Buying the Best Golf Clubs

So, after determining that golf is the sport for you, a realization that you need tools and equipment to play the game. It's time to purchase and you want to know specifics in buying the best set golf clubs. One thing that you need to know is that you are investing in something that you can use for many years.

Should I buy an inexpensive set? A new brand name top of the line set? Or, a per-owned/used set of clubs? Depending on what you can afford, this should be your order of preference, and provided the irons you are purchasing are a matched set. 1) new top of the line brand irons, 2) a pre-owned/used set of top of the line irons, and 3) the inexpensive/economy iron set. The remainder of the clubs: putter, driver, and fairway metals should follow the same guidelines. Let's look at why we place them in this order.

Things to evaluate when buying the best set golf clubs:

1. 
   
   Buy new quality name brand golf clubs. They may be more expensive, but there is reason for this. The process for making quality golf clubs has been through research, engineering, and developed by people that have been educated and designing the products for years. This process comes at a cost. This article is not promoting a particular brand, but the top of the line golf clubs from most all major manufacturers use the same process. Two of the major factors that separate the premier golf club manufacturer from the inexpensive golf club manufacturers are: higher quality of materials used , and higher standards of quality control in assembly.
   Also, the top of the line clubs will have a higher trade in value, or resale value.
2. 
   
   The per-owned/used clubs should have the same attributes as the new quality brand names but at less expensive cost. These clubs may require some maintenance care. Like new grips, etc. They can retain value when resold or used for trade-in.
3. 
   
   There are a lot of less expensive clubs on the market that are of good quality. It is very hard to determine one from the other. Cloning and counterfeiting are copy and paste methods of mass production without quality or control. Because of this the resale or trade in value is very little and are found mostly at garage sales.
   Quality brand name golf club manufacturers use shafts, heads, and grips, that are constructed to higher grade specifications than the economy constructed clubs. A lot of the economy golf clubs are assembled utilizing rejects or flawed products from the brand name manufacturers.

Depending on your ability if you are a seasoned and accomplished player, when you are buying the best set of golf clubs you will probably want to go through a complete club fitting process. However, for players just learning, and haven't established a consistent swing pattern, static fitting is all you need. One thing to know is that each name brand iron has their own standard loft, lie, length, and grip diameter, which may or may not be the same. They will be close so it is safe to say the standard club is designed to fit 8o% of the golfing public.

If you are still concerned about buying the best set of golf clubs. One thing you need to know is that the club engineers design mainly for higher handicap golfers which is 80% of the golfers, (this is the majority of the people buying clubs,) and the face angle will be slightly offset due to a natural slice element of most players. Unless you have time to practice a lot and learn the proper swing plane the standard offset will be good for you. Happy shopping and have fun playing golf. A game for life.

Dale Bartlett, author and PGA golf instructor

http://dbart5.blogspot.com/