Golf — Judging Equipment With Common Sense

Proper grip, stance, posture, swing — all essential to the game. But don't forget you are doing all those things with golf equipment and, like any product, some are better than others. Here are a few things to consider when looking for clubs, shoes, and all the rest.

Equipment, like people, comes in all shapes and sizes. The reason is simple: those differently shaped and sized people! Golf is played by young children, men and women of all races and builds. Manufacturers have risen to the challenge by offering products to match that variety.

For the younger players, shorter and lighter clubs are a given. Accept that your young teen isn't going to do well playing with your adult set. Many women, too, fit into this 'less-tall, less-strong' category and need equipment suited to them.

Clubs for those individuals have lightweight shafts and smaller diameter grips. Clubs that are too heavy will be difficult to control. A club that's too long or too short will throw off your stance and your swing. Too long and the toe of the club will tend to point further up, causing a tendency to hook. Too short and the iron will have a toe that points toward the ground. That's a recipe for slicing.

The best way to judge length is by holding at least three different length clubs and checking to make sure a natural swing contacts the clubhead at the sweetspot.

In addition to length, clubs have flex and torque ratings.

Contrary to myth, shafts do not tend to lose stiffness over the years, so buy the most expensive club you can afford. Worn grips are relatively inexpensive to replace. If you're an adult and continue to play, you'll use them for years before technology compels you to upgrade. If your clubs are more than five years old, you'll want to investigate getting some of the newer clubs.

Flex is the amount a club will 'pendulum' back and forth in a plane. If the shaft is too flexible, you have less control and will tend to hook. Too stiff and your shot will lose distance, and tend to slice. Experiment is the only way to know what's right for you.

Torque ratings measure the degree the shaft rotates counter and clockwise as you look down on the shaft toward the head. As the ball compresses against the clubface, the shaft is rotated slightly by the impact. Both the de-compression of the ball as it comes away from the head, and the rotation of the shaft back to the starting point contribute to a controlled, long flying ball. Start with 2.5, hit some long drives, and experiment to find what's best for you.

Modern clubs have more variety in design. Longer heads, heavier heads, cavity-backed heads, titanium vs steel vs. graphite vs aluminum shafts, head inserts all make subtle differences. But picking one depends critically on your swing speed and style and other personal factors. The best advice is to be patient and investigate which, of those you can afford, gives you the best results. Read reviews with a skeptical eye.

A Few Words About Shoes

The average recreational golfer will spend several hours once a week walking a couple of miles or more. At the same time, he or she will be tensing feet and hoping for a solid footing, twisting, springing, etc. All this calls for quality footwear.

As with clubs, by the best you can afford. In this case, since they'll wear out much more often than clubs — buy a little better than you can afford. They'll usually last enough longer than to justify the expense. Of course, don't rush out your first weekend and buy $400 shoes. Make sure you are going to play for years to come first.

When buying shoes with spikes (not allowed at all courses!), make sure there's no spike directly beneath the ball of your foot. That tends to produce sesamoiditis, a too-common-among-golfers pain in the ball of the foot.

When trying on prospective shoes, wear the same size and thickness sock that you'll wear on the course. Naturally, they shouldn't bunch at the toe, nor tend to slip inside the shoe.

Check the foot by putting weight on one side and wiggling your toes. On tiptoe, the shoes should bend where your foot does, across the toes. There should about a half-inch of space from your big toe to the inside of the shoe.

Leather tends to shape itself to the foot and also helps to keep out moisture. Save the running shoes for jogging.

Happy shopping!