Almost every time I get fit for a golf club, particularly for a driver, the fitter remarks about how quickly finding the right shaft for my swing leads to optimum results for most any head.
For me, finding the right shaft means more than perhaps the average person. So, my fitting can be done pretty quickly by a fitter who can quickly assess my launch monitor numbers and identify the right set of shafts.
However, it's probably not that easy for every golfer or every fitter. And that's what Callaway Golf is looking to change with their new FITS shaft analyzer and app.
The shaft analyzer is a sensor system, developed by ClubHub creators Kinetek Sports, which screws into the grip of a driver or 7-iron, and it measures a player's swing in four categories: applied clubhead speed, closure rate, peak acceleration and tempo. The FITS app, which connects to the sensor via Bluetooth, then assigns a scores of 1-5 for each category to build a profile for the player.
The fitter can then look at Callaway's shaft library, which is graded based on weight, flex, kickpoint and torque rating. The Callaway FITS app matches the swing ratings with the three best stock shafts and five best aftermarket shafts available for that player. That pares down a universe of hundreds of shaft choices down to eight, and from there, a player can get fit faster in the Callaway universe of equipment.
Having this proprietary system is helpful for Callaway's network of fitters, and it's a marketing tool that can be used to convince golfers they should fit into the Callaway family for a more precise bag.
