MOI Matching

MOI matching is now available at Al's Clubhouse!

What is MOI matching?  MOI matching of clubs is a swing matching system currently offered only by more advanced custom clubmakers.

Let’s begin by defining the term MOI.
“Moment of inertia," or MOI, is a property of physics that indicates the relative difference in how easy or difficult it will be to set any object in motion about a defined axis of rotation.  The higher the MOI of an object, the more force will have to be applied to set that object in a rotational motion.  Conversely, the lower the MOI, the less force needed to make the object rotate about an axis.
The MOI of the club is important to matching the swing feel of all the clubs in the bag. Clubfitting theory states that if all clubs in a set are made to have the same, identical MOI, the golfer will be more consistent because each club will require the same effort to swing.

Does swingweight matching do the same thing?
The current method for matching clubs in swing feel is called swingweight matching. Swingweight is an expression of the ratio of the weight in the grip end of the club to the weight of the lower part of the club down to the clubhead.  The swing-weight scale was actually invented to try and produce an MOI match. Unfortunately the swing-weight scale only cares about the relationship of the weight distribution between the head and grip ends of the club and does not take into account of the overall weight of the golf club. Swing-weight can be altered significantly by changing different weight grips, where MOI matching is not as influenced by small changes to positional weight.

How does MOI matching feel different to swing-weight matching?
The best way to experience this is to grab your longest iron and your pitching wedge. Swing them both like a baseball bat.  You will feel that the pitching wedge feels much heavier than the longer iron. What you are feeling is the difference in amount of force required to swing the golf club because of the difference in overall weight. With an MOI matched set the difference is subtle and all clubs feel the same.

At what level of handicap does MOI seem to make real improvements to a player's game?
It's typically the highest handicappers that see the most benefit.   Many high handicappers report that they now hit their longer irons as well as their shorter ones.  However most low handicappers report a reduction in their indexes of 1 or 2 strokes in a matter of a few weeks.

How do you arrive at the ideal fit?
More often than not someone has a club in their bag that they find easiest to hit, their “favourite” iron.   It's typically a shorter iron, somewhere from a PW to a 7 iron. A favourite club usually represents the club where the golfer feels most comfortable with that club's MOI. We can measure that club for MOI and then use that to build a new set.  If a golfer does not have a favourite club, we will use the fitting process to determine what the correct length, flex, shaft weight, grip size and head design is and build all clubs to a single MOI so they all feel the same.

Can an existing set be MOI matched?
Yes.  Through small adjustments to length and weight an existing set can be MOI matched.

Don’t Let Your Clubs Handicap Your Game.  Play with an MOI matched set.