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why are womens and mens golf different

by Kathleen Schowalter PhD Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Women have lighter shafts, a lighter clubface, and slimmer and lighter grips. This all adds up to create the lightest possible combination. Men put more brute force into the swing and therefore require stronger steel shafts that increase the overall weight of the club.

Full Answer

Why are there differences between men and women’s golf clubs?

And these differences have been put in place primarily because of two reasons. The first one is that most female golfers have a slower swing speed than men. And the other reason is that women are also shorter and smaller than men. This means a slimmer grip and shorter shaft length.

What is the difference between men’s and women’s Golf Grips?

Women’s hands are generally not as large as men’s, so a woman’s golf grip is made accordingly. Most men are playing with a standard to midsize grip on their clubs. The correct grip size allows the hands to be in the correct position and for the right amount of grip pressure through impact. Women’s golf grips are considerably thinner.

Do golf manufacturers take women golfers seriously?

Brent Kelley is an award-winning sports journalist and golf expert with over 30 years in print and online journalism. Once upon a time, golf manufacturers didn't take women golfers very seriously. Women didn't make up enough of the golf marketplace to warrant being wooed by club companies.

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Why are mens and womens golf separate?

Men and women in general play a different style of golf. Men tend to have longer drives, sometimes wild, and take more time on the greens. Women play at a steady pace, down the middle, and move more quickly on the greens, probably because they aren't betting.

Are mens and womens golf courses the same?

The most logical place to start is with golf club length. A standard men's club is made for a man that is 5'9″ tall. A standard women's club is designed for a woman that is 5'7″ tall. Since there is a difference in height women's clubs are generally about ¾ to one inch shorter than men's.

What is the difference between men's and women's golf drivers?

Most women's hands are smaller than men's, and this means the club grips must be different. The grips on women's clubs are generally smaller in length and in diameter. Men's grips tend to be thicker and longer. Proper grip size allows the golfer to take a firm hold on the club.

Can a man use ladies golf clubs?

Deciding on which set of golf clubs suit your swing as difficult as it is. When your swing speed is low the question is often asked, can a man use women's golf clubs? The short answer is, absolutely!!

Do Lady golf balls go further?

Women's balls are designed to go further than men's balls, and they indeed might if a woman has a high enough swing speed. Women's balls do maximize distance.

How can you tell if a golf club is for men or womens?

0:051:28Golf Basics : What Is the Difference Between Ladies' & Mens' Golf Clubs?YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNumber. One most of all is weight is the ladies Golf Club is much lighter overall. Than a men's golfMoreNumber. One most of all is weight is the ladies Golf Club is much lighter overall. Than a men's golf club. And that's for obvious.

Are male golfers better than female?

Women, in general, can't hit their shots as far as men, and the male pros hit the farthest of all. However, if you watch elite women golfers you'll notice that they are about as skilled as PGA pros at approach shots, chips, and putts.

Are women's golf clubs lighter?

Similar technology is applied to men's and ladies' golf clubs, but ladies' clubs are generally shorter, lighter and more flexible. These differences play to ladies' smaller stature and slower swing speed while allowing women to get the most out of their clubs.

How far should a woman hit a 5 hybrid?

Hybrid vs Iron Distance ChartClubLoft (Degree)Distance (Yards)4 Hybrid221955 Hybrid251886 Hybrid281807 Hybrid311737 more rows

Are women's golf bags smaller than men's?

Women's golf stand bags are shorter than men's golf carry bags to provide a better fit for the shorter length of women's clubs.

What height are ladies golf clubs made for?

As a result, the standard size of golf club for women is shorter in length and is designed for women that are between 65-inches (5'5") and 69-inches (5'9") tall. For women who are shorter than 5'5", golf manufacturers produce a "petite" golf club that is both shorter and lighter than the standard length club.

Are mens and womens handicaps the same?

Biology dictates that in general, men will be able to hit the ball a lot further than women. In theory, that means they're more likely to be hitting shorter approach shots and therefore hit greens in regulation (or have the length to at least).

What height are women's golf clubs designed for?

Women's clubs are not only lighter than men's clubs but also shorter as well. In general, they are designed for golfers between 5'5” and 5'9” tall. If you're shorter than 5'5”, don't worry though.

Why do ladies get extra shots in golf?

Statistically a lady palying of 20 would on average score less points on the same course playing from the red tees than a man, senior or otherwise playing from which wever tees (yellow??) that had a SSS of 70. So to even the comeptition the ladies are given the courtesey shots.

Shaft Flex

Most female golfers have below-average swing speeds when compared to men’s golfers. As a result, women are best suited to playing with more flexible shafts to generate extra clubhead speeds.

Shaft Type

Shaft type refers to the material used in the build of the shaft – i.e., what is the shaft made of. Golf shafts are produced using graphite or steel, commonly used in drivers, fairway woods, and hybrids. Steel shafts are typically found in irons and wedges.

Weight

Weight is also a common difference between men’s and women’s golf clubs. Women’s golf clubs are lighter than men’s golf clubs, and with good reason. The average swing speed of a women’s golfer is nearly 30 mph slower than that of the average male golfer.

Driver Loft

By now, it is clear that the average woman can’t swing the club as fast as the average male golfer. Due to slow swing speeds, female golfers struggle to launch the golf ball into the air. Height issues are particularly evident when we look at driving.

Club Length

Standard men’s and women’s golf clubs differ in length. Women’s clubs are slightly shorter than men’s clubs because women are shorter than men on average. To learn more about the length difference between men’s and women’s clubs, read our “How much shorter are women’s golf clubs?” article.

Why are women's golf clubs shorter than men?

Because men generate more clubhead speed and are taller and stronger, it is essential that men and women buy equipment suited for their gender, as the equipment is designed to make the most of the key differences in swing styles and speed. In particular, women's golf clubs are usually shorter, have lighter more flexible shafts and grips are smaller.

What is the difference between men and women in golf?

Overview. Though most of the same principles apply to men and women learning golf, fundamental differences exist between a men's and women's golf swing. Because men generate more clubhead speed and are taller and stronger, it is essential that men and women buy equipment suited for their gender, as the equipment is designed to make the most ...

Why are men and women different in golf?

Because men generate more clubhead speed and are taller and stronger, ...

What is a women's golf shaft made of?

To accommodate the lower swing speed, women's shafts are usually made of graphite or carbon fiber , which is lighter than steel. Most women use shafts designed with lots of flex, referred to as "ladies" and designated with an "L" on the flex scale.

How fast does a woman swing?

According to LearnAboutGolf.com, the average woman has a driver swing speed of 60 mph or less. The average man has a driver swing speed of 75 mph or higher.

Why should your feet be shoulder width apart?

Traditionally, a golfer's feet should be shoulder-width apart at address. But because women have a lower center of gravity, they can benefit from a wider stance. Women have a bigger hip turn and create more resistance during their swing.

Do men have the shoulder strength to divot?

Men usually come through their swings more quickly and at a steeper angle. While this creates the opportunity for a man to take a larger divot, men have the shoulder and wrist strength to compensate for digging into the ground. Women do not have the same luxury, and because of the shallow angle, may struggle to lift the ball off the ground.

How fast does a woman swing?

A women’s swing generally uses timing, tempo, and hip turn to generate clubhead speed while men are all about the use of brawn to generate higher swing speed. Trackman studies have shown that the average PGA Tour player reaches 113 mph driver swing speed while it is only 94 mph on the LPGA Tour.

How high should a golfer be to play women's golf clubs?

Men’s clubs are designed for golfers with a height of 5 feet 9 inches. If you are shorter than that, you will gain more control using women’s golf clubs.

What is a Wilson 10 piece golf set?

The 10-piece Wilson Golf Profile golf set combines the technological advantages of the men’s set with the adjustments expected in women’s golf clubs. The shaft flex, shaft length, grip size, and swing weight is set to suit women players

What type of shaft do men use?

Shaft material. Since men are generally generate faster swing speeds than women, men’s clubs have a selection of either steel shafts or graphite s hafts. The heavier steel shafts provide the male golfer with more control over the club as they swing it with more power.

How long is a golf club?

Club length. Your club length is generally determined by the length of your shaft. The maximum length allowed by the golf governing bodies is 48 inches. Individual shaft length is based on your body proportions and built to suit your body type, arm length, and strength to maximize swing power and ball control.

How tall should a woman be to play golf?

There is no reason a woman should not play with a set of men’s golf clubs. It is recommended that women that are 5 feet 9 inches or taller seriously consider playing with men’s clubs as most women’s clubs are designed for people that are 5 feet 7 inches or below.

How long is a petite golf club shaft?

The standard women’s golf clubs will be too long for petite ladies. The optimal shaft for petite ladies is approximately 1 inch shorter than the standard length.

Why are women's golf shafts shorter than men?

Shorter shafts are due to the fact that in general women are shorter than men, and shorter shafts will better fit more women golfers. Shorter shafts also provide more control of the swing. More flexible golf shafts and more loft on the clubfaces are both things that help golfers with slower swing speeds get the ball up in ...

What color golf clubs are used for women?

Of course they do, old habits die hard. Pinks and pastels are still common accent colors in women's golf clubs, and many women golfers prefer a little pink on the driver head or elsewhere in their golf bag. But today, most clubs marketed to women come with options, and with much more than just the color pink to make them "women's clubs.".

Do women golfers have slower swings than men?

Generally speaking, women golfers tend to have slower swing speeds than men golfers. And that means that - again, generally speaking - women golfers can benefit from some specific approaches in golf club design.

Do women golf clubs have pink shafts?

Such "ladies clubs" were once mostly just the companies' regular clubs but painted pink and given a shorter shaft. Today, companies that make clubs specifically for women golfers put far more effort ...

Golf Clubs for Men and Golf Clubs for Women – What Are the Differences?

Human anatomy is such that men have larger hands than women. So then it only seems logical to assume that men’s clubs are outfitted with standard-sized to mid-sized grips. As for women’s clubs, the grips on these are thinner for their smaller hands.

What About Differences in the Different Golf Clubs for Men and Women?

Golf drivers for women have a legally largest clubhead size (460cc) for a more expansive sweet spot of course, thus more forgiveness. Along with more offset, which improves the accuracy of your shots as well as takes them higher. Men’s clubs do not have this offset plus they’re built with smaller clubheads.

Frequently Asked Questions

I don’t think you have to be a Senior Tour golfer like me to come to the understanding that the clubs you use should match your height, size of hands, and swing speed. This means female golfers with an under-average swing speed absolutely must keep away from powerful, heavy golf clubs (mostly men’s) since they’re not the easiest to swing.

All Sorted Then?

Golf clubs for women and golf clubs for men go through the same manufacturing process and they also feature the same technology. The differences, however, take form when talking about secondary characteristics like shaft material, shaft flex, clubhead weight/size, etc.

What material is used to make a women's golf club more powerful?

Graphite is often used for women's clubs instead of more rigid materials like aluminum, steel or titanium.

How many degrees does a driver have on the club face?

Men's drivers generally have lofts between 9 and 11 degrees on the club face. Because women typically don't hit the ball as hard as men, the trajectory of the shot must be higher to prevent the ball from hitting the ground before it has reached its maximum distance.

Why do women's drivers have lighter heads?

Women's drivers generally have smaller and lighter heads than men's drivers to offset some of the difference in strength between the sexes.

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Length

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The most logical place to start is with golf club length. A standard men’s club is made for a man that is 5’9″ tall. A standard women’s club is designed for a woman that is 5’7″ tall. Since there is a difference in height women’s clubs are generally about ¾ to one inch shorter than men’s. If you are shorter than 5’7,” a standard wo…
See more on golfspan.com

Grips

  • Women’s hands are generally not as large as men’s, so a woman’s golf grip is made accordingly. Most men are playing with a standard to midsize grip on their clubs. The correct grip size allows the hands to be in the correct position and for the right amount of grip pressure through impact. Women’s golf grips are considerably thinner. For a woman with small hands, playing with a men’…
See more on golfspan.com

Lofts

  • The loft on the club is used to help launch the ball in the air. Men’s clubs are built with significantly less loft than a woman’s club. Take, for instance, a standard driver. The best men’s drivers (although mostly now adjustable) come standard from 9-10.5 degrees. For the best woman’s drivers, you would be hard-pressed to find a stock option below twelve degrees. For a men’s set …
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Flexibility

  • When it comes to flexibility choices in shafts, the standard options are Men’s Stiff, Men’s Regular, Men’s Senior and Ladies. The Men’s Senior shaft and the Ladies shaft are very similar if not the same in some shaft brands. The flexibility you need will be directly related to your swing speed and strength. I think that in years to come, you will see several shaft flexibilities between ladies s…
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Weight

  • The overall weight of women’s clubs is less than those of a men’s club. There are a few reasons for this that I have already covered. The shaft is lighter, the grip is lighter, and often the clubhead is lighter. As these add up, the overall weight is considerably less.
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Final Thoughts

  • The differences between men’s and women’s golf clubs are quite significant. The reason behind these differences boil down to strength and size. Typically speaking, men are stronger and larger than women. If you are a woman who is quite strong, don’t be afraid to look outside the box and think about Men’s clubs as an option. Just because they are called men’s clubs, it does not mea…
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