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Golf is not the old-fashioned and stuck-up sport it used to be. Tiger Woods did a lot to make it cool and exciting, and now that other recreational activities are keeping him busy, Rory McIroy is attracting new generations of youngsters to the game. To get kitted out for any new sport can be challenging, but in most cases only minimal equipment is required. In golf, an entire golf bag is to be filled.
Novice golfers can take heart, however, in the knowledge that even seasoned professionals need advice when it comes to choosing the right equipment.
Someone considered to be something of an expert when it comes to golf equipment is Frank Thomas, who has spent time as Golf Digest's Chief Technical Advisor. He says that as golf is a game of precision, precision tools are needed to maximise your skills and enjoyment. He offers a number of tips for making the most precise decisions possible, such as:
• Equipment should complement your skill level. Many beginners make the mistake of thinking they need a complete set of clubs, but Thomas believes that less is more. The number of clubs that is not important; it’s ensuring that your clubs fit your strength, swing and posture. He strongly advises beginners to choose clubs that are very forgiving. Forgiveness is a common theme with Thomas, as he recommends that intermediate and even advanced golfers pick the most forgiving clubs they can find.
• A relatively new trend in golf is to get fitted for your clubs but this can be somewhat costly. It’s also not recommended for beginners as they are still, literally, getting into the swing of things. Basically, a professional golf fitter will assess your swing (usually in a simulator) in terms of launch, speed, angle and ball spin. The fitter will also note your height and weight and most important of all the distance from your wrist to the floor. This will ensure that you don’t end up with clubs that are too short or too long, which is critical in enabling a clean swing. After a question and answer session, the fitter will be able to tell you what clubs will suit you best, and you can order them custom made to match.
• Less may be more, but as far as club head size is concerned bigger is better. A big head may not be able to save a bad swing, but it can minimise the damage of a bad one. A too big head, on the other hand, can spell disaster. Thomas also cautions against overlong driver shafts. The average length of a pro-golfer’s driver shaft is 44 or 44.5 inches. The average length of a store bought driver shaft is 45 inches.
• It’s not the quality of your balls but how you use them. To buy the most expensive balls on the market won’t hurt your game, but unless you’re a pro, the difference in performance between top of the line and middle range balls is negligible. If your swing is truly appalling and you lose an average of three or four balls every time you play, you might want to consider sticking to second-hand balls until you improve. A handy rule of thumb that Thomas offers: if someone else is buying balls for you only top of the line will do, if you’re doing the buying go with what fits your pocket.
Tom Wishon is a well-known and respected golf club designer and researcher. He agrees with Thomas that when it comes to choosing a driver shorter is better than longer, as it can be difficult to hit the ball squarely with a club that is too long. When it comes to buying a putter, Wishon recommends that your bear the three L’s in mind: loft, length and lie angle. He says that a putter with the wrong length and lie angle will cause pushes and pulls, while a good putter’s sole will be parallel to the ground at the moment of impact.
Lastly, an article on Golf Equipment Source exhorts all golfers not to forget the grip. According to the article, the grip is one of the most important golfing tools, yet remains underrated. When purchasing a grip you need to pay attention to size, which will be dictated by the size of your hands; weight, which depends on your swing speed; and feel. Your club shouldn’t feel uncomfortable in your hands, it shouldn’t raise blisters and it should control the vibrations when you give the ball a really good whack.
We are told that only a poor workman blames his tools and the thinking behind this rather unforgiving philosophy is that hard work and natural talent will overcome all obstacles. Or perhaps it is that good tools do not make a good craftsman. Either way, when you’re kitting yourself out for the golf course, don’t forget to include some golf lessons. They’re cheaper than any clubs and will last a lot longer.
