The struggling golfer often sees a change of equipment as the answer to ballooning scores. A few hundred dollars later, that golfer has a new off-the-rack club from the local golf shop, but too often the only result is a lighter wallet...

I recently had a full professional fitting for a set of clubs, which has measurably improved my game. Throughout my golfing life, my game improved when I took the time to find the clubs best suited to my swing. I’ve learned that the prettiest new iron in the window does not necessarily make a prettier game.

As I played through high school and college, I changed clubs a couple of times a year. Searching the local golf store or secondhand shop for something to impact my game, I failed to realize that the regular shaft on that season’s hot new driver would turn out to be completely wrong for my swing. I replaced one club with another, and another, but none gave my game the boost I wanted.

It took a dozen clubs and several wasted paychecks to understand that I didn’t need another toy. What I needed was the proper shaft, loft and clubhead to complement my golf-swing style and body type.

Shortly after college, one of my friends introduced me to custom clubs. I tried his custom-fit Titleist driver with an X-stiff shaft and knew instantly that this was the club for me. I began thinking more about how my swing behaved and started filling my golf bag with clubs that complemented my strengths and weaknesses. I finally threw out my old habit of choosing the shiniest new club on the golf store rack.

I purchased a new set of blade irons that were 1-degree flat with standard length and S300 stiff shaft. These clubs worked great for me and have lasted more than three years. And I’ve been playing with the same driver and putter for nearly four years, which is a personal record.

These more personalized clubs led to a great improvement in my game. I got to a minus-1 handicap three times and came within one stroke of my local course’s record of 63.

Despite my success with these clubs, I wanted to try some new clubs that offered the latest technology. When I learned Titleist was coming to my club to provide custom professional fittings for a few members, I decided to give my swings and clubs a thorough checkup.

My club fitting with the Titleist pro began with one of the best inventions in golf: the Titleist Launch Monitor. I began swinging with my 6-iron, and the monitor calculated swing speed, ball speed, launch angle and distance. The Launch Monitor is an impressive piece of technology, and looks like a subwoofer with a laptop attached to it. Two areas of the monitor take pictures of the clubhead at impact and also capture ball compression. After a few shots, the pro noticed my tendency to leave the shot out to the right. He also watched my swing, divot pattern and aggressiveness to identify what fix was needed.

The pro then grabbed my club to examine the specifications and lie angle. He took out a blade 6-iron, bent the lie angle 2 degrees flat and gave me an X-stiff X100 shaft. As he handed me the new club, he simply instructed me to “hit this and trust it.”

I took a swing and instantly saw and felt the results. The ball flight was just what I wanted. The pro and I tried a few more combinations of clubheads and shafts, but we soon realized the first selection was best. After deciding on those irons, we moved to new wedges and woods.

I took a couple of shots with my wedges, and after seeing two divots, the pro handed me the new club. We quickly found wedges with a bounce that fit my swing. After the irons and wedges, the pro and I picked out a 15-degree 3-wood.

As easy as one-two-birdie, I had a new set of clubs that fit my golf swing. And the change has produced results: I’ve gained a half club in distance, and I’m striking the ball flush off the center of the clubface like never before.

Today’s technology can provide a detailed analysis of a golf swing, and it has decreased the time and effort needed to obtain a custom-fitted set of golf clubs. Many local stores are investing in Launch Monitors or similar devices, as well as training their employees to perform an accurate fitting. Remember to put your ego aside and realize that the stiffest shaft and the hardest club may not suit your game. Take the time to use swing monitors, talk to the pros at your club or local golf shop and get fitted. Stop working against your clubs and make your clubs work for you.

Michael J. Kraft is a scratch golfer who frequently plays in Park Ridge, Ill.