Unfortunately, golf clubs have a life span just like a car. If a set of clubs is older than 10 years old, expect deterioration like broken shafts, heads coming off and grips unraveling. Although the lifespan can be extended by taking care of the clubs, anything beyond 10 years is likely to give problems.
Full Answer
Do your golf clubs make your game worse?
Basically, though, your game is going to deteriorate long before your golf clubs do. We’ve said it hundreds of times and we’ll say it again: If you’re not sure whether your old clubs are as good as some new ones, take them in to a fitter with a launch monitor and see if the numbers tell you otherwise.
What causes golf clubs to break?
Broken golf clubs occur when golfers slam the club head into the ground out of frustration. Incorrect storage of the club and poor swing technique will also cause shafts and heads to break.
Can an incorrect swing damage a golf club?
However I’ve seen enough broken of heads and bent shafts to know that’s not the case. An incorrect swing can certainly cause damage to your club. This occurs when the ball is making contact with the shaft instead of the club head.
Why do my golf clubs fly off the shaft?
The point where the shaft and head meet is connected by special adhesive glue called epoxy. Storing clubs in hot temperature day after day causes the epoxy to break down. And without epoxy to hold your head to the shaft, the club head will just fly off. Solution: Don’t expose your clubs to hot temperatures for long periods of time.
Is Choking up on a golf club bad?
As you choke down on the golf club, it does become shorter and thus, affects total distance. While your spin rates will likely decrease, so will your total carry distance as well. The more you choke down on the grip, the less the golf ball will carry.
Do golf clubs break easy?
Given the high prices we usually pay for them, and the fact that they are made of metal, we would be right to assume that golf clubs should not break very easily. But sadly, we are sometimes proven wrong. Strong and durable as they may be, golf clubs can indeed break, and it can happen for a number of reasons.
Are golf clubs fragile?
Golf clubs themselves are not fragile; they just need to be handled with care. The best way to avoid your golf clubs continually hitting each other while in the golf bag is to get a bag with a 14-way divider. A 14-way divider gives each golf club its own individual sleeve within the golf bag.
Can you damage golf clubs?
Yes, of course! But you should know – it's far, far easier hitting wedges off golf mats than on the course. Even more so than irons. Because wedges tend to have sharper leading edges on the club face, if you hit them only slightly behind the ball on the golf course it will severely impact the quality of strike.
Do golf drivers lose their pop?
A golf driver can go dead and lose its pop when there is a crack, or defect, in the club face. This can be caused by faulty manufacturing or weakness in the driver head, and affects distance and performance.
How long should golf clubs last?
Taking into account the different factors we've discussed, a quality set of golf irons can last anywhere from 8 to 10 years with proper care, and sometimes up to 12 years. Remember, if you take care of your golf clubs, they'll take care of you!
What happens if you break a golf club?
Answer: Regardless of how the player damaged the club (other than out of the player's or their caddie's control), the club is conforming for the rest of the round. The player may use it as it is, or they may have it repaired, but they are not permitted to replace it during the round.
Are 30 year old golf clubs still good?
There is no evidence that golf clubs deteriorate over time. Well maintained clubs will last a lifetime. 10+ year old clubs should be checked for better options but clubs less than 5 years old do not need replacing except for wear and tear issues to which wedges and forged irons are most vulnerable.
Do graphite clubs break easily?
Graphite shafts do not break easier than steel shafts. Graphite shafts are more robust, lighter, stiffer, and easier to hit than steel shafts. Graphite is the synthetic material of choice; a lightweight material with superior performance is needed, such as spacecraft and racecars.
Is it normal to scratch golf clubs?
Yes, some nicks and scratches are inevitable. Any sand, dirt or grit that gets between the ball and the club can cause a scratch. But with regular cleaning and inspection, most long-term damage could be avoided or corrected.
Do drivers break easily?
Drivers are usually the biggest and most expensive club in your bag, but they are also among the most fragile. One mishit could send the clubhead flying farther than the ball. Here's a list of 10 amateurs unintentionally breaking drivers.
Do golf shafts break?
Unfortunately, golf clubs have a life span just like a car. If a set of clubs is older than 10 years old, expect deterioration like broken shafts, heads coming off and grips unraveling. Although the lifespan can be extended by taking care of the clubs, anything beyond 10 years is likely to give problems.
What hole was Ben Hogan's 1 iron?
Ben Hogan’s famous 1-iron from that majestic 72nd hole approach shot in the 1953 U.S. Open at Merion, while practically unhittable for mere mortals, likely would respond just fine today if it was removed from its case at the USGA's Golf House. (The leather grip and shaft might not have held up so well, of course.)
Who are the editors of Golf Digest?
And they are sharing their golf equipment knowledge with you. Golf Digest's equipment editors, Mike Stachura and E. Michael Johnson, have covered the golf equipment business for decades, and there are few who know the equipment industry better. We've asked them to answer your questions in a weekly equipment round-up.
What causes a golf club to break?
1. Rust. Where there’s metal, there’s also rust. Especially wet metal. A rusted shaft is one of the most common causes of golf club breakage. If water manages to find its way to the inside of your club, then you’re probably in for some trouble.
How to prevent a golf club from breaking?
Golf club breakages can occur for a number of reasons, but there are steps that you as a player can take to prevent it from happening. Keep them dry, and store them in a cool and secure location. Watch where you’re swinging; be careful of trees, rocks, and other obstacles, and try to avoid those fat shots.
What happens if you don't secure your golf cart?
Similarly, if clubs are not properly secured when using a golf cart, they will rattle about relentlessly, taking increasing amounts of damage over time. Worse yet, a bag that is not properly strapped in could fall from the back, which can easily cause some serious damage to your clubs. Solution:
What happens if you hit a golf club with a solid ball?
If your club comes into contact with something solid (that isn’t a golf ball) during your swing, it is very likely to suffer substantial damage.
How to get rid of rust on golf clubs?
Solution: Use a golf towel to dry off your clubs after a rainy round. Always store your clubs in a dry location inside, or at least under shelter.
Can a dodgy swing break a golf club?
Most of the time, this will simply result in a bad shot. But every once in a while, a dodgy swing can result in a broken club.
Can a golf club be broken?
It might be amusing for an observer, but for the club itself, this kind of behavior is almost always fatal. Steel or not, a golf club can only withstand so much abuse. Most of the time they will bend out of shape, but sometimes they will snap clean in two. Either way, it will probably be broken beyond repair.
What happens if your golf ball is too soft?
If the Flex of Your Shaft is too Soft, You’ll Hook the Ball. If it’s too Stiff, You’ll Slice the Ball
Why is my golf ball flying higher?
If a golfer is properly fit so his shafts are not too stiff or too flexible for his clubhead speed, transition force, downswing tempo and point of release and he truly does exhibit a higher ballooning ball flight, then the predominant reason is because of a swing error that causes the dynamic loft on the clubhead to be too high for the golfer’s club head speed and angle of attack. The only way a shaft can reduce shot height and spin is to fit the golfer into a substantially stiffer shaft or significantly more tip stiff bend profile. That only can have an effect for golfers with a later-to-very-late release and brings with it the risk of the shaft being much too stiff for the golfer, which in turn can rob the golfer of distance and cause the feeling of impact to be less solid.
How to reduce spin in golf?
In reality, the most effective and sure way to reduce spin is to use a lower lofted club head. If the golfer has a launch angle that is optimal for his clubhead speed and angle of attack, and if the shaft is correctly fit for flex and bend profile to the golfer’s club head speed, transition force, downswing tempo and point of release and the ball flight is of a ballooning shape with a steep angle of descent, the spin problem most definitely is swing related.
Why is the clubhead speed higher when you release the club?
The reason is because for ALL golfers, the maximum clubhead speed is achieved right when they fully release the club. Hence, if you have a late release, you’ll reach your maximum clubhead speed right at impact. But if you have an early-to-midway release, the highest clubhead speed is reached before the clubhead meets the ball, leaving time for the club to begin to slow down before impact.
What is a middle to high handicap golfer?
Middle-to-high-handicap golfers are an orchard with low hanging fruit to clubfitters because their lesser golf athletic ability and swing mistakes are made worse by many of the standard specifications of clubs sold off the rack: drivers and woods that are too long, lofts of low numbered woods and irons that are too low, face angle options not available to offset swing path and face delivery mistakes, totally wrong set makeups, weighting that does not match to their strength and swing tempo and grips that don’t fit and cause too much tension in the hands and arms.
What is the shaft of a golf club?
The Shaft is the Engine of the Golf Club. Actually, you the golfer are the engine, the shaft acts more like the transmission. The weight of the shaft is a key element in the fitting and performance of golf clubs for ALL golfers. The overall stiffness design (aka the flex and bend profile) is an element of golf clubs that becomes progressively more ...
How many key fittings are there for a full swing club?
With the full swing clubs, there are no less than 12 key fitting specifications that all have to be carefully and often painstakingly analyzed and matched to each golfer’s combination of size, strength, athletic ability and swing characteristics. With putters, there are six. But those six key putter fitting specs, if not well fit to the golfer, will keep him wandering around amidst the 200+ putters leaning on racks near the faux putting green in the big box store and hunting like a blind squirrel looking for that proverbial acorn.
Why do golf clubs break?
Golf clubs can break due to user error. Broken golf clubs occur when golfers slam the club head into the ground out of frustration. Incorrect storage of the club and poor swing technique will also cause shafts and heads to break.
Why Do You Keep Breaking Golf Clubs?
There was a time when golf clubs were handmade one by one. These classic clubs were made from 100% steel. While they were practically unbreakable, they’re no match for the modern graphite and hybrid clubs we have available today.
How Long Is My Golf Club Under Warranty?
Disclaimer: I have gathered a list of the warranty periods for each of the major golf club companies. This list was accurate of 23/03/19 and should be used as an approximate guide only. Please check with your manufacture for correct warranty information.
Why do golfers smack their clubs into the ground?
It’s not uncommon to see golfers smacking their club into the ground out of anger . Obviously clubs were not designed to withstand such punishment. If you do find yourself with an anger problem on the golf course, you’ll find yourself visiting the golf store in no time.
Why are counterfeit golf clubs so cheap?
While counterfeit clubs are much cheaper than the real deal, there’s a reason why they’re so cheap. Unknowing golfers may not understand how one steel club is different to the other and choose to save some one on a clone. Counterfeit drivers and woods are particularly prone to a short life expectancy.
How to keep golf clubs from splitting apart?
A wet shaft will eventually turn into a rusty heap of metal, causing your club to crack or split apart. Solution: Store your clubs indoors or outside under shelter. After playing a game of golf in the rain, use a towel to dry off your clubs. When washing your clubs, use as little water as possible.
How long do golf clubs last?
However in a set of golf clubs, the driver and the set of woods are clubs that are more likely to break sooner. Expect a 2 to 5 year lifespan for drivers and woods.
What happens if your irons are too flat?
While there are no hard and fast rules for everyone, if your irons are too upright, your misses might tend to draw or pull, while if they’re too flat, they might fade or push. One good thing about mats is you can make swings and see where the sole of the club is scraping against the mat.
Why do steel shafts not react well to cold temperatures?
Steel shafts also do not react well to the cold temperatures. That's due to what is known as the coefficient of thermal expansion. It would take a college semester to fully understand the subject, but the short version is that materials expand or contract depending on the temperature, thus affecting their properties.
Why does the mat negate the fat shot?
Because the mat negates the fat shot, building the kind of fragile confidence that can be immediately destroyed after your first swing on real grass, leading you to the sort of existential ennui that reminds one of the later years of Pasternak, Van Gogh or perhaps Ian Baker Finch in the mid-1990s.
Why shouldn't you leave your hands in a non-controlled environment?
There are also some sound scientific reasons you shouldn’t leave them in a non-controlled environment likely to get pretty chilly and damp. It can lead to damage.
Who are the editors of Golf Digest?
And they are sharing their golf equipment knowledge with you. Golf Digest's equipment editors, Mike Stachura and E. Michael Johnson, have covered the golf equipment business for decades, and there are few who know the equipment industry better. We've asked them to answer your questions in a weekly equipment round-up.
Is a 9 iron a scoring club?
If you think about it logically, your 9-iron and pitching wedge are definitely scoring clubs. So why wouldn’t you want a consistency of feel when transitioning to at least your gap wedge and possibly your sand and lob wedge, too. This goes for length and lie angle as well.
Does Jordan Spieth's wedge shaft match his iron shaft?
To Jordan Spieth it’s pretty dang important apparently. And he’s not alone. A number of tour players now have some— if not all—of their wedge shafts match their iron shafts. In Spieth’s case, his 46- and 52-degree Titleist Vokey wedges have Project X 6.5 shafts—the same shafts Spieth employs in his irons. His 56- and 60-degree wedges, however, have a sub-flex shaft, which can add feel. The theory being that lower-lofted wedges are utilized more as full swing clubs that would benefit from the same shafts as in his irons (and provide a continuity in feel) while the sub-flex shafts help on shorter shots around the green. If you think about it logically, your 9-iron and pitching wedge are definitely scoring clubs. So why wouldn’t you want a consistency of feel when transitioning to at least your gap wedge and possibly your sand and lob wedge, too. This goes for length and lie angle as well. It bothers us greatly when we hear a player proudly talk about getting fit for their irons (always a solid move) and then when we ask if their wedges match that spec they say, “Um, no. I got these off the rack.” That sound you just heard was our collective two heads exploding.
Why is my golf club twisting in my hands?
When you are swinging your irons, is it difficult to keep the club from twisting in your hands? If this is the case, it could be a problem with the grip. Check to see if the grip is worn and you can often tell this just from looking at it. However, you can also compare it with another iron in your bag that you rarely use to see the difference. Grips are easily replaceable and if the shaft, head and loft of the club is good, you do not need to buy a new iron.
How Long Do Golf Clubs Last?
You will have three distinct set of clubs in your bag and they are drivers/woods, irons and the putter. You may have a hybrid club and there are categories of irons, such as wedges but for ease of explanation, we will stick to the three categories above.
What Golf Clubs Do I Need as A Beginner?
When starting out in any sport, it can be a little confusing as to what equipment you require but golf can be the most confusing. There are so many golf clubs available, with different designs, colors, sizes and brands that it can be very daunting buying your first set of clubs.
How do irons bend?
Irons can bend, especially during practice sessions at the range. Many golf ranges use mats and when the iron contacts the mat, it bends the club. The more you use the iron and the more it bends, the more chance the loft of the irons will change . The loft of an iron tends to increase with use and if you are finding your shots are becoming increasingly higher and losing distance, the lofts could have changed. If you think this is the case, get in touch with a custom fitter who can check for you and if possible, change the lofts or they may recommend you purchase a new club.
Why is a higher lofted golf club better?
Also, a higher lofted club produces less spin and this encourages a straighter ball flight. As a beginner player, hitting the ball straight is key.
What to do if your irons are worn?
If you find the grooves of your irons, especially the wedges, look a bit worn you could try using a groove sharpening tool. There is nothing illegal about using a groove sharpening tool but you should only use them to try and restore the face of the club, not alter it in any way.
What are the different sections of a golf club?
Each club can also be split into three different sections and these are the head, shaft and grip. Each contributes to the overall usability of the golf club and if one aspect of the club has worn out, it will have an impact on the other two.
Why is it not fun to play golf?
It’s not as fun to play golf when you’re uncomfortable with your equipment and constantly making compromises. Peace of mind, comfort, confidence and predictability are huge reasons to get properly fit clubs in your bag.
Why use clubs that fit your swing?
A major benefit of using clubs that are made to fit your golf swing is that they tighten dispersion. You may still hit a hook or a slice, but instead of hitting houses all day, you might stay between the tree line.
Can you adjust your swing to the equipment during the round?
You can also adjust your swing to the equipment during the round to avoid major pitfalls. But for a lot of us, a score matters. And if you want to fire your best round, then using clubs that are made for your golf swing is going to help tremendously. Here are the two main things I learned after playing a round of golf with poorly fit clubs.
What happens if a golf club is too short?
If a club is too short, too long, too light, too heavy, the lie angle is completely wrong, the club itself is the wrong design, or any of a number of factors are off , you could be setting yourself up for failure. The game-improvement irons on the left will be much more forgiving and enjoyable for beginners than the blade irons on the right.
What to look for in a beginner golf club?
For beginners, it’s likely the expert recommends more loft on your driver, lighter shafts with less flex, and more forgiving irons. For example, if you’re a beginning golfer who has blade irons with long, extra-stiff steel shafts, it’s likely they aren’t right for your game. So even if your swing greatly improves with the help of a top instructor, you’ll be fighting an uphill battle.
Which is better for beginners: blade irons or left irons?
The game-improvement irons on the left will be much more forgiving and enjoyable for beginners than the blade irons on the right.
How to set yourself up to play golf?
In conclusion, here are the recommended steps to take in order to set yourself up to to play great golf and enjoy the game for years to come: 1. Get a basic club consultation from an expert. 2. Make the proper alterations to your current set, or purchase a budget-friendly starter set (anywhere from 1-14 clubs) 3.
Do you have to buy the latest golf clubs?
Now, it’s important to remember that you do not have to buy the latest and greatest equipment for it to be a good fit. You don’t have to spend $3,000 on shiny new clubs, and you actually don’t even have to buy a full set.
Will my swing patterns change?
It is likely that your swing patterns will change after a number of lessons. Your angle of attack may change, your method of releasing the club could shift, and you will (hopefully) gain some speed and strength, too.
