Don't blame it on clubs!

What's the first thing that we blame when we hit a bad shot? Ourselves? The ball? No, they would be a lot further down the list!

The first thing we tend to blame as golfers is our equipment. It's always the club's fault, not the fact that we made a terrible swing, took on the wrong shot or were aiming in the wrong direction - it is obviously down to the club! The fact that the same club hit a great shot on the previous hole doesn't come in to it!

Most people would say a 'bad workman blames his tools' and the majority of the time that is certainly the case. However, there is an element of truth behind this. Playing with the right equipment which suits you, your build and many other factors can certainly have a huge effect on your potential to hit good golf shots and shoot lower scores.

Now, let me clear something up before I go on, if you hit a bad shot with the clubs that you've had in the bag for months, even if they don't suit you, you still can't blame them, you bought them! The only person to blame for a bad shot out on the course is you! The only cure for this is to go and see your local professional and have some lessons to help improve your technique.

But, you can help yourself immediately by getting your equipment custom fitted to you. We are all different; so why would you go into a golf shop and buy a 'standard' set of clubs off the shelf?

Custom fitting is not a new idea, it has been around for nearly 40 years, but it is only recently that the majority of equipment brands have really got involved to the extent that we see today. Equipment technology is forever evolving and sometimes it is difficult to keep up. With so many head designs, shaft options and grips available to us, the only way to make sure you have the set that is going to help you improve is to have them fitted by your Professional.

Ian Woosnam (Pic2) is 5ft 3in tall, Ernie Els (Pic1) is 6ft 5in tall. Do you think they both use the same specification of clubs? Maybe not!

Karsten Solheim: Pioneer. Innovator. Leader.

Karsten Solheim was a keen golfer. An engineer for General Electric by trade, he became the pioneer of custom fitting way back in the 1970s when his company, Ping, started to help PGA Tour players improve by calibrating their equipment to fit their size and swing tendencies.

Solheim had made his name from the radically new design of a putter that he created in his garage when he became frustrated with his putting. The putters had become the most popular model on tour, so when he observed the improvement that having your clubs fitted made to your game, people took notice.

Using the player's favourite club as a start point, Karsten calibrated the loft and lie of every iron to give the player a perfectly matched set of irons. On several occasions, the professional went on to win the following week's tournament, confirming his belief that properly fitted clubs were critical to a golfer's performance.

At the same time he realised that the vast majority of golfers were using equipment that was purchased 'off the rack' without any consideration to their individual size or swing tendencies. Sensing an opportunity to differentiate his fledgling brand while helping golfers lower their scores, Karsten began working on his famous colour code system (Pic3). The system was a simple, yet effective way to match a set of clubs to the individual's needs through custom fitting.

Today, custom fitting services have evolved greatly from those early days and are widely available from most of the top brands. All equipment; putters, woods and irons can be tailored to suit you, but the benefits still remain the same: lower scores and more enjoyment. Awareness of the benefits of custom fitting continues to grow and Ping is one of the market leaders in this field.

Karsten's tag line for his company, which also remains to this day, is 'play your best'. What does play your best mean to you? Breaking 100, setting the course record or simply reducing your handicap?

In order to 'play your best', you need equipment which suits you and your game to help you do it. When we open the Royal Golf Academy in the next few months, one of our focuses will be custom fitting. With a state-of-the-art custom fitting suite at our disposal, it will be possible for golfers of any age or ability to benefit from professional advice, the latest technology in the form of our Vector Pro 'launch monitor system' and the widest choice of brands in Bahrain.

Don't hold yourself back or let your game suffer any longer, don't blame your clubs anymore, help yourself and your scores by booking in for a custom fitting appointment as soon as you can and see your game improve.

Chris Kelby - What's in the bag?

Like all professionals and players who want to 'play their best,' my clubs have been custom fitted to suit my size and game. Standing 6ft 3in tall, I am by no means average height and this dictates that my clubs should be longer than standard. When you change the length, the lie angle can also change and my clubs are more 'upright' than standard. The other main difference is the type of shaft - the general rule is the faster you swing, the stiffer the shaft needs to be.

Next week: Add another 42yards!! The inside path.

PRIZE QUIZ!

YOU could win a free Riffa Views golf shirt and cap by emailing Sue Addison at s.addison@theroyalgolfclub.com with your answer to this question: Chris Kelby is a staff player for which golf club manufacturer?

Last week's winner was Rob Lane.

The answer to last week's quiz was Siwanoy Country Club, Bronxville, New York.

A draw will be made from all the correct answers on Monday and the winner's name will be announced in this column next week. Normal GulfWeekly contest rules apply.

I am a Cleveland Golf staff player and my set is made up as follows:

Driver: Cleveland Hi Bore Tour 9.5 degree, Fujikura XL Red shaft, stiff flex

3 wood: Cleveland Hi Bore 15 degree, Fujikura XL Red shaft, stiff flex

Hybrid: Cleveland Halo 19 degree, Aldila NT shaft, stiff flex

Irons: 3-PW Cleveland CG Red, 1.5 inch longer than standard, 2 degrees upright, Dynamic Gold S300 shaft

Wedges: Cleveland CG12 52 degree and 56 degree. S300 shaft.

Putter: Titleist Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Platinum, 34 inches long.