screen as golfers are warming up. Now I know that this is not just one data point, but I can tell you that this data will let me know very quickly how close (or not close) the player is to their potential in a few shots. From that point, I determine the one number I need to adjust in order for them to play better. So I use the optimizer each time to pick my one number.”
Nick Arthur
- Club Performance Specialist
- Ely Callaway Tour Performance Center
“If I had to choose one parameter only, it would be backspin. The bulk of my clientele are tour pro’s and they have high ball speed. At those higher speeds, spin has a more direct correlation to total performance than launch angle. This is not necessarily true for golfers with lower swing speeds. Also, launch angle is easier to discern with the naked eye than backspin, so having Trackman’s measurement of that parameter isn’t as critical as the spin measurement.”
The LPGA Tour is kicking off its 2026 season this week at Lake Nona Golf and Country Club in Orlando, and the pros are dealing with something most Florida golfers rarely face: freezing temperatures.
“It’s colder here than in the UK at the minute, which is a first,” said England’s Charley Hull during Wednesday’s media day at the Hilton Grand Vacations Tournament of Champions.
Even Lydia Ko, who lives at Lake Nona, seemed surprised by the cold snap. “We’re pretty much getting to below zero in celsius here, which maybe in other parts of the country they would be thankful, but when you’re in Florida it is a little bit of a surprise,” she said.
If the world’s best players are adjusting their games for cold weather, recreational golfers should, too. Here’s how to play smart when the mercury drops.
Understand What Cold Does to Your Game
Before you change anything, you need to know what you’re fighting against. Cold air is denser than warm air, which means your ball won’t fly as far. Period.
Hull noticed this immediately during practice rounds at Lake Nona. She mentioned hitting a gap wedge into the 18th hole during a previous win but needing a 4-iron during Tuesday’s practice round. That’s a difference of four or five clubs for the same shot.
Action item: Expect to lose 5-10 yards on every club in your bag when temperatures dip below 50 degrees. Plan accordingly and don’t be stubborn about club selection.
Layer Up Without Restricting Your Swing
Hull admitted she wore three pairs of pants during practice. While that might be extreme for most of us, staying warm is critical to playing well in cold conditions.
Your muscles need warmth to function properly. When you’re cold, your body tightens up and your swing gets shorter and faster. Neither of those things help you hit good golf shots.
Action item: Wear multiple thin layers instead of one bulky jacket. Look for golf-specific cold weather gear that stretches with your swing. Keep hand warmers in your pockets between shots. And don’t forget a good hat because you lose significant body heat through your head.
Take More Club Than You Think You Need
This is where ego gets in the way of good scores. When it’s cold, the ball doesn’t compress as well off the clubface. Combined with denser air, you’re looking at serious distance loss.
The pros at Lake Nona are dealing with a course that measures 6,642 yards but plays much longer this week. If they’re adjusting, you should too.
Action item: Take at least one extra club on every approach shot. In temperatures below 40 degrees, consider taking two extra clubs. It’s better to fly the ball to the back of the green than to come up short in a bunker.
Adjust Your Expectations on the Greens
Cold weather affects putting in ways most golfers don’t consider. The ball is harder and doesn’t roll as smoothly. Your hands are cold, making it harder to feel the putter. And if there’s any moisture on the greens, they’ll be slower than normal.
Ko mentioned that she still sometimes reads the greens wrong at Lake Nona despite being a member for years. Cold weather makes that challenge even tougher.
Action item: Hit putts more firmly than usual. The ball needs extra speed to hold its line on cold greens. Take a few extra practice strokes to get a feel for the speed before you putt.
Embrace the Mental Challenge
Hull said something interesting about cold weather golf: “I like the mental toughness of it.”
That’s the right attitude. Everyone on the course is dealing with the same conditions. The player who stays patient and doesn’t get frustrated by the extra difficulty will come out ahead.
Action item: Lower your expectations by a few strokes. If you normally shoot 85, accept that 90 might be a good score in 40-degree weather. Focus on solid contact and smart decisions rather than perfect shots.
Warm Up Longer and Smarter
This might be the most important tip of all. Cold muscles are tight muscles, and tight muscles get injured easily.
World No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul revealed she’s been protecting a wrist injury that bothered her late last season. Cold weather makes those kinds of injuries more likely if you don’t prepare properly.
Action item: Spend at least 20 minutes warming up before your round. Start with stretching, then hit easy wedge shots before working up to your driver. Keep moving between shots on the course to maintain body heat and flexibility.
The pros at Lake Nona this week will adapt and compete at the highest level despite the cold. You can do the same at your local course by following these tips and keeping a positive attitude.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Brooks Koepka is back on the PGA Tour, and whether you love him or hate him, the guy knows how to win when it matters. After his LIV Golf stint, the five-time major champion returns this week at the Farmers Insurance Open.
What makes Koepka fascinating? He doesn’t fit the mold. His swing isn’t textbook. He doesn’t obsess over mechanics. Yet he’s won three PGA Championships and two U.S. Opens, regularly making it look easier than guys with prettier swings.
So, what can average golfers learn from someone who treats the game so differently? Quite a bit.
Stop Overthinking Every Shot
Koepka describes his approach as “reactionary” rather than mechanical. While most tour pros grind over swing thoughts, Brooks sees the target and hits it. No mental checklist.
This might be the most valuable lesson for weekend golfers who’ve watched too many YouTube swing videos.
How to actually do this:
On the range, hit five balls where you stare at the target for three seconds prior to addressing the ball. Don’t think about grip or stance. Just burn that target into your brain. You’ll be shocked at how pure you hit it when your brain focuses on where the ball is going instead of how you’re swinging.
Next time you play, give yourself a rule: Once you pull the club, you’ve got 15 seconds to hit. Koepka is one of the fastest players on tour because he doesn’t give his brain time to sabotage him.
If you feel tension in your hands at address, you’re trying to control too much. Koepka’s grip pressure is famously light. Loosen up until the club almost feels like it might slip, then add just enough pressure to hold on. That’s your swing thought: soft hands, see the target.
This approach works better under pressure. When you’re standing over that shot with water left and OB right, the last thing you need is a mental checklist. See it, feel it, hit it.
Play to Your Strengths (Even If They’re Not Pretty)
Koepka uses a strong grip that wouldn’t pass muster in some teaching circles. But he’s built his game around what works for him, elite driving distance and recovery skills. He doesn’t try to be someone he’s not.
Here’s how to build your game like Brooks:
Look at your last five rounds and figure out where you’re actually gaining strokes. Bombing it off the tee, but can’t hit greens? Lean into it. Play courses where distance matters more than precision. On tight holes, grip down on your 3-wood instead of trying to thread a driver through a keyhole you’ll miss seven times out of ten.
Koepka knows he can scramble, so he’s not afraid to miss greens. If you’re deadly from 50 to 75 yards, start leaving yourself those distances on the par 5’s instead of going for them in two every time.
Know when to take your medicine. Koepka in the trees at the PGA? He’s punching out to 100 yards, not trying to bend a 6-iron around three oaks. You’re in the rough with a flyer lie and water short? Hit your 8-iron to the middle and move on. That’s not playing scared, that’s playing smart.
Save Your Best for When It Counts
Here’s a wild stat: Koepka’s putting average in majors is often more than a full stroke better per round than in regular events. He elevates when pressure is highest.
How does an amateur tap into that gear? It’s not about trying harder, it’s about caring differently.
Here’s what actually works:
Decide which rounds matter to you. Club championship? Member-guest? That annual trip with college buddies? Circle those dates and treat them differently. Koepka doesn’t care much about regular tour events, but majors? That’s when he locks in.
Two weeks before your big round, change your practice. Stop beating balls mindlessly. Play nine holes in which every shot has consequences. Miss the fairway? Hit from the rough on the next hole too. Three-putt? Twenty push-ups. Koepka’s practice intensity ramps up before majors because he’s rehearsing pressure, not just swings.
Develop a between-shot routine that resets your brain. Koepka is famous for his blank expression after bad shots. Try this: After any shot, take three deep breaths while walking, then find something specific to notice, a tree, a cloud, someone’s shirt. That’s your reset button. By the time you reach your ball, the last shot is gone.
The Bottom Line
Brooks Koepka’s return reminds us there’s no single path to success in golf. His “substance over style” approach proves that results matter more than looking good.
You don’t need a perfect swing; you need a reliable one that holds up under pressure. You don’t need to hit every shot in the book; you need the shots you can count on. And you don’t need to play great every time; you need to play great when it matters.
Welcome back, Brooks. Thanks for the reminder that golf is ultimately about getting the ball in the hole, not winning style points.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “Playing Through” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
Blades Brown made a big impression last week in the California desert, and not just because he’s only 18. He put up numbers that would catch any weekend golfer’s attention. Most of us won’t hit 317-yard drives or find 86% of our greens in regulation, but there’s a lot to learn from how Brown managed his game at The American Express.
Here are three practical lessons from his performance that you can use on your own course this weekend.
Step 1: Give Priority to Accuracy Over Distance Off The Tee
Brown’s driving stats are impressive. He averaged almost 318 yards off the tee, ranking 12th in the field. More importantly, he hit 76.79% of his fairways, tying for fourth place in the tournament.
Think about that ratio for a second. Brown could have swung harder, chased more distance and tried to overpower the course. Instead, he played smart golf and kept his ball in play.
Your Action Item: Next time you’re on the tee box, ask yourself a simple question before pulling the driver. Do you need maximum distance here, or do you need to be in the fairway? If there’s trouble lurking or the hole doesn’t demand every yard you can muster, take something off your swing. Grip down an inch. Make a three-quarter swing. Do whatever it takes to find the short grass. Brown’s approach illustrates that fairways lead to greens, and greens lead to birdies. He made 22 of them last week, along with an eagle.
The math is simple. When you’re hitting three out of every four fairways like Brown did, you’re giving yourself legitimate looks at the green with your approach shots. That’s when scoring happens.
Step 2: Commit To Hitting More Greens
This is where Brown really separated himself. He hit 62 of 72 greens in regulation, an 86.11% clip that tied for first in the entire field. Read that again. An 18-year-old kid tied for the lead in one of the most important ball-striking statistics in professional golf.
How did he do it? By keeping his ball in the fairway (see Step 1) and giving himself clean looks with mid-irons and wedges.
Your Action Item: Start tracking your greens in regulation. You don’t need a fancy app or a statistics degree. Just mark down whether you hit the green in the regulation number of strokes. Par 3s in one shot. Par 4s in two shots. Par 5s in three shots.
Once you know your baseline, set a goal to improve it by 10%. If you’re currently hitting five greens per round, aim for six. The beauty of this approach is that it forces you to think strategically about club selection and shot shape. Brown’s strokes gained approach number was positive (0.179), meaning he was better than the field average. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be on the dance floor more often.
When you hit more greens, you eliminate the need for heroic short game shots. Brown only had to scramble 10 times all week, and he got up and down 70% of the time. That’s solid, but the real story is that he rarely put himself in scrambling situations to begin with.
Step 3: Minimize Mistakes And Stay Patient
Here’s the stat that jumps off the page: Brown made only three bogeys all week. Three. In four rounds of professional golf against the best players in the world.
He also made just one double bogey. That kind of clean card doesn’t happen by accident. It happens when you play within yourself, avoid the big miss and trust that pars are never bad scores.
Your Action Item: Before your next round, decide that you’re going to play boring golf. No hero shots over water. No driver on tight holes just because you can. No aggressive pins when there’s a safe side of the green.
Brown’s performance shows us that consistency beats flash every single time. He didn’t lead the field in any single strokes gained category, but he was solid across the board. That’s how you post numbers and cash checks.
Give these three steps a try. Your scorecard will thank you.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” now on R.org, RG.org’s partner site, each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more tips!
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Pingback: The Most Important Factor in Club Fitting | Honourable Society of Golf Fanatics
jackthegolfer
Dec 25, 2015 at 11:02 am
According to Ping, who know a thing or two about fitting, lie angle is most important. I personally think that there is more than one point that is important and this will depend on who you are fitting and what they want to achieve. The ball speed, spin and trajectory are all important, as is consistency and, for most players, finding a club or clubs that will be forgiving enough and that the player actually likes. Getting to this stage involves lie, loft, shaft, type and flex and grip. Probably listening to the wishes of the person in front of you may be the most important thing of all. At the end of the day they are the ones who are paying…
Dan Sueltz
Dec 24, 2015 at 6:14 pm
For higher handicap golfers, we fit primarily to smash factor (ball speed divided by club speed). This means we are getting the golfer the best possible performance out of their swing. From there, we look at launch angle, spin and maximum height to make sure the driver and fairway woods carry and roll the farthest and irons do not roll out too much.
For our lower handicap players, it is really all about spin rates and trajectory to make sure they get the most out of their equipment. Another big factor is distance gapping of their set.
Deuce
Dec 23, 2015 at 6:27 pm
Two most important aspects to a good fitting are:
A good fitter
A good non-egotistical customer without an attitude.
Both need to be patient, understanding and cordial.
What else would you need
ShankMaster
Dec 24, 2015 at 2:54 am
Great post!! I went in with my specs in mind ready to be fitted for some G-25’s, after about 10 swings I told the fitter (Roger Dunn store) I was “ready”, he said “no your not” he had me hit another 2 dozen with 3 different clubs. These were before and after specs:
Shaft flex- I “knew” I was stiff, nope! Regular
Length- + 1/4 inch, new 1/2 inch
Lie- 2 degrees flat, new 2 upright
Old 6 iron 165-170 carry , 15 yard average dispersion, new average 170-175 7-8 yard dispersion.
Doug
Dec 23, 2015 at 3:52 pm
I wish there was a place that could fit you, like a pro gets their clubs fit to their specs.
Robin English
Dec 23, 2015 at 6:19 pm
Try the Kingdom at Reynolds http://www.thekingdomatreynolds.com and get the same service for custom-fit and custom-built clubs as the Tour Professionals do. The facility is halfway between Atlanta and Augusta in Georgia.
Smitty
Dec 22, 2015 at 2:48 pm
I would believe all the fitting in the world can go south depending on how good a golfer you are and can repeat the same swing (contact, speed, angle of attack etc.) and let us not forget the ball we are playing that day, what a difference between a distance ball and a premium ball….
NM
Dec 24, 2015 at 1:50 pm
You might as well not play golf. Go fishing, you’ll be frustrated and disappointed less.
Christestrogen
Dec 19, 2015 at 10:09 am
I live in Texas….we absolutely soak our fairways every day or they die..
There is typically almost no roll in summer…
So, oddly enough, I am about 20 yards longer in winter when the fairways are dormant and not saturated..
Great article btw…
Dennis clark
Dec 18, 2015 at 6:14 pm
I don’t do a lot of fitting either simply because I can’t carry enough inventory to do it justice. The sheer number of shafts, heads, balls etc needed is prohibitive and without testing all combinations I’m not really doing it justice. Good article Tom.
You Pal
Jan 9, 2016 at 3:46 pm
Why not get a Mizuno fitting cart- they have all the heads available and all the shafts they offer (60+ Shafts)- they ship in like 3 days-
Cliff
Dec 18, 2015 at 8:31 am
I want my results to be accurate and repeatable. Don’t see how you can get there if you are only looking at one variable.
NM
Dec 24, 2015 at 1:51 pm
Ever heard of practice?
Cliff
Jan 5, 2016 at 4:25 pm
Ever hear of dispersion?
john
Dec 17, 2015 at 11:41 pm
fitting tour pros who already have the right clubs is easy lol
the most important part of a club fit is lie, length, weight and flex – fine tuning things like spin is totally an after thought for the majority of golfers.
.?????
Dec 20, 2015 at 9:51 pm
You couldn’t be more wrong.
kloyd0306
Dec 22, 2015 at 6:56 pm
John is correct. Fitting begins and ends with being able to make solid contact with a square club face. If the shaft is too short or long, the lie angles (irons) too flat or upright, the shaft is too flexible or too stiff and the shaft weight is too light or too heavy, the golfer is always going to have problems in achieving solid contact.
Trackman is a nice tool but it ONLY tells you what happened and has absolutely no idea if you are using the correct specs for YOU.
Everyone of us is different and if you truly believe that off the rack clubs fit everyone and anyone, then don’t bother with your adjustable car set, adjustable, steering wheel and adjustable mirrors. You won’t need any of those things and neither do you need to specify your shoe size when next you buy shoes.
Jay Turner
Dec 23, 2015 at 1:46 pm
In my 30+ years fitting golfers of all abilities I believe 3 things are most important with regard to iron fit: length, lie angle and grip size. When these variables are fitted properly to the individual, proper swing motion is rewarded with a good shot and sustainable improvement becomes possible.