Fore!!!!! A word we often yell but hate to hear. It’s that time of year again. The sun is shining and the balls are-a-flying. The golf gods have opened their doors and are allowing us to have another crack at breaking the code of perfection. The pro shops are salivating like hungry dogs just waiting for all of us to spend our hard earned money on the new equipment we have heard all about during those long winter months. My goal is to help you get your moneys worth.
The most common mistake made by amateurs before they even step on to the first tee is their equipment. I always see players out there swinging clubs that are just not made for them. The result is that they will spray shots left and right change their setup thinking that’s the problem. Before you know it they have taken a perfectly good swing and messed it all up just because they are playing with the wrong set of clubs.
Whether you’re buying a new driver, set of irons or utility wedges, make sure they are properly fit for your style of swing. This involves a few criteria. The most important feature when shopping for drivers in my opinion is the style of shaft. Those of you who have a very fast swing should get a shaft that is either stiff or extra stiff. You should never buy just a regular or flex shaft thinking that a middle of the road shaft flex is a safe bet. This has the potential to create such havoc with your mind and game that it might cause you to change your setup and stance to just hit the ball straight. The opposite goes for those players with slow swing speeds. Never buy a stiff or extra stiff shaft. You’re going to want to price out a regular or flex shaft. This will allow you to get the club head thru the ball much faster and with fewer difficulties as opposed to swinging a stiff shafted club. The flexible nature of regular and flex shafts also employ a significant acceleration of the club head through impact which can add quite a few yards onto an otherwise slow swing speed.
The second criteria I feel is important is the style of club. When it comes to shopping for irons, amateurs need to be particularly careful. The most common style of iron bought today is the cavity back – and for good reason. This style of club is very forgiving and lighter than the old school tour blade - you may know them as forged irons. I would have to recommend the cavity back over forged for the simple reason I stated above – cavity backs are much more forgiving with more sweet spots along the blade. An off-center hit on a forged blade is going to have unpredictable results, while a similar shot on a cavity back has a better chance of staying along the target line.
By this point you should be asking yourself, “That’s all fine and good Jeff, but how do I find out what type of swing I have and if I’m using the right clubs?” If you really want to improve the quality of your game, I suggest you go to your local PGA professional or any qualified teaching professional and have them analyze your entire game from swing, stance and equipment. Who knows maybe you have a great swing and setup but just have the wrong equipment? You can check with your local golf clubs and sporting goods stores for recommendations on a local golf pro. Many facilities have specialized equipment that can analyze elements of your swing electronically for the most precise feedback.
Remember, your money is worth more in your pocket. If you have to give it to some one else, though, make them earn it. Take advantage of all the teaching tools and equipment to help analyze and improve your swing before purchasing another set of clubs or any club for that matter. The rewards will be well worth it when you’re playing with a set of clubs that feel great and help you focus less on equipment and more on the finer aspects of the game of golf. Best of luck!
Jeff Cicchini is a frequent visitor to Golf Gear Review and an amateur golfer who frequently shoots in the 70’s. Jeff has been playing golf nearly all of his life and has been very successful in golf leagues and tournaments in the western Pennsylvania area.
From time to time, Golf Gear Review publishes content submitted from our readers providing it is useful, entertaining and well written. After all, Golf Gear Review is certainly a site by golfers and for golfers. In addition to the new product releases, articles from professional writers and other content, we at Golf Gear Review would sincerely like to include great content from our amateur readers out there more often. If you feel that you’re a decent writer, have something interesting to say about the game of golf and can put your thoughts and ideas into an article of at least 750 words, please drop me a line at:
