Inside the Tour Van: Fitting Q&A with Thomas Campbell

By Drew Mahowald -- 2nd Swing Staff Writer

2nd Swing Master Fitter Thomas Campbell has practically done it all when it comes to golf, whether it be playing competitively, coaching, or club fitting.

Originally from New Zealand, Campbell was a member of the University of Minnesota golf team from 2006-2010 before turning professional. He has since competed on numerous professional tours, including the Web.com Tour, PGA Tour Canada, PGA Tour Australasia, and mini-tours such as the Dakotas Tour, Hooters Tour, and Gateway Tour. Campbell was crowned champion of six professional events in 2018.

Outside of competition, Campbell has helped coach many players at the high school and college level and has earned superb credentials as a club fitter. He is certified by golf’s most noteworthy manufacturers: PING, Titleist, TaylorMade, Callaway, Mizuno, and Cobra.

Fortunately for us at 2nd Swing, Campbell has also served as a Master Club Fitter at our Minnetonka location since the beginning of 2018, using his vast golf experience to fit hundreds of customers for the best equipment to optimize their swings.

Campbell recently shared some valuable insight with us on his club fitting process and the most common corrections he makes.

2nd Swing: When working with a customer, what type of feedback are you looking for the most?

Campbell: The initial interview process provides the best feedback as I can ask players about the goals they hope to achieve. In this step of our fitting process, we are able to learn what brands and head models the player is interested in and what the player’s tendencies are. I look at many variables once the fitting starts. With a driver fitting, I may put more of an emphasis on spin rate and hit location, while the emphasis may be on dispersion and feel with an iron fitting. For all types of fitting, though, I cannot stress the importance of hit location and how many variables change on off-center hits enough. When I see higher and more consistent ball speeds during a fitting, that’s when I now I have fit a player into the right equipment.

2nd Swing: How often do you find that golfers are being limited by playing the wrong shaft? What are the downfalls of a golfer playing shaft that doesn’t match his or her swing speed?

Campbell: It is very important to fit players into the right shaft flex based on their club speed. Club speed is the one of the first variables I look at when categorizing a player into a shaft flex, and from there we can try different weighted shafts to assess the player’s reaction and feel. The advantages of a heavier or lighter shaft is very much dependent on the player and swing, though there are general trends. The trend for a golf shaft that is too stiff for the player is that the ball can fly lower, shorter, and with a fade. Meanwhile, a golf shaft that is too flexible can mean that the ball will fly higher without much consistency. Lighter shafts may allow for higher club speed and more distance, but a player seeking better control may like a heavier shaft better.

2nd Swing: Are there fitting variables that may be more significant for different skill levels?

Campbell: Fitting a player into the correct equipment is very important because specific models are made for different abilities. The head model and design can provide significant results that are dependent on a player’s skill level in both woods and irons. There are many driver models that can be categorized into high MOI (more forgiveness), draw bias, and low-spin options. Generally, a player seeking consistency and straighter drivers would fit into a high MOI driver. A player that slices the ball could benefit from a draw bias model, while a player with high ball speed that spins the ball too much may benefit from a low-spin driver. In terms of irons, I categorize them into more forgiving game improvement models (cavity back) or clubs that provide playability and are not as forgiving (forged). Players with average or high handicaps will benefit from more forgiving irons that are designed to fly straighter and further even on miss-hits. The better player that likes to work the ball left or right and feel like they have better control of the club will benefit from a forged iron. With workability comes the sacrifice of forgiveness, so it’s important to assess a player’s skill level and discuss these differences in all models.

2nd Swing: What problem do you see the most consistently in the equipment of your customers?

Campbell: Wedge gapping is the most consistent problem I see. I cannot stress enough the importance of having a consistent gap between each wedge so there’s no guessing to manufacture shots. The first thing to understand with wedges is the loft of the pitching wedge. From there, we can build the lofts of the remaining wedges around that club with a 4-6 degree gap between each wedge. I advise having more wedges in the bag because these are the scoring clubs, and more confident wedge yardages will result in closer approaches and shorter putts. More wedges in the bag also provides a player with more full swing clubs instead of abbreviated swings. The biggest mistake I see is a player not having a gap wedge in the bag. For example, if a player’s pitching wedge has 45 degrees of loft, and the typical sand wedge has about 55 degrees of loft, that is a massive gap of 10 degrees. There is no doubt that this player will have to hit many abbreviated pitching wedge shots to cover all required distances.

2nd Swing: What is your favorite part about club fitting?

Campbell: I love to play golf, and I also love to educate others about golf, specifically the importance of playing the right equipment. Golf is an amazing sport that can be played by all abilities and I want all my customers to meet their goals, whether that be hitting it straighter or lowering their scores. The unpredictability of how each player reacts to different equipment makes club fitting so fun, and nothing makes me happier than seeing a customer get excited about a shot they just crushed with a club I have fit them for.