Everyone is unique.  Like fingerprints, no two golfers swing exactly the same.  When you buy clubs off-the-rack, you are buying a "one club fits all" set which was mass produced on an assembly line.  Sure, you can play golf with the clubs and they look fine in your bag...but they are not built to fit your swing.  If you line up three golfers with the same handicap on the practice range and have them swing an identical club, each golfer will have a different stance, swing speed, swing plane, shaft load, etc.  Each swing characteristic can be measured by a Professional Clubmaker who then matches the proper shaft, head, and grip to YOUR individual swing characteristics.

There are three elements of a true custom-fit set of golf clubs...the fitting (gathering of information), the selection of compatible components and the proper assembly and fine-tuning of each club. To ensure consistency and to be properly fitted it is essential that the same craftsman fulfills all three phases of this process.

The modern golf professional is stretched in many directions, he runs the pro shop, oversees the F & B operations, maintenance of the course, staffing, membership development, teaches golf lessons, plans outings and tournaments, etc.  In terms of helping a golfer they are trained as "swing professionals".  On the other hand, a Professional Clubmaker concentrates on just one thing...GOLF EQUIPMENT.  He constantly keeps abreast of the latest technology in shafts, grips and heads.  He is trained to match swing characteristics with the proper selection of the components to maximize the golfer's potential.  Because his entire focus is on equipment, his role in helping a golfer to improve their game is as a Golf Equipment Professional™.

Ideally the "swing professional" and the Golf Equipment Professional™ should work together to help the golfer.  A golfer should develop a consistent swing with the help of the "swing professional" and then work with the Golf Equipment Professional™ to maximize the efficiency of their golf equipment.

HOW CAN I TELL IF MY CLUBMAKER IS A PROFESSIONAL?

It is estimated that there are over 100,000 so-called "clubmakers" today. However, all clubmakers are not equally skilled, trained or certified.

The Professional Clubmakers Society® provides certification opportunities for their members.  Becoming a PCS Certified "Class A" Clubmaker™ is the PCS mark of approval.  To become certified, the clubmaker must pass an extensive written exam and a very rigorous skills exam by assembling golf clubs to exact specifications as stipulated by the PCS Education & Training Committee.  All PCS Certified "Class A" Clubmakers™ are required to earn CPE points to maintain their proficiencies.  PCS certification separates the amateur clubmakers from the Professional Clubmakers!