Club Fitting with TrackMan

Check out all the details of how UCC PGA Professionals worked with members, Luke Sherman and Brad Baker, to improve their shot using TrackMan technology.

olf is a challenging game. In an effort to enjoy this game as much as possible, there are several tools and technologies that can help make the game that much easier for a player. Getting fit for your golf clubs by a UCC PGA Professional paired with a TrackMan Launch Monitor is one of the best methods to do just that.

Gains and improvements can be found in numerous ways during a fitting using TrackMan. Sometimes, the number one thing everyone wants—to hit the ball further—actually happens. That can come in larger numbers than others and with irons or metals. But another item that we note as an improvement would be the shot dispersion. Where the ball goes directionally is every bit as important as distance—if not more. If you can find a shaft, clubhead or a combo of both that improves the consistency of your shot dispersion, you will shoot lower scores.

Before jumping into analyzing the data, let’s first define some of the main terms used during a fitting and how they affect ball flight.

Spin rate: A measure, in RPM, that is created when a golf club contacts the ball. Ideal spin rates will differ based on the club being used.

Launch angle: The angle that is formed between the ground and the flight of the golf ball immediately following impact.

Total height: The pinnacle that the golf ball reaches throughout its flight.

Ball speed: The rate, in MPH, that the golf ball leaves the clubface.

Club speed: The rate, in MPH, that the club head is traveling at the moment of impact.

Smash factor: A ratio between ball speed and club speed that informs the efficiency of your swing. In other words, how well the shot was struck.

Iron Fitting with Luke Sherman

Mr. Sherman came into the fitting with an open mind looking for a new set of irons. The first thing we always do with any fitting is take some baseline data from the current set of clubs. In the image labeled “Prior to Fitting”, you will see that Mr. Sherman was averaging 151.7 yards of carry with his 7-iron. Another thing you will notice is that he was sometimes missing it to the left of the target and sometimes missing it to the right of the target. Typically, we refer to that as a two-way miss, and that can be challenging to control. The question everyone asks at this point is, "Do you think we can find anything better than my current set of clubs?"

As a fitter, we begin to analyze all of the data that truly creates the ball flight. Using the information above, we could analyze Mr. Sherman’s data in the following manner:

An average Spin Rate of 6104 rpm is a little low. Typically, with a 7-iron, we are looking for around 7000 rpm. Launch Angle of 21.2 degrees is pretty good, however, total height of 94 feet could be a little bit higher. Lastly, Ball Speed of 112.3 mph with a Smash Factor of 1.28 is a little low. With a 7-iron, we are looking for a Ball Speed that is at least 1.30 times the club head speed.

Now that we have all that information gathered, we need to figure out what works best for that specific player. Based on the data, it becomes apparent that in order to get the most out of Mr. Sherman’s game, we will need to slightly increase his spin, which in turn should increase the total height. A simple solution would be trying a similar shaft with a different head model. Once Mr. Sherman hits a few shots with some different head models, we will again evaluate where he still needs to improve. As we do this, we are also taking into account the lie angle of the club. The goal is to create a shallow and even divot. If we notice that either the toe or the heel is digging into the ground more, we will adjust that angle which will help ball flight and dispersion.

After we narrow the club head model selection to just a couple ones that we like the look, feel and performance of, we can really start to hone in on the best fitting shaft for that player. Remember, with Mr. Sherman, we were looking to hit it higher with more spin. So, as a fitter, we would begin to try different shafts that fit that profile.

With his swing speed, he definitely needs a stiff shaft. However, typically, stiff shafts fly lower with less spin. To fit both the need for a stiff shaft but also one that would increase spin, there are a couple options.

One option is to find a lighter stiff shaft, which helps increase launch angle and spin. Another way to affect launch in a shaft without changing flex or weight is shaft kick point. The height at which a shaft launches—with weight and flex remaining constant—is determined by where the shaft actually flexes in the downswing. This is something that is created during the development and manufacturing process of the shaft. The closer to the grip the kick point is, the higher the golf ball will launch. The closer to the head the shaft flexes, the lower the flight.

We were excited to see the incredible distance gains Mr. Sherman gained simply by increasing his Spin Rate, total height and Smash Factor. Mr. Sherman gained an average of 15 yards with his 7-iron, as well as narrowed his shot dispersion significantly.

Prior to Fitting

After Fitting

Driver Fitting with Brad Baker

Mr. Baker came to us with a great golf swing, but with a driver that was not performing up to expectations. During the initial evaluation, the first thing that became glaringly apparent was that Mr. Baker’s distance was nowhere near appropriate for the swing speed he was generating. Diving into the numbers, Mr. Baker’s Spin Rate of 2450 rpm was almost perfect but his Launch Angle was a little low at 11.2 degrees. His height of 75 feet was also too low, a result of the lower Launch Angle.

Because the Spin Rate and Smash Factors were in a great range, we knew that shaft flex, weight and kick point could not have been too far off. We started by switching Mr. Baker to a slightly lighter shaft, all other things being relatively equal. There was an immediate improvement in his Launch Angle which correlated directly to a gain in carry and total yardage. This gain was relatively similar across the board, with the various different heads and manufacturers, until Mr. Baker tried the Ping G410. Immediately, Mr. Baker’s club head speed increased on average 4 mph, which correlates roughly to an increase in 12 carry yards.

The combination of a slightly higher Launch Angle and the increase in club head speed equaled out to an incredible average gain of 27 yards. You will notice from the images that not only was Mr. Baker hitting the ball significantly longer, but that he was also hitting his drives much straighter. Many golfers tend to believe that distance and accuracy are a zero sum game, where, as one improves, the other is bound to worsen. However, Mr. Baker’s numbers prove that with the proper fitting tools and professional evaluation, you can in fact have the best of both worlds.

For our members, and most golfers, the ultimate goal of golf is to have fun and improve your quality of life. UCC is constantly looking for ways to facilitate the highest quality experiences for members and their guests. TrackMan fittings are one of many additional services that have been added as we continue to embark on our relentless journey to make our experiences, and our members’ lives, better than they were the day before.

Prior to Fitting

After Fitting

Schedule a Club Fitting

CONTACT THE GOLF SHOP AT (217) 344-8673 OR EMAIL ZACH.CANFIELD@UCC1922.COM