With changes to golf equipment over the years, how we play the game of golf has forever been changed as well. You no longer see manufacturers marketing the traditional "complete set of woods and irons" that we grew up with. They've scratched this plan in favor of offering more forgiving and more popular hybrid clubs as add-ons to sets of irons that routinely start with the 4-iron and even as low as the 5-iron. This has proven advantageous to the typical golfer since hybrids are easier to hit than the longer irons they've replaced.
The USGA and the R&A enforce a limit on the volume (size) of driver heads. That limit is 460cc and for most club golfers, bigger really is better. If you suffer with inconsistency from the tee playing a bigger driver will definitely help. Pushing the weight to the perimeter of the these big drivers and new square and triangular designs means the modern driver is far more forgiving. Square designs and more stable weight distribution are far more forgiving, even on bad swings. Miss-hit a large 460cc driver and you won't suffer as much in distance or accuracy.
In common with all clubs, the heart of your driver lies with the shaft. Fit the wrong shaft and you'll be fighting the club, struggling to find any accuracy or distance. Modern shaft designs can diminish or even eliminate many of the most common misses in golf. Troubled by a slice, a softer shaft might do the trick. If your launch angles are too low, then using a driver shaft with a soft tip for example, could add some loft to your drives. Fitting the correct shaft for your swing speed and your driving will improve. If you've never measured your swing speed, the majority of shaft ratings will incorporate a carry approximation for calculating your best flex. When you check the ratings for various shafts, you need one with a carry rating that matches your typical yardage and you need to be sure that shaft's frequency is accurate.
Hybrids have been the fastest growing segment of the golf market in recent years. While many golfers have trouble hitting longer irons, the hybrid clubs have offered a solution. From any lie condition, good or bad, hybrid clubs are generally easier to hit. The design allows for the ball to launch higher and land softer. Manufacturers of shafts now have options that fit the model of the hybrid clubs.
Iron choices have grown from few to many in an effort to fix every possible issue a golfer could have. If you worry about fat shots or low trajectory, maybe a wider soled iron set would help you get the ball in the air at a better launch angle. If you have the dreaded incurable slice, you may be best suited to an offset iron to help correct it. For many golfers, their games haven't improved in years and it may be time to look at better options.
The short game is where you make or break your scores and that offers lots of options as well. Forgiving wedge designs mean you don't have to make any compromises with your wedge play anymore. If you have trouble playing little flop-shots then high lofted wedges are there to help. If your bunker play is inconsistent, an easy to hit hollow sand wedge may possibly be the best solution. These hollow wedges are almost impossible to miss-hit and make easy work of just about any bunker.
There have been some extreme changes to putter shapes and sizes over the past few years. Putters used to be small and very blade like but have transformed into larger models with visual cues to help today's golfer better align his shots. From traditional to belly putters, blade to mallet, small to large, putters have seen significant advancements that make a huge difference in your ability to line up and sink more shots by allowing you to make a smoother stroke that keeps the club face on target the whole way through.
Choosing the right golf clubs for your game is about playing clubs that make the most of your strengths and reduce your weaknesses. The trick to finding the best set of clubs for your game is to first find the driver and iron heads that will benefit your swing while simultaneously looking and feeling good to you. Once you have the heads in mind, the next step is to have your swing carefully analyzed be a fitting professional who can recommend the precise shaft lengths, weight and flex that will improve your performance on the course.
The USGA and the R&A enforce a limit on the volume (size) of driver heads. That limit is 460cc and for most club golfers, bigger really is better. If you suffer with inconsistency from the tee playing a bigger driver will definitely help. Pushing the weight to the perimeter of the these big drivers and new square and triangular designs means the modern driver is far more forgiving. Square designs and more stable weight distribution are far more forgiving, even on bad swings. Miss-hit a large 460cc driver and you won't suffer as much in distance or accuracy.
In common with all clubs, the heart of your driver lies with the shaft. Fit the wrong shaft and you'll be fighting the club, struggling to find any accuracy or distance. Modern shaft designs can diminish or even eliminate many of the most common misses in golf. Troubled by a slice, a softer shaft might do the trick. If your launch angles are too low, then using a driver shaft with a soft tip for example, could add some loft to your drives. Fitting the correct shaft for your swing speed and your driving will improve. If you've never measured your swing speed, the majority of shaft ratings will incorporate a carry approximation for calculating your best flex. When you check the ratings for various shafts, you need one with a carry rating that matches your typical yardage and you need to be sure that shaft's frequency is accurate.
Hybrids have been the fastest growing segment of the golf market in recent years. While many golfers have trouble hitting longer irons, the hybrid clubs have offered a solution. From any lie condition, good or bad, hybrid clubs are generally easier to hit. The design allows for the ball to launch higher and land softer. Manufacturers of shafts now have options that fit the model of the hybrid clubs.
Iron choices have grown from few to many in an effort to fix every possible issue a golfer could have. If you worry about fat shots or low trajectory, maybe a wider soled iron set would help you get the ball in the air at a better launch angle. If you have the dreaded incurable slice, you may be best suited to an offset iron to help correct it. For many golfers, their games haven't improved in years and it may be time to look at better options.
The short game is where you make or break your scores and that offers lots of options as well. Forgiving wedge designs mean you don't have to make any compromises with your wedge play anymore. If you have trouble playing little flop-shots then high lofted wedges are there to help. If your bunker play is inconsistent, an easy to hit hollow sand wedge may possibly be the best solution. These hollow wedges are almost impossible to miss-hit and make easy work of just about any bunker.
There have been some extreme changes to putter shapes and sizes over the past few years. Putters used to be small and very blade like but have transformed into larger models with visual cues to help today's golfer better align his shots. From traditional to belly putters, blade to mallet, small to large, putters have seen significant advancements that make a huge difference in your ability to line up and sink more shots by allowing you to make a smoother stroke that keeps the club face on target the whole way through.
Choosing the right golf clubs for your game is about playing clubs that make the most of your strengths and reduce your weaknesses. The trick to finding the best set of clubs for your game is to first find the driver and iron heads that will benefit your swing while simultaneously looking and feeling good to you. Once you have the heads in mind, the next step is to have your swing carefully analyzed be a fitting professional who can recommend the precise shaft lengths, weight and flex that will improve your performance on the course.
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