DOES IT FIT?

You can smell it in the air. The birds are chirping, calling you to the course. Your office is starting to close in. Your palms are starting to sweat just thinking about that first six-foot putt.

This is what brings us back for more, the game that we love to hate. Some have described golf as the worst drug in the world. The addiction starts as soon as you hit that perfect shot. There is no better feeling. You now spend the next few days thinking, "What did I do differently?" It's enough to drive a man mad.

Anyone who has played the game understands what it takes to get better, that nasty word: "practice." The question we all ponder is, "Practice what?" If you ask the best instructors in the world, they will tell you the best way to lower your score is to practice your short game.

Golfers are getting smarter every year. There was a time when a member would walk into the shop, look at a set of clubs, and buy them, never knowing if the clubs would be a perfect fit. Thanks to the new technology and the PGA’s education programs, golf professionals have taken club fitting to a different level. We can now have clubs bent to eliminate some of that fade or draw. We have launch monitors that give us enough information to fit not only clubs but also which ball you should play.

When it comes to putter fitting, most people can't be bothered. The driver is the glory club, so people are perfectly willing to pay $400 for the newest one, but $150 for a putter seems excessive. Keep in mind that you will use your driver 14 times a round, as opposed to 25 or more times you will use your putter. The putter can make or break your round, so it is vital to get a good one that is properly fit to your stroke.

This is where I would like to start with what I consider working the game back- wards.

When the season begins, get a hold of your PGA professional and talk to him or her about the benefits of putter fitting. Spend some time on the practice green with your PGA professional and allow him or her to make sure that your putter is doing what you need it to do. After all, if we start off with something that doesn't fit, how are we ever going to become more consistent?