If you’re serious about golf then having a comfortable, quality set of clubs to play with is an absolute must. There are choices in the marketplace to suit every budget; irons make up the vast majority of many golfers’ bags, but what areas other than price should you consider when looking to buy new golf clubs?
As golf is very much a game of feel, the grip is extremely important. The grip can affect your entire swing if it’s not right. You should be able to comfortably grip the club enough to secure it during your swing without feeling like you’re throttling it. The best way to ensure you make the correct decision is to try out a range of grips before you buy, but remember to do this wearing your glove so you get the real measure of what it will feel like when you play.
The next part of the club is the shaft. Up until recently there were only two main types of shaft available in the market, which were steel and graphite. You can now buy what are known as multi-material shafted irons which are a combination of the two alloys. Generally speaking, steel shafts are probably the most popular and allow you a good degree of flexibility and durability. These are also considerably cheaper than their graphite counterparts and offer a consistent feel throughout your irons, from 3 through to 9.
The main benefits of graphite shafts is the fact that they are lighter than steel which not only makes them easier to carry around the course, but can also increase your swing speed and give your game more distance. Multi-material shafts bring together the best of both worlds and are typically a mainly steel shaft with a graphite tip to give you that extra power as you swing through the ball.
Iron heads commonly come in two main designs, the blade and the cavity back. The blades distribute the weight of the club evenly which leads to the heads having a small ‘sweet spot’ making them unforgiving for the novice or high handicapped player.
The cavity back irons provide a much bigger sweet spot by distributing the weight around the perimeter of the head. These types of clubs are best suited to higher handicap golfers as they allow for some error in striking the shot at the heart of the sweet spot.
There are other aspects to buying new golf clubs such as making sure they are the right size for your height and the overall feel compared to your current set, which can be tested out through making sure you try before you buy.
Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.
