Fitter Eric Chung: Pick the Driver Head First, Shaft Second

When it comes to fitting a new driver, clubfitter Eric Chung of Impact Golf says the head matters more than the shaft. Chung laid out his approach on a recent episode of GOLF's Fully Equipped podcast with co-host Johnny Wunder.

Why does Chung fit the head before the shaft?

Chung said he evaluates a driver head on its own characteristics first: loft settings, weight positions, shape, feel, sound and how spin varies across the face. Only once a golfer has settled on a head does he bring in the shaft, which he uses as what he calls a "pairing instrument" to help center the strike through length, flex profile and how it loads and releases through impact.

"I've always favored heads," Chung said of his fitting philosophy.

What comes after the head and shaft?

Chung said secondary variables such as swing weight and grip size follow, along with total club mass, which he considers more significant to feel than swing weight preference alone. He does not aim for a perfect, fully optimized setup. Chung said getting a fitting to roughly 85 to 90 percent of ideal is enough for most golfers, rather than chasing numbers until every variable is dialed in.