| Many golfers new to the sport will probably be | | | | CG -centre of gravity - and increasing the chance |
| playing with clubs that were part of a packaged | | | | of getting the ball easily into the air. Important |
| set or look similar to brand leading products - not | | | | factors as they can avoid frustration and a rapid |
| necessarily clones but products that appear to | | | | loss of interest in the sport. |
| offer similar technology. | | | | So you may have decided to take up the sport, |
| These package sets, which include woods, irons, a | | | | you are enjoying the fresh air, exercise and |
| putter and a bag, tend to be built down to an | | | | company but you would like to improve your |
| attractive price point with the result their | | | | performance and probably lower your handicap. |
| manufacturers usually have to cut some corners. | | | | Possibly this is the time to evaluate your golf irons |
| Possibly one of the weakest points in their | | | | to see if an upgrade would add to your |
| specification may be found in the quality of the | | | | enjoyment. |
| golf club shafts used. Now to a beginner one shaft | | | | The time has possibly come to consider buying |
| looks very much like another so do they matter? | | | | clubs from a well known manufacturer. Their |
| The answer is very much yes, they do! The | | | | brand names are important to them and so the |
| shaft connects the club to the golfer and | | | | good ones are not going to cut corners, as they |
| transmits the power generated through the club | | | | are keen to become your preferred brand for life! |
| face to the ball. Now shafts bend or flex in a | | | | Their products have been developed over a |
| variety of ways during the swing so it's important | | | | number of years using the best in computer aided |
| to have one that is ideal for a beginner. The | | | | design and while you may not be able to see the |
| better they are the more expensive they | | | | differences you can trust the names: Callaway, |
| become, so unfortunately they are less likely to | | | | Ping and TalorMade for example. |
| be in a budget packaged set. | | | | Ping's G15 are great examples of what you should |
| Heads too can look very similar but the devil is in | | | | be looking for. They have been designed with high |
| the detail. Most of us only view a club from their | | | | launch angles and maximum forgiveness sought |
| outside appearance, in particular their graphics, but | | | | after by the majority of golfers. The stainless |
| today with the use of computer aided design, the | | | | steel heads feature an updated cavity design that |
| inside becomes equally important. Small amounts | | | | saves 7 grams which has been moved to the |
| of material can be taken away from one part of | | | | perimeter further enhancing the MOI. The heads |
| the head to another, where they will be more | | | | also feature thinner club faces that release weight |
| effective in helping the beginner or higher handicap | | | | to be re-positioned at the toe - a great benefit on |
| golfer to avoid a slice - when the ball, for a right | | | | miss hit shots. Finally the wider sole moves weight |
| handed golfer, veers off to the right probable | | | | further away from the face helping to create |
| landing in the rough, worst still in a hedge or out | | | | higher flying, longer shots. |
| of bounds! | | | | Now you can go one step further and it is not |
| Cavity back clubs, as they are known, have had | | | | going to cost you! It's very unlikely that you are |
| material moved from the middle of the club face | | | | average height, weight, glove size and swing |
| to its perimeter. This increases the size of the | | | | speed. So a standard set of clubs may not be the |
| sweet spot and the MOI - moment of inertia - | | | | ideal specification for you. Each manufacturer has |
| making them more forgiving to off centre hits, | | | | established what they think is the average golfer |
| enabling the golfer to achieve greater distance | | | | and believe it or not they aren't necessary the |
| and accuracy. Some of the weight may also be | | | | same. So it's best to buy your clubs for a retailer |
| moved into the sole of the club head, lowering the | | | | offering a custom fit service. |