The right golf clubs can make a difference in your play. Yea, it’s no newsflash. You get what you pay for though, chief. Go get yourself a cheaper set of clubs from Wal-mart. Then go to your local pro shop and get a nice set. See which plays better. It matters. For you pros out there this no big news. For all you new guys that are just getting into the sport, it might be news. New advancements in golf club technologies make lighter, bigger, and better golf clubs available to the experienced as well as inexperienced golfer. It can be damn confusing. So how do you know what to look for in golf clubs? Let me try to help.
For the novice golfer, the basic set of golf clubs consists of drivers, wedges, putters and irons. Yes newbie, using the proper type of golf club will help you learn quickly and achieve decent results. Each different type of club is designed to help with swing speed and to correct faults to improve your game, which, surprise! affects your score.
You’ll have to take into consideration the style, size, and type of material used to make the golf club shaft. One of the less expensive materials is steel. Golf clubs with a steel shaft weigh more but can be longer-lasting than other types. The steel shaft may also give you more control over those fast swings.
Ah, but you hear all your buddies talking about the graphite shaft. It will be lighter than steel but will cost a lot more. This type of club is used for long distance shots or for slower swingers. Most golf clubs are available in both steel and graphite shafts.
Keep in mind that graphite shafts will not only be lighter and easier to handle, they will also be more forgiving if you have a bad shot. They absorb vibration and allow for a much better feeling shot. Plus, you will pick up some distance because the speed of the swing will be greater due to the lighter materials.
The flexibility of a shaft is referred to as flex, or bend. The less the bend in a shaft, the more control the powerful swinger will have. On the other hand, beginners and those with less powerful swings generally use a shaft with greater flexibility. The average swing speed is from 65 miles per hour for the beginner up to over 100 miles per hour for powerful swingers.
When it comes to selecting a golf club driver, especially as a beginner, you will probably want one with a head made out of titanium. Titanium is stronger, denser, and lighter than steel so the club head can be made larger with the same amount of materials. The advantage to having a large head driver is there is a larger “sweet spot” giving you more area to hit the ball with. With this type of golf club head, the club will be much more forgiving if you miss hit the ball or have a bad shot.
So the deal with buying golf clubs is to simply get the best that you can afford. No kidding, right? The better the club, the better your game. You’ll have more confidence and will end up enjoying the game more.
