anybody know about fitting golf clubs? (first world problem)

My son is 5'-4" and still growing, but an adult size driver (and the other longer clubs) is too long. Is there a chart or something that will help me figure out what he needs, before I spend dollars at a shop?

I think he needs a rifle.

Try uskidsgolf.com. Also maybe women's clubs might fit better?

There must be a sports exchange kind of place somewhere around you. Kids grow through sports equipment so quickly, and golf clubs would be the same, I'd imagine.

If there isn't something near you, consider opening one.

Atlanta has several Dick's Sporting Stores, they can fit you; much like a shoe store.

Dan

I worked on a golf course for 10 years, and have been around golf my whole life. I'm also a golf club nerd

Forget the kids clubs. If he can, just have him choke up on the club--if it interferes with his swing though, don't do that. I'd go into a Dicks or Golf Galaxy and find out what his swing speed is. If it is slow enough, start searching craigslist, Golf Galaxy's used department, and 2nd Swing for a woman's driver. If that doesn't work, find a cheap 3 wood and have him use that as his driver, get him a couple of hybrids as fairway woods, and tell him to work on his short game and don't worry about not hitting the long ball. At least not until he is playing on the high school team. Truth be told, the length isn't the issue so much as the angle of the club--see Ping's Color chart.

If you don't like those options, buy a driver (craigslist) with a regular or light shaft (again, find his swing speed) and take the grip off--use a hooked box cutter. Take a saw, and cut the driver down about a half inch. Sand it down, and regrip it with a womans grip--woman's grips are smaller and will fit better with the cut down shaft.
https://golf50in10.wordpress.com/2013/03/07/how-to-regrip-a-golf-club-in-11-photos/

Bonus, now your son knows how to re-grip a club. This will come in handy.

EDIT: I don't always trust Dick's fitters, but it would be a decent place to start. But probably not really necessary, although finding the swing speed is important to know which shaft to get--arguably more important than the club itself.

How old is your son?

Factory drivers for adults act like lengthened shaft drivers for kids.....if he has a high swing speed, he'll hit the ball much farther than his peers. Tougher to control, yes.....but distance for days.

Honestly, if it is a concern, most club proshops can fit him.

I have always flattened out my driver's swing anyways(like if I were shorter), so I might not understand your issue.

yamaha wrote: Factory drivers for adults act like lengthened shaft drivers for kids.....if he has a high swing speed, he'll hit the ball much farther than his peers. Tougher to control, yes.....but distance for days. Honestly, if it is a concern, most club proshops can fit him. I have always flattened out my driver's swing anyways(like if I were shorter), so I might not understand your issue.

My grandpa, who was about 5'5" when he quit golfing, did this for the last 5 years that he played--he actually got a lengthened driver to keep up the distance. It worked for him since he was fairly rotund most of his golfing life, so it was already a pretty flat swing. He was damn close to shooting his age at 85 from the ladies tees.

The problem with this for a young kid is that it really changes the swing geometry. While not much of an issue for my Grandpa who had excellent eye hand coordination and a swing that had been the same for 50 years, that is not something you want to do to someone who is still learning a swing. Bad habits can be formed very easily.

My current issue, as it has been for the last 3 years, is that I turn my wrists over too much and get a little hooky. My natural swing has a slight draw, but for some reason I can't control it anymore--when I do, I don't get the club around fast enough and block it right. I've "solved" it for now by stopping my hands with the driver at about 9:30, and am giving up the distance--down to about 265 now

mtn wrote: How old is your son?

14, but slow growing like his father was.

Thanks for all the advice so far everybody.

My opinion (been golfing 46 years, handicap up to a six as I don't play as much as I used to, and I set, fix, and adjust all my own clubs); - Use ladies grips. - Do not let him use a driver. 3 wood only. - Concentrate on the shorter clubs (150-125 yards and in). I see Dads give their hand me down clubs to their kids, and the irons are too heavy and too long, and a club too long is worse with a wedge than it is with a 3 wood. - Never, never look at a short putt and say "That's good, pick it up". That teaches them they can get away with stuff in life and it is NOT golf. - Teach them how to putt. Hold putting competitions for dimes and quarters. Those three foot putts that have to be made go a long way when the pressure is on. etc. Sput

Here's more.. random/related.

22 years ago I assembled my own clubs, a set of Ping Zing knock offs. 1 iron -PW and some Big Bertha clone metal woods. So I know the mechanics of making clubs, just no good regards fitting. I still use the same stuff now. I play only about 2-3x annually, but looking forward to playing with my boys, 14 and 10 now.

I got the older son some clubs recently at Play-it-Again-sports. Great deal. Need to cut them down.

Thanks for the help thus far.

Does anyone know about cutting down graphite shafts? Can you? Best tool?

Yes you can. I would ask at a golf shop what they use but it is probably just a regular hack saw.

Also, listen to everything sput said he speaks the truth