Equipment
New Year,
Find the right fit in 2019 //
by SCOTT KRAMER
PERUSING THROUGH AISLES OF
GOLF EQUIPMENT at a local shop can
be downright daunting. For starters, there
are so many technical terms to understand
and marketing jargon to decipher. Then
there are all of the brands and models
available in every equipment category.
You couldn’t possibly compare them
all. So where do you even start? You need
a game plan—before you even set foot in
the shop.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN
EVALUATING GEAR
There’s a certain look golfers like in their
clubs. Maybe it’s a driver with a deep
face, or more clubface curvature than
the others. Or irons with a thin top line.
Or a blade putter rather than a mallet.
In other words, you have a natural bias
in what looks good to your eye. If you’ve
been fitted for clubs, you may already
know your specs. If you haven’t (and
aren’t planning to), you’ll need to toy
around and test a few models,
to see what performs best
for you.
Either way, you have
to start with clubs that
look right to your eye.
If you don't have visual
confidence in them, you
will never hit them well.
Once you’ve narrowed down your choices
to a few models, it's time to test them
out at the range. Hit several shots with
each, and see what feels right for you and
which helps you hit the ball the best. You
can always have a clubfitter fine-tune ball
flight up or down, right or left. But you
need to be in the ballpark right from the
start. By the way, a good clubfitter will be
able to fit you into the proper shaft and
grip for your unique swing.
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Start with clubs that look right to
your eye. If you don't have visual
confidence in them, you will
never hit them well.
This is key, because it can make all the
difference between struggling to hit a golf
ball and gracing it down the fairway with
ease. A fitter can also make sure that you
get the right wedge spread, with respect
to loft and bounce. Ideally you will have
a golf club for every imaginable distance
and situation you encounter out on the
golf course. As for putters, go with a model
you feel comfortable standing over, with
respect to shaping, color, alignment lines
and finish.
SETTING A BUDGET—ON
SKILL LEVEL OR FREQUENCY
It’s OK to avoid taking a financial plunge
into equipment until you’re a more skilled
V I R G I N I A G O L F E R | J A N UA R Y / F E B R UA R Y 2 0 1 9
player. Just don’t cheap out on yourself
and get inferior clubs from the start.
They may well cause you to never gain
the confidence you need to improve. In
fact, if the clubs are too heavy for you, you
may struggle to sweep them up on your
backswing—resulting in an
awkward downswing and
awry results. If the shafts
aren’t flexed properly,
you will likely hit shots
right and left—and be
frustrated all the while.
If you cannot find anyone
to loan you their extra set
for a while, then you’re best off finding
inexpensive, premium used clubs out on
vsga.org