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Going The Used Golf Club Route

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Written by James Beckett

Wednesday, 26 March 2008

by JamesBeckett

While the object of the game of golf is to learn the skills necessary to accomplish the goals of moving that tiny ball down those magnificent greens, many times new golfers get far too distracted by buying the cool stuff of golfing and don't focus on their game. But it's a mistake to run out and by top of the line golf clubs suitable for world class golfers when you are still trying to figure out what all the clubs are called. So for the first year of golfing or at least until you are sure you are going to stick with the game, used clubs might be a better approach for your first set.

Buying used clubs reduces the financial impact of getting into golf. You can continue to experiment with the game to see if you are going to be a lifelong golfer or if this is just a temporary fixation that will pass. And if you do cool on playing golf, your investment isn't so huge and you can pass the clubs along to the next new golfer to give the game a try. Maybe more importantly, as you learn how to play golf, you will get a better feel for what is important in buying the golf clubs that will be your long term set and then when you make that larger investment, you know what you are doing.

Even if you do decide that it's smart to go the used club route, it's even smarter to not buy in the first few weeks or months of learning to play gulf but to rent clubs at first. You can work out a deal with your favorite golf shop to rent the same set for several weeks so you can get used to them. This way you can focus on learning golf along with what you like and don't like about how your rental clubs work for you. A side benefit is that by establishing a relationship with the rental shop you like, they can let you know when they are putting used golf club sets on sale and you can get a bargain.

Even when you start shopping for a used set of clubs to make your starter set, it's a great idea to seek out some wise counsel about the purchase. Knowing how to evaluate clubs will help you avoid the disaster of paying money for clubs that are a terrible fit to your style of play. So work with your golf instructor or pros at the shop you are familiar with because he can give you a list of criteria so you have some guidelines when you shop for your first set of clubs. Then when you do buy, you will feel like you were an informed consumer rather than buying out of ignorance.

A factor that is hard to quantify that makes one set of clubs better for you than another is how they feel when you actually use them playing golf. That is why when you visit a golf shop, you always see shoppers taking out golf clubs and doing test swings or putts with them right there is the shop. But to know if the club feels right, you need to have enough experience with golf to even know how it is supposed to feel. But above all playing with each club should be comfortable, you should not feel ill at ease using it and the club should be a tool for you to be a success with golf, not a hindrance.

The quality of materials in a good set of golf clubs will make or break your game. The heads of a good set of used clubs should be stainless steel and not an alloy that will not perform well in play. Good designs for golf clubs especially at the beginner level are what is called perimeter weighted clubs, cavity backed clubs which means they are hollow near the back of the club or clubs with larger or oversized heads. Buying clubs with larger heads gives you a bigger striking surface which means more of your shots will perform well as you learn the game. Then once you are accomplished at golf, you can buy conventional sized golf clubs to use long term.

Obviously other parts of the club like the shaft and the grip are important to your game as well. The club should feel light and comfortable in your hands and the shaft is a big part of that balance. Graphite makes a good golf club shaft material for this reason. But when you are evaluating used clubs, you will be naturally drawn to look at the grip because how you hold the club is so important to a good shot. Don't panic if the grips are a bit worn out on the used clubs you like because that can be easily repaired and made good as new for you. By evaluating all of these parts of the club as a unit, you can decide if this is the set of starter clubs you want to buy.

This process of buying gold clubs for the first time can be overwhelming and fun at the same time. But by doing some homework up front as we have discussed, you will go into the process knowing what you are doing. Be patient and "test drive" each club in the set and if you look them over well, your gut instincts will help you make the right decision about whether this is the right set for your starter golf clubs or if the search should continue.

About the Author:

Are you looking for the best clubs? Then you need graphite shafts. Golf shafts in graphite reduce the stress on your arms and allow you to swing the club faster to get more distance on your shot, find out more at 5MinuteReviews.com.