When it comes to driver fittings on the PGA Tour, one man who knows his stuff is Kenton Oates, who works with players like Viktor Hovland, Tony Finau, Corey Conners, Sahith Theegala, and Taylor Moore on dialing in their Ping drivers for optimal performance. In a recent interview, Kenton Oates shared his insights on how he approaches driver fittings for Tour players, focusing on optimizing launch conditions, maximizing forgiveness, and ensuring confidence in the setup both visually and audibly. With the advancements in technology in Ping’s G430 and G440 drivers, players no longer have to sacrifice anything when it comes to their equipment.
For Kenton Oates and his team at Ping, the primary focus when fitting Tour players into drivers is forgiveness and efficiency. The goal is to find a driver that provides the player with the optimal ball flight within their preferred window while also protecting against their most likely miss. This level of precision is essential on the PGA Tour, where players have exceptional ball control and are looking to fit within a specific box of launch conditions, spin rates, and shot shapes. Kenton Oates shared two case studies to illustrate this point: Tony Finau’s emphasis on start line and Corey Conners’ preference for visual cues at address.
When fitting players like Tony Finau, Kenton Oates prioritizes getting the start line right, even if it means unconventional adjustments like adding glue to the heel of the driver to ensure a left-of-center start. For players like Corey Conners, who have specific visual preferences at address, adjustments may need to be made to the loft and weight distribution to optimize spin rates and launch angles. Sometimes players may have emotional attachments to certain equipment, like a shaft, which requires fitting the driver around that fixed variable to maintain trust and confidence in the setup.
One key takeaway from how the pros get fit for drivers is the emphasis on efficiency over pure speed or distance. Consistency in spin rates, launch angles, ball speed, and dispersion is crucial for finding the clearest path to efficiency with a driver. When getting fitted for a driver, it’s important to pay attention to these metrics and not just chase the longest drive. Weekend players often make the mistake of focusing solely on ball speed, without considering how consistent the driver is for their swing. By prioritizing efficiency and consistency in a driver fitting, players can find the ideal setup for their game.
In conclusion, the insights shared by Kenton Oates on driver fittings for PGA Tour players highlight the importance of precision, forgiveness, and efficiency in finding the right driver setup. By focusing on optimal launch conditions, maximizing forgiveness, and ensuring confidence in the visual and auditory aspects of the driver, players can fine-tune their equipment for peak performance on the course. Whether it’s adjusting start lines, optimizing spin rates, or maintaining visual cues at address, the goal of a driver fitting is to provide players with a consistent and efficient setup that allows them to perform at their best.
