Before you run out and purchase a new $500 driver or $1000 set of irons to impress your friends and drop 10 strokes from your golf game, you need to take into consideration a few things.  While it’s possible to see an improvement in your golf game by using new golf clubs including increased distance and accuracy, new clubs won’t fix inherent defects in your swing. New golf clubs may be able to decrease some of the consequences of a flawed swing, but not always.  If you already have a nice set of golf clubs, you might consider spending the money on golf lessons.  You can always score well with a sound golf swing even if you are using your grandpa’s old wooden golf clubs out of his garage.  For golf lessons, go to agamegolfinstruction.com

If you do need a new set of golf clubs then you need to decide if you want to fork out the dough to impress your friends by having the latest brand name golf clubs with new technology. If that’s not the case then consider purchasing a previously owned set of golf clubs which can still give you the brand name without the premium price.  Or you can have a brand new set of golf clubs for a fraction of the brand name price by purchasing a set of golf clubs cloned after a brand name that you like.  Also, if you would like your golf clubs to be highly customized, clone or component golf clubs are also much less expensive to have personalized for you.

It’s important to understand the components in a golf club and what your specific needs are in relation to each component.  Golf shafts come in various materials including steel and composites like graphite.  Steel golf shafts are the least expensive and most accurate.  Graphite gives you more distance and can lose some accuracy in cheaper brands, however, some higher end shafts are becoming as accurate as steel while keeping the extra distance.  I personally like composite shafts on the Driver and fairway wood(s), but steel on the irons.  I’ve had graphite iron shafts before and I didn’t seem to get any benefit.  They were more expensive to purchase and the shafts get beat up much easier than steel shafts which makes them look ugly with all of the chipped paint.

The USGA limits driver head size. A bigger club head offers a larger “sweet” spot by being resistant to twisting during impact on off center hits.  The resistance to turning is called MOI or moment of inertial.  If you struggle with hitting the golf ball on the center of the driver face every time, a larger club head can help you hit straighter more often.

Irons come in various sizes depending on your level of experience.  A larger oversized iron will have a larger sweet spot compared to a smaller forged iron with a much smaller sweet spot.  The smaller forged irons are for golfers who like to intentionally hit a draw or a fade shot into a tight pin placement.  Some irons have an “offset” head to help keep your hands in front of the ball at impact if you are having trouble with that.

Golf club grips are important.  You need a club grip that works with your hands.  Do you sweat or are your hands dry?  There are corded grips and new materials out that are good if you have a challenge with perspiration.  Get a golf club grip that is only big enough to wrap your fingers around enough to have your fingertips “just barely touch the palm of your hand.  If you have a gap there, the grip is too big which means you lose flexibility and club head speed.  There are different golf club grip sizes and small diameter changes can be done by adding an extra wrap or two of grip tape around the shaft if you need to make a current grip larger.
 
If you want to be able to experiment with different golf club configurations, then you will really enjoy buying component golf clubs that are cloned after brand name golf clubs.  PinemeadowGolf is a great place to find component golf clubs.  I’ve built a couple of sets of golf clubs myself and have experimented with different shaft flexes, shaft materials, shaft lengths, heads and grips.  For example, I made a set of golf clubs that are one inch longer than standard length.  I gained about 10 yards per club, but they feel heavier because it increases the swingweight and on a day when I’m tired, it’s more of a handicap than an asset because I have a harder time getting the club head tempo through at impact and start hitting fades or slices if I’m really tired. At my website AGameGolfClubs.com, I’ve listed most of the best golf club and equipment suppliers and manufacturers that are available online.  You can find any name brand or clone you desire.  Drive for show, putt for dough.  Goodluck.
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