There’s no two ways about it, golf clubs are expensive. Even the more affordable options can run you a few hundred dollars. Once you enter more premium categories, they can easily cost $1000+. All this begs the following question – do golf clubs matter?
Is it really worth picking up an expensive set of clubs or will a basic option work just as well? On this page, we’ll be exploring just how ‘worth it’ these more expensive options can be. We’ll discuss the various factors that can impact a club’s performance as well as what to expect as a new player.
Read on to choose the right clubs for you.
Do Expensive Clubs Make a Difference?
The design, quality, and materials of a club do indeed affect its performance. The thing is, the club you’re using is just one part of the picture. Your experience as a golfer and the specific clubs you choose are just as important.
In this section, we’ll be discussing whether expensive clubs make a difference. Don’t go taking out a second mortgage for that new set of clubs just yet!
Your Skill as a Player
Far more important than the quality or cost of a golf club is the skill level of the person using it. A pro golfer can achieve more with a better set of clubs, but their extra features and design considerations will be lost on a less experienced player.
If you’re new to the game of golf, you definitely don’t need to fork out thousands on your first set of clubs. Finding a decent beginner option will be more than enough at first. Once your skill level grows, it might be worth upgrading your kit.
If you’ve got money to burn, we strongly advise spending the money on a few coaching sessions instead. A good coach will be able to train the basics of your swing and give you the best possible chance of improving as a player.
Very Cheap VS Very Expensive
The most noticeable difference between golf clubs can be found between the cheapest of the cheap and the most expensive options out there. Even a novice may be able to spot a slight difference between these categories of golf clubs.
The thing is, this comparison simply isn’t helpful for most people. At best, you’ll be seeing maybe a 0.5% – 1% improvement to your overall game if you’re a newbie. Does that sound like it’s worth thousands of dollars to you?
Very Expensive VS Even More Expensive
The differences become far harder to spot when you compare expensive clubs to super expensive clubs, even if you’re a professional. At this level, preferences and creature comforts are a much bigger part of the picture.
Our advice is to test out clubs as much as possible before pulling the trigger and actually buying them. Look for golf stores near you that have testing ranges for you to get a few practice swings under your belt.
A lot of this is more subjective than you may be expecting. If ordering online, read through the site’s return policy to avoid disappointment. Golf Bidder, for example, offers a 7-day free trial for clubs but only on second hand options.
The Bottom Line – Do Golf Clubs Matter?
The bottom line here is that the quality of the golf clubs you’re using does matter, but far less than many people expect. If you’re a newcomer to the sport, your priority should be improving your technique and experience level, not buying expensive clubs.
For most people, cheaper clubs are more than enough until they’ve reached an intermediate level. More experienced players will notice a difference with more premium options, but we’re talking incremental changes here, not a complete transformation.
How to Get the Right Clubs for You
The question remains – how do you know which clubs will be best for you? While the process of shopping for clubs can feel daunting to the uninitiated, it can be a relatively straightforward process with the right know-how.
The main things to think about when buying new clubs are:
- Weight
- Length
- Loft
- Cost
- Materials used
To help narrow down your search, it can be a good idea to get a custom fitting from a service provider you trust. There are two main options here. We explore them below.
Get Custom Fitted for New Clubs
A decent custom fitting can give you a much clearer picture of which clubs might be the best fit for your play style. So, how does it work? In most cases, a professional will assess your swing and a few other factors using their expertise and specialist equipment.
They’ll then make suggestions about the type of clubs that would work best for you. If you’re a complete beginner, they may also be able to talk you through a few things to keep in mind when shopping for your first set of clubs. Why deliberate for days when you can just trust an expert?
Get Your Existing Clubs Custom Fitted
If you’ve already got a set of clubs but want to have them tweaked to fit you better, a custom fitting for your existing set is a great way to go. A professional will be able to adjust the loft and shape of your clubs to perfectly fit your technique and overall swing.
Just keep in mind that this approach can be prohibitively expensive depending on the number of clubs you’re hoping to adjust. It’s also best used by slightly more experienced players. Newbies are better off waiting until they actually know what kind of adjustments they need!
Which Clubs are the Most Important?
If you’re wondering if there’s one type of club to spend a bit more money on, your driver or fairways might be a safe bet. You’ll be using them a decent amount and they’re some of the most important tools for a beginner to get to grips with the game.
Final Thoughts
We hope you found the information on this page helpful. While the cost of golf clubs can have an impact, the skill of the person using them is far more important than anything else.
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