The Basics Of Choosing Golf Clubs

Golf clubs have been used for many years, but have changed dramatically since they were first used. As a matter of fact, golf clubs are improved constantly to help those passionate about the game. Devoted golfers pay high prices for a set of golf clubs although a set can be purchased for reasonable prices as well.

Callaway, Ping, Taylor Made, Titleist, King Cobra, Nike, Mizuno, Wilson, Spaulding, Adams, and Yonex are all quality brand name golf clubs. When selecting the right golf club it is important to consider the right lie and the right shaft flex.

Golf Club Shaft

Shaft geometry will greatly effect face contact. Shafts vary in flex, weight, deflection point, and length. The flex point or kick point in the golf club shaft is the spot in the shaft that has the greatest bend when it is being swung. Shafts that are more flexible overall will bend more due to the strength and swing movements of the golfer and this will cause a higher trajectory. More flexibility is better for beginners and less powerful swingers. In contrast, shafts that are more stiff overall will have less bend during the swing causing a lower trajectory. This type of flexibility is best if you are a powerful swinger.

Remember, distance is of no value without accuracy. The longer the shaft the more difficult a club is to control. A shorter club provides a higher loft and a straighter drive.

Choosing the best golf club for your bag depends on you skill level.

There are basically three levels: low handicaps, mid handicaps, and high handicaps. If you are a beginner, or have a high handicap (battling to break 100), a basic set of golf clubs will work fine for you. A basic set will include drivers, irons, wedges, and putters. Beginner golfers should use golf clubs with a larger club head so that the spot on the ball is easier to hit. Hitting the ball off center causes your ball to lose distance during the shot. Beginners should also strongly consider using perimeter-weighted and hallowed club head designs that are stainless steel.

A high handicap golfer should consider using a 3 wood at the tee. He should also consider adding a 7 wood, a 9 wood, and these three wedges: a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, and a lob wedge in their bag.

A mid handicap golfer should include a 7 wood and possibly a nine wood in their bag. Fairway woods offer greater control and consistency than the long irons.The mid handicap golfer should also include a 3 iron and a 9 iron, as well as the three wedges suggested above, in their bag.

If you are a low handicap golfer (10 or below) you should include at least one fairway wood, a driver, lower irons, and the three wedges suggested above in their bag.

Hybrid Golf Clubs

Today it is commonly agreed that one very important club to include in your bag is a hybrid. The hybrid club is often used in place of the 3 iron. The hybrid club benefits the golfer who has good clubhead speed, but wants to increase long-iron trajectory. The hybrid club has a lower center of gravity which results in higher shots. The club also improves control and accuracy due to its shorter lengths.Popular hybrids are the Taylor Made Rescue Mid, the Ben Hogan CFT, and the Nike CPR.

Drivers

The driver is the most exacting club in your bag. Unless you are a single digit handicap you should consider using a 3 wood in place of a driver. A driver (also called the 1 wood) has a loft that ranges between 7 and 12 degrees, and it is the lowest loft of any club. Lower lofted drivers require greater skill to use than higher lofted drivers. The loft is defined as the angle of the clubface that controls trajectory and affects distance. In the past several years many golfers have replaced low lofted drivers for large-headed, higher lofted (10 and 11 degree) drivers. The improved designs of large-headed, higher lofted drivers gives the golfer a higher launch angle. Combine this with the new solid core golf balls (which reduces the spin on the ball) and the result is longer drives. You get more distance and accuracy. Some popular drivers are the Ping G2, the Taylor Made r7quad, and the Taylor Made r5 dual.

Woods

Woods are the longest clubs in the bag and are used to hit long shots. Woods are often used to obtain greater distance shots called drives. A drive is a shot starting at the tee and landing on the fairway. Fairway woods are often regarded as the most reliable golf club. A fairway wood lofts the ball higher and often improves a golfer’s accuracy. Some popular fairway woods are the Calloway Big Bertha and the Cobra SZ.

Irons

Irons are the most versatile clubs in the bag. The iron is a club that is continually being improved and becoming less expensive. Most golfers should be using irons to improve their game. Irons generally range from a 1-iron to a 9-iron with lower numbered irons having lower lofts. A golfer should consider the style, size, and type of material used to make the golf club shaft. Irons are often available in sets that offer a variety of different sizes. Some popular irons are the Calloway Big Bertha, the Calloway Big Bertha Fusion, and the Ping G2.

Wedges

The wedge is one of the most overlooked clubs in the bag. Wedges are very useful and most golfers have a least these three wedges: a pitching wedge, a sand wedge, and a lob wedge in their bag. Wedges have the shortest shafts and highest lofts of any golf club. These clubs will be handy when you are chipping from different distances or terrains. Some popular wedges are the Titleist Vokey, the Cleveland CG10, and the Cleveland 588.

Putters

Lastly, there is the putter. The putter is used on the green and it has a special purpose, to get the ball in the hole. There are many types of putters: short, long, belly, bent, heel-toe, mallet and so on. Mallet putters have grown in popularity but there are still many traditional putters that are still popular. Some popular traditional putters are the Ping JAS, and the Ping G2i.

Mallet putters have grown in popularity over the last several years. Mallet putters have more MOI than blade style putters. They earn their high MOI by moving the center of gravity low and back from the putter face. This makes the mallet putter easier to swing over a desired path while reducing any unwanted twisting motion about the vertical axis of the putter head. Some popular mallet putters are the Ping G2i Craz-E, the Odessey 2-ball, and the Taylor Made Rossa Monza/Mezza Monza.

Golf clubs, especially brand name golf clubs, can be very expensive. If you are a beginner you might want to consider buying second hand golf clubs or clone golf clubs.