When it comes to your golf equipment, I guarantee every single one of you, our loyal readers, can attest to the fact that having equipment that is custom fitted to you, exactly you, can make a whole world of difference. From the driver to the putter, the shaft to the grip, the irons to yes, the golf ball, custom fitting is absolutely vital and now golf balls are jumping on that bandwagon.
Golf Balls Get Custom
Whereas golf balls used to be important, but beyond showing brand loyalty, fairly basic as far as customization, today they are vastly different and the golf ball you play needs to be customized and chosen based on a variety of strict criteria surrounding your style of play, the clubs you’re using, and the desired result you expect from your ball. One of the leaders in the emerging market of custom fitted golf balls is of course, the brand that Tiger Woods chooses to endorse: Nike. They are taking it so seriously, in fact, they offer a brand new “Intelligent Fitting System” or IFS that can help you find the exact ball for you. Here’s the three-step process of how the new Nike IFS works, according to Golf.com:
- The player hits five to 10 balls using his own driver and a “Nike 360” control ball. The company’s proprietary IFS launch monitor records ball speed, launch angle and backspin rate. The “Nike 360” ball is used exclusively for Nike club and ball fittings. It is not sold at retail.
- The fitter examines the player’s specs (ball speed, launch angle and backspin) to determine the general type of ball to play.
- The player answers a series of questions about his game, personal preferences, etc. This allows the Nike fitter to pinpoint an exact model for the player’s needs.
Find A Location, Test The Service
Once you find a location offering this, you’re in business. The tricky part can often be finding a location near you. If you head over to NikeGolf.com and click “360 Custom Fitting” you can zero in on the closest place to you that offers this service. It’s well worth it, the article we read highlighted what happened when not only an amateur golfer was given the service, but also PGA Pro Stewart Cink. Check it out.