Getting The Right Golf Clubs For You
With so many clubs out there, deciding which one to get can be a
tough decision. Here are some tips on how to narrow down the
selection.
- Decide on your levels for playing
Some play for the weekend game and there are others who'd like
to move up in the ranks. If the occasional game is your pace, a
low- to mid-performance club can work for you, while a
high-performance club is suited to those who'll play more
regularly.
- Set a budget
The notion that the more expensive the club, the better it is
simply doesn't hold water anymore. If you do enough homework and
read reviews you'll find a club that matches your level of
interest. Don't be afraid to check out used clubs as they can
give you the best chances of getting the club you need at a good
price.
Now that you know your interest level and have established a
budget, here's a brief run-through of kinds of golf clubs and
what each one does.
Woods
A typical golfer's bag will have a driver (called 1-wood) and a
couple of fairway woods (3- and/or 5-wood). A driver is the
longest club (usually 45 inches) making it the toughest to
control during a swing.
Irons
Irons feature thin clubheads with grooves on it. Experienced
players opt for a blade style iron while beginners get a
cavity-back style. A blade-style has a clubhead with a full
back, whereas a cavity back's clubhead is hollow. It is hollowed
out to create a perimeter weighting effect helpful for
less-experienced golfers.
Irons are categorized as long (1, 2, 3,4), mid- (5,6,7) and
short (8,9). Short irons are the easiest to hit while the long
ones are the hardest. The shorter the iron, the more loft there
is and for beginners, the more loft, the better.
Putters
Putters are the clubs most often used in the game and come in
clubhead styles of blade, heel-toe and mallet. Lengths come in
belly putters, standard and broomstick (long) putters. Which
option to get is a personal choice.
Utility clubs/hybrids
The clubs combine features of woods and irons and are best for
beginners who may not want to buy too many clubs straight out.
Finally as a final word before taking them out of the store,
most new clubs fit individuals at the average height of 5'10"
for men and 5'5" for women. If you are significantly shorter or
taller than these figures, you should get your club fitted to
your height.
Start off with these considerations to build on your research
when choosing your golf clubs. The game becomes that much more
fun with the little effort you make now.