Patent ID: 7041014

Claim:
A method for matching a test golfer with a particular golf club selected from a group of golf clubs having a plurality of styles, comprising: measuring a plurality of performance parameters while each golfer in a group of previously fitted golfers swings a golf club, to produce a data set that includes the measured performance parameters for all of the golfers in the group of previously fitted golfers; recording the golf club style previously fitted for each golfer in the group of previously fitted golfers: classifying the group of previously fitted golfers into subgroups based on their measured performance parameters, wherein golfers classified in the same subgroup were previously fitted with the same club style and golfers classified in different subgroups were previously fitted with different club styles; measuring a plurality of performance parameters while a test golfer being fitted swings a golf club, to produce a set of measured performance parameters for such test golfer; correlating the set of measured performance parameters for the test golfer with the data set that includes the measured performance parameters for all of the golfers in the group of previously fitted golfers, to determine which subgroup of golfers provides the highest correlation, wherein the step of correlating comprises performing a statistical cluster analysis of the data set produced in the step of measuring with the golf club styles recorded in the step of recording for the previously fitted golfers; and selecting for the test golfer the particular golf club from the group of golf clubs that is associated with the subgroup of golfers providing the highest correlation in the step of correlating.