It’s a question we ask ourselves: Do I really need that new club? Will it help me play better? Will my scores get lower?

For a lot of golfers the answer is still a resounding NO – but it’s not the clubs’ fault! It’s that so many golfers still don’t go through the process of getting fit. Whether it be a driver, wedges, or even your golf balls, taking just a bit of extra time to work with a professional to help you find the best fit, means you won’t be wasting any more money…or strokes.

It used to be (a long time ago) you’d walk into the pro shop or retail store and say, “I’m looking for a new driver, I play a 9.5 stiff.” I still suffer from golf retail PTSD from the particular phrase “I really like that new (insert brand) driver, can you fit me for a 9 degree.”

Yep. You read that right, fit me for a predetermined loft. That’s like going into a tailor and asking for a new suit based off the measurements you had in high school…probably not the best idea.

Let’s start with drivers, considering the number of options from all the OEMs, COG options, through adjustability, hosel adjustments, shafts (profiles, weights, flexes, balance points), and finally grips (size, taper, feel, material etc), there are an almost infinite number of options (with maybe 2-3 that are actually ideal just for you).

You could take the time to try everything, but then by the time you get through most of the options as an individual, I would reckon your golf season would be close to over. There are obviously levels to getting fit, and I’m not oblivious to the fact that for a lot of golfers, cost is a factor in the decision. Even when trying to nail down a previous generation model from a big box store, you can’t go wrong with talking to one of their fitters and going through adjustments to find which settings offer the most consistent results, NOT just the one longest drive.

Irons are just as complicated, if not more, thanks to the fact that now we’re working with more than one club. You have gapping, lies and lofts, sole profile/width, forgiveness, offset, along with “the usual” shafts and grips. I could go on and on, especially when it comes to wedges, but I’m trying to make it snappy. If you are blindly buying a wedge or a wedge set based solely on the loft and stated bounce number, you probably aren’t using the right wedges!

So this brings us back to the original question: “Do you really need new equipment?”

Let’s break it down a few ways.

The “No” Crowd: If you are a VERY casual golfer already having fun with your current clubs and can’t think of a reason to switch. Don’t. I’m not saying these players won’t find improvement from a fitting, but from what I’ve experienced, these golfers will get more from their golfing budget from just enjoying the game when they play. Don’t think that means I’m only focusing on the beginner golfer. If you’re a good player, haven’t experienced any swing changes, and have been fit for clubs in the last 2-3 years, the potential marginal gains (unless replacing a truly worn out club like a wedge),  the cost/benefit of a new club or clubs might not be worth it — but I’ll leave up to the individual player to decide.

The “Maybe” Crowd: If you’re a recreational/club golfer and have been playing the with the same clubs for 6-10 years and are starting to lose the performance that you previously had, whether it be from just playing less, losing speed, injury, or just good old father time, you’re going to see a benefit from a change. This could be as simple as changing a driver to help get back some distance. Even if your average drive is 225 yards, a six percent improvement in length off the tee mean 13.5 fewer yards into every green (on average). That’s some serious strokes gained potential.

The “Yes” Crowd: This is where a lot of “WE, the WRX golfers” probably fit — unless you’re in the “no” crowd because of a recent fitting. We are the tinkerers, the club junkies, the curious, but many or most of us don’t have access to our own launch monitors or fitting studios (myself included, although I used to). The “yes” crowd is for those who constantly seek to maximize performance.

So, do you really need new equipment? Ultimately, that depends on who “you” are and which crowd you’re a part of.