The Golf Care Center experience is something serious golfers in the Washington metro area have leaned on for decades as the way to improve their games through the proper professional fitting of their golf equipment.

Wade Heintzelman has been the premier club fitter in this area for a long time and his clientele includes everyone from the buddies in your Saturday foursome who just want something that feels right to touring pros who demand the highest specifications in their equipment fittings.   Wade brings to his shop an unparalleled aptitude for the diagnostic fitting technology, thorough knowledge of the latest equipment available, and a complementary understanding of  swing mechanics as it pertains to proper club fitting.

Why a private club fitting you ask?  Because any dummy can buy the hottest new driver but if they don’t get the club with appropriate specifications that fit their game it is just an overpriced piece of high tech airplane material.

When you step in the door you will meet the front man, Jack Goldsby, who will always greet you with a big smile, a hearty handshake, and funny story to lighten your day.  Don’t be fooled by his levity because Jack is a serious craftsman when it comes to the club repair, modification, and assembly that have given this place it’s reputation for top quality work.  Believe me it is well worth the fitting fee to have an uninterrupted hour of Wade’s time-he has been at this for 28 years and he is all business.  He will inspect your current equipment for appropriate specs, put you on the swing monitor to collect invaluable data about your equipment performance, and even throw in a top notch professional golf lesson that will help your club fitting and your game as well.

These guys are not interested in just selling you new equipment, rather they are in to fine tuning what you have or augmenting it with what you need to become a more complete player. Wade is incredible at relating to his clients the concepts of proper fit as it pertains to their body type, ability level, and skill set.  It can be something as nuanced as the size of your grips or as significant as the flex of your shaft or the lie of your irons.  It might be a flaw in your swing mechanics that has you harboring a grudge against your existing clubs.  When you walk out you will have in your hand complete specifications for what he recommends for your equipment and a sense of confidence how this will improve your swing and performance on the course.

You don’t have to buy the stuff from them, but given their reputation for delivering top quality spec clubs at a very competitive price I am not sure why you wouldn’t.  Their services include club repair and modifications-I have used them for repairing broken shafts, grip replacement, and even adjusting the loft on my sand iron.  These guys know their stuff, get it right the first time, and deliver the service with a smile.  There is a reason players of all caliber continue to come to this place-Mick Jagger called it “Satisfaction”.

(Click here for the Golf Care Center website and contact information)

July 2011