The Rule of Thirds explained

Let’s get straight to it: there’s a good chance at least one club in your bag isn’t doing what you think it is. Maybe more than one. In fact, if you haven’t been fit, or haven’t been fit recently, your whole setup might be built on assumptions, not performance. 

It’s not that the equipment is bad. The problem is, you’re assuming it’s good for you. 

I’ve done enough fittings over the years to spot the pattern, and I call it the Rule of Thirds. It applies to just about every club, shaft, or component we test. And once you understand how it works, you’ll realize just how dangerous it is to make gear choices based purely on spec sheets, swing profiles, or what works for someone else. 

What is the Rule of Thirds? 

As a Master Fitter, here’s what we see time and time again: 

– A third of players will see the product do exactly what it was designed to do. 

– A third will see little to no meaningful change. 

– A third will see it do the complete opposite of what it’s supposed to do. 

That’s not a guess. That’s what happens when real golfers test real gear under controlled conditions. It’s also why I tell people: the club isn’t the variable… you are. 

A real-world example: My experience with Ventus 

Here’s a personal one. 

I’m a low launch, low spin player with a smooth transition. Based on those characteristics, just about every fitting matrix and shaft chart out there would point me toward something like a Fujikura Ventus Red: a mid/high launch profile that should, on paper, help get the ball up and increase spin. 

But after testing every profile in the lineup, I got my best numbers… by far… with a Ventus Black 6X. 

It launched higher, spun more, carried farther, and landed at a great decent angle that still optimized roll. It wasn’t what the “charts” said I should play. But the ball flight didn’t lie. 

If I had blindly trusted the “paper” instead of the process, I would’ve ended up in the wrong third. That’s the trap most golfers fall into. 

The human is the variable 

The gear is engineered to do specific things. The designs are sound. The intent is real. But the golfer is always the unknown. 

Your swing is constantly evolving, sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically. And things like tempo, strength, flexibility, shaft load, release, weight, timing, and even your mindset can influence how a club performs on any given day. If that’s not enough; the look, sound, and feel of a club can also influence how you perform with it. That’s what makes fitting so critical. It’s the only way to isolate what’s working, what’s not, and what needs to change. 

Off-the-rack doesn’t cut it 

Buying clubs off the rack based on marketing campaigns or what worked for your buddy is a blind bet. You’re hoping you fall into the “right” third. But hope isn’t a strategy when you’re dropping $600+ on a driver or reshaping your entire wedge setup. 

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Even worse, you could end up with gear that’s actively working against you and not even realize it. Case in point, me with the Ventus Black. 

Every club in your bag should earn its spot. If it doesn’t serve a specific purpose or fill a clear performance gap, then it’s taking up space. And if you haven’t tested that purpose under real conditions, with data to back it up, then how do you really know? 

Ask yourself this: 

Do you know your launch and spin numbers? 

Do your clubs cover the right yardage gaps, or just the ones you think they do? 

Are you confident your driver, irons, wedges, and putter are built to match your swing today, not the swing you had five years ago? 

If the answer to any of those is “I’m not sure,” then it’s time to find out. 

The hard truth 

The “Rule of Thirds” isn’t just a fitting observation; it’s a reality check. Even the best gear in the world can underperform, or overdeliver, depending on who’s swinging it. That’s the whole point. 

So before you buy the club that “should” work for you… test it. Before you copy a Tour setup, get the data. Before you build a bag based on how you think you play, figure out how you actually play. Test everything that makes sense, and some that doesn’t.  

Because guessing is expensive. And fitting is the only way to know. 

Ready to dial in your bag? Book your next fitting at True Spec Golf.