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Chris Aoki Golf Mailing Address

PO Box 1312

Mukilteo, WA 98275

office: (425) 348-4686

Chris Aoki Golf Training Academy

11601 Harbour Pointe

Mukilteo, WA 98275

studio: (425) 512-9007



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Henry-Griffitts

Essential Club Fitting: Why We Use Henry-Griffitts


 

Henry-Griffitts Club Fitting:

Chris Aoki Masterfitter, Kirk Smith Professional Fitter

training academy henry-griffitts
Getting Started

Chris Aoki knew if she was to be committed to teaching and getting results, she had to continuously look for innovation to help her students. In the fall of 1985, Chris Aoki attended one of the first Henry-Griffitts Schools. Still at its beginning stages but with new ideas in club fitting and club making, H-G was determined to grow as a company. The same philosophy about how your equipment has a major influence on your performance and ball flight rings true today.

Gaining Experience

Chris began incorporating Henry-Griffitts club fitting into her programs. She could see how fitting golf clubs made it possible for students to make the swing changes they needed to improve. Her students kept getting better for years after they were fit for H-G clubs.

More students asked to be fit for Henry-Griffitts clubs. Years of experience without today’s technology was an arduous journey full of questions but the answers made Chris a more experienced fitter. H-G’s founding partners were teaching professionals who employed teaching professionals. There is no doubt that the fundamentals of the golf swing improve when students are fit.

She became an H-G Professional Fitter and Master Fitter and later was awarded the Jim Griffitts Award, the highest award that H-G can bestow. Kirk Smith came on board to help with H-G club fitting in 1993. He became a Professional Fitter and was awarded the Jim Griffitts Award in 2010.

A Few of H-G’s Accomplishments

Henry-Griffitts also kept improving. They were committed to innovation and have a long list of firsts. H-G is the first to patent the lie board, first to offer a greater span of lie angles, first to have winners on all three tours, first to use a weight transfer machine to test the effects of swing motion on equipment, test lie angle to ball flight, develop the ICS, Interchangeable System with True Temper to change heads to shafts for testing, offer more lofted drivers with lower spin rate, lie angle fitting in woods, SST Pure® shafts and have an Iron Byron and ball cannon for testing.

The new Purist driver has given golfers more distance. New irons have improved stability and solid contact. The new Sizzle wedges are available to order with 3 designs of custom grind for the average golfer, good player or the grind preferred by tour players. H-G has continued to put energy into innovation, research and practical testing.

The Fitting Process

The best part of H-G is the fitting process. Because the H-G fitting system is interchangeable, lengths, lie angle, head design, and shafts can be tested one at a time. Each time we test one part of the golf club, it also means the direction of the ball flight will change. Because the ball flight changes in relation to the target, the golf swing changes to compensate for the change in direction. This means the golf swing can be influenced by the design of the golf club. Equipment affects motion®.

It makes sense that our students’ golf clubs need to be fit by their teachers. Chris and Kirk monitor the golf swing while changing the design of the golf club to make sure a good swing matches the specifications of the golf clubs.

Manufacturing

The final specifications are sent to H-G manufacturing. Experienced club makers have been with H-G for decades and take pride in the professional work that goes into making H-G clubs. Manufacturing tolerances are within 1/2 gram. All shafts are cut, weighed, Pured®, cycled and frequency matched to make the finest custom-made, custom-fit golf clubs.

Your Fitting Session

An evaluation takes place with your golf clubs.  The lie angle is checked using a lie board.  If the lie angle is not centered, compensations will occur in your swing that inhibits your best motion.  The correct lie angle is determined dynamically and the swing corrections are noted.  Shaft length, flex, weight and material are also tested to see which one improves ball trajectory, direction and distance with the best swing motion.  Head design and offset are also tested.  During the fitting, driver loft, fairway wood lofts, irons and wedges are thoroughly tested.  Lie angle is also determined in drivers and fairway woods.

The idea of taking chances and “experimenting” to make choices will no longer be in your thoughts.  Your fitting session becomes a defining learning experience in how you will make knowledgeable decisions concerning your golf game.  This is powerful momentum to continue on the right track.

  • Your clubs match your golf swing.
  • Experience solid contact, closer shot patterns and greater distance.

H-G Fitting is incorporated into a series of 6, 1/2 hr. lessons. When you make swing changes for the better, the fitting is customized into the lesson changes.

Award-Winning Fitting Sessions

Chris Aoki, H-G Masterfitter: Recipient Jame Griffitts Award 1996

Kirk Smith, H-G Professional Fitter: Recipient James Griffitts Award 2010

(The James Griffitts Award is a single, yearly, national award and the highest honor H-G can bestow for care and concern for students.)

(425) 344-2581

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