By: B.J. Hathaway, G.S.E.B., M.C. I.
Medicus Golf Institute
I am not a club fitter, but in my group lessons there are always beginners with "starter sets" and those are just fine for the short term. But even if you never plan to compete you still need the right equipment to play your best golf. This game can be frustrating at times and one huge reason that people often overlook are the 14 clubs in their bag!
Now- let's be honest, you cannot buy a golf swing in the pro shop and having the most expensive set of golf clubs in the world will not lower your handicap- if they don't fit you or if you have terrible technique! If you were buying shoes, you would not go to a store that only sold size "x" but carried all the major brand names unless you just happened to wear that size, nor would you buy a pair that was three sizes too small but looked good because - after 5 minutes your feet would hurt!
The moral of the story -don't play golf with clubs that hurt your game. Here's what you need:
1. grips that fit your hands correctly and that are comfortable.
2. shafts that are the right flex- too stiff or too weak will cause direction problems.
3. club length that fits your height and arm length- clubs that are too short or long will again cause problems.
4. correct weighting- clubs that are too heavy or light will cause a multitude of problems.
5. correct lie angle which is the angle the club sets when you put it in the address position.
So if we look at all of these important factors, it is possible that you can have good technical skills and yet still not play the kind of golf you are capable of. Your options are to buy a custom-built set or take your existing clubs and have them fit to you. Be sure to go to a professional club fitter and check out their credentials first. Once you have your equipment squared away, then take some lessons from a qualified instructor.
Good equipment: $600
Golf lessons: $700
Hitting the ball where you want it to go: priceless.
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