You have likely heard about the benefits of custom golf clubs. At some point, you may even think, “Is this something I need?” With this thinking, your next obvious question may be, “how much are custom golf clubs?”
Custom golf clubs cost between $200 to $2,500 (or more) on average. The cost of your set of custom golf clubs depends on many factors, including the brand, custom fit facility, club quantity, and more.
Are you ready to learn more about the cost of custom golf clubs, the factors that impact the price, and if it is worth the investment? If so, keep reading. Here you can find all this information and more.
Why Do You Need Custom Golf Clubs?
If someone was asked to identify the fundamentals of golf, most would say things such as keep your head down, left arm straight, and be sure your swing is on a plane.
It is true that these are the fundamentals of any good golf game. While this is true, there is something else to think about.
One of the most important factors of any golf game that must be considered before stepping onto the course—the clubs. Having custom clubs is one of the best ways to improve your game and enjoy a better score.
While many humble players claim they are so good, there is no need to customize their clubs.
Still, if you are using clubs without loft/lie angles, length, weight, and shaft flex that have been properly matched, it can cause cases of overcompensation and, eventually, prevent you from learning the proper form.
When your handicap is higher, it is essential to have golf clubs that fit properly. Regardless of if you are new to the game or a veteran, professional player, at all stages of your game, you may wonder—is it time to get custom clubs? Some of the top reasons to make this investment include:
- If you are starting out, having clubs that fit your body and your swing means you can practice in line with your specific playstyle when you are taking lessons.
- If you are over beginner level, custom clubs will provide virtually everything you will need. With custom clubs, you can fill in gaps while helping to eliminate cases of subpar shots, helping you achieve your full potential.
- Advanced golfers have real-world knowledge to figure out the specific shots they are trying to hit.
With custom clubs, you can make better contact with the ball, and you will be able to practice and achieve better strokes. Over time, this results in better scores, which is something all golfers appreciate.
Some golfers use professional club fitters’ services because they have years of training and high-tech equipment to help analyze a player’s swing, body type, impact speed and angles, ability, and more (more about this below).
While properly fit clubs will help you hit your ball further, they will also help your swing be more accurate.
When you can tighten your shop dispersion and find more fairways, you can stay out of trouble and achieve better golf scores. If you golf, you require clubs that will allow you to hit closer to the pin and further.
Thanks to the demand for custom fit clubs, many top club manufacturers have been prompted to invest in custom club design.
This means you can easily find the right/best golf clubs for your needs and game. Thanks to this demand, there are various options for custom clubs for all golfers, regardless of their ability or level.
After acquiring the specs for your clubs, you will have an idea about the grip, shaft, lie, and length you need to get the best fitting clubs possible.
Important Custom Golf Club Specs to Know
When having custom golf clubs fit, there are a few specs that must be known. These include:
- Length: A club with a proper length will help you remain in an athletic position and let you achieve a swing you can repeat.
- Lie angle: The lie assists the club as it moves through the golf course turf, providing more consistent results, and helps counter the misses.
- Flex and shaft: Make sure to ask the fitter to ensure the shafts have the right flex and weight to achieve consistency and distance from your shots.
- Grip: Grip is somewhat of a personal preference. You need to know what option works with your preferred feel and hand size, along with the weather you are usually playing in.
When it comes to the look of your clubs, the head is the most important. This is where the history of golf meets innovative computer design. The result is a club that combines innovation and tradition.
No longer are you limited to woods made of iron? You can find heads in an array of designs, materials, and weights. Before you are overwhelmed by the selection, consider the main components of the golf club head.
- Shape and size: When choosing a wood or driver, size is important. The club heads with higher CCs (cubic centimeters) and bigger sweet spots are more forgiving and provide additional control as they make solid contact.
- Loft: Consider the loft angle wanted on the driver’s face, which is typically between 8-14°. The proper loft is determined by how you strike the ball and if you hit up or down.
- Offset: The amount the leading edge of your clubface trails the shaft’s leading edge when connecting to the clubhead.
- Lie angle: This feature makes sure the club can sit on the ground squarely and prevents the club’s toe or heel from digging in during impact.
With a proper fitting for your custom clubs, you can find out which ones you need to have. While all sets require a putter and driver, your style and ability will determine the other clubs required.
Important Things to Consider When Buying Custom Golf Clubs
When it comes to golf, there is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. Your game is shaped by several factors, ranging from distance to accuracy and more.
Now it is time to dive deep into the costs related to being fit for custom clubs. Remember, several factors will impact this price.
- Brand and purchase location: The cost related to having a set of golf clubs custom fit to you depends on the brand you choose and where you purchase the clubs. Today, you can find an array of club manufacturers who have custom club options. The prices for these are higher compared to some of the other facilities that offer custom fitting options. The cost depends on where the custom set is being purchased from.
- Fitting type: You can choose to have your golf set fully customized, or you can do it for one or just a few clubs. An average player will likely select a few clubs for customization. The main reason for this is because the cost of a custom fitting is not low. Some facilities offering custom fitting options require a payment of $100 per custom club being created. However, if you play in tournaments, you will likely invest in a complete custom club set.
- Club quantity: The cost of your golf clubs is dependent on the number that makes up a full set. This is true regardless of if you have the basic nine types of clubs or if you use a more advanced set. The more clubs you have and use, the more the set will cost and the cost of the club fitting.
- Retailer markup: Most retailers are going to markup clubs by about 33.3%. However, this is going to vary from one retailer to another.
- Corporate costs: This refers to the money spent on marketing, sales, and corporate expenses. It is estimated to be around 24.3% of the total cost that you pay.
- Research and development: Approximately 2.3% of your clubs’ total cost will be spent on the research and development process.
How Many Golf Clubs Are There in a Set?
There is no limit regarding the number of golf clubs you can have in your bag for amateurs. Essentially, the number is whatever you are willing to carry.
While it may be annoying and heavy to carry 20 clubs, you have the option to do this if you like. You should also note that your clubs cannot be swapped—at any time. That means you need to consider the clubs you are going to use and pick them carefully.
However, with competitive golfing tournaments, you are restricted to just 14 clubs per golf round. Usually, it is a good idea to have one wood as your driver. However, you may want two or more than that depending on your current skill level.
If you have a higher handicap, you may struggle with the true drivers (i.e., one wood), and as a result, it may be a good idea to bring along a five or three wood.
Other expert golfers find three woods (one, three, and five) are best; however, it all depends on the driving situation that you are in. However, if you carry this many woods, it will limit you on the total number of wedges, hybrids, and irons you can carry in your bag.
Most skilled golfers do not need more than two wedges (in most cases)—sand and a pitching wedge. However, some can make it with just a pitching wedge, even in an overly sandy situation.
This means you should spread out your clubs between your irons and hybrids. You have more control and distance with the four, five, or six hybrids and are smart options for amateurs.
While this is true, the one, two, or three iron offers more distance by requiring someone with more precision to their hit.
It is important to note that the lower the number is on the golf club, the more distance it will provide; however, this increased distance will negatively impact precision.
Usually, a standard golfer will require seven, eight, and nine irons for more precise, shorter shots around and on more challenging parts of the green. Also, you cannot forget you need a minimum of one putter. This is necessary for any golf tournament.
It is possible to put with a different club; however, you will likely discover this choice does not pan out very well. In most cases, you will just wind up frustrated.
You may wonder if you need more than one putter in your set. This is unnecessary for amateurs, but many professionals carry more than one of these during a tournament.
If you have a custom set of clubs created, purchasing a specialized putter gives you more control. These specialized clubs may help on valleys and hills and help you stay competitive longer.
If an average golf club (not customized) costs $150 per club, you can purchase the entire set of 14 clubs for $2,100. This does not account for the fitting or customization process.
What Is the Cost of a Fitted Set of Golf Clubs?
The cost you are charged to have a set of golf clubs custom fit depends on your needs and the clubs you want.
Using the services of a trained fitter, you can determine the specs needed for your new clubs. This includes things like:
- Grips
- Head design
- Shaft flex
- Lie angle
To find these specifications, besides the help of a trained professional, a fitting facility must also have the needed tools. This includes a suitable studio and launch monitor.
These are some of the reasons the product and process are so expensive. At this point, you are likely wondering—what is the actual cost of a fitted set of clubs?
Thanks to the information above, you have a general idea of the cost of a custom set of clubs. You also know the basic factors that will impact the price. However, besides buying a whole set of fitted golf clubs that may start at around $2,000, you also have to pay for the fitting session.
It is completely up to you if you will pay for the custom golf clubs fitting. Some golf OEMs provide a direct golf club fitting.
There are some facilities, such as the Titleist Performance Institute, that charge $100 up to $125 for each golf club you have fit. Others only require a payment for the entire session.
For example, Foregolf charges $110 per hour for club review, and Callaway Performance Centres charges $150 for a session.
Some even offer fitting sessions for no charge, as long as you purchase the clubs from them. Or you may have to pay the session rates but not have to purchase the clubs.
Put simply, each facility is going to charge differently for the club fitting session.
How Much Are Quality Golf Clubs?
What is considered a good set of golf clubs is dependent on your level of ability and expertise. While this is true, there is typically a standard set needed for individuals who are just starting out.
If you are worried about the cost of a good set of clubs, you must think about your skills. Should you choose a basic or a higher-end set?
Usually, professional clubs will cost more than the off-the-rack clubs sold in most golf stores. You can typically find a basic set for approximately $200, while higher-end clubs will cost around $1,000.
It is clear, as you gain more experience, and as your performance improves, you can invest in a higher-quality set of clubs. Also, a fitted set is often recommended, and you can find out the average cost of this above.
Even if the club fitting is expensive, you can bet many advantages from it. Buying custom clubs is an effective way to improve your overall performance.
However, if you do not have the budget for a customized set now and want to improve your game, there are an array of high-quality clubs you can purchase as an alternative.
Are Custom Clubs Right for You?
It does not matter if you are new to golf or on the professional circuit; having a set of custom golf clubs offers an array of advantages.
While this is true, making sure you get the right fit is essential. From the information above, you can easily see an array of factors that go into the final price you pay for your custom clubs.
If you are in the market for your own custom clubs, it is important to note that they can be quite an investment.
Be sure to figure out what you can spend before moving forward with this purchase, which will help you avoid overspending on the custom clubs you ultimately purchase.
Being informed, knowing what custom clubs offer, and why this is a smart investment can help you see why you should make it.
Conclusion
Before you spend top-dollar for a new set of customized golf clubs, it’s important that you know what you’re looking for. The brand, style, size, and many other features can influence your decision.
High-end golf clubs can cost well over $1,000, but that doesn’t mean that you have to spend that much money to get a good set.
In the end, it’s all about choosing which set of golf clubs allows you to maintain proper positioning while you drive and put down the green. Good luck, and remember to test multiple clubs before making your decision.