You have one club you absolutely crush. It feels effortless. It goes exactly where you aim it.

Then you have 13 other clubs that feel... different. Some are okay. Some are disasters.

You assume it's your swing. Different clubs, different swings, right?

Wrong.

Here's what nobody tells you: Your favorite club probably has the perfect shaft characteristics for YOUR tempo and swing. And every other club in your bag should match those same characteristics.

But they don't. Because nobody builds sets that way.

In this guide, you'll learn why your favorite club works (and others don't), how to identify the shaft flex and weight that matches your natural tempo, and how modern fitting uses your favorite club as the baseline to build an entire bag that feels consistent.

Let's start with why traditional shaft fitting gets this backwards.

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The Problem: Golf Fitting Ignores Your Favorite Club

Traditional shaft fitting works like this:

**Step 1:** Measure your swing speed

**Step 2:** Look up "correct" flex on a chart

**Step 3:** Put that flex in all your clubs

**Step 4:** Hope it works

But here's what's wrong with that:

You're a 90 mph swing speed, so the chart says "Stiff flex." You get Stiff flex in everything. But your favorite club—the 7-iron you hit pure every time—has a Regular flex shaft that weighs 95 grams.

The fitter just put you in Stiff flex at 75 grams. Completely different feel. Completely different timing.

Your 7-iron worked because it matched YOUR tempo, not a swing speed chart.

Now nothing feels like your 7-iron. Welcome to inconsistency.

**The Traditional Method Assumes:**

- Everyone with X swing speed needs Y flex

- Tempo doesn't matter (it's everything)

- All clubs should have "matching" specs by the chart

- Your favorite club is irrelevant to the fitting

**The Reality:**

- Swing speed is just one variable

- Tempo determines what flex/weight FEELS right

- Your favorite club already solved this puzzle

- Everything else should match IT, not a chart

This is why you can hit your 8-iron 150 yards straight, then chunk your 7-iron. Not because your swing changed. Because your 7-iron has completely different shaft characteristics that don't match your tempo.

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Why Your Favorite Club Actually Works

Let's talk about why you have a favorite club and what that reveals.

**Your Favorite Club Has:**

1. **The right shaft flex for your tempo**

  - Loads naturally in your backswing

  - Releases at the perfect moment in downswing

  - Feels effortless, not forced

2. **The right shaft weight for your strength**

  - Not too light (whippy and uncontrollable)

  - Not too heavy (sluggish and forced)

  - Goldilocks zone for YOUR swing

3. **The right total club weight (swing weight)**

  - Head feels connected to shaft

  - Can sense where clubhead is throughout swing

  - Natural rhythm and tempo

4. **The right length for your control**

  - Can make consistent contact

  - Doesn't feel too long or too short

  - Sweet spot in the middle of control/distance trade-off

**What This Means:**

Your favorite club isn't favorite because of the brand or the clubhead or some magic. It's favorite because the shaft characteristics match your biomechanics.

Your tempo.

Your transition speed.

Your strength.

Your swing.

Everything else in your bag that doesn't match these characteristics? That's why they're inconsistent.

**The Evidence:**

Think about it:

- Do you hit your favorite club first on the range? (builds confidence)

- Does it feel "connected" through the swing? (proper shaft loading)

- Can you make your natural swing without thinking? (tempo match)

- Is contact consistently solid? (proper shaft release timing)

If yes to most of these, that club's shaft is dialed in for you.

Now imagine if all 14 clubs felt exactly like that.

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Shaft Flex Basics: What You Need to Know

Before we talk about matching your favorite club, let's cover the fundamentals.

**The Flex Options:**

Golf shafts come in standard flexes:

- **L (Ladies):** Softest, loads easily, for slower swing speeds (60-70 mph)

- **A (Senior/Amateur):** Soft, for moderate swing speeds (70-80 mph)

- **R (Regular):** Medium flex, most common, for average speeds (80-95 mph)

- **S (Stiff):** Firm, for faster swing speeds (90-105 mph)

- **X (Extra Stiff):** Very firm, for high swing speeds (105+ mph)

**But Here's The Problem:**

These are guidelines, not rules. A "Regular" flex from one manufacturer might be stiffer than a "Stiff" from another. There's no industry standard.

More importantly: **These flexes don't account for tempo.**

**What Tempo Means:**

Tempo is how fast you transition from backswing to downswing.

- **Quick tempo:** Fast transition, need stiffer shaft (resists quick loading)

- **Smooth tempo:** Gradual transition, can use softer shaft (loads slowly)

Two golfers can have identical 90 mph swing speeds but need different flexes because of tempo differences.

**Swing Speed Chart (Traditional Guidelines):**

| Driver Swing Speed | Recommended Flex |

|-------------------|------------------|

| 60-70 mph | Ladies (L) |

| 70-80 mph | Senior/Amateur (A) |

| 80-85 mph | Regular (R) |

| 85-95 mph | Regular or Stiff (R/S) |

| 95-105 mph | Stiff (S) |

| 105+ mph | Extra Stiff (X) |

**The Problem With This Chart:**

It's right maybe 60% of the time. The other 40%? You're in the wrong flex because tempo isn't factored in.

That's where your favorite club comes in.

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The Favorite Club Method: How It Works

Here's the revolutionary approach: Instead of starting with swing speed charts, start with what already works.

**The Process:**

**Step 1: Identify Your Favorite Club**

Which club do you hit most consistently?

- Probably a mid-iron (6, 7, or 8-iron)

- Could be a hybrid or fairway wood

- Rarely the driver (drivers are outliers due to length)

**Step 2: Find Its Shaft Specifications**

You need to know:

- Shaft flex (L, A, R, S, X)

- Shaft weight (in grams)

- Shaft model/brand if possible

- Club length

- Total swing weight (if measurable)

How to find this:

- Look at the shaft printing (usually shows flex)

- Google "[Club Model] + [Year] stock shaft specs"

- Take it to a golf shop (they can measure)

- Use manufacturer's website spec sheets

**Step 3: Analyze Why It Works**

Your favorite club's shaft tells you:

- What flex matches your tempo (this is your baseline)

- What weight you can control (this is your target)

- What loading characteristics work for your swing

**Step 4: Match Everything Else To It**

Now you know your ideal shaft profile:

- Flex: Match it (or go slightly stiffer in longer clubs)

- Weight: Match it (or go slightly heavier in longer clubs)

- Feel: Match the loading and release characteristics

**Example:**

Your favorite club: 7-iron with Regular flex, 95g shaft

**What this tells you:**

- Your tempo matches Regular flex characteristics

- You can control 95g weight

- Your transition speed is moderate (not quick, not slow)

**What you should do:**

- 6-iron: Regular flex, 95-100g shaft

- 5-iron: Regular flex, 100g shaft  

- Hybrid: Regular flex, 95-100g shaft

- Fairway woods: Regular flex, 85-95g shaft (slightly lighter is okay)

- Driver: Regular or Stiff flex, 70-85g shaft (lighter due to length, possibly stiffer due to length)

- Wedges: Regular flex, 105-115g shaft (heavier is better for control)

**The Result:**

Every club loads and releases similarly to your 7-iron. Consistent feel. Consistent timing. Consistent results.

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Why This Works Better Than Swing Speed Charts

Let's compare the two methods with a real example:

**Golfer Profile:**

- 88 mph driver swing speed

- Smooth, flowing tempo

- Favorite club: 8-iron (hits it 140 yards, always straight)

**Traditional Method:**

Swing speed chart says: 88 mph = Regular flex

Gets fit into:

- Driver: Regular flex, 65g shaft (stock retail)

- 3-wood: Regular flex, 80g shaft (stock retail)

- Irons: Regular flex, 90g shaft (stock retail)

**Problem:**

- Stock regular flex varies by manufacturer

- 65g driver shaft is way lighter than 90g iron shaft (25g jump = timing disaster)

- "Regular" might be too stiff or too soft depending on brand

**Result:** Only the 8-iron works consistently (by accident). Driver and 3-wood feel disconnected. Nothing feels like favorite 8-iron.

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**Favorite Club Method:**

Analyzes favorite 8-iron:

- Regular flex (specific model: True Temper XP 95)

- 95 gram shaft weight

- Loads smoothly, releases naturally for golfer's tempo

Gets fit into:

- Driver: Regular flex, 75g shaft (heavier than stock, matches progression)

- 3-wood: Regular flex, 85g shaft (smooth progression from driver)

- Irons: Regular flex, 95g shafts (matches favorite 8-iron exactly)

- Wedges: Regular flex, 105g shafts (heavier for control)

**Advantage:**

- Smooth weight progression (75g → 85g → 95g → 105g)

- Same flex throughout (consistent tempo feel)

- Everything feels similar to favorite 8-iron

- No dramatic jumps in weight or feel

**Result:** Entire bag feels consistent. Can make same swing with every club. Timing and tempo remain constant.

**Why It Works:**

You're not fighting different shaft characteristics with every club. You're building around what your body already figured out.

Your favorite club did the testing for you. Now you're just replicating its formula across the rest of your bag.

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How to Test If Your Shaft Flex Is Right

Not sure if your current shafts match your tempo? Here are the tests:

**Test #1: The Impact Test**

Hit 10 balls with the club in question. Check:

- Contact location on face (center? toe? heel?)

- Ball flight pattern (straight? left? right?)

- Feel at impact (solid? thin? heavy?)

**Too Flexible (shaft too soft for your tempo):**

- Impacts toward heel

- Ball starts straight, curves right (for righties)

- Feeling of "whip" or "lag" that you can't control

- Face closes too late or inconsistently

**Too Stiff (shaft too firm for your tempo):**

- Impacts toward toe

- Ball starts straight, stays straight but lacks distance

- Feeling of "boardy" or "dead"

- Have to muscle the swing to square face

**Just Right:**

- Impacts center of face consistently

- Ball starts on target line

- Effortless feel, natural release

- Can repeat swing easily

**Test #2: The Swing Easy Test**

Hit 5 balls at 80% effort. Hit 5 balls at 100% effort.

**If shaft is right for your tempo:**

- 80% swing: Straight, solid, good distance

- 100% swing: Straight, solid, slightly more distance

- Feel is similar at both speeds

- Contact quality similar at both speeds

**If shaft is wrong:**

- 80% swing: Fine

- 100% swing: Falls apart (loss of control, poor contact, wild misses)

- Feel changes dramatically

- Can't replicate same release

**Test #3: The Favorite Club Comparison**

Hit 5 shots with your favorite club. Note the feel, timing, and tempo.

Hit 5 shots with the club you're testing. Compare:

- Does it load similarly? (backswing feel)

- Does it release at same point? (downswing timing)

- Does impact feel similar? (solid, connected, effortless)

If yes to all three: Shaft characteristics are similar.

If no to any: Shaft is different and creating inconsistency.

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Shaft Weight: The Other Critical Factor

Flex gets all the attention. But shaft weight might matter MORE for consistency.

**Why Shaft Weight Matters:**

Weight affects:

1. **Tempo control:** Heavier = slower, more controlled tempo

2. **Swing speed:** Heavier = slightly slower speed, but more consistent

3. **Feel:** Heavier = more connected, can sense clubhead location

4. **Transition:** Heavier = forces smoother transition

**Your Favorite Club's Weight Is Your Baseline:**

If your favorite 7-iron has a 95g shaft:

- That's the weight your body can control

- That's the weight that creates your natural tempo

- Heavier shafts (100g+) might be too much

- Lighter shafts (85g or less) might feel whippy

**The Weight Progression Rule:**

Shafts should get heavier as clubs get shorter:

| Club Type | Typical Shaft Weight |

|-----------|---------------------|

| Driver | 60-75g |

| Fairway Woods | 75-85g |

| Hybrids | 85-95g |

| Long Irons (3-5) | 95-105g |

| Mid Irons (6-8) | 95-105g |

| Short Irons (9-PW) | 100-110g |

| Wedges | 110-125g |

**But here's the key:** These ranges should be centered around YOUR favorite club's weight.

If your favorite club is heavier or lighter than these ranges, adjust everything else accordingly.

**Example Progressions:**

**Golfer with 95g favorite iron:**

- Driver: 70g

- 3-wood: 80g

- Hybrid: 90g

- Irons: 95-100g

- Wedges: 110g

**Golfer with 105g favorite iron (stronger player):**

- Driver: 80g

- 3-wood: 90g

- Hybrid: 100g

- Irons: 105-110g

- Wedges: 120g

**The Mistake:** Having a 55g driver, 85g 3-wood, and 105g irons. That's a 50-gram total progression with huge jumps. Impossible to maintain consistent tempo.

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How Modern AI Fitting Uses Your Favorite Club

Here's where technology has changed everything.

**Traditional fitting:**

1. You go to a fitter

2. They measure your swing speed

3. They check a chart

4. They guess at what might work

5. You buy clubs and hope

**Modern AI-powered fitting:**

1. You identify your favorite club

2. AI analyzes its shaft specifications

3. Algorithm calculates ideal shaft profile for entire bag

4. Provides specific recommendations for each club

5. You make informed adjustments, not guesses

**How The AI Algorithm Works:**

**Input:**

- Your favorite club's specifications (flex, weight, length, model)

- Your swing characteristics (handicap, tempo if known, swing speed if known)

- Your other clubs' current specifications

**Analysis:**

The AI compares:

- Your favorite club's shaft specs to your other clubs

- Weight progression across your bag

- Flex consistency throughout set

- Length gaps and transitions

**Output:**

- Grading for each club (A-F based on how well it matches your favorite club's profile)

- Specific problems identified (too heavy, too light, wrong flex, bad progression)

- Recommended changes (reshaft, adjust, replace, or keep)

- Priority order (fix this first, then that, then that)

**The Advantage:**

You get pro-level fitting analysis without:

- $400 fitting fee

- Sales pressure to buy new clubs

- Guessing about what might work

- Bias toward specific brands or inventory

You get objective analysis of whether your clubs match your natural tempo and swing characteristics—based on the one club that already works.

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Real Examples: Favorite Club Fitting In Action

Let's look at real scenarios:

**Example 1: The Inconsistent Driver**

**Problem:**

- Golfer crushes 7-iron (Regular flex, 95g shaft)

- Can't hit driver straight (Regular flex, 55g shaft)

- 3-wood is okay but not great (Stiff flex, 80g shaft)

**Analysis:**

- 7-iron works: 95g matches golfer's tempo perfectly

- Driver fails: 40g lighter = too whippy, can't control, timing inconsistent

- 3-wood okay: Heavier helps (80g) but wrong flex (Stiff too firm)

**Solution:**

- Keep 7-iron (it's perfect)

- Reshaft driver to 75g Regular flex (closer to 7-iron weight progression)

- Reshaft 3-wood to 85g Regular flex (matches progression and flex)

**Cost:** $400-600 total (reshafting 2 clubs)

**Result:** Driver becomes controllable. 3-wood improves. Entire bag feels connected. All clubs load/release similarly.

**Savings vs. buying new:** $2,400+ (avoided unnecessary driver/wood purchase)

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**Example 2: The Gap Problem**

**Problem:**

- Golfer's favorite club: 6-iron (Stiff flex, 105g shaft)

- Other irons: Mix of Stiff and Regular, weights range 90-110g

- Nothing else feels like the 6-iron

**Analysis:**

- 6-iron nailed the specs: 105g Stiff matches golfer's tempo

- Rest of set is random: Mix of flexes, inconsistent weights

- Weight jumps create timing issues: Can't develop consistent tempo

**Solution:**

- Identify all clubs with 100-110g Stiff flex shafts (keep these)

- Reshaft clubs that don't match (7 clubs needed reshafting)

- Build around 6-iron as baseline

**Cost:** $700-1,000 (reshafting 7 clubs)

**Result:** Entire iron set feels like favorite 6-iron. Consistent tempo across all clubs. Massive improvement in ball-striking.

**Alternative:** Buy complete new iron set for $1,200-2,000 and hope it matches. Or do this for half the cost with guaranteed match to proven specs.

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**Example 3: The Senior Golfer**

**Problem:**

- 72-year-old golfer

- Favorite club: Hybrid (Senior flex, 85g shaft)

- Irons: All Stiff flex, 105g shafts (too heavy, too stiff)

**Analysis:**

- Hybrid works: 85g Senior flex matches current strength and tempo

- Irons are old specs: From when golfer was stronger, faster swing

- Age has slowed swing, but clubs haven't adjusted

**Solution:**

- Keep hybrid (perfect)

- Replace iron shafts with Senior flex, 95g shafts (closer to hybrid weight)

- Consider graphite irons (lighter, easier to swing)

**Cost:** $600-900 (reshafting irons)

**Result:** Irons become hittable again. Confidence restored. Can make full swings without forcing.

**The Revelation:** Clubs weren't "too old." They were wrong flex for current swing. Adjustment is cheaper than new clubs.

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Your Action Plan: Building Around Your Favorite Club

Ready to optimize your bag? Here's your step-by-step process:

**Phase 1: Identify and Analyze (Week 1)**

**Step 1: Find Your Favorite Club**

Go to the range. Hit 5 shots each with:

- 6-iron

- 7-iron

- 8-iron

- 9-iron

- Hybrid (if you have one)

Which one:

- Feels most effortless?

- Produces most consistent contact?

- Goes most consistently toward target?

- You'd use if you had only one club?

That's your favorite club.

**Step 2: Get Its Specifications**

You need:

- Shaft flex (printed on shaft)

- Shaft weight (Google "[Club Model] specifications")

- Club length (measure heel to end of grip)

- Shaft model if possible

Write these down. This is your baseline.

**Step 3: Analyze Why It Works**

Ask yourself:

- Does this club load smoothly in backswing? (flex is right)

- Does it feel "connected" through swing? (weight is right)

- Can you make your natural tempo? (specs match your biomechanics)

If yes to all three, these specs are your goldilocks zone.

---

**Phase 2: Audit Your Bag (Week 2)**

**Step 4: Check All Your Other Clubs**

For each club, find:

- Shaft flex

- Shaft weight (approximate is okay)

- How it compares to your favorite club

Create a simple chart:

| Club | Flex | Weight | vs. Favorite |

|------|------|--------|--------------|

| Driver | S | 65g | Lighter, stiffer |

| 3-wood | S | 80g | Lighter, stiffer |

| Hybrid | R | 90g | Close! |

| 6-iron | R | 95g | FAVORITE |

| 7-iron | R | 95g | Match! |

**Step 5: Identify Problems**

Look for:

- Clubs with dramatically different flex than favorite

- Clubs with 20g+ weight difference from favorite

- Big jumps in weight (driver 55g, 3-wood 85g = 30g jump)

- Clubs you struggle with that have different specs

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**Phase 3: Get AI Analysis (Week 3)**

**Step 6: Upload For Professional Analysis**

Use AI-powered bag analysis:

- Upload photos of all clubs

- Input favorite club specifications

- Input your swing characteristics (handicap, swing speed if known)

**Step 7: Review Recommendations**

The AI will tell you:

- Which clubs match your favorite club's profile (keep these)

- Which clubs are outliers (fix or replace these)

- Optimal shaft specs for entire bag

- Priority order for changes

**Step 8: Make a Plan**

Based on AI recommendations, decide:

- What to reshaft (usually most cost-effective)

- What to replace (if club is old or reshafting isn't worth it)

- What to keep (already matches baseline)

- Budget and timeline

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**Phase 4: Make Changes (Week 4)**

**Step 9: Start With Biggest Problems**

Don't try to fix everything at once. Priority order:

**Priority 1:** Woods/driver that are dramatically different from favorite

- These create the most inconsistency

- Reshafting 2-3 woods/driver costs $400-600

- Biggest bang for buck

**Priority 2:** Irons that don't match favorite

- Usually some irons match, some don't (mixed set)

- Reshaft the outliers

- Or replace with used clubs in right specs

**Priority 3:** Wedges and fine-tuning

- Wedges should be heavier than irons (control)

- But still follow progression from favorite club

- Last priority because shortest clubs, easiest to control

**Step 10: Test Changes**

After each change:

- Hit 20 balls with modified club

- Compare feel to favorite club

- Check if it loads/releases similarly

- Verify improvement in consistency

Don't make next change until you've verified current change helped.

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**Phase 5: Enjoy Consistency (Ongoing)**

**Step 11: Play and Adjust**

Play 5 rounds with your optimized bag:

- Note which clubs feel great (matched properly)

- Note any remaining inconsistencies (might need minor tweaks)

- Track performance (you should see improvement)

**Step 12: Maintain**

As you age or swing changes:

- Your favorite club might change (that's okay)

- Re-analyze with new favorite as baseline

- Adjust other clubs to match

- Repeat process every 2-3 years or after major swing changes

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When Professional Fitting Still Makes Sense

The favorite club method works for 80% of golfers. But sometimes you need a pro:

**Get Professional Fitting When:**

1. **You don't have a favorite club**

  - All your clubs feel inconsistent

  - Nothing works reliably

  - Need baseline established first

2. **You're a scratch golfer or better**

  - Fine-tuning matters at this level

  - Small differences create measurable score improvement

  - Worth the precision fitting investment

3. **You're buying a complete new set anyway**

  - Might as well test options

  - Can try multiple shaft profiles

  - Fitting fee often waived with purchase

4. **You have unusual physical characteristics**

  - Very tall (6'4"+) or very short (5'6" or under)

  - Physical limitations (injury, flexibility issues)

  - Need custom build, not just adjustments

5. **You want to test multiple options**

  - Curious about different shaft brands

  - Want to compare latest technology

  - Have budget for exploration

**The Hybrid Approach:**

Start with favorite club method:

- Identify your baseline specs (free)

- Make obvious fixes ($200-600)

- Test for 5-10 rounds

If still not satisfied, then get professional fitting:

- But now you know your baseline

- Can tell fitter what already works

- More informed conversation

- Better fitting outcome

**Cost comparison:**

- Favorite club method first: $200-600

- Then pro fitting if needed: $150-400

- Total: $350-1,000

vs.

- Pro fitting first: $400

- Buy clubs they recommend: $2,000-5,000

- Total: $2,400-5,400

- Risk: Might not match your natural tempo

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The Bottom Line: Your Body Already Knows

Here's what the golf industry doesn't want you to realize:

Your favorite club already solved the fitting puzzle.

Your body figured out what flex, weight, and feel work for YOUR tempo. Not a swing speed chart's tempo. Not a pro's tempo. Yours.

Everything else in your bag that doesn't match those characteristics? That's why golf feels inconsistent.

Traditional fitting starts from scratch and guesses at what might work.

Modern fitting starts with what already works and builds around it.

**The favorite club method:**

- Costs $0 to identify baseline

- Costs $200-600 to optimize bag around it

- Results in consistent feel across all clubs

- Matches your natural tempo and biomechanics

**vs. Traditional fitting:**

- Costs $400 for session

- Costs $2,000-5,000 for recommended clubs

- Might match swing speed chart but not your feel

- No guarantee of consistency

Your favorite club is favorite for a reason. It matched your tempo by accident.

Now you can match everything else to it on purpose.

Build your bag around what already works. That's the secret.

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About FitMyGolfClubs: We use AI-powered analysis to identify your favorite club's specifications and build an entire bag recommendation around it. Our algorithm analyzes shaft flex, weight, and progression to ensure every club matches your natural tempo and swing characteristics. Upload photos of your clubs, identify your favorite, and get professional-level recommendations in minutes—not hours or hundreds of dollars. Start your free bag analysis today and discover why some clubs work and others don't.

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