All too often, golfers, both experienced and beginners, start looking for new golf clubs, but give no thought to a number of aspects that will either help or hinder their game. There are so many golf clubs for men that it can be all too easy to get carried away with stocking your golf bag. The end results often include a bag that’s too big to carry, a handful or more of clubs that very rarely get used, or worst of all, pretty poor performance. Before you start shopping, whether you’re planning to nip to the golf store or do your golf shopping online, do some research. We will be helping with our guide on picking the best golf clubs for men.
Graphite or steel?
This is the first decision you need to make. Graphite shafts are lighter, but more expensive. Their lightness means your swing will have greater speed, which will increase your distance. This is particularly relevant if you’re a beginner or your average swing speed is slow. If you have a little more experience, steel shafts might be the better choice. This is because your swing speed is probably quite quick and a steel shaft will offer more accuracy. Many of the more advanced players actually say they much prefer the ‘feel’ of a steel shaft to graphite ones.
Flex of the shaft
Regardless of what the shaft is made of, there are five different flexes. The flex in the shaft is how much it bends during a swing. They range from ‘Ladies’ which has the most bend, to ‘Extra Stiff’ that doesn’t bend much at all. Your choice of flex depends on your swing speed, and the best bet is to have it measured by an expert, who will have a machine that accurately determines the speed of your clubhead. Of course, we appreciate that not everyone can get to speak with a professional club fitter, in which case you should base your choice on how far you can hit the ball with a driver.
Steel or titanium clubhead?
If you’re at all worried about mishitting your shots, there is a clubhead for you. Titanium is more expensive than steel, but is just as strong, while being lighter. A clubhead made from titanium can therefore be much larger, with a larger surface on the face. Thereby making it less likely to mishit a shot. For the best results you should consider a combination of graphite shafts and titanium heads. This combination is great for golfers looking to improve their game, as they are much easier to hit with.
What combination is right for your bag?
Irons, wedges, hybrid clubs, or metal woods. The best combination will be the one that makes most sense for your game. The choice should be limited to 14 clubs, putter included. More and more players nowadays choose to swap their long irons in favor of hybrids. This is because hybrids combine the best of woods and irons, and are much easier to hit. One final consideration relates to the wedge. Previously, only two types of wedge were available, but now you get four options in total. A sand wedge, a pitching wedge, and now a gap wedge and a lob wedge. If you’re unsure about the differences you might want to ask at your local golf store, or keep reading because we’ll give you some guidance.
A guide on the different types of wedges and how best to use them
Almost every set of golf clubs, bought online or from a store, will have a pitching wedge. This is the most common, and nearly every golfer will have one. There are, however, three others: sand, lob, and gap. Each is designed for a different kind of shot.
- Pitching wedge – Have the least amount of loft. A pitching wedge usually has a loft of between 44 and 50 degrees. With this kind of wedge it’s easier to get under the ball. The low loft will mean the ball travels a greater distance. On average, a shot made with a pitching wedge will travel 110 to 140 yards. A great club for approach shots from the fairway or rough.
- Gap wedge – Gap wedges were created as a hole filler. Previously, there had been a gap in the loft offered by wedges. Gap wedges have more than a pitching wedge, but less than a sand or lob wedge. Typically the loft will be between 46 and 54 degrees, allowing travel of the ball to be as far as 110 yards. If a shot is too short to use a pitching wedge, but too long for a sand wedge, then a gap wedge is the perfect answer.
- Sand wedge – Excellent for hitting out of the sand, but can in fact be used anywhere. Maximum distance will be about 90 yards, with a loft of between 54 and 58 degrees. Use them for an approach shot onto the green, or a short chip onto the green.
- Lob wedge – This wedge will get the ball into the air pretty quickly. With a loft of between 60 and 65 degrees, maximum distance will be around 70 yards.
