We can have a love-hate relationship with our golf clubs at the best of times. It is easy to blame a bad shot on them, and it is easy to place all the praise on your new $700 purchase when you hit a good shot. But is this the best way to get the most out of your game?
Getting clubs that are custom fit to you is so much more than just getting the most distance out of your driver (although that is a big perk). It is also making sure that we stay within the "Goldilocks" zones when looking at launch angle and spin rate. (Remember that storybook take with the too cold, too hot, and just right porridge?)
Why is this so important?
If we have a "Goldilocks" zone for launch angle is 10-14 degrees (for the majority of swing speeds), that would mean that 9 degree's would be too low, or "too cold" and 15 degrees would be too high, or "too hot", and 12 degree's would be just right.
Now if we look at it through a club fitters perspective, 15 degrees is close to the optimal launch angle, and if you hit one a little lower than expected you will get some more distance than anticipated. But, if we hit it higher than we expected, then we will hit it much shorter than we anticipated.
This will give us inconsistent distances with a minor change in launch, without bringing in the variability of a human golf swing speed.
If we have a club custom fit for us to launch it just right at 12 degree's, then if we happen to launch the ball a little lower than normal, or a little higher than normal, then we can reasonably expect the golf ball to go similar distances.
We can have the same conversation with spin rates, as well as the quality of contact we expect to get (different models of clubs have different levels of forgiveness on off centre hits) but the same principles apply.
Let’s put this into perspective for how this will help us on the golf course. If we have to land over a bunker, but stop short of a water hazard, trusting that the club in your hand will go the desired distance you plan to hit will go a long way in executing the shot at hand. Second guessing ourselves over the ball will rarely, if ever lead to a great shot.