How Often Should You Get Fitted for Golf Clubs? Use these 3 Tests

The fact that any golfer is asking a question about how often they should get fitted for clubs is a great sign.

And that’s simply for the reason that it shows they know that a golf club fitting is worth it for the difference it can make to their game.

But time does move on very quickly in golf tech these days so it’s natural for all golfers to wonder from time to time if their current clubs are still right or if it’s time to go back and get them looked at again by an expert fitter.

As a general rule, golfers should get fitted for clubs every 4-5 years, with wedges potentially needing attention every 2-3 years due to groove and general wear and tear.

However while such timeline rules of thumb work for many golfers, the reality is a bit more nuanced. Your body changes. Your swing evolves. Equipment wears. Technology advances.

So the answer isn’t always as simple as a calendar reminder unfortunately.

Golfing Focus has therefore developed a practical 3-test method to help you determine when it’s time for another fitting—regardless of what clubs you’re assessing or how long you’ve had them.

This approach has been validated through my own experience gaining lots of yards with my new fitted driver and breathing new life into my beloved 20-year-old irons — without swinging any faster or changing my technique!

Let’s explore not just when to get fitted, but how to recognize the specific signals that indicate it’s time for a fitting reassessment.

Golfing Focused Takeaway For Time-Pressed Golfers

• Use the 3-test method rather than calendar dates: Physical changes in you, performance changes in your game, and changes in your equipment provide the most reliable indicators it’s time for a fitting.
• Different clubs need different attention: Wedges typically need assessment every 2-3 years, forged irons should have lofts/lies checked regularly, while putters may never need refitting.
• Fitting doesn’t always mean buying new: Quality fitters can often adjust or retrofit existing clubs rather than recommending complete replacements.
• Physical changes matter most: Changes in your flexibility, strength, or swing speed are the strongest indicators that your current clubs may no longer be optimal.
• Watch for unexpected performance shifts: When clubs that previously performed similarly begin producing dramatically different results, it’s often a sign refitting would help.

3 Tests for When to Get Refitted – Different Clubs Can Need More Regular Fittings!

A club fitting can make a difference to a golfer playing the wrong club, or set of clubs, for them almost straight away.

During my own fitting journey for example I discovered that my 10.5º driver loft was causing me to launch the ball too high and as a result lose a lot of distance.

A switch to an 8º driver resulted in me gaining 25 yards almost immediately and indeed there are examples of even just 1º of driver loft change making a big difference!

So instead of relying solely on calendar dates to understand when any golfer should consider another custom fitting these three critical tests are more reliable for determining when your clubs need reassessment.

Test 1: Physical Changes in You (The Golfer)

An important factor isn’t the clubs themselves — it’s you. Significant changes in your physical capabilities often necessitate a fitting reassessment:

• Flexibility alterations: Age-related stiffness or improved flexibility through training can alter your swing pattern and therefore the clubs that best suit you.
• Strength changes: Whether through training or ageing, strength variations alter how you load and deliver the club.
• Swing speed shifts: Big changes (faster or slower) can require a different shaft but 99% of the time if the change is less than 5mph with your driver for example it doesn’t need to change.
• Height and build changes: This is paticularly important for junior golfers who experience this most dramatically, but adults also undergo gradual changes over time.

Self-assessment tip: If you have access to a launch monitor, track your swing speed periodically. For flexibility, simply note whether you can make the same shoulder turn as in previous seasons. These observations provide strong indicators of when a fitting reassessment might be valuable—regardless of how long it’s been since your last fitting.

We’re looking at 3 to 5 years as the timeframe to change the woods .. irons 5 years plus (but) they could last up to 10 years. If you’re not going through major swing work .. and as long as physically you stay in similar shape, and your swing strength and mobility stays relevant, there’s no reason you can’t carry on using those clubs … A lot of it boils down to when does the player want to change”

Simon Cooper, Master Club Fitter at Precision Golf

Test 2: Performance Changes in Your Game

The second test involves monitoring how your clubs are performing relative to expectations.

Shifts in how your clubs perform often signal it’s time for a refitting:

• Inconsistent gapping: During my iron fitting for example, I discovered my 3-iron and 4-iron were carrying almost identical distances. The cause wasn’t technique but loft drift—both clubs had gradually shifted to nearly identical lofts through years of use. This common issue with forged irons often goes undetected without testing.
• Ball flight changes: If certain clubs have begun producing notably different trajectories than the rest of your set it can indicate equipment issues.
• Comparative distance shifts: When playing partners who previously hit similar distances are suddenly outdriving you or are now hitting one or two clubs less into par 3’s consistently, it might be equipment-related rather than technique.

Self-assessment tip: Track your standard ‘stock’ carry distances for each club either through an app like Arccos or Shotscope or download our simple ‘distance’ spreadsheet to help you do this. Review this periodically to identify unexpected changes in gapping or distance that might warrant investigation.

Test 3: Changes in Your (And New) Equipment

The final test is probably the easiest to assess and focuses on the equipment itself.

While modern golf clubs are incredibly durable, they do experience wear and technological evolution:

• Groove wear: Wedges experience the most significant performance degradation through use. Research from Titleist’s Vokey team shows wedges can lose up to 2,000 RPM of spin after approximately 125 rounds, producing nearly twice the rollout distance of new wedges. This makes wedges the exception to typical longevity rules.
• Loft and lie drift: Forged irons typically experience more significant loft and lie changes through use than cast models especially if used a lot on practice mats. My 20-year-old Mizuno blades had shifted by a degree here and there, affecting their performance despite the club heads themselves being perfectly intact.
• Visible damage: While minor scratches are cosmetic, deeper face marks or crown cracks can affect performance and integrity.
• Technological advances: While annual model changes offer minimal benefits, meaningful technological improvements do occur every few years in different club categories.

For a detailed breakdown of wear indicators of when specific clubs types might need replacement, check out our comprehensive guide: Know When To Replace Your Golf Clubs: A Club-By-Club Guide.

“What many people forget when thinking about improvements in golf equipment is that they’re not always in-your-face enhancements. Meaningful benefits to golfers can be had through better manufacturing processes or the use of materials …. Further, it’s not just about performance on the center hit. Sure, we all love to crush one and see extra yards pop up on the launch monitor, but tremendous improvement has been made on off-center hits as well – and isn’t that where we hit it most of the time?”

E. Michael Johnson, Golf Digest equipment editor

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How These Tests Apply to Different Clubs

These tests though don’t affect all clubs equally:

• Drivers and fairway woods are likely most influenced by Tests 1 and 2. Physical changes and performance shifts can demand changes before significant wear or technical leaps occur.
• Irons should be assessed when all three tests show changes, with forged irons requiring more frequent loft/lie checks (every 2-3 years) than their cast counterparts.
• Wedges are primarily affected by Test 3 due to their intensive use and the importance of good grooves for spin. High-frequency players should consider reassessment every 2-3 years.
• Putters by comparison rarely need replacement based on wear (Test 3) – many pros (especially the good putters!) stick with the same model they’ve had for many many years!!

The most compelling case for refitting occurs of course when you notice signals from multiple tests simultaneously.

“I believe you get fit when you feel like you are not getting the most out of your equipment. If that’s a year, then yes, get fit, but more likely it’s going to be every three or five years. Sometimes, even though you don’t feel you are getting everything from your clubs, you truly are and at least the fitting will confirm that. That gives you the confidence, that you are playing the very best.”

Nick Sherburne, founder of Club Champion, regular Golf Digest Top 100 club fitter

Make The Investment Worthwhile – Lots of Golf Club Fittings Could be Costly!

I’m a big fan of golf club fittings.

My own custom fitting personally helped me hugely and I am convinced a quality fitting can make a difference to everyone’s game – including high handicappers and beginners.

But I also think a lot of golf advice these days comes without a lot of thought to the cost for regular players.

Golfing Focus has looked in detail at how much golf club fittings cost so the general guide of getting a fitting at least every 5 years comes with the caveat of assessing how much that’s going to cost and how much you are willing to invest in your game.

Also the costs vs benefits equation is clearly a personal decision and is different for everyone.

But through my extensive fitting journey of eight separate fittings across six different venues over a few months I would recommend these practical strategies to maximise value:

Take a Strategic Approach to Refitting

Prioritize by Impact: Not all clubs obviously need assessment simultaneously. Priortizing checks of your irons and wedges simply because you use them the most out of all your clubs is a simple strategy to gain most benefit from any money you choose to spend on another fitting.

Consider Retrofitting Existing Clubs: During my iron fitting, I found that new shafts breathed life into my 20-year-old blade irons at less than half the cost of new clubs. Certain performance issues can be addressed through targeted modifications rather than full replacement. For detailed options, see Can You Get Your Existing Golf Clubs Custom Fitted?

Utilize Free or Low-Cost Assessments: Manufacturer demo days often provide free fitting services, while many retailers credit fitting fees toward purchases. During my fitting tour, I found several venues that completely waived fitting fees with purchase. See my comprehensive fitting cost analysis for specific pricing structures.

Maximizing Your Fitting Experience

As and when you decide it’s time for a reassessment, these practical insights will also help ensure optimal results:

Choose the Right Venue: I found independent specialists typically offered the most comprehensive experience and unlike other venues give you the potential option of getting your existing clubs modified as required. Use our searchable directory of top fitters across the US, Canada and the UK to find quality options near you.

Aim to Test With The Balls You Use: In venues where I tested with range balls, my ball flight was noticeably different than with my regular premium balls. This gave me less confidence in the results so if you can I would always take a long 2 or 3 of the balls you use when you’re out on the course.

Split Sessions Up: During my journey, I found that marathon ‘full bag’ fitting sessions should be avoided if possible due to information and physical overload. Separating driver, iron, and wedge fittings will produce more reliable results.

Bring Baseline Data: Document your current carry distances and lofts for each club before your fitting. This will help you reliably compare distances with the clubs you test.

Don’t forget too that every quality golf club fitting does not inevitably end up in you being recommended to buy a new club or set of clubs.

Good custom fitters are focused on you getting better and getting the most out of your clubs.

Their sole focus is not to try and flog you as much new kit as possible at the highest possible margin.

If they test your clubs with you and can’t find anything else that will give you any better numbers they will tell you.

And that can either be a great confidence boost or at least an indication that the answer to your current problems lie through lessons or more practice on the range rather than through new fitted clubs!

Before You Go …

For a more in-depth look at ways you can know when it’s potentially time to replace your golf clubs check out our next article.

Know When To Replace Your Golf Clubs: A Club-By-Club Guide

Other great articles related to this topic:

• How Much Does a Golf Club Fitting Cost? Is it Worth it?
• Can You Get Your Existing Golf Clubs Custom Fitted? Complexity = Cost
• Should High Handicappers Get Fitted Clubs? The Benefits Apply to All
• Should A Beginner Get Golfer Fitted For Clubs? A Smart Approach To Avoid Bad Habits
• Is a Putter Fitting Worth it? It Removes a Variable or Three
• Should I Get Fitted for Golf Clubs Before Lessons? Get Both Together
• How Often Should You Get Fitted for Clubs? Use the 3 Tests
• How Long Should a Club Fitting Take? Take Your Time!
• Are My Golf Clubs Too Old? It’s Performance Not Age That Matters
• Are My Golf Clubs Too Heavy? Trust Your Feelings
• Should All Your Golf Clubs Be The Same Brand? Results Matter More
• Should Your Driver Match Your Woods? Don’t Waste Your Money!
• Should Your Wedges Match Your Irons? Consistency Is Key
• Should All Your Wedges Be The Same? Focus On Gaps & Variety
• Should You Have The Same Grips On All Your Golf Clubs?