Photo Credit: Donna Doerning

Golf Clubs: What to Know When You Buy

    Golf clubs need to fit your ability level and style of play. Several factors, out of the total twenty-plus club attributes, require special attention when deciding whether a club is right for you. The factors you should pay close attention to are shaft flex, club length, swing weight, loft and the material of the shaft and head. Those aspects of golf clubs can have the greatest impact on whether you end up on the green or in the trees.

Shaft Flex: Flex, also know as "kick point," is the measure of how much your golf club bends, when you swing it. It is the most important factor in deciding which clubs to buy, according to Bill Denehy in his book Intrinsic Golf. Generally, the stiffer the shaft is the more accurate the golf club; however, the more flexible the shaft, the more distance you can generate. You need the correct flex to achieve good distance without loosing accuracy.
    The flex you should use is determined by swing speed. While professional golfers can swing over 120 mph, most golfers never reach 80 mph (Puett). Due to the large differences in swing speed, flex is divided into five levels, although different manufacturers have their own names for some of them. In general, L is for an average women, A is for senior men and faster swinging women, R is for the average men, S is for fast swinging men and XS is usually just for professionals.
    It is very important to find the right flex for you. The correct flex should feel springy when you swing, not stiff (Denehy). Even though you may like to consider yourself a golf pro, don't be so smug when buying golf clubs. Buying a club with the incorrect flex will only end up hurting your game.

Club Length: Club length is measured from the bottom of the club head, which is also called the sole, to the top of the grip, which is also called the butt. It is the second most important aspect of selecting golf clubs because it affects your distance, accuracy and consistency (Denehy). Most golfers will fit off-the-shelf golf clubs, but getting custom fit by a knowledgeable professional or club maker can improve your golf clubs' performances (Wuorio).
    The philosophy behind club length is that the longer the club, the wider the swing path, which equates to more club head speed and farther shots. However, if a club is too long you won't be able to control it, resulting in inconsistency and inaccuracy. Therefore, you should use the longest driver you can manage but have conventional length irons and wedges (Denehy).
    You want to use the longest driver you can manage, because when you drive, distance is more important than accuracy. Using a longer driver will help you achieve more distance. Whereas, conventional lengths work better on irons, because you use irons for your middle shots where accuracy counts. Using irons that are shorter than your drivers will give you the control you need when trying to land on the green.

Swing Weight: Swing weight is the third most important consideration when selecting golf clubs (Denehy). It is a measure of how heavy the head of the club is compared to the grip end during a swing. The higher the swing weight, the heavier the club head feels during a swing (Nicklaus). The goal with swing weight is to find a club light enough to swing fast but heavy enough so you can feel the club head and control the swing.
    Swing weight varies from C0 to D9. Beginner women usually use C0 to C5. Good women players and older men usually use C5 to C8. An average man usually uses D0, and a good male player uses about D2. Few players ever use over D4 because it is too heavy to swing fast (How to Play Better Golf).

Loft: Loft measures the angle of the clubface. It affects the trajectory and the distance you can hit a ball. Besides putters, drivers has the lowest amount of loft, which is about 11 degrees, and wedges have the highest amount of loft, which can be up to about 63 degrees (Mulvoy). The lower the loft, the more distance you can achieve; however, it is more difficult to hit solid shots unless you have a very fast swing. For example, the optimum loft for your driver should be 17 degrees if you swing 60 mph, 15 degrees if 70 mph, 13 degrees if 80 mph, 12 degrees if 90 mph and 11 degrees if 100 mph (Wishon).

Materials: The materials of the shaft and the club head can greatly affect the performance of your golf clubs. The ideal materials in the shaft and club head need to be both light and strong.


Where to Buy: There are many places that sell golf clubs. You can go to a golf pro shop, off-course golf retail store, general sporting good stores, garage sales and the internet. However, not all retail outlets have the same quality of equipment. For example, department stores or discount stores may have lower prices, but they often stock the lower-quality clubs and lower-priced models (Puett). Most golf experts wouldn't recommend buying your golf clubs from general sporting goods stores that don't specialize in golf (Puett).
    If you are serious about getting the right golf clubs for your swing, you need custom-fit golf clubs. Trying to play with poorly fitted clubs is like trying to run a marathon in shoes that are two sizes too small. A PGA Approved Professional Shop is the best place to get custom clubs because it will have staff professionally trained in club fitting (How to Play Better Golf). Another good alternative is to order golf clubs online using the custom fitting programs on many companies' Web sites. You can select from a wide range of shafts, lengths, grips, flexes and lofts.

    Armed with the above information, you can venture into the jungle of golf clubs more prepared. Understanding how shaft flex, club length, swing weight, loft and club materials affect your golf club selection is a good start. However, no matter how much information you have, the only way to truly know if a club is right for you is to test it out. Each golfer has a unique swing and unique playing style. Only experience can single out your perfect golf clubs.