Golf-FAQ.com

how much do golf clubs matter

by Carli Bednar Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Spending money on a Club fitting is far better value than splashing $1000-$2000 on expensive Golfing equipment, as you know your Clubs fit your own unique swing and body type. Getting fitted by a quality instructor ensures you have the right equipment, giving you a more consistent swing and you will be able to make changes more easily.

Full Answer

Are more expensive golf clubs worth the money?

This is the best that money can buy and they need it for their games, they are elite golfers so that makes sense. Top amateurs will certainly feel the benefit of more expensive clubs too. What’s the main difference between cheap and expensive clubs?

Does the quality of golf clubs make a difference?

The quality of golf clubs does makes a difference. However, to really answer this question, you have to consider skill level of a golfer. More experienced golfers are going to get more ‘bang-for-their-buck’ – because they know how to hit each club better and will notice the differences between clubs more than a beginner.

How often should you buy new golf clubs?

However, if you are an avid golfer and play regularly, you may want to invest in new golf clubs every 5 – 7 years. The technology advances in that time frame will help your game more than you may think!

Do golfers really benefit from custom fitting clubs?

Actually, if your definition of “benefit” from proper fitting means experiencing visible, measurable differences in shot distance, accuracy or consistency immediately after getting the newly custom fit clubs, middle and high-handicap golfers get this far more dramatically and much more often than do low-handicap players.

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Do expensive golf clubs really make a difference?

Probably not, no, as your golf skills will be constantly improving and you probably won't have these clubs for very long. You will outgrow them and need a new set after only a couple of years so there is no real need to splurge as a beginner. You also won't be able to appreciate the extra quality.

Do golf clubs actually make a difference?

In short therefore while more expensive clubs, grips and shafts can make a difference as your golf game improves more money does not automatically mean better and it is far more important that you have golf clubs that are 'fitted' to your swing as opposed to simply being more expensive.

Is it worth buying better golf clubs?

Yes, it is worth buying better golf clubs if you have improved and your current clubs no longer suit your level of ability, or you need an upgrade. It is important that you don't just buy more expensive clubs, but ones that are matched to your skill level to get you the best results on the course.

Is there really much difference in golf irons?

The simple truth is you need to honestly assess your iron performance and see if you think you can get more from a newer model. If you're a good player who's lost some speed and distance over the years, a new set of irons can make a big difference.

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.

Is there a difference between a cheap golf clubs?

The main difference between high and low-end golf equipment is the shaft and the quality of the materials used. More expensive shaft construction translates to better feel, potentially leading to better and more consistent swings.

Should I buy 10 year old golf clubs?

Golf clubs of a recent vintage are always an excellent value provided they're in good condition and fit you reasonably well. If you do a little research and get guidance from a knowledgeable friend or good sales person, used clubs can definitely be the way to go.

Do golf irons lose distance over time?

So, Do Golf Irons Wear Out Over Time What is this? Golf irons will wear out over time. The clubs that you most often will be the ones to wear out first. This is because they are getting hit the most.

How much is a decent set of golf clubs?

The Costs of Complete Sets of Golf Clubs Complete sets or packages of golf clubs aimed at the average golfer can range anywhere from around $100 to $1,200 (less than £100 to around the £1,000 mark).

Can better golf clubs improve your game?

If you are someone that started out recently and has seen good improvement in your game with an old set of clubs, you can definitely make a big improvement by getting clubs that are created for your swing speed and fitted perfectly for you.

Should all your golf clubs be the same brand?

As a general rule golf clubs do not need to be the same brand. Focusing on matching the brand is an expensive strategy and it is more important to keep other club elements such as the shaft, length and lie angle consistent. All final club decisions should be based principally on what gives the best results.

Do new irons go further?

Year-over-year, distance increases in new equipment are generally minimal. If you bought a driver in 2019, the 2020 model may only be 1-2 yards longer. But, if you have a driver from 2004, then the 2020 model could be 20+ yards longer.

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 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.

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.

Why are low handicap golfers less wowed by fittings?

The reason low handicap golfers tend to be less “wowed” by a fitting is because as a better player, they have over the years already found clubs that fit their more consistent swing characteristics reasonably well. Better players can and do fit themselves with great success.

What matters more to putting success for any player with any type of stroke?

What matters far more to putting success for any player with any type of stroke is having the length, lie, loft, weighting and grip size/feel perfectly fit to their stance, posture, ball position, hand position, stroke angle of attack and preference for feel.

What is a better shaft for one player?

What is a “better” performing shaft for one player can be a poorly performing shaft for other players, and vice versa, simply because shaft performance is totally about matching the weight, full length stiffness, torque and weight distribution to the swing characteristics and preference for feel of each individual golfer.

Do golfers make errors?

Yes, no question, average-to-less-skilled golfers make definite swing errors and do demonstrate a higher level of inconsistency in their swings. But they get the ball airborne more than 98 percent of the time and their misses tend to be more in one direction than the other.

Most coaches advise taking a few lessons before shelling out big bucks for clubs

Open any golfing magazine and you'll be hit with an avalanche of ads: golf clothes, golf balls, golf gadgets and -- perhaps the most most expensive item of all -- golf clubs.

What the duffers say

The internet is loaded with sites filled with people who love to share their opinions -- for free.

Check with the pro

Patrick McCarthy, Director of Instruction at Broad Run Golf and Practice Facility, in Bristow, Virginia (Full disclosure: This is where I play and have taken lessons), is of two minds.

Why are Japanese golf clubs so expensive?

Japanese clubs are also expensive because golf is a very elite sport in Japan, this means that clubs tend to be more expensive because they will sell at premium prices. Don’t be taken in too much though, they aren’t the magic bullet that makes you a player overnight.

What is a wedge in golf?

Wedges are one of the most underrated clubs in the bag and many just take whatever the manufacturer gives them with a set. That may not help you so much, especially when if you are a good golfer, you may want to look into specialist wedges from your pitching wedge down.

Can you get yourself clubs in golf?

The golf swing is as individual as a fingerprint and you should take full advantage of the wide-array of options out there that can help you. The best thing is that you can get yourself clubs that are fitted to your specifications and it costs nothing extra.

Is it expensive to buy new golf clubs?

Buying new golf clubs can be an expensive business and it is very easy to get carried away and overspend. You need to remember that golf clubs aren’t forever so you are better buying at a more modest price point. The most important part of all of this is that you get yourself fitted by a qualified technician.

Do golf clubs have to be checked by a pro?

Surprisingly, the major golf manufacturers have a very lax approach to quality control in terms of lie and loft of clubs so always get them checked by a pro. When you buy premium, you are getting the best construction material and new technology which can give you an edge over people who use other equipment.

Does Brooks Koepka have a club contract?

However, this seems to be changing and some top players have no club contract at all, they just play what they like. Brooks Koepka is one of these players and it is interesting to see what makes up his bag. He has always had Mizuno irons which are easily some of the best made and underrated clubs on the market.

How much weight should a golf shaft be?

Weight. Getting the correct weight of your shaft is an important factor to consider as well. Shafts can range anywhere from 40 to 135 grams. Typically the rule of thumb is that a golfer with a slower swing speed will benefit from using a lighter shaft, and you would add weight as swing speed increases. As you might expect at this point, there are ...

What is the biggest misconception about golf shafts?

One of the biggest misconceptions about shafts is that there are standards out there that manufacturers adhere to. Most golfers assume that a shaft marked regular or stiff will be the same across the board, no matter who they buy it from.

What is the difference between stock shafts and aftermarket shafts?

The difference between stock shafts and aftermarket shafts is usually found in quality control. Many times the bigger OEMs will strip off the paint of last year’s model and give them a new exterior. The graphics look attractive, but you really have no idea what is beneath it.

Why didn't Nick Price find a stiff shaft?

Regardless of the similarity in their swing speeds, Nick Price couldn’t find a shaft stiff enough for his swing because he would apply such an enormous amount of force, whereas Couples didn’t need as stiff of a shaft because of his smooth tempo.

What is the most important thing about a driver shaft?

One of the most important things about shafts is how they handle the force that a player’s swing will apply. Generally speaking, there are two extremes. Some players apply a late load to their swing, which would require a stiffer tip of the driver shaft. Conversely, a player that extends early in their swing (most recreational golfers) ...

Can you tell the difference between Peter Luger's shafts?

Such is the case with shafts. The quality of the product will affect your ability to strike a golf ball properly.

Do you need a softer shaft for a golf swing?

Conversely, a player that extends early in their swing (most recreational golfers) would require a shaft with a softer tip. Getting this right is extremely important, and it’s often not discussed at all when people talk about choosing shafts (it’s mostly just about flex), which leads us to our next point.

Fun? No. Important? Maybe

Getting fit for clubs is exciting. You pick out a new club head, pair it with a fancy shaft, select a fresh grip. Oh yeah, and you bang a few shots off a piece of plastic.

How We Tested

We gathered 7 golfers of varying handicaps for this test. Each golfer hit 7 shots with a 6-iron set at each of the following lie angles: 57.5, 61.5, and 65.5. All shots were recorded on Trackman. Each golfer was also fit for lie angle on a lie board.

The Results

A cursory look at the data shows that lie angle can have a huge effect on accuracy.

Conclusion

While it’s definitely the least exciting part of a club fitting, dialing in your lie angle is critical to maximizing your distance and accuracy with your irons. We also learned that, for many players, a lie board can be a useful tool for getting the lie angle correct.

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