Golf Training Aids

Selecting the Right Golf Glubs

How do I go about selecting the right golf clubs and which one's would suit me best? This question is asked by novices who want to start up in golf as well as by more established players who want to purchase some new equipment to help improve their game. The most important items of equipment that concern all players, whether novices or low-handicappers, are the clubs - their suitability and price.

The next question to answer is: "Where do I go?" You should start out by going to a PGA Approved Professional Shop for selecting the right golf clubs. But why? At one of these shops you will get expert advice on equipment, help with your game and, later on, a comprehensive repair service, all from qualified experienced golf professionals rather than from shop assistants, some of whom may not even know how to play the game.

Get help from a professional when selecting golf clubs.
The staff in many High Street shops are also more likely to be concerned with their company's turnover and therefore may not be particularly interested in the individual requirements of their customers. In some cases, all they need do is make a sale without worrying a great deal about the suitability of the goods sold. However, a professional will make sure that his customers will be able to use the clubs he sells because he will be in constant contact with them through lessons and membership of a club.

The most important thing for the novice is to acquire the knowledge and technique he needs to enable him to play golf to the best of his ability. This can be achieved only through the services of a qualified golf professional. However, professionals are only human and most feel that their pupils should purchase their equipment at their pro shops rather than at a retail sports shop as they have everything in stock that a golfer, novice or otherwise, requires.

Selecting golf clubs for the novice.
Starting with the novice, the best suggestion is either to buy a second-hand set of clubs in good condition or a quality starter set. At this stage, it is not good policy to overspend when selecting golf clubs. If you are starting out in golf, you may not know yet whether it is going to be your game. If indeed it does prove to be so, then you still do not know what standard you will eventually reach -another good reason for not overspending at this stage.

A good professional will always be prepared to take his customer to the practice range to assess his current needs and advise on selecting the best golf clubs for him or her. Being able to recommend the most suitable equipment for the individual does not always mean the most expensive. For the novice, many reputable companies offer their lower-end models as loss leaders. This means that quality is usually very high as they sell their products with the aim of attracting their customers to purchase their top-price models at a later date when they feel that they have improved.

The price of many top-range clubs is determined to a large extent by the amount of marketing carried out, not simply because of the higher quality materials used. The degree of workmanship that goes into producing these clubs, involving more precision and careful balance, especially in the shafts and grips, contributes to the higher quality. However, these factors will benefit only the more experienced golfer. Once the novice has become a more competent player he will probably wish to take advantage of these superior clubs, and he can trade in his second-hand or starter set and buy a set of clubs that will improve his play and complement his game.

Selecting golf clubs for more experienced golfers
Once you have mastered the basic skills and techniques, you can consult the professional on selecting a better set of golf clubs. You will find that you have now moved into the widest market in golf. By now, you will have some idea of what you require to help your individual game. You can discuss with the professional which of the models you prefer, with particular reference to the shape of the club, and ask him to make recommendations. This will involve deciding between a game-improving club, i.e. heel and toe weighted or peripheral weighted, and a blade-type club.

Game-improvement clubs: these are designed for middle-handicap golfers and cater for off-centre shots, by enlarging the sweet spot of the clubface and therefore allowing for a margin of error.

The two main types mentioned are easily explained. A heel and toe weighted club has the weight distributed at both ends of the clubhead, thereby widening the sweet spot. A peripheral weighted club has the weight evenly distributed around the perimeter of the clubhead, enlarging the sweet spot over all.

Blade clubs are the original shape of golf clubs with no thought given to helping the improving golfer. The weight on these clubs, generally, is evenly distributed, thereby leaving less room for error.

Regardless of whether you choose a game-improvement or a blade club, the professional will now be able to help recommend a suitable shaft flex, lie of the club, swing weight and thickness of grip for selecting the right golf club for you.

With all these things in mind, you now have to decide how much you want to invest.