Club Champion – the nations #1 premier golf fitters

As an aging (senior) golfer I have seen my scores rise and my enjoyment of the game decrease. My shots no longer soared high, far or straight. I was so frustrated I was ready to throw in the towel on a sport I truly enjoyed.

My decision to have a club fitting at Club Champion was a golf lifesaver for me.

Wall of club shaft options

With the cost of a full set of quality golf clubs approaching that of my first used car the best thing you can do for yourself and your game is to get a professional club fitting. That is exactly what I did at the Club Champion fitting store in Minneapolis.

For less than the cost of a new driver you can be custom fit for a complete new set of clubs (driver, fairway, hybrid and irons) and purchase them at the same price as a big box store. Even if you only need a driver, a set of irons or just a putter Club Champion has an economical program to fit your needs.

Why get a custom fitting?

First of all, everyone’s swing is different plus our bodies and swings change over time. So, why buy clubs “off the rack” when a custom fitting will maximize the distance, accuracy and consistency we all desire. By combining the right club head, shaft, loft and lie a professional club fitter can add distance, increase accuracy and consistency across all the clubs in your bag. Second of all, it is economical considering the price of new clubs. Most importantly, it will make a difficult game easier and more enjoyable.

What is a typical fitting session like?

In my case I needed new irons. The strength of my game was always my iron play. My current irons, which were top of the line when I bought them years earlier, were no longer doing the trick. Long irons were hard to get in the air. My reliable draw had gone away. Once deadly short irons were missing the mark. So I made an appointment and headed over to Club Champion.

Club head manufacturers

For an iron fitting all you need to do is dress comfortably, bring your current 6 iron, golf shoes, a golf glove and an open mind. Once inside you will meet your fitter (mine was George Smith), give him some information about your game and what you hope to accomplish. Next, you will go to one of the hitting bays and warm up using your own 6 iron. Then the fun begins.

Each Club Champion store has the latest club heads and shafts from all the major manufacturers (see their website). In addition, all heads and shafts are interchangeable and can be switched in mere seconds. This means 1000’s of combinations. Club Champion hitting bays are equipped with the same Tracman launch monitors used by most tour pros. A Tracman will tell you swing speed, ball speed, launch angle, club path, spin rate, distance, direction and more.

Hitting Bay

After warming up you will hit 15 – 20 shots with your club. The Tracman records each shot and in addition gives an average of all the shots. Your trained fitter may then delete a few of your worst mishits with the remaining shots being your baseline. In my case my 6 iron flew an average 152 yards in the air, 54’ high and anywhere from 10 yards right to 15 yards left of center.

Based on my amateur swing speed of less than 80 MPH George ruled out all tour level type clubs and any sort heavy stiff shafts. He asked me what I liked in an iron and I told him a thin top line with soft feel. George then picked out a few different irons form an array of manufacturers and a couple of different shafts from top of the line shaft makers. The beauty of custom fitting is that in a few seconds any shaft can be combined with any club head to come up with the perfect fit for you.

What happens next is where the magic begins. A trained fitter can hear, see and look at the numbers to come up with just the right mix of head and shaft to maximize your ability. Some of the club head and shaft combinations just did not work for me. Distances dropped. Accuracy suffered. Club head speed decreased. If I liked a certain club head look and feel but we were not getting the results then we switched to a different shaft using the same club head and hit another 20 shots. Then we tried other manufacturer’s club heads and so on and so on until we found the optimal club head and shaft combination that worked best for me.

Let me tell you that the results were amazing! My distances increased by nearly 15 yards per club. I was launching them higher and straighter. My swing and ball speeds increased with no extra effort on my part. It turned out my existing irons were too heavy, too stiff and too long for me. It wasn’t me…it was the clubs!!

Club Champion's custom build shop

After the fitting session

When you are finished hitting balls your fitter will print out a detailed Tracman data summary of all the different club combinations you hit. The two of you will look at the numbers and determine what combination worked best for you. Then you will get a detailed price quote for the club head, shaft and even the grip you want. Your custom order clubs will normally be delivered in about two weeks.

Suggestions for a successful fitting

First and foremost, come with an open mind. Don’t be fixated on any one manufacturer. In fact I preferred to not even look at the club I was hitting. Same with the shafts. I didn’t want the name to influence me in any way. Let the Tracman numbers be your guide. Second, don’t do an entire bag fitting (irons, woods, hybrids) in one session. Trust me, you will be too tired after hitting 60 – 100  six irons to hit any drivers or hybrids. Come back a few days later relaxed and refreshed before fitting other clubs. Lastly, trust your fitter. They are trained to help you enjoy the game by fitting you with clubs that match your swing.

About Club Champion

Club Champion has over 20 stores nationwide and should have over 30 by this time next year. All stores are company owned and not franchises. Besides club fitting they offer club repair, re-gripping, re-shafting and more. They also offer a club trade in program where they will purchase your current equipment. In addition, Club Champion can host corporate and private events at their stores. This is a great way to socialize with friends and colleagues. You can also give the gift of a custom fitting with easy to buy gift certificates. This is a perfect reward for co-workers or a nice birthday gift to an avid golfer.

Top 5 Longest Drivers On The Market

Today, there is a lot of debate and discussion on what the top longest drivers on the market are. As a matter of fact, each person has their own opinion regarding this based on what kind of hitting drivers they are using when they play golf with their friends or family. And most major manufaturers and even retailers claim that what they have in their store is the longest driver on the market and those are usually the most sellable brand items to them.

When we are to determine what the top five (5) longest drivers on the market are, we are going to seperate those in the price range of over $350 and under $350, based on some surveys by well known major manufacturers of golf drivers on the market.

On top of the list which rate over $350 is the Callaway FT- 9 that ranks as the highest of all golf drivers that combine versatility, distance and control in one driver. Unlike other drivers, this kind of gold driver sounds great. Nike SQ Dymo and Dymo2 Str8- Fit are revolutionary drivers that everyone is raving about since they offer eight (8) different clubhead positions that a player can adjust depending on the swing he or she wants to target. Among the best golf drivers that are under $350 is the Adams Speedline. Consistently this is rated as the number 1 top golf driver since it represents a new technological shift in driver design. The club head is crafted mainly to increase speed and distance. Next in the list is the Callaway Big Bertha Diablo, which is one of the longest and straightest drivers that anyone can purchase but has one major setback as considered by some to be big and ugly. Cleveland Hibore Monster XLS is big and aggressive. It is not a subtle driver and the loud noise off the tee sounds like a cannon has just been fired. The Cleveland Hibore Monster XLS also has one of the highest MOI available.

Whatever kind of driver you have and want to purchase you should determine the type by its design and most of all the consistency and distance it offers when YOU use the driver yourself.

Top 10 Easiest Drivers to Hit Straight

When it comes to the top 10 easiest drivers to hit straight, golf enthusiasts vary on which of these drivers were the most outstanding. Golfers value drivers which are versatile and have optimal distance and control. Golfers insist on having the straightest drivers available and club heads which are aerodynamic to increase the speed and distance of the ball.

One of the most valued gold club drivers in the top 10 easiest drivers to hit straight was the Callaway FT-9.  The Callaway FT-9 is said to be a forgiving driver which gives the golfer a combination of versatility, control and distance.

Another driver that helps hit straight is the Adams Speed driver.  Adams Speed Drivers are valued for their innovative driver design and aerodynamics.

Golfers looking for a quality hybrid driver may be looking for a consistent handicap hitting like the Cleveland HALO and the Cleveland Launcher drivers. The Cleveland HALO may not be as valued in the top 10 easiest drivers to hit straight list with its shaft, it is valued for its ability to clearly outdistance most driver hybrids with consistency. The Cleveland Launcher is valued for its thin crown and horseshoe-shape which allows the golfer to maintain low weight in the club head for distance and stability.

The Cobra S9-1 scores on overall consistency with distance and accuracy. Golfers also appreciated the drivers which are versatile in their adjustability like in the Cobra L5V. The setting in the Cobra L5V include straight or draw and is said to be an excellent driver in hitting. Another Cobra noted for its driving consistency is the Cobra DWS driver. Although the Cobra DWS driver is said to be lacking in weight, it launches the ball a good bit of distance and height.

Additional hybrid drivers in the top 10 easiest drivers to hit straight are the Nike SQ Series of drivers. These drivers are said to be equivalent to putters in the way they have to personally fit the golfer’s swing, and many of the Nike SQ Series fit the bill. Nike SQ Series has become favorites with amateurs and with the pros for their adjustability, square clubheads and low profiles.

Golfers who have a minimum handicap may like the sleekness and performance of the Nike Slingshot 17. It is said to be easy to hit from the rough and fairway and when it comes to hitting off the tee. The Nike SQ Str8-FIT is said to be one of the best adjustable-head drivers designed by Nike as of yet.

Also making the list of the top 10 easiest drivers to hit straight is the Ping G10. The PingG10 is said to be an outstanding solid performing driver which has an excellent range of the ball on the freeway. Even if it is the last driver on of the top 10 easiest drivers to hit straight it still has the ability to combine speed and power for a high launching ball.

How to Hit Your Driver Straighter

It is very important for a game when it comes to delivering a great driver shot right off from the start in golf. This means that having the ability to give a clean and straight driver hit below the middle of the fairway would give all the other golfers a hard time of beating you in the course of the game. If you do not know how to hit a straight driver, you are jeopardizing your chances of positioning well in your game. It is very important to know how to be consistently good with straight driver hits, and here is a simple tip on how to hit your driver straighter.

Usually when using a big club right off the bag, it is important not to think that hitting hard would land your shots where you want to. Being big, the club is heavy, and this would create extra momentum and force with the lightest swing, hitting the ball with high power. Many golfers have this mentally which is totally wrong, and they should not go hard using big clubs. It is best to learn how to control your swing when using a big club and that alone would make you see major improvements in your hits.

A lot of golfers usually do very well throughout a game, and somehow manages to lose it all when it comes to a time to deliver a good driver shot to pass down the fairway somewhere along the back nine.

First of all, what you need to do is practice on a light and easy swing, but it has to be fluid. In time you would get a hang on the flow of the light swing, and this would deliver a nice impact on the ball, which would reduce the side-spin which causes the ball to swerve. With just this simple one tip, you would see the difference in making your driver straighter.

Bob Burns No Bananas (Anti-Slice) 460cc Driver

The guys at Bob Burns sent us this "No Bananas 460cc Driver" for testing, and guess what? It was really incredible. At first we thought that it might just be another cheap nock off of the Taylor Made Movable Weight Technology, but we couldnt have been more wrong. Bob Burns truly delivers a high quality and original product when it comes to the No Bananas Driver. We tested it on some of our worst local slicers, and the results were beyond impressive. They were all able to see instant improvements. Their slices turned into fades and straight shots right before our eyes.

Normally we focus on high end equipment, and this driver is no exception. It comes with a new decade style grip, and nice quality shaft, and an awesome monkey head cover. On top of all that, it really will improve your ball flight if you repeatedly slice or fade the ball. Don't let the funny name mislead you. It's an awesome club, and you have to try it to believe it!

Eighty to 90% of golfers tend to fade, push, or slice the ball off the tee. Primarily, two factors cause a slice. The clubface remains open at impact, or the swing path is outside-in. The anti-slice technology of the Bob Burns No Bananas Driver can eliminate the slice from your game forever. The design elements center-of-gravity location, face angle, shaft flex, lie, and hosel offset are geared to help you square the face through impact and provide the additional weighting, placed inside the toe and heel areas, expands the sweet spot and reduces clubhead twisting. The amount of left-to-right spin imparted on the ball decreases dramatically, and the result is straighter, more accurate shots. The two-inch deep, incredibly thin face achieves maximum trampoline effect, while conforming to the USGA legal COR limit. Available in both offset and non-offset 310-cc forged head models, the exclusive No Bananas Driver is guaranteed to help you hit longer and straighter. It comes with a Magilla Gorilla head cover, and No Bananas fairway woods and irons also are available with oversized heads and anti-slice technology.

Testimonial

Richard Warnke from Greensboro, Ga US

It works!! My slice has been corrected and I have much more confidence off the tee. I seem to have given up a little distance but it is worth it to be in the short grass rather than in the trees. I would recommend this driver to anyone who has struggled with a sweeping slice.

Check out their site at BobBurnsGolf.com

Adams SPEEDLINE Driver: The Extra Distance Promo and Spy Pics

The Adams Golf Speedline Driver not only claims to give you more distance, but tells you exactly how they plan to do it. Adams says that the driver will increase your club head speed anywhere from 2.5-4.2 MPH by producing less drag, and ultimately giving you 3-9 yards of extra distance.

They are very confident that their new Speedline Driver will add distance to your game. Now until April 30 you can go to any Adams Golf retailer participating in the Speedline Challenge and compare your swing speed to all of the other leading drivers. If you decide to purchase one they will give you an extra 20% off your trade in. Here are some spy pics of the Adams Speedline Driver. We think it looks pretty cool and is definitely an option if it produces the added distance for your swing.