Blog 15 – Part I – How to choose your golf clubs
Introduction
In blog 4 I talked about areas of marginal gain; a small % here and there, which when added up, could make a considerable difference to your golf performance and hopefully your enjoyment too – your golf equipment is your “toolkit”. You can’t buy a better golf game but you can optimise what you have.
Over the next three blogs I’ll explore golf clubs and the accessories which could help to make you the best player that you can be.
Golf Clubs
There is a bewildering choice of golf equipment out there. If you are considering upgrading your golf clubs, first decide where your game is right now. If you are a relative beginner and planning a series of lessons, suggest you hold fire for now as your game could be in a very different place in a few weeks time.
Let’s break this down into club categories
- Driver
- Fairway woods
- Hybrids/Long irons
- Mid to short irons (5-9 irons)
- Wedges
- Putters
Driver
A first step would be to have your swing speed measured. This will ensure you choose the shaft that optimises your swing speed.
For example, if your driver swing speed is over 95mph, a stiff shaft is probably best for you.
Conversely if your swing speed is less than 80 mph, then a senior shaft will optimise your game. Anywhere in-between and a regular shaft is probably best. Shaft material is also a consideration; broadly steel is heavier than graphite and more likely to suit those with a faster swing speed.
I’d recommend a visit to Steve at Ferndown Forest, Steve at Parkstone Golf Shop, or a specialist club fitter like Tom Webster at Universal Golf Hedge End
https://ferndownforestgolfcourse.co.uk/custom-fitting
https://www.parkstonegolfshop.co.uk/
Drivers come in a variety of lofts with a standard of 10.5 degrees. If you struggle to create height with your driver adding loft and potentially more flex could help. Some drivers have adjustments for draw or fade bias to counteract slice or hook spin. Personally I would recommend addressing the core issue rather than asking the club to counteract it. Which model to buy? Last year’s model will be considerable cheaper than this years.
If you don’t have the budget for new, consider www.golfbidder.com but only after you’re quite clear of the shaft stiffness (stiff, regular, senior) and shaft material (graphite or steel) and loft that you’re after. You can register the make/model you are looking for and will be sent an email if one becomes available.
More to follow next week……
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