Inside the Tour Van: Q&A with Bradley Harrelson

By Drew Mahowald -- 2nd Swing Staff Writer

2nd Swing’s Tour-level club fitting process is among the best in the golf industry, and yearly recognitions on the Golf Digest Top 100 Fitter list give support to this claim. To get to this level, 2nd Swing has built a staff of knowledgeable, experienced, and friendly club fitters that are able to help provide the same fitting experience the pros get.

Bradley Harrelson is one of the exceptional fitters at 2nd Swing’s Scottsdale, Arizona location. He started playing golf competitively at 11 years old and competed for four years at Montana State University. He then turned professional shortly after college and has played on several mini tours in Arizona over the past few years. 

As a fitter, Harrelson has earned certifications from several major manufacturers and continues to build upon his solid foundation of knowledge and education. We caught up with him to get his fitting insights, top clubs of 2019, and more.

2ND SWING: Wedges are becoming more and more diverse, especially when it comes to different sole grinds. What are some of the ways you can tell if a golfer is using a sole grind that is wrong for his or her game?

HARRELSON: One of the easiest ways that I fit for wedges is what we call the Dot Test. This test is done by looking at the impact marks on the face of the wedge from a golf ball. It is a test that Bob Vokey does to determine the proper bounce on the wedges, and PING has also been looking into this. A properly fit wedge will have ball impacts starting between the 2nd and the 4th groove on the face. Too much bounce on the wedge and the impact will be lower than that and the impacts with too little bounce will be higher. Sole grinds can then be addressed with the proper amount of bounce by what the consumer wants to accomplish with the wedge. Players that like to play more specialty shots will like more heel, and possibly toe, relief versus a standard sole grind.

2ND SWING: During putter fittings, analyzing the putting stroke is obviously a focal point. What are some of the advantages golfers gain after going through a fitting to make sure their putter matches their stroke type?

HARRELSON: Getting the right putter to match the player's stroke type allows for better and more consistent impact. What it also is going to do is relax the player. I will see a player with face rotation of 10 using a face-balanced putter and he or she is coming across the line to square the face. Getting that same player into a full toe hang putter not only matches that rotation to the putter but will also free him or her up from all the adjustments being made during the stroke. Not even five putts into a new session after assessing the stroke type and you will see the path of the putter straighten out and look more relaxed. 

2ND SWING: While stroke type is the most common top priority in a putter fitting, sometimes the issues are simpler. How often do you find that golfers are using a putter that is too short or too long?

HARRELSON: Quite often I will see putters that are too long for a player. The player may be adjusting to the long putter, but that will cause other issues down the line. We want to get the player's eyes directly above the center of the face to the heel of the putter. That allows the eyes and the putter to work on the same path. Again, this is where the human brain is incredible and is able to use the alignment aids on the putter and ball to line up putts. 

2ND SWING: What new golf products released in the last year have you noticed are performing the best in your fittings?

HARRELSON: I have been seeing the PING Sigma 2 series as one of the best performing of 2019 putters. The adjustable length is a huge benefit in these putters. Being able to get the players into that proper length makes a huge difference in consistency. The other great thing about the Sigma 2 putters is the dual insert they have in the clubface. In a traditional putter with an insert, the feel is noticeable on long putts. With the dual insert, there is no feel difference on different length putts. One of the best models out of the line up is the Fetch. The shape of this mallet is not the biggest shape and will suit the eye of a wide range of players. And of course, you can’t forget about the ball retrieval out of the cup with the Fetch.

2ND SWING: What is your favorite part about club fitting?

HARRELSON: My favorite part about club fitting is the chance to explore all of the different factors and small details that come with golf. There are always new details or innovations that pop up that make this a non-stop learning process. I hope to continue finding new methods about club fitting that benefits the customers.