New gear is rolling in, the simulator bays are buzzing, and golf season is right around the corner. In this month’s Breakfast Balls, we’re talking about why your fitter matters as much as the club, which new drivers are dominating our fitting bays, why higher-handicap golfers benefit most from fittings, and a couple pieces of gear that could seriously upgrade your game this season.☕🏌️
3 THINGS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT
1. Your Fitter Matters As Much As The Club
Clubs today are built to be customized to a player’s size, swing, and ability. Adjustable hosels. Interchangeable shafts. Moveable weights. Multiple head profiles.
But here’s the truth:
👉 The technology must be world-class.
👉 The fitter must be world-class.
👉 Or the fit will never be as good as it could be.
👉 The fitter must be world-class.
👉 Or the fit will never be as good as it could be.
Today’s fittings are transparent. Bring your current clubs. We’ll get a baseline. Then we test different heads and specs and measure:
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Ball speed
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Launch
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Spin
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Carry distance
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Total distance
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Dispersion
At Austad’s, we truly believe people don’t simply buy what you sell — they buy why you sell it. We fit golf clubs to help people play better and have more fun. Period. The new product is awesome. But awesome product + mediocre fit = mediocre results.
Awesome product + awesome fitter = gains. Book an appointment. Let’s go to work >>
2. What Driver Is Winning In The Bays?
Everyone asks me: “Ryan, what’s the best driver this year?”
The new TaylorMade Qi4D? The Callaway Quantum? Something else?
Honestly? It depends on you.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
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Callaway Quantum Max Triple Diamond – absolutely CRUSHING it with faster swing speeds who need low spin but still want forgiveness.
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TaylorMade Qi4D – excelling with golfers who want speed across the face and consistent ball speed on mishits.
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Tour Edge Exotics Max – dominating for golfers who want premium performance at a value price.
This year’s crop of drivers is fire. I mean… serious riz. (Yes, I’ve been hanging out with my teenager too much this winter.) We are confident we’ll find you gains. Which driver gives you the most? That depends on:
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Your swing
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Your tendencies
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Your goals
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And of course… the fit
3. "You Aren't Good Enough To Be Fit"
Wait… what did Ryan just say? Got your attention? Good.
The truth is: higher handicap players disproportionately benefit from fittings. Why?
Because we need the most help. I once talked to a fitter at Callaway whose job was to fit Phil Mickelson. “How’d that go?” I asked.
“Extremely difficult,” he said. Phil is so talented he can manipulate the face at impact and hit his window with almost anything. Elite players can override equipment.
If your handicap is north of 8 you will benefit more than you think. Fittings are crucial at every level. But average golfers - you’ll see the biggest gains.
📌 2 Things You Need to Know
1. 5-Woods & 7-Woods Are In
Have you seen the craze on Tour for higher-lofted fairway woods?
Players love:
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How easy they are to hit
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How high they launch
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How softly they land
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How much more predictable they are than a 3-iron or hybrid
Have you given a 7-wood a swing? What are you waiting for?
We stocked up this year. Your game will thank you.
2. You Don’t Know Your Numbers Well Enough
You can’t manage what you don’t measure. Not the “one time you nuked a 3-wood 280.”
Your average carry distance. Your ball speed. Your smash factor.
That’s where today’s affordable launch monitors come in.
Units like the Rapsodo MLM2PRO Launch Monitor and Garmin Approach R10 make it easier than ever to learn your real numbers. These compact devices give you key data like:
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Carry yardage
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Ball speed
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Club speed
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Launch angle
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Spin metrics
Whether you’re working on your game at the range, in your backyard net, or inside a simulator, having reliable data helps you practice smarter.
You’ve invested in clubs, balls, shoes, a bag. Invest in the numbers that help you make better decisions on the course.
Think of it as your portable caddie — with data.
❤️ Mission Moment
At Austad’s, we aren’t really in the golf business. We’re in the people business. Our goal is to provide what we call unreasonable hospitality to help bring your goals to life.
This month we worked with a local entrepreneur launching a new simulator facility. Our team - led by the one and only Carson - worked closely with him to get the build, technology, and software exactly right.
After opening, he sent me this note:
“I can’t even believe we are here… open just over a week. I’m sitting upstairs with golfers swinging below and I seriously cannot believe it. Your team, led by Carson, was absolutely AMAZING!!!!If I’ve said it once around here I’ve said it a thousand times — we are the fortunate ones to have the knowledge, professionalism, dedication, and vision of the Austad's.I threw this idea at you about something different… something a little better, a little higher end, bigger, with community and golf at its center — and you and Carson grasped my vision.”
That’s why we do what we do. Not just selling clubs. Not just building simulators. Helping people build better games. Helping people build better businesses. Helping people build community.
Let’s Make March Count
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Book a fitting.
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Try a 7-wood.
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Learn your numbers.
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Chase gains.
We’ll show up every day working to help you get better.
See you in the bays.
— Ryan
