It's February...it's cold....what the heck am I doing talking about golf clubs for? One, I'm sitting here watching vintage Shell's Wonderful World of Golf on TV. Two, we are starting to receive new clubs into the store and so that tells me that spring is right around the corner. Eight weeks from now the Masters Tournament will tease us with beautiful shots of Azalea's and Magnolia Lane and short sleeve's and for me that signals the true start of spring.
There are a lot of things to consider when shopping for golf equipment, clubs in particular. There are several types all aimed at a certain player ability, or handicap in golf vernacular. If you tend to be a fairly good golfer you should have a low handicap. PGA tour professionals don't have a handicap, however it's widely thought that if he did, Tiger Woods for example, would be a plus -8 (he was a "scratch" or 0 handicap at 13 years old).
Years ago there were very few choices of clubs to play with (Driver, 3 and 5 wood, 10 Irons consisting of a 2-9, PW and SW, and a putter). Thankfully now you can tailor your club choices to suit your game, be it more wedges, or hybrid's, belly putters, and so on. With the development of new technology the game has changed slightly in the last few years. So much so that in the 1980's it was expected that only 10% of all golfers would ever break 100. Today that number is now only10% of all golfers should break 90. Equipment is shaving strokes off a golfers game at a fairly rapid rate. You have drivers that you can change loft, face angles, etc with. Training tools up the ying-yang, video analysis, self help books and other multi-media sources for improving your game. One thing that hasn't changed however, and that is the fact that properly selected and fitted clubs are essential for getting the most out of your game.
Where to start? There are 3 types of clubs to consider. Game improvement, intermediate or mid-handicap, and advanced ability clubs. I'd do an honest self assessment of your game if I were you. Do you struggle to consistently hit the ball in the air? Constantly slice or hook? Or are you creating consistent shot trajectories and have the ability to work the golf ball? Once you figure out what type of player you are you can narrow down your choices.
Stock clubs come sized for players who are between 5'8" and 6'2". Under that or over that you should consult a club fitter for specific shaft recommendations. There are literally hundreds of shafts available both by themselves and offered from major club manufacturers through special orders. There are three main flex ratings however. Stiff for swing speeds over 90mph, Regular for swing speeds between 75-90mph and Medium for 75mph and under. There are also Ladies specific shafts with lower kick pints and are slightly shorter without affecting the flex points. Most PGA tour pros have a swing speed consistently around 110mph. A well equipped golf shop will have a swing analysis device (FlightScope, etc) that will allow you to measure all sorts of data such as swing speed, launch angle, backspin, etc and narrow down your choices.
Specific shots will require different clubs depending on the golfer's ability, say the shot requires 200 yards of carry over water to a tight pin on a small green. The beginner golfer needs all the forgiveness and assistance possible (...I swear if I make this shot I'll be a good person for the rest of my life....) The mid handicapper will want a bit more playability with their club, while the advanced golfer will be looking for feel and club head response the beginner cant even fathom.
You also need to think of what club do you use the most. The putter, which you use between 20-40 times a round by far is the club you reach for most often. Next is the driver, even though we use it sometimes more than we should. A good drive sets up a hole for a good chance at par or better. A poor drive...not so much, it's much easier to hit from the short grass than out of the woods (trust me, I know).
Beginner golfers should look for clubs that are oversize (they have a larger hitting area of the club face) to reduce mishits and a wide sole to get the ball airborne more quickly and consistently. Clubs that are offset will keep your hands in front of the ball to reduce fat shots (too much grass, not enough ball) and also help square the club face (ball go straight). Look for larger headed drivers to give you a larger hitting area as well as higher loft to get the ball in the air. Hybrids would be an excellent choice as well to help with distance and loft on longer shots.
The Ideal set for intermediates would be irons with forgiveness but a bit more control and feel. You may be able by now to swap out say a 4 hybrid for a 4 iron for more accuracy on longer shot situations. For your driver you still want the 10-12 degrees of loft but now you may want to look at specific shafts to maximize distance and ball flight. Finally you might want to start looking at specific wedges, Gap, Approach wedges can start to be added, as well as looking at specific lofts (46, 52, 58, 60) or less/more bounce for hitting off tighter lies.
For Advanced players it's to the point where you start looking for specific products. Player Irons that tend to be thinner with less perimeter weighting and less offset. As soon as the ball is hit you know where it's going and what it's going to do. The driver will have a bit less loft, usually around 8-10 degrees. Now shaft selection becomes critical and it might come down to trial and error by this point. Your wedges really are now getting dialed in with loft, feel and bounce all coming into the equation.
I'd consult with your local club pro or a trained sales professional to assist with finding the right clubs for you to help get the most enjoyment out of your rounds. Spring and warmer weather is right around the corner...I hope to see you out on the links.
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