Question: Can I get a proper wedge fitting indoors?
Answer: The short answer is yes, but you’ll want to supplement it with some outdoor testing.
An indoor fitting allows your fitter to collect data in a vacuum, without variations like wind, turf conditions, temperature, moisture and dirt. That way, your fitter will be able to focus on important metrics, including a consistent strike location, shaft weight and flex profile and launch characteristics. Before you hit any shots, or at least while you’re warming up, your fitter will ask you questions about your game that go beyond what they can learn from a launch monitor.
Jerry Azurin, Cleveland/Srixon/XXIO’s product manager for fitting, says the following questions are part of all of the company’s wedge fittings:
- What wedges are you currently using? How are they performing—good and bad?
- What types of shots are you needing to play from 80 yards and in? From around the green?
- What are you hoping to change? Are you trying to hit fewer fat shots? Fewer thin shots?
“Those questions should give an indication of what model of wedge, what bounce and any particular heel relief factors we should look at,” Azurin says.
So where does the outdoor assessment come in?
“Outdoors is the ultimate verification of the indoor fitting,” Azurin says. “We’re looking at firm turf versus soft turf, tactile divot depth, angle of attack and variable sand conditions, as well.
“You’re also subject to the actual venue where you’re testing. Ideally, it would be at a course that’s much like the ones that you frequent. And equally as important, you’d like to get fit with the ball that you play, because the ball is the ultimate scoring tool.”
That last point should go without saying, but to stress the importance, let us repeat: Do not get fit for wedges, or any club, using beat-up range balls. You’d be wasting your time and money.
What about hitting off mats? Can’t those be deceiving?
“The elephant in the room is that mats tend to be forgiving. A steep swinger might not see their wedge digging in,” Azurin says. “As the fitter, it might be hard to gauge that from the overall strike, unless you’re looking at launch monitor provisions like angle of attack and low point. A good fitter would kind of marry those two, both in indoor and outdoor settings.”
So yes, you can get fit for wedges indoors, but it’s important to verify that fitting—your specs and needs—outdoors, too.
