Week 13: What to consider when buying custom clubs

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This is a paid placement by DePuy Mitek, Inc. The opinions expressed above are those of DePuy Mitek, Inc. and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the PGA TOUR.

When you wear clothing that fits you perfectly, it can enhance your look dramatically with little effort. The same is true with custom-fitted clubs. The right clubs can drastically improve your game without a single practice swing. Here are some things to consider when purchasing customized golf clubs.

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See a pro - A golf professional will take into consideration all the variables that will determine the type of clubs you need. These factors can include your height, the length of your arms, your swing speed and even your current ability as a golfer.

Consider the shaft stiffness -- The stiffness of your club's shaft will have a great effect on the ball. A stiffer shaft generally means you will have greater accuracy at the expense of distance. A more flexible shaft means you will likely get greater distance while sacrificing a bit of accuracy. If you generally have a slower swing, a flexible shaft will compensate for what you lose in distance. A golfer with a faster swing that strikes the ball with more power can use a stiffer shaft for greater accuracy.

Length equals speed - The size of the shaft will help determine how well you are able to consistently hit the ball on the sweet spot of the clubface. This has as much to do with your swing as it does with your height. A skilled player with a consistent swing can likely use a longer shaft more effectively. A lesser skilled player should consider a shorter shaft. A longer club means more club speed and less accuracy. Most golfers have the intermediate skill level to fall into a standard size shaft category.

Novice golfers look for loft -- If you have a lower swing speed, a club head with a higher loft will allow you to get the ball in the air at the right trajectory and give you the best distance. If you get excellent speed from your swing, a high loft could make the ball travel higher rather than farther, so you would do better to have less loft in the club head.

Play the right angle -- The lie angle of your club head can dramatically affect the direction of your shots. A correct lie angle will allow the center of your club head to touch the ground. If your club has an improper lie angle, it can cause you to hook or slice the ball. A well-centered lie angle helps lead to well centered shots.

Various treatments for OA do exist, such as ORTHOVISC®, which provides up to six months of knee pain relief. Made from ultra-pure natural hyaluronan, which is found in healthy joints, ORTHOVISC® is injected into the knee joint where it acts to replace your natural joint fluid, to help cushion, protect, and lubricate your knee. ORTHOVISC® is a proud sponsor of PGATOUR.com. Talk to your doctor to see if ORTHOVISC® is right for you. Or visit our Web site at www.orthovisc.com for more information on how to maintain your knee health to help you keep playing the game you love.

Follow us on Twitter for up-to-date information on maintaining joint health and the prevention/treatment of knee pain due to sports-related injuries or the early symptoms of osteoarthritis.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

ORTHOVISC® is indicated in the treatment of pain in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee in patients who have failed to respond adequately to conservative nonpharmacologic therapy and to simple analgesics, e.g., acetaminophen. In clinical studies, the most commonly reported adverse events were arthralgia, back pain and headache. Other side effects include local injection site adverse events.

ORTHOVISC® is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to hyaluronate formulation or known hypersensitivity (allergy) to gram positive bacterial proteins. ORTHOVISC should not be injected in patients with infections or skin diseases in the areas of the injection site or joint. Strict aseptic technique should be used. The effectiveness of more than 1 course has not been established.