Equipment
Addressing club fitting’s biggest myth: It’s only for good players
By far, one of the biggest misconceptions among golfers is that club fitting is only helpful to the most skilled who can really “tell the difference.” This couldn’t be further from the truth. Getting fit for a set of clubs is no different than getting fit for a suit or a dress — everybody can benefit from having something tailored just for them, whether it be simple adjustments or a full-blown bespoke experience.
To break down one of the club fitting world’s greatest myths, we have teamed up with Club Champion to help you better understand how the process can help you have more fun and play better golf.
What are the benefits of a club fitting for any level of golfer?
- For higher handicap and more beginner golfers, a club fitting helps to eliminate unnecessary variables that work against you on the course and while practicing. Especially for beginners or people taking lessons, it’s imperative to have equipment that works with your body, not against it. The right clubs prevent you from having to compensate for things like lengths that are too short or grips that are the wrong size.
- By working with a fitter, a golfer will get a better understanding of how his/her body and natural swing motion relate to their equipment.
- A fitting will help any golfer find out exactly what they need to achieve their specific performance or scoring goals.
- Fittings lead to lower scores, more distance, better dispersion, and a lot of other benefits whether you’re a high handicapper or a scratch golfer. The reason pros tinker with their clubs all the time is because details matter.
- It’s not just about making your best shots better, it’s about making your worst shots more playable. This applies across all skill levels, and the more a fitter can help keep the ball closer to the intended target, the quicker you are going to see results on the course and on your scorecard.
How does a less skilled golfer specifically benefit from a club fitting?
- The interesting thing is higher handicaps actually benefit more since there tends to be more low-hanging fruit that fitters can adjust that help them see instant results. In a way, it’s like making sure you have the right size bike — you’ll struggle to ride an improperly sized bike but as soon as you have the right fit, you’re flying.
- As mentioned above, a fitting helps beginners by removing obstacles that work against their natural swing motion.
- We fit a lot of golfers and generally, there’s an education gap with higher handicaps in terms of what technology is out there to help their game. We’ve had people come in with 20-year-old clubs who don’t know what sort of clubs are available on the market now and how much easier newer clubs can be to hit. If we use players on the lower end of the speed spectrum as an example – in the last 5 years have we seen a huge improvement in lighter weight shaft technology.
- We see some of the biggest gains with putters, a club many golfers really don’t think that much about when it comes to fitting. Most golfers just buy the style that suits their eye, not their stroke, so there are massive improvements to be had on the green. It could be a whole new putter or just a grip and length change but when you consider how many shots you take on the greens, a 15-20 percent improvement can be a game-changer.
How does something on the level of a “basic” fitting help golfers over using off the rack?
- Small details like shaft flex, length, and swing weight play a huge factor in success, and when you buy off the rack you’re just guessing on how those and many other factors will work for you.
- Even just having your existing set adjusted will lead to better golf. Even if it’s not absolutely optimized, small tweaks are a lot more beneficial than off-the-rack clubs built for the masses.
- No golfer is truly “average” in the sense that everyone’s body is so different. Height, swing motion, strength/speed, attack angle, etc. — all of these things change from person-to-person, even if everyone in the test group is the same handicap.
- Lastly, stock clubs are mass-produced, which can lead to inconsistencies throughout the set and those variables can be addressed and eliminated even with a basic fitting.
Cameron Young’s WITB from his win at the 2025 Wyndham Championship. Cameron is a Titleist staff player but his bag is definitely filled with some unique clubs. Here are the clubs he used to secure his first PGA Tour win!
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K White 80 TX
Hybrid: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus HB Black VeloCore+ 10 X
Irons: Titleist T200 (4), Titleist T100 (5), Titleist 631.CY Prototype (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7 (4-9)
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F, 52-12F, 56-14F @57), WedgeWorks (60-K* @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold X7
Putter: Scotty Cameron Phantom 9.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Prototype
- Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here.
Driver: Titleist GT3 (10 degrees, C2 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Project X Denali Blue 60 TX
3-wood: Titleist GT3 (15 degrees, A1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 7 X
7-wood: Titleist GT2 (21 degrees, D1 SureFit setting)
Shaft: Fujikura Ventus TR Blue 8 X
Irons: Titleist T150 (4, 5), Titleist T100 (6-9)
Shafts: True Temper AMT Tour White X100
Wedges: Titleist Vokey Design SM10 (48-10F @47, 52-12F, 56-08M @57, 60-04T @62)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Studio Style Fastback 1.5 Tour Prototype
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet
Ball: Titleist Pro V1x Yellow
We’re proud to once again partner with 2nd Swing Golf to bring you GolfWRX Members Choice 2025! 2nd Swing has more than 150,000 new and pre-swung golf clubs available in six store locations and online. Check them out here.
What is the best driver in 2025? At GolfWRX, we take great pride in our online community and the cumulative knowledge and experience of our members. When it comes to the best driver of 2025, we want to know what our forum faithful think.
Since our founding in 2005, the bedrock of GolfWRX.com has been the community of passionate and knowledgeable golfers in our forums, and we put endless trust in the opinions of our GolfWRX members — the most knowledgeable community of golfers on the internet. No other group of golfers in the world tests golf clubs as frequently or as extensively, nor is armed with such in-depth information about the latest technology.
Below are the results of GolfWRX member voting for the 2025 best driver, along with the vote percentage for each club.
Best driver of 2025: The top 5
5. Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond: 6.02%
Callaway’s pitch: “For golfers looking for a fast, forgiving, yet workable driver, the Elyte Triple Diamond features a tour-inspired shape and is the preferred model by most Callaway tour players.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond here.
4. Ping G440 Max: 6.86%
Ping’s pitch: “The most forgiving G440 model, MAX has a hotter face to generate speed and distance, and a lighter overall system weight with a longer shaft (46″) for faster clubhead speed, higher launch and longer carries. The Free Hosel and Carbonfly Wrap crown save weight to create our lowest CG ever and increase forgiveness while contributing to a more muted, pleasing sound.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 Max here.
3. Ping G440 LST: 9.53%
Ping’s pitch: “LST is an especially good fit for faster swings, offering less spin and more control with a penetrating trajectory. A hotter face, lighter overall system weight and longer shaft (46″) deliver more speed and distance while maintaining tight dispersion.”
@phizzy30: “Not a fan of Ping drivers in general, but 440 LST takes the cake. It’s super forgiving across the face for a low spin head, looks and sounds good and the ability to make it play neutral or slightly fade biased through the hosel settings is very appealing.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Ping G440 LST here.
2. Titleist GT3: 16.55%
Titleist’s pitch: “The GT3 Driver offers Titleist’s boldest combination of power and personalization through adjustable performance. Dial in the CG Track to your frequent contact location to make your biggest drives even bigger while taking total control over flight and shaping.”
@mrmikeac: “I’ve been Anti-Titleist for years and years and years (outside of Vokey, of course). With that being said, HOLY BEGEEZUS the GT3 driver is an absolute NUCLEAR MONSTER! This thing blew my G430 10K Max out of the water in every single category. Forgiveness is the biggest thing that stands out of me, the 3 model has always been one of the less forgiving models in the past but this GT3 can take bad shot after bad shot and still end up in the fairway, I think a ton of that has to do with the adjustability, it’s actually effective. Feel and sound is perfect, that solid crack is so addicting to hear and when you hit it out the screws this thing can absolutely bomb it. Titleist, I’m sorry for doubting you. You have converted me.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT3 here.
1. Titleist GT2: 22.91%
Titleist’s pitch: “Delivering impressive distance from any impact point, the Titleist GT2 Driver extracts maximum performance through a forgiving design. Get the stability and added confidence of a high-MOI driver without sacrificing speed.”
@DTorres: “The Titleist GT2 has proven to be the best driver of the year. Packaged in a classic profile, GT2 perfectly balances performance and forgiveness while consistently being a high performer across all categories.”
You can read what other golfers are saying about the driver in the GolfWRX forums, and see our launch piece here. Shop the Titleist GT2 here.
Other drivers receiving >2% of the vote
| Driver | Vote percentage (%) |
|---|---|
| Cobra DS Adapt Max K | 4.85% |
| Ping G430 Max 10K | 3.85% |
| Callaway Elyte Triple Diamond | 3.68% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 | 3.51% |
| Callaway Elyte | 3.18% |
| Cobra DS Adapt X | 2.34% |
| Cobra DS Adapt LS | 2.17% |
| TaylorMade Qi35 LS | 2.17% |
View this post on Instagram
‘Why would anybody want to change that swing?’ – Brandel Chamblee says PGA Tour star was wrong to change his swing
‘The stupidest freaking thing I’ve ever heard’ – Billy Horschel slams Open idea suggested by Padraig Harrington
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Golfer proudly posts photo of ball mark on iron, receives immediate roasting
WITB Time Machine: Matthew Wolff’s winning WITB, 2019 3M Open
Oakmont Country Club bans Wyndham Clark over locker incident; Reveals specific conditions to earn reinstatement
Adam Scott puts Callaway blades in the bag at Wyndham Championship
Report: LIV star fires caddie and coach in shock shake up
Rickie Fowler makes equipment change to ‘something that’s a little easier on the body’
The championship formula: How 3 key stats separate winners from the field
Peter Malnati WITB 2025 (August)
Peter Malnati what’s in the bag accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. More photos from the event here. Driver: Titleist...
Cameron Young’s winning WITB: 2025 Wyndham Championship
Driver: Titleist GT2 (9 degrees, A1 SureFit setting) Buy here. Shaft: Mitsubishi Tensei 1K Pro Orange 70 TX 3-wood: Titleist...
Camilo Villegas WITB 2025 (July)
Camilo Villegas WITB accurate as of the Wyndham Championship. Villegas was undecided on a 3-wood when we shot his bag. ...
WITB Time Machine: Brandt Snedeker’s winning WITB, 2018 Wyndham Championship
Brandt Snedeker fired a final-round 65 at the 2018 Wyndham Championship to outlast Webb Simpson and C.T. Pan. His 5-under...
Pingback: Fitter feedback: Club Champion fitters offer their best advice – GolfWRX
Pingback: What to expect during a club fitting – GolfWRX
CrashTestDummy
Jun 28, 2021 at 7:51 pm
Lessons will help more with mid to high handicap golfers, but still all golfers can benefit from club fitting. Ill-fit equipment (especially ill-fit shafts) can produce a lot of bad compensations in the golf swing. At the very least, it can put golfers in the equipment that can help them improve the most and shafts that fit according to their tempo, strength, and swing speed, as well as clubheads that that can aid them in hitting the ball better. The majority of golfers I see are using ill-fit equipment or very outdated equipment.
Brandon
Jun 28, 2021 at 12:14 pm
There isn’t a fitter in the world who can help you when you hit 5 inches behind the ball and chuck beaver pelts all over.
Aztec
Jun 28, 2021 at 11:02 am
I’ve known a lot of people who get fitted into a driver saying they chose a specific combo of head and shaft because it had the tightest dispersion during the fitting process. But they still have their fades turn into slices and draws turn into hooks with no less frequency than before. And then there are the ones who had their shafts ‘pured’ – I have NEVER seen this make any difference to anyone’s game.
Nonsense
Jun 28, 2021 at 3:34 am
Agreed with the comments.
Get length and lie close for high to mid cap. Wait until someone has a semblance of a repeatable action.
I’ve got mates that shoot in the teens, and fitting them would be a disaster. But I also know some shorter women, one of which is playing mens length and she obviously struggles. That’s not a fancy fitting; that’s just common sense.
A. Commoner
Jun 27, 2021 at 12:15 pm
Nothing like an independent free-thinking unbiased Fuller Brush sales pitch.
Alex
Jun 27, 2021 at 12:03 pm
Worst article written. Stop pushing fitting to a 20 handicapper who cant tell a difference between a hosel or a club face
Mooseface McStoner
Jun 27, 2021 at 1:17 am
There are 3 problems:
1. There are far too many people “fitting” golfers who are not qualified to be doing it… thus ruining the experience and perhaps even driving them away from the game.
2. Pretty much everyone trying to make this case have a vested interest in more people getting fit – and purchasing higher-end products.
3. People think more with their wallets than their brains. They can justify “clubs” because they are shiny and new and magic, and will undoubtedly improve their game – says so in the ads! Whereas good fitters tend to dispel the “shiny new magic” myths… so much so, you might end up with the same boring old clubs bent to new specs, or “just” new shafts. Far less drool factor.
All you need to is watch every single thread on new clubs: looks are discussed far more than performance. And not just on new release – eg; “I wouldn’t play the AP2 cuz they were too techy looking, but those new 2022 T100s! Yum!”. Looks over performance = new clubs over fitting.
geohogan
Jun 26, 2021 at 7:16 pm
IMO the most important aspect of club fitting is lie angle.
Soft carbon steel, irons bend out of proper lie angle very easily.
Ive never found sets of clubs being used by mediocre to very good players that didnt have at least one of two clubs with lie angles drastically different than clubs they hit the best.
These relatively small (2-4 degree) adjustments can be made with a bending bar, as long as, the shaft isnt held rigid. ie let the shaft bend as clubhead lie angle is bent. If shaft is held rigid in a vise, the clubhead is easily broken, especially with hard SS clubheads.
IMO with clubhead on the ground in proper hitting angle, all the grip butt ends should be the same distance from the ground. its that simple. Welcome criticism.
Walter Sobchek
Jun 26, 2021 at 12:30 pm
Aside from basic shaft length and flex club fittings for higher handicaps is overrated. Higher handicaps don’t have accurate, repeatable swings so the club fitter has a harder time figuring out the best lie angle, etc for them. Higher handicaps would do better spending their money on lessons, try to learn how to swing correctly, and produce a more repeatable, correct swing.
Danie
Jun 25, 2021 at 6:26 pm
Biggest Myth: “Quality club fitting is available to most golfers”.
These club fitting articles get annoying. I get it, get fit. Try it outside of mega golf centres and cities, I dare you. Not even to mention the awesome shaft and club selection available to female golfers if they eventually do get access to a fitting studio.