Hey everyone. I thought we'd add a post to the Golf Club Buying Guide section tonight. Golf club buying season is upon us so I thought we'd run through a few of the most common mistakes we see consumers make while shopping for new sticks.
Take control of your game… map your bag based on your strengths…
Every golfer is different. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to what they can and can't do on the golf course. Too many players resort to the standard "3 woods and 8 irons" set up. The Rules of Golf regulate the number of clubs a golfer can carry but it doesn't specify how many woods and irons a player must have. Love your fairway woods? Carry a few extra. Feel that you're losing shots around the green? Add a few more wedges. Have a Mickelson-like desire to play two drivers? Go for it. We talk about it all the time and can't stress it enough… rid yourself of the clubs you don't use and add clubs that will help your game. I really wonder why the majority of golfers carry a 3 iron. It's good for fishing balls out of the water but most golfers won't dare hit a ball with it. Put it in the garage and add a hybrid or fairway wood. Don't be a hero… fill your bag with useful clubs and watch your scores drop.
Shorten things up a bit…
Every company claims to have the longest hitting driver on the market. A casualty of this "distance war" is shaft length. Drivers seem to get a tiny bit longer every year… something that doesn't help an already struggling golfer. I don't like throwing the word "guarantee" around but I'm willing to (almost) guarantee you'd be better off with a shorter driver. Longer drivers are harder to hit and harder to control. The most successful drives are a result of a decent swing speed and a well struck shot… you won't be any better off swinging a bit harder and hitting the drive off the heel or toe. Knock off an inch or so and see what it's like to play from the fairway.
You have to hit it high to hit it far…
What's the loft on your driver? Why did you choose the loft that you did? Ideally you'd like to be fitted for a driver on a launch monitor so you can accurately see your launch angle and spin rates… but many golfers have to pick a club without such a device. A simple solution? You'll almost always be safe with a bit more loft. This can be a tricky situation for a retailer too. Most of us know that golfers should hit drivers with more loft but convincing Mr. Macho that he needs a 12 or 13 degree driver usually doesn't work. We have to order products based on what the customer wants… if people want 9 degree drivers then it's 9 degree drivers on the rack. It would make WAY more sense to fill a shop with higher lofted drivers but they'd probably end up collecting dust. Try a 12 or 13 degree driver…
The stiffer the better… right?
Oh look… Mr. Macho is here again. We really just have to laugh at the guys that swing out of their shoes when we're trying to figure out how hard they swing. Don't try to impress us… we just want to find you a driver that works. If you comfortably swing at a high speed then great… congrats on have a controlled swing with a bit of mustard on it. Swing normally when choosing a new club. We want to see how you'd swing out on the course. We'll be watching a number of things to determine shaft flex… things like speed, tempo and where you break your wrists on the downswing. Many golfers use a shaft that is too stiff for them. Try a few different shafts in a few different flexes. All shafts play a bit different… even if they all have the same flex. If you're able to control a slightly softer shaft then go with it… you should be able to get a few more yards out of it too. The interchangeable shaft craze will make this whole process a bit easier… we hope.
Walk to the putting green first… the driver racks can wait…
Buying a putter seems to be a bit of an afterthought for many customers. They'll spend an hour swinging driver after driver and then quickly pick up a putter on the way out the door. How does this make any sense? A good salesperson or pro will be able to help you find a putter to match your stroke. Putters are just like any other club… we can bend them, lengthen them, shorten them and alter the grip. So much of choosing a putter comes down to personal preference. Spend some time trying a variety of styles and don't rush your decision. Take it a step further… try a few putts with the same ball that you'd usually play.
Give these tips a try… I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. That's all for now. Feel free to drop us a line with all of your golf club questions.