How to choose select buy golf clubs

Selecting clubs to help your game and give you confidence. When you’re ready to buy a set of golf clubs, visit a golf professional before the sporting goods stores. He stocks the top line of reputable manufacturers and knows how to match clubs to an individual’s build and swing.

You’re allowed to carry 14 clubs; the usual set is four woods (numbers 1, 3, 4, and 5), irons numbered 3 through 9, plus pitching wedge and sand wedge, and a putter. You can buy a half set (1 and 3 woods; 3, 5, 7, and 9 irons; and a putter), but most half sets are of inferior quality and difficult to fill in later.

The woods maybe made of persimmon, laminated maple strips, graphite fibers, or even steel. Persimmon provides a satisfying “click” when it hits a ball; steel drives the straightest.

Iron heads may be cast or forged. Cast heads are more uniform; forged heads give the ball a softer landing on the green.

Try different styles of putter: blade, flange, and mallet head are the most popular. A putter should sit squarely, be easy to align, feel well balanced, and not wobble when you stroke it.

Standard-length clubs fit nearly all players because the fingertips of most men and women, regardless of their height, hang at about the same distance from the ground. However, a short player will need clubs with a flatter lie than a taller person. (The lie is the angle of the shaft to the ground when the club rests flat on its sole.)

Shaft flexes range from soft (whippy) to extra stiff. Shaft flex should be matched to the clubhead speed generated by a player’s swing. Steel is the best choice for shaft material.

Club weight should be proportionate to a golfer’s strength and ability. Average players do best with a light club. Choose rubber grips rather than leather; rubber is easier to clean and retains its tackiness when wet.

After play, wash the irons in warm water and mild detergent; wipe dry. Wipe woods with a clean cloth; apply a thin coat of paste wax and then buff.