Golf Clubs Buying Guide - Guides, Advice & Tips • On The Golf Green

You might wonder why you still need a golf clubs buying guide if you can just join the bandwagon or choose clubs that are pleasing to your eye.

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Golf Clubs Buying Guide – Guides, Advice & Tips

However, the choice of golf clubs varies per person.

And, believe me, whether you have been playing golf all your life or a beginner in the game, choosing the proper equipment is still a hard thing to do.

So, if you want to make that job easier for you, take a look at these buying golf clubs tips!

Before buying any golf clubs, it is important to assess its components first. There can be many details from the club’s components that can be overlooked.

These details can often affect your performance and your success in the game. Therefore, let us dig deeper into the components of your clubs!

What Should You Look For In The Components Of Your Clubs?

Grip

The top-most part of your golf club is the grip, and as the name implies. This is where you would hold on to the golf club when you swing.

Based on the golf clubs buying guide, you should select the grip depending on your hand size.

Here are the general sizes of grips: Undersize, Standard, Midsize, and Oversize. But you can customize it further if these sizes will not fit your preference.

Furthermore, you can also choose from different designs, colors, and textures.

But, do not get carried away by those fancy designs and colors, be sure that your grip would let you hold on to the club perfectly during your swings.

Shaft

After the grip, you must assess the club’s shafts. Shafts come in a cylindrical form and are generally made with mild steel and alloy steel such as nickel and chromium.

Shaft lengths are based on the type of golf club it is assembled with.

Aside from varying lengths, shafts also have different flex levels or the ability of the shaft to bend during the swing.

According to buying golf clubs tips, to determine which flex is best for your swing, you must consider your clubhead speed.

These are the different levels of shaft stiffness as represented by letters:

L- generally used for ladies or those with a low clubhead speed
A/M- which is for amateurs or seniors also with a below-average clubhead speed
R- is generally used for men or those with average clubhead speeds,
S- for those with faster clubhead speeds and prefer a stiff flex on their shafts
X- for those who prefer a stiffer flex on their club shafts.

This list of shaft stiffness levels is just a guide. It is still best to consult a professional outfitter if you are having trouble finding the shaft that is best for you.

Hosel

After the shaft, you must consider the club’s hosel. The hosel helps to regulate the club’s lie angle and the club’s lie angle should be based on your physical measurements, posture, and swing style.

Also, you can increase or decrease the lie angle depending on your club’s length. If you do not want to do significant changes to your club’s length, then you can use an adjustable hosel.

Unlike with a regular hosel, you can adjust your golf club’s loft and lie angle by allowing the removal of the shaft from the clubhead.

After removing it, choose your preferred loft or lie angle and then re-assemble it with the shaft using simple tools like a wrench.

Adjustable hosels are usually found in drivers, hybrid, and fairway woods. These hosels allow for a better fit for players.

Clubhead

The bottommost component a golf club is called a clubhead and is responsible for hitting the ball on your swings.

Having the right clubhead helps to ensure that you would get the distance and elevation that you want off your shots. This is the reason why most golfers prioritize the clubhead before any component of the golf club.

Many manufacturers of clubheads boast of their own specific technology. However, bear in mind that your clubhead should be able to hit your ball and send it flying off until it lands to the hole.

So, here is one of the many buying golf clubs tips out there: choose the clubhead that you are most comfortable playing with!

Tips in Buying Golf Clubs

Driver

Drivers are used to be made with high-quality wood, and because of this, they are more commonly known as “woods”.

Now, modern drivers are now made with steel alloys or high-quality metals such as titanium. Drivers generally have the largest clubhead sizes in any golf bag.

According to the golf clubs buying guide, if you want to make long-distance shots or do an off the tee box on your preliminary shots, then a driver can be your best friend!

Aside from having the largest clubhead sizes, drivers will also, generally be the longest clubs in the golf bag.

Moreover, the driver’s clubface has a larger surface area than other clubs too.

Select from various clubhead sizes for your driver but by the rule of the golf clubs buying guide, the largest clubhead that you can use for it is 460cc (cubic centimeters).
Opt for something smaller than that but note that they are more commonly used by skilled players.
Keep in mind the general rule of thumb: the higher the cc number of the clubhead, the more it can negate the effects of a bad swing.

On the other hand, a driver with a lower cc number of the clubhead can offer more workability and the shot-making ability for you.

This is the reason why drivers with lower cc numbers on their clubheads, are more appealing to veteran golfers.

Fairway Woods

Along with the drivers, the fairway woods are also a part of the “woods-category” of golf-clubs. Despite the name, they are not generally made from wood.

Like modern drivers, fairway woods are now made with metallic materials. A set of fairway woods in a golf bag would often include 3-, 5-, and 7-wood clubs.

If you are wondering, what do these numbers mean? Well, here is the answer: as the number of the fairway goes higher, the greater its loft becomes.

The fairway number also affects the distance and the elevation of your shot.

Just like drivers, fairway woods are generally assembled with graphite shafts. Although, they are occasionally offered by some manufacturers with steel shafts.

Most woods have clubheads that are similar to drivers. They have fat and round-shaped clubheads to strike the ball.

If you are going to buy a fairway wood, then you have to remember that these clubs work best for mid-range and long-rage shots depending on how far you are from the hole.

Also, if you are struggling with hitting a driver, here is a little cheat from the golf clubs buying guide. Try using a fairway wood when making that tee shot!

A fairway is a great alternative because it helps in ensuring that your shot travels in a straighter direction.

Hybrids

Hybrid clubs combine the best aspects of the “woods-category” clubs and the irons. Hybrid clubs have a similar shape to the “woods-category” clubs which makes it easier for you to hit your shots.

Aside from this, you can get the distance you want on your shots due to the hybrid’s loft and length that is similar to an iron.

Many golfers found that hybrids are good replacements for long irons and are generally used as substitutes for their 3- and 4- irons.

Although you should take note that those are not the only irons that can be replaced by a hybrid, you can replace any iron that you have difficulty hitting shots with.

Here is a little cheat sheet on buying hybrids: match them exactly to the iron that you want to replace.

The most ideal thing to do is to use the easier-to-hit hybrids that can get you the exact or almost the same distance that you get off your shots with irons.

Therefore, you must make sure that you got the same length and loft.

Iron

Irons are very versatile. They can be your go-to clubs for every hole and are good in helping you to hit short-range, mid-range, and long-range off the tee shots.

As the numbers in fairway woods, you can also see the numbers 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-, 7-. 8-, and 9- when you shop for irons.

Irons listed for sale are usually sold as a set along with many numbered irons, these sets are generally named as “3-PW, 4-PW, or 5-PW”.

An iron set can also include clubs other than irons. For example, a 3-PW set consists of the 3- through 9-irons including the Pitching Wedge and/or the Gap Wedge/ Approach Wedge.

Modern iron sets are assembled with graphite or metallic shafts. The clubheads of irons have deeper grooves to allow a better impact and better control of your shots.

The grooves move any unwanted debris out of the way so that your club can hit the ball better.

The number on the irons affects the distance and elevation of shots. Just as how the numbers on the fairway woods can affect how high and how far your shots can go.

Irons have thinner clubheads compared to other golf clubs. The thin clubheads of irons help in improving your accuracy.

This means that when you are near the hole, you might want to use irons with thinner and smaller heads to get a more accurate shot.

Here is a list of the other useful types of irons that you should also check out when you are planning on buying one. As part of this golf clubs buying guide,

General information about these types of irons and the skill level required in using one:

Max Game Improvement Iron– This iron has a large cavity or hollow portion that is easily noticeable at the clubhead’s back. This design helps offers more forgiveness and more ease to your swings. This Max Game Improvement Iron is highly recommended for those starting out with golf or seasoned players who have acquired a high handicap level as time went on.
Game Improvement Irons– these irons have a small cavity back compared to the Max Game Improvement Iron. They also have denser soles and toplines. These irons are recommended for almost every golfer, whether you have a low handicap level or a high skill level.
Player’s Irons– also known as CMBs (Cavity Muscle Back). Are favored by pro golfers and other golf enthusiasts with a high skill level.

Wedges

Wedges and irons have almost the same structure. The main difference between them is the club’s lofts. The loft angles on wedges are higher compared to those of irons.

The reason behind that is because they are designed to help you make more accurate shots and to get more ball spin compared to the irons.

Moreover, wedges have this so-called “bounce” or the angle between the clubface’s leading edge up to the sole’s lowest point.

Here is a friendly buying golf clubs tips: the higher the bounce angle, the easier it will bounce from the ground.

Which is appropriate if you are just off the putting surface with no obstacles that can really alter your shot.

Just like the irons, there are also other kinds of wedges that you should check out if you want to buy one.

Gap Wedge – or commonly known as “approach wedge” offers more distance off your shots compared to other types. It can also give you a higher accuracy off your shots.
Sand Wedge – are heavily favored wedges when golfers are in sand traps or sandy shallow pits. This club is also good for short-range and mid-range shots when you are on the green or on a good putting surface. However, this club might not be helpful to your long-range shots across any terrain.
Lob Wedge – this wedge is highly recommended for short-range shots and can offer more elevation and more spin on your shots. Aside from these, the lob wedge can offer better control to your shots when the ball is around the greens. This lob wedge generally helps you to easily put the ball in the hole from short-range shots.

Putter

Last, and definitely not the least in the list of golf clubs in a golf bag, is the putter.

In fact, the putter is the most crucial golf club in a bag. The putter’s shafts are usually made with metallic materials, assembled with leveled grips, and flatter clubfaces compared to other clubs.

The putter is used when you are on a putting surface or a leveled surface so you could easily hit the ball and let it roll towards the hole.

As part of this buying golf clubs tips, take note that the putter has two different head styles:

Blade Putter – for the golfers who want a smaller putter and knows well their direction and distance when putting.
Mallet Putter – for the golfers who want a larger clubhead and well known for its forgiveness.

More buying golf clubs tips

Before we end this article, here are a few more buying golf clubs tips that you will need to keep in mind!

Remember that there is no such thing as one-size-fits-all golf clubs. Yes, golf clubs may have a standard size but most of the time, it is better to get a custom-fitted club so it would suit your body frame well.
Once you have observed your gameplay and realized that you are not improving in the game. Then the more you will need custom-fit equipment. You need your club to match your swing properly. Therefore, start consulting with a custom fitter.