Beginner to Pro - Choosing The Right Golf Clubs
By: JACK RIVERS
Buying a new set of golf clubs is a great feeling. However, in order to get
the most out of your game, choosing the correct set is essential. No matter what
level of golf you play or what kind of budget you have, there are sets on the
market for everyone.
A player should never have more than 14 clubs in their bag at any time. Bearing
this in mind, the average golf bag comprises a driver, a few fairway woods,
irons, wedges and a putter.
Before having a look at the different type of irons on the market, here are a
few general guidelines about buying clubs. It’s essential that you try out your
clubs before buying them. Almost all golf shops will let you try out a set in
store, and if you buy from a club’s pro shop then you may even be able to take a
demo set out on course. It’s important that you know how well you can hit the
clubs, and whether they feel nice and comfortable in your hands.
As with anything else in life, shop around. Whether you buy on the high street
or online, always take the time to find the best deal. When it comes to golf
clubs, you can save hundred’s of dollars by having a look around.
Another important element of buying a new set of clubs is not to be drawn
towards the big name brands. The most important thing when getting a new set of
clubs is being able to hit nice shots consistently. If you buy a flash set of
clubs because you know a top pro uses them but find you can’t actually hit a
ball with them, then you’ve wasted valuable money and you’re game won’t improve.
If you love the way a lesser-known club feels when you hit a ball, then buy
these.
1: Irons
There are several different type of irons on the market, all of which are aimed
at different levels of golfer. As a general rule of thumb, the more expensive
clubs are aimed at better golfers because they’re made from better materials.
Before purchasing new clubs therefore, have a budget in mind in accordance to
your level of play.
Beginners
Beginners can spend as little or as much on a set of irons as they wish. If
you’ve just started out in the game, you need a set of clubs that will give you
confidence. Bearing this in mind, look for set of irons that have wide faces, a
chunky sole and feel comfortable behind the ball and are forgiving for
off-centre shots. Perhaps the most popular beginners brand on the market at the
moment is Benross. Their award winning VX2i irons can be found around $300,
representing excellent value for money,combined with high quality. At the other
end of the price spectrum are the Callaway Big Bertha irons. These irons are
renowned for being chunky and therefore offer confidence and forgiveness for
beginners. At around $600 however, it’s important to consider how seriously you
want to take golf before handing over the money.
Intermediate
It’s hard to categorise irons for the intermediate player, seeing as irons are
usually put into price brackets. If you’re hitting your first set of irons well
then there shouldn’t be that much of reason to change unless it’s change you
want. Having said that, brands such as Lynx, Snake Eyes or Ping (the G5 irons)
offer a reasonable balance between the forgiveness of a beginner’s irons and
feel and looks of a premium players iron.
If you play off a single figure handicap then there’s no doubting that you take
the game seriously and play to a high standard. Your game deserves an equally
high standard of club therefore. There is a huge amount of clubs to choose from
for the advanced player, including the ‘blade’ style favoured by many tour-pros.
Blade-style clubs have a smaller and thinner profile than other clubs, and offer
an extremely soft feel yet are a lot less forgiving for off-centre hits. Mizuno
MP-32 blade irons are quite simply a cut above the rest when it comes to blades,
offering great control and feel whilst being aesthetically pleasing.
Blades are generally difficult to hit well, and many advanced players won’t feel
at home with these in their bag. There are plenty of other irons on the market
to suit the advanced player, such as the Ping i5 iron or the Mizuno MP-60.
Generally, however, you can’t go wrong with the following higher-end brands
(expect to pay in excess of $600): Callaway, Ping, Mizuno, Taylor Made, Yonex
and Wilson Staff.
2 : Drivers and Fairway Woods
Getting the ball off the tee and on to the fairway is an essential part of the
game. Investing in a driver that gives you the confidence to smash the ball down
the fairway is essential. The most important aspect of buying a new driver is
that it feels comfortable when you address the ball, which will in turn give you
the confidence you need.
As with any other club in your bag, budgets will vary depending on how much you
want to spend on the game. If money is no object, or you just strive for
quality, then the Nike SasQuatch range of woods should be at the top of your
list. The drivers and woods from this range have received rave reviews in all
the top magazines as a result of qualities such as huge power, low-spin and
high-launch trajectory. Cleveland and Taylor Made are also other popular choices
for high-quality drivers and fairway woods.
If you’re looking to spend less than $150 on a driver or fairway woods, then you
cant’ go wrong with the Benross V12+ or the Ram FX9 CG tour.
3 : Wedges
If you take your golf seriously then getting specialist wedges is a must. You
should look to be getting a 50-52 degree PW (pitching wedge), a 56 degree SW
(sand wedge) and a 60-64 degree LW (lob wedge). Specialist wedges can offer
qualities such as greater control, spin and more shot options in and around the
green. Cleveland are one of the best brands on the market for wedges, and rest
assured that any model from them will be of the highest quality. Another great
set of wedges is the Mizuno MP-T series. At around $150 each they’re not cheap,
but perform brilliantly and look incredible.
4 : Putters
It beggars belief that most club players can hit the ball a few over 300 yards
in a few shots, but it can take them up to another three strokes with their
putter to actually get the ball in the hole. Buying a putter that feels
comfortable behind the ball and gives you the ultimate confidence is essential.
The more you pay for a putter, the better materials and weight distribution
you’ll get. These factors could well improve your game on the greens, but you
may feel just as comfortable with a putter that won’t cost more than $75. As
long as you feel comfortable with a putter behind the ball and it feels good off
the face, then that’s the most important thing. There are several types of
putter shapes on the market; make sure you find the right one for you.
Jack Rivers is a Freelance Sports Journalist and Keen Golfer.He has recently reviewed the Top10 Best Selling Online Golf Guides at
GolfPro10.com
This article is free for republishing
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