Beginning Golf? Choosing Your Clubs

Buying golf clubs is, in a lot of ways, like buying a car. Since it can be an expensive investment, try renting them first. Always consider buying hybrid clone clubs. They deliver the same performance as name brands but at considerable savings. Buying new golf clubs are an exciting expensive investment so you'll want some experience playing the game before you take the plunge. But what you really want, most importantly, is to get clubs that fit you well.

Critical to the performance of any golf club is that the clubs FIT with the person who is playing them. Proper fitting is the single most important factor influencing performance. As one plays more, preferences and style of club features grow more exact.

Woods

A typical golfer's bag will have a driver (called 1-wood) and a few fairway woods (3- and/or 5-wood). A driver is the longest club (usually 45 inches long). Because of the longer length it is the toughest to control during a swing. The important skill to develop is to place each shot where you want it comes with time and experience. If you hit the ball far and it's in the rough and you can't find it you're out of luck. Most golfers average only about 10 shots with a driver in an 18-hole round. Accuracy is far more important than distance.

Irons

Irons are those thin clubheads with grooves on it. Most experienced players opt for a blade style iron as opposed to a cavity-back hollow style. 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 handled ones are the hardest. The shorter the iron, the more loft. For beginners, the more loft, the better.

Putters

Putters come in clubhead styles of blade, heel-toe and mallet. Lengths come in belly putters, standard and broomstick (long) putters. Putters are the most used club in the game and particular attention should be paid to fit and preference for putter performance.

Utility clubs/hybrids

Utility clubs combine features of woods and irons and are best for beginners who may not want to buy too many clubs in the beginning. The center of gravity on a lot of golf clubs is usually around the middle to high point on a clubface.

If you are just getting started, it?s best to get the more inexpensive clone clubs or buy used golf clubs. Clone golf clubs use the same materials and standards as name brands but at much cheaper prices. As you become more experienced you?ll develop preferences and then can opt for shiny new expensive clubs.